Category: Albany

Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: These Birds of a Feather are Flocking Filthy to The Hollow

Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, the eight-piece band from Brooklyn flew upstate on Thursday December 5th to The Hollow in Albany. Fans were grateful to hear the show was still on despite the band having over multiple instruments stolen only two weeks prior. With the help of some borrowed equipment and friends, the band was able to perform to a packed room and sent a message out on Facebook saying, “Thanks for all your support over these trying couple of weeks. Ain’t no better medicine than music to drive that darkness away!”

The Hollow’s stage was a tight nest for the musicians and their delicate leading lady but don’t let Arleigh Kincheloe’s size fool you; the small sparrow herself can belt out some serious tunes, leaving the crowd stunned. Her older brother, Jackson, is a harmonica machine as he blows it to pieces with an endearing heart. The Birds hit brass hard with Phil Rodriguez on trumpet, Ryan Snow on trombone and Brian Graham on baritone sax blowing the roof off the venue and adding in smooth vocals throughout the night.

Their rendition of Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel” was soulful, funky and charged up the crowd early in the night. After a couple powerhouse songs, the band slowed down with “Sugar”, a sweet acoustic jam change up and Jackson took a moment to dedicate the show to his harmonica teacher who recently had passed a week ago and paid tribute with a beautiful solo rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Guitarist Sasha Brown ripped apart chords as Arleigh screamed, “Albany, Shake it for me!” Bassist Josh Myers laid down funky bass notes as the bird brother, Bram Kincheloe, went to town on the cymbals with edge. The band was appreciated of the Upstate New York, being surrounded by family, friends and fans; it was truly a great show to be a part of.

Catch Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds on tour when they stop at The Space in Westbury on December 20th with the Funky Meters, at Club Helsinki for New Year’s Eve and at Brooklyn Bowl in NYC on January 31st. Click here if you wish to donate to Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds in the loss of their music equipment.

December 11, 2013
Los Lobos Throws 40-Year Anniversary Fiesta in Albany

Celebrating their 40-year anniversary, Los Lobos brought their highly recognizable blend of Tex-Mex Rock-n-Roll to Albany at the Hart Theater inside The Egg at the Empire State Plaza. Over 500 fans joined the seemingly ageless Los Lobos in what turned out to be one fine fiesta.

The first set consisted mostly of tunes from the Los Lobos early years. “Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio” from the EP …and a Time to Dance, “Will the Wolf Survive?” from How Will the Wolf Survive? and “Set Me Free (Rosa Lee)” off By the Light of the Moon were all hits for the band in between 1983-1987. Other highlights included “Little Things” and “Burn it Down”, which featured David Hidalgo performing a blistering accordion solo. Set one finished up with a more recent dance tune titled “Tin Can Trust”.

Set two featured songs from the 90’s, including crowd favorite “Kiko & The Lavender Moon”. Other notables were “Don’t Worry Baby” and “Pigfoot Shuffle”. Probably the most memorable tune of the evening was a fantastic version Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl” played during the encore. Hidalgo’s crisp and unique voice added a pleasant twist to an already timeless classic.

For those that didn’t get a chance to see Los Lobos this time around or for those who simply didn’t get enough, Hidalgo and vocalist/guitarists Cesar Rosas will both return to Albany to take part in the Experience Hendrix Tour scheduled at the Palace Theater in Albany on March 28. The pair have performed on the tour since 2010.

Set 1: Got to Let You Know, How Much Can I Do?, Ay Te Dejo En San Antonio, Will the Wolf Survive?, Set Me Free (Rosa Lee), Little Things, Burn It Down, Chuco’s Cumbia, Tin Can Trust

Set 2: Dream in Blue, Forty Thousand Headmen>Maricela, Manny’s Bones, That Train Don’t Stop Here, Tears of God, Pigfoot Shuffle, Kiko & The Lavender Moon, Volver, Volver, Don’t Worry Baby, Mas Y Mas

Encore: I Got Loaded, Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young cover)

December 11, 2013
John Medeski Treats The Massry Center to a Stunning Solo Performance

There are musicians that people see clearly pour their heart and soul into a performance. John Medeski did just that on December 7th at The Massry Center at The College of Saint Rose. His just over two hour set was mesmerizing and made you forget you were in a recital hall; it seemed far more like a small jazz club instead. Medeski solo could barely be contained in his playing, frequently standing up and tapping both his feet along with what he was playing. Seeing a musician have that much fun playing for an audience is intoxicating.

The music itself is not your typical, run of the mill jazz either. Instead, his early training in the classics bleeds through as he moves through classically swung eights and transitions cleanly into a haunting straight melody. Ever the modernist, the sweetness of the melodies never lasted long; it usually fell into discordant breaks while he plucked from within the Steinway to add to his, and its, already stunning sound. The evening opened with ‘Where’s Sly?’ blended with ‘Otis’ and had plenty of improvisation for all. With those two songs alone, Medeski played for nearly 45 minutes straight with only a handful of breaks through the entire two hours.

It was an amazing, intimate evening with a skilled musician and performer. Those who were there received a real treat.

Review by Lauren Byrnes

December 11, 2013
DJs, Digital Dharma and Cosmic Dust Bunnies! Oh My! An electronic twister at The Hollow

The Hollow in Albany took a turn to the dark side as the venue was filled with heavy bass bombs and electronic techno jams on Saturday, November 23rd, hosted by Full Circle Music Productions. DJs Mentally Ill and Leila spun while Digital Dharma and Cosmic Dust Bunnies took turns setting up and dismantling but the audience didn’t need much distraction. Mentally Ill got the night started with bizarre beats and eerie mixes, feeding anyone’s craving for light dubstep. DJ Leila was no joke as she is a furious spin master of hip hop and dark beats, great entertainment with attitude.

Albany’s Digital Dharma killed it on stage to their local fan base of dedicated electronic rock lovers. One of the highlights was Steve Mink playing solid bass lines for a deeper disco feel especially during their new song “Shag.” A great combination of funk and techno, Digital Dharma capture ears with fresh improvisation on their original pieces. The boys will return to The Hollow in two weeks with Brothers Past on Saturday, December 21st.

The Cosmic Dust Bunnies ended the night with a hair raising set of high peaked techno melodies with more energy than the crowd could handle. Eric Hyland wailed on both acoustic and electric drums, adding stellar percussion beats and rhythm as Matt Dempsey rocked steady guitar riffs. Chris Sellas fused together robotic sounds and keyboard notes for an attention grabbing factor throughout the night. CDB are often a late night staple at major music festivals so it was refreshing to catch them before 3 am, for once. The four piece band plans to ring in the New Year in Worcester, MA at Disc Jam Presents! A-Dopa-New-Years-Eve with Dopapod, Consider the Source, Viral Sound and more, with tickets still available here. Here’s hoping Full Circle will bring back the uncontrollable storm of The Cosmic Dust Bunnies to the Upstate NY area more often.

December 10, 2013
All the Fun and All the Thanks at Valentine’s Final Funsgiving

Valentine’s of Albany hosted the 6th annual B3nson Funsgiving event for the last time on Saturday, November 22nd. The night consisted of seven diverse Upstate New York bands, alternating on the stages of the two story venue with familiar faces around every corner. With Valentine’s set to close and relocate by the end of this year, it was only proper to gather with friends to make a few more memories at the music hall and beer joint one last time.

Hammer Hawk was the first on the lineup, a trio of musical muscle who greeted the venue with edgy rock angst. Bear Grass had a consistent growing sound with pleasant echoes of Indie folk throughout the set. Lead female singer, Katie Hammon, is a great compliment to the harmonies of the five piece band as their music was an easy listen with relaxing melodies and joyous tempos. Rival Galaxies was an intergalactic experience with their high energy robotic futuristic rock and one of the highlights of the night. Rival Galaxies has a familiar sound to Daft Punk, especially with their disco dueling keyboards. Confetti rained down on the audience along with the steady beats, mighty guitar riffs and lyrics being sang via megaphone.

The Parlor performed some of the best dance music with their Indie Jazz sound complete with a solid horn section and funky bass line. The Parlor introduced new songs to the crowd with vocalist Jen O’Connor singing soft lyrics to Eric Krans’ smooth guitar licks. The carefree duo of Scientific Maps joked with the audience that it’s been years since they’ve practiced but you wouldn’t have known without them saying so. Aaron Smith plays with a nerdy and slightly rebellious grandeur as he strums with a carefree tone.

The night ended with the annual Beard contest with categories for both men and women, making for some interesting facial hair and accessories. Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned was unofficially the winner of the best/most beards in a band category. They have a gypsy sound with the accordion and powerful guitar strumming, giving off a sincere bohemian madness that they crowd couldn’t get enough of. Barons in the Attic concluded the event with their usual wild and riot starting music, making for a serious floor shaking set. Valentine’s has given the B3nson Funsgiving family a place to call home for the past few years and for that, we are all grateful. Be sure to visit Valentines before it’s too late!

wants to hear what your favorite memories are from any of the past B3nson’s Funsgiving’s at Valentine’s. Please comment below for your chance to win a poster from this year’s Funsgiving with signatures from members of each band! A winner will be chosen on December 20th.

December 5, 2013
Thanks be for Timbre Coup and Solaris at Red Square

The jamtronica trio Solaris finally returned to Albany on Thanksgiving Ever, after a summer full of festivals and shows all over the East Coast. The boys hit Red Square with a blast of energetic beats and melodies to a small dedicated crowd.

Their sound gives you the feeling as if you are soaring through outer space with the top down in a Jaguar F-TYPE as you blast a fusion of rock n roll, 80s techno and metal at top volume. They are one of the few bands where you can appreciate their sound individually and in unison as it makes for an unforgettable show every time. One of the highlights of the night was when guitarist Dan Gerken from Timbre Coup joined them on stage, adding raw attitude and explosive dance party. Solaris has big shows lined up in their hometown of Ithaca, including opening for the international dance punk band, !!! (Chk Chk Chk) on Saturday, December 14th at the Haunt and ringing in the New Year at The Gates December 31st.

After Solaris’ long opening set, Timbre Coup took their turn and played well into the night. A regular treat in Albany, Timbre Coup gave a powerful performance on Thanksgiving Eve, heavy on improvisation. After a hypnotic synth jam and “55” to open the show, fan favorites “August” and “June” came early in the two hour set, with Matt Pickering’s vocals on “June” a fine pairing with the entrancing beat had a 1980s Nintendo game feel via Andrew Chamberlain, while Steve Mink, guitarist for Digital Dharma, sat in. The heavy improv night was rounded out with two of the band’s more popular improve vehicles – ‘How to Fly a Kite’ and ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’. Timbre Coup show the influence of prog-rock bands like Umphrey’s McGee, but convert this into their own sound, a defining characteristic of the rising tide of bands making their own mark on the scene. Satisfied and hungry for turkey, the crowd dispersed back to their families, another Thanksgiving Eve of partying and dancing at Red Square in the books.

December 5, 2013
The Rascals Brought Broadway to The Palace Theatre

The Rascals pulled into The Palace Theatre on Sunday, November 24th with their beautifully orchestrated Broadway concert to an ecstatic crowd to end their four night run of Upstate New York cities. Playing 31 songs over a span of over two hours, the band showed why they were one of the most influential bands of the 1960s.

“Once Upon A Dream” is not your usual concert. Throughout the show, the history of the band is told on a gigantic video screen between songs by both the band and actors playing younger versions of the band. To be able to see all of these hits and get the group’s history all at once is amazing. Little Steven, best known as one of the guitarists in The E Street Band, helped bring the group back together for this show. It had been his dream for years to see these four great musicians play together again. He is also a history buff when it comes to music, so he made sure that the two were paired together, and it really could not have been better.

The show was split into two sets with the first set getting more of the history of the band from song to song. By the end of the set the band is getting into the big hits, playing “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore” right into “Good Lovin’ ” to close out the show. The audience showed their appreciation for Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli, and Gene Cornish, giving the group a standing ovation at the conclusion of the set as well as at the beginning of the second one.

The second set saw less video interruption and more musical performance. A major highlight was “How Can I Be Sure” which let Eddie shine on lead vocals. He looked to have been taken aback by the ovation from the crowd. Each member had a chance to shine with Gene doing great guitar work all night, Dino pounding on the drums like a machine, and Felix sounding great vocally and laying down perfection on the keys. They all seemed very excited to be in Albany as they got quite the ovation after their last song “People Got to Be Free (reprise).” They thanked everyone, including those who help put the show on, and then sent the crowd home with “See” capping off a great evening.

The show was supposed to return to Broadway in a few weeks, but it has been cancelled. The band is hoping to reschedule it sometime next year. Once the dates are announced, you would be wise to make sure you get tickets as this show is not to be missed. They may be getting up there in age, but the music is still vibrant and the band is in high spirits throughout the show.

Setlist: Set 1 – It’s Wonderful, I’ve Been Lonely Too Long, What is the Reason, You Better Run, Carry Me Back, Slow Down, Mickey’s Monkey>Turn On Your Lovelight>Mickey’s Monkey (Reprise), Come On Up, Baby Let’s Wait, Too Many Fish in the Sea, If You Knew, Hold On, I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore, Good Lovin’

Set 2 – Good Lovin’ (Reprise), Love is a Beautiful Thing, Groovin’, Do You Feel It, Away Away, It’s a Beautiful Morning, Sueno, Find Somebody, A Girl Like You, It’s Love, How Can I Be Sure, People Got to Be Free, Heaven, A Ray of Hope, People Got to Be Free (Reprise)

Encore – See

December 4, 2013
An Interview with John Medeski

John Medeski, mostly known for his work in Medeski Martin & Wood, will be playing an intimate solo piano show on Saturday, December 7 at the Massry Center for the Arts on The College of Saint Rose campus. Having played shows this past summer with Phil Lesh and Friends, The M&M’s, John Scofield, John Zorn, as well as other sit-ins and solo shows, he has had a lot on his plate in the past year. John sat down for an interview with us ahead of the show.

Medeski has been playing more solo shows as of late, but he still does not perform solo often, so the Capital Region is very happy to have the chance to witness this master of the keys in such a cozy setting. His beautiful work on piano, keyboards and the like brings smiles to people’s faces no matter the group he is with. The concert is scheduled to start at 7:30 P.M. so make sure to get there on time as you don’t want to miss a second of it.

Pete Mason: With your upcoming solo show at the MassryCenter on December 7th, what can fans expect from seeing you perform without Billy Martin, Chris Wood, or any other collaborators? Perhaps songs from your new solo piano album A Different Time?

John Medeski: Generally my solo shows are getting the picture, the unadulterated picture, of just me. (laughs) I can go wherever I want at any time – jazz, tunes of mine, the new record, it goes all over the place; there’s a lot of improvisation, dealing with what’s happening in the moment and feeding off of that and one thing leads to another.

PM: The Word (Medeski, Robert Randolph, Luther and Cody Dickinson) has been a treat when they play at Bonnaroo and select venues. How do you treat the venture into gospel music?

JM: The Word came about because of my long term love of gospel music. Luther and I had talked for years about doing an instrumental gospel album, without the words. The Hammond organ is just a natural part of playing gospel music so it’s a great opportunity to do something fun that I love. It’s another side of me, we all have many sides. It’s a way to get deeper into the music I love. By playing the music and being ourselves, we put our own stamp on it. It’s a great band.

PM: How did the occasional supergroup, The M&M’s, a lineup that includes (in different forms) yourself, Marco Benevento, Maceo Parker, Stanton Moore, Mike Dillon, Papa Mali and Rob Mercurio, first come together?

JM: It all started as a promoter’s idea and we did a show in New York City with Stanton, Papa Mali and Mike Mercurio. It was easy and felt great, so we ended up doing another gig with Marco and Maceo, and we are now starting to work on a record. A lot of the time these groups don’t work, and I’ve done a lot of them. They’re always interesting, but this one has a life of its own and taken off on its own and you can’t go against that. We have a single out, “Melts in Your Mind”, and we plan to finish up the record sometime in the next few months and it should come out next summer.

PM: What brand of pianos/organs/keyboards do you play and do you have a preferred model to use in performance?

JM: I’m endorsed by Steinway, I like Bs or Ds or Greats. I seem to always go for Hamburgs, but every piano is different – Yamaha, Bechstein … a lot of factors work into the pianos. There are a lot of great pianos. There could be one with the same model number but sound completely different. For keyboards I use Hammond B3 or A100 organ, I have a Wurlitzer 140 that I love. I use an electric piano, a Minimoog is important for me. I usually have an organ, clavinet and electric piano around me, plus an auxiliary keyboard as well.

PM: Shortly after your show at The Massry Center, Marco Benevento performs just down the street at Red Square in Albany. If you’re not headed out of town right away, any potential stop in for a sit in with Marco?

JM: Well, you never know. It’s very possible.

A presentation of Premiere Performances, tickets are $25 ($12.50 for students) and may be purchased online at www.massrycenter.org

December 2, 2013
moe. Rocks The Palace Theatre & Rings In The New Year With Special Guests

Albany’s Palace Theatre welcomes rock band moe. for a two night New Year’s Eve run! Eastbound Jesus, a northern rock band from Greenwich, New York, will accompany them on December 30th, and the talented horn section of 90’s jam band Conehead Buddha will join them on stage for a full set on the 31st.

The members of Conehead Buddha are long-time friends of moe. and joined them at their festival in Turin, NY this past August. This band has been around since the 90’s, when ska became popular in the U.S. For anyone who does not know them, their album Rockets is well known among ska fans, putting them in the same realm as Sublime musically. After taking a small break from touring, this band has found their second wind, and has again been taking crowds in the North East on a ride. No set list necessary, this band “feels out the scene” and plays a show that is well-suited for almost any kind of crowd. The horn section consists of Shaun Bazylewicz on trombone, Terry Lynch on trumpet, Shannon Lynch on saxophone and flute. These musicians have an upbeat, talented style that allows them to sit in successfully with bands over a multitude of genres.

New Year’s Eve with moe. is sure to be a lively, rockin’ way to spend the New Year. Check out the energy in our state’s capital and celebrate the New Year with the talents of New York’s finest. Come get down with the moe.rons!

December 2, 2013
An Interview with Marco Benevento, Coming to Red Square in Albany on December 7th

Keyboardist Marco Benevento has been a creative force for quite some time. From playing with Joe Russo in “The Duo” to playing with Mike Gordon, Trey Anastasio, and Russo in GRAB, and sitting in with many legends over the years, Marco is no stranger to impressing audiences with his signature sound. Playing his Hammond B3 and Wurlitzer electric piano, he has made a name for himself as one of the best keyboardists around today. This tour he is changing it up though and using a 63 key acoustic piano and a Synth to make endless loops that are sure to wow the crowd. His latest release Tigerface has been getting rave reviews throughout the year as he has been touring non-stop behind it. I had a chance to Interview with Marco Benevento about the upcoming Albany show as well as other topics:

Bryan Lasky: Looking back on the year as a whole, it seems like you have played everywhere under the sun. Do you have a favorite moment from a festival or a show?

Marco Benevento: Pickathon was a great festival out in Oregon just outside of Portland. There was a wide varitey of music. In the same weekend I saw Feist, Andrew Bird, some band that led a huge square dance and a great band that played some old 70’s soul music. And our band wound up in the new Pixies video because the film maker loved our set!

BL: What has it meant to your music to be able to play with Dave Dreiwitz and Andy Borger for a long time now? Has it changed your writing process? Is it more collaborative?

MB: We really just have a band vibe now. The live show is unstoppable right now too. I feel like we can throw curve balls left and right at each other and wind up with some nice surprises in our show. I’ve been doing the all of the songwriting, but everyone chimes in with there own unique taste and approach to the songs.

BL: You also played with many other artists and groups, such as The M & M’s at Equifunk, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD), Bustle in your Hedgerow a number of time celebrating the 10th anniversary of playing together, and various other projects. How does working with all of these other musicians shape your current work?

MB: It’s just nice to have variety. It’s also nice to dive into specific bands and learn a lot of their music. Because of JRAD I now know about 20 or more Dead tunes and because of Bustle I know about 40 Zep tunes and with all of the Levon tributes I know about 40 Band tunes too! It’s important to learn those timeless tunes and to find out what the formula is that makes it timeless!

BL: Lately it seems you’ve been incorporating more lyrics into your songs. What made you go into that direction?

MB: Good question….I have no idea! Although, I can say that it feels like a very natural progression for me. It started with syllable singing to some of the melodies that I wrote. “This Is How It Goes” from TigerFace was a tune that really brought it out I think. At first my wife, myself and some friends sang and recorded the melody to “This Is How It Goes,” then months later I thought I should have one person sing it and Kal (Traver, of Rubblebucket) came to mind because I’ve always loved the sound of her voice. After actually hearing my tune with a vocalist singing the melody instead of the piano playing the melody I feel like a new door opened.

BL: Have you, Andy, and Dave been recording as a band? Can we expect a release in the coming year?

MB: We are recording in March with an incredible engineer and musician named Richard Swift. He’s now the keyboardist in The Shins and has recorded and collaborated with some incredible musicians that have been inspiring me lately such as Dan Auerbach and Foxygen. Hopefully we’ll have a new record out in the Fall of 2014.

BL: At Red Square in Albany this past June, you said you love the room and would like to do a month residency there at some point. Any news on that front?

MB: Yes!!! The news is that we’re going to do it!!!!!!!! We’re going to take a vote at our gig (on Dec. 7th) and see which month wins!!!

BL: Scott Metzger is opening for you with WOLF! on December 7. What can you tell the fans about them

MB: Incredibly tasteful!!!!!!!!!! I love touring with those guys I feel like it’s a great musical pairing for the night.

This Saturday night is sure to be a great show. Get there in time to see Scott Metzger with WOLF! and then be ready to dance early into the morning with Marco. Tickets available now at Redsquare.

December 2, 2013