Category: Capital Region

Upstate’s Maria Brink of In This Moment headlining Hell Pop tour

Maria Brink fronts In This Moment, and she’s a howler.

That’s okay, man, ’cause what she and the boys are doing, they’re doing well. And, they’re taking it home here in the next few days; home, being, Brink’s home. Yes, she’s a native of the Capital Region. But, she high-tailed it out of “Smallbany” to go after her dreams in Los Angeles. (And, you so had a picture of Axl Rose walking off the bus ala Welcome to the Jungle.) But, that’s so nine years ago.

This Saturday, November 9th, In This Moment will be rocking the set at Clifton Park’s Upstate Concert Hall, as they continue on their leg of the Hell Pop Tour. They’ll only wake up to do it all again down in New York City’s Best Buy Theater on Sunday, November 10^th.

The band is still riding the high from the 2012 release of their fourth studio album, Blood, which reached No 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart, and No. 15 on the overall Top 200, back in February. It’s the band’s biggest success, which came shortly after the band nearly fell apart, which Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel asked Brink in her June interview.

“We (Brink and Chris Howorth) really just rallied together,” she said. “We cannot let other people’s disbeliefs in our band and everything we’ve created, everything we’ve worked for, we’ve strived for, we’ve sacrificed for, hinder us from moving forward.”

It was after the release of their third album in 2012 that founding members Jeff Fabb and Blake Bunzel quit the band. The nation was just taking notice. Just the previous summer they had played alongside Korn, Rob Zombie, Five Finder Death Punch, and Hatebreed at the annual Mayhem Festival. This was followed up by the Hell Hath No Fury Tour. Brink had also received personal recognition as she was named the Hottest Chick in metal by Revolver magazine.

“This is our moment. (Pause). No pun intended. And we’re going to take everything and we’re going to take it into the next level, we’re going to take our live show, our songs, every single thing that has to do with us, we’re bringing it to the next level and we’re going to do this hard.”

Despite their confidence, they ran into tough times. With Fabb and Buzel gone, few managers wanted to give them the time of day, said Brink. But, their producer, Kevin Churko, kept his patience and Brink said his commitment helped the band survive.

“We went into the studio and we wrote the song Blood,” she said. “And right when we heard it back, we knew that everything was going to change right when we heard that song. We felt it, we knew it and we started setting it up with managers and we started having managers fly out from everywhere and everything shifted from then.” The band now consists of Tom Hane on drums, Travis Johnson on bass and Randy Weitzel on rhythm guitar, in addition to Brink’s vocals and Howorth’s lead guitar.

The hardship inspired their song material, Brink said. And, In This Moment has been a soaring Phoenix ever since.

“So kind of everything falling apart and then building it brand new, and all of these beautiful new things, is where all the inspirations from the album came from.”

Oh, one more thing. You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check out the acoustic version of Blood on YouTube. Just listen to Brink’s soulful vocals and you’ll see why, among other things, we like these guys.

November 7, 2013
Featured Band: In This Moment

Maria Brink fronts In This Moment, and she’s a howler.

That’s okay, man, ’cause what she and the boys are doing, they’re doing well. And, they’re taking it home here in the next few days; home, being, Brink’s home. Yes, she’s a native of the Capital Region. But, she high-tailed it out of “Smallbany” to go after her dreams in Los Angeles. (And, you so had a picture of Axl Rose walking off the bus ala Welcome to the Jungle.) But, that’s so nine years ago.

This Saturday, November 9th, In This Moment will be rocking the set at Clifton Park’s Upstate Concert Hall, as they continue on their leg of the Hell Pop Tour. They’ll only wake up to do it all again down in New York City’s Best Buy Theater on Sunday, November 10^th.

The band is still riding the high from the 2012 release of their fourth studio album, Blood, which reached No 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart, and No. 15 on the overall Top 200, back in February. It’s the band’s biggest success, which came shortly after the band nearly fell apart, which Upstatemetal’s Kate Drexel asked Brink in her June interview.

“We (Brink and Chris Howorth) really just rallied together,” she said. “We cannot let other people’s disbeliefs in our band and everything we’ve created, everything we’ve worked for, we’ve strived for, we’ve sacrificed for, hinder us from moving forward.”

It was after the release of their third album in 2012 that founding members Jeff Fabb and Blake Bunzel quit the band. The nation was just taking notice. Just the previous summer they had played alongside Korn, Rob Zombie, Five Finder Death Punch, and Hatebreed at the annual Mayhem Festival. This was followed up by the Hell Hath No Fury Tour. Brink had also received personal recognition as she was named the Hottest Chick in metal by Revolver magazine.

“This is our moment. (Pause). No pun intended. And we’re going to take everything and we’re going to take it into the next level, we’re going to take our live show, our songs, every single thing that has to do with us, we’re bringing it to the next level and we’re going to do this hard.”

Despite their confidence, they ran into tough times. With Fabb and Buzel gone, few managers wanted to give them the time of day, said Brink. But, their producer, Kevin Churko, kept his patience and Brink said his commitment helped the band survive.

“We went into the studio and we wrote the song Blood,” she said. “And right when we heard it back, we knew that everything was going to change right when we heard that song. We felt it, we knew it and we started setting it up with managers and we started having managers fly out from everywhere and everything shifted from then.” The band now consists of Tom Hane on drums, Travis Johnson on bass and Randy Weitzel on rhythm guitar, in addition to Brink’s vocals and Howorth’s lead guitar.

The hardship inspired their song material, Brink said. And, In This Moment has been a soaring Phoenix ever since.

“So kind of everything falling apart and then building it brand new, and all of these beautiful new things, is where all the inspirations from the album came from.”

November 6, 2013
Jungle Boogie Gets Down Resort Style – October 25th-27th

Jungle Boogie Music Carnival made its home for two days at Roaring Brooke Ranch in the heart of the Lake George region in Upstate, NY this past Halloween weekend. Guests checked in around 3pm on Friday, October 25th, and freely explored the grounds until the music on all three stages began just before sunset.

The resort has a 1970’s, vintage vibe to it, complete with cabin style hotel rooms scattered around the secluded property – this ranch is fit for an adventure. A large pond sits in the middle of the site, surrounded by weeping willow trees, it’s alive with wildlife and colorful autumn foliage. The festival attracted anyone who was into raging for a weekend in a beautiful resort area, and indulging in the Halloween spirit of the season.

The energy overall was full of curiosity – each space offering something completely different. At every turn there was something new to explore, some energetic realm to indulge in. In the main lodge, the Boogie Stage was set up along with local arts-n-crafts vendors and live painters. A large bar sat next to the stage serving classy drinks during all hours of the night. Just around the corner, guests could explore the Psy-trance Room – this space was decked out with multiple geometric cloth tapestries and black light fixtures. Everything was bright, radiating color, and the crowd was a true blend of every kind.

The Jungle Room with its electronic stage within a classy banquet hall, a perfect fit for a drum and bass get down. Lights, and fog filled the room, jungle flowers hung from the ceiling, and artists were selling their home-made t-shirts and glowing art pieces in the foyer.

Like the most famous festivals of Europe, the Psy-trance stage got everyone’s feet stomping, body’s swaying, and hearts pumping. After chatting with Psy-trance artist Meg from Xena Linguist, it became clear just how dedicated this genre’s group of artists actually are to their realm of music. She explained she had been introduced to this style of music only a few months ago and was “Deeply moved by its fast paced rhythms and dedicated following.” Its creativity and flowing art, makes psy-trance music and culture truly intriguing and appealing to anyone who is looking to soak up raw talent while connecting with people of all kinds.

In the Jungle Room electronic artists like Getter, Evac Protocol and JPHELPS, rocked the bodies of everyone who entered their domain Friday night. It was like walking into a European night-club with neon décor covering the space. Laser light shows kept things colorful and each artist had the finest beats to enliven the crowd and ignite some serious dancing. The rich design of decorating turned the industrial like space into a lively jungle, and had the most diverse group of people relishing in its sound all weekend long. With live dancers on stage, Saturday’s Jungle Room set was the most impressive with beats by Jennifer Haley, Trollphace, Megalodon, and of course the United Kingdom’s, Adam F.

Creators chose to call the Lodge stage, the “Boogie Stage” for a reason. Every band that played this stage knew how to get funky. Friday night the acoustic duo, Jake and Doug showed off their natural talent with seemingly effortless playing on the guitar and djembe. Their Reggae-esque style was a call to all and their Sublime covers did not disappoint.

High Peaks Band played an impressive set with a rich blend of originals and covers. The headliner of the fest, Twiddle, rocked out perfect phish-like jams. Formula 5 kept the crowd begging for more well into the early morning hours. Impressing even the most devoted Umphrey’s and moe. fans, this band proves themselves to be one of the best on the local jam band scene.

Joe Davis has just about mastered the guitar and Mike McDonald’s skills on keys are unmatched. Their killer set had people talking all weekend. Day two brought Digital Dharma, Flux Capacitor, Shwizz, lucid, and Capital Zen to the party. All of these bands rocked the place in their own unique way. With the crowd dressed in costume and ready to party, the music on the Boogie Stage just kept coming.

Flux Capacitor really impressed with their balanced blend of electronic and rock jams – a new up and coming band that is already taking the live music scene by storm. One could describe them as having a Lotus-like sound, but then when you least expect it they turn on the heavy, and you find yourself head banging.

As always lucid covered just about every genre there is to cover and had the crowd happy and feeling right at home within their sound. With their finely crafted songs and rootsy lyrics, this band always has the power to reel everyone in, while turning strangers into family in just one set.

Having been built on the premise of partying for a purpose through creating funds to educate and support wildlife, this event embodies the dedication it takes to create something with such meaning and truth. By booking local as well as international acts who are capable of exploring multiple genres. Scheduling allowed for the creation of music lasting until all hours of the night. This festival also employed some of the friendliest staff on the scene, welcoming all guests to after parties all weekend long, and offering safe cabins to retreat to, all while Halloween is heavy in the air. Jungle Boogie has it going on! Festivals of this kind are the way to go and the wide stretch of true talent is something to be celebrated – This event is one for the books!

November 4, 2013
Chris Thile Celebrates ‘Bachtober’ in Upstate NY

World renowned mandolin master Chris Thile held a special solo performance for ‘Bachtober’ this past Sunday October 27th, at The College of Saint Rose’s Massry Center for the Arts. The venue is a 400 seat capacity recital hall, ranked high in the Capital Region for its energy efficiency and Earth-friendly structure. With such an intimate setting, Chris Thile was able to interact more closely with the audience, conveying his sense of humor and gifted story telling thru music.

When Thile isn’t performing solo, he is touring with his bluegrass band the Punch Brothers in addition to and most recently also performing with, pianist Brad Mehldau, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, guitarist Michael Daves and double bassist Edgar Meyer – to name a few. Thile paid tribute to one of his favorite musicians, Johann Sebastian Bach by performing pieces from Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 1 and by dubbing October as his personal Bachtober.

Chris Thile took the stage, singing aloud some scales as he tuned himself as well as his mandolin with the room grossly quiet. He laid out the agenda for the evening with explaining the layers of Bach, his “stuff”, Bach, more “stuff” and Bach in a friendly disposition. Thile was happy to celebrate the last Sunday of Bachtober in Upstate New York as he joked about the correct pronunciation of Albany. His Bach covers were observed in dead silence and a deep respect where as his original pieces caused rowdy outbursts from the crowd with delight and laughter.

The music brought out the best in Thile whether he was balancing on the tips of his toes, stomping the stage, or in a wide and strong stance. The audience could feel everything that he was feeling, just by watching the countless facial expressions with every note. Despite being seated the entire time, Thile made the room spin and soar as he jerked recklessly on the stage with complete control of his instrument.

Chris threw in a curveball when he covered Fiona Apple’s “Fast as You Can”, getting laughs as he sang, “And I’ll be your girl, if you say it’s a gift” and smiling at the crowd saying, “this is gonna be a fun night.” He took a moment to joke about how performers especially soloists must perform at least one but no more than three songs about the Civil War.

With that intro, he went into “Richmond is a hard road to travel”, an upbeat, catchy tune with fast spoken lyrics from Divided and United: The Songs of The Civil War, a collection of 32 Civil War era compositions with musicians from all generations. The audience was then asked to hunker down for the “Partita No. 1 in B minor”, a piece that Thile “absolutely adores” due the endless satisfaction he gets from how each movement has a double movement. He pushes himself to the limit with each note, occasionally wiping the sweat off his fingers onto his pants, receiving applause and a standing ovation that was deafening and well deserved.

Chris Thile concluded the evening with some light-hearted songs, “If You are Gonna Leave Me (Set Me Up with One of Your Friends)” also known as his campaign song if he were a politician and “Play You a Song on The Mandolin”. He commented on his love for the sound of the Massry Center, maybe due to its “waviness of things” noting on the protruding curved red wooden panels. Whether it’s Bach or bluegrass, Chris Thile is a spellbinding musician that brings life to contemporary and classic pieces as well as to his audiences around the globe.

November 4, 2013
Album Review: The Chronicles ‘Spanning the Gap’

The Chronicles, a progressive jazz band from Albany have released their second studio album this month, Spanning the Gap. Their newest album was produced and mixed by musician Alan Evans of Soulive, who even makes a guest appearance on a few tracks. The seven-piece band combines the flavors of funk, soul, jazz and hip hop to create a dynamite album that is not easy to put down. The album is available for free listening and immediate digital purchase on their website, where you can also order vinyl copies.

The album kicks off with “Village Living”, a groovy attention grabbing guitar melody from Justin Henricks that soon meets up with the eruption of the full band sound. The horns get dirty as they jazz up the song with a wide range of notes with the organ blasting in full effect. “Interzone” switches into a smooth and chill retro groove with a slow tempo that increasingly picks up pace into a jumping back and forth dance party. “Way Back Home” brings in Tara Merritt for vocals for a sensitive yet tough twist, suitable for The Chronicles diverse sound. This song features a more sophisticated feel with the strong string presences of Iris Mulhern on harp, Phil Ducreay on Violin and Dylan Perrillo on String Bass. “Vibe” features strong cymbal playing and percussion for a relaxed funky feeling with a little help from Alan Evans.

“Just Knew”, an upbeat song with a great blend coming from every musician making for a unstoppable funk machine. Philippe Chow brings his trumpet to the table for an extra and always appreciated boom. “Spanning the Gap” gets a dose of hip hop from Jeff Nania, spitting out lyrics in sync with the modern chill jazz with a light piano solo from Tyrone Hartzog to finish off the song, proving that The Chronicles have no problem bridging multiple genres. “Quartal” is where Nicholas Lue shines with heavenly piano peaks and a consistent locomotive vibe. “Bad,Bad,Bad” features vocals recorded by Tyrone Hartzog, organ player of the band, with funky guitar riffs giving off the bad boy charm. “Reprise” ends the album with robust, soulful keys and steady bass notes from Daniel Lawson, to fade out with echoes of the haunting harmonies.

Key Tracks: Way Back Home, Just Knew, Spanning the Gap

November 1, 2013
Orchard Lounge Goes Late Night at The Putnam Den, October 25th

A crisp late night in Saratoga began with DJ Leila and Jon Santolla (aka Mentally Ill) throwing down a heavy set to warm up the audience. Even from down the street it was obvious that this dynamic duo had taken the stage at Putnam Den with a vengeance. The set varied from hard drum and bass to more down-tempo trancy beats that layered into each other infiltrating the crowd with intensity. Leila and Santolla were the perfect opener to set the tone before Spencer and Bethany of Orchard Lounge took stage.

Orchard Lounge electrified the crowd into an all night dance party. The bar was pumping out glasses of water for all of the crowd, ragged form the hard dancing. Although the crowd was small, it left nothing to be desired in the way of energy. Bethany repeatedly looked up from her table and pointed out to the crowd mouthing “I love you guys,” clearly feeling the amount of energy the crowd was permeating out into the venue. A few times throughout the show, Bethany even jumped down off stage and let Spencer take charge while she fraternized and danced with her adoring fans. It is not very often that you see artists with as sizable a following that Orchard Lounge has being so down to earth and engaged with their fans. The entire set crossed so many boundaries and genres and took the night to levels of intricacy that are rarely seen from a set of DJs. One thing is for sure, when Spencer and Bethany take stage – there is no laziness and their stamina is impressive. Orchard Lounge took no breaks and continued the party well into the early hours of the morning, as the crowd lost no steam for the dance party that raged on. There was absolutely nothing lackluster about their entire set, which is why Orchard Lounge holds the following and fan base that they do. It is evident that all parties involved had a great time for O-Lounge’s first Saratoga experience.

October 31, 2013
Touchpants Show in Glens Falls a Perfect Compliment to Phish

Sandy’s Clam Bar was the perfect location for Jon Fishman’s side project Touchpants to play a post-Phish show on October 23rd. Although the show didn’t start until 1am Thursday morning, the crowd was full of energy and abuzz about the incredible performance at Glens Falls Civic Center just a few hours before.

What unfolded at Sandy’s was a show that makes Dr. Dirty look like ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic – both are masters of parody and comedic music, but Touchpants, well, they took things to a new low. A very deep, dark low.

And it was awesome.

The stage was set with three toilets (lid down) for Chris Friday (guitar/vocals), Colby Dix (guitar/vocals) and Jon Fishman behind the drum kit. Bassist Aram Bedrosian stood at stage right all night, giving the band a beat that kept things progressing, even though every bit of the show, short of written setlist, was shot from the hip and had no sense of organization to the show. Therein lay the highlight of Touchpants – the band performs songs like “Penis Slap” and “Mushroom Tattoo”, discusses prolapsed colons and finds Colby Dix wandering through the crowd to talk-sing to anyone in his path, all the while the band keeps playing on stage.

The crowd fed off the hilarity onstage and encouraged more from the crowd. If a lyric or comment toed the line, whether the audience laughed or groaned, the line was getting crossed like a shot from a cannon. This show is not for the faint of heart or those who cannot take a joke, or for anyone with an early bedtime – the show lasted until 3:30am, with the bar lights coming on while the band was still playing.

If a Phish show was rated like a movie, generally, most shows would be PG-13 – a rating that is a step above child’s play, even when they play “Fuck Your Face”. Touchpants has the same intersection of humor and music, but would easily get an NC-17, if not an X, if that rating were still used today. Disturbingly hilarious, devoid of setlist continuity and interspersed with inside jokes and roast-worthy comments to fans, Touchpants is the ultimate post-Phish show. That’s how good it was.

Highlight: 20 minute version of “Mushroom Tattoo”

October 28, 2013
Phish Returns to Glens Falls in Grand Fashion

When Phish announced their fall tour plans a few months back, the Glens Falls Civic Center date jumped right out at me. I was lucky enough to attend the Halloween ’94 show there that catapulted the band into the mainstream, and sent me from coast to coast the next two plus years following the band around. I was not going to miss it!

After a rock solid show in Rochester the day before, and after picking up my friend Adam in Herkimer, we set off for Glens Falls. Arriving in town around 4:30, the Civic Center was in view and the crowd (and the police) were already surrounding the building. The ’94 show did have some bad moments as those shut out started to rush the gates and throw bottles at police. This time around, the police presence was beefed up around the venue, but the preshow crowd was mild mannered at best with most smiling and chatting among phriends.

Several preshow parties were in effect, and after parking off Elm and South, I set off for 42 Degrees. Specializing in custom made glass works, 42 Degrees is one of the premier head shops in all of Upstate NY. With in-house glass blowing, and munchies and drinks available, 42 Degrees was packed by the time I arrived. My next stop was Aimee’s Dinner & Movie, which hosted an art show featuring some of the scene’s best artists, and the next door Wallabee’s Jazz Bar, where local favorites High Peaks Band were laying it down for the masses. Check them out when you can they deliver!

From there I ventured over to the Downtown City Tavern to catch a set by Acoustically Speaking, featuring Mik Bondy and Kat Walkerson of The Garcia Project. This stripped down duo features Mik on guitar while both he and Kat share vocal duties. Their soulful renditions of Garcia Band favorites meshed perfectly with my Octoberfest preshow draft. After talking with Mik and Kat on their break, I headed over to the Civic Center to get my credentials and check in for the main event.

Although I had a floor ticket for this one, I headed instead to the upper level behind the stage to snag some dancing space. Not surprisingly, I ran into some other ’94s up there looking for some space as well. It wasn’t long before I found a sweet spot as the lights lowered and the band appeared on stage. The energy was already amped up considerably, and when the opening notes of “Back in the USSR” started, it was like a flame to gasoline as the place erupted. It brought me back for sure, and the lyric “Gee it’s good to be back home” really nailed the moment. Phish left no doubt that this was not a total throwback, when the opening guitar licks of “Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan” sent us all back to the future; Trey was on his game already.

Next up was “Water in the Sky”, which gave me a chance to catch my breath and my second wind. I would need it as a seven minute “Undermind” showcasing Page’s funkiness led to a midset “David Bowie” reminiscent of a mid-90’s version, clocking in at just over 10 minutes. Old school favorites “Golgi Apparatus” and “Gumbo” were next, followed by Mike Gordon’s “Yarmouth Road”, which debuted at SPAC this summer. The old school feel continued with “Camel Walk” and “Horn”, and was followed by a decent but standard version of “Limb by Limb”.

“I Didn’t Know” was next, which brought Fishman and his vacuum out behind his kit. Trey asked “For 19 years we’ve all been wondering, is he gonna do it again??”, referring to Fishman getting naked at Glens Falls Civic Center the last time they played. He replied: ” I can if you want, but I doubt you want that”. The set ended with a standard version of “Split Open and Melt” that did feature some Trey licks towards the end. On paper this was a decent set at best, but if you were there, the place was rocking and the energy was intense.

After some random acts of kindness during the intermission, I headed down to the floor, just to the right of Chris Kuroda and the light board. “Rock and Roll” opened the set with a bounce and some ripping guitar from Trey. The groove slowed and “Seven Below” emerged, a standard version that gained momentum towards the end, which led to a spirited version of “Alaska”.

The set’s highlight was the 14 minute “Twist”, complete with full band exploration for the first time all night. CK was on fire as well, and his new light rig was put to the test. A very soothing “Wading in the Velvet Sea” followed, one of the best versions I’ve seen or heard, which led to “Harry Hood”, featuring a glow stick war that wouldn’t quit. The place was going crazy for sure, and the “Chalkdust Torture” that followed continued the late set dance party proper.

After a very loud and lengthy ovation, the band reappeared, and Trey spoke about how great it was to play near Burlington and in Upstate New York in particular, and that many friends and family from the past 30 years were there to help celebrate. The band then revisited their Halloween past with a fitting “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” to wrap it up.

Exiting the arena, everyone was smiling from ear to ear, all of us knowing we were a part of Phish history once again. Fans ended their night at Hotshots, were Albany’s Mister F and Vermont’s Twiddle, or Touchpants, for the perfect nightcaps to an incredible day of live music in Upstate New York.

October 28, 2013
Review: Monster Energy Drink Outbreak Tour 2013

Monster Energy Drink’s 2013 Outbreak Tour invaded the Mid-Hudson Civic Center Sunday, Oct. 20 in Poughkeepsie N.Y.

Matt Tuck

Headlining the tour was Bullet For My Valentine with special guest Black Veil Brides, Stars In Stereo, and Throw The Fight.

Bullet For My Valentine

Opening the show was Throw The Fight. I have never seen this band before, but they totally rocked live.

Matt Tuck

Lead vocalist James Clark gave a brief, heartfelt speech about being a cancer survivor and reminded everyone to chase their dreams, because five years ago he was in the crowd as a fan, and now he is on the stage living his dream.

Matt Tuck

I recommend going out and seeing this band live if you get the chance. I had a chance to talk with them after their set, and they are a bunch of really cool down to earth guys besides great performers.

Stars In Stereo were slated in the second spot for this event.

Bullet For My Valentine

This is now my third time seeing Stars In Stereo this year. It seems like they are opening for everybody these days.

Throw The Fight

Bec Hollcraft is really starting to come into her own as a performer. Last time I saw her, I felt like she was a little bit reserved but not anymore.

Guitarist Jordan McGraw has a lot of energy and is always playing to the crowd, pumping them up.

The first two times I saw them, they played a cover of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” but didn’t touch it this time and just played tracks off their album.

Outbreak Tour 2013

Up next in the three spot was Black Veil Brides. I know this band had their detractors, but every time I see them on a show, they give a really good live performance.

Andy Biersack of BVB even said during his thank you speech to everyone in the crowd who is not a BVB fan, “Thank you for putting up with us and letting us perform for you before Bullet For My Valentine came out.”

Just like some of the “boy bands” you see in the pop genre, I think the young female teenage following they have generates most of the negative press they get from fans. BVB seems to be the “boy band” of rock music.

Welch metal-core rockers, Bullet For My Valentine, are up next in the headlining forth spot for this show.

BFMV came right out and kicked @$$ from start to finish.

This was one of the best live performances by a band that I’ve seen all year! This was my first time seeing BFMV and I was not disappointed.

Bullet is a really solid band, and the crowd just ate up their energy. Lead vocalist Matthew Tuck is just amazing on vocals live, and Jason James was just as good with his screaming/growl backing vocals.

From drums to guitar to bass, these guys are all very talented musicians.

Near the end of the set, Matt invited out Jordan McGraw of Stars In Stereo and Ryan Baustert of Throw The Fight. Matt said that “tomorrow is these guys’ birthday,” and brought them out for a drink on stage.

Throw The Fight

Matt made them do a head stand as members from BFMV held their ankles and poured a nice alcoholic beverage in a red solo cup down their throats. Ryan failed his first head stand attempt, which made Matt quip in with “you’re not to flexible, are you?”

Bullet performed “Tears Don’t Fall” as the last song of the night. I don’t think they had a choice. When Matt told the crowd this was going to be the last song of the night, the crowd started an immediate chant of “Tears Don’t Fall,” which brought a huge smile to Matt’s face.

This was a really good concert from start to finish. It might even be in the top 10 of best concerts I’ve seen in 2013. All the bands were really good on this show, and if you love music like I do, and you don’t get into the band bashing like some fans do because they don’t like a certain band’s image, go out and see these bands when they come to your area. Remember, it’s all about the music and having a good time!

Black Veil Bride

October 28, 2013
The Masses Gather for Conehead Buddha at The Hollow

Friday, October 18th was filled with the rowdiest of characters down at The Hollow in Albany for one of Upstate New York’s original jam bands, Conehead Buddha. The eight-piece band originally from the Capital Region started back in the early 90s and continues to provide the best energetic dance parties this side of the Hudson River.

A bigger band means more musicians with more instruments providing a killer combination of genres and a powerful sound. Conehead Buddha dishes a high level of ska from its horn section, blasting a rebellious yet playful melody throughout the night. The band has a dedicated fan base that puts others to shame with their nonstop slam dancing, only a fraction away from moshing.

One of the best parts about Conehead Buddha is the ability to create an upbeat, fun loving song with lyrics full of heartache like “Hey Jody.” Chords are climbed as drum beats are danced upon words of a sad story, but you are too busy having a good time dancing to notice. “My Side of the Story” started with heavy bass bombs with echoing lyrics and a twist of dark space. The second set started with “Vinnie” a saucy, exotic upbeat song that eased the crowd right back into the groove with a light reggae vibe. One of the highlights for the night was the cover of Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” resulting in wild crowd scream/sing along. The interaction CB has with the crowd expands their music to new heights while recreating the original jams that made fans fall in love with them in the beginning. Conehead Buddha will making stops all around the East Coast before ending their fall tour with Funktapuss at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo on Saturday November 23rd.

Set 1: Ain’t No Better Way, Safety In Numbers, Wear You Down, Fly on the Bedroom Wall, Mountains, Hey Jodi, Cielo Drive, My Side of the Story, Crumbs, Bobby Brooks, Johnny, Rockets
Set 2: Vinnie, Mind the Question, Forget Me Not, Carbonation, Must Be You, Leaving the Brothel, Swedish Girls, Smiling, My Way, Deaf of Blind, SWM, Present Perfect

October 25, 2013