NYS Music 20​13

Category: Ithaca

  • SOLARiS Will be Ringing in the Funk for New Year’s Eve in Ithaca

    SOLARiS announced its New Year’s Eve show on December 31st at The Gates in Ithaca, New York’s Collegetown. Come join SOLARiS for a three sets face melting New Year’s cheer that you wont soon forget. With special guest DJ Gundz spinning between sets, so the music will be bumping all night long. The Gates has extended its drinking hours meaning the party wont stop until 3:00 AM.

    The Gates – 301 Eddy Street, Ithaca, NY. Admission: $10 (Includes food – more details TBA) Age: 21+

    SOLARIS NYE

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  • Something to TAUQ About – Tauk and Aqueous Join Forces in Ithaca

    New York City’s Tauk and Buffalo’s Aqueous (TAUQ?) have a problem. The bands had teamed up for the second time of their seven appearances together this fall only to discover, that not one, but BOTH band’s vans are under duress. Luckily, after some quick warranty work, the Tauk-mobile was back in action, and in true musical brotherhood form, they escorted the Aqueous boys on time to Ithaca for their dual show at Lot 10 on October 25th.

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    The venue is new to the Ithaca scene and sits conveniently off the downtown Commons area on South Cayuga Street. Composed of a lower lounge area that features DJs and couches and an upper area with a bar and stage, it’s certainly a welcome addition to a city that has struggled to find a central place for musical gathering since the 2012 closing of Castaways.

    Tauk kicked things off around 10:30 with their self described brand of rock fusion. Sounding like a prog-ified MMW with shades of Zappa and King Crimson thrown in, the bands buzz is well deserved. Virtual soundscapes abound between shifting rock-based tension and smooth jazzy ambiance throughout the set. The mostly instrumental songs enveloped the amassing crowd of Gorge-us Ithacans who appreciatively hollered for more. And more they were given in the form of a top notch outro cover of, in this reporters opinion anyway, the BEST Beatles song ever, “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”.

    DSC_2083Buffalo’s groove rock powerhouse Aqueous was up next, taking the stage shortly after midnight to a relatively packed house given the cold Southern Tier evening. Having hit the area heavily over the past few years, the band has gathered a local fan base who danced their asses off for seemingly every note of the set. Amongst the set of excellent original material the band still found time for a quick jam on P Diddy’s “Bad Boy’s For Life” with Tauk’s drummer Isaac Teel happily offering up some vocal offerings. After a quick and delicious encore of Radiohead’s “Just”, both bands disappeared into the cool Finger Lakes night.

    Fear not if you missed this excellent band duo, as Upstate NY has two more chances to see Tauk and Aqueous team up. This Friday, Rochester gets the love at The DubLand Underground. (18+ 7$ 10pm). Saturday they are off to the legendary Nietzsche’s in Buffalo. (21+ 7$ 9:30PM)

    Check out Tauk’s newest single “Sunshine Harry” here.

  • Aqueous Announces Extensive Fall Tour of New York, Midwest and Atlantic Coast

    Buffalo’s favorite intense groove rock experience Aqueous has announced an extensive fall tour that brings the band to many new markets as well as established ones. The band has been hitting the road harder then ever this year and this new batch of dates will bring them to over 120 shows for 2013.

    AQ-FALLTOUR

    Highlights include the tour kick-off at the esteemed Brooklyn Bowl with Turkuaz and Jimkata for the Catskill Chill music festival pre-party. Several Upstate NY dates follow as well as the band’s second international date in Montreal. October features a four-show North Carolina run and will also bring them close to one of their mentors; performing an after party for the Rochester Phish show (w/ Jimkata). Washington D.C. and Brooklyn will be treated to some undoubtedly well planned Halloween antics to start off November before a pilgrimage to jam-mecca Nectar’s in Burlington and another pair of upstate dates in Buffalo and Rochester.

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    The summer may fade, but the rage lives on. Check out the full schedule below!

    Aqueous Fall 2013 Tour Dates with Upstate NY highlighted
     
    9/4 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY * w/ Turkuaz & Jimkata
    9/7 – The Catskill Chill Music Festival – Hancock, NY
    9/11 – 123 Pleasant – Morgantown, WV * w/ The Main Squeeze
    9/12 – Thunderbird Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA * w/ The Main Squeeze
    9/13 – Night Lights Fall Festival – Sherman, NY
    9/14 – Barnaroo – Dover, OH
    9/20 – The Dubland Underground – Rochester, NY
    9/21 – Nietzsche’s – Buffalo, NY
    9/26 – The Waterhole – Saranac Lake, NY
    9/27 – Java Barn @ St. Lawrence University – Canton, NY
    9/28 – Gert’s @ McGill University – Montreal, QC
    10/2 – Papa Pete’s – Kalamazoo, MI
    10/3 – The Gramophone – St. Louis, MO
    10/4 – Hideaway Saloon – Lexington, KY
    10/5 – The Empty Glass – Charleston, WV
    10/8 – The Blind Tiger – Greensboro, NC
    10/9 – One Stop @ Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
    10/10 – The Saloon @ NC Music Factory – Charlotte, NC
    10/11 – 185 King Street – Brevard, NC
    10/16 – Electric Haze – Worcester, MA
    10/17 – Thirsty Moose Taphouse – Portsmouth, NH
    10/18 – The Putnam Den – Saratoga Spring, NY
    10/19 – The Crooked I – Erie, PA
    10/22 – Water Street Music Hall – Phish After Party – Rochester, NY * w/ Jimkata
    10/23 – The Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY * w/ Tauk
    10/24 – Black Oak Tavern – Oneonta, NY * w/ Tauk
    10/25 – The Lot – Ithaca, NY * w/ Tauk
    10/26 – Jungle Boogie Festival – Lake George, NY
    11/1 – The Bayou – Washington, DC * w/ Tauk
    11/2 – The Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY * w/ Tauk
    11/6 – Urban Nest – Asbury Park, NJ
    11/7 – Nectars – Burlington, VT *
    11/8 – Shaskeen Pub – Manchester, NH
    11/9 – Church – Boston, MA
    11/15 – The Dubland Underground – Rochester, NY * w/ Tauk
    11/16 – Nietzsche’s – Buffalo, NY * w/ Tauk
    11/20 – Tonic Room – Chicago, IL * w/ Brown Bag
    11/22 – Scarlet & Grey – Columbus, OH

  • Dan Smalls Presents Announces Fall Lineup at The Haunt in Ithaca, NY

    Dan Smalls Presents recently announced the fall schedule for The Haunt, in Ithaca, NY. Known throughout the Upstate New York Region as the premier concert promoter, Dan Smalls Presents is bringing the hottest musical artists in the country to our neck of the woods. Their shows are well run and highly organized and we here at are proud to announce the artists coming this Fall.

    Tickets for these Dan Smalls Fall shows in Ithaca go on sale Friday 8/9/13 and can be purchased online or at the venue box office.

    October 10 – Brooklyn based funk all-stars Turkuaz will start off the season with their appearance at the Haunt. Doors open at 8:00PM and the show is at 9:00PM, Ages: 16+.

    October 18 – John Brown’s Body brings their Roots based Reggae to The Haunt. Doors open at 8:00PM and the show starts at 9:00PM, Ages: 16+.

    October 27 – Tera Melos will introduce their punk/prog-rock tunes to Ithaca all the way from Sacramento, C.A.. Doors open at 8:00PM and show starts at 9:00PM, Ages: 16+.

    October 13 – Regulars to the Upstate scene Jimkata and their signature brand of song-oriented electro-rock, will be a rager for sure. Doors open at 8:00PM and the show starts at 9:00PM, Ages: 16+.

    November 11 – Spiritual Rez will light up the dance floor at The Haunt. Doors open at 8:00PM and the show starts at 9:00PM, Ages: 16+.

    December 13 – Bluegrass fans will be treated with the sounds of Driftwood and some good’old foot-stompin hootnany. Doors open at 8:00PM and the show starts at 9:00PM, Ages: 16+.

  • Dancing Amongst the Magic – Grassroots Festival 2013

    Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance was held on the 18th- 21st of July, 2013. Not really though. Really it began on Rabbit Run Rd. behind the Trumansburg Fairgrounds outside of Ithaca on July 17th. Anybody there will tell you. Cars, trucks, buses and RVs lined up early Wednesday morning to get in line and do their best in claiming a good spot on the grounds. Loyal fans spent the night on the side of the road in the humidity and July heat carrying Grassroots cheer with them, as they reminisced about past years. When Thursday morning arrived, the hard work had paid off and at noon, hot pink bracelets were on and gates were opened. People filled up the fields and both onsite and offsite camping almost full as the much anticipated music began.

    To many, Grassroots is a summer staple, a place where they return again and again, often times carrying new friends along, recommending the joy to others they meet on their travels. Musicians and crowds carry similar chants: “Grassroots is not like any other festival, it is in a class all of its own. Casting spells and sharing the whole wide world on four stages.”

    The popular new camping area dubbed “Next door camping” is a great place to stay while the festival unravels. You can hear sounds from the famous stage at the Infield, as well as be tempted by sights and sounds coming from the Grandstand stage. Thursday evening The Blind Spots kicked the festival into full gear, mixing oldies, funk, reggae, rock and the gorgeous vocals of lead singer Maddy Walsh up into the perfect brew. Their rendition of “Purple Rain” kept people talking through the weekend. Staying at the Grandstand would have kept anyone satisfied with bands like Driftwood, Rubblebucket, and of course Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad filling up the night with sound. At Grassroots though, a different world is a walk away. Down a dusty old path to the Infield, festival creators Donna the Buffalo was making beautiful music before handing the stage over to old time favorites Rusted Root. Meanwhile, the famous Grassroots dance tent was successfully being turned into a NYC dance club with newcomers DJ Bill Kelly & Richard McVay.

    Grassroots parties ‘til the moon goes down. So after a perfect night of raging, Friday comes too quick. Yoga in the dance tent tempts most festival goers but the early morning sun seems like too much and the crowds remain small (“maybe tomorrow?”) One of the perks to being a Grassroots flower is you get second chances. Everything happens twice. Any overlapping bands, events or adventure usually give you a second chance. There is the double-scheduled bands, the healing tent activities happening each day, ethnic and comfort food available all hours of the night, shuttle buses that leave every ten minutes to the forest at offsite, the free-flowing art in the barn and of course the forever tumbling gorges a walk away.

    Friday at Grassroots promised some of the biggest acts of the weekend including Jim Lauderdale, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Sim Redmond Band, and John Brown’s Body. If you are willing to look and listen you’ll find a few new favorites as well. The Spam Allstars from Miami, Florida rocked the Grandstand Friday evening taking festival goers from the hot Latin music of South America to the cool trance music of Canada.

    Saturday is the day to get down at Grassroots. Anyone who makes their way to this sweet spot will tell you, “If you’ve got some energy left, save it for Saturday.” It is the day to roam the grounds, do some shopping at the array of local artisan booths, and take a gander at the artistic creations that will leave you both impressed and inspired. Just stopping in the picnic area and taking a look at the sights that surround you are enough to fill your senses. The people are a work of art. Everyone dares to be different. There’s the dancers, the painted ones, the glitter goddesses, the families, the farmers, the jugglers, the musicians (everywhere) and the fairies on stilts; which will of course lead you to the kids play area, the drum workshop, the hula-hoopers, and the bubble blowers. Everywhere you go there is something to see, something to hear and someone to meet.

    Saturday music offered yet again a beautiful lineup. Elliot Martin of Black Castle and lead singer of John Brown’s Body satisfied the rootsy souls in the Dance Tent while Driftwood put on another stellar performance at the Grandstand. Festival au Désert Caravan For Peace shared music from across the world in the Infield. The Horseflies, a Grassroots favorite took over the crowd with their trance-like folk melodies and tempting beats, the Grandstand was overflowing with intrigue. Finally the one, the only, Samite of Uganda. Samite is a beloved Grassroots act whose African music and beautiful talent on flute and Kalimba (thumb piano) has not been enjoyed in the evening hours in years. The sights and sounds of faraway places and warm tones pour into your soul and have you begging for more beauty. The crowd was pleased pleasantly and gratitude was all around.

    As for the Dance Tent on Saturday night, it is legendary. Keith Frank & His Soileau Zydeco Band play their hearts out until the sun comes up. Colored paper lanterns lit the way as dancers swayed to the music and made their way to the stage. The crowd was thrilled to finally be there in that moment, a year’s worth of waiting finally paid off. And it was so worth the wait. There is something about that energy, some kind of passion found in that present moment that is like fuel. It keeps you burning, it keeps you going, dancing, feeling alive, ready for more music, and more memories.

    Then there was Sunday. The Happiness Parade filled the pathways of the festival with theatrical masterpieces, music from drumming, tambourines, harmonicas, guitars, chanting and laughter. This was the perfect day to make a visit, experience the festival in a nutshell and tap into your own creativity. Beyond that the mellow, sunny, open vibe that lingered on Sunday from the joy created all weekend was lovingly intoxicating and left us all begging to stay just a while longer. Who better to unwind in this feeling and under the bright sun with, than Sim Redmond Band. Their warm sound just mimics the atmosphere and makes you feel right at home.

    As neighbors fade away, crowds dwindle down, and reality starts calling, the Sunday party does anything but wind down. Bands like Preston Frank & His Zydeco Family Band, Miami natives Suénalo, and Donna the Buffalo kept things alive and full of energy until the end.

    All of Grassroots music, uniqueness, humbleness, talent and beauty not only have the locals coming back for more but also continues tempting music lovers worldwide, and making Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance one of the world’s top festivals of its kind.

  • The 23rd Annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance: Staying Different by Remaining the Same

    In this day and age where music festivals are popping up like a game of  Whack-A-Mole, it’s nice to know there’s an oasis of musical and arts gatherings right in our own backyard, one that is celebrating its 23rd consecutive year. That festival is Grassroots and that backyard is Trumansburg, NY.Grassroots Festival 23rd

    “The uniqueness of Grassroots really lies in the feeling where everyone who goes to Grassroots feels like a real part of the festival. You’re not being subject to an event, rather you’re part of it and creating your experience with everyone else, so everyone who comes to it is truly, a real part of it.” – Jeb Puryear, Donna the Buffalo

    Spawned from the brainchild of Donna The Buffalo members in 1990, the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance has evolved in many ways, uniquely, by not evolving. The festival has always stayed true to its roots (no pun intended) by offering the widest array of genres, cultures, instruments, ethnicities, flavors, beats and personalities of any festival in Upstate, which, in many ways, defies the current model of genre-specific festivals that have become so recently prevalent. This year’s lineup remains on par with that informal mission: attract the total diversity of people Upstate NY has to offer by offering the most diverse lineup to new and veteran festival goers July 18-21.

    “You know it’s really easy for a music festival to slide into that stereotypical niche of being hippie or whatever but I mean, yeah, sure I’m a hippie, but it’s a tough distinction to make. We get farmers and republicans to everyone. That’s one of our goals really is to make the masses of people, everyone from everywhere, to realize Grassroots can be a great event for everyone,” said Donna the Buffalo frontman Jeb Puryear in a recent interview. “The uniqueness of Grassroots really lies in the feeling where everyone who goes to Grassroots feels like a real part of the festival. You’re not being subject to an event, rather you’re part of it and creating your experience with everyone else, so everyone who comes to it is a truly, a real part of it.”

    Fresh off their latest album release, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, roots/zydeco/jam icons Donna the Buffalo returns home to the Finger Lakes to highlight this year’s extensive lineup.  In addition, other area acts include Sim Redmond Band, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, John Brown’s Body, Driftwood, Milkweed, Gunpoets, Thousands of One and Sophistifunk, among countless others. As always, some of the regulars will be making another appearance with Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band, and Preston Frank and His Family Zydeco Band keeping people kickin’ up their heels to ungodly hours each night in the infamous Grassroots Zydeco Tent. Other great acts include Rubblebucket, Rusted Root, Jim Lauderdale, The Town Pants and Chatham County Line but perhaps the largest draw of the festival (‘The Herd’ would contest) is expected to be for Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. Perhaps, however, most of Grassroots charm arrives from hearing music or artists you have never heard of or maybe never have consciously self-introduced: Genres spanning afrobeat to Cuban, bluegrass to soul or reggae to…dare I even say it, country music.

    One of those said “acts”, if you can call their ensemble that, is called Festival Au Desert – a Caravan of Peace. Hailing from Mali, a nation currently torn in turmoil among recent throngs of Al Qaeda influence, the Festival Au Desert refers to themselves, comprised of several different Malian musical groups, as a ‘Festival in Exile’ and they will bring that mobile caravan of global rhythms to Trumansburg July 18-21. “The Festival of the Desert thing is gonna be pretty cool. It’s a product of when the forces of global politics invade something as pure as music,” said Puryear. “Al Qaeda is in the northern part of Mali, and getting unruly and next thing they did was start going into the villages and started outlawing music and outlawing something like music in Mali is a pretty heinous thing, so they have this festival in the desert every summer and they didn’t feel like they could hold it safely over there, so they decided to take their festival on the road and we were lucky enough to get ‘em.”

    In addition to the non-stop music July 18-21 at the Trumansburg Fair Grounds, Grassroots also boasts eclectic mixes of art, dance, food and activities. Since 1990, the festival has appeared to really grow with some of its original attendees. In addition to growing up as a festival, Grassroots has also expanded to now include Grassroots Festivals in North Carolina and Florida. “First, in the beginning of it all, with some proceeds, we wanted to bring awareness to AIDS. We started as a musical event and we decided to make it to go towards helping some causes. We branched out to arts and education and essentially, by branching out to helping education and the arts, we are essentially furthering our original mission, which is music,” said Puryear.

    Essentially, the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance promotes arts and education, provides family-friendly entertainment, on-site camping and food, a relaxed, friendly vibe, a diverse lineup of never-ending music and great Finger Lakes Scenery. Yet, despite all of this, Puryear said he knows there are music lovers in Upstate New York who still have not yet made it to one of the past 22 installments. “Everyone in this area is good people. People who come and finally get there after hearing about it for years just end up having an unbelievable time. I can even begin to recommend anything more assuredly than telling people to go to Grassroots festival. It really is special.”

    ‘s recommendations for this year’s lineup: Donna the Buffalo, The Horse Flies, Driftwood, Chatham County Line, The SPAM Allstars, The Speckers, Aurelio Martinez, The Campbell Brothers, Rubblebucket, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell. For a complete listing of Grassroots artists: please visit www.grassrootsfest.org

  • Hearing Aide: Solaris Burns Bright With ‘NeoN’

    Solaris, the three-piece instrumental band from Ithaca has released their newest album, NeoN. The album kicks off with “Triphammer”, a fast tempo beat with eerie echos and a serious build up that continues to rise throughout the entire song.

    This is that first song you hear that sends the message that the night has commenced I am a big fan of the “THEM” remix which is heavier on the bass at first, then a slower rhythm, making for an easy flowing electronic jam. “Neon” is just as it sounds, bright and bursting with energy, with an unpredictable melody. “Nostromo” (jazz version) was a pleasant surprise and I was pleased to hear Solaris experimenting with a different style, yet still making it their own. It was refreshing to hear a softer side of the band, each instrument being showcased delicately. “Harkonnen” gives off a Halloween vibe: think spooky mad scientist laboratory meets robots and aliens. “E.S.C. (Remix)” has more high pitched beeps and boops, with a groove that just as soon drops you as it picks you up again.

    NeoN is an ideal album to listen to while you’re driving to your next show or when you’re gearing up on lot. The album has an wide assortment of crisp arrangements, highlighting the multiple sounds of Upstate New York’s Solaris and making them the must see band of the summer.

    NeoN was recorded digitally in the studio, was produced, mastered and edited by drummer, Dan Lyons with additional overdubs from keyboardist Jared Raphel. Bassist Vinny Naro created the design and album artwork.  Fans can stream the album for free, a $3 download or $5 physical copy which gives you the artwork as well. NeoN features new electronica songs and experimental sounds as well as remixes to past favorites. Their summer tour will include festivals such as The Big Up, The Catskill Chill and MyGlo II.

    Key Tracks: Neon, Triphammer , Nostromo (Jazz Version)

  • Neko Case at the State Theatre of Ithaca, October 29th Tickets On Sale Today

    nekocase300There’s a special challenge to being an artist in this increasingly fractured cultural age; a delicate balancing act, between being of your time, and striving for timelessness. Few contemporary artists even try. Neko Case is an exception. Dan Smalls Presents brings Neko Case to the State Theatre of Ithaca in Ithaca, NY on October 29th.

    Case’s last album, 2006’s Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, brought her to that nexus where critical acclaim meets commercial success. But Case’s impact can’t be measured merely in chart placements. It’s her ability to connect – on an uncommonly deep and meaningful level – with her audience. She’s one those artists, you see: the kind whose songs linger in your head, your heart and soul long after the record has stopped spinning.

    This is an all ages show. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets go on sale today, Friday at 9a.m. – pick up your tickets at the venue box office or online. BUY TICKETS HERE!

  • Upstate Spring Revival in Review Part 3/3

    Editors note: This is part 3 of our 3 part Upstate Spring Revival coverage that features the music from the weekend. Take a look at coverage in Part 1 and Part 2.

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    What a fantastic weekend! Despite possibly the worst weather conditions imaginable from Friday evening through Saturday morning, the State Wide Music staff came through. Kudos to sound man Tim, who gave us one of the best sounding festivals ever; site manager Jeff for his tank-sturdy stages, cameramen Kevin and Brennan for braving torrential downpour conditions with expensive equipment, and most of all, to the bands and festival-goers for keeping an upbeat “We’re all friends” attitude throughout the fracas. Big thanks to Herby One and State Wide Music for yet again delivering the perfect regional festival experience.

    Didn’t have enough yet? State Wide Music has two more shindigs planned for the summer at Miller Hollow in Marion NY.  June 13th-16th will be the second annual Fiddlers Picnic. Spotlighting some of the region’s best bluegrass music,  the festival will include the moe. side project Floodwood, Dangermuffin, The Rumpke Mountain Boys, and many more. July 11th-14th is Upstate Boogie 4, featuring one of the funkiest lineups ever with Kung Fu, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Sophistafunk and more to be announced!

    Here are some of the featured setlists from some of the hottest sets over the weekend at Upstate Spring Revival:

    Flabberghaster

    View From The Mountain, Lies, Stone Free[Hendrix],Hangin’ On The Moss,The Crunge>Dazed and Confused[Zeppelin],Who Put This Spell On Me,Coming Up For Air, Lose Your Shoes, The Machine, Whipping Post[Allmans]

    Mister F

    Deal Breaker, Everything You Say, This One Goes to 11, Jump the Shark,  Treadmill, Bed Intruder Song >Vocoder, Answer the Dog, Hedgehog

    Ocupanther

    I Feel Love[Donna Summer], Pyromancer*, Misunderstanding Hugs, Naga Golokia, Ghostless, Fraktura, Stompgoat

    * Debut

    Formula 5

    Earthbound Tim, King Harvest[The Band], New Untitled Song, The Clear %-> Nu-Gen -> 3 Ring Circus -> The Ride Ending

    % Unfinished

    Dopapod

    Nuggy Jawson -> Priorities -> The National Anthem[Radiohead] -> Priorities, Weird Charlie > Cloud World, Donkey Kong Theme *€> Trapper Keeper*, Bats In The Cave^, Present Ghosts, French Bowling+

    *contained elements of “Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2” by Pink Floyd
    €debut
    ^w/ Mike Gantzer from Aqueous on guitar for the jam, Dr Dre teases
    +contained elements of “Hey Are You Going To Burning Man?” by Electric Apricot

    Timbre Coup

    Snoop Tiger, July, TheWay > Jam > Roland Opus, I didn’t know She had a Mustache, June, Arnold Schwarzeneggar

    Aqueous

    Skyway, Strange Times, Aldehyde > Uncle Phil’s Parachute >Fur Elise[Beethoven]* >Uncle Phil’s Parachute > Knights of Cydonia[Muse] > Warren in the Window > Timmy’s Blades > Regulators[Warren G]**, Pictures > Origami % > Uncle Phil’s Parachute ***

    * Linus and Lucy tease

    ** With Chuck [Dopapod] on bass, Evan on vocals

    *** Schism teases [Tool]

    % Unfinished

  • Upstate Spring Revival in Review Part 2/3: The Sounds

    Editors note: This is part 2 of our 3 part Upstate Spring Revival coverage that features the music from the weekend. Come back tomorrow for our final article, “The Skinny and The Setlists”

    The music started promptly at 7:30pm Thursday night with the combined forces of Carly Jane and Train Rat. The Cohocton, NY band’s melodic hypnotizing jazzy blues with a hidden fury was a great way to kick start the weekends musical expeditions. Along with a slew of originals, they offered up sexy versions of Peggy Lee’s “Fury” and The Devil Makes Three’s “Old Number 7”. Following Train Rat was Springwater’s White Woods with their own brand of Cake-esque alt-rock with extra frosting.  The two bands also collaborated on a song with some expert mandolin play and an audience chanting “Chugging down to New Orleans” right along with the musicians.

    Thursday’s closer was Vermont’s Flabberghaster. While hard to define given their unique flavor, one could imagine AC/DC mashed up with the Allman Brothers and get a sense of their sound. This was some rocking music and the crowd ate it up. Beyond the head banging, the band also went on a number of exploratory improvisations from bare bones hard rock to jazzy percussive clap-alongs. While their set was somewhat cover heavy, they made songs like Led Zeppelin’s “The Crunge” and the Allman Brothers “Whipping Post” their own with no fear of straying from the original song structure. Where’s that confounded bridge? Who cares! The crowd wandered back to their tents completely flabbergasted. True to rock and roll form the band slept overnight on the stage.  

    Friday started out early with Canandaigua’s Upstate. The bands blues based rock and roll with lots of experimentation and fierce peaks got people out of their tents and down to the stages. In the middle of the set they offered a fun mash-up of one of their originals with the new Daft Punk song “Get Lucky”. Following Upstate was Buffalo’s Slip Madigan. The band’s upbeat happy music with funky breakdowns and hints of electronica was a great match to the unexpected sun shining down on the crowd. The newly formed Mister F followed, composed of  3 members of Albany’s Timbre Coup and Scott Hannay from Capital Zen. The F maintains their own sound, which runs the gambits of influences from funk and rock to jazz and electronica. Their self-described genre of “Neat and Clean, Hard and Dangerous” is pretty much spot on.

    Rochester’s Ocupanther then laid its claws into the audience with their brand of instrumental funk-space-psychedelia featuring the juxtaposing styles of Berkeley schooled axeman Colin Jones and self taught shred wizard Mikey Pantano. They opened with an adventurous cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” and the audience responded with much love of their own. Friday’s evening journey began with Albany’s Timbre Coup and their deep progressive rock influences, intertwining metal overtones and doses of electronic forays with top notch vocals. As the sprinkles started to turn to rain, true to their name, Project Weather Machine stormed the stage for an hour and a half of Grateful Dead and old school blues inspired improvisations with awesome names like “Nitrous Roxide”. As the rain progressed in intensity festival goers were treated to the first show by Buffalo’s Universe Shark in several months. Despite their hiatus they did nothing but deliver, keeping the crowd dancing in the mud. Closing out the evening was the return of the much revered Schleigho. Their set was nothing short of mind-numbingly brilliant, ranging from pure technical by-the-numbers wizardry to wide open “Space”-esque exploration. Musicians were buzzing about this set the rest of the weekend with phrases like “It was like going to jam clinic” and “I’m not worthy” being thrown about.  

    Saturday started later than anticipated. Stage equipment was all moved to the main stage due to the mud pit in front of the secondary stage. Thankfully the weather cleared, the sun came out, and Ithaca’s Solaris started things off with some excellent intense EDM. Albany’s Formula 5 proved quite the draw in the next spot with their genre-everywhere sound. Funk, rock, blues, jazz, electronic, it was all in the mix as well as a fun cover of The Bands “King Harvest”. The trio of Rochester’s Haewa filled the 5pm slot with some of the most extended jamming of the weekend, more of Colin Jones guitar-pyrotechnics, and a rock solid grooving core.

    The evening lineup of Vermont’s Twiddle, Buffalo’s Aqueous, and NYC’s exploding Dopapod was so hot people were wiring their doctors to re-up their heart medications. Twiddle started it off with a set filled with improv, explosive soaring peaks, and a jam of Phish’s “Contact” that ended up going from “Funkytown” to “Billy Jean”. The centerpiece of the show was a monster version of original “The Box” which simply went everywhere. Aqueous then one upped everyone with the biggest crowd of the weekend thus far, and a hot-as-fire set no amount of liquid could extinguish. Filled with effortless segues, memorable originals, a fun sit-in from Dopapod’s Chuck Jones on Warren G’s “Regulate”, and a brilliantly intense take on Muse’s “Knights of Cydonia”, Aqueous had the audience in the palm of their hand. Brooklyn’s Dopapod closed the evening set with an all out rager, effortlessly gliding from song to song with the best light show of the weekend by far. This band is on fire and should not be missed at any opportunity.  Aqueous’s Mike Gantzer sat in for original “Bats in the Cave” complete with some well placed Dr Dre “Xxplosive” teases.

    Those that survived the onslaught of Aquapod stayed up for the late night set of NYC’s Consider the Source, whose technical expertise may not be surpassed by anyone. Imagine a Primus that got all jammy and had three Les Claypools running the show. Pure intense perfection and an exquisite end to the fest. An incredible weekend of music, with each band bringing their A-games.

    Come back tomorrow for our weekend summation and an assortment of some of the weekends best setlists.