NYS Music 20​13

Category: Central NY

  • Emancipator loosened up The Westcott Theater on January 27th

    The Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY has been a go-to venue for Syracuse University students and area residents for years. Recently, the Westcott has offered an eclectic blend of bookings that span across many different music styles and genres. This particular night was no exception to this relatively new trend, as Oregon-based producer Douglas Apping took the stage with live violinist Ilya Goldberg under the moniker of Emancipator.

    The crowd was primed well by openers Beatkid, Tor and Eliot Lipp, who offered fast-paced infectious dance grooves that drew from several subgenres of electronic dance music like House, Drum n Bass, and Dubstep. I had broken a sweat and felt loosened up by the end of Eliot Lipp’s set, anxiously waiting to see what Emancipator would bring next. As Emancipator began their set, the overall vibe of the crowd seemed to change from raging craziness to a slower, more relaxed feel. Emancipator’s advanced lighting rig grabbed my attention right away. The rig included thirteen LED lit triangles that towered over the two artists. It was obvious that the lights were programmed for each song, as they seamlessly changed with each subtle transition in the music.

    Emancipator seemed to build in the layers in each track carefully, which allowed the set to take on a free-form. Emancipator barely used any distinct riffs from any of their albums, but did include brief teases of “Jet Stream” and “Kamakura” from their latest album Safe In The Steep Cliffs. Douglas and Ilya seemed to be in a trance, lost in their own musical take on down-tempo, trip-hop grooves.

    The performance was especially enjoyable and unique because the music warranted multiple potential responses. One could dance to it, just stand and relax to it or immerse one’s mind in the detail and complexity of it. An even blend of these types of expressions was apparent in the audience and I was eagerly sampling each one. This show presented me with three things that I look for in a live music experience: a danceable groove, some musical complexity to ponder and a chill crowd to experience it with.

    www.emancipatormusic.com

    www.thewestcotttheater.com

    Emancipator on Twitter

  • Umphrey’s McGee at The Landmark Theater, Syracuse, January 17, 2013

    I won’t lie — I went into Umphrey’s McGee’s show at the Landmark Theater in Syracuse on January 17, 2013, with almost no high expectations. I had seen them nine times and not once was I blown away. It always seemed stale, like the music was a moldy piece of bread. Just guitar solos and crazy lights, which always made for a fun show, but UM never made the cut to my iPod. That has since changed.

    So it came as a huge surprise to me when I walked out of the venue with a smile on my face, slapping hands and chatting about how great of a show it was. And it was! Not being familiar with a band’s full catalog can have serious consequences if you are reviewing a show. Luckily for me, I knew every song and had just enough UM experience to understand what was going on.

    First, let’s talk lights. Jeff Waful, the band’s lighting director, is insane. Not the committed-to-asylum insane, but lights-in-your-face crazy. I am so used to Chris Kuroda of Phish that I never really thought lights for any music could be as powerful as they are for Trey and Co. Waful puts on more of a psychedelic feeling show, with lasers and rotating bulbs. The Landmark is a small theater and to fit a rig in there has to be difficult and cannot compare to playing a large festival or outdoor arena. Waful manages to weave in perfect diversions from Jake Cinninger and Brendan Bayliss’ wicked guitar mania. Those two guys, who just so happen to put on a real guitar clinic every summer, are two of the most talented players going today. My only gripe is that the lights were so blinding that I couldn’t hone in on watching their fingers. As a guitarist, I try to take something from every guitarist I see play. I need to see them again, standing on the stage again, listening to them shred again.

    “Cummins Lies” bled ever so thrashingly into “Miss Tinkle’s Overture” before a brief breath. “Walletsworth”, “Der Bluten Kat” segued into an instrumental of Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” back into “Der Bluten Kat”, “Through the Cracks”, “Smell the Mitten” and “The Floor” made for a rocking set. The second set was where I got “it”, as in understanding the band. “Prowler” > “In The Kitchen” > “Deeper” > “#5” > “In The Kitchen” was a full-on dance-a-thon, It just kept heating up with “Let’s Dance”, “Utopian Fir” > “Cemetery Walk” lit the rafters ablaze with fiery soloing. An encore of “Miami Virtue” > “Glory” sent the almost-full theater home with a happy ending.

    Setlist

    Set 1: Cummins Lies > Miss Tinkle’s Overture, Walletsworth, Der Bluten Kat > I’m On Fire > Der Bluten Kat, Through the Cracks, Smell the Mitten, The Floor

    Set 2: Prowler > In The Kitchen > Deeper > #5 > In The Kitchen, Let’s Dance, Utopian Fir > Cemetery Walk

    Encore: Miami Virtue > Glory

    Download the show here

    Show Poster by Dan Grzeca

  • EP Review: “The Sound of Forgiveness” by Sleep Circadia

    EP Review: “The Sound of Forgiveness” by Sleep Circadia

    Sleep Circadia

    Genre: Metalcore/Prog

    Rating: ****1/2

    Full of surprises, dark energy, and musical mastery, Sleep Circadia’s debut EP is certainly the right way to kick off 2013 in the 315 music scene. After reviewing the lead single, “Gloom”, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of the whole EP, and am in no way disappointed with the whole product. Like the single, the rest of “The Sound of Forgiveness” is ridiculously heavy, full of melodic riffing and super slow breakdowns, deep lyrics, great grooves, and dark atmosphere. The greatest thing about this EP, however, is not what is in “Gloom”, but what isn’t in it that the rest of the songs have. This EP keeps you guessing, with different melodic patterns, song structures, and sound effects. The title track/intro song is climactic, building up the suspense as it opens up into “Set It Off”, and the whole record keeps that sense of curiosity at what will come next. It is beautifully produced, giving a creepy, confined tone that seems to open up and close you inside it at the same time. This sound matches the incredibly low tuning of the instruments and key of the vocals, making the whole thing seem so mysteriously dark. The musicianship on this EP is fantastic. The guitar tracks consist of choppy rhythms, shredding riffs, slow breakdowns, and catchy melodies, all in a creepy tone, and most of which are in every single song. The drums are phenomenal, keeping the time perfectly and alternating flawlessly between very fast and very slow rhythms of different styles. The bass has one of the coolest tones I’ve ever heard, which is really saying something because you can almost never hear the bass in a song. The vocals are incredibly low and well delivered, with great execution of both the guttural screams and the beautiful clean vocals. I must mention, however, that I have seen Sleep Circadia many times before, and their screams are better live than on the studio recordings. This sounds like a bad thing, but it really isn’t for two reasons; the vocals do sound good on the EP as well, and it gives you another reason to go see them play live. If, of course, the fact that their music is awesome wasn’t reason enough to want to see them live. Their live show is every bit as entertaining and heavy as the EP sounds, but seeing them live adds a whole new depth to the character of the band. In conclusion, I recommend “The Sound of Forgiveness” very highly to all fans of metal and hardcore for its creativity, atmosphere, quality, and diversity. I predict that the future is as bright for Sleep Circadia as their music is dark.

    Go “like” Sleep Circadia and download “The Sound of Forgiveness” here FOR FREE:

    https://www.facebook.com/sleepcircadia

    Rock on 315!

    -Steve, 315MR (Upstate Metal) BTLYAP

    https://www.facebook.com/315MusicReviews

  • Floodwood announces two June festival dates in Upstate NY

    Floodwood, the progressive string band featuring the combined talents of Woodenspoon’s Jason Barady, Nick Piccininni, and Zachary Fleitz, plus moe.’s Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico, have announced 2 Upstate NY festival appearances in the month of June.

    Saturday June 15th, Floodwood will return for the 2nd annual Fiddlers Picnic at Miller Hollow in Marion, NY. The Fiddlers Picnic is a celebration of American bluegrass, folk, and roots music. 3 days and nights of live music on 3 stages, overnight tent and RV camping, arts & crafts vendors, food vendors, a kids activity area, art & soul village, fire spinners, songs around the campfire, and more! Floodwood will headline the main stage on Saturday night.

    Other bands featured include Rumpke Mountain Boys, The Blind Owl Band, HogMaw, Jatoba, The Mallett Brothers Band, Eastbound Jesus, Free Grass Union, Acoustically Speaking and more.

    For more info visit: FiddlersPicnic.com — Click here to join the Facebook Event

    Sunday June 16th, Floodwood will perform at Clearwater’s Great Hudson Revival. The “Clearwater Festival” features seven sustainably powered stages with diverse music, dance, and storytelling. Inspired by Pete Seeger’s desire to clean up the river over forty years ago, Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival initially helped raise the funds to build the sloop Clearwater, which has since become a world-renowned floating classroom and a symbol of effective grassroots action.

    The Clearwater Festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 15 and 16 at Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County, NY. Other acts include Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Son Volt, Acoustic Hot Tuna, Jorma Kaukonen & Steve Kimock, Antibalas, David Bromber Quartet and more

    For more info visit: clearwaterfestival.org

    floodwood-jayb

  • The Dickey Betts were on at Turning Stone Casino, January 9

    When Dickey Betts and Great Southern took the Turning Stone Casino Showroom stage Wednesday night, the sold out crowd roared.  When he played his first solo seconds into the show, the crowd roared.  For two solid hours the crowd roared.

    Dickey Betts is a living legend who has a reputation for being  a little mean, a whole lot of tough, and in a love-hate relationship with the bottle.  The gloom of the Allman Brothers breakup lingers around his name.  Last year when the Allman Brothers received the Grammy for Lifetime Achievement, Dickey Betts didn’t show.  He said he wanted to be there but couldn’t.  But after departing ways with the Allman Brothers in 2000 under an unsavory situation, it is often Dickey’s name that got tossed around as the problem.  While Greg Allman and ABB continued the way of being a jam band; Dickey went back to his roots and approached his music from a Southern Rock perspective.

    The majority of Dickey Betts and Great Southern’s show is without vocals.   In fact, the only break from mind-blowing guitar was when James Varnado & Frank Lombardi took turns offering up funky drum solos.  On keyboards and  offering vocals was Mike Kach.  Mike has played with numerous acts including touring with Molly Hatchet.  Pedro Arevalo was on electric bass and offered the deep, pulsating rhythm that Dickey set his numerous solos to.  On the other side of the stage was Andy Aledort.  Andy played second lead guitar and worked in the slide often in a style reflective of Duane Allman.  Andy is recognized as one of the top guitarists around and is a Senior Editor at Guitar World.

    Then there was the prodigal son, Duane Betts, on lead guitar.  Imagine living up to having your father be Dickey Betts, and knowing that you were named after Duane Allman.  Duane Betts seems to be handling it just fine, and filling those big shoes given to him at birth.  In fact, while Dickey was notorious for playing the Les Paul Goldtop, that legendary guitar seems to have passed from father to son.  Dickey was playing his Gibson SG and sharing lead with his son.  Most solos were definitely Dickey’s, but when Duane got a lick or two in, they stuck.

    The setlist was a good mix of popular Allman Brother songs: “Blue Sky”, “Jessica”, “Liz Reed”; and well-known guitar covers such as “Statesboro Blues” and “Hoochie Coochie Man”.   The pace throughout the concert was good and you can tell the band has been holding strong with this grouping since 2006 when Andy and James joined Frankie (2000), Mike (2003) and Pedro (2004).  The transitions were smooth and all eyes were on Dickey as he was the obvious band leader and in complete control of the stage.

    When the night ended and Dickey Betts and Great Southern played the encore of the Allman Brothers’ most famous song, penned by Betts, “Ramblin’ Man” the crowd roared it’s loudest.

    Look for Dickey Betts and Great Southern throughout the year.   Instead of their typical single four-show run each month, the band is hoping for two four-show runs a month.  That’s twice as much DB & GS for the Dick Heads in 2013.

    Also look for more legends performing at Turning Stone in the upcoming months.  The Wailers will be at the casino on January 23rd, George Thorogood in March, and BB King in April.

    SETLIST: High Falls, Nothin You Can Do, Statesboro Blues, Change My Way of Living, Blue Sky, One Way Out, You Don’t Love Me, Southbound, Jessica, Back Where It All Begins, 7-Turns, Hoochie Coochie Man, Having a Hard Time, My Get Away, Long Time Gone, Nobody Knows, Liz Reed, No One Left to Run With

    ENCORE: Ramblin’ Man

  • Umphrey’s McGee starts their 15th year together with 2 Upstate NY shows January 16-17

    Umphreys McGee will start their 15th year together as a band with a national winter/spring tour that starts right here in Upstate NY, with back to back shows at The Town Ballroom in Buffalo on Wednesday January  16th and at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse on Thursday January 17th. Rochester natives Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will open both shows.

    From there it’s a month’s worth of shows in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest. 3 weeks later, leg 2 will start with a 2 night stand in Aspen, CO, plus stops in Utah, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona.

    Umphrey’s McGee recently announced their return to the Full Moon Resort  June 17th through 21st, in the heart of the Catskill Mountains in Big Indian, New York for sUMmer school 2013. Musicians and music lovers will be given an up close and personal hands-on exploration into the music and inner workings of Umphrey’s McGee. Last year, attendees were treated to an unforgettable week where the band pulled back the curtain to reveal details on songwriting, improvisational techniques, gear, business, marketing and more.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm-8MjtqQ2c?&w=420&h=315]

    Umphrey’s McGee:
    Brendan Bayliss – Guitar, vocals
    Jake Cinninger – Guitar, vocals
    Joel Cummins – Keyboard, piano, vocals
    Andy Farag – Percussion
    Kris Myers – Drums, vocals
    Ryan Stasik – Bass

    umphreys.com
    allthings.umphreys.com
    facebook.com/umphreysmcgee
    twitter.com/umphreysmcgee

    Coming Soon! An interview with Jake Cinninger

  • Dopapod announces Winter/Spring Tour Dates

    Wasting no time in the new year, Dopapod follows the release of their new album Redivider with a 3 month winter spring tour.

    dopapodbanner

    Redivider is available as a free download at their website or you can purchase a physical copy, or even a hi-fi digital version. One of the many reasons Redivider stands out among their previous records is due to the fact that the band as added vocals for the first time to some of their tracks.  (Read Pete Mason’s CD review). The band has posted in-studio footage on their website from their most recent record making process.  Showing much appreciation for their fans, Dopapod recently announced a heavy jam packed Winter Spring tour, ranging all over the east coast, midwest and southeast.

    Winter Spring 2013 Tour Dates:
    1/29 Bloomington, IN: The Bluebird
    1/30 Urbana, IL: The Canopy Club
    1/31 Minneapolis, MN: The Cabooze
    2/1 Madison, WI: Majestic Theater
    2/2 Chicago, IL: House of Blues
    2/3 Detroit, MI: St. Andrews Hall
    2/6 Kent, OH: Kent Stage
    2/7 Cincinnati, OH: Mad Frog
    2/8 Pittsburgh, PA: Rex Theater
    2/9 Buffalo, NY: Nietzsche’s
    2/13 Wilmington, NC: The Soapbox
    2/14 Athens, GA: Georgia Theatre
    2/15 Charleston, SC: Music Farm
    2/16-17 Aura Music & Arts Festival, Live Oak, FL
    2/21 New York, NY: Highline Ballroom
    2/22 Boston, MA: The Paradise
    2/23 Philadelphia, PA: The Blockley
    2/28 Albany, NY: Red Square
    3/1 Syracuse, NY: Wescott Theater
    3/2 Rochester, NY:  Water Street Music Hall
    3/5 Evansville, IN: Lamasco Bar
    3/6 St. Louis, MO: 2720 Cherokee
    3/7 Carbondale, IL: Hangar 9
    3/8 Indianapolis, IN: Vogue Theatre
    3/9 Grand Rapids, MI: The Intersection
    3/16 Oneonta, NY: Oneonta Theater
    3/17 Williamsport, PA: Bullfrog Brewery
    3/20 Morgantown, WV: 123 Pleasant
    3/21 Muncie, IN: Be Here Now
    3/22 Lansing, MI: The Loft
    3/23 Columbus, OH: Woodlands Tavern
    3/24 Kalamazoo, MI: Shakespeare’s
    3/26 Louisville, KY: Gerstle’s
    3/27 Lexington, KY: Cosmic Charlies
    3/28 Boone, NC: Boone Saloon
    3/29 Asheville, NC: Asheville Music Hall
    3/30 Winston-Salem, NC: Ziggy’s
    4/2 Roanoke, VA: Martin’s Downtown
    4/3 Virginia Beach, VA: Jewish Mother
    4/4 Baltimore, MD: 8×10
    4/5 Vienna, VA: Jammin’ Java
    4/6 Richmond, VA: The Camel
    4/12 Greensboro, NC: Blind Tiger
    4/13 Raleigh, NC: Lincoln Theatre
    4/17 Stanhope, NJ: Stanhope House
    4/20 Northampton, MA: Pearl Street
    4/25Harrisburg, PA: ABC Brewery
    4/26 Ithaca, NY: The Haunt
    4/27 Burlington, VT: Higher Ground

    web: Dopapod.com
    fb: Facebook.com/dopapod

  • Quick Glance: Blank Flank

    Quick Glance: Blank Flank

    Blank Flank

    Genre: Cybercore

    I don’t have much experience critiquing electronic music, so I’m going to give this a shot… For those of you interested in local cybercore acts, Blank Flank is worth checking out. A one-man act, Trevor Anderson’s Blank Flank is in its early stages, but shows promise. With only 45 likes on its Facebook page as of now, this is the least-known artist I’ve ever reviewed. Between that and the fact that the music is fuzzy in production, you can tell this brainchild is still very young. The best way to explain the music is probably this: imagine hardcore music played on a very early Nintendo game, with “My Little Pony” references for lyrics. This is the style Anderson is going for, and although I don’t understand it, I certainly respect it. Electronic music requires a lot of adaptation and spice, of which he throws into his 8-bit music fairly well. It’s easy for a lot of it to sound the same at times, but I think that’s because of the production. He does show some variety by coming up with different sound effects, intros, and patterns that would sound fantastic with a live hardcore band. It’s actually very fascinating to hear the hardcore patterns and style that we all know and love in a different format, and I applaud the ingenuity it takes to try something so obscure but interesting. For a side project, I think it has some promise to be a good primary project, but requires a lot of work. With some better production and more variety in sound and style, it could be an excellent electronic project. I honestly don’t know what else to say, because I’ve never heard anything quite like this before, so I’m not sure how to critique it, and it is definitely too early to see where it’ll go from here. What I can say is this: Blank Flank does not sound like anything else I’ve heard before, and with time and work, could become an act that cybercore and electronic fans all over the area will come to know and love.

    Check out Blank Flank’s music here:

    https://soundcloud.com/#blank-flank

    Like it? Like him on Facebook!

    https://www.facebook.com/BlankFlankMusic

    Rock on 315!

    -Steve, 315MR (Upstate Metal) BTLYAP

  • Quick Glance: Fear of None

    Quick Glance: Fear of None

    Fear of None

    Genre: Metalcore/Heavy Metal

    Reaching out a bit to the Long Island area, Fear of None roars mightily from all the way out there (I realize this is UPSTATE Metal and 315 Music Reviews, but I enjoy reaching out to artists all over the world). With a sound that combines “core” brutality and melodic sensibility, these guys prove that they aren’t messing around. They have a full-length album up on their page and on iTunes, and it is definitely worth a listen. The band seems to be a mix of styles that combine to form a unique, fun, blood-pumping brand of metal. I’d say that the best part of this band is their guitar work, which is full of heavy riffs, excellent patterns, and occasional variety in sounds (even ACOUSTIC, if you can believe that). The drums and bass are also an excellent rhythm section. The drums particularly show variety with some heart-pounding beats and technicalities, as well as some patterns that aren’t too common for modern metalcore. The lyrics are moving and powerfully delivered with alternating brutal and softer vocals, yet sound a little fuzzy at times. The vocals, among other slight things, show a little lack in production value, but it is made up for completely with the muci itself. This is a band that doesn’t need perfect production, because it’s supposed to be raw, gritty, and in your face, and the best way to do that is to worry about the music first and production second. They are able to accomplish the mission of showing off who they are without flawless production, and what they have far from takes away from the quality of the sound, as it’s still something to be proud of. In essence, this is a band that shows its determination and heart through its music, and could probably sound good on a tape recorder. In conclusion, I’d say that Fear of None is an excellent band with the perfect name, because they display no fear of anyone’s opinions or remarks; they just do what they want, when they want, and how they want, and it’s something I definitely appreciate about them and find makes them believable.

    Go check out Fear of None’s music here

    https://www.facebook.com/fearofnone

    Then go buy it here!

    http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/fear-of-none/id334436976

    Rock on 315!

    -Steve Sbiroli, 315MR (Upstate Metal)

    https://www.facebook.com/315MusicReviews