NYS Music 20​13

Category: Central NY

  • Old Crow Medicine Show kicks off Brewery Ommegang’s 2013 Concert Series

    What do you get when you combine great music, delicious beer, and a beautiful setting? The Brewery Ommegang’s Summer Concert series. This year’s summer concerts at Ommegang kicked off with a Memorial Day celebration that allowed Sunday night camping and a bluegrass/Americana lineup headlined by Old Crow Medicine Show.

    Local bluegrass band Driftwood started things off. With great harmonies and well-written numbers, they greeted fans streaming in and finding spots in the open field. The sea of lawn chairs and blankets, along with tents set up in the back could only be appreciated from an aerial view. Fortunately, I was able to connect with Andy Trench from ZoomVideo.net and we went to get a helicamera setup, or, more appropriately, hell-of-a-camera setup. Flying it above the crowd, we were able to provide a birds-eye view of the crowd, the stage, the brewery and the beautiful Cooperstown area.

    After Driftwood was Chuck Mead and his Grassy Knoll Boys from Nashville. They were a little more traditional country than bluegrass or Americana, but as I spoke to one of their members after their set, we agreed that it was a good fit. Many shows mix similar genres to offer a little variety and draw from different groups of music lovers. The crowd was pretty much settled in at this point and enjoyed the steel guitar, upright bass and fun lyrics of the band. The highlight was a modern telling of the ongoings of the gang from Mayberry.

    As the sun set over the surrounding hills, beer-lovers had a chance to get refills of their favorite Ommegang brew, sweatshirts and coats got thrown on, and a last trip to the vendors for nachos or a burger and prepare for the seven-piece stylings of Old Crow Medicine Show. Starting out with “Carry Me Back” and “Alabama High Test” and moving onto “Take ’em Away”, the pace was fast and the bluegrass-induced Americana jams led to dancing, hula hooping and a whole lot of singing.

    If I asked concert goers before the show what were they coming to see, they would have said “Wagon Wheel”. While that song rocketed OCMS to fame, their repertoire of upbeat songs led most to understand that this is not a one-hit wonder, but rather a group that have been around for fifteen years and have compiled a music library of incredible songs that can lend themselves to a two hour set that no one gets bored with, begging for that one song everyone knows.

    What’s coming up at Ommegang this summer? Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will be there July 25th and Black Crowes on September 5th. Whether you come for the music, the beer or the atmosphere, you can’t go wrong with planning a trip to Ommegang this summer.

  • HALESTORM Shares the Stage with DAUGHTRY and 3 DOORS DOWN

    This week, Halestorm hits the stage for the first time with Daughtry and 3 Doors Down on several select dates, including Big Flats, NY on July 13th and Canandaigua, NY on July 16th.

    Halestorm:

    halestormFrom Red Lion, PA, Halestorm has not stopped rocking the stage since 2006, opening for bands like Chevelle, Shinedown, Evanescence, Stone Sour, Three Days Grace and many more. Band members consist of the Hale siblings, Lzzy (vocals/guitar) and Arejay (drums), Joe Hottinger (guitar), and Josh Smith (bass). Halestorm has released two full-length albums, their self-titled (2009) and The Strange Case Of…(2012). Through their hard work, the band won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for the song “Love Bites (So Do I)”. For sure, Lzzy Hale is ready to knock everybody out of the ballpark with her powerful pipes.

    Daughtry:

    Fronted by American Idol’s season 5 finalist, Chris Daughtry, this five-pieced band from McLeansville, NC hits the stage for a third tour leg with co-headliner 3 Doors Down. Band members consist of Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely (guitar), Brian Craddock (guitar), Josh Paul (bass), and Robin Diaz (drums). The band has released three albums, Daughtry (2006), Leave This Town (2009), and Break The Spell (2011), with a total of over 6.7 million records sold in the United States. Hit singles include “Over You”, “Home”, “It’s Not Over”, “No Surprise”, and many more. Daughtry is more than ready to show everyone what they have in store for this tour.

    3 Doors Down:

    Hailing from Escatawpa, Mississippi, this five-pieced band, consisting of Brad Arnold (vocals), Chet Roberts (guitar), Chris Henderson (guitar), Todd Harrell (bass), and Greg Upchurch (drums), hits the stage with Daughtry for a third time since the start of their co-headlining tour in December 2012. 3 Doors Down has released a total of five albums, The Better Life (2000), Away From the Sun (2002), Seventeen Days (2005), 3 Doors Down (2008), and Time of My Life (2011) with a total of 23 singles including “Kryptonite”, “Here Without You”, “When I’m Gone”, “Citizen/Soldier”, “It’s Not My Time”, “When You’re Young” and “Every Time You Go”. 3 Doors Down knows how to put on a hell of a show and they are ready to do so this summer.

    Be sure to check each of the band’s Facebook page for tour dates. This is a show you will not want to miss!

  • 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: Roots, Rock, Zydeco: Donna the Buffalo’s New Release, “Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday”

    One of the true jewels of the Upstate New York music scene is a little band that hails from Trumansburg called Donna the Buffalo.  With founding members Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins at the helm, this act has been delivering its own unique brand of Americana/Rock and Roll for well over two decades now.  As other parts of the band have changed, these two have developed a chemistry and song writing style that continue to produce fun and memorable music.  Their 10th studio release, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, gives the newest members of the band a chance to be heard and highlights all of the little things that make this band a treat to see live.

    The album starts off with an appropriately titled and fiddle-based song called “All Aboard” and takes off from there.  “Working On That” gives keyboardist David McCracken a chance to shine through a little and fits the mold of Donna’s signature style of making a point with its lyrics without getting preachy.  The Tara Nevins penned tune “I Love My Tribe” is a bouncy, sing along type song that seems to serve as somewhat of a nod to the bands faithful following, otherwise known as The Herd.  Undoubtedly, this song will be a fixture at Finger Lakes GrassRoot Festivals for years to come – a festival now in its 23rd year!

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    The title track of the album is a fun and upbeat one with a zydeco feel to it, a style of music this band incorporates so well into its playing.  As a sign of the band’s versatility, “Ms. Parsley” is a spirited dub/reggae type number that really stands out.  Most of the songs on the album are filled predominantly with lyrics, but on “Why You Wanna Leave Me” Donna stretches it out a little with a focused jam featuring interplay between Puryear on electric guitar and new bassist Kyle Sparks.  It also gives a little taste into what one can expect from the band in a live setting.  Another staple of this band is songs with Tara Nevins playing acoustic guitar while delivering lyrics from the heart and this gets accomplished and then some on “I See How You Are”.

    While some bands may have difficulty producing their authentic style of music and the energy found in playing live, Donna the Buffalo definitely accomplishes this with Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday.  It’s sure to satisfy both members of The Herd and the casual listener who wants to get an idea of what this band is all about.

    Key Tracks: Working On That, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, Ms. Parsley

    Follow Donna the Buffalo on Twitter, Facebook and visit their website

  • 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!

  • Click Click Boom – SALIVA Lights up Lost Horizon

    When covering a show, I try to get there early to catch all the local acts. It’s good to see what talent (or lack of talent) is coming up in an area. After going to enough shows and seeing a variety of local acts and some of the same ones over and over, you can get a feel of what is happening in the scene. Since I live in the Albany area, I know the Capital region’s scene. The metal scene is much more of a hard core, heavy, scream-o thing with various bands coming and going and a few staples, like Brick by Brick or bright up-and-comers like Restless Streets.

    I will be the first to admit that I’m not too familiar with the Syracuse scene. I will also tell you that after the Saliva show at the Lost Horizon, this NEEDS to change. Saliva was great and I will talk about that later, but the locals were exceptional. East Coast Live Entertainment and 95X put together an awesome lineup that kept moving at a great pace. The breaks between sets were minimal, and welcomed so we could go outside and take in some cool summer evening air. I’ve rarely seen a promoter hustle the day of the show as much as Chuck from East Coast Live. He was working harder than anyone there and I think sound, lighting and musicians can appreciate that effort and put that much more into their own work. Perhaps all of that combined made the night of music so incredible.

    Starting off the show was Hitting on Amber. Designated by 95X deejay, Dixon, as the most improved band on the Syracuse scene. I’m not sure what they sounded like a year ago, but I can tell you that they immediately set the bar high for the locals following them. Simply put, they rocked. Sound was clean and their performance was solid. This is a band that could open for any touring hard rock or heavy metal act coming to the region and will start seeing their own following grow in the meantime. Like most locals, time in front of audiences and growing their footprint are the first steps. Look for Hitting on Amber on more local shows and get there early to support them, you won’t be disappointed.

    Catastrophe Me was next up and while I enjoy female lead singers (I am currently really into Maria Brink’s new stuff), this performance was the one exception to a night of hard rockin’ goodness. I found myself cringing at some parts hoping that the set would hurry along, the shrieking would stop, or the choreographed headbanging would cease to exist from rock ‘n roll entirely. While the performance wasn’t a complete catastrophe, vocal work and stage presence issues need to be addressed before being taken seriously in the rock world. There is a lot of potential in the young lead singer, something maturity and a good manager can work with and I hope they seek out that guidance and continue to grow within the local scene.

    Auburn stoner metal band, Stone Soul Foundation, took the stage and as far as I was concerned, this could have been the start of the touring bands. The quality of performances from this point forward made the cost of admission worth it at twice the price. This dread-lead hard rockin’ gang of misfits had great vocals, guitar licks, and the drummer set an energetic pace.

    As I walked around the Lost Horizon between sets I noticed more Crows Cage t-shirts than all the other bands combined. Their local following came out in droves and I was anxious to see if they could live up to the hype. Being placed between SSF and Devour the Day would have been tough for Saliva to live up to. Yes SSF and DTD were THAT good. Luckily for Crows Cage they were that good, too. They took the challenge and kept the night moving. The venue was hot and sticky, and people were still dancing to real rock ‘n roll. If this show is any indication, the Syracuse scene is strong. A lot of talent and some national touring potential.

    Devour the Day is made up of past members of Memphis, Tennessee band, Egypt Central. No strangers to national tours and big stages, they didn’t miss a beat. Their new material is solid and already getting airtime on Sirius XM’s Octane, along with a lot of attention from local rock station 95X. Within the last month since the show at the Lost Horizon, DTD has shared the stage and is planning to with Sevendust and Otherwise in July 2013 and currently a June run with Hinder. After their set I turned to Joy (my girlfriend who joined me for the show) and we agreed that if the night ended right then, it would have been a great night. How can Saliva top this?

    Well, Saliva couldn’t top it, but they did keep the night going with bright lights, strong vocals from their new lead singer Bobby Amaru and new songs that seemed a lot harder than their old material. Time away did not hurt this band that is known primarily for the huge hit, “Click Click Boom”. A couple of the new songs will get airtime that will hopefully help eliminate the one hit wonder status that they are unfortunately labeled with. Their talent and energy combined with the new songs should generate new fans.

    Other highlights of the evening included the fans and the venue. First off, two young rockers with cerebral palsy were there and apparently get free tickets to all East cost Live Entertainment shows. Why? Because besides busting his ass to make sure everyone is happy and comfortable at the show, Chuck understands that rock ‘n roll is about passion. These young fans love rockin’ out and Chuck loves giving the gift of music. Not only did they get free tickets, they got free shirts and the bands came out and got their photos taken with them. It warmed my heart to see someone giving back. Rock used to be a lot about helping each other out and when I look at Chuck and other promoters like Mike Valente from Black ‘n Blue, who is known to throw benefit shows often, and I hope for their success. Fans often think promoters cash in, it’s simply not true for most. Many shows lose money and the occasion that money is made, they are quick to help out the locals that play for gas money or drinks.

    The venue was great and if you live in central New York and haven’t been to the Lost Horizon for a show, you need to go. Legends passing through the valley have played there over the past 40 years. Names like Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Upcoming shows include The Front Bottoms and Earth Crisis. Add this venue to your rock ‘n roll bucket list. You can thank me later.

  • Local Artist Spotlight: GOON, Violently Versatile

    After the end of hardcore powerhouse Fortress, a few of the members went on to form a new band with a new singer, and called it Goon. 

    This sounds like a familiar story, as this kind of thing happens all the time; bands change their name or start new projects and have to start over again from scratch. However, most bands that try something new end up failing, unable to match the popularity or creative ambition they once had. While still far off from the original fanbase that Fortress had, there is no doubt that Goon has the potential to reach it once again. If you’re looking for another Fortress, you’re not going to find it with Goon, and that’s a good thing.

    As fantastic and original as the former project was, this new band has no issues with creating new material. While they used to have a mostly down-tempo style before, Goon expands its horizons with ease. Their song “Parasite” is a perfect example of this, starting out as a kind of hardcore rock song, then rapidly transitioning into hardcore punk, and leading into its metalcore sound, before ending with a breakdown. That couldn’t be a more perfect representation of the versatility this band displays. It shows that they are willing to do different things, and have the talent to pull it off. If I have one criticism for them, however, it would be the vocals. The production of their music isn’t flawless, but it’s certainly good enough to hear the sincerity of each aspect of the band.

    So, it allows you to hear shredding guitar, thunderous drums, steady bass, and fairly weak vocals. In all honesty, I would say that their previous vocalist was better and did not sound strained when he screamed. Yet, the vocals are also as bare bones as you can get, and I personally appreciate that, because sometimes sincerity can go farther than the sound itself. Other than that, I have no criticism for them as a band. These guys are able to explore the different styles of hardcore, all while maintaining raw brutality and edge. I respect these guys for carrying on, doing something different, and being proud of their new band, as it is worthy of pride. While many of us miss Fortress, it is time to look toward the future, and the future is Goon. Personally, that makes me excited for the future.

    Go “like” Goon on Facebook, here:

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Goon/117812998388480?fref=ts

  • Syracuse M&T Annual Jazz Fest July 4th – July 6th

    Jamesville Beach Park will host this year’s Syracuse M&T Jazz Fest. Taking place July 4th-6th, admission: is FREE for all events, Concerts & Shows. Headliners include: The Doobie Brothers, Taylor Dayne and Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Also on the bill this summer are locals, Sophistafunk.
    Syrracuse JazzFest
    Event Parking: is not free. There is an event  parking fee for all  vehicles. This is not an admission charge. It ‘s an event parking fee.
    Coolers: are permitted but please do NOT bring any alcoholic beverages to the site, or on to the grounds.
    Open Seating Policy: Syracuse Jazz Fest has an open-seating policy. on a first come-first seated basis. Some seating will be provided, but please bring your own lawn chairs.
    Performance Start Times: As an outdoor music festival, we’re weather-dependent. We’re also not a concert. We are an all-day festival with many groups performing. Sometimes weather and encores have us running behind, but we try to stay pretty close to the published schedule as much as possible. However, because of weather and spontanaity, everything schedule-wise is subject to change.Pets: no pets please

    Thursday, July 4th

    2:00 pm ~ Gates Open, Paradise Food Court, Constellation Wine Court, Crafts Village

    VERIZON MAIN STAGE Schedule & Lineup
    (All performance times are tentative, subject to change)

    4:00 pm to 4:30 pm     ~  Syracuse Parks & Recreation Stan Colella All Star Band ( under the direction of Joe Carello )
    5:00 pm to 6:00 pm     ~  West Coast Cool w/ Manhattan Transfer’s Cheryl Bentyne and Mark Winkler & the Rick Montalbano Trio
    6:30 pm to 7:30 pm         ~  Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band (I.S.B.)
    8:00 pm to 9:00 pm     ~  Preservation Hall Jazz Band
    9:00 pm to 9:30 pm     ~  Free Price Chopper Fireworks Display
    9:30 pm to 11:00 pm   ~ THE DOOBIE BROTHERS

    Friday, July 5th

    2:00 pm ~ Gates Open, Paradise Food Court, Constellation Wine Court, Crafts Village

    VERIZON MAIN STAGE Schedule & Lineup
    (All performance times are tentative, subject to change)

    3:00 pm to 3:30 pm  ~  Paul V Moore HS Vocal Jazz Ensemble ( under the direction of Dennis Goettel )
    4:00 pm to 4:30 pm  ~  Fayetteville-Manlius HS Jazz Ensemble ( under the direction of John Jeanneret and Rebecca Bizup )
    5:00 pm to 6:00 pm  ~  Giacomo Gates Sponsored by the Central NY Community Foundation
    6:30 pm to 7:30 pm  ~  Sophistafunk
    8:00 pm to 9:00 pm  ~  The Yellowjackets ( w/ Russell Ferrante Bob Mintzer, Will Kennedy & Felix Pastorius )
    9:30 pm to Closing  ~  THE GRANDMOTHERS OF INVENTION
    ( 20th Anniversary Frank Zappa Memorial Barbecue w/ Original Mothers Don Preston, Tom Fowler, and Napoleon Murphy Brock )

    Saturday, JULY 6th

    2:00 pm ~ Gates Open, Paradise Food Court, Constellation Wine Court, Crafts Village

    VERIZON MAIN STAGE Schedule & Lineup
    (All performance times are tentative, subject to change)

    3:00 pm to 3:30 pm  ~  Liverpool HS Stage Band ( under the direction of Stephen Salem )
    4:00 pm to 4:30 pm  ~  Oswego HS Jazz Ensemble ( under the direction of Stephen Defren )
    5:00 pm to 6:00 pm  ~  Five To Life: Gospel A Cappella
    6:30 pm to 7:30 pm  ~  The Brubeck Brothers Quartet (BBQ) Tribute To Dave Brubeck
    8:00 pm to 9:00 pm  ~  Ronnie Laws
    9:30 pm to Closing  ~  TAYLOR DAYNE

  • Hollerback Productions Celebrates Ten Years of Great Acts with Club D’Elf and Marco Benevento

    Hollerback Productions celebrated ten years of presenting great music, brought about by the vision and hard work of Dan Mastronardi, with a special anniversary show on Friday, May 31st at The Westcott Theater.  The show at Hollerback Productions featured one of the first big bands booked by Dan, the highly esteemed jazz/prog/dance/world music group Club D’Elf, with special guest, indie/jazz innovator Marco Benevento.  Following a genuinely heartwarming, albeit awkwardly delivered speech by Dan Mastronardi, Syracuse music fans whooped with supportive thankfulness for the people that have helped construct the Syracuse scene.

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    Club D’elf then took the stage and fell instantly into a deep, bass-driven, psychedelic groove, laying down a warm and cosmic blanket of ambient sound and tribal rhythm, while masterful solo work was interwoven by the ‘Club’s’ highly gifted musicians.  Each artist brought their own worldly and masterful sound to Club D’Elf’s droning yet complex jam-compositions.  Besides talent, the Club boasted a diverse arsenal of cool toys.  Bass player and Club D’Elf originator Mike Rivard switched between a low profile, futuristic-looking stand-up electric bass and a standard electric bass, while world music master Brahim Fribgane traded off between hand-drums and a stringed Lutar, that poured out exotic and timeless-sounding melodies that could have come straight out of a National Geographic documentary.

    Together with Marco’s soulful, and dare I say “pretty” melodies on keys and Hammond Organ, Club D’Elf entertained, intrigued, and mesmerized listeners.  Unlike many popular improvisational groups and jam bands, Club D’Elf focused on laying down well-crafted, often danceable bass-lines and rhythms, while placing the lead guitar in a chord-dominated supportive role.  This kept the crowd moving and allowed space for lead instruments to develop melodies and themes spontaneously and collaborate on composition in the moment.  Many times throughout the night, I watched as the members of the club traded knowing and joyful glances, as they felt the music come together organically.  This, my fellow fans, is always a beautiful thing.