NYS Music 20​13

Category: Regions

  • Review: Pitchfork Music Festival 2013

    If Lollapalooza is the Rolling Stone of Chicago’s music festivals, Pitchfork is certainly the Pitchfork. While Lollapalooza takes place in the Windy City’s best-known park, draws hundreds of thousands of fans and showcases a massive lineup of big-name acts, Pitchfork finds itself in one of Chicago’s west-side neighborhoods, in a park that fits three intimate stages amongst its baseball field and oak-enclosed lawn.

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    Pitchfork crowd gathering Firday night in anticipation of Björk.

    Pitchfork appeals to a more niche crowd than Lollapalooza, a musically knowledgeable crowd interested in artists that receive praise from well-respected blogs rather than popular radio stations. There is a crowd whose Midwestern kindness makes it easy to stand shoulder to shoulder with a cluster of strangers while waiting an hour for one of the festival’s headlining acts. Youngsters sporting tattoos of narwhals and wearing particularly fashionable glasses largely define the Pitchfork crowd, but certain shows do draw noticeably older audiences.

    As I waited for Björk to make her headlining appearance on Pitchfork 2013’s opening evening, a prominently senior audience holding $8 cups of Heineken surrounded my friends and I with our smuggled-in Old Style cans. By the time the 40-something Icelander took the stage, however, the entirety of Union Park tuned into the same wavelength, witnessing a performance that commanded appreciation regardless of age. With a show as captivating as Björk’s, it became clear that Pitchfork offers more than just live music; it allows groups of people, even groups of complete strangers, to connect through a shared experience, an experience that few things in life can provide.

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    Phosphorescent performing at Pitchfork Music Festival’s Green Stage.

    R. Kelly’s headlining performance demonstrated the idea of shared experience as well as any facet of this year’s festival. Playing music that was most relevant when the average Pitchforker was still in middle school and listening to Top 40 radio while  generally unaware of any alternative form of music, R. Kelly acted as a nostalgic ending to a weekend of new memories. As I stood listening to “Ignition” for the first time in probably five years, I couldn’t help but being reminded of Junior High dances, laughing with my buddies for dancing to such nonsensical music with such unabashed joy.

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    Waxahatchee playing Pitchfork’s Blue Stage on Sunday (left) and Woods playing the Red Stage on Friday.

    While Björk and R. Kelly, along with a Saturday performance from Belle and Sebastian, represented the festival’s best-known talent playing the weekend’s most-coveted set times, it was several early afternoon shows that stood out in my mind as the weekend’s best performances. Artists like Woods and Toro Y Moi played some of the most groovin’ sets of the weekend, extending their songs into jams involving folk-rock guitar solos and indie-pop synthesizer interludes. Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen offered a singer/songwriter component to the festival, playing with backing bands and displaying their signature lyricism and vocal range.

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    Waxahatchee

    Matthew Houck’s latest musical project, Phosphorescent put on a performance Saturday afternoon that perfectly represented his relocation from southern folk’s roots in Huntsville, Alabama to indie-rock’s epicenter in Brooklyn, New York. Drawing influence from classic country music and merging such sounds with contemporary indie-rock, Phosphorescent played a show with boot stompin’ fit a southern bar and hip-twistin’ suitable for Brooklyn’s trendiest venues.

    pitchfork 2013After releasing one of my favorite albums of the year so far, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, Foxygen succeeded in living up to the high expectations I’d had for their early Sunday set. Co-frontman Jonathan Rado provided psych-rock instrumentation that perfectly complimented the antics exhibited by his bandmate Sam France; the vocalist climbed the stage’s rafters, jumped off of every amplifier in sight, and sang atop equipment bridging the crowd and the stage. Midway through their set, France mockingly gave thanks to a long list of corporate sponsors. Although the statement was humorous and well delivered, such a quip would have made more sense at a festival like Lollapalooza where stages are named after beer companies and sold-out tickets are available on Stubhub for three times face value.

    Pitchfork reserved a limited number of tickets at its gates to prevent higher-priced re-sales, and promotional aspects were handled tastefully, generally involving local businesses. With food options provided by Chicagoan restaurants and alternatives to the live music including the Columbia College Book Fort, a record fair presented by Chicago’s independent Chirp Radio and the Flatstock Poster Show put on by various artists, the advertising at Pitchfork served as a platform for local entrepreneurs, students, and artists to reach an audience that could appreciate their work.

    Foxygen’s vocalist, Sam France (top) along with the bands instrumentalist, Jonnathan Rado (bottom).

    Each individual’s experience at Pitchfork is influenced by much more than the festival’s three stages of music. It’s not just great concerts that Pitchfork provides every year in Union Park, but an environment that allows fans to share their experiences, allows local businesses to develop, and allows musicians to connect with their audience. Pitchfork may not draw the biggest audience or book the most stadium acts, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Pitchfork Music Festival on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Website

  • Meet The Big Up Artists – An Interview with Horizon Wireless

    With The Big Up Festival just a few weeks away, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with The Big Up artist, DJ Harrison Waxenberg of Horizon Wireless, to talk about his upcoming set at the festival.

    Jenni Wilson: Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in the music industry? Tell us a story about a day in your life.

    Harrison Waxenberg: Okay well I’m 5′ 8″ on a good day, I’m prone to mania induced encounters with inter-dimensional energies and beings. I’ve piloted real spaceships, and even crash landed one once! Oh, and I have dimples… which from what I understand is a common and endearing physical attribute amongst Libras. When I met George Clinton he asked me if I was an alien.

    I started playing piano, clarinet, and saxophone when I was younger, and began playing drums in different bands when I was in middle school and continued all the way up through my senior year of college until I moved on from the drama that comes with playing with too many other strong personalities. Simultaneously, I had been experimenting with programs like FL Studio and Garageband as well, kind of unaware that an “electronic music” scene was developing, or even had existed. So on my 22nd birthday my dad got me an APC40 and Ableton (he knew I was about to hang it up with my band) and I just kind of ran with that.

    I guess I first decided I was really going to go for it when I was at Summerdance in 2009 I believe. I was in a drum circle with Michael Travis and some of the guys from Lotus, and I got to lead for a bit. After that, some old black guy with a lot of soul slapped me on the back and was like “you got it dude!” and poured some wine in my mouth and I was all like, “ok cool I can do this!”

    JW: How would you describe your music to someone who had never heard it before?

    HW: I guess I would say that I like to take a lot of sub-alien tech funk and psychedelic break-beat grooves, and blend them with some minimal house and trance elements, all the while sprinkling in some pop culture elements throughout.

    JW: What are your biggest musical and non-musical influences?

    HW: My biggest musical influence is probably my dad, I don’t think I’d be playing music if it weren’t for him. My biggest non musical influence is realignment of the Andromeda and Milky Way schism. Oh, and love too, although I think that could be considered a musical influence.

    JW: What goes into your process of creating a new song or album?

    HW: Well I used to play my productions out when I first got Ableton (actually my first show doing that, and even using the moniker Horizon Wireless was at the first edition of The Big Up), but over time my computer started not being able to handle anything so I began to do mash-ups and remixes for a while. Through this I discovered a fun way to mix over 5-6 channels simultaneously and blend infinite sounds and samples to create new things on the fly all the time, and that’s kind of what I became known for. I do like to tell a story with every set, and nothing really goes into what we do that doesn’t have some sort of meaning or relevance to the overall Horizon story. I just got a new computer though and my drummer is finishing up production school so we’ll see what the end of 2013 holds in terms of an EP. There have been many producers I admire who have reached out to me about coming on board with it and that is very humbling.

    JW: How do you feel about DJs you use novelties/masks on stage, such as Deadmau5 with his mask, Destroid and their costumes, etc…

    HW: We all wear masks. Everyone.

    JW: What would you say is the hardest part of being a musical artist today?

    HW: I’m not sure, everything is very accessible today like it never was before. I suppose the hardest part would be coming to terms with the divide between what you thought the music industry would be like when you first decided you wanted to be a part of it, and what it actually is today. As soon as you accept the changes that have been made, and see the community for what it truly is, you start to realize how much better it is as a network of artists, friends, and music lovers, and you become grateful for any little amount of success you have at all.

    JW: You play a majority of your shows in New York, are you originally from here?

    HW: I was born in Florida, lived in Indiana and Maryland for a bit, and then moved to New York. I live on Long Island so the city is a pretty good place to play… I hear if you make it there you can make it anywhere!

    JW: You played this years Camp Bisco which is a pretty big fest. How was your experience playing a festival that size?

    HW: I’ve been going to Camp since 8, managed a stage there for 10 and 11 and closed out the festival at 11 and 12. It’s always a pretty fun time, and that’s where I would be going anyway so it’s a blessing to be able to play there and be exposed to a lot of new fans each year.

    JW: What do you want attendees to The Big Up to expect from your performance and how will it differ from what they may have seen at Camp?

    HW: Well at The Big Up I’m playing with my live drummer, Monty from Digital Frontier, and these sets are always a lot different then solo sets like the ones I do at Camp (Bisco). It’s also the anniversary of Horizon Wireless and the theme is Star Trek/Star Wars so it’s very fitting. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a set than this one (which I find myself saying a lot, but it’s always true, ha ha), so I think anyone who comes out to it is going to be very glad they did.

    JW: What advice would you give to other artists at The Big Up festival?

    HW: No matter what time you’re playing at or in front of how many people, this is a very important festival. I did my first Horizon show there as a thirty minute set break between Ultraviolet Hippopotamus and Consider the Source in front of probably thirty people at like five o’clock on a Thursday in a barn, and now three years later I’m closing out the woods with a Zonrise. It’s a huge platform, especially for artists that are just starting to get some decent exposure, so give it your all.

    You can catch Horizon Wireless Saturday August 10th at The Big Up Festival in Claverack, New York. If you catch Horizon Wireless August 3rd at the Santos Party House in NY, NY you will be automatically entered to win tickets to The Big Up Festival.

    Horizon Wireless Facebook
    Listen To Horizon Wireless’ Camp 12 Set 
    The Big Up Facebook
    The Big Up Twitter 

  • The All-Inclusive Preview of Equifunk: The All-Inclusive Music Festival Part 3

    Equifunk: The All-Inclusive Music Festival is happening from August 16 to 18 this year and we are happy to announce a new series on that will bring you previews and interviews with bands that will be playing the festival.  The All-Inclusive Preview is happy to continue the series with a look at Soulive with The Shady Horns with legendary guest Maceo Parker.

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    Soulive, the headliners of this year’s festival have been together since the late 90’s and have really come into their own in the last few years.  Comprised of Alan and Neal Evans and Eric Krasno, Soulive’s funk-jazz fusion is something not to be missed whenever they are in your neck of the woods.  Starting in 2010, the band has had a ten-night residency in New York City called Bowlive, held at the Brooklyn Bowl.  It is there that they gained a reputation for putting on great shows of their own music as well as welcoming guests every night of the run to perform special sets and covers.  The Shady Horns are always at these shows and are one of the tightest and funkiest horn sections around.  They give Soulive that extra little push, raising all of the music to a new height.  Having this level of energy at Equifunk is special in itself, but they are adding a living legend to the fold on top of that.

    Maceo Parker, who has worked with James Brown as well as Parliament-Funkadelic, among others, is an icon.  He is one of the best funk and soul jazz saxophonists to ever pick up the instrument.  Maceo was there when funk was originated in the 1960’s and happily continues to keep the flag flying.  He has played all over the world and has received various awards for his playing.  In the past 20 years Maceo has focused more on being a solo artist than just play with other musicians.  This collaboration is a special one, making this festival more unique than it already is.

    This mixture of talent is one of the most exceptional headliners of any festival in the area this year.  This set will surely have the crowd dancing throughout the duration enjoying the funk oozing from these amazing musicians.  Tickets are still available here and our full preview of Equifunk can be found here.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAylejJtUNI?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_0alsFnxwI?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

  • Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus Brings 1970’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Nostalgia to the XRIJF

    Rochester’s annual International Jazz Festival is a pure musical delight, with stages nestled into the streets in downtown, serving as a temporary home for some of the world’s most talented jazz musicians. With nine days of music and nearly 300 shows to choose from, music lovers have their pick of a star-studded lineup. Among the headliners this year was Grammy Award winning Peter Frampton‘s Guitar Circus, featuring Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles.

    Taking the stage in dark blue jeans, All Star sneakers and black shirt, Peter Frampton greeted the crowd in the Eastman Theater. With eager photographers from the media populating the center of the stage, looking for their perfect shot of a living rock legend, Frampton smiled back at the cameras and joked with the photographers – “My you have big lenses, we can compare mm later.. Are you trying to get my nostrils?”

    The lights dimmed, the music began with energy, and his stage presence was thrilling; the audience was perched at the edge of their seats, basking in the glory of a true rock star. With an energetic start and a slower paced second song, “Show Me the Way” prompted a sing-along with the crowd and the energy was unbelievable. The song is one of  his biggest hits, originally released on the 1976 album, Frampton Comes Alive! – featuring the iconic talkbox device made famous by Frampton; seeing this song performed live was like a step-back into the history of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

    After a quick check-in with the audience – “How we doing tonight?”, the crowd returned a faint cheer, prompting Frampton to reply, “Can’t we make more noise than that?” and the crowd erupted with a roaring cheer, giving the band the energy they were looking for. The next song was the title track from Frampton’s 1972 solo album, Wind of Change. Now relaxed and fully enjoying the moment, Frampton belted out the lyrics, “Take me away, take me away, faking my way through,” the crowd participated in yet another energized sing-a-long.

    The next treat was an instrumental jam that was an exquisite collaboration of guitars and drums. The Guitar Circus was more like a showcase of the sexiest guitar rifts with hard-hitting Rock ‘n’ Roll drums to keep the beat. Next, fans were treated with another hit off Frampton Comes Alive! – “Baby, I Love Your Way” – the classic song still continues to get air time on classic rock stations to this day.

    Banter between band members and interactions from Frampton to the crowd had become part of the show, fans were engaged – participating in the energy that the music brought to a small theater, an intimacy that lacks in the stadium style concerts, making the fans part of the show. Frampton announced, “Well this is the circus and welcome to the guitar circus, we do have a lot of guitar ticks, but it is my honor to introduce Mr. Don Felder of the Eagles, to the stage,” and the crowd erupted with applause from Frampton’s words and welcomed Felder to the stage.

    Fans knew what the first song between the duo was even before a lyric was spoken, as nostalgia soaked the air for “Hotel California”, clearly the song they had all been hoping for, based upon the expressions on the faces of the concert goers which were reminiscent of teenagers cranking up the tunes in their car as they embarked on new journeys. To see these two legends on stage together was nothing short of a Rock ‘n’ Roll dream. The duo also played a sexy version of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy“.

    The night showcased a few more well-known songs, several stories and jokes from Frampton, and then fans were told a tale of plane crashes and lost guitars – “I got this guitar back after 31 years. I thought it was in a plane crash but it had fallen out before the crash and then it was stolen and now it’s come back to me,” referring to the 1954 Gibson Les Paul he played on “Frampton Comes Alive!”, one of the best-selling live albums ever and the recording that established him as one of the great rock guitarists of the 1970’s.

    The final song of the night was a score truly meant for this long-lost guitar that Frampton held firmly in his arms, “Do You Feel Like We Do”. The entire night was a step-back into the 1970’s for most in attendance. Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus was a showcase of legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll history, well received by all who had the opportunity to attend. As the show came to an end and the lights went up, Frampton thanked the crowd for a terrific evening, arm-in-arm with his bandmates for a final bow and gracefully exited the stage.

  • Camp Bisco 12: Raising the Bar

    Over the past 12 years Camp Bisco has climbed the ranks of EDM festivals becoming a Mecca for electronic music lovers all over America. Camp Bisco is an annual event that I look forward to from the very first moment early bird tickets go on sale. Each year I meet friends, new and old, for a three day gathering of amazing music, art and people. This year certainly did not disappoint and was one of the best Camp Bisco experiences I’ve had. Every aspect of the festival contributes to the foundation of a phenomenally amazing experience, and it’s so close to home you really can’t go wrong.

    The past two years, I spent the extra money for a VIP ticket, so this year I left Wednesday night to ensure that my friends and I would miss traffic and have a full day of live music Thursday afternoon. What I have found in the past years is that there will always be traffic. I often like to think that I’m the only person in the world who is belligerently excited to be back at Camp, and I am always sadly mistaken when I hit that line of traffic miles from the Indian Lookout Country Club. Overall it wasn’t too bad and I was happy we made the trip up a day early so we had a full day of music on Thursday.

    Thursday afternoon started the weekend off right with a beautiful blue sky and some great daytime music. Although the day began a little rocky for my friends and I, as we ended up locking the keys in our car with the engine running and spending hours trying to break in with a bent hanger, we were lucky Camp Bisco has AAA on site, so clearly this fairly common predicament for campers was solved for us. Judging by the amount of people I ran into who had also locked their keys in the car throughout the weekend, it’s safe to say that AAA should be on site for every festival.

    With the release of Daft Punk’s new album Random Access Memories, it seemed to be a major trend within many sets throughout the weekend to sample or cover one of their new songs. Twiddle and Digital Tape Machine kicked it off with the first sets of the weekend mixing in a little Daft Punk, which the crowd certainly did not contest. The Manhattan Project took over the label tent with a phenomenally large crowd for an early set, which was no surprise. This was The Manhattan Project’s third year at Camp Bisco and it has been amazing to see their talent and fan base grow so immensely year to year. RubbleBucket Orchestra took the main stage in the late afternoon with the perfect upbeat, feel good music. One thing I can say about the sets at Camp Bisco is that they are almost always spot on with separating the beautiful and relaxing day time sets with the late night high energy sets. I, of course, had to check out a little bit of Macklemore’s set on main stage (“Thrift Shop” is quite possibly the most catchy song in the entire world.) I’m not really a huge fan of live rap shows simply because the sound is extremely difficult to emulate the quality of a studio recording, which sometimes make it difficult to hear the vocals. Still, it was an entertaining set with hilarious moments. Camp Bisco does a great job of bringing in different genres, and especially with their rap acts, getting the latest and greatest artists.

    Although I’ve never really been the biggest Umphrey’s McGee fan, I was definitely impressed by their set, despite bassist Ryan Stasik not being in attendance, as his daughter was born that weekend. Bryan Dohery of Digital Tape Machine, Dave Murphy of STS9 and Marc Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits filled in on bass during the set, with Brownstein stepping out to play on a cover of the Biscuit’s own “Home”, to welcome everyone back to the festival we have all grown to love so much year after year. Being a huge Sound Tribe Sector 9 fan, I went over to Main Stage 2 early so I could be front and center to see what they had in store for their sunset-set. Some of the craziest shows I have ever seen in my life have been at main stage of Camp Bisco during sunset (Shpongle live of Camp Bisco X was mind blowing). Sound Tribe certainly did not disappoint. Some highlights included “Scheme”, “Inspire Strikes Back” and “Vibyl”. They were also accompanied by live saxophone and trumpet who brought the level of energy and the complexities of each song to new levels.

    Overall all of the Biscuits sets were absolutely amazing and this year brought some of the best Disco Biscuits sets I have seen at Camp since Camp Bisco 8. The Disco Biscuits started their first set of the weekend on a very high note, including a 20 minute “Spaga” and a stellar 25 minute “I-Man”. All around, the Biscuits gave a great performance. Oh, and the new light show? C’mon. Insane.

    Late night in the Label tent consisted of Com Truise and Squarepusher, two highly anticipating artists. Com Truise had a lot of energy and was an all around feel good show. Squarepusher was quite possibly the most chaotic and amazing set I have ever seen at Camp Bisco, and having wanted to see him live for almost eight years, I was unbelievably floored that he was playing a festival in Upstate New York. His set, true to his nature, was insane. I think a lot of people expected something else and were very confused when they walked into the tent. Squarepusher focuses mostly around heavy drum and bass and electro-acoustic music, so often times the progressions are spastic and abrupt. He took the stage donning an intense mask that lit up in sync with the projections behind him, and to his music. It wasn’t until he stepped away from his table and picked up his bass that I was truly blown away. This set was certainly one of my highlights for the entire weekend. After Squarepusher, I walked down to the hill stage for some Silent Disco, but once the sun started coming up, I made the responsible decision of getting some sleep before the next long day of music.

    Friday was another beautiful day, and completely unlike the average Camp Bisco weekend, as there was absolutely no rain and it was not 100 degrees, making for absolutely perfect weather during daytime performances. If you’ve never been to Camp Bisco, or even if you have, one thing to do is ride the Ferris Wheel, which provides the most amazing view from the top and really puts into perspective how enormous this festival has become. I didn’t end up spending the money on the air bag dive, but it was entertaining enough watching other people jump off that I think it is a great addition to Camp Bisco’s tomfoolery. I popped in and out of the Label tent during Govinda which surprisingly packed for such an early set. Watching the crowd, I was very much blown away by the dedication some of these attendees have. I don’t understand how they have the energy to dance that hard for that long and not be passed out by 5 o’clock.

    Being clock-less via dead cellphone made it difficult to ever know what time it was. I was happy that I stumbled upon Toro Y Moi on the main stage, who I was very much looking forward to seeing. The set was very low key and an awesome way to spend a Friday afternoon. His music is very different from most of what’s around, which is why I was so excited to see what he would pull out in a live performance. This performance proves what I said about Camp Bisco’s set placements for each artist always being incredibly on point. The schedule for Friday was shifted around a bit due to issues with Animal Collective. In true Camp Bisco fashion, the moment Animal Collective couldn’t perform, they had the legendary Thievery Corporation on a flight from across the country to fill their slot. By shifting the set time an hour earlier, Thievery Corporation was a perfect cap to the day and beginning to the night. After Thievery Corporation I took a short break before hitting up the Bassnectar set, sandwiched by double Disco Biscuits sets. I didn’t stay for all of Bassnectar because the crowd was a little crazy, but nevertheless, it was a high energy show and the crowd clearly enjoyed themselves.

    Both sets from the Disco Biscuits were, once again, spectacular. Each set seemed to get better than the last. As a Biscuits fan, it can be easy to be cynical and walk away from some shows feeling a little let down, but there was none of that this weekend. Each set was absolute fire. The highlights of all of night two included “Lunar Pursuit”, “Helicopters” and a “Highwire” encore.

    Gigamesh, Aeroplane and Lotus were all awesome late night sets. Gigamesh and Aeroplane were so high energy I was physically exhausted when it was time to switch tents for Lotus. Luckily, Lotus was a little slower and more ambient which was a nice end to a long day of music.

    Saturday mornings are always the best and the worst at Camp Bisco. You know you have a whole day of music ahead of you, but there is still a looming reality of it all coming to an end. By the time I had gotten myself together to head down to the main stage for the noon Indobox set, it appeared there were some technical difficulties with the stage and music would be pushed back until it was figured out. Music was pushed back for a few hours so I popped into the label tent until the first Biscuits set. Everyone seemed to be having a great time despite the mishap at main stage. By the time The Disco Biscuits came on, the excitement level was high. The daytime Biscuits set is always something I look forward to. They’re often more low key than their usual sets and great to relax in the sun during. However, this set was high in energy and packed with gems. The main highlight of this set was the “Spy” although I am always a fan of a good “Magellan.” I quickly left from main stage so I could catch Break Science who had been moved to the label tent.

    Each time I have Break Science, the energy is high and the talent is mind blowing. Adam Deitch is the kind of drummer you need to see to believe. I almost always try to find my way to the front just to be able to see both artists work their magic in synchrony. I wish I had been able to catch more of their set, but I was definitely happy I didn’t miss it. The next act I caught was Passion Pit on the main stage, which was definitely a highlight of the weekend. Passion Pit is just the kind of feel-good, upbeat night time set you want to see on your last day of Camp Bisco. The crowd chimed in, singing each song and waving their rage sticks through the light show that stretched across the grounds. Immediately after Passion Pit left the stage, the Disco Biscuits quickly filled in for their last two sets of the weekend. It was a treat being able to see two Disco Biscuits sets back to back, giving the crowd a full Biscuits show on the last night of their festival. Highlights included, “Story of the World, “Run Like Hell,” and a personal favorite, “Little Shimmy in a Conga line.” This was a brilliant way to end a weekend of some of the best Biscuits sets I’ve seen in a long time. After the two sets I needed a long break to recollect myself and rest before late night. The last set I ended up catching was Boombox at the Label Tent. I have seen Boombox a handful of times and they never disappoint. They put on a psychedelic, funky, disco-esque set that kept us all dancing and put the close on a phenomenal weekend at Camp Bisco.

    Each year Camp Bisco stretches its potential and our expectations. The festival has branched out to include acts and artists that might not ever share the stage otherwise. Each year is an experience, and a mind blowing one at that. At one point during the weekend Marc Brownstein exclaimed, “It’s been 12 years! That means combined we’ve been at Camp Bisco for almost a month!” It’s crazy to look back at what the festival started as and what it has now become. It is so much bigger than anyone ever truly anticipated, but hey, Upstate New York knows how to party. Thank you Camp Bisco for another brilliant weekend.

  • Australian trio Sick Puppies invade Upstate New York

    Australian band, Sick Puppies, will be around the Upstate New York area a lot in August so there are no excuses allowed for missing this trio that is guaranteed to knock you on your ass.  August 3rd brings the Sick Puppies to The Paramount in Huntington, NY for our downstate and Long Island readers.  Central New Yorkers will be able to catch them on August 4th.  They will be part of 95X’s X-Fest along side Nonpoint, Otherwise and former 3DG lead singer Adam Gontier.  Along with 10 national acts there will be 10 local acts that you will not want to miss.  Then off to Delaware.  Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel will be covering the August 2nd Virginia show to give an in depth look at the 2013 Summer Tour and what we can expect here in New York.  *here is a hint* Great music and a great time.

    The band then comes back to the Empire State to Poughkeepsie’s The Chance on August 7th and Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park on August 11th.  From there it is just across the pond from Plattsburgh, where they will be serving up two nights of chaos at Burlington, Vermont’s Higher Ground before coming back to Rochester for a kick-ass show at a kick-ass venue – The Armory.

    For more information on the tour go to: http://www.sickpuppies.com/events/

    To buy the new Album, Connect visit iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/connect-deluxe/id646984341

  • Songs at Mirror Lake Music Series Announces Reggae Night with Morning Sun & The Essentials on August 6th

    PineLakeMusicThe Pines Inn ‘Songs at Mirror Lake Music Series’ presented by Adirondack “By Owner” has announced the sixth performance in the seven week series, scheduled for Tuesday, August 6th, as Reggae Night with Morning Sun & The Essentials. The Mirror Lake Music Series is held at 7:00PM on seven Tuesdays throughout the summer at Mid’s Park on Main Street, Lake Placid.

    Morning Sun & The Essentials aims to create innovative yet classic sounding reggae and world music. The challenge was finding the right dynamic between the two distinct voices of Michel Aubertin and Phil Grajko. With conscious lyrics, unforgettable melodies, and two unique voices.

    These weekly performances, running from July 2 through August 13, feature local, regional and national acts in the scenic and historic setting of Mid’s Park on Main Street, Lake Placid, New York.  The series features local and regional emerging artists in a variety of musical genres and provides valuable exposure to these up and coming acts.  The music series is also an opportunity to introduce residents and visitors to a diverse range of musical genres in a scenic and relaxing setting.

    Admission to the music series is free, so grab your blanket and head on down to Mid’s Park on Tuesday’s for a fabulous time.  Parking is available at St. Agnes Church which is a short walk to Mid’s Park.  Should there be inclement weather for the performances the rain site is around the corner at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, 17 Algonquin Drive, Lake Placid.  If you would like to volunteer to assist with the concerts please contact Bill at bill@songsatmirrorlake.org.

    July 30, 2013 Local Jam Night with Lucid
    August 6, 2013 Reggae Night with Morning Sun & The Essentials
    August 13, 2013 Funk & Soul Night with Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds

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  • Today is the day – Grace Potter and The Nocturnals at Ommegang Brewery

    Brewery Ommegang welcomes Grace Potter and the Nocturnals today, Thursday July 25th. The Vermont-based band released The Lion, the Beast, The Beat last summer and has toured steadily since in support of their 4th studio album.  The bands blend of rock, folk, soul and blues provides for a high energy and captivating show and there is no better place to see them.

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    Brewery Ommegang is a traditional Belgian brewery located in Cooperstown, NY is known for their wonderfully crafted brews but has also been providing a unique backdrop for live music since 2011. The Brewery has been the host to varied acts including the late Levon Helm, Old Crow Medicine Show, Cake and Wilco, and in addition to the live music, and brewery fresh beer, the venue also provides camping to complete the experience.

    Tickets for Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at Brewery Ommegang are available at the gate for $40, and camping is also available for an extra $20.

    For more information please visit www.gracepotter.com and to RSVP to the FaceBook event you can visit Dan Smalls Presents Events.

  • Alice Cooper’s Extreme Theatrics Give Life to The Palace Theatre on July 19

    The Palace Theatre got schooled in Rock and Roll and theatrics from Alice Cooper on July 19th, as Alice put on a show that included his signature prop cane being thrown into the crowd along with money with his face on it, as well as strait jackets and a monstrous Alice-Frankenstein stalking the stage.  The faithful fans in the crowd got all the hits and screamed for more once he was done.

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    Coming out to the notes of “Hello Hooray” and following that up with hits “House of Fire,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” and “Under My Wheels”, the crowd got going right off the bat.  His band played hard every moment of the evening with all three guitarists absolutely slaying their instruments.  They each got their own moment in the spotlight with their section of solos and jamming after “Dirty Diamonds.”  Alice worked in songs from many of his albums throughout the night, but made sure to keep the focus on Welcome to My Nightmare and Billion Dollar Babies, much to the crowd’s delight.

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    During a one-two punch of “Devil’s Food” and “Feed My Frankenstein” Alice continued his theatrics by having a snake around his neck in the first and having a giant Frankenstein monster stalk the stage during the end of the second.  During “Killer”, the guillotine came out and Alice’s head was chopped off, much to the delight of the crowd.  There was then a four song medley where he paid tribute to what he called his “drunken dead friends” by covering “Break On Through (to the Other Side)”, “Revolution”, “Foxy Lady” and “My Generation.”

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    Cooper then played three of his biggest hits to close out the show: “I’m Eighteen” was followed by “Poison”, and had the entire crowd singing along with Alice.  To close out the show, “School’s Out” rang through the Palace Theater and sent everyone home with a smile on their faces.  Alice is still definitely a performer to go see if you have a chance, especially if you love a little theater mixed in with a lot of rock and roll.

    Setlist: Hello Hooray, House of Fire, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Under My Wheels, I’ll Bit Your Face Off, Billion Dollar Babies, Caffeine, Department of Youth, Hey Stoopid, Dirty Diamonds, Welcome to My Nightmare, Go to Hell, Devil’s Food, Feed My Frankenstein, Ballad of Dwight Dry, Killer, I Love the Dead, Break On Through (to the Other Side), Revolution, Foxy Lady, My Generation, I’m Eighteen, Poison

    Encore: School’s Out

  • The Black Crowes and Tedeschi Trucks Band headed to CMAC, Canandaigua NY July 31st

    Atlanta’s southern/blues rock legends The Black Crowes are bringing their arsenal of hits to Canadaigua’s Constellation Brands Performing Arts Center next Wednesday July 31st with Tedeschi Trucks Band. Closing in on their 25th anniversary next year, the band recently released their 4th live album Wiser for the Time.
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    Blues shred-master Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Tedeschi will provide a delicious appetizer to the Crowes finale. Recently renamed the Tedeschi Trucks Band, this group provides much more then the name would indicate as a full 10-member touring extravaganza. Their new album Made Up Mind drops August 10th.

    Opening the show will be New York City’s classic rock loving improvisational trio The London Souls. Early weather forecasts look excellent and tickets are still available. Get on your dancing shoes and come on down to groove. $40 for pavilion, $30 for lawn. 6PM. All ages.

    Get tickets to Black Crowes and Tedeschi Trucks Band here or at the CMAC box office.