Category: Regions

Mike Gordon Band Coming to the Northeast and Releasing a New Album Next Year

In very exciting news this week, Mike Gordon band will be releasing a new album, Overstep, on February 25 and supporting it with a tour that crosses the country. The tour will start at the fabulous Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY on February 28th and the next night at Webster Hall in New York City. The tour will see Mike and his band go across the United States before coming back a month later to wrap up the tour at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA on April 5th and Higher Ground in Burlington, VT on April 6th.

The new album will be his first since Moss in 2010. Mike shared songwriting duties with guitarist and longtime collaborator Scott Murawski (Max Creek) and handed over the producing reins for the first time in his solo career, enlisting Paul Q. Kolderie (Radiohead, Uncle Tupelo, Pixies). He also invited a few new players into the studio, including legendary drummer Matt Chamberlain (Jon Brion, Fiona Apple). Mike will be joined on the road by his longtime band – Scott Murawski (guitar), Craig Myers (percussion), Tom Cleary (keyboards) and Todd Isler (drums). It was also announced that the band’s new repertoire will be augmented by hints of secret synesthetic mad scientist gadgetry on and around the stage. This can only mean very exciting things to come from these shows.

Tickets are on sale now at Mike’s website, with public sales starting this weekend.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/124171422″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

December 11, 2013
Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City Tour

Following two great sets by the talented Rochester band “Aminal” and the New York band, “MS MR”, Vampire Weekend took the Main Street Armory stage by storm. They jumped right in, opening with the hugely popular track, “Diane Young” off of their new album Modern Vampires of the City. The crowd was hooked immediately, going wild at first note of the familiar song with screams and applause.

The energy inside the Armory in Rochester was as high off the stage as it was on. Fans sang, snapped iPhone photos and danced along with each tune the band turned out. Boyishly handsome front man Ezra Koenig delivered a smooth and passionate performance during the nearly 90-minute set.

Vampire Weekend has a sound like no other; one that has become easily recognizable and points to a bright future for the talented band. The bouncy “A-Punk,” one of their biggest hits, had the crowd hopping in rhythm while singing along with the band “Hey, hey, hey!” Playing other favorites such as, “Holiday”, which became popular thanks in part to a Honda commercial, “Horchata” and “Unbelievers” kept the audience happily cheering from beginning to end. They ended the night with a 3-song encore and bid the final farewell with the tune, “Walcott”. A song close to their hearts and one they end every show with.

Setlist: Diane Young, White Sky, Cape Cod Kwasssa Kwassa, Unbelievers, Holiday, Step, Finger Back, Horchata, Everlasting Arms, Cousins, California English, A-Punk, Boston (Ladies of Cambridge), Ya Hey, Campus, Oxford Comma, Giving Up the Gun

Encore: Hannah Hunt, One (Blake’s Got a New Face), Walcott

December 10, 2013
DJs, Digital Dharma and Cosmic Dust Bunnies! Oh My! An electronic twister at The Hollow

The Hollow in Albany took a turn to the dark side as the venue was filled with heavy bass bombs and electronic techno jams on Saturday, November 23rd, hosted by Full Circle Music Productions. DJs Mentally Ill and Leila spun while Digital Dharma and Cosmic Dust Bunnies took turns setting up and dismantling but the audience didn’t need much distraction. Mentally Ill got the night started with bizarre beats and eerie mixes, feeding anyone’s craving for light dubstep. DJ Leila was no joke as she is a furious spin master of hip hop and dark beats, great entertainment with attitude.

Albany’s Digital Dharma killed it on stage to their local fan base of dedicated electronic rock lovers. One of the highlights was Steve Mink playing solid bass lines for a deeper disco feel especially during their new song “Shag.” A great combination of funk and techno, Digital Dharma capture ears with fresh improvisation on their original pieces. The boys will return to The Hollow in two weeks with Brothers Past on Saturday, December 21st.

The Cosmic Dust Bunnies ended the night with a hair raising set of high peaked techno melodies with more energy than the crowd could handle. Eric Hyland wailed on both acoustic and electric drums, adding stellar percussion beats and rhythm as Matt Dempsey rocked steady guitar riffs. Chris Sellas fused together robotic sounds and keyboard notes for an attention grabbing factor throughout the night. CDB are often a late night staple at major music festivals so it was refreshing to catch them before 3 am, for once. The four piece band plans to ring in the New Year in Worcester, MA at Disc Jam Presents! A-Dopa-New-Years-Eve with Dopapod, Consider the Source, Viral Sound and more, with tickets still available here. Here’s hoping Full Circle will bring back the uncontrollable storm of The Cosmic Dust Bunnies to the Upstate NY area more often.

December 10, 2013
Alan Evans Trio Provides Black Friday Funk in Buffalo

Walking into Nietzsche’s Saturday, November 29th, you could instantly feel something in the air that was different. One by one, people made their way passed the handlebar-mustached doorman and grabbed a beer with apparent anticipation. Drummer Alan Evans was born and raised in Buffalo, and one thing the city does well is welcome home one of their own. There were several family members and close friends present and that was in addition to the growing fan base that the Alan Evans Trio has quickly established here.

Starting the night, Kid Splendor & the Royal Fortune took to the stage and, ironically, had the fortune of a Royal Family instrument upgrade. Earlier in the day, Kid Splendor drummer Jacob Leckey got a text saying he could use Alan Evans drum kit. Hesitating with disbelief, he almost brought his drums just in case. Lucky for Leckey though, the text was no hoax and he got to take full advantage of the incredible opportunity. As the band opened with their song “A Go Go”, Leckey channeled Evans and commanded the opening groove. Describing the experience, Jacob said, “I wasn’t as concerned that it was Al’s as I was with the fact that it was setup directly in the front of the stage. I have never played a show as a drummer like that and being the main thing people would focus on was new. Adding to it, the guy who normally gives me most of my cues was behind me and made it a bit daunting.” The hurdles went unnoticed by the crowd though as the band’s sound was tight. Once they were a few songs in, the band pulled out a cover of the Neville Brother’s “Fire on the Bayou,” satisfying the longtime funk appreciators of the crowd. Throughout the set, guitarist Mike Hogan and keyboardist Mike Kausner traded solos with a solid foundation laid down by the rest of the band. The addition of the Harbor Horns, a three piece horn section that played with Kid Splendor during their set, added brass accents and a rousing rotating solo on “Smaller the Club (Better the Party).” Kid Splendor closed their set with “Floyd” which was led by the rapid pace of Leckey, still feeding off of the high. The energy of the song capped off a great opening to the night and propelled the crowd right into AE3’s set that shortly followed.

Set List: A Go Go, Chicken Strut, Fire on the Bayou, Mah Na Ma, Hey Pocky Way, Sissy Strut, Smaller the Club (Better the Party), Laminak, Floyd

As Alan, Beau, and Danny made their way through the crowd and up the stairs in the front of the stage, people began filling in and really packing the small club. With the upper levels filled, it really felt like the band was only going to make it out if they satisfied the surrounding group. They took the challenge in stride and easily surpassed all expectations. The set started off blazing right from the get-go, leading with the fast-paced “They Call Me Velvet.” Beau Sasser’s solo on the song stomped on the gas, but Danny Mayer’s answer sent the crowd into orbit. Alan Evans was equally adding to the sound, beating his drums harder than I have ever seen him play. The fact that his kit held up for the entire set was honestly surprising as he was relentless from the beginning. Even with the focus they put forth, you could see the fun these guys were having as it was written all over their faces. After every solo or lead, you could always spot one of them giving a nod to the other as if they were just as excited to hear that as we were.

As the middle of the set approached, the group dove into another highlight of the night on the Hendrix cover of “Ain’t No Tellin,” which really captivated the crowd. Beau Sasser showcased his ability on this one and proved that he should have his own “Beau Knows” marketing campaign for his B-3 prowess. What he did on that solo caused most people to stop dead in their tracks and pay attention to his rapid-fire delivery. As the energy reached a high point, the band thankfully slowed things down with “The Laydown.” Danny Mayer led this song as it began with a slow-rolling Strat solo that was beautifully colored with a muffled wah tone. The slow pace allowed Mayer to float some powerful notes into the night air, leaving room for Evans to accent in between. While they’re only a three-piece, they understand how to strike a perfect balance between each other. The balance of improvisation and structure was explored throughout the night with an almost undetected form of communication between the guys. Wrapping up an incredible night of funk, the guys came out for an encore of the Buddy Miles song “Them Changes.” The song was fitting for the evening and left the crowd with one last high. Mayer’s solo on this one had his Strat screaming with every note being further punctuated by Evans’ play.

At any given point during their set, you really felt as though these guys were somehow able to talk to each other while they played. They pull off of a completely synchronized feel without coming off as rehearsed. It’s pretty obvious why they continue to draw more and more at every show and will continue to with the drive they have. Thankfully for us, Alan is a hometown guy who always sets aside time for a trip home.

Set List: They Call Me Velvet, If You Want My Love > If You Want Me To Stay > If You Want My Love, Thor, I’m Coming Home, Ain’t No Tellin, The Laydown, Nothing to Say, Who Dare Knock, Cosmic Hazel Dust

Encore: Them Changes

Photography by Kyle Hess

December 9, 2013
GEMINI SYNDROME Invades the East Coast with MINDSET EVOLUTION and STARSET

This fall, Gemini Syndrome tours with Mindset Evolution and Starset in support of the release of their debut record, Lux.

GEMINI SYNDROME:

Hailing from Los Angeles, California, this metal quintet consists of Aaron Nordstrom (vocals), Rich Juzwick (guitars), Mike Salerno (guitars), Alessandro “AP” Paveri (bass), and Brian Steele Medina (drums). They have shared the stage with bands such as Nonpoint and Murderdolls, and have often been compared bands like Disturbed and Stone Sour. After releasing their EP in 2011, the band was eventually signed by Warner Bros. Records and their debut album was released in September 2013. By the looks of it, Gemini Syndrome is ready to show the concert junkies what they have in store for them.

MINDSET EVOLUTION:

Having toured with major bands such as Hinder, Seether, Breaking Benjamin, and Avenged Sevenfold, the small five-pieced band from Peoria, Illinois features the talents of Rob Ulrich (vocals), Brad Prentice (guitars), Skyler Baer (guitars), Josh Bodeen (bass), and Joey Gibbz (drums). They have been touring in support of the summer release of their debut album, Brave, Bold, and Broken. Mindset Evolution is more than ready to knock everyone out of the ballpark with their killer performance.

Be sure to check out the future Mindset Evolution tour dates for Gemini Syndrome at www.geminisyndrome.com. This is a show you will not want to miss!

December 9, 2013
Mike Gordon set to Bring His Band to MASS MoCA This Coming Spring

In what is sure to end up being the beginning sign of a full-fledged tour, Mike Gordon will be bringing his band to the Hunter Center at MASS MoCA on April 5th, 2014. It was announced on Wednesday via iberkshires that he would be playing a date during MASS MoCA’s Spring Season, marking the first announced shows with his solo band in almost two years. The most recent lineup of Mike Gordon Band included Scott Murawski on guitar, Craig Myers on percussion, Tom Cleary on keys and Todd Isler on drums. Expect an announcement from the man himself in the near future, but for tickets and more information on the show, visit MassMOCA.org.

December 6, 2013
Railroad Earth, Peter Rowan Recreate ‘Old and in the Way’

“Panama Red, he’ll steal your woman then he’ll rob your head,” which is just what Peter Rowan did November 30^th at The Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, PA. Peter Rowan stole the hearts of all the boys and girls as he fronted Railroad Earth in a recreation of Old and in the Way, the timeless bluegrass album from 1975. There were tears of joy and hands on hearts as the collaboration channeled the late, great Jerome “Spud Boy” Garcia.

A Thanksgiving weekend tradition has emerged with Railroad Earth’s Horn-O-Plenty Getaway. The much-anticipated second night began with a solo set from Peter Rowan. His guest performer, Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo (meaning “Goddess of melody and song”) captivated the spirit within. Her high-pitched vocals pierced the ego and reached the soul as her dark eyes and doll face breached the ugly in her song about forgiveness. It was in that moment the audience was able to purge their own darkness and their own sins. She made the whole room beautiful, giving permission to live, to feel, and to love from the soul. Heads were robbed, but hearts were broken open, ready to receive. The transformative chanting prepared the crowd for what happened next.

Peter Rowan and the Railroad Earth fellas emerged to the darkened stage. The backdrop was a lighted bear paw that alternated colors throughout the set. Start to finish, they played Old and in the Way in the order the songs appear on the album. As “Pig in a Pen” unfolded, it was clear that the level of musicianship was astounding in their arrangement and interpretation. Todd Sheaffer humbly stood farther back on stage, giving what could only be one of his legendary idols full access to his own band’s talents. The visibly happy Sheaffer was enough to break a heart into a million pieces of joy and then passed around to each member of the audience. At one point Sheaffer raised his fist into the air as if he too was an onlooker rather than a participant.

The ever-charismatic Rowan flirted with music and his swagger fancied the crowd. As he approached Timothy Carbone in “Midnight Moonlight,” his advances were returned with an over-the-top fiddle that Vassar Clements would delight over. “Wild horses couldn’t drag [anyone] away” at this point, and the bluegrass rendition of The Rolling Stone’s cover was enough to melt a packed house into a giant blob of waterworks – joyous tears of course. Yungchen Lhamo was invited back to the stage for “Land of the Navajo” where the depth of spirituality was captured via an ethereal arrangement of vocals and instrumentation. The collaboration had cultivated a most sensual and spiritual purging that was most transformative.

Rowan handed the reigns back to Sheaffer for set two, which was equally as special as two new songs off the upcoming album, Last of the Outlaws (January 2014) was introduced for the first time. “Chasin’ a Rainbow”, an upbeat, happy dancing feet kind of tune that followed the omnipotent “Seven Story Mountain.” The closing song, “One More Night on the Road” introduced John Skehan on keys, a new addition to the ever-growing family of instrumentation who presented elements of rock and jazz and sounded a bit like something The Band would have done. However, the set took the crowd full circle when Peter Rowan came back for more. A carefully crafted set list merged the Garcia-Rowan-Monroe connection when a haunting “Cold Rain and Snow” and “Walls of Time” were played back to back, during which Lhamo’s chanting bellowed throughout.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end but hearts were settled with a nurturing encore of “Railroad Earth.” A special night of song and dance opened the gates of freedom of the soul. “Oh mama, ain’t it good to be alive.” Indeed, it is.

Railroad Earth will be at The Space at Westbury in Westbury, NY Saturday, December 7th.

Special thanks to media contributors: Timme Newman, Anita Riley, Susan Skidmore and Pati Bobeck.

December 6, 2013
Trivium and DevilDriver Slayed on Black Friday

An Upstate Concert Hall crowd of 300-plus decided taking in a show – instead of shopping and burning off Thanksgiving food throughout all of Albany – was the appropriate thing to do on Black Friday. Trivium headlined a 60-minute set to promote their new album Vengeance Falls with DevilDriver co-headlining a 60-minute set of their own to promote Winter Kills – In my opinion one of the best metal releases of 2013.

Fans were also treated to a killer 30-minute set from After The Burial and a small set from Thy Will Be Done, who’s garnering recognition from the likes of Metallica, Shadows Fall, and DevilDriver.

Reminiscent of Lamb of God, Thy Will Be Done’s sound is thrashy and groovy, with a wee-bit of metalcore thrown in. Unfortunately, the early crowd comprised of only a third of the ultimate total. Nonetheless, I got the vibe that the crowd really dug them. These rockers out of Providence, R.I. moved through their set quicker than I would have hoped. However, they’re a relatively new band that doesn’t have a huge catalog to go through. Still, as they promote their new EP Temple they’re receiving exposure both on the road, as well as plenty of air play on Liquid Metal (Sirus/XM). They will be a dominant force in Metal very soon. When I spoke to frontman, Jay Costa, he expressed how much fun they have had while on tour.

After The Burial graced the stage with a 30-minute set. This was my first taste of this prog-death metal group out of Minneapolis, M.N., and I was really impressed. They have a flavor to them. They were the first band to get the crowd jumping. Very energetic. They treated the Clifton Park fans to four songs off of their upcoming album, Wolves Within, due sometime this month.

The “California Groove Machine” was up next.

After what seemed to be a long wait (well for me anyways because I am a die hard fan) DevilDriver came and wiped the floor with the crowd. My only complaint would be that the band was so loud on most songs it was hard to hear Dez’s vocals. I’ve seen DevilDriver play at Upstate Music Hall twice in the past. Back in 2011 opening for Danzig, and last year opening for Gwar. This time it seemed they had a slightly longer set and a bigger light show than they have in the past. Opening with “End of the Line”, DevilDriver’s set consisted of a few songs from their early collection like “I Could Care Less” and “Clouds Over California” but most of their set had a lot of material from their new album Winter Kills.

Here’s what made the whole night memorable: Midway through the set you had a small group chanting out song names, which – let’s just say, Dez did not take kindly to that. Anyone who knows the history of Dez on stage, whether it’s from Coal Chamber or DevilDriver, knows his reputation for his aggressive stage persona. Calling out the group, Dez yelled, “We play whatever fucking song we want!”

(Laugh.) Some people never learn.

Which then led to a rant about people who are not open to other genres of music. Which served as an appropriate segue to an Awolnation cover of “Sail.” Totally blew my mind when they played that. Throughout the entire set, body surfers were nonstop and the energy was very high. Security at Upstate Music Hall had their hands full. DevilDriver is the kind of band that would start a moshpit in a nursing home.
So after a full hour set from DevilDriver, Trivium gave the crowd an extra jolt of adrenaline. This was my third time seeing Trivium. I caught them during the mess that was Trespass America tour when it stopped at Oswego Speedway last summer, and few years back during Mayhem Fest. But this time it was a totally different setting.

To be able to see Trivium at such an intimate venue like Upstate Music Hall made it so much better than the typical outdoor arenas. Another thing I find fascinating about Trivium is they’re a relatively young band with a catalogue of songs a decade deep, and they show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Trivium started their set with “Throes of Perdition” and “Down from the Sky” familiar to UFC fans as the introductory music for Mauricio “Shogun” Rau. Their sound was flawless. Props to the sound guy. Everything was clean sounding. Also all those guys have great chemistry on stage. You can tell they absolutely love what they do. They continued to play a couple more of Shogun before taking it back a almost decade ago by playing “A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation” which I will say was the highlight of the set. Finally, they closed it out with “In Waves” and “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr.”

Overall it was a fantastic show. Shame on anyone who didn’t bother going because every band delivered. We are obviously approaching a slower touring season so I suggest getting to any metal show that’s out there right now and be sure to pick up all the new albums from Thy Will Be Done, After The Burial, DevilDriver, and Trivium.

Stay metal.

December 6, 2013
Watertown is blown away by Halestorm

The Grammy award-winning band, Halestorm, came to Watertown, N.Y. this past Saturday (November 30th) and rocked the thousands in attendance at Jefferson Community College.

Opening for Halestorm was local legends, Lake Effect Mud, promoting their album, Eyes Open Wide. They wasted no time in showing us why this small town band belongs on stage with big names like Halestorm.

Lead vocalist, Jason Johnson, commanded attention from his audience with a powerful voice. He kept the energy alive and engaged the whole room. The fans loved him. Johnson’s vocals, combined with the incredible talent of Bryant Pignone, Kyle Pignone, and Jessie Hall, made Lake Effect Mud an unstoppable force. Personally, I can not wait to see what is next for them.

Halestorm followed in the wake of Lake Effect Mud’s energy. I had previously heard nothing but wonderful things about Halestorm in concert, but even then I had no idea for what I was in store.

The rockers from Pennsylvania opened the show with a few high energy songs like “Mz Hyde.” Immediately we can see what a powerhouse Lzzy Hale is. Between her vocals and incredible energy she is captivating. Joe Hottinger and Josh Smith compliment Lzzy very well with amazing talent and energy. Then we have Arejay Hale on the drums. I have found in many bands the drummer just fades into the background, not really seen, but not Hale. He is as much a part of the show as Lzzy is up front and center. You can see he really enjoys what he is doing, and we enjoy watching him do it. They continue the show with hits like “Dirty Work” and “Familiar Taste of Poison.” Then the guys exit the stage leaving Lzzy alone on the keyboards. She begins to play “Break In”, her voice is beautiful and haunting. Lzzy ends the song and we move onto Arejay’s drum solo.

For five minutes you can’t look away as he plays his drums with a variety of tools – sticks, large sticks, and then just his hands; he doesn’t just play the drums, he puts on a show! If you don’t enjoy watching this man perform you are not paying attention. The band returned to the stage and closed the show with their hit “I Get Off.”

Watertown experienced a night of music we wont soon forget. If you are a metal fan, or even just love live music, these are the bands to see. What an incredible night.

December 5, 2013
All the Fun and All the Thanks at Valentine’s Final Funsgiving

Valentine’s of Albany hosted the 6th annual B3nson Funsgiving event for the last time on Saturday, November 22nd. The night consisted of seven diverse Upstate New York bands, alternating on the stages of the two story venue with familiar faces around every corner. With Valentine’s set to close and relocate by the end of this year, it was only proper to gather with friends to make a few more memories at the music hall and beer joint one last time.

Hammer Hawk was the first on the lineup, a trio of musical muscle who greeted the venue with edgy rock angst. Bear Grass had a consistent growing sound with pleasant echoes of Indie folk throughout the set. Lead female singer, Katie Hammon, is a great compliment to the harmonies of the five piece band as their music was an easy listen with relaxing melodies and joyous tempos. Rival Galaxies was an intergalactic experience with their high energy robotic futuristic rock and one of the highlights of the night. Rival Galaxies has a familiar sound to Daft Punk, especially with their disco dueling keyboards. Confetti rained down on the audience along with the steady beats, mighty guitar riffs and lyrics being sang via megaphone.

The Parlor performed some of the best dance music with their Indie Jazz sound complete with a solid horn section and funky bass line. The Parlor introduced new songs to the crowd with vocalist Jen O’Connor singing soft lyrics to Eric Krans’ smooth guitar licks. The carefree duo of Scientific Maps joked with the audience that it’s been years since they’ve practiced but you wouldn’t have known without them saying so. Aaron Smith plays with a nerdy and slightly rebellious grandeur as he strums with a carefree tone.

The night ended with the annual Beard contest with categories for both men and women, making for some interesting facial hair and accessories. Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned was unofficially the winner of the best/most beards in a band category. They have a gypsy sound with the accordion and powerful guitar strumming, giving off a sincere bohemian madness that they crowd couldn’t get enough of. Barons in the Attic concluded the event with their usual wild and riot starting music, making for a serious floor shaking set. Valentine’s has given the B3nson Funsgiving family a place to call home for the past few years and for that, we are all grateful. Be sure to visit Valentines before it’s too late!

wants to hear what your favorite memories are from any of the past B3nson’s Funsgiving’s at Valentine’s. Please comment below for your chance to win a poster from this year’s Funsgiving with signatures from members of each band! A winner will be chosen on December 20th.

December 5, 2013