NYS Music 20​13

Category: Regions

  • Formula 5 and The Assortment of Crayons at Oasis Cafe in New Paltz

    A cold wet day in New York didn’t keep the people of New Paltz from coming to check out a great night of live music at the Oasis Cafe, located on Main Street in town. It’s an easy venue to get to from the Thruway, with friendly staff and the place to go for those who like intimate shows with the bands who are playing.

    oasis cafeThe night started out with The Assortment of Crayons, hometown favorites from New Paltz and the crowd really showed up in force for their hour long set. Their funk came out immediately in full force and elicited a feel for Shakedown-era Dead. Matt Richards’ keys kept the music moving along nicely bringing it back and forth between funk and space. Erik and Sean Hill not only play guitar and bass, but also switched during the set, each holding their own on either instrument and Batu Attila’s drumming kept a steady groove for the others to layer over. A great opening set that had two covers, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” and “Crazy”, with help from some lovely female vocals and great segues between songs and a tease of “2001”.

    Albany’s own Formula 5 came on next and slayed the crowd. Their two hour set had no lulls, keeping the energy high at all times. The crowd, although it had become a little thin near the 2:30 A.M. end, danced all night long. They opened with “Perch” and came firing on all cylinders, with great jamming where no member stepped on another’s notes and let each person shine for a bit. Then “Epiphany” hit and the funk oozed throughout Oasis. The dance party really got going here and never let up for a moment. This one had a great Dead vibe to it and it segued into “Uh-Oh”, which led to a noticeable Phish vibe. Joe Davis was hitting beautiful bright and lively chords, Bill Shattuck kept a mean rhythm going with Greg Marek, and Mike McDonald played the keys to match what Joe was doing. This is a band that knows how to jam.

    oasis cafeThe night continued and soon the night seemed like one long jam. Around 1:50 A.M., Joe mentioned Phish had announced their tour dates and maybe a little celebration should go down. With that, the band started up Phish’s “Ghost”. Formula 5’s take on the Phish classic was fantastic, funky, dirty and a little bit of rock thrown in. They did the song justice and followed it up with moe.’s “Happy Hour Hero”. These covers back to back showed who they are influenced by, but also how great their musicianship is to give both songs their due. They ended with a bluegrass tune “Catch Me” and followed it up with the space funk of “Houdini” to end the night. Both of these songs showed how diverse this band can be at any given moment. If you have a chance, make sure you see these guys when they come to your town.

    Formula 5 Setlist: Perch, Epiphany, Uh-Oh, The Ride > This Place > 3 Ring Circus, Ghost*, Happy Hour Hero^, Pedro

    Encore: Catch Me>Houdini

    * Phish Cover, ^ moe. Cover

  • Meg and Laura Get Lost in Austin: Take Two

    Two girls, one from Boston the other from Jakarta, Indonesia, sit down at a cafe in Austin with a Swedish synth-pop duo and their British PR agent, discussing a song remixed by a Spanish DJ in Syracuse. It’s safe to say that SXSW really crosses borders.

    But before divulging any more details, let’s go back to the start. It’s 9 AM on a Wednesday morning, three hours of sleep and ten outfit changes into the day, when Meg and Laura head out to take on the first of four interviews they have scheduled for the day. They head downtown to the Hilton Garden Suites to interview Ioanna Gika of I O Echo. Once in the lobby, which is bustling with the voices and ringing phones of busy band managers and artists, they find Ioanna and bandmate Leopold Ross waiting in line for some coffee at the hotel Starbucks. Ioanna donning a comfy blue smiley faced crew-neck sweatshirt and silky pink kimono graces us with her presence. There is something about her warmth that permeates the morning, setting a bright tone for the day.

    A surge of nostalgia fills the room as she takes the duo back to the bar where she first met Leo. “Neither of us knew that the other made music, but we bonded over the song “Venus in Furs” and clicked immediately”, spills Ionna. Over the course of an hour, Ioanna dished on the inspiration behind her edgy fashion choices, laser harps and growing up in South East Asia. The gracious singer songwriter talks about her upcoming projects and her collaboration with fashion designers on holographic I O Echo kimonos. After learning the intimate details behind the eccentric artists creativity the two packed up their mic and ventured across the street to hear about another’s.

    Next on agenda: an interview with the Stockholm/London based co-ed duo K.I.D.S. As Meg and Laura set up their equipment on the porch of the Moonshine Grill and Patio, they are interrupted by paparazzis shouting from across the street: “K.I.D.S. are the next big thing! Keep an eye out for them!” The girls sit down with the band to listen to backyard tales from their childhood. They learn that despite the duo’s polarizing taste in music – as diverse as Kendrick Lamar and Yoko Ono – they bring a refreshing twist to the musical table and share one of their music making secrets which is, “Don’t take yourself too seriously.” Just like a couple of kids, with hearts warmed by the bands take on music and life and with two interviews down, Meg and Laura move from the porch to a table on the Moonshine patio for a third interview.

    You would think that any artist with a single sitting on top of the charts for as long as Icona Pop’s hit “I Love It” would have big egos.  As Meg and Laura sit down to have lunch with the duo, they’re pleasantly surprised to find their feet on the ground and their hearts still very much into the music. There was a certain sincerity in the advice they had to offer which made Meg and Laura feel like they were listening to their own story. “We find ourselves constantly trying to create chaos in our lives so that we can rise up above it.”, claims Aino. The co-hosts exchange bewildered looks – an undeniable and almost tangible synergy is shared at this table for four along with the compulsive need to keep the adrenaline pumping.

    Only hours later, the two put their life motto into practice as they marched purposefully to each and every +21 venue determined to get in. Five rejections and failed attempts at pulling the we-know-the-manager card later, the two did what any two girls would do to get in (and no, they didn’t pull up their shirts to get in if that’s what you’re thinking). They took the road less traveled, i.e. the dark alleyway that led to the back door. Let’s just say they pulled a G.I. Jane but got to keep their hair. As it turns out, La Zona Rosa is much more fun when you’re inside, falling victim to Rudimental’s jazzed out drum and bass Meg, being the heavy bass line fiend that she is, decides to stay backstage at the venue to watch 12th Planet, UZ, and Baauer do the real-live Harlem Shake while Laura gets religiously overpowered by her Faith…Paloma Faith, that is. She decides to head over to Eighth Street to the Central Presbyterian Church to catch the British songstress in person.

    Though being chased down four blocks by a homeless man while navigating her GPS was a little more than Laura had bargained for, it was well worth seeing the performer take the altar in her all her glittering glory. The church resonated with hits like “Agony” and the singer got hearts racing as she raced down the pews in her Christian Louboutins with the grace of a goddess and a Chelsea Handler-esque sense of humor.

    The best part about SXSW is never knowing whats in store! Stay tuned for tales from day 3 of #LostinAustin. For more details, follow @themegandlaura  

  • Preview: IN THIS MOMENT with LOVE AND DEATH, ALL HAIL THE YETI, and OWL

    After their tour in the UK with Grammy-winning band, Halestorm, In This Moment is performing at the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY on March 30. This will be the band’s first time performing at the venue since before the release of their new record, Blood. Opening for them is Love and Death, All Hail the Yeti, and Owl. This promises to be a killer show filled with high energy, excitement, and the familiar soothing sound of metal screaming.

    IN THIS MOMENT:

    InThisMoment-01-big

    After the successful release of their fourth record, Blood, In This Moment began touring throughout the west coast as well as Australia with Adelitas Way. Known for her chilling death-metal scream, Maria Brink will most certainly give the onlookers the chills and excitement they’ve all been waiting for. Her voice will be haunting our dreams for the rest of the evening after giving a kick-ass performance. Band members consist of Chris Howorth (lead guitar), Travis Johnson (bass), Randy Weitzel (guitar), and Tom Hane (drums). This will be the main event that everyone will be buzzing about after ITM’s performance.

    LOVE AND DEATH:

    Korn’s ex-guitarist, Brian “Head” Welch, formed this hard rock band in February 2012 with a familiar metal twist. According to Welch, the band title “symbolizes everything we’ve been through as a band over the last few years. We love this band so much and we’ll go through hell to connect with our fans.” In 2009, Welch held band tryouts through YouTube, finally resulting with JR Bareis (lead guitar), Michael Valentine (bass), and Dan Johnson (drums). Love and Death signed with the label Tooth and Nails Record/EMI, and they are touring to support their debut record, Between Here & Lost, which was released January 22 of this year. This band is most definitely ready to share their new material with the ever-adoring fans.

    ALL HAIL THE YETI:

    This is the band that has forsaken their hometown to become something more, to revive metal. Lead vocalist Connor Garritty formed the band in 2006 with ex-guitarist K.J. Duval. After 2010, this band was no longer just a “local” band, they had transformed into something bigger. Garritty took action instead of waiting for the music industry to notice their success in music, and began recording their full-length debut record. Current band members, Nicholas Diltz (bass) and Craw NeQuent (guitar), joined the group in 2011. August 28, 2012, the band released their self-titled debut record. When asked to describe what AHTY’s sound was like, Connor described it as “capturing how it makes each individual feel…our songs touch on topics of death, life, love, love lost, the paranormal, crypto zoology, mythical creatures, partying, etc.” Fans look forward to what the band has in store for us.

    OWL:

    A band that strives to find the answer to an intriguing question: “Are we doing the right thing?” Through the music, the band has nothing to worry about because of their beneficial amount of experimentation and instrumental obscurity, as well as remarkable hooks and exciting delivery. Band members consist of Chris Wyse (lead vocals and bass), Jason Achilles Mezilis (guitar and vocals), and Dan Dinsmore (drums). After the 2009 release of their self-titled debut record, Wyse promises that the second one will be “more engaging and exhilarating on various levels.” Fans may either be haters or lovers of this band; it will be up to them to decide once Saturday night arrives.

    With the diversity of sounds that will surround the venue, this concert has just what we need: the energy to rock out!

    in-this-moment-81

  • Album Review: NERO DI MARTE

    Nero di Marte is an experimental metal band based in Bologna, Italy. Formerly known under the name “Murder Therapy” since 2007, the band released their debut album Symmetry of Delirium in 2009 and the EP Molochian in 2011.

    nero

    Michael: Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.  This is my first confessional in the Church of Metal.

    Father Ozzy: What is it?

    Michael: I was assigned the task of reviewing Nero Di Marte’s self titled, debut CD.  Well, technically it’s their third CD, but they changed their name from Murder Therapy recently, and this is the first CD under their new name.

    Father Ozzy: Stop bloody wanking and get on with it.

    Michael: Uh, right. Anyway, I got the CD, and I listened to it.

    Father Ozzy: Are you asking me? How am I supposed to bloody know you listened to it?

    Michael: I mean, I listened to it, but…(pause)

    Father Ozzy: Yes?

    Michael: Well, you see. It’s…(pause)

    Father Ozzy: Will you come on with it, already!

    Michael: Father. I didn’t like it….(pause)

    Father Ozzy: Where’s the sin in that?

    Michael: I only listened to it once.  I couldn’t stand to listen to it anymore.

    Nero Di Marte is a quartet out of Italy.  They have a world release out of Prosthetic Records in a few days (March 18th in the United Kingdom, March 19th in the United States and March 22nd in Eurpoe), and I don’t want to pick it up anymore.  It scares me.

    Father Ozzy: You’re talking to the Prince of bloody Darkness, how is this CD scary?

    Michael: I know the band likes to experiment with their sound, but everything was off. The guitars drowned the vocals. The guitars were out of synch with everything. And, don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of drums, but the drums overpowered everything.  Not only that, the cadence was off at times. It sounded like the guitars were playing to a different song than the drums! It was bedlam!

    Father Ozzy: (pause)

    Michael: Father?

    Father Ozzy: What else can you say?

    Michael: Lead singer, Sean Worrell is a howler monkey?

    Father Ozzy: Stop with the bloody howler monkey thing! It’s metal!

    Michael: You didn’t do it!

    Father Ozzy: Don’t you think I’m challenged enough with my speech?

    Michael: What’s my penance, Father?

    Father Ozzy: Listen to the CD again. Ask people not to take your judgments into mind, but let them decide for themselves the quality of this work.

    For more information, please go to www.nerodimarte.com

  • Meg and Laura Get Lost in Austin: Deadmau5

    Being at South by Southwest is kind of like being a kid at Disney World. Between the sun and the millions of rides to choose from, you’re left delirious to make your decision. Meg and Laura weren’t any different. Well, except for the fact that they had press passes hanging from around their neck this time.

    The duo kicked off Monday by sharing the bus with The X Factor Contestants to the Austin Convention Center, where all the conferences were taking place. The ACC was bustling with people from every corner of the world talking about music.  Being thousands of miles away from home, there was something easing about being surrounded by chatter about music that made feel like they belong.

    deadmau5After getting their bearings straight (a.k.a. capitalizing on the abundance of free food), the pair decided to take on the big panel challenge that had been surfacing the air – getting into room 12AB for Richie Hawtin’s interview with deadmau5. So they did what any other fan girls would do: they decided to line up three hours before the panel. “You could probably go to the Building Movements panel before deadmau5 so all you can just stay in the room for the next one”, suggested one of the staff members. And so that’s what they did.

    Not to say that watching Andy Ross talk about another life threatening concept idea for the next OK Go music video wasn’t enjoyable, but if only Meg and Laura knew about the last-minute room change for deadmau5, they would’ve stayed in line outside. When Meg’s Twitter feed updated her on the room change, the two headed for the door and found themselves to be the last ones in a long and winding line, surrounded by people pronouncing the DJ’s name as “dead-mau-five”.  It wasn’t long till the co-hosts charmed their way to the front with their radio personality (a.k.a. they spewed sarcastic remarks at everything that moved, until the people in front of them budged). Cut to: two seats, five feet away from deadmau5. The wait was definitely worth it. Though it took Laura a second to recognize the DJ without his headgear and Meg to well, keep her composure, the wait was well worth it. deadmau5 addressed a lot of the difficult points concerning EDM that most DJs prefer not to discuss. He advocates “throwing away being a purist”, specifically talking about how style isn’t something that can be taught. There are many institutions today that focus on teaching people the art of EDM. Instead of teaching students how to think, they teach them what to think, pigeonholing their creativity in the mold of preset sub-genres. The DJ also comments on how the industry has homogenized EDM, saying, “it seems like all the mainstream EDM artists are making the same cookie-cutter tracks, and then I wonder why the people at the labels don’t just go home and try to make the music themselves. I mean, why not just cut of the bands?”. Although Hawtin and deadmau5 are glad that EDM has appealed to the masses, they reminisce the two percent days back when it wasn’t so homogenous.

    With less than two hours of sleep from the night before, and a truckload of work to do, obviously the only sensible solution was to go out.  The two knew that it would be impossible not to spend the night out on the town when they were in the live music capital of the world. Meg and Laura took the streets of Austin, scouting from venue to venue, in search of good-time. After being turned down at The Warner Sound, The Belmont, and Maggie’s, the two realized that they had a hook-up: The North Door. Nicolas Jaar, minimal house DJ, was spinning a set and they knew his manager Alastar Dunkin. At 1 AM, the ambitious duo walked over about a million and one blocks over to Brushy St. in the unwelcoming windy weather (I guess Syracuse isn’t the only place with bipolar weather), and pulled the press card from under the sleeve. There was no way they were going back without getting in to a show.

    Jaar played Meg’s favorite track, “The Ego”, putting the lyrics, “the ego is the most expensive thing” on loop. Jaar really did speak the truth with his minimalist beat that took us on a tempo roller coaster. Unlike the typical female vocals that DJs sample, Jaar used a voice modulator to sample his own soulful vocals, giving the track a jazzier feel and filling up the entirety of the room with sophistication.

    All in all, adventures and glitches accounted for, there really couldn’t be a better start to South by Southwest for Meg and Laura. As it turns out, everything really is bigger in Texas.

    Continue following the #lostinaustin for more updates of Meg and Laura’s SXSW antics on Twitter!

  • Spotlight: ACIDIC

    Spotlight on a small killer band from Southern California by the name of Acidic. They’ve toured with major bands such as Hinder, Trapt, and Hawthrone Heights.

    The band consist of Mike Gossard (lead vocals/guitar), Ted Dubrawski (bass), and Matt Whitaker (drums), with a special guest guitarist; in this case on the Hinder tour it was Josh Bennett. Their first record, Chronic Satisfaction, produced by John Ryan of Chicago Kid Productions, a platinum award-winner (produced Styx, Santana, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Badfinger, and the Allman Brothers. As of recently, the band signed with SONY/RED through a special arrangement with MegaForce Records. Acidic’s latest record, Copper Man, is expected to be released March 19, 2013. The leading single, “Copper Man”, was picked by Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx on his nationally-syndicated radio, “Side Show” to kick off February. Upstate Metal’s staff, Kate Drexel, was lucky enough to do an interview with the band’s front man, Mike Gossard.

     acidic_web

    UM: How did you come up with your band name?

    MG: We went out to Joshua Tree for a weekend with a…you ever see that movie where Johnny Depp goes to Las Vegas and has a crazy weekend? Yeah, well it was kind of like that, and we came back and we didn’t know what the fuck had happened but saw that we had written on a little piece of paper the name “ACIDIC” and we were like, “what?” That must be the band name we decided…kinda catchy, y’know, unknown. There was a lot of ‘shrooms involved probably, we’re not really sure. But we had a good weekend; we know that, we came back safe.

    UM: What’s your favorite song off of your record?

    MG: Off our new record? Well, I’ll just do it from the new record, which is out March 19th; it’s going to be released by SONY/RED. My favorite song off that record is called “Copper Man” and I know we sound like total douchebags right now but we wrote it in jail. So yeah we got arrested the first day of our tour for Fuel, for being a “rock ‘n’ roll” band and I’m not going to go into any more detail than that. And we decided we were going to write a kickass song about being on the road. And so we wrote a song about the chronicles of this guy going across the country, getting into all sorts of shenanigans and partying with people and having a great time and everywhere he goes, he’s the life of the party…he’s the Copper Man. And he’s just all around the country, and when they let us out, we had a full song and we played it that night and it was pretty cool. We’ve never done anything like that since. We’ve only been arrested twice last year so it’s all-good.

    UM: How did you become a part of the Hinder tour?

    MG: Actually, our management is good friends with their management and they hooked us up and I have to say…Hinder, they are the nicest bunch of dudes on the face of the planet, I mean seriously, they have taken such good care of us. We are so grateful about that. So yeah, mutual friends.

    UM: What’s the story behind “Satellite”?

    MG: Okay, I went through a bunch of crazy stuff last year, right? And usually, it revolves around a girl and so I went through a bunch of stuff with a girl and I ended up getting sober and that was the first song I had written sober in years. I wrote it about always feeling like you can’t quite connect with somebody. I mean, everybody’s had that feeling where they’re just like, the one person they really want but can never say the right thing to or can’t connect with, it’s all about that. It’s the idea of being a satellite and they’re being a fucking planet.

    UM: What does music mean to you?

    MG: Everything. I try to think “Could I be a lawyer?” and then I realize, when I’m not on stage, I’m always listening to music, or when I’m watching a show, all I pay attention to is the music in the background. If you watch a TV show, there is never more than 30 seconds of that music, and if it’s done, it’s done on purpose to get attention…but it’s everything and it’s everywhere you go. You cannot escape from music. So it’s my life.

    UM: What does your music reflect about you guys?

    MG: Our general attitude and our transgressions on the road. Seriously, we write everything about experience, things that have happened to us…oh god, people we’ve known, people we’ve had drinks with, people we’ve had smokes with, people we’ve had sex with, y’know that’s the classic thing. It’s great, it’s honest…may not be very polite, but it’s honest.

  • An Interview with Ralph Castelli of RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles

    RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles will be playing at the Palace Theater on March 18th. I recently spoke with Ralph Castelli, who has played Ringo Starr for nearly 30 years in the Broadway production. Tickets are available at The Palace box office.

    Ralph Castelli Tom Miller: Hi Ralph. Can you tell our readers what they can expect to see next week at the RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles show?

    Ralph Castelli:  Sure. The show is obviously a show about the Beatles. It’s a live concert with a theatrical element to it. What I mean by that is it’s a multimedia extravaganza which is a time capsule that takes the viewer all the way back to the early 60’s. As the curtain opens, the viewer will see the complete set of the Ed Sullivan stage where the Beatles performed on that famous evening in February 1964. Then we move forward chronologically, showing more videos of events going on at the time, many costume changes, different stage sets which resemble Beatles album covers, and of course more Beatles music. We continue forward through the Sgt Pepper’s era, which of course is very colorful with the whole “flower power” movement, and our hair is getting longer (laughing) and our sideburns are getting bushier. Then we get into Abbey Road which takes us to the end of the show.

    TM:  That really sounds amazing! Do you have a favorite era or part of the show?

    RC:  Well, every two years or so we re-vamp the show so this is a new show for us. There’s a lot of new videos and a lot of new songs. Nearly 40% of the songs in this show are new for us. I think my favorite part of this show is the Sgt. Pepper’s era and I actually like everything from Sgt. Pepper’s to the end of the show. I really love it all. It’s hard to pick a section of their career that I like the most.

    TM:  How about playing it? Is any era more difficult than another?

    RC:  Yeah, definitely. When we get into the Sgt. Pepper’s album and All You Need is Love, there’s a fifth band member that comes out and plays with us. The only way we could perform these songs live was to have a fifth member. There’s a lot of intricate parts and over dubs that the Beatles used. “Strawberry Fields Forever”, for example, is very tricky ’cause of all the over dubs. You know, trying to get it all in the context of the song is tricky, but at the same time, it’s really fun. But the only way we can do it live is to have a fifth member.

    TM:  How long have you been with the production?

    RC:  I’ve been with RAIN for almost 30 years.

    TM:  Being with RAIN for so long, you must have a ton of interesting stories and experiences. Can you share a few that stand out?

    RC:  Oh, yeah! There’s a lot of great stories and interesting places and a lot of great people. Nothing really stands out right now but I do meet a lot of interesting people. That’s what stands out the most. A lot of those people share their stories with us, about when they saw the Beatles or even stories about meeting them. Those are the stories I enjoy hearing. Another great thing I enjoy is, sometimes when the curtain is raised, we can see two or even three generations of Beatles fans watching the show together. You know what I mean? You see the grandparents, and then the parents and their kids. It’s really something special when you think about it. There’s always a lot of kids, both teenagers and younger kids. And they all know the words to the songs!

    TM: That actually brings me to my next question. Do you guys, the band, feel an obligation or responsibility to bridge the past to the present as far as keeping the Beatles experience and Beatles music alive? Especially to the younger generations?

    RC: You know Tom, it just seems to happen that way. It just transcends that way. It’s a natural progression for our show. Touring the country or being on Broadway like we are now, it’s just natural that the experience and the music is introduced to younger generations. It’s not something we have to go out of our way to do. It just happens naturally. The kids are loving it as much as their parents and grandparents!

    TM:  That’s great news for everyone! And that leads me to my final question. With the “Beatles Generation” getting older and ultimately fewer and fewer, where do you see the future of RAIN?

    RC:  Well, we just had that discussion with the production agency and management not too long ago. We see the show going on for another 10, 15, or even 20 years. Especially on Broadway. There’s tons of Broadway shows that run for decades. I still think this show has a lot of life left in it. And we do it right, you know? We’re like Kentucky Fried Chicken (laughing), “we do Beatles right!”

    TM:  Ralph, it’s been great talking to you. I’m really looking forward to seeing you and seeing the show. Thank you.

  • Railroad Earth plays The Town Ballroom on March 14th

    Railroad Earth heads to Buffalo on Thursday, March 14th to The Town Ballroom. The New Jersey based band brings a dance-inspiring combination of Acoustic rock and Americana wherever they go and the result has been a large following that finds the band at home nearly anyplace they play.

    railroad earth town ballroomRailroad Earth is Todd Sheaffer on guitar, Tim Carbone on violin, John Skehan on mandolin, Andy Goessling on banjo, dobro and a variety of instruments, Carey Harmon on drums and Andrew Altman on upright bass. They continue their tour to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia after Buffalo, then move out to San Francisco for three nights at The Fillmore.

    Get tickets for tomorrow nights show here and visit The Town Ballroom’s website for more great shows in Buffalo!

  • Album Review – The Vanderbuilts ‘What We Forget’

    Every second of  The Vanderbuilts What We Forget is worth remembering. The Syracuse based baroque-rock band captures the warm, encompassing sound of early Velvet Underground and pairs it with the conceptual intricacy of The Acorn’s Glory Hope Mountain.

    the vanderbuiltsFrom the haunting intro “Sometime After 43” to the closer “Had A Hat”, it becomes evident that this album fits the description of an all-killer-no-filler, falling perfectly in line with their leading single, “I Wish I Was A Saber Toothed Tiger”. Entrancingly sincere songs like “Near and Far” suck the air out of the room when played. The album is produced by the Grammy Award Winning mixer and engineer Jay Newland, channeling a rather organic sound that pleads for the return of nature, capturing a vivid, live sound as a result.

    The Vanderbuilts are Sam Kogon, Dave Riddell, Max Newland, Aya Yamamoto and Grennan Milliken. What We Forget is engineered, mixed and produced by Jay Newland and features Finnegan Shanahan on Violin; string arrangements by Aya Yamamoto and Finnegan Shanahan.

    Key Tracks: I Wish I Was A Saber Toothed Tiger, Near and Far, Gypsy, Moscow

    The Vanderbuilts Website Twitter Facebook Youtube

  • Phish Announces Summer 2013 Tour Dates Just in the Nick of Time, will play SPAC July 5-7

    Well ladies and gentlemen, your prayers have been answered. The long waited Phish Summer Tour 2013 dates have been released just before we all lost our minds, and just in their phashion, in the most creative way possible.

    phish summer tour 2013Much like our dearest Phish, most of us had begin to feel that these dates would never be released and our Summer tour schedules would be seriously lacking. As usual, message boards and Facebook feeds began filling up instantaneously with the rejoice over the long anticipated dates. The tour will start off in Maine on July 3rd, stop at Saratoga Performing Arts Center from July 5th-7th and end in Colorado with another three-night run at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, August 30-September 1 . More dates for the fall will most likely be announced soon.

    The ticketing window for requesting tickets to the first leg of tour is already open. Make sure you put your requests in before Monday, March 12th at 11:59 AM.

    7/3 Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, Bangor, ME
    7/5 Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
    7/6 Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
    7/7 Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
    7/9 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, ONT
    7/10 P.N.C. Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ
    7/12 Nikon Theatre at Jones Beach, Wantaugh, NY
    7/13 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
    7/14 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
    7/16 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alphraretta, GA
    7/17 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alphraretta, GA
    7/19 Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
    7/20 Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
    7/21 Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
    7/26 The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
    7/27 The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA
    7/30 Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena, Stateline, NV
    7/31 Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena, Stateline, NV
    8/2 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
    8/3 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
    8/4 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
    8/5 Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA
    8/30 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
    8/31 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO
    9/1 Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, CO

    See you on tour! Check out our coverage from last year’s three-night run at SPAC.