Rumors had been swirling ever since a press conference for a Billy Joel event at Madison Sqaure Garden was announced last week. The speculation varied from playing a show once a month for just the year, to playing a different album for four announced shows. The announcement ended up being that Billy Joel will play at the legendary venue as “the first-ever music franchise” and will play the building once a month for the foreseeable future. This is the first time a venue, anywhere in the country, has done something like this.
The Piano Man was already scheduled to play the venue on January 27, February 3, March 21, and April 18 next year. With this announcement, a birthday show is scheduled for May 9 when Billy turns 65, has been added. The plan is to continue to play shows as long as their is demand for there to be more. Billy also got his own logo for the venue to go alongside The Knicks, Rangers, and Liberty. More shows will be announced in the future. If you are a fan of The Entertainer, there is no reason to not go down to the Garden in the near future and catch one of these shows.
Billy was quoted at the press conference saying, “Performing at Madison Square Garden is a thrilling experience. I’ve played different venues all over the world, but there’s no place like coming home to The Garden. Since my first show in 1978, I’ve always looked forward to the energy of the crowd. I’m honored to be joining the Madison Square Garden family and look forward to taking the stage of the newly transformed Garden to create many more memorable nights.” More information can be found at the new website for the partnership here.
The jamtronica trio Solaris finally returned to Albany on Thanksgiving Ever, after a summer full of festivals and shows all over the East Coast. The boys hit Red Square with a blast of energetic beats and melodies to a small dedicated crowd.
Their sound gives you the feeling as if you are soaring through outer space with the top down in a Jaguar F-TYPE as you blast a fusion of rock n roll, 80s techno and metal at top volume. They are one of the few bands where you can appreciate their sound individually and in unison as it makes for an unforgettable show every time. One of the highlights of the night was when guitarist Dan Gerken from Timbre Coup joined them on stage, adding raw attitude and explosive dance party. Solaris has big shows lined up in their hometown of Ithaca, including opening for the international dance punk band, !!! (Chk Chk Chk) on Saturday, December 14th at the Haunt and ringing in the New Year at The Gates December 31st.
After Solaris’ long opening set, Timbre Coup took their turn and played well into the night. A regular treat in Albany, Timbre Coup gave a powerful performance on Thanksgiving Eve, heavy on improvisation. After a hypnotic synth jam and “55” to open the show, fan favorites “August” and “June” came early in the two hour set, with Matt Pickering’s vocals on “June” a fine pairing with the entrancing beat had a 1980s Nintendo game feel via Andrew Chamberlain, while Steve Mink, guitarist for Digital Dharma, sat in. The heavy improv night was rounded out with two of the band’s more popular improve vehicles – ‘How to Fly a Kite’ and ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’. Timbre Coup show the influence of prog-rock bands like Umphrey’s McGee, but convert this into their own sound, a defining characteristic of the rising tide of bands making their own mark on the scene. Satisfied and hungry for turkey, the crowd dispersed back to their families, another Thanksgiving Eve of partying and dancing at Red Square in the books.
A little cold weather and snow has never gotten in the way of a Buffalonian’s plans. On Saturday, November 23rd, the city experienced the first bitter cold temperatures of the year, but that didn’t stop the funk fanatics of the Queen City. Conehead Buddha and Funktapuss were in town and Nietzsche’s was packed with eager fans that fought the elements just to check these two out.
With Conehead headlining the show, Funktapuss kicked things off with their soulful/bluesy style of funk. The five-piece from Cape Cod opened their set with a new song titled, “Unmistaken Reality.” While it started off like a slow rolling funk current, it really opened up as Ryan Tivey took the night’s first solo on sax and got the crowd buzzing. The end of the song had a heavy feel to it, similar to Lettuce’s brand of funk, and will keep me Googling the song name waiting for its official release. The band kept the pace after that, but really hit their stride on an old school/new school, back to back, funk history lesson. The guys took on a classic, covering Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground”. Lead singer Latez Crawley’s voice shined with a couple of fans drawing comparisons to James Brown. From there, they went into a cover of the Lettuce song, “Do It Like You Do”, showcasing the bands tight control of rhythm and wrapping up the history lesson.
As the set progressed, the band played songs off of their self-titled album as well as some other fitting covers. Brian Vanderbeek’s virtuosic bass opening to “Shakey Ground” was Wooten-esque and only reinforced why this guy should be known worldwide for what he can do with his instrument. It would be an insult to say he’s one of the best up and coming bassists as his skills are on par with all of the top names we’re familiar with. The band kept the funk pumping all night, only stopping briefly in between songs to really pack their set. Besides the opener, the group played two other new songs, “February” and “Soul Specific”. The three new songs as a whole were delivered with rhythmic precision and illustrated how Funktapuss is continuing to evolve their sound. Whereas their first album rode the soulful side of funk, the new album might see them kicking things up a gear as the three newbies on Saturday were simply incessant. To cap off their set, the group threw in one last cover, Tower of Power’s “What Is Hip”. This is a staple of theirs and the group absolutely nails it every time. Brian Vanderbeek’s heavy bass on the closer really drove the set home and had the entire crowd dancing to the throwback. With the band still relatively new, there was a resounding buzz in the crowd preceding the performance, wondering who these guys were and where they came from. This band is due to break out anytime now, and with every show it seems they’re gaining more and more momentum.
Setlist: Unmistaken Reality > I Got to Groove > I Know > Higher Ground > Do It Like You Do > Lesson > Shakey Ground > Threadin’ the Needle > The Truth > Go If You’re Gone > February > Night Life > Soul Specific > What Is Hip
Conehead Buddha took the stage next to keep the crowd moving. There was a lot of anticipation for these guys, which wasn’t surprising though as their blend of influences results in a feel-good vibe that anyone could dance to. The appropriately titled, “Aint No Better Way,” was the perfect way to start off the set. The high energy of the song immediately had people smiling and grooving around the dance floor, setting the tone for the remainder of the night. The stage was just as packed as the dance floor with the eight-piece band settling in to Nietzsche’s cozy stage. As the Latin rhythms carried in “Cielo Drive,” more and more of the crowd began to join in, coaxed from the outskirts of the club. The show was in full swing now and it seemed like Conehead had full control over its momentum. Mid-set approached and the band slowed things down with “Fly on Your Bedroom Wall.” The reggae feel was the perfect break to all of the energy that preceded it. The highlight of the night though, was during their song “Rockets,” as guitarist Justin Cross came out of nowhere and electrified the crowd. Up to that point, he was just blending in and contributing to the great feel, knowing all along he was going to blind side everyone in attendance. The solo lasted almost four minutes and showcased his chops while proving he had the control to hide it up until that point. For any musician, it’s a skill to know when to take the lead, but even more of one to show restraint. His surprise attack easily topped the night and left the crowd begging for more. These guys have been around the block a few times and tricks like this only reinforce that. They closed the night with an encore of “Safety in Numbers”, leaving all sweating and looking forward to the cold air. The walk back to the car was a welcomed one and definitely not requiring the jacket in tow.
Setlist: Aint No Better Way > Mind the Question > Cielo Drive > Forget Me Not > Fly on Your Bedroom Wall > Crumbs > My Way > Wear You Down > Rockets > Vinnie > My Side of the Story > Present Perfect > Shades of Green
The Rascals pulled into The Palace Theatre on Sunday, November 24th with their beautifully orchestrated Broadway concert to an ecstatic crowd to end their four night run of Upstate New York cities. Playing 31 songs over a span of over two hours, the band showed why they were one of the most influential bands of the 1960s.
“Once Upon A Dream” is not your usual concert. Throughout the show, the history of the band is told on a gigantic video screen between songs by both the band and actors playing younger versions of the band. To be able to see all of these hits and get the group’s history all at once is amazing. Little Steven, best known as one of the guitarists in The E Street Band, helped bring the group back together for this show. It had been his dream for years to see these four great musicians play together again. He is also a history buff when it comes to music, so he made sure that the two were paired together, and it really could not have been better.
The show was split into two sets with the first set getting more of the history of the band from song to song. By the end of the set the band is getting into the big hits, playing “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore” right into “Good Lovin’ ” to close out the show. The audience showed their appreciation for Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli, and Gene Cornish, giving the group a standing ovation at the conclusion of the set as well as at the beginning of the second one.
The second set saw less video interruption and more musical performance. A major highlight was “How Can I Be Sure” which let Eddie shine on lead vocals. He looked to have been taken aback by the ovation from the crowd. Each member had a chance to shine with Gene doing great guitar work all night, Dino pounding on the drums like a machine, and Felix sounding great vocally and laying down perfection on the keys. They all seemed very excited to be in Albany as they got quite the ovation after their last song “People Got to Be Free (reprise).” They thanked everyone, including those who help put the show on, and then sent the crowd home with “See” capping off a great evening.
The show was supposed to return to Broadway in a few weeks, but it has been cancelled. The band is hoping to reschedule it sometime next year. Once the dates are announced, you would be wise to make sure you get tickets as this show is not to be missed. They may be getting up there in age, but the music is still vibrant and the band is in high spirits throughout the show.
Setlist: Set 1 – It’s Wonderful, I’ve Been Lonely Too Long, What is the Reason, You Better Run, Carry Me Back, Slow Down, Mickey’s Monkey>Turn On Your Lovelight>Mickey’s Monkey (Reprise), Come On Up, Baby Let’s Wait, Too Many Fish in the Sea, If You Knew, Hold On, I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore, Good Lovin’
Set 2 – Good Lovin’ (Reprise), Love is a Beautiful Thing, Groovin’, Do You Feel It, Away Away, It’s a Beautiful Morning, Sueno, Find Somebody, A Girl Like You, It’s Love, How Can I Be Sure, People Got to Be Free, Heaven, A Ray of Hope, People Got to Be Free (Reprise)
When .38 Special performed at Turning Stone’s Showroom on November 14, I remembered what made them great when their songs aired on the radio in the 1980’s. Their heartfelt lyrics powered by strong vocals on top of plain-old, good-quality Southern style rock is pretty much the definition of .38 Special. No surprises there – they lived up to expectations.
What was surprising was the energy that went into their performance. .38 Special was formed the same year I was born. So, when I see performers who were in their peak when I was an infant, I’m pretty impressed when they rock it out. These guys took very few breaks all night, and the music may have stopped two or three times at most during their set. The sound simply rolled, Southern style, from one song to another.
The other impressive thing was that these guys were happy on stage. More than once I saw a look of ecstasy on Don Barnes’ face during a particularly intense guitar riff. All the members of the band seemed to enjoy themselves; they offered genuine smiles to each other while performing and attempted sincere connections with the crowd. It was clear that the members of .38 Special were at home, at peace, and totally content on stage.
Although they are currently (and likely permanently) performing without founding member Donnie Van Zant, I still felt that their music was very much together: the band worked well off each other. True to Southern Rock, the lack of competing instruments and vocals makes everything just flow together.
As usual, the Showroom’s classy atmosphere allowed for great seating with a good view of the stage. This venue can handle a wide variety of performances, and while I love dramatic performances, what was refreshing about .38 Special was that their show was all about the music. I suppose that is what has kept this group together for 40 years.
Blues Traveler brought an energetic and phenomenal show to Upstate Concert Hall on November 21, 2013. Blues Traveler has come back with a vengence, tossing away their reputation as a 90’s pop band and truly exploring their capabilities within their jams through each facet of their ensemble.
John Popper has always brought a fresh and eccentric level of talent that extends the complexities of each song far beyond any 90’s pop band ever could. The band opened with an absolutely mind blowing take on the Charlie Daniels’ Band’s original “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” John Popper mimicked the explosive fiddle solos with his collection of harmonicas which he played furiously along with the rest of the band.
The band played off of each other all night, slipping into more folky, slow jams and moving back into full on rock and roll solos carried by guitar. At one point they busted into a rendition of Sublime’s “What I Got” which had the packed venue singing and dancing with the classic tune. Of course the night was also filled with Blues Traveler’s classics such as “But Anyway,” “Hook” and “Run Around” all of which were almost perfectly performed and had the crowd dancing and singing along to every word. “But Anyway” held a mind-blowing drum solo that showed that the capabilities of Blues Traveler as a band were expansive. From start to finish, Blues Traveler kept the energy high and the crowd dancing. Upstate New York is definitely looking forward to the return of this timeless and talented band.
Blue Stream Productions (BSP) an Upstate New York based artist management agency, has announced a partnership with Nietzsche’s located at 248 Allen St. in Buffalo, NY.
BSP will start promoting and presenting a few shows a month at the hallowed musical venue that has hosted thousands of top notch shows over the past 30 years. BSP president/founder Josh Holtzman will be handling the bookings and plans to bring tons of great music and up and coming talent to the Western, NY region.
Nietzche’s is open daily from 12 Noon – 4AM with live music every night. Parking is limited to the street, but taking public transit to the venue is a breeze.
will keep you informed of these shows as they are announced. Blue Stream’s artist roster currently includes Buffalo’s Aqueous and Rochester’s Ocupanther.
When Turning Stone announced that Pat Benatar was going to be in the Showroom in November, it was a guaranteed sold-out show. The nearly yearly run through Upstate New York brought out droves of short-haired pixie cut women reliving their rebellious younger years through the musician that gave them the power to tell the world that collectively, “We Belong”.
Pat Benatar and her husband (and business partner) for nearly 35 years, Neil “Spider” Giraldo, rocked the showroom despite being very sick. Pat took short breaks to head toward the back of the stage to get a drink or clear her throat. In the spotlight though you could barely tell that the legend was under the weather. She gave it her all and the crowd was more than pleased.
When Neil and Pat invited the crowd to ask questions, it gave Pat an opportunity to rest her voice as Spider answered most of the questions. From there she belted out some of her biggest hits, “We Belong” and the anti-child abuse anthem “Hell is for Children”. With being sick, the crowd seemed surprised and so pleased that Pat did the whole set and didn’t cut anything short. Amazing energy and a promise to return next year for a special 35th Anniversary tour – who could ask for anything more?
Setlist: All Fired Up, Invincible, So Sincere, If You Think You Know How to Love Me (Smokie cover), River of Love, Promises in the Dark, Q&A, We Belong, Hell Is for Children, You Better Run, Hit Me with Your Best Shot, Love Is a Battlefield, Everybody Lay Down, Let’s Stay Together, Heartbreaker / Ring of Fire
Listening to Lucky33 is like a day at the California beach. Sun shining, the salty sea breeze hitting you in the face, bombing down the concrete half-pipe and your hair whipping behind you. Lucky33 is a four-piece punk band that hails from central New York, calling both Syracuse and Oswego home. They advertise a blend of old-school punk with an indie feel to create “our distinct sound.” Upstate Metal’s own Steve Strader recently had the honor of chatting with the band’s bassist, Jared “Red”.
So how long have you cats been around?
“After a few line up changes, L33 as it is today has been together since April of 2011.”
Any side projects or past projects?
“Duff (lead guitarist) does all kinds of acoustic covers and posts them on YouTube and Facebook. One of his most popular ones is a Drake song. (Laughs). I’ve played in a bunch of bands. I’m much older than the other guys in the band. I started out in the ska/punk band Ill Nature, then the funkcore band Lost Soul Division in the ’90s and early 2000s. After that, I played in the metal band Adiel and most recently – before L33 – Damaged In Transit. While I was in DIT, I met Dustin while playing a show together at the Lost Horizon. He was in The Black Lockets. I eventually joined TBL while still in DIT, while they looked for a full time bass player. Shortly after that, Dustin left the Lockets and I left DIT. Dustin, Duff and Kyle all went to school together. They had started Lucky33 and I joined shortly after that.
So what band is your favorite?
“By far mine is L33, and I know the other guys agree! I’ve never been in a band with guys like this! We have great chemistry and energy. We get along great and we’re best buds outside of the band. The song writing is very easy and comes quick. Usually Duff writes something on the acoustic and brings it to us and we go from there. That kid can write a catchy song! After playing for over 15 years, I’m enjoying playing more than I ever have.”
How’s the pro-bono new logo coming along?
“(Laughs.) We got a few people making some. I was only half serious, [I did it} more to get people conversing with us.”
How’s the Guitar Center “Get Out of the Garage” contest coming along?
“It ended a while back, did it to get more exposure basically.”
If L33 were to be sponsored by a guitar company who would it be?
“Gibson, hands down.”
Anything coming out of the L33 compound we should be looking forward to?
“We’re going to start recording a full length [album] this winter, so keep a look out for that! Hopefully some merch, once the logo is done. We’re gonna hit up the guys in SRT to do the shirts. Tons of shows for the New Year, I’d like to do a split EP with our bro’s in High Dive Horse.”
Any last words?
“You rock Stevo! Thanks for the interview and the support. See you in January for the Entropy show.”
For more information on the band, go visit their Facebook account.
Syracuse was the last stop on Pop Evil’s most recent tour, which ended on Sunday, November 24.
95X turned the band’s final show into an all-day event that began with a private acoustic performance and finished with Pop Evil’s grand finale after a four-band rock show.
Pop Evil’s lead, Leigh Kakaty, and guitarist, Nick Fuelling, arrived at Revolutions (Destiny USA) to meet, greet, and perform for a small group of lucky contest winners. 95X awarded 10 winners (plus their guests) the opportunity to watch Kakaty and Fuelling perform a couple acoustic songs. The quiet performance of “Torn to Pieces” and “Monster You Made” were enhanced by some light commentary. Leigh explained that he wrote “Torn to Pieces” after the death of his father. It was not intended to become a Pop Evil song, but according to Kakaty, the band was so supportive of it that they included it on their newest album, Onyx, and are now regularly performing it. Kakaty encouraged the small group to sing along to “Monster You Made”, from the 2010 album, War of Angels, sharing that it’s “amazing to see fans singing your songs back to you.”
Kakaty and Fuelling accepted some questions from the group before food was served — and, given that it was football Sunday — most of the talk turned to sports. Kakaty referred to Sundays at home as “Michigan blue-collar brutality” because Detroit Lions fans have had to repeatedly endure constant losses.
After Kakaty and Fuelling left the stage they socialized and had photos taken with the guests. The private affair culminated with a bowling match between the band members and the ultimate contest winner.
After bowling, we sat down with Joshua “Chachi Riot” Marunde, Pop Evil’s energetic drummer, he is reminiscent of the famous Muppet drummer, Animal. Marunde has contributed a lot to the band’s stage presence and attraction. It was Chachi’s “insane” drumming that kept my focus on the band at Rock on the Range back in May (2013). Unlike many other drummers, Chachi is not content sitting in the background. He is actively involved in the entire performance. He prefers to stand while drumming and only sits when he has to use his feet to work. He hammers his head as forcefully as he beats the drums, makes gestures, and (even though he doesn’t have a mic) sings along to every song. His madness is intoxicating and while all the members of Pop Evil are energetic performers, Chachi is a RIOT to watch. Needless to say, I was eager to meet him. In addition to being very down to earth, he is also very articulate and super motivated. He shared with us that the band is a very tight unit, working really hard to “make it” in the rock ‘n roll scene. Their hard work is paying off though; when “Trenches” hit #1 on the Rock Charts in June (2013) while they were touring in Nebraska, the band tour manager, Chris Iteen, suggested the band take an uncharacteristic break and celebrate with a night of karaoke. Upstate Metal asked about Pop Evil’s future and Chachi was about bursting at the seams because of their 2014 plans, but couldn’t share (yet). Instead, he encouraged us to keep a close eye out for an upcoming announcement.
<Since the interview last week we found out the big news is an upcoming tour with Stone Sour.>
After leaving Chachi and the rest of Pop Evil to get ready for their show, we went to The Westcott Theater near Syracuse University. Built in 1919 as a cinema, The Westcott was retrofitted into a live music venue in 2008. The small venue hosted four bands, starting with local band, Pacinello , followed by The Letter Black, then Eve To Adam and finally Black Oxygen before Pop Evil took the stage around 10:30.
Despite the “late” hour on a snowy Sunday, the crowd was pumped up and ready to take in the Pop Evil experience. The fans who had been spread throughout the venue crunched in to the stage to get a closer look when PopEvil opened with “Deal with the Devil”, currently playing on Sirius’s Octane and local rock stations like 95X. I loved their clean and simple stage set, which allowed us to focus on the performers (I especially loved that that drum kit was elevated to get a better view of Chachi Riot’s raving performance). Next up on the set list was the song that sold me in Ohio, “Hero”, then 12 more songs before they rejuvenated the group with a partial cover of Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger”.
You might have expected after a long tour for the band to drag a little. Not Pop Evil. They gave the same energy and quality to the couple hundred at the Westcott in late November as they did to tens of thousands at Rock on the Range in May. The band has often said that their songs are meant to send a message to their fans; one of inspiration. Many of their songs deal with loss, failure and (here’s the message) working hard to overcome adversity. Their final song, “Trenches”, speaks to just that, and Pop Evil gave it everything they had. The band left the stage expressing gratitude to 95X for supporting them, and to the fans for being a part of the tour’s last show.
After their short 10 day break, Pop Evil will pick up the pace once again with at least 11 shows scheduled in the Midwest in December.
Set List: Deal with the Devil, Hero, Flawed, Somebody Like You, 100 in a 55, Torn to Pieces, Goodbye My Friend, Sick Sense, Boss’s Daughter, Divide, Behind Closed Doors, Monster You Made, Last Man Standing, partial cover of Eye of the Tiger, and Trenches
