Oneonta Hills Bluegrass Festival starts Friday at 2pm at the Susquehanna Trail Campground and Music Park in Oneonta, NY; today is the last day to get pre-sale tickets at $25, gate price is $35. You can purchase tickets online or by calling 607.432.1122. Hookup camping is sold out, field camping is still available and is free with your ticket. The festival will run from Friday 08/09/2013 – Sunday 08/11/2013 at 6:00PM.
Furthur has been enjoying a solid Summer tour with appearances at few music festivals and a larger concentration on playing their own shows, rather than filling up the festival scene this year compared to previous summers where we saw them at every major festival. With killer setlists in the previous shows leading up to Furthur’s July 19th performance at CMAC in Canandaigua, NY, fans were ready to shake their bones to the songs of the Grateful Dead. This was to be their last stop on this tour before they hit All Good Music Festival in Thornville, Ohio for the weekend. Anticipation was high and the scene was set for a good show. The lot scene was thriving with food vendors and heads selling wrapped silver as usual. The police presence was there but not as overwhelming as in past years.
Once the crowd began making their way towards the gates for the earlier than scheduled show, fans began to whisper about why the tickets said the show began at 8:00PM and they were being ushered in at 7:00PM. Apparently there was a misprint – if you weren’t one of the very few people who checked online that day for up to date show info on the venue’s FaceBook page, then you were most likely unaware of this last-minute change.
The show began with “Jack Straw” and the crowd received it well, and John Kadlecik took the lead on a fantastic “Dupree’s Diamond Blues”. With two songs in the first set about the rain – “Mission in the Rain” & “Box of Rain” – the scene was set with the first set ending in pouring rain.
Second set began strong, the dancing contagious and the rain pouring down on those in the lawn; “Playing in the Band > Any Road” got everyone’s blood pumpin’ and wanting more. During “Mountains of the Moon” the sound of concertgoers belting out the lyrics, “Hey Tom Banjo” got the vibe heading in the right direction and then fans were treated with a dance-evoking, “Caution”, after which Bob Weir delivered the announcement that the show was being ended at that time due to severe weather storms heading towards the venue. He tried to explain that it wasn’t the band but the venue who had made the decision, he explained – “If we keep playing they’ll just unplug us anyway guys, we’re really sorry.”
The crowd reluctantly retreated to their cars and the many in attendance were heard expressing their distaste for the early ending and few agreed that it was a necessary measure. followed the crowd out to the lots and ended the night with heavy hearts.
In an effort to compensate concert goers CMAC has announced they will exchange any Furthur ticket stub, at any other show during the 2013 concert series at CMAC (except Kenny Chesney) for access to the Headliner Lounge, one complimentary drink, and access to private restrooms and a private bar. Your ticket stub does not grant you entrance to the show, you must purchase a ticket to the show of your choice and redeem your stub then. If you have any questions regarding this opportunity you can contact CMAC by calling 1-800-745-3000
07/19/13 (Fri) Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center – Canandaigua, NY
Set 1: Jack Straw, Dupree’s Diamond Blues, My Brother Esau, Mason’s Children, Mission in the Rain (1), Box of Rain Set 2: Playing in the Band > Any Road, Mountains of the Moon, Caution (2)
(1) last time played by Furthur: 10/05/12, Los Angeles
(2) show stopped short by the venue due to incoming lightning storm
I first heard of this band called Phish in the middle of my first year of college at SUNY Alfred from a fellow architecture student. He had a few tapes which he copied for me (which in turn I was able to trade for a box full which now resides in the “dusty memories” corner of my basement). This was back in the day where you couldn’t just turn on YouTube or cruise to the Phish spreadsheet to hear whatever show you wanted – you had to actually work for it! Despite my musical background, which was mostly metal and classic rock at that point, the band impressed me immediately. The juxtaposition of incredibly structured songs wrapped in periods of ‘anything goes’ was completely new to me and I became engrossed in learning about all things Phish.
It wasn’t until the summer of ‘93 that I finally had an opportunity to catch the band live, but by then I had heard dozens of tapes, knew the studio albums by heart, and was beyond psyched for my first experience. My friend Ron and I traveled up from Candor, NY, just south of Ithaca, up to Buffalo to meet some of his friends. As luck would have it, his friends parents were quite well-off and we spent the early afternoon in a gorgeous custom pool with attached hot tub before collecting everyone and heading towards Darien Lake. After a quick and delicious stop at Buffalo’s Mighty Taco we got to the venue a few hours before show time.
After scoring my first ever lot grilled cheese and a nice fan-made “Gone Phishin’” t-shirt, we wandered in to find a good spot on the lawn. The weather was perfect and the shrieks of nearby tourists in the next door amusement park only added to the overall excitement in the air. I was immediately taken aback by the crowd, while it certainly reminded me of the two Grateful Dead experiences I had gone on, there was something different about it, almost intangible…
The band wasted no time coming out of the gate with an especially “Taboot” version of “Llama”, arguably one of the greatest openers in the bands repertoire. While my ears remained transfixed to the auditory mastery unfolding before them, my eyes started to wander around the crowd around me, trying to quantify that intangible feeling I had noticed earlier. What I observed was astounding. Everyone stood, transfixed by the music. Chatting was minimal. The sea of people knew every word, every note, every nuance of the songs being performed. People danced to their own hearts, with no qualms of judgement. This was not a place to worry about mortgage statements, exes or bosses that make you work all weekend. This was a time to live in the moment and become immersed in the pureness of music mastery. The rest of the set was loaded with treats for new timers and seasoned veterans alike. From the simple recreation of “Bouncing around the Room” to the fierce peaks and improvisation in a “Reba>Maze” pairing, which remain as some of my favorite versions of those songs to this day.
Then stuff got awesomely weird as the first notes of Colonel Forbin’s ascent rang out and the crowd collectively shit their tie-dyed britches. The Colonel went on quite the journey this sunny August day, as Trey’s narration appropriately took us through the “roller coaster of the mind” as unknowing park dwellers went on their own metal and wood coaster journey’s nearby. Eventually the Colonel found the Famous Mockingbird and the band closed the set with a spirited version of classic set closer “Cavern.”
After far more than the 15 minutes Trey promised us, the band came back for the second set and launched into the familiar notes of Strauss’s “Also Spracht Zarathrusta”. More typical lengthwise to the 3.0 versions of this tune, it was a quick one and launched immediately into my very first experience with Mike’s Groove. Mike’s Groove has had a lot of variations throughout Phishtory, but the standard is the trio of “Mikes Song”, the segue instrumental “I am Hydrogen”, and the raging rock of “Weekapaug Groove” to close it. This particular Mike’s would stray far from the standard. Two distinct jams in the Mike’s section, with the second being so atypical it is often marked on setlists as “Irish Diddy Jam”. Sandwiched in the middle of this monster was my first experience hearing (or knowing about) the Jon Fishman penned poem “Kung”. We stood up, we ran to the hills, we imagined 1000’s of stampeding golf carts hell-bent on stealing our rich minerals. I gave Ron the 10th of what would be dozens of “Did that just really happen?” looks that night.
Little did I know, this Mike’s was just getting started. Instead of the typical segue into “I Am Hydrogen” the band went into yet another rarity, the beautiful and succinct Trey instrumental “The Man Who Saw Into Yesterday”. Continuing the groove madness, the Phish version of the Jewish prayer “Avenu Malkenu” came next. “Our Father, Our King, be gracious with us and answer us, even though we have no deeds; treat us with charity and kindness, and save us.” But who would save us? Instead of the typical “Weekapaug” exclamation point, “The Sloth” came down from the ghetto to slice our nipples. No one complained. In fact we all felt like laughing. And we laughed and laughed until we fell apart during the ensuing “Sparkle” which was set on super-holy-phuck-turbo speed. No bathroom songs in this show. The set continued with a well executed version of THE original Gamehendge song, “McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters” which segued into a hilarious take on Prince’s “Purple Rain” with the typical Phished up version of Argent’s “Hold Your Head Up” to follow. The set then closed with arguably Phish’s greatest show closing tune, a rip roaring, unrelenting “Run Like an Antelope” complete with fireworks and a laser light show from inside the theme park.
Two decades later this show still resounds as one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. Five Gamehendge related songs, a Kung, audience signals, the most atypical Mike’s Groove I have seen to this day, and just the overall experience of euphoria and belonging in the air made it something I will never forget. It was truly a life changing experience and Phish has endured as a major portion of my being ever since. I wear a handcrafted gold Phish ring on my hand. My car is adorned with a PH1SH license plate. I saw my 3oth show on my 30th birthday. My son was conceived during Coventry weekend. Twenty years later, I’m still upside down.
Set 1: Llama, Bouncing Around the Room > Poor Heart > Stash[1] -> Makisupa Policeman, Reba[2], Maze, Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird[3] > Cavern
Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Mike’s Song[4] -> Kung -> Mike’s Song > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Sloth, Sparkle, My Friend, My Friend[5] > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters -> Purple Rain > Hold Your Head Up, Run Like an Antelope
Encore: Carolina, La Grange
[1] Unfinished. [2] No whistling. [3] Narration dealt with the “Roller Coaster of the Mind.” [4] Aw Fuck! and Oom Pa Pa signals. [5] Beginning featured Trey on acoustic guitar.
One-man-band Keller Williams hits the road this Fall performing his signature solo sets with stops in Upstate New York. Accompanied on stage only by a slew of instruments and musical gadgets. In his seemingly insatiable quest for constant musical evolution, Keller will also make very special select live appearances with any one of his creative collaborations.
Since he first appeared on the scene in the early ’90s, Keller Williams has defined the term independent artist. And his 16 recordings tell only half the story. Keller built his reputation initially on his engaging live performances, no two of which are ever alike. Williams’ solo live shows—and his ability to improvise to his determinedly quirky tunes despite the absence of an actual band—quickly became the stuff of legend, and his audience grew exponentially when word spread about this exciting, unpredictable performer.
Keller will play 4 shows in Upstate NY on this tour, the first show will be held at Rochester’s historical, German House on September 12th. Doors open at 7:00PM The show starts at 8:00PM, tickets are $25 and all ages are welcome. To purchase tickets please visit KellerWilliams.net and for more information you can call 585-442-6880 or visit www.upallnightpresents.com.
The following night, September 13th, Keller will play the Wescott Theater in Syracuse, NY. Doors open at 8:00PM and the show starts at 9:00PM. Tickests are $25 and all ages are welcome. Tickets can be purchased online at KellerWilliams.net or the venue box office. For more information please call 315-478-8634 or visit www.thewestcotttheater.com.
September 14th Keller will play Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY. Doors open at 8:00PM, the show starts at 9:00PM and this is an all ages show. Ticket prices range between $35-$55 and can be purchased online at KellerWilliams.net.
The last appearance in Upstate NY will be a special treat as Keller will be joined by special guests and New York natives, Floodwood, for the October 10th show at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY. Doors open at 8:00PM and show begins at 9:00PM, this is an all ages show. Tickets are $22 and can be purchased online or at the venue box office.
Savannah, Georgia’s critically acclaimed stoner/sludge metal outfit Baroness has had a trying year. Sidelined just a month after the release of their latest album Yellow and Green by a bus accident in London that left several members injured, they are just getting back on the road again.
This Wednesday, joined by label mates Royal Thunder, they will be bringing their fierce musical onslaught to Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall. Ticket’s are $15 and can be purchased here or at the Water Street box office. Doors at 7, showtime at 8. Throw on some black and come rage! 16+ w/ ID.
On July 18, 2013 the Americanarama festival caravan kicked up clouds of dust into Darien Lake Performing Arts Center for an extended afternoon of eclectic and distinctly ‘American’ music. Featuring an impressive collection of talent, the tour spotlights rock and roll innovators My Morning Jacket, alt-country pioneers and sonic travelers Wilco, and the man superlatives won’t do justice for, Bob Dylan. The festival has been wagon training across the country (with Bob Weir hopping on for five dates) bringing a special collection of artists and a communal vibe to each stop.
The intimate and friendly crowd at Darien slowly gathered under the blistering sun for early opener Ryan Bingham, who was well received. Following Bingham the venue was buzzing in anticipation of My Morning Jacket’s appearance. MMJ’s set contained silvery guitars and funky grooves, settling the crowd into a danceable yet experimental place. Live and in concert is the way to enjoy this band, as the energy just oozes off of the stage. Closing their set with the steamy pairing of “Off the Record” and “Phone Went West”, the crowd was primed properly and responded in kind with a fitting ovation.
Wilco followed with an impressive cross-section of their storied career, which fit nicely into a truncated festival set. Opening with the always welcome “Cars Can’t Escape”, Wilco then unveiled a well-paced selection that included tasty samples from the entirety of their colorful pallet such as “Passenger Side”, “Bull Black Nova” and “I’m A Wheel”. A peak moment in the show was the collaboration between Wilco and My Morning Jacket for a sing-along version of Nick Lowe’s, (via Elvis Costello) “What’s So Funny About (Peace Love and Understanding)” that had everyone dressed in sun baked smiles.
As the air cooled and evening closed in, Dylan and his swinging band took the stage for a concluding set filled with new takes on familiar classics. Dylan growled, spat and chanted his way through fresh arrangements of “Times Have Changed” and “Tangled Up in Blue”, and excitedly dictated new songs like “Early Roman Kings” and “Duquesne Whistle”. He also took some breathy harp breaks to the excitement of the crowd. While often an acquired taste these days, Dylan put on a diverse and crisp show covering all corners of his catalog, enjoyable for the uninitiated as well as the diehards.
A wonderful evening of tunes and tales was had by all in attendance. All three of the headlining acts for the first ever ‘Americanarama’ festival shared the common thread of a love for song. While the music of the artists on the bill is as different as it is similar, their common respect for the craft of the tunes and their emotional effect brought them together for this summer of musical symmetry.
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,” andthe 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.
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.
Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! The Carnival of Madness is to start its fourth annual national tour August 11th with one hell of a lineup: Shinedown, Papa Roach, Skillet, In This Moment, and We As Human.
Carnival of Madness was founded by In de Goot Entertainment’s Bill McGathy in 2010 and has been sponsored by Monster Energy over the years. Previously the dates ran from mid-July till late August or till mid-September. Shinedown headlined the first tour in 2010 along with Chevelle, Puddle of Mudd, Sevendust, and 10 Years, starting from mid-July till the end of August. The second tour in 2011 was headlined by Theory of a Deadman, Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry, Adelitas Way, and Empathic, however this started from the end of July till mid-September. Last year’s lineup was just as great as the rest; Evanescence, Chevelle, Halestorm, Cavo, and New Medicine, starting from the end of July till the end of August.
In celebration of announcing this year’s lineup, Shinedown’s Brent Smith had a live chat with the ecstatic fans. He said that this will be different from the other years that this will feel more like an actual carnival. “No one should think this is going to be the Carnival of Madness they have seen the three years prior. Everything is brand new.”
Carnival of Madness hits Canandaigua, NY August 16th. Be sure to check out the tour’s Facebook and website for more updates. This will be an event you will not want to miss out on!
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.
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.
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?” 
