NYS Music 20​13

Category: Rochester

  • The Rascals to Bring “Once Upon A Dream” to the Upstate Region This Fall

    Coming to the Upstate Region this fall is a show that is part concert and part Broadway production.  The The Rascals, the legendary group from the 60’s, will be coming to Binghamton, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Albany during the third week of November.   The show, which is produced by Steven Van Zandt, goes through their tumultuous history with newsreels, old concert footage, and filmed segments playing behind the band both during and between songs.  Van Zandt had been trying to get the group back together for many years, but the members did not want to do it.  Finally, with this show, he convinced them to agree to come together and they have been playing shows since December 2012 when the show premiered at The Capitol Theatre. 1001456_10151628431272052_1554064091_n The group was a major force in the music scene in the 60s, starting out as The Young Rascals.  They were one of the few American Bands that thrived during the British Invasion.  Their brand of rock ranged from blue eyed soul to folk rock to protest songs, even dabbling in civil rights issues.  Some of their bigger hits include “Beautiful Morning”, “Good Lovin’”, and “Groovin”.  In the early 70’s they went their separate ways until they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for a one night only performance until now.  The original members, Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish, Eddie Brigati, and Dino Danelli, are all here for these shows and these are can’t-miss events.  The Rascals are back and they are ready to bring a spectacular show to the Upstate Region.  For more information on ticket availability check here.

    Upstate New York dates

    November 19 – Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton, NY

    November 20 – Auditorium Theatre, Rochester, NY

    November 22 – Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY

    November 23 – Landmark Theatre – Syracuse, NY

    November 24 – Palace Theatre, Albany, NY

  • Review: Krockathon 18

    Krockathon 18 was held in the Chevy Court of the N.Y. State fairgrounds. The lineup for this show was just amazing! Sevendust, Skillet, Three Days Grace and Chevelle to name a few.

    Krock even tweaked some things to the venue so they could sell 500 more tickets. The show went pretty smoothly for the most part. The main drawbacks from the fans were that there was no tailgating allowed in the parking lot, and there were not enough beer and food vendor’s. They could have used about 30 more port-a-potties also.

    First up was Stars In Stereo. They got the crowd going for this one. They did a decent cover of Aerosmith’s Dream On. Singer Bec Hollcraft seemed a little reserved at the beginning, but came into her own by the end. She could be a star someday. If I had to compare them to another band, I would have to say that they are like Paramore kicked up a notch.

    All the way from the UK, The Virginmary’s were up next. They were pretty good. I really never heard anything by them, but I really enjoyed their performance. They can definitely rock it live.

    This next band was just amazing live. Aranda, to me, is one of the bands on this bill that stole the show. The Aranda brothers, Dameon and Gabe, have some fun with each other using one guitar and holding it in different positions while the other brother plays it!!! Pretty cool $#!^. I highly recommend Aranda’s “Stop The World“cd. It is just hot from top to bottom. I would really like to see this band play a longer set.

    The next band on the bill was Red. Red had their Graffiti brick wall set up behind them, which I love as a backdrop. Michael Barnes vocals were just right on point. The Armstrong twins just know how to rock, and they have a ton of energy. I’ve seen Red live of couple of times now, and they just bring it to every show. They are also some of the coolest, most down to earth guys you can meet.

    Skillet, who just dropped their “Rise” cd, was next. Here is another band that just stole the show for me. Skillet live is just f’in awesome. Watching Jen Ledger on drums is insane. She just kicks so much @$$ up there. Skillet had their usual co2 pyro in front of the stage. Korey Cooper on guitar and keyboard is just amazing. Watching her rock out is just really fun to watch. The crowd was just nuts for Skillet and John Cooper had them wrapped around his finger. Jen also threw her drumsticks to a fan holding a sign asking her for them, which I though was classy move.

    Asking Alexandria were up next and the crowd loved them. I personally am not a huge fan of theirs, but they do put on a good live set.

    Flyleaf was set to play next. I am really not feeling Kristen May live. The band itself is OK but she is the $#!^’s. It seemed like every song was butchered by her, and it made me sick. I saw them the night before this show, and again I was not impressed.

    Another band I saw the night before was P.O.D. This is when the first of two rain showers started, and it lasted for most of P.O.D’s set. Every time I see this band they kick @$$! I love watching Sonny on stage because you can see how he just feels the lyrics he is singing.

    Well up next, according to front man Phillip LaBonte, is the hardest band on the show! All That Remains took the stage next and, like usual, they just killed it. I’ve seen this band a couple of times now, and I love them more and more.

    One of my favorite bands ever, Sevendust, is now ready to rock the stage. The topless women are now starting to come out in full force. Lajon is one of the best front men in the business to me. I love him on stage. His emotions bring my emotions out more. The whole band just rocks from start to finish. Lajon said halfway through, “We are not rockstars, we just love to play music.” One classy guy, and a very classy band. You’re all rockstars to me!

    I was standing next to a girl at this show who was there for this next band only. Chevelle took the stage and the crowd just loved them. They were really good and sounded awesome.

    Last up is Three Days Grace. The second rain fall is now starting. This is where the only snag took place as 3DG took forever to come out and delayed everyone in the rain for about an half hour. After chants of “WTF” and “this is B.S,” the show finally started. This was my second time seeing Matt sing for 3DG and he is really good. I think I liked him better the first time I saw him, though. The crowd was really over for them and even though it was down pouring rain, it was still awesome.

    What a great event Krockathon was. A couple of things that I would like to see added to next year’s event—besides more vendors and bathrooms—is a more of a festival experience. I think the bands should have been more hands on for the fans. Don’t get me wrong, some were, but not enough. I think if they set it up like Mayhem/Uproar and they had different tents for the different bands. The facility sure looked like they had enough room for it. One thing I didn’t get was the sticker that they passed out at the gate that was for random meet-n-greets with the bands, but I noticed that the Krock staff was also grabbing people who didn’t have stickers instead of the ones who did, which annoyed a lot of people who got there early to get one of the stickers.

  • Review: Halestorm, Sick Puppies & 10 Years

    This show would have been better off as a two hour headline concert of Halestorm only! Halestorm invaded Upstate Concert Hall with Sick Puppies in Clifton Park, N.Y. Friday, August 9, 2013,  and that’s all who should have showed up for this show.

    The two opening acts added nothing to the show but boredom. I was trying not to fall asleep during the first band.

    7th Squeeze is the first band of the night, and nobody really cared that they were there. You could barely understand and hear lead vocalist, Nick. For some reason his mic was really low and, to me, he was trying to act like Lajon from Sevendust but came across more like Milli Vanilli.

    Highly Suspect were up next and, although they were better than the first band, the life was sucked out of the venue and everybody just wanted Halestorm to come on. Besides the first band putting everyone to sleep, the venue was overcrowded and really hot inside, and everyone just wanted Halestorm. I do give Highly Suspect credit as they did try hard to get the crowd back into the show and ready for Halestorm.

    Finally, Halestorm hit the stage to save the night. The crowd is just nuts now. The whole band seemed really pumped up for this show and had a lot of crazy energy. Joe was just insane on guitar. He was really feeling the mood and the crowd was eating it up. Lzzy was awesome and better than the first time I saw her perform. When she sat at the piano and played the song “Break In“ it was amazing. Halestorm sang all their hits and more. They even sang some of the tracks off their cover album, and Lzzy also paid tribute to Ronnie James Dio. Arejay has one of the best drum solos ever, and it’s a show of its own. He goes from regular drumsticks to bare fist. Then, when you think he’s done, he pulls out drumsticks the size of baseball bats and starts jamming with them to perfection!

    Even though Halestorm came on and saved this show with a great two-hour-long performance, this had to be one of the worst concerts I’ve been to this year, besides Bon Jovi.

    Even though I saw Sick Puppies exactly a week earlier at 95X Fest in Syracuse, N.Y., I was still pumped to see this show on a more intimate stage at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park N.Y., Sunday, August 11, 2013.

    The opening band for the night were locals Fort Rooster. They were decent, but you can tell that they are very green still. They put on a good performance, though, and are pretty good musicians.

    10 Years is the second of three bands of the night and, as usual, they kicked @$$! Lead vocalist Jesse Hasek is f’in sick live. I love the way this guy sings. His style and voice are so unique it just takes you over. One of these days, though, Jesse is going to give himself whiplash with the head whip move he does. Jesse had a white cross painted on his face for this show. Jesse at the end of the set brought out a yellow blow up pool mattress and crowd surfed on it all the way to the merch table.

    This was my second time seeing this band live, and I can’t wait until the next time. Don’t miss these guys if they come around your town. Tons of energy from this band, which is what I like to see from a band live on stage.

    Sick Puppies closed out the show with another great performance. Yes, they were good a week earlier, but this was a lot better. These intimate venues are awesome for bands, and I think the bands put on better shows in these type of environments. Lead singer Shimon Moore is like a big kid on stage and loves to talk to the crowd a lot. He has so much energy and drive.  Speaking of energy, Emma Anzai is just all over the place on stage. Emma is so fun to watch play live, and not just because she’s hot, but because she kicks @$$. She is in her own world up there on stage, and it’s awesome to see. The band played all their hits and a lot of new tracks from their brand new cd “Connect”.

    This was a good show. 10 years and Sick Puppies are two bands that everyone should experience live at least once.

  • Review: Rockstar Mayhem Festival

    Saratoga Springs may be known for its natural springs or its historic racetrack, but it’s time to talk about the annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival that invaded the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) July 20, 2013. What a perfect day for an outdoor music festival.

    With 15 bands, autograph stations, all the free Rockstar drinks you can handle and the other free stuff they give away, it’s definitely worth the price of admission to this one-time-a-year event.

    This was my first time attending the Mayhem Festival and also my first time seeing some of these bands live, so I was kind of excited.

    Kicking things off on the Musician’s Institute (MI) stage was Thrown Into Exile. They opened the show with great energy and front man, Evan, was really good on the mic, and set the tone for the rest of the show. After their set make sure to drop by the MI tent and meet the band. Some really cool dudes there.

    Next up kicking things off on the Jagermeister stage was Huntress. Jill Janus is just awesome. Her facial expressions are just priceless. She’s a metal throwback for those of you who don’t like the current direction of this genre.

    Back on the MI stage was Attika 7. Not part of the original Mayhem lineup replacing Behemoth, Attika 7 still kicked some @$$. Former front man of Biohazard, Evan Seinfeld, was pretty funny when he asked the crowed if they have ever seen them before. He said “bull$#!^, we have never been here,” when the crowd responded with cheers of yes. Believe me, it was funny.

    Battlecross was up next on the Jager Stage. This was my second time seeing them perform, and they just keep getting better. Tons of energy and a great bunch of guys, so make sure you go and check them out at their merch tent after their set.

    Motionless In White were performing next on the MI stage and had the younger crowd eating out of their hands. A fan dressed like MIW was holding a sign wanting to be brought on stage because it was his birthday, and Chris not only had him come up on stage for the second to last song, but he even gave him a mic and they sang the song together. After the song, Chris said “ask and you shall receive.” I thought that was some pretty cool $#!^!

    Next up on the Jager stage was the Butcher Babies. Nothing like some hot @$$ rocking out! Tons of energy! Heidi and Carla had the crowd going nuts. This was my first time seeing BB, and I was not disappointed at all.

    Born Of Osiris was next on the MI stage. I personally am not familiar with this band, but the crowd liked them and I thought they were good.

    Job For A Cowboy is now up on the Jager stage.  They brought a whole different attitude to this show. They did nothing but kick @$$. I thought Jonny Davy was going to jump of the stage and into the pit he was so hyped.

    It’s time now for Emmure on the MI stage. Tons of energy and drive in their set. I don’t usually listen to them, but I enjoyed them live.

    Closing things on the Jagermeister stage is Machine Head. Machine Head was really over with the crowd. I only like a few of their songs, but they put on a great live set.

    Closing things on the Musician’s Institute stage was Children Of Bodem. They were over with the crowd as well. CoB is another band I don’t listen to that much, but I enjoyed their live set.

    First up on the main stage is Amon Amarth. I just love their Viking ship stage prop that they had on stage. Amon was pretty damn good and should have had another 15 minutes added to their set time. Here’s a question I have, though: how the hell does Johan not spill one drop of liquid out of his Roordahuizum drinking horn?

    Mastodon was next on the main stage. Now, I don’t know if the heat was finally getting to me or if I was having an energy drink crash but I wanted to fall asleep during their set. Don’t get me wrong, they are great musicians, I just didn’t feel their set at all. The black wig Brent Hinds was wearing was pretty funny though.

    Five Finger Death Punch now takes the main stage, and they just bring it like no one else can. This was my third time seeing 5FDP, and the only thing I did not like was that their set was not long enough. Ivan and the boys are just so good live. The crowd was nuts for them. Ivan wasn’t as energetic as I’ve seen him before, but he still kicked @$$.

    It’s now time for Rob Zombie to close the show out. This was my first time seeing Zombie live, and I must tell you that I cannot wait until I get to see him again. What a show Rob puts on. With all of the different props and costumes it’s a show within a show. John 5 has two of the most bad@$$ guitar’s I’ve ever seen. One was totally transparent with an anti-freeze looking liquid inside it and the other one was made up of a couple hundred white L.E.D lights. Rob even left the stage and ran a lap around the inside of amphitheater. This was a really good show all in all. F’in awesome job, Rockstar, I’ll see you next year.

  • Review: Carnival Of Madness

    Monster Energy Drink’s Carnival of Madness is finally here, and what a tour it is. With a lineup that consists of Shinedown, Papa Roach, Skillet, In This Moment and We As Human, I think this tour should be renamed Carnival of Bad@$$! Held at the Constellation Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, N.Y., you could not ask for a more beautiful day for a rock show.

    Walking into the venue, everybody was super stoked when we noticed that Papa Roach was in fact there. With all the things going on with Jacoby’s vocals and tour cancelations because of these issues, no one was sure if they were going to make it. Sevendust started the tour, and this is the first show Papa Roach was slated to play on. Rumors even had Avenged Sevenfold replacing them on this show, so with that added to all the vocal issues and the Carnival of Madness Facebook stating that Papa Roach would be there, nobody for sure knew what to expect.

    First up on the Carnival of Madness stage was We As Human. XM Octane has been playing their single “Strike Back,” which is a great song, so I was curious to see these guys live. Justin Cordle was just awesome on vocals. They did a great job getting the crowd ready for the rest of the show.

    In This Moment was up next. Maria and the boys always put on a great energy filled set. Maria is probably one of the only performers I can tolerate standing in one spot for the whole show. This is the first time I got to see Maria with backup dancers, which was pretty cool. The only thing I wish that was different is that they would play some more of their older stuff as well. Oh, well, maybe in November when I see them again on the Hell Pop Tour. In This Moment Also signed autographs in the Monster Energy Drink tent after their set.

    Christian rockers Skillet were slated in the third spot for this show. I really love this band live. I know some people think John Cooper can get a little preachy at times, but if you really listen they are just heartfelt stories he shares. Skillet brought all their props for this one. Yes, they had their usual CO2 blasters, but they also had a stage length l.e.d video wall in the background and two moving platforms next to drummer Jen Ledger that various band members would take turns riding up and down. This band has so much energy live it’s amazing. John was doing this crazy dance that looked like he is having a seizure. Jen literally was rocking the stage, her drums were on as you can see it move back and forth. Korey has an awesome stage presence and newcomer Seth looked like he has been rocking with Skillet for years. I had the chance to meet the band before the show and they are really awesome to shoot the $#!^ with. Jon was kidding with everyone, and Jen is just so nice and polite.

    Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach could be seen watching Skillet’s performance from the side of the stage. Barry Kerch of Shinedown was also seen watching Skillet from the other side of the stage.

    Just when you thought the crowd could not get any more pumped up, Papa Roach hit the stage. These guys brought the f’in house down. Jacoby was just on fire and sounded awesome. I could have watched them play all night. Energy turned up to max. They sang a good variety of old and new tracks. Jacoby even did a lap through the crowd during one song.

    Papa Roach also signed autographs under the Monster Energy Drink tent while We As Human were performing at the beginning of the event.

    Every time I see this next band I am never disappointed. Shinedown is the headliner of the Carnival of Madness tour, and this band always brings a show with them. Shinedown is one of the best live bands you could ever see. Flames, sparklers, pyro and fireworks. They also had a Gypsy/Circus troupe that were performing tricks as you walked into the venue, and also joined Shinedown on stage and performed tricks with fire as the boys played. Brent Smith is just vocally amazing live. He really knows how to take over everyone in the venues emotions. Amazing singer. Amazing talker. Amazing performer.  Zack and Eric just have so much energy moving around on stage. They make you want to go up on stage and start jamming with them. Barry is just kick @$$ on the drums. Thanks, bro, for giving me your drumstick after the show!

    This is an amazing tour that every rock fan must see. I drove over three hours to see this event, and it was more than worth it. Monster hit a homerun with this lineup, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.

  • Tallahassee Soothes at the Bug Jar

    Tallahassee strummed their tunes to an intimate Sunday night crowd at the Bug Jar in Rochester.

    Under dark lights the four-man band revealed their soulful sounds playing folk rock songs with an Americana twist.   Their haunting sounds kept the audience in a trance-like state only to be broken by the applause after each songs end.  This is not a band that gets lost in light shows and on stage spectacles.  They felt like home on stage, keeping it real from beginning to end.

  • Aqueous Announces Extensive Fall Tour of New York, Midwest and Atlantic Coast

    Buffalo’s favorite intense groove rock experience Aqueous has announced an extensive fall tour that brings the band to many new markets as well as established ones. The band has been hitting the road harder then ever this year and this new batch of dates will bring them to over 120 shows for 2013.

    AQ-FALLTOUR

    Highlights include the tour kick-off at the esteemed Brooklyn Bowl with Turkuaz and Jimkata for the Catskill Chill music festival pre-party. Several Upstate NY dates follow as well as the band’s second international date in Montreal. October features a four-show North Carolina run and will also bring them close to one of their mentors; performing an after party for the Rochester Phish show (w/ Jimkata). Washington D.C. and Brooklyn will be treated to some undoubtedly well planned Halloween antics to start off November before a pilgrimage to jam-mecca Nectar’s in Burlington and another pair of upstate dates in Buffalo and Rochester.

    aqueousfalltour

    The summer may fade, but the rage lives on. Check out the full schedule below!

    Aqueous Fall 2013 Tour Dates with Upstate NY highlighted
     
    9/4 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY * w/ Turkuaz & Jimkata
    9/7 – The Catskill Chill Music Festival – Hancock, NY
    9/11 – 123 Pleasant – Morgantown, WV * w/ The Main Squeeze
    9/12 – Thunderbird Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA * w/ The Main Squeeze
    9/13 – Night Lights Fall Festival – Sherman, NY
    9/14 – Barnaroo – Dover, OH
    9/20 – The Dubland Underground – Rochester, NY
    9/21 – Nietzsche’s – Buffalo, NY
    9/26 – The Waterhole – Saranac Lake, NY
    9/27 – Java Barn @ St. Lawrence University – Canton, NY
    9/28 – Gert’s @ McGill University – Montreal, QC
    10/2 – Papa Pete’s – Kalamazoo, MI
    10/3 – The Gramophone – St. Louis, MO
    10/4 – Hideaway Saloon – Lexington, KY
    10/5 – The Empty Glass – Charleston, WV
    10/8 – The Blind Tiger – Greensboro, NC
    10/9 – One Stop @ Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
    10/10 – The Saloon @ NC Music Factory – Charlotte, NC
    10/11 – 185 King Street – Brevard, NC
    10/16 – Electric Haze – Worcester, MA
    10/17 – Thirsty Moose Taphouse – Portsmouth, NH
    10/18 – The Putnam Den – Saratoga Spring, NY
    10/19 – The Crooked I – Erie, PA
    10/22 – Water Street Music Hall – Phish After Party – Rochester, NY * w/ Jimkata
    10/23 – The Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY * w/ Tauk
    10/24 – Black Oak Tavern – Oneonta, NY * w/ Tauk
    10/25 – The Lot – Ithaca, NY * w/ Tauk
    10/26 – Jungle Boogie Festival – Lake George, NY
    11/1 – The Bayou – Washington, DC * w/ Tauk
    11/2 – The Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY * w/ Tauk
    11/6 – Urban Nest – Asbury Park, NJ
    11/7 – Nectars – Burlington, VT *
    11/8 – Shaskeen Pub – Manchester, NH
    11/9 – Church – Boston, MA
    11/15 – The Dubland Underground – Rochester, NY * w/ Tauk
    11/16 – Nietzsche’s – Buffalo, NY * w/ Tauk
    11/20 – Tonic Room – Chicago, IL * w/ Brown Bag
    11/22 – Scarlet & Grey – Columbus, OH

  • High Energy Rock from Dropkick Murphys and More at Scion’s Bonzai at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, August 17th

    Presented by The Zone, 94.1 FM, Scion’s Bonzai at Main Street Armory in Rochester brought a great lineup of energetic and high intensity rockers, including acts such as 10 Years, Crash Kings, Diamond Youth, Dropkick Murphys, Family of the Year, IAmDynamite, Panic! At The Disco, Pepper, Sick Puppies and a surprise addition of ska band Reel Big Fish.  This was an all ages show and had quite a mix of fans old and young that came to witness the madness of Bonzai.

    Pepper Main Street Armory
    Pepper

    During the Crash Kings set, a crowd surfer started some commotion with the security and got tossed out into the street; usually the security is pretty lenient at Main Street but surely this unruly fan had it coming. Hawaii natives, Pepper, were on stage next; they put on harder show than expected and are definitely worth a listen to. They said that the crowd should definitely “Be louder drunks and to make some f@%*ing noise!”, which made the crowd explode with an uproar. High energy ska band Reel Big Fish started their set with a cover of “Call Me Maybe” by singer Carly Rae Jepsen, which got all the youngsters jumping up and down, then flowed into “Beer”, which got everyone into skank mode as if their lives depended on it. A circle pit developed with irony during the song “In the Pit/Thank You for not Moshing”. They finished their set with cover of “Take on Me” by A-Ha.

    Panic! at the Disco Main Street Armory
    Panic! at the Disco

    Australian rock band Sick Puppies started their set with, “Your Goin Down”; this band filled the Armory and had everyone fist pumping and slam dancing. The end of their set brought chants of “SICK PUPPIES, SICK PUPPIES” and flying drumsticks, which caused two people to battle over a drumstick in the center of the auditorium. This group has quite a following in their 15 year career and had the place jammed packed, even with the seats in the balcony that were filled, creating a mini heat wave. Panic! at the Disco brought more people into the already filled auditorium, opening with “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” followed by “Time to Dance”, which brought a riot of dancing and jumping. Singer Brendon Urie decided at one point to do a back flip off the drum riser and totally landed it, which drove the crowd wild.

    Dropkick Murphys Main Street Armory
    Dropkick Murphys

    Last but not least, headliner Dropkick Murphys took the stage and scally cap clad fans rushed the stage from their smoke breaks, packing the auditorium to the gills. Dropkick Murphys started their set off with total darkness and played “Foggy Dew”, an Irish ballad which got everyone ready for  battle of the musical persuasion. The lights flashed on and Dropkick struck the first chord of “Hang Em High”, followed by “The Fighting 69”. The crowd was dancing arm to arm with Guinness in hand, just like in a traditional Irish pub. Singer Al Barr and bassist/singer Ken Casey had the women in the audience on stage for an encore of “Kiss Me I’m Shitfaced” and “Skinhead on the MBTA” and closed with a cover of “T.N.T” by AC/DC.  The stage was jam packed with die hard Murphy fans jumping up and down signing along. They’re truly a band who cares about their fans and make them feel like family.

    The crowd endured the heat and sweatiness for a killer lineup at Main Street Armory and definitely will remember this show for years to come! This was one for the masses!

  • Metal Done Right – Baroness at the Club at Water Street

    Savannah, Georgia’s Baroness brought their progressive “stoner” metal grooves to Rochester’s Club at Water Street Wednesday August 7th. Touring behind their newest album, Yellow and Green, the group was joined by label mates Royal Thunder. Royal Thunder is a three-piece progressive rock band from Atlanta. Their sound is a mix of the old and the new; imagine a mix of The Cult and Evanescence with a more hypnotic progressiveness. Featuring the vocals and impressive bass skills of MLny Parsonz, the trio impressed the small crowd that had made it in early during their 40 minute set.

    Baroness, by all accounts, appear to be on the cusp of success. While they still perform their own soundchecks and headline smaller venues, they are able to pull a close to capacity crowd for a decent ticket price  on a Wednesday despite the distance from their far away southern roots. Many attendees were adorned in black Baroness shirts and colorful tattoos and the beer was flowing at full blast as go-time approached.

    The glowing trademark on the band’s Bad Cat amplifier head beckoned the black fashioned masses closer. Blue oyster cult filled the pre-show music as the band took the stage to the muted sounds of “Highway Star”. The set started acoustically unassuming before a barrage of power chords enlightened the onlookers into a sea of metal signs.

    The band’s sound is a mix of unassuming melodic mellowness with brutal reminders gleefully tossed eloquently into the mix. Picture Mastodon meets early Clutch with a twist of classic rock ground in and the potential to surpass the sum of their influences.  The crowd chatted little, transfixed by the sonic spectacle on stage. Many songs had epic qualities, building, subsiding, peaking, running the gambit of emotions in one composition.

    http://youtu.be/3BM2ztLlhvo

    The show mostly showcased the band’s newest effort, but had enough older tracks to keep things interesting. Unlike most harder shows, the audience seemed content to stand and watch for most of the show, but in true metal fashion a decent mosh pit broke out during the encore. Pull your Sabbath tees out of the basement and go check out some Baroness!

    photos by Jacob Silco

  • Conspirator Release Fall Tour Schedule with 3 Dates in Upstate New York

    It has been a while since we’ve seen Conspirator play the Upstate New York venues outside of a festival. After their January release of their highly anticipated new Album Unleashed, Conspirator has vastly expanded their fan base playing at many of the major festivals coast to coast. It is no surprise that there is a high level of excitement surrounding Conspirator’s fall tour, “Going Up.”

    Conspirator Fall tour includes stops on Friday October 11th, The Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY. Doors open at 8:00PM, show starts at 9:00PM, this is an all ages show. You can grab your tickets online at The Westcott Theater Online Ticketing.

    Thursday October 17th, Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY. Doors open at 8:00PM and show starts at 9:00PM, Ages: 18+ ($5 extra charge for under 21). Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 day of show. Purchase tickets online at www.putnamden.com.

    Friday October 18th, Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, NY. Doors open at 8:00PM, show starts at 9:00PM, Ages:16+. Get your tickets online at Frontgate Tickets. Tickets are $15.00-$20.00.

    You can also catch Conspirator at The Catskill Chill Festival.
    http://www.conspiratorband.com/