This fall, Five Finger Death Punch tours with Gemini Syndrome, Escape theFate,and Miss May I in support of the release of their latest record, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH:
From Los Angeles, the five-pieced band consists of Ivan Moody (vocals), Jason Hook (guitar), Zoltan Bathory (guitar), Chris Kael (bass), and Jeremy Spencer (drums). In the last 6 years, they have released four albums including The Way of the Fist (2007), War is the Answer (2009), American Capitalist (2011), and The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1 (2013). Part two of the album is scheduled to be released November 19th. By the looks of it, Five Finger Death Punch is ready to show the righteous side of Hell.
ESCAPE THE FATE:
From Las Vegas, NV, Escape the Fate returns to the stage with Mabbitt’s chilling screams ready to haunt the back of fan’s minds as well as the band’s incredibly catchy tunes. Members consist of Craig Mabbitt (vocals), Michael Money (guitar), Thomas “TJ” Bell (bass), and Robert Ortiz (drums). The band currently has four albums out, Dying Is Your Fashion (2006), This War Is Ours (2008), Escape the Fate (2010), and Ungrateful (2013). Escape the Fate has toured with various bands including Papa Roach, Attack! Attack!, and Pop Evil, and they have featured in a few festivals this year, Rocklahoma, Rock on the Range, Lazerfest, and Download Festival. This band is more ready to show the concertgoers what they have up their sleeve.
MISS MAY I:
Hailing from Troy, Ohio, the five-pieced band, featuring Levi Benton (vocals), Justin Aufdemkampe (guitar), B.J. Stead (guitar), Ryan Neff (bass), and Jerod Boyd (drums), hits the stage, ready to show everyone what surprises they have in store for the fellow concert junkies.
All in all, a killer lineup! Be sure to check out each of the bands’ Facebook pages for future tour dates, this is a show you will not want to miss!
Say That to Say This, the newest studio offering by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews & Orleans Avenue and co-produced with Raphael Saadiq, takes the New Orleans brass band’s jazz foundations, layers their sound with funk grooves and old school hip hop vocals and vibes, and then fuses it all together with smooth soulful R&B tones. Though a clear departure from Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue’s previous releases, it simply works. While different musical styles are highlighted on each track on Say That to Say This, Saadiq’s R&B influence is readily apparent throughout and makes for a cohesive flow. Say That to Say This is an album that feels as though it is meant to be played from start to finish in one sitting and then looped several times over without a second thought.
The first and title track is a microcosm of the album as a whole. “Say That to Say This” opens with tight beats, punching horns and rocking guitar rhythms and then switches off into smoother R&B laced jazz tones before picking up the tempo again. The high energy R&B-meets-rock centric theme carries over to “You and I (Outta This Place)”, which features Andrews’ old school vocals and catchy hooks that motivate the mind, body and soul. “Fire and Brimstone”, the lead single blends Andrews’ and Saadiq’s vocals with heavier grooves and horn accentuations. Lenny Kravitz’s influence on Andrews from their prior work together is evident on this track and it rocks accordingly. “Get the Picture” takes a darker, funkier tone, while still keeping a well-paced beat.
Interspersed with the higher energy tracks are lower key and jazzier offerings. Most notably, “Be My Lady” is a remake of The Meters’ 1977 soulful hit featuring the band’s original members with Andrews on vocals and horns. The track marks the first time The Meters have reunited in their original lineup since 1977. “Long Weekend” is a take on classic R&B and serious ‘get down’ music on an otherwise ‘get up and go’ album. “Sunrise” is aptly named: a slow jazz tune that would perfectly complement the first cup of coffee on Sunday morning. “Shortyville” closes the album with its only all-instrumental offering showcasing Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue’s prowess as a brass band.
Key Tracks: Fire and Brimstone, You and I (Outta This Place), Long Weekend
The 17th annual New York Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair will once again return to Kutsher’s Country Club in Monticello on October 11-14. The Northeast classic will host five stages, 35 musical acts and entertainers, political speakers, lights shows, a vendor village, fire spinning, glass blowing, activist opportunities and a whole lot of good vibes.
Damn Sam has been politically active for years in the movement to bring medical marijuana legalization to the state legislature. Senate bill 4406 and Assembly bill 6357 will regulate regulate medical marijuana and provide New York patients with safe access to the medicine they need. The main goal is to educate and motivate law makers and citizens of New York state to enact laws that protect the interests of those involved in the uses, production and distribution of Cannabis hemp.
Entertainment for the weekend will include:
The Original Wailers, Ghostface Killah, Melvin Seals & JGB (2 Sets), Immortal Technique, Kung Fu Tony Vacca and The Senegal America Project featuring World Rhythms Ensemble, Bideew Bou Bess, and Abiodun Oyewole (of The Last Poets) (2 Sets), Marco Benevento, Murphy’s Law, Bang Bang (Todd Stoops & Adrian Tramontano of Kung Fu), Ronnie Penque Band (Ronnie is from New Riders of the Purple Sage, & a former member of: Melvin Seals & JGB, Ripple, Stir Fried and Splintered Sunlight), Awesome Mother Road Show, Gratefully Yours (All Star Revolving Line Up, playing fans dream Grateful Dead set lists), Riders on the Storm (Doors Tribute), EARTH (Classic Black Sabbath Tribute), The Phreaks (Phish Tribute), The DeadBeats (Grateful Dead Tribute), Midnight Ramblers (2 Sets, 1 Pink Floyd), Lucid, Fikus, Mun, Cosmal with live painting by Ali Laz, John Sinclair and Elliott Levin,Newton Crosby, CAPITAL Zen, Maaze, Maganahans Revival, String band, DITCH, Digital Storm, Leila, Mentally ILL, The Jack, Unexplained Bacon, Dr. Jah & The Love Prophets, Mothers Wine, Adam Amrod, Imaginary Friends, Kara Bennett, Lethal Injection, Hannah’s Field, Risen, Rob, Darren & Richie, The Bus People, The Legendary RT & Friends, Whiskey Reverb, DJ Ean Nice, Jiggawompz and Roo
Speakers for the weekend will include:
Pastor Kenny Glasgow – Ordinary Peoples Society
Rob Robinson – Founder NY Harvest Fest & Damn Sam
Jason West – Mayor, Village of New Paltz
Isaac Abrams – “Visionary / Psychedelic” Artist
Dan Goldman – NY Cannabis Alliance
Steve Bloom – Celebrity Stoner
Brian Kuprian -Gardening Is Never A Crime
Lisa Roche – RN / Truth & Science Policy Project
Jim Miller – Marijuana Activist & Patient Advocate
The Real Radio Rahim – Hop Hop Pioneer
Rich Morowski -MS Medical Marijuana Patient
Burton Aldrich – Quad Medical Marijuana Patient
Richard Williams – HIV Medical Marijuana Patient
Jessica Abrams -Green in Greene
John Skerit – Activist & Friend of the Harvest Fest
Joe Barton – Freedom First Party
Kurt Shotko -Common Sense Revival, Host WFTE Frack Report
Trapper Flynn – Activist & Friend of the Harvest Fest
Charles Edson Rogers Jr. – Pain Medical Marijuana Patient
Johnny Pot Seed – OverGrow
Plus many more!
This year’s Harvest Festival is stacked so you definitely do not want to miss out,
James Corbett joined in early 2013. As a student at Syracuse University, he began reviewing shows at The Westcott Theater. He is also an alto saxophone player and loves funk and jazz music. He performs with his band, The Monk, which was started at Syracuse University. Raised on classic rock, he’s also a passionate vinyl collector. He likes to go all out on Record Store Day each year, purchasing as much new and exclusive vinyl releases as possible. His favorite acts to see live are Phish, Lettuce and Soulive. These three acts seem to always push the boundaries of both concert production and improvisation and that’s what makes them worth seeing time and time again.
In addition to his love for live music, he also enjoys all racquet sports, snowboarding, climbing and ultimate Frisbee. James is an aspiring music industry professional that is majoring in Music Business at Syracuse. He has previously worked at music festivals and venues in the tri-state area and hopes to continue to keep music at the forefront of his life. Traveling is also one of his favorite things to do, as he has spent college semesters in both London and Los Angeles studying music and the music industry. During his overseas excursion he visited The Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and France.
Since he’s only been an avid concert goer for about five years, James has plenty of acts to see on his musical bucketlist. He hopes to get an opportunity to see Daft Punk, Radiohead, Phoenix, Shpongle’s full live set, Marcus Miller, Modest Mouse, Jamie xx, Mutemath and Nine Inch Nails. If he could turn back time, he’d want to see The Grateful Dead, James Brown, Louis Armstrong, The Meters original lineup, Gangstarr, Cannonball Adderley, The Ramones, Pink Floyd and Binary Star. As far as events go, James would like to attend Coachella, Bonnaroo, Bowlive at The Brooklyn Bowl and South By Southwest.
Farm Aid, the annual concert founded by Willie Nelson in 1985 to focus on family farms in America, made its first ever stop at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on September 21, 2013, with nearly 20 musical acts and countless educational activities and farm-centric events that made Farm Aid stand out as the premiere musical event in Upstate New York as the summer drew to a close.
But Farm Aid is FAR MORE than just a concert with tons of great acts – Dave Matthews, Neil Young and John Mellencamp among the headliners – it is a political movement for all to take part in, pushing the cause of the environment and growing the local farm movement, one that benefits everyone without having to take a side on the left or right.
Food is a universal need. Healthy food, even more so these days. Keeping in mind the ‘Act Local, Think Global’ mantra, Farm Aid is truly an educational event as much as it is musical, and when these are coupled together, the impact can be profound and lasting. Whether it was an informative diorama of how Sustainable Farming works (and quite efficiently I might add), the best seeds to use (non-Monsanto/GMO) or a look at the latest Farm Bill (which passed the House but cut Food Stamps and assistance for the poor), there was something to be learned throughout the array of tents and exhibitions near The Hall of Springs.
The crowd this day was bigger than any I had ever seen at SPAC – a sold out crowd plus a lawn chair for everyone sitting on the infamous SPAC lawn left little room for fans to dance, but for a 12-hour concert, you needed to pace yourself and sit while you had the opportunity. Fans sat far back towards The Hall of Springs, where speakers and monitors were set up so those set far back in the sprawled out crowd could enjoy the concert, regardless of distance from the stage. A crowd filled with older music lovers, local farmers, fans who traveled across the country for what seemed for some to be a yearly pilgrimage, as well as curious first timers and Rock n Roll fans comprised the crowd of more than 25,000. It was a festival-like atmosphere with 12 hours of music, a packed crowd and a wide array of food to sample; there was even a healthy amount of rain in the evening to give that almost-a-festival feeling, just without the camping option.
As for the music, there was plenty to be had for fans of folk and rock, but this was far from a ‘something for everybody’ lineup. No hip-hop, EDM, jam bands or the like. This was a concert of true American Rock n Roll: folk music on a rock level that was inspirational, but veered away from preachy (except for Neil Young, but more on him later). It was also a family affair, with Lukas Nelson (Willieâs son) and Carlene Carter (June’s daughter) bringing a generational aspect to an event that has spanned 28 years, roughly a generation itself. Carlene Carter performed a stirring rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” as the daylight shone down through the windows inside the SPAC pavilion to create a cathedral inside the amphitheater. Lukas Nelson&Promise of the Real performed a solid set and kept the Nelson family name proud; Lukas later sat in with Willie on a cover of Eddie Vedder’s “Just Breathe.”
Toad the Wet Sprocket, a blast from the past of the 90’s, performed in support of their new album New Constellation and performed hits including “Walk on the Ocean” and “All I Want”. Prior to their set, bassist Dean Dinning and guitarist/singer Glen Phillips sat down backstage to talk about Farm Aid, their new album and indie rock bands. Look for ‘s review of their new album next week. Jack Johnson played “Radiate” from his new album From Here to Now to You, as well as “Flake”, an interesting take on Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” and Jimi Hendrix’ “Crosstown Traffic”, all of which swayed the lawn as the sun shone its brightest of the day, giving the crowd one last glimpse of warmth before the cool autumn night set in.
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds gave every bro in the crowd something to cheer for, sing along to and yell the lyrics to anyone within earshot. It was an intimate performance and Dave continued to shower accolades on the venue – he loves SPAC in every way, shape and form. Having performed at the venue seemingly every year for the past 10 years, if not more, sitting on the familiar stage next to his old friend was a treat for him. The audience was treated in return with “Save Me”, “So Damn Lucky”, “Grace is Gone”, “Cornbread”, “If Only”, “#41” (something for fans of Under the Table and Dreaming) and “Two Step”. Just as Dave’s set ended, the rain began to fall, leading the first wave of fans to leave the show, but many stalwarts, especially the Neil Young and Willie Nelson fans, dug in their heels and prepared for the next three hours.
Prior to the Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Willie Nelson performances, videos looking at the historical impact of these artists, their relationship with Farm Aid and connection through music were broadcast on the main screen, in a style akin to the videos of Presidential candidates shown at Party Conventions prior to accepting the nomination. They showcased the cause, the artist and the music, all at once, and served to hype the crowd up and welcome each musician to the stage in grand fashion. They aren’t just performing for free, they are also doing their part to speak freely about the importance of farming and local farmers, as well as attach their name to a cause, something more artists should do, for if you aren’t using your fame to benefit others, what’s the point of fame?
Mellencamp’s set featured a look back at his heyday of the 1980s, complete with “Check it Out”, “Small Town”, an acoustic solo performance of “Jack and Diane”, complete with crowd participation on the lyrics, especially ‘Hold onto 16 as long as you can.” There was a wonderful duet with violinist/accordionist Lisa Germano that resembled “Walk me Out in the Morning Dew”, followed by “Scarecrow” and “Walls”. It was good to see Mellencamp playing with the same drive as he had in the 80’s and 90’s, and he provided a segue into the biggest surprise of the night – Upstate New York’s greatest living musical legend, Pete Seeger.
A surprise for everyone, even the media who learned of his appearance not 30 minutes prior, Pete came to the stage with his banjo swinging across his 6’4″, 94 year old frame, soaked in a small amount of cheers from the crowd before beginning his original “If I Had a Hammer”, encouraging the crowd, saying “Here’s a song I think you know, and if you sing it, why, we’ll make a good sound.” The crowd sang along, many in awe that he was there standing on stage alone before a crowd, not six months after his wife of more than 70 years, Toshi, passed away.
Having played with Woody Guthrie in the 1940s, Seeger has carried on his legacy of songs of freedom, making “This Land is Your Land” his most frequently performed number. Included in this version was the rarely sung “private property” verse, as well as a new verse:
New York is my home, New York is your home. From the Upstate mountains to the ocean foam. With all kinds of people, yes, we’re poly-grown (sic) New York was meant to be frack-free.
Pete Seeger’s alternate lyrics to “This Land is Your Land”
With all kinds of people, yes, we’re poly-grown (sic), New York was meant to be frack-free.
“This Land is Your Land” makes a good argument to be a second national anthem with its inspirational ‘we’re in this together’ message, and with an anti-fracking line, one that is uniting New Yorkers in greater numbers in recent years, the song had greater meaning for those in attendance, leading to a raucous cheer from the audience. It was at Farm Aid, and at recent rallies around the state, particularly at the state Capitol in Albany, where the anti-fracking movement has found a wider audience, as the issue hits closer to home and gained more media attention in the process.
Neil Young started his set with Bob Dylan’s “Blowin in the Wind”, “Early Morning Rain” and “Old Man”, before taking some liberty and speaking off the cuff about Farm Aid and its mission – but not in the “We love the farmers, let’s hear it for them” style. Rather, Neil took issue with climate change, Monsanto, fossil fuel polluters and for a few minutes, he was yelling at them to get off our collective lawns. Angry Neil was not on anyone’s setlist expectations, but the response from the crowd was focused attention, hearing what they didn’t want to hear, and taking the bad with the good. Neil followed with “Heart of Gold”, “Since I Met ya Baby” and Phil Ochs’ “Changes”, referencing once again the impending climate change already upon us.
Closing out the night was Willie Nelson, fresh off a sesh on his bus and ready to bring this show home. In less than an hour, Willie cranked out 15 songs and brought everyone up for one final sendoff of an encore. Classic hits Willie performed with his band included “Whiskey River”, “Will You Remember Mine”, Waylon Jennings’ “Good Hearted Woman”, “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys’, “Crazy”, “Georgia on a Fast Train” and Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans”. The hilarious, and aptly titled “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” had the crowd laughing and singing along, but seriously, when Willie passes away, these are our instructions. Take note.
The final tune of the night was “I Saw the Light”, bringing everyone onto the stage for one last tune, sending out the crowd into the rainy night. Leaving was bittersweet after a full day of music, education, good food and great camaraderie with fellow Farm Aid supporters. SPAC was an ideal setting for this traveling event, and while it will not be in the Upstate neck of the woods for a few years, it is by far an event to seek out whenever it is within a short drive of your hometown.
As the summer has finally come to an end, taking with it festival season, music lovers can settle into their favorite local venues. The popular bar and restaurant, The Hollow, in Albany, welcomed local newcomers to the stage, Mister F, and returning jam band The Heavy Pets on September 26th. Familiar faces were found on the dance floor as friends exchanged tales of the summer and plans for the upcoming fall shows.
The four piece band Mister F performed over an hour in a set of nonstop, high energetic fusion of electronic rock and futuristic jazz. Drummer Matt Pickering kept a fast tempo beat throughout the night, keeping the crowd on their toes and focused on the energy from the band. Scott Hannay wasted no hammering his keys, delivering the same intensity as he switched to the guitar and bass during the set. “This One Goes to 11” had an upbeat melody with heavy bass bombs raining in from Ben Pickering while Andrew Chamberlaine was congratulated for his beard and skillful guitar licks. The crowd cheered as Mister F briefly teased Phish’s “Stash” during the rollercoaster “Jump the Shark.” Mister F has a fresh sound with an unpredictable flow that keeps the audience eager for the surprise hiding inside each song. They have intertwined their individual talents and designed a powerful music machine that concert goers become programmed to dance to. Mister F has a busy Fall Tour lined up with stops in Plattsburgh, Syracuse, NYC, Glens Falls and Lake George’s Jungle Boogie Music Festival.
Setlist: Intro, Answer the Dog, Deal Breaker, Everything You Say, This One Goes to 11, Treadmill, Jump the Shark, Eye Level Encore: Hedgehog w/Jim Wuest from The Heavy Pets on keys
The show is available for free stream or download here.
The Heavy Pets are an unexpected tropical storm, slowing starting out a song, then morphing into a rough, wavy mixture of funk and rock, then suddenly, you get a smooth reggae vibe to relax to. Jeff Lloyd and Mike Garulli both scale their guitars with intensity and mind melting solos. Their harmonies on “Last Babies” are eerie and hypnotizing as the music soon takes over to lift you up with a whirlwind of shredding beats. Drummer Jamie Newitt and bassist Tony D’Amato laid a thick groove over the evening, helping to spread the rhythm out for a dance heavy set. One of the highlights of the night was the quick cover of “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis. Jim Wuest is a mastermind behind the keys as he electrifies the crowd with every key change of techno delight. They will tour around the southern states on their Fall Tour before returning to New York in November, showcasing their latest release of the A/B single Two Horses. The Heavy Pets bring a much needed change in longitude to Upstate with their hot and humid jams.
With summer in the rear view mirror and autumn quickly approaching, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s concert season was winding down. Apparently, thousands of Kid Rock, ZZ Top, and Uncle Kracker fans didn’t get the memo.
The mostly Gen- X crowd sported bandanas, faded blue jeans and American flag T-shirts. “Blue collar” was definitely the evening’s required dress code. Many stood in line to have their photo taken on a brand new Harley motorcycle while others waited to try free samples of good ole’ American whiskey. The crowd, though not one the summer’s largest, was certainly the most patriotic!
Robert James Ritchie, aka Kid Rock, began his career as a hip hop and rap performer. Evidence of this was heard in his performance of the rap-rock single “Bawitdaba” which originally came out in 1998. Rock progressed through the evening, singing more of his gritty, in-your-face tunes including “Devil Without a Cause” and the hit single “American Bad Ass”. Other crowd favorites included “Cocky” and “All Summer Long” and the country ballad “Picture”.
Southern blues-rock icons ZZ Top opened the show. With their infamous long beards (except for drummer, Frank Beard, ironically) and purple guitars, ZZ Top performed one hit after another. Among them were the classics “Sharp Dressed Men”, “Cheap Sunglasses”, “La Grange”, and “Legs”.
American rocker Uncle Kracker also provided support performing an early 30-minute set. Highlights included “Follow Me” and “Drift Away”.
These are just a few of the ludicrous phrases plastered on EDM concert goers hats and shirts. Over the past two years the hype around Molly has been steadily growing and gaining national attention from major news outlets. Based on popular opinion, drugs and electronic music go hand in hand. After the debacle of Electric Zoo in New York City where the event was canceled on it’s last day due to overdoses and deaths, it seems everyone has something to say about this “new” drug called Molly.
That’s the thing, though. This drug has been around much longer than these neon clad college students, just as electronic music has been around since before the rise of Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia and Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories. The ever growing popularity surrounding electronic music has drawn larger crowds than seen in history for most of these artists in the electronic music scene.
After reading “Finding Molly: The Most Popular Name in EDM,” a few points are raised. The folks jumping on the bandwagon and further perpetuating the concept that drugs and substance abuse is the only reason these genres are currently popular, please take note.
The article begins by saying that the most recognized name at an electronic music event is not the DJ, but instead Molly. Well that just isn’t true. As an individual who has been avidly attending electronic music festivals and shows for almost ten years, it is appalling to see the new wave of drug-addled concert goers. Drugs have always existed on the music scene since before the first acid test in the 1960s, something that no one should expect to change. The heavy focus on the drugs, however, has become almost unbearable.
Until recently, Molly was never a household name, nor was it an epidemic, nor a trend. Although walking through festival grounds you could easily score whatever substance you so sought, it was not as prevalent in the past as it has become today. It seems every major name in the EDM world has made a statement surrounding the ever-increasing number of overdoses that riddle the crowds at these shows. Left and right, festival promoters are put through the ringer for the irresponsible decisions of the concert goers, and as a result, a rising tide of high tension has developed between society and the music scene. While the intentions behind the article are understood, “Finding Molly” should have kept it’s focus on what is truly important: the music. Many of us have had times at a festival seeing someone around us go through a bad experience due to drugs, heat exhaustion or lack of hydration. This is not what highlights a music festival. It seemed throughout the entire article that music was completely irrelevant. The majority of these concert goers go see live music because they love music and always have. None of these people want to be stereotyped as a drug crazed “raver” because the genre of music they love has been overtaken by individuals who don’t properly educate themselves about the things they put into their bodies.
At the end of the article the writer talks about a personal experience where he, more or less, saved an overdosing man’s life. While it was commendable of this individual to be there when perhaps paramedics and EMTs were not, highlighting a story like this only further perpetuates the concept that this is representative of the vast majority of individuals who attend these events. Although the percentage has certainly increased in the past few years, this is not always the case. Not everyone completely annihilates themselves publicly in the name of EDM. Years ago it would have been flooring to hear that a weekend festival could have any death count come Sunday morning. These days it has become the norm, and that’s not the music’s fault. Blaming the DJs, blaming the bands, blaming the scene or the music doesn’t make any sense. The bigger picture is the influx of people who are just looking to party and consume any substance handed to them. That old saying your mother’s always threw around, “One bad apple spoils the bunch,” that holds true in this case. The majority of these concert goers are paying good money to see the artists they love, not get completely inebriated and wake up in the hospital, and in the process, drag the reputation of EDM through the mud because of these isolated incidents. The music should not become a footnote to the drug culture the surrounds such a brilliant and ever expanding music scene.
How can this change? More paramedics and more EMTs have been brought on site for almost every EDM festival nationwide and test kits have become readily available on almost every music scene to ensure that if you choose to take drugs, the ones you take are clean. Is this further promoting the excessive drug consumption that takes place at a concert? It’s hard to say, but at least it keeps these kids safe. This is not the first scene that has been overrun by drug use. Music scenes in the 60s in California, the 70s during the disco/Studio 54 era and throughout the 80s and 90s have all had their accompanying drugs that in time shifted the focus away from the music to drug use among that scene. It’s been the downfall of many bands, artists and scenes alike.
Overall, it is important to know what you are putting into your body. Most of the time these situations stem from lack of education. There is of course the alternative – stay away from mind altering substances all together. Who knows, maybe you’ll find out you can actually have a good time without all the chemicals.
This past Saturday, the Wise Guys, known as Otherwise, shared the stage with Three Days Grace at The Dome in Wallingford, Connecticut, where I had the incredible opportunity to witness this killer event.
The lights dimmed and the excited chatter turned into cheers as the booming introductory music shook the floor of the venue. One by one, each member of Otherwise stepped into the red spotlight, the last to emerge from the shadows, Adrian Patrick. They started their set with their current single, “Die for You”, quickly followed by “Lighthouse” and “Vegas Girl”. Otherwise did not hesitate for one moment as they continued with “Silence Reigns” and probably one of the best break-up songs out there, “I Don’t Apologize”. The energy in the room just felt so unreal, definitely indescribable. Next to be played was “Full Circle”, “Scream Now” and one of their older tracks with a fantastic beat, “Stop, Drop and Roll”. Immediately following was their superb cover of Rage Against the Machine‘s track, “Killing in the Name of”, and at the start of that, fans began to throw up their horns and rock out. Of course, Otherwise saved the best for last, the song that got their name out there, “Soldiers”, a powerful track to finish their set with. As always, I am blown away with their performance, but now it was time for Three Days Grace to take the stage.
After waiting patiently for the crew to finish up their testing of the microphones, guitars and drums, the stage lights suddenly brightened the room and the volume of the music in the overhead speakers increased as Rage Against the Machine‘s “Killing in the Name of” began to play. Faint storm sound effects took over then The Dome was enveloped in darkness, with the exception of the WELCOME TO FABULOUS LAS VENUS CONNECTICUT sign and a blue hue light up the room. Then a familiar eerie song filled our ears, it was Nancy Sinatra‘s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)”. One by one, each member of Three Days Grace emerged from the shadows, then Barry Stock (guitarist) played the introduction to “Chalk Outline”, the cue for Matt Walst (vocals) to make his presence known. The crowd went wild once Walst appeared and began to bounce along the heavy beat. Three Days Grace did not hesitate for one moment as they continued with “Just Like You”, “Pain” and “The High Road”. Fans sang out with such a strong passion and some held up their horns. But Three Days Grace was just getting warmed up! The killer set kept rolling with classics such as “Home”, “Get Out Alive”, “Break” and “The Good Life”. Finally it was time for the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Neil Sanderson’s legendary drum solo, briefly accompanied by keyboardist, Dani Rosenoer. Once he left, Neil continued doing what he does best: blowing the crowd away with his fantastic beats. The rest of Three Days Grace returned to play their current single, “Misery Loves My Company”, followed immediately by “World So Cold” and one of their many classics, “I Hate Everything About You”. Barry Stock then took a brief to give thanks to Matt and the fans for standing by them, as well as introducing Shawn Hamm to the stage to play their awesome cover of Limp Bizkit‘s “Break Stuff”. They finished their set with “Animal I Have Become”, “Never Too Late” and “Riot”. What a way to end a Saturday night!
All in all, both bands were absolutely incredible. Be sure to check out both bands’ tour dates to see if their coming to a town near you. Their shows are ones you will not want to miss!
On August 5th, 1983, Talking Heads initiated the arena tour that would eventually take their popularity to new and unknown levels. We flashback to the group’s visit to Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) that particular summer 30 years ago. 1983 was a definitive and peak era for the band and this show documents the time with a crisp pre-FM line recording that exhibits professional release sound quality.
The group featured founding members David Byrne (vocals, guitar), Chris Franz (Drums), Tina Weymouth (Bass), and Jerry Harrison (Keyboards) in addition to a number of added musicians who come and go when needed to supplement the bands theatrical performance. One of these musicians just happens to be magic keyboard man Bernie Worrell of ‘P-Funk’ fame. For those fans who love the 1984 concert film ‘Stop Making Sense’, this live recording makes a fitting addendum to that document, which also chronicles the 83 tour in support of the LP Speaking In Tongues.
The evening’s concert begins quietly with the differently arranged sparse acoustic chunk of ‘Psycho Killer’. Containing a pulsating drum machine beat and acoustic guitar, the tune meanders from its original incarnation with a drifting and patient groove. One hallmark of this concert is the way it expands, gaining energy, along with increasing instrumentation along the way. Each song climbs another step, reaching another level of intensity, adding another piece to the creation of the setlist story. Following the refurbished ‘Psycho Killer’ begins an emotionally dry but poignant version of ‘Heaven’ that contains only acoustic guitar and Weymouth’s tempo setting bass. A beautiful flower of a melody gently handled and preserved. Byrne plays master of emotion by following ‘Heaven’ with a galloping ‘Thank You for Sending Me An Angel’ that skips along on a Tennessee Three tempo. This early segment of the performance drifts coasting weightlessly through thoughtful melodies and intelligent, but always far out lyrics.
The concert now becomes invigorated as electric guitar drops into the mix and the core band plays an emphatic version of their debut 1977 single ‘Love Goes to Building on Fire’ in which the crowd responds in positive fashion. Reaching cruising altitude the show now settles into a danceable summer evening groove. As ‘The Book I Read’ begins, the blend of summer evening segueing into dusk permeates the feel of the recording, eliciting the aroma of fresh cut grass, mossy earth, and the bouquet of live music in late summer New York State.
‘Book I Read’ opens on a very nervous Paul Simon like guitar riff, eventually settling into tempo setting vocals by Byrne that work in a tug of war against the shifting drums. Working in conjunction with breezy synth whistles and Weymouth’s hypnotic bass this one really swings, setting the stage for the first dynamic peak of the performance with a funky ‘Slippery People’. Based around a Morse code keyboard riff and some thick James Brown dance guitar licks, ‘Slippery People’ becomes a celebratory revival with joyous backing vocals that reach with arms raised to the deep navy sky. ‘Slippery People’ hits a delicious groove with Byrne taking a tribal climb up a greased pole by free forming diverse mouth jams that rebound around the dynamic tune, increasing the intensity.
Following ‘Slippery People’, the concert begins a segment of quick hitting, danceable and dizzying tunes. ‘Cities’ off of the 1979 LP Fear of Music, begins this middle segment of the concert that also encompasses ‘Eyes Wide Open’, the current and well known hit ‘Burning Down the House’, and the hot to the touch ‘Life During Wartime’. There is no let up here as Byrne steps on the gas harder than a truck driver on the Route 90 with ‘White Line Fever’. ‘Eyes Wide Open’ ricochets around the venue on jumpy percussion punctuated by Byrne’s falsetto interjections, eventually culminating in a stimulating journey brought on through celebratory vocals and airy instrumentation.
‘Burning Down the House’ receives a big response from the assembled crowd, quickly moving into the jumpy ‘Life During Wartime’ which is drizzled with ice cream keyboards that color between the lines with their colorful melt. The humid dancing bodies filling SPAC this evening translate to the recording due to the energy that emanates from my speakers as ‘Life During Wartime’ cooks like bacon in an iron skillet. What a performance and a perfect close to the end of the first set which Byrne announces at the songs conclusion.
The second set begins in earnest and does let up as far as tempo and all out funkiness goes. ‘Making Flippy Floppy’ starts the second half of music, and regardless of its ‘light’ title, reaches deep with its intuitive commentary on living and this artists view of reality. This song is a fine example of Byrne’s musical and lyrical ability to comment on bigger issues in a clandestine fashion. ‘Swamp’ follows quickly and falls into a quasi-Reggae groove which never strays to far from a straight rock beat interestingly enough. Dancing on sponges, the squishy vibe of ‘Swamp’ contrasts its dark lyrical content. The collaborative ‘Hi Hi Hi Hi’ vocals elicit the image of a line of cheerful people being led to slaughter, singing their way to their eventual demise.
A breathless sprint through ‘What a Day It Was’, leads to the pixilated ‘Naive Melody’ that rattles like change in a jar, soothed by the sweet harmonized vocals that spread across the jumpy instrumentation like butter on warm bread. ‘Naïve Melody’ brings the vibe down slightly, hitting a hypnotizing, eyes closed tight groove, initiating dreamy sways. ‘Once In a Lifetime’ blows in on a wash of cymbals and spectral keyboard manipulation reaching its destination of a unique ethnic groove to which its instrumentation balances. Another one of the bands most well-known and popular songs; ‘Once in a Lifetime’ is also special due to its combination of Fela Kuti influence, Brian Eno production, and Byrne’s eclectic literary talents.
One of my personal favorite segments of the performance comes next with the version of ‘Big Business/I Zimbra’. Brimming with synth manipulation that causes a disorientating storm of sound the song rides on Chris Franz’s popping kick drum and hi hat strikes. The middle segment of the track becomes a percussion workout, swirling, folding into itself, encasing the spacey guitar/synth interjections that segue into the earthy shouts of “I Zimbra”. The song becomes a whirling dervish of fevered musical energy that culminates in a Shamanistic and blissful conclusion.
The second half of the concert becomes decidedly more sensual, both rhythmically and in its melodic sensibilities. ‘Houses in Motion’ slithers in slowly, eventually becoming all angles, shifting and extending through lush bass carpeted rooms decorated with drippy guitar chorused wall hangings. Another top notch reading by the group as this one takes on numerous moods during the journey through its changes.
A quick interlude is taken prior to a performance of ‘Genius of Love’ by ‘Tom Tom Club’, another name for the band shared by the husband and wife team of Tina Weymouth and Chris Franz. A fun and freaky performance and an opportunity for Byrne to step off stage and prepare for the closing blow out. Keen-eared music fans will recognize many of the songs components as being sampled by many hip hop and rock musicians through the years. Byrne then returns to the stage for the final songs that make up the conclusion of the performance. ‘Girlfriend Is Better’, ‘Take Me To the River’, and ‘Crosseyed and Painless’ all contain fiery and concentrated readings.
‘Girlfriend Is Better’ is cutting edge, and compelling, the bass line a blend of shadings that pillow the after images of flashing keyboard squeaks and screams. Byrne, a wellspring of unique diction and vocal expressions, soaks the crowd in his lyrical gospel. Beautiful. The crowd’s excitement bleeds loudly into the soundboard recording as the group stops briefly before slinking into a bubbly ‘Take Me to the River’. Involvement from the crowd in the form of hand claps and shouts can be picked up intermittently throughout the recording; a matrix of the show if available would be an amazing experience. ‘Take Me to the River’ extends long enough for Byrne to introduce the band and then builds to a party conclusion, bringing the performance to an end.
The band returns for a schizophrenic encore of ‘Crosseyed and Painless’ that looks from the stage with shifty, busy eyes. The band moves quickly, wound tight, hallmark call and response vocals reverberate between the singers on stage, keyboards and guitars intertwine in a soulful embrace. The song is a break neck race toward the finish line that finally crashes through the ribbon and raises its hand in glory. A quick ‘Thank you’ and the show and recording conclude.
This crisp board recording of the Talking Heads in our very own Upstate New York venue, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, finds the group peaking artistically, yet precariously close to their demise as a touring group. The performance featured, never lets up, yet exhibits a musical control that balances the needs of the crowd with the wants of the band. For fans of Stop Making Sense, this recording offers a full and uncut performance from that very era. My recording exhibits very few recording flaws, but I do know that versions of this document circulate with some digital issues, so look out. Throw this one on, and remember a summer day dance party from thirty years ago that echoes through the famous venue to this very day, and is preserved for all to enjoy.
Set 1: Psycho Killer, Heaven – Thank You for Sending Me an Angel, Love -> Buildings on Fire, The Book I Read, Slippery People, Cities, Eyes Wide Open, Burning Down the House, Life During Wartime
Set 2: Making Flippy Floppy, Swamp, What a Day That Was, Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place), Once in a Lifetime, Big Business -> I Zimbra, Houses in Motion, Genius of Love (The Tom Tom Club), Girlfriend is Better, Take Me to the River
From Los Angeles, the five-pieced band consists of Ivan Moody (vocals), Jason Hook (guitar), Zoltan Bathory (guitar), Chris Kael (bass), and Jeremy Spencer (drums). In the last 6 years, they have released four albums including The Way of the Fist (2007), War is the Answer (2009), American Capitalist (2011), and The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Vol. 1 (2013). Part two of the album is scheduled to be released November 19th. By the looks of it, Five Finger Death Punch is ready to show the righteous side of Hell.
From Las Vegas, NV, Escape the Fate returns to the stage with Mabbitt’s chilling screams ready to haunt the back of fan’s minds as well as the band’s incredibly catchy tunes. Members consist of Craig Mabbitt (vocals), Michael Money (guitar), Thomas “TJ” Bell (bass), and Robert Ortiz (drums). The band currently has four albums out, Dying Is Your Fashion (2006), This War Is Ours (2008), Escape the Fate (2010), and Ungrateful (2013). Escape the Fate has toured with various bands including Papa Roach, Attack! Attack!, and Pop Evil, and they have featured in a few festivals this year, Rocklahoma, Rock on the Range, Lazerfest, and Download Festival. This band is more ready to show the concertgoers what they have up their sleeve.
The first and title track is a microcosm of the album as a whole. “Say That to Say This” opens with tight beats, punching horns and rocking guitar rhythms and then switches off into smoother R&B laced jazz tones before picking up the tempo again. The high energy R&B-meets-rock centric theme carries over to “You and I (Outta This Place)”, which features Andrews’ old school vocals and catchy hooks that motivate the mind, body and soul. “Fire and Brimstone”, the lead single blends Andrews’ and Saadiq’s vocals with heavier grooves and horn accentuations. 
In addition to his love for live music, he also enjoys all racquet sports, snowboarding, climbing and ultimate Frisbee. James is an aspiring music industry professional that is majoring in Music Business at Syracuse. He has previously worked at music festivals and venues in the tri-state area and hopes to continue to keep music at the forefront of his life. Traveling is also one of his favorite things to do, as he has spent college semesters in both London and Los Angeles studying music and the music industry. During his overseas excursion he visited The Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and France.
