NYS Music 20​13

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  • The 2nd Annual Fiddler’s Picnic: A Photo Review

    Friday night of the 2nd Annual Fiddler’s Picnic was jam-packed with great music from the Capital Region’s own Eastbound Jesus, good ol’ Adirondack boys The Blind Owl Band and Dangermuffin coming all the way from Folly Beach, South Carolina. Despite the mud from earlier rains, the hollow was still great for dancing and a little bit of apple moonshine.  Camping was available anywhere you could stake your claim.

    Saturday at Statewide Music’s Fiddlers Picnic was a fiddle-tastic time for all. The site at Miller Hollow in Marion was immaculate and filled with shady areas to escape the burning sun. Escaping the blazing bluegrass was impossible though, yet every band brought their A-game and delivered killer sets. The day featured bands such as Rochester’s Clinton’s Ditch, Maine’s Mallet Brothers Band, Vermont’s Jatoba, Ohio’s  Rumbke Mountain Boys and Buffalo’s Floodwood. (Featuring Vinny and Al from moe.).

    Typical to every StateWide festival, this was a family affair, filled with friendly faces and plenty of children tearing around. At one point, HerbyOne’s own daughter blessed us with a beautiful rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” from the main stage. Music and fun went late into the night once again despite undesirable weather conditions. Highlights were a fierce newgrass version of Phish’s “Rift” by Jatoba and all of Floodwood’s amazing set.

  • Echo Music Fest Reverberates Through Downtown Albany

    Echo Music Fest, brought to you by Loyalty Entertainment, was designed to be an all day, all night outdoor EDM festival set in the beautiful, hilly region of Schenectady- home to Maple Ski Ridge, majestic Plotterkill Preserve and the Indian Lookout Country Club- made famous by Camp Creek, Gathering of the Vibes and Camp Bisco.  Instead, Echo Music Fest was downsized twice, cutting out all “minor” acts including Syracuse funk favorites, Sophistafunk, and relocated to two clubs, and finally one club, in downtown Albany.  The performances were narrowed down to the following DJ’s: Valerie Valentine, SAV and Mystereo, DVDJ Dread, and Jersey Shore celebrity and mashup hip-hop/house/electro DJ, Pauly D.  The festival started out with few attendees filtering in and out of Legends on Pearl, and ended in a packed, drunken, dancing mess of sweaty Albany clubgoers and assorted party people.  Mission Accomplished!

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    The lovely Val Valentine spun Synth-laden, bouncy electro-house tracks to start the evening off and bass-heavy mashup/house/trap/electro continued to echo down Pearl St. until close at 4am.  Each DJ brought their own style of EDM, providing listeners with a range of experiences.  Valentine’s set established an upbeat and technically interesting ambiance, with lots of cool sonic effects, knob-twisting and live mixing.  This Buenos Aires native was also quite enjoyable to watch, as she would periodically and adorably rise up to mix on tip-toe. Her set was unfortunately somewhat sparsely attended due to the early hour.  Next was SAV and Mystereo, the black and white Rorschack-masked Moombahton duo from parts unknown, who held fast to their anonymity, even down to an identity-killing, scratchy, Batman-like stage voice on Mystereo’s behalf.  Cheesy?…maybe.  Fun and weirdly cool?…Definitely.  Their set followed suit as it proved fun and danceable.  Moombahton, for those who are unfamiliar, is a blending of reggaeton and thick-baseline electro house or electro. This form of music has a tendency to get the party started due to its relatively new (c. 2010) electronic take on the ridiculously rhythmic and timeless roots of Jamaican dance hall and Dominican bachata.  The night continued to hold this energy as DVDJ Dread took the booth.  This is a DJ with technical skill.  Most memorable were the scratching breaks Dread regularly took in his hip-hop heavy set.  Fast scratching was his forte, and it was nice to see someone that still formidably wields this too oft neglected art.  Dread is also a filmographer (hence the “DVDJ”), and his videos streamed across Legends’ many large flat screens as the party grew in size and intensity.

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    It was during these primetime hours at Legends that a number of other DJ’s traded off with each other, most of them unidentified to this writer.  Pauly D soon integrated himself into this party of now hard-drinking DJs, and continued the theme of hip-hop/mashup/house.  He stuck hard to top 40 and club hits, with crowd favorites like A$AP Rocky’s “F***ing Problem” and “Ball” by TI.  Unfortunately, his spinning style appeared to be lacking in a variety of, well… creative mixing or turntablism.  I left remembering one instance, wherein Pauly D left the beat to a song thumping, cut out the treble, and mixed in a loop that simply repeated “Pauly…Pauly” for an extended break.  But…you do have to hand it to him,  he was able to keep those Albany clubgoers and a handful of festi-type partygoers dancing through the night, and repeating catchy pop-hip-hop rhymes the next day.

    Thanks to Loyalty Entertainment for a valiant effort in tough circumstances and hospitality all around.  Better luck with a larger outdoor festival next year!

  • Hearing Aide: Roots, Rock, Zydeco: Donna the Buffalo’s New Release, “Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday”

    One of the true jewels of the Upstate New York music scene is a little band that hails from Trumansburg called Donna the Buffalo.  With founding members Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins at the helm, this act has been delivering its own unique brand of Americana/Rock and Roll for well over two decades now.  As other parts of the band have changed, these two have developed a chemistry and song writing style that continue to produce fun and memorable music.  Their 10th studio release, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, gives the newest members of the band a chance to be heard and highlights all of the little things that make this band a treat to see live.

    The album starts off with an appropriately titled and fiddle-based song called “All Aboard” and takes off from there.  “Working On That” gives keyboardist David McCracken a chance to shine through a little and fits the mold of Donna’s signature style of making a point with its lyrics without getting preachy.  The Tara Nevins penned tune “I Love My Tribe” is a bouncy, sing along type song that seems to serve as somewhat of a nod to the bands faithful following, otherwise known as The Herd.  Undoubtedly, this song will be a fixture at Finger Lakes GrassRoot Festivals for years to come – a festival now in its 23rd year!

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    The title track of the album is a fun and upbeat one with a zydeco feel to it, a style of music this band incorporates so well into its playing.  As a sign of the band’s versatility, “Ms. Parsley” is a spirited dub/reggae type number that really stands out.  Most of the songs on the album are filled predominantly with lyrics, but on “Why You Wanna Leave Me” Donna stretches it out a little with a focused jam featuring interplay between Puryear on electric guitar and new bassist Kyle Sparks.  It also gives a little taste into what one can expect from the band in a live setting.  Another staple of this band is songs with Tara Nevins playing acoustic guitar while delivering lyrics from the heart and this gets accomplished and then some on “I See How You Are”.

    While some bands may have difficulty producing their authentic style of music and the energy found in playing live, Donna the Buffalo definitely accomplishes this with Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday.  It’s sure to satisfy both members of The Herd and the casual listener who wants to get an idea of what this band is all about.

    Key Tracks: Working On That, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, Ms. Parsley

    Follow Donna the Buffalo on Twitter, Facebook and visit their website

  • ‘Summer in Saratoga: A Rock Art Exhibition’ A Must See for Phans

    With the Fourth of July just around the corner, the good people of America are cleaning their grills and readying themselves for a relaxing day in the sun with friends, family, and fireworks – unless you’re a Phish fan!

    The long awaited summer tour is all but days away and Saratoga, NY will be busier than ever as truckloads of phans roll in to reclaim Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) for three nights of our four favorite men. Along side the first run of 2013 Summer tour will be a Rock Art Exhibition all but a stones throw from the Performing Arts Center.

    The show is developed and produced by a group of artists and fans called The Mothership Art Collective.  The show will include some of the best names in Phish inspired art including Lauren Domsky, Noah Phence, Dave Calarco, MYFE pins, Ant Pharm Pins and PerPINdicular Pins, AJ Masthay, Erin Cadigan, Isadora Bullock, Nate Duval, John Warner, Ryan Kerrigan, Branden Otto, Bruce Horan, Ed Wilson, TRiPP, Bill Pompeii, Drew Suto, 10 Minute Tube Designs, Party Time Pins, Page Side High and stuPINdous Creations.

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    Non-profits included in Summer in Saratoga: A Rock Art Exhibition are The Mocking Bird Foundation – which has donated over $700,000 in grants to music education over the past 15 years. Screens ‘n’ Suds – which combines craft beers and art to benefit the National MS Society and charities in Richmond, VA and Chicago, IL, raising over $75,000 since 2009. PhanArt – a book and website created as a way to showcase the art made by Phish fans – raising money for The Mockingbird Foundation through donations from artists and fans, totaling over $10,000 since 2009.

    Rock art exhibitions have been held since 2003 drawing phans from far and wide making this event a must-see during the Saratoga Phish weekend. “Summer in Saratoga:  a Rock Art Exhibition” is the first event of the year produced by the Mothership Art Collective.

    The art show will be held Saturday July 6th  at 10am- 3pm at the Saratoga Hilton featuring some of the best Phish inspired art and limited edition art made specifically for this show. Admission is free.

  • Hearing Aide: Solaris Burns Bright With ‘NeoN’

    Solaris, the three-piece instrumental band from Ithaca has released their newest album, NeoN. The album kicks off with “Triphammer”, a fast tempo beat with eerie echos and a serious build up that continues to rise throughout the entire song.

    This is that first song you hear that sends the message that the night has commenced I am a big fan of the “THEM” remix which is heavier on the bass at first, then a slower rhythm, making for an easy flowing electronic jam. “Neon” is just as it sounds, bright and bursting with energy, with an unpredictable melody. “Nostromo” (jazz version) was a pleasant surprise and I was pleased to hear Solaris experimenting with a different style, yet still making it their own. It was refreshing to hear a softer side of the band, each instrument being showcased delicately. “Harkonnen” gives off a Halloween vibe: think spooky mad scientist laboratory meets robots and aliens. “E.S.C. (Remix)” has more high pitched beeps and boops, with a groove that just as soon drops you as it picks you up again.

    NeoN is an ideal album to listen to while you’re driving to your next show or when you’re gearing up on lot. The album has an wide assortment of crisp arrangements, highlighting the multiple sounds of Upstate New York’s Solaris and making them the must see band of the summer.

    NeoN was recorded digitally in the studio, was produced, mastered and edited by drummer, Dan Lyons with additional overdubs from keyboardist Jared Raphel. Bassist Vinny Naro created the design and album artwork.  Fans can stream the album for free, a $3 download or $5 physical copy which gives you the artwork as well. NeoN features new electronica songs and experimental sounds as well as remixes to past favorites. Their summer tour will include festivals such as The Big Up, The Catskill Chill and MyGlo II.

    Key Tracks: Neon, Triphammer , Nostromo (Jazz Version)

  • Standing on the Super Moon – Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration at Tanglewood, June 22nd

    Symphonies do not typically lend themselves to improvisation, a trademark of Jerry Garcia and his performances with the Grateful Dead. So it was going to be interesting to see how Warren Haynes, one of the hardest working men in rock and roll was going to handle the Garcia catalog within the constraints of the Boston Pops Orchestra. The answer was very well, considering there was no rehearsal with the full orchestra other then what transpired the day of the show and at soundcheck, for which I happened to be picnicking on the lawn.

    Original Art by Nate Duval. Pick up at nateduval.com
    Original Art by Nate Duval. Pick one up at nateduval.com

    I attended the show with my tour buddy of many years, Kim, along with her family. Kim is a classically trained music teacher so I was going to rely on her opinion on how well the musicians did! Or so I thought. Kim’s biggest critique: She wanted more Warren as he was a little low in the mix. I argued that this wasn’t the Warren Haynes show but his interpretation of Jerry Garcia’s vast catalog within the settings of an orchestra. Nor were we listening to a rock band like The Allman Brothers, or Haynes’ own Gov’t Mule where he can let it rip. Shall I say I was looking for a refined performance? I argued that his guitar and his voice were just two instruments within the orchestra. Kim made note that one item not typically found in an orchestra was a trap set and I felt likewise about the four string electric bass. We also had vocals from Warren and two back up singers, Alecia Chekour and Jasmine Muhammad, ala the Jerry Garcia Band. The Joshua Light Show was another atypical appearance with the symphony.

    Keith Lockhart, Conductor of the Pops, took to the stage with wearing a tye-dye shirt while Warren was a little more formal. No tux for him, but he was wearing a suit coat on a very muggy night. He also was playing Wolf, one of Jerry’s own personal guitars designed by former Alembic employee Doug Irwin. Wolf was of the guitars that Garcia allegedly bequeathed to Irwin that wound up being involved in a dispute with the Grateful Dead organization on who actually had the ownership of the guitars. When the lawyers were paid, Irwin got to keep Tiger and Wolf; when both guitars were sold in 2002, Wolf garnered $700,000! Not a bad chunk of change, considering Jerry Garcia paid $1,500 for it. How the guitar wound up back within the control of Garcia’s estate I was not able to track down, but Trixie (Theresa) Garcia authorized the use of Wolf and approved of the symphonic celebrations. Down in the pit, my friend PFossilman Phil noted there was a big burly guy probably there to protect the guitar!!

    We spent the first Set in our seats in the shed where we had a jumbo screen right in front of us so I was able to see the setlist which the cameras captured many times, much to the chagrin of the dude sitting behind me who kept shrieking, “Why did they have to show it!” and “Please don’t show it again!” As I mentioned, the sound was a little subdued in the shed so we stayed on the lawn for Set 2. I was able to lay on our blanket on the lawn under the giant Super Moon, which Warren made reference to during “Standing on the Moon”, close my eyes and take in all the notes and movements. It was magical to hear songs I’ve heard so many times, including the distinctive sound ‘wah wah’ of Wolf echo across the Tanglewood lawn. Some old time deadheads thought it a sacrilege that anyone other then Garcia should be playing Wolf.

    All the songs were from the Grateful Dead repertoire except for “Russian Lullaby”,  a song that was originally written by composer Irving Berlin, which Jerry performed with his Jerry Garcia Band. The “Terrapin Station/Slipnot/Terrapin Reprise” segment lent itself best to the full symphony with its big notes and crescendos. Kim mentioned that the full orchestra was light in the middle of most songs and seemed to be more in the mix on the openers, closers and the band interludes. It would be interesting to know how long it took the Pops to score the music for the various instruments as there are definitely pieces that can be improved upon as far as making bolder use of the horns, percussion, strings etc…

    I encourage you to give a listen and experience the show for yourself as everyone will have their own opinion. Warren and the Boston Pops received many standing ovations throughout the show. I enjoyed a family outing listening to some of my favorite tunes. Although I wouldn’t chase the performances from stop to stop, I would go attend another show to see how another symphony handles the Garcia catalog.

    While a recording of the Tanglewood show has yet to surface, here is Warren’s performance with the National Symphony Orchestra at The Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia on June 26th. We will update this post as recordings surface.

    Set I: Tuning, Dark Star, Bird Song, Crazy Fingers, Russian Lullaby/Band/Interlude, Scarlet Begonias/Band/ Interlude, Shakedown Street, Morning Dew

    Set II: Mission in the Rain*, High Time^, Uncle Johns Band/Band/Interlude, West LA FadeAway, Standing on the Moon, Drums, Lady with a Fan/Terrapin Station/SlipKnot/Terrapin Reprise

    Encore: Ship of Fools

    * only one verse

    ^ not on official set list

  • Good Fortune From Phish with Ventura Box Set

    The late 90s were Phish’s greatest years, and fittingly, yet another Live Phish release from the era has been released. Ventura, a six-disk set covering the July 30th 1997 and July 20th 1998 shows at Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California, captures the sound of the era – the cowfunk of the 1997 and 1998 tours. With two prime shows chosen, the Ventura release is one of the best from Phish, on par with Phish at the Roxy and Colorado ’88.

    Before getting to the music, it is worth noting that the packaging and art, designed by LandLand, represents vivid beach scenes on the box cover and unique designs on each of the six disks. LandLand goes for a relaxed, inviting scene on each, comparable to their equally impressive Alpine Valley and Commerce City prints in 2012, making for a great official design to the set.

    Both shows are remastered by Fred Kevorkian, the guru who has brought new sounds to multiple releases recently, and begins with the 1997 installment where “NICU” wakes the crowd before a wonderful “Wolfman’s Brother” takes charge before segueing into a “Chalkdust Torture” that is given nearly as much space to breathe into its jam. “Stash”, like so many other shows before, is a mid-set highlight which clocks in at over 15 minutes. With so much excellence in the first half of the set, the rest of the set winds down with “Weigh” > an elusive five minute “Piper” then “Cars Trucks Buses” before “Character Zero” is found in its natural place to close the set.

    Set two dips in with “Punch You in the Eye”, always a nod to a heater of a set on the horizon. While “Free” is 11 minutes long, this version gives off a ‘less is more’ vibe, but still rolls the set along. Then, we are treated to one of the true highlights of Phish in their early prime, a tasty jam sandwich of “David Bowie” > “Cities” > “David Bowie”. This is the thing Phish dreams are made of: 21 minutes of “Bowie”, a perfect and smooth segue into “Cities” then a re-entry into “Bowie”, creating one of the many highlights of the summer, and an intriguing listen at that. With much of the heat of the set contained on Disk Two, a cover sandwich later in the set includes Bill Monroe’s “Uncle Pen” and “Prince Caspian” > Hendrix’s “Fire”, rounding out a tremendous set, capped off by an encore of Clifton Chenier’s “My Soul.” The bonus – a “Makisupa Policeman”-ish soundcheck jam is the final track, giving a taste of the warm ups from the period that propelled these jams to light.

    The 1998 show opens with an adventurous “Bathtub Gin” that clocks in at over 20 minutes, a rare start to a show these days, but from the late 90s, anything like this was possible. Much of the rest of the first set: “Dirt”, “My Sweet One”, “Water in the Sky” and others are standard versions, serving as a balance to “Gin.” The set enders, an early and proper “The Moma Dance” and a rockin’ “Split Open and Melt”, are a one-two punch, ending a set that is meaty on both ends.

    Set two features two Phish songs in between two songs from The Who’s Quadrophenia, with “Drowned” > “Makisupa Policeman” > “Maze”,  a delightful journey through varying improvisations, ending with the soft piano solo of Page McConnell on “Sea and Sand.” “Prince Caspian” > “Harry Hood” is yet another fine example of the extensive exploration that the band undertook on the stage, taking risks and developing jams organically into things of beauty. Just six songs in this set shows how improvisation of the era could translate into an incredible musical experience. The encore of Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” was part of a summer of unique covers at each show, then a “Halley’s Comet” with a little extra mustard from the good ol’ days of Phish. Once again, a snippet of the soundcheck jam from the show was again “Makisupa”/reggae-ish, with Shocking Blue’s “Venus” serving as hilarious banter amid the jam.

    Ventura is available now for purchase at Phish Dry Goods. Pick it up and enjoy some of the best of the late 90’s while you rock out on tour this summer.

  • The 2nd Annual Fiddlers Picnic – A Good Old Ho’down in the Mud

    The roads were treacherous, the mud was deep, the sun was out and the sounds of bluegrass filled the warm summer air. The 2nd annual Fiddlers Picnic in Marion, NY brought us securely into full blown festy season. With a lineup that impressed bluegrass lovers young and old, this intimate festival nestled in the woods was of all things one hell of a family ho’down!

    Friday: Ahhh, the first day of the fest; always a wild card in my book. It can go two ways really, calm and chill and hanging with friends – gearing up for a late Saturday … OR it’s the night that we all get crazy and dance barefoot in the mud with a jar of pineapple moonshine in our hands till the sun comes up.

    Highlights from Friday included Eastbound Jesus with the sounds to bring people from setting up their camp to dancing in the hay covered mud. The Blind Owl Band who set the bar high for the two remaining bands that night, played their hearts out while a barrage of friends graced the stage.

    The night got better as it progressed with South Carolina’s Dangermuffin keeping the energy high! The straw dance floor atop the mud only added an old-timey feel to the family ho’down this festival had become. It was clear that this weekend was going to be filled with sit-ins and campfires, despite the weather just a few short days before. Late-night Friday belonged to Hogmaw from Pennsylvania who rightfully refer to themselves as ‘bringing a distinct abstract sound to string band music that can only be best described as THUNDERGRASS!’

    Hogmaw
    Hogmaw

    Saturday: The day began with The North and South Dakotas, a great sting band with a drummer and amplified instruments. It was quite relaxing and a beautiful way to start the day –  sunshine in your face sitting on the grassy hill, enjoying the people watching , and girls with hula-hoops and a jug o’ shine to set their dancing mood.

    Clinton's Ditch
    Clinton’s Ditch

    Saturday Afternoon brought us to the 3rd stage for the Aaron Austin Band which slowed things down a bit more than the previous act. For a lovely cover of “Tangled Up In Blue” we sat in the hammock and enjoyed the coolness of the shade. Late afternoon developed into a gathering of close friends and families; children in rain boots and hay strewn across the ground to make a dance floor above the muddy earth. Festival goers were also treated to sets by Still Hand String Band, Boots n’ Shorts and Rochester natives, Clinton’s Ditch.

    Boots n' Shorts
    Boots n’ Shorts
    Black Mountain Symphony on Saturday was another first timer for this gal and of course another delightful choice of bands, which has been the theme for the fest so far. Black Mountain Symphony features Annie Campo, a soulful singer/violinist with talent far beyond her years. Drummer Bill Palinski shared the duties of vocals and artistic drumming that kept the beat like a locomotive barreling down the tracks.  Bear Campo on keyboards also brought an intense sound to this performance. This band will be a welcome addition to any festival – their sound is all encompassing with strings, keys, guitar and drums.
    Black Mountain Symphony
    Black Mountain Symphony

    The real treat Saturday was the surprise first time live performance of Ms. Haley Rose (age 12) with her breathtaking rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” and a captivating “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, which brought festival goers to a stand still on the hill as she sang her heart out to the ears of fans and family alike. Natural talent runs in her family and it’s worth noting that Haley’s singing talents were equally impressive to that of her younger brother, Brayden Vaughn, whom MC’d the entire festival with the experience of a seasoned announcer.

    Also on the bill for Saturday was Boots n’ Shorts, Jatoba, Floodwood, the Rumpke Mountain Boys and a late-night jam with Free Grass Union. Saturday night’s Jatoba set gave us a fast-ass-jam-grass version of Phish’s “Rift” that had phans hootin and a’ hollerin for this Vermont-based festival favorite.

    Bands these days are creating side projects for themselves that seem to be crossing the genres in which they have been known in – Floodwood is no exception to this trending concept in music. moe. band members Vinny Amico and Al Schnier are credited for face melting jam-rock while also belonging to a down right kick ass bluegrass ensemble. Floodwood followed suit with the rest of the weekend and brought the roof down with their original brand of newgrass.

    After a set with Floodwood, the energy was high and the mud was deep – the Rumpke Mountain Boys, from Ohio, brought the music hungry crowd to the second stage for what turned out to be one of my favorite jams from the weekend. The band has molded their own style of bluegrass/jamgrass into what they call ‘trashgrass.’

    Unfortunately because of the severe weather warnings for Sunday, Fiddlers Picnic had to cancel the music for Sunday – when campers woke to down pouring rain early Sunday morning, we were sad about missing the music for that day but relieved that we got the warning early enough to pack-up. Gear loaded onto the back of a sleeping-bag, we embraced the mudslide down the side of the hill we were perched upon so happily the two previous days of the festival.

    This festival had a stellar line-up from morning till late-nights, the family-friendly vibe, and beautiful camping spots. Fiddlers Picnic should be on the radar of any bluegrass lover. Cheers!

  • Trombone Shorty Plays Final Day of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest

    The 12th Edition of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (XRIJF) wraps up today with free shows on 4 outdoor stages featuring Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue back for his fourth appearance. Plus, a full night of shows in the clubs, all followed by the final jam session at the Rochester Plaza. This year’s festival has been a showcase of “known” and “unknown” musicians – tonight will be a party in the streets that should not be missed!

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    The latest album from Trombone Shorty and the Orleans Avenue, For True, offers substantive proof of their explosive growth, further refining the signature sound Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews has dubbed “Supafunkrock.”

    Andrews hails from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans’ 6th Ward, getting his nickname at four years old when he was observed by his older brother James marching in a street parade wielding a trombone twice as long as the kid was high. He got his start early, learning how to play drums and the trumpet at the age of three. By the time he reached six, this prodigy was playing trumpet and trombone in a jazz band led by his older brother James.

    The band – Mike Ballard on bass, Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, Dan Oestreicher on baritone sax and Tim McFatter on tenor sax – stirs together old-school jazz, funk and soul, laced with hard-rock power chords and hip-hop beats, and they’ve added some tangy new ingredients on For True as they keep pushing the envelope, exploring new musical territory.

    Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will be at the East Ave. & Alexander St. Stage, tonight at 9:00PM – this is a FREE show.

  • Click Click Boom – SALIVA Lights up Lost Horizon

    When covering a show, I try to get there early to catch all the local acts. It’s good to see what talent (or lack of talent) is coming up in an area. After going to enough shows and seeing a variety of local acts and some of the same ones over and over, you can get a feel of what is happening in the scene. Since I live in the Albany area, I know the Capital region’s scene. The metal scene is much more of a hard core, heavy, scream-o thing with various bands coming and going and a few staples, like Brick by Brick or bright up-and-comers like Restless Streets.

    I will be the first to admit that I’m not too familiar with the Syracuse scene. I will also tell you that after the Saliva show at the Lost Horizon, this NEEDS to change. Saliva was great and I will talk about that later, but the locals were exceptional. East Coast Live Entertainment and 95X put together an awesome lineup that kept moving at a great pace. The breaks between sets were minimal, and welcomed so we could go outside and take in some cool summer evening air. I’ve rarely seen a promoter hustle the day of the show as much as Chuck from East Coast Live. He was working harder than anyone there and I think sound, lighting and musicians can appreciate that effort and put that much more into their own work. Perhaps all of that combined made the night of music so incredible.

    Starting off the show was Hitting on Amber. Designated by 95X deejay, Dixon, as the most improved band on the Syracuse scene. I’m not sure what they sounded like a year ago, but I can tell you that they immediately set the bar high for the locals following them. Simply put, they rocked. Sound was clean and their performance was solid. This is a band that could open for any touring hard rock or heavy metal act coming to the region and will start seeing their own following grow in the meantime. Like most locals, time in front of audiences and growing their footprint are the first steps. Look for Hitting on Amber on more local shows and get there early to support them, you won’t be disappointed.

    Catastrophe Me was next up and while I enjoy female lead singers (I am currently really into Maria Brink’s new stuff), this performance was the one exception to a night of hard rockin’ goodness. I found myself cringing at some parts hoping that the set would hurry along, the shrieking would stop, or the choreographed headbanging would cease to exist from rock ‘n roll entirely. While the performance wasn’t a complete catastrophe, vocal work and stage presence issues need to be addressed before being taken seriously in the rock world. There is a lot of potential in the young lead singer, something maturity and a good manager can work with and I hope they seek out that guidance and continue to grow within the local scene.

    Auburn stoner metal band, Stone Soul Foundation, took the stage and as far as I was concerned, this could have been the start of the touring bands. The quality of performances from this point forward made the cost of admission worth it at twice the price. This dread-lead hard rockin’ gang of misfits had great vocals, guitar licks, and the drummer set an energetic pace.

    As I walked around the Lost Horizon between sets I noticed more Crows Cage t-shirts than all the other bands combined. Their local following came out in droves and I was anxious to see if they could live up to the hype. Being placed between SSF and Devour the Day would have been tough for Saliva to live up to. Yes SSF and DTD were THAT good. Luckily for Crows Cage they were that good, too. They took the challenge and kept the night moving. The venue was hot and sticky, and people were still dancing to real rock ‘n roll. If this show is any indication, the Syracuse scene is strong. A lot of talent and some national touring potential.

    Devour the Day is made up of past members of Memphis, Tennessee band, Egypt Central. No strangers to national tours and big stages, they didn’t miss a beat. Their new material is solid and already getting airtime on Sirius XM’s Octane, along with a lot of attention from local rock station 95X. Within the last month since the show at the Lost Horizon, DTD has shared the stage and is planning to with Sevendust and Otherwise in July 2013 and currently a June run with Hinder. After their set I turned to Joy (my girlfriend who joined me for the show) and we agreed that if the night ended right then, it would have been a great night. How can Saliva top this?

    Well, Saliva couldn’t top it, but they did keep the night going with bright lights, strong vocals from their new lead singer Bobby Amaru and new songs that seemed a lot harder than their old material. Time away did not hurt this band that is known primarily for the huge hit, “Click Click Boom”. A couple of the new songs will get airtime that will hopefully help eliminate the one hit wonder status that they are unfortunately labeled with. Their talent and energy combined with the new songs should generate new fans.

    Other highlights of the evening included the fans and the venue. First off, two young rockers with cerebral palsy were there and apparently get free tickets to all East cost Live Entertainment shows. Why? Because besides busting his ass to make sure everyone is happy and comfortable at the show, Chuck understands that rock ‘n roll is about passion. These young fans love rockin’ out and Chuck loves giving the gift of music. Not only did they get free tickets, they got free shirts and the bands came out and got their photos taken with them. It warmed my heart to see someone giving back. Rock used to be a lot about helping each other out and when I look at Chuck and other promoters like Mike Valente from Black ‘n Blue, who is known to throw benefit shows often, and I hope for their success. Fans often think promoters cash in, it’s simply not true for most. Many shows lose money and the occasion that money is made, they are quick to help out the locals that play for gas money or drinks.

    The venue was great and if you live in central New York and haven’t been to the Lost Horizon for a show, you need to go. Legends passing through the valley have played there over the past 40 years. Names like Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Upcoming shows include The Front Bottoms and Earth Crisis. Add this venue to your rock ‘n roll bucket list. You can thank me later.