NYS Music 20​13

Tag: moe.

  • Summer Camp Music Festival – One of the Best Lineups This Summer Features 8 Upstate NY Bands

    For the past decade, Summer Camp Music Festival has been on the radar of live music aficonados, as it unofficially kicks off the summer festival season, and this year features 8 bands from Upstate NY. Living in the Northeast, we have our own kickoff for summer festival season, StrangeCreek in Greenfield, MA. But finally, the stars have aligned and in 3 short weeks, will be headed to Chillicothe, Illinois to cover Summer Camp Music Festival!

    summer camp upstate ny

    And we couldn’t have picked a better year to be there! Upstate New York has not just founder of Summer Camp, moe., but EIGHT Upstate New York bands are on the extensive lineup, bringing the best of Upstate to the Midwest. Among the rest of the bands on the lineup, which includes Umphrey’s McGee, Thievery Corporation, Trey Anastasio Band, Lotus , Cornmeal, Dopapod, Keller Williams, Conspirator, Lettuce, Big Gigantic, Tauk and dozens more, Upstate New York is represented by Floodwood, Jimkata, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Timbre Coup, Project Weather Machine, Aqueous, John Brown’s Body and of course, moe. There is rarely a festival outside the Northeast to feature so many bands from the Upstate New York region, showing that these acts are making names for themselves beyond their region and branching out to newer and broader fan bases around the country.

    This installment of Summer Camp isn’t just the best yet, it is also one of the best lineups anyone could ask for. For four days and nights, central Illinois will be rocking from noon till nearly dawn with some of the best jambands, electronic acts, bluegrass groups, reggae troupes and ensembles of every genre imaginable. The folks at Canopy Club have outdone themselves, and that’s saying a lot when you look back at previous lineups.summer camp upstate NY

    Mike Armintrout, one of the promoters for Summer Camp, had this to say about the bands hailing from Upstate New York and the Northeast: “Being that moe. is such a major part of Summer Camp, and has been since the first year (2001), bands from their home area clearly hold a special place with them and therefore with the festival.  Over the years we’ve had a number of acts from the Northeast and Upstate NY on the festival.  This year we’re excited about the return of a number of Northeast-based acts like Medeski Martin & Wood, The Wood Brothers, The Pimps of Joytime and Jimkata.  As well as a first-time appearance by some other great acts from the region like Lettuce, Dopapod, Project Weather Machine and Aqueous.  The Northeast continues to have a foothold at the Summer Camp Music Festival.”

    This, the 13th installment of Summer Camp will be nothing short of magical, but with so much music to see, the task of knowing what to see is daunting. For your consideration, may we interest you in the acts from Upstate New York, all worthy of an hour of your time, and quite possibly, many hours of listening in the future…

    moe.

    Summer Camp was founded by moe. in 2001, on the heels of their incredibly successful moe.down, now in it’s 14th year. Playing six sets during the weekend, odds are you’ll be seeing plenty of moe., and that you don’t need us to tell you of their involvement of putting this festival together. moe. plays the mainstage each night on the main stage.

    “It’s interesting, when we all get togeher, it doesn’t matter if its moe. or Floodwood, there’s definitely a thing about being from the Northeast and being from Upstate NY. You don’t really know it until you leave and get out of the Northeast and leave Upstate New York and run into people from Upstate in another geographical part of the country … we were on the road with Floodwood recently and ran into someone in  Asheville, NC. This guy spent a lot of time in Upstate and said ‘I miss Upstate New York, the sarcasm, the food, the everything … when I hang with you guys for a couple days, it takes a bit to readjust (attitude-wise) with my wife.” – Al Schnier, Guitar/Mandolin/Vocals, moe. and Floodwood

    Jimkata

    Hailing from Ithaca, Jimkata has begun to draw sizeable crowds throughout the country, combined electronic music with rock and progressive jams. Their recent album Die Digital has been a huge hit and led to incredible sets as they stretch into the south and Midwest. Read an interview with Evan Friedell of Jimkata with ’s Johnny Goff.  Few acts from the Northeast have risen as fast as Jimkata has. To see them live is a pure treat for the ears and eyes. If you like electronic rock, you’d be hard pressed to find better. Check them out from 6-7pm on Sunday in the Vibe Tent

    summer camp upstate NY“I think there are a lot of hard working bands that have come out of upstate or the northeast that earn or have earned every fan or credit they get.  To see many of them on the same bill makes it feel like our area is indeed a productive one when it comes to live music and building a live music community.  Hopefully as more people from back home see their favorite hometown bands on bills like this they’ll feel more inspired to continue supporting the live music scene we have going.” –Evan Friedell, Guitar/Vocals, Jimkata

    Timbre Coup

    Progressive rock is alive and well thanks to larger acts like Umphrey’s McGee, and Timbre Coup from Albany have put their signature sound on prog-rock, standing out among their peers and producing excellent albums, most recently Knuckles and Valleys, a spectacular release in 2012 that covers all 12 months of the year in 12 tracks, highlighted by the interplay of the band as they seamlessly switch instruments for various songs and intertwine their sound while our ears scream in joy. Timbre Coup is a treat every time we see them, and you’ll thank us when you check them out Sunday from noon-1pm.

     “I feel like Upstate NY is a hotbed of creativity right now from the most progressive of music all the way to rustic and traditional sounds of blue grass and jam rock. Bands like Jimkata, Aqueous, Timbre Coup, Project Weather Machine and all the others that will be representing this region in the Midwest at Summer Camp show how eclectic the creativity is and how this scene really has something for everyone.” – Dan Gerken, Guitar/Vocals, Timbre Coup

    Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad

    Hailing from Buffalo, Giant Panda is one of two reggae-infused bands to come out of Upstate for Summer Camp. If you like your reggae diverse and beyond run of the mill, Giant Panda is perfect for you and makes a great mid-day aural snack on Saturday from 330-430pm.

    summer camp upstate NY“It is some of the more honest, foot stomping fun that you will see this summer. We’re all funked up from the cold and the Kodak chemie sunsets. Oh and the fracked water…” James Searl, Bass/Vocals, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad

    Floodwood

    Two parts moe. and three parts Zachary, Jason and Nick equals one helluva pickin’ party with string band Floodwood. Playing bluegrass standards, David Grisman tunes and a variety of foot-stompers, Floodwood has been a huge hit out east and the Midwest is lucky to have them playing five sets throughout the weekend. There’s lots of bluegrass and jamgrass at Summer Camp, so get your dose of Floodwood, as they’re only playing three festivals the rest of the summer – Fiddler’s Picnic June 14-16 in Lyons, NY, Clearwater Music Festival on June 15-16 in Croton-on-Hudson, NY and moe.down 14, August 9-11 in Turin, NY.

    summer camp upstate NY“With moe. and getting to the west coast, there’s something about being from Upstate New York and the Northeast – you have this different outlook and certain kind of humor, an appreciation for sarcasm. The interesting thing I love about Upstate New York is that everyone is down to earth and it goes a long way and really stands out when you are out of your element” – Al Schnier, Guitar/Mandolin/Vocals, moe. and Floodwood

    Project Weather Machine

    A band comprised of four individuals with eclectic backgrounds, Project Weather Machine hails from Syracuse and melds the genres of rock, dance, folk and blues, as well as jamming throughout each of these styles of music. Just over a year old, this group has caught the ears of a great deal throughout New York State and will playing from 130-230pm on Sunday afternoon.

    summer camp upstate NY“I feel that the Upstate bands in the Summer Camp lineup stand out mostly in the fact that it is so diverse. There are six markets across Upstate New York that are being represented and each one has it’s own individual sound: Indie, electro, rock, jam, progressive, folk and dub/reggae are all being represented. It really shows what a wonderful cross section of music we have here in Upstate New York.” Daniel Wafer, Bass/Vocals, Project Weather Machine

    Aqueous

    A true jamband with progressive routes and a wide-range of influences, Aqueous is full of deep improvisation, songwriting that is years beyond bands of similar caliber and a live performance that is a hallmark of Upstate New York. They kick off the music on Sunday from 11am-12pm, so start the day off right with an early dose of true improv.

    “The bands selected to represent the Northeast at this year’s Summer Camp Music Festival are among the finest Upstate New York has to offer and we’re excited and grateful to bring our sound to the incredible mix of bands on the lineup!” – Mike Gantzer, Guitar, Aqueous

    John Brown’s Body

    Playing from 5-6pm early Sunday evening, John Brown’s Body has the recent distinction of having the #1 album on Billboard’s Reggae Chart. Hailing from Boston via Ithaca, this ensemble of musicians uses reggae as the base for their sound, bringing in drums and bass, dub and electronica into the mix to bring their music to another level. Horns and a tight core develop immense rhythms. Don’t miss out on JBB.

    “I think it is the people themselves that our making music from the Upstate NY region unique and interesting. There is wisdom and inspiration that has been passed on from older generations of musicians from the area and from our peers who lead their own groups. We are originally from Ithaca NY, so for JBB, it is individuals like Kevin Kinsella and our own Elliot Martin, and bands like Giant Panda and Thunder Body from Rochester that represent a sound and approach unique to this place.” -Drew Sayers , Saxaphone, John Brown’s Body

    See you at Summer Camp!

  • Another Fantastic snoe.down with moe., Strangefolk, Eastbound Jesus, Tauk and more, March 21st-24th, Rutland, VT

    Upstate New York favorite ‘local’ band, moe., hosted their 5th annual snoe.down Music Festival over March 21st-24th in Rutland, Vermont at both Killington Resort and Spartan Arena. The weekend was full of moe., who gave an outdoor performance at Bear Mountain on Saturday to fans and winter sports enthusiasts, while performing Friday and Saturday evening in Rutland, as well as a special acoustic Sunday show for the VIP crowd at the Wobbly Barn at Killington. Throughout the weekend, guests had a wide array of musical acts to enjoy such as Marco Benevento, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk and Strangefolk.

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    There was no better way to kick off the first weekend of Spring and the start of festival season than with a weekend dedicated to winter sports and talented musicians. The weekend started for me on Friday at the K1 lodge at Killington. The lodge was packed with tons of skiers and boarders, loading up on food and checking out the first act of the day, Tauk. The electronic rockin’ sound soon filled up the room and brought in plenty of people off the slopes. Matt Jalbert was on fire with funky guitar riffs and Charlie Dolan was unstoppable providing steady, groovy bass lines. Alric “A.C.” Carter went wild on his keys during “I Want You (She’s so Heavy)”, causing the audience to cheer while Isaac Teel kept the pop and jazzy rhythm going strong on drums. Throughout the entire set, the four-piece band was smiling and grooving just as much as the crowd was. My favorite part was how each song escalated into the next song, with great transitions. When asked about the show and weekend, Charlie Dolan reported, “We thought the set went very well! It was our first time playing a show since we finished up our CD, always refreshing to play in front of a good crowd. It was definitely our first time playing in a ski lodge, hopefully not the last. The rest of the weekend was great! Obviously, since we got to see moe. play.”

    Before their music even started, I was excited to see what would come out of The Primate Fiasco, just from the array of instruments they had. The band took the stage with a banjo, clarinet, sousaphone, saxophone and the classic drum set, all of which I have never seen together at one time on one stage. Best described as a psychedelic Dixieland jam band, The Primate Fiasco quickly drew a dance crowd just with their soundcheck alone. Their vast musical arrangements flowed from original works to covers such as Ween’s “Roses are Free”, John Williams’ great score from Star Wars and various genres of tunes that anyone can enjoy dancing to. The energy was at a constant high with each band member being a driving force of talent and sound. The lodge was turned into a Mardi Gras party from the bellowing of the brass section, the fast finger pickings of the banjo and jazzy beats. It was my favorite act of the entire snoe.down weekend.

    The scenic drive from Killington to Rutland wove around the mountain side and river’s edge, leading to the main drag in Rutland where there was plenty of food options as well as hotels, all a quick walk to the Spartan Arena. Inside the venue were multiple stands set up that you could find at any parking lot scene, offering shirts, stickers and various other merchandise. The ice-hockey-rink-turned-concert-hall provided great sound throughout the venue. Dumpstaphunk hit the stage and unleashed the groove as everybody started to get down. The New Orleans band plays with the great soul of classic funk and mixes it with modern twist. Ivan Neville, the master of the keys, wears a permanent smile while he pours his heart all over the organ. The wide range of vocals that the musicians sing propelled all to shout out in unison. The newest member of Dumpstaphunk, Nikki Glaspie, is a no joke and a true female drumming machine. I couldn’t get enough of the bass bombs being dropped by Nick Daniels and Tony Hall and the intense guitar jamming from Ian Neville

    Following the funk filled set, moe. started their set with “Captain America” creating an explosive response from the fans. The Upstate New York band eased into a flawless “Recreational Chemistry” and shared the stage with Ivan Neville for “Happy Hour Hero” and a cover of The Meters’ “Cissy Strut”. Said Al, “I can’t stop smiling. It’s fantastic” sharing his feelings during Al.nouncements at the conclusion of the set. The night ended with “St. Augustine”, a groovy, light-hearted song that left the crowd in anticipation for the rest of the weekend.

    moe. setlist:

    Set 1: Captain America > Recreational Chemistry, Bring It Back Home, Happy Hour Hero*, Cissy Strut*, Bullet >Kyle’s Song  (* w/ Ivan Neville on keys)

    Set 2: Billy Goat > Tailspin, Opium, Faker > Tubing The River Styx > The Pit > Wind It Up

    Encore: Augustine

    Saturday’s festival goers were greeted with sunshine and snow showers as they geared up for the outdoor shows at Bear Mountain in Killington. The stage was set up at the bottom of the slopes and right next to the lodge, whose massive outdoor deck was full of people lined up to watch the show.  The wooden deck was surrounded by snowboards and skis of all sizes and colors. Fans also had the option of standing in the beer tent area, located closer to the right of the stage. Bear Mountain was ablaze with all the brightly colored jackets, not to mention all the hats, scarfs, helmets and sunglasses. It was true sensory overload at its best.

    I was most excited to see Eastbound Jesus, one of my favorite local bands from Albany. Despite the chill in the air, EBJ easily heated up the crowd with their high energy, bluegrass rock songs that echoed off the ski slopes. Loaded with steady drum beats and fast guitar, as well as banjo strumming all fed the foot stomping fans, which made the entire mountain shake. It was so much fun to dance in the snow and sing along with everyone to “Here’s to You” and “Holy Smokes.” Eastbound Jesus was happy to play requests from the audience, who couldn’t get enough of the fast buildups that erupted into a pure hillbilly bash. Carl Anderson the drummer had this to say, “It was cool to play outside, especially with the snow coming down. The heaters worked well on the stage though and we’re pretty used to playing while cold. It was cool to open for moe.; it was a fun weekend.”

    moe. took the stage and wasted no time getting the party going by starting with “Stranger Than Fiction” straight into “Spaz Medicine.” The snow started to fall, and when mixed with the music, it created a whirlwind of sound that got stuck on my coat and melted into my beer.  “Waiting For The Punchline” provided serious drum banging with relentless guitar riffs.  As the snow fell harder and harder, the band joked at how ironic it was to have indoor shows cancelled from weather like this, yet we are all outside having a good time.  They ended the set with one of my favorite moe. songs, “Spine Of A Dog” known for its absurd lyrics and light hearted jamming.

    Setlist: Stranger Than Fiction >Spaz Medicine, Blue Jeans Pizza > Waiting For The Punchline, Jazz Wank > Akimbo, Okayalright

    Encore: Spine Of A Dog

    After fans drove back from the mountain, got some rest and food in them, the music continued at Spartan Arena with Strangefolk, formed in Burlington in the early 1990s and reunited as their original lineup only last year. Having only played 10 shows since last March, the quartet sounded like they had never stopped performing, moving through a set of classic tunes and rarities. Opening with “Elixer”, off Weightless in Water, the vibe became one that swayed hips and moved lips as fans sang along to the catchy tune, a common occurrence when you listen to Strangefolk’s combination of dual guitars and well written lyrics. “Dance” started out quiet and subdued, but slowly built up into a frenzy, compelling the crowd with lyrics such as “When you’re dancin’, dancin’, move your feet and lose your mind”, to which the arena obliged. A heavier “Chasing Away” had an edge to it, plus sandwiched inside of the song the rare “Pooh Bear’s Mistress”. Crowd favorite “Reuben’s Place” was supposed to close the set, but a misreading of time led Reid to conclude there were 25, then 10, minutes left in their set, leading to an onstage encore of “Stout Hearted Man”. Once again, Strangefolk were given a rousing ovation by a Vermont crowd, something the quartet were quite familiar with throughout the 1990s.

    moe.s sets this evening led to a great deal of potential, because aside from the acoustic VIP set on Sunday, this was going to be the last set most would see until the band’s next shows in May. Opening with a scorching  “32 things”, Chuck shredde guitar sections with Al, who was sporting one of the finest beards in the state (there are a lot of beards in Vermont). “Haze”, a relatively new song for moe. was a huge highlight of the night, with Al and Rob giving intense emotion to the refrain “Hey, Let’s go. I don’t care as long as you are there; Hey, Let’s go, Doesn’t really matter when or where”. Jon Trafton and Reid Genauer from Strangefolk joined the band for two extensive versions of The Band’s “Up on Cripple Creek” and moe.’s “Mexico”; Jon stood near Chuck smiling ear to ear as they tore up the song while Reid stood centerstage, grinning and playing intensely on his acoustic. After the setbreak, moe. opeend with crowd favorite “Buster” and segued quickly into “Runaway Overlude”. After a 16 minute “Puebla”, the band moved into an extended sandwich: Brent Black > Mar-DeMa > Brent Black > Meat > Brent Black, an incredible combination of song after song that wrapped up more than the last 30 minutes of their set. “That Country Tune” and “Godzilla” wrapped up the encore and a huge Saturday of music.

    This weekend in Vermont with moe. and company was an incredible experience. Add in the skiing, beautiful scenery, late night revelry and sore muscles from dancing all weekend, and you know its the start of music festival season in the Northeast!

    moe. Setlist:

    Set 1: 32 Things, Shoot First, Haze, Y.O.Y., Up On Cripple Creek*^, Mexico* (* with Reid Genauer and Jon Trafton on guitar, ^Reid and Jon on vocals)

    Set 2: Buster > Runaway Overlude, Where Does The Time Go?, Puebla > Brent Black > Mar-DeMa > Brent Black > meat > Brent Black

    Encore: That Country Tune, Godzilla^ (^ Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin) teases)

  • Floodwood, Giant Panda, Timbre Coup, Aqueous, and Project Weather Machine added to Summer Camp lineup!

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    Upstate NY will be well represented at the 13th Annual Summer Camp Music Festival at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL on Memorial Day Weekend – May 24, 25 & 26, 2013.

    Floodwood (Featuring Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico of moe.), Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Timbre Coup, Aqueous and Project Weather Machine will all be venturing to the MidWest to represent Upstate at this well attended event.

    Summer Camp, which features moe. and Umphrey’s McGee as long standing host, has grown to the top tier of outdoor camping events. Besides the before mentioned acts, Summer Camp also includes Trey Anastasio Band, STS9, The Avett Brothers, Thievery Corporation, Big Gigantic, Yonder Mountain String Band, Cornmeal, Lettuce and more.

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    Floodwood

    Floodwood, based in Utica, is a progressive string band featuring the combined talents of Schnier and Amico, plus Jason Barady, Nick Piccininni, and Zachary Fleitz. Now in their second year of touring mostly local Upstate shows between moe. tours, Floodwood is ready to take their show to regional markets.

    Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad calls Rochester home, but they have toured consistently the past 6 years with their highly acclaimed psychedelic roots reggae show. Panda guitarist/vocalist Dan Keller has come full circle. “This was the first music festival I ever attended…now I’m playing at it. Life is cool sometimes.”

    Albany’s Timbre Coup is a progressive rock band often compared to groups like King Crimson or Umphrey’s McGee, but they also have a very danceable side. ”We want people to pay attention to the details and intricacies of our songs, but we love making people dance.” says drummer Matt Pickering.

    Buffalo’s Aqueous is taking the northeast by storm as of late, constantly hitting new markets with their infectious jam/prog/rock improvisation. With a heavy focus on segues and ever changing set lists, Aqueous will keep you wanting more!

    CNY’s Project Weather Machine has quickly gained an audience in the jam scene since their first show in February of 2012. Combining deep song writing, roaring guitar solos and floor shaking dance beats, PWM is sure to keep ya movin!

    For more info on Summer Camp check out their weblink below
    http://www.summercampfestival.com