NYS Music 20​13

Tag: Music Festivals

  • Dancing Amongst the Magic – Grassroots Festival 2013

    Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance was held on the 18th- 21st of July, 2013. Not really though. Really it began on Rabbit Run Rd. behind the Trumansburg Fairgrounds outside of Ithaca on July 17th. Anybody there will tell you. Cars, trucks, buses and RVs lined up early Wednesday morning to get in line and do their best in claiming a good spot on the grounds. Loyal fans spent the night on the side of the road in the humidity and July heat carrying Grassroots cheer with them, as they reminisced about past years. When Thursday morning arrived, the hard work had paid off and at noon, hot pink bracelets were on and gates were opened. People filled up the fields and both onsite and offsite camping almost full as the much anticipated music began.

    To many, Grassroots is a summer staple, a place where they return again and again, often times carrying new friends along, recommending the joy to others they meet on their travels. Musicians and crowds carry similar chants: “Grassroots is not like any other festival, it is in a class all of its own. Casting spells and sharing the whole wide world on four stages.”

    The popular new camping area dubbed “Next door camping” is a great place to stay while the festival unravels. You can hear sounds from the famous stage at the Infield, as well as be tempted by sights and sounds coming from the Grandstand stage. Thursday evening The Blind Spots kicked the festival into full gear, mixing oldies, funk, reggae, rock and the gorgeous vocals of lead singer Maddy Walsh up into the perfect brew. Their rendition of “Purple Rain” kept people talking through the weekend. Staying at the Grandstand would have kept anyone satisfied with bands like Driftwood, Rubblebucket, and of course Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad filling up the night with sound. At Grassroots though, a different world is a walk away. Down a dusty old path to the Infield, festival creators Donna the Buffalo was making beautiful music before handing the stage over to old time favorites Rusted Root. Meanwhile, the famous Grassroots dance tent was successfully being turned into a NYC dance club with newcomers DJ Bill Kelly & Richard McVay.

    Grassroots parties ‘til the moon goes down. So after a perfect night of raging, Friday comes too quick. Yoga in the dance tent tempts most festival goers but the early morning sun seems like too much and the crowds remain small (“maybe tomorrow?”) One of the perks to being a Grassroots flower is you get second chances. Everything happens twice. Any overlapping bands, events or adventure usually give you a second chance. There is the double-scheduled bands, the healing tent activities happening each day, ethnic and comfort food available all hours of the night, shuttle buses that leave every ten minutes to the forest at offsite, the free-flowing art in the barn and of course the forever tumbling gorges a walk away.

    Friday at Grassroots promised some of the biggest acts of the weekend including Jim Lauderdale, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Sim Redmond Band, and John Brown’s Body. If you are willing to look and listen you’ll find a few new favorites as well. The Spam Allstars from Miami, Florida rocked the Grandstand Friday evening taking festival goers from the hot Latin music of South America to the cool trance music of Canada.

    Saturday is the day to get down at Grassroots. Anyone who makes their way to this sweet spot will tell you, “If you’ve got some energy left, save it for Saturday.” It is the day to roam the grounds, do some shopping at the array of local artisan booths, and take a gander at the artistic creations that will leave you both impressed and inspired. Just stopping in the picnic area and taking a look at the sights that surround you are enough to fill your senses. The people are a work of art. Everyone dares to be different. There’s the dancers, the painted ones, the glitter goddesses, the families, the farmers, the jugglers, the musicians (everywhere) and the fairies on stilts; which will of course lead you to the kids play area, the drum workshop, the hula-hoopers, and the bubble blowers. Everywhere you go there is something to see, something to hear and someone to meet.

    Saturday music offered yet again a beautiful lineup. Elliot Martin of Black Castle and lead singer of John Brown’s Body satisfied the rootsy souls in the Dance Tent while Driftwood put on another stellar performance at the Grandstand. Festival au Désert Caravan For Peace shared music from across the world in the Infield. The Horseflies, a Grassroots favorite took over the crowd with their trance-like folk melodies and tempting beats, the Grandstand was overflowing with intrigue. Finally the one, the only, Samite of Uganda. Samite is a beloved Grassroots act whose African music and beautiful talent on flute and Kalimba (thumb piano) has not been enjoyed in the evening hours in years. The sights and sounds of faraway places and warm tones pour into your soul and have you begging for more beauty. The crowd was pleased pleasantly and gratitude was all around.

    As for the Dance Tent on Saturday night, it is legendary. Keith Frank & His Soileau Zydeco Band play their hearts out until the sun comes up. Colored paper lanterns lit the way as dancers swayed to the music and made their way to the stage. The crowd was thrilled to finally be there in that moment, a year’s worth of waiting finally paid off. And it was so worth the wait. There is something about that energy, some kind of passion found in that present moment that is like fuel. It keeps you burning, it keeps you going, dancing, feeling alive, ready for more music, and more memories.

    Then there was Sunday. The Happiness Parade filled the pathways of the festival with theatrical masterpieces, music from drumming, tambourines, harmonicas, guitars, chanting and laughter. This was the perfect day to make a visit, experience the festival in a nutshell and tap into your own creativity. Beyond that the mellow, sunny, open vibe that lingered on Sunday from the joy created all weekend was lovingly intoxicating and left us all begging to stay just a while longer. Who better to unwind in this feeling and under the bright sun with, than Sim Redmond Band. Their warm sound just mimics the atmosphere and makes you feel right at home.

    As neighbors fade away, crowds dwindle down, and reality starts calling, the Sunday party does anything but wind down. Bands like Preston Frank & His Zydeco Family Band, Miami natives Suénalo, and Donna the Buffalo kept things alive and full of energy until the end.

    All of Grassroots music, uniqueness, humbleness, talent and beauty not only have the locals coming back for more but also continues tempting music lovers worldwide, and making Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance one of the world’s top festivals of its kind.

  • Meet The Big Up Artists – An Interview With Eskmo

    The Big Up Festival is right around the corner and it’s time to start mapping out your festival game-plan so you don’t miss all of the awesome acts The Big Up has in store.  I had the opportunity to ask one of The Big Up’s recent additions to the already stellar lineup Eskmo, or Brendan Angelides. If you had the opportunity to catch Eskmo at Camp Bisco, you know you are in for a serious treat at his late night set at the Space Ball City Tent.

    Jennifer Wilson:  Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in the music industry?

    Brendan Angelides: I’m from the east coast of the US originally. I started playing music with bands in high school and then slowly started working on solo projects with cheap electronic gear. Flash forward a number of years and with a series of singles on vinyl, I ended up signing with Ninja Tune to release the latest batch of music.

    JW: Can you tell us a story about a day in your life?

    BA: Nothing too fancy really. I do my morning ritual, take care of simple tasks and work on music. I always mix in hiking, meditating and (just as of recent) practicing Kenpo.

    JW: How would you describe your music to someone who had never heard it before?

    BA: I’m not sure really, but I could say melodic Earth and Water music.

    JW: Your musical technique seems to cross many different genres and styles. What goes into your process of creating a new song or album?

    BA: Honest reflection of what is going on in my life and growth process. It can come from a variety of places, but as long as it’s authentic  it is always the best route to take. Sometimes lyrics, sometimes melodies, sometimes it can be a cool recording I got at a train station.

    JW: You released a collaborative project with Amon Tobin, what was it like working with such an influential composer and producer?

    BA: Humbling and encouraging. I value his integrity and person a large amount. He is one of the best out there.

    JW: What do you want The Big Up goers to expect from your performance and how will it differ from what they may have seen at CampBisco?

    BA: Each set has a ton of improvised elements, live singing and happy accidents. I’m sure it will be its own experience. If anyone wants to bring me sound effects, go for it.

    JW: What advice would you give to other artists at The Big Up festival who have less experience playing live than you?

    BA: Be patient, stay focused and authentic; and breathe

    Eskmo on Soundcloud

    The Big Up Festival

  • Meet The Big Up Artists- An Interview with The Egg

    With The Big Up Festival just days away, I had the great opportunity of compiling a list of questions for Maff Scott of The Egg to answer before they take stage in Claverack, New York on Saturday August 10th. The Egg is an extremely influential and talented British electronic band formed in the early 1990’s and they have toured all over Europe as well as Australia and Brazil. It is truly a pleasure for Upstate New York to be able to experience such amazing music at a festival so close to home.

    Jenni Wilson: Can you tell us a little about each individual in the band and how you all met and got started in the music industry?

    Maff Scott:  Well there’s myself (Maff) and Ned.  Ned started getting better at the piano and I picked up the drums. We started jamming at home, using saucepan lids and a pedal that we made by attaching a rubber band to a marching band big drum (it only worked once and then fell apart.) We’ve played with a few others over the years. We used Ben Cullum’s (a great house producer and song writer) bass lines to play electronically.  We also wrote and toured a bit with Matt White who we met through Pete Doherty (whom we wrote the song “For Lovers” with). Drew is playing guitar with us mostly; he’s done quite a few tours now and co-written stuff (something to do) and he’s great.  Most musicians we generally meet through mutual friends. We also tend to meet a lot of people through the West London scene. We met Sophie Barker (Zero7) whom we’ve done lots of UK gigs, and even a recent gig with Mick Jones (The Clash) and Greg Hunter (Killing Joke, The Orb). We’ve done lots of recent production for a new release with him, and used his parts for a tune “Psyfunk” in the set. He’s on tour elsewhere but we will try to connect if we can. We also met a great trumpet player, Richard Wendel, while playing in Costa Rica. We jammed with him… and it was brilliant. He runs a great jazz club (The Bitter End) in NYC so we’ll be having him do some crazy trumpet at the Webster Hall show.

    JW: 

Can you tell us a story about a day in the band’s life?

    MS: Erm, well there was the time we were driving to Cleveland, famous for Spinal Tap’s scene where they get lost on the way to the stage (“Hello Cleveland”) – We’d overloaded the van’s alternator with all of our UK converters, laptops and phone chargers. The final straw was putting ‘Spinal Tap’ on the DVD player. We drew too much power and snapped the dynamo off which busted the van. We were stuck in a ‘Bennys’ for the night and missed the show. Ironic that it was Cleveland and Spinal Tap. How we laughed.

    JW: What goes into your process of creating a new song or album?

    MS: Years of hell and stress! Sitting up late playing with electronic bits and bobs. Sometimes it’s a loop or a chord structure Ned has created which we  can jam on and take the parts into rehearsal and make an arrangement. Of course, it changed when we play it live for a while. We’ve been known to stay up for days on one tune. Sometimes in hotel rooms or soundchecks or instead of actually rehearsing for a gig: we are VERY undisciplined.

    JW: 

What are the biggest obstacles for a band and what is the hardest part about working in the music industry?

    MS: Errr..  getting paid! It’s hard to get people to buy stuff when so much is given away. But we’re happy to give away live recordings. The hardest part is keeping the excitement levels up. Web stuff is hard because everyone is competing for your fans attention using the same tool.

    JW:What are some of your pet peeves when performing?

    MS: Time! We always run out of time and don’t get to play the entire set, and the best tunes are at the end.  We’re also really warmed up by then and so is the crowd. Maybe we’re too ambitious with set lists thinking we can do it. The best gigs we’ve done are the ones that have no time limit. The tunes have the time to develop without stopping to squeeze the next one in.

    JW: How do you feel about online music sharing and how has it changed for you as a band since your start?

    MS: We don’t mind sharing a few live shows and all, but as for albums, well, it’s hard to get paid for sales if people are downloading them for free. Sure it gets your attention to a bigger reach, but if everyone does that then it doesn’t really make you stand out as ‘the band who gives stuff away’ – Even though everyone expects it nowadays. The emphasis is now on live shows I guess. We’ve definitely found people who’d never heard of us elsewhere so in measure it’s a great thing (as long as you hold something back).

    JW: How was your experience playing a festival as huge as Glastonbury?

    MS: We’ve done it a few times now. It’s like a city that never sleeps and you don’t know who you’ll reach. There are massively long walks everywhere and it is sort of split up into villages really… mad crazy villages where everyone is the village nutter. There have also been some crazy muddy years, but that makes a comic bonding effect with everyone. We can all look at each other and laugh. This year was fun.. like another world. You feel weird going back to reality sometimes.

    JW: What do you want Big Up goers to expect for your performance musically/visually?

    MS: We have video triggers and a synced up set of dance music and electronics with lots of different styles and live musicians. Basically Moog baselines, an influence of deep house, but mostly eclectic house vibe: guitars, vocoders,  a bit of ambient bleeps, crunched up this and that… I think they’ll like it.

    JW: 

What advice would you give to other artists at The Big Up festival who have less experience?

    MS: Less experience is good! New bands have hunger and faith and blind optimism. That’s all you need! Generally, be good at what you do and don’t piss anyone off. Everyone’s ‘good’ in a way, depending on what music you like, so someone not liking you as people will have far more effect on your next booking than how good you are. Criticizing other bands doesn’t make your band better either. It’s a backfiring effect. I’m sure they’ll all know this.  I don’t want to patronize but I personally don’t bother with covers. It’s easy to think your music is so different that no one will get it, but that’s the reason they’ll notice you. Being yourself is always original, because we’re all different. So be yourself! I’ve often forgotten that. Anyway we’re crap at other people’s music and we can only do our own.

    Make sure you don’t miss these guys at the Space Ball City Tent on August 10th.

    Get The Big Up Festival’s Tickets 

    The Egg Facebook Page

  • Catskill Chill Music Festival Announces “Dopadosio” Festival Closing Set

    The team at Catskill Chill Music Festival has announced a collaboration that all of the ChillFam is sure to love. An official “Dopadosio” set featuring all members of Papadosio and Dopapod together on one stage to close out the fourth annual event. As much fun as it has been for us fans to combine the two names “Papadosio” and “Dopapod,” finally we have a name that will stick. You surely will not want to miss this amazing festival closing set at Camp Minglewood in Hancock, New York.

    After the success of last year’s intimate Acoustic Junction and the response to Consider the Source’s first-time endeavor at the musical style, the festival organizers have doubled the offerings. This year’s roster features Consider The Source along with a mix of artists that regularly perform acoustic such as Brock Butler, The Brummy Brothers and Dan Collins, along with acts performing stripped down sets for the first time. These performances by Tom Hamilton & Friends, Primate Fiasco and MUN are definitely not to be missed.

    Yoga lovers will also be happy to hear that the Catskill Chill has expanded their program adding additional classes, some of which will be accompanied by live music from Cosmal  so  you can get down while getting downward dog.  Also, new to the ever expanding Vendor Village for 2013 is a local Farmer’s Market serving fresh, seasonal produce and other delicious specialties.

    Buy your Catskill Chill Music Festival Tickets Now and don’t miss Dopadosio

  • Review: Pitchfork Music Festival 2013

    If Lollapalooza is the Rolling Stone of Chicago’s music festivals, Pitchfork is certainly the Pitchfork. While Lollapalooza takes place in the Windy City’s best-known park, draws hundreds of thousands of fans and showcases a massive lineup of big-name acts, Pitchfork finds itself in one of Chicago’s west-side neighborhoods, in a park that fits three intimate stages amongst its baseball field and oak-enclosed lawn.

    pitchfork 2013
    Pitchfork crowd gathering Firday night in anticipation of Björk.

    Pitchfork appeals to a more niche crowd than Lollapalooza, a musically knowledgeable crowd interested in artists that receive praise from well-respected blogs rather than popular radio stations. There is a crowd whose Midwestern kindness makes it easy to stand shoulder to shoulder with a cluster of strangers while waiting an hour for one of the festival’s headlining acts. Youngsters sporting tattoos of narwhals and wearing particularly fashionable glasses largely define the Pitchfork crowd, but certain shows do draw noticeably older audiences.

    As I waited for Björk to make her headlining appearance on Pitchfork 2013’s opening evening, a prominently senior audience holding $8 cups of Heineken surrounded my friends and I with our smuggled-in Old Style cans. By the time the 40-something Icelander took the stage, however, the entirety of Union Park tuned into the same wavelength, witnessing a performance that commanded appreciation regardless of age. With a show as captivating as Björk’s, it became clear that Pitchfork offers more than just live music; it allows groups of people, even groups of complete strangers, to connect through a shared experience, an experience that few things in life can provide.

    pitchfork 2013
    Phosphorescent performing at Pitchfork Music Festival’s Green Stage.

    R. Kelly’s headlining performance demonstrated the idea of shared experience as well as any facet of this year’s festival. Playing music that was most relevant when the average Pitchforker was still in middle school and listening to Top 40 radio while  generally unaware of any alternative form of music, R. Kelly acted as a nostalgic ending to a weekend of new memories. As I stood listening to “Ignition” for the first time in probably five years, I couldn’t help but being reminded of Junior High dances, laughing with my buddies for dancing to such nonsensical music with such unabashed joy.

    pitchfork 2013
    Waxahatchee playing Pitchfork’s Blue Stage on Sunday (left) and Woods playing the Red Stage on Friday.

    While Björk and R. Kelly, along with a Saturday performance from Belle and Sebastian, represented the festival’s best-known talent playing the weekend’s most-coveted set times, it was several early afternoon shows that stood out in my mind as the weekend’s best performances. Artists like Woods and Toro Y Moi played some of the most groovin’ sets of the weekend, extending their songs into jams involving folk-rock guitar solos and indie-pop synthesizer interludes. Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen offered a singer/songwriter component to the festival, playing with backing bands and displaying their signature lyricism and vocal range.

    pitchfork 2013
    Waxahatchee

    Matthew Houck’s latest musical project, Phosphorescent put on a performance Saturday afternoon that perfectly represented his relocation from southern folk’s roots in Huntsville, Alabama to indie-rock’s epicenter in Brooklyn, New York. Drawing influence from classic country music and merging such sounds with contemporary indie-rock, Phosphorescent played a show with boot stompin’ fit a southern bar and hip-twistin’ suitable for Brooklyn’s trendiest venues.

    pitchfork 2013After releasing one of my favorite albums of the year so far, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, Foxygen succeeded in living up to the high expectations I’d had for their early Sunday set. Co-frontman Jonathan Rado provided psych-rock instrumentation that perfectly complimented the antics exhibited by his bandmate Sam France; the vocalist climbed the stage’s rafters, jumped off of every amplifier in sight, and sang atop equipment bridging the crowd and the stage. Midway through their set, France mockingly gave thanks to a long list of corporate sponsors. Although the statement was humorous and well delivered, such a quip would have made more sense at a festival like Lollapalooza where stages are named after beer companies and sold-out tickets are available on Stubhub for three times face value.

    Pitchfork reserved a limited number of tickets at its gates to prevent higher-priced re-sales, and promotional aspects were handled tastefully, generally involving local businesses. With food options provided by Chicagoan restaurants and alternatives to the live music including the Columbia College Book Fort, a record fair presented by Chicago’s independent Chirp Radio and the Flatstock Poster Show put on by various artists, the advertising at Pitchfork served as a platform for local entrepreneurs, students, and artists to reach an audience that could appreciate their work.

    Foxygen’s vocalist, Sam France (top) along with the bands instrumentalist, Jonnathan Rado (bottom).

    Each individual’s experience at Pitchfork is influenced by much more than the festival’s three stages of music. It’s not just great concerts that Pitchfork provides every year in Union Park, but an environment that allows fans to share their experiences, allows local businesses to develop, and allows musicians to connect with their audience. Pitchfork may not draw the biggest audience or book the most stadium acts, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Pitchfork Music Festival on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Website

  • Meet The Big Up Artists – An Interview with Horizon Wireless

    With The Big Up Festival just a few weeks away, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with The Big Up artist, DJ Harrison Waxenberg of Horizon Wireless, to talk about his upcoming set at the festival.

    Jenni Wilson: Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in the music industry? Tell us a story about a day in your life.

    Harrison Waxenberg: Okay well I’m 5′ 8″ on a good day, I’m prone to mania induced encounters with inter-dimensional energies and beings. I’ve piloted real spaceships, and even crash landed one once! Oh, and I have dimples… which from what I understand is a common and endearing physical attribute amongst Libras. When I met George Clinton he asked me if I was an alien.

    I started playing piano, clarinet, and saxophone when I was younger, and began playing drums in different bands when I was in middle school and continued all the way up through my senior year of college until I moved on from the drama that comes with playing with too many other strong personalities. Simultaneously, I had been experimenting with programs like FL Studio and Garageband as well, kind of unaware that an “electronic music” scene was developing, or even had existed. So on my 22nd birthday my dad got me an APC40 and Ableton (he knew I was about to hang it up with my band) and I just kind of ran with that.

    I guess I first decided I was really going to go for it when I was at Summerdance in 2009 I believe. I was in a drum circle with Michael Travis and some of the guys from Lotus, and I got to lead for a bit. After that, some old black guy with a lot of soul slapped me on the back and was like “you got it dude!” and poured some wine in my mouth and I was all like, “ok cool I can do this!”

    JW: How would you describe your music to someone who had never heard it before?

    HW: I guess I would say that I like to take a lot of sub-alien tech funk and psychedelic break-beat grooves, and blend them with some minimal house and trance elements, all the while sprinkling in some pop culture elements throughout.

    JW: What are your biggest musical and non-musical influences?

    HW: My biggest musical influence is probably my dad, I don’t think I’d be playing music if it weren’t for him. My biggest non musical influence is realignment of the Andromeda and Milky Way schism. Oh, and love too, although I think that could be considered a musical influence.

    JW: What goes into your process of creating a new song or album?

    HW: Well I used to play my productions out when I first got Ableton (actually my first show doing that, and even using the moniker Horizon Wireless was at the first edition of The Big Up), but over time my computer started not being able to handle anything so I began to do mash-ups and remixes for a while. Through this I discovered a fun way to mix over 5-6 channels simultaneously and blend infinite sounds and samples to create new things on the fly all the time, and that’s kind of what I became known for. I do like to tell a story with every set, and nothing really goes into what we do that doesn’t have some sort of meaning or relevance to the overall Horizon story. I just got a new computer though and my drummer is finishing up production school so we’ll see what the end of 2013 holds in terms of an EP. There have been many producers I admire who have reached out to me about coming on board with it and that is very humbling.

    JW: How do you feel about DJs you use novelties/masks on stage, such as Deadmau5 with his mask, Destroid and their costumes, etc…

    HW: We all wear masks. Everyone.

    JW: What would you say is the hardest part of being a musical artist today?

    HW: I’m not sure, everything is very accessible today like it never was before. I suppose the hardest part would be coming to terms with the divide between what you thought the music industry would be like when you first decided you wanted to be a part of it, and what it actually is today. As soon as you accept the changes that have been made, and see the community for what it truly is, you start to realize how much better it is as a network of artists, friends, and music lovers, and you become grateful for any little amount of success you have at all.

    JW: You play a majority of your shows in New York, are you originally from here?

    HW: I was born in Florida, lived in Indiana and Maryland for a bit, and then moved to New York. I live on Long Island so the city is a pretty good place to play… I hear if you make it there you can make it anywhere!

    JW: You played this years Camp Bisco which is a pretty big fest. How was your experience playing a festival that size?

    HW: I’ve been going to Camp since 8, managed a stage there for 10 and 11 and closed out the festival at 11 and 12. It’s always a pretty fun time, and that’s where I would be going anyway so it’s a blessing to be able to play there and be exposed to a lot of new fans each year.

    JW: What do you want attendees to The Big Up to expect from your performance and how will it differ from what they may have seen at Camp?

    HW: Well at The Big Up I’m playing with my live drummer, Monty from Digital Frontier, and these sets are always a lot different then solo sets like the ones I do at Camp (Bisco). It’s also the anniversary of Horizon Wireless and the theme is Star Trek/Star Wars so it’s very fitting. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a set than this one (which I find myself saying a lot, but it’s always true, ha ha), so I think anyone who comes out to it is going to be very glad they did.

    JW: What advice would you give to other artists at The Big Up festival?

    HW: No matter what time you’re playing at or in front of how many people, this is a very important festival. I did my first Horizon show there as a thirty minute set break between Ultraviolet Hippopotamus and Consider the Source in front of probably thirty people at like five o’clock on a Thursday in a barn, and now three years later I’m closing out the woods with a Zonrise. It’s a huge platform, especially for artists that are just starting to get some decent exposure, so give it your all.

    You can catch Horizon Wireless Saturday August 10th at The Big Up Festival in Claverack, New York. If you catch Horizon Wireless August 3rd at the Santos Party House in NY, NY you will be automatically entered to win tickets to The Big Up Festival.

    Horizon Wireless Facebook
    Listen To Horizon Wireless’ Camp 12 Set 
    The Big Up Facebook
    The Big Up Twitter 

  • The All-Inclusive Preview of Equifunk: The All-Inclusive Music Festival Part 3

    Equifunk: The All-Inclusive Music Festival is happening from August 16 to 18 this year and we are happy to announce a new series on that will bring you previews and interviews with bands that will be playing the festival.  The All-Inclusive Preview is happy to continue the series with a look at Soulive with The Shady Horns with legendary guest Maceo Parker.

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    Soulive, the headliners of this year’s festival have been together since the late 90’s and have really come into their own in the last few years.  Comprised of Alan and Neal Evans and Eric Krasno, Soulive’s funk-jazz fusion is something not to be missed whenever they are in your neck of the woods.  Starting in 2010, the band has had a ten-night residency in New York City called Bowlive, held at the Brooklyn Bowl.  It is there that they gained a reputation for putting on great shows of their own music as well as welcoming guests every night of the run to perform special sets and covers.  The Shady Horns are always at these shows and are one of the tightest and funkiest horn sections around.  They give Soulive that extra little push, raising all of the music to a new height.  Having this level of energy at Equifunk is special in itself, but they are adding a living legend to the fold on top of that.

    Maceo Parker, who has worked with James Brown as well as Parliament-Funkadelic, among others, is an icon.  He is one of the best funk and soul jazz saxophonists to ever pick up the instrument.  Maceo was there when funk was originated in the 1960’s and happily continues to keep the flag flying.  He has played all over the world and has received various awards for his playing.  In the past 20 years Maceo has focused more on being a solo artist than just play with other musicians.  This collaboration is a special one, making this festival more unique than it already is.

    This mixture of talent is one of the most exceptional headliners of any festival in the area this year.  This set will surely have the crowd dancing throughout the duration enjoying the funk oozing from these amazing musicians.  Tickets are still available here and our full preview of Equifunk can be found here.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAylejJtUNI?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_0alsFnxwI?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

  • Camp Bisco 12: Raising the Bar

    Over the past 12 years Camp Bisco has climbed the ranks of EDM festivals becoming a Mecca for electronic music lovers all over America. Camp Bisco is an annual event that I look forward to from the very first moment early bird tickets go on sale. Each year I meet friends, new and old, for a three day gathering of amazing music, art and people. This year certainly did not disappoint and was one of the best Camp Bisco experiences I’ve had. Every aspect of the festival contributes to the foundation of a phenomenally amazing experience, and it’s so close to home you really can’t go wrong.

    The past two years, I spent the extra money for a VIP ticket, so this year I left Wednesday night to ensure that my friends and I would miss traffic and have a full day of live music Thursday afternoon. What I have found in the past years is that there will always be traffic. I often like to think that I’m the only person in the world who is belligerently excited to be back at Camp, and I am always sadly mistaken when I hit that line of traffic miles from the Indian Lookout Country Club. Overall it wasn’t too bad and I was happy we made the trip up a day early so we had a full day of music on Thursday.

    Thursday afternoon started the weekend off right with a beautiful blue sky and some great daytime music. Although the day began a little rocky for my friends and I, as we ended up locking the keys in our car with the engine running and spending hours trying to break in with a bent hanger, we were lucky Camp Bisco has AAA on site, so clearly this fairly common predicament for campers was solved for us. Judging by the amount of people I ran into who had also locked their keys in the car throughout the weekend, it’s safe to say that AAA should be on site for every festival.

    With the release of Daft Punk’s new album Random Access Memories, it seemed to be a major trend within many sets throughout the weekend to sample or cover one of their new songs. Twiddle and Digital Tape Machine kicked it off with the first sets of the weekend mixing in a little Daft Punk, which the crowd certainly did not contest. The Manhattan Project took over the label tent with a phenomenally large crowd for an early set, which was no surprise. This was The Manhattan Project’s third year at Camp Bisco and it has been amazing to see their talent and fan base grow so immensely year to year. RubbleBucket Orchestra took the main stage in the late afternoon with the perfect upbeat, feel good music. One thing I can say about the sets at Camp Bisco is that they are almost always spot on with separating the beautiful and relaxing day time sets with the late night high energy sets. I, of course, had to check out a little bit of Macklemore’s set on main stage (“Thrift Shop” is quite possibly the most catchy song in the entire world.) I’m not really a huge fan of live rap shows simply because the sound is extremely difficult to emulate the quality of a studio recording, which sometimes make it difficult to hear the vocals. Still, it was an entertaining set with hilarious moments. Camp Bisco does a great job of bringing in different genres, and especially with their rap acts, getting the latest and greatest artists.

    Although I’ve never really been the biggest Umphrey’s McGee fan, I was definitely impressed by their set, despite bassist Ryan Stasik not being in attendance, as his daughter was born that weekend. Bryan Dohery of Digital Tape Machine, Dave Murphy of STS9 and Marc Brownstein of The Disco Biscuits filled in on bass during the set, with Brownstein stepping out to play on a cover of the Biscuit’s own “Home”, to welcome everyone back to the festival we have all grown to love so much year after year. Being a huge Sound Tribe Sector 9 fan, I went over to Main Stage 2 early so I could be front and center to see what they had in store for their sunset-set. Some of the craziest shows I have ever seen in my life have been at main stage of Camp Bisco during sunset (Shpongle live of Camp Bisco X was mind blowing). Sound Tribe certainly did not disappoint. Some highlights included “Scheme”, “Inspire Strikes Back” and “Vibyl”. They were also accompanied by live saxophone and trumpet who brought the level of energy and the complexities of each song to new levels.

    Overall all of the Biscuits sets were absolutely amazing and this year brought some of the best Disco Biscuits sets I have seen at Camp since Camp Bisco 8. The Disco Biscuits started their first set of the weekend on a very high note, including a 20 minute “Spaga” and a stellar 25 minute “I-Man”. All around, the Biscuits gave a great performance. Oh, and the new light show? C’mon. Insane.

    Late night in the Label tent consisted of Com Truise and Squarepusher, two highly anticipating artists. Com Truise had a lot of energy and was an all around feel good show. Squarepusher was quite possibly the most chaotic and amazing set I have ever seen at Camp Bisco, and having wanted to see him live for almost eight years, I was unbelievably floored that he was playing a festival in Upstate New York. His set, true to his nature, was insane. I think a lot of people expected something else and were very confused when they walked into the tent. Squarepusher focuses mostly around heavy drum and bass and electro-acoustic music, so often times the progressions are spastic and abrupt. He took the stage donning an intense mask that lit up in sync with the projections behind him, and to his music. It wasn’t until he stepped away from his table and picked up his bass that I was truly blown away. This set was certainly one of my highlights for the entire weekend. After Squarepusher, I walked down to the hill stage for some Silent Disco, but once the sun started coming up, I made the responsible decision of getting some sleep before the next long day of music.

    Friday was another beautiful day, and completely unlike the average Camp Bisco weekend, as there was absolutely no rain and it was not 100 degrees, making for absolutely perfect weather during daytime performances. If you’ve never been to Camp Bisco, or even if you have, one thing to do is ride the Ferris Wheel, which provides the most amazing view from the top and really puts into perspective how enormous this festival has become. I didn’t end up spending the money on the air bag dive, but it was entertaining enough watching other people jump off that I think it is a great addition to Camp Bisco’s tomfoolery. I popped in and out of the Label tent during Govinda which surprisingly packed for such an early set. Watching the crowd, I was very much blown away by the dedication some of these attendees have. I don’t understand how they have the energy to dance that hard for that long and not be passed out by 5 o’clock.

    Being clock-less via dead cellphone made it difficult to ever know what time it was. I was happy that I stumbled upon Toro Y Moi on the main stage, who I was very much looking forward to seeing. The set was very low key and an awesome way to spend a Friday afternoon. His music is very different from most of what’s around, which is why I was so excited to see what he would pull out in a live performance. This performance proves what I said about Camp Bisco’s set placements for each artist always being incredibly on point. The schedule for Friday was shifted around a bit due to issues with Animal Collective. In true Camp Bisco fashion, the moment Animal Collective couldn’t perform, they had the legendary Thievery Corporation on a flight from across the country to fill their slot. By shifting the set time an hour earlier, Thievery Corporation was a perfect cap to the day and beginning to the night. After Thievery Corporation I took a short break before hitting up the Bassnectar set, sandwiched by double Disco Biscuits sets. I didn’t stay for all of Bassnectar because the crowd was a little crazy, but nevertheless, it was a high energy show and the crowd clearly enjoyed themselves.

    Both sets from the Disco Biscuits were, once again, spectacular. Each set seemed to get better than the last. As a Biscuits fan, it can be easy to be cynical and walk away from some shows feeling a little let down, but there was none of that this weekend. Each set was absolute fire. The highlights of all of night two included “Lunar Pursuit”, “Helicopters” and a “Highwire” encore.

    Gigamesh, Aeroplane and Lotus were all awesome late night sets. Gigamesh and Aeroplane were so high energy I was physically exhausted when it was time to switch tents for Lotus. Luckily, Lotus was a little slower and more ambient which was a nice end to a long day of music.

    Saturday mornings are always the best and the worst at Camp Bisco. You know you have a whole day of music ahead of you, but there is still a looming reality of it all coming to an end. By the time I had gotten myself together to head down to the main stage for the noon Indobox set, it appeared there were some technical difficulties with the stage and music would be pushed back until it was figured out. Music was pushed back for a few hours so I popped into the label tent until the first Biscuits set. Everyone seemed to be having a great time despite the mishap at main stage. By the time The Disco Biscuits came on, the excitement level was high. The daytime Biscuits set is always something I look forward to. They’re often more low key than their usual sets and great to relax in the sun during. However, this set was high in energy and packed with gems. The main highlight of this set was the “Spy” although I am always a fan of a good “Magellan.” I quickly left from main stage so I could catch Break Science who had been moved to the label tent.

    Each time I have Break Science, the energy is high and the talent is mind blowing. Adam Deitch is the kind of drummer you need to see to believe. I almost always try to find my way to the front just to be able to see both artists work their magic in synchrony. I wish I had been able to catch more of their set, but I was definitely happy I didn’t miss it. The next act I caught was Passion Pit on the main stage, which was definitely a highlight of the weekend. Passion Pit is just the kind of feel-good, upbeat night time set you want to see on your last day of Camp Bisco. The crowd chimed in, singing each song and waving their rage sticks through the light show that stretched across the grounds. Immediately after Passion Pit left the stage, the Disco Biscuits quickly filled in for their last two sets of the weekend. It was a treat being able to see two Disco Biscuits sets back to back, giving the crowd a full Biscuits show on the last night of their festival. Highlights included, “Story of the World, “Run Like Hell,” and a personal favorite, “Little Shimmy in a Conga line.” This was a brilliant way to end a weekend of some of the best Biscuits sets I’ve seen in a long time. After the two sets I needed a long break to recollect myself and rest before late night. The last set I ended up catching was Boombox at the Label Tent. I have seen Boombox a handful of times and they never disappoint. They put on a psychedelic, funky, disco-esque set that kept us all dancing and put the close on a phenomenal weekend at Camp Bisco.

    Each year Camp Bisco stretches its potential and our expectations. The festival has branched out to include acts and artists that might not ever share the stage otherwise. Each year is an experience, and a mind blowing one at that. At one point during the weekend Marc Brownstein exclaimed, “It’s been 12 years! That means combined we’ve been at Camp Bisco for almost a month!” It’s crazy to look back at what the festival started as and what it has now become. It is so much bigger than anyone ever truly anticipated, but hey, Upstate New York knows how to party. Thank you Camp Bisco for another brilliant weekend.

  • The Big Up Schedule Released and Final Lineup Announced

    The guys over at The Big Up continue to raise the bar as they add on fifteen more artists to their lineup and schedule for the August 8-10 festival at Hemlock Hollow Farm in Claverack, New York.

    The additions to their stellar lineup include the highly anticipated AN-TEN-NAE of San Francisco bringing his signature blend of Acid-Crunk to the Big Up stage. Orchard Lounge, the DJ trio from Chicago, IL will also be gracing us with their bass-dropping, funky beats. Philly based EDM producer Space Jesus will introduce upstronauts to his live band where he takes and manipulates Clay Parnell’s (Brothers Past) bass line, layers it over his psychedelic, bass-fueled, Hip Hop-laced tracks, and adds the high intensity of a live drummer. Most recently added, ESKMO, the Los Angeles based DJ and producer, will also take the stage this August bringing his unique sound to UPstate New York.

    The lineup will also include  IMANGELES, Elephant Wrecking Ball, Jahman Brahman, Dynamo and Badnutbeats, Izahead, I Yahn I Arkestra, Operation Dankstar, Jammin Toast, Baam Bada, People’s Blues of Richmond and The Untz Challenge Winners,Beat Machine and Lost Optical. The Big Up has done a great job rounding out their lineup with the national touring acts with high recognition as well as regional up and coming talent.

    Don’t forget to dress for the occasion with the nightly themes. Friday will host “A Night at The Zoo,” and Saturday will be a night with “Star Wars vs. Star Trek vs. Space Balls.”

    Also, make sure to check out the schedule in advance so you don’t miss these amazing acts.

    Stay tuned for more “UP”dates as the dates grow nearer.
    Facebook.com/TheBigUP
    http://thebigup.com/

  • Up Chitt Creek Music Festival Will Benefit Charity, July 20th

    Up Chitt Creek Music Festival is this Saturday, July 20th at Stones Marina and Kayak Club in Bridgeport, NY. The one day festival will donate proceeds to Camp Sunshine. Tickets are $20 and you can camp for an additional $10/person. Kayak rentals will be available, Middle Ages Brewery will be on-site for beverage vending and in addition to food vendors. No outside alcohol will be permitted in the festival – please be kind and support your local vendors!

    The Up Chitt Creek Music Festival lineup includes: Master Thieves, Dark Hollow, Tim Heron Corporation, Los Blancos, Two Hour Delay, Medicine Wheel, Steep.  Check out Up Chitt Creek online for more details.

    Up Chitt Creek Music Festival