NYS Music 20​13

Tag: Music Festivals

  • Top 10 Artists You Don’t Want to Miss at Camp Bisco

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    With Camp Bisco almost a month away, it’s time to start mapping out your schedule and narrowing down what artists you want to see the most. I’ve compiled a list of my top ten need to see artists, which was no easy task with Bisco’s extensive lineup spanning everything from hip-hop, dub step, electronic, house, jam, indie and so much more.

    1. The Disco Biscuits- I mean, seriously. These guys have made such a serious name for themselves in the music scene that they are now being compared to the likes of Phish and The Grateful Dead. This festival was their baby and watching it grow has been a crazy experience. They started off playing on one small main stage for a few thousand people and now step out onto dual stages with 20 thousand or more people cheering their names. That’s gotta count for something. Plus they’re all amazingly talented musicians. Whether you’re a “biscuits kid” or not you have to be able to see how unbelievably brilliant each member of the band is when they pick up their instruments. They play the most sets, so chances are you wont be able to miss them, but while you do see a few of their sets, appreciate how far they’ve come and how far they’ve brought this festival because without them it would never have existed.

    The Disco Biscuits on Twitter and Facebook

    2. Squarepusher. If you haven’t heard of this guy, I really wouldn’t be too surprised. I have been trying to catch Squarepusher, or Tom Jenkinson, for years but with his rare sitings in the U.S I have yet so see a live set. Squarepusher is an artist from the UK who focuses primarily around drum and bass, acid house and jazz. He uses live instrumental playing as well as digital processing to make some seriously mind blowing beats. He has releases such a vast array of music that it is difficult to pinpoint once particular style he likes to follow, but trust me you won’t want to miss this legend.

    Squarepusher on Facebook 

    3. Sound Tribe Sector 9. Of course, a Camp Bisco favorite. I have been a huge fan of STS9 since 2002 when I was a pretty young kid. Their music stays consistently amazing and their live performances are nothing short of spectacular. STS9 is an instrumental band with a strong focus on electronic, hip hop, drum and bass and funk. Whether these guys end up as a late night set or an evening set it is bound to be an amazing time. If you’ve never seen them before, you’ll be in for a serious treat.

    STS9 on Twitter and Facebook

    4.Toro Y Moi– I’m not even really sure how to describe this guy. I discovered him about a year ago and fell in love instantaneously. He is described as indie-pop, “chill-wave,” synth-pop and electronic. I really don’t even know how to describe him other than saying he is amazing and if you miss his set you are making a serious mistake. There are not many artists out there similar to Toro Y Moi so I suggest you give him a listen before Bisco rolls around just for your own aural pleasure.

    Toro Y Moi on Twitter and Facebook

    5. Boombox. Although I’ve seen Boombox a pretty significant amount of times I think I have still yet to see them on stage at a festival. Their style is unlike most bands I’ve seen in that they pull inspiration from all facets of the music community. They are a steady mix of psychedelic, funk, rock and blues. At each show I’ve seen, they drive each set with the energy of the crowd so it will be interesting to see them in front of a crowd as huge as Bisco.

    Boombox on Twitter and Facebook 

    6.Paper Diamond. Paper Diamond has been around for a while, just not under that particular alias. Alex Botwin started as the bassist for Pnuma Trio, and if you’ve heard the Pnuma Trio you know that he’s a very talented musician. Paper Diamond is Botwin’s solo DJ career, as he also takes on electronic production. Paper Diamond is another feel good DJ that will make you move. Definitely don’t miss his set this Camp.

    Paper Diamond on Twitter and Facebook

    7.Animal Collective. Over the past five or so years Animal Collective has grown rapidly in popularity and become a household name in the music scene. They are considered “experimental-psychedelic” and encapsulate a slew of different styles and genres within each song. You will without a doubt dance from start to finish when Animal Collective takes stage.

    Animal Collective on Twitter and Facebook

    8. Gigamesh. You’ve probably heard Gigamesh’s remix of Foster the People’s single “Pumped up Kicks,” or perhaps his work on Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me,” so you know what he’s capable of. His talent as a producer and a DJ is unparalleled. His music derives from a mix of influences, but will not fail to keep you dancing. Make sure you save your energy for this set, because you’ll need it.

    Gigamesh on Twitter and Facebook

    9. Lotus. I know, I’m clearly showing biases towards the band I’ve seen a million times, but in the same breath they have yet to let me down. Lotus is another band who has gained serious popularity over the past few years and made their own mark on the music and festival scene. Similar to Sound Tribe, Lotus is an electronic jam band who incorporate many sounds and genres within each song. Their music can be fast and hard or slow and melodic. That spectrum is what makes bands like Lotus such an awesome live act to see.

    Lotus on Twitter and Facebook

    10. Com Truise. Com truise started as a drum and bass DJ and slowly shifted into a more 80’s, chill-wave sound. His music is completely different than anything else in the music scene. I don’t even think there is an artist I could compare him to wholeheartedly, which is why he made the top ten list. An artist with that unique of a sound does not go unnoticed, even within a lineup as insane as Camp Bisco’s. It is artists like this that make Camp Bisco have such a wide variety of sounds and genres that grace their stages throughout the festival.

    Com Truise on Twitter and Facebook

    Honorable mentions:

    The Manhattan Project, Twiddle, Break Science, Zoogma,

    Also, In an effort to help rebuild the community that was impacted by the wake of the tornadoes MCP Presents is putting out a National call to all of its supporters and fans, who converge upon the region each July. A page to collect donations has been set up through rally.org, where people can show their support and make online donations. Fans are asked to visit www.rally.org/supportschenectadycounty – cb12 or through the festival site at www.campbisco.net.

  • ‘The Grateful Gallery Tour’, a One of a Kind Traveling Art Gallery Featured at Major Northeast Music Festivals This Summer

    The  Grateful Gallery tour will feature concert posters and artwork from leading artists in the scene including John Warner, Mike DuBois, AJ Masthay and William Giese, among others. Framed and unframed prints will be on sale from the artists, who will also be making appearances in the gallery as their schedules permit. In addition, the gallery will feature original paintings from acclaimed artist William Giese, whose artwork has graced the covers of several Grateful Dead albums.

    At each festival stop, an extensive art gallery will be created whereby festival goers will be able to view and purchase gig posters from numerous bands, including The Grateful Dead, Furthur, Phil Lesh & Friends, The Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, Umphrey’s McGee, Yonder Mountain String Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Railroad Earth, Cabinet and many more.

    The Grateful Gallery tour will be installed at the following Northeast festivals this summer:

    Mountain Jam, June 6-9, Hunter, NY.

    Bear’s Picnic, August 1-4, Central PA location TBA

    Peach Music Festival, August 15-18, Scranton, PA.

    Catskill Chill, September 6-8, Hancock, NY.

  • Rochester Jazz Festival Schedule Update | Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Cancel

    rochjazz13-logoRochester Jazz Festival has offered a schedule update – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings announced that plans to tour in 2013 have been postponed due to illness. Sharon Jones was recently diagnosed with stage-1 bile duct cancer – which doctors say is both operable and curable. and The Rochester Jazz Fest wish Sharon all the best and a speedy recovery.

    The James Hunter Six, previously scheduled for 7PM on June 28th, will now play at 9PM. Added to the schedule, now performing at 7PM on the 28th, is two-time Grammy nominee, Shemekia Copeland. Both are free shows on the City of Rochester East Avenue and Chestnut Street Stage presented by Rochester General Health System.

    More than 1200 artists from around the world will perform in 280 concerts including more than 75 free shows at 19 venues and outdoor stages. Last years festival drew more than 187,000 people from around the world and across the U.S. XRIJF has grown to become one of the worlds largest jazz festivals with one of the nations most extensive international lineups.

    For more information on the XRIJF please visit our news about the event.

  • Rochester Jazz Festival Now Offering Free Shuttle Service for Attendees

    This year’s Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (XRIJF) will be offering a free shuttle service, courtesy of Simcona Electronics and Horizon Club Tours. Shuttle service will be offered at no charge all nine days during the festival, June 21 – 29, to make it easy for patrons to get to and from downtown parking garages and lots surrounding the festival.

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    Continuous round trip service will be provided daily from 5:00pm to Midnight. Buses will run on an approximate 15-minute schedule for each stop, last pick-ups will be promptly at 11:30pm. Festival brochures and program guides will be aboard each bus for patrons and each shuttle is air conditioned as well as equipped with bathrooms. Download a map of the Shuttle route

    Shuttle Bus Stops
    Stops are conveniently located near downtown parking garages. Look for the Shuttle Bus Signs

    1– State St. & Church St. (Across from Rochester Plaza Hotel) (daily)
    2– South Ave between Broad and Court Streets (daily )
    3– Clinton Avenue South at Woodbury, near GEVA (daily)
    4– Roundabout at Broadway and Broad (near Manhattan Square Park) (Friday 6/21, Saturday 6/22, Friday 6/28, Saturday 6/29 only)
    5– Chestnut St. & East Main St. (Sunday 6/23 – Thursday 6/27 only)
    6– Andrews St. & Liberty Pole Way (daily)

    For more information on getting around the festival see http://www.rochesterjazz.com/php/travel.php.

  • StrangeCreek Music Festival: Wet, Weird and Wonderful

    After seeing the StrangeCreek music festival lineup, I knew that this was a weekend that I couldn’t miss. Many of my favorite bands were making appearances and the word of mouth that surrounded this festival was outstanding. The weather forecast was cold and rainy all weekend, however that did not stop the loyal attendees from flooding the town of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Heeding the advice of seasoned StrangeCreekers, we arrived on Thursday night and for a small fee ($30) we were able to get into the venue a day early and pick out a choice camping spot. While not entirely necessary, I would highly recommend this option as camping space became scarce quickly. Upon entering the festival, the staff was extremely helpful and we were quickly greeted with a hearty “Welcome home,” and hugs, a great first impression.

    StrangeCreek Music Festival
    Photo by Bill Bick

    Camp Kee-Wanee, a location normally used as a summer camp for underprivileged children, was fully equipped with the traditional camp amenities; cabins, a nature trail and even a huge bonfire. With rain constantly teeming down, the paths turned muddy quickly, however unlike many other festivals, the paths were deftly attended. Bucket loaders with plenty of sand were brought in to prevent any major mishaps and fill in the ruts. The “facilities” were also remarkably clean for a festival weekend.

    As Friday rolled, around the rain continued but we were ready to see some music. With three stages running simultaneously, there was music at every turn, including the campground paths which were host to pop up jams throughout the weekend.

    StrangeCreek Music Festival
    photo by Bill Bick

    Our first stop was the Vernville Stage to check out the “Family Jam” which seemed to be a yearly tradition welcoming any and all interested musicians to the stage to jam, again echoing the family feel. Listen to a recording from Archive.org

    Moving down the trail hoping to get our bearings and a feel for the layout of the venue, we walked by a host of campsites each appearing to have a well thought out themes and signage. We quickly ran into the main stage where the McLovins were closing their set with The Doors, “Break On Through,” the first of many nods that weekend to the late Ray Manzarek, a founding member of the Doors who had passed the week prior. Listen to the McLovins set on Archive.org

    Having put on the festival for 11 years, the Wormtown folks have it down to a science. The primary stage was equipped with two sections of stage, so there was never a gap in music. In several hours it was easy to see a handful of bands on the main stage, including Relative Souls and Upstate NY’s own Eastbound Jesus and Conehead Buddha, among other highlights.

    As in years prior, there was a wedding held at the creek with the entire camp invited to witness. Two campers, Brittnie Giblin and Adam Hallam were married at sunset with friends and strangers showing their love for the happy couple.

    Our campground neighbors suggested that we check out Seed, a funky and psychedelic quartet based out of Connecticut. Having played many smaller festivals in the Northeast, they cultivated a following and it was a great recommendation. Check out their set on Archive.org!

    Zach Deputy, the night’s headliner, played two sets, bookending Jimkata, a personal favorite. Zach thanked the crowd for braving the rain and broke into a funky song dedicated and about Wormtown. His high energy kept the crowd moving despite the rain.

    Jimkata was starting up as we made the quick walk to the main stage. It was a busy weekend for the band as they were on the lineup for Summer Camp Music Festival, out in Illinois on Sunday. With the drop of the bass into “Sweet Glory,” they hooked the crowd with their grooves. Seemingly unfazed by the rain, they provided a high energy set to those willing to brave the weather.

    The campfire was raging and there were several options for late night music in the cabins; reggae sounds of The Alchemystics, some Grateful Dead with Shake Down, The William Thompson Funk Experiment and Moses and the Electric Company all were poised and ready to keep the party going.

    After braving a wet night, we awoke on Saturday ready to do some exploring. The Vernville Stage provided our entertainment early in the afternoon, featuring Daddie Long Legs out of Rhode Island, and The Garcia Project, a fabulous Dead tribute band.

    StrangeCreek Music Festival
    Photo by Ashley Notch

    The sounds of funk brought us out to the main stage once again for The Bernie Worrell Orchestra. Bernie, a founding member of Parliament Funkadelic, drew a huge crowd with his experimental grooves. Busting into a long and funkified “Take me to the River” jam that closed his set, he provided a perfect lead-in for Massachusetts native Ryan Montbleau and his band. Listen to Bernie Worrell Orchestra’s set on Archive.org

    Ryan, a regular at StrangeCreek, brought his soulful singing and catchy lyrics to the rainy afternoon. He was lacking his signature hat, but was full of smiles and good humor as the band played for the bundled and raincoated masses.

    The crowd swelled as Max Creek took the stage. As co-founders of the weekend festival, the seasoned jam band seemed to be the glue of the festival bringing many performers up to the stage to jam with them, including Ryan Montbleau and Lyle Brewer, all the while providing an atmosphere of encouragement and improvisation to the night. Max Creek gave the still wet and cold crowd plenty of originals as well as a few obscure covers: Donovan’s “Season of the Witch” and The Champs “Tequila”. The Fire Wormz dancers added to the scene as they contorted and twirled their flaming props. As Max Creek thanked the crowd and started into The Bands classic “I Shall Be Released” we headed over to the Wormtown cabin for some late night grooves. Enjoy Max Creek’s stellar set on Archive.org

    Turkauz, a hard touring band out of Brooklyn had campers lined up outside of the cabin,in anticipation of their raucous and funky show, leading to the small room being packed. Those that were wet and cold quickly turned to hot and sweaty as the dance party raged into the night.

    Sunday morning and the promise of warmer weather brought both old and young out to enjoy the sunshine. We began to breakdown camp and upon another recommendation of a long time campe,r caught Our Own World. They got the RiverWorm Stage jumping, providing smoking and soulful covers of classic songs including “Whipping Post”, “Mr. Charlie”, and “Ophelia that filled the campsites.” Here’s Our Own World’s set on Archive.org

    Walking back to the campsite, Lucid, another Upstate NY band was gracing the Vernville stage. With their new album Home is Where I Wanna Grow to be released later this month, and their own festival Backwoods Pondfest on deck for August, they were firing on all cylinders. With their fusion of bluegrass, rock and funk, this popular band had the audience captivated. We made a final pack of the car and were ready to see some music before hitting the road. We easily caught Ryan Montbleau’s second set of the weekend, followed by Upstate NY’s own Donna the Buffalo and closed out the weekend with a killer performance from Dumstaphunk, who had just flown in from Summer Camp Music Festival, crossing paths with Jimkata on the way. Here’s there set on Archive.org

    StrangeCreek Music Festival
    photo by Aimee Plasse

    StrangeCreek was a dynamic adventure; each day was filled with so much music and there was never a dull moment musically or otherwise. Even walking through the campgrounds provided endless hours of entertainment.  Despite the unwelcoming weather, the scene was welcoming in every way. The weekend was truly remarkable and I recommend this festival to anyone looking to spend their Memorial Day holiday with like-minded folks, all ready to have a fantastic time.

  • Ninth Annual Mountain Jam Kicks Off June 6th

    The Ninth Annual Mountain Jam festival kicks off June 6th and runs through June 9th at Hunter Mountain in Hunter, NY.  Mountain Jam is a four-day, multi-stage festival hosted by Radio Woodstock 100.1 and guitarist, Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers, The Warren Haynes Band, The Dead).  In one of the most pristine locations in the Northeast and natural amphitheater, more than 50 bands will perform on three stages.

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    Mountain Jam welcomes legendary bassist, Phil Lesh bringing his all star side project Phil Lesh & Friends for a two-set performance.  Friends for this year’s Mountain Jam are Warren Haynes and John Scofield on guitar, Joe Russo (Furthur) on drums, and Jeff Chimenti (Furthur, RatDog, The Dead, Les Claypool) on keys. Widespread Panic will make 2013 it’s first (and only northeast) appearance at Mountain Jam.  Festival resident Gov’t Mule will also headline a two-set performance. Primus will headline the expanded Thursday night program.  Staple guest artist, Michael Franti will perform on Saturday, June 8th.

    In addition to headlining bands, Mountain Jam continues it’s all-star line-up with many others including: Dispatch, a groove rock outfit of fun; Gary Clark Jr., Austin based artist fuzzing soul, rock and R & B; Jackie Greene, a versatile singer-songwriter armed with a catalogue of Americana and roots songs; Amy Helm whose vocals evoke a nostalgia of an old soul; and ALO, a pop-funk danceable groove band hailing from California.  Mountain Jam also welcomes The Lumineers, The Avett Brothers, Soulive, Deer Tick, Rubblebucket, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, The Revivalists, David Wax Museum, SIMO, Swear and Shake and many more.

    Jammers will have a variety of activities and attractions while on the mountain. Some attractions include: sky rides, a scenic view of the Catskill Mountains; yoga, offered on Saturday and Sunday; a beer (and wine) garden for exclusive craft brews; psychic readings, Hammock Groove, Frisbee golf tournament, and artist signings.  Mountain Jam is offering a wide selection of cuisines to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters as well as an on-site Farmer’s Market.

    Mountain Jam has always done its part to reduce its carbon footprint.  The festival guide will not be available in paper form – saving over 2000 lbs. of paper ink.  The iPhone and Android supported App includes all the bells and whistles. The app provides a festival map, alerts, user created schedule and more.

    Tickets are still available, however VIP passes are sold out.  For more information, rules and regulations please visit www.mountainjam.com

    ’s must see picks: Nicki Bluhm & The Gamblers, Amy Helm, Gary Clark Jr.

    ’s must do picks: Sky Ride, Rainbow’s B-Rushless Karma Wash, Awareness Village

  • Upstate Spring Revival in Review Part 3/3

    Editors note: This is part 3 of our 3 part Upstate Spring Revival coverage that features the music from the weekend. Take a look at coverage in Part 1 and Part 2.

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    What a fantastic weekend! Despite possibly the worst weather conditions imaginable from Friday evening through Saturday morning, the State Wide Music staff came through. Kudos to sound man Tim, who gave us one of the best sounding festivals ever; site manager Jeff for his tank-sturdy stages, cameramen Kevin and Brennan for braving torrential downpour conditions with expensive equipment, and most of all, to the bands and festival-goers for keeping an upbeat “We’re all friends” attitude throughout the fracas. Big thanks to Herby One and State Wide Music for yet again delivering the perfect regional festival experience.

    Didn’t have enough yet? State Wide Music has two more shindigs planned for the summer at Miller Hollow in Marion NY.  June 13th-16th will be the second annual Fiddlers Picnic. Spotlighting some of the region’s best bluegrass music,  the festival will include the moe. side project Floodwood, Dangermuffin, The Rumpke Mountain Boys, and many more. July 11th-14th is Upstate Boogie 4, featuring one of the funkiest lineups ever with Kung Fu, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Sophistafunk and more to be announced!

    Here are some of the featured setlists from some of the hottest sets over the weekend at Upstate Spring Revival:

    Flabberghaster

    View From The Mountain, Lies, Stone Free[Hendrix],Hangin’ On The Moss,The Crunge>Dazed and Confused[Zeppelin],Who Put This Spell On Me,Coming Up For Air, Lose Your Shoes, The Machine, Whipping Post[Allmans]

    Mister F

    Deal Breaker, Everything You Say, This One Goes to 11, Jump the Shark,  Treadmill, Bed Intruder Song >Vocoder, Answer the Dog, Hedgehog

    Ocupanther

    I Feel Love[Donna Summer], Pyromancer*, Misunderstanding Hugs, Naga Golokia, Ghostless, Fraktura, Stompgoat

    * Debut

    Formula 5

    Earthbound Tim, King Harvest[The Band], New Untitled Song, The Clear %-> Nu-Gen -> 3 Ring Circus -> The Ride Ending

    % Unfinished

    Dopapod

    Nuggy Jawson -> Priorities -> The National Anthem[Radiohead] -> Priorities, Weird Charlie > Cloud World, Donkey Kong Theme *€> Trapper Keeper*, Bats In The Cave^, Present Ghosts, French Bowling+

    *contained elements of “Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2” by Pink Floyd
    €debut
    ^w/ Mike Gantzer from Aqueous on guitar for the jam, Dr Dre teases
    +contained elements of “Hey Are You Going To Burning Man?” by Electric Apricot

    Timbre Coup

    Snoop Tiger, July, TheWay > Jam > Roland Opus, I didn’t know She had a Mustache, June, Arnold Schwarzeneggar

    Aqueous

    Skyway, Strange Times, Aldehyde > Uncle Phil’s Parachute >Fur Elise[Beethoven]* >Uncle Phil’s Parachute > Knights of Cydonia[Muse] > Warren in the Window > Timmy’s Blades > Regulators[Warren G]**, Pictures > Origami % > Uncle Phil’s Parachute ***

    * Linus and Lucy tease

    ** With Chuck [Dopapod] on bass, Evan on vocals

    *** Schism teases [Tool]

    % Unfinished

  • Upstate Spring Revival in Review Part 2/3: The Sounds

    Editors note: This is part 2 of our 3 part Upstate Spring Revival coverage that features the music from the weekend. Come back tomorrow for our final article, “The Skinny and The Setlists”

    The music started promptly at 7:30pm Thursday night with the combined forces of Carly Jane and Train Rat. The Cohocton, NY band’s melodic hypnotizing jazzy blues with a hidden fury was a great way to kick start the weekends musical expeditions. Along with a slew of originals, they offered up sexy versions of Peggy Lee’s “Fury” and The Devil Makes Three’s “Old Number 7”. Following Train Rat was Springwater’s White Woods with their own brand of Cake-esque alt-rock with extra frosting.  The two bands also collaborated on a song with some expert mandolin play and an audience chanting “Chugging down to New Orleans” right along with the musicians.

    Thursday’s closer was Vermont’s Flabberghaster. While hard to define given their unique flavor, one could imagine AC/DC mashed up with the Allman Brothers and get a sense of their sound. This was some rocking music and the crowd ate it up. Beyond the head banging, the band also went on a number of exploratory improvisations from bare bones hard rock to jazzy percussive clap-alongs. While their set was somewhat cover heavy, they made songs like Led Zeppelin’s “The Crunge” and the Allman Brothers “Whipping Post” their own with no fear of straying from the original song structure. Where’s that confounded bridge? Who cares! The crowd wandered back to their tents completely flabbergasted. True to rock and roll form the band slept overnight on the stage.  

    Friday started out early with Canandaigua’s Upstate. The bands blues based rock and roll with lots of experimentation and fierce peaks got people out of their tents and down to the stages. In the middle of the set they offered a fun mash-up of one of their originals with the new Daft Punk song “Get Lucky”. Following Upstate was Buffalo’s Slip Madigan. The band’s upbeat happy music with funky breakdowns and hints of electronica was a great match to the unexpected sun shining down on the crowd. The newly formed Mister F followed, composed of  3 members of Albany’s Timbre Coup and Scott Hannay from Capital Zen. The F maintains their own sound, which runs the gambits of influences from funk and rock to jazz and electronica. Their self-described genre of “Neat and Clean, Hard and Dangerous” is pretty much spot on.

    Rochester’s Ocupanther then laid its claws into the audience with their brand of instrumental funk-space-psychedelia featuring the juxtaposing styles of Berkeley schooled axeman Colin Jones and self taught shred wizard Mikey Pantano. They opened with an adventurous cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” and the audience responded with much love of their own. Friday’s evening journey began with Albany’s Timbre Coup and their deep progressive rock influences, intertwining metal overtones and doses of electronic forays with top notch vocals. As the sprinkles started to turn to rain, true to their name, Project Weather Machine stormed the stage for an hour and a half of Grateful Dead and old school blues inspired improvisations with awesome names like “Nitrous Roxide”. As the rain progressed in intensity festival goers were treated to the first show by Buffalo’s Universe Shark in several months. Despite their hiatus they did nothing but deliver, keeping the crowd dancing in the mud. Closing out the evening was the return of the much revered Schleigho. Their set was nothing short of mind-numbingly brilliant, ranging from pure technical by-the-numbers wizardry to wide open “Space”-esque exploration. Musicians were buzzing about this set the rest of the weekend with phrases like “It was like going to jam clinic” and “I’m not worthy” being thrown about.  

    Saturday started later than anticipated. Stage equipment was all moved to the main stage due to the mud pit in front of the secondary stage. Thankfully the weather cleared, the sun came out, and Ithaca’s Solaris started things off with some excellent intense EDM. Albany’s Formula 5 proved quite the draw in the next spot with their genre-everywhere sound. Funk, rock, blues, jazz, electronic, it was all in the mix as well as a fun cover of The Bands “King Harvest”. The trio of Rochester’s Haewa filled the 5pm slot with some of the most extended jamming of the weekend, more of Colin Jones guitar-pyrotechnics, and a rock solid grooving core.

    The evening lineup of Vermont’s Twiddle, Buffalo’s Aqueous, and NYC’s exploding Dopapod was so hot people were wiring their doctors to re-up their heart medications. Twiddle started it off with a set filled with improv, explosive soaring peaks, and a jam of Phish’s “Contact” that ended up going from “Funkytown” to “Billy Jean”. The centerpiece of the show was a monster version of original “The Box” which simply went everywhere. Aqueous then one upped everyone with the biggest crowd of the weekend thus far, and a hot-as-fire set no amount of liquid could extinguish. Filled with effortless segues, memorable originals, a fun sit-in from Dopapod’s Chuck Jones on Warren G’s “Regulate”, and a brilliantly intense take on Muse’s “Knights of Cydonia”, Aqueous had the audience in the palm of their hand. Brooklyn’s Dopapod closed the evening set with an all out rager, effortlessly gliding from song to song with the best light show of the weekend by far. This band is on fire and should not be missed at any opportunity.  Aqueous’s Mike Gantzer sat in for original “Bats in the Cave” complete with some well placed Dr Dre “Xxplosive” teases.

    Those that survived the onslaught of Aquapod stayed up for the late night set of NYC’s Consider the Source, whose technical expertise may not be surpassed by anyone. Imagine a Primus that got all jammy and had three Les Claypools running the show. Pure intense perfection and an exquisite end to the fest. An incredible weekend of music, with each band bringing their A-games.

    Come back tomorrow for our weekend summation and an assortment of some of the weekends best setlists.

  • Upstate Spring Revival in Review Part 1/3: The Scene

    Family. No other word can describe a regional festival like Upstate Spring Revival festival better than family. Familiar faces from shows over the years. Passing by the same groups to and fro from the campsite, always with friendly salutations and wide smiles. Meeting new people spinning tails of their travels freely as if every soul they meet is an old friend. Sharing toasts and high fives with complete strangers, shyness abandoned. In our modern; smart-phone consumed; too busy to say hello world, this situational rarity is beyond refreshing. It’s a damn good feeling and a great way to spend a weekend in the woods. May 8-11 at The Whispering Pines Hideaway proved this concept beyond a shadow of doubt.

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    The Hideaway is typically an aviary hunting preserve and ATV adventure site, with trap towers, clay pigeon throwers, and rut filled off-roading trails throughout the area. While this may seem an ironic venue for a gathering of peace loving hippies, it proved itself perfect for the weekends experience. Car camping was available throughout the site with a plethora of settings, be it wooded, open field, or just a place to lay down in the grass. Musicians roamed freely through the crowd chatting with fans and fellow music makers. Both secondary and primary stages were located in a lower area, surrounded by trees, but still allowing a picturesque view of the sunset. The stages were minutes from each other with a variety of vending, drum circles and lessons, and glass blowing demonstrations all conveniently located within the main “Shakedown Street”.

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    Weather ended up being better than forecast. Thursday night through late Friday afternoon was beautiful. Friday night through Saturday was a bit rough with blowing rain but everyone kept in good spirits. Many huddled around campfires sharing jovial tales while others wandered the site in rain ponchos making new friends. Musicians plowed through the weather unscathed and everyone delivered excellent sets. Saturday night, between sets, Solar Flare and entourage offered up a spectacular display of pyrotechnic acrobatics.  Other activities included live glass blowing demonstrations, drum lessons and circles, face painting, and much more.

    Come back tomorrow to read our review of “The Sounds” featuring pictures by contributing photographer Kevin Burke.

    Photos by Darren Kemp

    Editors note: This is part one of our three part review of the Spring Revival festival. Each article will include a photo gallery from one of our three featured photographers.

  • Equifunk brings a stellar line up to the Pocono Mountains in August

    Equifunk is returning to the beautiful Camp Equinunk in Pennsylvania, August 16-18.  Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, this three day music festival is very different from most musical festivals around today.  People can rent cabins on the campgrounds or can go the more traditional route with tent camping.  There are camp related activities such a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, tennis, and pick up softball games.  A pool is also on the grounds to cool off in throughout the weekend and will also act as a place for a gigantic pool party on Saturday.

    Equifunk-2013-DatesThe music will be going all weekend with artists such as Soulive and the Shady Horns with special guest Maceo Parker, The New Mastersounds (performing two sets), JJ Grey & Mofro, Keller Williams with More than a Little, Boombox, Anders Osborne, The Nigel Hall Band, Marco Benevento, Monophonics, The Main Squeeze, Superhuman Happiness, I’ll Be John Brown, James Casey (Artist at Large), and King Lincoln (Featuring Duane Trucks).  For the first time in the history of the festival they will have music all day on Sunday showcasing Pork Tornado with Jon Fishman, The Revivalists, The London Souls, The Heavy Pets, The Main Squeeze, and M&M (A supergroup comprised of Stanton Moore, Marco Benevento, Robert Mercurio, Papa Mali, and Maceo Parker).  Another supergroup performing Sunday, comprised of Eddie Roberts, Pete Shand, Stanton Moore, Nigel Hall, and James Casey, will be named by the fans on their Facebook page.

    Tickets are on sale now and whether you go for cabins or tent-camping your ticket includes all the beer you can drink and all meals from dinner on Friday night through breakfast Sunday morning.