NYS Music 20​13

Tag: red square

  • The Chronicles Take a Winter Residency in January at Red Square in Albany

    The Chronicles will be holding a month long residency in January 2014 at Red Square, located at 388 Broadway in Albany. Each Thursday they will pay homage to a different musical icon including Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, John Coltrane and J. Dilla. Throughout the month the band will be accompanied by West End Blend, Mr. Breakdown, Cedric Burnside and Big Mean Sound Machine.

    The Chronicles is a six piece band that fuses a vast array of music genres including jazz, funk, soul and hip-hop into a unique and multi-faceted sound. The group is a local band from Albany and have had the opportunity to play many festivals and venues in the Northeast. Tickets for the residency will be $10 at the door or $20 pre-order for all four shows.

    @Chronicles_Band |Facebook| Website

  • Marco Benevento and WOLF! Keep Albany Warm at Red Square

    Marco Benevento last partied at Albany’s Red Square months ago on the first day of June. An exciting Saturday night at Red Square started off with the garage-rockabilly stylings of WOLF! Scott Metzger treated the crowd to his raw guitar work throughout the set, while Taylor Floreth kept the steady beat going underneath him. Dave Dreiwitz played bass with them for the second time ever and fit right in with them. Scott joked between songs with the crowd and it seemed as if the hour was over before it started. Hopefully Scott will bring the band back around to the Capital Region soon for a longer performance.

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    With the cold weather quickly settling into Upstate, Benevento had the Capital District already excited for 2014 as he promised to announce the month of his fall residency at Red Square. Marco Benevento blasted off with “The Real Morning Party” a youthful tune with Nintendo charm that geared the crowd up for play time. The trio went on into a blur of covers throughout the night such as The Bangles “Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Jump into the Fire” by Harry Nillson. Benevento donned the big tiger mask for one of his newest songs from the album, Tiger Face, “Limbs of a Pine”, getting a big roar from the audience and bowing to bassist Dave Dreiwtiz. Andy Borger hit hard the petals with Benevento raising his mug in approval with a catchy verse leading the crowd to a repetitive “HEY/WOO” cheer.  The crowd was rowdy all evening, but really took it to an extreme during the song, with a few people walking on stage and dancing.

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    Benevento and Dreiwtiz exchanged smiles during “RISD” as they played with upbeat and innocent lightheartedness. “Escape Horse” brought about a dark, dangerous side to the night as Benevento hit every note on his keybords with tremendous madness and Borger pounded deep beats. The band took a moment to thank the fans and asked for their vote on which month in 2014 their residency at Red Square should be. October got the loudest cheers and  Marco proclaimed, “As long as we have the ladies with red clown noses, we’ll be here next October, celebrating the release of a new album at that time!” The night ended with the group singalong of “Rainy Day Women #12 and #35” by Bob Dylan and the curveball of Britney Spears “Toxic.” It’ll be seem like a long year until Marco Benevento returns to Albany in October, hopefully he’ll return for another season starter. Until then, Benevento will be ending the year at The Capitol Theatre on Dec 27th with Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and a post-Phish Show at the Highline Ballroom on Dec 30th and he will be sitting in with The Midnight Ramble Band for a special New Year’s Eve Ramble at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY.

  • Thanks be for Timbre Coup and Solaris at Red Square

    The jamtronica trio Solaris finally returned to Albany on Thanksgiving Ever, after a summer full of festivals and shows all over the East Coast. The boys hit Red Square with a blast of energetic beats and melodies to a small dedicated crowd.

    Their sound gives you the feeling as if you are soaring through outer space with the top down in a Jaguar F-TYPE as you blast a fusion of  rock n roll, 80s techno and metal at top volume. They are one of the few bands where you can appreciate their sound individually and in unison as it makes for an unforgettable show every time. One of the highlights of the night was when guitarist Dan Gerken from Timbre Coup joined them on stage, adding raw attitude and explosive dance party. Solaris has big shows lined up in their hometown of Ithaca, including opening for the international dance punk band, !!! (Chk Chk Chk) on Saturday, December 14th at the Haunt and ringing in the New Year at The Gates December 31st.

    After Solaris’ long opening set, Timbre Coup took their turn and played well into the night. A regular treat in Albany, Timbre Coup gave a powerful performance on Thanksgiving Eve, heavy on improvisation. After a hypnotic synth jam and “55” to open the show, fan favorites “August” and “June” came early in the two hour set, with Matt Pickering’s vocals on “June” a fine pairing with the entrancing beat had a 1980s Nintendo game feel via Andrew Chamberlain, while Steve Mink, guitarist for Digital Dharma, sat in. The heavy improv night was rounded out with two of the band’s more popular improve vehicles – ‘How to Fly a Kite’ and ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger’. Timbre Coup show the influence of prog-rock bands like Umphrey’s McGee, but convert this into their own sound, a defining characteristic of the rising tide of bands making their own mark on the scene. Satisfied and hungry for turkey, the crowd dispersed back to their families, another Thanksgiving Eve of partying and dancing at Red Square in the books.

  • An Interview with Marco Benevento, Coming to Red Square in Albany on December 7th

    Keyboardist Marco Benevento has been a creative force for quite some time.  From playing with Joe Russo in “The Duo” to playing with Mike Gordon, Trey Anastasio, and Russo in GRAB, and sitting in with many legends over the years, Marco is no stranger to impressing audiences with his signature sound.  Playing his Hammond B3 and Wurlitzer electric piano, he has made a name for himself as one of the best keyboardists around today.  This tour he is changing it up though and using a 63 key acoustic piano and a Synth to make endless loops that are sure to wow the crowd. His latest release Tigerface has been getting rave reviews throughout the year as he has been touring non-stop behind it.  I had a chance to Interview with Marco Benevento about the upcoming Albany show as well as other topics:

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    Bryan Lasky: Looking back on the year as a whole,  it seems like you have played everywhere under the sun. Do you have a favorite moment from a festival or a show?

    Marco Benevento: Pickathon was a great festival out in Oregon just outside of Portland.  There was a wide varitey of music. In the same weekend I saw Feist, Andrew Bird, some band that led a huge square dance and a great band that played some old 70’s soul music. And our band wound up in the new Pixies video because the film maker loved our set!

    BL: What has it meant to your music to be able to play with Dave Dreiwitz and Andy Borger for a long time now?  Has it changed your writing process? Is it more collaborative?

    MB: We really just have a band vibe now. The live show is unstoppable right now too.  I feel like we can throw curve balls left and right at each other and wind up with some nice surprises in our show.  I’ve been doing the all of the songwriting, but everyone chimes in with there own unique taste and approach to the songs.

    BL: You also played with many other artists and groups, such as The M & M’s at Equifunk, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD), Bustle in your Hedgerow a number of time celebrating the 10th anniversary of playing together, and various other projects.  How does working with all of these other musicians shape your current work?

    MB: It’s just nice to have variety.  It’s also nice to dive into specific bands and learn a lot of their music.  Because of JRAD I now know about 20 or more Dead tunes and because of Bustle I know about 40 Zep tunes and with all of the Levon tributes I know about 40 Band tunes too!  It’s important to learn those timeless tunes and to find out what the formula is that makes it timeless!

    BL:  Lately it seems you’ve been incorporating more lyrics into your songs.  What made you go into that direction?

    MB:  Good question….I have no idea!  Although, I can say that it feels like a very natural progression for me. It started with syllable singing to some of the melodies that I wrote.  “This Is How It Goes” from TigerFace was a tune that really brought it out I think.  At first my wife, myself and some friends sang and recorded the melody to “This Is How It Goes,” then months later I thought I should have one person sing it and Kal (Traver, of Rubblebucket) came to mind because I’ve always loved the sound of her voice. After actually hearing my tune with a vocalist singing the melody instead of the piano playing the melody I feel like a new door opened.

    BL: Have you, Andy, and Dave been recording as a band? Can we expect a release in the coming year?

    MB: We are recording in March with an incredible engineer and musician named Richard Swift.  He’s now the keyboardist in The Shins and has recorded and collaborated with some incredible musicians that have been inspiring me lately such as Dan Auerbach and Foxygen.  Hopefully we’ll have a new record out in the Fall of 2014.

    BL:  At Red Square in Albany this past June, you said you love the room and would like to do a month residency there at some point. Any news on that front?

    MB: Yes!!! The news is that we’re going to do it!!!!!!!!  We’re going to take a vote at our gig (on Dec. 7th) and see which month wins!!!

    BL:  Scott Metzger is opening for you with WOLF! on December 7. What can you tell the fans about them

    MB: Incredibly tasteful!!!!!!!!!!  I love touring with those guys I feel like it’s a great musical pairing for the night.

    This Saturday night is sure to be a great show.  Get there in time to see Scott Metzger with WOLF! and then be ready to dance early into the morning with Marco.  Tickets available now at Redsquare.

  • Thanksgiving Eve in Upstate New York: Where the Party at?

    Thanksgiving Eve – in Upstate New York, as well as around the country – has become known as one of the biggest party nights of the year, with the day after being one that nearly everyone has off from work to enjoy and eat all day with loved ones. With the holiday season upon us, it’s that time of the year to reflect on all the people, places and things in your life that you are thankful for. Upstate New York is fortunate to have a diverse music scene across the state, with plenty of home grown talent as well as artists visiting from all over the world, to enjoy our beautiful scenery, unique concert halls and our states deep appreciate for good music.

    This Thanksgiving Eve go out and support our local venues and musicians because we can all be grateful for a good time!

    Rochester
    Sophistafunk with Subsoil at Sticky Lips BBQ Juke Joint, Rochester

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    Albany/Capital Region

    Black Mountain Symphony at Paulys
    Timbre Coup with Solaris at Red Square
    Wild Adriatic at The Hollow with Titanics (free to first 100 people to RSVP on their Facebook event page)
    High Peaks Band at Bailey’s Café, Saratoga
    Eastbound Jesus with The North and South Dakotas, Putnam Den, Saratoga
    Hammell on Trial at 6pm and The DeadBeats at 10pm at Valentines, Albany

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    North Country
    Capital Zen 5 piece Reunion CD release party at GUGs in Glens Falls

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    Oneonta
    John Scarpulla Band w/Hop City Hellcats at Oneonta Theater

    Binghamton
    InnerMission at Cyber Café West

    Syracuse
    95X & Music for the Mission Toys for Tots Benefit at The Lost Horizon
    Chuck Dorgan and Jess Novak at Trapper’s Pizza Pub, East Syracuse
    Los Blancos, Tim Herron Corporation, and Medicine Wheel, Charley Orlando and Mike Vincitore at Dinosaur BBQ

    Buffalo
    Lazlo HoLLyfeld at Hotel Lafayette
    Sin District at The Forvm
    Brian Setzer Orchestra at the University at Buffalo

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  • Hot Reggae and Jazz at Red Square Thanks to Spiritual Rez and Groovestick

    On November 14th, Red Square in Albany hosted two talented bands that offered up a wide range of musical stylings for any kind of music lover. A trio from members of some of Albany’s favorite bands joined forces to unite in a progressive jazz funk experience to make Groovestick. Reggae group and Boston’s own Spiritual Rez ended their extensive tour in Upstate New York after traveling all over this summer to festivals such as Catskill Chill and Backwoods Pondfest.

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    The newest band on the music scene is the jazz funk trio, Groovestick a dynamite collaboration with Dan Gerken on guitar/bass (Timbre Coup/Mirk), Chris Carballeira on organ/keys (Dirty Paris/Funk Evolution) and Frantz on drums (The Kollectiv/Dirty Paris). A slow and steady start to the night with smooth jazz made way for a funk powerhouse set closer. Carballeira brings an upbeat soul shaking performance as he shines on the organ while Gerken provides the right amount of attitude on the guitar. Their sound is catchy, unique and continues to turn audiences into funky jazz lovers across Upstate New York. Be sure to see them for their return to Monopole in Plattsburgh December 6th and with The Kollectiv at The Hollow in Albany December 13th.

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    Spiritual Rez brought a taste of summer to Red Square with their undeniably fun reggae melodies. They have a raw energy that can’t be matched or stopped as their music flows on wave upon wave. Jesse Shaternick laid down some heavy bass bombs as the horn section brought a twist of ska to the mix of reggae bliss. The only drawback of the show was the small stage space of Red Square, limiting Toft Willingham to his usual outrageous dance moves. The six-piece band was a tight squeeze on the stage but it forced the sound forward, hitting dancers hard in the face with dubtastic rock. Spiritual Rez brings out the animal in everyone with their primal screams, carefree attitude and explosive grooves. Spiritual Rez will be making stops throughout the east coast in December and will celebrate New Year’s Eve at The Spot in Providence, RI.

  • Kung Fu lights up Red Square for a knock out

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    Albany got a high dose of funk on October 3rd at Red Square thanks to the funk professionals in Kung Fu. The quintet packs a supergroup punch with talented musicians from various bands – Tim Palmieri (The Breakfast, guitar), Todd Stoops (RAQ, keyboards), Rob Somerville (Deep Banana Blackout, sax), David Livolsi (Jazz Is Dead, bass) and Adrian Tramontano (The Breakfast, drums). Needless to say, these guys have plenty of experience on how to start a killer party, even on a weekday night. Often booked for the late night slots on festival schedules, it was refreshing to watch Kung Fu perform at an earlier time (10pm), giving concertgoers a stirring chance to soak up the lethal levels of musical fusion.

    With no opening act, the fans went wild as Kung Fu took the stage, eager to feel the funk. The sound came blaring out of the speakers and the groove hit via highlights including “God Made Me Funky”, with its simple chorus which the grateful crowd sang back to the band. Somerville blasted his horn with great enthusiasm that almost chipped the paint off the walls. It was a unique treat for the Red Square venue to have the Kung Fu lighting rigs that heightened the musical experience with the nonstop waves of bright neon. Guests were given the warning from the band, “Just because we stop playing, doesn’t mean we want to stop partying.” One of the best things about playing in the Upstate New York area for Kung Fu is the late night cut off time, usually much earlier in Connecticut.

    The second set brought the crowd to the dark side of the funk, as the band displayed a captivating chemistry of Sly & the Family Stone meets The Funky Meters, turned upside down and mixed with harder electronic rock. Kung Fu created a heavier rock vibe mixed with a slow groove, resulting in a hair-raising boogie. Stoops surrendered to the keyboards as he played with his eyes closed, feeling the music that he was feeding to the crowd. Livolsi hit deep notes on his bass in a steady rhythm of sinister delight.

    Kung Fu has a jammed packed fall tour with stops at the New York Harvest Fest in Monticello, a Post Phish show at The Palladium in Worcester, MA, a Halloween show at The Gramercy Theater in NYC and the Bear Creek Festival in Live Oak, Florida.

  • George Porter, Jr. & The Runnin’ Pardners and The McLovins ‘Funkify’ Red Square

    Red Square in Albany got a lesson in funk when George Porter, Jr and the Runnin’ Pardners performed on Saturday, June 21st with special guests The McLovins. The Connecticut kids of The McLovins are known for their improvisational tunes and four part harmonies. George Porter, Jr. is recognized as the bassist for The Meters, a funky New Orleans band that has recently nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

    The McLovins opened the night with light hearted songs that were easy for the crowd to groove to. The boys have great chemistry together; there is very little verbal communication on stage because they don’t really need it. There is a constant beautiful flow through the set, great build ups and come downs, one song straight into the next making for one serious jam session. The crowd was delighted to hear teases from The Doors and The Beatles, and with the tempo getting kicked up, everyone could lose a little control.  It was interesting to watch Atticus Kelly switch from guitar to keyboard throughout the night, sometimes during the same song. Jake Huffman had a soothing voice for vocals despite rocking hard on the drums. Towards the end of the set, they played the Tom Marshall-penned “Cohesive”, resulting in a climax of guitar riffs glory. Be on the lookout for The McLovins new album Beautiful Lights, set to drop this August.

    George Porter, Jr. took the stage with his four piece band the Runnin’ Pardners, comprised of Brint Anderson on guitar, Michael Lemmler on keyboards and Terrence Houston on drums. George Porter, Jr. opened the night by saying how he was going play some of his favorite Meters songs, much to the excitement of the crowd. The band wasted no time laying out the funk with an extreme melody which came at the crowd with full force. Porter, Jr. is a wizard on the bass, playing with quick fingers and delivering a wide array of smooth sounds. In between songs during the first set, Porter, Jr. was quite the story teller, talking about different shows from “back in the day” and the adventures his music brought him to, plus giving credit to The McLovins for “playing real music”. Michael Lemmler erupted out and over the key boards during “Same Old Thing” trying to keep up with Porter, Jr.’s slick bass playing.

    There’s always some perks to see a big name act in a small venue in your hometown. Red Square gave the audience an opportunity to get close and personal with the jazzy blues of George Porter, Jr. and company. The musicians were causal and comfortable in the space, which made for a relaxed environment where they were constantly joking with the crowd. Another perk was being able to get a good look at George Porter, Jr. lose control of himself but never his instrument. One of the funniest things throughout the night was every time that Porter, Jr. started to dip into another bass solo, everyone around me could be heard saying, “Oh sh*t.” Terrence Houston stole the show during the second set when he lifted his shirt over his head, resulting in a blinded epic drum solo session lasting for a solid five minutes. This music brings out the best in people, with the first few rows of dancers totally lost to the band and mesmerized by Porter, Jr.’s fingers. I was personally stoked to hear their rendition of “Iko Iko” by Dr. John, leading to a big group sing-along.

    The McLovins and George Porter Jr hung around after the show for pictures with fans and autographs. It was great to experience so much talented music with such a small crowd in a small venue. Both acts will appear this year at The Gathering of the Vibes and The Catskill Chill. 

  • A Hot Saturday at Red Square with Timbre Coup and The Assortment of Crayons

    The Assortment of Crayons, based out of New Paltz, NY, is a relatively new band in the Upstate scene and one very much worth a listen. They have garnered quite an audience on Tuesday nights in New Paltz at Oasis Cafe and Snug Harbor, because SUNY doesn’t have classes on Wednesday (weird, I know). Albany was treated to an opening set from The Assortment, showcasing a wide range of music stylings and versatility in the live setting. “Courier” bled out of “Happenstance” and became a Phishy jam with excellent guitar work from Sean and Erik Hill, delving into a bluesy noodle-fest.

    “Trust a Stranger” was dedicated to semantics and had a jazzy vibe throughout. “Leroy’s Adventure” was intricate and composed progressive rock, rising and falling throughout the song. “Like a River” was introduced as we were advised to ‘Dance like a hoedown’, a perfect upbeat tune to cap off the opening set on. Taking with guitarist Sean Hill afterwards, he professed his love for the guitar work of none other than Jimmy Herring, who’s steadfast focus could be heard in “When You’re Gone”.

    the assortment of crayonsThe Assortment of Crayons is Sean Hill (guitar/vocals), Matthew Richards (keyboards/vocals) Jack Singer (bass/vocals), Erik Hill (guitar/vocals) and Eric Segerstrom (drums). You can check out more from The Assortment of Crayons on their website and on Facebook. Stay tuned for more coverage of this great band from .

    Setlist: Happenstance>Courier, To Trust a Stranger, Molly Gagging Lolly, Leroy’s Adventure, When You’re Gone, Like a River.

    As many times as I have seen Albany’s Timbre Coup, Saturday was one of their best shows. They kept the energy at a high point all night, barely letting up with their electronic jams and great flow. Timbre Coup does have a dark side to their jams but I was happy that they didn’t venture too deep into it this time. A great surprise was the debut of hearing “All Night Long”, originally by Lionel Richie, catching the crowd off guard and resulting in massive cheers. “Mother Nature’s Baby Daddy” brought an intense heavy rock mode to the venue with slamming guitar riffs.  I was stoked to hear “September”, a groovy rock techno melody from their latest album, Knuckles & Valleys. As a bonus, the night’s performance was recorded for an upcoming live album release. Fans can catch Timbre Coup performing this summer at Bellstock and The Big Up Festival.

    Set 1: Takes Awhile, Running Always, All Night Long*, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Verbal Kint> Jam> CTS, Mother Nature’s Baby Daddy

    Set 2: Gurfin> Jam>55, Z#, Roland Opus, Snoop Tiger, Chupacabra, September

    Encore: I Didn’t Know She had a Moustache

    *debut

  • Get Ready to Get Funky This Friday with George Porter Jr. at Red Square

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    Legendary bassist, George Porter Jr will be getting down and funky this Friday June 21st at Red Square in Albany with his band, the Runnin’ Pardners, presented by Guthrie Bell Productions . The New Orleans band is admired for their fusion of funk, rock and R&B with the members consisting of Porter on bass, Brint Anderson on guitar, Michael Lemmler playing keyboards, Khris Royal on saxophone and Terrence Houston on drums. George Porter Jr. is best known for being a founding member of The Meters with Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli and Joseph Zigaboo Modeliste.

    The Meters formed in 1965 only to break up in 1977 but reunited in 1989 and recently have been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Meters music has been celebrated as one of the hardest grooving bands in the business, delivering a high energy performance with heart and funky soul. Their music has been covered by such bands as The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Grateful Dead, plus sampled by hip hop artists like The Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C. When the Meters are not touring together, George Porter Jr. and Art Neville tour with their side project band known as the Funky Meters. George Porter Jr.’s music career has spanned over four decades and has worked with renowned artists such as Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Patti LaBelle, Warren Haynes, John Scofield, and Steve Kimock.

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    The McLovins, Connecticut’s top Jam Band, made famous from a YouTube cover of Phish’s “Youn Enjoy Myself”, are set to open the show. Their improvisational rock has led them all over the Northeast, making every concert goer a lifelong fan. Both the McLovins and George Porter Jr. are set to play this year’s Gathering of the Vibes as well as the Catskill Chill, making Red Square an ideal spot for a more intimate performance.

    Doors open at 8 with tickets available online for an early purchase of only $17 but will be $20 day of the show.