NYS Music 20​14

Author: Jay Saint G

  • Mötley Crüe Goes For One Last Ride and announce Retirement

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    There are bands that just don’t know when it is appropriate to hang it up.  Tuesday, however, people witnessed Mötley Crüe‘s Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee in a Hollywood hotel at a signing ceremony for a “cessation of touring agreement” and their retirement.

    The terms of the agreement are to take effect after what has been dubbed their retirement tour, which is to start later this year and conclude in 2015. In legal terms, once the tour ends, each member has agreed to never tour as Mötley Crüe again.

    Livenation announced that general sales for tickets will start this Friday, with some tickets being made available for as little as $15.

    This is not a time to mourn or cry.  This goes for a celebration to a band that said, “Let’s do it our way.”

    Mötley Crüe started out of Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip in 1981 to reach the successes of multiple Las Vegas residencies, car commercials, Hot Tub Time Machine, a New York Times bestseller, 80 million records sold, and famous girlfriends galore before all was said and done more than 30 years later.  If Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll was in the dictionary, there, you would see “Mötley Crüe.”  This band has done it all.

    “If I was playing at small clubs and county festivals in front of a small crowd with just one or two original members, THEN I would be sad,” said Nikki Sixx, founder, main song writer, and the brains of the Crue operation. Which is why 2014 is a good time to call it quits.

    Upstate New York is fortunate enough to have shows scheduled in Darien (CT), Saratoga, and Syracuse. Sharing the playbill will be legendary rock artist, Alice Cooper giving everyone in New York the last chance to FINALLY experience what a Mötley Crüe show is all about. And, it gives fans a chance to bid farewell and say “thank you” one last time.

    Anyone who is a fan Mötley Crüe, or even if you’re NOT a fan of them, but are a big fan of rock and roll and metal should read the book The Dirt to really get a taste and an appreciation of how far this band has gone to reach success, and understand the hardships of being in a dysfunctional band.

    Tommy Lee has been doing his thing as a DJ and has done some experimental music along the way.

    Nikki Sixx seems to have struck thunder twice with his alternate band Sixx A.M., while  Vince Neil is still touring with his solo band and releasing material.

    Mick Mars deals with ankylosing spondylitis. According to the National Library of Medicine, Ankylosing spondylitis is a long‑term type of arthritis. It affects the bones and joints at the base of the spine where it connects with the pelvis. These joints become swollen and inflamed. Over time, the affected spinal bones join together. Despite his condition, Mars has some musical calibrations of his own.

    In all fairness, The Crüe has nothing more to prove.  It has all been done.

    This will be one last time to “Shout at the Devil,” so catch Mötley Crüe with Alice Cooper in upstate New York at any of the following dates:

    Aug. 26 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing. Arts Center

    Aug. 31 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing. Arts Center

    Oct. 29 – Syracuse, NY – The OnCenter Complex<

  • Clutch rocks to sold out Montage

    Very rare now a days that a metal act sells out a show weeks in advanced; however, it should come to no surprise that Clutch sold out Rochester’s Montage Hall on the 29th.

    Clutch may not have always been as big as acts like Metallica or Sabbath, but they have been just as consistent as acts of that stature.  Clutch, during their 20-plus year career, has been playing in front of big crowds and constantly been releasing great material. 

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    With their latest release Earth Rocker (which as praised by the UK’s Metal Hammer magazine as best album of 2013) Clutch will be spending the next year-and-a-half promoting this album, and with the first full leg of the tour in full swing, upstate New York was blessed to have Clutch rock the Montage, along with reunited veterans Into Another and Lionize.

    One hour after the doors opened, the stage was graced by Lionize, a young four piece band out of Maryland.  They have a Hard Rock/Alternative vibe from them.  It was something different than what I am normally used to, but appropriate opener for a band like Clutch.  What made them stand out is that they have a keyboardist.  It’s really hard to compare them to other acts as they’re an entirely different breed.  The crowd responded well to their 30-minute set.  Lionize’s newest album, Jet Pack Soundtrack, will be coming out February 18th, as you will be looking for something new to add to your collection.  I would expect Lionize to make more noise in upstate New York in the coming future.

    By 8:45 Into Another started their 45-minute set.  Into Another recently reunited after splitting in the late ’90s.   I don’t know a whole lot about them other than they toured with White Zombie during their prime.  Also they went into their set without one of their guitar players due to some kind of illness or accident.  Very admirable they still chose to go on stage without one of their key members.  I thought they were awesome.  This was my first exposure to Into Another. And I think it’s safe to say it was the same for the rest of the crowd.  They’re definitely more in the metal category.  I would even go as far as they were more Acid Metal due to their use of a more distorted sound approach.  Some of their tunes even had a nerdcore sound to them due to some inspiration of Star Wars and other sci fi movies.  The crowd was receptive to them. Into Another is a veteran band that’s getting used to the road again.  It will be interesting to see what they have planned after their cycle with Clutch finishes up.

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    Clutch took the stage at 10 pm with a stellar 16 song set.  They opened their set with 2 songs off Earth Rocker, the title track and “Mr. Freedom.”  Neil Fallon looked great on stage with his beard still epic as ever.  Also Fallon is just coming of spinal surgery this past fall. So it was great to see him rocking the stage with such high energy.  Half way into the set, Clutch played fan favorite “Cypress Grove” and the crowd ERUPTED. (and lit up)  Then Fallon picked up the guitar for the mellower tune “The Regulator.”  The remainder of the set consisted of more tunes off “Earth Rocker” and one tune from “Strange Cousins From The West.”  After their set was finished, Clutch came out for an epic encore performance of the songs “Electric Worry” and “One Eye Dollar.”  I guess the biggest surprise is they didn’t play “Spacegrass.” But it doesn’t matter. Clutch is out there doing what they do best.  The band still sounds as tight as they ever had, never missing a beat, and keeping the energy at a high level.   On a final note, this was personally my third time at the Montage.  The sound of that place has never sounded better.  I look forward to more shows there, and I look forward to the next time Clutch comes to upstate New York.