NYS Music 20​14

Author: jg

  • Journey, Steve Miller, and Tower of Power Light up SPAC

    When Tower of Power took the stage, the amphitheater was still empty. The tailgating crowd outside didn’t quite understand what they were missing.  While Tower of Power isn’t a household name like Steve Miller or Journey, their talents are definitely on par.  The smart music fans were already in their seat when the show started and were blessed by waves of talent and soul a mile deep, drowning in goodness. Hits like “Soul Vaccination” and “What is Hip?” got even the band’s newest fans on their feet to feel the soul power overtaking Saratoga Saturday night.  Equipped with a new lead singer, Ray Greene, and the traditional line-up of saxes, trumpets, trombones, along with a solid backline of drums, guitar and bass, Tower of Power brings the energy and great music every night.

    After a short break, the Steve Miller Band came out to a setting sun and a growing audience.  Steve Miller sang all the classics, “Take the Money and Run”, “Abracadabra”, “The Joker” and more. Fans of all ages sang along with the master of his craft. Four generations were equally represented as it was GE’s Kids Night and youngsters under 12 got in free with an adult ticket. Even after nearly 50 years on stage, Miller brought lots of energy and even had a run-in with a bunch of released balloons.  He tried (and failed) to pop a couple, but did manage to kick a few out of the way.  It was all in good fun and the smile on his face and the crowd was a good indicator of the success of the evening.   Originally a blues man, evident by his tremendous skills on the harmonica and soulful voice, Miller delighted the crowd.  With songs dating back nearly 50 years (“Space Cowboy”, 1968) and majority of success in the ’70s, Miller continues to make great music. It was a rare summer in the ’80s or ’90s when the Steve Miller Band didn’t grace the SPAC stage. By the turn out, many loyal fans were glad to see him back.

    Journey’s lead singer since 2008, Arnel Pineda, with a haircut and a shave since the last time at SPAC, came out with so much energy it was intoxicating. Last time Journey played SPAC, Pineda looked more like an Elvis impersonator than the lead singer of the legendary band.  If served as a distraction to many, but this time around, it was all about rock ‘n roll and delighting the fans.  Thousands packed the full amphitheater and even more fans were located out on the famous SPAC lawn. The sound was spot on and while standing by the soundboard will typically give you chills at most venues, at SPAC it is truly magical. SPAC is the prize of Upstate New York concert goers and it is no wonder why so many musicians list it as one of their favorites to play.

    Jon Cain (piano) talked about writing the song “Faithfully” on a bus ride to Saratoga Springs in the early 80s.  He worked on the song into the night and finished it on a napkin in the morning over a cup of coffee. He played it for the first time every on one of the pianos backstage at SPAC.  When “Don’t Stop Believin’” started, no one was still sitting at this point.  Confetti cannons exploded and the place erupted into song. Everyone was singing in unison swaying left to right; people were even singing with new friends they had just met that night. To the left, right and all around. It was a truly electrifying moment. There was a very short break and then the “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” encore and barely anyone headed for the doors until it was over.

    Setlist: The Journey (Revelation), Be Good to Yourself, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Any Way You Want It, Only the Young, The Star-Spangled Banner (John Stafford Smith cover), Stone in Love, “Mother, Father”, She’s a Mystery, Lights, Piano Solo, Open Arms, Ritual, La Do Da / Anytime, Guitar Solo (Jonathan Cain on back up keyboards), Wheel in the Sky, Faithfully, Don’t Stop Believin’

    Encore: Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’

  • Mysteryland USA: The View Through a New EDM Fan’s Lens

    MysteryLand USA was my first EDM festival but I doubt it will be my last.  As a middle aged rocker that occasional enjoys the occasional jam band, I really didn’t know what to expect.  However, when I got to the grounds of the original Woodstock at Bethel Woods, I could already feel the excitement in the air.  My normal routine for festivals or concerts is to get there early and to scout the stages and setup.  I start planning my shots and my day with no one else around, understanding the lay of the land. For Mysteryland this was at high noon on Saturday, and there wasn’t a single light, laser or LED to be seen. There were however, huge circus-style tents, a Spanish stage with sugar face designs, a vinyl area with old albums all over and an octagon building that was brought over from the Netherlands.  There was even a large boat set-up as a stage.   But the highlight was the main stage. It was a house of cards, no, it was a castle of cards. It looked amazing and in the middle was an area that the DJs and artists could practice their craft and entertain the 20,000 fans in attendance.

    When the gates finally opened all the festival-goers were greeted by sheriffs and state troopers with their canine unit drug sniffing dogs.  Festival organizers, ID&T, said they were going to run a clean festival and to the best of their ability they did a great job.  After spending two days, it wasn’t the typical cloud of smoke, nor did I walk by underage drunks passed out at three in the afternoon.  Did I mention that they enforced a 21 and over policy?  Additional fences were added to increase security and there were 850 people working the festival besides the 250 performers. This wasn’t the normal festival; ID&T were planning for the future and wanted to prove to their hosts that they could offer up a quality, successful festival on the holy grounds of Woodstock and keep it safe and clean.  The goal wasn’t as much about making money as it was getting an invitation back.

    One of the aspects of the festival that I did look forward to were the costumes the ravers put together to express themselves. While some outfits were purchased, it seemed like most extravagant and therefore the best ones were handmade. I saw people dressed as animals, Dr. Seuss characters, the whole cast from Alice in Wonderland, aliens and more. There was even a parrot and a pirate combo with her on his shoulder, put that by the boat stage and it was the perfect scenario.  As per any electronic music event, there were no shortages of hula hoops or fuzzy boots, and more than your fair share of glitter and body paint. A few of the outfits (or lack of) made me thankful that I have three sons, because if I had a daughter wearing a bra and panties out in public I wouldn’t be the happy-go-lucky guy that I am.  Honestly in the proper setting it really does barely raise an eyebrow.

    Some of the things that made Mysteryland unique compared to most festivals that I’ve been to were the amount of International visitors.  Over 27 countries were represented and more than half the states also had a solid presence.  The European touch on the festival was evident in the hospitality and organization, especially in the media area.  Overall this festival was other worldly and I look forward to the next one.

  • Rock On the Range 2014: Day Three

    On day three of Rock on the Range, rangers traded in their ponchos for T-shirts and bikinis. Already a step ahead of the first two days before it had even begun, a karaoke version of “Sweet Caroline” had everyone singing at the top of their lungs. The music faded out, replaced by the heavy guitar intro to “Pleasure and Pain”. Rather than waste time with small talk, they made the most of the short set, packing in as many songs as possible.

    An opening slot on the main stage didn’t seem to do Trivium justice. Following the recent departure of drummer Nick Augusto, the band was still on point, getting everyone moving on their latest single “Strife” and setting the bar high for the bands that followed, with a contagious energy on closing song “In Waves”. Australia’s Twelve Foot Ninja brought the Jäger Stage a quirky and refreshing fusion of rock and reggae before it was time to return to the main stage for Adelitas Way. Lineup changes and some time off the road served the band well. Frontman Rick DeJesus never stood still, promising to join whichever side of the stadium gave him the most energy. The closing notes of “Invincible” came, and DeJesus made good on his promise, crowd surfing from the front of the pit to the back, and then back again. Asking Alexandria’s lead singer Danny Worsnop is working his way up again in new project We Are Harlot, featuring members of Silvertide and Sebastian Bach. The new group were obviously no stranger to big crowds, delivering an impressive and fast paced set. Wolfmother seemed to be an unusual choice with this years metal heavy lineup. Donning short shorts, guitarist and singer Andrew Stockdale hit every note without hesitation throughout a set that seemed to flow together like one long guitar solo.

    Mastodon hit the main stage next, fueling the crowd with melodic metal. Each song had it’s own character with each member of the band singing a song or two to keep things fresh. Over at the Ernie Ball Stage, Of Mice and Men were playing to perhaps the most insane crowd of the weekend. A circle pit that looked more like a running track moved nonstop amidst an insane sea of bodies flying through the air.Impeccable skill from guitarist Mark Tremonti combined with the powerful vocals of Myles Kennedy made for an unforgettable set from Alter Bridge. The new single “Addicted to Pain” marked the first sighting of Spider-Man crowd surfing his way to the front, and the classically inspired guitar played against heavy riffs throughout the too short set.

    The general consensus at past years of Rock on the Range appeared to be that Five Finger Death Punch brought a performance far bigger than their opening set times. This year the band was second to last on the main stage, and security had doubled in size in preparation. A traffic jam of crowd surfers rolled above the crowd the instant “Under and Over It” began. Each and every member did their part to entertain  and interact with the crowd as they sped through a hit filled set list. Guitarist Jason Hook sat down with an acoustic guitar midway through the set, accompanying singer Ivan Moody on “Remember Everything”. The lighter ballad was the calm before the storm, which picked back up for the duration of the set.

    Just a few short minutes after 9 pm, the lights on the Main Stage dimmed for the last time as headliner Kid Rock slowly made his way out onto the stage. Before he walked out, a clip of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”” was played from the speakers and cut off appropriately during “born and raised in south Detroit” leaving the audience to scream the lyrics from the top of their lungs and officially introduce Kid Rock. He spoke a small prayer from behind the stage getting the crowd riled up in anticipation and finally emerged onto the stage accompanied by sparklers going off in the background. Kid Rock took into account that it was a rock show so he kept the energy high by jumping up and down across the stage and doing cool little mic tosses during “You Never Met a Motherf***er Quite Like Me.” Other songs included in the setlist were “American Badass,” “Cocky,” and of course, “All Summer Long.”

  • Rock On the Range 2014: Day Two

    Columbus, Ohio promised sunshine for Day Two of Rock on the Range, and by early Saturday morning it was pretty evident that we had no such luck. Sponsors and staff manned each and every entrance to Crew Stadium, armed with ponchos to hand out to already wet and weary rangers. What looked like a sea of garbage bags was really a dedicated horde of music revelers who stuck it out right from the start, filling the Ernie Ball Stage up in preparation for some Christian rock.

    Kicking off the festivities was female fronted Stars In Stereo. With everyone’s ears still ringing from the night before, the melodic tone of front woman Bec Hollcraft’s vocals were a great way to ease into the harsher male dominated lineup to follow. Fellow Christian rockers We As Human hopped on next, wowing the crowd with their nonstop antics. Between climbing the scaffolding, towering high above the stage, and jumping into the pit for some crowd participation, the set was anything but dull.

    The Main Stage didn’t get off to quite as energetic of a start, with opener Rev Theory clearly growing frustrated by the lack of enthusiasm. As the rain poured down for the worst storm of the day, the band did their best to distract the crowd and finally succeeded when they broke into “Hell Yeah”, during which it was nearly impossible not to crack a smile.

    The Jägermeister Stage hosted one of the biggest breakout acts of the weekend next. Pennsylvania’s Crobot reminded rangers what true rock ‘n’ roll is all about – dirty, grungy hooks to bring the genre back to its purest form.

    The sun finally started to “Shimmer” when Fuel took the stage to rock out to some newer tracks followed by the old favorites. The second half of their set was a welcome throwback for twenty-something’s to reminisce their glory days.

    Winning the award for quirkiest band of the day was Sweden’s Avatar. The metal band’s short Jägermeister Stage set provided some unique entertainment while the main stage was set up for Pop Evil.

    With a recent string of #1 singles under their belts, it was no surprise that the main stage was packed when Pop Evil arrived. Drummer Joshua “Chachi” Marunde moved around more than most singers do, and frontman Leigh Kakaty made sure the crowd was awake by jumping in for “Last Man Standing”. The real show began, however, when members of the armed forces joined the band on stage to close the set with “Trenches”, featuring a jaw dropping collaboration with Run DMC that had everyone talking for the rest of the day.

    Another new act hit the Ernie Ball Stage next, Texas natives Nothing More. They incorporated some unique elements, including a separate small drum at the front of the stage that frontman Jonny Hawkins would drum and jump on throughout the set.

    Theory of a Deadman lit up the main stage with some entertaining singalong tracks, including “B***h Came Back” and “Bad Girlfriend”, as well as throwing in a more serious ballad, “Not Meant to Be”. With everyone bouncing and singing along to each of the songs, it was clear that the band was a Rock on the Range favorite.

    The Pretty Reckless, the second of two female fronted bands slotted for Day Two, hit the Ernie Ball Stage. Lead singer Taylor Momsen’s voice was a force to be reckoned with, and the overall charismatic nature of the band shone through throughout their set. Chevelle began what was to be a heavy night to follow, building up the energy level that would remain until the final band left the stage with nonstop crowd surfing and moshing. The band may be a trio, but lead guitarist/singer Pete Loeffler had no problem amping up the crowd on his own.

    With the side stages closed for the evening, it was finally time for Slayer.

    The pit suddenly transformed into a hulking mass of muscles and bald heads, scaring away the younger crowd for the duration of their hour long set. Holding nothing back, the band powered through an intense set, clearly unaffected by recent lineup changes. Closing out with “Raining Blood”, Crew Stadium exploded into a frenzy of bodies flying in every imaginable direction.

    Not to be outdone, Avenged Sevenfold brought their spectacularly haunting stage set up to close out Day Two. With too many hits to choose from, the band did their best to please everyone from the most diehard fans to brand new ones, making sure to include a few from each album. Without the addition of fireworks and pyrotechnics, the set would arguably be one of the best of the day. With them, it was a no brainer.

    Midway through the set, lighters filled the sky as the band slowed things down a bit to honor the band’s late drummer, Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan. Frontman M. Shadows took a moment to let the crowd know that they are not a band to usually use tracks in their live show, but revealed that that the vocals we had been hearing in the background all night, in fact, belonged to Sullivan. An impressive guitar solo preceded the final few songs of the night, wrapping up with “Unholy Confessions”.

    Stay Tuned for Day 3 coverage tomorrow!

  • Rock On the Range 2014: Day One

    Rock on the Range promised to bring Columbus, Ohio the biggest and best lineup to date for this years festival, and on day one, they certainly delivered. This year’s festival marked the first featuring a full 3-day lineup, and Rangers were eagerly waiting outside the stadium early on Friday morning to get their weekend started. Cold weather and rain tried to put a damper on the sold out crowd, but the bands and tens of thousands of fans energized one another and made sure the weekend was unforgettable.

    Featuring former members of Egypt Central, Devour The Day were given the task of warming up the Ernie Ball Stage early on Friday afternoon. Mixed in with the new material was an unexpected surprise, Egypt Central’s hit “White Rabbit”. The Monster Main Stage was christened by Redlight King. The instantly recognizable opening notes of “Comeback” got the crowd going immediately. The band steered clear of their more relaxed rap-rock tracks, keeping it heavy for the festival crowd.

    Intro music could be heard at the Ernie Ball stage the moment the main stage wrapped up, allowing a few seconds to rush over in time for Thousand Foot Krutch. Playing mostly newer material, the band was sure to bring it back for the old fans on “Move”, which had the entire field doing just that. Black Stone Cherry had just the right balance of entertaining lyrics, southern charm, and high energy rock to convert just about any ranger into a fan, taking the main stage to deliver a set that was nearly impossible to not sing along to.

    While We Came As Romans played the Ernie Ball Stage, Japanese four piece ONE OK ROCK took the Jägermeister stage for their first US festival performance, a not so modest transition into their upcoming Warped Tour appearances. Killswitch Engage seem to never disappoint, and that certainly held true for the band’s main stage set. The fun and eccentric playing style of guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz was contrasted by the growl of vocalist Jesse Leach, who held his own on the final track, a cover of Dio’s “Holy Diver”.

    Black Label Society were next up on the main stage to ensure that the lucky few not exhausted following Killswitch Engage were completely worn out by the end of their 50 minute set. While the band may cater to the middle aged biker crowd, it’s safe to say that everyone that caught the set appreciated the undeniable talent of Zakk Wylde as he effortlessly shredded through guitar solos that lasted as long as some band’s songs.

    (Interview with Seether from Upstate Rock Station Q103’s Wes Styles)

    The anxiously awaited return of Seether to the festival scene was well received next at the Monster Stage. Following the addition of a touring guitarist, the former trio sounded better than ever. Not even the slightest split second of silence occurred throughout the entire set, with improvised transitions from song. On top of the old favourites the band included their brand new single “Words As Weapons”, which many devoted fans had already memorized word for word.

    Also having laid low for the last few years, Staind took the stage next to show Columbus that they are far from finished. Despite the fact that each of the members have been working on various side projects in recent years, the band proved to be as in sync as ever. Flames lit up Crew Stadium on rock ballads like “Outside”, with Seether’s Shaun Morgan accompanied Aaron Lewis on vocals. Time for rest on the lighter tracks allowed fans some much needed time to catch their breaths and rest up for heavier tracks like “Mudshovel”, during which bodies flew in every imaginable direction amongst the crowd.

    Guns N’ Roses may have been a surprising choice to close out day one of Rock on the Range, but the rest of the day’s killer lineup left little room for complaints. Whether it was out of mere curiosity or genuine excitement, the majority of the sold out audience stayed for the final show of the night. After starting out slow with a newer track, the famous guitar intro of “Welcome to the Jungle” caused every single face in the stadium to light up. Backed by a theatrical stage set up and scorching pyro, Axl Rose wowed with powerful vocals that haven’t wavered since day one. After teasing everyone with a taste of the GNR classics, he number of newer songs included in the band’s set list left many disappointed and rushing for the exit to beat lines of traffic on the way out. While the set list wasn’t spectacular, Guns N’ Roses put on a solid performance worthy of closing out an incredible day of rock.

  • 2014 Austin City Limits Line-up Released with Very Few Surprises

    If you’ve been keeping an eye on all the festival announcements here at , or elsewhere on the Internet, today’s release of 2014 Austin City Limits lineup will offer you the opportunity to tell your friends, “I knew that.”  There were no surprises when this year’s festival favorites, Eminem, Pearl Jam and Outkast topped the billing.

    It still proves to be an impressive two weekends of music with acts ranging from Jimmy Cliff to The Avett Brothers.  Add a few older favorites like Beck, Lettuce and the Replacements, mixed in with hot new names Lorde, Chvrches and Saratoga Spring’s own Phantogram, and you have one hell of a party.  For ticket information, go to the ACL website, www.aclfestival.com.

    Read the full line-up below; but, one warning – it is huge, and will take your whole coffee break this morning to go through it.  It is guaranteed to off up at least a couple OMGs and a few well-deserved eye rolls.  Enjoy!

    Eminem
    Pearl Jam
    OutKast
    Skrillex
    Beck
    Calvin Harris
    Lana Del Rey
    Lorde (weekend two only)
    Foster The People
    The Replacements
    Zedd
    Major Lazer
    The Avett Brothers
    Spoon
    The Head And the Heart
    Childish Gambino
    Chvrches
    Jimmy Cliff
    St. Vincent
    Phantogram
    Juanes
    The Glitch Mob
    Fitz & The Tantrums
    The Gaslight Anthem
    AFI
    Iggy Azalea
    Rebelution
    Icona Pop
    Turnpike Troubadours
    Capital Cities
    Paolo Nutini
    Jenny Lewis
    Beats Antique
    Sam Smith
    Kongos
    Real Estate
    tUnE-yArDs
    Kodaline
    Jagwar Ma
    Blackberry Smoke
    Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
    Mac DeMarco
    Gramatik
    Lettuce
    Lake Street Drive
    Poliça
    Lucius
    Temples
    Ozomatli
    Bleachers
    Ana Tijoux
    Hozier
    Mø
    J. Roddy Walston & The Business
    Robert Ellis
    Zoe
    Saints Of Valory (weekend two only)
    Jon Baptiste And Stay Human
    Parker Millsap (weekend two only)
    The Preatures
    Falls
    Reuben And The Dark
    Tor Miller
    Bernhoft
    Nikki Lane
    Bad Rabbits
    My Brightest Diamond
    Cults
    The Rosebuds
    Night Terrors Of 1927
    The Chain Gang Of 1974
    Young & Sick
    Miniature Tigers
    Spanish Gold
    Empires
    The Districts
    Benjamin Booker
    Blank Range
    Asleep At The Wheel (weekend one only)
    Ray Benson & Milkdrive (weekend two only)
    Moats (weekend one only)
    Melanie Martinez (weekend two only)
    The Last Internationale (weekend one only)
    Johnnyswim (weekend one only)
    Future Unlimited (weekend one only)
    Jon Pardi (weekend one only)
    Beat Connection (weekend two only)
    Los Colognes (weekend one only)
    A Thousand Horses (weekend one only)
    Snowmine (weekend one only)
    The Lonely Biscuits (weekend two only)
    Bully (weekend two only)
    The Wans (weekend two only)
    Colony House (weekend two only)
    The Hunts (weekend two only)
    Catfish & The Bottlemen (weekend two only)
    Von Grey (weekend one only)
    Mark Scibila (weekend one only)
    Modoc (weekend one only)
    Black Pistol Fire (weekend two only)
    Blue Bear (weekend one only)
    Wood & Wire (weekend two only)
    Emily Wolfe (weekend two only)
    The Nightowls (weekend two only)
    Dawn And Hawkes (weekend one only)
    Mike And The Moonpies (weekend one only)
    Sphynx (weekend one only)
    Penny & Sparrow (weekend two only)
    Riders Against The Storm (weekend two only)
    Hard Proof (weekend one only)
    Arum Rae (weekend one only)
    The Legendary Soul Stirrers
    The Jones Family Singers
    Shields Of Faith
    The Levites
    Ashley Cleveland (weekend two only)
    The Stapletones (weekend two only)
    The River City Christianettes
    Gospel Silvertones (weekend one only)
    Wesley Bray And The Disciples Of Joy
    The Barton Hills Choir
    Steve Songs
    Ralph’s World
    Elizabeth McQueen
    Sugar Free Allstars
    School Of Rock
    The Q Brothers
    Tony Distefano & Tor

  • Ed Kowalczyk sells out The Swyer Theater

    If you are a fan of 1990’s grunge, you know the band Live. Though songs like “I Alone” and “Heaven” debuted twenty or so years ago, they still get air time today. Not all fans of 1990s grunge or Live know the name Ed Kowalczyk though. Live’s former lead singer has taken a new direction (sort of) since splitting with the band, Live, in 2009.

    Kowalczyk’s direction is an active one; he is producing new stuff and still tours. Quite a bit. Despite his happy marriage and four kids, he is seemingly always on the road. He sold out The Egg’s Swyer Theater in Albany on March 21 and is heading overseas shortly.

    Ed Kowalczyk followed an opening performance by Anna Rose, originally of Dutchess County and promoting her album Behold a Pale Horse, she is all voice.  While her stage presence is still a bit awkward – she even explained that she’s been accused of laughing too loud –  Anna Rose’s powerful voice over heart-felt lyrics will lead her to greater things in the future.

    Kowalczyk, also known for pairing his powerful voice and lyrics, opened with “All Over You”. It seemed like everyone in the theater knew the words, leading me to believe that the sold out show was filled with Live fans. But as the show proceeded, and Kowalczyk shared his newer, more religious songs, it was clear that there was a strong Christian contingent in attendance as well. Kowalczyk’s three solo albums since 2010 focus on his re-awakening into the Christian faith, but listening even to his oldest material, you can sense the strong religious tide that runs through all his music.

    The Egg is a great venue because the layout allows fans to feel really close to the performer(s). This was my third time seeing Kowalczyk (once with Live ten or so years ago, then solo at Albany’s Alive at Five series in 2011), and this show did feel more intimate. Kowalczyk seemed totally at ease, and the closeness made it a lot easier to see the emotion that was written all over his face. He offered a very good sampling of 20 years worth of music, performing 18 songs including one surprise cover of The Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter.”

    Last Time Kowalczyk was in Albany he confessed that he has a long history with New York’s Capital City since he once courted a girl who attended Siena College, who later became his wife. Now that he and his family have moved to the East Coast (Connecticut) from California, I suspect that we will see lots more of Kowalczyk.

    Setlist: All Over You, The Distance, The Great Beyond, Bottle of Anything, All That I Wanted, The Dolphin’s Cry, Angels on a Razor, Selling the Drama, Seven, Pain Lies on the Riverside, Face and Ghost, Heaven, I Alone

    Encore: Lakini’s Juice, Gimme Shelter, The Beauty of Gray, Overcome, Lightning Crashes

  • Band of Horses Pack The Egg on their Acoustic Tour

    Band of Horses set free remarkable talent inside The Egg’s acoustic heaven on February 23, leaving a deep mark on the 900+ people inside the Hart Theatre. With only about half of the audience seated, the group’s long time friend, Sera Cahoone, warmed up the room with her soft, sultry, simple sound, along with the steel pedal guitar mastery of Jason Kardong. Sera’s casual stories about ten years of touring were happily received– especially the one of the rat eating her leftover dinner at a dumpy hotel, although  it is not the premise behind the song, “Shitty Hotel”; that tale followed.

    The few hundred fans still milling in the lobby during Cahoone’s performance made their way to their seats just in time to hear three powerful voices backed by a clean piano perform the dramatic ballad, “St. Augustine”. Though classified as Indie, Southern Rock or Alternative Country, seeing and hearing Band of Horses, you can sense the Seattle influence. There is a distinct grunge feel to the look and sound of these guys, but the Southern influence is heavy as well.

    The acoustic tour, promoting their recently released Acoustic at the Ryman album, is a short-lived experience with only 13 performances scheduled and Albany was the eighth stop. The stage setup at The Hart Theater included rugs, a floor lamp spouting a plain living room shade, and an old record player, creating a homey, comfortable experience meant to mimic what is supposed to be a laid-back, toned-down experience. That’s a tough act to achieve when using gigantic equipment such as a baby grand piano, a bass, and whole host of guitar varieties — not to mention the massive vocals.

    The relaxed scene was in direct opposition to the powerfully strong sound that was consistently offered. One thing is for sure — these guys know sound. Whether solo or collaborative, each piece was well balanced, offering the same commanding intensity with one voice as with all the instruments together. The music was very well written for acoustic performance, and the inclusion of the toned-down drums was brilliant.

    Their songs are deep, penetrating and sometimes heart-breaking. The high quality of the group’s talent, performed in a theater designed to perfectly move sound resulted in beautiful, potent and dramatic music. I went to this show to hear “Laredo,” became intrigued by “Ode to LRC” and was seriously moved by “No One’s Gonna Love You.” Crowd favorites included “Is There a Ghost” and “Funeral.”

    Just before wrapping up their set, the band’s founder and lead, Ben Bridwell, announced their “fake last song,” offering a refreshingly humorous perspective on the strangely accepted “encore” ritual that both musicians and fans accept, despite the insincerity of it. But it was worth the two minute wait. Just before the encore, the band members walked through the crowd to pass out little plastic egg-shaker sound-makers to the entire audience. (These instruments had the band’s name printed on them – a brilliant marketing strategy!) The crowd was encouraged to join in the performance – and wow – this was almost as good as having everyone know every word to the song and loudly sing it. Actually, maybe this was better. Again, a testament to this group’s sense of sound, this instrument could not possibly be offensive or off-key. It was soft enough to complement the band’s music, yet still offer crowd participation. So not only do the Band of Horses know sound; they also know how to draw people in!

  • Photo Gallery: 3 Doors Down Unplugged at Turning Stone’s Event Center

    After nearly 20 years of being plugged in, Mississippi rockers 3 Doors Down decided to go unplugged and get back in touch with their roots.  Setting up the stage similar to a basement and going nearly acoustic, 3 Doors Down has taken their stripped down version on the road delighting fans across the country.  Their stop in Verona, New York at Turning Stone Casino was no exception.  A packed house of over 1000 fans came out to see the band perform their hits and a couple of very well received covers.  The boys from Mississippi got their country on when they played Garth Brook’s classic, “The Dance”.  However, this metal head appreciated their take on Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” during the encore.

    In light of the original bassist’s recent legal issues, the band parted ways earlier this week with Todd Harrell. Rest assured, young Justin Biltonen can hold his own.  His acoustic bass sounded good and the young women in the audience seemed to take a liking to the newest member of 3DD.

    Setlist: Father’s Son, Let Me Be Myself, Be Like That, Landing in London. The Dance, When You’re Young, Let Me Go, Pages. Away From the Sun, It’s Not My Time. Duck and Run, Loser, Kryptonite

    Encore: Nothing Else Matters, Here Without You, When I’m Gone

  • Celebrating the New Year with Twiddle

    New Year’s Eve is not just a day that people reflect on the past twelve months and make goals for the new year, it is perhaps the single greatest live music night of the year.  The first signs of the holiday season means different things to different people. Holiday shoppers imagine Black Friday super sales, kids think of the presents under the tree, but diehard music fans start to salivate over New Years Eve shows in there area.  For Saratoga Springs, it was an easy decision – Putnam Den was hosting the jam party of the year with local favorites, Twiddle from Vermont and Albany’s own Way Down.

    Way Down lays down a funky, progressive jam with influences throughout the musical spectrum.  There were times that you could close your eyes and imagine guitarist Justin Hendricks being center stage jamming along side Jimmy Herring or Derek Trucks.  There was a hint of southern jam in the long jams and upbeat progressions that got the crowd dancing early in the night.  The dance floor was packed a couple songs into the set and stayed that way for the entire evening. While Way Down may be fighting popular appeal because of lack of singing (only two vocal numbers for the entire set), they make up for it in mastery of their instruments.  It is no surprise to discover that bassist Dylan Perrillo and drummer Kevin Urvalek graduated from the Crane School of Music.  Just before the end of the set Mihali (Twiddle) hopped on stage and jammed with the young trio.

    By the time headliner Twiddle took the stage, the Putnam Den was already packed.  The usual crowd that hangs outside for cigarettes or fresh air were hiding inside because of the subzero temperatures lingering around.  Inside it was nice and toasty and the drinks were refreshing.  The New Years party was in full swing and owners Tiffany and John Albert were behind the bar.  Twiddle’s jams build up and develop throughout the song.  Whether you are a jam fanatic or a jazz purist, you can rest assure you will be delighted by the complex nature of the band’s music.  While the crowd at the Putnam Den was geared toward twenty-somethings out for a night of gold skirts and gold shirts and gold shoes and any other gold accessory that you can imagine, the slightly older fans hanging out in the back or on the sides appreciating that these four artists are the real deal.  Delighting fans with favorites like  “The Box”, “When It Rains It Pours” and finishing with a special encore of “Frankenfoote”

    Thirty years ago another band formed in Vermont with adept control over their instruments and the understanding and appreciate on how to build a jam to the point that it quite literally split open and melts.  Mihali Savoulidis (lead vocals/guitar), Ryan Dempsey (keys), Brook Jordan, (drums) and Zdenek Gubb (bass) are equipped with the talent and state of mind to take the reins and start their own legacy.  New Year’s Eve at the Putnam Den is just the beginning of Twiddle’s journey in 2014.  Twiddle’s upcoming shows include a couple in New York and Vermont in January before traveling south to Florida to start the festival season off at AURA.

    Putnam Den is no stranger to incredible shows like the one they offered patrons on NYE. Look for these great shows coming up: Mallett Brothers (1/10), Ghosts of Jupiter (1/24), Particle (2/5), and Donna the Buffalo (2/6), and more giving way to an exciting new year.

    Setlist
    Set 1: Doinkinbonk!, Hattibagen McRat, Apples, Countdown-> Auld Lang Syne->  Mamunes the Faun, Wasabi Eruption, The Box -> Too Many Puppies -> The Box
    Set 2: Syncopated Healing, Polluted Beauty, Wildfire, Tiberius, Cabbage, Hattis Jam > When It Rains It Pours > Somewhere Over the Rainbow > WIRIP, Theme to “Friends”, Earth Mama
    Encore: Frankenfoote