Author: Susan Rice

Road to Backwoods: The Blind Owl Band

With less than two weeks to go, is gearing up for one of the best kept secrets of the North Country known as Backwoods Pondfest. The intimate festival offers a weekend of live music, camping, art and much more on August 8 and 9 at Peru, N.Y. Going strong in their 8th year, Backwoods Pondfest never disappoints with this year’s all-star lineup including Chali 2na and House of Vibe, Twiddle, Spiritual Rez, Turkuaz, Cabinet plus many more.

This “Road to Backwoods” series will shine a light on the Blind Owl Band, the all string quartet from Saranac Lake.

The Blind Owl Band will be a part of Troy’s Rocking on the River series on July 30th. Every Wednesday the downtown Troy area comes to life with free, outdoor concerts for guests to experience a wide range in musical genres. The music starts at 5pm and ends at 8:30pm, set up by the Green Island Bridge parking lot. Armed with a banjo, standup bass, mandolin and guitar, Arthur Buezo, Christian Cardiello, Eric Munley and James Ford create harmonious vocals and melodies that stretch as high as the Adirondack Mountains and their sound is an authentic, rebellious freight train. Despite the vintage and bluegrass vibe, Blind Owl Band pulls inspiration from modern day music to create a sound that is uniquely fresh. The long haired, mountain men will also makes stops at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT on July 31st and the Sterling Stage String Fling at Sterling, NY on August 1st.

Tickets are still available for Backwoods Pondfest and can be purchased on their website here or at any show featuring Lucid, The Garcia Project, Capital Zen and North Funktree. Tickets are only $70 including over 20 bands on 2 stages with 2 nights of car camping. Bring a non-perishible good and receive $5 off ticket price if you buy tickets Day of Show. Be sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter for more to come from out “Road to Backwoods” series.

July 25, 2014
Phish Phans Getting Randy for Randall’s Island in NYC July 11-13

Phish fans will once again flock to the greatest city in the world for a three night consecutive run on New York City’s Randall’s Island. The recreational oasis set in the middle of the concrete jungle will host the jam band carnival on July 11 – 13, with three-day and single day tickets still available here.

Randall’s has hosted major events before such as Lollapalooza, Vans Warped Tour and the Electric Zoo, but local residents are in for a treat as thousands of dedicated followers are currently en route to share in the groove. Those heading to the event should be aware that gates will open each day at 4pm and a show time of 7 pm with a strict curfew of 11pm. Since Randall’s is located in the East River, between East Harlem, the South Bronx and Astoria, Queens, one of the easiest ways to get to the venue is by Ferry. Passes are available in short supply with carpooling being strongly encouraged and only available with a parking on-site pass.

Photo by Jim Gilbert

There are great rewards to those who arrive early for the first ever run of Phish shows at Randall’s. The forecast is set to be partly cloudy in the 80s all weekend making for a great excuse to check out The Freezer. The official Phish Archive merch store will feature original shirts, hard goods, and many more rare items such as classic Jim Pollock posters. Besides the hot merchandise, things will heat up with The Freezer hosting the JEMP Records Store and their exclusive release of the band’s third full-length studio album, A Picture Of Nectar on vinyl. The WaterWheel Foundation will have their own tent with a collection of autographed limited edition posters for phans to admire plus the Hippieshop.com will give fans a chance to win a “Fuego” themed bicycle.

Photo by Jim Gilbert

Despite the early curfew, folks will still have the city that never sleeps to play in. The Dead Sessions featuring Todd Stoops (Kung Fu), Adam Terrell (Assembly of Dust), Seth Yacovone, Kevin Shapiro, Pat May and Trevor Ainswoth will perform at The Cutting Room on Friday the 11th with proceeds to benefit The WaterWheel Foundation whereas Wobble Sauce and Space Bacon will perform at Fontana’s. Digital Dharma will host a Phish-Viewing Party as well as After-Party at Spin New York with Sprocket on Saturday the 12th. Night Moves, featuring Steve Molitz (Particle), Clay Parnell (Brothers Past/Particle), Tom Hamilton(Brothers Past) and Mike Greenfield(Lotus) will play at the Highline Ballroom on Sunday the 13th.

Artist James Flames created this poster for the three-night run

Be sure to like on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram for live updates throughout the weekend.

July 11, 2014
Hearing Aide: Fikus ‘Living Life Through Multicolored Scenery’

Fikus, the five piece electro-funk band from New Jersey, is set to release their first full length album Living Life Through Multicolored Scenery on July 1st. The band consists of guitarist Steve Malone, Travis Paparoski on bass, Jon Schumarak on keyboards, Pete Kozak on percussion and Kito Bovenschulte on drums with all of them contributing to youthful and harmonious vocals. Fikus is no stranger to Upstate Festivals such as The Catskill Chill, and The Big Up, gathering fans all over the East Coast with their genre fusing, energetic live performances.

The album title is on point, given that each song takes you through diverse musical landscapes with such mixed emotions; it is a 13 track surprisingly mature psychedelic trip. The album will be available as a digital download, physical CD for $10, vinyl for $25 plus shirts, pins and even a teapot. Living Life Through Multicolored Scenery is a great listen for unwinding after a long day of work, road trips or studying with your headphones on. Click here to purchase your Fikus package today.

The first two songs, “Living Life Through Multicolored Scenery Part 1 &2” are eerie with wailing echoes and dark lyrics. Part 2 turns into a haunted amusement park with a familiar friendly tone before the creepy whispers, laughs and climbing guitar riffs take over. “Something Stanky” is where the mood shifts for a more recognizable and welcoming tone. A structured song of steady rhythm with jazzy keys sets an easy groove. “Tempest In A Teapot” has a vintage piano sound with that old rag time tempo with punk rock attitude. The all instrumental “Dingo” and “Nightwalker” both have fast paced electronic melody with powerful guitar riffs and climbing peaks that sends the body in motion. “Cloudburst (From Jim)” is just that with bursts of crashing cymbals and airy, graceful piano notes. “Space Cowboy Part 1” resembles a softer side of Pink Floyd, with ambient compositions that soar through light and dark space out of the speakers whereas “Part Two” has more edge. The funky bass line on “Wafflestomp” is solid for the overlapping chaos. The album ends with a speedy “Big Booty Bounce” and a bitter “DayCrawler” with spiteful lyrics and mocking melody.

Don’t miss Fikus this year as they will be supporting their new album at major festivals such as Hudson Music Project, Luna Light Music Fest, Farm Fest and once again, to the Catskill Chill.

Key Tracks: Something Stanky, Dingo, Space Cowboy Part 2

Watch the official music video for “DayCrawler” off of Living Life Through Multicolored Scenery
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-lM1A-E4H8]

July 1, 2014
Hearing Aide: Analog Son’s Self-titled Debut Album

One of the newest bands to the funk scene, Analog Son has released their self-titled album just in time for the start of the summer. Jordan Linit and Josh Fairman have created Analog Son after years of friendship together and with the help of some talented funky friends.

The duo took months recording the album at Scanhope Sound in Morrison, Colorado using vintage equipment with modern technology to create a sound that is funky fresh. The album features members from The Motet, Dumpstaphunk, The Shady Horns, Lettuce as well as Colorado’s local talent with members of The Congress, Fox Street All Stars, Devon Parker and Convergence. The 10 track album is ideal for getting the party started on lot, at a BBQ or grooving by a pool. The album is available as a free stream via bandcamp or as a $10 digital download.

The album starts off with “The Proffesor” with immediate attention to the funky guitar riffs and bass notes with a splash of brass that gives the listener a quick lesson in instrumental jazzy boogie fever. Devon Parker of SuperCollider provides some sensual vocals on “She’s Somethin” with a hip shaking cymbal crashing. The light and loose keys give great meaning to the song title “Not A Care In The World” whereas “The Game” is a no mess around, tough and spunky melody. “Analog Island” was their first released single and sums up everything you want to know about Analog Son in one genre fusing madness tune. Channeling the disco era, “Struttin” uses harmonies and a contagious rhythm that makes you groove. “Cadillac Sundays” is a lazy afternoon day vibe with full blast guitar strumming while “Swervantes” helps you get thru the week with long stretches of climactic peaks.

Analog Son is a great addition to the growing funk music community of Colorado with unlimited possibilities of artist collaborations and their serious devotion to a dream.

Key Tracks: Analog Island, The Proffesor, Swervantes

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQYf710QJ6o]

July 1, 2014
Disc Jam 2014 pins an Unforgettable Festival Weekend

There were Discs and Jams a plenty at this year’s Disc Jam Music Festival in Barre, MA on June 13 -15, 2014. The 3-day event took place at Camp Coldbrook, a “recreation destination” and golf hot spot that offered plenty of space for festival goers to relax and enjoy the weekend. Veteran Disc Jammers agreed that Camp Coldbrook was a great new location from previous years for its spacious, softer camp grounds and were happy with the addition of late night musical sets. Tent city was an organized mess as folks were given somewhat free range of the open field located at the bottom of a hill plus you could hear the music perfectly and catch a glimpse of the light shows. VIP had the perk of wooded camping plus access to two swimming pools with a pool stage that hosted various DJ’s throughout the weekend.

Disc Jam had two main stages, the Innova stage and Rage stage, set up right next to each other providing a nonstop continuous flow of music. Circled around the stages were the various food and craft vendors as well as Disc Jam Artist Collective tent, located in the corner of the entrance. The tent was overwhelmed with visual stimulation, featuring work from 16 main artists plus diverse and consistent live art that spilled onto the walkway. The festival offered “flow classes” for those who know how to surrender to the flow and were seeking to learn hoop tricks, yoga, juggling and much more. But the main focus of the weekend was the music. Over 50 musical acts from all over the Northeast and beyond traveled to Disc Jam to experience the carefree and intimate party loving festival.

Friday

Heavy rain in the morning with dark clouds throughout the day is a harsh start to any festival but Disc Jammers came prepared and ready to party. Albany’s Mister F were lucky to miss the rain with an early slot in the day with a set that had a few songs off their latest album, The F Stands Four. They began with an electronically funky “Eye Level” to a blast of brass from Matty Carl from ShwizZ on saxophone during “Answer the Dog”. Boston’s own, The Jauntee, was up next and had a set of improvisational funk rock with an extra funky “Blownin’ Up the B Line” closer. Twiddle from Vermont provided an easy shifting of genres in their set with a steady flow. One of their highlights was the “Hattie’s Jam > When It Rains It Pours” with soulful key playing from Ryan Dempsey and lyrics reflective of the weather with hopes of sunny skies with a brief “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” tease. Headliners of the night were the mighty Turkuaz and Kung Fu, plenty of funk with different flair. New York City slickers Turkuaz brought their high energy, funk loving family to Disc Jam and left nothing but smiles, especially from their traditional but always powerful encore “Monkey Fingers” featuring solos from all over the rage stage. There was no getting around the hard-hitting funk that Kung Fu throws at you. Todd Stoops scratched his double layered keys apart while Chris DeAngelis warped the crowd with his heavy bass slapping. Straight up in your face funk!

With the main stages closed at 1am, late nighters had the option of checking out the Disc Jam Music Hall that featured music until 4:30am. The music hall featured your typical stage with open dance space and a 2nd level walkway around half of the hall. The talk of the night was Indobox as they performed light, upbeat electronica. The storm of Indobox creates no destruction; it is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The Silent Disco Tent was exclusively for VIP and staff members and was kept low-key despite the fast paced beats being pumped through the headphones.

Saturday

Heavy clouds still lingered into Saturday with brief breaks of sunshine and plenty of wind gusts. Santa Mamba was a great way to ease into the day thanks to their salsa flair from Rhode Island. Their cover of Peter Frampton’s “Oh Baby, I Love Your Way” was refreshingly spicy. Aqueous brought their improvisational rock jams from Buffalo with original compositions and catchy melodies, setting the groove bar high. Goosepimp Orchestra was a collection of crazy characters, donned with various wigs and party hats that created a loud funk party on the Innova stage. Their fun-loving attitude was carried out with their booming brass section and the boogie beats from the bongos. Alan Evan’s Playonbrother, formally known as the Alan Evans Trio, proved they are more than just a jazz band. Their sound is gigantic with shattering guitar shredding from Danny Mayer and Beau Sasser must have extra arms to work the keys the way he does. Alan Evans is a thunderstorm on the drums as his vocals come out clear as day.

With the clouds finally clearing, the night sky was filled with stars and a full honey moon, unleashing the wild side in party goers just in time for the evening sets. Disc Jammers got a double dose of Consider the Source for a two-hour set on the main stage and a late night acoustic set. Their bizarre and Middle Eastern psychedelic tunes are powerful, warping experiences, acoustic or not. If you’re lucky enough to get close to the stage, you can marvel at the focused finger picking skills of Gabriel Marin and John Gerrara with Jeff Mann controlling the rhythmic speed. The main act of the night was Dopapod, who were happy to return to Disc Jam for another year of experimental funky rock. The quartet from Boston blasted off with “Like a Ball” with screaming vocals and a steady climbing melody. After a 17 minute space odyssey from “STADA” with “Smoke on the Water” teases, Dopapod brought out one of their biggest fans, Kristen DeTroia, to celebrate her 100th show. The set went on after a brief set break with a pretty decent glow stick war ensuing as they soon as “Trapper Keeper” began. Dopapod makes you feel like a kid again with their playful, adventurous funky bass and relentless dance rhythms.

Sunday

Sunday brought out blue skies with limited clouds, plenty of sunshine and with a full music schedule, the day was looking bright. Hope Road: A Tribute to Bob Marley and The Wailers woke up the crowd with their laid back, chill tunes that the reggae legend and lifestyle is known for. There was no sleeping through The Party Band, a marching band that paraded around the campsites with a full brass section and drum line playing classic tunes and today’s radio hits. Otis Groove, a trio from Boston, delivered a set of high voltage rock with some funky Hammond organ playing by Sam Gilman. Disc Jam got spun some Hip Hop Funk when Upstate NY band, Sophistifunk took the main stage with Jack Brown spitting the ever true words of “Sex, Drugs, Rock n Roll”. The unstoppable duo known as The Hornitz got bumped up to an earlier slot and got put on the main stage with no argument from anyone. Their fresh beat boxing and brass horn looping is original and fun as they remix Phish’s “Lengthwise” and “Day Man” from the popular TV cult show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. One of the most up and coming cover bands took over the main stage with tributes to Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish to form Pink Talking Fish. Their setlists are incredible as they easily transition from one smash hit to another twist of a surprise like “2001>Life During Wartime>Run Like Hell.”

The Nth Power do more than play music on stage, they are spreading love. They have a smooth R&B soulful with enticing vocal harmonies that ease the crowd into the groove. But when Nikki Glaspie starts to wail on those drums, the contagiousness had Nigel Hall playing his keys so hard that he literally sent them flying. He had to ask if anyone had crazy glue to piece it back together while Weedie Braimah stretched his worldly bongo skills for listening pleasure. The last two acts of the night were double hitter super jams with a special Disc Jam Funk All-Star set and Particle and Friends Super Jam to close down the main stage. The All Star set consisted of Alan Evan’s PlayonBrother guitarist Danny Mayer, Nikki Glaspie on drums, Aaron Bellamy on Bass, Club D’Elf keyboardist Amy Bellamy with Brian Thomas and Jared Sims on horns. Jen Durkin from Deep Banana Blackout joined in on vocals and tambourine as she cheered “Let’s Funk It Up!” Before Nigel Hall could join in on the fun, the power cut out resulting in an urgent rush of staff who luckily had it up and running for the final act of the night, Particle.

The West coast quartet of Particle brought up some special guests to help end the weekend at Disc Jam. The Hornitz joined them for the set starter of “The Battle Without Honor or Humility” also known as the theme to Kill Bill. Shred master Danny Mayer once again hopped onstage for his turn for “W”. Eric Gould’s friends of Pink Talking Fish Richard James and Dave Brunyak sat in for “Metropolis”. Particle jammed out their space rock until a little before midnight with half the attendees still left with the option of camping until Monday morning.

After a weekend full of unlimited music, art and disc golf, Disc Jam continues to be a festival that is spinning towards a bright future. Disc Jam is a great festival for families, people new to the scene and those who keep coming back for more. Here’s hoping that Disc Jam has found at home at Camp Coldbrook and will return next year bigger and better than ever.

June 24, 2014
Ringo Starr and The Allstar Band Shine Bright at The Palace

It’s not every day that a member of one of the most influential music groups in history visits Upstate New York. The Capital District got a dose of Beatlemania on Tuesday the 10th when Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr and his Allstar Band came to town. The historic Palace Theater was flooded with fans in various Beatles and Ringo apparel of all ages, eager to experience the 73 year old living legend.

The stage was a-glitter and as the lights dimmed, the crowd screamed just like they would have back in the ’60s when Ringo Starr came running onto the stage. The night opened up with two easy going songs “Don’t Come Easy” and “Wings” with Ringo singing front and center, donning his classic sunglasses and waving peace signs to the audience.

After the first few songs, Ringo took his spot on the elevated ruby drum set and his Allstar Band took the reins. Organist Gregg Rolie, one of the founding members for Santana, paid tribute to those classic soul charging songs like “Evil Ways”, “Oye Como Va” and “Black Magic Woman”, with his familiar, dark and striking Hammond key chords. Todd Rundgren, original guitarist for Utopia and singer songwriter couldn’t be slowed down as he ran about the stage with blazing riffs and a became a true maniac on the drum pads for “Bang The Drum All Day”. Bassist Richard Page, had deep vocals just as thunderous as his bass notes for Mr. Mister’s “Broken Wings” and a new song “You are Mine” which was a country twang change up with beautiful harmonies. Guitarist Steve Lukather, is best known for his work with Toto and treated the audience to “Africa” and “Roseanna” with a strong saxophone solo from Warren Ham. Gregg Bissonette rocked out next to Ringo on drums, providing a more intense rhythm for the show.

Throughout the night, Ringo would step in with a few personal songs of his, adding quiet jokes that got big laughs. The band performed the first song Ringo ever wrote “Don’t Pass Me By”, a charming, upbeat song that back in the day, gave Ringo the confidence to shine as he said, “Wow, this is good. I thought watch out Mr. McCartney… I was young when I thought that.” The crowd chanted Ringo’s name and almost lost it when they struck up “Yellow Submarine” for an overwhelming sing-along as Ringo credited Albany for being the best singers. “Boys”, a personal favorite of Ringo’s, had lyrics belted out with a crisp and youthful sound. The night ended with “With a Little Help from My Friends”, as fans danced and hugged one another, it was clear that Ringo had succeeded in spreading peace and love throughout the theater. Despite their age, Ringo Starr and the Allstar Band showed no signs of slowing down with their impressive jams and stage presence. The two-hour show was a blast from the past, proving that the “Summer of Love” never ended, not as long as there is music, peace and love to fill the air.

June 17, 2014
Get Ready for Disc and Dance at this year’s Disc Jam Music Festival, June 13-15 2014

Get ready for a weekend full of great music, disc golf and a fresh location at the 4th annual Disc Jam Music Festival on June 13-14, 2014 at Camp Coldbrook in Barre, Massachusetts. A little over two hours from Albany, NY and only a 1 ½ hour from Boston, Disc Jam is easily accessible in the middle of the New England area for those looking for a weekend getaway. You don’t need to play disc golf to attend the festival but everyone will have access to the beautiful 18 hole course with two tournaments taking place over the weekend. The family friendly festival will feature over 50 musical performances with 3 stages plus a late night silent disco as well as acoustic stage. Headliners include two sets each of Dopapod and Consider the source, plus performances by Kung Fu, Twiddle, a Particle and Friends Super Jam, plus many more. Disc Jam has released their daily schedule, sobe sure to plan ahead so you don’t miss a second of the jam packed weekend!

Changing locations within a month of any festival is a very risky move but the new location of Camp ColdBrook allows festival goers access to more late night music at an indoor music hall until 3am, plus access to a full bar, arcade, swimming pool and the traditional golf course. “We know that it is kind of late in the game, but in the end, we feel that the move is the right decision and hope that all of our attendees will feel the same way once they have seen this beautiful new site,” said festival promoter Tony Scavone. “While we have enjoyed our time in Brimfield, MA, we feel that Camp Coldbrook is better suited for what we are trying to accomplish with Disc Jam and that this new site will provide for the enjoyable experience possible for our attendees, which in the end is our main focus.”

The intrigue 18 hole disc golf course is open to all festival goers wearing their Disc Jam wristband, with two tournaments taking place over the weekend. Saturday’s Tournament is a two round, singles tourney in three divisions: Pro, AM and Women, while Sunday’s tournament will be a one round doubles-partners event with prizes given out to those in all categories. Besides disc golf, the festival offers multiple activities such as yoga, wellness meetings, hula hoop workshops plus live painting and installation artists.

Tickets are still available online with the 3-day music and camping pass set at $100 with VIP at $200. Those looking for a 1-day music pass for Saturday or Sunday, plus the disc golf tournament is $70. Day passes are available for each day at the gate only and allow you to see all the main and side stage acts but no silent disco or late night bands. It’s an easy walk from the parking lot to the campgrounds that are set up in a clean and dry flat area of land. Private woods camping is available in the VIP package plus there will be the quiet Family Camping area. Children under 12 years old are free but must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Disc Jam is setting up to be the highlight of this year’s festival season with something for everyone of all ages, so be sure to grab tickets well they still last and check out ‘s top five must see acts of Disc Jam: Aqueous, Shwizz, Sophistafunk, Fikus, and Cosmic Dust Bunnies.

Aqueous is one of Upstate’s own, representing Buffalo, NY with their high energetic funkified rock jams.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h_wZlUAJ9g]

Shwizz is a progressive rock and jazz band from Nyack, NY that has been a part of major festivals on the North East music scene such as The Catskill Chill, Gathering of the Vibes and now, Disc Jam!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t64c4YretvY]

Sophistafunk, the trio from Syracuse combine old school hip hop with new age funk, making for a unique electronic and live band experience.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLBTa560NRU]

Fikus uses electronic beats, edgy rock fused funk and crisp vocals to create tight jams. Be on the look out for their new album, Living Life Through Multi Colored Scenery, coming July 1st.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaysX77oCxU]

Cosmic Dust Bunnies intergalactic wavetronica, all improvisational jams have earned them a slot as Gathering of the Vibe’s Road to Vibes Contest winner and more importantly, this year’s Disc Jam.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjbGJb22oYs]

June 9, 2014
Skrillex Heated up The Armory in Albany on his Mothership Tour June 3rd

The mighty Skrillex crash-landed his Mothership Tour at The Washington Armory in Albany last night with the help of DJ friends, Milo & Otis, What So Not, and DJ Snake. The Mothership Tour almost needs a dozen tracker trailers to carry all the lights and sound equipment, plus a massive generator to power up the unforgettable show. The vibrations you will hear and feel from the speakers on the Mothership Tour are similar to a pleasurable earthquake. Skrillex and the EDM genre as a whole attracts a special kind of crowd, mostly in their late teens and 20s, clothed with eye-catching neon, lots of glitter and brightly colored beads. The Capital District hasn’t been too fond of the raves hosted at The Armory for the past few months, but luckily this show went off stress-free.

The Milo & Otis duo was a great start to the night with fast paced dance beats and techno tunes that helped the ravers loosen up for the long night ahead of them. What So Not mixed heavy bass notes with soaring vocals that released an animal-like dark side into the crowd who ate it up. As the night progressed, the audience grew, and DJ Snake took the stage for a set of blaring techno and extreme lasers. DJ Snake got the biggest response out of the crowd when we started up his latest collaboration with Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”. The rebellious chant got the masses screaming with their hands up in delightful angst.

After much cheering and being egged on by DJ Snake, Skrillex leapt on stage to do what he does best, melt faces and blow minds with his hard hitting electronic music. It was hard to tell who was having the better time, the ravers or Skrillex. His hands were all over his mixing tables, even standing atop of them as he amped up the crowd and leapt off just as the music would drop. The consistent climaxes kept everyone moving and the smoke machine blasts were also a crowd pleaser. The massive back drop was a rainbow of lights or showcased images of iconic pop culture; either way it went was a thrill to watch, especially to watch a slow motion of Family Matter’s Urkel and Full House’s Uncle Jesse break it down. Skrillex mixed fresh beats with popular songs that sent the crowd into a frenzy such as Damien Marley’s “Welcome to JamRock” and even the opening theme from The Lion King with a rising sun backdrop. He slams his entire body on that stage, supplies everyone with a powerful energy of music and compliments Albany on being the “hottest” stop on his tour, as it’s apparent that everyone is soaked in sweat. A Skrillex show has everything that young American’s are all about: loud music, robots, lasers and a carefree party attitude.

Whether you love or hate the EDM scene, Skrillex is a must see act. It’s empowering to watch any artist do what they love, but with Skrillex, you can appreciate his audience control and interaction. His stage presence is almost as big as the bass bombs he drops. Here’s hoping the Capital District will continue to host these EDM events for respectable ravers seeking a bizarrely fun journey into the livetronica world.

June 6, 2014
Upstate was into Ingrid Michaelson at UCH on May 27th

Singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson was taken by surprise by the fully packed and excitable crowd at Upstate Concert Hall on Tuesday May 27th. “You hear Clifton Park, you think small quiet town but damn!”, she said with a sly smile in her dark framed glasses. Ingrid Michaelson has been touring in support of her sixth album Lights Out, with fellow musicians and friends from Storyman and Sugar and the Hi Lows. The Storyman was a charming celtic duo that serenaded the crowd with their acoustic harmonies and defined their band name with their intricate story telling.

The first few tunes from Ingrid were upbeat and energetic with a complete band to which she had to compliment the audience on being the only crowd to sing the instrumental parts. The night swayed into a mellow mood with the charming melody of “Unbreakable” followed by a song in which for a few awkward moments Michaelson forgot how it started. Luckily for everyone, one of her front row fans handed her their smart phone with a copy of the song on it. The night progressed with beautiful covers of her infamous solo piano work of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love”, performed in a trio of feminine grace.

The band came back out to perform some of her more popular hits such as the roundabout chorus from “The Chain” and “Be Ok”. Michaelson notes the next song was a fan favorite but with not wanting to hate the song and never playing it, the musicians put a genre twist on it to keep it fresh and enjoyable for everyone. They began the romantic pop tune of “You & I” but to a polka styling which still received cheers and applause. The show ended with Michaelson’s newest breakup anthem hit, “Girls Chase Boys”. The night felt like a wooden rollercoaster ride of up tempo, catchy pop highs seguing to geeky stories and indie slow ballads. Michaelson will return to the NY area at the end of July to The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett and Summer Stage in Central Park NYC.

Michaelson dances to her own drum with creative compositions that reflects her emotions that anyone can relate to. Ingrid Michaelson continues to share her songwriting in a quirky manner and wants fans to remember that “Different is always a good thing.”

June 3, 2014
The Strange Came and Conquered at StrangeCreek Campout 12 – 2014 Festival Review

The 12th annual StrangeCreek Campout took place at their traditional location that is Camp Kee-Wanee in Greenfield, MA over the 2014 Memorial Day holiday weekend. Hosted by Wormtown Trading Co, this music festival has become a yearly tradition for dedicated fans, also known as “worms” or “creek freaks”, to enjoy a few days of “good times, great music and each other”. The 33 acres of woods and open areas left plenty of room for folks to explore and play for the weekend, while the three stages and cabin sets supplied a never-ending musical soundtrack.

Friday started with Eaturaura kicking off the main stage with their electronic dance music while B.A. Dario got the groove flowing on the River Worm stage with their heavy jams. The River Worm stage was the farthest, but worth the walk for it was located right by the Green River that saw festival goers consistently enjoying the rocky beach throughout the weekend. Wild Adriatic had great stage presence on the main stage as they threw themselves into their set of pure rock and roll and Consider the Source beckoned to the masses with their Middle Eastern hard jams. Turkuaz proved that you can’t stop the funk with the heavy rain that fell that evening as they still blasted apart the main stage, while Upstate’s Eastbound Jesus performed on a soggy Vernville stage with a sincere “North Country Girl” set closer. The Vernville stage was just on the outskirts of the woods in a clearing, in between the main and River Worm Stages, next to a graffiti tent of colorful weekend memories that were drawn. Donna the Buffalo sang out easy-going folk tunes to a sea of fans in rain jackets as Primate Fiasco was sheltered by the trees; their fans were deep into the mud and into their psychedelic Dixieland. The big headliner of the night was Zach Deputy, a one man band of funky soul with loops of spitting beats and contagious rhythm. Deputy recalls the fond memories he’s made at StrangeCreek, reminiscing of his first sets played there and how it “popped his festival cherry”. The late night music was held in the three cabins setup near the community bonfire and in the craft vendor village. Jeff Bujak held his Silent Disco set known as Silent Bujak with dance crazed techno and a stand out remix of Talking Head’s “Naïve Melody”.

Gabriel Marin of Consider the Source

Saturday brought sunshine and Hot Day at the Zoo to start the day off with their unique acoustic bluegrass blend that they have named zoograss . Combining progressive folk with rock and roll, the quartet put a new spin on classic favorites as they went from the Grateful Dead’s “Cumberland Blues” into a funky “Foxy Lady”. Domino Theory won hearts with their Americana light rock jams like “Everybody Love My Mary Jane” and guests were treated when Scott Murawski, guitarist from Max Creek, sat in for a few songs. The Lee Boys performed the always needed slide guitar soul saving for the festival. The Jiggle the Handle reunion brought together New England jam band fans for Max Creek drummer, Greg Vasso, and company for a set of improvisational rock and a wicked rendition of Paul Simon’s “I Know What I Know”.

The big act of the night, and for who the festival is partly named after, was Max Creek who shared the stage with a large inflatable duck mascot. The set started with some light plucking and bounce from “Windows” followed by Mark Mercier whispering out Paul Simon’s “Diamond’s on the Soles of Her Shoes” as the whole band brought out the upbeat island rhythm. They covered The Beatles “Come Together” with a serious jam that came marching out of it before ending the set with “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” a traditional folk sing-along. As Silent Bujak took over the Holistic Cabin again, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong bounced in your face funk right next door around the Wormtown Cabin.

Sunday’s weather emphasized everyone’s gratitude and love for the StrangeCreek festival. With love in the air, the day started with a wedding on the main stage during the acoustic and adorable duo of Flagship Romance. They have smooth sailing ahead of them with their gentle love ballads as they serenaded the newlyweds and other festival goers who were treated to a full on reception with hot buffet. Plenty of guests were still arriving with day passes still available, and with a blue sky forecast, the last day of StrangeCreek was shaping up to be beautiful. Rev Tor Band filled the air with a light reggae gospel spell with their jazzy guitar riffs as Ryan Montebleau stood tall and solo with “75 and Sunny” being a great representation of the festival itself.

Alan Evans of Playonbrother

One of the most talked about tribute bands on the scene, Z3 is a Frank Zappa tribute trio and were joined with original Zappa band member, Ed Mann, on the main stage for an extra dose of authenticity. The Juicy Grapes squeezed out some soulful funk and sensual female vocals while Alan Evans Playonbrother rocked out with fresh material and a solid Cream cover of “Sunshine of Your Love”. Be on the lookout for Playonbrother at this year’s Catskill Chill as they will dedicate one of two sets entirely to Cream. The main stage came to an end with an all-out bust out from Rusted Root, as they celebrated their 25th anniversary with a set of world rock and percussion of all shapes. StrangeCreek continues to be a special gathering of first timers and longtime wormers in a family friendly environment full of music and good times. With a successful 12th year under their belt, StrangeCreek only has the best to look forward to.

If you’d like to hear some music from the festival, check out these free downloads from a few sets over the weekend:

Bay Road – Zach Deputy – Lee Boys – Jiggle the Handle

Max Creek – The Alchemystics – The Main Squeeze

June 3, 2014