Author: Thomas Sgroi

moe. Brings it Back Home at Buffalo’s Canalside

moe. celebrated a nice little homecoming party at this past Thursday’s concert. The event was Buffalo’s Canalside Concert series’ second free show and most successful one this year. moe. continues to really give their all when they return to where it all began 25 years ago. Playing in the small clubs of Buffalo back then may have been a little different from what they played in front of Thursday, but the energy level just continues to reign supreme after all of these years.

The night started off with opening band Conehead Buddha, and as the sun set, it was a perfect beginning to the night alongside Buffalo’s inner harbor. The harbor itself was lined with plenty of boats, giving the spectators on the water some great music to go along with their already fun-filled day.

moe. had a shorter run time due to a 10:00 pm curfew, but they made the best of it playing songs new and old as well as covering The Rolling Stones “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin”, Black Sabbath’s “Wizard”, and The Ramones “I Wanna Be Sedated”.

It really doesn’t matter if it’s a free show when moe. comes back home as they always seem to play to the crowd, and in Buffalo, NY, the crowd continues to love the band that remembers their roots.

Setlist: Y.O.Y. > Skrunk > Blue Jeans Pizza, Understand > 32 Things, Same Old Story >(nh) Rebubula, Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’*, Akimbo* >(nh) Threw It All Away*, The Wizard*

Encore: I Wanna Be Sedated

* w/ The Conehead Buddha Horns: Shannon Lynch on saxophone, Terry Lynch on trumpet, Shaun Bazylewicz on trombone

Check out the video of “32 Things” recorded by our friends at WNYMEDIA.NET

June 25, 2014
Greensky Bluegrass Announces 2014 Fall Dates – Opening in Buffalo

Greensky Bluegrass released their 2014 fall dates today. The tour will start in Buffalo, NY on September 10th at The Town Ballroom. The tour will consist of 35 dates and will spread throughout the East coast and venture as far as the Northwest and California region and closing out in Mexico at Strings & Sol. Greensky Bluegrass will be supporting their fifth album with this tour, which will be due out on September 9th entitled If Sorrows Swim.

The show at The Town Ballroom is an all ages event, show starts at 8PM and tickets can be purchased for $16 in advance and $18 day of the show. Grab your tickets online or at the venue box office.

Greensky Bluegrass 2014 Fall Dates

9/10 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
9/11 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
9/12 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
9/13 – Gramercy Theater – New York, NY
9/16 – Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
9/17 – Americana Music Festival – Nashville, TN
9/18 – Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, VA
9/19 – Ram’s Head Live – Baltimore, MD
9/20 – Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
9/23 – Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA
9/24 – Ziggy’s – Winston-Salem, NC
9/25 – Visulite Theater – Charlotte, NC
9/26 – Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
9/27 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
9/30 – Duling Hall – Jackson, MS
10/01 – 1884 Lounge at Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN
10/02 – Old Rock House – St. Louis, MO
10/03 – Vogue Theatre – Indianapolis, IN
10/04 – TBA
10/22 – Wolly’s – Des Moines, IA
10/23 – The Bottleneck – Lawrence, KS
10/27 – Belly Up – Aspen, CO
10/28 – Sol Santa Fe – Santa Fe, NM
10/29 – Orpheum Theatre – Flagstaff, NM
10/31 – Suwannee Hulaween – Live Oak, FL
11/01 – 11/02 – Brooklyn Bowl – Las Vegas, NV
11/05 – The Depot – Salt Lake City, UT
11/06 – Top Hat – Missoula, MT
11/07 – Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
11/08 – Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
11/09 – Neptune Theater – Seattle, WA
11/12 – Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach, CA 11/13 – Troubadour – W. Hollywood, CA
11/14 – 11/15 – TBA
12/11 – 12/14 – Strings & Sol – Puerto Morelos, MX

Town Ballroom- Buffalo, NY 2/5/14

June 23, 2014
Dave Matthews Band Kicks off the Summer for Darien Lake with a Bang

Every summer, fans from all over Western New York come to Darien Lake for Dave Matthews Band; at this point, it’s become the start to a lot of people’s summer concert season. The weather always seems to be the same as well, wet and rain-filled, and it was no different this year. The only thing that changed was the traditional set that DMB usually incorporates into the evening. This year, the band chose to go with a two-set approach and they hit a home run with the concept. The first set incorporated many of their hits into an acoustic driven platform. Opening the night with “Dancing Nancies”, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds wasted no time getting everyone up and moving and it marked the first time since 1997 that the song was opened by both Matthews and Reynolds.

Carter Beauford quickly joined in on the set behind his drum kit for “Recently”. Steffan Lessard (bass), Jeff Coffin (sax), Boyd Tinsley (fiddle), and Rashawn Ross (trumpet) soon followed and “Two Step” broke out boosting an already high level of energy. “Minarets” seemed to also get a lot of attention on this tour, and given it’s rarity in past years, it was a nice to hear it put into the rotation once again. The first set slowed down a bit during “Stolen Away On 55th and 3rd”, but soon picked right up with “Tripping Billies”, “Satellite”, and “What Would You Say”, closing out the first set.

The second set would be in the more traditional flow with a full band electric set and given the first set, which was toned down, made it even more powerful. The second set started with an improvisational intro behind a sheer style curtain, leading up to the highly energized “So Right”, putting an already amped up crowd into a full on frenzy. “#41” was slotted perfectly in the second spot, and with the crowd in a high point, it drove the show to its peak.

Tinsley and Matthews jammed together and soon were joined by the electric force behind Reynolds guitar. “The Lovely Ladies” (Cindy Mizelle, Tawatha Agee, and Sharon Bryant) joined the band on stage during several of the songs with their beautiful background vocals on songs “Save Me”, “Long Black Veil” , “You and Me” and “Stay”, which closed out the second set. It was good to see the ladies joining the band once again on tour since it had been so long since they had last done so.

“The Song Jane Likes” kicked off the encore, which, for an encore, was the first time since 2012 it was played. “Grey Street” closed out the evening, feeding the high energy right until the last note was played. DMB always plays well to the crowd at Darien Lake, however I think this year may have been their best in recent years.

Setlist provided by dmbalmanac.com

Set 1 (acoustic): Dancing Nancies, Recently, Two Step, Minarets, Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd, Tripping Billies, Satelitte, What Would You Say

Set 2 (electric): So Right, #41, When The World Ends, Save Me, Long Black Veil, So Much To Say>Anyone Seen The Bridge>Too Much, Crush, If Only, Belly Belly Nice, Jimi Thing, You and Me, Stay

Encore: The Song That Jane Likes, Grey Street

June 16, 2014
moe. to Play Free Show At Buffalo Canalside

moe. will be coming back to where it all started on Thursday, June 19th at Buffalo, NY’s hottest summer venue, Canalside. Conehead Buddha will be opening for moe. and should be a great opening act as they have been playing for many years throughout the northeast. The show is also the second of many free events on Thursdays this summer at Buffalo’s waterfront area. There is also an option to purchase VIP tickets that allow front of stage access as well as complimentary beer, wine and appetizers.

moe. is coming off of their newest album release, No Guts, No Glory , which came out at the end of May. The band has several dates throughout the summer as well as many stops throughout New York. moe. never seems to disappoint when coming back to Buffalo, so make your plans to head out to Canalside to catch them at this free event.

June 12, 2014
Primus Returns To Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda on June 22nd

Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda, NY will host Primus at their annual Niagara River Rocks Concert Serieson Sunday, June 22nd. Primus will play the waterfront show with opening act support from Fishbone.

Primus has been staying very busy with touring and this summer will be no different, scheduled to be at many festivals throughout the summer. Primus has been playing together for over 25 years and brings all sorts of influences to the table, with frontman and bassist Les Claypool’s unique style in the forefront it really makes for an interesting evening.

Doors open at 2PM and the show starts at 3PM, all ages are welcome. Tickets can be purchased for $7 or you can purchase VIP tickets for $30 which includes such benefits as private bathrooms, beverage stands and optimal view of stage.

June 12, 2014
2014 Great Blue Heron Music Festival Performance Schedule

The Great Blue Heron Music Festival released their lineup schedule for the upcoming festival which will take place in Sherman, NY on July 4-6, 2014. The “Heron” is chock-full of talent and is headlined by Donna The Buffalo.

The festival which began in 1992 as a single-day celebration featuring the music of Donna The Buffalo, has grown into a full blown weekend-long festival featuring bluegrass to zydeco. Jimkata is joining the festival this year as well – with three stages on three hundred acres the 2014 Great Blue Heron is sure to make it yet another great festival in the Western NY Area. Happy Heron!

June 12, 2014
Dave Matthews Band Rolls into Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

As they make their way to Buffalo, the talk right now is about the stellar show Dave Matthews Band just put on with their two-night run at SPAC. The Dave Matthews Band will play Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on June 11th. DMB never seems to disappoint their loyal fan base in Western NY, and with the new two set format that includes an acoustic set and a full band, electric set, it will surely be an unforgettable experience. The band has been playing songs throughout their extensive catalog, making every show more unique and exciting night in and night out.

Darien Lake Performing Arts Center is the perfect backdrop to a summer concert and with the amusement park connected, you can enjoy some fun during the day before catching a great show at night. With the venue being a consistent stop over the years for DMB, the show is always the perfect start to the summer concert season for many fans in the WNY region.

Tickets can be purchased through Live Nation here.

To get you ready for the show, check out these highlights from SPAC:

“Minarets” (5/30/14)

“Pig” (5/31/14)

June 4, 2014
Dopapod, Aqueous and Mister F Put On One Heck Of A Show Saturday, April 26th

Waiting Room in Buffalo has been booking great show after show this year, and is becoming one of the places to be for live music. The event that they hosted last Saturday night was just short of spectacular. It provided the perfect combination of an up and coming band with Mister F, a band that is one step away from exploding on the jam scene in Aqueous, and a band that continues to close out shows, making you want more, in Dopapod.

Walking into the venue you heard to start the night was the guitar playing from Andrew Chamberlaine of Mister F, who kept you looking for more and the dexterity in his fingers as his soloing became mind altering, hooking you into their set. Where Chamberlaine was the center of the attention, Scott Hannay (keys, guitar, bass) was the heart and soul of the group. His smile and charisma throughout the set brought everyone onto the stage and got the crowd amped up for the night, the perfect situation for the opening band.

Aqueous, from North Tonawanda, continue to get bigger and better with every show they play. They not only know how to play music, they can effortlessly transition from song to song. They opened the show right out of the gate with “Gordon’s Mule > Complex” and would roll from song to song with ease, giving the fans no time to take a break. The strongest part of the band is just how well each other feeds off of each other. Mike Gantzer and Dave Loss both are able to mix their guitar sounds together and at the same time respect each others playing where it doesn’t drown one another out. Dopapod’s Rob Compa joined the band on stage during “Strange Times” bringing three different guitars together. The real backbone for this group is Nick Sonricker and Evan McPhaden who both provide the perfect beats and bass to let Gantzer and Loss explore their respected guitar fret boards, providing the listener a musical journey to wherever they want to take them. The end of their set brought such great energy to the floor with a cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, with Mister F’s Scott Hannay on keyboard . One of Aqueous’ strongest assets is bringing a cover to their show and making it their own. Aqueous is not only becoming one of Buffalo’s greatest musical gems they are turning into one of the must see bands on tour right now.

There is so much love between Aqueous and Dopapod and it shone brightly when Rob Compa came on stage sporting an Aqueous button on his guitar strap. Compa has such a humble approach to his guitar and in mere minutes his improvisational skills turn up the heat in any room. Luke Stratton’s lights were exceptionally well done, often providing the perfect backdrop to the show. They seemed to accompany Compa’s guitar playing perfectly and even taking his extensive solos to another level. Eli Winderman (keys) and Rob Compa (guitar) pair so well together, feeding off each other and giving each other some ideas of where to go next. Chuck Jones (bass) and Scotty Zwang (drums) provide the perfect time table for Compa and Winderman to improvise throughout the night. Highlighted especially by “Eight Years Ended” as well as an impressive run with “Donkey Kong Theme > Present Ghosts > My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant”. Dopapod continues to be a force to reckon with. There is no wonder they have been invited to some of the biggest festivals and their talent to take music from one point to another is incredible.

Aqueous Setlist: Gordon’s Mule > Complex, The Median > Staring into the Sun > Kitty Chaser (Explosions), Strange Times*** > Complex II, Highway Star^$
** w/ Rob Compa from Dopapod
^ Aqueous debut, Deep Purple cover
$ with Scott Hannay from Mister F

Dopapod Setlist: Bluetooth, Flipped, King Harvest*, Like A Ball, 8 Years Ended, Donkey Kong Theme > Present Ghosts > My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant, Picture in Picture^
*The Band cover; for Rob’s dad
^with Scott Hannay from Mister F on keys

May 2, 2014
Dopapod, Aqueous, and Mister F to Play a Jam Packed Evening Saturday Night at The Waiting Room

The Waiting Room in Buffalo, NY will play host to three incredible bands this Saturday, co-headlined by Dopapod and Aqueous with special guest opener Mister F.

Dopapod has been hitting the entire East Coast over the past three years with an abundance of festival appearances under their belts. With the ability to jam with the best of them, their improvisational skills throughout the night will be a treat to hear.

Aqueous will be bringing their talents back home and will have an enormous crowd advantage, providing the band the energy to really put on a great show. The band recently announced their ambitious tour plans for the summer with an obvious goal of furthering their reach. Also to note, the guys just wrapped up a successful Kickstarter campaign where they were able to fund their upcoming album through fan contributions, showing they have all the support to become the next big national act.

Mister F will kick things off as they’re coming off the heels of their album release party just a couple of weeks back on April 11th. Mister F blends a lot of different genres and will certainly get everyone moving. The band has seen a lot of attention in the last year as well, playing in some big festivals along the way.

Make sure to head out to The Waiting Room early Saturday as it looks to be a great night of music with an incredible amount of talent on one stage that you won’t want to miss.

Tickets can be purchased through the The Waiting Room for $12-15.

April 25, 2014
moe. To Play Two Nights At Saranac Brewery In June

moe. will be playing back to back nights at Saranac Brewery on June 20-21. Saranac Brewery has hosted many shows in the past including moe., which are no strangers to the Utica, NY landmark. The band will be promoting their newest album, No Guts, No Glory – which will be out on May 27th. The summer tour will include stops in Bellevue, CO on June 13th and Kansas City, MO on June 15th. It looks like moe.’s summer is starting to fill up with many shows throughout the country.

Tickets go on sale for Saranac on Saturday, April 5th at noon.

moe. Upcoming Dates

5/28- New York, NY – No Guts, No Glory album release show
5/30-Providence, RI- Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
5/31-Hampton Beach, NH- Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
6/13-Bellevue, Co- Mishawaka Ampitheatre
6/14- Denver, Co- LOHI Music Festival
6/15- Kansas City, MO- The Crossroads
6/20- Utica, NY- Saranac Brewery
6/21- Utica, NY- Saranac Brewery
6/22-Hudson, NY- Clearwater’s Great Hudson Revival Festival
7/31- Breitenbach am Herzberg, Germany- Burg Herzberg Festival
8/2-8/3- Bridgeport, CT- Gathering of the Vibes

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April 4, 2014