Category: Features

Keith Urban At Darien Lake

Keith Urban is a little bit country, a little bit pop, and a whole lot of heart, loves being on stage and it showed in his concert at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. It was more than just a performance for the audience to witness; Urban made them a part of the show. In one example, he brought a young girl up to take a “selfie” on stage. Later, Urban brought contest winner Jordan Hokaj of Lancaster onto the stage to sing a duet with him on the song, “We Were Us”. The crowd was clearly thrilled to have some of their own sharing the stage with the talented Urban. When he wasn’t wooing the crowd, Urban was performing hits that the crowd was eager to sing along with. “Cop Car” and other songs from his recent album Fuse got just as much love from the audience as did some of his older songs like, “Without You” and “You Look Good in My Shirt”. Packed full of excitement and talent, Urban showed he has the recipe to keep his fans coming back for more.

Setlist: Love’s Poster Child, Sweet Thing, Somewhere In My Car, Only You Can Love Me This Way, Long Hot Summer, Even the Stars Fall 4 U, We Were Us, Kiss a Girl, Used to the Pain, Good Thing, I Told You So, Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me, Stupid Boy, Little Bit of Everything, Something Like That (Tim McGraw cover), Days Go By, Without You, You Look Good in My Shirt, Cop Car, You Gonna Fly, Put You in a Song

Encore: Making Memories of Us, Better Life, Somebody Like You

August 27, 2014
Interview: Matt Hitt from Drowners at Governors Ball 2014

Over the course of the three days of this year’s Governors Ball festival on Randall’s Island, was there to share the festival experience with our readers – the sights, the sounds, and the highlights. We also had the opportunity to chat with a few of the acts after their sets at the festival.

One of those acts was NYC’s own, Drowners – who played early in the afternoon on the final day of Governors Ball. Blending a mix of British pop sounds with rock and punk, the band has their own take on the pop/punk genre. Steve Malinski caught up with Drowners frontman Matt Hitt to chat about the band’s music, Governors Ball experience, and what’s coming up for the band.

Drowners is kicking off the Dr. Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING tour September 25 in Ohio with a number of shows outside of the northeast. They come back to Rough Trade in Brooklyn on October 28 to wrap up the tour.

Steve Malinski: We’re joined backstage at Governors Ball with Matt Hitt from Drowners.

Matt Hitt: Hello.

SM: Congrats, you guys had a really awesome set earlier today.

MH: Thank you very much. Cheers!

SM: I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t heard of Drowners before this year’s Governors Ball. Especially with your new album out this year, what has your experience been like grabbing up new fans and building a following on the wave of the album?

MH: Well, we were a band for around a year and a half before the album came out and we had a couple of singles but we were playing loads of gigs and touring a lot since the album came out. Since it’s been out, it’s oddle like, quite surprising to see how many people have bothered to learn the words or that type of thing, you know. We used to play and people would only know one song but now they seem to know most of them.

Drowners at Governors Ball 2014. Matt Hitt at center.

SM: You have a British influence that you bring into the music. Do you find that having a different sound in that regard has helped attract new fans?

MH: I like, well we all love punk music and rock and roll – Buddy Holly and others. We aim to write good pop songs but because of our crude punk upbringings we can’t help but to make it more aggressive. But, in a live capacity that works because I see a lot of bands who don’t move around or don’t even look up when they play and we play like we’re excited to see people.

SM: Yeah, it was great to see folks, especially the younger people there, being engaged since you so often see people on their phones at shows these days.

MH: You gotta give them something to look at so they’re not refreshing their Instagram feed the whole time.

SM: What was the experience like being one of the hometown acts at Governors Ball kicking off the afternoon?

MH: It was really quite amazing. We’ve just been on tour for like three months and everyone in the band was quite excited to come back to NY. Playing here was – well, festivals always feel alien because you only normally ever play gigs that you know people have come to see you play. But at festivals it’s like a potluck. It’s like everybody bought a ticket to come see someone like Bastille or whatever. So when you see people coming up to see you and sing along with you it’s kind of invigorating . Especially being back in NY (which we were excited about anyway) was awesome.

SM: You guys did a tour earlier this year with SKATERS, another NYC band, over in Europe. How did that go?

MH: It was good. I think it was like the sixth time they have been there in it was our first time there. I feel like we kind of have a similar sound and we’re in the same ballpark, you know, so we had a crossover of fans. It was rewarding for both of us, like, it was our first time there getting a chance to play in front of British fans.

SM: So are you guys hanging out for their set on Sunday?

MH: Yeah, we’ll be seeing them Sunday. This is kind of a sick lineup and I think I’ll be coming back. Got nothin’ else to do man, it’s the weekend!

SM: For my first festival experience I wouldn’t have asked for a better lineup.

MH: It’s pretty good, yeah. It’s funny to compare festival etiquette or festival crowds or dressing rooms or stages or whatever it is. Here… Coachella is like Fort Knox, you can’t walk through a door without someone trying to get on your case but here it’s got a bit more… enjembemom, you know, ha.

Matt Hitt of Drowners (left) with ‘s Steve Malinski at Governors Ball 2014

SM: Aside from SKATERS, is there anyone else you’re looking forward to catching while you’re here?

MH: I want to see Jenny Lewis but I think I missed her. I’m gonna go see Julian Casablancas – I can actually hear Julian playing now. I’ve seen him like three times already. His front of house co-produced our record, so we have a mutual friend. But yeah, Julian. I want to see Vampire Weekend but I’m working Sunday night so I’m going to have to miss them, but I’ve seen them at Reading.

SM: Before we wrap up, if there was one artist you could sit in with either in a session or on stage, who would that be?

MH: I really would have loved to have seen The Beatles perform because they say they couldn’t even hear themselves through a mixture of shit technology. Any video I’ve seen of them is either grainy or been on television so I’d love to be in a Beatles gig to see what it actually sounded like. I think that bands sound better now through technology. But I want to know what shit sounded like before tuning pedals.

SM: Matt, I know you want to get out there to catch Julian’s set, so I’d like to thank you very much for your time.

MH: Thank you for having me.

SM: Perhaps we’ll catch up again in the future.

MH: Cheers, and thank you very much, I appreciate it.

August 27, 2014
Bringing Your Dog to a Music Festival

The one thing I never understood about music festivals was people who bring their dogs with them. How can a dog possibly enjoy a music festival with the loud music, heat/humidity and rain/mud?

It never made sense to bring a dog to a festival under really any circumstances. Service dogs aside, dogs and music festivals don’t go together, period.

Then I brought my dog to a music festival and saw it from the other side of things. Before I share that story, lets talk about service dogs and “service dogs”.

First, there are real, certifiable service dogs, the kind that go through training, stay with their master/friend, and have a purpose to their being there. These service dogs lead the visually impaired, can sense low blood sugar in diabetics, seizures in epileptics and a myriad of other conditions that are better served with a companion than medication or simply not being able to enjoy things like music festivals. The certification process is involving and can ensure that those with a service dog can attend a music festival; or concert for that matter.

Then there are “service dogs” – I put that in quotes because they aren’t service dogs per se, it’s just that the owners have figured out how to fill out a form and bring their dog with them. This dog is a pet and provides no health-related service to their owner, except perhaps curing separation anxiety on either end of things. Perhaps a place to stay better than a music festival was hard to come by, or a kennel wasn’t an option, but “service dogs” or pets that provide no vital service, do not belong at a music festival, period. This group of individuals take away from actual service dogs who are needed to be there to help their owner/master/friend.

Then you have festivals that are so small and camping centric, that service dog or not, dogs are welcome at the discretion of the promoter and land owner. I’m not talking about Bonnaroo, Summer Camp, moe.down or even StrangeCreek – those festivals wouldn’t let you into a festival without proper documentation – and why in the world would you bring a dog to Bonnaroo when it’s June in Tennessee? I’m talking about a music festival that is small enough to accommodate fans who bring their dogs and has an atmosphere and environment that makes bringing a dog a plus.

On Aug. 8, I brought my dog Halley to Backwoods Pondfest, a small music festival in Peru, NY, outside Plattsburgh. The festival is dog friendly, charges $20 per dog and asks they be leashed at all times. This was a fair deal and was a great location to bring dogs, as the weather is never too hot or humid in the northern reaches of New York in early August. The crowd is very animal friendly, with a fair amount of dogs but lacking a negative attitude towards them. Dogs are welcome at Backwoods Pondfest, so long as their respective owners are.

When I brought Halley to Backwoods, she took to the location quickly, watching me unpack what she had watched me pack the day prior, setting up the tent she was familiar with and making a home for the next 36-48 hours. She didn’t bark, she laid and enjoyed the outdoors, as well as her all natural tick remedy that I thought about at the eleventh hour. She enjoyed the crowd, the people and the environment. She is also 14 years old, healthy beyond light arthritis and always in good spirits. As she watched us eat, drink and enjoy our site, she relaxed on the ground and kept a watchful eye. It was like camping anywhere else, just with music playing 100 feet away.

Halley took walks, went inside the grounds, and having lost her hearing this past year, we ventured backstage where she found things comfortable. Any younger and I would not have brought her backstage, but the area was open to all with a media pass, even a girl with a giant Macaw. When I wanted to leave her at the site, Halley was already content. She went into the tent when it got cold and got under her blankets. I checked on her often, being so very close to the site, it took not even a minute to pop in on her and get back to the music. This went on all weekend and she was a happy dog.

But if I brought her last year, or three years ago, or to any other festival in her 14 years, she would have hated it and I would have hated the decision to bring her. Dogs need to run and play and sniff and be curious and explore. Halley has done all that. She was content to explore Backwoods Pondfest from the end of a leash in short walks and hang out at the campsite the rest of the time. With four friends camping with us, she always had someone checking on her and making sure she was having a good time – just like humans do for other humans at festivals.

Had I brought her earlier in the summer or to a larger festival, she would have dealt with heat and sensation overload and I would have seen little music. No fun for either of us. And that is why dogs aren’t meant for festivals. When they are at a festival, they are the focus and the one bit of responsibility a person can have to anyone but him/herself. I have always enjoyed that sense of ZERO responsibility at a festival and only needing to exhibit human decency for the entirety of the event. If I was covering a festival for a media outlet, I would take that responsibility in kind, but a pet, a dog, a friend to keep an eye on – that’s another story. Ever dealt with a friend who took too much of something and you had to babysit or alter plans as a result? Same thing with a dog at a festival, but it lasts all weekend.

When it came to music, I didn’t mind missing some of the acts, since I may see these bands again in the next four months, as many come through Albany on a regular basis. I didn’t mind checking in on Halley and making sure she was OK. I didn’t mind much of anything with her there. I had seen many festivals (60 or so) and was content not overdoing it. The same went for Halley. All of us hung out and saw music and I treated her like one of the regular festival crew I rolled with. She just didn’t see all the music with us and was cool with that. And at night she got cold so she napped in the car with the heat on. Being a dog has its perks.

I brought Halley at the right time to the right festival and the right environment. She is turning 15 in a few weeks. I would never bring her to a festival again, only because this time was perfect all around. But if she was younger and she made it through one Backwoods Pondfest, I wouldn’t mind bringing her to the fest a year later.

Even though she enjoyed the experience, I would not have brought her if it was not allowed and I hadn’t been there before to know what it is like. Knowing the festival and the venue in advance helped a great deal, and I’ll love going back next year and seeing the random gathering of dogs among 1,000 or so festival-goers.

But if you can, leave you dog at home with friends or family. Festivals are meant for humans to enjoy.

August 27, 2014
Interpol’s New Album ‘El Pintor’ Streams Two Weeks Before Release on NPR Music’s “First Listen”

New York City’s own Interpol has been previewing some of their new music on tour this summer leading up to the release of their fifth studio album and first in four years, El Pintor, whose title means “the painter” in Spanish.

The band today announced on its Facebook page that NPR Music’s “First Listen” is streaming the album two weeks before the album’s release on September 9. Until its release, the album is available for pre-order in various formats from the Interpol website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Click here to go to NPR Music’s stream of El Pintor. Have a listen… you won’t be let down.

August 27, 2014
Hearing Aide: Kyle Hollingsworth Moves at the ‘Speed of Life’

Kyle Hollingsworth has released his third solo album, Speed of Life, and brings together an eclectic combination of genres and melodies that create a relaxingly upbeat atmosphere and a perfect soundtrack for these late days of summer. Bringing in a wide group of friends, including members of The Motet, Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic, Bonnie Paine from Elephant Revival, and String Cheese Incident bandmates Michael Kang and Jason Hann, the songs reflect life, fatherhood and Kyle’s line of beer for Cigar City Brewing, named after a track on the album, “Happening Now”.

The straight fire funk instrumental “Racer X” kicks off the album with high tempo and energy, full of that String Cheese groove that gets you dancing. “Here We Go”, in the best way possible, is a song that could double as a song for a cruise ship line, or fit nicely in a Corona commercial ala Michael Franti, simply because the upbeat nature of the song and sing along melody bring out an island vibe, all the way down to the bass. “Falling Through the Cracks” has a ’70s funk to it with some of Blues Image’s mellow jazz carrying the tune. Bernie Worrell style keys in “You’ve Got the World” creates a four-on-the-floor dance number and clear highlight of the album. If you’ve heard String Cheese Incident perform “Pick up the Pieces”, then you might find “Pack it Up” to have a hint of the jam.

Taking the name of the beer brewed with Cigar City, “Happening Now” has Devo-level Kyle, with an added Talking Heads groove that is both upbeat and spacey with a European club twist to it, something that carries over to “Beautiful People”. “Ordinary” starts out a little hard, but a few seconds in, the beat accelerates to an almost EDM level of bpm. Singing “Life is so ordinary. I gotta find something to carry me through. Nothing ever evolutionary here. I’m ready for something new” may as well accompany all those moving west to Colorado in search of something better. “Peregrino” could be “Rivertrance” by another name, but with a Spanish/Flamenco aspect to the guitar work. Altogether this album comes off as a great step for Hollingsworth, whose live act was exciting to catch at moe.down 13. Don’t miss this album – order here!

Key Tracks: Here We Go, You’ve got the World, Beautiful People, Ordinary

Kyle Hollingsworth | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | SoundCloud

August 26, 2014
Excitement Builds as 2014 Catskill Chill Approaches

That time of year is slowly but steadily approaching where the leaves begin to change, the air becomes crisp and Summer festival season becomes just a memory. And so begins the countdown for the Catskill Chill. Each year Catskill Chill Festival brings a phenomenal lineup and a perfect end to the Summer festival season. Nestled quaintly in the quiet town of Hancock, New York, Camp Minglewood creates the perfect backdrop for a weekend in the great Northeast. Catskill Chill 2014 contains the intimate feel of a smaller hometown festival while bringing huge names and large crowds for a weekend to remember. Past acts have included The Meter Men with Page McConnell of Phish, Lotus, Dopapod, Papadosio, Lettuce, Yonder Mountain String Band, Soulive, JGB, Umphrey’s McGee and many, many more. In true Chill fashion, the line up covers a broad spectrum of some of the best acts, big and small. It is no wonder that Catskill Chill has quickly become a staple to every veteran festival goers Summer tour season. Buy your tickets now!

Alongside a weekend of phenomenal music, The Chill offers a variety of different activities that creates an environment that is much more than just a festival ground. Festival attendees are offered daily yoga classes, open mics, a wide array of vendors to browse through and a full farmer’s market where one can purchase fresh produce. While camping is offered, there are also cabins on premise that are rented out for a small group of people and offer running water, beds and a roof over your head for a long weekend of music and good vibes. Each day at the Chill offers a different experience and a variety of different musical acts to expand even the most musically diverse pallet. Below are the day-to-day schedules along with some must see performances that make up this truly spectacular festival.

Friday:

The Primate Fiasco (6:30pm-7:45pm): The versatility and energy behind the Primate Fiasco is one to be reckoned with. The band is compiled of a broad spectrum of instruments (i.e. sousaphone, banjo, brass, woodwinds, drums), and they’ve been known to burst into a full blown dance party in the middle of the street when they feel necessary. The band clearly has a great time on stage together and you can’t help but move your feet while these guys do what they do best.

Marco Benevento (10pm-11:25 pm): Amazing music, amazing guy and a ton of whiskey. Benevento is known to keep a bottle of Maker’s Mark as well as a giant tiger head on stage with him for when things get really wild. Aside from the fact that he is a brilliant musician, he also contains quite the stage presence. This performance will without a doubt be fun and entertaining, but also be packed with musical talent.

Twiddle (Dead Set) (10:30pm-12:15am): Over the past couple years Twiddle has gained exponential recognition within the music scene for their talents. There is certainly a reason their music draws such large crowds, and the fact that they’re doing an entire Grateful Dead set? You definitely do not want to miss this!

Lettuce (11:15pm-1:15am)- Hands down one of the funkiest bands to see live. Each member in the band brings a fantastic amount of talent to make up this power house of funk.

Shpongle (Simon Posford DJ set) (2:30-4:00 am)- While the Simon Posford DJ set isn’t the full Shpongle experience, if you’re into DMT fueled, spacey, electronic dance parties you certainly want to catch this performance. Posford is not just a musical genius but also a performer. He knows how to entertain a crowd and he does it well.

Saturday:

Tauk (6:30pm-8:30pm): Tauk gained rapid popularity with their entirely instrumental 2013 album, Homonculous. It says a lot about a musician when you can experience an array of emotions through an album without words. This foursome from NYC is packed with so much energy and talent they definitely make the “do not miss” list.

Consider the Source (7pm-8pm): Consider the Source brings a taste of Middle-Eastern fusion to the jamband scene. The trio’s stage presence blends multiple genres and sounds to create something unlike anything you’ve ever heard. If that doesn’t do it for you, go for the fretless double necked guitar that Gabriel Marin plays with great ease. If you’ve never seen Consider the Source life, make sure to get down to their acoustic set on Saturday evening.

Yonder Mountain String Band (8pm-10pm): Yonder Mountain String Band brings a perfect blend of jam and bluegrass while bringing a musical diversity to a genre that has set them apart from many artists in the live music community. While Yonder brings more of a low key vibe to start off your evening, there is certainly not a lack of pickin’ and mind blowing jams.

Cosby Sweater (8:30pm-10pm): Cosby Sweater is a live electronic trio bringing live mash-ups and high energy dance remixes. While these days there seems to be an abundance of “EDM” acts at every festival coast to coast, Cosby Sweater sets themselves apart with their kitchy name, unabashed musical talent and obvious ability to set the crowd into a full blown dance frenzy.

The New Deal (11:15pm-1:15am): The announcement of The New Deal’s reunion flipped the music world upside down. The trio includes original bassist Dan Kurtz, original keyboardist Jamie Shields and new to the band, Joel Stouffer on the drums. The New Deal always puts on a fantastic performance and is the perfect set to start your evening off right. The amount of excitement that has surrounded their Summer tour is incredible, so make sure you check these guys out before they retire, again.

Sunday:

Turkuaz (12:30pm-1:55pm): A diverse arrangement of music, instruments and excessive funk. Turkuaz has quickly become one of the funkiest bands on the East Coast. Visually their performances are stunning and the amount of energy pouring out from the stage makes it damn near impossible to not get caught up in all that is Turkuaz.

Particle (3:15pm-4:40pm): Particle is known for its progressive rock-jam roots and has acquired a wildly enthusiastic following referred to as “Particle People.” A perfect blend of electronic and organic, Particle is a phenomenal act to add to the already outstanding line up of the Chill.

The Manhattan Project (5:30pm-6:30pm): The Manhattan Project has quickly acquired one of the fastest growing followings of any electronic duo in the Northeast. The duo has made their mark on the music scene with their high energy performances, fantastic covers and live remixes that will keep any crowd moving from beginning to end. If you have yet to see these guys do their thing, don’t miss them at the Chill.

Kung Fu (6pm-7:25pm): Kung Fu is easily summed up by a ball of energetic, funk explosion. Every member of the band plays with so much enthusiasm it is evident that these guys have a ton of fun doing what they do. Often taking the stage fully clad in their Kung Fu attire, the band in its entirety loves what they do, and what they do is done well.

Electron (9pm-11pm): Electron is the original Disco Biscuits side project made up of Marc Brownstein, Aron Magner, Tommy Hamilton of Brothers Past and Mike Greenfield of Lotus. This is one insane mash up of some of the biggest names on the scene and their performance will be nothing short of excellent.

See you soon #ChillFam!

August 26, 2014
REO Speedwagon and Chicago Keep ‘Pushin’ On’

How do you become a rock ‘n’ roll legend? You keep ‘pushing on.’ At least, that’s what REO Speedwagon’s lead singer, Kevin Cronin, told upwards of 11,000 fans at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Aug. 19, 2014. “You’ll have people tell you that your dream can never come true. They will ask why you don’t you just give up. They will tell you to quit. But if you want to make your dream come true, you just gotta keep pushing on.” That, of course, led into REO’s 1976 song, “Keep Pushin’ ”.

The REO Speedwagon and Chicago collaboration has not happened before this year, but it does make a lot of sense since both legendary groups have been ‘pushin’ since 1967. Both experienced their peaks in the 1970s and ’80s, drawing fans in the 40+ age group to the Saratoga show. Many of the ‘older’ fans brought their kids, or grandkids to this show, in part thanks to the GE Kids in Free program, but also because they recognized how important it is for youth to experience the quality music that has influenced current pop stars. Not to mention that it doesn’t hurt for kids to hear the message that you need to ‘work hard to make your dreams come true.’ The night’s highlight, of course, was the last half hour of the show featuring the joint performance of six hit songs – three of REO’s and three of Chicago’s. One might expect a stage crowded with fourteen incredibly talented guys to be too much. But they pulled it off. Every person on that stage contributed his own unique style to the songs they performed together.

Neither REO nor Chicago are resting on their 20th century laurels; both are still writing and performing new music. REO’s “Whipping Boy” and Chicago’s “Now” were almost as well received by fans as their hits were. Cronin’s stories were entertaining — in particular, his recap of an afternoon hike in Saratoga had the full attention of all fans. While in the woods he acquired a deer tick, which launched him into a captivating story about how he got the “creeps” and relied on a hand-held mirror to make sure he was entirely tick free. The mirror revealed parts of his anatomy he hadn’t seen before, and as he discovered himself he developed a new appreciation for certain body parts. Eventually though, he realized that it was all an illusion. The mirror was concave, making everything appear much bigger than it actually was.

Chicago’s band members didn’t tell funny stories, however, the passionate performance of trombonist James Pankow was just as fascinating.

What appeared to be a competition between drummer, Tris Imboden, and percussionist, Walfredo Reyes, was also a lot of fun to watch.

The perfect August night that aptly opened with local, one-man band, Rich Ortiz’s “Summer Song” ended with “Roll with the Changes” and the message that change is inevitable, and often good. SPAC fans were incredibly fortunate to be able to see these two legendary bands perform together; after all, it may never happen again. Right now, tour dates are scheduled through the end of this month.

August 26, 2014
Breaking Benjamin Ends Hiatus With Brand New Line Up

After being away for five years, everyone was wondering if Scranton, PA alternative hard rockers Breaking Benjamin would ever come back. Now the silence is broken, fans rejoice! Breaking Benjamin is officially back.

The news broke this week when Breaking Benjamin posted a new video on their Facebook that they have a completely new lineup. Frontman and lead song writer Ben Burnley is the only original member left in the band, which has been inactive since 2010 with Burnley dealing with health issues and was in a legal battle against former members Aaron Fink and Mark James regarding the release of the remixed version of “Blow Me Away” which was released as a single to radio when their greatest hits album was released.

Burnley won the legal battle in April 2013 and announced plans to continue under the Breaking Benjamin name, playing a few acoustic performances later that year. No word on former members Aaron Fink and Mark James musical plans are. Former drummer Jeremy Hummer is currently touring with Creed frontman Scott Stapp, and former drummer Chad Szeliga spent a few years with Black Label Society.

Joining Burnley in what is the third version of Breaking Benjamin are drummer Shaun Foist, bassist Aaron Bruch, former Red guitarist Jasen Rauch and ex-Adelitas Way guitarist Keith Wallen.

This marks the first time Breaking Benjamin as a five piece band.

Breaking Benjamin currently has no plans regarding a new album, touring plans, and hasn’t revealed what record label they are signed with. Breaking Benjamin spent their whole active career with Hollywood Records. The last Breaking Benjamin album, Dear Agony, came out in 2009.

Benjamin Burnley was originally in a band named Breaking Benjamin in 1998 that played “softer music” such as Weezer and The Beatles covers, and was “nothing like” subsequent lineups. The name originates from an incident in which Burnley broke a borrowed microphone, prompting its owner to retort, “Thanks to Benjamin for breaking my fucking mic.”

Expect more news on Breaking Benjamin shortly.

August 26, 2014
518 Drummers Union Clinic at Trick Shot

Trick Shot Billiards and Music Hall in Clifton Park host the 2nd Annual 518 Drummers Union clinic Tuesday, August 26.

The clinic features John Glassbrenner and Brian Zink. Proceeds from the clinic goes towards a benefit for Zink’s behalf.

Zink, drummer for the local band Fort Rooster, suffered considerable losses from a resent fire. The promotional poster described it as a “total loss.”

“As for how we got the idea for the clinic, it first started off as a brainstorm of mine because I saw a lot of articles about drum clinics and said, ‘I can do that right at Trick Shot featuring local talent.’,” said Greg Gamache, head audio and production engineer at Trick Shot. “I have all the resources. So I contacted Brian and John and they were in. We got the backing from Parkway Music to help with sponsorship also.”

Zink has won multiple Guitar Center Drum Offs in recent years.

Glassbrenner is the drummer for the death metal band Incontinence. The band that hails out of Schenectady is finalizing their latest album, Infecting Paranoid Minds.

“Jason Bittner (of Shadows Fall) graciously donated an autographed ride cymbal to be raffled off during the clinic,” said Gamache. “The cymbal was used exclusively on the Dimebag tribute song ‘Leave It Alone”, written by Tristan Grigsby and also features Dave Ellefson and Tim Ripper Owens.”

Trick Shot is located at 1602 Rte 9 in Clifton Park. 518 Drummers Union event starts at 6 p.m. and scheduled to last until 9:30 p.m. A $5 cover gets you into the show, along with food and drink specials, and a 50/50 raffle. Donations are also accepted.

August 26, 2014
‘World War Trio’ Starts With Consider the Source

Marin (L) and Ferrara (R) jamming together.

New York-based Consider the Source has announced the first installment of their new studio project, World War Trio. On October 31st, they will release the first disc, an EP entitled “Put Another Rock In That Bag”. The Halloween treat features Jeff Mann playing drums in the studio with CTS for the first time alongside incredibly unique stunt-guitarist Gabriel Marin and virtuosic bassist John Ferrara. The Middle Eastern/Sci-Fi fusion trio will release the rest of World War Trio as a full, double-album in the Spring of 2015.

Fans have grown accustomed to face-melting, heavy improvisational shows from the improg group, but “Another Rock” will demonstrate some of their other tricks. “We felt this piece needed its own release,” says bassist John Ferrara. “It is our longest and most in-depth composition to date. It is going to have six distinct movements, about 25 minutes in length.” The epic piece showcases the band’s compositional prowess and features one movement composed by Jan Zehrfeld, guitarist of Munich-based Panzerballet. The EP will also include a Making of World War Trio documentary.

“Another Rock”, marks the band’s first studio release since 2010’s That’s What’s Up. The band has been playing since Marin and Ferrara met in 2004 and has two other studio releases: 2007’s Esperanto and 2009’s Are You Watching Closely? Since finding Mann on Craigslist in 2012, the group has released two live albums, but this is their first studio venture as the current Consider the Source. Yesterday, exactly two years after playing his first show with the band, Mann wrote: “It feels like we’re just getting started. I am so grateful to be able to play with the best musicians in the world for the best fans in the world.”

Upstate New York will be treated to the first live version of “Put Another Rock In That Bag”, as the Sourcerors will play the EP in its entirety at the Parish Public House in Albany on Halloween night. The band recently played The Hollow in Albany and has plenty of Upstate dates planned this fall. They will be playing the Catskill Chill and Night Light festivals in Hancock and Sherman, NY, respectively. Canton, NY, gets two free sets on September 11^th, and Dopapod will join them for shows at Saratoga Springs’ Putnam Den on September 27^th and Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall on October 2^nd.

Check out a trailer of the new material here.

August 26, 2014