Hank Williams III, otherwise known as Hank3, will be playing several dates in Upstate, NY this June. Bringing his hellbilly style of country music to Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester. Williams is touring in support of his recent, October 2013 release of his double country album, Brothers of the 4X4, and punk album, A Fiendish Threat.
A Hank3 show is a one-of-a-kind musical performance that begins with a set of country music, then a set of his hellbilly tunes, followed by a knock down drag out Assjack psychobilly set. His shows take on these different personas while featuring Williams’ extensive range of instrumental expertise.
You can get your hellbilly groove on with Hank3 starting Wednesday June 11, in Rochester, NY at the Montage Music Hall. Doors open at 7PM, this is an 18+ show and tickets will be available at the door for $20.
Friday June 13 in Buffalo at the Town Ballroom the doors open at 7PM, ages 16+ and tickets are $20 in advance and $24 day of the show. Tickets are available online or at the box office.
Lastly, Saturday June 14 at Lost Horizon in Syracuse, doors open at 7PM and tickets can be purchased for $20 in advance and $25 day of show. Pick up your tickets at the venue box office.
This year’s Ameribeat Festival of Arts will be the 77th Sterling Stage music festival since its start on Memorial Day Weekend in 1995. The fest will take place at the Sterling Stage Kampitheater in Sterling, New York from June 26-29, 2014. Sterling Stage has been supplying good vibes and music to the Upstate area for almost 20 years. What makes Sterling Stage so special is its intimate atmosphere and beautiful location on an old Christmas Tree farm. With two stages and only around 1500 people in attendance, the small fest draws an eclectic crowd that always seems to be a recipe for a heady party in the woods.
Nestled in the quiet back woods of Upstate New York, Sterling Stage has been home to many local artists and others from the Northeast. Sterling Stage hosts four festivals each summer, each featuring a variety of music styles. Upstate bands such as Sophistafunk, Ryan Montbleau, The Blind Owl Band, Aqueous, Subsoil, AudioInflux, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Primate Fiasco, Big Leg Emma, The Blind Spots, House on a Spring, and Thunder Body have all performed at Sterling Stage. Other notable acts include Cabinet, Anders Osborne, Jatoba, and John K Band. Not only can you find a combination of bands that will satisfy anyone’s musical needs, but it also has many other attractions for festivalgoers.
This year’s Ameribeat Festival of Arts features bands from Upstate New York and across the country. The headlining band for the weekend is Nahko and Medicine for the People. Nahko is an acoustic Roots/Hip-Hop group from Portland Oregon. The group formed in 2008 and has been gaining immense popularity, touring and playing festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada. Spiritual Rez is a Boston based Reggae Rock band known for their soothing feel-good dub. Northampton Massachusetts’ The Primate Fiasco will be performing their all-original jazzy brass jam to keep things fresh as well. Local bands featured at Ameribeat are Subsoil from Rochester, Our Friend’s Band from Oswego, Jesse Collins Quartet from Syracuse, and Turkuaz from Brooklyn. A special treat for those local music fans will be a special performance by this year’s Ameribeat Orchestra. Members of Tim Herron Corporation, Sophistafunk, Our Friend’s Band, and Upstate favorite Lucid will be combining to create this all-star ensemble. The weekend won’t disappoint with its wide range of music, from Hip-hop Fusion to Jazz to Reggae, everyone will be able to find something they like.
Turkuaz – one of the many bands you’ll see at Ameribeat Festival of Arts
At Sterling Stage, one can find many local vendors selling clothing, jewelry, instruments and more. There are also several food stands that have out of this world breakfasts and a booth that will deep-fry anything you bring them. One of Sterling’s must see attractions is the Artist Village. Located between the Main Stage and the Sinatra Lounge, the Artist Village displays a number of local artists and even has a black light art gallery for those who find them selves wandering the grounds late at night. Other things to do while at Sterling Stage include daily yoga classes with Brother Jon or one of the seemingly endless drum circles that can be found scattered throughout the woods.
For only $70 for the advanced weekend pass, Sterling Stage’s Ameribeat Festival of Arts is a hidden gem in Upstate New York that wont break the bank, but will offer an unforgettable experience. Tickets are available online at www.sterlingstage.com or from select local vendors.
For a band that has been around since 1998 and thrives mainly in the live setting, Umphrey’s McGee has pivoted focus ever so slightly with the release of Similar Skin, and in doing so, launched their own music label, Nothing Too Fancy Music.
Past albums have marked eras of the band’s collective psyche, such as Anchor Drops marking their presence as the next major jam band, Safety in Numbers recorded as band members began shifting outward from their familiar post-college surroundings, and Death by Stereo which followed the band’s rise and establishment of their influential prog-meets-jam sound. On Similar Skin, these children of the 80’s wear their heroes on their musical sleeve, channeling influences and well honed song-writing skills into their own unique sound, bridging two generations and putting forth their best studio effort since 2004’s Anchor Drops.
The first six tracks of Similar Skin set the tone for what stands to be Umphrey’s finest studio material. “The Linear”, leading with a haunting hook from Ryan Stasik’s recurring bass groove frames the song, while Brendan Bayliss’ lyrics are some of the his best in recent years: “I got a little more now that I had before, if you take it all back I’d still have more”, a forward-looking view on progressing through life.
“Cut the Cable”, opening with Bayliss singing the refrain alongside acoustic guitar, erupts into a fierce classic prog-rock song that could fit in among the sounds of bands from the 1980s who have a profound influence on Umphrey’s sound, one that is firmly rooted as their own on Similar Skin. Soaring guitar from Jake Cinninger adds depth to the track, with overlapping vocals from Bayliss rounding out what should develop and expand nicely in the live setting.
“Hourglass” has a pure 80s synth rock vibe, akin to Australian band Icehouse while “No Diablo” could double as a Huey Lewis and The News song. Title track “Similar Skin” begins with a tribal drum intro from Kris Myers and contains lyrics that spell out a maturing look at the world as the band enters their 16th year playing and writing music together. There is deeper meaning behind the line “We all begin with a similar skin / that will evaporate”, as Bayliss notes, “We’re all the same thing, come from the same place, will all end up at the same place. All this bickering and conflict in the world…does it even matter?”, an assessment that is both poignant and wise.
“Puppet String”, one of the best all-around songs Umphrey’s has written, finds its way from stage to studio, translating well and leaving an impression on listeners who may be used to 10 minute+ versions of this true rocker; the band is fully dialed in when reaching these peaks. While a bit hard and heavy, “Little Gift” has a hint of Def Leppard, particularly due to Jake Cinninger’s vocals. The hyper and at times erratic “Educated Guess” seems like an amalgamation, pieced together from leftover lyrics and riffs, and while complicated it is worth a few listens.
The arching guitar crescendos throughout “Loose Ends” are matched by soaring vocals. The heavy “Hindsight” has a Helmet-like guitar groove alongside Cinninger’s lyrics; Umphrey’s occasionally tries to be a metal band, but it doesn’t always work. Final track “Bridgeless”, a classic live number, is finally brought to the studio setting. With alarm-inspiring guitar riffs, “Bridgeless” is always a crowd pleaser when played live and works well to round out Similar Skin.
Included in the bonus materials on the album are “Morning Song” and “Room to Breathe”, two songs that shine in the live setting and both of which work well in the studio. “FF” from a private show at last month’s Summer Camp, Bayliss’ commentary on “Similar Skin” and the isolated vocals of “The Linear”, among other studio gems, make the exclusive material well worth the pre-order. An interview with Scott Hannay, who makes 8bit versions of Umphrey’s songs, dubbed Umphrey’s McNES is linked in the bonus material, as well as an 8bit version of “The Linear”
Overall, Similar Skin has all the markings of a premiere studio album, with little to disagree with among these 11 tracks. If you’re interested in purchasing the album or checking out all of the various packages Umphrey’s is offering along with it, click here.
Key Tracks: The Linear, Cut the Cable, Similar Skin, Puppet String
Catch Umphrey’s McGee this summer in the Northeast:
August 2 – Bridgeport, CT – Gathering of the Vibes
August 7 – Burlington, VT – Maritime Festival
August 8 – Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
August 9 – Upper Darby, PA – Tower Theater
August 10 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summerstage
Traditions Carved by Wounded Hands, let go daylight’s first LP, drops on Saturday, June 14th.
Heavily steeped in the sounds of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, let go daylight – they seem to market themselves in lower case – is an amalgamation of Troy musicians that have crossed over from several different bands to collaborate on this latest venture.
Let Go Daylight’s first LP since forming in 2012, Traditions Carved by Wounded Hands successfully captures a reminiscent flare to the aforementioned Sabbath, such as with the opening track of “Honey Wagon” or “Leave Me Be”. However, poised so close together at the beginning, it lends to some trepidation that the listener will be subjected to another Sabbath clone. But then, a funky bass guitar played by Mike Shudt leads us into the fourth track, “The Guts and the Glory”. As one continues to listen, you become more conscious of a transition into contemporary hard rock with “Let It Burn” to even toeing the line of punk. Ralph Renna’s bass to baritone vocals throughout the LP goes into Glenn Danzig territory with “A New Revolution”. However, a manic display of trippy guitar play by Dave White, accompanied with a strong performance by drummer Rocky Morey, at the introduction of “August Fire” showcases the band’s breadth of talent, but as it clocks in at under three and a half minutes, with a decrescendo to close out the album, I can’t help wanting more.
This four-piece band, though together for a relative short time, each is a veteran of his trade, having cut teeth with other bands (Last Call, Flate Broke, and Thrust). Nonetheless, they compliment each other well. After listening to this LP several times, you will start to hear a distinct sound germinated from the icons of the past and blossoming out with flashes of brilliance. Traditions is a good LP on its own, but it makes this listener perhaps more excited to hear how they progress further with their sound. If indeed the progressions realized throughout the chronology of this LP continue out to the next, that could be the makings of a standout performance.
The band drops the LP on June 14th, coinciding the release with a live performance at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Troy. If you’d like to listen to the album in full or purchase the album, click on the respective links.
Key Tracks: The Guts and the Glory, Let It Burn, August Fire.
This year’s Summer Camp Music Festival has once again proved itself as a one of the best music festivals in the United States, and Not Your Average Summer Camp. Over Memorial Day weekend, an estimated 15,000 people made the pilgrimage to the small town of Chillicothe, Illinois, for what can only be described as the experience of a life. Since 2001, Summer Camp has been one of the fastest growing festivals in the Midwest and this year was possibly the best one to date. Its seven stages and over 100 artists gave festival goers a non-stop feed of music with more options that one could wrap their head around. In the rare chance that those in attendance were not busy enjoying the music, there were countless other attractions to assure that they got the full experience.
There are numerous music festivals across the country with impressive lineups and exciting activates, but what sets Summer Camp apart is its blissful vibe. As soon as you enter the grounds of Three Sister’s Park, you are overtaken by a warm comforting sensation that starts deep in the stomach and radiates throughout your whole body. Being at Summer Camp felt like returning home after a long absence, which is something I have rarely said in my festival going career. I was in the parking lot for less than five minutes and a group of people approached me with hugs and greetings of smiles and gifts. It was as if everyone around was an old friend, all of them more excited to see you than the last.
Activities for Scampers were endless, ranging from a festival wide Treasure Hunt, to musical workshops with some of the top artists in the country. The Soulshine tent was home to most of the weekend’s many events. For those interested in lectures or other educational activities, there were classes and workshops focusing on Permaculture, Cob Building, Composting, Hula-Hooping, Sustainability, and Solar Energy. In the entertainment department, there were performances by members of LCD Soundsystem, Here Comes the Sun Stereo, Floodwood, and The Everyone Orchestra. There was also an art gallery with live art performances, daily raffles for charity, and a Non GMO March. Possibly the most exciting of all were the three carnival rides, supplying campers with non-stop thrills!
Though General Admission tickets only covered Friday to Sunday, Thursday was still an eventful night for those early comers. Starting off Summer Camp Music Festival 2014 was Soul Census, followed by a mix of folk and electronic music. The main events for the evening were Twiddle, Future Rock, The Ragbirds, Sun Stereo, and Upstate New York’s own, Floodwood. Floodwood is a folk/bluegrass band featuring Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico from moe.. For a fairly quiet first night, there was still plenty of fun to be had at Summer Camp.
The floodgates opened Friday morning as ecstatic festival-goers came from far and wide. By noon, Three Sisters Park was brimming with smiling faces and the music had only just begun; you could feel the excited anticipation in the air. moe.’s first set was nothing short of stunning. For over an hour and a half the quintet rocked their heavy jams to thousands of Scampers. With solos ranging from metal to psychedelic, this was perfect headliner to kick off the fest. More rocking jams were supplied by Umphrey’s McGee as they played the first two of their six sets. Umph Love was in abundance as the band exhibited their immense repertoire, including tracks off their soon to be released album, Similar Skin. Primus also reigned in a massive crowd for their one and only performance of the weekend. Les Claypool’s stellar bass playing was the foundation for the headliners unique funky yet dark sound. Besides moe., featured bands from the Upstate area were Jimkata and The Manhattan Project. Both bands are specialists in the electronic jam sector and represented NY well with their hot digital jams.
Saturday was again a perfect festival day, with sunny skies and warm weather. Like the previous day, moe. and Umphrey’s showed they were unstoppable, playing another two sets each! Other must-see performances for the day were Lotus, Devil Makes Three, Mike Dillon Band, and The Werks. Each band seemed to be as good if not better than the last, spreading love and good vibes throughout Summer Camp. With warm hearts and bright eyes all around, it was not hard to tell that everyone in attendance was having the time of their life. There to show the true talent of New York State were Floodwood, Break Science, and the very popular Big Leg Emma. Big Leg Emma played a diverse set of some of their original grassy jam mixed with covers including The Beatles’ Hey Jude.
When you thought it couldn’t get any better, the heat got turned way up on Sunday… literally. The temperature was near 90 degrees at Summer Camp as music lovers convened for one last day of immaculate tunes. Sunday was the biggest day of the weekend by far, bringing in over 1,000 more Scampers. The day was packed with big names of all genres. Groups such as Yonder Mountain String Band, The Wood Brothers, Bassnectar, Gramatik, and Lettuce were all on the line up for the last day. Zac Brown Band and Trey Anastasio Band also blessed Summer Camp with two sets each. And of course, to close things off, Umphrey’s McGee and moe. each played a set, joining together for a short epic jam session. The shining lights from New York State for the day were Turkuaz and Auto Body from Brooklyn. Dopapod and Aqueous illustrated Upstate’s talent, each playing an hour of psychedelic jam-rock.
An immense amount of work goes into putting on such a startlingly impressive gathering like Summer Camp Music Festival. Behind the scenes of all the fun, music, and art, was a volunteer staff of over 500 people who did everything from maintain a safe environment to sorting every single piece of trash generated by the immense crowd. Summer Camp’s Green Team was in charge of waste management at the festival, creating Earth friendly waste receptacles divided into trash, recyclables, and compost. All vendors also were required to use recyclable and compostable utensils and plates. Summer Camp is more than just a festival, it has become a movement for change and to bring awareness to important issues that affect us all. There was also a great amount of Non-Profit activity as well, mostly focused on sustainability and environmentalism.
For a seasoned festival-goer or a first timer, Summer Camp with leave you speechless with a smile on your face the whole way home. Three Sisters Park is the perfect venue for the fest and with the outstanding artist lineup, art, and weather, no one could possibly ask for anything more. Any chance there is to attend Summer Camp Music Festival is the chance of the lifetime and you are guaranteed not to leave disappointed. There is no festival with a comparable vibe.
You can download recordings from Summer Camp below.
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!
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.
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.
Bluegrass heavyweights Yonder Mountain String Band have announced the lineup for their annual Harvest Music Festival being held at Ozark, AZ October 16-18 2014. This camping and music festival is bringing the top names in the industry to the picturesque Mulberry Mountain for a celebration of epic proportions.
Joining the festival lineup this year will be – Yonder Mountain String Band with special guest Jerry Douglas, Trampled By Turtles, Railroad Earth, The Jayhawks, Lettuce, The Devil Makes Three, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jerry Douglas Band, Tea Leaf Green, Everyone Orchestra, Split Lip Rayfield, Elephant Revival, Cornmeal, and so many more!
All tickets include camping, a family camping area with a “lights out” at 11pm policy is also available. Children 11 and under are free with a paying adult, VIP tickets and camping are available. Tickets can be purchased online HERE.
Coming out of the gate in 2013 as a new country music festival, the Taste of Country finished with a huge win for all involved. With a field of winning performers in the first year, those in attendance at Hunter Mountain were in for a treat.
Set in the picturesque Catskill Mountains of New York State, only a few hours north of the NYC, and an hour off of the NY State Thruway, Hunter Mountain is centrally located and the perfect setting for a country music festival. Just envision lush green foliage and cool mountain breezes along with your favorite artists, food, friends and family. What could be better?
Country music is said to have originated in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North America as immigrants brought over favorite instruments such as the Irish fiddle, the German-derived dulcimer, the Italian mandolin, the Spanish guitar, and the West African banjo. This collection of culturally based music and instrumentation has evolved over the years into what is today’s country music.
Hank Williams Jr. – Taste of Country Music Festival 2014
Country music is so diverse and appeals to so many listeners that we now see it crossing over to main stream radio, with hits topping both charts. It just seems fitting to have this event in the foothills of the mountains, be it not its original Appalachian mountainside, it’s still truly the perfect setting for the only country music festival held in the Northeast.
With a “Who’s Who List” of country musicians gracing the two stages this year, you would be hard pressed to choose which stage to be at at any given time. However, don’t fret, because this festival has been organized by Townsquare Productions, LLC, a collaboration between Townsquare Media Group and Chet-5 Festivals. “Townsquare Media Group is a diversified media, entertainment and digital marketing services company that owns and operates radio, digital and live event properties, and Chet-5 Festivals has produced the Mountain Jam music festival since its inception in 2005”.
They have organized these two stages so that the musical acts are performing at staggered times and attendees can meander between the two and not miss a minute of either show. Having attended several festivals in the past, this option has me extremely excited as I can see everyone on my “must see” list, and not have to choose between which stage to spend my time.
Taste of Country Music Festival 2014 Line Up
Options for camping are numerous as well, however becoming limited in certain areas. Passes can be purchased for the whole weekend event, with or without camping, and they recently released single day passes in the event you can’t make it for the whole three-day festival. Wait…did I say three-day festival? I meant four-day festival as they have just announced their “Campground Kickoff Party” to begin on Thursday, June 12th as a thank you gift to ticket holders. And if you don’t feel like camping, visit the Taste of Country Music Festival website for a list of alternate lodging accommodations within the area. Shuttles will run from local designated areas throughout the entire weekend and tickets are still available for the shuttle services.
Like all great events with music, fun, and friends, there must be food. Those attendees planning to eat at the event will have a smorgasbord of choices to choose from, with numerous vendors satiating appetites with foods as unique as grilled mac & cheese sandwiches to the perfect Chinese noodles and vegetables. Yes I said grilled mac and cheese sandwiches.
For this who can’t sit still, there will be vendors and activities on site to saunter through and see all there is to see. For the perfect view of the whole event, don’t forget to ride the chair lift to the top for the best vantage of all the goings-on below.
Spectacular music is the focus of the entire weekend, with spectacular views, spectacular food, and spectacular friends and family. Now that is what country living is all about.
George Strait, also known to the music world as the “King of Country”, closes out his 33-year career of touring with his final live show in Arlington, Texas tonight.
The 62-year old musician and actor from Frio County, located just south of San Antonio, is going out in big style with special guests, Jason Aldean, Martina McBride, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, and Asleep At The Wheel.
You could call this more than a concert, it’s a celebration of Strait and what he has meant to country music. His neotraditional style is credited by many critics for returning country back to its roots.
As long as I have loved country music, I have loved George Strait. His down home, country-boy good looks, sporting a Stetson and Wranglers with a crooked smile that draws you in immediately as he is the picture of what a cowboy looks like. His dedication to his craft, staying true to the roots of the genre, and his dedication to his fans over his expansive career are a few of the reasons George is loved by all who have known him throughout his career.
With a career that boasts 28 albums, 68 million in record sales, 60 No. 1 singles, and 82 nominations for Country Music Association Awards – 22 of which he had won, it is not surprising to see him inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
This legend will continue recording and doing music on his own terms. He is, however, done with the road and the touring with no “come back” stories to follow.
For those lucky enough to be at tonight’s show in person, this moment in time should be etched in your minds forever, as his legend as the ‘KING OF COUNTRY” will forever be in ours. Thank you, cowboy, for the memories. Enjoy your ride in to the sunset; you deserve it!
Stephen Lewis has been enamored with music and the written word since he began writing simple poetry and digging through his parents record collection as a young boy in Central New York. What started out as a formative relationship with the written work and sonic arts has developed over his lifetime into a deep analysis and respect. The natural world in addition to authors, songwriters, poets, journalists and musical masters of expression and ideals are his signposts to creation through inspiration.
Stephen has a deep love for the literature and music that was developed in the 1950’s and 60’s, when ideas were fresh and retreads were few. The beat poets as well as early rock and blues players are the cornerstones in which all of his creative excursions are based. Straight ‘rock and roll’ is Stephen’s tonic. Drums, bass, guitar and some honky-tonk piano is all it takes to inspire. Psychedelic rock and jazz following close behind. Being English/Creative Writing major, Stephen has intertwined his love for music in the most natural way, by writing about it.
Stephen’s most respected artists are the musicians with a message, who use melodic sensibility to relate life truths and build mental pictures through their musical creations. Bob Marley, John Lennon, Tim Buckley, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia and David Crosby are a few of the artists who Stephen receives inspiration from and enjoys regular visitations to into their catalog.
Stephen’s greatest achievements happen when creating art from nothing, the thrill of a crisp white blank page tucked into a typewriter, a vinyl record revolving in the background. Expressive use of language is his goal, language able to not only express the inner workings of the text’s subject, but also offer a glimpse into the creators mind. His continuing efforts are to turn his freelance opportunities into a permanent position reporting on the world of music, or working as an archivist for one of his favorite bands.
Stephen has traveled for over 300+ live concerts so far in his lifetime, the search for emotive live performances never ending. Regarding his work for since 2013, Stephen concentrates on his Central New York experiences offering commentary on performances and past glories from the area. His musical bucket list is growing shorter by the year but still includes, Yusuf Islam, Teresa Williams/Larry Campbell and Simon & Garfunkel.
Past albums have marked eras of the band’s collective psyche, such as Anchor Drops marking their presence as the next major jam band, Safety in Numbers recorded as band members began shifting outward from their familiar post-college surroundings, and Death by Stereo which followed the band’s rise and establishment of their influential prog-meets-jam sound. On Similar Skin, these children of the 80’s wear their heroes on their musical sleeve, channeling influences and well honed song-writing skills into their own unique sound, bridging two generations and putting forth their best studio effort since 2004’s Anchor Drops.
Set in the picturesque Catskill Mountains of New York State, only a few hours north of the NYC, and an hour off of the NY State Thruway, Hunter Mountain is centrally located and the perfect setting for a country music festival. Just envision lush green foliage and cool mountain breezes along with your favorite artists, food, friends and family. What could be better?
For this who can’t sit still, there will be vendors and activities on site to saunter through and see all there is to see. For the perfect view of the whole event, don’t forget to ride the chair lift to the top for the best vantage of all the goings-on below.
Stephen has a deep love for the literature and music that was developed in the 1950’s and 60’s, when ideas were fresh and retreads were few. The beat poets as well as early rock and blues players are the cornerstones in which all of his creative excursions are based. Straight ‘rock and roll’ is Stephen’s tonic. Drums, bass, guitar and some honky-tonk piano is all it takes to inspire.