One of California’s finest exports, The Sycamore Slough String Band is coming to Albany NY for one night only, tonight, Friday May 9th, at Franklin’s Tower. These musicians share an affinity for the music of the Grateful Dead, and came together in an Oakland recording studio in January 2012 to see what they could conjure. Featuring David Gans on guitar, David Thom on mandolin and guitar, and Roger Sideman on upright bass, these three musicians represent a wide history of performances with other acts, and now bring their sound to Albany.
Acoustically Speaking, featuring Kat Walkerson and Mik Bondy of The Garcia Project as an Acoustic Duo, will open the show.
Stop in for dinner and catch the show. Music starts at 8pm
Bryan Brundige is a man who wears many hats. He is a producer, musician, band manager, Grandma’s Studio owner and songwriter. He is most prominently known as a horn player in The Chronicles, but suffice to say, he is well versed in all things music. Brundige is not only cultivating his own dream of running a studio, but his efforts are inadvertently bringing a music scene to Albany. He is perhaps, the gatekeeper as well.
Brundige has planned, developed and now executing his business of music. He has a multi-room studio with digital and analog recording options. He has a number of various instruments if needed from a baby grand piano to drums, providing accessibility for band-client options. Through the concept of the Albany Barn – a live and work-space dynamic – he is also able to give music fans a little something too.
Bryan Brundige: It is a multi-faceted recording studio. I can multi-track record. I specialize in songwriting and arranging. I have a lot of connections with musicians so if somebody comes in and needed a horn section or a string section or a keyboard player or a guitar player, I can locate all those musicians. We’re not only a recording studio but also a production house in that we output music all the time. We have bands for hire, a rehearsal space, I can do voice-over work, I can mix audio to film, I can produce albums – I’ve done four at this point.
TC: Where did this idea come from?
BB: My Grandma’s house. It’s the idea of the whole aesthetic of being comfortable while creating. You know, like when you go to your Grandmother’s house on a Sunday afternoon, and everything seems to be fine and dandy – chocolate chip cookies everywhere, that kind of thing.
TC: As far as recording rooms, what do you have?
BB: I have three rooms: I have an isolation booth, a live room and a control room as well as another closet in the control room for more isolation options. There is a venue out the front door in case I have to record an orchestra or something like that. I can do anything from a solo artist up to a 65 to 75-person orchestra.
TC: The Albany area has been anxious for a new live venue. Is the bigger space available for booking shows?
BB: Yes to a certain degree. The only hiccup is that it is attached to a residential suite, so it’s an interesting situation. Right now there is a curfew at 11pm; we’re trying to change that. This first show went really well and they are interested in having a concert series. I don’t think it will be a Thursday, Friday, Saturday night venue, but more of a concert space. For instance, once or twice a month. It is such a creative zone but the venue is also common space for every commercial tenant that’s there – all of our front doors go out to that space. It’s an interesting dynamic – a live-work-event space, and I’m excited to see what is going to happen.
TC: Will alcohol be provided during live events?
BB: There is not a bar attached and the Barn does not have a liquor license. The promoter is responsible for that kind of thing. It will have to be non-alcoholic events or it will have to be catered. Basically at all of our events will be local, probably Brown’s Brewery and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
TC: What are the stage dimensions and venue capacity?
BB: 30 feet wide by 20 feet deep. It holds 400 people. Shows will typically be from 6pm – 11pm.
TC: What types of bands are you looking to get in Grandma’s performance space?
BB: Some bands that have been discussed are Chris Thile, Dumpstafunk, Marco Benevento, Railroad Earth, Soulive – medium sized regional and national bands.
TC: Is the live space recording area separate from the venue area?
BB: Yes, yes. My suite is about 700 square feet. It is a little tight, but it does the job. I have about a 20 foot by 16-foot room for the live room.
BB: The entire building is The Albany Barn. Part of it is residential and part of it is commercial. There are 22 artist lofts and about 11 commercial tenants. They are all artists of some sort, and the idea is to all feed off and work with one another.
Brundige is looking forward to a potential concert series in the works for the 2014 summer. The Chronicles have a few upcoming dates including a Sunday performance at the Albany Tulip Festival. Please follow links for more information.
Another weekend for live music revelers is at hand for those who will be in Plattsburgh this weekend.
The Monopole
The Monopole will play host to two live acts this weekend, starting with Capital Zen tonight at 10 pm.
Zen has developed a reputation as a hard-working group, having performed more than 100 shows last year. The jam band out of Glens Falls weaves nearly every assortment of genre into their playlist – everything from Jazz to Punk, Prog to Classical, Metal to Blues. As they state on their Facebook Page, “Zen creates a feel and tone unlike any other.”
They are to appear at the Backwoods Pondfest in Peru this August, an event they have not missed since their first appearance in 2009.
Tomorrow, the music will start up again with a little R&B funk flair introduced by Burlington’s Funkwagon at 10 pm.
The nine-piece band formed in 2005, and describes their funk sound as atypical. For one, they introduce themselves as a “gospel infused funk band.”
“Well for one thing it’s very vocal oriented,” band founder Aaron Burroughs is quoted on the band’s Facebook Page. “We pay attention to our lyrics… so it really does feel kind of like a choir.”
Next Thursday, May 15, Lowell & Sabo of Lucid will take to the bar’s stage.
The Monopole is located on 7 Protection Ave, in downtown Plattsburgh. For more information, call 518-563-2222.
Olive Ridley’s
Olive Ridley’s is advertising the arrival of Catfish and Bodega to their stage tonight at 6 pm (The Facebook Event advertises a time of 6:30 pm)
They promise a smooth blend of jazz and funk for all their music loving friends.
Tomorrow, DJ Jon is scheduled to make his regular appearance to entertain the masses.
On April 26th, SUNY Fredonia Professor Elmer Ploetz, myself and another volunteer made our way towards the back entrance of the Town Ballroom in downtown Buffalo on April 26th. It was to play host to the second annual Continental Reunion Show and I had volunteered to help Prof. Ploetz record and interview people. At this year’s reunion, 11 bands were set to perform. I thought it would be like any other rock show. I was dead wrong.
The Continental, located on 212 Franklin Street, was Buffalo’s largest goth and punk scene in the late ’80s before ultimately closing down in 2005. Last year’s reunion had nearly 1,000 people showing up for the event.
The clock on the wall struck seven and the doors opened with a wave of people in leather, fishnets, heavy make up, corsets. Soon after, the slight smell of cannabis filled the arena. I stayed behind my set up tripod on the upper level of the venue while I waited for the bands to take stage.
Bob James’ band started out the night with his first single “Lorraine.” The crowd bobbed their heads to the music as they came in with drink in hand to prepare for the rest of the evening. Each band was set to play for approximately 20 minutes. Even between the short amounts of time, the atmosphere was great and the fans cheered and rooted as bands brought up old memories.
The band that caught my attention was The Kevin K Band. With my camera, I zoomed in on the singer who wore purple glasses with a bright vest. The band rocked out one song after another and I found myself singing along to the chorus of each song, cheering loudly as they finished. With their loud and hard guitars and fast beats, they were the definition of an old school punk band.
I was told the bands that everyone was looking forward to were Tension and The Enemies. That night was the first time that Tension played in 25 years and I heard non-stop talk about them performing. The Enemies caused an equal amount of buzz between fans, as they were to perform with two of the original members.
Between sets, I got the opportunity to take a break behind the camera and venture out into the bar area to interview people. For an older, edgier crowd, people had smiles on their faces and were hugging one another in remembrance of The Continental.
I heard stories about The Continental being a safe haven and a place where misfits went and felt like they belonged. A person from our crew sparked a conversation with a man, who as he spoke, painted an image of young, goth girls looking in the mirror, fixing their make up. The interview turned quite a loop when be mentioned that he was blind, something I failed to initially observe. In an instant, he pulled on a leash he had in his hand and a woman immediately came to his side. She had a collar around her neck and my eyes could not stop looking at her golden eye make up. She introduced herself as his “Seeing-eye Bitch.” I was thrown off guard at the sight of the two of them but that gave me a realization that The Continental was all about the strange and the unusual.
And, I was part of it.
Tension and The Enemies took the stage toward the end of the night, and that was the most I heard the crowd cheer. Some people starred in awe since it was years since they saw the bands play. My professor was even rocking out to the music along with the people who waited for the reunion to happen. I, along with two other girls from our crew, went to the front of the stage to watch the two bands perform. From our vantage point, I saw older faces light up and young rock ‘n’ roll hearts unleashed again. We then just let everything loose, threw up the classic horns with our hands and screamed after each song. We didn’t know the words, but the excitement and the feeling of the drums rocking our bodies made us want to be part of the crowd. After their sets, we took our sweaty selves up near the tripods and cameras. We all babbled about how awesome the bands were and almost forgot that two more bands were set to perform.
We watched as the stage was prepared for the next act. A black banner with red, bloody letters read, “SKINBOUND.” We knew the next band was not going to be some classic punk band. The lights dimmed and a red light surrounded the stage. Everyone looked confused when over the speakers they heard the sound of eerie church music and suddenly, the band came out with rough guitars and pounding drums. The singer came out with harsh growls and screams.
At first, I was taken back by the band. I was like, ‘Who would have a heavy metal band at a punk show?’ But, in a heartbeat, the three of us made our way to the stage again and we followed suit with the crowd, heads banging to the beat of the guitars. We yelled and once more threw up the horns. I gasped a few times as I watched the keyboard player do backflips while he stood on stage. “We are going to play Coldplay’s, ‘Viva La Vida’ because we like to piss them off,” the singer announced, and the band proceeded into a metal version, complete with deep growls. It made a lasting impression as I knew I would never listen to the original song without the image of a band dressed in black, a keyboard player doing backflips, and a tattooed covered singer doing intense vocals. As much as the band was intimidating on stage, I met them after the show and observed young guys with humbled hearts as they were asked to take pictures and sign autographs.
Progressively fewer people made their way towards the stage as the last band started to play, which was not until after midnight. Industry of Life Divine took the stage with pink and black balloons filling the stage. We made our way back to the camera and video area and watched as the stage filled with half-naked women in leather, carrying whips. The scene distracted from the music, the music that came through the band sounded like a poppy version of Marilyn Manson, with a psychedelic rock. On the corner of the stage was a girl who twirled around a light up, rainbow hula-hoop and I mentally gave her props for being able to twirl it around her neck, legs and hips. But, that was the only real entertainment on the stage.
All our equipment was packed and our crew got out of the venue before the total chaos of traffic could happen. My ears rang, my throat was dry and the back of my neck sore. I came in there not knowing what to expect and I came out with a real acceptance of what The Continental was: it was a home for the people who were told they did not belong anywhere else. It was a place for the misfits to show their true colors. It was a true punk rock family.
Yo, check this out. Imagine the lifestyle of DJ Armin Van Burren. Young. Talented. Blond-haired pretty-boy. Behind a turntable in the middle of a show, he’s the center of attention. Everyone’s attention. Yes. Including her. eJay was a leader among a handful of games that allowed users to compose professional sounding EMD tracks that could be shared.
Now, you’re him. You’re rocking the set at an outdoor venue somewhere in the French Riviera. The warmth from the early summer sun still bakes off the sandy beach as you step onto the stage. All you smell is the salt of the Mediterranean Sea, and suntan lotion. Lots of it. Like the one she’s wearing. The honey out front, who’s just about to groove to the beat you provide her and thousands of other revellers. Just as you set the needle down, the crowd sparks to life. You throw up your hands as the synth sound starts to rise to a crescendo of electronic bliss. You give a look to that honey with the mocha-latte skin, the ends of her curly chestnut hair gently brushing off her shoulders as she moves with anticipation. But, all you can think about is dropping that dope-nasty bass….
Wait. What? You just described this amazingly hot girl, and you can think of nothing but “dropping a dope-nasty bass?!” Nothing’s been “dope,” let alone, “dope-nasty” since the 20th Century. Not sure anything’s been dope-nasty at that. But, okay. Just, listen. Just, keep reading. Okay?
Generations- technologically speaking – before Activision published DJ Hero (2009) for the gaming console, another game provided would-be Armin Van Burrens a creative outlet for the personal computer.
To describe it as a precursor to DJ Hero may be misleading; but, than again, DJ Hero didn’t quite utilize records and true turntables either.
eJay started off as a Window’s based game for the personal computer back in 1997. To snap things into proper prospective, Nintendo and SEGA were still locked into fierce competition for console sales. SONY and Microsoft were too wet behind the ear to be taken seriously. And, serious, high-end graphic based games were still played on personal computer.
ejay was not a graphic marvel, but provided a lot of punch as an interface for the music lover to start producing music. Users immediately started off on a fresh canvas that consisted of several layers, by which blocks of sound tracks could be placed. The end product would resemble something of a constructed building, so literally, the track was built brick by brick.
Sound clips of one- to five-seconds in length would be organized, first under a handful of different sub-genres of EDM – Techno, Hip-Hop and so on. From there, you could choose from a variety of sounds for percussion, rhythm and vocals. With practice and developed talent, it wasn’t uncommon to wind-up with a professional sounding track worth sharing with the world.
The eJay series enjoyed a successful run before closing shop in 2009. But, before falling victim to the crash of the global economy, according to one UK newspaper, it was the go-to game within a genre that was slowly building into popularity. Keep in mind, EDM was a movement most popular in Europe in the 1990s, and slowly migrated to the United States through metropolitan megalopolises like New York City and Los Angeles. By 2009, console games were more the rage, and DJ Hero was born.
Despite it’s demise more than five years ago, eJay still has a devoted following on the Internet and a Facebook Page that is still relatively active. From the fan page, one can still sample tracks created by gamers or artist. And, if you are such an artist, you can upload your work as well.
Search the web for eJay and see what magic can be captured. If you’re lucky enough to find a program, perhaps then you too can imagine yourself as Armin Van Burren in the French Riviera.
Rochester rarely sees a bluegrass show, let alone a sold out bluegrass show. The April 23rd Devil Makes Three show at the Zeppa Auditorium was a welcomed oddity to that norm but they did wrong right. A 9 PM arrival to a show almost usually results in a few people at the bar, enjoying a drink before the party starts. Count this show as an oddity in that realm too then – the house was packed and pensively listening to the opening band, Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons, an Americana band from Providence, RI with a bluesy sound.
The Devil Makes Three hit the stage strong with “Stranger, a song off the new album” I’m a Stranger Here. They wasted no time with playing house favorites when they slid smoothly into, “Beneath The Piano > Bullet” – the energy level was building with each song. With a look around the room, most knew every word to these songs, which played to the feel of the night, a room full of friends. The setlist was a fantastic combination of new songs and well-known songs from all their albums. Some of the highlights for this girl were, “Old Number 7” and “Gracefully Face Down” and by the sounds of it, I wasn’t the only one there whom had memorized nearly every word to every song. Most notably though, I was thrilled to hear upright bassist Lucia Turino sing a swanky tune. She rarely sings and seeing her play that bass and sing was a definite treat.
Quite possibly the greatest oddity of the night was the “bluegrass moshpit” that ensued and consumed every person anywhere near the stage. Maybe it was the fast paced “Do Right Wrong > Black Irish” that created the frenzy, or possibly it was the energy of the sold out room on another chilly Upstate, NY night, either way the moshpit was a new experience for this gal. A friend advised I take it all in and enjoy, “because it puts hair on your chest,” he said. But I digress, I prefer not to be tackled whilst dancing my heart out.
If this show was any indication of the things to come for this band, I will say that they are on their way up and already have a strong fan base in just about every city they play. Look for The Devil Makes Three this summer at festivals across the country.
The band will be touring in support of their newly released album, Turn Blue. This will be the bands first Flower City visit since 2010 at CMAC. Back then they were still an opener, now they are headlining and no doubt will have a packed house. Cage the Elephant will open the show. Ticket information is not yet available.
The Black Keys 2014 Tour dates 9/05 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center* 9/06 – Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena* 9/07 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena* 9/09 – Milwaukee, WI @ BMO Harris Bradley Center* 9/10 – Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center* 9/12 – Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena* 9/13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ CONSOL Energy Center* 9/14 – Rochester, NY @ Blue Cross Arena* 9/16 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Air Canada Centre* 9/18 – Montreal, QC, Canada @ Bell Centre* 9/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center* 9/21 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden* 9/24 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center* 9/25 – Washington, DC @ Verizon Center* 9/27 – Chicago, IL @ United Center* 10/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center† 10/25 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre† 10/27 – Calgary, AB, Canada @ Scotiabank Saddledome† 10/28 – Edmonton, AB, Canada @ Rexall Place† 10/30 – Vancouver, BC, Canada @ Pacific Coliseum† 10/31 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center† 11/1 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena† 11/9 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl† 11/10 – Phoenix, AZ @ U.S. Airways Center† 11/12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Maverik Center† 11/13 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center† 11/15 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center† 11/16 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center† 12/4 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Arena‡ 12/5 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena‡ 12/6 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Coliseum‡ 12/8 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena‡ 12/9 – St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center‡ 12/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena‡ 12/12 – Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena‡ 12/13 – Greenville, SC @ Bon Secours Wellness Arena‡ 12/15 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ BB&T Center‡ 12/16 – Tampa, FL @ Tampa Bay Times Forum‡ 12/17 – Orlando, FL @ Amway Center‡ 12/19 – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center‡ 12/20 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center‡ 12/21 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center‡
*with special guest Cage The Elephant
†with special guest Jake Bugg
‡with special guest St. Vincent
Neutral Milk Hotel, who have been touring extensively over the past couple of months, have announced a show on September 6th at Ommegang Brewery and two shows at Higher Ground in Burlington, VT on September 9th and 10th.
Neutral Milk Hotel have not been in Upstate New York since their show in Ithaca, NY last year. Their reunion tour has been an absolute success since front man Jeff Mangum brought the group back together last fall. Tickets for Ommegang will be going on sale on Friday May 9th and 10AM and are expected to sell out quickly, while Higher Ground has not been given an on sale date. This will be one of their last appearances on the east coast for the foreseeable future, so if you haven’t seen them yet, don’t miss out on this.
The historic Capitol Theatre hosted a night of funk and soul on May 1st thanks to supergroups Kung Fu and The Word. The small crowd of over 500 people left more than enough dance room on the wide open GA floor and prime seating in the loge/balcony with universal grand views of the architecture and visionary light show. The Cap is larger than life with its numerous chandeliers, deep colors of carpeted floors and tall ceilings that glow with the psychedelic projections that glide over the venue.
Kung Fu started the evening with a brief set of electrifying rock and funky heavy jazz with members of RAQ and The Breakfast. The dirty rhythm of Adrian Tramontano with the deep bass notes of Chris DeAngelis was the ideal groove to get the night moving. Todd Stoops kept both hands busy on two different sets of keys throughout the set as Rob Somerville blasted light-hearted funk melodies. Kung Fu will bring their lethal funk to festivals this year such as Disc Jam, Gathering of the Vibes and Catskill Chill.
The Word was greeted with overwhelming cheers and general excitement for a night with the quintet of musical masterminds, as well as this being a rescheduled show for the original date in February. The Word reunites Robert Randolph on steel lap guitar, John Medeski on keyboards, Chris Chew on bass and brothers Cody Dickinson on percussion and Luther Dickinson on guitar for the first time since 2012. The Word performed an outstanding three-hour set full of slip sliding guitar licks, crashing cymbals and rejuvenating organ chords full of bluesy rock. Medeski swam laps over the keys with hard-hitting strokes of spiritual reckoning.
Randolph is an A+ entertainer as he karate chops and both figuratively and literally licks the lap steel strings with a smile in his chair or on his feet. Luther Dickinson energized the crowd with his head to head strumming with Randolph and overall, southern rock flair. The big man himself, Chris Chew, laid out a consistent, booming rhythm much to the delight of the fans and band members after his personal health hiatus back in 2012. The Word will be performing at the Jam Cruise 13 but you can catch individual members, Robert Randolph and the Family Band at Mountain Jam Music Festival, John Medeski will be at this year’s Lockn’ Festival and North Mississippi Allstars members will be touring Europe for the summer. The Word continues to bring together music lovers and band members for a fusion of gospel rocking funk to create a unique and instrumental experience.
From the banks of the Susquehanna to the energetic song where the currents of water and music collide, Cabinet hosts their growing festival at Montage Mountain. The Susquehanna Breakdown Music Festival, formerly known as Old Farmer’s Ball, will be held Saturday, May 10th in Scranton, PA. This year’s festival is jam packed with music and activities in a kid-friendly environment.
Firmly rooted in Americana and Appalachian tradition, Cabinet hosts the festival in their neck of the woods. Delivering soaring vocal harmonies and instrumental mastery honoring bluegrass, folk, country and rock and roll, Cabinet meshes well to produce soundscapes that capture the heart appealing to souls of all ages. Susquehanna Breakdown offers a schedule of bands and fun activities for the young and young at heart.
Performances are staggered between two stages and begin late Saturday morning and alternate into early Sunday morning. Cabinet will close the festival, delivering their brand of infectious jam-heavy newgrass. Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, a seven-piece ensemble, will bring the fire of the soul to the surface with an explosive high-energy performance. Arleigh Kinchloe’s sultry vocals backed by the Birds’ penchant for dirty melodic infusions of jazz and funk would seduce an audience.
An undercurrent connects each artist to the next. Marco Benevento will dazzle contemporary music fans with his jazz pervaded experimental rock piano compositions. Drifting in from NY are progressive bluegrass rockers, Floodwood. Tenor saxophonist, Ron Holloway has earned accolades from his predecessors and has played with Warren Haynes, Allman Brothers Band, Derek Trucks Bands, Taj Mahal, Peter Frampton, Bruce Hornsby and many others.
Other performances scheduled are: Terrapin Flyer, Driftwood, Leroy Justice, And the Moneynotes, Coal Town Rounders, Kalob Griffin Band, Fright Train, Eastbound Jesus, The Brummy Brothers, Blind Owl Band, Tom Graham, FMO, and Schooley Mountain Band.
Susquehanna Breakdown is bicycle friendly! Cedar Bike & Paddle’s mobile retail store will be on hand for product demonstrations, maintenance clinics and a biker’s lounge. There will be family friendly activities including a bike ride around the scenic venue grounds.
RV rentals are now available, though in a limited quantity. However, the RV camping tickets have sold out. Children ten and under are free with purchase of an adult ticket. Cabinet’s Pappy Biondo has a special acoustic set planned for the kids. Other child activities include yoga, coloring, a hand drum workshop, hula-hoop workshop, face painting and a caricature artist.
Vending includes some of the finest crafters and food trucks. The Grateful Gallery is returning to Susquehanna Breakdown. The Grateful Gallery offers vintage and modern concert poster art from bands from The Grateful Dead to New Riders of the Purple Sage. Other vendors include: Cabin Fever Hoops, CoreStone Massage, Dancing Hands, Eden’s Rose Foundation, Everyone’s Drumming, Grateful Don, Hooked, Jerky Hut, S.A.W. Family Creations, Serigraph Factory, Uncle John’s Outfitters, Shady Grove and Gouda Boys.
Susquehanna Breakdown is proud of their charity partner, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen that provides free hot meals to their guests every day of the year. Volunteers and staff strive to serve with compassion, respect and dignity. Canned good donations are requested and appreciated. Those bringing five or more items to donate will be entered into a drawing for a limited edition festival poster signed by festival bands.
Tickets available at Toyota Pavilion Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone 800-745-3000.
Bob James’ 
I was told the bands that everyone was looking forward to were Tension and The Enemies. That night was the first time that Tension played in 25 years and I heard non-stop talk about them performing. The Enemies caused an equal amount of buzz between fans, as they were to perform with two of the original members.
