NYS Music 20​14

Category: Features

  • Arlo Guthrie Warms the Bardavon Stage

    “I did a special show with Wavy Gravy a while back, and we were supposed to talk about Woodstock” Arlo Guthrie recalled on Sunday, November 16 at Bardavon, as he tuned his sparkly blue 12-string acoustic. “The thing is, neither of us could remember much of anything.”

    arloGuthrie began the second set at Poughkeepsie’s Bardavon Theater with the recollections of Woodstock he did have. After a helicopter dropped him off, Arlo was told he had to play a day before planned.  “Someone told me ‘Arlo, you gotta play, man!’ and I just said, ‘I can’t go out there!’ ”

    It did not take long for one to realize Guthrie’s anecdotes and tales are as essential to his show as singing and strumming. Genuine laughter reverberated around the historic theater for much of the night, as he demonstrated a practiced sense of humor. With long flowing white hair and a deep raspy voice; Guthrie had the stage to himself for the last night of a solo tour. A harmonica hung around his neck, four acoustic guitars rested beside him, and a black bay grand piano sat behind Guthrie. Each instrument was utilized during both of his 45 minute sets, featuring timeless folk and blues tunes.

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    It is no surprise that Guthrie looked at home on the Bardavon’s stage. He grew up with his father Woody and his pals drinking whiskey, plucking guitars, and singing the blues, the first generation to record music. Guthrie dedicated an old folk tune to one of those friends—his mentor, friend, and Hudson Valley legend Pete Seeger. “I remember Pete played this song thirty years ago and I didn’t think of it again. Then, one day I was walkin’ down the sidewalk and it got in my head and wouldn’t leave!” Guthrie exclaimed before proffering “Deep Blue Sea.” He devoted another song to Ramblin’ Jack Elliott after describing the night he met his wife of 43 years, Jackie, at a rodeo in Hollywood with Elliott.

    Guthrie teased the crowd with a few lines from “Alice’s Restaurant” while joking that he might have written a briefer song had he known everyone would clamor for it the rest of his career. His other most recognizable song, “City of New Orleans” drew the loudest applause of the night from an enthusiastic fan base. “Al The Goose” and “The Motorcycle Song” enticed more laughter from the audience. Guthrie closed the night by inviting the crowd to help in a cover of his father’s “My Peace.” Nearly everyone joined in for an awe-inducing conclusion to the evening.

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    Arlo Guthrie demonstrated to the Bardavon faithful why he has been touring for four decades. He combines timely humor with his warm personality and music prowess to produce an entertaining performance. No one left the show early or checked their watch; rather, fans were eager to sing along and laugh deeply as Guthrie seemed like an old friend on stage.

  • Upstate Gives Thanks

    Happy Thanksgiving Upstate! Today we give thanks to you, our readers, who have been of immense support as has grown in the past year. We give thanks to the musicians, bands and artists who bring music into this world, to the venues, promoters and fans that make the Upstate music scene such a vibrant and positive one.

    upstate gives thanksWe asked some musicians and promoters from around the state what they are most thankful for and here’s what they said:

    Greg Bell (owner/promoter, Guthrie/Bell Productions) I am thankful for my wonderful wife, Marilyn, who has supported me throughout my career as a promoter. For almost 23 years, she has put up with my bitching about different aspects of the job. She doesn’t get angry when shows lose large amounts of money. She doesn’t get mad when I come home at 4 in the morning two or three times a week (occasionally with a good buzz on). Most married men that I know would be shot for the things my wife lets me get away with. I guess that’s why my friends call her Saint Marilyn. Thanks honey .

    Scott Hannay (Mister F, Capital Zen): I’m always thankful for so many things, but what sticks out this time of year is the love and support of my family and friends. Doing what we do isn’t easy, and they certainly help to relieve some of the pressure. I am also thankful for the upcoming 3-week southern run with Mister F, and for all the new opportunities this band has helped bring into my life.

    Kevin Calabro (Royal Potato Family): I’m thankful for the earth, the air, the trees, my beautiful wife and my family. Speaking to music specifically, I’m thankful to all of the amazing artists I work with (too many to mention here), who create the music that helps make the world crackle with song and spirit. And I’m thankful to all of the real music fans out there who’ve kept Royal Potato Family alive for five years now. No small feat for a record label in the 21st century. We’re especially thankful to the music lovers that go to record stores or visit our website and pick up what we’re releasing on physical formats. Their appreciation for these beautiful records is what makes us most happy!

    Josh Holtzman (Blue Stream Productions): There are many aspects in life to be thankful for especially this time of year but what I’m most thankful for are the people I’m surrounded by within Blue Stream Productions, Aqueous, Iron Works and the entire music community. There aren’t many industries where we all work together to achieve a goal: to bring happiness and joy through music. Thank you to all the artists, managers, agents, promoters and venue owners for making this a beautiful cooperative effort.Jason Gilly (Ocupanther): Wow. I’m thankful for so much. It’s hard to narrow it down. Off the top of my head, I’m thankful for my band and the chance to get to write, record and perform original music with people I love, and to be able to play with so many peers and friends from this region and beyond. I’m thankful for the good health of my friends and family, as well as myself. I’m thankful for all the wonderful music going on around me, almost constantly, and for the Northeast music community as a whole. And I, as well as the rest of the guys in Ocupanther, are thankful for ! Happy Holidays!

  • Particle Light up Buffalo; Winter Tour Dates Revealed

    With the cold looming in the air, Buffalo music fans flocked to Buffalo Iron Works to catch Particle with special guests and Buffalo’s own Space Junk. The crowd had funneled in early to catch the opening band which continues to produce some real solid jams and kept everyone moving right until Particle took the stage. Particle took it to the next level with inspiring jams and spaced out rock. The lighting kicked it up yet another notch creating the ultimate concert experience and no wonder why the group is all the late night rage.

    Particle has also announced their winter tour dates today and for fans of the Buffalo show have a chance to check them out again with a date in Syracuse which is not too far away from a good amount of the state of New York on January 11. The tour will cover a lot of ground throughout the country and it was good to see that NY will get to see them again in a few months.  For tickets and more info, you can visit the band’s webpage here.

    Particle 2015 Winter Tour

    Jan 9th – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA
    Jan 10th – Higher Ground, South Burlington – Burlington. VT
    Jan 11th – The Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY
    Jan 13th – The Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA
    Jan 14th – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH
    Jan 15th – The Southgate House Revival – Newport, KY
    Jan 16th – 1st Ward Events – Chicago, IL
    Jan 17th – The Cabooze – Minneapolis, MN
    Jan 18th – The Aquarium – Fargo, ND
    Jan 20th – Icon Event Hall + Lounge – Sioux Falls, SD
    Jan 21st – Wooly’s – Des Moines, IA
    Jan 23rd – The Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE
    Jan 24th – The Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
    Jan 25th – Fox Theater – Boulder, CO
    Jan 27th – The State Room – Salt Lake City, UT
    Jan 29th – Aladdin Theater – Portland, OR
    Jan 30th – The WOW Hall – Eugene, OR
    Jan 31st – Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
    Feb 3rd- Humboldt Brews – Arcata, CA
    Feb 5th – Harlows Restaurant & Night Club – Sacramento, CA
    Feb 6th – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA

  • Dark Star Orchestra Bring a 1987 MSG show to the Palace in Albany

    Dark Star Orchestra performed a classic energizing 1987 show on Saturday Nov. 15 to a nearly sold out crowd, at The Palace in Albany.

    The event was hosted by Guthrie Bell Productions. Dark Star Orchestra has made a name for themselves by performing Grateful Dead shows in their entirety with sincere conviction. This night was no different as fans of all ages gathered to hear the familiar songs that prove to still mean so much to so many. The night started off with a funky, light-hearted key work, from Rob Barraco on “Hey Pocky Way” (The Meters) that got everyone jumping.  Jeff Mattson has vocals that will nearly break your heart if you’re not careful and if that doesn’t do it; his passionate guitar riffs ignite the Dead like atmosphere. For a split second, it almost looks like Rob Eaton is Bob Weir with his facial similarities, rustic vocals and fresh rhythm guitar strumming.

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    Set two brought a continuous flow of music that surged throughout the venue. The crowd sang out the worn lyrics of “Eyes Of The World” with gusto. The night took a turn into dark territory as “Drums>Space” was a terribly stretched vortex of noise from Dino English and Rob Koritz before finally picking up with “Gimmie Some Lovin” by The Spencer Davis Group. The set came to an end with a cheerfully sweet fan favorite of “Sugar Magnolia” with an appropriate encore of “It’s All Over Now”. As the performance wound down, the musicians revealed the specific show that they had recreated effortlessly that night as September 15, 1987 at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Dark Star Orchestra beautifully crafts the art that is Dead music with more than just playing the notes, it’s something you feel. You can witness the Grateful Dead/Dark Star Orchestra experience at the Best Buy Theater in NYC on the Nov. 28 and 29 and The Westcott in Syracuse on Dec 1.

    Set One: Hey Pocky Way, New Minglewood Blues, When Push Comes To Shove, Beer Barrel Polka; Me And My Uncle > Mexicali Blues, Row Jimmy, Queen Jane Approximately, Tennessee Jed, The Music Never Stopped

    Set Two: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Estimated Prophet > Eyes Of The World > Drums > Space > The Wheel > Gimme Some Lovin’ > All Along The Watchtower Tease > Black Peter > Sugar Magnolia

    Encore: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue

  • Film Review: Whiplash

    Back in May I saw the clip below for Whiplash, a film about an aspiring jazz drummer and an overbearing professor. I waited patiently for six months for the film to be released. Watch the two minutes clip to get a sense of why the anticipation for this film was so strong.

    That scene takes place only 20 minutes into the 100+ minute film and is far from the most powerful scene in a building, erratic sequence of events that demonstrate the will to be the best and the extent to which one can push the human body and spirit before it cannot be pushed any further.

    Miles Teller plays Andrew, an aspiring jazz drummer at the Shaffer Conservatory, a fan of Buddy Rich and a tireless student of his work. J.K. Simmons plays Terence Fletcher, a sought after professor and leader of The Studio, a Shaffer ensemble that is the highest level at which the best of the best can hope to be a part of. Andrew finds his way into The Studio, only to find out that Fletcher, while a brilliant professor is a psychological tormentor, breaking his students down until the point that perfection can be attained.

    Simmons is quite simply outstanding in his best role to date, exhibiting anger and emotion not seen since OZ; every wrinkle and line on Simmons’ face is stretched and contorted as he berates and abuses his students, with particular focus on Andrew. The rapid fire personality of Fletcher rubs off on Andrew and shifts his personality in a Stockholm Syndrome fashion, abusing himself through intense practicing to the point of clothes drenched in sweat and bloody hands. Andrew dates and breaks it off with Nicole, quite coldly, opting to focus squarely on his drumming and his future. Bloody cymbals and drums galore, Andrew pushes himself, turning into a madly driven drummer fighting for his seat in The Studio.

    Whiplash is one of those film roles where an educator makes a strong impact on a student. In this case, Fletcher is a saboteur, tearing Andrew down bit by bit; even when there is nothing left to strip from him, he finds more. Fletcher is a sadist and nothing gets past him. When Andrew is finally broken, he shines his brightest.

    Teller’s drumming is quite impressive, well-practiced and looking as close to the real thing as possible – it’s tough to fake playing drums in a movie but through the efforts of drummer director Damien Chazelle it comes off as flawless. The film’s cinematography is jazz influenced as well, bouncing around to the music and catching every little facet of a jazz core ensemble that is disallowed from errors. The Sundance Award-winning film is strongest because of the drumming, cinematography and Simmons’ Oscar-worthy performance.

    Whiplash is rated R and is playing in limited release.

  • Freekbass and ‘The Bump Assembly’ Turn Up the Heat in Allentown

    freekbass_buffalo1A lot of bands say they have a hard time giving it their all at shows with poor turnouts. Freekbass and his band, The Bump Assembly, do not fall into this category.

    Many local and national artists who have played in Buffalo, NY over the years have learned that competing against a Buffalo Bills game is not an easy task. That being said, when I walked into Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar (DBGB’s) on Thursday Nov 13 to watch Freekbass lay down his impressive slap bass licks and unmistakable funk sound, I was greeted by an overwhelming crowd of diehard Bills fans who had completely taken over the bar and restaurant, forcing Freekbass and his band to postpone their set until the game’s conclusion. And upon finally starting their first song, they were playing to a crowd of about 15 people, including NYS Music photographer Meredith Snow and myself

    But did this stop them from putting on a captivating live show? Absolutely not.

    The funkadelic three-piece treated the audience to their enraptured stage presence and dance routines, which could only be described as being choreographed by the Blues Brothers themselves. Nothing could stop them from presenting themselves and the music they love the way they wanted to do it. They probably would’ve done the same had they only been performing for the sound guy and bartender.

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    It’s work ethic and dedication like that, that makes bands truly stand out. Their musicianship is uncanny and their collective heart is just as apparent and powerful. I would recommend them to any avid funk, r & b, or hip hop listener. Freekbass’ new album is called Everybody’s Feelin’ Real. Its been available online on bandcamp for the last three months – if you’re a fan of anything that falls into the space-groove funktronica category – go download a copy immediately.

  • Hearing Aide: King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard ‘I’m In Your Mind Fuzz’

    King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is a name you are going to be hearing a lot of in the near future. Their latest album I’m In Your Mind Fuzz is out now and is a 42 minute psychedelic journey of proportions not seen in many years. All ten tracks seep right into one another without letting you catch your breath for more than a second, if you are even given a second. All seven members of the band meld into a beautiful creation on I’m In Your Mind Fuzz with no one member sticking out, making it a true group effort.

    Although the band hails from Australia, they recorded much of the record at Daptone Studios in Brooklyn and in Hunter Mountain, New York. When I spoke to the band at a recent show in New York during their time here for the CMJ festival, they loved being in New York and recording in two different parts of the state. They especially liked Upstate New York and the openness of it all compared to New York City. The spaciness in parts of the record can most likely be attributed to the wide open land of Hunter Mountain.

    The first four tracks come at you like a bullet. These 13 minutes are some of the tightest on the record and feel like one straight thought that the band decided to break up and name four separate things. Right off the bat the drums and distorted guitars of “I’m In You Mind” get your head moving along. Once the fuzzy vocals and harmonica come into the picture, you’re already hooked. The four tracks are straight out of the psychedelic sounds of bands like The 13th Floor Elevators. The music continues that way through the last seconds of “I’m In Your Mind Fuzz” before transitioning into “Empty” which slows down the proceedings slightly, but not enough for you to want to stop bopping along with what the Australians are producing for your ears and mind to take in.

    The next highlight on the album is “Hot Water” that sounds as if it could be a Jethro Tull outtake, from the flute to the vocal delivery it is a spot on tribute to the great band. A brief respite of the beginning 40 seconds of “Am I In Heaven” gives you one more moment to catch your breath before the full punk and psychedelic sounds roar right back into your mind. “Slow Jam 1” and “Satan Speeds Up” bring the album to a slowed down dream like state. Beautiful vocal work and otherworldly effects on the guitar shine of these two tracks before the closing eight minute epic of “Her & I (Slow Jam II) bring it all home for the record. The band is at their most classic rock moment with this song, giving a performance reminiscent of The Doors or a jam from early Santana, and gives the listener a sense of accomplishment of completing the record on such a high note after everything that has been thrown at them.

    King Gizzard picked the perfect name for this album as you feel in the beginning as if you are losing your mind with the sounds that are coming at you at such a rapid pace. As the record goes on though you go into a fuzz, along with the band, as you have no idea what will be thrown at you next. To have the band end the album with such a long track that could be played on any radio station in the world, despite it’s length, shows how confident this band is in their music. Run to your nearest record store, or your I-Tunes account, and get this album immediately and hope the band comes back to the states to play some live shows again soon, they are not to be missed.

    Key Tracks: I’m In Your Mind, Cellophane, Her & I (Slow Jam II)

  • Pink Talking Fish Announce 2015 Winter Tour Dates

    Pink Floyd – Talking Heads – Phish: they’re all great bands as we already know. How about a band that weaves the sounds of all three in an out of their setlist, creating a sound well beyond a typical cover band? Pink Talking Fish does just that, and the hybrid tribute fusion band has today announced winter tour dates spanning December through March. They have plenty of chances to escape the Northeast winter in 2015 with a handful of dates in Florida before returning to the Northeast with shows in Saratoga Springs, NY, New York City, Stowe, VT and more.Pink Talking Fish Tour

    Buffalo’s Aqueous will be appearing with Pink Talking Fish for a performance of ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ in Philadelphia on February 6. Their other two ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ performances will feature The Recovery Act performing the music of Stevie Wonder (Boulder, CO) and The Z3 featuring Ed Mann – Funky Takes on Frank Zappa (Boston, MA).

    Pink Talking Fish will also be adding an event, PHUNK THE WINTER! during their NYC performance at the Gramercy Theatre on February 7. Joining the band will be special guest ShwiKus Plays P-Funk, adding some Parliament Funkadelic into the mix.

    For more information please check out the official band website and Facebook Page.

    Pink Talking Fish Tour Dates:

    2014:

    December 10th – Live From AURA Studios in Boca Raton, FL (Free Video Webcast)*
    December 11th – Guanabanas Island Restaurant and Bar in Jupiter, FL*
    December 12th – The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton, FL*
    December 13th – Dunedin Brewery in Dunedin, FL*

    2015:

    January 3rd – The Rusty Nail in Stowe, VT
    January 16th – The Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO (Dark Side Of The Moon Performance)**
    January 17th & 18th – Quixotes True Blue in Denver, CO (The Music Never Stops Making Sense – Intertwining sets with very special guest act TBA)
    February 6th – The Ardmore Theatre in Philadelphia, PA (Dark Side Of The Moon Performance)$
    February 7th – The Gramercy Theatre in New York, NY (PHUNK THE WINTER! w/ special guests ShwiKus Plays P-Funk)
    February 20th – Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY
    February 21st – The Spot Underground in Providence, RI
    March 28th – The Middle East in Boston, MA (Dark Side Of The Moon Performance)$$

    * w/ Members of The Heavy Pets
    ** w/ The Recovery Act performing The Music of Stevie Wonder
    $ w/ Aqueous
    $$ w/ The Z3 performing Funky Takes on The Music of Frank Zappa

  • Support Indie: Check Out Record Store Day’s Black Friday For Holiday Gifts

    We know Record Store Day as that time in the middle of the spring (third weekend in April, to be exact) to take a huge gulp of thawing air and mark the change in season with some goodies and rarities from our favorite local record stores.

    Record Store Day Black Friday

    This Friday, Nov 28 – artists will be joining Record Store Day to mark the season with releases exclusive to the 2014 holiday season. It’s a way to help support independent record stores and musicians while grabbing some great gifts for music fans.

    A number of artists are marking Record Store Day Black Friday with special releases just for Black Friday, whether a special vinyl pressing of an album they have already released or singles/other material being freshly released for the occasion. Most are released in limited quantities, making each a “rarity,” relatively speaking. A sampling of several genres will be on the shelves, depending on which store is your choice.

    Releases fall under one of three categories, as RecordStoreDay.com notes:

    EXCLUSIVE RELEASES—these are titles being released on 11/28 and which will only be available at indie record stores

    SMALL RUN/REGIONAL RELEASES—these are titles that are being released in very small runs (1000 or less) or only in some regions of the country. We want them on the list but we want everyone to be aware of how hard they might be to find.

    BLACK FRIDAY FIRST—these are titles that can be found FIRST at indie record stores but will be available at other retailers at some point.

    Artists such as Green Day, The Flaming Lips, Neil Young, Wilco, Jenny Lewis, among others, will be participating.

    For a list of the participating artists and their releases, check out the Record Store Day release page and their participating stores page to find a participating store in your neck of the woods. Dream up a wishlist or find a record for a friend.

  • Hearing Aide: Big Ol Dirty Bucket: Bucket Express

    Bucket Express 2014One of the best things to recently come out of the Boston area is not surprisingly big, loud and dirty. The 10 piece funk band, Big Ol’ Dirty Bucket has come out with a new album, Bucket Express, a collection of modern day noise with a vintage soul that everyone can get down to. The 10 track album features songs with strong vocals alongside 70’s funk and soul melodies with a dash of Latin and hip hop, making it the ideal album for any social gathering. The album features members from Parliament Funkadelic, Fishbone and Galactic, who were big influences on BODB from day one.

    The album starts with the booming funk of the brass section and ear grabbing vocals by Sarah ‘Lil Shrimp’ Seminski on “Mr. Boom Boom” with classic rock n roll guitar riffs and rhythm that instantly set the bar high for the rest of the album. “Real MC” features stand out back to back solos from each brass section for a jazz infused flavor with organ chilling chords as spitting fluid vocal work starts for a modern hip hop twist. “Miz Green” brings out the funk with heavy bass notes, electronic beat bops and the sensual and powerful stylings of Seminski. The album’s title song, “Bucket Express”, gives great representation of the group with the rhythm of a locomotive that builds up the energy with hip hop melodies and spotlight work on each instrument for a funk free for all. “Boss Hogg” squeezes the juice out of that organ and serious guitar shredding proves that they are their own boss. “Can’t Get No Release” has harmonious vocals singing powerful lyrics of growth with the band providing crescendo after crescendo of soul.

    The romance starts to heat up on “Get To Know You Better” with dreamy key work, hot drum work and straight forward lyrics of passion. “Fine Fly Woman” has frequent buildups with fast strumming that gets those hips swinging. The album starts to wind down with its last two tracks as “Central Ave Blues” with a big city, back alley night club kinda feel. “Vidalia” is a serious slow groove in comparison to the rest of the heart racing tracks but it stretches out Seminski’s gorgeous vocal range, making it the perfect come down to the album.

    Bucket Express is easy to have on repeat and helps to forget the weight of the world with the heavy funk. Big Ol’ Dirty Bucket has an unmistakable ear for creating a fresh fusion of sound that appeals to generations across the spectrum as each track is a stand-alone piece of delight and surprise. After this past Halloween, keyboardist Brett Badolato and singer Sarah Seminski have parted ways with the band but The Bucket shall continue on with their journey of funk. There will be some big shoes to fill for sure but we hope that the Big Ol’ Dirty Bucket finds themselves somewhere in Upstate NY for the new year ahead.

    Key Tracks: Bucket Express, Can’t Get No Release, Vidalia

    Bucket Express is available for free streaming on Soundcloud as well as clicking here for their website plus live performances too.

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