NYS Music 20​14

Category: Features

  • Hearing Aide: Pants & the Family are ‘Lost In The Wash’

    Lockport, NY group Pants and the Family has recently released their debut recording Lost In the Wash. They will be celebrating the CD’s release with a record release party at the Tuscarora Inn in Lockport, NY on March 21, 2014. The trio is made up of members Bronchi Ducat (Drums, Break Pad, I pod, Smokes), ChuChi LaFace (Synthesizer, Disco Ball, Running Commentary) and Boris Smellengood (Bass Guitar, Pedal Noises, Singing). The group describes themselves as ‘electrocarnival punk’ which is an apt appraisal. The music is sparse with the concentration centered on the comedic lyrics and vocals. Stripped down, yet cosmic arrangements featuring drums, rhythmic bass pulses, samples and simplistic synthesized accompaniment allow the music to take on a comedic and eclectic edge.

    Pants in the Family

    Running the gamut from acapella to psych, rock to punk and the undefinable, Pants and the Family ring out your mind with this record. The album sometimes sounds like an inside joke between friends, causing the humor to get lost under the premise of it feeling like it was developed for a small and certain group of people. But, for the intrepid listener who has the musical time to dive the thick musical soup developed by the sixteen tracks, they can expect to have an interesting time as well as some laughs. Think New Wave meets Weird Al via a group of Talking Heads fans on acid.

    The majority of the songs feature humorous thematic premises. The songs do seem a bit cold in their production, sometimes keeping you at arm’s length, never inviting you in, which is unfortunate, because if I knew what the band wanted me to take serious and what to laugh at, the recording would be a greater success. Regardless, their fearless musical attempts make the listener unable to turn away, always in anticipation of what the hell is coming next! The vocals are an acquired taste, they undulate between very humorous and cringe worthy, if the vocals do make you grimace at any point, the lyrical content keeps things light. See, ‘Hey Bartender’ for examples of this view on the vocal gymnastics.

    The sonic introductions on many of the tracks are the recordings highlights. The soundscapes beginning ‘Lil Dancer’ and ‘Better Get On the Horse’ are creative and well thought out scene setting musical moments. It’s obvious that the band is made up of capable musicians that do not take themselves too seriously, and that are just looking to disseminate a good laugh through their tunes. For a listening experience filled with chuckles and lots of ‘What the’s?’, do not look any further than Pants and the Family’s debut release, Lost In the Wash. A refreshing collection of music that will make you rummage through the pockets of a range of aural emotions.

    The new album is available to stream on Soundcloud and available to purchase here. You can find up to date information on the group at their official homepage.

    Key Tracks: Pragmatic Particle, Lil Dancer, Saying Hi To Cows

  • James Taylor Adds Five Dates to US Summer Tour

    James Taylor announces five additional shows to the US summer tour, including one in Upstate New York, with a July date in Buffalo, NY at the First Niagara Center. The five additional shows will be in the months of July and August.
    james

    Additional dates

    7/13 Bangor, ME – Cross Insurance Center
    7/29 Buffalo, NY – First Niagara Center
    8/6 Memphis, TN- Mud Island Amphitheatre
    8/8 Little Rock, AR- Verizon Arena
    8/9 Oklahoma City, OK- Chesapeake Energy Arena

    The tour will start on May 30th in Portland, OR and will finish on August 9th in Oklahoma City, OK and tickets can be purchased through JamesTaylor.com  on  March 11th at 10am.

  • Showplace Theater set to Reopen in Buffalo, NY

    Buffalo seems to be going through a revival as of late with new buildings going up downtown and old ones being restored all around the city. One in particular has made some big news this week and that is the reopening of one of Buffalo’s most beloved venues, Showplace Theater.

    Showplace Theater was originally opened up in the early 20th century as a movie theater before becoming a concert venue in the mid 90’s. There’s a good amount of history in the movie theater alone, but as a concert venue, it was a hotbed for many popular touring bands before closing its doors in 2008. The venue saw such national acts as Gov’t Mule and New Found Glory while also playing host to local favorites Cannibal Corpse, Snapcase, and Every Time I Die.

    A shot of the venue from 1997
    A shot of the venue from 1997

    The deeply historical building sat vacant for quite some time before the current owner, Joe Breidenstein, came along and decided to put his time, energy, and resources into this Buffalo landmark. The building has been completely renovated from fresh coats of paint and new light fixtures to the rebuilding of the stage and adding a screen to serve as a backdrop for upcoming shows.

    The first event is slated for next Monday (March 17th) and will be a St Patrick’s Day party called IRISH FOR A DAY. Rather than jumping in without looking, Breidenstein purposely setup a lower-key opener to get his feet wet. The inaugural show pulls together various local acts in Breckenwood, Crashfuse, Cosmic Shakedown and Sleepy Hahas to kick things off.

    It’s exciting to see the revival of a venue I’ve personally spent countless hours in. With the throw-away-what’s-broken attitude that is so prevalent nowadays, it’s refreshing to see someone working to bring back a piece of Buffalo’s history from both an architectural and musical standpoint.

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  • Phish Blesses Fans with Summer Tour 2014 Dates

    Phish has announced their 2014 Summer Tour Dates. In what’s quick become an annual tradition, the second Vermont’s Phab Phour step off of the MSG stage early January 1st each year the rumor mill is officially “Bouncing Around the Room”.

    With the amount of Phrenetic phanactics nowadays the social universe of Phish is akin to 24×7 hour news outlets, with everyone stretching to find anything to report on the quartet’s future. Will 2014 be a year off? Will they take it light? What do all these side project dates mean? We’ve all heard it, we all know we just have to wait, but we all suck it up greedily anyway. And why wouldn’t we? Phish tour has become the virtual Chris-Kwanza-Hannakuh-Mas of every jamband fan’s year.

    People plan vacations around it, weddings, births, anything to make as many shows as humanely possible. But fear not, Icculus has listened and the dates have been released. New York folk will be happy to know we get a three-night Fourth of July run in Saratoga and a mid-July date at Canandaigua’s Constellation Brands Amphitheater. If this isn’t going nearly Fast Enough for You, watch the video below and see the entire treasure map to Colonel Forbin’s Stash.

    Translation via Livemusicblog: Good evening. Please read this very carefully. You will need to follow these instructions to the final detail if you wish to be a part of the twenty fourteen PHISH Summer Tour.

    PHISH SUMMER TOUR 2014

    7/1 Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
    7/3 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
    7/4 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
    7/5 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
    7/8 Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA
    7/9 Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA
    7/11 Randall’s Island, New York, NY
    7/12 Randall’s Island, New York, NY
    7/13 Randall’s Island, New York, NY
    7/15 Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua, NY
    7/16 DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI
    7/18 FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
    7/19 FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
    7/20 FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL
    7/25 PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC
    7/26 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
    7/27 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
    7/29 nTelos Wireless Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA
    7/30 nTelos Wireless Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA
    8/1 Wharf Amphitheater, Orange Beach, AL
    8/2 Oak Mountain Amphitheater Birmingham, GA
    8/3 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, Alpharetta, GA
    8/29-8/31 Dick’s, Commerce City, CO

  • Gathering of the Vibes will announce lineup LIVE this Saturday March 15th

    Gathering of the Vibes will announce their 2014 lineup this Saturday March 15th, LIVE at the Legendary Capitol Theatre with vibe veterans, Deep Banana Blackout and Kung Fu. Doors are at 7 pm with the show set to start at 8pm but the official announcement will be made at 11pm and fans can join in on the action via Facebook.

    The annual musical and arts festival is set to take place July 31st-August 3rd, once again at the beautiful Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT. With past headliners, Phil Lesh & Friends, Primus, STS9, Elvis Costello and much more, all bets are on to see who will join the Vibe Tribe in a weekend of love and light.

    vibesannouncement2014

    The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY is the ideal location for the Vibes announcement because it holds special ties with The Grateful Dead and their fan base. It makes sense to bring together the vibe tribe and Dead Head community to remember their roots as well as look forward to the excitement of this year’s festival season. Deep Banana Blackout is a funky New Orleans jazz group with a full horn section and a high energy attitude. Kung Fu packs a punch with psychedelic funky melodies and electro-jazz fused fun. The two Connecticut bands are a powerful combo for the night and are sure to get the party vibes flowing.

    You can purchase tickets here, they range from $25 to $45 or you can enter this contest to win two free tickets to Saturday’s show.

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  • The Gaslight Anthem and White Denim Teaming Up for One Night Only

    The Gaslight Anthem and special guests White Denim are coming to Upstate Concert Hall on June 19th for a great billing that is happening for one night only.

    The Gaslight Anthem and White Denim The Gaslight Anthem hails from New Jersey and have been critically acclaimed by many, once sharing the stage with New Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen. The band boasts an impressive tour schedule with worldwide stops. Their music is heavily influenced by punk, rock, and Americana –  all coming together to give them a very unique sound.

    White Denim, based out of Austin, Texas, have been taking their psychedelic-blues rock all over the country in the past year. They have been gaining steam as of late and are looking at a big year to come, with upcoming appearances at SXSW, Bonnaroo and Firefly music festivals. Tonight you can check out White Denim when they perform live on Jimmy Kimmel Live, as they broadcast from the 28th annual SXSW festival in Austin, TX.

    This show is surely a great one for those in the Capitol Region! Tickets for The Gaslight Anthem and White Denim are on sale now.

  • Protest the Hero Kicks Off Tour in a Long-Awaited Return to Buffalo

    It might only be a short drive separating Buffalo from its northern neighbor Toronto, but that has proven to be a great enough divide for Protest the Hero.  The Canadian metal act’s last visit was back in 2009, but thankfully that all changed with the kickoff  to their 2014 North American tour happening right in the Queen City.

    DSC_0262

    The night started out as any night in Buffalo would during our long winter stretch: discouragingly cold.  And just as that’s an expectation, so too is the community’s passion for music.  Without disappointment, The Waiting Room was packed with metal enthusiasts who were eager to see the eclectic mix of bands.  Opening the night were up-and-comers Intervals and Night Verses.  Both bands are relatively new to the scene and have only been around for a few years now, but neither disappointed.

    The Safety Fire was the third band on and, at this point, the crowd was dialed in and beginning to get into the show.  The band started their set with an audio clip of the Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2 which drew a resounding response from the crowd.  As the clip finished, they dove right into their first song “Red Hatchet” off of their most recent release Mouth of Swords.  The song had an underlying similarity in tone to the Sonic intro which made for a seamless transition into their set.  The UK-based band has only been across the pond a few times to tour, with their first actually being in support of Protest the Hero back in 2012.  With their understandably low exposure to U.S. audiences, the five-piece squeezed everything out of their set and really left everything out on the stage.  Their guitarists Derya ‘Dez’ Nagle and Joaquin Ardiles employ custom, Telecaster-esque Wirebird guitars which gives their harmonized runs a sharp and unique tone.  The third song “Huge Hammers” got the biggest crowd response and is one of the band’s most popular songs.  With hands raised, the crowd echoed the beat and created a unified feeling with the music.  As their set wrapped up, the band put their remaining energy into the last song, running circles around the stage on the anthemic “Glass Crush.”

    Up next was Battlecross whose raw, thrash metal sound gave the crowd even more reason to move.  Their modern take on a classic metal genre was energized by the thunderous double bass attack of Shannon Lucas who’s their temporary drummer on this tour.  Lucas has played with the likes of The Black Dahlia Murder and All That Remains to name a few and is their current fill-in while they look to permanently fill the void left by the departure of longtime drummer Michael Keger last year.  You wouldn’t have known the difference though as the band literally didn’t miss a beat all night.

    DSC_0045
    Battlecross guitarist Tony Asta (left) and bassist Don Slater (right)

    Battlecross ripped through their set, focusing on their new album War of Will for the majority of the content for show.  Their speed an aggression was balanced out by runs of beautiful melody via guitarists Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala.  Calling Detroit home, the band fully embodies the Motor City’s drive and blue-collar mentality.  With their set coming to a close, the band pulled from their 2011 release Pursuit of Honor in “Kaleb” and “Push Pull Destroy.”  The throwback sent the crowd into a frenzy and lead singer Kyle “Gumby” Gunther only antagonized them more with his in-your-face attitude.  These guys will be back in Buffalo in May in support of Killswitch Engage, so don’t miss another chance to catch their incredible live show.

    The long-awaited return of Protest the Hero was finally over as the buzz in the crowd began to build for the imminent start to their show.  Although it had been five years and two album releases since their last visit, the crowd was more than willing to forgive and forget as that was all about to change.  The band took to the stage to a loud and warm welcoming.  Since their last visit, the band lost longtime drummer Moe Carlson who has now been permanently replaced by the still unrecognized Mike Ieradi.  Also new to the group was temporary bassist, Cameron McLellan.  Arif Mirabdolbaghi is still with the band, but was forced to skip the tour due to scheduling issues with another endeavor.

    DSC_0116
    Protest the Hero guitarist Luke Hoskin

    The band kicked off their set with “Hair-Trigger” from 2011’s Scurrilous.  The crowd was already amped up for this performance, but the song’s bridge was an early highlight in the show with a heavy push to get closer to the band.  Protest the Hero seemed to be in mid-tour form with a rhythmically-tight execution of their difficult, math metal sound.  The soaring melodies of Tim Millar and Luke Hoskin were met throughout the night by Rody’s equally expansive vocals.

    The band took on the new album in a few instances, but none more effectively than the combination of “Clarity” and “A Life Embossed,” played back to back early on in the set.  It was admittedly the band’s first performance of “Clarity” which went off without a hitch.  The energy throughout the set continuously built as they progressed and touched upon each of their four releases.  As expected, the band displayed their impeccable proficiency on their instruments on each and every song, rarely taking the instrumental easy road.

    The wait was worth it in the end as the crowd appreciated the opportunity to catch one of metal’s most talented groups.  All and all, the show was a great kickoff to the tour and I would highly recommend catching them towards the tail end when they make a stop in Rochester on April 4th.

    Protest the Hero Set List:
    Hair-Trigger, Underbite, Sequoia Throne, Clarity, A Life Embossed, Bury the Hatchet, Mist, Sex Tapes, The Dissentience, Blindfolds Aside, Bloodmeat, C’est la Vie

    Editor’s Note: Photo Credit Thomas Sgori/UpstateMetal Staff

  • Scott Ian’s “Speaking Words” turns Family Affair

    Anthrax guitarist and founder Scott Ian stopped at Syracuse’s Lost Horizon for his “Speaking Words” tour and delivered an insightful, intimate, and amusing show in front about 100 people.

    Ian, who is in the tail end of the “Speaking Words” Tour, is also in the middle of working on Anthrax’s 11th studio album (slated for a later 2014 release), and said to be wrapping up his autobiography that’s due out next year.

    There was speculation whether or not Joey Belladonna was going to make an appearance, he did not.

    Doors opened at 7, the show actually started about 8:10,  It was a small-scale production show.   It was just Scott Ian with a projection screen that showed some amusing comic slides, that show cased his stories in amusing manner. Of course as expected, a few drunk and obnoxious people in the crowd, Ian gracefully told them to, “shut the fuck up” more than once.

    Ian opens his set by throwing the crowd off by reading from Red Hot Chilli Pepper‘s frontman, Anthony Keidis’ autobiography.  Then as expected he chatted about his upbringing, to starting the band, to getting signed by Def Jam Records.  Then he shifted gears and spoke about how he first met Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, sharing all the goods of his relationship with Lemmy, and the times he thought he could keep up drinking with him.  The crowd could not stop laughing. Ian is a great story-teller.  The comic slides just made it more amusing.  Then after what was about 45 minutes of sharing crazy Lemmy Stories, the crowd was blessed to hear some funny party and prank stories that Ian shared with the late and great Dimebag Darrell.

    Towards the end of the show Ian did a Q & A session with the crowd. (Yes, I got my question in about Damnocracy from the VH1 show “Supergroup”) This ultimately led to what may be the craziest incident of any concert.

    A man, bald and sporting a goatee, emerged from the crowd and accused Ian of being his biological father.  It was apparent that Ian recognized the man, who claimed to be 30-years-old, as before the mystery man spoke Ian immediately yelled, “Dude, I am not your father.”

    The man continued to tell the story shared to him by his mother that she allegedly had relations with Ian in New York City more than 30 years ago.

    “Dude, your mom’s a fucking liar,” said Ian. “Sorry, man.”

    The man was escorted out by security, apparently crying and Ian swiftly deflected the situation from being a further distraction to the show.  It was, however,  definitely the highlight of the show, or in that case the highlight of the entire “Speaking Words” Tour.   The show almost felt like a metal version of an episode of Maury.   Talk about something that people don’t normally see every day.

    (I did speak to Ian after the show, and he said he had no doubt in his mind that the story behind the man’s claims was fake.)

    Once the theatrics concluded, the Q & A session resumed.  There were some questions apparently inspired by alcohol and foolishness, but there were some great questions from the crowd including too.  One man asked Ian about the times he spent with the late, and great, Ronnie James Dio (who was also receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAMMY’s).

    The show finally ended around 10:30.  Ian did do a VIP meet and greet after the show, doing autographs, and sharing more stories.   I chatted with Ian about the Yankees and cool Anthrax experiences, also there is the possibility of doing another Spoken Word Tour that will include Fozzy Frontman/WWE Superstar Chris Jericho.  They did a tour together in Australia last year and it was very successful.

    Overall, it was great show for anyone that is into Anthrax, or Heavy Metal in general.  And, of course, Scott Ian tells great stories that will guarantee you a nice chuckle and some stories to tell all your friends and family.  Hopefully he brings the Speaking Words show back to Syracuse, as well as a full-blown Anthrax show as well.

    For more Metal News, Concert Reviews, and more keep visiting Upstate Metal and be sure to follow me on twitter @SaintGOfficial and feel free to share your thoughts with me.

  • Bruce of Asking Alexandria starts label

    Scare Don’t Fear first band signed to KBB Records

    Kyle Borman (left) and Ben Bruce [guitarist, Asking Alexandria] of KBB RECORDS (Photo Credit: KBB Records)
    Kyle Borman (left) and Ben Bruce [guitarist, Asking Alexandria] of KBB RECORDS (Photo Credit: KBB Records)

    Ben Bruce’s current job title is that of guitarist for Asking Alexandria.  But, that’s not his only job title.

    This week Bruce. and Asking Alexandria co-manager Kyle Borman, announce, not only the launch of their new record label, but also their first act – SCARE DON’T FEAR (SDF).

    “After years of planning, touring, writing and learning, and after ups and downs, arguments and agreements, I have grown to not only love the music industry, but understand it and respect it,” said Bruce. “KBB Records is a label run by artists, for artists. With my love and passion for music along with my knowledge and understanding of the music industry it’s our goal to work alongside incredible artists of all genres and to create and release amazing music for the world to fall in love with.”

    Bruce’s other responsibilities involve touring with Asking Alexandria with axe in hand.  The group has captured a huge following since their 2012 release of Reckless and Relentless, which debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Top 200. They currently boast more than four million followers on their Facebook page. The UK band is scheduled to hit our area with stops in New York City (Best Buy Theater – Mar. 21), Sayreville, NJ (Starland Ballroom – Mar. 22), Philadelphia, PA (Electric Factory, Mar. 23), Worcester, MA (The Palladium – Mar. 25), Rochester, NY (The Armory – Mar. 26), Albany, NY (Upstate Concert Hall – Mar. 27) and Pittsburgh, PA (Club Zoo – March 28).

    “KBB started as a small recording studio that Ben and I started together a few years ago with the intentions of providing traveling bands a means to record high end, professional records and demos while out on the road,” said Borman. “Together, Ben and myself have managed to turn what started out as a small, mobile recording studio, into an artist friendly record label with a team of staff with the experience and passion that can rival even the largest record labels around the world. KBB Records is dedicated to developing talented and passionate artists of all genres and helping them share their music with the world and accomplishing their dreams.”
    The first band signed to the new label is SCARE DON’T FEAR, a Providence, RI-based fusion of hip-hop and metal.

    “Everyone in SCARE DON’T FEAR is extremely proud to be a part of KBB RECORDS. SDF are huge fans of ASKING ALEXANDRIA, so when Ben and Kyle approached us about teaming up, we were stoked. We have been working at this goal for over five years and it’s a very rewarding feeling to not only get signed, but to get signed to a label that has such an amazing team behind it. All of us are looking forward to building towards the future with KBB RECORDS.”

    CLICK HERE to watch a studio update from SCARE DON’T FEAR.

     

    KBB RECORDS ONLINE: Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   YouTube   WebsiteSCARE DON’T FEAR ONLINE: Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   YouTube

    SCARE DON’T FEAR (L-R): Chris Jungles (vocals), Larry Ohh (drums/beats),
    Frankie Screamz (vocals), Joe Auger (guitar) & Ryan Grandmaison (bass/vocals) (Photo Credit:KBB Records)
     

  • Conspirator Warm up Putnam Den on a Cold Night

    The wind blew a brisk arctic breeze as fans of Conspirator stood outside waiting to see the band. Upon entering Putnam Den and looking over the sea of flat brimmed hats adorned with various pins, the stage was set for a memorable evening of livetronica played by some of the best in the business.

    Albany heroes, Digital Dharma took the stage to open the night. The keys of Eliot Kershner got the crowd hopping and wailing from the start, a glorious way to get the night going with a positive vibe. The beats went on and Aaron Zarabi’s drums combined with Steve Mink’s bass tightly held the groove together as Kershner and guitarist Brian McQuade kept a stunning harmony. This went on for quite some time and allowed the crowd to get loose and have a great time. Then they started to sing. This was just weird and misplaced. Losing the crowd as they looked around in bewilderment, as the goofy sound took away from the sweet groove that was in place. However, this would quickly be overshadowed when the next song, “Better Off Alone”, came raging in with wailing guitar and sweet sampling. The guys were back on track, perfectly setting the night up for Conspirator.

    Setlist: Aeronautics -> Shag Moonstruck -> Better Off Alone -> Mission Control

    After a short break, it was time for Conspirator to take the stage and the crowd was more than ready. The energy was pulsating through the room and the band definitely fed off of this. Coming at the crowd hard right off the bat with a tune “Saw Sir” featuring Aron Magner’s outstanding keys. The mix of Marc Brownstein’s bass and the drums of Torch made the groove completely unstoppable. This led into the fan favorite “Feed the Wolf”, a song featuring a catchy chorus driven by the keyboard that led to high fives and screaming. You could tell the guys enjoyed this one as smiles appeared across all of their faces. Conspirator has been leaning towards more of a jammy-sound as of late and this was most apparent when guitarist extraordinaire Chris Michetti tore up the next few songs. As the main soloist, Magner’s keys were out of this world throughout the entire evening. Torch had many high points as well, keeping all the feet in the audience moving.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfiLg0EJW8s&w=560&h=315]

    There’s the obvious comparison to the Disco Biscuits that the band constantly draws, but if this show was any indicator, they have successfully taken on an entity all their own.

    Set 1: Saw Sir >Feed the Wolf>Brooklyn Bridge>Right Wrong>Special Kind

    Set 2: Park Ave >Up>Retrograde>Pow Wow>Hellsing

    Encore: Hammerdown

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzSjY02AS5k&w=560&h=315]