Category: Reviews

University at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts Hat Trick – Rozzi Crane, Parachute & Gavin DeGraw

How could the crowd at University at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts not go wild with this line up? With Rozzi Crane, Parachute, and Gavin DeGraw, the audience was bound to see them shoot and score on each of these acts.

Rozzi Crane opened the evening in total darkness as she belted out the notes to her first song. The strong and emotive voice made the audience sit up and take notice immediately. As the spotlight came on and her silhouette was outlined, each member of the audience sat there agape. This huge voice and soulful sustenance of a jazz great was in the body of this petit young lady. One would expect to see the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, or Etta James up there; instead, the voice that resonated this sound came from Miss Rozzi Crane. As I sat shooting photos, I could hear those around me saying , “Who is that?!” A star was born that evening to the audience in Buffalo. She continued with an ease as though she had been in front of an audience her whole life. Her level of comfort on the stage and with the crowd demonstrated that the stage was her home away from home. As her set ended, she invited everyone out to her merchandise area to do a meet and greet. Either getting there too early or too late, I didn’t get the chance to speak to her directly, but I did talk to one of her crew members. As she mentioned during her show a connection with Adam Levine, I asked about the details of how she was discovered. He shared how Adam Levine of Maroon 5 heard her through a Youtube video that had been shared with him through a mutual friend and immediately signed her to his new label. Touring with Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson in 2013 was only the beginning to this amazing young lady’s journey. She definitely has a “Voice” to listen for big things in the future. One word to describe Rozzi, soulful.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTauDOWKD-s]

Next up was Parachute. The band is a group of five musicians who have known each other and played together since high school and college. To me, they are one of the most talented, versatile, and best kept secrets around today. Members, Will Anderson (vocals, guitar, piano), Johnny Stubblefield (drums), Alex Hargrave (bass), Kit French (saxophones, keyboards, vocals), and Nate McFarland (guitar, vocals) have a knack of creating the most relevant songs.

This five-piece truly are a group of amazing musicians, however, I believe it’s their songwriting skills that sets them apart from everyone else. They have the ability to connect with their listeners on a different level. They have the ability to take real life events, add a score of music that is amazingly perfect for the feel of the song, and share it in a way only they can. When I tell you their crowd loves them, they literally rushed the stage the minute they came on. And what makes this even more special was the way the group embraced them, by slapping hands along the stage, going out into the audience to sing, and brining the audience up on stage to dance with them during their cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In The Dark” number.

Parachute – “Dancing In The Dark”

These guys love what they do and it’s apparent to those that love what they do. One word to describe Parachute, consummate.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXqYw_II6Pc]

Setting the bar for the evening so high with his two amazing opening acts, only Gavin DeGraw could come out and rock the audience into even more of a frenzy than they already were. There’s just something about Gavin DeGraw that I can’t put my finger on that makes this man legendary. Is it his humility at being able to share his passion with the audience? Is it his remarkable sexy voice that draws one in? Or could it be his bewitching smile and sense of humor that mesmerizes you? It’s probably the combination of all of these traits, along with his amazing talent and will to share his passion in music, that makes him a super star. Gavin has the ability to come out and perform for an audience like he’s singing just to you. Covering many shows over the years, this was my second opportunity to see Gavin perform. The audience of fans consisted of a smorgasbord of individuals from all walks of life and age groups. This demonstration of variety clearly shows how legendary he has become being able to entice so many.

Gavin DeGraw @ University at Buffalo Center for the Arts

Touring this year for his fifth album Make A Move, Gavin performed numbers from the album like “Leading Man,” “Best I Ever Had,” and the album’s cover song “Make A Move.” In addition to that, he played some older favorites and new music recently written together with his band, Billy Norris (Musical Director, guitar, and background vocals), Ian O’Neill (drums and background vocals), James Cruz (bass), and David Maemone (keyboards).

The crowd’s new favorite though was clearly his song “Finest Hour,” co-written with Ryan Tedder. He also performed a killer cover of Adele’s “Rumor”, but it was his cover of his musical inspiration, Billy Joel’s “She’s Always A Woman/Where You Are,” that brought the crowd to their feet. Performing alongside Billy Joel recently at Madison Square Garden, Gavin described how the pivotal moment was a dream come true as Billy Joel was the catalyst for his decision to become a performer after seeing him at a show during the 90’s. His journey was not an easy one without bumps in the road, however Gavin overcame many obstacles to achieve his dream and is truly an inspiration to all that have followed his career. As he performed “More Than Anyone” a ballad from his first album Chariot, it only took one verse for the crowd to take over and sing the song for Gavin.

Gavin DeGraw @ University at Buffalo Center for the Arts

I can’t image how that makes a performer feel when the audience loves your music so much, they will serenade you. One word to describe Gavin DeGraw, sincere.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eryloGiIhUU]

It was truly a pleasure covering this show as a reporter and photographer as one feeds off of the energy in the crowd. The energy of this crowd was off-the-charts-crazy with love and admiration for all of these artists. This definitely was a hat trick for the University at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts and the fans that attended. One word for the show, outstanding.

April 29, 2014
Hearing Aide: Fiction for Bandits “Gunslinger Part One: The Chase”

Fiction for Bandits‘ latest release, Gunslinger, Part 1: The Chase, opens up with a smooth track called “Lovely Girl At The Window.” I was thinking, “Okay, this band is a nice, relaxed, indie band. I dig it.” But I was blown away as soon as the second song played. “The Gunslinger” is a fast song that opens up with a strong and swift guitar solo. Lead singer Nicholas Perry, out of Albany, belts out his vocals that are reminiscent of Blink 182’s Tom DeLonge. The song itself definitely has some Blink 182 and Misfits influences, which is present throughout the album.

Another song that caught me off guard was “Life For Your Crop.” The song starts out slow with an acoustic guitar, but I since learned to wait for the build up. Quickly, bassist Nick Wilson who is the in the band, comes in with a steady beat. Guitarist Mike Mazzeo follows with a catchy solo, and the band comes together with this rather edgy and dark song. Scott Ramundo, on drums, arises with a fast and punchy beat. “Do you believe in an afterlife? I think this is it,” Perry whispers as the song picks up. Deep growls could be heard in the chorus that sent chills down my spine.

Gunslinger, Part 1: The Chase is an album that can definitely be played all day and would sound best booming out of car speakers. It brings a mixture of indie, punk and metal together in one album. It’s the perfect blend for any music lover if they just want to mellow out or jam out.

Gunslinger, Part 1: The Chase, and their 2012 album, Words and Arrows are both available on ITunes. Which can be found Here

Key Tracks: The Gunslinger, Life for Your Crop, Forget to Breathe

April 28, 2014
An Evening of Firsts with The Goo Goo Dolls

As the Goo Goo Dolls began their 2014 Otis Midnight Sessions Tour, they couldn’t have chosen a better venue than the newly renovated Oncenter Carrier Theater in downtown Syracuse, NY as their first stop on the tour.

The beautiful venue, with top-notch acoustic sound and lighting, could only showcase the ambience they wished to achieve in their “Story Tellers” format. As the Oncenter announced their first show to be performed in the theater, it took a mere 5 minutes for the Goo Goo Dolls to sell out the theater; this isn’t surprising though as the Goo Goo Dolls have amassed a huge following in this area. This could be attributed to the fact that they hail from Buffalo, NY, have an amazing new album, Magnetic, out with several hit songs already such as “Come To Me” and “Rebel Beat,” or because they have a fan base that spans generations as they have been together since their inception in 1986. Whatever the reason, it set the stage for an amazing first night in the theater.

The Goo Goo Dolls – 2014 The Otis Midnight Sessions Tour

As the night began, the stage was setup to resemble a jam session with bar stools, intimate lighting, and a hint of fog, all of which gave off a feeling of being an informal and cozy atmosphere. From the L.A. area, Run River North, opened the evening under a dimly lit stage to a first time audience. To say they blew away the house would be an understatement. The setting of the low light together with their harmonizing and musicality was awe-inspiring and mesmerizing. To describe their style and sound, one could say that if you crossed the Civil Wars (highlighting their acoustic prowess) with Mumford and Sons (highlighting their upbeat tempos and harmonizing), you would wind up with the unique sound of Run River North.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Cv3bpj2a4]
Run River North is made up of six of the most talented young musicians; Alex Hwang on vocals and acoustic guitar, Daniel Chae on electric guitar and violin, Jennifer Rim on violin, Joseph Chun on bass, John Chong on drums, and Sally Kang on vocals and keys. Their unique sound was phenomenal and their stage presence immediately put the crowd at ease as they joked around and demonstrated their personalities. They definitely won over this crowd awaiting the Goo Goo Dolls, and left the stage with their new fans in the audience wanting more. Run River North was an excellent opening act and definitely did their job to warm up the crowd to the intimate feeling the Goo Goo Dolls were shooting for.

Run River North – 2014 Otis Midnight Sessions Tour

Soon thereafter, Johnny Rzeznik took his seat on stage, all alone, and immediately began an acoustic rendition of “Sympathy.” Once finished, he greeted his fans, welcomed them to the show, and began an intimate conversation about his inspirations for songs, his time in the Goo Goo Dolls, his friendships and relationships along the way, and slowly one by one he was joined on stage by Robby Takac, co-founder of the Goo Goo Dolls on vocals and bass, Korel Tunador, longtime touring keyboardist, guitarist, saxophonist, and backup vocalist, Brad Fernquist, longtime touring guitarist, mandolin player, and back up vocalist, and newcomer to the tour, Craig McIntyre, on drums and percussion.

Throughout the evening, Johnny and Robby shared their personal history of the Goo Goo Dolls, had conversations with the audience, and drew the audience in as they played such favorites as “Name,” “Slide,” and “Black Balloon.” One story Johnny shared really struck a chord; he told of how he had come upon a block party one day in NYC in which everyone was having a great time, sharing the day with friends and neighbors. He spoke of missing that camaraderie that was once normal to him growing up in Buffalo as he still to this day has yet to meet his neighbors in his current neighborhood. He found inspiration in this experience which lead to “Rebel Beat” being born. As one watches the video, you share what it must have been like to see that block party through Johnny’s eyes and it instills a wish to become more cohesive as a community.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUi8gQPsMdw]
This insight to life as seen through the eyes of the Goo Goo Dolls is what makes their songwriting special. This insight to life and times as they change is what has given the Goo Goo Dolls the longevity within their career as a group. Throughout the evening they made it a point to thank the audience and give credit to them as they are who have made it possible to do what they love all these years. They spoke of the bands that began with them at the same time and those bands are no longer around. It’s the mutual respect between the audience and band that has made this group endure the changes in music over the course of their career. Their music spans not only genres, but also generations of fans. Since the beginning, their music has reflected whatever is going on in their personal lives at that particular moment in time, just as it has with their audience. It’s this very personalization in their songwriting that appeals to the fans; it’s this insight into who they are that allows them to relate one on one with them as individuals and celebrate life’s ups and downs. One example, “Come To Me,” is the perfect model of art imitating life as Johnny writes this as his promise to his new bride.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8VMYLniuDk]
Longevity in the music business is unique and not often experienced as some bands and performers simply cannot evolve. Forming in 1986, they set out on a 28 year journey that’s produced 28 top ten singles. One of the most memorable of those singles was “Iris,” a song written for the City of Angels soundtrack. In 1998, the single was nominated for a Grammy for “Song of the Year.” Fast forward to 2011 and we see the same song re-enter the charts in the United Kingdom and hit number 3. Amazing! Johnny shared how he literally developed a writer’s block as the song’s deadline approached, but in the 9th hour he pulled the perfect song together to submit. Great things come from those under pressure and this shows how well adapted the Goo Goo Dolls have been over the course of their career as very few songs have accomplished this feat.

All in all, this was the perfect show to showcase the brand new Oncenter Carrier Theater, the perfect show to introduce Run River North to their newest fans here in New York, and the perfect show to kickoff the Goo Goo Dolls 2014 Otis Midnight Sessions Tour.

April 26, 2014
Blindsided in Buffalo: Turkuaz and Playonbrother Pack a Heavy One-Two Punch

Being blindsided usually means you’ve been attacked or hit when you’re vulnerable or uninformed. In the case of sports, it’s used in football when a quarterback is hit from behind when he can’t see the guy coming. Just like the quarterback, sometimes you have a feeling or inclination that said hit is coming, and yet you still can’t avoid it. That was the case this past weekend when Turkuaz and Playonbrother rolled into Buffalo for a show at Nietzsche’s. The combination of the two packed a heavy enough punch Friday night that nobody in the crowd, including myself, was sure what hit them when all was said and done.

In typical fashion, Nietzsche’s began to get cozy as the start of the show approached and everyone was laughing and having a beer, unaware of what was about to go down. Playonbrother took to the stage around 10:30pm to kick things off. Now the band was just recently in town for a show on Black Friday, but there was still a lot of people who hadn’t seen them judging by the casual conversations throughout the crowd that night. As Alan Evans, Danny Mayer, and Beau Sasser walked up the steps in the front of the stage, it was time, and they planned to get things going right away with the late start.

The band kicked off their set with “They Call Me Velvet,” blasting into the heavy beat and forcing everyone who wasn’t already near the stage to pack in and pay attention. Back in November, Sasser had an issue with his amp, but that was obviously fixed as the bass from his Hammond was the fattest sound I’ve ever heard coming from him. Adding to the infectious sound coming from the stage was Mayer’s syncopated riffs playing off of Evans’ hard-hitting beats. We wouldn’t know it until after the show, but these three guys somehow managed to make just as much noise as the nine that would succeed them. Throughout the entire night, I had my funk face on, scrunched up from how well these guys played.

After the first song wrapped up, Alan Evans graciously played host to his hometown and introduced his bandmates before letting everyone know who he was. One of the early highlights was a Frank Zappa cover the guys did in “Easy Meat.” Beau Sasser plays in a Zappa cover band known as The Z3, so it’s obvious where this one came from. What wouldn’t be obvious just seeing this in writing was how dirty and heavy these guys played this song. They might be generally classified as funk, but the commanding beat by Evans mixed with the heavy riffing of Mayer and Sasser took everyone by surprise; this was the first blindsided moment of the night. The song was darker and heavier than just about anything I’ve ever heard from them.

Evans played at times like he had something against his drums, hitting harder and harder as the song progressed. One of their new songs, “Nothing to Say,” was also an easy favorite from their set. During this one, Sasser took the lead, showcasing his abilities on the Hammond organ. His Leslie speaker was spinning out the hottest licks all night, but on this song in particular, he took us on the funkiest of space odysseys with the throttle broken from being pushed too far forward. The band closed their set with “Cosmic Hazel Dust,” a personal favorite and song that sums up their sound and direction. After ripping into the first parts of the song, the band segued into a trance-like section where Sasser’s droney bass added the perfect texture to the funk-laden beat of Evans.

n front of it all was Mayer’s searing wah tone coming from his guitar as he used his instrument as a vehicle for expression. With eyes closed, Mayer took one of the more memorable solos of the night and left the crowd begging for more. While it was Evans first time opening in his hometown in quite sometime, the band took the slot and proceeded to hit the crowd early and hard, setting up Turkuaz who would take the stage next.

Set List: They Call Me Velvet, Charlie Brown, Easy Meat, Ain’t No, Nothing to Say, Only One, Buffalo, Sunshine of Your Love, Cosmic Hazel Dust

Once Playonbrother’s gear was cleared, there was finally room for Turkuaz to take the stage. The nine-piece band from Brooklyn is usually tight no matter where they play, but with the smaller stage of Nietzsche’s, the only thing more cramped was the dance floor. The horns that set off the opening of their set were a clear indicator of how the night was going to go – intensely fast and tightly synched. The first song, “Chatte Lunatique,” went blasting forward while guitarist Craig Brodhead tried to keep pace on his first solo. The thump of Taylor Shell’s bass was the front car of this race, setting the pace alongside drummer Michael Angelo Carubba. The ladies of Turkuaz, Geneva Williams and Sammi Garett, took to the stage with tambourines in hand to close out the opening song. The look on everyone’s face at the first stop in the action said it all – “what the hell just hit me?”

To say these guys (and gals) are talented would be selling them short. As you can imagine, a nine-piece band has an enormous sound, but it’s not just nine instruments/voices, as most of the members pull double duty. Craig Brodhead plays guitar and synths, Joshua Schwartz plays saxophone, sings, and adds percussion, Chris Brouwers plays the trumpet and keyboards, and both of the Turkuaz girls add vocals and the tambourine. It doesn’t even stop there as the entire band has coordinated several dance moves, in complete synchronization, during a few of their songs which only adds to their outpouring of energy. The nine add so much that, unless you listen intently on one person, it’s tough to even distinguish where a particular sound is coming from. Drummer Michael Angelo Carubba was visually buried behind everyone, but still managed to stick out with his excellent percussion work, keeping the other eight in line. The self-proclaimed funk army is truly just that!

Throughout their entire set, the band would simply not let up. If the band was in the driver seat, then they were stomping on the gas and taking everyone in attendance for a mandatory ride; the band was musically relentless. It’s amazing how tight the band remained given the tenacity and tempo of their music. Regardless, you could tell they were doing something right as the crowd was packed from front to back and everyone was getting down.

One highlight of their set, and proving how closely knit these two bands had become over the course of this tour, was when Beau Sasser hopped the railing and jumped on stage for an impromptu sit in. He took over Craig Brodhead’s keyboard and his synthy slithering mixed well with Turkuaz’s deep funk. I’m not sure how Beau fit with everyone up there, but you could clearly see the camaraderie and friendship that was forged as everyone was having a great time.

The band closed with “Shape,” and you could literally feel the ground shaking below your feet. With the entire band jumping in unison, the crowd followed suit for the peak of the performance. The final bass and guitar showdown brought a funky blues solo to close out an incredible night of music. As they filed off the stage, one by one, the crowd beckoned for more. Lucky for us, the band appeased with an unscripted, off-the-cuff encore of “Monkey Fingers” to keep the Friday night party going. As the night officially wrapped up, there was a collective gasp for air as it had literally been knocked out of the crowd. I had never seen Turkuaz up until this point and I can say that they came out of nowhere and blew me away. Thankfully for Western New York, the band is slated to come back this Fall for the Night Lights Fall Music Festival.

Set List: JB Intro, Chatte Lunatique, Coast to Coast, Bubba Slide, Murder Face, Night Swimming, M’Lady, Tiptoe, Snap Your Fingers, It’s Hard, Honky Tonk Women, I’ve Got a Feeling, Back to Normal, 20 Dollar Bill, The Shape I’m In

Encore: Monkey Fingers

Photos by Thomas Sgroi

April 26, 2014
Pink Talking Fish Brings a Fantasy to Reality

Fans whirled around the Putnam Den in bewilderment on Saturday night asking questions such as: Are there three bands playing tonight? What are they playing? What is this going to sound like? All these questions were asked in a jovial way as very few could fathom the idea of one band playing the music of Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads and Phish. Everyone was excited to see how this could be done, and they would not be disappointed; Pink Talking Fish delivered a spot on fantasy performance.

The High Peaks Band, a three-piece ensemble out of Saratoga Springs, opened the evening bringing a high energy jammy sound that mixed in lyrics of an alt-country band. The lead vocals of Rick Nelson were complimented wonderfully by Michael Hoffman’s backing harmony. Drummer Jason Vasquez held the band together as they ran through their set. Although there were very few, if any, low points, the highlight of the set was the cover of a moe. classic “She Sends Me,” a rocking tune that not only got the crowd going, but also showed the bands diversity. It was a great surprise during a great set.

The stage was now set to answer everyone’s question: What is this Pink Talking Fish all about? Well, from the onset, they were about tearing it up. Opening with a spacey rendition of “2001,” the audience knew what this band was all about and that they meant business. With the funk vibe of Phish and backing sounds that echoed Pink Floyd, the tone was set for the whole evening. “Life during Wartime” came out of this extended jam as the entire room danced along with the bouncy lyrics. From there, things slowed down a little as the band performed “Have a Cigar.” Keyboardist Rick Umlah took lead vocals on this, hitting all the notes perfectly, resonating Floyd, yet with his own spin to it. Up to this point, the songs were played very well, but it wasn’t until “Possum” that they really shined. Eric Gould, founding member and the only one consistently in the lineup, took over the vocals and guitarist Dave Brunyak, of the Phreaks, showed the crowd his stuff. The lengthy jam was filled with shredding only comparable to Trey Anastasio himself. Brunyak’s sound wasn’t the only thing that was reminiscent of Trey, as he made body movements and gyrations similar to those of the Phish guitarist, but with his own style. He wasn’t copying Trey, he was just simply being Dave, and the crowd ate it up as they fed off his energy and enthusiasm. This continued throughout the set up until the closer “Cross Eyed and Painless.” This was a perfect way to end the first set, a high energy song that left the fans wanting more.

Some may have thought there was no way the first set could be matched, but those people could not have been more wrong. Opening with a raging “Run like Hell,” Zack Burwick’s drums hit hard and heavy which set the atmosphere for the whole room and the whole set. “Run like an Antelope” was as solid and tight as it has ever been played. It seemed as though there was nothing these guys couldn’t do. They were nailing everything they tried and then some, but just like every great band, they were not done outdoing themselves. “In the Flesh,” went into “Mikes Song,” which in and of itself was a treat. The real treat however is when they went back and forth between seven different songs before playing “Weekapaug Groove,” going into “Eclipse,” and ending the set where they started it with “Run like Hell!” This was simply amazing. For the encore the boys had some fun mashing up “Makisupa Policeman” with “Brain Damage,” and closing the night out with“Cities” and “Tweezer Reprise.”

Many bands go out and try to cover other bands, usually falling short. These guys not only successfully covered one band, they covered three! The energy was high from the beginning and it only intensified with each song. The magic of not knowing what was coming next and being pleasantly surprised when it dropped was pure brilliance, brilliance in which this band should continue to do for a long time.

High Peaks Band Set List 4/19/2014

Walk to the Bar, Within Reason, Doesn’t Matter, Rice Petunias, Not on TV, Superman Above, She Sends Me*, Fade to an Echo#

*- moe. cover #- Lively up Yourself teases

Pink Talking Fish Set List 4/19/2014

Set 1: 2001*>Life During Wartime, Have a Cigar>Posum, Slippery People>Sand>Slippery People, Another Brick In the Wall>Psycho Killer> Another Brick In the Wall, You Enjoy Myself>On the Run>You Enjoy Myself**>Crosseyed and Painless

Set 2: Run Like Hell***>Run Like An Antelope, Burning Down The House, In The Flesh>Mike’s Song> Pigs(3 Different Ones)>Houses In Motion>Tweezer>One Of These Days>Lenghtwise>One Of These Days>Once In A Lifetime>Weekapaug Groove>Eclipse>Run Like Hell

Encore: Makisupa Policeman/Brain Damage >
Cities>Tweezer Reprise

*w/ multiple Pink Floyd teases in the intro
**w/ Mother tease
***w/ Careful With That Axe Eugene tease
****Back and forth between Makisupa and Brain Damage. Brain Damage was reggae style during the verse and classic style during the chorus. “Woke up on 420. Went to Putnam Den. I get to try out my brand new Vapo Pen.”

April 25, 2014
4:20 Concert Unites Local Reggae and more at Wescott

“Its Easter Sunday, let’s take ’em to Church!” These crowd-amping words from Sophistafunk’s Jack Brown resonated through a well-attended Westcott Theater on Sunday’s 4:20 concert, featuring local (Syracuse and Ithaca) favorites Root Shock, Sophistafunk, and John Brown’s Body. For many, Sunday’s 4:20 concert felt like a reunion of old friends as these bands amassed a sizable fan base of dedicated show-goers for a night of nostalgia, good vibes, and reliably awesome music from these time-honored veterans.

The night began with the soulful sounds of Root Shock, a newer (circa 2012) group with deep ties in the Syracuse roots music scene. Three of its members (Phil Grajko, Fahim Fain “Fa Fa”, Bill Eppel) have been gracing Syracuse’s stages on and off for nearly a decade with Afro-Cuban/roots/reggae/calypso group Akuma Roots. Root Shock brings a sweet, sometimes funky, sing-along soul sound to the droning chords and rhythm of roots rock reggae. The chorus’ were heartfelt and catchy and definitely highlighted the talents of the voice of Root Shock, Jessica Brown. This humble, dready soul child caught many an ear’s attention with her increasingly strong high range on songs like the classic Bill Withers tune, “Use Me.” The performance also featured visiting artist and former member of Root Shock, Phil Grajko (Morning Sun and the Essentials, Joy Telepathy Project) whose crisp and tasty guitar solos helped to round out the band’s sound and keep listeners listening. In short, Root Shock was an opener that everyone forgot was an opener.

Next, the crowd was swept up by the larger than life force that is Jack Brown and commanded to “Wil’ Out”- to dance, to celebrate, to get hyped and positive, no matter what excuse they needed. In Jack’s words, “Happy Easter, happy holidays, happy Spring Equinox, happy 4:20.” Jack’s rhymes are always thoughtful yet fun, and his positive themes encourage creativity, community and self-actualization. His animated persona, tall stature, and front of the stage presence demands crowd involvement. In breaks in sets, the audience was rallied around a ban on Hydrofracking, nostalgia for the Grassroots Music Festival and Sterling Stage, and love for the Westcott Nation. Jack knows how to work a crowd, but what is the quintessential frontman without a killer rhythm section? Nothing. Think Robert Plant without John Paul Jones and John Bonham, or Roger Daltry without Keith Moon… needless to say, Adam Gold (pianos and synth) and Emmanuel “E-Man” Washington (drums) held down the funk…hard. Gold has an uncanny ability to provide a full-bodied, deep bass line while simultaneously rocking the crowd with a rhythmic melody or sending them into a sophisticated space-haze with chorus-laden organ sound. E-man’s rhythms are tight, loud, and immaculately locked-in, making him and Gold one inseparable funk machine. For an extra kick, a very talented guest trombonist from NYC was brought onstage and delivered virtuosic solos, ecstatic hype-power, and some legit hip hop dance moves. Sophistafunk tends to give the headliners a run for their money and this 4:20 party was no exception.

John Brown’s Body kept the night grooving with their dubby, rich, sometimes almost hymnal sound. Jungle green and cool blue stage lights and smoke machines poured ambiance over the now moody, mesmerized crowd as JBB showcased their large repertoire of “Future Roots” music. John Brown’s Body has been touring Ithaca and Syracuse (and worldwide) for almost two decades now, have produced ten studio albums, and have gone through numerous band member changes. This band has a sound that has evolved and has some serious staying power and mass appeal. The formula, according to this humble listener: 1) Thuddy, five-string deep bass lines that aren’t afraid to walk about the neck and dig that groove super-deep. 2) Guitar hooks that play closely off of these bass lines, hit lots of rhythmic counter-melodies throughout the song, and utilize cool effects. 3) Soulful, pure-toned vocals with lots of sustained notes that uplift listeners and suggest some sort of spiritual chanting or hymn. 4) A trifecta of harmonious, ecstatic, and yet perfectly balanced horns (sax, trombone, trumpet). Their interplay with Elliot Martin’s vocals provided the perfect injection of complexity and raw roots energy to the overall sound. John Brown’s Body brought listeners through their many phases, with newer, dubbier sounds like the etheric, “Plantation” off of Kings and Queens, to the “rootsier” classic, “Follow in the Shadow,” from the 2005 album, Pressure Points. Listeners from all eras appeared to stay right with JBB throughout their set. After an encore, the audience was left tired, but filled with warm hearts and good vibrations. Happy 4:20 indeed.

April 25, 2014
Lacuna Coil, Kyng, Eve to Adam, and Cilver Rocked the Westcott Theater in Syracuse

Approximately 300 people swarmed to see Lacuna Coil headline the Westcott Theater in Syracuse on Tuesday night. It marked the first time in five years since Lacuna Coil was in town, and the sound and overall production was fantastic at the Westcott Theater.

The doors opened at 6PM and alternative rockers Cilver started right at 7PM. The band rocked a 30 minute set that consisted of their upcoming EP, In My Head. Frontwoman Uliana Preotu is a talented singer who could really wail on the mic. Lead guitarist Gerry Soman also stood out as he could really shred through their material, similar to Zakk Wylde. This band has a bright future and I would expect them to be touring with bigger names in the very near future.

Eve to Adam began their chaotic set at 7:40PM and really set a high tempo. They opened with “Bender” and stormed into the song “Fortune Teller” before playing the title track to their new release, Locked & Loaded. One thing I think that makes the band stand out is their high energy and use of vocal harmonies. In an attempt to really get the crowd active, they played a cover of Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” before closing their set with “Straight Jacket Supermodel.” Eve to Adam continues to tour relentlessly and is really making a name for themselves.

Kyng came into their set as the most metal band of the night, and for a three-piece band, they really make it look easy. The band had a few intimate and hilarious moments with the crowd throughout their set. It all started with a few good-natured hecklers screaming out “Slayer!” to bassist Tony Castaneda, who does, in fact, resemble Tom Araya of Slayer. On top of that, guitarist/vocalist Eddie Veliz kept picking on this one bearded gentleman (who was standing right next to me) in an Iced Earth shirt, telling him to lighten up throughout the entire set. The band’s humor was a much-needed element for the night. Two highlights from Kyng’s set was their cover of Van Halen’s “Hot for the Teacher” and their closer “Falling Down.” For anyone who missed Kyng, they will be back in Upstate New York in Rochester on May 8^th with Fozzy and Buckcherry and in Poughkeepsie on May 9^th with Fozzy and Jamie Jasta.

Lacuna Coil finally graced the stage at 9:20PM by opening with “Trip The Darkness.” The band still sounds as terrific as they always did, even with Guitarist Cris “Pizza” Migliore and drummer Christiano “Criz” Mozzati no longer in the lineup. Singers Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro pack an awesome one-two punch and have such a great and unique stage presence. Lacuna Coil played classic songs like “Swamped,” “Heaven’s a Lie,” and “Fragments of Faith,” as well as new songs from their latest release, Broken Crown Halo, which they are currently promoting. The main highlight of their set would have to be “My Spirit,” which they dedicated to late and great Peter Steele of Type O Negative before diving into their trademark song “Spellbound.” For the very last song, they closed with (my personal favorite) “Our Truth,” which is a really high tempo, energetic song. Lacuna Coil was well received by their performance, and although they didn’t do an encore, they came and signed merchandise after the show.

Overall, it was a fantastic night with every band coming through in the clutch. Lacuna Coil wraps up their U.S. tour in early May before heading out to tour the rest of world. Even though there aren’t any additional Upstate NY stops, I would imagine that after a night like that, it won’t be too long before they make another run this way.

April 25, 2014
Formula 5’s Album and Album Release Party A Major Hit

It was one of the first beautiful nights of the year for The Formula 5 album release party at Red Square on April 18^th. Suitable Groove started the night off as the crowd thickened and the energy levels increased. Although it was still early in the night when Suitable Groove took stage, there were a significant people gathered to get down to their funky beats.

Shortly after Suitable Groove, The Hornitz took stage with enough energy to put Russel Simmons to shame. The Hornitz mix a wide array of funk, beat boxing, bass trombone, tenor saxophone, keys, and a list of different samplings to make up their unique sound. At one point during the performance they busted out a full rendition of Cypress Hill’s, “Insane in the Brain” with a flooring amount of funk. In case the crowd wasn’t already highly impressed, the duo then broke into a beat-boxing session while singing at the same time. All of you 90’s kids might remember the comparison to the great Rahzel who really brought this technique to the forefront. Overall, an absolutely phenomenal performance by this Boston based duo. If you have yet to see the Hornitz live, I suggest you check your local listings.

As soon as Formula 5 took to the stage, the harrowing funk of Joe Davis’ guitar riffs echoed through the streets of Albany. The band opened with “The Clear” off of their new album, Edging on Catastrophe, which was an impressive and energy packed song to open their debut off their new album. For a portion of the show, special guest Tucker Callander stepped in for a few songs live on the violin. Callander sat in for “The Clear,” “Catch Me > Timmy’s Slumber > Epiphany > Timmy’s Slumber” and “Nu-Gen.” This part of the show showed their extreme versatility within each segue while adding a new and different flair to each song with the accompaniment of the violin. New bassist James Woods sat in for a set closing “Hot Box > Good Times Bad Times”.

Often times for album debut parties it is hard to tell which direction the band is trying to take with it’s new endeavor, but it is evident that Formula 5’s direction is up. The entire album front to back is like a more polished version of who the band has always been and what they have always been about. Staying true to their roots with Joe Davis’ Phish-esque guitar riffs, while rounding out their funky Bill-bass lines with Mike McDonald on the keys and Greg on the drums. Edging on Catastrophe is a wonderful representation of the band’s versatility as artists, bringing in influences of bluegrass, electronic, folk, rock and of course, funk.

This was also their farewell show to their longtime bassist Bill Shattuk, so of course there had to be an epic bust out of “Sledgehammer.” This is clearly one of Formula 5’s favorite covers, which is evident through the extreme amount of energy and enthusiasm they show on stage. Another highlight of the show was “Pedro”, for which the guys from The Hornitz jumped on stage with the guys to share in the jam. They then segued into the Phish/Trey Anastasio Band classic, “Sand.” The show was an all out party from start to finish and the collaboration of all of these talented artists made for a perfect concoction of pure funkafied excellence. From front to back the album shows the exponential growth each individual has accomplished as a musician and also the immense amount of capability the band has as a whole.

April 24, 2014
The Palace Welcomed the King of the Blues, B.B. King on the 17th

The Palace in Albany hosted the legendary B.B. King, one of the greatest guitarist of all time, and King of the Blues, on Thursday the 17th of April, to a crowd of all ages and backgrounds who all shared a love for the blues. The venue buzzed with teens in blue jeans and adults in fur, parading in the lobby and the aisles, eager for the magic of B.B. King and his guitar “Lucille.” The band warms up the stage with instrumental jazz, each stretching their musical muscles as guests take their seats. The introduction was made and B.B. King was escorted onto the stage, making for a grand entrance as the crowd greets him with a standing ovation. He takes a seat at center stage and goes through the introductions of the band, poking fun and setting the laid back tone of the evening.

“Here is something for the lovers tonight,” B.B. cooed as the band opened with “I Need You.” His voice is still strong as his vocals are crisp and echoed beautifully around the Palace. He plays each note on purpose with an incredible ease and care. The long exaggerated plucking is second nature to him and so are the blues. “You Are My Sunshine” started a massive sing-along that was adorable coming from everyone in the audience. As the lights would begin to darken, B.B. would request them to be brighter as he got a kick from looking out at all the fans trying to get his attention; this shifted the focus off of the music and was a bit irritating.

But the show went on to “Rock Me Baby,” a sophisticated, sexy song with a slow tempo, consistent buildups from the band, and rebellious guitar riffs from B.B. The show came to an end all too soon as B.B. said his good nights with a very slow exit. B.B. King still performs with a smile, booming vocals and mighty hands, but it was a disappointment to have the show end so early with such a short setlist. Despite his distracted stage presence, the 88-year-old musician is still a must see act as he continues to spread the blues to Upstate NY and beyond.

April 24, 2014
Tycho entrances The Sinclair, Boston 4/17

The Sinclair was in for an epic night on April 17^th when Tycho took to the stage as a part of the “Awake” tour for his newly released LP. Tycho, otherwise known as Scott Hansen (the main man behind the curtain), utilizes synths, guitar, bass guitar and his own visuals and programming to hype up his act. He’s been in the works since 2002 but recently has been touring with a live backing band including Zac Brown on guitar and Rory O’Connor on drums. His unique pairing of psychedelic synths with hypnotic guitar patterns has formed a distinctive ambient sound that fans have been craving for years.

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With the anticipation at its highest peak and the beginning bass notes slamming through the speakers, everyone in the crowd at The Sinclair inched forward expecting a big entrance, only to see Tycho and his band humbly walk to their positions on stage. They shyly waved to the audience as people screamed and entered into the first number from their newest album, “Awake”. Just like their entrance, the synths, keyboard and guitar riffs flowed sweetly together to send every audience member into an immediate trance. Tycho refused the exaggerated energy of the high beam flashing lights that their opener, Gardens & Villa rocked so well with a new-age disco vibe. Instead they stuck with an honest low-lit environment that complimented the screen behind them. They amped up the beat with some intricate drumming patterns that barely allowed your head to bob as you watched the second star of the show: the artwork. One cannot speak about Tycho without speaking about his artist/photographer counterpart, otherwise known as ISO50. The music changed completely with his silhouetted figure swallowed up in the projected dreamlike sequences. Eyes were overcome with images anywhere from a mixture of space and sky, to slow motion splashes of feet running through the ocean, to a girl wrapped in the wind, slowly being drowned by the white light. All of these were intermittently overlaid with his design work – beautiful pink and orange and red stripes taking different forms, reminiscent of his most recent LP cover. As the psychedelic ambience washed over you, so did the slow sunsets and splashes of his video art.

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Tycho mixed up the evening with schizophrenic switches from new to old to even newer. After breezing through a few songs in “Awake”, the band dipped back to the classics, throwing in tracks from the album “Dive” including “Hours”, “Ascension”, “Daydream”, “Dive”, and any Tycho-lover’s favorite, “A Walk” for his encore. He livened up the set with some new numbers called “Pip” and “E:”, both vibrant with his signature repetitive synth chords and heavy with drums. Of course the newest tracks caught the most attention with their beat-driven base and unique guitar parts. Tracks like “Apogee”, “See” and “Montana” really got the crowd moving, if they were able to break out of their psychedelic abstraction.

In the end, Tycho was gone just as quickly as he hobbled on stage – the night breezed by. Maybe it was the daydream we all entered so unknowingly; maybe it was the trippy flashes of people spinning in saucers, musicians in large hats and water droplets spilling through the screen and into the crowd. Whatever it was, being “Awake” hit us hard – if you’re ever in a live Tycho trance, you’ll never want it to end.

Setlist: Intro>Awake, Dye, Hours, Ascension, L, Daydream, Spectre, Apogee, Dive, Pip, See

Encore: E:, A Walk, Montana

April 23, 2014