Category: Reviews

Giant Panda Returns to Ithaca for an Epic Night of Dub and Dance with Beat The Grid

There was standing room only at The Haunt as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad returned to Ithaca with Beat The Grid on Thursday, February 20th. Good vibes and smiling faces were in abundance, with fans coming from far and wide to see what was undoubtedly the best show around. Giant Panda has recently returned from an eight-show West coast tour, highlighting their new mixtape In Roots We Trust, featuring The Expanders and The Simpkin Project, which explores North American Reggae music.

Giant Panda is a Dub/Americana/Roots band from Rochester NY, but got their start in Ithaca about ten years ago. The band has gained immense popularity since then, touring the country and even getting spots at some of the nation’s largest music festivals, including Summercamp and All Good Music Festival. Giant Panda’s music is known for its positive and uplifting lyrics backed by infectious dub that soothes the soul. In addition to dub/reggae, they also released a country album displaying the band’s musical versatility.

Opening for the band was a local Ithaca group by the name of Beat The Grid. The band had a similar upbeat feel with some added funk that warmed the crowd up nicely.Their beautiful female vocalist had the entire audience mesmerized by her smooth voice and exotic dancing. Beat The Grid’s set included fan favorite “Her Cosmic Lines” and many other tracks from their 2013 self-titled album, as well as some new songs.

For a small venue, the sound at The Haunt was of very high quality and the place was busting at the seams with the huge amount of people in attendance. Giant Panda opened with “Not The Fool” and “Solution”, spreading the love and pushing towards making this world a better place. The night continued with songs old and new, with teasers from their upcoming album to be released this summer. Dylan Savage on guitar and Tony Gallicchio on keys displaying their mastery of their instruments as they traded solos that sent chills down the spine. Guitarist Dan Keller was also in his prime, presenting his saxophone skills and unforgettable vocals to add to the already amazing performance. Giant Panda mashed up some of their most popular songs, “Missing You More” and “Pockets” to make for some outstanding medleys and even surprised the crowd with a rendition of soul legend Marvin Gaye’s “Lets Get It On.”

After Giant Panda left the stage, chants for “One More Song!” were started up by the fans, who at midnight had a lot more left in the tank and were not ready to call it a night. Not long after, the band returned to play Jackie Wilson’s classic “Higher and Higher”, featuring Dan Keller on saxophone and “Mr. Cop” as every crowd member sang the chorus “They callin’ up the cops ‘cause it smells like Ganja!” There was not a still body in the house as everyone danced their hearts out for the fifteen-minute encore, leaving everyone sweaty, exhausted, and satisfied.

February 27, 2014
Twiddle and Fikus Rock out The Hollow

The Hollow in Albany was packed Thursday, February 20th when Fikus and Twiddle came to town. The crowd was full of dedicated fans and fresh faces eager to get their groove on. Fikus had a great loud start as they spiced up the bar with New Jersey funky flavor. Keyboardist Jon Schmarak was on the verge of breaking his right leg as he repetitively stomped and beat his keys with the heavy rhythm from drummer Kito Bovenschulte. Bongos were slapped by Pete Kozak adding a dirty rumba beat that they audience couldn’t get enough of as Fikus combined funk, electronic, soul and much more for an unforgettable set. For those that can’t wait for the next show, you can download their EP Plus + for free on their website.

Twiddle, the quartet from Vermont, provided optimistic and groovy music that sent hearts soaring and feet dancing. Their energetic performance was light and upbeat, with hints of reggae and modern day funk. The band has great chemistry together as their music consistently build great waves for their music and fans to climb and dip upon. Mihali Savoulidis provided the heavy rock vibe with the wailing of his guitar and lead vocals that were quite catchy. Keyboardist Ryan Dempsey hit a wide range of keys as he showed contempt smacked the high notes before twisting nobs for a robotic melody with his synth. One of the highlights of the night was when the band made the insane transition into Phish’s “Divided Sky” catching the entire audience off guard and into heavy jam bliss. Be sure to catch Twiddle before they end out north to Smoke Signals in Lake Placid.

February 27, 2014
Cosmic Jackson Storms the North Country

The Adirondacks are best known in the winter time as a destination for skiers, snow borders, ice fishing, and snowmobilers. So it was a pleasant surprise on my visit to Oak Mountain, in Lake Pleasant, NY on February 22nd to see how they have incorporated an entire music series for all of their patrons and locals to enjoy once the sun went down on the mountains, featuring Cosmic Jackson.

This is becoming a trend we see with other ski resorts as well, such as Woods Valley, who have taken to offering live music throughout the winter season for both visitors and locals to enjoy. I think it is a brilliant way to feature wonderful local talent and reach an audience of all ages that may not necessarily venture out otherwise for live music.

Starting off their winter music series at Oak Mountain was the Willie Playmore Band, followed by Jason and Nick from Floodwood, local favorites The Birdseed Bandits, and Marshall Stewart’s acoustical show, as well as many other talented artists. Excited to see this evening’s featured band, Cosmic Jackson, I settled in to a packed audience of many patrons who I had seen earlier on the slopes, as well as some new faces of snowmobilers that stopped for some food, drinks, and a good time. I was happily surprised at this band’s amazing musicality and harmony on the two guitars, bass, and drums. Playing such an eclectic set list of music, the dance floor didn’t stop all night. Cover songs varied from Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, to Bob Dylan & Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel”, to Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion”. What really got the crowd going though was their cover of “What I Got” by Sublime and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Give Me Three Steps”. Again, the variety floored me as they were able to reach the entire audience with music they loved from genres and generations across the board.

It’s great to see small communities such as Lake Pleasant/Speculator thriving this winter with tourism due to the cooperating weather, but what makes me even happier is to see them offering amazing live performances all season long for everyone to enjoy.

February 26, 2014
Rusted Root Entertains a Packed House at Buffalo Iron Works

Rusted Root took the stage in front of a very large crowd in downtown Buffalo on Tuesday, February 18th at the recently opened Buffalo Iron Works, one of the up and coming music venues in the area. Rusted Root has been coming to Buffalo for years and for good reason, as the fan base as always been good to the band.

Rusted Root front man Michael Glabicki (vocals, guitar) believes so as well, in a recent interview with . “Yeah it feels sort of like home to us, you know. The fans are fantastic for us, in how they let loose and we have a lot of fun there”. Rusted Root hails from just a little over three hours away in Pittsburgh, PA and usually makes an annual trip to the queen city.

Rusted Root covered a wide spectrum of their catalog, even introducing a few new songs soon to be out on their next album. Opening the evening with “ Hands Are Law” followed by “Martyr”, it really got the band set up and going quickly, with their signature acoustic and percussion sounds. “Suspicious Minds”, an Elvis Presley cover, was perfectly paired with Glabicki’s warm vocals. “Cat Turned Blue” is a very interesting song start to finish, using elements of a Hendrix-esque style of Bob Dylan’s classic “All Along The Watchtower” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” making an already great song even more entertaining. Closing out the set with “ Send Me On My Way”, one of the band’s biggest singles to date, was very well received from the crowd.

The encore picked up right where they left off with a newer song in “ Please Pick Up” and the very excitable “Rain”. Completing the night with “Drums > Ecstasy” seemed fitting, the fans running on an emotional high that paired well with the song. The opening drums by local musician Preach Freedom and bass thumping by Norman is truly an amazing build up to “Ecstasy” and is one of the real strengths of the song. It was a perfect close to a short but sweet night, with hopes that Rusted Root will soon come back home.

Setlist: Hands Are Law, Martyr, Suspicious Minds, Cruel Sun, Lost In A Crowd, Promise Land, Food And Creative Love, The Movement, Laugh As The Sun, Cat Turned Blue, Cover Me Up, Fortunate Freaks, Back To Earth, Send Me On My Way

Encore: Please Pick Up, Rain, Drums>Ecstasy

February 25, 2014
Hearing Aide: Suke Cerulo ‘One Aim’

Suke Cerulo has an impressive resume. With a professional career in music going back as far as 1995 and a long list of musical accomplishments spread throughout the eleven years in between, Cerulo’s experience as a musician is as polished as they come. In addition to performing with the likes of The Allman Brothers Band, G. Love and Special Sauce, and moe., Cerulo has played a number of major music festivals and produced various multimedia projects.

The collective experience of these undertakings has lead to One Aim, Cerulo’s ninth studio album. Unlike his previous work, however, One Aim, is the first release under Cerulo’s name, a tribute that stems from his leading role in the making of the album. Featuring Matt Rubano of Taking Back Sunday and All American Rejects on bass and Erik Egol of Schleigho playing drums, One Aim is centered around the diverse musical background Cerulo has established over the past twenty years.

The record’s leading track, “It’s A Wonder,” represents the funk influence found in Cerulo’s music. The song is an evolution from his work with Schleigho, a jazz-fusion band that gave Cerulo his start upon graduating from Berklee College of Music in the early 90’s. Throughout its nine songs, One Aim explores Cerulo’s other influences as well; “Plastic Finger” begins with a booming guitar line draped in distortion and transitions into a slow groove before concluding with an intricately raucous solo. Track seven is “Leo’s Theme” the first of two instrumental songs on the album, the second being “Vee,” which ends the album with drawn out guitar riffs covering just under eleven minutes of elaborate musicianship. On an album of distinctive styles and consistently complex structures, “Vee” is the culmination of Cerulo’s innovative songwriting. The forty-nine minutes of music displayed throughout One Aim embodies years of musical development; as his first self-titled release, One Aim defines everything Suke Cerulo has learned thus far.

Key Tracks: It’s A Wonder, The Medicine Show, Vee

Pick up the album here

February 25, 2014
Hearing Aide: Mike Gordon Tries Something New with ‘Overstep’

Today, Mike Gordon released his fourth solo effort, Overstep. Mike worked with producer Paul Q. Kolderie (Radiohead, The Pixies, Warren Zevon) on the new record that is really a quirky and songwriting-focused. While each song in the record stays in the relatively structured songwriting format, the songs span a wide variety of styles and genres. The first three tracks start the album out in standard rock format with a little bit of added signature Mike Gordon sounds.

The bass tone on “Tiny Little World” resembles that envelope-drowned, wet, wah-bass one can find deep in Gordon’s live bass solos with Phish. Just when I thought the record was going to stay within the rock boundaries, Gordon hits hard with a joyous reggae track, “Yarmouth Road.” Gordon dips into funk with “Face”, alternative, soul, and then into some more acoustic-centric songs to finish it all off.

The album was a departure from familiar territory for Mike Gordon. The songs were precisely planned and very succinct, virtually jam-less. Gordon’s vocals seemed a tad over-produced and over saturated with harmonies. There were also sections of songs on the album that lacked the powerful musical expression, dynamics and punctuation that he’s known to bring to the table with Phish. Despite a few production drawbacks, it was nice to see Gordon get exploratory with this album. I heard a side of Mike Gordon that was more serious and focused on this record. In addition, these tracks are the type that when properly fleshed out in a live setting, could totally rock the house. Gordon has a nice full band set up to help fill out his monstrous bass sound on tour including Scott Murawski on guitar, Craig Myers on percussion, Tom Cleary on keyboards and Todd Isler on drums. They kick off their tour at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse on Friday, February 28th.

Key Tracks: “Tiny Little World”, “Yarmouth Road”, “Face”

Buy the album here.

Check out Mike Gordon on tour here.

February 25, 2014
moe. Closes out Winter Tour at The F Shed in Syracuse

moe sure knows how to close out a tour and leave the fans wanting more, as they wrapped up another successful tour to a packed house at The F shed on Saturday February 15th.

The F Shed is a unique venue, located just miles off the New York State Thruway in Syracuse making it accessible from all major highways. It is essentially a giant garage that could easily store a fleet of commercial airlines. It almost gives the feel of an outdoor dance tent that most concertgoers would relate to, and it gives off an incredible vibe. Every city should really look at its model as something they should consider in their area.

Max Creek set the stage for the evening with some solid jams, led by Scott Murawski who would eventually join moe. on stage for a few songs. Max Creek has been a successful touring band for over 30 years and musically sound as great as any of the biggest names out there, with improvisational abilities that are top notch.

moe. wasted no time and opened the show with the classic fan favorite “Akimbo”, to thunderous applause. The lights were amazing and moe. was simply just hitting their stride when “32 Things” came up and got everyone flying. “Bring You Down >Awesome Gary > Mar De Ma” was an incredible run and gave the crowd not a moment to rest, with Rob Derhak giving off a hint of a smile as he slapped the bass. Scott Murawski from Max Creek joined the boys during “Mar De Ma” and helped accompany the band during a very solid cover of The Rolling Stones, “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” with “Spaz Medicine” closing out a very hot first set.

“Okayalright” got the crowd up and running again and is such a perfect opening song. “Happy Hour Hero” paid homage to Saranac Brewery and is always a nice shout out to the home of Al Schnier. “Blue Jeans Pizza >Seat Of My Pants” had to be the highlight of the night, especially on Al side, where he went into full blown rockstar mode at the front of the stage, making sure everyone was able to get that classic pose captured on the sea of cell phones held up high. When Schnier was holding back, Chuck Garvey would come in to wallop you with his solos, keeping your attention on the entire stage. Closing out the set with “Spine Of A Dog > Buster”, the band filled out what was an incredible run of songs.

The two songs of the encore brought chills to the air with covers of Pink Floyd’s “Time” and Frank Zappa’s “San Ber’dino”, followed by an impromptu costume change during “Downward Facing Dog” as Schnier mocked in his dog costume that he decided to wear throughout the final song, a classic image for all moe. fans.

moe. certainly brings their A game every time they play Upstate and we’re all very fortunate to be able to see them so often in New York State where they are truly a gem.

Set1: Akimbo >32 Things, Bring You Down > Awesome Gary > Mar-DeMa*, Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’*, Spaz Medicine
Set 2: Okayalright > Happy Hour Hero, Gone, Blue Jeans Pizza > Seat Of My Pants, Spine Of A Dog > Buster
Encore: Time, San Ber’dino, Downward Facing Dog
{* w/ Scott Murawski}

February 24, 2014
Buddhahood’s 6th Annual ‘January Thaw’ Event Brought Family & Friends out for a Good Cause

In September 2007, Buddhahoods founding member Tony Cavagnara was tragically killed in a car accident en route to a gig. Since then every year the remaining members and a crew of musical friends have been putting on the annual January Thaw concert. All proceeds from these concerts are donated to the Tony Cavagnaro Young Musician Scholarship Fund which benefits the Hochstein School of Music and Dance. This years show included Buddhahood and friends and local Rochester reggae force Thunderbody. Taking place at the beautiful Zeppa Auditorium (formerly The German House), things kicked off early to a who’s who of Rochester music fans and musicians.

During the extensive two+ hour set, Buddhahood was joined by dozens of local musicians. From Suzi Willpower to both Sean Drogan and Charles Lindner of The Manhattan Project, the stage was filled end to end with musicians playing from their hearts all night. Genre’s became meaningless as the band and guests skillfully traversed the musical map on a global scale. Blues, rock, world music, and more came together in a way only artists with true skill can render. Beyond that. any truly outstanding show, is filled with moments that engage our emotions, and this show was a shining example. During one moment in particular, when Tony’s own son joined the band for a very well done clarinet sit-in, not a dry eye could be seen.

Donations to Tony’s fund for Hochstein can be made here.

February 24, 2014
Well Worn Boot & Mr. Boneless at Buffalo’s Central Park Grill

Despite their stylistic differences, Buffalo-based bands Well Worn Boot and Mr. Boneless are both independently known for their high-energy rock-and-roll shows. If you put the two on a bill together in their hometown, you’re lucky if the building is intact afterwards. Luckily, Central Park Grill survived the night on Friday, February 7^th, when both Well Worn Boot and Mr. Boneless took the stage to a packed room for good-natured mayhem and truly original music. In addition to sharing Buffalo as their home turf, Boneless and Boot both started out in nearby Fredonia, New York, making the line-up a reunion of sorts. Before either band took stage the downstairs bar began to fill in, with new and old friends catching up over (numerous) drinks, waiting for the night of music to begin.

Mr. Boneless @ Central Park Grill – Photo: Patrick DePuy

Mr. Boneless opened up the show at about 10:30 PM, with a quintessential up-tempo set that featured gritty vocals over steady rock licks played with a modern twinge. The retro/modern dichotomy is sort of a recurring theme for the band, both in terms of musicality and stage presence. Musically, Boneless has a very apparent blues influence, but their tempos often lend themselves more to straight rock or punk, with transitions that you would find in 90’s alternative. I often hear a influences of Modest Mouse, Maps & Atlases and some “X” factor that varies between songs. A major highlight of this band is their dynamics, alongside guitar tones that range nicely between a clean vintage sound and over-driven fuzz. Boneless definitely favors song structure over jamming, however, they are not afraid to let a guitar solo rip or pound out a deep riff for a few extra bars. By the end of the set Central Park Grill was hot – both figuratively and literally – and ready to go.

Well Worn Boot @ Central Park Grill – Photo: Patrick DePuy

Well Worn Boot took the stage to a full room around midnight, opening with crashes of noise that gave stragglers at the bar one last heads-up before appropriately launching off with “Certified Party Girl”. According to flutist/vocalist/front man, The Plainsman, this was the only calculated move of the night, acknowledging proudly, “After that we were basically just picking out of a hat.” Known for their stage theatrics, Friday night was no different, with all characters engaging in wandering stories, audience participation and off-the-cuff antics. This appetite for providing undeniable entertainment, regardless of form (or intentional lack there of) is what makes Boot so endearing; they provide the same high-level of energy and passion whether they are playing a college town dive-bar or opening for GWAR at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom. This, paired with the fact that no two shows are the same makes for a concert experience like no other- – a responsibility that Plainsman does not take lightly. “Playing in Buffalo is no joke”, he explained, “You ever met a Bills fan? These people can take a hit, man. You have to notify them that they just lost, and they probably still won’t believe. That’s dedication. We have fans who have been to around fifty of our shows…We’re like Phish, but with less jamming.”

Well Worn Boot @ Central Park Grill – Photo: Patrick DePuy

Favorites of the night included classics such as straight-up-rocking “Ballad of Billy Klubb” (imagine 13^th Floor Elevators and Jethro Tull teamed up, with Tom Waits lyrics sung in Spin Doctors fashion); “Drunk on The Highway”, a steady psych-rock inspired tale featuring alien abductions and sex with space chicks, and fan-favorite rarity, “Chautauqua County” which is ultimately a punk rock ode to the region that pushed audience members to their peak unruliness. The set also included a number of new songs from Boot’s upcoming comic/EP Boot in Space, which is set to release on April 19^th. And if that’s not enough, Boot is in the process of taking submissions for their “Wild Wild Fest” which will take pace at the end of August in Silver Creek. That said, Boot is first and foremost concerned with providing a quality live performance and throwing a solid party for fans old and new. As The Plainsman summarized Friday night, “We were just happy to have so many friends in attendance. Every show is huge for us. I’ve been acting like I’m the biggest dude in America for like four years now.”

—

Mr. Boneless: misterboneless.bandcamp.com
Well Worn Boot: www.wellwornboot.com
Patrick DePuy, Photos: www.patrickdepuy.com
Bumrush Booking: www.bumrushbooking.com

February 23, 2014
Hearing Aid: Mosaic Foundation “Signs Of The Time”

Rochester reggae stalwarts Mosaic Foundation have released their latest album, Signs of The Times and have announced a big CNY show with The Moho Collective on Saturday, March 8th at The Lost Horizon in Syracuse. This will be the first time both bands have appeared at the legendary club and a fantastic opportunity for folks to see these two spectacular Rochester-based bands together. Skip to the end for details, but let’s check out the album first.

Mosaic Foundation has been plying their trade around the Northeast for half a decade, always danceable and infectious, open and joyful, reflective of the vibe and groove of their loosely framed genre. The disc jumps out of the gate with “We Can Make It If We Try”, a signature sounding anthem, reflective and positive, upbeat and uplifting, as Cha Cha establishes his vocal command and a flat-out infectious groove. “Reggae Escape” stretches the authenticity of Cha Cha’s voice and the band’s message, “This music is used to settle disputes … used to teach the youth their roots … righteous truths brothers.” The variety of pacing used here keeps the listener anticipating the next, whether driven by JP’s drums or Ken’s funky scratches. “My Planet”, then “Helping Hands” express the joy and sorrow of existence balanced against the perspective of survival and giving, the basic inter-connective tissue between everyone.

The title track picks up the theme and puts a bounce under it, letting the positive outweigh the negative, giving it breath to keep up the fight. Allowing space for reflection and vision while following a true path set before them. “Stand Firm” feels like a homage to those who’ve gone before them and a rallying cry to those they stand shoulder to shoulder with. It’s defiant, it’s firm, but the heartfelt joy comes out on top. “Abundance Of Water” is a call to arms of sorts, asking for vision from those living merely in the present. Then “San Kofa” spins forward the guitars and the band feels the up-shift in pacing, and depth of message, intensifying their passion for both.

“Praises” shows the true authenticity of Mosaic Foundation, each member’s musical instinct understands spacing, pacing and breathing. Reggae must be felt, perhaps more than any other genre, there’s a natural motion implied and if it doesn’t move you, it falls flat. There’s none of that here. “Harder The Battle” remains expressive of the struggle and what will overcome it, unity, love, strength, honesty and joy. “Harder the battle, sweeter the victory” indeed. “Jellyfish”, the closer, let’s the boys cut it loose and jam a little, the mix of the keys is deep and layered, evoking layers of feeling like an oceanic trip. The piano is exemplary, the guitar tasty and the rhythm solid, the idea of closing with an instrumental is unique and confident. Very cool stuff, well played and much respect!

Be sure to hit the big upcoming show on March 8th at The Lost Horizon with The Moho Collective! Check out The Moho Collective’s website. Advance tickets are available from Mosaic Foundation members. More details are available on the facebook event page here.

Mosaic Foundation is:

Ken Luk – guitars/ Melodica/ Minimoog/ piano/ vocals
Ekwem Itot Bogmis – piano/ Rhodes/ Hammond Organ/ vocals
Michael Corey – guitars
John-Paul Nawn – drums/ vocals
“Bongo” Brian Davis – percussion
“Cha Cha” Yao Foli Augustine – lead vocals/ percussion
Aaron Sprague – bass
Zach Dumrese – Sound Captain

Guests on this recording:
Angelo Peters – clavinet/ Farfisa and Hammond organ/ guitar
Lee Hamilton – sax
Ryan Zawel – trombone

February 22, 2014