Category: Music Festivals

Bella Terra Leaves its Mark on the Summer Festival Season

Bella Terra has continuously outdone itself as a small town festival, while keeping its reputation for pulling some of the biggest names in music and giving them a personal and organic experience.

Year after year festivals come and go from the circuit. These festivals open up new venues, new bands, and new experiences, but it isn’t until a festival has been around long enough to establish itself that you recognize the importance of all of these new avenues for the music world.

The extensive focus on both music and art makes the festival not just a string of fantastic musical performances, but an experience. Over the past few years Bella Terra has established itself as a festival with the bandwidth to hang with the best of them. The venue is small and intimate which gives patrons the opportunity to enjoy big names in a smaller crowd.

Bella Terra takes place year after year at Gardner’s Farm, nestled quietly in the sleepy town of Stephentown, New York amid the beautiful backdrop of the Berkshire Mountains. Being in between the capital of New York State and the Massachusetts border, the venue is out-of-the-way but in the middle of it all making it very accessible and an easy drive.

Conspirator was one of the main highlights of the weekend playing a 2 hour set and releasing a ton of new material. The band played their new sound “Quick Sand” which had extremely low-key but solid jams that were unlike anything they have put out thus far. Conspirator does a fantastic job of balancing each other out musically on stage. No particular band member takes the spot light for overly extended periods of time, and the entire band plays off of each others energy to create a phenomenal balance and stage presence. The entire set was leaning more on the jam side than their usual heavy-electronic sets, but still they included their classic sound of synth and bass oriented jams.

Papadosio played the Wicked Cool Stage directly following the Conspirator set which was an organic transition due to the parallels between the two bands. Over the past few years Papadosio has drawn quite the following and truly established themselves within the music scene.

Surprisingly, the tent during the Abakus set was next to empty with just a handful of die hards dancing intently throughout the small stage area. This is a shame as this was perhaps one of the most phenomenal electronic performances of the evening. Abakus played a set blending acid-house, electronic and trance that showed why Abakus has accumulated the amount of respect he has within the time he has spent at music festivals.

Local Upstate artists like Digital Dharma, DJ Leila, Mentally Ill, Formula 5 and Lucid represented well at their hometown festival with fire sets across the board. Turkuaz played a fantastic and energy packed daytime set with the perfect musical backdrop to begin the last evening of the festival. Dr. Fameus, aka Allen Aucoin of the Disco Biscuits, showed that you don’t need much more than a drum set to make the crowd move. Saturday night turned into a full-blown dance party with DJ Craze and his spectacular and mind-blowing spin-techniques. This seemed to be the biggest crowd pleaser of the weekend. Perhaps it was the exceptional amount of energy that both Craze and the crowd reciprocated throughout the set, or perhaps it was the insane and unrealistic style of DJing. Araab Muzik seemed to be another huge crowd draw, however it would have been nice to break up the heavy electronic acts with something a little more versatile. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this set was finding out that Araab Muzik uses an MCP Drum machine so all of his beats are being made live on stage. This definitely set him apart from all of the ‘push-play’ DJs that take stage from year to year at all of the festivals world-wide.

The Canadian electronic trio Keys and Krates packed the dance tent and blew the crowd away with a spectacular, high energy performance. They played a few new songs which seemed to settle well with the crowd, as well as their fan favorites “Dum Dee Dum,” and “High All the Time.” The Sky Net Stage lit up the night deep in the woods of Stephentown with a smaller set up and psychedelic decor. Cosmal, Ali Laz, and B.A Dario made for a great closing of the evening drawing the crowd away from the main concert stage and into the woods until the late hours of the night.

The huge focus on visual arts is also extremely evident throughout the festival. With a full set up of wooden cut outs of anyone from Theodore Roosevelt to Randy “Macho Man” Savage, art installations by Cinder Block Hustle included many set ups for live graffiti and painting lining the greater portion of the concert venue; it was refreshing to see such a solid blend of different medias. Throughout the long weekend fire spinners lined up to do their thing alongside the main stage in an enclosed area. There were fire spinners as young as five years old with immense amount of talent and passion. It was nice to see so many local artists of all different age groups and styles coming together and creating such beautiful and different varieties of art.

To sum up the festival in the words of Jules Jennsen of IndoBox:“The people who put it on are solid people. I have a lot of respect for what they do. This festival is true to their vision and they persevere in an ever-changing environment through the Northeast festivals. There’s always a good lineup and always a good vibe. I’m just happy I can go home and feed my cat.”

September 5, 2014
Camp Creek: Where Old Memories Come to Life And New Ones Are Made

The rain slowly fell, as did expectations of decent weather for another festival weekend at Camp Creek. The bikers who occupy the Indian Lookout Country Club were efficient in their car searches as well as very polite . They were so cordial in fact that when dropping a bag of Cheetos out of a campers car, they gave it back to them, much to the chagrin of the biker who had Chester the Cheetah tattooed on his arms. This vibe was implanted into the overall feeling once campers got inside as well. The mist and drizzle continued, there weren’t any down pours – just enough rain to be a bother. Everyone was helping everyone else get their gear setup, an overly friendly gesture not always seen at festivals, if ever.

The Country Club was extraordinary but this was not your grandparent’s country club – there are no golf courses or swimming pools or croquet court. No, this is a retreat for bikers and a beautiful one at that. Over looking a magnificent array of mountains as far as the eye could see with lakes and a water fountain, this place just seemed like home. Although the weather was a slight detriment there was this calming vibe covering the entire venue so there were little if any worries.

Casey Bloom, a native of Canandaigua, NY, opened the festival up with an acoustic set focusing on many Grateful Dead, Tom Petty and Pink Floyd covers such as “Lady with a Fan,” “Wildflowers” and “Fearless”. This was a fantastic way to kick off the festival as people began to fill up the hill stage and sang along to all their favorites. The table was set for a brilliant weekend of music. As the evening progressed so did the music and positive energy. The staff was delightful as they made the campers comfort their number one priority. Having staff constantly checking on the bathrooms to ensure cleanliness, is a lesson other festivals should learn from. As well as helping disabled festival goers with their wheelchairs or offering to lend a hand if you were carrying too much, their courtesy was above and beyond any call of duty.

The Marks Brothers, led by Max Creek keyboardist Marc Mercier, had fans swarming at the Hill Stage to get a glimpse. Featuring Mark Paradis on guitar, Brian Konopka behind the drum-kit and Dave Stoltz slapping the bass. These four put on a very rocking set putting a different spin on some standards that Marc does while playing with Creek. The once grassy area in front of the stage had now become a muddy disaster but no one was bothered by this, in fact the longer the set went on the more the tent filled and created more mud. The best thing about this band was they played songs that Creek plays but they played them a lot heavier it wasn’t just Marc playing the same songs the same way with different guys, different guys means a different sound and that’s what the Marks Brothers delivered.

The spirit of ’70s southern rock lives on through many bands in the music scene today, however very few emulate it as Eastbound Jesus does. EBJ is a band hailing from Greenwich, NY which embodies everything there is about the that era of music. Weird? Maybe. Does it matter? No. This band rocked hard. Adam Brockway, the bands centerpiece controlled the crowd with his movements and twangy vocal styling. Brockway demands the crowd’s attention and he receives it. Although there are many acoustic bands with similar styles, the electric guitar playing of Dylan Robinson separates EBJ from all the rest. The smooth modern sound over the classic rock backing is a sound untouched by very few if any bands out there today. It catches the ear of not only jam band fans, but that of bluegrass and country as to not pigeon-hole their fan base. The sky is the limit for EBJ, and they will reach it very soon.

After EBJ the floor was completely muddy but that didn’t stop anyone from coming to see the main act Friday night. Beau Sasser, Ed Mann, Bill Carbone and Scott Murawski packed the tent over capacity and out into the surrounding area. This all-star lineup was nothing less than spectacular. Sasser has a knack for the keys possessed by no one. He owned the crowd from the very start with his nonchalant confidence as he smoked his cigarette and talked to the sound guy, never missing a beat. He transmitted very spacey sounds as the rest of the group severed as a backdrop. Murakswi shared some amazing solos, Sasser was right with him, this was his show, and everyone was very ecstatic about the energy. As the night wound down the bikers kept watch over everything making sure no one got out of hand and that everyone was safe. That was the key to the whole festival, safety.

Saturday morning showed some promise both as far as the weather went and the music, the day started perfectly. Although the sky was overcast the sun was trying to emerge itself through covering clouds. Hot Acoustics opened the morning up with special guests John Rider and Jamerreal Stanley, for a well awaited sit-in by the remaining members of Max Creek . The set featured four people having a good time all had smiles on their faces and the music was spot on. To start a Saturday off this was the right way, as the afternoon rolled on and the sun broke through Matt Zeieer and crew did their things much to the liking of the crowd, but it wasn’t until Ryan Montebleu took that stage that the crowd really got into the vibe. Playing sing along songs, the most catchy was “Eggs” a fun little song about how he likes his eggs. The crowd was inside and outside of the ten and no on he was having a bad time Playing “Sergent peppers Lonely Hearts Club” band was a great addition to the set everyone knew it and everyone loved it. Ryan Montebleu was defiantly an important act on the schedule.

When Max Creek took the stage around 7p.m. the place was ready to get down and so was Creek. Camp Creek is like the Superbowl to Creek, they hold it out all year just for this set, and by hearing it you can tell this was true, “Jones” opened the show and from the first note everyone was dancing, smiling hugging, family. The grooves continued and the crowd continued to eat it up. It wasn’t until “drums>space>drums” that things really hit their peak. With avant-garde sounds reminiscent, almost emulating Pink Floyd, the crowd was entranced, just waiting in awe for what was to come next. There was no telling, even in the 18 plus minute “Who do You love” the aura was still there and it finally dropped into the beautiful “Emerald Eyes”. Everyone was either smiling, crying or screaming. This is what Creek is about no matter what emotion, they are bound to channel at least one every time. And, this time was no exception. “Down with the Jungle” a song wich featured Jammerel Stanley on main vocals was completely off the charts. It showed that after all these years Creek still has the power of diversity. In the middle of the song Jammerall rapped, a rap at Camp creek, with Max Creek, by a Max Creek member.; Awesome.

Long time Creek collaborator Frank Messina came up and delivered an amazing poem about America, although it was a little hard to follow at the time, he always brought it back to “the Soul of America” – it was phenomenal. “Twist and Shout” was the next rocking number to get everyone back in the mood before they were getting ready to wrap up their five-plus hour show. This show was as close to perfect that can be achieved.

There is no cure for the Sunday festival blues like a little early morning smooth jazz. Jammerall, Stanely and the Drummers for Peace and Equality delivered just that. With a nice mellow drum beat under the slow smooth trumpet set the mood right, nothing to fast nothing to crazy, just something to slowly get your groove back after a long weekend. These guys were booked perfectly as a rocking afternoon was soon to take place.

Spitune, playing on the hill stage to a mediocre crowd, was the key to Sunday as a lot of campers packed it up and left that morning, but that wasn’t going to stop the party from continuing. Opening the set with a cover of the band who is hosting the festival has to take a lot of courage and SpiTune did just that. Starting their set with the creek classic “Something is Forming” and putting their own twist on it was a very nice surprise that left the crowd in bewilderment. When Creek plays the song it changes it up but basically in the same structure, SpiTune changed-up some of the vocal arrangements to make it feel more original.

Flipper Dave was ready to party when they took the stage. Playing gongs that were not only jammy, but also personal, it was a nice change of pace, Scott Murawski got brought up several times and helped the boys out that was not needed but it was fun to see these friends play together, this family play together, That was the presence of the whole weekend that this was juts one big family, bands included and they were going to play that they wanted to when they want to, much to the delight of the other bands.This is what a true festival should be like. This has been lost in the festival scene when promoters book bands that have no connection to each other. As soon as you can feel the disconnection from the bands it takes away from the festival as a whole, Camp Creek did it their way, the right way.

Fungus Amungus was the last hill stage act. They tore it down. With a horn section like no other and yet another appearance by, Scott Murasaki. Muraswki sat in for two songs then the best part of the set occurred when the band play homage to some of the greatest groups of the seventies, Pink Floyd and Zeppelin playing Zeppelin “The Ocean” and “Moby Dick” followed Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”.

The final act of the festival, which should’ve been dubbed Max Creek and friends was up on the main stage next. This was a special treat. This is what the festival was all about: Family. Having most of the guys who were playing sit in with them was something special, from festival opener CaseyBloom, To Keyboardist, Beaus Sasser to Murawski’s grandson, this was a very special set. It was more fun than anything and that’s what it’s all about. When Max Creek decided to put this festival on this year they said they wanted to have a party like it used to be. They succeeded, they succeeded with flying colors and this set proved it.

September 5, 2014
Peach Music Festival 2014 Delivers on a Much Anticipated Weekend

The Peach Music Festival of 2014 may have hit a few bumps in the road in the last week before the festival got under way, however it did not stop them from having one very successful event. When the news came out that Bob Weir and Ratdog would be cancelling the remainder of their touring schedule, including the Peach, there were some very unhappy fans who expressed their opinions all over social media. The Peach on the other hand took a deep breath and managed the situation like any good executive would and came through in a big way. They were able to fill Weir’s void with a second night of Trey Anastasio Band. The festival also added a special set of Grateful Dead music by a super-group of very talented musicians.

Thursday night brought the majority of the crowd to the mountains of Pennsylvania and the music started at 6PM with Citizens Band Radio followed by local northeast bluegrass standouts Cabinet. Cabinet was asked back with good reason, they were one of the most talked about groups from last year’s festival. George Clinton and Parliament Funk followed Cabinet and brought the funk. George Clinton and the P Funk have been playing for over 40 years and have been part of some big time stages; it was great seeing them at The Peach. Late night is always a great time when it comes to music festivals. Dopapod,who also returned to The Peach again this year, played an incredible set combined with great lighting and jams that lit up the sky. There were plenty of people talking about what a great show it had been closing out night one. This was only the beginning as Friday would bring some heavy hitters and with the newly added acts for Friday night, the anticipation was at an all time high.

Friday started off the day with, From Good Homes on the main stage and Trigger Hippy on the Mushroom Stage. Blackberry Smoke got a lot of people moving at the Peach Stage and by the time JJ Grey and Mofro began their set the majority spent their time there. JJ Grey doesn’t travel much up north and being at the Peach this year was something I was excited for. JJ Grey’s voice and southern soul reminded me of Joe Cocker. Grey’s voice delivers as much as his music does with flashes of excitement on stage. He brought a lot of smiles and he was perfect in the placement of the festival. Playing several of his notable songs and bantering back and forth with the crowd, he was a shining spot in not just the Friday lineup but in the entire weekend. I hope that JJ Grey and Mofro can make some time to come up north more often, he is definitely more than welcome.

One thing about the Peach, you sure do get your exercise bouncing from stage to stage. As soon as JJ Grey was finishing up The Revivalists were getting going over on the Mushroom stage and by the time you made it over there, The Revivalists crowd was packed right up to the stage. Out of the middle of the crowd one could see David Shaw’s head and noticeable hair bobbing to the beat, shaking everyone’s hands as he made his way to and from the stage. He loves every minute on and off the stage, smiling from ear to ear. The Revivalists give the fan the ultimate experience every time they perform with great energy, music and showmanship.

The Peach stage was just ramping up as soon as the dinner hour was looming with a Dead set featuring a cast of excellent musicians. The lineup was put together in the last week with the departure of Bob Weir and Ratdog from the festival lineup. The festival had brought a lot of the Grateful Dead crowd in past years and with the remaining fan base that didn’t bail with the Weir announcement, were treated to a great set by Joe Russo (drums), Jackie Greene (guitar), Jeff Chimenti (keys), Reed Mathis (bass), Scott Metzger (guitar), Tom Hamilton (guitar) and Joan Osbourne (vocals).Tedeschi Trucks band carried on after a great set and opened with Traffic’s ” Who Knows What Tomorrow Brings”. Playing their staples with “Midnight in Harlem” and “Bound for Glory”. TTB also played Willie Johnson’s ” Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burned” which saw a seated Trucks with an acoustic guitar. Trucks normally can be seen playing his Gibson SG, so it was nice to see him donning a different look and playing some old Delta blues taking the listener back to a simpler time. Trey Anastasio Band was headlining the evening and I couldn’t have been more excited, shamelessly I haven’t seen TAB yet and was looking forward to it; seeing Phish many times I had an appreciation for Trey’s guitar work interlaced with his normal band but it was the mix with horns and backup singers I was looking forward to checking out the most. Opening with the upbeat ” Sometimes after Sunset” and playing a set filled with songs like “Shine” Phish’s ” Sand” and closing out with “Push on Til the Day”. Trey’s guitar solos grab your attention and he loves to feed off the energy of the crowd producing a different solo on any given night.

Anastasio is truly a master with being able to take the crowds feelings and let it be broadcast with his solid guitar playing. The encore brought a familiar song to the masses with Led Zepplin’s ” Black Dog”. When it was first announced that TAB would be playing two nights, it was a bittersweet feeling, I felt that maybe another band would have been added but I was soon glad that TAB would be playing two nights because one set just wasn’t enough for me and I couldn’t wait come Saturday evening on the main stage. Friday’s late night sets included Scranton’s own Cabinet on the Grove stage and Big Gigantic on the Mushroom stage. Big Gigantic has played countless festivals throughout the entire country and their Livetronica and lighting kept the late night crowd entertained into the night.

What started out as an overcast type day soon turned into a day filled with sunshine and music. Everyone dusted themselves off from the night before, got a breakfast burrito and a morning beverage and dove right back into the music filled Saturday. The Mushroom stage started the day off with The London Souls and Rich Robinson Band, while The Peach stage brought out The Tribal Seeds and The Infamous Stringdusters. The Grove stage hosted Tom Graham and Jamestown’s Big Leg Emma. Big Leg Emma had a sizable crowd brewing, representing the western New York scene rather nicely. Gov’t Mule took the Peach Stage as they did many times before at this festival and the many festivals around the country. Warren Haynes, an extremely talented guitarist, with his crunchy guitar and southern twang, always seems to impress the crowd. Haynes is not only a great guitarist but he is one of the most humble and respected people throughout the industry, he is as real as someone gets in the spotlight and it shines through in his playing. One of the greatest things about Warren was his guitar technique. Brian Farmer, who by the time you’ll have read this had unfortunately passed away; Farmer may have been one of the most well liked persons who seemed to have loved life every time you saw him. It’s with a heavy heart that I type this and know that this gentle giant will be missed by so many, Thank you Mr. Farmer for making sure that Warren’s guitars always sounded top-notch.

Another bright spot for western New York State was Aqueous, who played the Grove stage and had the largest gathering of people on that stage, their constant touring throughout New York and Pennsylvania has really paid off, as well as the many followers coming from Buffalo, NY that made the trip. The band started off their set with “King for a Day”. Kicking it into high gear with a rousing segue series with “Skyway>Staring into the Sun>Heart Shaped Box> Warren in the Window”. Closing the set with ” Strange Times” and using every bit of their allotted time with one incredible set from start to finish. The set was perfectly placed at a time when the crowd was filtering into the main stage area for Trey Anastasio Band’s second night set. If there were any non believers watching Aqueous perform their set, I would bet that there wearing an Aqueous shirt today. As everyone shuffled off from Aqueous, the main stage filled in with many people for night two of Trey Anastasio Band. The talk around the campgrounds was on how everyone loved TAB the night before. Night two included three Phish songs to keep all the phans pretty content with “Alaska”, “Gotta Jibboo” and “First Tube”. Trey played to the crowd again on the second night and at one point dodging a few giant-sized balloons that found their way on stage, without missing a beat and smiling in true Trey form.

As good as TAB was, the night belonged to The Allman Brothers Band. The amphitheater was packed to the gills both in the pavilion and on the lawn. There were not many people at the venue that weren’t down to hear the band. As the Allmans came on stage the crowd erupted, Butch Trucks came up to his elevated drum kit with fists clenched high and got the fired up crown even more excited. Ever since the Allmans announced this would be their final tour the anticipation for this show was at an all time high. The band was also going to play their 1972 album, Eat a Peach in its entirety. As soon as the group hit the first few notes of “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” they new this night was going to be something special. Following along to the album, the boys played “Les Brers in A Minor” and “Melissa”. “Mountain Jam” was incredible, with Oteil Burbridge’s thumping bass, Butch Trucks’ rolling drums matched with being on an actual mountain and at The Allman’s festival it was a once in a lifetime experience. Rolling right through with ” One Way Out”, ” Trouble No More”, “Stand Back” and closing the set with a rousing ” Blue Sky”. The Allmans stepped off stage for what seemed like seconds, returning with just Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes who came out and played ” Little Matha” while images of the late Duane Allman with old footage of the Allman Brothers band were displayed on the screens. It was a great moment with two of the newest members of the band paying a tribute to the originals. Danny Louis once again joined the group onstage; Louis who plays in Govt Mule, played on the opening song and on “That’s What Love Will Make You Do”. Closing the night out with “Black Hearted Woman” the band finished up their first night and it was one of the best I have ever seen from them. The band was on point, and they showed it all night long. The Allmans are true pioneers in the music scene, if there wasn’t groups like this, we wouldn’t have a lot of the music we love to listen to from so many others. It was amazing to catch them before they decided to hang it up and if you weren’t able to make the festival you may want to make some plans to catch them with their Beacon Theatre run.

Setlist: *Ain’t Waistin’ Time No More, Les Brers in A Minor, Melissa, Mountain Jam, One Way Out, Trouble No More, Stand Back, Blue Sky Encore: Little Martha, That’s What Love Will Make You Do, Black Hearted Woman *Eat A Peach in its Entirety

Late night featured two great bands with Lotus and The Ron Hollaway Band playing on opposite sides, NYS Music’s own Garrett Montgomery reflects on the latter which we both had the pleasure of attending. As a mass exodus of fans headed to watch Lotus from the poolside Mushroom Stage, Ron Holloway started spraying melodic runs with his tenor saxophone at the smaller Grove Stage. A highly revered veteran of the festival circuit, this was only the second ever show Holloway has played with his new project, The Ron Hollaway Band. After singers Amanda Lynne and Jenny Poppen pleaded “God make me funky!” and bassist Chris Brown’s quickly flicking fingers demonstrated he was blessed with that gift, the late night crowd was provided a special surprise. Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks and Danny Louis joined The Ron Holloway Band on stage for unforgettable renditions of “The Weight” and “The Letter.”

“We were fortunate enough to slide into that midnight spot,” lead singer Jenny Poppen said. “It couldn’t have been a more perfect place. People were leaving the Allman Brothers, heard us, and had to stop. We were hoping Warren and Derek would join us, but it was a last-minute surprise even for us!”

Solos flew like hotcakes for the star-studded The Band cover, while Rod Gross kept everyone in line on the drums. The crowd sang the well-known lyrics in unison, and then the heavy hitters stepped up. Holloway soloed first, laying out a template for the others to build on. Warren retorted in soul-wrenching style. Trucks, who seemed to be hiding near the back of the small stage, slid in and added his share to the monster jam. Holloway’s guitarist Joe Poppen, however, would not be outdone during his set. He shredded to pieces what the other rock stars built up, showcasing his own clout as a highly talented guitarist.

When “The Weight” wound down, The Allman Brothers‘ guitarists and Govt’ Mule keys player stuck around for a cover of “The Letter”. According to Holloway, “They saw the song list and gravitated toward those two songs. [Warren and Derek] liked the idea of playing both songs, which made it even more fun having them stay out for two.” Holloway, who has played with Root Boy Slim, Dizzy Gillespie, Little Feat, and many more musicians throughout his career, added, “It was an honor and a privilege being up with them, those are two of my very best friends.”

After the guests left the stage, the Ron Hollow Band continued to rock the crowd well past curfew, playing a mix of jazz, soul, funk, and blues. Amanda Lynne started a heartfelt cover of Neil Young’s “Down By The River” that Jenny Poppen added her “Black Betty” touch to. Holloway warned, “Careful ladies, there are a lot of horny guys out there,” as his band mates grooved and grinded on stage. While it was easy to be seduced by their shaking hips and pretty faces, their appeal was rooted even deeper in their soulful voices. With musical legends crowding the stage, no one could mistake Jenny running the show and Amanda Lynne’s voice was rousing. Holloway, who discovered Lynne in 2013, realized she wasn’t being properly utilized in her previous band. “I thought to myself, ‘I want to get her in a setting to really shine.’ So she was definitely going to be a part of the band.”

The Peach set included a grooving version of “What Is Hip” and keys player Wes Lanich cranked it up during “Memphis Soul Stew.” While the night was full of covers, Holloway portends, “We’re here for the duration. We’re thinking about getting into the studio and recording, that’s a definite. It’ll probably be a mixture of both [covers and originals], but definitely expect originals.” The next scheduled Ron Holloway Band show is at the 8×10 Club in Baltimore. Though no dates are confirmed yet, Holloway and Jenny Poppen both hinted that it will not be long before the band returns for another show in the northeast.

Set list: Blackbird, God Make Me Funky, The Weight, The Letter, Baby I Love You, Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean, Make It Rain, Congo Square, Baby Love, If I’m In Luck (I Just Might Get Picked Up), Breaking Up Somebody’s Home, Down By The River, Kissing My Love, What Is Hip, Memphis Soul Stew, Rock Ready

Lineup: Ron Holloway (tenor saxophone), Jenny “Black Betty” Poppen (vocals), Amanda Lynne (vocals), Joe Poppen (guitar), Christopher Brown (bass), Wes Lanich (keys), Rodd Gross (drums)

Guests: Warren Haynes (guitar), Derek Trucks (guitar), Danny Louis (keys)

Sunday tends to be a more laid back day, with a crowd that had been going hard since thursday night, Sunday set up with a sense calmness to it. A good amount of people tend to also pack up and head out and get to the travel ahead of schedule and back to reality. For the hardcore festival goers that like to use every minute of the weekend for the festival, they are treated to some great music. The day started out with Wake Up With Warren. A set with Warren Haynes and an acoustic guitar. Warren played several Govt Mule songs, Allman Brothers Band tunes, a Rolling Stones cover and closing with Pink Floyd’s ” Wish You Were Here”. Haynes is such a versatile guitar player that he can play just about anything and with the knowledge of music that he has learned, he makes it look easy.

Taj Mahal Trio, who is led by Grammy award-winning blues musician, Henry Saint Clair Fredricks has been playing music for 50 years. Taj Mahal, is what he uses for his stage name played with some of the greatest blues musicians in his time and was a refreshing sound of authentic raw blues on Sunday. The Soul Rebels, a band from New Orleans had a big sound and was working to get the crowd jumping for the Allman Brothers return to the stage. The eight piece band brought the funk, jazz and dance to the stage and was a nice surprise to the Sunday afternoon. Bridging The Rebels and the Allmans was Jimkata, which closed out the Grove stage with a solid set and very good appearance at The Peach.

The Allman Brothers band closed out the festival, once again coming on stage to a standing ovation and the band got right into it opening with The Spencer Davis Group’s ” Don’t Want You No More”. Playing through their extensive catalog while playing popular songs such as ” Statesboro Blues” , “Midnight Rider”, ” Soulshine”, ” In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and closing with ” Whipping Post”. The Peach fans definitely got a big slice of Allman Brothers for the weekend and it’s going to be tough to see this band hang it up with touring. I sure hope they rethink it and perhaps still attend the festival that they created only three short years earlier. If the Allmans decide to permanently put it on hold I sure hope they pass the torch to a great band that can take on the festival and continue to grow it the way the Allman Brothers Band had always planned.

Setlist: Dont Want You No More, It’s Not My Cross to Bear, Midnight Rider, Done Somebody Wrong, Hot’Lanta, Dusk Till Dawn, Leave My Blues At Home, Statesboro Blues, Soulshine, You Don’t Love Me, Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl, Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, JaBuMaOt >In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, No One To Run With

Encore: Whipping Post

August 29, 2014
Bringing Your Dog to a Music Festival

The one thing I never understood about music festivals was people who bring their dogs with them. How can a dog possibly enjoy a music festival with the loud music, heat/humidity and rain/mud?

It never made sense to bring a dog to a festival under really any circumstances. Service dogs aside, dogs and music festivals don’t go together, period.

Then I brought my dog to a music festival and saw it from the other side of things. Before I share that story, lets talk about service dogs and “service dogs”.

First, there are real, certifiable service dogs, the kind that go through training, stay with their master/friend, and have a purpose to their being there. These service dogs lead the visually impaired, can sense low blood sugar in diabetics, seizures in epileptics and a myriad of other conditions that are better served with a companion than medication or simply not being able to enjoy things like music festivals. The certification process is involving and can ensure that those with a service dog can attend a music festival; or concert for that matter.

Then there are “service dogs” – I put that in quotes because they aren’t service dogs per se, it’s just that the owners have figured out how to fill out a form and bring their dog with them. This dog is a pet and provides no health-related service to their owner, except perhaps curing separation anxiety on either end of things. Perhaps a place to stay better than a music festival was hard to come by, or a kennel wasn’t an option, but “service dogs” or pets that provide no vital service, do not belong at a music festival, period. This group of individuals take away from actual service dogs who are needed to be there to help their owner/master/friend.

Then you have festivals that are so small and camping centric, that service dog or not, dogs are welcome at the discretion of the promoter and land owner. I’m not talking about Bonnaroo, Summer Camp, moe.down or even StrangeCreek – those festivals wouldn’t let you into a festival without proper documentation – and why in the world would you bring a dog to Bonnaroo when it’s June in Tennessee? I’m talking about a music festival that is small enough to accommodate fans who bring their dogs and has an atmosphere and environment that makes bringing a dog a plus.

On Aug. 8, I brought my dog Halley to Backwoods Pondfest, a small music festival in Peru, NY, outside Plattsburgh. The festival is dog friendly, charges $20 per dog and asks they be leashed at all times. This was a fair deal and was a great location to bring dogs, as the weather is never too hot or humid in the northern reaches of New York in early August. The crowd is very animal friendly, with a fair amount of dogs but lacking a negative attitude towards them. Dogs are welcome at Backwoods Pondfest, so long as their respective owners are.

When I brought Halley to Backwoods, she took to the location quickly, watching me unpack what she had watched me pack the day prior, setting up the tent she was familiar with and making a home for the next 36-48 hours. She didn’t bark, she laid and enjoyed the outdoors, as well as her all natural tick remedy that I thought about at the eleventh hour. She enjoyed the crowd, the people and the environment. She is also 14 years old, healthy beyond light arthritis and always in good spirits. As she watched us eat, drink and enjoy our site, she relaxed on the ground and kept a watchful eye. It was like camping anywhere else, just with music playing 100 feet away.

Halley took walks, went inside the grounds, and having lost her hearing this past year, we ventured backstage where she found things comfortable. Any younger and I would not have brought her backstage, but the area was open to all with a media pass, even a girl with a giant Macaw. When I wanted to leave her at the site, Halley was already content. She went into the tent when it got cold and got under her blankets. I checked on her often, being so very close to the site, it took not even a minute to pop in on her and get back to the music. This went on all weekend and she was a happy dog.

But if I brought her last year, or three years ago, or to any other festival in her 14 years, she would have hated it and I would have hated the decision to bring her. Dogs need to run and play and sniff and be curious and explore. Halley has done all that. She was content to explore Backwoods Pondfest from the end of a leash in short walks and hang out at the campsite the rest of the time. With four friends camping with us, she always had someone checking on her and making sure she was having a good time – just like humans do for other humans at festivals.

Had I brought her earlier in the summer or to a larger festival, she would have dealt with heat and sensation overload and I would have seen little music. No fun for either of us. And that is why dogs aren’t meant for festivals. When they are at a festival, they are the focus and the one bit of responsibility a person can have to anyone but him/herself. I have always enjoyed that sense of ZERO responsibility at a festival and only needing to exhibit human decency for the entirety of the event. If I was covering a festival for a media outlet, I would take that responsibility in kind, but a pet, a dog, a friend to keep an eye on – that’s another story. Ever dealt with a friend who took too much of something and you had to babysit or alter plans as a result? Same thing with a dog at a festival, but it lasts all weekend.

When it came to music, I didn’t mind missing some of the acts, since I may see these bands again in the next four months, as many come through Albany on a regular basis. I didn’t mind checking in on Halley and making sure she was OK. I didn’t mind much of anything with her there. I had seen many festivals (60 or so) and was content not overdoing it. The same went for Halley. All of us hung out and saw music and I treated her like one of the regular festival crew I rolled with. She just didn’t see all the music with us and was cool with that. And at night she got cold so she napped in the car with the heat on. Being a dog has its perks.

I brought Halley at the right time to the right festival and the right environment. She is turning 15 in a few weeks. I would never bring her to a festival again, only because this time was perfect all around. But if she was younger and she made it through one Backwoods Pondfest, I wouldn’t mind bringing her to the fest a year later.

Even though she enjoyed the experience, I would not have brought her if it was not allowed and I hadn’t been there before to know what it is like. Knowing the festival and the venue in advance helped a great deal, and I’ll love going back next year and seeing the random gathering of dogs among 1,000 or so festival-goers.

But if you can, leave you dog at home with friends or family. Festivals are meant for humans to enjoy.

August 27, 2014
Excitement Builds as 2014 Catskill Chill Approaches

That time of year is slowly but steadily approaching where the leaves begin to change, the air becomes crisp and Summer festival season becomes just a memory. And so begins the countdown for the Catskill Chill. Each year Catskill Chill Festival brings a phenomenal lineup and a perfect end to the Summer festival season. Nestled quaintly in the quiet town of Hancock, New York, Camp Minglewood creates the perfect backdrop for a weekend in the great Northeast. Catskill Chill 2014 contains the intimate feel of a smaller hometown festival while bringing huge names and large crowds for a weekend to remember. Past acts have included The Meter Men with Page McConnell of Phish, Lotus, Dopapod, Papadosio, Lettuce, Yonder Mountain String Band, Soulive, JGB, Umphrey’s McGee and many, many more. In true Chill fashion, the line up covers a broad spectrum of some of the best acts, big and small. It is no wonder that Catskill Chill has quickly become a staple to every veteran festival goers Summer tour season. Buy your tickets now!

Alongside a weekend of phenomenal music, The Chill offers a variety of different activities that creates an environment that is much more than just a festival ground. Festival attendees are offered daily yoga classes, open mics, a wide array of vendors to browse through and a full farmer’s market where one can purchase fresh produce. While camping is offered, there are also cabins on premise that are rented out for a small group of people and offer running water, beds and a roof over your head for a long weekend of music and good vibes. Each day at the Chill offers a different experience and a variety of different musical acts to expand even the most musically diverse pallet. Below are the day-to-day schedules along with some must see performances that make up this truly spectacular festival.

Friday:

The Primate Fiasco (6:30pm-7:45pm): The versatility and energy behind the Primate Fiasco is one to be reckoned with. The band is compiled of a broad spectrum of instruments (i.e. sousaphone, banjo, brass, woodwinds, drums), and they’ve been known to burst into a full blown dance party in the middle of the street when they feel necessary. The band clearly has a great time on stage together and you can’t help but move your feet while these guys do what they do best.

Marco Benevento (10pm-11:25 pm): Amazing music, amazing guy and a ton of whiskey. Benevento is known to keep a bottle of Maker’s Mark as well as a giant tiger head on stage with him for when things get really wild. Aside from the fact that he is a brilliant musician, he also contains quite the stage presence. This performance will without a doubt be fun and entertaining, but also be packed with musical talent.

Twiddle (Dead Set) (10:30pm-12:15am): Over the past couple years Twiddle has gained exponential recognition within the music scene for their talents. There is certainly a reason their music draws such large crowds, and the fact that they’re doing an entire Grateful Dead set? You definitely do not want to miss this!

Lettuce (11:15pm-1:15am)- Hands down one of the funkiest bands to see live. Each member in the band brings a fantastic amount of talent to make up this power house of funk.

Shpongle (Simon Posford DJ set) (2:30-4:00 am)- While the Simon Posford DJ set isn’t the full Shpongle experience, if you’re into DMT fueled, spacey, electronic dance parties you certainly want to catch this performance. Posford is not just a musical genius but also a performer. He knows how to entertain a crowd and he does it well.

Saturday:

Tauk (6:30pm-8:30pm): Tauk gained rapid popularity with their entirely instrumental 2013 album, Homonculous. It says a lot about a musician when you can experience an array of emotions through an album without words. This foursome from NYC is packed with so much energy and talent they definitely make the “do not miss” list.

Consider the Source (7pm-8pm): Consider the Source brings a taste of Middle-Eastern fusion to the jamband scene. The trio’s stage presence blends multiple genres and sounds to create something unlike anything you’ve ever heard. If that doesn’t do it for you, go for the fretless double necked guitar that Gabriel Marin plays with great ease. If you’ve never seen Consider the Source life, make sure to get down to their acoustic set on Saturday evening.

Yonder Mountain String Band (8pm-10pm): Yonder Mountain String Band brings a perfect blend of jam and bluegrass while bringing a musical diversity to a genre that has set them apart from many artists in the live music community. While Yonder brings more of a low key vibe to start off your evening, there is certainly not a lack of pickin’ and mind blowing jams.

Cosby Sweater (8:30pm-10pm): Cosby Sweater is a live electronic trio bringing live mash-ups and high energy dance remixes. While these days there seems to be an abundance of “EDM” acts at every festival coast to coast, Cosby Sweater sets themselves apart with their kitchy name, unabashed musical talent and obvious ability to set the crowd into a full blown dance frenzy.

The New Deal (11:15pm-1:15am): The announcement of The New Deal’s reunion flipped the music world upside down. The trio includes original bassist Dan Kurtz, original keyboardist Jamie Shields and new to the band, Joel Stouffer on the drums. The New Deal always puts on a fantastic performance and is the perfect set to start your evening off right. The amount of excitement that has surrounded their Summer tour is incredible, so make sure you check these guys out before they retire, again.

Sunday:

Turkuaz (12:30pm-1:55pm): A diverse arrangement of music, instruments and excessive funk. Turkuaz has quickly become one of the funkiest bands on the East Coast. Visually their performances are stunning and the amount of energy pouring out from the stage makes it damn near impossible to not get caught up in all that is Turkuaz.

Particle (3:15pm-4:40pm): Particle is known for its progressive rock-jam roots and has acquired a wildly enthusiastic following referred to as “Particle People.” A perfect blend of electronic and organic, Particle is a phenomenal act to add to the already outstanding line up of the Chill.

The Manhattan Project (5:30pm-6:30pm): The Manhattan Project has quickly acquired one of the fastest growing followings of any electronic duo in the Northeast. The duo has made their mark on the music scene with their high energy performances, fantastic covers and live remixes that will keep any crowd moving from beginning to end. If you have yet to see these guys do their thing, don’t miss them at the Chill.

Kung Fu (6pm-7:25pm): Kung Fu is easily summed up by a ball of energetic, funk explosion. Every member of the band plays with so much enthusiasm it is evident that these guys have a ton of fun doing what they do. Often taking the stage fully clad in their Kung Fu attire, the band in its entirety loves what they do, and what they do is done well.

Electron (9pm-11pm): Electron is the original Disco Biscuits side project made up of Marc Brownstein, Aron Magner, Tommy Hamilton of Brothers Past and Mike Greenfield of Lotus. This is one insane mash up of some of the biggest names on the scene and their performance will be nothing short of excellent.

See you soon #ChillFam!

August 26, 2014
UpstateLOUD: A Backwoods Pondfest Recap

As far as music festivals in New York State go, there’s one that stands just a little more Upstate than all the others. Located in Peru, NY, a mere half hour from the Canadian border, Backwoods Pondfest truly lives up to its name. The festival features a scenic backwoods campground that lies, naturally, next to a large pond in the heart of the North Country. For the eighth year in a row, Twin Ponds Campsite played host to both musicians and campers for a weekend that was filled with beautiful weather and live Upstate music.

The festival seems to pride itself in offering a spacious, relaxing camping environment that’s both easily accessible and close to all the action. Campers in certain areas could easily hear the music emanating from the Main Stage without even leaving their site. Sets that alternated all weekend between the main stage and the Tent Stage, a smaller stage located a little further into the woods, helped make not missing a note of music all weekend a distinct possibility for some. Pondfest is also extremely dog friendly provided they’re kept on leashes, a rule that seemed to be respected by everyone. All these elements just help add to the appeal of a smaller festival like this one.

Even with only two days of music, the 2014 edition of Backwoods Pondfest was still able to produce a weekend full of top notch music that featured several memorable and impressive collaborations. Under the only slightly gray and overcast sky of the weekend, Friday’s action really seemed to elevate after a set from playonbrother featuring Alan Evans of Soulive. His new project features a new organ player, Kris Yunker, who was chosen to replace Beau Sasser who recently left the band to pursue other endeavors. Big shoes to fill indeed, and Yunker did a fine job along with guitarist Danny Mayer in accompanying Evans, who is a verified whirlwind on the drum kit, in crafting a sound full of soul, funk and the occasional hard rock. In addition to their spirited original songs, playonbrother has also been known to feature Cream covers in their sets and this was on full display here in the form a set closing “Sunshine of Your Love”.

Festival hosts Lucid then played an acoustic set over at the Tent Stage in front of a rapt group of fans of the Plattsburgh based band whose members are prominently involved in the setup and production of this festival every year. When they’re not helping out behind the scenes, Lucid traditionally plays one set each day of the festival and this year would prove to be no different. With guitarist Kevin Sabourin brandishing an acoustic model, the North Country rockers treated everyone to a set full of signature original songs and blues covers that helped keep the rising spirits and festival momentum going in the same direction.

Normally, a rap or R& B artist might have a “fish out of water” feel to them in a festival lineup full of jam bands and rock outfits like this one. However, Chali 2na was anything but this as he and his backing band House of Vibe led a now riveted crowd through a set of hip hop classics and originals on the Main Stage. A talented keyboardist on backup vocals and a more than sturdy rhythm section made sure this more than just set of rap songs but, rather, one that also encompassed elements of jazz, blues and even rock. This was also not even the first Pondfest appearance for one of the founding members of rap group Jurassic 5, as Chali 2na was also on the bill in 2010 by himself and in 2011 in a collaboration with Break Science. An act that may have raised some eyebrows at first glance seemed to win over the entire crowd and create nothing but smiles in the end.

With temperatures now beginning to dip in the North Country on a night that felt more like mid-autumn than late summer, the last act on the Main Stage was also no stranger to this Upstate festival. Twiddle, a Vermont based band that seems to be making a slow and steady ascension to national notoriety, played at the original Backwoods Pondfest in 2007. Their Friday night set showcased the group’s lighthearted yet poignant songwriting that compliments a cohesive and infectious bed of music quite nicely.

This set was also where the communal atmosphere between different bands and their members really began to take shape as several notable sit ins highlighted the performance. First, Kevin Sabourin of Lucid returned to the stage to lend his guitar work to a full on “Fire on the Mountain” jam. Next, Scott Hannay of Mister F joined the Pondfest veterans and eagerly supplied his signature keyboard style on a performance of “Apples”. Lowell Wurster, Lucid’s percussionist and one of the driving forces behind the entire festival, also supplied some musical assistance with strong harmonica play on a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”.

Campers on Saturday awoke to a bright, sunny sky that never let up all day. Not only was the climate on this second and final day of music a beautiful one, but the music itself had a true Upstate New York feel to it seemingly from start to finish beginning with Capital Zen opening the festivities on the Main Stage. The Glens Falls based group helped serve as the day’s first wake up call as they rolled through a set of high octane originals that showcased the band’s clear hard rock influences while being mixed with Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers covers. Scott Hannay, a former Zen member, once again lent his services with a spot on Les Claypool impression on a take of Primus’ “Tommy the Cat”.

Afterwards, the Upstate music train kept rolling along with a fine performance from Formula 5 in the Tent Stage. This is a group whose four members are from various areas in the Capital region who still seem to be getting their feet wet in the live music scene, but are clearly moving in the right direction. With a new album Edging on Catastrophe recently released. Formula 5 treated revelers under the tent to selections from that as well as impressive Jeff Beck and Deodato covers which show a group cohesion and technical proficiency well beyond the band’s years. One of the highlights was a slow and extended “2001” that had everyone within earshot nodding in approval.

Things then got decidedly bluegrassy on the Main Stage as afternoon sets from Hot Day at the Zoo and Cabinet served as a breather of sorts before the closing acts of the weekend. Clearly picking up on today’s musical theme, Hot Day at the Zoo even included a song called “Upstate Girl” in their set as well as a string version of “Cumberland Blues”.

Established Upstate act Conehead Buddha later played on the Tent Stage and while they may be based downstate in Brooklyn, Turkuaz was one of the first heavy hitters of the evening and delivered the type of powerhouse set that’s now expected from this ascending big band. Highlights included a standout version of “Bubba Slide”, an original, as well as crowd pleasing cover choices in an up tempo version of The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women”, a funked out rendition of The Band’s “The Shape I’m In” and a set closer of The Beatles’ classic, “I’ve Got a Feeling”.

Another veteran Pondfest act then took over the reigns on the Main Stage as Spiritual Rez, playing for the seventh time here, led the crowd through a set of incredible music that had everyone singing and dancing along to this group signature reggae-funk hybrid of sound. Lead guitarist and vocalist Toft Willingham is a verifiable ball of energy and doubles as a legitimate comedic presence on stage. The entire band seemed locked in from start to finish and seemed to not only play but move in unison at parts. A frenetic large scale jam that included members of Turkuaz served as the crest of an impressive wave of music that was truly one of the highlights of the weekend.

The festival would not be complete, however, without one last set from Lucid to help close things out. The North Country natives took to the stage once more, this time the Main Stage, for another set of beloved classics and blues inspired covers. Wurster made sure to also take some time to thank those who helped throw this annual backwoods bash as well as the crowd. He later brought up “the best man he knows”, his father George, to play some harmonica in what has come to be a festival tradition, if not a staple.

With music now completed on the Main Stage, the last act of the weekend belonged to Albany’s Mister F who treated fans to hits from their recent release The F Stands Four in a set that may have been lacking in attendance due to the time slot but one that certainly didn’t lack the energy this band seems to emit in every live performance. Songs like “This One Goes to 11” and “Vocoder” were executed almost perfectly as the Upstate psychedelic rockers offered one last go round on the dance floor before the book on this year’s Backwoods Pondfest was finally closed.

With no music scheduled for Sunday, people were able to leave at their leisure on what turned out to be another day of gorgeous Upstate New York weather. Another chapter of this burgeoning music festival was now complete. Backwoods Pondfest may not be on the largest plot of land or offer the most extensive music lineup as some as other festivals, but with a beautiful, established home and a proven ability to present the very best in regional music, it’ll undoubtedly be a fixture on the summer festival circuit for years to come as it continues to grow in size and splendor.

August 21, 2014
Bella Terra, Back and Better Than Ever for 2014

The beautifully scenic back drop of Upstate New York, art, music, and vendors means it must be time for another year of Bella Terra. Since 2009 Bella Terra has made its mark on the Upstate festival scene bringing a collaboration of multi-genre artists that span from Hip Hop, EDM, drum and bass, jam, bluegrass and much more. Since its start, Bella Terra has made its reputation known as a small town, tight knit festival with the capacity for major acts and artists.

The festival will be held this weekend, August 21-24 on Gardner’s Farm in Stephentown, New York. Get your tickets for Bella Terra Music Festival now! Here is a look at the MUST SEE acts this weekend at Bella Terra.

Thursday

Break Science (8:15-10): A Brooklyn based electronic duo who, since their first arrival on the scene has took the EDM scene on full force making themselves known as one of the best. Borahm Lee spinning and Adam Deitch (Lettuce) on the drums have quickly been acknowledged as one of the must see acts for any music festival.

Indobox (10-11:30): Indobox is an energy packed electronic-dance-rock collaboration of Joey Zarick on guitar, bass and vocals, Mike Carter on guitar and vocals, Steve Learson on keyboards and synth bass, and Jules Jenssen on drums. These guys always bring a solid set of dancing and energy.

Friday

Conspirator (8:30-11): A side project of Aron Magner and Marc Brownstein of the Disco Biscuits, Conspirator has attracted attention since their start on the music scene as an electronic-music power house. While their sound differs greatly from their roots in the Biscuits, Conspirator has done a phenomenal job of setting themselves apart and creating a new sound.

Abakus (11-12:15): Russ Davies is a British electronic musician who goes by the alias Abakus as well as Cinnamon Chasers (He will be playing under the alias Cinnamon Chasers on Friday night, 7:30-8:30). Russ Davies separates the two aliases with very separate styles and sounds so it will definitely be interesting to see both acts and see the versatility of this artist.

Saturday

Digital Dharma (4:30-5:30): Digital Dharma is an Upstate New York native band focusing primarily on improvisational electronic music. Deriving influences from the likes of the Disco Biscuits, The New Deal and Lotus, you will see the similarities in instrumental technique as well as the exponential talent from each member of the band.

DJ Leila (5:15-6): Leila has taken on the drum and bass scene as perhaps one of the most well known female DJs in the Capital District. Don’t get it twisted: the fact that she is female doesn’t set her apart from the male dominated DJ world, it is her raw and unbridled talent and love for the dirty bass and beats that makes her one of the best. Make sure you check her out at the Red Bull Truck.

Dr. Fameus(5:30-7:30): Dr. Fameus is Allen Aucoin, drummer of the Disco Biscuits, with a side project as an outlet to delve further into the melding of drums and electronic music. Obviously it is very drum-centered and it may throw you off to see that the only person on stage is sitting behind a drum set, nonetheless it is not an act you want to miss.

Sunday

Jimkata (4:30-5:30): A staple of the Northeast jam-scene since as early as 2006, Jimkata has made their mark in the world of music. With a devoted following and a unique sound this is one Sunday act you certainly do not want to miss.

Mentally Ill (5:45-6:30): Mentally Ill takes the stage with vengeance and his sets are certainly not for the weak of heart. Leading the Albany drum and bass scene for years Mentally Ill (along with his counterpart Leila) have single-handedly introduced the Upstate music scene to a world of heavy bass and shattering beats. Make sure you get down to his Sunday set for some day-time dNb.

August 20, 2014
Camp Creek: A Party Like it Used to Be

Camp Creek makes its long awaited return to its home base in Mariaville, New York, less than 20 miles outside of Albany, at the Indian Lookout Country Club. After taking a few years off the band comes back for a party like it used to be. This means home grown music, bands you will not see from festival to festival, just friends of the band as well as some local acts. This party is taking place Friday, August 22nd through Sunday the 24th .

The first act Casey Bloom, a natural born guitarist, who as a child said he wanted to grow up to be Eric Clapton, will start at 3:00. Midnight Chrome Muffins, a musical fusion of funk reggae and soul will hit the hill stage right after at 5:00,leaving the door open for the Marks Brothers, a band comprised of Max Creek‘s Marc Mercier on keyboards and vocals, Mark Paradis from his namesakes band on guitar and vocals, Scott Guberman from Rev Tor Band on Hammond B3, along with Dave Stoltz, formerly of Dickey Betts and Great has Southern on bass and Brian “Duke” Konopka, formerly from S.L.A.P. and The Mark Paradis Band on drums. This all-star line up sets the table nicely for Eastbound Jesus, who take the stage at 7:00. This is going to be a party in itself, bringing Jam-grass and Americana together for an amazing sound and even better time.

When combining a keyboard extraordinaire such as Beau Sasser, percussionist and long time Frank Zappa collaborator, Ed Mann, along with Max Creek’s drummer Bill Carbone and Guitarist Scott Muraskwi, the possibilities are endless; a foursome not to be missed. These acts will all be on the more intimate hill stage to get the closer personal feel tot the acts.

Saturday morning at 11, the festivities kick off with Max Creek Percussionist Jamemurrell Stanley and Creek Bassist John Rider for their take on some hot acoustic styling early in the day. Also performing is Matt Ziener, an exceptional keyboardist, known for his time with Dickey Betts. After four years of touring with Betts, Matt was ready to go back on his own and start making his own music. This will be brought to light as the first main stage gig at 12:30 Saturday afternoon.

Jamband scene mainstay Ryan Montbleau will be performing his playful sound to the Hill Stage at 2pm, keeping everyone in good spirits. The Midnight Suns, who will be performing on the main stage at 3:30, live by the motto “Have fun, play good music and meet great people”. That motif is what every band should live up to and the perfect entity to have at this year’s Camp Creek. The ten piece Funky Dawgz Brass Band is the type of band that if someone in the audience isn’t having a good time, they don’t know what a good time is. The funksters bring it from every direction and bring it all over the Northeast. Blowing the crowd away at the recent Gathering of the Vibes Festival is just one of the many attributes these guys have on their resume.

Saturday evening, it will be time for the men of the hour, and the weekend, Max Creek. The guys who have been playing for over forty years under the same name will be playing a set that will go over five hours. This is their set of the year, and they pride themselves on it. If there is a Creek number you want to hear, chances are you will be hearing it on the main stage starting at 7:00 pm. Just in case that wasn’t enough, the late night action continues on the hill stage with Kind Buds. Bud and Budd Johnson, inspired by Jerry Garcia, play a mix of classic covers to enlightening originals, being which is the perfect way to end Day 2 of Camp Creek.

Day 3 is going to musically start out in a serendipitous way as Jamemurrell Stanley & Drummers of Peace & Equality take the early risers on a musical trip of the African Culture. This group features drummers Bill Carbone and Kabisco Kafscba, men of many talents. Combined with other drummers TBD, will be an experiment with different fusions of sound and making a spectacle not to be missed.

Spi Tune takes the hill stage next, and describe themselves as over aged children playing rock ‘n’ roll music. Being that its is 11 am on a Sunday morning, and Spi Tune seems to be like a band that would best be seen at 11 pm. Not to say the fans won’t have a good time, because Spi Tunes always delivers a good dose of fun, no matter what time the clock says.

At 12:30 the main stage opens with Flipper Dave, a great delight for Connecticut natives. Flipper Dave’s last release Something Simple, was released back in 2002. Since then, band members have been focusing on other aspects their lives. It is a real treat to see them get back together for this one of a kind performance. There could not be a better stage for this reunion to happen then at Camp Creek.

Fungus Amungus out of Providence, Rhode Island, focus on a jazz core with smooth saxophone , bouncy keys and a shredding guitar. These guys will bring the Hill Stage to a close for the weekend. Max Creek return to the Main Stage at 3:30 to play another nearly four hour set.

The music stops at approximately 7:00 with the camp ground to be cleared out by 8.This is going to be fun. More like a family reunion than like a rock festival, may seem kind of weird. But if you stop and think about it for a minute, isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

Gates open at 9am on Friday and the music ends around 7pm on Sunday, with the campgrounds cleared at 8pm. See you all at Camp Creek!

August 19, 2014
Lookin Forward to Lockn’ Festival September 4-7

Anyone can tell you that putting on a music festival is no easy task; it takes months and months of planning. Each year is a fresh start to learn from previous mistakes and create improvements for everyone involved from volunteers, festival goers, musicians and more. After the inaugural four-day Lockn’ Music Festival, organizers have made some serious changes involving musical lineups, camping spots, vendors and hopefully less frustrating traffic jams. Check out ‘s own Nick Fitanides’ review and Phrazz’s photos of the last year’s Lockn’.

The 2nd annual Lockn’ Music Festival is set to take place Sept 4-7 at the Oak Ridge Estate in Arrington, VA with a star-studded lineup that is sure to make every second of the weekend count. This year’s artists include Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee, Phil Lesh & Friends, Willie Nelson and many more. Bob Weir & RatDog as well as Further were originally set to perform but recently Bob Weir cancelled all remaining shows for the forseeable future, including his appearance at Lockn’. To fill in the void, Lockn’ has booked Bill Kreutzmann’s Locknstep Allstars to Friday’s lineup plus funk masters Lettuce and two-sets from Umphrey’s McGee for Thursday. Lockn’ – the interlocking festival, features two side-by-side identical stages, providing a continuous flow of music with multiple sit in guest possibilities.

Click here for the weekend schedule so not to miss out on any of the music on the various stages. Check out the official Countdown to Lockn’ 2014 playlist on soundcloud.com with 19 tracks featuring many of the artists performing this year.

New this year will be the festival layout with the addition of a 385 acre farm located next to the current festival site. The new use of fields and woods for camping means that all campsites will now surround the concert site, making them almost a mile and half closer than last year. With the new farm fields, the traffic plan will now allow better site access and hopefully less congestion plus pedestrian and vehicle interactions will be greatly minimized. Also new this year is the on-site Biking program, giving people the chance to explore over 30 miles of bike trails as well as a convenient way to travel from camp site to the main stage. Guests are encouraged to bring their own bikes but may borrow the top of the line mountain bikes brought in by Snowshoe Mountain Bike Park with plenty of bike racks throughout the festival grounds.

Lockn’ recently had their liquor license revoked by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) due to last year’s undercover ABC agents witnessing hundreds of instances of inappropriate drug/alcohol use. This is not the final ruling, the license remains active until the 30 day appeal. Hopefully, everything will work out because Lockn’ is partnering with Sixpoint and many other local craft vendors to bring Brewers Village, a separated section of the festival for fans to enjoy a nice cold one.

Tickets are still available for general admission, VIP Packages, student tickets and single day tickets. Unfortunately, RV camping tickets are already sold out as well as preferred tent-only camping tickets. Each ticket requires a GA camping pass with various prices depending on your camping situation between tent, car or forest camping.

Be sure click here to get your tickets now and prepare to lock in your plans for Lockn’ by liking on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

August 15, 2014
Gathering at Chaffee’s 34: A Grand Slam of a Fest

On a global scale, few mere mortals will ever know the exquisite blissful nature inherent in a music festival. Those mortals include friends you encouraged to come – they show feigned interest but never show up. Grumpy old men ranting about “those hippies need to get a job”. Business people who can’t possibly leave their desk for three days. Those people have missed the boat – no weekend ritual truly embodies and personifies the definition of vacation better. True freedom exists there: freedom from ringing cells, fashion faux pas, nagging bosses, judgement, and often shoes. To truly live off the earth and feed our natural senses – the sights – the smells – and of course, the sounds. The 34th annual Gathering at Chaffee’s epitomized this hedonistic alternate reality perfectly.

This year would provide some upgrades to the Chaffee experience. For longer than some of the attendees lives, there has been a popular saying here – “It ain’t Chaffee’s if it doesn’t rain”. To answer the weather critics, the festival added a giant circus-esque tent to the front of the stage allowing for not only plenty of dry space to dance, but also quite possibly one of the best light shows a medium-sized festival has ever seen. Images and lights danced over the white tents interior all weekend while smoke effects added another layer of visuals. Morning yoga was added – for those who got up early, or had not yet slept. The yearly beer tasting expanded with the delicious concoctions of Erie’s Lavery Brewing Company. Oh, and the rain? Well, I guess all they needed was a tent because outside of a couple ten-minute sprinkles, the weather was close to perfection from start to finish.

34 years is a hell of a long time for any festival to exist nowadays. When such longevity is achieved, it’s rarely a fluke. Rather, everything has to be just right. The right amount of security to be safe without feeling under surveillance. The right amount of amenities to stay comfortable without abridging the “back to nature” aspect. Enough port-a-potties to insure no long lines engaged in the “pee-pee” dance (Also worth noting – some of the cleanest port-a-potties EVER). And of course, music. Lots of it.

Musical highlights over the weekend were aplenty. Eric Brewer & Phriends performed a near flawless set of Phish covers. Groove rock juggernaut Aqueous busted out some old tunes, some extra long jam sessions and a set with multiple guest appearances – Funktapuss‘s Latez Antonio singing vocals on TLC’s Waterfalls and a full band switch over with Ohio’s Broccoli Samurai (and Eric Brewer to boot) during original tune “The Median”. A crew of uber talented Erie bands performed including a side stage rager by Potwhole and a blistering set by the soon-to-be-big Falling Hollywood. Jimkata’s soaring peaks that lead the way for festival closer Spiritual Rez – a set that can only be described as an unstoppable party. All bands brought their A game, no filler acts to be found here.

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Of course, like any weekend of fun, eventually its time to go home. As people packed up, the overwhelming sentiment was that: “This was the best Chaffee’s yet”. This rang a bell for me, I had heard this before – last year at Chaffee’s 33. And have no doubts, Chaffee’s 35 will be even better. It’s already on my calendar, do yourself a favor and put it on yours.

All photos by Darren Kemp

August 15, 2014