Category: Music Festivals

Luna Light Festival: It’s About The Music

Pulling into the parking lot at Luna Light Festival in Barto, Pennsylvania, on Friday, July 11th foreshadowed the weekend ahead: clear blue skies were overhead, but an air of confusion hung about. Thinking we had made it to the festival, staff told everyone to unload their cars, park, and wait for a shuttle bus to take us to the actual festival grounds. No one seemed to know where the festival grounds really were, though.

After a five-mile ride on a yellow school bus into the woods, we were dropped on the side of a dirt road at Hex Hollow Farms. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, private residences sat on both sides of the road; behind one of those houses, the stage that would host Shpongle, Lettuce, and Keller Williams, among other artists, could be seen, evincing that we had actually made it to Luna.

Setting up shop turned into a free-for-all on a gently sloped and forested rectangular area that was adjacent to the main stage. Halfway down the length of the campground was the Wooded Stage, which became the late night haven after a last-minute late-night live drumming ban went into effect.  Great music wafted from the stages all weekend but, with no physical schedules printed and no wireless signal to check online, it often took a bit of investigation to figure out who was providing the aural enjoyment.

As folks settled in Friday evening, L.A. based Particle took the Main Stage around 7 p.m.  The band played an upbeat jamtronica set that had fans up and dancing.  The quartet sent jams out on dark, spacey trajectories but, before transporting listeners out of the stratosphere, cranked up the funk, inviting everyone back to a space disco.  Particle showed why they have been successful for so long, rocking the Main Stage in Particle-uarly groovy fashion.

The Main Stage was Shpongled next, as nearly all of the roughly 500 attendees came out to see Simon Posford play a DJ set.  For roughly an hour and a half, much of the crowd sat on the lawn watching the psychedelic show and soaking in the transcendent music.  Multiple sets of eyes surrounded by hypnotizing patterns were projected onto geometric prisms above the stage, lulling lookers into a contented daze that was meant to “open the third eye.” The music was also an entrancing ride; Shpongle mixed samples that transported listeners from a sensual cruise through a musical desert to a techno party to a tribal drum circle.  The ambient sound and captivating visuals added up to a unique experience that can only be described as getting Shpongled.

The dearth of schedules was exacerbated by the fact that planned set times were often changing. Because of a missed flight, Kalya Scintilla, scheduled to play late night Friday, missed the festival. Jimkata switched to an evening set Saturday rather than late night due to the drum ban, and Manifested came on earlier than anticipated.

With or without a schedule, there could be no mistaking Consider the Source when they plugged-in and exploded in the Hex Hollow lean-to early Saturday afternoon. If you could not see the source of their music, it would be easy to assume there were 5 or 6 musicians on stage rather than 3: consider that. The fretless top neck of Gabriel Marin’s custom axe proffers sounds that could come from a trumpet, trombone, xylophone, and, at times, even the guitar. He seamlessly moved from a trumpet-guitar solo into a hypnotic, Middle-Eastern fusion into funk into jazz, playing both necks the whole time. On the bass, whether he was slapping with ridiculously fast in-your-face aggression or tapping with mind-boggling precision, John Ferrara is the best bassist many people have never heard of. Rounding out the trio, Jeff Mann did more than just keep time, which would be a difficult enough task with Marin and Ferrara.  Mann changed time signatures on a dime, switching from metallic double-bass to snappy jazz beats.  He supplements his full kit sound with an electric Roland drum pad, which he beautifully employed during a cover of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt”. Adorned in their typical full-length white linens, Consider The Source pumped out rock as pure and smooth as their outfits Saturday afternoon.

The end of CTS’s first set was overlapped by Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on the Main Stage. The funktastic Baltimore quartet, fresh off the release of their album Psychology, played an upbeat afternoon set. Ben Carrey grooved out rolling bass lines during their catchy original tune “F.U.”, which was smoothly cut into a cover of “I Feel Good”. Their tune “Julia” –imagine Simon & Garfunkel’s “Cecilia” with two talented guitarists playing rich, elated melodies– had the crowd beaming and singing along. Pigeons finished the set with guitarists Jeremy Schon and Greg Ormont leading a psychedelic dive down the green pipe into a reggae jam of the Super Mario Bros theme.

Manifested played the Hex Hollow stage following Pigeons. Along with the band’s manager Joe DeAntonio, guitarist Mike Rabito deserves credit for planning and producing Luna. Like the rest of the musicians he brought to the party, Rabito and his bandmates rocked hard. They played an impressive set of improg jams before The Heavy Pets took the Main Stage. The South Floridians funky set was highlighted by heavy synth grooves, and a smokin’ version of “John Galt”.

Ithaca’s Jimkata was the next band to blow the roof off the Hex Hollow Stage, providing one of those most impressive sets at Luna. Lead vocalist Evan Friedell shined on vocals, and the group, whose indie roots shined through more than any band, also demonstrated they can jam hard led by guitarist/keys player Aaron Gorsch. They played an inspired version of “Feel In Light”, and “Die Digital>Legoland” had the crowd jumping. The set’s closer “Release” turned into a huge sing-along.  Throughout the set, poppy choruses led into heavy jamtronica waves that swept the crowd away.  Their growth as a band is evident from show to show, and Jimkata picked up quite a few new followers at Luna Light Festival.

Like Jimkata, who rocked before them, and CTS, who would play again after, Lettuce represented the Big Apple with aplomb.  Everyone came out of the wood-works for the weekend’s headliner. Lettuce waited for the crowd to build up, and with anticipation buzzing, an instant dance party ensued once they took the stage.  Despite the absence of guitarist Eric Krasno, the rest of the band rolled out their signature funk train.  Jesus Coomes’ huge presence was front and center all night as he slayed the bass.  Adam Smirnoff was silky on the guitar, while Ryan Zoidis and Eric Bloom provided blissfully blaring horns.  Coupled with an impressive light show, Lettuce’s soulful funk kept the crowd dancing and buzzing late into the night under the Supermoon.

Because of the late night drum ban, CTS took over Jimkata’s late night Saturday slot and played an unplugged set in the woods.  While Mann was as smooth as ever on various hand drums, Ferrara and Marin busted out some different toys for the acoustic set.  Ferrara produced dirty sounds with both his bass banjo and ukulele-like U-bass, while Marin switched between the Baglama saz and tanbour.  Their acoustic sorcery mesmerized onlookers early into Sunday morning, and forgetting the moratorium on loud late-night sets was easy.

The festival wrapped up early Sunday evening, but not after a few more bands had the chance to strut their stuff.  FiKus opened up the day on the Main Stage, pouring out rocking grooves.  Buffalo’s Aqueous was the last group of New Yorkers to own the Hex Hollow Stage.  Their improg rock had a fluid feel, fitting of the band’s name.  Their grooving melodies coupled with grandiose musicianship created a high-energy, face-melting rock show under the sun.

The day and festival wound down gradually, as people packed their belongings and tried to beat the masses to catch the shuttle back to the parking grounds.  NYC’s Turbine played the Main Stage and The Mantras rocked the Hex Hollow.  By the time Keller Williams took the stage for a solo acoustic set, much of the crowd had dispersed.  Whistling and strumming, Keller calmly brought the remaining fans back down to earth after 48 hours of great live rocking.  While there were bumps in the road and inaugural-year kinks, the Luna Light Festival’s success is a perfect reminder that it’s about the music.

July 28, 2014
A Festival for a Cause: Grassroots 2014

This year marked the 24^th annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance and everyone in attendance at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds from July 17-20, 2014 knew they were taking part in something truly special. Every year, the Grassroots Festival donates the proceeds to local charities, not-for-profit organizations, and other groups in need. Musicians, artists, local vendors, and live music lovers alike come from far and wide to partake in this breathtaking event that gives back to local communities like few other events of its kind. From international music legends to newly started local businesses, all parties involved in the Grassroots Festival are doing their part to make a difference.

The extravaganza began on the Wednesday before the festival started, as Jeb and Tara of Donna the Buffalo and Keller Williams with The Travelin’ McCourys kicked things off with the Pre-Grassroots Special Concert on the beautiful Grandstand Stage. Even though the festival was still a day away, you could easily feel the excitement and anticipation brewing on the fairgrounds.

Noon couldn’t come soon enough on Thursday, with people lining up and down the street, all waiting to get their wristbands and let the festivities begin. Within a matter of hours, nearly every campsite was filled as festivalgoers began to mill about the grounds, sampling some of the many types of cuisine and taking a gander at the various vendors. Finally, at 1pm sharp, Bubba George Stringband took to the Infield Stage to open Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance 2014. Bubba George is made up of a group of life-long friends whose greatest love is to play folk and bluegrass music, which is exactly what they did.

Often times, a Thursday night of a festival is a time when people are still getting settled in and maybe resting up for the weekend ahead, but at this year’s Grassroots, you would have thought it was a Saturday night, as folks filled every inch of dancing room available to flail about and belt their favorite lyrics until they could do so no longer. Local bands were a plenty, with the 585 and 607 areas being well represented.

Kevin Kinsella plucked his light, bouncing acoustic melodies that inspired spontaneous dancing and smiles throughout the crowd. Following Kinsella, Thousands of One performed their progressive hip-hop lyrics, accompanied by multiple music styles, including roots, acoustic jam, and funk. The Blind Spots began not long after at the Grandstand, but many stayed to lock down a spot for Donna. Since the very beginning in 1991, Donna The Buffalo has been headlining Grassroots, drawing some of the biggest crowds at the festival. Donna plays varying styles, but they started off with some slower songs such as “Siverlined”, warming up their fans for what they had in store for the rest of the weekend.

The Grandstand was the place to be, with a stacked lineup including Driftwood, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, and Sophistafunk. Driftwood, like Donna the Buffalo, started off with their down-tempo songs. Giant Panda picked up the pace considerably, bringing more people from the stands to dance. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad jammed some feel-good dub with their song “Love You More”, going very well with the warm Grassroots vibe. Late night heated up quick as Sophistafunk took to the stage. As soon as the first deep, funky bass note by Adam Gold was dropped, there was no doubt that the party was in session. Sophistafunk rocked the Bandstand for nearly two hours, with positive lyrics by Jack Brown and backed by tight rhythms that anyone can get down to.

After a cold night, morning broke on Friday and began to warm things up. Even though the music hadn’t started, there was still plenty to do on the festival grounds. Some took part in morning yoga to revive their sore muscles after a hard night of dancing, while others found their center in an open meditation in the Workshop Tent. Throughout the weekend, there were many other educational gatherings and workshops, focusing on drumming, dance, healing and more. Grassroots is about more than just music, it’s about art of all forms and engaging in the fullest experience life has to offer. And for the young ones, the kid’s area was open all weekend with music lessons and face painting.

This year’s Grassroots festival was different from many years past in one very noticeable way. The weather was exceptional, with temperatures near 80 degrees and rain just managing to hold off for the most part. Many people who had attended the fest before were commenting on just how lucky we were, compared to the scalding heat and torrential rains of past years. Even though it was not terribly hot, many people still took refuge in the beautiful river that runs behind the offsite camping area. The water was divine as many people meandered their way through the gorge. However, as nice as it was, local police were taking advantage of poorly marked areas that were off-limits and gave out thousands of dollars in fines to unsuspecting festivalgoers, putting a damper on the weekend for some.

Musical highlights for the day came in all genres. Ithaca’s Big Mean Sound Machine performed in the Infield, playing a mix of dub and Latin music with the depth and complex rhythms they have become known for. For those interested in music from around the world, Locos Por Juanas had everyone’s hips moving to their lively Columbian tunes. At the same time, another Grassroots veteran, Sim Redmond Band took to the Grandstand. Sim played a combination of African and Caribbean inspired songs, bringing a sound that has evolved over the decades. The main attraction for the night was undoubtedly John Brown’s Body. JBB has been a roots/reggae staple in New York and across the country since the mid ’90s and still never fails to put on an unforgettable performance.

As if Friday hadn’t been busy enough, with one top-notch band after another, Saturday would prove to be equally thrilling, if not more so. The day started in the Grandstand with the annual Grassroots Band Contest. This year’s winner was The Ruddy Well Band. The group specializes in folk music and will be a performer at next year’s festival. Driftwood played a considerably more upbeat set, pleasing their many fans that had been itching to dance since they saw them Thursday. More international music was in store with Samite and his East African music and Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate. Joey and Sekou are a French and American duo, having a very distinct sound that combines a 21-stringed African instrument called a Kora with American hip-hop lyrics.

Galumpha, an acrobatic comedy act from Ithaca, brought smiles to many with their silly antics and impressive human sculptures. To contrast Galumpha’s lighter fare, over in the Infield, Anders Osborne was playing his good ol’ rock n roll, and even some Southern blues with “Louisiana Rain”. John Specker drew quite an impressive crowd, though it was likely that many of them were reserving their spot for Donna The Buffalo’s second set. The band sounded completely different, with a radically different set-list that featured more electric guitar and big choruses. To close out the night, Keith Frank & The Soileau Zydeco Band played the Dance Tent until the wee hours of the morning.

As night turned to day, there were a surprising number of people out and about, many taking part in kickball at dawn. Sleep would prove to be a hot commodity on Sunday, as many groggy campers took advantage of the opportunity to peruse vendors, tasting some of the diverse selection of food, or check out the Art Barn and other artistic displays at the venue. The annual Happiness Parade began shortly after 2, with at least a hundred people carrying totems and a giant dragon processing around the grounds. Everyone stopped to enjoy the beat of the drums with a flute playfully tooting and children dancing about. It was just as fun to see, as it was to be a part of.

Returning for a second time was The Gunpoets, a local group with bold lyrics supplied by two MC’s. Jen Middaugh joined the rebel rappers before returning to sing with Sim Redmond Band directly following The Gunpoets in the Infield. For those who stuck around, or at least knew that the best was being saved for last, stayed for what would prove to be the best jam of the weekend. Around ten, Donna The Buffalo & Friends All-Star Review took to the stage for their last performance of the weekend. The night could not get better as one guest band after another joined them on stage. First John Specker’s soulful fiddle, then Big Mean Sound Machine’s funky bass, Hindu Cowboys, and Driftwood. The set was filled with classics like The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” and many other well-known covers.

After hours of musical bliss, Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance 2014 came to a close. As it has been for the last 24 years, this Grassroots will not be soon forgotten. And not only by those who attended, but by the countless people who will benefit from the donations being made to The Ithaca Free Clinic, Roots In Schools, and many more. Grassroots sets itself apart in being a music festival that has a lasting impact on thousands of people and the local communities, and still provides a superb array of outstanding artists.

All photos by: Brennan Fischer

Friday’s Gallery:

Saturday’s Gallery:

Sunday’s Gallery:

July 28, 2014
Road to Backwoods: The Blind Owl Band

With less than two weeks to go, is gearing up for one of the best kept secrets of the North Country known as Backwoods Pondfest. The intimate festival offers a weekend of live music, camping, art and much more on August 8 and 9 at Peru, N.Y. Going strong in their 8th year, Backwoods Pondfest never disappoints with this year’s all-star lineup including Chali 2na and House of Vibe, Twiddle, Spiritual Rez, Turkuaz, Cabinet plus many more.

This “Road to Backwoods” series will shine a light on the Blind Owl Band, the all string quartet from Saranac Lake.

The Blind Owl Band will be a part of Troy’s Rocking on the River series on July 30th. Every Wednesday the downtown Troy area comes to life with free, outdoor concerts for guests to experience a wide range in musical genres. The music starts at 5pm and ends at 8:30pm, set up by the Green Island Bridge parking lot. Armed with a banjo, standup bass, mandolin and guitar, Arthur Buezo, Christian Cardiello, Eric Munley and James Ford create harmonious vocals and melodies that stretch as high as the Adirondack Mountains and their sound is an authentic, rebellious freight train. Despite the vintage and bluegrass vibe, Blind Owl Band pulls inspiration from modern day music to create a sound that is uniquely fresh. The long haired, mountain men will also makes stops at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT on July 31st and the Sterling Stage String Fling at Sterling, NY on August 1st.

Tickets are still available for Backwoods Pondfest and can be purchased on their website here or at any show featuring Lucid, The Garcia Project, Capital Zen and North Funktree. Tickets are only $70 including over 20 bands on 2 stages with 2 nights of car camping. Bring a non-perishible good and receive $5 off ticket price if you buy tickets Day of Show. Be sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter for more to come from out “Road to Backwoods” series.

July 25, 2014
Hudson Project held great potential, but turned into a muddy mess

The potential for the Hudson Project was endless. With MCP presents backing major festivals like Camp Bisco and Counterpoint, and with a lineup blending such a wide variety of fantastic acts everyone had very high expectations for the inaugural year of this fest.

The first qualm that many of the patrons had, had been the fact that there would be no car camping and an added expense for leaving your car in a parking lot for the weekend, to be shuttled to the festival venue. Many festival goers were left dragging all of their camping gear miles across the grounds to camp sites scattered every which way. A wooden bridge connecting two muddy stretches of trail with steep, rickety stairs were the main access to the festival grounds leaving many people struggling to carry all of their gear up and down. By the last day of the festival the small swamp under these stairs had flooded to the point that everyone attempting to evacuate the premises had to wade through the mud with all of their belongings.

Aside from the lengthy journey to actually set up camp sites, there were many check points fully staffed with local police and police dogs. While the need for increased security to cease drug trafficking throughout festivals is certainly necessary, the last thing someone wants after walking miles with all of their belongings is for local police to tear through your bags and coolers, making you feel like a criminal. Within each checkpoint the festival staff looked through purses, wallets, pockets, hats and threw out open cigarette packs, which not only was unnecessary but also created excessively long waits to enter the actual music venue. Although the need for safety at a festival should always be top priority, the festival promoters took this to new levels.

Throughout the festival, police patrolled the camp grounds shining their flashlights into attendees tents. Security guards patrolled the main roads on horses, and each checkpoint was a gauntlet for individuals before getting into the venue to see music. On top of all of this it seemed like basic amenities like cell phone charging stations, showers and shuttles, all cost an excessive amount of money. If the patrons are not allowed back into their cars throughout the weekend then cellphone charging stations should be free. The water fill up stations, however, were extremely convenient (and free, surprisingly), but during the heat of the day the lines were so long it would leave many people feeling overwhelmingly dehydrated and exhausted. One of the rules on the festival’s website was that Camel Back water packs would not be allowed to be filled until inside of the venue, also leading to very long lines throughout the weekend.

However many qualms one may have with the Hudson Project, one thing is for certain; the music was golden. Sound Tribe Sector 9 played a phenomenal hour and a half set with their new bassist Alana, showing that even with out their former front man David Murphy, they were still more than capable of throwing down an energy packed set. The Flaming Lips played the main stage directly after Sound Tribe with a crowd that seemed to go on for miles. Their stage set up was perhaps the most intricate out of any act of the weekend, with giant psychedelic mushrooms and rainbows that made the stage into a spectacle, paired with the amazing Flaming Lips set. At one point the band had to stop playing due to an individual in the crowd having a seizure which the band attributed to their wild stage presence and décor (very possible).

Friday night was by far the best lineup for music at Hudson Project with many of the major head liners one directly after the other. This, unfortunately, made it difficult to catch all of the bigger acts. It would have been far more ideal to spread out the headliners day-to-day instead of having large acts back to back Friday and Sunday. Saturday was a full day of fantastic music including ZZ Ward who played an outrageously soulful and energy-packed set that was perfect for a beautiful sunny day in the c. Twiddle also performed a fantastic daytime set in the circus tent but with that many people in a closed tent it was abrasively hot and difficult to enjoy the entire set. Bonobo played a beautiful and ambient set while the sun went down and the evening settled on the Hudson Project. After Bonobo, Big Gigantic took the main stage with full force. This was interrupted by a torrential downpour that sent many campers running to take shelter, and other attendees dancing in the pouring rain. Almost all of the late night sets were extremely sub par. Moby’s set was filled with heavy drops and face melting bass with seemed to keep the crowd happy from start to finish. Four Tet played the exact opposite set on the other side of the grounds with zero bass drops and more of an experimental sound which gave patrons options between their late night experience.

The social media backlash began after the Sunday acts were cancelled due to extreme weather conditions were outrageous. Patrons from near and far shared their horror stories from each day at the festival leading up to one of the worst closing days since Woodstock ’99. Patrons began demanding a refund for a third of their ticket for missing an entire day of music and major acts such as BassNectar, Paper Diamond and Tipper. Those who were not lucky enough to get off the festival grounds before the storm hit were left scrambling to collect their things and seek shelter. By the time the patrons of the festival got to their vehicles the ground had begun to dissipate leaving hundreds of people stranded without food or water. The major social media backlash led to the festival putting out a statement that all attendees would be refunded for the last day of the festival. This was still a fuzzy area for many patrons who had purchased their tickets off friends or internet trading groups.

The weather certainly was the muddy tip of the iceberg for a long weekend at the first year festival. While the music still made it well worth your while, many of the circumstances throughout the weekend made it a less than desirable festival to consider attending again. This could be attributed to many different reasons, many of which are far beyond the festival promoter’s control, nonetheless it left many people very unimpressed by this festival. Nonetheless, with the broad spectrum of musical guests the Hudson Project brought to Upstate, NY, this festival has a potential to make a comeback in 2015.

Editor’s note: requests for comment from MCP Presents were not returned

July 24, 2014
Oak Mountain Second Annual Bluegrass and Arts Festival

Less than a month away, Adirondack bluegrass lovers are gearing up for the second annual Bluegrass & Arts Festival on August 16, 2014 at the beautiful Oak Mountain Ski Resort. With a full day and evening of festivities planned, attendees are in for a treat.

Oak Mountain Bluegrass & Arts Festival

Oak Mountain Ski Resort is situated in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, in Speculator, NY. This lovely ski lodge is the hub of the Speculator community and surrounding area for seasonal visitors and locals, offering activities year round. Owners, Laura and Matt O’Brien, have outdone themselves in coordinating events for all those in the community from trail races, to skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling competitions and events, snow shoe racing, tubing, cardboard racing, mountain biking, bbq’s, movie nights, Halloween parties, winter carnivals, holiday fairs, fireworks, and live music every chance they can offer it. In addition, this spectacular location is a hub for private weddings and events of all sorts. So it is only fitting to offer to those in the surrounding area an opportunity to enjoy some backwoods music at the most picturesque local.

Oak Mountain Chair Lift Rides

Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival 2013

With a highly successful first year event, they anticipate double the attendance as word has spread of how much fun, and how family friendly this event is for music lovers. Attendees can either purchase day passes for $15, or for $20 they can stay for overnight camping on the mountainside. In addition to a stellar lineup, there are activities planned for the children, and vendors will be on site selling their wares and edibles throughout the day. For those wishing a full meal, there is an on site full kitchen making some of the most delicious meals available in the area. With Saratoga Eagle sponsoring the beer and wine, patrons can choose between Bud Light, Davidson’s, Paradox, Widmer, or Shipyard- Pumpkinhead, as well as the fully stocked bar in the clubhouse.

Oak Mountain Cuisine

The lineup begins at 12:30pm with Swampcandy taking the stage, followed at 3:00pm with the Remsen Social Club who played last year’s event, then at 5:30pm The Old Main (aka The Birdseed Bandits) will take the stage, followed at 8pm by Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, and to finish out the night is crowd favorites Nick, Nigel, and Braids from Floodwood to cap off the amazing evening of music.

The Old Main

Nick & Braids

Tickets can be purchased online at http://oakmountainski.com/home/ or at the Oak Mountain Ski Resort. Do not wait till the last-minute to join us at Oak Mountain’s Second Annual Bluegrass & Arts Festival.

July 22, 2014
Find Family, Friends, Charity and Fun This Weekend at The Gathering at Chaffee’s

Most festival’s are lucky to get past their first year nowadays, the ones that hold longevity often do it deservedly and the 34th annual Gathering at Chaffee’s is no exception. Along with the storied history, the 2 day festival’s proceeds have always gone to charity, specifically the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Children’s Advocacy Center of Erie, PA.

Held just a hop skip and a 20 mile jump west of Erie, PA on the expansive land of the Chaffee family, this 2 day affair offers on site car camping, explorations through the woods, vendors, on site local beer tasting from Lavery Brewery and local home brewers (10$ for unlimited samples while supplies last) and a whole lot of excellent music. Beyond that, whether you’re a first timer or have been coming for years, you will find one of the friendliest group of festival denizens just about anywhere. Upgrades this year include a 100’x40′ party tent lit up with visuals and morning “hangover” yoga on Saturday.

Things will kick off at 2:30 Friday afternoon with a duo of Erie based bands. The experimental “little bit of everything” sounds of Triage Unit will be followed by the hard bluesy rock of Special Guest. After the locals, the tasteful jamtronica of Ohio’s Broccoli Samurai will make way for the funk bombs of Massachusetts Funktapuss. Eric Brewer and “Phriends” will bring it back to the local scene with a Phish tribute set and Buffalo’s red-hot groove machine Aqueous will headline Friday for the second straight year.

Things start-up earlier Saturday at 11AM with six straight locally based bands – the alt-rock of Falling Moira, the Trohoske Grey Jazz Trio, This American Songs americana, the hip hop jam of The L.E.C., Gnosis’s electronica, and arguably Erie’s biggest band, Falling Hollywood. North Carolina’s BIG Something will start the heavy jamming for the night. Twenty year vets and often moe. contributors Conehead Buddha will then set thing up for the nights two headliners – Ithaca’s Jimkata and Boston’s Spiritual Rez.

Make your weekend a gathering! Only 50$ at the gate and online, including free camping, parking and unlimited awesomeness. And remember, try to have some extra fun, because after all, it’s for the kids!

Funktapuss from the 2013 Gathering

July 22, 2014
MOE.DOWN 15 Releases Final Lineup

The 15th annual moe.down festival announced their final lineup today.

As always each night of the three-day festival will feature moe., along with additional headliners Gogol Bordello, O.A.R., Les Claypools Duo de Twang, Lotus, Soulive and the Jerry Douglas Band.

Joining them will be the ever-changing Everyone Orchestra, Upstate’s Wild Adriatic and Aqueous, The Rich Robinson Band, Vermont’s Twiddle, Floodwood, The Werks, Conehead Buddha and American Babies.

moe.down will be held Labor Day weekend August 29-31 at the Snow Ridge Ski Resort in Turin, N.Y. Tickets start around $150 and are available online.

July 22, 2014
Blue Heron Welcomed Perfect Weather With a Weekend of Great Music

The Great Blue Heron Music Festival in Sherman, NY in its 23rd year brings out friends and family every year right around our Nation’s birthday for great music and much more. The cars, trucks and campers were lining the streets a day before the gates opened to get that perfect spot come Friday morning. As soon as 9AM came they all began beeping their horns signaling the start of what was going to be an incredible weekend. The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful and the music was the perfect pairing for the event. Friday’s music started promptly at 3:45PM and was timed to when all the campers had their tents up, campers parked and anticipation was at its peak.

Tiger Maple String Band started the event off and from then on music seemed to flow seamlessly through the next three days. Smackdab entertained the crowd with their soul driven jam that seemed to get everyone up and moving for the evening with Plastic Nebraska following suit. The Town Pants and The Horse Flies finishing the night strong – both bands that were welcomed back to GBH with rave reviews. Friday night tends to be the longest night and for good reason, Donna The Buffalo packs the dance tent at 1AM with their alter ego Buffalo Zydeco, which over the years seems to have strayed away from straight zydeco, to an impromptu jam session that will last until the breakfast hours or in this case 8AM. I spoke with DTB keyboard player, Dave McCracken before the show and he told me how the band lives for this Friday night/Saturday morning slot. He said, when he joined 8 years ago he remembered going in blindly to play, thinking it was going to be a normal set, little did he know that he would be playing until the sun came up, but he loved it and continues to do so.

Photos By: Thomas Sgroi

As Heron-goers shook off the first night’s remaining hangovers and got their dancing shoes back on, Saturday afternoon brought a steady lineup of traditional and world-music influenced bands that kept fans out on the field of the Main Stage, in the Dance Tent, and back in the woods at the Tiger Maple Stage. The Ragbirds out of Ann Arbor, MI brought a very eclectic sound to the stage, with influences from West Africa, Spain (played a saucy tango), Ireland, Romania, and all over the globe. They describe their style as “infectious global groove.” The adorably petite, flower-wearing lead singer, Erin Zindle, seamlessly transitioned musical modes from Celtic to Roma (Gypsy), and back to American grassroots fiddle, with nothing left wanting in terms of passion, power, or fluency in these diverse musical languages. The Ragbirds are very unique group in that all members play percussion (in addition to their primary instruments), which made the them the ideal mid-afternoon opener to get the audience hyped and moving their feet again. Percussionist Randall, “the Hitman” Moore got the crowd jumping and dancing with an amazing conga solo. Add to this formula a killer cover of the Talking Heads’ “Nothing but Flowers,” and you’ve got yourself a great start to day two of the Great Blue Heron.

Overlapping time with the Ragbirds in the Dance Tent was the Celtic-folk/rock favorite Town Pants, by way of Vancouver, Canada (those Celts are everywhere!). Town Pants struck me as a seemingly odd name for a group wherein two of the band’s five members wear kilts and one was wearing a skirt. Regardless, this band owned the stage and pulled listeners right into the alcohol, fun, and folk induced-frenzy that they embodied on stage. Brothers Duane and Dave Keough toasted with the audience (multiple times), told jokes, and kept that whiskey-fire burning with an energy unparalleled at the Heron. Enthusiastic percussion, a solid string section, and an infectious stage presence were hallmarks of their delivery. Band frontman Dave Keough announced mid-set, “I’m officially a Heron lover,” much to the audience’s chagrin. Fans sang along with the simultaneously sweet and touching, yet funny, “Sailor Song”, whose chorus was – “When I said that I loved you I was drunk but I meant It anyway,” you gotta love sailor romance. The Town Pants held audience attention and kept them shouting “Oi!” throughout the set as the band pleased the crowd, with covers of modern rock songs, played Celtic-style. Featured were “Sorrow,” by Bad Religion and a KISS original, “I Was Made for Loving You”. In a heartwarming gesture near the end of their set, the two brothers even brought their aging father on stage to sing a traditional folk song…a lovely nod to the classic Celtic lust for life nostalgia and familial adoration.

Driftwood was nextt on the must-see lineup for the festival – a strings-only quintet of bluegrass/folk/americana musicians that just keep evolving their sound with increased sophistication. Driftwood has always wielded the power to get crowds jumping and stomping with fiery bluegrass passion – especially during fiddle solos by the much beloved and talented Claire Byrne. But at Blue Heron, Driftwood proved that they can just as easily fill the air with a soft, tranquil, and beautifully sad sound, and fully utilize the powers of simplicity and silence. The minimalistic bass tapping, and lovely guitar picking on songs like “The Carburetor and the Steam Engine” invoked bittersweet images of sadness. Their fade-outs on songs like “Goldmine” were so moody and sweet you could hear the hairs on the audience’s necks stand up. Bravo indeed.

Back at the Dance Tent, positive, inspirational, and groovy roots rock reggae poured out of the tent like a sweet melody. The culprit was Mosaic Foundation, a group of ethnically diverse and talented musicians based in Rochester, NY and formed in the Finger Lakes region. This band played last year at Great Blue Heron with a warm reception and once again, they did not disappoint. Listeners couldn’t help but follow suit as lead singer Yao Foli, or “Cha Cha” sang about music and love-making in “put on my dancing shoes”. Cha Cha, a native Ghanian, used Mosaic’s deep groove and funky rhythm to extol his virtues of peace, education, cooperation, community, and spiritual unity. The highly animated Cha-Cha spoke and sang of lending a helping hand, how “education is the most powerful weapon,” and reflected on the profound wisdom that someone else’s struggles and pain are not external, because in a spiritual sense, “someone else is me.” Of special note were the sharp, precise, and paradoxically energetic and laid-back percussion parts provided by Bryan Davis. His interplay with drummer John-Paul Nawn and the droning chords provided by the rest of the band kept the audience swaying and bouncing throughout the set.

As the sun drew near to the horizon on Saturday evening, Big Leg Emma brought their big sound to the Main Stage. Big Leg Emma is a rock/country/folk/bluegrass outfit, hailing from Western NY. Their sound blends a full, rhythm driven backbone with a country-style vocal sweetness and soul (courtesy of vocalist Charity Nuse) that stir up thoughts of sweet tea and back porches in summer. While Big Leg Emma plays definitively structured songs, they also weren’t afraid to jam out. Solid, funky, double-stopped bass lines by Miguel Morales and an anticipatory, super-fast rock drum solo by Corey Kertzie were especially memorable. This group employed elements of popular (in contrast to traditional) music, and expounded on this talent of making songs catchy and danceable by covering songs people know and love. “Dear Prudence” by the Beatles, “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd and “Papa Was a Rollin Stone” by the Temptations, all made it hard not to join right in and love Big Leg Emma. And, this is just what Claire Byrne of Driftwood decided to do when she sat in and shredded her fiddle right along with this good-time band. Also, in keeping with the family-friendly nature of the Great Blue Heron festival, Charity brought her pre-teen son on stage to play the djembe for the last few songs of their set. It’s a family affair at Great Blue Heron!

Once darkness fell, the glowing electronic lights and digitized sounds of Jimkata drew listeners away from their campsites and into a world where nature and technology fuse. Jimkata is one of the very few bands that successfully blend analog, live instrumentation with trippy electronic effects and synthesized beats. Especially impressive was how drummer Packy Lunn perfectly balanced his live drumming with simultaneous synth drum tracks and sounds, creating a unique percussive texture that was neither electronic dance music nor rock, but somewhere in between. Although Jimkata could definitely be considered psychadelic, their melodies and solos (especially those played by guitarist and keyboard player Dave Rossi) were always pretty and pleasant, and never discordant. Now that Jimkata has been on the national touring festival circuit, the young (circa 2012) Ithaca-based band has proven that they will only get better with time. Jimkata’s greatly improved cohesiveness and increasingly polished and definitive sound, will carry them on the cultural wave of electronic music until it just isn’t cool anymore.

At the peak of the evening’s euphoria arose Donna the Buffalo, the legendary folk/country/zydeco/jam group that helped birth festivals like Great Blue Heron and Grassroots Music Festival in Ithaca. Donna is both reliable and prolific. With a performing history spanning over two decades, a massive compendium of songs both original and traditional, a dedicated and growing fan base known as “the herd,” and a busy national tour schedule, Donna the Buffalo does what they do well, and they keep on doing it. Their music is the ideal for family festivals for many reasons. Their songs are deeply steeped in the timeless sounds of the American vernacular, yet they manage to remain fun, danceable, and relevant (never old-timey). Their clear and tasteful tones are always smooth and easy on the ears, and their music conveys an especially unique energy that always makes people feel good. This vibe could be described as happy with a twinge of sorrowful wisdom. This seems best expressed through the mellifluous voice and stoic presence of Tara Nevins, and the mournful and reflective lyrics of Jeb Puryear.

Photos By: Brennan Fischer

Sunday is typically reserved for the older crowd and seems a lot more laid back then the previous days. With most of the crowd cleaning up their campsites and leaving throughout the day its more of a quieter time. The day also seems to have a great ending with some perfect groups closing it out. The Hindu Cowboys asked to come back after their successful Sunday last year and bring a great stage presence with great music and a fun and entertaining wit. Last year they played alongside a 2-foot tall Batman figure which at times would play the theme song too and Jam with, this year the same Batman figure presented itself from the crowd and again joined the group on stage as part of the groups band mates.

The Hindu Cowboys really make sunday a fun day and are very talented musicians. Big Leg Emma played a for a second time in as many days, bringing their jamming and the fans who wanted more the previous day got what they were looking for. Donna The Buffalo closed out the day and the festival and you wouldn’t want it any other way, the group has taken this festival and really let it evolve into something magical over the years. The group and the festival go hand in hand in bringing friends together for a good time filled with great music. It was bittersweet for the festival to come to an end and I’m sure that along with the entire audience, I left feeling thankful that this great band, and its friends and family helped found such an enjoyable and feel-good festival. Happy Heron everyone.

Photos By: Thomas Sgroi

July 18, 2014
Pitchfork 2014 Begins This Weekend in Chicago

Last summer, made the mid-July trek to Chicago to cover Pitchfork Music Festival for the first time ever. This upcoming weekend, New York State’s favorite music-based website will be heading to the Windy City once again.

Pitchfork Music Fest will be held in Union Park from Friday, July 18 through Sunday, July 20. Three-day passes – along with single-day passes for Saturday and Sunday – have already sold out. Tickets for Friday, however, are still available through Ticketfly.

Pitchfork’s schedule offers an even scattering of fantastic acts throughout its extended weekend, and Friday’s yet-to-be-sold-out lineup is no weak spot in the festival’s overall roster.

Headlining Friday’s lineup is Beck, whose recently released Morning Phase is the twelfth album in an excellently diverse discography. Morning Phase displays Beck’s skills as a songwriter, with most of its tracks rooted in folk-style recordings. While his Pitchfork set will likely feature a good deal of material from Morning Phase, songs from Beck’s funk-influenced Midnight Vultures, his indie giant Guero, and his 1996 breakout Odelay will hopefully make their way into the performance as well.

The festival’s opening day will also include performances from 74-year-old Italian producer, Giorgio Moroder, who contributed to Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories last year, and Animal Collective off-shoot, Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks.

One of Friday’s most intriguing acts is Sharon Van Etten, a singer-songwriter from Brooklyn who released her latest LP, Are We There in May. The album shows Van Etten’s songwriting as strong and genuine, and her performances follow the candid nature that often presents itself in her recordings.

Saturday’s lineup is led by Twin Peaks, a group of young Chicagoans whose melody-driven garage rock is categorized with Windy City acts like The Orwells and Smith Westerns.

Cloud Nothings play Saturday afternoon as well, offering a more veteran take on indie rock. Their April-released Here And Nowhere Else is a record full of energy and grit, which will likely translate to a festival setting very well.

Frontwomen will be a major theme as Saturday closes. Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus – who will be performing on Pitchfork’s Red Stage at 5:15 – is responsible for the eccentrically beautiful Nikki Nack, released through 4AD earlier this summer. And St. Vincent, whose recent appearance on SNL exhibited her art-rock performance style, will be next in line at the Red Stage.

Female solo projects Kelela and FKA Twigs will also perform Saturday evening, followed by headliner Neutral Milk Hotel. had the opportunity to cover Mangum and his band in Ithaca in January. Their performance was the first in Upstate New York in nearly two decades, but the effects of their extended hiatus went unnoticed at the State Theater. After touring for several more months, it’s safe to assume their set at Pitchfork will be an even more ambitious performance than Ithaca’s.

Sunday’s lineup features Syracuse-based noise rock act, Perfect Pussy. After receiving praise from Pitchfork’s staff writers for their debut album, Say Yes To Love, the Upstate five-piece has become one of the most anticipated acts at this year’s festival.

Other notable acts in Sunday’s lineup include shoe-gaze standouts Diiv and Jordan Lee’s folk-inspired Mutual Benefit, along with Real Estate, whose spring performance at the Higher Ground in Burlington spurred a trip north for .

Between Beck’s performance on Friday and Kendrick Lamar’s closing performance Sunday night, the Pitchfork 2014 lineup is set to consistently provide fans with incredible performances. And if 2013 is any indication, Phish won’t be the only reason to head west this weekend.

Check out Pitchfork Music Festival on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Website

July 17, 2014
Sterling Stage Ameribeat Festival Blessed by Perfect Weather and Stellar Music

Sterling Stage’s Ameribeat Festival of Arts has again proved itself to be a small-time fest with lots of character that is prefect place for the whole family. The Ameribeat Festival was held at the Sterling Stage Kampitheater just outside of Sterling, New York during the weekend of June 26-29. The four days of roots, jam, and hip-hop music was the perfect accompaniment to the numerous other forms of art on display. The Sterling Kampitheater has two stages and over 22 performing groups for Ameribeat.

The music kicked off Thursday night with George Wesley’s I-tations, in the small wooded area and stage known as the Sinatra Lounge. The I-tations are a smooth Reggae trio that’s packed with extremely talented musicians and a surprisingly big sound. After a three-hour jam set with many covers by famous dub artists like Bob Marley and filled with keyboard and guitar solos by George Wesley himself, the crowd gave the band a standing ovation. Closing out the night was a Sterling favorite and one of the house bands, Tim Herron Corporation’s THC Duo & Friends. Herron played his well-known original acoustic blues that never fails in making festival-goers dance.

As dawn broke on Friday, the Sterling Stage Kampitheater began to fill in with more local vendors and live music lovers alike. One of the aspects of Sterling Stage that sets it apart from many of the bigger music festivals is the intimate atmosphere and wide variety of hand-made goods available for sale. With over a dozen vendors on site, one could purchase any item imaginable, from beaded jewelry to beer koozies customized with your favorite band logo. Local artists specializing in all mediums filled the Artists Village with live pottery making and a black-light painting gallery for those wandering at night. This special spot is a gala highlighting local talents of all sorts. Just outside the Artists Village is the Imagination Station, a children’s area filled with arts, crafts, and a homemade cardboard castle. This gives parents a chance to relax to and enjoy the festival while knowing their children are safe, which is just another reason Sterling Stage is a prefect place for music lovers of all ages.

The music resumed Friday afternoon at 2 with Paul Leclair, a local singer/songwriter. The day was filled with acts from all over New York State, focusing in the genres of funk/jazz and hip-hop. The up-and-coming band, Lap Giraffe, played several tracks off their recent debut album, Electric Vegetables. Some of the group’s unique funk can also be heard in Subsoil, who shares Adrien D’Angelo as their bass guitarist. Subsoil, also from the Rochester area, performed two sets of their hip-hop/funk fusion in the Sinatra Lounge. One of their closing tracks and a crowd favorite, “Market” tells of the ill effects of consumerism and capitalism on society and the world. Sandwiching Subsoil’s sets was Turkuaz, a Brooklyn based funk band that is quick becoming a veteran of the festival circuit. Their incomparable energy, soulful horn section, and beautiful backup singers made it one of the hottest acts of the weekend.

Saturday was the big day, with nine bands performing a wide array of music styles. The morning started with yoga, led by Sterling regular, Brother Jon. As the day heated up to over 90 degrees, festival-goers made a haven for themselves under giant umbrellas and the Kampitheater’s beautiful trees in an attempt to find shade. Roots/Reggae was in abundance, with music from The Greener Grass Band, Echo System, Root Shock, and Spiritual Rez. All are Upstate bands besides Spiritual Rez, who are one of the two Massachusetts-based groups, along with The Primate Fiasco. Two MC’s, who recited very progressive rhymes encouraging love and respect, accompanied Echo System’s dub. Mooney Faugh, better know as “Moon Rock” of Subsoil, joined the group for a verse as well. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly Ameribeat Orchestra. The Orchestra was made up of 3 members of Tim Herron Corporation, all three members of Sophistafunk, 2 members of Our Friend’s Band, and 1 member of the Upstate favorite, Lucid. The ensemble played a mixture of covers, improvisational pieces, and songs written by some of the musicians, including Tim Herron’s “Tree” and “This Must Be The Place” by The Talking Heads.

With much of the day left, the extravagant party in the woods continued. The Primate Fiasco’s first appearance of the evening took the form of a parade that made a full circle around the festival grounds. The quintet jammed their one-of-kind psychedelic Dixieland as well over a hundred people danced behind them, many dressed in their best festival outfits. Shortly before 10, the main field began to fill in anticipation of Ameribeat’s headliner, Nahko and Medicine for the People. Nahko has turned into a growing phenomenon across the country, spreading their good vibes and positive message through acoustic trip-hop music. It was clear the crowd loved the performance as the applause continued for what seemed like forever. The night ended with a campfire jam session with The Primate Fiasco that stretched into the wee hours of the morning.

Festival-goers were slow to awake Sunday morning after a night of intense partying and only a few were up for morning yoga. As people began to pack up, the last round of bands began to play. The music was more relaxed with several sets of acoustic and jam music by all upstate artists. Those still there milled around the beautiful Kampitheater, many trying some of the deep-fried delights that has become a staple of Sterling Stage. Sterling’s non-for-profit raffle winner was announced, raising money for the Dollars for Scholars fund, supporting two local schools. To wrap up another amazing Ameribeat Festival of Arts was Our Friend’s Band, playing a song that some at the fest may relate to, “Can’t Find My Shoe”.

Sterling Stage truly is one of the better small festivals in upstate New York and this year’s Ameribeat Festival of Arts was no exception. One of the best parts is the shortage of overcrowded campgrounds and long lines, which usually results in over-marketing. Sterling Stage is devoid of both these things. Being so affordable and family friendly, there is no reason for upstate residents not to check out this unique and beautiful venue.

July 10, 2014