Category: Special

  • Intune Music & Lifestyle Festival Plans for a Huge Kickoff

    FLYER_updated_singleOn June 28th, Island Park in Williamsville, NY will become the center for a new, one-day festival, setting up shop right in the middle of suburbia. Intune Music & Lifestyle Festival will be laying down its inaugural foundation for a day of music, artists, workshops, and other various activities. Upon speaking with one of the organizers, Amanda Gutierrez, she said that the festival is a tribute to a friend, Zack Yambor, and their goal is to turn the pain of his loss into a positive for the community. The vision is truly inspirational and what they plan on encompassing within the gates is a large offering to satisfy anyone who plans on attending.

    Throughout the day, those in attendance will be treated to various musical acts such as Skyes, Sumkind, Steel Keys and Brass, Bertioga, Dysrupt, and Kooli. Headlining the festival though is none other than Break Science, featuring Lettuce drummer Adam Deitch. Besides the music, there will be eight free workshops, teaching anything from yoga to live graffiti. Local farmers and food vendors will be there as well to show off their latest with live cooking demos. The fest will take place from noon to 10pm and feature a jam-packed day for a great kickoff! Tickets are $20 presale and you can get them here.

    And if you’re a musician who’s interested in playing, there’s still TWO open slots that the organizers are looking to fill via a contest. Hit the link if you think you have what it takes.

    With so much to offer, here’s a summary of activities you can expect to see at the festival.

    Map of the festival grounds
    Map of the festival grounds

    Bands:
    Break Science
    Skyes
    Sumkind
    Steel Keys and Brass
    Bertioga
    Dysrupt
    Kooli
    – The Goods
    – Satya Hinduja
    Devon James
    – Lo-Ski

    Workshops:
    – Music Production
    – DJing
    – Yoga
    – Cooking
    – Screen Printing
    – Film
    – Musical Theatre
    – Art
    – Skating

  • Skrillex Heated up The Armory in Albany on his Mothership Tour June 3rd

    The mighty Skrillex crash-landed his Mothership Tour at The Washington Armory in Albany last night with the help of DJ friends, Milo & Otis, What So Not, and DJ Snake. The Mothership Tour almost needs a dozen tracker trailers to carry all the lights and sound equipment, plus a massive generator to power up the unforgettable show. The vibrations you will hear and feel from the speakers on the Mothership Tour are similar to a pleasurable earthquake. Skrillex and the EDM genre as a whole attracts a special kind of crowd, mostly in their late teens and 20s, clothed with eye-catching neon, lots of glitter and brightly colored beads. The Capital District hasn’t been too fond of the raves hosted at The Armory for the past few months, but luckily this show went off stress-free.

    The Milo & Otis duo was a great start to the night with fast paced dance beats and techno tunes that helped the ravers loosen up for the long night ahead of them. What So Not mixed heavy bass notes with soaring vocals that released an animal-like dark side into the crowd who ate it up. As the night progressed, the audience grew, and DJ Snake took the stage for a set of blaring techno and extreme lasers. DJ Snake got the biggest response out of the crowd when we started up his latest collaboration with Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What”. The rebellious chant got the masses screaming with their hands up in delightful angst.

    After much cheering and being egged on by DJ Snake, Skrillex leapt on stage to do what he does best, melt faces and blow minds with his hard hitting electronic music. It was hard to tell who was having the better time, the ravers or Skrillex. His hands were all over his mixing tables, even standing atop of them as he amped up the crowd and leapt off just as the music would drop. The consistent climaxes kept everyone moving and the smoke machine blasts were also a crowd pleaser. The massive back drop was a rainbow of lights or showcased images of iconic pop culture; either way it went was a thrill to watch, especially to watch a slow motion of Family Matter’s Urkel and Full House’s Uncle Jesse break it down. Skrillex mixed fresh beats with popular songs that sent the crowd into a frenzy such as Damien Marley’s “Welcome to JamRock” and even the opening theme from The Lion King with a rising sun backdrop. He slams his entire body on that stage, supplies everyone with a powerful energy of music and compliments Albany on being the “hottest” stop on his tour, as it’s apparent that everyone is soaked in sweat. A Skrillex show has everything that young American’s are all about: loud music, robots, lasers and a carefree party attitude.

    Whether you love or hate the EDM scene, Skrillex is a must see act. It’s empowering to watch any artist do what they love, but with Skrillex, you can appreciate his audience control and interaction. His stage presence is almost as big as the bass bombs he drops. Here’s hoping the Capital District will continue to host these EDM events for respectable ravers seeking a bizarrely fun journey into the livetronica world.

  • Saving Abel Turn Bus Around: Albany show canceled

    Less than 24 hours before their scheduled concert at Monirae’s in Pennellville, NY  – while en route to Upstate New York – Saving Abel announced that they won’t be there.

    saving abelMembers of the band reportedly broke away from their recording sessions and were in the midst of traveling to Upstate New York once plans unraveled.

    Saturday’s show in Albany, The Take Back Tour, is advertised as an educational movement to inform concert goers on building a sustainable community. It also included information on recent federal legislation that tour promoters say allows the military to detain citizens without due process.

    A Washington Armory representative said the show is scheduled to proceed without Saving Abel.

    Saving Abel was reportedly dropped by the show promoter, Robert Rodrigo.  Attempts to contact the promoters for comment were unanswered.

    The band posted an announcement late last night on Facebook, but when approached The Washington Armory about the news this afternoon, the staff was initially unaware of the details.

    The venue representative explained they are not responsible for planning the event. As managers of the facility, they only rent out the building to show organizers.  Shows like Tuesday’s Skrillex show that was a huge success.

    Saving Abel still plans to play the Monirae’s show, but in September.

    Dedicated Central New York fans, like Tim S. were upset. The father responded to the band’s Facebook post to say he bought VIP tickets specifically for his daughter’s birthday.

    The band responded to clarify they would honor tickets from the show that was supposed to happen tonight.

    The band is dedicated to all their fans but they said a trip to New York didn’t make fiscal sense if they were only playing one show.

  • Interview: Tech and Music with DJ Scarecrow

    Back in May we rejoiced over the celebration of Geek Week, and had plans on speaking with DJ Scarecrow out of Albany about how advancements in technology have influenced his craft.  But, our schedules conflicted, and we couldn’t get together in time.

    Nevertheless, we ultimately caught up with Brian Mattiske, also known as DJ Scarecrow.  Scarecrow’s professional career dates back to the mid-90s, lending him a healthy perspective on how technology has changed the game from spinning turntables to pressing keyboards. Though software makes certain aspects of the trade easier for the novice, Mattiske is quick to remind you that knowledge and skill still separates the men from the boys.

    traktor

    Michael Hallisey: Okay. Let’s go: For starter’s, why don’t you breakdown your musical résumé for us.

    Brian Mattiske: I got into “club” music when I was in high school. Besides the usual stuff, I happened to have a couple friends that were [fraternity] brothers that moved up here from Long Island. So, they introduced me to NYC club music and I was hooked. I then started DJing in my bedroom using my dad’s old turn table, a cassette deck and a SONY Discman. I had always been doing production type stuff since I was in like the 3rd grade with my dad’s dual-cassette deck and other equiptment. Mostly, I recorded stuff from the radio and edited to my own tapes. Then, when I was senior in high school, I bought another turntable. So, then I could do more legitimate mixing. I still remember the first two records that I mixed were C&C Music Factory – “Gonna Make You Sweat” and Mr. Lee – “Get Busy“. All throughout high school I used to take my allowance and go to the record store every week, so I already had a decent record collection.

    MH: Then you went off to college? Did you continue on while at SUNY Oswego?

    BM: Yes, throughout college I had my setup at home in the basement, so whenever I was home I just kept practicing my mixing. Then, when I was a junior in college I did my radio show with a fraternity brother on Saturday nights. We played club and hip-hop music, which I felt was appropriate for a Saturday night show. We would also have other brothers and friends come in or call in and we did sort of a goofy morning show at night. I still have a tape of outtakes of that which I NEED to get to digital. Then when I was a senior in college I started DJing some fraternity events and parties. Right out of college I got my internship with Z-Rock. We did a semi-goofy Saturday night radio show, but it was alternative and hard rock. Unfortunately, Z-Rock went out of business. Then I was kind of left doing odd jobs until I ran into my partner/supervisor from Z-Rock several months later.

    20140604-215329-78809256.jpg
    DJ Scarecrow has gone from dual-cassette tape decks to fully digital formats.

    MH: Z-Rock out of Albany?

    BM: Yup.

    MH: When did you take on the name Scarecrow?

    BM: Scarecrow is my fraternity nickname. I just decided to use it as my DJ name because it suited me in a way and it was unique.

    MH: How’s it suit you?

    BM: Well, I was kinda tall and skinny. Much skinnier than I am now. [Laughs.] And, I was goofy. It came from the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. So, when I ran into my friend from Z-Rock, he asked me if I wanted to get into the mobile DJ business with him. So, I just started doing it with him. All kinds of events. But, I really loved the club DJing still. He had a few of those gigs, so I got to tag along and he’d let me spin. Eventually I started filling in for him and some other DJs. Then finally landed at the Lamp Post/Oasis with another friend where I was doing most of the spinning. There I could finally play all the NYC style club music. I did both hip-hop and club there though.

    MH: Who are your mainstays, artists in particular?

    BM: Well, I really go for a variety when it comes to my music. Some of the producers that are pretty consistent in my rotation are: Tiesto, Deadmau5, Sander van Doorn, Armin van Buuren. When I started mobile DJing, I was turned on to DJ remix services like X-Mix, Funkymix, and Ultimix. I still use those. They give you lead ins and outs for every track, with some additional production added, and they provide “clean” versions of hip-hop tracks in particular.

    MH: I understand you’re still mixing today. With that said, that brings your timeline of experience beyond 20 years. You spoke of starting off with cassette tapes and needing to go digital with your old stuff. How has technology changed your craft? For one, there’s little “spinning” involved today.

    BM: Haha, yeah now it’s my hard drive that’s “spinning”.

    MH: What kind of hardware and software are you dealing with to do the job?

    BM: I use a Toshiba laptop along with the Native Instruments Traktor DJ software and their S4 Controller. I keep all my music on a 1TB hard drive so that it can be portable. One of the drawbacks of using all digital are the common problems that come along with it. For example, at the end of last year my music drive died and I had to pay a lot of money to recover data I would have lost. I now subscribe to Carbonite.  Can’t have that happening.

    MH: You need a high-end laptop? What’s under the hood of your Toshiba?

    BM: Yes, you definitely need a high-end laptop. You need a lot of RAM and a good processor. I also learned the hard way that you should never have an integrated video card. They don’t play well with the DJ software. One “problem” with digital DJing in general is that it makes it too easy for the average Joe to say they’re a DJ, when the equipment is doing the work for them. However, most music made before the turn of the century was not perfectly digitalized beats, so you do need to have some skill to mix that. What it does provide is the opportunity for artists to focus more on the production side than just on mixing. You can still scratch and do tricks if that is your thing. At first that was a problem, but now the technology has advanced to the point that it’s no longer necessary to only do that on vinyl. Plus you can now use your vinyl with the digital equipment and software. I have sold most of my vinyl because I was almost exclusively using CDs for all those years of DJing up until a couple years ago.

    Now, I’m selling my CDs and will only be using music files. You can find my CD collection on E-Bay. [Laughs.]

    I do still keep a few records and have a turntable for historical purposes. Also, I’d like to show my kids that. There were a few artists that I collected almost all their record singles: The Prodigy, Depeche Mode, and early De La Soul. Eventually I stopped so I never had them all, but up to a point I did. I have some De La singles that I got in Europe and cannot be bought in the US.

    De La Soul – 3 Feet High & Rising is my favorite hip-hop album of all time. And I’ve never listened to an album as much as I did that one. I listened to it every day for at least 3 months. I wore out the tape, bought another, wore that out, then bought the CD.

    I’ve always believed that song selection is the main key to DJing, so even with the greatest digital equipment, you aren’t necessarily a good DJ. I’ve always prided myself on getting people excited about tracks they don’t know rather than just the same stuff they’ve heard a million times.

    MH: Otherwise the software is fairly user friendly?

    BM: Hmmm, yes I would say it is user friendly. There is A LOT you can do with it though. So, it’s really about putting in hours of practice.

    MH: How does it have an effect on your craft? Does it flatline the learning curve for novices, or does it add more tools to the trade for vets to use?

    BM: I would say a little of both. Like I said, it makes it easy for someone that has never done it before to be “mixing” almost instantly. However, it does add tons of tools that experienced DJs can use and add all sorts of production aspects to their mixes, like loops, effects, samples, etc. The instant access to your full music collection is probably one of the best advantages. You don’t have to dig through record crates or CD’s. Plus it’s way more compact and portable. But it’s so great to literally type a song , artist, or anything into the search and have it instantly filter. So, if you walk up to me and request a song that I may not be familiar with or by a certain artist, but you don’t know the song, I can pull that up right away and see if I have it. Cuz you always have those people that think you are Creskin and they can walk up and say, “Hey do you have that song that goes, blah blah boom tap?” [Laughs.]

    MH: Okay. Last question: where do you see things going with the influence of technology on DJing?

    BM: Hmmm, that is a tough question. It’s hard to see it get even more advanced that it has, but I know it will. They keep coming out with more and more hardware that can be added to your setup to make on the fly production even easier and give more options for more creativity. I can see touch-screen technology being more integrated into it, but there’s always a certain hands-on element to DJing, so I don’t see that ever being taken away. It’s just changed as to what equipment you use and the capabilities that equipment has.

    MH: Sweet. Thanks for taking the time.

  • Norwood Village Green Concert Series

    The Norwood Village Green Concert Series  has spent the past four decades providing free music to the North Country community.

    Norwood, which is approximately ten miles north of Potsdam, is truly Upstate and well beyond the reaches of Interstates 87 and 90. Nonetheless, the concert series organizers are quick to boast that since 1974, they have entertained a half a million music revelers with a collection of music talent that includes Grammy, Juno and Emmy award winders, as well as two National Medal of Arts recipients, and several international, national, regional and local artists.

    Norwood Village Green Concert Series concerts are free of charge, but donations are encouraged by means of a “pass the bucket” approach.

    Each concert listed below starts at 7 p.m.

    THE NORWOOD VILLAGE GREEN CONCERT SERIES

    norwood

    Thursday, June 5 – The RPO Marimba Band (+ North Country Children’s Museum’s KidPower: Fun and Fitness Exhibit)
    Thursday, June 12 – Onyx Clarinet Quartet and Riverside Brass Quintet
    Sunday, June 15 – Sonic Escape
    Thursday. June 19 – Tas Cru
    Sunday, June 22 – Kleztory
    Thursday, June 26 – Northern Symphonic Winds, Scott LaVine, Dr. Brian Doyle, Conductors
    Sunday, June 29 – The Cathie Ryan Band
    Sunday, July 6 – All Star Big Band under the direction of Wally Siebel with guest Tony DeSare
    Wednesday , July 9 – The Susquehanna String Band
    Sunday, July 13 – Harpeth Riseth
    Thursday, July 17 – Sultans of String
    Sunday, July 20 – The Gibson Brothers
    Thursday, July 24 – Martha Gallagher and Harper’s Delight
    Sunday, July 27 Jamcrackers – Peggy Lynn, Dan Duggan and Dan Berggren
    Thursday, July 31 – The Brass Firemen
    Sunday, August 3 – Northbound with special guest, King Kong

  • Jbre x Dougie Kent Release New Single “Stimulation”

    Hailing from Lancaster, PA Jbre x Dougie Kent is a new hybrid breed of music infusing elements of both commercial hip-hop/rap with their EDM producer SaneBeats from London, U.K. At 22 years old, one would dismiss “#TheDuo” as a novelty act, however, doing this would be a disservice to these young musicians who have carefully honed their craft over the past two years.

    After dropping their iTunes debut album After Hours in January 2014 and opening for legends such as DMX. G-Eazy, Wale, and countless others – Jbre x Dougie Kent drop their latest single “Stimulation”. Produced by SaneBeats, the single leaves listeners to a more mature side of the artists. Margaret Kramer, also a Lancaster native, was brought into the studio after being praised for her talents at a local college party. Jbre x Dougie Kent will be announcing tour dates this summer which includes various shows such as their highly anticipated concert July 20th in Hollywood, CA at The Avalon. Catch the new song “Stimulation” along with others on Trap and Bass below!

  • Mysteryland USA: The View Through a New EDM Fan’s Lens

    MysteryLand USA was my first EDM festival but I doubt it will be my last.  As a middle aged rocker that occasional enjoys the occasional jam band, I really didn’t know what to expect.  However, when I got to the grounds of the original Woodstock at Bethel Woods, I could already feel the excitement in the air.  My normal routine for festivals or concerts is to get there early and to scout the stages and setup.  I start planning my shots and my day with no one else around, understanding the lay of the land. For Mysteryland this was at high noon on Saturday, and there wasn’t a single light, laser or LED to be seen. There were however, huge circus-style tents, a Spanish stage with sugar face designs, a vinyl area with old albums all over and an octagon building that was brought over from the Netherlands.  There was even a large boat set-up as a stage.   But the highlight was the main stage. It was a house of cards, no, it was a castle of cards. It looked amazing and in the middle was an area that the DJs and artists could practice their craft and entertain the 20,000 fans in attendance.

    When the gates finally opened all the festival-goers were greeted by sheriffs and state troopers with their canine unit drug sniffing dogs.  Festival organizers, ID&T, said they were going to run a clean festival and to the best of their ability they did a great job.  After spending two days, it wasn’t the typical cloud of smoke, nor did I walk by underage drunks passed out at three in the afternoon.  Did I mention that they enforced a 21 and over policy?  Additional fences were added to increase security and there were 850 people working the festival besides the 250 performers. This wasn’t the normal festival; ID&T were planning for the future and wanted to prove to their hosts that they could offer up a quality, successful festival on the holy grounds of Woodstock and keep it safe and clean.  The goal wasn’t as much about making money as it was getting an invitation back.

    One of the aspects of the festival that I did look forward to were the costumes the ravers put together to express themselves. While some outfits were purchased, it seemed like most extravagant and therefore the best ones were handmade. I saw people dressed as animals, Dr. Seuss characters, the whole cast from Alice in Wonderland, aliens and more. There was even a parrot and a pirate combo with her on his shoulder, put that by the boat stage and it was the perfect scenario.  As per any electronic music event, there were no shortages of hula hoops or fuzzy boots, and more than your fair share of glitter and body paint. A few of the outfits (or lack of) made me thankful that I have three sons, because if I had a daughter wearing a bra and panties out in public I wouldn’t be the happy-go-lucky guy that I am.  Honestly in the proper setting it really does barely raise an eyebrow.

    Some of the things that made Mysteryland unique compared to most festivals that I’ve been to were the amount of International visitors.  Over 27 countries were represented and more than half the states also had a solid presence.  The European touch on the festival was evident in the hospitality and organization, especially in the media area.  Overall this festival was other worldly and I look forward to the next one.

  • Hearing Aide: Ziggy Marley ‘Fly Rasta’

    Ziggy Marley’s new musical offering Fly Rasta combines many of the essential elements that make up Ziggy Marley as a Rastafarian, music artist, and the son of a legend. The multifaceted  record reaches to the ends of the musical spectrum, touching on pop, roots, reggae, funk and soul. Marley easily navigates through numerous genres and influences, referring to his sonic hybrid appropriately as ‘Ziggy’ music.

    Now past the age reached by his famous father, Ziggy’s discography has now arrived at its natural maturity, taking on all aspects of Marley’s philanthropist pursuits in its content and context. The album expresses the basic tenants of Rastafarianism, love, respect, hopefulness and nature through childlike expressionism uncluttered by pretense or unneeded obscure lyrical references. There is a consistency of focus on the record that is retained regardless of the thematic or genre excursions undertaken.

    ziggy marley fly rasta

    The opening track and single, ‘I Don’t Want To Live on Mars’ begins with a straight pop/rock hook that dissolves into an addictive funk groove. Marley expresses that he does not want to leave earth, nor does he have to, regardless of man’s progress or Earth’s natural disasters. This is not his father’s Reggae, this is a celebratory creation built around the integrity of Marley’s past life experiences and his forward thinking compositions that defy simple classification.

    The title track spins like a vintage dancehall groove from 1960’s Jamaica. Supported by vocal assistance from ‘U-Roy’, Marley pays his respect to and reminds his fellow ‘Knotty Dread’s that it’s time to soar. The groove is relentless, a steady heartbeat of the soul, disorienting, a pounding organic dance groove with a directive for Jah people to rise.

    The album is a grower, similar to the plentiful green Ganja fields of Jamaica that stretch toward the hot Caribbean sun. It soaks into the listener’s skin after repeated listens like salty ocean air. A testament to its divergent styles continues with the luminescent ‘Lighthouse’, a straight forward, but alluring, rock ballad that sits on a muted reggae guitar nestled into its 4/4 beat.

    ‘Sunshine’ and ‘Moving Forward’ use archetypal reggae as their launching pad, sunny compositions rooted in Ziggy’s natural element, draped in horn lines and unique guitar melodies. ‘Sunshine’ features a ticklish sitar solo midway through the track, adding a unique texture to the song.

    ‘You’ is one of the songs that perfectly illustrates Marley’s unabashed combination of musical and world elements as the song moves from ‘One Drop’, to a funky Hammond organ breakdown, and then through slick and smooth soul middle eight. Resinous wah-wah’d guitars and slick backing vocals, in addition to start and stop rock break downs, makes this one of the finest arrangements on the LP.

    ziggy marley fly rasta
    Photo credit: Roxanne Haynes

    The intimate ‘So Many Rising’ paints a troubadour on the beach at dusk, singing to the world through the deep, dark, and reflection of the night sky. Unadorned hand drums and an acoustic guitar are the only instrumentation on this song of hope and encouragement, clearly understood through its transparent and woody arrangement.

    ‘I Get Up’ follows and features sister Cedella Marley, adding her sweet vocal abilities and family support to the track about battling through every day issues and living in and for the moment. Warm descending bass lines and alternating horns tickle the melodic sense of the song.

    ‘Your My Yoko’, and ‘Give It Away’ close the album on a positive and grooving note. ‘Your My Yoko’ is a testament and tribute to women as a support system, muse and as representative Earth Mother, through a syncopated major key arrangement. The closing song, ‘Give It Away’ fittingly concludes and bookends the record with a delicious ‘riddim’. The song begins with soft vocals crooned by Marley that explore the melody of the track. The tune then moves into a gently undulating reggae groove that then suddenly shifts into a circular funk for the songs central change. ‘Only if we give it away, can love be love’ is the concluding message and a simple note to leave behind after the experience of the record.

    Ziggy Marley has now reached the point in his successful career where his legacy is in place and he has grown into his substantial shoes. The music he is disseminating to the world is truly his music, created by and stamped with his aesthetics. Marley is proud of his history and his roots, but does not let it overwhelm his need for discovery and creation. His lyrical voice expresses a proud and historic awareness, but never a pretentious or didactic attitude. It seems Marley has reached a sun-drenched plateau of confidence and security where he can develop new and interesting ways of communication through the re-imagining of the medium of reggae.

    Key Tracks: Fly Rasta, So Many Rising, Give It Away

    Ziggy Marley will be performing on June 25th at Artpark in Lewiston, NY in support of Fly Rasta. Steel Pulse will be supporting Ziggy at this performance. Tickets are available for $6.00, $11.00 and $26.00, with gates opening at 4:30.

  • Road to Backwoods Pondfest: Lucid in the North Country on June 6th and 7th

    10321572_10152418026195944_4418165811163170152_oWith so many great festivals right in our backyard, we are lucky in the Upstate region to be able to pick and choose what we attend every summer. One gem that calls the North Country home and always has a solid lineup is Backwoods Pondfest. Now in its 8th year, this years fest will be headlined by Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na with his project Chali 2na and the House of Vibe.  Other acts include bands like Twiddle, Spiritual Rez, Turkuaz, Alan Evans’ Playonbrother, Conehead Buddha, and of course, the gracious hosts, Lucid. With it still being two months away though, there’s still a lot of great music to catch in the near future before even thinking about that.

    Welcome to ‘s “Road to Backwoods Pondfest” series.  Through this, we plan on highlighting some of the shows in the region that we are sponsoring that feature Pondfest bands before its August kick off. Being that it’s our first installation, it made sense to tell you about the guys who host Pondfest every year, Lucid.  The band hails from the Plattsburgh region and have been a gracious host over the years to the many bands that make the trip in August.  As the winner of ‘s March Madness tournament, Lucid is gaining popularity throughout the region as one of the premier up and coming bands to catch.

    On Friday, June 6th Lucid will be taking the stage at Olive Ridley’s in Plattsburgh.  Joining them that night are two bands from the area that are local favorites in Doomf*ck and Trinity Park Radio.  The following night, Lucid is making the short trip south to Saranac Lake to play Waterhole.  Opening the night will be The Royal Noise whose powerful funk sound is a great fit for the show.

     Lucid (Photo by Laura Carbone)
    Lucid (Photo by Laura Carbone)

    For both shows, doors open at 9pm with music beginning at 10, so head out and get a taste for what’s to come this August when Backwoods Pondfest kicks off its 8th year.  And if you still haven’t picked up your Pondfest ticket quite yet, hit the link and grab yours now!  There’s a reason why this is one of our favorites in New York.

  • Yes Dropping ‘Heaven & Earth’ in July

    In a day where digital music is more common for the everyday consumer than owning an album, that doesn’t necessarily hold true when it comes to Yes.

    Yes, the iconic progressive rock band that has sold 40 million albums over the past 40 years, announced their latest release, Heaven & Earth, will drop on July 22nd. Bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White, keyboardist Geoff Downes and singer Jon Davison, in conjunction with the release of their latest studio album, will proceed with a 35-date, summer tour throughout the United States starting July 8th.

    The artwork of Roger Dean has become synonymous with Yes, making each of the band’s album covers unmistakably theirs. As has been in the past, Dean is back to provide the artwork for Heaven & Earth. This latest release will contain eight original tracks produced by Grammy Award winner, Roy Thomas Baker.

    Heaven & Earth is available now for pre-order on Amazon .

    Above: Album cover art for Heaven & Earth by Roger Dean
    Above: Album cover art for Heaven & Earth by Roger Dean

    The first of 35 nights starts off July 8th at the Blue Hills Bank Pavillion in Boston, MA.  From there, the band will meander throughout the Northeast with stops in New York City (July 9th – Radio City Music Hall), Wallingford, CT (July 11th – Toyota Oakdale Theatre), Westbury, NY (July 12th – NYCB Theatre at Westbury) and Newport, RI (July 13th – Newport Yachting Center). After a stop in Washington, DC, the band will come back north for a stop at Hampton, NH (July 16th – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom), and Salamanca, NY (July 18th – Seneca Allegany Casino).

    The tour promises to feature, in their entirety, 1971’s groundbreaking album Fragile for the first-time ever and a repeat performance from last year’s tour of 1972’s Close to the Edge, followed by an encore of the band’s greatest hits.  Tickets can be purchased at the band’s website.