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
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.
Despite the conflict-laden name, Rebelution has a way of coloring everything with positivity. The band has always led with that feel, both lyrically and musically. Now in their tenth year, Rebelution is releasing their fourth studio album in Count Me In with many of their fans eager to hear what the Cali-based foursome have been working on as of late. While I’ll say that they certainly delivered, there were still a few surprises in there along the way and a few that were close to instant classics for me.
The album opens on the title track, featuring a rolling bass line that almost has a swing to it and full of upbeat the band is known for. When I asked drummer Wesley Finley about how they decided to open with this one, he said, “I do have to admit that we struggled with the track order quite a bit this time, all the way until we were going to print! Since we titled the album after the track, it eventually made sense to put “Count Me In” first. Besides that, the track really embodies the general sound the band represents so we figured it would be a good introduction.” These guys haven’t made it to their tenth year missing the mark and the opener is no different.
With all that said, the first song is merely a setup for the album standout “De-Stress.” That might’ve been by design though as Finley says, “We followed that up with “De-Stress” because it’s up-tempo and keeps the momentum building.” The opening one-two punch is a great start to the album and a possible set opener we might see this summer. The driving intro of “De-Stress” in and of itself makes the song, but singer Eric Rachmany hops around the rhythm with his delivery and adds another dimension to this track. The chorus of “And I might stress/Yes I might stress/ Too blessed to be stressed” are some nuggets we could all live by. In the world we live in today, a little de-stressing could do everyone some good.
As the album progresses through the tracks, two stand out in back-to-back fashion once again: “Lost in Dreams” and “Fade Away” showed some growth and experimentation from the band. In some cases it felt and sounded great, like the soothing close of “Fade Away”, but something held these two back. That being said, young bands could learn from these guys as Rebelution knows exactly where to push the boundaries; these two tracks weren’t far off. When asked about the creative deviation, Finley said, “We produced “Lost in Dreams” with a friend of ours named AmpLive, who is half of the hip-hop group Zion I and a beat maker for other hip-hop artists. We tour with them every once in a while and are mutual fans of each other’s music, so it was inevitable that collaboration would happen.”
On that collaboration note, the album features two guest appearances in the form of “Hate to Be the One” (Collie Buddz) and “Roots Reggae Music” (Don Carlos). Both guests are great fits for their respective tracks. When asked about how they chose the two, Finley said, “Collie Buddz we knew from touring together. He had come up on a song or two of ours live onstage over the years and the band is a fan of his voice, which is distinct from him being Bermudan. We sent “Hate to Be the One” to him and he came back with a whopping verse that we were very impressed with and knew we had to use. Eric’s main vocal inspiration has always been the reggae veteran Don Carlos so we instantly thought of him for “Roots Reggae Music”. He too has come onstage to sing with us for years, mostly to his own song we covered called “Johnny Big Mouth”, so we thought it would be great for him to sing something new for us. Our sound engineer is the infamous Errol Brown, who worked closely with the Marley family for many years, so when we mentioned we were thinking of asking Don to be on the track he said, “Call him up and pass me the phone. I’ll get him to do it!” We all listened as they caught up over the phone in a thick Jamaican patois. It was a classic moment.”
Left to Right: Marley D. Williams (bass), Wesley Finley (drums), Eric Rachmany (vocals/guitar), Rory Carey (keyboards) Photo Credit: Kurt Hudson
The album wraps up on two songs that take a darker twist. “Against the Grain” starts off with a mesmerizing horn phrase that transitions to a vocal rally cry to whoever might be listening. The empowering words come with a hint of attitude and grit. The title is the perfect fit as it stands on its own compared to the rest of the album’s sunny positivity. It has almost a “Bad Boys,” fist in the air, fighting-for-your-beliefs feel with Marley Williams running a darker line to color the song. “Invasion” closes the album and keeps the rebel feel going. The last two songs are my favorite combo on the album and feature a darker, more serious tone for the band.
It’s funny to think, now, that they struggled with the order of the tracks as they couldn’t have decided upon a better layout in my opinion. In flawless fashion, the band has woven together a cohesive, yet varied album that features what they’ve built their careers on while still progressing forward.
The album drops Tuesday, June 10th, with preorders being taken here. If you’ve been a fan of the band, or even looking to hear some new reggae, you’re going to want to check this one out.
Key Tracks: Against the Grain, De-Stress, Invasion
The Oneonta Theatre, located at 47 Chestnut Street, just 100 yards away from Oneonta’s vibrant Main Street, is a true gem of a venue. Being situated in a college town, the theatre is just a hop, skip, and jump away from a wide array of dining options, as well as a plethora of bars. Consisting of two separate concert spaces, the larger of which can accommodate 900 people, and the smaller 200, the Oneonta Theatre is a unique and charming place to check out a show. The larger downstairs theater has a deep, tall stage, one that can accommodate a large band or the cast of a play, and the sloped floor typically has seats up to about two-thirds of the way down towards the stage, leaving the front of the floor open for boogieing down. The smaller upstairs theater features a stage that is not very much higher than the dance floor area, with seats sloping upwards towards the back of this space, and is slightly rounder than the space downstairs. An amazing sound engineer works with the theatre, making sure the sound is stellar in both of the differently configured theaters.
Designated as a historically significant building on the National Register of Historic Places, the Oneonta Theatre was originally built as a vaudeville theater in 1897, during a particularly happening time in Oneonta’s history, when the railroad ran through town. From its lavish first production of The Sporting Duchess (at a production cost of $50,000!) on February 28, 1898, to silent and talking films throughout the 19-teens and Roaring ‘20s, to the site of countless Oneonta High School graduations, this theater was a definite draw for both area residents and travelers from afar. Then, in the mid-1960s, the theater was slated to be wiped out as part of an urban renewal program planned for Oneonta, but fortunately a gentleman by the name of Harold DeGraw bought it and saved it from being destroyed, and invested his own private funds to rehabilitate the theater and storefronts. In 1979-80, the upper balconies were separated from the main theater, turning it into a two-theater “multiplex.” Live plays continued to be performed here, as the Orpheus Theatre group used the downstairs performance space for their plays and musicals. That is how the Oneonta Theatre operated until about 1992, at which point the stage was actually abandoned, and the theater started to deteriorate, becoming more and more dilapidated with each passing year.
In 2009, the current owner, Tom Cormier, took ownership of the Oneonta Theatre. Interestingly, the theater was actually not what motivated him to buy the building. He became interested in the property for the front part of the building, which consists of three storefronts and six apartments, but when he looked more closely into purchasing the property, he discovered that it actually contained two buildings, one of which was the dilapidated theater. Initially, Cormier said the theater was in such bad shape that it was impossible to stand inside it for more than a half hour without having respiratory issues from all the mold and pigeon poop that had built up over the years, but thankfully, the non-profit group Friends of the Oneonta Theatre, to whom Cormier rents the theater for $50/month, were able to convince him to fall in love with the theater and put in the time, money, and effort to rehabilitate it. During the renovations, Cormier came across numerous hidden treasures, including a collection of signatures on the walls backstage from actors who had performed there over the years, and a complete newspaper found between the first and second stories from the day after a World Series game that took place sometime in the 1950s during which a perfect game was pitched! (He even mentioned that he and several of the employees have encountered ghosts, but he assured me they were all friendly.)
Having gone through extensive repair work, it can now once again be said that the Oneonta Theatre has truly lived up to its motto of “Showing Oneonta A Good Time Since 1897.” Some of the bigger acts who have been booked here since Cormier took ownership include Steve Earle, Arlo Guthrie, Chris Robinson, Blue Oyster Cult, Kansas, McGuinn & Sebastian, Little Feat, The Radiators, and the Zombies – quite the assortment! Cormier also likes to feature more local and regional acts, and has in fact helped out some local acts by booking them as openers for bigger names, and as a result of that, a couple of bands (including Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds) have landed national touring gigs! In addition to live music, the occasional cult classic movie can be viewed at the Oneonta Theatre. In the past few years, The Big Lebowski and The Rocky Horror Picture Show have been shown on the big screen, and the audience has come out in full garb. The Theatre has even provided suitable goodies during these movies, such as serving up White Russians (normally, only beer, wine, and a limited selection of bottled cocktail drinks are available at the bar located inside the lobby area of the Theatre) during The Big Lebowski, and handing out prop bags including rice, noisemakers, and toilet paper to encourage audience participation during The Rocky Horror Picture Show! The theatre also rents out its space for the occasional college event, and as such has hosted a few foam parties, the first of which completely trashed the floors of the theater due to the chemical composition of the foam, and which resulted in a scene reminiscent of a slaughterhouse afterwards, as the floors of the theater were red, and the red paint was streaming down the entrance hallway before heading out the door and down the sidewalks! But Cormier just turned what could have been a bad situation into good, and used the opportunity to strip the floors, since the job was already halfway done!
When asked about plans to expand or renovate the theatre, Cormier mentioned that he does have some changes in mind for this summer, but it’s too early to reveal those changes. He is in the process of looking for investors for this project, so if anyone is interested, please get in touch with Tom Cormier through the theatre’s website! Upcoming shows that have been confirmed at the Oneonta Theatre this summer include Rusted Root on June 27, Start Making Sense (a Talking Heads tribute band) on June 28, and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds on August 22, but continue to check their website, as they are always booking new bands. And now, to quote theatre owner Tom Cormier, “We’re not the shiniest nickel around, but there’s a good vibe in this place! And the sound’s incredible. So, come to Oneonta, come visit us!”
In its largest attended event, the seventh annual DelFest of 2014 kicked off with host The Del McCoury Band breaking wide open the second observation: that music would achieve excellence whether it be felt by the souls of the listeners or performed by the masters. Music would take on a leading role in the senses of the receiver’s mind, body and soul.
A community of music aficionados amassed Memorial Day weekend below the ridges of the Allegheny Mountains. Location is the first noticeable observation. Two mountain ridges overlap to form a V shape and an enormous American flag proudly waved in the tender breeze in the forefront. The natural and vast stonewall embedded into the mountainside provided a sense of security. The trees lining that same stone ridge were so green summer dripped off the stems of the distant leaves but ever so gently whispered “love,” from, earth. One could sense that something great would happen.
“Music is harmony, harmony is perfection, perfection is our dream, and our dream is heaven.” ~Henri Frederic Amiel
The identity of DelFest is defined through lack. It lacks the mainstream energy in spite of approximate 10,000 gatherers. DelFest lacked in a garbage strewn concert field, instead a lush green lawn cushioned dancing feet (thanks to Clean Vibes). DelFest lacked individuality dictated by ego of its guests but rather like-minded strangers embraced diversity and co-creation was encouraged. DelFest lacks in standardized instruction but rather affords educational mind expansion by offering guests The DelFest Academy. Chosen student musicians were given the opportunity to perform on stage Thursday night. Cheaper by the Half Dozen played the traditional version of “CC Rider” and Caterpillars on the Bow rocked a bluegrass version of Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” DelFest lacks in providing popular genre yet nurtures niche music with roots so deep only those that know it, understand it.
As the long weekend began to take shape, the third observation began to unfold – a sense of community. If music had the sun, community had the moon and under puffy white clouds by day and a billion stars by night, those elements co-mingled in harmony. Nothing and everything mattered at the same time. Acceptance was immediate and therefore fear of everyday life dissipated into the distant forests. Whether it was hula hooping or dancing or arts or picking at a campsite, ancient tribal rituals were called into play giving birth to a spiritual movement.
Every community develops its own tradition and DelFest is no exception. Although the DelFest dictionary has not been written, a spoken language has emerged. A rather simple collection of phrases, words and actions gave rise to an even greater sense of community and Del McCoury himself was not only center stage, but often interacted as well. The “Delfie” (think Del selfie) was an added goal of festival attendees. The “Delbow,” the act of touching elbows was another way of giving love (unless a hug was otherwise expected). Del is a prefix for any exclamation of excitement such as “Delmazing” or the first and most common term of absolute joy, “Del Yeah!” A group of men gathered together and wore “Delmets,” grey and white wigs to honor Del McCoury. Photographer Pati Bobeck was present when the “Delmet” boys were able to reach Mr. Bluegrass himself backstage for the most honorable “Delfie” of the weekend. Onlooker and wife of a “Delmet” boy proclaimed, “Del has the best hair in bluegrass!” The photo, turned Internet meme, captivated the unspoken kinship.
Kinship was celebrated on stage as well. Multiple guest sit-ins, collaborations, and honorable song covers sprinkled throughout artists’ sets for the duration of the weekend. Emcee and musician, Joe Craven introduced each band with eloquent words. The moment the newly rearranged Yonder Mountain String Band appeared, no one could have expected the exceptional delivery. Famed dobro artist, Jerry Douglas, John Frazier on mandolin and The Traveling McCoury’s packed a wallop to a receptive and appreciative crowd.
Headlining Friday and a late night set Saturday, Railroad Earth is the true embodiment of colliding energy defying the natural. Opening with “Seven Story Mountain”, with its mystic middle jam immediately secured the enchantment of the dream. The set was bolstered with songs of distinction attracting more of the same brilliance the weekend was offering. Mysteriously appearing out of the fog of the late night stage, mandolin maestro’s Ronnie McCoury and artist at large Jeff Austin collaborated for an extraordinary version of “Head.” Fiddler Timothy Carbone could not hold back his excitement and bellowed out mid song, “Look who!” Download the show here.
First time to the DelFest stage, Ricky Skaggs and fellow bluegrass hero brought his Kentucky Thunder and a special partnership with piano virtuoso, Bruce Hornsby for an unfathomable combination of artists that astonishingly flourished. Community was the thriving theme of the weekend. The Del McCoury Band often fielded song requests from audience members. After performing late night and then again for the wake up slot the very next morning, Cabinet was not alone with bloodshot eyes hidden behind sunglasses. The crowd and Cabinet supported each other like the hazing initiation into the bluegrass club had been successful.
Both Carolina Chocolate Drops and The Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band equally embodied the unrestricted communal ideal, which interpreted into major crowd participation. Creatively, Carolina Chocolate Drops, a traditional African-American string band included historical facts with talk sets between songs. The anomaly of a black man and a banjo was quickly erased when Rhiannon Giddens factually tutored the crowd. She expunged racial inequality by speaking truths such as that of the history of the banjo; initially the picking instrument was traditionally a black instrument until the mid-nineteenth century. Whites integrated the instrument into the mainstream to what is now known as modern country and bluegrass. Download their show here.
The most poignant performance was also a most tranquil and comfortable release of any emotion that may have been left over. Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott dug deep, a subterranean level reaching the core of human emotion. At any moment during the duo’s set, a stream of consciousness could be attained and catharsis being the end result. O’Brien opened with “Walk Beside Me,” a song made known by Railroad Earth and anyone familiar with their setlists would know it as “TOB” – Tim O’Brien’s initials. O’Brien is the place where songs begin and just as his webpage states, “things come together.”
For the grand finale, The String Cheese Incident took the stage Sunday night opening with “Song in my Head,” the title track from their first release in nine years. String Cheese fused bluegrass, rock and slight elements of electronic, reaching in and pulling out the inner child, squeezing the last ounce of time left together at DelFest. The crowd was particularly receptive to an orchestra of players, including Tim O’Brien, Nick Forster, and Jeff Austin during a rendition of Grateful Dead’s, “I Know You Rider.” Included in the second set was a nod to album producer Jerry Harrison, with a cover of “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).” Download the show here.
Indeed, it was the place. An adjacent railroad on one side and a river yonder provided the texture reminiscent of Americana sustaining the essence and the very music heard at DelFest. Everything came together with great success as though the collective whole swallowed the Divine and breathed it out onto the fairgrounds. Music provided harmony, the harmonization was perfect, the dream was attained and heaven was found on earth.
The Basilica Hudson recently announced an abridged lineup for Soundscape 2014 for September.
The two-night affair promises at least the following five acts for September 12th and 13th: Swans, Deafheaven, Tim Hecker, Julia Holter, and Gamelan Dharma Swara. However, more acts are anticipated to arrive.
Purchase your tickets anytime before June 15th, and you are granted an “Early Bird” discount of $50 for the weekend. Afterwards, the price goes back up to $60.
Originally a foundry that produced railroad car wheels in the 19th century, Basilica Hudson is an 18,000-square foot arts and performance venue that boasts a capacity of 1,200 people, but no climate control. Hence, shows are scheduled during the Upstate New York springs and autumns. It is located on the South Bay off the eastern shores of the Hudson River, south of the Amtrak Terminal.
As they make their way to Buffalo, the talk right now is about the stellar show Dave Matthews Band just put on with their two-night run at SPAC. The Dave Matthews Band will play Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on June 11th. DMB never seems to disappoint their loyal fan base in Western NY, and with the new two set format that includes an acoustic set and a full band, electric set, it will surely be an unforgettable experience. The band has been playing songs throughout their extensive catalog, making every show more unique and exciting night in and night out.
Darien Lake Performing Arts Center is the perfect backdrop to a summer concert and with the amusement park connected, you can enjoy some fun during the day before catching a great show at night. With the venue being a consistent stop over the years for DMB, the show is always the perfect start to the summer concert season for many fans in the WNY region.
Tickets can be purchased through Live Nation here.
To get you ready for the show, check out these highlights from SPAC:
Donna the Buffalo debuted their first studio album in five years, Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday, on June 18, 2013 via Sugar Hill Records. They have been touring the country in support of that album feverishly throughout the past year and they are bringing their Americana music to Naples, NY on Friday June 20th at Inspire Moore Winery at 197 North Main Street, Naples, NY 14512. This is an all ages show, tickets are $15 adv; $20 dos.
Closing in on the quarter-century mark, Donna the Buffalo has proven itself a consistent purveyor of Americana music. What’s the recipe? To be sure, it’s infused with more spices than you’ll find at a Cajun cookout by way of a southern-fried, country old-time jamboree.
The group draws its inspiration from a cherished part of the American heritage: the old-time music festivals of the south that drew entire towns and counties together. “Those festivals were so explosive, and the community and the feeling of people being with each other, that’s the feeling we were shooting for in our music,” Puryear says. “Donna the Buffalo is an extension of the joy we’ve found.”
Donna the Buffalo has toured the nation for nearly twenty five years with an ever-evolving grassroots sound and plans to keep on doing so for many years to come.
Singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson was taken by surprise by the fully packed and excitable crowd at Upstate Concert Hall on Tuesday May 27th. “You hear Clifton Park, you think small quiet town but damn!”, she said with a sly smile in her dark framed glasses. Ingrid Michaelson has been touring in support of her sixth album Lights Out, with fellow musicians and friends from Storyman and Sugar and the Hi Lows. The Storyman was a charming celtic duo that serenaded the crowd with their acoustic harmonies and defined their band name with their intricate story telling.
The first few tunes from Ingrid were upbeat and energetic with a complete band to which she had to compliment the audience on being the only crowd to sing the instrumental parts. The night swayed into a mellow mood with the charming melody of “Unbreakable” followed by a song in which for a few awkward moments Michaelson forgot how it started. Luckily for everyone, one of her front row fans handed her their smart phone with a copy of the song on it. The night progressed with beautiful covers of her infamous solo piano work of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love”, performed in a trio of feminine grace.
The band came back out to perform some of her more popular hits such as the roundabout chorus from “The Chain” and “Be Ok”. Michaelson notes the next song was a fan favorite but with not wanting to hate the song and never playing it, the musicians put a genre twist on it to keep it fresh and enjoyable for everyone. They began the romantic pop tune of “You & I” but to a polka styling which still received cheers and applause. The show ended with Michaelson’s newest breakup anthem hit, “Girls Chase Boys”. The night felt like a wooden rollercoaster ride of up tempo, catchy pop highs seguing to geeky stories and indie slow ballads. Michaelson will return to the NY area at the end of July to The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett and Summer Stage in Central Park NYC.
Michaelson dances to her own drum with creative compositions that reflects her emotions that anyone can relate to. Ingrid Michaelson continues to share her songwriting in a quirky manner and wants fans to remember that “Different is always a good thing.”
On day three of Rock on the Range, rangers traded in their ponchos for T-shirts and bikinis. Already a step ahead of the first two days before it had even begun, a karaoke version of “Sweet Caroline” had everyone singing at the top of their lungs. The music faded out, replaced by the heavy guitar intro to “Pleasure and Pain”. Rather than waste time with small talk, they made the most of the short set, packing in as many songs as possible.
An opening slot on the main stage didn’t seem to do Trivium justice. Following the recent departure of drummer Nick Augusto, the band was still on point, getting everyone moving on their latest single “Strife” and setting the bar high for the bands that followed, with a contagious energy on closing song “In Waves”. Australia’s Twelve Foot Ninja brought the Jäger Stage a quirky and refreshing fusion of rock and reggae before it was time to return to the main stage for Adelitas Way. Lineup changes and some time off the road served the band well. Frontman Rick DeJesus never stood still, promising to join whichever side of the stadium gave him the most energy. The closing notes of “Invincible” came, and DeJesus made good on his promise, crowd surfing from the front of the pit to the back, and then back again. Asking Alexandria’s lead singer Danny Worsnop is working his way up again in new project We Are Harlot, featuring members of Silvertide and Sebastian Bach. The new group were obviously no stranger to big crowds, delivering an impressive and fast paced set. Wolfmother seemed to be an unusual choice with this years metal heavy lineup. Donning short shorts, guitarist and singer Andrew Stockdale hit every note without hesitation throughout a set that seemed to flow together like one long guitar solo.
Mastodon hit the main stage next, fueling the crowd with melodic metal. Each song had it’s own character with each member of the band singing a song or two to keep things fresh. Over at the Ernie Ball Stage, Of Mice and Men were playing to perhaps the most insane crowd of the weekend. A circle pit that looked more like a running track moved nonstop amidst an insane sea of bodies flying through the air.Impeccable skill from guitarist Mark Tremonti combined with the powerful vocals of Myles Kennedy made for an unforgettable set from Alter Bridge. The new single “Addicted to Pain” marked the first sighting of Spider-Man crowd surfing his way to the front, and the classically inspired guitar played against heavy riffs throughout the too short set.
The general consensus at past years of Rock on the Range appeared to be that Five Finger Death Punch brought a performance far bigger than their opening set times. This year the band was second to last on the main stage, and security had doubled in size in preparation. A traffic jam of crowd surfers rolled above the crowd the instant “Under and Over It” began. Each and every member did their part to entertain and interact with the crowd as they sped through a hit filled set list. Guitarist Jason Hook sat down with an acoustic guitar midway through the set, accompanying singer Ivan Moody on “Remember Everything”. The lighter ballad was the calm before the storm, which picked back up for the duration of the set.
Just a few short minutes after 9 pm, the lights on the Main Stage dimmed for the last time as headliner Kid Rock slowly made his way out onto the stage. Before he walked out, a clip of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”” was played from the speakers and cut off appropriately during “born and raised in south Detroit” leaving the audience to scream the lyrics from the top of their lungs and officially introduce Kid Rock. He spoke a small prayer from behind the stage getting the crowd riled up in anticipation and finally emerged onto the stage accompanied by sparklers going off in the background. Kid Rock took into account that it was a rock show so he kept the energy high by jumping up and down across the stage and doing cool little mic tosses during “You Never Met a Motherf***er Quite Like Me.” Other songs included in the setlist were “American Badass,” “Cocky,” and of course, “All Summer Long.”
Designated as a historically significant building on the 
In 2009, the current owner, Tom Cormier, took ownership of the Oneonta Theatre. Interestingly, the theater was actually not what motivated him to buy the building. He became interested in the property for the front part of the building, which consists of three storefronts and six apartments, but when he looked more closely into purchasing the property, he discovered that it actually contained two buildings, one of which was the dilapidated theater. Initially, Cormier said the theater was in such bad shape that it was impossible to stand inside it for more than a half hour without having respiratory issues from all the mold and pigeon poop that had built up over the years, but thankfully, the non-profit group 
Having gone through extensive repair work, it can now once again be said that the Oneonta Theatre has truly lived up to its motto of “Showing Oneonta A Good Time Since 1897.” Some of the bigger acts who have been booked here since Cormier took ownership include 
When asked about plans to expand or renovate the theatre, Cormier mentioned that he does have some changes in mind for this summer, but it’s too early to reveal those changes. He is in the process of looking for investors for this project, so if anyone is interested, please get in touch with Tom Cormier through the theatre’s website! Upcoming shows that have been confirmed at the Oneonta Theatre this summer include 
