NYS Music 20​14

Category: UpstateLIVE Archives

  • Al Kooper Celebrates Belated 70th Birthday with Friends at The Egg

    Al Kooper, one of Rock n Roll’s most historic musicians, performed at The Lewis A. Swyer Theatre inside The Egg in Albany on May 17th in celebration of his 70th birthday. The small theatre held less than 400 people who greeted Kooper with a standing ovation. Al Kooper has quite the resume, recording with such musicians as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, B.B. King, and dozens more. Kooper thanked the audience for attending his belated birthday party since he had to reschedule due to his age and New York’s harsh winters. It was just Kooper on stage for the first few songs as he went back and forth between the electronic keyboard atop his vintage Hammond organ. His vocals were tender and worn, but sincere. He was then joined onstage by a bassist and his drummer “The Sheriff” as Kooper himself switched to electric guitar to play a slightly off-key version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”.

    Kooper has classic “Dad Humor” that anyone can relate to with corny puns and jokes about being clueless as to what all the buttons are for on his electric keyboard. Keeping the atmosphere light and funky with his Funky Faculty band, Kooper led the way into Booker T’s classic “Green Onions”, a laid back summer time groove. One of the highlights of the show was to hear his version of “Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones where you can hear Kooper’s organ playing on their original album. He has a smoother jazz vibe to him but can pack a big punch like The Stones. The Funky Faculty built up repetitive peaks with vintage guitar riffs, funky bass rhythm and blaring horns to make a solid, modern day groove.

    For the second portion of the show, Kooper was joined by longtime friend and guitarist Jimmy Vivino, known to today’s youth as a member of the house band for Conan O’Brian. The Sheriff jumped on the cymbals and was joined with a quick bass as Vivino lets out the long echoes of his guitar strings. The whole crowd felt it and began to sway from the pressure of the heavy blues being played out. Vivino sounded like he was revving an engine, a lot of built up energy waiting to zoom by and sent hearts racing to keep up. Given the Upstate NY location, they were eager to pay tribute to both the late Levon Helms, performing The Band’s “The Weight” which sparked an endearing sing-along, and Bob Dylan on their rendition of “Highway 61” which caused the band members to pause and join in on the rhythmic clapping. Kooper ended the night by introducing the last song by saying, “This was the word to me” as he went into Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” another album you can hear his gospel organ playing. After all these years, Kooper still performs the classic hits with a youthful kick that is easily recognized and cherished.

  • Look Under Your Couch, You May Be Lucky to Find some Cosmic Dust Bunnies

    The streets of Saratoga Springs were jammed packed on Saturday, May 17th  night and there was little doubt that the Putnam Den would be receiving much of this overflow, especially considering the first beer was on the house, and two of the best progressive bands around, The Cosmic Dust Bunnies and the Squid Parade, were about to tear the place down. Yet somehow, the room was sparse, as fans of these bands looked around in befuddlement wondering if they were in the right place. They were, and regardless of how many people were there, the band did not mind one bit as they played some of the best sets seen at Putnam Den in quite some time!

    Squid Parade, formed at SUNY Oneonta, opened the evening with their own variety of jamtronica and a steady groove, setting the evening’s vibe. All the supporters of the bands knew they were in the right place: this was going to be a party! Guitarist Zac Westbrook had a very similar style to that of Chris Michetti, yet with his own soaring flow, showing his influences but also proving he is his own musician. The drums, played by Emmett Rozelle, and bass, played by Pete Piscitelli, played perfectly in sync with each other, leaving Westbrook to do his thing. Although many bands play to this formula, Squid Parade did it in a manner that exemplified practice and experimentation leading towards a new twist on what is becoming a tedious sound in a fantastic genre. The stand out track was a brand new song, among a set that showed extreme diversity, from speed metal, to classic rock, to electronica poppy choruses, yet never losing groove or the attention of the fans. This is a band that some may say are trying to find themselves, due to all the different sounds but they have already found themselves, in creating a new sound.

    Setlist: The Hammer, Out of Phase, Mutation Engine, Leave that Thing Alone,Never Odd Or Even, Frog Legs, S.S.R.A.S.B., Dualit

    New Haven, Connecticut natives The Cosmic Dust Bunnies then took the stage and hit the crowd with another type of a daring musical adventure. Their sound of new wavetronica seems like an anomaly in itself, but it wasn’t long before the crowd understood what this meant. With Chris Sellas spouting a synthesizer over the other instruments, it felt like 1984 all over again. Bassist Matt Beckett constructed the perfect bridge between Sellas and guitarist Matt Dempsey. A very fulfilling sound, giving both soloists time to slowly make their way to the spotlight. This concept is not used as precisely as the Dust Bunnies did it; they showed patience in that they were willing to solo at the right time, with no rush. This made the blissful compositions that much more significant. “Flood the Streets” was a very high point, starting out with a Talking Heads groove. It wasn’t until Sellas used the vocorder, that new wavetronica made complete sense. Erik Hyland’s drums were wailing away, as Demspey’s guitar screamed, and Sellas was just having a blast, along with everyone else.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2folv1H9Hs&w=420&h=315]

    When the band played “Mission: Possible”, they threw in a bit of dub, although it wasn’t clear if the dub sound was going to take away from the sound that was already a staple that evening. This seemed a tad disheartening, as it appeared there was no room for the darkness that dub brings to the happy bouncy feeling that had already been established. As with everything else, however, CDB knew what they were doing and used just enough to make it interesting. This tactic was used for the next few numbers, with a little more of the electronica then the new wave, but there were no complaints, as everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves. The group continued to show their uniqueness by playing“Down”, a poppy radio friendly song. Sung by Beckett with passion, this song seemed like it meant more than words to him, as he sang from the heart. This would be the perfect song to hear on the radio, with a little guitar and key solos thrown in bit, but it wasn’t the focus of the song: the vocals and lyrics were. The Cosmic Dust Bunnies have started a new style of genre blending. This doesn’t seem to be a flash in the pan. New wavetronica could be the sound of the future.

    Setlist: Gotcha>Moleculo>Gotcha, Emerald Zone, Flood The Streets, Mission: Possible, Cosmonauts, Down, Jay in My Life, Hipster Champagne

  • Summer is a Naked Turtle in Plattsburgh

    You know summer has arrived when the Naked Turtle in Plattsburgh opens its doors.

    The downtown restaurant has booked Glass Onion for two nights, Friday, May 23rd and Saturday, May 24th at 10 pm.  The jam band is a local favorite that frequents the Naked Turtle.  Below is a video of one of their shows, covering Phish’s Sample in a Jar back in 2008.

    The Naked Turtle will also host “Turtle Thursdays” with broadcasts from FM 95 Triple-X, Burlington, Vermont’s Top-40 radio station.

    The live entertainment continues to play out at the Monopole, where Doom & Friends take the stage Friday, May 23rd at 10 pm. It marks the first of two nights of live music, where Doom & Friends will be followed by Annie in the Water on Saturday.

    Next week, The ROTA Studio and Gallery, at 50 Margaret Street, is promoting a show on their Facebook Page for  Sorry Mom, Irradiated Beef, and Ground Zero, to play at the gallery on Friday, May 30th.

  • Staind Sells Out Turning Stone Showroom Two Nights In a Row

    Under the cloak of darkness, the band takes the stage and begins to rock the audience on not just one night, but two, packing the house on both occasions. Best known for their seven hit albums and more than 25 hit singles, Staind has remained one of the most popular hard rock bands over the past two decades and sold out two nights at Turning Stone Showroom.

    Staind
    Staind

    With Aaron Lewis on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Johnny April on bass and backing vocals, Mike Mushok on lead guitar, and Sal Giancarelli on drums and percussion, how can you not love the electricity felt in the air and vibrations throughout the room with the amps blasting some of their best known hits from over the years.

    What many don’t know about these rock stars is their dedication to giving back to communities throughout New England through a charity called It Takes A Community Foundation.   The foundation was founded in 2010 by Aaron Lewis and his wife, Vanessa, when the small rural school in their hometown was closed due to budgetary constraints.  Instead of seeing their children and the others in the town bused to schools outside their community, they came together to establish the foundation to combat this problem.  Through a benefit concert that year, they were able to raise enough money to reopen the school as a private local school available to all the children in the community.   Now in their 4th year of raising money through benefit concerts and an annual golf tournament,  the foundation focuses on reviving rural communities throughout all of New England by working together with the leaders in the communities to identify and address their individual needs and crises at hand.  For more information on the charity and the concert and golf tournament for 2014, please visit It Takes A Community Foundation at http://itacf.org/index.php/about.html .

    For more information on Staind and their upcoming shows please visit their page at http://www.staind.com .

  • Avenged Sevenfold comes to Syracuse

    Avenged Sevenfold performed at the Oncenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse on May 15th, touring in support of their album Hail to the King. Joining Avenged one last time on the Shepherd of Fire Tour was Hellyeah.

    Despite some changes this year with the departure of guitarist Greg Tribbett and bassist Bob Kakaha, Hellyeah is better than ever. Vocalist Chad Gray has amazing energy.  He loves what he does and tells the crowd that metal music saved his life. New bassist, Kyle Sanders, is a great addition to the band as well. He is talented and fascinating to watch as he whips his hair around and plays in different directions. Vinnie Paul on the drums is clearly a veteran performer. He interacts with the crowd better than any drummer I have seen. Tom Maxwell is a rock star on the guitar. Also joining the guys on tour is guitarist Christian Brady. He has only been confirmed as a touring guitarist with the band but he has proved to be a great asset. The band keeps the crowd pumped throughout their set, finishing it off with the hit “Drink, Drank, Drunk”.

    Avenged Sevenfold took the stage. and their rapport from performing together for 15 years is immediately obvious. They worked well together, anticipating the moves of one another and just having fun. The band wasted no time in getting the crowd fired up with hits like “Shepherd of Fire” and “Critical Acclaim”. Matt Shadows looks as if he was born to be on this stage. His ability to transition from screaming to singing so flawlessly is remarkable. Synster Gates is fantastic on the guitar and it is clear he loves to be on stage. Johnny Christ takes on the role of entertainer; he is playful and makes you feel like he could be just a neighborhood kid you grew up with. Zacky Vengeance is serious but charismatic. Arrin Illejay is hidden behind the drums, but when you can see him, he is captivating; the newest member of Avenged Sevenfold has definitely won the hearts of fans.

    Halfway through the show the lights dim and all we can see is Matt Shadows. He begins to speak of his best friend, James “The Rev” Sullivan, their drummer who passed away in 2009. He tells the crowd that throughout the show they will hear a voice that isn’t theirs, it’s the Rev. They have devoted themselves to keeping The Revs memory alive.  He sings “Fiction” as photos of The Rev play on the screen behind him. Shadows is emotional but he performs beautifully.  It is an intimate moment between the band and their fans as they grieve together. These guys remind us that the bonds of true friendship can not be broken, even by death. 

    The band brings the energy back with their hit “Nightmare.” The previously solemn crowd erupts as they sing along, ending the night with “Almost Easy.”

    These bands put on an amazing show. People from every generation came to see them play and did not leave disappointed. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for them.

  • Consider Spring Revived: Spring Revival 2 at Carey Lake

    DSC_0009After what can only be called a “trying” Winter and early Spring, Upstate NY was more then ready for a weekend that didn’t suck monkey balls. Enter Statewide Music’s Spring Revival 2. With forecasts only showing a few storms and weather ranging into the 80’s, the timing couldn’t have been better for a revival of the Spring we had yet to receive. This three day fest entered it’s second year in a brand new venue: Macedon, NY’s Carey Lake. Situated perfectly between Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Ithaca, the venue was easy to find and flat, with plenty of space for car camping, surrounded with enough trees, streams, gardens, and woodland creatures  to satisfy the even the most Ranger Rick loving hippies. A bar and restaurant fronted the head of the property and also held the late night bands with a heaping dose of small town hospitality (Not to mention a pretty kick ass brunch!).

    Thursday night kicked kicked the festival off with a nice group of early arrivals with the new improv-heavy Rochester trio, Underground Funk. Headliner and ‘s March Madness Winner, Lucid, (who also have the coolest tour bus ever) held the main stage expertly, and Rochester’s Haewa, whom would play two blistering sets over the weekend, kept things going until 1AM. It’s often when the music is done at small festivals when you really get to wander and meet new and interesting people and many were up til the sun rose. The night time revealed travelers from at least four different states had come to share in the groove, some who lived life from festival to festival, and many others that came to see the specific acts. Acoustic guitars, joyful conversations,  and a small drum circle carried the festival until the morning.

    Speaking of sun, Friday came with a ton of it. Temps soared into the 80’s by the time Personal Blend kicked off and no one was complaining. The first truly glorious day of 2014 also inspired all the bands that day as everyone was delivering their A-game sets. Albany’s Formula 5 won the afternoon crowd over with an inspired set and their brand new bassist (not to be confused with movie and television star) James Woods. The fun was given an exhilarating short break late in the afternoon as a short but fierce storm, henceforth named Hurricane EZ-Down, gave everything a nice soak and showed whose tents were truly “wind-friendly.” After a short break and a slight schedule change, Ithaca’s Solaris and Vermont’s Flabberghaster paved the way for the first of two headlining nights for Buffalo’s hottest export, Aqueous. The foursome whose genre, dubbed “groove rock”, but was more like “everything is awesome rock”, played an energy filled set anchored by a spot on first time cover debut of Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Funky Monk”. Closing down the evening, Rochester’s nocturnal psych-rock-animal Ocupanther, kept the night owls going ’til last call.

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    Revival’s Saturday schedule was loaded with bands straight through from 11AM until 2AM. Many bounced between the two stages with a seemingly endless supply of dancing fuel, while others played Frisbee or explored the grounds. This was a great time to check out many of the great vendors on site as well, and I picked myself up some organic homemade deodorant and a brisket taco that can only be described as freakin’ delicious.  Straying from the music didn’t last long though as Albany’s Mister F blew up a cover of Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat”, made famous in Napoleon Dynamite. Warming up the stage for Aqueous’s second night, a full two set show, were Rochester’s Roots Collider and Haewa’s second set of the weekend.

    Aqueous wasted no time getting into two blistering energy filled sets with the pairing of fan favorite originals, “Complex Part II” and “Origami”, with Solare Flare’s Hank and Margo spinning fire stage left. Concluding the set with a debut of The Cars “Just What I Needed”, the band took a short break while the audience refilled their beers. Never short on surprises, the band re-entered with bassist Evan McPhaden dressed in a full Tigger costume and a set of music that truly defined the amazing weekend as a champion. The newly re-finagled Universe Shark closed the festival down in style in the Carey Lake bar.

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    Carey Lake will hold three more Statewide Music events this year with the next being the bluegrass/Americana/folk based Fiddler’s Picnic (June 12-15). Wish you had made it? No worries. Spring Revival 3 has already been announced for May 14-17th 2015.

  • 7th Annual DelFest Heads to Cumberland, Maryland

    If you’re looking for things to do in Maryland this weekend, the 7th annual DelFest is set to take place over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend in Cumberland, Maryland. The Del McCoury Band welcomes String Cheese Incident, a natural fit as Bill Nershi has performed in some capacity years prior. In addition, there will be stage sets from Railroad Earth, in support of their latest release, Last of the Outlaws, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder. Other performances include Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Greensky Bluegrass, Carolina Chocolate Drops and of course, The Traveling McCoury’s.

    DMB

    Delfest is once again located at the Allegany Fairgrounds in Cumberland, MD, along the Potomac River. As a festival that thrives on the family-friendly ideal, the musical collaborations are potentially limitless given this year’s line-up. Attendees can expect intimate appearances of various artists during workshops, late night shows and informal picking sessions. In keeping with tradition, the Music Academy, hosted by The Traveling McCoury’s, will precede the festival.

    Included in the lineup is Hot Rize feat. Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers, The Gibson Brothers, Tim O’Brien & Darrell Scott, Sierra Hull, The Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band, Kruger Brothers, The Duhks, Joe Craven, The Deadly Gentlemen, Spirit Family Reunion, Cabinet, California Honeydrops, The Unseen Strangers and more.

    Stage

    Don’t miss the late night shows located in the DelFest Music Hall, as these are separately sold tickets. Friday night will blow the roof off the barn with performances from Greensky Bluegrass and Cabinet. Railroad Earth and Shook Twins are scheduled to rock the late night stage on Saturday and Sunday night is a special Bluegrass Ball with The Traveling McCoury’s and The California Honeydrops.

    DelFest also offers a variety of activities. The Kidzone has fun events scheduled such as tie-dying and an “ARTs BUS.” Playshops include: Yoga, meditation, learning to dance with hoops, sacred geometry, and fire performances. Food venders and crafters will line the Grandstand music meadow providing a unique shopping experience.

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    Four day, three day and single day festival tickets are currently available on line. Two day and all RV passes with hook ups are sold out. Download the Eventbrite app for ticket scanning at DelFest.

  • Hearing Aide: Andy Frasco’s ‘Half a Man’

     

    Andy Frasco has accomplished more in his four-year musical career than some artists do in a lifetime. After releasing his first album, Love, You’re Just Too Expensive as a nineteen-year-old in 2010, Frasco spent the ensuing months with VH1’s Save the Music Foundation before making two more records, playing over 1,000 shows in their support and receiving Musician of the Year awards at several international film festivals.

    Andy Frasco isn’t slowing down. His most recent release, Half a Man, continues the self-described “party blues” aesthetic that he established in his past work. This unique genre, which at first glance may seem paradoxical, is represented by Frasco’s ability to take traditional blues concepts and integrate them into fun, accessible tunes.

    Part of what makes Frasco’s music so appealing—particularly throughout Half a Man— is his songwriting. Frasco’s lyricism is often rather simplistic, especially when compared to the complexity of his instrumentation, which incorporates a variety of elements ranging from organs to horn sections to electric guitars. Tracks like “Shakin’ Ain’t a Crime” and “Smokin Dope and Ronk n’ Roll” are lyrically straightforward, dealing with themes that are relatable to Frasco’s audience.

    The album’s standout track, however, is an updated version of a song on his debut album. “Main Squeeze,” originally a slow moving ballad sung by Megan Burtt, is now a grooving jam, accented by piano riffs and featuring a chorus of backup singers. The track is full of movement. It’s characteristic of Frasco’s past four years, and it’s complimented by ten more tracks that demonstrate his signature party blues sound.

    Key Tracks: Main Squeeze, Sunny Day Soldier, Shakin’ Ain’t a Crime

  • John Legend Charms Proctors Theater

    The Capital Region was romanced by nine-time Grammy award winner, John Legend, on Friday, May 16th at Proctor’s in Schenectady.

    Despite the Spring chill and light rain, some guests were dressed to the nines with fur and silk as others could be seen in the occasional flannel for the sold out show. As the lights dimmed, the spotlight shone on a four piece string section and an electric guitarist, that got the crowd buzzing with excitement as it was close to show time. Suddenly, the shadowy outline of a figure standing on stage, and as the lights went up, you saw John Legend dressed in a sharp white suit jacket and a smile that made the whole crowd melt. He opens the show with one of his newest singles, “Made To Love”, a strong battle cry of emotion that flew at the crowd with acoustic intensity. He gave shout outs to Albany and Schenectady as he playfully warned, “Tonight’s the Night”, another song focused on the here and now.

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    Throughout the show, John Legend told stories from his past, about his family and fellow musicians, experiences that all brought him to this moment right now. He explained how his first show was in a small bar called The Living Room in Manhattan and he wanted to create the feel of a small show in a comfortable setting again, which was brought to life by the acoustic performances on his All of Me tour. He spoke humble words with a sophisticated manner that was warm and welcoming. He encouraged crowd participation for all his songs, which the audience happily responded with lyrics, cheers and plenty of female screamers. Legend even took a moment to play matchmaker as he joked with the couples and single folks, “I’m warming them up for you fellas. There are no guarantees in life, but you got a good shot tonight.” He took requests with one of them being “PDA”, perfectly setting the mood underneath the golden stars and arches of Proctors.

    One of the most touching moments was John Legend explaining his early childhood with his family attending church on Sundays. He acquired his piano styling from his grandmother, who taught him gospel piano every week and said, “So when you hear me, you are still hearing my grandma.” He dedicated Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge over Troubled Water” to her as he performed with heartfelt execution and precious timing. John Legend has a range of vocals with a flavor of attitude that spices up his piano playing for an unforgettable performance. There are not enough things in the world as smooth as John Legend and it’s no wonder that his shows have been selling out on this rare and more intimate tour. His soulful keys and romantic lyrics give hope that Love in the Future is within reach for all of us. Limited tickets are still available for The OnCenter Crouse Hinds Theater on June 12th in Syracuse.

  • The Breakdown at Susquehanna

    Susquehanna Breakdown Music Festival was an all day event on Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA on May 10th. Hosted by music sensation Cabinet, whose blues infused rock and roots Americana sound has established them a firm footing in the soils of the East coast, for a second year, the festival was a success.

    Cabinet is from the hills of Pennsylvania making the backdrop of Montage Mountain a perfect fit. A heavy rotation of artists from NY trampled the stages giving high-energy performances leaving the audience tired, yet wanting more. The Brummy Brothers kicked off the day and music alternated without a break all day and into the night. Highlights include a set from Marco Benevento and Sister Sparrow &  The Dirty Birds, as well as artist at large, Ron Holloway. The festival was a big dance party from start to finish for all ages. The family oriented event offered something for everyone whether it was hippy clothes shopping, face art or hula-hoops.

    Check out our photo gallery of the festival.