NYS Music 20​14

Category: Jam/Progressive

  • Trey Anastasio Band Fall Tour and New Album ‘Paper Wheels’

    Exciting news today as Trey Anastasio Band has announced a fall tour of the Northeast and a new album, Paper Wheels, due in early 2015. The album was recently recorded by the band at The Barn, Anastasio’s reconstructed barn-turned-rehearsal/recording studio located outside Burlington, VT, in less than a week.

    trey anastasio paper wheelsInspired by the immediacy of Stax-era recordings, Anastasio and his band mates recorded the songs live, playing and singing together in one room and often requiring no more than one or two takes. This tour will let the band preview the songs on the album before the release. As an added bonus today  you can download “Bounce” right now as a free download at Trey’s website for a preview of Paper Wheels. The album was produced and engineered by Bryce Goggin, who helmed several Phish albums and has also partnered with Anastasio on previous solo projects, and mixed by Elliot Scheiner (Steely Dan, Van Morrison).

    Trey Anastasio Band has previewed some of these songs already on their West Coast tour this past spring, as well as the special Brooklyn Bowl taping for PBS in August. Other songs that have been played already and are expected on the new album include “In Rounds,” “Paper Wheels,” “Lever Boy”and “Sometime After Sunset”.

    The tour will start the day after Thanksgiving in Chicago before coming to the East Coast. The first two night stand of the tour will take place at the famed 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. on December 2 and 3. This will be followed by another two night stand at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre on December 5 and 6. On December 9, the band will be Binghamton’s Broome County Forum Theatre. The Beacon Theatre in New York City will get the band on December 11 and 12 with the tour wrapping up the following evening on December 13 at Philadelphia’s Tower Theatre. Tickets will be going on a pre-sale through Trey Ticketing on Thursday October 9 at Noon with a public sale happening Thursday October 16. The full list of tour dates is below.

    11/28 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
    11/29 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
    11/30 – Richmond, VA @ The National
    12/02 & 03 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
    12/05 & 06 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
    12/07 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
    12/09 – Binghamton, NY @ Broome County Forum Theatre
    12/11 & 12 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
    12/13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre

  • Aqueous Announce New Album ‘Cycles’, Release Lead Single 20/20

    AQUEOUS-CYCLES-COVERARTBuffalo’s Aqueous, one of New York’s fastest growing bands, has announced an October 21 release date for their 3rd studio effort Cycles. Featuring eight road tested originals and two brand new instrumentals, the album exemplifies a leap forward in songwriting and focus for the four-piece groove rock outfit.

    Fans can now pre-order the album on the band’s merch page and stream the first track –  “20/20”, which, like most Aqueous tunes, seamlessly mixes multiple influences into one coherent composition. Aqueous will play a three show Upstate New York run to celebrate the release along with North Carolina’s The Mantras. Catch the mini-tour Oct 23 in Ithaca NY at The Dock, Oct 24 at The Montage in Rochester, and a hometown show Oct 25 at Buffalo’s Iron Works.

    “This is the most invested we’ve been in a studio effort so far; it feels really cohesive, and we were truly afforded the opportunity to spend the time elaborating on ideas and being thorough in our execution of them,” explained guitarist Mike Gantzer. “We all feel a true sense of accomplishment and excitement for our fans to hear this; it contains some of the most intense and thematic compositions in our catalog, and generally speaking feels like a profound step for us.”

    Guitarist/keyboardist David Loss adds his own thoughts on the recording process – “I couldn’t be happier with the way this album came together. Everyone gave their best performances and I think it really shows. It was great to work with Justin Rose and Richie English again at GCR Audio in Buffalo as well as finally getting a chance to work with Jocko at More Sound. This was an all around great experience!”

    Cycles was crowd funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign which fans helped exceed a $7000 goal by over $2000. Go grab yourself a pre-order and check out the full track listing below.

    Cycles Track Listing

    1. Dawn [1:00]
    2. Kitty Chaser (Explosions) [9:39]
    3. 20/20 [5:02]
    4. The Median [6:41]
    5. Skyway [8:47]
    6. Complex Pt. I [8:11]
    7. Wandering [1:56]
    8. Complex Pt. II [9:04]
    9. King for a Day [7:45]
    10. Staring into the Sun [15:02]

  • Tauk and The Jauntee Go Furthur in Providence

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    On Saturday, September 25, the bus stopped in Providence, RI at The Spot Underground. To celebrate, The Spot had a planned mini festival outside. Unfortunately, likely rain showers forced them to move artists and other vendors indoors and the acoustic performers they had planned were nowhere to be found. That didn’t stop the people from coming by for the main event, a triple bill of The Jauntee, and Tauk. The three bands each played a set on the main stage with Cosmal playing a short set in between as the bands switched up equipment.

    2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the famed cross-country trip made by Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters on the bus that shared its name with their destination – Further, or Furthur, depending on whom you ask. To commemorate the original trip Kesey’s son, Zane, took the bus on 50th Anniversary Tour with stops around the country.

    Albany, NY’s Formula 5 took the stage at 8:30 getting folks moving with a 12 minute “Perch Above the Earth.” This was followed up with a buttery segue into a cover of the Talking Heads’ “Uh Oh, Love Comes to Town,” picking up the pace a bit and getting everyone in the room dancing. Keeping with the flow, they took this into a great “Excalibur.” Only at this point, halfway through their hour-long set, did they take a break. “Coming Home,” the highlight of the set, included jams on The Blues Brothers and Phish. The set closed quite fittingly with a cover of The Grateful Dead’s “The Music Never Stopped.” The influence of these various bands is quite obvious in the way Formula 5 plays, but they are making their own mark on the scene. Seek them out now while they’re still playing small clubs.

    The Jauntee, hailing from Boston, took the stage next around 10:00. Their opening song, “Puppy in my Pocket,” starts a bit like the Velvet Underground’s “Rock and Roll,” but quickly changes up. There were many similarities to other bands throughout their set, including a song that sounded like it could have been pulled directly from Primus’ repertoire. In fact, their entire sound mimics that of Phish. It’s not surprising that they were once called the heir to Phish’s throne. They seem to have modeled their entire sound on that of Phish. Even the guitarist, Caton Sollenberger, looked a bit like Trey Anastasio from the ‘90s to the point where he even mimics the “Trey face” that Phish fans have grown to love. The band is quite talented and can definitely go places. However, they need to use Phish more as an influence and less as what they strive to become. They seemed to lack a sound of their own.

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    Finally, around 11:30, New York City’s TAUK took the stage as the crowd filled in. Their mix of the funk, progressive rock, and intricate melodies kept the room moving as they kept the groove going from start to finish. The band is reminiscent of Umphrey’s McGee in how tight they keep their composed sections intertwined with the improvisation. It’s almost as though the entire show was a long composition. They closed their set strong with “Collateral,” ending about 10 minutes after the 1:00am curfew with the house lights on. TAUK is a band worth checking out. It would not be surprising to see them playing larger venues within the next year.

    In the half hour breaks between the sets on the main stage, COSMAL played his one man band fusion of EDM, trance, and house music. Most of the crowd headed outside to take pictures of the Further bus or hung out at the bar during his sets. The music provided a good filler between the main events.

    Overall, it was a great night of music, bringing the ‘60s vibe of the Further bus and the new band of Merry Pranksters together with the some of today’s music that looks to the past for inspiration. The Spot continues to impress by attracting some of the best lineups of local and regional acts. It was all smiles as the crowd left the club.

    photos by Eric Rogers

  • Hearing Aide: Ocupanther’s Third Album, ‘Data Stretching’

    ocupanther-data-stretchingTo mark the first day of autumn, Ocupanther released their third album, Data Stretching, showing a conscious evolution from last year’s release, Progressor, while continuing to hammer down a focused sound. Overall the record might fit into generalized categories like “dance”, “progressive” or “fusion”. But really, the excellence of Data Stretching comes in the details – the careful blending of seemingly unrelated influences, and a perfect balance of organic vs electronic – resulting in a danceable, intelligent record from start to finish.

    Data Stretching‘s opening track, “Obtuse Snoot”, is perhaps the perfect calling for the album; patently danceable, featuring disco-staccato guitars drifting to washed out wah-funk, hold steady bass and tight-pocket drumming. The changes are inconspicuous but occur frequently, offering good variation without stopping the groove. This notion carries into albums second track, “III E III”, which is more subdued but equally as locomotive. The bass is swampy and warm, with guitar parts piercing through the darkness. For an album with such a big, full sound (arguably the fullest Ocupanther sound to date), Data Stretching does an exceptional job varying between minimalist components. This sentiment is exemplified on “III E III” as well as later on the album with “Yerkrewrun”, a meditative, calming song balanced equally with blues guitars licks. “Treat Me Like A Telescope” is another great example of such a balance, with strong electronic undertones and masterful weaving guitar lines that scream classic rock-n-roll.

    All descriptors and classifications aside, what really defines an albums success is listenability and feel – two categories where Data Stretching scores an “A”. This record would be just as good alone in your car as it would at a house party. The variations in mood throughout the record are enough to keep the listener engaged without forcing feel-good vibes or lingering too long in the dark. This balance, along with the balance of genres and styles, appears to be the recipe for success. Fans of the New Deal to LCD Soundsystem to Maserati and everything in between will surely lock into this album, as will anyone who has traveled long highways for music. Ocupanther cut their teeth on the road, after all, and much of the album serves a perfect soundtrack for a roadtrip to and from a show with a carful of friends.

    Ocupanther will be supporting Data Stretching in the Upstate area over the next two months, playing alongside notable acts such as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The New Mastersounds, and super-group Electron. A complete list of tour dates and additional information can be found at: Ocupanther.com or on Facebook.

    Key Tracks: III E III, Treat Me Like A Telescope, The Great Oxygenation

  • Hearing Aide: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad ‘Steady’

    Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is set to drop their new album Steady today, September 30th. Steady is Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad’s first studio album since 2012, and their first collaboration with Easy Star Records. Steady was also co- produced with Craig Welsh of 10. Ft. Ganja Plant. According to bassist James Searl “this is without a doubt the best sounding record we’ve ever made,” and I would have to agree. Upon first listen it really stuck out that the sound is very clear and clean.

    GPGDS, based out of Rochester, have produced an album that recycles old reggae themes in a newer, more nuanced way. The themes that flow throughout the album fall in line with what traditional reggae music was born to address; love, change (both political and personal), peace and positivity. “Steady”, the title track of this album, is a slow and easy-going love ballad. “Steady” was co-produced by Danny Kalb (The Green, Ben Harper) is very melodic, along with most of the other songs on the album, with smooth lyrics that just make you want to sway.

    “Mr. Cop” is similar in that way but retains an island music feel to it. The song addresses issues with police, expounding on the relationship between law enforcement and society. With lyrics like “Mr. cop, Mr. cop don’t want you searching/we’ve been all day working/nobody that we hurtin’/Just a little herb we smokin’” the song illustrates a theme that is often touched upon in reggae music. From the tropical feel of the song to the lyrics, for a New York based reggae band GPGDS really exhibits an authentic Caribbean feel.

    Giant Panda has also dabbled in playing Americana music especially with their previous album Country which was released in 2012. This influence can be heard on songs like “.45,” “Not The Fool,” and “Home.” They add a bit of country twang to the traditional reggae sound that this record embodies.

    “.45” specifically breaks pace from those peaceful hymns they were espousing. With lyrics like “If you see me on the streets/and you want to get wise with me/ I’ll pull out my .45,” it’s like a reggae version of the slogan “don’t mess with Texas.” It’s very bluesy and has full force guitar rifts that are in your face…in a good way.

    Overall this is the kind of album that is good to listen to anywhere, like a soundtrack to a beach vacation. If you’re interested in checking it out, their title track “Steady” as well as “Mr. Cop” and “Take Your Place” are available to stream at LivePanda.com.

    Key Tracks: “Steady” “Mr. Cop” “.45”

    Check out Giant Panda this week across Upstate New York!

    Oct 2: Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall
    Oct 3: Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater
    Oct 4: Rochester, NY – Zeppa Auditorium

  • Bear Creek Music & Arts Festival Bringing the Northeast to Florida

    Bear Creek Music & Arts Festival is taking place from November 13th to the 16th and has a lot to offer for Northeast music lovers with many of the artists on the bill hailing from the area. Taking place at the beautiful Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, festival goers can enjoy music on three outdoor stages and one indoor stage including the famed Amphitheater Stage, set in the midst of towering pine and oak trees decorated with Spanish moss. The park also offers guest comforts including a general store, full-service restaurant, showers and water stations. Also of note is the tradition that many of the bands, performing at Bear Creek Music & Arts, perform on two separate dates during the weekend and several talented instrumentalists act as artists-at-large, creating memorable surprise sit-ins and inspired performances.Bear Creek 2014

    Headliners for the festival include Umphrey’s McGee, Lettuce, Dumpstaphunk, Soulive and the recently added Chris Robinson’s Soulive Revue, which will see Chris Robinson join up with Soulive and The Shady Horns for a special one time only performance that will include surprise guest sit-ins. Due to this recent addition the promoters are extending the tier-two ticket price until Wednesday, October 1st at midnight. Fans can also purchase a Bear Creek and Suwannee Hulaween Combo Ticket that includes a three-day, Friday through Sunday Bear Creek ticket and a three-day, Friday through Sunday, Suwannee Hulaween ticket. Primitive camping and all taxes and fees are included in the combo ticket price.

    Some other acts of note for fans looking to travel down from the Northeast are The New Mastersounds, Tauk, Turkuaz, The Main Squeeze, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, and The Nth Power. Artists-at-large throughout the weekend include George Porter Jr., Oteil Burbridge, Jennifer Hartswick, and Roosevelt Collier. A full lineup can be seen below.

    The festival has every type of music one could want at a festival boasting acts ranging from funk and rock to soul and jazz. With fall ending and winter slowly coming on, the cold air will make you want to run south, and what better reason can there be than to attend a great music festival. Get your tickets now and make plans to get down to The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park.

  • Dopapod Announce New Studio Release “Never Odd or Even”

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    Brooklyn’s Dopapod have announced that their 4th studio effort, Never Odd Or Even will be independently released on November 11th. Culminating from a combination of studio efforts and a gargantuan touring schedule bringing ‘Pod all over the country, fans and band members alike are psyched. East Rochester native and shred-master/vocalist Rob Compa shares his excitement – “The Never Odd or Even sessions cultivated a serious growth in the band’s creativity, each person stepped to the plate and put out great creativity and passionate playing, while inspiring everybody else involved in the project to do the same. We really feel that the material this time around represented a big leap forward, not just in the way we’ve been interacting as a band, but in the way our focus has become sharper in paying attention to things like melody, theme, lyrical imagery, and structure – all the elements that make a great song.”

    Organist/keyboardist Eli Winderman added his own thoughts about the recording process with friend and producer Jason “Jocko” Randall – “We lived at his studio for about a month for these sessions and it just clicked right away, with Jocko’s attitude and approach to the recording process, we were able to really dial in the sounds we wanted, get those perfect takes we were aiming for, and have a blast the whole way through.” Fans interested in the new album can visit the bands website to sign up for a mailing list which will get them a FREE digital download on release day as well as a chance to stream the first video released, “Picture in Picture”.

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    Upstate fans will have several opportunities to catch Dopapod this fall starting with a homecoming show for Mr. Compa this Thursday, October 2nd at Water Street Music Hall  in Rochester with instrumental wizard trio Consider the Source. Local up and coming uber-talented guitarist Collin Jone’s one man band Stereo Nest will start the show up in style. Ticket’s are available online  and at several local ticket vendors ($12.50 pre/18$ door).

    Check out our list below for more area Dopapod show opportunities.

    10/23 Niagara Falls, NY – Rapids Theatre w/ Umphrey’s McGee $27.50-$30

    10/29 Binghamton, NY – Forum Theatre w/ Umphrey’s McGee $25-$30

    11/1 Oneonta, NY – Oneonta Theatre w/ Space Carnival

    11/21 New York, NY – The Gramercy Theatre w/ Alan Evans’ Playonbrother & Teddy Midnight $16-$21

  • Disco Biscuits to Host City Bisco in Philadephia

    The Disco Biscuits are gearing up for the third installment of City Bisco this weekend in their home town of Philadelphia. This year the Biscuits have expanded City Bisco to include three nights spanning three different venues. The weekend kicks off this Thursday September 25th at The Trocadero. This show is only available with a three-day pass so get your tickets here.

    city bisco philadelphiaFriday night they move to the Electric Factory where they will play with American Babies. The Biscuits will cap it all off Saturday night at the Mann Center with supporting acts Giorgio Moroder “the godfather of disco,” Orchard Lounge, and Risky Disco. The Biscuits always bring the heat to Philly so this is a weekend surely not to miss! Tickets to these shows can be found here and single day passes for the Mann center can be found here. Thursday and Friday night’s show start at 7pm. Doors are at 5pm for the Mann center, show starting at 6.

  • Dark Star Orchestra Played to a Packed Crowd at Rochester’s Party in the Park

    One of the most notable events from the Party in the Park lineup was Dark Star Orchestra’s event, which featured a random set-list, not a specific recreation of an authentic Grateful Dead show as they are famously known for. The set-list featured gems like “Loose Lucy” and “west L.A. Fadeaway” in the first set while the second set had highlights, “Foolish Heart” and encore “Dear Prudence”. Despite they did not choose a set-list from a show, the energy was still there and family was all around.

    Summer has come and gone and the Autumn time is coming soon, when we look back to those hot summer nights, many in Rochester will surely think back to the superb Party in the Park concert series we enjoyed this year. The location had been brought back to the original spot at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square, and Rochestarians couldn’t have been happier about the re-location and the hot line-up.

    Setlist – Dark Star Orchestra Party in the Park

    Set One: Greatest Story Ever Told ; Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) ; It’s All Over Now ; Loose Lucy ; Lazy Lightning > Supplication ; West L.A. Fadeaway ; Big River > Mystery Train ; On The Road Again ; Let It Rock

    Set Two: Feel Like A Stranger ; Foolish Heart > Lost Sailor > Saint Of Circumstance > Unbroken Chain > drums > space > Fire On The Mountain > Hey Jude > China Doll > Johnny B. Goode

    Encore: The Shape I’m In > Dear Prudence

  • Donna The Buffalo is set to Play at Inspire Moore Winery in Naples

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    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.

    Music Video for “Working On That”