NYS Music 20​14

Category: News Desk

  • GWAR just unveiled new Front Woman!

    Gwar continues to keep things interesting. After the sudden passing of Oderous Urungus (Dave Brockie) this year, the band has been a little quiet about who would fill in. They have went on record saying that they asked many older characters from Gwar’s extensive former members list to help fill out the tour. But now, a new player emerges, and as a front woman, she is a force to be reckoned with.

    gwar front woman
    Photo from Vulvatron’s Facebook Page

    Vulvatron made her front woman debut at Riot Fest on September 12th, and the crowd response was altogether positive. From a recent press release from Wondering Sound:

    “Vulvatron is not dancing, or breathing fire, or keeping the slaves in line (though one assumes she’ll be adept at all three). For the first time since the departure of dancer and backing singer Slymenstra Hymen (Danielle Stampe) in 2000, GWAR has a female member, and she’s the front woman.

    To split hairs, she’s actually GWAR’s new co-frontperson, joining reinstated vocalist Blothar (Mike Bishop) whose Beefcake the Mighty character was introduced in 1988.”

    gwar front woman
    Photo from Vulvatron’s Facebook Page

    This promises to be an incredible addition to the line-up, so don’t miss out on your chance to witness Gwar History (Gwarstory?) this winter when the band embarks on the Gwar Eternal Tour 2014. The tour will make a stop in Upstate New York at Upstate Concert Hall on December 11th, with American Sharks and Corrosion of Conformity. Check out Vulvatron’s facebook page here.

  • Black Crown Initiate and Rivers of Nihil set to bring explosive energy to Bogies in Albany

    No stranger to bringing quality music to the area, Bogies in Albany is at it again on Sunday, September 21st. A co-headlining onslaught of heavy music in Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate, with some great local openers to round out the bill.

    Bogies show with Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate
    Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate at Bogies Albany

    Forest of Remorse is a newly reformed project from Lyme, NY. Promising heavy riffs and brutal slam beats, it will be one of those rare times to see a show with a budding band, that could surprise you and blow up in the near future. King Pariah from Argyle, NY is another up and coming metal band, who have already shared the stage with some big names. They helped open the Summer Slaughter tour at The Palladium in Worcester, MA with Morbid Angel and Dying Fetus.

    Troy locals The Final Sleep are playing just in their backyard and bring a progressive metal edge to the stage, and have just welcomed their new drummer, Mike VanDyne of Arsis. With a technical barrage of three guitars, this is an act not to be missed. Black Crown Initiate is just about to release their brand new record, The Wreckage of Stars, dropping September 30th. So you can expect them to bring all of their intricate epic metal to this show in support of that record. Making waves in the metal scene as of late, these guys might not be playing small clubs like Bogies for too much longer. Check out my review of their new album here.

    Photo provided

    Rivers of Nihil also comes from Reading, PA like Black Crown Initiate, and they also have a new record, The Conscious Seed of Light. After signing with Metal Blade Records in 2013, this is their debut album on that label, after a few years of hard work and relentless touring. The double bill of these two bands will be an incredible sight to see and an awesome show to hear. For any fan of death metal, hard, fast and heavy metal, this show is one of the few that has it all and is making it’s stop in Upstate NY.

    Check out the details at the Facebook event here.

  • Andy Suzuki and The Method to tour with Marc Broussard

    Folk and Blues band Andy Suzuki & The Method will be hitting the road with Marc Broussard for a three-week tour. “Marc Broussard has been an idol of mine for years, so traveling with him in his tour bus is going to be a dream comes true. We are gonna have a mobile slumber party on the highway” Suzuki said, on his website. The first half of  the tour will only feature Suzuki playing a solo set and the full band will play starting on Oct. 8 at the Highline Ballroom in NYC. Tour kicks off in Columbia, S.C. and ends in Chester, N.Y.

    You can purchase Andy Suzuki & The Method’s Born out of Mischief  on iTunes and Marc Brossard on iTunes.

    Andy Suzuki and The Method

  • EDM Stars Skrillex & Diplo to Perform at Madison Square Garden on NYE

    Phish has played for the last four years at Madison Square Garden in New York City for a New Year’s Eve show. But this year, EDM legends Skrillex and Diplo will be taking the stage this time around, both doing their own sets.

    skrillexmsg

    More guests will be revealed soon.

    Tickets for Skrillex and Diplo’s NYE gala go on sale to the general public this Friday, September 19 at noon ET via Ticketmaster. American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, September 16 at 10 a.m. ET.

  • Black Label Society, Hatebreed and Butcher Babies Announce Tour, Includes Syracuse Stop

    This past Tuesday Sept. 16, E One Records announced a winter tour featuring Black Label Society, Hatebreed, and Butcher Babies. Including a stop in Syracuse, N.Y. Saturday, Jan. 10 at the F Shed At The Regional Market.

    Black Label Society is currently touring in support of their latest album Catacombs of the Black Vatican. This tour will mark the first time since 2006 that the band has played in Syracuse. Hatebreed, unleashed their latest album The Divinity of Purpose last year and came to Syracuse in February of 2013. Butcher Babies, who toured with Black Label Society earlier this spring, will be releasing a covers EP entitled Uncovered, on Sept. 30.

    Tickets for the F-Shed Show can be purchased here, this Friday Sept. 19 at 10AM.

    Tour Dates: tour

    12/28 — Spokane, Wash. — Knitting Factory

    12/29 — Vancouver, British Columbia — The Commodore Ballroom

    12/30 — Kelowna, British Columbia — Kelowna Community Theatre

    12/31 — Calgary, Alberta — Flames Central

    1/2 — Edmonton, Alberta — Shaw Conference Centre

    1/3 — Regina, Saskatchewan — Conexus Arts Centre

    1/4 — Winnipeg, Manitoba — The Burton Cummings Theatre

    1/5 — Thunder Bay, Ontario — Thunder Bay Community Auditorium

    1/7 — London, Ontario — London Music Hall

    1/8 — Toronto, Ontario — Kool Haus (The Guvernment)

    1/9 — Montreal, Quebec — Le Métropolis de Montréal

    1/10 — Syracuse, N.Y. — F SHED at The Market

    1/12 — Reading, Pa. — Reverb

    1/13 — Portland, Maine — State Theatre, Portland, Maine

    1/14 — Hartford, Conn. — The Webster

    1/16 — Royal Oak, Mich. — Royal Oak Music Theatre

    1/17 — Columbus, Ohio — LC Pavilion

    1/18 — Charlotte, N.C. – The Fillmore Charlotte

    1/20 — Oklahoma City, Okla. — Diamond Ballroom

    1/21 — Kansas City, Mo. — Arvest Bank Theater At the Midland

    1/22 — Omaha, Neb. — Sokol Auditorium

  • Times Union Center in Albany gets ready to host Five Finger Death Punch, Volbeat, Hellyeah and Nothing More

    This fall marks one of the most sought after tours in recent memory. The incredible co-lining onslaught of Five Finger Death Punch and Volbeat has been an idea in the works for some time, with both bands finally hitting the road together after countless scheduling issues, stopping in Albany. The timing could not be better, as both bands are the premier heavy metal bands on mainstream rock radio.

    Nothing More. Photo by Jim 'JT' Gilbert / JTGphoto.com
    Nothing More. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

    Joining them on tour will be Nothing More, the fast rising heavy groove metal project out of San Antonio, Texas. Chipping away at the game with their relentless barrage of work they finally have broken out with their single, “This is the Time(Ballast)” hitting #2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart in 2014. As they self proclaim with the inherent question, “Nothing more?”, they immediately answer back, “Accept nothing less.”

    Hellyeah have recently dropped their most defining album to date. Blood for Blood allows the average listener to really get the best interpretation of this ‘supergroup’, and gives the die hard fan a new outlook on this incredible band. Made up of seasoned veterans of the stage Chad Gray (Mudvane), Vinnie Paul (Pantera, Damageplan), Tom Maxwell (Nothingface) and Kyle Saunders (Bloodsimple), they are poised to bring the hard hitting heavy rock to this tour.

    Volbeat. Photo by Jim 'JT' Gilbert / JTGphoto.com
    Volbeat. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

    Hailing from Denmark, Volbeat is no stranger to the United States. The three-piece continues to tear up stages all over the world, and are primed and ready to co-headline this tour in support of their most recent album, Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies. Epic riffs and catchy melodies make each show an experience, and with new second guitarist Rob Caggiano (Anthrax) will have the entire crowd banging their heads and singing along.

    Five Finger Death Punch (5FDP) has been wanting to do this tour for sometime, and scheduling has always gotten in the way, as is the case with hard working bands that tour constantly. But the planets aligned and this tour can finally be a reality. 5FPD are riding high off their two releases last year, The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell, parts 1 and 2. The combined sales of those records made the band the highest selling rock band in America. Their live show is one of pure intesity and heavy metal chaos, and one not to be missed when it rolls into the OnCenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse NY on Setptember 23rd.  Then, on September 27th, the tour will hit the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. This, like so many other amazing shows in the Albany area, is being brought to this area thanks to the tireless efforts of Step Up Presents.

    Five Finger Death Punch. Photo by Jim 'JT' Gilbert / JTGphoto.com
    Five Finger Death Punch. Photo by Jim ‘JT’ Gilbert / JTGphoto.com

    The tour kicks off in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 16 and goes until it’s Las Vegas on October 24th.  Tickets and tour dates can be found on the bands websites or through TicketMaster.

    Tickets for the Syracuse Show can be found here.

    Tickets for the Albany show can be found here.

  • Bone Thugs-n-Harmony hit Lake George

    Grunge bands aren’t the only performers from the ’90s making a comeback. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, a Hip-Hop act made famous in 1996 with their #1 single, “Tha Crossroads” will be at the brand new Charles R Wood Festival Space in Lake George on Friday, Sept. 19.

    2012 Rock The Bells

    Bone Thugs-n-Harmony has sold over 40 million records worldwide and collaborated with widely popular artists including Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, 2Pac, and the Notorious B.I.G..

    With a new album in the works, the group has been gearing up for a resurgence.  They recently made appearances at the BET Awards and the Beats Grammy Party with Eminem and Dr. Dre, and have participated in several festivals. Upstate fans can expect to hear the group’s big hits including “Thuggish Ruggish Bone”, “1st of Tha Month”, “Tha Crossroads”, “Notorious Thugs”, and more.

    Saratoga’s DAO JONES and local phenom, DJ Playground will also be performing.

    Tickets are available online or from 42 Degrees located at 23 Park St. Glens Falls, NY. $25 (advance; $30 gate) for general admission. $40 (advance; $45 gate) gets you VIP access to an “up front” tented area (with a private beer and wine vendor). An additional $80 gets you to the Meet~n~Greet.

    The event is rain or shine and those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Brought to you by Improv Records and Kamp David Productions, who remind fans that blankets are welcome, but coolers, animals and bad attitudes are not.

  • Cat Stevens Announces First U.S Tour Since 1976

    197553-a2ce9Update 9/25: Yusuf has cancelled his show in NYC at The Beacon Theatre to protest New York’s scalping laws, per CBS. A statement from Yusuf reads:

    Unfortunately I will not be performing in NYC this time around but I am looking forward to playing for fans in Philadelphia on December 4 and hope to return to NYC at a future date. My fans will understand and I thank them for informing me about the extortionate tickets prices already being listed on some websites. I have been a longtime supporter of paperless tickets to my shows worldwide and avoiding scalpers. Unfortunately NY has a state law that requires all tickets sold for shows in NYC to be paper, enabling them to be bought and sold at inflated prices. I’m sorry about not being able to now play in NYC but hope to find an opportunity that aligns with my support of this issue in the near future, God willing. Looks like the Peace Train is going to arrive at New York a little bit later than expected. – Yusuf

    Yusuf will be playing in Boston on December 7th at the Wang Theatre.

    “Peace Train” singer and newly inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens, announced a six-city concert tour in North America this December. This will be his first set of tour dates since 1976.

    Islam will be releasing a blues album called Tell ‘Em I’m Gone, on Oct. 27 produced by Rick Rubin. The last album that Islam released as Cat Stevens was his 1978 album, Back To Earth.

    The “Peace Train..Late Again” tour starting on Dec. 1 in Toronto then continues through to Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and ends in Los Angeles. Tickets for the New York show go on sale September 24 at 10 am.

    Fans can pre-order Tell ‘Em I’m Gone on iTunes and Amazon.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sjSHazjrWg

  • Eric Paslay to Visit Toby Keith’s Bar & Grill Syracuse

    Since opening their doors at Destiny USA in Syracuse, NY, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill has consistently brought the party to town.  This Saturday, September 20th, at 10pm, join in welcoming Eric Paslay, one country music’s newest favorites to town.

    Eric Paslay
    Eric Paslay

    Eric Paslay best known for his current hits “Song About A Girl” and “Friday Night”, is a multi-talented performer who not only plays but is one of Nashville’s most talented songwriters, co-penning hits such as “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” recorded by Jake Owens, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” recorded by Eli Young Band, and Love & Theft’s “Angel Eyes”.

    This young man standing 6’4″ not only makes a presence physically on stage, but he also brings the party and gets the crowd a rocking.   will be there to cover and bring you highlights from the evening.  Show starts at 9pm with opening act Hootn’ Anges, immediately followed by Eric.  Advanced tickets can be purchased online or at the door the evening of.

  • Kung Fu Announces Fall 2014 Tour

    Funk-supergroup Kung Fu has announced a 2014 Fall tour set to kick off in mid-October and features back to back nights in Upstate New York. The Connecticut-based funk-fusion group will start their East coast swing on October 16th in Baltimore before moving north to The Westcott Theater in Syracuse and The Hollow in Albany (with special guests Groovestick) the next two nights. Kung Fu is touring in support of their latest studio album, Tsar Bomba.

    Watch a live performance of “Do the Right Thing”

    Kung Fu Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | CDbaby