NYS Music 20​14

Category: News Desk

  • Streaming Now: Sean Rowe’s New Release ‘Madman’ on NPR’s First Listen

    Troy, NY’s own Sean Rowe is releasing his fourth studio album Madman on September 9. NPR’s First Listen is giving a sneak peak of the entire album right now ahead of its official release.

    The 12-track album does not fall short of delivering skillful songwriting and Rowe’s notable baritone voice. By listening to  Madman and his three previous releases, it’s no surprise that Sean Rowe has quickly climbed to the national scene from his start at open mics and acoustic bar shows in New York’s Capital Region.

    The album is available for pre-order, along with several other goodies like handwritten lyric sheets and signed CDs/LPs and posters on Sean Rowe’s Pledge Music page here.

  • Thank Jesus, Metal Returns to Saratoga

    The Saratoga Springs, New York horse racing tourists are going home, students are going back to school, and the metal is returning to the Putnam Den. Hometown hard rockers Thank Jesus Christ and the Hallucinogenic Allstars [JCHA] are offering up a great night of music on Friday, September 5th. Five dollars will get you through the door, and into a night heavy on the music and the fun.

    JCHA has been hosting a monthly heavy music residency at the Den, whose reputation leans toward jam music.  The monthly onslaughts have been importing talent from around the northeast along with other local heavy hitters.  This month is no different except that instead of it’s normal Thursday occurrence, Metal is invading the Saratoga prime-time, a sacred Friday night.

    Crown of Vultures, formerly Vacant, from Albany, will bring their progressive metal to the stage. Then the incredible two man assault of Foaming at the Mouth is an act not to be missed, bringing black and death metal to heights you might not soon forget. Surfacing, from Brooklyn will round out the eclectic night with metalcore reminiscent of Miss May I, and are poised to release their debut full length CD in October.

    JCHA is the premier stoner heavy rock band in the region, and along with their on stage bartender/light show technician, will project a performance that has to be seen to be believed. Local artist Alexis Herzog will be painting live during the show, and her finished work from the previous show will be raffled off to one lucky winner, courtesy of only the price of admission.

    Summer is over, fall is about to begin. Friday nights in beautiful Saratoga Springs can be unfiltered excitement during this time, as businesses are resetting from a busy season, and ready to entice the Upstate crowd to come out. Have faith, for JCHA, along with the Putnam Den, promise to provide you with a great show to have some fun, and bang your head.

  • CashorTrade.org – There’s an app for that!

    Brothers and cofounders of CashorTrade.org, Dusty and Brando Rich, made the announcement on Wednesday Aug 27 about their iPhone app from SiriusXM headquarters in NY. The CashorTrade app is now available for FREE download from the iTunes store, which will offer fast push notifications and increased user functionality. The new iPhone app complements the already successful website with, now, fast access to your future tickets and concerts at your fingertips.

    cashortrade appCashorTrade.org is the first social ticketing platform that encourages fans to honorably buy, sell, and trade their extra concert tickets with fellow music lovers. The site allows users to directly connect with other fans for ticket trades, without any markup or fees and avoiding the dreaded online scalpers. The safe and efficient site gives fans the ability to create trade relationships while gaining reviews based on their trades and communication. The website also offers city, venue, and festival pages to supply ticket listings by performer, making it easier to find the next big show.

    While the CashorTrade.org site is FREE to use, fans can pay $2 a month to go Gold. The Gold Membership was released last year, allowing users to utilize the Trade Tracker that now sends mobile notifications, suggested trades, repost features, featured listings, and much more. To register for the Gold Membership, click here. The site has seen over 1100 sign ups per month since starting in 2009, with nearly 1 million page-views, 100,000 face value ticket listings, and over 3,000 positive transaction reviews just last month alone.

    Originally started to simply help fans buy, sell, and trade concert tickets, the site has turned into a full-blown movement, connecting thousands of people around the country. It’s fans helping fans, no matter if they are into Phish, Dave Matthews, the Disco Biscuits, or any of the other hundreds of artists listed on their site. This is our music and nobody likes to miss a show. CashorTrade provides more than just tickets, it’s a growing community of like-minded music lovers with a genuine level of trust. As they say, “We’re all in this together. Embrace the face!”

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  • The Nth Power Makes Debut in Buffalo on Chillgrimage to Hancock

    10462784_498814903584071_2315225169758555355_nJust over a year ago, five musical soul mates came together to form The Nth Power and have seamlessly risen to the top, carrying the power of love and transcending the senses in the most purely uplifting manner. The supergroup of sorts is comprised of keyboardist and singer, Nigel Hall, whose raw emotion and passion is one of the many driving forces within their music. Drummer/vocalist Nikki Glaspie, who recently parted ways with the NOLA funk outfit Dumpstaphunk, truly believes in what The Nth Power is doing and made the band her primary focus with the decision. Rounding out the group is Nick Cassarino on guitar and vocals, Nate Edgar who holds down the low-end on bass, and percussionist Weedie Braimah. The band may be less than two years in the works, but have an immense amount of experience with members playing with such acts as Lettuce, Beyonce, John Brown’s Body, Warren Haynes Band, Toubab Krewe, and the aforementioned, Dumpstaphunk.

    Taking on the soulful side of funk, the group embraces a mutual love and respect for music’s power and utilizes the tool to take people on a roller coaster ride of emotions, hitting them right where it counts. Their live show has been described as more than just music and, as the band rolls into town next Friday, Buffalo is ready to embrace the band’s love with open arms.

    The Nth Power is set to play Catskill Chill Music Festival the following night in Hancock, NY with a late night set start time of 1:15am. For those in the western N.Y. region, this is a great opportunity to check these guys out if you’re unable to make the fest. Being that this is the band’s first time to the Queen City, they’re hoping to see a good turnout and mutual love for their overall mission. If you have ever checked out their Twitter page, you will see a lot of hashtags that say #thenthpowerlovesyou, and it’s through their music that it’s expressed. On the flip side, I can say to them that #buffalovesyouback and the excitement and anticipation for the show is washing over the city with less than a week left.

    10301128_481051788693716_520929358474610964_n
    Photo by Joshua Brasted

    Opening the night will be Jamestown’s smackdab. The funk band not only draws influence from the headliner, but was extremely excited to be announced as the opening act. The five-piece is fronted by singer Jon-Marc Johnson and also includes Matt Baxter on guitar, Mark Cooper on keys, Ryan Ecklund on bass, and Daniel Witherspoon on drums.

    Tickets are only $10 in advance and can be purchased here. They can also be purchased at the door for $12.

    If you’re still on the fence, check out a video of The Nth Power below. Being that this is their first show in Buffalo, the band is sure to dig deep and put on a great performance for all who show up to The Tralf next Friday.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0-WQ7zCsBY

  • “Lace Up” Albany – Machine Gun Kelly Adds Armory Date

    Rapper Machine Gun Kelly, aka MGK, may be on tour with Limp Bizkit, but that isn’t stopping him from taking a night that the tour has off to stop up to Albany to play the Washington Avenue Armory. The 24-year old is no stranger to Albany fans who have packed the place last year to see this dynamic young star.  MGK released his second full album last year, Black Flag, and is perhaps best known for his many mixed tapes that he released leading up to being signed by Diddy three years ago to Bad Boy Records.

    “I got the name Machine Gun Kelly because of my rapid-fire delivery when I was 15 and started doing shows,” says MGK.  That rapid delivery is still there mixed with the maturity of time.  Fans relate to his lyrics, coming from a broken home and being an outcast in tough neighborhoods with no brothers or sisters to look out for him.  Colson Baker moved around as a child and was essentially raised simultaneously by his father and the streets after his mother left him at a young age. Ready for the prime time, MGK is on a shooting star and passengers should hop aboard now.

    Mark your calendars for an Oct. 4 date with openers to be announced soon. Tickets are available now at Ticketfly.  Avid Entertainment has promised an exciting fall line-up for the second largest venue in the city, and this, along with other fall dates previously announced such as, Masquerave, Pierce the Veil, Slayer, it is a good indication that they holding true to their word.

    A hint at a big announcement yesterday by Washington Avenue Armory’s Michael Corts gave us a hint as to whom may be announced. His partner at Avid Entertainment, Darren Sparato, all but confirmed my educated guess this morning.

    Early tour releases already showcased a New York City date on October 8 and a Boston date on October 10, with a few off dates in October as the only viable option. The big hint in the clue was 19XX. Did it mean the band 1975, a reference to Van Halen’s famous album 1984, or Prince’s party anthem, “1999”? No, I think it paid reference to Machine Gun Kelly’s chest tattoo, Est. 19XX.

  • The New Mastersounds Kick Off Tour in Buffalo Next Week

    Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds
    Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds

    Over the years, music has become more accessible than it’s ever been. With internet radio sites, 160GB iPods, satellite radio, YouTube, and every other outlet, the amount of choices out there are near limitless. Listening to music in your headphones and in the car are one thing though, while actually experiencing the collective force of a live show is far different. Even with how accessible music is, shows are still something that unfortunately can’t be everywhere, all the time. We’ve yet to figure out the whole geographical boundary thing, outside of live streaming, which is ultimately a better-than-nothing alternative. The further a band is from you, the lower the chance you will see them. It’s still just as dead simple as that. Thankfully for one band, that is all about to change. This Fall, The New Mastersounds, a band whose roots in Leeds, England has limited their Stateside exposure, are making their rounds with a first-time stop in MANY Upstate cities with three nights in Brooklyn (9/11-9/13) and closing Catskill Chill (9/7), the band will be making first time trips to Buffalo (9/3), Rochester (10/7), Saratoga Springs (11/8), and Syracuse (11/9).

    The New Mastersounds are riding on the heels of their latest album Therapy, which was released back in March. While they will surely play a few off of the album, the depth of their catalog should bring out some longstanding favorites and a few surprises. The show in Buffalo will be the tour kickoff and is being held at one of Buffalo’s best venues in The Tralf. On the same stage where Lettuce played earlier in the year, the British funksters will bring their jazz-spiked flavor out for all to hear, and finally see. The anticipation around the city for fans is getting stirred into a frenzy with less than a week before the show. The band is known for their blending of old school tone and approach with pure energy. Their music’s simple mission is the passing of kinetic energy, whether through dance, foot tapping, or a neck-jarring head nod. There’s just no way to shake that.

    With the Catskill Chill Music Festival looming, the Wednesday night show is the perfect setup for anyone who is looking to get a sneak peek of what they’ll be in for down in Hancock. What you won’t find at The Chill though, and coming to Buffalo for only their fourth show, is West Coast-natives Orgone. The band calls Portland, Oregon home and, again, with the geographical divide, the band has not made it over on this side of the country as much as fans would like. With the funk scene thankfully growing stronger in every city, this band can now make a worthwhile trip to help spread their word.

    The combination that was put together by ECE Presents for this show is worthy of an applause. And while we’ll get the jazz side of funk from The New Mastersounds, Orgone plays on the soul side of funk’s fence. Regardless of style, both bands have been around a while and surely will not disappoint the expected packed house at The Tralf.

    The New Mastersounds

    Grab your tickets now to these shows throughout New York State:

    |  Buffalo  |  Hancock (Catskill Chill)  |  Brooklyn (9/11, 9/12, 9/13 Early, 9/13 Late)  |

    |  Rochester  |  Saratoga Springs  |  Syracuse  |

  • Billy Idol to Release New Album, ‘Kings & Queens Of The Underground’

    The man that had you rebel yelling in the 80s, Billy Idol, will release Kings & Queens Of The Underground. This will be his first album in over a decade and is set to release on October 21.

    Kings & Queens Of The Underground
    Album cover designed by street artist and graphic designer Shepard Fairey. Trevor Horn produced the album and Greg Kurstin contributing two songs  as a producer.

    Idol has a new single off the album called, “Can’t Break Me Down.” Fans can listen to the song here on his official website. The iTunes album version also includes “Hollywood Promises”, another new song from Idol.

    The track list for Kings & Queens Of The Underground below:

    1. Bitter Pill
    2. Can’t Break Me Down
    3. Save Me Now
    4. One Breath Away
    5. Postcards From The Past
    6. Kings & Queens Of The Underground
    7. Eyes Wide Shut
    8. Ghosts In My Guitar
    9. Nothing To Fear
    10. Love and Glory
    11. Whiskey And Pills

    A new album is not the only thing Billy Idol has in store for fans. Idol’s self-written autobiography, Dancing With Myself will be on shelves October 7.

    Idol announced that him and his band, including longtime collaborator and guitarist Steve Stevens will be heading over seas for a European Tour starting in November. This is only the first leg of the tour and the rest of the world tour will continue into 2015.

    Fans can pre-order Kings & Queens Of The Underground on iTunes.

  • Rochester’s Sirens and Sailors Experience “Every Band’s Nightmare”

    Upstate NY’s metalcore band, Sirens and Sailors, is living “every band’s nightmare” right now. According to several posts to social media, the band is currently experiencing a devastating crisis overseas. While on a European tour with Scottish band, To Kill Achilles, they returned to their van to find that everything “down to [their] toiletries” had been stolen.

    According to a recent Facebook post by one of the band members, they have been left with nothing, and that this experience is “one of the most devastating things to ever happen to us as a touring band.” Despite their former commitment to “earning their keep” and resisting the urge to start a crowd-funding program (such as Kickstarter) to support them, Sirens and Sailors now has “no other option” and are asking fans to help out. Their tour-mates, To Kill Achilles, are also using the power of social media to encourage fans to support. More details and up-to-date Twitter feeds are available at http://sirensandsailorsmusic.com/tour/ and https://www.facebook.com/sandsmusic?fref=nf.

    Sirens and Sailors was scheduled to play in the Czech Republic on August 28 and in Belgium on August 29. This is the band’s first European tour. Formed in Rochester in 2005, this five piece band has been actively “earning their keep.” They released Sirens & Sailors in 2007 and Still Breathing in 2010, and Skeletons in 2013, all available at iTunes.

  • Interpol’s New Album ‘El Pintor’ Streams Two Weeks Before Release on NPR Music’s “First Listen”

    Interpol_-_El_Pintor_cover_artNew York City’s own Interpol has been previewing some of their new music on tour this summer leading up to the release of their fifth studio album and first in four years, El Pintor, whose title means “the painter” in Spanish.

    The band today announced on its Facebook page that NPR Music’s “First Listen” is streaming the album two weeks before the album’s release on September 9. Until its release, the album is available for pre-order in various formats from the Interpol website, Amazon, and iTunes.

    Click here to go to NPR Music’s stream of El Pintor. Have a listen… you won’t be let down.

  • Breaking Benjamin Ends Hiatus With Brand New Line Up

    After being away for five years, everyone was wondering if Scranton, PA alternative hard rockers Breaking Benjamin would ever come back. Now the silence is broken, fans rejoice! Breaking Benjamin is officially back.

    The news broke this week when Breaking Benjamin posted a new video on their Facebook that they have a completely new lineup. Frontman and lead song writer Ben Burnley is the only original member left in the band, which has been inactive since 2010 with Burnley dealing with health issues and was in a legal battle against former members Aaron Fink and Mark James regarding the release of the remixed version of “Blow Me Away” which was released as a single to radio when their greatest hits album was released.

    breaking benjamin hiatusBurnley won the legal battle in April 2013 and announced plans to continue under the Breaking Benjamin name, playing a few acoustic performances later that year. No word on former members Aaron Fink and Mark James musical plans are. Former drummer Jeremy Hummer is currently touring with Creed frontman Scott Stapp, and former drummer Chad Szeliga spent a few years with Black Label Society.

    breaking benjamin hiatusJoining Burnley in what is the third version of Breaking Benjamin are drummer Shaun Foist, bassist Aaron Bruch, former Red guitarist Jasen Rauch and ex-Adelitas Way guitarist Keith Wallen.

    This marks the first time Breaking Benjamin as a five piece band.

    Breaking Benjamin currently has no plans regarding a new album, touring plans, and hasn’t revealed what record label they are signed with. Breaking Benjamin spent their whole active career with Hollywood Records. The last Breaking Benjamin album, Dear Agony, came out in 2009.

    Benjamin Burnley was originally in a band named Breaking Benjamin in 1998 that played “softer music” such as Weezer and The Beatles covers, and was “nothing like” subsequent lineups. The name originates from an incident in which Burnley broke a borrowed microphone, prompting its owner to retort, “Thanks to Benjamin for breaking my fucking mic.”

    Expect more news on Breaking Benjamin shortly.