NYS Music 20​14

Category: News Desk

  • Casey Kasem, the Voice of Top 40 Radio, Dead at 82

    Radio and television personality, Casey Kasem, died today at the age of 82 after a long bout with dementia.

    Kerri Kasem released a statement from the family on Twitter this morning.

    As the original host of the radio show American Top 40, Kasem had become the voice of popular music, as listeners tuned into to syndicated broadcast each week to learn which artist had earned No. 1 honors.  He co-founded the American Top 40 franchise in 1970, hosting it from 1970 to 1988 and from 1998 to 2004. Between January 1989 and early 1998, he was the host of Casey’s Top 40, Casey’s Hot 20, and Casey’s Countdown. A truncated version of the popular radio show, called American Top 10, appeared on television for several years. Kasem retired from the broadcasting in 2009.

    Kasem also developed into the voice of Saturday morning cartoons, lending his voice to cartoon mogul Hanna-Barbara to provide the voice for Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo series from 1969 to 1997 and Robin in Super Friends.

    By crossing both mediums, his voice – often cheerful and sincere -seemed ever-present in the lives of children and young teenagers, the target audience for the cartoons and radio broadcasts.  His wholesome persona took a hit several years ago when a curse-laden recording from his radio show went public.  Most recently, Kasem was in the middle of a family fued between his wife Jean and his children.

    Born Kemal Anin Kasem to Lebanese immigrants in Detroit, MI in 1932. Kasem attended Wayne State University before he was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War in 1952. It was during the war that Kasem started his broadcasting career, serving as a DJ and announcer on the Armed Forces Radio Korea Network.

    Kasem is survived by his wife Jean Kasem, to whom he married in 1980, his four children (Kerri, Mike, Liberty and Julie) and his ex-wife Linda.

    Editor note: Featured picture taken by Alan Light.

  • Cry to the Blind Has Date With Bonzai in August

    cttb1At Rochester’s East End Music Festival this evening, Cry to the Blind announced they will perform at Bonzai, WZNE The Zone’s summer music festival, this year.

    They will share the stage with Chevelle, A Day To Remember, Middle Class Rut, J Roddy Walston and the Business, Big Data, Tove Lo, and Joywave.

    Sahlen’s Stadium will host the event August 9th.

    For Cry to the Blind, it’s another rung on the ladder.

    The band has released three CDs independently since 2009.  They are a heavy, modern rock band, who market themselves as a “therapeutic release” for their fans.  They like to promote a “positive spin on the negative energy that surrounds us every day,” as stated on their Facebook page.

    Last December, the band released a cover of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” taking the No. 1 pop single and making into a hard rock track of their own.  The accompanying YouTube video went viral, earning them enough attention to gain play time on Sirius Octane.

    Earlier in the year they shared the stage with Imagen Record’s Framing Hanley in Watertown.  The band had also filmed a video for a new release “Unbroken” in partnership with Imagen Records back in March.

    Cry to the Blind is not signed with any record labels as of yet, but the pairing up with Imagen appears to be something worth keeping an eye on for the near future.

    Editor’s note: We previously reported that Bonzai would take place in July.

  • Tune In, Turn On, Bonnaroo Online

    So, you say you can’t make it to Manchester, TN to attend Bonnaroo this year.  Just as well, it starts this afternoon anyway.  And, have you seen the crowds?

    That’s okay, because the festival has got you covered.  You can stay home and turn on your computer, or Xbox, and watch every performance  from Bonnaroo 2014 online, from the comfort of your living room.

    Each performance will appear on a live webcast, on the festival’s site.  The list below, shows the time (and corresponding channel in parentheses).

    Friday, June 13th:
    3:30pm – Umphrey’s McGee (1)
    3:30 – Break Science (2)
    4:00 – Jake Bugg (2)
    4:45 – Jon Batiste (1)
    5:15 – Cass McCombs (2)
    5:30 – Janele Monae (1)
    6:00 – Andrew Bird (2)
    6:30 – The Head and the Heart (1)
    7:15 – Jonathan Wilson (2)
    7:45 – CHVRCHES (1)
    8:15 – Cloud Nothings (2)
    9:00 – Pusha T (1)
    9:15 – Robert DeLong (2)
    10:00 – Vampire Weekend (1)
    10:15 – The Naked & Famous (2)

    Saturday, June, 14th:
    3:30pm – Tedeschi Trucks Band (1)
    3:30 – Valerie June (2)
    4:00 – Cake (2)
    4:45 – Dr. Dog (1)
    5:00 – Sam Smith (2)
    5:45 – Damon Albarn (1)
    6:00 – Cage the Elephant (2)
    7:00 – Phosphorescent (1)
    7:00 – Polica (2)
    8:00 – Lionel Richie (1)
    8:00 – Die Antwoord (2)
    8:45 – James Blake (2)
    9:45 – Chromeo (1)
    10:00 – Cut Copy (2)
    10:45 – Jack White (1)
    12:15am – Derek Trucks Superjam (1)

    Sunday, June 15th:
    3:30pm – St. Paul the Broken Bones (1)
    3:30 – Okkervil River (2)
    4:15 – Warpaint (1)
    4:15 – Fitz & the Tantrums (2)
    5:15 – Disclosure (1)
    5:30 – J. Roddy Waltson & The Business (2)
    6:15 – Broken Bells (2)
    6:30 – Danny Brown (1)
    7:00 – The Avett Brothers (1)
    7:30 – Warpaint (2)
    8:15 – Wiz Khalifa (2)
    8:30 – City & Colour (1)
    9:30 – Elton John (1)
    9:30 – Little Dragon (2)
    10:45 – Washed Out (2)
    11:30 – Zedd (1)
    11:45 – Amos Lee (2)

  • moe. to Play Free Show At Buffalo Canalside

    MOEmoe. will be coming back to where it all  started on Thursday, June 19th at Buffalo, NY’s hottest summer venue, Canalside. Conehead Buddha will be opening for moe. and should be a great opening act as they have been playing for many years throughout the northeast. The show is also the second of many free events on Thursdays this summer at Buffalo’s waterfront area. There is also an option to purchase VIP tickets that allow front of stage access as well as complimentary beer, wine and appetizers.

    moe. is coming off of their newest album release, No Guts, No Glory , which came out at the end of May. The band has several dates throughout the summer as well as many stops throughout New York. moe. never seems to disappoint when coming back to Buffalo, so make your plans to head out to Canalside to catch them at this free event.

  • Primus Returns To Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda on June 22nd

    Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda, NY will  host Primus at their annual Niagara River Rocks Concert Serieson Sunday, June 22nd. Primus will play the waterfront show with opening act support from Fishbone.

    Primus has been staying very busy with touring and this summer will be no different, scheduled to be at many festivals throughout the summer. Primus has been playing together for over 25 years and brings all sorts of influences to the table, with frontman and bassist Les Claypool’s unique style in the forefront it really makes for an interesting evening.

    Doors open at 2PM and the show starts at 3PM, all ages are welcome. Tickets can be purchased for $7 or you can purchase VIP tickets for $30 which includes such benefits as private bathrooms, beverage stands and optimal view of stage.

  • Frost Ridge Legal Battles

    Frost Ridge Campgrounds boasts a long history – 50 years, to be exact – for being a site to see live music. Nestled deep within the farmlands and orchards of Western New York, it lends to an intimate, outdoor venue for live music, while also being accessible to the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, both about 40 miles away.

    But, to those who reside near the campground, the amplified music and crowds that draw nearly 800 people, is far from ideal. Coupled with the fact the Town of Le Roy ultimately said the concert venue, a proposed bar and grill, and even the campgrounds themselves violate the town’s zoning.

    Recently, New York Supreme Court Judge Robert C. Noonan granted a temporary injunction against amplified music at the campgrounds, as the town pursues a lawsuit that could potential shut everything down.

    David and Greg Luetticke-Archbell, co-owners of the Frost Ridge Campgrounds, responded with the following statement:

    The Town of Le Roy, NY (Town) has filed suit against Frost Ridge Campground LLC (Frost Ridge) alleging they are in violation of local zoning code. After initial arguments, Judge Robert C. Noonan has ordered Frost Ridge to temporarily suspend “amplified outdoor concerts and alcohol service” until the merits of the lawsuits can be fully addressed.
    Of course, Frost Ridge has complied and will continue to comply with Judge Noonan’s Order. In the meantime, Frost Ridge remains open to all its camping guests, and will continue to seek alternative options and potential venues for its live music.
    Again, we thank our guests for being patient, as we have had to be patient. We need to allow this process to be worked through. There may be a few bumps along the way, but everyone who knows us will realize that we work through issues to resolve them.

    To comply, Frost Ridge has made arrangements to host their scheduled concerts at an indoor venue off the campgrounds.  Attempts to contact Frost Ridge for comment went unanswered.

    The events have been earnestly reported by The Batavian, an online news source for the local community. Through their investigating of the events, the crux of the matter seems to lie on how the land was being used in 1967.

    Ownership of the grounds has changed hands a few times over the years. Luetticke-Archbell bought the grounds in 2008. In doing so, there was no apparent confusion over how the land could be used, due in part to a 1998 decision by the town’s zoning board of appeals. As the land was being sold nearly 20 years ago, its owner asked the ZBA to clarify how it was zoned. The board supposedly responded viewing the activities on the grounds as “preexisting nonconforming”, as they were established before the town devised their master plan in 1967.

    Since 2012, Luetticke-Archbell have started to establish a healthy summer music festival, luring music talents from across the country. According to the campground’s website, music has been played there since it was known primarily as a ski lodge. The campgrounds, according to the two brothers, were established in 1963.

    The town, citing from their records, see only the ski lodge as being grandfathered into their zoning plans. Everything else, after 1967, would require a use variance, which would go through the ZBA, whose present members have since disagreed with the board’s decision in 1998.

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  • 2014 Great Blue Heron Music Festival Performance Schedule

    The Great Blue Heron Music Festival released their lineup schedule for the upcoming festival which will take place in Sherman, NY on July 4-6, 2014. The “Heron” is chock-full of talent and is headlined by Donna The Buffalo.

    The festival which began in 1992 as a single-day celebration featuring the music of Donna The Buffalo, has grown into a full blown weekend-long festival featuring bluegrass to zydeco.  Jimkata is joining the festival this year as well – with three stages on three hundred acres the 2014 Great Blue Heron is sure to make it yet another great festival in the Western NY Area. Happy Heron!

    2014 Great Blue Heron

  • Art Garfunkel Performs Song and Prose at the Paramount Hudson Valley, Saturday June 14

    GarfunkelArt Garfunkel, legendary folk singer known for his part in Simon and Garfunkel, has recently taken back to the stage after three years of recovery from vocal cord weakness with a number of performances in the greater Northeast. This Saturday, he brings his performance to the Paramount Hudson Valley one night after a nearby show at the White Plains Performing Arts Center in White Plains.

    Diagnosed with vocal paresis in 2010, Garfunkel felt a tragic loss with his inability to sing. In the time he spent off stage he took to other forms of expression in writing and poetry. In early 2013 he felt the need to return to singing, as a singer does. He has overcome the tragedy (as he calls it) by learning how to sing differently, in a lower register.

    Now over a year after his return to the stage, Garfunkel has built a performance based on his songs and writings. On his tour he is joined by guitarist Tab Laven performing songs from his years with Simon and Garfunkel, his solo work as well as covers from some of his favorite songwriters. Aside from song, Garfunkel will also share thoughts from his writings and poetry.

    Be a part of “An intimate Evening with Art Garfunkel,” an acoustic performance with songs, anecdotes and prose at the historic Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill this Saturday.  Tickets for this performance are available here.

    For a full listing of Art Garfunkel’s performances, visit his website here. He is scheduled for  five additional Northeast stops in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Queens before moving on to England for five performances in September.

  • Rochester’s Party in the Park 2014: June in Detail

    Rochester’s annual Party in the Park weekly concert series begins next week, June 19, 2014. All shows will be held at the original P.I.T.P. location Martin Luther King Jr. Park – formerly known as Manhattan Square park – at the corner of Court and Chestnut streets downtown. All shows are 5$ (Children 12 and under are free), or 35$ for a party pack that offers entrance to all 9 shows (a 10$ savings) and an express entry line.WAILERS

    Ticket’s may be purchased at the gate, the Blue Cross Arena box office, or via Ticketmaster (w/ additional service charges). Space is limited so make sure to show up early or pre-purchase to guarantee entry. Food will be available from several of the area’s top food trucks and drinks will be supplied by local breweries Rohrbach’s and Genesee.

    Party-goers should know that while blankets are allowed, lawn chairs are not, and everyone may bring in one sealed bottle of water. Parking is available at several local garages, or for a 7$ charge you can park conveniently a half block away at The Strong Museum of Play. All shows run from 5-10PM and will also include buskers throughout the venue and local talent on a side stage.

    June kicks things off on the 19th with The Wailers. Originally fronted by the legendary Bob Marley, nowadays original members of his group have split into two sets of Wailers. Rochester music fans will recognize that the Original Wailers closed out the annual Lilac festival, so it seems fitting that the other crew kicks the P.I.T.P. season off. Fear not, as both sets of Wailers include original members. Providing support will be Rochester’s Noble Vibes and Trinidad & Tobago Steel Band.

    The June fun continues on the 26th with the folk-country-americana of Lucinda Williams. As a 35+ year veteran of the music scene, Lucinda has a deep and celebrated catalog and is widely regarded by her peers as one of the few remaining true old school country elements within the pop-befuddled modern scene. Providing support will be the outlaw country rock outfit The Kenneth Brian Band.

    After the “honky-tonking” is complete, night owls can continue their night of music enjoying the Rochester International Jazz Festival with several venues offering late night shows.  A half block away at The Montage Music Hall – which will have after party’s throughout July and August as well – will be The Ivan Jansen Aruba Jazz Project. Other options to close out the evening are The Hypnotic Jazz Ensemble at the corner of East and Gibbs, or, if some screaming blues guitar is your thing, 29-year-old prodigy Selwyn Birchwood will be at Abilene. For more info and pricing on jazz fest events, check out the official page.

    Stay tuned to the Music Guide for details on July and August’s party in the park lineup. Check out the full schedule here.

  • Is a Grateful Dead Reunion in the Works?

    With the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary slated for next year it’s starting to look like a true reunion tour is a possibility.

    Founding member Bob Weir as quoted in Rolling Stone: “We have to do something commemorative, I think we owe it to the fans, we owe it to the songs, we owe it to ourselves.” and “If there are issues we have to get past, I think that we owe it to ourselves to man up and get past them.”

    Bob Weir - RatDog

    Since Jerry’s death in 1995 there have been two partial reunion groups – The Other One’s in the late 90’s, and The Dead which last hit the stage in 2009. Since then, remaining members have remained at arm’s length in the split faction’s of Furthur (Weir/Lesh) and the Rhythm Devils (Hart/Kreutzmann) barely on speaking terms. Lesh has also stated he is retiring from “the tour bus” after 2014.

    There are definitely remaining hurdles to cross, but any glimmer of an original lineup Grateful Dead reunion tour should have fans salivating with heady hope. Stay tuned…