Bonnaroo has finally announced their eclectic 2014 lineup. In what could be seen as one of the most diverse festivals of the year, Bonnaroo has outdone themselves once again. For many years now Bonnaroo has made sure that their lineup has a little bit of everything for any music fan out there and has brought rock, hip hop, EDM, blues, country, and jam down to the farm. The headliners this year are made up of Elton John, Kanye West, Jack White, and Lionel Richie. Other major names playing in Tennessee this year are Vampire Weekend, The Avett Brothers, Phoenix, Skrillex, Arctic Monkeys, Frank Ocean, The Flaming Lips, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Ms. Lauryn Hill. In the past couple of years the festival has shied away from its jam band roots, but this year boasts many bands that could fall under that category with The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Umphrey’s McGee, Yonder Mountain String Band, and The John Butler Trio all slated to perform. Other jam bands on the schedule include The Wood Brothers, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Greensky Bluegrass, and Break Science. There are also three Superjams occurring this year with one remaining unannounced at the moment, Skrillex and friends holding down an EDM one, and Ed Helms hosting The Bluegrass Situation.
Some other noteworthy acts include Janelle Monae, Cake, Ice Cube, Fitz and the Tantrums, Cage the Elephant, Dr. Dog, Mastodon, White Denim, Polica, and Damon Albarn. Over on Relix there is a great interview with Rick Farman about how they put the festival together this year. He talks about everything from getting Elton John at his first US festival ever to acts that continuously come back and grow with Bonnaroo to why they booked Kanye West again after the debacle of 2008.
Tickets go on sale over at Bonnaroo’s site on Saturday at Noon. Get your tickets and get ready to head down to the farm.
It has been unbearably cold in Buffalo this winter. Last Wednesday, Aqueous and The Mantras brought setlists that centered around the theme of “Love” and things were more Kate Upton inside of Nietzsche’s than the Roseanne Barr we have been experiencing outside of it. After an excellent first residency, could Aqueous build upon the great foundation they laid down the first week? The Mantras gave them a running start by pumping up a much larger crowd and Aqueous was certainly up to the task.
The Mantras are an excellent six-piece band from Greensboro, North Carolina that had the place rocking from the moment they hit the stage. The Mantras’ set featured excellent originals as well as welcome renditions of Umphreys McGee’s “Hurt Bird Bath” and Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”. With their progressive rock sound that somehow doesn’t deny their southern roots, The Mantras connected with the Buffalo crowd. It is safe to say that when The Mantras finished their set, Nietzsche’s was buzzing with excitement.
The theme of the second Aqueous residency show was the broad theme of “Love.” Aqueous chose a gutsy opener of Haddaway’s “What is Love” that quickly segued in and out of the hard-hitting Aqueous original, “Eon Don”. The “Eon Don” segments of this back and forth sandwich provided some new territory for the usual straightforward rocker. After it finished, the crowd was primed for the fan favorite “Origami.”
“Origami” would show the crowd that it was business time during “love night.” From the dream-like intro, this “Origami” was one for the books. Taking their time and exploring new paths in the intro allowed the drop into the composed section of “Origami” to take flight. When it hit, the place exploded and many heads were sent banging. The jam would come firing out with high energy before almost grinding to a halt. Changing pace and varying the intensity of sound are two weapons that Aqueous has solidified into their jamming arsenal. Following the halt, Nick Sonricker (drums) would provide an upbeat rhythm that the band slowly built on. Not rushing into a peak allowed the band to find a gorgeous soaring groove. The second jam would center around a minimalist playing of the “Origami” theme before it became Godzilla eating every piece of origami ever created.
The second nod to the night’s theme would be The Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” that brought the lightheartedness back after the hard-hitting “Origami”.
After the short cover, Aqueous would be right back on the heavy improv, crafting a 24-minute version of “All-In”, which has done the exact of opposite of what I have done after hitting 5’9”… grow. “All-In” has come from humble beginnings to become a jam monster. The last couple of performances seem to have set the bar higher and higher each time out. When Aqueous dove into another minimalist jam, they began infusing hints of reggae and funk. Had Darth Vader been in attendance, he would have said, “The groove is strong with this one.” The patience that the band displayed set up the final annihilation. The slow groove transformed into a Mike Gantzer (guitar, vocals) and David Loss (guitar, vocals, keyboards) shred fest, that reached peaking heights that few jams fail to find. After a short return to the “All-In” theme, Evan McPhaden (bass) lead the band back down into the groove. Loss moved to the keyboards and the dance party continued. This “All-In” was the clear highlight through the halfway mark of the Aqueous Nietzsche’s residency.
After 24 minutes of “All-In” fire, Aqueous smartly decided to take things down a notch, and revert back to the Love theme. With Keith Allen (guitar) and Julian Sizemore (keyboards) from The Mantras joining Aqueous on stage, Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” would be the centerpiece of this love affair. Loss would have the task of the legendary Gaye vocals. While he sounded nothing like Marvin Gaye, Loss sang with everything he had and owned the stage, making it a fun rendition. The real star was Allen, playing a gorgeous-sounding slide guitar that perfectly rang out through the bass groove.
Aqueous chose to place its newest song “20/20” after “Let’s Get It On”. Reaching the 12-minute mark in only its second performance, “20/20” continues the trend of Aqueous songs that have big open-ended sections for jamming.
The set would conclude with “Marty”, an instrumental take on “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston, and “The Median”. The band had placed a net full of red balloons on the ceiling prior to the beginning of the show. During the line in “Marty”, “red balloons are falling from the sky” they were released and served as party favors during the closing trifecta.
After a set that thrilled the crowd, the encore would not disappoint. James Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is” would be the last Love cover before seguing into “Pictures” and a reprise of “What is Love”, which segued back and forth multiple times. It felt as if the two had became one song and finished the night on yet another highlight.
Mixing smart and unpredictable covers, Aqueous engaged the roughly 200 people in attendance for two and a half hours. This Aqueous set gave everyone a chance to sing along and have some fun, yet provided some serious improvisational music. Missing either of the next two Nietzsches show would be a big mistake.
Of note, the band was dressed in shirts and ties, except for Evan who was shirtless except for a bowtie. That is all I have to say about that but I am told that the ladies loved it.
Setlist: What is Love>Eon Don>What is Love>Eon Don>Origami>Wouldn’t it be Nice>All In>Let’s Get it On>20/20>Marty>I Will Always Love You>The Median>Marty
Encore: How Sweet it Is>Pictures>What is Love
Remaining Aqueous at Nietzsche’s Show Dates:
2/19 with The Broccoli Samurai (Willy Wonka Theme)
2/26 with Big Something (Mystery Guest Theme)
Hartford based jam/rock group The McLovins will be shining some beautiful lights on Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre February 20th as they host a CD release party for their latest album Beautiful Lights.
Their fourth full-length studio album, Beautiful Lights, is also the first release written by the band’s current lineup. Produced by Ant Krizan (Spin Doctors), the album marks a turn in the band’s sound and approach to writing. Jake Huffman (drums/vocals) tells that the band, whose members are still in college, has taken a more structured and mature approach to crafting the album. That, however, does not take away from the live performances for which they are recognized and promises for a strong live performance of tracks from their new album after coming off an 11-stop tour in the Southeast last month.
The McLovins have evolved immensely since they gained notoriety from a 2008 basement cover of Phish’s “You Enjoy Myself” posted on YouTube. They draw on eclectic influences to create incredible live performances with intricate improvisation and harmonies. This stage presence has rewarded the band with several festival appearances including Gathering of the Vibes, Mountain Jam and Bella Terra, among others.
Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 day of and available here. Doors: 6pm; Show: 9pm.
Check out the official video for the song “Birthday” off of Beautiful Lights here:
Belgian death metal veterans ABORTED are hitting the bricks in support of their upcoming release, The Necrotic Manifesto, launching an international tour on February 22.
ABORTED named Rochester and Albany among the cities they will pass through during their upcoming international tour. (Photo Credit: Aborted/Century Media Records)
The tour takes them through upstate New York, with stops in Rochester on March 30th, at the Montage Music Hall, and a stop in Albany the following day at Bogie’s.
The Necrotic Manifesto will released on April 29th by Century Media Records, and will be the band’s eighth full-length studio album. It will feature Jacob Hansen as producer, who is also known for his work with Volbeat, HeavenShallBurn and Mercenary.
“I can’t believe we did it to be honest.”, stated front-man Sven de Caluwé, through his label’s press release. “We had a little over three months from start to master on this record– everyone really gave 300% on this record, and it was an absolute pleasure to work with Jacob once again, who really pulled the best out of all our asses.
“I can say in all honesty that ‘The Necrotic Manifesto’ is without a doubt the strongest record ABORTED has done thus far and could not be more proud of everyone involved in the project, stated de Caluwé. He continued to describe the CD as the band’s “most brutal,” and “technical” record from the band, in their nearly 20 years of recording.
Phlegethon, of Wormed, and Vincent Bennett, of TheAcaciaStrain, provide cameoi appearances on the CD with their vocals.
The album artwork was done by Par Olofsson (Pathology, Immolation, Immortal).”
Below is a track listing for the upcoming CD, along with announced tour dates.
The Necrotic Manifesto track-listing:
1. Six Feet Of Foreplay
2. The Extirpation Agenda
3. Necrotic Manifesto
4. An Enumeration Of Cadavers
5. Your Entitlement Means Nothing
6. The Davidian Deceit
7. Coffin Upon Coffin
8. Chronicles Of Detruncation
9. Sade & Libertine Lunacy
10. Die Verzweiflung
11. Excremental Veracity
12. Purity Of Perversion
13. Of Dead Skin & Decay
14. Cenobites
In support of The Necrotic Manifesto, ABORTED will tour North America together with Kataklysm in March/April 2014. The band will then return to Europe in May for a handful of release shows before heading into the festival season. See below for all upcoming tour dates.
ABORTED tour dates:
Feb. 22 – BlastFest – Bergen (Norway)
Mar. 27 – Empire – Springfield, VA (United States)
Mar. 28 – Sounds Asylum – Middletown, NY (United States)
Mar. 29 – The Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Mar. 30 – Montage Music Hall – Rochester, NY (United States)
Mar. 31 – Bogie’s – Albany, NY (United States)
Apr. 1 – Middle-East – Cambridge, MA (United States)
This Thursday the 20th, The Hollow in Albany will host two up and coming bands that are sure to get those dancing feet moving. Both bands were big hits at last year’s Catskill Chill Festival and Backwoods Pondfest, making the Capital District eager to welcome Twiddle and Fikus. The doors open at 8pm with a cover charge of $15 and Fikus set to kick off around 9pm. The Hollow in Albany offers happy hour specials plus a full, diverse menu to those seeking fuel before the show.
Fikus, the five-piece electro funk rock band from New Jersey has contagious melodies and rhythm, setting up an easy groove to get the night flowing. Fikus will be hitting Albany as their last stop in NY in the middle of their tour before heading onto the rest of the Northeast. Twiddle, a quartet from Vermont, covers a wide range of genres with heavy improvisation to keep each show fresh and fun. The band will be heading out to Colorado, with multiple stops on their return trip home to end the tour in April at Ithaca. They will be performing at this year’s Summer Camp, Domefest and Wakarusa. Get tickets to Twiddle and Fikus now.
The Gathering at Chaffee’s has announced the 2014 lineup for their annual festival held in Girard, PA. The two-day event will take place July 25th-26th and feature some major regional acts.
With “Last Call” tickets only being $50, there really aren’t that many other festivals offering this caliber of talent for such a low-cost. Take our advice and check out this hidden gem of a festival that sits just outside of New York’s borders.
As a Valentine’s Day surprise, Pitchfork Music Festival has announced the first round of artists for its 2014 lineup. Taking place July 18-20th in Chicago’s Union Park. The festival will feature headlining performances from Beck, Kendrick Lamar, and Neutral Milk Hotel.
Tickets are currently on sale; three-day passes are available for $130 and single day passes are $60. Find the day-by-day breakdown of artists below, and read ‘s coverage of Pitchfork Music Festival 2013 here.
Friday: Beck, Giorgio Moroder, Sun Kil Moon, Factory Floor, Death Grips, The Haxan Cloak, Sharon Van Etten
Saturday: Neutral Milk Hotel, tUnE-yArDs, Mas Ysa, Pusha T, The Range, DIIV, Ka, Circulatory System, The Julie Ruin
Rusted Root will be visiting the Buffalo area Tuesday night at the newly opened Iron Works in downtown Buffalo. Rusted Root has been touring for over 20 years and they know how to put on a great show, combining acoustic rock, world styled music and heavy international influenced percussion section.
The band hails from Pittsburgh and is led by Michael Glabicki (vocals, guitar), I was fortunate enough to catch up with Michael before he started the seven-stop tour which includes three shows in New York, You can purchase tickets through Iron Works. Tickets are $22.50 in advance and $25 day of show. Doors open at 7 pm.
Thomas Sgroi: Michael, I wanted to touch base with you regarding your upcoming tour, looks like their will be seven stops, starting tomorrow, I was wondering how the band is doing, any current projects or anything in the pipeline for Rusted Root?
Michael Glabicki: Well were getting ready to start a new record, it’s just in the writing stage right now and pretty much have 20 songs put aside and we’re going to start breaking them out in sound check, and get some arrangements going and you know that’s how we start our record. We will try to get them in live into the show as quick as possible and see how fans react to them and see their reaction to the arrangement.
TS: Now you guys come up to Buffalo quite a bit. Is there something that keeps you coming back? Do we show support hopefully (laughs)?
MG: Yeah, it feels sorta like home to us you know. The fans are fantastic for us, in how they let loose and we have a lot of fun their.
TS: Yeah, I got turned onto you guys when you came to Blue Heron Music Festival, and more recently at The Peach Music Festival and really had a great time.
MG: Oh yeah, that was fun, that was a good one.
TS: I guess personally, what do you do when not touring?
MG: Just hanging out with family really, and my dog, that’s really a great time for me (laughs).
TS: What kind of dog do you have?
MG: We have a black lab mix.
TS: Cool, we just got a dog in June, I know how that is (laughs). So we are new to the whole thing, always an adventure.
TS: You’ve band a band for 20 plus years now, how has the music changed since you started?
MG: I think its gotten a little more matured, it’s gotten in a lot of ways more dynamic and a bit more emotional across the spectrum, we just find new avenues as we go and picked basically new doorways into other dimensions and emotions and connect them up in different ways and make them more and more legit. For us, that’s the goal, keep withstanding and growing in the universe.
TS: Is there anything you wanted to share with the fans or anything else on your mind?
MG: Well, we’re still supporting the last record
TS:The Movement?
MG: Yeah, and you know it’s picking up, the fans are really enjoying it and the critics love the record, which is always nice, that never happened before (laughs).
TS: That does make it easier (laughs)
MG: Yeah and the fans showing up and knowing all the words is great.
TS: That’s basically it, I look forward to catching up with you all on Tuesday night.
MG: Great, Looking forward to it.
So, there you have it. Try and make it out to the show to catch Michael and the rest of the band, they may even slip some new tunes in and see what kind of reaction they get. It should be a stellar show.
The Buffalove Music Festival rounded out its 2014 lineup with the final headliner added which was announced during a special Buffalove announcement show this past Friday, February 14th at Neitzches.
The festival will also include over 20 other bands sure to please fans of all genres of music. Cody Conway, the man behind the music festival really hit this one out of the park and making the second year for this festival, a true winner.
The festival will run from June 19-21st in Silver Creek, NY at The Willow Creek Winery. Tickets include 3 nights of camping and music.This is an all ages show and gates open on Thursday 6/19/14 at 4pm. Look for the schedule of times in the near future. This is one you will not want to miss.
The groundbreaking festival Electric Forest, held within the magical confines of the Sherwood Forest will return to the legendary Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, Michigan on June 26-29, 2014. This year, Electric Forest will welcome back The String Cheese Incident for three performances including a collaboration with Lauryn Hill which has been referred to as “The Lauryn Hill Experience”.
Electric Forest has done an amazing job bringing together diverse artists into a beautiful venue for a wide array of fans throughout the musical community.
The Current 2014 Artist Lineup in Alphabetical Order: 12th Planet, Alex Metric Aloe Blacc, Anders Osborne, Andy C, Anna Lunoe, Art Department, Bob Moses, Bombino, Booka Shade Live, Bro Safari, Cash Cash, Cashmere Cat, Catz n Dogz, Cherub, Chrome Sparks, Conspirator, Cut Copy, Dantiez Saunderson, Dead Confederate, Destructo, Dirtyphonics, Dusky, Emancipator Ensemble, EOTO, Flying Lotus, Fury + MC Dino, Golf Clap, GTA, I Am Legion, Isaac Tichauer, J. Phlip, Jimmy Edgar, Jonas Rathsman, Justin Martin, K Theory, Kevin Sauderson, Kygo, Lee Burridge, Lindsay Lowend, Luminox, Matt & Kim, MK, Moon Boots, Moon Taxi, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Nahko and Medicine For The People, Natasha Kmeto, Papadosio, Paper Diamond, Pegboard Nerds, Penguin Prison, Perseus, Poolside, Protohype, RAC, Rayland Baxter, Rising Appalachia, Roadkill Ghost Choir, Rosin Coven, Seven Lions, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Soul Clap, Soul Visions (members of Rising Appalachia & The Human Experience), St. Lucia, Stephen “Ragga” Marley feat. Ghetto Youths Crew, Steve Angello, STS9, Syd Arthur, T. Hardy Morris, The Glitch Mob, The Revivalists, The String Cheese Incident, Thomas Jack, Topher Jones, Trippy Turtle, Until The Ribbon Breaks, Wilkinson, Xavier Rudd, Zedd, Zeds Dead, & Zoogma.
In the past couple of years the festival has shied away from its jam band roots, but this year boasts many bands that could fall under that category with The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Umphrey’s McGee, Yonder Mountain String Band, and The John Butler Trio all slated to perform. Other jam bands on the schedule include The Wood Brothers, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Greensky Bluegrass, and Break Science. There are also three Superjams occurring this year with one remaining unannounced at the moment, Skrillex and friends holding down an EDM one, and Ed Helms hosting The Bluegrass Situation.
