NYS Music 20​14

Category: News Desk

  • Furthur takes their final bow and says Goodbye to Furthur.net

    Furthur fans who visited the band’s website this morning were met with a message from the band –

    To our loyal Furthur fans and members of the Furthur community at furthur.net, we’d like to thank you for a terrific ride. We’ll be closing up shop at furthur.net, and heading onward. Thanks for making the Furthur community a great place to hang out, and for coming out to the shows. We’ll all be keeping very busy over the foreseeable future, and it’s time to let Furthur take a bow. We enjoyed the ride more than we can possibly express. You can keep tabs on Phil’s activities at www.terrapincrossroads.net, Bob’s activities at www.bobweir.net and all Grateful Dead news at www.dead.net ”

    It looks like the band that was the most recent and arguably its most successful incarnation of remaining Grateful Dead members has decided to call it a day and will be shutting down the website with no intentions of playing again. This news comes in the wake of the cancelled tour dates for Bob Weir and a recent collection of highly successful runs with Phil and Friends appearances at the Capitol Theatre in Portchester.

    furthurSince their start in 2009 when remaining Grateful Dead members, Bob Weir and Phil Lesh formed the band with the original lineup also including – John Kadlecik, Jeff Chimenti, Jay Lane and  Joe Russo; they have enjoyed massively successful  tours and headlined the cream of the crop festivals like All Good and Gathering of the Vibes; all well retaining the Grateful Dead scene that had been slowly dissipating after Jerry’s death in 1995. The band was named for the famous touring bus used by Ken Kesey in the ’60s. While Furthur played a large portion of the Grateful Dead catalogue, they did also put their own spin on things by covering songs from bands like the Beatles and Pink Floyd.

    As sad as we are to see this band take its final bow, many feel blessed to have had the opportunity to see Weir and Lesh come together with new members to re-create the music of the Dead. They will be missed.

  • Soundgarden release new single ‘Storm’

    Soundgarden dropped a new track, “Storm,” on YouTube. Twenty years after their most well-known album, Superunknown, which features Grammy award-winning singles “Spoonman” and “Black Hole Sun,” Soundgarden plans to release Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path on November 24.

    According to the band’s website, Echo of Miles will be a 3-CD collection of demos, covers, B-sides, instrumentals, and unreleased tracks chosen by lead guitarist Kim Thayil. “Storm” opens up with a catchy riff from Thayil before he delves into heavier shredding.  Matt Cameron throws in an assault of tight drum fills while Ben Shepherd lays the bass line.

    Chris Cornell‘s voice, one of the most recognizable in the grunge world, is also featured on the newly dropped track produced by Jack Endino. One of seven previously unreleased songs to be featured on the new set of discs, Soundgarden recorded “Storm” this past May in Seattle. The first album of the set—Originals—includes “Storm,” fellow new track “Kristi” and 16 other Soundgarden jams. Covers, the second disc, also will have 2 new tracks while disc three, Rarities, features 5 previously unreleased jams out of 15 instrumentals, remixes and demos.

    Click here to purchase the prerelease of Echo of Miles. More information can be found on Soundgarden’s website.

  • Phil Lesh and Friends Continuing Their Dominance at The Capitol Theatre

    phil cap theatreLast weekend Phil Lesh and Friends played their first of a five weekend residency at the storied Capitol Theatre, starting with a Halloween show. Highlights included spooky takes on “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” “Sympathy for the Devil” and both versions of “Dark Star” with “Fire on the Mountain” sandwiched in between. An encore of Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” ended the night, like the song did for The Grateful Dead in 1990 and 1991. The next night saw the band tackle “He’s Gone” which included an extended jam,”Mason’s Children” and  a great encore of the run of “Help on the Way>Slipknot>Franklin’s Tower”. The two night run consisted of members John Kadlecik, Dan Lebowitz, Rob Barraco, Joe Russo, and Scott Law, while Nels Cline joined in on night two.

    This coming weekend Phil will be joined by Eric Krasno, Joe Russo, and Chris Robinson Brotherhood featuring Chris Robinson, Neal Casal, and Adam MacDougall. This line up is surely to take the music towards a more psychedelic sound. The 2005 tour with Chris Robinson has been said to be one of the stronger line ups in the Friends history. Eric Krasno most famously played with Lesh and Russo in Central Park at an unannounced show almost exactly one year ago. The set last about a half-hour and consisted of primarily jazz-style improvisation. The theatre should be buzzing with feelings of the mid 60’s as soon as the band takes the stage on Friday November 7. Tickets are still availabe, but are limited in supply.

    This five week residency is of course part of the deal that Lesh maybe with Peter Shapiro, owner of Relix, Brooklyn Bowl, and The Capitol Theatre. Although it looks like Phil won’t be performing 30 shows at The Capitol Theatre like first thought, he will be getting close after he closes the year out with help from Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. The PhilRAD shows take place on December 30 and 31 and are already sold out. At age 74 Phil Lesh definitely won’t be doing this for much longer, so if you have the chance to buy a ticket, take the ride and see the bassist when you get the chance.

  • Primus set to Bring a Twisted good time to Rochester Main Street Armory

    Today, Primus will turn Rochester Main Street Armory into a twisted-nostalgia-psychedelic-fun-house in support of their new record, Primus and the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble. The band released the album October 21 and Rochester marks the ninth stop on their countrywide tour, which has been well received. Essentially, the album is exactly what you would expect from Primus

    : heavy, psych-funk with a playful dark side—except this time they are covering songs from Willy Wonka, which adds an extra dose of strangeness. Bassist Les Claypool is the mastermind behind the freak show, and he, along with band members Larry LaLonde (Ler) and Tim Alexander (Herb) will be dressed up as characters from the film to go along with the elaborate stage design. The music alone is a trip, but paired with lighting and theatrics, this evening is sure to be a spectacle. As an added treat, fans can win Primus tickets for life by finding one of six golden vinyl records (as opposed to the regular chocolate-brown color).

    Rochester Main Street ArmoryDoors are at 6:30PM but show time is slated for 8PM; this is Sunday show, and it is the Armory, so expect an early evening. Tickets are $39.95-$45.00, and available at the box office, Ticketfly.com, House of Guitars and Aaron’s Alley.

  • Consider the Source Drops EP Stream Before Stops in Albany and Buffalo

    WWtrioSplashTake2This past Wednesday, the instrumental wizards in Consider the Source dropped a bomb as they released a stream of the first installation off their new EP World War Trio, titled “Put Another Rock in That Bag”. The release is a six-part, 25-minute impeccable composition that showcases that band’s talent in new and interesting ways. The overall vision and thought-out structure shines in the smooth transitions and its careful ebb and flow of energy. At the risk of sounding cliché, this is a prog-opera with hints of jam, metal, Middle Eastern, and a fusion of other genres into an emotional and dramatic epic. If this band wasn’t unique enough, this album puts them in a category all their own and pushes some serious musical boundaries.

    These three gentlemen have stepped outside of the songwriting box and are delving into composer-level status with their vision. The juxtaposition of beauty and fierce aggression propels at the same time it slows down for the view. This tease, and I use that loosely as it is still 25 minutes in length, will lead to a huge anticipation for parts two and three of this album series.

    The ONLY way to listen to this album is from start to finish as it tells a tonal story through vivid language, rife with patient punctuation. If you liked this band before, you’re going to love this direction as they’ve found their calling and have created something truly beautiful. If you’re going to cheat your ears out of this masterpiece though, at least take the time to listen to “Put Another Rock in That Bag IV,” which is simply powerful and moving. No band in the jam scene has ever had the balls to step outside the circle like this album does and this song is the climax.

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    As the album comes to a close, the band circles back to the opening theme. How else would you close something of this magnitude? By tying it all back to the origin and closing the circle, the band leaves you wanting to start the journey again. Absolutely beautiful.

    The album can be streamed in its entirety right here and I would strongly recommend taking a listen. Additionally, I got the chance to sit down with the group at Night Lights Music Festival back in September and we talked about the upcoming release, their influences, and a few other things. Check out the video below from our friends at Buffalo.fm.

    The band is set to play the new album in its entirety tonight  in Albany at their album release party. Tomorrow night they’ll be making their way across the state to play a show in Buffalo at Waiting Room. If you still need tickets, you can grab some for Albany here and Buffalo here.

  • EDX to Provide Soundtrack for the Nightmare on Franklin Street at LiFT in Buffalo

    edx-lift-nightclub-buffalo-ny-halloween-2014Halloween falls on a Friday this year, and while there’s always a lot to do in and around Buffalo for the holiday, if you’re looking for great music and someplace to dance, LiFT Nightclub has you covered. The club is throwing a party late Friday night called Nightmare on Franklin Street and will feature Switzerland-based DJ/Producer EDX.

    Since August, the DJ has been everywhere from Ibiza, Spain to Mumbai, India, both coasts of the US, and everything in between. The world traveler has been making a name for himself to say the least. If you need proof, look no further than who he’s worked with, including names like Deadmas5, Armin Van Buuren, Axwell and Benny Benassi among many others. If you haven’t caught him on tour or at one of the many festivals he’s played, this is your chance. The Swiss DJ doesn’t come around often and his shows are only getting better.

    LiFT’s first show last week was a great kick off and the club is definitely something to check out if you still haven’t been there. Opening the night will be local acts Jesse Aaron and Swagglerock. With things kicking off around 10pm and going through the night, I recommend you get there early and take part in what’s sure to be a solid Halloween in Buffalo. As always, the club recommends to “Dress to impress. Dress to dance,” so don’t worry about a costume if you don’t have one, but certainly wear one if you’d like.

    Grab your tickets ahead of time here or at the door.

  • Turkuaz and Jimkata Ready with Tricks for a Halloween in Buffalo

    night lights 2014-0350The leaves are changing, the temperatures are just starting to fall, and if the color of the foliage is any indicator, Halloween is upon us. As any music fan will tell you, the holiday seems to bring out the weird in bands as antics around the industry are aplenty.  This year, Halloween in Buffalo is shaping up nicely with no snow (always a plus here) and two incredible bands coming to town to share a bill at Waiting Room downtown, Turkuaz and Jimkata.

    Kicking the night off is none other than Turkuaz, the funk army who call New York City home. The nine-piece band was last in the area for Night Lights Music Festival back in September and they tore the place up with their catchy melodies and powerful sound. The band has a Buffalo tie-in as their drummer Michelangelo Carubba is a fellow graduate of St. Joe’s High School and grew up in the area. Turkuaz also just wrapped up recording a new album that is due out sometime next year which has fans excited for new material. I got a chance to catch up with the band at Night Lights for an interview and they hinted at what types of shenanigans they might be pulling for the show this week. Check out the video by our friends at Buffalo.fm

    Co-headlining the night will be Ithaca’s Jimkata who bring an indie spin to electronic rock. The band is a favorite all over Upstate New York and should draw a solid crowd on Friday. The band was also at Night Lights and their headlining set there was one of the favorites from the weekend. Their latest album, Feel in Light, came out earlier this year and the band is currently touring throughout the fall season in support of it. Upon reaching out to Evan Friedell, the lead singer of the band, in regards to what to expect, the frontman didn’t tip his hand, but he did mention that they always plan surprises and try to make the Halloween show something special.

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    Between these two heavy hitters and all of the antics we’re sure to see, there’s only one thing you have to make sure you grab for an incredible Halloween night and it’s right here.

  • TU Center to get $13.1M Upgrade

    Albany’s Times Union Center (TUCenter) is set to undergo a major renovation after a plan was announced by Albany County Executive Dan McCoy today that would potentially bring national sporting events back to the area, as reported by The Times Union.

    TUCenterSynthesis Architects proposal would take away the open-air terraces in the entrance area facing South Pearl Street and enclose them to create a gathering space for concertgoers, sports fans and area workers during the winter.

    McCoy said in a statement, “This is going to be a transformative project that will change the face of the Times Union Center and will perfectly complement the new Civic Center, which will be an integral part of revitalization downtown.”

    Much of the reason for the renovation plans stems from the shift in the Albany Convention Center to the area behind the Times Union Center, and the need for more space to attract, in particular, NCAA basketball events. Included in the renovations are LED screens that would face out onto South Pearl Street, streaming images of events inside the arena, potentially.

    Enclosing the TUCenter atrium could potentially change the environment before and after events at the Times Union Center, giving fans a reason to mingle in the venue’s open space, rather than hustling inside to avoid the elements and unwelcoming nature of the staircase-laden entrance way, as it stands now.

  • Hulaween is here, Freaks forge south to Florida for Halloween Weekend Festivities! Oct 31-Nov 2

    In the Northeast the festival scene has wound down. With the harvest festivals come and gone, concerts have moved indoors and pumpkin is in everything. However, a different breed of festival goer and live music freak is gearing up for one of the most anticipated Halloween festivals of the year, Hulaween!

    This Halloween weekend marks the sophomore return of Hulaween. With headliner, The String Cheese Incident, playing three sets over the weekend they are joined by Big Gigantic, Thievery Corporation, EOTO, Beats Antique, the New Deal, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Conspirator and many more! There is even a Thursday night pre party with Electron and Particle!! See the schedule here.

    Adjacent to the Black River, Spirit of the Suwanee music park in Live Oak, Florida hosts many festivals a year. A magical place it boasts a riverfront beach, canoe rentals, rope swing/cliff jumping, lots of places to put hammocks, as well as cabin rental upgrades. Though sometimes chilly at night in the northern Florida region this time of year, campfires are allowed in the primitive campsites so making lasting memories around the fire is common.

    In addition to music, there is a psychedelic Burning Man inspired art installation curated by art director Andy Carroll planned on the festival grounds. Costumes are encouraged and will be judged in a contest for those inclined to dress up! Hulaween is sure to be quite the spectacle!

  • Neil Young’s ‘Storytone’ Hits on November 4

    Neil Young’s latest release Storytone (Reprise Records), his thirty-fifth, is scheduled for release early next month. He’s sending it in two drastically different forms: one, his traditional acoustic, the other with full orchestration or an elaborate big band, some even with a choir. Both will be available as a two-disc deluxe edition. While Neil is known to radically head off in an unpredictable direction, this might hold a few surprises for his most ardent fans.

    Photo Credit: Pegi Young
    Photo Credit: Pegi Young

    Topically it’s all Neil, hard-hitting environmental stances mixed with real-life experiences, channeled in “Who’s Gonna Stand Up”, “I’m Glad I Found You” and “When I Watch You Sleeping”. Either way, there are another ten new Neil tunes here that follow-up his earlier lo-fi offering in 2014, A Letter Home, which he produced with Jack White.

    Track List:
    1. Plastic Flowers
    2. Who’s Gonna Stand Up?
    3. I Want To Drive My Car
    4. Glimmer
    5. Say Hello To Chicago
    6. Tumbleweed
    7. Like You Used To Do
    8. I’m Glad I Found You
    9. When I Watch You Sleeping
    10. All Those Dreams

    Storytone is available to stream in its entirety on NPR ahead of its release on November 4th. A vinyl format will come December 16th. Pre-sales are available at the usual outlets and Neil’s website. Much like the mahogany laminated sound board from a Story & Clark ‘Storytone’ piano, Neil seems guaranteed against manufacturer defects for fifty years.