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 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.
Thursday, September 11th, the rock will invade Albany at The Low Beat. From the ashes of Valentines, this new venue over on Central Avenue has risen, and has already brought some great live acts to the area. This night aims to be no different, as some locals and some out of town bands will help send off The End Men on their two week tour of america.
Photo by The End Men
Henry’s Rifle, straight out of Albany, will bring his one man, dirty rocking banjo music to the stage. Fresh of of the Muddy Roots festival in Tennessee, and poised to drop his brand new album, “Barroom Weather” very soon, his rackus, infectious sounds will surely brighten your day and get you ready for the night.
Sun Voyager, out of Orange County New York, will be slinging psychedelic garage rock licks at the audience in full helpings. Usually hitting the Brooklyn scene, it will be a treat to see them in Albany, alongside such luminaries of local rock and roll. They are part of King Pizza Records, and definitely check out their Bandcamp if you haven’t already.
Charmboy, another Albany based band, are a product of the no nonsense rock and roll of the 70’s and they are proud to produce guitar laden rock without gimmick or pretense. Tight riffs and tasty jams will feed the hole in your soul where rock and roll lives. They will be sure to do what they do best; melt faces and hearts alike with their pure inspiring music.
The End Men Fall Tour
The End Men, from Brooklyn New York, definitely call Albany their home away from home at this point. Joining up with the fine collective of musical folks at Built4BBQ, they have made the pilgrimage upstate a number of times to great crowd response. The two piece, though rumoured to be rounded out by a mysterious saxaphone player for this tour, bring an incredibly huge sound with them wherever they set up shop. They have been tearing up stages in America as well as Europe for over four years now, and they show no signs of taking a break. Each time they come to this area they try out new material, engage the crowd on and off the stage, and make for an immersive experience full of their own brand of psycho dirty blues laden rock and roll.
Show starts at 8PM at The Low Beat, for only 5 dollars. Check out the Facebook event.
Rochester, NY will be the landing spot for the celebratory roots and blues explorations of the Tedeschi Trucks Band on Sept. 25. The eleven piece group combines Derek Trucks world-renowned guitar prowess as well as his wife Susan Tedeschi’s gritty vocals and equally potent guitar talents. Poly rhythmic undercurrents, golden horn exclamations and soulful renditions of classic covers and original compositions are on the docket for the evenings musical proceedings. The band will visit Rochester in support of their recent release, 2013’s Made Up Mind.
The concert will feature the band’s diverse blend of swampy blues, jazz, funk and raga neatly decorated with the virtuosic slide guitar of bandleader and instrumentalist extraordinaire Derek Trucks. Unable to be categorized by genre, the Tedeschi Trucks band is music for the body and mind, developed by some of the finest musicians in the world, each member a shining star illuminating a detailed musical landscape.
Tickets for the 7:30 performance are available through Ticketmaster for $39.00-89.00 or by contacting the Rochester Auditorium Theatre.
It’s that time of year again. Heavy Earth Rockers, Clutch, are returning to Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, New York on Saturday, Sept. 6. The band will likely hold court to a packed house, as they seem to bring out fans from all corners of the state and beyond every time they grace the stage at UCH.
Joining them on this tour will be Lionize, a tight, riff heavy outfit from Maryland. Their new album, Jetpack Soundtrack, is full of their usual sci-fi metaphors coupled with intense hard rock. But this album is a little different, as the band and their sound have matured over the last ten years. It was also co-produced by Jean-Paul Gaster, the drummer of Clutch, adding to the explosive percussive energy this album emits.
Also opening up is American Sharks, a driving heavy rock band, reminiscent of the glory days of Motorhead. Both American Sharks and Lionize round out a night of guitar-heavy, full on rock that is sure to be a show not to miss. Upstate Concert Hall brings quality entertainment to the area, and a Clutch show is one that many faithful patrons frequent every single year.
Clutch continues to return because of the overwhelming response they have gotten from this area. Blues driven, heavy rock riffs coupled with a stunning vocal assault are what make these shows so much fun. If you are a fan of heavy music, or music that moves you, this is the show for you. If you are already a fan of Clutch, both openers promise to deliver in a big way, and might make you fans of them as well. Thanks to Step Up Presents for bringing this band back again and again.
Tickets can be bought through Ticketmaster or through the Upstate Concert Hall box office.
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.
Just 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.
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.
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.
Grab your tickets now to these shows throughout New York State:
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.
New York-based Consider the Source has announced the first installment of their new studio project, World War Trio. On October 31st, they will release the first disc, an EP entitled “Put Another Rock In That Bag”. The Halloween treat features Jeff Mann playing drums in the studio with CTS for the first time alongside incredibly unique stunt-guitarist Gabriel Marin and virtuosic bassist John Ferrara. The Middle Eastern/Sci-Fi fusion trio will release the rest of World War Trio as a full, double-album in the Spring of 2015.
Fans have grown accustomed to face-melting, heavy improvisational shows from the improg group, but “Another Rock” will demonstrate some of their other tricks. “We felt this piece needed its own release,” says bassist John Ferrara. “It is our longest and most in-depth composition to date. It is going to have six distinct movements, about 25 minutes in length.” The epic piece showcases the band’s compositional prowess and features one movement composed by Jan Zehrfeld, guitarist of Munich-based Panzerballet. The EP will also include a Making of World War Trio documentary.
“Another Rock”, marks the band’s first studio release since 2010’s That’s What’s Up. The band has been playing since Marin and Ferrara met in 2004 and has two other studio releases: 2007’s Esperanto and 2009’s Are You Watching Closely? Since finding Mann on Craigslist in 2012, the group has released two live albums, but this is their first studio venture as the current Consider the Source. Yesterday, exactly two years after playing his first show with the band, Mann wrote: “It feels like we’re just getting started. I am so grateful to be able to play with the best musicians in the world for the best fans in the world.”
Upstate New York will be treated to the first live version of “Put Another Rock In That Bag”, as the Sourcerors will play the EP in its entirety at the Parish Public House in Albany on Halloween night. The band recently played The Hollow in Albany and has plenty of Upstate dates planned this fall. They will be playing the Catskill Chill and Night Light festivals in Hancock and Sherman, NY, respectively. Canton, NY, gets two free sets on September 11th, and Dopapod will join them for shows at Saratoga Springs’ Putnam Den on September 27th and Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall on October 2nd.
Classically trained in music from an early age, Bernie Williams kept his passion for music alive throughout his better known career. His first album, The Journey Within, was released in 2003 to critical acclaim – while he was still hitting home runs at Yankee Stadium. His even more acclaimed Latin jazz album Moving Forward, released in 2009 and featured guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Secada, and Dave Koz. From center field to center stage, Bernie Williams brings his music to the Paramount Hudson Valley this Friday with his All Star Band.
To quote Bruce Springsteen when Williams joined him on stage for an acoustic version of “Glory Days”: “He may be over it for baseball, but he’s a spring chicken for rock ‘n roll!”
The Paramount is offering premium meet-and-greet tickets for the show. All tickets are available from the Paramount’s website here. Don’t miss this one – his only other currently scheduled performance is September 20th in Connecticut.
Check out this clip of Bernie Williams performing at the House of Blues in 2004:
The concert will feature the band’s diverse blend of swampy blues, jazz, funk and raga neatly decorated with the virtuosic slide guitar of bandleader and instrumentalist extraordinaire Derek Trucks. Unable to be categorized by genre, the Tedeschi Trucks band is music for the body and mind, developed by some of the finest musicians in the world, each member a shining star illuminating a detailed musical landscape.
Just over a year ago, five musical soul mates came together to form 
