Category: Beyond NYS

Summer Camp 2014 Will Warm Up Festivalgoers for a Hot Season

This year marks the 14^th year of the ever-growing Summer Camp Music Festival set to take place at the Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Illinois during Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25, 2014. The over 15,000 festival goers expected to attend will nearly triple the population of the small town, as it is infiltrated with music lovers from far and wide. Since Summer Camp’s start in 2001, it has grown from 1,000 people, 20 bands, and 2 stages to 15,000 people, 100+ bands, and 7 stages.

Over the years, Summer Camp has been the home of numerous world-renowned acts and artists including moe., Umphrey’s McGee, The Flaming Lips, Willie Nelson, Bassnectar, Widespread Panic, Les Claypool, Keller Williams, Pretty Lights, Skrillex, The Roots, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Medeski Martin & Wood, and many more. Not only can one find a combination of bands that can rival any big festival around, but it also has a considerable number of local NY acts in the lineup as well. Bands like Dopapod, Floodwood, Turkuaz, Auto Body, Jimkata, The Manhattan Project, Aqueous, Big Leg Emma, and moe. will be highlighting New York and the enormous amount of talented musicians that our state is home to.

moe. is a band that really speaks for itself. Since 2001, moe. has been making a name for themselves around the country and the world, playing festivals all over and even having their very own moe.down Music Festival. Dopapod, Jimkata, and Aqueous are becoming veterans of the music festival scene. They have made appearances at shows like Burning Man, Bonnaroo, moe.down, and Gathering of the Vibes, ever increasing their reputation as seasoned festival musicians. Big Leg Emma and Turkuaz and just now making their way to the bigger venues, such as Summercamp, as they continue to make a name for themselves as soulful funk and folk musicians that can be appreciated by all.

Besides Summer Camp Music Festival’s stellar lineup and prime location at the beautiful Three Sisters Park, there are countless activities for music lovers to partake in during their down time, if they choose to have any. There are five main stages and at least three smaller tent and indoor sights to see music as well. One of the big attractions for when your not out enjoying the wide selection of music, is the Soulshine Tent. This tent is an education and entertainment mecca for festivalgoers. The tent has everything everything, including a live art gallery, hands on permaculture display, yoga, hoola-hooping classes, and last but not least, live glass blowing.

Besides being one of the country’s top stops for music and fun this summer, Summer Camp Music Festival is always looking at the bigger picture through their sustainable initiatives and non-profit involvement. Known as “The Summer Camp Green Team,” hundreds of volunteers will be on sight to assist campers in disposing properly of their waste and to sort recyclables. The campgrounds are filled with clearly marked color-coded waste bins, many biodiesel generators, composting areas, and environmental education centers. There is also a special “Make a Difference” area at Three Sisters Park, where the many non-profit groups are set up for campers to donate and learn about local and global causes. It is obvious that the organizers of Summer Camp have more on their mind than music and profit and that the environment and local communities are deeply seeded in what is important to them.

Again this year, Summer Camp Music Festival is sure to prove itself as one of, if not the top music festival in the country. From the countless artists and performers both internationally and locally known, the numerous other spots for entertainment and education, and the general happy-go-lucky vibe that will make sure any person in attendance can feel the love, Summer Camp is undoubtedly the place to be this summer. It is a place people of all backgrounds and musical interests can go and enjoy themselves, have new experiences that will stay with them for a life time, and feel good about doing it, knowing your impact on the earth is as minuscule, yet as positive as it can be.

Tickets are available at Summer Camp’s Ticket Central or ETIX at 1-800-514-ETIX. General 3-Day General Admission tickets are on sale now for $214.50.

May 15, 2014
Preview: Boston Calling Music Festival May 23-25 2014

For quite some time there were no major music festivals in Boston besides EarthFest—an all-day summer concert, which holds the title as the biggest free radio station concert in the country (hosted by Radio 92.9). And then only last year, an event called Boston Calling sprung up out of nowhere, dipping its toes in the festival waters. Surely enough it did not disappoint and with bands like Of Monsters and Men, Portugal. The Man, The Shins, Matt and Kim, Fun. and The National all performing, the festival even developed its own sound. With the widely acclaimed success of its first event, Boston Calling 2014 geared up soon after for a September 2013 festival, this time featuring acts like Vampire Weekend, Kendrick Lamar, Passion Pit and The Airborne Toxic Event. The festival was even more popular the second time around than the first.

Now, in only two weeks, the third-ever Boston Calling is coming back from May 23-25. This Friday through Sunday weekend event features some of its biggest names yet including Jack Johnson, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Death Cab For Cutie. The ticket options consist of a 3-Day Pass, a Weekend Pass (just Saturday and Sunday) and then single-day passes for each day.

The festival, which is held at City Hall Plaza, kicks off Friday when the dates open at 6pm. The main entrance is located on Congress Street and the staff highly recommends taking public transportation as the event is easily accessible from multiple MBTA stations, including the Orange, Blue, Red and Green lines. Friday features the mellowest superstar—Hawaiian native Jack Johnson, along with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and Cass Mccombs. The music is expected to end that night around 11pm.

Saturday’s gates open at 12pm and the all-day event will, again, go on until roughly 11pm. With Death Cab For Cutie, The Decemberists, The Head and the Heart, Frank Turner, Jenny Lewis and The Neighborhood it should be an exciting day. Also scheduled to hit the stage is Warpaint, Walk Off the Earth, Maximo Park and Magic Man. Sunday starts and ends the same times as Saturday. Modest Mouse, Tegan & Sara, Phosphorescent, Built to Spill, Brand New, and Bastille will all be playing. Additionally there will be Kurt Vile and the Violators, The Districts, and Tigerman WHOA!.

Altogether it’s looking like a great weekend for Boston that’s sure to live up to past Boston Calling festivals, if not surpass those.

Check out Boston Calling – Lineup General Info Tickets

May 14, 2014
Hearing Aide: The Blurry Nights Bend Musical Boundaries in New EP

Picture if you will, early 90’s Alice in Chains, mixed with the hipster sound possessed by The Strokes, covered over with Henry Rollins singing while Marc Brownstein throws in a couple of electronic beats just to keep it hip. You follow that? Not many would. Somehow however The Blurry Nights, formerly, Sonic Spank, have taken this sound and made it theirs.

The opening track “Beekeeper”, off their self titled debut EP, is a a hard ripping track where the lyrics are not that clear, but yet the tune gets stuck in the listeners head, and the droning sound lingers all day. Trying to make sense out of it however, may be a struggle. A shredding guitar solo in the middle by Benjamin Karp, brings the song a White Lion feel, while going right back into Ian McGuire singing about the “Beekeeper.” A catchy opening track, for the right reason? You can be the judge.

“Checked Out”, the next track has a groovy beach vibe, with lyrics about being, well, checked out. A feeling that many rock stars claim to have known, or felt at some point during their career, but with this laid back chill tune you can feel vocalist McGuire, really has checked out and does not want anyone to harsh his mellow. This is a song for any hipster who just wants to be cool, have his day in the sun and chill. “Hours to Kill”, the next track is similar to “Beekeeper”, catchy, heavy making little sense, but all and all good hard rocking fun. The track of the EP is “Don’t Need 3”, with the drums at the beginning of the song, played by new comer Jeremy Worthington, set off a sweet beat that leads to great things. A fast beat layered with a sweet high pitched guitar gets the listeners attention for the story about to be told. The songs tells the tale of a guy trying to get comfortable with his lady friend and all of a sudden she wants to bring another dude into the mix! Not for this guy! He may be singing this song as if he’s Julian Casablancas, but he is not down for the swingster way of life; that’s not for him. (not that Julian is, but, who knows).

The EP ends with “Cant Have a Fun Alone”, showing more of the Sonic Spank sound than the previous songs did. With extended jams and build ups that would transfer quite well in a live setting. Which can be seen as the band has their offical EP release party on Saturday May, 17 at Bourbon and Branch in Philadelphia. This is a time of experimental rock that should not be missed by anyone into any type of music.

Key Tracks: Checked out, Don’t Need 3, Can’t Have Fun Alone

May 13, 2014
Susquehanna Breakdown at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain

From the banks of the Susquehanna to the energetic song where the currents of water and music collide, Cabinet hosts their growing festival at Montage Mountain. The Susquehanna Breakdown Music Festival, formerly known as Old Farmer’s Ball, will be held Saturday, May 10^th in Scranton, PA. This year’s festival is jam packed with music and activities in a kid-friendly environment.

Firmly rooted in Americana and Appalachian tradition, Cabinet hosts the festival in their neck of the woods. Delivering soaring vocal harmonies and instrumental mastery honoring bluegrass, folk, country and rock and roll, Cabinet meshes well to produce soundscapes that capture the heart appealing to souls of all ages. Susquehanna Breakdown offers a schedule of bands and fun activities for the young and young at heart.

Performances are staggered between two stages and begin late Saturday morning and alternate into early Sunday morning. Cabinet will close the festival, delivering their brand of infectious jam-heavy newgrass. Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, a seven-piece ensemble, will bring the fire of the soul to the surface with an explosive high-energy performance. Arleigh Kinchloe’s sultry vocals backed by the Birds’ penchant for dirty melodic infusions of jazz and funk would seduce an audience.

An undercurrent connects each artist to the next. Marco Benevento will dazzle contemporary music fans with his jazz pervaded experimental rock piano compositions. Drifting in from NY are progressive bluegrass rockers, Floodwood. Tenor saxophonist, Ron Holloway has earned accolades from his predecessors and has played with Warren Haynes, Allman Brothers Band, Derek Trucks Bands, Taj Mahal, Peter Frampton, Bruce Hornsby and many others.

Other performances scheduled are: Terrapin Flyer, Driftwood, Leroy Justice, And the Moneynotes, Coal Town Rounders, Kalob Griffin Band, Fright Train, Eastbound Jesus, The Brummy Brothers, Blind Owl Band, Tom Graham, FMO, and Schooley Mountain Band.

Susquehanna Breakdown is bicycle friendly! Cedar Bike & Paddle’s mobile retail store will be on hand for product demonstrations, maintenance clinics and a biker’s lounge. There will be family friendly activities including a bike ride around the scenic venue grounds.

RV rentals are now available, though in a limited quantity. However, the RV camping tickets have sold out. Children ten and under are free with purchase of an adult ticket. Cabinet’s Pappy Biondo has a special acoustic set planned for the kids. Other child activities include yoga, coloring, a hand drum workshop, hula-hoop workshop, face painting and a caricature artist.

Vending includes some of the finest crafters and food trucks. The Grateful Gallery is returning to Susquehanna Breakdown. The Grateful Gallery offers vintage and modern concert poster art from bands from The Grateful Dead to New Riders of the Purple Sage. Other vendors include: Cabin Fever Hoops, CoreStone Massage, Dancing Hands, Eden’s Rose Foundation, Everyone’s Drumming, Grateful Don, Hooked, Jerky Hut, S.A.W. Family Creations, Serigraph Factory, Uncle John’s Outfitters, Shady Grove and Gouda Boys.

Susquehanna Breakdown is proud of their charity partner, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen that provides free hot meals to their guests every day of the year. Volunteers and staff strive to serve with compassion, respect and dignity. Canned good donations are requested and appreciated. Those bringing five or more items to donate will be entered into a drawing for a limited edition festival poster signed by festival bands.

Tickets available at Toyota Pavilion Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone 800-745-3000.

May 7, 2014
Getting Lucid in Vermont at Nectar’s

Lucid has a brand new drummer and they want to introduce him to the crowd at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT.

Chris “Hollywood” English is in the fold, and the show this Saturday, May 3rd will mark the band’s first visit since he came on board.

The show kicks off at 9 pm, and is for those 21 and up only. Admission is $5.00. Joining Lucid will be Goosepimp Orchestra and FiKus.

Lucid by Bryan Lasky

Lucid earned the title of New York State’s #1 band in our March Madness voting contest, beating out an initial field of 64 bands.

Hollywood just joined the Popular group out of Plattsburgh. He started his career as the drummer for the legendary Buddy Guy, was most recently with AudioInflux

FiKus, is a jam band out of North Jersey, with an eclectic sound that combines progressive melodies with infectious grooves, electronic beats, and edgy vocals.

FiKus by Bryan Lasky

Goosepimp Orchestra is best described by the press release we just received. Their sound is, “the form of funk that dissolves the barriers between artist and audience. The energy plotted through space race like arrangements, channeled by geeks who became stage freaks, and absorbed into every opened mind via third eyes is a condensed and charismatic force from the center of the Earth and the beginning of time.”

Heavy.

If you have the ability, make haste and get thee there.

May 1, 2014
The Revivalists Blow the Roof Off The Sinclair in Boston

The Revivalists are a mixed-genre band of 7 members that have been touring since 2007 with 75% less hype than they deserve. The meek crowd that surrounded me, casually chatting and chasing beers, had no clue what they were in for. With Zack Feinberg tearing it up on guitar, Rob Ingraham switching from bass to alto and tenor sax, George Gekas holding an intricate bass line, Andrew Campanelli keeping the tempo changes steady on drums, Michael Girardot slamming the keys and trumpet, Ed Williams getting rowdy with his pedal steel guitar, and of course, Dave Shaw killing vocals and guitar, the sound was barely contained by The Sinclair.

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The Heavy Pets opened the show, a perfect band of eclectic genres and heavy sound to rip up the stage in preparation for The Revivalists. Their funk-rock, jam band roots livened up the casual state of The Sinclair and immediately got bodies moving. They are surely ones to watch – touring all the way from Florida is just the start for this energetic bunch.

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When Dave Shaw hit the stage, the energy level changed immediately and drastically. Within the first song, “Masquerade” from their most recent album, Shaw was already inches from the audience. He sat on speakers to intimately sing sweet melodies, then jumping across the stage to his band members, he growled into the mic as Girardot bent over his pedal steel guitar in bliss. The band moved swiftly through song after song from City of Sound, easing their way back to their first album, Vital Signs. They threw in easy groove songs like “Not Turn Away” and “Souls Too Loud,” and then turned it down with the easy-going “Appreciate Me II,” still holding the anxious energy with Shaw’s leap down into the crowd as he rocked out with his new fans. They ended the set making a newly-wed couple’s dream come true with their country-based song “Soulfight” before entering into one of the best songs in their repertoire, “Criminal.” Shaw continued to create an earthquake on stage, showing no depletion in stamina, while Ingraham pumped his saxophone in the air to amp things up even further and Feinberg tore through solo after solo of pure perfection with his guitar. Shaw ended the song crying into his condenser mic, head between knees, as he watched people shout with hands in the air like wild animals.

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The crowd pleaded for their return with chanting and screaming and The Revivalists arrived with a vengeance. They pulled out “Whipping Post” by the Allman Brothers and slowed down the beat so dramatically at parts that our bodies were crumbling at each chord and our souls were melting at the desperate howl in Shaw’s crooning voice. With Ingraham shrieking into his sax and Feinberg shredding apart his guitar, the audience head-banged as one entity. The biggest surprise was that the roof of The Sinclair was still in tact.

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No matter what song The Revivalists pulled out of their pocket, they made each one after even stronger, heavier, groovier, and funkier. They played with reggae beats and rocked the house with soulful reinventions. Every person in there was consumed by the music and, after a short break to catch their breaths, ready for a second, third and fourth dose of The Revivalists. The band is like an addiction because when they have revived you once, you’re bound to crave a revival again soon.

Setlist: Masquerade, When I’m Able, When I Die, Not Turn Away, Stand Up, Concrete, Pretty Photograph, Souls Too Loud, BTBD, Appreciate Me II, Fireflies, Soulfight, Criminal

Encore: Whipping Post

April 29, 2014
Phoncert Mobile App to Stream Jazz Fest Audio from Various Venues

Technology has finally caught up with your thirst for more music. If you’ve never heard of it, Phoncert is a new and groundbreaking live music application. The app is a free download from the iTunes store for your iOS device, but you can also listen on their website. What they offer is a live, soundboard-quality audio stream from shows around the country, so you can enjoy live music from the comforts of your own home.

Operation immediately started upon their announcement this Thursday (April 24). The company will be streaming daily performances from several venues in New Orleans during this year’s Jazz & Heritage Festival. The broadcasting began last night from The Howlin’ Wolf and featured the New Orleans Suspects w/s/g Fred Tackett and Paul Barrere of Little Feat. For the full broadcast schedule see below and make sure to hop on this as the ease of access is only surpassed by the quality of music you will enjoy.

Broadcast Schedule:
4/25: Dumpstaphunk plays Led Zeppelin > Easy Star All Stars Dub Side of the Moon late night @ The Howlin’ Wolf
4/26: Anders Osborne w. Rebirth Brass Band > Particle late night @ The Howlin’ Wolf
4/26: The M&Ms Late Night show @ Tipitina’s
4/29: The Original Wailers @ The Howlin’ Wolf
4/30: Polyrhythmics with Special Guests @ The Festival Hall Theater at Bamboula’s
4/30: The Megalomaniacs Ball ft. Garage a Trois, Steel Punk, Mike Dillon Band, Marco Benevento & Stanton Moore Trio @ The Howlin’ Wolf
5/1: Anders Osborne @ Tipitina’s
5/2: 12th Annual Bayou Rendezvous ft. Raw Oyster Cult w The Bonerama Horns, The New Orleans All-Stars, The Pimps of Joytime, & The Motet @ The Howlin’ Wolf
5/2: FIYA Fest Presented by Fiyawerx Productions @ Mardi Gras World
5/2: The Revivalists w. The Motet & Earphunk @ The Joy Theater
5/2: Papa Mali and Friends ft. Anders Obsborne, Jerry Joseph, Bill Iuso, Tony Leone & Mike Dillon @ The NOLA Brewing Co.

April 25, 2014
Tycho entrances The Sinclair, Boston 4/17

The Sinclair was in for an epic night on April 17^th when Tycho took to the stage as a part of the “Awake” tour for his newly released LP. Tycho, otherwise known as Scott Hansen (the main man behind the curtain), utilizes synths, guitar, bass guitar and his own visuals and programming to hype up his act. He’s been in the works since 2002 but recently has been touring with a live backing band including Zac Brown on guitar and Rory O’Connor on drums. His unique pairing of psychedelic synths with hypnotic guitar patterns has formed a distinctive ambient sound that fans have been craving for years.

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With the anticipation at its highest peak and the beginning bass notes slamming through the speakers, everyone in the crowd at The Sinclair inched forward expecting a big entrance, only to see Tycho and his band humbly walk to their positions on stage. They shyly waved to the audience as people screamed and entered into the first number from their newest album, “Awake”. Just like their entrance, the synths, keyboard and guitar riffs flowed sweetly together to send every audience member into an immediate trance. Tycho refused the exaggerated energy of the high beam flashing lights that their opener, Gardens & Villa rocked so well with a new-age disco vibe. Instead they stuck with an honest low-lit environment that complimented the screen behind them. They amped up the beat with some intricate drumming patterns that barely allowed your head to bob as you watched the second star of the show: the artwork. One cannot speak about Tycho without speaking about his artist/photographer counterpart, otherwise known as ISO50. The music changed completely with his silhouetted figure swallowed up in the projected dreamlike sequences. Eyes were overcome with images anywhere from a mixture of space and sky, to slow motion splashes of feet running through the ocean, to a girl wrapped in the wind, slowly being drowned by the white light. All of these were intermittently overlaid with his design work – beautiful pink and orange and red stripes taking different forms, reminiscent of his most recent LP cover. As the psychedelic ambience washed over you, so did the slow sunsets and splashes of his video art.

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Tycho mixed up the evening with schizophrenic switches from new to old to even newer. After breezing through a few songs in “Awake”, the band dipped back to the classics, throwing in tracks from the album “Dive” including “Hours”, “Ascension”, “Daydream”, “Dive”, and any Tycho-lover’s favorite, “A Walk” for his encore. He livened up the set with some new numbers called “Pip” and “E:”, both vibrant with his signature repetitive synth chords and heavy with drums. Of course the newest tracks caught the most attention with their beat-driven base and unique guitar parts. Tracks like “Apogee”, “See” and “Montana” really got the crowd moving, if they were able to break out of their psychedelic abstraction.

In the end, Tycho was gone just as quickly as he hobbled on stage – the night breezed by. Maybe it was the daydream we all entered so unknowingly; maybe it was the trippy flashes of people spinning in saucers, musicians in large hats and water droplets spilling through the screen and into the crowd. Whatever it was, being “Awake” hit us hard – if you’re ever in a live Tycho trance, you’ll never want it to end.

Setlist: Intro>Awake, Dye, Hours, Ascension, L, Daydream, Spectre, Apogee, Dive, Pip, See

Encore: E:, A Walk, Montana

April 23, 2014
Boston Calling Announces September Lineup and Gears up for May 2014 Festival

Boston Calling music festival takes over Boston’s City Hall Plaza twice in 2014. The festival has grown since its first year to now be a 3 day festival twice a year instead of a 2 day festival twice a year. Making multiple stages on the plaza, the festival lets Boston shine in the background of all the groups performing. Although there is no camping, the city has so many hotels in the area that it should be fairly easy to find lodging.

The May portion of the festival is taking place over Memorial Day weekend from May 23rd to the 25th. Acts scheduled to play include Jack Johnson, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, Bastille, Tegan & Sara, and Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls. Tickets are on sale now in various formats including single day, weekend only, all three days and VIP.

Today Boston Calling announced their September portion taking place from the 5th to the 7th. Taking the stages over that weekend will be The National, Lorde, The Replacements, Nas x The Roots, The Hold Steady, Lake Street Drive, White Denim, and Girl Talk. This is also looking likely to be one of the last east coast dates for Neutral Milk Hotel for the foreseeable future. Tickets for the fall festival go on sale tomorrow.

With these eclectic lineups, Boston Calling is spearheading the festival scene in the Northeast with something for everyone with a great mixture of – indie, rock, hip-hop, and EDM. Get your tickets for these now as they will likely sell out much sooner than later.

April 23, 2014
The Revivalists to play The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA, April 22nd

Listen up Bostonians, and any other Northeasterns that may be in the area – a show you do not want to miss is coming up on Thursday, April 22^nd. The Revivalists, a 7-man band filled with old-school spirit and new-age appreciation, are coming to The Sinclair of Cambridge in Cambridge, MA and bringing a wild mixture of genres to the stage.

The Revivalists have been providing their voluptuous sound since 2007 with members Ed Williams on pedal steel guitar, David Shaw on vocals, Zack Feinberg on guitar, Rob Ingraham on sax, Georges Gekas on bass, Andrew Campanelli on drums and Michael Girardot on keys and trumpet. Like their extensive list of instruments, their sound has been plunging from traditional rock to airy acoustics to funky beats reminiscent of their New Orleans hometown – a musical jambalaya, some may call it.

This is the kind of band that will blow the roof off of a 30,000 person warehouse, let alone an intimate venue like The Sinclair. Their live set has so much sound and energy you’ll walk out of the show needing a slap in the face to wake you from the heavy trance you were just in. Lovers of all genres and a wild time are bound to enjoy this one.

So don’t be afraid of the musical revival these fervent performers have in store – you know you want to be a part of it. Get your tickets for The Revivalists at The Sinclair, 4/22 here

…and give them a listen if you’re still unconvinced:

Studio version of Navigate Below

Live version of Concrete (Fish out of Water)

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April 9, 2014