Category: Central NY

Mötley Crüe Goes For One Last Ride and announce Retirement

There are bands that just don’t know when it is appropriate to hang it up. Tuesday, however, people witnessed Mötley Crüe‘s Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee in a Hollywood hotel at a signing ceremony for a “cessation of touring agreement” and their retirement.

The terms of the agreement are to take effect after what has been dubbed their retirement tour, which is to start later this year and conclude in 2015. In legal terms, once the tour ends, each member has agreed to never tour as Mötley Crüe again.

Livenation announced that general sales for tickets will start this Friday, with some tickets being made available for as little as $15.

This is not a time to mourn or cry. This goes for a celebration to a band that said, “Let’s do it our way.”

Mötley Crüe started out of Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip in 1981 to reach the successes of multiple Las Vegas residencies, car commercials, Hot Tub Time Machine, a New York Times bestseller, 80 million records sold, and famous girlfriends galore before all was said and done more than 30 years later. If Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll was in the dictionary, there, you would see “Mötley Crüe.” This band has done it all.

“If I was playing at small clubs and county festivals in front of a small crowd with just one or two original members, THEN I would be sad,” said Nikki Sixx, founder, main song writer, and the brains of the Crue operation. Which is why 2014 is a good time to call it quits.

Upstate New York is fortunate enough to have shows scheduled in Darien (CT), Saratoga, and Syracuse. Sharing the playbill will be legendary rock artist, Alice Cooper giving everyone in New York the last chance to FINALLY experience what a Mötley Crüe show is all about. And, it gives fans a chance to bid farewell and say “thank you” one last time.

Anyone who is a fan Mötley Crüe, or even if you’re NOT a fan of them, but are a big fan of rock and roll and metal should read the book The Dirt to really get a taste and an appreciation of how far this band has gone to reach success, and understand the hardships of being in a dysfunctional band.

Tommy Lee has been doing his thing as a DJ and has done some experimental music along the way.

Nikki Sixx seems to have struck thunder twice with his alternate band Sixx A.M., while Vince Neil is still touring with his solo band and releasing material.

Mick Mars deals with ankylosing spondylitis. According to the National Library of Medicine, Ankylosing spondylitis is a long‑term type of arthritis. It affects the bones and joints at the base of the spine where it connects with the pelvis. These joints become swollen and inflamed. Over time, the affected spinal bones join together. Despite his condition, Mars has some musical calibrations of his own.

In all fairness, The Crüe has nothing more to prove. It has all been done.

This will be one last time to “Shout at the Devil,” so catch Mötley Crüe with Alice Cooper in upstate New York at any of the following dates:

Aug. 26 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing. Arts Center

Aug. 31 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing. Arts Center

Oct. 29 – Syracuse, NY – The OnCenter Complex<

January 30, 2014
Man Man set to Play The Haunt With Xenia Rubinos January 29

Man Man will be performing with Xenia Rubinos at Ithaca’s The Haunt on Wednesday January 29^th. Man Man is an energetic five-man crew that hails from Philadelphia. Since the band’s formation in 2003, they have been making music that cannot be contained by a single genre, but can only be categorized as experimental.

Man Man’s unique sound seems to have many influences and hints of 50’s rock & roll, psychedelic jam, Russian folk, and something that’s completely their own. Focused around leader singer and pianist Honus Honus, the band’s music uses instruments ranging from spoons to Chinese funeral horns. Their fifth and most recent album On Oni Pond, released in 2013, exhibits a new or possibly just another side of Man Man that seems more mellow and soulful.

Man Man’s upcoming show is part of their countrywide tour with Xenia Rubinos, an equally unique group that has combined rock, funk, soul, and Latin music in a way that has never been done before. Last year the band released their debut album, Magic Trix, and has been quickly gaining popularity. Man Man and Xenia Rubinos should combine for an amazing and exceptional show that Ithacans are bound to love. The performance begins at 9 pm and will cost $15 at the door.

January 27, 2014
Lineup For Rock On The Range 2014 is set

Rock on the Range is finally here! The playbill and corresponding dates were recently announced, marking another spectacular three days in rock. Rock on the Range dates have been set for the weekend of May 16-18, 2014. Crew Stadium, in Columbus, Ohio, hosts the event each year.

This year’s playbill for Rock On The Range has the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Kid Rock, Five Finger Death Punch, Slayer, Staind, Moterhead, Seether,Chevelle,Alterbridge, Killswitch Engage and more.

Rock on the Range is now considered an annual rock festival, and for the first time since its debut in 2007, the festival will now be three, full days of music. It will also feature a comedy tent for additional entertainment. Rock On The Range usually consists of mainstream rock bands with a classic band as the headliner each night.

Three different stages keeps the music flowing all day. In 2009-2011, the festival added a second city into the mix. Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada, held the event in the month of June for 2009 and in August 2010 and 2011, at the Canad Inns Stadium. The concert saw over 100,000 rangers attend the festival in 2013, and over 330,000 fans since it’s birth.

Observers of this event and genre of music say that a lot of the summer festivals, such Rockstar’s Mayhem and Uproar, spin-off from Rock On The Range.

January 22, 2014
Neutral Milk Hotel Return to Upstate New York for First Time in 15 Years

Following the 1998 release of the sophomore album from Neutral Milk Hotel, frontman Jeff Mangum played an opening set for fellow Elephant 6 Recording Company members, Elf Power, in an Athens, Georgia basement; the performance became Mangum’s last before his band’s fifteen-year hiatus. On Monday night, the same Neutral Milk Hotel lineup that recorded In an Aeroplane Over the Sea, a release that has since become considered one of recent history’s most influential albums, made their return to the stage after an opening appearance from longtime friends, Elf Power.

While Elf Power continued to make new music and consistently tour behind their various releases during NMH’s fifteen-year period of absence, the members of NMH went their separate ways. Collaborating with other members of Elephant 6, multi-instrumentalist Julian Koster formed The Music Tapes, while horn specialist Scott Spillane fronted The Gerbils. Drummer Jeremy Barnes also joined The Gerbils, which became one of his several side projects, including the Eastern European instrumental group, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, and the experimental jazz band, Bablicon. Mangum, whose apprehension with the attention gained from In an Aeroplane’s success spurred the initial disbandment of NMH, appeared sporadically throughout the hiatus, performing infrequently at charity concerts and eventually touring the west coast prior to a slot on Coachella’s 2012 lineup.

Just as “King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1” opens In an Aeroplane with Mangum’s imagery-driven lyricism atop acoustic guitar chords, Monday’s show began with the frontman alone on stage, playing the opening track with eyes shadowed by a baseball cap and the lower portion of his face engulfed by the bulk of his microphone. As the song progressed and the remaining Neutral Milk Hotel members joined Mangum for the introduction of full instrumentation in the subsequent “King of Carrot Flowers Pts. 2 & 3,” Mangum stepped away from the microphone, visibly becoming more comfortable as the spotlight broadened to recognize the entirety of the band.

The onstage addition of Koster, Spillane, and Barnes brought about a newfound energy to the State Theater; as the distorted, quick-paced opening chords of “Holland, 1945” rang throughout the venue, Koster’s spastic grooving and Spillane’s sing-along enthusiasm inspired the realization that Neutral Milk Hotel has, in fact, made their return.

While pursuing various projects in Neutral Milk Hotel’s decade and a half of disbandment, its members sharpened their skillsets and integrated these improvements into the band’s reunion. Koster’s work on the singing saw and the bowed banjo showed incredible musicianship, and the collective sound created by the band, along with appearances from Elf Power’s Laura Carter and Mangum’s wife Astra Taylor, swept over the audience throughout the entire set.

As the future of Neutral Milk Hotel never seems quite certain, Upstate fans can only hope it won’t take another fifteen years to see them perform again.

Setlist: The King of Carrot Flowers, Part 1, The King of Carrot Flowers, Pts. 2 & 3, Holland, 1945, A Baby for Pree, Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone, Everything Is, Two-Headed Boy, The Fool, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Naomi, Ferris Wheel on Fire, Oh Comely, Song Against Sex, Ruby Bulbs, Snow Song, Part One

Encore: Ghost, [untitled], Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2, Engine

January 20, 2014
Sophistafunk Hosts Landmark Theater’s New Year’s Eve Bash

The Landmark Theater in Syracuse was the place to be to ring in 2014. Sophistafunk hosted 40 Below’s B(e)LOW-OUT New Year’s Eve Bash and tickets were sold out almost as soon as the show was announced. Everyone in attendance was dressed to the nines for the classiest party in the city that included an open bar, VIP lounge with private DJ, hors d’oeuvres, photo booth, and a silent auction with items from local vendors. Sophistafunk’s keyboarder Adam Gold started the party as DJ, playing tunes ranging from new hip-hop to some old funk and soul standards.

photo by Wesley Feuz

Shortly after 10pm, Jack Brown and crew took the stage to start off the show. The first set was a mix of new songs and old, including crowd favorites, “Gimme Some Space” and “Gotta Walk” featuring keyboard solos by Adam Gold. For the majority of the first set, the third story stage and dance floor stayed mostly empty. The party’s guests were enjoying gourmet food and deserts and bidding on local goods downstairs until just before midnight, when everyone amassed upstairs for complimentary champagne to bring in the New Year with the band and dance the night away.

photo by Wesley Feuz

After a short break, Sophistafunk turned it up to a new level, bringing the funk they’ve become notorious for. Jack Brown’s progressive lyrics backed by a solid rhythm section, keys, and effects were the perfect vessel for the band’s positive message. “Hard Enough,” from their new album Freedom Is, also seemed to be a fan favorite. Sophistafunk also included some older hip-hop classics from Notorious B.I.G. and “So Fresh and So Clean” by Outkast. The Landmark Theater was home to what proved to be the best party in upstate New York and had the best hip-hop funk trio in existence to make it truly epic.

photo by Wesley Feuz

January 20, 2014
Celebrating the Winter Solstice in Style with Becca Frame and Brian Shafer

What better way to spend the December 21st, the Winter Solstice, than with area favorites Becca Frame and Brian Shafer at the quaint watering hole in Delhi known as the Shire Pub! For those lucky enough to have arrived early, Becca handed out CDs from Esquela, another of her and Brian’s bands, as Christmas presents. To add to the home-town feel, Becca’s family was in attendance, and they were proudly and publicly welcomed.

Although the band members mentioned that cover songs are what they typically get hired for, they always try to slip in some of their originals. (On a related note, Becca and Brian are currently working on recording an album with a working title of Short Stories and Tall Boys.) With Becca on vocals and Brian on guitar, their wide range of abilities and styles was demonstrated in their choice of cover tunes, which included a gospel-y rendition of “You’ll Accompany Me”, a twang-y version of “New York City’s Killing Me”, and a spacey take on “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover”.

As promised, Becca and Brian did perform some of their own tunes, which showcased the raw, pure talent present in both performers. “Little Girl Sing” had a kind of sing-songy tone to it, while “Setting the Record Straight” demonstrated that this band can play the blues. At times forgetting that there was only one guitarist on stage, Brian does an incredible job of playing both the rhythm and melody sections over the full range of octaves. Becca puts all she has into every song, with the words sultry and soulful coming to mind when listening to her amazing voice. As an added bonus, one of Brian’s former bandmates Matt Sauer, from the band Wreckloose, joined Brian for a few tunes. They were super tight, and nailed the harmonies between their two guitars.

Keep an eye out for Becca Frame and Brian Shafer – they are definitely worth checking out if they come to your area, which is entirely possible, as they are very active in the Upstate circuit. They are both good about keeping their facebook pages up-to-date with upcoming tour dates, so be sure to look for them on facebook.

January 17, 2014
Wynonna Makes a Big Noise at Turning Stone

The Turning Stone showroom once again welcomed Wynonna and her band The Big Noise in a remarkable performance. Touring right before Christmas, she stopped December 21st just in time to share some Christmas tunes and personal stories of music, family, and friends with fans.

Wynonna and The Big Noise

Upon arriving to the show, one automatically felt at home, as her stage was set up as though it was her Christmas living room. Wynonna is best known not only as a solo artist with numerous singles and duets, but also from her career with her mother during the 80’s as of half of the award winning duo The Judds. Her voice has a presence that makes itself known, as one of the strongest voices in country music. However her choices in music this evening represented more of her roots in the Appalachian Mountain blue grass music she grew up with. Her outgoing and comical personality shone through as she spoke to the audience of her relationships with her children, her family, and all of those she holds so dear putting them immediately at ease. Her one on conversations with members of the audience further incorporated them as part of the show and not just observers.

Wynonna and The Big Noise

As she performed the most unique and perfect choices for the season, she narrated why she choose the numbers and the personal stories each number represented. In one such narration, she spoke of a conversation with a lovely lady named Priscilla who invited her to sing with her husband in a duet on his Christmas album. The well known number, digitally mastered, was the amazing rendition of “Santa Claus is Back in Town” featuring Wynonna and Elvis Presley.

Wynonna also shared her personal fears and sadness while telling the audience about the most horrific day as she witnessed her husband, Catcus Moser’s motorcycle crashed into an oncoming vehicle right in front of her. She shared her fear of not knowing if he would survive, and spoke of his prognosis once he had stabilized. Doctors told them that they would not be able to save his leg and he probably wouldn’t be able to play again. Despite what they said, Cactus stood and joined her from behind the drums. The crowd rose to a standing ovation as he showed off his new prostectic leg. You could see that he was an individual who wrote his own story in life, and he wasn’t going to allow anyone to dictate what he could or could not accomplish. Not only did he accompany her on drums, but they performed what I have to say was my favorite number of the night when they sang “Baby It’s Cold Outside”. Their musical moment shared an insight into their personal relationship as they sang and laughed as though no one else was in the room. To say it was special doesn’t quite cover the glimpse we saw at the love and friendship they share. Truly one of the best renditions ever, and an inspirational moment to all.

Cactus Moser of The Big Noise

Wynonna is truly a country legend. With more than 20 number one singles, and numerous awards and nominations in the business one doesn’t doubt this. However, what truly rises her above the others is her strength and perseverance to remain forever true to herself and her craft. Through numerous ups and downs in her career and her life, her honesty shines through to those she performs for whether its through the lyrics of her music or the banter on stage with her bandmates and her audience. Wynonna clearly makes a big noise and take center stage for those who are lucky enough to see her show.

January 16, 2014
Central NY Welcomes Celtic Favorites Enter The Haggis

Central New York loves their Celtic music, whether it’s traditional or contemporary fans flock from all over the area to raise a pint and sing along. One of their favorite bands includes Toronto based Enter The Haggis who recently made a pit stop at Syracuse’s Wescott Theater December 28th to close out the year.

Enter The Haggis – Brian Buchanan & Trevor Lewington

Comprised of five of the best musicians in the business, between them playing more than 15 instruments, they never cease to amaze me with their creativity and forward thinking. After releasing many albums under a record label they bravely set out on their own to try new methods of funding by utilizing Kickstarter to fund their next project. With a goal of $20,000 set, they never imagined they would reach it in a record breaking time of 12 hours. By the end of the campaign they were able to raise more than $66,000 to fund their next album. The next album, The Modest Revolution, was an amazing compilation of music made their way for their fans who would be happily surprised at the sounds and the stories of how each song was inspired.

Enter The Haggis – Brian Buchanan

The Modest Revolution was a compilation of music and songs written solely through the muse of the Toronto’s, Globe and Mail, the local newspaper. After bravely pre-ordering 1,500 copies of the March 30, 2012 edition, ETH was determined to read the news that day and write their entire next album based on the stories that inspired them from that periodical. As one of the gutsiest and most creative muses I’ve ever seen, some of my favorite music evolved. As a thank to you supporters through the campaign the band toured a few cities to hold listening parties once the album was released. In March of 2013, ETH held one of the listening parties at the local Saranac Brewery in Utica. The band first narrated the songs to the group with funny accolades of how each tune came to be. They played unedited and final edits for the group and added personal stories that gave the group a sense of intimacy normally not achieved. Funny stories, accounting of how each member added their own personal touch to the sound, and explanations of how an album is recorded were shared with the group to give them an understanding of what it takes to create an album. As the group listened, a feeling of ownership as part of a team was apparent to those in attendance.

2013 was the year to tour and promote this creation. Opening this evening with Syracuse’s own Scottish Pipe Band definitely warmed up the crowd for a night of celtic jamming. A full show of fan favorites included older tunes of “Noseworthy & Piercy”, “Getaway Car” and crowd favorite “Gasoline”, with a mix of new tunes of “Balto”, “Letters”, “Copper Leaves” and the rockabilly “Down the Line” from The Modest Revolution. The playlist of music spans a decade or creativity and growth and their amazing range of talent and ability to create new and edgy music over the course of time. However it’s the signature tunes that put Haggis Heads over the top. Tunes such as “Litter and the Leaves”, “Lancaster Gate” in which Craig rocks the stage with his amazing bagpipes, and “Lanigans Ball” where Trevor and Brian set the stage on fire that really truly hooks the audience each and every time.

Enter The Haggis – Trevor Lewington & Mark Abraham

Never have I attended an ETH concert where they haven’t yet mesmerized the audience and converted all to what fans referred themselves as Haggis Heads. True musicians and true performers and I must add, a great group of guys that love what they do and their fans that allow them to continue. Always a show to remember. Stay tuned for ETH’s next project being created currently through Kickstarter once again. This project, The Black Penny Project, is inspired by fans this time. Handwritten letters of their “stories” will become ETH’s next work of art.

Meet the band:

Brian Buchanan: Vocals, Fiddle, Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar

Enter The Haggis – Brian Buchanan

Craig Downie: Vocals, Highland Bagpipes, Trumpet, Harmonica, Whistle, Acoustic Guitar, Bells

Enter The Haggis – Craig Downie

Trevor Lewington: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Octave Mandolin, Keyboards

Enter The Haggis – Trevor Lewington

Mark Abraham: Bass Guitar, Vocals

Enter The Haggis – Mark Abraham

Bruce McCarthy: Drums, Percussion

Enter The Haggis – Bruce McCarthy

January 15, 2014
Benny Mardones – The Voice, The Advocate, Forever Timeless

Benny Mardones, commonly referred to as “The Voice” because of his incredible vocal range, held his annual Christmas show on December 14th at the Turning Stone Showroom to a full crowd despite the blizzard conditions outside. Dedicated fans traveled from all over the northeast to see him perform with his band, The Hurricanes and they were not disappointed.

Benny Mardones at Turning Stone Showroom

Benny’s best known for his album Never Run Never Hide in which songs such “Into the Night”, “She’s So French”, “Mighta Been Love”, and “American Bandstand” are a few of the songs most recall. However Benny was well known within the industry for his writing long before Never Run Never Hide. His amazing ability to put down on paper the emotions of so many is once again on the horizon. In 2014 fans who supported Benny through his Kickstarter Campaign will be the first to receive his new album Timeless. Fans that attended this show were treated to a few of the new songs as well as many of his most popular numbers.

Central New York has become Benny’s home away home for numerous years due to the support the area has always given him throughout his career. During highs and lows in his career and personal life, Benny has always remained in the hearts of those here in Central New York. Over the course of the last three years, I have had the opportunity to photograph and meet with Benny and speak to him.

One thing always resonates with me as I cover his shows and that is the fact that he is one of the most supportive individuals to others I have met in the industry. Each year he plays in the area because CNY was always there for him. I see him constantly giving back to the area and supporting individuals in the military, new artists that are up and coming from the area, a number of charitable causes, and foremost those fans that stayed with him in his darkest days. He is truly an amazing musician and individual as he continues to play and perform despite personal illnesses and limitations he now suffers from. He is truly and inspiration to those that know him, and for those that don’t know, he is one of musics greats and truly “Timeless.”

Benny Mardones and The Hurricanes

January 14, 2014
Channeling the Spirit of Jerry on New Year’s Eve with The Garcia Project

The Garcia Project brought a crowd from near and far with some people coming simply out of nostalgia and a desire to spend New Year’s Eve reveling in the spirit of Jerry Garcia, but everyone, including those not previously familiar with the Garcia Project, left Oneonta having had a real good time this New Year’s Eve. The Garcia Project typically covers a Jerry Garcia Band show from years past, giving the audience something to think about during the set.

Complete with “wall of sound” banners bordering the stage, and drummer Bob McKeon positioned front and center on stage, a true recreation of the Jerry Garcia Band experience began. As soon as the first set started with “How Sweet It Is”, the dance floor immediately filled up, but when “Run for the Roses” came on, that’s when the crowd really got into the groove, and the band seemed to play off of that, with bassist Dan Crea asserting himself on this one. “Struggling Man” featured drummer Bob McKeon crisply and cleanly landing on the upbeats, with guitarist/vocalist Mik Bondy playing some of Jerry’s well-known triple-time guitar riffs. The first set closed out with a more obscure cover of “Ain’t No Bread In The Breadbox”, followed by classics “My Sisters and Brothers > Deal”, which left the crowd wanting much more as the night continued.

Before the show and between sets, as part of the ticket price, a buffet meal was provided, which gave the audience time to refuel and chat with like-minded reflective fans. Many a conversation was overheard about various Jerry stories experienced by most in attendance at this show. While the Oneonta Theatre typically serves only beer and wine, they often offer up a specialty drink, which tonight was a tasty tropical bay breeze to help everyone get through the cold night.

The band returned to the stage for a “wildcard” set of tunes leading up to the midnight hour. The mini set started off with a hopping version of “Mississippi Half Step Uptown Too-Da-Loo”, followed by a boogie/blues-style “Mystery Train”, and ended with a driving rendition of “Cumberland Blues” with a rocking organ send-off by Greg Marshall, who had a real mastery of the keyboards, especially the Hammond sound of which he seemed to have a true command. Mik invited the audience to join the band in the downstairs theater to watch the Times Square Ball Drop on the big screen (a champagne toast was also included in the price of the ticket, by the way), and then to head back upstairs to “party like it’s 1999”!

After the festive NYE countdown and ball drop, Mik’s mom proudly brought out the first of two huge cakes they had brought for the occasion, and handed out pieces to the crowd; the sugar rush definitely helped at this hour, as the band still had a whole second set to play! (Apparently, the Jerry Garcia Band show the band chose to play tonight was a request from an audience member and they just decided to run with it.)

The first two songs of the set were perfect examples of how impeccably balanced the four instrumentalists are. The audience really got into the beautiful harmonies between Mik and Kat Walkerson, with lots of slow dancing going on during one of this evening’s more romantic tunes, “Shining Star”. “Waiting for a Miracle” featured some great ascending then descending progressions, and the band really started to funk it up during this tune. Bassist Dan Crea really got to shine during “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, which is a song that often has a somewhat monotonous bass line. It was hard to believe that some of the notes he was pulling out of that bass were actually coming from his instrument! He went way beyond the range of notes typically heard on the bass. “Evangeline” was a swingy number that had many audience members doing the twist. Another example of the spot-on harmonies between Mik and Kat was showcased in “Don’t Let Go”, and the set ended with a perfect, slightly funky cover of “Let’s Spend the Night Together”.

Following the end of the second set, the band revealed the Jerry Garcia Band show they covered, and the show was (drum roll please) … 11/12/91 at the Philadelphia Spectrum! Expressions of recognition could be heard throughout the crowd. The encore was a particularly lullaby-like rendition of “(What a) Wonderful World”, and The Garcia Project decided to throw the crowd a bonus double encore of “Lonesome and a Long Way From Home” to send us on our way. The Garcia Project truly gave everyone in attendance at the Oneonta Theatre on New Year’s Eve a night to remember, giving us the opportunity to bask in the all the glory Jerry was kind enough to share with us for all those years.

Set 1: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), And It Stoned Me, He Ain’t Give You None, Run For The Roses, Struggling Man, Ain’t No Bread In The Breadbox, My Sisters And Brothers > Deal

Set 2: Bright Side Of The Road, Shining Star, Waiting For A Miracle, Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, Evangeline, Don’t Let Go, Let’s Spend The Night Together

Encore: (What a) Wonderful World, Lonesome and a Long Way From Home

January 9, 2014