NYS Music 20​14

Category: Central NY

  • The Architecture of Sound, Part 2

    The venues we see music are more than just a place to congregate to experience concerts and performances. The work that goes into architecture – into designing, creating and building these venues is a lengthy process that spans years, well before patrons take their seats or find dance space to enjoy the sound. Architects, engineers and consultants contribute to the development of the overall sound, acoustics and open space that factor into the finished product – a music venue with, in more and more instances, incredible acoustics and sound.

    In this, the second part of ‘s look at the Architecture of Sound and designing of music venues, Editor Pete Mason spoke with Mike Wildman, Principal and Architect at Wildman Architecture PLLC, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C. A graduate of the School of Architecture at Syracuse University, Wildman spoke with Mason to discuss the ‘how’ of music venues and acoustics as the latter grows in importance throughout the design and construction process, with a particular focus on music venues of New York City.

    Pete Mason: When the design process for a music venue begins, what factors are brought into play initially for the rest of the design to build around?

    Mike Wildman: When it comes to the design of any space no matter the use, there is always a “main” element to be the focus of; the key is to first determine the best location, orientation, form, etc…, or in my experience to do the exact opposite and almost ignore it until the end so it becomes a puzzle to be solved rather than catalyst for the rest of the project. Regardless of the path chosen, design should never be done in a vacuum where you lose sight of the rest of spaces that are important. For example, a great sounding music venue would be useless if there was no viable entry sequence to get to the performance space or the sound control room and wiring were not done correctly and most importantly, form and shape aside, that the finish material used did not properly move the sound from the source to the intended destination.

    PM: How are acoustics and the flow of music built into the design in a way that does not affect the overall structure of the building? How can acoustics be worked into a building without making the overall structure unappealing, or worse, unsafe?

    MW: This is twofold, as the best sounding music venues grew out of simple clamshell forms that hundreds of years ago were carved into the earth and slowly became surface elements like those found throughout Europe and eventually the Americas, to finally the modern day building form where the “clamshell” is engulfed within the structure. This encompassing of the form can either be visible or hidden.

    architecture of soundTake for example the Sydney Opera House, where you can see from the exterior the curved shape of the interior space to move the sound, whereas with Radio City Music Hall you couldn’t even tell where within the building the main stage and theater was; both are incredible examples of acoustical masterpieces where you literally can hear a pin drop. There is even the middle ground which can be experienced in the renovated Lincoln Center in New York City. Here you cannot see the form of the music space in its purist form as in the Sydney Opera House, but in the area of the building that does house the theater the architecture changes and you can tell where it is unlike Radio City.

    architecture of soundThe last piece of the puzzle is finish materials used for acoustics, hard and soft surfaces and how they “reflect” the sound waves around. Movie theaters tend to have softer fabrics as they have a single main sound source and do not want echoing because the sound is mechanic, so the soft fabrics deaden the sound waves rather than bounce them back. Live performance spaces tend to have harder materials so they move the sound around but this must be calculated as the waves will intersect each other. This is where physics gets into the equation, causing waves to cancel each other out, cause delays or even echoes. Have you ever wondered why when watching a major sports event on TV the singer performing the National Anthem doesn’t seem to be moving their lips to the words you are hearing, why they are wearing sound canceling headphones or even lip syncing? This is because sound moves slower than light which is what is transmitting the sports event to your TV and the stadium or arena they are performing in was not designed for live performances like that, so they can be hearing their own words seconds after they say them bouncing back into their ears after traveling through the entire complex.

    PM: How long does the process for designing, drafting and building a music venue take, in years?

    MW: For starters it depends on the size on complexity of the venue in question as well as the budget for the project. A general rule I always go by is anything will take longer than your think to design and get to the construction phase and far longer to build than ever planned or estimated.

    PM: When it comes to the process of designing a music venue, what would surprise music fans the most?

    MW: Not realizing that the design of a music venue is much more than its form and shape, that all the support spaces and materials are equally as important to the outcome. This is not the same as some other architectural forms, say a house where better materials typical mean better house in the terms of size or location or price because at the end of the day the toilet should still flush. In a music venue, improperly designing and accounting for the sound that the mechanical system makes or using materials that alter the wavelengths of the sound to be heard can literally destroy a place to the point of unuseability.

    PM: Considering the great many music venues in America what are some of the best venues for sound and acoustics, that you have come across in your experience?

    MW: It’s funny as you mention yours and my beginnings in Syracuse and ask for a possible Syracuse spin on this, I am drawn to the memories of “Dome Stomping” around the perimeter of the Carrier Dome. Obviously that is not a music venue but a truly amazing example of a space’s ability to reflect, enhance and move sound. As far as places I have been that have been great venues; the above mentioned Lincoln Center and Radio City for starters as well as the counterpart to Radio City, The Beacon Theater. Additionally I have fond memories of traveling through Europe and experiencing the technology of moving sound in places that are ruins and hundreds of years old. But the most amazing place I have been to, and this was only for a spoken word presentation and not a musical performance, was The Times Center, which is the theater at the New York Times Building in Times Square. What amazed me most about this room was that is was a fairly decent size and the presentation was for multiple hours with multiple presenters going one after another but not one of them used a microphone and you heard every word. To me this was more impressive than if it was a musical performance because odds are, just speaking was done at a lower volume than if someone was performing music. I was impressed by the “architecture” and coordination of everything that had to go into that room. architecture of sound

  • Gov’t Mule Tour Closes at State Theatre Ithaca

    Gov’t Mule closed out their twentieth anniversary fall tour at the State Theatre in Ithaca on November 15, pulling out all of the stops and in the words of Warren Haynes regarding the last show of the tour, making sure, ‘Anything Goes!’ Indeed this fact was true as the Mule blasted out a career spanning set that featured multiple and extended instrumental interludes and definitive renditions of multiple Mule jam vehicles.

    Gov't Mule Ithaca

    The band hit the stage at 8:20 with late-comers still stumbling their way to their seats as the group developed a spacey swell. Haynes used some deft manipulations of feedback immediately before dropping coin into slot with the twisted groove of ‘Bad Man Walkin’. The hallmark of this introductory set is not only the expected holographic Haynes guitar explorations, but the dirty sock funk laid down by the sturdy rhythm section. ‘Inside Outside Woman Blues’ continues this trend with the first ‘big’ jam of the evening, culminating in a knotted guitar/bass battle between bassist Carlsson and Haynes. Keyboardist Danny Louis is also a major proponent of the grooves being developed on the evening lending spongy Rhodes asides and Moogy colorizations.

    A jam then constructed with hammer and nails resulted in the shady chugging introduction of ‘Broke Down on the Brazos’ from Mule’s 2009 LP, By A Thread. Haynes deconstructed the outro jam in a blue flurry of quotes, smoothly revealing obscured melodies with every quote. ‘Brazos’ fell perfectly into a sprawling ‘Tributary Jam’ allowing Louis to explore his sonic stamp collection while exchanging licks across stage with Haynes.

    ‘Whisper in Your Soul’ followed and was dedicated to Grace Potter by Haynes. The shimmering track is the appropriate cool down period for the set even though it splashes into watery wah-wah’s guitars by its conclusion. Haynes and Mule standard, ‘Banks of the Deep End’, made a welcome appearance keeping the damper down and did not stray from the theme of cultivating funky blues rhythms that had been developed over the evening.

    Following a restful duo of tracks, Haynes donned the slide for the first time the evening during the show highlight, ‘Devil Likes It Slow’, surpassing 13 minutes. A plethora of thematic snapshots are examined while Carlsson forgoes the steps and heads straight for the stars with his bass virtuosity. The composition becomes elastic when Louis steps forward for a Herbie Hancock impression while Haynes lays back with jazzy interjections. Musical summits are reached and then left behind for greater things. Inspiring musicianship is the hallmark for the Mule and this particular jam leaves no doubt.

    ‘Thorazine Shuffle’ then closes the powerful set while also sandwiching the punchy smirk of 2013’s ‘Funny Little Tragedy’. This is a runaway train of a jam that careens around corners before peaking and leaving the excited crowd anticipating the second set. It’s hard to believe the band could follow the previous jamming on ‘Devil’ with anything, but again they come up in spades by topping themselves yet again.

    The tight quarters and cramped bathrooms of the historic State Theatre were no match for the camaraderie enjoyed over the break due to the Mule’s superior and joyful playing. After such a well jammed out first set, the second set was sure to be brimming with musical surprises. As to not blow the roof off of the place after the incendiary close of the first set, the Mule eased it in with the slick guitar buoyancy and undulating bass of ‘Done Got Wise’ followed by the refreshing Reggae drift of ‘Scared To Live’, both found on 2013’s Shout!.

    Properly warmed up and ready to kick, the band jumped into a funktified reading of the Betts/Haynes composition ‘Kind of Bird’, a song built for musical madness and a song performed by Mule since their inception. Here it is given a moody long distance reading with a full on ‘In Memory of Elizabeth Reed’ jam as well as a quote from the Turtles, ‘Happy Together’. ‘King of Bird’ spotlights stellar playing, seamless segues and stratospheric playing by the entire band. The venue gathers a late night haze, the temperature rose in the balcony and the Mule turned the assembled crowd to putty. Bird calls glided over rolling thunder, before coagulating into a massive scrubbing froth of swelling musical foam. Multifaceted and dynamic jams are lead by Haynes but given momentum by Louis and Carlsson who came in for a slamming landing at the only natural resting place, the expansive mine field of a Matt Abts drum solo. Woah.

    ‘I Think You Know What I Mean’ slinked through the bar room door, the influence of its distinctive drum beat reflected in the version of Led Zeppelin’s ‘When the Levee Breaks’ that it envelops. Haynes slipped the slide on his finger again for this song suite, bringing much of the collected crowd to its feet. The natural progression between songs is hand in glove as Haynes weaves the band between compositional boxcars. Two more song pairs combine to culminate the evening in a way that only the Mule can. The kinetic cowbell driven ‘Bad Little Doggie’ is a crowd favorite and defiantly breaks its lead to act as a prelude to the evenings second Zeppelin reference, a floor stomping ‘How Many More Years’. Played with the Zeppelin arrangement but dictated in the classic Howlin’ Wolf fashion. Rising and falling like the seasonal waves on Cayuga Lake the song disintegrates into a crowd clapping conglomerate before reprising intensely.

    The band returns to ecstatic applause for their encore and responded in kind by playing a pair of Mule standards road tested, recognizable and as comfortable as dependable winter gloves. Undeniable proof of who is still one of the finest live bands in the land. ‘Mule’ and ‘Soulshine’ close the evening paired fittingly in what is a celebration of a great band, touched by tragedy, luck, respect, talent, change, stability and undeniable abilities. Lets raise our glasses to another twenty for Gov’t Mule, Warren, Matt and Allen’s original vision, unchanged and still kickin.

  • Mötley Crüe Farewell Tour – a Photographer’s Challenge for a ‘Crüe’ Over

    Farewell was bid on October 29, 2014 to Mötley Crüe as they made their farewell appearance here locally at the Oncenter Event Center in Syracuse, NY. One of the smallest venues they played across the nation, Syracuse was super psyched and honored to be on the list of cities they were visiting.

    As the smallest venue they were playing, they were unable to construct the amazing roller coaster drum kit assembly that allowed Tommy Lee to fly through the air upside down from one side of the arena to the other while playing, but even without that, their light show and pyrotechnics were one of the most amazing spectacles to see and they entertained the packed crowd.

    Having signed a contract that this truly was their final tour, I was super pumped to see that they were coming through the area and making a stop locally. One of only three media passes for the evening I was honored they trusted me to capture their night here. I’m certain over the years they have accumulated photo after photo depicting their life on the road, so when granted access to photograph them from the sound board for the first song, I was up to challenge to capture something usable to share with NYS Music readers. After all, they had no idea how many photos this gal could capture in a three minute time frame. I so had this covered. Bring it guys. This would be my first and only attempt to capture a memorable photo of them, and when I arrived at the soundboard and saw that the only thing in between myself and the band was 100 feet distance, and 800 fans with large hair and rocking hands holding cell phones and beers in the air, my challenge increased. Standing precariously on the back of a folding chair that kept moving, I inched my way over the top of the 6 foot 5 inch hard rocking biker dude and his leather clad girlfriend to capture these moments. Unfortunate for me, Vince Neil wouldn’t stand still and Tommy Lee was incased in a haze of fog, but fortunately for me as accident prone as I am, I didn’t fall and break my camera equipment. Always must save the equipment.  Thank goodness Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars were stationary.  Thank you guys, as you were my targets for the night. It didn’t matter if I had an $8,000 lens or a $100 lens, the shots were not happening for me. I left deflated and discouraged. I had met my match. The Crüe had triumphed over me and my journey to capture them on tour. Well played guys, well played.

    As I left the arena, I was disappointed.  I felt as though I had let down my readers and let down the venue.  Thinking to myself, why wouldn’t they want these moments captured…why wouldn’t they want Syracuse to remember them in the best possible light? Those in the pit could take blurry cell phone images and videos to plaster all over social media, depicting them randomly and in only as good a light as pixelly possible, however those trained in capturing moments and publishing in the best possible way were shut out. I’m sure it’s most likely because,… yeah sorry can’t figure it out. They were not camera shy with reality shows, viral videos, and magazine after magazines covering them over the years.  So I pose this question to them, why not let your public relive your final moments time and time again in the best possible light by allowing me to be in the pit getting some mind blowing photos you could flashback to after the tour was over? Whatever the reason was, I could not succeed on this particular challenge.  So as a disclaimer, although the shots are usable, I really could have done so much better. Crüe, if you are reading this, give me another chance to put me back in the game.  I can do it coach.  Put me in the pit, and see what you get!

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    The highlights of my evening came from the opening acts.  Alice Cooper and The Raskins made my night. You guys truly rock. Shooting the first few songs from the pit, they played to the cameras, and gave us a show to share with the readers.  Find below a few moments of the evening capturing their amazing sets, costuming, and rocking moments.  Loved every last second in the pit.  Crüe I truly can do better.  Just try me!  Give me a “Crüe” over!
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  • Still in Awe After an Amazingly Intimate Performance by Peter Rowan in Oneonta

    Sporting yoga pants and loving it, after having eaten a yummy vegetarian meal, at the table right next to mine, no less! the iconic Peter Rowan casually strolled onto the stage at BSide Ballroom and Supper Club in Oneonta, armed only with a guitar and a story to tell. To have such an essential figure in the bluegrass world performing in this small intimate venue with a seating of approximately 140 maximum, was a true dream come true.

    peter rowan oneontaStarting off the show on a melancholy yet hopeful note with “Doc Watson Morning” a song about a “guitar-picking kind of day,” Rowan ended the song with a mini yodel, which was nice to hear so early on in the set. Giving the audience what they truly were hoping to hear, Pete moved into an acoustic solo rendition of “Panama Red” which he brilliantly chose to mash-up with classic folk tune “Freight Train” which proved to be quite the winning combination. Moving on to another one of his better known tunes, Jack Bonus’s “Hobo Song” it became clear at this point in the set that he felt totally at ease with the crowd, and in return, made the audience feel as if they were just chilling with Pete in his living room. The next song up moved the audience from Pete’s living room to a desert with tumbleweeds blowing by, when he sang a version of “Tumbleweed” throughout which he put so much emotion into each and every note.

    peter rowanAt this point in the evening, Peter Rowan brought out bassist Paul Knight, who has toured with Pete in the past, performing as part of the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band. It also marked the point in the set during which much storytelling ensued, which is always a treat coming from someone who has played with so many other musicians, and traveled to so many corners of the earth. I have to confess that when Pete was eating dinner next to me, I worked up the nerve to put in a shameless plug for myself that he was helping me kick off my birthday week celebration, and right after he brought Knight out on stage, they were kind enough to sing happy birthday to me! It’s definitely going to be hard to top that on my list of memorable birthdays.

    Reminiscently telling one story about his days playing with Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, during which time, as Pete put it, Monroe would always “call me plural” and refer to him as Peter Rowans, the audience received an intimate and real history of this legend who stood before us. Switching to stories about learning more rootsy rhythms from New Orleans, such as the “stomp” and the “slow drag” Pete performed his own song in slow drag, “Ragged Old Dream” off of his aptly named The Old School album. Segueing into a more bluesy part of his set, Rowan explained how he used to go to record stores in Boston, where one used to be able to sit and listen to blues and folk albums for hours, and proceeded to perform a particularly bluesy version of “In the Pines”. Ending his set with the title track off his new album Dharma Blues was fitting, especially because it ended with a true signature Peter Rowan yodel.

    peter rowanChoosing a somewhat odd time to take a set break, being so close to the 10:00pm time the show was projected to end, Pete ended up coming back on to play at 9:30, but went a bit beyond the original end time, which nobody seemed to mind. Beginning with an instrumental number with amazing use of harmonics up and down the neck of the guitar by Rowan, he then went into a very touching tribute he wrote for Jerry Garcia, his former band mate from his days playing with Old and In the Way, titled “Jerry and the Deep Blue Sea” in honor of the work Jerry used to do to raise money for the protection of dolphins and coral reefs around Hawaii. Playing a few more numbers off his new album Dharma Blues, which was inspired by his recent trips to India and Nepal, we were introduced to a much more spiritual side of Peter Rowan.

    His song “Arise” which was heavily influenced by the concept of bodhisattva, was explained to the audience by Rowan as the idea that all beings have been our parents in previous lives. The cyclical nature of the concept of bodhisattva was beautifully mimicked in both the lyrics and the musical notes so masterfully chosen by Rowan. Returning to a spiritual world from a more Western culture, Rowan pulled out a particularly note-intensive version of “Land of the Navajo” incorporating an almost reggae-style bass solo, followed by Rowan playing some more impressive harmonics followed by an extended yodel jam. Ending his set with “Restless Grave” off Dharma Blues, on which he was accompanied by Gillian Welch on the album, the crowd was unhappy to see him go.

    Thankfully, Rowan was urged by the audience to come back onstage for an encore, and he was even taking requests. He chose to give us two of his more popular numbers, “Lonesome L.A. Cowboy” and of course, “Moonlight Midnight” which received a big old howl from the audience! Saving up just enough energy to sign CDs and chat with anyone who wanted to be in the presence of such a spiritual being with a lifetime of experiences to share, it was easy to see that everyone in attendance for this performance was truly in awe of the special gift that had been handed to us: having the opportunity to listen to this bluegrass icon in such an intimate setting. Peter Rowan will be touring around the northeast until November 23, so make sure to add one of his shows to your calendars if you can. It will truly be worth the experience.

  • Michelle Renee and Local Female Vocalists Serenade the Lost Horizon

    Imagine you have a singers voice, a deep love for making music, and a desire to share wisdom through lyrics. You know that a voice by itself often needs some accompaniment to truly be heard. So you learn guitar. You then start writing complete songs and playing them for people wherever you can. Fast forward, and in a few years, you are requesting a spot on the highly celebrated and well-attended local festival – Sterling Stage – and you get the spot. As things progress you realize that your dream is not complete without a means for more people to hear your music. So you pull together some talented friends, and voila! In three months, you put out a LP, via the premier Syracuse recording studio- SubCat Studios.

    But in order for people to really get excited about the album, you know you will have to give people a live experience first. So you book your first big show (that you happen to be headlining) at a well-known, long-established venue in Syracuse, the Lost Horizon. But that isn’t enough. You know that for others, your vision and message might not convince them to buy a ticket to your show. They want to be entertained all night with different types of music. So you pull together even more friends, including a stage-grabbing young upstart (Riley Mahan), a band of ambitious young composer/performers (Early Bird), and a funky veteran band (Root SHOCK) that you know will make them dance the hours away. And, it all goes down without a hitch.

    This is the story of the fiercely driven, big-dreaming Michelle Renee, whose Reflections album debut party November 7 at the Lost Horizon culminated the realization of a vision and brought out over 150 people from the community to enjoy it. And enjoy it they most certainly did.

    The lineup for Michelle’s party began with Early Bird, a self-described progressive/folk/indie-pop band that actually held up to the appellation of “progressive.” Their vocal harmonies were adventurous, carefully composed, and stylistically diverse. Although there were moments where intonation wasn’t perfect, Sheralyn Wellman, Katherine O’Leary and Aaron Walters (who also played lead guitar) gained “Hella” respect points for their musical bravery, intellectual creativity and diligence in writing and performing this level of vocal music. Guitarist Aaron Walters mirrored this well-trained yet genre-defying theme with his tasteful and seldom-simple chord progressions. This was best demonstrated on the hauntingly beautiful, finger-picked arpeggiation in the tune “Lullaby,” from the Early Bird EP. In reflecting on this young band, a much-loved, incredibly skilled “progressive” indie band was immediately brought to mind as similar in structure and writing style. The Dirty Projectors, an indie cult favorite, also base their songs on shared vocal harmonies between a soprano, alto, and tenor voice, the last of which (in both bands) happens to be the guitarist. Early Bird also followed suit with the Dirty Projectors in regards to their trans-genre songs, highly composed harmonies, and usage of intentional vocal dissonance. Bravo!

    Early Bird’s performance provided a seamless transition to Michelle Renee’s act, as every member of Early Bird (besides singer Katherine O’Leary) assisted in backing up Michelle for the full band experience of her debut album, Reflections. Michelle’s music was written in a folk/soul/singer-songwriter style, but as she worked with a full band to release her album, the sound evolved to incorporate undeniable rock/pop elements. This ensured that Michelle’s unique, soulful, rich, almost choral vocal parts were held up by a solid rhythm section, vocal harmonies and a rock ‘n’ soul energy that got folks dancing. Michelle’s songs were catchy, solidly performed, and included moments of sorrowful sweetness that shut the crowd up to the degree that you could hear a pin drop.

    Michelle came prepared with some secret weapons too, including “shredding” violin solos by guest musician Brandon Gosson, vocal harmonies by the angelic voice of Sheralyn Wellman, and cover collaborations with a petite young lady that made you ask, “did that just come out of her?”, Riley Mahan. Michelle teamed up with Sheralyn for a bluesy rendition of “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman and a high energy cover of “Long Train Running” by the Doobie Brothers.  She then passed the mic to Riley as she took the lead on covers of “Mercy” (Duffy), “Dock of the Bay” (Otis Redding) and “I Want You Back” (Jackson 5). Riley’s voice never fails to stun listeners, as her grasp of R&B/soul improvisation and runs (think young Aretha meets Winehouse), and her raw energy evoke the image of a singer far beyond the tender age of 19. At the apex of Michelle’s act, she re-took the lead with Sheralyn, and brought down the house with the classic CCR (and later Tina Turner) tune, “Proud Mary.” Michelle let out her sassy side for this tune by announcing to the crowd, “First we’re going to do it nice. Then, we’re going to do it nice and rough.” Michelle started with an innovative, almost eerie, ambient introduction. She then came in full-force with her sexy, soul-woman alto sound backed up by some rockin’ instrumentals. Tina would have done a double-take for sure.

    The third act was the Syracuse-born, party-proven, soul/roots-rock Reggae band, Root SHOCK. Root SHOCK was the perfect conclusion for a night of of female-led groups. Jessica Brown “came correct,” as she always does, with a mature, soul-shaking vocal strength, and a band that never fails to hit that funky groove right away. Although many folks that came to support Early Bird and Michelle Renee chose to leave after Michelle finished, everyone that has heard Root SHOCK knew better. Those that stayed were in store for a few hours of danceable, sing-a-long, soulful good music. And Root SHOCK delivered. Root SHOCK also knew that an audience relishes fun covers, so they made sure to include some greats, such as a reggae/ska version of Mike Snow’s “Animal,” the funky classic “Use Me” by Bill Withers, and for us local Reggae nerds, “Rough Cuddle” by Syracuse/NYC’s own Morning Sun and the Essentials.

    Besides playing some lovely music, Michelle Renee’s album debut party demonstrated the grace, drive, maturity and confidence characteristic of a veteran performer and musician. Besides orchestrating and organizing the whole thing herself, Michelle comfortably and humbly acknowledged the crowd and members of her band throughout the show, thanking them for their undying support and love. It was a heartwarming experience to witness her project and vision truly coming to fruition in all regards. Where there is a vision, there’s a way. Congrats Michelle!

  • Interview: Celebrating 20 Years With Lonestar

    We all have that one artist/group that no matter how many times you change out your playlist on your iPod, they always make the cut to the new playlist.  Lonestar is that group for me.  They have always been a favorite of mine, with an amazing 22 years in the business and celebrating their 20th Anniversary together as a group, I was extremely excited, and a tad nervous to be able to have a chance to do an interview with them at the Turning Stone Casino and Resort Showroom on their recent visit to Central New York.

    Lonestar - Turning Stone
    Lonestar – Turning Stone

    Kathy Stockbridge: Happy Anniversary you guys! Twenty years are amazing…what is that you guys credit as your secret to longevity?

    Lonestar: Beer and pizza…restraining orders…arm wrestling…lots of things…sense of humor mostly.

    KS: Exactly…think that’s it!! One of my favorite songs of yours is “I’m Already There”..tell me a little about the process of writing that, what it means to you, and how did it evolve?

    LS: ( Richie McDonald) It evolved out of the lives we live on the road away from our families and being gone. We had been gone about six weeks and I called home one night, and our kids were little back then, Brett was four and that sweet little voice says “Daddy When You Coming Home?” and that’s where the expression came from. Ya know, it’s a song we live night after night and we dedicate it to the men and women in our military.

    KS: Yes, the song evolved into a new meaning afterwards. It began as a song about your lives on the road and then after playing overseas for the military it took on a whole new meaning.

    LS: The song came out in 2001 right before 9/11 and they spend a lot more time away from their families than we do and it just made a connection with their families while being away.

    KS: It’s a beautiful song, true hit. Another favorite is “Front Porch Looking In” , one of my favorite videos.

    LS: That was Trey Fanjoy I believe. She had done “Amazed” for us and “Smile” also for us. Great director in Nashville, she shot out just past Leiper’s Fork in Nashville at the time seemed like in the middle of nowhere …we were going “where in the heck are we”, now I live somewhat close to there so it doesn’t seem so far out there any more. Such as great video because it allowed us to be outstanding in our field…we really were out standing in a field…but then they had that awesome house they filmed all the family scenes and stuff with the carrot top and all..then downtown Nashville they built a façade of the same house and the people are looking through it and see us in the field and then we’re in the city..it was a pretty cool concept.

    KS: You also did a best hits album where you did a cover of Marc Cohen’s “Walking in Memphis”. I absolutely love that song, …it’s along the same lines of your music…it’s heartfelt…talk t me a little about what made you choose that one?

    LS: The first two years we were together we played clubs and bars for four or five nights a week, and so we had four hours of music to play and that was one of the songs we would play right from the beginning. After we got our record deal we stopped doing all the cover songs, but cut to a few years later and we’re in Memphis, TN getting ready to do a benefit for St. Jude’s down on Beale Street, so during our soundcheck we thought this would be a good time to do “Walking in Memphis” because we were right there on Beale…so we started doing it. One of the label guys that was there for the St. Jude’s show said ya’ll should record that. We started doing it in our live shows, and it just became something we wanted to put out.

    KS: So you’ve done 20 years (as Michael whispers t me…22)..I mean 22 years of music, with hit after hit…is there any collaboration you would still like to do at this point in your careers?

    LS: With other writers?

    KS: Other writers, artists…you see a lot of inter mixing these days with rap and country and rock and country…did you do a Crossroads yet?

    LS: We’ve never done a Crossroads…we talked about doing one with Matchbox 20 but we couldn’t schedule it.

    KS: Oh…we need to do that.

    LS: You need to make that happen Kathy!! Any of the people on these walls (as they point to the posters at the Turning Stone of all the great artists that have played there)…(sure wish I could arrange it for them..would love to see that)

    KS: Okay..I’ll see what I can do!! Okay getting the sign that I need to wrap this up…do you guys mind doing my social speed round…a series of questions that have nothing to do with music and give insight into your lives as normal joes?

    LS: Sure

    KS: You are on the road and see this…you make the bus driver pull over.

    LS: Lotta Burger!!! (in unison)

    KS: If given the chance, your crew would say you are __________.

    LS: AWESOME!!!!! ..fun…witty..incredibly handsome…incredibly talented…demanding…(and a few others I promised to edit out )

    KS: What are you listening to on your iPod right now?

    LS: New Tom Petty album…the new Black Keys…

    KS: Most outrageous place you’ve played?

    LS: The Gorge…it wasn’t outrageous but it was incredible….outrageous would be the air craft carrier…USS Truman in Ft. Lauderdale..it was cool.

    Completing the interview, the guys took a moment to say hi to our readers and give their opinion on live music…

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8X2RW1-anE]

    After such a fun interview with what obviously is a fun-loving group of guys, I couldn’t wait to see their live performance. With a mix of their Grammy award-winning hits and some new music on the set list, it was bound to be a stellar performance.

    Opening with my personal favorites No News, Front Porch, and Mr. Mom, they came out of the gate strong. They were as personable with their audience as they had been with me, cracking jokes left and right. It was more than obvious to me why these four men had weathered the test of time. Not only were they amazing musicians, but they truly loved their audience and what they did.

    It was their new music though that really struck a chord with me. They are the most amazing songwriters and composers. My favorite new song has to be “Just The Rain”.  It is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. They write and compose the most beautiful ballads ever. They are so heartfelt. They say how we feel through music and words in a way that touches each of us as though they wrote the song personally for us. That is a gift. Writing catchy tunes is one thing, delivering heartfelt emotion, a whole different ballgame. It elevates them to a league all their own.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgDVLzKJUIs]

    As they began singing “Walking In Memphis” I was super stoked. Marc Cohen’s song was done absolute justice. Some songs when covered are good, but not right for those doing the cover. That was not the case in this instance. Their soulful rendition nailed it.

    As they closed the show with The Beatles “Get Back” they had the crowd on their feet dancing along and cheering for more as they left the stage. When they returned to the stage for the encore, Richie began to serenade the front table with their Grammy Award winning song, “Amazed”. It’s this personal touch that makes a really good show, a great show. It’s the interaction and connection of performer and audience that I look for when reviewing a show. A really great show makes that connection and makes their audience feel like they were part of the show.

    Lonestar - Turning Stone
    Lonestar – Turning Stone

    It was the final number though that really was the icing on the cake. They closed out their show with a mash-up of a rock medley that I have to say was the best closing numbers I’ve ever heard performed. With a mix of Pink Floyd’s, “Another Brick In the Wall” ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin,” Thin Lizzy’s “Boy’s Are Back in Town” and finishing it out with Kiss’s “Rock and Roll All Night” they demonstrated to me why they are Grammy award-winning artists and performers, as they incited the crowd and left them on a musical high that no drug could ever achieve.

    [FinalTilesGallery id=’39’]

    Set List:
    No News> Front Porch> Mr. Mom> If It Wasn’t For You> Coming Home> Mountains> Everything’s changed> Already There> Pretty Good Day> You Walked In> Tell Her> Just the Rain> Memphis Party All Day> What About Now> With Me> How Can She Be> Get Back/No News Reprise> Amaze> Rock Medley

  • String Cheese Incident Returns to Upstate

    A cover heavy jammin good time was had by a packed State Theater in Ithaca on Monday Nov. 10, the band’s first return to the Southern Tier since 2005.

    string cheese incident upstateOpening with a 10+ minute “Shine”, the audience was enthralled from the high energy exhibited from the band members. “Orange Blossom Special” emerged from a jammed out “So Far From Home,” while “Dirk > Jungle Boogie > Dirk” stood out as a highlight of the show, giving a nod to their performance at Lockn’ Festival with K.C. of K.C. and the Sunshine Band. A closing “Colorado Bluebird Sky” was the highest of notes to end on, full of jamgrassy goodness throughout the western anthem.

    Two songs stood out in the second set – the opener “BollyMunster” and off of the recent release Song in My Head, “Colliding”. I am still not sold on “BollyMunster,” simply because of its melting pot nature, featuring touches of bluegrass, Bollywood, and electronic as it just overwhelms what could be a stronger composition if stripped down slightly, even to an acoustic level. “Colliding,” however, wowed the audience with returns to the composition after a strong central jam. “Can’t Wait Another Day,” another track off Song in My Head, could easily transport you to a beach in the Caribbean, full of life and carefree dancing. “Outside and Inside” had a surprising inclusion of U2’s “Mysterious Ways,” catching the audience off guard but welcomed more than Songs of Innocence on their iPhones.

    The encore was a treat. Bill Nershi weaved his way through the semi-biographical “Jellyfish,” which ended up with two verses of Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritavilla” before moving into the closer “Black Clouds”. Their first time back in Upstate in nine years and String Cheese impressed the capacity crowd who were sent buzzing into the streets of Ithaca. Fortunately, this night’s show did not end early with the fire alarm being pulled. Back in October 2005, Bill Nershi made up for this faux pas by treating the fans to acoustic versions of “Bar Stool” and “Texas” in the street in front of the venue, but tonight the band would leave it all on the stage and the fans likewise would leave it all on the dance floor.

    Set 1: Shine > So Far From Home > Orange Blossom Special, Sweet Spot, Master Blaster (Jammin), Drums, Dirk > Jungle Boogie > Dirk, Colorado Bluebird Sky

    Set 2: BollyMunster, Miss Brown’s Teahouse > Chameleon > Miss Brown’s Teahouse, Colliding > Land’s End > Can’t Wait Another Day, Outside And Inside > Mysterious Ways > Outside And Inside

    Encore: Jellyfish > Margaritaville > Black Clouds

    String Cheese Incident continued their tour of NY with two nights at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th. The crowd was getting restless until, at last, SCI took the stage a little after 8:30 with no shoes on but big smiles. The show kicked off with “Search” featuring some killer dueling solos from percussionists Jason Hann and Michael Travis. Keeping up with the upbeat vibe, “Birdland” saw strong organ chords from Kyle Hollingsworth with light cymbal work making for a fusion of jazz and funk when adding Keith Moseley’s bass. Bill Nershi gives a consistent earthy folk sound on his acoustic guitar as he danced merrily around the stage with Michael Kang, providing high voltage on the electric guitar. “Sometimes a River” held the classic rock rhythm with an easy flowing country melody as the crowd happily sang back the lyrics with gusto. Performing the title song of their album, “Song in my Head” was a swirling and dizzying light tune with steady builds before turning into a dark jam as the melody suddenly dropped to the thunderous boom of Travis. The set ended with “Close Your Eyes” which was a harmonious and ferocious jam with an ethnic flair from Hann on bongos and old world plucking from Nershi.

    The second set was a nonstop roller coaster of dark space and psychedelic melodies, starting out with an awesome Caribbean cover of “This Must Be the Place” by Talking Heads. “Valley of the Jig” was an Irish Lord of the Dance show, but with a dark side of Mars vibe. Taking a moment to experience the here and now, Moseley shouted out “Happy 11/11!” at 11:11pm as the band appropriately went into the breezy cute ballad of “Smile”. Not too surprising given the reputation of The Cap, but the beginning notes of The Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” resulted in a full-out explosion of midnight madness. SCI must have been on Colorado time as the show went pretty late for a week night as the set closed out with a spooky “Desert Dawn.” The encore of “Restless Wind” summed up everything there is about String Cheese Incident. Kang’s fiddle work brought out their deep roots of bluegrass, Hollingsworth slammed on his keys, and the entire band lifted the crowd with rockitude. SCI was appreciative of the fans and the atmosphere of the venue as they repetitively thanked the crowd. Both shows are available for download on livecheese.com.

    Set 1: Search, Birdland, You’ve Got the World, Sometimes a River, Indian Creek, Song In My Head > Give Me the Love, Close Your Eyes

    Set 2 : This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) > It Is What It Is> Valley of the Jig, Smile, Joyful Sound> Shakedown Street> Desert Dawn

    Encore: Restless Wind

  • The Mule to buck the State Theatre on November 15

    Celebrating their first twenty years, Gov’t Mule will be stopping at the State Theatre in Ithaca, NY on November 15 in the midst of their celebratory anniversary tour to spread their unique organic brand of heavy rock and blues. In support of their 2013 LP Shout!, the concert is sure to feature recent Mule compositions in addition to a plethora of unique cover tunes and Mule classics from their genre twisting classic recordings.

    Following a preceding November 14 visit to The Palace Theatre in Albany, the Mule will be bringing the musical party to the Upstate masses in what is sure to be the usual incendiary Govt Mule musical display. The current tour reaches its conclusion in Ithaca, in what is guaranteed to be blow out finale for the band.

    Mule State TheatreTickets are available for $29.50-39.50 for the all age’s performance here. The concert will begin at 8:00 PM on November 15, 2014.

  • Bluegrass Legend Peter Rowan Brings Some First Class Music to Oneonta

    A dream come true for bluegrass aficionados, Peter Rowan will be bringing some good old-fashioned bluegrass music to Oneonta at the classy BSide Ballroom and Supper Club on Friday, Nov. 14. Bringing old-time music to our ears for over five decades, Peter Rowan always impresses audiences with the unique touches he adds to an otherwise traditional style. Having played with fellow well-respected musicians spanning across several styles of music, including Bill Monroe during his time playing with the Bluegrass Boys and Jerry Garcia while performing with Old and In the Way, Peter Rowan also delights fans with solo performances all over the world, and can sometimes be found rock(abilly)ing out with The Free Mexican Air Force. For those looking for some real tradition this Friday night, head on over to BSide Ballroom and be treated to an intimate performance by Grammy-winning recording legend Peter Rowan.

    The show will be starting at 7:00PM, but come early if you can and indulge in a scrumptious meal consisting of fresh, quality seasonal cuisine served up in the restaurant right inside the club! Tickets for this event cost $32 in advance/$38 at the door. Reservations for this event are strongly suggested, as seats are filling up quickly for this one!

    peter rowan oneontaAfter the Oneonta show, Peter Rowan will be making an additional stop in Upstate New York on Saturday night, Nov. 15, when he will be performing at The Egg in Albany. He will also be making an appearance in Bay Shore, NY on Nov. 20. Make sure to give yourself the chance to see him perform when he’s in your town, as Rowan is a bluegrass legend in the truest sense of the word.

  • Mark Doyle’s ‘Guitar Noir’ Scheduled at O.C.C. on November 22

    Jazz Fest founder and producer, Frank Malfitano, has announced the Syracuse Jazz Fest has added a fifth concert to its series. Mark Doyle’s Guitar Noir Project has been added to the sixth Annual Legends of Jazz Series at O.C.C. on Saturday, November 22 at 7:30 pm in the college’s new Recital Hall.

    mark doyle's guitar noirAfter a sold-out performance in May at The Auburn Public Theater, then sharing the Syracuse Jazz Fest 32 stage with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue in July, this will be the final appearance of Guitar Noir until April 2015. Unlike the previous shows, the string quintet will be featured for two full sets as the 10-piece ensemble presents the full In Dreams album in set one, then reprise some of the funkier R&B numbers they brought down the Jazz Fest house with in set two. As always, Doyle never rests on his laurels and he has several surprises up his musical sleeve for the audience at O.C.C.

    Doyle says, “We wanted to do an intimate show in Syracuse, I’m grateful to Frank for suggesting O.C.C.’s new recital hall – I really didn’t want to wait until next April to perform again with this project. And as the nights get longer and we head toward winter, the Noir concept really starts to take on an added dimension.” Malfitano went on to say that the project was simply too stellar to lay dormant over the winter months. “Mark, as everyone knows, is a Legend, and a seven-time SAMMY winner and SAMMYS hall-of-famer who is equally adept at Blues, Rock, Pop and Jazz, but this dectet chamber/jazz/rock ensemble is a very special and unique project that really deserves to be seen in its entirety. Because of time limitations at Jazz Fest we were only able to scratch the surface of this amazing presentation this past summer, so presenting it in its entirety in late November was simply too irresistible an opportunity to pass up.”

    The November 22 concert at O.C.C. will feature guitarist Mark Doyle’s critically acclaimed Guitar Noir Project, which features a core quintet composed of Doyle and Terry Quill on guitars, Bill DiCosimo on keyboards, Edgar Pagan on bass, and Joshua Dekaney on drums, along with a five-piece Guitar Noir String Ensemble comprised of Ally Brown, Shelby Dems, and Leila Dean on violins, Claire Marie Wilcox on viola and Kate LaVerne on cello.

    Doyle’s incredibly varied career began as a child prodigy jazz pianist before seeing The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. His first band ‘Jukin’ Bone’ was signed to RCA when he was in his late teens and produced two albums that were labeled by Creem magazine as “seminal classics of early ’70s hard rock.” He served as lead guitarist/arranger/right-hand man for David Werner, Andy Pratt and Cindy Bullens performing band-leader duties on many tours with them besides numerous sessions with the likes of Hall and Oates, Judy Collins, Leo Sayer and many others. The ’80s found him doing several world tours and television appearances as lead guitarist for Meatloaf and adding a shiny disc to his studio wall by arranging and singing background vocals on “Straight From The Heart’ with Bryan Adams. A move to Boston brought Mark another direction as String Arranger for most of Maurice Starr’s acts including New Kids On The Block, Tiffany and The Stylistics also contributing his production skills and immeasurable musical prowess to each. After a stint in Japan playing keys and acoustic guitar for the Epic/SONY and Pioneer labels, Mark returned to Syracuse and concentrated on his internationally critically acclaimed solo career while producing and performing regionally. His Guitar Noir and Out Of The Past CDs, along with his double CD/DVD release Solstice At The Cathedral bridge his multifaceted influences and talents, leading to more current work with his blues/rock band Mark Doyle and The Maniacs which is his ongoing guitar project. Doyle is also performing select Opera House concerts as guitarist/pianist and band leader with Mary Fahl (former lead singer of October Project) who recently released, Live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House, reviewed on these pages and previously issued ‘From The Dark Side Of The Moon’ a reinterpretation of Pink Floyd’s classic album in 2011. A long-awaited follow-up to Guitar Noir in In Dreams: Guitar Noir II, plus three studio Maniacs issues, one live CD, a live DVD and a behind-the-scenes DVD have kept Doyle at the top of his game, but if you know the man at all, he doesn’t really know any other way.

    Tickets for this first-ever full Syracuse performance by Guitar Noir are priced at $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the show, and are on sale now (cash only!) at Sound Garden in Armory Square, located at 312 West Jefferson Street, Syracuse. Only 150 tickets will be sold for this event, so get your tickets early and don’t get left out as many did at The Auburn Public Theater show.