Turkuaz, a fun filled funk band out of Brooklyn, NY who are infamous for their matching jumpsuits are playing at The Westcott Theatre in Syracuse on December 11. This large family consists of 8 members; Dave Brandwein on guitar and vocals, Taylor Shell play the bass, Craig Brodhead on guitar and synths, Michelangelo Carubba on drums, Greg Sanderson plays saxophone, Joshua Schwartz also on saxophone and vocals, Chris Brouwers trumpet and keyboard, lastly Sammi Garett, vocals and tambourine. Despite the size of the band, these multi-talented musicians have a unique chemistry amongst themselves. This celebration starts on Thursday, December the 11 at 8pm. Annie in the Water and Ocupanther open up the night. Get your tickets here.
Category: Syracuse
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OMG, DSO! Dark Star Orchestra at the Westcott Theater
In my entire college career, I can’t say I’ve witnessed the Westcott Theater to its full, maximum capacity. Sure, they bring in big names every week that bring in hundreds of people in to listen, but this DSO concert was my first time experiencing difficulty locating my entourage through crowds of dancing bears…I mean, people.
Dark Star Orchestra has quite the reputation for delivering vast glory through their extensive tour history, with shows ranging from The Palace Theatre to the Best Buy Theater, and the creation of their own music festival, Dark Star Jubilee, in Ohio. Somewhere in between a tribute band and the Grateful Dead themselves, this seven member masterpiece consisting of Rob Barraco on keys and vocals, Rob Eaton on guitar and vocals, Dino English on drums, Lisa Mackey on vocals, Jeff Mattson on lead guitar and vocals, and Skip Vangelas on bass and vocals, have combined forces to create a clean, vibrant, and expressive sound that kept your whole body moving as you jammed to songs of your earlier years.
Based on my little knowledge of past Grateful Dead setlists (sorry guys, I’m a baby), I guessed that either “Casey Jones” or “Alabama Getaway” would kickoff the show. That’s why when “Casey Jones” started things off, I freaked out for a second. In a yelling cheer, the whole audience commenced as a choir to sing along to the Dead’s hit tune, and the energy from the band was ever so present to match. To make me even more excited, DSO played my favorite Dead tune, “Hell In A Bucket” right after, making my jaw drop once again. There’s no doubt that this group has been around for a good long while, with their almost second-nature musical blend, incorporation of solo instruments, and attention to detail. I also kept watching Barraco, wishing that I could master the art of piano rhythmic syncopations between hands that he clearly has mastered.Finishing up their fall tour, Dark Star Orchestra has interesting tour spots ahead, including Jamaica. Luckily, if you live on the East Coast, you can see them live at the 89 North Music Venue in Patchogue on December 11, Garcia’s at the Capitol Theatre in Portchester on December 17 or at The Paramount in Huntington on December 3o and New Year’s Eve. Be sure to also check out their Facebook Page and follow them on twitter @darkstarorch.
Set 1: Casey Jones, Hell In A Bucket, Jack-A-Roe, El Paso, Loose Lucy, Tom Thumb Blues, When I Paint My Masterpiece, West L.A. Fadeaway, My Brother Esau, Rubin And Cherise
Set 2: Keep On Growing, Victim Or The Crime, Crazy Fingers, Saint Of Circumstance, Terrapin Station, So Many Roads, All Along The Watchtower, Tangled Up In Blue
Encore: Overseas Stomp, New Orleans
photos by Alex Hamer
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The SAMMYS – Syracuse Area Music Awards Open Submissions for Their 2015 Edition
The 2015 Syracuse Area Music Awards, The SAMMYS, have opened submissions for the annual celebration of music and music history in Central NY.
This year’s event will be held at the spectacular Palace Theater in Eastwood, NY on Friday, March 6th at 7:00 pm. Live musical performances by area favorites, Grupo Pagan, Ruddy Well Band, Joanne Shenandoah and more will highlight the event. As has become tradition, their SAMMYS Hall Of Fame Induction ceremony will precede the main event on Thursday, March 5th, upstairs at The Dinosaur BBQ in downtown Syracuse. Both events sold-out in 2014, tickets will be on sale in February, 2015.
Submissions for consideration must be in a CD format only, with the official submission form that is available here along with all of the important instructions. Recordings released between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 are eligible, artists must be located in a 60 (sixty) mile radius of Syracuse. The deadline for submissions to be considered by the SAMMYS panel of judges is January 5, 2015.
The ever-popular “People’s Choice” awards submission/nomination period kicks off a bit later on January 1, 2015 and runs through January 13, 2015. The public is encouraged to participate and nominate their favorite local music artist, local music venue and local music series or festival for voting by the general public. Weekly online voting is set to begin on January 14, 2015. Thousands of local music fans and artists participate annually with last year’s winners being The Ruddy Well Band and Shifty’s (venue).
The SAMMYS Committee is proud to announce the World of Beer as the 2015 Title Sponsor. As well as recognize the support of WSYR-TV 9 & their Bridge Street program, 105.9 The Rebel, 93Q, 95X , New Country-WOLF 105.1, SubCat Music Studios, The Post Standard and Syracuse.com.
Keep up with all of the SAMMY announcements on Facebook and on Twitter and on their website.
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Syracuse’s Ben Mauro Album Release This Weekend at The Palace
It has been a pleasure over the last year to work with Ben Mauro. A native of Syracuse, Ben has followed his dream all over the world playing music along with some of the greatest musicians ever. Currently touring with Lionel Richie, Ben has had the opportunity to work together with some major stars in the business such as Kelly Clarkson, Brittany Spears, and John Fogerty to just name a few.
Lionel Richie – Saratoga Performing Arts Center Over the last year Ben has been working on some of his own music. At an EP Release party back in May, Ben shared a taste of what was to come to a sold out crowd at Shifty’s. The music was awesome, and left listeners in high anticipation for the final release. Home for the holidays, Ben’s album release is finally here. At The Palace Theater this Saturday, December 6, fans will finally be able to get their copy of this talented musicians final cut.
Ben Mauro Album Release Joining Ben on stage will be the SAMMY Award winning backup band, Phoenix Eleven, who also are on hiatus from touring. With Greg “Goose” LaPoint on drums, Joe Grosvent on bass, and Max McKee on guitar and vocals, they will be joined by special guests Deyquan and Yajha Bowens on keyboards and vocals, Al Cutri on saxophone and lifelong friends Peter McMahon and Paulie Cerra.
Phoenix Eleven – Ben Mauro Album Release Tickets can be purchased on his website or at the door, if still available. Don’t wait to the last minute to share this special evening with Syracuse’s finest musicians in celebration of music and holiday cheer.
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Dark Star Orchestra set to raise the Dead at the Westcott Theater
Following their tradition of “continuing the Grateful Dead concert experience,” Dark Star Orchestra is back on the road, making a short stop at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater on December 1st.
For anyone who knows this 7 member tribute band extraordinaire, listening to their limited discography is just not enough to achieve the full DSO experience. They’ve extensively toured since their start in 1997, hitting up venues across the globe with the hopes of sharing the energetic spirit and fresh improvisational musicality that the Grateful Dead started so many years ago. It is this experience that breaks DSO apart from the cover band realm, giving them the musical flexibility and large following they have today.While fans that attend a DSO should certainly be prepared to rock out to extensive Grateful Dead repertoire, DSO has a way of throwing in some surprises here and there, attributing to the Beatles and sometimes, Bob Marley. One thing I can say for sure is, you will not leave this concert on a sad note.
Make sure you head over to the Westcott around 7pm, and purchase your tickets online or at the door for $25. Make sure you follow DSO’s updates on their website and Facebook page, and come channel your inner dancing bear to kickoff this December!
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Animals as Leaders to play at The Westcott December 2
On December 2, Animals as Leaders will take to the stage at Syracuse’s Westcott Theatre. This progressive metal band consists of three very talented members, Tosin Abasi, Javier Reyes and Matt Garstka, with the bands’ sound being something of an experimental jazz infused technical metal. MetalSucks has ranked Animals as Leaders Guitarist Tosin Abasi as number 2 on their list of modern metal’s top guitarists and he will surely grace Syracuse’s Westcott with his 8 string guitar. The trio released The Joy of Motion earlier this year and hopefully it will be celebrated on Tuesday night. The show starts at 8 pm with three bands including Monuments, Turn the Tide, and How to Disappear Completely.
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Country Superstars Announce Syracuse show at Oncenter War Memorial
In a very special press release this morning, the Oncenter together with AEG Live will bring the One Night Live tour to the Syracuse Oncenter War Memorial Arena January 22, 2015. Country superstars Lee Brice and Chris Young will be joined by the Osborne Brothers in what is expected to be one of the years best live shows in Central New York.Tickets to the show will go on sale Friday, December 5 at noon. Tickets to the show cost $41.50, $37 and $31.50 (additional fees may apply); they will be available in person at the Solvay Bank Box Office at The Oncenter (760 S. State Street), charge by phone 315.435.2121 or online via Ticketmaster.com.
Brice released his debut album, Love Like Crazy, in 2009. The title track reached #3 on the Billboard Country chart and set a record as the longest-charting song in that chart’s history. In 2012, he topped his own success with Hard 2 Love, an album that went Gold and featured three #1 Country singles, including “I Drive Your Truck,” which won Song of the Year at both the CMA and ACM Awards. The record earned raves from NPR to Country Weekly and found the New York Times hailing him as “a sensitive macho man,” a compliment that perfectly encapsulates both sides of Brice’s persona. Hard 2 Love also garnered Lee his late-night debut with a stirring performance of “I Drive Your Truck” on NBC’s “The Tonight Show.” Brice took it a step further on his latest album, I Don’t Dance, relishing the role of producer with flair of experimentation. For more information on Lee Brice, visit www.leebrice.com .
Young released his self-titled debut album in 2006. The album produced two singles on the Billboard Country chart: “Drinkin’ Me Lonely” and “You’re Gonna Love Me.” He released his second album, The Man I want to Be, in 2009; from this album the singles “Voices,” “Gettin’ You Home” and the title track all went #1. Young’s third album, Neon, produced two more number one hits: “Tomorrow” and “You” in 2011 along with the Top 20 hit “I Can Take It From There” in 2012. Most recently, Young’s 2013 album, A.M., has produced three Top 5 hits: “Aw Naw,” “Who I Am with You” and “Lonely Eyes.” For more information on Chris Young, visit www.chrisyoungcountry.com.
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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.
Take 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.
The 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.
