It’s been eight years or so since I last saw Drive by Truckers, the Athens, Georgia rockers led by Patterson Hood, and while they stood out at my last experience seeing them, Sunday Oct. 19 at The Egg Performing Arts Center was a different case. While the band was louder than expected, the vocals kept the focus on the instruments.
Drive by Truckers play both kinds of southern rock – ballads and straight fire rockers. They flip-flopped between the two throughout the night, notably played a Franz Ferdinand-esque “Where the Devil Don’t Stay” followed by “The Opening Act” a slow number that found Hood channeling Van Morrison’s vocals. The at times feisty crowd cheered for “The Opening Act” which Hood previewed as a ‘different kind of song for a different kind of room,’ this being their first time at The Egg.
Keyboardist Jay Gonzalez shone throughout the night, a steady highlight in every way, especially on a song that could have been pulled from Tom Waits’ catalog. A honky-tonk song became story time/spoken word with Hood carrying on a ramble like Jerry Joseph or Arlo Guthrie on an extended “Alice’s Restaurant”.
The encore break resulted in four additional songs – Hood channeling Janis Joplin followed by “Bulldozers and Dirt” the song that garnered the most approval from fans and the most recognizable song of the evening. A ballad/rocker followed, then a fair amount of extended jamming ensued on the finale; each band member looping their instrument as they walked off stage, one at a time. By the time the house lights came up, a lackluster performance was the main takeaway this evening
Coming to BSP in Uptown Kingston, NY are three bands that have been turning heads all over the country and the world for one night only. White Fence released For the Recently Found Innocent this past July and have garnered nothing but raves reviews Tim Presley, who records under the name, has used a lo-fi and psychedelic sound throughout his career to weave in and out of the listeners ears. This latest record sees him re-team with Ty Segall to produce a beautiful set of elaborately crafted songs, harmony vocalizations and trippin’ guitar tones that conjure a fantasy about reality.
Joining White Fence will be Austrlia’s own King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. These psychedelic garage rockers have also been receiving high praise from the music community and as of this month have released seven albums in three years. The prolific seven piece band were brought together through living in a share house and their mutual love for Pavement and Three Oh Sees. Each album the band has released has increased their psychedelic prowess and have given them an opportunity to reach more people. They have been dubbed a tour de force of reverberated rock ‘n’ roll and these guys and they deliver to a tee at their shows.
Opening the show is Juan Wauters who released his debut album N.A.P, North American Poetry and dreamed big throughout the album. He came to New York to live with his father and they worked in factories together to bring the rest of the family to New York. Juan’s lyrics have continuously looked to take dreams and turn them into reality. With a various cast of musicians and a great light show live, he should be a great start to the show.
The show starts 9 PM sharp and only costs $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets can be bought now here. Don’t miss out on the psychedelic rock that is going to take over BSP this Thursday. It won’t be long until all three of these bands outgrow a venue as small as BSP.
In the face of happenings in Ferguson, MO and a national media seemingly hellbent on sensationalizing every unfortunate interaction between a civilian and officer it’s easy to forget that most of these guys (and gals) selflessly put their lives on the lines every day to protect our liberties. That’s their job. And on the night of September 23, Rochester Police Department officer Daryl Pierson was doing nothing more than his job when he was murdered in the line of duty trying to apprehend a subject.
Since then the community of Rochester has come out in droves for the Pierson family and RPD with multiple benefits, donations, and a simply breath-taking display of support at a massive service at the Blue Cross Arena attended by seemingly every officer and dignitary in a 100 mile radius. The love will continue this Dec. 6 at the Main Street Armory with a benefit night filled with some well-known and up and coming hard rocking entertainment.
Headlining the event is life long Rochester native and songwriter Hall of Fame member Lou Gramm. Well known as the long time “Juke Box Hero” for classic rock heavy weight Foreigner, Lou has been fronting his own band since leaving Foreigner for good in 2003. With a set list heavily weighted with Foreigner classics and a mix of his own solo material Lou commanded a huge audience at this past years Xerox International Jazz Festival (Check out our gallery of XRIJF Lou Gramm unreleased photos below) and no doubt will bring a lot of fans to this charity event.
Steve Augeri is best known for being the first “official” replacement singer for Steve Perry in everyone’s favorite sing-a-long group Journey. Now off with his own group, fans should expect to hear a ton of that former bands repertoire which is back loaded with some of the most heartwarming songs of all time. I can’t imagine their will be a dry eye in the house during “Don’t Stop Believin’” or “Faithfully”.
Two band’s demise became one bands journey – up and coming bands Abandoned Buildings Club and Velvet Elvis both bit the dust in 2013 and those that continued joined forces as King Buffalo. Featuring deep grooves with a heavy background overlaid with psychedelic vocals and a fantastic rhythm section, this band has gathered a ton of buzz and will make a lot of new fans for a great cause this night.
Also joining the fun will be Download – Rochester’s favorite hard rock cover band – and Rainline, who gathered some new fans of their own playing their heavy hitting originals at the 2012 Lilac Festival. Tickets are 20$ and are available on Ticketfly, at the House of Guitars, or Aaron’s Alley. All proceeds will benefit the Pierson family. Come on out and pay tribute to one of Rochester’s hero’s, why wouldn’t you?
Lou Gramm band LIVE at Xerox International Jazz festival
Two of Upstate’s own, Aqueous and Formula 5, took the stage October 11 for a night of tight improvisational jams with covers and original music at The Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs. Both bands brought their dance groove to festivals all over Upstate this year such as Catskill Chill and Peach Music Fest with both appearing at Backwoods Pondfest.
Formula 5 kicked off the night with their classic energetic “Excalibur” before gearing straight into a funky rocking “Earthbound Tim” from their new latet album Edging on Catastrophe. Bringing up Aqueous guitarist Dave Loss for the Talking Heads cover “Uh Oh Love Comes to Town” brought out the best in the band as they helped stretch the melody. “Nu-Gen” showcased psychedelic spacey keys from Mike McDonald, astounding guitar work from Joe Davis on “Coming Home” before going straight back into “Nu-Gen”. Formula 5 will be headed up to the North Country of Plattsburgh on Nov 15th and The Hollow in Albany on Nov 28th with The Heavy Pets.
Setlist: Excalibur -> Earthbound Tim, Uh Oh Love Comes to Town*, Nu-Gen -> Coming Home -> Nu-Gen, Catch Me, Music Never Stopped
* w/ Dave Loss of Aqueous on guitar, Talking Heads cover, “Strange Times” (Aqueous) teases
The four piece groove rock band Aqueous has been getting fans excited for their new album Cycles, coming out October 25, making the crowd eager to hear some fresh and original tunes. The soft keys from Dave Loss of “Staring into the Sun” started the set before the song took a dark turn with strong rifts from Mike Gantzer and wailing in sync vocals before diving into a psychedelic “Origami”. As the night progressed, so did the music with nonstop segues of climactic buildups and genre fusion. Drummer and newest member to the group Ryan Nogle proved to be a great fit as he put a unique touch to the familiar rhythm of Aqueous. Evan McPhaden dropped steady deep bass notes during The Police’s “Synchronicity II” and the night ended with guitarist Joe Davis of Formula 5 joining in for extra rock voltage on “The Median”. Catch Aqueous all over Upstate this week with The Mantras in Ithaca, Rochester and Buffalo for their official album release party on the 25th at Iron Works.
Setlist: Staring into the Sun > Origami, 20/20, Random Company > Synchronicity II > The Median*
In typical jam band fashion, hundreds of deadheads and hula hoopers gathered outside the Westcott Theater doors Wednesday night with great excitement to witness Twiddle and Papadosio (or Papadiddle, as I like to call it).
With a strong opening, Twiddle brought a variety of tunes from their album Somewhere On the Mountain , as well as a cover of “Big Country” by Bela Fleck and The Flecktones. In order, their setlist consisted of continuous jams with songs like “Polluted Beauty,” “Gatsby the Great,” “When It Rains It Pours” and “Frankenfoote”. I’m also pretty sure they threw in a Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” somewhere in there, too.
With a well blended sound system and impressive light show, nobody could stand still, let alone sit on the Westcott’s new keg benches and tables. Along with their signature quirky hats and long flowing hair, band members Brook Jordan, Zdenek Gubb, Ryan Dempsey, and Mihali Savoulidis celebrated their Upstate stop on their Chilled Monkey Brains Fall Tour, dating from October 10 when they commenced in Charlottesville and plan to conclude the tour on November 26th in Fairfield, CT. If you’re in the Buffalo, Albany, or Connecticut area in the upcoming months, make sure you check out their fall tour dates and make sure you experience the greatness that is Twiddle.
The blackout right before Papadosio’s entrance was one of the most chilling feelings I’ve gotten in Syracuse, not including the arctic tundra we get every winter. As the crowd cheered, a LCD screen abruptly lit up with a collection of nature, art, and historical images in a sequence to accompany the band’s startup jam. Along with their collection of songs from Day & Night(Live) commencing a dance party throughout the audience, the vibrant visual effects took us on an uplifting adventure. My highlight had to be when they performed “Cloud Found”, with their silhouettes faded to black while images of mountains and clouds filled the background of their set.
With the release of their 2009 album Observations, their 2012 album T.E.T.I.O.S., and their 2014 release of Day & Night (Live), Papadosio certainly had some repertoire to choose from. With only a few years under their belt, this dynamic group has sailed through multiple prestigious festivals and venues, and have undergone their Imaginal Cells Tour, which only hits Upstate New York one final time on October 22 if you’re in the Buffalo area. If you’re prepared to experience the transcendental music of Ohio’s premier experimental band, make sure you see them live. Otherwise, keep up with their upcoming events at news at their Facebook and Twitter page.
If you have yet to hear the collective talent from the funkiest group in the world, you’re sadly missing out. Although they’ve been around now for damn near twenty years, Lettuce is that elusive band that once you hear, you don’t know how you’ve lived without. Everything from their extremely tight and infectious rhythms thrown down by drummer Adam Deitch and bassist Jesus Coomes, to the offset melodies that just reek of funky hooks is what makes this band so dope. No matter where you look, there’s a diverse mix of talent who all bring their own flavor to their otherwise flavorless name. Maybe that’s part of the thing that gets people. With a somewhat unsuspecting name, you’re instantly gripped by the music that just feels so right.
This Thursday, Lettuce is making their way to the area as they make a stop at Water Street Music Hall in Rochester. The band played Buffalo earlier this year in February, and for the sold out crowd that was present, there wasn’t a still body in the place. From wall to wall, the band seduced the audience through nothing but sound and their feel-good energy.
The band began their fall tour at the beginning of October and over the course of the last couple of weeks has excited their devoted fans as they’re feeding off of the energy and excitement of playing some new music. Their last record, Fly, was released back in 2012, and to say people are eager to hear something new from this group would be an understatement. Already, the band has played at least three new songs on this tour, so fans should expect something they’ve yet to hear. The band is locking in and the new material has provided fuel to this funky fire. If you’ve been following their live journal, you know the guys are feeling it with segments like the following:
Schmeeans (guitar): We came, we saw, we raged. And we had a great show, we played a brand new song for the very first time tonight, never ever done before, can’t ever be the first time again. Only one first time baby.
Neal (keyboard/organ): The coolest thing about tonight is if you’re in Baton Rouge tonight and you witness this show with Lettuce and Gramatik at The Varsity, we are dropping brand new music that’s never been heard, and I think people are gonna bug out cause we’re bugging out. We’re having such a great time and this is only day three. This is gonna be an incredible tour.
Deitch (drums): Tonight in Tuscaloosa was off the chain. We added a new song that we’re calling for now “The Big Anthem,” and it felt really big and powerful for the first time, we’re really excited to have added that. And then we played another song that Shmeeans and I wrote in Harlem entitled “Chief,” played that again and it was even better tonight. The new songs are infusing a lot of energy into our sets, and when we’re excited you know the crowd’s gonna be excited, so we feel like they got it tonight.
Want to know how fresh this material is? Check out Krasno’s log in the diary about a new song he heard a day prior to playing:
Krasno (guitar): It’s always fun to play new stuff super fresh, its way fresh for me because I didn’t play it till today pretty much.
Casual fan or dedicated one, there’s no reason why this tour specifically isn’t one of the most exciting the band has ever been on and luckily Rochester’s in their sights. Their Emo’s show in Austin, TX last week was streamed, and while it was choppy, the new music was somehow crisp and full of that typical Lettuce RAGE. If you don’t have your ticket yet, you’re going to want to grab one quickly here.
Capital Region, consider this your “Courtesy Call.” Get ready to throw up your “Rawkfist” Upstate N.Y. Thousand Foot Krutch is bringing their fall “Born This Way” tour to the Capital Region. The tour was named after the lead single off their brand new eighth studio album OXYGEN : INHALE. Supporting acts for the 19-date tour will be We As Human, Righteous Vendetta, and in select cities, Like A Storm.
TFK was formed in Canada in 1995. The band started seeing success in 2002 with the current lineup of Trevor McNaven, Joel Bruyere and Steve Augustine. Country megastar Carrie Underwood is a huge fan and performed the song “Let the Sparks Fly” live on stage with the boys at Winter Jam in Tulsa, Oklahoma. TFK has toured with many big names in rock music such as Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, Red and Chevelle.
The band’s sound is a fusion of Christian Rock meets Rap Metal, mixing melodic and high energy songs with slick verses and very catchy choruses and hooks.
TFK with Carrie Underwood
Ready to “Strike Back” and help support the tour is Memphis, Tennessee’s We As Human. The band has been touring relentlessly all year and it looks like they are not ready to stop yet. The band has recently toured with Black Stone Cherry and were part of Rock On The Range, K-Rockathon, Rocklahoma and were also on last years Carnival Of Madness.
Righteous Vendetta will bring “The Fire Inside” every venue on the tour. After Vendetta’s song “This Pain” was played on Sirius/XM Octane, the Wyoming natives have hit a lot of rock music fans radars and have also appeared on numerous tours. They’re an awesome up and coming rock band.
Clifton Park you better “Move” and get your tickets before everything “Falls Apart“. TFK will make their rare appearance in the area on Wednesday Oct. 22 at Upstate Concert Hall. Doors open at 7pm and show starts at 8pm. Advanced tickets are $17 and $20 day of show. You can purchase tickets at all Ticketmaster locations, the club box office 371-0012 and Northern Lights Smoke Shop.
Rochester will also see the tour on Tuesday Oct. 21 at The California Brew Haus. Tickets for this show can be purchased through ticketfly for $20. The event is 18 and older.
The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame might not read like a who’s who of popular music artists, but like the city’s well-known blue-collar values, the majority of inductees have put in their blood, sweat, and tears into a craft and passion while likely making enough to get to the next gig. The integrity and legacy that the group stands upon is just another reason I am personally proud to be a Buffalonian.
This year, the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame inducted eighteen new members in its 32nd year. The nomination is based on their overall impact, versatility, and longevity in the Western New York music community. Of those inductees includes people who touch music from all angles, but with a common thread of calling Buffalo home at one point or another. The list this year included a wide variety, as it always does, including performers and producers to teachers and the president of VH1. Also in that list is someone whom I personally respect as he is the voice of the city for all of the talent, and lack there of, that plays shows in and around the area. I am talking about Buffalo News Music Critic Jeff Miers who doesn’t just critique, but plays himself and has been involved in the city’s music scene for many years now. I got the chance to speak with Jeff on his induction and his overall view of Buffalo’s resurgence in the realm of music.
Jeremiah Shea: What was it like hearing the news that you were going to be inducted this year?
Jeff Miers: It was a total thrill, to be honest. What incredible company to be in!
I moved to Buffalo during the summer of 1990, after graduating from SUNY Fredonia. I came here to join a Buffalo band that had just started out, called the Tails. I’d met Nelson Starr, who was the singer and principal songwriter with the band, at Fredonia, and we’d become really close, to the point where we’d formed a band to perform around the campus and in town while we were there. At the same time, he and the rest of the guys in the Tails were playing gigs in Buffalo during the summer, when everyone came back from their respective colleges.
I grew up first in Massachusetts, and then later, in the Saratoga/Albany area. There was not much happening there musically, at the time. So after we graduated from Fredonia, the Tails asked me to join. When I came to Buffalo, I was amazed by the level of talent here, and psyched to be in a band that gigged regularly in town, and could build an audience by playing original music.
Buffalo felt like home to me right away, and now, with the Hall of Fame honor, I really feel like Buffalo has embraced me, in the same way I’ve embraced it.
JS: Walk us through your career in a highlight reel sort of way and explain some of the things that you are most proud of contributing to the Buffalo music scene.
JM: I’ll start with the musical side of the equation. I’m really proud of the work we did with the Tails. I loved that band – and we were truly a band, a group of brothers with total belief in our music and commitment to each other. It was wonderful to be a part of the burgeoning independent music scene in the mid 90s, and I feel we helped to pave the way for some of the more progressive, jam-oriented, and indie bands that followed us. We had a great 11-year run.
I joined with the Dollywatchers after the Tails broke up in 2001, and working with that band was rewarding. Terry Sullivan, the singer and frontman, was already a legend on the Buffalo music scene by that point, and I loved performing and writing with him and the rest of the band – Howard Wilson, Kent Weber and Mikel Doktor, all of whom contributed greatly to the Buffalo music community. We played Mohawk Place a lot during that time, and being a part of that whole scene while it was really booming was an honor.
I started writing about music in 1993, in alternative weekly papers, and covered the local music scene from that point forward. When The Buffalo News hired me in 2002, I was firm in my belief that I could really shine a direct spotlight on the talent in the city and surrounding areas. I truly believe that we have something special here, and I’ve done my very best to celebrate that fact in my writing. I always treat local artists the same way I treat national and international artists. It has always been important to me to avoid patronizing local musicians. They are good enough to be judged by the same standards as an artist signed to major label..
Having said all of that, the single thing I’m most proud of is my mentoring of young talent in the area. The next generation of local musicians is pretty much blowing my mind with their talent, the variety of their taste in music, their knowledge of music history and the best present-day music, and their ability to push the music forward. I’m proud to have worked with a lot of these young musicians, because they represent the future, not the past.
Jeff Miers pictured left with award in hand
JS: Even with a music career full of achievements and a solid understanding of good music, you’re still questioned from time to time on your point of view. Most recently, your Brand New review seemed to ruffle some feathers. What would you say to those who questioned your critique of the band?
JM: The first response, of course, is ‘Let’s agree to disagree; My stating my own opinion and arguing to back up that opinion does not negate your own opinion’.
But beyond that, when things start getting heated, and people can become genuinely nasty and confrontational, I try to remind them that a music critic’s job is not to review how much the crowd was into a particular artist, or how many albums they may have sold, or whatever. It’s about the music. It’s not about how much fun you had with your friends at the show. I’m not there to review a fan’s good time.
And none of it should ever be taken as some sort of personal attack. People are always welcome to “critique the critic,” so to speak. And very many people understand that all of this is about generating thought and discourse about music, which is always a good thing. There will always be those fans who simply can’t tolerate a single negative criticism of their favorite band. I get it. But I have a very clear idea of what my job is.
JS: Growing up in the Buffalo music scene and now being THE music critic in the city, who would be in your list of unsung heroes the city has produced that just don’t get the same exposure as the Goo Goo Dolls and Rick James?
JM: Right away, you have to say moe.! I’m always amazed that this band isn’t mentioned in the same breath as some of the more mainstream acts who’ve done well coming out of Buffalo. The story of moe. is a story of true independent spirit and the spreading of grass-roots support through constant touring and hard work. They were the first big jam band to come out of Buffalo, and you can so clearly see their influence on the current generation of Buffalo jam bands who are making a name for themselves – Aqueous, Funktional Flow, Universe Shark, and others.
Other folks who don’t get mentioned as often – Ani DiFranco, who isn’t exactly under the radar, but still, is clearly an excellent representative of the Buffalo music scene’s true independent spirit. And then there are so many bands that never got “huge,” but could’ve – Girlpope, the Bloody Hollies, Irving Klaws, Lazlo Hollyfeld, and tons more.
JS: With your son already deeply entrenched in music, what kind of advice are you giving him in regards to a career in music?
JM: It was important to me that he understand the difference between “a life in music” and “making it big in music.”
A life in music is unfailingly rewarding. That means you go to music as a sort of sacred place. Music has such immense power to change people for the better. It should never be confused with the idea of “playing music for money or straight-up ego gratification.” It can’t be about that, or it will show.
Of course, musicians need to make a living, and it has become increasingly difficult to do so. But I still believe that there is a way to do that without sacrificing your integrity by playing music you don’t believe in.
I’ve urged Declan to listen to as much music as possible, to study it and feel it deeply, to practice a lot, to keep an open mind, to play often and with musicians who are better than him whenever possible, and to learn as much as he can about how and why music works.
Most importantly, I’ve urged him to find the joy in his own music-making, because that’s what it’s all about.
JS: What’s your view on the current Buffalo music scene, especially compared to where it has been historically?
JM: I hate to sound like a cheerleader, but in this case, I can’t help it. I’ve been here for 25 years, and I have never seen the music scene healthier. There are great artists in so many genres – jazz, indie rock, fusion, prog rock, hip-hop, jam bands, Americana and roots music, neo-soul – you name it. I can find great artists to see for pure enjoyment or for reviewing purposes pretty much 7 nights a week. Buffalo is a music Mecca.
What are the kids listening to? Apparently dub step — lots and lots of dub step. Or, on a broader level, “EDM”, a term hijacked by festival sponsors and marketing execs who barely explain what the three letters stand for. But I digress. The point is: electronic music is big and getting bigger—a truth made apparent at Friday’s show in Rochester at Main Street Armory, featuring Kill Paris and Son of Kick before headliner Bassnectar. This all ages show began around 7:30PM and was over by 11, at which point partygoers spilled out onto the streets and back to reality. I looked forward to reviewing this show for a number of reasons but was left feeling underwhelmed—at no fault of the music. As a matter of fact the music was on-point throughout the show, but the night itself was a weird one. Here is my experience.
Having seen Bassnectar about seven years ago at BB King’s Underground in NYC (a small club in Times Square), I was excited to see him on a much larger scale. In addition to growing his fan base through numerous festivals and shows, the passage of time also included the release of four successful albums—two of which made Billboard charts. All of this is evidence that Bassnectar is doing something right, and being a veteran of the genre, deserves all the respect and success he has garnered. In fact, this is one of the main reasons I love Lorin Ashton, AKA Bassnectar: he is a self-proclaimed bass head, a huge music nerd and an extremely articulate individual. The blending of influences that make up Bassnectar are so far-reaching – from hip hop to break beat and two-step – that there is no question of Ashton’s musical awareness or ability. His latest album, Noise VS Beauty (for which his current tour is supporting), is a perfect example of this, with perhaps some of Ashton’s most complex orchestrations yet. There is no shortage of thick, wet bass – laid on heavy and in your face – but this is subtly balanced with moments of almost serene beauty. This equilibrium is masterful; an abrasive rock-and-roll “fuck you” as it moves into tranquil ambiance. This is not the case with every track, of course, but the point is, Ashton is not a one trick pony. There is a lot going on if you take the time to listen to the music. But after Friday’s show, I wondered how many people were there for this reason as opposed to the spectacle and party.
Because a spectacle and party it was. The light show was absolutely jaw dropping, the bass drops were enough to rumble your stomach out of your mouth, and the energy was bouncing into the red. As far as an experience goes, this was one for the books. There was little doubt left in my mind as to how (or why) the show sold out – and I was genuinely happy to see the way Bassnectar had grown as an artist and was now translating his music to a much larger audience. Back at BB Kings he performed to maybe 200 people at 3AM, and my friends and I walked in for free (sorry, Lorin) while the bouncer chatted up a girl. Now, he was performing to 5,000+ fans (hardly his largest crowd) for a 40-dollar ticket. What joy he must have, I thought, to be able to provide such an audio and visual marvel to thousands of adoring fans. What joy to be at the forefront of a musical revolution and grow into a wild success. What a success story for such a smart, talented and hard-working entertainer.
Then I began to look around at the cost, and that’s when things got weird. I hardly consider myself a prude to the parties, people and drugs that can be found along with a live music experience. I have been in my fair share of shows, and parking lots and have seen… stuff. But this was different. Perhaps the biggest difference was the level of decadence, or maybe the lack of substance to the scene, or maybe the blatant shadiness. Or maybe I’m just getting old. Regardless the reason, I was hit head-on with a new generation of concertgoers and the result was concerning. For blocks surrounding the venue, kids stumbled with dinner-plate pupils, grinding their jaws, or sitting moaning with their heads between their knees. A stretcher hauled a kid out to the ambulance out front. One of the more sober ones, smoking a cigarette, said to me “that must be the sixth one I’ve seen tonight.” On each corner within a five-block radius, portable streetlights shone down onto cop cars below. Neon-adorned fans crowded the streets and moved in herds with eerie uniformity. It was hard to think about the music at all.
My point here is not to discredit any electronic musician, any electronic music fan (I am one myself) or even the safe use of recreational drugs. My point is to draw attention to a scene that may have gotten ahead of itself and be spiraling towards a dangerous place. As “EDM” and music festivals continue to grow, there is a great amount of responsibility necessarily burdened to performers and promoters, but more importantly to the fans themselves. To avoid complete self-destruction, and consequently the loss of so many great new musical outlets, and more importantly the loss of human lives, we must return to two very simple adages. One, a message an old Deadhead and 100+ show Phish fan once told me: “You’re never doing it wrong if you’re listening to the music.” The music is, after all, why we are all here and what brings us together at shows. Let’s remember that and support the artists we love in a way that allows them to keep creating, while keeping the show experience pleasant for fellow concertgoers. And two, which is perhaps the most important in all aspects of life: take care of each other. You have to be alive to enjoy music, and it’s better to enjoy it with friends who are alive, too. By promoting the good things about the music, scenes and people we love (and protecting from the bad) we can necessarily guarantee longevity and growth that will continue to provide the music and moments we so desire. And that’s what it’s really all about, isn’t it?
Dopapod axe-man Rob Compa motions towards the left side of Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall’s floor -“Right there! As a kid, I stood right there and watched Umphrey’s McGee play.”
Rob’s hometown enthusiasm (Rob is from East Rochester) would carry through a blistering two set/multiple encore night that even Light/Sound man extraordinaire Luke Stratton proclaimed on Twitter as “Best show of the tour so far!” – and that dude sees every show. 2014 has been a rocket ship year for Dopapod – filled with top festival spots and packed shows – and their performance on a warm Fall night in ROC-city showed abundant proof why.
Before the aforementioned Dopa-storm occurred, two other excellent performances would foreplay the crowd nicely. Stereo Nest – a one man looping experience project by multi-instrumentalist Collin Jones (also of Ocupanther and Haewa) – played an energetic set of organic jamtronica fusion as the floor filled up and got the people moving. Think Keller Williams gone EDM. Only a few shows deep into existence, Stereo Nest is proving to be a force to track.
After a fast 15 minute changeover NYC’s Consider the Source came out and immediately laid into an extended middle eastern infused spooky-as-hell jam that perfectly complemented October’s arrival. Everyone stared, transfixed by the bands mind numbing instrumentation. Silence made an odd and welcome entrance throughout the crowd if only for a few fleeting minutes: People – in the rarest of occasions at a modern musical show – actually shut up and listened to the band. CTS is mental music at its absolute peak which can bring the listeners to the frayed edges of sanity. Much like an unexpected hostel tryst with a sexy debonair stranger – they might not always be exactly sure what’s going on, but they know they like it and they want it to keep going. Highlights of the set included a mash-up of “Miserlou” (popularly known as “that Pulp Fiction Song”) and the Beach boys “God Only Knows” along with a blazing outro jam replete with Star Wars teases. An apropos ending for three gentleman who have obviously attained Jedi powers.
Set-break ensued while people happily refilled their beers and rested their limbs for the last time that night. Water Street had gone a long time without the fizzy stuff due to an ownership change and it was great to throw back some brews yet again at one of Rochester’s most historic of venues. Dopapod came out with the 2009 song “Roid Rage” – a song that starts off jazzy and unassuming before barreling into the fusion/prog/rock hodgepodge typical of ‘Pods genre-wildcard style. Dopapod is one of those crossover bands that should give those fans that are music lovers but have a natural disdain for bands labeled as “jam” a reason to consider. This band is no Phish, no Dead – this band is a culmination of influences across the spectrum. Imagine if all your favorite bands played at once and you get a sense of what ‘pod is all about. As the set continued the band visited several tracks off their upcoming release Never Odd or Even – “Psycho Nature” “Hey Zeus” and perhaps one of the most epic songs ever – “FABA”. “FABA” – an instrumental which no one seems to want to reveal what the acronym stands for – typically exceeds the ten minute mark and is a dictionary level study in the science of musical contrast. Filled with more goose bump inducing air guitar raging peaks then the Alps, this song grabs the mind heart and soul and does not let go. As if that wasn’t enough, the set ended with an exclamation mark – an absolutely mm/ rendition of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” with all three members of Consider the Source joining the fun on stage.
At this point – being 12:30 AM on a weekday – sadly this reporter had to head to bed. The band continued with a full second set filled with some of the most revered songs according to the bands fan club – Dopafam – with enthusiastic reports on excellent versions of “Nuggy Jawson” “Onionhead” and “French Bowling” as well as a rare “Carolina” second encore that ended after 2 AM. When the ‘pod hits the area again, that next day is getting taken off.
Dopapod Set List
Set 1:Roid Rage, Trapper Keeper, Psycho Nature, Hey Zeus!, FABA, Grow, Vol. 3 #86, War Pigs* Set 2: Nuggy Jawson, Priorities->Off the Cuff->Priorities, Onionhead, French Bowling Encore: Nerds, Carolina
* Black Sabbath, w/With Gabe, John, and Jeff from CTS[FinalTilesGallery id=’26’]
