Category: Regions

Harvest Fest Rings in Autumn at Bard College

This past Saturday, September 27, Bard College held an exciting music event Harvest Fest. This autumn-welcoming festival appropriately took place in the campus barn, situated somewhat in the middle of Bard’s open fields and expansive gardens. Pizza with veggie toppings provided by the gardens themselves, was sold along with a Bard Harvest Ale. Mixed in with a lineup of great bands, it’s pretty clear that Bard can throw a music festival.

Plouse, a three-piece from New Jersey, kicked things off slamming into tunes from their newest EP seltzer, etc. Their easy-going sound and carefree attitudes created a fun, catchy and immediately likeable atmosphere that had even the earliest crowd dancing amidst a setting sun. With songs like “Moving & Storage” and “David Blaine” Plouse gives you a comforting feeling similar to riding your bicycle through a neighborhood in the lost city of Atlantis. Though the guys are situated at different colleges, they’re still able to find time to get together, play shows and rattle off new recordings.

As the night went on, another three membered band called Throw Baby hit the stage and lit things up with some mesmerizing synth-featured rock songs. Playing along to prerecorded synth, the makeup of the band consisted of drums, bass and electric guitar. The sound, which falls somewhere within the realm of a more technical and danceable STRFKR, is as if someone left a game of Mario Kart on during band practice. One thing you don’t always hear is an artist telling you what their song is about before they play it. The lead singer of Throw Baby was quick to inform the audience of each track’s subject matter, adding a unique aspect to the performance. By the time Jose Oyola & The Astronauts got on, the barn was filled to the brim with college students. The lead singer, who sang through a vintage microphone, offered an inviting stage presence and effectively brought his lyrics to life with a genuinely positive attitude. One of their more notable songs was a cover of La Mamba, which had the entire crowd in full sing-along spirit.

Before the main act of the night, Kitty, performed, who showcased an energetic set popular among the Bard College crowd, a band from Boston, Mass called Vundabar cranked up the volume, tearing into the upbeat instrumental opener “Troubadour” and let everybody know they’re a band worth hearing. Take one slice of crisply reverbed guitar, another slice of wild drums that are rhythmically all over the place, add a smooth bass in between and finally sprinkle some catchy and lyrically meaningful singing on top and you’ve got a good recipe for Vundabar. They’re definitely a band to check out and see live if ever given the chance.

With more strong performances from bands like Morus Alba, Battle Ave. and Furniture Girls, Harvest Fest was certainly an all around good time. If ever in the area this time next year be sure to greet fall by catching this event.

October 3, 2014
An Exciteable Crowd got into Vintage Trouble at The Hollow Bar

With an energetic 60s rock sound and a crowd that gave as good as they got, Vintage Trouble put an impressive performance September 28 at The Hollow Bar in Albany. Amid The Swing House Sessions Tour, in support of their latest album, Vintage Trouble drew upon influences that spanned genres that developed in the ’60s, including Little Richard, Albert King, The Rolling Stones and Smoky Robinson as they put forth a powerhouse 90 minute show.

Lead singer Ty Taylor channels Marvin Berry (think Back to the Future) and his cousin Chuck, engaging with the crowd, who quickly became the 5^th member of the band. Taylor has the stage presence of a 1960s band leader, and alongside Nalle Colt (guitar), Rock Barrio Dill (bass) and Richard Danielson (drums), put forth a sound that could have been made by another five or more musicians on stage – the sound was that big. “Low down Dirty Dog” had a rockabilly blues vibe, while “Pelvis Pusher” appropriately channeled Little Richard.

Mixing the show up with some acoustic songs, the break served to drive the crowd’s attention to a couple of ballads that reeked of pain and loss. The song titles alone in this middle part of the show – “Never Mine,” “Another Man’s Words,” “You Save Me” and “Still Always” could have been a part of a relationship exit interview. “You Save Me” was most notable for a Peter Gunn-esque bass line from Dill. “Run Like the River” had a (likely) Hollow Bar first – Taylor walked through the crowd, found his way up to the small balcony in front of the soundboard and sang to the crowd a most energetic call and response.

“Nobody Told Me” the ballad of the night, hinted at Smoky Robinson influence while “Strike Your Light” began with a tribal surf rock before moving into swing rock, giving a nod to Chubby Checkers “Twist” in both energy and music, leading to a college professor crowd dancing with abandon. The encore of “Total Strangers” found the band walking off the stage, once again through the crowd, serenaded by “Na na na na na na” capping an evening with a welcome surprise on a Sunday night in Albany.

Setlist: High Times, Blues Hand me Down, Nancy Lee, Low Down Dirty Dog, Pelvis Pusher, Never Mine*, Another Man’s Words*, You Save Me*, Still and Always*, Lo & Behold, Run Like the River, Nobody Told Me, Tear Drops, Strike Your Light
Encore: Total Strangers
*acoustic

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October 2, 2014
Tauk and The Jauntee Go Furthur in Providence

On Saturday, September 25, the bus stopped in Providence, RI at The Spot Underground. To celebrate, The Spot had a planned mini festival outside. Unfortunately, likely rain showers forced them to move artists and other vendors indoors and the acoustic performers they had planned were nowhere to be found. That didn’t stop the people from coming by for the main event, a triple bill of The Jauntee, and Tauk. The three bands each played a set on the main stage with Cosmal playing a short set in between as the bands switched up equipment.

2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the famed cross-country trip made by Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters on the bus that shared its name with their destination – Further, or Furthur, depending on whom you ask. To commemorate the original trip Kesey’s son, Zane, took the bus on 50 ^th Anniversary Tour with stops around the country.

Albany, NY’s Formula 5 took the stage at 8:30 getting folks moving with a 12 minute “Perch Above the Earth.” This was followed up with a buttery segue into a cover of the Talking Heads’ “Uh Oh, Love Comes to Town,” picking up the pace a bit and getting everyone in the room dancing. Keeping with the flow, they took this into a great “Excalibur.” Only at this point, halfway through their hour-long set, did they take a break. “Coming Home,” the highlight of the set, included jams on The Blues Brothers and Phish. The set closed quite fittingly with a cover of The Grateful Dead’s “The Music Never Stopped.” The influence of these various bands is quite obvious in the way Formula 5 plays, but they are making their own mark on the scene. Seek them out now while they’re still playing small clubs.

The Jauntee, hailing from Boston, took the stage next around 10:00. Their opening song, “Puppy in my Pocket,” starts a bit like the Velvet Underground’s “Rock and Roll,” but quickly changes up. There were many similarities to other bands throughout their set, including a song that sounded like it could have been pulled directly from Primus’ repertoire. In fact, their entire sound mimics that of Phish. It’s not surprising that they were once called the heir to Phish’s throne. They seem to have modeled their entire sound on that of Phish. Even the guitarist, Caton Sollenberger, looked a bit like Trey Anastasio from the ‘90s to the point where he even mimics the “Trey face” that Phish fans have grown to love. The band is quite talented and can definitely go places. However, they need to use Phish more as an influence and less as what they strive to become. They seemed to lack a sound of their own.

Finally, around 11:30, New York City’s TAUK took the stage as the crowd filled in. Their mix of the funk, progressive rock, and intricate melodies kept the room moving as they kept the groove going from start to finish. The band is reminiscent of Umphrey’s McGee in how tight they keep their composed sections intertwined with the improvisation. It’s almost as though the entire show was a long composition. They closed their set strong with “Collateral,” ending about 10 minutes after the 1:00am curfew with the house lights on. TAUK is a band worth checking out. It would not be surprising to see them playing larger venues within the next year.

In the half hour breaks between the sets on the main stage, COSMAL played his one man band fusion of EDM, trance, and house music. Most of the crowd headed outside to take pictures of the Further bus or hung out at the bar during his sets. The music provided a good filler between the main events.

Overall, it was a great night of music, bringing the ‘60s vibe of the Further bus and the new band of Merry Pranksters together with the some of today’s music that looks to the past for inspiration. The Spot continues to impress by attracting some of the best lineups of local and regional acts. It was all smiles as the crowd left the club.

photos by Eric Rogers

October 2, 2014
Five Finger Death Punch and Volbeat Deliver a Solid Rock Outing at Times Union Center

Rock music was alive and well at the Times Union Center on Saturday, Sept. 27. Two of the most popular heavy rock bands in the mainstream radio today, Volbeat and Five Finger Death Punch, brought the noise and the fun to a semi packed house of screaming fans. As the crowd waited patiently outside for doors to open, they were treated to choice rock and heavy metal covers by a group of young kids named Time Machine.

Promptly at 6:05, Nothing More from Texas and New Orleans took the stage. The crowd was sparse due to this early start time, but the ones that were there were ready for a whole night of rock. The four piece came right out of the gate with a lot of energy, lead vocalist Johnny Hawkins belting out his songs shirtless and shoeless. The second song of the night was started with a mouth-picked guitar solo, and the gimmicks didn’t stop there. They brought out a massive installation that housed a bass guitar, and the guitarist, bassist and eventually Johnny as well all percussively played the instrument to a crescendo. The final song started with a prerecorded bass line and ended with a weak drum circle. These antics probably do wonders in smaller clubs, but were somewhat lost on the arena audience.

Vinnie Paul of Hellyeah came out first, taking his throne upon his drum riser to monstrous applause. With the rest of the band in tow, Chad Gray, the vocalist (also of Mudvayne) whipped the crowd immediately into a frenzy, getting everyone to get on their feet for their title track off the new Hellyeah record, Blood for Blood. Chad really worked the crowd, using the whole stage and jumping up on the banks of PA’s to make his own catwalk to the audience. The new addition of Kyle Sanders on bass, formerly of Bloodsimple, was a great fit, and his bass work along with Vinnie Paul’s stellar drumming kept the whole set nailed to the floor. At one point, Chad told the audience that one thing he loves about New York is the mosh-pits, and we are all brothers and sisters, so if someone goes down, you help them up. This was an accidental foreshadowing of the end of the night.

Just the dropping of Volbeat’s backdrop as the crew set up the stage gained a massive response from the crowd. Fans were evenly split throughout the venue, half wearing Volbeat shirts, and half wearing Five Finger Death Punch shirts. With a slightly different sound than the rest of the acts, Volbeat came out to a rolling banjo track laden with guitars. The style of rockabilly mixed with hard rock is what makes this band so interesting, and also what makes the crowds just want to move and dance along to the music. Singer Michael Poulsen traded his time between three different mics set up on stage, and the rest of the band interweaved with him, all having a good time up there. New guitarist Rob Caggiano, of Anthrax fame, seemed right at home with this four piece band from Denmark, and was in a very unique position, playing these songs live and also producing them on their newest album, Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies. Micheal explained to the crowd that he was influenced heavily by Johnny Cash and Elvis, and it showed with his vocal capabilities, and his style, sporting a slick back hairdo and a badge on his guitar strap. They had an impressive light show to couple with their infectious party anthem rock and roll, and no one was in their seats by the time they welcomed a special guest to the stage. Jerry Only, from the legendary Misfits, walked out in full Misfits regalia, and the band went into a great rendition of AngelFuck.

By 9:30, the crowd was sufficiently amped up to welcome Five Finger Death Punch to the stage. A deafening bass drone ushered the band to the stage, and singer Moody growled at the audience while brandishing a bat. Jeremy Spencer, the drummer, was in full costume of a skeleton with LED lights throughout him and his drum set. The stage setup was simple, with light rigs behind brushed steel arches, but everything was used to it’s fullest, creating an immersive experience both visually and sonically. This five piece is much more aggressive than the previous bands on tour, with gigantic double guitar attacks and bottoming out low-end bass drops. The sound on the night was full of slight mishaps, with feedback being rampant through the other bands sets, and 5FDP having trouble keeping the ear-splitting double bass drum sounds from taking over the show. A very crowd friendly band, at one point they called out all the people in the audience who have served in the military, and then dedicated their cover of Bad Company to them all. They also brought on stage a bunch of children from the audience for a chance to spotlight the “next generation of metal”.

Mid-set, the band decided to take a completely different turn, first with a drum solo that bordered on electronic dance music, and then into two acoustic guitar ballads, bringing the mood of the show down considerably. But, this didn’t quell the raucous energy they had already instilled in the crowd, and by the time they launched into their first encore song of the night, the floor erupted again into a writhing pit. Moody stopped the song abruptly, seeing one of the fans being really hurt in the pit. He called out the audience member who he saw do the deed, and told the crowd that he would personally kick his ass, and would not finish the show until he apologized to the injured man, stating that this is what makes heavy metal look bad. “Where are the days of Pantera,” Moody scolded the audience, “when people would take care of one another.”

This one incident was not the face of the entire night though, by a long shot. Young and old were all in attendance having a great time, and the crowd seemed generally pleased with each performance. Other than this one bad moment, the show was met with consideration and a party-like atmosphere, truly showing what heavy music can do for people, as they use it for an escape or metal therapy to ‘get their aggression out’ through music.

October 2, 2014
Tedeschi Trucks Band Bound for Glory in Rochester

Thursday Sept. 25 brought the Grammy Award winning Tedeschi Trucks Band to Upstate NY during a break in the middle of their New York City Beacon Theatre run. The group performed at the Auditorium Theatre, radiating their unique blend of roots, blues and soul-stirring musical heat. Their extended set touched on all aspects of their stage show and featured well-known studio cuts from the band’s catalog as well as a few surprising covers for their hardcore Rochester contingent. Eliciting memories of past rock legends and influences, the multifaceted Tedeschi Trucks Band mirrors roots revival masters Delaney and Bonnie and subscribes to their aesthetic which includes disseminating a unique brand of traditional, Americana and funky blues music.

After a booming and raucous set by opening band, Playonbrother, the Tedeschi Trucks band followed with an inspired set despite militant security and a seated crowd. Eventually, as the show continued the energy could no longer be contained as the band stirred the assembled throng into musical hysteria through their funky and virtuosic performance. While the focus is often and rightfully so on Derek Trucks spiritual channeling of melody through his trusty Gibson SG, every musician in the eleven member coalition is given equal time to bask in the alluring glow of the spot light. Whether it is the double barrel drum duo firing off rim shots in a percussion battle, Kofi Burbridge blowing a breezy flute line, Mike Mattison singing a sweet soul lyric, the horn section punctuating a great jam, or Susan Tedeschi stinging with a series of clean tone blues licks, it’s all hands on deck with this group.

The concert opened with the simmering groove of Traffic’s’ “Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring” each member adding color to the fat bounce laid down like shag carpeting by bassist Tim Lefebvre. Similar to every song that is added to their increasingly large repertoire the Tedeschi Trucks band grabbed the song in a firm embrace made it their own.

The concert continued flashing by like a series of Super 8 images, each moment building on and in most cases surpassing the last, instantly logged in the recesses of the attendees spun heads. “Made Up Mind” the title track from the bands 2013 LP whipped the crowd into a hand raising gospel review, with Trucks innate ability to reconfigure melodic ideas into dazzling guitar dissemination’s fully on display. Then, the following breakout of blues standard “Loan Me a Dime” instantly caused an assembled gasp from the audience, especially those familiar with what Duane Allman did with the song via Boz Skaggs. First Tedeschi and then her husband tastefully poured liquid string bends and sustains all over the shifty track, bringing the seated to their feet and concluding the song with a standing ovation.

“Idle Wind” concluded the first segment of music fittingly in a rolling maelstrom of sound. After disposing of the groovy verse segment that features Susan vocalizing like granulated sugar, sweet with a yummy grit, the song slipped into a beautiful place. The horns and guitars started to intertwine and it is this illustrated relationship that soon developed into a teeth clenching jam that squeezed the handlebars for dear life tightly. Soon the excursion fell softly into an avalanche of drums neatly tying itself up with a “set closing” reprise.

Breaking into different segments the band returns for an acoustic set of music. A seated Trucks five-fingered some woody acoustic slide on the traditional “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” as well as name dropping the Allman’s with a stripped down “Done Somebody Wrong”. Susan Tedeschi’s reading of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright” was special and featured Tedeschi wringing every drip of emotion from Dylan’s timeless melody. This brief respite from the electric proceedings is a testament to the diversity and multiple talents of the group.

The second half of the performance began with crowd favorite, “Midnight in Harlem” ushered in on a Allman-esque space drift that coalesced into the songs blue rotating groove. The husband and wife duo sang together in glorious voice, each represented by their respective instruments. There is no looking back when the group seizes the moment and blazes their way first through Derek and the Domino’s classic “Keep On Growing” then the hard-hitting Bobby Bland blues, “I Pity the Fool” before closing with an extended and definitive “Bound For Glory”.

The band’s own “Bound for Glory” contained jamming that bordered on the edge of fusion magic. A plethora of horn exclamations, sexy slide and honky keyboards lifted the song to dizzying and illicit heights. The central section of the song lost its structure, going so far out you wonder how they are going to land. The band so deftly balances the tight rope between accessible songs and twisted improvisational passages that their appeal is one of celebration and cross genre pollination. The group not only represents a sepia toned lonesome train whistle of the blues past, but a Technicolor supersonic rocket ship into the musical future. “Bound for Glory” encapsulates all of these elements and fittingly closes the show.

A gentle and original version of James Taylor’s, “Fire and Rain” closed the evening and sent a hungry crowd home stuffed, unable to imbibe another musical bite. The greatest thing about this evening’s performance is the realization that the band will be back and they will continue to improve and grow their catalog of music. Tedeschi Trucks band delivers the goods on a nightly basis, it’s a shame there can not be more nights like this one.

October 2, 2014
Bassnectar Returns To Rochester with Son of Kick and Kill Paris for ‘Noise VS Beauty Tour’

Attention Upstate Bassheads: this is the show. Legendary DJ Lorin Ashton AKA Bassnectar will again take over Rochester this Friday, October 3, as part of his “NVSB 2014 Tour” performing alongside notable acts Son of Kick, hailing from London and Kill Paris of Los Angeles. Known for his ultra dense sound, aggressive drops and super-technical beats, Bassnectar puts on a show like no other, with tastefully psychedelic projection visuals and a host of lights. Bassnectar’s most recent album, Noise VS Beauty, was released late June and features some of Ashton’s most intelligent compositions yet, staying true to its name by carefully marrying filth with elegance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sd1sa5NWLg

Supporting act, Son of Kick, has achieved respect in the dubstep world in his own right, mainly in Europe so far, with a balanced, somewhat hip-hop influenced sound. Kill Paris will also throw down a funk-driven set, sure to feature big bass and atmospheric textures. All three acts bring different styles to the table with two distinct binding factors: dancing, and BASS.

Doors are at 6PM and Son of Kick should open the show around 7PM. Due to Main Street Armory’s curfew, the evening will likely be wrapped up by midnight. And remember: this will be a hot one with lots of energy, moving bodies and flashing lights; be sure to eat a solid meal and hydrate properly throughout the show.

Tickets are available HERE.

Main Street Armory
900 East Main Street
Rochester, New York 14605

October 2, 2014
Hearing Aide: Ocupanther’s Third Album, ‘Data Stretching’

To mark the first day of autumn, Ocupanther released their third album, Data Stretching, showing a conscious evolution from last year’s release, Progressor, while continuing to hammer down a focused sound. Overall the record might fit into generalized categories like “dance”, “progressive” or “fusion”. But really, the excellence of Data Stretching comes in the details – the careful blending of seemingly unrelated influences, and a perfect balance of organic vs electronic – resulting in a danceable, intelligent record from start to finish.

Data Stretching‘s opening track, “Obtuse Snoot”, is perhaps the perfect calling for the album; patently danceable, featuring disco-staccato guitars drifting to washed out wah-funk, hold steady bass and tight-pocket drumming. The changes are inconspicuous but occur frequently, offering good variation without stopping the groove. This notion carries into albums second track, “III E III”, which is more subdued but equally as locomotive. The bass is swampy and warm, with guitar parts piercing through the darkness. For an album with such a big, full sound (arguably the fullest Ocupanther sound to date), Data Stretching does an exceptional job varying between minimalist components. This sentiment is exemplified on “III E III” as well as later on the album with “Yerkrewrun”, a meditative, calming song balanced equally with blues guitars licks. “Treat Me Like A Telescope” is another great example of such a balance, with strong electronic undertones and masterful weaving guitar lines that scream classic rock-n-roll.

All descriptors and classifications aside, what really defines an albums success is listenability and feel – two categories where Data Stretching scores an “A”. This record would be just as good alone in your car as it would at a house party. The variations in mood throughout the record are enough to keep the listener engaged without forcing feel-good vibes or lingering too long in the dark. This balance, along with the balance of genres and styles, appears to be the recipe for success. Fans of the New Deal to LCD Soundsystem to Maserati and everything in between will surely lock into this album, as will anyone who has traveled long highways for music. Ocupanther cut their teeth on the road, after all, and much of the album serves a perfect soundtrack for a roadtrip to and from a show with a carful of friends.

Ocupanther will be supporting Data Stretching in the Upstate area over the next two months, playing alongside notable acts such as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The New Mastersounds, and super-group Electron. A complete list of tour dates and additional information can be found at: Ocupanther.com or on Facebook.

Key Tracks: III E III, Treat Me Like A Telescope, The Great Oxygenation

October 1, 2014
Dopapod Kick Fall Tour off at Putnam Den

On this unseasonably warm Saturday night Sept. 27, people flooded into Putnam Den to see and hear some of the best live music around with Consider The Source and Dopapod. The vibe was chill, most people waiting for the bands to come on were talking about the music. This was a good sign of what was in store. There was a wide array of ages 18 and up (in some cases way up) but regardless of what age, everyone was there to get down and have fun.

Consider the Source, a power trio out of New York City opened to a packed room, which became more and more engulfed as the seconds went on. Starting with a slow melodic piece that was reminiscent of Pink Floyd; a treat to many in attendance and a good sign of what the evening had in store. The lead Guitarist, Gabrielle Marin, played a double neck guitar possessing many different effects; one emulating a horn which was out of this world. Fans were looking around to see where the horn layer was, which there wasn’t, it was just on the guitar, this was brilliant as well as impressive. The drums played by John Olsen, laid down a sweet groove to jam over, which usually the drum and bass do together. Which they did do to a point but the bass player, John Ferrara, had many solos of his own. Showing that this band was, well, a band. There is no real way to describe the sound of Consider The Source but ‘Thrash Jam’ could fit. They did just that, holding the audience’s attention while getting them ready for Dopapod.

Dopapod opened with “Indian Girls”, a very danceable groove layered by heavy beats provided by two percussionists and the bass. This one kept the energy that CTS left going, and even raising the bar. It was on and the party was just about to get into full swing. Dopapod took their groove to another level with “Brooklyn Bridge”, and by adding in vocals, this made their jams actual songs to sing along too, and many people did. Smiles were abounding as people sang along and a small sense of family was felt throughout the crowd. This showed they were not a one trick pony who could come out and lay down heavy beats and just move on to the next heavy track, which so many bands tend to.

The compositions of Dopapod were very complex. All four members of the band, including Adrian Tramontano from Kung Fu as a guest percussionist, were very intricate parts of these songs and everyone stayed tightly together, not losing a beat for a second. It may have seemed as if they were all over the place, but with a careful ear you could tell they were 100% on the same page. This was sheer brilliance. This led into a dark trance like groove keeping their overall sound, their feel, which isn’t very easy to do when shifting so drastically. With Dopapod’s heavy build ups, there was only one place for them to go: the peak. When they reached this peak it was second to very few. The lights went up, the crowd roared, and the payoff was well worth the wait. Eli Winderman’s keys and Rob Compa’s guitar took fans to another world, the world which is known as Dopapod.

October 1, 2014
Marco Benevento Plays Capital Performance to New York’s First Capital

The unmistakable notes from Marco Benevento’s piano rang out in the streets of historic Uptown Kingston – New York’s first capital – on Friday, September 26th. Benevento, who teamed up with bassist Dave Dreiwitz and drummer Andy Borger, played early into Sunday morning to a hyped-up Hudson Valley crowd. With family and friends aplenty to witness the release show for Benevento’s new album, Swift, no one left BSP without an ear-to-ear grin.

The front doors of the large bar/venue were wide open and folks could cool off on the plaza while still enjoying the feel-good tunes wafting outside. Inside, the music was as hot as the air; the trio rocked while joyous admirers filled the hall with dancing bodies. The shaggy piano man led long jams and, in between, held the audience’s attention with captivating asides.

BSP, located in the heart of New York’s first capital, provided an intimate setting for the Ulster County resident to play for a hometown crowd before hitting the road on tour. A few hundred people filled the spacious room, and everyone had a chance to get as close as desired to the semi-raised stage. In the middle of one 20-minute long improv session, Marco eased up on his piano to clap along and start an “AN-DY” chant, ensuring everyone in the building knew exactly who was banging the drums. Andy Borger fed off the cue, turning in a solid drum solo as Marco and Dreiwitz admired in support.

Later in the set, Benevento’s metaphorical nose grew and grew as he covered Money Mark’s “I Don’t Play Piano,” belting out: “I don’t know how to play piano; I don’t know how to sing.” For over a decade, the world has been aware of his mastery of the piano; the new album, Swift, features his voice as an additional weapon for the first time, evincing the complete inaccuracy of the lyrics. “DJ” Dave Dreiwitz’s stoic onstage persona never wavered even as he thumped out heavy solos, while Marco’s smile crescendoed with the music.

Though the room at BSP was dark, the music was light and uplifting. They played a poppy brand of improvisational, piano-heavy rock that induced the shimmying horde to raise hands to the heavens in delight. The band and crowd instantly engaged in a symbiotic relationship; fans fed off the musicians’ energy and vice versa. Spirits from the bar were lifted for many “cheers” while spirits were lifted by the sprinkling of melodious piano solos, accompanied by raucous cheers.

Around 1 a.m., the band came out for an encore while nearly everyone remained to show support. Benevento, Dreiwitz, and and Borger hit the road next in support of the album, which will conclude at the Brooklyn Bowl on December 18th and 19th.

September 30, 2014
The Sea The Sea Wash Ashore at The Low Beat Tonight

Their single, “Love We Are We Love,” from their title track released in February has been spun at radio stations across the country and their album has been met with accolades from NPR and No Depression. The duo, The Sea The Sea, bring their brand of interconnectedness to the 518 for a show at The Low Beat Thursday, October 2nd. Be sure to check them out as they have relocated to the Albany area and they intend to become very active with the music community.

Their tale is a mystical story of fate and a series of mishaps that ultimately brought them together. It was by coincidence Mira Stanley held a sign with Chuck’s (E. Costa) name on it during a songwriter’s showcase years prior. Figuratively, it was sign. They didn’t reconnect again until almost five years later after each had been through their own trials. Borrowing their name from Xenophon’s Anabasis, a Greek tale of soldiers returning home, the name The Sea The Sea became their own battle cry of joy! Weaving storyline lyrics and an unmatched harmony, the folk power duo dig deep leaving the listener with an enlightened sense of Universal themes of love and faith. Great Mutations will open tonight’s show. Tickets available at the door.

September 30, 2014