NYS Music 20​14

Category: Regions

  • Summer Comes Early to Plattsburgh

    Summer usually comes much later up North, but don’t you tell that to the people of Plattsburgh, NY. This weekend, you won’t be able to swing a dead cat without hitting a live music performance.

    Conehead Buddha
    Conehead Buddha

    Plattsburgh First Weekends starts off the monolithic musical weekend Friday, at 2 pm from Trinity Park.  Street performances and other fun activities are promised, while Mambo Combo is set to perform on City Hall Pl. at 5 pm.

    Then, at 7 pm, the ROTA Gallery will host several acts consisting of The Fox & The Feather, Allison Lutz, Theresa Hartford and TPZ.

    But, wait, if you really want to take this crazy train you may be forced to a decision between seeing Conehead Buddha at Olive Ridley’s at 9 pm, or Mister F at the Monopole at 10 pm.

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    Mister F takes to the stage back in January.

    Round Two of musical events gives plenty of time for recuperation, as the first show does not start until 7 pm.  Here, the ROTA Gallery will again play host to several acts – Cave Needles, Vincent & The Virgins, Jesus & The Psychonauts, and Judee Mango.

    If you choose to part ways from the Gallery, it may be because you need a cup of coffee.  The Koffee Kat will have Justin Vancour on their intimate stage setting by 8 pm.

    And, by 9 pm, the Monopole will play host to Albany jam band Groovestick.

  • Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance Announces 2014 Lineup – Dickie Betts, Anders Osborne, Donna The Buffalo and Many More!

    One of the longest running annual music festivals in the country announced the artist lineup for their 2014 installment Thursday and lucky for NYS Music readers; that festival is centrally nestled in Upstate New York.

    Grassroots Festival 2014 Lineup Celebrating their 24th festival this year, Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance unveiled the artists who will be gracing the multiple stages at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds July 17-20.

    Spawned as a brainchild from Grassroots host band, Donna The Buffalo, the 2014 Grassroots lineup has some notable national acts coming to the Finger Lakes. In addition to multiple sets from the aforementioned Donna the Buffalo, other Upstate artists include The Horseflies, John Brown’s Body, Sim Redmond Band and Jimkata, just to name a few.

    However, some of the headlining artists should also assist the box office with ticket sales. (Not that Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance has ever had an issue attracting music lovers.)

    “We’re very excited about the lineup,” Festival co-founder and Donna the Buffalo front man Jeb Puryea told on Thursday following the artist lineup. “This year, we’re pretty happy about having Dickey Betts & Great Southern coming. I mean, that’s pretty awesome. We’re also pumped to have Lake Street Dive coming this year. They’re an awesome band, who is real up and coming, so we’re lucky to have them coming by this year.”

    Lending to the down-home vibe, no one artist really ever outshines the others 80+ artists each year at Grassroots, but Puryear was quick to mention that Lake Street Dive, who recently donned the March issue of Rolling Stone was heralded by the publication with “This Year’s Best New Band” tag.

    “I am also personally excited to have Anders Osborne coming by this year,” Puryear added.

    Other notable acts include regulars Preston Frank and His Family Zydeco Band, Keith Frank and Soileau Zydeco, Danay Suarez, Driftwood, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, Jim Lauderdale, Big Mean Sound Machine, Black Castle, The Speckers, Afrobeta, Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate and Keith Secola and His Wild Band of Indians.

    Ranging from Americana to alt-country, roots/reggae to afrobeat and bluegrass to jam, Grassroots continues to provide festival goers with one of the most eclectic lineups in the country, let alone Upstate New York. Many also still contend the no-hassle, on-festival grounds camping with local foods and drink are some of the most affordable and hospitable atmosphere one can still find amongst music festivals.

    For a complete list of artists visiting Trumansburg in July, visit www.grassrootsfest.org or @GrassrootsFest on twitter.

    Four-day festival passes are currently on sale for $115 or at the gate for $130.

  • Dopapod, Aqueous and Mister F Put On One Heck Of A Show Saturday, April 26th

    cowbell-4Waiting Room in Buffalo has been booking great show after show this year, and is becoming one of the places to be for live music. The event that they hosted last Saturday night was just short of spectacular. It provided the perfect combination of an up and coming band with Mister F, a band that is one step away from exploding on the jam scene in Aqueous, and a band that continues to close out shows, making you want more, in Dopapod.

    Walking into the venue you heard to start the night was the guitar playing from Andrew Chamberlaine of Mister F, who kept you looking for more and the dexterity in his fingers as his soloing became mind altering, hooking you into their set. Where Chamberlaine was the center of the attention, Scott Hannay (keys, guitar, bass) was the heart and soul of the group. His smile and charisma throughout the set brought everyone onto the stage and got the crowd amped up for the night, the perfect situation for the opening band.

    cowbell-26Aqueous, from North Tonawanda, continue to get bigger and better with every show they play. They not only know how to play music, they can effortlessly transition from song to song. They opened the show right out of the gate with “Gordon’s Mule > Complex” and would roll from song to song with ease, giving the fans no time to take a break. The strongest part of the band is just how well each other feeds off of each other. Mike Gantzer and Dave Loss both are able to mix their guitar sounds together and at the same time respect each others playing where it doesn’t drown one another out. Dopapod’s Rob Compa joined the band on stage during “Strange Times” bringing three different guitars together. The real backbone for this group is Nick Sonricker and Evan McPhaden who both provide the perfect beats and bass to let Gantzer and Loss explore their respected guitar fret boards, providing the listener a musical journey to wherever they want to take them. The end of their set brought such great energy to the floor with a cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, with Mister F’s Scott Hannay on keyboard . One of Aqueous’ strongest assets is bringing a cover to their show and making it their own. Aqueous is not only becoming one of Buffalo’s greatest musical gems they are turning into one of the must see bands on tour right now.

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    There is so much love between Aqueous and Dopapod and it shone brightly when Rob Compa came on stage sporting an Aqueous button on his guitar strap. Compa has such a humble approach to his guitar and in mere minutes his improvisational skills turn up the heat in any room. Luke Stratton’s lights were exceptionally well done, often providing the perfect backdrop to the show. They seemed to accompany Compa’s guitar playing perfectly and even taking his extensive solos to another level. Eli Winderman (keys) and Rob Compa (guitar) pair so well together, feeding off each other and giving each other some ideas of where to go next. Chuck Jones (bass) and Scotty Zwang (drums) provide the perfect time table for Compa and Winderman to improvise throughout the night. Highlighted especially by “Eight Years Ended” as well as an impressive run with “Donkey Kong Theme > Present Ghosts > My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant”. Dopapod continues to be a force to reckon with. There is no wonder they have been invited to some of the biggest festivals and their talent to take music from one point to another is incredible.

    Aqueous Setlist: Gordon’s Mule > Complex, The Median > Staring into the Sun > Kitty Chaser (Explosions), Strange Times*** > Complex II, Highway Star^$
    ** w/ Rob Compa from Dopapod
    ^ Aqueous debut, Deep Purple cover
    $ with Scott Hannay from Mister F

    Dopapod Setlist: Bluetooth, Flipped, King Harvest*, Like A Ball, 8 Years Ended, Donkey Kong Theme > Present Ghosts > My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant, Picture in Picture^
    *The Band cover; for Rob’s dad
    ^with Scott Hannay from Mister F on keys

  • Black Label Society, Down, Devil You Know, Butcher Babies lead Revolver Golden Gods Tour, Rocking Upstate Concert Hall Monday, May 5th

    Supporting the release of the well received new album Catacombs of the Black Vatican, Black Label Society returns to Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park for the first time in over a decade with Revolver Golden Gods Tour. Black Label Society returns with a new lineup with Zakk Wylde leading the way along with new drummer Jeff Fabb, (ex In This Moment) and new guitarist Dario Lorina (Lizzy Borden) and long time bassist John DeServio.blsWylde1

    New Orleans metal supergroup Down take the co-headlining slot in support of their upcoming EP Down IV Part II. Longtime guitarist Kirk Windstein left Down to focus on Crowbar fulltime and was replaced by their guitar tech Pat Bruders. This would mark the first time in five years Down invaded Upstate Concert Hall.Down-2014-Pic-2

    In a radio interview conducted back in February, Joe D of 95X, (WAQX) spoke with Zakk Wylde he confirmed that there may be a Pantera jam with Down’s Phil Anselmo on this tour. Check out the interview here.Devil-You-Know-2014

    Devil You Know, which features former Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones, makes their Upstate New York debut on this tour. Devil You Know is supporting their debut album The Beauty of Destruction which is out now. Butcher Babies are slated to open the show in support of their debut album Goliath which was released last summer.

    Doors will open at 6:30PM and show starts at 7:30PM. This show is expected to sell out so pick up your tickets here.

  • Getting Lucid in Vermont at Nectar’s

    Lucid has a brand new drummer and they want to introduce him to the crowd at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT.

    Chris “Hollywood” English is in the fold, and the show this Saturday, May 3rd will mark the band’s first visit since he came on board.

    The show kicks off at 9 pm, and is for those 21 and up only. Admission is $5.00. Joining Lucid will be Goosepimp Orchestra and FiKus.

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    Lucid by Bryan Lasky

    Lucid earned the title of New York State’s #1 band in our March Madness voting contest, beating out an initial field of 64 bands.

    Hollywood just joined the Popular group out of Plattsburgh. He started his career as the drummer for the legendary Buddy Guy, was most recently with AudioInflux

    FiKus, is a jam band out of North Jersey, with an eclectic sound that combines progressive melodies with infectious grooves, electronic beats, and edgy vocals.

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    FiKus by Bryan Lasky

    Goosepimp Orchestra is best described by the press release we just received. Their sound is, “the form of funk that dissolves the barriers between artist and audience. The energy plotted through space race like arrangements, channeled by geeks who became stage freaks, and absorbed into every opened mind via third eyes is a condensed and charismatic force from the center of the Earth and the beginning of time.”

    Heavy.

    If you have the ability, make haste and get thee there.

  • Rochester Announces 2014 Party in the Park Lineup

    The City of Rochester has announced the Party in the Park lineup for 2014 and it is a doozy! This year’s events will take place back at Manhattan Square Park, where it originated.

    party in the park 2014June kicks off with The Wailers and Lucinda Williams. Bluegrass fans will get a treat in July with Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth and Trampled by Turtles on the roster. Deadheads and rockers get August with the always excellent Dark Star Orchestra and the lords of the “Peaches”: Presidents of the U.S.A.

    The entire 2014 Party in the Park lineup:

    6/19 The Wailers

    6/26 Lucinda Williams

    7/3 Drive By Truckers

    7/10 Yonder Mountain String Band and Railroad Earth

    7/17 Trampled By Turtles, Dirty Dozen Brass Band

    7/24 Lucero, The Baseball Project

    7/31 Dickey Betts and Great Southern, Dumpstaphunk

    8/7 Dark Star Orchestra

    8/14 Presidents of the USA, The Slide Brothers

    Note: August wraps up PITP with 2 fantastic shows, get all the deets here! 

  • Governors Ball 2014 Announces Afterparties

    Governors Ball who announced their lineup in January 2014 have unveiled a batch of shows surrounding the entire weekend of festivities.

    On Thursday June 5th there are two concerts happening to help kick the weekend off. At Brooklyn Bowl Kurt Vile and The Violators will be gracing the stage, while over at Westway Tourist will be starting the weekend off. On Friday Washed Out will be taking on the crowd at Brooklyn Bowl starting at 11:30 PM. Saturday has the most announced shows so far with four concerts happening all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. On Sunday there are two shows announced so far with Diarrhea Planet heading to Glasslands while Damon Albarn will be heading to the intimate Irving Plaza. More after shows are going to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for all pf these shows go on a special pre-sale April 29th 10 AM with the code “govballnyc.” If you miss out on that, a public sale will happen on Friday May 2nd. Tickets for Governors Ball are on sale now on their website.

    GovBall 2014 After parties

  • David Wax Museum to play Four Shows This Week in Upstate

    David Wax Museum heads to the Upstate and NYC area this week, bringing with him a fusion of traditional Mexican folk with American roots and indie rock to create a Mexo-Americana sound. Reminiscent of Los Lobos and Calexico, David Waz and Suz Slezak combine  Latin rhythms, infectious melodies, and call-and-response hollering that was hailed by TIME Magazine for “virtuosic musical skill and virtuous harmonies”, building a reputation among concertgoers all over the U.S, Canada, Europe and China.

    With the release of Knock Knock Get Up (September 2012), David Wax Museum has reached a level of cross-cultural integration and musical fluency that allows them to speak heartfelt poetry with a tongue that is wholly their own.

    Catch them at The Haunt in Ithaca on April 30th, Babeville in Buffalo May 1st, Kirkland Art Center in Clinton May 2nd and Towne Crier Cafe in Beacon on May 3rd

  • The Revivalists Blow the Roof Off The Sinclair in Boston

    The Revivalists are a mixed-genre band of 7 members that have been touring since 2007 with 75% less hype than they deserve. The meek crowd that surrounded me, casually chatting and chasing beers, had no clue what they were in for. With Zack Feinberg tearing it up on guitar, Rob Ingraham switching from bass to alto and tenor sax, George Gekas holding an intricate bass line, Andrew Campanelli keeping the tempo changes steady on drums, Michael Girardot slamming the keys and trumpet, Ed Williams getting rowdy with his pedal steel guitar, and of course, Dave Shaw killing vocals and guitar, the sound was barely contained by The Sinclair.

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    The Revivalists_6

    The Heavy Pets opened the show, a perfect band of eclectic genres and heavy sound to rip up the stage in preparation for The Revivalists. Their funk-rock, jam band roots livened up the casual state of The Sinclair and immediately got bodies moving. They are surely ones to watch – touring all the way from Florida is just the start for this energetic bunch.

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    The Revivalists_40

    When Dave Shaw hit the stage, the energy level changed immediately and drastically. Within the first song, “Masquerade” from their most recent album, Shaw was already inches from the audience. He sat on speakers to intimately sing sweet melodies, then jumping across the stage to his band members, he growled into the mic as Girardot bent over his pedal steel guitar in bliss. The band moved swiftly through song after song from City of Sound, easing their way back to their first album, Vital Signs. They threw in easy groove songs like “Not Turn Away” and “Souls Too Loud,” and then turned it down with the easy-going “Appreciate Me II,” still holding the anxious energy with Shaw’s leap down into the crowd as he rocked out with his new fans. They ended the set making a newly-wed couple’s dream come true with their country-based song “Soulfight” before entering into one of the best songs in their repertoire, “Criminal.” Shaw continued to create an earthquake on stage, showing no depletion in stamina, while Ingraham pumped his saxophone in the air to amp things up even further and Feinberg tore through solo after solo of pure perfection with his guitar. Shaw ended the song crying into his condenser mic, head between knees, as he watched people shout with hands in the air like wild animals.

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    The crowd pleaded for their return with chanting and screaming and The Revivalists arrived with a vengeance. They pulled out “Whipping Post” by the Allman Brothers and slowed down the beat so dramatically at parts that our bodies were crumbling at each chord and our souls were melting at the desperate howl in Shaw’s crooning voice. With Ingraham shrieking into his sax and Feinberg shredding apart his guitar, the audience head-banged as one entity. The biggest surprise was that the roof of The Sinclair was still in tact.

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    The Revivalists_21

    No matter what song The Revivalists pulled out of their pocket, they made each one after even stronger, heavier, groovier, and funkier. They played with reggae beats and rocked the house with soulful reinventions. Every person in there was consumed by the music and, after a short break to catch their breaths, ready for a second, third and fourth dose of The Revivalists. The band is like an addiction because when they have revived you once, you’re bound to crave a revival again soon.

    Setlist: Masquerade, When I’m Able, When I Die, Not Turn Away, Stand Up, Concrete, Pretty Photograph, Souls Too Loud, BTBD, Appreciate Me II, Fireflies, Soulfight, Criminal

    Encore: Whipping Post

  • Artpark Makes Final Announcement, Completing 2014 Summer Season Offering

    Just yesterday, Artpark announced the remaining bands for their Tuesday and Wednesday night 2014 summer concert series they present each year.  The final bands for First Niagara presents Tuesday in the Park and Coors Light Wednesdays round out a spectacular overall offering for the 2014 season and give plenty of reasons to make the short trip up to Lewiston!

    In yesterday’s announcement, Artpark will add Sara Bareilles, Aretha Franklin, Sammy Hagar, Heart, Gregg Allman, Styx, and Michael McDonald + Toto to an already outstanding lineup for the upcoming season.  Tickets for these events will go on sale Saturday, May 3rd at 10am with various seating options that’ll meet anyone’s budget.  Check out the full lineups below and take advantage of one of Western New York’s best venues for a concert.

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    First Niagara presents Tuesday in the Park Full Lineup: 
    June 10– Daryl Hall & John Oates
    June 17 – Widespread Panic
    June 24 – Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band
    July 1 – Blue Rodeo with special guests 54-40
    July 8 – Boston
    July 15 – Megadeth
    July 22– Aretha Franklin
    July 29 – Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum presents Sammy Hagar
    A Journey Through the History of Rock featuring Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham, & Vic Johnson
    August 5– Heart
    August 12– Gregg Allman
    August 19– Styx
    August 26– Michael McDonald + Toto
    Coors Light Wednesdays Full Lineup:
    June 18 – Arctic Monkeys
    June 25 – Ziggy Marley & Steel Pulse
    July 2 – O.A.R. & Phillip Phillips
    July 9 – Sublime with Rome
    July 16 – Sara Bareilles
    July 23 – 3 Doors Down