NYS Music 20​14

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

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

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

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

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

    [FinalTilesGallery id=’43’]

    The highlights of my evening came from the opening acts.  Alice Cooper and The Raskins made my night. You guys truly rock. Shooting the first few songs from the pit, they played to the cameras, and gave us a show to share with the readers.  Find below a few moments of the evening capturing their amazing sets, costuming, and rocking moments.  Loved every last second in the pit.  Crüe I truly can do better.  Just try me!  Give me a “Crüe” over!
    [FinalTilesGallery id=’44’]
    [FinalTilesGallery id=’45’]
    [FinalTilesGallery id=’46’]

  • Still in Awe After an Amazingly Intimate Performance by Peter Rowan in Oneonta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Hearing Aide: Pink Floyd ‘The Endless River’

    The-Endless-RiverFor twenty years Pink Floyd has sailed on that final lyric from their penultimate album. This week the final cut of songs from the genre-defining band greeted the world under the title The Endless River with official release dates ranging from November 7 to 11.

    Gifted unto Pink Floyd followers and bystanders alike, The Endless River is a soundscape that washes over the listener like a mist and wraps around the ears with a curtain enveloping the mind with 52 minutes of blissful listening (or 65 minutes if you have the deluxe edition).

    The listening experience is slightly different from that of Pink Floyd’s four previous albums – back to The Wall. A double vinyl LP is available for a total of four sides of music, but it is likely more common for people to listen to The Endless River either digitally or to the CD version. The subsequent versions from the LP retain the four album side grouping, each with its own motifs. It would be impossible to enjoy the album just one song at a time. In order to get the full creative effect of the album it is best to listen from start to finish, akin to the experience of Dark Side of the Moon. However, listening to each of the four sides in separate sittings won’t slight the experience too much.

    Pink Floyd, who is now just David Gilmour and Nick Mason, made it known in advance of the album’s release that it is largely a tribute to the band’s late keyboardist Rick Wright, who passed away in 2008. Without prior knowledge of this, however, it is easy to notice Wright’s as the album progresses – his keyboard parts play an intricate role in the whole album. And yes, we do hear Wright’s playing on this album. Many of the keyboard recordings were taken from extra material from The Division Bell sessions with other parts freshly re-recorded. Only a few of the new songs have been supplemented with new keyboard recordings.

    The Endless River is primarily an instrumental album except for “Louder Than Words,” a new composition with lyrics by Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson, and a spoken word refrain from Stephen Hawking on the mediocre-titled “Talkin’ Hawkin’” (the song itself is far from mediocre). It is a little tricky to discern the intent behind an instrumental release, but referring back to the Rick Wright tribute it is likely that backing away from lyrics helps highlight his contributions as he never had a lead in vocal parts.

    With news of The Endless River drawing upon The Division Bell sessions there had been anticipation of it being a lot like a “part two” of that album, which probably would have pleased many Pink Floyd fans while disappointing only a smaller portion of the crowd. It was a pleasant surprise being swept away with something that wasn’t quite expected. A respectable amount of arranging and new composition is put into the album with emphasis on including ear candy for long time Pink Floyd fans. Here’s one of the reasons why it stands alone from The Division Bell.

    The Endless River is rather complex though a novice Pink Floyd listener may glance over these complexities. It contains a fabric of elements from A Saucerful of Secrets, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall, among others. Most distinctly, we hear relics from “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” “On the Run,” “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” “Run Like Hell,” and “High Hopes.” Some are very obvious, such as Wright’s keyboard lead on “It’s What We Do” echoing the tones of “Sine On You Crazy Diamond” or subtle like the guitar rhythms of “Run Like Hell” brought back to 2014 on “Allsons-y.” When listening to the album, be sure to listen carefully for these and other relics that aren’t as conspicuous. It seems like Gilmour and Mason took creative advantage of building off of the 1993 sessions to explore, rediscover, and reinvigorate what has been set aside for the past several Pink Floyd albums to bring their repertoire full-circle, adding a sense of closure.

    There is a lot to say for most of the songs individually but it is better to speak on each of the four sides mentioned earlier. Side 1 introduces the album with the well-known Pink Floyd melodic ambience crossed with Gilmour’s guitar style that grew into his last solo release On An Island (2006). Side 2 brings us back to the band’s early psychedelic jams and ambient airs. It feels intellectually busy yet at the same time relaxing as it concludes with the well-structured song “Anisina.” Moving on to Side 3 we hear a mixed bag of miscellaneous noodling to start before a sudden change to a more aggressive second half which provides a welcomed boost of energy at this point in the album. On Side 4 more linearity is given to themes and ideas where they had previously been intertwined. The motif of death and what happens after becomes evident in the mood progression and even in titles of the songs, again a possible (more subtle) nod to Wright. “Calling” starts this section off with dark tones with a transition of emotion that progresses through “Eyes To Pearls.” “Surfacing” then brings it around with a sense of optimism granted by either a breath of fresh air or new discovery. Looking at the four sides as whole, those hungry for the 25-minute album side epics such as “Echoes” may be a little disappointed. Each album side is short, ranging from 11 to 15 minutes, which left some room for new material independent of the 1993 sessions. The clever part about retaining the album side grouping on the digital and CD track listings is that we still get a virtual sense of pausing to flip the record. Perhaps a little nostalgic, but it gives a fresh experience in today’s listening environments and gives consistency between release formats.

    Those who bought the deluxe edition or the CD/DVD combo received a few more goodies – three outtake tracks taken directly from The Division Bell sessions. These tracks, especially the studio jam session sounding “Nervana,” go beyond a gimmick to get people to buy the extra content. It is worth the few extra dollars to get your ears around these. The bonus DVD video provides three songs not on the CD and video/images from the 1993 recording sessions, which is worth checking out.

    As the band’s (likely) final album, Pink Floyd gives us a decent reflection on the band’s years. The sense of dreaming invoked by some of the songs makes it tough to not choke on a tear at the craftsmanship put forth by band mates Gilmour and Mason on the album to tribute the contributions of Rick Wright. It was a disappointment to learn earlier this year that Roger Waters would not return to Pink Floyd to contribute to the album, but it wasn’t a surprise as it’s been 29 years since he left the band on bitter terms (which as of late he seems to feel differently about the terms he left on). However, adding Waters back in the mix could have broken the musical train of thought that’s carried through from The Division Bell.

    Pink Floyd will not be touring to support the album, so with The Endless River closes a 49-year chapter in music history. But, should David Gilmour decide to perform a few solo concerts with Nick Mason there would be a lot of happy music fans. High Hopes? Perhaps.

    For some people, it may be easy to default to mixed feelings on the album on a first listen. Do yourself a favor: Listen to the album, soak it in, and repeat. You may place it higher on your list of favorite Pink Floyd albums than you think.

    Key Tracks: It’s What We Do, Anisina, Allons-y (1 and 2), Louder Than Words

    Key Side: Side 2

  • Ray LaMontagne Turns the Palace Into a Supernova

    Words by Lauren Byrnes

    On Sunday night, Albany’s Palace Theatre was given a real treat: The Belle Brigade opening for Ray LaMontagne. LaMontagne’s new album, Supernova, was produced by The Black Keys’s Dan Auerbach and promised a new sound from the singer/songwriter.

    The opening act, The Belle Brigade, was a traditional four piece rock band with a brother and sister duo at its heart. Barbara and Ethan Gruska play the drums and guitar, respectively, and both do the vocals for the band. Their set at the Palace ran about 45 minutes and was excellent. Their sound was reminiscent of the pop rock sound that predominated in the 1990s without ever truly giving in to it. They have been touring with Ray for the past 6-7 months and were even part of his band during the singer/songwriter’s set.

    Bryan-Lasky-Ray-LaMontagne-2

    Ray came on about half an hour after The Belle Brigade had finished to an eager crowd. The sound was different from his earlier works as Mr. Auerbach’s influence was well evident from the first song on. Four out of the first five songs came from the new album where the new rock influences were heavy. The first song, “Lavender”, had an incredible trippy feel to it. The use of the synth/keyboard contributed heavily to this. The four acoustic songs toward the end of his set were a nice call back to his days with The Pariah Dogs and much appreciated by the crowd. Throughout the performance, the lighting for him was very reminiscent of the old Joshua Light Shows from the Fillmore East and West of the 60’s and 70’s. LaMontagne’s lighting is usually subdued to fit his folksy background, but with this new direction, the lighting fit perfectly along the vein of his musical supernova.

    Overall, the combination of the two bands was unmatched in compatibility. The pop rock sound of The Bell Brigade matched with the folk and newfound psychedelic sound of Ray LaMontagne made for a truly magical evening of music.

  • Tanglewood 2015 Summer Season Peaks With Odd Pairing

    TWDlogostacked356Taking a short drive down 90 into Massachusetts to Tanglewood Performing Arts Center in Stockbridge to see a show has become a popular ritual for many in Eastern NY. That tradition will continue next year with a 2015 early summer program filled with a variety of interesting opportunities.

    Canadian Jazz pianist/vocalist Diana Krall will kick things off June 21. Diana – touring to support her 2014 Wallflowers release – has sold more then 15 million albums world wide establishing her as one of the top drawing genre acts of all time.

    If a fireplace chat is more your thing – ubiquitous Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor brings his traveling live show into town June 27. Featuring a constantly changing itinerary of up and coming musicians and seasoned vets the show will also be broadcast live for those that can’t make the in person experience.

    For those in the market for a new drug, Huey Lewis and the News hit the stage June 27. Closing in on their 35th year together it’s rumored Huey and crew may have a new release out in time for the summer touring schedule. The band’s most recent tour celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Sports album. Who knows, maybe Umphrey’s will come sit in?

    Some things make you scratch your head, and while the oddball pairing of crooner extraordinaire Tony Bennett and shock pop queen Lady Gaga looks relatively terrifying on paper – it works splendidly. The daunting duo will be performing cuts from their recent album of standards – Cheek to Cheek.  Tickets for all aforementioned shows go on sale January 25 at 10AM.

    http://youtu.be/mvXGUzUR-xU

  • Michelle Renee and Local Female Vocalists Serenade the Lost Horizon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Danko Jones Announces New Album and Releases Single

    Danko Jones

    Danko Jones, a rock and roll band from Canada, announced that their newest album, Fire Music, will be released February 6-11 around the world, and released their first single from the album, “Gonna Be A Fight Tonight,” on November 13th via a Facebook announcement.

    The band, consisting of guitarist and singer Danko Jones — for whom the group is named — bassist John “JC” Calabrese, and drummer Rich Knox posted to Facebook that they are, “extremely proud” to announce this album. Additionally, Danko Jones released a music video for “Gonna Be A Fight Tonight,” consisting of footage taken from their previous tour cycle. They also released the track listing of Fire Music.

    1. Wild Woman
    2. The Twisting Knife
    3. Gonna Be A Fight Tonight
    4. Body Bags
    5. Live forever
    6. Do You Wanna Rock
    7. Getting Into Drugs
    8. Watch You Slide
    9. I Will Break Your Heart
    10. Piranha
    11. She Ain’t Coming Home

    More information on Danko Jones and their upcoming album can be found at their official Facebook page.

  • Interview: Celebrating 20 Years With Lonestar

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

    Lonestar - Turning Stone
    Lonestar – Turning Stone

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    LS: With other writers?

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

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

    KS: Oh…we need to do that.

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

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

    LS: Sure

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

    LS: Lotta Burger!!! (in unison)

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

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

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

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

    KS: Most outrageous place you’ve played?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Lonestar - Turning Stone
    Lonestar – Turning Stone

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

    [FinalTilesGallery id=’39’]

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

  • Funk Sessions at Putnam Den with The New Mastersounds

    The Heard opened a night of funk at Putnam Den, bringing blazing Chicago funk along with them courtesy of a solid horn section, who would later join The New Mastersounds for a few numbers. With guitarist Eddie Roberts leading the ultratight rhythm section, the night was full of instrumental funk that dipped into various subgenres of their signature sound, including funk of the late 60’s and early 70’s, surf rock, boogie, disco and Sly and the Family Stone-level peaks when accompanied by the horns. Little is left on the stage when the Leeds quartet plays and Saratoga Springs was fortunate to have such high caliber musicians in town. Here’s hoping to a quick return to the Capital Region. Check out their new album Therapy and see them in 2015 when they likely return to the Northeast for festival dates.

    Setlist: Soulshine, All I Want, MRG, Yo Moma, Each to their own, This ain’t work, Pure, MM’s, Upstairs*, Fast Man*, Surfin, Burnt Back, Freckles>Be Yourself>Knees, 33*, Nervous*

    Encore: 20 minutes of funk

    *with The Heard horns

  • Across The Pond: Spoon Plays London’s Shepard’s Bush Empire with Hamilton Leithauser

    Spoon is a band from Austin, Texas and on Friday night, the five-piece found themselves playing in London, England for the last date of their European fall tour.

    spoon hamilton leithauserThe geographic details of the concert, at first glance, have nothing to do with and its connection to Northern New York. But this Upstate staff writer, currently spending some time across the pond, wanted to share with his compatriots back home the excellence that Britt Daniel and his band brought to one of London’s most historic venues.

    With the August release of their eighth studio album, They Want My Soul, Spoon have been kickin’ for nearly two decades. And although the band’s lineup has shifted over the years, frontman Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno have been around since Telephono debuted in 1996 on Matador Records.

    In much the same way that They Want My Soul takes Spoon’s experience and uses it to exhibit an invigorating fresh sound, the band’s live performance gives no indication of just how long Daniel and Eno have been performing.

    Aside from the level of energy that Daniel put into each song – falling to his knees during incredibly calculated guitar solos and jumping from Eno’s drum platform to highlight instrumental breakdowns – the most obvious proof of Spoon’s long-lasting youth was their genuine enjoyment for playing together.

    Young gun Alex Fischel joined the band just before going into the studio for They Want My Soul, and his presence behind the keyboard on Friday seemed to bring out a boyish enthusiasm in his senior band mates. Fischel’s contributions on guitar often came in the form of background texture – controlled cacophony that he physically represented by gyrating in place, as if shaken by the instrument’s power. His fluttering style drew amused looks from Daniel and Eno, occasionally encouraging Daniel to raise his own emotional output.

    The only indication of Spoon’s age was their setlist, which featured songs like “The Way We Get By,” dating all the way back to 2002. While their most recent tour dates have come in support of They Want My Soul, Britt and the gang played a balanced combination of greatest hits and new material over the course of their 1.5-hour set.

    It was a night of frontmen giving fantastic performances at Shepard’s Bush Empire. Before Spoon took the stage, Hamilton Leithauser – of the indefinitely disbanded Walkmen – played an opening set of songs from his debut solo album, Black Hours. With only a guitarist backing him, Leithauser’s stripped-down versions of Black Hours material let him showcase his beautifully crooned-out vocals.

    Between Leithauser and Spoon, the Empire put on a night of music any fan could appreciate, regardless of its distance from Upstate New York. To see a band play at what is quite possibly the peak of their 18-year career is a special experience, no matter where it is.