NYS Music 20​14

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  • Interviewing Wild Adriatic on Pulling Double Duty, and more

    Albany’s own Wild Adriatic will be playing two shows on Saturday October 11, one in Lake George and one in Albany. The two shows cap a week-long tour that saw the band go down to Texas for a few shows before making their way back home. To start off their day they will be on the bill alongside Rusted Root, Black Mountain Symphony, and AM Bodega at Lake George’s Oktoberfest taking place at Charles R. Wood Park, where The American Music Festival just took place. Following that show the band will pack up the van and head down the northway to Albany and make their way to The Hollow Bar for their show with locals’ Titanics and Party Boat. I got the chance to speak to Mateo Vosganian, drummer and beard extraordinaire of Wild Adriatic. It included interviewing Wild Adriatic about this past summer, playing multiple shows in a day, their upcoming European tour and more.

    Bryan-Lasky-Wild-Adriatic-09

    Bryan Lasky :How was the past week or so of tour in Texas?
    Mateo Vosganian: The past week in TX was a crazy one! Every time we go back the shows get a little better and we keep making new friends along the way. This time we were fortunate enough to join our friends The Continuums from Austin on a little run of shows. It was our first time in Bryan and Houston but both cities were cool with smaller shows at sweet venues. The San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Austin shows were all awesome and then yesterday we had the pleasure of playing New Orleans for our first time! It was a small Monday night show with some great local acts, but the venue was awesome and we’ll be back in town for Mardi Gras 2015.
    BL: What is it about Texas that keep you going back? I think this was the second or third time for you there if I’m correct.
    MV: Texas is awesome. Plain and simple. The weather is always nice (if a little overwhelming with the heat/humidity, but hey…), the people are typically laid back and fun in the bigger cities we visit, and the music fans there love rock and roll. Playing to a room of new faces in TX is one of our favorite things to do because we’re always confident in more than half the room being very into what we’re doing. Texas has stayed engaged with us as a band, even though we’re in NY and only tour down every 3 months or so. There are a few great promoters and venues down there who have put their faith in the band and are working to help us grow down there. We’re grateful for the little set up we’ve been ushered into down in TX. So much so that we’ve decided to move to Austin from 2/10-3/23 this year. We’ve rented a house and rehearsal space and will be writing and demoing for a new album down there. We’re going to be meeting with producers and basically figuring out the vibe for the next record while we’re there, as well as a 4 week residency at Empire Garage & Control Room before a crazy week at SXSW 2015. We have some great friends down there we’d like to collaborate with and we all feel like living there for a bit will help us bolster even more of a buzz down that way. And even if not, it’ll be a totally sweet vacation from NY to escape the middle/end of winter.
    BL: Is there any new music on the horizon? I know Big Suspicious only came out in January, but fans are already clamoring some new tunes.
    MV: Hell yeah. We’ve got 2-3 tunes we’re going to start playing in Europe hopefully. We’ll probably play a few over this next month as we prepare for the Euro tour. Then when we get home we’re back in writing and US touring mode til we move to Austin for a more focused writing push. I’d really like to do a new single EP with a new single, a new b-side, a few b-sides from Big Suspicious, and a live or cover track early in 2015. I’m hoping to have something together  for that before SXSW. Then LP #2 will be aiming for January 2016.
    BL: Is it difficult playing 2 or more shows in a day? It seems like you guys have been doing it a lot lately
    MV: I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. Oftentimes it’s stressful since it involves a cramped timeframe and everyone is rushing to get everything done and get it done perfectly so we can be on time for the next gig. Typically if we have 2+ gigs in a day, we’re excited about all of them so we’re able to keep the energy high and adrenaline flowing for the whole day. We had a conversation in June 2013 and then again when the album came out about how it was time to say yes to everything. I think we’re winding down on the say yes to EVERYTHING thing but having a solid work ethic and be willing and available to play early and often has helped us immensely.
    BL: So a European tour is happening next month. How did that come about and how are you guys feeling going into the shows?
    MV: We are all anxious as hell to get over there and get started. We’ve had a great publicist, Carmen, working hard for us in Europe and have had some great reviews of the album and have heard from a lot of excited European fans. We’ve been touring relentlessly since the album came out and I think we all feel really good on stage right now as a trio. We’re learning and growing together, and it’s made for some nice transitions in how we play live. We’re as high energy as ever but the amount of attention we’re each paying to each other on stage is at a heightened level. We’re all much more aware and that’s allowed us to take a few more risks and read the room (and each other) a lot better. As far as how it came about, our European booking agency Teenage Head Music heard about us randomly through a friend and reached out. THM is an awesome agency because pretty much their entire roster is American bands or bands from other countries like Australia and New Zealand, all going to Europe for tours on a very cool routing of venues in a handful of great countries.
    BL: How important do you feel having a local radio station is to building a following for a band around a city with how the music business has changed and everything is accessible online?
    MV: I think it’s pretty important, but building a following for a band is a very complex undertaking. The way to do it varies by band, by city, by genre, etc and there are so many contributing factors to what builds a band these days. A local radio station that is active and involved in the community is absolutely a key factor to spreading the word. We’re fortunate to have snagged the ears of WEQX listeners and the local area has been crazy supportive as far as showing up at our shows, dancing their faces off, buying merch, and spreading the word. We meet so many awesome people who tell us they’re going to bring more people next time they come see a show, and that is priceless. I think one of the things that has become clear is that the music business relies a lot more on having a supportive community of people invested in each other than ever before. We’ve had a very successful year and we owe it all to the help of other bands and their management (at every level of the game, from moe. to our homeboys the Continuums in Austin, TX and beyond), the promoters who take continual risks on bands, the radio stations who play bands when no one else is, and the music lovers who come out to shows, buy the album, and tell a friend. There’s a whole lot of people who rely on each other to bring new music to the world, and we try to re-invest in our friends and business acquaintances who do good things for the community around them.
    BL: Any other plans you have coming up that you’d like to let the public in on yet, or do you want to leave some surprises for everyone?
    MV: Announcing our New Years Eve plans soon! It’ll be our first and only Upstate NY show after returning home from Europe and before 2015! More exciting things will be announced over the next few months, I promise!
    Tickets for both shows this Saturday are available now. Catch them at these small shows while you can before they move on up to hopefully some larger venues in the near future.

  • Who is 50? Who is coming to NY?

    WHO50
    Photo via thewho.com

    Legendary classic rock and hall of fame act The Who will be celebrating 50 years of music with an extensive 2 leg tour through most of 2015. Windmilling guitarist Pete Townsend apparently has big plans for the tour: “Trying to stay young. Not wearing socks. Growing a great big woodcutter’s beard. Might even wear a check shirt on stage and get a tattoo of a Union Jack. Always a fashion victim. But under no illusions. We are what we are, and extremely good at it, but we’re lucky to be alive and still touring.”

    Will this be the last hurrah for the pinball wizards? According to Roger Daltry “This is the beginning of the long goodbye.” While that certainly leaves the true retirement date way up in the air, it’s probably advisable to get to one of these shows before the end is nigh. New Yorkers will have four chances to do so with dates in Uniondale (May 20) Brooklyn (May 26) Forest Hills (May 30) and a fall date at party central – Madison Square Garden (Oct 27). Tickets for leg one shows go on sale to the general public Oct 17th. Pre-sales are available via the bands fan club Oct 11, if you’re not currently a member you can sign up here.

    The Who 2015 Tour

    LEG ONE

    Wed, April 15 Tampa, FL at Amalie Arena

    Fri, April 17 Miami, FL at American Airlines Arena

    Sun, April 19 Jacksonville, FL in Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena

    Tue, April 21 Raleigh, NC in PNC Arena

    Thu, April 23 Duluth, GA at The Arena at Gwinnett Center

    Mon, April 27 Austin, TX in Frank Erwin Center

    Wed, April 29 Houston, TX in Toyota Center

    Sat, May 2 Dallas, TX in American Airlines Center

    Tue, May 5 Kansas City, MO in Sprint Center

    Thu, May 7 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center

    Sat, May 9 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Arena

    Mon, May 11 Nashville, TN in Bridgestone Arena

    Wed, May 13 Chicago, IL in Allstate Arena

    Fri, May 15 Columbus, OH in Nationwide Arena

    Sun, May 17 Philadelphia, PA in Wells Fargo Center

    Wed, May 20 Uniondale, NY in Nassau Coliseum

    Fri, May 22 Atlantic City, NJ in Boardwalk Hall

    Sun, May 24 Uncasville, CT in Mohegan Sun Arena

    Tue, May 26 Brooklyn, NY in Barclays Center

    Sat, May 30 Forest Hills, NY in Forest Hills Stadium

    2015 TOUR DATES – LEG TWO

    Mon, September 14 San Diego, CA in Valley View Casino Center

    Wed, September 16 Anaheim, CA in Honda Center

    Sat, September 19 Las Vegas, NV in Colosseum at Caesars Palace

    Mon, September 21 Los Angeles, CA in STAPLES Center

    Wed, September 23 Oakland, CA in Oracle Arena

    Fri, September 25 Portland, ORModa Center

    Sun, September 27 Seattle, WA in KeyArena

    Tue, September 29 Vancouver, BC in Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena

    Thu, October 1 Calgary, AB in Scotiabank Saddledome

    Sat, October 3 Edmonton, AB in Rexall Place

    Tue, October 6 Saskatoon, SK in SaskTel Centre

    Thu, October 8 Winnipeg, MBMTS Centre

    Sat, October 10 Minneapolis, MN in Target Center

    Tue, October 13 Milwaukee, WI in BMO Harris Bradley Center

    Thu, October 15 Chicago, IL in United Center

    Sat, October 17 Detroit, MI in Joe Louis Arena

    Mon, October 19 Toronto, ON in Air Canada Centre

    Wed, October 21 Toronto, ON in Air Canada Centre

    Fri, October 23 Pittsburgh, PA in CONSOL Energy Center

    Sun, October 25 Newark, NJ in Prudential Center

    Tue, October 27 New York, NY in Madison Square Garden

    Thu, October 29 Boston, MA in TD Garden

    Sun, November 1 Washington, DC in Verizon Center

    Wed, November 4 Philadelphia, PA in Wells Fargo Center

  • The Linda, WAMC Performing Arts Studio – You’ll Like What You Hear

    The building once sat as an abandoned Fleet Bank until a vision, the spark of an idea and a push for arts and cultured community events came to fruition through the eye of WAMC President and CEO, Dr. Alan Chartock. The grant funded venture became a reality when it opened its doors in September of 2002 with Branford Marsalis Trio as the very first guests. As an extension of WAMC, a public broadcast radio station, The Linda provides a unique and intimate concert space and performing arts studio.

    The goal was to expand the station’s ability to provide on-air performances both live and recorded. The Linda is a performance space, a broadcast studio, and a cultural arts center. Programming includes music, film, workshops, debates, and community events. A focus being on the local exposure to notable filmmakers, actors and musicians with genres such as roots, classical and jazz, The Linda is a perfect listening room. The Linda was affectionately named after long-time supporter of WAMC, Linda Norris, however, let it be known that it is correct only to refer to the space as The Linda – WAMC Performing Arts Studio.

    The small space brings the artist and listener together in a way that creates an engaging experience. Often, there are CD signings following a show. Being a 210-seat facility, the experience is intimate and personal. A highlight of The Linda is that shows are scheduled early enough so that folks are out to enjoy the club scene, which is beginning to take shape on Central Ave with Pauly’s Hotel and The Low Beat next door. The Linda is located on a section of Central Ave that is a very diverse part of town with multi-cultural restaurants nearby. Being that a large focus of The Linda is connecting arts and culture with the community, the locale is perfect. There is a small cash bar and The Linda is available to rent.

    No matter your own personal intention for visiting The Linda, whether it is a comedy show, a political debate, a music event or a play, you will like what you hear.

  • Interview: Hellyeah! Vinnie Paul talks about touring, Blood for Blood, and the story behind Rebel Meets Rebel

    In the world of hard rock and heavy metal, there are drummers, and then there is Vinnie Paul. Starting up his first project in 1981, which would soon become the game-changing metal band Pantera, Vinnie has been delivering crushing drum beats for three solid decades. When tragedy struck in 2004 while playing with Damageplan, it was unclear if Vinnie would ever play drums again. But you can’t take the music out of the man, and soon Hellyeah, a veritable metal supergroup, was formed in 2006 with Vinnie once again behind the kit. interview

    On the recent Five Finger Death Punch and Volbeat tour, Hellyeah brought their incredible sound and heavy presence in support every night. When the tour came to The Times Union Center in Albany New York, I was lucky and honored to be able to talk with Vinnie about the road, the band’s newest record, and the future. Because of a scheduling error, Jim Gilbert and myself were rushed into a small back room with a broken cooler and a chair, and were warmly welcomed by rock royalty.

    Interview Vinnie Paul
    Vinnie Paul (Hellyeah, Damageplan, Pantera) and Jeff Ayers (NYSMusic)

    Jeff Ayers: So how has this tour been going? I’ve been following you on social media, it looks great.

    Vinnie Paul: Absolutely awesome. One of the favorite tours I have ever been a part of. Every band is different from each other, and unique from each other. It’s been sold out, or nearly sold out every night, and it’s a great opportunity for us to play to a lot of people that have never seen us, and to play to people who have seen us before. It’s just been awesome man. Five Finger and Volbeat have been treating us great, and we are all really good friends, everybody gets along, so everybody’s having a great time.

    JA: That’s great. Speaking of social media, you really do a lot on the internet.

    VP: I try to keep the fans informed as much as I can.

    JA: You definitely do, and speaking from people who came up in the music business before all that, was that easy for you to pick up, or did it take some getting used to?

    VP: You just have to catch up, you know? Back in the day it was word of mouth. “You gotta check this band out”. This guy went and told this guy, and that guy went and told these girls, and those girls went and told their friends. Five people told ten people, and that is how it spread. Nowadays you can touch so many people with just a touch of the button, it’s incredible.

    JA: Recently in the press, Gene Simmons said Rock is Dead. Your band, and this tour, is direct opposition to that statement. In your own opinion, what do you believe is the current state of rock music?

    VP: I think Gene was speaking from a different perspective. We are talking about, if you wanna look at the bands that are still headlining huge festivals and stuff, it’s still KISS, it’s still Motley Crue, it’s still Metallica. It’s the same bands that were doing it fifteen or twenty years ago. There hasn’t been any bands that have stepped to the forefront to be as big as those bands. So that’s where his perspective is coming from. But as far as rock and metal being dead, there is no way it will ever die. It is the greatest form of music there ever was, people love it and still support it. Sometimes it goes through phases of more popularity or less popularity, unfortunately with all the downloading that goes on it is harder and harder for artists to tour, especially young bands that are just coming up. But there are still people who are out there fighting, we are here, Five Finger is here, Volbeat is here, there are a lot of great bands out there doing this. I’m not going away from it. It has changed a ton from when you would buy Pantera albums, and not CD’s and all that, but you either get in line with or you fucking fall by the wayside.

    Interview Vinnie Paul
    Album Cover

    JA: Very true. As a drummer, and from maybe a non-metal area, what are some of your lesser known influences? Maybe something that drives you from the beginning of your career, or music that you have found as your career has taken you places?

    VP: I’m a fan of any kind of music except hip-hop. Hip-hop just doesn’t do anything for me. I grew up listening to a lot of country and western, a lot of David Allan Coe, Waylon Jennings, and stuff like that. And, you know, all the bands from Texas; Kings X, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians, all that stuff was really influential and good to go watch at an early age. I don’t think there are any big ‘secrets’ as to something in my [music] vault that you don’t know anything about. I love female singers. I like Christina Aguilera, and I like the Heart sisters. Lzzy Hale, from Halestorm is an amazing vocalist, Pat Benetar, so maybe that’s something people didn’t really know.

    JA: Lots of great music. Pat Benetar is actually going to be [in Albany] very soon. So this just hit me, because you mentioned David Allan Coe, how did the album that you guys did [Vinnie, his brother Dimebag Darryl and Rex Brown from Pantera] with David Allan Coe come about? What’s the story behind Rebel Meets Rebel?

    VP: Well it’s really crazy. Like I said, my brother and I used to hear him [a lot], he was one of my mom’s favorite country artists back in the day. My brother went over in 1999 to see David Allan Coe play at a place called Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth, Texas. So, you know, we always would take our Pantera CD’s and DVD’s with us to pass them off to people, and Dime actually stood in line, the meet and greet line, for David Allan, and he stood there with like a hundred people and he was at the end of the line. So when he got up to David he said “Hey man, I know you don’t know who I am or anything, but I play in this band Pantera and I love your music, and I wanna give you a DVD, and maybe we can get together and write some songs sometime.” So Dime gave him his phone number, and the next day about eight o’clock in the morning, Dime said his phone rang, and he said there was this country dude on the phone and [laughs, in his best David Allan impression] “Hey man, this David Allan Coe” and Dime was like David Allan Coe? At eight o’clock in the morning? What’s going on?

    Jim Gilbert: I would not think he would be up at eight in the morning.

    VP: Yeah, right? [laughs] But he was like, “I just watched this DVD you gave me man, and you guys are like the fucking Beatles of fucking 1999 man! When are we gonna get together and start writing some songs?” That is basically how it happened. So he came into town, and everytime he would come to town after that we would write a few songs with him. This happened like four times and by that point we had enough stuff for a record, and we finished it. At that time, we were doing Damageplan, and the fans were really confused as to what had happened with Pantera, and we didn’t want to confuse them further, so we put it on the shelf. Then, after the horrible thing that happened with my brother, it took me about eight months to get my life together, and the first thing that came to me was man, Dime was really proud of that album, and I gotta get it out for him, you know? It was really important to me, so I started my own label and put it out, and it did really well.

    JA: Yea, I love that record.

    VP: Thank you. Honestly, it was the first true collaboration between a heavy metal outlaw band and a country outlaw together. Some people had done it with a single or something, but that was the first full length record.

    JG: Also, country music influencing metal right now, is so popular, there is such a blend.

    VP: Yeah there is a great crossover there, for sure.

    JA: So back to Hellyeah. Blood for Blood, marks in my opinion, the best, most coherent version of the band to date.

    VP: Thanks man.

    JA: Did you guys go into the studio with that mindset, or was that born from the recording process?

    VP: Well, we felt like we got back on track with what we wanted to do, and what the fans wanted us to do, being a metal band. The first two records were really experimentally, doing things outside of what we had done with Nothing Face, Mudvayne and Pantera, and songs like “Alcohaulin’ Ass” and “Hell of a Time” were songs that wouldn’t work in those bands. So once we got that out of our system, we got back to doing what are roots are, which is metal, with Band of Brothers. Once we finished the Gigantour last year with Megadeth and Black Label Society, we felt like we pulled the heavy fans back in. We wanted to get in the studio and make the best record of our careers. At that time, that is when we realised that Greg [Tribbett] and Bob[Zilla] didn’t have the same vision or focus, and they both had serious personal issues that were taking away from the band, so we parted company. So myself, Tom [Maxwell] and Chad [Gray] wrote the entire record with a brand new producer [for us] Kevin Churko, and he really understood the vision we had and we made the best record we ever made, so we are really proud of it.

    JA: You should be, it is a really great record. You said that the track “Say When” is the first time you have written a drum part that extreme since the Far Beyond Driven days. Do see more parts like that in the future?

    VP: Yeah man, especially with the direction we are going, it allows for more drumming, and heavier stuff. Like I said, the other records, the earlier Hellyeah was more rock and roll influenced, so it required me to be more of a back beat on things. Going back in the metal direction, it gives me more freedom as a drummer to tear it up and do more.

    JA: Awesome! What’s next for Hellyeah after this tour?

    VP: Well we have a long tour to go, this is only the tenth show! [laughs]. So this goes until November, then we will be off until New Years Eve, with a show I can’t talk about yet, and then next year is a whole year of touring. Definitely a tour of the U.S., Europe again in the spring, we will be going to South America, Japan, all that and non-stop touring until probably October next year, then back to the studio and do it all over again!

    JA: That is the dream.

    VP: Hellyeah!

  • Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam XXVI: Jammin’ Around Ashville, NC

    If you’re in the Tar Heel State this December, be sure to have yourself a Muley little Christmas, Christmas Jam XXVI that is.

    xmasjam26

    Gifts come a little early as Warren Haynes 26th Annual Christmas Jam is scheduled for Saturday, December 13. The renowned guitarist has hosted the event since 1989, donating the proceeds to charity; Habitat for Humanity has been the beneficiary since 1998. While Warren brings his soulful guitar-playing Upstate to Hunter, NY for Mountain Jam every summer, his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina gets him during the winter holiday season. Haynes’ relentless work ethic and benevolent personality have helped the event grow each year and Christmas Jam now takes place at the 7,500+ seat U.S. Cellular Center.

    Past lineups have included The Allman Brothers Band, Counting Crows, Los Lobos, Umphrey’s McGee, and many more. Special guests like Karl Denson, Jackie Greene, Ron Holloway, and Susan Tedeschi show up each year. Americana Artist of the Year Jason Isbell, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, and Vince Gill join Gov’t Mule, The Revivalists, and Hard Working Americans on 2014’s initial bill, but there will be many more artists to join, both announced and unannounced.

    Kreutzmann’s new super-group, Billy & The Kids, features The Disco Biscuits’ keys/piano guru Aron Magner, Tea Leaf Green bassist Reed Mathis, and American Babies’ Tom Hamilton. Magner and Hamilton’s chemistry was recently on display at Catskill Chill, where they played with fellow Disco Biscuit Marc Brownstein and Lotus’s Mike Greenfield as Electron. Magner also sat in during Hamilton’s American Babies set for a fantastic cover of the Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie;” with Kreutzmann running the show and Mathis joining in, fans can expect a killer set.

    Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill makes his inaugural trek to Christmas Jam in 2014. Gill has a GRAMMY award for each finger and toe on his body and will add a twang of country to the Southern rock show. Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell, whose own award collection includes this year’s Americana Music Awards for Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (“Cover Me Up”), and Album of the Year (Southeastern), brings his talent to Asheville as well.

    The initial lineup is rounded out by Hard Working Americans and The Revivalists. Like Billy & The Kids, Hard Working Americans is another all-star band, consisting of singer/songwriter Todd Snider, Chris Robinson Brotherhood’s Neal Casal on the six-string, Widespread Panic’s Dave Schools on bass, Derek’s younger brother Duane Trucks on drums, Jesse Aycock on the steel guitar, and Chad Staehly on keys. Their 2014 self-titled debut album features 11 cover songs, and Asheville is their penultimate scheduled stop on a national tour. The Revivalists is a New Orleans group with a brass section and a huge sound.  The band plays soulful funk that sparks dance parties. Christmas Jam is their final stop on a national tour reaching 20+ cities.

    The aforementioned musicians alone would put on an incredible show, but there will be many more artists announced in the coming weeks. Pre-sale tickets go on sale October 13 and regular tickets become available October 17. They always go fast, so be sure to treat yourself to a happy holiday by joining Warren’s incredible event.

  • Hearing Aide: Better By Morning ‘You Say’

    YouSayArtBetter By Morning is the creation of Jake Brooks (vocals, guitar, bass, keys) and Johnny Gravitt (Lead and rhythm guitar), they’ve released their first EP You Say. It’s aptly titled as many listeners will have much to say after hearing this.

    Joining them on this EP are Roy Stein on drums of, My Plastic Sun and Jet Black Berries and Johnny Cummings, organ on tracks 1 & 3, also a member of My Plastic Sun and Jet Black Berries, their live performances feature Bradley Paquet (bass) and Kyle Squires (drums). Stein and Cummings come to the band through Nazareth College where Brooks is a student and Stein a Professor and Director of the Music/Business program, quite the interesting combination. Stein was enlisted to help finish the EP after their previous drummer departed and the multitalented Cummings was introduced to the equation by Stein. Together they’ve created a frankly stunning first release, bolstered by the nimble ears and fingers of Cody Niver at CGI Studios in Ontario, N.Y. and Tim Lynch at The Recording Company, Albany, N.Y. Track 2 was mastered by Joe LaPorta at Sterling Sound and the balance by Cody Niver at CGI Studio. Deftly talented artists’ each, the end result is even, yet dynamic with an underlying impulse for a number 11 on the volume knob.

    BBM-1
    If you have any knowledge (and you should) of Stein and Cumming’s work in their bands My Plastic Sun and Jet Black Berries, you’ll know these are two of the most remarkably talented individuals working from the Rochester area. To have them participate and speak as highly of Brooks as they do says volumes of what is in store from Better By Morning. Like Cummings, Brooks is a multi-instrumental talent, his voice is both commanding and sensitive, its depth belies his age. The band hails from lovely Saratoga Springs, N.Y., so having surroundings that inspire are certainly falling in their favor. The strength of his musical partnership with Gravitt is clearly evident and they’ve set a high bar for themselves. The hallmark of great pop and rock are big guitars, Gravitt provides the needed licks to accentuate and power the sweet melodies. Better By Morning has implied that planning for another EP is already in the works, but that’s for later, let’s get right to their current offering.

    While they’ve chosen “alternative” as the box to click genre wise, the songwriting duo of Brooks/Gravitt prove it’s much more than that with their lyrical and musical flexibility that conjures the energy of an early U2 with Coldplay intellect and diversity. The opener “Bird Won’t Fly” really lays it out there with a solid hook, soaring vocals and a driving rhythm, immediately listenable and repeatable. “Sell” has a Franz Ferdinand feel, the syncopated guitar and layered harmonies rise and fall into the breathy verses.

    “Hearts” is pure melodic power-pop in spades, it hits on every cylinder from the call and respond vocal to the rich instrumentation. The mix is so even that the bass pushes the melody line while the drums pacing is bright and on top of it, swelling with the guitar and urging the emotive delivery from Brooks. Very dynamic and well-engineered. “Pages” sounds like the built-in single, the catchy guitar riff, the easily assessable lyric, it pushes, bounces and urges motion within the listener. Trademark stuff for well-hewn power-pop.

    The closer, “Change Your Mind” gives Gravitt a chance to really cut it loose and get outside of the box a little. While his subtlety throughout the earlier songs is within the formula and fitting, there’s always space and frankly need, for that signature riff. I’d like to hear more of it. The restraint demonstrated by each player throughout is admirable, they obviously have the chops to run-over each other trying to grab the limelight. It shows a great deal of maturity and thoughtfulness to avoid that trap and work as a cohesive unit.

    Key Tracks: Sell, Pages, Change Your Mind

    I believe there is a ton of room for growth with Better By Morning, I also believe that there is another personality they take on when they play live. They’ve just announced an opportunity to see just that at Bug Jar in Rochester on November 11. Details on the show and their EP are available at their many social media and internet outlets, their website, facebook, twitter

    Buy their EP at itunes and cdbaby

  • Fleetwood Mac Expands Reunion Tour – Adds 3 NY Dates

    FM-TOURThe Fleetwood Mac reunion tour has just begun and already has been expanded well into 2015. The shows will feature the return of long time member Christine McVie whom – sans a quick two show stint in 2013 – has not been active in the band since 1998. The North America centered tour will run at least into April of next year with dates all across the US and Canada.

    Upstate fans can look forward to a triple dose of Mac and McVie with dates in New York City (Jan 22 Madison Square Garden) Uniondale (Jan 25 Nassau Coliseum) and Buffalo (Jan 31 First Niagara Center). Tickets to all these shows are bound to sell out, so if you want to catch this rare reunion of one of classic rocks greats, do not delay.

    Fleetwood Mac 2014-2015 Tour

    10/10 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
    10/11 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
    10/14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Consol Energy Center
    10/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
    10/18 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
    10/19 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
    10/21 – Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
    10/22 – Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
    10/26 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Center
    10/31 – Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
    11/01 – Hartford, CT @ XL Center
    11/10 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
    11/12 – Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
    11/14 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
    11/15 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
    11/18 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
    11/20 – Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome
    11/22 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
    11/24 – Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Arena
    11/25 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
    11/28 – Inglewood, CA @ The Forum
    11/29 – Inglewood, CA @ The Forum
    12/02 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
    12/03 – Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
    12/10 – Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Center
    12/12 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
    12/14 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
    12/15 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
    12/17 – Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
    12/19 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ BB&T Center
    12/20 – Tampa, FL @ Tampa Bay Times Forum
    01/16 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
    01/17 – Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
    01/20 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
    01/22 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
    01/24 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Boardwalk Hall
    01/25 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
    01/28 – Providence, RI @ Dunkin’ Donuts Center
    01/31 – Buffalo, NY @ First Niagara Center
    02/03 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
    02/05 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
    02/07 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
    02/08 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
    02/11 – Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena
    02/12 – Milwaukee, WI @ BMO Harris Bradley Center
    02/14 – Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
    02/17 – Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center
    02/18 – Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
    03/01 – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
    03/07 – Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena
    03/08 – Knoxville, TN @ Thompson-Boling Arena
    03/11 – Little Rock, AR @ Verizon Arena
    03/12 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Chesapeake Energy Arena
    03/15 – Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones Arena
    03/17 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex
    03/18 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
    03/27 – St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
    03/28 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
    03/31 – Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena

  • Shuck ‘N’ Jive Sure To Be A Great Ride

    On Oct. 11 and 12, Sandy Hook, Connecticut’s McLaughlin Vineyards will host the Shuck ‘N’ Jive Mountain Bike Festival. On Saturday, bicyclists will traverse the pro-level Grapes of Wrath Mountain Bike course, attempting to earn the $1,000 grand prize. For the first time in the race’s five-year history, a music and camping festival, featuring plenty of local talent, accompanies the race on the vineyards’ 160 idyllic acres.

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    Funk fiends Kung Fu headline the music portion of the event. The band’s stage presence matches its sound in enormity and it is a safe bet that, between elating jams, the New Haven-based group will remind Kung Fu is here for you. Connecticut quintet Max Creek is also slated to take the stage. Their resume spans four decades and good times will flow as the Creek dips into their diverse rock catalog. Jen “Pipes” Durkin, another Connecticuter, will be joined at Shuck ‘N’ Jive by her backing band the Business. Known for her work with Deep Banana Blackout, Durkin’s soulful voice will ring out among the myriad rows of grapes. Funk will be thick in the air as New Orleans resident Billy Iuso is the artist at large all weekend.

    There are separate general, family, and rustic camping areas to set up at on Saturday night and there will be a central bonfire next to the Vineyard Stage where late-night music takes place. Whether racing or not, all are encouraged to bring a bicycle to explore the vineyards and marvel at the peaking foliage. There are plenty of hiking trails, too, if you prefer getting around by foot.

    Camping passes are already sold out, but individual day passes can be purchased here.

  • Have some Funk with your Waffles: An Interview with Greg Ormont of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

    If you attend college at SU, every now and then you need an excuse to go to Funk N’ Waffles. Maybe it’s the sweet aroma, abstract art, or the dynamic acts they book. No matter what your reasoning is, October 9th is the day to be at the Funk, because the one the only Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will astound all of us with a funky fresh energy that will make the best (waffle) dinner and a show of all time. Based out of Baltimore, this quirky combo has sailed to the top in the past five years, from the University of Maryland dorms to prestigious stages across the nation. I got to talk with the lead singer Greg Ormont about their past summer festival season, greatest moments, and upcoming releases.

    Julia Wolfe: If you were describing your music to someone who doesn’t know your band, what three adjectives would you use?

    Greg Ormont: High energy, psychedelic, and funk. I would need to put fun in there somewhere, so I would probably do that for extra credit?

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    JW: Sure! I’m cool with bonus points. I also noticed you guys recently played at the Catskill Chill Music Festival, alongside Lettuce, Papadosio, and Dopapod. What was that like?

    GO: It was an honor to play Catskill Chill. It was our second time playing there, and the lineup is just so impressive from top to bottom. It was an incredibly deep and fanastic, funky lineup, so playing alongside those musicians is just a dream come true. We were able to invite some of our friends up on stage, so we had Mihali Savoulidis from Twiddle play guitar with us, along with others. There’s so much great cool stuff to see and great music.

    JW: What would you say is your dream gig? What bands do you idolize?

    GO: My dream gigs would be Jam Cruise, Madison Square Garden, and Vegas on Halloween somewhere. I would play with Phish, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. If I had to answer with one dream gig, though, it would be the Superbowl Halftime Show with special guest Stevie Wonder.

    JW: I looked into your discography, and it shows your first record was released in 2010, so you guys are still pretty new. How have you handled taking off so quickly in the past 5 years?

    GO: We just love to play music. Back when we started this band, it was for fun. To this day, it’s still about the fun. As we play bigger venues and have more prestigious lineups, we continue to focus on having a good time on stage and have the crowd have an even better time. We’ve always been drawn to the energy that we share with an audience, and that’s what we focus on. It’s nice that we get to play later and longer at shows, but it all boils down to having a great time.

    JW: It looks like you’ve hit up a ton of venues across the US. What has been your favorite so far?

    GO: Opening for the Disco Biscuits at the Best Buy Theatre on New Year’s Eve. The 930 Club in DC and the 8 by 10 in Baltimore were also some of our favorites.

    JW: Where can we expect to see you in the future? Any cool shows or releases coming up?

    GO: We just recently announced New Year’s Eve in Richmond, Virginia. Just yesterday, we announced more shows in Upstate New York. We’re also playing Aura Music Festival in Florida, which is one of my favorite places to play by far. It’s one of the most beautiful grounds I’ve ever stepped on with the most visionary lineups of the year. It’s going to be a great show.

    JW: If people want to follow your updates, where can they find you?

    GO: Definitely on our facebook page as well as our website, but I also would recommend to follow our Instagram. Facebook has most of our band information, but our Instagram has all of our wacky, spur of the moment photos from our tour, so both are worth checking out.

    Pigeons Playing Ping Pong released their second album, Psychology in July of 2014, and have undergone an extensive season of touring since. Despite their multiple stops in upstate New York, you won’t get as much of an inclusive experience unless you go to Funk N’ Waffles on South Crouse Ave. They stop here October 9th at 8:30pm, and food and beverages will be available for sale, as always. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door, but I’d recommend getting there early to secure a seat. See ya there!

  • The Sea The Sea and Great Mutations dive into Albany

    On a Fall October night in Albany at The Low Beat, two local bands took to the stage to show that the music scene in the area is alive and well. The Sea The Sea, with openers Great Mutations played their first and third live shows of the area, respectively, and made new fans to those who were in attendance. Three piece act Great Mutations, from Troy, started the evening off with some easy-going rock tunes that would sound perfect on the California coast. Their songs were well written, both musically and lyrically. The beginning of their set saw some trepidation from the band, but by the end of the set their confidence oozed through the music. Lead singer and guitarist Matt Thouin said after the set that the band likes to mainly record and haven’t looked into playing live shows, but hopefully this will change as the band showed off a lot of potential in their 40 minute set.

    After a short break The Sea The Sea played their first Albany show. Duo Mira Stanley and Chuck E. Costa played a great set of folk-rock that had signs of deep space and jamming thrown in for good measure. The Sea The Sea’s name, which means ‘a cry of joy’, came from a Greek tale of soldiers arriving to see the ocean and exclaiming the words and Mira and Chuck sing their songs with such joy that the name fits perfectly. Their harmonies at times soared over the music with their dreamy lyrics and made everyone in the venue focus on what was being sung instead of the music that was being produced.

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    With only one album to their credit, The Sea The Sea decided to surprise the crowd and play a set mostly composed of brand new music that no one has heard yet and hopefully will make the second album the band plans on recording will living in the Albany area once again. The one song they played from their first album was the title track “Love We Are We Love” and it gave the group a moment to not worry about the new material and let them go zone in on the music. The rest of the music throughout the night was wonderful as well. The best new track was “Drunken King” near the end of the evening. The haunting track has Pink Floyd vocal wailing from Mira, while Chuck sings straight forward and plays the keys. The minimal music in the song lets the lyrics really be the forefront of what the listener is hearing throughout the song.

    With two guitars, a harmonica, a drum set, a keyboard, and two voices, The Sea The Sea put on an hour-long set that seemed to go by too quickly. Though the music is not what one would consider busy, it melds perfectly with their voices to create a beautiful sound-scape that gets caught in your head and doesn’t want to leave. The band is now once again living in the Capital District and should be playing regularly around town. The small crowd at The Low Beat for the show were won over by show’s end. Hopefully as more shows pop up for The Sea The Sea, the crowds for this great duo continue to rise like the tide.