Naysayers about the Rochester music scene will need to clam it up this October. End to end, the month is loaded with more shows than some cities are lucky to see in a full calendar year. ROCtober starts out “Hell Bent For Leather” October 1st with metal icons Judas Priest opening their tour in town at the Main Street Armory. Tour openers continue with hip hop legend NAS also starting his tour in ROC-city the very next night (Also at the Armory). Seemingly unafraid of any genre The Armory will also bring in Reggae (Elephant Man Oct. 10), classic rock (Kansas Oct. 16), country (Charlie Daniels Band Oct. 22) and alternative rock (Bastille Oct. 24).
Montage Music Hall adds to the fun with their own load of diverse genre shows. The New Mastersounds – an unbelievable funky English export – will team up with local top-tier talents Mojo Collective and Ocupanther for their inaugural visit to Rochester Oct 7. The 9th features the new/bluegrass of regional heavy hitters Cabinet. The 17th will find the absolute kings of the metal breakdown Unearth with special guest The Darkest Hour. Buffalo’s Aqueous will heat up the 24th with North Carolina’s The Mantra’s. The 30th will kick off Halloween weekend in style with two of Upstate’s favorite bands: Jimkata and Turkuaz.
Water Street Music Hall was missed for a good portion of 2013-14 due to some ownership changes but they are back and as usual are wasting no time bringing top-tier talent to the area. Dopapod and Consider the Source will jam up Oct 2nd. New Orleans’ Mingo Fishtrap returns to ROC Oct. 5 after an unbelievably packed set at the Xerox International Jazz Fest. The funk will continue with Lettuce making their premier trip to ROC Oct. 23. And to cap it off, one for the ladies – Water Street’s annual Men of General Hospital show Oct 24.
And all that barely touches the surface, check out our list for the rest of the notable haps in ROCtober below.
10/01 Judas Priest w/ Steel Panther (Armory)
10/02 NAS (Armory)
10/02 Dopapod w/ Consider the Source (Water Street)
10/03 BASSNECTAR w/ Kill Paris and Son of Kick (Armory)
10/04 Strange Birds (Montage)
10/04 Giant Panda w/ Mosaic Foundation (Zeppa Auditorium)
10/05 Mingo Fishtrap (Water Street)
10/07 New Mastersounds w/ Moho Collective and Ocupanther (Montage)
10/09 Cabinet w/ TBD (Montage)
10/10 Elephant Man w/ Gyptian and Spice (Armory)
10/10 Theory of a Deadman w/ Fozzy and 3 Pill Morning (Water Street)
10/11 Deicide w/ Septic Flesh (Montage)
10/12 Ryan Montbleau Band w/ Tall Heights
10/16 Heavy Trash w/ Bloodshot Bill (Water Street)
10/17 Unearth w/ Darkest Hour (Montage)
10/22 Charlie Daniels Band (Armory)
10/23 Lettuce (Water Street)
10/24 Aqueous w/ Mantras (Montage)
10/24 MEN OF GENERAL HOSPITAL (Water Street)
10/24 Bastille (Armory)
10/25 Badfish (Water Street)
10/28 Goat Whore (Bug Jar)
10/29 AJR (Montage)
10/30 Jimkata w/ Turkuaz (Montage)
10/31 Love and Theft w/ Joel Crouse and DJ DU (Water Street)
10/31 Roots Collider w/ Thousands of One, Subsoil, Mrs Skannato and Personal Blend (Flour City)
Buffalo’s Aqueous just announced their 2014 Fall tour schedule and, even with losing long-time drummer Nick Sonricker, the band refuses to take their foot off of the proverbial pedal. Locked and loaded with the newest member, Ryan Nogle, the band made a solid showing at The Peach Music Festival this past weekend with a sizeable crowd that latched on to the band’s infectious sound. With summer still not exactly over, the band will head to moe.down next weekend for a prime slot and two sets on Sunday night opposite of moe..
Getting back to the announcement, the band will embark on a heavy rotation throughout the Northeast on tour this Fall, touching down in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania among other states. The band will travel as far south though as North Carolina and as far west as Indiana, ultimately wrapping up at Nectar’s in Vermont. Along the way, Aqueous will be joined by their friends in The Mantras, The McLovin’s, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Knowing that the band has a great relationship with each, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we saw some fun guest sit-ins.
If the tour itself doesn’t have you excited, the band will be debuting their newest album on October 25th in their hometown of Buffalo at Iron Works and will be joined by The Mantras. With their last album being almost two years old, this has been long-overdue and overly anticipated by fans.
Check out the dates below and make sure to mark one down on your calendar as the new lineup has the band full of energy and ready to bring it to your hometown.
On a global scale, few mere mortals will ever know the exquisite blissful nature inherent in a music festival. Those mortals include friends you encouraged to come – they show feigned interest but never show up. Grumpy old men ranting about “those hippies need to get a job”. Business people who can’t possibly leave their desk for three days. Those people have missed the boat – no weekend ritual truly embodies and personifies the definition of vacation better. True freedom exists there: freedom from ringing cells, fashion faux pas, nagging bosses, judgement, and often shoes. To truly live off the earth and feed our natural senses – the sights – the smells – and of course, the sounds. The 34th annual Gathering at Chaffee’s epitomized this hedonistic alternate reality perfectly.
This year would provide some upgrades to the Chaffee experience. For longer than some of the attendees lives, there has been a popular saying here – “It ain’t Chaffee’s if it doesn’t rain”. To answer the weather critics, the festival added a giant circus-esque tent to the front of the stage allowing for not only plenty of dry space to dance, but also quite possibly one of the best light shows a medium-sized festival has ever seen. Images and lights danced over the white tents interior all weekend while smoke effects added another layer of visuals. Morning yoga was added – for those who got up early, or had not yet slept. The yearly beer tasting expanded with the delicious concoctions of Erie’s Lavery Brewing Company. Oh, and the rain? Well, I guess all they needed was a tent because outside of a couple ten-minute sprinkles, the weather was close to perfection from start to finish.
34 years is a hell of a long time for any festival to exist nowadays. When such longevity is achieved, it’s rarely a fluke. Rather, everything has to be just right. The right amount of security to be safe without feeling under surveillance. The right amount of amenities to stay comfortable without abridging the “back to nature” aspect. Enough port-a-potties to insure no long lines engaged in the “pee-pee” dance (Also worth noting – some of the cleanest port-a-potties EVER). And of course, music. Lots of it.
Musical highlights over the weekend were aplenty. Eric Brewer & Phriends performed a near flawless set of Phish covers. Groove rock juggernaut Aqueous busted out some old tunes, some extra long jam sessions and a set with multiple guest appearances – Funktapuss‘s Latez Antonio singing vocals on TLC’s Waterfalls and a full band switch over with Ohio’s Broccoli Samurai (and Eric Brewer to boot) during original tune “The Median”. A crew of uber talented Erie bands performed including a side stage rager by Potwhole and a blistering set by the soon-to-be-big Falling Hollywood. Jimkata’s soaring peaks that lead the way for festival closer Spiritual Rez – a set that can only be described as an unstoppable party. All bands brought their A game, no filler acts to be found here.
Of course, like any weekend of fun, eventually its time to go home. As people packed up, the overwhelming sentiment was that: “This was the best Chaffee’s yet”. This rang a bell for me, I had heard this before – last year at Chaffee’s 33. And have no doubts, Chaffee’s 35 will be even better. It’s already on my calendar, do yourself a favor and put it on yours.
moe.down 15 is set for its return Labor Day Weekend at the Snow Ridge Ski Resort in Turin, N.Y.
After moving to a different location several years ago, the fest is finally back to the original time and place where it all began. There’s no doubt that moe. fans and live music lovers are pleased by the announcement.
moe.down began at the Snow Ridge Ski Resort in 2000 with around 3,000 people in attendance and has since grown to become home to roughly 10,000 music revelers for Labor Day Weekend. More important than the time and location of the festival, is the band that started it all, moe.. The Rock/Jam quintet has had a revolving cast since their forming at the University of Buffalo in 1989, with Rob Derhak and Chuck Garvey being the only original members remaining. moe. has become a veteran and staple of the festival scene, getting their start at Gathering of the Vibes in 1998.
This year’s line-up will include moe., Gogol Boredello, O.A.R., Lotus, Soulive, Les Claypool’s Due De Twang, Jerry Douglas Band, The Rich Robinson Band, Everyone Orchestra, Twiddle, Floodwood, Aqueous, The Werks, Conehead Buddha, American Babies, and Wild Adriatic. Representing the Upstate New York area is Aqueous of Buffalo, known for their Groove/Rock style, Conehead Buddha with their Latin and funk rhythms hailing from Coxsackie, Floodwood and their unforgettable String Band sound from Utica, Wild Adriatic of Saratoga Springs, and of course moe..
The festival grounds at the Snow Ridge Ski Resort are a beautiful and well suited are for the event, with the ski slopes for seating. There are two stages on the grounds, with numerous vendors selling many different types of food and other goods. Two support groups for festivalgoers can be found; Yodeladies, a women’s support group and The Happy Hour Heroes, an AA Support group. Both being named after moe. songs. The adjacent hills are used as camping grounds, separated into Family and Sober, Quiet and Regular camping areas. A Kid’s Tent is set up during the day from 12-4pm for parents needing their young ones supervised. Snow Ridge Ski Resort is also right next to the local Steak N’ Brew for anyone wanting an actual meal at the fest.
moe.down has been host to many big name headliners over the last 15 years, besides moe. themselves. Past headlining acts include Stanley Jordan Trio, Umphrey’s McGee, Slightly Stupid, The Black Keys, Cake, Redman and Method Man, Ani DiFranco, Yonder Mountain String Band, Bela Fleck, The Roots, Medeski Scofield Martin and Wood, Ziggy Marley, Keller Williams, Tea Leaf Green, Violent Femmes, Blues Traveler, Mike Gordon, Michael Franti and Spearhead, John Brown’s Body, Donna the Buffalo, Soulive, The Wailers, Dave Grissam Quartet, and Les Claypool.
moe.down 15 will provide a nice mix of Jam, Rock, Funk, and Bluegrass for live music lovers from the Upstate area and abroad. The beautiful grounds, wholesome environment, and good music can be a perfect end of the summer getaway for any type of person. The fest starts Friday, August 29th and will end Sunday the 31st. Tickets are on sale now for $150 and may also be bought at the gate. Parking for the weekend will be an addition $10. More information can be found at the moe.down website.
moe.down 15 Festival Playlist
Warm yourself up for moe.down 15 with a preview playlist of this year’s preforming artists.
Performers on the playlist include moe., Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang, O.A.R., Soulive, Lotus, Floodwood, Aqueous, Twiddle, and The Werks. Be sure to check out the upcoming moe.down 15 Festival Preview via NYS Music Music Guide.
moe.down 15 will be held on Labor Day weekend, August 29-31, at the Snow Ridge Ski Resort in Turin, N.Y. For tickets, please visit the band’s website.
“This band has provided me with some of the best years of my life. Growing on a personal level from a being supporter of the band in high school, to playing percussion in the band, to playing drums in the band, and growing on a group level from getting kicked out of bars for being under-age as we’re setting up our gear, to playing our first out of town show, to touring a good portion of the country, it has all been an adventure-filled experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Being on the road with my 3 best friends (since before the band) is something I feel I am very fortunate to be able to say I’ve done. This decision I’ve made to leave this behind I cannot contribute to anything negative about the band or really anything negative at all. We are exactly how you’ve viewed us. We’re on stage smiling and laughing about whatever we were joking about earlier in the day, we hop off stage, the jokes continue, and we’re laughing about something new the next night in a different city. The positive environment that was created by being on the road with this band is something that I am proud to say I was a part of. My decision to leave was influenced by a change in me, and change in ideas, a change in direction. Knowing this band and all of its components so well, I know that Aqueous needs all parts of the machine to be in full force in order to move forward. I was no longer able to provide that. While I still would give full passion while on stage performing our songs, I just no longer had the drive off the stage.
I have no doubts as I leave my throne to Ryan Nogle that he is the guy that is up for the task. Nogle has been here with us along this whole journey. In fact his first show working as “some sound guy we hired” in 2008 was the very same first show that I played percussion with the band. So if it would feel appropriate to pass the torch on to anyone else, it would be him. An incredible drummer, a good guy, and with the knack to fix just about anything anywhere, he will be quite an asset on the road.
Possibly the most important thing I want to touch on would be the relationships I’ve formed with people that I otherwise wouldn’t have crossed paths with if it weren’t for this band. I hope you all know who you are. Thank you. These people have never ceased to amaze me along the way with continuous support, understanding, and devotion to the band and the music it makes. It would always amaze me how Aqueous could ignite a room full of strangers. By the end of any show no one’s a stranger and everyone leaves feeling like they’ve made a new connection with someone that night. I’ve always been impressed with our fans. In the past year or two as the crowds started getting bigger, and even though I had not known as large of a percentage of the faces in the audience, I could see that these new faces were just continuing the positive trend that Aqueous emits. This is probably the best feature of the band and I hope that it never changes as the band continues forward.
These last few shows I played with Aqueous are the best shows I’ve ever played personally, and I would consider the best shows the band has ever played as a whole. With the awareness of the situation between my band mates and myself, I felt that we communicated on stage better than we ever have. An unknown sense between the four of us that felt as if no words, cues, or signals had to be given for fluent improvisational music to be performed which is the exact reason Aqueous exists and doesn’t get tired of itself. I’m happy to know that this generation of Aqueous went out with a bang and performed a hell of a good run of shows before I hung it up.
This isn’t the last you’ll see of me. My life wouldn’t feel right if music were not a part of it. If nothing else, those of you who are familiar with Boss Tweed and the Carpet Baggers – be expecting a showing of three weird dudes wearing lucha libre masks to be performing a show together at some point in the future.
Thank you to all of you who have played a role in my irreplaceable life experience with this band.”
We’d like to thank Nick for his years of amazing playing and friendship, and we promise to rock harder than ever as we move forward. Onward!
The 8th annual Backwoods Pondfest, held in beautiful Adirondack Region of Peru, NY only a short drive from Plattsburgh and neighboring Canada takes place this coming weekend of August 8th and 9th. The 2 day festival will feature live music, art, yoga, hooping classes and new this year, a Disc Golf Tournament. Backwoods Pondfest attracts people from all over the East Coast every year, looking for an intimate festival experience that is family friendly yet knows how to party. The festival offers a large range of musicians, supporting both national and regional acts with this year’s lineup featuring The Manhattan Project, Chali 2na and The house of Vibe, Twiddle, Alan Evans’ Playonbrother, Aqueous, and many more. This “Road to Backwoods” piece will highlight the local improv band, Doomf*ck.
Doomf*ck hails from Plattsburgh, NY with Backwoods Pondfest being right in their own backyard to rage the Tent Stage first thing Saturday morning. There is a consistent rotation of band members with main stable member and bassist Catherine-Harrison-Wurster leading the heavy improv band. The diverse lineup creates a unique show experience each time with a fusion of jazz, punk, funk and simply noise. Doomf*ck will be performing tonight Aug 4 at Club Metronome, located above the historic Nectar’s in Burlington, VT as part of Metal Mondays with RAIL, Mac Swan and Black Holly. Doors are at 9pm with a charge of $5 for 18+ and $3 for 21+ event.
Tickets are still available for Backwoods Pondfest on their site or at any show with Lucid, The Garcia Project, Capital Zen and North Funktree. The last day to purchase tickets online is Tuesday Aug 5th but will be available at the festival at the gate. With early bird tickets already sold out, don’t miss out on your chance to experience Backwoods Pondfest. Be sure to like on Facebook, twitter and Instagram for Backwoods and all your festival coverage.
Most festival’s are lucky to get past their first year nowadays, the ones that hold longevity often do it deservedly and the 34th annual Gathering at Chaffee’s is no exception. Along with the storied history, the 2 day festival’s proceeds have always gone to charity, specifically the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Children’s Advocacy Center of Erie, PA.
Held just a hop skip and a 20 mile jump west of Erie, PA on the expansive land of the Chaffee family, this 2 day affair offers on site car camping, explorations through the woods, vendors, on site local beer tasting from Lavery Brewery and local home brewers (10$ for unlimited samples while supplies last) and a whole lot of excellent music. Beyond that, whether you’re a first timer or have been coming for years, you will find one of the friendliest group of festival denizens just about anywhere. Upgrades this year include a 100’x40′ party tent lit up with visuals and morning “hangover” yoga on Saturday.
Things will kick off at 2:30 Friday afternoon with a duo of Erie based bands. The experimental “little bit of everything” sounds of Triage Unit will be followed by the hard bluesy rock of Special Guest. After the locals, the tasteful jamtronica of Ohio’s Broccoli Samurai will make way for the funk bombs of Massachusetts Funktapuss. Eric Brewer and “Phriends” will bring it back to the local scene with a Phish tribute set and Buffalo’s red-hot groove machine Aqueous will headline Friday for the second straight year.
Things start-up earlier Saturday at 11AM with six straight locally based bands – the alt-rock of Falling Moira, the Trohoske Grey Jazz Trio, This American Songs americana, the hip hop jam of The L.E.C., Gnosis’s electronica, and arguably Erie’s biggest band, Falling Hollywood. North Carolina’s BIG Something will start the heavy jamming for the night. Twenty year vets and often moe. contributors Conehead Buddha will then set thing up for the nights two headliners – Ithaca’s Jimkata and Boston’s Spiritual Rez.
Make your weekend a gathering! Only 50$ at the gate and online, including free camping, parking and unlimited awesomeness. And remember, try to have some extra fun, because after all, it’s for the kids!
There is something magical about Buffalove Music Festival, which took place on June 19-21 in Silver Creek, NY at the Willow Creek Winery. The festival nearly doubled in size in its second year and the venue itself was absolutely breathtaking. Willow Creek Winery will be the concert destination in years to come and Cody Conway, the man behind Buffalove Music Festival, hopes to make it one of the premier destinations for concert goers all over Western New York. The venue boasted two stages, complete with great lighting and superior sound, while the grounds had vending and concessions for anyone looking. The area was also conveniently small, making it very easy to get around. Ticket holders were able to camp and park at no extra cost, which you don’t see at any festival, making the experience very affordable. Over the course of three days, there were over twenty bands, so there was little time to sleep and recover; however, it provided a perfect showcase of bands from all over New York as well as neighboring states.
The festival started off on Thursday with Buffalo’s Intrepid Travelers and Slip Madigan on the main stage. The Little Mountain Band played in-between the two, while Lazlo Hollyfeld went on after. Jimkata, who calls Ithaca home, headlined Thursday night and treated the early festival crowd to a great night of music. Jimkata continues to make a name for themselves out in the Buffalo area as they amazed and wowed concert goers in their first Buffalove appearance. They will continue to impress the Western New York region when they take the stage tonight at The Great Blue Heron Music Festival in Sherman, NY. Slip Madigan came back out for the late night faithful with a set on the side stage for anyone looking to party through the end of the night.
Friday brought out the majority of the crowd, and with fans filtering in throughout the day from their busy work weeks, the weekend really looked to pick up some steam. One of the neat things about this festival is the small size and family-like vibe that it produces. All of the bands, workers, and fans all seem to know one another and it created such a different experience than those commercial-size festivals. The music began promptly at twelve o’clock with Red Horning Project and Lancaster, NY’s Wonder Crayon on the main stage, and The Grace Stumberg Band between the two slots on the side stage. Formula 5, an Albany-based band, really impressed a lot of folks, and rightfully so, combining jazz, funk and jamming. It was easy to see how many new fans they converted with lots of chatter around the camp sites about them, especially their late night split session with Funktional Flow. Their cover of moe.’s “Happy Hour Hero” was a great set closer and perfectly placed in Buffalove’s happy hour slot.
Groove Force and Smackdab followed Formula 5 on the main stage, while Broccoli Samurai and Brown Sugar played between breaks, leading up to what a lot of people were waiting for, headliners Funktional Flow. Smackdab is such a fun group, very uplifting and they provided the perfect setup to the evening. Combining soul and funk to create just a blazing good time, they really are what festivals are all about. Broccoli Samurai, who call Cleveland, Ohio home, set it off on the side stage, making a strong case for the main stage next year. The band is influenced by such bands as Lotus, The Disco Biscuits, and STS9 and produces a live electronica show that got everyone talking throughout the festival.
Funktional Flow has grown so much in the last few years and is truly making a name for themselves as of late. They have been relentlessly touring for the past few years and their playing and following is proof of that hard work. Funktional Flow consists of Ben Whelan (bass), Jeffrey Kuebler (guitar), Mike Szczepanik (guitar) and Jim Edgar (drums). Flow provides a funk driven jam that feeds off of the energy on stage as well as in the crowd. The rhythm section of Ben Whalen and Jim Edgar are the real heartbeat of the group, while Szczepanik and Kuebler bridge everything together with their exceptional guitar work. Busting out fan favorite “Mulligans” was a real treat and its jam rivals some of the best of the scene. Funktional Flow had some nice surprises as well when they played Umphrey’s McGee’s “Hajimemashite”, with Kuebler leading vocals that were spot on. Even with that hard-to-follow combo, the band surpassed everything when they closed with Trey Anastasio Band’s “Push on Til’ the Day”, complete with horns and fireworks and a truly amazing solo by Szczepanik. Funktional Flow put on such a good show that they really set the bar high for Aqueous who would be headlining the festival the following night. Flow took a much deserved break before their late side stage set with Formula 5. Those who managed to stay up were treated to a special night.
Funktional Flow Set List: Moonlight, Improv, Edge of Time, Animals, Ambush, What Will Be Will Be, Bumblin, Sevenate, Runaway>Bring You Down>Runaway, Mulligans, Hajimemashite*, Push on Til’ the Day^
*Umphrey’s McGee cover
^Trey Anastasio Band cover
Friday Photo Gallery:
With everything that already happened, it was crazy to think there would be another day packed with great music and great vibes. Saturday started right at twelve o’clock with Blue Roots, followed by Relics on the side stage. Relics, Western New York’s tribute to the music of Pink Floyd, played the entire Animals album and filled the side stage tent with anyone that was up early enough. The band is most known in the area for being a side project of Buffalo News music critic, Jeff Miers. He did a great job recreating the Roger Waters role, with the band as a whole performing flawlessly. It was a great start to the day and got everyone’s blood flowing.
Jeff Miers of Relics
Mister F played on the main stage in the dinner slot and anyone grabbing some eats from the various vendors got a pretty good show. Mister F is an Albany-based band that is tightly run, featuring members of Timbre Coup and Capital Zen. The group is quickly becoming a must see act and has been gaining some solid steam this year. Playing several festivals this summer and coming off their debut album, The F Stands Four, the sky is the limit for these guys.
Headlining the night, and such a big part of the Buffalo music scene, was none other than Aqueous. The band has been playing nonstop for sometime now since they graduated from North Tonawanda. Their playing has evolved into something quite magical and their future looks strongest of all the bands from this festival. The group who consists of Mike Gantzer (guitar), David Loss (guitar), Evan McPhaden (bass) and Nick Sonricker (drums) is really something to be proud of for anyone who is from the area. The band combines great music with a stage presence that just oozes energy all over the place. It’s a real joy to have watched these guys grow up from when they started out. Gantzer and Loss have such a control over their respected guitars and pack a one-two punch on any given song.
McPhaden may hang back a bit in the background with drummer Sonricker, but they’re an integral part of what makes this band so successful. “They’re Calling For Ya” started out the opening set, which provided a perfect build up to the evening, followed by “King For a Day” and “Mosquito Valley Part I>Marty>Complex Part II”. AQ dipping into the covers,as they usually do, with the Smashing Pumpkins “Today “, followed by an impressive run of “Timmy’s Blades>Cellino> Triangle”. “Cellino” was one of the biggest bustouts with the song not being played in 60 shows, according to UnclePhils’sBlog. Loss’s intro on “Triangle” setup a back and forth musical volley with guitar-mate Gantzer. Sonricker kept them both in check all night though with his tight percussive work.
A short set break for the band brought out DJ Jeff The Repeater, and armed with just a Macbook and his beats, he entertained the crowd with some techno-infused dance music.
Aqueous resumed their night with “Willy is 40>20/20>Warren in the Window” with a tease of Phish’s “Meatstick”. Aqueous debuted a first time David Bowie cover in “Lets Dance” before a solid set ending run that included “Kitty Chaser (Explosions)>Staring into the Sun>Kitty Chaser (Explosions)>Star Spangled Banner”, finishing with fireworks overhead that produced a very memorable moment. One thing that Aqueous does well is treading in unknown waters. Even with cover’s that most bands couldn’t pull off, they still find a way to make a song their own. The encore was no different. The band ended the night with R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly>Mice>I Believe I Can Fly”.
Aqueous Set List –
Set 1: They’re Calling For You, King for a Day, Mosquito Valley Part I>Marty>Complex Part II, Today*>Timmy’s Blades>Cellino>Triangle
Set 2: Willy is 40>20/20>Warren in the Window, The Village Dog and Pony Show>Eon Don, Lets Dance^, Kitty Chaser (Explosions)>Staring in to the Sun>Kitty Chaser (Explosions)>Star Spangled Banner
Encore: I Believe I Can Fly#>Mice>I Believe I Can Fly#
*Smashing Pumpkins cover
^David Bowie cover
#R. Kelly cover
All in all, Buffalove is an incredible festival that is only going to grow year after year. I think Cody Conway and his vision for what it’s going to become is a true testament to what he is as a person. Aqueous’ encore was more of a tribute to that as well with the belief that this festival will continue to fly.
After what can only be called a “trying” Winter and early Spring, Upstate NY was more then ready for a weekend that didn’t suck monkey balls. Enter Statewide Music’s Spring Revival 2. With forecasts only showing a few storms and weather ranging into the 80’s, the timing couldn’t have been better for a revival of the Spring we had yet to receive. This three day fest entered it’s second year in a brand new venue: Macedon, NY’s Carey Lake. Situated perfectly between Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Ithaca, the venue was easy to find and flat, with plenty of space for car camping, surrounded with enough trees, streams, gardens, and woodland creatures to satisfy the even the most Ranger Rick loving hippies. A bar and restaurant fronted the head of the property and also held the late night bands with a heaping dose of small town hospitality (Not to mention a pretty kick ass brunch!).
Thursday night kicked kicked the festival off with a nice group of early arrivals with the new improv-heavy Rochester trio, Underground Funk. Headliner and ‘s March Madness Winner, Lucid, (who also have the coolest tour bus ever) held the main stage expertly, and Rochester’s Haewa, whom would play two blistering sets over the weekend, kept things going until 1AM. It’s often when the music is done at small festivals when you really get to wander and meet new and interesting people and many were up til the sun rose. The night time revealed travelers from at least four different states had come to share in the groove, some who lived life from festival to festival, and many others that came to see the specific acts. Acoustic guitars, joyful conversations, and a small drum circle carried the festival until the morning.
Speaking of sun, Friday came with a ton of it. Temps soared into the 80’s by the time Personal Blend kicked off and no one was complaining. The first truly glorious day of 2014 also inspired all the bands that day as everyone was delivering their A-game sets. Albany’s Formula 5 won the afternoon crowd over with an inspired set and their brand new bassist (not to be confused with movie and television star) James Woods. The fun was given an exhilarating short break late in the afternoon as a short but fierce storm, henceforth named Hurricane EZ-Down, gave everything a nice soak and showed whose tents were truly “wind-friendly.” After a short break and a slight schedule change, Ithaca’s Solaris and Vermont’s Flabberghaster paved the way for the first of two headlining nights for Buffalo’s hottest export, Aqueous. The foursome whose genre, dubbed “groove rock”, but was more like “everything is awesome rock”, played an energy filled set anchored by a spot on first time cover debut of Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Funky Monk”. Closing down the evening, Rochester’s nocturnal psych-rock-animal Ocupanther, kept the night owls going ’til last call.
Revival’s Saturday schedule was loaded with bands straight through from 11AM until 2AM. Many bounced between the two stages with a seemingly endless supply of dancing fuel, while others played Frisbee or explored the grounds. This was a great time to check out many of the great vendors on site as well, and I picked myself up some organic homemade deodorant and a brisket taco that can only be described as freakin’ delicious. Straying from the music didn’t last long though as Albany’s Mister F blew up a cover of Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat”, made famous in Napoleon Dynamite. Warming up the stage for Aqueous’s second night, a full two set show, were Rochester’s Roots Collider and Haewa’s second set of the weekend.
Aqueous wasted no time getting into two blistering energy filled sets with the pairing of fan favorite originals, “Complex Part II” and “Origami”, with Solare Flare’s Hank and Margo spinning fire stage left. Concluding the set with a debut of The Cars “Just What I Needed”, the band took a short break while the audience refilled their beers. Never short on surprises, the band re-entered with bassist Evan McPhaden dressed in a full Tigger costume and a set of music that truly defined the amazing weekend as a champion. The newly re-finagled Universe Shark closed the festival down in style in the Carey Lake bar.
Carey Lake will hold three more Statewide Music events this year with the next being the bluegrass/Americana/folk based Fiddler’s Picnic (June 12-15). Wish you had made it? No worries. Spring Revival 3 has already been announced for May 14-17th 2015.
This year marks the 14th year of the ever-growing Summer Camp Music Festival set to take place at the Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Illinois during Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25, 2014. The over 15,000 festival goers expected to attend will nearly triple the population of the small town, as it is infiltrated with music lovers from far and wide. Since Summer Camp’s start in 2001, it has grown from 1,000 people, 20 bands, and 2 stages to 15,000 people, 100+ bands, and 7 stages.
moe. is a band that really speaks for itself. Since 2001, moe. has been making a name for themselves around the country and the world, playing festivals all over and even having their very own moe.down Music Festival. Dopapod, Jimkata, and Aqueous are becoming veterans of the music festival scene. They have made appearances at shows like Burning Man, Bonnaroo, moe.down, and Gathering of the Vibes, ever increasing their reputation as seasoned festival musicians. Big Leg Emma and Turkuaz and just now making their way to the bigger venues, such as Summercamp, as they continue to make a name for themselves as soulful funk and folk musicians that can be appreciated by all.
Besides Summer Camp Music Festival’s stellar lineup and prime location at the beautiful Three Sisters Park, there are countless activities for music lovers to partake in during their down time, if they choose to have any. There are five main stages and at least three smaller tent and indoor sights to see music as well. One of the big attractions for when your not out enjoying the wide selection of music, is the Soulshine Tent. This tent is an education and entertainment mecca for festivalgoers. The tent has everything everything, including a live art gallery, hands on permaculture display, yoga, hoola-hooping classes, and last but not least, live glass blowing.
Besides being one of the country’s top stops for music and fun this summer, Summer Camp Music Festival is always looking at the bigger picture through their sustainable initiatives and non-profit involvement. Known as “The Summer Camp Green Team,” hundreds of volunteers will be on sight to assist campers in disposing properly of their waste and to sort recyclables. The campgrounds are filled with clearly marked color-coded waste bins, many biodiesel generators, composting areas, and environmental education centers. There is also a special “Make a Difference” area at Three Sisters Park, where the many non-profit groups are set up for campers to donate and learn about local and global causes. It is obvious that the organizers of Summer Camp have more on their mind than music and profit and that the environment and local communities are deeply seeded in what is important to them.
Again this year, Summer Camp Music Festival is sure to prove itself as one of, if not the top music festival in the country. From the countless artists and performers both internationally and locally known, the numerous other spots for entertainment and education, and the general happy-go-lucky vibe that will make sure any person in attendance can feel the love, Summer Camp is undoubtedly the place to be this summer. It is a place people of all backgrounds and musical interests can go and enjoy themselves, have new experiences that will stay with them for a life time, and feel good about doing it, knowing your impact on the earth is as minuscule, yet as positive as it can be.
Tickets are available at Summer Camp’s Ticket Central or ETIX at 1-800-514-ETIX. General 3-Day General Admission tickets are on sale now for $214.50.
To my 
After what can only be called a “trying” Winter and early Spring, Upstate NY was more then ready for a weekend that didn’t suck monkey balls. Enter Statewide Music’s Spring Revival 2. With forecasts only showing a few storms and weather ranging into the 80’s, the timing couldn’t have been better for a revival of the Spring we had yet to receive. This three day fest entered it’s second year in a brand new venue: Macedon, NY’s 
