Tag: Bogie’s

Crowbar, Unearth, Blow The Roof Off Bogies In Albany Last Wednesday

Bogies of Albany brings Upstate New York some of the heaviest shows, continued the tradition by bringing in New Orleans sludge metal icons Crowbar, with support from Massachusetts’ Unearth, up and coming Black Crown Initiate, plus local bands Gunther Weezul and 40 Dead Men.

The place was packed, despite the heavy snowstorm that swept through the entire state of New York that night. Proof that great metal bands will still draw a crowd, no matter what. This marks the first time I have been to a show at Bogies. I will say I plan on coming back to more. Great venue, great sound, with an awesome bar and very intimate. Just sucks there’s no place to park. Very similar to the Montage Music Hall in Rochester.

Unfortunately for me, since I was driving from Syracuse in the loveliest of weather, I missed the local openers but made it on time for Black Crown Initiate, an appropriate band to tour with Crowbar with very heavy prog metal. Black Crown Intimate seemed to be very liked by the younger crowd. It was the perfect band to headbang to. Vocalist James Dorton, guitarists Andy Thomas and Nick Shaw all split vocal duties but they make it work on stage appropriately. Incredibly heavy and talented band.

Once Unearth got on stage, that’s when the crowd erupted and the mosh pits opened up and few bodies flew across the top of the crowd. They were by far the fastest band of the night. Frontman Trevor Phipps was all over the stage and the band was really clutch. Not really the kind of band you would expect to tour with Crowbar because it’s a different kind of metal but it was still very enjoyable.

Crowbar finally graced the stage and proved that there’s NONE FUCKING HEAVIER. It was an absolute treat to finally hear some slow, heavy, ugly, sludge metal to make my ears bleed live for the first time in my life. To hear those down-tuned guitars and the deep and scary vocals from Guitarist/Vocalist Kirk Windstein was just surreal. The current lineup for Crowbar is rounded off by Tommy Buckley on drums, Matthew Brunson on guitars, and newcomer Jeff Golden on bass, former bassist Pat Bruders wound up staying with Down last year. Their set couldn’t have started with a better song as they opened with “Cemetery Angels.” To hear the breakdown at the end with Kirk screaming “BRING IT DOWWWWWN!!!!!!” you know shit got real. The crowd went bananas just throwing their fist, stomping their feet and banging their heads.

The band kept the momentum rolling by playing some new tracks with ”Walk With Knowledge Wisely” and “Symmetry In White.” Some other great highlights of the show were the classics like “Self Inflicted,” “Conquering,” “High Rate Extinction,” and “All I Had (I Gave).” Crowbar went through their set relatively quick only taking a few breaks. With no encore the band closed off the night with the popular “Planets Collide” and the classic from their first album Vacuum.

Overall a great show, but Crowbar was boss. This is the rawest, purest form of sludge metal you will ever get. Anyone who missed this show should be kicking themselves in the head because Crowbar rarely tours through upstate New York. I had the pleasure of speaking to Kirk Windstein before their set. Let me just say he was a gentlemen. He hung out with people after the show as well. I got the chance to talk to him about the new album and some of his future plans. Windstein confirmed there will be another Kingdom Of Sorrow album. Until then, it’s all about Crowbar. And we should all be embracing it.

December 16, 2014
Black Crown Initiate and Rivers of Nihil set to bring explosive energy to Bogies in Albany

No stranger to bringing quality music to the area, Bogies in Albany is at it again on Sunday, September 21st. A co-headlining onslaught of heavy music in Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate, with some great local openers to round out the bill.

Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate at Bogies Albany

Forest of Remorse is a newly reformed project from Lyme, NY. Promising heavy riffs and brutal slam beats, it will be one of those rare times to see a show with a budding band, that could surprise you and blow up in the near future. King Pariah from Argyle, NY is another up and coming metal band, who have already shared the stage with some big names. They helped open the Summer Slaughter tour at The Palladium in Worcester, MA with Morbid Angel and Dying Fetus.

Troy locals The Final Sleep are playing just in their backyard and bring a progressive metal edge to the stage, and have just welcomed their new drummer, Mike VanDyne of Arsis. With a technical barrage of three guitars, this is an act not to be missed. Black Crown Initiate is just about to release their brand new record, The Wreckage of Stars, dropping September 30th. So you can expect them to bring all of their intricate epic metal to this show in support of that record. Making waves in the metal scene as of late, these guys might not be playing small clubs like Bogies for too much longer. Check out my review of their new album here.

Rivers of Nihil also comes from Reading, PA like Black Crown Initiate, and they also have a new record, The Conscious Seed of Light. After signing with Metal Blade Records in 2013, this is their debut album on that label, after a few years of hard work and relentless touring. The double bill of these two bands will be an incredible sight to see and an awesome show to hear. For any fan of death metal, hard, fast and heavy metal, this show is one of the few that has it all and is making it’s stop in Upstate NY.

Check out the details at the Facebook event here.

September 19, 2014
Municipal Waste and Madball Set to Play Bogie’s

Thrash metal outfit Municipal Waste and New York City veteran hardcore group Madball are playing Bogies in Albany tonight in attempt to make a decent draw to potentially save the business, or at least, keep the steady stream of heavy shows coming to the venue.

Upstate Black N Blue, owned by Mike Valente, released the following statement yesterday on their Facebook page.

“Here’s the deal. If you care about hardcore and metal, come out tomorrow night (Thursday) to Bogies for MADBALL AND MUNICIPAL WASTE. This is a big tour. It shouldn’t draw less than 400 people in any city. But if we get less than 200 people tomorrow it shows a steady downward trend in attendance and bogies will have to make a decision about whether we can continue to taking a beating and lose money trying to stay open and provide a home to countless bands and people for underground music. So if you want. Bogies to stay open and you like hardcore and metal you better be there on Thursday (Aug 7)”

Municipal Waste’s latest release The Fatal Feast was released back in 2012 and has been steadily touring in support of that album ever since. Madball’s latest release Hardcore Lives was released just last month.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are only $18 at the door. Honestly, this show should be insane. Metal and hardcore fans need to get off their couches for this show and not only support two phenomenal bands, but help save a venue that has done so much for heavy music in the Capital Region.

August 7, 2014
Venue Profile: Bogie’s in Albany, A Scene Coming Together

While the venue is closer to 30 years old, for the last five years the local hardcore and metal scene in the Albany area have really called Bogie’s on Ontario Street home. To say that Bogie’s has character is like saying the Pope is a little religious – from the black walls and the sticker covered bathrooms, to the fliers thrown throughout the place celebrating past and upcoming shows. Above the bar there are signed drum heads and cymbals, each to tell tales of legends and start-ups alike coming through those doors, to play for the diehards that make up Bogie’s core clientele.

This coming weekend Bogie’s is reaching out to the community for help. The music scene is not a lucrative one and to keep the metal and hardcore scene alive, Mike Valente is asking friends, family, and fans to come support the venue. “Repair Fest” is a weekend-long show held at Bogie’s with some of the best local bands on the metal, hardcore and similar scenes.

Friday night headliners Sworn Enemy will be gracing the stage along with Valente’s own Troycore band, Brick By Brick. Saturday will be headlined by local industrial rock band, The Clay People. The music continues on Sunday with headliner, Full Blown Chaos.

NYS Music sat down with Mike Valente before a Goatwhore show last month and asked a few questions. Here’s what Mike had to say about Bogie’s and some of the memories inside those walls.

NYS Music: How long have you run Bogie’s?

Mike Valente: Five years.

NYS Music: What have been some of the more notable bands that have played here the past five years?

Mike: Corrosion of Conformity, Tommy Tutone, Sepultura, Soulfly, Marc Rizzo, Stigmata, Black Flag, I could go on and on.

NYS Music: What’s one memory that sticks out?

Mike: Tommy Tutone (of Jenny/867-5309 fan) was blasted on something. He was wearing sunglasses, chewing gun, he had the worst bus I’ve seen and he was hyped up really good. He needed someone to sell merch, so Matt was helping him out and Tommy told him to sell signed photos for $3. $1 for Tommy, $1 for Matt. When Matt pointed out they were $3 and that only accounts for $2, Tommy ignored the question and told Matt that he should try to get a hummer from the girls. Completely wasted.

NYS Music: Repair Fest is coming up. What is it and what are some goals?

Mike: There are a ton of repairs needed here. The bar is surviving, there is enough for salaries except mine and Ralph (Mike’s partner at Bogie’s) most the time. The repair funds will go toward doors, floors, ceiling, bathrooms, coolers, etc. This place has taken a beating over the years.

NYS Music: Do you attribute the damage to the hardcore scene?

Mike: Not the hardcore or metal scene. Those guys are the most respectful, it is when we throw college parties that everything gets destroyed. Like a tornado goes through here.

NYS Music: Can you tell me about your affiliation with Black ‘n Blue out of New York City?

Mike: Freddie and Cousin Joe, they are BNB. They’ve helped a lot and have Black ‘n Blue Bowl, big names and they are only three hours away. Upstate Black ‘n Blue is completely separate but we help each other out.

NYS Music: What are some bands that played here before anyone knew who they were?

Mike: State Champs. They played the first spot of six bands. they started at the bottom but worked hard. They are getting big and they are going to be big. They deserve it.

NYS Music: Any bands out right now to look out for?

Mike: Sure. Before I Had Wings, Collateral Damage and Ego Destroys. There are others, too.

NYS Music: Is there a difference between the Albany scene and the Troy scene?

Mike: Not a difference anymore. It is the same kids, they go wherever there is a good show. Troy bands are very proud of their Troy connection though.

NYS Music: What’s the scene like now?

Mike: It is okay, all the promoters are working together. Trick Shots, Upstate Concert Hall and Bogie’s. We try not to book over top of each other. None of us are getting rich off this and we all have other jobs to pay the bills. We have to work together and we do.

So this weekend, if you have a free day, free afternoon, or even a free hour, come down to Bogie’s at 247 Ontario Street in Albany and support the local venue. If you can’t make the festival, please consider to donate online at their GoFundMe account (www.gofundme.com/6k0qjw) and check out future dates at Bogie’s including these in May: Adrenaline Mob on the 14th, Vanna on the 24th and Blacktide on the 31st.

Website: www.bogiesny.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Bogies-NY

May 6, 2014
Bogies Starts Crowdfunding Campaign

Bogies executive, and Albany scene heavyweight, Mike Valente recently put out a call for donations to the renowned club for what he calls a “facelift.” The proprieter is seeking help in the tune of $10,000 to cover overdue upkeep costs and miscellaneous upgrades.

Specifically, Valente noted that the money would cover a leaking roof, bad floors, and general “rejuvenation.” And as any band who has played there knows, new mic stands would be great.

An account was established at gofundme.com to administer donations.

The 30-year old-club has gone into decline, and as Valente wrote, “there are some costs and expenses that go beyond our reach.” He further explained that he has never seen a profit off of the shows put on at the club — even those that have featured renowned talents as Black Flag and Born of Osiris. All money goes into expenses such as staffing — who have donated time before because of their love of the music over the tight finances, add Valente.

As such, the financial woes have clipped advertising for shows.

Located on Albany’s Ontario Street, Bogies is one of the most important venues in the scene, especially for up – and – coming bands. To keep it running, is a necessity.

Within the first 24 hours, $890 was raised by 29 donors. Anyone wishing to donate to the cause can do so here, either publicly or anonymously:

January 30, 2014
Distances and Threads Move Us Emotionally

Distances and Threads headlined a stacked deck at Albany’s Bogies, Saturday, Dec. 28.

Other performers included Echoes, Before the Betrayer, and Dust and Ashes. The night before also saw a pregame performance from Dark Matter, Eden’s Lost Misfits, and Teenage Shred.

The nature of the show brought up a widely debated topic in metal: Among listeners of metal, one complaint is that bands are often emotionless; that bands produce their songs to be brash, angry, violent, or just to incite a fight.

However, anyone who has seen that famous video of Nergal tearing pages out of a Bible on stage — a crime punishable by jail time in Poland, where the performance took place — knows that a singer willing to risk freedom is clearly emotionally involved in the music.

When it comes to bands like Distances and Threads, who both performed in front of crowds of twenty people or less at Bogies a few days ago, emotions ran high. It is clear that every note played, every word spoken, or every beat struck, the bands meant what they played.

Threads, whose set was first following a number of local acts, such as Before the Betrayer and Echoes, delivered a full set of songs about loss, love, relationships, and life. While it may have been easy to dismiss their lyrics as teenaged angst, a few moments with the band — who sound like a hybrid of early Underoath, Being as an Ocean, and Vessels — show a depth that few others have accomplished.

Performance wise, the band was on point in every way. Since their guitar style – riffs courtesy of Levi Miller — calls from fast changes between plucked acoustics to fast, distorted riffs, the band has little room for error. Their musical feel perfectly encases the raw powerhouse that is vocalist Tyler Priola. In fact, in one moment, Priola knelt on the ground — this was not theatrics, it was simply the most honest expression of the song.

Distances, too, held the small audience’s gaze. Their music is faster and heavier by brand. It sounds something like a melodic version — a bit like the night’s opening band, echoes. The singer, Adam Meadors, bares an uncanny resemblance to Falling Up’s Jessy Ribordy.

What should have been midway through the set, drummer Matt Full’s bass pedal broke, nearly causing the band to have to end their set, but thanks to help from another drummer, they played on. But with songs like “Guilt” in the mix, this might just be inevitable.

The crowd’s reaction – less than twenty people, mostly not part of any of the opening bands — however, was less than exciting.

Distances singer Meadors addressed the issue. “(In the end), we’re just here to play music. That’s all we want to do. It doesn’t matter how many people show up.”

In conclusion, the show was stacked. Both bands showed that they cared about each word they said. Threads’ and Distances’ EPs are both available online.

January 5, 2014