Upstate bluegrass rockers Floodwood will be making a stop in Buffalo on Saturday December 6 with an intimate show at the Sportsmen’s Tavern.
The band has been playing throughout the country at some of the biggest festivals as well as the Buffalo area in more than a few occasions. The band includes two musicians who in their normal work day consist of being pivotal roles with progressive rockers and Upstate’s moe. Al Schnier (guitar) and Vinnie Amico (drums) are no stranger to the area and since forming moe. in Buffalo so many years ago always love to give it their all when back in town. Floodwood, while is very far from what moe. puts onstage still brings the same energy to the stage. As good as Schnier and Amico are, the band has some extraordinary talent in Nick Piccininni (fiddle), Jason Barady (mandolin) and Zachary Fleitz (bass).
Floodwood Jams at MVCC
The show will also be pretty special as special guests John and Mary of 10,000 Maniacs. This will definitly be a show you will want to see and checkout. Tickets can be purchased through the venues website. Show starts at 9pm with tickets $17 in advance and $20 day of show.
When invited to cover the Second Annual Oak Mountain Bluegrass & Arts Festival I did not hesitate to jump at the opportunity. What could be better than enjoying some amazing live music in the beautiful Adirondacks? Located in the Hamilton County hamlet of Speculator/Lake Pleasant, this day long event offered family fun with camping, music, vendors, and good eats. With a stellar line up of Swampcandy, Remsen Social Club, The Old Main, Sleep Man Banjo Boys, and Nick/Jay/Nigel from Floodwood, you couldn’t go wrong.
Nick, Nigel & Braids – 2nd Annual Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival
Swampcandy – As the party began, first up was Swampcandy, the duo of Joey Mitchell and Ruben Dobbs, who brought the beat with their stand up bass and ganjo, rocking those early attendees who had arrived early to secure the perfect spot up front . These two young men bring to an audience a full piece band as they play and sing original tunes that express life as they know it.
The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys – 2nd Annual Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival
Remsen Social Club – These four young men, Bryan Davies on tenor banjo, guitar, wash tub, bass, and vocals; Tim Slusarcyzk on upright bass, harp, and vocals; Ben carrier on guitar, mandolin, harp, 5 string banjo, and vocals; and Chris Taylor on Gatling harps, mouth harp, harmonica in a beer can (yes you read that correctly) and vocals bring something unique with their bluegrass, Americana sound. Playing a mix of original music, such as “Over You Darlin” and “Am I Best” along with some all time favorite covers such as “Stuck In the Middle With You” by Stellars Wheel, they had the crowd wound up and ready for their day long of music and fun.
Remsen Social Club – 2nd Annual Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival
The Old Main– The Old Main showed up ready to give the attendees a show and then some. With Seth Becker on guitar, harmonica, and vocals; Robb Nash on upright bass, tin whistle, and vocals; Gavin Bailey on piano, accordion, and backup vocals; and Mitch Eckler on drums and backup vocals, this quartet certainly sounded as though they had been playing together for ages. With two full sets to be performed, Seth and Nash took the stage first doing a whole set that included many originals and several covers of some of my favorite songs, such as “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Crazy” and “Winding Road”. The versatility of these two to be able to switch from bluegrass to rock to country was seamless, just as their transition to the second set when the whole band joined them on stage to entertain the attendees for the remaining time. Continuing the party for another hour, they were joined on stage by Chris Taylor from the Remsen Social Club on his harmonica in a beer can contraption that produced a unique reverberation and sound I must add . Audience members could be found volleying beach balls, singing, and dancing along with the quartet for the entire time. If I had to describe their performance to someone who couldn’t be there…words such as fun, energetic, enlivened, would be a few words chosen to do so.
2n Annual Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival Vendors
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys – For those who have yet to see these three young men, let me tell you there is nothing sleepy about them. The three brothers, Tommy, Robbie, and Jonny Mizzone, that make up The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, have achieved huge success in their genre, all by the ages of 16, 14, and 11 years old. Seriously? Oh you betcha ladies and gentlemen. As I stood there with my jaw gaping, these three totally mesmerized me with their musical prowess and skill. They are not new however to the music scene as they have just released their third album. Already appearing at The Grand Old Opry and on the David Letterman Show, Sleepy Man Banjo Boys have acquired quite the following, and now have even more with those that saw them for the first time up to Oak Mountain.
Nick, Nigel, & Braids – Always a favorite anywhere they attend, Nick, Nigel, & Braids closed out the Bluegrass Festival in true style. Their ability to bring the party everywhere they go makes them a favorite at every venue they play. With Nigel (Zach) on stand up bass and guitar, Nick on vocals, guitar, and banjo, and Jason (Braids) on mandolin and vocals, a dance party ensues each time they play. Bringing the true spirit of the bluegrass sound from the Appalachian Mountains all the way to our Adirondack Mountains, I can think of no one better to close the Second Annual Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival than Central NY’s very own Nick, Nigel, & Braids. Whether playing individually, as a duo, or with the other members of Floodwood, their distinctive sound is the essence of true Americana music.
As the day wound down, the weather held out, the embers of the bonfire burned down, attendees departed and with a pep in their step and a tune in their heads, they looked forward to the Third Annual Oak Mountain Bluegrass Festival.
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 year’s Summer Camp Music Festival has once again proved itself as a one of the best music festivals in the United States, and Not Your Average Summer Camp. Over Memorial Day weekend, an estimated 15,000 people made the pilgrimage to the small town of Chillicothe, Illinois, for what can only be described as the experience of a life. Since 2001, Summer Camp has been one of the fastest growing festivals in the Midwest and this year was possibly the best one to date. Its seven stages and over 100 artists gave festival goers a non-stop feed of music with more options that one could wrap their head around. In the rare chance that those in attendance were not busy enjoying the music, there were countless other attractions to assure that they got the full experience.
There are numerous music festivals across the country with impressive lineups and exciting activates, but what sets Summer Camp apart is its blissful vibe. As soon as you enter the grounds of Three Sister’s Park, you are overtaken by a warm comforting sensation that starts deep in the stomach and radiates throughout your whole body. Being at Summer Camp felt like returning home after a long absence, which is something I have rarely said in my festival going career. I was in the parking lot for less than five minutes and a group of people approached me with hugs and greetings of smiles and gifts. It was as if everyone around was an old friend, all of them more excited to see you than the last.
Activities for Scampers were endless, ranging from a festival wide Treasure Hunt, to musical workshops with some of the top artists in the country. The Soulshine tent was home to most of the weekend’s many events. For those interested in lectures or other educational activities, there were classes and workshops focusing on Permaculture, Cob Building, Composting, Hula-Hooping, Sustainability, and Solar Energy. In the entertainment department, there were performances by members of LCD Soundsystem, Here Comes the Sun Stereo, Floodwood, and The Everyone Orchestra. There was also an art gallery with live art performances, daily raffles for charity, and a Non GMO March. Possibly the most exciting of all were the three carnival rides, supplying campers with non-stop thrills!
Though General Admission tickets only covered Friday to Sunday, Thursday was still an eventful night for those early comers. Starting off Summer Camp Music Festival 2014 was Soul Census, followed by a mix of folk and electronic music. The main events for the evening were Twiddle, Future Rock, The Ragbirds, Sun Stereo, and Upstate New York’s own, Floodwood. Floodwood is a folk/bluegrass band featuring Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico from moe.. For a fairly quiet first night, there was still plenty of fun to be had at Summer Camp.
The floodgates opened Friday morning as ecstatic festival-goers came from far and wide. By noon, Three Sisters Park was brimming with smiling faces and the music had only just begun; you could feel the excited anticipation in the air. moe.’s first set was nothing short of stunning. For over an hour and a half the quintet rocked their heavy jams to thousands of Scampers. With solos ranging from metal to psychedelic, this was perfect headliner to kick off the fest. More rocking jams were supplied by Umphrey’s McGee as they played the first two of their six sets. Umph Love was in abundance as the band exhibited their immense repertoire, including tracks off their soon to be released album, Similar Skin. Primus also reigned in a massive crowd for their one and only performance of the weekend. Les Claypool’s stellar bass playing was the foundation for the headliners unique funky yet dark sound. Besides moe., featured bands from the Upstate area were Jimkata and The Manhattan Project. Both bands are specialists in the electronic jam sector and represented NY well with their hot digital jams.
Saturday was again a perfect festival day, with sunny skies and warm weather. Like the previous day, moe. and Umphrey’s showed they were unstoppable, playing another two sets each! Other must-see performances for the day were Lotus, Devil Makes Three, Mike Dillon Band, and The Werks. Each band seemed to be as good if not better than the last, spreading love and good vibes throughout Summer Camp. With warm hearts and bright eyes all around, it was not hard to tell that everyone in attendance was having the time of their life. There to show the true talent of New York State were Floodwood, Break Science, and the very popular Big Leg Emma. Big Leg Emma played a diverse set of some of their original grassy jam mixed with covers including The Beatles’ Hey Jude.
When you thought it couldn’t get any better, the heat got turned way up on Sunday… literally. The temperature was near 90 degrees at Summer Camp as music lovers convened for one last day of immaculate tunes. Sunday was the biggest day of the weekend by far, bringing in over 1,000 more Scampers. The day was packed with big names of all genres. Groups such as Yonder Mountain String Band, The Wood Brothers, Bassnectar, Gramatik, and Lettuce were all on the line up for the last day. Zac Brown Band and Trey Anastasio Band also blessed Summer Camp with two sets each. And of course, to close things off, Umphrey’s McGee and moe. each played a set, joining together for a short epic jam session. The shining lights from New York State for the day were Turkuaz and Auto Body from Brooklyn. Dopapod and Aqueous illustrated Upstate’s talent, each playing an hour of psychedelic jam-rock.
An immense amount of work goes into putting on such a startlingly impressive gathering like Summer Camp Music Festival. Behind the scenes of all the fun, music, and art, was a volunteer staff of over 500 people who did everything from maintain a safe environment to sorting every single piece of trash generated by the immense crowd. Summer Camp’s Green Team was in charge of waste management at the festival, creating Earth friendly waste receptacles divided into trash, recyclables, and compost. All vendors also were required to use recyclable and compostable utensils and plates. Summer Camp is more than just a festival, it has become a movement for change and to bring awareness to important issues that affect us all. There was also a great amount of Non-Profit activity as well, mostly focused on sustainability and environmentalism.
For a seasoned festival-goer or a first timer, Summer Camp with leave you speechless with a smile on your face the whole way home. Three Sisters Park is the perfect venue for the fest and with the outstanding artist lineup, art, and weather, no one could possibly ask for anything more. Any chance there is to attend Summer Camp Music Festival is the chance of the lifetime and you are guaranteed not to leave disappointed. There is no festival with a comparable vibe.
You can download recordings from Summer Camp below.
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.
What do you get when you cross the Birdseed Bandits with Floodwood? You get one electric foot stomping, feel good, jam session. How could this get even better? Hold it at one of the best venues in town, the Mohawk Valley Community College’s (MVCC) IT Auditorium. The space is designed with top notch acoustics, state of the art sound and lighting, and not a bad seat in the house.
Floodwood at MVCC
The show began with Adam Ludemann, Seth Becker, and Nash Robb, the trio that makes up the Birdseed Bandits, setting the bar high with their unique acoustic sounds with a strong banjo, guitar, percussion, and bass tempo. This sound reverberates into your soul and the unique composition can’t help but make you tap your feet to the beat. They’ve been hailed as Punk/Americana or “Punkicana,” Folk/Rock, Adirondack Folk, “Foot stomping” Folk/Punk-Rock, or Alternative Americana. No matter what genre they are categorized within, they are definitely talented and a feel good band.
Floodwood took the stage immediately after and from the minute they walked out on stage you could feel the love and energy from their fans. While the audience during the opening performance remained in their seats clapping their hands and tapping their toes to the songs, the minute Floodwood took the stage these same fans rushed to the edge of the stage to be right there in front to dance and stomp along. This tale tell sign is a foreshadowing of what is to come for those who have never been part of a band’s shows. I must add how absolutely wonderful this venue is set up to accommodate not only those who wish to be part of the performance by dancing and singing along up front, but those who wish to remain seated during the performance without obstructions. Kudos to the venue as the design truly accommodates their audiences and bands alike.
Floodwood didn’t disappoint as usual. Their full set list of amazing creative sounds entranced the audience and whether fast paced or melancholy, the audience was mesmerized throughout the whole show. But it’s the engagement with the crowd that makes them stand out as top performers. It’s the peek into their personalities that engages the audiences. You can see this clearly. It’s the amazing talent and experience of true greats such as Al and Vinnie that set the bar. It’s the interactions experienced with Nick playing the banjo or fiddle and Jason with his mandolin among the crowd that makes them part of the show. And it’s Zach strumming the base one minute and then the next thing you know he’s down on the carpet doing pushups (which I must add were very impressive). It is this peek into their personalities that only makes their audiences love them more and engages them as their Floodwood family. This is true entertainment. This is what makes them stand out.
As a newly developed fan of Floodwood, I look forward to their upcoming shows this festival season, and want to spread the word to those who may not have seen them previously. Floodwood is a “MUST SEE” show. Check them out their tour schedule; you can thank me later for introducing you to them.
Floodwood takes the stage on Saturday, March 8th at The Waiting Room in downtown Buffalo. Floodwood, who call Upstate New York home is one of the region’s hottest bluegrass bands to date. Comprised from of Al Schnier (guitar) and Vinnie Amico (drums) and Woodenspoon’s Jason Barady (mandolin), Nick Piccininni (fiddle, banjo) and Zachary Fleitz (bass), the band really knows how to jam. Floodwood has been constantly touring when moe. is not and has been playing all over including some of the biggest festivals over the past few years.
Big Leg Emma will be opening the show, an American roots rock band from Western, NY. Big Leg Emma is known to get everyone up and moving with their dance vibe which is driven from traditional folk, bluegrass and country.
Funktional Flow, a local funky jam band will be special guest as well and we encourage everyone to make sure they get there early enough to catch them, as they are one of the freshest and up and coming bands in the Western, NY area.
Tickets for Floodwood can be purchased through the Waiting Room. $15- $18. Doors 8pm
The Adirondacks are best known in the winter time as a destination for skiers, snow borders, ice fishing, and snowmobilers. So it was a pleasant surprise on my visit to Oak Mountain, in Lake Pleasant, NY on February 22nd to see how they have incorporated an entire music series for all of their patrons and locals to enjoy once the sun went down on the mountains, featuring Cosmic Jackson.
This is becoming a trend we see with other ski resorts as well, such as Woods Valley, who have taken to offering live music throughout the winter season for both visitors and locals to enjoy. I think it is a brilliant way to feature wonderful local talent and reach an audience of all ages that may not necessarily venture out otherwise for live music.
Starting off their winter music series at Oak Mountain was the Willie Playmore Band, followed by Jason and Nick from Floodwood, local favorites The Birdseed Bandits, and Marshall Stewart’s acoustical show, as well as many other talented artists. Excited to see this evening’s featured band, Cosmic Jackson, I settled in to a packed audience of many patrons who I had seen earlier on the slopes, as well as some new faces of snowmobilers that stopped for some food, drinks, and a good time. I was happily surprised at this band’s amazing musicality and harmony on the two guitars, bass, and drums. Playing such an eclectic set list of music, the dance floor didn’t stop all night. Cover songs varied from Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, to Bob Dylan & Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel”, to Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion”. What really got the crowd going though was their cover of “What I Got” by Sublime and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Give Me Three Steps”. Again, the variety floored me as they were able to reach the entire audience with music they loved from genres and generations across the board.
It’s great to see small communities such as Lake Pleasant/Speculator thriving this winter with tourism due to the cooperating weather, but what makes me even happier is to see them offering amazing live performances all season long for everyone to enjoy.
