Our 2014 ‘Band on the Rise’ Mister F, have released their first ever video for “This One Goes to 11”. As goofy as you would expect from them, Mister F takes to the dinner table and flips their song on its head with choice editing work. Keyboardist/Vocalist Scott Hannay shared his thoughts on the video:
The whole gist of the video was basically us saying, “Hey, let’s shoot a video” while we were on a break from tour at Mike Dean’s mom’s house in Charlotte, NC. We found a box of random Halloween/sports gear in the attic and wore a bunch of weird stuff we found in it. We made a kick drum out of a garbage can, a snare drum sans bottom head and duct tape. We then played “This One Goes to 11” sitting around the dinner table. This is a very live recording with only a microphone in the room, shot in one take, with some extra spliced-in camera angles. Mike Dean appears in this video numerous times, so we’re thinking of having a “Where’s Mister Manager?” spot-the-Deaner-type contest.
So far this week, we’ve brought you the Best of Upstate 2014, featuring the best albums, festivals and venues. Today we focus on the up-and-coming acts in Upstate New York. Last year, Aqueous took top honors as the best Band on the Rise coming out of Upstate New York. Since last year, they have released a new album Cycles, off a successful Kickstarter campaign, played numerous festivals from Summercamp to Peach Fest and many in between, and should be announcing Spring tour dates very soon. Band on the Rise is a title bestowed only one-time to bands from Upstate New York and Aqueous was clearly a solid choice in 2013.
The 2014 Band on the Rise is Mister F. Based out of Albany and featuring Andrew Chamberlaine (guitar) Scott Hannay (keys) Ben Pickering (bass) and Matt Pickering (drums) the progressive/electronic band have been touring throughout the Northeast, down the East coast, as far as Kansas, opening up for such acts as Twiddle, Snarky Puppy, Dopapod, Turkuaz, The Mantras and Tauk. With their debut album, The F Stands Four, the band is set for a great 2015, which they will ring in with two separate NYE performances – one at Rock n Roll Resort in Kerhonksen, and then later that night at Parish Public House in Albany following moe.’s New Years show at The Palace Theatre. Check Mister F’s set at Disc Jam this summer and see what makes them ‘s 2014 Band on the Rise.
Here we are, reaching the end of an incredible 2014 and it’s time for our annual ‘Best of Upstate’ series, this one focusing on albums. The Upstate staff have been hard at work this entire year covering local and national acts across New York State and beyond. We are blessed with the great deal of music that passes through Upstate and brings a wide range of offerings to the 8 million New Yorkers who call Upstate their home.
Our staff writers and photographers were asked to look back at the full year of music in Upstate New York and beyond, and weigh in with their best of 2014. We looked at 12 categories – Upstate Album, Overall Album, Upstate Show, Show, Upstate Festival, Festival, Family Friendly Festival, Club, Best Theater/Theatre, Arena/Amphitheater, Bands on the Rise and Best Collaboration. – and came up with the best music we have seen and heard this year. We’ll bring you a couple categories each day this week, starting with the best albums today.
Music lovers at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park got a taste of homegrown, world-class music Thursday Sept 11th with performances by Mister F and Snarky Puppy.
The livetronica four piece band, Mister F calls the Capital District home and was surrounded by familiar faces as they celebrated their 100th show of the year. Mister F played multiple songs off their debut album released this year, The F Stands Fourand has been touring heavily to share their electric dark funk sound. Opening the night with “Vocoder” featured Scott Hannay demonstrating his wild keyboard playing skills and vocals on the talk box with upbeat flair. Ben Pickering laid down major bass rhythm as he grooved to the steady tempo for “On and On” while Andrew Chamberlaine stretched out his strings for a hard-hitting melody. The jams got dark as Matt Pickering clashed cymbals and struck drums with seriously focused energy that spread across the venue. Don’t miss Mister F as they will be all over the Upstate area this week, making stops in Oneonta, Ithaca and Albany performing their electric fusion with force.
Snarky Puppy is one of the biggest bumps under the radar; you either have no idea who they are or were losing your mind that you got to see them in the intimate setting of Upstate Concert Hall. This year, Snarky Puppy won a Grammy Award in the Best R&B Performance category for their rendition of “Something” by Brenda Russell from their album Family Dinner – Volume 1 and have been catching the main stream ear ever since. The all instrumental band was a 7-headed monster that night as they kicked off their World Tour here in Upstate with hypnotizing tight jams. Bassist and pack leader, Michael League joked that it feels like they have been on a nonstop tour since 2006. League is everything you would want in a band leader, with friendly crowd engagement and strong transition assists, encouraging the band to always take it to the next peak. They have nonstop buildups with tremendous horn solos stretching out mellow jazz notes before leaping right back into the jams. They have a foreign yet universal sound that speaks to everyone with a fusion of pop, funk and futuristic jazz. The drummer and percussionist had an all-out dizzying solo session of salsa rock as jazz flute was introduced for a circus melody. The show ended with a celebratory all out blast of an encore that left the crowd still wanting more. Here’s wishing Snarky Puppy a safe and awesome tour with a fast return to Upstate NY!
As far as music festivals in New York State go, there’s one that stands just a little more Upstate than all the others. Located in Peru, NY, a mere half hour from the Canadian border, Backwoods Pondfest truly lives up to its name. The festival features a scenic backwoods campground that lies, naturally, next to a large pond in the heart of the North Country. For the eighth year in a row, Twin Ponds Campsite played host to both musicians and campers for a weekend that was filled with beautiful weather and live Upstate music.
The festival seems to pride itself in offering a spacious, relaxing camping environment that’s both easily accessible and close to all the action. Campers in certain areas could easily hear the music emanating from the Main Stage without even leaving their site. Sets that alternated all weekend between the main stage and the Tent Stage, a smaller stage located a little further into the woods, helped make not missing a note of music all weekend a distinct possibility for some. Pondfest is also extremely dog friendly provided they’re kept on leashes, a rule that seemed to be respected by everyone. All these elements just help add to the appeal of a smaller festival like this one.
Even with only two days of music, the 2014 edition of Backwoods Pondfest was still able to produce a weekend full of top notch music that featured several memorable and impressive collaborations. Under the only slightly gray and overcast sky of the weekend, Friday’s action really seemed to elevate after a set from playonbrother featuring Alan Evans of Soulive. His new project features a new organ player, Kris Yunker, who was chosen to replace Beau Sasser who recently left the band to pursue other endeavors. Big shoes to fill indeed, and Yunker did a fine job along with guitarist Danny Mayer in accompanying Evans, who is a verified whirlwind on the drum kit, in crafting a sound full of soul, funk and the occasional hard rock. In addition to their spirited original songs, playonbrother has also been known to feature Cream covers in their sets and this was on full display here in the form a set closing “Sunshine of Your Love”.
Festival hosts Lucid then played an acoustic set over at the Tent Stage in front of a rapt group of fans of the Plattsburgh based band whose members are prominently involved in the setup and production of this festival every year. When they’re not helping out behind the scenes, Lucid traditionally plays one set each day of the festival and this year would prove to be no different. With guitarist Kevin Sabourin brandishing an acoustic model, the North Country rockers treated everyone to a set full of signature original songs and blues covers that helped keep the rising spirits and festival momentum going in the same direction.
Normally, a rap or R& B artist might have a “fish out of water” feel to them in a festival lineup full of jam bands and rock outfits like this one. However, Chali 2na was anything but this as he and his backing band House of Vibe led a now riveted crowd through a set of hip hop classics and originals on the Main Stage. A talented keyboardist on backup vocals and a more than sturdy rhythm section made sure this more than just set of rap songs but, rather, one that also encompassed elements of jazz, blues and even rock. This was also not even the first Pondfest appearance for one of the founding members of rap group Jurassic 5, as Chali 2na was also on the bill in 2010 by himself and in 2011 in a collaboration with Break Science. An act that may have raised some eyebrows at first glance seemed to win over the entire crowd and create nothing but smiles in the end.
With temperatures now beginning to dip in the North Country on a night that felt more like mid-autumn than late summer, the last act on the Main Stage was also no stranger to this Upstate festival. Twiddle, a Vermont based band that seems to be making a slow and steady ascension to national notoriety, played at the original Backwoods Pondfest in 2007. Their Friday night set showcased the group’s lighthearted yet poignant songwriting that compliments a cohesive and infectious bed of music quite nicely.
This set was also where the communal atmosphere between different bands and their members really began to take shape as several notable sit ins highlighted the performance. First, Kevin Sabourin of Lucid returned to the stage to lend his guitar work to a full on “Fire on the Mountain” jam. Next, Scott Hannay of Mister F joined the Pondfest veterans and eagerly supplied his signature keyboard style on a performance of “Apples”. Lowell Wurster, Lucid’s percussionist and one of the driving forces behind the entire festival, also supplied some musical assistance with strong harmonica play on a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”.
Campers on Saturday awoke to a bright, sunny sky that never let up all day. Not only was the climate on this second and final day of music a beautiful one, but the music itself had a true Upstate New York feel to it seemingly from start to finish beginning with Capital Zen opening the festivities on the Main Stage. The Glens Falls based group helped serve as the day’s first wake up call as they rolled through a set of high octane originals that showcased the band’s clear hard rock influences while being mixed with Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers covers. Scott Hannay, a former Zen member, once again lent his services with a spot on Les Claypool impression on a take of Primus’ “Tommy the Cat”.
Afterwards, the Upstate music train kept rolling along with a fine performance from Formula 5 in the Tent Stage. This is a group whose four members are from various areas in the Capital region who still seem to be getting their feet wet in the live music scene, but are clearly moving in the right direction. With a new album Edging on Catastrophe recently released. Formula 5 treated revelers under the tent to selections from that as well as impressive Jeff Beck and Deodato covers which show a group cohesion and technical proficiency well beyond the band’s years. One of the highlights was a slow and extended “2001” that had everyone within earshot nodding in approval.
Things then got decidedly bluegrassy on the Main Stage as afternoon sets from Hot Day at the Zoo and Cabinet served as a breather of sorts before the closing acts of the weekend. Clearly picking up on today’s musical theme, Hot Day at the Zoo even included a song called “Upstate Girl” in their set as well as a string version of “Cumberland Blues”.
Established Upstate act Conehead Buddha later played on the Tent Stage and while they may be based downstate in Brooklyn, Turkuaz was one of the first heavy hitters of the evening and delivered the type of powerhouse set that’s now expected from this ascending big band. Highlights included a standout version of “Bubba Slide”, an original, as well as crowd pleasing cover choices in an up tempo version of The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women”, a funked out rendition of The Band’s “The Shape I’m In” and a set closer of The Beatles’ classic, “I’ve Got a Feeling”.
Another veteran Pondfest act then took over the reigns on the Main Stage as Spiritual Rez, playing for the seventh time here, led the crowd through a set of incredible music that had everyone singing and dancing along to this group signature reggae-funk hybrid of sound. Lead guitarist and vocalist Toft Willingham is a verifiable ball of energy and doubles as a legitimate comedic presence on stage. The entire band seemed locked in from start to finish and seemed to not only play but move in unison at parts. A frenetic large scale jam that included members of Turkuaz served as the crest of an impressive wave of music that was truly one of the highlights of the weekend.
The festival would not be complete, however, without one last set from Lucid to help close things out. The North Country natives took to the stage once more, this time the Main Stage, for another set of beloved classics and blues inspired covers. Wurster made sure to also take some time to thank those who helped throw this annual backwoods bash as well as the crowd. He later brought up “the best man he knows”, his father George, to play some harmonica in what has come to be a festival tradition, if not a staple.
With music now completed on the Main Stage, the last act of the weekend belonged to Albany’s Mister F who treated fans to hits from their recent release The F Stands Four in a set that may have been lacking in attendance due to the time slot but one that certainly didn’t lack the energy this band seems to emit in every live performance. Songs like “This One Goes to 11” and “Vocoder” were executed almost perfectly as the Upstate psychedelic rockers offered one last go round on the dance floor before the book on this year’s Backwoods Pondfest was finally closed.
With no music scheduled for Sunday, people were able to leave at their leisure on what turned out to be another day of gorgeous Upstate New York weather. Another chapter of this burgeoning music festival was now complete. Backwoods Pondfest may not be on the largest plot of land or offer the most extensive music lineup as some as other festivals, but with a beautiful, established home and a proven ability to present the very best in regional music, it’ll undoubtedly be a fixture on the summer festival circuit for years to come as it continues to grow in size and splendor.
You want to have a day of fun? Take a fabulous venue, combine great friends and dance filled music and you’ve got yourself one heck of a good time. The Electric Odyssey took place on July 12 at Willow Creek Winery in Silver Creek, NY. The event started earlier Saturday and continued till Sunday’s sunrise, it was a great day of people coming together and creating something special. A lot of the crowd had enjoyed a great night the night before with Conspirator and decided to stay for the weekend, which is a great option at this venue, creating a go-to concert destination.
Mister F continues to bring their game to western NY and it’s no wonder Blue Stream Productions just picked them up to join Aqueous and Ocupanther, they are truly stepping out as a premier band in New York. The Manhattan Project started the evening out with a stellar set, with the two-man band creating great vibes and a thunderous bass thump that got people moving.
While two of Disco Biscuits players played the previous night, drummer Allen Aucoin manned the stage solo with his side project, DrFameus. You see something special, when watching Allen on stage, Armed with a drum kit, and a few toys, Aucoin played for an hour and a half nonstop. You have to be in some great shape to pull what he did, in that amount of time, and there is a reason he has the success he does. He brought everyone out of the woods and primed for the evening’s music.
Notixx donned the stage for a second night, he was good the night before but he seemed to have kicked it up a notch. He had the crowd thumping to his beats. The energy was great and at one point had a couple of fans up on stage dancing to the music. Notixx was perfect for the night and kept everyone out late from scurrying to the woods, keeping everyone raging.
Mister F played another set in the side stage and is starting to become a nice late night band. They just love to play any chance they get whether its 3PM in the blaring sun or 3AM, they’re up to the challenge of getting people going.
The Electric Odyssey was an incredible event and with its success look for it to be an annual event in Western New York. It seems that it will be around for years to come.
If you’re experiencing any type of power loss this weekend there is a very good chance it is being drawn to Silver Creek, NY at Willow Creek Winery. This weekend the Winery and Buffalive Productions will be hosting two days of music that will surely get everyone raging.
Friday starts things off with Conspirator, which was started back in 2004. The group was formed by Disco Biscuits members Aron Magner and Marc Brownstein and DJ Omen. The group has seen some solid success in the festival circuits and in 2012 was joined by RAQ’s Chris Michetti and Pendulum’s KJ Swaka. The group will be sure to give you the full dance treatment and a fantastic electronica experience.
Opening the show will be Buffalo’s own Funktional Flow and if anyone saw them at 2014’s Buffalove Music Festival a few weeks back will tell you, get there early to see this band, they have stepped up big time and are on the way to something big. Jamestown’s Notixx rounds out the lineup for Friday night. Ryan Sinatra will get you moving with his electronic experience that will keep you wanting more.
If Friday isn’t enough for you, and I am sure it won’t be, the weekend continues with Saturday’s Electric Odyssey. The event starts at 12pm with two stages and music from 13 acts. If your camping there is a special treat with music going until the sunrise.
Schedule Of Events
Side Stage: 12pm-1pm – JennaBeatz
1pm-2pm – Chuck Latona vs. Mix Master Bates 3pm-3:45pm – Brian TheVerdict Atzrott 4:45pm-5:30pm – Medison 7pm-8pm – NeckBrace 9:30pm-10:30pm – Space Junk 12:15am-1:15am – DJ Big Basha
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.
Waiting Room in Buffalo has been booking great show after show this year, and is becoming one of the places to be for live music. The event that they hosted last Saturday night was just short of spectacular. It provided the perfect combination of an up and coming band with Mister F, a band that is one step away from exploding on the jam scene in Aqueous, and a band that continues to close out shows, making you want more, in Dopapod.
Walking into the venue you heard to start the night was the guitar playing from Andrew Chamberlaine of Mister F, who kept you looking for more and the dexterity in his fingers as his soloing became mind altering, hooking you into their set. Where Chamberlaine was the center of the attention, Scott Hannay (keys, guitar, bass) was the heart and soul of the group. His smile and charisma throughout the set brought everyone onto the stage and got the crowd amped up for the night, the perfect situation for the opening band.
Aqueous, from North Tonawanda, continue to get bigger and better with every show they play. They not only know how to play music, they can effortlessly transition from song to song. They opened the show right out of the gate with “Gordon’s Mule > Complex” and would roll from song to song with ease, giving the fans no time to take a break. The strongest part of the band is just how well each other feeds off of each other. Mike Gantzer and Dave Loss both are able to mix their guitar sounds together and at the same time respect each others playing where it doesn’t drown one another out. Dopapod’s Rob Compa joined the band on stage during “Strange Times” bringing three different guitars together. The real backbone for this group is Nick Sonricker and Evan McPhaden who both provide the perfect beats and bass to let Gantzer and Loss explore their respected guitar fret boards, providing the listener a musical journey to wherever they want to take them. The end of their set brought such great energy to the floor with a cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, with Mister F’s Scott Hannay on keyboard . One of Aqueous’ strongest assets is bringing a cover to their show and making it their own. Aqueous is not only becoming one of Buffalo’s greatest musical gems they are turning into one of the must see bands on tour right now.
There is so much love between Aqueous and Dopapod and it shone brightly when Rob Compa came on stage sporting an Aqueous button on his guitar strap. Compa has such a humble approach to his guitar and in mere minutes his improvisational skills turn up the heat in any room. Luke Stratton’s lights were exceptionally well done, often providing the perfect backdrop to the show. They seemed to accompany Compa’s guitar playing perfectly and even taking his extensive solos to another level. Eli Winderman (keys) and Rob Compa (guitar) pair so well together, feeding off each other and giving each other some ideas of where to go next. Chuck Jones (bass) and Scotty Zwang (drums) provide the perfect time table for Compa and Winderman to improvise throughout the night. Highlighted especially by “Eight Years Ended” as well as an impressive run with “Donkey Kong Theme > Present Ghosts > My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant”. Dopapod continues to be a force to reckon with. There is no wonder they have been invited to some of the biggest festivals and their talent to take music from one point to another is incredible.
AqueousSetlist: Gordon’s Mule > Complex, The Median > Staring into the Sun > Kitty Chaser (Explosions), Strange Times*** > Complex II, Highway Star^$
** w/ Rob Compa from Dopapod
^ Aqueous debut, Deep Purple cover
$ with Scott Hannay from Mister F
Dopapod Setlist: Bluetooth, Flipped, King Harvest*, Like A Ball, 8 Years Ended, Donkey Kong Theme > Present Ghosts > My Elephant Vs. Your Elephant, Picture in Picture^
*The Band cover; for Rob’s dad
^with Scott Hannay from Mister F on keys
The Waiting Room in Buffalo, NY will play host to three incredible bands this Saturday, co-headlined by Dopapod and Aqueous with special guest opener Mister F.
Dopapod has been hitting the entire East Coast over the past three years with an abundance of festival appearances under their belts. With the ability to jam with the best of them, their improvisational skills throughout the night will be a treat to hear.
Aqueous will be bringing their talents back home and will have an enormous crowd advantage, providing the band the energy to really put on a great show. The band recently announced their ambitious tour plans for the summer with an obvious goal of furthering their reach. Also to note, the guys just wrapped up a successful Kickstarter campaign where they were able to fund their upcoming album through fan contributions, showing they have all the support to become the next big national act.
Mister F will kick things off as they’re coming off the heels of their album release party just a couple of weeks back on April 11th. Mister F blends a lot of different genres and will certainly get everyone moving. The band has seen a lot of attention in the last year as well, playing in some big festivals along the way.
Make sure to head out to The Waiting Room early Saturday as it looks to be a great night of music with an incredible amount of talent on one stage that you won’t want to miss.
Tickets can be purchased through the The Waiting Room for $12-15.
The whole gist of the video was basically us saying, “Hey, let’s shoot a video” while we were on a break from tour at Mike Dean’s mom’s house in Charlotte, NC. We found a box of random Halloween/sports gear in the attic and wore a bunch of weird stuff we found in it. We made a kick drum out of a garbage can, a snare drum sans bottom head and duct tape. We then played “This One Goes to 11” sitting around the dinner table. This is a very live recording with only a microphone in the room, shot in one take, with some extra spliced-in camera angles. Mike Dean appears in this video numerous times, so we’re thinking of having a “Where’s Mister Manager?” spot-the-Deaner-type contest.
The 2014 Band on the Rise is 
Our staff writers and photographers were asked to look back at the full year of music in 
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 
Waiting Room
Aqueous, from North Tonawanda, continue to get bigger and better with every show they play. They not only know how to play music, they can effortlessly transition from song to song. They opened the show right out of the gate with “Gordon’s Mule > Complex” and would roll from song to song with ease, giving the fans no time to take a break. The strongest part of the band is just how well each other feeds off of each other. Mike Gantzer and Dave Loss both are able to mix their guitar sounds together and at the same time respect each others playing where it doesn’t drown one another out. Dopapod’s Rob Compa joined the band on stage during “Strange Times” bringing three different guitars together. The real backbone for this group is Nick Sonricker and Evan McPhaden who both provide the perfect beats and bass to let Gantzer and Loss explore their respected guitar fret boards, providing the listener a musical journey to wherever they want to take them. The end of their set brought such great energy to the floor with a cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star”, with Mister F’s Scott Hannay on keyboard . One of Aqueous’ strongest assets is bringing a cover to their show and making it their own. Aqueous is not only becoming one of Buffalo’s greatest musical gems they are turning into one of the must see bands on tour right now.
