Tag: Ocupanther

Electron ends Fall Tour at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater

I still maintain Syracuse is a weird city, but they got one hell of a show at the Westcott on Saturday October 18. For fans of live-tronic music, this was the show to catch. The bill featured three bands (all instrumental) leading up to Electron, making for an impressive five hours of music. The night opened with Ocupanther, who got fans moving with their intricate but danceable compositions, featuring smooth rhythm sections and weaving guitar/synth parts on top. Ocupanther is always a treat because they are unique—not just progressive scales, not just untz beats—but truly original sounds put together in an organic, funky way. Up next was Horizon Wireless, who laid down smooth beats that were subtle but sexy and often trance inducing. Horizon has a warm sound that just makes you feel good, relying more on the groove than huge peaks or changes. This was almost a direct contrast with Solaris, who took the stage next and threw down heavy beats that really brought the energy back up a notch as the room began to fill in. Ithaca’s Solaris is a one-two punch, first they get you in the zone with beats that are predominantly electronic and then they mix in moments of sheer rock and roll dirtiness. By the end of the set everyone was moving and ready to go.

Photo by: Andy Hill at Catskill Chill 2014 – Electron

Electron, to put it bluntly, is essentially a Disco Biscuits cover band that plays Biscuits’ songs better than the Biscuits. This is not at all a bad thing, or meant to discredit the original incarnation(s) of Bisco—they are the ones who did it first after all, and they have a chemistry that cannot be replicated—but rather to highlight the similarities and areas of improvement. This crossover is no secret; the night’s set list featured mainly Bisco songs, all of which were tight and on-point. Throughout the tour Electron also covered a different band each night, including The Beatles, The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd. Friday’s two-set show added Radiohead to that list, with solid covers of “Karma Police” and “National Anthem,” before ending the night with Pink Floyd’s Brain Damage into Eclipse for an encore.

The set opened with the classic, “Floodlights” and moved into another time-tested favorite, “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” which had fans new and old singing along. Brownie held it down on the bass [as he does] showing a revitalized energy I had not seen since years previous. There is no doubt that Brownie drives the band, both with his relentless bobble-head and groove-heavy lines with sneaky bombs – his excitement was contagious. Lotus drummer, Mike Greenfield, was also a true joy to watch and blends perfectly with Brownie and the Electron formula. The argument of Sammy Vs. Allen actually kind of finds resolution in the middle with Mike Greenfield; he has the intensity and (almost) technical precision of Allen, with the feel and taste of Sammy. Personally, I never took a side on the drummer comparisons because I liked both for different reasons. That said, Greenfield is the ipso facto peace-maker that would ultimately satisfy both sides of the debate. On the keys, Magner seemed a little more subdued than his role with Bisco, but still served as the essential binding factor. All of Magner’s parts were, though not extravagant, especially important. He really only let it rip a couple of times, mainly towards the end of the second set with “Shelby Rose” but quite frankly, I think I prefer it that way. The real standout of the night for me, however, was Tom Hamilton on guitar. I had heard Hamilton play in recordings of Brothers Past, American Babies and with Marco, but had never seen him live. Simply put, he won me over. I came into the show not knowing much about Hamilton and left a Hamilton fan. Each guitar line was clean and tasteful, but when he decided to rip it, his chops really shone through. Even in songs where his parts were simpler, Hamilton has a calm sort of confidence that is super entertaining to watch and appears to inspire the band to consistently play to the top of their ability. All in all, this show was spot-on musically; a real treat for Biscuits fans, and the band’s chemistry was a pleasure to watch.

Syracuse’s show marked the end of Electron’s mini-tour, but Brownstein and Magner will be back with Conspirator, another side project which is more heavily improvisation and jam based, on November 20.

Set 1: Floodlights, MEMPHIS, Kamaole, Humu ending, Grass is Green end, Plan B, Karma Police*, Plan B
Set 2: National Anthem*, Little Lai, Humuhumu, Kamaole ending, Shelby Rose, the City, Shelby Rose
Encore: Brain Damage, Eclipse

October 28, 2014
Hearing Aide: Ocupanther’s Third Album, ‘Data Stretching’

To mark the first day of autumn, Ocupanther released their third album, Data Stretching, showing a conscious evolution from last year’s release, Progressor, while continuing to hammer down a focused sound. Overall the record might fit into generalized categories like “dance”, “progressive” or “fusion”. But really, the excellence of Data Stretching comes in the details – the careful blending of seemingly unrelated influences, and a perfect balance of organic vs electronic – resulting in a danceable, intelligent record from start to finish.

Data Stretching‘s opening track, “Obtuse Snoot”, is perhaps the perfect calling for the album; patently danceable, featuring disco-staccato guitars drifting to washed out wah-funk, hold steady bass and tight-pocket drumming. The changes are inconspicuous but occur frequently, offering good variation without stopping the groove. This notion carries into albums second track, “III E III”, which is more subdued but equally as locomotive. The bass is swampy and warm, with guitar parts piercing through the darkness. For an album with such a big, full sound (arguably the fullest Ocupanther sound to date), Data Stretching does an exceptional job varying between minimalist components. This sentiment is exemplified on “III E III” as well as later on the album with “Yerkrewrun”, a meditative, calming song balanced equally with blues guitars licks. “Treat Me Like A Telescope” is another great example of such a balance, with strong electronic undertones and masterful weaving guitar lines that scream classic rock-n-roll.

All descriptors and classifications aside, what really defines an albums success is listenability and feel – two categories where Data Stretching scores an “A”. This record would be just as good alone in your car as it would at a house party. The variations in mood throughout the record are enough to keep the listener engaged without forcing feel-good vibes or lingering too long in the dark. This balance, along with the balance of genres and styles, appears to be the recipe for success. Fans of the New Deal to LCD Soundsystem to Maserati and everything in between will surely lock into this album, as will anyone who has traveled long highways for music. Ocupanther cut their teeth on the road, after all, and much of the album serves a perfect soundtrack for a roadtrip to and from a show with a carful of friends.

Ocupanther will be supporting Data Stretching in the Upstate area over the next two months, playing alongside notable acts such as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The New Mastersounds, and super-group Electron. A complete list of tour dates and additional information can be found at: Ocupanther.com or on Facebook.

Key Tracks: III E III, Treat Me Like A Telescope, The Great Oxygenation

October 1, 2014
First Listen: Ocupanther ‘III e III’

is happy to share the first listen of Ocupanther’s new single “III e III”. Ocupanther hails from Rochester and first came onto the scene in 2011. Three of the four members of this quartet played together for years as regional touring band Pia Mater.

A change in direction for that band and the addition of long time friend and shred wizard Mike Pantano birthed Ocupanther. Data Stretching will mark the third studio release for the band after 2012’s Troncoso and 2013’s Progressor. Keep an eye on for a full review of the new release and enjoy “III e III” while you wait.

Upcoming Ocupanther dates:

Sept 13th – Night Lights Music Festival – Sherman, NY

September 26th – Temple Bar & Grill – CD Release Celebration – Rochester, NY

Oct 2nd – Tralf Music Hall w/ Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad – Buffalo, NY

Oct 7th – Montage Music Hall- w/ New Mastersounds – Rochester, NY

Oct 18th – Westcott Theater w/ Electron – Syracuse, NY

Nov 1st – Lovin’ Cup’s Hallo-Palooza – Henrietta, NY

Nov 21st – Flour City Station – Rochester, NY

September 10, 2014
Consider Spring Revived: Spring Revival 2 at Carey Lake

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.

May 21, 2014
Rhubarb/Ocupanther/Brown Sugar at Nietzsche’s Buffalo April 4th

Rhubarb sucks. At least that’s what their website “rhubarbsucks.com” would seem to indicate. However, the music of Rhubarb, self-described as “twisted psychedelic funk”, that also contains elements of surf rock, grunge, jazz and more, most certainly is the polar opposite of suck and they’re at Nietzsche’s this week. The band’s been on the Buffalo music scene for 15 years now, most recently supporting their 2013 release Shoot Yer Body Baby. Buffalo fans are no doubt psyched about this upcoming show, not only due to the excellence of the ‘barb, but also due to the killer support coming along for the ride.

Rochester’s Ocupanther, birthed in 2011 from elements of the now defunct Pia Mater, plays their own brand of psychedelia and electronica-infused funky rock and roll. Fresh out of studio sessions for their upcoming new 3rd album, Ocupanther will likely feature a mix of brand new material and classics for the Nietzsche’s faithful. Special guest sit ins are always a possibility as well.

Along for the ride up front is the brand new University of Buffalo jam club birthed Brown Sugar. Debuting a few weeks back for the brilliant Aqueous “mystery artist” themed night, this trio brought the jams more like it was their 50th show much to the delight of onlookers.

Music starts promptly at 10PM and is a mere 5$. Put down your smart phones, lock up the cable remote, and come dance. It won’t suck, we promise!

April 1, 2014
Farewell, Dub Land Underground

Rochester lost a gem with this one. Despite its imperfections, Dub Land Underground was home for a variety of local bands, a destination for niche national acts and a launching pad for some of our regions finest musicians. Those memories are now all a thing of the past, as Dub Land closed their doors for good Friday, January 10th after seven years in operation. But rather than fade away quietly, why not go out with a bang? That was precisely the MO for Dub Land’s Last Call, bringing together local favorites Haewa, Ocupanther, Neurocepter, Mosaic Foundation, Roots Collider and a slew of DJs for one last (BIG) party. With non-stop music for nearly eight hours straight, and people spilling out into the parking lot and streets, this ‘good-bye’ was one for the books.

Haewa kicked things off to an expectant, loyal crowd, complete with fresh dancing legs, hula-hoops and half naked bodies. If you haven’t seen these guys yet, you really have to. Their energy and balls-to-the-wall approach to improvisational peaks and valleys is straight up dirty psychedelia. I have heard Haewa called ‘punk-jam’ and while I certainly wouldn’t confine them to these two boxes (far from it), they do have the energy and musical chops to back up both. Their relentless fire and connection with the room was the perfect way to start out the evening and let everyone know they were in for a good night.

By the time Ocupanther took the stage, the audience was already loose and the room was filling in quickly. Ocupanther, known for their dark textures and complex rhythms, did not fail to disappoint. Sort of like reading Pynchon, or watching a David Lynch film, you feel a certain way from start to finish—but you might miss subtle details if you’re not paying attention. Luckily they didn’t appear to have this problem, as the audience locked in and stuck with them for the shadowy musical ride through their compositions. As soon as Ocupanther finished up, Riley Beats spun my favorite DJ tracks of the night, with fat dance and disco-infused lines.

Neurocepter took the stage shortly after to a nearly packed (or so I thought…) room that now contained people wearing costumes, Barney the dinosaur masks, and of course those gloves with the light up fingers. Having never seen Neurocepter before, I really appreciated their taste for smooth, danceable grooves while maintaining machine-like precision. These guys were probably the most electronic-infused band of the night, but with a sound so pure and atmospheric, even the most die-hard traditionalists had no problem getting down.

The chilled-out, feel good vibe captured by Neurocepter lent itself nicely to the next band, Mosaic Foundation, who brought their roots reggae tunes to a now jam-packed room. Of course, Mosaic Foundation sounded good and had the audience moving perfectly in time to their thick harmonies. Having seen these guys a few times now, and being someone who is easily bored by the repetitive reggae upstroke, I have to give it up to Mosaic Foundation’s consistency and connection with the audience; no matter what type of genre you prefer, it’s hard not to dance (or at least sway in time) when they take the stage.

At this point in the night, the room downstairs at Dub Land was so full you could barely move. It became quite clear that where you were is where you would stay until Roots Collider finished. Luckily everyone had just enough room to breathe and groove, because as usual, Roots Collider came out flying and ready to end things on a high note. These folks mean business when they take the stage and completely reinvigorated the crowd’s energy. Their thumping rhythm section combined with organically produced dance lines successfully pulls off the ultimate goal ofcombining the old with the new; a ‘traditional’ rock band evolving one of the fastest growing genres of music in the last ten years, while acknowledging all the influences along the way. When Roots Collider left the stage, Dub Land Underground was a sweaty, smelly mess (more smelly than usual, which is tough to accomplish) with bittersweet smiling faces making their final walk up the narrow stairwell and out into the icy Rochester weather.

With the closing of such a unique and significant venue for local music, the obvious question becomes, “What now?” For a city so rich with local talent and diehard music fans, the void is tremendous. The Northeast certainly has a long lineage of music history, and Western New York has a certain amount of responsibility in maintaining that. Wherever and whenever the next venue pops up, one thing is clear: Dub Land will be deeply missed, but with any luck, will be an important and fondly remembered milestone of things to come from Rochester’s music scene.

Please enjoy this photo montage video of some of the nights moments featuring the intro to Ghostless (I Want One) from Ocupanther’s Progressor album.

January 17, 2014
The New Daze Rock The Montage

The Montage Music Hall was rockin’ Saturday January 11, with a performance kicked off at 10pm by an up-and-coming band from Syracuse, The New Daze.

The band’s set was started with a medley, beginning with “Uncle Stremnf,” merging into a new version of one of their older songs, “Sloth Fingers”, a tease of The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Sir Psycho Sexy”, and ending with a reprise of “Uncle Stremnf.” For only three guys, The New Daze brought a huge sound that couldn’t be tamed. The few people who were in attendance seemed mesmerized by psychedelic sound effects and guitar solos. The New Daze was accompanied by Steve Graf on percussion for their entire set and had keyboardist Mike McDonald of Formula 5 sit in for “Mike’s Song.” Their set closed with the track, “Off Brand,” from the band’s first album.

Despite the lack of a crowd, the Montage was roaring as The New Daze exited and the bandtook the spotlight. The intense jam started with their song “Perch Above the Earth,” followed by “The Fall” which included a sampling of Herbie Hancock’s classic, “Chameleon.” Mike McDonald’s piano and lead vocals were key in providing the band with its soulful sound.

The set continued with more long jams featuring guitar and bass solos that kept the crowd moving. “3 Ring Circus,” from their self-titled debut album featured Collin Jones of Hawea and Ocupanther on guitar as he displayed his mastery of guitar and manipulation his effects pedal. Don Nix’s song “Goin’ Down” was followed by an original, “Earthbound Tim”, with samples from Phish’s “Guyute.” The set wound down with another medley of “Pedro” and “Hottentot” by Medeski, Scofield, Martin, and Wood, finishing with two new originals titled “Rising Tide” and “Nu-Gen.” The small crowd sounded like well over 100 as they showed some love for the awesome performance.

The New Daze Setlist

Uncle Stremnf > Sloth Fingers % > Uncle Stremnf, Until September > Silly Me > When Prigs Fly, Sunroof Cop*, Pumpkins, Mike’s Song#, Don’t Touch My Tractor, Off Brand

*The New Daze debut
#with Mike McDonald of Formula 5 on keys
% “Sir Psycho Sexy” tease
entire set with Steve Graf on percussion

Formula 5 Setlist

Perch Above the Earth, The Fall#, Catch Me, The Ride -> 3 Ring Circus* -> Goin Down@ -> Earthbound Tim$, Pedro -> Hottentot^ -> Pedro, Rising Tide, Nu-Gen

# “Chameleon” (Herbie Hancock) tease
* with Collin Jones on guitar ( Haewa / OCUPANTHER)
@ Don Nix Cover (Jeff Beck arrangement)
$ “Guyute” (Phish) teases
^ Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood cover (partial)

January 17, 2014
One Last Party at Rochester’s Dub Land Underground

After seven years, Dub Land Underground will be closing their doors for good—but not without one more jam-packed evening bringing together some of Rochester’s favorite bands. Dub Land, which has been a staple of Rochester’s music venues (specifically for jam bands and psychedelic DJs), is ready to say goodbye with a bang, featuring sets from area favorites Roots Collider, Haewa, Mosaic Foundation, Ocupanther, Neurocepter and Tim Tones. There will also be DJ sets throughout the night, with past RIPROC artists throwing down one last set.

The farewell is sure to be bittersweet, but local music fans can expect to see Dub Land go out on a high note, with music starting at 7PM and lasting until 4AM. The show is this Friday, January 10th, and with tickets costing only $10 (21+) / $15 (18+) for virtually nine hours of non-stop tunes, Dub Land’s Last Call is the only show in town.

January 7, 2014