NYS Music 20​14

Tag: The Hollow Bar

  • A Weekend of Live Music in the Capital District with Aqueous, Formula 5 and Marco Benevento

    The weekend before Christmas marks the penultimate weekend to see live music, before New Years Eve festivities take the place of usual club shows. December 18-20 was no exception and in the Capital District, we had the benefit of three Upstate New York bands playing three local venues to crowds of revelers looking for that one last fix before the holidays arrive.

    Starting with Thursday December 18 show at The Hollow, Ampervene opened the night for Aqueous with complimentary prog rock. Aqueous tore through “What’s the Connection”, leaving the song unfinished for later and segued into “All In”, which contained “Fuego” teases. The debut of “Underlyer” was well received, as was a cover of Hendrix’ “Bold As Love”. The encore was a special treat as Aqueous invited up Joe Davis from Formula 5 to play on a debut cover of “Bertha” by the Grateful Dead, which eventually into the end of “What’s the Connection”.  As a bonus, guitarist Mike Gantzer revealed that this show is likely to be a live release in the near future, so stay tuned for a crisp soundboard recording of the night!

    review by Adam Pensel
    On Friday December 19, Formula 5 made a triumphant return to the stage at Dinosaur BBQ in Troy. The masterfully crafted two set show featured a number of covers layered nicely with some of the band’s most powerful original jam vehicles.

    They began the night with a spirited cover of “The Music Never Stopped”, which featured a smooth segue into “Hot Box”, an upbeat and fan favorite track off of their first self titled album. The most impressive tracks of the first set were covers of Derek and the Dominoes’ “Why Does Love Got to be So Sad” and Warren Zevon’s “Night Time in the Switching Yard”. Lead guitarist went on endless runs in the jams of both songs that would have left Zevon and Clapton nodding in approval.

    The second set featured a sit-in during John Scofield’s “Hottentot” by Kevin Hendricks on trumpet and former Formula 5 bassist Bill Shattuck right at home on vocals for a cover of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” to close out the evening. The most impressive take away from the evening was the growth this band has shown over the course of this year. On any given night they have the ability to blow you away. Don’t miss your opportunity to see them in 2015 – this is a band on the rise.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfWrJ1BEB1U

    In what is an annual tradition, Marco Benevento played a December show at Parish Public House (formerly Red Square) on Saturday December 20, and in turn packed the house with patrons who drank the bar nearly dry until the wee hours of the morning while dancing to the contagious beats from this fantastic trio. Joining Marco was Andy Borger on drums and Dave Dreiwitz on bass, who was particularly on point all night and laid down greater bass grooves than had been heard in past shows – this was a standout performance from him alone. Marco sang more this night than in the past, something you can hear on his latest album Swift, a step in a great direction for Marco. The night was celebrated by all as evidenced by the enthusiastic revelers  dancing away in full view of Marco, feeding off his energy and he doing the same.

  • Kung Fu and Groovestick: Upstate Funk Doubleheader

    kung-fu01-(1-of-1) Kim RicherNYS Music loves their funk so we wanted to make sure we sent our writers and photographers to both Kung Fu shows in Upstate, NY – Syracuse’s review features words and photos by Kim Richer and the Albany show is highlighted by writer Susan Rice. Keep reading for the details of both funktastic shows!

    Syracuse:
    Kung Fu had their game face on Friday night, bringing lethal doses of high-powered funk-fusion to the newly remodeled Westcott Theater in Syracuse.  Tim Palmieri’s undeniable ability to shred on the guitar, coupled with Todd Stoops skill at traversing the keys of four keyboards simultaneously left the crowd dancing and smiling.  Opening with the title track off of their latest release, “Tsar Bomba” Kung Fu graced the audience with a nice sampling of their extensive musical library.  They entertained with some newer material and then resorted back to classic fan favorites “Gung Ho” and “Bopcorn”.  The real treat of their performance was a funky perfect rendition of the Jimi Hendrix single, “Cross Town Traffic”.  Closing the show with encores “Hollywood Kisses” and “Do the Right Thing” Kung Fu left the crowd fully satisfied with a need to replace their worn out dance shoes.
    Opening the show, “The Chop Shop” and “Gridline” were very groovy and well fitted to prime the crowd.  They each gave a solid stage performance and their music was a perfect fit to prep the audience for Kung Fu, but the real elephant in the room Friday night was The Primate Fiasco.  They happened to be passing through Syracuse and stopped by to see Kung Fu.  They treated the crowd by playing acoustic ‘brasstronica’ street corner style sets, unplugged and in the middle of the dance floor; the way fans have come to expect it in festival campgrounds.  They played in between stage sets, bridging that gap when there is nothing to do except wait for the next act.  Before the show started, some fan sentiment outside the venue was less than enthused about The Westcott Theater’s new “No Re-Entry” policy.  That didn’t matter though, because once The Primate Fiasco started to play, nobody was leaving anyway.  The band was enveloped by a dance party and kept the energy at a high until the next band was ready on stage.  This worked so well that the crowd was begging Primate Fiasco to keep playing, even when Kung Fu was ready to begin.  A brilliant idea, I hope we see more of this at live shows!
    Photos by Kim Richer

    Albany:
    Saturday night at The Hollow was funktastic thanks to power groups Kung Fu and Albany’s own, Groovestick. The trio turned quintet performed a jazz funk fusion with raw energy and a unique sound. “Sharkbait” gave chilling harmonies and quaking bass line from Dan Gerken. Chris Carballeria is a key smashing jazz wizard, providing waves of organ soul. Guests got a special treat when Kung Fu guitarist Tim Palmieri joined in for chord climbing rockage. “Horde” one of their newest songs and a fast paced jazz jam with impeccable string stretching from Justin Hendricks, ended the set leaving the crowd fully charged up for Kung Fu.

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    The Capital District got round housed to the face with extreme funk served up by none other than the masters, Kung Fu. Front man, Rob Somerville blasted the venue with his explosive saxophone as Chris DeAngelis stood out with major plucking magnitude before the groove came back around in full band force. But the crowd went wild when Mister F mad man, Scott Hannay joined Todd Stoops went head to head over the keys to create the ultimate electric melody meltdown. The four song encore was the cherry on top, with the light-hearted funk of unstoppable buildups from the likes of “Loose” and a boogie get down of “Hollywood Kisses”. Kung Fu will return to the Upstate area on November 13 at The Waiting Room in Buffalo –  which can’t come soon enough.

    Photos by Bryan Lasky

  • A Day with Wild Adriatic, Triumphantly Conquering the Capital Region

    Pulling up to my house in their touring van with nothing but smiles, Wild Adriatic took me in for a day in the life in Upstate New York. We headed up the Northway to a Red Robin in Clifton Park to enjoy lunch and talk about their tour that just finished up. A wild week in Texas, New Orleans, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania had just ended, and Mateo Vosganian, Rich Derbyshine, and Travis Gray had stories to share from the road. From a night or two of smaller crowds to sing-a-longs in the car to a stop off in Maryland at an open mic that proved to be a great night of music for the band, Wild Adriatic had plenty of stories to tell over burgers and fries.

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    Pulling into Charles R. Wood Festival Space for Rocktoberfest in Lake George, the sounds of AM Bodega could be heard over the speakers. As the band unloaded the van and set up shop, AM Bodega were playing a solid set of music including some nice jams and a good take on Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter”. When it was time for Wild Adriatic to take the stage, the audience, although not large, all came close to the stage to watch the band take over for an hour and a half. Despite the tour and the long drives, the bands energy on stage was tremendous. Travis’s voice was in fine form, belting out his signatures wails and hitting every note. Rich was bouncing and dancing all around the stage non-stop throughout the set. Finally Mateo was hitting his drums with all his might and even at times was shaking the stage he was going so hard.

    The set saw more covers than I am used to seeing from the band, but since they had a long set to play, they delved deep into their repertoire and busted out “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” by Tom Petty and “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk. Both were done beautifully, as was expected when upon the opening riffs. When the three of them decided to play covers, they do so as close to the original as they can. Travis was in a talkative mood as well from the stage, happy to be home seeing familiar faces after being on tour. The band was also very comfortable with one another on stage letting themselves get lost in a ten minute rendition of “Mess Around”. Having been touring so extensively lately the band has acquired this jamming skill to add to their live show and it suits them great. Locking into the song, they moved through three separate phases in their jam and brought it all back home, returning to the chorus of the song to close out the set.

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    After the set and packing up their gear, Wild Adriatic hung out, signed merchandise and talked with fans. As Black Mountain Symphony started up their country-rock, the van was finally packed up and we drove back down the Northway to Albany for the night show and tour capper at The Hollow Bar. The night’s setlist was written and the radio was on loud as we headed down the road listening to Joe Walsh, Mountain, and Led Zeppelin. Another load in and another soundcheck later, everyone was hanging in the basement of The Hollow when Titanics came down to hang out as well after finishing up their own soundcheck. Soon Party Boat was also down there waiting for the show to start, and three bands from Upstate New York were all trading touring stories and having a good time. Another meal was eaten at The Hollow with more stories from the road before Party Boat started the show. Their garage and surf infused rock was a great start to the evening. The laid back vibe won the crowd over with jokes and new music from the Albany band and are definitely worth catching the next time they are on the bill at a show.

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    Titanics came on next after a short break and the duo played a great set of indie-rock music. The music turned spacey at times, which was great to see. The blend of loops, keys, guitar, and vocals had the crowd take notice to not sleep on them either. With new music just out recently, these guys are really starting to become a local Albany fixture with bigger things to come. Taking the stage for the second time of the day, Wild Adriatic stormed on with “Lonely” and the crowd responded with dancing and chanting and singing the song right back at them. Some more left field covers for the band happened in The Darkness’s “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” and MGMT’s “Electric Feel”, and both went over great with the crowd. I was amazed at how much energy Travis, Mateo, and Rich all still had from earlier in the day. Everything sounded and looked as if it was their first performance of the day. Wild Adriatic are road warriors and just want to be on stage all of the time. The packed house at The Hollow gave just enough room for everyone to dance and have a good time. There was some more jamming from the band as well, showing the Albany crowd that touring gets a band tighter and lets the songs shine even more than you remember from the last time you saw them.

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    Closing down the tour with Led Zeppelin’s “Rock And Roll” was a perfect tour-capper. Smiles, hugs, and drinks were shared among all the familiar local faces after the show was over. Wild Adriatic loves to remind audiences they are from Upstate New York and like to keep everything done with the “family” they have built up here. It was no coincidence that the last shows they are playing before heading to Europe are in the Capital Region of New York. The band has a lot to look forward to coming up really soon, but they also like to take a second and enjoy the moment. The Hollow provided them with a home town show to celebrate how great this year has been to them and they will be playing one more night at the venue before going abroad. That night is Halloween evening and the band is planning some great things for night. Be sure to get there for the fun that is going to take place and wish them safe travels before they head onto a plane across the Atlantic to conquer some new territory.

  • Interviewing Wild Adriatic on Pulling Double Duty, and more

    Albany’s own Wild Adriatic will be playing two shows on Saturday October 11, one in Lake George and one in Albany. The two shows cap a week-long tour that saw the band go down to Texas for a few shows before making their way back home. To start off their day they will be on the bill alongside Rusted Root, Black Mountain Symphony, and AM Bodega at Lake George’s Oktoberfest taking place at Charles R. Wood Park, where The American Music Festival just took place. Following that show the band will pack up the van and head down the northway to Albany and make their way to The Hollow Bar for their show with locals’ Titanics and Party Boat. I got the chance to speak to Mateo Vosganian, drummer and beard extraordinaire of Wild Adriatic. It included interviewing Wild Adriatic about this past summer, playing multiple shows in a day, their upcoming European tour and more.

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    Bryan Lasky :How was the past week or so of tour in Texas?
    Mateo Vosganian: The past week in TX was a crazy one! Every time we go back the shows get a little better and we keep making new friends along the way. This time we were fortunate enough to join our friends The Continuums from Austin on a little run of shows. It was our first time in Bryan and Houston but both cities were cool with smaller shows at sweet venues. The San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Austin shows were all awesome and then yesterday we had the pleasure of playing New Orleans for our first time! It was a small Monday night show with some great local acts, but the venue was awesome and we’ll be back in town for Mardi Gras 2015.
    BL: What is it about Texas that keep you going back? I think this was the second or third time for you there if I’m correct.
    MV: Texas is awesome. Plain and simple. The weather is always nice (if a little overwhelming with the heat/humidity, but hey…), the people are typically laid back and fun in the bigger cities we visit, and the music fans there love rock and roll. Playing to a room of new faces in TX is one of our favorite things to do because we’re always confident in more than half the room being very into what we’re doing. Texas has stayed engaged with us as a band, even though we’re in NY and only tour down every 3 months or so. There are a few great promoters and venues down there who have put their faith in the band and are working to help us grow down there. We’re grateful for the little set up we’ve been ushered into down in TX. So much so that we’ve decided to move to Austin from 2/10-3/23 this year. We’ve rented a house and rehearsal space and will be writing and demoing for a new album down there. We’re going to be meeting with producers and basically figuring out the vibe for the next record while we’re there, as well as a 4 week residency at Empire Garage & Control Room before a crazy week at SXSW 2015. We have some great friends down there we’d like to collaborate with and we all feel like living there for a bit will help us bolster even more of a buzz down that way. And even if not, it’ll be a totally sweet vacation from NY to escape the middle/end of winter.
    BL: Is there any new music on the horizon? I know Big Suspicious only came out in January, but fans are already clamoring some new tunes.
    MV: Hell yeah. We’ve got 2-3 tunes we’re going to start playing in Europe hopefully. We’ll probably play a few over this next month as we prepare for the Euro tour. Then when we get home we’re back in writing and US touring mode til we move to Austin for a more focused writing push. I’d really like to do a new single EP with a new single, a new b-side, a few b-sides from Big Suspicious, and a live or cover track early in 2015. I’m hoping to have something together  for that before SXSW. Then LP #2 will be aiming for January 2016.
    BL: Is it difficult playing 2 or more shows in a day? It seems like you guys have been doing it a lot lately
    MV: I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. Oftentimes it’s stressful since it involves a cramped timeframe and everyone is rushing to get everything done and get it done perfectly so we can be on time for the next gig. Typically if we have 2+ gigs in a day, we’re excited about all of them so we’re able to keep the energy high and adrenaline flowing for the whole day. We had a conversation in June 2013 and then again when the album came out about how it was time to say yes to everything. I think we’re winding down on the say yes to EVERYTHING thing but having a solid work ethic and be willing and available to play early and often has helped us immensely.
    BL: So a European tour is happening next month. How did that come about and how are you guys feeling going into the shows?
    MV: We are all anxious as hell to get over there and get started. We’ve had a great publicist, Carmen, working hard for us in Europe and have had some great reviews of the album and have heard from a lot of excited European fans. We’ve been touring relentlessly since the album came out and I think we all feel really good on stage right now as a trio. We’re learning and growing together, and it’s made for some nice transitions in how we play live. We’re as high energy as ever but the amount of attention we’re each paying to each other on stage is at a heightened level. We’re all much more aware and that’s allowed us to take a few more risks and read the room (and each other) a lot better. As far as how it came about, our European booking agency Teenage Head Music heard about us randomly through a friend and reached out. THM is an awesome agency because pretty much their entire roster is American bands or bands from other countries like Australia and New Zealand, all going to Europe for tours on a very cool routing of venues in a handful of great countries.
    BL: How important do you feel having a local radio station is to building a following for a band around a city with how the music business has changed and everything is accessible online?
    MV: I think it’s pretty important, but building a following for a band is a very complex undertaking. The way to do it varies by band, by city, by genre, etc and there are so many contributing factors to what builds a band these days. A local radio station that is active and involved in the community is absolutely a key factor to spreading the word. We’re fortunate to have snagged the ears of WEQX listeners and the local area has been crazy supportive as far as showing up at our shows, dancing their faces off, buying merch, and spreading the word. We meet so many awesome people who tell us they’re going to bring more people next time they come see a show, and that is priceless. I think one of the things that has become clear is that the music business relies a lot more on having a supportive community of people invested in each other than ever before. We’ve had a very successful year and we owe it all to the help of other bands and their management (at every level of the game, from moe. to our homeboys the Continuums in Austin, TX and beyond), the promoters who take continual risks on bands, the radio stations who play bands when no one else is, and the music lovers who come out to shows, buy the album, and tell a friend. There’s a whole lot of people who rely on each other to bring new music to the world, and we try to re-invest in our friends and business acquaintances who do good things for the community around them.
    BL: Any other plans you have coming up that you’d like to let the public in on yet, or do you want to leave some surprises for everyone?
    MV: Announcing our New Years Eve plans soon! It’ll be our first and only Upstate NY show after returning home from Europe and before 2015! More exciting things will be announced over the next few months, I promise!
    Tickets for both shows this Saturday are available now. Catch them at these small shows while you can before they move on up to hopefully some larger venues in the near future.

  • An Exciteable Crowd got into Vintage Trouble at The Hollow Bar

    With an energetic 60s rock sound and a crowd that gave as good as they got, Vintage Trouble put an impressive performance September 28 at The Hollow Bar in Albany. Amid The Swing House Sessions Tour, in support of their latest album, Vintage Trouble drew upon influences that spanned genres that developed in the ’60s, including Little Richard, Albert King, The Rolling Stones and Smoky Robinson as they put forth a powerhouse 90 minute show.

    vintage troubleLead singer Ty Taylor channels Marvin Berry (think Back to the Future) and his cousin Chuck, engaging with the crowd, who quickly became the 5th member of the band. Taylor has the stage presence of a 1960s band leader, and alongside Nalle Colt (guitar), Rock Barrio Dill (bass) and Richard Danielson (drums), put forth a sound that could have been made by another five or more musicians on stage – the sound was that big. “Low down Dirty Dog” had a rockabilly blues vibe, while “Pelvis Pusher” appropriately channeled Little Richard.

    Mixing the show up with some acoustic songs, the break served to drive the crowd’s attention to a couple of ballads that reeked of pain and loss. The song titles alone in this middle part of the show – “Never Mine,”  “Another Man’s Words,” “You Save Me” and “Still Always” could have been a part of a relationship exit interview. “You Save Me” was most notable for a Peter Gunn-esque bass line from Dill.  “Run Like the River” had a (likely) Hollow Bar first – Taylor walked through the crowd, found his way up to the small balcony in front of the soundboard and sang to the crowd a most energetic call and response.

    “Nobody Told Me” the ballad of the night, hinted at Smoky Robinson influence while “Strike Your Light” began with a tribal surf rock before moving into swing rock, giving a nod to Chubby Checkers “Twist” in both energy and music, leading to a college professor crowd dancing with abandon. The encore of “Total Strangers” found the band walking off the stage, once again through the crowd, serenaded by “Na na na na na na” capping an evening with a welcome surprise on a Sunday night in Albany.

    Setlist: High Times, Blues Hand me Down, Nancy Lee, Low Down Dirty Dog, Pelvis Pusher, Never Mine*, Another Man’s Words*, You Save Me*, Still and Always*, Lo & Behold, Run Like the River, Nobody Told Me, Tear Drops, Strike Your Light
    Encore: Total Strangers
    *acoustic

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  • Interview: Vintage Trouble, Set to Take Over The Hollow and the World

    This Sunday, Sept. 28 Vintage Trouble will be coming to The Hollow Bar in Albany, N.Y. This four piece rock n’ roll blues band hailing from California have been touring the country for a few years now, at times being asked to support major acts such as, The Who, Bon Jovi, and the Dave  Matthews Band.

    In a phone interview earlier this week with NYS Music’s Jim Gilbert, all four members were excited to play Albany and share their music with the Capital Region.  “We’ve been touring non-stop for three and a half years now, just getting off the ‘Summer of Trouble’ tour and extending it to the ‘Swinghouse Acoustic’ tour that we are on now.”  Vintage Trouble has toured the world and plays around “200 shows a year, but up to 260 if you include radio stations” and other similar media outlets.  The even played the Jay Leno Show four times in one year.

    When asked how he is able to continuing to sing every night with the brutal tour schedule, lead vocalist, Ty Taylor explained, “By not thinking about it. Stress is horrible and if you think too much [you could cause the issues]. Drink plenty of water and [practice] mental control.” He went on to say that he, “relies on the microphone to do its job” and trusting the mic allows him not to strain too much.

    While the band is getting well-known for its initial release, The Bomb Shelter Sessions, drummer Richard Danielson reassured us that the band has been, “writing on the road and we have a lot more than those 10 songs.  We have three-quarters of the new album done and other songs to fill two hours.”  Stops on this tour can hear potentially up to 20 or more songs in a night, that will surely leave them craving for more.

    People began to hear about them from these support gigs and began to arrive early to hear the band blaze through their short opening sets. With front man Ty Taylor moving about the stage like a mix between James Brown and Roger Daltrey, Nalle Colt soloing all over the songs, and Rich Barrio Dill and Richard Danielson holding down the rhythm section, the band is a sight to see and a pleasure to your ears.

    It was this energy that attracted acts such as Bon Jovi, Lenny Kravitz and even The Who, to include them on European legs of their tour.  Bassist Rock Barrio Dill said they were “only going to be in the UK for three weeks, but ended up staying for seven months because these opportunities kept coming up”.  All the touring and travel, “cultivated a lot of new material.”

    Taylor proudly went on to say that Vintage Trouble is “an independent band. It cost us less than $1000 to make the record. We couldn’t do a world release, [so it was slow to hit some countries.] It was released only a year ago in Japan and debuted at #4.  It took three years to get around the world, but like my mother always said ‘patience is a virtue.”

    While Vintage Trouble just went into a recording partnership with Blue Note Records, the label is giving them a lot of freedom.  There is a mutual feeling of pride in releasing their own work, but it is nice to have a big brother helping them out.  However, recording is only a part of the equation.  Rick emphasized that “we consider ourselves a live band first. Wherever we take it, we will be a live band.”

    Starting out at Harvelle’s Blues Club in Long Beach playing a weekly residency in a place with “true old blues energy” the locals dubbed it Trouble Tuesday. In fact, a friend of the band called the ever-growing weekly audience, “TroubleMakers”.  That name stuck and fans from around the world have joined the TroubleMakers.  With nearly 12,000 in their Facebook group, Nalle added, “the band stays in touch daily with the group.”.  It is also THE place to go to find out about the pre-show parties and after show events, as well as interact with like-minded fans.

    Tickets are currently on sale now. The show starts at 7PM with The Soul Selector Tom PaPa Ray. Make sure to come out for this show and end the week with some rock n’ roll medicine.

  • Rubblebucket Brings the Ruckus to the Hollow

    Rubblebucket came to downtown Albany’s The Hollow Sunday night, infusing a typically low-key evening with high energy and a whole lot of funk. Accompanied by Brooklyn-based dance quartet Body Language, both bands had a hand in making sure that those who attended came out of their Sunday night football food comas.

    Body Language kicked off the night at around 9pm and there were more people than one would expect for a Sunday. The front dance floor was packed pretty tightly, with people spilling out into the back portions of the bar. From the beginning, lead singer Angelica Bess emanated a really interesting stage presence. Sporting tie-dye leggings and a black crop top, her hair braided into long cables cascading to her waist, she pantomimed a lot of the lyrics as she sang. Bess, who also plays the glockenspiel (an instrument similar to a xylophone, but with higher pitched sounds) has a voice that ranges in style and possesses an ethereal quality. Body Language played an eclectic mix of instruments, including the tambourine and cowbell, and their musical style ranged from soul to pop. They also had a disco dance flare that had the crowd contorting themselves into dance moves that were as different as the instruments the band played. With Bess’ sultry voice and that R&B sound, if their music was truly translated into body language, they would be saying “come hither.” Body Language kept the mood light and upbeat and had everyone on their feet. They definitely set the stage for what was to come.

    Rubblebucket who is on tour promoting their new album, Survival Sounds, played a slew of new songs including “My Life”, “On the Ground”, “Carousel Ride”, “Major Roxy”, and “Origami”. The new songs drift from the fun and fanciful aspect of Rubblebucket and delve a little deeper into real life and have a bit of a harder sound. They’re a little more hard rock and possess more electronic undertones with “Origami” being the most upbeat. Rubblebucket, whose shows are half concert half performance art, can sometimes border on gimmicky, but are ultimately fun and whimsical. While introducing “Origami”, the adoration of the fans was apparent as a fan yelled out “I love you Kal!” and she yelled back “I love you too!” The level of interactivity between the band and the crowd is interesting and something you don’t see at a lot of shows. During “Origami”, Traver requested that the crowd yell out the chorus, with her belting out the question “Why can’t it always be fun?” and the crowd yelling back, “always, always, always!” It definitely got people moving their feet, with Traver coming off stage and starting a soul train with the audience.

    Although they are promoting their new album, they didn’t just stick to new songs. They played old favorite “Came Out of a Lady” off of Omega La La that saw the entire horn section coming down to play in the crowd, including Traver who was playing saxophone. That was definitely one of the highlights and had the audience jumping up and down with their hands in the air. They also played “Patriotic”, which is off their Save Charlie EP, and upon introducing it, Traver proclaimed that “it’s a song about being yourself.” From there, they played “Carousel Ride”, and with lyrics like “when all the strongest winds are blowing my way/and the reaper comes to take my breath away…I’ll dance in the fire and I’ll do it again,” it perfectly matched Traver’s hauntingly beautiful voice. “Carousel Ride” definitively showcased Rubblebucket’s penchant for art by having someone walk around in a faceless furry creature costume whose head was made out of pink fabric roses that had leaves and ivy running through it. This creature is featured on their album cover, as well as in the music video for the song, bringing a different aspect of their art to their concert.

    Rubblebucket played straight through without a set break, ending in a superjam with Angela Bess from Body Language playing the glockenspiel. The entire band came onto the floor parading around the bar like a marching band gone rogue. The last couple of minutes of their set found trumpet player Alex Toth playing on tables by the merch booth along with Traver on saxophone. When it comes down to it, Rubblebucket is full of incredibly talented musicians whose sound works well together for being a larger band. Seeing them play is an experience in and of itself aside from the music. It can definitely get weird, but if you haven’t seen them before, they come highly recommended.

  • The Bots Albany Debut

    The Bots Albany debut at The Hollow on Sept. 10 and made sure to leave a mark on the venue. Hailing from California, brothers Anaiah and Mikaiah Lei brought all of their energy to the stage for their one hour performance. Mikaiah’s guitar playing can only be described as watching a man who is possessed by his instrument. Dancing all over the stage and completely letting go of himself throughout most songs, Mikaiah tore up the fret boards on both of the guitars he used during the show. With all of the moving he does on stage, one would think that his play would be sloppy, but it was anything but. Every song was played beautifully with ripping solos that his body and guitar produced – making The Bots Albany debut one to remember.

    BDL Photography

    Over on the drums all night, Anaiah sat there moving his arms like lightning all over his kit. Putting his full body into the music as well, Anaiah set the pace for the evening and it was fast and furious. The amount of music that these two produce together is astounding. “Dinosaurs” was a great song and closer “5:17” was powerful. Both of these songs mixed  a lot of punk and hard rock into them, making an interesting blend to listen to. A great cover of The Ramones “I Wanna Be Well” was played straight forward and let The Bots honor one of their major influences. The small crowd loved every second of the show wanting the band to continue, but it was not meant to be on this night. For all of you who were not at this show, do not sleep on this band the next time they are near you. The Lei brothers have a lot of talent and are just starting on their journey to bigger and better things. Seeing talented bands in smaller rooms doesn’t last forever, and The Bots should be moving on up in no time. Their debut album Pink Palms is out Oct. 14 and you should look into getting yourself a copy to hear what you missed.

  • Consider The Source Overloads The Hollow With Sonic Delight

    “You’re the best trio in the history of music!” a zealous fan shouted between songs during Consider the Source‘s heavy rock set on Friday, July 25. Some whoops of agreement went up from the crowd of approximately 200 at The Hollow, a bar/concert venue on Pearl Street in Albany.  No one disputed the claim.

    CTS took the stage after Ampevene, a young local quartet, who showed that the future of rock is in able hands.  They opened the night with a jazzy set of originals and a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Have A Cigar”.  Ampevene played for nearly an hour before Consider the Source came on around 11, looking sharp in their white business linens. The crowd, which was energetic all night, moved up and in to get a better look at the Sourcerors in action.

    Gabriel Marin was the first to melt faces during “You Go Squish Now”.

    Guitarist Gabriel Marin
    Guitarist Gabriel Marin

    Marin slid his fingers gracefully up and down the top neck of his fretless guitar.  Jeff Mann started the night with a pair of mallets rolling on the drums and John Ferrara—the Ferrari of bassists—came out slapping his 5-string.  The trio showed their versatility immediately with a section of hard rock that became a Middle Eastern tango for three of four measures, then Mann’s double-bass drumming kicked the jam into metal before they transitioned back to jazz.  Ferrara, semi-crouched, smiling, and slapping, faced Marin and the two dueled it out for the last-minute of the tune.

    During “Abdiel”, Marin flipped a switch on his custom double-necked guitar and was suddenly playing a velvety trumpet solo. When he gave his fingertips a moment to cool off, Mann and Ferrara went back and forth, trading drum and bass solos respectively.  Throughout the set, Marin manipulated trumpet, flute, banjo, and oboe-esque notes from his  axe.  The twenty-foot ceilings in The Hollow created great acoustics for Marin and company to jam in.

    CTS blends a myriad of genres and influences into elegantly composed songs with unique movements and stanzas.  The show in Albany was an epic instrumental journey, featuring the stunt guitar, bone-rattling bass, and Mann doing his best Animal impression on the drums.  The set played out more like a unified rock opera than a dozen individual songs.  “__/” (the title is a hand symbol), began with Ferrara soloing and cradling his bass like a baby, as his left hand flew up and down the neck and his right hand alternated between tapping and slapping.  Marin and Mann joined in, as the jam had a pure rock feel to it and a grandiosity reminiscent of Umphrey’s McGee’s “All In Time”.  While most of the ride was dark and spacey like “__/”, “Tihai For The Straight Guy” was a warm reprieve in the middle of the set.

    “We’ve been all over the world,” Ferrara said at one point, “but we are right where we want to be tonight! You guys have so much energy!”

    Bassist John Ferrara.
    Bassist John Ferrara.

    The front half of the venue was packed with wide-eyed and slack-jawed enthusiasts squished in to get a close-up view.  When not induced into dancing, listeners stood on tip-toes trying to get a better look at the Sourcerors operating their instruments with surgical precision.

    Toward the end of the set, Marin showed his mean streak during “I’ll Fight For The Imp”.  He played with an apparently disgruntled attitude, punishing his guitar for unknown crimes.  Most of the night, however, he looked like a violin savant fitting of the name Gabriel, fingering his custom guitar with deliberate movements of massive fingers.  He shredded with a cool, calm composure, making intricate solos appear effortless.  While he may be the most eloquent guitar player on the rock circuit, he may not even be the best string player in the band.  Imagine the ’90s Bulls.  Now, imagine them with LeBron on the team, too.  You can debate either way which of Marin and  Ferrara are Michael and LeBron.  Mann—who reminded the crowd during the encore, “it’s Friday night; I want you to push that fuckin’ rock button!”—is unarguably Pippen, valiantly rocking the most under-appreciable position in music.

    During the encore, the Sourcerors each showed their prowess one last time.  Mann busted out his electric drum pad and Ferrara played a solo that incorporated classical plucking and heavy womping.  Marin jettisoned his hat and, with his long golden hair flowing free, pumped out spacey laser sounds.  The Hollow was rocking as Consider the Source proved that rock is far from dead.

    Set list: Wandering Bear, Abdiel, Ninjanuity , __/, Tihai For The Straight Guy, Absence Of A Prominent Tooth, The Great Circuiting, I’ll Fight For The Imp, Keep Your Pimp Hand Strong

    Encore: Ol’ Chomper

  • Venue Profile: The Hollow Revitalizes Historic Downtown Albany

    The Hollow at 79 North Pearl street in Albany has quickly become one of the most recognized venues for excellent live music, with a great history of hosting up-and-coming bands and nationally touring acts alike. The venue is quaintly nestled just doors down from Albany’s historic Lodge’s clothing store and The Palace Theatre, placed directly in the middle of Albany’s night life.

    the hollowThe venue was originally an urban retail store and a shoe repair shop. After renting out the Yorkstone Pub and turning it into the Bayou Cafe, the owners continued to expand further until the stage was built and the bar looked the way the owner’s had planned. Throughout the 2000’s, the venue quickly became known for cover bands that would bring in throngs of people every weekend, with a line out the door. Eventually, cover bands no longer brought the same crowd every weekend and the scene in downtown Albany began to quickly change. The owners saw an opportunity to change the venue for the better of the community and offer live shows that music enthusiasts would want to see. The long time owners sold the venue to close friends of their family and took over the booking for all acts at what would then on be referred to as “The Hollow.” The name is a nod to the area surrounding the venue which has long been referred to as Sheridan Hollow. After the change in management and name, the venue began hosting bigger and better acts. A variety of acts have played the stage at The Hollow including Break Science, Deer Tick, Brothers Past, The Heavy Pets, Jennifer Hartswick, Normal Instruments, Tauk, Lucid, Mister F, Wild Adriatic, Start Making Sense and The Black Mountain Symphony.

    The venue itself is a great spot to catch music locally. The large bar set a few feet from the stage makes it easy not to miss the musical acts while quenching your thirst. All of the Hollow’s bartenders and waitstaff are friendly and personable making it a relaxed environment during happy hour, lunch, dinner or during a live show. The front patio is the perfect place during the warmer months to sit outside with friends even during times where there are no performances. The menu offered at The Hollow gives a wide array of options for whatever your appetite may be, also offering their different pairings of wine and beer for each meal. The bar itself is divided into sections, one section holds the stage and wrap around bar which can get pretty packed during a sold out show, there is a section with some tables and a pool table for those concert goers that want to see the music but not necessarily be within a large crowd of people, as this section can also get pretty packed during a sold out show. The third section is generally only used for dining guests and is rarely full of people during a live show, while a second bar in which you do not have to pay cover for the show to grab a few drinks with friends.

    The venue is big enough to hold larger named bands, but also enclosed enough to make each show intimate between the artists and the crowd. If you live in the Albany area and you are looking for a great venue, some great drinks or even a great meal, make sure to check out The Hollow Bar and Grill.