NYS Music 20​15

Author: Jenn Curtis

  • Eli Young Band and LOCASH Bring Country to NYC

    Sunday nights may be the saddest day of the week with a fresh workweek starting bright and early the next morning, but Eli Young Band and LOCASH didn’t let the night of the week stop them from putting on a wonderful show at Terminal 5 in Hells Kitchen one of New York City’s nicest music venues.

    LOCASH, one of country music’s most fun duos comprised of Preston Brust and Chris Lucas, opened up the show. Anyone who has seen these two guys live before knew they were going to be in for a wild and exciting show. They never fail to connect with the audience and keep them on their feet for their entire set.  The recently rebranded LOCASH (previously known as LoCash Cowboys) began their set with upbeat C.O.U.N.T.R.Y, which definitely set mood for what would come next. Throughout their time on stage they played a combination of older hits, well known covers, and a number unreleased songs to be included on a future album or EP.  The duo performed “You Gonna Fly” which was made into their first #1 hit when Keith Urban recorded and released the song in 2011, as well as Tim McGraw’s hit “Truck Yeah,” which they co-wrote along with Chris Janson and Danny Myrick. Brust and Lucas are talented and proven songwriters, a quality that is apparent when listening to their music and seeing the success writing has brought them. Another cover that delighted the crowd was the duo”s own version of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” which as expected was a a fan favorite.

    One of the highlights of LOCASH’s set was how many new tracks they performed. The sweet “I Know Somebody” a song from their EP that will be released in October was a definite standout. The infectious track features some beautiful harmonies has all the makings of a future single. “Drunk Drunk” which shockingly was about alcohol is a great live song, while “Wheels Fall Off” is another romantic song about growing old together. The other most notable new song for LOCASH was the John Legend and One Republic inspired “Shipwrecked” a track that they plan to release as their next single. The song features great lyrics and more awesome harmonies between the duo.

    LOCASH closed their set with their current single “I Love This Life” which recently reached the top 25 at country radio and should continue to climb the charts. The song is their self-proclaimed antidote to all of the negativity constantly spewed out on news channels across the country. It’s anthemic feel and message to appreciate everything that you have in life makes it a relatable and uplifting track that has certainly hit the mark with country music listeners. The fans knew every word to the song, and it had them on their feet one last time before LOCASH left the stage.

    Headliners Eli Young Band took the stage not long after. With a distinguishable vocals, a solid core of radio hits and quality songwriting, the guys in Eli Young Band (Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Chris Thompson) are an experienced and confident group who can always be counted on to put on an amazing show.

    The band opened with “Drink You Up,” a lively track from their March 2015 EP Turn It On.  They performed the title track and their current single from the album. With recent requests to incorporate more songs from early on in their discography into their live shows, the group delighted those who have followed them since their inception when they performed old fan favorites like “Guinevere,” and “Love Songs.” The feel good title track to their last full length album 1,000 Towns, picked up the pace, outlining the amazing things about small town living, while the heartfelt and impactful “Prayer For The Road” from the same album was dedicated to service members and first responders. Eli Young Band also performed the second single from the album “Dust.” 

    Any good concert includes several well-known covers, and Eli Young Band didn’t disappoint with their own renditions of Garth Brooks’ haunting “Thunder Rolls,” David Lee Murphy’s “Dust On The Bottle,” and Tom Petty’s “Fly.” The group also ventured into the pop side of things with a performance of Andy Grammar’s “Honey I’m Good.” The band and Grammar have collaborated to release a duet version of the song together that is available now on iTunes.

    Eli Young Band has scored three #1 singles at country radio. The first, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” was inspired as Mike Eli told the crowd by the story of how each of his parents reacted when he told them he wanted to be a musician, and how he met his current band-members while attending college. The uplifting and rousing song about not letting anything stop you from following your dreams and reaching for your goals reflects the lessons learned from each of these stories and sparked an amazing live performance of the group’s first #1 hit as a group. The crowd enthusiastically carried the entire chorus on their own towards the end of the performance, which had to have been a meaningful moment for Eli Young Band to be a part of.   Their performance of their most recent #1 hit “Drunk Last Night” was also a memorable one, but the band closed the show with perhaps their most recognizable and beloved song, “Crazy Girl,” a sweet track about making sure loved ones know you care about them. After leaving the stage briefly, and the crowd cheering for one more song, Eli Young Band returned for an encore, performing a fan favorite from their 2008 album Level.

    LOCASH and Eli Young Band brought fun and great country music to New York City on Sunday night. Fans in NY will undoubtedly be looking forward to their next chance to see each act live. 

  • Bring Me the Horizon take the sold out Terminal 5 by storm

    Bring Me The Horizon brought their headlining tour to Terminal 5 in New York City for an incredible sold out show on October 5 with phenomenal production with even better stage presence. With the help of support band, Issues and opener PVRIS fans were given a night they are sure to remember for many tours to come. Fresh off the release of That’s the Spirit on Columbia Records, Bring Me the Horizon have reached a new level in their career moving on from selling out Best Buy Theater, now Playstation Theater, to selling out Terminal 5 effortlessly.

    PVRIS kicked off the evening with “White Noise” the title track off their first full length record released on Rise Records. The group has recently been creating a very strong and dedicated fanbase through their powerful live performances. With the help of Rise Records, PVRIS has worked tirelessly to create that fanbase through a series of opening slots on larger tours including the first leg of Pierce the Veil and Sleeping with Siren’s world tour.. The group actually created such a strong fanbase across the country that they were permanently bumped up to the main stage for the summer on Warped tour, which they absolutely capitalized on building their name even more with each passing day.  Frontwoman Lynn Gunn has an incredible voice that sets her apart from so many vocalists; she commands the stage with powerful vocals and passionate lyrics. One song in particular that always showcases her voice perfectly is the second song that they played, “Fire.” The song emphasizes the power in her voice giving her many opportunities to enthrall the crowd. PVRIS went on to play other fan favorites including “Holy” and “Smoke.” They closed out their set with the first two songs released off of White Noise, “My House” and “St. Patrick.” They had the majority of the crowd singing along all throughout their set but it was during these two songs in particular that it seemed as if the entire crowd was involved, singing along and off their feet. PVRIS certainly did a great job of drawing fans out early and getting them engaged from their first song and throughout their entire set.

    Next to take the stage was ISSUES. They are the type of band that never fail to get the entire crowd engaged regardless of how familiar fans may be with their music. They kicked things off in a very unusual fashion, prior to playing any of their songs frontmen Tyler Carter and Michael Bohn took the time to introduce the band. They proceeded from there into “Stingray Affliction” and “Life of a Nine” from their 2014 self titled release. As expected they brought such incredible energy and enthusiasm to the stage that it was contagious among the crowd and they didn’t let up at all during their set. Next up was the extremely moving and inspiring, “Never Lose Your Flames”; it is a song that has always resonated extremely well with fans and likely always will which is why it has become a staple song for the group at every show. From there they played a new song, “The Realest” which truly showcased their ability to captivate a crowd through their energy and stage presence because the crowd remained engaged and involved despite not knowing any of the words. The song seemed to be very well received by those in attendance which is not surprising as they too have been doing an incredible job of creating a very dedicated fanbase also through persistent touring including the direct support slot of the Future Hearts Tour last spring. Next up was the emotional, “Disappear (Remember When)” which has also become a staple song for the group along with their closing song and most recent single, “Hooligans.” The intensity reached a new level during “Hooligans” as once again the entire building seemed to be full and singing along to every word emphatically.

    After what seemed longer than normal Bring Me the Horizon was ready to take the stage and the first song off of their most recent release, That’s the Spirit, “Doomed” kicked in. The group set the bar fairly high on their last U.S. tour in the fall of 2014 supporting A Day to Remember for production and stage set up, but they absolutely out did themselves this time. The umbrella from their album cover flashed behind them in lights interchangeably with other aspects of their album including the multicolored background from their album booklet and other captivating lighting designs.  Along with a captivating background, CO2 cannons accompanied various breakdowns and heavy moments of the set which magnified the intensity. After that they continued on into “Happy Song” which started off with the entire sold out crowd chanting “S-P-I-R-I-T” along to the backtrack.

    From there they went into some older favorites off off Sempiternal (2013) including “Go to Hell, for Heaven’s Sake” and “The House of Wolves” and what seems to have become a staple song for the group, “Chelsea Smile” from Suicide Season (2010). Next up was one of the most emotional and raw tracks from Sempiternal, “Can You Feel My Heart” which never fails to get the entire crowd singing along emphatically. When it reached the verse with the repetition of “I’m scared to get close and I hate being alone. I long for that feeling to not feel at all. The higher I get, the lower I’ll sink. I can’t drown my demons they know how to swim.” Frontman Oli Sykes did not say a word, the crowd took over and sang for him. For the last repetition of it Sykes joined the crowd for an emotional sing along. One of the most popular songs from Sempiternal “Shadow Moses,” always elicits a strong reaction from the crowd and this show was no different. Bring Me the Horizon has such a strong stage presence and creates an emotional connection with the crowd through their live performance which makes sets them apart from so many other bands in their genre and makes their shows extremely memorable. From there they carried into “Throne” from That’s the Spirit, “Sleepwalking” and “Antivist” to close out their set.

    Bring Me the Horizon returned for an encore starting with “True Friends” from the new record. They always manage to bring the intensity and energy to a new level during their encores despite having an incredibly engaging set the entire night. The next song in their encore was another older favorite, “Blessed With a Curse” from There is a Hell Believe Me I’ve Seen it. There is a Heaven Let’s Keep it a Secret (2010), which really seemed to be a nice surprise to the crowd which consisted of a mix with newer fans and seasoned fans. The final song Bring Me the Horizon played for the evening was their most well known song from the new album, “Drown.” The song has been heard across New York on various rock radio stations, which was a huge break through for the group and has certainly helped the group grow exponentially in the months since its release.

    All three groups have unique and charismatic stage presences which when combined create a very memorable night for fans. This tour has one of the strongest lineups of all of the fall tours which makes it a must see for fans.

  • Jake Owen Brought the Days of Gold Tour to the Mann Center

    On Oct. 8, Jake Owen, Dan + Shay, and Kelsea Ballerini made their way to the Mann Center in Philadelphia to continue their run on their Days of Gold tour. It was a gorgeous, mild fall night for a concert at unique inside/outside venue, and fans took advantage of nice weather, streaming in for what would be an exciting night of country music.

    First to take the stage was newcomer Kelsea Ballerini who has recently burst onto the scene in country music as a talented up-and-coming female artist to watch. The 22-year-old from Tennessee performed a blend of her own songs and several entertaining covers. One of the first songs she played was her current and second single from her debut album The First Time called “Dibs,” an upbeat and catchy track that should do well following her first release.

    Ballerini has substantial vocal ability, and sounded great live no matter what she was singing. She proved her vocal and musical diversity with a cover medley of 90’s hits that had fans feeling nostalgic, including portions of Brittany Spears’ “Oops, I Did It Again,” NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” Beyonce’s “Bootylicious”, Christina Agulara’s “Genie In A Bottle,” and TLC’s “No Scrubs”.
    Ballerini displayed her vibrant and playful personality, and plenty of charisma while on stage, as well as an ability to connect to fans and get them involved in the show.

    Other songs Ballerini performed from her debut album included “Yeah Boy”, an infectious, mid-tempo jam that sounds as though it could be a future single choice; “Peter Pan,” which she dedicated to boys she has known that seem to refuse to grow up, and the edgy; and vivacious “XO.” She closed her set with her debut single and first #1 song at country radio, the irresistible “Love Me Like You Mean It,” thanking fans for helping to make the song so successful for her.

    Dan + Shay were up next, providing direct support for headliner Jake Owen. The young duo, capable of gorgeous harmonies and hook-laden, anthemic tracks are also known for being one of the more energetic and upbeat live acts in country. They lived up to their reputation, keeping fans on their feet for the entire set and proving their vocal abilities time and time again.

    The duo, comprised of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney began their set with “Somewhere Only We Know,” an album track from their debut record Where It All Began. The song is an infectious one about escaping reality by running away to your favorite secret spot. Next came a performance of their current (and 3rd) single from their debut “Nothin’ Like You,” an incredibly catchy and sweet track that is on its way to becoming the duo’s first top ten hit at country radio.

    The pair also incorporated a surprising number of well-known covers of varying genre into their set, including classic rock gems like Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name,” and Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” that had the crowd engaged and singing along. Other notable covers included Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood,” “I’ll Make Love To You” by Boys To Men, Tyo Cruise’s “Dynamite,” and Maroon 5’s “Move Like Jagger”. While the classic rock covers had the older audience members on their feet, the pop ones helped the duo connect even further with the younger members in the crowd who are familiar with an abundance of mainstream music.

    Also from their debut, Dan + Shay performed the hook driven “Stop Drop and Roll,” perfect for blasting in your car on a long drive with the windows down, and romantic, heavily pop leaning second single “Show You Off” which was a top 25 hit at country radio for the pair. They closed their set with their first ever single, “Summer of 19 You + Me,” the track that truly put them on the map in the country music world. With slick melodies and pop influenced production, paired with honey smooth vocal harmonies and an undeniably catchy singalong chorus, it is no surprise that this was the song that helped to launch Dan + Say’s career. The crowd knew all the words and sang along until the last-minute. By the end of their set it was apparent why the duo is viewed as one of the most exciting young acts in country music.

    Headliner and country heart-throb Jake Owen finally took the stage to a frenzied crowd who were undoubtedly ready for a party. Since 2011 his album, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, has garnered four consecutive number one hits, making Owen one of country music’s biggest stars. Known for his laid back personality, easygoing charm, and overflowing abundance of charisma, the 34-year-old from Florida is the ultimate performer. Thursday, he brought his stylish new haircut along with a plethora of hits and beach themed stage setup to Philadelphia with every intention of providing fans with an incredible night of music. His set this night was appropriately decked out with a beachy style, complete with stage decorations featuring Christmas lights encircling Palm trees, a wood and rope boardwalk , hula skirts for much of his band equipment, and fully stocked beach bars on each side of the stage. The production and lighting used during his set was also top-notch, with five enormous HD flat-screens bedecking the stage behind Owen, and dozens of multi-colored strobe lights bathing the performers with bright blues, reds, purples, and oranges.

    Owen opened his set with his most recent #1 hit from his 2013 album Days Of Gold, the sun drenched, reggae influenced “Beachin.’” The feel-good, romantic “Anywhere With You,” the fourth and final #1 single from Barefoot Blue Jean Night had fans singing along enthusiastically, while fellow #1 smash hit from the same album “Alone With You” soon followed. The latter featured Owen sporting a guitar strung liberally with bright blue Christmas lights and the fans chanting the chorus out loudly and in-synch on their own when prompted. Towards the end of his set, he played yet another #1 single from Barefoot Blue Jean Night, the nostalgic “The One That Got Away,” a fan favorite with a rocking guitar solo, and impromptu freestyle lyrics during the bridge.

    The laid back vocalist threw it back to 2006 and 2009 respectively with performances of debut top 20 single “Yee Haw,” off his first album Startin’ With Me, and the hard rocking, fast paced “8 Second Ride,” a top 15 single from his album Easy Does It. He also included the heartfelt “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You,” a song that supports the sentiment that love is more important in life than money or possessions. From old right back to new, Owen broke out his current single “Real Life” with a cameo from David from the viral YouTube “David After the Dentist.” The song is a definite departure from both Owen’s usual sound and the sounds prevalent in modern, mainstream country music, making it a polarizing one within the genre. From his 2012 Endless Summer EP, Owen performed the spirited, rock leaning track “Surefire Feeling.” The song features thrashing electric guitars and an uptempo pace that makes it perfect for a live setting.

    Days Of Gold featured prominently in his set, with performances of album tracks “Tall Glass of Something” and “1972,” in addition to singles “What We Aint Got” and “Days Of Gold.” The two aforementioned singles happen to be polar opposites, with the former allowing Owen to slow it down a bit and allow the focus to shift to his vocals and the profoundness of the lyrics, while the former is loud and intense, hurtling along at a frenetic, breakneck pace from beginning to end. Owen also covered Garth Brooks song “Unanswered Prayers” in celebration of Brooks’ recent signing with Owen’s longtime label RCA.

    Throughout the night, he also made a concerted effort to include all the fans in the venue, even those way in the back. The best way he made this happen was intermittently inviting fans from the back to come up and watch from side stage, as he did mid-way through his set with fans who he saw holding up a sign saying “Is this real life?”. Owen also took time out of his set to thank the American troops for their service, and express gratitude to his fans for always lifting him up. He ended the night with the biggest song of his career to date, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” the first #1 single off of his album of the same name. Kelsea Ballerini rejoined Owen on stage for the song. With laid back vibe and an atmospheric, sing-a-long chorus, mixed with a little bit of banjo and a touch of Owen’s twangy vocals “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” had the crowd bellowing the lyrics into the stadium. In the middle of the song, they cut seamlessly into a “Fresh Prince of Bellaire” cover, playing on the fact that they were performing for a Philly crowd before jumping back to BBJN and finishing out the show on a high note.

    Jake Owen, Dan + Shay and Kelsea Ballerini successfully brought a night of county music fun to Philadelphia on a Thursday night. They provided fans with a lineup that highlighted an inclusive blend of several prominent styles of country music and put on a show that the crowd won’t soon forget.

  • 5 Seconds of Summer Brought the ‘Rock Out with Your Socks Out’ Tour Through SPAC

    5 Seconds of Summer brought their Rock Out with Your Socks Out Tour to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center along with Hey Violet from their record label Hi or Hey Records. Fans arrived early to see the band 5SOS brought along for their first headliner of this magnitude. The Rock Out with Your Socks Out tour had proven to be extremely successful for the groups up to this point and the show at SPAC was no exception.

    Hey Violet kicked off the night with an energetic set filled with crowd engagement. All throughout their time on the stage members encouraged fans to get involved in the set and have a good time. From the moment they took the stage they had the feel of a 2000’s girl fronted pop-punk group much like Paramore when they started or Hey Monday. They elicited a strong reaction from the crowd with original songs such as “You Don’t Love Me Like You Should” and “I’m There”. The strongest part of the set came with their cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” with their own unique punk flare mixed in throughout the song. Fans really seemed to enjoy their set and remain engaged through its entirety singing along when they knew the words and dancing along when they didn’t.

    As time grew closer to when 5 Seconds of Summer was scheduled to take the stage the excitement could be felt throughout the venue. An image of a clock flashed across the projector screen counting down the time until the set would begin. This had fans screaming with excitement from the moment it started and increasing in volume as the seconds ticked away closer to zero. When the clock struck zero the incredible production and showmanship started; drummer Ashton Irwin kicked things off with a drum entrance for their opening song, “End Up Here” off of their 2014 self titled release, while he rose from the ground up to the top of his riser. They also played “Don’t Stop” and “Long Way Home” off of that release. After “Long Way Home” it was time for one of the highlights of the evening; 5 Seconds of Summer searched the audience for one lucky fan to bring on stage to help with guitar during their song “Rejects” which had every pre-teen and teenage girl off their feet screaming at the top of their lungs hoping to be selected.

    Another noteworthy aspect of their set was their candid happy birthday performance with the audience for Tyler Szalkowski, lead guitarist for the Albany pop-punk group State Champs. Pure Noise Records’ State Champs recently supported 5 Seconds of Summer on their last Australian tour. Seeing such a fun moment shared among friends certainly made the show a unique experience for everyone in attendance. 5 Seconds of Summer have been very active in promoting smaller bands from the pop-punk and heavier rock genres including State Champs. Also among those bands are Sleeping with Sirens, All Time Low, Beartooth and many more talented groups.

    Fan favorites like “Amnesia” had what seemed like the entire audience singing along to every word. However, the energy reached a new level for their cover of the Green Day song “American Idiot” and did not fall as they carried on into “Kiss Me, Kiss Me,” their current single “She’s Kinda Hot” and arguably their most well-known song “She Looks So Perfect”. They finished out the show on a high note with “Good Girls” and “What I Like About You”. 5 Seconds of Summer put on a high energy, extremely well produced set that will keep fans coming back every time the group returns.

  • The Big Revival Tour Rocks Out SPAC

    Brantley Gilbert took the Big Revival tour to SPAC in Saratoga Springs, on August 16 with great success. He was supported by Lee Brice and Cam who each brought their own unique flare to the evening.

    First to take the stage was the up and coming singer, Cam. Cam was named one of Rolling Stone’s 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know for Spring 2015 because of her strong entrance to country music. She drew the attention of her current label Arista Nashville through her Kickstarter campaign to finance her first album. Fans in attendance seemed very receptive to her upbeat stage presence, strong voice and persona, and emphatic performance. Cam played songs off of her current EP, Welcome to Cam Country including “Half Broke Heart” and “Runaway Train” as well as some other songs all of which got the crowd to their feet and dancing along. Fans really started to get involved with singing along for her two last songs, also off her current EP, “Burning House” and “My Mistake”. Both songs were recognizable to a good amount of the audience based on crowd involvement. Cam did a good job engaging those who were not familiar with her or her music but had arrived early to enjoy the entire show.

    Lee Brice took the stage next with a strong entrance getting attendees off their feet from the start with two fan favorites, “Drinking Class” and “Hard to Love” off of I Don’t Dance (2015) and Hard 2 Love (2012) respectively. This set the tone for the rest of his set with fans engaged and involved from the very start. This tour was a good fit for Brice as it allowed him to showcase his well crafted songs with strong lyrical content which is lacking in some of the more popular party country that has become mainstream recently. “A Woman Like You,” “I Don’t Dance” and “I Drive Your Truck” are among the most popular songs that have earned strong recognition and favor throughout the genre with their well written and heartfelt lyrics that are impossible not to sing along to. The crowd’s reaction to the songs demonstrated how strongly these songs have resonated with fans. Brice certainly does a great job of building his fan base through live performances, he is the type of artists that grows on listeners more with each listen but really makes a strong impression after hearing the songs live and feeling the emotion behind what he’s singing about. He closed out his set with a song that has become a staple for Brice since its release in 2012. “Parking Lot Party” may not be in keeping with his usual style but this upbeat song is always well received live and brings the energy in the venue up to the next level. He had everyone singing along and warmed up for Brantley Gilbert by the end of his set.

    Brantley Gilbert is another artist that started to make quite the name for himself despite being outside of party country mold since his 2010 release Halfway to Heaven, however he has grown exponentially into the top-tier of A-list country stars since the release of Just as I Am in 2014. Gilbert singed to Valory Music Co. for the re-release of Halfway to Heaven and has remained there since. He kicked off his set with “Kick it in the Sticks” a single off of “Halfway to Heaven” which went platinum in the U.S. Fan favorites also played off of that album included “Hell on Wheels”, “My Kind of Crazy” and “You Don’t Know her like I Do,” all of which have become staple songs for Gilbert. “My Kind of Crazy” and “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do” were extremely well received showing off the more sensitive side of the edgy, self-proclaimed “bad boy” and never fail to make the women in the crowd dreamingly sing along. Gilbert has released his share of songs with a more party vibe mixed with rock edge that have been extremely well received and are always extremely popular live. Both “Bottoms Up” and “Small Town Throwdown” quickly became staple songs for live performances and garnered a great deal of airtime on the radio with “Bottoms Up” earning double platinum certification and “Small Town Throwdown” earning gold. These are two songs that never fail to engage the crowd and have the entire building, or amphitheater off their feet and singing along word for word. Other noteworthy songs played off of Just as I Am included the more serious “Guns and Roses”, “One Hell of an Amen”, “Lights of My Hometown” and current single “Stone Cold Sober”. Despite his “bad boy” edgy personality many of Gilbert’s most popular songs have been his more sensitive lyrically strong songs which sets him apart from many of his fellow top-tier country artists.

    A word that comes to mind for many who have seen a Brantley Gilbert show at any point of his career is genuine; a genuine passion for what he does, a genuine personality, determined to hold to his southern roots and morals no matter where he goes, and genuine talent for writing and performing his own work. All throughout his work this is evident, however it becomes especially so when it comes to his morals. Two songs that have become extremely popular that exemplify his strong sense of morals are “Take It Outside” and “Read Me My Rights”. Both songs always get a strong rise out of the crowd but “Read Me My Rights” elicits such a strong response that it too has become a staple song. Gilbert always explains before the song that it is important to him because as a proud southern gentleman he would take the law into his own hands if he ever saw a man put his hands on a woman or if someone entered his home and threatened his family. He even goes on to explain that he will do what he feels needs to be done then sit with his hands behind his back waiting for the police and “politely tell the officer to read him his rights” which is his transition into the song and starts the screaming and cheering from the crowd. He closed out his set with this song and a strong U.S.A. chant. He did however return as expected for an encore with the ever popular “Country Must Be Country Wide”. This was a phenomenal song to end the night with as it is something country fans can relate to anywhere in the country.

  • Hearing Aide: Bring Me the Horizon ‘That’s the Spirit’

    Bring Me the Horizon, formerly of Epitaph Records have done something many rock bands can only dream to accomplish; they have singed to Columbia Record, a mainstream label outside of the typical “scene labels”. Although these labels, Epitaph, Fearless, Hopeless, etc. do a phenomenal job of promoting their bands most bands on these labels do not see much radio air play or large-scale success with touring beyond club tours and the occasional smaller arena tour with co-headliners.

    Bring Me the Horizon have joined some of the most recognizable rock artists on Columbia, including AC/DC, Nine Inch Nails, and System of a Down among many with many other great artists. Bring Me the Horizon released their highly anticipated fifth studio album, That’s the Spirit on September 11.  This record had a great deal to live up to with the band’s last record, Sempiternal (2013,) receiving great recognition including winning the Album of the Year at the first annual APMA’s. Bring Me the Horizon also won Best International Band that year, a much deserved award after an incredible year of touring to support the well received album. Bring Me the Horizon was at the peak of their career with the release of Sempiternal but have continued to grow and gain notoriety with each single they have released off of That’s the Spirit.

    Lead single, “Drown” released on Epitaph Records has been heard throughout NY on rock stations which may come as a great surprise to seasoned Bring Me the Horizon fans as they previously have been a band that was not associated with rock-radio. Typically, their singles have been a bit too heavy for mainstream rock radio but with this single they showcase a different skill set with the same ability to captivate an audience and draw in new fans. “Drown”, was extremely well received despite having a very different sound than what is typically expected of Bring Me the Horizon and sets a good tone for what listeners should expect from the album as a whole. The next single off of the record, “Happy Song” received such an incredible reaction from both fans and other musicians with countless bands taking to social media in support of the song that almost becomes an anthem for rock music and the bands that fall under the Warped Tour genres. Despite some strange backing vocals that almost take the form of cheerleaders the lyrical content of this song will set it apart from so many. Bring Me the Horizon managed to capture in words the power of music and the feelings of being at a concert. With lyrics like “You want to give up, gave it all you’ve got and it still doesn’t cut, but if you sing along a little fucking louder to a happy song, you’ll be just fine” Sykes and company manage to summarize the power of music and it’s cathartic effect in one verse.  After a complete listen of the entire album fans will be satisfied with a good mix of the older unclean vocals that frontman Oli Sykes became known for, but surprised with the equally talented clean vocals Sykes started to explore in Sempiternal.

    The entire record is extremely well written as a whole with very emotional tracks like “Drown” and “What You Need” that address the feelings of depression that have always been a central element to their albums while blending the new-found clean vocals with the raw unclean vocals that have always matched the tone of the lyrics. Sykes does a phenomenal conveying the strong emotions behind his words on this record with both his unclean and clean vocals which speaks volumes about his talent as a frontman. The only thing more expressive of the emotions behind their songs is seeing them preformed live with the full emotion and production behind each song, which will undoubtedly remain for their upcoming U.S. headliner in support of this record which kicks off this October.

    Key Tracks: Drown, Happy Song, Avalanche

  • Fly 92.3 Summer Jam 2015

    The annual Fly 92.3 Summer Jam hit Saratoga Performing Arts Center June 6 this year with a promising line up and beautiful day. Seven diverse yet talented acts were set to preform throughout the day with other activities going simultaneously all throughout the venue from signings to Frisbee to various venders with games and prizes for attendees. It was sure to be an all around fun day for families and young adults alike.

    Jake Miller kicked off the event with a high energy and fun set that certainly appealed to the younger demographic at the show. Miller had a quite a few fans at the edge of their section hoping to get as close as possible to sing along to their favorite songs. Miller played a mix of songs off of his most recent release the EP renamed the Dazed and Confused, formerly known as Lion Heart and his full length Us Against Them. Miller’s fans happily sung along to some of their favorite songs and are undoubtedly excited for his upcoming tour this summer.

    Warner Bro.’s Records’ Echosmith took the stage next with a fun—filled, high energy set with family fun on stage and in the crowd. Echosmith is comprised of Sydney Sierota and her three brothers Jamie, Noah, and Graham Sierota all of whom bring a unique element to the group dynamic. The group did a fantastic job of getting the crowd to their feet and involved in the set. The group has recently been making quite a name for themselves, even sharing the stage with Taylor Swift a few days after Summer Jam. The group’s first full length was released on Warner Bros. Records in 2013; Talking Dream was very well received and catapulted the family of young musicians into great success. They played a mix of songs off of the record throughout the set and closed out with their most well known song, “Cool Kids”. This song went double platinum in the U.S. and received a great deal of radio play due to its high success. Much like their song “Cool Kids”, their performance at SPAC was very well received by all in attendance. Echosmith are certainly a band to check out for anyone that has not heard of them before.

    The next act to take the stage was the most unlike the others on the lineup, B.O.B. and yet was still well received by the crowd. B.O.B. took the stage to play portions of many well known songs including “Strange Clouds” and “Airplanes” both of which received great success with fans. He even threw t-shirts into the crowd and took a “selfie” with each section of the crowd, right, middle and left which had people up and out of their seats hoping to make his Instagram later that evening.

    Walk the Moon was up next with quite a few fans extremely excited to see their set. The group has recently been making a strong name for themselves since their 2012 self titled release Walk the Moon. The group played a mix of songs off of their self titled release and their 2014 release Talking Is Hard which received even greater success than the previous release. Among the songs played during Summer Jam were the two most popular releases from these records, “Anna Sun” and “Shut Up and Dance” respectively. Walk the moon are also a band that have great potential and have already taken the stage at many well recognized events and will continue to do so in the future.

    Next to take the stage was All Time Low fresh off of their Future Hearts Tour which closed out the prior week and had sold out the last three nights long with other nights throughout the tour so a large crowd was nothing new for the four piece pop- punk band from Baltimore, MD. They started off their 45 minute set with “Satellites” off of their new record, Future Hearts, which was released on Hopeless Records this year. Over 80,000 copies of this record were sold the first week, which made Future Hearts the most successful record for both All Time Low and Hopeless Records. It was also the band’s third time reaching #1 on the Billboard Rock Albums Chart. Their nine song setlist consisted of a mix of songs off of their more recent albums including Nothing Personal (2009), Don’t Panic (2012) and Future Hearts (2015). “Stella,” “Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)” and “Weightless” were played off of Nothing Personal. None of these songs making the setlist would come as any great surprise to avid All Time Low fans however, “Therapy” not making the cut was quite a surprise for many in the crowd as it is one of the more sober, slow songs that has become a staple for the group over the years. “Kids in the Dark,” the first single off of their new record and “Somethings Gotta Give,” the second single off of Future Hearts were the only other songs played off of the record which left “Missing You” off the list. With yet another one of the groups few serious songs that have become staples not making the cut it would seem as though the group decided on keeping a faster—paced set for the family friendly event. This would be in keeping with the severely toned down antics the group usually brings to the stage. Jokes often stray into slightly crude, teenage boyish humor and based off of lead guitarist Jack Barakat’s joke about what he was allowed to say on stage it would seem as if they had been instructed to keep everything family friendly. During “Kids in the Dark” Barakat took off and left the stage to run through the audience and play the entire song up at the soundboard which certainly got a rise out of the crowd. They closed out their set with “Dear Maria, Count Me In” off of their 2007 release So Wrong, It’s Right. It is by far one of their most popular songs which is why it comes as no great surprise that the avid fans that were clearly here for All Time Low were singing along passionately, and those new to the group seemed to really enjoy the song as well as the entire performance. After All Time Low closed out their set they were scheduled to have a signing which lead to a mass exodus from the seats to line up to meet the group. After their set it was clear that many in the audience had come to see All Time Low in particular based off the sing along that had been most of their set and the abundance of people who left after the set and signing were over.

    Charli XCX was up next and certainly captivated the interests of the young girls in attendance with her performance. She took the stage alongside her two female guitar players in high heels and dresses ready to put on an interesting and enjoyable set. Charli XCX is most known for her part in “I Love It” by Icona Pop and “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea, however she has been doing great things on her own including opening up for Katy Perry on the European leg of her Prismatic Tour earlier this year.

    When it was time for the last performer to take the stage he was greeted with a very warm, hometown welcome. Sawyer Fredericks certainly knew how to draw a crowd, especially here. Fredericks recently won the popular TV show, The Voice, on NBC. This was his first time taking the stage in the area since that phenomenal victory, so it was a bit of a celebratory performance as well as a wonderful welcome home. Being from the area the chance to play at such a fantastic venue and summer event, let alone headline it was certainly something very special to Fredericks, who took the stage with an enormous smiled painted on his face. That smile did not fade all throughout the evening as he clearly was having as amazing of a time as those in the crowd were. He opened up his set with two of his own songs both of which were extremely well received and already loved by the crowd as the majority sung along happily. Lighters and phone lights lit up the orchestra seating and were scattered throughout the lawn for Fredericks’ second song, which made for a stunning sight to see. This young man has an outstanding voice and very charismatic personality; it would have been impossible not to enjoy his set! Signs were held up all throughout the set and t-shirts were proudly worn all day expressing individual’s (and family’s) support of Fredericks during The Voice and going forward from that victory. It was clear the area is quite proud of the young man from their hometown who has worked so hard to achieve his dream and will continue to support him going forward. Although Fredericks is not yet signed to a label with the support he has received and will continue to have, he will continue to make his hometown supporters proud and will certainly grow as a musician in the upcoming months.

    With a lineup of talented and engaging artists, a beautiful day, and the hard work of so many this years Fly 92.3 Summer Jam was a huge success. The event was a fun-filled event for the whole family and undoubtedly left attendees looking forward to next year’s show.