Author: Steve Malinski

Conversation With Mike Campese, Albany Guitar Virtuoso Performing at the Madison Theater

Albany area-based guitarist Mike Campese has an incredible resume built off of a talent he has perfected from an early age. Guitar was his academic pursuit, one that has served him well and opened doors both in opportunity and experience. Of the several big acts he has opened for or worked with, the most familiar of the Christmas season is Trans Siberian Orchestra whom he recorded and toured with for a short time.

This Saturday, Dec. 5, Campese is performing at The Madison Theater in Albany at 8:30 pm. With a lot to talk about, Campese chatted with NYSMusic about some of his influences and experiences and about what’s in store for this Saturday’s show.

Steve Malinski: How did you get started on the professional musician track?

Mike Campese: My brother played acoustic guitar and my dad had been a violinist but went into engineering. My early influences were Black Sabbath and the guitar-driven bands. It went from there. I took lessons as a kid and would hang out at the music store at the mall, see all the guitars hanging up. I’d always ask the guy what the price is and they’d be so expensive. He didn’t think I’d buy it but my mom came up to the mall and helped me out. My sister and her boyfriend had gotten me a bass but I didn’t want to play bass so I traded it in the next day. But yeah, I was really into Black Sabbath and they influenced me as a kid. I moved to Los Angeles for the Guitar Institute (GIT) at the Musicians Institute (MI). It was a great experience, great school. I was exposed to all kinds of music. My teacher was a jazz guitar player. Before I went there I had already known a lot of theory but it opened a lot of doors musically for me.

SM: You mention Black Sabbath as an influence, so I see why you went for that guitar driven style. But you really have a playing style along the lines of Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Buckethead, and so on. How’d you ultimately settle into that groove?

MC: As you advance as a player… even though I love Black Sabbath, their stuff was easy. Catchy, but easy. I got more into – my brother was into Al Di Meola. I would listen to his stuff, and brought some of that to my teacher. Then Yngwie [Malmsteen] came around too. So they’re the ones who started it for me. I started listening to more of the classical stuff. My dad and I were driving in the car to school one day and I said “Why don’t you put on the rock station?” He replied with “Oh, like classical stuff?” I told him I didn’t want to listen to classical stuff but he said I should. So I started listening to Mozart, Beethoven, Vivaldi. The shred stuff – Paul Gilbert was teaching at GIT and I was in his classes. Eric Johnson – I first heard him play at MI. I remember hearing “Cliffs of Dover” and our teacher had shown us how to play the riffs. I love Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare.

I’m glad I grew up in the time that I did because nowadays there are so many different genres to sort through. But yeah, I’ve always been a fast guitar player after my first year of playing. And now I’m better at composing and am more well-rounded than I was as a teenager. It does take a lot of maintenance playing every day – really have to keep up with it.

SM: Can you talk about your experience working with Trans Siberian Orchestra?

MC: I was part of the band in 2004/2005, around the time when Lost Christmas Eve was out. I got a call from them and auditioned. Paul O’Neill – I was down in the city and auditioned and they were really happy when I played. About a week later I got a call from their manager and he said they’d like to hire me for the band. It was really cool. I wasn’t in the band for a really long time, just a couple of years, and I hope to get back to them again sometime. It was a great experience traveling and playing the music, covering both the left and right guitar parts. It was really amazing experience, incredible band. Just being picked for that, I was amazed. It was a great accomplishment – a band like that, multi-platinum band. I still talk to them. We’re on good terms and I see the guys in the band all the time. A lot of guys in the band have their own groups so I support their bands. I play a trade show in California every year and always run into them there. So at some point – you never know with these bands – there are so many musicians they work with. There’s a full east coast and west coast touring band. So we’ll see.

After that I put out a Christmas album of my own, The Meaning of Christmas. It’s similar to Trans Siberian Orchestra but its more guitar driven and there’s some acoustic and vocal work on it. So it was right after and I thought that maybe I should do my own Christmas stuff. So I’ve been promoting that recently since it’s Christmas season and it’s really the only chance I get the chance to do that. I like Christmas music but did change it up and wrote new sections of the pieces and did a few of my own original Christmas tunes. So it wasn’t like the same traditional tune but a re-written version to basically get it out of my system.

SM: Aside from Trans Siberian Orchestra, you’ve gotten to play with or open for some pretty big names?

MC: Yeah, a bunch. Joe Bonamassa. B-52’s were my first opening act. Spin Doctors –

SM: Cruefest?

MC: Yeah! My own band, my original band played. It was Mötley Crüe, Godsmack, Drowning Pool… That was an awesome show, a great experience playing at SPAC. The cool thing is that my stuff is different that all those guys. My stuff was exposed to people who don’t normally dig into that type of sound.

I try to play music for the crowds. I have acoustic material too, so I mix it up at my shows. And this Saturday I’m going to be doing a little acoustic segment in the middle of the show. It’s going to be mostly an electric show though, with that in the middle. We’ll be playing a variety of stuff, things off the Christmas album and the others as well. So I’m looking forward to that. At the Madison Theater, being a movie theater, they’ve got a screen behind us. I was there recently and asked the sound guy and he said we could use the screen if we want. Se we’ve got some videos and backdrops that we’ll have behind us. I’m looking forward to it because people are coming to see us whereas at a bar people are just hanging out and we’d be more of just a background sound.

December 4, 2015
Updated: Wanda Jackson Cancels Dec. 5 Show at Cohoes Music Hall

Updated Nov. 30: Due to a recent knee injury, Wanda Jackson has had to cancel the Dec. 5 appearance at the Cohoes Music Hall. All ticket holders will receive a full refund through Brown Paper Tickets. There are no details on the possibility of rescheduling the performance.

We wish Wanda a speedy recovery and strong return to the stage.

The Queen of Rock is making her way to The Cohoes Music Hall on Saturday, Dec. 5.

A 2009 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Wanda Jackson returns to the Capitol District bringing a long career’s worth of material with her.

Jackson started playing music at a young age, encouraged by her father to learn guitar during the Second World War, also being exposed to artists like Tex Williams, Spade Cooley and Bob Willis at the same time. After she gained attention for herself through hosting a radio program on KLPR while in high school, her father continued to support her by becoming her road manager in her early career.

Over the years she has had incredible success, scoring hits early with “Fujiyama Mama” and a take on Elvis’ “Let’s Have A Party.” Though primarily a rockabilly singer, Jackson bounced around from that and country music from time to time, and released three gospel records in the 1970s.

After her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, Jackson connected with a younger generation of genuine rock and roll musicians and began working with Jack White on an album. That album became known as The Party Ain’t Over, released in January 2011, and included covers of Dylan’s “Thunder on the Mountain” and the Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good.”

Now, after 60 years of touring, Wanda Jackson brings a fruitful career of rock and roll to The Cohoes Music Hall on Saturday, Dec. 5. Local Albany rockabilly band The Lustre Kings will open the evening; they’ve joined with Jackson on many occasions over the past few years. Jackson herself is quoted on the Lustre Kings’ website:

I have worked with many bands around the world through the years, and none are better than Mark Gamsjager and the Lustre Kings. Their fine showmanship and musical ability make them the greatest in my book. THEY ROCK!!

Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and are available through Brown Paper Tickets.

November 24, 2015
Dion and Paul Simon to Release “New York Is My Home” Duet Friday

Two of New York’s big names in music are no stranger to each other. Back in 2009, Paul Simon joined long-time friend Dion onstage at Madison Square Garden to help sing Dion’s “The Wanderer” as part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th Anniversary concerts.

Dion DiMucci, better known simply as Dion, first became popular in the wave of early 1960s pop (as Dion and the Belmonts) and later adopted more mature aspects in his music giving him another boost in the music world. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 by Lou Reed.

“New York Is My Home” is the title track off of an album Dion is set to release in February, marking his 29th studio album. The song features fellow New York City musician Paul Simon and is dedicated to the fullness of life in New York.

The single “New York Is My Home” can be ordered and downloaded online through iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.

Aside from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary concert, Dion and Simon performed together at Radio City Music Hall in 1987 and recorded “Written On The Subway Walls/Little Star” on Dion’s 1989 release Yo Frankie. Check out the video of that below, featuring both Dion and Simon.

The Belmonts still perform today as a doo-wop trio.

November 12, 2015
Interview: Popa Chubby – Go for the Raw Sound and Crank It Up

Popa Chubby, the long-time stage name for Ted Horowitz, has been playing a mean guitar for over 25 years. Fresh off of playing shows in Europe this past month, he returns state side starting off a winter tour this Friday Nov. 13 at 8pm at The Hangar in Troy with several other New York appearances on the schedule. Tickets for his show at The Hangar are on sale here.

His other New York shows include: Nov, 28 at Daryl’s House (Pawling), Dec. 12 (Christmas Concert) at Roulette Theater (Brooklyn), Dec. 31 at The Turning Point (Piermont), and Jan. 16 at Treme Blues & Jazz (Islip). Check out his full tour schedule here.

In anticipation for his appearance at The Hangar on Friday, Popa Chubby chatted with NYS Music about his music, playing guitar and his new double-live album, Big, Bad and Beautiful.

Steve Malinski: You’ve got a sound that’s quite your own, sort of a cross roads of blues, rock and roll with quite a level of musicianship.

Popa Chubby: Yeah man, I appreciate that. I started off playing rock and roll, metal, punk rock and speed metal before I got into the blues.

SM: And I’m sure growing up in New York City had and impact on your sound –

PC: – NY Hardcore! –

SM: – So what lead you to find the groove you have today?

PC: It was like 1980 – no, the late 1980’s and the hardcore scene had kind of dried up by that point. There was a lot going on and I just wanted to play. Somebody gave me a Muddy Waters record and I heard it and was like holy cow this is awesome. So I put a little band together. We started playing in bars around NY and it just took off. A couple of years later I had a big record deal with Sony/Okeh, made a record with Tom Dowd, then went to Europe and it’s just been going on ever since, for 25 years.

SM: I’ve kind of pinned your sound as a version of Blue Cheer with a big guitar sound.

PC: Well, I will take that as a huge compliment. I like to rock, man, you know. I like to crank it up. I’m into the raw sound so it’s definitely got a healthy aspect of rock and roll and punk in it for sure.

SM: Kind of like how Ted Nugent plugs directly into his amps and rips from there.

PC: (laughter) Yeah, the Nuge! Luckily he and I are nothing alike politically.

SM: I recently came across a video of you jamming out with Johnny Winter at his 70^th birthday celebration at B.B. King’s in NYC last year. How awesome was that for you?

PC: That was just a legendary night. Johnny’s 70^th birthday. He asked me to play with him. Ironically the first concert I ever saw was Johnny Winter. So it was a real monumental night for me.

SM: Was that the big highlight of your career so far?

One of Popa Chubby’s idols, Leslie West, at Bethel Woods (Woodstock 40th Anniversay) Aug. 15, 2009. photo: Steve Malinski/The Polytechnic

PC: One of them. There have been a lot of high points and that’s definitely one of them, on stage with one of my idols. I was really lucky too because he passed away shortly after that. It’s been quite a year. I’ve gotten to play with a lot of the guys I grew up listening to. Johnny Winter, Leslie West, just great stuff. It’s been awesome.

SM: You just returned from a Eurpoean tour that spanned five countries. What was that experience like?

PC: We did a month long European tour, myself and a band I’m working with called the Balkun Brothers out of Hartford, CT, a duo along the lines of the Black Keys…Blue Cheer, MC5, like the heavier side of blues rock. So we just killed it in Europe and now we’re coming back. It starts this weekend in Troy and I’m really psyched to be up there, I love the area. I’ve played I the Albany area for a long time and it’s gonna be great.

SM: Are the crowds over there in Europe much different than what they are like here?

PC: I wouldn’t say they’re different. It’s just… it’s just been awesome, so great. I’m just so lucky to be doing what I’m doing, man. I’m sitting in my studio right now and I’m looking at my wall with poster of a lot of my heroes. People like Hubert Humlin, and Leslie West is up there, and of course Johhny’s up there, Jimi Hendrix. I’m just so lucky to be doing what I’m doing. Really just happy to be playing music and guitar.

SM: So I’ve counted 24 releases that you’ve had in your career and you’ll soon be adding a 25^th – a live album. What can you tell us about that?

PC: A double live record, Big, Bad and Beautiful. I think in a large sense this is a career-defining record for me. It really sums up 25 years of work and it really came together, man. We recorded it last spring in France when we were on tour and I’m really proud of it. It’s 27 songs and it reflects a lot of my stuff – old, new, and in between. So I’m really happy about this record and it’s been great. It’s coming out on Cleopatra in January.

SM: I’ve never had a chance yet to see you live but from what I’ve heard of you since I first stumbled on you music at my college radio station
back in 2007 and from videos I’ve seen it seems like you have a deep passion for music. What’s so special about the blues and rock and roll to you?

PC: You know what, I can’t really speak for the blues and rock and roll, but I can speak about my music. It’s hard and it’s raw. It’s like…my music reflects what I grew up listening to. For me, like when punk rock came around, seeing bands like The Ramones and Richard Hell & The Voidoids, The Damned, and The Deadboys and stuff like that. There was an immediacy, that and the guitars would just rip your face off. And even seeing bands like Motörhead, Metallica and Black Sabbath, then going back to listen to people like Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy, it’s all got the same element to it. It’s like, no bullshit, man. It’s like, straight up.

SM: You’ve got a lot of shows coming up, including the one this Friday at The Hangar in Troy, Daryl’s House, Roulette Theater –

PC: – Yeah we do, man, it’s non-stop. We’ve got a lot, and in January we’re going back to Europe again. Business is just really kickin’ for me. We just got an offer for a festival in Juno, AK, then back to the west coast in the summer.

SM: With all these shows in your home state, do you have anything special lined up?

PC: I’m always happy to play in New York, man. Especially this time of the year – November, December – is when I’m local and get to play all my favorite shows. And definitely Troy/Albany is a hotspot for me. I’ve recorded a lot of records there, also in Saratoga back in the 90’s…oh man, I can’t even remember the name of the club! It might have been Metronome or something like that [The Metro]. But anyway we recorded Hit the High Hard One up there. So that region has always been really great for me and I’m really excited to get back up there to play. So it’s gonna be a great show. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, I really appreciate it.

SM: Same to you, it’s been a pleasure.

November 12, 2015
Joan Baez Announces Ithaca and Albany Performances February-March 2016

Joan Baez, one of the most recognizable and beautiful voices in folk music will be making two appearances in early 2016 in Upstate New York as part of a tour spanning January through March.

Now 74, Joan Baez has reeled over 50 years of a memorable music career intertwined with activism in social and political movements, from the 1960s civil rights movement through the Iraq War and more recent Occupy Wall Street movement. With her first record released in 1960, she has released 23 more studio records and about half of that number in live recordings. A Staten Island native, Baez began her career spreading out from Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her father took a position at MIT before her professional career took root at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival.

Baez has recently announced several tour dates in early 2016. Her first New York stop will be at the State Theater in Ithaca on Feb. 26. Tickets are available in a pre-sale now, with a public on sale starting at 11 a.m. Nov. 6. Her second New York performance is March 25 at The Egg in Albany.

Baez also has a few other performances scheduled for the northeast including New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont. Check out her tour website for more information on her other performances.

November 5, 2015
Joe Louis Walker and Jay Geils’ B.B. King Tribute Impresses Hudson Valley Crowd

One of the Hudson Valley’s hottest nights for blues in 2015 took place this last week as Joe Louis Walker paid special tribute to the King with the help of Jay Geils and some newly inducted members of the NY Blues Hall of Fame at Paramount Hudson Valley.

A different kind of induction ceremony kicked off the evening, one far from a yawn-filled series of speeches. With Michael Packer at the helm, an all-star cast joined together on stage to do a five-song opening set with members of this group inducted into the NY Blues Hall of Fame between songs. For a group of musicians who may have only had limited time rehearsing with each other, the sound was solid and energizing. The inductees this year included Michael Falzarano (guitarist for Hot Tuna and New Riders of the Purple Sage), Rick Knapp (bassist for Walter Trout and Jimmy Thackery), Juma Sultan (percussionist for Jimi Hendrix), and producer Osten Harvey Jr. (a.k.a. Easy Mo Bee).

If the roof of the Paramount wasn’t smoldering after Joe Louis Walker’s first song it wasn’t long before it was on fire. As a tribute to the late B.B. King, the setlist included several of King’s songs along with some of Walker’s originals. The set started off with “Friends” and included “Let Your Hair Down,” “She’s Got Eyes Like A Cat” and “Come Back Baby.” Aside from Walker’s incredible mastery of the blues guitar whether screaming at the 24^th fret or playing slow and heavy, the rest of the talent on stage combined for an even compliment, especially Vanessa Collier’s sax solos received by standing ovations.

About halfway through the set Jay Geils joined the set, a guitarist well-rooted in the blues despite his more well-known musical persona with the J. Geils Band. Educated as an engineer, Geils took up a career in music instead and had plenty of stories to share about his start in the blues after accepting his award in a surprise induction into the NY Blues Hall of Fame including some anecdotes about Buddy Guy. In the spirit of the tribute to B.B. King, Geils did not hesitate in saying that the way today’s blues is played can be attributed to King’s style.

Before an encore, all of the performers from the induction ceremony set joined Walker and Geils for a call-and-response shuffle tune. It was a true display on stage of what lies at the base of being a musician, getting together with a bunch of others and having nothing but fun in making music. The encore brought just Walker and his band along with Geils back. Reeling on the power of the end of the set, the crowd took advantage of the Paramount’s coziness and gathered on their feet close to the stage. Possibly an unplanned encore, Walker and Geils took a moment to discuss the structure of what they were about to play. Planned or unplanned, it closed out the night with a strong finish.

As one of only four of these B.B. King tribute shows Walker and Geils were touring with, it was truly a treat to have one of their stops in the lower Hudson Valley.

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November 5, 2015
Garcia Project Brings 1977 Hartwick College Show to Peekskill

Saratoga’s The Garcia Project has been regarded as an authority on the re-creation of the sounds of the Jerry Garcia Band. On Oct. 24, the band continued to celebrate their fifth anniversary at Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill, nearing the end of their fall tour.

Nestled close to the front of the stage rather than claiming a stake of real estate, The Garcia Project got cozy with the theater, easing into the set with “I’ll Take A Melody.” The efforts the band has put in to re-creating the performance of the Jerry Garcia Band was clear at the first note, particularly from the intonation and timbre of Mik Bondy’s guitar. To geek out on the band’s gear, check out a detailed rundown of their setups. The band’s presence was cohesive with an agility to build the performance of the songs in the same embodiment as Jerry’s band. Solos were traded between Greg Marshall (keys) and Bondy as if a conversation rather than it just being the next guy’s turn to play. Overall, the first set whetted the audience’s Garcia appetite despite being on the tame side.

On the contrary, the second set took the prize. The setbreak met a mix of conversation and praise for the authenticity of the performance, mostly from first-timers to The Garcia Project. Perhaps that was enough to re-charge the audience as plenty more were on their feet finding their own grooves during the set; although sometimes Jerry Garcia Band shows are a bit more mellow in the first set. Bondy’s guitar work was more noodley, and it was hard to tell that it wasn’t Jerry signing on “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Throughout both sets, Kat Walkerson’s backing vocals and blithe stage presence enriched the songs as a compliment to Bondy’s vocals.

Like most of The Garcia Project’s shows, this one was a re-recreation of Dec. 3, 1977 at Hartwick College. At the start of the second set, it was announced that the performance was a re-creation of a complete show but which show wouldn’t be revealed until the encore. Hinting at clues about the era of the Jerry Garcia Band based on the stage setup, it turned into a fun, curious guessing game for the audience.

The Garcia Project gave a thoroughly enjoyable performance and experience for the crowd. Though there were a few minor differences between them and the Jerry Garcia Band, inherent to any tribute band, The Garcia Project’s attention to detail on intonation and performance structure does set them apart as an authority on Jerry Garcia.

Setlist:

Set 1: I’ll Take A Melody, Mystery Train, Mission In The Rain, Lonesome And A Long Way From Home, Catfish John, The Way You Do The Things You Do

Set 2: Let It Rock, Harder They Come, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Don’t Let Go, Tore Up Over You

Encore: (not part of the 1977 JGB set): Ramble On Rose, Cats Under the Stars, Talking About You

November 3, 2015
UPDATE: The Cure Add Third NYC Date at MSG in 2016

The Cure‘s first announcement of a single performance at Madison Square Garden sparked such a demand that a second show was added. Now, the demand was such that a third (and final) MSG show with The Cure has been announced for Monday June 20, 2016 (in addition to the 18th and 19th). A presale will happen Thursday Oct. 22 at 9am EST on Ticketmaster with password DISINTEGRATION. Regular on-sale will happen Friday Oct. 22 at 9am EST on the same site.

Original Article:

The Cure will hit North America next year with a 25-show tour. The announcement comes with a tease – only three of those dates have so far been announced while the rest will be released in January.

On June 18, 2016, The Cure will play Madison Square Garden. A special pre-sale will take place Thursday, Oct. 8, starting at 10 a.m. and tickets will be available to the public Friday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m.

Check out the tour announcement posting on The Cure’s website here for full details on the pre-sale and public on sale.

The other two dates announced so far are May 22 at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and June 10 at UIC Pavilion in Chicago. While The Cure have played several shows (namely, festivals) in the past handful of years, this will be the band’s first major tour in North America since 2008.

Joining The Cure at these MSG shows in 2016 will be The Twilight Sad, a post-punk outfit from Scotland with four studio albums under their belt.

October 7, 2015
Update: Battle of the NYC Festivals: Panorama Gains Political Support, Poses Rivalry to Governors Ball, Madison Square Garden Festival Uncertain

In the ongoing development of NYC Festivals news, it was announced recently that key Queens leaders have joined together in support of the proposed Panorama Music Festival, slated to take place a few weeks after Governors Ball. Taking place at the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (site of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs), the festival is promising to be a big boost for the local community.

Congressman Joseph Crowley (Jackson Heights), and City Councilmembers Julissa Ferreras (Corona), Karen Koslowitz (Forest Hills) and Petter Koo (Flushing) have all made statements favoring the Panorama festival, citing its potential for an economic boost. “The Panorama Music Festival will provide a fantastic opportunity for Queens to take its rightful place as a New York City showcase,” Crowley stated in a press release from Goldenvoice, the festival promoter.

The press release issued by Goldenvoice, a plan is outlined for its commitment to being a sustainable partner for the park with Panorama. The festival plans to offer a three-day medical clinic for local residents (with a capacity of 1,500). Portions of ticket sales will be donated to a newly formed Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Alliance, and the local businesses expect to fair well with the influx of festival goers.

No official date for Panorama has been set yet, although rumors point to mid-June, just a few weeks after and only about seven miles from Governors Ball.

UPDATE 11/3/2015

The New York City summer festival situation is starting to look more like the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter. This week the New York Post reported that Madison Square Garden is now seeking permission for a major festival in Queens around the same time as AEG Live has proposed their Panorama festival NYS Music first reported below. Unlike AEG Live’s festival, MSG would keep their festival planning in NY hands. However, this would still pose a risk to the independently-run Governors Ball festival, whose organizers have launched a petition for Mayor DiBlasio to reconsider AEG’s proposal. Founders Entertainment, the NYC-based organizers of Governors Ball and Farmborough on Randall’s Island have not yet commented on MSG’s entry into the festival circuit.

Original posting:

New York City has seen a rise in the music festival scene in recent years, most notably with the Electric Zoo festival and the increasingly popular Governors Ball festival held on Randall’s Island.

Recently the promoters of Coachella, AEG Live, have been eyeing a location for a major festival opposite the East River from Manhattan in Flushing Meadows, Queens – Corona Park to be more specific. It would be one of the borough’s largest events since the 1964 World’s Fair. The organizers of the festival are showing they are ambitious, already in preliminary talks with artists who could be on the lineup.

A second major alternative festival in NYC would be a welcome addition. Governors Ball has been sold out in advance of the festival for the past few years, showing that the interest and demand for a weekend of live music is strong and even growing. As most major events do, the new festival would likely help the local economy out but could come with concerns for short-term headaches arising from festival traffic and other municipal demands.

Governors Ball, which has only been around since 2011, has claimed a stronghold in the festival scene with solid lineups spanning alternative and indie genres. Ticket demand for GovBall show that it shouldn’t be competing with what would be a similar festival taking place not too far away on the western end of Long Island. The only problem: This new festival, tentatively dubbed Panorama, may occur two weeks after Governors Ball (which has taken root to the first weekend in June) and could draw attendance away from the independently-run festival.

Founders Entertainment, which runs Governors Ball and the newer FarmBorough festival, is an independent music and brand promoter based out of NYC. AEG Live is a global sporting and music entertainment promoter based out of Los Angeles, second in scale to Live Nation.

(Some details taken from the New York Daily News.)

October 2, 2015
Catch the Bass: Saratoga Bassist Tony Markellis Plays Around the Country This Fall

While a wider audience will recognize his regular gig with the Trey Anastasio Band, Saratoga Springs bassist Tony Markellis enjoys fielding his talent in the local music community and performs locally at many venues this fall.

Aside from TAB, Tony plays with a range of musicians and groups throughout the Upstate New York area. This fall he will make plenty of appearances throughout Saratoga Springs and around the Capitol District in addition to touring with the Trey Anastasio Band, which will make two New York appearances at the newly reopened Kings Theater in Brooklyn.

Tony Markellis Fall Dates

Friday 9/18: Jo Henley Acoustic Trio – Café Nola, Schenectady, NY (6:30)
Saturday 9/19: Michael Jerling Trio – Caffè Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY (7)
Tuesday 9/22: Dead Set – Club Metronome, Burlington, VT (10:30 PM)
Wednesday 9/23: Sam Whedon & Friends – Mouzon House, Saratoga Springs, NY (7)
Friday 9/25: Bob Warren – Wiawaka, Lake George, NY (6 PM)
Sunday 9/27: TBA
Tuesday 9/29: Dead Set – Club Metronome, Burlington, VT (10:30 PM)
Wednesday 9/30: Jo Henley Acoustic Trio – Mouzon House, Saratoga Springs, NY (7)
Wednesday 10/7: Sam Whedon & Friends – Mouzon House, Saratoga Springs, NY (7)
Saturday 10/10: Brass & Blues – The Morgan, Glens Falls, NY (6-9)
Friday 10/16: TAB – Kings Theater, Brooklyn, NY (7)
Saturday 10/17: TAB – Kings Theater, Brooklyn, NY (7)
Thursday 10/22: Dead2Me – Gaffney’s, Saratoga Springs, NY(9)
Friday 10/23: Street Corner Holler – One Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs, NY (9)
Friday 10/30: TAB – Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, NV (9)
Saturday 10/31: TAB – Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, NV (9)
Sunday 11/1: TAB – House of Blues, San Diego, CA (7:30)
Wednesday 11/4: TAB – Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, CA (9)
Friday 11/6: TAB – Fox Theater, Oakland, CA (7:30)
Saturday 11/7: TAB – Fox Theater, Oakland, CA (7:30)
Monday 11/9: TAB – Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR (7:30)
Tuesday 11/10: TAB – Showbox SODO, Seattle, WA (7)
Thursday 11/12: TAB – The Depot, Salt Lake City, UT (7:30)
Friday 11/13: TAB – The Fillmore, Denver, CO (8:00)
Saturday 11/14: TAB – The Fillmore, Denver, CO (8:00)
Friday 11/20: TBA
Saturday 11/21: Jeanne O’Connor & the New Standard – One Caroline Bistro, Saratoga Springs, NY (9)
Friday 11/27: Dead2Me – One Caroline Bistro, Saratoga Springs, NY (9)

September 24, 2015