Category: Features

Def Leppard Brings the Now and Then to SPAC

As a concert photographer that covers at least ten shows a month, I sometimes feel numb to the experience. I enjoy the concerts, I love photographing them, but I don’t get into it like a typical fan. When Def Leppard hit the amphitheater stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on July 24th that changed. I danced. I sang. I put my horns up. I was in the moment. I felt the energy of the crowd. I didn’t hear the music from a critics point of view, but from a fans. Something that I rarely get the pleasure of doing anymore.

Most fans were thrust back in time when rock was ROCK. You couldn’t fight the uncontrollable urge to bust into an air guitar solo. The girls were screaming as Joe Elliot took the stage just like it was 1988, except now those girls were in their 30s or 40s. That didn’t mean their kids weren’t screaming along side them, the crowd actually covered every age group. There were truly three generations of rockers in the audience, and each one knew every word to such classics as “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Rock of Ages,” “Let’s Get Rocked,” or one of the slew of other hits the band had over the past 38 years.

Def Leppard isn’t stuck on the 80s however, they are still creating new music. In 2008 they released Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, and the first single “Nine Lives” even had country music star Tim McGraw singing along side Joe Elliott. The band is scheduled to release a new album this year, and there are no signs of slowing down for the British rockers.

With all the excitement of Def Leppard, I don’t want to neglect the two openers. Legends in their own right. The arena rock gods, Styx, and fellow 80s phenoms, Tesla.

Styx was absolutely on point, both musically and performance wise. They have always played to the crowd, and in turn the crowd eats it up and gives that energy right back at them. They started their set out with a Dennis DeYoung classic “Grand Illusion.” The crowd jumped up off their feet and they never sat down the rest of the warm summer evening. From the pit to the back stretches of the lawn, fans were dancing as Styx played their seemingly too short of a set. With only ten songs from one of the bands that have absolutely been snubbed from the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, I was left wanting more. Lawrence Gowen and Tommy Shaw still sing in the key the songs were written nearly 40 years ago. That’s just something most singers into their late 50s (Gowen) or early 60s (Shaw) don’t do anymore.

The night’s opener was none other than the American rock band Tesla, who broke into the scene in 1989 with The Great Radio Controversy and the single “Love Song.” In 1990 they released the Five Man Acoustical Jam album that consisted of a few covers including “Signs” along with their own hit “Modern Day Cowboy.” On this night they played all three to an appreciating crowd that continuously filled up the famed amphitheater and lawn of SPAC. Jeff Keith gave an emotional and tight performance, showing off his vocal talents and — surprisingly enough — his range. Tesla failed to play a single song off their latest release, 2013’s Simplicity. In fact the band didn’t play any of their songs written after 1991, even though they have five original releases since then.

I have to say, overall if was a fun night of music. The energy overwhelming and the crowd was contagious. Watching the faces and bodies of old school rock stars light up and transform into their much younger selves truly exemplified the power of music. As if there were any doubt. I’m sure it won’t be long until LiveNation brings Def Leppard back to SPAC, and I will definitely be there — as both a fan and photographer.

July 30, 2015
Interpol Underwhelms in Last U.S. Show of Tour

Have you ever fallen for an artist so badly that you couldn’t wait to see them live? That was me with Interpol, and over the past few albums I couldn’t wait to see them live, expecting the same magic that goes into albums like El Pintor and Turn on the Bright Lights. Then I attended the show on July 29 at Upstate Concert Hall and was underwhelmed, having seen the equivalent of their studio work performed live with flashy visual projections drawing more of my attention at times.

I don’t know what it was about this melancholy post punk shoe gaze rock. There was no onstage chemistry between the band members, who barely seemed to look in the direction of the others while they played their instruments quite masterfully, but I didn’t come to see Paul Banks play guitar and sing, I wanted to see what kind of performance the group would give in a live setting. Live performances of studio songs led to a textbook no frills show where we heard the hits and little else to write home about.

Granted, Interpol is a band where knowing the discography is a key component to enjoying the live performance, and middle aged post-hipster crowd was certainly into hearing the hits and more, but this was ultimately music to sway to and hardly conducive to dancing. “Narc” had the first good beat of the night with a Modest Mouse feel, “Rest my Chemistry” could have found a spot on the soundtrack to The Crow, while the popular “Everything is Wrong” definitely had some fire to cure it. Generally, the bass and drums highlighted the larger, more danceable numbers, such as “Take You on a Cruise”, but some songs, including “My Blue Supreme”, “Pioneer to the Falls” and “Slow Hands” were downright depressing. I began to wonder what I liked in the albums Interpol put out over the last decade.

I still like Interpol, but until their live performance gets some balls, I’ll enjoy them from the comforts of home.

Setlist: Say Hello to the Angels, Anywhere, Narc, My Blue Supreme, Evil, C’mere, Rest my Chemistry, Everything is Wrong, The New, Take You on a Cruise, Not Even Jail, Pioneer to the Falls, Slow Hands, PDA

Encore: Untitled, Obstacle, All the Rage

July 30, 2015
What a Phreak: Dave Brunyak Discusses Guitar Smashing, Chicago and More

Pink Talking Fish, hailing from New England, is one of the most interesting tribute bands out there today, combining the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish into one. NYS Music recently had the opportunity to speak to Dave Brunyak, the guitarist for Pink Talking Fish, to discuss his thoughts on the music scene in general. He’s made a few waves on the festival circuit and we were interested to find out more about him.

Sarah Bourque (SB): Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into Pink Talking Fish.

Dave Brunyak (DB): I’ve been playing guitar since I was 14 years old so that makes about 20 years this year. I’ve been writing music and playing in my own original bands for a long time. In 2010, I started a Phish tribute band called the Phreaks. We had a four-year run and had a lot of great shows. Built up a pretty nice fan base in New England. At the end of last year, Eric Gould (bassist for Pink Talking Fish) came to Electric Haze in Worcester and saw me and Zach [Burwick] our drummer at a Phreaks show and decided that we were the best fit. He talked us into doing a few shows and we never turned back.

(SB): At Disc Jam you smashed your guitar on stage Pete Townsend style, which is pretty badass. What prompted that?

(DB): It was something I’d never done before. I’m always looking for something interesting to do to make the show a little bit more special than the one before it, but it’s fair to say that people, in their lives, go through peaks and valleys, experiences and emotions. At that particular time, I was in the valley, so it was something to help me turn the corner and get out a little bit of stress.

Credit: Amanda Sandwicch Photography

(SB): At Buffalove, you soloed on top of a speaker tower. Were you in the same kind of mindset at that time ?

(DB): Smashing the guitar set a precedent. People are looking for me to do the next crazy thing so we dragged a few speakers out on the stage just to give me something to climb on. It’s fun to do something a little bit out of the ordinary that people don’t expect. I have no idea what the next thing is going to be but it will be awesome.

(SB): It seems like you play your guitar pretty hard and have a few extras on stage because of broken strings. Is it common that you just play your guitar hard?

(DB): It’s a combination of my style of playing and the way my guitar is built, and using a heavy pick. One day I will have a guitar tech who will fix some of these things for me at a show but, for now, I just bring a few extra guitars to the shows.

(SB): How do you balance your music obligations with every other part of your life? Finding the time to practice, come up with new ideas? Where’s the balance come from?

(DB): It’s not easy. I’m lucky that the Pink Talking Fish business and itinerary is designed very efficiently and streamlined. I know where I need to be, and what I need to do, well in advance. For instance, in the Phreaks, I was wearing all the hats. I was doing the booking, the promoting, the websites, the posters, learning the tunes, teaching the tunes. Now that I’m in Pink Talking Fish, it’s liberating, actually, because I can just be a performer and just worry about playing the tunes, and playing them well. As hectic as it seems to be all over the country, playing the music and traveling, it’s actually a little bit easier than what I was doing before.

(SB): Let’s talk about Chicago. During Pink Talking Fish’s pre-show on the 4th of July, you were miracled a ticket to a Fare Thee Well show. What’s the story behind that?

(DB): The miracle, in the sense of the term, wasn’t that it came from a stranger. Actually, it was a friend that I had invited who came all the way from central Massachusetts. I didn’t even know that he had a spare ticket. He came in and watched the show. In between songs, said “hey, I gotta get outta here, do you need a ticket?” He handed it to me, gave me a salute and said, “see you in there.” I didn’t actually go in. There was a special lady I brought with me who I thought would enjoy it more than me. I love the Grateful Dead and it’s a big part of my musical vocabulary, but I’m more of a Phish guy. The girl that I brought with me is a Dead head through and through, so I gave it to her and she went in and had a good time. I went to a bar down the street and watched it on webcast.

(SB): How did you enjoy the PTF are Dead shows in Chicago? What vibe did you get from people who came?

(DB): Since I’ve been playing Trey [Anastasio, of Phish] for four or five years now, that material comes pretty easy to me. The cerebral kind of precise playing that comes along with that role. Embracing Jerry [Garcia]’s flavor was a little bit difficult for me. It’s something I didn’t have as much experience with. In the vein of Trey being in the Jerry role, I was kind of embracing the same feel. I found that everybody seemed to be really accepting and embraced the topic. We came off with some great mashup ideas that really hit home. We did this Tennessee Jed > Ocelot transition that is just crushing it. We did a Rock and Roll > Casey Jones thing, where the transitions in between made it a lot more fun, and I think that’s what brought a twist, or a little more level of interest, from the Deadheads. I don’t think they would have expected us to do something like that. Everybody really enjoyed it. I enjoyed playing for everyone and I’m happy that I got the opportunity to do it.

(SB): Did you get to meet a lot of the fans and introduce yourselves during your shows in Chicago?

(DB): When our shows were over, people were there for the Grateful Dead. That was the focus. After our shows, people were moving and had destinations in mind and that’s really what the vibe was like. I wasn’t going out there so much to chat and mingle but more to immerse myself in the moment. It may have been the best weekend of my life. I’m not sure yet.

(SB): What’s your take on playing clubs versus festivals. What’s the dynamics between the two that stand out?

(DB): They’re all awesome. It’s a different dynamic when you’re playing a club or theater show. It’s very focused because you’re the center of attention. Everyone there has come to see you. It’s a controlled environment. You get to do your sound checks and really dial everything in nice and play for a longer period of time. The exposure you get to new audiences is really beneficial.

The festival scene, though, has it’s own merits. It’s an exciting experience. There’s really so much energy in the air and you’ve got to help and get your stuff up there really fast. You’re playing, in most cases, to huge crowds. The response you get from hitting the nail on the head can be really, really exciting. They’re both great. They’re both different. We just need to be able to flex and roll with the punches and make it all work for us.

Credit: Earl Gardner

(SB): You just played at Jerry Jam, a really small festival that celebrated their 20th anniversary. How did you enjoy the festival that was all about the celebration of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead?

(DB): It was definitely my first time there and I was really impressed with the venue, with the rolling hills, and the natural amphitheater style of a venue. I think people there were really excited because it was an anniversary party so it had a little bit of an extra oomph to it. Everybody there was in a good mood. I only got to spend the day there. I got to walk around and meet some people and play some acoustic songs on my guitar afterwards. All in all, it was just a wonderful experience.

(SB): What’s next for you? Do you have any side projects in the works?

(DB): That’s a good question. When I spoke to Eric [Gould] at the beginning of the year, we talked about what was going to happen this year with the intensity of travel and what we were going to try to accomplish. I told him that I was going to lay aside most everything, musically speaking, to give Pink Talking Fish everything that I could. So far it’s paying off and the dividends are huge. I think we are on a great path to success and it’s only going to be better next year.

Eventually, I would like to get back into writing my own music and performing it. It’s been a long time since I’ve written music. I’ve got a catalog of 200 songs from my original band and I’ve got it all charted down and I can go back play them. I have recordings. I listen to them and stroll down memory lane. Right now, I’m really just excited to see what Pink Talking Fish can do and giving it my all.

I’m really into country music. It’s something I just got turned on to in the past year. I’m in a country project called Heartland Radio with my friend, Dustin Snyder, and I’m trying to fit that in here, there and everywhere doing acoustic country songs. It comes as a shock to a lot of my friends. On the radio today, I really think the best guitar playing you can hear in contemporary music is in country. It’s great to listen to and it also gives a chance for my mind to rest. Playing Pink Floyd and Talking Heads and Phish is very cerebral and I have to think about it, analyze it and be very precise. With country stuff, I just let it be what it is and it gives me a chance to just relax. So it’s a nice little change of pace.

(SB): Is this original stuff or covers?

(DB): No, this is still all covers. It’s interesting because I went to Berklee in Boston and graduated at the top of my class in songwriting, and music ed too. Songwriting is like an engine. It needs to be well lubricated and running. You need to keep it active for it to be as efficient and productive as you want it to be. I still come up with great ideas but I’m just cataloging for now to turn into songs later. Like I said, I need to be able to put a lot of time and energy in to make that engine run. That’s just not something I can do right now.

(SB): Is there anything else that you would like to tell your fans out there?

(DB): I am very grateful for them showing up and seeing me play. Pink Talking Fish is a really wonderful experience. I look forward to seeing meeting as many of you out there as I can.

For more information on Pink Talking Fish, and tour dates, please visit their website. For more information regarding Dave’s side project, Heartland Radio, please visit their Facebook page.

July 30, 2015
Brad Paisley’s Guitar Salvages Country Night at SPAC

In a genre currently dominated by pretty boys, belt buckles and a mundane honky-tonk sound, Brad Paisley sticks out like a sore thumb. Forget the country music industry; Paisley is one of the most talented guitar players on the airwaves today, and he demonstrated his prowess on Sunday night at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, perhaps making up for forgettable performances by opening acts Justin Moore and Mickey Guyton.

With Paisley on the stage, sporting a white cowboy hat and a black T-shirt, the focus was entirely on the music. Beginning with his very first song, in which he opened with his 2014 hit “River Bank”, a guitar solo was included in nearly every song. Paisley’s West Virginia roots are evident in his bluegrass style of string plucking, but there was also a certain classic rock influence on his playing. His solos featured rifts up and down the fret board, and he could slide in a way that would make even Steve Miller proud. Between the bluegrass plucking in his right hand and the brilliant fretwork in his left hand, Paisley had remarkable dexterity with all ten fingers, something nearly unparalleled in today’s music scene. His vocal ability isn’t anything spectacular, but his guitar ability was impressive enough on its own merits to make up for it.

Justin Williamson, the fiddle player in Paisley’s band, also gave a memorable performance, taking numerous solos and getting ovations of his own. There were times in the concert that if you closed your eyes, it would sound like you were at a bluegrass festival. When you opened the eyes, you saw the mainstream modern country concert it was. The string playing by everyone on stage was fantastic.

Paisley’s concert team deserves kudos as well for their work on the video boards. During Paisley’s 2003 single “Celebrity,” the video featured satirical newspaper headlines and a man with a Brad Paisley mascot head running amok along the streets of a city wreaking havoc and having fun, poking fun at the different lifestyle that celebrities have. Later on, the board showed an impressive collaboration of New York City time-lapses lined up with the music. When Paisley sang his 2011 duet “Remind Me,” Carrie Underwood sang with him on a FaceTime conversation being shown on the SPAC video board. Paisley and Moore engaged in a duck-hunting video game on the board during the outro of “I’m Still a Guy.”

Compared with many of his country music counterparts, Paisley didn’t engage in much dialogue throughout the concert. All the focus was on the music. Even when he did engage with the crowd, the focus was around the guitar. After an acoustic performance of “This is Country Music,” he autographed his guitar and handed it to a young boy in the front row. A few songs later, Paisley followed up what many bands have done this summer at SPAC by playing a few acoustic songs for the people in the lawn, performing on a platform stationed directly in front of the lawn folks. Paisley poked fun at the lawn’s drunkenness, remarking that “now I’ll play a few songs for the people that won’t remember it in the morning.”

Paisley closed his set with perhaps his best known song “Mud on the Tires” and the new song that lends its name to the tour, “Crushin’ It.” When Paisley came out for the encore, he played “Then”, followed by a song that perhaps encapsulated the evening better than any other song, “Alcohol.”

Justin Moore was the co-headliner of the night, immediately preceding Paisley in the night’s events. Moore, an Arkansas native, won over the crowd with his good looks and some of his commentary, but his music left much to be desired.

Moore showed a strong vocal ability on a few songs, particularly in his 2011 hit “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” which he dedicated to the American troops around the world, but much of his performance was disappointing. Starkly contrasting Paisley, he was sub-par on the guitar,and at times it felt like the six-string was a prop instead of an instrument. I’m sorry, but if your ass faces the crowd more than your mouth, I’m not convinced that you’re worried about the music as much as you should be.

Moore also constantly pandered to the crowd by playing the redneck-card, preaching conservative values. While Paisley (an Obama supporter) restrained from talking politics during his concert, Moore wouldn’t shut up about it, talking about troops and even starting a USA chant at one point. It was disappointing that he wasn’t able to win the crowd over with his music, so he had to use his handsomeness and his rugged political views.

Mickey Guyton, the opening act of the evening, was fine, but not so fine she’d blow your mind. She recognized the concert as an opportunity to build her platform, saying at one point that “it’s such an honor to play for Brad Paisley’s crowd,” and had strong vocal abilities throughout. Guyton appeared a bit nervous for most of her performance, and was relatively fidgety with the microphone, but she loosened up a bit after large ovations for her songs “Somebody Else Will” and “Cool Ya”.

A positive thing with Guyton, being an African-American, is that she helps bring some diversity to a genre that is almost entirely white. It created a certain crude irony, with a black singer performing to a lawn spotted in Confederate flags and paraphernalia.

In all, two out of the three artists were a tad dissatisfying, but the headlining artist absolutely brought it, salvaging the concert. Paisley certainly won at least one fan on Sunday night.

[FinalTilesGallery id=’328′]

July 29, 2015
Chase Bryant: Nashville’s Newest Sensation

Music. It evokes feelings, transports me back in time and recharges me almost as though it’s a battery pack. Music for Nashville’s newest sensation, Chase Bryant, is the same. It’s in his blood.

Coming from a musical family in small town Texas, Chase heard Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Lewis Boogie” and that was all it took. From that point on, his course was set. Learning to play the guitar at a very early age, he jokes that there were 20 guitars in his hometown, and he owned all of them. After seeing Chase perform recently at The Taste of Country Music Festival, his hard work and dedication to learning his skill showed as I was floored by his shredding ability and how he made his guitar sing.

Chase Bryant – Taste of Country Festival 2015

As Chase and the Shotgun Rider Tour comes to town Thursday, July 3o to Darien Lake, Chase will open for Nashville favorites Billy Currington and Tim McGraw. He graciously agreed to speak with our readers and share some details to what makes him tick.

Kathy Stockbridge (KS): Hi Chase, thank you so much for agreeing to speak with NYSMusic. You have taken Nashville by storm since your arrival and your fans and our readers just love you.

Chase Bryant (CB): Why thank you.

KS: Music seems to be something that has always been in your blood. For those that aren’t aware you grew up in a family of musicians. Share a little about what that was like for you growing up.

CB: Well it was definitely a loud household. My grandfather was a keyboard player for Roy Orbison, and he played along side him throughout high school and right up until the summer my grandfather bowed out of the band because his mom said he couldn’t play rock and roll music any more. After that he went on to college and played with Waylon Jennings, and then on the Glen Campbell television show in Lubbock Texas, and then my two uncles played in a band called Ricochet and had the hit “Daddy’s Money” back in 1996.

KS: I remember that song! So it was in your blood, you were destined. You were born to do this.

CB: Yep, there was nothing I could do about it, and I’m glad there was nothing I could do about it, because I love it.

KS: Share with our readers a little about your relationship with Barbara and Alex Orbison and how that relationship played a role in your career in Nashville.

CB: Alex I used to say was one of my best friends, but I think he’s now more like a second brother to me. He’s been great to me and we’ve built a really great relationship when it comes to music and life in general. He’s been so supportive of my music and his mother Barbara as well has been one of my biggest fans. I couldn’t thank her enough for signing me. She was a great lady and I was her last signing at her company before she passed away. So that was a pretty awesome experience.

KS: When you came to Nashville, Benny Brown — founder of BBR Music Group — was so taken back by your talent as a producer of your demo tapes, he allowed you to co-produce your album with Derek George, which I must add is not something he does often. Share with us a little about how you taught yourself the production end of recording and how you have grown since those early days as a producer.

CB: I was on a panel the other day and I was asked how do you teach someone producing, and you really can’t. If your ears aren’t there and you can’t hear the music then it might not be for you. There are some great artists that never produced their own records or played on their own records, or maybe even wrote the songs. But they were great records and ones I definitely looked up to. I got lucky and sometimes I think that maybe what I do isn’t always right, but Benny sure has given me an opportunity to expand on it. Whatever my name is or the sound that goes along with it, Benny Brown and Broken Bow and Red Bow Records have really let me carve that path and let me become who I really want to be. I’m thankful for that. I was able to write all the songs on this record, co-produce the record, and I played all the guitars. I didn’t produce it by myself either. I co-produced with my best friend Derek George. We had a blast making that record.

KS: Well the finished piece was amazing and you have a great ear for it.

CB: Well thank you.

KS: In addition to producing, you also write your own music. You say that you wrote 400 lousy songs before you wrote your first good one…what was that one song that caught the attention of Nashville manager, pluggers, and publishers? Did you know when writing that one, it as the one?

CB: I think “Take It On Back” was the first really organic, not left of center or anything that had never been done, but it was one of those songs that defined who I was and that sound that people know me by now. I think it was that, and a song called “Change Your Name,” and probably another one that did it, called “Wish I Was A Plane” was another one that set the radar for the label and set the tone for the record. Now “Wish I Was A Plane” is one we play live (isn’t on record). You have those couple of songs that lead to other songs, and those three definitely lead to probably 15 or 16 songs to be on this record that I would like to say are collectively my best pieces of music I could make at the moment.

KS: Yeah, “Change Your Name” is my fav.

CB: Well thank you. I’m hoping that’s a single in the near future. We’ll see what happens.

KS: It will definitely be a hit. You also are an amazing guitarist. You are a left hand guitarist that plays a right handed guitar upside down. It’s not something you notice either. I shot your set at Taste of Country Festival this past June, which by the way you killed it, and after I read that you had this unique talent…I went back to study the photos and sure enough…you rock that guitar left handed, upside-down! Wow…how did you manage to learn that skill?

CB: I don’t know, I’m still learning. Everybody always says “how do you do that, how do you do that?” There’s times I look at and go “why am I doing it this?” But it just happened. I think a lot of people told me no, and a lot of people thought that I would never play it like that, so I was a stubborn kid growing up and therefore I had to do it. It also saved my mom and dad a lot of money buying me my first right handed guitar because left handed ones are way too expensive. I know my mom thinks I have way too many guitars but in the end it ended up saving us a ton of money.

KS: You recently had the opportunity to do a project with Kia Motors and Michael McDonald in their ground breaking digital series Rediscovered. Share with my readers a little about that project and what that experience was like for you.

CB: Oh gosh! Ya know, I listened to the 70’s records a lot, whether it be Fleetwood Mac Rumours, or The Doobie Brothers Minute By Minute or Takin It To The Streets, any of those records defined who I wanted to be as a singer. Musically I thought Michael was just an absolute genius. The sounds that he had coming as a keyboard player and the tone of his voice; there is no way you could ever hear that voice and undoubtedly not think that was Michael. Nobody else you could think of, could it be. With modern technology today people hit their phone and ask Siri “who is this on the radio?,” and I think that is the quickest response from Siri is Michael McDonald because it’s one of the most recognizable voices of all time.

KS: I have to say when I watched that four part series (which I strongly urge my readers to watch the entire series) you nailed it. I could tell he was genuinely impressed as well. Now in that series you talk about your experience of playing at the Opry. Share with me what it was like for you the first time you performed at The Grand Ole Opry.

CB: Playing the Opry is one of those things that every time I play there I quote “there is no bigger religious experience for a country musician…than standing in that circle”. It’s just one of those things as a country artist, when you step in that circle you don’t know what to expect. I took a friend out to my last performance and the first time they toured the Opry they don’t know what to expect. It’s the same when you are standing in that circle; you don’t know what to expect. It’s one of those venues that are full of people who love country music. It’s not a crowd that’s going to walk into the show and scream and yell your whole entire set. They are there to listen to great music, and I’m just a proud part of that and I’m very glad that they asked me to come back again and again.

KS: Your first EP Chase Bryant charged out of the gate with its hit “Take It On Back.” We love that song and I love that video. How did the setting at the Tennessee Railway Museum for the video come about?

CB: I’m a huge train fan. My grandfather, who was a big influence of course, a huge huge huge influence musically but he and I were both obsessed with trains. When Wes Edwards threw out the idea, I didn’t know who was shooting the video, I just knew that “BAM” that was the one. Especially for my first single.

KS: Your newest release Little Bit of You is racing up the charts right now and grabbed the attention of Rolling Stone Magazine as they labeled you as one of it’s “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know.” That must have been awesome to see your name in Rolling Stone Magazine. Do you find yourself pinching yourself at moments saying…can this be really happening?

CB: There are some great names in that article and some of them I moved to town with, people I’m really really rooting for, and people somewhere down the road we’re still together in this. I grew up reading Rolling Stone and was a big fan, and once again it’s one of those things to know I’m a part of it is an honor to be included.

KS: Your music is what I consider feel good, toe tapping, smile making music. Your live show is amazing and full of the same energy. I get the impression that you are a very positive person from your music. Do you find that when create music, your wanting to send a message with each song or do you want your audiences to find their own meaning in the songs?

CB: My message in my music is who I am and who I’ll always be. I don’t know if there’s another way of saying it. I just know that whoever Chase Bryant is, and whatever you see live, and whatever you hear on the radio; that’s me and who I am.

KS: I love your philosophy on music. You said that “I’m just the guy with the guitar. If I wasn’t, I’d be the guy on the front row with his arm around his girl raising a glass to the guy onstage. No questions, it’s just who I am. Music is everything.” I think this philosophy truly defines you and why we adore you. You are in it for the music and sharing that passion with your fans, thank you. One final comment and question — you hands down win for best hair in country music!!! What’s your secret for keeping it perfectly in place as you are moving around on stage. That’s difficult…I know…my son struggles to keep his hair styled like that!

Chase Bryant – Taste of Country Festival 2015

CB: Well that’s actually funny, as I went through a few different hair cuts when I came to town, and thankfully I had a label that was very good and very patient with me getting my image correct. Who knows if it’s correct now but it’s nothing more than blow drying the thing up in the air and putting some paste in it. It’s a pretty simple process. It’s nothing tough or too hard to happen; and sometimes it happens when I wake up on the right side of the bed.

KS: Well you have that image down pat. Thanks again Chase for taking the time to speak with us and we can’t wait to see you at Darien Lake July 30th!!

As I ended the interview I could not help think what a nice young man he was and how well his music fits his personality. He is an upbeat, positive, fun loving young man who loves what he does, and it shows. He’s the next generation of country. With so many critics out there today picking apart country criticizing the new sound, I find Chase Bryant the perfect example of how the next generation is taking the roots of country, that he was whole heartedly immersed in as a child, and giving it the spin to generate new fans from this generation. As a role model, he’s definitely my choice, and again, hands down he wins my “Best Hair” award.

I’m truly looking forward to seeing his set again, and I strongly urge all of you to not miss this show as Chase, along with Billy Currington, and Tim McGraw will blow your socks off for a fun filled evening of country entertainment.

July 29, 2015
Road to Backwoods Pondfest: Sophistafunk

Get your Backwoods Pondfest party started with the ultimate New York funk trio, Sophistafunk. With the combined talent of Jack Brown’s hip-shaking vocals, Adam Gold’s keys, bass and vocals, and Emanuel Washington’s groove-inducing drumming, they’ll get you dancing and work the audience into a frenzy through deep instrumental grooves.

Recently featured in Relix Magazine “5 Artists You Should Know About” (May 2015), this funky indie trio was also featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives when Adam Gold’s venue/restaurant Funk ‘n Waffles was profiled on the Food Network show.

Backwoods Pondfest keeps getting better and better, and there’s plenty more in store! Check out the lineup and pick up tickets to this incredible festival today!

July 28, 2015
What Does the VibeTribe Mean to You? Here are Your Answers

The official Gathering of the Vibes 2015 countdown is down to two DAYS. Before we finish stuffing all our camping equipment into our cars, we wanted to up the suspense by asking members of the ever-growing VibeTribe to tell us what they love about GOTV, and what being a member of the VibeTribe means to them. In no particular order, here are the responses we love the most.

Submission by cdrhead:

“My first introduction to ‘the vibe tribe’ was when I started collecting GD tapes. I lived in the next town over from Terrapin Tapes so I would walk in and buy blank Maxell’s there. I switched to cd and started buying blank cds there too. I got to know some of the folks that worked there a little. I would see Ken barefoot at shows, and I was slow to catch on to festivals but when I learned Ken was the promoter I knew GOTV would be good (and I still see him barefoot at shows). I got into message boards at dead.net, then moved to an international forum that got shut down. I came to the vibes board and found lots of friends. I live in CT so I started going to the Vibes full time when they moved it back to Bridgeport. The family feeling is there, we are one tribe.”

Submission by jefferjm:

“Being part of the Tribe means knowing that at least once a year I can arrive in a place where I can be completely myself, and free of worry and the judgement of others. It’s also my chance to spend the highest possible quality time with my 19 year old son. He was born 3 months after Jerry passed but Vibes and all the shows we attend together gives him the chance to see the community that changed my life for the better when I hopped on the bus on Halloween 1979 at the Nassau Colosseum. Vibes continues to be the highlight of our year.”

Submission by Occifer Boland:

“I could go on for pages upon pages…. I won’t. In 2002 my big brother passed away at 37 years old. He was a ‘boardie’ at the time . He died one month before Vibes 2002… He bought my ticket for us to attend together. I wasn’t going to attend, as I was still a mess from losing him. Five days before event, my brother’s crew told me my bro Bob would want me to attend. I went…NEVER LOOKED BACK!!! Only missed 2 Vibes since then. Became ‘family’ with so many. As someone else stated, this is my yearly vacation. I am now 37 years old (age my brother was when he passed away), I am grateful for the years I put in to honor his memory of a festival he enjoyed. And this year The String Cheese Incident is playing, the last fest I saw them was in 2001 with my bro.”

Submission by Depends:

“My first vibes, 2008, I knew no one there. Now, 2015, I have high hopes of seeing and hanging with upwards of 50 people, 25 of which I’m more than happy to call friends. I used to sit and wonder how/why so many younger people were there. I thought that it was an older person thing. Then I remembered my first GD concert, I was 15. I knew then, the teens and 20/30 somethings have had that same feeling. It’s home, with a heart.”

Submission by In A Silent Way:

“I wandered in by accident as the publicist for a local radio station, and met some of my favorite people in the world. I’ve been to two Vibe Tribe weddings, and my kids have had the privilege of growing up at Vibes. There is nothing, NOTHING like the hooting, hollering, and hugging that happens when the festival opens and everybody is saying ‘HAPPY VIBES!”

Submission by Lostsailr:

“In 1996, it was an ad in Dupree’s Diamond News that got us to get a sitter for out one year old twins and head to SUNY Purchase, to listen to some music to fill the void after the loss Of Jerry Garcia. We all wondered what would happen, now that there were no more shows to go to (there will always be more concerts, but not any ‘Shows,’ though Chicago did just prove me wrong on that point). We came upon a group of fellow deadheads we never met, but automatically knew we were home. We were even greeted by the first volunteer we came to that day, and have been greeting others the same way ever since: ‘Welcome Home!”

Not excited enough yet? The team at Gathering of the Vibes just announced some new acts this past week, including Road To Vibes winners Relative Souls, along with the incredible Nigel Hall and Eric Krasno. In addition to great music, great weather is being forecasted for this weekend, upward of 86 degrees. We hope you all try to get through the first half of your work week, and we thank everyone for their responses. We can’t wait to see you over this sunny, musical weekend.

July 28, 2015
Hearing Aide: Lonesome Crow, ‘Lonesome Crow’

Central New York-based Lonesome Crow know right where the sweet spot is when it comes to Southern Rock/Outlaw Country music. Their pedigrees that include Savoy Brown, Mad Jack and Last Train Out gave them plenty of road experience, along with opening for such acts as The Outlaws, The Marshall Tucker Band and Blackberry Smoke.

Composed of “compadres for decades,” Lonesome Crow is Rick Jewett (keys, harmony and vocals), George Lamb (bass), Lou Kaplan (acoustic and electric guitars, lead and backing vocals), Slaus Brown-Paul (lead and slide guitars, banjo, harmony and vocals) and Barry Westfall (drums). Recording was done at Conan Fioramonti’s The Ghetto studio in Syracuse, produced by the band, engineered by Fioramanti, mixed by Bill Aldrich, Jewett, Brown-Paul, mastered by Scott Patnode.

Photo by Deborah Brooks Miller

This band could claim to be formed in the early to mid-1970s southern rock scene in the Carolinas and Georgia. They can honky tonk it with anyone, each member knows their role and is strong within it. Kaplan and Jewett are the primary songwriters with Brown-Paul contributing two songs as well, they even re-make a couple of Mad Jack numbers in the middle. While the terms Outlaws, Hell Raisers and Renegades are thrown around a lot these days, LC live it as much as reality allows. Much like their influences and heroes, LC’s live shows are spirited romps through decades of history while creating their own on the way.

“Rollin’ Into Town” (K), the opener of this eponymously titled album, establishes much of what “Lonesome Crow” is all about. Melodic, well-written songs that are easy on the ear and easily remembered. This could’ve come straight from a Marshall Tucker (MT) issue, much like ‘Lay Me Down’ (K/J), the next track. The story is plausible, the mix is smooth and you can dance to it. Gary Burns’ steel line with Jewett’s piano just make it bounce, the rest is solid, especially Brown-Paul’s solo. ‘American Small Town Boy” (J/K), revs it up several levels, Jewett’s piano and Hammond sound just right with Brown-Paul’s raved-up rhythm. George Lamb and Barry Westfall are great role players, with lead abilities. This music isn’t going to ask them for gymnastics, do what you do, everyone’s feet listen. Kaplan is out front and he knows how to sell what he’s got, he has the look, swagger and chops to get it.

“Wicked Ways” is the first Jewett/Kaplan (J/K) piece although they switch to Kaplan/Jewett (K/J) too, I’ll note them as they have a different flavor and the mix of them is cool. Kaplan does his best Doug Gray and the band is swinging or skiffling, is that a word even, great ooos in the background, Brown-Paul’s finger picking and slide drops. Jewett honky-tonks it and off they go, he delivers a great solo mid-song too. “Pick-Up Truck” (J), is where Jewett takes the mic and kicks it into gear, his organ sounds are dead-on and Brown-Paul’s pick and slide jump like Toy Caldwell, the bluesy backing shouts and the same in Jewett’s voice compliment nicely. Brown-Paul shines again in solo, did I say the rhythm section was tight? That.

“Shot To Hell” (K/J), brings a bit of Allman Brothers Band here with the acoustic rhythm brought up, the slide and the piano. The MT is still present as Kaplan re-takes the lead and the harmonies really come through with the help of Fioramanti in the equation, a percussion shake too. Brown-Paul’s (B-P) first piece, “You’re The One” is also his first lead singing role, his voice is softer and smoother, it is just right for this true sad country tune. Gary Burns’ lilting steel guitar licks behind the tremble of B-P’s vocal, Jewett gets a little country majestic and you could wring the sweet out of the backing vocals. “Tonight We Ride” TWR is a (K/J) plus Alan Macomber and Mike Brown piece from their former band, Mad Jack, as is the next one, ‘Desperation Road’ DR. ‘TWR’ is a nice up-tempo love song, more country flavored with a updated guitar solo and a Allman Brothers bridge. It’s got the right swing and sway, DR has it too while of course the topic matter is 180 degree spin. DR opens in a dark mood, Westfall paces with a marching snare, but quickly turns its cheek, Brown-Paul leads to Jewett mid-song as they stretch it out with a couple of great solos. Lamb is running steady on the bottom as Kaplan tells the tale of redemption from his soul and heart. Cool outro too.

“Way Past Mad” (B-P), with B-P at the lead, is tweaked with Texas-Blues and a similar swing. It feels like you’re riding a railroad car, then Jewett jumps on piano line right out of a western barroom. All of the elements that culminate in Texas Swing with a big-rock ending. Great jam. “Fast And Free” (K/J) rocks a bit more than previously heard here, Jewett stealing the show in the middle with a ripping piano solo, only to have B-P top it off. When Kaplan sings, “Packin’ up this old guitar, Packin’ up my guns, Loadin’ down that truck out in the drive, Say goodbye and wish you well, Put the hammer down, Takin’ one last run while I’m alive”, you know he’s been there before. Then B-P drives it home.

“Take My Drunk Ass Home” (J/K) closes with a bluesy country twang, Jewett at the mic, it’s a descriptive, with the title’s protagonist talking to himself. It’s possible he’ll get everything he’s lost back, but we know what he’ll have to do. LC’s dexterity within a loose genre is expressed throughout this album. They tell you stories, whether they’re reality or fiction, they’re plausible, they’re presented authentically and played at the level that is allowed by most prefectures. They love what they do and it shows clearly what the idea of being in a band is all about. If’n all y’all maight prefer this heya musical style, might right give a listen, all y’all be durn happy fo it! Check out Lonesome Crow on facebook.

Key Tracks: “Pick Up Truck,” “Way Past Mad,” “Fast And Free”

July 27, 2015
Hearing Aide: Brian LaPoint and the Joints ‘Pick Me Up’

The music of Brian LaPoint & the Joints seems to go quite well with summertime. It’s the type of music you can throw on and let play out over a summer night of hanging about and enjoying the simple treasures in life. It has strong lyrics with strong female and male singing to accompany all the tracks.

“Pick Me Up,” the first song off their album Pick Me Up, opens with a thick and velvety guitar that wails until being met with accompanying harmonies of a strong horn section. Lyrically, the song discusses concepts about the circle of life going down in a spiral and while help to rise up and stand amidst living with this struggle.

“Love and Inspiration” starts with a guitar part featuring muted strumming, reminiscent of something Nirvana may have done in the 1990s. But then the song takes a move towards a duet of singing between a man and a woman proclaiming their love for each other.

An abundance of different instruments can be heard across the album. Both a saxophone and trumpet solo soar through “Say Hello To Me” — a laid back groovy song that opens with a funk style bass riff.

In fact the strongest aspect of Brian LaPoint & the Joints may be the horn section. The trumpets and saxophones are recorded with great quality that ups the listening of the overall band. Across their album Pick Me Up, the band is able to cross musical genres and call upon various influences to create a unique sound of underwater (and sometimes reggae style) guitar, country-rock style vocals, and crisp drums matched with necessary keyboards and horns.

Instrumentally, this band seems like the kind to be able to have some fun live jams. They’re certainly a group that can stay true to their own sound, as the twelve songs flow effortlessly between each other without straying far from the vibe of the entire album.

Key Tracks: Pick Me Up, Love & Inspiration, Say Hello To Me

Listen Here: Bandcamp Facebook SoundCloud

July 27, 2015
Vans Warped Tour 2015: Mud and Metal

The summer concert season is finally upon us and is in full swing. Vans Warped Tour made a pit stop to Darien Lake as it does every year. This was their 21^st year of being on the road and they have been pushing every year to be even fresher and entertaining than the next. They didn’t do so badly this year.

Upon arrival you could automatically tell this was an event for the younger generations. I’d say the majority of the fans were between 15 and 18 years of age. The line was wrapped around from the front entrance to around the fences at least a quarter-mile back. It was nothing but fouled mouthed scandalously dressed teenagers that were littering all over the place as I walked passed them to the Guest list tent.

The weather could not have been more beautiful. It wasn’t too hot and it was a rain free day. The afternoon before we had hours worth of rain so the ground was pretty soggy and wet. My converse and calves were covered in mud by the end of the night.

Taking a walk around and scoping out the area, I had never been to Vans Warped Tour so wanted to see what they had to offer besides the 10 stages of music. In the middle of the event strategically placed in rows like a carnival setting they had band’s tents where you could buy merch or shoot the breeze with them. So I took a peek and continued down the hill to where my favorite part of the event happened.

I met the one of my biggest influences in life, Adam Elmakias. I have been following his work for couple years now and he is everything I wanted to be in life. Adam surprisingly is not even a year older than me. His job is to go on tour with bands and photograph their everyday lives on the road, on and off stage. I was little star struck but not the Justin Bieber fan kind. I took my picture with him and shot the breeze for a brief moment. He gives me hope that one day I’ll go on tour with a band and take pictures. That’s my dream in life.

The Unicorn stage was second in command that night. If you have never seen Family Force 5 I recommend seeing them at least once. They were highly entertaining on the stage. Their retro bright straight out of the ’80s fashion-wear, to the trampoline jumping on stage kept things fresh and new. These guys brought so much stimulation to the stage I couldn’t look away.

I have a couple of friends that just love everything about Attila. I’m sorry but I can’t see what the hubbub is about. Sure they were wonderful to photograph, but vocally and lyrically it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Their first song right out of the gate was called “Middle finger”. Crowd was nothing but obsessed with this song. Then when they started singing their second song “Rage” all hell broke loose. The crowd surfing and moshing began and was in full force, as a photographer in the pit when that happens can become a dangerous scenario if you are not aware of your surroundings. The only thing I enjoyed about Attila’s set was that they had life plastic red garbage cans set up filled with beach balls. The idea behind this was to give the fans the balls and have them play some beer pong.

Most of the melodic hardcore bands or borderline metal bands were placed in the far back on the Monster stage. I found myself unable to be peeled away from this particular setup, as most of the bands there were so tight on point. There are a few worth mentioning that were really pleasant to listen to as well as photograph.

Escape the Fate, this band I had been eagerly waiting to see because a couple of people I talked with said they were fantastic live. So upon arrival a few minutes before show time I was pleasantly surprised by the hustle of the stage crew. So as the show began the outfits immediately caught my attention. They seem to match accordingly on stage which I thought was a nice touch. Some bands put in little effort towards appearance and it looks poor on their part. I was not disappointed at all by Escape the Fate. They kept my attention the entire time by delivering such a powerful performance.

Fit For A King, These guys were recently in town for a show at a tiny club called The Waiting Room. I did not attend but from what I understand they put on a great performance, according to a colleague this one trumped over the previous. Front man Ryan Kirby delivered a strong solid performance and newest member who is bassist and clean vocalist Ryan O` Leary was nothing but energy on the stage.

Hard Rock Kevin Says Stage had any miscellaneous band that didn’t quite fit into the pop metal categories. Alvarez Kings I must say out of all the bands on that stage I saw were the most relaxed. They weren’t your typical warped tour kind of band. They were softer and it wasn’t what I normally listen to you, but nevertheless enjoyable. I would certainly go out of my way to listen to them while doing a relaxing activity.

Ernie ball stage was hopping the entire day; it was conveniently placed by the concession stands. This stage is meant for local winners of the Battle of the Bands competition. My favorite part about this is that it’s a truck that has a stage built into it. While I was paying a ridiculous amount for a hot dog that my wallet still hates me for, I couldn’t help but overhear a couple of bands that made me stop and take a listen.

Until We Are Ghosts, Until we are ghost are based out of Rochester, NY which is approximately only hour away from Darien Lake. I have had the pleasure of working with these guys doing live photography for them on several occasions when they come to Buffalo. When I heard they were playing on warped Tour I couldn’t have been happier for them. I have seen how hard they have worked to get here. They deserve it all and more. The guys started off their set with Repression. Vocalist Rob Anders always brings an unbelievable performance every time I’ve seen them. Today was no different.

A Story Inspired, These guys are from my hometown of Buffalo, NY. Never previously heard of A Story Inspired until I captured them on the Ernie ball stage in the early afternoon. These guys have clearly become of my go to favorite local bands when I need a heavy music fix; which is often, especially at the gym. The band consists of two vocalists Zachary Mecca, and Josh Karlis. These two are perfectly in sync and I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the stage. Bassist Noah Elardo is well-known for his “Lion Mane” hair, he used this to his advantage on stage giving the ladies something to be googly-eyed over. These guys were one of my favorite bands by far. Everything about their set was tight and choreography was synced to a T. My hope is to see this band take off and go all the way in this music industry, it shows that they have put every last stitch of energy into their music and would want nothing more.

The Shark stage was one of two stages that had the big named veteran musicians on. The first major headlining band to kick things off on the Shark stage at was Silverstein. I listened to these guys a little bit in high school. They brought their aggressive melodic punk style in full swing. Shane Told and his band brought their best to the stage Wednesday. Second song in they played “Smile in Your Sleep”. This song got the crowd screaming and starting mosh pits.

August Burns Red is from our friendly bordering state Pennsylvania. Vocalist Jake Luhrs and his band have been together for just about 13 years now and their sound was spot on. Drummer Matt Griener had such great dynamic drumming, and their lyrics and sound are so skillfully crafted to make it their own.

Quintet group Blessthefall was one of those bands, a forced to be reckoned with that day. They are a melodicore band from Arizona. These guys brought and left every last ounce of energy on the stage. The vocal presence of Beau Bokan was undeniably the strongest I heard all day. They opened up with “you wear the crown but you’re no king”. The middle of their set they played one of their most popular songs 2.0. This is primarily a song they are known for.

Asking Alexandria was one of the last bands to close out the evening at approximately 8pm. They had introduced their new singer Denis Stoff. He certainly brought his own flavor and did justice to all of their harder songs. I was impressed by them all around and thought they put on a good performance and kept the crowd enticed for the entire performance. Once they started singing “Breathless” The crowd just lost their minds. Moshing began and extreme crowd surfing commenced.

Well my very first Warped Tour was a success. I Spent approximately nine hours shooting and walked away with a little sunburn, muddy covered shoes and feet that felt like they were going to fall off; but I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. All the bands brought their own flavor and it was enjoyable for all on one level or another. I will see you next year Warped Tour 22.

July 26, 2015