On a chilly Saturday, November 14, Dopapod played in the town of peace and love, Woodstock, for the first time. The small town was the stomping ground of music greats like Bob Dylan and The Band along with countless like-minded individuals who still call this town home.
Nestled between the pines about one minute outside of Woodstock is The Bearsville Theater. Visitors make themselves comfortable around a fire at the Bear Café next door. Excited fans have a craft beer and a smoke on the back porch overlooking Sawkill Creek. The building’s interior resembles a lodge: dimly lit, cozy and welcoming.
As easy as it is to completely relax, The Nth Power begin to play and immediately energize the entire venue. A mix of funk, soul, rock, R&B and gospel, the group also blends a world beat into their unique and sexy tunes. Although only having formed a few years ago at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, this band – which happens to feature drummer Nikki Glaspie, (Dumpstaphunk, Beyoncé) – could easily become the next Lettuce.
Before they even appear on stage, eerie and ominous sounds echo throughout the dark room foreshadowing what will end up being two largely prog rock heavy Dopapod sets.
Drummer Scotty Zwang appears to be his element at times, even given a literal spotlight, as one enthusiastic fan up front yells, “You’re the best drummer ever!” Guitarist Rob Compa’s fingers move as fast as a sewing machine and perfects even the most technical progressions. While often known for his sense of humor, Chuck Jones is all business providing a low and strong foundation on the bass. Eli Winderman offers extended synthesized key solos that deliver Dopapod’s often alien-like hums.
A quick glance around the room finds fists in the air and even some head banging. “Psycho Nature” embodies the quasi-metal sound Dopapod has perfected while “Sleeping Giant” provides another welcomed opportunity for vocals, even a breath from the intensity of the preceding songs.
Dopapod closes their second set with a haunting and powerful “Freight Train.” After the brief but obligatory fake-out, they return for an encore of AC/DC’s “TNT.” It is the first and only break from their overall stern demeanor on this night. Finally, to the delight of the loyal ‘Dopafam,’ they end with a satisfying “Bubble Brain.”
Dopapod’s first time playing The Bearsville Theater was sinister, energetic and intense – a stark, but welcomed contrast to the colorful tie-dye soaked village of Woodstock.
Set 1: Flipped, Priorities, Bluetooth, Upside, Weedie > Bahbi, Off the Cuff
Space Carnival, a fourtet founded in 2013, lit the crowd on fire with a touch of psychedelic and jamtastic euphoria Monday, November 9 at Black Oak Tavern in Oneonta. They implemented blends of funky and high spirited progressive rock which allowed the beings of Oneonta to release their souls into the fabrics of our universe. The groove had everyone get down as they combined fresh sounds along with original beats which created a positive atmosphere, making everyone look forward to their sweet return.
If music were an entity capable of wrapping listeners in the most sincere embrace, everyone would be wholeheartedly hugged by Alison and Zoë Mullan-Stout’s performance at the Merrifield House in Scipio, NY on Saturday, November 7. The sister songwriters, whose kind smiles added to the pleasant atmosphere, exuded playful yet mature dispositions perfectly suited to this intimate, historic venue.
Darkness blanketed the chilly fall evening as attendees filtered into the venue through the side patio, immediately greeted by the homeowners. The space functions as part of the Concerts in Your Home establishment where homeowners offer their dwelling for performances. The concert took place in an add-on at the rear of the cobblestone house where an old barn once stood. A row of large windows against the back wall, each sill embellished with an assortment of small trinkets, provided an open yet homey feel to the rectangular event space. Soft ambient lighting accented by candlelight filled the whitewashed room with warmth. A hodgepodge assortment of foldable chairs, rocking chairs and a small couch provided an eclectic seating arrangement.
Alison and Zoë shared joint custody of a guitar, banjo and ukulele to backup their vocals, often harmonizing to effortlessly create a nuanced, balanced sound laced with subtle intricacies between their distinct voices. Zoë’s delicate vocals offset Alison’s more mature, soprano soul. A quieter demeanor paralleled Zoë’s softer vocals where Alison’s tenacity and sly witticisms between and during songs mirrored her strong singing style. Every song carried a story behind it, which one sister would introduce while delicately strumming in the background before diving in.
Their song “Lost in the Woods,” inspired by true events, recounts a time Zoë found herself in unfamiliar surroundings. Rather than allowing the circumstance to invoke a sense of discomfort or fear, the song embraces the predicament, honoring an appreciation for the forest habitat. Midway through the number, Alison playfully prompted the crowd suggesting, “This is the part where you guys make animal noises.” A response came in the form of howls, growls, bird chirps and fits of giggling as the audience reveled in making the song one-of-a-kind.
“Dirt” described a longing to be loved by a girl in the same way she tends so intimately to her garden. The first utterance of the line “I wish she’d treat me like dirt,” induced laughter from the crowd before the following lines provided clarifying context: “I wish she’d rub me off her hands on the back of her skirt/Keep diggin’ on me til her back hurts/Roll around in me/Dissolve all boundaries.” In that scenario, who wouldn’t want to be treated like dirt?
The mood shifted for a more solemn cover of Emmylou Harris’ “Deeper Well” before Alison and Zoë offered a few more originals including “This Song I Wrote.” An Alison original, the song was crafted with inspiration from two separate couples whose relationships were salvaged in part by music. Beautifully poetic, the song speaks of rekindled love with the line, “We got drunk on honesty and fell back towards each other/Remembering all the ways we fell in love in the first place.”
During set break, everyone filtered into the kitchen to enjoy hot tea from a wide selection of mugs and tea varieties already set out for guests to choose from. Homemade brownies rested provokingly on the round kitchen table. Guests mingled with the musicians and homeowners, enjoying friendly conversation. Curious adventurers were allowed to roam about the first floor, and some were shown the well-kept guest bedrooms on the second floor. The Abraham Lincoln themed bedroom featured a well stocked bookcase crammed with the chronicles of his life history. A bust of the former president and a replica of his trademark top hat governed the room’s affairs from the fireplace mantle.
Guests filtered back into their seats to hear a few more tunes, with a guest appearance by Eric Dwyre playing the ukulele and singing soulfully. The evening came to a close with the sisters performing the title track off their first EP titled “Home Is…” Souls soothed by the tender thought provoking songs of the sister songwriters, guests sheltered in the welcoming environment were made even more at home with Alison and Zoë’s shining orchestration.
Guitarist Stephane Wrembel reached some level of notoriety when he was the man behind Woody Allen’s Gypsy-jazz-inspired film Sweet and Lowdown. He has gone on to do a few more soundtracks for Allen, as well as others. It is easy to see why he makes such a good choice for matching music to movies. His compositions, though completely instrumental, tell vivid stories all on their own.
Some artists write lyrics to tell their stories. Some leave their song’s meanings up to the interpretation of the listener. But for Wrembel, each of his compositions had a specific inspiration that he communicated in detail to the audience. The evening started, however, with a meditation on the Universe. Before the band got started, Wrembel wanted everyone to have a clear mind. To arrive at that point we followed his train of thought, pondering how the Universe came to be, and what was there before. ‘Nothing’ is just a concept, so there must have been something. We are a part of the everything forever. With that out of the way, the dining and drinking crowd was primed for Wrembel and his band: Kells Nollenberger on double bass, Thor Jensen on guitar, and drummer Nick Anderson.
Since they were recording the evening (and the evening prior) for a possible future live release, he warned, “Everything can be held against you.” This night they concentrated on material from his two most recent albums Origins and Dreamers of Dreams. The band took the crowd on a journey. A journey around the world, and beyond, through the eyes, mind and sounds of Stephane Wrembel. They started in the desert of the American Southwest with “Devices from the Desert,” a place they would return to later on with “Minuit Aux Batignolles” and second set opener “Let There Be Light.” Wrembel “loves the desert.”
But every destination wasn’t a sun-drenched sand dune. “Tsunami” brought us to a Wrembel-envisioned version of Japan inspired by the movies of Kurosawa. A pleasant airy tune, that was disrupted by a violent second half, representing the tsunami that hit the area of more recent times. “Road to Jos” told of the time the band traveled to Nigeria and had a military transport across the beautiful but war-ridden countryside between gigs. “Lasco” took a trip to one of the oldest caves in France, in which Wrembel pondered if people didn’t actually live there, but in fact just entered for ritual singing. “Orion” finally lifted us from our world and into the cosmos, back where the evening began. He started with the explanations, and the music then captured the scene perfectly. Musically, the band was top-notch. Wrembel’s solos were mystifying. In the moments when the band, Anderson on drums in particular, clicked together with him, the peaks were astounding.
Later in the evening, they played “Big Brother” and “Bistro Fava” from Woody Allen’s Vikki Cristina Barcelonaand Midnight in Paris, respectively. Wrembel told a story of how he was cast in a small role for one of the films, but that the one scene he was in got cut. So he joked, if Woody played a song while they were recording this album tonight, maybe he would cut it.
As the dust settles and we begin to experience a last surge of heat for the season during this balmy November, it seems like the perfect time to reflect back and savor the amazing week of events, shows, and spectacular activities and eats offered this year at the 2015 Great NY State Fair. After all, the week immediately preceding is generally so busy with back to school running around, Labor Day celebrations, etc… you don’t really get an opportunity to sit down and digest what an amazing week (twelve days really) we really have right here in New York State. After all, it was voted the fifth best State Fair in the nation by USA Today in 2015. Nothing to sneeze at. We also can bolster that we hold the prize and honor of being the first State Fair ever. So take that Minnesota. Wait till next year, you’ll be looking up to us as we sit at number one.
Breaking records on Day One with more than 16,042 above last years opening day, it was a great start for the Fair, as crowds visited throughout the twelve day event. With gorgeous weather, stellar performers scheduled each day, and special $3 Thursdays, and $1 Labor Day, attendees were able to take advantage of the fun at an affordable family price. Day One’s attendance record could possibly be attributed to the first of only a few final Grandstand shows scheduled. With the new Lakeview Amphitheater opening across the street, it’s exciting to be able to offer patrons the best in the business with state of the art equipment once again in this region. But, it also was bittersweet to be part of the final days at this venue before it’s demolition this year.
Over the thirty eight years the Grandstands at The Great New York State Fair hosted shows to fair goers. Memorable acts such Whitney Houston, Garth Brooks, Frank Sinatra, Neil Young, James Taylor, Ted Nugent, Rihanna, Brittney Spears, ZZ Top, Justin Bieber, Alicia Keys, and so many others graced the stage and filled the seats bringing Central New Yorkers some of the greatest names in the business while Chevy Court attendees were treated to free shows. Over the years the tide turned and the free concerts became the place to be.
As larger names were brought in to Chevy Court, records began to be set, with this years Steve Miller Band hailing the largest crowd ever at Chevy Court with approximately 36,900 attendees. Nonetheless, all good things do come to an end, while some have bright new beginnings. Next year fair goers will sadly reminisce about those days at the Grandstands, but will return to a brand new Chevy Court as national acts will once again treat those patrons to free entertainment with state of the art equipment and stage.
So as we reflect back on the final shows at The Grandstands this year, it was only fitting that country favorites Eric Church and Hank Williams Jr. held the last hooray and gave it a final farewell, fittingly deserved of those thirty eight years. The throw back ticket pricing for all acts including legendary Patti LaBelle and comedian Jim Gaffigan, and was a proper thank you to all attendees as they enjoyed the final moments at was once Central New York’s summer venue place to be.
Eric Church started the party off right with special guests Cadillac Three on Day One. This group of long haired rowdy boys, set the bar high with their country rock and roll and introduced those newcomers to their Cadillac Three style of in your face hard core rock with an edge of country thrown in. Eric Church, well of course this handsome mysterious country star shone bright as he filled to near capacity once again a venue paying homage to those before him. Playing hits such as “Cold One,” “Talladega,” “Give Me Back My Hometown,” “Drink In My Hand,” “Smoke A Little Smoke,” and of course the hot and steamy song, “Like A Wrecking Ball.” Yep, this down home country boy did this crowd proud and started this party off right.
Hank Williams Jr. brought his rowdy friends to the Grandstands on day four of the fair and kicked up some some dust with his Honky-Tonk hits. The Louisiana born country star brought some of his most well-known songs such as Neil Young’s “Are You Ready for the Country,” “All My Rowdy Friends,” “The Blues Man,” “There’s a Tear in My Beer,” and “A Country Boy Can Survive.” The audience was ecstatic to have Hank visit Syracuse, and Hank was equally happy to be performing to grateful audience. Among the crowd favorites in the set, was an impressive collection of his father’s songs including “Move It On Over,” “Kaw-Liga,” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” Adding even more intensity to the show, were a few unforgettable mash-ups, the greatest one covering “Outlaw Women” > “Dinosaur” > “There’s A Tear In My Beer” > “All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down” > “Good Ol’ Boys” > “I Walk The Line.” Of course, the evening would not have been concluded without an epic sing-a-long version of “Family Tradition.”
While Hank was bringing down the house over at the Grandstands, Chevy Court had a few shows to bring in the crowds themselves on Day Four. Up first for the 2p.m. show was country favorites The Swon Brothers.
The Swon Brothers are perhaps known by most as the lovable country brothers on season four of The Voice. On team Blake, these two siblings made their way to third that season, but are number one with all their country fans. Singing their hits “Later On” and “Pray for You,” Colton and Zach revved up the crowd and had them singing along in no time. In fact, the crowd even became part of the show with a sound of cheers as to which brother they liked best. Like a good mother always says, I love you both the same.
As the evening began to roll around Chevy Court was filling up with eager fans awaiting the amazing Nate Ruess. Best know perhaps as lead singer of the indie group Fun, it seems like every song he touches becomes a hit.
With his new band the Romantics, their set list was ridden with hits from both his bands Format and Fun with songs “Oceans” > “We Are Young” > “Some Nights” > “Carry On,” to some songs from his new solo album Grand Romantic (“Great Big Storm” > “You Light My Fire” > “What This World Is Coming To” > “Nothing Without Love” > “Harsh Light” > “Ahha”), and covers (Prince’s, “Let’s Go Crazy”). This amazing musician may be best known for his strong vocals, but don’t count him out as his songwriting abilities are top notch as well. As part of a collaborative effort, Ruess partnered with Pink in 2014 on the number one billboard song “Just Give Me A Reason” which was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2014. Yes, the NY State Fair surely brought in the big guns on day four, for sure.
On Tuesday, Day Five, Chevy Court once again welcomed Bowzer’s Rock & Roll Party back to rock out the afternoon crowd. This lovable 50’s icon, known to most as a member of the popular 50’s Doo Wap group, Sha Na Na, has entertained us with not only his humor and personable demeanor, but his musical talents for more years. Jon Baumann, his real name, is a native of Brooklyn, New York and studied classical music at Juilliard at a very early age, and whether it was playing Mozart or with Sha Na Na, his mothers greatest moment was seeing her son at Carnegie Hall.
One Day Six, Chevy Court was packed with fans awaiting their favorite new 2015’s ACM New Artist of the Year, Cole Swindell. With such an amazing group of new artists this year to be nominated, what was it about Cole Swindell that stood out above the rest? One quickly learned it was his stage presence. He had the ability to draw an audience in like no other. Perhaps it was the eye contact, the waves, or the pointing to individuals that made you feel like he was singing right to you.
An accomplished songwriter way before releasing his self titled debut album, Cole Swindell, Cole was no stranger to the music business. Penning hits for other country artists such as “Roller Coast,” “Get Me Some of That,” and “This Is How We Roll,” to name only a few, Swindell had made his mark in country music and touching souls of those his words spoke to. Singing his hits “Chillin It” > “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” > “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight” > “Let Me See Ya Girl,” he had this crowd in the palm of his hand. With a mischievous smile and a country charm, this down home country boy was definitely a crowd favorite at the Fair this year.
On Tuesday, September 6th, Day Six, country was once again represented by country favorite Joe Nichols at Chevy Court. Joe’s smooth country sound is clearly what some critics consider “traditional country” music and not the new “Bro Country.” His vocal comments against the turn of the tide has not gone unheard by many in the business and he even joked about it this year at the Fair. Singing Sir Mixx A Lot’s, “I Like Big Butts,” as only Joe could, the audience loved his countries version of rap as it confirmed why he is best suited for the country genre.
On Wednesday, September 7th, Day Seven of the Fair, Snoop Dogg was scheduled to perform but was forced to cancel the night before. To everyone’s surprise, the fair was able to bring in rapper Nas as Snoop’s replacement. The fair on Wednesday didn’t seem as packed as it had been the last week but that didn’t stop an estimated 30,000 people from coming to Chevy Court.
On Thursday, Day Eight, R&B superstar Jason Derulo performed for a packed crowd at Chevy Court. Derulo put on an excellent performance that included a backing band and a group of dancers. For a night that featured two other major artists at the Grandstand and the new Lakeview Amphitheater, Jason Derulo filled Chevy Court with no sign of any competition. As someone who just played at the fair last year, Jason Derulo drew an estimated 25,000 screaming teenage girls.
On Saturday, Day Ten, Chevy Court welcomed home many local talented artists right from our own back yard. At the 2pm Chevy Court Show, crowds welcomed Amanda Lee Peers; Syracuse native, Josh Batstone; and season eight’s winner of The Vocie, Sawyer Fredericks. It was heartwarming to be able to welcome all our hometown heroes to the stage and celebrate their music.
The 8pm show on Day Ten welcomed Motown greats, The Jacksons. Consisting of original members, Jackie, Tito, and Marlon Jackson, the crowd went wild as they danced and sang along with hits “Can You Feel It,” “Rock With You,” “2300 Jackson Street,” “ABC,” “Dancing Machine, ” Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and many, many more.
It’s hard to believe that this marks their 50th anniversary tour, but still today fans went crazy, dressed in costume, and got up on their feet to sing and dance along to all their favorites. For me, it was a walk down memory lane watching video clips of live shows and interviews and clips of their Saturday morning cartoon that I watched so many years ago. A fun evening of music, those guys still have the moves for sure.
The Steve Miller Band came to the Great New York State Fair on the second to last night and brought along a record 37,000+ (the largest crowd to date). As the quintet hammered down on Syracuse with their hits from the last five decades, the performance got better as the crowd sang louder to each song. Opening the show with “Jungle Love,” gave a great representation of the fair with how all of the fun, food, crafts, and entertainment can sometimes feel overwhelming. The show included major plays consisting of “Take The Money,” “Shubada du ma ma,” “The Joker,” “Fly Like and Eagle,” and “Keep On Rockin’ Me.” Little Walters’ own “Blues With a Feeling” made an appearance during the show and despite Millers’ tender age of 71, he showed some animation during a rendition of “Loving Cup.” Before the crowd knew it, the enhanced encore had arrived with the group playing “The Stake,” a very bouncy “Swingtown,” and ending the high ride with extended “Jet Airliner.”
As the final day approached, I knew that an early arrival was mandatory to secure my seat amidst the Millennium generation that was sure to have already staked out the best seats available awaiting teen heartthrob, Nick Jonas. Arriving at 11 a.m. I realized that I was in for the longest day ahead, on what was to prove to be the hottest day of the fair. Surprisingly enough, the crowd of Nick Jonas fans remained upbeat with little to no complaints, and by midday the NY State Fair staff began handing out free waters to those who refused to budge from their seats, lest give up the prime real estate while in absence. The refreshing donation hit the spot and spoke volumes on what a great event and what great folks work to bring this event to everyone.
As the time neared and Nick Jonas came out to the stage, he set right out playing his number one song “Chains” following it up “Numb” > “Levels” > “Wilderness” > “Good Thing” > “I Want You” > “Santa Barbara” > “Under You” > “Roses” > “Teacher” > “Take Over” and for an encore, “Jealous.” How he managed to wear that jacket through half the show was beyond me as I was literally melting into my seat. Jonas’ first solo tour, and one of the first times out by himself, it was a great ending to the Fair, and great beginning for his new upcoming tour to get his footing on stage with his ultra hip band.
Okay, so we’re number five in the top ten best state fairs in the nation. Perhaps you can see why this twelve day event becomes the traditional ending to New Yorkers summers’. Whether you come for the rides, the events and competitions, the exhibits and opportunity to buy some Ginsu knives, the food (you know you do), or the music, it proves each year to raise the bar and bring in what fairgoers want. Looking forward to the 2016 Fair, they will once again raise that bar, and hopefully continue to bring in the biggest names in the business to their ultra new and state of the art Chevy Court. I predict that next years shows will exceed this years, they’ll book much quicker than years past, and once again the Great NY State Fair will prove to be the place to be to end our summer on the highest note possible.
Making its debut at Hulaween was Atlanta based Incendia. Built by Cory Glenn, Incendia started as a backyard project that has blossomed into a tour de force of fire, music, and performance art and has been on a tour of music festivals, Burning Man, and regional burns all over the U.S., including festivals such as Mysteryland and Creatures of the Night. NYSMusic was able to get an exclusive interview with Cory regarding Incendia, it’s origins and future.
Mysteryland
Chris McMullen: How long have you been a burner/going to Burning Man?
Cory Glenn: I’ve been attending burns since 2009, when I stumbled across the incredibly passionate, creative, and resourceful community that is the Georgia burn scene, which is centered around an annual event called Alchemy.
CM: How many Burns have you been to, both main and regional?
CG: I lost count of how many burns I’ve been after around a dozen, but I can definitely remember that I’ve been to Burning Man twice.
CM: What inspired you to start making domes? And add fire to them?
CG: This is definitely a case of the chicken coming before the egg; I discovered our awesome flame effect whilst fooling around with fire in my backyard. Geodesic domes are just a simple, safe, and ultimately aesthetically sound way of framing this fire effect we’ve grown to call ‘fire inversion’. The more I began to work with, and learn about geodesic structures, the more amazed I became at their elegance, symmetry, and geometric majesty. They’re just so damn beautiful to me in their simplicity, and the more I studied them the more layers I found, and potential possibilities to expand and complement their inherent grace kept becoming apparent.
CM: Did you plan on taking Incendia to music festivals? Had you attended music festivals previously?
CG: I definitely expanded Incendia from a small prototype ‘proof of concept’ dome into the larger, more logistically challenging, and time-consuming behemoth it is today with the intention of turning it into a business. Music festivals were, and continue to be, the primary source of revenue for us. We are however endeavoring to expand our services into different markets such as private events, corporate showcases, pop-up restaurants, and the like. I had never really attended for-profit and musically-motivated festivals before, being too focused on large-scale projects within the burn scene. However in 2015 we’ve done close to 15 festivals, ranging from small mom-and-pop bluegrass jams to internationally-renowned events such as Mysteryland and Hulaween, and I’ve lead the build on all but two of them.
CM: What are your thoughts on Hulaween in particular in regards to the crossover of burns and music festivals?
CG: I wouldn’t consider Hulaween to be a crossover between a burn and a music festival in too many ways, as Hulaween does not uphold nor espouse the Ten Principles of Burning Man, which are tenets that play an integral role in creating the unique environment of a burn versus a commercial festival. However, I will say that Hulaween was excellently curated art-wise. Spirit Lake contained a greater density of incredible art projects than I’ve seen at any non-burn event, and definitely reminded me of the experience of wandering the open desert at Burning Man in search of art with which to interact. Furthermore, many of the experiences I witnessed people sharing in and creating together were very reminiscent of those at a burn. Oh, and radical self-expression. Hulaween’s attendees had that in spades, bunch of goofballs… the ultimate campsite contest too, to me that was a great way to encourage teamwork á la the burner principal of communal effort. I guess Hula’s doing more than I realized, I hope they keep it up!
CM: Is this a good thing for the future of Burning Man?
CG: It is no secret that American pop culture and mainstream commercial festivals have seen a greater influence from ‘burner’ culture. Unfortunately I think this is most apparent in the things that these separate entities previously shared; love of music, style and fashion, and technology. Whilst now I see a subtle permeation of burner fashions, musical sub-genres, and gadgetry and art into the greater American consumption machine, what would make me far happier to witness is the adoption of some of the tenets such as leave no trace, decommodification, and civic responsibility.
Is this ‘good’ for Burning Man? Depends on who you ask! Depends on how you define ‘good’! Whom exactly is influencing whom? One of the most striking things that has kept me going back to burns is this intangible and ethereal experience of human connection and personal fulfillment that I get. Imagine summiting Mt. Everest, only instead you’re summiting Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. THAT feeling. Can people reach this state at a commercial music festival? Undoubtedly so, given the right circumstances. Can this euphoric state be recreated in the day-to-day? It’s been a goal of burners everywhere since we started tracking playa dust back into our living rooms years ago. So if the permeation of burner culture into greater society results in this positive influence, then yes, I’d say it’s ‘good’ for Burning Man. If it results in the commercialization, dilution, and bastardization of our culture and it’s values, then no, I’d say it’s not good. Only time will tell.
An impressive crowd turned out for All Hallow’s Eve at the Westcott Theater October 30. Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad usually lures a sizable slew of reggae lovers, affording The Simpkin Project an opportunity to bask in the splendor of a well attended venue for the last stop of their east coast debut. Haewa and Ocular Panther appetized the quickly growing crowd with more abstract instrumental compositions.
Ocular Panther, a self proclaimed organic/electro band featuring Jason Gilly (bass), Collin Jones (guitar/synth/samples), and Michael Pantano (guitar), kicked the night off. Despite an optimistic concoction of notes culminating in a highly danceable jam beat, the crowd was not loose enough to dance in response. By the end of their short-lived set, the crowd had already grown to roughly seventy participants.
Rochester band Haewa followed, again utilizing Jones for his guitar work and vocals, plus Brendon Caroselli (drums/percussion), and Ben Chilbert (bass). For Caroselli’s second time playing with the band, he fit into their musical puzzle quite comfortably. Jones’ grungy fashionableness matched his Kurt Kobain-flavored vocals, adding some dimension to their instrumental, at times face melting musical offerings.
The Simpkin Project marked the third band of the evening paying no mind to the looming holiday by sporting a discernible Halloween costume. Phil Simpkin (guitar/vocals), Shawn Taylor (B3 organ/vocals), Sergio Sandoval (percussion) and Jules Luna (guitar/vocals), were joined by Giant Panda members and long time fans of the band, Chris O’Brian (drums) and James Searl (bass). The Simpkin Project’s mild mannered, warm presence conjured that satisfying sensation of joy akin to tearing open a homemade cornbread muffin hot from the oven before slowly savoring each textured, spongy bite.
Their mid-set song, “Everything You Want” professed a deep rooted love. Simpkin sang sweetly, “You are the shelter that protects me from the storm/The vindication for the reason I was born/I want to be everything you are to me/The center of my being.” Such enamor called to mind more than the simple indulgence of nibbling on a plain jane cornbread muffin. The slow-roasted, pan seared passion steaming out of this lyrical love plate was piled high with mashed potatoes, gravy and roast beef (ethically slaughtered of course).
Throughout their set, O’Brian and Searl happily mouthed the lyrics to many of the songs, fully immersed in the experience of playing alongside their musical heroes. Members of The Simpkin Project mirrored their gratitude, announcing towards the end of their performance, “This was a life changing experience, and what it taught us: we’ll be back.”
Giant Panda opened up with Searl soothingly offering the crowd, “This is a group meditation, please enjoy yourself,” following it up after the first song with “The first step to positivity is moving your body,” spoken like a true music yogi. Searl stood front and center, flanked by Dylan Savage (guitar/vocals) and Dan Keller (guitar/vocals), with Chris O’Brian (drums) and Tony Gallicchio (keys) rounding out their sound.
They covered a lot of ground, playing a range of older material from their 2006 debut album titled Slow Down, and mixing in a collection of everything since then including tracks off their May 2015 release Bright Days. Searl, Savage and Keller stood in a row, gatekeepers of reggae revolution, harmonizing before a crowd of mostly humans, mixed in with a few dancing pandas, princesses and superheroes, cuz ya know, Halloween.
As Giant Panda flowed into the marijuana-endorsing number “Mr.Cop,” the crowd dutifully sang along, to the delight of Searl and Savage who exchanged toothy grins as they strummed along. Before the next song, Keller divulged his entertainment from earlier in the day which consisted of flying a stunt kite. This anecdotal story was most certainly not followed by any references to how elevated the kite or any persons involved may or may not have been.
Known for effortlessly blending from one song to the next in a continuous swell of sound, Giant Panda transitioned from “Pockets” to “Healing,” followed by “Steady” and “Move” in a nonstop reggae rumble. Toward the end of the evening Simpkin reemerged as a guest vocalist. Sandoval added his percussive expertise to the high energy “O.K.” with Keller briefly adding some saxophone work to the lively tune. Leaving the audience buzzing with energy, Searl bid them farewell bellowing, “Peace, Panda and good night!”
In anticipation of their upcoming show on November 14 at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, Dopapod’s drummer Scotty Zwang took some time to chat with NYS Music about summer tour highlights, Woodstock, and pranking Papadosio.
This weekend’s stop is part of the progressive groove quartet’s extensive fall and winter tour with soul-funk quintet, the Nth Power. The tour follows an action packed summer, with appearances at Bonnaroo, Mountain Jam, Red Rocks, Peach Fest, Electric Forest, Disc Jam, High Sierra and more. Dopapod refuses to stay within the boundaries of one distinct sound. Show-goers will get a taste of prog rock, synthesized keys, and even some country inspired songs, all that have aided in their ever growing and loyal fan base.
Tickets are available for $18 through Ticketmaster, or at the Bearsville Theater box office. Doors at 8, show at 9. Other upcoming dates include:
Nov 14 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater
Nov 18 – Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall
Nov 20 – Brooklyn, NY – The Hall at MP
Nov 21 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Art
Erin Clary: Even though you’re touring, do you ever get a chance to go to shows yourself? And if so, who do you go see?
Scotty Zwang: Yes. That can range. I mean I’ve been off for about ten days since the last show. The day after I got home on Halloween I went to see Ben Folds with yMusic which was really awesome. All things can vary. I try to go to as many shows especially bands that really influence me and bands I don’t necessarily get to see all the time. I like to go see friends, like the Disco Biscuits are playing in New York the day after New Year’s so I am going to go see them after seeing Phish. I try to go to as many shows, not necessarily just jam band ones, but different ones as often as I can, not as often as I would like. Frankly, by the time I get home from tour sometimes the last thing I want to do is go see live music.
EC: It’s been a year since your last album release, do you have another one in the making or are you focusing on touring and improvisation?
SZ: We’ve been focusing a lot on touring for the last year since the album (Never Odd or Even) came out and yeah, usually in general we’re pretty busy with touring. We are actually planning on taking a good chunk of time off in the beginning of the year to finish songs that we’ve been working on on the road and also to write some songs from scratch so that hopefully by next year at some point, or maybe beginning of the following year, we will have an album finished. But we are going to take some time off first and see where that all goes and hopefully take some time to get in the studio shortly after that.
EC: Dopapod crosses a range of musical styles, some are sort of hard, others are a little twangy, others sound more like video games. What is your personal favorite?
SZ: I guess I really do love the darker and proggier kind of stuff. Although the video gamey kind of stuff when Eli synthesizes the sound I think is the more quirkier writing that the band does. I do enjoy all of that. And even some of the twangy… I mean we have a song that is pretty much country, bluegrass, more of an up-tempo kind of feel. As a drummer, I do have to say some of the proggier stuff, when I play correctly on stage, I do feel very good about myself like I’ve accomplished something. Even though we wrote the songs, sometimes I do end up still messing things up live. When something is that challenging it’s definitely rewarding and I still feel good about being able to pull that off live. I would like to say it’s done correctly every time, but sometimes people do mess up. I know Neil Peart from Rush said that anytime he played a song like “YYZ” or “Tom Sawyer,” he wrote it and spent a lot of time focusing on difficult drum parts, and he still gets that excitement when he actually pulls it off live and I would say the same goes for me.
Dopapod, Mountain Jam, 2015
EC: You guys have had some pretty interesting profile pictures on Facebook recently. Who is the creative genius behind those graphics?
SZ: They’re usually fan based. We have a fan page created by fans on Facebook. It’s our top fans around the country or wherever else and they call themselves “Dopafam.” There’s usually some weird stuff that goes around in there (laughs) and every once in a while there is a picture that is just gold. The one you’re talking about is Chuck in his underwear riding a razor scooter on the rainbow road from Mario Cart. That was created by a fan and I’m not even sure exactly who did it. We have some super creative fans I guess because sometimes they strike gold. If anyone in the band likes it, (it’s) usually Chuck and not just because he happens to be in this photo, but usually he will put it up. Chuck has kind of realized throughout the year – well we all have – that people don’t necessarily want to see or have the time and patience to watch a video, or read a long, thought out and touching thing. They just want to see pictures of whatever. Chuck always says that when he goes on Facebook if he doesn’t see a picture of a dog within 10 seconds then he just signs off.
EC: Was that picture from Jam on the River in Philly?
SZ: (laughs) So yeah, there was a bet that happened with Papadosio that was betting Chuck to go out on stage and ride the razor scooter in his underwear. I kind of pushed him to do it because I think those things are funny and that is what people will remember…
EC: Oh I remember it quite clearly!
SZ: I kind of pushed him to do it and I kind of had this thought of how funny this with be if this was an ongoing prank with Papadosio because we play so many festivals with them and they truly are some of our best friends. So at High Sierra, once again I egged Rob, our guitarist to do it and he went out in his underwear on the razor scooter. It was just hilarious and no one expected it. It kind of opened up a whole can of worms since I kept making people do it, I had to do it myself. So I finally did it at The Werk Out. We’ve all done it except for Eli but at this point I don’t want Papadosio to think that every time we play together that one of us is going to appear on stage in his underwear, so I’m not sure that trend is still alive.
EC: Do they ever prank you guys?
SZ: They tried to prank us at the same festival when I did it but because they had to get out of there and go to another show they didn’t have enough time. So it was passed onto the Werks and Dino, their bassist, came out in his underwear wearing…I got this poop mask, it’s a mask that looks like the emoji of the pile of poop with a smiley face. It’s essentially that exact thing. So he came out in his underwear wearing the mask because no one had a razor scooter I guess.
EC: “Nerds” from Never Odd or Even – what’s the story behind this? Are you guys mocking someone in the very beginning?
SZ: No…well kind of. It was Chuck’s idea when we were in the studio and we had a lot of empty space and build up before the lyrics kicked in, which aren’t really a lot of lyrics it’s just “no words.” But it was kind of a nod to Frank Zappa because in…I forget which song, maybe it was “Catholic Girl,” he kind of does a ‘Valley Girl’ impersonation, kind of making fun of people in the California area that he is from. Chuck just thought it would be funny. We came up with this song and originally the band just had a lot of instrumentals. Jam bands are kind of known for not having the best voices at times. We were kind of just mocking the same kind of valley girl and if she was at a jam band show, and all these songs are long and they don’t have any words. So Chuck, after we recorded all the instrumentals and everything was done, we just had a night at the studio where maybe we drank a little too much or something, and he went in there and gave it his all.
EC: I saw you a few times this summer at Disc Jam, and at Mountain Jam where you played two sets, one was on that outdoor main stage. Isn’t it huge?!
SZ: It was the biggest stage I think we’ve ever played on. I am trying to think back because we did have some big performances this summer, but I do remember getting to Mountain Jam and thinking, “this is definitely the biggest stage this band has ever performed on. It’s just massive.”
EC: Massive! I’ve been going there a lot of years and it’s just gotten bigger and bigger. I’ve seen you guys on plenty of regular sized stages so to see you on something like this was really impressive!
SZ: Thank you! It’s funny because that stage next to it is a pretty nice stage and you could have a regular production on it, but it is just dwarfed by how big that main stage is.
EC: What was your favorite festival this summer? You guys really went after it.
SZ: Yeah there were a lot of them. They start pretty early. Obviously we do have random festivals that go into the fall or destination ones in the winter, or musical festival in the end of February or beginning of march this year. So they just go all year long now. Summer Camp is a real great one as far as “real festival” season in summertime, its kind of the first weekend. Bonnaroo was a dream ours and the biggest audience we’ve ever played for. It was broadcasted over the Internet for RedBull.com and we were interviewed by Sal Masekela, who I’ve been watching as the host for the X Games since back in the day when I was a little kid and loved flinging myself off of stairs and other things, whether it was a bike or skateboard or whatever. It was just a really crazy experience to just look and someone is powdering his face and asking us if we want water, and actions like que cards in order to sync with the video. So that was definitely one of the most mind blowing experiences of the summer. There was just so many great ones. I mentioned The Werk Out is a lot of fun. High Sierra in California is great. It has a really nice family vibe and is one of those festivals that has survived two decades. It’s a festival that is almost as old as all of us in the band. It’s really cool to be a part of stuff like that.
EC: Now that the season has changed in the Northeast, it’s time to go inside. What are you looking forward to and what can we expect from your show at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on Saturday.
SZ: It’s our first time playing in Woodstock. Although my family has a house in West Saugerties, it’s actually on the same road as the house where The Band lived, ‘Big Pink.’ So I have a lot of experience in Woodstock and when I joined the band we actually went up to my family’s house and did videos of songs like “Nerds” and “Picture in Picture” for the first time. That was all shot in Woodstock. So really excited. I’ve actually never seen a show at “the bears,” and my family really loves it there. They’re excited that we’re finally there, we get to have dinner next door at the café. It’s going to be a great time. It’s got such a great vibe, especially with music and especially this time of year, it’s just very beautiful.
EC: Will your family and friends be coming to the show?
SZ: Oh yeah, I know I have my brother-in-law, my sister, my mom and dad, in-laws and my girlfriend, everyone is coming up. It’s going to be quite the weekend. I hope I don’t disappoint them.
“Keep It Goin’” – that seems to be the theme these days in The Barn at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, N.Y. In fact, one could say that it’s been the theme for many years prior leading up to the iconic Helm’s death in 2012. On November 6, the Georgia born Shawn Mullins kept it going by returning to the intimate studio in support of his latest release, My Stupid Heart, Mullins 9th studio release and 14th overall album dating back to 1992’s Better Days.
The American singer-songwriter, who swiftly acknowledged Helm at the start of the set, is best known for the 1998 single smash hit, “Lullaby” which reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks. Mullins was joined on stage, after “Twin Rocks Oregon” by Tom “Panda” Ryan to a house of nearly 100 or so middle-aged music lovers. Ryan ripped through 14 of the 17-song set on bass guitar providing near perfect harmonies on songs like “Beautiful Wreck” and the Sunshine State inspired “Pre-Apocalyptic Blues,” co-written by Ryan.
There’s a great deal of empathy and even more compassion in Mullin’s live performances these days and he appears to be at ease with where he is in his life, even if his personal past marital relationships have slipped away from him, they are used to fuel the song writing fire on My Stupid Heart. The 10-track release comes from a depressed place which makes it honest and heartfelt and is a record that is not overproduced and closely resembles his masterful live performance passion.
Opening for Mullins was Boston based songwriter Amy Fairchild who entertained on the acoustic guitar but was in her element when she ventured un-mic’d at the piano especially belting out the emotional, “It Won’t Be Mine.”
Setlist: The Great Unknown, Twin Rocks Oregon, Pre-Apocalyptic Blues, Shimmer, Lonesome, I Know You To Well, Sunshine, Ferguson, My Stupid Heart, Catoosa County, Light You Up, California, Ghost of Johnny Cash, Beautiful Wreck, Friday Night Fights At Al’s Place, Lullaby, To Beat The Devil*, House Of The Rising Sun^
It’s been a long time coming, but The Nth Power has finally delivered their debut album, Abundance, in all of its glory. The band has been around since 2012, and with a stacked lineup of musicians they decided to tour first and hit the festival scene to start growing a fan base. It’s almost unfathomable how they blew up as quickly as they did without an album for people to dig into, but that’s what happens when you’re this talented. Regardless, the wait is finally over! Abundance is being released Friday, November 13, and if you’ve been lucky enough to catch this special act, the album doesn’t fall short of showcasing all that they represent. Just as the band has done live, Abundance is mixed with touches of soul, R&B, funk, and jazz into their own self-defined genre of “Love” and few would disagree.
The band opens up with the strong and powerful overarching message, “Only Love,” evangelizing all that they stand for. It’s been quite sometime that a band has come with a message as potent and strong as The Nth Power bring to the table, both lyrically and through the non-verbal dialogue of their instruments. There is a deep feeling and they’ve really captured the essence of their message overall as it’s felt right from the opening of the album.
The band really puts the rhythm in R&B on the song “Right Now.” With a rhythm section as strong as this band has though, it’s no surprise. Nikki Glaspie [drums], Weedie Braimah [percussion], and Nate Edgar [bass] are all masters of their instruments and give this track some serious teeth that immediately dig in from the opening pattern. The bassist isn’t always called out, but Nate Edgar needs to be commended for his overall work throughout as he does a stellar job all over this record. While never trying to openly stand out with solos, he plays the support role to a degree most bassists could never reach while still churning out some complex lines in the process.
(From L to R) Nate Edgar, Nikki Glaspie, Nick Cassarino, Courtney “Jay’Mel” Smith, and Weedie Braimah
As the album progresses, the feeling of love and joy is thoroughly reinforced in the most uplifting way. The bands tightness and focus on this delivery is something that is a testament to the time they took before releasing the debut. While lyrics aren’t always included in the liner notes these days, Nick Cassarino’s beautiful words were chosen to be laid out. Paging through them in sync with the album, it is clear he put as much effort into them as the band collectively put into developing the music. Nick’s honest and introspective words and heartfelt delivery is matched by his impressive chops on his guitar. You can feel that the band really poured their heart and souls out throughout the musical journey.
The album finishes very strongly with the trio of songs, “Home,” “Soul Survivor,” and “Altar Call.” Each are distinctive in their own right, but make up a solid run to the finish line. “Home” is beautifully introspective, both musically and lyrically, while “Soul Survivor” is where the band takes the time to step away from the lyrics a little and focus on some of the incredible chops they have as musicians. That being said, the chorus on “Soul Survivor” is easily the most anthemic on the album as the band proclaims their ability to survive through hardship. It finishes up with “Altar Call” which could be the most underrated song on the album. The overall construct and ethereal beauty of it can draw out the deepest of emotions. The track is the only one without a lyrical presence and it showcases an elegant and subtle beauty to the band’s musicianship as they explore the meaning of love musically and express it without words.
Overall, Abundance is exactly how The Nth Power should’ve made their debut album. It captures their live energy and delivers on the messaging they’ve settled upon since they formed just a few years back. The musicianship and perspective are a fresh one and one everyone should welcome with open and loving arms. If there’s ever a time for a pick me up or a need for some uplifting, scoop up Abundance and take it for a spin.
As easy as it is to completely relax, The Nth Power begin to play and immediately energize the entire venue. A mix of funk, soul, rock, R&B and gospel, the group also blends a world beat into their unique and sexy tunes. Although only having formed a few years ago at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, this band – which happens to feature drummer Nikki Glaspie, (Dumpstaphunk, Beyoncé) – could easily become the next Lettuce.
CM: What inspired you to start making domes? And add fire to them?
CM: What are your thoughts on Hulaween in particular in regards to the crossover of burns and music festivals?
This weekend’s stop is part of the progressive groove quartet’s extensive fall and winter tour with soul-funk quintet, 
EC: It’s been a year since your last album release, do you have another one in the making or are you focusing on touring and improvisation?
EC: I saw you a few times this summer at Disc Jam, and at Mountain Jam where you played two sets, one was on that outdoor main stage. Isn’t it huge?!
It’s been a long time coming, but 