NYS Music 20​15

Category: Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • No Fake Pearl Tears: Nashville Newcomer Lilly Hiatt is the Real Gem

    Rather than shaking things off through catchy choruses and lip-gloss beats, Lilly Hiatt heals old wounds with poetic confession and shadowy synths on her second record, Royal Blue, released in March.

    Photography by Gregg Roth

    Hiatt, as the sole writer on the album, conjures grim daydreams of soured love and self discovery that float through 12 tracks rooted in traditional folk and alt-country, but draw on Hiatt’s favorite 80s and 90s influences (think The Pixies, the Breeders, Dinosaur Jr.). Hiatt’s sweet, soft voice sings of a starry-eyed woman scorned and she slays through the wreckage with clever lyrics, because that’s what any good woman with her musical lineage would do—she’d move on and write a song or two, as she proclaims in the title track.

    It’s Wednesday afternoon and Hiatt dials in from East Nashville; she’s down-to-earth and speaks with the same girlish honesty that’s reflected in her songs. At the moment, she and band mates—Beth Finney on lead guitar, Jake Bradley on bass, Luke Schneider on pedal steel guitar, and Jon Radford on drums—are rehearsing for a 10-date tour. Several of her east coast shows, including an October 8 stop at the Bell House in Brooklyn, are in support of Austin musician Bob Schneider who Hiatt has never shared the bill with but admires for his similar sense of songwriting humor. “Although, I’m getting tired of writing about my struggles,” she quips. But capturing a perfect Polaroid of real life just comes natural to the rising singer-songwriter whose father is iconic musician John Hiatt. “The biggest thrill of all is the initial coming up with the words; it’s some sort of relief for me,” she says. Hiatt confesses that she’s actually staring at her acoustic guitar, a hand-me-down Martin from her father that is her songwriting muse and never leaves home. “I’ll pick up my guitar and start strumming, or I’ll think about something I want to write about or think of a line that I want to put somewhere,” she says of her method. “I’ll sing something that I don’t know where it comes from; it’s decided, well, OK this is how you’re starting it clearly because I can’t stop singing that one thing, and then this helps me navigate where the rest of it goes.”

    And when it comes to laying down tracks and playing them live, Hiatt doesn’t shy away from giving her band the creative rein to guide her songs to places she never imagined, she says. Case in point: “Far Away” had a more folk element before the band’s influence evolved it into a riff-y power-pop piece. “We’re in this singer-songwriter twang-y world and there’s sometimes an unspoken feeling of things you’re not allowed to do for this kind of music, but the band finally felt the green light from me that said screw that,” she says. As for Royal Blue in particular, a progressive follow-up to 2012’s more loosely country-rooted Let Down, Hiatt says the record’s sound is a result of working with analog studio producer Adam Landry (Deer Tick, Diamond Rugs) and a natural gravitation to exploring the darker more dissonant sounds. “We’re a four-piece band of all rockers and we have a similar mentality, but we’re not rough around edges,” she says. “My drummer now totally grew up on punk rock and my guitar player is into psych-rock. When you get the right people together and let them do their own thing you hear that come out a little and I like to encourage that.”

    As for her own favorite band, Hiatt says without hesitation, Pearl Jam (she even recently guest hosted on the band’s Sirius XM radio channel). “They have been a band for so long and have been a part of my life for so long. I just have this immense admiration for them and it awakens something in me that I can’t even, it just feels like home when I hear them,” she says. “They have such a base of hardcore fans, and I know because I text with some of them; we’re giggly texting about Pearl Jam and it’s so funny because I think they’re really good to their fans and they make you feel like you’re part of something.” Hiatt is also influenced by other modern-day front women taking risks in their music like Bully’s Alicia Bognanno and Jenny Lewis. “I really look up to Jenny [Lewis]; she always takes chances and she’s so honest in her writing,” she says. “I just love her, and I freaked out for her album [Voyager]; it just brought out something different, and it was awesome.” And Hiatt plans to continue forging her way and not feeling limited in her work. “Records are records. For me, an album isn’t so much a massive representation of this is me the artist, but more of a snapshot of a period of time of what I’m doing right now because there are so many components of being a creative person. It’s hard to hone in on what you do best no matter what profession, but if you’re genuine about things and you work hard it’s going to pay off, or maybe I’m just naive,” she laughs.

    Photography by Gregg Roth

    Although she’s only three years into her professional career under Athens, Georgia-based label Normaltown records (and still held her supermarket chain day job until last year), Hiatt says she always had this “weird understanding” that she’d end up in music. “In the back of my head I knew this is what I’m going to do, but I didn’t know how because I’m shy,” she says. “I would write in my room and sing and record, but I never performed until toward the end of college… Some people can shake a tambourine and work it and that just doesn’t come natural to me; I’d literally crawl out of my skin before every show and it was excruciating, but I knew I was going to go through with it and that’s now dissipated into a more OK-let’s-go energy that is fun to channel into the show… I think it’s important to be humble.” After graduating from Denver, Hiatt returned to her Music City roots and admits she is still “building my thing” and searching for ways to tap into her creative rhythm. “Writing, or just growing as a human, is an ever-evolving thing, so the goal is to find a spot where the process is effortless,” she says, noting that she admires writers like John Prine and Guy Clark. “When I’m in vulnerable open thought is when the best stuff happens, but I’m trying to write new stuff right now, and I feel like Royal Blue went in a specific territory, a little self indulgent, which is fine, but I’ve gotten so accustomed to writing about painful things and changes and now I’m not so much in that spot. I used to wait until I’m feeling it, but you have to generate that for yourself sometimes; there’s a discipline involved, and I’m trying to look out a little more and figure out how to find the inspiration from all the positive things.” While Hiatt may ponder about getting things right, it’s clear she’s going to be just fine in this “mean machine, this lonely world,” regardless that she’s somebody’s daughter.

    Lilly Hiatt Tour Dates
    10/8 The Bell House, Brooklyn, NY*
    10/9 Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA*
    10/10 Mr. Small’s Theatre, Millvale, PA*
    10/11 Culture Center Theater, Charleston, WV
    10/17 Hill Country DC, Washington, DC
    10/22 Southgate House, Newport, KY**
    10/23 Rumba Cafe, Columbus, GA**
    10/24 Musica, Akron, OH**
    11/11 Old Town School of Music, Chicago, IL***
    *Bob Schneider Music
    **Patrick Sweany
    ***Del Barber

  • Hearing Aide: Widespread Panic ‘Street Dogs’

    Widespread Panic and their latest studio album, Street Dogs, combines the best of Panic’s southern sound – straight rockers, New Orleans-inspired funk, and choice covers – honed over nearly 30 years on the road. Recorded at Echo Mountain studios in Asheville, N.C. by longtime producer/collaborator John Keane, Street Dogs finds the band recording together for the first time, leading to a refined yet not polished album, one that commands repeat listens.

    widespread panic street dogsAlan Price’s “Sell Sell” opens the album, a driving version of the original with John Bell following the varying cadences of the tongue-tying lyrics. “Steven’s Cat,” an ode to the influential Cat Stevens, is the first Panic song written in the studio by the band and stands out as one of the strongest songs of the album, both for the thought-provoking lyrics and the blend of all six band members sound – no one outshines another.

    “Cease Fire,” a JB rap that dates back to 1999 is reborn as one of the strongest new jam vehicles of 2015, which, along with “Honky Red,” (Murray McLauchlan) is Exhibit A in the musical relationship between Father-in-Law/Son-in-Law Duane Trucks and Jimmy Herring, showcasing a guitar/drums combo rarely found with such polish. “The Poorhouse of Positive Thinking,” a classic JoJo Hermann number, uses colorful lyrics and a Professor Longhair-style yarn to frame a mild piano ride. Willie Dixon’s “Taildragger,” the third cover on Street Dogs, is tailor made for Herring’s guitar and JB’s guttural vocals, while the album wraps up with the title track, a sing along that vivdly returns the listener to the streets of New Orleans.

    Key Tracks: Steven’s Cat, Cease Fire, The Poorhouse of Positive Thinking, Honky Red

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  • DrFameus and Particle Wash the Westcott with Sound

    DrFameus proved himself a chameleon of sound, opening for Particle at the Westcott Theater Sept. 23. Allen Aucoin’s one-manned music machine fluctuated from synth and high hat driven 80’s dance to more lazy and free-flowing experimental jazz, pulling samples from Fergie’s “London Bridge” among other unexpected sources. Producing a beat reminiscent of the bass heavy pulsations in Die Antwoord’s “I Fink U Freeky” kept the crowd alert, as they made efforts to sift out other familiar rhythms and samples.

    Aucoin’s laptop acted as an instrument as much as the drum kit set up before him. Frequently looking over at the small screen to his left, pressing buttons perfectly in time with the music, he was effectively conducting a mini techno orchestra. “Cold Step” commenced with haunting piano effects, showcasing the DJ-drummer hybrid in a swarm of heavy energetic percussive and techno sounds. At the end of Aucoin’s set, a gentleman brandishing a solid black guitar case sauntered across the room, having plenty of space to breakdown and boogie with the crowd not exceeding thirty spectators.

    The Particle crew followed on stage, delivering a slew of zippy electro grooves. Guitarist Ben Combe, with body pivoted forward, scrunched facial expressions and fingers scrambling across the fretboard, plainly indicated his full mental immersion. Keyboardist Steve Molitz demonstrated his own enthusiasm, purposefully pressing specific keys while giving raised eyebrows to the crowd as if to say, “How do you like this?” His effects often produced sounds synonymous to the grand majesty of Manheim Steamroller’s epic instrumental holiday ballads.

    Clay Parnell (bass/vocals) and drummer Allen Aucoin rounded out the four-man crew. With their powers combined, the band performed a collection of songs that were as distinctive as a litter of Dalmatian puppies. Their music activated the perfect environment for listeners to zone out but still manage to feel stimulated with high-speed instrumentals and enthusiasm exuding from the musicians.

  • East Coast Tsunami Made a Loud Splash In Reading

    When you take some of the best hardcore, metal, and hip hop and throw them into Reading, PA over a course of two days?  You get The East Coast Tsunami Festival. It was beautiful and chaotic that packs a punch to the mouth and ears that gets stuck in your system for days. That occurred to me when Wu-Tang Clan headlined the Santander Arena on Friday, September 25 and Life Of Agony finished everything off the next night over at The Reverb.

    Let me take an opportunity to get the negative out of the way first. And it occurred on day one: sound issues. Never in all my years of attending concerts did I see so many sound issues that kept recurring for EVERY act that played on stage. People paid good, hard earned money to see their idols perform, and for the sound staff over at the Santander Arena should be ashamed of themselves. Countless times, microphones were either turned off or not working, ruining every performance. I give props to all the performers that just continued and not let it get to them. When Body Count was on stage, frontman Ice T was not having it and had to start one of their songs over. It was just obnoxious.

    Day 1:

    The main headliners were Wu Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Body Count. The beautiful thing about day one was the variety of fans of every ethnicity, age, and culture gathered for the same purpose. There was mainly hip hop acts, but there was a few hardcore bands and of course Body Count is a mixture of both. Overall a brilliant bill for that night and the floor / pit area was packed.

    Early in the night….the two bands whom I never seen who really stood out to me was Strength For A Reason, because they had the most sound issues than any other band but they handled themselves so well and Wisdom In Chains really made the crowd go bananas. Never seen a band have so much fun on stage yet they kept the atmosphere so brutal. They definitely made a fan out of me that night.I was also really impressed with Gillie The Kid. It was hip hop in it’s finest form. He really knew how to connect with the people on the floor during his performance and his hooks, freestyle, and rhymes were just a blast to behold.

    I was absolute ecstatic to finally see Body Count, I felt awful that I missed them during their run last year at Mayhem Festival, so to me, they were the main attraction. I was also fortunate enough to meet lead guitarist Ernie C before the show, who was such a nice person and a pleasure to meet. The thing that’s so fascinating about Body Count is the chemistry and timing they share on stage, now I was not old enough or lucky enough to have seen the original lineup over twenty years ago, but the current lineup of Body Count still give the old songs justice. They kept their setlist faithful by opening with “Necessary Evil” and “Bowels Of The Devil.” Ice T, who isn’t afraid to speak his mind or show his sense of humor really ripped into masculinity and society before going into “Manslaughter.” But the song that stood out the most was the classic and iconic “There Goes The Neighborhood.” Drummer Ill Will was just insane behind the kit. The spirit of Beat Master V lives on through Ill Will because his timing and speed was just off the chain and that song really showcased that. And what better way to end their ten song set with the controversial anthem “Cop Killer.” If Ice T can manage to find more time for Body Count, a headlining tour must happen.

    Mobb Deep took the stage after Body Count and delivered a knockout punch to the crowd. Now I am not familiar with Mobb Deep’s catalogue, so I can’t honestly tell you much about their setlist, but I can tell you that it was a stellar performance, and even though it was already past midnight, the crowd was at their peak and Mobb Deep owned the crowd.

    Wu-Tang Clan closed out the night and it was one of their better performances that I have seen with them. Each member got their moment on stage, they played a massive set that included not only from the early Wu Tang catalogue like “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Bring The Ruckus” but even some solo material such as Raekwon’s “Criminology”, Ghostface Killah’s “Black Jesus”, and GZA’s “Liquid Swords.” And of course there was plenty of Ol’ Dirty Bastard tributes and highlights during their set.   But hands down, the member that stood out the most was Method Man. Meth is clearly a born performer, entertainer, and is one hell of a lyricist. And the crowd was also treated to some freestyles from Masta Killa and GZA. Another big highlight was the group even had a showcase from DJ Mathematics who went bezerk on the turn tables and really wowed the crowd. In conclusion, Wu-Tang clearly is still bringing their A-game and showing no signs of aging. I would expect great things in the near future from the Wu.

    Day 2:

    The Reverb did an excellent job hosting day two of East Coast Tsunami. It was a really long day and all the bands were clutch, but there was one band that dared to be different. Murphy’s Law totally changed the entire atmosphere of the night. They were bold enough to use humor, go into the crowd, share a few drinks and just be goofy. It was totally refreshing, because all day it was all hardcore bands. Serious hardcore. And as soon as Murphy’s Law hit the stage everything changed. It was also cool to see a saxophonist in a hardcore band. That’s not something you see everyday. Later into the night Doyle hit the stage bringing his spookfest into the club. Also…seeing Doyle made me want to hit the gym. That man is in ridiculous good shape for a man his age. And it was also amusing to see him blowing bubbles from his chewing gum as he is playing his guitar.

    After an amazing set from Walls Of Jericho, Madball put on the performance of a lifetime by wiping the floor with everyone. The pits were fierce and the bodies were continuously flying off the stage and into the crowd. Opening with “Demonstrating My Style” they played all the songs you would expect such as “Set It Off” and “Black And Blue.” Freddy Cricien is one hell of a frontman…I honestly don’t know where he gets the energy to perform at such a high level throughout the whole set. As for the band, you can tell they were having fun with each other and with the crowd as well. Madball is living proof that hardcore still lives.

    The night closed with a special performance with Life Of Agony, who was the ultimate cherry on the brutal sundae that was East Coast Tsunami Fest. Not disappointing what so ever, most of their set consisted of River Runs Red. Opening with the title track off that album, along with “This Time”, and the always catchy “Method Of Groove.” Mina Caputo proves she’s the ultimate frontwoman for the band, and still sings the songs the way they were meant to be heard. Joey Z was an absolute fiend on the guitar and where ever he and the band went, the crowd responded. This was such a treat to behold to see all four original members tearing it up. It would be crime of the century if don’t play more shows around the east coast. The highlight of the show would have to be “Bad Seed.” Never have I seen so much stage diving going on during a show. I was almost worried for the bands safety, but clearly they loved it.   Appropriately, they ended the night with ”Underground.” There is nowhere to go but up for this band. This is why they closed the entire two day festival, Life Of Agony is in a class of their own right now.

    To sum this all up, East Coast Tsunami was a wave of brutality that every music lover should experience. What could make it better? Perhaps, a three day festival in the future? Only time will tell.

    etc_2015

  • Frankie Ballard Shines at the Wyoming County Fair

    Frankie Ballard recently celebrated his third #1 hit with his latest single “Young & Crazy.” He may be one of country music’s brightest up and coming stars, but that didn’t keep him from traveling deep into the NEPA back roads to Meshoppen, PA to the Kiwanis Wyoming County Fair.

    Ballard was The Fair’s main stage act and many of his die-hard fans traveled hours to catch his performance because it was one of his last headlining shows of the year.

    The crowd may have been smaller than anticipated but their energy made it feel like there were 10 times the amount there. Ballard started his set with a cover of the song he wrote with Big & Rich called “I Came To Git Down.” He kept the momentum going with fan favorite “Drinky Drink” which flowed well into the title track of his latest album “Sunshine & Whiskey.”

    Ballard changed the pace of the set when he gave his drummer, Ross Webb a break and hopped onto the drum kit and let his guitarist Eddie Robinson take the lead vocals with a cover of The Wallflowers’ “One Headlight”. He kept the covers coming with an incredible rendition of Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue.” This had both Ballard and the crowd jumping up and down.

    Ballard told the audience that even though he has been touring non-stop he still has managed to work on his next album. He was so excited about the new record he decided to share a new song called “Sweet Time”. The crowd may not of known the lyrics but they all seemed to agree that they liked the new track.

    Ballard rounded out his set with “Tell Me You Get Lonely” and with his first #1 song “Helluva Life”.

    But the crowd wasn’t done with him so he came back out to close his set with another new song called “L.A. Woman”.

    Frankie Ballard will continue to tour with Florida Georgia Line throughout the fall then he will head out on the road with Randy Houser’s first arena headlining tour in November.

  • Phish Release 11/22/94 Archive Show

    In the middle of their 47-show U.S. tour in 1994, Phish stopped at the University of Missouri on a Tuesday and blew the roof off the place, and phans will now be able to relive the classic show in high quality with a new Live Phish release of 11/22/94

    The “Buried Alive” opener comes in flying with a brisk transition to a clean and excitable “Poor Heart,” followed by a beautiful, vocally top-notch “Horn” > “Foam.” In addition to that hungry-energy unique to ’90s Phish, this show is extra special with its heavy doses of bluegrass thanks to the band’s five-day intensive training sessions not long before this show with Aquarium Rescue Unit’s Jeff Mosier.

    The band’s infatuation with bluegrass at the time is clear as day in the second set; a raging “Big Black Fury Creature From Mars” ends acoustic and leads into a “I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome” > “Little Tiny Butter Biscuits” > “My Long Journey Home” before resolving into an exceptionally patient “Bowie.” And the “Lizards” encore? Sprinkles on the icing on the cake.

    The show was recorded by Paul Languedoc to digital multitrack and was mixed/mastered by Jon Altschiller. The sound quality is crystal, and even the crowd noise is a nostalgia overload, putting the listener in an intimate small auditorium setting with the band that is now gearing up for their return to Madison Square Garden for a four-night New Year’s run.

    The new release is available through LivePhish and the LivePhish App. Tickets for this year’s MSG shows are available today at noon EST through Ticketmaster.

  • Hearing Aide: Holly Bowling ‘Distillation of a Dream’

    music-of-phishListening to tribute albums of your favorite band can be hit or miss, but it’s almost always an interesting experience. Holly Bowling’s Distillation of a Dream is no different. She took an assortment of Phish songs, listened to them and transcribed them by ear for solo piano. This album is different from past Phish tribute albums, such as the bluegrass or string quartet tributes, in that it consists of a single musician on a single instrument. The sound and feel are very different.

    The aural skill required to take on the task of transcribing not only studio versions of songs featured on the first disc of Distillation of a Dream, but also the complex jams in the three live songs Bowling recorded for the second disc, is commendable. She does justice to the variety of songs she chose for the album. While many fans might already be familiar with her rendition of the “Tahoe Tweezer,” it’s worth giving a listen to the other songs. The album starts off a bit rough with “My Friend, My Friend,” but improves immediately with “The Horse > Silent in the Morning.” Some of the songs seemed to be odd choices for solo piano, such as “Wingsuit” or “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing”. But those turned out to be some of best songs on the album. There are moments when some of the songs seem unrehearsed. There are moments with small imperfections. Some of these imperfections, like pauses that don’t fit with the song, detract from the music, while others, like slight variations in the tempo, bring that organic feeling of Phish.

    Overall, Distillation of a Dream is a solid, creative tribute to Phish. The album reflects the difference between studio Phish as heard on disc one, and live Phish as heard on disc two. However, it is almost as though the first disc feels like a warmup to the more complex second disc. Bowling’s musicality, experience and talent are in full display on this album. The creativity and effort put into the re-creation of these Phish songs and jams make for a fun and interesting listen.

    Holly Bowling will be making a few stops in the northeast on a short fall tour. She will perform at The Massry Center for the Arts at The College of Saint Rose on Oct. 28, and in nearby south Burlington, VT at Higher Ground supporting Pink Talking Fish on Oct. 29. She will also be performing at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 in New York City on Nov. 8.

    Tickets for both shows are still available. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

    Key Tracks: Harry Hood, Wingsuit, Fly Famous Mockingbird, all of disc two

    [embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_5l6zMrcD0[/embedyt]

  • Aqueous Brought Their AQ Game to Rochester

    There was nary a stone unturned when the two-set, three-hour concert that Aqueous presented at Flour City Station in Rochester was through. New songs were revealed, old songs were unearthed anew, peaks were reached and valleys were navigated.

    A meandering slide-guitar-led intro, that sounded straight from the foothills of the Himalayas, acted as a Siren’s song drawing the dispersed crowd in toward the stage. As the fans drew near, the band launched into their fresh off the not-yet-pressed tune “Calling Out” — a sexy groover featuring ample Moog and wah. The journey started here, but the climb rose to a rocking plateau before falling into a delicate and beautiful space which built to yet another boisterous jam that reached into heavy metal territory.

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    And so it went for much of the night. Up and down and back around, musical explorations emerged from every corner. At times guitarist Mike Gantzer would act as the sherpa with nods, winks, hand motions or vocalized directions, leading the band together as a unified team. Other moments, the foursome (Gantzer, Dave Loss on keys and guitar, Evan McPhaden on bass, and newcomer Tom Vayo in only his fifth show on drums) seemed to find each other without prompting, a tight knit unit creating their own way.

    A slowed-tempo cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Dancing Days,” an Aqueous debut, drifted into a wild Middle-Eastern metal mash. While that would serve as the only cover of the night, the band played it fast and loose with the teases. “King For a Day” was preceded by Jimi Hendrix teases and finished with the band noodling around with the Jurassic Park theme. The massive “All In” featured a short jam on The Beatles’ “Come Together” and a tease of Collective Soul’s “Shine.” Teases aside, this first-set closer was one of the night’s highlights.

    It was more of the same in the second set, with Dr. Dre’s “Xxplosive” showing up in Underlyer, followed by multiple Deep Purple references in “Don’t Do It.” Tony G, from opener Funknut, would lend a hand on keys for a short stint on “Don’t Do It.” The entire rest of the set was highlight worthy material, as the band took their complete “Complex” suite for a ride for the first time ever on stage. It featured more nooks and crannies than a Thomas’ English Muffin and the butter dripped deliciously into every one of them. The fun reggae groove of “Warren in the Window” was chiseled into a raging rock anthem to close out the set.

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    It was only appropriate that the encore would begin with another tease, this time Joe Walsh’s “Life’s Been Good” was the victim. There was time for one more “short one” so they launched into a near 20 minute version of “20/20” of course. Aqueous quit exploring as the clock struck 2am though it seemed like if the law would have allowed it, the band would have trekked onward indefinitely.

    SET 1: Calling Out > Kitty Chaser (Explosions), Dancing Days* > King for a Day, Random Company+ > All In

    SET 2: Underlyer > Don’t Do It^, Complex Pt. I > Wandering% > Complex Pt. II > Warren in the Window

    ENCORE: 20/20

    NOTES:
    * Led Zeppelin, Debut
    + LTP 11/14/2014 82 shows
    ^ with Tony G on keys (Giant Panda/Funknut)
    % Debut

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  • Ghost Performs a Ritual for a Sold Out Terminal 5

    As the darkness rolled across Hell’s Kitchen, thousands of fans poured into Terminal 5 to see Ghost on Sunday, September 27. Touring behind their latest release Meliora, Ghost set out on their ‘Black To The Future’ North American tour last week. Since night 1 in Washington, D.C., Ghost has been packing venues and bringing their live ritual to the masses.

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    Papa Emeritus III of Ghost

    Sunday’s show started off with the doors opening early to get some fans upstairs on the rooftop bar so security could clear space on the crowded New York City streets. Once doors opened to let fans inside the actual venue, space quickly filled up. Before opening band Purson even took the stage, the floor and both balcony levels were jammed packed. Unfortunately for fans who didn’t secure a spot along the rail on the top levels, it would be a tough night for them to see Ghost. Although the line of sight for many fans on the balcony was obstructed, it didn’t stop those fans from dancing and singing along with the bands all night.

    After a quick set by opening band Purson, the house lights went dark and the smell of incense filled the air. The show started with “Spirit” as the Nameless Ghouls took the stage one by one before Papa Emeritus III appeared out of the center. Following the track list off of Meliora, Ghost then went straight into “From The Pinnacle To The Pit”. It was no surprise to see Ghost basically play their entire new album due to the high praise and success it’s had since coming out on August, 21st. Even though the band played most of Meliora, they still played a total of 6 songs of Infestissumam and 4 songs off Opus Eponymous. Fans of Ghost seemed to get everything they could have wished for on Sunday. The Nameless Ghouls who are the backing instrumentalists of Ghost are all fantastic musicians. Without being able to show facial expressions and interact with the crowd verbally, the Nameless Ghouls do a great job of expressing themselves behind the masks. The two guitar players mix perfectly with one another and get filled in with the percussion, bass and keys. Papa Emeritus III took the time to speak to the crowd between almost every song. Papa joked about “Frankie” (Pope Francis) being in town the same time Ghost was there but not coming to the show. Papa also shared with the crowd that his mother was at the show, although she wasn’t seen from the crowd.

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    Papa Emeritus III of Ghost

    Towards the end of the night, the band went acoustic for a version of “Jigolo Har Megiddo” that didn’t slow the night’s performance down one bit. Even with an acoustic song, the wild New York City crowd was still moshing. Ghost may not seem like the band to create mosh pits but Sunday night there was something in the air. From the first song to the very last, giant circles in the crowd could be seen from above as fans threw down in the pit. During some songs a second smaller pit would develop in another area of the floor. Before ending the night with an encore performance, Ghost played their cover of “If You Have Ghosts” which was very fitting. To cap the night off, Papa Emeritus III took a poll of who in the crowd had seen Ghost before. As the majority of the sold-out Terminal 5 crowd raised their hand, Papa responded with, “Okay, everyone here besides you,” talking to a young lady in the crowd. He then told the girl to just mime the words like he does sometimes, which made the crowd laugh. Everyone at that point knew Ghost was ending the show with “Monstrance Clock.” The crowd dominated the song by singing along word by word with Papa. At the end of the song, Ghost left the stage and the night was over. Ghost said their goodbyes and thank yous prior to the encore and the crowd let them know they put on an unforgettable performance with a loud applause.

    The ‘Black To The Future Tour’ just started and there’s plenty more dates around the U.S. to catch. For all the dates and other band information, fans can visit Ghost’s Website. Fans can also check the official Facebook and Instagram pages for exclusive content from Papa Emeritus and the Nameless Ghouls.

    Ghost Setlist: Spirit, From The Pinnacle To The Pit, Ritual, Con Clavi Con Dio, Per Aspera Ad Inferi, Majesty, Stand By Him, Prime Mover, Body And Blood, Devil Church, Cirice, Year Zero, He Is, Absolution, Mummy Dust, Jigolo Har Megiddo, Ghuleh/Zombie Queen, If You Have Ghosts, Monstrance Clock

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