NYS Music 20​15

Category: Reviews

  • The Ataris at The Forvm in Buffalo, June 30

    On Tuesday, June 30, The Forvm was treated to the spectacular show from The Ataris from Indiana. On tour promoting their 1999 classic album “Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits,” they will be singing the album in its entirety while on tour. The Ataris are currently finishing their long-awaited new album The Graveyard of the Atlantic, which will be their first since 2007′s Welcome the Night.

    As I arrived to the Forvm approximately an hour before the show started I realized there were only a small handful of people waiting to get in. Upon arrival I realized that The Ataris were running a little late which is perfectly fine and normal considering they were coming from NYC which on a good traffic free day is a six hour drive at a minimum. As I looked to the stage I seen that The Home Crowd was already sound checked and ready to go. They waited patiently and I was anxious to see them because I have heard nothing but great things about these guys.DSC_0280

    So as the time seemed to slowly pass I caught wind from the promoter that Ataris finally arrived approximately 15 minutes before the first band went on. So I went outside to say hello and introduce myself. In all honesty I didn’t know anything about the band besides the song called “Boys of Summer” which wasn’t even their own song. The first thing that caught my eye was the sound of a barking dog coming from the beat up eight passenger van. Being an animal lover I had to investigate. Kris Roe singer from The Ataris told me he brings his dog along on tour all the time.

    Back inside it was time for The Home Crowd to take the stage. They are back after being on a hiatus and changing members, so I wanted to see how the new line up was. I was immediately impressed by their stage performance. They have a high energy on stage and its quite vivant that they put their heart and soul into the music. As they played I noticed they almost had a cult like following. People had homemade shirts of the Home Crowd and were singing along to every word of every song. They made quite an impression on me that night. I hope to see them headlining some big acts.DSC_0350

    Then what the crowded room and gathered there for, The Ataris. In the beginning they gave off great vibes from the stage and the fans were holding on to every last word he sung. Though I was disappointed with some of the fans, Kris had clearly stated that they were singing their 1999 Album “Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits” in its entirety. disrespectful fans decided to continue shouting out songs for him to sing and he had to repeat himself a couple times. Just as quickly as it started it stopped, their momentum and stage performance that is, the show became quite dull and they seemed rather tired. To close the night out the sang with the only song I ever knew by them, “The Boys of Summer” by Eagles singer Don Henley. Overall I’d have to say is that while The Atari’s lacked a lot of energy in the set, I felt with the proper guidance and discipline they can make a strong worth while comeback.

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  • Yonder Mountain String Band Performs at Albany’s Alive at 5

    The Blind Owl Band played a great opening set, highlighted by a bluegrass take on The Allman Brothers Band classic “Whipping Post.” The Saranac Lake based band had a small contingent of devotees in the front at the beginning of the set, but by set’s end the whole crowd was won over. Yonder Mountain took the stage to a packed Alive at 5 house under the overpass of I-787 and presented classic YMSB numbers, covers and tracks off their new album Black Sheep.

    Bryan-Lasky-Yonder-Mountain-String-Band-12

    “On the Run” opened the night, part of the celebrated ‘Bolton Stretch’ saga that weaves in and out of Yonder’s setlists. A pair of tracks from Black Sheep, “Insult and an Elbow,” and the Colorado inspired “Drawing a Melody.” The highlight of the high energy 90 minute set was a pair of sandwiches. The first combined Springsteen and Dylan with “Saint in the City” > “Spanish Harlem Incident” > “Saint in the City,” perking the ears of many Bruce fans in the audience, as Albany has more than a fair share. The second appeared in the encore, taking Yonder’s “Troubled Mind” and seguing into the punk number “20 Eyes” by The Misfits, making the tune seemingly inocuous in the process, before moving back into the end of “Troubled Mind,” capping another successful Alive at Five in Albany.

    A photo posted by NYS Music (@nystatemusic) on

    Next week, stay tuned for Rival Galaxies and Atlas Genius as Albany’s Alive at Five summer concert series continues.

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  • A Grand Fare Thee Well From Final Performance in Chicago

    It has been one week since the Fare Thee Well shows graced us with their presence on the stage at Soldier Field in Chicago.  Sunday’s closer was too incredible to even put into words.  Time was needed to decompress and arrange all the thoughts and musical moments of these shows before admitting defeat that the weekend has really, truly, honestly, come to a close.  Months of build up to a magical weekend slipped by quickly and before we all knew it, poof, it was gone.

    The events in Chicago over Fourth of July weekend has become more than the Grateful Dead.  The music that was so heavily anticipated has become greater than the sum of all their shows, albums and memories of the past. The energy surrounding the weekend was filled with nothing but positive vibes and bliss.  Have you ever seen so many people in one place that felt incredibly happy to be alive and living in the moment?  That’s what Soldier Field contained.  It was a gigantic stadium filled with great joy that weaved in and out of the seats, the floor, the walkways, and spilled out into the lot, to Shakedown and beyond. Smiles were everywhere, including Soldier Field staff, security and police.  The magical happiness was contagious throughout the city, including hotels, restaurants, and bars.  What other band can create a ripple effect felt far beyond the reaches of the stage?

    As for Sunday’s closer, they held nothing back for the final performance.  For the three shows, it appeared that Friday’s opener was designed to help fans release all that pent up energy they’ve been holding onto for months. Saturday’s show was a breather, a time to relax and take in the moment.  Sunday’s show was the icing on the cake, the big bang, the epic show fans have been waiting for. All the big songs came out to play.

    Trey Anastasio and Bruce Hornsby gave an incredible vocal performance with the opener of “China Cat Sunflower,” a song not often played at the starting position of a show, though maintained its familiarity by properly sliding right into “I Know You Rider.” A crowd favorite, “Estimated Prophet,” and one that has been eagerly anticipated, made an early appearance on the setlist.  When the first notes of “Estimated” dropped, the stadium went absolutely insane.  Everyone was on their feet jumping up and down, with arms in the air and ecstatic cheers of joy expressed aloud.  “Built to Last,” from the Grateful Dead’s last studio album, came right onto the set and reminded fans that their music is timeless.  “Samson and Delilah,” another heavy fan favorite showed up before going into an unforgettable, tear filled “Mountains of the Moon.” “Throwing Stones” had fans stomping their feet, creating a thunderous pounding throughout the stadium. It was an incredible way to close the first set on such an intense high.

    During set break, a surprise fireworks display was set off to the delight of attendees. There were two nights of fireworks in a row?  Again, this show was unstoppable with huge surprises in store.  No one wanted the evening to end.

    After a 45 minute set break, followed by a long trippy jam session to open, the second repeat of the five show run came into play with “Truckin’,” which made its original appearance in Santa Clara to open the first set of the first performance. How appropriate to have such a dynamic song materialize, once again, during the last set of the last show.  Fans went crazy.  The energy continued as they grooved into “Cassidy,” a tune that guaranteed everyone was jumping up and down, dancing their asses off; set two was on fire. “Althea,” a song many thought may open the show, finally emerged with Anastasio on vocals. This cruised right into the big one everyone had been waiting on.

    Credit: Jay Blakesberg

    The song that every single person wanted to hear, whether they were in the stadium, listening in their car, or watching on the webcast, finally came out to play. “Terrapin Station” crawled onto the stage and sat there to the thrill of thousands who have been patiently waiting to hear the notes begin. Teases of this tune were hinted at throughout the weekend and to everyone’s delight, finally came to light. Everyone went into a wild frenzy as this mystical melody filled the air. Not surprisingly, it seamlessly meshed into “Drums,” with the Rhythm Devils once again giving a performance that blew everyone away. The trancelike rhythms created by the duo included notes created by what’s known as “The Beam,” an 8-foot instrument that is strung with 13 bass piano strings all tuned to the note of D.  Ghost-like sounds danced from the strings when Mickey Hart strummed this unique instrument.  The very last notes of “Drums” included blasts from the locomotive horn, which woke everyone up in the stadium, before a psychedelic “Space” took over.

    An incredibly rare performance of “Unbroken Chain” appeared mid-set, having only been performed live by the Grateful Dead 10 times before this evening. The same sequence of “Space>Unbroken Chain” was last performed at the final Grateful Dead show on July 9, 1995 at Soldier Field.  Phil Lesh sang the notes to this song beautifully, and many of his emotions picked up, as fans in the audience cried tears of joy to hear this rarity being performed at the last show. Bob Weir then sang “Days Between” exceptionally well before the evening ended with “Not Fade Away.”  What a way to end the evening it was indeed.  As the performers slowly walked off stage, the Rhythm Devils kept the beat going as the audience belted out the lyrics, “You know our love will not fade away.”  Even as the drummers left the stage, the stadium kept the lyrics going.  It was only when Lesh walked back on stage to give his donor rap that the audience chant came to an end.

    The evening was brought to a close with a double encore performance that included “Touch of Grey” and the final, tender rendition of “Attics of My Life.”  Weir performed on an acoustic as Lesh and Anastasio put their instruments down to sing in tandem to this tearful, grasp at the heart performance.  The evening ended with Mickey Hart’s very last words to everyone, “Please, be kind.”

    Now that it has been a week of decompressing and digesting what was witnessed last weekend, many fans are finding it difficult to transition back into reality.  The energy and vibe felt by all wants to be held onto forever.  Something magical happened last weekend in Chicago.  There’s no denying it.  The feeling of euphoria still lingers with the phantom brush of wristbands still wrapped on an arm, the desire to check the Ticketmaster app for one more ticket drop, and that feeling of wanting to blurt out, “Anyone have extras?”  What a long, strange trip it’s been, but this is not the end of a legacy; it’s just the beginning and there are so many roads left to explore.  Until then, fare thee well…

    Set 1: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Estimated Prophet, Built To Last, Samson & Delilah, Mountains Of The Moon > Throwing Stones

    Set 2: Truckin’, Cassidy, Althea, Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Unbroken Chain, Days Between > Not Fade Away

    Encore: Touch Of Grey

    Encore 2: Attics Of My Life

  • Hearing Aide: Marco Benevento “Live at Signal Kitchen”

    Marco Benevento’s April 2015 recording Live at Signal Kitchen, manifests the essence of his techno piano jam band sound at its pinnacle. Accompanied by bassist Dave Dreiwitz and drummer Andy Borger, the sold out performance covered work from Benevento’s most recent album Swift, and several of his previous albums including TigerFace, Between the Needles and Nightfall, and Invisible Baby.Live at Signal Kitchen

    Many of the songs possess a shallow, echoed sound, making it a good album to play if you’re in need of some background noise and aren’t concerned about clearly distinguishing between tracks. The synthesizer effects and piano glissandos on “Fireworks” are reminiscent of a circus fun house, showing off Benevento’s more playful side. There are satisfying head bang worthy moments during “Bus Ride” where heavier drums bring out a more solid rock vibe to the album. The performance closes out with a fast-paced, piano-driven cover of the David Bowie version of “Let’s Spend the Night Together” that might just make your head spin.

    Key Tracks: Fireworks, Bus Ride

  • Hearing Aide: Gary Frenay ‘File Under Pop Vocal’

    The godfather of Syracuse’s power-pop scene, Gary Frenay has released a new, full-length, solo cd titled, File Under Pop Vocal. A founding member of The Flashcubes, and Screen Test, two of the area’s most important bands in the late seventies and early eighties. Frenay is a six-time SAMMY Award winner and the first musician to be inducted into the Syracuse Music Hall of Fame twice, once as a solo artist, again as a member of The Flashcubes. A very prolific writer who honors the molds of Lennon and McCartney, Brian Wilson, Todd Rundgren and Elvis Costello, he has issued three solo albums, plus ten more by his bands and duo with fellow Flashcube and Screen Test member, Arty Lenin.

    gary frenayA two year project, File Under Pop Vocal is a collaboration with his longtime friend, Flashcubes drummer and producer, Tommy Allen. Tommy is producer and mixed all tracks at his NYC base, except #7 which is produced, arranged and mixed by Mark Doyle with drums recorded by Allen and #10 which is mixed by Ducky Carlisle, another Syracuse mainstay. Carlisle mastered at Ice Station Zebra in Medford MA.. Recorded in Syracuse, NYC, Boston and Tokyo, all of the songs here are by Frenay, besides #4 by Wilson/Rovell/Pamplin and #7 by Frenay/Doyle.

    You can hear Tommy Allen on each track playing drums, percussion and a myriad of other instruments, plus lending background vocals. Together Frenay/Allen recruited some very big hitters to fill the vibe of each song, including the multi-talented Mark Doyle (guitars, keys, bass, etc.); guitarist Paul Carbonara (Blondie); Doug Worthington (Julian Lennon); mega-duo Pete and Maura Kennedy; Marshall Crenshaw (yes, that Marshall Crenshaw); longtime musical partner Artie Lenin; Japanese power-pop star Osamu Satoyama (Mayflowers); keyboardists Ed Vivenzio, Andy Burton (John Mayer), and Tommy Mandel (Bryan Adams); and Frenay’s son, multi-instrumentalist Nick Frenay (Nick and Noah). To get the proper individual credits, please see the actual liner notes. I’ll highlight some, but let the music talk through me for the most part.

    ‘Blue Topaz’ takes a big swing at the genre fence with a power-pop monster featuring a vocal hook that will make you believe Elvis is in the studio. When Frenay sings, “Let it shine for eternity, To remind us of, The way we felt on that day, I placed it on your finger, A blue topaz” and the harmonies and backing vocals soar, his voice clinches on the I in homage. It hits all of the bases with jangling guitars, a driving bass and Tommy’s pacing, this begs for the top to be down, clearing the romantic haze in a beautiful way, it’s just what happens under the spell of a muse. ‘Forgot How Good Love Feels’ follows in composition, but maybe a little earlier in the real story. It runs along at full pace, like new love does, it sprints, not wanting miss a stride. Until realization puts a shift on time and you float, slowly, in revelry. You know what I mean. ‘Our Eyes Have Voices’ is flat-out romantic and truly insightful, the strength of the topic combined with Frenay’s multiple background vocals tweaks at my influence alarm. Although I believe there is more than one influence at work on many of the tracks here, Frenay’s voice sings to them, expresses them with subtlety and individuality without waving a flag. His words and melodies move easily to the borders of his genre and reach beyond for tastes, his stories are real, it makes all of the difference. The musicianship and arrangement are pristine, distinct, clear and thoughtful. Nothing is more aurally pleasing than that.

    Brian Wilson’s ‘It’s Like Heaven’ sounds like a Beach Boys/Beatles love child, played by Elvis Costello. Paul Carbonara’s slide is right out of the George Harrison play-book, Tommy’s drum sound is huge and the sweet backing vocals by Maura Kennedy and Nick Frenay carry Gary’s reading on a cloud. The production is like candy, surely the epitome of pop, and substantive of the album’s title, that continues track after track. ‘Winterview’ is a tale of reminiscence, an analogy of seasonal change and emotional cleansing. The Kennedys and Ed Vivenzio color the changes and fill the spaces so completely, along with Sam Crowes flute and Tommy’s string flourishes, they make the sadness seem palatable, though the feelings fade, they never quite go away. Frenay switches it up on ‘We Could Be Brothers’, an up-tempo power-popper that speaks to someone lost, but not forgotten. One of those meaningful people you lose track of over time, but don’t let slip your mind. Perhaps a new soul, that reminds us of an old soul. Osamu Satoyama’s guitar bites in all of the right places and Frenay’s voice exudes at the combination, his enthusiastic acoustic rhythm chimes in agreement. I can’t quite grasp it, but it’s either a high-plains western, eastern or a mix of both feels, either way it’s quite provocative.

    ‘It’s Your Heart’ sounds like it could’ve been written for a sixties chanteuse like Dionne Warwick, from Nick Frenay’s flugelhorn to Mark Doyle’s piano, organ, synth strings and electrics, it’s majestic like a single produced by “The Wrecking Crew.” The only track where another songwriter is co-credited,  Doyle’s mix and arrangement are sublime. Gary’s voice is so emotive, his backing tracks and Riley Mahan’s layers produce all that is good in pop music; like ‘You’re Only Hurting Yourself.’ Doyle starts the string intro, Carbonara on the electric rhythm, it’s a little Philly Soul, it’s Doyle bringing the “Ambrosia” So. Cal. piano and Artie Lenin drops a perfect solo. Nick Frenay adds background vocals in a level at which I needed to consult the artist to be sure all of the voices were credited. Fantastic! Frenay’s songwriting is at once, striking and stirring, there’s an innocence with a wink, assertiveness with a smile and resolution in a nod.

    ‘Everything But Love’ and ‘Luckiest Man’ close out the CD in very individual ways. E.B.T. has the ring and jangle of Lenin’s 12 string and harmonies, bolstered by Tommy Mandel’s piano and organ. Then the guitars roll in, Doug Worthington and Marshall Crenshaw add individual flavor, but the bridge to the solo is unmistakably Crenshaw and Worthington gives a monstrous solo. It’s a flavor of “Pretenders”, pure pop gloss, seamless in its fab four proclamations and eighties vibe. Lucky Man finishes softly, but substantially. No rhythm section, just Frenay’s voice and acoustic, Doyle’s piano and synth strings with Nick’s flugelhorn, expressing why songwriters write, singers sing, why lovers cry. A song for his wife and muse, his dedication to love and good fortune. Written beautifully, performed in the only way it can be, truthfully.

    Although I attempted to focus on the music itself, when you have so many important pieces involved, each needs to be credited somehow. The level of musicianship, song-writing and production put together here is as precise and thoughtful as any available today. The compositions are intelligent and bright, sweet and bitter, all unrestrained. Follow the links provided to hear and learn about Frenay’s past and present, I believe you’ll find them both exhilarating. Check his facebook page and his blog WE CONNECT for stories, history and anything else that may be found under File Under Pop Vocal.

    Key Tracks: Blue Topaz, Winterview, You’re Only Hurting Yourself

  • Monahan Vocals Impress at Train SPAC Show

    On a brisk Friday night at SPAC featuring nearly four hours of music, including The Fray and Matt Nathanson, it was the vocal ability of Pat Monahan, lead singer of Train, that stole the show.

    monohan trainFrom the moment the stage went black, smoke filled the stage, and train whistles filled the venues, symbolic of the band about to take the stage, the audience was hooked. Monahan captivated the crowd in a packed pavilion with his endless range and unique ability to participate with an audience. While singing their 2012 mariachi-style hit “50 Ways to Say Goodbye,” he borrowed phones from front-row audience members to take selfies with them. Later on, Monahan, walked out to the fence in front of the lawn, paying his respect to his patrons in the grass.

    Monahan’s upper range was on full display during a back-and-forth banter with the audience singing the words “so high” during the outro of one of his songs. His shrill, but full, falsettos were exceptional–a level of singing rarely seen on recordings, and virtually never seen live. When Train played Aerosmith’s “Dream On” during their encore, Monahan’s singing was chill-inducing. The audience was left to decide for themselves how his voice compared to Steven Tyler’s. My personal verdict was that Tyler was the champion, but it was by a smaller margin than I would have thought.

    The Bay Area band pays homage to San Francisco in several of their songs, but not the only part of the country that Monahan respects. He made it clear at one point that he agreed with the recent USA Today assessment that SPAC was the best outdoor venue in the United States, prompting a roar from the thousands of people attending the show.

    monahan trainJimmy Stafford, the Train guitarist, and the band’s only other active original member other than Monahan, demonstrated his chops on the strings with intense solos on “Meet Virginia” and “Dream On.” For someone who plays in a pop rock band like Train, Stafford can shred it on a guitar neck like someone from a classic 70’s rock group. Stafford wowed the crowd with some of his melodic runs and his rhythmic strum patterns.

    Much of Train’s performance was very much like a Kidz Bop album, with everyone singing along. Being perhaps the second most popular active band on pop radio, trailing Maroon 5, everyone in attendance knew all the words to all the songs. The pinnacle of the sing-along nature of the concert was during “Drops of Jupiter,” the 2001 Grammy winner for rock song of the year. Monahan sang the band’s classic hit as the final encore song, prompting thousands to sing in chorus the cool parts of the song, the “plain old Jane” and “soy latte” lines of the song.

    monahan trainThe Fray immediately preceded Train, and was headlined by dual lead vocalists Isaac Slade and Joe King, two original members that helped to form the band in 2002 after attending Christian school in Denver, Colorado together.

    The best performances by The Fray were with Slade on the piano, enchanting the crowd as he tickled the ivories. He may not be Elton John or Billy Joel, but he can hold his own in front of a piano, adding some pizazz to the basic chord progressions. The band’s ballad and most famous song “How to Save a Life” came towards the middle of the performance and Slade dedicated the song to the victims of the Charleston, South Carolina shooting.

    King’s vocal prowess was on its best display during The Fray’s cover of “Take on Me” the A-Ha hit from the 80’s. A noteworthy test of any singer’s vocal ability, the high falsettos of the chorus section made famous by Morten Harket were done justice by King on Friday night, as the band nailed an unlikely cover song, coming out of their shell as a mellow pop rock band.

    monahan train

    The show’s introductory act was Matt Nathanson, the 42-year old Massachusetts folk singer best known for his 2007 hit “Come on Get Higher”. Nathanson’s mellow acoustic sound was the perfect background noise to folks entering the venue for the bigger acts coming later on, but the music was impressive in its own right to those you listened.

    Nathanson had a boyish enthusiasm on the stage, always smiling, with hand gestures to correspond to the song he was singing. His sense of humor was on point Friday night, as he encouraged the audience to buy some of the SPAC beers because “the more you drink, the more I sound like Led Zeppelin”.

    During the Train set, Nathanson was invited back to the stage to sing with Monahan a cover of Joe Cocker’s rendition of “With a Little Help from My Friends,” honoring the late rock star, in which Nathanson took on some of the more challenging vocal runs in the song, emulating Cocker with a gritty and soulful voice.

  • An Evening of Duos At The Capitol Theatre: Rodrigo y Gabriela With Guests Madisen Ward And The Mama Bear

    There was not one opportunity to let a yawn escape at the end of the work week for those at The Capitol Theatre on June 19. The evening saw (and heard) a complimentary match of sounds between neo-folk/soul newcomers Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear and the fiery duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was an evening of duos touring in support of new albums.

    Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear opened the evening, their songs welcoming latecomers into the theater. Humble in their manners on-stage (they only made a brief mention of their Bonnaroo appearance the weekend before), the mother-son duo played with a remarkable amount of wholesomeness and soul. For most of the set it felt like The Cap had turned into the back porch on a warm, sunny summer evening; the music playing the sun out for the day. A little bit of heart, plenty of soul, harmony, and shared lead guitar parts left the room happy and appreciative for their set. Rightfully so, too: as a relatively unknown band in a brand new territory they made quite an impression given their status.

    Steve Malinski - Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear (4)

    For Rodrigo y Gabriela (Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero), The Cap may have been an unfamiliar stage but entirely a new audience, clear by the eruption of cheers as the lights dimmed and a silhouette of Rodrigo drifted to the center of the stage. Anticipation for the show seemed high since before their set while the PA ramped up in volume with canned tunes – there was no lapse as the anticipation converted to avidity.

    Aside from the energy of the performance the set had a very casual feel, one of those cases where there is no barrier between the stage and audience. Rodrigo remarked between songs that they booked this 9 Dead Alive tour to play at places they haven’t been before and that they didn’t really have an agenda for the show. Yes, there was a set list taped to the stage floor but it was likely just a guide. They played to a few requests, including a medley of a few Metallica songs (which were heavy influences on the duo’s blended style), and an impromptu tease on “War Pigs” and a cover of “Creep” by Rodrigo as Gabriela made her way back on stage.

    When we say there was no barrier between the stage and audience, it quite literally did not exist. It was a sort of rare sight at a venue like The Cap to see around 60 people freely invited to hang out on stage for the better half of the set (minus the encore), almost like the Band Bench that Jimmy Fallon had while he was still hosting Late Night.  Rodrigo y Gabriela played just as much to the folks on stage (who of course did their best to sneak in some selfies) as to the rest of the theater.

    Steve Malinski - Rodrigo y Gabriela (11)

    Their skill in a dynamic range combined with an unrivaled stage chemistry had command over The Cap, engaging the audience in the music the entire time from the aggressive guitar duels to the quieter melodies Gabriela played by herself to mutterings of “shhhh” as the room fell silent. Even the metalheads, who probably first heard of Rodrigo y Gabriela from their cover of Metallica’s “Orion,” were fully behind the more intricate, melodic moments of the show.

    For the majority of the people in attendance, it was their first time seeing either act live since Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear is a relatively new act and Rodrigo y Gabriela were making their first Port Chester appearance. The performances were remarkably impressionable; people praising what they heard as they strolled away along Westchester Ave.

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  • Photo Gallery: J. Roddy Walston and The Business, Avers at Alive at 5

    J. Roddy Walston & The Business brought its spectacular brand of rock and roll to Albany’s Alive at 5 summer concert series.

    The last time the band came through the Capitol Region, it played a sold out, hot and sweaty show at The Hollow in January, 2014, and expectations were high for their return. The four-piece band out of Baltimore didn’t disappoint and showed the crowd for almost an hour-and-a-half that rock and roll is still alive and well in today’s world of music.

    “Sweat Shock,” “Take It As It Comes” and “Marigold” had the crowd fully engaged, dancing and jumping all over Jennings Landing. J. Roddy constantly swung his long hair violently as he played some old boogie-woogie style piano. With a quick wave of the hand to the crowd, the band exited the stage while the crowd chanted for more. Opening the evening was Avers, a six-piece band who shared singing duties among their members and jumped around the stage as if they were playing in front of thousands of people, instead of the couple of hundred that were there. The band tore through their dreamy indie rock sound for a quick 45-minute set that felt over far quicker. Both bands were absolutely fantastic and the free show was just mind blowing. The Alive at 5 concert series continues this week with Yonder Mountain String Band.

  • King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Transported the Bug Jar

    The band, seven strong, consumed the small stage at the Bug Jar. Colorful and wild patterns were projected onto the stage, painting them, their instruments and the white sheet they had taped up along the back wall. The sheet and the images served to transport the audience from their current reality into the reality of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, which as their name might imply, is not reality at all.

    King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Minutes into the first song the tape succumbed and the sheet came down. The lights and darks of the projections remained, turning more into a light show than a projection. The music alone was enough to evoke the world they were creating.

    Shifting between head-banging hectic rock and lilting psychedelic guitar jams, two drummers and the bassist held it all together, while three guitars and a fuzzed out harmonica pushed it forward. The music teetered on collapse but never fell over. Short blasts of rock gems like the Zappa-esque “Hot Wax” and punkish “Muckraker” were cushioned by long-winded psychedelia. “The River” off of the just released Quarters, was an infectious blend of Brubeck’s “Take Five” and The Doors “The End.” The Lizard Wizard meets the Lizard King. The show ended on a suite of songs off of their 2014 record I’m In Your Mind Fuzz, a continuous jam featuring a delicious fist-pumping beat, raging guitar leads and blasts of distorted harmonica and exclamatory screams.

    The projection went off, the lights went on, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard ducked out the back door out to the street, and all of a sudden it was 1am on a Wednesday night. Reality returned.

  • Fare Thee Well Celebrates July 4th with Fireworks and Empire State Building light show

    The Grateful Dead is an iconic piece of American musical history.  It could not have been more fitting to have their second show of the three-night run on the 4th of July in Chicago.  The evening opened appropriately with “Shakedown Street”, which was loaded with extended jams.  “Liberty” followed, fitting perfectly in tandem with the holiday theme.  Bob Weir had strong vocals while the band gracefully provided a flawless backing.

    Trey Anastasio delivered a tender “Standing on the Moon” before the band picked things up again with “Me and My Uncle.”  The band strolled into a lazy “Tennessee Jed.” There was a relaxed vibe in the air and the band was super tight. “Little Red Rooster” slowed things down before closing the set with “Friend of the Devil” and an energy packed “Deal.”

    ©Jay Blakesberg

    After an hour long break, set two opened with a fifteen minute “Bird Song.” The energy took off with the classic “Golden Road.”  The crowd went crazy with their dancing shoes.  No matter where fans were in the stadium, from the pit to behind the stage, the suites, or the very top row, people were enjoying the show full of energy and bone shaking vibes.

    Mickey Hart donned a sailor cap during the gentle “Lost Sailor” but then removed it before heading into an energetic “Saint of Circumstance”.  “West LA Fadeaway” fully came onto the set, as they were dropping teases of this tune the previous night.

    Once again, the Rhythm Devils blew the crowd away with a mind blowing “Drums.”  The huge screens at Soldier Field pulsed with flashes of colorful swirls and psychedelic images as the duo created otherworldly sounds.  It felt like thunder throbbing through the stadium as they pounded on the giant drums before moving into a trippy “Space.”

    The set ended with a heartfelt “Stella Blue” before finishing with the appropriately placed “One More Saturday Night.”  With two nights of dancing  in a row, this song had the crowd jumping out of their seats and dancing their asses off.

    The show closed with a hot “U.S. Blues”.  Anything other than this song to end the night would have been a wrong choice.  Images of the Empire State Building were shown on the giant screens.  It was later learned that a light show was created in honor of the band and set to the arrangement of “U.S. Blues.”  The show ended on a glorious note with incredible fireworks going off over the stadium for all to enjoy in honor of the 4th of July.

    Set 1: Shakedown Street, Liberty, Standing on the Moon, Me and My Uncle, Tennessee Jed, Cumberland Blues, Little Red, Rooster, Friend of the Devil>Deal

    Set 2: Bird Song, Golden Road, Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance, West LA Fadeaway, Foolish Heart, Drums>Space, Stella Blue, One More Saturday Night

    Encore: U.S. Blues