Category: Reviews

Consider the Source and Ocular Panther Wordlessly Wow Flour City Station

If there is always a lesson to be learned, then the one imparted to those in attendance at the Flour City Station in Rochester last Thursday night was simply: Lyrics are overrated. Two rising young bands – Consider the Source Ocular Panther – owned the stage on that night. Neither sang a single word. And yet, epic tales were told, vivid images imagined…

The night started with local stalwarts Ocular Panther. Formerly a trio, they debuted their newly minted quartet, adding drummer Jimmy Grillo, formerly of Roots Collider, to existing guitarists Colin Jones and Mike Pantano, and bassist Jason Gilly. Considering the complexity of their compositions, with long instrumental passages, shifting time signatures, and the heavily improvised nature of their music, it was not an easy role to jump into. A hiccup or two would be expected. But not on this night, and not for Jimmy Grillo. Having a live drummer, especially one of Grillo’s capability, created an entirely new dynamic for the band. The sound advanced beyond just electronic dance grooves, becoming less predictable and more nuanced. The electronic drum sounds still showed up here and there, but acted more as a spice and not a driving force. Jones was more freed up to concentrate on guitar, and both he and Pantano were equally impressive on rhythm and explosive leads. As good as they sounded, it seems they’ll only be improving in the coming shows as Grillo continues to grow more comfortable in the band. And those in Rochester will have plenty of opportunities to check Ocular Panther out in the coming weeks as they are on a bunch of upcoming bills.

The stage was set then for NYC’s Consider the Source. The individual parts of which defied comprehension. Gabriel Martin on fretless double-neck guitar could coax an incredible catalog of sounds out of his instrument. Some by effects pedals (of which he was surrounded by a rather large floor full) which turned his guitar into everything from a sitar to a clarinet. Some of it was just in the technique, which ranged from straight metal-esque raging to slinky sliding Middle Eastern melodies. At one point he utilized a trombone effect, which was particularly interesting as he played it like a slide. John Ferrara played bass like a lead instrument, melodic and beautiful and technically brilliant. Rarely content to sit back in a simple groove, his fingers were in constant motion, pulling and kneading the music into extraordinary and unusual spaces. Jeff Mann’s drumming style was that of a perpetual solo. Like Ferrara, rarely settling into a rhythm, just constant motion, constant changes, but still holding it all together.

It was soloing in triplicate. But the real magic was the intersection of all three. Their music intertwined ancient Middle Eastern and Indian influences with jazz, rock and metal into a quasi-futuristic blend that represented a land and a culture that don’t yet exist. This was particularly evident in their latest venture, Put Another Rock in That Bag, a multi-part composition released last year on their World War Trio EP. And their interpretation of Radiohead’s Paranoid Android was likewise not of this world.

After over three hours of intense instrumental jams, the crowd cheered not just for one more song, but for one more set. Yep… lyrics are definitely overrated. Lesson learned.

April 11, 2015
Third Times a Charm for The Decemberists at Center for the Arts in Buffalo

Touring behind their early 2015 album, What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World, The Decemberists brought their show to the Center for the Arts in Buffalo. It was their third time at the venue, but the first time that they sold it out.

Toronto quintet Alvvays (pronounced Always) opened the evening, performing the excellent material off of their debut self-titled album released last year. It was their first in a run of shows with the Decemberists, after they were held up at the US border and had to miss their engagement the previous night in Pittsburgh. The trials and tribulations of being an opening band continued unfortunately, and the sound was downright awful throughout their set. Squeezed into a small spot at the front of the stage, they plowed through a quick 30 minutes that fell somewhat flat, through no fault of their own. The heavily distorted low-end, drowned out whatever other sounds were present.

After a quick and extremely punctual changeover, The Decemberists took the stage innocently enough. Colin Meloy, his acoustic guitar and a lone spotlight. He started up the first track on their new album, the appropriately titled, “The Singer Addresses His Audience.” Simultaneously a dark backdrop displaying some female archers dropped behind the stage. One by one the remaining members of the band, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, John Moen, Nate Query and two backup singers including the fantastic Kelly Hogan, entered the stage. A second backdrop fell in front of the first, creating a dimensional representation of the new album’s colorful artwork. The band kicked in, Meloy revved up the energy, jumping on to the drum riser, running into the front of the stage, strumming with ferocity. Not only was the singer addressing his audience, but within the first three minutes, he was making a pronouncement: “We are the headliners, and we are here to entertain the heck out of you!”

Early on the audience called out their requests in the silence between songs. Meloy answered that they had a set list, and they were happy with the way it flowed. And he wasn’t kidding either. The set list was constructed almost as carefully as their well crafted songs. As would be expected, the latest album was best represented. The album itself hasn’t particularly grabbed me, it lacks the overarching character and completeness that their previous efforts have included. The individual songs however, suit their live show well, and blended seamlessly with their time-tested material. The evening included the live debut performance of “Anti-Summersong” (video below). Through perfect song placement, including material from their entire catalog, Meloy and the band played the room like a puppet. Controlling the energy throughout the night, they perfectly brought it to a head late in the set. The seated audience roared to its feet, almost on cue, and stayed there the rest of the way.

Meloy wasn’t afraid to lay bare some of the messier moments in the honing of his songwriting craft. He revealed the original lyrics to “The Calamity Song” as sung to his son one morning over breakfast – Hank eat your oatmeal. Later also confiding in us the worst song he ever wrote, which concerned Dracula’s daughter; And yes, we should all be glad that one was scrapped.

The band, seven strong, had the ability to sound like much more. Each member played various instruments throughout the night, filling in whatever was needed for each song and providing a dynamic range of sound. Accordion, trumpet, pedal steel, banjo, percussion… During “The Rake” Conlee and Funk came out with floor toms, banging away with rhythmic bombast. Meloy then orchestrated the audience in a three-part clapping exercise that worked flawlessly and incredibly into the mix. The audience would be called upon again to become an eighth member in a sing-along on the ensuing 16 Military Wives.

Old songs were given fresh legs, such as with early era hit “Los Angeles, I’m Yours.” Conlee’s jazzy organ and the backup vocal oohs and aahs gave it a funkily awesome Stevie Wonder vibe. Somehow their live mainstay, “The Mariner’s Revenge” was kept feeling fresh. A large confetti-spewing whale was carried out on stage by the backup singers and it “devoured” the band, which lay lifeless on the stage. A fitting end for The Decemberists. What other band would/could/should play a theatrical Russian-folk-song inspired sea shanty as their big closing number?

Set List: The Singer Addresses His Audience, Cavalry Captain, Down by the Water, Calamity Song, Grace Cathedral Hill, Anti-Summersong, Make You Better, The Wrong Year, The Island, Los Angeles, I’m Yours, Carolina Low, A Bower Scene >Won’t Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga), The Rake’s Song, 16 Military Wives, O Valencia!, A Beginning Song, 12/17/12, The Mariner’s Revenge Song

April 10, 2015
Coal Chamber, Filter, Combichrist Annihilate The Emporium on Long Island

Going into Easter weekend, I took another weekend to visit Long Island and there I went to another kick ass venue The Emporium in Patchogue on Long Island. A rather big and spacious for a medium-sized venue that holds about 1100 people, multiple bars, serves food, with a decent sized pit are in front of the stage. The overall sound is great, so I would highly recommend to see a metal show there or any genre of music there.

American Head Charge was originally billed to appear on the lineup but was not there. No word on why. Not long after the doors opened, Saint Ridley from Detroit, Michigan opened the night with five songs. They were pretty good, excellent chemistry together. You could tell they were enjoying themselves on stage. They had guitar issues on stage, but they did an excellent job of not letting that interfere with their performance. I thought they were a darker version of Angels and Airwaves but more metal than punk.

Combichrist graced the stage afterwards. They were by far the most energetic band of the night. I didn’t know what to expect from them. I have never purchased an album or seen any videos, all I knew was they were a very dark and industrial band. To me, their sound and presence was a mix of Orgy, Nine Inch Nails, and Mindless Self Indulgence. They were absolutely superb. All their synthesizers were played on stage, not a prerecorded track over the PA. Some of the songs they played were “We Were Made To Love You”, “Maggots At The Party” and closed with “What The Fuck Is Wrong With You.” They definitely made me a fan after their set was over.

Filter certainly made an impression that night as well. Although the crowd was a lot more calm and tame compared to Combichrist, I absolutely loved what Filter did during their set. They chose to go deep into their catalog and play some obscure song sand tell the audience what each song was about. Interesting note: again, Filter has a new lineup. vocalist and mastermind Richard Patrick (younger brother of actor Robert Patrick and once an original member of Nine Inch Nails) has a different band around him; Oumi Kapila on guitar, Ashley Dzerigan on bass, Bobby Miller on keyboards and programming, and Chris Reeve on Drums. Funny thing about this lineup…Richard Patrick went on a few rants about how much he hates the current pop music scene in the US, and Ashley Dzerigan has played bass in lots of pop music groups such as Adam Lambert and Cee Lo Green. However, this lineup fits the music of Filters past, and now I’m curious to see if Richard Patrick will use this lineup for the upcoming Filter album that was recently announced. They opened with “You Walk Away” off The Amalgamut, then into “(Can’t You) Trip Like I Do,” off the movie soundtrack of Spawn. But the real highlight of the night was the other obscure classic “Jurassitol.” Every song performed Richard gave it his all, the use of fog machines and lights gave their set a trippy atmosphere. Filter closed their set with their original hit “Hey Man, Nice Shot” before ending with Title Of Record’s “Welcome To The Fold.” This band still has lots left in the tank. A headlining tour is eminent in their future.

The anticipation was killing me for Coal Chamber to rock the stage. And man did they bring it. Although they did a U.S. tour a couple of years ago, it still seemed that they were away from metal for way too long. And as soon as they stormed the stage with their anthem “Loco,” the chemistry and magic that this band had twenty years ago seemed to have never fade away. This time, their production was much, much bigger from their previous US tour. They had 2 large video screens behind them showcasing clips and montages of random b-movie horror films. The big highlights of their set had to have been “Rowboat,” brand new song from their upcoming album “Rivals,” and their disturbing classic “I.” They played a full fifteen song set with no encore. Their crowd was absolute bananas during every song. Frontman Dez Fafara even had to tell an audience member to calm the fuck down and stop taking cheap shots in the mosh pit. That was entertaining. Also the rest of band was so damn clutch, but it was drummer Mikey Cox who was an absolute machine behind the kit.

I would certainly hope that Coal Chamber is going to take advantage from the recaptured momentum that they have and with the new album Rivals due mid May, I believe the future is bright for Coal Chamber and every band that is part of this tour.

April 9, 2015
Hearing Aide: Seplophile ‘Mesonoxian’

Every once and awhile, you come across an album that you just can’t stop hearing about, even years after its release. Lately, that album for me has been Mesonoxian by Buffalo death metal bosses, Seplophile. It first graced my ears in February of 2013, and although I haven’t really listened to it since the summer of that year, I still hear at least one person bring it up at every Buffalo metal show I attend. Mesonoxian seems to have set a new standard for not only other Buffalo locals, but a few touring bands that have come through the area as well.

Back in May of 2013, I played a show with Seplophile and Arsis (Nuclear Blast Records) at Broadway Joes. During Seplophile’s set, I had a conversation with James Malone, Arsis’s frontman. He made a comment about how Seplophile not only made a great impression on him, but how they really stood out in an already very talented Buffalo metal scene. Malone later went on to address the crowd during Arsis’s set, giving Buffalo’s metal scene that traditional horns and hails. Then, at last Friday’s ‘Metal Fights Cancer’ event at Rockin’ Buffalo Saloon, I caught up with a lot of Western New York metal scene veterans who repeatedly brought up Mesonoxian, one show goer in particular still citing it as “the best metal album ever released by a Buffalo band, not of national status.” In short, all the attention this album continues to get today, has made me want to revisit it two years later and pick it apart.

It kicks off with “Exhale All Life”, an ominous piano intro played by guitarist, Matt Backlas. The keys come and go throughout the record, all of which are played by Matt, and perfectly compliment the “simply death” idea at the foundation of Seplophile’s music. “Anomos: Identity Crisis” is an ideal opening track for any death metal album. It pulls you in with quick evil riffing accompanied by vocalist Colin Winkelman’s persistent and consistent low growls, ripping basslines and relentless blast beats. “The Isolationist” provides the same punishing death metal truth as “Anomos” which further carries the band’s ultimate message: “DEATH METAL PREVAILS”, which also appears at the end of the credits on Mesonoxian. Then, finally, we get to “Quarantined”, which has the most melodic section on the record by this point. It has a tremolo outro that uses metal’s signature “sad scale” and paints a dismal picture of growth from decay, or perhaps triumph from misery. A 3 part death metal masterpiece follows this change of pace, called “Philosophiae Naturalis- The Portents of Ash- Shaytan”, made up of tracks 6-8, respectively titled, “Omen of the Adversary”, “Under Shifting Sands”, and “Glassstorms”. “Under Shifting Sands” is a straight forward injection of grind, doom, crunch and melody, and was the first single released by the band for the album. Other songs stood out to me a little more on the track list, but given their diehard death metal demographic, “Under Shifting Sands” is a smart single choice. “Fields of Stone” is the next standalone track and has a devastatingly powerful and emotional outro. It’s very doomy, melodic and extremely well composed. Matt’s keys return here and slow harmonized leads make for a fitting finale to a truly driving song. Afterwards, the boys close the album out the way it begins with “Retribution” and the title track, “Mesonoxian”. These two last songs rip and leave you wanting more. The roller coaster has stopped too soon and you feel like you haven’t gotten your money’s worth. All the more reason to get excited for the forthcoming second album or a live show!

Seplophile will be performing at Broadway Joes in Buffalo on Sunday 4/26 with Buffalo thrash legends, Hellcannon and New York death metal legends, Incantation (Relapse Records, Necropolis Records, Listenable Records). If you want to relive death metal’s glory days through a rejuvenated sound, be at this show. If you haven’t listened to Seplophile yet, do so.

If you’re less into traditional death and more into bands that wave the “deathcore” flag like White Chapel, Suicide Silence or Chelsea Grin, you might be disappointed. But if you fall somewhere in between, you might just find that Seplophile has a little something for everyone craving a little bit of heavy.

Key Tracks: Quarantined, Fields of Stone, Under Shifting Sands

April 8, 2015
A Good Time on Good Friday with Robert Randolph and the Family Band at Putnam Den

What a way to spend a holiday weekend! Putnam Den was packed with fans of all ages for Robert Randolph and the Family Band for a good time. Dave Spadaro group took to the stage to an anticipatory crowd and gave them an incredible warm up show. Spadero has played in Good Foot, Heavy Fog and jams out with The Stone Revival Band. The group consists of Dave Spadaro on guitar, Stephen Orsini on bass, Andrew Costa on keyboards and Brandon Isles on drum with Josh Farrell on vocals this evening. The group had people moving their feet early in the night and the band was well received by the crowd. They started the night with a few original tunes before diving into a cover of Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Their new album can be downloaded and streamed for free here.

Robert Randolph took the stage sans welcome or introduction and got right to the music. An instrumental “Voodoo Chile” was an early highlight, while “The Sky is Crying” was ultra bluesy, with excellent vocals from cousin Ray-Ray. “Shake Your Hips”, with a “La Grange” feel to the song brought up the ladies on the stage for a solid 10 minutes of jamming and shaking. A brief “When the Saints go Marching in” was instrumental and disappeared too quickly. “Brand New Wayo” off Lickety Split had the most energy of the night with a cover of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” rounding out the night. An encore of “Amped Up” felt like it could have been the party starter of the night, but who can complain? Robert Randolph packed the house at Putnam Den and made a Good Friday even better.

April 7, 2015
Hearing Aide: Huetensil ‘Black and White’

Huetensil has just released his debut album, Black & White, available on a digital-only format. Huetensil is the alter-ego of tri-cities based Hugh Wygmans, who is also the front man of prog-monsters, Question of Honour. Wygmans is a singer/songwriter/guitarist hoping to expand his listening area beyond the 100 plus radio stations in eight countries he’s been played on in his different stage personas. Very impressive as an artist that handles all ends of his recordings; performing, mixing, editing, producing and mastering this album at Shadow Planet Studios. Wygmans wrote and arranged everything performed by Huetensil (vocals, guitars, bass, programming drums/bass) here besides the co-arrangement of “Let’s Pretend” with David Wygmans and Ken Pitchford. Additional performers credited are Michael Wu: bass guitar on “Nothin’”, David Wygmans: side stick on “Maybe It’s Time” and additional background vocals on “Wake Me Up” by Brent Ochai, Carrie Ochai and Marty Wygmans.

It’s notable that Wygmans really has his character and career presentation together better than most I’ve encountered. A well presented one-sheet, lyric sheets, access to hi-resolution pictures and artwork through his website plus a web address for Huetensil. Having had the opportunity to review the last release from his prog band, I was eager to hear this solo outing as his alter-ego, Huetensil, he’s self-described as a “power-pop musician with a hard edge and an indie singer/songwriter ethic”. It takes a great deal of self-confidence to take a Bowiesque leap like this, the following are my thoughts on its success.

“Want Too Much” is the opener and it’s evident quickly that Huetensil has some vocal gymnastics in store. His range is clear and the layered vocals at the end illustrate the potential of his power-pop proclivity. His emotive delivery is clear, rising above his multi-tiered guitar tracks, accenting the changes, especially verse to chorus. “Last Night” hits the target dead-center, a rave-up rocker illuminating the difference between introspection and introversion, then extraversion. There’s something my ears keep listening for that isn’t there, well, more on that as we go.

“Tonight (The Carbon Wars)” gives Huetensil the chance to riff a bit harder, ripping a nice solo as his topical dexterity expands into another broad field. There’s a sense of Billy Corgan in his raspy delivery overall, but it bites a bit harder into the matter here. Like many great rock songs, the meaning is oblique despite the title, but the chorus speaks of societal ambiguity and it stings! “Executioner’s Song” switches gears a bit, a give and take from slow verse to driving chorus, relenting to an inner truth while forging ahead versus the draw to stay. There’s a growing tense connection between the compositions, it’s evident Huetensil’s thoughts blend, reflect and color each other in tones. Like “Fear & Longing”, a level of desperation from the antagonist while the protagonist searches for something deeper as if nothing is available. The ebb and flow from sweet verse to dramatic chorus is distinct and creates a narrative of sorts between the characters distinguished as melody and hook. There’s something familiar in the verse, but it’s elusive, and that’s very cool. One thing is certain, Huetensil’s dexterity, whether vocally or lyrically is masterful, he switches easily to falsetto, not losing strength or bite. Maybe it’s a Geddy Lee level of influence happening, either way, it’s undeniable.

“Nothin’” jumps a little funky with the wah pedal rhythm, Michael Wu’s bass driving the bottom and the horn blasts. It seems to be a metaphor shaped from an artist’s joy and frustration versus the same in any relationship that truly means something. Yet again, the listener is allowed to read himself into the story line. “Mr. Curry’s Troubles (The Ballad of Edward Snowden) has a XTC/Andy Partridge feel, the vocal read and the acoustic pushing the rhythm. The subject is topical, intriguing and pertinent, something I wish we’d here more of from younger artists. It’s refreshing in it’s candor, like “Tonight (The Carbon Wars)”. Continuing with the acoustic theme, “Simple” has a sweet refrain that enjoys the support of the bass line. Another facet of Huetensil’s gem, a softer side indeed. The “baaa” harmonies at the end are particularly outstanding!

“Maybe It’s Time” is a political anthem that speaks for the masses. The vocal production is borderline brilliant, the harmony tones and overlaps are pristine while proclaiming, “(Time for a change) Maybe it’s time for a radical change. (Alteration) Something more than a slight alteration. (Tear down the stage) Maybe it’s time to tear down the stage. Replace all the broken pieces. End this conflagration.” It’s has the sweetness and tart of a Rundgren composition, Huetensil’s production and mixing values reach a high here and set a deadly ear-worm! David Wyman’s “side stick” technique lends a metronome feel with a sense of a march, very nice twist. “Wake Me Up” is a desperate call from a comatose man, a remarkable perspective voiced into a dreamy chorus filled with the guest vocalists. In a straight-up power-pop format the rhythm guitar, bass and vocals blend so well. When’s the last time you heard hoosegow rhymed with Moscow and no ciao?

“Let’s Pretend” spits defiant dissonance against a wall of reality, a Black Sabbath-like rhythm guitar mixed with Huetensil’s conflicted anguish. The closer appropriately wraps the political side into a rage filled scream against the government. It smacks of what so many feel while witnessing the war machine at work. I’m hoping it’s a retroactive look at things because it speaks of GWB to me, but that’s my read.

You should take a listen for yourself. Huetensil is energetic, enthusiastic and the level of work put in this work is notable. This kind of production doesn’t happen overnight, shouldn’t be taken lightly and deserves recognition. If I had one wish for Huetensil it would be live drums. While the programming is excellent and the timing is right on, it misses on the feel. Many things can run under the surface, but this isn’t one of them. Well done and well-played Huetensil, well-played!

Key Tracks: Let’s Pretend, Maybe It’s Time, and Nothin

April 7, 2015
Mister F, Twiddle, and Kung Fu Team Up at Upstate Concert Hall
It was a full house and a packed floor at Upstate Concert Hall on April 4 for Mister F and co-headliners Twiddle and Kung Fu. The night started early bringing throngs of people into the Clifton Park venue at 7 pm to see Albany locals Mister F. The band played a fantastic opening set and made it very apparent that it was going to be an awesome night of live music.

Tim Palmieri, guitarist of Kung Fu, sat in with Mister F and had a blast on stage, dueling guitars with Andrew Chamberlain during “Answer the Dog”. Guest appearances from all three bands were a theme throughout the evening, making for a truly exquisite blend of phenomenal musicians.

Kung Fu took the stage first with Zdenek Gubb, bassist of Twiddle, with an intricate drum solo into “Chakrabarty” which set the tone for the night that these guys were not here to mess around. While each member in the band clearly was always having a great time on stage, it was apparent that all members are extremely talented musicians and have a reciprocity within each instrument.

The and dynamic is apparent and impressive. Chris DeAngelis and Zdenek Gubb segued into a full on bass off – showing impressive musicianship to begin the evening. From “Chakrabarty” they went into “Bopcorn,” “Green Earrings” and “Chin Music.” Mihali Savoulidis, guitarist of Twiddle, joined Kung Fu for “Hollywood Kisses” and “Ventriloquist”. Both songs were packed with such energy and intensity, each member of the band reciprocated almost flawlessly with the addition of Mihali.

Once Mihali left the stage the band went into a dynamic “Belatone,” with Todd Stoops practically destroying his keys with his intricate and high energy jams. From “Belatone” they went into “Samurai” and closed with a phenomenal “Scrabb.” There was no set break or time between sets, but instead it was almost like the bands slowly meshed together and in the blink of an eye Twiddle had taken the stage.

Twiddle opened their portion of the evening with Atlantic Motion BBQ. They then segued into a surprising cover of “Phish- Heavy Things” accompanied by Kung Fu’s Tim Palmieri. This song is always an upbeat addition to any set list and it was definitely a great song for Palmieri to join in on. From here, the band went back into “Atlantic Motion” for more of a laid pack jam. Other highlights of their set included “Apples” which Todd Stoops, keyboardist of Kung Fu, sat in for. Also a jammy rendition of “Earth Mama.”

The overall evening showed a wide array of talent and craftsmanship with all three bands covering a broad variety of outlets in musical genres. Perhaps the most interesting part of the evening was that each band shared the stage with other musicians who may or may not had the time prior to practice, and yet the intricacy and complexity of each song knew no bounds. It was impressive to see how far each band has come, but also to see how magnificently they could work with other musicians to create a stellar night of music.

At one point in time, all three of these bands were referred to as “up and coming” within the music scene. It is pretty apparent that at this point that it is safe to say, they came, they saw and they conquered. All around just an absolutely masterful evening of music at the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park.

Mister F:
Inside, Everything You Say (w/Mihali), The Machine > On and On, Oasis > Vocoder, Answer the Dog (w/ Tim Palmieri), Fly Like an Eagle > This One Goes to 11 (Star Wars tease)

Kung Fu:
Chakrabarty, Bopcorn, Green Earrings, Chin Music, Hollywood Kisses (w/Mihali), Ventriloquist (w/Mihali), Belatone, Samurai, Scrabb

Twiddle:
Atlantic Motion BBQ> Heavy Things (w/ Tim Palmieri)> Atlantic Motion BBQ, Cabbage Face, Frends Theme (w/Rob), Dusk Til Dawn, Apples (w/Stoops), White Light, Doinkenbonk!, Earth Mama

Encore: Eyes of The World (w/ Both Bands)
April 7, 2015
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Brooklyn Bowl: The Birds Are April Fools

“Thanks so much” was the only words the Pigeons Playing Ping Pong uttered as the took the stage at Brooklyn Bowl before turning back and walking off. The band is Greg Ormont (vocals, rhythm guitar), Jeremy Schon (guitar, vocals), Ben Carrey (bass, vocals), and Alex Petropulos (drums). Known for their funk sound, tight jams, and goofy on-stage antics, certainly had something up their sleeves for this April Fools Day show. They returned back on stage to open the set with what played out to be the encore, “G Chord Explosion” rocked right out of the gate and played through with the intensity any show closer should, finishing off with Petropulos pounding his drum kit and another “Thanks Boston” from Carrey before the band walked off stage one more time to resounding boos from the NYC crowd. After the gag was over PPPP returned to bring us the type of show you would expect given the bands rising popularity, the upbeat “Time To Ride” highlighted Ormont’s unique vocals before breaking into “Burning Up My Time>Tubthumping>Burning Up My Time” while the 1997 Chumbawamba cover incited equal parts dance moves and chuckles from the crowd, it was reminiscent of Tom Marshall on vocals when Phish covered the tune at the Hampton Coliseum 11/21/98, and to bring things full circle Schon was sporting his best 1998 Mike Gordon shaggy haircut.

PPPP kept the upbeat jams going with “Live It Up” before being joined on stage by local 24-year-old amazing talent Kyla Moscovich (trumpet, PitchBlk Brass Band) for “Whoopie”, Moscovich laid down brassy solos intertwined with Ormont and Schon battling it out with guitar riffs. “Penguins>Funkijam>Upfunk” was punctuated by a lengthy drum solo by Petropulos, and for “Whirled” Matty Carl (sax, Schwizz) joined in on the fun. PPPP followed by playing “Walk Outside” sandwiched around Carl Douglas’s “Kung Fu Fighting”. The second set was brought to a close with “Julia” a break from the bands usual funky beats to provide more of a Calypso sound. For an encore PPPP returned back to their funk-jam roots for the show closing “Cliffs”. You can catch the Pigeons Playing Ping Pong for three nights at their own music festival, DomeFest, May 28-30 at Trip’s Farm in Terra Alta, WV. Tickets can be purchased here.

4/01/2015 @ Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn, NY)

Set 1: G chord explosion#, Time To Ride> Burning Up My Time>Tubthumping>Burning Up My Time, Live It Up, Whoopie^, Penguins>Funkijam>Upfunk%, Whirled*, Walk Outside>Kung Fu Fighting>Walk Outside, Julia

Encore: Cliffs+

Notes:

# Chord explosion followed by a “Thank You” and ending hits, walked off stage as if end of the show

^ w/Kyla Moscovich on trumpet

% w/drum solo

* w/Matty Carl (ShwizZ) on sax

+ w/April Fools day lyrics

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April 6, 2015
Shana Falana Start Their Tour on Fire

Shana Falana who are releasing a fantastic album next week started their tour in support of it at Albany’s The Low Beat.

Starting off the evening was local duo Moon Magick. With hauntingly beautiful vocals from Laura as well as some keyboard work and endlessly looping guitar work from Phil, the duo set the stage for the evening. Their set up was minimal and the music relaxed everyone into the long evening. Next up was Eternal Crimes who woke up the crowd with their version of English Punk via outer space. The band had a great light show to go along with their distorted vocals that pushed them towards psychedelia as the set continued on. Then despite some early sound issues, a packed house got the chance to witness Shana Falana’s new songs out in the open for the first time. Looping vocals underneath Shana’s beautiful voice merged with her ferocious guitar playing and were pushed along by Mike Amari’s drumming. Video in the background was a great way to make the evening feel like an art show with music at times, which suits the band perfectly. Catch them out on tour throughout the United States this spring.

April 6, 2015
Hearing Aide: Space Carnival ‘Live at the Oneonta Theatre’

Space Carnival, an Upstate band out of Oneonta has released Live at the Oneonta Theatre from a performance at the Oneonta Theatre in March 2015. The first song is a weak start. But the second song, ‘Moon Boots’, is really groovy. The track starts out slow then the drums lay a techtonic foundation in which the keyboard and the guitar then take turns being the voice of the song.

‘Moon Boots’ has a little flavor similar to the song ‘Funkytown’ by Lipps Inc. It would have been a good idea to drive right into that song ‘Moon Boots’ from the get go. It seems that Space Carnival takes pride on creating an atmosphere that welcomes fun and dancing. They are successful in doing that. This live album is swirling with positive energy.

Like most good jam bands they stray away from the vocals in majority of the album; only occasionally throwing in a “Hey! Hey!” Each song is different from the next. The band plays around with a triage of styles. From spacey sounds with slow guitar, to fast, playful keyboard grooving and some Ryan Stasik style-esque bass playing. The song “Uh oh I Slipped my Disco” is huge for this set. It stands out because of the patience the band has. During this song the band slows things down to exploar and really takes some risk. It was their longest jam, totaling 16-minutes, and is entertaining the entire time. The song incorporates playful melodies, slowed down dub and one evil synthesizer.

Key Tracks: Moon Boots, Uh Oh I Slipped my Disco, Filth

Check out this live album and more of Space Carnival music on BandCamp.

April 6, 2015