Category: Reviews

Machine Head Tears Apart Town Ballroom In Buffalo

Going against the grain on what most metal bands are doing as far as touring these days, Machine Head is currently taking the bold approach and doing an “Evening With” headlining with no openers whatsoever, in support of their latest album Bloodstone & Diamonds, arguably one of their best to date, and easily the best metal album of 2014. Rob Flynn and the boys stopped at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo last Thursday night for the second time in three years, setting for what was an unforgettable night.

The bodies piled into the venue long before Machine Head hit the stage. By showtime, the crowd kept chanting “Machine Fucking Head! Machine Fucking Head” was nonstop during the whole show, The band stormed the stage opening with “Imperium.” Machine Head, although are getting up there in age, were performing like if they were in their prime – hungry and vicious. Their stage presence and energy have NEVER been better. They are giving their fans their money’s worth and putting other bands on notice.

Machine Head has gone through a slight lineup change since they appeared at the Town Ballroom back in February 2012. New bassist Jared MacEachern replaced Adam Duce this past year, so the big question is, does MacEachern fill the void? Adam Duce was a monster on the bass, but also had remarkable backing vocals to go with Flynn’s vocals. So when Duce was fired, I was saddened, and wondered how MacEachern could pull this gig off. And I will say I was blown away by MacEachern’s stage presence, skill, backing vocals were amazing! He has much more range than Duce had (although Duce does sound a lot like Flynn) but he pulled off vocal harmonies, grunts, growls, and sings VERY well, so he adds such a new and killer dynamic to Machine Head’s live show that they never had before. Dave McClain was a fiend behind the kit, and playing all those songs in a long set is no easy task. And lead guitarist Phil Demmel rifts and solos are unmatched. And his flying v Randy Rhoades black polka-dot guitar was gorgeous to look at. But vocalist guitarist Rob Flynn is the unquestionable all-star and leader of the band and no one anchors the band better, or gets the crowd psyched like no other. The most fascinating thing to watch on stage is watching Flynn and Demmel exchange guitar solos, as well as their harmonizing guitar solos…. it is such a spectacle to behold on stage.

As far as their set, they gave the fans what they deserved with a two-hour and fifteen minute set – with no intermission. We heard new songs like “Now We Die” and “Sail Into The Black” and were also treated to classics like ”Old” and “Ten Ton Hammer.” But really gave me a pleasant shock, early into their set, Machine Head played their nu-metal anthem “From This Day” for the first time in 13 years and the crowd went absolutely bananas. They managed to play at least one song from every album from their 20 year catalog. Closing with the unforgettable song “Halo” afterwards, not one person left this show disappointed. Machine Head told the crowd they will come back and said that they will do “evening with” again. It’s safe to say that Machine Head gave the fans their money’s worth and are truly a force to be reckoned with.

February 11, 2015
The Lawn Boys at Lovin’ Cup: What a Beautiful Buzz

Tribute bands come and go and many jam fans – especially those of the Phish-y variety, tend to turn their noses up at them. But like most of life every rule has its exceptions. Band’s such as Dark Star Orchestra (Grateful Dead) and Start Making Sense (Talking Heads) have generated ample buzz and following, dedicating their lives representing musical heroes with great respect and talent. The Lawn Boys seem perfectly poised to join this upper tier with their spot-on recreations of composition-based Phish pieces and their own fiery originality within improvisational jam sections that scream “Phish 1.0”.

After a nicely executed sound check “Possum” and a short break, the Boys took the stage and wasted no time getting into the fan favorite and relative rarity “Curtain With”. Featuring shreddy lead passages from TLB’s resident “Trey” Darren Rodney – this rendition could easily stand up among the tops of those of the phab phour themselves. After a fan requested a well done Funky Bitch, came one of the best duo’s of the night: “46 Day’s” into Robert Palmer’s “Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley”. The filled venue with fans of all ages did their part, bouncing all around the room dancing. The jam itself contained many hints at an impending “2001” funk-fest but ended up back into the main Sally theme. At least for this night, the band seemed completely focused on pre-hiatus material with the set ending on a peaktastic goose bump inducing “Slave to the Traffic Light”.

After a “we’ll be back in 10 minutes” break we all took a journey through the “Maze” before the second set got a phabulous anchor with a “Mike’s->Reba->Weekapaug” sequence with bassist Miguel Lantigua dropping soul shaking bombs all over the place and keys man David Kaufman making Page proud. Mid set the band showed their appreciation for Phish’s humorous side with the resident Fishman – drummer Andrew Mega – whipping out the vacuum for a hilarious take on “I Didn’t Know”. A well oiled “Harry Hood” would finish the set, but the packed Lovin’ Cup floor wouldn’t let them end quite yet so they came back out for a triple encore of “Chalk Dust,” “Fuego” (The only new era song for the night) and the obligatory “YEM” to finish it off. Boy Man God Awesome! Keep an eye on The Lawn Boys tour – and don’t miss your next chance to see them.

Set 1

Curtain With, Funky Bitch, 46 Days->Sneaking Sally, Split Open and Melt, Axilla, Wolfmans Brother, Slave to the Traffic Light

Set 2

Maze, Mikes->Reba->Weekapaug (unfinished)->Cities->I Didn’t Know, Theme from the bottom->Weekapaug, Harry Hood

Encore

Chalkdust Torture, Fuego, YEM

February 10, 2015
Hearing Aide: Mosh along with Blacklisted’s ‘When People Grow, People Go’

What better way to start off the year with a strong dose of strong raw hardcore. Philly based Blacklisted have crafted another dose of feedback driven, groove based, punk infused hardcore with their fourth record When People Grow, People Go. Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, the album wastes no time getting its point across. The record is almost trapped in time with a sound that sounds straight out of the late ’90s early 2000’s era hardcore that got me into the scene. This is stuff you would have heard any given Saturday night at a VFW or community rec center. Songs that force you to bob your head along and say to yourself “man, this is good stuff”. The riffs are strong, the drums push the beat forward, and the whole thing is begging for a pit to open up.

The song “Riptide” in particular sounds exactly like the Syracuse hardcore scene I loved so much through my teenager years and every song on the record has a really stripped down approach that doesn’t rely on production gimmicks. It’s really refreshing in 2015 to hear a record that hasn’t been overproduced to the point of sounding like a robot recorded it. While I do wish there was a little more punch with the drums it feels authentic. This sounds like they just went into a room, banged out some songs, and recorded them. Nothing fancy about it. Just pure energy.

The signature sound on the record has to be the guitar layering. Traditional hardcore punk riffs with a nice mixture of chaotic feedback that blends to radical harmony. They also know how to speed things up when needed and add a little edge of aggression but at the same time when they slow it down a little and lock into a groove it’s beyond good. Opening track “Insularized” is a great example of them being able to shift gears from fast to slow and back again. Sometimes this causes a song to come off disjointed but they were able to keep it together without sounding like they cut and pasted two different songs together.

Blacklisted has become one of those bands that has started to really cultivate a strong catalog of releases. Some bands start their career off with a bang and slowly go downhill from there trying to chase after what they once had. And some bands just never get that light bulb moment where everything clicks together and they put out something really special. But Blacklisted have been able to be consistently good. Few bands can lay claim to being able to say that they haven’t put out a bad or disappointing record. While When People Grow, People Go doesn’t go outside of the box, it also doesn’t feel like they’re playing it safe. They made a record that has a very distinct sound that doesn’t bend to any trends. That should be applauded when more and more bands are slowly getting away from the things that made people fall in love with them in the first place.

Blacklisted have long been viewed as one of the best in their genre. They put on a live show full of energy with crowds that get whipped into a fury and now they’ve added to their legacy with a great all around record. While it doesn’t pack the punch of their previous releases it’ll please their fans for sure and they remain at the top of their class.

Key Tracks – Insularized, Deeper King, Riptide

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKKYYzIMHhA&w=560&h=315]

February 10, 2015
Hearing Aide: Driftwood’s Self-Titled Debut

Whether you enjoy the whimsical melodies of folk music, or the boot-stomping, heart-pumping beats of rock ‘n’ roll, Driftwood’s first full-length album has a little something for everyone. Hailing from Binghamton, the band’s ability to glue together a small piece of every genre is remarkable.

As a whole, the self-titled album Driftwood manages to paint very descriptive, colorful narratives of lessons and stories that unfold seamlessly. From the first few seconds of the first song, “High School Paycheck” listeners can glide along through a story ultimately about the sum of our days not being comparable to the amount of money earned. It’s a sentiment that people of all walks of life can relate to, and the listener’s journey has only just begun.

The softness of the first track should not be a reflection of what Driftwood manages to accomplish with the rest of the album. The second song, “The Sun’s Going Down” hits hard and heavy. We are encouraged to go along on the ride with them, listening close to their words and physically feeling what it is they are trying to convey. The rest of the album continues to raise the bar. “The Carburetor and the Steam Engine” slowly creeps up to a powerful peak of emotions and is followed by simple, yet soul tingliging lullabies such as “Outer Space.” Claire Byrne’s powerful ode “Before I Rust” could make anyone weak in the knees, as can her delicate and expressive fiddle playing. Combined with Joey Arcuri’s passionate bass lines, Dan Forsyth’s revelatory voice and Joe Kollar’s unique style of banjo, the four-piece has it all. Their spot-on harmonies and attention to detail round out the album like a classic novel, with heartfelt finality and precise conclusion. Driftwood’s collective songwriting skills are honed by the classics in music, and given their fire from the rock ‘n’ roll of our parents’ generation. When assembled, the words and melodies are nothing short of a masterpiece.

Key Tracks: The Carburetor and the Steam Engine, Before I Rust, Buffalo Street

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February 9, 2015
Hearing Aide: Murder by Death ‘Big Dark Love’

My roommate introduced me to the band Murder by Death. I found myself instantly impressed by their blend of soulful, Johnny Cash’esque blues and hard rock leanings. Some might simply call this Americana, but the Indiana born quintet is quite obviously deeper than the title of a genre. Their latest release, Big Dark Love, is proof of that.

The band’s fearless leader is Adam Turla. Over the course of the band’s history, his voice has deepened and matured like a tasteful red wine — only getting better over time. My introductory album was Red of Tooth and Claw — where songs like “Fuego!” and “’52 Ford” quickly had my attention. Big Dark Love is stylistically similar on a musical level, but Turla’s vocals have more fold to them this time around. He uses the fullness of his range and is not afraid to employ harmonies, but still stands with his emotional integrity — making the message of each song completely convincing. The creepy title track gave me chills, “isn’t that fun?”

Likewise, Turla delivers a tear – inducing performance on “Send Me Home,” which deals with death of a loved one. Quite the same is suit on “Hunted,” which lyrically encapsulates a man’s perspective on women’s issues. “We don’t know what it’s like to be hunted. We don’t know what it’s like to be wanted,” Turla admits.

But Murder by Death is not the Adam Turla show, thank God. Each member is quite obviously showcased in his or her own way, perfecting the art of being a band. Quite simply put, you can’t have one without the other. And none of their music is ‘simple rock songs’ either, which is why Sarah Balliet’s cello playing is so perfectly placed on each song. Cello isn’t a typical rock instrument, either. But before you dismiss her back to the first cello seat in orchestra class, realize that without Balliet, Big Dark Love would not have quite the round aggression it needs and accomplishes.

Likewise, the rhythm and bass section of the album simply kicks ass. With songs like “Natural Pearl,” and “It Will Never Die,” a strong ‘backbone’ is not the important thing. The important thing was to create a natural ambiance. The title track does this extremely well. The showcased members are less Turla and Balliet and more autonomously Matt Armstrong on Bass, Dagan Thogerson on drums — he delivers an equally emotional and driving drum performance — and a strong presence from David Fountain on keys and additional stringed instruments. Fountain’s performance (including his vocal harmonies) throughout the album displays a sort of musical growth for Murder by Death, as if the band has taken another step in the evolutionary process.

Either way, Big Dark Love is another slam dunk for Murder by Death. No questions asked.

The album can be purchased directly from the band and on iTunes,

Key Tracks: Big Dark Love, Send Me Home, Hunted

February 8, 2015
Hearing Aide: Balkun Brothers ‘ReDrova’

Emerging from CT with an explosive, funkified blues-rock sound, Balkun Brothers have been touring heavily up and down the East coast in support of their first full-length studio album, ReDrova.

The trio features Steve Balkun on guitar/vocals, Nick Balkun on drums and Caleb Battersby on bass/vocals, creating a new age soulful blues with hard-hitting attitude. They’ve been voted “Best Blues Band in Connecticut” for the past two years in a row and ReDrova is a powerful testament to the title. The 12 track album covers a diverse taste of Balkun Brothers flavor with foot stomping, high-speed chase tunes to swampy Americana punk. The Balkun Brothers have shared the stage with such acts as Dopapod, Johnny Winter, Joe Bonamassa, Mike Dillon and many more with hundreds of shows set at festivals and legendary clubs across the country.

The album kicks off with an organized mess of a crescendo from the trio before slamming into heavy, classic rock guitar riffs and rhythms that throw the listener into the music with full force. The impressive rock star vocals with lengthy note holds and range are enthusiastic cliff hangers throughout the entire album. The blues rock is a swampy surprise as the twang of the guitar blends with the deep bass notes and steady percussion perfectly each time. The album takes a turn to slow it down for a heated focus on the sensual melodies only to segue into an upbeat New Orleans’s jazz for a ‘spin me around the dance floor’ free for all. Each song is fresh with an energetic punk meets blues rock and a heavy twist of Elvis Presley charm.

ReDrova is available on their website for $10 as a digital download or as a hard copy at any of their shows. Catch them this weekend when they return home to Connecticut to perform at The Main Pub in Manchester on Friday, February 6 and to Upstate, NY on Saturday February 7 at Syracuse’s Funk n Waffles with special guests Canopy. Check out their website for all their upcoming New England show dates because with their hot new album release, this is the band to look out for this year.

Key Tracks: Oh Yeah! (Last Jam), Got My Boots On, Sally’s Blues

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February 6, 2015
Hearing Aide: Years & Years, “Y&Y EP”

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but what about judging a band by their album artwork? It’s an interesting concept. As a musician, I’ll admit I enjoy the contents of a record way beyond its initial art, but as I’m gazing along multiple music search engines, I have to say bright colors do catch my eye first. But what does this have to do with British band Years & Years and their new album? Everything.

Many have been drawn to this talented trio’s previous releases, including their 2012 single “I Wish I Knew” and 2014 super hit “Real.” However, it wasn’t music alone that brought me to the masterpiece that is Y&Y EP. Once the intricate design of the album cover caught my attention, there was a sudden urge to listen to the entire collection, which of course, I did.

In typical EP fashion, the EP contains only four tracks, each contrasting in style. The opening track “Desire” leads us in with what some would consider to be a champion pre-game anthem, with an engaging house-inspired pulse courtesy of beat master Emre Turkmen. The combination of Turkmen along with bassist Mikey Goldsworthy was the start of Years & Years back in 2010. Since then, Olly Alexander’s soulful vocals have been added to the band after Goldsworthy heard him singing in the shower. With the addition of Alexander, Years & Years have been gaining great success before even releasing a full-length album, like undergoing an extensive UK tour. The tender mix of bluesy melodic lines and urban dance blends make this band very distinct to listeners, especially for tracks like “Take Shelter” and “King.”

Placed last in the EP is a track entitled “Memo,” which you could say is the outlier of the Y&Y EP. With subtle use of electronic embellishments, Alexander plays block piano chords as he sings jazzy vocal syncopations. His use of vocal trilling is similar to that of Tracy Chapman, yet there’s an intimate softness in his voice that is close to the style of James Vincent McMorrow. While the song may leave the EP on a rather gloomy note, it shows great versatility within the group that leaves us anxious for a full-length album. While there’s no official word on what this group will do in the studio next, we will surely be keeping watch, at least for some new artwork to marvel at.

Key Tracks: Desire, Take Shelter, Memo

February 5, 2015
When Planets Collide: One Saturday in ROCKchester

The duel galactic bodies of Rochester’s Planet Assassin and Inner Planets joined forces Saturday Jan 31 at The Firehouse Saloon downtown for ROCKchester. Despite the Hoth-like chill in the outside air the music room at Firehouse filled up nicely and was ready to get their groove on.

The Firehouse Saloon is relatively new to the Rochester scene but has been a great friend to the music community. Non genre focused bar hoppers and music fans alike can enjoy a variety of acts on any given night. The bar showcases an excellent beer selection, free popcorn, a nice outdoor patio, and if you’re game, a free to play ping pong table.

Planet Assassin was up first after some technical amp difficulties. Playing in only their third public facing show, the stoner-groove-rock focused 4-piece features Daren Johnson and Josh Cooke sharing guitar hero and vocal duties, Frank Ashcraft on bass, and Nick Pryor (Also in Hot Mayonnaise and formerly of Abandoned Buildings Club) smacking the skins. Citing their influences as Dead Meadow, Rush, Hawkwind, and Hall & Oates (Seriously guys?) – the bands hard droning rock sound maintained a uniqueness and surprising tightness for such a new band.

Inner Planets – not nearly as new to the scene having formed in 2009 – took the stage next for duel sets of songs featuring a solid rock base with a generous side heaping of jamming. The Rush influence continued along interspersed with shades of Phish, moe. and more.

http://youtu.be/IqysP-USNcA

This weekend Firehouse will continue to showcase it’s diverse schedule with a burlesque Mardi-Gras celebration on Friday ($7 at 9PM) and local cover band Trapper Keeper on Saturday ($5 at 9PM). All shows are 21+

February 5, 2015
Hearing Aide: Dethlehem ‘Destroyers of the Realm’

Do you like melodic death metal? Do you like role playing games along the lines of Dungeons & Dragons? If you answered yes to both of these questions, Dethlehem is a band you need to know about, if you don’t already.

Simply put, the music of Dethlehem serves as a portal to a wondrous realm of knights, maidens, dragons, wizards, witches, and ghastly nocturnal creatures. Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA these five heroes have spent the last seven years treating their audiences to a true fantasy RPG experience, through both their live shows and studio recordings.

Their latest album, Destroyers of the Realm, is no exception. From start to finish, this 11 track adventure uses crushing war drums, superb guitar riffs and solos, beautifully layered and diverse vocals, and a tasteful low end, to cut through the fabric of space and time. It transports the listener to a metal nerd’s utopia, where the only rules stem from the limits of your XP and your luck with the dice.

Presentation is very important to this band. Not only do they grace the stage covered in medieval battle armor, they also made sure to put just as much effort into the physical copies of their latest album. Visiting their bandcamp page and downloading a digital copy scores you an issue of their digital comic book, but buying a deluxe hard copy from the same site ensures a separate lyric sheet. It comes off as a medieval scroll with burnt edges, and encapsulating the entire package, is a custom sleeve with the band’s royal seal stamped on it with red candle wax.

The album kicks off with an 8 minute battle called Knightmare. This tune goes off in several directions throughout, but the diversity of the song never takes away from its flow. This band is very good with song structure in that regard. Each song is a well conceived part of an overall story and never fails to hit its mark. The guitar riffs are catchy and spot on with their genre, reminiscent of the guitar work on The Jester Race, Whoracle or Colony by In Flames. The solos are very driving, but also just as catchy as the riffing. If you’re a fan of hooky leads with a slight power metal feel, then these licks are for you.

Oathbound follows Knightmare and serves as an ideal single and perfect representation of this band’s sound. It’s hard-hitting, with no regrets and leaves you wanting more. Simply scroll down for the video and allow it to speak for itself.

The record also never loses its RPG feel. Several guest performances were included on this record to make certain of that. Haunting narrations make their way on and off certain tracks. The album also contains three interludes, during which the listener is transported back to a D & D setting, where only the dungeon master’s words can dictate the next chain of events.

Enchanting female vocals, courtesy of Clarissa Badini appear on the track, Shadow Remnants of the Guardian Shield, and the URIZEN boys’ choir also appears on the same track, taking on the roles of a group of dwarfs. This is also the longest track on the album, at 9:08. It’s a true testament to the band’s level of admirable musicianship as a whole.

The shortest actual song on the album is Oathbound, clocking in at 3:52. However, the majority of the full songs, not counting the interludes, hover in between 6 and 9 minutes. Fans of this genre shouldn’t be disappointed by the longer tracks. These are very multi-dimensional songs, with great dynamics and skilled layering across the board. Simply put, they remain interesting for their duration.

Dethlehem will be in Clarence NY on June 13 for an outdoor folk metal festival. Fans of the band and their new album Destroyers of the Realm are urged to come out and hear these tracks played live, along with some of the best talent the WNY metal scene has to offer!

Key Tracks: Knightmare, Oathbound, Shadow Remnants of the Guardian Shield

www.dethlehem.com

www.facebook.com/dethlehem

www.dethlehem.bandcamp.com

February 3, 2015
Floodwood Keeps Their Fans Warm on a Frigid Winter Night in Oneonta

On a typical snowy blustery January night in Upstate NY, those who were brave enough to venture out into the elements were in for a real treat at the Oneonta Theatre this past Friday with an evening of ‘new grass’ and Americana music to get people dancing and keep their souls warm despite the frigidness outside. Floodwood, featuring Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico of moe., seemed excited to be back in Oneonta playing in a small familiar venue, having recently returned from a jaunt to Jamaica where they performed at the Tropical Throe.down festival. The increasingly popular Oneonta based The Spectacular Average Boys opened the show, laying the groundwork for the spectacle that was Floodwood.

The Spectacular Average Boys, a hometown favorite clearly thrilled to be there and opening up for Floodwood, paved the way for an altogether splendid evening. Performing a mix of hipster and Americana styles of music, the band appealed to a wide range of interests. At times sounding a bit like the Avett Brothers, and at other times offering some hints of Ween, this band can play it all. Bassist Joel Shue was particularly impressive, with his ability to simultaneously take care of both the melody and rhythm sections, plus he sang beautiful harmonies to boot. Lead singer, the famously bearded Ned Brower (who has organized the annual “Beard-Off” competition in Oneonta in the past), has a surprisingly powerful voice, not to be overshadowed by his mastery of the banjo. What made his banjo playing even more striking was his ability to morph the sound coming through his instrument through his foot pedal in such an effective way, giving the banjo a more distant and otherworldly sound. On the more country side of things, guitarist/vocalist Justin Ploutz was sporting a flannel and cowboy hat, and he rocked out the entire set! Drummer Joe Pfeiffer provided steady yet creative beats throughout, with an incredible energy level to back up his obvious skills. Mixing a bunch of clever originals, with many songs seemingly related to relationship troubles, but put in a funny light; with a variety of covers ranging from Stone Temple Pilot’s “Plush” – introduced by Ned describing the band as being ‘a product of the ‘90s’ – to the traditional tune “The Ballad of Jesse James” the crowd was more than adequately warmed up for the evening’s main event.

Right from the get-go, one could tell that Floodwood is a force to be reckoned with. It quickly became evident from their unique ability to communicate musically that this band is tight, as they took off running with “Mother”, which is particularly difficult to keep together rhythmically, featuring an unusual time signature and interesting placement of pauses. Watching the band members interact with each other was like watching them have a veritable conversation using their instruments. The music seemed to flow through the group like a wave, with each musician able to sense when they were about to be passed a solo through visual cues and body language.

It was clear that mandolinist Jason Barady is the attention hog of the group, but I mean that in the best way possible. Constantly dancing around the stage, and often jumping off stage to come play in the crowd, even dancing right in front of a lucky fan’s cell phone camera at one point, Jason helped to blur the line between band and audience. You could tell that Jason was truly enjoying being up there to share his musical talents with the world. And boy, did he have talent. He really wailed on that mandolin.

Almost equally as eager to connect with the crowd was Nick Piccininni, Floodwood’s fiddler and banjo player and the youngest member of the band at the tender age of 25. When you weren’t too consumed with feeling totally envious of his incredible talent rivaling that of musicians many decades his senior, or basking in his infectious smile, you realized you were exceedingly fortunate to be in the presence of such a musical genius. On top of everything else, Nick made it look easy to do what he was doing, which it clearly is not.

Bassist Zach Fleitz was much more subdued in manner than Jason and Nick, but he could still bring it on the bass. Alternating seamlessly between stand-up and electric, Zach provided a steady backdrop for the band. He really shined through during one of their more traditional tunes, “Nine Pound Hammer”, so much so that Jason had to take a moment to pay homage to the bass by literally petting it in the middle of the song! Zach’s silliness did shine through at one point: during an extended drum solo at the end of one of their songs, he was doing push-ups in rhythm with the drums right there on stage! Towards the end of their set, Zach and guitarist Al Schnier ended their song “Caught” with a duet featuring an awe-inspiring use of harmonics by both players, with Zach sounding particularly Victor Wooten-esque. I didn’t realize how many notes it was possible to get from just two instruments.

Acoustic guitarist Al Schnier and drummer Vinnie Amico of none other than moe. fame rounded out the band. The fact that they have been playing together for 25 years really came through in their subtle methods of communication. They seemed very comfortable playing with each other, and thrilled that they have found three other such talented musicians who work together with them so effortlessly. Vinnie was one of the quieter members of the band as far as stage antics go, but his presence was definitely felt on a profound level. Even though new grass music has bluegrass at its core, and drums are not a typical instrument one would find in a bluegrass band’s line-up, it seemed to work. Al drove home that point with a joke about when they were forming Floodwood: “We told him we were playing bluegrass and he couldn’t come, but he came anyway!” From that joke, the band went into “Stomp It” one of their more complicated tunes both rhythmically and melodically, on which the drums played a crucial role, and while they were playing, everyone kind of moved around on stage looking at each other in awe of the music they were creating.

Al Schnier added his distinctive style of acoustic guitar to the mix, which provided a consistent drive throughout the band’s set, and with his incredible and unique voice that you would recognize anywhere, this guy is the whole package. Towards the end of the show, Al revealed to the audience that he was a graduate of SUNY Oneonta, where he spent the best five years of his life, during which he occasionally went to classes in between catching Grateful Dead shows. This little tidbit served as the perfect lead-in to a rousing rendition of “Cumberland Blues”.

Altogether a remarkable show, Floodwood definitely gained some loyal fans who will surely make it a habit to check out lots more of their shows in the future. Early on in the set, Nick asked the obligatory “How’s everybody feeling?”, to which he received only a handful of cheers, but when he asked the same question later on, it was a whole different story. You could tell the audience was hooked, and rightfully so.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjMo7ymkzY]

February 2, 2015