Category: Show Reviews

Foreigner Brings the Classics to Darien Lake

Taking the Darien Lake stage promptly at 7:30 p.m. was Foreigner. For those who are unaware of who these legends are – Foreigner is an arsenal of rock spanning five decades with 10 multi-platinum albums including 16 Top 30 hits. The crowd roared as Chris Frazier came out and took his prominent position behind the drum kit first followed by Bruce Watson on guitar, Michael Bluestein on keyboards/piano and Jeff Pilson on the bass. Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar/keyboards/saxophone), walked on the stage next just moments before frontman and vocalist Kelly Hansen walked up to the center microphone stand. The crowd was worked into a frenzy by the time everyone was in place and it was time to blow the roof off!

Kelly and company started off with “Double Vision” as the fans started rising to their feet in excitement. After the first song couple songs Kelly made some pretty racy remarks. He started mocking people who were in the front row that were sitting down while everyone else was standing up. He called out people that were on their cell phones the entire time and used some profanity. I was in disbelief and I think my colleague had to pick my jaw up from the floor.

The ever-classic radio favorite, “Cold As Ice” was performed next. Towards the end of “Cold As Ice,” Kelly Hansen jumped down to the floor to sing with the audience as he walked around several sections before returning to the stage to finish the song.

What was pleasing to see was Foreigner included a little local touch to the show. He had the Attica High School Choir come out to the stage and sing “I Wanna Know What Love Is.” The crowd cheered ferociously as the kids walked to the stage. The performance by the choir was spectacular and it couldn’t have gone any better. To close out the night they played the classic “Hot Blooded.” This was my first time seeing Foreigner and mark my words I will go again every time they come to town, they have won over the younger generation.

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August 11, 2015
Non-Point & 10 Years at The Montage Music Hall

There was a semi full house at the Montage Music Hall for Non-Point this evening, with a very diverse crowd of men and woman from 20 to 50 year olds. There were even a few teenagers in the crowd. There was an exciting vibe inside the venue. There was a certain level of anticipation in the air on this warm summer Wednesday evening. School or work in the morning was not a worry to those who were in attendance for this show.

The night kicked off right at 7:00 p.m. sharp with Rochester local support from a newly formed band rock band called A Vintage Year (Played a 25 minute set). The band was well received by the crowd that was now starting to fill up with a lot of familiar local faces from members of other Rochester bands. They had a fun sharp set with their witty riffed, catchy melodies and upbeat pace. A Vintage year is composed of Joe Williams (Vocals), Jordan Barney (Guitars/Vocals), David Pelletrier (Bass) and Nick Manka (Drums). Currently, A Vintage Year are touring in support of their self-titled EP that was released late January of this year – recorded at GRC in Buffalo, NY – which some of you may recognize as the Goo Goo Dolls’ recording studio. They have current air play Rochester stations, The Zone 94.1, WITR 89.7 and the Local Down in Fredonia. Their music can also be found on iTunes, Spotify, Youtube, and Bandcamp.com The evening continued to stay fueled with the grungy energy of special guest: Awaken the Empire (7:40-810 p.m.). An Alternative rock band righteous to their rooted sounds, hailing in from Seattle, WA. Currently in support of their debut album Aurora released on July, 24 2015, as a follow up from their 2011 EP The Awakening The band is composed of Damien Lawson (Vocals), Romina Fronti (Bass/Vocals), Daryl Falconor (Drums) and Shivan Somaratne (Guitar).

The band’s set was a tight one and Frontman Damien had a youthful Kurt Cobain mist about him, while watching drummer Daryl was like a flashback of a young Dave Ghrol. Meant to be that way or not the musical spirit was definitely there and appreciated. They introduced the third song which is a current single “Cross My Heart.” They even called a shot out to the local opener A Vintage Year –Damien announced: “I don’t remember the band’s name that opened the show but I fucking liked you,” then proceeded to ask the crowed what the name of the band was. By this point in their set they had the crowed engaged before their set was though.

The Family Ruin (8:25-8:50) kept the energy high as they ripped right into their set, showing no mercy with their heaviness. They are also a special guest on this tour. A Metal/ Alternative band hailing from across the pond in York, England. Currently in support of their debut Dearly Departed, released on September 26, 2014. Johnny Mennell (Vocals), Craig Robinson (Guitar/Vocals), James Langley (Guitar), Dom White (Drums) and Josh Adamson (Bass). Lead vox Johnny Mennell yells to the now almost packed house: “Wednesday night? Well fuck that. Tonight is FRIDAY night- now jump with me to this next song.” These guys had the crowd in the palm of their hands as they thrashed through the rest of their set.

The high anticipated Nonpoint (9:15-10:05) was very on point tonight. Coming right out with highly energetic aggressive pace for the night. The Montage Music hall that was now a packed house had a crowd that was singing along with these guys loud and proud through their set. Nonpoint, no stranger to the music scene, are a heavy rock band with a hard core twist. With members coming from various parts of the country: Ft. Lauderdale FL, Chicago and Cleavleand. Currently supporting their current album The Return and the new single “Breaking Skin.” The band is composed of Elias Soriano (Vocals), Rob Rivera (Drums), Rahseed Thomas (Guitar/Vocals), Adam Woloszyn (Bass) and BC Kochmit (Lead Guitar/Vocals). The band was chummy with the crowd and poking a little fun at their mostly dreadlocked sporting band members when leader of the pack Elias busted out with some banter: “Some of you might recognize us as a band called ‘Korn’ while the band played a few Korn riffs and beats for a brief second. This was leading the crowd into thinking they were going to cover a Korn tune — instead they surprised everyone with a Jay Z cover of “99 Problems.” The masses ate it up and chanted along. The band took this in stride and went into their 2005 single “Bullet with a Name.” As Elias duely noted that it was everyone’s job in the place to move around and make the person next to you jump along with you. He also made a shout out to the local support and their special guests.

The headlining act was 10 Years. And it has been almost a decade since some people hear might have had a chance to see these guys live. The band got right down to business as they assembled on stage with mood lighting setting to a cool mellow ambiance. 10 Years is an alternative rock band from Knockville consisting of Jesse Hasek (Vocals), Ryan “Tater” Johnson (Guitar/Vocals), Ryan Collier (Bass), Chad Huff (Guitar), and Kyle Mayer (Drums/Keyboards). On the road to showcase their latest and greatest release From Birth To Burial that was introduced to the fans with the first single “Miscellana” released on Feb. 13, 2015. The band had an ambient jam band artsy vibe for their set, the crowd seemed euphoric as a reaction to what they were witnessing. The set was very intimate, until they kicked up the mood a notch with their 2005 single “Wasteland,” that got everyone back into a upbeat gear just about everyone sang along. Jesse was expressing much depth in this set while he narrated thoughts that candidly addressed the muse for certain songs.

Overall it was a great night for music, fans were reconnected with the more familiar bands Nonpoint and 10 Years. New fans were gained for special guests Awaken the Empire and The Family Ruin. And much new love was and respect was built for local support A Vintage Year. If anyone is able to catch any of these bands on any bill. Do yourself a big favor and check out then out live or stop over to their social media and band pages.

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August 11, 2015
Dark Star Orchestra Holds First Stadium Show at Rochester’s Frontier Field

Dark Star Orchestra celebrated a milestone playing their first stadium show while also setting an attendance record for themselves July 28, when they played Rochester’s Frontier Field. Set up on the third base line and facing the seats with no access to the field, DSO recreated the 1987 Dead show played at Rochester’s Silver Stadium on July 2, 1987.

Fans of the band took to social media shortly before the show began to spread the word that Frontier Field had announced they were not allowing concert goers on the field. Word spread quickly and people wondered how the stage would be set up.

All anybody had to do to squelch that concern was enter the venue and see the stage facing the third base seats. Concerns fell to the way side, the crowd was a cohesive body of dancing and celebration.

The unique set up allowed for an intimate feel of an indoor show, in a stadium, accompanied by a beautiful summer night with clear skies. They were dancing in their seats, on the grass and at the concession stands – ‘The music never stopped.’

As at all DSO shows, concertgoers scrambled to figure out which set list the band would choose to play at their first stadium show. Once “Bertha” began just after a rockin’ “Hell In A Bucket,” we all knew they had chosen the July 7, 1987 Silver Stadium show. A show that was near and dear to the Rochester Deadhead community, as it was part of a pair of shows played here by the Grateful Dead in 87′ and 88′.

Rochester couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful night of music and Dead tunes. The show was a family event for many in attendance with babies and big kids dancing and hula hooping by the sides of their mamas and papas, all glowing with happiness. DSO not only recreates the shows of the Grateful Dead but they embody the energy of the band and the community that surrounds them. Dark Star Orchestra is no cover band, they are an extension of the ones who played before them.

Dark Star Orchestra, recereating 7/2/87 Silver Stadium, at Frontier Field – Rochester, NY

Set 1: Hell In A Bucket > Bertha, Walkin’ Blues, Dire Wolf, My Brother Esau, When Push Comes To Shove, Tons Of Steel, Me & My Uncle > Mexicali Blues, Brown Eyed Women, Cassidy, Deal

Set 2: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Samson & Delilah, Looks Like Rain, He’s Gone > Jam > Drums > Space > Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad > All Along The Watchtower > Stella Blue > Sugar Magnolia, E: Black Muddy River

August 9, 2015
Primus, Dinosaur Jr. and Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger Serenade Ommegang Under a Blue Moon

Beautiful weather, a beautiful venue and a blue moon all worked in harmony Friday night to provide the perfect setting for Primus and their Cooperstown stop. Brewery Ommegang, snuggled in among the southern hills near Cooperstown, has proven itself as a premier upstate concert venue over the past several years, attracting such artists as The Pixies, TV on the Radio, The Decemberists, Bonnie Raitt, Old Crow Medicine Show and Sturgill Simpson just this season. Primus and Dinosaur Jr. added to that stellar lineup this past Friday, packing the grounds yet again.

Primus has enlisted the talents of 90s alt-rock brethren Dinosaur Jr. and newcomers, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger to accompany them on this summer-long shed tour.

The night began interestingly enough as we pulled into the lot. There, with his unmistakable gray locks barely being tamed by a hat, was Mr. J Mascis riding a bicycle along the road fronting Brewery Ommegang. This sighting established the night as one that will be remembered.

John and Yoko Ono Lennon’s son, Sean, fronts The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger and the sounds the band produces are like those of his old man’s band but with a touch of psychedelic flair not similar to The Flaming Lips. The band breezed through a brief set of six songs while Lennon paused to enthusiastically thank Primus for the opportunity to be a part of this tour. Opening slots on this tour as well as for Beck previously will prove this band has the chops to be a headliner soon and the crowd reaction to the band’s set seemed to confirm that.

Dinosaur Jr., much like the headliner Primus, is very difficult to categorize and as such, can be an acquired taste. During the course of one set, the sound can go from classic rock riffs to punk rage to shoe-gazing pop. Thus is the intrigue of this band and why it is a perfect compliment to tour with Primus.

Dinosaur Jr’s set was composed of many of their biggest hits, which included “Start Choppin,’” “Out There,” “Feel the Pain” and one of its more recent singles, “Watch the Corners.” Of particular interest was the fact that the “frontman” of the band wasn’t the one in the spotlight the majority of the set. Drummer Murph was the recipient of the lighting love while Mascis worked his quiet-loud riffage in darkness.

The set’s high point was a loping distorted cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” which Dinosaur Jr originally recorded for a compilation album in 1989 but decided to release itself. The highlight for me was when my ten-year old daughter grabbed my hands, stood on my feet and proceeded to lead me in a daddy-daughter dance. And while it may be an unorthodox song to have as a father-daughter dance at a wedding, if my daughter’s reaction to it on this night is any indication, this may just be the one we dance to someday.

Some Young Primus Fans

Sentimentality aside, the Boston-bred crew ripped through their final number, the Bug-era “Budge” and then quietly slipped into the night, making way for the evening’s headliners.

Primus is just coming off touring their “Primus and the Chocolate Factory,” which had the band running through their own version of the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory soundtrack, released last October. Much of the stage set remains from that tour and the merchandise tent was heavy on the Chocolate Factory theme, however, scant attention was paid to that album on this night. Instead, Primus rolled through a lengthy set of their best-known tunes.

The trio entered stage right to the familiar refrain of “Primus Sucks!” from the adoring crowd. Primus is the type of band where there is rarely a middle ground. It is either loved or hated. That being said, the large crowd on hand this night made no bones about which side of the fence they strode. Primus is who they came to see and Primus delivered.

Opening with the lead single from its debut album, “John the Fisherman,” Les Claypool, Larry “Ler” LaLonde and Tim “Herb” Alexander, who appears to be fully recovered from a 2014 heart attack, set the bar high for the remainder of the night.

While remaining true to set lists from previous shows on this tour, Primus still managed to keep the feel fresh while pulling out old classics such as “Harold of the Rocks,” “Mr. Krinkle” and “Spegetti Western.”

In his intro to “Over the Falls”, Claypool, motioning to the hop bines at the back edge of the venue, likened the hops necessary in the brewing of beer to that of grapes to wine, something the experienced vintner knows a thing or two about. Claypool also noted the beautiful blue moon that was hovering behind the hills and broke into an impromptu “Blue Moon” to the crowd’s amusement. Claypool was in comedic form this night.

Recent Green Naugahyde track “Jilly’s on Smack” began with a King Crimson-style swirling guitar intro and turned into an extended jam vehicle for LaLonde to display his unique fretwork while Alexander added some tribal beats. This segued into the “Drums and Whamola” portion of the set where Alexander and Claypool (donning his pig-face mask) dueled as psychedelic images displayed on the backstage screen.

No show at Ommegang is complete without the requisite fireworks display over the enormous illuminated fermenters. The soundtrack to the display was provided by an extended version of “Southbound Pachyderm” to tremendous effect. To me, this was the highlight of the long night.

Forgoing a normal encore, the band continued playing until the house lights came up, finishing strongly with “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver,” “My Name is Mud,” “Electric Grapevine” and “Too Many Puppies,” which also included a “Hello Skinny” tease.

Primus is playing with a renewed vigor these days. This is a trio of excellent musicians who complement each other perfectly. They may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but when I witness them perform, I’m reminded of another trio of excellent musicians with a quirky lead vocalist who were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

August 8, 2015
Photo Gallery: 9th Annual Peekskill Jazz and Blues Festival

Peekskill’s 9th annual Jazz & Blues Festival brought a phenomenal lineup of NY artists to satisfy the ears of northern Westchester’s little melting pot of culture.

The afternoon started off with The Lagond All-Stars, a crew of students from the Lagond School of Music from Elmsford, NY playing mostly cover tunes of various styles with a stage presence unlike what you might expect from a group of younger musicians. Before this show, they played a few shows down in the Nashville area. Local saxophonist and NY Blues Hall of Fame member Ray Blue and his quartet took on more traditional jazz stylings, providing some nice music for those enjoying dinner in the shade of the nearby restaurants.

The evening’s pace heated up as the Latin jazz style of NYC’s all-female Cocomama, with members from all over the world, drew several dancing feet near the stage. The day was capped off by incredible performances by two NY Blues Hall of Fame artists, Johnny Feds & Friends and Slam Allen. Slam Allen’s version of Prince’s “Purple Rain” is one not to be missed.

Slam Allen and Cocomama both have new albums released this year.

Lagond All-Stars
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Ray Blue
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Cocomama
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Johnny Feds & Friends
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Slam Allen
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August 5, 2015
Weird Al Yankovic At The Capitol Theatre: Now That’s What I Call Mandatory Fun

Weird Al Yankovic brought his latest album Mandatory Fun on a world tour with his second to last NY appearance at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

It’s been a number of years since spending half of my fifth grade Saturday mornings with Weird Al and Harvey the Wonder Hamster beaming through the rabbit-ear antenna, not really aware of Al’s musical parodies (or probably caring much for them at the time). After growing into appreciating music throughout my younger years, it was only natural to pay attention to his releases. The lack of MTV or VH1 growing up created an absence of the visual component of his recordings but has made seeing Al for a second time even more exciting.

In what seemed to be at first a pre-taped video entrance, Al is seen starting off one of his latest songs, “Tacky,” just around the corner of The Cap, slowly making his way around the to the marquee in front (rendering some confusion in the drivers stopped at the nearby traffic light) and through some side alleys in a similar style to the music video for the song. The local flair of this intro perked the attention of The Cap early but we really got ourselves going when we saw the camera crew leading him in from the rear of the theatre and realized the whole thing was live and not lip-synched. Who makes an entrance like that these days?

It wouldn’t be a Weird Al show with at least a little bit of polka. His latest polka medley “Now That’s What I Call Polka” (an obvious play on the title of the Now That’s What I Call Music… series) took on “Wrecking Ball,” “Gangnam Style,” “Get Lucky,” and “Thrift Shop,” among a few others. For the younger folks in the crowd, this medley may have caught their attention more than his parody of an older song such as “Smells Like Nirvana.” It would have been fun to hear one of his earlier polka medleys toward the end of the show but there certainly wasn’t any disappointment in the set list.

He pulled something off this time which worked very well. Forming a semi-circle with his band armed with acoustic instruments and some candles for effect, he performed a medley of “Eat It,” “I Lost On Jeopardy,” “I Love Rocky Road,” and “Like A Surgeon” in a few easy-going cool styles. It was slightly confusing at first when Jim West (guitar) opened this run of songs with what sounded like Clapton’s acoustic version of “Layla” but were pleasantly entertained to hear Al sing “Eat It” over this guitar line. On the topic of medleys, Al has a lot of songs to choose from. Before this acoustic run, he performed a medley of ten songs with minimal costume changes done on the fly. It was a nice touch to give as big of a splash of his recordings in the span of a two-hour show.

As usual, Al and his bandmates donned different costumes throughout the show (Devo outfits, the fatsuit, Amish suits, Maple Leaf blazer, et al). In the time needed off stage by the band to change, we were treated to short video montages of Weird Al references – punch lines from shows such as Family Guy, Friends, 30 Rock, and cameos like The Simpsons, Epic Rap Battles of History, and some sort of My Little Pony clip, among others. Prime picked, these montages kept us laughing even when no one was on stage.

Al’s talent and showmanship on stage has been consistent, too. Compared to the first time I saw his show in 2011 at the Palace Theater in Albany, The Cap performance was just as, if not more, fun to watch. While of course many anchors of the setlist were the same (except for the handful of new ones he played off Mandatory Fun) it was all still fresh to see it again.

The highlight of the night was also the most interactive …if you’d call testing the realm of personal space interactive. Walking out of the shadows of the stage with a swagger accentuated by his flame-licked shirt and pants, Al soon made his way through the isles of the orchestra seats singing”Wanna B Ur Lovr.” There wasn’t really a chance for people to get in a cell phone photo frenzy as everyone was too busy catching every moment of his serenade of a handful of the women in the audience.

Before we had to part ways with Weird Al until the next time, we were treated to a Star Wars encore, led in by Rubén Valtierra (keys) in a hooded cloak, playing a few little teasers on the keyboard. Not long after a small mob of Stormtroopers and Darth Vader led the way for the wanna-be Jedi (Al). Who knows if there was a certain inspiration for an interlude between “The Saga Begins” and “Yoda, but it certainly seemed akin to a portion of Phish’s “You Enjoy Myself.” With only about four months until the release of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, the encore helped scratch that anticipatory itch just a little bit.

Aside from the comedy appeal of the show, it was musically fulfilling as well. There were some occasional sound effect samples in the songs, but the band comprised of Jon Schwartz on drums, Steve Jay on bass, Jim West on guitar, and Rubén Valtierra on keys recreated the sounds of the original songs across several genres flawlessy without any cheese factor. Valtierra joined the band in 1991, but the other three were part of Al’s music/comedy recordings since at least the 1982 debut album. This goes to show that Weird Al’s shows are way more than just a solo performer backed by filler music.

For someone who first caught on to Weird Al as a grade school student watching the Weird Al Show on Saturday mornings, it’s exciting to hear fresh parody topics that keep up with some of the latest music. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like Al is showing any signs of slowing down in his comedy.

Setlist: Tacky, Lame Claim To Fame, Now That’s What I Call Polka!, Perform This Way, Dare To Be Stupid, Fat, First World Problems, Foil, Smells Like Nirvana, Party In The CIA/It’s All About The Pentiums/Handy/Bedrock Anthem/Another One Rides The Bus/Ode To A Superhero/Gump/Inactive/eBay/Canadian Idiot (medley), Wanna B Ur Lovr, Eat It/I Lost On Jeopardy/I Love Rocky Road/Like A Surgeon (acoustic medley), White & Nerdy, Word Crimes, Amish Paradise

Encore: We All Have Cell Phones, The Saga Begins, Yoda

August 5, 2015
Grace Potter Proves She’s “Got The Medicine That Everybody Wants” In Canandaigua

After the very first verse of the very first song, there is no doubt that Grace Potter is the real deal. I have seen some female fronted bands where the incredibly pretty woman is scantily clad, she barely sings, she strums the same open note on her guitar over and over again and struts around the stage much to the delight of the men in the audience.

Take that pathetic image and reverse it completely and you have Grace Potter. Potter is beautiful in a tasteful, sultry way, when she opens up her lungs, it’s similar to a pipe organ filling a church with flawlessly designed acoustics, she absolutely rocks her Gibson Flying V guitar and she dances in her heels or barefoot in a delightful free spirited way that evokes the crowd to join her. Did I mention she has the best rock n roll howl in the business?

I enjoyed every minute of the two hour set that Potter and her current back-up band performed Sunday night at the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC). Potter took the stage to a roar of applause despite a rather light crowd. The amazing thing about Potter is the amount of time she spends singing with no break. She ripped right through a sixteen song set list with little reprieve. When she wasn’t singing her heart out, she was wailing on her guitar, hammering away on the piano, shaking her tambourine or shaking her booty. She was working hard up on the stage but managed to make it look effortless.

Potter and company played a variety of genres of music from what sounded like modern country, a bit of blues, love ballads and good old rock and roll. I am convinced that with Potter’s range and vocal ability that she can pull off just about anything. She showcased her vocals in “Timekeeper,” “Stars” and “Delirious” a cut off of her upcoming release Midnight. My favorite song of the evening was “Loneliest Soul” off The Lion The Beast The Beat. With its unusual riffs and almost whiney beats combined with Potters melancholy, symphonic voice, it created almost a spiritual effect. It gave me goosebumps.

Other highlights of the evening included fast paced “Medicine” “Hot Summer Night” and a moving version of “Nothing But the Water.” Grace Potter is known for throwing in a hodge podge of cover songs in her live performances. She has run the gamut from Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy,” to Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” The crowd at CMAC was graced with Potter’s version of The Rolling Stone’s “Gimme Shelter” that was sure to make Mick Jagger proud. Potter ended the evening with fan favorite “Paris (Ooh La La).”

I don’t often make recommendations when it comes to music, but if you have not listened to Grace Potter, please take a moment to go check out some of her live stuff. There’s plenty on YouTube. I was blown away by everything about her. Also, don’t forget she has her new solo album titled Midnight being released at midnight on August 14, 2015.

August 4, 2015
Breaking Benjamin Continue Strong String Of Live Shows At K-Rockathon

For Central New York music fans who have been attending since the 90s, it feels hard to believe that the K-Rockathon celebrated its’ 20^th anniversary show at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fairgrounds this past weekend. Over the years, the K-Rockathon has been billed as one of the most anticipated shows of the year and with good reason.Past lineups have included mega acts the Violent Femmes, Goo Goo Dolls, Staind, Black Label Society, Social Distortion, Seether, Papa Roach, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Temple Pilots, Korn, Public Enemy and more . This year’s roster included K-Rockathon veterans Trapt, Shinedown and Breaking Benjamin.

It was, for the most part, a beautiful day. In what seems to be becoming a K-Rockathon tradition, there was a short-lived, light rain in the morning and a torrential downpour that sent fans scrambling for cover right before headliner Shinedown was set to take the stage.

Here are some highlights from the day:

Early in the day, Bad Seed Rising, led by frontwoman Francheska performed their set with an intense energy that got the early concert goers revved up. Bad Seed Rising is currently the youngest band signed with Road Runner Records. Even though they are a young band, their stage presence and performance looked like that have been at it for 20 years.

Johnny Hawkins and the gang from Nothing More took the stage a bit later in the afternoon. Despite a few technical difficulties, Johnny was jumping and spinning all over the stage like the Tasmanian devil. The band played a notably high energy set and kept the increasingly growing crowd engaged.

Rick DeJesus of Adelitas Way was so in love with the crowd’s energy, that he leaped off the stage and crowd surfed not once, but twice during the band’s set. Halfway through their set, Rick stopped to thank K-Rock for having them on the show. He also said “I want to thank K-Rock for playing real f^@#!ng rock music. Rick also stated to fans, “This is your Woodstock.”

Trapt took the stage and came right out of the gate with their hit song “Headstrong.” Front man, Chris Brown, left the stage and stood on the rail of the barrier to get up close and personal with the Syracuse fans. Crowd surfers started flying everywhere during the song “Love/Hate Relationship.” The band ended the set with “Still Frame.”

In This Moment, fronted by Upstate New York’s own Maria Brink, made their last tour stop at K-Rockathon 20. In This Moment had a distinct theatrical element to their onstage performance that included multiple costume changes, minor set changes and varied themes to go along with each song. The band is not just playing music, they are telling a story. It reminded me of a more modernized version of an Alice Cooper show.

Breaking Benjamin, who has been on a short hiatus, makes a celebratory return to the scene after their new release “Dark Before Dawn” debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #1; Quite a feat for any rock band these days. The stage lights slowly start to glow and the first notes begin to ring from the stage. Ben Burnley charges out and tears right into their hit “So Cold.” Ben threw out a bunch of guitar pics to fans while the band played the intro. Ben then shouted into the mic “Syracuse are you ready?” A thunderous scream of approval was the response from fans as Ben started playing. During the third line of the first verse, Ben yelled out to the crowd to “sing it” and held the mic over the front row of fans. Fans screamed every word right on cue. Ben Burnley and company didn’t waste any time before ripping right into the next song “Follow.” The band took the stage with such force that for a moment, the crowd didn’t know what had hit them.

Breaking Benjamin has always had an appreciation for their Central New York fans. Between songs Ben shared laughs and interacted with the crowd, repeatedly thanking Syracuse fans for their continued support. One thing that caught this fan by surprise was their cover of the classic Queen tune, “Who Wants To Live Forever.” Even though Ben is no Freddy Mercury, I thought that the band did a great job capturing the spirit of the song and from the crowd’s reaction I think they felt the same. It was an unusual choice of cover tune by them but none the less a good one.

The band tore through their newest radio single “Failure” and the classic “Breathe.” The fans sang along to “Breathe” and at times even over powered Ben’s voice. Ben could have just stood there, played, and not said a word because everyone in the venue knew the song by heart. After Breathe, Ben stepped away from center stage allowing bassist Aaron Bruch to step up. I don’t think the crowd or myself was prepared for the song Aaron started to play; it was another cover song and this time it was “Aenima” by Tool! Mosh pits and bodies erupted everywhere! Truly a rare treat considering I have not heard them cover this in many years. When the song ended, Ben didn’t waste any time rushing right back to center stage and shredding into what I can best describe as one of the best live versions of the band’s very first hit “Polyamorous” that I have heard to date. Ben paused for a moment to state “You got four pits out there and that’s how you know you’re doing things right!”

Like all good things, they unfortunately must come to an end and Ben prepared to depart from the stage leaving this message to the fans: “Syracuse until we meet again, thank you, rock is not dead, thank you for helping us debt at number one on the billboard charts” and he sent the masses into a frenzy with “Diary of Jane.” This is one band I am looking forward to seeing again in Upstate NY very soon. Stay tuned for announcements about their upcoming tour with Godsmack and Sevendust.

Immediately after Breaking Benjamin left the stage, the sky opened up and it started to pour. After an hour rain delay, Shinedown finally came out to close the show. Brent Smith is one of the best live performers in rock. His voice is hypnotizing and he gives off loads of energy and positive vibes. Before Shinedown played their third song, Smith addressed the crowd, “look to the person in front of you, behind you, to your left and to your right. You may, or may not know who they are but I want everyone to shake or slap hands with that person.” Smith does this at every concert. It creates such a memorable feel good ritual and is something I look forward to at their shows.

Halfway through the band’s set, technical difficulties brought the music to a halt. Smith, being a true professional, used the time to thank the fans for their patience. During the delay, Smith noticed a sign in the crowd that said “It’s my birthday and I’m seven years old.” Fans started shouting, “sing Happy Birthday.” Smith replied, “You want me to sing Happy Birthday?” The band filled the down time by singing happy birthday to a very excited seven-year old named Britany.

The equipment was back up and running and Shinedown had the whole crowd jumping during the song “Enemies.” Smith stated that they usually don’t play this song live. Shinedown ended the night with fan favorite, “The Sound of Madness.” Smith closed the show with his trademark line, “It’s never goodbye, it’s just til’ next time.”

August 3, 2015
Despite Mayhem Fest in Town, Cro-Mags Brought The Ruckus

After catching a few shows in the Long Island area earlier in the spring, I was eager to travel from Syracuse and back. All because Club Loaded keeps bringing exciting shows to Revolution Music Hall. It was only appropriate to catch New York’s most legendary hardcore band Cro-Mags last Sunday, July 26.

I was kind of shocked at the lack of attendance at this show, but as I sat at the bar and enjoyed some fried food that likely took a few years of my life span (totally worth it). Someone had mentioned to me that the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival was in Long Island the same night. But on a positive note, it was a very intimate show. Crazy mosh pits and the explosive energy that Cro-Mags brought on stage made this a very memorable night.

Local openers Demon Racer and Johnny Booth graced the crowed with brief sets before what felt like an eternity wait before Cro-Mags just leveled the stage. You couldn’t have asked for a better opening song than “We Gotta Know” followed by “World Peace” and “Show You No Mercy” all off the classic Age Of Quarrel album. Basically…they played almost the whole album with a couple of other songs lightly sprinkled into their set.

Guitarist A.J. Novello was missing in action due to family obligations, so Black Anvil guitarist Gary Bennett stepped in and did one hell of a job filling in. It was actually a nice surprise. Despite years of line-up changes, Cro-Mags are veterans of their genre and have showed absolutely no sign of slowing down. Their sound as tight and precise as ever with an energy on stage that is unmatched by most bands. Frontman John Joseph McGowan, looks like a mad man on stage dancing between lyrics and encouraging the crowd to mosh and stage dive. Although that sounds dangerous, but everyone was having fun and looking out for each other.

Cro-Mags closed their set with “Don’t Trend On Me” and playfully stormed off the stage before doing an encore with their trademark hit “Hard Times.”

Afterwards, the band came out to hang with the crowd which is always nice and most other bands of all genres should take note.

Overall, it was a fun night, the sound of the venue was crystal clear and loud, and the Cro-Mags proved they’re still the leaders in New York City hardcore.

August 2, 2015
Frankie Ballard and Eric Paslay Show Binghamton a ‘Helluva’ Good Time

Frankie Ballard took a break from his tour with Florida Georgia Line to headline Binghamton’s inaugural Country Music Lights Fest on July 10. Ballard is currently one of Nashville’s hottest rising stars so it was no surprise he was selected to headline the festival.

Eric Paslay was direct support for Ballard on this tour stop. Paslay may still be considered a fresh face in country music, but people have been listening to his songs for years. He has written many number 1 hits for artists such as Rascall Flats, Lady Antebellum, Eli Young Band, Love and Theft, and Jake Owen.

Paslay began his set with songs from his self-titled album including “Song About A Girl,” “Never Really Wanted” and “Like A Song.” During the second half of his set he performed a few of his number 1 hits that he wrote including “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” which was made famous by the Eli Young Band. His version of the song had the crowd jumping up and down while shouting the chorus at the top of their lungs.

He brought his set to a close with “Friday Night” his most notorious single to date. This song also had the crowd jumping up and down with excitement creating a perfect segue into Frankie Ballard’s set.

Side note: I recommend following Paslay on social media. You get to peek into his personal life and see his funny and unique personality. He puts on an incredible sounding live show and as time goes on I personally cannot wait to see him evolve as an artist and see him let more of that part of him bubble out into his live performances.

When the lights went out for headliner Frankie Ballard, his band trickled out onto the stage and started the intro to “I Came To Get Down”. Ballard then flooded out on stage while playing his guitar, immediately seizing the audience’s attention and showing them he was indeed in town to get down. His energetic stage presence and guitar playing rivals the best artists of both current country and rock music genres.

Ballard kept the momentum going with the fan favorite “Thinkin’ Country” and hit single “Sunshine & Whiskey.” Halfway through his set he mixed it up with a cover of ZZ Tops “La Grange” along with Johnny Cash’s “Boy Named Sue”. He took the audience on a trip back to his college days by doing a cover of The Wallflowers’ “One Headlight.” On this song Ballard took over the drum kit and appointed his guitar player Eddie Robinson take the lead on vocals. Throughout his entire set Ballard’s enthusiasm and love for his music shined through. You could tell by the smile on his face and the little things he did on stage that he was truly in his element and having the time of his life.

Ballard rounded out his set with his first number one hit “Helluva Life” a cover of Bob Segar’s “Old Time Rock & Roll” and “Drinky Drink.” Each song had the crowd swaying and dancing the remainder of the night away.

Frankie Ballard might not be a top name in country music yet, but if he keeps pouring his personality and heart into each show like he did in Binghamton, it is only a matter of time before he’s on everyone’s radar. He is tour with Florida Georgia Line through the end of 2015. Get tour dates and ticket information on his website here.

The festival lineup also included Sunday Best, Austin Webb, and Craig Campbell.

Frankie Ballard Set List: I Came To Get Down, Thinkin’ Country, Sunshine & Whiskey, It Don’t Take Much, Young & Crazy, La Grange, TMYGL (Tell Me You Get Lonley), Boy Named Sue, Wallflowers (One Headlight), Frankie On Drums, Helluva Life, Old Time R&R, Drinky Drink

August 1, 2015