Category: Show Reviews

Photo Gallery: Breaking Benjamin and Starset Take Big Flats By Storm

Not even a torrential downpour, thunder, lightning, flash flood alerts or a tornado warning can keep Breaking Benjamin fans from a show and that’s just what the weather had in store on Tuesday, July 14 at The Budweiser Summer Stage at Tags, located in Big Flats, NY.

While personnel urged concert goers to remain in their vehicles while the remainder of the storm passed, the show went on. Some came prepared with umbrellas and rain coats, others braved the elements in street clothes, standing in a line that stretched from the venue admission, out the gates and all the way to the road. Fortunately as the venue opened it’s gates, the rain ceased just as the show was about to begin.

Opening for Breaking Benjamin was Starset, a cinematic rock band based out of Columbus, Ohio. Their set was unique and their performance was out of this world. Starset’s debut album’s Transmissions was released on July 8th of 2014 and it’s definitely worth checking out. Starset consists of Dustin Bates on lead vocals/keyboard, Ron DeChant on bass/backing vocals, Brock Richards on guitar/backing vocals and Adam Gilbert on drums. Starset’s set list for the evening is as follows: First Light, Rise and Fall, Down with the Fallen, Antigravity, Halo, Telescope, Dark on Me, Carnivore, It Has Begun, The Future Is Now and My Demons.

Even with the weather conditions, the venue was packed full with Breaking Benjamin fans. The Wilkes-barre natives released their first album on June 23rd after a hiatus. Dark Before Dawn made it’s debut on the Billboard 200 chart at number 1 and has been widely embraced by fans with over 140,000 album units sold. Breaking Benjamin is back and going strong with many sold out venues along their 2015 tour. Taking on some new members in 2014, Breaking Benjamin’s current members are vocalist Benjamin Burnley, bassist Aaron Bruch, Keith Wallen on rhythm guitar, lead guitarist Jasen Rauch and drummer Shaun Foist. The set list for the evening consisted of some old favorites mixed with a few cover songs in addition to songs from their new album. Much love to Breaking Benjamin and Starset for a phenomenal show!

Setlist: So Colt, Angels Fall, Follow, Break My Fall, Who Wants to Live Forever (Queen cover), Unknown Soldier, Sooner or Later, Blow Me Away, Failure, Breath, Ænima (Tool cover), Phase, Away,. Give Me a Sign, Shallow Bay, Imperial March/Schism/Smells Like Teen Spirit/Walk (A cover song medley) Polyamorous, Evil Angel, Until the End and I Will Not Bow

Encore: Lights Out, Dance with the Devil, The Diary of Jane

You can still catch Breaking Benjamin on their 2015 tour!

July 21, 2015
Imagine Dragons, So Much More Than Just Smoke & Mirrors

After catapulting in 2012 to the spotlight with their Night Visions album, it seemed like a daunting task to follow-up their first extremely successful album. How did Imagine Dragons tackle that task? They did so by making an album for themselves. Writing while touring, these guys were able to put down feelings and emotions that translated to their second album Smoke and Mirrors.

My anticipation grew, as the date of the show slowly came upon me. I was anxious to see if these guys were as good live as I predicted. The songs on the new album lent themselves to epic live show spectacles.

As the show began, an extremely talented young lady, Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, took the stage with her band. Halsey, as they are known, rocked the stage with their Indie pop sound. I was absolutely captivated by her vocals. She’s an amazing artist and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how absolutely stunning this young lady was as well. She could be a model. The hair, oh my gosh her hair was epic. It was the most beautiful shade of blue/green I’ve ever seen. Wish I could pull that off. I’m digressing, sorry. Halsey’s eclectic musical influences from Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G, Slick Rick, as well as The Cure, Nirvana, and Alanis Morissette permeated her sound giving it an edge of sophistication and funk. From the moment she took the stage, she owned the audience.

Next up was Metric. This Canadian rock band has been around for quite a while amassing a strong following since 1998. With a heavy synth and punk sound, this band is more familiar to you than you probably realize. With several EPs and albums over the years, opening for acts such as The Rolling Stones, and their extensive credits for scores with Grey’s Anatomy, 90210, One Tree Hill, FIFA 10, NBA 2K10, Zombieland, Entourage Vampire Diaries, Rock Band 3, and so many more it’s almost unfathomable to think you haven’t heard their music. Commanding the stage their unique blend of music and instrumentation entertained this group and primed them for the main event.

As I returned to my spot to photograph the next set, the stage was set in a blanket of darkness and a cloth now covered the entire stage like a mask. Speaking with attendees while we waited for the Imagine Dragons set to begin, I learned the dedication and sheer love these fans have for this group. Traveling long distances and sitting outside since the wee hours of the morning to get a railing position on the floor, it was only a matter of moments before their perseverance would pay off. With posters in hand they were ready to sing along with every song (I’m sure they knew every lyric to each one) with hopes to possibly get a pick thrown their way or perhaps a touch of the hand of a member of the band they loved so very much. As the music began, the lighting shone through the curtain highlighting the silhouettes of each band member. With the score beginning, sheer adrenaline was pumping through the crowd like static electricity, it was impossible not to feel the tingle. As the curtain fell, out to the edge of the stage ran Dan Reynolds singing their newest single, “Shots”. Positioned just right, I was right there waiting for him as the fans went crazy and the energy levels exploded through the roof. I knew it. This band was a ‘live band’. You know, one of those bands that you have to see live to appreciate ever aspect of their talent. Always loved their music, but I wanted to feel the music.

The first thing I noticed as the show began was Reynolds ability to connect with the crowd. He felt the music through his entire body and extended it outward toward the audience. He spoke with the group as if they were just having a conversation sharing his newly acquired bling that his daughter had just made him, and commenting on issues affecting everyone in light of the recent tragedies in Charleston. These fans weren’t nameless faces to him. They were friends; they had been through it all with him. At one point and time he called out to the crowd as we celebrated “beard man”. But what really got me, was his recognition of fan Jacob Ziegler. Who is Jacob Ziegler? Well he’s a young man who loves Imagine Dragons and follows them on all social media aspects. He retweets, he shares, he comments, and Reynolds recognized that. He yells out to him, recognizing him in the crowd, saying “I see you Jacob Ziegler” he tells the arena full of people that he sees his tweets and comments and appreciates the love he shares. I was floored by this act of kindness. Jacob was beside himself happy. By the end of the night Reynolds made sure to give him a hug. Now to me, that’s a star. A star always shines bright.

As connected as he was with the crowd, he was the same with band mates Wayne Sermon, Daniel Platzman, and Ben McKee. You could tell the rapport they share was fun and loving as they teased amongst themselves. As he sang through his setlist, that consisted of both hits from Night Visions and the new Smoke & Mirrors, I heard the songs differently this time. Ones that didn’t stand now did. Ones that I loved, I loved even more. And let’s talk about the light show. That in itself was a spectacular show. Coupled together with the amazing sounds of Imagine Dragons, this show became one of my top five favorite shows of all time.

As Imagine Dragons travels for this tour, I strongly urge you to take the opportunity to see this event. You will definitely be happy you did.

SetList:
Shots, Trouble, It’s Time, Forever Young (Alphaville cover), Smoke and Mirrors, Polaroid, I’m So Sorry, Gold, Bleeding Out/Warriors, Demons, Hopeless Opus, On Top of the World, Friction, I Bet My Life, Radioactive, The Fall

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July 19, 2015
Failure Brings Reunion Tour to The Westcott Theater

Fans of the band Failure may have thought they had seen the last of the band back in 1997, when they announced they were disbanding due to personal differences. To much delight, Failure reunited in late 2013 and has been hitting cities across the country. In support of their new album The Heart Is a Monster, which was released on June 30, Failure headlined a show at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY on Friday July 17.

Opening the evening was Queen Kwong. Although many fans weren’t at the venue yet when the band went on shortly after 8pm, those who were witnessed an incredible act. Queen Kwong is an indie rock band that was founded by singer/guitarist Carré Callaway. With a couple of EPs out already and a new album due in August, Queen Kwong have been busy playing shows all over the world. The band consists of Carré Callaway on vocals and some other familiar faces. Playing guitar for Queen Kwong is none other than Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit and Black Light Burns. Many fans were delighted to see Wes, while others didn’t recognize him without full costume. Playing the bass for Queen Kwong is former Marilyn Manson bassist, Fred Sablan. Finally, filling out the band is Hayden Scott on the drums, who was part of AWOLNATION. The mix of raw talent and musical passion created an energy on stage that transformed right into the crowd. Skeptical at first about what they were going to see and hear, fans quickly seemed to get into the groove. Queen Kwong left the audience warmed up and ready to finish the night with Failure.

Failure took the stage just after 9pm to a large crowd of eager fans. Opening the night up with a couple of tracks off the new album The Heart Is a Monster, Failure fans knew they were in for a great night. Back together after 15 years, the original trio of Greg Edwards, Ken Andrew and Kellii Scott didn’t seem to miss a beat or note for that matter. When thinking of rock trios, the names Rush, Blink-182, Chevelle, Muse, Nirvana, etc. all come to mind. It’s incredible how bands with only 3 members can sound so great live and make live performances match the studio records or make the songs even better live. Failure belongs in that category with the great rock trios. The entire night, the band was playing with rejuvenated energy and passion.

For a small-scale production, Failure made it perfect. Behind the band, 3 symmetrical LED screens illuminated with various psychedelic designs and animated videos. Some of these images could have been compared to the likes of Pink Floyd’s, “The Wall” movie. Fans were able to focus on the music without over the top distractions that would normally take away from the actual musical performance. Failure’s setlist was composed of mainly 3 albums the entire night. Asides from The Heart Is a Monster, Failure’s newest album, they also played tracks off of Fantastic Planet from 1996 and Magnified from 1994.

Fans from all around New York State as far as Long Island, traveled to Syracuse to see Failure perform. These fans were thanked time and time again throughout the set by the band, who let them know how much they appreciated all the support. Many fans around the venue were wearing VIP laminates showing that they had participated in the meet and greet with the band. Others were walking around with the new album The Heart Is a Monster on CD and even vinyl. Failure’s fan base is definitely still intact after all of these years. For over an hour and a half, fans were sent back in time 15 years to when Failure’s first albums came out and got to experience the whole thing again with a mix of awesome new material.

Setlist: Segue 4/WalkOnCue, Hot Traveler, A.M. Amnesia, Atom City Queen, Otherwhere, Counterfeit Sky, Mullholland Dr., Heliotropic, Undone, Frogs, Another Space Song, Saturday Saviour, Sergeant Politeness, Segue 1, Pillowhead, Stuck On You.

Encore: Smoking Umbrellas, The Nurse Who Loved Me, Daylight

Failure has tour dates planned in the United States into the middle of October. If you missed your chance at the Westcott Theater, click here to find out where Failure is playing next.

The Westcott Theater Website: Click here

Queen Kwong Official Website: Click here

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July 19, 2015
Blind Owl Band and Yonder Mountain String Band Soak up Some Sun at Paper Mill Island

Spending an early July sunset at an amphitheater resting on an island nestled in the Seneca River as adoring fans tirelessly swing and twirl to American roots music sets the stage for a picturesque evening. That was the setting Friday night at Paper Mill Island Amphitheater in Baldwinsville, NY as Blind Owl Band and Yonder Mountain String Band took the stage to woo the audience with earthy vocals and strings.

The casual, backcountry grunge of Blind Owl Band suggests a certain comfort level they feel even when performing for a crowd. Guitarist and vocalist Arthur Buezo sported a pair of paint splattered overalls tucked into cowboy boots while barefoot bassist Christian Cardiello donned a pastel purple tie dye T-shirt with a prancing unicorn emblazoned across the front. Along with banjo player and vocalist James Ford and mandolinist and vocalist Eric Munley, the four musicians all let their wavy brown locks blow in the breeze, closing out their set with a powerful performance of “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band. With Buezo growling into the mic, they authentically captured the tortured nature of the rock ballad with a bluegrass twist.

As the sun continued to set, the fading daylight drenched Yonder Mountain String Band in a sea of gold as fans applauded their arrival on stage. The five-piece group confidently emanated a calm and collected demeanor, defying the unrelenting UV rays with an assortment of aviator sunglasses. Early into their performance, a remarkably rambunctious fan explosively dropped his beer on the paved ground, grasping his head in disbelief. Mandolinist and vocalist Jake Jolliff shot guitarist and vocalist Adam Aijala a wry smile, slightly amused by the small tragedy. Jolliff standing, center stage between his four band mates, scanned the crowd, often flaunting a euphoric smile in between mandolin breakdowns. Everyone in the band was afforded moments to display their skill both instrumentally and vocally. With Dave Johnston on banjo, Ben Kaufmann on bass, and Allie Kral on violin, and all contributing vocally, they harmonized effortlessly but also shining individually with a mix of voices evoking that country twang.

The give-and-take between musicians on stage was matched by the dosey doe and swing dance maneuvers of audience members as they took turns spinning each other around, enamored by the music. The high energy on stage and in the crowd was going strong during a bouncy performance of “All Around,” a song off their new album Black Sheep, which was released earlier this year. The full-length studio album represents the influx and evolution of talented artists that have coalesced over a seventeen-year period, culminating in the five-person powerhouse touring today. Yonder Mountain String Band closed out the evening with Kral taking the lead on vocals, exclaiming, “Time to bust out your ‘Pulp Fiction’ dance moves,” before sliding into a playful yet sultry rendition of Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell.”

July 18, 2015
Taste of Country Festival 2015 Closes With Toby Keith

After two days filled with incredible live performances by some of country music’s biggest stars, Taste of Country was set to close out it’s third annual festival at Hunter Mountain with one last day of music, food and fun. A lineup of Sasha McVeigh, Western Underground, Josh Abbott Band, Sara Evans, Jerrod Niemann and Toby Keith were set to bring the festival to a rousing finish. Despite the slight weather issues that once again plagued the mountain, the festival’s third day ran smoothly for the most part.

Sasha McVeigh – Taste of Country Festival 2015

They only ran into a few issues towards the end of the night when an impending storm forced Niemann to shorten his set and Keith to move the time of his set up, to ensure all performers were finished before the increment weather set in. Outside of the storm issues towards the end of the night, the rest of the day may have been the hottest out of all three, which is saying something since day two was a scorcher in it’s own right.

Toby Keith – Taste of Country Festival 2015

Around 3:00 p.m., the Texas based Josh Abbott Band, a lesser known group of the weekends performers at Hunter Mountain, took the stage for their set. Although they may not have been a household name, they did a wonderful job of introducing many new fans to their music, and by the end of their set the band fulfilled their promise that fans that were not familiar with them, would know their songs by the end of their set. The group often highlights some more traditional county instruments such as the fiddle and the banjo, and many of the songs that they performed Sunday, especially the more blue grass influenced, twangy “Brushy Creek” gave those instruments ample time to shine.

Jerrod Niemann – Taste of Country Festival 2015

“Road Trippin’” was a carefree song about a group of friends getting away for a long weekend and having a crazy fun time along the way, while lead singer Josh Abbott’s vocals were stellar on the slower paced “She Will Be Free.” Abbott also humorously informed the already inherently rowdy crowd that both line dancing and beer pong were more than welcome and even encouraged during his band’s set. The group then jumped into the fiddle infused “Oh Tonight,” a collaboration with fellow country artist Kacey Musgraves that was a romantic and charming track, while “Where’s The Party” from their 2014 EP Tuesday Night was a wild crowd pleaser. The band poignantly illustrated their love for their home town with “My Texas” before closing their hour long set with their more mainstream sounding single from Tuesday Night, the laid back “Hanging Around.”

Toby Keith – Taste of Country Festival 2015

Sara Evans was the next performer of the day, and if her outfit was any indication, she was ready to help close out the last day of the festival in style. Evans, who has proven longevity in the country music work with her continued success since her debut album in 1997, has been one of country music’s most popular and successful female artists. As a talented vocalist with numerous hits, and awards under her belt, Evans is a confident and experienced live performer. She kept the energy going during the hot weather at Hunter Mountain with classic hits like the uptempo “Suds In The Bucket,” which inspired an abundance of singing and dancing throughout the crowd, and opener “Born To Fly,” a country classic with an distinguishable chorus that tends to hook fans more and more with each listen.

Recent hit “A Little Bit Stronger” is an inspiring track that was well known and was a certainly a fan favorite, before the soaring “As If” and one of her older tracks “Perfect” took center stage. Evans dedicated her twangy hit “Coalmine” to all of the attractive men in the crowd at Hunter Mountain, which earned her a loud applause and cheer, and “Slow Me Down” with it’s clean, modern production and flowy hooks delighted the crowd. She also took the time to inform fans of her soft spot for sad songs, demonstrating her love for them with a heartfelt performance of “My Heart Can’t Tell You.” As her set was coming to an end, Evans played her romantic hit “I Could Not Ask For More,” before closing with her gigantic #1 hit from 2005 “A Real Fine Place To Start.”

Sara Evans – Taste of Country Festival 2015

Jerrod Nieman was the second to last performer of the night, and even though the impending storm cut his time on stage short, his set still rocked fans all over Hunter Mountain. He kicked off his set with “We Know How To Rock” a banjo infused tune of southern pride, before slowing the pace down a bit with the more intimate “Lover, Lover,” a #1 hit he scored as his debut single back in 2010 (and a cover originally recorded by folk music group Sonia Dada).

The Kansas native also broke out another one of his #1 singles, the upbeat party song “Drink To That All Night” which got the thousands in attendance up on their feet, as well as honkey tonk anthem “One More Drinkin’ Song” which had fans singing along enthusiastically. Niemann notably played a new song that he said is to be released in the coming weeks. The track features lyrics that mention many top festivals around the country, as well as ones that show appreciation to a specific type of country girl that you are likely to see at country music festivals and shows. Niemann showed off his silly side to the delight of the crowd when his banjo player wore a giant donkey head mask on stage during the performance of his very strange song “Donkey.”

Josh Abbott Band – Taste of Country Festival 2015

He busted out some fun covers as well, one of Alabama’s “Louisiana Saturday Night,” and another of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “Pride and Joy,” a song that allowed his band to jam out during it’s tail end. Though his set was cut short, Neimann put on an exciting and uptempo show for the Hunter Mountain audience, proving to be strong direct support for upcoming headliner Toby Keith.

Toby Keith – Taste of Country Festival 2015

Keith’s set, like Neimann’s, was affected by the threat of an incoming storm looming over the mountain, though his set was moved forward rather than cut short. Although a light but steady drizzle persisted throughout his time on stage, it didn’t put a damper on the party that Keith unleashed on the rowdy and invigorated New York crowd. Since 1993, Keith has created and released 17 studio albums, scored 20 #1 hit singles (with 60 total singles on the Billboard Hot Country charts), sold over 40 million albums worldwide and won a myriad of country music awards, making him undoubtedly one of the most recognizable and successful artists in country music. Known not only for his music but his vibrant and humorous personality, Keith was the perfect choice to close out a wildly entertaining and successful 2015 Taste of Country Music Festival.

Unsurprisingly, Keith brought his usual emphatic and unapologetic brand of patriotism with him to Hunter Mountain, with American flags about and the screens around/behind the stage flashing pictures iconic American images and moments. The production throughout his set was flawless, at time featuring fire shooting out of the floor, fireworks and gorgeous lighting. His set started out with hits like the appropriately themed “American Ride,” and “Beer For My Horses” which featured a really cool moment when Willie Nelson joined him in the performance via video recording. Before the latter song, Keith made a point to salute New York firemen and police officers, and thank them for their service and sacrifices.

His sense of humor made an appearance when outrageous, eclectic hit “Red Solo Cup” a fan favorite, was performed alongside giant red cup props on stage which got a big laugh from the crowd. Keith’s set on this night included “I’ll Never Smoke Weed With Willy Again,” a song that he performed with Scotty Emerick, who was on the road with him. Hits like “Who’s Your Daddy” that featured a notable guitar introduction, “A Little Less Talk and A Lot More Action,” and a cover of Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold.” After leaving the stage briefly, the Oklahoma native returned for an encore performance. It was a special moment when Keith closed with an impassioned performance that included “American Soldier” and “Courtesy of the Red White and Blue,” two songs that once again hammer home the themes of patriotism and love of country. It was incredible to see fans all the way up the mountain shouting the lyrics to this anthemic classic as the rain fell down around them. There is no doubt that this was one moment that fans would bring home with them, and remember for the rest of their lives.

Actually, that same sentiment can be said for the entirety of the 2015 Taste of Country Music Festival, as this years star studded lineup of performers and the wonderful environment that Hunter Mountain provided raised the bar for the future. Country music fans on the East coast should take note, if it’s first three years are any indication, the Taste Of Country Music Festival is set to be one of the premier country festivals in the East for a long time to come.

July 17, 2015
Def Leppard, Styx and Tesla Pack Darien Lake

There is no better time of year than right now. Summertime is always the time where bands take advantage of the warm beautiful weather and hit the road. This summer, classic rock legends Def Leppard are hitting the road with their friends Styx and Tesla. On Sunday, July 12, the trio rolled into the Buffalo area with a show at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.

Shows at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center usually draw people to the adjoined theme park before the show. Throughout the day while walking around the park, Def Leppard shirts could be spotted everywhere. Seeing all of the fans in the park was an early sign that it was going to be a packed house. Hundreds of people were waiting for the gates to open at 6 p.m. so they could be the first ones in. Before Tesla took the stage at 7 p.m., fans were lining up to get food, beer from concessions and shirts from the merchandise booth.

When the house music stopped shortly before 7 p.m., a look around the amphitheater proved that fans were there to see every band of the night and not just headliner Def Leppard. Tesla took the stage with a loud applause from the crowd and started the show with “Edison’s Medicine (Man Out of Time).” The crowd seemed to enjoy every second of Tesla’s set. The excitement really came out of the crowd when guitarist Frank Hannon played the opening chords of “Signs” and then continued with another classic of theirs, “Love Song.” Opening bands don’t normally fill an entire amphitheater because most people use it as extra time to mingle and get their beer. That wasn’t the case on Sunday night for Tesla. Lead singer, Jeff Keith, was spot on the entire night hitting notes from songs written over 20 years ago. The closing song of the set, “Modern Day Cowboy” capped off a high energy set that left fans definitely wanting more from them. After Tesla had finished their set, there was chatter all around the seats about how awesome the band had sounded and how amazed they were.

Styx was next up for the night and fans were definitely warmed up and ready. From the start of the set, fans joined the members of Styx by singing along to every song of the night. Opening the set with “The Grand Illusion,” Styx had an entire night planned with only their best songs. Changing backgrounds with each song to coincide with its album or theme, Styx kept the crowd on its feet. Styx looked like they were having more fun playing on stage together than anyone else in the crowd. The band’s energy and enthusiasm was through the roof and out of the amphitheater. While the rest of the band took a short break, singer and keyboard player Lawrence Gowan kept the crowd entertained with covers of “Rocket Man,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” The band came back out after and played “Come Sail Away” before walking off stage one more time prior to the encore. Some fans thought the band was finished and started leaving their seats to the concessions. Shortly after though, the fans came scurrying back as they heard the applause of the crowd as Styx played “Rockin’ the Paradise” and “Renegade.” Guitarist, Tommy Shaw and the rest of Styx were spot on the entire evening and left the crowd eager to see Def Leppard.

As the lights dimmed and a giant Def Leppard banner was dropped down in front of the stage, fans knew it was only a matter of time before the finale began. The show opened up with “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” and the giant banner getting sucked up into a vacuum instead of falling to the bottom of the stage. Def Leppard wasted no time after that, going immediately into songs “Animal,” “Let It Go” and “Foolin’.” Whenever the house lights lit up the crowd, anyone could see it was a packed house. There wasn’t an empty inside seat visible and fans filled the lawn all the way to the back. Lead singer, Joe Elliott, sounded great all night long as well as the rest of the band. Vivian Campbell, who’s been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma on and off, showed no signs of slowing down. Both Campbell and Phil Collen were spot on with their guitar parts while frequently going out on the catwalk into the crowd together. The production for Def Leppard was done perfectly and synced with each song; whether it was neon signs or a wall of TVs. The set included “Two Steps Behind,” which Joe Elliott did solo with an acoustic guitar. Rick Allen and Rick Savage kept the band tight on the drums and bass. The band ended the night with “Rock of Ages” and “Photograph” which features a history timeline of photos on a giant LED screen behind them.

This massive tour has already had a few stops in New York and is due for 2 more later this month in Wantagh and Saratoga Springs. Check out the rest of the tour dates here.

For the event schedule for Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, click here.

July 17, 2015
An Evening With The Lone Bellow

On a warm Friday night in June, a fairly packed house at The Egg‘s smaller room, The Swyer Theatre, The Lone Bellow were just as excited to be in Albany as Albany was excited to see them.

With lots of smiles, jokes, and music, the five piece band based out of Brooklyn wowed the crowd for close to two hours. Starting the evening off Zach Williams, Kanene Donehey Pipkin, and Brian Elmquist came to the stage and surrounded a mic to deliver three songs with just acoustic guitars and beautiful harmonies. This would happen again near the end of the show in the crowd and for the encore. The way the three of their voices blend together is gorgeous and needs to be heard by people who love music.

After Jason Pipkin and Justin Glasco, Bass and drums respectively came out, the evening turned from a folk vibe to full on rock and roll. The band played much of the material from the two albums they have released so far and many in the audience knew every word. Zach has a lot of energy and engages the crowd at all times, almost like a preacher making sure his sermon is heard while Brian plays the guitar like there is nothing else in the world for him to do. Kanene, when she was not switching instruments be it keys, mandolin, or bass, soothed the souls of the crowd with her fantastic voice.

The band had to restart parts of songs a couple of times, but they took it in stride and joked with the crowd about it, giving the evening a relaxed feeling and that it’s all part of the show. The Lone Bellow was on fire all evening and when they come back to Albany, which hopefully will be sooner than later, it would not be surprising to see them playing to bigger audiences once word gets out about what people missed out on.

July 15, 2015
A Tragically Hip Fourth of July at CMAC

The Tragically Hip is no stranger to New York, although many New York residents may offer a puzzled look when told the band is in town. The Hip is a band who has drawn stadium sized crowds across its Canadian homeland for a couple of decades, yet Stateside fame has been elusive.

agically Formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1983, Canada’s ambassadors have continually drawn large crowds to major venues on either side of the border ever since. Tonight was just slightly different than in years past. Knowing that Fully Completely would be played in its entirety may have removed some of the element of surprise and the crowd wasn’t the sellout, push-to-the-front type from the 90s, but the music itself was as fresh sounding today as it was 23 years ago.

Fresh off a Canada Day show in Toronto and another in Windsor, The Hip, as they are affectionately known by the faithful, ventured across the border to grace American (and traveling Canadian) fans with the gift of their music on our Independence Day at the beautiful Constellation Brands Melvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua, New York.

This tour is a celebration of their breakthrough album Fully Completely, released in 1992. The Hip is playing this album in its entirety at each show of this tour and this reviewer couldn’t have been happier with this revelation as this album contains a couple of holy grail songs I have yet to see performed live. Some follow Phish; back in the mid to late 90s, I followed The Hip. This is a band that begs to be seen live to fully appreciate its musicianship and the showman who is lead singer Gord Downie.

Gord Downie assessing the situation in Canandaigua.

While Downie is the obvious focal point of the band’s performances, the rest of the musicians are what makes The Hip ‘The Hip.’ Gordon Sinclair and Johnny Fay are two of rock’s more formidable artists at keeping the beat and guitarists Paul Langlois and Rob Baker play well off each other with the balance of the solos tipping Baker’s way.

‘Grace, Too’ kicked off the evening as it often does. Following Gordon Sinclair’s lilting bass intro, the opening line states, ‘He said I’m fabulously rich, c’mon just let’s go,’ which Downie has changed to ‘He said I’m Tragically Hip, c’mon just let’s go,’ hereby welcoming you to the experience you are about to encounter.

The evening was heavy on the classics, with only two more recent tunes, 2006’s ‘In View’ and 2012’s ‘At Transformation’ making the setlist. ‘At Transformation’ evokes the ominous riffs of mid-aughts era Hip such as 2007’s ‘Vaccination Scar’ and fit well within tonight’s setlist.

The pre-Fully portion of the show closed with the standard ‘New Orleans is Sinking.’ In the past, the Hip used the mid-section of this song as a vehicle for working new songs into the set or Downie’s stream-of-consciousness poetry. The most famous version being the oft-bootlegged ‘Killer Whale Tank’ version:

Tonight’s version of NOIS was rather straight forward, which could indicate either that the Hip currently have nothing in the hopper to work into the song or that this one has been retired as such a vehicle. Either way, the song was rocking and a good prep for the main portion of the show.

Following a very brief intermission, dark curtains were lowered at the front of the stage, Downie switched from a bowler hat to a cowboy hat and it was time to become fully and completely immersed in Fully Completely.

The album was played in its entirety in its original playing order beginning with ‘Courage (for Hugh MacLennan).’ CMAC quickly turned into a group sing-along for the next forty minutes.

Downie scatted his way through the ‘get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy’ section of ‘At the Hundredth Meridian’ with the aplomb of Cab Calloway, while the audience chimed in to provide the necessary emphasis of the refrain.

Views of Canadian landscapes and history appeared on the screens at the back of the stage to accompany the songs. It was here where I felt as if I were able to see my Toronto Maple Leafs finally win the Stanley Cup.

Growing up a Maple Leafs hockey fan, I’ve become accustomed to their failure to win a Stanley Cup in my lifetime. The song that really won me over as a fan of the Hip, ’50 Mission Cap,’ was one written about Bill Barilko, a former Toronto Maple Leaf who scored the Cup winning goal in 1951. The following summer he disappeared on a fishing trip in northern Ontario. As the song tells it, the Leafs didn’t win the Stanley Cup again until the year Barilko’s body was found in 1962. The video that accompanied the playing of ’50’ showed footage of Barilko’s winning goal as Downie sang, ‘The last goal he ever scored (in overtime), won the Leafs the Cup’ to the delighted roar of the fans. This site offers a nice tutorial behind the song.

As the band wound its way through the remainder of the album, Downie’s theatrics contrasted with his band mates’ stoicism. Whether using makeshift props to pretend he was a horse or shining his shoes, the theater of Downie is why you attend a Hip show. He is a poet as well as a showman.

The main set closed with a rare appearance of the Fully album closer ‘Eldorado.’ Prior to this tour, the song has only been performed live a handful of times.

After a brief break, the boys came out for the first of a five song encore, their most recent single ‘At Transformation.’ The pavilion seating gradually filled as the night wore on and by the encore, it was packed with standing fans singing along with Downie and high-fiving their neighbors.

‘Poets’ followed, which has a special relevance to my wife and I. A song from the album Phantom Power released in 1998, this song had a prominent location on the set list for The Hip’s Thruway theater tour of New York to support the album. My wife and I attended the Albany, Syracuse and Rochester shows on consecutive nights during that tour, fighting to keep our seats in the first few rows as scores of eager fans rushed to the front to get closer to the band. It’s a memory that stays with both of us to this day and something that cemented our love for the band.

‘Nautical Disaster’ was a highlight of the night. As the title suggests, it tells the story of a ship wreck, the origins of which are left to the listener’s imagination. Is it about the Titanic? The sinking of the Bismarck? The setting is ‘off the coast of France.’ It’s a song that takes you on a journey of hopelessness and the desperation of man in the face of disaster. One thing about The Hip, you’ll often get a history lesson while listening; perhaps another reason for this history geek’s love of the band.

Downie spun his tale of nautical woe, using the microphone as a prop to pantomime pulling ‘overboard’ audience members back into the ‘ship.’ It was pure Downie, pure Hip.

The finale, ‘Blow at High Dough,’ a hard charging, blues-inspired rocker from the band’s second release ‘Up to Here,’ sent the adoring crowd into a frenzy. Baker’s slide guitar during the solo sent echoes of Duane Allman through the lakeside air in Canandaigua. A fan shot video from earlier in the tour gives a taste of what was experienced. Sinclair takes on a more prominent role with the bass in this version than what was played this night but a tasty nugget of Hip nonetheless.

For a tour that was designed as a nostalgia trip, it served its purpose well in that regard. However, its also obvious that this band still loves what they do and the songs don’t sound dated nor trite. Downie is still a performer at the top of his game and while I would have liked to have seen guitarist Langlois take a more prominent role in this set, this reviewer walked away impressed with yet another Hip show.

Canada’s treasure gave the Americans a show for the 4th and it was pretty Hip.

Setlist: Grace, Too, My Music at Work, In View, Ahead By a Century, New Orleans is Sinking, Courage (for Hugh MacLennan), Looking for a Place to Happen, At the Hundredth Meridian, Pigeon Camera, Lionized, Locked in the Trunk of a Car, We’ll Go Too, Fully Completely, 50 Mission Cap, Wheat Kings, The Wherewithal, Eldorado, E: At Transformation, Poets, Bobcaygeon, Nautical Disaster, Blow at High Dough.

July 14, 2015
Headstones come to Rapids Theatre

On Friday July 10, Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls was introduced to one of Canada’s best punk rock bands, the Headstones. The Headstones were a staple in the music scene since the late 80s. They disbanded in 2003 and decided to regroup and restart in 2011. Now they are back with vengeance and ready to make a name for themselves again, and they did just that when they came to town.

First act up of the night was a last minute wild card that I had never heard of before, Radio 9. Front women Patsy Silver had tons of energy on stage and was all smiles the entire time. I had to take a double look on stage because I could have sworn Mick Mars was their bassist; nope it was just doppelganger Joey Cristofanilli.

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about local legends Klear and finally had the opportunity to experience them live. Lead guitarist Bruce Wojick just left you with your jaw dropped to the floor and singer Fred Shafer wowed the crowd with his strong vocal presence and captivating lyrics. They have become one of my favorite local bands, hands down.

Next up was the Headstones and they brought such a powerful dramatic performance. They started off the set with “Bin This Way for Years,” then a little more than a quarter into the show vocalist Hugh Dillion stopped the show to call out all the irresponsible crowd surfers. He wanted anyone who was crowd surfing to be completely kicked out of the show for the remainder of the night. His reason was he didn’t want anyone to get hurt. The crowd roared with agreement and the show continued.

What I noticed all night long was Hugh constantly kept lifting his mic stand in the air and slamming it down onto the stage. I was not familiar with such a gimmick, it more or less gave off a sense of attitude. As the show was coming to a close they decided to play a brand new song called “Fuck It.” I could certainly see where the title came from. The only song I knew by them was one of their last encores called “I Smile and Wave,” and this seemed to be the crowd favorite by far. Every time the chorus was sung the entire crowd waved towards the front of the stage. I must say Headstones are back and they are here to stay this time. The show put on by them was a forced to be reckoned with.

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July 14, 2015
Yonder Mountain String Band Performs at Albany’s Alive at 5

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

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

A photo posted by NYS Music (@nystatemusic) on Jul 9, 2015 at 4:18pm PDT

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

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July 13, 2015