Category: Show Reviews

Particle Welcomes Spring to Putnam Den

Although it may have been the first day of spring, the weather didn’t seem to know that. People were walking briskly to escape the cold and get into Putnam Den where it’s always hot and always a guaranteed good time. As the night started off there were more people huddled around the TV watching college basketball, but fans were about to be treated to another form of “March Madness” in the entity known as Particle.

Greenhouse Lounge, a trio out of Jacksonville, FL started the night off spitting pure fire – these three guys exemplified livetronica. While using samples and homemade beats covered with the sounds of the live band, there was little that could stop the groove. The two were so intertwined at some points it was difficult to tell which was the loop and which was the band, a skill very few have mastered but the boys were spot on, and it drew the crowd from the TVs to the front of the stage. They were getting down to the unmistakeable sound that may be the future of the genre. A perfect way to kick off the night for the Particle party that was about to ensue.

Particle came tearing out of the gate, with Ben Comb shredding his guitar and raising all the energy until everyone was up dancing and flowing to the fast paced groove. Bassist Clay Parnell and drummer Allen Aucion were the perfect back drop, keeping the rhythm solid and following along with the guitar which eventually lead into a keyboard solo from Particle’s leader Steve Molitz. The contrasting sounds he made with the keys were mind blowing – to the point that some of the audience had to stop and listen in wonder to work out where these amazing sounds were coming from. The pattern of drum and bass heavy rhythms continued as Ben and Steve swapped leads.

Although Particle are know for the instrumental jam, they are not a one dimensional band by any means. Ben Comb did more than shred the guitar, he also sang, which is no easy task when the beats are going so fast. He was also able to keep his voice in range and, impressively, in time. This mixture of sounds progressed from Pink Floyd to a Siberian saber dance. The proof was in the music that there is very little Particle can’t do.

March 28, 2015
A Night at the Stanley Theatre Recreated with The Todd Hobin Band

Three Bands from the early ’80s reunited to recreate a fundraiser for the Stanley Theatre in Utica, NY March 21. Headliner The Todd Hobin Band, were once again joined by opening acts the Justice McBride Band and Dust Devil Band. This recreation of the original billing from back in 1981 came together to help save the historic Stanley Theatre who was in financial straights at that time. The past success was once again created by this trio of bandmates as they came together to raise money to help keep their beloved landmark open. The enthusiastic crowds rocked once again to a mix of originals and covers of each band throughout the evening. Even though 34 years had gone by, age had not slowed any of these bands down, or their following as the energetic crowds enjoyed their evening while supporting a good cause.

March 28, 2015
Bowlive VI, Night 8 – Wyllys and Soulive with Marco Benevento “At The Show”

The final night of the Bowlive run is akin to the last day of your wedding week. Seeing the same faces you have seen all week, reminiscing over all the great times you had, and looking forward to one final party to cap it all off. On this the eighth night, Soulive could’ve chosen any band in NYC to open the show. Instead they tapped Royal Potato favorite Wyllys to get the crowd warmed up ahead of Marco Benevento and Soulive. Wyllys still opts for the old school method of spinning rock, funk, and soul tunes on vinyl in addition to using the electronic devices at his disposal. If one thing was learned throughout this run it was the importance of the opener to not only set the stage for Soulive but to warm the crowd up. On this Saturday night in Brooklyn, the crowd was ready to have the best night of their lives.

Soulive took the stage for their final engagement with just the three members of the band. Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums), and Neal Evans (keys) hit the ground running with “Rudy’s Way” off of the 2002 album Turn It Out, then took it back even further with the 2001 tune “One In Seven” off of Doin’ Something. Only two songs into the night and The Shady Horns consisting of Benny Bloom (trumpet) and Ryan Zoidis (sax) joined in on the action on “Spark”, a tune penned as a tribute to American jazz blues guitarist Melvin Sparks. The next two songs “Backwards Jack” and “PJ’s” both came off of the 2009 release Up Here. The final guest of Bowlive 6, Marco Benevento, joined in the fun to occupy his empty piano at center stage and close out the first set with a psychedelic rendition of the appropriately named “Up Right.” He jammed away on his piano, giving the crowd a slight foreshadowing of how electric the remainder of the night would be. In between sets a montage was played on the screens at Brooklyn Bowl recapping the previous seven nights, the same you would find at a wedding, recapping all the good times spent together.

The second set began with the ensemble on stage joined by Maurice “Mo Betta” Brown (trumpet, Tedeschi Trucks Band) for the second time of the run for a heart filled rendition of George Benson’s “Soulful Strut.” As Marco delved into “Limbs of a Pine” off his 2012 Tigerface, it became apparent that no man was smiling wider then Benevento, his electric personality and smile energizing the audience and band in what would be their seventeenth and final set of Bowlive 6. Up next was “At The Show,” which featured Benevento leaving his bench and keys to prance around the stage like a exuberant child on Christmas morning, only making a pit stop to share a dance with his ivory tickling brother, Neal. Marco returned to his piano to close out the second set with the jammed out psych jazz “The In Crowd.”

For the final encore Soulive, The Shady Horns, and Marco Benevento went an interesting route and chose an instrumental version of Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean,” the same tune they closed out the previous Saturday night with, with Jennifer Hartswick on vocals. After the encore, Pete Shapiro came out on stage and gifted the band “61” necklaces to honor the 61 shows Soulive has played at Brooklyn Bowl to date. The evening was brought to an end with Wyllys continuing to keep the crowd grooving into the late hours of the night with his unique mash-ups and fan favorite tunes.

March 26, 2015
Buffalo Metal Scene Rallies to Support St. Jude Children’s Hospital

On Friday March 20, the Buffalo metal scene came together at the Rockin’ Buffalo Saloon in West Seneca, NY, to raise some money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The event was called “Metal Fights Cancer” and it was hosted by Brian Pattison, a longtime Buffalo show promoter and supporter. Six bands took the stage that night, playing to a packed house of other musicians and show goers. Each act put on a killer set and added to the Buffalo metal scene’s already sterling reputation for excellent musicianship and charitable contributions.

The night kicked off with Tyranitar, a Viking themed metal band from Rochester, NY. They ascended to the stage in full Viking attire, paying homage to the Nordic gods while playing flawless Euro-influenced melodic death metal. I’d recommend this band to any fan of Amon Amarth or Kings of Asgard. Tyranitar’s set ended with a great Amon Amarth cover, which set a nice mood in the audience for the next act.

Armageddon, Buffalo’s ‘young thrash attack’ took the stage next. This three piece ranges ages 12-18, but don’t let that discourage you. They can hold their own with the best of the best and put on a fantastic performance. Armageddon audiences are never disappointed. I like to think of their sound as being a rejuvenated Death Angel.

Following Armageddon, was Weaponex This band features guitarist, Mike Willard, a local idol in Buffalo’s guitar world. He’s a master of all styles and his riffs and leads are well complimented by a stunning rhythm section. Weaponex reminds me of a very progressive Megadeth, with song structures and dynamics that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Enthauptung (ent-owpt-oong) appeared shortly after, under haunting blue lights in an otherwise dark and silent room. It was my first time seeing them, but I can already tell you they are a true black metal authority in WNY. Their songs are long, symphonic and hypnotic with guitar work and drumming that resets the black metal standard. Fans of Emperor, Mayhem, Burzum or other local black metal lords, Hubris, will appreciate Enthauptung.

Seven Faces returned to the stage in Enthauptung’s wake, just in time to calm things down before the night could become too evil. They’re a solid rock metal band, with tight heavy riffs and clean singing, reminiscent of the great radio rock bands of the mid-late ’90s. A few songs reminded me of Alice in Chains’s heavier material. I give them 5 out of 5 stars for great musicianship and making me feel nostalgic.

The night concluded with Aspired Infliction, melodic thrash with breakdowns from Buffalo. They’ve been on the scene the last four years, only you’d never know it because of repeated hiatuses and a briefly spun carousel of guitarists. They came out with their usual heavy and gave those who came to mosh a reason to. The pit erupted during the first song and intermittently continued until the end of their set. It was a truly fitting end to a very successful night.

Brian Pattison ended up raising a good chunk of change for young cancer patients that night, and further upheld the Buffalo metal scene’s good name. Then, on the following night, Saturday March 21, he put on a second cancer benefit for the family of Jennifer Rinaldo, a dear friend of his who died of cancer a few years back. Regretfully, I was unable to attend.

Here are some links for donations to both causes:

glorioustimesdeathbook@gmail.com- Paypal for Jennifer Rinaldo’s family

www.stjude.org– St. Jude Children’s Hospital

All photos taken by Lee Hoffman- www.buffalo24.com

March 26, 2015
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad Electrifies Syracuse

Rolling around the northeast on their Spring Steady Tour, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad burned one down this past saturday with the help from the High Hopes Band and Danielle Ponder & the Tomorrow People at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY. High Hopes hit the stage at 8 p.m. sharp, not wasting a moment of the audience’s time. Ready as ever, they kicked off the first set with originals from their newly released album Forever Love. HHB serenaded the crowd for the their full hour with silky smooth lyrical stories accompanied by cavernous bass lines and rich drum rhythms. Luscious guitar melodies and keyboards were nothing short of ear pleasing for the 70’s era reggae lovers in the theater.

The second performance was delightfully owned by Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People. These Rochester, NY funksters brought with them to Syracuse a style of their own, blending Soul, Funk, R&B, and Hip Hop. The group practically tore down the roof with covers of “Killing Me Softly” by the Fugees and “Cherish the Day” by Sade, along with a mix of their own original music. Danielle belted out every lyric and syllable with precision and affection as a passionate singer should, which may have come easy being backed up by a modestly qualified band.

By the time the first two performances were finished, the crowd was warmed up and awaiting some Giant Panda love. A few moments later, the five members of GPGDS ascended the stage with instruments in hand and propelled into their set. Opening with a new song called “Make it Better,” the squad put their faith into the commendable crowd, which yielded a boisterous cheer. Graciously, the quintet pursued a monstrous segue jam that Chris and Tony kept glued together, consisting of “Seasons Change,” “Foundation,” “Mr. Cop,” “Pockets,” and ending with “Healing.” Without taking a breath, they dove right into “Steady,” the title track of their most recent release and the crowd displayed extensive joy as they sang along with Dylan and Dan’s unified harmonies.

Giant Panda flawlessly gave the people what they wanted with more fan favorites, such as “All Night Music,” “Whatever Cost,” and “Take Your Place.” The energy in the building was immense to the point that the band did not want to take a break, playing nearly a three hour set. Sparing no expense, the guys dropped a whopping “.45” with James leading on vocals and bass. After departing the stage for a brisk water break, the ensemble returned with a two song encore consisting of “Far Away” and “OK,” coupled with a fancy dub jam molded in the middle. Before anyone could appeal, the show was closing and the band was thanking the Salt City along with everyone in attendance for sharing their evening with them.

Amidst a lengthy northeastern run, these artists held their momentum and have not wasted one ounce of energy on their fans. As GPGDS continues their Spring Steady Tour through April with three more shows in Ithaca, Albany, and Buffalo, they will also be traveling to the west coast for a few appearances this spring, including the California Roots Festival on May 22.

March 26, 2015
Upstate Funk Heads West: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad with Euforquestra
At one time I had a friend who exclaimed before each concert she attended, that each band she heard must pass what she called “the sweat test.” That is to say, in order for her to feel satisfied with a band’s performance she should walk away with her clothes drenched in enough sweat from dancing that her attire would freeze stiff shortly after exiting a venue. This was during the early 1990s when I lived through a few rough winters in Rochester, NY. I didn’t go to shows at the time because I was attending a local seminary to get a theology degree and become a Baptist preacher.

Still, her standard for live music stuck with me through the ensuing decades as I grew into the live music scene. I was recently reminded of her on a chilly evening in Boulder, CO as the Rochester-native band, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad headlined with the Colorado-based funk band, Euforquestra. As I watched the venue full of twirling, jumping,wriggling, and flopping enthusiasts it became clear to me that both bands would easily pass the sweat test.

Euforquestra led the way with a scorching blend of brass-infused funk/Afrobeat music. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad has gained a devoted following to their improvisational roots reggae sound in the Rocky Mountain region, and their lively finishing set was part of a winter tour devoted only to stops in Colorado.
March 25, 2015
Bowlive 6 Night 7 – Erik Deutsch and The Jazz Outlaws, Soulive w/ George Porter Jr. “The Captain of Bowlive Pt. 2”

Night seven of Bowlive opened with local musician Erik Deutsch (keyboard) and his band The Jazz Outlaws. Deutch and company brought more of a crushing rock and roll set to Brooklyn Bowl than the classic psych jazz he is known for. Joined on stage by Scott Metzger (guitar, WOLF!) Erik Deutsch gave way to his band to carry the set and performing a mixture of original tunes and covers of The Rolling Stones “Wild Horses,” Etta James “Dearest Darling,” Bonnie Raitt’s “Too Long At The Fair,” and Waylon Jenning’s “Whistlers and Jugglers.” The set was capped off by Greg Humphrey’s (guitar) original tune “Natural Child.”

Soulive began the evening with The Shady Horns on stage for the first time of the run. The night was kicked off with “El Ron” off of Soulive’s 2002 self titled album. “Flurries” off Next followed and Eric Bloom (trumpet) and Ryan Zoidos (sax) brought some heat to to this tune as the evening was kicked into high gear right off the bat. We were lead through a soulful rendition of “Vapor” and a slow psychedelic journey through “Third Stone From The Sun” and “Lenny”, all Soulive originals. For the second night in a row George Porter Jr. dubbed ‘The Captain of Bowlive’ joined the band for the remainder of the first set where he brought us New Orleans classics “Junco Partner,” an abbreviated “Iko Iko,” and the Rebirth Brass Band original “I Feel Like Funkin It Up.” The set came to a close with Porter Jr. and The Runnin’ Pardners original “Take A Chance.”

The second set began with the same group on stage and hit the ground running with The Meters smooth jazz melody “No More Okey Dokey.” Donny Hathaway tune “Voices Inside (Everything is Everything)” followed up and kept pace with the blissful jazz to begin this set. Porter Jr. then brought us “I Need More Time” off of his 2011 project Can’t Beat The Funk. The surprise guest for this evening was none other than 12 year old guitar prodigy Brandan “Taz” Niederauer. Anyone who has witnessed his shredding guitar style knows that at his young age he can stand toe to toe with the pros. Taz led Krasno and Porter Jr. on The Meters upbeat “Fire On The Bayou” and “People Say” standing front and center on stage showing off of rock star chops and signature curly hair before leaving the stage. The Meters “Hand Clapping Song” followed and featured Krasno getting the crowd involved and clapping their hands in the air before segueing into “Funky Miracle.” The set came to a close with the Wilson Pickett hit “In The Midnight Hour,” highlighted by an Alan Evans drum solo that continually got pushed harder and faster by Porter Jr. For an encore, Taz came back out on stage and stole the show one more time for The Meters “Just Kissed My Baby,” Niederauer showed off his amazing talents as he handled his instrument with the control and professionalism of any guitarist in the scene today.

March 25, 2015
A Great Set by Yarn at Funk N’ Waffles Downtown

Mandolin of Andrew Hendryx from Yarn

Melodic twangs were drifting out of the walls of Funk N’ Waffles and down the crisp streets of downtown Syracuse on Friday night. A band of local Syracuse musicians who go by Boots n’ Shorts were in the midst of their set. This bluegrass band was a great welcome off of the street into the warm bar. It’s nice, for a change of pace in Syracuse, to hear live bluegrass. The five piece Boots n’ Shorts were fired up, playing fast and well their entire time on stage. It was a good opener for Yarn at Funk N’ Waffles.

The main act of the night at Funk N’ Waffles was the band Yarn; a bluegrass/americana band from New York. These guys started the night with some bright songs that were totally easy to get along with. With a little bit of direction lead singer Blake Christiana turned the place into a whimsical sing along. The crowd mirrored his words, belting, “I’m a king, I’m a god.” It was easy to spot out the old adorning fans and soon the heartfelt sprit was easily caught be new ones. The sing along was a spin on the everyday way of appreciating the American dreams of conquest and freedom in a funny, boyish way.

The roots of American county lie in the heart of a good story. Happiness and joy are the greatest feelings we can wish for, but all paths are sometimes rocky. It is not without contrast of those moody days that makes us appreciate the people we have to lean on. Blake Christiana definitely enjoyed telling a tale. About half way through the set, they took a chance on a slow song. It after all was the beginning of the weekend and the bar was full of people whose bellies are warm and full. It was a respectable time to evoke that kind of moment. It took a little while for the mandolin player to get his game face on. Once he got into it, the set got rather impressive. There were multiple stand out moments when the mandolin and the double bass were together in beautiful harmony. It is always a treat to hear a performance with an upright. All in all it was beautiful show; the show became a performance and the course of the set displayed diversity in the feelings of the sound.

March 24, 2015
ZZ Still On Top At Kingston’s UPAC

More than four decades into their careers together, the legends that make up ZZ Top can still rock a theater, as their performance at Kingston’s beautiful Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) on March 13 evinced. After guitarist Billy Gibbons declared the only two rules—1) no drinking during gospel tunes, and 2) no gospel tunes would be played—the Hall of Famers pumped out hit after hit to an elated Upstate crowd.

Sporting their signature long beards, dark black pants and jackets, and cheap sunglasses, Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill took stage in front of ironically beardless drummer Frank Beard. The sold-out crowd instantly recognized nearly every song, from “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” to encore “La Grange.” Gibbons shredded bluesy solos in his distinguishable Southern-rock tone and Hill thumped out thick bass lines. Beard remained steady, occasionally unloading tight fills between drags from his cigarette.

While many stages look like early computer rooms with pedals strewn all over and cords snaking around, ZZ Top’s stage was completely unsullied and their sound sans effects. Gibbons and Hill’s bravado was on full display with the clean floor-space; they stepped in tune and rocked guitars with their patented syncopated shuffle. On a projector screen in the background, a blond beauty led the audience through a journey featuring images that corresponded with songs. Volcanoes erupted during “Got Me Under Pressure” and the band members were dressed to impress and driving fast cars during “Sharp Dressed Man.” Following a solo in “Whiskey’n Mama,” Gibbons flipped his guitar over to reveal a homemade sign on the back—“BEER”—to the crowd’s chagrin. Before the set’s finale (“Legs”) Gibbons and Hill disappeared for a moment to grab white, fur-lined instruments. Beard stayed away from the fur, but his bass drums did both have light-up tiki heads carved out in the middle.

Iconic classic rock tunes poured out for nearly ninety minutes straight. ZZ Top showed why it has been on top of the rock universe during the past six decades. The band’s musicianship and showmanship rivaled each other on stage and the trio’s unapologetic devotion to booze, boobs, and blues has earned them a devoted and boisterous fan base. The only downside to the show was that it came to an end despite vehement requests from the crowd for a second encore.

Setlist: Got Me Under Pressure, Waitin’ For The Bus, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Gimme All Your Lovin’, I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide, Pincushion, I Gotsta Get Paid, Flyin’ High, Foxy Lady, Tube Snake Boogie, Cheap Sunglasses, My Head’s In Mississippi, Whiskey’n Mama, Sharp Dressed Man, Legs

Encore: La Grange, Tush

March 23, 2015
Bowlive VI – Night 6 – Soulive with Anders Osborne and George Porter Jr. “The Captain of Bowlive Pt.1”

On the sixth night, we had confusion. Opener Curtis Harding was suddenly unavailable at the last minute, with the lone announcement of “Showtime will be changed to 8:45, full refunds will be available.” Despite the nice gesture, I don’t believe anyone was running to get their money back, with the New Orleans powerhouse combo of Anders Osbone and George Porter Jr. headlining the event.

Soulive, consisting of Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums), and Neal Evans (keys) took the stage at the adjusted set time to a half full Brooklyn Bowl as it appears not everyone got the memo. The opening act has a large responsibility and its not just to kill time until the headliner goes on. They are intended to insert a certain amount of energy in the crowd, and on this night when Soulive took the stage both audience and band seemed to be missing that energy. It felt as if the trio was going through the motions on the original “Dig” as well as the nightly Beatles cover we’ve come to expect “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

The Shady Horns then joined on stage and while the hope seemed to be they would inject a little energy into the building, they ran their way through two more Soulive originals “Fire Eater” and “The Swamp” without too much fanfare. On the last Soulive original tune of the night “Upshot” the band finally drew the crowds undivided attention with horn filled funk. The energy inside finally came to a peak as “The Captain of Bowlive” as dubbed by band leader Krasno, George Porter Jr.(bass, The Meters), took the stage and Neil Evans (keyboard) was finally able to give his left hand a break from that clavinet. When Porter Jr. is on stage his presence usurps Krasno from his traditional band leader roll and works each musician like he is conducting an orchestra. Porter Jr. got the best out of each musician on stage for the three Meters songs to close the set “Pungee,” “Keep On Marching,” and “He Bite Me (The Dragon).”

This show could easily be described as a tale of two sets. Set two began with Soulive, The Shady Horns, and the second guest of the evening Anders Osborne (guitar). Anders Osborne led us through two of his original tunes “On The Road To Charlie Parker” and “Pleasin You” before The Shady Horns left the stage for a rendition of “Back Together” from Osborne’s newest project NMO All-Stars. With Porter Jr. back on stage joining Anders Osborne we were treated to two living New Orleans legend doing their own funky takes on some classic tunes. First up was the JJ Cale penned “After Midnight,” and for the first time tonight the building was shaking. What came next will one day appear on a Best of Bowlive album. Kicked off with The Shady Horns back on stage and joined by Maurice “Mo Betta” Brown (trumpet, TTB) CSNY’s Ohio led the way with a phenomenal trumpet solo by Brown with Osborne, Krasno, and Porter Jr. on vocals. A seamless segue in a mind melting mashup of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” > Neil Young’s “Down By The River” > “Breathe” had everyone mesmorized. This mashup was highlighted by Victor Cornette’s mastery of the lighting rigs at Brooklyn Bowl to give you the full experience. The Grateful Dead’s “Bertha” followed and didn’t disappoint as Neal took it to another level on the organ as Porter Jr. egged him on with deep rhythmic basslines. To round out this phenomenal set, Questlove (drums, The Roots) commandeered the drum kit from Alan to join in on another The Meter’s original “Africa,” this was the most talent that had been on stage at one time during the Bowlive run and the crowd responded appropriately. For the night six encore Soulive and The Shady Horns were joined on stage by Brown and Porter Jr. for one more The Meters tune “Ain’t No Use” starting out with Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” being teased into the intro. George Porter Jr. returns tomorrow night to end his two night run with Soulive.

Video by Marc Millman

March 23, 2015