Space Carnival, a fourtet founded in 2013, lit the crowd on fire with a touch of psychedelic and jamtastic euphoria Monday, November 9 at Black Oak Tavern in Oneonta. They implemented blends of funky and high spirited progressive rock which allowed the beings of Oneonta to release their souls into the fabrics of our universe. The groove had everyone get down as they combined fresh sounds along with original beats which created a positive atmosphere, making everyone look forward to their sweet return.
If music were an entity capable of wrapping listeners in the most sincere embrace, everyone would be wholeheartedly hugged by Alison and Zoë Mullan-Stout’s performance at the Merrifield House in Scipio, NY on Saturday, November 7. The sister songwriters, whose kind smiles added to the pleasant atmosphere, exuded playful yet mature dispositions perfectly suited to this intimate, historic venue.
Darkness blanketed the chilly fall evening as attendees filtered into the venue through the side patio, immediately greeted by the homeowners. The space functions as part of the Concerts in Your Home establishment where homeowners offer their dwelling for performances. The concert took place in an add-on at the rear of the cobblestone house where an old barn once stood. A row of large windows against the back wall, each sill embellished with an assortment of small trinkets, provided an open yet homey feel to the rectangular event space. Soft ambient lighting accented by candlelight filled the whitewashed room with warmth. A hodgepodge assortment of foldable chairs, rocking chairs and a small couch provided an eclectic seating arrangement.
Alison and Zoë shared joint custody of a guitar, banjo and ukulele to backup their vocals, often harmonizing to effortlessly create a nuanced, balanced sound laced with subtle intricacies between their distinct voices. Zoë’s delicate vocals offset Alison’s more mature, soprano soul. A quieter demeanor paralleled Zoë’s softer vocals where Alison’s tenacity and sly witticisms between and during songs mirrored her strong singing style. Every song carried a story behind it, which one sister would introduce while delicately strumming in the background before diving in.
Their song “Lost in the Woods,” inspired by true events, recounts a time Zoë found herself in unfamiliar surroundings. Rather than allowing the circumstance to invoke a sense of discomfort or fear, the song embraces the predicament, honoring an appreciation for the forest habitat. Midway through the number, Alison playfully prompted the crowd suggesting, “This is the part where you guys make animal noises.” A response came in the form of howls, growls, bird chirps and fits of giggling as the audience reveled in making the song one-of-a-kind.
“Dirt” described a longing to be loved by a girl in the same way she tends so intimately to her garden. The first utterance of the line “I wish she’d treat me like dirt,” induced laughter from the crowd before the following lines provided clarifying context: “I wish she’d rub me off her hands on the back of her skirt/Keep diggin’ on me til her back hurts/Roll around in me/Dissolve all boundaries.” In that scenario, who wouldn’t want to be treated like dirt?
The mood shifted for a more solemn cover of Emmylou Harris’ “Deeper Well” before Alison and Zoë offered a few more originals including “This Song I Wrote.” An Alison original, the song was crafted with inspiration from two separate couples whose relationships were salvaged in part by music. Beautifully poetic, the song speaks of rekindled love with the line, “We got drunk on honesty and fell back towards each other/Remembering all the ways we fell in love in the first place.”
During set break, everyone filtered into the kitchen to enjoy hot tea from a wide selection of mugs and tea varieties already set out for guests to choose from. Homemade brownies rested provokingly on the round kitchen table. Guests mingled with the musicians and homeowners, enjoying friendly conversation. Curious adventurers were allowed to roam about the first floor, and some were shown the well-kept guest bedrooms on the second floor. The Abraham Lincoln themed bedroom featured a well stocked bookcase crammed with the chronicles of his life history. A bust of the former president and a replica of his trademark top hat governed the room’s affairs from the fireplace mantle.
Guests filtered back into their seats to hear a few more tunes, with a guest appearance by Eric Dwyre playing the ukulele and singing soulfully. The evening came to a close with the sisters performing the title track off their first EP titled “Home Is…” Souls soothed by the tender thought provoking songs of the sister songwriters, guests sheltered in the welcoming environment were made even more at home with Alison and Zoë’s shining orchestration.
Guitarist Stephane Wrembel reached some level of notoriety when he was the man behind Woody Allen’s Gypsy-jazz-inspired film Sweet and Lowdown. He has gone on to do a few more soundtracks for Allen, as well as others. It is easy to see why he makes such a good choice for matching music to movies. His compositions, though completely instrumental, tell vivid stories all on their own.
Some artists write lyrics to tell their stories. Some leave their song’s meanings up to the interpretation of the listener. But for Wrembel, each of his compositions had a specific inspiration that he communicated in detail to the audience. The evening started, however, with a meditation on the Universe. Before the band got started, Wrembel wanted everyone to have a clear mind. To arrive at that point we followed his train of thought, pondering how the Universe came to be, and what was there before. ‘Nothing’ is just a concept, so there must have been something. We are a part of the everything forever. With that out of the way, the dining and drinking crowd was primed for Wrembel and his band: Kells Nollenberger on double bass, Thor Jensen on guitar, and drummer Nick Anderson.
Since they were recording the evening (and the evening prior) for a possible future live release, he warned, “Everything can be held against you.” This night they concentrated on material from his two most recent albums Origins and Dreamers of Dreams. The band took the crowd on a journey. A journey around the world, and beyond, through the eyes, mind and sounds of Stephane Wrembel. They started in the desert of the American Southwest with “Devices from the Desert,” a place they would return to later on with “Minuit Aux Batignolles” and second set opener “Let There Be Light.” Wrembel “loves the desert.”
But every destination wasn’t a sun-drenched sand dune. “Tsunami” brought us to a Wrembel-envisioned version of Japan inspired by the movies of Kurosawa. A pleasant airy tune, that was disrupted by a violent second half, representing the tsunami that hit the area of more recent times. “Road to Jos” told of the time the band traveled to Nigeria and had a military transport across the beautiful but war-ridden countryside between gigs. “Lasco” took a trip to one of the oldest caves in France, in which Wrembel pondered if people didn’t actually live there, but in fact just entered for ritual singing. “Orion” finally lifted us from our world and into the cosmos, back where the evening began. He started with the explanations, and the music then captured the scene perfectly. Musically, the band was top-notch. Wrembel’s solos were mystifying. In the moments when the band, Anderson on drums in particular, clicked together with him, the peaks were astounding.
Later in the evening, they played “Big Brother” and “Bistro Fava” from Woody Allen’s Vikki Cristina Barcelonaand Midnight in Paris, respectively. Wrembel told a story of how he was cast in a small role for one of the films, but that the one scene he was in got cut. So he joked, if Woody played a song while they were recording this album tonight, maybe he would cut it.
As the dust settles and we begin to experience a last surge of heat for the season during this balmy November, it seems like the perfect time to reflect back and savor the amazing week of events, shows, and spectacular activities and eats offered this year at the 2015 Great NY State Fair. After all, the week immediately preceding is generally so busy with back to school running around, Labor Day celebrations, etc… you don’t really get an opportunity to sit down and digest what an amazing week (twelve days really) we really have right here in New York State. After all, it was voted the fifth best State Fair in the nation by USA Today in 2015. Nothing to sneeze at. We also can bolster that we hold the prize and honor of being the first State Fair ever. So take that Minnesota. Wait till next year, you’ll be looking up to us as we sit at number one.
Breaking records on Day One with more than 16,042 above last years opening day, it was a great start for the Fair, as crowds visited throughout the twelve day event. With gorgeous weather, stellar performers scheduled each day, and special $3 Thursdays, and $1 Labor Day, attendees were able to take advantage of the fun at an affordable family price. Day One’s attendance record could possibly be attributed to the first of only a few final Grandstand shows scheduled. With the new Lakeview Amphitheater opening across the street, it’s exciting to be able to offer patrons the best in the business with state of the art equipment once again in this region. But, it also was bittersweet to be part of the final days at this venue before it’s demolition this year.
Over the thirty eight years the Grandstands at The Great New York State Fair hosted shows to fair goers. Memorable acts such Whitney Houston, Garth Brooks, Frank Sinatra, Neil Young, James Taylor, Ted Nugent, Rihanna, Brittney Spears, ZZ Top, Justin Bieber, Alicia Keys, and so many others graced the stage and filled the seats bringing Central New Yorkers some of the greatest names in the business while Chevy Court attendees were treated to free shows. Over the years the tide turned and the free concerts became the place to be.
As larger names were brought in to Chevy Court, records began to be set, with this years Steve Miller Band hailing the largest crowd ever at Chevy Court with approximately 36,900 attendees. Nonetheless, all good things do come to an end, while some have bright new beginnings. Next year fair goers will sadly reminisce about those days at the Grandstands, but will return to a brand new Chevy Court as national acts will once again treat those patrons to free entertainment with state of the art equipment and stage.
So as we reflect back on the final shows at The Grandstands this year, it was only fitting that country favorites Eric Church and Hank Williams Jr. held the last hooray and gave it a final farewell, fittingly deserved of those thirty eight years. The throw back ticket pricing for all acts including legendary Patti LaBelle and comedian Jim Gaffigan, and was a proper thank you to all attendees as they enjoyed the final moments at was once Central New York’s summer venue place to be.
Eric Church started the party off right with special guests Cadillac Three on Day One. This group of long haired rowdy boys, set the bar high with their country rock and roll and introduced those newcomers to their Cadillac Three style of in your face hard core rock with an edge of country thrown in. Eric Church, well of course this handsome mysterious country star shone bright as he filled to near capacity once again a venue paying homage to those before him. Playing hits such as “Cold One,” “Talladega,” “Give Me Back My Hometown,” “Drink In My Hand,” “Smoke A Little Smoke,” and of course the hot and steamy song, “Like A Wrecking Ball.” Yep, this down home country boy did this crowd proud and started this party off right.
Hank Williams Jr. brought his rowdy friends to the Grandstands on day four of the fair and kicked up some some dust with his Honky-Tonk hits. The Louisiana born country star brought some of his most well-known songs such as Neil Young’s “Are You Ready for the Country,” “All My Rowdy Friends,” “The Blues Man,” “There’s a Tear in My Beer,” and “A Country Boy Can Survive.” The audience was ecstatic to have Hank visit Syracuse, and Hank was equally happy to be performing to grateful audience. Among the crowd favorites in the set, was an impressive collection of his father’s songs including “Move It On Over,” “Kaw-Liga,” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” Adding even more intensity to the show, were a few unforgettable mash-ups, the greatest one covering “Outlaw Women” > “Dinosaur” > “There’s A Tear In My Beer” > “All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down” > “Good Ol’ Boys” > “I Walk The Line.” Of course, the evening would not have been concluded without an epic sing-a-long version of “Family Tradition.”
While Hank was bringing down the house over at the Grandstands, Chevy Court had a few shows to bring in the crowds themselves on Day Four. Up first for the 2p.m. show was country favorites The Swon Brothers.
The Swon Brothers are perhaps known by most as the lovable country brothers on season four of The Voice. On team Blake, these two siblings made their way to third that season, but are number one with all their country fans. Singing their hits “Later On” and “Pray for You,” Colton and Zach revved up the crowd and had them singing along in no time. In fact, the crowd even became part of the show with a sound of cheers as to which brother they liked best. Like a good mother always says, I love you both the same.
As the evening began to roll around Chevy Court was filling up with eager fans awaiting the amazing Nate Ruess. Best know perhaps as lead singer of the indie group Fun, it seems like every song he touches becomes a hit.
With his new band the Romantics, their set list was ridden with hits from both his bands Format and Fun with songs “Oceans” > “We Are Young” > “Some Nights” > “Carry On,” to some songs from his new solo album Grand Romantic (“Great Big Storm” > “You Light My Fire” > “What This World Is Coming To” > “Nothing Without Love” > “Harsh Light” > “Ahha”), and covers (Prince’s, “Let’s Go Crazy”). This amazing musician may be best known for his strong vocals, but don’t count him out as his songwriting abilities are top notch as well. As part of a collaborative effort, Ruess partnered with Pink in 2014 on the number one billboard song “Just Give Me A Reason” which was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2014. Yes, the NY State Fair surely brought in the big guns on day four, for sure.
On Tuesday, Day Five, Chevy Court once again welcomed Bowzer’s Rock & Roll Party back to rock out the afternoon crowd. This lovable 50’s icon, known to most as a member of the popular 50’s Doo Wap group, Sha Na Na, has entertained us with not only his humor and personable demeanor, but his musical talents for more years. Jon Baumann, his real name, is a native of Brooklyn, New York and studied classical music at Juilliard at a very early age, and whether it was playing Mozart or with Sha Na Na, his mothers greatest moment was seeing her son at Carnegie Hall.
One Day Six, Chevy Court was packed with fans awaiting their favorite new 2015’s ACM New Artist of the Year, Cole Swindell. With such an amazing group of new artists this year to be nominated, what was it about Cole Swindell that stood out above the rest? One quickly learned it was his stage presence. He had the ability to draw an audience in like no other. Perhaps it was the eye contact, the waves, or the pointing to individuals that made you feel like he was singing right to you.
An accomplished songwriter way before releasing his self titled debut album, Cole Swindell, Cole was no stranger to the music business. Penning hits for other country artists such as “Roller Coast,” “Get Me Some of That,” and “This Is How We Roll,” to name only a few, Swindell had made his mark in country music and touching souls of those his words spoke to. Singing his hits “Chillin It” > “Ain’t Worth The Whiskey” > “Hope You Get Lonely Tonight” > “Let Me See Ya Girl,” he had this crowd in the palm of his hand. With a mischievous smile and a country charm, this down home country boy was definitely a crowd favorite at the Fair this year.
On Tuesday, September 6th, Day Six, country was once again represented by country favorite Joe Nichols at Chevy Court. Joe’s smooth country sound is clearly what some critics consider “traditional country” music and not the new “Bro Country.” His vocal comments against the turn of the tide has not gone unheard by many in the business and he even joked about it this year at the Fair. Singing Sir Mixx A Lot’s, “I Like Big Butts,” as only Joe could, the audience loved his countries version of rap as it confirmed why he is best suited for the country genre.
On Wednesday, September 7th, Day Seven of the Fair, Snoop Dogg was scheduled to perform but was forced to cancel the night before. To everyone’s surprise, the fair was able to bring in rapper Nas as Snoop’s replacement. The fair on Wednesday didn’t seem as packed as it had been the last week but that didn’t stop an estimated 30,000 people from coming to Chevy Court.
On Thursday, Day Eight, R&B superstar Jason Derulo performed for a packed crowd at Chevy Court. Derulo put on an excellent performance that included a backing band and a group of dancers. For a night that featured two other major artists at the Grandstand and the new Lakeview Amphitheater, Jason Derulo filled Chevy Court with no sign of any competition. As someone who just played at the fair last year, Jason Derulo drew an estimated 25,000 screaming teenage girls.
On Saturday, Day Ten, Chevy Court welcomed home many local talented artists right from our own back yard. At the 2pm Chevy Court Show, crowds welcomed Amanda Lee Peers; Syracuse native, Josh Batstone; and season eight’s winner of The Vocie, Sawyer Fredericks. It was heartwarming to be able to welcome all our hometown heroes to the stage and celebrate their music.
The 8pm show on Day Ten welcomed Motown greats, The Jacksons. Consisting of original members, Jackie, Tito, and Marlon Jackson, the crowd went wild as they danced and sang along with hits “Can You Feel It,” “Rock With You,” “2300 Jackson Street,” “ABC,” “Dancing Machine, ” Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and many, many more.
It’s hard to believe that this marks their 50th anniversary tour, but still today fans went crazy, dressed in costume, and got up on their feet to sing and dance along to all their favorites. For me, it was a walk down memory lane watching video clips of live shows and interviews and clips of their Saturday morning cartoon that I watched so many years ago. A fun evening of music, those guys still have the moves for sure.
The Steve Miller Band came to the Great New York State Fair on the second to last night and brought along a record 37,000+ (the largest crowd to date). As the quintet hammered down on Syracuse with their hits from the last five decades, the performance got better as the crowd sang louder to each song. Opening the show with “Jungle Love,” gave a great representation of the fair with how all of the fun, food, crafts, and entertainment can sometimes feel overwhelming. The show included major plays consisting of “Take The Money,” “Shubada du ma ma,” “The Joker,” “Fly Like and Eagle,” and “Keep On Rockin’ Me.” Little Walters’ own “Blues With a Feeling” made an appearance during the show and despite Millers’ tender age of 71, he showed some animation during a rendition of “Loving Cup.” Before the crowd knew it, the enhanced encore had arrived with the group playing “The Stake,” a very bouncy “Swingtown,” and ending the high ride with extended “Jet Airliner.”
As the final day approached, I knew that an early arrival was mandatory to secure my seat amidst the Millennium generation that was sure to have already staked out the best seats available awaiting teen heartthrob, Nick Jonas. Arriving at 11 a.m. I realized that I was in for the longest day ahead, on what was to prove to be the hottest day of the fair. Surprisingly enough, the crowd of Nick Jonas fans remained upbeat with little to no complaints, and by midday the NY State Fair staff began handing out free waters to those who refused to budge from their seats, lest give up the prime real estate while in absence. The refreshing donation hit the spot and spoke volumes on what a great event and what great folks work to bring this event to everyone.
As the time neared and Nick Jonas came out to the stage, he set right out playing his number one song “Chains” following it up “Numb” > “Levels” > “Wilderness” > “Good Thing” > “I Want You” > “Santa Barbara” > “Under You” > “Roses” > “Teacher” > “Take Over” and for an encore, “Jealous.” How he managed to wear that jacket through half the show was beyond me as I was literally melting into my seat. Jonas’ first solo tour, and one of the first times out by himself, it was a great ending to the Fair, and great beginning for his new upcoming tour to get his footing on stage with his ultra hip band.
Okay, so we’re number five in the top ten best state fairs in the nation. Perhaps you can see why this twelve day event becomes the traditional ending to New Yorkers summers’. Whether you come for the rides, the events and competitions, the exhibits and opportunity to buy some Ginsu knives, the food (you know you do), or the music, it proves each year to raise the bar and bring in what fairgoers want. Looking forward to the 2016 Fair, they will once again raise that bar, and hopefully continue to bring in the biggest names in the business to their ultra new and state of the art Chevy Court. I predict that next years shows will exceed this years, they’ll book much quicker than years past, and once again the Great NY State Fair will prove to be the place to be to end our summer on the highest note possible.
An impressive crowd turned out for All Hallow’s Eve at the Westcott Theater October 30. Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad usually lures a sizable slew of reggae lovers, affording The Simpkin Project an opportunity to bask in the splendor of a well attended venue for the last stop of their east coast debut. Haewa and Ocular Panther appetized the quickly growing crowd with more abstract instrumental compositions.
Ocular Panther, a self proclaimed organic/electro band featuring Jason Gilly (bass), Collin Jones (guitar/synth/samples), and Michael Pantano (guitar), kicked the night off. Despite an optimistic concoction of notes culminating in a highly danceable jam beat, the crowd was not loose enough to dance in response. By the end of their short-lived set, the crowd had already grown to roughly seventy participants.
Rochester band Haewa followed, again utilizing Jones for his guitar work and vocals, plus Brendon Caroselli (drums/percussion), and Ben Chilbert (bass). For Caroselli’s second time playing with the band, he fit into their musical puzzle quite comfortably. Jones’ grungy fashionableness matched his Kurt Kobain-flavored vocals, adding some dimension to their instrumental, at times face melting musical offerings.
The Simpkin Project marked the third band of the evening paying no mind to the looming holiday by sporting a discernible Halloween costume. Phil Simpkin (guitar/vocals), Shawn Taylor (B3 organ/vocals), Sergio Sandoval (percussion) and Jules Luna (guitar/vocals), were joined by Giant Panda members and long time fans of the band, Chris O’Brian (drums) and James Searl (bass). The Simpkin Project’s mild mannered, warm presence conjured that satisfying sensation of joy akin to tearing open a homemade cornbread muffin hot from the oven before slowly savoring each textured, spongy bite.
Their mid-set song, “Everything You Want” professed a deep rooted love. Simpkin sang sweetly, “You are the shelter that protects me from the storm/The vindication for the reason I was born/I want to be everything you are to me/The center of my being.” Such enamor called to mind more than the simple indulgence of nibbling on a plain jane cornbread muffin. The slow-roasted, pan seared passion steaming out of this lyrical love plate was piled high with mashed potatoes, gravy and roast beef (ethically slaughtered of course).
Throughout their set, O’Brian and Searl happily mouthed the lyrics to many of the songs, fully immersed in the experience of playing alongside their musical heroes. Members of The Simpkin Project mirrored their gratitude, announcing towards the end of their performance, “This was a life changing experience, and what it taught us: we’ll be back.”
Giant Panda opened up with Searl soothingly offering the crowd, “This is a group meditation, please enjoy yourself,” following it up after the first song with “The first step to positivity is moving your body,” spoken like a true music yogi. Searl stood front and center, flanked by Dylan Savage (guitar/vocals) and Dan Keller (guitar/vocals), with Chris O’Brian (drums) and Tony Gallicchio (keys) rounding out their sound.
They covered a lot of ground, playing a range of older material from their 2006 debut album titled Slow Down, and mixing in a collection of everything since then including tracks off their May 2015 release Bright Days. Searl, Savage and Keller stood in a row, gatekeepers of reggae revolution, harmonizing before a crowd of mostly humans, mixed in with a few dancing pandas, princesses and superheroes, cuz ya know, Halloween.
As Giant Panda flowed into the marijuana-endorsing number “Mr.Cop,” the crowd dutifully sang along, to the delight of Searl and Savage who exchanged toothy grins as they strummed along. Before the next song, Keller divulged his entertainment from earlier in the day which consisted of flying a stunt kite. This anecdotal story was most certainly not followed by any references to how elevated the kite or any persons involved may or may not have been.
Known for effortlessly blending from one song to the next in a continuous swell of sound, Giant Panda transitioned from “Pockets” to “Healing,” followed by “Steady” and “Move” in a nonstop reggae rumble. Toward the end of the evening Simpkin reemerged as a guest vocalist. Sandoval added his percussive expertise to the high energy “O.K.” with Keller briefly adding some saxophone work to the lively tune. Leaving the audience buzzing with energy, Searl bid them farewell bellowing, “Peace, Panda and good night!”
“Keep It Goin’” – that seems to be the theme these days in The Barn at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, N.Y. In fact, one could say that it’s been the theme for many years prior leading up to the iconic Helm’s death in 2012. On November 6, the Georgia born Shawn Mullins kept it going by returning to the intimate studio in support of his latest release, My Stupid Heart, Mullins 9th studio release and 14th overall album dating back to 1992’s Better Days.
The American singer-songwriter, who swiftly acknowledged Helm at the start of the set, is best known for the 1998 single smash hit, “Lullaby” which reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks. Mullins was joined on stage, after “Twin Rocks Oregon” by Tom “Panda” Ryan to a house of nearly 100 or so middle-aged music lovers. Ryan ripped through 14 of the 17-song set on bass guitar providing near perfect harmonies on songs like “Beautiful Wreck” and the Sunshine State inspired “Pre-Apocalyptic Blues,” co-written by Ryan.
There’s a great deal of empathy and even more compassion in Mullin’s live performances these days and he appears to be at ease with where he is in his life, even if his personal past marital relationships have slipped away from him, they are used to fuel the song writing fire on My Stupid Heart. The 10-track release comes from a depressed place which makes it honest and heartfelt and is a record that is not overproduced and closely resembles his masterful live performance passion.
Opening for Mullins was Boston based songwriter Amy Fairchild who entertained on the acoustic guitar but was in her element when she ventured un-mic’d at the piano especially belting out the emotional, “It Won’t Be Mine.”
Setlist: The Great Unknown, Twin Rocks Oregon, Pre-Apocalyptic Blues, Shimmer, Lonesome, I Know You To Well, Sunshine, Ferguson, My Stupid Heart, Catoosa County, Light You Up, California, Ghost of Johnny Cash, Beautiful Wreck, Friday Night Fights At Al’s Place, Lullaby, To Beat The Devil*, House Of The Rising Sun^
If you go see a Gillian Welch show, you’ll see her husband Dave Rawlings accompany her on guitar and vocals. If you go see a Dave Rawlings show, you’ll see Welch accompany him on guitar and vocals.
The difference is who’s driving. At a Welch show they’ll play mostly Welch songs, ceding the floor to Rawlings for a number or two. At a Rawlings show, the opposite. And most of the time, Rawlings will round out his band with a few more players. For the current tour they’re on, supporting Dave Rawlings Machine’s just released Nashville Obsolete, they were joined by Brittany Haas on fiddle, Paul Kowert on bass and Willie Watson on guitar, all who make appearances on the album as well.
Bedecked in head-to-toe denim, cowboy hats and long prairie dresses, they certainly dressed the part of the deep-rooted folk they were slinging. With an opening salvo of “Ruby,” “To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)” and “Candy,” they came out guns blazing. Rawlings immediately showcasing his impeccable chops, with Haas entering as the clear and capable second soloist of the group.
Welch grabbed her harmonica for the next song but Rawlings had her return it. “Dave wants me to sing a bummer of a song,” she remarked as they kicked into “The Way That It Goes” off of her Harrow and the Harvest album. This was Rawlings’ show after all. Later in the set he would prompt Watson to swap out his guitar for a fiddle mid-song. “More fiddle!” like the conductor of his own folk freight train.
Everyone, not just Welch, got their turn in the shotgun seat. Watson sang a pair of songs off his Rawlings-produced album Folk Singer Vol. 1 and Kowert was featured on a traditional gospel tune. All members but Haas sang, though she got numerous turns to highlight her fiddle playing throughout the night. Her accompaniment and harmonizing with Rawling’s complicated solos was the secret additive making the Machine run extra hot.
The Machine was most certainly Rawlings’. His clean yet furious picking of his 1935 Epiphone archtop created a highlight-reel’s worth of material. The audience hung on every note, collectively holding their breath as the solos wound to a peak, producing an audible exhaust of CO2 once he made the turn. Just a simple guitar, no pedals or tricks, yet he was able to elicit a library of sound.
During the second set the band would accordion back and forth from the full five-piece down to a couple different trio configurations, and all the way down to the Rawlings/Welch duo for a take on “Sweet Tooth.” Back up to a trio with Watson on banjo, they worked a “This Land Is You Land” perfectly into “I Hear Them All” that turned into a big old singalong just as Pete Seeger would have wanted. Rawlings noted “It’s starting to sound like a real folk concert in here!” To keep the spirit alive they kicked into a Watson-led rendition of “Stewball,” in which the crowd helped balloon the quintet to a band of hundreds.
Early in the set an audience member cried out, “Doesn’t have to be now, but can you play that Dylan song?” Welch quickly retorted, “Which one?!” before Rawlings sought to take back control of his show by stating “We’ve descended into chaos.” But they did play that Dylan song, closing with “Queen Jane Approximately.” They closed out the show in big fashion, with Rawlings grinning widely and bouncing up and down like a rock star, through a blistering solo. It was met with, what wasn’t the first, or last, standing ovation of the night.
Dave Rawlings Machine let Welch take the helm again for an encore of her “Look At Miss Ohio” followed by an a cappella take on “Didn’t Leave Nobody But the Baby” that finally got Haas behind a mic. The crowd wouldn’t let the Machine stop working there though. After another relentless ovation the band was back again for a cover of The Band’s “The Weight.” Another chance for everyone to do some singing, except Haas of course, who ‘sang’ a verse with her fiddle instead. And with that, the Dave Rawlings Machine finally came to a rest.
Upon pulling up to find parking outside The Hollow on November 5, I noticed a familiar face taking a solo stroll down Pearl Street. The late 20s/early 30s man was staring up at the many abandoned buildings that seem to colonize the area as of late. With a closer look, I realized the stranger was Zack Feinberg, guitarist of The Revivalists, the New Orleans based rock hybrid group I was about to see.
Photo Credit: Rocco DeCarlo, 2015
“Oh God, this place must look so lame,” I thought to myself.
Here is a band whose tour has recently included the likes of Telluride and Red Rocks in Colorado, various festivals including Kaaboo, a sold-out Halloween show at the 9:30 club in Washington D.C., and poor Zack here can’t even find a pizza joint open in downtown Albany on a Thursday night.
Fortunately the Hollow was jam packed on this particular evening. A combination of the unseasonably warm weather and the rising popularity for the raw talent of the band. I felt at ease that “Smallbany” would at least provide an energetic crowd, ranging from backwards snap-back sporting college girls to business casual school district administrators who were attending a conference nearby.
Photo Credit: Rocco DeCarlo, 2015
To my surprise, our small city and relatively petite venue seemed to have provided an opportunity for the band to relax and have some fun. While initially pulled back, singer Dave Shaw literally let his impressively voluminous hair down as he bounced about the stage. At times he crouched down so close to the women in the front row, I could practically feel the heat coming from their blushing faces. Had he removed his shirt – as he is known to do – I would have questioned whether we were at a concert or an evening with the Chippendales.
With a few exceptions, the set was mostly tunes from their most recent album Men Amongst Mountains, providing plenty of solo opportunities for the horn section featuring Rob Ingraham on the saxophone and Michael Girardot on trumpet and keys. These two help provide the familiar NOLA sound, while the steel pedal guitar played by Ed Williams announced a twang all his own.
Photo Credit: Rocco DeCarlo, 2015
Shaw continues to woo the ladies by physically joining them in the crowd. Even Williams jumps up from his steel guitar to playfully ask “Why don’t you love me, baby” during “When I’m Able,” a song from their City of Sound album. This particular song provides room for improvisation and crowd interaction. Crystal clear notes rise from the keys, Shaw breaks out the tambourine and an intense faceoff ensues between Feinberg and Williams. These guys are clearly having a blast in Cap City.
After exiting momentarily to take a breath, the septuplet returned to the stage for an encore of “Need You,” an emotionally charged and powerful song from the new album. And finally the cherry on top of this Cajun sundae, the boys closed out the evening with Prince’s “When Doves Cry.” Although they weren’t dressed the part as they did for their Halloween show, the Revivalists nailed the cover while adding their own grit to this pop classic.
If the Revivalists were unimpressed with Albany, it certainly wasn’t evident by the intensity of their set. So there you have it – at least when it comes to cities and venues – size apparently doesn’t matter.
Setlist: Bullet Proof, Stand Up, Fireflies, Amber, Monster, When I’m Able, Keep Going, Fade Away, Criminal, It Was a Sin, Wish I Knew You Encore: Need You, When Doves Cry
There are moments in one’s life that will stay with them long after the music has stopped. The third and 2015 edition of Hulaween once again curated a festival experience for the ages. One that will be stuck in festival goers minds for a long time to come, until next year that is.
The third installment of Suwannee’s Hulaween Music and Arts Festival brought many new faces to Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. Having grown to over 21,000 attendees this year, it was the largest festival ever thrown at the site since it began hosting. Not without some slight growing pains, long lines on Friday for ticketing and entrance into the event quickly gave way to smiles and wide eyed amazement of what was in store for the weekend.
Hosted once again by The String Cheese Incident, Hulaween brought many other big name musical acts to the party, some for their first appearance at Suwannee. With a total of seven sets over the course of the weekend, including their Halloween “Ghoul Train” cover set featuring Wu Tang’s Gza acting as Don Cornelius, plowing through crowd favorites such as “Brick House,” “Boogie Man,” “Car Wash,” and “Dance to the Music,” SCI held nothing back, whipping revelers into a dancing frenzy at every opportunity.
A highlight at the Amphitheater Stage Friday was undoubtedly Primus, getting the crowd started with “Those Damn Blue Collar Tweakers,” they left it all on stage with favorites like “Mr. Krinkle,” “American Life” and the coveted “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver.” Their set was not without Les Claypool’s usual witty banter with the crowd, as well as some less usual songs like “Jilly’s on Smack” and “Salmon Man.”
Pretty Lights played to a majority of the attendees Friday night interspersing some new music into a set chock full of his trademark energetic glitch hop, with horns and keys aplenty. A highlight at the Amphitheater Stage on Saturday was Suwanee virgins Odesza who harnessed the crowd’s energy and magnified it into an incredible set of danceable electropop and chillwave grooves leaving everyone in a breathless sweaty heap by the end of their set. With many festivals opting for a relaxed schedule on Sunday’s to encourage a relaxed crowd, Hulaween had other plans.
After a tight bluegrass set by SCI on the main stage, the skyrocketing Griz took the amphitheater by storm announcing that it was the “Funkiest party in the galaxy until Lettuce takes the stage.” Hit after hit had a packed amphitheater crowd bouncing and gyrating until it appeared to form into one massive dancing organism. After String Cheese played their final set, Lettuce indeed brought the funkiest set of the weekend, playing new material off of their fourth studio album Crush. Many were seen looking for their jaws on the ground afterwards.
Closing Hulaween down were none other than livetronica pioneers Sound Tribe Sector 9. Once again the main concert field was packed with fans drawing from energy reserves to dance their hearts out for one finale set of music.
The expansion of Spirit Lake brought many new art exhibits and interactive sculptures, as well as the return of exhibits from previous years. With some stellar performances by Manic Science (Manic Focus X Break Science) and The New Mastersounds at the Spirit Lake Stage, the art wasn’t the only selling point.
Silver Wrapper Productions and The Spirit Of Suwanee Music Park have outdone themselves, once again. Time will tell if it’s possible to bring together a more impressive line up, a more perfect lay out, or a more incredible all around music and art experience together in one gorgeous package.
Dead & Company was an idea that to most, floating on an initial thought, may have been hard to conceptualize. To a very large amount of the Grateful Dead community there was a vast amount of skepticism around how it could be possible for John Mayer to find his place as the lead guitarist for an adaptation of the Grateful Dead, involving three of the ‘Core Four.’
To many of his faithful fans, Mayer could do no harm. However, even those who bridged the gap between Mayer fans and Deadheads would likely respond that Mayer may be most likely to have what most would see as a tenuous grasp of the Dead musical lingo. After all, John Mayer had little knowledge of the depths of the Grateful Dead library until he signed on to this project. On October 29 in Albany, NY, Dead & Company officially began their first tour.
Fast forward a little over a week, five live shows into what seemed like an experiment. This newly created band called Dead & Company takes the stage at Madison Square Garden for the sixth show of their first tour; a free show to those lucky enough to score a ticket in a small number of lotteries between sponsoring names like American Express and Headcount. One could tell from the initial sounds of what would turn into a “Shakedown Street” opener that this experiment had completely transitioned into a band that had found their groove.
The communication among the bandmates was obviously fluid; they were on the same page. The first set was solid and showed great signs of how this band has matured in a short period of time. From the first show, it was clear that there was confidence in each individual player, but from the first moment of the first set on November 7 there was an immediate indication that all involved were working as one, including the crowd.
Three of the ‘Core Four’, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, were joined by three other musical monsters, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti, and moved deftly through a quick, hour-long first set, bringing home in strong fashion songs like “I Need a Miracle,” “Cold Rain and Snow,” and “Jack Straw.” The quick set brought up thoughts of whether this free show was going to be a layup for the band and allow them to have a brief two sets, while still keeping their fans happy.
Then came set two. A strong and long second set is something anyone would be looking for and even more so after a short first set, and what was sought after was certainly delivered. Bobby, John and the crew came out and fired off with “Help on the Way” and from there they could not be stopped. One amazing rendition of what could now be seen as age-old jam band tunes flowed into the next.
Jaws were dropped multiple times as Mayer and Burbridge conveyed just how hard they have worked to contribute to this next step in Grateful Dead adaptation. Dead & Co. gracefully and masterfully presented the crowd with a wonderful, heartfelt “Franklin’s Tower,” sung by Mayer, and really showed what potential they have with a “St. Stephen,” that caused the fans to erupt in cheers multiple times. This second set, which was nothing short of magical, flowed through eight continual songs that ended with “Drums>Space>The Other One,” before a break in the action was taken. The set was capped off with Bobby warming the audience with “Stella Blue” and a seamless transition into “Not Fade Away,” which did not seem to end until the band came back out for encore. The crowd just could not be silenced, clapping the drum cadence and continuing to sing, “You know our love will not fade away!”
When the boys did return for encore, everyone was announcing what song they expected for encore and even those who did not guess right were not disappointed. Dead & Company finished off their sixth show of the tour, the third at Madison Square Garden, with an unbelievable “Brokedown Palace.” Everyone has heard Bob Weir sing that song many times. However, hearing John Mayer contribute to the singing with Bobby was something that brought a free concert, filled with such fun and emotion, to a very happy ending.
Setlist:
Set One: Shakedown Street > I Need A Miracle > Cold Rain & Snow, Tennessee Jed, They Love Each Other, Jack Straw
Set Two: Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, He’s Gone > St. Stephen > Drums > Space > The Other One > Stella Blue > Not Fade Away
The third installment of Suwannee’s Hulaween Music and Arts Festival brought many new faces to Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. Having grown to over 21,000 attendees this year, it was the largest festival ever thrown at the site since it began hosting. Not without some slight growing pains, long lines on Friday for ticketing and entrance into the event quickly gave way to smiles and wide eyed amazement of what was in store for the weekend.