Category: Show Reviews

Vaporeyes and Mister F Illuminate the Dance Floor

High energy and good humor characterized the evening of Saturday September 5 at Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown as Albany-based Mister F and Syracuse group Vaporeyes dished out mystical reverberations of sonic opulence. Mister F, featuring Matt Pickering (Mr. M) on drums/samples/vocals, Scott Hannay (Mr. S) on keyboards/vocals/vocoder, Ben Pickering (Mr. B) on bass/vocals and Andrew Chamberlaine (Mr. A) on guitar/vocals, channeled a Particle-esque vibe, while displaying plenty of original character for the audience.

After an energetic performance of “Machine,” Pickering announced sarcastically, “that song’s not about robot voices at all.” Hannay quickly followed up, speaking purposefully into the mic in a distinctly altered voice, “no, not about robot voices at all…” Although the band freely jokes around on stage, they take their actual musicianship quite seriously. Pickering frequently spices up his intricate drum beats with clever pauses and commanding breakout jams.

After finishing an impressive jam halfway through their set, Hannay walked over to Pickering, momentarily commandeering a drumstick to serve as a bottle opener before immediately returning to his post and fluidly sliding into the next jam. At it’s conclusion Pickering called out to the crowd, “We’re Mr. F, give it up for beer!” Members from Vaporeyes scattered amongst the unfortunately sparse crowd, including bassist Shannon Zory and his girlfriend who had plenty of dance room to face each other and playfully weave their heads back and forth in a snake-like fashion, clearly enjoying the music.

Vaporeyes, composed of notably younger musicians than Mister F, certainly held their own on stage. With a slightly muddier, grungier sound, Jonas Reddy-Nicholson playing keys/synths, Shannon Zory slappin’ bass guitar, Sean “Chid Law” Cadley on drums, Jamie “Jyms” Tynan on guitar and Stephanie Donato playing saxophone delivered a string of equally dance-worthy tunes to listeners. As the evening progressed, the musicians called out to the crowd, “Is it still Saturday?” There were in fact ten more minutes before midnight, so they opted to play a number aptly titled “Saturday Song.” It carried a lighter, more ambient sound than some of their heavier jams and incorporated more prominent synth effects.

Throughout the evening, Zory’s gilfriend mingled with the other bandmates’ girlfriends and snapped photos of the band’s performance, occasionally gesturing with a victory fist pump reminiscent of a golfer making a hole-in-one. The close-knit flock of dedicated followers supporting the members of Vaporeyes makes watching the band more gratifying, knowing their musical endeavors are supported by the ones they love.

September 16, 2015
The Big Revival Tour Rocks Out SPAC

Brantley Gilbert took the Big Revival tour to SPAC in Saratoga Springs, on August 16 with great success. He was supported by Lee Brice and Cam who each brought their own unique flare to the evening.

First to take the stage was the up and coming singer, Cam. Cam was named one of Rolling Stone’s 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know for Spring 2015 because of her strong entrance to country music. She drew the attention of her current label Arista Nashville through her Kickstarter campaign to finance her first album. Fans in attendance seemed very receptive to her upbeat stage presence, strong voice and persona, and emphatic performance. Cam played songs off of her current EP, Welcome to Cam Country including “Half Broke Heart” and “Runaway Train” as well as some other songs all of which got the crowd to their feet and dancing along. Fans really started to get involved with singing along for her two last songs, also off her current EP, “Burning House” and “My Mistake”. Both songs were recognizable to a good amount of the audience based on crowd involvement. Cam did a good job engaging those who were not familiar with her or her music but had arrived early to enjoy the entire show.

Lee Brice took the stage next with a strong entrance getting attendees off their feet from the start with two fan favorites, “Drinking Class” and “Hard to Love” off of I Don’t Dance (2015) and Hard 2 Love (2012) respectively. This set the tone for the rest of his set with fans engaged and involved from the very start. This tour was a good fit for Brice as it allowed him to showcase his well crafted songs with strong lyrical content which is lacking in some of the more popular party country that has become mainstream recently. “A Woman Like You,” “I Don’t Dance” and “I Drive Your Truck” are among the most popular songs that have earned strong recognition and favor throughout the genre with their well written and heartfelt lyrics that are impossible not to sing along to. The crowd’s reaction to the songs demonstrated how strongly these songs have resonated with fans. Brice certainly does a great job of building his fan base through live performances, he is the type of artists that grows on listeners more with each listen but really makes a strong impression after hearing the songs live and feeling the emotion behind what he’s singing about. He closed out his set with a song that has become a staple for Brice since its release in 2012. “Parking Lot Party” may not be in keeping with his usual style but this upbeat song is always well received live and brings the energy in the venue up to the next level. He had everyone singing along and warmed up for Brantley Gilbert by the end of his set.

Brantley Gilbert is another artist that started to make quite the name for himself despite being outside of party country mold since his 2010 release Halfway to Heaven, however he has grown exponentially into the top-tier of A-list country stars since the release of Just as I Am in 2014. Gilbert singed to Valory Music Co. for the re-release of Halfway to Heaven and has remained there since. He kicked off his set with “Kick it in the Sticks” a single off of “Halfway to Heaven” which went platinum in the U.S. Fan favorites also played off of that album included “Hell on Wheels”, “My Kind of Crazy” and “You Don’t Know her like I Do,” all of which have become staple songs for Gilbert. “My Kind of Crazy” and “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do” were extremely well received showing off the more sensitive side of the edgy, self-proclaimed “bad boy” and never fail to make the women in the crowd dreamingly sing along. Gilbert has released his share of songs with a more party vibe mixed with rock edge that have been extremely well received and are always extremely popular live. Both “Bottoms Up” and “Small Town Throwdown” quickly became staple songs for live performances and garnered a great deal of airtime on the radio with “Bottoms Up” earning double platinum certification and “Small Town Throwdown” earning gold. These are two songs that never fail to engage the crowd and have the entire building, or amphitheater off their feet and singing along word for word. Other noteworthy songs played off of Just as I Am included the more serious “Guns and Roses”, “One Hell of an Amen”, “Lights of My Hometown” and current single “Stone Cold Sober”. Despite his “bad boy” edgy personality many of Gilbert’s most popular songs have been his more sensitive lyrically strong songs which sets him apart from many of his fellow top-tier country artists.

A word that comes to mind for many who have seen a Brantley Gilbert show at any point of his career is genuine; a genuine passion for what he does, a genuine personality, determined to hold to his southern roots and morals no matter where he goes, and genuine talent for writing and performing his own work. All throughout his work this is evident, however it becomes especially so when it comes to his morals. Two songs that have become extremely popular that exemplify his strong sense of morals are “Take It Outside” and “Read Me My Rights”. Both songs always get a strong rise out of the crowd but “Read Me My Rights” elicits such a strong response that it too has become a staple song. Gilbert always explains before the song that it is important to him because as a proud southern gentleman he would take the law into his own hands if he ever saw a man put his hands on a woman or if someone entered his home and threatened his family. He even goes on to explain that he will do what he feels needs to be done then sit with his hands behind his back waiting for the police and “politely tell the officer to read him his rights” which is his transition into the song and starts the screaming and cheering from the crowd. He closed out his set with this song and a strong U.S.A. chant. He did however return as expected for an encore with the ever popular “Country Must Be Country Wide”. This was a phenomenal song to end the night with as it is something country fans can relate to anywhere in the country.

September 12, 2015
Van Halen Brings the Heat to Bethel Woods

On Sunday, September 6, 2015, Van Halen brought their massive North American tour to Bethel Woods Center For The Arts. Fans arrived early and tailgated outside in the late summer heat. Those who didn’t want to stand outside in the heat, chose to explore the Woodstock museum located right on the concert grounds. Complete with air conditioning, a cafe, and gift shop, the museum is the perfect place to explore before any show at the amphitheater.

When doors opened, people rushed inside to secure their spot on the lawn or get to their seat in time for opener Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Kenny and his band came out and played a nine song set. The night for Kenny and his band was highlighted by a fantastic cover of “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix. With a loud applause, the Kenny Wayne Shepherd band exited the stage and fans awaited Van Halen.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band

As expected, what was once a generally filled amphitheater ended up being packed house. Van Halen started the show off with “Light Up The Sky” and immediately went into “Runnin’ With The Devil”. After a battle with the flu early the week before, David Lee Roth seemed back to his old self. Although Diamond Dave gets criticized for his vocal abilities, he certainly gives it his all. After being on the road for a solid 2 months now on this tour, Van Halen seem to be rolling full force with no signs of letting up. Eddie, Wolfgang and Alex Van Halen sound near perfect and together with David Lee Roth put on a great performance.

Van Halen seems to be sticking to the same setlist every night, but without any complaints from the crowd. Mixing things up from a wide array of songs from albums such as 1984, Van Halen, Van Halen II, Women and Children First, A Different Kind Of Truth, Fair Warning and Diver Down, Van Halen has something for everyone to sing along to. With such a big catalog, Van Halen does a perfect job of mixing classics with new material as well as songs your biggest Van Halens fans may have never heard live before. Before the tour started, Wolfgang told fans that this tour would have some special songs in the setlist that haven’t been played in a long time. Sticking to his word, Van Halen put together a setlist that everyone should love. Some of the other songs that the band jammed were “Somebody Get Me A Doctor,” “Little Guitars” and “Ice Cream Man”. The beginning of “Ice Cream Man,” David Lee Roth came out onstage alone with an acoustic guitar and a harmonica. Then the rest of the band came out to finish that song together then play “Unchained.”

Eddie Van Halen And David Lee Roth

During Eddie’s guitar solo it was proven that he is human and experiences issues from time to time. Having issues with one of the effect pedals on his board, Eddie had to delay some of his licks for a moment. While trying to do the melody from “Cathedral” off Diver Down, Eddie ran into some pedal issues. While his tech came out to replace some cables and find the issue, Eddie said to the crowd, “Something is very wrong back here” to which Bethel Woods chanted Eddie. Not before long, Eddie was cranked back up to 11 and finished the solo with “Eruption” and started into “You Really Got Me”.

The night was ended with “Panama” and “Jump” off of Van Halen’s 1984 album, which turned into a giant sing along for the people of Bethel Woods Center For The Arts. Diamond Dave and the rest of Van Halen took the stage afterwards for a bow and left the crowd in high spirits. This show would have been the perfect way to end the summer for Bethel Woods Center For The Arts, but they do have one more show booked for later in September.

Eddie Van Halen

Van Halen is now working their way down south hitting up numerous states and then working their way west. The tour wraps up at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, CA on October 4. You can find all the tour dates and ticket information at Van-Halen.com.

Setlist: Light Up The Sky, Runnin’ With The Devil, Romeo Delight, Everybody Wants Some, Drop Dead Legs, Feel Your Love Tonight, Somebody Get Me A Doctor, She’s The Woman, China Town, I’ll Wait, Drum Solo, Little Guitars, Dance The Night Away, Beautiful Girls, Women In Love, Hot For Teacher, In A Simple Rhyme, Dirty Movies, Ice Cream Man, Unchained, Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love, Guitar Solo, You Really Got Me, Panama, Jump

Eddie And Wolfgang Van Halen

September 12, 2015
Grayak and Yankee Blood Offer a Genuine Connection

The feathery, jazz-infused voice of Yankee Blood singer/bassist Ruth Kelly, supported by guitarist/vocalist James Karp and drummer Adam Verone, filled downtown Funk ‘n Waffles Thursday, September 3, with a lighthearted yet full sound that would never suggest they were short a keyboardist. A healthy crowd had gathered even before Yankee Blood got the show started, who were opening for local band Grayak. All three musicians casually donning t-shirts and jeans, the lazy, bluesy feel of their second song, “Sioux City” got the crowd swaying in an almost dream-like state.

They performed a brand new song titled “Savage,” which will be included on their EP coming out in October. The track started off as a slow rock number, but carried out a heavy instrumental buildup with head bang worthy beats. The egg crate stuffed into the bass drum quivered in approval. After their performance of “Blue Eyed Lover,” Kelly divulged how she normally plays the tune on upright bass, but winged it (very successfully) on her red lacquered Gretsch hollow-body electric bass.

Yankee Blood’s second to last song, “Beekeeper,” will also be featured on their EP. Kelly made sure to alert the crowd of Karp’s ironic fear of bees before adding that once the EP is out, copies will be distributed with jars of honey. Her witty quips between songs revealed an endearing and sharp sense of humor, painting the trio as the sort of people that would be fun to hang out with and share a few beers. Softly crooning the line “I want someone to love,” during “Beekeeper,” followed a theme present in several Yankee Blood songs concerning an honest yearning to share such tenderness with someone.

The five members of Grayak, who had been mingling in the crowd during Yankee Blood’s set, coalesced on stage to commence part two of the evening’s entertainment. Frontman Phil Grajko, sporting suspenders and a metal canteen slung across his torso, looked ready to embark on an intense musical expedition. Thinking logically, he opted to set the canteen by his feet rather than trying to rock it while simultaneously playing guitar. With Hannah Grajko assisting on vocals, Brendan Gosson on fiddle and mandolin, Blake Propst on upright bass and Tyler Dattmore on drums, they opened their set with a bouncy, optimistic tune titled “Seek It Still.” It describes a personal quest of persistence and determination to find truth and meaning in the world even if the path is rough.

The song functioned as a fitting kickoff for Grayak, a project which Grajko has been nurturing for quite some time, often playing solo, but finally able to showcase with a full ensemble. The crowd, heavily speckled with friends and fans whom have seen Grajko develop and transform his musical repertoire over the years, welcomed the distinctive guitar/fiddle intro to “Have a Beautiful Now,” quickly getting into a flowy dance groove and happily singing along to a song many audience members share a personal connection to.

The more reggae-style instrumentation during “Maya” provided a slight divergence and nice addition to the folk-centered genre Grayak largely falls under. The playful fiddle part literally chases the lyrics “I run, I run, I run…” adding an intriguing audio element that emphasizes the vocals. Before beginning “Together” Grajko announced, as he always does, “This is a love song but it’s also sort of about the apocalypse.” The introduction usually provokes people to smile and possibly feel slightly confused. After the song concluded, Grajko noted his musical troupe has only been playing together for a few weeks, adding to the impressiveness of their collaboration. The band polished off their set with Grayak’s title track, “Made of Light.” Opening with a low-key bass solo, the lyrics speak to the connectedness of humankind. It slowly builds with up-tempo guitar and runaway fiddle parts that might make someone wish they were standing in a breezy meadow on a warm summer’s day.

September 11, 2015
Frampton Comes Alive While Audience Enjoys Phone Free

As the summer series of concerts winds down at CMAC, I can’t help but reflect on some of the most memorable performances. As live bands go, the evening with Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick was definitely high on that list. One of the most famous live albums ever was Frampton Comes Alive, which was released in 1976, by Peter Frampton. This double album sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, and stayed at number one on the billboards for more than 10 weeks.

Recorded live in San Francisco, California, Long Island, NY and SUNY Plattsburgh, in NY, its appeal seemed karmic for this [then] teenage girl to be drawn to. With his use of the Talkbox throughout the songs, this unique method together with his amazing shredding abilities and vocals, made the world stand up and take notice. Needless to say, it was one of my personal favorites of all times, and still is today. So when I heard that Peter Frampton was touring this year and would make a pit stop at CMAC, I had to be there. With Cheap Trick opening for him, what wasn’t to love?

Cheap Trick is another one of those iconic bands from the 1970’s and ’80s that resonate rock and roll, guitar solos, and amazing fun lyrics. It was their live album as well, Cheap Trick at Budokan, that made caught my attention. Needless to say, I was in for a treat as both groups are “live” bands. You know, the ones that sound great on vinyl, but sound even better live.

As Cheap Trick took the stage, the first thing I noticed was Rick Nielsen’s mic stand and it’s adornment of pics from top to bottom on both sides. Either he was all thumbs, or he liked to share. Soon to find out, he was a kind sharing individual, who as he played threw the pics into the crowd for souvenirs. That is the kind of artists that really capture my attention, the ones that do it all for their audiences, and it was crystal clear that was the case here. I also would be remiss if I didn’t mention his amazing collection of guitars. They were as fun and amazing to me as this entire set of music. Playing all of my favorites and a few surprises, Cheap Trick had that audience at hello and had them out of their seats and dancing in the isles in no time flat.

Cheap Trick Set List: Hello There; Come On, Come On; Big Eyes; Lookout; Downed; Anytime; On Top of the World; Voices; Magical Mystery Tour (The Beatles cover); The Ballad of T.V. Violence (I’m Not The Only Boy); Baby Loves to Rock; I’m Waiting for the Man (The Velvet Underground cover); The Flame; I Want You to Want Me; Dream Police; Ain’t That a Shame (Fats Domino cover); Surrender; Goodnight

As Peter took the stage the anticipation of whether he would live up to my memories of him actually had me nervous. It’s difficult living up to a mental image someone has created, and when they don’t live up to that expectation, they end up falling down off of the pedestal they once ruled. I’m happy to report that not only did he live up to the hype, I had to raise that pedestal up for him to jump up even higher. Playing all of my favorite tunes, and performing some of the most spectacular guitar solos and duels, Frampton and his band left me memorized. Peter Frampton is clearly one of the most talented iconic rock and rollers and I was super impressed with his professionalism and the relationship he developed immediately with the audience. If I had to pick a highlight of this performance, it would definitely be the guitar duel between Peter and lead guitarist Adam Lester.

One of my favorite things about this particular show was the fact that Frampton insisted on a strict “no cell phone” rule. Like the professional photographers, audience members were allowed to shoot photos and videos for only the first three songs. After that time, all cell phones had to be put away or else they would be confiscated. Frampton’s explanation was stellar. He explained to the audience that he was very excited to play for them, was so happy they paid to come and see him, and he wanted to not only give them the best Peter Frampton experience that he could, but also for them to enjoy it in the moment and not through a digital screen. He wanted them present in the moment. What a wonderful concept, and that the audience did just that, thanks to Peter Frampton’s rule. Personally think more artists should enforce this rule. I believe people would relish these moments even more.

Peter Frampton Set List: Something’s Happening; Doobie Wah; Show Me the Way; Lines on My Face; Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (Stevie Wonder cover); (I’ll Give You) Money; Baby I Love Your Way; Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover); Do You Feel Like We Do
Encore: Four Day Creep (Humble Pie song); While My Guitar Gently Weeps

September 8, 2015
Luke Bryan and Friends ‘Kicked up the Dust’ at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

Entertainer of the year Luke Bryan showed fans there was more than One Direction to go Thursday night for an evening great music. Luke Bryan brought his Kick The Dust Up tour and friends to Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, as one of the final concerts of their season. Bryan, clad in a tight-fitting T-shirt and black jeans and shook his hips like a reincarnated Elvis. He was constantly taking in every bit of energy from his fans all across the venue.

While plenty of artists put on a strong show, how many of them toss beers into the crowd as they sing? Or catch a fan’s cellphone mid-song, snap a selfie and toss it back without missing a note? Bryan did it all, including rounding up his talented band and pouring tequila shots on top of his piano to toast the crowd.

Opening up the show was Dustin Lynch. The stage chemistry between Lynch and his band is one of a kind — delivering a breathtaking performance every time. While Dustin performed “Halo” and “Mindreader” off his iTunes #1 debut sophomore album Where It’s At. He kept the energy high straight through to the end, and finished things up with his hit “Cowboys and Angels” inspiring a sing along, making all the young women in the room swoon. This talented young man has charisma coming out of his ears and he really knows how to work a crowd.

After a short intermission, it was time to “Go Out With My Boots On” as Randy Houser fiercely entered the stage belting the party tune. Title track from his sophomore album “How Country Feels” stole the show as Randy cleverly performed it as a sing along, involving an eager crowd. Beginning with an acoustic version of the chorus, the #1 single “Goodnight Kiss” permeated the venue as his wildly talented band joined in and kicked it into high gear. He closed out with his latest hit single, “Like A Cowboy.”

From the lawn seats to the pit of the stage, every seat in the house for Luke Bryan and Friends Darien Lake was provided a unique view with a custom concert experience. With three of country music’s most adept stars on one ticket, you will definitely want to catch a ride on the final leg of Kick the Dust Up Tour.

September 8, 2015
Bryan Adams, Thirty Years Later And Still Reckless

It’s hard to believe that it was thirty-years ago that Bryan Adam’s fourth studio album, Reckless was released. This certified five times platinum album brought Adams around the world on his original tour in 1984-85. Unhappy with the original version, Bryan Adams actually took a month off in 1984 to recut several of its final tracks, including his duet with touring partner Tina Turner, on “It’s Only Love.” Happy with the final version, this perfectionist found that the final version brought him six songs off this album charting and earning a nomination for a Grammy in 1986 for “It’s Only Love.”

Bryan Adams – Reckless Tour 2015

Fast forward thirty-years, a total of 13 hit albums, raising a family, and a side career in photography, Adams re-releases this album and brings all the Bryan Adams‘ fans back to those moments to once again relive times long forgotten. Including even more of Adams’ hits on the newly released version, Adams hit the road once again to celebrate the music that lives iconically in our memories forever.

Bryan Adams – Reckless Tour 2015

Celebrating this reunion at CMAC during their summer concert series, I knew that this would be my chance to finally see one of my most favorite performers, and he didn’t disappoint. Playing all of my favorites from this entire album in addition to several of his others, Adams brought his “A” game. In fact, his ability to engage the audience was epic. My favorite moments, his serenading Christina, a girl from the audience that danced along with his version of “If Ya Wanna Be Bad Ya Gotta Be Good ” and his acoustic version of “Straight From the Heart”. The videography that accompanied this show was spectacular as it mixed videos of yesterday together with today and brought a visual treat to that auditory excellence.

Bryan Adams – Reckless Tour 2015

Bryan Adams – Reckless Tour 2015

Once again CMAC hit another show right out of the ballpark with this one as those in attendance from lawn to pit danced the night away and sang all night to their favorites.

Setlist: Reckless; One Night Love Affair; She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancin’; Run to You; The Boys; Night Out; Heaven; Kids Wanna Rock; It’s Only Love; Long Gone; Somebody; Ain’t Gonna Cry; Summer of ’69; Let Me Down Easy (Roger Daltrey cover); (Everything I Do) I Do It for You; If Ya Wanna Be Bad Ya Gotta Be Good; This Time; Can’t Stop This Thing We Started; Please Forgive Me; 18 til I Die; Cuts Like a Knife; The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You
Encore:; You’ve Been a Friend to Me; C’mon Everybody (Eddie Cochran cover); Fits Ya Good; She Knows Me; Straight from the Heart; All for Love (Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting cover)

Bryan Adams – Reckless Tour 2015

September 7, 2015
This is the Moment that We Lived for: GhostxShip Farewell Show

In the midst of the hot August sun, there were a number of events happening in Syracuse. The New York State Fair was well into its fourth day and Hank Williams, Jr. was performing at the Grandstand. Just a few miles from the Fairgrounds at the St. Clare Annex, Syracuse’s own GhostxShip was getting ready to perform their final show. The band announced this past spring that they would be parting ways to pursue other projects. However, they promised their die-hard fans that they would have one hell of a memorable finale show.

GhostxShip’s, Keith Allen, Sean Mott, Chris Smith, Kyle Howe and Matt Travers kept their promise by pulling together a day-long celebration of music that included 13 bands, pool toys, dodge balls, air guitars and more hardcore riffs than you could shake a fist at.

Some of the day’s highlights included the band Caverns, kicking off the day’s festivities with a very intense set of music that included an awesome cover of “Caboose” by Snapcase. If you haven’t heard their version, check it out on YouTube. If you missed the performance by Brick by Brick from Albany, NY, then I feel sorry for you. They delivered an astounding set of powerful, blow you away hardcore songs. The band As This Body I Exist, was also celebrating their final performance together. They definitely went out kicking and screaming and leaving the audience wanting more. I would be remiss not to mention one of the fan favorites, the madcap marauders from Syracuse, NY, 40 Dead Men. They delighted the audience with their ultra-violent, “droogy style” performance.

A single light shines on the stage; the crowd is getting anxious as one by one the members of GhostxShip take the stage. Lead singer, Keith Allen, pauses for just a moment to express his gratitude to the fans who came out to their farewell performance, the feedback rings through the amps and the band explodes into “Burden to Bear” off their final album Cold Water Army.

The party begins: The fans erupt into a whirlwind of bodies everywhere, inflatable pool toys fly in the air, air guitars are blazing and watch out for the dodge balls. It’s all good fun. The fans make sure they take care of each other even in the midst of the chaos.

GhostxShip takes a moment between each song to express their undying thanks to the fans for all of their support. They also take the time to thank each other. It is a very emotional and intense set. The band acknowledged two ‘super fans’ who traveled all over to support the band and were there for them since they started in 2009. They honored them by inviting them on stage to help sing their favorites song, “Cold Truth.”

The set culminated with all of the fans piling on stage to help wish the band members well and close the evening in style with everyone singing along to the “Here and Now.” The evening ended with a barrage of bear hugs and well wishes. This true sense of camaraderie is why I love Syracuse Hardcore! The feeling can best be summed up by “These are the Moments That We Live For.”

Thank you GhostxShip for a phenomenal show and for giving us “moments to live for.”

R.I.P. GhostxShip 2009-2015

September 6, 2015
Great NY State Fair Kicks Off Rocking All Venues

The Great NY State Fair is one of the most highly regarded and visited fairs in America, providing fair goers with an enough crafts, food, rides, entertainment, musical performances and competitions to last 12 days. Each year, the first day is held high with expectations as staff look forward to seeing large crowds and hosting some of Americas’ best musical performers to fill the first day. This year was no exception, inviting ’90s rock group Everclear and singer/actor Rick Springfield to the Chevy Court along with rising country star Eric Church to the Grandstands to cap off the night.

Everclear has been traveling the world for many years, performing their hit singles such as “Santa Monica,” “Father of Mine,” “Everything to Everyone,” and “Wonderful” to name a few. With the release of their new studio album Black is the New Black this past April, the band has been on tour supporting and sharing their new songs with audiences all over the world. Their set, which was supposed to start at 2pm, kicked off late but rockin’ as the band came out in all black clothes with instruments in hand. The group played just a few select songs from their most recent release, but stayed strong with their hits and crowd pleasers.

Once the sun had nestled into the horizon, the Chevy Court had again filled with folks waiting to see the next performer. As 8pm approached, the audience kept growing by the large numbers, thus enhancing the excitement. Soon, the stage lights dimmed and a brief video began, showing a collage of video clips of highlights throughout Rick Springfield’s’ career. With the video screen flashing on a dark stage, to a crowded audience, Rick and the band quietly made their way onto the stage preparing to burst into song. This particular performance was filled with top hits and sing-a-longs including “Affair of the Heart,” “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “Human Touch,” and “Love Somebody. During the evening, Rick even brought up some very young kids to help sing the chorus’ of “Don’t Talk to Strangers.” The quintet of rock stars took a short break to chug some water and let the anticipation of the encore increase. As cheering echoed in between the buildings, Rick and the gang boarded the stage yet again to end the “Opening Day” show with his top hit “Jessie’s Girl” and “Kristina.”

While Chevy Court was rocking to some good ole fashioned rock and roll from Rick Springfield, the filled to capacity Grandstands were preparing for what was to be the first of the last three shows to be performed at the venue. First up on the billing was Eric Church, one of country music’s biggest names in the business. The country music equivalent to Hollywood’s James Dean, this jean clad, sunglass wearing young man is definitely a rebel, but with a cause. Making his own music his own way and not apologizing for following his dreams, he has won the hearts of country music fans all over the world with his unique musical style. As the crowd began to fill in, it was apparent that the grandstands would be filled to capacity for the first of the last of shows here.

First up for the evening was opening act The Cadillac Three; three long-haired hell raise’n dudes that rocked the stage like a seasoned rock and roll band. Although they may appear to resemble members of Duck Dynasty, don’t let their appearance fool you as they are some of the most talented rockers in the business today. Playing their style of country with a southern rock and roll flare, it was the perfect pairing for the main event to follow and had the crowd a rocking when they came a knocking.

As Eric took the stage, he started us of with a “Cold One”, followed by a chaser or “Creepin”, and then eased into “Guys Like Me”. Contining to mesmerize the crowd, Eric played all of this girls favorites, including his newest “Like Wrecking Ball”, sentimental favorite, “Give Me Back My Hometown”, and even threw in a little Springsteen with “Dancing In The Dark”. How can you not love someone who plays “Dancing In The Dark”? Seriously. With a catalog of hit after hit, it was no wonder the crowd loves this hell raisin country bad boy. It was the largest “church” service I had seen in a while.

As Day One closed it’s gates, it was apparent that they definitely had set the bar high Day One and set the pace for the rest to the week to follow suit. If they continued to rock both venues, beat first day attendance crowds with their $3 Thursday promotions, it was going to be one memorable 2015 Great NY State Fair.

Set List: Creepin , Guys Like Me, How ‘Bout You, Talladega, Pledge Allegiance to the Hag, Jack Daniels, Livin’ Part Of Life, Drink in My Hand, Like a Wrecking Ball, Lotta Boot Left to Fill, That’s Damn Rock & Roll, Give Me Back My Hometown, Homeboy, Smoke a Little Smoke, Over When It’s Over, These Boots, Dancing In The Dark/Springsteen.

Encore: Loves Me Like Jesus Does

September 5, 2015
Roots Reggae Groups Root SHOCK and Mosaic Foundation Dig Deep and Bare Their Souls

The room was swarming with movement Saturday, August 29, at Funk ‘n Waffles downtown with Root SHOCK and Mosaic Foundation. The quintessential roots reggae mixture of djembe and melodica tones reverberated throughout the cozy, recently carpeted space. Lead vocalist Yao Foli of Mosaic Foundation expressed an exuberant passion for social issues close to his heart, proclaiming how the power of love is an important mechanism for effecting positive change.

Combining sequences of fluid dance moves with strings of powerful words, Foli’s band mates melodically bolstered his noble messages, adding a grace to a performance whose content could easily be formatted as a stripped down, straightforward public speech calling citizens to action.

Between songs, Foli offered positive pearls of encouragement to his audience. “To free Africa we must free ourselves” and “Love knows no boundary my brother.” Foli knows how to make his audience feel welcome and powerful all in one breath. Working up a decent sweat through all of his dancing, Foli brandished a small white towel to pat his face dry during song breaks, a testament to his hard work and dedication on stage. Mid-performance, Foli stepped to the front of the stage, grasping the mic with his other arm outstretched, getting as close to the crowd as possible, standing not only before them, but with them. Foli is not just a showman, but a leader and organizer in his own right, as his spirit brings people together to share a love of music and spread positive messages.

Following Mosaic Foundation, Root SHOCK delivered their own high-powered compendium of positivity. Bringing uplifting messages to an already revved up crowd. Opening their set with the always awe-inspiring love ballad to lead vocalist, Jessica Brown’s mother, “Sweet Reunion.” Prompting fans to reflect on and cherish their own familial relationships. Brown’s striking, soul-grasping vocals and incredible range continued to command the crowd. Daring them to dance harder and cheer louder during a bouncy performance of the upbeat “Sunlight of a Brand New Day.” The lyrics challenged listeners to “Live the life you want to live, love to live the life you want to give. Give the love you want to feel, the kind of love that empowers and heals.” The high-energy atmosphere fostered a connectedness and comfort level allowing several liberated spectators to remove their shoes, showing off some fancy footwork, toes unrestricted.

A crowd favorite cover of indie pop group Miike Snow’s highly danceable “Animal” continued to sustain movement as Brown took to the tambourine with guitarist Phil Grajko assisting on vocals. A rendition of “Rough Cuddle,” a song Grajko recorded with fellow reggae group Morning Sun & The Essentials, describes a dreamily mysterious and thought-provoking woman figure who asks, “what’s stopping you from seeing more?” This question is perhaps meant to awaken listeners and remind them to be more aware and present in their own lives.

A Stevie Wonder cover of “Master Blaster” followed, during which Grajko is known for sporting a set of shades as an ode to the beloved musical legend. Root SHOCK finished off their set with the more reflective Stephen Marley cover of “Pale Moonlight,” which tenderly recounts a love that has since been lost. Both reggae groups took the room on an awakening emotional journey where observers could connect more with themselves, the people around them, and reflect on their relationships with society as a whole.

September 5, 2015