NYS Music 20​15

Category: Genres

  • Bob Weir Hints at More Performances with Fare Thee Well Lineup

    With Dead & Company hitting the road later this month, starting at The Times Union Center in Albany, Bob Weir shed some light on the the upcoming tour as well as the potential for more shows with the Fare Thee Well “Core Four” in the future.

    Weir had high praise for John Mayer, filling in for lead guitar with this modified FTW lineup. “John’s enthusiasm for this is amazing — I couldn’t believe it. He learned the songs, has great enthusiasm, and he’s a great guitar player. So he fits in perfectly.” Mayer addressed his role in a humble manner, referring to his role by saying, “I don’t feel the pressure, but I would say I feel a responsibility.”

    For those looking to see the Core Four perform together again, Weir offered hope to Deadheads hoping for more shows with bassist Phil Lesh. “Phil doesn’t want to hit the road. He’s 75 now. It’s kind of not an option for him, the way he puts it. And so, you know, that’s still where we are; that’s still where we’re going to live, at least I am. And so, if we’re going to see him, we’re going to see him around here or around someplace where he is.”

    Suffice it to say, if there were to be shows, they would be similar to the two and three-day events held in Santa Clara, California, and Chicago this past summer, and not a full-blown tour.

  • Backwoods Pondfest 2015: Small Festival with Big Heart

    One of the best kept secrets in the festival circuit took place on August 7 and 8, 2015 in the Adirondack region known as Backwoods Pondfest put on by Full Circle Music Productions. The intimate festival is located at Twin Ponds Campsite in Peru, NY (almost Canada) with less than 2,000 attendees, most of whom have been coming to Pondfest for years and rejoice in the North Country reunion. The open car camping provides festival goers with spacious sites in the grassy fields, pond side or quiet wooded area.Newest and biggest upgrade to the festival was the large circus, cone shaped tent over the Woods Stage that offered quality sound and intrigue late night visuals. The event features over 20 musical talents from all genres and calibers of local favorites and national acts, with back to back performances on two stages. Guests who took advantage of the Early Bird Thursday night tickets got prime real estate and a live stream of Albany’s Formula 5 show in Lake George.

    Pondfesters arrived all throughout the day on Friday, unloading and setting up under crystal blue skies and sunshine. The Lynguistic Civilians voted Vermont’s best hip hop groupand making their debut at Pondfest, engaged the crowd with old school favorites and original, expressive lyrics. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong was another group new to the festival and was received with open arms. Their lighthearted, psychedelic funk was at an all-time high with a splash of reggae stirred in was the perfect start for the party on Friday night. “F U” got an extended jam with extra voltage from Max Garrett on trumpet from Capital Zen. The all string, quartet of Blind Owl Band call the Adirondack region and are no strangers to Backwoods Pondfest with a dedicated fan base at the Woods Stage. It was a hot set of bluegrass with an extra steamy, ferocious cover of The Allman Brother’s “Whipping Post”.

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    Lucid took a break from festival hosting duties to perform their traditional first set of the weekend on the main stage. “Simmer On Down” had beautifully stretched peaks of tropical melodies that splashed down into a psychedelic middle eastern ride. The crowd got charged up as Lucid brought up George Wurster on harmonica for the “Backwoods” theme song. The night only got hotter after the sun went down with the fire spinners whipping and juggling the flames in sync with the North Country music and to the awe of the audience. At the woods stage,Gang of Thieves, Vermont’s funk rock and roll band slayed their first Pondfest with a mighty Led Zeppelin medley that sent chills all over the backwoods. Headliner of the night, Particle, brought their dirty Philly street funk to Pondfest for a set full of high organ groove courtesy of Steve Molitz and heart racing rhythm of Allen Aucoin. Guitarist Ben Combe and bassist Clay Parnell unfolded layers of riffs that drove the vibrant rock. Friday night wasn’t over yet as Albany’s Mister F closed out the woods stage with a late night set of chilling livetronica. Fans who stayed up for the action got a special Steve Molitz sit in that raised the bar for the rest of the weekend.

    Saturday began as another beautiful day at Pondfest with perfect weather settings and an incredible lineup to look forward to. Those seeking a space of meditation and peace found it with Samantha Jo at her morning yoga class. Dozens participated in the deep breathing and stretched that were so desperately needed after a night of dancing. Meadow and Kevin Sabourin of Lucid serenaded the yogis with soft, acoustic lullabies. One of the best things about this festival being so small is that you can hear the music from the stages at your campsite. You’re always in the music. The Balkun Brothers, Steve and Nick Balkun invited everyone into the sandbox of the Wood Stage for train track, funk rock. Festival host and performer, Lowell sat in with his mean harmonica soul as the Balkun music awed the crowd. Twiddle fans were gifted with a Mihali Savoulidis acoustic Story Telling set on the Main Stage for a mellow ease into the afternoon. The raw and intimate set featured beat box looping of Twiddle classics about love and friendships, with behind the scene tales of how they came to be.The Heavy Pets kicked it up a notch with improvisational tight jams of rock and roll. Their deep focused peaks provide high cliff hangers when the chorus catches up with you.

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    One of the most anticipated sets of the weekend was the Ex Presidents featuring Eric Gould of Particle, Todd Stoops of RAQ and Kung Fu, Neal “Fro” Evans of Dopapod, and Andrew Block of Big Sam’s Funky Nation. There was plenty of hype to go around with it being their first performance and let’s hope it’s not their last. The chemistry these veteran musicians have is impeccable with a fluid groove that kept the set fun and airy. Jeff Lloyd of Heavy Pets joined the talented crew for an awesome cover of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” Stoops made the announcement of Evans becoming the newest member of RAQ with a side of jokes of everyone joining each other’s bands.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i__QLSM3_y4

    The night took a turn towards a urban street party as Sophistifunk packed out the Woods Stage with old school hip hop that had the ground shaking. The big event of the night was Backwoods Pondfest veterans, Spiritiual Rez blowing up the Main Stage at midnight. You could see the steam rising over the band as they feverously rocked out with a climactic unannounced fireworks show that flawlessly matched up with “Let’s Go Out With A Bang.” Normal Instruments brought the key ingredient of late night festival life with high energetic livetronica with fast rhythm and blaring chords.

    The festival ended as quickly as it began. The pack up is never as much fun as setting it up but we carry the memories with us until next year’s festival. Backwoods Pondfest continues to be a close knit festival of friends and family working together to host talented musicians that bring incredible music and smiles. It’s one of the best weekends you could have of the summer in Upstate NY so be sure to meet us in the backwoods for next year’s Backwoods Pondfest.

  • Hearing Aid: Blitzen Trapper ‘All Across This Land’

    Blitzen_Trapper_AATL_Digital_Cover-copy

    At its core, Blitzen Trapper is, and always has been, a rock band. All Across This Land, released last Friday, is first and foremost a rock record, and probably their most focused effort yet. As has been the case for most of their career, the music on this latest album is heavy on the influences, some more apparent than others.

    Blitzen Trapper is able to combine these and morph them into something unique. They’re like the Frankenstein’s monster of rock bands. Taking bits and pieces from music’s past and stitching it all together to create a new whole. It is possible to pick it apart and figure out where each piece originated from, but it would be futile, and in the end would ruin the result. It’s best to accept it for what it is, and not try to attack with pitchforks and torches.

    Speaking of torches, the album swings open the gates with the bombastic barn burning title track. From there, the music slowly fades from classic rock to classic country over the tight 40-minute set. Over the course of the 10 tracks, each one slowly picks up some twang and loses a little of the rock attitude. Acoustic guitars replaces electrics, pedal steel and banjo appear, the drums mellow and soften until they eventually disappear completely in the album-closing “Across the River.” With autobiographical songs, tales of loss, and rock songs about rock music, the album hits it’s sweet spot in the gooey center. It is here that the rock and folk blend beautifully, and that is where Blitzen Trapper has always shined brightest.

    While they capture their sound very well in the studio, Blitzen Trapper is still a band best enjoyed on the stage, where their energy comes unharnessed and pushes the music to greater heights. Currently touring in support of All Across This Land, they’ll make two stops in New York State this weekend. Saturday night they’ll be at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. Jesse Malin, who was slated to appear at the Waiting Room was just moved to this bill along with the support from that show. So it will be a 4-act evening starting around 8pm, with The Domestics and Matthew Ryan getting things started. Then Sunday night they’ll be appearing at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom with the Domestics opening at 9pm.

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl45V3e4SQY[/embedyt]

    Full tour dates below:

    Oct  9 Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, ON
    Oct 10 Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
    Oct 11 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
    Oct 13 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA
    Oct 14 Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, PA
    Oct 15 Black Cat Washington, DC
    Oct 16 Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, NC
    Oct 17 The Loft Atlanta, GA
    Oct 18 Exit / In Nashville, TN
    Oct 19 Saturn Birmingham, AL
    Oct 21 The Parish Austin, TX
    Oct 22 Club Dada Dallas, TX
    Oct 23 The Opolis Norman, OK
    Oct 24 Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
    Oct 26 The Bluebird Theater Denver, CO
    Oct 27 The State Room Salt Lake City, UT
    Nov  9 HiFi Music Hall Eugene, OR
    Nov 11 SOhO Restaurant and Music Club Santa Barbara, CA
    Nov 12 The Observatory San Diego, CA
    Nov 13 Teragram Ballroom Los Angeles, CA
    Nov 14 Don Quixote’s International Music Felton, CA
    Nov 15 The Independent San Francisco, CA
    Nov 16 Sweetwater Music Hall Mill Valley, CA
    Nov 17 Humboldt Brews Arcata, CA
    Nov 19 Neptune Theatre Seattle, WA
    Nov 20 The Biltmore Cabaret Vancouver, BC
    Nov 28 Revolution Hall Portland, OR

  • Holly Bowling Announces 2015 Fall Tour

    Classical pianist Holly Bowling has announced that she plans to hit the road for a tour in the fall of 2015 to support her current album, Distillation Of A Dream: The Music Of Phish Reimagined For Solo Piano. The tour will feature some headlining dates in between opening shows for Pink Talking Fish.
    Holly will start the tour opening a pair of shows for Pink Talking Fish in Denver, Colorado, at Quixote’s True Blue, while ending the 13-date run with a two-day stay at the Pittsburgh Winery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
    Holly Bowling Tour Art
    Bowling will also play two shows in New York, first appearing at The College of Saint Rose’s Massry Center for the Performing Arts in Albany on Oct. 28 and Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on Nov. 8.
    Fans can also catch Bowling sail off on Jan. 6-11 on Jam Cruise 14, and she’ll appear at the AURA Music and Arts Festival on March 3-5.
    Bowling’s album Distillation Of A Dream: The Music Of Phish Reimagined For Solo Piano has been released on Royal Potato. Fans can also snatch up a vinyl version of Bowling’s arrangement of Tahoe Tweezer, also on the Royal Potato Family.
    Touring Cycle:
    10-16-2015 – Quixote’s True Blue – Denver, CO
    10-17-2015 – Quixote’s True Blue – Denver, CO
    10-18-2015 – Owsley’s Golden Road – Boulder, CO^
    10-28-2015 – Massry Center for the Arts – Albany, NY^
    10-29-2015 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
    11-03-2015 – The Lilypad – Cambridge, MA^
    11-05-2015 – 8×10 Club – Baltimore, MD
    11-06-2015 – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, D.C.
    11-07-2015 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
    11-08-2015 – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY^
    11-10-2015 – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH^
    11-11-2015 –  Pittsburgh Winery – Pittsburgh, PA^
    11-12-2015 – Pittsburgh Winery – Pittsburgh PA^ **
    01-06-11-2016 Jam Cruise 14 – Miami, FL
    03-03-05-2016 AURA Music and Arts Festival – Live Oak, FL
    ^ headlining dates
    **featuring music of Phish and the Grateful Dead

  • Jake Owen Brought the Days of Gold Tour to the Mann Center

    On Oct. 8, Jake Owen, Dan + Shay, and Kelsea Ballerini made their way to the Mann Center in Philadelphia to continue their run on their Days of Gold tour. It was a gorgeous, mild fall night for a concert at unique inside/outside venue, and fans took advantage of nice weather, streaming in for what would be an exciting night of country music.

    First to take the stage was newcomer Kelsea Ballerini who has recently burst onto the scene in country music as a talented up-and-coming female artist to watch. The 22-year-old from Tennessee performed a blend of her own songs and several entertaining covers. One of the first songs she played was her current and second single from her debut album The First Time called “Dibs,” an upbeat and catchy track that should do well following her first release.

    Ballerini has substantial vocal ability, and sounded great live no matter what she was singing. She proved her vocal and musical diversity with a cover medley of 90’s hits that had fans feeling nostalgic, including portions of Brittany Spears’ “Oops, I Did It Again,” NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” Beyonce’s “Bootylicious”, Christina Agulara’s “Genie In A Bottle,” and TLC’s “No Scrubs”.
    Ballerini displayed her vibrant and playful personality, and plenty of charisma while on stage, as well as an ability to connect to fans and get them involved in the show.

    Other songs Ballerini performed from her debut album included “Yeah Boy”, an infectious, mid-tempo jam that sounds as though it could be a future single choice; “Peter Pan,” which she dedicated to boys she has known that seem to refuse to grow up, and the edgy; and vivacious “XO.” She closed her set with her debut single and first #1 song at country radio, the irresistible “Love Me Like You Mean It,” thanking fans for helping to make the song so successful for her.

    Dan + Shay were up next, providing direct support for headliner Jake Owen. The young duo, capable of gorgeous harmonies and hook-laden, anthemic tracks are also known for being one of the more energetic and upbeat live acts in country. They lived up to their reputation, keeping fans on their feet for the entire set and proving their vocal abilities time and time again.

    The duo, comprised of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney began their set with “Somewhere Only We Know,” an album track from their debut record Where It All Began. The song is an infectious one about escaping reality by running away to your favorite secret spot. Next came a performance of their current (and 3rd) single from their debut “Nothin’ Like You,” an incredibly catchy and sweet track that is on its way to becoming the duo’s first top ten hit at country radio.

    The pair also incorporated a surprising number of well-known covers of varying genre into their set, including classic rock gems like Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name,” and Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” that had the crowd engaged and singing along. Other notable covers included Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood,” “I’ll Make Love To You” by Boys To Men, Tyo Cruise’s “Dynamite,” and Maroon 5’s “Move Like Jagger”. While the classic rock covers had the older audience members on their feet, the pop ones helped the duo connect even further with the younger members in the crowd who are familiar with an abundance of mainstream music.

    Also from their debut, Dan + Shay performed the hook driven “Stop Drop and Roll,” perfect for blasting in your car on a long drive with the windows down, and romantic, heavily pop leaning second single “Show You Off” which was a top 25 hit at country radio for the pair. They closed their set with their first ever single, “Summer of 19 You + Me,” the track that truly put them on the map in the country music world. With slick melodies and pop influenced production, paired with honey smooth vocal harmonies and an undeniably catchy singalong chorus, it is no surprise that this was the song that helped to launch Dan + Say’s career. The crowd knew all the words and sang along until the last-minute. By the end of their set it was apparent why the duo is viewed as one of the most exciting young acts in country music.

    Headliner and country heart-throb Jake Owen finally took the stage to a frenzied crowd who were undoubtedly ready for a party. Since 2011 his album, Barefoot Blue Jean Night, has garnered four consecutive number one hits, making Owen one of country music’s biggest stars. Known for his laid back personality, easygoing charm, and overflowing abundance of charisma, the 34-year-old from Florida is the ultimate performer. Thursday, he brought his stylish new haircut along with a plethora of hits and beach themed stage setup to Philadelphia with every intention of providing fans with an incredible night of music. His set this night was appropriately decked out with a beachy style, complete with stage decorations featuring Christmas lights encircling Palm trees, a wood and rope boardwalk , hula skirts for much of his band equipment, and fully stocked beach bars on each side of the stage. The production and lighting used during his set was also top-notch, with five enormous HD flat-screens bedecking the stage behind Owen, and dozens of multi-colored strobe lights bathing the performers with bright blues, reds, purples, and oranges.

    Owen opened his set with his most recent #1 hit from his 2013 album Days Of Gold, the sun drenched, reggae influenced “Beachin.’” The feel-good, romantic “Anywhere With You,” the fourth and final #1 single from Barefoot Blue Jean Night had fans singing along enthusiastically, while fellow #1 smash hit from the same album “Alone With You” soon followed. The latter featured Owen sporting a guitar strung liberally with bright blue Christmas lights and the fans chanting the chorus out loudly and in-synch on their own when prompted. Towards the end of his set, he played yet another #1 single from Barefoot Blue Jean Night, the nostalgic “The One That Got Away,” a fan favorite with a rocking guitar solo, and impromptu freestyle lyrics during the bridge.

    The laid back vocalist threw it back to 2006 and 2009 respectively with performances of debut top 20 single “Yee Haw,” off his first album Startin’ With Me, and the hard rocking, fast paced “8 Second Ride,” a top 15 single from his album Easy Does It. He also included the heartfelt “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You,” a song that supports the sentiment that love is more important in life than money or possessions. From old right back to new, Owen broke out his current single “Real Life” with a cameo from David from the viral YouTube “David After the Dentist.” The song is a definite departure from both Owen’s usual sound and the sounds prevalent in modern, mainstream country music, making it a polarizing one within the genre. From his 2012 Endless Summer EP, Owen performed the spirited, rock leaning track “Surefire Feeling.” The song features thrashing electric guitars and an uptempo pace that makes it perfect for a live setting.

    Days Of Gold featured prominently in his set, with performances of album tracks “Tall Glass of Something” and “1972,” in addition to singles “What We Aint Got” and “Days Of Gold.” The two aforementioned singles happen to be polar opposites, with the former allowing Owen to slow it down a bit and allow the focus to shift to his vocals and the profoundness of the lyrics, while the former is loud and intense, hurtling along at a frenetic, breakneck pace from beginning to end. Owen also covered Garth Brooks song “Unanswered Prayers” in celebration of Brooks’ recent signing with Owen’s longtime label RCA.

    Throughout the night, he also made a concerted effort to include all the fans in the venue, even those way in the back. The best way he made this happen was intermittently inviting fans from the back to come up and watch from side stage, as he did mid-way through his set with fans who he saw holding up a sign saying “Is this real life?”. Owen also took time out of his set to thank the American troops for their service, and express gratitude to his fans for always lifting him up. He ended the night with the biggest song of his career to date, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” the first #1 single off of his album of the same name. Kelsea Ballerini rejoined Owen on stage for the song. With laid back vibe and an atmospheric, sing-a-long chorus, mixed with a little bit of banjo and a touch of Owen’s twangy vocals “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” had the crowd bellowing the lyrics into the stadium. In the middle of the song, they cut seamlessly into a “Fresh Prince of Bellaire” cover, playing on the fact that they were performing for a Philly crowd before jumping back to BBJN and finishing out the show on a high note.

    Jake Owen, Dan + Shay and Kelsea Ballerini successfully brought a night of county music fun to Philadelphia on a Thursday night. They provided fans with a lineup that highlighted an inclusive blend of several prominent styles of country music and put on a show that the crowd won’t soon forget.

  • No Fake Pearl Tears: Nashville Newcomer Lilly Hiatt is the Real Gem

    Rather than shaking things off through catchy choruses and lip-gloss beats, Lilly Hiatt heals old wounds with poetic confession and shadowy synths on her second record, Royal Blue, released in March.

    Photography by Gregg Roth

    Hiatt, as the sole writer on the album, conjures grim daydreams of soured love and self discovery that float through 12 tracks rooted in traditional folk and alt-country, but draw on Hiatt’s favorite 80s and 90s influences (think The Pixies, the Breeders, Dinosaur Jr.). Hiatt’s sweet, soft voice sings of a starry-eyed woman scorned and she slays through the wreckage with clever lyrics, because that’s what any good woman with her musical lineage would do—she’d move on and write a song or two, as she proclaims in the title track.

    It’s Wednesday afternoon and Hiatt dials in from East Nashville; she’s down-to-earth and speaks with the same girlish honesty that’s reflected in her songs. At the moment, she and band mates—Beth Finney on lead guitar, Jake Bradley on bass, Luke Schneider on pedal steel guitar, and Jon Radford on drums—are rehearsing for a 10-date tour. Several of her east coast shows, including an October 8 stop at the Bell House in Brooklyn, are in support of Austin musician Bob Schneider who Hiatt has never shared the bill with but admires for his similar sense of songwriting humor. “Although, I’m getting tired of writing about my struggles,” she quips. But capturing a perfect Polaroid of real life just comes natural to the rising singer-songwriter whose father is iconic musician John Hiatt. “The biggest thrill of all is the initial coming up with the words; it’s some sort of relief for me,” she says. Hiatt confesses that she’s actually staring at her acoustic guitar, a hand-me-down Martin from her father that is her songwriting muse and never leaves home. “I’ll pick up my guitar and start strumming, or I’ll think about something I want to write about or think of a line that I want to put somewhere,” she says of her method. “I’ll sing something that I don’t know where it comes from; it’s decided, well, OK this is how you’re starting it clearly because I can’t stop singing that one thing, and then this helps me navigate where the rest of it goes.”

    And when it comes to laying down tracks and playing them live, Hiatt doesn’t shy away from giving her band the creative rein to guide her songs to places she never imagined, she says. Case in point: “Far Away” had a more folk element before the band’s influence evolved it into a riff-y power-pop piece. “We’re in this singer-songwriter twang-y world and there’s sometimes an unspoken feeling of things you’re not allowed to do for this kind of music, but the band finally felt the green light from me that said screw that,” she says. As for Royal Blue in particular, a progressive follow-up to 2012’s more loosely country-rooted Let Down, Hiatt says the record’s sound is a result of working with analog studio producer Adam Landry (Deer Tick, Diamond Rugs) and a natural gravitation to exploring the darker more dissonant sounds. “We’re a four-piece band of all rockers and we have a similar mentality, but we’re not rough around edges,” she says. “My drummer now totally grew up on punk rock and my guitar player is into psych-rock. When you get the right people together and let them do their own thing you hear that come out a little and I like to encourage that.”

    As for her own favorite band, Hiatt says without hesitation, Pearl Jam (she even recently guest hosted on the band’s Sirius XM radio channel). “They have been a band for so long and have been a part of my life for so long. I just have this immense admiration for them and it awakens something in me that I can’t even, it just feels like home when I hear them,” she says. “They have such a base of hardcore fans, and I know because I text with some of them; we’re giggly texting about Pearl Jam and it’s so funny because I think they’re really good to their fans and they make you feel like you’re part of something.” Hiatt is also influenced by other modern-day front women taking risks in their music like Bully’s Alicia Bognanno and Jenny Lewis. “I really look up to Jenny [Lewis]; she always takes chances and she’s so honest in her writing,” she says. “I just love her, and I freaked out for her album [Voyager]; it just brought out something different, and it was awesome.” And Hiatt plans to continue forging her way and not feeling limited in her work. “Records are records. For me, an album isn’t so much a massive representation of this is me the artist, but more of a snapshot of a period of time of what I’m doing right now because there are so many components of being a creative person. It’s hard to hone in on what you do best no matter what profession, but if you’re genuine about things and you work hard it’s going to pay off, or maybe I’m just naive,” she laughs.

    Photography by Gregg Roth

    Although she’s only three years into her professional career under Athens, Georgia-based label Normaltown records (and still held her supermarket chain day job until last year), Hiatt says she always had this “weird understanding” that she’d end up in music. “In the back of my head I knew this is what I’m going to do, but I didn’t know how because I’m shy,” she says. “I would write in my room and sing and record, but I never performed until toward the end of college… Some people can shake a tambourine and work it and that just doesn’t come natural to me; I’d literally crawl out of my skin before every show and it was excruciating, but I knew I was going to go through with it and that’s now dissipated into a more OK-let’s-go energy that is fun to channel into the show… I think it’s important to be humble.” After graduating from Denver, Hiatt returned to her Music City roots and admits she is still “building my thing” and searching for ways to tap into her creative rhythm. “Writing, or just growing as a human, is an ever-evolving thing, so the goal is to find a spot where the process is effortless,” she says, noting that she admires writers like John Prine and Guy Clark. “When I’m in vulnerable open thought is when the best stuff happens, but I’m trying to write new stuff right now, and I feel like Royal Blue went in a specific territory, a little self indulgent, which is fine, but I’ve gotten so accustomed to writing about painful things and changes and now I’m not so much in that spot. I used to wait until I’m feeling it, but you have to generate that for yourself sometimes; there’s a discipline involved, and I’m trying to look out a little more and figure out how to find the inspiration from all the positive things.” While Hiatt may ponder about getting things right, it’s clear she’s going to be just fine in this “mean machine, this lonely world,” regardless that she’s somebody’s daughter.

    Lilly Hiatt Tour Dates
    10/8 The Bell House, Brooklyn, NY*
    10/9 Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA*
    10/10 Mr. Small’s Theatre, Millvale, PA*
    10/11 Culture Center Theater, Charleston, WV
    10/17 Hill Country DC, Washington, DC
    10/22 Southgate House, Newport, KY**
    10/23 Rumba Cafe, Columbus, GA**
    10/24 Musica, Akron, OH**
    11/11 Old Town School of Music, Chicago, IL***
    *Bob Schneider Music
    **Patrick Sweany
    ***Del Barber

  • We Ate the Peach 2015

    The fourth annual Peach Festival will forever be a prolific memory for those who attended the 2015 installment of the festival. Some might even say they’ve been “changed” and have no idea how to explain their experience to friends post festival. All they can say is, “I can’t wait till next year. I can’t wait to go back to The Peach.” The festival began as a celebration of The Allman Brother’s Band and The Grateful Dead. Festival attendees were pleased to see that two former drummers of the Allman Brothers Band would be included on the line up. Those two being Butch Trucks and Jaimoe. If that’s not exciting enough former ABB member Warren Haynes was also a brilliant addition to the weekend’s lineup. There were also three surviving members of The Grateful Dead on the bill. Those being Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Bruce Hornsby. Last year was the final year the complete Allman Brothers Band headlined Peach Festival. However, one of this year’s headliners was of course the great Gregg Allman. Others included Willie Nelson and Family and a closing by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana.

    Montage Mountain has been the home of the Peach for the past four years. It boasts a summit of 1,960 feet. The tree line is made up evergreen trees and pines. Remember, this festival is held on a mountain. Packing light and wearing proper foot attire will make for a delightful camping experience. The general admission campgrounds are predominantly on the ski slopes so getting back to camp literally means “hiking” I was constantly telling myself, “Think of how strong your calves will be after the festival!” There are two tractor loops for those who don’t wish to muscle it up the slopes. There are three kinds of camping. General admission camping, family camping, and CID’s “Glamping.” Glamping provides much larger tents with much more amenities and style than a bare bones campsite and are also assembled for guests in advance.

    The park in the summer time is permanent home to a water park! It features an array of slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river. There are lockers to store your belongings, and also indoor and outdoor showers. The lodge included a food court, indoor restrooms and CID’s VIP lounge. The VIP lounge had to have been the most cushy place in the park. There were plenty of comfortable couches, a bar, and even a free photo booth!

    The festival began Thursday evening on the Peach Stage also known as The Pavilion . To kick off the festival was Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra . Their set showcased tunes from a Grateful Dead show at the capitol theater in Passaic New Jersey in April 1977. The set included staples like “Sugaree,” “Scarlet Begonias,” “Mississippi Half-Step” and Terrapin Station.” I have to say, it was an overwhelmingly beautiful yet haunting experience. Thousands of Dead fans sang along as if they were a giant choir and these were their hymns. The voices reverberated against the pavilion’s high interior and echoed into the distant hills. The lights dazzled the crowd everyone swayed in joyous harmony. After the show ended one thing was apparent. Everyone wants Dark Star Orchestra to be the traditional festival opener.

    Later in the evening we were wow’d by our first Deep Banana BlackOut show on the Mushroom stage. I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard more inventive trombone solos. The level of energy and improvisation this band spits out is a force to be reckoned with. Lead vocalist Jen Durkin’s voice is so powerful you need to prepare yourself to be ripped in half! Between the improvisation and funky rhythms, you’re sure to feel like you’ve been transported to New Orleans.

    The next day Scranton’s own Cabinet opened the Peach stage. Followed by the Hard Working Americans, Trombone Shorty and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Many rushed the Mushroom stage eager to catch Blues Traveler. Perhaps the most memorable experience was watching the people in the wave pool. Which is a few feet away from the Mushroom stage. They cheered and sang along to BT’s hits like “Hook.” John Popper’s harmonica solos are melodic feats that would make any instrumentalist blush. They were also pleased to have a guest appearance by none other than Warren Haynes himself. Which lead to a nice rendition of the “The Mountains Win Again.”

    Warren Haynes and Railroad Earth set the tone for Friday night with their soulful yet raw set in the pavilion. It was interesting to see RRE’s lead vocalist Todd Sheaffer step aside for a while and let Warren Haynes take the wheel. The ensemble played selections from their new album Ashes and Dust which was released in July of this year. Tim Carbone’s violin solo’s descended upon the crowd like a feather gently floating to the ground. A perpetual stream of melodic call and response between Carbone and Goessling carried on through the set and added a fine degree of polyphonic texture.

    The pinnacle of Friday evening was the iconic Gregg Allman. He opened his set with “Statesboro Blues.” Many were easily impressed on his transition from organ to guitar. The legendary vocals, solos and overall spirit of the Allman Brothers was definitely experienced. The warmness of Allman’s organ is a sound that will never be forgotten. The crowd became downright emotional when Allman played his signature tune, “Melissa.” I looked around to see fans weeping and smiling simultaneously. The set ended with “Midnight Rider,” “Love Like Kerosene,” “Whipping Post.” With no surprise the show encored with “One Way Out.”

    The temperature definitely rose on Saturday. Most festival attendees made themselves ready for a dip in the wave pool or a drift down the lazy river. Or for those feeling extra adventurous the ultra fast water slides. Watching Dumpstaphunk while jumping waves in the wave pool was so much fun! The Mushroom stage also featured Rusted Root which performed their hit “Send Me on My Way.” With GD50 in the not so distant past it was a real treat to see Bruce Hornsby and The Noise Makers once again paying tribute. His set was laid back and serene. Back at The Peach stage Old Crow Medicine show kicked the vibe up a notch with their own “Alabama High Test.”

    Finally, it was time for the one and only Willie Nelson and family. Nelson’s signature vocals were spot on and everyone was thrilled to see Trigger (his beloved guitar) once again by his side. His sister Bobbie Nelson has been playing piano in his band since the 1970’s. She of course played my favorite piano interlude “Down Yonder.” Towards the end of the set Nelson included selections of “I’ll Fly Away, You were always on my mind” and of course, “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.” He even paid tribute to the great Hank Williams Sr. with songs like “Hey Good Lookin” and “I saw the Light.”

    Billy and the Kids killed it shortly after and were later joined by The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir. The entire second set featured Weir on lead guitar and vocals, which included takes on “Cassidy,” “Stella Blue” and “Sugar Magnolia.” Weir’s guitar raged through the crowd and the lights penetrated the thousands of loyal fans.

    Saturday night was closed out on the Grove Stage by Scranton’s local band Cabinet. We’re sure to see and hear more from this band in the future. The musicianship and camaraderie are the aspects that make this band so solid. With every instrumental break you can feel the virtuosity leaking from their hands to the strings. I learned quickly not to underestimate the Grove Stage. Although smaller than both the Mushroom and Peach Stage and also further away it is never the less the place for a great show.

    On Sunday a congregation formed at the Peach Stage for Keller Williams and Grateful Gospel. The band features members of More Than a Little and Further’s guitarist John Kadlecik. The set started off with “Feel Like a Stranger.” The vocal harmonies were absolutely stellar. The positive vibes could surely be felt throughout the entire audience. Other selections were “My Sister and Brothers,” “St Stephen” and “Ripple.” Towards the end Keller excitedly proclaimed, “Hey look everyone! Its Bob Weir!” Weir sat in for “Eyes of the World” and closed with “Samson and Delilah.”

    Over at the Grove stage Indianapolis’ Turbo Suit delivered a powerful and funky set with remixes of up beat tunes new and old. One memorable selection was a mashup of Uptown Funk which led to an ensemble of happy dancers.

    Santana made for a memorable grand finally. Latin rhythms flooded the amphitheater and not one foot remained still. Santana proudly introduced his son Salvador who is a much accomplished vocalist and a master of the keyboards. The crowd was pleased to shake it to hits like “Evil Ways,” “Black Magic Woman” and “Smooth.” One thing’s for certain, Carlos Santana bleeds positive mantras. The long instrumental jams were definitely used as a platform to inspire and uplift the community with his kind words.

    One of the kindest actions I saw all weekend was the attendees voluntarily cleaning up the grounds. Once a few began picking up the garbage a chain reaction ensued. It was really heartwarming to see essential strangers coming together for the betterment of the festival and respect of the mountain. The festival overall had a great sense of community. People genuinely showed love for each other. It was a kind of harmonious bond that is a rare occurrence in humanity. Peach Fest was a sure fire success and we can’t wait for next year.

  • UPDATE: The Cure Add Third NYC Date at MSG in 2016

    The Cure‘s first announcement of  a single performance at Madison Square Garden sparked such a demand that a second show was added. Now, the demand was such that a third (and final) MSG show with The Cure has been announced for Monday June 20, 2016 (in addition to the 18th and 19th). A presale will happen Thursday Oct. 22 at 9am EST on Ticketmaster with password DISINTEGRATION. Regular on-sale will happen Friday Oct. 22 at 9am EST on the same site.

    Original Article:

    The Cure will hit North America next year with a 25-show tour. The announcement comes with a tease – only three of those dates have so far been announced while the rest will be released in January.

    On June 18, 2016, The Cure will play Madison Square Garden. A special pre-sale will take place Thursday, Oct. 8, starting at 10 a.m. and tickets will be available to the public Friday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m.

    Check out the tour announcement posting on The Cure’s website here for full details on the pre-sale and public on sale.

    The other two dates announced so far are May 22 at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and June 10 at UIC Pavilion in Chicago. While The Cure have played several shows (namely, festivals) in the past handful of years, this will be the band’s first major tour in North America since 2008.

    Joining The Cure at these MSG shows in 2016 will be The Twilight Sad, a post-punk outfit from Scotland with four studio albums under their belt.

  • DrFameus and Particle Wash the Westcott with Sound

    DrFameus proved himself a chameleon of sound, opening for Particle at the Westcott Theater Sept. 23. Allen Aucoin’s one-manned music machine fluctuated from synth and high hat driven 80’s dance to more lazy and free-flowing experimental jazz, pulling samples from Fergie’s “London Bridge” among other unexpected sources. Producing a beat reminiscent of the bass heavy pulsations in Die Antwoord’s “I Fink U Freeky” kept the crowd alert, as they made efforts to sift out other familiar rhythms and samples.

    Aucoin’s laptop acted as an instrument as much as the drum kit set up before him. Frequently looking over at the small screen to his left, pressing buttons perfectly in time with the music, he was effectively conducting a mini techno orchestra. “Cold Step” commenced with haunting piano effects, showcasing the DJ-drummer hybrid in a swarm of heavy energetic percussive and techno sounds. At the end of Aucoin’s set, a gentleman brandishing a solid black guitar case sauntered across the room, having plenty of space to breakdown and boogie with the crowd not exceeding thirty spectators.

    The Particle crew followed on stage, delivering a slew of zippy electro grooves. Guitarist Ben Combe, with body pivoted forward, scrunched facial expressions and fingers scrambling across the fretboard, plainly indicated his full mental immersion. Keyboardist Steve Molitz demonstrated his own enthusiasm, purposefully pressing specific keys while giving raised eyebrows to the crowd as if to say, “How do you like this?” His effects often produced sounds synonymous to the grand majesty of Manheim Steamroller’s epic instrumental holiday ballads.

    Clay Parnell (bass/vocals) and drummer Allen Aucoin rounded out the four-man crew. With their powers combined, the band performed a collection of songs that were as distinctive as a litter of Dalmatian puppies. Their music activated the perfect environment for listeners to zone out but still manage to feel stimulated with high-speed instrumentals and enthusiasm exuding from the musicians.

  • Cattle Decapitation and Phish Meet as Garbage Dick

    Recently at Club Metronome in Burlington, musical worlds collided when Phish drummer Jon Fishman collaborated with members of Cattle Decapitation, King Parrot, Black Crown Initiate and Dark Sermon, merging for a performance under the name Garbage Dick.

    Cattle Decapitation bassist Derek Engemann posted this picture with Phish drummer Jon Fishman.

    Played a random set for GARBAGE DICK with Mr. Jon Fishman from Phish #cattledecapitation #phish #garbagedick #quitplayin

    A photo posted by Derek Engemann (@derekfuneral) on


    While we await video of this odd performance, go see Cattle Decapitation on tour with Cannibal Corpse as they play several shows across New York state this month including:

    Oct 14 @ Emporium Patchogue, NY

    Oct 16 @ The Chance Poughkeepsie, NY

    Oct 17 @ Lost Horizon Syracuse, NY