Category: Rock

FarmBorough Music Festival Brings The Rumble To Randall’s Island

Decorated in patriotic flags, cowboy hats, and crowds, FarmBorough Music Festival made a huge splash on Randall’s Island for its premier first year.

Spanning over three days, flocks of daisy-duke wearing dancers crowded the festival Main Stage and the up and coming ‘Next from Nashville’ tent to witness some of the best damn country music in New York City. Featured in this celebration of colors and covers was none other than headliners Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, and Luke Bryan. Though their sets proved to be quite responsive amongst their fans, the earlier sets throughout the day were equally as impressive in level of musicianship.

If there’s anything to learn from the opening day of FarmBorough, it’s that everyone should be a fan of Maddie & Tae. After living in Nashville in their teens to pursue music full-time, this duo of gals landed a record deal with Big Machine Label Group and transformed those girl power anthems you had in your childhood to raw rhythms of southern soul. Their song “Smoke” spoke to a hopeless relationship, and quite contrasted from their rather sassy tune “Sierra,” which was dedicated to a girl from their high school. Their hit single “Girl In A Country Song” launched their success throughout a very short year, and as they release more singles, they prove both their vocal technique and songwriting abilities as a team each time. The 2015 release of Start Here features a number of their great anthems, which the crowds were able to recite word-for-word. Their stage presence was energetic and memorable, and their cover of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” made a lot of young country girls happy.

While I’d say their take on a pop tune may have stole the show, many other acts came to follow with their own takes on songs, including Canaan Smith’s “Jealous” cover, originally by Nick Jonas. One of the most memorable covers came to be later on the evening, when Joe Nichols took the stage and covered The Band as well as Tom Petty. Throughout each of his originals, including “Hee Haw, ” “Sunny and 75,” and “Yeah,” it was nice to hear an occasional dash of classic rock hits. Continuing the cover trail was none other than Dustin Lynch, who did quite the spin on “Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake in between his hit songs “She Cranks My Tractor” and “Where It’s At.” Randy Houser brought the crowd to a sentimental mood when he laid down an unexpected cover of “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith. Despite each artists’ great individual success, witnessing so many great cover songs brought a whole new style to each live set.

As anticipated, the crowd’s size and energy built as the headlining acts made their grand entrances. With Dierks Bentley’s giant curtain falling as he entered, each beer-infused fan made their voices heard amongst the Main Stage audience. Shortly after shotgunning a beer with a fan in the first row, Bentley shared his 2009 hit “Sideways” that made everyone dance in their thick cowboy boots. Ever since his release of the album Riser in 2014, he has made a country anthem out of hits like “Drunk On A Plane” and “5-1-5-0.” As the crowd maintained the same voltage of energy, Brad Paisley struck the stage on Saturday night with a variety of fan-adored songs from his most recent album, Moonshine In the Truck. His engagement with the crowd matched with the impressive technical abilities of the venue made his set a performance to remember.

The most impressive part of each headliner’s performance is that is stood out separately in each unique way. What I can say, however, is that every headliner’s set had to include a staple in country music: lots of beer. Luke Bryan closed out the weekend on Sunday night, where he made several toasts to the audience in celebration of a great weekend in music. As he dove into several of his greatest hits, such as “All My Friends Say” and “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye,” he truly pleased the crowd with his new single “Kick The Dust Up,” which only came out this past May.

Witnessing so many country superstars performing in the same space as lesser-known underground talent brought a new form of festival to Randall’s Island. We also shouldn’t forget that FarmBorough is the first three-day country music festival to ever hit New York City, which is quite a rare and random accomplishment. It was a truly rewarding experience to achieve the city bustle of concerts like Governor’s Ball, while enjoying and experiencing the music and culture of the South. Though their is no official word on what will take place in terms of next year, we’ll be frequently checking their website and hoping that next year will be as successful and memorable as their first run.

July 12, 2015
2015 Global Citizen Festival Welcomes Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce and Coldplay

Great music is good; great music for a cause is even greater. Just announced, Pearl Jam, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, and Beyoncé will play the 2015 Global Citizen Festival taking place on the Great Lawn of Central Park in the heart of Manhattan on Saturday Sept. 26.

VIP tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster. The rest of the festival is free but ticketed. Free entries into a ticket draw are earned through a series of actions to help end extreme poverty

About the Festival:

The Global Citizen Festival is a free-ticketed event on the Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City on Saturday, September 26, 2015. The Festival is timed to coincide with the launch of the United Nations’ new Global Goals designed to fight inequality, protect our planet and end extreme poverty by 2030. The Global Citizen Festival will channel the power of hundreds of thousands of global citizens lending their voices to achieve policy and financial commitments that will shape the success of these Goals.

July 10, 2015
Hearing Aide: Gary Frenay ‘File Under Pop Vocal’

The godfather of Syracuse’s power-pop scene, Gary Frenay has released a new, full-length, solo cd titled, File Under Pop Vocal. A founding member of The Flashcubes, and Screen Test, two of the area’s most important bands in the late seventies and early eighties. Frenay is a six-time SAMMY Award winner and the first musician to be inducted into the Syracuse Music Hall of Fame twice, once as a solo artist, again as a member of The Flashcubes. A very prolific writer who honors the molds of Lennon and McCartney, Brian Wilson, Todd Rundgren and Elvis Costello, he has issued three solo albums, plus ten more by his bands and duo with fellow Flashcube and Screen Test member, Arty Lenin.

A two year project, File Under Pop Vocal is a collaboration with his longtime friend, Flashcubes drummer and producer, Tommy Allen. Tommy is producer and mixed all tracks at his NYC base, except #7 which is produced, arranged and mixed by Mark Doyle with drums recorded by Allen and #10 which is mixed by Ducky Carlisle, another Syracuse mainstay. Carlisle mastered at Ice Station Zebra in Medford MA.. Recorded in Syracuse, NYC, Boston and Tokyo, all of the songs here are by Frenay, besides #4 by Wilson/Rovell/Pamplin and #7 by Frenay/Doyle.

You can hear Tommy Allen on each track playing drums, percussion and a myriad of other instruments, plus lending background vocals. Together Frenay/Allen recruited some very big hitters to fill the vibe of each song, including the multi-talented Mark Doyle (guitars, keys, bass, etc.); guitarist Paul Carbonara (Blondie); Doug Worthington (Julian Lennon); mega-duo Pete and Maura Kennedy; Marshall Crenshaw (yes, that Marshall Crenshaw); longtime musical partner Artie Lenin; Japanese power-pop star Osamu Satoyama (Mayflowers); keyboardists Ed Vivenzio, Andy Burton (John Mayer), and Tommy Mandel (Bryan Adams); and Frenay’s son, multi-instrumentalist Nick Frenay (Nick and Noah). To get the proper individual credits, please see the actual liner notes. I’ll highlight some, but let the music talk through me for the most part.

‘Blue Topaz’ takes a big swing at the genre fence with a power-pop monster featuring a vocal hook that will make you believe Elvis is in the studio. When Frenay sings, “Let it shine for eternity, To remind us of, The way we felt on that day, I placed it on your finger, A blue topaz” and the harmonies and backing vocals soar, his voice clinches on the I in homage. It hits all of the bases with jangling guitars, a driving bass and Tommy’s pacing, this begs for the top to be down, clearing the romantic haze in a beautiful way, it’s just what happens under the spell of a muse. ‘Forgot How Good Love Feels’ follows in composition, but maybe a little earlier in the real story. It runs along at full pace, like new love does, it sprints, not wanting miss a stride. Until realization puts a shift on time and you float, slowly, in revelry. You know what I mean. ‘Our Eyes Have Voices’ is flat-out romantic and truly insightful, the strength of the topic combined with Frenay’s multiple background vocals tweaks at my influence alarm. Although I believe there is more than one influence at work on many of the tracks here, Frenay’s voice sings to them, expresses them with subtlety and individuality without waving a flag. His words and melodies move easily to the borders of his genre and reach beyond for tastes, his stories are real, it makes all of the difference. The musicianship and arrangement are pristine, distinct, clear and thoughtful. Nothing is more aurally pleasing than that.

Brian Wilson’s ‘It’s Like Heaven’ sounds like a Beach Boys/Beatles love child, played by Elvis Costello. Paul Carbonara’s slide is right out of the George Harrison play-book, Tommy’s drum sound is huge and the sweet backing vocals by Maura Kennedy and Nick Frenay carry Gary’s reading on a cloud. The production is like candy, surely the epitome of pop, and substantive of the album’s title, that continues track after track. ‘Winterview’ is a tale of reminiscence, an analogy of seasonal change and emotional cleansing. The Kennedys and Ed Vivenzio color the changes and fill the spaces so completely, along with Sam Crowes flute and Tommy’s string flourishes, they make the sadness seem palatable, though the feelings fade, they never quite go away. Frenay switches it up on ‘We Could Be Brothers’, an up-tempo power-popper that speaks to someone lost, but not forgotten. One of those meaningful people you lose track of over time, but don’t let slip your mind. Perhaps a new soul, that reminds us of an old soul. Osamu Satoyama’s guitar bites in all of the right places and Frenay’s voice exudes at the combination, his enthusiastic acoustic rhythm chimes in agreement. I can’t quite grasp it, but it’s either a high-plains western, eastern or a mix of both feels, either way it’s quite provocative.

‘It’s Your Heart’ sounds like it could’ve been written for a sixties chanteuse like Dionne Warwick, from Nick Frenay’s flugelhorn to Mark Doyle’s piano, organ, synth strings and electrics, it’s majestic like a single produced by “The Wrecking Crew.” The only track where another songwriter is co-credited, Doyle’s mix and arrangement are sublime. Gary’s voice is so emotive, his backing tracks and Riley Mahan’s layers produce all that is good in pop music; like ‘You’re Only Hurting Yourself.’ Doyle starts the string intro, Carbonara on the electric rhythm, it’s a little Philly Soul, it’s Doyle bringing the “Ambrosia” So. Cal. piano and Artie Lenin drops a perfect solo. Nick Frenay adds background vocals in a level at which I needed to consult the artist to be sure all of the voices were credited. Fantastic! Frenay’s songwriting is at once, striking and stirring, there’s an innocence with a wink, assertiveness with a smile and resolution in a nod.

‘Everything But Love’ and ‘Luckiest Man’ close out the CD in very individual ways. E.B.T. has the ring and jangle of Lenin’s 12 string and harmonies, bolstered by Tommy Mandel’s piano and organ. Then the guitars roll in, Doug Worthington and Marshall Crenshaw add individual flavor, but the bridge to the solo is unmistakably Crenshaw and Worthington gives a monstrous solo. It’s a flavor of “Pretenders”, pure pop gloss, seamless in its fab four proclamations and eighties vibe. Lucky Man finishes softly, but substantially. No rhythm section, just Frenay’s voice and acoustic, Doyle’s piano and synth strings with Nick’s flugelhorn, expressing why songwriters write, singers sing, why lovers cry. A song for his wife and muse, his dedication to love and good fortune. Written beautifully, performed in the only way it can be, truthfully.

Although I attempted to focus on the music itself, when you have so many important pieces involved, each needs to be credited somehow. The level of musicianship, song-writing and production put together here is as precise and thoughtful as any available today. The compositions are intelligent and bright, sweet and bitter, all unrestrained. Follow the links provided to hear and learn about Frenay’s past and present, I believe you’ll find them both exhilarating. Check his facebook page and his blog WE CONNECT for stories, history and anything else that may be found under File Under Pop Vocal.

Key Tracks: Blue Topaz, Winterview, You’re Only Hurting Yourself

July 10, 2015
An Evening of Duos At The Capitol Theatre: Rodrigo y Gabriela With Guests Madisen Ward And The Mama Bear

There was not one opportunity to let a yawn escape at the end of the work week for those at The Capitol Theatre on June 19. The evening saw (and heard) a complimentary match of sounds between neo-folk/soul newcomers Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear and the fiery duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. It was an evening of duos touring in support of new albums.

Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear opened the evening, their songs welcoming latecomers into the theater. Humble in their manners on-stage (they only made a brief mention of their Bonnaroo appearance the weekend before), the mother-son duo played with a remarkable amount of wholesomeness and soul. For most of the set it felt like The Cap had turned into the back porch on a warm, sunny summer evening; the music playing the sun out for the day. A little bit of heart, plenty of soul, harmony, and shared lead guitar parts left the room happy and appreciative for their set. Rightfully so, too: as a relatively unknown band in a brand new territory they made quite an impression given their status.

For Rodrigo y Gabriela (Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero), The Cap may have been an unfamiliar stage but entirely a new audience, clear by the eruption of cheers as the lights dimmed and a silhouette of Rodrigo drifted to the center of the stage. Anticipation for the show seemed high since before their set while the PA ramped up in volume with canned tunes – there was no lapse as the anticipation converted to avidity.

Aside from the energy of the performance the set had a very casual feel, one of those cases where there is no barrier between the stage and audience. Rodrigo remarked between songs that they booked this 9 Dead Alive tour to play at places they haven’t been before and that they didn’t really have an agenda for the show. Yes, there was a set list taped to the stage floor but it was likely just a guide. They played to a few requests, including a medley of a few Metallica songs (which were heavy influences on the duo’s blended style), and an impromptu tease on “War Pigs” and a cover of “Creep” by Rodrigo as Gabriela made her way back on stage.

When we say there was no barrier between the stage and audience, it quite literally did not exist. It was a sort of rare sight at a venue like The Cap to see around 60 people freely invited to hang out on stage for the better half of the set (minus the encore), almost like the Band Bench that Jimmy Fallon had while he was still hosting Late Night. Rodrigo y Gabriela played just as much to the folks on stage (who of course did their best to sneak in some selfies) as to the rest of the theater.

Their skill in a dynamic range combined with an unrivaled stage chemistry had command over The Cap, engaging the audience in the music the entire time from the aggressive guitar duels to the quieter melodies Gabriela played by herself to mutterings of “shhhh” as the room fell silent. Even the metalheads, who probably first heard of Rodrigo y Gabriela from their cover of Metallica’s “Orion,” were fully behind the more intricate, melodic moments of the show.

For the majority of the people in attendance, it was their first time seeing either act live since Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear is a relatively new act and Rodrigo y Gabriela were making their first Port Chester appearance. The performances were remarkably impressionable; people praising what they heard as they strolled away along Westchester Ave.

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July 8, 2015
Photo Gallery: J. Roddy Walston and The Business, Avers at Alive at 5

J. Roddy Walston & The Business brought its spectacular brand of rock and roll to Albany’s Alive at 5 summer concert series.

The last time the band came through the Capitol Region, it played a sold out, hot and sweaty show at The Hollow in January, 2014, and expectations were high for their return. The four-piece band out of Baltimore didn’t disappoint and showed the crowd for almost an hour-and-a-half that rock and roll is still alive and well in today’s world of music.

“Sweat Shock,” “Take It As It Comes” and “Marigold” had the crowd fully engaged, dancing and jumping all over Jennings Landing. J. Roddy constantly swung his long hair violently as he played some old boogie-woogie style piano. With a quick wave of the hand to the crowd, the band exited the stage while the crowd chanted for more. Opening the evening was Avers, a six-piece band who shared singing duties among their members and jumped around the stage as if they were playing in front of thousands of people, instead of the couple of hundred that were there. The band tore through their dreamy indie rock sound for a quick 45-minute set that felt over far quicker. Both bands were absolutely fantastic and the free show was just mind blowing. The Alive at 5 concert series continues this week with Yonder Mountain String Band.

July 7, 2015
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Transported the Bug Jar

The band, seven strong, consumed the small stage at the Bug Jar. Colorful and wild patterns were projected onto the stage, painting them, their instruments and the white sheet they had taped up along the back wall. The sheet and the images served to transport the audience from their current reality into the reality of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, which as their name might imply, is not reality at all.

Minutes into the first song the tape succumbed and the sheet came down. The lights and darks of the projections remained, turning more into a light show than a projection. The music alone was enough to evoke the world they were creating.

Shifting between head-banging hectic rock and lilting psychedelic guitar jams, two drummers and the bassist held it all together, while three guitars and a fuzzed out harmonica pushed it forward. The music teetered on collapse but never fell over. Short blasts of rock gems like the Zappa-esque “Hot Wax” and punkish “Muckraker” were cushioned by long-winded psychedelia. “The River” off of the just released Quarters, was an infectious blend of Brubeck’s “Take Five” and The Doors “The End.” The Lizard Wizard meets the Lizard King. The show ended on a suite of songs off of their 2014 record I’m In Your Mind Fuzz, a continuous jam featuring a delicious fist-pumping beat, raging guitar leads and blasts of distorted harmonica and exclamatory screams.

The projection went off, the lights went on, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard ducked out the back door out to the street, and all of a sudden it was 1am on a Wednesday night. Reality returned.

July 6, 2015
Summerland 2015 Blasts Into Utica

A healthy mix of forty-somethings and millennials populated the brewery Friday night as Saranac’s Summer Concert Series continued with Everclear’s annual 90’s alt-rock tour, Summerland 2015. This year’s edition features, along with Everclear, Toadies, Fuel and American Hi-Fi.

It was an early start to the day for Everclear’s leader Art Alexakis and guitarist Davey French, making the local media rounds on WKTV and local modern rock outlet WKLL’s morning show, simply known as The Show. Everclear is touring in support of its new album Black is the New Black, released in April.

Everclear’s acoustic performance on K-Rock from the 1888 Tavern at Saranac – Photo courtesy of Patrick Curley

If you’re a child of the 70s, you’ve grown up with some wild changes in the musical landscape. You’ve seen the disco era, the punk era, the prog-rock era and college rock. Hip Hop and rap came of age with you. Hair metal came and went as grunge plunged the knife into its Aqua-Netted heart in the early-90s.

With the advent of the grunge movement, came a slew of bands and musical styles that could not be easily categorized. When someone doesn’t fit neatly into a genre, new categories are created. The 90s movement became known as Alternative. Bands of the Alternative era of the mid-90s grew to fame playing package tours such as Lollapaloooza, HORDE and the Warped Tour. Everclear’s Summerland Tour draws upon this concept. In 2012, Portland, Oregon’s own created what, for some, may be seen as a nostalgia tour, employing many of the biggest names of the mid-90s on the bill each year. The 2015 edition of the Summerland Tour brought four of these bands to the Saranac Brewery in Utica for a night of nostalgia and pure rock and roll.

American Hi-Fi kicked off the show, rolling through a quick set of their most popular hits, including “Flavor of the Weak.” The video for the song offers a parody of the classic documentary Heavy Metal Parking Lot. American Hi-Fi delivered a solid rocking set that gave the early arriving fans a taste of what was to follow.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAmINmjpQxw&w=420&h=315]

American Hi-Fi’s setlist:

Another Perfect Day
The Art of Losing
Flavor of the Weak
Wall of Sound

Stacy Jones and Drew Parsons of American Hi-Fi having fun on stage

This reviewer’s most anticipated band of the night was Toadies, who followed American Hi-Fi. They certainly didn’t disappoint. Toadies, a straight-up Texas rock and roll band led by Vaden Todd Lewis, played a high-energy set which also included a couple of roadies joining in on percussion during “I Burn.” Lewis’ lyrical style may be considered a bit creepy by some, and perhaps that’s why I’ve become such a fan. Lewis’ voice and enthusiasm hasn’t changed since my first time witnessing them at the inaugural K-Rock-a-Thon 20 years ago. This fan-shot video from Friday shows Lewis at his best.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sul3G5LDSC0&w=560&h=315]

Toadies setlist:

Rattler’s Revival
Backslider
Happy Face
Push the Hand
Mexican Hairless
I Come from the Water
In the Belly of a Whale
I Burn
Possum Kingdom
Tyler

Lewis offered two options for the final song, “Away” and “Tyler.” The overwhelming choice from the crowd was “Tyler.”

Toadies setlist edited by Vaden Todd Lewis to show the audience’s choice of ‘Tyler’ as the closer.

Fuel, now with a revamped line-up from its early-2000s edition, followed Toadies with a set infused with its alt-rock radio hits that had the Saranac crowd singing along, culminating with their biggest hit, “Hemorrhage (In My Hands).”

Fuel’s setlist:

Untitled
Time for Me to Stop
Bad Day
Shimmer
Puppet Strings
Soul to Preach To
Hemorrhage (In My Hands)

Brett Scallions delivering an awesome performance to Utica

Festival hosts, Everclear finished off the night with a set heavy on the hits as well as two new songs, “The Man Who Broke His Own Heart” and “American Monster.” Band leader Art Alexakis’ stock in trade is life experiences in his lyrics. Many of the band’s biggest songs are biographical in nature and Alexakis doesn’t shy away from speaking about these experiences. That, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that the man knows how to host a rock show. Alexakis knows the fans want to hear the hits and he didn’t disappoint. The show came to a close as members of American Hi-Fi and Fuel joined Everclear on stage for a rousing sing-along of Everclear’s “Santa Monica.” At one point during the finale, there were at least ten musicians on stage, with Fuel’s Brett Scallions and Everclear’s Alexakis trading vocal duties and sending the Saranac crowd home hoarse.

Everclear’s Early Acoustic Set Live on WKTV:

The Man Who Broke His Own Heart
Everything To Everyone

Early Acoustic Set Live on K-Rock:
The Man Who Broke His Own Heart
Wonderful

Evening Set at Saranac Brewery:
So Much for the Afterglow
Everything To Everyone
Heroin Girl
You Make Me Feel Like a Whore
American Monster
The Man Who Broke His Own Heart
Wonderful
Father of Mine
I Will Buy You A New Life
Encore:
Santa Monica (with members of American Hi-Fi and Fuel)

Everclear headlined the Summerland 2015 show at the Brewery

These four bands may not have seen their songs hit the charts in recent years, but the music they play is timeless rock and roll. There was a feeling of nostalgia in the air but there was also a let-loose feeling of a genuine rock show that belies the recent Billboard charts. Alexakis’ goal with this tour is to get the rock to the people and that is exactly what he accomplished Friday night. Everclear will be back in the area for a 2pm free show at Chevy Court during the New York State Fair on August 27th.

The Saranac Summer Concert Series continues to be one of the best tickets in the area. Upcoming events include Dark Star Orchestra, Slightly Stoopid and Zappa Plays Zappa in addition to their weekly Saranac Thursday outings. The brewery has made an effort to bring in top notch bands as well as ensuring the shows are finished at a time when concert-goers can still hit up the bars of the Brewery District for some post-show fun.

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July 2, 2015
Introducing NYS Music Spotify Playlists

With a focus on bands that call New York State home, NYS Music is happy to share three Spotify playlists that highlight bands from New York State. We take pride in the homegrown talent we share on our pages each day and hope you will find music both new and familiar through our continually updated playlists.

Whether you like Rock/Metal/Punk, Jam/Funk/Reggae or Bluegrass/Folk/Country, NYS Music has you covered. Make sure to follow each list and NYS Music on Spotify for updates to each playlist as we discover more great music that NYS Music has to offer.

Musicians and bands, want to included in the playlists? Comment below and we’ll add you to the right playlist.

July 2, 2015
Photo Gallery: Rob Zombie Brings His Spookshow To Big Flats

When Rob Zombie makes an appearance in Upstate New York, fans of all ages flocked to see the hellbilly perform at The Budweiser Summer Stage at Tags, located in Big Flats NY. Tags is a Multifaceted Entertainment Facility and nationally recognized concert venue that’s neatly tucked out of the way and has hosted a wide variety of artists over the years.

Opening for Rob Zombie was Dropclutch, a band out of Binghamton New York. The band consists of Shawn Swartwood on vocals, Brandon Schuldt on drums, Josh Skellet on bass/vocals and Adam Skellett on guitar/vocals. Dropclutch has shared the stage with many headlining artists such as Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Lamb of God, Gwar and Skindred. They were well received and got the crowd worked up in preparation for Zombie to take the stage. Their set list included: The Becoming, Get Up, Pressure Chemical, Burned Between The Lines, My Island, Make Your Move, The Reason Over and Over One Bullet.

The line for Rob Zombie started at the entrance and stretched all the way around the venue. Both parking areas were full with fans of all kinds. The only thing that’s more unique than Zombie himself are the fans, some dressed as their favorite characters from his film “House of 1000 Corpses.” The venue was packed pretty tight with those eager to hear some of their favorite hits and Rob is never one to disappoint. His set’s background featured classic movie monsters. The band members blended into the scene with Rob Zombie’s bassist Piggy D dressed as a vampire while guitarist John 5 sporting a nightmarish looking gas mask. The set list for the evening included: Teenage Nosferatu Pussy, Super-Charger Heaven, Superbeast, Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine, Living Dead Girl, Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown, A Drum solo by Ginger Fish, More Human Than Human, Sick Bubble-Gum, Pussy Liquor, Meet the Creeper, Never Gonna Stop and Thunder Kiss ’65 with encores being We’re an American Band, The Lords of Salem and Dragula.

June 29, 2015
Cheers to 20 Years: A Gathering of the Vibes Flashback

There’s no doubt that we’ve been having one hell of a year in music. Most recently, we’ve seen artists like Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Bill Withers (finally) becoming inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Leading up this year, we’ve seen big name artists like Taylor Swift pulling their music from online streaming services to crush the myth that “physical sales just don’t sell anymore.” We’ve seen lawsuits changing the recording world and the way we associate artists with earlier musical predecessors.

In the live show atmosphere, we’ve seen many great small music festivals lose the support they need to bring us great music. Luckily, there’s one festival that seems to have left a firm stance in an ever changing music industry, and it’s back for its 20th year to bring us the music that’s so very near and dear to our hearts. Friends, get ready for the Gathering of the Vibes.

Starting as nothing more than a small memorial celebration at SUNY Purchase, “Deadhead Heaven: A Gathering of the Tribe” was created from a batch of devoted, yet mourning fans of the legendary Jerry Garcia: local promoter Bob Kennedy, business guru Ken Hays, and publishers of the fan magazine “Dupree’s Diamond News” Sally Ansorge Mulvey and John Dwork. Their aim was to provide an atmosphere that celebrated the incomparable success of the Grateful Dead, while mourning the loss of a respected, legendary frontman with hope and celebration. As the word spread about the show’s reminiscent and engaging atmosphere, so did the festival itself. Moving to Croton Point Park, NY a year later, it was renamed “Gathering of the Vibes,” named after the devoted fans self-proclamation as the ever present “VibeTribe.” To meet the growing number of attendees, the festival moved the following year to Plattsburgh, NY as the founders searched for an even bigger venue to host a long-term contract. Upon finding Seaside Park in Bridgeport, they immediately jumped on the opportunity, gracing Connecticut with the 1999 and 2000 Gathering of the Vibes Music Festival. It was then that Bob Weir himself played the Vibes stage, alongside his band Ratdog.

With great success always comes great challenge, and renovations needed to be done to Seaside Park as Vibes gained notoriety. For the next six years, the festival hopped over to Red Hook, NY followed by the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, N.Y. That certainly didn’t stop Dead members stopping in on the fun, however, since Phil Lesh & Friends made a two night cameo appearance in the 2002 festival in Mariaville.

Despite the festival’s continued success in New York, Vibes was able to relocate back to Seaside Park from 2007 onward, with endless support from the Town of Bridgeport as well as the devoted VibeTribe. Today, you can still witness the same spiritual cleansing and celebration of great music that these great pioneers aimed for back in SUNY Purchase. Along with the great artists that graced the stage back in 1996, including Strangefolk, Max Creek, and moe., Gathering of the Vibes has brought in some of the greatest legends in music, including Elvis Costello, Allman Brothers Band, James Brown, Buddy Guy, and Primus, to name a few.

This year, the team at Vibes has thrown us a couple of surprises in their 2015 lineup, including Weezer, Wilco, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, and The Gaslight Anthem. Though you may plan to make your way into a crowd of sweaty, sprightly individuals to jam out to the newbies of the Vibes lineup, make sure you take part in the shows of those who came at the early stages of Vibes, including but not limited to Max Creek, Strangefolk, Warren Haynes, and Deep Banana Blackout.

With so many venue relocations and constant adaptations, Gathering of the Vibes has been no easy wind. With constant support from the beloved VibeTribe, Gathering of the Vibes has been able to withstand the odds and survive as a notable festival, earning ranks on Rolling Stone’s “Summer 2015 Must-See Music Festival.” To join in the 20 year celebration, visit the Gathering of the Vibes official website and get your tickets. While you wait in anticipation for this year’s festival, however, make sure to check out the past performers that graced the Vibes stages, dating back to SUNY Purchase in 1996. The Gathering of the Vibes has certainly beaten many odds and maintained its high reputation, which is certainly worth celebrating, so we’re looking forward to this year as well as many years to come.

June 29, 2015