Category: Rock

St. Vincent Headed to Rochester March 5

Thursday March 5, St. Vincent takes the stage at a sold out show at Water Street Music Hall in Rochester, NY. This is one out of only two stops in upstate New York during this tour. St. Vincent just won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album. Congratulations to her for the award on the self titled album.

St. Vincent is multi talented singer songwriter with an established reputation. Her distinctive electric sound intrigued David Byrne, of the Talking Heads, leading to a great collaborative album back in 2012. It is nice to see and hard to believe that tickets were originally on sale for 25 dollars. Even though Water Street is sold out try to pick up some tickets. Do not miss out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY-WAu_SqWs

Doors at 7pm show starts at 8pm.

St. Vincent’s next stop in New York state is Clifton Park on March 7.

February 28, 2015
Tumbleweed Highway Brings the Boogie to Funk N Waffles

Funk N Waffles Downtown is a special place to visit, not only for the delectable combinations of waffles and appetizers, but for the variation of live music they choose to have entertain their guests. This past Sunday evening, they hosted Tumbleweed Highway, a southern rock band with an old school twang, hailing from Norwich, NY.

Tumbleweed Highway brings home-grown country to the stage and pumps it full of energy, yet stays consistent with maintaining the authentic mood of what country is all about. With a humble five piece band and four-part harmony, a wide array of classic songs can and will be covered on any given night. This particular show was no exception. The group performed a vast amount of originals including “Break My Heart,” “Another Day,” “Western Winds,” and even treated their audience to “Diesel in the morning” from their soon to be released album this May.

The lavish rhythmic backbone of the this group consists of Steve O’Connell on drums, Dennis Walrath on stand up & electric bass, and Uncle Nobby on acoustic guitar. Each song is bound together so beautifully, that it allows Patrick Strain on pedal steel to create a melodic resonance underneath Nate Gross and his seductive electric guitar solos. There is no doubt these five gentlemen know how to set whatever mood they feel is right, when they feel it’s necessary.

With a busy schedule of touring and making a new album ahead, they have set aside time to boogie woogie in our beloved city of Syracuse, yet again. You can find them performing at festivals, theaters, and bars all over the Northeast coast, opening for bands such as Donna the Buffalo, Driftwood, and Dickey Betts to name a few. Look for them in a town near you and when you see that 34” drum on stage, you’ve found Tumbleweed Highway.

[FinalTilesGallery id=’91’]

February 25, 2015
Hard Soul to Celebrate Successful Kickstarter Campaign at The Hollow on Feb. 20

Upstate New York rock band, Hard Soul, have successfully completed their Kickstarter campaign in raising over $12,000 to fund their latest EP, Fairer Shores and touring needs. The local Albany band had over 150 backer’s support them on this mission proving the dream of Rock n Roll is far from dead. Kickstarter is a crowd based, fund-raising site for creative projects that helped Hard Soul and millions of others reach goals from the help of friends and supporters.

“The outpouring of support from all the fans has been absolutely incredible and very humbling,” said Hard Soulfront-man Johnny Salka. “We’re beyond excited for the opportunity to hit the road and share our music in front of new faces and cities later this month.”

Hard Soul consists of guitarists Johnny Salka, Steve Thompson and Nick Kossor, bassist Ryan Klaeysen, drummer Mark Podbielski, all contributing to vocals of original heartfelt lyrics. The band’s LP Heart of Plaster from 2014 grabbed regional attention as the Albany Times Union placed them on the “Best Records of the Year” list. The first single off their latest EP “The Sweetest Heart” was released on January 20th with a laid back music video. Fairer Shores drops on February 24th on CD and digital formats with limited-edition vinyls later this year.

Eager to share their new music with loving fans, Hard Soul is kicking things off at The Hollow in Albany on Friday Feb. 20 where they will be opening for Frank Iero (formally of My Chemical Romance) to start their Winter Tour of Upstate NY and beyond. The show starts at 8pm with $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Get there early to support local music from Hard Soul as they bring their modern-day rock with vintage soul to Pearl St.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA5ii70od30]

February 20, 2015
Photo Gallery: Moon Hooch and Ampevene at The Hollow

Moon Hooch is an interesting concept – two saxophones (Mike Wilbur and Wenzi McGowen) and one drummer (James Muschler) combine energies to create a fusion of jazz and EDM with intensely high energy. Focused and committed to their craft, Moon Hooch are dialed in when they perform, driven by Muschler’s powerful drumming and phenomenal interplay between Wilbur and McGowan, leading to gyrating crowds pumping fists to the beat. “Number 9”, the first track off their eponymous debut album garnered an intense response from the audience, along with many other choice compositions.

It will be interesting to see how their live performance translates at music festivals this summer. In the meantime, go see Moon Hooch on tour this winter. Opening the night was Ampevene, a new local act from Albany who are slowly gaining ground with their progressive rock with a hint of open ended jamming. The young band are not to be missed and will be back at The Hollow next month.

February 19, 2015
Retired Buffalo Hardcore Legends Snapcase are Practicing

Snapcase’s fierce driving riffs and aggressive vocals defined them as one of the premier genre bands for the ’90s hardcore music scene.

Originally conceived in a basement in West Seneca NY in 1989 – the five piece built quite the frenetic fan base over the course of the next 16 years before mostly disbanding in 2005. Since then they have played occasional shows – usually in Buffalo – but none since a finale show with the closing of Mohawk Place in 2013.

That all may be changing soon as the band indicated on their website today that they are practicing.

With their next and only 2015 tour date scheduled for Montebello, Canada’s Amnesia Rockfest way off in mid June fans will no doubt be wondering if more tour dates are in the works – or perhaps (hold your breath) some new music? Stay tuned!

February 19, 2015
StrangeCreek Campout 2015 Lineup Announced

Wormtown Trading has announced the lineup for the 3-day StrangeCreek Campout Music Festival May 22-25 2015 at Camp Kee-Wanee in Greenfield, Ma.

Get Strange with Max Creek, Zach Deputy, Consider The Source, and Central NY’s own Donna The Buffalo among many others across three stages this coming Memorial Day weekend.

Leading up to the festival, 36 bands will go head-to-head in three weeks of battle at four venues before heading to a week of semifinals and a final showdown on March 28. The winner of the 2015 StrangeCreek Battle of the Bands secures a spot in the festival’s lineup.

Tickets are going for $120 through May 10 (kids 12 and under are free).

Check out NYS Music’s recap of the 2014 StrangeCreek Campout here.

February 18, 2015
Aqueous Spring Tour Includes Upstate Dates and Colorado Debut

Upstate favorites Aqueous have announced an extensive spring tour taking them all through the north east and mid west including a debut string of dates in Colorado.

The tour will kick off at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn Feb. 25. Other New York dates include Mar. 26 at Ithaca’s The Haunt, Syracuses’s Funk n Waffles Apr. 16, Saratoga Springs Apr 17, and a hometown show Apr. 18 in Buffalo at the Iron Works.

March will feature a five date string in Colorado including two trips to Denver. May and June launch festival season with stops at two Ohio festivals – May Daze in Franklin and Color Dance in Athens – concluding with a Memorial Day weekend for the third straight year at Summer Camp Music Festival.

Check out the whole tour below and don’t miss seeing this excellent band.

Art by Dave Vertino

Aqueous Spring Tour 2015

2/25/15 – Knitting Factory | Brooklyn, NY
2/26/15 – Spot Underground | Providence, RI *
2/27/15 – Stone Church | Newmarket, NH *
2/28/15 – Main Pub | Manchester, CT #
3/6/15 – Tonic Room | Chicago, IL
3/7/15 – Mousetrap | Indianapolis, IN
3/10/15 – Quixotes | Denver, CO
3/11/15 – TBD | Colorado
3/12/15 – Fly Me to The Moon Saloon | Telluride, CO *
3/13/15 – Quixotes | Denver, CO
3/14/15 – Samana | Vail, CO **
3/26/15 – The Haunt | Ithaca, NY
3/27/15 – Penuches | Manchester, NH
3/28/15 – Nectar’s | Burlington, VT
4/1/15 – TBD
4/2/15 – TBD
4/3/15 – Ardmore Music Hall | Philadelphia, PA ^
4/4/15 – Pacific Standard | New Haven, CT
4/10/15 – Corktown Pub | Hamilton, ON
4/11/15 – Kings Rook | Erie, PA
4/16/15 – Funk n Waffles | Syracuse, NY +
4/17/15 – Putnam Den | Saratoga Springs, NY
4/18/15 – Buffalo Iron Works | Buffalo, NY
4/23/15 – Hinge | Northampton, MA
4/24/15 – Church of Boston | Boston, MA
4/25/15 – Arch Street Tavern | Hartford, CT
5/2/15 – May Daze Music Festival | Franklin, OH
5/16/15 – Color Dance Music Festival | Athens, OH
5/21/15-5/24/15 – Summer Camp Music Festival | Chillicothe, IL
5/30/15 – Domefest | Terra Alta, VA
6/12/15 – Illumination Music Festival | Durham, ON
6/19 – 6/20 – Mad Tea Party Jam | Hedgeville, WV
7/23 – 7/25 – Paradise Music Festival | Hustonville, KY

*w/ Pigeons Playing Ping Pong #w/Mister F **w/Yamn +w/Superhuman Happiness ^w/Box of Rain

February 17, 2015
Winter Carnival 2015: Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan at the Waterhole

Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan made their first Saranac Lake appearance Wednesday night at the Waterhole as part of the venue’s Winter Carnival 2015 lineup. The danceable funk kept the crowd on their feet throughout the show as the band jammed through their set, which included a wide variety of covers from Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” to “Bodhisattva” by Steely Dan.

The band also plays fun originals, which organist Beau Sasser told the crowd are all about making love (though he used a more obscene word to describe it). Besides Sasser, the band is composed of Bill Carbone on drums, Danny Mayer and Justin Henricks on guitar, and Mary Corso covering vocals.

February 16, 2015
Barenaked Ladies, Violent Femmes and Colin Hay to stop in Salamanca

The Barenaked Ladies will be joined by the Violent Femmes and Colin Hay on a summer tour that will stop in Salamanca, in Western New York. The Salamanca show will be held at at the Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel on June 21. The tour will also hit New York City on July 1.

The extensive Last Summer on Earth Tour runs from June 5 to July 26, and makes stops from Maine to Florida, and Texas to Seattle.

Barenaked Ladies – Canada’s pre-eminent alternative band – will be promoting a new album they have coming out this summer that has yet to be given a title. Fans who buy a ticket for the tour get a free track from the new album and a digital download of the full album when it is released.

A pre-sale is going on now, and tickets for the general public go on sale Friday through Ticketmaster.

The full tour:

June 5: Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion

June 6: Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica

June 7: Toledo, OH @ Toledo Zoo Ampitheatre

June 8: Cedar Rapids, IA @ McGrath Amphitheatre

June 10: Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

June 12: Red Wing, MN @ Treasure Island Resort & Casino Island Events Center

June 13: Milwaukee, WI @ BMO Harris Pavillion

June 14: Council Bluffs, IA @ Stir Cove

June 16: Chicago, IL @ FirstMerit Bank Pavilion

June 17: Indianapolis, IN @ Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park

June 19: Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion

June 20: Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre

June 21: Salamanca, NY @ Seneca Allegany Event Center

June 23: Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE

June 26: Portland, ME @ Maine State Pier

June 27: Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Casino Arena

June 28: Philadelphia, PA @ The Mann Center for the Performing Arts

June 29: Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion

July 1: New York, NY @ JBL Live at Pier 97

July 2: West Windsor, NJ @ Mercer County Park Festival Grounds

July 3: Solomons, MD @ Pnc Waterside Pavillion

July 4: Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater

July 8: Charlotte, NC @ Uptown Amphitheatre Charlotte

July 10: Boca Raton, FL @ Sunset Cove Amphitheater

July 11: St. Augustine, FL @ St Augustine Amphitheatre

July 12: Atlanta, GA @ VZW Amphitheatre at Encore Park

July 13: Nashville, TN @ The Woods at Fontanel

July 15: Dallas, TX @ Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

July 17: Albuquerque, NM @ Venue TBD

July 18: Las Vegas, NV @ Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan

July 19: San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

July 21: Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre L.A.

July 22: Saratoga, CA @ Mountain Winery Concerts

July 24: Boise, ID @ Idaho Botanical Garden

July 25: Portland, OR @ Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn

July 26: Seattle, WA @ Marymoor Concerts

February 16, 2015
AC/DC Announce North American Tour Dates

Rock legends AC/DC have announced a slew of North American dates for their first tour in five years.

The tour will support their new album Rock or Bust – released in November 2014. The North American dates in August and September add to a European run from May through July.

Upstate fans who want to see the band will have a little driving to do. The band won’t touch down in New York, but they kick off the North American leg with a show at Foxborough Stadium in Massachusetts Aug 22. Then they head to East Rutherford, N.J.

Several Canadian dates will come close to Upstate, including Quebec City on Aug. 28, Montreal on Aug. 31, Ottawa on Sep. 3 and Toronto on Sep. 10.

Guitarist Malcolm Young, a founding member of the band, has retired due to dementia, and his nephew, Stevie Young, replaced him for Rock or Bust and will continue to do so on the tour. Drummer Phil Rudd is in the midst of legal troubles and will be replaced — at least on this tour — by Chris Slade, a previous drummer who has rejoined the band.

Tickets for most shows go on sale Monday, Feb. 16 – except for the San Francisco date – which goes on sale Sunday, Feb. 15. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Full North American tour schedule:

August 22 – Foxborough, MA Gillette Stadium

August 26 – E. Rutherford, NJ MetLife Stadium

August 28 – Quebec City, QC Plains Of Abraham

August 31 – Montreal, QC Olympic Stadium

September 3 – Ottawa, ON TD Place

September 5 – Moncton, NB Magnetic Hill

September 8 – Detroit, MI Ford Field

September 10 – Toronto, ON Downsview Park

September 15 – Chicago, IL Wrigley Field

September 20 – Edmonton, AL Commonwealth Stadium

September 22 – Vancouver, BC BC Place

September 25 – San Francisco, CA AT&T Park

September 28 – Los Angeles, CA Dodger Stadium

February 12, 2015