Genre-hopping and genre-defying singer/songwriter Norah Jones is embarking on a few-week-long tour that will be closing with a three-show run through New York state.
The nine-time Grammy winner has collaborated with everyone from Ryan Adams to Billy Joe Armstrong to Bill Frisell on her way to selling over 40 million records. Her latest solo album, 2012’s …Little Broken Hearts, was produced by Dangermouse, whom she had previously worked with on Italian composer Daniele Luppi’s spaghetti Western project, Rome.
Fans can expect to hear songs from across Jones’ entire catalog on her fall dates.
The tour makes a stop at KodakHall at Eastman Theater in Rochester on Nov. 6, then moves on to the State Theater in Ithaca the next night before concluding at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester on Nov. 8. Ticket presales start today, and general on sales have not been announced at this time. Full tour dates are listed below.
10/20 – Wilkes Barre, PA – FM Kirby Center
10/21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Music Hall
10/23 – Columbus, OH – Ohio Theater
10/24 – Bowling Green, KY – SkyPAC
10/26 – Memphis, TN – Orpheum Theater
10/27 – Tulsa, OK – Brady Theater
10/29 – Wichita, KS – Orpheum
10/30 – Ames, IA – Stephens Auditorium
11/1 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside
11/2 – Ann Arbor, MI – Michigan Theater
11/4 – Rama, Ontario – Casino Rama
11/6 – Rochester, NY – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater
11/7 – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre
11/8 – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theater
As the 2015 Great New York State Fair approaches opening day, the lineup has ironed out nicely for the week. Although a slow start, we have some award-winning musicians and comedians coming to the Grandstands, while Chevy Court once again will draw in record crowds for their free concert series. With record-breaking crowds last year, it is anticipated to repeat and exceed these records with the $1 day once again on Labor Day and now $3 Thursdays added to the lineup.
With Special Days and Events Planned all week-long, there is bound to be fun in store for you and your family and friends at the 2015 Great New York State Fair
Opening Day / Governor’s Day, Thursday, August 27th, $3 Thursday
Chevy Court
2pm – Everclear
8pm – Rick Springfield
Grandstands
7:30pm – Eric Church, with special guest The Cadillac Three
Pride Day/Law Enforcement Day/New Americans Day, Friday, August 28, 2015
Dairy Day, Senior Citizen’s Day, Monday, August 31, 2015
Chevy Court
2pm – Bowzer
8pm – Cole Swindell
Fire & Rescue Day, Beef Day, Senior Citizen’s Day, Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Chevy Court
2pm – Oak Ridge Boys
8pm – Joe Nichols
Women’s Day, Wade Shows, Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Chevy Court
2pm – Salt N Pepa
8pm – Snoop Dog
Armed Forces Day, $3 Thursday, September 3, 2015
Chevy Court
2pm – Echosmith
8pm – Jason DeRulo
Grandstands
7:30pm – Patti LaBelle
Six Nations Day, Student’s Day, Saturday, September 4, 2015
Chevy Court
2pm -The Ripcords
8pm – Fifth Harmony
Grange Day, Saturday, September 5, 2015
Chevy Court
2pm – Sawyer Fredericks with Josh Batstone & Amanda Lee Peers 8pm – The Jacksons
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Chevy Court
2pm – R5
8pm – The Steve Miller Band
Labor Day, Summer Send Off “Dollar Day”, Monday, September 7th
Chevy Court
6pm – Nick Jonas
Immediately Followed By Fireworks
With thirteen new rides joining the Midway, you’ll find something to excite everyone from those preschool youngster to those young at heart. Special rates are available for pre-sale tickets as well as specials on individual days. Take a peek at those new rides added and specials offered on the nysfair.org site here.
When it comes to the most diverse offering of culinary delights, you only have to visit the Great NY State Fair to get everything from fan favorites of chocolate milk to fried anything. In addition to the many food vendors, throughout the entire grounds you can find some of NY State’s finest culinary eats offered and wineries galore.
Last year’s attendees asked for some healthier options, and this year your request was answered. Make sure to find the new vegan/vegetarian stand, Strong Hearts Café, in the International building. The acclaimed vegan/vegetarian restaurant brings its signature focus on great taste to the Fair. Everything on the menu is 100% vegan and 1000% delicious. There you’ll find in addition to entrees, their non-dairy milkshakes, which will include a new flavor especially for the Fair. Although they’ve brought the deep fryer, it’s solely for their Vegan Wings. In addition to our vegan vendor, a new gluten-free vendor will also be joining the Fair, so make sure to check them out for the healthier fare at the fair.
Whether it’s healthier choices or the fair favorites, meals can be on the fly or planned ahead by visiting the sites new food finder app. Just type in the type of food you would like, and viola’ your route will be planned.
There is just about something for everyone to keep you busy throughout the day as you meander in and out of the buildings taking in everything from promotional items to best in fair for horticulture, arts, and livestock. Whether it’s shows and competitions that bring you to the fair, the food, the rides and games, or the entertainment, you are bound for a fun time.
I highly suggest you downloading the app for the NYState Fair as well as take a peek at the parking and fair maps to plan the easiest pathways in and around the activities for the most enjoyable experience. Planning ahead always helps to get the most of your action packed day as well as take advantage of all there is to be offered.
Syracuse hardcore band GhostxShip have officially announced their farewell show at the St. Clare Annex in Syracuse on Sunday August 30. GhostxShip started out in 2009 and has cultivated a massive local and national fan base. They have been dubbed as the torch bearers of the Syracuse straight edge Hardcore scene by local predecessors.
Some notable career highlights include: playing the Heart fest in 2013 and 2014, the iMatter Fest in 2014 and 2015, South EastBeast in 2015, the notable New England Metal & Hardcore Fest in 2015 and playing with Metalcore legends such as Earth Crisis, Shai Hulud, Bane and Stick to Your Guns to name a few.
Photo by Taylor Rambo
“These are the moments that we live for”
Even though this is a farewell show, GhostxShip has no intentions of “fading away” completely. The band issued the following statement earlier this summer after they announced they would be ending GhostxShip to pursue other projects, “Here’s the thing… We have NO intentions of just playing a few shows and fading away. No, that’s not how we do things. We are going to be playing weekends and festivals all summer. We will uphold as many obligations as possible and we will try to get to as many places as we can. This will all culminate in August 2015 at our farewell show.”
Those who are not familiar with the craziness that occurs at GhostxShip shows, be prepared for crazy folks in costumes, balloons, pillow fights, an assortment of pool toys, the infamous “mosh cam” and more unusual surprises. If you haven’t been to one of their shows…remember this is your last chance! The band assures all in attendance that this will be their biggest party ever, even more epic than the show they played with Stick To Your Guns last year. In fact, they say it will be a party like that times ten! So, epic is an understatement. Everyone come on out and help sink the craziest ship in Syracuse! Don’t miss GhostxShip’s farewell show. You have been warned.
The Details: Date: August 30 Where: St. Clare Annex 810 N. Salina St Syracuse, NY Doors at Noon -$10 All Ages
Boston’s Spiritual Rez never sit still for long, and the band just announced a coast-to-coast fall tour that will include a good smattering of New York dates.
They will start their Northeast leg of the tour in Buffalo on Oct. 8 at Buffalo Iron Works. From there, they hit Rochester, Erie and the new Funk ‘n Waffles in downtown Syracuse.
For Halloween, Rez will be teaming up with Vermont’s premier funk rock band Gang of Thieves at Smoke Signals in Lake Placid. With more and more Halloween shows being announced the past few weeks, this is definitely one to consider making the trip for.
The band is about to embark on a month-long West Coast tour in September. They will hit Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and finish it up in Colorado. California will get the biggest dose of Rez, with stops including Sacramento, San Francisco, Chico, Mammoth Lakes, Los Angeles and San Diego.
For close to 10 years, the Spritual Rez team has been gaining momentum, and even more so since their 2014 release of Apocalypse Whenever. They have become a consistent festival favorite over the years, including eight years in a row at Backwoods Pondfest in Peru, N.Y. Their explosive live performance and unique style of volcanic reggae has been winning over the hearts and minds of music lovers across the country for years. So if you’re looking for a dance party that will leave you sweaty and rejuvenated, be sure to get to one of their shows on this lengthy fall tour.
10.8 – Buffalo, NY | Buffalo Iron Works
10.9 – Rochester, NY | Flour City Station…
10.10 – Erie, PA | King’s Rook Club
10.11 – Syracuse, NY | Funk N Waffles
10.16 – Hartford, CT | Black Eyed Sallys
10.17 – Princeton, NJ | Terrace F Club @ Princeton Univ.
10.23 – Northampton, MA | Hinge
10.24 – Providence, RI | The Spot
10.30 – Burlington, VT | Club Metronome
10.31 – Lake Placid, NY | Smoke Signals
11.7 – Cambridge, MA | The Sinclair
11.18 – Jupiter, FL | Guanabanas
11.19 – West Palm Beach, FL | Lafayettes
11.21 – Jacksonville, FL | Jack Rabbit’s
11.25 – Orlando, FL | The Social
11.27, 28, 29 – Key West, FL | The Green Parrot
12.4 – Raleigh, NC | The Pour House
12.5 – Richmond, VA | The Camel
Nashville has not only become a mecca for country music but also has a melting pot of talent behind the scenes. The city has become the place for country musicians to travel to for recording. David Fanning may not yet be a name you are familiar with, but I can assure you that his talent shines through in other ways that you may have been touched by. Working together with artists Parmalee and Thompson Square, among others, this young man is wise beyond his years, and his ear for talent is spot on–not only a songwriter, but also as a producer.
Photo by Jeremy Cowart
Kathy Stockbridge: Hi David, thank you so much for agreeing to talk to NYSMusic. It’s so nice to introduce you to our readers. You grew up on a farm in Alabama, talk to me a bit about how you found your way on this path of music.
David Fanning: Well thank you for talking with me. If you could ever see a picture of the town I grew up in, it’s literally what you kinda write about in a song. It’s kinda one of those one red light kind of towns.
KS: I know them well.
DF: What got me interested in music was honestly my family. Growing up, ever since I was tiny, they were in a 50s and 60s a capella group. So they would sing bebop music on weekends just for fun, nothing obviously professional. That’s just what I grew up doing. So I was a miniature Elvis when I was like 9, 10, 11 years old. That’s how I learned about harmonies and melodies and all of that kind of stuff. It was a great experience for sure.
KS: So in addition to singing, what musical instruments do you enjoy playing?
DF: I play guitar. I’m one of those people, especially in a live setting, that love to perform. I’m definitely not Keith Urban, but when it comes down to it I can hold my own. I do a little piano, but honestly I actually started out on drums. I guess I’m one of those people that decided early on that I like to perform versus being “the guy” on any of that stuff. I do obviously play during the show a bunch, but I have a lead guitar player that is way better than I am at that.
KS: I have a feeling you’re being very humble here. I read that you have a really good ear for music. At at the age of fourteen you began producing music and you taught yourself how to use ProTools. Share with our readers a little bit about how that came about.
DF: Where I grew up we had no studios, and even though it wasn’t that far from Nashville, Nashville was still about an hour and a half away. We couldn’t afford to come up here and spend that kind of money nor did I know how to growing up. I always wanted to, but just didn’t know how to. So, even though all we had was dial up internet, I learned how people recorded music and began ordering gear and just getting by. I ended up getting ProTools and established a little set up to record at the house. I started recording my own stuff and figured out how to do it as I went along. I made a bunch of mistakes, and just learned how to get sounds and different things down. When I was finally able to go to those studios, I took what I learned there and applied it to what I already knew and it really started shaping who I was as a producer. It paid off, because I was about 22 when we produced the first Thompson Square record, and “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not” was my first number one that we did on that album. It was an amazing thing. I never knew growing up that I could use all those skills and apply them to what I’m doing today.
KS: Do you think having those skills helped to shape you as a better performer just knowing the whole process and how music is produced?
DF: I think so, it’s one of those things, I’m still growing as an artist. The negative (which is actually still a positive) is I took off about five or six years off from the road. I had been playing my whole life so getting back on the road the past couple years has been a new learning experience as to what works and what doesn’t work and how can I get better. In the studio it’s the same way on each project. We’re doing the new Parmalee project right now. This record is going to be different from the last record, as it’s a little more progressive. It’s awesome, but I’ve learned a lot more [in producing] since that last record too. Sonically I’ve learned a lot. With songs I’ve learned how to make dynamics happen more as well. It’s always just a learning experience. The music industry is always changing so it’s fun to evolve with it.
KS: I like that word–evolve. There are so many different sub-categories within the country genre that it allows you to be creative even more so.
DF: That’s the thing about country music. They are letting you be creative. You might be pop country, or rock country, or rap country even.
KS: Yes, exactly. You spoke of taking some time off. Share with the readers a little about your timeline in the music business and your journey to where you are today.
DF: Even though I took some time off from the road, I was working every day in town. What happened with me is when I was around 20 I moved to Nashville. It’s crazy but I emailed about 300 people when I wanted to move to town. I was actually moving from LA to Nashville, as I lived there for a little while. I had moved out there because I thought, that’s just what you do. When you come from a small town you think LA is the place to be. That’s just what I thought. So I went out there and realized that I’m definitely not that kind of person. I’m definitely more of a small town southern boy, so I moved to Nashville, and when I moved I e-mailed literally 300 people and thought maybe someone would want to give me a shot or something. There was this one guy, his name was Kevin Neal, and at the time he was at a place called Buddy Lee Attractions who booked Jason Aldean. He was like “Man I’ll come out to one of your shows”, and at the time I was playing downtown Nashville at night. He came out and he ended up hooking me up with Aldean’s band who was Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, and Rich Redmond. Back then Jason was just starting to get some legs under him and stuff and have some hits. Me and the guys, his band, just hit it off and started working on my stuff in the studio. We cut about six songs and realized that we really work well together in the studio, so we started a production company. The first act we produced was Thompson Square. It all kinda went from “we actually have some success here”, to “I should focus a little bit on this production thing and build a little bit more of a name for myself on that end and see where itgoes”. I went through a few years of working with Thompson Square and Parmalee, who I actually found at the Tin Roof parking lot in Nashville. [Parmalee] used to drive their RV up into town and that’s where they would park. One day I got set up to write with them and we ended up writing a song called “Musta Had A Good Time” together in their RV. I kinda fell in love with their whole vibe and I brought them to the guys and we ended up cutting “Musta Had A Good Time” and “Carolina”, getting them a record deal.
KS: They are awesome. I had a chance to speak with them earlier this year and they are a bunch of fun loving guys. Very talented. Good call there David, great discover!
DF: During their last record we were doing I looked at the guys and said, ‘I gotta go do what I was made to do. I have to go play. I can’t sit here and get this studio tan on any more’.
KS: When you talk about your production company you’re talking about New Voice Entertainment? You’re what they consider a triple threat. You perform, you write and you produce. Do you find yourself being drawn to one particular aspect of music or do all the parts feed your creative soul?
DF: Live performance for me and just live entertainment is my thing. I love it. There’s nothing like it. There’s nothing like the rush. I love writing songs and I love producing, but to me they don’t fulfill the void that I have. I could have a million number ones on the side, and still wouldn’t feel complete if I couldn’t play. That’s exactly what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m finally getting the chance to do it. I’m obviously happier than I’ve ever been. I’m a lot more tired than I’ve ever been, but where I’m at is a fun place to be at. Sometimes you’re on a bus, sometimes you’re in a van, and you’re all over the place, and it’s definitely had its growing pains as we just did a 5,300 mile West Coast trip in a miniature bus with me and the band guys getting stuck in there for eight days. It was really cool and fun though. We had a blast. It’s one of those things where we’re definitely creating memories and such. It’s been a fun journey so far. We’re ready to come to NY though.
KS: Yeah, we’re ready to have you here. Hope you’ll be able to take in some sites while you’re here. Our Adirondacks are gorgeous!
DF: Yeah, I hear it’s beautiful.
KS: Well, right now you’re in the studio doing some recording for yourself, talk to us a little about this new album and what we can expect.
DF: I am. We’re cutting music right now. It’s got a good amount of songs and a little bit of a different direction than the rest of the music that we’ve cut previously. It has a little depth to some of it, some is a little more progressive. For me I grew up listening to Chesney and McGraw and all those artists. But I also felt like I was on the verge of where people are now. With iPhones people are able to listen to all different kinds of music; I was kinda there too. I listened to 90s-early 2000s rock, country, and pop. One thing I liked about older records was it felt like each song told it’s own story and didn’t necessarily sound exactly alike. So that’s kinda how I wanted my record to be. Some of it is country-pop, some of it’s country-rock, some of it is happy and some of it is sad. I just wanted every song to have it’s own flavor to it and sound different than the song before.
KS: I’m anxious to hear it. Will you be sharing any of the new material with us at Keg’s Canalside on August 14th, when you play?
DF: Oh yeah, for sure. The fun thing about the show is that I still play some of the music I produced so that people kinda get familiar with some of the work I’ve done. I play a bunch of familiar stuff, but I also sprinkle in a bunch of new stuff too so that people get the whole picture of who I am.
KS: Speaking of who you are. You, like many musicians, dedicate time to charity work. You work with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Can you tell us a little about your cause and why you chose to work with this one?
DF: Honestly, I’ve of course heard of St. Jude’s for a long time, and I didn’t get a chance to go and visit until a couple years ago. We went there for a few days and it was just eye opening of where it’s started, where it’s gone, what they accomplish, and the success rate they are having right now. I was expecting it to be a super sad place when I toured, but it’s not. The doctors, nurses, patients and families are all so positive. It blows your mind because they are going through the hardest time of their lives yet they are building hope and finding cures. Once I saw that I just had to be a part of it. It’s something I’ll always be a part of. It’s a great cause and they can’t have too much support.
KS: Thank you so much David for speaking to us today. I am so thankful for the chance to personally welcome you to NY and allow our readers an opportunity to get to know David Fanning.
So as I finished up the interview, I found myself so impressed by this young man’s range of talent, his down-home goodness, and musical skills. I find the journey musicians take very retrospective as we discuss the beginnings, the journey and the current events occurring in their lives at that time both musically and personally. The one constant I always find among them all? The love of performing. The sheer love of the music. Whether he made a living out of it or not, I believe David would absolutely be on the stage somewhere doing what he was meant to do, perform live for anyone who’ll listen to him.
I urge you all to take a trip tomorrow night over to Keg’s Canalside in Jordon, N.Y. and meet David Fanning and give him a warm Central New York welcome.
Growing up as a Generation X’er was a treat musically. The music of the time was an eclectic mix that allowed us to soak in a diverse appreciation of many styles. As the ’60s faded out, lyrics of the folk sound resonated in our minds while the ’70s and ’80s rock introduced us again to a heavier mix of instrumental solos. As disco came upon us we saw pop sounds interspersed with a mix of more dance oriented music from NYC, LA, Detroit, and the UK. Then as the large hair bands began to fade out, we were introduced to a whole new indie/grunge sound from the Seattle region. I think those that were raised during this time period feel an appreciation more so for music for some reason. The one thing that seems to hold true as you look at this era of music, those that performed then, are still going strong today and still touring to sold out shows all over the world. Included in this eclectic group were stand out musicians Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.
They made music on stage and that chemistry extended into their personal lives as they took the ’80s by storm. Pat’s strong vocals paired with the fretting strings of Neil were beautiful music that took your gut and made you stand strong and tall. It’s no surprise that they are still going strong today both on and off stage.
Playing to a sold out crowd at The Turning Stone Casino Showroom, husband and wife duo Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo began the show with a video reel of their history together. I have to admit that this preface to the show gave me even more of an understanding and appreciation of their journey together.
Pat Benatar was a classically trained vocalist who began singing in grade school, and just never stopped. Making her mark on NYC in both the clubs and on/off-Broadway Benatar had a vision for what she wanted to achieve, and this vision held a strong musical partner. She needed someone who would hold their own beside her, as well as inspire her. After hearing Neil “Spyder” Giraldo, she knew that was the perfect match. Spyder was an established musician, writer, producer and had been playing with Rick Derringer band when they met. It was an “Invincible” pairing and together they were unstoppable as they created hit after hit.
Fast forward to today, after raising their two daughters, they have taken to the road again to share this magic once again with fans in their 35th Anniversary Tour. I can attest that the magic is still there, and their talent even more refined and fine tuned. They had the crowd at hello as they sang all of my personal favorites and some unexpected covers. As a teenager in the 80’s, the look and stage presence of Pat Benatar was larger than life. Even though many emulated her look, it was her strength that hooked me. As a female rocker in the 80’s Benatar proved to everyone women could be fierce and sexy at the same time. No more Stepford wives ladies, we were going to break that image wide open and take control of our lives. Pat Benatar knew exactly what she wanted to accomplish, had the vision, had the perfect partner to share that vision with, and in turn we have been blessed to be on the receiving end of her journey.
Pat Benatar/Neil Girlado Set List: Shadows of the Night; All Fired Up; Invincible; We Live for Love; One Love; Precious Time; Strawberry Wine; Promises In The Dark; We Belong; Hell Is for Children; You Better Run (The Young Rascals cover); Hit Me With Your Best Shot; Love Is a Battlefield;
Encore: Everybody Lay Down; Let’s Stay Together; Heartbreaker / Ring of Fire/Seven Nation /Godfather Theme
Joe Bonamassa has been playing guitar seemingly since the day he was born. In fact I first saw Joey B play when we were both prepubescent growing up in Upstate New York’s Mohawk Valley. Even then he had a natural knack for the blues. There is no real explanation for his innate emotional response to a genre so filled with passion, heartache, pureness, and an ability to make people both remember and forget the shit happening in their own world. Perhaps someone sold their soul at the Robert Johnson’s Crossroads to become the greatest blues guitarist of this generation and they were reincarnated in this young kid from “the city that God forgot.”
On this particular evening JB played tribute to the three Kings of the blues, Freddie, Albert, and B.B. Starting out with six Freddie King numbers including a Bonamassa favorites, “Going Down” and “See See Baby”.
It was a cool night and the amphitheater that was recently voted the #1 outdoor venue by USA Today was as full as I could have ever imagined for a blues performance with no openers. Though Joe Bonamassa is possibly one of the best marketing minds in the music industry and chose a Monday night in Saratoga, in August. For those that don’t know, August in Saratoga means track season, the thoroughbred horse track is a major attraction and Tuesdays the track is closed. Therefore Monday night IS the weekend night where people can let loose and sleep in the next day. Even though the show ended at 10pm, it was a smart move on the tour’s part.
After Freddie’s set, JB and company focused on Albert King, playing one of my favorites “Cadillac Assembly Line” and “Angel of Mercy” that was cause for a standing ovation of nearly every one of the 4000+ in attendance. After the ovation Joe took the time to introduce his band, and if you’ve ever been to one of his shows he always brings along an all-star cast. The SPAC show was no exception. Anton Fig was up on the kit, and has played with JB before. At least on one occasion in 2009, Eric Clapton joined Bonamassa and Fig onstage to sit in. The Saratoga crowd also had the pleasure of hearing the amazing Reese Wyans on the black and whites. Reese was recently inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame from his time with Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble. Mahalia Barnes was one of the three backup singers for the evening, and Syracuse locals, Paulie Cerra and Lee Thornberg were joined by Nick Lane to round out the horn section.
The night went from Albert King to B.B. King. Starting out with “Let the Good Times Roll” the over 50 crowd were dancing in the aisles, in their seats, or even up on the lawn in the light drizzling rain that cooled the air to make for a very comfortable night in August. Highlights of B.B.’s set were an Anton Fig solo, and Bonamassa’s incredible rendition of the black spiritual “Ole Time Religion”.
The night ended after two solid hours of inspired music with a three set encore of the Kings’ most notable tunes. Freddie’s “Hideaway”, Albert’s “Born Under a Bad Sign”, and B.B.’s version of the Roy Hawkins song, “The Thrill Is Gone”.
As people filed out to their cars to go home, there was that emotional aura in the air that only a live concert can conjure. People were smiling, couples were walking arm in arm, there was a little spring to the step of even the oldest fans. While the blues can be heartfelt and convey a message of hard times, it can also give people hope that tomorrow will be a better day. Bonamassa gave people a gift, a rare look at three legends, on his own path to become a legend in the blues community. Filling a venue as large as SPAC less than a year from playing Albany’s Palace Theater, a short distance away, shows the dedicated following Joe Bonamassa has amassed over the years. While Joe might not be a King of the blues, because honestly Joe King wouldn’t work, he is definitely a prince of the genre that he fell in love with over three decades ago.
Fox Fest 2015 held a few special things in store this year, the first being their SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Awards) Award for People’s Choice: Best Festival for 2014 and the next being a live marriage proposal on stage (she said, yes) This is only the beginning of what the day-long annual event had to share.
Fox Fest merch booth by Sandra Jackson/Sublunar Studios for NYS Music and Fox Fest 2015
The event is organized and held at the home of George Ryan and Kelly Nichols, next door to their primary cohorts, his sister Kelly Ryan and brother-in-law Mike Spaiches in southern Onondaga County. It’s a beautiful piece of nature, surrounded by corn fields, it has a valley view to the east and plenty of room for a backyard party.
This isn’t your average backyard party though, not by any stretch of the imagination. Wizzard Sound Corp. rolls in a full pro-stage, roof, p.a. and light show, well large enough for just about any outdoor show or festival. Their crew comes in on Thursday and with the help of several volunteers, build the stage and roof structure, Friday brings the p.a. and lights, all ready for show-day on Saturday. They not only do the job, they are ahead of the game and are ready for any curveball they have thrown at them. They sure got at least one, but we’ll get to that later.
Plenty of vendors serving food and drinks, festival merch., tattoos, massages and much more. The weather was “Chamber of Commerce” perfect, sunny, breezy and not too warm. Mix this up with 1800 or so fans whose t-shirt donations pay for the show and the annual donations the festival gives out. This year’s recipients were the CNY SPCA and ‘Cuse Pit Crew, two of the most worthy organizations Fox Fest has chosen so far. Last, but not least, the bands, the life of the party and the annual balancing act for the producers. Fox Fest has always been focused on local bands, a blend of rock and “country” for the most part, selected by the organizers after seeing them live, yes, that’s how they do it. They actually go see the bands, several times each. No submissions, just invitations to bands noted as current and worthy in the local scene.
Opening the show was Seeking Monte from Rochester, notably the only “out-of-towners” to play Fox Fest (FF) and their guitarist, Lee Heberger has done it twice. In both instances Lee brought in a tight, original rock and roll band, this time fronted by dynamic vocalist Sara Passamonte and joined by Mike Guarino (guitar), Bob Besley (drums), with Stacy Krebbeks (bass). Unfortunately, someone has to open, but Seeking Monte is all about opportunity and they gave a solid performance, receiving lots of love from the growing audience on hand. Then comes the “country” section of the show with four in a row that heated the audience up as the ambient temperature rose. I’ll qualify using quotes for “country”, at my level of experience what is labeled as “country” today, isn’t. Nu Country? Perhaps. Country Rock? Closer to the what it is actually, or pop with a twang. Either way, the best word for it is popular and the crowd goes nuts for it. Beginning with Dirtroad Ruckus (DR) the crowd filled in up to the barricades, singing along and dancing all afternoon. DR’s front man Eric DeTota paused at the start of their set to play the National Anthem, which is a traditional part of their performances, then George Ryan cut loose a huge American flag that was carried over the audience. DR quickly had the audience in their hands, instrumentally solid with plenty of stage presence to boot, an excellent set. DeTota on acoustic/vocals, Tom Fava (bass), Ken Duquette (guitar), Jack Chappell (bass) and Scott Sheridan (guitar) showed their licks to the pleasure of the attendees and left the stage toasty for the next band.
The Chris Taylor Band (Custom Taylor Band) came up next, he’s know as one of the first performers to follow this track with success in Central New York, his polish and stage personality, backed by his long-term band, Brett Nelson (acoustic/vocals), Rob Spagnoletti (drums/vocals), Joey Beccheria (guitar), Amy Doan (fiddle/vocals), and Jake Capozzolo (bass) moved through their set hitting on all cylinders. If Chris doesn’t get you up and dancing, there’s always the TJ Sacco Band (TJSB) to follow him. These two may well be the hardest working men in the country biz locally. Each has a very healthy fan-base and when you combine them with DR’s and Country Swagg’s, it’s gonna be a party. Each of these bands are well-known and regularly get prime opening spots for tours visiting the area. The one thing about having four country bands is a couple of songs may get a few airings. but the crowd didn’t seem to mind one bit. TJSB is strong, really strong, TJ leading the way on acoustic/vocals, with lefty Chad Mac ripping up the leads, Bill Shank (drums), Marcus Larabee (bass) and newcomer (first show actually) Chrissy Alexander (vocals), much like CTB, this is a well rehearsed and polished outfit. They provided one of the musical surprises of the day covering ‘Plush’ by Stone Temple Pilots, well!
Finishing this segment of the show was Country Swagg (CS), fronted by Mike Johnson (vocals/acoustic), with Tim Horst (guitar), Gabe Infantino (bass) and Rob Trout (drums). CS gets a bit rockier per say. They’re heavier and more aggressive in a Blackberry Smoke kinda way. They’re hometown boys, so their crew was out full-force, cheering them on through a very enthusiastic set. Their fans even bought them a sponsorship so their band name would appear on the event t-shirts, pretty cool stuff. Another staple of FF is not allowing the music to stop, so between each band, an acoustic performer takes the stage to fill during change-over. First timer Tommy Connors kept things moving during the first two breaks, Mike Schickling the next three, then JP Shaggy the final two. Each brought their own flavor and vibe, more than enough to hold the crowd’s attention, nicely done by all, especially Schickling who was in on the surprise marriage proposal. Russ Lee was steadfast in his emcee role, not hesitating to give way to Mr. John Halko to introduce “his” band, Redline. John has been battling health issues and it was fantastic to see him onstage despite the absence of his trademark cigar. Redline is straight 70s/80s/90s party rock with Earl (The Pearl) Hamilton doing his best Tommy Lee (drums/vocals), Joe McSweeney (guitar/vocals), Mike Marzullo (bass/vocals) and Tony Campione (guitar/vocals). Hamilton and McSweeney are FF veterans having played with their former band Emerald City twice before. They rock, hard, have the chops and balls to cover Foreigner, Motorhead and Alice In Chains in their non-stop set. They were a bit “stripped-down” from their usual big production and special effects, but none were needed as the crowd ate up their performance.
The Barndogs Plus (TBP) came next with their Allman Brothers tribute show, something they’ve performed several times at big local festivals, this time with an extra twist. The “Plus” portion of The Barndogs pulls in several local luminaries to fill the A-Bros parts, Tim Robinson (acoustic/vocals), Jerry (JT) Tarolli (guitar), Chad Mac (guitar) and Susan Royal (drums). Here is where the biggest joy of the evening came in. Prior to FF, Susan had announced that due to illness she wouldn’t be able to participate, it was heart-breaking as the second drummer is key to the A-Bros and most importantly, it’s her, her soul, her spirit, her skills. Now just about the last thing a stage manager wants to hear the night before the show is that a big change is being requested, in this case, a message from Susan asking if there was any way she could play. She was feeling better and didn’t want to miss it as there’s no telling when or if they’d do this show again. A few phone calls, texts and Facebook messages later it was on, many thanks to Jon Arrigo and his guys, Sean (Doughnuts) Sterling, Dylan Spencer and Mike (The Terrorist) Fadel (so sorry for calling you Brian all day!) for making it happen. The Barndogs core group, Andy Comstock (bass/vocals), John Kapusniak (keys), Pete Szymanski (drums/vocals) and Mark Westers (guitar/vocals) have been together for years building a regional following through great rock and roll music, whether it be a Doors tribute, performances with Vinyl Albums: Live or their club shows, these Dogs can run. In this expanded version, they were downright magical, striding through the A-Bros catalog as if it were their own. Andy’s commanding voice and stature lead them through the big hits, ‘In Memory of Elizabeth Reed’, ‘Soulshine’, ‘Whipping Post’ and ‘Jessica’ to name a few. They brought the crowd to a fever-pitch in anticipation of the headliners.
SAMMY Award winning Scars N Stripes (SnS) are one of Syracuse’s heaviest rock bands, hands down, led by Bill Ali (vocals) prowling the stage and risers, Todd Stiles (guitar/vocals), Kevin Brennan (guitar), Joel Exline (bass/vocals) and Mike Waite (drums), they are indeed the premier modern rock band in our area. Each position overflows with skills, they balance and counter each other fluidly, steaming from song to song. The talent level oozes and Todd has become one of my favorite local six-string slingers. Their covers of Tool’s ‘Sober’ and Queensryche’s ‘Jet City Woman” were highlights, but the whole set was crushing and they left the crowd wanting more. Always the way to go if you can. I highly recommend seeing all of these FF artists out whenever you can, they bring it big time. Check them out online through social media and their websites, you won’t be sorry.
Congrats to everyone involved with Fox Fest 2015. The whole event ran on time with only a few bumps in the road, the weather held out and the crowd was remarkable. Thanks to all of the people who donated their time to make it all happen and to our own Onondaga County Sheriffs who kept the grounds safe for everyone. When all is said and done, Fox Fest has evolved into one of the area’s best summer events and is clearly, “the biggest backyard party” of the summer.
Beautiful weather, a beautiful venue and a blue moon all worked in harmony Friday night to provide the perfect setting for Primus and their Cooperstown stop. Brewery Ommegang, snuggled in among the southern hills near Cooperstown, has proven itself as a premier upstate concert venue over the past several years, attracting such artists as The Pixies, TV on the Radio, The Decemberists, Bonnie Raitt, Old Crow Medicine Show and Sturgill Simpson just this season. Primus and Dinosaur Jr. added to that stellar lineup this past Friday, packing the grounds yet again.
Primus has enlisted the talents of 90s alt-rock brethren Dinosaur Jr. and newcomers, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger to accompany them on this summer-long shed tour.
The night began interestingly enough as we pulled into the lot. There, with his unmistakable gray locks barely being tamed by a hat, was Mr. J Mascis riding a bicycle along the road fronting Brewery Ommegang. This sighting established the night as one that will be remembered.
John and Yoko Ono Lennon’s son, Sean, fronts The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger and the sounds the band produces are like those of his old man’s band but with a touch of psychedelic flair not similar to The Flaming Lips. The band breezed through a brief set of six songs while Lennon paused to enthusiastically thank Primus for the opportunity to be a part of this tour. Opening slots on this tour as well as for Beck previously will prove this band has the chops to be a headliner soon and the crowd reaction to the band’s set seemed to confirm that.
Dinosaur Jr., much like the headliner Primus, is very difficult to categorize and as such, can be an acquired taste. During the course of one set, the sound can go from classic rock riffs to punk rage to shoe-gazing pop. Thus is the intrigue of this band and why it is a perfect compliment to tour with Primus.
Dinosaur Jr’s set was composed of many of their biggest hits, which included “Start Choppin,’” “Out There,” “Feel the Pain” and one of its more recent singles, “Watch the Corners.” Of particular interest was the fact that the “frontman” of the band wasn’t the one in the spotlight the majority of the set. Drummer Murph was the recipient of the lighting love while Mascis worked his quiet-loud riffage in darkness.
The set’s high point was a loping distorted cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” which Dinosaur Jr originally recorded for a compilation album in 1989 but decided to release itself. The highlight for me was when my ten-year old daughter grabbed my hands, stood on my feet and proceeded to lead me in a daddy-daughter dance. And while it may be an unorthodox song to have as a father-daughter dance at a wedding, if my daughter’s reaction to it on this night is any indication, this may just be the one we dance to someday.
Some Young Primus Fans
Sentimentality aside, the Boston-bred crew ripped through their final number, the Bug-era “Budge” and then quietly slipped into the night, making way for the evening’s headliners.
Primus is just coming off touring their “Primus and the Chocolate Factory,” which had the band running through their own version of the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory soundtrack, released last October. Much of the stage set remains from that tour and the merchandise tent was heavy on the Chocolate Factory theme, however, scant attention was paid to that album on this night. Instead, Primus rolled through a lengthy set of their best-known tunes.
The trio entered stage right to the familiar refrain of “Primus Sucks!” from the adoring crowd. Primus is the type of band where there is rarely a middle ground. It is either loved or hated. That being said, the large crowd on hand this night made no bones about which side of the fence they strode. Primus is who they came to see and Primus delivered.
Opening with the lead single from its debut album, “John the Fisherman,” Les Claypool, Larry “Ler” LaLonde and Tim “Herb” Alexander, who appears to be fully recovered from a 2014 heart attack, set the bar high for the remainder of the night.
While remaining true to set lists from previous shows on this tour, Primus still managed to keep the feel fresh while pulling out old classics such as “Harold of the Rocks,” “Mr. Krinkle” and “Spegetti Western.”
In his intro to “Over the Falls”, Claypool, motioning to the hop bines at the back edge of the venue, likened the hops necessary in the brewing of beer to that of grapes to wine, something the experienced vintner knows a thing or two about. Claypool also noted the beautiful blue moon that was hovering behind the hills and broke into an impromptu “Blue Moon” to the crowd’s amusement. Claypool was in comedic form this night.
Recent Green Naugahyde track “Jilly’s on Smack” began with a King Crimson-style swirling guitar intro and turned into an extended jam vehicle for LaLonde to display his unique fretwork while Alexander added some tribal beats. This segued into the “Drums and Whamola” portion of the set where Alexander and Claypool (donning his pig-face mask) dueled as psychedelic images displayed on the backstage screen.
No show at Ommegang is complete without the requisite fireworks display over the enormous illuminated fermenters. The soundtrack to the display was provided by an extended version of “Southbound Pachyderm” to tremendous effect. To me, this was the highlight of the long night.
Forgoing a normal encore, the band continued playing until the house lights came up, finishing strongly with “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver,” “My Name is Mud,” “Electric Grapevine” and “Too Many Puppies,” which also included a “Hello Skinny” tease.
Primus is playing with a renewed vigor these days. This is a trio of excellent musicians who complement each other perfectly. They may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but when I witness them perform, I’m reminded of another trio of excellent musicians with a quirky lead vocalist who were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
For Central New York music fans who have been attending since the 90s, it feels hard to believe that the K-Rockathon celebrated its’ 20th anniversary show at the Chevy Court at the NY State Fairgrounds this past weekend. Over the years, the K-Rockathon has been billed as one of the most anticipated shows of the year and with good reason.Past lineups have included mega acts the Violent Femmes, Goo Goo Dolls, Staind, Black Label Society, Social Distortion, Seether, Papa Roach, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Temple Pilots, Korn, Public Enemy and more . This year’s roster included K-Rockathon veterans Trapt, Shinedown and Breaking Benjamin.
It was, for the most part, a beautiful day. In what seems to be becoming a K-Rockathon tradition, there was a short-lived, light rain in the morning and a torrential downpour that sent fans scrambling for cover right before headliner Shinedown was set to take the stage.
Here are some highlights from the day:
Early in the day, Bad Seed Rising, led by frontwoman Francheska performed their set with an intense energy that got the early concert goers revved up. Bad Seed Rising is currently the youngest band signed with Road Runner Records. Even though they are a young band, their stage presence and performance looked like that have been at it for 20 years.
Johnny Hawkins and the gang from Nothing More took the stage a bit later in the afternoon. Despite a few technical difficulties, Johnny was jumping and spinning all over the stage like the Tasmanian devil. The band played a notably high energy set and kept the increasingly growing crowd engaged.
Rick DeJesus of Adelitas Way was so in love with the crowd’s energy, that he leaped off the stage and crowd surfed not once, but twice during the band’s set. Halfway through their set, Rick stopped to thank K-Rock for having them on the show. He also said “I want to thank K-Rock for playing real f^@#!ng rock music. Rick also stated to fans, “This is your Woodstock.”
Trapt took the stage and came right out of the gate with their hit song “Headstrong.” Front man, Chris Brown, left the stage and stood on the rail of the barrier to get up close and personal with the Syracuse fans. Crowd surfers started flying everywhere during the song “Love/Hate Relationship.” The band ended the set with “Still Frame.”
In This Moment, fronted by Upstate New York’s own Maria Brink, made their last tour stop at K-Rockathon 20. In This Moment had a distinct theatrical element to their onstage performance that included multiple costume changes, minor set changes and varied themes to go along with each song. The band is not just playing music, they are telling a story. It reminded me of a more modernized version of an Alice Cooper show.
Breaking Benjamin, who has been on a short hiatus, makes a celebratory return to the scene after their new release “Dark Before Dawn” debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #1; Quite a feat for any rock band these days. The stage lights slowly start to glow and the first notes begin to ring from the stage. Ben Burnley charges out and tears right into their hit “So Cold.” Ben threw out a bunch of guitar pics to fans while the band played the intro. Ben then shouted into the mic “Syracuse are you ready?” A thunderous scream of approval was the response from fans as Ben started playing. During the third line of the first verse, Ben yelled out to the crowd to “sing it” and held the mic over the front row of fans. Fans screamed every word right on cue. Ben Burnley and company didn’t waste any time before ripping right into the next song “Follow.” The band took the stage with such force that for a moment, the crowd didn’t know what had hit them.
Breaking Benjamin has always had an appreciation for their Central New York fans. Between songs Ben shared laughs and interacted with the crowd, repeatedly thanking Syracuse fans for their continued support. One thing that caught this fan by surprise was their cover of the classic Queen tune, “Who Wants To Live Forever.” Even though Ben is no Freddy Mercury, I thought that the band did a great job capturing the spirit of the song and from the crowd’s reaction I think they felt the same. It was an unusual choice of cover tune by them but none the less a good one.
The band tore through their newest radio single “Failure” and the classic “Breathe.” The fans sang along to “Breathe” and at times even over powered Ben’s voice. Ben could have just stood there, played, and not said a word because everyone in the venue knew the song by heart. After Breathe, Ben stepped away from center stage allowing bassist Aaron Bruch to step up. I don’t think the crowd or myself was prepared for the song Aaron started to play; it was another cover song and this time it was “Aenima” by Tool! Mosh pits and bodies erupted everywhere! Truly a rare treat considering I have not heard them cover this in many years. When the song ended, Ben didn’t waste any time rushing right back to center stage and shredding into what I can best describe as one of the best live versions of the band’s very first hit “Polyamorous” that I have heard to date. Ben paused for a moment to state “You got four pits out there and that’s how you know you’re doing things right!”
Like all good things, they unfortunately must come to an end and Ben prepared to depart from the stage leaving this message to the fans: “Syracuse until we meet again, thank you, rock is not dead, thank you for helping us debt at number one on the billboard charts” and he sent the masses into a frenzy with “Diary of Jane.” This is one band I am looking forward to seeing again in Upstate NY very soon. Stay tuned for announcements about their upcoming tour with Godsmack and Sevendust.
Immediately after Breaking Benjamin left the stage, the sky opened up and it started to pour. After an hour rain delay, Shinedown finally came out to close the show. Brent Smith is one of the best live performers in rock. His voice is hypnotizing and he gives off loads of energy and positive vibes. Before Shinedown played their third song, Smith addressed the crowd, “look to the person in front of you, behind you, to your left and to your right. You may, or may not know who they are but I want everyone to shake or slap hands with that person.” Smith does this at every concert. It creates such a memorable feel good ritual and is something I look forward to at their shows.
Halfway through the band’s set, technical difficulties brought the music to a halt. Smith, being a true professional, used the time to thank the fans for their patience. During the delay, Smith noticed a sign in the crowd that said “It’s my birthday and I’m seven years old.” Fans started shouting, “sing Happy Birthday.” Smith replied, “You want me to sing Happy Birthday?” The band filled the down time by singing happy birthday to a very excited seven-year old named Britany.
The equipment was back up and running and Shinedown had the whole crowd jumping during the song “Enemies.” Smith stated that they usually don’t play this song live. Shinedown ended the night with fan favorite, “The Sound of Madness.” Smith closed the show with his trademark line, “It’s never goodbye, it’s just til’ next time.”
Primus has enlisted the talents of 90s alt-rock brethren Dinosaur Jr. and newcomers, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger to accompany them on this summer-long shed tour.
The set’s high point was a loping distorted cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” which Dinosaur Jr originally recorded for a compilation album in 1989 but decided to release itself. The highlight for me was when my ten-year old daughter grabbed my hands, stood on my feet and proceeded to lead me in a daddy-daughter dance. And while it may be an unorthodox song to have as a father-daughter dance at a wedding, if my daughter’s reaction to it on this night is any indication, this may just be the one we dance to someday.