NYS Music 20​15

Category: Syracuse

  • John Brown’s Body, Grayak, Thunder Body and Alex Gideon All on One Stage

    Fans of reggae can feast their ears on the smorgasbord of regional talent performing at the Westcott Theater on Saturday, October 10. Alex Gideon, Thunder Body and Grayak each have a spot to give the audience a taste of their latest musical workings before John Brown’s Body takes the stage as the final act of the evening.

    Alex Gideon, guitarist and vocalist from New York-based reggae/funk band The Fat Peace will be stepping on stage as a solo act, relying on his guitar and vocal skills while looping in other instruments and sound effects. Gideon has experimented with a collection of covers while also producing his own original songs.

    Thunder Body, a Rochester-based reggae group, has continued to grow over the past few years, expanding its identity far beyond the reggae designation, incorporating ingredients of jazz and soul into an eclectic stew of energy. Matthew O’Brian, former front man of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad leads the troop with vocals and percussion. With his drum kit uniquely positioned to the front of the stage, O’Brian mixes up the traditional musician arrangement, a visual metaphor representing their drive toward differentiation. Supported by Rachel Orke (also former GPGDS member) on analog keyboards and melodica, Dennis Mariano and Sam Snyder on guitar, Jeremiah Pacheco on bass and Brian Blatt with miscellaneous instrumentation, they spread messages of love both for humanity and mother earth, which are entwined in their encouraging lyrics.

    Grayak is the beloved reggae/bluegrass/folk brainchild of guitarist and vocalist Phil Grajko. The band, rooted in Syracuse, also features sister Hannah Grajko (vocals), Brendan Gosson (fiddle and mandolin), Blake Propst (upright bass) and Tyler Dattmore (drums). The current lineup is a recent amalgamation of musicians that have begun performing together in increased frequency, branching out geographically to enrich their fan base. Grayak’s song lyrics explore the beauty and influence of the mysterious workings of the universe, intermixed with occasional subtle references to the zombie apocalypse.

    Veterans of the national reggae scene, John Brown’s Body, an influence and inspiration for many of the musicians sharing the stage that night, will grace the theater, pulling from nearly a dozen albums of material compiled since their inception in the mid ‘90s. Elliot Martin (lead vocals), Tommy Benedetti (drums), Dan Africano (bass), Jay Spaker (guitar) Jon “JP” Petronzio (keys), Scott Flynn / Alex Asher (trombone), Drew Sayers (saxophone) and Sam Dechenne (trumpet) comprise this flock of future roots revolutionaries. They evoke a lion-like pride of tight-knit, well-rehearsed sound and thought provoking lyrics seeking to engage and empower listeners.

  • SU Organist Annie Laver to Play in Troy Friday

    The Syracuse Alumni Club of the Capital District and the American Guild Of Organist are teaming up to bring a special music outing from Annie Laver to Troy.

    Laver is an instructor at Syracuse University‘s Eastman School of Music, where she also acts as coordinator of Organ Outreach Programs and Events for the Department of Organ, Sacred Music, and Historical Keyboards, which included running the annual Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative Festival, as well as directing summer organ institutes for high school students and a retreat for Eastman organ alumni. SU Organist

    She frequently performs solo organ recitals in the United States and Europe.

    Annie Laver will perform music from Bach, Mozart, Judith Bingham, Pärt and Vierne at the First Presbyterian Church located on 1915 Fifth Ave. in Troy this Friday, Oct. 2, starting at 7:30 p.m. The church’s pipe organ was originally a 1907 Hutchings & Votey (Boston) instrument, though it has seen substantial rebuilding in 1962, 1981 and 2001.

    organ_fupc_troyny_3R

    Admission is free, though the Syracuse Alumni Club of the Capital District will be gladly accepting donations.

  • Carolyn Kelly Blues Band and Charlie Musselwhite Bring the South to Syracuse

    Southern flair washed the Westcott Theater in spicy fits of harmonica and blues guitar Sunday, Sept. 13. Carolyn Kelly Blues Band opened, the leading songstress demonstrating her powerful vocals for a mature, introspective crowd. Nearly every audience member was seated, either in the rows of collapsible chairs closer to the stage, or further back on the beer keg stools clustered around small bar tables. They sat quietly, listened thoughtfully and applauded graciously after each song. Kelly was joined by Terry Mulhauser (guitar), Don Sollars (drums), Jerry Neely (keyboard), Jim Pavente (bass), and special guest Skip Murphy on harmonica.

    IMG_6989

    For their final number, Kelly announced, “It is Sunday so we’re gonna’ take it to church on this one,” then reaching deeply into her soul, bellowed a rich opening solo of “Amazing Grace” before the band joined in. The historically statuesque crowd came alive, feeling compelled to clap along to this final number, revved up by the intensity of the band’s performance.

    Charlie Musselwhite and his musical crew including June Core (drums) Steve Froberg (bass) and Matt Stubbs (guitar), followed quickly after. Musselwhite attempted to warm up the crowd calling out “It’s so quiet in here. We got some blues in the house tonight,” as if reminding the audience they were permitted to be a little more rowdy. A spunky performance of “River Hip Mama” proved too irresistible for an older woman to the left of the technical booth as she whipped out her shiny iPad to snap a quick video. Musselwhite brandished an impressive set of pipes given his seniority in the blues scene, hitting every note like a pro.

    IMG_6996

    Singing aside, Musselwhite’s harmonica maneuvers are largely what draw crowds. His masterful playing produced a sea of shrill pitches mixed with more mellow hums, delivering that thirst-quenching satisfaction blues harmonica offers fans. Stubbs’ blues-rock persona could have given the allusion both visually and sonically that he was the long-lost third member of the Black Keys. With greased, combed back hair, scruffy beard and sporting dark t-shirt and jeans, his heavier guitar riffs completed the allusion.

    Musselwhite played with the crowd a little, prefacing “Stranger in a Strange Land” with the inspiration behind the song, which came from his experience as an eighteen-year-old looking for a factory job. He began, “A couple years ago when I was 18…” and the crowd chuckled. He continued, “Sometimes it still feels like I’m eighteen, though it’s fleeting.” Musselwhite vibed a mix of old wisdom and young charm, effortlessly switching between modest humor and sly sauciness.

  • Nothing More Packs The Lost Horizon

    There aren’t many bands that have been on the road as much as Nothing More as of recent. After countless opening slots on tours and a few headlining gigs, Nothing More are out on the road once more headlining the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour, which came through Syracuse to the Lost Horizon Sept. 23. Monster Energy put together a tour with not only an awesome headliner but with three other great bands — The Color Morale, Turbowolf and Separations.

    The Lost Horizon show was the sixth show on the tour. From the time Separations came on stage, both levels of the floor were filled up with fans waiting patiently for Nothing More. Although many fans were there to see the headliner, they were open to seeing some other great bands. Both Separations and Turbowolf did a good job of getting the crowd involved in the set. Although both sets were on the short side, the bands got to get their music and message to the crowd. Those who were interested in more were invited to the merchandise booths in back to hang out and meet the bands.

    After Turbowolf ended their set, The Color Morale took the stage. These guys were a late addition to the tour after Marmozets had to drop off last minute. Marmozets were forced to cancel their tour due to a knee injury by one of their members who ended up needing surgery. Even though The Color Morale were added on late, it didn’t seem like they were short of any fans there. These guys really got the Lost Horizon moving and kept security busy. From start to finish, this band had the crowd on its feet, moshing, and being all around wild. The Color Morale were definitely ready to get on this tour and show Nothing More fans they have what it takes to hang on the road.

    After The Color Morale left the stage and the lights were dimmed, fans knew who was ready to come on stage and close the night. With new drummer Ben Anderson behind the kit, Jonny Mark and Dan came out and jumped right into their song “Christ Copyright”. The best thing about seeing a headlining Nothing More show is that they’re playing a bunch more songs than an opening set. In other words, they play almost their entire self-titled album Nothing More. Unlike most albums these days, Nothing More put out a killer album from start to finish last year and have been riding on it ever since.

    The entire night was filled with good vibes and amazing energy from the band and the crowd. With a small venue, the guys in the band were up close and personal with the crowd all night long. One of the best parts of catching a Nothing More show is seeing the amount of fun they have on stage and how happy they are playing for fans. The night wasn’t as smooth as Jonny Hawkins, who’s the lead singer, would have liked it to go though. To start things off, Jonny’s in-ear monitors died on him. Jonny decided to try and play without them, but quickly decided he needed them as he couldn’t hear himself. The blame was placed on the crowd for being too loud according to Jonny, while he laughed and got a backup set. The backup set saved the night for Jonny who almost lost them during the bass solo. While Mark and Dan were on the bass, Jonny sat on the floor looking for his lost monitors. Once he found them though, it was an easy night the rest of the time.

    Nothing More ended the night with 3 monster tunes “Jenny”, “This Is The Time (Ballast)” and “Salem (Burn The Witch)”. Every single person in the crowd at the Lost Horizon knew “Jenny” and showed the band that Syracuse loves Nothing More. The crowd knew after the band played “Jenny” that they needed energy for two last songs. When the opening riff for “This Is The Time” started, both levels of the Lost Horizon were on their feet, jumping up and down and pumping their fists in the air. To end the night, Jonny said there would be no wasting time walking off stage making fans wait for an encore. The band told fans they needed everything they had left and in return Nothing More would give them the same. Nothing More ended the night with “Salem” which is the only song they played that evening that was not from their latest album. This tune had everyone in the band playing with drumsticks. Jonny, Mark their guitar player and Dan their bass player all joined Ben on their personal drums to smash along to “Salem”.

    With a busy rest of the year touring, Nothing More has their mind set to make a new album at the start of 2016. Fans can look forward to that and Nothing More coming back to the Syracuse area soon.

  • The Bellfuries to Play Across New York

    The Bellfuries are bringing their unique music from Austin, Texas, across New York state to support their new album, Workingman’s Bellfuries. They plan to make stops in Rochester, Troy and New York City.

    The Bellfuries

    The Bellfuries music tends to get put into the rockabilly genre. Others disagree and describe their sound as having melodies from ’60s pop mixed with R&B rhythms and soul. Band members reject other labels for their music and opt for the simple description of rock ‘n’ roll.

    Even though no one can seem to agree on how to label The Bellfuries music, one thing people can agree on is that their sound is unique and a breathe of fresh air in the polluted rock scene. The Bellfuries aren’t trying to be like their retro inspirations, they are just trying to be themselves, and their originality shines throughout their music.

    You do not want to miss this band when they travel through your town. Go check them out at the dates below:
    September 24, 2015 at Mercury Lounge, NY, NY
    September 26, 2015 at Union Hall, NY, NY
    September 27, 2015 at Ale House, Troy, NY
    September 29, 2015 at Abiline Bar, Rochester, NY

    The Bellfuries are:
    Joey Simeone–vocals, rhythm guitar
    Mike Molnar–lead guitar
    Jeff “Shecky” Seaver–upright and electric bass
    Chris Sensat–drums, percussion and harmony vocals

  • Vaporeyes and Mister F Illuminate the Dance Floor

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

    IMG_6878

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

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

    IMG_6887

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

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

  • Hearing Aide: Greg Pier ‘Three Bird Songs and Six More’

    After having the absolute pleasure of reviewing his long-running band, Mandate of Heaven’s most recent work and anticipating their new release, Syracuse singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Greg Pier has released a solo outing, Three Bird Songs and Six More.

    Released on July 25, 2015, all songs were written, performed, recorded, and mixed by Greg Pier at Neon Witch Studio, from 2013-2015. As stated on his bandcamp page, “The songs on this demo are inspired by the countryside of Onondaga and Oneida counties in central New York.” He lists his Townes Van Zant and Lightning Hopkins as influences, I’ll add my thoughts to that at the end. As a listener that was only recently introduced to his band, this is completely new and unexpected ground, expectations are high.

    Three Bird Songs Greg Pier face photo

    The acoustic guitar, when well played is like listening to three parts, melody, bass and metronome. It has a percussive accent and bass line from the right thumb, melody from the right fingers, direction and foundation from the left. It tells a story for the voice to sing about. “Kitty Kills the Cardinal” is a striking example right out of the box. You can almost feel the wind under the wings come from Pier’s soft, but steady, right hand and his voice changes character fluidly as the multiple perspectives play out their versions of demise. Right into “Amber Eyes” with a bit of a bounce belying the topic, but there’s an energy of change, renewal and introspection underlying. With the mist of a tambourine interlaced, Pier’s voice softens with the nylon strings and speaks in a voice of knowing.

    “Blue Jay Blues” is just that, Pier flexes skills, sounding right at home with the blues, walking blues that is. It’s the feeling of motion while talking to a friend, in this case telling a story to the only ears listening. Verbalization of dreams is often the best way to attain them, no matter who the audience may be. “Fields of White” is bassy and percussive, it yearns to find shelter and safety for a child of desolation, all the while knowing the end is impossible to avoid. “Easy to Say” is one of my favorite picking patterns, it’s strong and aggressively attacked with both hands. It’s youthful and staunch, yet the protagonist is learning lessons deeply and painfully. The brash use of his B and E strings close distinctly cold, as cold as the dismissed heart.

    “Prison Creek” gets a bit Delta Blues, reflected through the tone and timbre of the finger pick, combine that with the doubled vocals and it gets eerie, fast. The voice has a tinge of spirit presence, apparition-like, but somewhat soothing, foretelling, maybe that’s the hook. When it doubles it feels like doom. Then “Paper World” is lilting and lost, but eloquently said. Analogizing a love cycle to a paper map that’s easily torn. The sylph harmony at the end is faint in its agreement.

    “Red-Winged Blackbird’”takes a first person position as the ever observant red-wing, wings beating furiously, rising, drifting, voiced by the acoustic while the notes he takes smolder out. The multiple tracks thicken both words and notes adding a element of pace. The multiple voicing is used very sparingly throughout, but nicely here in the bridge. The closer, “Spring Ponies” is perfect in its delivery and ability to let the mind wander attempting definition. It’s more free than that with its bounce and bravado, its push start and heralded arrival of spring.

    Pier reaches for a different foothold securely. His vocal expression mixed with the varying patterns on the acoustic combine in a superb way. Whether light or dark, blues or otherwise, he sings and plays in colors all his own. He creates motion as well as emotional imagery in a style that is very distinct. His phrasing is deft, his playing is nimble and strong, the subtlety of the mix is near immaculate. There are moments that conjure thoughts of George Harrison, Elliot Smith and Nick Drake, John Fahey, Sufjan Stevens. Likewise with breaths of acoustic delta blues players, Mississippi John Hurt and Elizabeth Cotton. Pier certainly pays respect to his strongest influences, I really dig that and my favorite musicians consistently do it. He’s more than capable of whatever he wants musically, I wonder if this acoustic work coincides with fatherhood.

    Key Tracks: Kitty Kills The Cardinal, Prison Creek, Red-Winged Blackbird

    Please check out this and the rest of his extensive catalog at bandcamp (solo) facebook (MoH) and bandcamp (MoH).

  • Let’s Go Out to Dinner and See a Movie…All in One Location at the Newest Movie Tavern

    Township 5, a mixed-use shopping center and apartment complex located in the Syracuse suburb of Camillus, was designated as the location for the area’s newest movie house this past spring. This week, ground was broken on a Movie Tavern at the quickly growing development. Movie Tavern takes the work out of choosing dinner and movie by providing both in the same location.

    movie tavernWith 21 locations in nine states, each Movie Tavern features a full bar and an in-theater, “chef driven” menu for diners to enjoy with first-run movies. The Camillus location will be the company’s first in New York state and is expected to open in May 2016. Among the new theater’s amenities will be 11 screens, stadium seating, recliners and in-seat service.

    According to the company’s website, prices will be on par with the typical movie-going experience while entrees will be priced in the $12-15 range. Private groups will also be able to reserve special showings and reservations for seats will be required.

    For more information on the experience, visit the company’s website here.

  • Grayak and Yankee Blood Offer a Genuine Connection

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

    IMG_6860

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

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

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

    IMG_6871

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

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

  • This is the Moment that We Lived for: GhostxShip Farewell Show

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

    gxs 22

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

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

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

    gxs 2

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

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

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

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

    R.I.P. GhostxShip 2009-2015