NYS Music 20​15

Category: Syracuse

  • Hearing Aide: Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers ‘Almost There’

    Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers recently released his fifth album, “Almost There” and quickly garnered the 2015 SAMMY Award for Best Americana recording to his list of accomplishments. They’ll be celebrating the SAMMY at Small Plates in Syracuse, 116 Walton St., on May 6 with doors at 6pm, music at 7pm.

    Jeffrey is a grand prize winner in The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, the founding editor of Acoustic Guitar Magazine, a regular contributor to NPR’s “All Things Considered” and author of “Rock Troubadours” (featuring his interviews with such artists as Jerry Garcia, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Dave Matthews) as well as other books on music. From his Upstate NY base, Jeffrey teaches courses on songwriting and creative nonfiction writing in the honors program at Syracuse University and leads workshops on guitar and songwriting. If that wasn’t enough, he performs solo and with The Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers Trio, members of which are featured on this release.

    Joining Jeffrey (JPR) – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, Strumstick, tenor banjo, are Trio members, Wendy Ramsay (The Unstoppables) – backup vocals, flute, clarinet and glockenspiel, and Joshua Dekaney (Grupo Pagan, Mark Doyle’s Guitar Noir, Mary Fahl) – percussion kit, backing vocals (tracks 3,6) and chimes, along with John Dancks – upright bass, Rani Arbo – backup vocal (track 1), fiddle and Jason Fridley – saxophone. This offering was recorded and mixed by Andrew Greacen and mastered by Jocko Randall at More Sound, Syracuse with additional recording by JPR at home. All songs by JPR except ‘Almost Home’, words by JPR and music by JPR and Wendy Ramsay.

    JPR may be the quintessential acoustic singer-songwriter, but he colors with a full palette of folk, rock, blues and soul. Adding elements tastefully to create works that entice rather than overwhelm, he makes the mixes of genres seamlessly smooth, while retaining the emotion of his topics. “Eight Days In January”’ opens with all elements on deck, banjo, guitar, upright bass, fiddle and drums telling a tale of love and loss in the internet age. So sweet and sad it’ll make you move and think at the same time, in a zydeco kinda way. “The Wrong Way Home” adds the seasoned harmony combination with Wendy and Joshua creating a bridge with the chimes, his playing is a voice of its own, integrated so delicately you just float on it. “Closer” gets funky and the band warms immediately, JPR’s expressive vocals along with Wendy and Josh’s harmonies swirl sweetly together. The rhythm section has obviously been here before and JPR’s staccato guitar line just rides on Josh’s double snare hits. A get up and dance number, no doubt.

    Switching gears quickly, “Don’t Think I Can Stay Goodbye” highlights JPR’s varying acoustic styles through an emotional expose that is illuminated by fiddle and flute, accentuated by Wendy’s voice as almost an echo, reminding the protagonist why he wrote it in the first place. “Almost There” would sound great in nearly any format, it has bits of folk, pieces of rock and plenty of drive, it’s light, but pushes and pulls against the forms, very cool. “Enough About You (What About Me)” is a jaunty little number that seems to rail against social media and the opinionated, self-involved who live there. Where friends and fans count as statistics and it’s all about the ‘me’ agenda. Quite biting and hits the nail right on the head, smart and sarcastic! “I’ve Got It Here Somewhere” is a solid folk-rocker, it has plenty of room for JPR to exercise his acoustic riffs and expressive voice. A little funky, a little soulful, but right to the heart of what he’s about. Genre-defying folk rock, certainly not the easiest take. “My Bad” may hold my favorite lyrical twists that seems like opposite world, written in counter-point to what is reality.

    “‘Somehow” gets slow and soulful, sensual in its analogies, slow-moving, innuendo-fired, full of wanting. There’s something familiar in the voice/guitar interplay, I can’t place it. Wait, it’s “That Heaven” from David Gilmour’s “On An Island”, not only my favorite guitar player, but one of my favorite musicians. That’s a feel that’s reminiscent throughout and sticks in my ears in a very good way. ’Turn Away’ is JPR at ease, light on his feet, singing and playing up, his band bouncing with him in full form. A love song full of confidence and conviction, self-assured and certain. “Proof” follows with another upbeat ride, call and response vocals and flute lightly accent the rhythmic acoustic and bottom line. While each piece is tied together, they each bear individual styling that can easily stand alone. Like the samba-feel that Josh drives the closer, “End Of The Line” with. JPR jumps right up and Jason’s sax flavors it perfectly, their acoustic/sax dual melody is masterful. All this song begs for is to played again and again, much like the rest of this album, I’m confident it will be. I await its highway test, I know it will pass with flying colors.

    Key Tracks: The Wrong Way Home, Somehow, End Of The Line

    JPR has a great website where you can learn more about the man and his varied interests. Yes, he does social media too, on Facebook and Twitter or better yet, see him live!

  • Flashback: Aquarium Rescue Unit at the Pump House, May 6, 1993

    May 6, 1993. I was a high school junior, two weeks out from my 17th birthday. It was a Thursday night and Colonel Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit were playing a gig in Syracuse at the Pump House, a semi-dive bar in a semi-seedy area of town. I had been introduced to ARU through their association with the first H.O.R.D.E tour the summer prior. I was already a Phish fan at the time, having been to seven shows already.

    I missed the H.O.R.D.E. tour, however, so had not seen any of the other bands, but probably owned all of their CDs at the time. Somehow I was alerted to this ARU show in town (pre-Internet I can’t even recall how that might have been), and somehow I convinced my parents to let my friend and I go out to a bar on a school night. Just the “bar” part of that equation alone was enough to warrant a solid “no,” so not sure how I managed that, but I am forever thankful.

    Aquarium Rescue Unit

    So my friend and I headed down to the Pump House with no idea of what we were getting into, musically or physically. We got there probably earlier than even the listed time, completely unaware how bar shows operate. We had no fake IDs. The bouncer understandably balked. We pleaded with him to let us in, promising we wouldn’t try to drink, we just wanted to see the band… which was true. I don’t remember it being all that hard, a little convincing and he let us through. We got in the bar, and it was empty. Completely dead. We took a seat at a table and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited for what felt like an eternity, and likely was well over an hour. Finally a band appeared on stage. But it wasn’t ARU. It was the (unlisted) opening band. Ugh. We were restless. Lucky for us, the opening band was pretty freaking great. They were a band from Syracuse University named Sons of Papaya. I would end up being one of their biggest fans, seeing them quite often a year later, when I went to school there. But that is a story for another time.

    Finally the Aquarium Rescue Unit would take the stage. Jimmy Herring (guitar) Oteil Burbridge (bass) Apt. Q258 (on Earth known as Jeff Sipe (drums)), Matt Mundy (mandolin), and Count Mbutu (percussion), played a short intro jam before their unkempt leader, Col. Bruce Hampton, ambled on and led the band into “Payday,” off their then new release, Mirrors of Embarrassment. At this time there was still just about 20 in attendance, four of which were the opening band and two of which were my friend and I.

    Listening back to the show now, I can’t even imagine what the younger me was thinking. It still sounds fresh and mind-blowing different today. They were an all-star band in reverse. We all now know their names, and know them to be some of the best at their respective instruments, but at the time they were just a young rag-tag bunch being led around by this eccentric uncle-type. It was most certainly a mind and taste-expanding experience for me. Their unique blend of bluegrass, blues, lounge, rock, jazz and everything in between filtered through the bizzaro lens of Hampton’s vision was enough to send even the most educated music fan’s head spinning.

    The Colonel wasted no time getting into his antics. “Jimmy Herring, born right here in Syracuse, returning for the 2nd time to his hometown!” (Every stop on tour was his hometown…) My friend and I, none the wiser, ate it right up. Amazing! He’s from here?! “Oteil, from Egypt!” (Again, not true…) He does look kind of mysterious… “Apt. Q258!” OK, that’s just weird. (After the show they handed out signed promo posters promoting the new album, and Jeff Sipe’s signature was a drawing of a house with Q258 written on the door.)

    Aquarium Rescue Unit

    Toward the end of the set, Hampton beckoned for Bela Fleck. Out walked the dorkiest looking musician I had ever seen, playing an electric banjo, what the?! Sadly I had no idea who he was, and as such, had no clue how great he could make the banjo sound. Meanwhile, we couldn’t quite hear what his name was and my friend continually joked how great it was that we saw Roberta Flack. I don’t even remember when it was I realized that I had seen Bela Fleck then.

    Over a year later, my tape trading buddy (that was such a thing back then) re-introduced me to him when he sent me a recording of the Flecktones (which I would eventually wear thin) and was forever hooked. But at the here and now of this particular story, I was still completely clueless. Through the beauty of the internet I can now confirm that the Flecktones had a show in Syracuse that same night as well. If only I knew. Fleck would join them from Trondossa through the end of the set. On memory alone, I would say my impressions were that he was surprisingly good considering he was, I had assumed, a local musician. But listening back now, I was a fool to think that he was anything short of spectacular, shining on a solo in “Too Many Guitars” and completely owning ARU’s tribute to Sun Ra’s “Space is the Place” in particular.

    The band would come back for a rather lengthy encore, as the “Aquarium Flecktones Unit” with Fleck and Futureman joining the band. Futureman would play the real drums as opposed to his usual Drumitar. But I was none the wiser.  Hampton said it best, “that’s one hell of a drum section there” with Futureman, Apt. Q258 and Mbutu all together. He also called out Victor Wooten before the night closing “Jack the Rabbit,” though he was just hanging out on the side of the stage, not playing, unfortunately. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bId4TxH5Q2U

    This was one of those out-of-the-way random-weekday playing-in-front-of-no-one special shows. And I was there. But in this case, I was the “unsuspecting crowd”; unknowing and under-appreciating of just how unusual it was. Ending the night “past curfew” according to the stage announcement, leaves me wondering again exactly how I pulled this trick off on a school night and underage, not even a year of driving under my belt.

    After the show I headed for the bathroom. Who was that at the urinal next to me? None other than Jimmy Herring. He washed up and headed out. He left the water running and I went to wash my hands. Yow! Just like his guitar playing, the water was scorching hot. My soft unworked 16-year-old skin was nearly burned. In addition to his wizardry on guitar, the fact that he could wash his hands so casually under boiling hot water had me shaking my head. Was he of this earth? No, he was from Zambi, just like the rest of them.

    The show was like nothing I had seen. The Aquarium Rescue Unit put on one hell of a unique live performance, unmatched in its combination of musicianship, utter disregard for convention, and creation of its own alternate universe, without the use of over the top theatrics… pretty much on attitude alone. This original lineup would soon after dissolve, first losing Mundy and later Hampton. The band would never be the same. But with their impending reunion, the magic may be reignited.

    I gave the one taper there my information in hopes of hearing that amazing music again someday. I never heard back from him, or got the tapes, but thanks once again to this internet thing, I can listen at the touch of a button now. The recording is very high quality, and as stated the music is quite incredible. I definitely recommend giving this one a listen. Take a trip to Zambi-land.

    Setlist: Intro> Payday, Compared To What, Time Flack, Dead Presidents. Same Old Thing. Basically Frightened, Lost My Mule In Texas, No Egos Underwater. No Reason To Complain, Time Is Free, Yield Not To Temptation, New River Train, Trondossa*, Too Many Guitars*, Two Truckloads*, Zambi*> Space Is The Place* > Drums > Rocket #9/Space Is The Place*, Workin’ On A Building*

    Encore: Swing**, I’ll Go Crazy**, Fixin’ To Die**, Shoeless Joe**, Jack The Rabbit**

    * with Bela Fleck, ** with Future Man

  • Engineering The Local Shop: A Look At Gorham Brothers Music

    For Syracuse’s Gorham Brothers Music, they had to do it their way. They had to because that’s how they’ve always done it. The three brothers, Ryan, Brad, and Bobby have been entrenched in the local music scene for over ten years now. Some might know them as part of the bands Engineer and Blood Sun Circle. But these days most know them as the owners of Gorham Brothers Music, an independent guitar shop on Seeley Rd in Syracuse. The brothers took their experiences being in a gigging band and applied it to their business to make a shop run by musicians for musicians. But to get to there we have to go back and see what lead them to running their own store.

    You want to bring something cool to your town. If it’s not here, you can make it here

    The three brothers grew up playing guitar despite not coming from a musically inclined family. When they started playing together around 2003 it was during a point where the local scene in Syracuse was thriving. Bands always had a place to play and you could always find a show happening on the weekends. The band they have become most known for; Engineer, came together very quickly after the three brothers bounced around in other bands. They started to become serious and started practicing every day. An indication for any band that you’ve stumbled on to something good. It was a great time to start a band in Syracuse because the scene was supporting touring bands coming to town. Ample opportunities were available for the local bands to fill opening slots on a bill.

    Gorham Brothers MusicThe venues weren’t big, most were under 200 capacity but they were always full. I remember being at shows where people were literally standing outside watching the bands through the windows. It hasn’t been like that since and those memories are some of my most cherished and I know many who feel the same way.

    Bobby Gorham said, “Engineer was like our job, more so than any other job at that time. We were able to do it for so long, longer than any of us expected. Once you do something like that for so long, none of us wanted to get a career working for someone else. This was a way for us to still do our own thing.”

    Engineer put out records that helped define the sound coming out of Syracuse during the 2000’s. Their 2007 effort The Dregs was named one of the top 40 albums of the year by respected extreme music magazine Decibel. They along with area bands like Ed Gein, Achilles, and Another Breath solidified Upstate New York’s roster of incredible local bands at the time.

    But all things come to an end and Engineer slowly faded in to the background and from it came the store. Ryan Gorham compared the two telling me “Writing and recording is real expressive. You get to experiment so much in the studio. The store is sort of like another band. We go in with a focus. Not a cookie cutter store. Not always a store someone wants or expects.”

    Walking into Gorham Brothers Music immediately gives you the sense that you aren’t in your typical big box music store. There aren’t any pushy sales people working on commission. You can get an answer to your question. And they’re more than happy to chat with you about music. You feel at ease. It’s a place where you can go and test out a guitar pedal and really get a feel for if it’s going to work in your set up. You aren’t battling against 25 other guitarists all trying to wail on the solo from “Eruption”.

    One of the biggest takeaways in discussing the store with the three brothers was that their store can change. They have complete control which means they can mold it to fit the store they want to have. The biggest benefit of this is the fact that they can stock the store with used gear you might not see at another store. Bobby Gorham said “We can do all the wheeling and dealing. Which a lot of actual musicians like to do. They want to come in and see what comes in, old vintage gear, stuff guitar center can’t deal with as much.” And Ryan Gorham added “Buying stuff face to face from people lets us decide what we want to do. We don’t have to have Fender banners everywhere. We don’t have to order 20 squires.”

    The store started to see success as the years passed after opening in December of 2011. But the biggest downside was the physical size of the storefront they were in. However when the opportunity struck, they decided to expand. In October of 2014 the brothers moved the store just a few feet down in the building they were in to a much bigger space. When I asked the brothers about the expansion what I heard from Brad Gorham was exactly the kind of thing you regret not doing “It was too good of an opportunity to miss.” While the brothers said they didn’t plan on moving they all agreed it was the right decision despite the risk they were taking on.

    One of the best things to come out of the expansion was the ability to have more room for bands to play. The older smaller store hosted live acts but in the new space there is a dedicated stage with monitors set up that allows the bands to hear vocals. For anyone who has played live, you know how important that is. It’s another example of how this store is designed with musicians in mind because its owners and sole employees are musicians themselves.

    I wanted to get a feeling for what it’s like to see bands play in the store so I checked out a show booked the night we conducted our interview. The store was transformed in a very subtle way to accommodate the larger amount of people than normal. Expensive gear was protected and amps were moved around. And I have to say the sound quality was fantastic. I listened to a couple of bands from the back and got right up front for another and couldn’t believe how professional everything sounded. Other venues in the area dedicated to live acts should take a few notes.

    The future looks bright for the Gorham Brothers. The store is doing well and they get to wake up every day and know that they own a store that is uniquely theirs. A store that is crafted from their experiences on the road as a band going to other independent shops. Taking an idea from here and there and bringing in their own as well they have handcrafted a store as one of a kind as the music they made and the opportunity they offer Syracuse musicians to come in and get the gear they need at a price that makes you feel good. Not just for sales but for repair work and now for bands to have a venue to play at in a scene that has sadly lost venues in droves over the past ten years.

    They are the local shop and I don’t think they want it any other way.

    You can visit Gorham Brothers Music in Syracuse, NY at 118 Seeley Rd. They are open seven days a week. Or check them out online at gorhambrothersmusic.com.

  • Fishbone Coming to Syracuse on May 6 with Special Guests

    Los Angeles based ska/funk soul-rock band, Fishbone, is making a pit stop in Syracuse to perform at the Westcott Theater on May 6 with Street Rock Mafia.

    Fishbone has been pioneering the music world since 1979 with their own brand of sound, mixing all genres including ska, funk, rock, blues, soul, and R&B. The group is an international act that tours across the world as much as they do in the the USA.

    Currently, they are on a 20-date tour across this great nation with shows in NYC at the Rock & Roll Resort, two nights at the Brooklyn Bowl, and an evening at Nectars in Burlington, VT, before heading back to the west coast to finish off the tour. Show attendees can also be sure to hear a few songs from their latest EP titled, Intrinsically Intertwined, that was released last year.

    Street Rock Mafia is local from Utica, NY and has recently released their first EP called Music is Life. With a full house at Gordon’s Tap Room (Utica) last saturday, S.R.M. threw one heck of a party to display their hard work, inviting guests artists such as Sam Kininger on Saxaphone and SAMMY award-winning Nineball, among other local bands. Music is Life is a five song EP packed with trembling rock riffs, funky grooves, and smooth flowing hip-hop lyrics.

    For more information, visit the sites below.

    Tickets – http://www.thewestcotttheater.com/

    Fishbone – http://fishbone.net/dates/

    Street Rock Mafia – http://www.reverbnation.com/streetrockmafia

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As_WLhE5e-k

  • Josh Groban to Visit Upstate NY

    Multi-platinum recording artist, Josh Groban has announced a North American Fall Tour and will hit NY multiple times. Groban will make stops in Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo and NYC supporting his new album Stages. The Stages Tour will visit specially selected theaters to give fans a more intimate concert setting versus those accustomed to seeing him perform in arenas.

    Groban will serenade fans at The Beacon Theatre in NYC on Sept. 29,  The Palace Theatre in Albany on Oct. 3, The Landmark Theatre in Syracuse on Oct. 6 and Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo on Oct. 7. Tickets are currently on sale at livenation.com and with every ticket purchase – fans will receive their choice of a physical or digital copy of Stages.

    josh groban NYStages is a collection of Groban’s renditions of some of the best musical theater songs of all time. It was produced by Humberto Gatica and Bernie Herms in both Los Angeles and London’s Abbey Road (with a 75-piece orchestra taboot). The album features songs from Les Miserables, The Wizard of Oz, Sweeny Todd, Phantom of the Opera and much more.

    Groban describes the album as “gorgeously arranged songs that have stood the test of time.” An exclusive edition of the album will be available at Target containing two extra tracks. Until the Stages Tour kicks off in September, Josh Groban will be making plenty of television appearances on Good Morning America on April 28, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Live! with Kelly and Michael on April 29, and Dancing With The Stars on May 5. He will also sing the National Anthem at the 2015 Kentucky Derby on May 2.

  • For The Record: An Interview with Hellyeah’s Chad Grey

    Hellyeah, the heavy metal super group that was formed from the ashes of Mudvayne, Nothingface and Damageplan, have been a whirlwind of recording and touring since 2006. What did you expect to get when you take vocalist Chad Grey, add in drums by the legendary Vinnie Paul, and bring in some serious crunch with Tom Maxwell, then round out the tempest of sound with Kyle Sanders and Christian Brady? You get one heavy as hell band ready to throw down some thunderous metal.

    Chad GreyHellyeah lays down some serious heaviness with the release of their newest album “Blood for Blood” Where unlike they’re previous albums which focused on some more prevalent rock elements, they return to their heaviest roots with this release.

    Myself, being a fan of Chad Grey’s former band, and let’s be honest who doesn’t like Pantera? When I was approached with the opportunity to interview Chad Grey, it goes without saying, I was excited to interview him. We talked candidly about what drives him and his music and we hit upon the writing of their newest single “Hush” which dives into the horrors of domestic abuse and how Hellyeah got involved with NOMORE.org.

    One thing I can say about Chad is that he is a very up front and straight shooting person not only about his life but also about his music. I was very humbled and honored to have the opportunity to interview someone I have listened to since his early bands. Enjoy.

    Hellyeah kicks off their tour on April 24 supporting Godsmack and Papa Roach, making a stop at the Oncenter War Memorial on what is sure to be one hell of a Cinco de Mayo party on May 5.

    BESAW: Syracuse Skull Collector here and I’m on the line with Chad Grey of Hellyeah. Hey Chad how’s it going?

    CHAD: Great man, how you doing?

    BESAW: Alright, so tell me what’s new with Hellyeah and what’s going on with you guys?

    CHAD: We started a new tour 4 days ago and rocking it out man. We played Texas last night, Tucson, El Paso, Houston, Austin. It’s been some radio shows with multiple bands, the kind of the level of the bands you know what I mean. Seeing how people are going to receive you.

    BESAW: Nice. You guys recently released the single “Hush”, in my opinion it is a very powerful and gut wrenching song which addresses the horrors of domestic violence. Tell me a little bit on the inspiration for writing it and how you guys became involved with NOMORE.ORG.

    CHAD: The inspiration is life, most of my music, all of my music is usually from some part of my past, or something and you want to take that creative outlet and exercise the little demons. I grew up in that world it’s all I knew. I think that when I was in that time of my life, you feel like you live in this bubble that you create, this bubble of isolation that you create for yourself and it’s not necessarily comfortable but it kind of beats what’s going on the other side of the wall. So, it’s kind of a lonely place and you do feel alone, and that’s kind of the mantra of the song just putting it out there, people do feel that way. Which I know that people do because I did. This reminds them that they are not alone and I think it helps them seek out and because maybe the abuser, there can’t be an intervention for that person usually in that situation, it’s happening within the family so there while there’s this violence and abuse going on there is also a lot of love. So people kind of swallow a lot. To protect that, to protect the family.  Maybe not really the way they want to do it but just to speak out, to be able have some level of intervention or maybe make that person realize what they’re doing is wrong even make them take a step back and it might actually help it, it might wrinkle it a little bit at the beginning but I think overall it will help it by speaking out.  No More, our publicist felt the power of the song and ran it by them and because they’re advocates of it and that’s what they want to do is raise awareness of stuff like that. Somebody over there heard it and read the lyrics and started inquiring more and more about it and wanted to couple with us and obviously in cooperation and not competition to help raise awareness. I didn’t know what NO MORE was; I’m a big football fan so I didn’t know what NO MORE was until the NFL thing with the all-white backdrop with the Chris Carters and the other NFL players doing that commercial bit and everything that happened in that. And that’s one that is good for NO MORE for being able to do that and it’s a huge fan base but at the same time not every heavy metal kid is a NFL fan so I think they saw an opportunity to double their outreach to different markets. In the heavy metal community and I think there’s a lot that, that goes on in this community, I think there’s a lot of that goes on in the hip hop community, I think a lot of that goes on in a lot of stuff and I think that music is really a great way for them to be able to target those certain genres of people. It’s been really exciting to be able to be a part of doing this with them. I believe in the raising of awareness as much as anybody else. I don’t really consider our followers fans. I look at all the people who stand in front of us who are sharing that moment of music when we play as family. It’s a heavy metal community in that area and music really did save my life and it was the one thing that I had with me in that isolated space that I lived in. That I can attach myself to and it really helped me get through a lot of really hard times and it’s something that we can all share.

    Chad GreyCHRIS: Absolutely. Music is definitely a mystical force, in many different ways as I have come to understand it, it heals, it excites, and it’s a force unto its own.

    CHAD: Its emoting man, and that’s what I love about metal. It’s so anthemic, it’s so aggressive, and on the other side it can be so helpless and it can be so emotional. That’s my take on metal personally. If I hear this beautiful guitar part or something that’s being written and it’s got melody all over it , well my first though because I’m in a metal band is I got to go all “WAAAAH YEAH” and scream all over it. (laughs) There’s something in that part that is touching me. So I want to embrace it and Tom knows that riff and that’s just my knee jerk reaction, just know you pray for quiet. And that’s how it started, hell is where I was born and hell is where I was raised. It takes that kind of almost if you took the vocals off of that, it’s kind of a more poppier sound but the vocals and the lyrics are what really gives it cheese and I think that’s the beauty of the band. Everybody works together in order to get to the pinnacle of the composition. And really give it air and let it breathe and let it be its own thing, be its own entity. Sometimes it comes together perfectly like this and sometimes it doesn’t. (laughs) You just gotta keep reworking them till you get to where you want them. That’s the beauty of being an artist; we use our instruments, our voices as our paintbrushes.

    CHRIS: You guys have been performing for the last 10 years plus, been all over the world, what drives and inspires you guys to keep touring and doing music. What’s the inspiration behind that drive?

    CHAD:  It’s just part of me man, it really is, it’s who I am.  Me and Vinnie were just talking the other day about when I started singing. I had the is little bass amp or whatever and it had two inputs on it and I would run it out of a stereo and plug one into one input and I had this little BS radio shack microphone that had a quarter-inch jack on it and I would plug that into and just run the music through that and sing with it. That’s how I kind of learned how to sing metal. Which is what we were just talking about..

    CHRIS: That’s really cool.

    CHAD:  Vinny started on buckets and pots and pans and stuff. That’s basically my point is that long before I was ever in a band or thought of being in a band, it’s something I wanted to be.  And I was willing to do whatever I had to do in order to satisfy my need at that time and that’s all I have and that’s what I used. It just grows and grows and here we are. It’s obviously something that is very deep seeded inside of me. God knows nobody is in it for the business anymore (laughs) it’s not like I got a Ferrari in the garage in my mansion over here, nor do I want that. I don’t really care about that.

    CHRIS: A friend of mine, a local musician, once put it “I got into music not to make a dime and I have succeeded admirably” (laughs)

    CHAD: Exactly! There’s kids looking at you asking “What’s it like, What’s it like” , I don’t know but if you want to do this you’d probably not helping anything. You just got to support and represent. It does do so much and it is so cathartic and it would be a shame to see music go away. But at the end of the day it is a job. You’re sitting at a table which somebody built that table and they didn’t build it for the fun of it.

    CHRIS: Absolutely. Your music whether its Mudvayne or Hellyeah has inspired younger generations of musicians, who are the musicians and music that inspired you?

    CHAD: Oh man, first real clear-cut understanding is that I grew up around music and was fortunate to have a young mother, my mom had me when she was really young and she was kind of still being a kid when I was a little kid, so it was the Bob Seeger and the Aerosmith’s and Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Sabbath. Stuff like that was always around. I enjoyed music but, man I got at some point in one of those dark times of my life, a friend of mine gave me the Motley Crue “Too Fast for Love” cassette,  and I was like somebody flipped the switch in me, like holy shit I understand this. You know what I mean, this is where I belong, so it was like full metal being for that time and then it was from that to Metallica’s of the world and Megadeth, the big 4. Then from there I got into a lot heavier stuff like Deicide, Obituary and Emperor and stuff like that, black metal and kinda pulled back into that whole Seattle scene. I was a big Pantera fan and I don’t anyone that’s wasn’t a Pantera fan and I don’t want to know anyone who wasn’t a Pantera fan to honest with you. I was a Pantera fan, through that whole kind of Seattle movement and from that big 4 the band I really gravitated towards was Alice in Chains cause the darkness of the vocals , the performance of the vocals. It was just so really separate from the other ones like Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Sound Garden; I really think that Alice in Chains stood on their own. I was really into that and that really helped me become a better singer listening to that. All that kind of stuff is just kind of the usual suspects of that time. It was great, I do see younger bands now that I tour with and play shows with and those bands are like dude I have been a fan for 15 years of Mudvayne and me and what I have done.   The Suicide Silence guys are really good friends and they were inspired by what I did and the early days of Mudvayne. It’s cool to see how your inspiration kind of helps develop music because obviously Suicide Silence liked Mudvayne, but it still something really great. I fucking love that band.

    CHRIS: Wrapping up here anything you want to say to fans or any final thoughts?

    CHAD: Come to the shows man, come and give Hellyeah a chance. We started as more of a rock band because I was doing the Mudvayne thing, both of them simultaneously doing them together and really had to separate myself from that but the more the line that’s been let out of Mudvayne. I really just wanted to get back to being a metal singer and I think that Hellyeah has really kind of landed where we always were meant to be. I think “Blood for Blood” is the record people have been really waiting for from us. So if you have written us off in the past or whatever, give us a shot. I’m back to being me and Vinnie is back to being Vinnie Paul and Tom’s back to being Tom. We’re not behind the facade that we got to keep separate from other things anymore. We wrote what we believe is a great record and I think that we really touched people, and I think that if you’ve shut your eyes to Hellyeah that you should open them again and give us another shot.

  • Primus at The Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, NY

    Tuesday night at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, NY a near sold out crowd is anxiously waiting for California-based rock band Primus to take the stage. Unlike many rock shows, this one has no opening act. It is two and half hours of Les Claypool, master of the bass, Larry “Ler” Lalonde on guitar and Tim “Herb” Alexander banging drums. The lights dim and the crowd jumps to their feet. A familiar tune starts pumping through the speakers. Yes, it is the “Clown Dream” sequence by Danny Elfman from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure setting the tone for the evening: An adventure that at times almost feels so surreal that it could be a dream.

    primus landmark theatrePrimus is currently on tour for their new album Primus and the Chocolate Factory. The album is a creative re-work of the “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” Soundtrack. The tour has been designed so that they open the show with an hour plus long set filled with their hits. From the second they hit the stage and tore right into “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers” the fans were on their feet, dancing up and down the aisles and in the balcony. Les Claypool’s calculated, yet seemingly effortless bass riffs are clearly designed to get people moving. The show was like a giant dance party from beginning to end. Several Oompa Loompa and Willy Wonka look alike’s were dancing through the crowd. While the party raged on the members of Primus never seemed to lose their focus.

    I had a chance to talk to some fans before the show: “I saw Primus at the Landmark years ago. I love this place it’s so beautiful and it’s Primus so you know things are going to get weird, but they’re awesome” said Melissa Heneka from Baldwinsville, NY. Weird was an accurate description. There was a visit from Mr. Krinkle, a horse head propped on a mic stand on stage,little orange people and other unusual masks and props. Primus showcased their talents with their fan favorites: “Frizzle Fry,” “My Name is Mud” and ended their first set with “Over the Electric Grapevine”.

    The band took a short break and then…”Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, the Chocolate Room.” “Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination.” Primus, with the help of the Fungi Ensemble, took the music and the video from the movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” to a whole other realm of imagination. The stage set included lollipops, mushroom-shaped candies, Oompa Loompa dressed stage hands and a huge video screen that played re-edited images from the movie flawlessly synched to the music. Les Claypool showed that he is a master of the stage by playing parts of the set on an upright bass. Les added an eerie, even creepy element to the songs, “The Candy Man”, “Lucky Charlie” and “The Wondrous Boat Ride.” He brought some haunting flair to the song “Cheer Up Charlie” by mixing in a methodical, maniacal laugh.

    “Little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous.” A highlight of the set was the appearance of the oversized Oompa Loompas who danced in time to Les’s renderings of each of the children’s demises.The playful, upbeat version of “I’ve Got A Golden Ticket” is still stuck in my head twenty-four hours later. Larry Lalonde had everyone cracking up with his version of “I Want it Now.” The set ended with a stunning still shot of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. “We are the music makers and We are the dreamers of dreams.” That quote sums up the night.

    The audience was still revved up as Primus took the stage for the third time for their encore performance that included “Fisticuffs” and “Here Come the Bastards.” Primus is the whole package, entertaining, talented and a band that appears to truly enjoy what they do. With a packed venue full of loyal fans, Primus proved that they are the “Golden Ticket”.

    Written by: Kelly Besaw  Photos by: Chris Beesaw

  • Tyler Farr Rocks The F Shed

    What can be better than seeing two of Syracuse’s favorite bands, Castle Creek and Country Swagg? Just follow them up with country’s newest favorite bad boy, Tyler Farr, and you’ve got one hell of a rocking show.

    Opening the show this evening was Sammy Award winners Castle Creek, whose soulful rock sound reverberated throughout the venue as they played both original music and covers. Their cover of the Beatles “Come Together” mashed up with Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in The Wall” was hands down one of the best covers I have ever heard! Having seen both Kim Monroe and Chris Eves play once before at a local festival, I looked forward to once again catching their set and congratulating them on their new award.. Blown away yet again, I sat there trying to pinpoint a reference of sorts to describe them to my readers. At a loss for adjectives that described their style, I feel as though perhaps certain influences of musical greats such as Bonnie Rait, Johnny Cash, Jack White, Pat Benetar, Muddy Waters, and so many others could very well have helped to direct their musical style.  Their distinctive uniqueness melded together perfectly while one never over shadowing the other at all. This deserves mentioning as they both display such very strong vocals and instrumentation. The fact that they can play and sing the same instruments simultaneously without becoming one sound and over powering the other is what makes their sound so unique, so soulful, so bluesy, and gets to me every time I see them. Just love them.

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    Country Swag, took the stage next. Was the first time I saw this band and was thoroughly impressed by lead singer Mike Johnson who sings lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Gabe Infantino on bass, Tim Horst on lead guitar and Rob Trout on drums. Belting out rocking covers together with a few originals they certainly had the crowd warmed up by the time the main act took the stage. Appropriately named…they brought some foot stomping, party rocking, swag to the stage and had the crowd primed for the main event.

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    As Tyler Farr took the stage, he welcomed everyone to and joked with the crowd there at the FShed. Yes, I too wonder Tyler what the “F” could stand for. I can speculate…but sometimes mysteries are much more fun. Having covered this band before I am always impressed with Tyler’s stage presence and interactions with his audience.

    Appealing to all audiences members, don’t let his sexy raspy voice fool you in thinking he’s just another good ole boy singing country music. Well, he is a good ole country boy, however, he’s much more than what you see on the surface. This good ole boy enjoys his hunting, four wheeling, and fishing for sure, but what fans may not know though is that he is also a classically trained opera singer. Studying music throughout high school and college while attending Missouri State University, Tyler’s talent is far-reaching beyond what you see on stage. He also surrounds himself with some of the best musicians in the business as well. His traveling family consists of Tracy Goode on bass, Mark Poiesz on drums, Gary Jannaman on electric guitar and Dirk Weaver on acoustic guitar. These four guys round out the Tyler Farr experience bringing down the house each and every time. Playing all sides of the stage and taking the time to say hello to fans, are just a few of the things I love about Tyler’s band. The are fan friendly and approachable. Oh, and I love photographing them. I may or may not have numerous photos of Gary’s spiky hair. What?!! He’s a fun subject and his hair is rocking!!

    Tyler Farr - FShed Syracuse
    Tyler Farr – FShed Syracuse

    The one thing I’ve noticed about Tyler’s shows, he’s extremely personal with his fans giving them a new show each and every time. He makes his audiences part of the show whether it’s through conversation or just coming out into the audience and shaking hands and taking selfies. With a similar set list night after night, he has a way of making each show unique to each audience. As he performed a mix of rock and roll country hits throughout the night, it was his acoustic numbers that truly impressed me. He gave the audience a glimpse into his vocal range in numbers such as “Hello Goodbye”. Then there was Mark’s drum solo. I’m leaving it at that..trust me it’s a must see. #spoilalert #awesome The entire show flew by before I knew it, and although I have seen him now three times, it’s still a new show each and every time he comes to town. Pretty remarkable feat.

    So in summary I wonder myself Mr. Tyler Far what the F stands for. Perhaps it was for the full venue of fans. Perhaps it was the folksy, bluesy sound that Castle Creek brought to the stage. Perhaps it was the foot stomping rocking set Country Swag performed warming the stage for you. Maybe it stands for your fan friendly disposition you and your band share with fans, demonstrating your appreciation for their support. However, I think it was a combination of all of those things that made the entire evening fantastic. Whatever the F stands for, Tyler FARR brought the party, and we all had FUN at the FShed.

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  • Primus and the Chocolate Factory to Sweeten up Syracuse’s Landmark Theatre April 21

    That’s right folks, for one night only those mad capped musical magicians Primus will be making a stop here in Syracuse at the historic Landmark Theater. The evening’s offerings will include two magnificent sets: set 1 features all of your favorite classics performed by the trio; set 2 includes the band’s brilliant and unusual interpretation of the “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” soundtrack brought to life with the help of the Fungi Ensemble. So hurry up and grab your Golden Ticket because you’re not going to want to miss this limited engagement.

    “Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, the Chocolate Room”

    Primus and the Chocolate FactoryPrimus is:

    Les Claypool – vocals and bass

    Larry “Ler” LaLonde – guitar and backing vocals

    Tim “Herb” Alexander – drums and backing vocals

    The Fungi Ensemble is:

    Mike Dillon – marimba and percussion

    Sam Bass – cello

    Show Details:

    April 21, 2015 7PM Doors 8PM Music. All ages.

    Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY

    Tickets are $25-65$ Buy tickets.

    primusandthechocolatefactory

  • Twiddle talks to NYSMusic about the Dirty Dozen Tour

    The twelve night ‘Dirty Dozen’ co-headlining run with Twiddle and Kung Fu kicked off last night in Buffalo at Iron Works, and continues tonight in Syracuse at the Westcott Theater.  Along with the Buffalo and Syracuse dates, there is a stop at Albany’s Upstate Concert Hall, teaming up with local favorites Mister F. The tour is full of surprises, with no set times being announced, which is exactly the kind of antics fans anticipate with two powerhouse bands such as these two artists. The two bands teamed up for a sold out show in December to benefit Toys for Tots and have both been touring extensively since then.

    Bryan-Lasky-Kung-Fu-11

    NYSmusic sent some interview questions to the Twiddle guys, and they all chimed in with their answers below. Be sure to catch them while you can!

    Jen Foster: First off, how excited are you for a no-holds-barred tour with Kung Fu?

    Twiddle: We’re always extra amped for any gig with Kung Fu.  They are role models for us in the scene, and have been amazing mentors/frends for Twiddle as we continue to grow.

    Jen Foster: When you imagine this kind of tour, what do you hope for more than anything?

    Twiddle: We don’t have any expectations. We are leaving the set times and schedule very open ended so anything can happen. We hope to do some really fun collaborative stuff with Kung Fu that everyone digs. The idea is to have as much fun as possible.

    Jen Foster: What will happen when Ryan Dempsey and Todd Stoops create the ultimate keyboard spaceship?

    Twiddle: It’s gonna get weird, in a really good way.  Expect that dirty alien funk.

    Jen Foster: The term Kungwiddle has been flying around like wildfire. Do you foresee this one of many co-billed shows and band crossovers?

    Twiddle: Yes. We especially love our annual Toys for Tots show with them in CT. It always feels good to play with incredible musicians, and help kids at the same time.

    Jen Foster: Twiddle just finished the “Donde Esta Norb?” tour, and now you’re headed to Costa Rica for Jungle Jam. It has already been a very successful start to the year. Are you at all surprised with the amount of success in the past year?

    Twiddle: We’re always blown away by our fans. They are building an amazing community that is turning into a family. As far as success is concerned, Madison House is doing a great job of getting us on some amazing show/festival bills. Especially Red Rocks with S.C.I.

    Jen Foster: Fans of both Twiddle and Kung Fu are over the moon about this upcoming tour. What kind of hijinks can we look forward to?

    Twiddle: The idea of not announcing set times is to send a message for fans to get there early and stay late. Anything is possible. We have a few filthy tricks up our sleeves but where would the fun be in telling anyone?

    Jen Foster: NYSMusic’s readers are very excited for the upcoming Upstate shows in Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany. Once the Spring tour is behind you, what summer music festivals are you most looking forward to playing?

    Twiddle: The upstate NY markets are slowly becoming marquis/anchor cities for us. Castleton, where we met, is literally on the NY border with Vermont. We love New York. As for the summer, we are making repeat appearances at big fests like Summer Camp, Wakarusa, The Peach and Gathering of the Vibes.  It is always humbling to see our name next to big time artists.  However, the smaller fests like Disc Jam and the Frendly Gathering allow us to see all of our New England frends and family. The Frendly Gathering is in Vermont and we spend the whole weekend there. It is home.

    Dirty Dozen Tour Dates:
    4/1 – Buffalo, NY | Iron Works
    4/2 – Syracuse, NY | Westcott Theater
    4/3 – New York, NY | Irving Plaza
    4/4 – Clifton Park, NY | Upstate Concert Hall
    4/8 – State College, PA | Levels
    4/9 – Pittsburgh, PA | The Rex Theatre
    4/10 – Philadelphia, PA | TLA
    4/11 – Baltimore, MD | Rams Head Live
    4/12 – Richmond, VA | The Broadberry
    4/14 – Greensboro, NC | Blind Tiger
    4/15 – Charlotte, NC | The Chop House
    4/16 – Atlanta, GA | Terminal West