NYS Music 20​15

Category: North Country

  • North Country Mourns Rick Davies

    A pillar of the North Country music scene, trombonist Rick Davies succumbed to a long battle with cancer last week.

    “Rick was a mentor, an amazing musician and a very close friend,” said Lowell Wurster, percussionist of Plattsburgh-based funk/rock act Lucid. “His music and his crazy stories will live on forever.”

    Since 2008, Davies had been the chair of the music department at SUNY Plattsburgh. But, he was so much more than that. As modest as he was talented, many didn’t know of his past work, where he lived more than one life before he ever set foot in Clinton County.

    “His impact on the local and global music community will never be forgotten,” said Lucid saxophonist Jamie Armstrong. “I studied under Rick for six years. He breathed life into music. His compositions just flowed out of him, and he taught with that same fluidity.”

    Originally from New Mexico, Davies bounced around America for decades, performing, recording and collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, from Michael Jackson to Blondie, Mya to Wyclef Jean (to which he appeared on a VH-1 Storytellers episode with Jean and the Refugee All-Stars). With his heart and soul primarily aimed at Latin and jazz music, Davies released numerous albums throughout his bountiful and joyous career, most notably “Salsa Nortena” which went on to win the 2012 Independent Music Award for “Best Latin Recording.”

    But, for all of us who knew him personally in the North Country, he was much more than just a great musician, he was a beloved member of our community.

    “He was a great friend and mentor” Armstrong said. “I can’t imagine my life unfolding the way it has without his influence and encouragement.”

    “He would call and check up on my father during his hard times, and we did the same with Rick during his — he was much more than just a family friend, he was family,” Wurster added. “He will be deeply missed, with his passing a loss for people of many cultures all over the world.”

    And, for me personally, coming home will never be the same without running into Rick. Whether it was cheering him on as he led the Adirondack Jazz Orchestra at Olive Ridley’s, onstage at some bar with Lucid or during the annual Mayor’s Cup, or simply coasting through another beautiful set at Irises, that trademark sly grin will always be remembered fondly.

    Each and every time I would visit home, I’d find myself at Meron’s for a game of pool and cold Labatt Blue. Like clockwork, Davies and his wife, Karen, would be sitting at the far end of the counter, smiles all around. He’d always ask what I was up to, how the music journalist gig was going, and would speak excitedly about whatever project he was currently working on, how “incredible these kids I’m working with are.”

    Rick Davies loved life, which was showcased in his emotional playing, his sincere passion to teach and share the craft and camaraderie that resides solely in music.

    And for that, we loved him.

    https://vimeo.com/129144972

  • Party Tube Presents “A Very Burghy Christmas”

    Party Tube from Plattsburgh has a new holiday tune for this season, a fun and cynical look at the doom and gloom that Christmas brings to some in the North Country of NY. “A Very Burghy Christmas” was written by Kevin Lewis (guitar, vocals) alongside Sean Godreau (bass, percussion) and Justin Schultz  (guitar, percussion, vocals).

    Party Tube formed in 2014 on the shore of Lake Champlain and have quickly become a North Country mainstay. The group plans on hitting the studio to work on their debut album in early 2016. Download the track here.

  • Backwoods Pondfest 2015: Small Festival with Big Heart

    One of the best kept secrets in the festival circuit took place on August 7 and 8, 2015 in the Adirondack region known as Backwoods Pondfest put on by Full Circle Music Productions. The intimate festival is located at Twin Ponds Campsite in Peru, NY (almost Canada) with less than 2,000 attendees, most of whom have been coming to Pondfest for years and rejoice in the North Country reunion. The open car camping provides festival goers with spacious sites in the grassy fields, pond side or quiet wooded area.Newest and biggest upgrade to the festival was the large circus, cone shaped tent over the Woods Stage that offered quality sound and intrigue late night visuals. The event features over 20 musical talents from all genres and calibers of local favorites and national acts, with back to back performances on two stages. Guests who took advantage of the Early Bird Thursday night tickets got prime real estate and a live stream of Albany’s Formula 5 show in Lake George.

    Pondfesters arrived all throughout the day on Friday, unloading and setting up under crystal blue skies and sunshine. The Lynguistic Civilians voted Vermont’s best hip hop groupand making their debut at Pondfest, engaged the crowd with old school favorites and original, expressive lyrics. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong was another group new to the festival and was received with open arms. Their lighthearted, psychedelic funk was at an all-time high with a splash of reggae stirred in was the perfect start for the party on Friday night. “F U” got an extended jam with extra voltage from Max Garrett on trumpet from Capital Zen. The all string, quartet of Blind Owl Band call the Adirondack region and are no strangers to Backwoods Pondfest with a dedicated fan base at the Woods Stage. It was a hot set of bluegrass with an extra steamy, ferocious cover of The Allman Brother’s “Whipping Post”.

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    Lucid took a break from festival hosting duties to perform their traditional first set of the weekend on the main stage. “Simmer On Down” had beautifully stretched peaks of tropical melodies that splashed down into a psychedelic middle eastern ride. The crowd got charged up as Lucid brought up George Wurster on harmonica for the “Backwoods” theme song. The night only got hotter after the sun went down with the fire spinners whipping and juggling the flames in sync with the North Country music and to the awe of the audience. At the woods stage,Gang of Thieves, Vermont’s funk rock and roll band slayed their first Pondfest with a mighty Led Zeppelin medley that sent chills all over the backwoods. Headliner of the night, Particle, brought their dirty Philly street funk to Pondfest for a set full of high organ groove courtesy of Steve Molitz and heart racing rhythm of Allen Aucoin. Guitarist Ben Combe and bassist Clay Parnell unfolded layers of riffs that drove the vibrant rock. Friday night wasn’t over yet as Albany’s Mister F closed out the woods stage with a late night set of chilling livetronica. Fans who stayed up for the action got a special Steve Molitz sit in that raised the bar for the rest of the weekend.

    Saturday began as another beautiful day at Pondfest with perfect weather settings and an incredible lineup to look forward to. Those seeking a space of meditation and peace found it with Samantha Jo at her morning yoga class. Dozens participated in the deep breathing and stretched that were so desperately needed after a night of dancing. Meadow and Kevin Sabourin of Lucid serenaded the yogis with soft, acoustic lullabies. One of the best things about this festival being so small is that you can hear the music from the stages at your campsite. You’re always in the music. The Balkun Brothers, Steve and Nick Balkun invited everyone into the sandbox of the Wood Stage for train track, funk rock. Festival host and performer, Lowell sat in with his mean harmonica soul as the Balkun music awed the crowd. Twiddle fans were gifted with a Mihali Savoulidis acoustic Story Telling set on the Main Stage for a mellow ease into the afternoon. The raw and intimate set featured beat box looping of Twiddle classics about love and friendships, with behind the scene tales of how they came to be.The Heavy Pets kicked it up a notch with improvisational tight jams of rock and roll. Their deep focused peaks provide high cliff hangers when the chorus catches up with you.

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    One of the most anticipated sets of the weekend was the Ex Presidents featuring Eric Gould of Particle, Todd Stoops of RAQ and Kung Fu, Neal “Fro” Evans of Dopapod, and Andrew Block of Big Sam’s Funky Nation. There was plenty of hype to go around with it being their first performance and let’s hope it’s not their last. The chemistry these veteran musicians have is impeccable with a fluid groove that kept the set fun and airy. Jeff Lloyd of Heavy Pets joined the talented crew for an awesome cover of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” Stoops made the announcement of Evans becoming the newest member of RAQ with a side of jokes of everyone joining each other’s bands.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i__QLSM3_y4

    The night took a turn towards a urban street party as Sophistifunk packed out the Woods Stage with old school hip hop that had the ground shaking. The big event of the night was Backwoods Pondfest veterans, Spiritiual Rez blowing up the Main Stage at midnight. You could see the steam rising over the band as they feverously rocked out with a climactic unannounced fireworks show that flawlessly matched up with “Let’s Go Out With A Bang.” Normal Instruments brought the key ingredient of late night festival life with high energetic livetronica with fast rhythm and blaring chords.

    The festival ended as quickly as it began. The pack up is never as much fun as setting it up but we carry the memories with us until next year’s festival. Backwoods Pondfest continues to be a close knit festival of friends and family working together to host talented musicians that bring incredible music and smiles. It’s one of the best weekends you could have of the summer in Upstate NY so be sure to meet us in the backwoods for next year’s Backwoods Pondfest.

  • The Waterhole is Closed… For Now

    Residents of the North Country are mourning the loss today of one of the most legendary concert venues around. The Waterhole closed last night after decades of serving up amazing music along with countless beers and strong cocktails.

    Hope remains that the Saranac Lake watering hole will reopen soon under new ownership, but for now, the dim lights of the downstairs bar and the bright stage lights will be dark for the future.

    For a venue of its size in such a small town — Saranac Lake has around 5,000 residents, and it’s a strong population center in the middle of the sparsely settled Adirondack Park — the Waterhole’s stage has been graced with some heavy hitters, as well as nurturing plenty of local talent.

    In 2013, the venue held a two-month-long celebration to mark 20 years since owner Billy Allen converted the second level of the bar (which was open for more than 40 years) from apartments into the Upstairs Music Lounge. Since then, some significant bands have filled the two-level concert hall with music: moe., the Del McCoury Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Soulive, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Man Man, Gov’t Mule, Leftover Salmon, the Infamous Stringdusters, Max Creek, and Donna the Buffalo, among many others.

    It’s also been a regular gathering place for locals and visitors during the village’s popular Winter Carnival, with music every night and often two acts a day, as well as its Party on the Patio series that meant a free show every Thursday night, usually from May through October.

    On Friday night, EMEFE played the last show there for a while, and near the end of the show they dedicated the song “Good Future” to the Waterhole and the crew who have been running it.

    Traveling bands have appreciated the Waterhole as a venue with character as well as an opportunity to build up their fan base in the Adirondacks, but few have appreciated it as much as the local bandswho got their start there. Lowell Wurster, percussionist for Lucid, posted kind words yesterday on Facebook:

    “So tonight marks the end of a North Country legacy. The beloved Waterhole in Saranac Lake is closing its doors. It really makes me sad, but I understand the reasons. Lucid first played there about 10 years ago and to this day, its one of our favorite venues. Thank you Brenda and everyone who has worked there over the years.”

    Eric Munley, mandolin player for the Blind Owl Band, also booked music there for the last handful of years.

    “The Waterhole is temporarily closing its doors tonight, between change of ownership. While it is a sad day for the bar, town and Upstate music community, we all look to the future with hope that soon enough the doors will reopen and live music will again fill its walls. The Waterhole has always been a blessing. A true music venue with focus on nothing besides music. Every musician that has gotten to play there knows the love that exists with in its walls. We all want to thank Brenda and her crew for so many great years of music. I know I would not be where I am today if the Waterhole was not there to inspire my path.”

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    This drawing was seen on the chalkboard at the Waterhole the last few days it was open. Photo courtesy of Katrina Lauber. Drawing done by John?

    Are you a musician or a music lover with fond Waterhole memories? Tell us about it in the comments!

  • Spiritual Rez Goes Coast to Coast on Fall Tour

    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.

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    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.

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    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.

    For more information and tour dates, visit their website or Facebook page.

    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

  • Interview with Steve Molitz

    The 9th annual Backwoods Pondfest is set to take place this coming weekend, August 7 and 8 in beautiful Upstate New York at Twin Ponds Campsite in Peru. Tickets are still available online via their website (click here) and include two nights of car camping and live music. The intimate festival gathers local and regional acts as well as nationally recognized bands such as this year’s headliner Particle featuring keyboardist Steve Molitz, guitarist Ben Combe, bassist Clay Parnell and Allen Aucion on drums. The four piece livetronica funk band lays out hard hitting, improvisational jams with energetic, spacey melodies that create contagious dance grooves. I was lucky to have Steve Molitz answer a few questions for me about his July 4 weekend, new music and Backwoods Pondfest.

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    Susan Rice: Talk about epic holiday memory. How did it feel to perform on July 4th in Chicago as part of the Grateful Dead post show late night series? Were the Grateful Dead a major influence on your music?

    Steve Molitz: “Epic holiday memory” pretty much sums it up! Our post-Dead show on 7/4 was sold out in advance, and the energy in the venue was off the charts. It was just one of those nights where everything clicked and there was a very tight feedback loop between the musicians, the music, and the fans. There was a magic in the air that the Dead created at their show, and the fans bottled it up and brought it with them to our late night. It was an absolute honor and a thrill to be a part of such a special weekend of music.

    The Grateful Dead have definitely been an influence on my music, but in sort of an abstract way. Stylistically, Particle and the Dead sound very different, but thematically there’s a lot of overlap. I learned a lot from them about how to approach improvisational music with an open mind and an open heart. You really have to have faith in the unknown, and you have to be willing to place all your trust in the hands of your band members. Only then can you truly lose yourself in the moment and become an interwoven fabric of the improvisational tapestry.

    I’ve been touring on and off with Phil Lesh for the past eleven years, and one cool thing that he tells his band members is that we just have to give ourselves permission to try new things. He encourages us to reach beyond our comfort level into an unknown realm, and that is always where the most profound musical discoveries occur. I have really tried to incorporate that ethos into Particle’s approach to improvisation, so in that way I suppose the Dead have been a huge influence on us …

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    SR: This will be your first time performing at Backwoods Pondfest. What are you most excited about for headlining this North Country festival?

    SM: I’m most excited to check out some of the other bands on the festival. It’s always such a treat at these summer fests to experience so many different types of music all in one place. Off the top of my head, a handful of Backwoods Pondfest bands that I’m excited to see are Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Sophistafunk, Normal Instruments, Lucid, Mister F, and The Heavy Pets…

    SR: What new music have you been listening to on your road trips?

    SM: I guess the newest music I’ve been listening to is Particle because we are in the middle of recording a new studio album right now so I’ve been completely immersing myself in those songs. That music is so new it’s not even out yet! I can’t wait for people to hear these songs, and I can’t wait to tour with all this new material…

    I also listen to a lot of podcasts on the road like the Joe Rogan Experience, I Am Rapaport Stereo Podcast, Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour, etc..

    Also, Prof’s new album Liability drops on 10/16, and that’s right in the middle of Particle’s big Accelerator Tour (tickets here), so I’m sure I’ll be bumping Prof almost exclusively come October.

    SR: How have you been able to keep up with the nonstop, crazed momentum of Particle?

    SM: Love is all you need …

    … and coffee 🙂

  • Road to Backwoods: Lucid — Gracious Host and Headliner

    This “Road to Backwoods” piece will focus on Backwoods Pondfest repeating act and gracious host, Lucid. Known as the Pride of Plattsburgh, Lucid has made a name for themselves in the North Country as well as all over the Empire State for their music that combines Adirondack blues, high altitude funk and reckless rock for a unique sound of soul and love.

    Earlier this spring, Lucid released “Dirt” an album of smooth jazz, light reggae and feel good rock with uplifting grooves and charming harmonies that beautiful captures the Backwoods Pondfest vibe and growth of Lucid. Keeping up with the tradition of two sets, Lucid will perform Friday night on the Woods Stage at 11:45 p.m. and Saturday evening at 7 p.m. on the Main Stage. Being the host at Backwoods, Lucid participates in every aspect of the festival from prepping the campgrounds, organizing the crew and production setup. Their hard work continues to pay off each year with returning fans eager to share in the good times and intimate party atmosphere, making for an ideal festival experience.

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    The 9th annual Backwoods Pondfest will take place at Twin Ponds Campsite in Peru, N.Y. on August 7 and 8. Tickets are still available via their website (click here) at $75 for two nights of camping and live music. This year’s lineup includes Particle, Ex Presidents (Todd Stoops, Eric Gould, Neal “Fro” Evans and Andrew Block), The Heavy Pets, Spiritual Rez, Sophistafunk, Mihali Savouliois of Twiddle and much more. Be sure to get your tickets now and meet us in the Backwoods!

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9SVsO6XkQk]

  • Road to Backwoods Pondfest: Sophistafunk

    Get your Backwoods Pondfest party started with the ultimate New York funk trio, Sophistafunk. With the combined talent of Jack Brown’s hip-shaking vocals, Adam Gold’s keys, bass and vocals, and Emanuel Washington’s groove-inducing drumming, they’ll get you dancing and work the audience into a frenzy through deep instrumental grooves.

    Recently featured in Relix Magazine “5 Artists You Should Know About” (May 2015), this funky indie trio was also featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives when Adam Gold’s venue/restaurant Funk ‘n Waffles was profiled on the Food Network show.

    Backwoods Pondfest keeps getting better and better, and there’s plenty more in store! Check out the lineup and pick up tickets to this incredible festival today!

  • Road to Backwoods Pondfest: Waylon Speed Brings a Dose of Vermont Country

    Vermont Country is a genre all its own and Waylon Speed will be bringing their self-described underground outlaw dirt rock from the mountains of Vermont to Backwoods Pondfest August 7-8 at Twin Ponds Campsite in Peru, NY.

    Having recently celebrated their sixth year as a band at B.B. King’s in New York City, the Vermont honky-tonk stylings of Waylon Speed are not your typical country, bringing to mind the likes of deep cuts from Lynyrd Skynyrd mixed with rockabilly of the Stray Cats and Upstate’s own Eastbound Jesus. This is not pop country you find at the CMA’s, this is far more grittier and funkier, truer to the lyrics they sing without the formulaic country sound you find on the radio. No, Waylon Speed is a fresh and welcome sound out of Vermont, one of the most unique you’ll find at Backwoods Pondfest this August.

    Waylon Speed is Rev. Chad Hammaker (guitar & vocals), Kelly Ravin (guitars & vocals), Justin Crowther (drums & harmonica) and Noah Crowther (bass & vocals), and while they’re a quartet from Vermont, you won’t find psychedelic jams and improvisational rock here. Having won awards for as “Vermont’s Best Band” at the New England Music Awards and Seven Days Daisy Award as “Best Americana Band”, this is true country rock that you would find at a local watering hole tucked deep in the Green Mountains or Adirondacks, with a sound that is befitting urban venues and summer music festivals.

    Follow Waylon Speed on Facebook and Twitter

  • Road to Backwoods Pondfest: Meet The Ex-Presidents

    This summer, the North Country of New York State plays host to the 9th annual Backwoods Pondfest, taking place at Twin Ponds Campground in the town of Peru. One of the most authentic music festival experiences in terms of size, music, atmosphere and community, the festival has grown steadily since inception and boasts a stellar lineup once again, highlighted by the first performance of a new supergroup, Ex-Presidents.

    This supergroup’s name is tongue-in-cheek in origins, given that Todd Stoops, formerly of Kung Fu, brought together friends who are former members of bands. “It a play on words, making light of situations that have happened. I’ve played with all these guys separately for a while. I’ve known Eric for 15 years at least with RAQ and Particle. Block and I played with Stratospheric Allstars this past spring at Brooklyn Bowl and he’s an amazing guitar player. Fro I have known from playing shows with Dopapod in the past and it was all one of those flashes of ‘Hey, let get together and play some serious heavy metal space funk dance music,’ explained Stoops. “It was a spark of ‘let’s do something awesome.’”

    The lineup of Ex-Presidents, a reference to Point Break, a cinematic masterpiece as Stoops will readily argue, includes Todd Stoops (RAQ, Kung Fu) on keys, Eric Gould (Particle) on bass, Andrew Block (Gramatik) on guitar and Neal ‘Fro’ Evans (Dopapod) on drums. The bands that these members originate from reflect distinct genres that will mesh together when the band comes together on August 9. Funk (Stoops), Soul (Block), EDM (Gould) and jam/prog (Evans), but that is not to say the four musicians are pigeonholed in this new outfit. Rather, the group will find cohesion among the idea of wanting to make people dance with a non-familiar edge, with Stoops hoping fans realize “I didn’t expect this sound, but I’m moving to it.” That sound is explained by Stoops as “White Zombie meets LCD Soundsystem,” the latter of which he has performed “Home” during the Stratosphere Allstars show at Brooklyn Bowl this past May.

    Each member of Ex-Presidents brings to the band something different, shaped around Stoops’ concept of putting together something new and with an edge. “Fro is that drummer and he beats the shit out of the drums and one of the best. When I met Dopapod back in the day and became friends, one night they were crushing a Tool cover and I considered him for this project based on that. Eric has been crushing on bass and we’ve known each other so long it was a natural choice. Andrew has just a soaring guitar and this is a chance for fans to see him outside of Gramatik and hear something different. Plus, he is super, super talented and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.”

    When asked if there will be more shows, Stoops doesn’t rule it out. “There is definitely some potential for this project.” Fans in attendance at Pondfest will get first crack at the Ex-Presidents when they perform August 9 at the festival in what will hopefully be their first of many performances.

    The sound of Ex-Presidents could be a breakout set at Backwoods Pondfest, and that’s just the tip of the lineup. With more updates on Pondfest to come, stay tuned for what will surely be a banner year for the festival.

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