NYS Music 20​15

Category: Manhattan

  • Faith No More Leave Long Lasting Impression on Day One at NYC’s Webster Hall

    Faith No More has embarked on one of the biggest tours of 2015 and for the first leg of the tour, they played two show’s at New York City’s Webster Hall last week, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on a ticket and managed to take a trip down and catch the first show on May 13. The Webster Hall is one of Manhattan’s most premiere night clubs, and a very intimate setting to catch a metal show. It was a real blessing to have attended this show. But things started off with the most unexpected, a punk band from Mexico called Le Butcherettes.

    faith no more
    San Francisco – October 28, 2014

    You couldn’t ask for a more bizarre, yet appropriate band to open for Faith No More. Le Butcherettes is exactly what rock and roll is missing. And that is the “I don’t give a fuck” attitude packaged with the unexpected. It all starts with frontwoman Teri Gender Bender who is an absolute fiend. I would describe her as the female Mike Patton with a touch of Wendy O’ Williams to her. Not only vocally, she possesses a wide range, she’s playing the keyboard and guitar, but most importantly her performance was so wicked, dirty, and out of this world. Everyone in the audience was in awe from this band. I almost forgot I was at a Faith No More show before their set ended.

    When Faith No More took the stage, it was the most surreal and beautiful thing to behold. They had everything in white on stage, and before they started, the stage hands and roadies covered everything in flowers. It almost looked like a wedding.

    The same day, Faith No More performed on Jimmy Fallon. They started off with a new song “Mother Fucker” which lit everyone up with excitement. As for me, I haven’t felt such a surreal feeling of witnessing a band play since the first time I saw Soundgarden reunite at Chicago’s Lollapalooza back in 2010. The entire band has such a unique chemistry. Frontman Mike Patton’s outlandish and comical presence is something to behold, and vocally, whether if he’s singing his ass off, rapping, or doing super sonic screams, he proves to this day he’s one of the very best in the business.

    The one who anchors the band is keyboardist Roddy Buttom. He has an intimidating presence, but he’s also comical. It’s very rare in a band when the keyboardist is the one that takes charge. I also really liked bassist Billy Gould’s performance, he’s definitely an underrated bass player.

    Five songs in, Faith No More performed their well-known hit “Epic” along with another new song “Sunny Side Up”. The real highlight of the set was hearing “Surprise! You’re Dead!” and “Midlife Crisis” back to back. Faith No More did a phenomenal job playing songs off their Mike Patton-era catalog and material off their new album Sol Invictus.

    Later in the set we heard “Easy” and “King For A Day” before closing with “Ashes To Ashes” and their new single “Superhero”. But of course the crowd was graced with a three song encore and a one song second encore thus giving New York City 19 songs total.

    Overall, an unforgettable night for sure. Faith No More is back with a vengeance and will be returning to New York City at Madison Square Garden on August 5. So if you missed the two shows at Webster Hall, you still have a chance to see them in August, and I highly recommend that you do because you won’t regret it. 2015 is the year of Faith No More.

  • moe. to Play Children’s Benefit

    moe. will be the featured artist at an annual benefit for the Children’s Health Fund at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall.

    The June 1 benefit features tickets that range from $1,250 to $100,000, but a limited number of $75 balcony tickets are available for moe.rons who want to attend. Concert goers will have to adhere to a business casual dress code.

    The evening starts at 8 p.m. with an awards presentation, then moe. will play for a half-hour. A dessert and cocktail reception will follow.

    moe.-CHF-benefit

    The Children’s Health Fund provides health care to the nation’s most disadvantaged children with 51 mobile health clinics serving more than 80,000 kids throughout the U.S. Those who can’t attend can still help.

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

    moe. also announced Tuesday that they’ll re-release a limited vinyl run of their first studio album “Fatboy,” in honor of the band’s 25th anniversary this year. The record will be on sale this weekend at Summer Camp, and it will be available in stores May 26. The run is limited to 3,000 copies, so get it while you can!

    fatboy-LP-282x300

    moe Children’s Benefit

  • Jesus on the Mainline Fills the Stage at Brooklyn Bowl

    Jesus On The Mainline is a fifteen piece ensemble comprised of some of the best young musical talent New York City has to offer. Led by band leader Andrew Neesley (lead vocals, violin) his ensemble consists of Mel Flannery (vocals), Amanda Brecker (vocals), Tim Emmerick (vocals,guitar,banjo), Tomek Miernowski (bass), Dave Scalia (drums), Pascal Le Beouf (keyboard, organ), Andrew Miramonti (guitar), Simon Kafka (guitar), Mike Gorham (trumpet), Sam Oatts (trumpet), Natalie Cressman (trombone), Frank Cohen (trombone), Mark McGinnis (tuba), Jake Goldbas (percussion) and Austin Walker (percussion).
    When you are preparing to see a band of this magnitude there is only one question you must ask yourself; will they all fit on stage? In stark contrast to past venues JOTM has played, Brooklyn Bowl gave them a chance to get comfortable on the roomy stage and let their sound shine through. With an eclectic range of tunes, at times ranging from southern rock to  gospel and soul, the audience was captivated by the precise arrangements and compositions.
    ScottHarris-JOTML-1200px--08752
    Neesley donning dark shades, shaved head, and a prolific beard, soon to be approaching ZZ Top status, began the set with the soulful and powerful tune “War” and made clear that given the right space to spread their wings JOTM could do not wrong. The gospel sounding “Angel From Montgomery” set the crowd up for a seamless transition into the rocking ruckus of “Jump Right In” with the entire cast firing on all cylinders. JOTM was reminiscent of a young, fresh, Tedeschi Trucks Band, combining all their talents to ensure their compositions resonated with everyone in attendance. Neesley takes time throughout each tune, while leading the band, to step aside and let each musician shine through, whether its Le Beouf’s organ solos or Flannery’s angelic voice giving us a soul filled cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium”.
    To close outthe evening the entire ensemble took part in “Sister City, Brother Bone” with a classic rock sound, that gave way to the rhythm section to showcase their synergy. As long Jesus On The Mainline can find a stage to hold them and a room to contain their huge sound they are here to stay.
    You can listen to Jesus On The Mainline here or catch them at Rockwood Music Hall on Thursday, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 at midnite.
    Jesus On The Mainline, Brooklyn Bowl, 4/28/2015
    War, The Wrong Side, Chronically Lazy, Angel From Montgomery, Jump Right In, Sweet High & Dry, Take Me, Cry The Mamas Did, Lithium, Sister City Brother Bone

  • Opeth Announces The Only Two US Shows for 25th Anniversary Tour: NYC and LA

    The Swedish progressive metal band we’ve known for 25 years as Opeth is marking their anniversary with a European and Mexican/South American tour freshly underway. Don’t let that hinder your spirits entirely, however. This week the band announced two special US shows: NYC at the Beacon Theater October 22 and Los Angeles, CA at the Orpheum Theater October 24.

    Opeth will perform two sets, including the album Ghost Reveries in its entirety to mark the 10th anniversary of its 2005 release. The band is also touring on the crest of their most recent release Pale Communion.

    Tickets for both the NYC and LA shows have sold out very quickly, within hours of the public on-sale date of May 1.

  • Long-Time NYC Radio DJ Vin Scelsa On The Mic For ‘Idiot’s Delight’ One Final Time Tonight

    Vin Scelsa has been hosting his free-form radio program Idiot’s Delight for nearly 50 years (47 to be exact), making appearances with the program on a handful of FM radio stations in the NYC area and even on SiriusXM.

    For more than the last decade, Vin has called WFUV 90.7 in The Bronx his radio home. Tonight, May 2, he will take the mic one last time before saying farewell to loyal fans and music lovers.

    Vin Scelsa WFUV

    Idiot’s Delight airs from 8pm to 10pm on 90.7 FM in the greater NYC area (Long Island/Northern NJ/Westchester/Western CT) and online at wfuv.org.

    Check out a recent retrospective from Vin Scelsa on Billboard.com and parting thoughts Vin has shared with his audience on the WFUV website.

  • Photo Gallery: ShwizZ at Garcia’s, April 18

    On Saturday, April 18 ShwizZ played to a full house at Garcia’s as the official after show for Jeff Beck at The Capitol Theatre. The progressive funk outfit played in support of their new 2 disc album My Good Side/My Bad Side, which will go on sale May 16 with a late night release party at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY.

    shwizz at garcia'sShwizZ at Garcia’s Setlist: 12, Duggan, Orange Wreck, Pomegranate, City Of Tiny Lights, Bad Side, Zone, Doorbell, In The Bag, Good Side, Slop Cream, Slow Down, Tax Man, MGF

    Photos and Review by: Nick Irving

    Upcoming shows:
    May 23, Arch Street Tavern, Hartford CT
    May 29, Good Times Getdown, White Haven, PA
    May 30, Domefest Terra Alta, WV

  • Show Number One: Widespread Panic: Kings Theatre April 24 Brooklyn, NY

    Gearing up on a chilly Friday afternoon in Brooklyn, I was about to embark on a new journey, my first Widespread Panic show. For somebody who has been seeing live music consistently for twenty years now, it came as a shock to those around me I have avoided, unintentionally, Widespread Panic for all these years.

    This show came at the end of a week where WSP got nothing but bad publicity, from Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Silvers of Orange Beach, AL admonishing The Wharf for booking them on a holiday weekend due to the “floppiness” and unruly behavior of their fans, to a local news affiliate in Washington DC, discussing the rampant use of nitrous oxide outside of the concert only days before.

    Albeit, Spreadheads, as the die-hard WSP fans are commonly referred to do have a reputation for enjoying their booze and getting rowdy. I guess I’m going to have to go see WSP in the south if I want to encounter that type of behavior, because at the newly renovated Kings Theater in Flatbush, Brooklyn the fans seemed to be on their best behavior this Friday evening.

    • As I showed up to the venue there were no signs of a party taking place anywhere in sight. The crowd was adhering to the instructions of venue personnel and everyone was filling the theater in an orderly manner.
    • Walking inside the Kings Theater is like entering a palace, newly renovated and pristine. Dwarfing the antiquated look of the Beacon or the glamour of Carnegie Hall. It looked like a palace on the inside, not the type of place you would want 3,200 wasted and unruly Spreadheads.
    • Most people were coming from their jobs and seemed to be grabbing their first beer of the day just before showtime. Maybe I would see a different side of the crowd towards the end of the show, but at this point everyone was dressed nicely and seemed ready to enjoy some music.
    • The venue couldn’t have been more accommodating as everyone I came with, mostly WSP veterans, were able to spend the whole evening together, dead center, fifteen rows back from the stage. This was a good thing for me, I always had a little birdie to give me background on the song they were playing.
    • As the lights went down and the band took the stage, the energy that filled the room was reminiscent of what I normally experience at a Phish show, a band I have been seeing for over fifteen years.
    • Dave Schools lights his first cigarette of the night, take a few drags, and places it into an ashtray on top of his amp. They let you smoke in here? Only if you’re in the band I assume.
    • Second song in “Travelin Light” by J.J. Cale. Hey I know this song, and these guys really do it justice, while putting their own spin on it.
    • Jimmy Herring and Duane Trucks drive this band, they both have a commanding presence and seem to play off each other flawlessly. Wait, they’re not original members? What did these guys sound like before… They sound excellent now.
    • John Bell’s voice has that perfect amount of southern twang to remind you this is a southern rock band, but not too much where you think this is just a glorified country rock band. Allman Brothers-esque but completely different.
    • WOW! The Kings Theater has cup holders, I bet this is the classiest venue WSP has ever played. Friend whispers in ear “This is nothing, you have to see Widespread Panic in the south.”
    • Dave Schools lights another cigarette.
    • The energy in the crowd is growing with every passing tune, the collective smiles and bright eyes are evident of two things, people passed on the $14 beers for hallucinogens and WSP plays a consistently excellent rock show night in and night out, they seemed flawless, tight, and in tune with what the fans wanted.
    • Even the jams seem composed, short, and tight. Nothing like other bands that just take songs for a ride for twenty plus minutes into a far off territory, then bring it back to right where it started. They may just be more of a great rock band than a jam band.
    • Dave Schools lights another cigarette.
    • “Chilly Water” is a great song, if it were at a festival… outside… in the dead of summer… I bet the red-headed woman next to me would have loved the nearly full bottle of water dumped over her head by the wasted girl behind her. Unfortunately, we were inside, on a 30 something degree night in Brooklyn. She was offered a whiskey to compensate and even the empty water bottle to throw. The two blonde girls next to her almost started a cat fight, but cooler heads prevailed, “It’s just “Chilly Water”” a reasonable gentleman said. In my opinion this is a thousand time better than to be hit in the back of the head with glowsticks, my least favorite Phish tradition. Once again told “You want to see some shit thrown during “Chilly Water” go see WSP in the south…”
    • I hope this venue has a great system for smokers during setbreak, because I didn’t see one in the venue the entire first set. Shocker… They didn’t; trying to corral 3,000 tipsy WSP fans into a one in one out system to go outside to smoke almost incited a riot. Luckily they gave up on this policy rather quickly. Panic fans like to smoke as much as Dave Schools does.
    • Everyone is back in there places as set break comes to an end. Halfway to the finish line. Through first set have nothing but respect for the Spreadheads, seems like 30% of the crowd traveled from afar to see their favorite band. On another note, these guys rock and I am really enjoying everything about the show. The music, the venue, the crowd, even the drunk girl who dumped water on our heads, everything is working in perfect harmony.
    • Widespread Panic comes back on stage; Schools lights another cigarette. I probably wouldn’t be making such a big deal about it but, first off, he smokes a lot, second, I can’t believe the venue allows it, they just spent ninety-five million dollars renovating this place.
    • The band brings the energy from to start and gets the crowd right back into it.
    • Sly & The Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” another song I know. Interesting I have been just as captivated by WSP’s originals that I have never heard before as with the cover’s I know every word too. This is usually a good sign, while most people get lost in all original music they are not familiar with.
    • Bell & Schools are amazing musicians and talented entertainers, but Herring and Trucks are powerhouses. The bring the type of musicianship that would propel any band to the next level.
    • This very large man behind us has obviously had too many, and may topple over at any moment. Fans politely move him out to the aisle and security walks him to the back. I’m beginning to think Mayor Silvers of Orange Beach has no clue what he is talking about.
    • “Up All Night” is an extremely catchy song, and got everyone involved in a sing a long from the first chord. Well everyone but me, but I faked it because I was having such a good time.
    • Another cover, and another song I know, Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns, and Money”. The song choice has been stellar up to this point, originals and covers alike.
    • During “Bust It Big” the band went into full on jam mode. Finally leaving the structure of a song completely behind and taking us to another realm, where still Herring & Trucks led the way.
    • Panic does an excellent job of keeping the energy level up, not a conscious person in the house was sitting deep into the second set.
    • “City Of Dreams” encore! I love this song, and Bell does a great job of singing it. One more stellar cover to close out the night.
    • Oops, I’m wrong, a little ZZ Top to close with “Waitin’ For The Bus” seems like an appropriate band for WSP to cover, given their shared southern roots.
    • Wrong again, one more ZZ Top tune to close out the night. “Jesus Just Left Chicago” had me singing at the top of my lungs only hearing Bells voice ringing out over my own.

    I had a fantastic time seeing Widespread Panic for the first time and have to wonder what took me so long. Maybe, if I saw them in a previous incarnation, with different band members, I would not of enjoyed them as much. I relate this experience to seeing an Elephant at the zoo, no matter how remarkable it is, it would obviously be better to see it in its natural habitat. I am hoping my next Widespread Panic experience can be south of the Mason-Dixon line, in their natural environment.

    Dave Schools lights another cigarette.
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  • Sprocket at Brooklyn Bowl: Not A Secret Anymore

    The ever growing Sprocket fan base was out in full force for the bands biggest show to date. The hard working NYC bases jam band has put in the time and energy to get to showcase their talents on NYC’s hottest stage, Brooklyn Bowl. Tom Tompkins (guitar), Dan Haller (bass), Nate Rosler (drums), and Angelo Miliano (keyboards) had all but forty-five minutes to show the Brooklyn Bowl crowd what all the hype was about and why they are the best kept secret in the NYC jam scene. I don’t think they are a secret anymore, crushing the set with just three songs, the way all jam bands should do a second set. The set began with “Letters At The Bottom Of The Sea” an unreleased track which featured an indie meets improvisational rock vibe, an all around well composed and executed song, which can surely be jammed out in the future. Sprocket sounded tight and relaxed, not given any time to get in the groove with such a short set they followed with “Shroud”. Without an extended solo Rosler showcased his talent on the drum kit by powering the band through this uptempo and solid jam, keeping the energy level high. The band took a quick breather and shared with their fans how excited they were to be playing at Brooklyn Bowl and let us know they would jam out the rest of the set. “Cube” was a set closer and encore all rolled into one, featuring many peaks as the band was encouraged to keep the jam rolling. The only song played off of their 2014 release Tropical Bushwick, they were able to take this well structured tune into an exploratory space and really pile layers on top of layers within this jam. Sprocket kept the audience captivated and begging for more.

    You can see Sprocket next on May 23 at the Studio at Webster Hall, tickets here or in Chicago on July 4, post GD50 at the Hard Rock Chicago, tickets here.

    Setlist: Sprocket at Brooklyn Bowl 4/21
    Letters At The Bottom Of The Sea, The Shroud, Cube

    *Photos By: Evan Rosler

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  • Natalie Cressman Keeps the Late Night Grooving at the Blue Note Jazz Club

    For 34 years the Blue Note Jazz Club has been cramming this small, railroad style club, full of music enthusiasts, shoulder to shoulder and back to back. The late night groove series which showcases local up-and-coming artists (such as Natalie Cressman) across many genres from funk to R&B, was the perfect place for this blend of classic jazz melodies fused with everything from Bossa Nova to Indie Rock.

    Natalie Cressman (trombone, lead vocals) and her band, Ivan Jackson (trumpet, vocals), Mike Bono (guitar), Jonathan Stein (bass), Samora Pinderhughes (keys), and Mark Whitfield Jr. (drums) combined their musical talents and influences to walk us through a Pandoras Box of uptempo beats and traditional jazz.

    Natalie Cressman Blue NoteThe night began with “Motherless Child” reminiscent of a blend of Brazilian Jazz and Samba featuring a powerful solo by Jackson and an opportunity for the entire band to show off their talent while Cressman conceded to the side stage to let them shine.

    On “Stolen Bells” Cressman and Jackson started off showcasing the cohesion of the small horn section while Pinderhughes forewent the grand piano to take us for a ride on his Nord. Cressman showed off her vocals for the first time of the evening on “Fortune’s Fool” off of her 2014 release Turn The Sea giving way to a lengthy piano solo by Pinderhughes on the soft and gentle tune. “The Unknown” gave Cressman a chance to further captivate the audience with her singing, then transporting the audience  to a 1960’s jazz club full of hepcats with the retro composition “You’ll Never Know”. Jackson then took the lead on both vocals and trumpet for a cover of Bon Iver’s “Blindsided” penned by Justin Vernon before Cressman lead us into the passionate melodies of “New Moon” with her captivating range.

    Natalie Cressman Blue NoteBeing performed for the first time live, “Traces” was driven by Stein laying down the rhythm on his seven string bass while Cressman and Jackson showed us what great chemistry can do for a tune while Jackson’s backup vocals only accentuated Cressman’s lead, giving the audience the feeling this was a song they have played a hundred times before. The young band leader returned to her horn for the lead on “Turn The Sea” the self-titled track off of her 2014 album. The band led the late night jazz fans on an improvisational jam and stretched out “Fallin” with Jackson driving it home with his phenomenal trumpet work. Bono was given a chance to showcase his guitar play with extended solo’s on Hanne Hukkelberg’s “Do Not As I Do” before turning back to Cressman’s crooning on “Warm Winds”. This late night at NYC’s most historic jazz club was driven to a close with “Stolen Away” an upbeat number alternating back and forth between guitar riffs and trombone, featuring Bono and Cressman playing off each other, leaving the fans wanting more.

    You can catch Natalie Cressman next with Jesus On The Mainline at Brooklyn Bowl on April 28, tickets available here or with her full band at MAYfest a Music Art and Yoga festival May 22-24 in Cold Spring, NY, purchase your tickets here.

    *Photos By: Mark Dershowitz

  • Interview: Sprocket at Brooklyn Bowl April 21

    It has only been a couple of years since Sprocket was just a trio playing dingy basement bars in front of a mix of music fans and drunk NYU students. They have since rounded out the band to a quartet and worked their way through the growing pains that any up and coming band goes through. Sprocket proves that with the right combination of musical chops and hard work, you can go places. Last year, Thomas Thompkins (guitar), Dan Haller (bass), Nate Rosler (drums), and Angelo Milliano (keyboards) released their first LP Tropical Bushwick, and this week Sprocket will play its first show at Brooklyn Bowl, the band’s largest venue to date after playing every venue along the way Wicked Willy’s, Arlene’s Grocery, The Bitter End, SPiN, and Fontana’s Bar just to name a few. Following this gig, Sprocket will be touring the festival circuit before heading north to the windy city for a very special GD50 after show on July Fourth. Sprocket answered some questions about the growing pains in getting to this critical point in their evolution:

    Sprocket will be accompanied by Gowanus and The Mantras at Brooklyn Bowl April 21 8pm, you can purchase tickets here.

    Graig Adler: Being a NYC-based band, getting to play Brooklyn Bowl is a major milestone, what is the worst venue you’ve played?

    Sprocket: Not naming any names, but we had one show where the sound guy started unplugging our equipment with 15 minutes left in our set. He apologized profusely, but apparently, there was a burlesque DJ show that “had to start on time” for a bachelor party, the room cleared out and we never went back on.

    GA: Last year you put out your first EP Tropical Bushwick, what did you learn from this process? What will you do differently next time? Do you have another album in the works?

    Sprocket: We recorded Tropical Bushwick ourselves, in our studio, in two months, for zero dollars. It was an incredibly rewarding process, and we feel like we got a great product out of it. We’re all really proud of that accomplishment, and I think the album captures where we were as a band at that point in time. I think one big lesson that we learned is how much we could actually accomplish when we set a goal for ourselves and really worked our asses off to make it happen. Next time around, we all want to be able to take a little more time with the process, to really focus on capturing a greater depth of sound that is representative of where our music has evolved over the last year.

    GA: Sprocket originally started as a three-piece band, then added a keys player after the fact. How has this changed the bands reach and overall playing style?

    Sprocket: In addition to Angelo being a great player and songwriter, we have a richer harmonic palate available now with him in the band, there are more options available to us. With another harmonic instrument in the mix, it makes each of us able to lay back a little more, and use the interplay between the instruments. We also have a lot more nicknames between us.

    GA: Is there one band member that writes most of the original music and compositions, or is it done as a group effort? Who writes the setlists for each show?

    Sprocket: We all participate in writing music. Sometimes one of us brings a fully composed song to the group, and we work to add a little bit of flavor to each of our individual parts, and sometimes someone will come with their part and a melody, and we all work to build around that. Then there are songs that we have written together as a band, in the moment. Setlists are generally a group effort, and we try to put thought into each one that we create, taking into account where we’re playing and for whom, and what special or new things that we want to do at each show. Of course, once we get on stage, audibles are often called, but we try to build a set that will flow with the energy of the night. If the crowd’s energy takes us in a different direction, then you have to be ready to roll with the punches.

    GA: Sprocket has a show coming up at the Hard Rock Chicago over July Fourth weekend. Will this be the biggest Sprocket show to date? This has to be a great honor; how excited is the band for this gig?

    Sprocket: The July 4th show is definitely our biggest show to date. July Fourth, at the Hard Rock Café, in Chicago, after one of the most important shows in our scene’s history. We’re all giddy looking forward to it. Just thinking about what the scene is going to be like in Chicago that weekend is not only exciting, but it’s also inspiring to a young band that is trying to aspire to bigger things. July Fourth weekend is proof positive that the kind of music that we want to play can create an incredible movement of people and that’s seriously inspiring.

    GA: What festivals will Sprocket be playing this summer? Is there one you are most excited about?

    Sprocket: We’re really excited to tap into the festival scene this year, and we’re going to have a good slate ahead of us with sets at Rock and Roll Resort, Moondance Meltdown, Pink Moon Festival and a few others. As for which one we’re most excited about, we’re always most excited about the next one up, so in this case that would be Rock and Roll Resort on May 1st.