NYS Music 20​15

Category: NYC Metro

  • Space Jesus Touches Down at Slake

    At Slake on Friday, November 20, Space Jesus threw quite the party for the release of his brand new album, Close Encounters. The highly anticipated album drew a crowd that was teeming with energy.  Even the line waiting to get in was buzzing with electricity.  That element of infectious excitement seemed to flow through the whole evening to the very last beat.

    ThomasMcKenna_SpaceJesus_18

    The lineup was fire, with the ultra danceable sounds of producer/DJs Esseks, Brightside, and Soohan, the world debut of super far out rapper Pipus, and the staggering beat-boxing talents of the show’s host, Honeycomb. The venue was absolutely packed with fans who created a genuine family-like community.  The amount of smiles, fist bumps, hugs, and high fives going around engendered a feeling of old friends coming together to celebrate the new creations of their leader, Jasha Tull, better known to them as Space Jesus.

    By the time Tull took the stage everyone was in full party mode and surrendered to his presence as he completely took over.  The performance was visually captivating with an absolutely stunning light show (by Drew Suto of Dutch Masterson Design) filled with the juiciest neon and primary colors.  The whole stage was packed with raging fans and friends.  Up high there were cages filled with gorgeous women moving effortlessly to every sounds pouring off the stage as smoke and screams of euphoria filled the air and the warm buzz of powerful bass passed through every being present.

    “Close Encounters” has a heavy hip hop influence, which has been evident in his earlier albums but perhaps not quite to this extent.  With a span of diverse multicultural genre samples and at times a haunting, almost eerie feel the record displays lyrics with raw truth, beats with just the right amount of sex appeal, and bass that won’t quit.  His entire performance was undeniably evocative and left everyone in the room satisfied and dripping with sweat.  The future seems bright for this up and coming artist.  Or in the words of the DJ himself, “everything’s cake.”  Killer party, Space Jesus. Can’t wait till the next one.

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  • Bavosa’s Mimosas: Turkey Day Thankfulness

    Thanksgiving. A time to sit back, eat, watch some football, eat some more, and spend time at home with family and friends. It is also one of my favorite weekends of the year to see some live music.

    the capitol theatre thanksgiving

    In the music world, the weekend and days surrounding the holiday offer a similar sense of community and celebration. This tradition was started long back, and most notably documented in The Last Waltz, The Band’s star-studded, farewell concert on Thanksgiving night in 1976. While that show took place on the West Coast, its effects have been felt for decades to come all over, especially here in my home of New York City.  In fact, last year saw a performance of The Complete Last Waltz by a laundry list of musicians at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, a very short drive or train ride from Manhattan, showing that live music around this joyous, reflective weekend is still alive and well. It is also extremely important to point out the significance of The Last Waltz concert, as it will forever be synonymous with Thanksgiving in the musical world.

    jerry hand

    For many other jam acts, Thanksgiving weekend runs have become as reliable as other holidays like New Year’s Eve and Halloween. I have fond memories of seeing God Street Wine, Blues Traveler, moe., The Disco Biscuits, and all sorts of collaborative efforts over the years in and around NYC during my post-Thanksgiving weekend world of belly-blissfulness. This upcoming Thanksgiving will also see a plethora of choices for local New Yorkers, highlighted by My Morning Jacket’s four night run at The Beacon Theater and what has become a staple, Dark Star Orchestra’s annual weekend shindig at the Playstation Theater in Times Square.

    phish thanksgiving

    But in my mind, there’s one band that cemented the Turkey Day Tradition: Phish. They played a total of seven shows at The Capitol Theatre from 1990-1992.  Four of these shows were right around Thanksgiving, culminating in a still much-lauded set of shows over the Thanksgiving weekend in ’92.  Phish continued their Thanksgiving tradition in years to come, with a ludicrous trio of shows in Worcester in 1998, including the infamous “Wipeout” show, showing that there’s a few ways to shake off the extra pounds added at the dinner table.

    No matter where you live, or what type of music you may choose to see, a common theme is there over Thanksgiving and the days that it lingers on into afterwards. There’s a sense of ease and relaxation about seeing some shows over that weekend, often times close to the hometown that you grew up in, where your most important and defining memories of getting into the live music scene come flooding back into your mind. Chances are you will also get to see some old friends and faces at these shows, as they’ve decided to come home due to the proximity to home and the collective state of togetherness that the holiday exudes. While the shows may be part of a larger tour, they too also seem to take on a relaxed vibe of stopping for a moment amongst all of the craziness and madness of life and the road and say: “We are thankful.” Both the bands and fans alike seem to share this sentiment. It’s for these reasons above that this weekend was, and is, always one of my favorites.

    So, no matter where you live, my point is to get off the couch on Friday and Saturday when you are home, make some plans with old friends, and go out and see some music. The memories that will be made, and the thankfulness that we get to celebrate a bright and vibrant scene, borne out of all that came before it, will be something to truly be thankful for, for years to come.

  • Brooklyn Funk: Vulfpeck Shines in Debut New York Performance

    On a night where the company was only surpassed by the music, Vulfpeck performed their highly anticipated Brooklyn Bowl debut in New York. Following the final night of Chris Robinson Brotherhood’s three-night run, the smooth funk group from Michigan was the perfect late night show. Dancing across the lanes never felt so good.

    vulfpeckA happy four piece with a variety of guests joining throughout the night. Vulfpeck is energetic and they lay down a sensual brand of funk, and were clearly excited to be in New York. Playing to a sold out crowd that demanded a second show be added for Monday, November 23 at Brooklyn Bowl, Vulfpeck joins The New Mastersounds, Kung Fu, Lettuce and Marco Benevento, ushering in the next era of in demand funk bands. Mister F has impressively covered them on multiple occasions, and the word is starting to get out. Guitarist and drummer Theo Katzman, nodding to the band’s late arrival to the stage, suggested starting “a movement to encourage starting on time,” but none in the audience were complaining. Katzman gave shout outs to Lenox Hill Hospital and Bellmore, Long Island, marking a homecoming performance for the multi-instrumentalist.

    The attentive crowd anticipated the funk throughout the night, Charles Jones joined Vulfpeck on keys and smooth ’70s style vocals. A promising instrumental cover of Cheryl Lynn’s “To Be Real” was accented by the Bowl’s disco ball. When the band broke into “1612”, the crowd sang the “Frank Sinatra” line like they’d be seeing them for years.

    Moving around on stage and switching instruments, with two keyboardists at times, added a degree of difficulty not seen by many acts. Antwaun Stanley sang at key points of the set, adding soul to “Funky Duck” and “1612” among many more. For their first Brooklyn Bowl show, the venue was full, the audience fulfilled and Vulfpeck delivered.
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  • Chris Robinson Brotherhood Closes 3-Night Run at Brooklyn Bowl

    Upon taking the stage, Brotherhood bandleader Chris Robinson clearly felt at home beginning the final show of his band’s three-night stint at Brooklyn Bowl, inquiring of the venue’s bowler-patrons, “How’s your game tonight?” The casual confidence of this still-young band comprised of veterans was evident in their choice of “Taking Care of Business” as opener.

    CRB

    Heads bobbed to a few tightly delivered bluesy numbers, with keyboardist Adam MacDougall’s trippy pitch-bent Mini-Moog often carrying the melody and helping to define the group’s signature sound. The ensemble’s musical versatility revealed itself in stages, with bassist Mark Dutton laying down a juicy, rolling bassline to start “The Music’s Hot,” which also featured soloing from guitarist Neal Casal reminiscent of Little Feat. The energy reached a new plateau mid-set with a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Down In The Flood” as large portions of the crowd began to let loose and dance. Dutton, looking serene and often nearly motionless at far stage-left, was locked in as he consistently delivered basslines that were generally big and deep, dropping heavy notes like anchors dead on the beat. “I’m A Hog For You” was the only tune of the night to feature Robinson on harmonica and left the crowd simmering as it ended the first set.

    The second set began with the band providing lyrical mantras celebrating Saturday night and having a good time. The playing throughout was freer and more varied. In its instrumental improvisations, the band modulated between cerebral and spacious textures, often dominated by MacDougall, and energetic rollicking rock-outs, typically led by Casal. More than a few audience members perked up when the Los Angeles-based band busted out their cover of the Grateful Dead’s “West L.A. Fadeaway.” Another highlight was disco-jammer “I Ain’t Hiding,” the second Black Crowes song to appear during the evening. Acoustic instruments appeared for the two-song encore, culminating with a beautiful delivery of Dylan’s “Girl From The North Country”.

    Despite having three records to their name, Chris Robinson Brotherhood relied on only three tunes from last year’s Phosphorescent Harvest on this particular night, fleshing out the show with their interpretations of numerous classics. If you want old fashioned psych-blues rock and roll played with authority, CRB are among the best doing it in 2015.

    Setlist:
    Set 1: Taking Care of Business, Jump the Turnstiles, The Music’s Hot, Oak Apple Day, Down in the Flood, Little Lizzie Mae, Like a Tumbleweed in Eden, I’m A Hog For You

    Set 2: Saturday Night in Oak Grove, Louisiana, Ain’t It Hard But Fair, Shore Power, Clear Blue Sky & The Good Doctor, West L.A. Fadeaway, Tough Mama, I Ain’t Hiding, Got Love If You Want It

    Encore: Betty & Dupree, Girl From the North Country

  • Jane Getter Premonition to Tour in Support of ‘On’

    Progressive supergroup Jane Getter Premonition will head out on a brief tour in support of their new album On. The mid-December tour includes stops in Buffalo, Kingston and New York City.

    JaneGetter_sqweb

    Joining Jane Getter, who Guitar Player called “the fieriest fretboarding female ever to strap on a Stratocaster,” on tour will be Adam Holzman (Miles Davis, Steven Wilson) on keyboards, Alex Skolnick (Testament) on guitar, Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai) on bass and John Mader (Steve Miller, Pat Benatar) on drums. The tour will kick off on Dec. 8 in Cleveland, Ohio and end with two shows on Dec. 16 in New York City.

    Commenting on the tour, Getter said in a press release, “We will be playing the exciting and hard hitting music from our newly released album, On, on Madfish Music, along with a few older hits from Three and See Jane Run. Get ready for some intense jams!”

    From the press release:

    Guitarist and composer Jane Getter has played with many jazz and rock greats while garnering increasing recognition as a bandleader, gifted writer and instrumentalist. Early in her career she toured with legendary jazz/blues organist Brother Jack McDuff. Her composing talents received attention when she won the ASCAP Gershwin Award for Music for Dance or Theatre in the mid 90’s. Her debut CD, Jane, in 1998 received worldwide critical acclaim and the 2006 follow up, See Jane Run, was released on Alternity Records (home of Allan Holdsworth). In 2012 she released the progressive jazz/rock album, Three. Getter also received widespread exposure playing in the Saturday Night Live Band.

    Tickets for all shows are currently on sale.

    Jane Getter on Twitter

    Jane Getter on Facebook

    Tour Dates

    Tuesday, Dec. 8 – Nighttown, Cleveland, OH
    Wednesday, Dec. 9 – The Token Lounge, Westland, MI
    Thursday, Dec. 10 – Nietzches, Buffalo, NY
    Friday, Dec. 11 – Keegan Ales, Kingston, NY
    Monday, Dec. 14 – Jammin’ Java, Vienna, VA
    Tuesday, Dec. 15 – The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
    Wednesday, Dec. 16 – Iridium, New York, NY – two shows, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs8LERUjgEQ[/embedyt]

  • Dion and Paul Simon to Release “New York Is My Home” Duet Friday

    Two of New York’s big names in music are no stranger to each other. Back in 2009, Paul Simon joined long-time friend Dion onstage at Madison Square Garden to help sing Dion’s “The Wanderer” as part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 25th Anniversary concerts.

    Dion Paul Simon

    Dion DiMucci, better known simply as Dion, first became popular in the wave of early 1960s pop (as Dion and the Belmonts) and later adopted more mature aspects in his music giving him another boost in the music world. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 by Lou Reed.

    “New York Is My Home” is the title track off of an album Dion is set to release in February, marking his 29th studio album. The song features fellow New York City musician Paul Simon and is dedicated to the fullness of life in New York.

    The single “New York Is My Home” can be ordered and downloaded online through iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.

    Aside from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Anniversary concert, Dion and Simon performed together at Radio City Music Hall in 1987 and recorded “Written On The Subway Walls/Little Star” on Dion’s 1989 release Yo Frankie. Check out the video of that below, featuring both Dion and Simon.

    The Belmonts still perform today as a doo-wop trio.

  • Skyscraper is Grand: PhanArt Announces New Years Show in NYC

    PhanArt will host an art show for the first time in New York City penned “Skyscraper is Grand” on Saturday, January 2, 2016 from 12-7 p.m. at Hotel Penn, directly across the street from Madison Square Garden.

    skyscraper is grandProduced by Pete Mason, founder of PhanArt, owner and Publisher of NYS Music and author of PhanArt: The Art of the Fans of Phish, PhanArt exhibitions have been held in Atlantic City, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami and Philadelphia since 2013 and represent a continued effort to promote and exhibit original and unique concert art, posters, pins, apparel, stickers and much more from a wide variety of artists.

    The eclectic artists featured at this event show the broad scope of Phish related art and capture the inspiration of the band in their art. Phish’s creative fan base makes amazing art inspired by the band, their music and the locales they play. This event also gives fans the opportunity to meet a generation of artists they might otherwise know casually, form a bond with and develop a greater appreciation for the broader art scene in the Phish community.

    In keeping with the great tradition and success of past art shows, “Skyscraper is Grand” will offer free entry to all patrons and tubes available for purchase. Special edition works only available at the show can be viewed on PhanArt.net and acquired exclusively at the PhanArt show. The initial artist lineup is expected to be announced in early December.

  • Dead & Company Albany – Much More Than Expected

    Henya Emmer
    Photo by Henya Emmer

    Dead & Company was an idea that to most, floating on an initial thought, may have been hard to conceptualize. To a very large amount of the Grateful Dead community there was a vast amount of skepticism around how it could be possible for John Mayer to find his place as the lead guitarist for an adaptation of the Grateful Dead, involving three of the ‘Core Four.’

    To many of his faithful fans, Mayer could do no harm.  However, even those who bridged the gap between Mayer fans and Deadheads would likely respond that Mayer may be most likely to have what most would see as a tenuous grasp of the Dead musical lingo.  After all, John Mayer had little knowledge of the depths of the Grateful Dead library until he signed on to this project.  On October 29 in Albany, NY, Dead & Company officially began their first tour.

    Fast forward a little over a week, five live shows into what seemed like an experiment.  This newly created band called Dead & Company takes the stage at Madison Square Garden for the sixth show of their first tour; a free show to those lucky enough to score a ticket in a small number of lotteries between sponsoring names like American Express and Headcount.  One could tell from the initial sounds of what would turn into a “Shakedown Street” opener that this experiment had completely transitioned into a band that had found their groove.

    The communication among the bandmates was obviously fluid; they were on the same page.  The first set was solid and showed great signs of how this band has matured in a short period of time.  From the first show, it was clear that there was confidence in each individual player, but from the first moment of the first set on November 7 there was an immediate indication that all involved were working as one, including the crowd.

    Three of the ‘Core Four’, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, were joined by three other musical monsters, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti, and moved deftly through a quick, hour-long first set, bringing home in strong fashion songs like “I Need a Miracle,” “Cold Rain and Snow,” and “Jack Straw.” The quick set brought up thoughts of whether this free show was going to be a layup for the band and allow them to have a brief two sets, while still keeping their fans happy.

    Then came set two.  A strong and long second set is something anyone would be looking for and even more so after a short first set, and what was sought after was certainly delivered.  Bobby, John and the crew came out and fired off with “Help on the Way” and from there they could not be stopped.  One amazing rendition of what could now be seen as age-old jam band tunes flowed into the next.

    Jaws were dropped multiple times as Mayer and Burbridge conveyed just how hard they have worked to contribute to this next step in Grateful Dead adaptation.  Dead & Co. gracefully and masterfully presented the crowd with a wonderful, heartfelt “Franklin’s Tower,” sung by Mayer, and really showed what potential they have with a “St. Stephen,” that caused the fans to erupt in cheers multiple times.  This second set, which was nothing short of magical, flowed through eight continual songs that ended with “Drums>Space>The Other One,” before a break in the action was taken.  The set was capped off with Bobby warming the audience with “Stella Blue” and a seamless transition into “Not Fade Away,” which did not seem to end until the band came back out for encore. The crowd just could not be silenced, clapping the drum cadence and continuing to sing, “You know our love will not fade away!”

    When the boys did return for encore, everyone was announcing what song they expected for encore and even those who did not guess right were not disappointed.  Dead & Company finished off their sixth show of the tour, the third at Madison Square Garden, with an unbelievable “Brokedown Palace.” Everyone has heard Bob Weir sing that song many times.  However, hearing John Mayer contribute to the singing with Bobby was something that brought a free concert, filled with such fun and emotion, to a very happy ending.

    Setlist:

    Set One: Shakedown Street > I Need A Miracle > Cold Rain & Snow, Tennessee Jed, They Love Each Other, Jack Straw

    Set Two: Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, He’s Gone > St. Stephen > Drums > Space > The Other One > Stella Blue > Not Fade Away

    Encore: Brokedown Palace

  • Eli Young Band and LOCASH Bring Country to NYC

    Sunday nights may be the saddest day of the week with a fresh workweek starting bright and early the next morning, but Eli Young Band and LOCASH didn’t let the night of the week stop them from putting on a wonderful show at Terminal 5 in Hells Kitchen one of New York City’s nicest music venues.

    LOCASH, one of country music’s most fun duos comprised of Preston Brust and Chris Lucas, opened up the show. Anyone who has seen these two guys live before knew they were going to be in for a wild and exciting show. They never fail to connect with the audience and keep them on their feet for their entire set.  The recently rebranded LOCASH (previously known as LoCash Cowboys) began their set with upbeat C.O.U.N.T.R.Y, which definitely set mood for what would come next. Throughout their time on stage they played a combination of older hits, well known covers, and a number unreleased songs to be included on a future album or EP.  The duo performed “You Gonna Fly” which was made into their first #1 hit when Keith Urban recorded and released the song in 2011, as well as Tim McGraw’s hit “Truck Yeah,” which they co-wrote along with Chris Janson and Danny Myrick. Brust and Lucas are talented and proven songwriters, a quality that is apparent when listening to their music and seeing the success writing has brought them. Another cover that delighted the crowd was the duo”s own version of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” which as expected was a a fan favorite.

    One of the highlights of LOCASH’s set was how many new tracks they performed. The sweet “I Know Somebody” a song from their EP that will be released in October was a definite standout. The infectious track features some beautiful harmonies has all the makings of a future single. “Drunk Drunk” which shockingly was about alcohol is a great live song, while “Wheels Fall Off” is another romantic song about growing old together. The other most notable new song for LOCASH was the John Legend and One Republic inspired “Shipwrecked” a track that they plan to release as their next single. The song features great lyrics and more awesome harmonies between the duo.

    LOCASH closed their set with their current single “I Love This Life” which recently reached the top 25 at country radio and should continue to climb the charts. The song is their self-proclaimed antidote to all of the negativity constantly spewed out on news channels across the country. It’s anthemic feel and message to appreciate everything that you have in life makes it a relatable and uplifting track that has certainly hit the mark with country music listeners. The fans knew every word to the song, and it had them on their feet one last time before LOCASH left the stage.

    Headliners Eli Young Band took the stage not long after. With a distinguishable vocals, a solid core of radio hits and quality songwriting, the guys in Eli Young Band (Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones and Chris Thompson) are an experienced and confident group who can always be counted on to put on an amazing show.

    The band opened with “Drink You Up,” a lively track from their March 2015 EP Turn It On.  They performed the title track and their current single from the album. With recent requests to incorporate more songs from early on in their discography into their live shows, the group delighted those who have followed them since their inception when they performed old fan favorites like “Guinevere,” and “Love Songs.” The feel good title track to their last full length album 1,000 Towns, picked up the pace, outlining the amazing things about small town living, while the heartfelt and impactful “Prayer For The Road” from the same album was dedicated to service members and first responders. Eli Young Band also performed the second single from the album “Dust.” 

    Any good concert includes several well-known covers, and Eli Young Band didn’t disappoint with their own renditions of Garth Brooks’ haunting “Thunder Rolls,” David Lee Murphy’s “Dust On The Bottle,” and Tom Petty’s “Fly.” The group also ventured into the pop side of things with a performance of Andy Grammar’s “Honey I’m Good.” The band and Grammar have collaborated to release a duet version of the song together that is available now on iTunes.

    Eli Young Band has scored three #1 singles at country radio. The first, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” was inspired as Mike Eli told the crowd by the story of how each of his parents reacted when he told them he wanted to be a musician, and how he met his current band-members while attending college. The uplifting and rousing song about not letting anything stop you from following your dreams and reaching for your goals reflects the lessons learned from each of these stories and sparked an amazing live performance of the group’s first #1 hit as a group. The crowd enthusiastically carried the entire chorus on their own towards the end of the performance, which had to have been a meaningful moment for Eli Young Band to be a part of.   Their performance of their most recent #1 hit “Drunk Last Night” was also a memorable one, but the band closed the show with perhaps their most recognizable and beloved song, “Crazy Girl,” a sweet track about making sure loved ones know you care about them. After leaving the stage briefly, and the crowd cheering for one more song, Eli Young Band returned for an encore, performing a fan favorite from their 2008 album Level.

    LOCASH and Eli Young Band brought fun and great country music to New York City on Sunday night. Fans in NY will undoubtedly be looking forward to their next chance to see each act live. 

  • The Empire State Building Syncs Steely Dan’s “FM” to Live Light Show Tonight

    Kick off your high heel sneakers; it’s party time. The Empire State Building is going to sync Steely Dan’s “FM” to a live light show tonight at 7 p.m., in honor of the Master FM Antenna’s 50th anniversary.

    Viewers in New York City can see the show from the Brooklyn Bridge, Bryant Park, The Chelsea Highline, Madison Square Park, Tribeca Park, Union Square or the Williamsburg Waterfront. And for all you Jerseyites, there are viewing possibilities from the Jersey City Waterfront. It looks like the title track of John Alonzo’s ’78 film FM might finally give the beloved scenes from An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle a run for their money.

    In case you miss this spectacular event, you can tune into WCBS-FM 101.1 for a live broadcast. And of course, read about it on NewYorkStateMusic after the show. No static at all.