What a difference a year makes. For the weather at least. The band, Widespread Panic, was steady as always. But instead of tempting the dark ominous clouds by playing “Hatfield,” which resulted in a show-shortening electric storm at their Artpark show in 2014, 2015 was nothing but blue skies and sunshine.
The show was both the opening of Artpark’s summer concert series as well as the opening show of Widespread Panic’s summer tour. Both were dialed in like it was midseason. It is difficult for a venue to capture the full breadth of sound that the 6-member jam rockers bring, but Artpark was up to the task, presenting incredibly crisp sound all night, especially for an outdoor space.
As a fan of the band since the early 90’s, going into a show these days, I am hoping to hear the old Panic classics. Since I’m only seeing about one show a year, if that, the newer songs haven’t really entered my vocabulary. The boys delivered on that wish in spades with the first set they put together. The show opened “Traveling Light,” “Weight of the World,” “Can’t Get High,” “Ride Me High” and it wasn’t until a mid-set “Shut Up and Drive” that saw a song which was debuted after 2000. After that blip, it was right back in the saddle with a one two three punch to the jam gut with classics “Pilgrims,” “Space Wrangler” and a massive “Greta” that saw guitarist Jimmy Herring flexing his jazz and prog rock muscles. Playing flurries of time-shifting notes that were difficult to comprehend, the jam reached multiple peaks. Dave Schools reined it in, leading the band smoothly into the Jerry Joseph-penned anthem, “North.” John Bell appropriately sang, “I go North, the sun it hurts my eyes” as the crowd shielded their eyes with the burning orb setting slowly behind the stage. Paired with last year’s storm-predicting Hatfield, seems like the band is reading the weather report as closely as the fans. In one of the more surprising moments of the night, “North” included a get down and funky segment led by JoJo Herman on the organ, before a set-closing big rock finish.
Second set, on paper, was what I fear. Dreaded new songs. Even 15-year-old songs, like set-opening “Second Skin” is new in my mind. But “Second Skin” was a fine opener, with Herring again taking control and exploding through his solos while Bell kept his own, proving he is one of the more inventive rhythm guitarists on the scene. A stop-on-a-dime dropout into their funky “Rebirtha” got the crowd singing along in glee, while Herring again was the shining star on stage. That transitioned into “Cotton Was King,” another new-ish tune that actually didn’t stick out as such. The band finally stopped for a breather before kicking into “Henry Parsons Died,” the second song of the evening written by their Bloodkin pals Danny Hutchens and Eric Carter. A wonderful spacey jam then bled into a brand new tune, “Cease Fire.” This one took a journey that started in late-era Talking Heads, mixed in a little samba flare, moved into a segment that harkened early Genesis, before finishing off with a stretched out mellow jam reminiscent of the ending of “Layla.” Intriguing to say the least and amazing to see this veteran outfit, whom I wished only to see the classics, was still full of new and exciting surprises. But wait, Widespread Panic still had more “new” up their sleeve. “Cease Fire” ceased slowly and effortlessly into “Jamais Vu.” A slinky bass-led groover that melted into the spaciest jam of the evening, with Herring weaving drawn out notes in between Herman’s trickling clavinet playing. After the drums segment, a strong “Surprise Valley” gave them one last opportunity to show that they are the masters of the segue. “Rock” emerged and served perfectly in the requisite heavy-finish role.
After playing two by their buds from Bloodkin, Panic evened the score, encoring with “Chainsaw City,” the second Jerry Joseph tune of the night. On right at 6:30pm, off right at 10:00pm, they jammed Artpark with as much of their jam as they were allowed, making up for last year’s short show as well as they could.
Setlist:
Set 1: Travelin’ Light, Can’t Get High, Weight Of The World, Ride Me High > Shut Up And Drive, Pilgrims, Space Wrangler > Greta > North
Set 2: Second Skin > Rebirtha > Cotton Was King > One Arm Steve, Henry Parsons Died > Cease Fire > Jamais Vu > Drums > Surprise Valley > Rock
Encore: Chainsaw City
[FinalTilesGallery id=’265′]
moe. continued its 25th anniversary celebration with two shows at its hometown Saranac Brewery Friday and Saturday night. Old friends and new were on hand, as well as a brand new Saranac Double IPA named Hoppy Hour Hero in their honor.
moe. Saranac Brewery
Friday’s big surprise was the return of original moe. drummer Ray Shwartz. Shwartz left the band following the band’s Fatboy album in 1992. Current drummer Vinnie Amico graciously stepped aside while Shwartz sat in for the moe. classic “Don’t Fuck With Flo.”
Saranac brewed a special batch in honor of the hometown boys’ return to the brewery for a pair of shows June 19-20.
The weekend had a mini-festival vibe about it, with Twiddle opening Friday night and Cabinet and Kung Fu joining in Saturday. Additionally, Shnier and Amico’s side project Floodwood took to the Celtic Harp stage following Friday’s show, and the legendary Ha Ha the Moose did the same Saturday night. Ryan Montbelau was another post-show option for fans at Lukin’s just up Varick Street.
moe. Saranac Brewery
moe. spent little time getting to the down and dirty on Friday, opening with “Tailspin” into “Bearsong” followed by the introduction of their new beer and the tried and true Saranac theme song “Happy Hour Hero” (for the record, as an avowed beer snob, your author made sure to grab a growler of the Hoppy Hour Hero from the Tavern. This is one of Saranac’s best outings, in this reviewer’s humble opinion).
Friday night’s setlist
Set I: Tailspin > Bearsong, Hoppy Hour Hero, Mar-DeMa > Y.O.Y. > George > Lazarus
Set II: Don’t Fuck With Flo*, Tubing The River Styx > The Pit > meat., White Lightning Turpentine, Blue Jeans Pizza > Downward Facing Dog
Enc: Billy Goat, Low (Cracker cover)
Notes: * with original drummer Ray Schwartz
Saturday saw Cabinet kicking things off with its blend of bluegrass and jam. Truly appreciative of the Utica love, they made an appearance in the merchandise tent following their solid set.
Kung Fu followed and proved to be a formidable act to follow. They brought the funk promptly at 6:30 and proceeded to move many a booty in the Saranac crowd. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this fusion quintet, it is highly recommended. They blend Hancock’s Headhunter-era fusion with James Brown funk and some Zappa thrown in for good measure.
moe. hit the stage Saturday with a rousing “Captain America” to engage the huge Saranac crowd. Over several years of shows at this venue, this one ranked among the highest attended.
moe. Saranac Brewery
An easy ride through “Akimbo” was followed by “Not Coming Down” which seemed to mock the few sprinkles that started falling from the sky midway through.
By far, the highlight of the night was the guest appearance of Tim Palmeiri and Rob Somerville of Kung Fu during “Silver Sun.” The addition of the sax invigorated this newer song and Palmieri’s guitar battles with Garvey and Schnier were the stuff of moe. legend. Check out this YouTube clip for just a scant view of what was truly something to behold in person:
Following a quick set break, moe. returned with “Okayalright” which segued seamlessly into “32 Things.” The boys were on their game here. Aside from the Kung Fu sit-in, this segue ranked as one of the high points of the show.
If there were any doubt that twenty-five years in, these guys are tired of the game, this was quickly laid to rest with an epic “Recreational Chemistry” encore to finish the run. Derhak was at his best during this twenty-seven minute version of their classic and while some fans bemoaned the fact that this one has been frequently played on this mini-tour, it’s tough to argue with the intensity of the version played Saturday night.
Twenty-five years in and moe. is still playing with the energy and fervor they did back in their club days. A weekend such as this was a celebration of moe. A celebration of all that they have given their fans all these years. A celebration of their roots. It was evident that they had a grand old time in their old stomping grounds this weekend. What would you do for freedom?
Saturday’s setlist
Set One: Captain America > Akimbo, Not Coming Down > Wormwood > Skrunk, Loser >(nh) Silver Sun*
Set Two: Okayalright > 32 Things, Nebraska, Time Ed, Wind It Up
Encore: Do Or Die, Recreational Chemistry
* – w/ Tim Palmieri on guitar & Robert Somerville on sax from Kung Fu
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.
This summer at Shepard’s Park in Lake George, enjoy free music on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. These shows, free to the public and sponsored by Lake George Arts, serve as a concert series for both locals and visitors to Lake George alike. You’ll find a variety of music including local “Northern Rockers” Eastbound Jesus performing at Shepard’s this summer.
July 1 – C.J. Chenier
July 8 – Marcia Ball
July 15 – Get up Jack
July 22 – Eastbound Jesus
July 29 – Loren and Mark
Aug. 5 – Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
Aug. 12 – Cyrille Aimee
Aug. 19 – The Lustre Kings
Aug. 26 – Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience
I’ve come across a great number of Twiddle fans in the past year and found that a band I rarely see has far more fans than I expected. If you live in the Northeast, it’s highly likely that you know at least a few of them. There are a few reasons that Twiddle has blown up in the past year, with the main one being a vibrant, rabid and insane fan base of Twiddiots who resemble the larger fan bases among jam bands at earlier stages. In meeting these fans and seeing the band recently, I’ve found Twiddle’s music as comfortable and easy to access with a well-rounded sound, but more importantly, I have discovered Twiddle fans to be the next great fan base waiting to be tapped.
Twiddle
Having seen Twiddle three times in the past three months – Upstate Concert Hall in April, Rock n Roll Resort in May, and Disc Jam Music Festival in June – I have come to be amazed by the fans while enjoying the music. It’s not that I’m not interested in the music — I just find the fans hanging on every note of this band eerily similar to that of the fan bases of Phish, Widespread Panic, moe. and Umphrey’s McGee. It appears that Twiddle is a jam band for fans of the post-EDM explosion who grew tired of the music and scene but retained a desire for a larger community aspect of EDM, particularly PLUR – Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, things all found within the Twiddle community. While I can go to a Twiddle show and listen to the music and enjoy it to a degree, the fans are the main attraction – young, exciting, seemingly even male/female, in college and containing a desire to be a part of something larger.
There are those jam bands with strong fan bases that come out in droves for shows, buy all related merchandise (both fan made and official), focus squarely on all components of the band and intertwine it with their daily lives. Twiddle fans are similar to those of Phish, Widespread Panic, moe., and Umphrey’s McGee, just at an earlier stage – the Vermont-based band is only in its 10th year and the fan base, while far from fledgling, is supportive of the band and growing rapidly as each of these now established bands saw their fan base grow around the same point of their careers. They’re not the same musically, but they have their die-hard fans as well as their detractors, an annual music festival many consider to be the band’s own and offer up-and-coming bands a fan base that is as fertile for exposure to new music and brands as they are enthusiastic for every note Twiddle plays. Twiddle fans are a once in a great while occurrence – a fan base thriving around one band and everything they bring to the table.
Twiddle fans seek, and find, a more inviting environment and acceptance among a new community. They could be Phish fans first, but with Phish, you have an older group, some of whom have been closely following the band for 25 years or more, and with a greater amount of jaded fans and a larger degree of negativity and criticism compared to other fan bases, it makes sense that a 18 year old might go see Twiddle more often than Phish and find a home among the former’s community.
It may be that Umphrey’s might be over their heads, Widespread Panic too Southern-based and moe., like Phish, having an older fanbase that may not be as accessible to find space in as they do Twiddle’s. This is entry-level fandom with ease via a consistent and growing touring schedule, fan groups on Facebook, as well as Friendly Gathering this weekend, and a fan base that is welcoming for the most part. moe. is smart to bring Twiddle in for shows and festivals, knowing full well that their fans might become moe.rons, and vice versa.
This targeted marketing to the fan bases via performances at moe.down, Saranac Brewery in Utica in mid-June and Waterfront Park in Burlington this August, serve as testament to the viability of Twiddle through its fans; those who can harness that fan base will find great success.
Twiddiots (a term of endearment, much like moe.rons despite sounding negative upon first glance) were the driving force behind Twiddle’s Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming album Plump (due out later this year), which hit a goal of $20,000 in 24 hours, more than doubling that goal by the end of the campaign and catching the eye of outsiders, myself included.
The fans have uTwiddle, an online community with setlist stats and news on the bands, a growing fan art community and a plethora of pins that are highly sought after. Grassroots California could retire on sales the now iconic Twiddle hats alone. The fans are what makes the band, and seeing the band feed off the fans and vice versa is the connection between band and fan that is rare to find at such a nascent stage and one that is worth paying attention to. Watch their fans and you’ll see a swarm that look like they are having the greatest time ever while experiencing pure bliss during each song played. You might not get it, but they do. The music makes the fans happy and the vibe and pe/king (more on that in a minute) carries through and can make you want to enjoy the music or disregard it wholly.
Those who detract from Twiddle and make it a point to rip on them do so because of the fast rise of the band, the ascendance and coronation from their fanbase as ‘the next _____’ (insert notably large jamband here) without having heard a note, having seen the fans and not wanted anything to do with it. You’d be skeptical too if you heard some band was considered ‘the next ______.’ I read an article about The Jauntee being the next Phish – I enjoy The Jauntee but that label is always going to be there because of that article, and there’s a certain level of comparison that can make it hard to forget. Regardless of the fact no band is the next _____, there are the haters who simply don’t like the band or their fans.
Being in the Northeast and around Twiddle fans more than others, it can be easy to grow tired of peaking and the discussion of songs and shows at length, especially when a more established band may provide more content, musically and otherwise to lead to a more familiar conversation, one that is safer and doesn’t involve knowing a great deal about a new band, their musical mythology and all the inside jokes. Some find early Twiddle fans to be less receptive to new fans, ironic as fans of other jam bands are not as receptive to Twiddle in general. A cited lack of originality in sound paired with the inability of Twiddle fans to handle criticism echo other fans bases when something hot, new and exciting takes attention away from their current fixation. “I don’t want to learn new stuff” seems to be the mantra behind some of the vitriol, but that goes in lockstep with Deadheads hating Phish heads, Phish fans refusing to cross over to moe. or Umphrey’s, and now Twiddle fans finding ire among non-fans. Twiddle is Buzz Lightyear to the established and accepted Woodys of the jam band world – shiny, sleek, new, full of new features and immensely popular as of late – all valid reasons to question viability and scoff at the new sound.
Kevin Rondeau, Twiddle’s manager since 2011, is another factor in the growth of the band in the past few years. Rondeau began booking shows for Twiddle in 2010 then in 2011 became manager while continuing to book shows before the band signed with Madison House in 2013. Now with a growing staff including Kevin, road manager Dan Travis, Sam Johnson running sound, a lighting designer joining the crew soon, a well-respected publicist in Destiny Beck, as well as web designers and various artists part of the growing Twiddle Co., the band’s growth has led to changes in the behind the scenes for the band, a positive step as the band is not about to test the brakes anytime soon.
“I think Twiddle’s music right now is as good as if not better than any of the top jam acts. All of this growth that is happening, we all knew it would happen; it was just a matter of time. We have pushed a philosophy of friendliness and positivity and the fan base has embraced it,” cited Rondeau when asked about growth in recent years. “The fanbase is incredible and we have a lot of close relationships with fans. When I was walking around Disc Jam on Sunday, I saw fans I have known for many years now and it resembles a family in many ways. I try and keep a very steady presence in the fan base so that they are informed of what is going on.”
“I asked my wife if she thought we could get people to fly to Costa Rica for a Twiddle festival, and she said certainly. There are a lot of dedicated people now among the fans.”
Under Rondeau’s guidance, the band has moved from side stages at festivals to hosting its own festival, sort of. Frendly Gathering (yes, Frendly, no I), held this weekend at Magic Mountain in Londonderry, Vermont, is not the band’s festival, but rather promoted by professional snowboarders Jack Mitrani and Danny Davis, with Twiddle acting as the official unofficial host band. While Frendly Gathering is a separate event from the band, the two are connected and benefit each other – the festival has a headliner bringing a guaranteed crowd and the band has a festival identified as their own, increasing their visibility and building comparisons to bands such as Phish, moe. and Umphrey’s, where the band has a vested interest in a festival as well as being comparable to festivals of similar size bands – The Werks (The Werkout), The Mantras (Mantrabash), Lucid (Backwoods Pondfest) and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (Domefest).
A recently formed fan-based charity, White Light Foundation, connects the band and fans together, giving back to local charities and gaining visibility thanks to generous donations from both Twiddle and Burton Snowboards. These and other donations will help to raise funds at Frendly Gathering for Love Your Brain and Kurn Hattin Homes for Children, both Vermont based organizations. Founded by Jay Segal and Steve Perlah, they cite inspiration from the charitable efforts of the Phish community who they herald as “amazing role models for a fledgling organization.” Fans looking out for each other and supporting their local community are a part of the growth of many bands and Twiddle and their fans seem to be on the right track in giving back to local communities of which they are a part.
Musically, a reggae jam seems to be the recurring theme of the music, and overall, it is very happy music, jams and compositions both. With more chances to watch the band members perform, their individual talents and position in the band are more apparent.
• Mihali Savoulidis has a voice similar to that of Dave Matthews but distinct in its own right. Wearing a Bob Dylan hat on his head and permagrin on his face, he looks like the happiest guitarist ever while playing and singing to the fans, whether shredding or noodling or anything in between.
• By evidence of wearing a winter hat on stage nearly all the time, bassist Zdenek Gubb is from house Stark; winter isn’t coming – winter is already here. Any given song and Gubb drops some serious meatballs and adds depth to compositions.
• Keyboardist Ryan Dempsey is talented in every capacity behind the keys but is a wild card otherwise, the oddball among oddballs in the band and off stage. Accessible and visible among fans, he revels among the fan base and doesn’t shy away from the spotlight.
• Brook Jordan is a clutch drummer and exciting to watch in every instance – he keeps the beat while the other three meander about a jam and serves as a point of reference for accessing the music.
Together on stage they dial in and flow together nicely, if without taking a great number of chances. This is not Buddy Mihali and the Crickets, with Mihali taking lead throughout, but his presence is undeniable whether on stage or off. He knows he’s a rock star but doesn’t come off like one. He’s the band frontman but seems to shy away from the spotlight.
Twiddle has two side projects, Gubbulidis, a duo featuring Mihali and Zdenek, and Best Good Frends, a new band that recently held their first three shows in early May of this year, featuring Mihali, Zdenek, Ryan Clausen and Josh Dobbs (Dead Set Tuesdays) and Ratdog saxophonist Kenny Brooks. The latter group has great potential for extended improvisational jams as witnessed at their second ever show at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany, where six songs were played over the course of two sets and an encore. If there is an exciting aspect of Twiddle’s music to pay attention to, this is the one.
Twiddle also offers a great deal of generosity and assistance in supporting up-and-coming bands, giving the next wave of bands and musicians a shot. At the three shows from the past three months, every show featured sit-ins from musicians who may not otherwise be introduced to the Twiddle fan base. Too many in total to list, but among them, I wouldn’t know who Honeycomb is without Twiddle, as he has sat in twice with the band and twice I’ve been blown away by this beatboxer out of Windsor Locks, Ct.
Then there is peaking, or pe/king as Twiddle fans type the term. The concept, developed by Twiddle fan Spencer Frank, with Sam Luke and Nick Cioffi, was conceived by the fans to make an otherwise bad day seem far better than it truly was – a way of pumping themselves up to events yet to come. Popularized via Gubbulidis shows in Burlington on Tuesday nights, when Ryan Dempsey asked about peaking, Spencer replied “Dude, its the next level,” and with that, it crossed from fan idea to band supported identification which fans therefore find greater participation with. In seeking a definition of peaking, Frank returns with “I would say that peaking is taking any situation at its current status and bringing it to the next level.” For Luke, peaking is used “as a fuel to inspire ourselves to maintain constant optimism and motivation.”
“I think peaking is awesome,” notes Rondeau. “Fans have little symbols and hand gestures, and it’s cool that fans have adopted something. There’s an obvious drug reference to peaking, but I don’t think that the way in which our friends use it. It could be any moment in life, at a concert, feeling bliss and something incredible, a great feeling of positivity and all those things can be experienced at a Twiddle concert with a bunch of friends. It’s a great way for the band to communicate to the crowd that they appreciate that the music is being appreciated, it’s an acknowledgement of feeling the same way, doing what we love.”
Added Rondeau, “Nothing is possible without the fans, the band is super aware of that.”
“What was really cool was when we realized that it’s different for everyone, but that we were organically sort of creating a community where people were supportive of each other’s /s (peaks)” Cioffi observed. “I think we are just taking concepts like mindfulness and positivity and rewording them in a way that is digestible and translates well to the medium of Facebook as well as the real world and it’s cool because there are people posting hikes they have taken, and their kids doing something awesome, or talking about how they have been sober for a few months, or how they are psyched for the upcoming shows its just pure positivity and support.”
For those who are finding Twiddle as an entry level band and fan base, peaking can be something that resonates with newcomers and established fans, a message of community and positivity and support, a well as a challenge to do better. Sure, it’s a cliquey concept, but Umphrey’s fans do that thing where they put their fists together and stick the pinkies and other fingers down to make a UM sign, but there is more to it than just saying ‘rock on’ in Umph-speak. Yet peaking is all inclusive, much like how the Twiddle fan base appears, although some older fans do retain a certain ‘OG’ status that can be off putting to some, something that can be found among every fan base of established jam bands.
In talking with Twiddle fans about highlights from Disc Jam Music Festival, the two that were offered up immediately were Turkuaz’s Craig Brodhead sitting-in on “Polluted Beauty” and the jam during “Apples” which saw Mister F’s Scott Hannay (keys), Formula 5’s Joe Davis (guitar) and James Woods (bass), Honeycomb (beatbox) and Michelangelo Carubba of Turkuaz (drums). I referred to the pair of songs as personal highlights of the weekend at Disc Jam and specifically stated that these two songs were ‘the tits.’ This, to Spencer, Nick and Sam is the equivalent of pe/king. There is a universality of pe/king that can provide an inroad to understanding what their fans are peaking about, and which also carries with it an outsider perspective of ‘what the fuck is that?’ Much like two languages having two words to describe the same thing, the peaking phenomenon is more familiar than outsiders may realize, despite being on the dork side of all things Twiddle.
Twiddle is definitely not for everyone, but those that identify with it are really into it. It brings to mind the Jerry Garcia quote about licorice and the Grateful Dead: “We’re like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.” Twiddle isn’t the next Phish, but its fans may very well be the next Phisheads, Spreadheads, moe.rons or Umphreaks, and that is well worth paying attention to.
No, this isn’t a poorly thought out ad for the Wegmans produce section; it’s your tip that the world’s funkiest band is making their way to Western New York. That’s right, on the heels of Taj Mahal cancelling his appearance at Rochester’s Party in the Park due to health reasons, the promoters scrambled and quickly brought in New York City’s Lettuce as the replacement. That is one hell of a substitution, and while Taj Mahal will certainly be missed, there weren’t many complaints upon his departure.
Lettuce has a head (no pun intended) full of steam. Over the last year or so, the band has been touring more regularly and hitting many regions across the U.S. The band followed up last year’s opening slot performance at Red Rocks with a headlining date there just a couple of weeks back that included the likes of The Motet, Exmag, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. If that momentum wasn’t enough, the band will soon release their latest album. And although the release date hasn’t been established, fans have already gotten an early taste of it as the band has been regularly playing the new cuts.
Thursday’s headlining performance will also include Spirit Family Reunion and Uptown Groove. Lettuce will be bringing it hard as they ramp up for some major festival dates like Electric Forest the following day (June 26) and All Good Music Festival on July 10. Tickets are $5 and you can grab them here or at the gate. If you’re traveling in to the R-O-C, Party in the Park is held downtown at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park at 353 Court St. (corner of Court and Chestnut streets), right near The Strong Museum. The show starts at 5 p.m. with Lettuce hitting the stage at 8:30.
*Special Note: Individual tickets purchased for Taj Mahal on June 25 will be honored for Lettuce or may be returned to the place of purchase for refund until June 30. Refunds can only be made on non-stubbed/attended tickets. Once a ticket is used for entry on June 25, a refund can no longer be issued. Season tickets will be honored for the Lettuce show.
The Bear Creek Music and Art Festival will not happen this year.
The funk-laden festival, held for the last eight years at the Spirit of Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida, was scheduled for Oct. 1-4 this year, and had an initial lineup set (Galactic feat. Macy Gray, Soulive, Dumpstaphunk, Victor Wooten, The Motet, Pee Wee Ellis and the Assembly, Khris Royal and Dark Matter, Freekbass & The London Souls). But organizers canceled it today via a message on their website and social media channels.
Full text of the announcement:
Dear Bear Creek family,
It is with heavy hearts we must announce that Bear Creek 2015 has been canceled. Bear Creek was one of the top boutique festivals in the US, and a primary reason it has been so special is because of YOU, our dedicated fans. We spent eight amazing years together filled with beautiful music, dancing, laughter and celebration, and those memories will always live on. In hopes of producing the best possible event for everyone involved, we switched our dates and tried to diversify our lineup to keep things fresh. Unfortunately, things just were not working out in our favor this year and we were not willing to let the show go on unless everything was absolutely perfect.
All Bear Creek Music Festival ticket purchasers will be refunded from point of purchase.
Much love,
The entire Bear Creek staff
Festival organizers said on the event’s Facebook page that they are working to move a group of the scheduled artists to the MagnoliaFest Lineup for this year, and to standby for details about that.
Imagine Dragons has released their newest album, Smoke & Mirrors. With the huge success of their first studio album Night Visions in 2012, selling more than 2 million copies to date, Imagine Dragons took the world by storm and by doing so set the bar pretty high for themselves when it came to following up with their second studio album. They had fallen into the proverbial trap of having such a huge success right out of the gate, that anything following was bound to be held to a higher standard.
Imagine Dragons Smoke & Mirrors
So with this dilemma, how did this Grammy Award winning band follow up their first hit album? They did it like they should, with an album written for themselves. After all, isn’t that what music is about? Personal messages paired with instrumentals to express themselves.
Writing continuously while on the road touring , the band compiled and recorded demos and as the Night Visions Tour ended, they purchased a house in Las Vegas, converted it into a studio, and for the next 8 months put together a story of sorts from experiences on the road that were laden with a roller coaster of personal emotions. After all, the whirlwind of life on the road from local venues to sold out arenas, had to take a toll on them emotionally. What better way to share than through song?
Hailed as one of rock n roll’s greatest newcomers in the 2013, their new found popularity and accolades brimmed over the top as America welcomed them with open arms. As new artists trying to achieve success, was the photo in their mind exactly what they pictured once achieved, or was it writ with unbeknownst angst they would encounter throughout the tour and along the way? I believe it may have been some of the latter. As I listened to the new album the creative differences between the two albums were not as apparent as other seemed to say. I still saw the same vocals and rhythmic distinctions still shining through.
I love Imagine Dragons, and I believe it’s their unique sound and truthful lyrics that caught my attention initially and holds it still today. It’s not their commercial success that makes them stand out. They are not mainstream music, they are not mainstream artists, and their unique style and sound is representative of who they are and how their creative process. Yes, their sound has been compared to a mix of The Killers, U2, Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, and Arcade Fire; taking bits and pieces from each band when making that generalization – influences have that kind of effect on you. You tend to find yourself creating similar sounds because, well you like them in the first place. They have been criticized for using every technical instrumentation trick known to mankind in their new music, and my reply to that is, ‘so what?’ That’s why it exists: to use it. Artists are known for creating something from their souls. It doesn’t have to be what you would want it to be. If that was the case, it would be your creation. So the fact that they use any or all technical tricks doesn’t lessen their musical creations to me in the least. I feel it has an energy to it. Although the lyrics on this album brim with a deep dark almost undaunting edge, the pulsating rhythms and melodic vocals give it an upbeat sound that over plays the underlying message.
Working along side Alex Da Kid on this album, his reputation for bringing out the creative sides of artists like Eminem and Christina Aguilera, demonstrates the perfect example why he’s a perfect match with Imagine Dragons on each of their studio albums.
As I listened to this album I had to do so a few times before I could collect my thoughts to develop a constructive opinion. In true Imagine Dragons style you have the strong percussions and amazing vocals and harmonies with a mix of synthesizer in there throughout the album, but with this particular album you got something else. You get variety in sounds that represent their travels with the first album. What the audience had become accustomed to (vocal/harmonies/percussion/synth) from Imagine Dragons was there in songs such as “Shots” and “The Fall”, but you also got a hint of some R&B with “Friction”, mixed with a flair of the Middle Eastern sounds in there as well. In “Hopeless Opus” you’ll see a flavor of Asian sounds intermixed with a bit of rapping, guitar solo, synth. Heck you pretty much get a bit of everything in that song. Same goes for “Summer”. The beauty though is how well they were all mixed together seamlessly. In fact in most of the songs you’ll see a variety of sounds and tempos within the songs that without the expert help in mixing could have been a disaster. This is where the expertise of Alex Da Kid played a huge part.
I have to say my favorite tracks were “I Bet My Life” and “Trouble” demonstrating their folky sounds mixed with a huge helping of underlying percussion. Just love their take on this sound. Running close second would be “It Comes Back To You” and “Dream” where I can definitely see influences from Coldplay and U2 in this song. It was the upbeat tempo and lyrics in this song that hooked me; “…all the things you had lost will find their way to you… am I a shadow you drew.” I can definitely see a commercial success with this release.
Criticized by others on this album, I definitely can see a darker side in their lyrics though with an underlying message perhaps of life on the road wasn’t all they expected, but I can’t understand the criticism. Music is an expression of life and everyone’s message is different. Give me a break negative Nellies. In both “Gold” and “Polaroid”, focus should be on the mixing of sounds, not the lyrics. “Gold” was another example of expert mixing. “Polaroid” to me was a little disappointing but only because as a photographer I had hoped this track would be as upbeat a message that the tempo held. But hey, everyone sees something different in a photo hence the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and the message was something totally different. But still, it was a good song. No one is going to like every song on an album; you can’t expect every album to be Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band.
The title track “Smoke and Mirrors” and “I’m So Sorry” give the listener a true rock and roll feel to the songs. These will be great live songs with the guitar and percussion in them.
After listening to the whole album several times, I came one conclusion: it’s a great album. Was it what the public anticipated from them? Perhaps not. Was it the mix of techno sounds with anthem rock and pop beats they are known for? Yep. With so many negative reviews and plays on words with the title, I find Smoke & Mirrors nothing but honest and forthwith. I can see the growth within the band, and the influences of experiences of the last few years in their lyrics. It’s the honesty on this album though that makes it the perfect second album. As far as commercial success, I believe those that loved Imagine Dragons will agree with me that this was a great album. It may not be a mainstream as some expected, but when it came to making an album that is true to themselves, this definitely met their expectations. This is one of those albums I think that when you listen to it initially you may not get it right away, so listen a few more times. Read the lyrics and see the messages. Then go back and listen to the music once again, and you will see that this really was a great album and will play out even more so as a great live performance.
As they roll into town this week to the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, they will be joined by Metric and Halsey. Show starts at 7pm and tickets can be purchased through Live Nation. Hope to see you there.
Each Thursday this summer from 6:30-8:30pm at The Crossings in Loudonville, located at 580 Albany-Shaker Road, enjoy a variety of bands performing music across many genres of music. This lineup features local talent that is sure to entice locals to come out and enjoy the summer evenings with music in the air.
The Crossing Summer Schedule
July 2 – Bluz House Rockers
July 9 – George Wonders Orchestra
July 16 – Holly McCormack with Cello Voce
July 23 – Keith Pray’s Mohawk Brass Band
July 30 – The Pipe Kings
August 6 – New York Players
August 13 – 2 Broads with Alotta Sound
August 20 – Nick Coluccio (Sinatra Tribute)
August 27 – Jeff Gonzales and the 2 Bit Cowboys
Taste of Country 2015 kicked off its third annual country music festival at Hunter Mountain on Friday afternoon with a bang and a star-studded lineup. Set in the gorgeous Catskill mountains in Upstate New York, legions of East coast country fans packed the mountain ready for great country music, delicious food and drink and myriad of other activities and attractions carefully designed to create an exciting and unforgettable summer festival experience.
Although a ski resort during the winter months, it’s scenic mountain views framing the main stage, sprawling hills for fans to spread out on and numerous camping areas make Hunter’s transformation into a music festival venue in the summer, a seamless one. As usual, fans arrived at the show enthusiastic, animated and ready for a party.
Keith Urban – Taste of Country 2015
Friday, Day 1: Fans crammed the venue and fair ground area for a highly anticipated opening day lineup of Rachel Lipsky, Logan Mize, LOCASH, Colt FormEli Young Band and Keith Urban. They were also able to enjoy a bunch of delicious food choices, plenty of drinks and various shopping, where anything from cowboy boots to band merch was available. The food stands, despite having been good from the first year of the festival definitely took a step up this year, providing a wider variety of food and more choices than ever. When in search of lunch I found myself wandering through the grounds unable to decide what to get because there were so many delicious options!
Taste of Country Festival 2015
Although the forecast predicted that a massive thunder storm was looming, the weather throughout much of Friday at Hunter Mountain was clear, sunny and hot, albeit very humid. It was only around 9 p.m. when Eli Young Band (whose set had already been move up 15 minutes due to the impending lightening) finished their set that the festival announced a delay for headliner Keith Urban’s set. Fans were directed to quickly and calmly leave the mountain and take cover in their cars until the festival deemed it was safe for them to return. Fans were kept updated on weather conditions and the delay through both the Taste Of Country Festival app and through social media such as Twitter and Facebook. Thankfully, venue announced that it was safe for fans to return at 10:24 p.m., and after some stage cleanup and giving fans time to return, Urban was finally able to take the stage around 11 p.m. Outside of weather issues at the end of the night, the festival ran very smoothly throughout most of the day.
As the day of music began, Rachel Lipsky was the first to take the stage. This young lady has one heck of a voice and a “hell ya” attitude that captured the audience immediately and reeled them in and amped them up, setting the stage on fire from the get go. Singing both originals and covers, this young lady owns the stage and gathers fans everywhere she goes. Whether it’s overseas to perform for the troops or at the next Nascar Race, Rachel’s a fan favorite and a veteran to the Taste of Country stages being her second year performing at the festival.
Rachel Lipsky – Taste of Country 2015
Next up was Logan Mize. This young man, with his wholesome good looks and amazing voice owns both stage and screen when he performs. Fans adore him, and music lovers can’t get enough. Keeping up the momentum, Logan continued to engage the audience and by the end of his set, the party was well under way.
Eli Young Band – Taste of Country 2015
LOCASH was the third act to take stage on Day 1. Anyone who has seen this duo before knows that they are the life of the party on stage, and aways know how have a good time while putting on an amazing show. Comprised of Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, the duo is down to earth, funny, patriotic and always vibrant on stage. It is truly hard not to like LOCASH, and the pair is easily able to connect with the crowd in live settings because of their engaging nature and the relatable subject matter of their songs. Although I arrived about 10 minutes late, I was still able to catch most of their set. The duo was just about to begin playing a new song called “I Know Somebody” as I arrived. The song was undeniably catchy and featured pleasant harmonies between Lucas and Brust. It should be a good track or even a single on a future album or EP.
Eli Young Band – Taste of Country 2015
The pair delighted a predictably intoxicated crowd with their fun and carefree song “Drunk Drunk,” which to no surprise, they wrote when they were drunk one night. LOCASH’s set also featured another new song, “What We Got”, a romantic and charming track about being thankful for the love in their life. The duo also performed some notable covers; “Truck Yeah” which the pair wrote with fellow country artist Chris Janson, and was recorded by Tim McGraw. This number was a huge crowd pleaser as the lyrics are fun and easy to sing out loud. LOCASH briefly went out of genre with covers, of Bruno Mars’ “The Lazy Song” and a rousing version of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” They rounded out their setlist with self-proclaimed redneck anthem “Hey, Hey, Hey”, and a track they called a “meat and potatoes, knockout punch” song that they plan to be their next single, called “All I Need Is You.” LOCASH closed with their current hit single and fan favorite “I Love This Life,” an anthemic track that details the simple pleasures of living a country lifestyle. Before performing the song, they informed the audience that New York is the No. 1-selling market for LOCASH, and thanked fans for their support, dedication and for buying their songs.
Keith Urban – Taste of Country 2015
Country rapper Colt Ford followed LOCASH. Known for his patriotism and high profile collaborations with some of country music’s biggest stars, Ford’s setlist contained an abundance of popular and well known songs. The always aware and generous Ford is also heavily involved in various charity projects to aid current soldiers as well as veterans suffering from PTSD, noting how important it is to support those who fight and sacrifice every day for our country and our freedom. A prime example of the entertainers desire to help others, all of the proceeds of one of his current songs that he performed called “Workin On” will go to help soldiers with PTSD. He also mentioned that he always performs with an American flag attached to his microphone stand, a tribute to soldiers and first responders. Ford performed his infectious party song single “Crank It Up” a track with a dance beat and killer hook, as as well as “Country Thang” recorded with Eric Church, “Driving Around Song” recorded with Jason Aldean, “The High Life” recorded with Chase Rice and even covered Eminem song “Lose Yourself” which the crowd got a kick out of.
Although he is known as a country rapper of sorts, Ford kept his music grounded in country with plenty of fiddle during his time on stage. He ended his set with “Dirt Road Anthem” a game changing, massively popular song he wrote with Brantley Gilbert that was taken to No. 1 on the country charts by Jason Aldean. LOCASH joined him on stage to perform the song, adding camaraderie to an already fun set.
Eli Young Band was the fourth act to take the stage, but the last before the festival issued it’s weather delay. Known for their vocals, songwriting and the pleasant overall sound of their music, Eli Young Band has been able to accomplish the often rare feat of finding critical, commercial and radio success during their time together. They opened their set with a song called “Revelations” an emphatic rock influenced track from their most recent album 1000 Towns, which were followed by the album’s title track, previous single “Dust” and three songs from their new Turn It Up EP, “Drink You Up” and “Plastic” and it’s title track (also the band’s most recent single). Self-proclaimed “bonfire tune” “Always The Love Songs” soon followed. The four man band kept the patriotism going as well, leading several enthusiastic USA chants with the pack out crowd and like Ford, keeping an American flag on stage at all times. They also took the time to dedicate their touching and heartfelt song “Prayer For The Road” to members of the military and first responders. Eli Young band made sure to express how lucky they knew they were to be able to play music for a living, and how thankful the were for the fans that have continued to support them throughout their career.
LOCASH – Taste of Country 2015
The group chose to perform several well known covers, including David Lee Murphy’s crowd pleasing “Dust On The Bottle,” Tom Petty’s “Learning To Fly” and Garth Brooks’ “The Thunder Rolls” which was unfortunately a very appropriate prediction of the weather that was soon strike the mountain. Radio hits and Eli Young Band staples “Drunk Last Night,” “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and “Crazy Girl” came at the back half of the band’s set, delighting the thousands of fans in attendance with their relatable lyrics, catchy hooks and deep content. Even though a nasty storm was soon to come, Eli Young Band’s set definitely rocked the thousands sprawled out on the hills of Hunter Mountain before the thunder, rain and lightening could ruin the party.
Logan Mize – Taste of Country 2015
Not 10 minutes after Eli Young Band’s set (around 8:50 p.m.), the festival announced the temporary delay of Keith Urban’s set, and informed fans that for their own safety, they would have to leave the mountain until the weather improved. Although disappointing, the festival officials always maintained that they believed the show would be able to go on after the delay. Sure enough, around 10:20 p.m. they announced via Twitter and the Taste of Country Festival app that the venue had re-opened and that headliner and worldwide superstar Keith Urban would finally be able to perform after the stage was cleaned and fans had returned.
Keith Urban – Taste of Country Music Festival 2015
Urban, who has been a titan in the music industry for decades has drawn millions of fans to his concerts and music though his perfect pop-country formula, movie star good looks, sweet personality world renowned skill on the guitar, and distinguishable voice and musical sound. The Australian native’s illustrious career beginning in 1991 includes 10 wildly successful headlining tours starting in 2004, 18 No. 1 songs, three Grammys and numerous country music awards.
Taste of Country Festival 2015
Fans were relieved and thankful to see Urban take the stage. The continuing rain, and substantial pools mud that were a result did nothing to deter fans from flocking excitedly back to the mountain for his set. While the guitar is nothing more than a prop for many musicians on stage, for Urban it is like an extension of his arms, and at times can be just as poignant and affective as his vocals or lyrics. He often delights the crowd in live performances, showing off his extensive shredding ability with long, emphatic and complicated guitar solos at the end of many of his songs that leave fans wondering how he has enough fingers to hit each note and this night was no different. Urban also has a fully stocked stable of well known hits that he trots out confidently each show, often having to trim down the list to fit his set into the allotted time frame. He began his set with the upbeat “You’re Gonna Fly,” the catchy “Put You In A Song,” followed by “Somewhere In My Car” a No. 1-hit from his most recent album Fuse, and irresistible summer jam “Long Hot Summer.” Urban then brought talented singer and fan from Saratoga Spring Kayla Saris, who won a fan contest on stage to help him perform his hit song “We Were Us” a duet he recorded with fellow country artist Miranda Lambert. Also from Fuse, Urban performed popular singles “Little Bit of Everything” and “Cop Car” before the romantic, fan favorite “Sweet Thing” which included an extended guitar solo to close out the song and an acoustic rendition of “Making Memories of Us.”
Urban also broke out his brand new lead single “John Cougar, John Deer, John 3:16” an easygoing, laid back, easy to jam out to track that is sure to become another hit for the talented singer, and the last single from Fuse, “Raise Em Up,” a star-studded collaboration with Eric Church that also included a thrashing guitar solo at it’s conclusion. The audience enthusiastically screamed back the lyrics of sweet, fan favorite “Kiss A Girl.” He closed the show and brought down the house with performances of massive hits the cheeky and anthemic “You Look Good In My Shirt” and the the uplifting ” Someone Like You.”
By the end of the show Urban had proven yet again why is a must see performer for all casual and serious music lovers and showed that even a storm couldn’t stop the thousands of loyal country music fans in attendance from, showing up in droves to enjoy their favorite performers. Urban’s headlining set was the cornerstone to an incredible day full of great music, delicious food, eclectic festival environment and beautiful views at Hunter Mountain. The best part was that there were still two more exciting days of the festival to look forward to.
Lettuce has a head (no pun intended) full of steam. Over the last year or so, the band has been touring more regularly and hitting many regions across the U.S. The band followed up last year’s opening slot performance at Red Rocks with a headlining date there just a couple of weeks back that included the likes of The Motet, Exmag, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. If that momentum wasn’t enough, the band will soon release their latest album. And although the release date hasn’t been established, fans have already gotten an early taste of it as the band has been regularly playing the new cuts.
Imagine Dragons has released their newest album, Smoke & Mirrors. With the huge success of their first studio album Night Visions in 2012, selling more than 2 million copies to date, 
