Category: Regions

Canalside Buffalo Announces Free Summer Concert Series 2015

Canalside Buffalo has announced their summer Thursday free concert lineup for 2015. The outdoor harbor series is nestled on a gorgeous plot of land nestled up against Lake Erie. Beers a plenty will be on hand as well as some of Buffalo’s excellent food trucks and vendors. The lineup is diverse as usual bringing Buffalonians a mix of genre’s with big headliners and top notch locally based talent.

Indie darlings Matt & Kim kick things off June 6. Other acts include Spoon, Everclear, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Yonder Mountain String Band, Iron & Wine and THE En Vogue.

One of the biggest highlights here – Aug 6 Umphrey’s Mcgee will traverse the skyway to Buffalo’s Harbor Series for a free show. Touring behind their latest release – Similar Skin – UM will bring their complex compositions to Buffalo’s exploding harbor district. Joining them will be Buffalo’s fastest growing band – Aqueous. Hot off a way sold out show featuring a Cake themed set at Buffalo’s Iron Works and critical acclaim for their progressive groove rock sound, the combined draw here guarantees to pack the joint. Show up early to get a good spot – these two bands are gonna tear the place up.

Canalside Lineup 2015

June 4 Matt & Kim w/ Made Violent and Bearstronaut
June 11 Arkells w/ Robert Delong and Milo Greene
June 18 Everclear w/ Fuel and American Hi-Fi
June 25 Spoon w/ July Talk
July 2 The Sheepdogs w/ Yonder Mountain String Band
July 9 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
July 16 Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performs Stevie Wonder
7/23 Badfish w/ Reel Big Fish
7/30 Iron & Wine w/ Ben Bridwell
8/6 Umphrey’s McGeew/ Aqueous
8/13 Get the Led Out
8/20 En Vogue

April 29, 2015
Jeff Beck Wows UPAC Crowd in Kingston

Wearing his signature sleeveless vest and neck kerchief, Jeff Beck took the stage at a sold-out UPAC in Kingston on Tuesday, April 21. From 8:50 p.m. until nearly 10:30, the crowd listened and watched in awe, mesmerized by every note.

After his band warmed the crowd up for a minute, Beck strutted onto the stage and picked up a gleaming white guitar. Without hesitation, he jumped headlong into an intense night of jamming. A thick diamond wristband glistened with each turn of his wrist. Beck’s thumb flicked like a hummingbird’s wing across the strings, rapidly and Instinctually. He paid particular attention to the lower end of the guitar’s neck, yielding high, emotional notes that each tap of the whammy bar contorted with surgeon-like precision.

Beck was front and center for the first two quick, yet poignant songs before bassist Rhonda Smith reminded the Kingston crowd that it was no one-man show. Dressed coolly in high heels and harem pants, she swaggered to the front of the stage and dazzled with a long solo, alternating between picking and slapping. Notes flew from her bass in fluid, creative patterns. She flourished in the spotlight before ambling back to her amp for a swig of beer. When she did so, Jonathan Joseph kicked into high gear and erupted for a massive drum solo, mixing in intricate time signatures and utilizing his entire kit.

A few instrumental rock jams ensued. Jimmy Hall stepped up to a microphone and serenaded the crowd with powerful vocals during a Blind Faith cover. He yo-yoed on and off stage all night, showcasing a soulful voice and a huge range when participating. The highlight of Hall’s contribution came during a high-octane cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” The final musician on stage, supporting guitarist Nicolas Meier, stood out during a tantalizing Middle Eastern-esque segment of the show.

With the help of the immensely talented musicians surrounding him, Jeff Beck put on an unforgettable show. At times, he hammered his guitar, taking us on a trip to shred-city with carefully orchestrated chaos. Jams teetered on the edge of being so creative and unique they were nearly nonsensical. Before overdoing it, however, Beck nimbly eased up, subtly bringing us back to a comfortable place with gentle meticulousness.

Portions of the concert ranged from bluesy to Middle Eastern to heavy shredding and soul was aplenty. Whether it was covering Hendrix or The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” or playing original instrumental compositions, Beck held devoted fans spellbound for ninety minutes. Like a fine wine, age has treated the rock hero well; he has not lost a beat, merely added to his repertoire.

April 28, 2015
Take the Night Off and Spend It With Seether: Interview with Drummer, John Humphrey

Hard rockers Seether are back on the road and are ready to rock New York State to support their latest album Isolate and Medicate. They are spending the first week of May in New York, making stops in Albany, Niagara Falls and Huntington. Seether has been a staple in the rock genre for over 13 years and is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Shaun Morgan, bassist Dale Stewart and drummer John Humphrey.

John recently took time out of his busy schedule to answer questions about their upcoming Rise Above Fest benefiting suicide prevention, their new label, and what a typical day on tour is like for him.

Renee Clark (RC): Some of the venues you play must feel like a second home by now since you have been at them so many times throughout the years. What are some ways you try to keep each tour and show fresh for you and your fans?

John Humphrey (JH): Occasionally, we’ll try to add a new (Seether) song. Maybe one we haven’t performed before or a cover song… It can be difficult. You want to try to play all the familiar singles. In some cases, people have waited a long time to, finally, see you and hear their favorite song. So, we want to try to please everyone.

RC: Can you tell me what a day in the touring life for you is like?

JH: Well, I roll outta’ my bunk about 9-10am. In the front lounge, I pour a cup of coffee and turn on my laptop to check my emails. Then I roll into the venue, take a look around, maybe check catering and head to the dressing room for a shower. We, usually, have interviews on site or “phoners” during the afternoon. Seether isn’t big on sound checks. (Note: We’ve been on tour, pretty much non-stop for the last 12 years. We figure if we don’t have ‘em down by now… something is wrong 😉

We’ll usually have some sorta’ meet and greet, in the early evening. Then it’s the calm before the storm… I’ll usually listen to my iPod or watch a lil’ TV, prior to showtime. About an hour before, I change into my “stinky gig shirt” and start warming up. In my case, that’s stretching out the body, legs and arms…then I head over to a lil’ practice kit. A much smaller version of my “live drum kit” with mesh heads to prevent annoying the shit out of everyone with my bashing.

Then its showtime! A “fist bump” between band members before hitting the stage and then “boom”… Shaun hits the first chords of “Gasoline”. The crowd cheers, the lights come on and the adrenaline hits you like a lighting bolt!! After the show, sweaty and wet… we all plop down into the dressing room couches. Breathing like we just all had a major workout…we’ll discuss the show, the crowd response and/or any changes we might want to consider the following night.

For me, its back to the bus to cool down, clean up and change back into “nice smelling”clothes. I’ll usually make a call back home, at this time. Maybe meet some fans or just chill. Then in the wee hours, its back into the bunk for some sleep. Rinse and repeat.

RC: What tracks off of the new record mean the most to you and why?

JH: I guess it would be the four songs that were written “as a band”, while we worked in a friends studio back home in Oklahoma. The guys visited my hometown and stayed a couple of weeks, while we wrote songs to prepare for recording. The songs “At The Bottom”, “Keep The Dogs At Bay”, “Burn The World” and “Watch Me Drown” were written this way. I have other fav’s such as “Crash” too… But, putting together those 4 songs hold great memories, for me.

RC: When you were in-between labels did you ever consider going out on your own without a label?

JH: Well, this is the music BUSINESS and a lot goes on without our knowing or even our say. When we were sold (along with other Wind Up Artists, to Concord Entertainment) we, legally, were still under contract with the label. So, there really wasn’t a “in-between” period or option of going out “on our own”. We were at the mercy of Wind Up. Fortunately, Concord turned out to be a major positive for us, and a truly supportive label.

RC: With digital consumption of music on the rise how do you as a band decide which channels to focus your energies on?

JH: Its funny, statistics show that in Japan (The worlds technology leaders) the physical CD still outsells digital downloads. Also, I love that vinyl in making a comeback, of sorts, here in the states. So, to answer your question… We don’t really “focus” or cater to any certain medium. We still enjoy putting together the artwork and complete package of a release. I know cover art can sometimes be “thumbnail” size but it’s also being reproduced in 12″x 12″ size for LP. We still arrange the track listing of an album so that the “overall listen” has dynamics. We don’t think in terms of, “well, just throw our songs in any order…they are only gonna buy 1 or 2 tracks, anyway”.

RC: What can Seether fans look forward to in the next year? Do you have any plans to record after your upcoming tour?

JH: It’s hard to say. Still a lot of touring for 2015. We will be going to Australia and New Zealand, as well as, another US run and a return to UK and Europe in late summer. If I were to guess, I’d say we would start working on new music towards the end of the year.

RC: The band is about to hold its third annual Rise Above Fest to benefit mental illness next month. What can fans expect at this show? Are there any surprises up your sleeve?

JH: We are really grateful for all the bands, the venue itself and their support. It’s amazing! The festival grows every year. I think this year is an amazing line-up with “Slash, Godsmack and “yours truly’s band” performing. Our dream is for this to, one day, be a touring festival. Ala Lollapalooza.

RC: Many fans know that you are a huge KISS fan and collector. Do you have any other obsessions that you’d like to share?

JH: I’m a music geek, and love collecting vinyl, these days. I really enjoy seeking out old record stores, on a day off from the tour. I love old Motown, blues and classic rock. I’m also a big Elvis Presley and Beatles fan. I try to collect pristine condition, first pressings. I do listen to my collection, though. I’m not one to let them just become museum pieces. I believe they are meant to be enjoyed. I have a pretty serious turntable setup, at home too.

RC: If there is one thing you could say to your 16-year-old self what would it be?

JH: Please go be a doctor!!! Just kidding. I’d tell myself, “Try not to sweat the small stuff. Its gonna be a roller coaster ride so, prepare for a lot of hard work…”

RC: If there is a reader out there that is on the fence on deciding on whether to come out to another Seether show this tour, can you give them a reason to suck it up get their butts out to it?

JH: Without bragging too much, I believe we are the last of a dying breed. We are a sweaty, loud, rock and roll band. We don’t have massive production, pyro and pre-recorded tracks we perform too. We just get up there, play our asses off and have fun doing it. Chances are you have heard, at least, one of our songs on rock radio, at some point, in the last 10 years. So, if wanna take a night off from life… come have a beer (or beverage of choice), stand up, put your fist in the air and sing (or scream along, if you want) to a “I didn’t realize they did THIS song… I LOVE THIS song!!”…then come on out!!

RC: Any last words or anything you’d like to add?

JH: Thank you, Renee and everyone who has supported the band, all these years. You know who you are… and we love ya’!!

Rise Above Fest features performances from Seether, Papa Roach, Godsmack, Nonpoint and more and is happening May 9 in Bangor, ME

Seether New York tour dates:
May 3 – Clifton Park, NY
May 5 – Niagara Falls, NY
May 6 – Huntington,NY

Information on how you purchase tickets as well as a different VIP or meet and greet packages cannot be found on their website http://www.seether.com/.

Check out John rocking the Midland Theater a few weeks ago below:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stujVAg4-GA]

April 28, 2015
Record Store Day Rewind 2015

Vinyl record sales are hot again. In the past three years, this segment of the music industry has seen a huge resurgence. Sales of music in the vinyl format are up seventy per cent this year over the same time period last year. Some analysts see this as simply a fad with a bubble that is ready to burst, but I beg to differ.

I’ve been participating in Record Store Day – created in 2008 as a way to help the mom and pop record stores stay afloat. Each year it has gotten bigger. This past Black Friday for 2015, a second Record Store Day was added to the calendar. Special releases are made and released on these days leading to months of anticipation for the avid music fan.

For this year’s RSD, I recruited a couple of my buddies to join in the festivities. A new store opened in New Hartford near Sangertown Mall, called ReImagine Records, July of 2014. That was our first stop of the day. Our other stops were Music and More on Seneca Turnpike in New Hartford, not far from ReImagine, and the area’s oldest record store, Off-Center Records, on Bleecker Street in Downtown Utica.

My friend Bruce is a big fan of The Flaming Lips. The Lips were releasing three 10” records to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their album Clouds Taste Metallic. Those three records were at the top of Bruce’s list. This was his second RSD. We went together last year, although he didn’t have a turntable at that point. He’s since gotten one and is now once again hooked on vinyl.

Dan was a RSD virgin. When I asked if he wanted to join us this year, his response was, “Been waiting for you to ask, like a prom date.” Dan’s a big Clutch fan so he was on the hunt for anything Clutch related.

I had no real scores in mind, although I did have slim hopes of scoring the 10” release from The Replacements. I was there purely for the enjoyment of the experience. Many of the hyped RSD releases wind up being snapped up quickly by the early birds, so I rarely put much hope in picking up one of those. Unfortunately, many of these highly sought releases end up on eBay within minutes of stores opening their doors. That’s the ugly part of Record Store Day.

We arrived at our first destination at 7:45 thinking we were good for the 8:00 opening. We soon learned that there were many others more anxious than us and found ourselves in a line to check out the new releases. The atmosphere in the store was one of excitement. There was barely room to move yet there we were, music fans from teenagers to men in their sixties, flipping, eyeballing other’s scores, talking music.

With me, the allure of music, specifically records, is the interaction. Music is communal by nature. In my teen years, my friends and I made trips to the records stores part of our lives. We’d talk about music, while listening to music, on our way to buy more music to talk about. That circle hasn’t been broken in all this time.

Bruce was able to find one of The Flaming Lips’ records on his list in our hunt. Dan scored a live Clutch album. I wasn’t able to get that Replacements release but I made some great scores nonetheless.

The point of the day for me wasn’t actual purchases. To me, a visit to a record store is about the experience. The people talking about that which they are so passionate. The social experience of it all. This thought was confirmed in the post-mortem at our favorite watering hole, Stockdale’s in Oriskany. While sitting around slugging back some tasty beers and talking about music, I received a text from my friend Tom, who lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Tom was just beginning his RSD and sent me a picture of The Replacements’ record, “Alex Chilton” asking, “Nineteen Canuck bucks. Need?” The international brotherhood of record geeks, connecting electronically! Tom picked up that record for me as well as another one of the Lips’ that Bruce had been seeking.

However, out of the myriad releases being promoted for that specific day, all four of us went home with items we found either in the bargain bins or in the regular used record racks. Dan’s prize pick of the day was a beat up two dollar copy of the album Restrictions by the early ’70s blues-rock band Cactus. Mine, a four-dollar copy of The Clash’s first album. Tom’s favorite acquisition wasn’t even on vinyl. He picked up a copy of a Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros CD. Bruce’s favorite pick was obviously his Lips but he also scored a great copy of the Love & Rockets album Earth, Sun, Moon. The day and the special releases drew us in on this particular day but what we took with us are what we valued.

I asked Bruce, Dan and Tom what they took away from Record Store Day. Dan explained that he had the most fun building his list of bands to seek and artists he thought were fitting of the media. Bruce summed it up perfectly, “It was more about the experience with buds than the musical trophies.” Tom’s takeaway was seeing a teenage girl walking out of The Inner Sleeve with a Muddy Waters album under her arm.

Records are back! And I couldn’t be more pleased. I don’t need Record Store Day because every day is that to me. Records are real. Records are tangible. Records demand interaction. That is what makes records so special. Is it a fad? I don’t think so. I think days like this are helping to build future generations of record fans. Fans who, as Alice Cooper recently stated in an interview – “are sick of buying air.”

Me? I’ll be crate diggin’.

April 28, 2015
Guthrie Bell Productions and 102.7 EQX present “Howling on the Hudson” series this summer

Guthrie Bell Productions and WEQX 102.7 just announced a new music series called “Howling on the Hudson” taking place this summer on the Dutch Apple Cruise Ship. The first round of bands features Eastbound Jesus, Conehead Buddha and Gubbulidis (Twiddle Duo). The series will feature six shows taking place on Tuesday nights. The Dutch Apple Cruise Ship is an ideal venue with three floors, both indoor and outdoor, offering a beautiful scenic view, a full bar and plenty of dance space. The ship boards at 6:30 PM in downtown Albany and departs promptly at 7, returning to dock at 10. Tickets are 22.00 in advance (Available May 1) and 25.00 at the door.

The Capital District is infamous for the weekly music events such as Rockin on the River in Troy and Albany’s Alive at Five. Here’s hoping this becomes a yearly tradition.

Howling on the Hudson

Tues. June 9 : Eastbound Jesus

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6hk8V4jy8U]

Tues. June 23 : Conehead Buddha

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKuaIt6kywM]

Tues. July 7 : Gubbulidis (Twiddle Duo)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huGd6KGPV6I&w=560&h=315]

April 28, 2015
Josh Groban to Visit Upstate NY

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

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

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

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

April 27, 2015
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

[FinalTilesGallery id=’163′]

April 24, 2015
Primus at The Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, NY

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

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

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

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

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

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

Written by: Kelly Besaw Photos by: Chris Beesaw

April 24, 2015
For The Record: An Interview with Hellyeah’s Chad Grey

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

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

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

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

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

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

CHAD: Great man, how you doing?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CHRIS: That’s really cool.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

April 24, 2015
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.

The 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.

Being 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

April 23, 2015