Coming off the heels of an extensive summer tour which included a gig at Red Rocks and multiple festival appearances, Twiddle took its momentum home to Burlington Vermont for two shows. The quartet played a sunset two-set show at Burlington Waterfront’s Maritime Festival on Friday and a late night party at Higher Ground on Saturday evening. The Twiddle community has grown immensely over the past few years, and it was shown by attendance at both their shows out numbering fellow jam band moe.
Twiddle
Twiddle performed on Friday evening under a breathtaking sunset over Lake Champlain for Burlington’s Maritime Festival. The first of two sets featured an opener of the semi rare “Atlantic Mocean>BBQ>Atlantic Mocean” to get things started. The fan favorite “White Light” followed and featured an extensive jam, with the song clocking in at 19 minutes. “Latin Tang” was up next, and featured a plethora of sit-ins that included Russ Lawton (Soul Monde) on drums, Ray Paczkowski (Soul Monde) on keys, and Dave Grippo (Giant Country Horns) on saxophone. “Lost in the Cold” was played next and was no surprise to anyone, the band has played it 18 times since it was written by lead guitarist Mihali Savoulidis in early 2015. The lyrically inspiring “Hatti’s Jam -> When it Rains, it Pours” closed out the first set in perfect fashion. The jam heavy second set saw Twiddle play 4 songs. “Brick of Barley” opened and featured a great jam. “Gatsby the Great,” a song about keyboardist Ryan Dempsey’s college pet duck came next and showcased the jam of the night, and possibly the weekend. It included classic sandwich of Bela Fleck’s “Big Country” in the middle of the song. After the song ended, fans could be heard cheering “Frankenfoote” and the band responded by closing the set with a smoking version. The band returned for an encore of “Doinkinbonk!!!” before handing things off to moe. over at Higher Ground for their late night set.
Twiddle
The band took to Higher Ground on Saturday evening to play a late night show after moe.’s set at the Maritime Festival. The show opened with an electronic dance party, started by drummer Brook Jordan and dubbed “DJBJ” by Mihali as each remaining band member slowly trickled into the jam. “Mamunes The Faun” was up next, and contained a lengthy jam that was followed by instrumental “The Catapillar.” A cover of the reggae tune “Harder They Come” by Jimmy Cliff saw keyboardist Josh Dobbs sit in and finger the ivories. An excellent version of “Jamflowman” was up next and the set closed with “Bronze Fingers”. Already after midnight, nobody in attendance showed any signs of letting up, the band included. A fiery “Wasabi Eruption” opened the second set and segued into a 20 min version of “The Box,” that contained an amazing jam with a soaring guitar solo from Mihali. The serious song “Tiberius” was next, and was standard but welcomed. The band ended the second set with jammed out rendition of “Cabbage Face” and the slower, lyrical, “Amydst The Myst,” An encore of “Mad World” by British band Tears for Fears closed out a spectacular weekend of music.
Twiddle
Waterfront Park, Burlington, VT – 8.7.2015
Set 1: Atlantic Mocean > BBQ > Atlantic Mocean, White Light, Latin Tang[1], Lost in the Cold, Hatti’s Jam -> When it Rains, it Poors
Set 2: Brick of Barley, Gatsby The Great > Big Country > Gatsby The Great, Frankenfoote
Encore: Doinkinbonk!!!
[1] “Latin Tang” featured Russ Lawton (Soule Monde) on drums, Ray Paczkowski (Soule Monde) on keys and Dave Grippo on saxophone.
Higher Ground, Burlington, VT – 8.8.2015
Set 1: Mamunes the Faun, The Catapillar, Harder They Come[1], Jamflowman, Bronze Fingers
Set 2: Wasabi Eruption, The Box, Tiberius, Cabbage Face, Amydst the Myst
Encore: Mad World
[1] “Harder They Come” featured Josh Dobbs (Cats Under The Stairs) on keys
Anyone need a little sauce in their life? This Tuesday, G Love & Special Sauce with guests Big Head Todd and the Monsters and JJ Grey and Mofro will be spicing up Paper Mill Island Amphitheater in Baldwinsville, N.Y. With roots in Philadelphia, Colorado and Florida respectively, these three acts will be serving up a taste of the east, west and down south with a range of funky blues, hip hop and soft rock melodies.
The three bands will assemble in Baldwinsville mid-August after performing a handful of gigs together throughout New England earlier in the month. After Paper Mill they will venture further west and perform three more shows together in Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa before branching off to continue touring the U.S.
Doors at 5 pm, show starts at 6 pm. Enjoy a lovely sunset over the Seneca River at 8:04 pm.
Here’s a little appetizer:
Love and Special Sauce performing “Baby’s Got Sauce:”
Big Head Todd and The Monsters covering a John Lee Hooker song, “Boom Boom:”
JJ Grey and Mofro performing “99 Shades of Crazy:”
Synners, we have a new single! Gemini Syndrome has released an audio stream of their new single “Eternity,” off their upcoming second studio album set to be released in early 2016, which is still to be named. The single also debuted on SiriusXM Octane. Fans can pre-order the single now, set to be released on Aug. 21.
This is the band’s first new music since the release of their debut studio album LUX in 2013.
Gemini Syndrome has seen a lineup change since we last saw them, but the core of vocalist Aaron Nordstrom, Brian Steele Medina on sticks and Alessandro “AP” Paveri on bass are still intact.
Medina on the new music heading our way:
“Aaron, AP, & myself have poured our hearts into the new music & we wanted to give a taste before we head into the studio. We’re streamlined and stronger than ever. We’re not going anywhere — We’re here for all Eternity.”
After touring in 2014, the band confronted and exorcised internal and external demons. Between some band members having personal struggles and splitting with their music label, it was a dark time for the band.
Gemini Syndrome will head out on a small, five-date headlining tour starting on the release date of “Eternity” at the Blue Max in Midland, Texas. The band will then join Avatar, Huntress and First Decree on tour for 22 shows.
Synner’s of New York will get their chance to see Gemini Syndrome on tour with Avatar at Revolution on Sept. 17 in Amityville and Sept. 18 in Poughkeepsie at The Chance.
Gemini Syndrome Dates:
08-21-2015 – Blue Max – Midland, TX
08-23-2015 – Scout Bar – Houston, TX
08-25-2015 – Juanita’s – Little Rock, AK
08-26-2015 – The Warehouse – Clarksville, TN
08-27-2015 – Cheers Pub – South Bend, IN
Dates with Avatar:
08-28-2015 – The Machine Shop – Flint, MI
08-30-2015 – Aftershock – Merriam, KS
08-31-2015 – Marquis Theatre – Denver, CO
09-01-2015 – Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
09-02-2015 – Sokol Underground – Omaha, NE
09-03-2015 – 7 Flags Event Center – Clive, IA
09-04-2015 – Q & Z Expo Center – Ringle, WI
09-06-2015 – The Tree – Joliet, IL
09-08-2015 – The Castle Theatre – Bloomington, IL
09-09-2015 – Expo Five – Louisville, KY
09-10-2015 – Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
09-11-2015 – The Odeon Concert Club – Cleveland, OH
09-12-2015 – Vouge – Indianapolis, IN
09-13-2015 – The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
09-14-2015 – Mainstage – Morgantown, WV
09-15-2015 – Alter Bar – Pittsburgh, PA
09-17-2015 – Revolution – Amityville, NY
09-18-2016 – The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY
09-19-2015 – Chameleon Club – Lancaster, PA
09-20-2015 – Hard Times Café – Hagerstown, Maryland
“I’ve never heard so many notes playing at once!” exclaimed a lanky festivarian draped in a tie-dye T-shirt, following the terrific main stage show of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead at the recent Arise Festival in Loveland, Colorado. Certainly, the hippie’s exclamation served as an apt description of the world’s best Dead cover band. However, the statement served as even more appropriate description of the hybrid event set the picturesque mountain setting. Arise is constructed as a “co-creator” event that offers a spicy jumbalaya of multi-cultural live music, electronic performances, art presentations, along with numerous workshops centered around eco-activism, social justice, and spirituality practice.
For those busy facilitating the weekend workshops, the 100 musical acts may have been mere distant echoes, but the results, at times, gave heartrending results. One such workshop led with a descendent of a man who once led a massacre against a Lakota tribe. The harrowing account was immediately followed by another presenter who is a current Lakota tribe member who offered words of healing regarding the violent past, and finished with a blessing of earth healing. That’s powerful stuff to be sharing at a music festival for sure.
As for the music scene, Arise boasts an advantage of what many are calling “next generation” festivals. Unlike similar events like Costa Rica’s Envision festival, the folks of Arise largely rely on the presence of live music acts. Not that Arise didn’t give electronic bassheads enough whomp. The Polish Ambassador headlined the main stage on Friday and a revamped Area 51 stage featured a full schedule of spin meisters through the weekend.
For me, the joy of the music scene was the live music. And there was plenty of joy in the concert bowl. Friday highlights included an emotional set of bluegrass folk from Rising Appalachia and the rousing rockabilly of Sister Sparrow and Dirty Birds. Arleigh Kincheloe, the band’s lead singer belted out tunes with pipes powerful enough to put plumbers out of business. And these acts were just warming up the crowd. Lukas Nelson, who spent the summer touring with Neil Young, shimmied, jumped, and rocked his way in the free world with a series of serrated guitar solos that Young would admire. And even though funk bands seem to grow these days thicker than mountain thistle, Turkuaz finished with a reasonably fresh and energetic take on the newly popular genre. Interspersed between the live sets were a dizzying array of acrobatic and fire performances from the likes of Lunar Fire and Fractal Tribe.
The 90 degree daytime temps didn’t slow down the Saturday line-up either. Western New York’s favorites Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad have become Colorado’s adopted sons for roots reggae, and their upbeat, jaunty rhythms dropped happily between two festival favorites, Ozomatli and the afore-mentioned Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. The crowd danced so hard, even Dirty Santa and sequined red suit was “almost dead” before midnight.
Still, the peak acoustic show the weekend didn’t arrive till Sunday’s offering of Larry Keel’s Bluegrass Tribute to the Grateful Dead. Edward Sharpe of the Magnetic Zeroes, at times, seemed restless and distracted, but the top-notch band behind him remained strong. Rounding out the main stage show, Trevor Hall’s easy going folk sound glided the crowd safely down to the festival weekend landing strip. Like many of the performers featured during the weekend, the Arise festival, only in its third year, is already hitting all the right notes.
After 29 years you figure a thing or two about putting on a festival. The producers of the Green River Festival in Greenfield, Massachusetts are proof of that. Everything ran like a well-oiled machine for the 2015 edition. Not in a way that seemed played out, but in a fresh, exciting and invigorating way. The festival has quietly been chugging along, nestled in the foothills of the Berkshires, far enough away from the big cities, though close enough to a hungry crowd of music lovers to reach a sell out.
There were so many ways to enjoy the Green River Festival. The multitude of local eateries selling a ridiculously wide variety of foods, the large and inventive kids’ craft tent, the makers fair, the acrobats show, the frisbee dogs, the karate demonstrations, the shuttle carting people to the Green River to swim, the Mardi Gras parade featuring some fantastic creatures and led through the crowd by Bela’s Bartok and Hannah from And the Kids, and the hot air balloons!
Wait, I forgot to mention the 3 stages jam-packed with music. All that, and many still found the best way to spend their time was tossing around a frisbee in the large open field by the second stage, spurring the Milk Carton Kids’ Joey Ryan to dryly quip, “We have a no frisbees rule… there are a lot of violators here.” A hula hoop vendor made hoops available by that stage as well, creating a mass of hula hoopers present throughout the days. Everyone had the opportunity to enjoy at their own pace, in their own space. The producers have found the perfect formula of addition by addition. Nothing felt tacked on, everything felt right.
Musically, the festival served up a heaping slab of New England comfort food. The rest aforementioned activity, as they say, was just the gravy. Not only were the band selections great, they were clearly hand-picked and not just pulled off the nearest passing festival train. The music flowed wonderfully from set to set, and built to a nice peak at the perfect times. There was an evenness to the passion and approach of the musicians that made for a smooth transition no matter where you went.
The whole weekend got set up on Friday night with two simultaneous events. On the main stage, or Green River Stage, it was local music label and festival presenter Signature Sounds celebrating their 20th year and featuring a slate of label mates. It all came to a head with the self-dubbed “Queen of the Minor Key” Eilen Jewell blasting through tracks off her latest like “Warning Signs,” and “Worried Mind,” all featuring the amazing work of her stand out guitarist Jerry Miller. Over on the second stage, or Four Rivers Stage, local coffee company Dean’s Beans was hosting a Latin night, headlined by M.A.K.U. Sound System. This 8-piece out of NYC left enough heat on the stage to keep it warm the entire weekend with their unique brand of high energy Columbian dance grooves.
The pre-heating wouldn’t be necessary however. The sun was shining bright Saturday and Sunday on what will likely prove to be two of the hottest days of the summer. Not to mention, the bands playing kept it plenty warm all day and night. The day started off with The Suitcase Junket, a one-man band consisting of Matt Lorenz. Between the name and his set up, it had schtick written all over it. But Lorenz’s songs were fantastic and his whole bag of tricks, including but not limited to a saw blade, a baby shoe hitting a gas can, bones, silverware and a throat singing method that was simply mystifying, was anything but schtick. Next up, The Stray Birds, a 3-piece folk band that was another very pleasant surprise. The incredible 3-part harmonies sung into a single mic was their strength, but the resonator guitar was damn good too.
Their set was highlighted by a cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Loretta” and an original, “Best Medicine,” about a music store owner in Schenectady, NY. The stage was folked up and ready to go for Langhorne Slim and the Law, who previewed some tunes off their new album. Slim built the mid-day energy into late-day form with multiple singalongs and a saunter out deep into the crowd. The transition from folkin’ to rockin’ was complete and the stage was prepped for some loud and raging solo guitar songs from Dinosaur Jr.’s and Amherst local J. Mascis. Down the hill at the small third stage, dubbed The Parlour Room Stage, Arc Iris was also getting going. Led by Low Anthem’s Jocie Adams, Arc Iris is a trip into a cosmic wonderworld that blends elements of folk, blues and jazz but filtered through the glasses of Sun Ra, outfits and all.
Music legend Booker T. Jones blasted through a marathon festival set, playing plenty on the B3 but also taking lead guitar duties much more than expected. His set, which included “Green Onions,” “Hang ’em High,” and “Hey Joe” ended a full 25 minutes over his allotted time with a masterful interpretation of the Beatles’ “Don’t Bring Me Down.” From classic sound to sound of the future, tUnE-yArDs, formerly a student at nearby Smith College, took the stage next. Previously Merril Garbus had played her shows solo relying heavily on loops, but she’s added backup singers, a bass player and drummer to add to the already multi-layered effects she produces on her own.
The band was energetic and active and the crowd matched it with their excited fervor, eating up the band’s every move. Down on the third stage Marco Benevento was cooking up a dance party of his own. Closing his set with the anthemic “At the Show” the band was joined by Arc Iris’ Jocie Adams and And the Kids’ Hannah Mohan bringing the action on the stage and off to a boil. tUnE-yArD’s strongly African-influenced music was the perfect lead in for Saturday’s main stage headliners Rubblebucket. The stage was amply and continually filled with smoke as Kalmia Traver and band showed why the festival keeps bringing them back as they get bigger and bigger, with their amped up dance rock Afrobeat.
Sunday brought more of the same, a blazing hot sun shining down on a full day of superb music. Valerie June, wearing a floral crown and an acoustic guitar, graced the crowd with her unique and beautiful voice on songs like “Working Woman Blues” and telling fun tales of her Martin Stranger guitar and her little “baby” banjo. On the second stage Parker Millsap was also showcasing a unique voice, and showing off incredible range on originals like “Old Time Religion” and “Palisades” as well as his take on “Hesitation Blues.” Preservation Hall Jazz Band brought the spirit of New Orleans, as they’re wont to do. Starting with a perfect Sunday rendition of “I’ll Fly Away,” they rolled through a set with “Go To Mardi Gras” and “Corrina Corrina” and an appropriate sing-along on “You Are My Sunshine.” From there the grass at the festival turned a deep shade of blue.
Starting with Colorado’s Elephant Revival, another addition to the post-Avett string band revolution. A worthy addition, and one worth keeping tabs on, they kept things interesting with Celtic and Gypsy influences, instrumentation including a washboard, pedal steel and the usual mix of fiddles, mandolins and banjoes, and some great songwriting. California’s The Brothers Comatose were kicking up some dust at the third stage with a more traditional take. A quintet featuring mandolin, bass, guitar, fiddle and banjo, they won hearts with their incredible cover of the Ryan Adams/Dave Rawlings tune “To Be Young” before kicking into full hoedown mode with “The Van Song.”
Appetites were thoroughly whetted for the Punch Brothers to take over the main stage. Chris Thile, Chris Eldridge, Paul Kowert, Noam Pikelny and Gabe Wilcher, are all prodigious on their own, but when they combine together their blend of bluegrass, pop and classical music is out of this world. They opened with “This Girl” (which ended with a Sunday-appropriate Amen), finished with “Magnet,” and worked in some DeBussy, acapella, Roger Federer jokes, bluegrass breakdowns and more in between, for a rousing set that had the masses entranced. The Green River Festival served is up right in 2015, wonder what they’ve got cooking for their 30th edition!
Boston’s Spiritual Rez never sit still for long, and the band just announced a coast-to-coast fall tour that will include a good smattering of New York dates.
They will start their Northeast leg of the tour in Buffalo on Oct. 8 at Buffalo Iron Works. From there, they hit Rochester, Erie and the new Funk ‘n Waffles in downtown Syracuse.
For Halloween, Rez will be teaming up with Vermont’s premier funk rock band Gang of Thieves at Smoke Signals in Lake Placid. With more and more Halloween shows being announced the past few weeks, this is definitely one to consider making the trip for.
The band is about to embark on a month-long West Coast tour in September. They will hit Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and finish it up in Colorado. California will get the biggest dose of Rez, with stops including Sacramento, San Francisco, Chico, Mammoth Lakes, Los Angeles and San Diego.
For close to 10 years, the Spritual Rez team has been gaining momentum, and even more so since their 2014 release of Apocalypse Whenever. They have become a consistent festival favorite over the years, including eight years in a row at Backwoods Pondfest in Peru, N.Y. Their explosive live performance and unique style of volcanic reggae has been winning over the hearts and minds of music lovers across the country for years. So if you’re looking for a dance party that will leave you sweaty and rejuvenated, be sure to get to one of their shows on this lengthy fall tour.
10.8 – Buffalo, NY | Buffalo Iron Works
10.9 – Rochester, NY | Flour City Station…
10.10 – Erie, PA | King’s Rook Club
10.11 – Syracuse, NY | Funk N Waffles
10.16 – Hartford, CT | Black Eyed Sallys
10.17 – Princeton, NJ | Terrace F Club @ Princeton Univ.
10.23 – Northampton, MA | Hinge
10.24 – Providence, RI | The Spot
10.30 – Burlington, VT | Club Metronome
10.31 – Lake Placid, NY | Smoke Signals
11.7 – Cambridge, MA | The Sinclair
11.18 – Jupiter, FL | Guanabanas
11.19 – West Palm Beach, FL | Lafayettes
11.21 – Jacksonville, FL | Jack Rabbit’s
11.25 – Orlando, FL | The Social
11.27, 28, 29 – Key West, FL | The Green Parrot
12.4 – Raleigh, NC | The Pour House
12.5 – Richmond, VA | The Camel
Disturbed fans: The last piece of the puzzle has been placed. Disturbed has announced their long-awaited returning U.S tour. Spring 2016 will see Disturbed’s first tour since 2011, when the band went on hiatus that October. Disturbed posted on their
We’re excited to announce that we’re heading out on tour in 2016. Tour dates are below, and more dates around the world…
“>Facebook, “These are the first dates of many more to come and more announcements will be coming soon.” The band will also announce overseas dates soon as well.
Tour buses will get down with the sickness and burn rubber through 19 cities starting on March 11 at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, British Columbia, and conclude at the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee on April 10. If other acts will join them on the tour, they have yet to be announced.
Fans first got excited about the band’s return with a short video clip of Disturbed’s mascot “The Guy,” starting to show signs of life while hooked up to life support.
With that then came an end to Disturbed’s hiatus: a brand-new single and video “The Vengeful One,” and the announcement of a sixth studio album titled Immortalized, which the band was secretly recording for a year.
The only thing left for fans now was an official tour announcement from the band. Now the only wait Disturbed fans have is for the band to roll into your town this spring.
New York will see two stops this spring. Monday, April 4, at Irving Plaza in New York City and Tuesday, April 5, in Niagara Falls at Rapids Theater.
David Draiman on some of the upcoming tour stops:
“Our return from hiatus was for one reason: we are dying for our fix of the live experience. We need to satisfy our addiction to the feeling you get when you play to the most dedicated and vibrant fan base in existence, the DISTURBED ones. We know the arena shows will come, but we wanted to start out feeling like it did in the old days. Intimate, hot, and intense. We can’t wait. Prepare yourselves. The Leviathan has risen.”
David Draiman on the bands return:
“The idea was to leave when we were at our peak, which we were, and to come back when we felt reinvigorated. Everything was strategic. We wanted to give ourselves a chance to breathe, give the fans a chance to breathe, and give the culture a chance to evolve. Now is the time. The environment feels ready. The musical landscape feels ready. We’re ready.”
Disturbed’s sixth studio album, Immortalized, will be released on Aug. 21. Fans who pre-ordered the album will get pre-sale privileges for the upcoming tour. Disturbed will also play their first show in more than four years on the same day as the album release in their home town of Chicago at the House Of Blues.
Disturbed’s Touring Schedule:
03-11-2016 – Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
03-12-2016 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
03-14-2016 – Roseland – Portland, OR
03-16-2016 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
03-17-2016 – The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
03-20-2016 – House of Blues – San Diego, CA
03-23-2016 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX
03-24-2016 – House of Blues – Houston, TX
03-25-2016 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
03-27-2016 – Iron City – Birmingham, AL
03-29-2016 – House of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC
03-30-2016 – The National – Richmond, VA
04-01-2016 – Baltimore Sound Stage – Baltimore, MD
04-02-2016 – Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
04-04-2016 – Irving Plaza – New York, NY
04-05-2016 – Rapids Theater – Niagara Falls, NY
04-07-2016 – St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
04-08-2016 – Orbit Room – Grand Rapids, MI
04-10-2016 – New Daisy Theatre – Memphis, TN
Nashville has not only become a mecca for country music but also has a melting pot of talent behind the scenes. The city has become the place for country musicians to travel to for recording. David Fanning may not yet be a name you are familiar with, but I can assure you that his talent shines through in other ways that you may have been touched by. Working together with artists Parmalee and Thompson Square, among others, this young man is wise beyond his years, and his ear for talent is spot on–not only a songwriter, but also as a producer.
Photo by Jeremy Cowart
Kathy Stockbridge: Hi David, thank you so much for agreeing to talk to NYSMusic. It’s so nice to introduce you to our readers. You grew up on a farm in Alabama, talk to me a bit about how you found your way on this path of music.
David Fanning: Well thank you for talking with me. If you could ever see a picture of the town I grew up in, it’s literally what you kinda write about in a song. It’s kinda one of those one red light kind of towns.
KS: I know them well.
DF: What got me interested in music was honestly my family. Growing up, ever since I was tiny, they were in a 50s and 60s a capella group. So they would sing bebop music on weekends just for fun, nothing obviously professional. That’s just what I grew up doing. So I was a miniature Elvis when I was like 9, 10, 11 years old. That’s how I learned about harmonies and melodies and all of that kind of stuff. It was a great experience for sure.
KS: So in addition to singing, what musical instruments do you enjoy playing?
DF: I play guitar. I’m one of those people, especially in a live setting, that love to perform. I’m definitely not Keith Urban, but when it comes down to it I can hold my own. I do a little piano, but honestly I actually started out on drums. I guess I’m one of those people that decided early on that I like to perform versus being “the guy” on any of that stuff. I do obviously play during the show a bunch, but I have a lead guitar player that is way better than I am at that.
KS: I have a feeling you’re being very humble here. I read that you have a really good ear for music. At at the age of fourteen you began producing music and you taught yourself how to use ProTools. Share with our readers a little bit about how that came about.
DF: Where I grew up we had no studios, and even though it wasn’t that far from Nashville, Nashville was still about an hour and a half away. We couldn’t afford to come up here and spend that kind of money nor did I know how to growing up. I always wanted to, but just didn’t know how to. So, even though all we had was dial up internet, I learned how people recorded music and began ordering gear and just getting by. I ended up getting ProTools and established a little set up to record at the house. I started recording my own stuff and figured out how to do it as I went along. I made a bunch of mistakes, and just learned how to get sounds and different things down. When I was finally able to go to those studios, I took what I learned there and applied it to what I already knew and it really started shaping who I was as a producer. It paid off, because I was about 22 when we produced the first Thompson Square record, and “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not” was my first number one that we did on that album. It was an amazing thing. I never knew growing up that I could use all those skills and apply them to what I’m doing today.
KS: Do you think having those skills helped to shape you as a better performer just knowing the whole process and how music is produced?
DF: I think so, it’s one of those things, I’m still growing as an artist. The negative (which is actually still a positive) is I took off about five or six years off from the road. I had been playing my whole life so getting back on the road the past couple years has been a new learning experience as to what works and what doesn’t work and how can I get better. In the studio it’s the same way on each project. We’re doing the new Parmalee project right now. This record is going to be different from the last record, as it’s a little more progressive. It’s awesome, but I’ve learned a lot more [in producing] since that last record too. Sonically I’ve learned a lot. With songs I’ve learned how to make dynamics happen more as well. It’s always just a learning experience. The music industry is always changing so it’s fun to evolve with it.
KS: I like that word–evolve. There are so many different sub-categories within the country genre that it allows you to be creative even more so.
DF: That’s the thing about country music. They are letting you be creative. You might be pop country, or rock country, or rap country even.
KS: Yes, exactly. You spoke of taking some time off. Share with the readers a little about your timeline in the music business and your journey to where you are today.
DF: Even though I took some time off from the road, I was working every day in town. What happened with me is when I was around 20 I moved to Nashville. It’s crazy but I emailed about 300 people when I wanted to move to town. I was actually moving from LA to Nashville, as I lived there for a little while. I had moved out there because I thought, that’s just what you do. When you come from a small town you think LA is the place to be. That’s just what I thought. So I went out there and realized that I’m definitely not that kind of person. I’m definitely more of a small town southern boy, so I moved to Nashville, and when I moved I e-mailed literally 300 people and thought maybe someone would want to give me a shot or something. There was this one guy, his name was Kevin Neal, and at the time he was at a place called Buddy Lee Attractions who booked Jason Aldean. He was like “Man I’ll come out to one of your shows”, and at the time I was playing downtown Nashville at night. He came out and he ended up hooking me up with Aldean’s band who was Kurt Allison, Tully Kennedy, and Rich Redmond. Back then Jason was just starting to get some legs under him and stuff and have some hits. Me and the guys, his band, just hit it off and started working on my stuff in the studio. We cut about six songs and realized that we really work well together in the studio, so we started a production company. The first act we produced was Thompson Square. It all kinda went from “we actually have some success here”, to “I should focus a little bit on this production thing and build a little bit more of a name for myself on that end and see where itgoes”. I went through a few years of working with Thompson Square and Parmalee, who I actually found at the Tin Roof parking lot in Nashville. [Parmalee] used to drive their RV up into town and that’s where they would park. One day I got set up to write with them and we ended up writing a song called “Musta Had A Good Time” together in their RV. I kinda fell in love with their whole vibe and I brought them to the guys and we ended up cutting “Musta Had A Good Time” and “Carolina”, getting them a record deal.
KS: They are awesome. I had a chance to speak with them earlier this year and they are a bunch of fun loving guys. Very talented. Good call there David, great discover!
DF: During their last record we were doing I looked at the guys and said, ‘I gotta go do what I was made to do. I have to go play. I can’t sit here and get this studio tan on any more’.
KS: When you talk about your production company you’re talking about New Voice Entertainment? You’re what they consider a triple threat. You perform, you write and you produce. Do you find yourself being drawn to one particular aspect of music or do all the parts feed your creative soul?
DF: Live performance for me and just live entertainment is my thing. I love it. There’s nothing like it. There’s nothing like the rush. I love writing songs and I love producing, but to me they don’t fulfill the void that I have. I could have a million number ones on the side, and still wouldn’t feel complete if I couldn’t play. That’s exactly what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m finally getting the chance to do it. I’m obviously happier than I’ve ever been. I’m a lot more tired than I’ve ever been, but where I’m at is a fun place to be at. Sometimes you’re on a bus, sometimes you’re in a van, and you’re all over the place, and it’s definitely had its growing pains as we just did a 5,300 mile West Coast trip in a miniature bus with me and the band guys getting stuck in there for eight days. It was really cool and fun though. We had a blast. It’s one of those things where we’re definitely creating memories and such. It’s been a fun journey so far. We’re ready to come to NY though.
KS: Yeah, we’re ready to have you here. Hope you’ll be able to take in some sites while you’re here. Our Adirondacks are gorgeous!
DF: Yeah, I hear it’s beautiful.
KS: Well, right now you’re in the studio doing some recording for yourself, talk to us a little about this new album and what we can expect.
DF: I am. We’re cutting music right now. It’s got a good amount of songs and a little bit of a different direction than the rest of the music that we’ve cut previously. It has a little depth to some of it, some is a little more progressive. For me I grew up listening to Chesney and McGraw and all those artists. But I also felt like I was on the verge of where people are now. With iPhones people are able to listen to all different kinds of music; I was kinda there too. I listened to 90s-early 2000s rock, country, and pop. One thing I liked about older records was it felt like each song told it’s own story and didn’t necessarily sound exactly alike. So that’s kinda how I wanted my record to be. Some of it is country-pop, some of it’s country-rock, some of it is happy and some of it is sad. I just wanted every song to have it’s own flavor to it and sound different than the song before.
KS: I’m anxious to hear it. Will you be sharing any of the new material with us at Keg’s Canalside on August 14th, when you play?
DF: Oh yeah, for sure. The fun thing about the show is that I still play some of the music I produced so that people kinda get familiar with some of the work I’ve done. I play a bunch of familiar stuff, but I also sprinkle in a bunch of new stuff too so that people get the whole picture of who I am.
KS: Speaking of who you are. You, like many musicians, dedicate time to charity work. You work with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Can you tell us a little about your cause and why you chose to work with this one?
DF: Honestly, I’ve of course heard of St. Jude’s for a long time, and I didn’t get a chance to go and visit until a couple years ago. We went there for a few days and it was just eye opening of where it’s started, where it’s gone, what they accomplish, and the success rate they are having right now. I was expecting it to be a super sad place when I toured, but it’s not. The doctors, nurses, patients and families are all so positive. It blows your mind because they are going through the hardest time of their lives yet they are building hope and finding cures. Once I saw that I just had to be a part of it. It’s something I’ll always be a part of. It’s a great cause and they can’t have too much support.
KS: Thank you so much David for speaking to us today. I am so thankful for the chance to personally welcome you to NY and allow our readers an opportunity to get to know David Fanning.
So as I finished up the interview, I found myself so impressed by this young man’s range of talent, his down-home goodness, and musical skills. I find the journey musicians take very retrospective as we discuss the beginnings, the journey and the current events occurring in their lives at that time both musically and personally. The one constant I always find among them all? The love of performing. The sheer love of the music. Whether he made a living out of it or not, I believe David would absolutely be on the stage somewhere doing what he was meant to do, perform live for anyone who’ll listen to him.
I urge you all to take a trip tomorrow night over to Keg’s Canalside in Jordon, N.Y. and meet David Fanning and give him a warm Central New York welcome.
On Wednesday July 29 nothing could prepare the town of Corfu for what was about to be unleashed. Slipknots “Summers Last Stand” tour made a stop at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center and they brought some of their friends.
First up was the Gothic American metal band Motionless in White. The Scranton, PA natives opened up the evening with “Break the Cycle” off of their new album Reincarnate. They continued through a high energy set treating fans to a variety of tracks such as “Abigail,” “Unstoppable” and the title track “Reincarnate.”
Next up, veteran Welsh metal titans, Bullet For My Valentine. Currently on tour in support of their new album Venom, they took the stage opening with “No Way Out.” For fans of metal acts like Metallica and Iron Maiden, this is the band to see – especially the essential track “Your Betrayal.”
They continued to keep the crowd pumped up and excited ending their set with “Tears Don’t Fall” and the mega favorite “Waking The Demon.” I can honestly say that for a band I have not paid much attention to before, after catching their performance, they are on my radar. I am looking forward to listen to more of their music and seeing them live again.
From the deep dark recesses of Richmond, Virginia something wicked and powerful creeped onto the stage; they call themselves Lamb of God! From the moment the band took the stage, they started the frenzy with their hit “Walk with Me in Hell.” Front man Randy Blythe took a moment to honor our country’s fallen military heroes before ripping into their classic “Now You Got Something To Die For,” which criticizes our governments ill gains through war. Lamb of God is currently on tour in support of their newest release VII: Sturm und Drang. They treated fans to “Still Echos” and “512.” This is one band that does NOT disappoint their fans. I have seen them more times than I can count and they are truly a testament to the profession. They ended their set on a heavy note with two of my personal favorites: “Laid to Rest” and “Redneck.” Then, the sweat soaked musicians took their bows and said, “until next time.”
The stage goes dark, you can hear fans chanting, growing restless, getting louder and louder as each moment passes. Faintly at first, then a little louder a voice from the PA system is saying “With my face against the floor, I can’t see who knocked me out, out of the way.” Oh yeah… it’s Slipknot’s killer intro! The curtain drops, the stage explodes and Slipknot, in full force, starts right in with what feels like a punch to the gut also known as “Sarcastrophe!” The band is in top form. They don’t take a break from the heavy bass laden assault ripping right into “The Heretic Anthem” and “Psychosocial.” Front man Corey Taylor only pauses for a second to ask the masses if they want to “hear a new song with an old school feel to it?” The crowd roared with approval as the band keyed up “AOV” off their new album, The Gray Chapter. It felt like the entire crowd sang along to the hit “Before I Forget” off the band’s Vol.3 the Subliminal Versus. I have been going to Slipknot shows since their early days and they are consistently high energy and always discover unique ways to engage the audience in the madness.
During their performance of their mega hit from their debut album Spit It Out percussionist Shawn Crahan (aka Clown) snuck into the audience undetected and emerged by the soundboard where he dumped one of the garbage cans on himself and terrorized fans. While clown was busy making a mess, Corey Taylor encouraged the crowd to get down and when the song crescendos to jump up and sing along. The band took a brief break before storming back on stage and finishing out the evening of metal and mayhem with “People=Shit” and “Surfacing”. Although the tour is titled “Summers Last Stand,” Slipknot proves once again that this is not heavy metal’s last stand and that it is here to stay!
Growing up as a Generation X’er was a treat musically. The music of the time was an eclectic mix that allowed us to soak in a diverse appreciation of many styles. As the ’60s faded out, lyrics of the folk sound resonated in our minds while the ’70s and ’80s rock introduced us again to a heavier mix of instrumental solos. As disco came upon us we saw pop sounds interspersed with a mix of more dance oriented music from NYC, LA, Detroit, and the UK. Then as the large hair bands began to fade out, we were introduced to a whole new indie/grunge sound from the Seattle region. I think those that were raised during this time period feel an appreciation more so for music for some reason. The one thing that seems to hold true as you look at this era of music, those that performed then, are still going strong today and still touring to sold out shows all over the world. Included in this eclectic group were stand out musicians Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.
They made music on stage and that chemistry extended into their personal lives as they took the ’80s by storm. Pat’s strong vocals paired with the fretting strings of Neil were beautiful music that took your gut and made you stand strong and tall. It’s no surprise that they are still going strong today both on and off stage.
Playing to a sold out crowd at The Turning Stone Casino Showroom, husband and wife duo Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo began the show with a video reel of their history together. I have to admit that this preface to the show gave me even more of an understanding and appreciation of their journey together.
Pat Benatar was a classically trained vocalist who began singing in grade school, and just never stopped. Making her mark on NYC in both the clubs and on/off-Broadway Benatar had a vision for what she wanted to achieve, and this vision held a strong musical partner. She needed someone who would hold their own beside her, as well as inspire her. After hearing Neil “Spyder” Giraldo, she knew that was the perfect match. Spyder was an established musician, writer, producer and had been playing with Rick Derringer band when they met. It was an “Invincible” pairing and together they were unstoppable as they created hit after hit.
Fast forward to today, after raising their two daughters, they have taken to the road again to share this magic once again with fans in their 35th Anniversary Tour. I can attest that the magic is still there, and their talent even more refined and fine tuned. They had the crowd at hello as they sang all of my personal favorites and some unexpected covers. As a teenager in the 80’s, the look and stage presence of Pat Benatar was larger than life. Even though many emulated her look, it was her strength that hooked me. As a female rocker in the 80’s Benatar proved to everyone women could be fierce and sexy at the same time. No more Stepford wives ladies, we were going to break that image wide open and take control of our lives. Pat Benatar knew exactly what she wanted to accomplish, had the vision, had the perfect partner to share that vision with, and in turn we have been blessed to be on the receiving end of her journey.
Pat Benatar/Neil Girlado Set List: Shadows of the Night; All Fired Up; Invincible; We Live for Love; One Love; Precious Time; Strawberry Wine; Promises In The Dark; We Belong; Hell Is for Children; You Better Run (The Young Rascals cover); Hit Me With Your Best Shot; Love Is a Battlefield;
Encore: Everybody Lay Down; Let’s Stay Together; Heartbreaker / Ring of Fire/Seven Nation /Godfather Theme
