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Fishbone Coming to Syracuse on May 6 with Special Guests

Los Angeles based ska/funk soul-rock band, Fishbone, is making a pit stop in Syracuse to perform at the Westcott Theater on May 6 with Street Rock Mafia.

Fishbone has been pioneering the music world since 1979 with their own brand of sound, mixing all genres including ska, funk, rock, blues, soul, and R&B. The group is an international act that tours across the world as much as they do in the the USA.

Currently, they are on a 20-date tour across this great nation with shows in NYC at the Rock & Roll Resort, two nights at the Brooklyn Bowl, and an evening at Nectars in Burlington, VT, before heading back to the west coast to finish off the tour. Show attendees can also be sure to hear a few songs from their latest EP titled, Intrinsically Intertwined, that was released last year.

Street Rock Mafia is local from Utica, NY and has recently released their first EP called Music is Life. With a full house at Gordon’s Tap Room (Utica) last saturday, S.R.M. threw one heck of a party to display their hard work, inviting guests artists such as Sam Kininger on Saxaphone and SAMMY award-winning Nineball, among other local bands. Music is Life is a five song EP packed with trembling rock riffs, funky grooves, and smooth flowing hip-hop lyrics.

For more information, visit the sites below.

Tickets – http://www.thewestcotttheater.com/

Fishbone – http://fishbone.net/dates/

Street Rock Mafia – http://www.reverbnation.com/streetrockmafia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As_WLhE5e-k

April 29, 2015
The Disco Biscuits Take Over UVM for Springfest

The University of Vermont (UVM) hosted its annual Springfest event and invited The Disco Biscuits to jam out this year. Hardcore fans and newcomers were plentiful for this late afternoon set and the band did not disappoint.

Diving right into a daytime “Strobelights and Martinis,” the band was already in sync and you could tell we were in for a treat. “Strobelights” morphed into “Air Song” which slowed things up a bit before segueing into fan favorite “Spacebirdmatingcall”.

The band was having a ton of fun at this point, and so was the college crowd, many who had never seen The Disco Biscuits before. An intense sandwich of “Digital Buddha” into an inverted “Little Betty Boop” back into “Digital Buddha” was certainly the high point of the afternoon. The “Digital Buddha” featured some great interplay between guitarist Jon ‘The Barber’ Gutwillig and keyboardist Aron Magner.

The set ended with a nice rendition of “Little Lai”. They returned for an encore of “Little Shimmy” in a Conga Line which had the crowd dancing to its sweet rhythm and melodies, leaving many wishing they had tickets to the sold out show later that evening at Higher Ground.

The Disco Biscuits – UVM Springfest, Burlington, VT. 4-25-15
Set One: Strobelights & Martinis-> Air Song-> Spacebirdmatingcall-> Digital Buddah-> Little Betty Boop (inverted)-> Digital Buddah-> Little Lai
Encore: Little Shimmy in a Conga Line.

April 29, 2015
Show Number One: Widespread Panic: Kings Theatre April 24 Brooklyn, NY
Gearing up on a chilly Friday afternoon in Brooklyn, I was about to embark on a new journey, my first Widespread Panic show. For somebody who has been seeing live music consistently for twenty years now, it came as a shock to those around me I have avoided, unintentionally, Widespread Panic for all these years.

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

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

Dave Schools lights another cigarette.
[FinalTilesGallery id=’167′]
April 29, 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
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
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
FESTY NEWS: Purple Pig 2015 Announces Final Lineup

Get ready to take flight! The Purple Pig Music Festival 2015 has added a number of bands to its lineup, and it promises a weekend full of fun with a variety of musical styles to indulge in.

Final lineup for Purple Pig 2015:

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Driftwood
Sophistafunk
Hypnotic Clambake
The Rigs
ThunderBody
Subsoil
Horizon Wireless
Blind Owl Band
Danielle Ponder & the Tomorrow People
Mikaela Davis
Richie and Rosie
Kevin Kinsella
Mosaic Foundation
The Prickers
The Buddhahood
The Moho Collective
White Woods
Mulberry Soul
The Big Mean Sound Machine
The Chris English Project
Beat the Grid
Solaris
Seth Faergolzia
Blindspots
Maybird
Folkfaces
Slyboots
The Younger Gang
Personal Blend
Thoroughbred
Tryptic Soy
3 Mountain Hollow
Ryan Johnson
Milkweed
Dead Metaphor Cabaret
Eastern Boys with Western Shirts
Bob Bunce’s Rural Delivery
Irshad Chan
Squaw Island
The Reckoning Project

The Purple Pig Festival has grown exponentially in its four years of existence into one of upstate’s best. Held on a picturesque blueberry farm just outside of Naples, N.Y., the Pig offers multiple amenities and free on-site camping for the three-day extravaganza this Aug. 28-30. Three stages will host a bevy of bands with New York-based talent spotlighted. Purple Pig is brought to you by Roots Collider Presents.

The festival was founded by a group of friends who want to celebrate the amazing artistic talent they have found amongst New York’s musicians, artists, dancers, poets, writers and actors. “As hosts of the Purple Pig we are nothing short of blessed to have these such acts for you on one of the most beautiful pieces of land that you’ll ever live on for 3 days,” they write on the homepage of the festival’s website.

Tickets are a mere $80 for the three days and are available online now. Late comers can grab tickets at the gate for $100, provided there are any left. One-day tickets are also available. Join the event.

April 25, 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