Tag: Amy Helm

Best of NYS Music 2015: Staff Picks for Out-of-State Festivals

While most might dream of tropical getaways when it comes to vacation time, music fans accrue their days to travel across the country—or world—for weekends jam-packed with live performances, indulgent food and experimental fun. From the east to the west coasts to the Midwest, NYSMusic staffers traveled near and far throughout the year to see their favorite groups in action. Here we give you our top picks for out-of-state festivals of 2015.

Best Small Festival: Arise Music Festival, East Coast Tsunami Festival, Grand Point North Festival and The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival

With the growing number of small-scale festivals that seem to pop up each year, it’s no wonder that our team could not pick just one or two as their favorite—so we decided to include the ones we felt deserved an honorable mention. First up is Arise Music Festival, an event in Loveland, CO, that according to Andrew Wyatt “offers a spicy jambalaya of multi-cultural live music, electronic performances, art presentations, along with numerous workshops centered around eco-activism, social justice, and spirituality practice.” With nearly 100 musical acts, the three-day festival now in its third year featured the likes of the Polish Ambassador, Rising Appalachia, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Lukas Nelson, Turkuaz, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Trevor Hall, Emancipator Ensemble, Ozomatli and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, among others.

Headlined by Wu-Tang Clan and Life Of Agony, the East Coast Tsunami Festival held in Reading, PA, treated hip hop, hardcore and metal fans to two full days of shows, including favorited groups Body Count, Mobb Deep, Murphy’s Law, Madball and more. And despite sound issues during day one, Jay Saint G. still dubbed the festival as “a wave of brutality that every music lover should experience.”

Up next is the Grand Point North Festival held in Burlington’s Waterfront Park with views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Headlined by Vermont’s sweetheart Grace Potter, the fifth annual installment boasted two nights of music featuring Phish’s Mike Gordon, the Flaming Lips, Shakey Graves, Greensky Bluegrass, Amy Helm and the Handsome Strangers, among others, and special guests like Kenny Chesney who joined Potter to perform their single, “Wild Child.” Alexandra Provost and Laura Carbone noted that “as Potter walked onto the stage, her skin glistening from raindrops, the audience went wild” and that she “put on an astounding performance, showing off her piano, guitar and bluesy vocal skills.”

And finally the Werk Out Music and Arts Festival at Legend Valley, a venue favorited by the Grateful Dead in the ’80s. With a stacked lineup featuring the Werks, Papadosio, Dopapod, Lettuce, Umphrey’s McGee, the Floozies, Consider The Source, Break Science and Tauk, the sixth year for the Thornville, OH, festival “was as always a ridiculously good time for all who made the journey,” according to Ben Landsman. With three stages, a silent disco and one fan wedding,Landsman noted that “between the beauty of Legend Valley, the bright spirit of the fans, the innovative music, this festival is one of the treasures of the Midwest.”

Best Midsize Festival: Green River Festival
Honorable Mention: Aura Music and Arts Festival, Boston Calling, Camp Bisco, DelFest, McDowell Mountain Music Festival

Held at Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, MA, the sold-out 29th annual Green River Festival was “fresh, exciting and invigorating,” according to Eli Stein. Featuring four hot air balloon launches, the family-friendly July event pulled out all the stops with a craft tent, Frisbee dog show, acrobats, karate demonstrations, swimming, a Mardi Gras-style parade and exotic local fare like elk, boar and venison burgers, a Korean food truck and kabob vendors. Throughout the three-day weekend, more than 40 performers ranging from Americana to dance, blues and jam graced the event’s three stages nestled in the foothills of the Berkshires, including Eilen Jewell, the Wood Brothers, Rubblebucket, Marco Benevento, MAKU Sound System, Langhorne Slim and the Law, the Punch Brothers and tUnE-yArDs, which Stein noted was the perfect mixture:

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.”

Best Large Festival: Gathering of the Vibes and Summer Camp
Honorable Mention: Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Hangout Music Fest, Lockn’ Music Festival, Peach Festival, Rock Allegiance, Rock On the Range

Celebrating its 20th year, Gathering of the Vibes offered up an impressive lineup with headliners Wilco, Weezer, Tedeschi/Trucks Band, Dark Star Orchestra, Ben Harper, Greg Allman and the String Cheese Incident. The late summer festival returned to Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT, and treated fans to a super jam called Vibes 20th Anniversary Spectacular featuring Gov’t Mule guitarist Warren Haynes, saxophonist Branford Marsalis, Meters founding bassist George Porter Jr., Marco Benevento on keys and Joe Russo behind the drum kit, plus Jackie Greene on guitar. Although the four-day festival will take a break in 2016, VibeTribers Julia Wolfe and Steve Olker recounted the last day of the 2015 event and dubbed this run as one that would set the pace going forward:

As the sun set over Vibes for the last time, [Ben] Harper closed out with his song “Better Way,” and it was finally time to head home. Seeing so many bands perform was both enticing and overwhelming at the same time, making leaving Vibes even more bittersweet. The range of genre, popularity, age and background is what makes Gathering of the Vibes separate from other festivals. After 20 years, Gathering of the Vibes has remained one of Connecticut’s most well-known festivals, and it’s attention to bringing about change while discovering your own inner peace is what will bring success for future gatherings to come. Until next time, thank you vibes for a real good time.”

With more than 100 bands over four days on seven stages, this year’s installment of Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, IL, saw a stacked lineup of bands like moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Steve Miller Band, Widespread Panic, STS9, Big Gigantic, John Butler Trio, Krewella, Trampled by Turtles, Keller Williams and Grateful Grass, Yonder Mountain String Band, Violent Femmes and many, many more. Festivalgoers also had access to on-site camping, the infamous late night Red Barn Shows, musician workshops, a nonprofit village, arts and crafts and unique food vendors, plus some impressive improvements. In Pete Mason’s review of the festival’s final day, he detailed what made the perfect ending to the much celebrated event:

The final set of the night to check out was North American Scum, an LCD Soundsystem cover band who might be the best band to close out Summer Camp. Members of the group are formerly of This Must be the Band, a Talking Heads band from Chicago, who have traditionally played one of the final sets at Summer Camp. This incredible two hour set featured the entire Sound of Silver album and, because everyone else was playing Grateful Dead songs, a spirited version of “Scarlet Begonias” to cap the night.”

Read more from Summer Camp Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4.

December 28, 2015
Up North Grace Potter is Grand

With flawless vocal delivery, an array of acclaimed guest musicians and a fiery light show, Vermont rocker Grace Potter wowed a crowd of thousands at Burlington’s fifth annual Grand Point North festival.

Potter, originally from Waitsfield, has found success on an international level in recent years, topping iTunes charts and even collaborating with The Rolling Stones. Light rain on the first day of the weekend festival did little to dampen the spirits of an enthusiastic crowd who traveled from both near and far to see acts that also included The Flaming Lips, Shakey Graves, and Mike Gordon of Phish. As Potter walked onto the stage, her skin glistening from raindrops, the audience went wild. Potter, now a solo artist after disbanding Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, put on an astounding performance, showing off her piano, guitar, and bluesy vocal skills. Crowd favorites included “Paris (Ooh La La),” “Low Road,” “Runaway,” “Stop the Bus,” “Hot to the Touch” and “Delirious.”

When Potter sang a passionate rendition of “Stars,” having prefaced the performance by explaining that the song was about losing someone close to her, some in the crowd were moved to tears. The surprise of the night came when special guest Kenny Chesney joined Potter to perform their single, “Wild Child.”

Earlier in the day, performers included Amy Helm, daughter of Levon Helm, who played with her band Amy Helm & The Handsome Strangers, Odessa, Madaila, and Maryse Smith with Michael Chorney. These musicians, along with Shakey Graves, Phish’s Gordon, and Burlington-based singer Kat Wright, joined Potter on stage for the final song of the evening, “Burning Down The House.”

Written by Alexandra Provost, Photos by Laura Carbone

September 26, 2015
The Apple Jam Welcomed New Venue, National Acts

The Apple Jam festival is in its sixth year, though its first at a new venue set on the beautiful grounds of Camp Moses in Russell, MA.

The Apple Jam festival was last held two years ago. The organizers took a year hiatus to reorganize and plan for a larger festival. The last event was on a much smaller scale, with many of the artists performing being friends and family of the organizers. This years Apple Jam exploded, with a new, spacious venue and the inclusion of performers who play on a much bigger stage, some nationally known. In other words, Apple Jam just stepped up its game and took the festival to a whole new level.

Photo Credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Apple Jam is family friendly, with many of the events encouraging interaction by all ages. A kids tent was set up, offering arts and crafts, face painting and a scavenger hunt. An art wall was available inviting attendees to paint and show off their creative flair. A paved basketball court was taken advantage of by many attendees, while several others enjoyed playing, and being part of, the human sized foosball game. Later on in the day, the court was turned into a large work of art with chalk drawings splashed over the black top. With so many activities available for festival goers, the fun kept going all weekend.

The weather held out on Friday, with the threat of rain in the air. The festival eased into the music and featured many Massachusetts’ home-grown acts on the bill, such as Dead Collective, California Widows and Opel. Blue grass wound its way onto the bill with the first performance of the festival by Cricket Tell the Weather. Holy Ghost Tent Revival and Spirit Family Reunion brought Friday’s opening night to a close, as crowds continued to stream their way in throughout the evening.

Saturday not only had a beautiful day in store, but a jam-packed schedule full of high-energy performances as well. The morning started off with some feel good bluegrass Americana jams by Livestock. Sugar Blood Jinx followed with their bluesy southern charm of a sound that featured growling vocals commanding your attention and begging you to put on your dancing shoes. Otis Grove, a band that’s been starting to make waves around the New England festival circuit, gave an energy-packed performance and continued to turn up the heat on stage. Groovy jams and feel good vibes were thrown out as The Sun Parade took the stage. Lucid had a Dave Matthews Band meets Rusted Root with horns tone as they cranked out their intense set. With the double stage setup, the audience didn’t have to wait long between bands as the gorgeous day continued to rotate acts without missing a beat.

The Mutherload, another band from the local Massachusetts area, provided a solid rock and roll groove. Gary Phelps, the man behind the entire Apple Jam organization, cranked out a crunchy guitar sound as his band jammed out to the delight of the crowd. A festival and crowd favorite, Primate Fiasco, did not disappoint as they blew everyone away with their funky Dixie sound. Known for cranking out the grooves down in the field area, this time, they took their funkiness on stage where everyone could hear them throughout the venue. The concert field began to get packed as the sun started to go down and the jams turned up the vibes.

Photo credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Fresh off tour, a throwback vintage band, with a hint of the 10,o00 Maniacs sound, took to the stage as The Blind Spots belted out the tunes with powerful female vocals. The evening wrapped up with Parsonsfield, a get on your feet and dance jam band that filled the air with mandolin and banjos.

The first big headliner of the three-day run took the stage after the sun went down. Amy Helm and the Handsome Strangers wowed the audience. With Helm’s smokey and sultry blues tone, the set was off to a steamy start. Sprinklings of the steel guitar added depth and it was nonstop dancing during their set. Helm, the daughter of the famous Levon Helm, of The Band fame, is currently on tour promoting her debut album. Her set did not disappoint. Apple Jam was also the debut appearance for Ryan Scott, the guitarist with the Handsome Strangers. He was noticeably having a blast during the performance as his excitement shined through. Here’s a clip from their set:

The final performance of the evening was Anders Osborne. Everyone was waiting for him to take the stage. Wow. His energy was addictive. Osborne’s raw performance was no holds barred. The soulful, bluesy guitar work tapped into his New Orleans roots and he did not hold back as they eased into their set. The attendees were thrilled to be able to catch him perform at the newly expanded festival, and felt it a true honor to have him be a part of the bill this year. Osborne performed for a solid two hours as he kept the party going to a concert field full of dancing fans. As the last notes dropped, cheers could be heard throughout the venue, to include campers that were set up in the forest area behind the stage. It was an incredible end to a fantastic day at Apple Jam.

Photo credit: Jacqueline M. Sidor

Sunday’s performances were more relaxed and cooled down as bluegrass filled the air at the Stone Temple stage, located near the lake on the edge of the venue. Acoustic Brew, The Rambling Kind, and a second performance by Cricket Tell the Weather closed out the festival. Overall, if you haven’t been to Apple Jam, put this on your must see festival list next year. With beautiful, spacious grounds and plenty of activities for all ages, this is one not to be missed. The music is nonstop and attendees will walk away on Sunday refreshed and recharged with a pair of worn out dancing shoes as a souvenir of the amazing experience.

August 30, 2015
Amy Helm and Dr. John and the Nite Trippers at Central Park Summerstage

Nestled in a wooded area of NYC’s Central Park in the area of East 70th St., Rumsey Playfield has played host as one of the City Parks Foundation’s Summerstage venues in the series’ 30th season in 2015. Recently on a bright summer afternoon with plenty of shade at Rumsey Playfield, the Summerstage series welcomed a fantastically paired bill of Amy Helm and Dr. John & The Nite Trippers.

The free show (some Summerstage shows are free, others ticketed) drew in a generationally diverse crowd, surprisingly so for the styles of music on stage. The music proved timeless with older folks grooving along to Dr. John’s signature New Orleans sound just as much as the younger folks were off their smart phones, diving into the music as well.

For Amy Helm and her band, this show was a sort of respite back home after being on the road for a while. The Woodstock native played a mix of cover songs and material off of her debut album, Didn’t It Rain. Her glowing presence on stage wasn’t complete without the presence of her late father, Levon Helm, his first name branded on her guitar strap in small letters between the larger letters of the last name they both share.

NYC may be some 1,300 miles away from New Orleans and void of beignets and baked ham sandwiches from Mother’s, but when Dr. John took the stage in his suit and colorfully decorated hat it seemed like a small piece of the French Quarter took over the nook of Central Park. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member and New Orleans native boasted a cool confidence in his performance while backed by a talented band, each member entwining their talent for a wholesome show.

The Summerstage Series continues throughout NYC’s five boroughs through the first week of August with some remarkable acts yet to come. Check out their full schedule here.

Amy Helm Setlist

Didn’t It Rain, Roll Away, Rescue Me, Roll The Stone, Gentling Me, Atlantic City (Springsteen Cover), Deep Water, When the Battle is Over (Aretha Franklin cover), Slippin’ and Slidin’ (Little Richard cover), Meet Me in the Morning (Bob Dylan cover), Gloryland, Good News (Sam Cooke cover)

Dr. John & The Nite Trippers Setlist

Croaker Courtbullion, Iko Iko, Mardi Gras Day, Eleggua, Monkey Speaks, Going Back to New Orleans, Big Shot, Splinters, Right Place, Mama & Papa, Wonderful World, Mac the Knife, Do You Call the Buddy, Old Settlers, Goodnight Irene, Black Widow Spider, Big Chief

Amy Helm

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Dr. John & The Nite Trippers

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August 12, 2015
Mountain Jam 2015 Day 4 Recap: Last Chance to Go Big Before Going Home

The last day of Mountain Jam 2015 had arrived bringing festival goers one last chance to enjoy the beautiful Sunday on Hunter Mountain.

The bitter cold was blown away as clouds parted early in the morning for another perfect summer day of blue skies and sunshine. Those looking to release stress met at 10 a.m. at Healey Hall for Yoga with Michael Franti. Hundreds piled into the hall with yoga mats and towels, gently breathing as Franti strummed his acoustic guitar with care. It’s a shame there wasn’t enough room for everyone as people spilled into the lodge area and outside on the pavement. But that didn’t stop anyone from soaking up the rejuvenating morning practice and spreading positive attitude. One of the activities that saw the most action for the weekend and one of the biggest lines for Sunday was the 25-minute chair lift ride. The $6 was totally worth it as you rose above the music and camp sites for an excellent view of the festival grounds and Catskills.

One of the most talked about sets for Sunday was NYC’s own, Lake Street Dive. The quartet has an old school Chicago Blues sound to them as Mike Olson’s trumpet soars over the mountain with hot plucking from bassist Bridget Kearney. Lake Street Dive had great crowd interaction as the musicians point out amusing fashion items and encouraged a “kissing cam” scenario from the roaming cameras that shown on the big screens. Rachel Price has stunning vocals as they shift from an acoustic cover of Annie Lenox’s “Broken Glass” to their original pieces “Make It Easier For Ya” and “Hello? Goodbye.” She thanked the audience for the “reviving set, feeling charged up and loved.” Amy Helm & The Handsome Strangers played an easy listening, Americana Sunday Porch set. Amy Helm is the daughter of music legend Levon Helm (The Band), inheriting sensational talent as her vocals carry great soul that moved some to tears. The Handsome Strangers provided strapping harmonies and heartfelt melodies that propelled Helm’s vocals to fly.

Mountain Jam veteran Michael Franti & Spearhead had best energy and presence as they amped up the crowd with their optimistic reggae dub. Franti did laps around the crowd with his microphone and acoustic guitar, giving high fives, dancing and drinking beer. It was great to see an artist enjoying the festival as much as the fans were. The music is full of inspirational lyrics that seek change, equality for all and nothing but love. Bringing out dozens of beach balls, shirt waving and break dancing, Franti & Spearhead know how to start the right kind of revolution. Hooray for the Riff Raff was a refreshing change-up with their New Orleans mountain music complete with great fiddle work, yodeling and tooting harmonica.

The crowd gathered one last time for Sunday festival headliner and best new artist, Alabama Shakes. Lead singer Brittany Howard took the stage wearing a gorgeous silk floral dress and big smile as they opened with “Rise to the Sun.” Alabama Shakes treated fans to new songs such as “Future People” and “Gimme All Your Love” off their latest album, Sound & Color, with fierce slamming energy. Howard is part anaconda as her vocals explode out of her body, nearly breaking her jaw with each word. The rolling guitar chords for “Hang Loose” and “Always Alright” have a free-flowing surfer vibe as the heavy organ notes for “I Found You” brought gospel chills. Howard’s focused body energy is a strong defense for the heartbreaking melodies and soulful blues rock that is the best of our generation. The set and festival felt as if it had ended too soon with the music ending shortly after 9 p.m. Guest exited the pit, headed toward one more night of camping or the long drive home as the Mountain Jam App alerted fans that they could already purchase tickets for next year’s festival, which after the extraordinary weekend, didn’t seem like a bad idea.

Check out our coverage of all four days at Mountain Jam 2015.

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June 10, 2015