As the summer festival season draws to an end, next week’s Catskill Chill Music Festival which takes place September 18-20, a week later than it is usually held, also marks an end of an era. The 6th annual festival, which has grown in popularity each year, will be the last one held at its original home of Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY before the party moves elsewhere next year.
Fittingly, upstate NY jam legends moe. will serve as musical headliner and Particle, the only band to play every Chill, will close out the weekend in grand fashion along with help from a number of other guests and friends.
This year’s festival also offers a number of other intriguing musical collaborations as this seems to be a theme for the weekend. In addition to their own sets on Sunday, Dopapod and Turkuaz will be combining forces on Friday night and recreating a night at Studio 54. Shwizz and Fikus will follow their Saturday sets with a joint one featuring musical selections from the ‘80s before the Chillfam All-Stars perform what is sure to be an entertaining tribute to Herbie Hancock. This isn’t even the only All Star band of the weekend as the Stratosphere All-Stars, featuring members of Lotus, Particle and Digital Tape Machine, will help usher in the Saturday night dance party.
If a band on this bill isn’t collaborating with another one, there’s a good chance they’re pulling double duty and performing multiple sets. Consider the Source will be doing both an acoustic and an electric set on Friday and Twiddle will be performing a set of Grateful Dead covers in addition to a set of their own Saturday night.
Other notable performers this weekend include upstate NY’s own Aqueous and Solaris as well as Lettuce, Zappa Plays Zappa, The Motet and Electron.
Catskill Chill is known for its home of Camp Minglewood and the purely intimate setting it provides with summer camp style cabins for lodging close to all the stages and designated camping areas strewn between them all. RV parking is also available for $150 and the festival offers both VIP ticket purchases and upgrades. In addition to an incredibly packed musical docket, there’s also Open Mic sessions being offered on Saturday and Sunday afternoons as well as yoga classes.
Tickets for $195 and one last chance to experience one of the true hidden gems of the festival circuit can be purchased here.
Aqueous will be changing drummers after this week.
The band’s current drummer, Ryan Nogle, will be leaving due to health issues. He will be replaced by Tom Vayo, who the band calls an “INCREDIBLE musician/multi instrumentalist.”
Today, we bring you some important news from camp AQ- Ryan Nogle will perform his last gig as Aqueous’ drummer this week at Peach Music Festival (strangely enough, the same location that he began his career with us one year ago)- Ryan has a medical condition that is preventing him from continuing on with the band any further; He’s got severe carpel tunnel and nerve damage in both arms, and for the sake of him being able to play drums AT ALL later in life, it will require him to step down from his position as AQ’s drummer. We’ve been aware of this issue since February of this year, and have in turn been auditioning drummers with the help of Ryan and our previous drummer Nick to find EXACTLY the right fit for our sound; We are very in tune with the fact that our friendships offstage directly dictate the quality of our music, and have searched high and low for someone who not only has the chops, but also fits within our cannon of friendliness, drive, and creative vision that we care so deeply about- I’m happy to report that we’ve all come to agree that Buffalo’s own Tom Vayo will replace Ryan as Aqueous’ long term drummer. Tom is an INCREDIBLE musician/multi instrumentalist, and shares our same drive, passion, and commitment to putting on the best shows possible every night, and to writing the best music we can for you guys- He was a natural choice after auditioning many different drummers, and we are thrilled and excited to have him join our family! That being said, it’s important that we take a moment and appreciate how much Ryan (and his family) have done for Aqueous both offstage and onstage for YEARS. Although Ryan has only been performing as a full-time member for one year, he is behind ALL of our studio and live releases, has repaired and or built half the equipment we’ve used since our inception, been our live audio engineer for many shows, and has been a close friend and supporter of the band for nearly a decade. Even though the scenario is tough, we here at AQ headquarters all feel incredibly grateful that our friendships are stronger than ever and that we can all move forward with each others’ help- Our new drummer Tom has been spending time with us on the road and at shows, and is working directly with Ryan in multiple facets to come in strongly as he steps up to the huge task of filling Ryan’s shoes. We’re all confident that he’s the man for the job, and we look very forward to the exciting future ahead. We appreciate everyone’s sympathy and understanding with this situation; it was absolutely beyond any of our control, but we feel poised to welcome in the next chapter of our already exciting story. We wish to truly thank Ryan for his dedication and his incredible talent, and to thank you good folks for sticking with us through the obstacles over the years- We really, really do appreciate it. Here’s some words from Ryan himself: “It’s hard for me to comprehend that a year has already passed since I joined Aqueous. All the shows and people I’ve met; it’s almost like a blur. August 15th we’ll be playing at Peach MusicFest in Scranton. Right back where I started from one year ago. It was a spectacular experience. My second show since officially joining the band. What I had longed for, and worked toward for so long had finally come to fruition. I was touring with a band playing drums. Not just any band though. The band that I wanted desperately to be a part of since the first time I mixed sound for them at a dumpy little theatre back in 2007. My patience had paid off. The transition was easy. These guys were already my best friends. There was no awkward “get to know you” phase. Just four friends on a stage making some heavy duty music. I’ve jammed with these guys in various formats over the years but nothing compared to actually being part of this well-oiled machine. As time passed and more shows were performed, it just kept getting better. The music expanded and became more adventurous. Chances were being taken. It was phenomenal. Now we fast forward to a year later. Heading back to Scranton for another go round. It’s hard to imagine that this will in fact be my final performance with Aqueous. Leaving this band is the last thing I ever thought I’d be doing. This past year has been one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling years of my life. I’ve met the most incredible people on the road and have played some of the coolest gigs I could have ever imagined. I have friends all over the country now that I would always look forward to seeing at shows. That aspect is one of the most difficult parts to come to terms with. Those we meet in our lives help define who we are as humans and help shape and create these experiences. Interacting with all of you who I have met on the road have contributed to some of my favorite memories. I thank every single person who I’ve met on this journey for your kindness and support. I have experienced so much love from this community. I also thank Mike, Dave, Evan, and Josh for giving me the opportunity to be thrown into this unique life and truly “live the dream.” Without you guys, I would have just been some chump making noise in his basement. I appreciate everything that life has given me and bare no negative feelings about how things have played out. I loved every moment of this experience and those memories will last a lifetime. Thank you for those memories.” Ryan J. Nogle Much love everyone, see you out there- Mike, Dave, Evan, Ryan, and Tom
Ryan will definitely be missed. Here’s a video of him rocking out “Don’t Do It” last week in Buffalo:
And another of one of his great solos at Buffalo Ironworks last year:
If you were looking for a festival with continuous high energy bands, then Buffalove was it. We were greeted with sunny skies on Thursday afternoon, and a buzz in the air from everyone who couldn’t stop talking about what was to come of that first night. Everyone knew it was going to start with a bang, and they couldn’t have been more accurate.
Buffalo’s own Imperial Brown kicked things off on the Pavilion stage, setting a tone that would carry throughout the weekend. With a sold base of funk, reggae, soul and jam, Imperial Brown got the feet moving, and everyone’s excitement could be focused on one thing: dancing.
As Buffalovers made their way across the field to the main stage, you could feel everyone’s energy level soaring. Hometown heroes Aqueous took the stage at 8pm as the sun was setting and it was go time. They eased into their set, building intensity as the hour went on. We could all tell it was just a tease of what was to come. One by one, Dopapod took the stage, with a seamless changeover that left us continuously dancing for hours. Like Aqueous, they eased into their set, but definitely took things up a notch. Aqueous’ Mike Gantzer was the first to step on stage for the birth of Aquapod. And with a blink of an eye, members of both Aqueous and Dopapod were all on stage, getting into one of the strongest starts any festival could ever hope for. If you were a fan of both of these bands before, then this was the penultimate moment. Trading solos with the biggest of smiles, it just kept going. Even when the rain started to fall, the set from top to bottom was any fans dream. The intensity, the happiness of both bands, and the wide-eyes and looks of amazement from the crowd really started Buffalove off right. From there, it just kept going.
For those whose legs could still hold their bodies up after four and a half straight hours of Aqueous and Dopapod, the late night Woods Stage sets kept the intensity going. A beautiful little stage, set on the hill and covered with trees, was the scene of several sets that would leave people dancing until the wee hours of the morning. Sonder and Spacejunk were first up in the woods, with a segue set that rang through the property. Sonder with their jamtronic, groovy set, then Space Junk with a DJ set that got even the weariest of festival goers back on their feet. The Woods Stage would be the scene of serious talent and body-moving sets. Even with the rain continuing on and off all night, the vibe was nothing short of magical.
Friday morning, we were met with cool weather and constant chatter of what we had all witnessed the night before. The question kept being asked, “How can you top that first night?” But yet again, Buffalove delivered. Imperial Brown started it off again on the Pavilion Stage as the crowds began to wake up, stretch their bodies and get some food. Like every band, their dance-worthy set definitely pulled us out of the fog and back into the light.
Friday afternoon hit, and from there it was on again. Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan, led by current Kung Fu keyboardist Beau Sasser, took the Main Stage and came out swinging with their amped-up, soul crushing version of the Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie.” Mary Corso’s voice was enough to give anyone the chills, as they cruised through a powerful set. Guitarists Danny Mayer and Justin Henricks had some solos that could leave anyone’s jaw on the floor and drummer Kevin Urvalek was cruising by the time they closed with a cover of “Whipping Post.”
Slip Madigan continued the party, with a rhythmic, groove-oriented set on the Pavillion Stage. Then it was time for Funktional Flow to begin their first of three sets over the next 24 hours.
Flow took Main Stage for a 5pm set that only left fans craving more. Their tight, jam-based songs got the excitement level up once again. With covers like “Atlantic City” by Bruce Springsteen and Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4,” it was very apparent that they can span the genres. Then before you knew it, Albany-based Formula 5 took the Pavilion Stage. For these guys, it was a pre-cursor to their late night segue set with Funktional Flow at the Woods Stage.
Headlining the evening was Kung Fu and Particle, both bringing the hammer down on Saturday evening. Kung Fu, brought the jam-funk to the Main Stage, giving fans a different taste of what they could accomplish with a slightly modified lineup. Sasser soared, with solos that layered and layered, and meshed so well with their new sound. Kung Fu fans were shocked at what the band had become: a funk-heavy jam band. Then it was time for Particle to take the party to the next level. As the disco ball beamed, they played a set that was clearly meant to leave people exhausted from dancing.
Late night Friday was a beast of its own. Funktional Flow came out heavy on the Woods Stage. And if you weren’t keeping an eye on the stage at all times, you wouldn’t have even noticed that one by one, Formula 5 took over. If you had caught their earlier set, this one was completely different in attack. We could all tell they just wanted to get out there and jam as hard as they could. James Woods’ intricate and heavy bass lines and Joe Davis’ cruising guitar licks were almost too much to handle. Before you knew it, Funktional Flow had taken the Woods Stage over yet again. This time, it was one for the books. With a closer like Umphrey’s McGee “All In Time”, we were dancing just as hard as with Kung Fu and Particle, if not harder. The woods were lit up and the buzz around these two bands was heavy. Buffalovers had been treated to one of the most seamless sets of the weekend and all in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Closing out the morning was Buffalo-based Skyepilot, led by powerhouse lead singer Skye Del Re. If you still had the energy, this band kept the party going until the wee hours of 5am. The sun was coming up, and the groove was still ringing through the woods.
With a full weekend of high-energy bands, we were still left with Saturday. From top to bottom, the last day of Buffalove was filled with talent. Even though Skyepilot had just packed up on the Woods Stage, they opened Saturday on the Main Stage. Their strong, fast-paced versions of songs like “Sugaree” was enough to get even the weariest back on their feet for the final day. Buffalove contest winner The Goods hit the Pavilion Stage, with a very apparent reason why they were the winners. With a slightly different flare than the rest of the acts, they added that international/world groove.
The Main Stage on Saturday was filled to the brim with talent, as Blue Rootz and Whiskey Reverb both gave noteworthy sets. Next, it was time for Funktional Flow to give their final of three sets. With a setlist that included heavy originals and crowd-favorite covers like Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns and Money” and to close it all out, Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” Funktional Flow definitely earned their three sets, and stood on par with the headliners.
To close out the Pavilion Stage and Main Stage, Albany favorites Mister F tag teamed sets with Pink Talking Fish. Mister F did a stripped down set to start, with Andrew Chamberlaine playing a banjitar (banjo/guitar combo) for the first set. If you ran across the mud-filled lawn, you could witness the greatness of Pink Talking Fish, with their full, accurate versions of Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads and Phish. With their first set over, Mister F took the Pavilion Stage. The crowd filtered in fast, and before you knew it, hundreds of people were crowded around for Mister F’s final set. The energy coming off them was undeniable, and anyone who wasn’t a fan before, was now. Even with drummer Matt Pickering sick as a dog, they blasted through their set. With almost all originals, they included one cover that got everyone’s feet moving a little faster, Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat.”
Sit-in master Scott Hannay of Mister F wasn’t done there. After finishing packing up, he decided to hang out the rest of the night and see what else he could dive into. Pink Talking Fish topped their first set with versions of Phish’s “Possum” and “Tweezer” that had the crowd in full fun mode. Scott Hannay jumped on for “Crosseyed and Painless”, swapping keyboards back and forth with keyboardist Richard James. It was a spectacle, to say the least.
Late night Saturday drove it all home. Grateful Dead tribute band Workingman’s Dead took the Woods Stage around midnight, giving everyone that comfortable, familiar set of Dead music that left everyone with a smile. High energy, fast tempo Grateful Dead is exactly what we needed after all that was Buffalove. If you weren’t completely out of steam, heavy-hitters After Funk closed out the whole festival in the woods with their horns blaring. Scott Hannay managed to sneak in for another sit-in, adding to the already sonic boom that is After Funk. For those resting at their campsites, there was no way you couldn’t perk up hearing this band wail through the night.
Buffalove came through. Co-founder of Buffalive Productions and Founder of Buffalove Cody Conway clearly had one goal in mind: keep the energy as high as possible. Every single band had heads turning and jaws on the ground. There was never a lull, never a band that just played to fill space. Every minute was dance-worthy. If you missed out this year, we can highly recommend you don’t make that mistake next year. Without any problems or unruly attendees, this festival made its mark at North Fork Music Park in Warsaw, NY. The amount of talent coming out of Upstate New York is only paving the road for more incredible shows. Buffalove, you certainly were lovely.
There has been a lot to be said about the Buffalo music scene these days, especially with bands like moe. and most recently Aqueous, making a splash in the music community. One band that has been around for the last few years is Buffalo’s Funktional Flow.
Pictured left to right: Matthew Lester, Joey Lewis, Jeffrey Kuebler, Jim Edgar, and Ben Whalen
They added two new members to the trio. Joining the band is guitarist, Joey Lewis. Alongside horn/keyboard player, Matthew Lester, everything seems to be moving onward and upward since. It was only a month or so ago that both were introduced as full-time members during the band’s CD release party for, Let it Settle, that went down at local music hot spot Nietzche’s.
Lester and Lewis join original members Jeffrey Kuebler (guitar), Jim Edgar (drums) and Ben Whelan (bass).
NYS Music caught up with the band while they were rehearsing for their much-anticipated sets for Buffalove Music Festival at North Fork Music Park in Warsaw, NY. The festival will take place June 18-20 and Funktional Flow have been a big part of Buffalove since the beginning.
Tom Sgroi: For those people who haven’t seen or heard you, who is Funktional Flow?
Jeffrey Kuebler: Funktional Flow is a melting pot of a lot of different genres that we are influenced by. It’s basically each one of us in the band and our different influences that we bring to the table, a lot of different styles and genres that we kind of throw in a blender. If we’re into reggae at one time that will come out and if it’s funk that will come out.
Jim Edgar: Whatever music you get into at the time that you listen to definitely influences you.
TS: What’s been the most difficult thing for the band with going through a few different guitarists since the beginning?
JK: Integrating different people to the music, songs that we played a thousand times we had to run over and over and getting them integrated into has probably been the biggest setback. At the end of the day it was a good learning experience and it made us all better going through it.
JE: Yea, definitely three different guitar players gives the band three different sounds for sure, it does make song more fun as it wasn’t the same over four years (laughs).
TS: Tell us a little about the newer members with Matt and Joey, how you guys ended up picking them up and having them come on full-time?
JK: It was a natural progression and Matt was before Joey. We played with Matt with Ben Whalen, Your Mom and the Reacharounds and that got us playing together and he got familiar with our style and that was a no brainer. Me and Joey have been playing for years, pushing a decade really, so that was a natural thing, it was great having him come aboard and were very happy with the current and final lineup.
TS: Ben, Jim and Jeff, you’re all original members, how have you guys kept it together since the start?
JK: A lot of fist fights (laughs).
Ben Whalen: I don’t know, communication and true friendship. We’re actually friends when were not playing.
JK: We have a lot of fun and that’s what it really boils down to.
TS: How do you think adding keys and horns will add to the overall sound of the band?
JK: It can only add to it and make it more dynamic and full sounding. It also kinda lends itself to what we originally wanted when we set out to create the band. When we generally write songs we will write them in mind of all the instrumentation. Having that has really rounded out our sound.
TS: Tell me a little about Buffalove. You guys have really been the forefront of it, what is it all about?
JK: Yea Cody (Conway) built the festival around us and Aqueous and it’s grown from there. Its getting bigger every year and to play with some of the caliber of bands it’s getting, is really a cool thing.
TS: Matt and Joey, what’s it been like for you guys joining the group?
Matt Lester: Yea I started playing with these guys a lot, anytime they needed horns I would play. I was fortunate to be invited to Bliss, NY to the cabin they go down to and that was the first time I played keys for them and that’s when everything starting clicking. It’s been a lot of fun for sure.
TS: Joey?
Joey Lewis: Yea, I was there for a while seeing how the rotation was going for Funktional Flow. Having the guitarists and not having the best of luck and I would help out with whatever gig I could. I was pretty aware of the songs so they didn’t need to waste time. So, finally I decided I wanted to play with the kids I grew up with and are my friends, and the music I like to play. I was really happy when they asked me to be in the band and contribute.
TS: Yea, because you were involved with a couple other bands. ( The Heritage and Whiskey River).
JL: Yea, I felt obligated to them but at the end of the day when you hone in your talent and want to play the music you want to play and you don’t want to do it for any other reason that is when I asked Jeff and Ben if they wanted to bring me on full-time.
ML: Yea like joey said we were in other bands and had an obligation but at the same time when the opportunity arose it wasn’t something we could pass up for sure. I’m really glad we made the decision because it’s been a blast ever since.
TS: This is more for Jeff, Jim and Ben again but last year you guys played Catskill Chill, what festival would you want to be part of in the future?
JK: Any and all of them, I would love to play Summer Camp
BW: F@#$! Yea, Summer Camp!
TS: Ok, sounds like that is the big one for every one.
TS: What other local or regional bands influence you guys?
JK: Oh man there is so many good bands around here with so many talented people and to be part of the scene is great. I would say at the top of the list would be our boys, Aqueous. We have done a lot with them and they’re doing some great things and representing for our area. They have been a big influence, but there is so many to mention but that is the first one that pops in the head. We go out to so many show’s in Buffalo since Ben has a hand in so many shows. I say that we gain a bit of influence from every band we play with.
JE: I’d say anyone we play with in the area too.
TS: If there was one band you could tour with and open for perhaps who would it be?
JK: Umphrey’s McGee!
BW: I think we would be a better fit for like moe. or a reggae band. The Green or Rebelution.
JK: Revolution would be awesome. Umphrey’s would be a dream and I could hang it up after (laughs).
TS: Is there one musician, past or present that if you could have a conversation with you would pick?
JK: Bradley Nowell
JL: Shannon Hoon
ML: That’s a really good question and there is so many to choose from but I have a deep affiliation for Phish pretty heavy I would have to say Page McConnell.
JE: There is probably a million people but drummer wise I would have to say Keith Moon, maybe.
BW: Hendrix I guess
TS: Anything else you guys want to add?
BW: New album coming in the late summer/fall.
TS: Yea, I know you guys have been writing a bunch of new songs so that is good to hear, so new album the fall. Well thanks for your time guys and I look forward to checking out your sets with the upcoming Buffalove Music Festival in a few weeks.
Check Funktional Flow out with a bunch of other great bands at Buffalove Music Festival! Get your tickets here.
North Tonawanda’s annual Rockin on the River series lineup has been announced for 2015.
Kicking things off this year is Toronto’s USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) – a two man alternative dance music/EDM group on July 10. July 17 will feature the dub/reggae beats of SOJA along with Rochester’s Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, North Tonawanda’s hottest groove rock export Aqueous, and Buffao’s Skyepilot. Rochester native and jukebox hero Lou Gramm will bring a slew of Foreigner hits and solo material to town July 31. The series will end in a totally epic manner as Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes stops into town with friends and collaborators Railroad Earth.
All shows are free, all ages and held at Gratwick Park. Those that want a closeup experience with some extra amenities can opt for VIP passes that go on sale June 20. Nearby parking is available for $5. Check out the full schedule below.
North Tonawanda Rockin’ on the River 2015
July 10 – USS w/ special guests to be announced
July 17 – SOJA w/ Aqueous, Giant Panda, and Skyepilot
July 31 – Lou Gramm w/ Radio9, Magone, and Famous Fred and the Creatures Unknown
Aug 7 – Warren Haynes w/ Railroad Earth and The Jeremy Hoyle Band
It is now Sunday morning and to recap what went down on Saturday at Summer Camp, here’s a play-by-play morning until late night.
10am: wake up after three hours of sleep and sunrise kickball. Feel refreshed, not exhausted. Breakfast of banana, yogurt, life cereal and yerba mate and I am ready to roll.
11am: Head to the church (media area) and get writing my review of Friday.
12pm: Review submitted. I head over to the Camping Stage with camp counselor Nick Stock and catch American Babies. Good stuff, somehow I don’t see them often enough despite playing back in Albany somewhat frequently. Good catching up with Nick too – sometimes you have to meet halfway across the country to hang with your friends.
1:00pm: Field Day. Team Purple with Mer, Mitch, Lisa and two guys from Miami (Ohio) among others. Listened to Orphic during Capture the Flag, Floodwood during Spelling Bee.
3:30pm: Back to the Sunshine Stage for The Floozies. My friend Carrie was talking about them for weeks and for some reason I felt like they were some local/regional band playing hokey rock. This couldn’t have been farther from reality. A drummer and guitarist manning a laptop made for a sick duo ala Big Gigantic. The crowd was in love and rage sticks were everywhere.
4:00pm: Amazeballs Mini-golf! Jason K has an awesome addition to Summer Camp and many other music festivals. In addition to 15 holes you have an opportunity to Make a Difference and win a pair of VIP tickets for Summer Camp 2016. This was a lot of fun.
5:00pm: Back over to Vibe Tent to see how Field Day ended – Red and Yellow were neck and neck, Purple was out of the running but we did clean up the most cigarette butts. Milk n Cookies were playing on the Vibe stage – this is easily the best tent to discover brand new music, especially if you like DJs and EDM.
5:30pm: I meet up with John and head backstage for Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD). Despite numerous opportunities over the past year, I still haven’t seen them. By 7:00pm I’ll understand the hype. Choice covers of “Viola Lee Blues” and “The Eleven” stood out, with Russo leading the charge on drums. This was phenomenal. Stopped and chatted with Scott Hannay from Mister F and Evan from Aqueous before heading up to the Relix tent with Stephen.
8:00pm: Finally back to the site for a short break, time to decompress and change for the night’s music. Washed my face and got some food to prepare for the next six to eight hours. Listened to Victor Wooten’s set from the Starshine Stage (central camping location is perfect for not missing music on four of the seven stages). Wooten’s set seemed a little soft, but then he dropped a few Sly and the Family Stone songs to close it out. I still think his sit-in with STS9 Friday night was a highlight of the fest.
9:00pm: I head to the pit for Umphrey’s. Lighting designer Jeff Waful clears rage sticks from his sightline. There is dude about four rows deep front row keeps singing ‘Party with my dick out’ and no one thinks this is out-of-place. He keeps it up until the lights go down. Umphrey’s opens with “Plunger,” “Pay the Snucka” and “Higgins”. I head backstage for a few, enjoy a couple of beers and catch up with Chicago friends.
10:15pm: Head to pick up my charger at the Relix tent (thank you guys) and try to make it back for The Werks. This band still eludes me. Meet up with Erika, Drew and Phil at the site and head back over for the final set of Umphrey’s.
11:00pm: A “Wappy Sprayberry” opener sets the tone for the rest of the night, “Divisions” has great build and peaks upon peaks, but the encore was the highlight of the night – “Glory > Divisions > ‘Jam for Jesus’/A Love Supreme (for a dude in the crowd) > Divisions”.
12:30am: Beers at the site and then down to Moonshine Stage for moe. I remember a big segue into “Meat”. Saw a few familiar faces from New York in the crowd. The crowd for moe. at Summer Camp is larger than any moe.down I attended. Midwest moe. fans are a fun bunch.
2:00am: I walk to my car to get my rain gear with a forecast of showers during the day on Sunday and Monday. This proved to be a great choice since, as I write this review, a thirty-minute downpour passed by. At least the dust won’t be an issue.
3:00am: Back to the site, I lay down on a bench and listen to a brief shower pass by. This was the perfect way to relax after a long, long day. I am exhausted but beyond excited for Bruce Hornsby, Yonder Mountain String Band and Widespread Panic.
The 15th annual Summer Camp is off to a great start amid beautiful albeit chilly weather in Central Illinois. Thousands arrived late Wednesday night and throughout the day on Thursday for the unofficial start to summer music festival season throughout the country.
Arrival to Chillicothe, just north of Peoria, IL, took 16 hours from Albany, and while the drive may seem daunting, it wasn’t that tough of a trip. Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, if you wanted to go to a music festival or travel to see a band, you had to drive out of your comfort zone for the experience. What has become common place, seeing festivals within an hour or two of where you live, used to be far from reality. This may sound like a ‘back in my day’ mantra, but making this drive brings back the allure of the destination driving the journey, something that has become less frequent with the rise of music festivals and cost of travel.
The only issue with arrival at a festival such as Summer Camp is that once you arrive, you still have to get your gear searched and set up camp, adding to any exhaustion and surfeit crankiness. The line to get into Summer Camp involves a thorough search for alcohol, among other contraband items; while the check-in was expanded, we stood in line for six hours before our gear was finally given the thumbs up. There wasn’t much music we missed as a
result but the exhaustion took a toll, especially without shade from the bright sunny day. Chicago Funk Mafia performed on a stage near the check-in area to entertain the thousands in line.
Once inside and setup between the Sunshine Stage, Starshine Stage, Vibe Tent and Camping Stage. A money location. We caught Capital District rockers Wild Adriatic on the Starshine Stage who had the attention of the crowd with “Strange Persuasions” and a cover of Bill Withers’ “Use Me”. Family Groove Company, one of Chicago’s finest jam acts for over a decade, opened their set with an extended instrumental jam on “Thriller” bringing up the Third Coast Horns for much of the set. If you missed them on Thursday, see them Saturday on Starshine Stage at Noon for a perfect wake up to the day.
Floodwood performed a Grateful Dead set, including “Cumberland Blues,” “New Speedway Boogie,” “Casey Jones,” and others. Vinny Amico and Al Schnier mixed things up and swapped roles with Al on drums and Vinny on vocals. I had to miss some of the set in order to catch yet another New York State act, Aqueous, on the Camping Stage. The handful of fans I talked to seemed to enjoy a band they were seeing for the first time, and were treated to a set of “Underlyer, Complex Pt. 1, Fame > Origami > Don’t Do It”.
Back at the Starshine Stage, Future Rock, one of the best livetronica trios you’ll ever see, closed out the Starshine Stage for the night, pounding out incredible dance music with no chill. Late night had options for The Red Barn: Dopapod, Turbo Suit & Friends, and Manic Science. I rested up and got ready for DJ no DJ, a Daft Punk cover band made up of members of This Must be the Band, among others. You won’t see Daft Punk touring these days, and this might be the next best thing to a local band covering “Get Lucky”. Name a Daft Punk hit and they have it covered and covered WELL. The Soulshine Tent was the place to be latenight for one of the true treats of Summer Camp.
More music is planned for Friday, starting with moe. kicking off the Moonshine Stage and Umphrey’s McGee on Sunshine Stage, among many, many other options. Stay tuned for more updates via NYSMusic’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us and despite all the festival potential in store across the Northeast, the Midwest holds one of the best festivals of the year – Summer Camp Music Festival. Now in its 15th year. Summer Camp has become the Midwest’s number one destination for all things jam, rock, electronic, bluegrass and plenty of general partying and hollerin’.
There’s a lot going on this year at Summer Camp, including some just announced improvements and rules changes that fans need to be aware of. Read here for a detailed list, but take note of the following in particular:
Entry: A new main gate setup and more efficient entry procedures will allow for quicker and easier entry this year.
Vibe Tent: To accommodate some of the massive EDM artists playing this year’s festival, expect a bigger-than-ever Vibe Tent! From the production and sound, to the stage and the tent itself, Summer Camp has expanded and fine-tuned every element of the stage.
Charge your cellphone on site with Solar Go’s Custom USB Recharging Batteries: Order your battery now and it will be charged and ready when you arrive. Then, each day you can exchange it for a fully charged one, and at the end of the festival you take it home with you.
Chinese Fire Lanterns are banned!: Due to safety concerns (and common sense) these have been added to our prohibited items list, and will NOT be allowed at Three Sisters Park!
You can access the Summer Camp schedule here and use the app for IOS or Android to build a customized music schedule.
Of course, the music and activities at Summer Camp are the reason you are coming, not to block the view of Jeff Waful with your ragestick (leave those home too) so here are the Top 15 acts and events not to miss at Summer Camp 15.
15. Keller Williams / Keller Williams & Grateful Grass
With the release of his latest album Vape, Keller is back with new material and a Dead set with Grateful Grass that offers anything but the traditional Grateful Dead covers. Being the Dead’s 50th year, expect plenty of tributes to the Grateful Dead at this year’s Summer Camp. (2am Friday, Campfire Stage // 5pm Friday, Moonshine Stage)
Increase your social and environmental awareness as you make a difference at Summer Camp this year in a variety of ways. Check out non-profits, help clean the grounds, take part in the treasure hunt, and spread the word! Summer Camp is a great way to have a blast and kick off the summer, as well as do a good part for your community! (Throughout the weekend, Soulshine Tent)
13. Pink Talking Fish
We have had the luxury of Pink Talking Fish playing a bevy of shows in their native Northeast, and checking them out at Summer Camp will be a real treat whether you have seen them or not already. Combining Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd songs in unique ways – you won’t be disappointed. (2am Saturday, Soulshine Tent)
12. Krewella
I haven’t seen Krewella, but given the amount of vitriol some fans gave the female electronic duo when they were added to the lineup, even going so far as to start a petition to have them removed from the lineup, now I REALLY want to see them. I enjoy EDM and don’t pass judgment until I see music live, and with the duo hailing from near Chicago, IL, they are now a must see. (9pm Friday, Moonshine Stage)
11. Field Day
Akin to Camp Bisco’s Color Wars, Field Day is a great friendly competition that features dodgeball, capture the flag, a spelling bee, a Manolo’s Pizza & Empanadas eating contest, and more! Pre-register here and Go Purple! (12pm – 5:30pm Saturday, 312 Beer Garden next to Vibe Tent),
10. Wild Adriatic
One of the best bands to come out of Upstate New York, Wild Adriatic has played SXSW and will perform at Bonnaroo this summer, and are well-known throughout the Northeast for rocking sets and choice covers, including “Ain’t No Sunshine”, featured on their new EP Never Enough. (5pm Thursday, Starshine Stage)
9. North American Scum
If you love LCD Soundsystem even a little bit, you have to stay awake on Sunday and catch North American Scum. I saw them in Chicago last July and was blown away – it’s as close to the real deal as you can get. Watch below and see for yourself (2am Sunday, Soulshine Tent)
Music festivals have been waiting for this one – mini-golf! Amazeballs Amusements is an awesome addition to Summer Camp and will host a unique 15 hole miniature golf course in honor of Summer Camp Music Festival’s 15th Anniversary. Bonus: the mobile mini golf course will be free to play all weekend! Proceeds from Sunday afternoon will benefit a special Make a Difference Drive. Stop by the Soulshine Tent, cool down in the shade or avoid the rain while hitting some balls. (Daily 10am-6pm)
7. Aqueous
Making their return to Summer Camp with two full sets on Thursday and Friday, this Western NY jam has a great summer tour ahead of them and a thriving fan base that Umphrey’s fans have begun to take note of, and for good reason. See the band NYSMusic named their 2013 Band on the Rise. (8:30pm Thursday and 8pm Friday, Camping Stage)
6. Family Groove Company
Chicago has a presence at Summer Camp, and for good reason. The number of bands that have come out of the Windy City in the past 15 years is remarkable, and Summer Camp offers a chance to see some of the best. Family Groove Company is a stellar jam band, offering a complete sound, especially with Janis Wallin rockin the bass. (6pm Thursday, 12pm Saturday, Starshine Stage)
5. Umphrey’s McGee and GODBONER
Umphrey’s has played their festival since the beginning, so naturally they are on the list. With The London Session and UMBowl VI in their rearview, expect 4 incredible sets, along with a bonus – Gene Ween joins Umphrey’s for GODBONER! (6pm, 7:45pm & 9:45 pm Friday, 9pm & 11pm, Sunshine Stage)
4. Yonder Mountain String Band
With a lineup recently made official, adding Allie Kral (fiddle) and Jacob Jolliff (mandolin) and new album Black Sheep due out this summer, Yonder’s daytime set at Summer Camp is a must attend, and with a slightly different sound but the same vibe and jamgrassy goodness you love, you’ll want to see where the new lineup takes them. (2:45pm Sunday, Sunshine Stage)
3. Future Rock/Daft Rock
Future Rock is a fantastic electronic trio from Chicago and the fact they are playing two sets insists you see at least one of them – but their third set, as Daft Rock, is the one that is truly intriguing and why they are #3 on the list. A set of Daft Punk from this talented trio is going to be one of the highlights of Summer Camp, guaranteed. (Future Rock – 9:30pm Thursday, 12:30am Saturday – Starshine Stage // Daft Rock 2am Friday, Soulshine Stage)
2. Widespread Panic
The past two years have seen Widespread Panic turning out some of the hottest shows and tours in recent years with a strong connection between Jimmy Herring and Butch Trucks (filling in for Todd Nance on drums) leading to jams that are beyond what the Southern rockers have been known for in previous years. Get floppy with Panic! (7pm & 9pm Sunday, Sunshine Stage)
1. Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers/moe with Bruce Hornsby
Music legend Bruce Hornsby brings The Noisemakers, playing originals and covers with his iconic voice, but his set with moe. will be the most looked forward to set this Summer Camp, simply for the potential of what is in store. A band such as moe. playing along with the piano and voice of Bruce Hornsby is one of the best collaborations to come out of music festivals since Steve Winwood joined Widespread Panic at Bonnaroo 2002. Don’t miss this one! (1:15pm & 3pm Sunday, Moonshine Stage)
One of the most popular musical events in Western New York is the annual Windstream Party in the Park 2015 series in Rochester. The concerts moved back to the picturesque Manhattan Square Park last year – saving people from the infamous “Party in the Parking Lot” downtown.
Tickets are a wallet friendly $5. Party Packs (for the general public) are available for $35 for tickets to all 9 shows and access to an express entry line – available at the Blue Cross Arena box office. Food trucks, local beer selections, and vendors will be on site every week. Regional bands will be featured on the lower Genesee Brewery “bowl” stage while the headlining acts will play on the ESL main stage in the field next to the skating rink.
Things kick off this year with Buffalo’s own moe. coming to town June 18. Jazz legend Taj Mahal comes in on June 25 George Clinton will funk up the place on July 9. Another Buffalo act – Aqueous – will open for the legendary Victor Wooten on July 30. Hometown heroes Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will close things out on Aug 13. Some top notch regional acts such as Subsoil and Uptown Groove will debut on the big stage as well.
The Genesee Brewery stage in the lower bowl area will feature some of Rochester’s best up and coming acts such as Danielle Ponder, Mochester, and Personal Blend.
PITP is held every Thursday from June 18 to Aug. 13 5-10PM. All ages. Parking available at several nearby garages and the Strong National Museum of Play. Check the website for more info.
UPDATE: Due to health reasons Taj Mahal had to bow out of this years festivities, replacing him will be Boston’s funkiest band Lettuce!
PARTY IN THE PARK MAIN STAGE 2015
June 18
ESL Main Stage: moe. w/ Jonathan Scales Fourchestra
Genesee Brewery Stage: Violet Mary
June 25
ESL Main Stage: Lettuce w/ Spirit Family Reunion & Uptown Groove
Genesee Brewery Stage: Dang! wsg/ Stay the Plow
July 2
ESL Main Stage: Fastball w/ Zac Brown Tribute Band & Jumbo Shrimp
Genesee Brewery Stage: Something Else
July 9
ESL Main Stage: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic w/ Subsoil
Genesee Brewery Stage: Danielle Ponder & the Tomorrow People
July 16
ESL Main Stage: Get the Led Out – The Led Zeppelin Experience w/ Cosco Gladstone and Cosco
Genesee Brewery Stage: Personal Blend
July 23
ESL Main Stage: Jonny Lang w/ The Coup DeVilles & Matthew Correy
Genesee Brewery Stage: Anonymous Willpower
July 30
ESL Main Stage: Victor Wooten w/ Aqueous & Amanda Lee Peers
Genesee Brewery Stage: Tre Son
Aug 6
ESL Main Stage: Dylan Scott w/ The Lacs & Flint Creek
Genesee Brewery Stage: Kid Kurry
Aug 13
ESL Main Stage: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad w/ Driftwood & Noble Vibes
Genesee Brewery Stage: Mochester
Coming off a strong Cake-themed performance in Buffalo, Aqueous announced it will play a Red Hot Chili Peppers-themed show in Toronto at Illumination Festival.
Aqueous plays both Friday and Saturday night of the Illumination Music and Arts Festival. The first night will be a normal Aqueous show, then Saturday night will feature the band doing their best to channel Flea, Anthony Kiedis and the rest of the legendary alternative rock band.
The festival also features Particle and DrFameus as headliners, and runs June 12-14 at the Cage 292 in Toronto. It’s normally an outdoors camping event, but organizers had to move it inside for a year after getting last-minute news that their normal site couldn’t host anymore due to zoning issues.
Fittingly, upstate NY jam legends moe. will serve as musical headliner and Particle, the only band to play every Chill, will close out the weekend in grand fashion along with help from a number of other guests and friends.
JE: I’d say anyone we play with in the area too.
Charge your cellphone on site with Solar Go’s Custom USB Recharging Batteries: 
14. 
Music festivals have been waiting for this one – mini-golf! Amazeballs Amusements is an awesome addition to Summer Camp and will host a unique 15 hole miniature golf course in honor of Summer Camp Music Festival’s 15th Anniversary. Bonus: the mobile mini golf course will be free to play all weekend! Proceeds from Sunday afternoon will benefit a special Make a Difference Drive. Stop by the Soulshine Tent, cool down in the shade or avoid the rain while hitting some balls. (Daily 10am-6pm)
Things kick off this year with Buffalo’s own moe. coming to town June 18. Jazz legend Taj Mahal comes in on June 25 George Clinton will funk up the place on July 9. Another Buffalo act – Aqueous – will open for the legendary Victor Wooten on July 30. Hometown heroes Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will close things out on Aug 13. Some top notch regional acts such as Subsoil and Uptown Groove will debut on the big stage as well.