Entertainer of the year Luke Bryan showed fans there was more than One Direction to go Thursday night for an evening great music. Luke Bryan brought his Kick The Dust Up tour and friends to Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, as one of the final concerts of their season. Bryan, clad in a tight-fitting T-shirt and black jeans and shook his hips like a reincarnated Elvis. He was constantly taking in every bit of energy from his fans all across the venue.
While plenty of artists put on a strong show, how many of them toss beers into the crowd as they sing? Or catch a fan’s cellphone mid-song, snap a selfie and toss it back without missing a note? Bryan did it all, including rounding up his talented band and pouring tequila shots on top of his piano to toast the crowd.
Opening up the show was Dustin Lynch. The stage chemistry between Lynch and his band is one of a kind — delivering a breathtaking performance every time. While Dustin performed “Halo” and “Mindreader” off his iTunes #1 debut sophomore album Where It’s At. He kept the energy high straight through to the end, and finished things up with his hit “Cowboys and Angels” inspiring a sing along, making all the young women in the room swoon. This talented young man has charisma coming out of his ears and he really knows how to work a crowd.
After a short intermission, it was time to “Go Out With My Boots On” as Randy Houser fiercely entered the stage belting the party tune. Title track from his sophomore album “How Country Feels” stole the show as Randy cleverly performed it as a sing along, involving an eager crowd. Beginning with an acoustic version of the chorus, the #1 single “Goodnight Kiss” permeated the venue as his wildly talented band joined in and kicked it into high gear. He closed out with his latest hit single, “Like A Cowboy.”
From the lawn seats to the pit of the stage, every seat in the house for Luke Bryan and Friends Darien Lake was provided a unique view with a custom concert experience. With three of country music’s most adept stars on one ticket, you will definitely want to catch a ride on the final leg of Kick the Dust Up Tour.
When news broke Sunday, August 23, that Van Halen had canceled their show at Hershey Park in Hershey, PA, fans must have been thinking to themselves “not again.” The official kick off to the second leg of Van Halen’s massive North American tour had been canceled due to singer, David Lee Roth, having the flu. With doctors orders canceling the show at Hershey Park, fans took to social media to express their concerns about the rest of the upcoming shows.
To the delight of everyone who was planning on going to any of the shows afterwards, Van Halen said the tour would be going on as planned and no other shows would be canceled. With that great news from the band, fans at Darien Lake prepared to welcome Van Halen for their new official start to the second half of their tour.
On Tuesday August 25, fans lined up early in front of the gates at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center with much excitement. While some fans waited in line on the chilly August day, others took to the park to help ease the excitement. Throughout the park, families could be seen wearing their favorite Van Halen memorabilia such as shirts and shoes. Concert goers inside the theme park seemed to cover many generations. Walking through the theme park, there were young children ready to see guitar icon, Eddie Van Halen, take the stage for what would probably be their first time. Teenagers were all around the park in their own groups sporting their classic VH shirts. Most of all, the parents who grew up listening to classic Van Halen albums such as Van Halen, Van Halen II, 1984, etc. were ready to see Van Halen for what would probably be their last time at Darien Lake.
The show started out just prior to 7:30 with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. Most of the crowd seemed to be well aware of who Kenny Wayne Shepherd was. This blues guitar icon certainly came to impress and show off his guitar skills. Teaching himself guitar from the early age of 7, Kenny Wayne Shepherd could definitely give Eddie a run for his money. Backing up Kenny, was an all-star lineup of musicians who have played with some of the best in the world. Vocals duties for the band were handled by Noah Hunt, who had an outstanding voice to say the least. Bass player Tony Franklin was introduced to the crowd as a guy who had played with a band called, The Firm. For those who aren’t aware, The Firm consisted of Paul Rodgers of Bad Company and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. If that wasn’t enough, the drummer for the Kenny Wayne Shepherd band, Chris Layton, played with Stevie Ray Vaughan. Finishing off the lineup was keyboard player Riley Osborun, who had played alongside Willie Nelson. Together, these guys put on an incredible opening show. The set was ended with a stellar cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child,” that left the crowd standing on their feet cheering.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
After Kenny Wayne Shepherd exited the stage, every seat that was once empty inside had a new face standing in front of it. By this time of the night, everyone knew they were finally going to see Van Halen and there would be no cancellations. Alex Van Halen kicked off the show standing up at his drum kit welcoming fans, while his brother Eddie and Eddie’s son Wolfgang started the night off with “Light Up The Sky” from Van Halen II. Within seconds later, singer David Lee Roth came out on stage with all smiles.
Playing 23 songs from 7 different albums, Van Halen surely had enough to please everyone. From the new material, all the way back to the very beginning, Van Halen made sure to hit the songs everyone was there to hear. Fans got to hear classics such as “Runnin’ With The Devil,” “Everybody Wants Some,” “Dance The Night Away” and more. Alex Van Halen handled the drum kit better than any other 62-year-old probably could. Eddie’s son Wolfgang, who now handles bass duties, was simply amazing. Some people may think that Wolfgang doesn’t deserve to be in Van Halen just because of his dad, but he certainly proved it at Darien Lake. To go along with his excellent playing, Wolfgang handles the harmony backup vocals with ease. There’s no denying that Wolf, who’s only 24-years-old, has incredible amounts of musical talent. For those who don’t know Wolfgang is also the bass player for Mark Tremonti’s solo band when he’s not busy playing alongside dad.
David Lee Roth
Throughout the show, Eddie Van Halen showed why he’s considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time. Watching Eddie play songs from as far back as 1978 with no trouble at all left people mesmerized. Most of the time as bands age, the live show lacks what it once had. Guitar players get sloppy over time and improvise parts of songs they can’t play live anymore. This wasn’t the case for EVH. Eddie cruised through the entire setlist making it look easy. When it was time for Eddie to take the stage for his solo, he chose to toss in some licks from other Van Halen songs before playing “Eruption”. Most guitar solos can get boring quickly, but Eddie Van Halen is one guitar player that will never bore a crowd.
David Lee Roth, who was battling the flu, showed no signs of being ill on Tuesday night. DLR who’s been back with Van Halen since 2007 now, put on an unforgettable performance. While smiling all night and having fun on stage, David made sure the crowd was having just as much fun as him. There aren’t many performers who are as comfortable as Roth is on stage. For instance, not many performers can forget lyrics to a song like Roth can and still go with the flow. Many times throughout the set, David Lee Roth would admit he forgot a line and just laugh it off while giving Eddie and Wolf a head nod who would bail him out. Typically a crowd would be disappointed with such a vocal performance, but the overall show makes up for the mistakes. Many reviews online talk about how DLR lacks the vocal ability now, just like many other singers from his era. It’s true that Roth struggles at times, but Eddie and Wolfgang save the day. Together, the 3 of them take care of business and put on one hell of a performance no one could ever forget.
As expected, Van Halen ended the night with “Panama” and “Jump” leaving the crowd feeling like they just went back in time. Luckily for fans at Darien Lake, they didn’t have the same fate fans at Hershey Park had on Sunday. Van Halen continues their tour of North America throughout the month of September and has its final stop at the Hollywood Bowl, in Hollywood, California on Friday, October 2nd. Fans interested in catching Van Halen again before the tour ends can find all the dates and ticket information here.
Setlist: Light Up The Sky, Runnin’ With The Devil, Romeo Delight, Everybody Wants Some, Drop Dead Legs, Feel Your Love Tonight, Somebody Get Me A Doctor, She’s The Woman, Chinatown, I’ll Wait, Drum Solo, Little Guitars, Dance The Night Away, Beautiful Girls, Women In Love, Hot For Teacher, In A Simple Rhyme (Growth), Dirty Movies, Ice Cream Man, Unchained, Ain’t Talkin About Love, Guitar Solo, You Really Got Me, Panama, Jump
Not many bands are worth fighting the traffic to get to the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center. But Friday night was worth the battle when Darius Rucker performed to a nearly sold out crowd.
Rucker, on tour promoting his newest CD “Southern Style,” opened his set with “Lighter Up,” Strapping on his guitar, Rucker said, “Let’s go old school,” and played “Time.” Here and there he added “Only Wanna Be With You,” “Hold My Hand” and “Let Her Cry” from his Hootie and the Blowfish days, which the audience loved.
Rucker played covers of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” which the set could have done without. A highlight came when Rucker had the Brothers Osborne and Brett Eldredge, his opening acts, join him on stage for a rendition of “Hold My Hand.”
Rucker ended his set with the upbeat “Homegrown Honey,” with shadows of a cornfield projected on the backdrop. For part of his encore, he performed “Wagon Wheel” and had the whole crowd sing the last verse.
The opening act was the Thousand Horses has a country rock vibe to them. They were heating up an already warm night when they sang their rising single “Smoke” to a packed amphitheater.
Brothers Osborne. Their music, while country, has a certain air that gives it a more modern feel thanks to the guitar playing by brother John Osborne — most definitely a talented musician — with brother TJ at the vocals.
Following was Brett Eldredge, another up-and-coming country singer. Performing his “Lose My Mind,” Eldredge had the crowd on their feet and rocking out and, perhaps, making some of the women lose their minds.
This concert brought many genres of people under one roof. That night we all came together as one and enjoyed a night filled with country rock and roll and rising stars that one day will be headlining
On Wednesday July 29 nothing could prepare the town of Corfu for what was about to be unleashed. Slipknots “Summers Last Stand” tour made a stop at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center and they brought some of their friends.
First up was the Gothic American metal band Motionless in White. The Scranton, PA natives opened up the evening with “Break the Cycle” off of their new album Reincarnate. They continued through a high energy set treating fans to a variety of tracks such as “Abigail,” “Unstoppable” and the title track “Reincarnate.”
Next up, veteran Welsh metal titans, Bullet For My Valentine. Currently on tour in support of their new album Venom, they took the stage opening with “No Way Out.” For fans of metal acts like Metallica and Iron Maiden, this is the band to see – especially the essential track “Your Betrayal.”
They continued to keep the crowd pumped up and excited ending their set with “Tears Don’t Fall” and the mega favorite “Waking The Demon.” I can honestly say that for a band I have not paid much attention to before, after catching their performance, they are on my radar. I am looking forward to listen to more of their music and seeing them live again.
From the deep dark recesses of Richmond, Virginia something wicked and powerful creeped onto the stage; they call themselves Lamb of God! From the moment the band took the stage, they started the frenzy with their hit “Walk with Me in Hell.” Front man Randy Blythe took a moment to honor our country’s fallen military heroes before ripping into their classic “Now You Got Something To Die For,” which criticizes our governments ill gains through war. Lamb of God is currently on tour in support of their newest release VII: Sturm und Drang. They treated fans to “Still Echos” and “512.” This is one band that does NOT disappoint their fans. I have seen them more times than I can count and they are truly a testament to the profession. They ended their set on a heavy note with two of my personal favorites: “Laid to Rest” and “Redneck.” Then, the sweat soaked musicians took their bows and said, “until next time.”
The stage goes dark, you can hear fans chanting, growing restless, getting louder and louder as each moment passes. Faintly at first, then a little louder a voice from the PA system is saying “With my face against the floor, I can’t see who knocked me out, out of the way.” Oh yeah… it’s Slipknot’s killer intro! The curtain drops, the stage explodes and Slipknot, in full force, starts right in with what feels like a punch to the gut also known as “Sarcastrophe!” The band is in top form. They don’t take a break from the heavy bass laden assault ripping right into “The Heretic Anthem” and “Psychosocial.” Front man Corey Taylor only pauses for a second to ask the masses if they want to “hear a new song with an old school feel to it?” The crowd roared with approval as the band keyed up “AOV” off their new album, The Gray Chapter. It felt like the entire crowd sang along to the hit “Before I Forget” off the band’s Vol.3 the Subliminal Versus. I have been going to Slipknot shows since their early days and they are consistently high energy and always discover unique ways to engage the audience in the madness.
During their performance of their mega hit from their debut album Spit It Out percussionist Shawn Crahan (aka Clown) snuck into the audience undetected and emerged by the soundboard where he dumped one of the garbage cans on himself and terrorized fans. While clown was busy making a mess, Corey Taylor encouraged the crowd to get down and when the song crescendos to jump up and sing along. The band took a brief break before storming back on stage and finishing out the evening of metal and mayhem with “People=Shit” and “Surfacing”. Although the tour is titled “Summers Last Stand,” Slipknot proves once again that this is not heavy metal’s last stand and that it is here to stay!
On Sunday, August 2, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center was once again host to another great summer tour. The show was the co-headlining tour with the Deftones and Incubus. With a late start time, concert goers had plenty of time to enjoy the nice day and it’s safe to assume many of those people spent it inside the theme park.
Shortly after 5 p.m., the parking lot to the theme park was a sea of cars and the concert parking was already getting filled. The time for doors was delayed for a short period of time while the stage crew scrambled to get the production all set for the show. Once the doors opened, the opening band called The Bots took the stage. It’s not often that a “band” consists of just two members but that’s what The Bots are. The duo is formed by brothers Mikaiah Lei and Anaiah Lei who are from Los Angeles. These youngsters didn’t care if the seats were filled inside or not because they absolutely rocked it. Their “garage punk” style is one that will most likely take them on many more tours in the near future.
After a short stage tear-down the Deftones were next to take the stage. It was a mystery before the show who would close the night out because it could have easily been either the Deftones or Incubus. Opening their set with “Diamond Eyes,” off their 2010 release Diamond Eyes, the Deftones set the vibe for the rest of the show. There’s not many bands that have a distinct sound like the Deftones do. From the slow, chunky, low toned riffs of Stephen Carpenter to the melodic vocals and screams of Chino Moreno, it’s easy to identify the Deftones.
The band mixed up their set throughout the night playing songs off of seven different albums. It was a great mix of music jumping around from their oldest to their “newest” material. The reason for newest being in quotations is that the Deftones have a new album coming out in September. As of right now, there’s not album title but the rest of the album is completed. New material off this upcoming album was not played at all but that didn’t come as a surprise, as Chino made it clear recently that fans wouldn’t be hearing anything new on this tour. The crowd was certainly mixed with fans of both the Deftones and Incubus, but the Deftones were welcomed by everyone. From the girl in the front row screaming, “Chino, I love you”, to the back of the seats where a group held up a flag with the album White Pony, the Deftones got everyone’s support.
After a set that seemed to end too soon for Deftones fans, Incubus shortly came on afterwards. The band wasted no time at all and started the set off with hit after hit. Opening with “Wish You Were Here,” then going into “Anna Molly” and “Circles,” Incubus was running on all cylinders the entire night. The stage was backed with a giant curved LED screen with one on top of the stage as well. To go along with the screens, Incubus had an outstanding light show that set a great vibe for their set. Like the Deftones, Incubus also chose to vary up their setlist with songs throughout their music catalog. Fans got to hear songs from A Crow Left of the Murder…, Morning View, Trust Fall (Side A), Light Grenades, Make Yourself and others as well. The band sounded spot on and singer Brandon Boyd led the band through a solid 17 song setlist. The show was ended with a three song encore featuring “Dig,” “Drive” and “A Crow Left of the Murder” which featured a special Beatles closing.
The Deftones/Incubus tour runs until the end of August. Click here to check out the list of those dates. Note that the last show with the Deftones and Incubus together is on August 30th, at the Sleep Train Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, CA.
Deftones Setlist: Diamond Eyes, My Own Summer (Shove It), Lhabia, Beware, Bloody Cape, Sextape, You’ve Seen the Butcher, Rocket Skates, Tempest, Swerve City, Knife Prty, Digital Bath, Change (In the House of Flies), Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), Headup, Birthmark, Engine No. 9
Incubus Setlist: Wish You Were Here, Anna Molly, Circles, Absolution Calling, Are You In?, Vitamin, Trust Fall, In the Company of Wolves, Nice to Know You, Here in My Room, Sick Sad Little World, Pardon Me, Make Out Party, Megalomaniac, Dig, Drive, A Crow Left of the Murder
Taking the Darien Lake stage promptly at 7:30 p.m. was Foreigner. For those who are unaware of who these legends are – Foreigner is an arsenal of rock spanning five decades with 10 multi-platinum albums including 16 Top 30 hits. The crowd roared as Chris Frazier came out and took his prominent position behind the drum kit first followed by Bruce Watson on guitar, Michael Bluestein on keyboards/piano and Jeff Pilson on the bass. Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar/keyboards/saxophone), walked on the stage next just moments before frontman and vocalist Kelly Hansen walked up to the center microphone stand. The crowd was worked into a frenzy by the time everyone was in place and it was time to blow the roof off!
Kelly and company started off with “Double Vision” as the fans started rising to their feet in excitement. After the first song couple songs Kelly made some pretty racy remarks. He started mocking people who were in the front row that were sitting down while everyone else was standing up. He called out people that were on their cell phones the entire time and used some profanity. I was in disbelief and I think my colleague had to pick my jaw up from the floor.
The ever-classic radio favorite, “Cold As Ice” was performed next. Towards the end of “Cold As Ice,” Kelly Hansen jumped down to the floor to sing with the audience as he walked around several sections before returning to the stage to finish the song.
What was pleasing to see was Foreigner included a little local touch to the show. He had the Attica High School Choir come out to the stage and sing “I Wanna Know What Love Is.” The crowd cheered ferociously as the kids walked to the stage. The performance by the choir was spectacular and it couldn’t have gone any better. To close out the night they played the classic “Hot Blooded.” This was my first time seeing Foreigner and mark my words I will go again every time they come to town, they have won over the younger generation.
On Tuesday, July 21, the fans at Darien Lake Center for the Performing Arts were treated to a great performance by none other than original “American Idol” winner, Kelly Clarkson. Kelly was in town promoting her latest album “Piece by Piece.” I remember being a little girl watching the deciding factor between her and Justin Guarini. Ever since that night in June, 2002, America has watched the songstress grow into a superstar.
I feel Kelly could have had better choices in her line up, but they each brought their own flavor to the mix. To kick the show off was Abi Ann, a country-esque vocalist, the highlight of the act was her back up singer Jennifer Waris, who is a Buffalo native which I thought was a nice treat. Abi was a delight to have on stage and she had great energy on stage and decent vocal range. She dazzled the crowd for the 20 minutes she was on stage.
Following right behind her was Eric Hutchinson, who did not impress me in the slightest. I went into his set with high hopes because I heard some good feedback from my previous research. I felt Eric may have been having an off day. It looked as if he was trying to give it his all but his voice didn’t want to match the body language. He was falling flat and seemed very out of key but had some moments that made my ears perk up and smile. For an encore he covered Taylor Swift`s “Shake it Off.” He made it his own in a good way and put a little twist to it but unfortunately it was not received well from the crowd.
Pentatonix opened up for Kelly and I had never heard of them until then. I must say I am hooked! They are an a capella group that covers songs from Ariana Grande to Christmas songs like “Silent Night.” They have such chemistry on stage and I was nothing but impressed by them. The notes the tenor Mitch Grassi hits are out of this world, he left my jaw dropped to the floor.
Then, as they left the stage and about a half hour past, then the lights dimmed and fans screamed. We knew exactly what was coming. Once Kelly got on staged and started singing you can almost see she was slightly uncomfortable in her own skin. She danced around barefoot on stage and seemed so full of energy. She didn’t seem like she knew what to do or where she fit in.
Past the body language Kelly interacted with her fans in an adoring manner and had this spunky personality that I couldn’t get enough of. There were a few highlights of the night that really stood out to me.
Kelly had one lucky YouTube winner perform a song of their choosing. A young Jamie Grace came to the stage and covered Taylor Swift’s “Trouble.” She was talented in her own right and made that song her own. I thought this particular things was a great idea and it showed some humbleness on Kelly`s part. The show became about Grace and not solely about Kelly for those four minutes.
Another special treat was Pentatonix cam and joined Clarkson for “Hearbeat Song,” which had wonderful harmonies and the crowd couldn’t get enough. Kelly had eventually opened up toward the end of the night and became more comfortable with herself. She put on such a strong performance and we can only see her grow from here.
Music. It evokes feelings, transports me back in time and recharges me almost as though it’s a battery pack. Music for Nashville’s newest sensation, Chase Bryant, is the same. It’s in his blood.
Coming from a musical family in small town Texas, Chase heard Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Lewis Boogie” and that was all it took. From that point on, his course was set. Learning to play the guitar at a very early age, he jokes that there were 20 guitars in his hometown, and he owned all of them. After seeing Chase perform recently at The Taste of Country Music Festival, his hard work and dedication to learning his skill showed as I was floored by his shredding ability and how he made his guitar sing.
Chase Bryant – Taste of Country Festival 2015
As Chase and the Shotgun Rider Tour comes to town Thursday, July 3o to Darien Lake, Chase will open for Nashville favorites Billy Currington and Tim McGraw. He graciously agreed to speak with our readers and share some details to what makes him tick.
Kathy Stockbridge (KS): Hi Chase, thank you so much for agreeing to speak with NYSMusic. You have taken Nashville by storm since your arrival and your fans and our readers just love you.
Chase Bryant (CB): Why thank you.
KS: Music seems to be something that has always been in your blood. For those that aren’t aware you grew up in a family of musicians. Share a little about what that was like for you growing up.
CB: Well it was definitely a loud household. My grandfather was a keyboard player for Roy Orbison, and he played along side him throughout high school and right up until the summer my grandfather bowed out of the band because his mom said he couldn’t play rock and roll music any more. After that he went on to college and played with Waylon Jennings, and then on the Glen Campbell television show in Lubbock Texas, and then my two uncles played in a band called Ricochet and had the hit “Daddy’s Money” back in 1996.
KS: I remember that song! So it was in your blood, you were destined. You were born to do this.
CB: Yep, there was nothing I could do about it, and I’m glad there was nothing I could do about it, because I love it.
KS: Share with our readers a little about your relationship with Barbara and Alex Orbison and how that relationship played a role in your career in Nashville.
CB: Alex I used to say was one of my best friends, but I think he’s now more like a second brother to me. He’s been great to me and we’ve built a really great relationship when it comes to music and life in general. He’s been so supportive of my music and his mother Barbara as well has been one of my biggest fans. I couldn’t thank her enough for signing me. She was a great lady and I was her last signing at her company before she passed away. So that was a pretty awesome experience.
KS: When you came to Nashville, Benny Brown — founder of BBR Music Group — was so taken back by your talent as a producer of your demo tapes, he allowed you to co-produce your album with Derek George, which I must add is not something he does often. Share with us a little about how you taught yourself the production end of recording and how you have grown since those early days as a producer.
CB: I was on a panel the other day and I was asked how do you teach someone producing, and you really can’t. If your ears aren’t there and you can’t hear the music then it might not be for you. There are some great artists that never produced their own records or played on their own records, or maybe even wrote the songs. But they were great records and ones I definitely looked up to. I got lucky and sometimes I think that maybe what I do isn’t always right, but Benny sure has given me an opportunity to expand on it. Whatever my name is or the sound that goes along with it, Benny Brown and Broken Bow and Red Bow Records have really let me carve that path and let me become who I really want to be. I’m thankful for that. I was able to write all the songs on this record, co-produce the record, and I played all the guitars. I didn’t produce it by myself either. I co-produced with my best friend Derek George. We had a blast making that record.
KS: Well the finished piece was amazing and you have a great ear for it.
CB: Well thank you.
KS: In addition to producing, you also write your own music. You say that you wrote 400 lousy songs before you wrote your first good one…what was that one song that caught the attention of Nashville manager, pluggers, and publishers? Did you know when writing that one, it as the one?
CB: I think “Take It On Back” was the first really organic, not left of center or anything that had never been done, but it was one of those songs that defined who I was and that sound that people know me by now. I think it was that, and a song called “Change Your Name,” and probably another one that did it, called “Wish I Was A Plane” was another one that set the radar for the label and set the tone for the record. Now “Wish I Was A Plane” is one we play live (isn’t on record). You have those couple of songs that lead to other songs, and those three definitely lead to probably 15 or 16 songs to be on this record that I would like to say are collectively my best pieces of music I could make at the moment.
KS: Yeah, “Change Your Name” is my fav.
CB: Well thank you. I’m hoping that’s a single in the near future. We’ll see what happens.
KS: It will definitely be a hit. You also are an amazing guitarist. You are a left hand guitarist that plays a right handed guitar upside down. It’s not something you notice either. I shot your set at Taste of Country Festival this past June, which by the way you killed it, and after I read that you had this unique talent…I went back to study the photos and sure enough…you rock that guitar left handed, upside-down! Wow…how did you manage to learn that skill?
CB: I don’t know, I’m still learning. Everybody always says “how do you do that, how do you do that?” There’s times I look at and go “why am I doing it this?” But it just happened. I think a lot of people told me no, and a lot of people thought that I would never play it like that, so I was a stubborn kid growing up and therefore I had to do it. It also saved my mom and dad a lot of money buying me my first right handed guitar because left handed ones are way too expensive. I know my mom thinks I have way too many guitars but in the end it ended up saving us a ton of money.
KS: You recently had the opportunity to do a project with Kia Motors and Michael McDonald in their ground breaking digital series Rediscovered. Share with my readers a little about that project and what that experience was like for you.
CB: Oh gosh! Ya know, I listened to the 70’s records a lot, whether it be Fleetwood Mac Rumours, or The Doobie Brothers Minute By Minute or Takin It To The Streets, any of those records defined who I wanted to be as a singer. Musically I thought Michael was just an absolute genius. The sounds that he had coming as a keyboard player and the tone of his voice; there is no way you could ever hear that voice and undoubtedly not think that was Michael. Nobody else you could think of, could it be. With modern technology today people hit their phone and ask Siri “who is this on the radio?,” and I think that is the quickest response from Siri is Michael McDonald because it’s one of the most recognizable voices of all time.
KS: I have to say when I watched that four part series (which I strongly urge my readers to watch the entire series) you nailed it. I could tell he was genuinely impressed as well. Now in that series you talk about your experience of playing at the Opry. Share with me what it was like for you the first time you performed at The Grand Ole Opry.
CB: Playing the Opry is one of those things that every time I play there I quote “there is no bigger religious experience for a country musician…than standing in that circle”. It’s just one of those things as a country artist, when you step in that circle you don’t know what to expect. I took a friend out to my last performance and the first time they toured the Opry they don’t know what to expect. It’s the same when you are standing in that circle; you don’t know what to expect. It’s one of those venues that are full of people who love country music. It’s not a crowd that’s going to walk into the show and scream and yell your whole entire set. They are there to listen to great music, and I’m just a proud part of that and I’m very glad that they asked me to come back again and again.
KS: Your first EP Chase Bryant charged out of the gate with its hit “Take It On Back.” We love that song and I love that video. How did the setting at the Tennessee Railway Museum for the video come about?
CB: I’m a huge train fan. My grandfather, who was a big influence of course, a huge huge huge influence musically but he and I were both obsessed with trains. When Wes Edwards threw out the idea, I didn’t know who was shooting the video, I just knew that “BAM” that was the one. Especially for my first single.
KS: Your newest release Little Bit of You is racing up the charts right now and grabbed the attention of Rolling Stone Magazine as they labeled you as one of it’s “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know.” That must have been awesome to see your name in Rolling Stone Magazine. Do you find yourself pinching yourself at moments saying…can this be really happening?
CB: There are some great names in that article and some of them I moved to town with, people I’m really really rooting for, and people somewhere down the road we’re still together in this. I grew up reading Rolling Stone and was a big fan, and once again it’s one of those things to know I’m a part of it is an honor to be included.
KS: Your music is what I consider feel good, toe tapping, smile making music. Your live show is amazing and full of the same energy. I get the impression that you are a very positive person from your music. Do you find that when create music, your wanting to send a message with each song or do you want your audiences to find their own meaning in the songs?
CB: My message in my music is who I am and who I’ll always be. I don’t know if there’s another way of saying it. I just know that whoever Chase Bryant is, and whatever you see live, and whatever you hear on the radio; that’s me and who I am.
KS: I love your philosophy on music. You said that “I’m just the guy with the guitar. If I wasn’t, I’d be the guy on the front row with his arm around his girl raising a glass to the guy onstage. No questions, it’s just who I am. Music is everything.” I think this philosophy truly defines you and why we adore you. You are in it for the music and sharing that passion with your fans, thank you. One final comment and question — you hands down win for best hair in country music!!! What’s your secret for keeping it perfectly in place as you are moving around on stage. That’s difficult…I know…my son struggles to keep his hair styled like that!
Chase Bryant – Taste of Country Festival 2015
CB: Well that’s actually funny, as I went through a few different hair cuts when I came to town, and thankfully I had a label that was very good and very patient with me getting my image correct. Who knows if it’s correct now but it’s nothing more than blow drying the thing up in the air and putting some paste in it. It’s a pretty simple process. It’s nothing tough or too hard to happen; and sometimes it happens when I wake up on the right side of the bed.
KS: Well you have that image down pat. Thanks again Chase for taking the time to speak with us and we can’t wait to see you at Darien Lake July 30th!!
As I ended the interview I could not help think what a nice young man he was and how well his music fits his personality. He is an upbeat, positive, fun loving young man who loves what he does, and it shows. He’s the next generation of country. With so many critics out there today picking apart country criticizing the new sound, I find Chase Bryant the perfect example of how the next generation is taking the roots of country, that he was whole heartedly immersed in as a child, and giving it the spin to generate new fans from this generation. As a role model, he’s definitely my choice, and again, hands down he wins my “Best Hair” award.
I’m truly looking forward to seeing his set again, and I strongly urge all of you to not miss this show as Chase, along with Billy Currington, and Tim McGraw will blow your socks off for a fun filled evening of country entertainment.
The summer concert season is finally upon us and is in full swing. Vans Warped Tour made a pit stop to Darien Lake as it does every year. This was their 21st year of being on the road and they have been pushing every year to be even fresher and entertaining than the next. They didn’t do so badly this year.
Upon arrival you could automatically tell this was an event for the younger generations. I’d say the majority of the fans were between 15 and 18 years of age. The line was wrapped around from the front entrance to around the fences at least a quarter-mile back. It was nothing but fouled mouthed scandalously dressed teenagers that were littering all over the place as I walked passed them to the Guest list tent.
The weather could not have been more beautiful. It wasn’t too hot and it was a rain free day. The afternoon before we had hours worth of rain so the ground was pretty soggy and wet. My converse and calves were covered in mud by the end of the night.
Taking a walk around and scoping out the area, I had never been to Vans Warped Tour so wanted to see what they had to offer besides the 10 stages of music. In the middle of the event strategically placed in rows like a carnival setting they had band’s tents where you could buy merch or shoot the breeze with them. So I took a peek and continued down the hill to where my favorite part of the event happened.
I met the one of my biggest influences in life, Adam Elmakias. I have been following his work for couple years now and he is everything I wanted to be in life. Adam surprisingly is not even a year older than me. His job is to go on tour with bands and photograph their everyday lives on the road, on and off stage. I was little star struck but not the Justin Bieber fan kind. I took my picture with him and shot the breeze for a brief moment. He gives me hope that one day I’ll go on tour with a band and take pictures. That’s my dream in life.
The Unicorn stage was second in command that night. If you have never seen Family Force 5 I recommend seeing them at least once. They were highly entertaining on the stage. Their retro bright straight out of the ’80s fashion-wear, to the trampoline jumping on stage kept things fresh and new. These guys brought so much stimulation to the stage I couldn’t look away.
I have a couple of friends that just love everything about Attila. I’m sorry but I can’t see what the hubbub is about. Sure they were wonderful to photograph, but vocally and lyrically it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Their first song right out of the gate was called “Middle finger”. Crowd was nothing but obsessed with this song. Then when they started singing their second song “Rage” all hell broke loose. The crowd surfing and moshing began and was in full force, as a photographer in the pit when that happens can become a dangerous scenario if you are not aware of your surroundings. The only thing I enjoyed about Attila’s set was that they had life plastic red garbage cans set up filled with beach balls. The idea behind this was to give the fans the balls and have them play some beer pong.
Most of the melodic hardcore bands or borderline metal bands were placed in the far back on the Monster stage. I found myself unable to be peeled away from this particular setup, as most of the bands there were so tight on point. There are a few worth mentioning that were really pleasant to listen to as well as photograph.
Escape the Fate, this band I had been eagerly waiting to see because a couple of people I talked with said they were fantastic live. So upon arrival a few minutes before show time I was pleasantly surprised by the hustle of the stage crew. So as the show began the outfits immediately caught my attention. They seem to match accordingly on stage which I thought was a nice touch. Some bands put in little effort towards appearance and it looks poor on their part. I was not disappointed at all by Escape the Fate. They kept my attention the entire time by delivering such a powerful performance.
Fit For A King, These guys were recently in town for a show at a tiny club called The Waiting Room. I did not attend but from what I understand they put on a great performance, according to a colleague this one trumped over the previous. Front man Ryan Kirby delivered a strong solid performance and newest member who is bassist and clean vocalist Ryan O` Leary was nothing but energy on the stage.
Hard Rock Kevin Says Stage had any miscellaneous band that didn’t quite fit into the pop metal categories. Alvarez Kings I must say out of all the bands on that stage I saw were the most relaxed. They weren’t your typical warped tour kind of band. They were softer and it wasn’t what I normally listen to you, but nevertheless enjoyable. I would certainly go out of my way to listen to them while doing a relaxing activity.
Ernie ball stage was hopping the entire day; it was conveniently placed by the concession stands. This stage is meant for local winners of the Battle of the Bands competition. My favorite part about this is that it’s a truck that has a stage built into it. While I was paying a ridiculous amount for a hot dog that my wallet still hates me for, I couldn’t help but overhear a couple of bands that made me stop and take a listen.
Until We Are Ghosts, Until we are ghost are based out of Rochester, NY which is approximately only hour away from Darien Lake. I have had the pleasure of working with these guys doing live photography for them on several occasions when they come to Buffalo. When I heard they were playing on warped Tour I couldn’t have been happier for them. I have seen how hard they have worked to get here. They deserve it all and more. The guys started off their set with Repression. Vocalist Rob Anders always brings an unbelievable performance every time I’ve seen them. Today was no different.
A Story Inspired, These guys are from my hometown of Buffalo, NY. Never previously heard of A Story Inspired until I captured them on the Ernie ball stage in the early afternoon. These guys have clearly become of my go to favorite local bands when I need a heavy music fix; which is often, especially at the gym. The band consists of two vocalists Zachary Mecca, and Josh Karlis. These two are perfectly in sync and I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the stage. Bassist Noah Elardo is well-known for his “Lion Mane” hair, he used this to his advantage on stage giving the ladies something to be googly-eyed over. These guys were one of my favorite bands by far. Everything about their set was tight and choreography was synced to a T. My hope is to see this band take off and go all the way in this music industry, it shows that they have put every last stitch of energy into their music and would want nothing more.
The Shark stage was one of two stages that had the big named veteran musicians on. The first major headlining band to kick things off on the Shark stage at was Silverstein. I listened to these guys a little bit in high school. They brought their aggressive melodic punk style in full swing. Shane Told and his band brought their best to the stage Wednesday. Second song in they played “Smile in Your Sleep”. This song got the crowd screaming and starting mosh pits.
August Burns Red is from our friendly bordering state Pennsylvania. Vocalist Jake Luhrs and his band have been together for just about 13 years now and their sound was spot on. Drummer Matt Griener had such great dynamic drumming, and their lyrics and sound are so skillfully crafted to make it their own.
Quintet group Blessthefall was one of those bands, a forced to be reckoned with that day. They are a melodicore band from Arizona. These guys brought and left every last ounce of energy on the stage. The vocal presence of Beau Bokan was undeniably the strongest I heard all day. They opened up with “you wear the crown but you’re no king”. The middle of their set they played one of their most popular songs 2.0. This is primarily a song they are known for.
Asking Alexandria was one of the last bands to close out the evening at approximately 8pm. They had introduced their new singer Denis Stoff. He certainly brought his own flavor and did justice to all of their harder songs. I was impressed by them all around and thought they put on a good performance and kept the crowd enticed for the entire performance. Once they started singing “Breathless” The crowd just lost their minds. Moshing began and extreme crowd surfing commenced.
Well my very first Warped Tour was a success. I Spent approximately nine hours shooting and walked away with a little sunburn, muddy covered shoes and feet that felt like they were going to fall off; but I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. All the bands brought their own flavor and it was enjoyable for all on one level or another. I will see you next year Warped Tour 22.
There is no better time of year than right now. Summertime is always the time where bands take advantage of the warm beautiful weather and hit the road. This summer, classic rock legends Def Leppard are hitting the road with their friends Styx and Tesla. On Sunday, July 12, the trio rolled into the Buffalo area with a show at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.
Shows at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center usually draw people to the adjoined theme park before the show. Throughout the day while walking around the park, Def Leppard shirts could be spotted everywhere. Seeing all of the fans in the park was an early sign that it was going to be a packed house. Hundreds of people were waiting for the gates to open at 6 p.m. so they could be the first ones in. Before Tesla took the stage at 7 p.m., fans were lining up to get food, beer from concessions and shirts from the merchandise booth.
When the house music stopped shortly before 7 p.m., a look around the amphitheater proved that fans were there to see every band of the night and not just headliner Def Leppard. Tesla took the stage with a loud applause from the crowd and started the show with “Edison’s Medicine (Man Out of Time).” The crowd seemed to enjoy every second of Tesla’s set. The excitement really came out of the crowd when guitarist Frank Hannon played the opening chords of “Signs” and then continued with another classic of theirs, “Love Song.” Opening bands don’t normally fill an entire amphitheater because most people use it as extra time to mingle and get their beer. That wasn’t the case on Sunday night for Tesla. Lead singer, Jeff Keith, was spot on the entire night hitting notes from songs written over 20 years ago. The closing song of the set, “Modern Day Cowboy” capped off a high energy set that left fans definitely wanting more from them. After Tesla had finished their set, there was chatter all around the seats about how awesome the band had sounded and how amazed they were.
Styx was next up for the night and fans were definitely warmed up and ready. From the start of the set, fans joined the members of Styx by singing along to every song of the night. Opening the set with “The Grand Illusion,” Styx had an entire night planned with only their best songs. Changing backgrounds with each song to coincide with its album or theme, Styx kept the crowd on its feet. Styx looked like they were having more fun playing on stage together than anyone else in the crowd. The band’s energy and enthusiasm was through the roof and out of the amphitheater. While the rest of the band took a short break, singer and keyboard player Lawrence Gowan kept the crowd entertained with covers of “Rocket Man,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” The band came back out after and played “Come Sail Away” before walking off stage one more time prior to the encore. Some fans thought the band was finished and started leaving their seats to the concessions. Shortly after though, the fans came scurrying back as they heard the applause of the crowd as Styx played “Rockin’ the Paradise” and “Renegade.” Guitarist, Tommy Shaw and the rest of Styx were spot on the entire evening and left the crowd eager to see Def Leppard.
As the lights dimmed and a giant Def Leppard banner was dropped down in front of the stage, fans knew it was only a matter of time before the finale began. The show opened up with “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” and the giant banner getting sucked up into a vacuum instead of falling to the bottom of the stage. Def Leppard wasted no time after that, going immediately into songs “Animal,” “Let It Go” and “Foolin’.” Whenever the house lights lit up the crowd, anyone could see it was a packed house. There wasn’t an empty inside seat visible and fans filled the lawn all the way to the back. Lead singer, Joe Elliott, sounded great all night long as well as the rest of the band. Vivian Campbell, who’s been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma on and off, showed no signs of slowing down. Both Campbell and Phil Collen were spot on with their guitar parts while frequently going out on the catwalk into the crowd together. The production for Def Leppard was done perfectly and synced with each song; whether it was neon signs or a wall of TVs. The set included “Two Steps Behind,” which Joe Elliott did solo with an acoustic guitar. Rick Allen and Rick Savage kept the band tight on the drums and bass. The band ended the night with “Rock of Ages” and “Photograph” which features a history timeline of photos on a giant LED screen behind them.
This massive tour has already had a few stops in New York and is due for 2 more later this month in Wantagh and Saratoga Springs. Check out the rest of the tour dates here.
For the event schedule for Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, click here.
While plenty of artists put on a strong show, how many of them toss beers into the crowd as they sing? Or catch a fan’s cellphone mid-song, snap a selfie and toss it back without missing a note? Bryan did it all, including rounding up his talented band and pouring tequila shots on top of his piano to toast the crowd.
On Tuesday August 25, fans lined up early in front of the gates at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center with much excitement. While some fans waited in line on the chilly August day, others took to the park to help ease the excitement. Throughout the park, families could be seen wearing their favorite Van Halen memorabilia such as shirts and shoes. Concert goers inside the theme park seemed to cover many generations. Walking through the theme park, there were young children ready to see guitar icon, Eddie Van Halen, take the stage for what would probably be their first time. Teenagers were all around the park in their own groups sporting their classic VH shirts. Most of all, the parents who grew up listening to classic Van Halen albums such as Van Halen, Van Halen II, 1984, etc. were ready to see Van Halen for what would probably be their last time at Darien Lake.
As expected, Van Halen ended the night with “Panama” and “Jump” leaving the crowd feeling like they just went back in time. Luckily for fans at Darien Lake, they didn’t have the same fate fans at Hershey Park had on Sunday. Van Halen continues their tour of North America throughout the month of September and has its final stop at the Hollywood Bowl, in Hollywood, California on Friday, October 2nd. Fans interested in catching Van Halen again before the tour ends can find all the dates and ticket information 
After a short stage tear-down the Deftones were next to take the stage. It was a mystery before the show who would close the night out because it could have easily been either the Deftones or Incubus. Opening their set with “Diamond Eyes,” off their 2010 release Diamond Eyes, the Deftones set the vibe for the rest of the show. There’s not many bands that have a distinct sound like the Deftones do. From the slow, chunky, low toned riffs of Stephen Carpenter to the melodic vocals and screams of Chino Moreno, it’s easy to identify the Deftones.
After a set that seemed to end too soon for Deftones fans, Incubus shortly came on afterwards. The band wasted no time at all and started the set off with hit after hit. Opening with “Wish You Were Here,” then going into “Anna Molly” and “Circles,” Incubus was running on all cylinders the entire night. The stage was backed with a giant curved LED screen with one on top of the stage as well. To go along with the screens, Incubus had an outstanding light show that set a great vibe for their set. Like the Deftones, Incubus also chose to vary up their setlist with songs throughout their music catalog. Fans got to hear songs from A Crow Left of the Murder…, Morning View, Trust Fall (Side A), Light Grenades, Make Yourself and others as well. The band sounded spot on and singer Brandon Boyd led the band through a solid 17 song setlist. The show was ended with a three song encore featuring “Dig,” “Drive” and “A Crow Left of the Murder” which featured a special Beatles closing.
The Deftones/Incubus tour runs until the end of August. 
