NYS Music 20​15

Tag: Music News

  • Gathering of the Vibes to Take a Break in 2016

    The year after its 20th annual edition, popular music festival Gathering of the Vibes will take a break in 2016.

    Festival founder Ken Hays announced today that he needs a “time out,” calling producing the festival as an independent promoter a challenging endeavor.

    According to the statement posted on the festival’s website and social media and emailed to the festival’s mailing list:

    This is not the end of the Vibes, my friends; it’s simply a pause, an opportunity for us all to reflect on the memories, explore new and exciting festival initiatives while planning our triumphant return in 2017.

    gathering announcement

    The four-day festival started as a gathering at SUNY Purchase for people mourning the loss of Jerry Garcia in 1996, and it has had strong ties to the Grateful Dead community ever since, hosting all of the original band members at various points throughout the festival’s 20 years. The festival was held in several New York locations before relocating to Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Gathering of the Vibes 2016

  • Updated: Wanda Jackson Cancels Dec. 5 Show at Cohoes Music Hall

    Updated  Nov. 30: Due to a recent knee injury, Wanda Jackson has had to cancel the Dec. 5 appearance at the Cohoes Music Hall. All ticket holders will receive a full refund through Brown Paper Tickets. There are no details on the possibility of rescheduling the performance.

    We wish Wanda a speedy recovery and strong return to the stage.

    The Queen of Rock is making her way to The Cohoes Music Hall on Saturday, Dec. 5.

    A 2009 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Wanda Jackson returns to the Capitol District bringing a long career’s worth of material with her.

    Jackson started playing music at a young age, encouraged by her father to learn guitar during the Second World War, also being exposed to artists like Tex Williams, Spade Cooley and Bob Willis at the same time. After she gained attention for herself through hosting a radio program on KLPR while in high school, her father continued to support her by becoming her road manager in her early career.

    Over the years she has had incredible success, scoring hits early with “Fujiyama Mama” and a take on Elvis’ “Let’s Have A Party.” Though primarily a rockabilly singer, Jackson bounced around from that and country music from time to time, and released three gospel records in the 1970s.

    After her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, Jackson connected with a younger generation of genuine rock and roll musicians and began working with Jack White on an album. That album became known as The Party Ain’t Over, released in January 2011, and included covers of Dylan’s “Thunder on the Mountain” and the Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good.”

    Now, after 60 years of touring, Wanda Jackson brings a fruitful career of rock and roll to The Cohoes Music Hall on Saturday, Dec. 5. Local Albany rockabilly band The Lustre Kings will open the evening; they’ve joined with  Jackson on many occasions over the past few years. Jackson herself is quoted on the Lustre Kings’ website:

    I have worked with many bands around the world through the years, and none are better than Mark Gamsjager and the Lustre Kings. Their fine showmanship and musical ability make them the greatest in my book. THEY ROCK!!

    Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and are available through Brown Paper Tickets.

  • Redman Confirms ‘How High 2’ Movie in the Works

    Although it has been has been tossed around the past decade or so, “How High 2” may be in fact happening after all.

    XXL Magazine conducted an interview with Redman on the release of his latest album Mudface.  The following is an excerpt from the interview.

    Will fans get to see another Blackout 3 album in the future?
    Absolutely. We actually want to make it the soundtrack to How High 2.

    So when is How High 2 dropping?
    Yeah, How High 2 is not going to drop until at least 2017. The writers are still writing the script. Just looking at it time wise and being realistic about it. By the time we shoot it, get it edited, color corrected, that’s going to be a year or so, so yeah about 2017.

    Back in 2010, when Method Man and Redman were touring for Blackout 2, they played a show at the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, and Meth asked if everyone wants to see a How High 2.  The crowd roared in favor of it.  Time will tell if this will happen but this is first bit of news on any progress of the film in quite some time.  Until then, we can laugh to the original.

    how_high_ver1

  • Syracuse’s Lakeside Amphitheater Announces Journey, Doobie Brothers as First 2016 Show

    Central New York’s newest concert venue announced its first acts for the 2016 season today: Classic rockers Journey and the Doobie Brothers will perform at the Lakeside Amphitheater on July 13.

    lakeside amphitheater 2016Dave Mason (Traffic) will open the show. Tickets go on sale Dec. 5 and will cost $30 for lawn seats (or four for $89), while pavilion seats range from $39.50-$135.

    The 50-date summer tour, dubbed San Francisco Fest 2016, will also make stops at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on July 5 and Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on July 9.

    Journey‘s current lineup consists of lead guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross Valory, keyboardist Jonathan Cain and singer Arnel Pineda. Drummer Steve Smith will join the band for the first time since 1998 on this tour. The band last appeared in Syracuse during the 2014 New York State Fair with Cheap Trick.

    The Doobie Brothers’ classic core of Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons and John McFee will be joined on this tour by Little Feat drummer Bill Payne. The Doobies last played in Syracuse to a packed crowd at the Fair’s free stage at Chevy Court, also in 2014.

    Country star Miranda Lambert christened Lakeview Amphitheater along the shore of Onondaga Lake during last summer’s New York State Fair. Construction was completed just days prior to the inaugural show. Onondaga County officials and the venue’s promoter Live Nation have stated that the new amphitheater will bring acts that often pass by Syracuse on the way to other upstate outdoor venues.

  • Felice Navidad! Felice Brothers to Release Benefit Christmas EP

    ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley will be decking their halls with tidings of comfort for families throughout the region through the help of Palenville’s Felice Brothers. The band is set to release a five-song EP, Felice Navidad, of original Christmas-themed songs through their online store on Nov. 30.

    The cost of the EP download is $5, with net proceeds benefiting the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. Those pre-ordering now will receive a free download of the new song, “Country Ham.”

    felice navidad The band will also be performing at Foodstock 8, an annual charity concert benefiting the same food bank at The Chance in Poughkeepsie on Nov. 21. Other bands on the bill that night include Lindsey Webster, Sirsy and Lara Hope and the Arktones. Other dates include a Nov. 28 gig at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, Webster Hall in New York on Dec. 2 and Brighton Music Hall in Boston on New Year’s Eve.

    The follow-up to the band’s acclaimed 2014 album Favorite Waitress is slated for release in 2016. The Albany Times Union called Waitress, “freewheeling, loose and heartfelt…A wild cross between The Band and Nirvana.”

    The Felice Brothers have released their first video from the benefit Christmas EP, set to be released Nov. 30. Ian Felice performs the simple, forlorn tale of Christmas. Felice tells the Wall Street Journal, “It’s a narrative about feeling lonely on Christmas, and the different emotions that can go with the holidays that aren’t always talked about in the happy-go-lucky songs.” Check out the new video here:

  • On ★, is the Thin White Duke Channeling Duke (Ellington)?

    Set for a Jan. 8 release, David Bowie’s new album ★ (pronounced Blackstar) takes the rock and roll chameleon in a completely different direction. The Thin White Duke enlisted a backing band of jazz musicians in a conscious effort to prevent dipping back into his old rock convictions.

    Bowie’s 25th release was recorded in New York earlier this year and boasts a heavyweight cast of jazz musicians. Joining Bowie on Blackstar are saxophonist Donny McCaslin — who also performed on the 2014 single, “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)” — guitarist Ben Monder, drummer Mark Guiliana, pianist Jason Lindner and bassist Tim LeFebrve.

    Mojo describes the album as “jazz informed but rock intense.” Take a look at his creepy video for the title song, directed by Breaking Bad alum Johan Renck, released Friday:

    Bowie’s producer Tony Visconti explained to MOJO Magazine the thought process in choosing an all jazz band to back Bowie:

    If we’d used David’s former musicians they would be rock people playing jazz. Having jazz guys play rock music turns it upside down.  Their approach to the music was so refreshing, I looked forward to every day in the studio. Nothing was done recalling the past.

    Bowie’s career has been built on making his listeners expect the unexpected, and at the age of 68, his new album certainly shows no signs of those expectations changing.

  • Jane Getter Premonition to Tour in Support of ‘On’

    Progressive supergroup Jane Getter Premonition will head out on a brief tour in support of their new album On. The mid-December tour includes stops in Buffalo, Kingston and New York City.

    JaneGetter_sqweb

    Joining Jane Getter, who Guitar Player called “the fieriest fretboarding female ever to strap on a Stratocaster,” on tour will be Adam Holzman (Miles Davis, Steven Wilson) on keyboards, Alex Skolnick (Testament) on guitar, Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai) on bass and John Mader (Steve Miller, Pat Benatar) on drums. The tour will kick off on Dec. 8 in Cleveland, Ohio and end with two shows on Dec. 16 in New York City.

    Commenting on the tour, Getter said in a press release, “We will be playing the exciting and hard hitting music from our newly released album, On, on Madfish Music, along with a few older hits from Three and See Jane Run. Get ready for some intense jams!”

    From the press release:

    Guitarist and composer Jane Getter has played with many jazz and rock greats while garnering increasing recognition as a bandleader, gifted writer and instrumentalist. Early in her career she toured with legendary jazz/blues organist Brother Jack McDuff. Her composing talents received attention when she won the ASCAP Gershwin Award for Music for Dance or Theatre in the mid 90’s. Her debut CD, Jane, in 1998 received worldwide critical acclaim and the 2006 follow up, See Jane Run, was released on Alternity Records (home of Allan Holdsworth). In 2012 she released the progressive jazz/rock album, Three. Getter also received widespread exposure playing in the Saturday Night Live Band.

    Tickets for all shows are currently on sale.

    Jane Getter on Twitter

    Jane Getter on Facebook

    Tour Dates

    Tuesday, Dec. 8 – Nighttown, Cleveland, OH
    Wednesday, Dec. 9 – The Token Lounge, Westland, MI
    Thursday, Dec. 10 – Nietzches, Buffalo, NY
    Friday, Dec. 11 – Keegan Ales, Kingston, NY
    Monday, Dec. 14 – Jammin’ Java, Vienna, VA
    Tuesday, Dec. 15 – The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
    Wednesday, Dec. 16 – Iridium, New York, NY – two shows, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs8LERUjgEQ[/embedyt]

  • Phish’s ‘Siket Disc’ to be Released on Vinyl

    Phish has announced that The Siket Disc will be released on vinyl for the first time on Friday, Dec. 18. It is currently available for pre-order.

    siket_disc_vinyl

    Originally released in 1999, The Siket Disc contains nine tracks of almost entirely instrumental music recorded during The Story of the Ghost sessions in 1997. The improvisational music was recorded by engineer John Siket and compiled by Phish keyboardist Page McConnell.

    From the Facebook announcement:

    Highlighting the band’s millennial, sometimes-ambient explorations of the time, The Siket Disc yielded a few songs that have since been incorporated into live shows including “What’s The Use?”, “My Left Toe”, “The Happy Whip and Dung Song”, and even the vocoder soundscape of “Quadrophonic Toppling”.

    The album was mastered for vinyl from the Digital Audio Tape flat master and pressed onto 180g audiophile grade vinyl. Each order includes a free MP3 download of the album that was transferred from vinyl. T-shirt bundles are also available for pre-order.

    The Siket Disc vinyl tracklist

    Side A

    1. My Left Toe
    2. The Name is Slick
    3. What’s the Use?

    Side B

    1. Fish Bass
    2. Quadrophonic Toppling
    3. The Happy Whip and Dung Song
    4. Insects
    5. Title Track
    6. Albert

  • Updated: Tool to Tour with Primus in January

    Tool posted an announcement to their Facebook page last week mentioning that they will be soon announcing U.S. tour dates for January 2016. That post also stated, “Regarding an opening band(s), what I was able to discern through the ever-shifting veil will in all likeliness be exciting to many Tool enthusiasts.”

    tool primus tourThat day is here. Through another post to Facebook, they announced, “Those faint glimpses of TOOL SHOWS that I recently perceived in the scrying mirror can now be considered official. Indeed, something wicked your way comes…THE UNPARALLELED SONIC AND VISUAL EXPERIENCE OF TOOL LIVE.”

    Tool did not specifically announce the openers, but Primus and 3TEETH are listed on the bill at ticketing sites for each show.

    There are no Northeast dates announced yet, but Tool is teasing more dates with, “CHECK BACK SOON FOR MORE INFO…”

    All shows go on sale this Friday, Nov. 20. Tour dates are as follows:

    Saturday, Jan. 9 – Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Wednesday, Jan. 13 – AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Saturday, Jan. 16 – BOK Center, Tulsa, OK – with Primus
    Sunday, Jan. 17 – Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie, TX – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Tuesday, Jan. 19 – Landers Center, Southaven, MS – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Saturday, Jan. 23 – Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Monday, Jan. 25 – Infinite Energy Center, Atlanta, GA – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Tuesday, Jan. 26 – Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, NC – with Primus and 3TEETH

    Update (Nov. 30): Tool has added a second show in San Diego on Sunday, Jan. 10. Tickets for this show are currently on sale. Additionally, four new dates were announced today. The new dates are as follows:

    Thursday, Jan. 14 – Toyota Center, Houston, TX – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Wednesday, Jan. 20 – Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Friday, Jan. 22 – Chaifetz Center, St. Louis, MO – with Primus and 3TEETH
    Sunday, Jan. 31 – Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA – with Primus

    Tickets for these four new dates go on sale on Friday, Dec. 4. Tool has, once again, hinted as even more dates through their Facebook post: “Please continue to check back for times and links and to see if any more shows are ADDED to this list.”

    Update (Dec. 8): Another stop on the Tool tour has been scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 6 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. Billed as “An Evening with Tool,” there will be no supporting acts. Tickets for this special night of music will go on sale on Friday, Dec. 11 at 12 p.m. PST.

  • Nick Alexander, Merchandise Manager for Eagles of Death Metal and Music Journalist Guillame B. Decherf Among Those Killed at Bataclan

    As the details begin to unfold as to who has laid claim to the senseless acts of violence in Paris Friday, November 13, we learn of the passing of Nick Alexander, Eagles of Death Metal’s Merchandise Manager.

    Nick Alexander with Girlfriend Polina Buckley
    Nick Alexander with Girlfriend Polina Buckley

    In a statement released by the family to Rolling Stone, they share of their loss.

    “It is with huge sorrow that we can confirm that our beloved Nick lost his life at the Bataclan last night. Nick was not just our brother, son and uncle; he was everyone’s best friend – generous, funny and fiercely loyal,” Alexander’s family said. “Nick died doing the job he loved and we take great comfort in knowing how much he was cherished by his friends around the world. Thank you for your thoughts and respect for our family at this difficult time. Peace and light.”

    What we have learned thus far by the NYTimes, is that these acts have been claimed by ISIS as the “beginning of the storm”.  French officials are informing us that, “..the assaults were carried out by three coordinated teams that included a 25-year-old Syrian terrorist”.  With suicide bombers and gunmen entering three separate areas throughout the “City of Love”, the city has been deemed a “state of emergency” closing down schools, events, and tourist attractions throughout the city, while placing other cities on high alert in efforts to thwart other attempts they may have planned.

    6007798-3x2-700x467As news begins to be released and we learn of those we have lost, one particular loss hits close to home, as included in this news is the loss of French music journalist, Guillame B.Decherf, who was at the Bataclan last evening to cover the performance of Eagles of Death Metal. Covering the show for local publication, Les InRocks, as he has so many shows since he began working for them in 2008, it was likely the furthest thing from the mind of this father of two that carrying out a job he loved of music would end so tragically.

    Guillame B. Decherf
    Guillame B. Decherf

    Through the aide of technology, news has been shared in such a timely manner keeping the rest of the world abreast of the situation.  Social tools such Facebook’s, Safetycheck, has helped many friends and family to confirm the safety of their loved ones while the world stood in unison changing their profile photos with the Parisian flag. Twitter quickly became a message board of sorts for those in need tweeting and hash tagging #PorteOuverte — “open door” for those in need of refuge while #UneBougiePourParis , and #Praying4Paris sent support from strangers worldwide.  Tonight as the world comes together in solidarity, we reflect back on the wise words of Martin Luther King as we move forward together to make changes in the world;  “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”