NYS Music 20​15

Tag: syracuse

  • Twiddle and Kung Fu Team up for ‘Dirty Dozen Tour’ With Four Shows in New York

    The Dirty Dozen Tour features 12 massive performances from Co-Headlining musical acts of Twiddle and Kung-Fu. Syracuse will be their second date of the run, following Buffalo, before traveling to Albany, New York City and making their way for Atlanta. Due to the fact that both bands will be headlining the tour, fans will have to arrive early to the venue to see who will take stage first. These two groups have been dedicated to their growing fan base and the music community by scheduling non-stop tour dates, as well as planning to release soundboard audio of their live shows this spring and summer. Fans can also see both bands in June at the Saranac Brewery in Utica, NY opening for moe.

    Twiddle-City Bisco 2013
    Twiddle-City Bisco 2013

    Since emerging onto the music scene, Kung Fu has single-handedly redefined what it means to “bring the funk.” These gentleman have brought their own unique sound, fusing the unlikely genres of funk, electronic, jam, jazz and much more. Kung Fu has become a staple at many big name festivals as well as the smaller festivals, home town bars and venues. Seeing this band live is more than just a performance, but an experience. Kung Fu’s live performances have been referred to as “jaw dropping” and “musically mesmerizing.” Taking stage with the equally talented Twiddle will just mean that you’ll have to really brace yourself for a fantastic night of live music.

    Twiddle has taken the jam band music scene by storm, completely dismantling any preconceptions and notions on how far a group of guys from a small town in Vermont could really go. Over the past few years Twiddle has acquired a following to (no pun intended) beat the band. Fans of Twiddle travel far and wide to enjoy their live performances. Much like Kung Fu, Twiddle has also masterfully blended a unique array of genres including funk, reggae, jazz and bluegrass. The band has a very  unique understanding of each other on stage and off so their performances are nothing short of amazing. Each performance within the Dirty Dozen Tour will showcase two phenomenal bands who have redefined genres within their own respects and also made great strides for genres which may have been otherwise overlooked.

    Dirty Dozen Tour Dates:
    4/1 – Buffalo, NY | Iron Works
    4/2 – Syracuse, NY | Westcott Theater
    4/3 – New York, NY | Irving Plaza
    4/4 – Clifton Park, NY | Upstate Concert Hall
    4/8 – State College, PA | Levels
    4/9 – Pittsburgh, PA | The Rex Theatre
    4/10 – Philadelphia, PA | TLA
    4/11 – Baltimore, MD | Rams Head Live
    4/12 – Richmond, VA | The Broadberry
    4/14 – Greensboro, NC | Blind Tiger
    4/15 – Charlotte, NC | The Chop House
    4/16 – Atlanta, GA | Terminal West

    Tickets are expected to go quick so don’t wait to buy them at the door.

  • Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad Electrifies Syracuse

    Rolling around the northeast on their Spring Steady Tour, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad burned one down this past saturday with the help from the High Hopes Band and Danielle Ponder & the Tomorrow People at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY. High Hopes hit the stage at 8 p.m. sharp, not wasting a moment of the audience’s time. Ready as ever, they kicked off the first set with originals from their newly released album Forever Love. HHB serenaded the crowd for the their full hour with silky smooth lyrical stories accompanied by cavernous bass lines and rich drum rhythms. Luscious guitar melodies and keyboards were nothing short of ear pleasing for the 70’s era reggae lovers in the theater.

    The second performance was delightfully owned by Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People. These Rochester, NY funksters brought with them to Syracuse a style of their own, blending Soul, Funk, R&B, and Hip Hop. The group practically tore down the roof with covers of “Killing Me Softly” by the Fugees and “Cherish the Day” by Sade, along with a mix of their own original music. Danielle belted out every lyric and syllable with precision and affection as a passionate singer should, which may have come easy being backed up by a modestly qualified band.

    By the time the first two performances were finished, the crowd was warmed up and awaiting some Giant Panda love. A few moments later, the five members of GPGDS ascended the stage with instruments in hand and propelled into their set. Opening with a new song called “Make it Better,” the squad put their faith into the commendable crowd, which yielded a boisterous cheer. Graciously, the quintet pursued a monstrous segue jam that Chris and Tony kept glued together, consisting of “Seasons Change,” “Foundation,” “Mr. Cop,” “Pockets,” and ending with “Healing.” Without taking a breath, they dove right into “Steady,” the title track of their most recent release and the crowd displayed extensive joy as they sang along with Dylan and Dan’s unified harmonies.

    Giant Panda flawlessly gave the people what they wanted with more fan favorites, such as “All Night Music,” “Whatever Cost,” and “Take Your Place.” The energy in the building was immense to the point that the band did not want to take a break, playing nearly a three hour set. Sparing no expense, the guys dropped a whopping “.45” with James leading on vocals and bass. After departing the stage for a brisk water break, the ensemble returned with a two song encore consisting of “Far Away” and “OK,” coupled with a fancy dub jam molded in the middle. Before anyone could appeal, the show was closing and the band was thanking the Salt City along with everyone in attendance for sharing their evening with them.

    Amidst a lengthy northeastern run, these artists held their momentum and have not wasted one ounce of energy on their fans. As GPGDS continues their Spring Steady Tour through April with three more shows in Ithaca, Albany, and Buffalo, they will also be traveling to the west coast for a few appearances this spring, including the California Roots Festival on May 22.

  • Badfish drops 40 oz. on the Westcott Theater in Syracuse

    On the first night of their spring break tour, Badfish started the weekend off right, at the Westcott Theater on Feb, 27. Bringing all of Sublime’s greatest hits, which included the album 40 oz. to Freedom in its entirety, the band was clearly seeking to entertain and have a great time. Before they brought their nostalgic summer rock to the stage, they welcomed two local bands to share the evening with.

    Street Rock Mafia
    Street Rock Mafia

    Street Rock Mafia, an energetic funk/rock band from Utica, NY, was the foolproof start to the night. They laid down the groove and set out to put some boogie in your butt. The drums and bass mounted the framework of each song while the guitar and vocals brought captivating melodies and lyrics. Not a pair of ears were disappointed with the energy that the mafia was giving.

    The second outfit was Lucky 33, a punk/indie rock band from Syracuse. This four piece, old school, punk driving, band of rockers formed in late 2011 and were more than ready to tackle the anxious crowd. With enormous confidence, they stormed the stage bringing their own distinct brand of original songs to a new gallery of ears. With no luck at all, viewers and admirers soon turned into fans, and the crowd greatly applauded their performance as it came to a close.

    Lucky 33
    Lucky 33

    Just before Badfish was set to hit the stage, the crew raised a vibrant backdrop of a koi fish smoking a cigar and holding some alcohol, which charged the audience with excitement. A moment after, the band members entered the stage to the opening voice track of “Waiting for my Ruca” and persisted to play the full album with other great hits including “Santeria” and “Summertime.” The memorable punk and reggae songs of Sublime brought back the urge to dance and jump around like a teenager again.

    Badfish
    Badfish

    Each song was beautifully matched with vocals and guitar by Pat Downes, who cultivated the same soul and passion of the late Sublime singer, Brad Knowles. Bassist Joel Hanks and drummer Scott Begin played mercifully through the two sets, though Scott had become injured a few hours prior to the show, from loading in equipment. Injury or none, their dedication to entertaining fans was nothing short of spectacular. Rhode Island based Badfish is currently traveling down the east coast on this leg of their tour and are expected to break in early July. Their next visit to upstate New York will be at the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, NY on May 1, 2015.

    http://www.badfish.com/tour/

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    Lucky 33 Gallery:

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    Street Rock Mafia Gallery:

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  • Formula 5 Heats Up Funk N Waffles Downtown

    A cold January 9 got a whole lot warmer at Funk ‘N Waffles downtown Syracuse location. Syracuse based Vaporeyes opened things up nicely before Albany-area based Formula 5 took the stage around 11pm. Right from their first song “Coming Home,” I was impressed, these guys show a musical maturity past their years while still maintaining a presence of fun onstage. They combine elements of jazz, electro, funk, and a little reggae to their jam formula. A very sold rhythm section coupled with blistering guitars and creative keys make Formula 5 worth venturing out in any weather.