NYS Music 20​15

Tag: the motet

  • Musical Happenings in NYC Pre- and Post-Phish Shows

    Phish will return to New York City’s Madison Square Garden for a four night New Year’s run. While Phish might be the main event, there are many shows happening around the city both before and after Phish that fans might interested in checking out. Here’s a rundown of those shows – both those being billed as Phish after-parties and those that are not.

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    Many New York bands are represented in those performing around the Phish shows, including some of the after-parties. On Wednesday night, Jersey City’s Lil Joe and the ill Picards will bring their funk to Leftfield on Ludlow Chromatropic will join forces with Sprocket to form ChromaSprocket. They will perform with special guests Natalie Cressman and Peter Apfelbaum of the Trey Anastasio Band at Lucille’s at B.B. King’s also on Wednesday night. Late night on New Year’s Eve, Snarky Puppy will play Irving Plaza.

    On Friday night, Nyack’s ShwizZ will join forces with FiKus to perform as ShwiKus and play tribute to P-Funk at Lucille’s. Saturday night brings Elise Testone and an all star lineup, including Todd Stoops, Natalie Cressman and Michael Ray, leading a James Brown Dance Party at B.B. Kings. ShwiKus will also be at Lucille’s again, this time playing an ’80s set. One ticket gets you into both of those shows. Dopapod will be at the Grammercy Theatre. Finally, Ha Ha the Moose, made up by members of moe., will bring their off-centered musical theatre to Irving Plaza. You can expect nothing but the unexpected from “The Moose.”

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    Wednesday, Dec. 30
    Post-Phish:
    Tower of Power @ B.B. King’s Blues Club – 10 p.m.
    Kevin Hedge and Louie Vega @ Cielo – 10 p.m.
    Joseph King @ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 – 10 p.m.
    The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard – 10:30 p.m.
    *Start Making Sense @ Irving Plaza – 11 p.m.
    Disco Biscuits w/ Horizon Wireless @ PlayStation Theatre – 11 p.m.
    *Particle w/ New Riders of the Purple Sage @ The Cutting Room – 11:55 p.m.
    *ChromaSprocket (Chromatropic x Sprocket w/ Natalie Cressman and Peter Apfelbaum) @ Lucille’s at B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
    *Rebirth Brass Band @ Highline Ballroom – 11:59 p.m.
    *Lil Joe and the ill Picards @ Leftfield on Ludlow – midnight

    New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31
    Post-Phish:
    *Snarky Puppy @ Irving Plaza – 2 a.m. (technically on Jan. 1)

    Friday, Jan. 1
    Pre-Phish:
    *Holly Bowling @ The Cutting Room – 4 p.m to 6 p.m.
    Frank & Tony, Taimur Agha, Ray Zuniga, Nikola Baytala, Ted Krisko, Willie Graff, Alex Graham & More TBA @ The Panther Room – 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. (technically ends Jan. 2)

    Post-Phish:
    The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard – 10:30 p.m.
    Disco Biscuits w/ Animal Rexx @ PlayStation Theatre – 11 p.m.
    *Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ Irving Plaza – 11:30 p.m.
    *Dead Sessions @ The Cutting Room – 11:55 p.m.
    *Pink Talking Phish @ Highline Ballroom – 11:55 p.m.
    *ShwiKus plays P-Funk (ShwizZ + FiKus = ShwiKus) @ Lucille’s at B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
    The Motet @ B.B. King’s – 11:59 p.m.

    Saturday, Jan. 2
    Pre-Phish:
    PhanArt Presents: Skyscraper is Grand @ Hotel Pennsylvania – 12-7 p.m.
    *New Mastersounds @ The Cutting Room – 4 p.m.
    Touchpants @ American Beauty NYC – 5 p.m.

    Post-Phish:
    *Ha Ha the Moose (Rob, Chuck and Jim from moe.) @ Irving Plaza – 10:30pm
    The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard – 10:30pm
    *Dopapod @ Grammercy Theatre – 11 p.m.
    Disco Biscuits @ PlayStation Theatre – 11 p.m.
    BIGYUKI @ Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 – 11 p.m.
    Subset @ Webster Hall – 11 p.m.
    *The James Brown Dance Party (Michael Ray, Natalie Cressman, Chris Bullock, Todd Stoops, Fred Thomas & Moussey Thompson, Adam Chase & Matthew Chase, Elise Testone) @ B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
    *ShwiKus plays The 80s @ Lucille’s at B.B. King’s – 11:55 p.m.
    *New Mastersounds @ The Cutting Room – midnight
    Walker Adams @ Rockwood Music Hall – midnight

    * billed as Phish after-party

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBT1UgsWm-M[/embedyt]

  • Best of NYS Music 2015: Staff Picks for New York State Festivals

    Nothing compares to experiencing live music. But when it comes to packing up and leaving the world behind to immerse in a weekend of musical debauchery with a community of like-minded souls, well, that’s the stuff that dreams are made of for music festival fans.

    From one-band to multi-artist events and crowd sizes from 2,000 to 50,000, New York State hosts a bevy of festivals annually in some of the most beautiful settings imaginable, and let’s face it, our state knows how to throw a proper fest, as it is ingrained in New York’s rich musical history having put on one of the biggest rock festivals of all time, Woodstock. Here we’ve rounded up our favorites from NYS Music 2015, so sit back, relax and relive some of the festival magic that happened throughout the Empire State this year, because we all know what it’s like to experience those post-fest blues.

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    Best Small Festival: Buffalove and Disc Jam

    The third installment of Buffalove Music Festival saw a venue change from Cole Farm, Panama, NY, to North Fork Music Park, Warsaw, NY, with the new location offering four stages, a private beach, disc golf and wooded-area camping, and a record attendance that doubled previous years. With an impressive lineup including Kung Fu, Pink Talking Fish, Funktional Flow, Particle, Formula 5, Mister F, Space Junk, Dopapod, Aqueous and Aquapod, the three-day June 2015 festival created to celebrate Western New York’s emerging music scene was one for the books, according to Jen Foster and Thomas Sgroi:

    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.”

    Another summer fest that saw a venue change was the fifth annual Disc Jam Music Festival, which moved from Massachusetts to New York State—and promoters recently announced that the event will return to Gardner’s Farm in Stephentown for its sixth year in June. Throughout four days of music, camping, disc golf and Flow Tribe, festivalgoers experienced live performances from more than 50 acts, including Lettuce, Electron, Dopapod, Aqueous, Brightside, Kung Fu, Consider the Source, Cabinet, Soule Monde, Roots of Creation, Formula 5, The Hornitz, Soul Rebel Project, Broccoli Samurai, Krewe de Groove and Relative Souls. According to Dave DeCrescente, the festival’s last day culminated with a “healthy dose of guest sit-ins” with jamband Twiddle, noting that:

    One of the highlights of the set was the massive guest sit in with DJ Honeycomb, James Woods, and Joe Davis from Formula 5, Scott Hannay of Mister F and Todd Stoops for the ultimate mega jam on “Apples.” The Disc Jam Flow Tribe was out in full force with fire spinners and hooping entertainers that were almost as mesmerizing as the music. The weekend ended just as it started, with mind blowing music and a close knit community who continue to make the Disc Jam Festival special. Tony Scavone and crew did a suburb job of organizing the 5th annual Disc Jam with a new location but still the same friendly, loving festival experience that keeps fans coming back each year.”

    Best Mid-Size Festival: Catskill Chill

    While Catskill Chill is speculated to make a move to Lake George in 2016, the festival’s last waltz at bucolic Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY, this September was a success, selling 5,000 tickets, according to Chill promoter Dave Marzollo. Headlined by moe. who kicked off their fall tour at the festival and including other bands like Lotus, Zappa Plays Zappa, Lettuce, Twiddle, Turkuaz, Dopakuaz plays Studio 54 and The Motet, the sixth annual installment of Catskill Chill featured on-site cabin rentals, daily yoga, live art, a farmer’s market, craft and food vendors, a communal bonfire nightly and an open mic. The three-day event was packed with guest sit-ins and collaborations like Dopapod and Turkuaz joining forces to play as Dopakuaz, which Chill organizer Josh Cohen noted is the type of community mindset that sets this festival apart from others its size or larger by creating an environment where rising bands can experiment and grow in a unique setting:

    Point is that when comparing us to larger festivals, we’re at this cool stage attendance-wise where in many band’s cases we have the best ‘music’ out there in our prime slots. I love tons of bands who’ve been around since the ’90s or earlier but there’s nothing like seeing musicians in their youthful stages, when creativity is just exploding and you can feel it dripping off the stage as opposed to later-in-their career bands who are playing mostly songs they first wrote and fell in love with decades earlier.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R6Uk03HW9k&feature=youtu.be

    Best Large Festival: Magnaball

    It’s no surprise that Magnaball takes the cake for this category. During late August more than 30,000 phans invaded Watkins Glen International race track for Phish Festival 10. And while the three-day event took place at the site of their 2011 Superball IX festival, this time around the setup featured many upgrades, including local and regional food vendors, the five-course restaurant Festival Ate, MagnaWater Program, speciality Phish-themed cocktails and coveted craft beer from Lawson’s Finest Liquids and Hill Farmstead. (And let’s not forget to mention the interactive Glurt Institute, Drive-In movie theater, JEMP Record Store and cornhole tournament.) The Vermont quartet majorly delivered throughout the weekend’s eight sets busting out rare tunes like “Mock Song” and jamming out typical breather ballads such as “Prince Caspian” to uncharted territory, but perhaps one of the highlights was the Saturday festival tradition of performing a late-night set, which according to Pete Mason raised expectations for future secret sets:

    Magnaball’s foray into the history of Phish’s special festival sets was the Drive-In Jam and it raised the bar while putting forth a performance on par with the ‘Storage Jam,’ if not exceeded this established upper echelon of improvisation. On a 183-foot movie screen, a wide array of visual treats combined with a progressively growing ambient jam that eclipsed the Lemonwheel by a longshot and morphed into a full on jam for 50 minutes. The Drive-In Set raised the bar for surprise performances and gave fans a treat after the music on the main stage ended an hour prior.”

  • Everyone Got Their Mag on At Magnolia Festival

    Stephen Foster wrote what became the Florida state song “Way Down upon de Swanee Ribber Far faw Away.” That is where Magnolia Festival lies and October 15-18 marked the 19th annual Magnolia Fest being held at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music park in Live Oak Florida. The park spans over hundreds of acres and has sustained a reputation for being one of the most gorgeous places in the south hidden right in the middle of the pan handle, between Tallahassee and Jacksonville. Every year thousands of music festival enthusiasts patiently wait the time to return to the Suwannee to “Get their Mag On,” and that is what many did.

    It truly was a surreal weekend of music and fun. One thing can absolutely be agreed on, the weather was perfect. There was always a cool breeze, fair amount of warmth from the sun hidden under all the beautiful Spanish Moss and absolutely no rain. The perfect atmosphere to set the stage for funky bass lines, smoking fiddle solos, and some of the most soulful singing ever heard.

    The Lee Boys kicked off the festival by setting the bar quite high! Between the powerful guitar solos to the thumping bass the boys played a set with such high energy no one could stand still. Their melodies soared up to the trees as they sang “Testify.” Band of Heathens not only boasted great harmony vocals but also featured two lead guitar players. It seemed after every song it was time for a different guitar.

    The Congress set the mood for a soulful night under oak trees. One of the highlights of the set was a tasteful rendition of the classic “People Get Ready” and just about everyone in the audience joined in the singing. The voices echoed against the trees and filled the amphitheater with beautiful voices. The Motet and their upbeat funky dance music made for the perfect late night dance party under the stars. This band really had the perfect amount of finesse and sass, each solo spontaneous and sensationally crafted.

    After The Motet it was time to head over to the Porch Stage, located near vendor row between the Amphitheater Stage and Meadow Stage. The crowds gathered close for the sweet mountain voices of Nikki Talley and Jason Sharp. The duo tour regularly but hail from the Asheville area and recently released Out from the Harbor and included many of the songs in their set that night. It is really wonderful to see two musicians compliment each other so well. Sharp’s smooth guitar solos create the ideal accompaniment to Talley’s full vocals. Talley puts down her guitar and picks up her claw-hammer banjo. She plays a rendition of the old time tune “Railroad Boy.” the song creating a pleasant tension in the audience as everyone lingers on the lyrics.

    Closing out the evening back on the Amphitheater Stage was Boston’s own Lake Street Dive. The band truly packed a punch into the evening with their powerhouse set. Lead singer Rachael Price has a voice with such fidelity. It is incredibly relaxed, soulful and you can hear the joy she lets out when she performs. She and bassist Bridgette Kearny compliment each other in a way that most musicians can only dream of. Towards the end of the set they played a fun version of Annie Lennox’s “Walking on Broken Glass,” resulting in a very well-deserved standing ovation.

    Friday was yet another beautiful day, and taking the Amphitheater Stage was Grits and Soul, a duo featuring Anna Kline on guitar and vocals and John Looney on mandolin and vocals. They are currently working on recording a new album to be released in 2016, and it will be fun and exciting to see the results. Later in the afternoon the Habanero Honeys took the stage inside the music hall. The band is typically comprised of Cathy Lee, Beth Judy, and Tom Nelly, and today welcomed Stef Lee, Jeff Sachs, and Bobby Burns from Sloppy Joe as well as Nikki Talley. The super group played a variety of original songs and Beth Judy also recited a couple of poems while being accompanied by Nelly and members of Sloppy Joe.

    The Meadow Stage was the place to be for driving bluegrass this afternoon. Del McCoury is without a doubt a bluegrass legend and his vocals are undeniable with one of the tightest bands in the bluegrass world alongside him. For the more progressive bluegrass fans, the “boys” as they are fondly referred to performed an amazing jam filled set back at the amphitheater following their meadow performance. Most bluegrass fans would agree that this band continues to uphold the traditions of bluegrass but at the same time release a new energy to their own brand of new grass.

    Finally, it was time to make the trek back to the Meadow Stage for the Grammy award winning husband and wife team, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, the heart of Tedeschi Trucks Band. Susan Tedeschi’s vocals are comparable to the blues legend Bonnie Raitt. To say that Trucks is a phenomenal guitarist would be a great understatement. After seeing Trucks as a member of The Allman Brothers Band, it is refreshing to see Trucks leading his own project and accelerating into musical success. Packing a loud punch, The Tedeschi Trucks Band is complete with a full horn section and back up singers.

    Closing out the evening was another set from the Motet. However when their set concluded the night was not over. One of the most unique things about Magnolia fest is that when the stages end for the evening the music does not stop. There are two campground stages on the festival map which welcome campers to come jam in their camps until the early morning hours. Slopryland hosted by the band Sloppyjoe from Wisconsin is famous for their Halloween decor. Upon approaching the campsite campers are dazzled by over a hundred illuminated Jack O’lanterns hanging from the trees. The Jack O’lanterns in the picking tent were vivid sculptures this year depicting a plethora of facial expressions, while the Bill Monroe shrine is also a favorite place for the pickers to congregate. Don’t be surprised to see many stage performers there swapping solos and sharing new original songs. Between Slopryland and The Bill Monroe Shrine, a great time is guaranteed. Each are different, but both are a picker’s paradise.

    Back from the Brink performed at noon on the Amphitheater Stage. The band features father and daughter Steve and Lyndsay Pruett, two musical virtuosos who bring it to every ensemble they perform in. The Pruett’s play with a sort of musical telepathy and it is apparent that their connection is the result of many years of practice, dedication, and mutual support. I spied a few teary eyes when the lead singer’s own daughter was guest featured and sang a lovely version of Brandi Carlile’s “The Eye.”

    Late in the afternoon it was time to go see Grammy award winning Steep Canyon Rangers, recently famed for having recorded and toured with Steve Martin, performed an exceptional set. Rapid fire fiddle and banjo solos arose throughout the set, while midway through the set, John Stickley and Jeff Austin were invited to sit in for the remainder of the set.  This made the perfect segue for Austin’s own set shortly after.

    One of the hidden gem’s of the festival was New Orleans own Grammy Award winning Rebirth Brass Band, started thirty two years ago and well known from HBO’s Treme.  They have been giving their true brass sound to the world all these years but never forgetting where they are from. The best part of their set is when they did a great rendition of “When the Saints go Marching Home” in honor of their beloved New Orleans Saints.

    At last it was time for the headlining Avett Brothers! It was especially exciting to see Tania Elizabeth of The Duhks tearing it up on her violin and harmony vocals. The Avett’s played hits such as “Murder in the City” and “The Prettiest Thing,”while the night concluded with the traditional Saturday night dance party with Magfest staple band “Donna The Buffalo.”

    Sunday’s at Magfest are always bitter sweet. Some of the best music is heard Sunday afternoon but even the greatest of things must come to an end. Keller Williams and Grateful Gospel brought an unforgettable show to the table. Featuring the soul singers from William’s ‘More than a Little’ touring band, the group played an extensive array of songs from The Grateful Dead in a gospel style. Melvin Seals of Jerry Garcia Band fame ripped on the Hammond B-3 and truly helped transform Grateful Dead classics into a rejoicing experience for all. The festival ended with another great set by Donna The Buffalo, which included many guests including the infamous Jim Lauderdale, who performed festival favorite “Except for That One Time” and kicked up the energy to a whole new level. That is what is means to ‘Get your Mag On’ as many veterans confidently say. Magfest is a Southern tradition rooted in music, community, and love. It is the venue for people from all walks of life to unite in one of the most beautiful places in the world, set up camp and celebrate music. It has been an exhilarating nineteen years and the festival family hopes for many more exciting Magnolia fests in years to come.  You do not have to wait for Magnolia Festival next year to appreciate this amazing park. Check out Musicliveshere.com for plenty of upcoming events.

  • The Catskill Chill 2015 Music Festival: A Farewell to Minglewood

    The sixth annual Catskill Chill Music Festival – A Farewell to Minglewood – is set to take place this weekend on Sept 18-20 with this year being the last time at Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY. The Chill gathers fans from all over the North East to the beautiful, secluded Catskills for a three-day camping summer music festival finale. The Chill has called Camp Minglewood home since the beginning and it’s sleep away camp setting of multiple concert halls, cabins full of friends and tents scattered over the hills, all within short walking distance made for the ideal festival grounds. The Catskill Chill motto holds true to “All Love, All the Time” as you can see and feel it all around you with nonstop smiles, hugs, high fives and the radiating positive vibes that keep Minglewood clean and fun.

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    This coming weekend will be a time of reflection of all the wonderful moments of Chills past. We’ve endured all types of weather: perfect sunny days, light rain, the Tornado of 2012 and those cold, cold, cold early fall nights of NY. The little to no cell phone reception is a painful delight as we are given a chance to truly enjoy all that the Chill has to offer with both hands and a focused mind. The Catskill Chill lines up talented regional and national musical acts of all genres that connects us to each other and the dance floor. The bands love the Chill as much as the fans do with major returning acts such as Lotus, Dopapod, Particle, Lettuce, The Motet and Kung Fu.

    One of the best features about The Chill is the abundance of guest sit ins and collaborations from over the years such as Shwizz and Fikus will join forces to become Shwikus, the late late night Sunday set of Dopadosio, Bobby Paltauf with The Meter Men, Todd Stoops with Twiddle plus so many more. The number of artists has dramatically increased over the years with a jam-packed schedule that doesn’t stop til you do. With more bands comes more stages and those cabin porches serve more than neighborly meetups, Solaris is no stranger to the late night porch shows. Acoustic Junction was a great addition to The Chill with memorable acts from The Brummy Brothers, Consider the Source and Primate Fiasco, guaranteed to rock your socks off electronically or acoustically.

    Be mindful to savor every beautiful minute of music and scenery because we’re so lucky to have them together. Don’t miss out on one hell of a going away party and buy tickets now (available here). NYSMusic is grateful to share the bittersweet goodbye of Camp Minglewood and looks forward to more memories of The Catskill Chill.

    Check out past NYSMusic Catskill Chill Reviews and Photo Galleries: 2012, 2013 2014

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

  • Catskill Chill Preview: One Last Dance at Minglewood

    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.

    Catskill ChillFittingly, 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.

  • The Motet Announces Fall Tour Dates and a Midwest Halloween Run

    With August just days away, touring bands are beginning to release their fall tour dates, including some exceptionally special Halloween shows. The Motet has done just that, letting fans know that this Halloween will be an ode to one of the funkiest decades in history. Designating it “Mixtape 1977,” the Colorado funk band is taking their annual Halloween tradition on the road with stops in Des Moines, IA, Minneapolis, MN, Milwaukee, WI and Chicago.

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    The Motet has kept with tradition in the past holding Halloween shows held in their home state. With a new twist on things, they are spreading the love this fall, giving fans in the Midwest an opportunity to get in on the experience. Colorado fans can look forward to a new tradition with The Motet’s “Hometown Hustle” at The Ogden Theatre on November 13 and 14. Friday’s show will feature Chicago electro-funk band The Main Squeeze. For Saturday, The Motet will be rolling out the “Spirit of ’77.” This will feature a special second set of music from their Halloween shows “Mixtape 1977.”

    In addition to the “Mixtape 1977” mini tour and “Hometown Hustle,” The Motet is hitting a number of festivals including Catskill Chill, Summer Meltdown, Phases of the Moon and Magnolia Festival.  With stops in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Arkansas, Arizona, Massachusetts and New York, The Motet will be covering a handful of states other than the above mentioned theme nights.

    Be sure to check their website and Facebook page for complete tour dates and information.

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