Tag: the waterhole

Best of NYS Music 2015: Staff Picks for Best Shows by Region

A lot of great shows and festivals took place around New York over the course of 2015, from big festivals to small club shows and everything in between. The team at NYS Music loves live music. You can always catch us out and about at live music happenings. Here are what we considered the best concerts of 2015, sorted by region of the state.

Best Show in Western New York: Aqueous Halloween
When Aqueous announced they were going to pay tribute to “Dark Side of Oz,” the legendary mashup of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and the cinematic classic The Wizard of Oz, their fans were pumped. However, this was a multi-night run, and it wouldn’t be fun without a theme for the first night. Back to the Future was chosen, and the band covered many of the hits off the soundtrack.

Best Show in Central New York: moe. at Saranac Brewery and K-Rockathon 20
Two anniversaries were celebrated in Central New York, and they brought the crowds and rave reviews. New York’s favorite jamband, moe., celebrated their 25 years in Utica at the FX Matt Brewery, home to Saranac beer. The multi-day celebration had a festival vibe with multiple bands performing each day. New York’s biggest rock radio station, K-Rock, celebrated their 20th annual K-Rockathon with headliners Breaking Benjamin and Shinedown.

Best Show in the Capital District: Dead & Company at Times Union Center
2015 was a big year for the music of the Grateful Dead. The much anticipated Fare Thee Well shows in Santa Clara, California and Chicago celebrated the 50th anniversary of the originators of the jam scene. Following the shows, billed as the last shows the remaining four members would play together, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann announced they would go on tour as Dead & Company with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. They kicked off their fall tour at Albany’s Times Union Center.

Best Show in the North Country: The Waterhole’s final show with EMEFE
The Waterhole, a mainstay in Saranac Lake, shut its doors after over 20 years of providing live music to the residents of the North Country. The venue will be missed by many. EMEFE played on the last night, dedicating the song “Good Future” to the Waterhole staff.

Best Show in the Mid-Hudson: Twiddle at the Rock n Roll Resort
The Rock n Roll Resort festival is always a favorite. It takes the best parts of a music festival and brings them to a chic resort hotel. Rising stars from Vermont, Twiddle, took the resort by storm with their headlining set.

Twiddle – Rock N Roll Resort

Best Show in the Finger Lakes: Phish’s Magnaball
A lot can be written about Phish’s 10th festival. A lot has already been written about it. Tens of thousands of Phish fans returned to Watkins Glen International, the fabled NASCAR track that was home to 1973’s Summer Jam. Not one fan that attended Magnaball had negative comments. That should say it all.

Best Show in the Southern Tier: Rob Zombie at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena
Rob Zombie brought in the Halloween season with his nightmarish heavy metal show. Fans arrived dressed in costume for the show that was opened by Zombie’s drummer, DJ Ginger Fish. Chris Besaw had the opportunity to sit down and speak with guitarist John 5 before the show about his inspiration and favorite horror films.

Best Show in New York City
It’s difficult to pick just one or two shows in a city that has several amazing shows on a nightly basis. Here are some of what we thought were the best shows in New York City in 2015.

Ghost at Terminal 5
L7 at The Warsaw
Faith No More at Webster Hall
Vulfpeck at Brooklyn Bowl
Soulive’s Bowlive VI (and more here and here and here and here and here)

Best Show on Long Island: Biohazard, Sworn Enemy and Zire’s War at Revolution Music Hall
In a night of hardcore music that rocked Revolution Music Hall, Biohazard and Sworn Enemy co-headlined what was practically a homecoming for them. Life of Agony’s guitarist Joey Zampella started a new band, Zire’s War, that kicked things off.

December 21, 2015
The Waterhole is Closed… For Now

Residents of the North Country are mourning the loss today of one of the most legendary concert venues around. The Waterhole closed last night after decades of serving up amazing music along with countless beers and strong cocktails.

Hope remains that the Saranac Lake watering hole will reopen soon under new ownership, but for now, the dim lights of the downstairs bar and the bright stage lights will be dark for the future.

For a venue of its size in such a small town — Saranac Lake has around 5,000 residents, and it’s a strong population center in the middle of the sparsely settled Adirondack Park — the Waterhole’s stage has been graced with some heavy hitters, as well as nurturing plenty of local talent.

In 2013, the venue held a two-month-long celebration to mark 20 years since owner Billy Allen converted the second level of the bar (which was open for more than 40 years) from apartments into the Upstairs Music Lounge. Since then, some significant bands have filled the two-level concert hall with music: moe., the Del McCoury Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Soulive, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Man Man, Gov’t Mule, Leftover Salmon, the Infamous Stringdusters, Max Creek, and Donna the Buffalo, among many others.

It’s also been a regular gathering place for locals and visitors during the village’s popular Winter Carnival, with music every night and often two acts a day, as well as its Party on the Patio series that meant a free show every Thursday night, usually from May through October.

On Friday night, EMEFE played the last show there for a while, and near the end of the show they dedicated the song “Good Future” to the Waterhole and the crew who have been running it.

Traveling bands have appreciated the Waterhole as a venue with character as well as an opportunity to build up their fan base in the Adirondacks, but few have appreciated it as much as the local bandswho got their start there. Lowell Wurster, percussionist for Lucid, posted kind words yesterday on Facebook:

“So tonight marks the end of a North Country legacy. The beloved Waterhole in Saranac Lake is closing its doors. It really makes me sad, but I understand the reasons. Lucid first played there about 10 years ago and to this day, its one of our favorite venues. Thank you Brenda and everyone who has worked there over the years.”

Eric Munley, mandolin player for the Blind Owl Band, also booked music there for the last handful of years.

“The Waterhole is temporarily closing its doors tonight, between change of ownership. While it is a sad day for the bar, town and Upstate music community, we all look to the future with hope that soon enough the doors will reopen and live music will again fill its walls. The Waterhole has always been a blessing. A true music venue with focus on nothing besides music. Every musician that has gotten to play there knows the love that exists with in its walls. We all want to thank Brenda and her crew for so many great years of music. I know I would not be where I am today if the Waterhole was not there to inspire my path.”

This drawing was seen on the chalkboard at the Waterhole the last few days it was open. Photo courtesy of Katrina Lauber. Drawing done by John?

Are you a musician or a music lover with fond Waterhole memories? Tell us about it in the comments!

September 1, 2015
The Blind Owl Band Returns to Tour in 2015

The Blind Owl Band is back from a six month break from touring, and they are back in full force. With a 2015 winter tour schedule that will cover NY, VT, NH and PA this February, the band is excited to be back.

The tour will kick off with their appearance at the 119th Winter Carnival in Saranac Lake at the Waterhole, on Feb. 14 with special guests, Swampcandy. Doors open at 9pm and the show begins at 10pm. Grab advanced tickets for $10.00, on sale now at the Waterhole.

Tour Schedule:
Feb 14 The Waterhole, Saranac Lake, NY
Feb 17 Tellus 360, Lancaster, PA
Feb 18 The Sportsmans Tavern, Buffalo, NY
Feb 19 Funk’n Waffles, Syracuse, NY
Feb 20 The Montage Music Hall, Rochester, NY
Feb 21 The Dutch Treat, Franconia, NH
Feb 22 The Pizza Stone, Chester, VT

Follow online – www.theblindowlband.com and Bandcamp

January 14, 2015