Portland born Folk artist, Todd Snider, brought his musically charged, humorous life stories to the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, on June 24, for his first show in central New York. Of what was supposed to be a duo with John Craigie, turned out to be a one-man show of Todd all by himself. News of why Mr. Craigie wasn’t playing or why he couldn’t make the show, was left unannounced but that didn’t stop the crowd from patiently waiting and thoroughly enjoying the only performance of the evening.
Todd’s artistry is not about the music, it’s about the story in whole. The lessons he learned from his travels, the wisdom he’s acquired from meeting strangers, past relationships and living on the road all have a say in how each show pans out. The diverse audience loves it though. From the moment Todd stepped on stage and waved his hat in the air to greet the crowd, everyone cheered in excitement to hear what he had to say. It was as if he had played in Syracuse many times before. For the following One-Hundred minutes, Todd played soft chords on his nylon-stringed acoustic guitar and told stories, which gave way to laughter, smiles and even some frowns.
Entertainment shows it’s face in many forms and Todd naturally entertained the crowd. He provided a unique and vulnerable show for everyone in attendance, aiming to show himself as an enthusiastic, opinionated, musical story teller of truth and tall tales. He accomplished just that and more as the audience was drawn into every detail that he presented about his time on this wonderful planet.
Every once in a while the music industry often has break out artists that stand out, as a little bit different and unique. At times these musicians begin a new musical culture. We saw that as Elvis introduced rock ‘n’ roll. The Beatles took the Ed Sullivan show by storm, Diana Ross & The Supremes lead the Motown revolution, KISS began a hair-band revolution. Tupac made his mark in hip hop/rap, and Kurt Cobain became legendary as part of the grunge phase. It’s been a while since this musical culture shifted.
As I cover shows across the state I see a trend occurring. I notice more so often than not, a great majority of musicians are returning to the basics. You know, a good song, a great voice, a clear instrument, and not so much lighting that they become a figment amongst smoke and mirrors. Yes, these are the bands and musicians that seem to be making their way today in the sea of musical opportunities.
Enter Jonathan Jackson +Enation. Most of the readers know Jackson as Avery on ABC’s hit television show, Nashville, where he plays a musician. On the show Avery’s character stands out as unique and special, and not fitting the form of the traditional country music we’ve grown accustomed to.
Joined in Enation is Jackson’s older brother, also an accomplished actor, Richard Lee Jackson, and Daniel Sweatt — who is one of the most talented musicians out there. Together these three blend together in a perfect mix that makes up one heck of a rock band. Yes I said a rock band.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater
When I first came across this band I was surprised to learn how long they’ve played together, and although I was late to the party, I was so happy to have gotten there. Touring currently with their fourth album, these three have been perfecting their craft. Striving to capture that energy from their live show. Radio Cinematic I believe has achieved just that. Having heard their album before their live performance I questioned and hoped whether their live show would live up to my expectations. Well it did just that, and then far exceeded those expectations.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater
Opening the evening was a local Pop/Rock/Alternative/Indie band from the Ithaca area called Maple Hill. These four young men were quite energetic. Not only did they prime the crowd for the main event, they were actually quite humorous and entertaining throughout their own set. Their new album, Headspace will be released June 19, 2015. Joel Beckwith (Bass), St. John Faulkner (Drums), Max Gaeta (Lead Guitar), and Kristian Wood-Gaiger (Vocals/Guitar) amped up the crowd with original music and remixed covers such as Drake’s, “We’re Going Home”.
They thoroughly surprised and delighted me with their style, sound, and high energy performance. I highly recommend if you are in the area of The Dock (415 Taughannock Blvd. Ithaca, NY 14850) June 18, you should stop by and join them to help celebrate their record release party from 7-10pm. All ages are welcome and the cover charge is only $5.
Maple Hill – Westcott Theater
Then came Jonathan, Richard, and Daniel who from the moment the spot light hit Jonathan at the piano and he began to sing, I was totally blown away. Opening with “Young World’s Riot,” Jonathan’s voice along with his piano permeated your soul.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater
As they moved into the rest of the set, Richard’s percussion laid down a constant rhythm while Daniel’s bass and resounding vocals added to Jonathan’s, and together they found a synchronicity that not only encapsulated the live sound they were striving to achieve on the album, but far exceeded my expectations. From the moment they began playing right up to the end, I was in a hypnotic trance. In addition to mesmerizing the entire audience, they took the time to recognize a special guest on her birthday and dedicated a song to the sweet young lady.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater
These kind young men were gracious, appreciative, and as famous as they all are in their own rights between television and movie stardom, you wouldn’t know it as their humility was refreshing. As they wrapped up the evening, Jonathan took to the piano once again to close out the show as he began, with Young World’s Riot, moving me almost to tears.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater
I highly recommend if they come anywhere within driving distance (or if you’re up for a road trip) to take in one of the shows on the second leg of the Radio Cinematic Tour this year. If you can’t catch them live this time around, by all means head straight to their website to purchase this album. You will be glad you did.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation – Westcott Theater
Setlist: Maple Hill
Never Enough (original)
Well, Well, Well, How the Turntables (original)
Argyle (original)
Hold on, We’re Going Home (Drake cover)
Space to Grow (original)
Stomping Ground (original)
Jack Blinked (original)
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Set List: Jonathan Jackson +Enation
Young World’s Riot
Ascending
Things You’ve Never Seen
Kicked In The Head
The One I Love
Everything Is Possible
All The Best
Let The Beauty Out
I See God In You
The Hands of Your Drug
Let Me Out
The Fly
The National Anthem
Corduroy
In My Tree
A Far Away Reality
Keep Asking Why
The Morning Of The Rain
Eyes of Grace (Birthday Dedication to Miss Lily)
Young World’s Riot
The best moments in life are often those that come with little planning – so when my buddy hit me up last Wednesday about making a last-minute trip to see ska/punk/funk legends Fishbone at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater – I said “Funk ya!” California’s Fishbone has been touring since 1979 and still features three original members – lead vocalist Angelo Moore, bassist John Norwood Fisher and “Dirty” Walter A Kibby II on trumpet. Add in Rocky George of Suicidal Tendencies fame on guitar, John Steward on drums, Jay Armant on trombone, and Paul Hampton on the keys and they become a force to be reckoned with. This is no watered down state fair nostalgia act, this is the real deal.
Street Rock Mafia – a rap/funk/rock group from Utica. The Mafia’s genre is well stated as their sound lay somewhere in between Limp Bizkit, Ludacris and Syracuse’s own Sophistafunk. With ample guitar to go with the eloquent hip hop and subtle funk undertones – this band should have no trouble finding a varied audience as they continue to grow.
Finally it was time to grab one of the Westcott’s micro brews and get a spot up front for Fishbone. The audience was a bit sparse considering the history of this band, but that took little from the experience. The band came out to play one of their most well-known tunes “Party at Ground Zero” and immediately set the dance floor on fire. Showing no signs of age – vocalist/multi instrumentalist Moore was bouncing around the stage like an eighteen year old – and the rest of the band followed suit. The set featured a mix of old and new material and a spot on cover of the Sublime classic “Date Rape.” The band even managed to give a shout out to guitarist George’s old band – Suicidal Tendencies – with an extended head bang worthy jam around the tune “Institutionalized”. I, of course, immediately asked the bartender for a Pepsi, but he wouldn’t give me one.
Fishbone is touring heavily this year and was just announced as a headliner for September’s Last Daze of Summer festival at Sterling Stage in Sterling, NY. Put this band on your bucket list and find a way to see them. The last-minute journey to funkytown was well worth the five hours of sleep and the groggy morning after. And I finally got my Pepsi.
Fishbone has been pioneering the music world since 1979 with their own brand of sound, mixing all genres including ska, funk, rock, blues, soul, and R&B. The group is an international act that tours across the world as much as they do in the the USA.
Currently, they are on a 20-date tour across this great nation with shows in NYC at the Rock & Roll Resort, two nights at the Brooklyn Bowl, and an evening at Nectars in Burlington, VT, before heading back to the west coast to finish off the tour. Show attendees can also be sure to hear a few songs from their latest EP titled, Intrinsically Intertwined, that was released last year.
Street Rock Mafia is local from Utica, NY and has recently released their first EP called Music is Life. With a full house at Gordon’s Tap Room (Utica) last saturday, S.R.M. threw one heck of a party to display their hard work, inviting guests artists such as Sam Kininger on Saxaphone and SAMMY award-winning Nineball, among other local bands. Music is Life is a five song EP packed with trembling rock riffs, funky grooves, and smooth flowing hip-hop lyrics.
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
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.
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.
Trucking across the country with their fourth studio album “Steady” on their shoulders, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will be dropping by the Westcott Theater on March 21, to resurrect a night of deluxe reggae spirit for Syracuse. Steady was released in september of 2014, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae chart, #1 on iTunes Reggae Chart, and is the Rochester, NY based quintets’ first collaboration with Easy Star Records.
The GPGDS, as many fans know them by, have been writing, recording, and performing music since 2001 while they were still in high school. The band played local and regional shows, while focusing on performing live for the next few years. In 2005, friends and fans began taping their live shows for fun and sharing their progress with the live music community, which quickly built up a national fan base accompanied by continuous touring schedules. Their hard work and success have nursed a rising career, which we are in store for this week and may even hear some new material from their upcoming album (due out in May), titled Bright Days! Bringing with them to celebrate, are an extraordinary crew of musicians, the High Hopes Band from Boston, MA and fellow Rochester, NY group Danielle Ponder and The Tomorrow People as special guests.
With their Spring Steady Tour under way since March 12, the 20 date tour includes major highlighted events such as the California Roots Festival and Arise Music Festival in Colorado. This run of shows will also bring the Upstate New York natives back home to Ithaca on April 9, Albany the following evening, and Buffalo on April 11. Saturday, March 21 the band will play the Westcott Theater in Syracuse with special guests Danielle Ponder & The Tomorrow People, High Hopes Band. Doors open at 7PM and the show starts at 8PM. This is an all ages show, tickets are $15 in advance and $18 day of the show.
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, 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
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
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.
