NYS Music 20​16

Author: Ben Boivin

  • THE PORTAL Opens at the Minetta Lane Theatre

    Off-Broadway “modern Shamanic journey,” THE PORTAL, opened this weekend to a spiritually minded audience at The Minetta Lane Theatre. Before stepping foot inside the half-filled preview, I was informed that this groundbreaking concept incorporated elements of a live concert, choreographed dance performance, and movie all in one. THE PORTAL soundtrack is now available and I feel that the show flows even better by pre-listening to the mythological themes presented in the lyrics and compositions by Tierro Lee and Luke Comer with Charles Newman and David Sisko.

    Frontman Billy Lewis Jr., most recently credited on Fox’s “Glee,” appears on stage and sonically narrates the dreamlike adventure of Dante, through inspirational and symbolic landscapes, Alex Grey-influenced imagery and psychedelic desserts that I assume were once visited by Jim Morrison.  The audience is introduced to the voyage with songs like “Eclipse” and “Greeting,” sung by Lewis as the film, starring Dante (Christopher Soren Kelly), is projected on the large screen behind him. The eclectic mix of tribal and electronic beats, modern dance music and monstrous rock riffs are brought to life by percussionist Gilly Gonzalez and guitarist Paul Casanova who also appear on and off stage from scene to scene.

    Dante’s inner-demons appear to be haunting him in the film as actors portraying the same characters can be found roaming the theatre floor to terrorize and intrigue the audience.Fans of electronic giants like EOTO, The Disco Biscuits, and Beats Antique will appreciate the deep and transformational grooves during songs like “Trance,” “Synth” and “Space Weaver” while Jessica Aronoff and Nicole Spencer interpretively dance their way on and off the stage in between songs and themes. While there is not much live acting of any kind, there is a ritualistic Burning Man-influenced dance routine in nearly every song bringing the art forms together in a very unique fashion.

    The only way to truly understand THE PORTAL is to expect the unexpected and dive right in. Creative Director, Luke Comer, has developed a new way to present a rock opera story off-Broadway. As an audience member, each person can relate to many of the human experiences presented on screen and on stage while still enjoying live music, dance and film. Tickets can be purchased for Wednesday-Friday performances at 8PM and for Saturday performances at 5PM and 9PM.

    https://soundcloud.com/theportalnyc

  • All You Really Need: DSO at the Palace Theatre

    On Saturday night at the Palace Theatre in Albany, Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) brought the good ol’ Grateful Dead back to life in a stellar fashion.  Excitement filled the room before the first note was played as word had spread that Jeff Chimenti would be on keys for the entire show as he did the night before in New Haven, CT.  Normally holding down the boards, Rob Barraco replaced Skip Vangelas on bass creating a music chairs scenario that we were all ready to embrace.  

    DSO Palace TheatreOpening the set with a heartfelt “Sugaree,” the Capital Region crowd began to “shake it” on low gear while blissfully enjoying Jeff Mattson’s passionate vocals.  After the silky first set introduction, rhythm guitarist Rob Eaton wasted no time channeling the cowboy in Bob Weir with a wild west “Me and My Uncle> Big River” one-two punch.  While “Me and My Uncle” is by far the most played song in the Dead’s expansive repertoire, I never get tired of the rockabilly energy release after a soul searching Jerry Garcia tune.  Chimenti gave the fans a symbolic “YEEHAW” on the keys during “Big River” and reminded the room why he was invited by the remaining Dead members to join them on the “Fare Thee Well” run.  

    Slowing things down with an exceptional threesome of “Peggy-O,” “Cassidy” and “Friend of the Devil,” this show was starting to feel like a classic late-70’s gathering.  Barraco displayed his nasty bass playing abilities during “Peggy-O” before Lisa Mackey floated her way on stage during “Cassidy,” playing the role of Donna Godchaux. She would return two songs later for “From the Heart of Me” which would turn out to be one of the last times this tune was ever played on stage.  It was after “Ramble On Rose” that a wide-eyed seasoned tour-veteran giddily informed me of the Grateful Dead show the Orchestra was recreating:  January 11th, 1979 from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY.  

    My original hunch of a late-70’s show turned out to be true, but I did not realize the importance of the date until hearing the tear-the-roof-off “Jack Straw.”  Cowboy Bob was back for this desperado masterpiece as Mattson threw in some rawer than usual jamming.  Deadheads young and old call this one of the best versions of all time for the blistering Jerry solo and, nearly 38 years later, DSO honored their heroes to the fullest extent.  Also noteworthy in the original performance was Bobby’s comical word-swap as he sang, “We used to play for acid, now we play for Clive.” But from what I heard on Saturday, Eaton left those lyrics in 1979.  Out of all the stand-out moments of the first set, the vocal belting of “Jack Straw from Wichita” hit the crowd with a sonic uppercut that we didn’t recover from until after set break.  The always rockin’ “Deal” closed out a set filled with Jerry’s greatest hits and some colossal Bobby moments in between.  

    Picking up right where the first set left off, “I Need a Miracle” carried the tidal wave of momentum that was felt over the intermission.  “Ship of Fools” calmly sailed into the number two slot of the second set before kicking off another Weir-inspired highlight in “Estimated Prophet.”  Chimenti, Barraco and Mattson provided the foundation for the psychedelic reggae and while we were in Upstate NY, the California lyrics were shown a lot of love.  “My time’s comin’ any day” eerily stood out to me as the original 1979 show would be Keith Godchaux‘ last appearance at the famed Grateful Dead stomping grounds of the Nassau Coliseum.  An even more fitting tune for the final night of Keith in Long Island, “He’s Gone” allowed my over-thinking self to read even further into the lyrics, symbolism and song placement of my favorite band.  Fortunately, we were given a temporary vocal time-out and the spinners in the audience were treated to a short and sweet “Drums” by Dino English and Rob Koritz on kits and percussion.  

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    New Yorkers from Long Island to Albany were able to enjoy the home state lyrics delivered in the straightforward version of “Truckin’” before the second major highlight of the set, “Stella Blue.”  Mattson made his guitar strings shine one more time during this bluesy crowd pleaser.  “Stella” may have a somber tone, but Jerry’s fiery guitar solo always brings the boil to high during this signature ballad and the Orchestra perfected the nucleus of the original.  Closing the second set with a reminder of all we really need, “Good Lovin’” pleasantly drifted off into DSO show history.  

    The boys encored with “Casey Jones,” which serves as a rarity in late-70’s era.  The “upper” drug reference in one of the band’s most radio-played tunes gave the crowd the extra pep in their step before pouring out into the street of Albany for a night cap.  Similar to the good ol’ Grateful Dead, Dark Star Orchestra seems to have a particular affinity for the Empire State.  While I have not done the research, I would suggest that New York may have more Deadheads per capita than any other state from sea to shining sea.  Saturday night’s recreation of a legendary 1979 Nassau show performed in front of an Albany crowd furthered my love for New York State, the Grateful Dead and the incredibly talented Orchestra that pays tribute to them tour after tour.   DSO returns to the state with “the ways and means” for two shows on November 25th and 26th at The Paramount in Huntington.  

    01/11/79
    Nassau Coliseum – Uniondale, NY

    Set 1: Sugaree, Me And My Uncle, Big River, Peggy-O, Cassidy, Friend Of The Devil, New Minglewood Blues, From The Heart Of Me, Ramble On Rose, Jack Straw, Deal

    Set 2: I Need A Miracle, Ship Of Fools, Estimated Prophet, He’s Gone, Drums, Truckin’, The Other One, Stella Blue, Good Lovin’

    Encore: Casey Jones

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  • Another Spectacular lespectacle @ The Paper Box

    On Saturday night at The Paper Box in Brooklyn, lespecial held their annual mini-festival to the delight of hundreds of lucky fans in attendance.  After meeting dozens of friendly freaks in the crowd, I regretfully realized that I was one of the rare guests taking part in my first lespectacle.  While I was unable to locate a coat check in the eerily, yet vibrantly decorated venue, it was clear from the very beginning that I would need to check my concept of reality at the door.

    Starting around 9pm, Connecticut based producer, Tsimba was spinning his intricate form of otherworldly music to a prematurely spun-out crowd.  During this opening act, it was clear that the energy of the room was already sky high and not coming down anytime soon.  Tsimba’s bio describes his music as “sounds that could manifest anywhere in the universe” and while no one on the floor appeared to be a qualified astronaut, the dance moves suggested some spacey exploration.  

    After the short and sweet DJ set, Gene Shinozaki of The Beatbox House popped out of the crowd to show off his amazing talent.  I have heard many variations of beatboxing in my life ranging from legends like Doug E. Fresh and Biz Markie to my drunk white friend at a frat party in college, but Shinozaki introduced me to sounds that I did not know were possible to create with one human mouth.  His ability to tackle genres like dubstep while looping underground hip-hop beats was fantastic.  

    Other members of The Beatbox House joined Shinozaki along while the oddly-dressed crowd of music lovers circled around them.  Light on the treble, the group segued into their abbreviated version of Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” before dropping into something that sounded like Plinko chips on The Price Is Right.  The House’s first performance of the night came to an end, but they were set to appear several more times before the end of the event.

    lespecial bassist, Luke Bemand, filled in as the MC of the night and introduced the next group, Ross Jenssen, as one of his favorite bands in the world.  The “Ross” part of the Connecticut trios name is Brian Ross on bass.  The “Jenssen” half is Jules Jenssen on drums and the “just right” third bear in between the two of them is Sam McGarrity on guitar.  Their mostly instrumental set had the occasional spoken word sample thrown in for good measure, but the crowd will be talking about this performance until next year’s lespectacle.  Ross Jenssen opened up with the introduction to “Perspiration” off their debut album, Phrases.  

    Interstellar travel seemed to be the theme of the night as the first few songs reminded me of a spaceship about to blast off into outer space.  Songs like “Curmudgeon” and “Hell or High Water” begin with a haunting yet tranquil groove before launching into heavy, raw and unfiltered rock and roll.  It is a sonic wonder how the same band weaves an original like “Illumination” into a set filled with head banging madness as this tune may be appropriate for deep meditation at a yoga studio.  

    Ross Jenssen’s chameleon-like ability to adapt to different genres makes them a hard act to compare or even describe for that matter, which is why they had the crowd in the palm of their hands all night. “Rabble Rouser” creates an electronic sludge that leads to a danceable darkness toward the middle of the jam, yet prior to entering this disco-dungeon, the trio covered “Ten Tonne Skeleton” by Royal Blood to the delight of a music-loving room.  After closing with the topically appropriate “Afraid of Americans,” I searched the room for the insane guitar-shredding McGarrity to learn more about the mad scientist’s lab where he got his hands installed.  

    An incredibly humble musician in a world full of Trumps, I found Sam backstage crushing a slice of pizza before taking five minutes to speak with me.  He gives all the credit to founding members Ross and Jenssen for allowing him to jam with them back in 2013 and then join them on their album “Phrases.”  After he became “somewhat of a permanent member” he describes his musical influences and the strong connection that members of lespecial and Ross Jenssen have shared since playing together and going to shows in high school.  I mentioned how some of their sound reminded me of a darker version of a prog-rock jamband and one example that came to mind was Umphrey’s Mcgee.  Much like Jake Cinninger of the Chicago-based jam monster, Sam explained how from an early age he “loved to shred.”  “I’m gonna do that, that sounds cool, I want to do that,” he wildly proclaimed before mentioning how much stronger of a player he has become since joining Ross Jenssen and practicing daily.  

    After the The Beatbox House finished improvising with “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd, it was finally time for the main event, lespecial.  Guitarist Jonathan Grusauskas held down a powerful solo during one of the band’s most popular songs “Fruit Dance Wolf.”  I would have felt completely satisfied with their set had they just played that song, but there was still two full and fiery sets to go when they brought out their first guest, Jesse Stocker on flute for “Skull Kid.”  

    The appropriate set placement of this tune worked well with the central decor of the night as skulls, antlers, and post-Halloween props were set up throughout the stage and venue by designer The Reliquarium.  Speaking of antlers, “Third Antler> 4th Antler Improv” found their way into this first set madness after the trio covered Nine Inch Nails’ “Piggy.”  Prior to the event, I predicted some band collaborations due to the overwhelming talent on the bill and lespecial did not disappoint when calling upon Gene Shinozaki for some improvisational beatboxing assistance on stage before “Pressed for Time” closed out this jaw dropping first set. 

    In order to stimulate some other senses before during and after lespecial, Vin Pugliese was put in charge of the intense lighting and visuals to make everything look and feel as good as it sounded.  Set two was off to a thunderous and spooky start as the boys took a stab at their Fela Kuti arrangement of “Harambe Zombie” to honor a fallen hero.  While there were no dicks out during their rendition of the afro-beat classic, there was black magic in the air as the band and the zombies in the crowd became one.  

    The tribal beat presented one of the highlights of the entire night for me until just two songs later lespecial annihilated a cover of “Frizzle Fry” from the iconic Primus album.  Bemand proved to the crowd that his chops were among the best in the business as he channeled Les Claypool in this creatively mind-blowing anthem.  The band kept an eclectic mix of covers coming with Skrillex’s “With Your Friends” and “Fade” by Kanye West.  The first set began with a track off their newest album, Omnisquid and in a similar fashion, “Squid Rising” ended the show.

    While lespecial was technically finished performing for the night, the now masked trio reemerged as Robert Jacob Max’s Supersillyus Lifeband took the stage.  The shadowy and mystical super-group has been an ever-changing phenomenon since its early conception years ago.  The Lifeband was heavy on the jam and risk-taking improvisation while still keeping the crowd moving as we gained an hour thanks to an end of Daylight Savings in the outside world.  A psychedelic journey through extraterrestrial soundscapes took the Paper Box for one last ride before sending us back into reality in the streets of Brooklyn.

    After my first lespectacle, I discovered a kaleidoscope of all things that are right with Brooklyn.  A melting pot of different subcultures coming together to create something new during a time when almost everything seems to be remade.  The musicians, the visuals, the art and the audience all worked together to create something great instead of trying to make it “great again” which will lead to even stronger and thought-provoking lespectacles in the future!  I will see you there.  

  • Hearing Aide: Shovels and Rope “Little Seeds”

    Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, better known as Shovels and Rope, pour their hearts out in the newest release, Little Seeds. What I found so fascinating about the album was the fact that they were able to touch upon so many different types of folk and Americana music, but still manage to paint a light coat of something distinctly them. While the songs may sound incredibly different from beginning to end, the duo’s gently massaged track selection presents an incredibly supple flow that highlights their talent and eclectic taste.

    The first and second tracks introduce a band that is confident, gritty and loud! While some of the later songs may be appropriate for a quiet evening of snuggling up with your honey, “I Know” and “Botched Execution” would be more suitable for a late night party with some of your closest friends. It isn’t until the third track, “St. Anne’s Parade,” where we step into the chill zone with the soothing vocal harmonies and soft, simple acoustics that frequently drift into Little Seeds. I would consider this “soulful Americana” as Hearst and Trent passionately belt out the well-written lyrics.

    “The Last Hawk” picks the tempo up in the most pleasant way and reassures the listener that this album is going to stylistically take us for a ride. As much as this studio project was about their personal experiences, many Upstate New Yorkers will connect with the references to Woodstock and Saugerties in this particular story. “Mourning Song” has a lyrical structure similar to that of a traditional Irish folk tune and tells the tale of a grieving wife’s connection with her deceased lover through music. The theme of birth and death and all that we feel in between is presented throughout Little Seeds, but the duo’s songwriting ability is so hardy that the same concepts are presented in such unique and different ways.

    “Johnny Come Outside” is another one of the calmer, thought provoking numbers which has a hook resembling Bob Dylan’s widely covered “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere.” Where Dylan has had an influence on generations of folk, blues and Americana artists, Shovels & Rope are planting the seeds that will grow into the next garden of fresh young sonic storytellers. “San Andreas Fault Line Blues” introduces us to yet another taste of bluesy gospel music, but this time one can hear Johnny Cash casting his light on the duo’s lyrical approach. “BWYR” is a haunting and topical song that profoundly delivers the ugly messages of racial injustices in a world where all we need is some peace. The faint sounds of police sirens whisper in the background of this enlightening and important piece of poetry. “Eric’s Birthday” seamlessly fades into the last track, “This Ride,” and delivers the euphoric reminder of life and love before sending us all on our way.

    Whether you have just given birth to a new child or have recently lost someone, Little Seeds will help you reflect. Ever experience loneliness, bliss, heartache or confusion? Listen to this album. If you enjoy gathering around the campfire with family and friends or spending the day alone in a busy city, this release is for you. Filled with powerful messages, spiritual symbolism, and deeply expressed life lessons, Shovels & Rope have created a robust collection of songs that you can play in front of your grandparents, your grandchildren and everyone that you meet along the way.

    Key Tracks: St. Anne’s Parade, The Last Hawk, Johnny Come Outside

  • Set Up Like a Bowling Pin: JRAD Knocks Down the Brooklyn Bowl Run

    If the Brooklyn Bowl ever decides to create a Hall of Fame, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) can be sure to add “Fall Ball 2” to their list of accomplishments. As Saturday night wrapped up the sold out three-show run for this incredible quintet, I will non-apologetically say that they are the most important “cover band” in the world and are potentially better than anything Grateful Dead related today. The Bowl was where they capitalized on their first run as a newly developed powerhouse and years later, this all-star side project has become nationally recognized and a force to be reckoned with.

    “Blues for Allah” welcomed the crowd to the show. The Dead rarely performed the spacey and complex composition live, which JRAD seems to greet as a challenge and ambitiously took the “Blues” to another level before stepping into a starry “Eyes of the World.”   A delicate transition into “Minglewood Blues” was highlighted by Scott Metzger’s fiery guitar solo turning into the first fist-pumping barn-burner of the night. The band slowly eased into “The Wheel” with an extended jam taken over by Tom Hamilton in between the first and second verses. I couldn’t help getting chills as the five pieces screamed out the lyrics “bound to cover just a little more ground.” Observing the usual peaks and valleys of “The Wheel” from a viewpoint that only JRAD could capture was truly a magical experience and one of the highlights of the first set.  The breathtaking transition into “Ramble On Rose” got the predictable crowd explosion as “just like New York City” was sung to their hometown audience. There was a Tom Hamilton lyrical mishap but with the room in a trance, nobody seemed to give a flying flub.

    Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” was technically the night’s first cover that this cover band covered (make sense?). The cowboy song gave the thirsty crowd a few short minutes to grab a beer before returning for the otherworldly “Morning Dew.” The unusually energetic intro to the tune made some Heads scratch their beards but the euphoric meltdown in the middle orchestrated by Joe Russo’s team-captain drumming leadership was as mellow as it gets on a Saturday night. The always-powerful refrain was given some extra juice by Dave Dreiwitz’s bass bombs shaking the rafters as the first set came to an impressive close.

    The second set got asses shaking right off the bat with “Crazy Fingers” and I am pretty sure you could actually smell the reggae influenced magic in the air. Another incredibly silky transition led to the monster “Truckin’” and once again the crowd showed some extra excitement in the lyrical reference to New York. The band also got a kick out the lyrics “set up like a bowling pin” which was evident by their ear-to-ear smiles as they exchanged glances. Joe Russo instigated a quick “The Other One” tease to keep the set list note takers on their feet, but the scribes weren’t disappointed with the next rarity, Donny Hathaway’s “Magnificent Sanctuary Band” popularly performed by the Jerry Garcia Band.

    “Help On The Way> Slipknot” was the jazzy cherry on top of the second set sundae and gave Marco Benevento a chance to have his wings spread bright on the organ. Where Hamilton vocally shined during the first section, Benevento added a haunting solo during the thick of the jam. While many came to expect a glowing and upbeat “Franklin’s Tower” to be the other piece of bread to this incomplete sandwich, Benevento and Russo teamed up to create an eerie transition into “Estimated Prophet” which was reminiscent of an early Pink Floyd sample. Benevento used an effect that sounded like a spaceship in Atari’s Galaga being abducted by a larger spacecraft and the retro noise was very suitable at this point in the night. The first guest appearance came during the set closer as Chris Harford (Band of Changes) joined the boys for Neil Young’s “Hippie Dream” off the 1986 album, Landing on Water.  The gritty and bluesy piece gave each member the instrumental spotlight for a moment before they stepped off stage.

    The encore was an unannounced nod to a long time friend and JRAD enthusiast that recently passed away. “He Was a Friend Of Mine”, a traditional folk song popularized by Bob Dylan was performed acoustically as the members displayed their first sorrowful tone on stage since “Morning Dew.” This version is not to be confused with the “He Was a Friend of Mine” cited in Grateful Dead set lists throughout the mid to late 1960’s and felt more like something you may hear off a Garcia/ Grisman compilation. While the somber acoustic tune mourned the loss of a loved one, “Not Fade Away” celebrated their friend’s life and memory. The boys were back on their electric instruments as half the crowd “air keyed” along with Marco. Seasoned Deadheads began the “Not Fade Away” ending clap-chant combo along with the band, which echoed for a solid five minutes even after they left the stage. Security opened the exits encouraging fans to leave, but the community energy was keeping everyone warm inside and sure enough, the group came back for a surprise second encore, “Bertha” to cap off an incredible evening.

    As the house music played and the audience finally began to exit the venue, I couldn’t help but stare at the vintage poster that has hung above the side doors since the early days of the Brooklyn Bowl. While the band’s title bares the description “Almost Dead” the words next to this mystical werewolf poster read “Real, Alive” and after a throw down like Saturday night, I think we can all side with the wolf.

    Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is covering a little more ground at the Brooklyn Bowl on December 29th before taking a short trip north for their two night New Year’s run at the Capitol Theatre on December 30th and 31st. Tickets are going fast and after this past weekend they are sure to sell out soon!

  • Hearing Aide: Dave Keller “Right Back Atcha”

    Northeastern blues can be heard echoing from the mountains of Vermont in Dave Keller’s new album Right Back Atcha. The September 23 release date came just a day after the start of fall and his lyrics are symbolically vibrant with a colorful spirit and a life-changing attitude.

    dave kellerRecorded in the Green Mountain State, Keller recruited a 3-piece horn section, two backup vocalists and a small string ensemble to collaborate with his usual members of The Dave Keller Band. The diverse talent was used right off the bat in “It’s Time You Made Up Your Mind,” which serves as the opening track and the lone cover on the album. Willie Clayton originally brought the song to the studio during the peak of his funk-soul era in 1974 and much like Keller, Clayton didn’t see much in the way of commercial success or critic recognition until he was ripe into his 40s. Keller tips his hat to the roots he knows best while adding his own modern blues sound to this underplayed gem.

    Title track, “Right Back Atcha” has a very seductive brass and bass combination highlighted by Jessica Friedman’s baritone sax. Although the lyrical structure is very inventive, I found the song somewhat off putting, as I know that Keller is around the same age as my father and singing about his sexy time with a woman.   The album artwork on the back of his LP lets us know Keller is still getting freaky and his not-so-subtle innuendos complete the picture. Putting my personal issues with the song’s story behind, Keller nails his silky guitar solo and gets some help from the backup vocalists to bring this sonic, sweaty bang to a finish.

    After the most provocative track on the album, Keller hits us with his first love ballad entitled, “Deeper Than The Eye Can See.” Original band member, Ira Friedman, warms the tune up with a soft piano introduction before Keller gently harmonizes with the female backup singers. This lyrically and vocally soulful composition is reminiscent of Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey” and will leave you feeling all the feels the same way Van the Man does.

    “Circles” clocks in as the longest track of Right Back Atcha, which allows time for the Hammond B3 organ to really drive home the profound message. If “Deeper Than The Eye Can See” is Keller’s way of expressing the beauty of being in love, “Circles” tells the tale of how shitty life can be during the confusing parts. He lets his guitar solo do the crying as Friendman’s B3 steals the show during this deep-rooted blues piece.

    Vermont may one of the least populated states in the country, but that doesn’t prohibit their bands from getting funky. While Keller’s subject matter may be geared towards an older crowd in terms of the over-the-hump, post mid-life crisis topics presented in the lyrics, I can still get down with the eclectic musical arrangements he brought to the studio. This isn’t the type of album that someone in their twenties would throw on during a party, but give me twenty more years of experience and Right Back Atcha may be found on my iPhone 17 shuffle.

    Key Tracks: Right Back Atcha, Circles, You Make It Easy

  • Just Say YES: Everyone Orchestra Gathers in Syracuse

    On Thursday night at the Westcott Theater, Matt Butler and Everyone Orchestra concocted a musical potion that had us all under a spell.   Butler played the role of lead hypnotist as he memorized not only the crowd, but also the band that he so craftily pulled together for this outstanding evening of sonic surprises.

    Binghamton-based three-piece, Several Sons, opened the blissful trifecta of acts with their mellow harmonies and soulful unplugged sound. Their performance featured Bradford Allen on cajón drum for the entirety of the performance, which created a backyard fire-pit vibe. Kevin Ludwig took over the lead vocals and rhythm guitar, paving the way for Jack Bucher to display his bluesy chops on lead guitar. The mostly instrumental set list was capped off by a folk rock original, “Moonshine,” paying tribute to the act of getting drunk with friends. What a way to send us off into a set break.

    Located just a couple of cities to the left of Syracuse is the blue-collar, “Bills Mafia” community of Buffalo, NY. Football probably holds the title for most discussed topic of conversation on a Saturday night, but I can guarantee that the local groove-rock quartet, Aqueous, is definitely on the minds of many Western New Yorkers. Their appropriately named, “2016 Random Company Tour,” fits the bill perfectly as the entire room anxiously awaits their arrival to the stage.    As they entered to DMX’s “Party Up (Up In Here)” blaring on the speakers, we hoped they were about to make us lose our minds (sorry, I went there) and lose our minds we did.

    “Strange Times” was first up and allowed Mike Gantzer and Dave Loss to share the spotlight on vocals and guitar solos. The two methodically went line-for-line on this lyrically appealing tune before dropping into a sludgy, greasy transition.  Evan McPhaden pounded away on bass to symbolically clean up the jam goo.   Solid improvising segued into “The Median” off the 2014 album, Cycles. Rob Houk’s drumming showcased their genre blending skills by combining elements of progressive rock and reggae with a hint of electronica. There was one point towards the end of “Median” where it almost sounded like a completely different piece, but long time fan, Mitch (the guy on the rail whose head seemed to explode note to note), explained that this phenomenon is common during one of their juiciest originals.   Loss then seamlessly goes back and forth from guitar to keys while Gatzner pans for gold on lead guitar during the third and final song of the set, “Don’t Do It.” The crowd was definitely thirsty for more after the brief second act, but with Everyone Orchestra being served as an entrée, just about the entire room decided to take a break outside to work up an even stronger appetite.

    Butler appeared on stage with his 7-piece mixture of talent to specify the guidelines of the show. He would be writing notes to the band and the crowd on his simple yet effective white board while signaling to all of us via hand gestures, screams resembling words and Hulk Hogan-like crowd controls. Realistically, Butler runs the show like a drag race in the movie Grease, “Rules are, there ain’t no rules.” The ceremony began with Butler warming up the fingers of the esteemed group of musicians as they delivered a tight and funky beat that got the room dancing immediately. Eric Yates deserves the first MVP award of the night due to his funky banjo plucking while Ryan Montbleau deserves a shout out for creating the lyrics, “What do I see in my sight? Westcott Theater on a Thursday night.” Rob Derhak’s bass was bumping along with Emanuel Washington’s drumbeat when Butler asked the crowd to throw an idea at Montbleau for additional lyrics. The best we could up with was “sexy night” which morphed into an entire band-crowd, call-response of “Ugly, sexy night, yeah!”

    After a brief stretch of weirdness, the conductor brought us all back down to planet Earth and asked Yates to pick away on the banjo during a fast-paced, unusual and unplanned cover of Bob Dylan’s “Buckets of Rain.” The Westcott was transformed into an old-timey honky-tonk as the band turned the Dylan cover into something reminiscent of Johnny Cash in his prime. Montbleau and Yates had a dueling guitar-banjo section before turning the spotlight to moe.’s Al Schnier for a signature guitar solo. Syracuse’s own Adam Gold from Sophistafunk kicked off the next piece with a heavy yet buttery organ solo. Butler did an amazing job of hazing the Everyone Orchestra freshmen as each member of Sophistafunk joined the group for the first time on Thursday. The conductor wrote, “This is Part A” on the iPad while scribbling up directions on his whiteboard for only the band’s eyes to see. Tommy Weeks took over to deliver a spectacular sax solo before returning to Gold for a spacey synth solo. The baton was passed back to Montbleau for an Everyone Orchestra modification of his original “Dead Set” which features the lyrics “Observe your mind, and stop your thinking” which is good advice for a band expected to go with their gut on these improvised reconstructions.

    Aqueous guitarist Mike Gantzer returned to the stage and the applause grew when Butler informed us that it was his birthday. “Soft” was written on the whiteboard as Gantzer took over with a silky guitar riff. The crowd participation was at an all time high as we yelled “Birthday” to celebrate the joyous occasion. The band was fully in sync at this point in the performance and it was evident through the design of a new smash hit “Hotel Party” which Montbleau creatively developed before our eyes.   “There’s ice in the bathtub” and “Everyone’s invited” were only some of the outstanding sporadic lyrics sung by Montbleau which brought a collective smile to the room. Gantzer channeled the energy of Jerry Garcia, with a liquid fuzz distortion on his incredible solo before Gold killed the keys on Butler’s command. After the Holiday Inn jungle boogie, the show wrapped up in an epic formation of nine band members with the addition of David Loss from Aqueous and the return of Eric Yates on banjo. The conductor looked more like a mad scientist as he circled the stage giving each and every member one last time to shine. The evening was capped off with birthday boy Gantzer’s in-your-face knockout solo.

    Butler thanked the crowd and noted that after 15 years of asking members of different bands to come together so that he can live his dream, they keep showing up and they keep showing up! There is no question that this traveling circus of insane talent brought the goods to Syracuse on Thursday. Some bands spend years touring and writing music together to find out what it is that makes them unique. Matt Butler pulls the rabbit out of his hat night after night by creating the magic rather than searching for it. He is a composer, a communicator, and a connector all in one while leaving his mark on music through his whiteboard, iPad and multitude of invisible air instruments.   When asked to join the Everyone Orchestra in the future, just say, “Yes” and strap in for a truly special ride.

    Aqueous Setlist: Strange Times> The Median, Don’t Do It

    Everyone Orchestra Setlist (To the best of my ability):  Funky Intro, Jam (Ugly Sexy Night), Buckets of Rain*, Part A Jam> Dead Set**, Gatzner’s Birthday Jam, Hotel Party Jam, Set Closing Jam

    *Bob Dylan Cover (Blood on the Tracks)

    ** Ryan Montbleau Cover (For Higher)

  • Vulfpeck and Friends Celebrate a Funky Friday at Brooklyn Bowl

    Vulfpeck returned to the Brooklyn Bowl for a Friday night funk fest, which showcased their incredible talent while welcoming numerous special guests. The sold-out room was greeted with a mellow, opening performance by Joey Dosik. Dosik performed the first Beatles cover of the night, “Don’t Let Me Down,” before giving us a taste of some of his originals off of the Game Winner EP.

    vulfpeck brooklyn bowlAs the members of Vulfpeck appeared on the Brooklyn Bowl stage, fans new and old dropped everything they were doing to rush as close to the front as possible. One thing that this foursome is well known for is heavy crowd interaction. The closer you are to the stage, the more involved you will be at these shows. Right off the bat, asses were shaking and high fives were being exchanged as the band treated us to “Outro” from their 2012 release, Vollmilch, with help from their friend Eddie Barbash on sax. The Vollmilch album was highlighted two more times in the beginning of the show with the danceable “Barbara” and “Mean Girls” before welcoming groove drummer, Bernard Purdie to the stage for “It Gets Funkier.”

    vulfpeck brooklyn bowlAlmost half way through their relatively short set, the guests continued to pour on stage as Dosik joined Vulpeck for “Game Winner” and the second Beatles cover of the night “Something.” The floor of the venue was certainly packed with groove enthusiasts, but at this point there wasn’t much space on stage either. As if having the funk innovator, Bernard Purdie, wasn’t enough of a treat for these guys, they enlisted help from Melissa Gardiner and Rachel Price (Lake Street Dive) to tackle Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady.” Joe Dart’s bass playing was a key feature in this solid cover as the tasty brass sounds echoed down the bowling lanes.

    vulfpeck brooklyn bowlThe crowd was fully locked in and feeling the horn section when the Vulf brought well known, Antwaun Stanley up to sing the extremely soulful, “1612.” Stanley’s vocal ability and stage swagger add the one-two punch these suburban boys from next store need to construct a more powerful song. During “1612”, New York, NY wanted to be a part of it, as the audience became one with the Vulf. Lyrically, these guys tip their hats to one of this city’s most iconic figures “Frank Sinatra” and with the crowd belting out the tune with Stanley, it was clear that these guys are forever welcomed in the city that doesn’t sleep.

    There was no slowing down at this point as the group nailed another classic, “Boogie on Reggae Woman,” written by Stevie Wonder and covered by numerous other bands that know a thing or two about good music. Stanley remained on the stage through the lyrically ridiculous “Funky Duck,” which can be found on their most recent album, Thrill of the Arts. Louis Cato was then brought on to help with “Wait For The Moment” and “Beastly” as Stanley walked off stage to the cheers of a very grateful room.vulfpeck brooklyn bowl

    “Christmas in LA” gave the band and the crowd a breather packed with banter from Jack Stratton and Theo Katzman. Probably the most well known song to new followers of the Vulf, “Back Pocket” ended the set. Gardiner and Barbush brought the brass back into the mix, while Stanley enlisted help from the audience for the hook. One more cover, “Kid Charlemagne” by Steely Dan was executed in the funkiest of ways for the encore. Who knows what Vulfpeck will bring to the table for Saturday’s final night at the Bowl. They have had many repeats in their first three shows of this NY run and with their limited, yet powerful catalog, fans do not seem to mind. The group continues to surprise us by welcoming numerous guests onto the stage physically and welcoming funk icons into the room sonically through their amazing covers. After seeing so many smiling younger faces fill the streets of Williamsburg after the show, I was reminded that Vulfpeck isn’t just the funk band that this generation wanted, but it’s also the one this generation needed.

  • Hearing Aide: Earphorik “The Boondock Sessions”

    earphorikalbumMidwestern quartet Earphorik delivers their sophomore album, The Boondock Sessions with a recognizable “live show” sound. Their signature smorgasbord of musical influences are brought to life throughout the one-take recording which was mixed and produced by none other than Jake Cinninger (Umphrey’s McGee) and Jim Leep at Boondock Studios.

    From the earliest notes of the album, “The Great Break” creates a slow build reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Speak to Me/Breathe” which greets the listener with intrigue and excitement for what’s to come. The opening track teeters on the edge of twelve minutes of genre explorations and highlights everything from funk to jam with a touch of ska. In the second track “Root One,” Austin Robinson (guitar/vocals) and Chris Treesh (guitar/vocals) sing the lyrics “Love it ’til you want it some more” and where the first ‘root’ song of the album ends another begins with “Root Too.” As the first instrumental track of the album, “Root Too” initially focuses on Nolan Opper (bass) and Ryan Moreno (drums) and their tag team bass-drum introduction. Earphorik fans new and old will dive right into this track as Jake Cinninger, normally melting faces with his stellar guitar magic, takes to the organ and adds that extra “umph” that the song needed.

    “Flush” clocks in as the longest song of the album and delivers a gritty, dark and raging jam that could lead to some serious head banging and onstage instrument dismantling during a live performance. Walls have oddly become an important topic for a certain politician party over the past several months, and “Over the Walls” reminds us that, “We just can’t seem to get this under control.” Cinninger reprises his role on keys for this track, making it one of the more sought after pieces on the album for a first time Earphorik listener. “Drift” which is heavily reggae influenced unexpectedly leads to “Kerputley,” which sounds like an entirely different genre, but spares no quality of talent.

    The instrumental conclusion to The Boondock Sessions, “Ashrob I” and “II” delivers the sonic exclamation point that many jam rock albums attempt to achieve. Each member of the band gets their time to shine during the closing tracks as they once again showcase their diversity and bring something to the table for everyone. This album is as eclectic as Forrest Gump’s work resume and similar to a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.

    Key Tracks: The Great Break, Drift, Root Too

  • The Evolving Evolfo at Shea Stadium Brooklyn

    The night was dirty, loud, revolutionary, beer-soaked and pleasantly dark. I’m not only describing the inside of indie Brooklyn’s sacred sanctuary, Shea Stadium, but also the band behind the interior madness, Evolfo. As the band entered the stage, their UFO style of music was introduced to the crowd with a thunderous instrumental intro highlighting everything from the keyboard and bass to the drums and horn section.

    One of their newer installments, “Bloody, Bloody Knife,” had a familiar, almost White Stripes meets 60’s punk sound and included a guitar solo by Matt Gibbs. During the solo, his hair completely covered his face while he melted our faces. The crowd favorite, “Mechanicals,” created an infectious dance party with a late night lounge feel. The whirling keyboard effect used by Rafferty Swink sounded like something Dr. Dre may steal for his next album while Matt Gibbs’ creative lyrics were politely screamed in a Shakespearean manner. As soon as it feels like the song couldn’t get anymore genre blending, the bursting horns march their way into the room like an impromptu parade down Bourbon Street. Gibbs gave the crowd a minute to catch our breath as he highlighted how ecstatic the group was to play in such an iconic, underground sonic space.

    After boogieing through “Love Like a Freak,” Evolfo kept the most recent songs coming with “Rat City.” Imagine David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” played with a faster tempo by a psychedelic garage band like The 13th Floor Elevators, but with just the perfect amount of brass to shackle it to the ground. Next up was “Let’s Carry On” which saw bass player Ronnie Lanzilotta stomping back and forth like an air guitarist on Red Bull. His energy was so intense he cosmically summoned one of the members from the opening act, Mobile Steam Unit, to jump on stage and rage with him equally as hard. The momentum spread like the Zika virus and before you knew the entire crowd was infected; one of the highlights of the hour long set.

    Judging by the “Herbie and the Headhunters” t-shirt worn by their bearded saxophonist, Jared Yee, this gnarly crew were no strangers to the realm of funk. They have no shame in fronting as a “funk band” even though they consider themselves “garage-soul.” One of the best tunes that display their thrilling, chilling funk talent is “Wild Man” which Evolfo played with delightfully terrifying precision. I had a moment to speak about the visually freaky yet addicting music video for “Wild Man” with Gibbs before the set, inquiring about the first music video regarding any correlation to the imagery in the video compared to what he thinks about while on stage. He replied:

    “Well some things in the video do quite literally have a place in our show. Some of the outfits and the demon mask and other small things have made their way onto the stage over the years. And then, of course, I hope that we portray some of that raw animal magnetism. I would love for real life to be as crazy as “Wild Man.” If we’re in the zone and we’re getting the energy from the audience I believe we can really live up to that fun with reckless abandon. As far as what’s on my mind while I play, I pretty much always wish I could pour some ambrosia on the audience and make them turn into animals. That would be ideal.”

    After the “Wild Man” lit up the room with aerobic weirdness, they were ready to give us what we wanted, the title track to the newly announced EP, Last of the Acid Cowboys. The lyrics are coming from a place of pure spacey madness. Swink’s keyboard is projecting a surfin’ synthesizer sound while he sings in an eerily familiar Jim Morrison tone. If this song doesn’t wind up on the next Quentin Tarantino soundtrack, someone isn’t doing enough research.

    Gibbs shed some details about the new EP and it was time for one more classic Evolfo tune for the brass-aholics in the crowd. Loaded with sexual innuendos, tantalizing bass lines and mod soul-funk, the climax during “You Light Me Up” is definitely the horn (or horny, sorry, I had to) section. Their time on stage was short and sweet, but the memory of that performance will last a long time, even for the fans in the booziest of states.

    Musical evolution has been as much a staple of New York City as pizza, or more recently, Pokemon Go. Much like the global sensation of walking around with a smart phone and searching for rare creatures from a different dimension, a new species of music is evolving right before us. Label it whatever you want, but for those of us lucky enough to discover the rare Evolfo at Shea Stadium on a Wednesday night, we have a new band that is about to morph. After the release of their new EP, a tour is sure to follow and if they continue to put on shows with that sort of allure and creativity, I gotta catch em’ all.