Author: Kat Horton

Spring Fling Rock AF 2016 to come to Western New York

Buffalo and Rochester have been announced as two of the 15 cities on the Spring Fling Rock AF 2016 Tour.

The tour package will hit the Main Street Armory in Rochester on March 26 and roll through the Queen City on March 28. First Niagara Center will be hosting the event in Buffalo. Cage the Elephant, Silversun Pickups, Foals and Bear Hands are slated to perform on the multi-city run.

Tickets for both venues go on sale to the general public on Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. and range from $33 to $43. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone, or through the venue box offices. Pre-sales for fan clubs members for both of the bands and various radio stations sponsoring the event begin as early as Wednesday, Jan 13.

The tour features Grammy-nominated Kentucky based rock band Cage the Elephant, Alt rock veterans Silversun Pick-ups, up and coming UK indie rock band Foals and the Brooklyn based band Bear Hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBeohY2O2PA

With packaged tours becoming more of a rarity, the bands are all eager to hit the road together. Cage the Elephant front man Matt Shultz had this to say:

“There’s a real sense of camaraderie and a shared philosophy amongst all of us on this tour. We come from all over the world, but we share a love of music and being on the road. These shows will celebrate that spirit.”

The tour kicks off March 11 in Fresno, California. In addition to two other California dates Spring Fling Rock AF Tour will also make stops in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maine before wrapping up on April 1 in Portland, Maine.

Spring Fling Rock AF 2016 Tour:

03/11 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center
03/12 – Sacramento, CA – Sleep Train Arena
03/13 – Bakersfield, CA – Radobank Arena
03/16 – El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
03/18 – Tulsa, OK – Cox Business Center
03/19 – Southaven, MS – Landers Center
03/20 – Johnson City, TN – Freedom Hall Civic Center
03/22 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Coliseum
03/23 – Norfolk, VA – Constant Convocation Center
03/25 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
03/26 – Rochester, NY – Main Street Armory
03/28 – Buffalo, NY – First Niagara Center
03/30 – Hartford, CT – XL Center
03/31 – Portland, ME – Cross Insurance Arena
04/01 – Providence, RI – Dunkin Donuts Center

January 12, 2016
David Bowie Dead at Age 69

Legendary singer, songwriter, and actor David Bowie is dead, as of Sunday night, at the age of 69. With a career that spanned nearly five decades, he not only created impactful, memorable musical moments but influenced generations of musicians.

The New York Times confirmed his death with his publicist, Steve Martin, on Monday morning.

According to a post on his Facebook page, “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family.” Various statements on Bowie’s social media accounts confirm he died after an 18-month battle with cancer.

Jan. 8^th not only marked Bowie’s 69^th birthday, but also the release of his latest album, Blackstar. Carnegie Hall recently announced plans for a David Bowie tribute concert on March 31. The Roots, The Mountain Goats, Cyndi Lauper, Perry Farrell, Jakob Dylan, and Ann Wilson (Heart) are all slated to perform in what will now be a tribute to Bowie’s life, music and legacy.

Longtime collaborator and producer Tony Visconti, who worked with Bowie on his album’s since his 1969 breakthrough Space Oddity, wrote on his facebook page that he felt Blackstar was intended to be Bowie’s “parting gift.”

“He always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life – a work of Art.

“He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift. I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn’t, however, prepared for it.

“He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us. For now, it is appropriate to cry.”

Bowie released his self-titled debut album in 1967. Over the course of 28 albums, he constantly reinvented himself in persona, musical styling and fashion.

After his first UK hit, “Space Oddity” in 1969, Bowie emerged in the early 70s as “Ziggy Stardust”. His alter ego’s album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, was ranked #35 by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the greatest albums of all-time. The 70s also gave birth to Bowie’s first US crossover hit “Fame” while his 1975 release Young Americans saw another shift in style and sound.

Photo: Rex

By the 1980s, Bowie enjoyed mounting commercial success. In the UK, he landed #1 singles with “Ashes to Ashes” and the Queen collaboration “Under Pressure.” His career reached new heights in 1983 with the release of Let’s Dance, his best-selling album to date. The title track would become his biggest hit, reaching #1 in the UK, US and various other countries. The album also launched several other singles including “China Girl” and “Modern Love.”

Bowie continued to write and create new materials throughout the 1990s and 2000s. He stopped touring after his 2003-2004 Reality Tour. His final live performance was in 2006 for a charity event.

In addition to music, Bowie enjoyed success in both stage, television and film. He collaborated on an Off Broadway musical “Lazarus”, a sequel to his role in the 1976 film The Man Who Fell to Earth. His two dozen film roles included Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth and Andy Warhol in Basquiat.

Bowie’s legacy is highlighted by his 1996 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in Feb. 2006.

David Robert Jones was born in Brixton, London on January 8, 1947. Bowie would later change his moniker in the mid 60’s to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees. He renamed himself after the 19^th-century American frontiersman Jim Bowie, who popularized the bowie knife. As a young man in the UK, Bowie studied art, music and design.

Read the true story behind Bowie’s arrest in Rochester in 1976.

Bowie is survived by his son, director Duncan Jones from his marriage with his first wife Angela Barnett, his wife fashion model Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid (known professionally as Iman) and their daughter, Alexandra “Lexi” Zahra Jones.

A slew of celebrities took to Twitter on news that Bowie had passed.

“Very sad news to wake up to on this raining morning. David was a great star and I treasure the moments we had together.” Paul McCartney

“Talented. Unique. Genius. Game Changer. The Man who Fell to Earth. Your Spirit Lives on Forever!” – Madonna

“David’s friendship was the light of my life. I never met such a brilliant person. He was the best there is. – Iggy Pop”

“I just lost a hero. RIP David Bowie.” – Ricky Gervais

“Never imagined a world without him. He has ascended into the cosmos from whence he came. Farewell, David Bowie.” – Elijah Wood

“He never seemed of this earth. Now he’s left it. He bent rules, gender, genres, and our minds. RIP David Bowie. One. Of. A. Kind.” – Josh Groban

“RIP David . I loved your music. I loved you. One of the greatest performance artists to have ever lived. #sorrow.” – Russel Crowe

” David Bowie was a true innovator, a true creative. May he rest in peace #RIPDavidBowie” – Pharrel Williams

“I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me – I was not ready for this. RIP Bowie.” – Weird Al Yankovic

“I grew up listening to and watching the pop genius David Bowie. He was a master of re-invention, who kept getting it right. A huge loss.” – British Prime Minister David Cameron

January 11, 2016
Some Kind of Jam 11 Announces Lineup

Some Kind of Jam 11, which will be taking place April 22-24 in Schuykill Haven, Pennsylvania, has announced its initial lineup.

The three-day event takes place just 20 miles northwest of Reading and will feature four stages and 31 musical acts. Since 2005, Jibberjazz festivals has been hosting the event. Headliners the New Mastersounds will offer their unique blend of funk/soul/jazz fusion, while the recently reunited RAQ brings an added element of excitement to the bill. Buffalo groove rock masters Aqueous were also announced.

The weekend will include a variety of music including jam, funk, bluegrass, folk, blues, rock, reggae and jazz. In addition to live music, festival-goers will have many activities to choose from including various workshops, light shows, fire performances and yoga. The family friendly event will also include a kids’ area and activities.

The weekend event is located on a 60-acre fairground that includes indoor and outdoor stages, camping, permanent restrooms and showers as well as nature trails, trout fishing and electricity access for RVs. Additional information about the festival, venue and tickets is available through Jibberjazz.

Complete Some Kind of Jam 11 Line-Up
THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS
RAQ
JASON RICCI & THE BAD KIND
MIKE DILLON BAND
BANDITOS
AQUEOUS
THE BIG DIRTY
SHOKAZOBA
GANG OF THIEVES
BLACK MASALA
CAPTAIN GREEN
ON THE SPOT TRIO
YOSEMIGHT
DESMOND JONES
THE PLATE SCRAPERS
THE JAKOB’S FERRY STRAGGLERS
STRANGE MECHANICS
THE HAWK OWLS
LOVANOVA
HEXBELT
THIS WAY TO THE EGRESS
APPALACHIAN GYPSY TRIBE
BONZO TERKS
UNCLE JAKE & THE 18 WHEEL GANG
KATE VARGAS & THE RECKLESS DAUGHTERS
COSMIC COWBOY SOWING CIRCLE
HEZEKIAH JONES
MATEO MONK
GILLIAN GROGAN
OLDS SLEEPER
KNITEBITCH

January 7, 2016
Hearing Aide: Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz

Aqueous fans that missed out on the band’s sold-out Halloween show this past October won’t be in the dark for much longer. Thanks to Sonic Farm Studios, Aqueous has released Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz.

The live recording of Aqueous’ Halloween show at Buffalo Iron Works not only includes some of Aqueous’ best original material, but also the band’s stellar performance of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.

In celebration of the mystic connection between the cinematic classic Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd’s classic album, Aqueous dressed as the Wizard of Oz cast during the evening’s performance. Less than two months later, staffers at NYS Music named the performance as Best Show in Western New York for 2015.

The first seven tracks are loaded with brilliant examples of what Aqueous does right; “Eon Don,” “King for a Day” and a non-stop “Complex Pt. 1” into “Wandering” into “Complex Pt. 2” that took the crowd on a nearly 30-minute groove-rock ride. The first set also features Aqueous’ tribute to the night’s opening band with an edged-out version of Funktional Flow ‘s song “Mulligans.”

The first set also features a mash-up style version of the “MGM Theme” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” before fusing into “Kitty Chaser (Explosions in the Sky).” Although the track is one of Aqueous’ more well-known and often-played songs, this version lends itself to a more mellow feel and deeper groove.

In more Oz whimsy, the album also includes Aqueous featuring Matt Harris (saxophone) on a jazzy instrumental version of the film’s classic “If I Only Had a Brain.” The first set of Halloween 2015 closes out with an evocative and beautiful version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Gears shift to Dark Side of the Moon at the album’s halfway point. Beyond the sheer technical skill and flawless timing, Aqueous executes pure confidence, while accomplishing a feat that many musicians simply couldn’t execute. The talent and precision it takes to perform Dark Side in its entirety in real time didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated by anyone in attendance—and it comes through even stronger via the recorded tracks than it did onstage.

The task also highlights that the band shows brilliance in production. A guest appearance from vocalist Sara Jane, who often performs with Pink Talking Phish, delivered both a haunting and flawless performance in “Great Gig in the Sky.” In addition, Harris and Funktional Flow’s Joey Lewis (guitar) returned throughout the second set for various appearances on Dark Side.

What’s most impressive about the Dark Side portion of this release is the band’s attention to detail during the live performance. It’s the small things that add up. The tiny ways they managed to build the layers in a live setting to simulate the studio recordings are so on point that at times you forget that this recording isn’t hours of multiple layer tracking or looping.

Dan Brace from Sonic Farm Studios recorded, produced and engineered the release. As he told NYS Music, getting the stars to align for a releasable recording isn’t an easy task. “With live material we only have one shot at getting a good take,” he said. “We have to be certain every mic and every channel is functioning.”

And in listening to the release (although there is obvious crowd noise and a slight airiness to the vocals) those tend to be the only indication that this is a live recording—a testament to both Brace, who has spent almost two decades mastering this type of audio skill, as well as to the band. Aqueous is so tuned into playing by instinct that they seem to never play live without crystal-clear direction. And although this makes Brace’s job much easier, he mixes the album with studio-quality flare.

In the time since Aqueous released “Cycles” in October 2014, the band has continued to mature and grow as musicians. On the vocal front, lead guitarist and main vocalist Mike Ganzter has gained a smooth, milky richness to his vocal quality; it’s partially vocal maturity but also a nod to vocal exploration and practice. In “Mulligans,” Gantzer handles the vocals as if the song were his own. On guitar, Gantzer continues to be one of the most talked about musicians among his peers. He creates a sound all of his own, as if his guitar is simply weeping with joy.

David Loss not only handles guitar and vocal duties but also keys and synth. In listening to this release, it’s his nuances that bring out the best of the Dark Side recording but also the best of Aqueous’s original material. He seems to always know where he is in regards to complementing his fellow musicians. It’s a mind-numbing skill to have as a musician to be able to understand that sometimes less is more, or that layers are built on levels, but that in order to build a deep sound, the levels can’t all be the same.

Bassist Evan McPhaden works bass lines with an incredibly funky yet steady pace. At the band’s quieter moments, it’s McPhaden’s impish style that often sneaks in sending the music back to an edgier path. A good bass line lays down the grooves that get a crowd moving. Even the most hi-def shred guitar works need solid driving bass behind it to truly make it magical. And in that layer creation, McPhaden always finds a way to keep the music driving forward.

When you talk about Aqueous’ technical skill, it goes beyond musicianship. And their ability to “produce” their music in real-time is most impressive. Even in mid jam, they work out musical nuances that truly reflect the ebb and flow of their moniker. It is in their live show that this technical skill truly shines.

Fans of the band already know that this album is a must-have addition to any music collection. To the casual listener, Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz is a perfect introduction to the band. Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz is available for unlimited listener streaming through the Bandcamp app.

Key Tracks: “King for a Day,” “Great Gig in the Sky,” “Mulligans,” “Money”

January 7, 2016
Borg Party Goes Deep at Buffalo Iron Works

When Borg Party converged on Buffalo Iron Works to a packed house, no one really knew what to expect. If you expected the obvious, a simple fusion of the super group’s respective sounds, you would have been slightly disappointed. When Rob Compa (Dopapod), Mike Gantzer (Aqueous), Mickey Carrubba (Turkuaz), James Searl (Giant Guerilla Panda Dub Squad) and Wiley O’Riley (The Niche) took the stage, surprisingly, they offered something very different. Borg Party was a masterclass in improvisational jazz subtly infused with a soulful yet intensive rock union.

The night was about five incredibly talented musicians playing some of their favorite tunes. The evening’s set list included rare, odd and surprising covers and a chance for these musicians to play the music that inspires them . “I was planning on coming home for the week of Christmas to visit my parents,” Compa told NYS Music. “So I figured I would call up some people whose playing I really love, who are from western New York and put together a couple shows just to have some fun and blow off some steam. That is really pretty much the whole point.”

The evening began with “Rise of the Borg”, an original composition written by O’Riley for the evening. Aqueous guitarist Dave Loss sat in during a playful version of Grant Green’s “Flood in Lincoln Park”. Borg Party also opted to play musical tributes to John Scofield, Buddy Miles and The Beatles.

Champagne Brown (The Swooners, The Niche), who has been singing with O’Riley since her teens, joined the band on stage during a rousing cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You”. Her stunning yet strong vocals were the perfect complement to the band’s solid and dialed in musical focus. She also lent vocals on the night’s encore of James Brown’s “Sex Machine”.

Despite running a set list of mostly covers, Borg Party never lent itself to sound unrehearsed or unsure – a true testament to their talent as studied musicians. The five members of the super group all prepared on their own. “We’ve had a big e-mail chain of cover ideas,” Compa told NYSMusic before the show, ”We’re all just learning stuff on our own and we’re gonna see how it goes.”

Watching Borg Party play was a fascinating musical classroom. With the five members having only pre-show rehearsal time together, they were more reliant on the purity of improvisational cues showing that improvisational music really is as much about instinct as it is preparation.

The set list and tone of the night was much more mellow than anticipated. The song selection was a history lesson with a majority of the evening’s covers having been originally released before 1980. The deep track set list also reflected that the five members of Borg Party are more than just studied musicians, but also music fans.

Compa and Gantzer, who have previously played together on several occasions including this summer’s Aquapod set at Buffalove, have an incredible on-stage chemistry. It is clear that these two have a deep respect for each other’s talent.

Borg Party was a two night only engagement at Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo and Flour City Station in Rochester. According to Compa, the group doesn’t have plans for future dates. When asked if Borg Party could surface again, Compa simply stated, “I guess we’ll see how it goes and then take it from there. For now, though, just those two.”

Buffalo Setlist: Rise of the Borg (Willy O’Riley), Them Changes (Buddy Miles), Chank (John Scofield), Since I’ve Been Loving You* (Led Zeppelin), Flood in Franklin Park^ (Grant Green cover), Hey Bulldog (Beatles), Back at the Chicken Shack (Jimmy Smith), Offspring (John Scofield), Circles (Incubus)
E: Sex Machine* (James Brown)

*w/ Champagne Brown on vocals, ^w/ Dave Loss from Aqueous on guitar

January 6, 2016
Twiddle Rings in the New Year with Three Album Run

Over three sold out nights in Burlington this New Year’s weekend, Twiddle played into the past, present and future of their musical catalog and continued to prove why they are one of the most talked about bands in the jam scene. The packed crowds at Higher Ground were treated to three very different nights of Twiddle. The band highlighted their three studio albums and substantiated that their latest release PLUMP is a showcase of where their live performance is headed.

Twiddle roared in the New Year in vintage style. A “Gatsby the Great”-themed evening saw the band and fans dressed to the nines for New Year’s Eve. With several extended jams and a night packed with fan favorites, the band played their second studio album Somewhere on the Mountain in its entirety, while interjecting several non-studio fan favorites, including “Gatsby the Great” and “Hatti’s Jam,” throughout the sets.

As an album Somewhere on the Mountain evokes the party, so it was fitting that Twiddle chose to play all 12 tracks on the biggest party night of the year. “Doinkinbonk!!!” into “Apples” became a 40-minute dance party/sing-along to two of the band’s most infectious songs. During “Apples,” Soul Monde’s Russ Lawton (drums) and Ray Packowski (keys) joined the band onstage while Twiddle’s Ryan Dempsey showed off his skills on the marimba. A dual drum performance between Lawton and Twiddle’s Brook Jordan added an unexpected element to the song, making it one of the evening’s most talked about moments.

The first set closed with “Syncopated Healing” from the band’s most recent studio album PLUMP and a special guest appearance from Dempsey’s father, Stephen Dempsey, on saxophone. The song’s placement on night one was a bit of a red herring, as to not spoil the puzzle of what nights two and three would contain.

The second set saw a weaving of non-Twiddle moments, including a tease of Phish’s “Divided Sky” as well as a meaty jam of Daft Punk’s “Robot Rock,” in the middle of a nearly 20-minute version of “The Box.” The night ended with a more mellow approach as Twiddle cooled off the crowd with “Beethoven and Greene” before ending with a “Gatsby the Great” Reprise.

While Twiddle rang in the New Year with a contagious groove, they started Friday night’s New Year’s Day performance with a glimpse into the band’s future. Joined on stage by “The Frendly Horns,” featuring Rich Williams (tenor sax), Adam Sawyer (trombone) and Chazz Canney (alto saxophone), the band once again intertwined non-studio songs among the tracks of their third studio album, PLUMP.

The album’s opening track “Complacent Race” was debuted live for the first time, while the album’s horned tracks were brought to life for fans for the first time. It’s one thing to upgrade your band’s sound in the studio, but live the task is more difficult to pull together. If the sound on PLUMP is where the band sees their musical direction, they managed to prove two things on Friday night. First, that this newly debuted, polished studio sound is not outside of their ability to reproduce live. And second, that even PLUMP’s polished studio tracks have space to expand.

“Polluted Beauty” and “Indigo Trigger” were launched into deep, nasty funked-out vehicles for the band to showcase where this newer material can go. On the other side of the coin, the band’s ability to weave tracks like the bluegrass-rooted “Hattibagen McRat” or the instrumental “Latin Tang” so seamlessly into the album’s mix show that this new material holds just as much of a viable place in Twiddle’s live show as does anything else they play.

By the end of night two, many fans had started to put the puzzle pieces together. So on Saturday night, it was no surprise that the evening began with the opening track from Twiddle’s debut studio album, Natural Evolution of Consciousness, titled “The Catapillar” and ran through the album’s first four tracks before closing out the first set with two unrecorded gems “Earth Mama” and “The FRENDS Theme.”

Night three contained less songs, but longer jams and more guest appearances. “The FRENDS Theme” featured Jack Mitrani (Frendly Crew) on electric guitar and vocals. Scott Hannay from Mister F (keys) and Jamie Armstrong from Lucid (saxophone) sat in during the second set opener “Tiberius,” while the second set closer “Frankenfoote” featured Lucid’s Lowell Wurster on washboard.

While the three day run didn’t include much in the way of catalog rarity, what it lacked in surprise it more than made up for in production value. Twiddle demonstrated a growth in technical skill and creative staging. Their studio polish appears to be rubbing off into their live performance with precision, turn-on-the-dime transitions and unique musical moments. The latest addition of Evan Antal as Lighting Director (Zed’s Dead, Kendrick Lamar) on this three-day run elevated the overall show experience.

What’s most striking and noticeable about Twiddle’s growth is the rather intense development and involvement of their fans within the growing community. Fan artists continue to develop and execute inspired art from prints, clothing, pins and other merchandise that seem to be moving the band’s name further into the masses. Friday and Saturday nights saw a strong presence by the band’s fan-founded charity the White Light Foundation—all signs that Twiddle has an army of dedicated fans behind them.

While some jamband fans debate the validity of Twiddle’s increased fan base and continued success, the band managed to show that over a three-night run in their hometown they are diverse, growing and paying attention to the details. All three nights sold out nearly a month before New Year’s Eve, evidence that Twiddle is quickly outgrowing the smaller venues their fans have grown comfortable seeing them in.

As Twiddle prepares for its 2016 “Plumperdump Tour,” the small run of mostly 1,000-plus ticket theaters may be a sign that you won’t be seeing the band in smaller, more intimate venues again anytime soon. A good thing for the long list of fans clamoring to get into the band’s most recent sold-out shows for the majority of this past fall and winter tours.

Twiddle heads out on Jam Cruise 2016 on Jan 6. The band will be on a short hiatus before kicking off the Plumperdump Tour in Portland, Maine, on Feb. 18. Spring dates are expected to take the band back out west and look to be announced in the coming weeks. Recent announcements include Twiddle slated to open for The Disco Biscuits at Red Rocks on June 4.

Photos courtesy of Greg Horowitz Photography

Recording of 12/31, 1/1 and 1/2 are available at Archive.org.

January 5, 2016
Funktional Flow Gives Birth to “On the Way”

Buffalo’s funk/reggae/rock fusion act Funktional Flow released a second single from their forthcoming album, Time Will Tell.

In honor of the birth of guitarist and vocalist Jeffrey Kuebler’s son, Jack Michael Kuebler, the band released “On the Way.” The song is available for streaming through Sound Cloud or the band’s website.

The song was written by Kuebler on the heels of discovering that he and his wife were expecting.

When my wife Ashley informed me in early May we were expecting I went through so many new and crazy emotions. Joy, fear, elation, wonder and pure happiness! At the time being hit by that wave of feelings I immediately picked up the guitar and played the first thing that hit me. With the guys in the band being extremely excited we took it on immediately hoping to capture the emotion we all were feeling. Within a matter of hours the music was done! The lyrics came that night and it so accurately captured the feeling it had intended to! I would love people who are expecting for years to come to use this song to somehow channel or express the emotion that comes with all aspects of childbirth and feel the same thing! – Jeffrey Kuebler

https://soundcloud.com/funktionalflow/on-the-way-baby-song

Funktional Flow will release the entire album at their CD release party on March 5 at Buffalo Iron Works. The band will also be opening for Twiddle at the Town Ballroom on Feb. 25.

Funktional Flow plans to announce dates for a spring tour in support of Time Will Tell in the near future.

January 5, 2016