NYS Music 20​16

Author: Lauren Enzlah

  • Travel back in Time with the Boy Band Review Tribute Show

    If you loved the boy band music of the 90’s, then the Boy Band Review – a Boy Band Tribute, is the show for you! Made up of six members, the Boy Band Review consists of former Broadway stars who shine as they lay their hearts on the line to bring you a truly nostalgic performance. They bring their all to the stage with an energetic, fun performance chock full of hits from the likes of New Kids On The Block, N’sync, Boyz II Men, Hanson and more.

    boy band reviewFeaturing Jeb Roberts (Guitar), Adam Egizi (Bass), Andy Davis (Drums) and Dom Scott, KC Comeaux and Josh Hobbs on vocals, this tribute show is a true throw-back experience that will most definitely transport you back to your adolescent years. Complete with singing, dancing, and great stage lighting, the Boy Band Review comes dressed to impress in the most memorable of outfits worn by your most beloved boy band members. They interact with you on stage and off, enticing you to let your guard down and shout out the lyrics during each of these nostalgic songs.

    boy band reviewSurrounded by die-hard 90’s boy band fans it is virtually impossible to resist the urge to join in, sing along, and just plain let loose with those who remember every word and dance articulation of the artists they knew and loved. They might even surprise you as they welcome your participation in an intimate, personal moment – like the drummer proposing to his girlfriend. Not something you would expect from a grown man in overalls with one of his shoulder straps undone!

    boy band reviewAs promised, the Boy Band Review – a Boy Band Tribute really is a throw back experience and these “New Kids” definitely “bring the heat up to 98 degrees”  to bring you back and relive your best years- even if only for a moment in time.

    Setlist: Backstreets Back, Byebyebye, No Diggity, Mmmbop, I’ll Make Love To You / End Of The Road / On Bended Knee Medley, It’s Gonna Be Me, Motown Philly, You’ve Got It, All My Life / All Or Nothing, I Want It That Way / Larger Than Life

    Encore: Summer Girls, What Makes You Beautiful, Pop

    Be sure to follow the Boy Band Review on Facebook. Have your high tops and wrist bands ready for when the Boy Band Review announces a performance in your city!

  • The Boy Band Review: Get ready to travel back in time to the 1990’s!

    Remember dancing in your room to the hits of New Kids on the Block and Britney Spears, or singing along to the hits of Justin Timberlake, N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys?! Following on the heels of their sold out show at Arlene’s Grocery in August, The Boy Band Review is making its debut at the Hall at MP in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Saturday, September 24.

    The Boy Band ReviewKnown as “the New Kids who bring the heat up to 98 degrees every time,” the Boy Band Review – Boy Band Tribute has already wowed full capacity crowds at high profile events and parties in Las Vegas, Milwaukee, and Chicago. Now they are transporting audiences in NY and on the West Coast back to the 1990’s. Their high energy 90’s throwback show includes full production lighting, video, dancing, and back-up singers to transport you back to your glory days.

    Come get jiggy Saturday night with The Boy Band Review tribute show at the Hall at MP. This show is gonna be off the heezay!

  • Phish Takes on Wrigley Field

    Phish made its Wrigley Field debut this weekend and what a debut it was. Among the many highlights on Friday were a powerful first set “Sand,” and a “Down with Disease” > “Fuego” > “Twist” that started the second set off as strong as you could ask. Night 2 brought the return of “Fluffhead,” which was found after the one-two punch of “Carini” > “Tweezer.”

    A new song “Miss You” debuted, as well as an acapella version of Bowie’s “Space Oddity”, with a “Run Like an Antelope” that followed for a “Space Antelope” encore on Friday. Phish returns to The Mann Music Center in Philadelphia, PA tonight.

    Phish Wrigley FieldFriday, 6/24/2016, Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
    Set 1    : Sample in a Jar, Chalk Dust Torture, Martian Monster > Rift, Yarmouth Road, Sand, Miss You[1], The Wedge, Free > Blaze On
    Set 2: Down with Disease[2] > Fuego > Twist > Twenty Years Later > Waste > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Backwards Down the Number Line, Loving Cup
    Encore: Space Oddity[3], Run Like an Antelope

    [1] Debut.
    [2] Unfinished.
    [3] Phish debut; a capella.

    Saturday, 6/25/2016, Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
    Set 1    : The Moma Dance, AC/DC Bag > 555, Waiting All Night, Heavy Things, Happy Birthday to You, 46 Days, I Didn’t Know, Divided Sky, Cavern > Good Times Bad Times
    Set 2: Carini > Tweezer > Fluffhead > Piper -> Steam > Wading in the Velvet Sea, Harry Hood > Tweezer Reprise
    Encore: I Am the Walrus

    Setlists via Phish.net

  • Meet Jigsaw Youth: The New Riot Grrrls

    On June 12 at the Grand Victory in Brooklyn, NYS Music caught up with Jigsaw Youth, an all-girl punk-garage band from New York City. Offstage they are three unassuming teenagers, but onstage they let it all out as hardcore punk musicians. Hailing from Staten Island and Washington Heights, NY, Jigsaw Youth is made up of Maria Alvarez on bass, Isabella Occhipinti on drums and Nastacha Beck on guitar.

    jigsaw youth

    Beck and Occhipinti have known each other since the sixth grade, and upon reconnecting in high school, they decided to start playing music together. Last year, Beck met Alvarez via Tumblr, as she was intrigued by Maria’s blog quote, “If I play the bass in your face, would you jack off?” Sight unseen, Beck bravely reached out to Alvarez who was serious about starting a band; and immediately, Beck, along with the group’s former drummer, Julia Mannarino, began writing songs. A few months later, Jigsaw Youth performed their first shows in NYC, and drummer Occhipinti joined in December 2015. In less than a year, this “grunge body with a punk soul” group has made a name for itself across the United States and abroad.

    So, what led this three-piece to form a Nineties-esque punk band? It’s simple — the recurring challenges still relevant today from feminism to the government to social change and teenage angst. But, this is balanced of course with a healthy zest for life and redefining the riot-grrrl movement for today’s generation, as ambitious female musicians like Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill), Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) and Courtney Love (Hole) inspired them. Beck actually met Hanna — her idol — at a House of Bands show in Brooklyn, and shared with Hanna that her band’s moniker was an homage to the Bikini Kill song, “Jigsaw Youth” (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, 1993). Hanna then got up onstage and dedicated her next song to the blossoming band in front of the nearly 800-member audience. Alvarez has also crossed paths with her hero, Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and Occhipinti is still vying for the opportunity to meet her icon, Alanis Morissette.

    Rocking smartphones, and surprisingly, one flip phone, the ladies of Jigsaw Youth independently market their music on social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, SoundCloud and Tumblr; currently, they are working on getting their sounds on iTunes. (They’ve even received acknowledgements from Hanna and Love via Facebook.) Beck, Alvarez and Occhipinti shared that growing up in an era where the use of technology is required can be overwhelming at times, but all three agree that it’s about having intention when it comes to online posting. As a result of their smart online networking, they have connected with Joey Armstrong’s band Swimmers (SWMRS), who asked to record them for their song, “They Don’t Know,” and have also achieved an international presence. The Swedish webzine, Grrrl Collection, reached out to Jigsaw Youth, and then flew to New York to interview them for an upcoming web series.

    jigsaw youth

    When it comes to playing gigs, Alvarez is very proactive at reaching out to local festival creators and online music news outlets; she is not the least bit afraid to send mass emails to venues, radio shows, magazines and record labels. And sometimes organizers reach out to them like the most recent Northside Music Festival, where they shared the Grand Victory bill with Cutters, Luke Halloween: Teenage Halloween Solo and the One Handed Bandits. The band hopes to venture out into more live-music venues, but the challenge of being underage teenagers trying to book shows in Manhattan is often a struggle. They use their creativity to overcome this obstacle by playing house parties on Staten Island where they, “rage in basements.” In the interim, Jigsaw Youth recorded the song “Aunt Jenny’s Got My Back,” and has had four songs recorded by Princeton College Radio, with plans to professionally produce their first album in the near future — after their funds are replenished from senior prom. 

    With unique personal mottos ranging from  “everything is going to be OK” (Beck) to “treat yourself” (Alvarez) and “no risk, no reward” (Occhipinti), their collective advice to other girls wanting to make an impact with their music can only come from shared experience: Have passion, take action, set your mind to it and follow the beat of your own drum, and focus on you and what you’d like to accomplish and success is bound to follow. Jigsaw Youth began their journey in the midst of taking the SAT and applying to colleges, making it possible to juggle school, jobs and music to achieve their goals. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about spreading the message that girls can start bands — and scream, too — without fitting into a cookie-cutter box. Catch Jigsaw Youth live in Staten Island at Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn on July 6 (the annual Rock Out Against Smoking concert) and at the Liberty Tavern on July 21.

  • Cousin Fungus Wows the Crowd at Finley’s of Greene Street

    On April 2, Finley’s of Greene Street in Huntington, NY was treated to a performance by Long Island based band Cousin Fungus. The bar was packed and the dance floor full as Cousin Fungus took the stage after the cover band Run for Covers.

    cousin fungus Finley'sAll the way in the back of the bar with an open overhead garage door, the stage set-up at Finley’s made it feel as though Cousin Fungus was performing in their own driveway. As the music started the crowd edged its way forward toward the long-time devotees already lining the front of the stage. The set list consisted of fan favorites Other People, Earth Turns, and Find Your Pipe along with unique jam style cover versions of the Traffic instrumental Glad and Grand Funk Railroad’s I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home.) The first song, Fanfare for the Common Man, was played in homage to the late Keith Emerson from the Emerson Lake and Palmer Band and two new original songs. Birthday was introduced following a special celebratory birthday shout-out to a fan and the show closed with their latest and greatest, Caravan.

    Throughout the show heads bobbed and the dancing intensified with each crescendo. It was evident that the band was feeding off the effervescent energy of the crowd. Dennis sang with style as he passionately pounded the keys and Henry and Thomas grooved to the music flowing from their guitar and bass. Although Chris was hidden behind his drum kit at the back of the stage, his ever present and integral beats were “visible” during each and every song. The boys were in constant communication with each other as they flowed from song to song with smiles on their faces!

    Customers come to Finley’s for fun and fellowship, and of course its large selection of craft beers. Cousin Fungus fans come from near and far to hear amazing music with great friends. This particular night the crowd got it all – Finley’s definitely delivered as promised!

    cousin fungus Finley's*Who is Cousin Fungus??

    A Long Island based band that hails from Port Washington, NY the journey of Cousin Fungus began in the early 90’s as a Phish cover band called Stash. Made up of brothers Henry, Christian, and Thomas Stanziale on guitar, bass, and drums respectively, along with friends Gary Menkes on keys and Billy Zweirlein on vocals their first performance took place in the summer of 1993 and they continued to play weekly in Port Washington. In the fall of 1993, Dennis Belline made an appearance with the band on keys, and when Gary moved off of Long Island Dennis became an official member. The band played all throughout the Northeast building a fan base now spreading from Long Island to Syracuse, NY. In late 1996 they debuted their first original song Rejhi and by the summer of 1997 they were playing mainly original songs. In April 1997, while performing at Hungry Charlie’s near Syracuse University the band was surprised when Jon Fishman walked into the bar. They invited him to the stage where he jammed out with them for the Phish classics Wilson, Funky Bitch, Rocky Top, NICU, and Slave to the Traffic Light. He returned to the stage for the encore drumming to Stash’s rendition of Derek and the Dominos Love So Sad. In October 1997, as the band focus moved toward solely original songs Stash changed its name to St. Ash. In March 1998 Billy Zwerlein left St. Ash and in May 1998 with Dennis now on lead vocals they renamed themselves Cousin Fungus, after a lyric from the song Low Tide High, and recorded their first album Thoughts of a Moth, which was released in the fall of 1998.

    The fan base continued to grow throughout the Northeast and eventually expanded into the Mid-Atlantic. Cousin Fungus had intentions to get back into the recording studio in late 2000 but the album was delayed when Dennis Belline made the decision to leave the band. The Stanziale brothers continued to play as a threesome and in spring of 2001 Mike Sanchez joined Cousin Fungus on guitar and vocals. In 2002 they hit the studio with Mike to record Share the Air, which was released in December of the same year. In 2003 Cousin Fungus welcomed new keyboardist, Mike Sydor, and two months later Mike Sanchez moved on in his pursuits. They continued their musical career as a 4-piece band until their last show together in December 2004.

    Since 2005, with over a decade of performing, the original members of the band reconnected for surprise shows all over Long Island. Thomas, Henry, Chris, and Dennis revived Cousin Fungus in 2012 when they returned to the Long Island music scene playing sporadic shows throughout the year. Cousin Fungus has been exciting its loyal fan base with more regular performances in the last 3 years, even performing at private parties. To the delight of fans, Billy has made a few surprise appearances on vocals.

    Since 2012 Cousin Fungus has performed all over Long Island…and beyond. The band is hard at work writing original songs to add to its repertoire and new shows are announced every few months.

    Cousin Fungus never lets down its fans. Friends and family can be seen at every show and a new generation of fans is evolving, to include the children of each band member! As the Cousin Fungus family continues to grow, old and new fans alike can be found dancing and singing along to each and every song. Definitely take a listen to Thoughts of a Moth and Share the Air and be sure to check the CF Facebook page for show announcements. Get out to a local show and experience all that is Cousin Fungus – you won’t regret it!

    Set List – CF Finley’s Greene Street 4/2/16 :

    Fanfare, Photo’s, Other People, Glad, Find Your Pipe, Birthday, I’m Your Captain (Closer to home), Caravan

    Full Show Audio: Recorded by Patrick Kelly.

    EARTH TURNS: Video Recorded by Henry Stanziale

    GLAD: Video Recorded by Henry Stanziale

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-5
    CF FINAL WATERMARK-7

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-8

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-9 CF FINAL WATERMARK-11

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-12

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-13

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-16

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-17

    CF FINAL WATERMARK-18

  • The Budos Band Strikes at Brooklyn Bowl

    Slated for two nights at Brooklyn Bowl, the 9-piece Staten Island based Budos Band played to a small but excited crowd on Friday, April 1. Initially known for their instrumental funk and soul sound, The Budos Band has evolved into a darker and more psychedelic rock band. 

    This was evidenced on Friday night throughout their frenetic performance.  Drum, bass guitar, and percussion beats were deep and the organ bellowed. The horn section blared a noisy sound while lead guitarist Thomas Brenneck chaotically worked his way around the stage with his guitar in perpetual motion; at one point he even wedged the head of his guitar between two amps to distort its sound.

    Budos Band

    The Budos Band is certainly unique – soulful afro-beats shaken and stirred with psychedelic hard rock. I had expected to experience a relaxed show with funky beats, but instead was greeted with an unconventional loud, frenzied night of music.  The new sound of The Budos Band is upon us. Their fifth album, Burnt Offering, was recorded in Brooklyn and released in 2014 on Daptone Records. 

    Budos Band

    The Budos Band:
    Jared Tankel – baritone saxophone
    Thomas Brenneck – electric guitar
    John Carbonella Jr. – congas, drums
    Mike Deller – organ
    Daniel Foder – bass guitar
    Andrew Greene – trumpet
    Rob Lombardo – bongos, congas
    Brian Profilio – drums
    Dame Rodriguez – percussion

  • Wyclef Jean Takes on the Brooklyn Bowl, NY

    Grammy winning artist Wyclef Jean brought the house down Tuesday night during his second performance at the Brooklyn Bowl.  His DJ bumped the beats as Wyclef freestyled his way onto the stage mic in hand rhyming about Brooklyn, Haiti, politics and music…and even gave a shout out to the girl with the camera in the front row (that would be me!)  He wowed the crowd with eccentric dance moves, multiple costume changes, instrument maneuvers, and guitar rifts with his teeth.

    wyclef jean brooklyn bowlThe Bowl was energized from the moment Wyclef set foot on the stage. Cell phone cameras were in the air the entire night and fans were dancing in the bowling lanes as he weaved his way through tracks like “911” and “Hips Don’t Lie.”  During his new single “My Girl” with Sasha Mari, over 100 multi-colored flashing foam glow sticks were thrown into the crowd and fans from the front row were pulled onto the stage to dance with Clef and his backup dancers from Studio L Dance Co.  A fan favorite, “Killing Me Softly” was performed by Canadian jazz, pop, and soul singer Nikki Yanofsky, whose big voice filled the room over the sound of the crowd belting out of the lyrics with her.  Another special moment of the evening came when Wyclef welcomed his sister Melky onto the stage to perform a super soulful version of Leela James’ song “A Change is Gonna Come.”

    wyclef jean brooklyn bowlIt is evident why the Brooklyn Bowl added a second Wyclef show to their schedule.  He is a passionate performer who lights up a room with his talents.  He remains relevant to his fans and is always looking for the next big thing.  Be sure to keep your eyes out for his new album Carnival III which is expected to release mid-September.

  • Wyclef Jean To Perform Encore Performance At The Brooklyn Bowl

    What happens when founding member of the Fugees, and solo artist Wyclef Jean makes an appearance to a full house at the Brooklyn Bowl, NY on Tuesday March 22, 2016? The crowd obviously couldn’t get enough, so due to popular demand the Brooklyn Bowl has added a second show with Wyclef Jean on Tuesday March 29, 2016.

    wyclef jean brooklynDon’t miss your opportunity to see this legendary Grammy award winning artist. Doors to open Tuesday at 6pm, with show beginning at 8pm.  Tickets are available for those 21 and over for $25.