NYS Music 20​16

Author: NYS Music Staff

  • NYS Music’s March Madness 2016: The Final Four

    We started with 64 New York bands who have a strong presence and fan base, and are ready to make a name for themselves outside their respective music scenes. These fresh faces are spreading over many genres and all over The Empire State.  After 4 rounds of voting 64 has been whittled down to four. For the sake of 2016 March Madness jargon, “The Final Four.”

    Throughout this tournament the voting has been the closest that we’ve ever seen.  More than a few match-ups ended up at 51% to 49% splits. Many more ended with a margin of less than 10% of the vote.  It goes to prove our local music scenes are alive and well, regardless of the city or genre.

    Buffalo Iron Works, Funk ‘n Waffles, The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, and The Waterhole each sponsored a regional bracket this year and a winner has been named in each of their brackets.

    Match-up 1 will be the Iron Works winner: Sly Fox and the Hustlers (blues funk rock) versus the
    Funk ‘n Waffles winner: Folkfaces (folk jazz).

    Sly Fox and the Hustlers is a high-energy blues/funk band band out of the Capital Region. The band formed in 2010 and has shared the stage with many notable names within their genre, such as Blues Traveler, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robin Trower, and Soulive’s Sam Kininger.  Their latest full-length LP American Gypsy was released earlier this year and is available on their website.

    Folkfaces mixes of folk, jazz, and blues into an upbeat blend perfect for letting loose.  The band calls the Buffalo area home and have recently released their single “Institution Blues” off their album Freedom Fries. The band lists a wide variety of influences, from French guitarist Django Reinhardt to American folk legend Woody Guthrie, and the more contemporary Tedeschi Trucks Band.

    The second match-up is The Hollow Bar and Kitchen winner: Sprocket (jam) versus The Waterhole region finals give us: Big Mean Sound Machine (Afrobeat/dance)

    Brooklyn’s jam quartet, Sprocket, was conceived in late 2011 and didn’t work their way out of the city scene until 2014. They released their debut album Tropical Bushwick last March and have headlined NYC’s The Knitting Factory, Webster Hall Studio, and the Mercury Lounge.

    Big Mean Sound Machine hails from Ithaca and tours with more members than the other three Final Four bands combined, a full stage of 13 touring members.  Their unique Afrobeat, dance, funk combination has been together since 2009, but has seemed to be catching fire as of late.  They are currently touring the East Coast.

    The Final Four voting begins at 12 noon EST on Tuesday, March 22 and closes at midnight on Thursday, March 24. The Final Round voting begins at 12 noon on Friday, March 25 and we close Sunday, March 27, at midnight. Vote now for your favorites!

    Check back for our final two Friday at noon!

  • 2016 March Madness – Elite Eight

    We are into the fourth round of NYS Music’s March Madness 2016 and our field has been whittled down to just 8 bands from across New York State! This friendly tournament style competition runs through the month of March.  Our goal is to bring new bands that you might not know about, but should, to your attention.

    The last round was the closest ever with the widest spread being only 43% to 56% and a few races were separated by only 1 or 2%.  Let’s hope this round proves to be equally as exciting.

    We hit every corner of New York State from Long Island to Buffalo, The Catskills to the North Country and all points in between. NYS Music March Madness is a great way to discover a new and upcoming band and also to show your support and love for bands you see often. Established bands who have gained a larger audience are not included in this year’s March Madness. Instead, the bands who are on the cusp of greatness are the stars of this year’s tournament. There was only room for 64 but we made the tough choices and put in a wide variety for fans to choose from, there truly is something for everyone.

    The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Buffalo Iron Works, Funk n Waffles and The Waterhole each sponsored a regional bracket this year. And this round those brackets will each have their winner as we enter into the Final Four next week.  These venues represent the best of what New York State has to offer and they celebrate music by allowing local and touring bands to perform for growing scenes across the state.

    The Iron Works region finals are:

    Blind Owl Band (jamgrass) vs Sly Fox and the Hustlers (blues funk rock)

    Funk n Waffles final matchups are:

    Waydown Wailers (roots rock) vs Folk Faces (folk jazz)

    The Hollow Bar and Kitchen region has:

    Sprocket (jam) vs Northern Faces (indie)

    The Waterhole region finals give us:

    Chris James & Mama G (Ameribeat) vs Big Mean Sound Machine (Afrobeat/dance)

    Round 4, or the Elite Eight, voting begins at 12 noon EST on Friday, March 18 and closes at midnight on Sunday, March 20. Final Four voting begins at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 18 for the regional champions. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!

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  • The Sweet Sixteen of NYS Music 2016 March Madness

    We are into Round 3 of NYS Music’s March Madness and our field is down to 16 bands from across New York State! This friendly tournament style competition runs throughout the month of March, bringing new bands you should know about to your attention.

    These are bands you might not know about, but should know about. Recommended for inclusion in our field of 64 by the NYS Music staff, we hit every corner of New York State from Long Island to Buffalo, The Catskills to the North Country and all points in between. NYS Music March Madness is a great way to discover a new and upcoming band and also to show your support and love for bands you see often. Established bands who have gained a massive audience are not included in this year’s March Madness. Instead, the bands who are on the cusp of greatness are the stars of this year’s tournament. There was only room for 64 but we made some great choices and picked a wide array of genres to offer you competition.

    We’d like to thank The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Buffalo Iron Works, Funk n Waffles and The Waterhole for each sponsoring a regional bracket this year. These venues represent the best of what New York State has to offer and they all celebrate music by allowing local and touring bands to perform for growing scenes across the state.

    Third round matchups in the Iron Works region include:

    Stellar Young (Indie) vs Blind Owl Band (jamgrass)
    Sophistafunk (funk hip/hop) vs Sly Fox and the Hustlers (blues funk rock)

    Funk n Waffles third round matchups are:

    Waydown Wailers (roots rock) vs Subsoil (psychedelic hip hop)
    Folk Faces (folk jazz) vs Annie In the Water (acoustic rock)

    The Hollow Bar and Kitchen region has:

    Sprocket (jam) vs Let’s Be Leonard (jam)
    Mister F (prog jam rock) vs Northern Faces (indie)

    The Waterhole region brings together these matchups:

    Super Killer Robots (rock) vs Chris James & Mama G (Ameribeat)
    Big Mean Sound Machine (Afrobeat/dance) vs Formula 5 (funk jam)

    Round 3 voting begins at 12 noon EST on Tuesday, March 15 and closes at midnight on Thursday, March 17. Round 4 voting begins at 12 noon on Friday, March 18 for the remaining 8 teams. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!

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