NYS Music 20​16

Category: Reviews

  • Show Review: Baroness and Youth Code at The Lost Horizon

    This past week was truly a memorable night of music at the famed Lost Horizon. Baroness who is currently on tour in support of their new album “Purple” made a stop in Syracuse on Wednesday night. Joining Baroness was break out Industrial punk duo from Los Angeles, Youth Code. What separates Youth Code from modern industrial bands is that they use instruments and not computers to generate their “industrial” sound. It was a very unique experience. I expect that they will continue to rapidly grow their fan base based on what I heard.

    Baroness played a very moving and intense set. The set included mostly selections off their current album “Purple” such as “Kerosene,” “Chlorine and Wine” and one that I really wanted to hear: “Desperation Burns.”  The band played a very heavy set before concluding with an encore of “Take My Bones Away” leaving the crowd wanting more!

    One thing I enjoy about attending shows other than live music is getting the opportunity to collaborate with other photographers. Please enjoy the selection of photos that were taken by Cathy Bechle of NYS Music and myself.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoBWAIKkopM

  • Tedeschi Trucks Band Pulls Into Syracuse and Leaves It All On Stage

    As the buses made their way down Montgomery Street towards the Crouse Hinds Theater, The Tedeschi Trucks Band began to prepare for an evening of what would become an epic night of music to a sold out venue in Syracuse.

    Opening the evening to the packed crowd was Amy Helm.  Amy hails from Woodstock and with music in her bloodline, from the moment she took the stage, she began to play and sing and own the crowd.  With her trio of Handsome Strangers, made up of guitarist Daniel Littleton, bassist Byron Isaacs and drummer David Berger, this most talented group of musicians played and sang like a well oiled machine.

    Amy’s style of music can best be described as contagious.  As you watch her perform, it’s as though the music is progressing from her toes, making its way through her body and pouring out with full emotion and electricity.  The versatility of sound she displays is also noteworthy.  Her music fluctuates from soulful and moody to a rockabilly jive with a seamless transition, providing a tantalizing variety of tastes pleasing to everyone. As Helm’s delivery drew the audience in, the rest of the band delivered a one-two punch of a percussive background beat, a funkadelic bass line and sick guitar solos that brought the audience to their feet.  Just as they finished their solos, Amy stepped back up to the mic and hit everyone with a knockout vocal punch, sealing people’s fates as fans forever. To say she is amazing doesn’t seem like quite enough.

    It was the moment she dedicated “Gloryland”, a song taught to her by her father who passed in 2012, to those waiting on the other side that really moved me most.  This acoustic number, in perfect harmony with her Handsome Strangers, sent chills down my spine and left not a dry eye in the audience.  Levon Helm, your daughter is amazing and you taught her well.

    As Helm exited the stage for the main act to appear, the audience grew with anticipation before the lights dimmed and Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) took the stage.  This large ensemble took up the whole stage and, although a large production, each member is a specific ingredient within a recipe of musical genius.  With the husband and wife team of Derek Trucks on guitar and Susan Tedeschi on guitar and vocals out in front, they surrounded themselves with some of the most talented musicians in the business.  On keyboards and flute was Kofi Burbridge, drums and percussion featured Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson, bass guitar work was provided by Tim Lefebvre and on harmony vocals was the trio of Mike Mattison, Mark Rivers, and Alecia Chakour.  The horns rounded out the team with Kebbi Williams on saxophone, Elizabeth Lea on trombone and Ephraim Owens on trumpet. This amazing group of musicians are one in themselves talented and together they blended seamlessly, but not overpoweringly, as they accompanied Tedeschi and Trucks on their play out front.

    Never having seen this amazing band before, the bar had been set high from all the hype I’ve heard.  Although eager to see what all the fuss was about, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I purposely didn’t listen to any music beforehand so that my initial response was pure and in the moment.  As they began to play, I was mesmerized by Susan’s voice.  Her no nonsense approach to attacking each note was confident and strong.  She was a woman that knew what she wanted to sing and play and that she did.  As her husband Derek accompanied her on his guitar, the strings would sing.  Together they melded into one sound.

    I would classify TTB as a multi-genre act.  They were funky, bluesy, rocking, and soulful.  They encompassed sounds and transitioned from one sound to the next without effort or pause.  I found Susan Tedeschi’s vocals real and raw. She has the ability to reach in and grab your soul while she sings and plays. As they played “Sky Is Crying” , it was as though she and Derek were making love with their guitars right in front of you.  They matched note for note with a fervor that grew and exploded into one of the most moving pieces of the evening.  I almost felt as though I was intruding on their moment and witnessing something meant for just the two of them. It was spectacular.

    It was apparent all night that as they played, these fans in the audience were just as in love with them as I was.  My favorite moment of the night was when Tedeschi asked her singer Alecia Chakour and Amy Helm to join her onstage for “Color of the Blues”, an amazing acoustic number.  There was so much talent in that group that it blew me away.

    It was an honor to cover this show and now I get it.  I get the hype, the build up and the all the legends I had heard.  The show was amazing and definitely lived up and surpassed my expectations.

    Setlist Tedeschi Trucks Band: Laugh About It, Anyhow, I Want More, Midnight in Harlem, Just As Strange, Right on Time, Let Me Get By, Sky is Crying, Color of the Blues (joined by Amy Helm and Alecia Chakour), Keep on Growing, Going Down to Mexico, Bound for Glory, Idle Wind. Encore: Don’t Let Me Slide, I Cannot Make It

  • X Ambassadors Play to a Sold out Town Ballroom

    Tuesday in the heart of the Buffalo theater district Town Ballroom had a sold out crowd that was going to be highly entertained by X Ambassadors and some top of the line indie bands. Sara Hartman was the opener for the night; she is originally stems from NY but moved to Berlin in recent years. She brought her Berlin band mates with her as they were fresh off the plane. Despite having a couple technical difficulties they still put on a solid performance. I expect to see great things from her in the coming years.

    Savoir Adore was co headliners Tuesday and it was like something I haven’t quite experienced before. They are mixture of pop and indie. Main vocalist Hammer was highly energetic and combined with Muros soft voice it reminds me of the chemistry between Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis of July Talk. The other band mates sing as well and for the most part it blends and is pleasing to the ear, but some of it was a little overdone and not necessary for everyone to be joining in.

    X Ambassadors—a soul funk band who started out in Ithaca, NY. If Sam Harris wasn’t enough to look at, his brother Casey Harris, over on the keyboard certainly was. I give him a notable mention for executing dinosaur-like; leg pounding dance moves while pulverizing the keys for the entire duration the show.
    Sam started playing the sax on Love Songs Drug Songs, proving that everyone loves some saxophone. Harris told the crowd that if they knew the lyrics to Renegades to sing along and the maybe the audience had just seen the Jeep commercial enough but during the chorus enough people actually sang the words to let Harris hold the microphone out to them. You could definitely distinguish by the participation of the crowd who have been lifelong members or Ambassadors to those who only know their top hits.

    Regardless of how long you have been following them everyone walked away entertained that night by the high energy performance they put out.

  • Twiddle, Tauk, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu Combine for an Epic Night at The Capitol Theatre

    Take the fastest rising jamband in recent years, add in a hot prog-rock band boiling over with talent, a classically trained pianist performing the music of Phish and The Grateful Dead, and a cross-genre reggae singer and you have the fixings for one of the best nights of live music The Capitol Theatre has seen this year, and that’s saying a lot., with Twiddle, Tauk, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu to credit.

    Twiddle Tauk Holly Bowling

    The night began with Holly Bowling’s performance at Garcia’s, a benefit for The White Light Foundation, Twiddle’s charitable wing. Being that this was Garcia’s, Bowling offered a spirited mashup of “Help on the Way” > “Slipknot” > “Theme from the Bottom” > “Franklins Tower” and a full Terrapin Station suite. Phish’s “Taste”, a newer addition to her repertoire was full of energy, as was the set closing “Harry Hood”, which found Twiddle keyboardist Ryan Dempsey joining for the latter portion of the song, leading to true keyboard cavalry between the two who enjoyed the dual experience immensely as evidenced by their ear to ear grins.

    The remarkable talent of TAUK is something that continues to translate well directly from their studio albums, with an exclamation point placed firmly upon their music in the live setting. Fans gaped in awe at the musicianship performing an opening hour long set. “Eleanor Rigby” -> “In Bloom” capped off their set, a familiar appearance in setlists, and  one that beckons for more variety from this quartet who have immense talent contained within to stretch into unfamiliar territory.

    While a sell out of the Capitol Theatre is a goal for any rising or established band, it’s not like Twiddle hasn’t played to larger audiences. The rally around the band by the fanbase created an electric feel with familiar faces everywhere, even of those who are uninitiated to the music or skeptical of the group. The fans, these ‘Twiddlers’ (among the variety of names they have for each other – Frends, Twiddiots, Twiddlenauts, etc…) are what draws in attention to the band, as much as the band itself does. Like any mass following of a musician, the community that rallies around them is reflective of the music, and the base has the emotive welcoming personality found in Twiddle’s music. There is a syncopation between the music and the fans, something observed last year after attending four Twiddle shows over three months.

    The “Blunderbuss” opener caught many off guard, as it was a debut fresh from the upcoming Plump Chapter 2, and a tight instrumental at that. The “Polluted Beauty” jam was driven by Gubb’s bass and Brooke’s drums, with an impressive funk jam that developed in “Wasabi Eruption” that was a highlight of the first set. Then “The Box” showed up and built off that energy; the build and electronic tone is the reason why “The Box” stands out as one of Twiddle’s strongest jam vehicles.

    The all too familiar reggae sound of Twiddle was front and center in the set closing “Lost in the Cold.” It served as the perfect song for Matisyahu to join on with vocals, an unforced and natural fit, after having expressed admiration for the band. Following his contribution to “Lost in the Cold,” he took off his jacket and upon getting fans on the floor to put their hands up, he unexpectedly stage dove into the crowd. You don’t see this at jamband shows, or really any non-punk/metal show for that matter. It was a headscratcher as we headed into setbreak, but the energy from the set hardly dissipated.

    A five song second set opened with “Grandpa Fox,” a little proggy no nonsense starter. And when there was a need for funk to keep it rolling, there was a driving funk, like in “Apples,” which featured a Michael Jackson medley and a severe dub jam as well. You gotta like this song. “Snycopated Healing” chilled things out with music to sway to, but “Frankenfoote” picked things up. Dempsey played the keys with his toes on this light, traditional Twiddle song, and one that is easily accessible to rookie fans. The encore began with a truly gracious Mihali giving thanks to the moms in attendance as well as the fans who sold out the Capitol Theatre only an hour before doors opened. With that, fans were treated to a bouncy “Zazu’s Flight” > “Hatti’s Jam” and “When it Rains, it Poors.”

    Throughout this truly enjoyable show, the one aspect that I kept returning to was that despite the great deal of talent in the band, both individually and collectively, there are some spots where they play too few notes and could fill in some space, as brief but critical as those spaces may be. A lot of notes isn’t a bad thing.

    This show at The Capitol Theatre was enough to wash away any bias and open eyes to see that Twiddle is a reset button on the jam scene, one in which they are strong advocates for the rising stars of the next wave of live bands. The history, the venue, and the centrality of location right off Interstates 95 and 87 led to their biggest NYC area venue show to date. The Beacon is the new goalpost in the continued domination of the band in Northeast markets.

  • Hearing Aide: Jerry Joseph ‘By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars’

    Jerry Joseph is an American indie rock icon. Playing guitar professionally from an early age, he’s never been uncomfortable expressing exactly how he feels through his music and lyrics. It comes as no surprise then, that his newest offering, By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars, sees a meaningful development much in the same direction as his last self-titled LP,  released in 2013.

    By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars

    Ten new tracks, including one previously released single “Fog of War,” culminate in an album that appeases long time listeners while sporting a flavor that cultivates new fans.

    Joseph’s minimalist sound manages to cut through today’s overly complex musical landscape. His alternative influences are clear on this album especially, sounding a bit like Elvis Costello meets Leonard Cohen. The lyrics throughout are really more like poetry or prose, touching on subjects such as the environment, friendship, and mortality. The album’s title comes from a sobering conversation that Joseph had with his son, who reminded him that even if humans do manage to land on Mars, Joseph and his generation very well may not be around to see it. The title track, “Mars”, has a somber overtone that represents the general message of the album quite well.

    This isn’t to say there aren’t some upbeat head-bobbers in there as well. “Light of Stone” and “Brother#1” both have a delightfully bluesy tinge to them. The song arrangement certainly makes By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars an interesting listen from front to back, providing inspiring peaks and (more often) lugubrious valleys throughout.

    With tour dates set in June with his band the Jackmormons, Jerry Joseph continues his legacy of true rock and roll grit. By the Time Your Rocket Gets to Mars is an absolute must-own for fans of the man and the genre.

    Key tracks: Mars, Brother#1, Fog of War

  • Albany’s Move Redefines Music Festivals

    Close your eyes and picture the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words “music festival.” It’s a safe bet that you’re picturing an outdoor stage, maybe a few. Maybe there’s an accompanying camping area with tents as far as the eye can see. And there’s definitely food and merchant vendors lining the parameter of the grounds. Now erase those images from your mind, because the Move Music Festival in Albany, NY is nothing like this.

    Move Music FestivalYes, the fifth annual festival held April 22 – 24 featured 100 artists in myriad genres ranging from bluegrass to funk and on to reggae. But with 10 venues in locations across “SmAlbany,” ticket holders have free range in the city with the added comfort of knowing they have their own bed to look forward to at the end of the night.

    Bands included The Arkells, Food Will Win the War, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad,  New Madrid, Roots of Creation, The Big Takeover, Hard Soul, The Titanics, Eastbound Jesus, The Parlor, Mirk and tons more.

    While some venues did feature outdoor stages under tents, the majority of acts at this Indian ledge Music Group production made home to indoor stages at small to moderate sized bars.

    More than live music performances, Move not only gives exposure to regional talent but it provides musicians with insight on how to conduct their careers in today’s independent music scene. In addition to live performances, artist are able to participate in interactive panels with industry professionals to help with the development, management and progression of their music careers.

    With so many acts and venues, the Move Music Festival is best experienced firsthand, but below you can re-visit some of the acts that rocked Albany in April.

  • Tight Reggae Riffs At The Tralf With Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad

    In what’s become an almost annual event now,  Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (GPGDS) passed through the Tralf Music Hall in Buffalo on April 16th.

    Level 7 started the night off playing some funk by George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, as well as other classic funk and hip hop. Their lyricist had a good stage presence, and got the early crowd into it. He also sat in with GPGDS for a song during their 2nd set. GPGDS makes such mellow, happy and easy going music. It’s the type of sound that a fan of any genre of music can get into and enjoy. That Saturday night at The Tralf was no different; as soon as they hit the stage the crowd started moving. They put on a great show for the hometown crowd that night. Their tour continued on afterwards but they expressed a few times how good it was to be back home for the night.

    Overall, it was a great night of music. Panda kept their momentum rolling in between sets. They hit the stage for their second set and started right where they left off as they brought The Tralf alive that night. No complaints from my end. How can you complain when you get 2 live sets of a riveting act like GPGDS for less than the price of a tank of gas?

  • Dream Theater Presents ‘The Astonishing’ At Radio City Music Hall

    Not too far off Broadway a production hit Radio City Music Hall. Was it a concert?  A theatrical production? Yes. A homecoming show for most of the band members, Dream Theater ‘The Astonishing’ tour made a stop at the famed concert hall – a well-fitting venue for this show in particular.

    Dream Theater

    The band veered off their beaten path to try something a little different while delivering the progressive metal sound they helped define. This tour caught some fans off guard at first, disappointed some who had set their own expectations in advance, and grabbed the attention of the rest.

    Dream Theater presented their epic rebuttal to Rush’s 2112 and distant cousin of Queensrÿche’s Operation: Mindcrime, The Astonishing, in its entirety. The album was recently released on January 29, making it very fresh with some time still needed to take in the 130-minute long monster. Regardless, a start-to-finish live presentation was quite fitting for a tour in support of the album’s release.

    dream theater the astonishingThe show had plenty of the staples of a Dream Theater performance: Petrucci carrying out his psycho exercises on guitar, Mangini’s big drum sound, and Rudess’ busy keyboard lines. Given the presentation of the music the show was very scripted and the focus was split on following the story behind the music. Those looking for the typical Dream Theater experience may have found a slice of it but will have to wait until the next tour. They stuck to their guns with presenting just The Astonishing, with no encore of other material.

    The story behind The Astonishing is set in a futuristic version of the United States where music is made entirely by machines (NOMACs). Its plot follows the good guys (Ravenskill Rebel Militia) as they try to overthrow the bad guys (Great Northern Empire of the Americas). The progression of the story is told as the songs weave between ballads and Dream Theater’s trademark sound. The album version is fully orchestrated beyond just the five-piece band, something that was perfectly transposed to the stage through live programming.

    The live presentation of the story of The Astonishing was well executed. It maintained a balance between concert and theatrics, weighted more heavily toward the concert component. The projections accompanied the music and helped convey the songs rather than taking a place at the forefront of the show. Maintaining the futuristic dystopian appeal the show occasionally felt like a walk-through of  the video game Portal. For those who have no idea what that is, let’s leave it that the show had a rather technological feel to it.

    Though it was a different show than the typical for Dream Theater, it was an interesting change of pace to have a combination of music and story. Going into the show without a thorough understanding of the story and the right mindset was a slight distraction from the music. Despite this, Dream Theater’s performance of The Astonishing was well thought-out and seeing it a second time would make it more enjoyable than it already was.

  • David Gilmour Mesmerizes NYC for Three Nights at Two World-Famous Concert Halls

    After almost immediately selling out one show at Madison Square Garden, the voice of Pink Floyd added a second night, and with the ticket demand still high, added a third night at Radio City Music Hall last month. David Gilmour recently concluded the North American portion of his Rattle That Lock world tour at the two famous NYC concert venues, and the rock legend mesmerized audience members fortunate enough to score tickets for one, two or even all three nights with his iconic guitar work. Photos by Carl Scheffel/MSG Photos

     

    david gilmour madison square gardenGilmour’s NYC run began at Radio City on April 10 with many ticket holders still in line outside on 50th St. as he struck the first notes of “5 A.M.” Aside from this minor setback, the experience of this performance was quite special. The acoustics in the 6,000-seat music hall created a big, clean sound that washed over and enveloped every seat. Rather than a typical concert feel, the  aesthetics of this performance made it seem like Gilmour was playing an intimate home living room show.

    On the other hand, the arena setting of Madison Square Garden created a larger-than-life rock concert atmosphere for Gilmour’s performance. Not as cozy of a setting as Radio City, the crowd feel was looser and livelier. If we were to compare the two venues for an act such as Foo Fighters, MSG would likely claim the title for best event. However, the experience of Radio City was unsurpassed for seeing such a legend as Gilmour.

    The set list for all three shows remained the same, save for a swap of “On An Island” and “The Girl in the Yellow Dress” during the second set. While it would have been interesting to hear more variety between each night, there were no complaints in having more opportunities to absorb the solos on “High Hopes” and “Comfortably Numb,” just to name a few. Gilmour’s overall selection of songs covered a palatable range of Pink Floyd classics and his 2006 and 2015 solo releases.

    david gilmour madison square gardenBefore claiming disgruntlement for the sets not including more Pink Floyd staples, it’s important to remember that these weren’t Pink Floyd shows, as some MSG concert-goers expected. The new songs appearing on Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock were met with mixed paces of acceptance (typical for an artist’s first live performance of new material), but for the dedicated Gilmour/Pink Floyd fans, his shows hit the mark and lived up to expectations.

    The fundamental anticipations of Gilmour’s NYC run were his extraordinary guitar work, performed on his Workmate (1955 Fender Esquire), The Black Strat (1969 Fender Stratocaster) and his Jedson lap steel, among others. Whenever the cue came that Gilmour was about to break into his solo, cheers erupted before he even started. Particularly during “High Hopes,” the audience melted into their seats as Gilmour backed away from the front of the stage to take a seat at his lap steel. Gilmour’s big intro on “Sorrow” knocked everyone back as it inflated Radio City’s art deco ceiling and shook some dust from MSG’s recently renovated canopy. The only disappointment was that “Comfortably Numb” did not last all night.

    david gilmour madison square gardenJoining Gilmour on this tour were many of the musicians who recorded on Rattle That Lock and some who have performed with him on previous tours, including the final Pink Floyd tour. To his right, the Roxy Music alumnus and renowned writer/producer Phil Manzanara complemented Gilmour’s guitar lines. Also joining Gilmour were Jon Carin and Kevin McAlea (keys), Steve DiStanislao (drums), João de Macedo Mello (saxes), Guy Pratt (bass) and Bryan Chambers, Louise Marshall and Lucy Jules (backing vocals). Although Gilmour remained in the spotlight, members from his tight-knit backing band occasionally took the lead or shared part in vocals Chambers’ memorable lead in the chorus of “In Any Tongue.”

    On the visual front, lighting designer Marc Brickman and his crew nicely balanced painting a canvas behind the songs without over-dramatizing, and threw in a few clever chases from the lights around the moon screen that played on its geometry. Though the stage took a very similar form to Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell tour in 1994, it fit well for Gilmour’s solo performance.

    If Gilmour’s shows were entirely about his guitar work, it wouldn’t be the mark of a well-rounded performance. Several moments throughout the show made it wholesome in that regard. The simple guitar duet “Wish You Were Here” solicited a 6,000- and 18,000-person sing-along (heard all the way down in the Financial District) that joined the audience together early in the set. “Money” took a funky turn after de Macedo Mello’s roaring sax solo as Gilmour doodled over his rhythm section, ending the song in full energy. The driving performances of “Astronomy Dominé” and the vocal call-and-response of Gilmour and Pratt on “Run Like Hell” breathed life into the second set, and also nicely bookended the set with two distinct periods in Pink Floyd history.

    MSG may have been particularly subdued for the jazz-driven “The Girl in the Yellow Dress,” but the change in pace showed a songwriting side of Gilmour not seen before and gave de Macedo Mello an opportunity to show his chops in a more conventional setting. On a more serious subject, some found themselves transfixed on the animated video set to “In Any Tongue,” a very powerful and personal song resonating with those affected by recent wars. With so many moments speaking louder than words, we’ll have to wait for a DVD of one of his tour stops to be released to speak for itself (though video of another venue cannot enumerate the experience precipitated by Madison Square Garden and Radio City).

    While this will likely be Gilmour’s last big tour as hinted in his Rolling Stone interview last year, it hopefully won’t be the last the U.S. will see of him. After cheers of “David! David!” following “Comfortably Numb” on his final night at MSG, Gilmour concluded his thank-yous with, “we’ll see you again one of these days.” With Roger Waters performing The Wall at Yankee Stadium in 2013 and Gilmour’s three nights in NYC in 2016, many bucket lists for younger Pink Floyd fans now have a few more checkmarks. Regardless of whether or not Gilmour will again gift stages here in New York with his presence, these three nights will be remembered forever.

    Gilmour continues his Rattle That Lock tour in Europe, including two nights on July 7 and 8 at the Pompeii Roman Amphitheatre, where Pink Floyd’s Live at Pompeii was recorded, and several evenings at The Royal Albert Hall, London, in September.

    Set 1: 5 A.M., Rattle That Lock, Faces of Stone, Wish You Were Here, What Do You Want From Me, A Boat Lies Waiting, The Blue, Money, Us and Them, In Any Tongue, High Hopes

    Set 2: Astronomy Dominé, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Fat Old Sun, Coming Back To Life, On An Island*/The Girl In The Yellow Dress**, Today, Sorrow, Run Like Hell

    Encore: Time->Breathe (Reprise), Comfortably Numb

    *Radio City Music Hall only
    **Madison Square Garden only

  • In Focus: The New Mastersounds and Moon Hooch, Higher Ground

    The New Mastersounds and Moon Hooch layed out their deep and funky grooves for the crowded Burlington scene, at Higher Ground Ballroom on April 22nd. TNMS consists of Simon Allen on drums, Eddie Roberts on guitar, Pete Shand on bass and Joe Tatton on keys.

    new mastersounds moon hoochMoon Hooch opened up the night, riling up the crowd with their wild stirring of energy-their presence far exceeding any opener I’ve ever seen. Wenzl McGowen played what seemed to be a non-stop flow of contrabass clarinet, as well as baritone saxophone-along with Mike Wilbur on tenor saxophone and clarinet-dueling at points, as they are known to do. James Muschler on drums, maintained a strong presence throughout the entire show, steadily anchoring the rhythm. At one point he made his way to the corner of the drum-kit stage, to sit and play a very special and beautiful set of bongos. Just when no one was expecting it, Wilbur began belting out lyrics that were enough to shake the ground-the sentiments were shedding light on the truth of current political and environmental issues.

    They took over the stage, by the end leaving the crowd wondering if they were the main act. These guys have been building momentum for some time now, and seem to be focusing their energy towards a conscious revolution through their music. Not only do they put on a show that will leave you wanting for more, but they also share their philosophical beliefs, as well as sustainable cooking advice (“Cooking in the Cave”, see their website). If you haven’t experienced Moon Hooch yet, they are one that you absolutely do not want to miss if you get the chance-it’s sure to be a unique and mind-opening experience. In reference to their sound:

    “Listening to this music, it’s easy to become emotionally invested….the emotional impact on both the musicians and their fans is visceral and undeniable.” –www.moonhooch.com

    Once Moon Hooch finished the transition of the atmosphere from their incredible performance, to the anticipation of The New Mastersounds taking the stage, was quite clear. The energy was so strong, I could feel it pulsating in the air.

    Starting off on a high note, these four kept the crowds energy rising with their sound, forming a wave of dancing fans from the beginning of the show until the close of the evening. They played with ease, collectively moving in and out from one soulful tune to the next. The vibe they created was effortlessly smooth, funky and rhythmic. Halfway through, Shand dropped a bass-line with a reggae feel to it, with Roberts following it to transform it into a funky flow, transitioning back and forth. It was at this point that Allen really started wailing on his drums, in turn pushing Tatton to speed it up-to then slow it back down to the rock-steady feel. Through this weaving of complex movement, it was obvious to see that these guys have a chemistry that reverberates through their entire composition as a group.

    You’ll find them playing shows all over the U.S. this year-from the south, to the west coast, and as far as Japan. They’ll be making a few stops in N.Y. towards the close of May and the early part of June, and popping up at well known festivals this coming summer such as Summer Camp Music Festival: Chillicothe, IL, Mountain Jam 2016: Hunter Mountain, NY, and Electric Forest: Rothbury, MI, just to name a few.

    A little tidbit about their style:

    “From their inception nearly two decades ago in Leeds, UK, The New Mastersounds have wholeheartedly embraced the “old school” label—their sound rooted deeply in those classic soul jazz, boogaloo and funk albums on labels such as Blue Note and Prestige by artists like Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Lou Donaldson. The New Mastersounds’ latest LP, The Nashville Session, takes that devotion one step further by recording in the same tradition that many of those rare groove gems were made“

    “The New Mastersounds are at the very top of an elite selection of acts that bring the true soul out of funk.” www.newmastersounds.com

    The pairing of The New Mastersounds and Moon Hooch was genius-two incredible groups, bringing distinctly different, yet equally enticing and skillful performances to the table.