Category: Show Reviews

Foreigner Opens Their Much Anticipated Acoustic Tour at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA

The legendary multi-Grammy and American Music Award nominated band Foreigner, who has over 80 million worldwide album sales and remains one of the best selling and recognized bands of all time, made the much anticipated premier of their 2016 acoustic tour opening at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA on Friday October 21, 2016.

Foreigner announced earlier this year that they would be kicking off a month long acoustic tour running from October 21st through November 19th with a special and historical stop at the famed Carnegie Hall in New York City. However, Wilkes-Barre, PA would be the launching point for this long awaited, intimate, stripped down acoustic tour.

There were no drum risers or drum kits, multi tiered keyboard stands, stacks of amps, electric guitars or the highly energetic full impact punch of a regular Foreigner show which typically includes lots of stage energy, running, and jumping along with guitar and drum solos. Instead, the atmosphere was very intimate and relaxed with six white stools lit with moody spots, several acoustic guitars on stands and a few tables with water bottles waiting for the band. The table next to Kelly Hansen, lead singer, had a few hand held percussion instruments he used throughout the set.

Scheduled for an 8 p.m. start time, guests started arriving at the historical venue around 6 p.m. where the VIP guests were treated with a special meet and greet with the band before the start of the show. Most guests interviewed related a sense of being a part of a special night and feeling the venue and band members themselves made them feel like they were part of the show, relaxed and humbled being a part of the premier of the acoustic tour.

At 8 p.m. Foreigners tour manager Phil Carson walked out on stage to the sold out crowd at the F.M. Kirby Center and announced the band. As the band members walked out waving and giving peace signs to the crowd, Mick Jones, one of Foreigners founding and only original member, walked out and greeted the audience with two hands waved overhead. The audience was going wild over the fact that Mick was in attendance for tonight’s performance. Mick, who has not toured regularly with the band much this summer, was definitely a nice surprise for all the Foreigner fans. All the band members seemed to sense the excitement and anticipation of the crowd and the historic significance their performance would have on the audience with a feeling of grace and gratitude shared between themselves and the crowd.

After the warm greeting, the band made their way to their respective chairs on stage from left to right, Michael Bluestein on a Kurzweil electric piano, Bruce Watson on guitars, mandolin, Dobro, banjo and more, Mick Jones on guitar, Kelly Hansen on vocals, Jeff Pilson on bass and guitars and Thom Gimbel on guitars, flute, sax and bass.

Kelly and Mick each said a few words thanking the crowd for being a part of this special intimate and emotional night, about the inception of the acoustic album largely giving credit to bassist Jeff Pilson before beginning their first song of their fifteen song set, “Double Vision.” The band performed flawlessly, as expected, giving the crowd a different flavor on this Foreigner classic hit. Mick got into a little singer-songwriter mode for the next song talking about when he first came to the “Big Apple” in the 1970’s after being in a few bands prior to forming Foreigner in 1976 with former lead singer Lou Gramm. He discussed the inspiration for the next song, “Long, Long Way From Home,” which featured Thom Gimbel on amazing saxophone. Next up was the popular song “Say You Will.” At times throughout the night, the band had emotional and intimate interactions with the crowd talking about the history, the members and inspiration for the songs. This being the 40th anniversary of Foreigner made it even more special as Mick talked about the ups and downs, trials and tribulations and various band members over the last 40 years.

Throughout the night, the mood was fun and relaxed with some joking and a bit of roasting of some band members by each other. Again, there was nothing fancy in regards to stage theatrics, lighting, lasers, smoke machines or loud electric amps and guitars – just the music and the stories. Really, in all respects, the only thing that came through was the music and the personalities of the band in a real and emotionally felt manner. The music was spot on and flawless with the acoustic guitars, electric piano, Bruce’s Appalachian flair on the guitar, mandolin, banjo and some amazing fret work on the dobro during the song “Girl On The Moon.”

Above all, the harmonies were pure, smooth, silky perfection. Being stripped down without the loud distraction from the electric guitars, synthesizers or drums, the vocals were really the pinnacle of this acoustic set that blended well with the instruments.

The band, in keeping with the traditional Foreigner stage show, again brought out a local choir to join them on stage for their 1984 number one hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is.” However this time was different for two reasons. First, again, it was an all acoustic unplugged set. Second, instead of a local high school, Foreigner this time chose a local adult choir to join them onstage for the acoustic rendition of this timeless classic. The Wyoming County Chorale from Tunkhannock, PA joined Foreigner onstage for the second to last song of the evening. I’m sure by this point most of the audience at the F.M. Kirby Center had goosebumps not only from this amazing vocal/acoustic rendition, but from the unforgettable experience of the entire night. Closing out their set, again in keeping with Foreigner tradition, was the #3 song on the 1978 Billboard Hot 100 chart and certified platinum hit, “Hot Blooded.”

In the course of music history, many things stick out in the minds of the fans. Things like their first concert, meeting their favorite band or simply catching a guitar pick or drumstick thrown from stage. The premier of this Foreigner acoustic tour at the historic and intimate F.M. Kirby Center had to be one of those moments for many of the fans in attendance. The fans left sensing the different, real and graceful side of the band and their music heard in a way that will surely leave lasting memories.

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October 27, 2016
Vibe and Direct Play Nietzsche’s

On what felt like the first Buffalo weekend it actually felt like fall, a band from Cleveland made their first appearance at Nietzche’s on Friday, October 21st. While many other bars nearby in Buffalo’s Allentown district had people flocking in from the cold, this establishment had quite the treat in Vibe & Direct.

The band, made up of Doug Rab on bass, Mike Miller on guitar and electronic effects, and Danny Giannetto on drums, plays a self-described psychelectrojam dance party. It comes down to Miller playing his guitar in a blues-smooth jazz sounding style, with plenty of fast strumming thrown in, Rab bouncing around on bass wearing his lensless green sunglasses, poofball golf hat, and shirt saying “Electrolytes, it’s what plants crave,” and Giannetto throwing off drum licks like Carter Beauford of the Dave Matthews Band.

Despite the band’s proclamation of psychelectrojam, the jam part is what stands out most. The psychelectro aspects didn’t feature in every song, they moreso enhanced, but that didn’t stop the audience there from bobbing their heads along with the sharp beats. A band engaging in lengthy jam sessions needs to know where the other members are heading, chord-wise and tempo-wise, so that the entire song doesn’t fall apart. Thank goodness these players have those skills. No matter where they were in the middle of their various jams, nobody gave the impression they were lost, nor struggling.

The song that best epitomized Vibe & Direct’s set and style was a cover of Seals & Croft’s “Summer Breeze,” from early in the set. It started off respectable enough, channeling the same yacht rock vibe the original captures. But once the first 3 minutes of the song were up, they went on an original jam session that had you forgetting they were playing a cover. It was a shame they had to take a 10-minute break after finishing because of technical difficulties involving Miller’s computer.

Vibe & Direct kept at it until 2 am, playing through roughly two and a half hours with an intermission. It was also the night the Chicago Cubs won the National League pennant, and will face the band’s hometown Cleveland Indians in the World Series. Miller had to make a comment that two championships for Cleveland in one year would be too much for him. They certainly kept those huddling in the cramped standing space entertained, and no doubt those listening at the bar or passing by outside could find something to like too.

October 27, 2016
Attila brings the Chaos Tour to Clifton Park

Attila’s Chris Fronzak said that Attila has been around for 12 years and will be for 100 more.

With their performance from the Chaos Tour On Oct. 20, at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, this can easily be true. Metalcore band Attila packed the venue alongside Chelsea Grin, Emmure and Sylar for a night of raw heavy music.

Openers Sylar from Queens, NY gave a heavy start to the night to let fans know what they were in for. Although the activity from the crowd for their set was minimal, frontman Jayden Panesso didn’t stop building intensity from the audience. The musicians themselves utilized the space on stage to make sure every part of the venue got a taste of their sound.

Following Sylar was the five-piece metalcore band Emmure. As soon as they stepped foot on stage, you could feel the atmosphere in the venue change. Fans were opening circle pits, mosh pits and created such havoc that an ambulance with paramedics came towards the end of their set to help the injured fans.

With fans screaming and moving all over the venue, Emmure was immediately called on stage for an encore after their set despite being the second band on the lineup.

Chelsea Grin, who accidentally set off fire alarms during their set, had one of the most engaging performances of the evening. Vocalist Alex Koehler made sure to get in contact with every fan that crowd surfed to the front and got off stage and against the barricade of the audience twice to share his mic with fans.

With every song performed by Chelsea Grin, the intensity in the venue became stronger and stronger. More fans were acting out and jumping on top of other fans to sing lyrics with Koehler. With fans filled with excitement, headliners Attila came on stage to end the night with what would leave fans in awe.

Although some find Attila’s lyrics distasteful, Attila came out performing “Public Apology,” a single from their new album Chaos, out Nov. 4, to set the pace for their show. Front man Fronzak immediately wanted to show fans what Attila are about by making it clear he had no care in the world about what happened during their show.

“There are no rules at an Attila concert,” said Fronzak.

Whether you like Attila’s music or not, it is impossible to deny their absolute love for their fan base. Fronzak immediately went out of his way to make every fan feel special by utilizing the space of the entire stage. Fronzak was sharing the mic with fans and promoting activity by inviting every fan to crowd surf to the front and give him a high five.

Trying to excite fans, Attila left the stage momentarily only to come back moments later with Fronzak shooting fog from a fog gun across the audience.

Besides the band’s incredible fan interaction, they had stellar stage performance to complement it. The general performance by everyone in Attila was entertaining. You could tell every musician was loving what they were performing and only became more excited by seeing the reactions from their fans.

Out of most of the bands in the metalcore scene, Attila stand out as going above and beyond to show how much they love the fans of their music.

Following the trend of making fans feel important, Fronzak made a fan’s dream come true of singing on stage with Attila. Before performing their popular song “Payback,” Fronzak called for the best metal vocalist in the audience to come on stage. Becoming what he called “tryouts for Attila,” three men took the stage to compete to perform “Payback” on stage.

With the crowd cheering for their favorite vocalist, a fan got to live out his dream of performing, “Payback” in full, with his favorite band.

To appeal to his fans, Fronzak made clear the messages in his music. “We never claimed to be perfect. We know we’re f-ck up’s, that’s why we make music about it.”

Smiles stretched across the faces of fans of all ages who came out to rage with Attila. With the amount of fan interaction, it was impossible for any fan to leave the venue without feeling like an important part of the Chaos Tour.

With this type of attitude and energy for their live performances, it is easy to say Attila will have many years of tours ahead of them. If you are looking for a night of heavy music with a feeling of exuberance, make sure not to miss the Chaos Tour.

October 26, 2016
Beaucoup Blue Provides the Elixir

Elixir /ih-lik-ser/ noun – a panacea; cure-all; sovereign remedy

Elixir is also the title of the soon to be released CD by Beaucoup Blue featuring a cover photograph of an antique elixir bottle from their hometown of Philadelphia. The father and son duo of David and Adrian Mowry, known as Beaucoup Blue, performed October 21^st at the Nelson Odeon in Nelson, New York. Their repertoire covered familiar themes of trains, tramps, trouble, troubadours, true love gone wrong, and truth as they see it. David, the elder of the duo, switched often between what appeared to be a vintage Guild guitar and a gorgeous Dobro resonator. Mixing slide guitar with a finger-picking style, thumb-strumming, and percussive gestures, he wrangled an impressive range of sounds from his instruments. He and his son Adrian traded lead vocals on songs that each, respectively, wrote with Adrian adding rhythm guitar and melodic flourishes on David’s songs.

Highlights of their own pieces were “Rounder,” “Hurry Down My Holley,” and “Lonely at the Top.” Particularly noteworthy was hearing how their selections of cover tunes were both respectful to the original songs and revised just enough to be their own enjoyable versions. These included Charlie Poole’s “If the River Was Whiskey (Hesitation Blues),” Tampa Red’s “It Hurts Me Too,” their closing song, “Rainy Night in Georgia,” written by Tony Joe White, and the encore, Junior Parker’s “Mystery Train.” They have an easy rapport with each other and their audience. Listeners were engaged throughout the night’s two sets lasting two hours, ten minutes. Beaucoup Blue reminded the audience that music can indeed be an elixir. Merci, Beaucoup.

A journey to the Nelson Odeon to hear live music is not only a treat for the ears but an eye-opener as well in learning how a distinctly different performance space operates. Owners Jeff and Linda Schoenfeld are now in their seventh year operating the former Grange Hall. It is a small, comfortable venue with a capacity of perhaps one hundred fifty. Wood floors, walls and ceiling provide a rich warm sound, managed superbly well by Ralph Meitz, the sound engineer. Ralph and the performers are the only people who are paid. A team of volunteers takes tickets, arranges seating, and manages a small concession area offering soft drinks, baked goods, coffee and tea. Artists and fans meet, mingle, and chat before and between sets and following the evening’s performance. The Schoenfelds have cultivated a loyal group of supporters by presenting a diverse array of acts that might be less well known, but are certainly not lesser talent than might appear elsewhere. They do so by having a relaxed atmosphere with few rules, treating everyone nicely, and doing all they can for the performers, including housing them in their home down the street and providing home cooked meals. These gestures are greatly appreciated by road-weary musicians used to long miles, cookie cutter hotel rooms, and scrambling to grab something to eat and head to the next show. It is a formula that has allowed the Schoenfelds to pay the bills and keep both patrons and performers happy and looking forward to returning. Central New York music fans should check the Nelson Odeon schedule and make it a point to attend a show or two.

October 26, 2016
AC/DC Brings a New Flavor to First Niagara Center

AC/DC finally made their appearance on Sunday, September 22 at First Niagara Center after an extended delay because of the departure of longtime lead singer Brian Johnson. They performed a lengthy list of fan favorites. Guns N` Roses’ Axl Rose had taken Brian’s place and the reviews were mixed from fans.

Axl treated the arena to a remarkable performance, vocally that is. He seemed to find a perfect harmony between his style and the original singers. Rose had a couple moves like his signature sway dance to make it his own as well. Rose did not dominate the show which was feared; he rather fit into the band like a missing puzzle piece.

AC/DC really isn’t AC/DC at this point. The only original member is Angus who was really the star of the show, with his signature moves and energy, going from side to side of the stage and skipping out onto the runway with his childlike charm. He has the uncanny ability to work the crowd. Chris Slade replaced Phil Rudd and Malcom was replaced by Stevie Young. They added a new sound to the band but most people who new the original lineup just weren’t having it.

Like always AC/DC pulled out tricks left and right in regards to special effects, including a giant blow up doll making sexual gestures during “Whole Lotta Rosie,” a giant bell lowering from the rafters for “Hells Bells” and a line of cannons during “For Those About to Rock.”

The crowd was scattered with an array of flashing red horns that were printed with AC/DC on them. Some people were leaving the venue either by escort or the occasional police car. AC/DC has had plenty of mishaps but still manages to deliver their own brand of rock. Granted Axl killed it vocally all night and made quite the impression; the star of the night was Angus and will always be. He still carries the school boy image after all these decades and will forever remain the face of AC/DC.

October 25, 2016
Schenectady Gets Weird

“Weird” Al Yankovic brought his Mandatory Fun tour into a packed Proctors Theatre on Saturday September 17. Weird Al has toured since the 1980’s and this is the first time he had ever performed in Schenectady and he did not disappoint.

The crowd was alive and buzzing with anticipation before the show. Many in the audience wore different costumes that represented different stages of Al’s career. From the Devo inspired one piece suits to full on Amish clothes, the atmosphere combined a concert and Comic-Con.

The show started with a video intro and went into Al walking through the concourse while singing the opening number “Tacky” walking through the crowd to the stage. The show continued for the next two plus hours with Al and his band performing at 100 miles an hour rolling through thirty years of hit songs. The show itself featured video clips and more costume changes than a Vegas drag queen show.

One of the more unique points in the show was an “Unplugged” session where he performed a variety of songs in the classic “MTV Unplugged” setting of him and his band sitting on stools surrounded by candles while acoustically playing songs including “Eat It.”

He ended the show by bringing storm troopers, Darth Vader and R2-D2 on stage while he performed his Star Wars inspired hits “The Saga Begins” and “Yoda.” For a band that has been out on the road performing for over 30 years, I would dare to say they would give any “young” band a real run for their money.

Setlist: Intro (Fun Zone / Intro Clips), Tacky, Lame Claim to Fame, Now That’s What I Call Polka! (Wrecking Ball/Pumped Up Kicks/Best Song Ever/Gangnam Style/Call Me Maybe/Scream & Shout/Somebody that I used to know/The One You Won’t Forget/I’m Sexy & I Know It/Thrift Shop/Get Lucky), Perform This Way, Dare to Be Stupid, Fat, First World Problems, Foil, Smells Like Nirvana, Party in the CIA / It’s All About the Pentiums / Handy / Bedrock Anthem / Another One Rides the Bus / Ode to a Superhero / Gump / Inactive / eBay, Canadian Idiot, Wanna B Ur Lovr, Eat It / I Lost on Jeopardy / I Love Rocky Road / Like a Surgeon (TV Shows / Rock & Roll Jeopardy), White & Nerdy, Word Crimes, Amish Paradise

Encore: Cheer / Piano Solo, We All Have Cell Phones, The Saga Begins, Yoda (with Yoda Chant)

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October 24, 2016
James Brown Band Lives Again!

Sunday night at The Warehouse at FTC was filled with nothing but surprises. Everything was so pleasantly unexpected and it made seeing the band James Brown Dance Party a true spectacle to behold. The supergroup absolutely rocked the Fairfield, Connecticut venue and the few people there were all equally blown away by the talent of everyone on stage. It’s hard to understand why more people didn’t show. Perhaps it was a Sunday night party, or high ticket prices, but hopefully this review will convince James Brown fans to make time to see these guys where ever and whenever they go.

Supergroups have the potential to yield some impressive pieces of music with names like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Cream, Bad Company and others making a pretty big name for themselves. The James Brown Dance Party has that same potential, if they were to ever go on and create some original tracks. There was such a strong sense of camaraderie between the musicians mainly among the horn line, which is the exact recipe needed to create some true works of art.

The classic King of Soul covers they played were executed perfectly. They pretty much played each cover verbatim but they really began to shine when they broke off to solos and started to have some fun. Again, the energy of the group was radiating from the horn line with guitarist Matthew Chase (The Chase Brothers) bassist Chris Sherman (Bootsy Collins) and drummer Adam Chase (Jazz is PHISH) lying dormant throughout the performance, as well as lead singer Elise Testone (American Idol). Trombonist Adam Dotson (Rubble Bucket), Trumpeter Carter Yasutake (LCD Soundsystem), and saxophonist Morgan Price (Charles Bradley) were the focus of the show from the get go when they played an instrumental version of “People Get Up” and “Drive Your Funky Soul.” Everyone in the horn line seemed to give it their all while most of them were already profusely sweating and blowing their horns all up and down the scales during their solo time. It seemed like there was a bit of friendly competition between the trio brassmen, and it helped them push their skills just a bit further, as they were each representing their own band. Of course, there was never any signs of hatred towards one another, but it was pretty obvious they were trying to one-up the person that soloed before them.

They played two sets that lasted a little almost two hours playing the tracks, “Get Up Off of That Thing,” “Get On Up,” “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” and so many more. Each one was unique thanks to the horn line while still holding the sound of the original song outside of the solos. They were all just as tight, funky and energetic as the original group and aside from Testone, the group all together sounded eerily close to the original recordings the covered. Their second set consisted of “The Boss,” “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World,” and “Cold Sweat” and others to cap off the night with the audience going wild after every song.

This will not be last time the group will be in the Connecticut and New York area, but odds are the line-up will be completely rearranged, making each performance unique. Check out their website and Facebook page for information on shows and line-ups.

October 23, 2016
Tea Leaf Green Makes The Crowd Scream

‘Twas a night of dim lit eye candy and musicality, where Stop Light Observations opened up the evening ahead of Tea Leaf Green at Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday, October 15, like a fresh can of soda pop. SLO, a southern-retro-electro-rock band, holds an intricate blend of influences, some of which include revival, folk, Motown, and indie. Groups like this one build a strong bond over the years, having been formed in their teens.

The members entered and dropped their little pup on the stage, being their biggest groupie. Fans obsessed over the charming pooch as his friendliness filled the atmosphere and matched the cool vibes of the performance.

The crowd was getting rowdy, for Tea Leaf Green was due to perform next and blow the audience away. Alas, the musicians played a mean set at this fine tea party; Josh Clark sparked the floor with his guitar and powerful vocals, Trevor Garrod made love to the keyboard and killed it with the harmonica adding some vocals as well. Eric DiBerardino made the crowd bounce with his bass. Lastly, Cochrane McMillan and Scott Rager beat the drums to match the rhythm of the fan’s heartbeats.

They played moving songs throughout the night, some of which included “Sleep Paralysis,” “Red Ribbons,” “Germanating,” “Bouncing Betty,” “Let us Go,” and ended the night with “Incandescent Devil.” Each song had its own bit of flare with an emotional build up and release, including a bit of rock, jam, and hypnotic beats.

TLG stems from the heart of the Golden State in San Francisco; these talented individuals pour love and dedication into their stellar performance, with an array of overlapping vocals. Each artist fused a piece of their soul into each album, which ultimately created an intriguing mix of sounds; if only I could spread this kind of jam onto my toast.

October 19, 2016
Sturgill Simpson Simply Stuns the State

Outside, on the streets of Ithaca, the plants were dying and the leaves were falling. But inside, in the cozy majesty of the State Theater, country was ‘In Bloom’ as Sturgill Simpson took the stage Thursday night.

Simpson and his big band (Laur Joamets on electric & slide guitar, Chuck Bartels on bass, Bobby Emmett on keyboards, Miles Miller behind the kit and on backing vocals, Scott Frock on trumpet, Brad Walker on saxophone and Jon Ramm on trombone) played over two hours in a career-spanning set. There was no opening act, there was no encore and there wasn’t an unsatisfied soul walking out the door at the finish.

Simpson’s albums famously stretch the fabric of country music, adding in threads of soul, roots, blues and psychedelic elements. Live it plays as kind of a country soul revue, with a three-piece horn section, ever-present slick guitar and a keyboardist that isn’t afraid to mix in some spacey Moog. The band was utilized to full effect throughout the set, whether covering material from his debut High Top Mountain or his breakout sophomore release, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, each of which dominated the first half of the show. The music also moved the audience to full effect, from head to toe, with head bobbers, shoulder swayers, fist pumpers, booty shakers and foot stompers. Surprisingly, the most country the band sounded all night was in a phenomenal twanged-up cover of Led Zeppelin’s “When the Levee Breaks.”

It was over an hour before they played material off Simpson’s latest, A Sailor’s Guide to the Earth. After a spacey and noisy intro, the album finally broke into the set with “Welcome to Earth.” The song built in intensity with the horns bursting out into a funky groove that smoothly found it’s way into the second track on the album, “Breakers Roar.” The set continued on as they tackled the entire album front to back. Simpson played the part of band leader throughout, coaxing more guitar, quickening the rhythm or adding more horns, simply with motions of his guitar or a nod of the head, commandeering the stage and in turn the packed theater. “Keep It Between the Lines” brought the outlaw country down to New Orleans with funky horns and B3 organ. They stretched the center out to fit extended solos in from nearly everyone in the band, including an extra groovy bass and drums section. It reached a fever pitch that was fit for a show-stopping set closer, but they were just getting started. Still yet to come was their stirring soul-country cover of Nirvana’s “In Bloom,” the heavy-rocking “Brace For Impact,” with Simpson finally strapping on an electric, and the set-closing “Call to Arms” complete with a “Soulful Strut” jam and a proper off-the-rails scream-to-the-end finish.

Setlist: Living the Dream, A Little Light Within, Water in a Well > Long White Line > Call Me The Breeze (Lynyrd Skynyrd) > When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin), ?, ?, The Promise, Railroad of Sin, It Ain’t All Flowers, ?, Some Days > Turtles All the Way Down, Hero, Welcome to Earth > Breakers Roar, Keep It Between the Lines, Sea Stories > In Bloom, Brace For Impact, All Around You > Oh Sarah, Call to Arms

October 18, 2016
“From One Chord to Another,” Sloan Celebrates a Landmark at Daryl’s House

Sloan has been at it for 25 years, but could easily have been a footnote in Canadian music history if not for their fortitude. Formed at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax in 1991, the alt-rock quartet has made a name for itself in its homeland, winning several East Coast Music Awards and a Juno Award for Best Alternative Album — 1996’s One Chord to Another. This album, however, almost never happened at all. Sloan was signed to Geffen Records early on, as label executives rushed to find the next Nirvana. As part of a burgeoning Halifax music scene that included Eric’s Trip and Thrush Hermit, that saw a gold rush to the maritime province from the labels, Sloan was the band that survived.

The band’s first two albums Smeared and Twice Removed were released on Geffen in 1992 and 1994 respectively. After a dispute with the label over lack of promotion for Twice Removed, the band took some time off, leading some to believe they had broken up. Sloan self-produced and self-released the follow-up to Twice Removed, One Chord to Another. Sunday night, the band rolled into Daryl’s House Club in Pawling for an intimate rendering of that landmark album on its 20th anniversary of release.

Sloan has made its bones sharing writing duties, vocals and instruments among the band’s four original members: Chris Murphy, Jay Ferguson, Patrick Pentland and Andrew Scott. Power chords, hand claps and Beatle-esque harmonies are hallmarks of the Sloan sound. All these elements were firmly in place for the intimate audience of hard core Sloan fans this night.

Make no mistake, this is not a simple pop band. To survive 25 years in the business requires more than just catchy songs. The lyrics from each of the members reveal a depth that belies the catchiness of the music.

Throughout the history of pop music, many of the most poignant songs have carried a sense of darkness. The Beatles exhibited this to the extreme in “Run For Your Life” from the Rubber Soul album. And while Sloan has never intro’ed a song as bluntly as John Lennon did with,”I’d rather see you dead little girl than to be with another man,” a quick glance at Sloan’s song titles bears this out: “Everything You’ve Done Wrong,” Nothing Left to Make Me Wanna Stay.” Sloan has the songwriting chops to turn a subject such as unrequited love into dark poetry with a pop melody.

Daryl’s House Club is an offshoot of Philly Soul legend and half of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo Hall and Oates, Daryl Hall’s popular internet, now MTV Live show, Live From Daryl’s House. Hall opened the club in Pawling in 2014 as a venue to feature intimate gigs similar to those seen on his show. Tickets are sold as reserved seating or standing tickets and all reserved seats are at tables, allowing patrons to enjoy a meal and some drinks prior to and during a performance. The main performance space has room for a couple of hundred patrons. Wait staff meander in and out of the seated areas, taking orders and delivering dishes. It makes for a a dinner theater type atmosphere that doesn’t much allow for audience participation during a show, especially one for a band with such uptempo music.

This tour is a celebration of the band’s watershed moment. They’re playing the One Chord album in its entirety during the first set of each show. However, the music they were celebrating almost seemed like an afterthought as patrons ate their dinner during the performance. Murphy commented on this fact a couple of times during the set, “Finish chewing your food and sing along with us on this one,” he said, introducing “G Turns to D.”

Despite the limitations on audience participation, though with many in the crowd being in their late 30s/early 40s, there may not have been a whole lot of physical participation anyway. The band rallied through the album in its entirety. The participation in the chugging “G Turns to D” included many hand claps and singing along from those in attendance. A smooth transition into the Beatles, by way of Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys, “A Side Wins” had fans swaying in their seats.

The set concluded with “400 Metres,” a song that wouldn’t be out of place on a Pavement album with its speak-talk lyrics. The hypnotizing keyboard presence mixed with Pentland’s guitar ended the set with a chill vibe reminiscent a late night ’70s FM radio show.

“Coax Me,” opened the second set, encouraging the devoted to sing along. This opened the doors to a rousing second set featuring many of Sloan’s greatest hits, including what is probably its best known song, “Money City Maniacs” as well as “Losing California,” a song requested all night long by some of the more boisterous fans in attendance.

The band seamlessly traded instruments and vocals throughout the night. Murphy stepped behind Scott’s sparse drum kit while Scott grabbed a guitar and sang and Ferguson took up the bass several times. The formula of equals behind this band is what has kept it going for 25 years. All four members contribute to the whole. And while there’s a formula to the sound, Sloan is far from formulaic. Their songs echo past eras, yet remain uniquely their own.

Those in attendance on this night were the Sloan faithful in downstate New York. Some traveling great distances to see their cult heroes in the intimacy of Daryl’s House. They were treated to a special show from one of music’s hardest working bands.

In a more fair world, Sloan would be playing a sold out show at Madison Square Garden rather than a small downstate club in front of noshing patrons on a Sunday night in October. Somehow, you can’t help but wonder if Sloan prefers it this way though.

Sloan’s One Chord to Another 20th Anniversary Tour continues throughout the U.S. in November, finishing with a show in Buffalo at the Iron Works Nov. 19.

Check out some fan-shot video of Sloan’s encore performance of “If it Feels Good, Do It” from the Daryl’s House Club show below.

October 18, 2016