Category: Alternative/Indie

Frendly Gathering 2016: A Most Fulfilling Weekend in Vermont

From the first moment festival-goers entered Timber Ridge in Windham, VT, the frendly feeling was immediate and overwhelming. Everywhere the eye could see, campers were setting up tents, walking around and looking for long-lost faces they hadn’t seen in what always seems is way too long. The vendor booths were starting to come alive as their first patrons wandered up to grab a drink and some food after the initial moments of the Frendly Gathering 2016 adventure started.

Thursday, June 23: Day One

The Frendly Stage kicked off Thursday’s music with the collaboration Zebra Muscle’s first of two sets of the weekend. The impromptu band led by Danny Davis’s roommate, Chris Emmington, was the first to sound the musical alarm, with the help of Twiddle’s drummer, Brook Jordan. Next to come up was Canyon Village, WY-based bluegrass quartet Canyon Collected, followed by the warmest of welcomes from the hosts, Jack Mitrani and Danny Davis – two of the seven founding members of the Frends Crew.

The next two acts to take the stage were breathtakingly full, funky-soul Burlington, VT, natives Smooth Antics and the Van Morrison tribute band Into the Mystic. After more than three hours of action on the Frendly Stage, fans were given a chance to catch their breath. People kicked around the concert field catching up with frends who had arrived a set or two before. Others went back to their campsites to give their dancing feet a rest. However, all knew what was next – Twiddle’s first set of the weekend.

As the clock neared 11 p.m., the excited gatherers climbed partway up the hill to a budding campfire, where the four rising stars of Vermont-based Twiddle, Mihali Savoulidis, Zdenek Parker Gubb, Ryan Dempsey and Brook Jordan, were organizing their respective basic setups for an intimate set. They began with “Lost in the Cold;” a song that has quickly become yet another that fans sing-along to in unison with the lion personified, Mihali. The boys played newer songs, like “White Light” and “Be There,” but were sure to hit other tunes along their timeline like “Hatti’s Jam” into “When It Rains It Pours” and “Frankenfoote” into the first night closer and ever-appropriate “Frends Theme.”

Everyone slowly dispersed heading back to various campsites or to explore this year’s Frendly grounds. The first day of Frendly Gathering 2016 had come to a close. People laid their heads down, and smiles ran across their faces as they were thinking about the day.

Friday, June 24: Day Two

As the sun rose in the small southern Vermont town of Windham, campers awoke to what was assuredly going to be a beautiful day. Most people knew the weather was going to be nice, since they had prepared their camping gear in the previous days for the appropriate conditions, but the anticipation of the day’s beauty came from a source much closer to the heart. After all, it was the beginning of the second day of Frendly Gathering 2016.

The day started as a crowd gathered with their mats in front of the Frendly Stage for Rise and Shine Yoga. Shortly after that, Burlington-based surf band the High Breaks were the first musical act of the day. Following the wave-riding music that helped shake the morning cobwebs off of people’s hips were traditional world-fusion Vermonters Mal Maiz, the first band to take the Wood Stage. Up next was Boston’s alternative folk rock trio Ballroom Thieves at the Burton Teepee.

The day was gaining momentum and was certainly showing no signs of slowing as Twiddle prepared for their second set of the weekend. The resident headliner played on a platform in the middle of a camping area by the pond, situated next to the mountain’s lodge. A crowd of fans, frends and family gathered around as the mid-afternoon set began with “Amydst the Myst” from their latest album, Plump.

The set wasn’t long, but brought giant smiles to everyone’s faces, especially when they led into the crowd favorite “Mamunes the Faun,” during which the muse of the song could be seen dancing on the lawn behind the stage. After the pond set had wrapped up, the rest of the day was filled with a litany of amazing music all over the mountainside. Marco Benevento rocked the Frendly Stage to a crowd who couldn’t stifle their excitement for the New York State native. Following him was Eminence Ensemble, a Boulder, CO, progressive rock band with a funky fusion, on the Wood Stage.

On top of the typical stage performances there were the various acts who appeared in the Airstream camper, dubbed the FrendShip. The performances included Jaden Carlson Band and Trevor Hall with Mihali. There was also an open mic at the Martin Dome throughout each day where Martin and Co Guitars, a sponsor of the festival, provided a variety of guitars for everyone to play and try their hand at entertaining the crowd.

As the night progressed, the highly anticipated upper-bill bands started to take the stage. Trevor Hall, the Los Angeles-based acoustic folk favorite, filled the Frendly Stage with his beautiful music. Pennsylvania native Cabinet found a happy home on the Wood Stage and as soon as their set was done, Brooklyn, NY-based power funk band Turkuaz exploded with their set on the Frendly Stage. Friday night’s main stages’ music was given its finale by Moon Hooch on the Wood Stage, followed by Big Gigantic on the Frendly Stage, who received guest appearances by both Mihali and the Turkuaz horns.

After the final performance in the main concert field, a buzz filled the crowd; everyone was talking about a secret set. They all knew there were four sets of Twiddle but only three were on the schedule. This had to be it – everyone had to get up the mountain to ascend to the DJ Nest where Twiddle was about to play on platforms, built up in the trees. What could be expected from the set, no one knew.

The lights flooded the trees and the set started. The Vermont-based quartet played their secret set in a single, hour-long jam, very much akin to a Phish secret set. There’s always the silly rumor that Twiddle’s ultimate goal is to one day be handed over the torch by Phish. Anyone who has grown with the band and their music knows that to be completely false. However, in this jam it was clear that these guys are heavily influenced by their Vermont jam band brethren and weren’t afraid to pay homage to them.

After the amazing secret set everyone carefully traversed down the mountain. There was much to recap about the second day of Frendly Gathering 2016, sitting around campsites and on hillsides. Everyone went to bed, trying their hardest to forget that the next day would be the last day of what had already been an incredible weekend.

Saturday, June 25: Day Three

Many people awoke in their tents to the same atmosphere of beautiful weather and high anticipation of the day to come as they did for day two. Although it was the last day of the festival there was so much more to enjoy; what was to come would create memories that would help make the whole weekend last an eternity.

The music kicked off at noon with New Paltz, NY-based Appalachian soul band Upstate Rubdown on the Frendly Stage. The stage was home to a few amazing sets in the afternoon, leading into the evening, including New York City’s first and only all-women mariachi group, Mariachi Flor de Toloache. They lit up the mountainside with their beautifully performed music, proudly displaying their Latina heritage. Once their set was complete, they were completely transparent in the fact that they had enjoyed every second of their Frendly experience, with the crowd fully reciprocating the feeling.

Unlike the previous two days, day three was filled with overlapping performances while multiple stages were alive with music. While it was quite impossible to see every single act that day, there was one act that almost no one was prepared to miss — the late afternoon performance by Gubbulidis, featuring Jaden Carlson at the Burton Teepee. Starting off with the Twiddle song “Apples,” the trio, joined by Aaron Hagele on percussion, had the crowd completely mesmerized by a jaw-dropping and oh-too-quick set. The half-hour set ended the same way Twiddle’s campfire set ended, with the theme of the weekend, the theme of the hosts and the theme of many people’s lives, “Frends Theme.”

As the sun started to set on the mountain, the teenage guitarist phenom, Jaden Carlson, had her first full set with her band, quite appropriately named Jaden Carlson Band, on the Wood Stage. The Boulder, CO-based band, filled with a fusion of jazz, funk and soul, was playing simultaneously with fellow westerners, Bozeman, MT’s Kitchen Dwellers, who were over in Wakers Barn. A Bluegrass band who is finally spreading their wings, the Kitchen Dwellers are more frequently dedicating time to playing east coast shows. Fans were torn between the two acts, but neither decision yielded anything resembling disappointment.

The evening moved along in fine form with performances from Monophonics, Sinkane and a second set of the weekend from Zebra Muscle. As the clock approached 11 p.m., the frends on the mountain began feeling their much understood glee as Twiddle’s fourth and final set was coming up on the Frends Stage. Before the set started, the crowd was treated with a surprise from three young ladies known as The Jamflowgirls. Cassidy, Jamie and Georgia played a song, written with the help of Mihali, and performed on a Martin guitar Cassidy won earlier in the weekend. The song, “Frendly Gathering is Here,” will likely become another token theme for the festival.

Twiddle’s final set was absolutely electrifying. Kicking off with “Jamflowman,” the host-band was quick to bring up their first guest, Jaden Carlson. She helped rock out “Hatti’s Jam” into “When it Rains it Pours.” When her guest appearance was finished, the little lady who had dropped jaws all weekend with her skill and phrasing, which could easily be attributed to her having an old soul, got an eruption of cheers from fans, new and old.

Next up to help Twiddle close out the Frends Stage’s last act of the weekend was RAQ’s Todd Stoops. After he was announced, the crowd immediately cheered his name in the very familiar fashion, “Stooooops!” Before he and the band broke out into “Every Soul,” which he sat in on for the recording on the latest album, Plump, Todd wished his wife a happy birthday and anniversary; it was truly heartwarming. Stoops also came out a couple songs later to give support on a song continuously growing in popularity, “Lost in the Cold.” The last stand-in was by Torin Daniels from the Kitchen Dwellers, playing banjo on “Syncopated Healing.” The bluegrass sound was an amazing substantiation of the already fun and truly healing song.

The weekend was capped off with a true mountain party, as festival-goers once again trekked up the mountain to the DJ Nest where the collaboration, the Smooths, played in the treetop platforms. They created a dance party, making sure to bring the crowd into full participation mode by covering Sublime songs, Talking Heads songs and much more. It gave everyone a feeling of fulfillment as Frendly Gathering 2016 had finally come to a close. Gatherers meandered down the mountain, looking for small final parties at various campsites. Sleep fell over the mountain as exhaustion from the joyous festivities finally settled deep into the bones of the mountainside frends. The only thing anyone could think of as they closed their eyes was what was to come with Frendly Gathering 2017.

July 2, 2016
Hearing Aide: Dentist “Ceilings”

Dentist is an Asbury Park-based indie rock band whose catchy sound blends the best of surf, punk and pop. Think: dreamy vocals, fuzzy guitars and beachy jangle. The band’s 2014 self-titled release received much positive attention, and the four-member group has shared the stage with a variety of national acts, including Jeff the Brotherhood, Laura Stevenson, Television, Screaming Females and many more. And on June 24, Dentist debuted their follow-up album, Ceilings.

A first listen through the 10-track record might leave listeners not knowing what to think — but, after a few additional run-throughs, the album certainly comes to life. Vocalist Emily Bornemann can be compared to Stevie Nicks, and the rest of the band (Justin Bornemann, Nick Kaelbein, Rudy Meier) nicely gels with her signature styling.

There are a few standout tracks on Dentist’s new full-length album. The opening song, “Climbed Too Many Trees,” kicks the record off with a sense of what is to come ahead, offering a great blend of vocals and driving guitar and drums — this song really sets the pace. The second noticeable track, “Over and Over,” slows the album down to an almost complete stop, but after how driving the first few songs are this one is perfectly placed for a nice mid-record breather; and the sheer brilliance of this song coupled with its beautiful melodies might bring on the tears for some. The third ear-catcher is “Joel,” and it seems that this song details a bad breakup with a long-term boyfriend; but, it ends up being more of a feel-good piece once the beat picks up.

Ceilings is definitely worth a listen, as this band has a lot of potential and upside, and any chance to see Dentist live now in intimate hometown settings would be highly recommended before this group bursts through to bigger venues — plus, their tunes provide a perfect soundtrack for summertime escape.

Key Tracks: Climbed Too Many Trees, Over and Over, Joel

June 25, 2016
Frank Turner Gets Buffalo’s Canalside to its Feet

Fans couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day in Buffalo on June 16. Canalside hosts free concerts every Thursday evening, and they bring some big-name acts to town. And this night was no exception, as event-goers had the honor of seeing Frank Turner and July Talk on the same bill at Canalside.

Uncle Ben’s Remedy was the chosen show opener; this group has been making a name for themselves around town, whether it’s winning voting-based competitions or playing for fundraisers. UBR got the crowd engaged and started a good ole fashioned hoedown. While most of their lyrics may be slightly shallow and not have much depth to them, the enthusiasm the band gives off is contagious.

July Talk has built their band on contrasts. Case in point: their sound blends the raspy, alpha-male roar of Peter Dreimanis’ vocals that graze the honeyed sounds of Leah Fay. During the show, Fay appeared onstage with a plastic red tray that was full of cannolis; she was gracious enough to hand some to the photographers, then proceeded to throw a few into the crowd. Any hesitation that may have been felt about July Talk’s live show appeared halfway through the set. Their radio hits “Guns + Ammunition” and “Summer Dress” was played with much intensity, but then they seemed to lose their enthusiasm when it came to the lesser-known songs like “Blood and Honey.”

Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls are quite the crowd pleasers. There was no pause, no downbeat, no breather in any moment of the show. A 22-song setlist blew by like the steamy yet refreshing breeze that precedes a train, as it rushes toward the station — in all the right ways, in this case. The audience was fully engaged, and almost everyone in the room knew the words to every song. Turner’s banter was expeditious and friendly. He demands your attention and demands that everyone be nice to each other and treat each other with respect; he stressed it even more given the recent tragic events in Orlando. The vast majority of the floor had hands high, clapping or first-pumping, and bodies moving the entire time.

June 24, 2016
Shiffley Premieres New Single “Systems”

A lot of great bands form in college. The Pixies, for example, formed after guitarists Black Francis and Joey Santiago shared a suite together at U-Mass. By fortunate accident, the two spent hours at a time collectively reveling in the glory of late ’70s punk and David Bowie. Similarly, after actualizing their musical ambitions at Harvard, the members of Galaxie 500 swiftly began practicing with a drum set Damon Krukowski borrowed from classmate Conan O’Brien. Queen’s Brian May and Tim Staffell, too, discovered each other on a noticeboard on the grounds of Imperial College.

Starting a band in college, is by no means, uncommon or unnatural. Being a campus band, however, is a staggering decision, one more impertinent than being a band that merely makes music at college together. Being a campus band entails adhering to the collegiate lifestyle, pandering to the Thursday night red solo cup agenda, often by playing Beyoncé and Zedd covers to a house-full fraternity party. Being a campus band is not akin to writing songs with striking relevance to the collegiate lifestyle (see: “U-Mass,” “Tugboat“). It is not akin to playing a basement house show, wherein indie kids gather around the makeshift stage, acknowledging the band as the main event.

Shiffley

But Shiffley is different. They are, by no means, your average campus band, subsumed under the forgetfulness that follows a night of cheap and hard drinking. Not only did this Long Island band make the best of their Craigslist success story, but they also broke the long pattern of campus bands that came before them. Shiffley, instead, drew from their red solo cup collegiate starpower, collaborating with students that have all sorts of different skills from arts to business. They built their core team from friends at Syracuse University, finding a manager in co-founding member of A Cappella group Otto Tunes, Cormac Dennehy.

“I was a fan that wanted to help out in any way I could. It started out with them hitting me up for help promoting shows and just turned into me helping out with all corners of their camp. One day we just decided to put it in writing,” explained Dennehy, who currently works at talent agency ICM, which tends to clients like Bonnaroo, Coachella, Lollapalooza, SXSW, Lilith Fair, Sasquatch and Summerfest. “Every day I interact with new people in the entertainment industry — and if I can turn them into a viable contact, or at the very least a fan, then you bet your fanny I will do so. It’s also helpful to see how other people operate in a similar space. I have the opportunity to watch seasoned industry pros do what they do, and occasionally, I am able to apply that to my work with Shiffley.”

Shiffley indeed got their footing on campus, playing house show after house show until the concert board took notice and billed them as openers for 21 Pilots. In January 2014, Shiffley was handpicked by Fall Out Boy, Emeli Sande and Austin Mahone as a finalist in CBS’ nationwide Grammy Gig of a Lifetime competition, placing fourth out of 40 finalists. They were also semi-finalists in VH1’s Make A Band Famous competition. After releasing their EP Atomic Robot Man (mixed by Tony Gallis, the man behind several Steely Dan records), Shiffley is back this year with a new single, “Systems,” and an album slated for a July release.

“‘Systems’ is the second part of a two-song story off of the album about a robot that learns how to feel and then instantly regrets the decision,” the band shared over a warm email exchange, after revealing that they got their name from singer Alex Ganes’ illustration of a sleazy salesman. “As a band, we can relate to the idea of being sleazy salesmen of music.” It’s not long before they casually mention that they got their song mixed at Freshly Baked Studios, in exchange for a shout out. Their flagrant audacity is marveling, and it’s brazen barters like this that truly define Shiffley. Shiffley, as a band, lies on the other side of DIY, on the side that is transparently earnest in its outreach for commercial success. And this, in itself, makes the band that much more endearing, and that much more likely to succeed.

The idea behind “Systems” stemmed from spending their Syracuse weekends chasing down parties until the winter dipped into the negatives, thereby surpassing their threshold for the cold: “[Systems] is about the regret. The robot casts off his/her emotions in an effort return to max efficiency. The main hook, ‘Systems are down, it’s getting cold, I’m going home’ is about crossing that threshold and returning to logic at the expense of the fun times.”

Stream “Systems,” the first single off their TBD album slated for a release later this year, below, and follow Shiffley on Facebook and Twitter, videos on YouTube and music on SoundCloud and Spotify.

Shiffley July 2016 Tour Dates:
7/21 – Studio at Webster – NY, NY
7/23 – SUSIEPALOOZA – Deer Park, NY
7/25 – Chapala Blue Beetle Rock Bar – Burtonsville, MD
7/26 – Jammin Java – Vienna, VA

June 23, 2016
Catfish and the Bottlemen Light Up Buffalo’s Town Ballroom

With the recent release of their sophomore album, The Ride, Catfish and the Bottlemen are rising to stardom quite quickly. On June 2, fans eagerly waited up and down the pavement for the Town Ballroom’s doors to open, where Catfish and the Bottlemen would be playing for a sold-out crowd.

They have the uncanny ability to make every song feel like an encore. From the first note played to the very last, Catfish and the Bottlemen created a vibe in the Town Ballroom that is unprecedented in the music scene. At their colorful best, they were indie without indie dowdiness. The group’s latest singles “Soundcheck” and “7” ignited two of the loudest sing-alongs of the night. The energy and enthusiasm of the band did not falter, as the audience lapped up every moment.

Formed in Llandudno, Wales, almost nine years ago, Catfish and the Bottlemen have been working their way steadily through the ranks. Describing their new album as “stadium rock,” it is in their live performances that Catfish and the Bottlemen prove their worth. At times, frontman Van McCann didn’t even need to bother singing, stepping away from the microphone and listening to his lyrics — mainly about relationships, booze and hangovers — being chanted back at him. As rock stars, they’re unapologetically traditional, and they’re breathing new life into the genre. There is a reason why they are currently one of the most in-demand rock bands at the moment.

The Naturalists had been added to the bill only shortly before the doors opened. These guys lit the crowd up, and were a perfect opener. The garage-alt Buffalo natives finally had a moment to shine in front of a sold-out crowd of new fans and continued supporters.

Catfish and the Bottlemen will roll through the Empire State again this fall with an Oct. 18 show at New York City’s Terminal 5.

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June 20, 2016
50 Years of SPAC: Mumford & Sons Sells Out Saratoga’s Historic Venue

Mumford & Sons brought an eclectic, sold-out show to Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, June 15, making it the first sold-out show of SPAC’s 50th season. The band’s set covered predominantly songs from their 2015 album Wilder Mind, while also throwing in hits from their more folk-influenced debut Sigh No More.

Mumford & Sons opened with “Snake Eyes,” soon after followed by “Little Lion Man,” bringing the entirety of the audience to their feet. As Marcus Mumford sang the chorus, it was often difficult to discern his voice from the shouts of the crowd singing along. The audience continued singing and standing through the close of “Little Lion Man,” into “Below My Feet,” off the band’s second album Babel.

Marcus Mumford was energetic and engaged throughout: perhaps most impressively, he often swapped from playing guitar to drums, such as in “Lover of the Light.” Between songs, the band sparingly addressed the crowd, occasionally invoking some humor by bringing up topics such as the Euros.

In the middle of the set, the band was joined on stage by Senegalese performer Baaba Maal, who sang two songs with Mumford & Sons. Maal took the vocals on “Si tu veux,” and then swapped vocals, singing with Mumford on “There Will Be Time.” The audience was less engaged during this portion of the set, perhaps from not yet knowing the songs, but most remained standing throughout.

“The Cave” soon followed Maal’s exit, capturing the crowd fully, again making Mumford’s voice hard to discern from the singing along. As “The Cave” blended into “Ditmas,” Mumford left the stage to run up the aisles and through the lawn, before returning for “Dust Bowl Dance,” once again taking up the drums, as sparks poured down behind the band.

The band played a four song encore, joined again by Baaaba Maal,” before closing with “I Will Wait,” and “The Wolf.”

While many older songs such as “Little Lion Man,” “The Cave,” “White Blank Page,” and “Dust Bowl Dance” received the most prominent singing along and ovations, reactions to new songs such as “The Wolf” and “Ditmas” demonstrated that fans are still committed to Mumford & Sons evolving sound.

Johannesburg, a five-track collaborative “mini album” with Baaba Maal, recorded during the band’s 2016 South African tour, was released June 17.

Set list: Snake Eyes, Little Lion Man, Below My Feet, Monster, White Blank Page, Lover of the Light, Tompkins Square Park, Believe, Ghosts That We Knew, Si tu veux (with Baaba Maal), There Will Be Time (with Baaba Maal), The Cave, Ditmas, Dust Bowl Dance

Encore: Hot Gates, Wona (with Baaba Maal), I Will Wait, The Wolf

June 20, 2016
Mountain Jam 2016: Day 4

Unlike the previous three days, the weather at the onset of Sunday, June 5, at Mountain Jam 2016 was gloomy with continuing patches of rain. People throughout the campgrounds were picking up their equipment and assessing any damage. The storm hadn’t been overly aggressive, but that didn’t stop things like camping canopies from collapsing under the weight of accumulated rainfall.

Once everyone completed their morning cleanup, regular plans for the last day of the festival started. Parents and kids joined together in Healey Hall at 9 a.m. for Yogarama with Bari Koral, a yoga instructor who brings fun music into the mix to make yoga interesting for kids. And of course yoga for the older kids was next, led by none other than Michael Franti. Originally scheduled to be held in Dolan’s Lake Park, across Ski Bowl Road from the festival grounds, Franti’s yoga session had to be moved into Healey Hall due to the inclement weather.

After yoga with Franti, Michael joined Radio Woodstock in their Mountain Jam booth for an interview and a quick song. NYS Music was there to experience his time on the radio and sing-along with him and the rest of the crowd who gathered around; Franti loves to be surrounded by people, while he plays—it really fuels his love-filled music and performance.

Michael Franti acoustic session on Radio Woodstock #mountainjam #nysmusic #day4 #michaelfranti @spm222photo @mountainjam

A video posted by NYS Music (@nystatemusic) on Jun 5, 2016 at 1:10pm PDT

Meanwhile, Woodstock native Elijah Wolf, Boston-based Quilt and New York City’s London Souls played on the Valley Stage. The continuing mist didn’t stop fans from throwing on rain gear and enjoying themselves on the final day of Mountain Jam 2016. Like the previous day, the schedule had a change, and it caused Michael Franti’s Mountain Stage performance to be the last main stage show of the weekend—except this time the schedule change was caused by mother nature.

Severe weather alerts came across the PA system, and everyone was instructed to pack-up their belongings as quickly as possible and either leave the grounds or seek shelter immediately. No one knew exactly what to expect from the weather, but the general fear was that high winds would cause structures, like the stages, to become unsafe. Attendees complied as best as possible. Some were able to pack-up and depart, while others fastened down their equipment and congregated in the main lodge to wait out the storm.

Many festival-goers were sad that they had to miss the final three acts of the weekend—Brandi Carlisle, Third World and especially, the Avett Brothers. Safety is always understandable, but that doesn’t quell unrest about an upheaval of musical plans. Luckily, thanks to Radio Woodstock, a secret set popped up in the media loft where the radio station had been broadcasting all festival long.

The buzz about this secret set started to spread throughout the crowd inside the lodge, just downstairs from the loft, but no one knew exactly who was going to play and where. Suddenly, some stage crew started carrying in instruments and brought them up to the radio booth, followed by four gentlemen who make up the originally scheduled closing band, the Avett Brothers. After some audio setup, the indie-folk quartet played a four-song set over the airwaves and over the station’s PA system, which was turned up and pointed at the crowd downstairs. After each song, applause erupted from below. It was clear that the remaining festival-goers recognized just how lucky they were and how much they appreciated the Avett Brothers’ humble and apologetic attitude toward having to cancel last minute.

As the weekend finally drew to a close, people sat around recapping the events of this year’s Mountain Jam. Everyone had their own individual experiences, but the final product of all experiences was joy and an overall feeling of fulfillment. Much sought-after music had been enjoyed to the fullest, and everyone knew that the 2016 festival season was truly underway.

Check out the photo gallery below—captured by Steve Malinski—to experience the fourth and final day of the twelfth annual Mountain Jam.

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June 9, 2016
Flaming Lips, Colorado Symphony Orchestra Soar at Red Rocks

It was only a matter of time, but, still, it only happened once. It was after the last of the confetti guns fired their joyous paper rainbows. It was after the last violin string plucked their textured whimsy into our hearts, and flitted away like an invisible butterfly into the crisp Colorado air. It wasn’t until the Flaming Lips had vacated the stage to be whisked away on a tour bus into the night-dark cloud billows. Only then did it happen. I cried.

To be sure, the pairing of the Flaming Lips with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and their full choir at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on May 26 soared. The lush orchestra arrangements blended angelically with the Lips performance of their 1999 breakthrough album, The Soft Bulletin. Early in the show, lead singer, Wayne Coyne, donned a metal halo bowl and a robe of reactive rope light that made him appear like an alien Bible prophet with an amazing technicolor dream coat. A vast array of LED lights hung above the stage added the otherworldly glow of the show.

But what deepened the raw emotion for me was an announcement from my family, prior to the concert, that my father’s brain cancer had entered its final stage. I was rattled, and it was difficult to conceive how I might enjoy the performance, much less be able to write a semi-coherent review of the show afterward. But Coyne’s lyrics have always reached for the transcendent and eternal by reminding us of our mortality. The Lips’ music has always sought to find a sense of wonder by realizing the brevity of human life. Coyne’s primary message to concert audiences has always been, the sooner we accept and embrace our ephemeral nature, the sooner we will accept and embrace life. And love one another. Those simple, soft undercurrents of tenderness have always given the spectacle of the band’s stage show it’s spark and emotion. The orchestra and choir only heightened the emotional textures of the performance.

Near the evening’s end, the white, hot blade of stage light sliced through the flurry of confetti and split open my fractured thoughts with the fan favorite, “Do You Realize?” With his reedy tenor voice Coyne plaintively asked, “Do you realize/everyone you know someday will die?” The song isn’t intended as a warning, but as an invitation to show an appreciation for loved ones and life. That invitation carried through with a closing cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” that Coyne performed perched near the 25th row inside his trademark hamster ball. “Far above the world/Planet Earth is blue/And there is nothing I can do.”

I was overcome by the moment. I was finally close enough to read the words on Coyne’s pink T-shirt. “My Heart Is Nuclear!” the shirt proclaimed. It was one of those nights could remind one, that even in the face of profound sorrow, there is reason for gratitude. And it was one of those shows that makes one consider that maybe it is true. Love, perhaps is all we need under a dark night sky swirling with rainbow confetti.

Setlist: Race for the Prize, A Spoonful Weighs a Ton, The Spark that Bled, The Spiderbite Song, Buggin’, What Is the Light?, The Observer, Waitin’ for a Superman, Suddenly Everything Has Changed, The Gash, Feeling Yourself Disintegrate, Sleeping on the Roof

Encore: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1, Do You Realize?

Encore 2: Space Oddity (David Bowie), The W.A.N.D.

June 7, 2016
Mountain Jam 2016: Day 3

Saturday, the main day of Mountain Jam 2016 had arrived. Attendees stepped out into a brand new day of the weekend. The warmth started to set in as the fog fully broke at about 9 a.m. It was easy to tell the day ahead of music and festivities would be glorious, sun-filled and containing an item that many people would be crossing off of their musical bucket lists after nightfall.

The day started off with an act in Healey Hall that has helped bridge the parent-child festival gap at Mountain Jam for multiple years. Ratboy Jr., comprised of Timmy Sutton (rhythm acoustic, electric guitar, vocals) and Matty Senzatimore (drums, keyboards, bells, vocals) provide families with a friendly place to bring their children first thing in the morning. As we all know, the children get up early and must be entertained. Described as “Ween-esque,” whose “intergalactic folk music is paired with curious subject matter like eating clouds, high five-ing shadows, big-headed Mexican wrestling hopefuls, space fuzz and guitar pickin’ chickens,” by Out With The Kids, Ratboy Jr. has become just as important of an act at Mountain Jam as most other supporting acts the core attendees arrive to see.

Once the children had their fill of silliness to hold them over until after nap time, the rest of the spectacular and diverse schedule of music, events and workshops started to unfold. Next up in Healey Hall was the Paul Green Rock Academy, a school in Saugerties, NY, that is driven to show kids a path to success onstage through interactive performance-based lessons, with the goal of creating genuine music through creativity and experience. While the kids were rocking out the Hall, Rochester-based Mikaela Davis was performing on the Valley Stage. Mikaela was a late addition to the bill when Gary Clark Jr. had to suddenly back out. Shortly after, Darlingside, a Cambridge, MA, indie-folk band, hit the Mountain Stage. NYS Music was fortunate enough to be nearby when Darlingside stopped by Radio Woodstock’s live broadcast area for a quick set and captured a clip on Instagram.

The Mountain and Valley Stages’ next acts were dynamite, to say the least. After Mikaela Davis played, Con Brio, Son Little, Lettuce and Houndmouth finished out the Saturday music on the Valley Stage. Alternating from those acts on the Mountain Stage were Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, the Record Company, a Warren Haynes solo set (another addition from the Gary Clark Jr. cancellation) and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. Each of the last acts on the two concert field stages played to the audience as dusk turned to night.

While those bands played their sets, Healey Hall was home to a couple of workshops, one by Jay Blakesberg, in which he gave an abridged version of his book tour presentations he gives all over the country. Jay told NYS Music that he normally talks a lot longer about his books, but since he only had 45 minutes he chose to dedicate more time to a question-and-answer session and signing books for fans. There was also a documentary on Lettuce follow by an opportunity for participants’ questions, and then another documentary called A History of Cannabis in America. These events helped many attendees get more out of this mountain festival by allowing an in-depth view into portions of the music industry.

Once the sun was down, the face of the mountain filled to the point that a nine-year veteran attendee exclaimed that the crowd was the largest he’s ever seen on a Saturday night. He hypothesized that it could be attributed to large single-day ticket sales sparked by the 9:30 p.m. act, Beck. Unlike most acts at festivals, Beck came out late, but no one was upset once he hit the stage.

Beck opened up his set with “Devil’s Haircut” and naturally, the crowd erupted with cheers. Anyone who has seen one of his shows knows just how amazing the next hour and a half went. The set list of Beck’s performance was equally as eclectic as his history of songwriting and production. Aside from the opener, he played hits like “Loser,” “Que Onda Guero” and “E-Pro.” He also paid homage to the late artists Prince and David Bowie by covering “Raspberry Beret” in the latter half of his set and by playing part of “China Girl” during his band introductions in the middle of the encore, “Where It’s At.” Once Beck’s set was over, no one could stop talking about how electrifying he was. However, there wasn’t a soul who was worried about a lull in the fun, since the late-night acts to come were certain to keep people’s ears filled with topnotch music and help their feet continue to kick the dust around with a variety of impromptu dance moves.

The first act of the late night was Con Brio, playing their second set of the night, but this time in Healey Hall, which due to the last-minute schedule changes overlapped Beck’s set by a half hour. Next up was Thievery Corporation on the Mountain Stage. Lettuce finished off Saturday’s music in Healey Hall and played to a packed house, while the oh-so-common Mountain Jam rain finally made its first appearance of the weekend.

Slowly, but surely, people made their way back to their campsites to ensure everything was watertight in anticipation of any increased precipitation. The biggest hope on everyone’s mind was that the rain would move in and out while everyone was sleeping so Sunday’s big acts like Michael Franti, Brandi Carlisle and the Avett Brothers would be able to perform under clear skies. Little did they know the weather had different plans for Sunday.

Check out the photos below taken by our staff photographer, Steve Malinski, throughout Day Three of Mountain Jam.

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June 7, 2016
Mountain Jam 2016: Day 2

On June 3, festival-goers awoke in their tents, RVs, and hotel rooms to a beautiful day ahead. The temperature was in the low 60s, there was some light comfortable wind blowing through the mesh of tents, and some clouds in the sky, which kept the sun from waking people up hot and sweaty. Most importantly, there was the first full day of Mountain Jam 2016 ahead.

The day of music got underway on the Valley Stage with The Suitcase Junket, a one-man-band out of Amherst, MA. Matt Lorenz entertained the crowd with his adaptation of a music man, crooning out sweet lyrics, while smoothly playing a combination of a variety of instruments to accentuate those heartfelt vocals.

The next couple of acts to hit the Valley Stage were Marcus King Band and Love Canon. Marcus King and his band proved to be a crowd favorite and was invited to play a small acoustic set live on Radio Woodstock, which is broadcasting on-site all weekend. NYS Music captured a moment of that radio set on Instagram. Love Canon, a fast-paced bluegrass band with a keen ability to cover Top 100 songs got the late-afternoon crowd fired up for the evening to come. Their covers of J. Geils Band’s “Centerfold” and Africa’s “Toto” ensured that as few butts were on the grass or in chairs as possible.

The Mountain Stage had its first act early in the afternoon, with And The Kids, a band based in Northampton, MA, who labels themselves as not just indie rock, but as an existential and accessible form of music. After this unique and subtle yet powerful trio was a band who has worked hard to be thought provoking with the depth to assist generations with escaping the ease of apathy. That band with such an intense charge is Nahko and Medicine for the People. NYS Music was fortunate enough to catch a few minutes with Nahko, an artist with a great heart and his mind truly in an enlightened state.

“A lot of the music that I eventually opened up to that fueled my own style of writing came from [the Sixties]. The old story-telling of a time when there was a very strong movement, as far as a social movement goes, to become aware of yourself and to be involved in your political structure and to be involved in making democracy work for the people.” He goes on to explain that he doesn’t see his music having a political drive. Instead he prefers to label it as having political content and some non-fictional history lessons, which is ultimately positioned to open fans’ minds in order to do their part in shaping a better world.

The Santa Monica, CA based band was here playing their first Mountain Jam and were excited to say the least. The only disappointment was that they had to leave almost directly after their set. However, the reason was nothing short of incredible: they are performing at a Bernie Sanders rally in San Diego, CA.

The Mountain Stage then welcomed Courtney Barnett, the Melbourne, Australia-based singer, song writer, guitarist and all-around bad-ass performer. Courtney brought her attitude-filled full-bodied sound to the Catskill Mountains, introducing many to her music and galvanizing the crowd when she played The Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” for her first time ever in front of an audience. NYS Music posted a clip of that excellent cover on Instagram as it happened.

Immediately after the Australian indie-rocker finished her set, Brooklyn’s own Turkuaz got things started on the Valley Stage. Anyone who has seen this power funk ensemble knows that the impending set they stand anxiously waiting to see will fill everyone’s ears with a ground shaking orchestration. Turkuaz shows everyone why this relatively young band has started to gain the momentum that is likely to carry them to very high places in the national music scene and possibly beyond.

As the evening led into night, Mountain Jam 2016 was captivated by the music of Jason Isbell and Chris Robinson Brotherhood, who was making their return after having been on the Mountain Jam X billing in 2014. By the time CRB was wrapping up their ever-soul-filled set, dusk had settled in nicely and the previously anticipated rain had decided to issue a stay of aquatic festival execution.

The soon to be chilly night was then taken over by an incredible pair of Mountain Stage acts. Wilco was tasked with firing up the crowd for the historical host of Mountain Jam, Warren Haynes. The veteran band completed their assignment with mastery, giving a massive crowd of long-time Wilco fans and first-timers alike the 90’s alternative rock fix they’d been seeking, whether they knew it or not.

After Wilco, there was a 30 minute lull. That gave people enough time to run and prepare for the host to present his musical bounty. Gov’t Mule took the stage just before 11:00 pm to a crowd itching to hear the drawl of that Southern rock. It’s not easy to forget how breathtaking of a show the Mule gives its fans, but if someone in that crowd had forgotten, they were immediately reminded when the band opened up with the Black Sabbath cover “Sweet Leaf.” They proceeded to give the audience some of their favorites, including “Thorazine Shuffle” and “Funny Little Tragedy,” which finished with a “Thorazine” reprise, Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “Mule,” in which the festival was teased with riffs of “Shakedown Street,” and then finished with a “Soulshine” encore.

When Warren and his crew of troubadours left the Mountain Stage the crowd was split in two. Those who filed toward Healey Hall for The New Mastersounds and those who sought the comfort of their camp sites, RVs and hotels after a long first full day of Mountain Jam 2016. For the latter, rest was needed to ensure the best experience of the Saturday of music and events to come, while the former knew that it would take a powerful force to stop their momentum.

Today, the third day of the 12th annual Mountain Jam, the festival-goers are in store for a day filled with amazing music and other incredible events. Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Beck and Thievery Corporation have Mountain Stage duties. Son Little, Lettuce and Houndmouth will be playing their sets on the Valley Stage. All the while there will be workshops, documentaries and Q&As from the likes of Jay Blakesberg and Lettuce. Late night will be covered by the sounds of Con Brio and then Lettuce. Whether you haven’t yet streamed Mountain Jam 2016 or if you have all along, be sure to visit Tourpedo to stream all of these great artists. In the meantime, check out these galleries from yesterday by our staff photographer, Steve Malinski.

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June 4, 2016