Fresh from their appearance at SXSW and a packed week of NYC gigs, Telegram blazed, marched and paraded through a set of tightly wound, well-conceived, and – it must be said – extraordinarily loud songs at Pianos on Thursday, March 24. As a Brit myself I was heartened when the band, with their British accents and modest entourage, quietly streamed into the audience to catch the end of opening act Stephen Babcock and have a Stella or two.
I mention their entrance to the room, before they even got on stage, because their noticeability in a crowded room is pretty relevant: these guys, with leather tightly fitted and hair impressively styled, properly look like they are in a band. Once they are on stage, photographer Thom McKenna says to me, grinning: ‘One of the most English things I have ever seen.’ I agree, only to be caught off guard by the accent of frontman Matt Saunders as he introduces the band after their second song: ‘We’re from London’, he says, but his voice is not. A furrowed brow and a Google search later I confirm that Matt is, in fact, Welsh. It was the first of many times last night that my expectations were subverted by Telegram.
Telegram hurtled through their first couple of songs with bold assurance, gain-soaked instruments and a touch, I think it is fair to say, of glam-rock styling. It is tempting to lump Telegram in with a troupe of other ‘new psych bands’, as the Guardian did back in 2014, and as I had mentally done before even arriving at the show. But their third track of the night, ‘Inside/Outside’, with the its syncopated hi-hats and danceable snare cracks sharply glimmering through the mid-range overdrive, sets Telegram apart by the distinctiveness of their instruments and their musicianship. It cannot be overstated quite how loud the set was – one hopes for their sake that Matt, Pip, Moon and Cook wear ear-plugs on stage – but loudness does not equate to a hot mess. The guitar playing got pretty relentless at times, but it was always precise, with the rhythm often only hitting punchy downstrokes and the lead reverberating, echoing, and not ever, to my ear, muffling a note.
The bassist, Moon, is normally at the sonic frontier of the band’s sound. This is the case with their cover of Bowie’s ‘Heroes’. The bass is the backbone of the cover, and it does not fail to please the audience. The cover may well have been the highlight of the evening, which is no bad thing; nonetheless, it does make me wonder what it is about the song that makes it stand out just slightly above the rest of the band’s set. Perhaps it is the sheer spaciousness of ‘Heroes’, the way it demands that whoever is playing it give it room to breathe. Telegram’s sound can occasionally get so intense that they miss opportunities to let melodies expand, for ideas to soar and grow, as they instead move swiftly on to the next raging chord. As Telegram moves forward, I wonder if they will try to make room for more of whatever it is they managed to capture in that Bowie cover.
On Friday, March 25th, Telegram played at Brooklyn’s Shea Stadium. I am jealous of anyone who could make it and catch this forceful and impressive band on their last evening in New York City. Here’s hoping they return soon.
Nicole Suto aka “Niki Lee” is an indie singer/songwriter living in Troy, NY who is returning to the live music scene after taking a hiatus to have and raise a child. Her first show in a self-admitted long while will be this Friday, April 1 at the Dinosaur BBQ. She opens up for fellow Lansingburgh natives, The Lawn Sausages, at 9 p.m. The show is free.
With the help of her friends Gary Levitt and Erica Quitzow of New Paltz, she recorded five tracks found on Reverbnation. She plays the guitar and loops her own backup vocals. “Accelerate” is a fun tune that shows off her playful, rocker side and incorporates the organ. Her sound is similar to Liz Phair and other 90s female musicians in the similar genre. Her style however is unique. Instead of your typical chord progressions, Niki often slaps the strings to create both percussion and notes.
“Faith” represents a darker side of Niki. This expression of negative emotion is something she says drives her to write music. Her live performances are a balance of both upbeat positive songs and those that are melancholy.
While performing live is something she intends to do, her real goal is to continue to write, produce and record music.
We recently chatted with Niki about her music and living in Troy.
After listening to your tracks on Reverbnation, we kind of get a Liz Phair vibe. Is that what has influenced you?
I first started really heavy in the singer, songwriter, kind of folksy vein, listening to Ani DiFranco, Suzanne Vega, really growing up with the 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant stuff. But I think it was really PJ Harvey who kind of hooked me into the electric guitar, not just playing acoustic. Then Liz Phair – I think I’ve probably listened to Exile in Guyville like a million times. I probably can sing the whole album from beginning to end, so yes, that’s a definite influence for me.
What inspires you?
I feel like a lot of the music that I’m playing now has been inspired by relationships, questioning the world about why things are the way they are and how you have an emotional reaction to that. A lot of my songs, I write when I feel upset about things so it’s very hard for me to write upbeat songs. When I’m happy, I’m not in the writing kind of mood, it’s so hard to write a happy song. But I know people don’t want to just hear bitching and moaning when they see me perform so I’ve worked in some positive ones as well.
So your show on April 1 will be the first one in a while, and a hometown show?
I’m opening up for the Lawn Sausages. A lot of us are from Lansingburgh, born and raised there. So it’s a lot of old time friends. I haven’t really played a gig in a long time and one of the members of the Lawn Sausages put this gig up so I asked if I could open for them. It’s going to be a very hometown, packed crowd. It will be a special gig because all my friends and family from years and years, being a Troy native.
I’ve traveled a lot, I’ve lived and played in San Francisco and New York City but I had to come back home. Something about being home it’s hard to get away from sometimes.
Do you have a favorite spot to hang out in Troy?
I really enjoy going down to the Farmer’s Market. It’s one of the best and the fact that it’s all year round is really great. My daughter loves Famous Lunch – we like greasy food in our family.
So I understand you had friends from New Paltz help you with your recordings. Did you go down there to do it?
Yeah. Gary Levitt and Erica Quitzow who I met in San Francisco but were from New York. After we all moved back I reached out to them because they are just amazing engineers and musicians. I asked them if they could record a few songs for me. I had done a few recordings in the past but never ones I felt proud of. I felt OK about them but they just didn’t represent how I wanted my songs to sound in a studio recording. These guys really nailed it. I like Imogen Heap and Tori Amos, people who pull in a lot of different elements and layered harmonies into their music. Unfortunately I can’t recreate that on stage so it will be kind of like a PJ Harvey four-track demos kind of feel at the show (laughs). I like pushing the boundaries of the singer-songwriter into the different musical sounds that you can play with and layer. It’s one of my favorite things about the music that I’m drawn to.
What else do you like to do when not songwriting or recording?
I work for the state as a budget analyst. I really like spreadsheets! (laughs) I do a lot of work with spreadsheets, tracking or spending. It’s nice because it’s really easy, it either adds up or it doesn’t. Plus, I don’t make the decisions of how it’s being spent In my free time I am a 4H Club co-leader for a dog training club call the Clover Paws. It’s something I do with my daughter. We have two dogs, so when I’m not making music or taking care of my daughter, I’m playing with my dogs.
Aquachobee, Coronachobee, okeechobeings, yogachobee, are just a few of the new words learned while attending the sold-out inaugural Okeechobee Music Festival. From March 3-7 thousands of music fans “entered the portal” to spread their Okeechobee love and good vibes in south Florida paradise. The news of the festival hit the town of Okeechobee about three years ago and could not have been more of a success. The festival is the brain child of Paul Peck, a graduate of Tulane University who had years earlier sowed the seeds for Bonnaroo with Rick Farman. Years later Peck took his knowledge from the Bonnaroo experience to create a musical and art themed wonderland. Held on hundreds of acres of wide open spaces, the Okeechobee Festival was massive yet elegant.
Okeechobee was hosted on a former equestrian area that was expected to be turned into a housing development but after the project failed, festival promoters soon discovered it would be the perfectly ideal place for a large outdoor four day festival. With concrete walking paths through most of the festival ground getting around Okeechobee was a breeze. However, an increase of signs next year would make for a great improvement. The festival consisted of The Chobeewobee Village, Yogachobee, Jungle 51, Aquachobee, and the Grove which housed the three main stages “Be”, “Here” and “Now” Each festival area had its own theme and different stages. The Aquachobee stood out as being a favorite during the day. Many happy festival goers made their way to the manmade beach to sun bathe and swim while taking pics and making custom bags courtesy of Corona. One of the greatest things about Okeechobee was the many special places to take unwind and relax while within listening distance of the music. There were a few groves of trees which were decorated with vintage furniture and warm mood lighting. There was also nice lounge chairs throughout Aquachobee.
Most of the festival’s audience was college aged students from nearby cities like Miami, Tampa and Orlando. This was a first time camping festival for many that had learned about the fest on their cities’ local radio stations. Although there were many first time festival goers presented an overall positive vibe which was upbeat and respectful. Everyone united and thrived in peace over the course of the four days and many new festival families were formed. Each camping area was named after texting acronyms for example NSFW, LOL, ROFL, etc but there were no signs anywhere indicating the different camping areas. Hopefully, signs will be in place next year. There were showers available for $7 but tickets had to be purchased prior at a general store that was a significantly large distance from the shower facilities. The food vendors truly represented a plethora of culinary diversity with decent prices.
The Festival kicked off Thursday afternoon with an opening ceremony in The Yogachobee Village. Which led to a night of enjoyment featuring the Okeechobee Allstars led by The Lee Boys Rosevelt Collier, Big Gigantic’s Jeremy Salken, Lettuce’s Nigel Hall and many more great musicians For late that night Jungle 51 was opened and many danced well into the early morning dancing to great Dj’s like Big Wild. On Friday the grove was finally opened. The stages were placed perfectly. Although the stages were evenly distanced from each other and there was no sound bleeding over. Moon Hooch got the party started on the “Be” stage and made way for an incredible set by the great Grace Potter later in the afternoon. Other bands that played on the stages were Twiddle, X Ambassadors, and Lil Dicky and the legendary Robert Plant. That evening Hall and Oats took the “Be” stage and rocked the place with all their greatest hits. It was obvious most of the fans rushing the stage that night were there for Bassnectar. Thousands packed in tightly to be as close to the DJ as possible and absorb the beats and bass rising up from the ground.
Saturday afternoon crowds were treated to sets by Dr. Dog, Lotus, Booker T. Jones, Lotus, and Mac Miller. As the sun went down the temperature dropped to the high fifties and the stars finally came out. Crowds danced to the beats of Kendrick Lamar, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Big Gigantic. Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: Skrillex. The set was intense and dynamic; the bass and electronic melodies flooded the concert area as thousands moved in a trance-like state. Toward the end of the Skrillex set many migrated back to the “Now “stage to claim a space to dance during the all star jam known as the Pow-Wow. This super jam included R&B Heartthrob Miguel, Win, Butler, John Oates, Skrillex, Mac Miller, Eric Krasno of Lettuce, three members of Mumford and Sons, the horn section of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band kamasai Washington and the legendary George Porter Jr.
Sunday was another perfect day of music to end this very high energy musical weekend. Starting off with the rap rock band Bangarang who were Destination Okeechobee winners from Tampa started the Grove right on the now stage. Later on the now stage was one of the anticipated acts of Big Grams featuring Big Boi of Outkast and the duo of Phantogram. The “Be” stage took a modern Americana theme and welcomed award winning songwriter Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit which featured his very talented wife Amanda Shires on the fiddle. Next was the long time running band Ween which earned many new fans. The evening followed with Odeza, The Heavy, and The Avett Brothers overlapping on each of the three main stages. Which led to the grand finale of Mumford and Sons on the “Be” stage? Mumford and sons did there amazing set for the first half and then there set morphed into one great super jam joined by The Avett Brothers, Tom Morello and many more musicians By early Monday morning the music on the main stages ended but there was plenty of room to party near the art installations and Ferris wheel near Aquachobee.
Okeechobee has been a labor of love from some very creative people. The event not only sold out at 30,000 but still maintained its intimate vibe. Okeechobee will take its place among the festival giants like its big brother Bonaroo. The hard work and dreams made for a magical weekend of musical discovery and camaraderie. See you next year in the portal!
Ithaca based jamtronic/indie rock trio Jimkata is currently touring in support of their latest fan funded release In Motion. The trio will roll into Buffalo Iron Works on Saturday March 26th.
After taking a brief hiatus that took the band off the road for the majority of the fall and winter, Jimkata hit the road for the first time as a trio this February. Frontman Evan Friedell told NYS Music that touring as a three piece has helped strengthen the bands dynamic.
“I think having just the three of us on stage has simplified the dynamic a little bit in that its easier to communicate and improvise as musicians. It also has led us to focus specifically on each sound and make everything sound bigger. We’re also starting to get a good sense of set flow, like what songs pair well with each other, and are continually getting better at making good sets every night.”
After the departure of longtime bassist David Rossi in late 2014, Stephen Learson (The Endobox) jumped on the road with the band for the majority of 2015. The band made the decision while on hiatus to tour with only the band’s orginial three members: Friedell, Packy Lunn (drums) and Aaron Gorsch (guitar/snyths).
And in Friedell’s opinion, the gamble has paid off. “Packy and Aaron have stepped up to the plate big time in terms of covering multiple parts. When we first started rehearsing as a three piece I had some apprehension that maybe we would be missing something. But, honestly, it feels like the exact opposite, that we’ve gained even more sonically especially with adding all the new songs to our sets.”
Friedell also noted that the bands long awaited return to the Queen City is met with excitement by not just the fans but the band as well. “We’ve been playing Buffalo for quite a while so our relationship with the city runs deep. Its starting to feel like a home base for us, especially since we’ve been rehearsing there a lot lately and Packy is now living there. I’ve found the Buffalo crowd to be a little rowdier than other places we play which is fun. Something about that goes along well with our upstate New York attitude and upbringing.”
Tickets for this Saturday’s show are available online through Ticketfly. Buffalo based band Lazlo Hollyfeld will open. Doors open at 8pm;Music starts at 9pm.
The Brooklyn/NYC DIY scene is replete with talented bands and artists that offer a plethora of genres for anyone’s taste. Stuyedeyed stands out with their psychedlic, desert-esque facet of punk rock. It’s almost as if Jimi Hendrix, Danzig and Kyuss had a peyote ceremony in the desert and made music. Their live performances are bursting with masses of energy and instrumental intricacies that will have you wondering how they played those notes and moved around so much. Stuyedeyed is Nelson Antonio Espinal (guitar/vocals), Andrea Scanniello (guitar/organ/vocals), Luis Ruelas (drums), and Humberto Geñao (bass).
A recent performance at Shea Stadium in Brooklyn showcased their raw talent and ability to croon a crowd with heavy, crunching guitar riffs, smooth, groovy bass and ferocious drumming that could have you saying a divine four letter word. Although most of the material they performed was brand new, some tracks I’m familiar with made an appearance such as “Land Mines” (from their Cursed EP) which has a melodic guitar riff over a driving force of drums and a bass line that makes you want to groove your hips and bang your head simultaneously. “Erik’s Song” was played (also from the Cursed EP) and its heavy, droning guitar riff over a continuous drum roll matched superbly with Espinal’s aggressive, crooning vocals. Stuyedeyed bleeds DIY and possesses a natural talent not seen in many groups which is why they have become one of my favorite bands in the scene. I heard they may be recording new material soon; I’m very excited to see what comes next for the psych-rock quartet. Check out their EP, Cursed as well as their Facebook page for upcoming shows in Brooklyn/NYC.
Ryan Quinn, a Clinton High and SUNY Oneonta graduate, was the only contestant to turn all four chairs during the blind audition portion of NBC’s The Voice last week. Quinn’s performance of Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home” blew away the judges and rocketed to number two on the iTunes rock charts following the broadcast. To date, his performance has over one million views on YouTube.
This week, he faced off against fellow Team Adam member Katie Basden, performing a duet of Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” and was selected to continue as a member of Levine’s team. Basden, managed to stay in the competition after Blake Shelton “stole” her for his team.
Since last Monday, Quinn’s life has been a whirlwind. His Facebook following has increased fourfold, the number of Twitter followers has done the same and naturally, reporters have come calling for interviews. No further proof of his popularity surge was needed than at his performance Friday night at one of his home venues, Cavallo’s in New Hartford.
Reservations were recommended to attend the show, and the room was at full capacity thirty minutes prior to Quinn stepping onstage with his partner, long-time family friend, guitarist Dave “Dinger” Wingfield. NYS Music was on the scene for the home town performance and also sat down to speak with Quinn about how he’s dealing with his sudden fame; what the kids at the House of the Good Shepherd mean to him and where to next.
To meet Ryan Quinn is to meet a down-to-earth, humble young man grateful for the opportunity to make music. His show Friday night, at the bar that has given him a home the past two years, was his opportunity to not only showcase his incredibly diverse vocal range and musicianship, but to also share the spotlight with his friend, vocalist Cassidy Gerkin and heap praise upon his co-workers and students at the House of the Good Shepherd for the support they have given him. Quinn paused frequently between songs to recognize the cheering section comprised of fellow House of Good Shepherd staff, all donning black t-shirts with the hash tag #Quinnsanity across the front.
Quinn’s support team, fellow staff from The House of the Good Shepherd
Quinn sat for an interview with NYS Music on the eve of the second round of competition for The Voice. The person who emerged was one eager to deflect attention towards others and who is just now coming to terms that he has earned a spot on one of television’s most popular shows.
Mike Kohli:It was great meeting you the other night. Great show. You had a ton of people there.
Ryan Quinn: Thanks for coming out Friday. I appreciate it. It was wild. Probably the best show I’ve ever played.
MK: So, has it started to sink in yet? This whole The Voice thing?
RQ: I think it’s finally beginning to. Maybe not the sheer magnitude of it, but every day it’s a little bit more clear as to what’s going on. I guess that gig was a good indication. People were there from Boston. People were there at 3:30 for a show that started at 8:00. It was so absurd to me. But, yeah, I’m finally starting to wrap my head around it.
MK: One thing about the people in this area; when one of their own does well, they’re all on board.
RQ: Oh, my God. It’s unbelievable. The support is more than I could ever have even dreamed of.
MK: It was obvious during your performance, many times throughout the night, the look on your face was one of overwhelming shock at the adulation you’re being given. You did a great job of… you were very humble, in deflecting that attention towards the people who were onstage with you, the people and kids you work with…just mentioning the House of the Good Shepherd several times throughout the show. It just kind of shows that you’re not in it to become a famous musician. You’re in it because you’re doing something you love and you just happen to have people that you love surrounding you. Is that Ryan Quinn?
RQ: Yeah. Yeah, that’s definitely me. I’m just really glad that came across. Music is just something that I’ve just always loved to do. It’s my favorite thing in the world, to sing. I’m just happy that I get to do it. And with the circumstances now, it’s just so cool. I couldn’t be any happier about it.
MK: So, the House of the Good Shepherd is your full-time job? Are you kind of on a leave right now while doing the show?
RQ: Yep. That’s correct. I’m on a leave. They’ve been super flexible with me. I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue working there, depending on what happens. I’ve worked there steadily for two years and it’s a great experience. Whether I can continue working there or not, I just want to always be giving back to them. They’re a great organization.
MK: What drew you to work there?
RQ: You know, funny story. My mom actually worked there a long time ago in the 70s. The guy who’s playing guitar with me [Dave “Dinger” Wingfield], he’s my dad’s best friend and his wife is my mom’s best friend and she’s still working there. It’s where she and my mother met and became friends. After college, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I just knew I wanted to play music. She thought I would be a really good fit teaching music at the school and told me about the position. I applied and got it on my own. She didn’t pull any strings or anything. I didn’t really know what to expect but I ended up falling in love with it.
MK: What do the kids think about all this?
RQ: They were completely shocked. Obviously I couldn’t say anything to anybody. But they can’t even believe it. They didn’t expect it at all. I just kinda said, “I’m pursuing a musical opportunity. I’ll be back to visit.” That’s basically all I said. I dont know if you saw the WKTV segment where they interviewed them; it’s one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen.
Sign made by Quinn’s students at The House of the Good Shepherd
MK: It has to be very rewarding for you.
RQ: Oh, absolutely. I just want to be a positive. Really, it’s just to be a positive, consistent force in their lives because it’s something they’ve never had. I just want to carry that forward.
MK: Is your style of music something they’ve been able to latch on to and be influenced by?
RQ: I don’t push it on them. I just kind of let them choose whatever they want to listen to, sing whatever they want to sing and just kind of help them do whatever they’re doing to the best of their ability.
MK: So you went to Oneonta. There’s a pretty good music scene going on down there.
RQ: I was in a couple of ensemble groups, basically just for credit. I was the lead vocalist with a funk band with Jeremy Wall. He was a founding member of the band Spyro Gyra, which is kinda cool. We played Stevie Wonder and Tower of Power stuff. I did a band called The Mothers of Intention. It was a Frank Zappa cover band. So we just did a bunch of albums of Zappa material. Yeah, the music scene there is very tight knit.
MK: You and Dave have been putting together some songs for an EP. Has there been any progress on that at all?
RQ: Ya know, kind of…I have some original material. It’s on Reverb Nation, a couple of songs on Soundcloud. It just takes me so long to write. I’ve been focusing on this and only this. It just takes me so long to write because I’m so hyper critical of everything that I do. Eventually I will put out my own material.
MK: When did you sit down and say, “I want to audition for The Voice?
RQ: Four years ago, I went to New York for an audition and it didn’t really go anywhere. And then my parents and my girlfriend and random people at gigs would just say, “Why don’t you just try?” I finally caved after about four years. So in July, I went and did an open call, and here I am!
MK: When did you find out you were going to be on the show?
RQ: (laughter) A few months after that. It was one of the most exciting days of my life. It’s horrifying too. It’s like, “My God, I’m actually going to audition in front of these people for real?” I can’t just put it on the back burner anymore. It’s like, no, you’re there. It’s gonna happen, so get ready.
MK:Obviously tonight and tomorrow night, the show is airing. You’re not sure when or if you’ll be on either show, correct?
RQ: Correct. I’m not sure when or if, but there’s always a chance. I’m gonna be watching anyway to see everybody. Of course, I hope to see myself too.
MK: It’s an exciting time around here, as exhibited at Cavallo’s the other night.
RQ: That was such a great show.
MK: You basically went straight through, what, 32 songs…
RQ: (laughter) You counted? Nice! I used to do three sets but the energy was so great that when you get the adrenaline going and everything, at least for me, I feel like I could just sing forever. I took a break not needing to, just realizing that I probably should. But I probably could have just played straight through if I wanted to. I just love doing it.
MK: Your guest vocalist…
RQ: Oh, Cassidy? Her name is Cassidy Gerken. It’s a small community here. Her father, Vic Gerken, who was doing sound Friday…he was in a band with Dinger, who I was playing with, and my dad, who was a drummer, back in the 70s and 80s. They were in a band together, all three of them.
MK: It’s all coming full circle.
RQ: It’s all coming full circle. It’s pretty funny. We’re all working together again.
MK: Best of luck to you. Thank you.
RQ: Of course, thank you.
Ryan Quinn is performing again at Cavallo’s Friday March 25. If you’re in the area, the man puts on a show covering all genres from all decades. He has a voice that does justice to Marvin Gaye and Thom Yorke. But be forewarned, you may have to arrive at 3:30 to get a spot on the deck.
In the years 1998 and 2003 a collaboration of musicians assembled to record 3 songs. Lead by David “Solid” Gould, formerly of John Brown’s Body, Record New Highs features artists such as Brian Wilson (Anna Koogan, Johnny Dowd), Nate “Silas” Richardson (10 Ft Ganja Plant, Black Castle, Sim Redmond Band), Mark Berney (Itzhak Perlman, formerly of the Skatalites), Jhakeem Haltom (Thousands of One), and Craig Akira Fujita (Pressure Cooker, 10 Ft. Ganja Plant).
The EP’s 3 songs, “Unity,” “Duva Duva,” and “Rebirth” are explored inside and out; they are first displayed in their original form and then represented with slight variation with either a dub style or with a DJ to give a subtly different tone. When these songs were created and recorded Gould didn’t feel that it was the right time to bring them to bear. Instead, he waited 13 years to finally give the public a taste of his and Record New Highs’ eclectic and jazzy ambient tones. According to the collaborative’s website, Gould had “been patiently waiting for the right time to release this debut EP.” He decided that in January the time had finally come. Keep an ear out for more innovative sounds from Record New Highs, as there are plans of fresh releases in the near future featuring the melodic and percussive sounds of the West African inspired tongue drum.
This EP is available on Bandcamp to listen to and purchase, and is available for streaming on Spotify. To get a taste of these “new” eclectic recordings check out both “Unity” and “Unity DJ Style” below.
On Tues. May 11, rock band Cage the Elephant will now play a 7 p.m. show at the Palace Theatre in Albany. The group was originally scheduled to perform at the Times Union Center. Tickets purchased prior to the venue change will be honored. Floor seat holders are granted general admission access to the orchestra section of the Palace, and all reserved tickets will have general admission seating in the balcony section. Tickets for both price levels ($45 floor; $37.50 balcony) are still available for purchase at the Palace Theatre box office at 19 Clinton Ave. or through Ticketmaster. NYS Music was on hand to cover Cage the Elephant’s stop at Rochester’s Main Street Armory in March for the Spring Fling Tour; read more here.
Original Post:
The Grammy-nominated rock band Cage the Elephant will head out in May on a string of tour dates that will route the Kentucky alt-rockers to several venues in New York and neighboring states, plus stops in nearby Toronto and Montreal.
Jack White will release new album “Boarding House Reach” on Friday, March 23.
The headlining North American tour kicks off May 1 in Little Rock, Arkansas, before CTE stops in Canada and takes the stage at Times Union Center in Albany on May 11, the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, on May 15, and at SummerStage in New York City’s Central Park May 16. Supporting acts for this run are Portugal. The Man, Broncho and Twin Peaks.
Prior to launching the 34-date cross-country trek, which comes to a close June 26 in Phoenix, Arizona, the band is continuing Spring Fling Tour with Silversun Pickups, Foals and Bear Hands with shows billed in Pittsburgh on March 25, at the Main Street Armory in Rochester on March 26, First Niagara Center in Buffalo on March 28, XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, March 30, followed by Portland, Maine, and Providence, Rhode Island.
The high-energy quartet consists of singer Matt Shultz, guitarist Brad Shultz, bassist Daniel Tichenor and drummer Jared Champion. CTE is hitting the road following the release of their fourth studio album, Tell Me I’m Pretty. A follow-up to 2013’s Melophobia with hits “Come a Little Closer” and “Cigarette Daydreams,” the 10-track record produced by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys, The Arcs) debuted in December and features the alternative chart-topping single “Mess Around.” CTE has shared the stage with Foo Fighters, Muse and Queens of the Stone Age, among other big-name artists, and most recently, the group performed on the Late Late Show with James Corden, the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Conan.
Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, March 18 at 10 a.m. Passes for the upcoming New York dates are currently available through the band’s website, the respective venues and ticketing sites like Ticketmaster.
Cage the Elephant tour dates:
3/16 – Don Haskins Center – El Paso, TX ~
3/18 – Cox Business Center Arena – Tulsa, OK ~
3/19 – Landers Center – Southaven, MS ~
3/20 – Freedom Hall Civic Center – Johnson City, TN ~
3/22 – Richmond Coliseum – Richmond, VA ~
3/23 – Constant Convocation Center – Norfolk, VA ~
3/25 – Petersen Events Center, University of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA ~
3/26 – Main Street Armory – Rochester, NY ~
3/28 – First Niagara Center – Buffalo, NY
3/30 – XL Center – Hartford, CT ~
3/31 – Cross Insurance Arena – Portland, ME ~
4/1 – Dunkin Donuts Arena – Providence, RI ~
5/1 – Verizon Arena – Little Rock, AR *
5/3 – Chesapeake Energy Arena – Oklahoma City, OK *
5/4 – INTRUST Bank Arena – Wichita, KS *
5/6 – DeltaPlex – Grand Rapids, MI *
5/7 – Masonic Temple Theatre – Detroit, MI *
5/8 – International Centre, Arrow Hall – Toronto, ON *
5/10 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC *
5/11 – Palace Theatre – Albany, NY *
5/15 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD *
5/16 – SummmerStage, Central Park – New York City, NY *
5/19 – Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN *
5/20 – Infinite Energy Arena – Duluth, GA *
5/21 – Hangout Festival – Gulf Shores, AL
6/3 – KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, KY ^
6/4 – Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica – Cleveland, OH ^
6/5 – EXPRESS LIVE! – Columbus, OH ^
6/7 – UIC Pavilion – Chicago, IL %
6/9 – BMO Harris Pavilion – Milwaukee, WI %
6/10 – U.S. Bank Theater at Target Center – Minneapolis, MN ^
6/11 – Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center – Madison, WI ^
6/14 – Calgary Stampede Corral – Calgary, AB ^
6/15 – Shaw Convention Centre – Edmonton, AB ^
6/17 – PNE Forum – Vancouver, BC ^
6/18 – McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater – Portland, OR ^
6/19 – WaMu Theater – Seattle, WA ^
6/21 – Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles, CA %
6/22 – Valley View Casino Center – San Diego, CA %
6/23 – Bill Graham Civic – San Francisco, CA %
6/25 – The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV ^
6/26 – Gila River Arena – Phoenix, AZ ^
~ Spring Fling tour dates with Silversun Pickups, Foals and Bear Hands
* with Portugal, The Man + Broncho
^ with Portugal, The Man + Twin Peaks
% with Portugal, The Man
With lines wrapped around the block like a coiled hose, fans waited patiently to get to their seats to see Fall Out Boy at The Oncenter in Syracuse on Sunday night. This diverse crowd filed in with no issues other than the few expected grumbles due to the wait. However, security quickly took care of each attendee getting them to their 7,000 seats as soon as possible without missing a beat.
A multi-generational crowd quickly forgot all disparity as the first band PRVIS began its fog laden set. The stage was set in low light and much smoke and fog, encompassing Lyndsey Gunnulfsen, Alex Babinski, Brian MacDonald, and Justin Nace (touring member), who make up PVRIS (pronounced Paris) . Although the scene was dreary and mysterious, the music was electric and full of energy and light.
With a newly released single “You and I,” Gunnulfsen captures your attention with strong vocals and melodic emotions. This techno meets rock is a perfect blend of musicianship to produce a unique sound all their own. It won’t be long before you will be hearing more about this band. They captured the attention of NYS Music.
As the fog began to lift off the stage, up next was AWOLNATION, an electronic rock band, consisting of Aaron Bruno on vocals and guitar, Kenny Carkeet, on keyboards, backing vocals, and rhythm guitar, Isaac Carpenter on drums, percussion, backing vocals, Marc Walloch on bass guitar and backing vocals, and newcomer Zach Irons on lead guitar and vocals.
The band’s electronic techno rock sound filled the arena under a cloak of darkness. A parade of silhouettes graced the stage for the majority of its songs. Reminiscent of a earlier techno sound from the 80’s but mixed with a flavor of today’s rock, Bruno delivered the energy filled lyrics to a hyped up crowd stirring up a bees nest of frenzy. Best known for their top ten rock single, “Sail” and cover of “I’m on Fire” in the film 50 Shades of Gray, AWOLNATION delivers an eclectic mix of music pleasing to many.
As the lights went out for a brief intermission to set up for Fall Out Boy (FOB), the cloak draped stage curtain fell to the ground, a cage was shifted off to the left of the stage, and from the sky fell a million tiny bubbles as the members of Fall Out Boy took their respective places. The crowd erupted into screams and cheers and from that minute forward the energy in that arena was contagious and spread like a wild fire. The V shaped stage encapsulated those lucky enough to be in the pit, while the rest of the arena was entertained by the band as they played every inch of the stage, the front platforms, and were gigantically projected on the above jumbotron.
Right off the bat, FOB launched into “Irresistible,” a song they also recorded with Demi Lovato. As heads bobbed to the beat and hands waved back and forth in the air, they followed with an earlier hit “We’re Going Down,” as the already incited crowd danced and sang along with every word. This momentum continued throughout the entire set, including the more acoustic piano numbers. Ending with their signature “Saturday,” front man Patrick Stump was hoisted above the crowd allowing those in the pit to become a hands on part of the show.
The production for this show was outstanding. The videography that played in the background was aesthetically as pleasing as the music it accompanied, and whether it was the streamers exploding into the crowd, or the gigantic balloon balls being volleyed around the arena, this interactive production engaged the audience, keeping it on its feet the entire night.
Being labeled emo, softcore punk, punk rock, indie rock, pop rock, or alternative rock over the years, it is apparent that this band had the right idea to take a few years off to decompress. These guys have proven that music is more than the roller-coaster ride they were on or a genre they would be pigeonholed into. The constant touring and in-studio work created a momentum for their careers, but the constant push to produce doesn’t always make for a best case scenario for creativity. Taking time off, they were able to regroup. Once the decision was made to regroup, they knew what they wanted, the roles they wanted to play, and the music came from that new place. This was not the same FOB as in 2009. Like their lives, their music evolved to become who they had grown into as they returned to the studio, new and more mature. Their audience has evolved too. It’s obvious their new music is exactly what they want to hear. This is proof that artists should write and perform for themselves because audiences relate to feeling behind the music not what is currently popular or the sound the labels push for.
As the show played on, I couldn’t help but be totally impressed with lead vocalist, Patrick Stump. His voice has the strongest roundest vocals that resonate within you, and he had me hooked when they rolled out the piano. Being partial to guitar, Joe Trohman, shredded leaving me just as impressed. The energy provided by drummer/percussionist Andy Hurley reminds me of one of my most beloved characters “Animal,” as he is truly an animal on the drums, putting every ounce of himself into each beat. The tats just sealed my fan girl crush. Finally, bassist Pete Wentz took the award for nicest guy Sunday night as he took the time to hand a pick directly to a young fan dancing close by in the aisles with his mother and sister. The smile that came across his face was priceless and something he’ll never forget; in addition to winning the respect of this mother and journalist.
In fact this entire band is unique as it takes the time to engage with its audience. There is no looking out into the crowd, or at the tops of the heads of those in front of them. These guys make eye contact with those in the audience. That personal touch creates a personal experience not only the audience but you can see the band feeding off of it. That is great showmanship, and wins accolades and referrals to anyone on the fence about buying a ticket to see these young men. This is a show to be recommended. You will not be disappointed.
PVRIS Setlist: White Noise, St. Patrick, Smoke, Fire, You and I, My House
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AWOLNATION Setlist: Soul Wars, Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf), Not Your Fault, Windows, Kill Your Heroes, Woman Woman (Guitar Solo), I Am (Extended Outro), Drum and Guitar Solo, Burn It Down, Sail
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Fall Out Boy SetList: Irresistible, Sugar, We’re Goin Down, Phoenix, Hum Hallelujah, Alone Together, “The Take Over, the Breaks Over”, The Kids Aren’t Alright, This Ain’t a Scene-It’s an Arms Race, Novocaine, Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes, Save Rock and Roll, Fourth of July, Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy, Uma Thurman, Dance, Dance, American Beauty/American Psycho, Jet Pack Blue, I Don’t Care, Thnks fr th Mmrs, Centuries, Encore: My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up), Saturday
Veteran rock journalist Greg Prato has penned a new volume about the life of the late Scott Weiland, titled Scott Weiland: Memories of a Rock Star. The book features 30 interviews exclusively for the book with members of bands that toured with Weiland, including Megadeth, Blind Melon and Meat Puppets, as well as with admirers of the man and his music, such as Matt Pinfield, Eddie Trunk and Richard Patrick.
Scott Weiland & The Wildabouts
Weiland was one of the premiere front-men in hard rock from his debut with Stone Temple Pilots in 1992 until his death at the age of 48 this past December. Weiland commanded the stage. Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan told Rolling Stone of Weiland:
If you asked me who I truly believed were the great voices of our generation, I’d say it were he, Layne [Staley], and Kurt [Cobain]
Prato has written for Rolling Stone and has authored such books as A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other: The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon,Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music,Too High to Die: Meet the Meat Puppets, and Survival of the Fittest: Heavy Metal in the 1990’s.
The book is available in paperback for $19.99 through usual outlets or as an e-book through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes for $9.99.
Telegram hurtled through their first couple of songs with bold assurance, gain-soaked instruments and a touch, I think it is fair to say, of glam-rock styling. It is tempting to lump Telegram in with a troupe of other ‘new psych bands’, as the Guardian did back in 2014, and as I had mentally done before even arriving at the show. But their third track of the night, ‘Inside/Outside’, with the its syncopated hi-hats and danceable snare cracks sharply glimmering through the mid-range overdrive, sets Telegram apart by the distinctiveness of their instruments and their musicianship. It cannot be overstated quite how loud the set was – one hopes for their sake that Matt, Pip, Moon and Cook wear ear-plugs on stage – but loudness does not equate to a hot mess. The guitar playing got pretty relentless at times, but it was always precise, with the rhythm often only hitting punchy downstrokes and the lead reverberating, echoing, and not ever, to my ear, muffling a note.
The bassist, Moon, is normally at the sonic frontier of the band’s sound. This is the case with their cover of Bowie’s ‘Heroes’. The bass is the backbone of the cover, and it does not fail to please the audience. The cover may well have been the highlight of the evening, which is no bad thing; nonetheless, it does make me wonder what it is about the song that makes it stand out just slightly above the rest of the band’s set. Perhaps it is the sheer spaciousness of ‘Heroes’, the way it demands that whoever is playing it give it room to breathe. Telegram’s sound can occasionally get so intense that they miss opportunities to let melodies expand, for ideas to soar and grow, as they instead move swiftly on to the next raging chord. As Telegram moves forward, I wonder if they will try to make room for more of whatever it is they managed to capture in that Bowie cover.
On Friday, March 25th, Telegram played at Brooklyn’s Shea Stadium. I am jealous of anyone who could make it and catch this forceful and impressive band on their last evening in New York City. Here’s hoping they return soon.
Nicole Suto aka “Niki Lee” is an indie singer/songwriter living in 
Since last Monday, 
In the years 1998 and 2003 a collaboration of musicians assembled to record 3 songs. Lead by 
Right off the bat, FOB launched into “Irresistible,” a song they also recorded with Demi Lovato. As heads bobbed to the beat and hands waved back and forth in the air, they followed with an earlier hit “We’re Going Down,” as the already incited crowd danced and sang along with every word. This momentum continued throughout the entire set, including the more acoustic piano numbers. Ending with their signature “Saturday,” front man Patrick Stump was hoisted above the crowd allowing those in the pit to become a hands on part of the show.
