Category: Bluegrass/Country

Larkin Square Announces 2016 Summer Concert Series in Buffalo

Music lovers in Buffalo have more options for free music this summer. Larkin Square will return for a fifth summer season showcasing 38 Buffalo-bred musical acts including Aqueous and Savannah & the Kings during their weekly 2016 Wednesday night concert series.

Live at Larkin offers a free, family-friendly event packed with music, food trucks and community groups. The concert series will run through Aug. 31. The free series is made possible through sponsorship with First Niagara and Independent Health.

The series will kick off on June 1 with a six-act opening night headlined by annual favorites John and Mary & the Valkyries, with each of the acts representing at least one local music nonprofit organization.

The series also host theme nights. This year will include an evening titled “Buffalo ’66: Cash & Stones Revisited,” marking the 50th anniversary of the week in which both legends performed in Buffalo. “Latin at Larkin” will feature complete dance lessons before each band, while “Sinatra’s Second Century” will feature music from Frank Sinatra.

“We’re excited to welcome the public to a new chapter of Live at Larkin with this most ambitious lineup to date for our original flagship event,” said Larkin Square Director of Fun Leslie Zemsky in a press release. “We continue to be amazed at the depth and quality of the Buffalo music scene – We can’t wait to hula hoop to these sounds of summer!”

Live At Larkin

June 1 John and Mary & the Valkyries w/ Fredtown Stompers, Freightrain, Verve Dance Studio, Carol McLaughlin & Magnitude, French Quarter Hounds

June 8 Aqueous w/ Jettison

June 15 Outer Circle Orchestra w/ Tiger Chung Lee

June 22 Unity Band w/ Will Holton, 4 B-Lo, Buffalo Concertina All Stars

June 29 Stoneflower w/ A Band Named Sue ft. Ring of Fire Cast Members

July 6 La Krema w/ Sol y Sombra, Salsa Sarah Dance Lessons

July 13 Tom Stahl & the Dangerfields w/ Savannah & the Kings

July 20 Miller & The Other Sinners w/ Preach Freedom & Connect

July 27 Reign of Kindo w/ The Tins

August 3 Brian Higgins & The Exchange Street Band w/ The Stone Bridge Band, Keith Shuskie ft. John Higgins

August 10 Dive House Union w/ Jony James Band

August 17 Rear View Ramblers w/ Uncle Ben’s Remedy

August 24 Nelson Starr & The Franciscans w/ Joey Giambra Jazz Orchestra

August 31 The Buffalovebirds w/ The New Good Neighbors

May 5, 2016
Canalside Announces Annual Summer Concert Series 2016
The free summer concert announcements are keeping music fans in Buffalo excited. The city’s popular and free Canalside series announced its Thursday night concert series this week. Canalside is hosting 12 concerts starting June 9 and running through August 25, 2016.

This year’s lineup includes a variety of acts that span over a wide variety of musical genres. The Buffalo Philaharmonic Orchestra will take the stage once again in “A Tribute to David Bowie.” Other highlights of the lineup include Public Enemy, Zappa Plays Zappa, and Claypool Lennon Delirium.

Canalside‘s weekly events will include a variety of food trucks and vendors. All of the concerts are free and open to the public, and all start at 6 p.m. VIP packages are available.

Event organizers will be offering local area musicians the chance to open this summer’s concerts through a Battle of the Band contest held in conjunction with local arts magazine The Public.

Canalside Thursday concert series lineup:
- June 9: Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaries
- June 16: Frank Turner with special guest July Talk
- June 23: Public Enemy
- June 30: Frankie Ballard
- July 7: Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa
- July 14: Shakey Graves and Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Wild Child
- July 21: The Arcs and Mariachi Flor De Toloache
- July 28: BPO “A Tribute to David Bowie”
- August 4: Tritonal
- August 11: Lowest of the Low and Serena Ryder
- August 18: Coolio
- August 25: Claypool Lennon Delirium
May 5, 2016
Deadgrass Livens Up Garcia’s With Midweek Dose of the Grateful Dead

With its walls clad with Grateful Dead memorabilia and portraits of Jerry Garcia, Garcia’s continues its dedication to keeping the spirit of Jerry alive. A regular installment, DeadCenter Presents, brings the music of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead to the cozy club annexed to The Capitol Theatre.

Kicking off April’s series was Deadgrass, a collective of musicians from the Hudson Valley/greater NYC area delivering a captivating bluegrass interpretation of Garcia. Deadgrass is lead by Matt Turk (mandolin/guitar) and C Lanzbom, and joined by Clarence Ferrari (violin), Russ Gottlieb (banjo), and Dave Richards (bass).

Their two-set, full length performance weaved in and out of mellow grooves and blistering licks. For a late evening, mid-week show, the initially docile crowd found the mark with dancing feet before long once “Truckin’” rolled around. There was plenty of solo trading throughout the entire show albeit slightly more abbreviated during the first set. As the midnight hour drew nearer, especially during the second set, things loosened up quite a bit more as the songs became increasingly improv-laden.

After a short break, the second much looser second set marched forward starting from “Cumberland Blues” and included the popular run of “Scarlet Begonias” -> “Fire on the Mountain,” strung seamlessly together with a jam that slowly folded in the two-chord progression of the latter. Everyone on stage demonstrated some phenomenal chops in the jams, but Lanzbom’s blazing electric guitar solo on “Franklin’s Tower” gripped everyone’s attention.

One of the metrics for a Grateful Dead cover/tribute band is the vocal performance. On top of embodying the mix of structure and improv of the Grateful Dead in their set, Deadgrass did a great job in capturing the vocal harmonies and intonations led by Garcia. Both Turk and Lanzbom, who had a share in lead vocals, emulated Garcia’s performance well, particularly demonstrated by Turk on “Stella Blue,” a song in which the lyrics are a major component.

Deadgrass’ high energy and melodic bluegrass take on the Grateful Dead is refreshing and fun among the mix of the other great cover acts out there. For a Wednesday night, the DeadCenter series continues to be a substantial respite from the mid-week blues.

[FinalTilesGallery id=’733′]

April 16, 2016
Luke Bryan Hit the Lights at the Carrier Dome

The Carrier Dome in Syracuse held it’s largest country music concert to date with Luke Bryan and his Kill The Lights Tour, featuring Grammy award-winning performers Little Big Town and rising star Dustin Lynch this past Saturday night. Fans from all across the country traveled to the Salt City to attend the event and indulge in some of country’s most popular music. As the chilled spring evening got underway, the halls and seats began to fill with enthusiastic concert-goers dressed to the nines in jeans, boots, plaid shirts, cowboy hats, and ball caps.

With no time to spare, the house lights dropped as the sound system started thumping, synchronizing with blue pulsating stage lights. Dustin Lynch and his band invaded the stage for their brief set and kicked off the night with “To the Sky,” from his latest release Where It’s At. Strapped with his Taylor acoustic and cowboy hat, the Nashville-born singer warmed up the eager crowd with more of his hits including “Cowboys & Angels,” “Mind Reader,” and topped off with “Hell of a Night.” Bearing a smile the entire time on stage, Lynch frequently thanked the audience for helping him feel welcome to their town.

Four-part vocal group Little Big Town, began their set with an a cappella version of Dolly Parton‘s “Jolene,” giving nod to the accomplished female singer. The full band joined in with “Little White Church,” an upbeat single led by elemental vocalist Karen Fairchild, who donned a Ramones tee and sparkling silver coat. Their hip-swinging summer anthem “Pontoon,” allowed the energy to settle a bit before building up again with their latest title track “Pain Killer.” Kim Schlapman took to the catwalk with her flashy gold dress while she led vocals on “Sober.” The memorable moments of their set were embellished by crowd participation in Fleetwood Mac‘s “The Chain,” the disco ball lighting during “Girl Crush,” and the unified whistling of “Day Drinking” before ending with the classic homage to their hometowns, “Boondocks.”

After an extended intermission, the house lights dropped one final time and the audience erupted as green lasers beamed through the hazy interior. The host and star of the evening, Luke Bryan, kicked off his set with “Rain is a Good Thing” as he appeared at the top the LED-lit steps and danced his way the down to the stage with a video montage of stormy landscapes in the background. Bryan took his “signature” pelvis-shaking moves down the catwalk to heat up the crowd during “Kick the Dust Up.” Bryan and his band continued to shake the sold-out Carrier Dome with more of his hits including “Crash My Party,” “Play It Again,” and “Roller Coaster,” before rising up through the catwalk with Karen (Little Big Town) for a intimate vocal duet on “Home Alone Tonight.”

Sparing little time, Fairchild and Bryan hustled back to the stage to welcome the remaining members of Little Big Town for a mash-up of Ed Sheerans‘ “Thinking Out Loud” and Marvin Gayes‘ “Let’s Get It On,” all while toasting each other with celebratory shots of liquor. Luke stepped up his game with having tour opener Dustin Lynch join him for a rockin’ rendition of Brooks & Dunn‘s “Play Something Country.” Moments after, the 2016 CMA Entertainer of the Year directed the crew to turn the stage lights out and asked the audience to light up the dome with their cell phones, displaying a beautiful fluorescent glow upon the dome’s white canopy. Luke delicately sang “Drink A Beer,” while strumming his acoustic at the edge of the catwalk and asked the crowd, “If any of you out there have lost a loved one that you used to drink a beer with, lets take a sip right now and think of them,” while holding his Miller Lite can up high.

With the recent passing of country legend, Merle Haggard, Bryan wouldn’t let the evening go by without paying tribute to him with his 1982 classic “Big City.” As the historical evening started to wrap up, the country star busted out a few more popular hits like “All My Friends Say,” “That’s My Kind of Night,” and “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” before ending with “I Don’t Want This Night to End.” Bryan recognized and thanked Syracuse consistently throughout his performance, for making this night so special to him and his band.

Luke Bryan Setlist: Rain Is a Good Thing, Kick the Dust Up, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, Move, I See You, Crash My Party, Play It Again, Roller Coaster, Strip it Down, Home Alone Tonight, Thinking Out Loud (Ed Sheeran)/Let’s Get it On (Marvin Gaye), Play Something Country (Brooks and Dunn), Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day, Drink a Beer, We Rode in Trucks, Big City (Merle Haggard), Drunk on You, All My Friends Say, That’s My Kind of Night

Encore: Country Girl (Shake it For Me), I Don’t Want This Night to End/Can’t Feel my Face (The Weeknd)

Little Big Town Set:

Jolene (Dolly Parton), Little White Church, Pontoon, Front Porch Thing, Pain Killer, Sober, Pavement Ends, Tornado, Stay All Night, Save Your Sin, The Chain (Fleetwood Mac), Day Drinking, Girl Crush, Boondocks

[FinalTilesGallery id=’736′]

Dustin Lynch Set:

To the Sky, Halo, Cowboys and Angels, Where it’s at, Small Town Boy Like Me, Mind Reader, Hell of a Night

[FinalTilesGallery id=’737′]

April 12, 2016
Country Music Mourns Legendary Star, Merle Haggard

On April 6, 2016, the country music world lost one of the truly great trail blazing musicians of our generation. Born exactly 79 years previously to the date, Haggard was raised by a his widowed mother in a small town outside of Bakersfield, California in a boxcar that had been converted into their home.

The young Haggard found himself in and out of trouble and juvenile detention homes for much of his young life, until he finally landed himself in Folsom Prison, where his experiences there would map out his future destiny.

Music first became a part of his life when he was given a hand me down guitar by his brother. The self taught Haggard never considered it anything but a hobby until at at Lefty Frizzle concert, Lefty overheard Haggard singing along to some music and insisted that he take to the stage to sing before he went on. Liking the experience he decided to take up music as a career finding himself playing at local night spots. Not enough to make ends meet, Haggard once again found himself in trouble with the law. It was the stint at Folsom that he made two life changing decisions; to clean up his act, and after seeing Johnny Cash perform at Folsom, to make music his focus instead of trouble.

The timing of Haggard’s release from Folsom coincided with the new country music movement happening in the Bakersfield area. Tired of the orchestrated sound Nashville was churning out, a new sound with an upbeat tempo, electrified guitars, and newly emerging rock and roll together with the tried and true sound of swing music, created a new country sound; that we now consider the Bakersfield Country sound. Considered to be one of the founders of this sound during that time, Merle Haggard carved out a niche that fit him perfectly. Not too formal, a little bit rowdy, and a lot of bit energetic, this country musician began working with some of today most revered country musicians.

Known for thirty eight number one songs, this decorated musician’s style was a bit in your face at the time. His songwriting skills and ability to play multiple instruments just added to his charm. One of his most loved songs would be “Okie from Muskogee.” Written as a satirical jibe at students who were protesting against the war, Haggard felt compelled to tell them how it was. The tongue in cheek lyrics, set the tone and image we all knew and grew to love. His ability to deliver music penetrated you with a stare and bad boy image liking him to the James Dean of country music.

The group of musicians Haggard became associated with included Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, and so many greats too numerous to mention. Their shenangigans were widely followed, and their music just as loved as their outgoing personalities. Forever known as Poncho and Lefty, Haggard and Willie Nelson will always be considered two peas in a pod.

Gathering award after award, not only by himself, but also as a collaborator, Merle Haggard continued to sing up until right before he passed. His music and style influenced so many of today’s artists and can be heard in references throughout so many songs. A member of the Grand Ole Opry, recipient of numerous Country Music Association awards, Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, Haggard was continuously recognized for his contributions to country music. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 1994, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1977, and a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2010, it was all in a days work to Haggard.

Married several times, it was later in life that Haggard was able to settle down and enjoy life as it should be. Leaving a legacy of six children, it was his role as a father that touched me the most. In an interview I saw recently on AXS TV, Dan Rather interviews Merle Haggard and gives the viewer a peek of his personality. I can recall thinking to myself at the time, boy I wish I could meet him and cover one of his shows. Yes, he was an amazing musician, but what an interesting person he was, and I so wanted to learn more about him. This weekend Merle Haggard The Big Interview with Dan Rather on AXS TV will once again air. Please check your local listings and watch. It will be there you see the man behind the image, the man behind the music, and see he was an amazing man.

This peek inside of Merle Haggard’s life, has been shared by his youngest son, Ben Haggard throughout the years. It was in a recent post on Instagram I was notified of Haggard’s passing. As I scrolled through Ben’s photos, I noticed one of Haggard that was really a cool black and white. As I opened it, it was this quote that spoke volumes. What would be his final Father’s Day together, his son Ben, posted this message last year to his father on Instagram.

“Everyone thinks you know him, and in a lot of way you do through his music, cause it’s honest. But I’ve seen a different side, a father. He has been the best dad anyone could ask for… has shared the gift of music, what love should be, ..how to be a friend, and (how to) keep your word…I love you Dad, Happy Father’s Day”.

The love and respect they shared shone bright. If the family had the opportunity to share about their father, husband, brother, etc. I’m sure it would be about the man he was, as the music was a given, it was the man he grew to be that made Merle Haggard a true legend and loved worldwide.

A photo posted by Ben Haggard (@benhaggard) on Apr 6, 2016 at 11:03am PDT

April 7, 2016
Fridays in April at Parish Public House, Presented by NYS Music

NYS Music is proud to announce the lineup for Fridays in April at Parish Public House, one of Albany’s premier music venues with a taste of New Orleans infused throughout the beer selection, decor and menu.

April 8 – The Deadbeats

Playing the music of The Grateful Dead, Phish, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Janis Joplin and so much more! The Deadbeats are based in New Paltz/Albany, NY, and have been one of the hardest working bands in the Northeast since their inception in 1993. In all the years of playing together, they have amassed a large and loyal following of fans who appreciate the open ended, participatory nature of their performances. Along with a virtually inexhaustible repertoire of cover tunes, they have a considerable amount of original material. The Deadbeats are actually able to please most of the people most of the time. The Deadbeats play the first Friday of every month at the Parish Public House and every Wednesday night at The Low Beat.

April 15 – Blind Owl Band

Hailing from Saranac Lake, NY, in the heart of the Adirondack mountains, The Blind Owl Band has been creating what they call Freight Train String Music since 2010. And a freight train it truly is. Although the quartet’s sound is rooted in traditional stringed instruments (guitar, basses, banjo and mandolin), their music surges forward with the strength and power of a hundred-ton diesel locomotive. Songs barrel down the tracks with momentum and intensity normally found in much heavier, heavily amplified music. They’ve played on almost every festival east of the Mississippi and shared the stage with countless artists across all genres of the musical spectrum. Looking ahead into 2016, the band will begin recording their as-yet-untitled third full length album in early spring, with an eye toward a mid-summer release. This freight train has no one conductor but four shovel boys pushing the limits of their engine night after night, so climb aboard and get ready for a one-of-a-kind ride.

April 22 – MOVE Music Festival

The MOVE Music Festival is a Indian ledge Music Group production. The festival will consist of approximately 100 acts performing at venues across Albany, New York on April 22-24 2016. The main purpose of this event is to give exposure to regional talent through live performances at select venues and provide musicians with insight on how to conduct their careers in today’s independent music scene. Music starts at 6pm on Friday, April 22 with multiple bands performing throughout the evening. Check back for updates when the schedule is released.

April 29 – Lord Electro

Hailing from Albany, NY Lord Electro quickly emerged on the scene in 2015 with their organic high energy Live-Electro/trance music. This has proven to generate quite the dance party! After making a name for themselves with their first show at Bellstock 21 LE played a run of Summer and Fall dates in markets across NY and New England including opening for The New Deal in Saratoga, NY this past November. With experienced musicians Dan Gerken (Timbre Coup, Groovestick) and Steve Mink (Digital Dharma) behind the tones and the addition of Jordan “George” LeFleur on the drumkit this trio is a force to be reckoned with and a magnificent display of organic improv on the dance floor.

April 7, 2016
Lindsay Ellyn with Buckeye Rooster trek to the North Country

Best described as a “band of back-porch musicians, with a collective passion for American music, formed along the icy banks of the Hudson River“, Buckeye Rooster ruled the streets of Glens Falls Saturday, March 24, 2016 along with Nashville based singer-songwriter Lindsay Ellyn. It was a rare treat for the crowd at Mean Max Brew Works in a town that that offers a handful of small music venues that seem to be on the verge of breaking through with shows promoting original live music.

The six-person filled Buckeye Rooster led off the night in true Americana form with sharp harmonica and banjo driven tune, “Uncle Willy”. Throughout the fifteen plus set list the band held in classic form and succinct vocal prowess. The vocal combination of Bryan Lynch, Mike Colucci, Lynn Reno and Big Jon Randazzo flowed perfectly throughout the evening without one overpowering another. Perhaps the evening’s high point was a break into The Police classic, “Every Breath You Take”. Rooster provided Ellyn a hard act to follow but she quickly captured the crowds attention with her knack for storytelling and strong stage presence.

Her set was beautifully highlighted by the haunting, “Somebody Love Those Girls”, a heartbreaking but optimistic song which can be found on her 2012 EP, Shores. Ellyn notes that the song “has connected with people in different ways—I guess that’s the beauty of music being so subjective, people can align their personal stories with stories I share. As I wrote it, the song is about what happens when we relinquish accountability for our own happiness. The relationship between our attitude and our actions. And who we’re left with when the dust settles”.

Her latest EP, Out of Road, was named EP of the year in 2015 by Queens of Country Produced by Dean Miller, the project features famed musicians including Chad Cromwell, Dan Dugmore, Steve Nathan and others.

April 2, 2016
Okeechobee Makes Great First Impression

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!

March 25, 2016
Marshall Tucker Band Packs The Stanley for St. Patrick’s Day

Stepping into Utica’s elegant Stanley Theater is like stepping back in time. Built in 1928 as one of the original movie houses, the look and feel of the building lends itself to nostalgia. Nostalgia was on the minds of many in attendance to catch the Marshall Tucker Band on its Long Hard Drive tour on St. Patrick’s Day.

The Marshall Tucker Band (MTB) is considered one of the forefathers of southern rock. Along with the Allman Brothers Band, Lynryd Skynyrd and the Outlaws, the band helped bring a unique mix of country music and rock to the mainstream with songs like, “Take the Highway” and “Can’t You See,” songs that are still in heavy rotation on classic rock radio. What makes MTB unique among its peers is the inclusion of a flute in its repertoire.

The 2016 edition of the band, fronted by lead singer Doug Gray, the sole remaining member of the band from its salad days, includes Pat Elwood on bass, Marcus Henderson on keyboards, flute, sax and vocals, B.B. Borden on drums, Chris Hicks on guitar and vocals and Rick Willis on guitars and vocals.

The set was slightly delayed as Gray explained that they hadn’t had a chance to do a sound check earlier in the day. That statement proved to be ominously prophetic. The house sound team, Fanelli Sound and Lighting, wasn’t running the boards Thursday night. Their experience mixing bands in the storied theater would have helped this show immensely. The resulting sound issues plagued MTB the remainder of the night.

Gray played the part of story teller throughout the show, often pausing between songs to give the audience a history lesson of how the song was written or particularly noteworthy performances of the song. The patient crowd indulged the singer, applauding during moments of Gray’s mention of his Vietnam service but there were times when he pleaded for their patience as he continued his story.

The band ran through a solid set of newer compositions alongside all its classic songs. The musicians in the band, particularly drummer Borden, were in top form despite the frustrating sound levels. In a moment of pure humble honesty, prior to the performance of “Take the Highway,” Gray admitted to those in attendance that he is no longer the man in the band to sing the song, before introducing Henderson to perform the band’s classic. After a solid flute intro, Henderson ripped into the vocals, making the song his own.

Opening for MTB was Utica-area bluesmen The Swamp Drivers. They brought a large following with them to the Stanley too. A quick glance around the audience showed as many Swamp Drivers shirts as MTB shirts. What sets the Swamp Drivers apart immediately is their odd collection of instruments, all homemade. Guitarist Terry Johnson performed much of the set using a guitar made from a Revereware frying pan, it also made an appearance later on in the hands of MTB guitarist, Hicks during the aforementioned performance of “Take the Highway.” Other unorthodox instruments making an appearance in their set included a one-string hoe, dubbed “Ida,” Phil Diehl’s garbage can drum set, and Tom Guidera’s hybrid cello-bass, a repurposed cello acquired without a neck that has a traditional bass guitar fretboard and headstock built into it.

The Swamp Drivers had the hometown fans dancing in their seats with a bluesy set of originals with sounds reminiscent of ZZ Top or George Throrogood.

The Swamp Drivers were chosen from many local entries to open the show. In an interview with WKTV, Johnson could barely contain his excitement. As a lifelong resident of the area who has always wanted to perform on the Stanley Theater stage and a long time fan of the Marshall Tucker Band, Johnson declared Thursday’s show a double check off his bucket list.

When the Swamp Drivers finished their set, the audience rose for a standing ovation, a dream come true for this time-tested band of New York State Blues Hall of Famers (The band was inducted in 2014).

[FinalTilesGallery id=’693′]

March 23, 2016
Hearing Aide: Town Mountain’s ‘Southern Crescent’

Town’s Mountain’s soon to be released album Southern Crescent can be characterized as straight up bluegrass, with a classic rock twist and a dash of zydeco mixed in for good measure. The fact that this band is based out of Asheville, North Carolina – a particularly nurturing place for musicians – really comes through in Town Mountain’s music, as they seem as if they are totally comfortable in their skin. Town Mountain is comprised of Robert Greer on vocals and guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, and Nick DiSebastian on bass. These guys are no joke: in 2013, Town Mountain was the recipient of two International Bluegrass Music Awards Momentum Awards, including Band of the Year and Vocalist of the Year for lead singer Robert Greer. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see these guys at an upcoming bluegrass festival like Grey Fox or Delfest, as they have got something special.

Recorded in old-time music great Dirk Powell’s Cypress House Studio in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana, in the heart of the bayou, the swampy, twangy, old-timey sound truly comes through on Town Mountain’s fifth album. Huddled around microphones recording their unplugged instruments, with minimal editing, gave this album an almost live quality, giving the listener the feeling of almost being there at one of Town Mountain’s concerts.

Let’s face it: on any given album, there is typically one song you might think is a bit of a dud, but it is not a lie to say that all the songs on this album are winners. Southern Crescent kicks things off with “St. Augustine,” a one-minute instrumental traditional bluegrass ditty, setting the tone for what’s to come, which is something magical. Although many of the songs sound familiar, like they could be a traditional bluegrass cover, band members Jesse Langlais and Phil Barker, in collaboration with the other band members of course, write the majority of the band’s songs. Many of the lyrics deal with common country/bluegrass themes, such as traveling, hard living, love lost, and gambling, but Town Mountain puts their own twist on things, often adding witty words or chord changes to throw things a bit off what the listener is expecting.

It becomes evident that these guys are truly dedicated musicians who must spend hours practicing together on a regular basis, especially on songs such as “Ain’t Gonna Worry Me,” which features both flawless falsetto vocals by lead vocalist Greer, and excellent harmonies by Langlais, Barker, and DiSebastian, as well tricky time signature changes, which the band made seem easy. “Comin’ Back to You” introduces a more classic rock side of the band, featuring a nice surprising piano solo, while “Leroy’s Reel” takes the listener on a more international journey, sounding alternately Irish, French, and Russian. Throughout the entire album, though, the band stays true to their bluegrass roots, giving equal opportunities for each band member to step forward and take a solo on each and every tune.

Due out on April 1, Southern Crescent is a must-have for any bluegrass aficionado, although with its inclusion of classic rock and zydeco influences, the appeal of this album goes well beyond just bluegrass fans. The live quality of the recording, added to the danceability of the tunes, will most likely entice you to want to see them perform live, so be sure to check out their website for numerous upcoming tour dates, including a stop in Manhattan at the Hill Country BBQ on April 8. Be sure to check them out if you’re in town, and while you’re at it, pick up a copy of Southern Crescent! You won’t be anything short of amazed.

Key Tracks: Comin’ Back to You, Wildbird, Tick on a Dog

March 21, 2016