Category: Metal/Hard Rock/Punk

Free Friday Night Concert Series Returns to Lake George’s Shepard Park

The Free Friday Night Concert Series Fridays at the Lake: Band and Brews at Shepard Park in Lake George will feature bands from a variety of genres with the first show scheduled for Friday, June 24.

Now in its seventh year, the summer festival series has expanded to include a revolving schedule of restaurants/bars who serve as hosts of the beer/wine tent and food service.

With the exception of the first and last night, there will be an opener at 4 p.m. followed by a headlining act from 6 to 8 p.m. Kicking things off on June 24 is big/swing band Georgie Wonders Orchestra. They’ll play favorites from the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s including covers from Glenn Miller, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Harry James, Bunny Berrigan and more. Food and beverages will be sold by King Neptune’s Pub.

Other acts include the Refrigerators, Spiritual Rez and Funky Dawgz Brass Band. The concert series will close out on Sept. 2 with Skeeter Creek, five-time winners of No. 1 County Band and three-time winners of Best Cover Band by Metroland.

Admission is free and the events are family and dog friendly. There will be children’s activities including a bounce house, face painter and air brush artist.

New York Players 2012

Friday’s at the Lake 2016 schedule:

June 24: No opening act scheduled; Main act — Georgie Wonders Orchestra (big band/swing)
Food and beverages by King Neptune’s Pub.

July 1: Opening act— Richie Ortiz; main act — New York Players (funk)
Food and beverages by Backstreet BBQ.

July 8: Opening act — Jonathan Newell Band; main act — Audiostars (rock)
Food and beverages by King Neptune’s Pub.

July 22: Opening act — The After Fab; main act — The Refrigerators (Party Band)
Food and beverages by Duffy’s Tavern.

July 29: Opening act — The Tumbling Dice (Rolling Stones tribute band); main act —Emerald City (rock)
Food and beverages by The Boardwalk Restaurant.

Aug. 5: opening act — Meet the Mockers; main act — Grand Central Station (pop)
Food and beverage by Fire & Ice Bar & Grill.

Aug. 12: Opening act — Richie Ortiz; main act — Spiritual Rez (reggae/ska)
Food and beverages by Backstreet BBQ.

Aug. 26: Opening act — Jonathan Newell Band; main act — Funky Dawgz Brass Band (funk/jazz)
Food and beverages by The Boardwalk Restaurant.

Sept. 2: no opening act scheduled; main act — Skeeter Creek (country)
Food and beverages by Duffy’s Tavern.

March 15, 2016
Venue Change: Cage the Elephant to Play Albany’s Palace Theatre, May 11

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

March 15, 2016
Cradle of Filth Unleashes ‘Inquisitional Torture Tour’ On Cleveland

Not since 2011, have the states been graced by one of the most renown British metal bands, Cradle of Filth. The North American Inquisitional Torture Tour was meant to kick off in Philadelphia, PA on January 26, but the first four dates were cancelled due to visa issues. The tour kicked off on January 31 in Charlotte, NC and wrapped up in New York, NY on March 8 before heading back overseas.

Joining Cradle of Filth on this tour were Los Angeles natives, Butcher Babies and the Australian Progressive Death Metal band, Ne Obliviscaris, who were embarking on their first US tour.

On March 3rd, the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio fell under siege to the trio of metal bands. A long line of Cradle of Filth fans outside the venue, braving the elements eagerly waiting for the show. Some with their faces painted and donning wildly colored contacts similar to those of Cradle’s vocalist, Dani Filth.

The night started off with Ne Obliviscaris, who immediately won the crowd over. From the powerful screams and growling vocals of Xenoyr to the clean vocals and symphonic cries of the violin by Tim Charles along with guitarists Benjamin Baret and Matt Klavins, bassist Brendan Brown and drummer Daniel Presland, this band knew how to leave you wanting more. Their 2015 EPs Sarabande to Nihil and Hiraeth are worth checking out.

It’s always refreshing to see women, dominating the stage in the metal world and that’s just what the Butcher Babies did. With their their aggressive stage attire and vocals, the band’s frontwomen Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey kept the crowd screaming. Backed by Henry Flury on guitar, Jason Klein on Bass and Chrissy Warner on drums, the band played songs from their 2015 album, “Take It Like A Man.”

Setlist: National Bloody Anthem, Blonde Girls All Look the Same, The Butcher, Gravemaker, Igniter, Jesus Needs More Babies for His War Machine, Monster’s Ball, Magnolia Blvd., The Deathsurround, Goliath, I Smell a Massacre and Axe Wound.

Cradle of Filth’s long awaited US Tour brought fans flocking from out of state to Cleveland’s House of Blues. The band serenaded the crowd with favorites from albums past in addition to songs from their new album Hammer Of The Witches, the album cover which also made for the background for the stage. Frontman Dani’s entered the stage in spiked attire, a painted face and ghoulish contact lenses, later adding of a crown of horns. With their sometimes dark and provocatively poetic lyrics, symphonic musical style and macabre imagery a Cradle of Filth performance is always a glorious spectacle. With the unique vocals of Dani Filth in addition to the vocal power of keyboardist, Lindsay Schoolcraft along with Martin ‘Marthus’ Skaroupka on drums, guitarists Richard Shaw and Marek ‘Ashok’ Šmerda, bassist Daniel Firth, Cradle of Filth never fails to deliver and outstanding performance.

Setlist: Humana Inspired to Nightmare (Intro), Heaven Torn Asunder, Gilded Cunt, Blackest Magick in Practice, Lord Abortion, The Graveyard by Moonlight, Malice Through the Looking Glass, Right Wing of the Garden Triptych, Born in a Burial Gown, Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids, Nymphetamine (Fix), Her Ghost in the Fog, The Twisted Nails of Faith, Yours Immortally, From the Cradle to Enslave, At the Gates of Midian, Cthulhu Dawn, The Principle of Evil Made Flesh and The Forest Whispers My Name.

March 14, 2016
Aura Music and Arts Festival Stacks the Collabs at Suwannee

Although festivals are scheduled all year round, if you’re from New York, you typically kick things off in May or June. But, if you’re willing to travel south to a magical place called the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, festival season starts early – this year with The Disco Biscuits and Thievery Corporation as headliners at Aura Music and Arts Festival.

Aura drew us in on March 3-5 with its incredibly stacked lineup, sunshine and rumors of perhaps something bigger to be discovered. Everything seemed to fall in place throughout the trip, from something as small as a free burrito bowl at Tijuana Flats to a chance encounter that would lead to a dozen new best friends. This festival’s namesake is vibrant, full of light and overwhelmingly positive.

Like most festivals, the first day of Aura brings a heightened sense of excitement. Guests find the perfect spot to camp under draping live oaks, walk the more than 500 acres of festival grounds and plan their strategy for attending their favorite sets. The park feels like an enchanted forest out of a fairy tale and the guests as happy as royalty attending a special kind of ball.
We kicked off Thursday with a passionate set from Florida’s own Greenhouse Lounge at the Amphitheater Stage. The electronic trio gave it their all for their last performance as a band, while welcoming their former drummers Jason Hunnicut who now runs the 1904 Music Hall in Jacksonville and Scotty Zwang, now of Dopapod who came to Aura as an “artist at large” (AAL).

Fusik of Jacksonville delivered an upbeat and funky set in the vibe tent, covering The Talking Heads’ “Born Under Punches” and preparing the crowd for ultimate cover band Pink Talking Fish. PTF is the perfect night-one band by seamlessly blending favorites from each beloved group.

The Werks were a major draw for us, having only seen them once before, but making appearances in our earbuds on the regular. Unfortunately, the only rain of the whole weekend decided to come down mid-way through a powerful “Duck Farm,” After only three songs, the Werks were forced to call it quits as fans ran for cover.

By late morning on Friday, the Florida sun dried things out. Georgia natives Dank delivered a hard-rocking set, reminiscent of the progressive rock style of Umphrey’s McGee. Crazy Fingers provided the familiar and beloved sounds of the Grateful Dead, while welcoming guitarist Ben Sparco for the later half of the set, who was clearly still feeling the adrenaline from his own set earlier that afternoon.

Mike Dillon brings a wild stage presence during his bands set, preceding an incredible show from Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO). They are joined by Carly Meyers and Adam Gertner of ROAR for one of the best sets of the weekend just in time to release their new album Follow the Yarn.

Particle delivered a stellar performance keeping the tempo of Escort’s “Cocaine Blues” throughout the majority of the set. At the same time, a special project called Nunchuck!, consisting of Mike Dillon, Craig Brodhead of Turkuaz and again Chuck Jones and Scotty Zwang of Dopapod, did something unique in the Vibe Tent. The “psychedelic punk rock” set was more quirky than it was tight leaving the crowd giggling, and blushing when Dillon “tea bagged” his own drum. (Yes, this happened.)

The New Deal and Thievery Corporation both had beautiful stage presence with lasers and lights for days. However it was Turkuaz that stole the show Friday night. The nine-piece funk outfit from Brooklyn, NY filled the Porch Stage with a powerful and truly fun set. Artists at large Jennifer Hartswick and trombone player Natalie Cressman of Trey Anastasio Band brought the brass to the party.

On Saturday, Broccoli Samurai of Ohio welcomed artists at large Chuck Jones and Scotty Zwang of Dopapod adding to the delight of fans. The Heavy Pets brought us back to the 80’s covering Paul Simon, David Bowie, Thomas Dolby and R.E.M. Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman sat in as well.

Tom Hamilton’s American Babies welcomed Aaron Magner of the Disco Biscuits on the keys for a rendition of “The Wheel” into their own “Joelene” and back to “The Wheel.”

Two-time Grammy-award winners Snarky Puppy was an experience in itself. The 13-member jazz/funk group is more of an orchestra than it is a band. Keeping with the guest appearances, they welcomed Dillon on percussion and again Hartswick and Cressman for an outstanding version of “Quartermaster.”

The festival culminated with two sets of jamtronica giants The Disco Biscuits. Tom Hamilton helped them kick off the first set with “Scarlet Begonias” and “I Know You Rider.” “Pimp Blue Rikki” was a surprise to many leading into the ending of “Morph Dusseldorf.” Hartswick and Cressman joined tDB for “Funky Town” before taking a set break. The second set was geared towards the masses picking up again with “Morph Dusseldorf” and weaving in and out of Caterpillar with “A Fifth of Beethoven.” The laser light show was out of this world reflecting off the woodsy amphitheater.

Throughout the weekend, both on stage and off, collaboration seemed to be a key theme. We ended our experience gathered around our own campfire we collectively built with a family who just days before were complete strangers. We came for the music, but we left so much, much more.

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March 12, 2016
Weiland Book Hits the Shelves

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.

March 11, 2016
Testament Lifts Spirits Of Rochester’s Metal Community At Anthology

With the Water Street Music Hall getting shut down just last week, fans of the hard rock and heavy metal community have been busy trying to get their precious venue back up and running. What some of those fans may not realize is that there’s another awesome venue in Rochester that’s not afraid to host metal shows. That venue is Anthology and they’re helping keep metal coming to Rochester, and on Monday, March 7th, Anthology hosted 80’s thrash metal legend Testament.

The night’s lineup consisted of two other bands, Voice Of Valor and Slikk Wikked. The opening support surely got the crowd ready for Testament. Slikk Wikked, who took the stage prior to Testament set the bar high. This young metal band had the crowd going wild with circle pits and moshing right off the start. The entire band had a great stage presence that lead them to get a lot of attention from the crowd. Their set was highlighted by their vocalist who joined the crowd and moshed while the band played an Anthrax cover of “Caught In A Mosh.”

Coming to Anthology for an “off-date” from their tour with Slayer, Testament was ready to rip through a full setlist and give fans a kick-ass show. The night started with “D.N.R”‘ off of their album The Gathering. From that first song, the floor was a whirlpool of fans for the rest of the evening. The band didn’t waste too much time between songs which was good because it didn’t let the energy escape the room. Lead singer Chuck Billy did take the time to express his gratitude for the Rochester support and talked about all of the times they’ve played in the city. One of the best things to watch at a Testament show is the shredding guitar action by guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson. Together, these guys create something not many other bands can produce. Rounding off the band’s lineup are Gene Hoglan on drums and Steve DiGiorgio on bass. These guys combined really create something special when it comes to their live shows.

Fans who came out to Anthology were treated to a setlist mixed with tracks from seven different albums. With both old and new music throughout the night, different generations of fans had something to truly enjoy. Tracks like “Native Blood” and “Rise Up” which are off their latest release, Dark Roots of Earth, sound absolutely killer live. Not only do their new songs kick-ass live, but Testament takes their older tracks like “Over The Wall” and “The Haunting” and makes them even better then they were in 1987.

The night wasn’t all business for Testament, as they took the opportunity to sing happy birthday with the crowd for their tour manager. After this quick little break of metal, Chuck and the guys finished the night off with the song “The Formation Of Damnation”, which is the title track off their 2008 release. Testament fans can look forward to their upcoming release The Brotherhood Of The Snake, which is due out sometime this year. The first single from the album should be hitting airways sometime in the next few weeks. The direction of the album is said to be heavier and faster than their last album, Dark Roots Of Earth. If Chuck Billy’s words hold true, it will be another masterpiece from Testament who just seem to keep getting better with age. If any Testament fans missed out on Monday’s show at Anthology, look forward to them being on the road in support of their upcoming album later this year.

To stay up to date on all Testament news, album updates and tour dates, click here for their Facebook page. To visit their website click here.

To check out Anthology’s upcoming events calendar, head over to their Facebook page here. Also, visit their website Anthology Live.

Testament Setlist: D.N.R. – Legions Of The Dead – Over The Wall – Rise Up – Dog Faced Gods – The New Order – The Haunting – Practice What You Preach – Into The Pit – Native Blood – 3 Days In Darkness – Disciples Of The Watch – More Then Meets The Eye – The Formation Of Damnation

March 11, 2016
SAMMYS 2016 Induction Ceremony and Awards Event

The music world is a family, and no where more so than in Syracuse. Each year Syracuse area musicians and music lovers come together to celebrate their own. Submissions of new music for consideration inundate the committee each year, and through a painful process of choosing just four nominees, awards in all musical genres are given out at what has become the musical event to attend in Syracuse, the SAMMYs.

The night before the award ceremony is a special recognition event for those inducted into the SAMMYs Hall of Fame. There are many wonderful musicians who have roots in Central New York and have played huge roles in the Syracuse music scene. This years inductees, honored at a ceremony upstairs at the Dinosaur Barbeque Thursday, were George Rossi, The Bells of Harmony, Savoy Brown, and Jam Factory. Mark Copani was given the award for Music Education; and the Lifetime Achievement Award was given to the late great Mark Murphy.

Basking under the warm glow of orange-hued lighting, the room bubbled with conversation as patrons populated the bar and clustered around dining tables. SAMMYs committee member Liz Nowak gushed, “The award show is about honoring the music of 2015, but tonight is about honoring six decades of music.” Patrons and honorees reminisced and swapped stories over platters of pulled pork, cornbread and coleslaw before the formalities commenced.

The evening’s master of ceremonies, Dave Frisina of 105.9 The Rebel channeled attention toward the podium, effortlessly sashaying through heartfelt and witty dialogue. Frisina as emcee, had the privilege of introducing each inductor, who in turn introduced an inductee. Regarded as a special honor, each inductor’s relationship with their inductee afforded them an opportunity to share personal accounts of why the inductees deserved the distinction.

The remarks of the evening ranged from comedic genius to sublimely sentimental, projected toward a responsive crowd eager to empathize with laughter or somber head nods. Copani acknowledged his family’s presence in the audience gesturing, “They showed up without any prompting.” As Rossi spoke into the mic for his speech he jested, “Wow, a microphone- that’s new.” The Bells of Harmony concluded their acceptance with a quick gospel tune to the audience’s utter delight.

Following the ceremony, attendees were treated to a performance downstairs by Tennessee-bred funk, R&B and jazz fusion band Dynamo. The congregation of musicians clustered on the cramped stage infused the room with polished yet experimental dexterity as Dain Ussery’s vocals coasted elegantly on the surface. An air of mutual respect floated between the star-studded crowd and the talent pouring their hearts into the music. A tale of old meets new, Dynamo upholds the legacy set before them, all in the name of making music that moves people.

The sold out Palace Theater, hosted the 2016 SAMMY Awards Friday. The atmosphere afforded attendees the opportunity to indulge their chic fashion tendencies or embrace a more casual attitude. The spectrum of ballgowns to jeans was well represented in the diverse attire of guests.

Carolyn Kelly Blues Band warmed up with a quick jam before Kelly strolled to the stage in a silky black confection that swayed delicately with every soulful note. The first performance of the evening initiated an onslaught of striking computer-generated video projections, adding visual effect behind the bands. The extravagant visuals added an early 2000’s old school vibe. The blues band concluded its short set with an energetic rendition of “Amazing Grace,” as a flaming sunshine explosion flared across the screen behind them.

Instrumental rock group Ohne-ká and the Burning River brought a very different energy to the stage. Emitting a folk vibe clad in suspenders and a plaid button down, Ryan Jones widened his stance, the first indication of the big, skull-penetrating sound they exude. Though their musical style didn’t invite fluid dance like other genres represented that evening, their tone beckoned listeners to look inward and quietly contemplate from their seats.

Savoy Brown delivered a solid blues rock performance, not accurately reflected by the lack of dancing on the open floor space directly before the stage. Before exiting the stage, in a moment of jest, leading man Kim Simmonds put his glasses on, slightly recoiling as if his new-found sight brought an awareness to the fact that he’d just performed to an occupied theater.

Once Joe Driscoll‘s one-man reggae rap garnered the crowd’s attention, a handful of willing dancers finally got their feet moving. He cleverly paired looped beat boxing with live harmonica to compose a catchy rhythmic pulse, easy to nod your head or tap your foot to.

During the previous night’s induction ceremony, Jam Factory frontman Mark Hoffman qualified the band’s impending award show performance, proudly stating, “We’ve had three rehearsals and the band is kicking ass.” Their performance supported his confident assertion, topping off the award show with a sweetly nostalgic finale. Approximately thirty willing dancers, many Jam Factory followers since early adulthood, danced in front of the stage. They basked in time-honored soul alongside a handful of newly made fans.

Joining Hoffman on stage for the family affair was his son, contributing funky bass lines while his daughter added backing vocals. As the band members poured their hearts into a project they love, an adoring fan glowingly praised, “They’re still as good as they ever were.”

The SAMMY Awards of 2016

Rock – Joe Whiting
Folk – Austin MacRaie
Pop – Elizabeth Canino
Jazz – Andrew Carrol
Americana – Early Bird Trio
Jam Band – Jam Factory
Alternative – Professional Victims
Country – Lonnie Park
Hard Rock – After Earth
Hip-Hop/Rap – Mafiosa

The People’s Choice Awards for 2016

Best Band: The Horn Dogs
Best Festival: The Great New York State Fair
Best Venue: Dinosaur BBQ

The Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist: The Lightkeepers

March 8, 2016
The Monsters of Rock Cruise: The Best Of and The Big Disappointment

“Basically, I don’t do anything profound at all, all I do is play shapes.” –A humble George Lynch said dressed in a casual jogging suit during his guitar clinic on the third day of this year’s Monsters of Rock Cruise.

This particular expedition was all about the ‘shredder’, the guitarist. Legendary names like Steve Vai, Akira Takahashi, Michael Angelo Batio, Vinnie Moore, George Lynch, Gus G all boarded this boat of mayhem to play, meet fans, provide classes or guitar clinics and rock the hell out.

Many veteran cruisers said this was the favorite out of all five-cruise experiences, the weather was stellar, the vibe was calm and the crowd was smaller and more intimate. From non-stop concerts on 4 stages, guitar clinics/classes, Meet and Greets, Q&A with the Artists, Charity benefits and excursions to Nassau and our private island, how could one have a bad time?

The talent on this year’s cruise was unprecedented, almost all the artists blew my mind, Helloween, Gus G, Y&T, Hellion, Tesla, Extreme, Armored Saint, Hardcore Superstar were all incredible. But alas there are only so many words to go around, here are some highlighted moments that caught my eye and ear, followed by an unfortunate big disappointment.

Best Cathartic Experience: Queensryche

Some call them progressive rock, others say hard rock and yet others peg them as a heavy metal band. It’s hard to sum up their wall of sound, harmonic guitars, tribal drumming and melodic bass lines. They’re signature sound is so unique, so categorizing them seems inane; they are the category for others to follow suit.

Each incendiary performance on the Pearl was a mix of vintage Queensryche and new Queensryche, but always littered with tracks from one of the greatest conceptual albums of all time, “Operation Mindcrime”. However, their new material from “Condition Human” is some of their strongest work to date.

Scott Rockenfield (Drums) and Eddie Jackson (Bass) are the foundation and ground the band firmly, while guitarists Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren are the spine of Queensryche, the layers upon layers upon layers of melodies and harmonies are masterfully intertwined giving them that signature sound that is Queensryche.

Singer, Todd LaTorre has become such a solid part of the quintet, there are only two words from here, “Geoff Who?” I had the honor to interview Mr. Tate during his last tour and when I asked him, “What do you do to take care of your voice?” He smiled and said, “Nothing” and then proceeded to take a big drag off his cigar. Don’t get me wrong, Tate is an icon, but sometimes icons need to step aside. LaTorre meticulously takes care of his voice to ensure he is in perfect pitch night after night, that being said, his impressive vocal abilities run the spectrum and reaches places that Tate hasn’t been in years.

Queensryche offers a true cathartic experience. Aligned with the ritualistic undertones of the music, one might feel as if taken on a journey through space and time, but left with questions about the world, love and the human condition…and that spin cycling guitar melody you just can’t quite get out of your head.

Best Hardcore Yoga: Metal Church

I asked the bands and fans, who, in your opinion, is the heaviest and hardest band on this cruise? Across the board, Metal Church was the answer.

Metal Church comes to the cruise with a few big announcements right now. One is the return of singer, Mike Howe after 20 years AND a brand new album with Howe called “XI”. All pretty big news…

I expected Metal Church to melt my face off on the pool stage that night and I am pleasantly surprised that my face is still intact. Don’t get me wrong, their music is heavy with political and sociological overtones, it’s melodic, rich, dark and a little evil, but there also exists this calm, like a rumbling thunder or a deep shifting of tectonic plates, I was surprised of the grounded feeling it brought along with that high power and intensity.

In a brief conversation with return vocalist Mike Howe, I tried to explain how it was different than I expected, I wasn’t being very clear and then he summed it all up for me. He said, “It’s meant to be a sort of yoga.” Genius.

Howe’s vocals are as pristine as they were over 20 years ago, if not better with maturity adding a little bit of an edge. Howe has a peaceful, happy go lucky attitude and a contagious bop onstage, but happy or not, his vocals could not only break a glass but slice right through metal. Guitarist, Kurdt Vanderhoof, genius behind the music and backbone of the band, plays warm, calming melodies one minute followed by vibrating, razor edged notes the next. The dichotomy of musical styles and arrangements really lend to an amazing auditory experience not to be missed.

Best Whirling Dervish: Michael Monroe

Upon hearing Michael Monroe was added to this hardcore/thrasher/shredder cruise, my first thought was- interesting choice. Truth be told, regardless of the fact Hanoi Rocks changed the face of rock and roll in the 80’s and inspired bands from the Sunset Strip to the Lower East Side, I hadn’t heard or thought about Michael Monroe since the old days, that seemed like another lifetime ago. And now I can’t stop thinking about him.

When Eddie Trunk (or nicknamed on this cruise, Eddie Drunk) introduced Mr. Monroe, he said Monroe’s last three albums are the best of his whole catalog, including when he was in Hanoi Rocks. Their set, of course, ran the gamut, from the new Monroe material as well as some older Hanoi anthems. New songs like “Goin’ Down with the Ship” (which I’m slightly addicted to it’s looping melody), “Ballad of the Lower East Side” and “Old King’s Road” are fresh, clean, precise, but still possessing that Hanoi/Monroe edge.

Monroe is an incredible performer; onstage he is a whirling dervish with endless exuberance and excitement that cannot be contained. He is a joy to watch and experience and he raised the vibration of the theater that night with his pure, contagious animation.

His band of vagabonds are great musicians as well. Legendary bassist, Sammy Yaffa and drummer, Karl Rockfist have been with Monroe the longest and serve as a grounding cord for Monroe’s spinning energy. Newcomers, Rich Jones and Steve Conte (Guitars) are a perfect fit for this quintet. Cruisers could just not stop talking about Michael Monroe and his band, certainly before out of anticipation and wonderment, but definitely after as well. And for the ones that missed them, you can catch them all over Finland and parts of Europe over the next couple months.

Best Alien Love Songs: Steve Vai

Being face to face in the lounge with Steve Vai for the better part of an hour was like being in the presence of a creative master. He seemed to be the largest pull for all our Meet and Greets on the ship and each person who entered the radius of his being was met with kindness and respect. He is a centered soul and while he methodically made his tea just the way he likes, it didn’t flutter him in the least to take note that forty people were standing by silently witnessing him do this mundane task.

We were and are mesmerized by him; as a mere mortal and an onstage showman.

An 18 year old Vai started his career with Zappa, then David Lee Roth, on to Whitesnake followed by a slew of solo work, including eight studio albums. Some might think watching a Vai show without a ‘David Lee Roth-type’ would be uneventful, quite the contrary, it’s an out of this world experience and Vai is the creator of this journey. He took us to other worlds and even other galaxies, and all with the sounds of one guitar. He was whimsical, he was fun and he was a creative genius. If George Lynch plays shapes, Steve Vai plays alien love songs and is an out of this world master of the guitar.

The Best Divine Connection: Doro

With bands scheduled back-to-back in all four venues all day, sound check happens in the Stardust Theater just minutes before the doors open to the fans. And for those 5-7 minutes, we as Media, get to see the real personalities before the stage personalities are unleashed. Sometimes they are very different, sometimes not. Doro is the same. After the sound check was to her liking, she turned around to the row of photographers patiently waiting and in the sweetest German accent, bright smile and little giggle said, “Ok, I’ll see you in five minutes.”

Onstage she is the Metal Queen, clad in faux-leather (she’s an animal lover) and studs, regardless of her tough onstage persona, she’s still exudes sweetness as if honey were dripping out of her pores. She sticks close to the edge of the stage throughout her performance, pacing from left to right and back, singing with her fans, head banging with her fans, holding their hands, never losing constant close contact with them, almost as if they were her blood supply and she theirs. Her energy and enthusiasm is truly boundless. And they love her for this.

Vocally, she’s stellar, a hard-edged, low rumble with a layer of angelic quality is what makes her voice extremely unique, extremely beautiful and extremely rock and roll.

Since she went solo, the two most constant members of her band over the years are Johnny Dee (Drums) and Nick Douglas (Bass). Dee on drums is a hard hitter and certifiable maniac. Douglas and Dee together ground and stabilize the sound that is Doro. Look for her new single dropping on April 1.

The Big Disappointment: Sebastian Bach

“You’re looking at who put the hair in Hair Metal!” Sebastian Bach said during his Q&A in the Atrium on Day One of the cruise, we all chuckled, but it was only Day One. It seemed as we got farther from the port of Miami, Bach went farther down the wine bottle and farther from reality.

This being his first cruise with the Monsters of Rock, there was a fair share of excitement from the fans, but he was rarely seen out and about like his colleagues. During the MotorBowie Jams in the tiny Spinnaker Lounge, instead of taking the stage like everyone else, he parted the sea of people with security escorting him to the front of the stage. He accosted the photographers as usual, complaining we were shooting up his nose and threw us out of the pit during both his shows. And sadly, he accosted fans too- one woman to tears during the MotorBowie Jams. And it seems he has a new habit of throwing people out of venues- Donald Trump style or even getting thrown out himself.

Bach’s two performances were mostly, if not all Skid Row material, sprinkled with a cover or two, his voice shows the wear and tear of rusty galvanized steel plumbing from 1958. That being said, the aggressive gusto of his voice is there like in “Slave to the Grind”, but his high notes are choppy, uncontrollable and painfully absent. George Lynch happened to cross my path during “18 and Life” right at the moment of the once beautifully, iconic, high-intensity, emotional scream that follows the guitar solo. Lynch had his fingers in his ears.

Lastly, some say, he’s more of an entertainer now. Sadly, his once sexy stage presence has become diminished to a disheveled mess or train wreck you just can’t stop watching.

Bach, what’s got you all twisted up?

And so it is… the end to another amazing Monsters of Rock Cruise. See you all in October for the West cruise, where we finally for the first time get out of the humidity and into the Pacific Ocean.

March 7, 2016
Reel Big Fish Tear Up Higher Ground

It wasn’t the ‘90s, but it sure felt like it when Reel Big Fish skanked up Burlington’s Higher Ground. It’s been 25 years since the band got its start, and they’re definitely making the most of this significant anniversary.

The age range in the Higher Ground Ballroom on Feb. 5 was surprising. My friend and I, who saw Reel Big Fish together in high school in the ‘90s, expected everyone there to be our age or older, but it seems the band is still drawing younger audiences as plenty of the kids in attendance seemed to be in their 20s or younger.

The show began with a set by a California band called the Maxies. Band members all wore creepy masks as they said purposely offensive things, made fun of the headliner and played a song about how they were better than your favorite band. They also did a really touching rendition of the All-4-One classic “I Swear,” complete with the lead singer reaching out a hand to the audience. It was entertaining, but a little too heavy on shtick and light on talent.

Next up was Suburban Legends. The band out of California’s Orange County got the show going in the right direction with some peppy ska. The lead singer, who has a seriously impressive mustache, oozed energy, and the rest of the band wasn’t exactly sitting around. They jumped around onstage, and they carried out a serious amount of choreographed moves — little things like walking left then walking right at the same time, but it was still a lot to do while also playing instruments and singing and all that those things entail.

Sadly, this band, which has a complicated background, announced in December 2015 that the 40-day tour with Reel Big Fish would likely be their last tour, but they left things open to the possibility of touring again after a break.

But they definitely had fun that night in Burlington. In addition to fun originals, Suburban Legend played a wide variety of hilarious covers like “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” and songs from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. They recently released an EP full of covers from animated movies, but their most recent album is called Forever in the Friend Zone, and they played a few tunes from that record as well. All in all, the set was the perfect way to get pumped up for Reel Big Fish.

And finally, the ska legends took the stage. Reel Big Fish launched right in with one of their hits, “Everything Sucks,” with a vengeance not always seen by bands who have been touring for 25 years.

Reel Big Fish, from Huntington Beach, California, is currently made up of Aaron Barrett on vocals and guitar, Billy Kottage on trombone, John Christianson on trumpet, Ed Smokey Beach on drums, Derek Gibbs on bass, and Matt Appleton on saxophone and vocal harmonies. Barrett is the only member of the band who remains from the founding lineup, which started as a Led Zeppelin cover band. They grew to success in the ‘90s and early 2000s, but since then they have become more of a band with a cult following, according to their wikipedia page.

The current band lineup is great — each musician has tons of character and they’re really entertaining to watch.

The band seems keenly aware of what fuels their popularity, playing plenty of songs from the albums that made them famous, especially Turn the Radio Off. The setlist bounced around between the band’s eight albums, but it started and ended with Turn the Radio Off hits. Toward the end of the show, they said they were going to play their big hit from the ’90s, and they launched into Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for a few moments. Then they went through a few other ’90s hits, teasing the crowd, including Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones‘ “Knock on Wood.” Then finally, they played the song everyone had been waiting for, “Sell Out.”

The encore consisted of a newer song, “Everyone Else is an Asshole,” before dipping back into TTRO with “Beer.” Then to end the show, they played a-ha’s “Take On Me,” which got Reel Big Fish 15 minutes of fame when they played their rendition of it in the movie BASEketball.

Overall the show was wholly satisfying. There was plenty of nostalgia but also had a good amount of newer material, and the band’s electric energy kept the crowd going all night. It’s impossible to stand still when Reel Big Fish is throwing it down on stage.

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March 6, 2016
Saratoga Performing Arts Center 50th Summer Lineup

The state’s premier outdoor concert venue is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer as Saratoga Performing Arts Center kicks off its golden anniversary concert season with the fourth running of the SPAC Rock and Run, which offers 5k, 10k and half marathon distances, on May 15. Albany-area siblings Jocelyn and Chris Arndt, who were breakout artists at last fall’s Utica Music and Arts Festival, will perform as part of the SPAC Rock and Run Races.

Once the music takes over, highlights this season include a three-night run from Phish July 1 to 3 and a double bill of Dave Matthews Band July 15 and 16. Dead and Company pay a visit to SPAC June 21 with John Mayer laying down Jerry’s licks, and Mumford and Sons bring their electric brand of folk to a sold-out show on June 15.

The annual Freihofers Saratoga Jazz Festival, featuring headliner Smokey Robinson in addition to three 2016 Grammy Award winners, Jon Cleary, Christian McBride, and Eliane Elias, takes place June 25 and 26.

SPAC’s long-time resident the Philadelphia Orchestra takes up its annual residency beginning Aug. 3, and the New York City Ballet brings 16 ballet performances throughout July.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center 2016 Pop/Rock Schedule:

June 11 – Dixie Chicks
June 15 – Mumford and Sons
June 21 – Dead and Company
July 1 – Phish
July 2 – Phish
July 3 – Phish
July 5 – Journey, The Doobie Brothers, Dave Mason
July 10 – Steely Dan with Steve Winwood
July 12 – Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin with Alter Bridge and Saint Asonia
July 13 – Tedeschi Trucks Band with Los Lobos and North Mississippi Allstars
July 15 – Dave Matthews Band
July 16 – Dave Matthews Band
July 24 – Slipknot with Marilyn Manson and Of Mice and Men
July 25 – Josh Groban with Sarah McLachlan
July 26 – Janet Jackson
Sept. 3 – Zac Brown Band with Drake White and the Big Fire
Sept. 8 – Heart with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Cheap Trick

https://youtu.be/pJ9Hmy3fPK8

March 5, 2016