NYS Music 20​16

Category: Genres

  • Skid Row Slays Turning Stone Casino Showroom

    After rescheduling their performance last winter because the then lead singer quit the band, New Jersey’s own heavy metal lords, Skid Row, made up for lost time with the sold-out crowd at the Turning Stone Casino Showroom in Verona on May 14.

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    Taking over vocal duties for Skid Row is now the one and only ZP Theart, who’s best known as the former frontman of the power-metal band Dragonforce. Theart joined Skid Row after former singer Tony Harnell left the band in December.

    ZP and the rest of Skid Row came out Saturday night to prove they could still kick ass — and that they did. The packed house didn’t stay seated for more than 30 seconds once the band opened with “Slave to the Grind” and continued with a heavy set featuring classic tracks from the group’s self-titled 1989 album and 1991 followup, Slave to the Grind. Skid Row even threw in a cover of the Ramones’ “Psycho Therapy” before capping off the night with a three-song encore that included “Quicksand Jesus,” “Beat Yourself Blind” and “Youth Gone Wild.”

    This performance definitely showed diehards that ZP has the pipes to fill the shoes of Skid Row’s original singer, Sebastian Bach. Check out the setlist and gallery from the band’s United World Rebellion stop in New York below.

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    Setlist: Slave to the Grind, Big Guns, Sweet Little Sister, Piece of Me, 18 and Life, Makin’ a Mess, Riot Act, In a Darkened Room, Psycho Therapy [1], I Remember You, Monkey Business
    Encore: Quicksand Jesus, Beat Yourself Blind, Youth Gone Wild
    [1] Ramones Cover

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  • Book Review: John Popper “Suck and Blow: And Other Stories I’m Not Supposed To Tell”

    John Popper, best known for his mean harmonica skills, and being the front man of Blues Traveler, really lets it all hang out in his new autobiography, Suck and Blow: And Other Stories I’m Not Supposed To Tell, written by Popper with Dean Budnick.

    If Popper had not made it big on the stage as a musician, he probably would have done well as a comedian.  Suck and Blow is splayed with hysterical moments that will make others around you wonder what’s so funny. This book is highly recommended to be read in public places, such as on a crowded train, a cross-country flight, or perhaps waiting in a long line to use the ladies rest room.  Why? Because the stories within will make you burst out in random displays of laughter.  Any attempts to keep it in will just result in a contorted face and the appearance of tears for unknown reasons.  Do yourself a favor, read this book and get ready to release the Kracken of hysterics.

    john popper suck and blowSuck and Blow begins with Popper’s adventures when he was young.  He clearly regarded school as just a place to go and think of new ways to enjoy the day. His antics in the classroom, which were rare appearances, resulted in convincing adults that more time out of the class room was the way to go.  His brilliant hold on the psychology of humans at such an early age did well for him as he, and Blues Traveler, eventually came up through the ranks of the music world.

    His book also unfolds the mystery of how he was first introduced to the harmonica, and discusses how he later goes on to severely crush several top musicians on stage with his masterful hold of the instrument during performances.

    Like many musicians, Popper was just winging it as Blues Traveler gained success over the years. That winging it included heated arguments, a few thrown punches, and a lot of rock and roll shenanigans that prevailed. Did you know that Gregg Allman wanted to be a part of Blues Traveler?  Well, neither did Gregg Allman, apparently, who would repeatedly say that he needed to be a part of the band while drunk.

    The moments were fleeting, as the morning after resulted in him forgetting he even asked. These rare glimpses of truth bring readers the crazy stories that happened behind the scenes, backstage, in the van, and on the side of the road.

    The book is not all humor, however.  There are occasions of cinching heartache. Bill Graham’s death sent shock waves throughout the industry.  Best known for his involvement with the Grateful Dead, Graham was an integral part of Blues Traveler’s early years. The moment the band hears of his death is gripping and, with each page, the sorrow and heartbreak is felt through Popper’s commanding use of the written word.  Have tissues readily available, as this chapter of life will tear at the heartstrings, however, don’t be surprised when someone gets punched in the face while mourning.

    Suck and Blow also winds through evolutionary tales of how songs were borne from various experiences of John Popper.  If this book were a song, it would be a symphonic masterpiece, as each page brings the audience back to the melodies of popular tunes, while shedding light on how those tunes were created.  The candid stories weaved throughout make this a “can’t put down” read.

    For a vivid look at the life of a musician, run out and get this book. It will make your day, week and year. The humor, heartache, and just plain craziness that John Popper has experienced will make this story seem unreal, yet every shred of it is true.

  • Sonic Boom: Cage the Elephant Stampedes Albany’s Palace Theatre

    “We’re not going to have any of that sitting down shit,” announced Cage the Elephant’s guitarist, Brad Shultz, during the band’s May 11 show at the Palace Theatre. Staying true to this promise, the Kentucky rock band delivered a stand-up spirited and dynamic two-hour performance — with frontman Matt Schultz constantly careening around the stage — that literally kept the crowd on its feet.

    Originally planned for the Times Union Center, the concert was moved to the Palace Theatre earlier this month, and ticket holders were granted general admission seating in the floor and balcony sections of the historic Albany venue.

    The night began with the Oklahoma-based indie group, Broncho, who is expected to release a new album, Double Vanity, on June 10. Portugal. The Man followed with an energetic performance that primed the crowd with excited anticipation for the night’s headliner; stand-out highlights include “Modern Jesus,” “Purple Yellow Red and Blue” and a familiar melody heard toward the set’s end that teased the Beatles “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”

    Cage the Elephant opened with “Cry Baby” from their most recent album, Tell Me I’m Pretty (2015), and soon after played “Spiderhead” off of the Grammy-nominated Melophobia (2013). The audience sang along to every word of “Spiderhead,” as Matt Shultz danced and strutted across the stage. His energy was relentless throughout the night, as the lights flashed in sync with the beat of the drums and reached to the balcony with colorful designs.

    Toward the middle of their set, they played the crowd-pleasing hits “Trouble” and “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” As the night progressed, individuals attempted crowd surfing or jumped on stage themselves to join the band. This didn’t seem entirely discouraged by security, or the band themselves; throughout it all, Matt Schultz displayed unyielding stamina that never slowed down or stopped. They closed the show with the popular tune “Come A Little Closer,” before performing a three-song encore.

    Coming back before the encore, Brad Schultz led the audience in a sing-along for touring guitarist Nick Bockrath’s birthday. This was followed by more group singing during “Cigarette Daydreams” with the lead singer holding his microphone stand out to the audience, and again for “Shake Me Down.” As the evening came to a close, more and more individuals jumped on and off stage.

    For the last song of the evening, Matt Schultz remarked, “let’s see how many of you we can fit on this stage,” which led to a surge of audience members in floor seating to rush the stage. A mass of people joined the band, dancing along, as Matt and the rest of the gang became nearly indistinguishable among the crowd, while closing with “Teeth.”

    Cage the Elephant delivered an unyielding, frenzied performance. Despite sporadic issues with the sound, it will remain as a memorable concert moment, particularly due to lead singer Matt Shultz’s resilience and energy throughout the Wednesday evening Palace Theatre performance.

    Set list: Cry Baby, In One Ear, Spiderhead, Take It or Leave It, Aberdeen, Too Late to Say Goodbye, Cold Cold Cold, Trouble, Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked, Mess Around, Punchin’ Bag, Telescope, Back Against the Wall, It’s Just Forever, Come A Little Closer

    Encore: Cigarette Daydreams, Shake Me Down, Teeth

  • Bad to the Bone: George Thorogood Destroys Turning Stone’s Showroom

    Last weekend, rock fans from across Central New York were treated to a bad-to-the-bone Friday the 13th performance by George Thorogood and the Destroyers at the Turning Stone Casino Showroom.

    The “Badder Than Ever” tour stop in Verona kicked off shortly after 8 p.m. to a filled venue. Thorogood and his band got the crowd up and out of their seats quickly. Fan favorites such as “Who Do You Love?” “I Drink Alone” and “Get A Haircut” were played early in the night. Thorogood interacted with the crowd often throughout the show. Before the music even started, Thorogood, sporting a big smile, went to the front of the stage and fist bumped one lucky fan in the front row.

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    For a group that makes the Showroom a regular tour stop almost every year, the band got a crowd reaction like they haven’t been there in years. It’s always nice to see a band come out and show how much fun they’re having on stage. The positive and fun atmosphere made the night one to remember for the audience and the group. Even though Thorogood is the only member to take the mic and speak to the crowd, his backing band the Destroyers had the body language that showed they loved being there, too.

    As expected, George Thorogood and the Destroyers played other classics like “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Move It On Over” and “Bad To The Bone.” The crowd joined Thorogood in singing along with him during all of these favorite hits. When the crowd wasn’t singing, many were simply watching in awe as Thorogood delivered his signature blues guitar licks. Watching Thorogood play his Gibson ES-125 is a sight that fans will surely never forget.

    For those who couldn’t attend the May 13 show, George Thorogood and the Destroyers will most likely return to the Showroom. Be sure to check back to NYS Music and the Turning Stone Casino website for future show announcements.

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  • The Temperance Movement Premieres ‘White Bear’ Video, Announces Tour

    This summer, English rockers the Temperance Movement will debut the sophomore album, White Bear, followed by a headlining tour.

    The five-member outfit kick off the July run at the Ride Festival in Telluride, Colorado, and are scheduled to make stops at Lost Horizon in Syracuse, Mercury Lounge in New York City and Underground Arts in Philadelphia before the tour closes in Detroit. And on May 15, the group exclusively premiered the video for the record’s title track via Loudwire.

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    The three-minute video was the creation of noted photographer and director Steven Sebring, who used his signature “revolution system” camera techniques to produce a stunning visual manipulation of time and light. Sebring also created the album’s cover image “of a girl and a bear, interlaid and overlapping in magical realism” inspired by Fyodor Dostoevsky’s essay, Winter Notes on Summer Impressions. 

    The rising rock band that includes vocalist Phil Campbell, bassist Nick Fyffe, drummer Damon Wilson and guitarists Paul Sayer and Matt White. Although bearing the same name as the prohibitionist social movement of the 1900s, the Temperance Movement is not straightedge when it comes to gritty rock and roll. They have opened for heavyweight acts like the Rolling Stones, and this summer, the group shares the Ride Festival bill with Pearl Jam and Cage the Elephant, among others.

    White Bear officially drops July 15 via Fantasy Records, but is available for pre-order now via iTunes and Amazon. If you want to see them live, scan the dates here or below to see if the Temperance Movement is coming to a venue near you.

    The Temperance Movement summer 2016 tour:

    7/9-10 – Ride Festival – Telluride, CO
    7/12 – Marquis Theatre – Denver, CO
    7/14 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
    7/15 – Limelight – Peoria, IL
    7/16 – The Stache at Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
    7/18 – Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY
    7/19 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
    7/20 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
    7/22 – A&R Music Bar – Columbus, OH
    7/23 – The Shelter at Saint Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI

  • Salsa and Cristal: NYS Music Goes to Cuba

    NYS Music goes to Cuba is a multi-part series detailing Cuban music and culture, the impact of Western music on Cuban music and the potential for change given the recent pending normalization of relations between The United States and Cuba.

    It’s 11:30 p.m. in Central Havana and I’m sitting in Casa de la Musica with my best friend, surrounded by stalking prostitutes and Cuban music videos streaming on the screens behind the stage. I am focused on taking notes of my surroundings for this article, ignoring the hooker who is not giving up on me before my third Cristal beer kicks in and my handwriting becomes completely illegible. I don’t usually ignore women when they talk to me at a bar or club, so this is a first. (Plus, we didn’t budget for prostitutes.) They can smell our CUCs through our cargo shorts; they’re good.

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    Rewind back to 10 p.m. We arrive to find out the club is closed until 11 p.m., so with an hour to kill, we are encouraged by locals outside the club to walk down the street with them to a small bar, El Coronet, and meet some women who are clearly prostitutes. We aren’t taking the bait and bail after we finish our lone drink. Los Van Van is on the television, and ironically, they are playing the other Casa de la Musica in Miramar, where we should have gone, but alas, here we are.

    With two shows nightly, Casa de la Musica is open from 5 to 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., but 9 to 11 p.m. is the ‘how fast can we fleece the early arrivals for the show?’ show. We pay a 10 CUC cover, get security wanded and enter to find 10 people in the club. The stage is set for 14 musicians with smoke machines that are continually going off. With two large screens on either side and three tall screens behind the band, this place looks awesome and must scream L.A. club when it’s packed. But until midnight, it’s somewhat dead, yet it provides an escape from the pimps, grifters and panhandlers waiting outside for easy prey to saunter along. The prostitutes though, they’re among us.

    It’s hard to tell if this is arranged with the venue, just allowed to happen, or a combination of both. But it’s the one thing bringing in women to the club, beyond the two girls sitting near us who clearly aren’t prostitutes. More on them later.

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    While we wait for the stage show to begin, we ask to speak to El Jefe of the club, a short promoter type whom I explain our presence to as music journalists, and he immediately says photo is OK but no video and we agree. We ask to speak in a more quiet area, and quickly ask my questions. He directs me to a bartender who can speak a good deal of English. Alex, a Vin Diesel type, is fine with an interview and seems slightly flattered.

    We ask about the club, which opened in 2002 with a capacity of 1,000 and followed the Miramar venue that opened in 1995 for 300 capacity and caters to a more highfalutin crowd (my term, not his.) There is Salsa every night (tonight is Bamboleo); it is all Cuban music, every night, and packed every Thursday through Saturday. We ask how things may change with more Western influence, and he assures us they already have. There is more pop music, so much so that when Usher was here this past Saturday, everyone knew him. He was recognized, signed autographs and sang four songs unannounced — this island is not as isolated or secluded as you might think.

    The club has no advertising, no presales, just day-of show sales only. Attendance depends on the bands ultimately. The stage is 21st century even if outside the building is mid-20th century. While we talk to Alex, we don’t notice the crowd filling in the place. The audience is a mix of locals, tourists and prostitutes, perhaps 300 are here by midnight. Locals are sitting around, taking selfies and snaps, while buckets and bottles pepper the tables. Two Cuban guys are warming up Salsa moves near us. It’s 12:30 a.m., almost go time.

    DJ SARAO takes over from the PA with “Uptown Funk” and the night of music finally begins proper. He’s good, but we came for Salsa. There are more than 350 in the club now. It feels dead despite the crowd, compared to the potential for the space. Ever go on spring break and the club is randomly undersold? That is Casa de la Musica tonight.

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    It is now 1:05 a.m. and Bamboleo finally arrives. Horns and drummer on percussion are the signature sounds, and it’s good to see Sisqo still getting work. Chris leans over and asks if we are watching a Cuban Turkuaz. I laugh; it’s not far off, but the Talking Heads covers are missing. This is a large band, fully in sync, rehearsed but not scripted, and each member has their own flair and presence with the music altogether fucking stellar. The keyboardist looks like Pitbull. It might be Pitbull. He makes a lot of appearances. The performance is quite amazing and highly energetic at all points. The sound doesn’t let up and even though I know zero of these songs, I am loving it. If I had someone who wasn’t Chris or a prostitute to dance with, I’d be getting down. Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra prepared me for this, but not this. Turkuaz/Bamboleo tour 2021 is going to crush the Caribbean.

    My effort to dance the Salsa is admittedly minimal. I am an observer. Five or six Cristals deep now and I work up the courage to talk to the two girls near us. I say I would have spoken sooner, but with all the prostitutes, I wasn’t sure. They understood, thankfully. We chat; they are from the Basque Country in Spain. They are as close to normal as we find tonight.

    Toward the end of the show, Chris is denied shooting stage right low. I go to El Jefe. He says OK, walks up with us and says, “Go up.” We do, but we are turned away. A bouncer denies us and even El Jefe can’t override. El Jefe brings us stage left low. We are fine here, but the angle isn’t as good. We still take the shots. The cab driver for our ride was a fan of SARAO and waited inside the club to offer us safe passage to our hostel. The 25 CUC he charges is a rip-off, but a 10-minute drive is all we can ask for given the state of the night. We didn’t spend as much in the club as we did on the cab, something we need to work on the next few nights.

  • Insane Clown Posse Sells Out Tour Opener at Syracuse’s Lost Horizon

    It’s Cinco de Mayo and the Insane Clown Posse is setting up their Dark Carnival show at the Lost Horizon. That’s right ladies and gentlemen and juggalos of all ages, Detroit’s original wicked clowns and masters of horror inspired rap, the Insane Clown Posse kicked off their 20th Anniversary Riddlebox tour to a sold out crowd! What a way to start things off!

    Opening the show was Syracuse’s Breaking Solace who is currently promoting their release “Shatter the Silence.” Next up was the nightmarish and ghoulish industrial group, Terrorbyte. This was my first time seeing them live and I was very impressed with their dark blend of industrial metal.  One song that really hit hard and won over the crowd was their single “Gravitational.” If you are a fan of bands Skinny Puppy, Godflesh, or even old school Ministry, you should definitely check this band out. If the music doesn’t scare you I guarantee their masks will.

    Insane Clown PosseThe next artist to tear up the stage was Young Wicked.  Young wicked also known to his fans as Otis from the infamous rap duo Axe Murder Boyz.  Young wicked is a multi-talented performer, song writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. You could tell from the crowd’s excitement that Young Wicked did his job of getting the fans stoked and primed for the main act.

    The intro is cued: “Welcome, it’s not where you’re at, it’ where you’re going. And you won’t know till you turn the crank.” The crowd starts getting impatient waiting for Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope to hit the stage.  Moments later the duo appears ripping right into the title track “Riddle Box.” Midway through the song they started launching bottle after bottle of Faygo soda into the crowd! The fans go wild!

    Insane Clown PosseThings got wilder and stickier as they continued spraying Faygo and cranking out songs off of Riddlebox. Things got really crazy when the band played their famous tune “Chicken Huntin.” The fans were in for a surprise when the band tossed buckets of feathers onto the already soda soaked crowd. One of the highlights for me was getting to hear my favorite song, “Toy Box,” live for the first time. The band ended their set with “I’m Coming Home” and what can only be described as the Faygo Armageddon. They sprayed so much soda into the crowd that it looked like it was raining Faygo from the ceiling.

    Insane Clown Posse put on one hell of show this past Thursday night in Syracuse for 600 plus face painted, soda soaked die-hard fans. Make sure you get out and see this tour because this may be your only chance to see them perform the Riddlebox album in its entirety.

    I spoke with many fans throughout the night and they came from as far away as Canada, Pennsylvania and even Ohio to help ICP kick of their tour.

  • Fit for a Queen: Holly Bowling Closes Massry Season with a Thriller

    A couple years ago, few knew of Holly Bowling. The unassuming Phish fan — a classically trained pianist with a love of improvisational music — was just going about her life. And that life would be changed on July 31, 2013, when Phish dropped a 37-minute “Tweezer” opus in Lake Tahoe.

    How are the two connected? Well, Bowling decided to transcribe the improvised jam note-for-note and arrange it for the piano. Her YouTube video has been viewed more than 65,000 times, and spawned her album Distillation of a Dream, which is full of Phish songs reimagined for the piano.

    Fast forward to the present, and Bowling has some time under her belt on the road, taking her act of just herself and a piano across the country. On May 12, Holly Bowling headlined the Massry Center for the Arts on the College of Saint Rose campus in Albany, becoming the first person ever to perform at the venue twice in one season. (Side note: This is the second time in a week I was lucky enough to see her live. She played a benefit at Garcia’s at the Capitol Theater ahead of Twiddle’s headlining show last Saturday.)

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    To a crowd of enthusiasts in a space with room to move, Bowling jumped right into Phish’s “Pebbles and Marbles,” with her form-fitting black dress a near perfect compliment to St. Rose’s black baby grand piano. With an iPad affixed inches from her eyes, Bowling locked in with the focus of a baseball player at bat down by a run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

    Aside from the lights, which were provided by Buffalo’s Craig Freudenthal, and the songs, Bowling’s show couldn’t be any more different than what Phish does dozens of times each year. At one point, the green lights providing the backdrop appeared to look like the outside of Hampton Coliseum, a place Phish fans know well.

    “Train Song” was next, before Bowling explained that recently, she’s been transcribing Grateful Dead songs. On that note began my all-time favorite song ever written by anyone, the Phil Lesh-penned “Unbroken Chain.” “Theme From the Bottom,” a passionate “Wharf Rat,” “Roggae” and June 18, 1974’s “Eyes of the World”>”China Doll” closed out the hour-long set.

    The second set began with “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing” from Phish’s run at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in June, 2004, which featured a prominent “Piper” tease. To everyone’s delight, Bowling ripped into the entire “Terrapin Station” suite, which took us to the close of the second set. “Slave to the Traffic Light” was a fitting encore to a wonderfully unique experience.

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    But wait — Bowling wasn’t done. Just after announcing she’s working on a new album of Grateful Dead transcriptions, Bowling played a second encore of Phish’s “Taste,” a regular in her setlist. The crowd erupted in applause and Bowling flashed her overly thankful smile, sending everyone out the door in baited exhilaration.

    If you get the opportunity to see Bowling, you should not pass it up. Phish fans tend to be supremely passionate about their band, but Bowling has taken that fanaticism to another level with her performances and dedication.

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  • Tonight, Dark Star Orchestra is my Grateful Dead

    I love the Grateful Dead.

    American Beauty changed my life when I was 14. I have a multi-colored 13-point lightning bolt encompassing a New York Yankees logo tattooed on my left shoulder. I have spent, now, more than half my life chasing “Don’t Ease Me In” with any of the countless bands featuring Grateful Dead band members since 2000. Sometimes I joke that I put one of Phil Lesh’s kids through college with the amount of money I have spent seeing him.

    dark star orchestra grateful deadThe number of complaints I have with the amount and quality of Dead music I have been lucky enough to catch is the same number of championships the Boston Red Sox won between 1919 and 2003: 0. I’ve witnessed the living members reunite for a show billed as Deadheads for Obama in 2008; I followed almost the entire 2009 tour; Furthur was one of the best jammy treats of the modern era; lastly, seeing Lesh and Anastasio, by far my two favorite musicians currently on this Earth, perform together nearly 20 times has been beyond elating.

    All of this is wonderful, as the spirit of the Grateful Dead has carried on in so many ways — as I’ve bragged about above — but there’s something missing that just about any head in my 2003 high school graduating class will admit: None of us were lucky enough to experience the band with its leader and commander, Jerry Garcia. Sure, some can say they saw the man himself, but being 5 doesn’t allow much to the memory of the full band. Garcia, who died in 1995, was such a force and leader of the band, that no one in my age group can really say they have seen the Grateful Dead.

    Enter Dark Star Orchestra, a group of highly talented and devoted musicians who have made a nice living out being THE Dead tribute band.

    Tribute band. A lot of people might write it off simply because it’s not the real thing.

    Except in this case, DSO is the best Dead band going. Their sound is spot on. If they’re recreating February 22, 1974, they capture the hazy, lazy sound of that era. If it’s a mid-1980s show, Dark Star nails down the speedy, more up-tempo sound the Dead had.

    Simply put, you cannot get the true sound and essence of the Grateful Dead today anywhere more than a Dark Star Orchestra show.

    On November 22, 2009, I was standing at a urinal in Syracuse, N.Y., at a Phish concert. I looked to my right and did a double take.

    “No f—— way! Fake Jerry!” I said, getting a completely genuine grin in return. Peeing next to me was John Kadlecik, original DSO lead guitarist who had recently left the band to play with Lesh and Bob Weir in Furthur. The journalist in me immediately came out, as I asked him blunt questions about leaving to go play with Dead members. He was incredibly nice and said something that has stuck with me ever since.

    “I have never played with a more dedicated group of musicians than [the DSO] guys,” he said, adding that they do not skip even a minute detail in bringing, what appears effortlessly, the highest quality show to everyone in attendance.

    I have vivid memories of ringing in 2009 with the band at the Ram’s Head in Baltimore. Noodling my way through the crowd, I kept my eyes closed and did not have to pretend any further than that, that I was at a Grateful Dead show. I was 9 when Garcia died, and I oftentimes say that I would give up every single concert experience I have ever had simply to see the Dead with their leader just one time. The phrase, “there’s nothing like a Grateful Dead show” might be the most pure musical statement ever made, according to the numerous people I have interviewed on the topic who have seen the band.

    Let’s not get confused here — I am not telling you that DSO today is the equivalent of the Grateful Dead from 1965-1995.

    I’m telling you that, in a Garcia-free world, the members of DSO are keeping alive something that so many people hold so close: The Grateful Dead experience. With my eyes closed, I feel like I am hearing what I missed out on.

    It’s why I continue to see DSO upward of 10 times per year. Tonight, at the Egg in Albany, Dark Star Orchestra is performing. I get to be anxious at work all day, debating with myself if they’re going to possibly play one of my favorite concerts, or if they will concoct their own setlist.

    I get to text my friends in anticipation. I get to see friends I don’t get to see very often these days.

    Tonight, I get the Grateful Dead experience.

    Tonight, I love Dark Star Orchestra.

  • Gang of Thieves Tour Stops in Utica and Troy

    Gang of Thieves will head out on an extensive tour of the Northeast and South with stops at several New York music festivals and shows in Utica and Troy.

    gang of thieves tourBurlington, Vermont-based rockers Gang of Thieves’s spring and summer tour will take them to several stops in New York as well as neighboring states. It brings them back to Lukin’s in Utica on Thursday, May 26. After a tour of North Carolina and South Carolina through the first half of June, they return to the Northeast. They’re back in New York on June 18 to play the River Street Festival in Troy, and they’ll come back to Troy on Aug. 12 for a show on the Captain JP Cruise Line.

    Gang of Thieves has several stops in nearby locations in the Northeast including their tour opener on May 20 at Harlow’s Pub in Peterborough, New Hampshire and the following night, May 21, at the Magic Hat Artifactory in South Burlington, Vermont. Following their tour of the South, they return with a show at the Kingdom Taproom in St. Johnsbury, Vermont on June 11. They play the Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Friday, June 17. A return to Vermont sees them at the Eat More Kale Festival in Montpelier on June 25 before heading to Manchester, Connecticut on July 1 to play the Hungry Tiger. Beer and music lovers will find them at the Stowe Brewers Festival on July 29 in Stowe, Vermont.

    They’re making full rounds of the area festivals including Strangecreek on May 27; Buffalove on July 30; the Organic Smiles Festival in Middletown, Connecticut on Aug. 5; Backwoods Pondfest on Aug. 6; and Mazzstock in Marlboro on Aug. 27.

    Gang of Thieves tour dates:
    May 20 – Harlow’s Pub, Peterborough, NH
    May 21 – Magic Hat Artifactory, South Burlington, VT
    May 26 – Lukin’s, Utica, NY
    May 27 – StrangeCreek Campout, Greenfield, MA
    May 29 – Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC
    May 31 – Independent Public Alehouse, Greenville, SC
    June 1 – Charleston Pour House, Charleston, SC
    June 2 – Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC
    June 3 – The Pour House Music Hall, Raleigh, NC
    June 4 – Bulls Tavern, Winston-Salem, NC
    June 11 – Kingdom Taproom, St. Johnsbury, VT
    June 17 – Middle East, Cambridge, MA
    June 18 – River Street Festival, Troy, NY
    June 25 – Eat More Kale Festival, Montpelier, VT
    July 1 – Hungry Tiger, Manchester, CT
    July 29 – Stowe Brewers Festival, Stowe, VT
    July 30 – Buffalove Music Festival, Westfield, NY
    August 5 – Organic Smiles Festival, Middletown, CT
    August 6 – Backwoods Pondfest, Peru, NY
    August 12 – Captain JP Cruise Line, Troy NY
    August 27 – Mazzstock, Marlboro, NY

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCn1NfcMBK8[/embedyt]