NYS Music 20​16

Category: Rock

  • Dave Matthews Band Gets Sexy With Sold Out Lakeview Amphitheater

    Dave Matthews Band brought an eclectic mix of its unique catalog of songs and covers to an enthusiastic crowd of 17,500 at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse on Wednesday June 22. The show marks the first sold out show at the newly opened amphitheater.

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    Fans were a bit apprehensive about the traffic, the no tailgating policy and the venue’s ability to handle the large crowd, but the venue seemed to do a good job managing traffic. Shuttles were running constantly to and from alternate parking locations as far away as downtown Syracuse. The no tailgating policy was generously overlooked. People were having a good time enjoying a few drinks but it didn’t appear that anyone was out of control. However, a no pop-up tent and no grill policy was strictly enforced. Some lighting could be added to improve visibility toward the exits and in the parking lots and they definitely need to add some additional porta-potties. The sound quality and the views are the best I’ve experienced compared to other amphitheaters in the northeast.

    Dave Matthews Band took the stage around 8:30 and opened with their classic tune “Warehouse,” followed by “When the World Ends” and mega hit “Crash Into Me.” It seemed as if every single person in the audience knew every song as they belted out the words with every breath. The audience continued singing and dancing through “Don’t Drink the Water.” The band slowed things down with “Stay or Leave” and immediately got the crowd revved up again with fan favorite “#41,” where Boyd Tinsley had the audience cheering as he showcased his awe inspiring violin skills.

    As the band is currently on tour celebrating their 25th anniversary before they go on a hiatus in 2017, they had no problem celebrating as fans jumped up and down, pumped their fists and occasionally took the lead singing parts of songs. At one point the fans lead a chant of “Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself,” to which Matthews took a step back and treated the audience to his trademark impish grin and eyebrow raise.

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    Between songs, Matthews was relatively quiet, thanking the audience and remarking about the beauty of the venue. He did leave fans hopeful by stating, “I hope we can come back here and play for y’all again sometime.” The celebration continued as the band paced through a nineteen song set. Stefan Lessard rocked a beautiful six string bass for the occasion. Carter Beauford, smiling as always, pounded the drums so fast at some points it looked like his hands were vibrating. Guitarist Tim Reynolds zipped up and down the fret board, producing intricate and unique sounds while making it look completely effortless.

    Jeff Coffin (saxophone) and Rashawn Ross (trumpet) were joined by saxophonist and old friend, Sam Kininger. Kininger has played with Ross in Lettuce and Soulive’s Shady Horns Section. The horn section showed they are more than just an accompaniment as they blared in perfect harmony through “What Would You Say” and “Jimi Thing.”

    Matthews showed his silly side as he borrowed a party hat from an audience member and wore it through the band’s almost hilarious version of Prince cover “Sexy Mother F*cker” to end the main part of the set. You would think that after almost two and a half hours that the fans would start to fade, but instead they roared, cheered and many chanted their “wish list” song hoping the band would oblige and play it during the encore. Shouts of “Two Step,” “Halloween,” and “Watchtower” rang out over the deafening cheers of the crowd. It is this intense level of excitement and anticipation that proves why Dave Matthews Band is a summer ritual for so many fans.

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    The band took a short break and ended the evening with a two song encore that included “The Song That Jane Likes” and fan favorite “Tripping Billies.” Carter Beauford tossed out buckets of drum sticks as fans roared and begged for more.

    Set list:

    Warehouse, When the World Ends, Crash Into Me, Sugar Will, Don’t Drink the Water, Stay or Leave, #41, Samurai Cop, Grey Street, Satellite, Break Free, Lie in Our Graves, Shake Me Like a Monkey, Typical Situation, What Would You Say (with Sam Kininger), Jimi Thing (with Sam Kininger), Sexy M.F. (Prince cover) (with Sam Kininger)

    Encore:

    The Song that Jane Likes, Tripping Billies

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  • Tom Petty Has Fans on the Edge of Their Wildflowers

    In 1994 Tom Petty released Wildflowers, a staple album from the time period and still to this day. Originally it was conceptualized as a double album. Petty is now considering performing Wildflowers the way it was originally intended to be heard.

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    He recently sat with Rolling Stone for an interview and talked about how he’d like to regroup the Heartbreakers to play Wildflowers in 2017.

    After 20 plus years fans are still eagerly waiting for an expanded version of Wildflowers. Petty has released some outtakes from sessions on the soundtrack She`s The One that came out in 1996. “I think I put four of the [Wildflowers outtakes] on the She’s The One soundtrack just to fill out the album,” Petty explained.

    Tom Petty has been against full album performances in the past but recently he’s changed his tune. “I’ve changed my mind because nobody has ever done something like this where you’re previewing the second part of a never-released album,” Petty revealed. “How often does that happen? It’s old and new at the same time.”

    As for now there are no Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers dates booked as the rocker focuses on Mudcrutch. In the meantime, Petty fans can look forward to the possibility of an expanded release of his 1995 classic with a tour to hopefully follow.

  • Grace Potter Proudly Returns to Saranac Brewery

    Grace Potter brought an eclectic mix of pop, dance and soul music to an enthusiastic crowd at the Saranac Brewery on Friday, June 17. Potter, who parted ways with her band the Nocturnals, has been forging ahead as a solo artist this past year with her album Midnight. Potter and the band’s set covered several songs from Midnight, but also included hits from the Grace Potter and the Nocturnals catalog and covers of upbeat tunes like “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart and “When Doves Cry” by Prince.

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    Photo by Chris Besaw

    Potter opened with “Hot to Touch,” followed by “Turntable” and “Empty Heart,” causing the totality of the audience to dance and sing-along. Fans continued singing and dancing through “Apologies” off the Grace Potter and the Nocturnals album This is Somewhere.

    Potter was energetic throughout; she danced and engaged the audience the entire show. She often describes her shows as “a dance party” and invites the crowd to move up front to really get the party started. Potter showcased her vocal talents and range in the songs “Delirious” and “Stars.”

    Between songs, Potter joked about her days at St. Lawrence University in nearby Canton. “Some of the best nights of my life happened right here in Utica,” she laughed. Potter ended the evening with a four-song encore that included “When Doves Cry” (Prince cover), “Stars” and the fan-favorite “Paris (Ooh La La).”

    Set list: Hot to Touch, Turntable, Empty Heart, Your Girl, Apologies, Nothing But the Water, Alive Tonight, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy (Rod Stewart cover), Delirious

    Encore: When Doves Cry (Prince Cover), Stars, Instigators, Paris (Ooh La La)

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  • Frank Turner Gets Buffalo’s Canalside to its Feet

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

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

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

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

  • The Local Rochester Train Turns Express: Joywave Steams Through Anthology

    Let’s travel back a bit to a small distinctive rock club, a mainstay on the scene hosting some of the most vibrant sounds of its time and place. CBGB’s in the ’70s? No, not quite that far back, and to the north and west. We’re talking about the Bug Jar in Rochester circa 2010. Bands like Joywave, KOPPS, Maybird and Makyo Star were playing its stage regularly, drawing larger and larger crowds. These bands cut their teeth inside the club’s wavy walls, and still can be seen there from time to time. But they’re each breaking through in their own way, and Joywave showed how and why in a big local gone express show at Anthology on June 18.

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    The show opened with Maybird — the brainchild of longtime Rochester music scene mainstay Josh Netsky. The band made the move down to Brooklyn last year, after which they signed with Danger Mouse’s 30th Century Records and caught the ears of NPR music guru and tastemaker Bob Boilen. Their first EP on the new label, Turning Into Water, was released earlier this year, and they’re hard at work on a full length. Their psychedelic-tinged set featured the unique overhand guitar approach of Sam Snyder and the multi-talented Kurt Johnson on pedal steel, sitar and guitar. In a set featuring powerful performances of “Turning Into Water,” “Call You Mine” and “Maybird,” the real hero was the songwriting prowess of Netsky.

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    Next up was KOPPS. The quartet out of Rochester has moved on from their electronic keyboard-heavy beginnings into a power-rock trio with wheels. Frontwoman Patricia Patron (the double PP of KOPPS) got this train moving with a full head of steam, and urged the crowd to get aboard. At this point, Anthology was feeling like a Bikram yoga studio. It was hot outside and much hotter inside, but KOPPS didn’t let that interfere with their plans to get it even hotter — heat is their currency. Continually coordinated dance moves by bassist Kyle O’Hara (the KO of KOPPS) and guitarist Travis Johansen flanked Patron’s energetic gyrations. You wanted to move to the music, but you couldn’t take your eyes off of the movements on the stage. They blasted through a few new tunes like “Baby, I’m Dead Inside,” “Get Juicy” and “Lose Control” with promises of new recordings on the way. With the ear and favor already of Howard Stern, and an infectious groove that can move the masses, what’s next could launch this group skyward.

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    Transviolet is not exactly a Rochester band, and this was in fact their first gig in the Flour City, but they’re not not a local band either. Three of the four members hail from Rochester, and two of them played together in the aforementioned Makyo Star. They’re currently based in Los Angeles, signed to Columbia, and quickly on the rise. Lead singer Sarah McTaggart has one of those made-to-be-a-pop-star voices that pull you in as soon as the sound hits. It was ’80s pop renewed and refreshed without being rehashed. Their first single, “New Bohemia,” added ethereal and catchy nuances that lifted it above the fray; it was an angelic oasis of sound in the overheated club.

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    Closing out the big night, Joywave, the band who asks, “Why Be Credible When You Can Be INCREDIBLE?,” finally took the stage to huge roars from the crowd. The lights, which had stagnated into a bluish purple for the evening, fired up to orange, the volume turned up, the bass thumped and the band bounced on stage. “Bug Jar, my how you’ve grown, this… is Joywave!” announced frontman Daniel Armbuster.

    Combining the songwriting of Maybird, the infectious energy of KOPPS and the pop finesse of Transviolet, Joywave is the full package. Even though they’ve exploded past the confinement of their hometown music scene, they haven’t left their roots behind — rather they’ve held on tight and seem determined to pull up as much as they can with them. This is evidenced not only in inviting their friends to the big stage with them here, but in sponsoring a local Little League team (complete with game updates on their Facebook page), creating a special coffee blend available for their favorite local cafe and any other number of connections they’ve sustained with their hometown.

    Their set relied mostly on their latest How Do You Feel Now? with hits like “Something New,” “Tongues” and a “Nice House” that had the whole crowd screaming along. They worked in a new song, and promised that a trip to the studio was in the works for later this year, which also means it was one of their last live gigs for 2016. After 187 days on the road in 2014, and 200 days on the road in 2015 (to places like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Europe), it will be a well-deserved break. Rochester will be happy to have them back for a little while.

    Flash forward now to a not-all-that-distant future; Joywave, Transviolet, KOPPS and Maybird are again on the same stage together. This time at the Rochester Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony where all four groups are being honored for their highly successful and influential careers that harken back to their humble beginnings at the Bug Jar — and that show at Anthology, just before they all “made it.”

  • Paramount Hudson Valley Kicks Off 86th Anniversary With Michael McDonald June 25

    The historic Paramount Hudson Valley theater in Peekskill celebrates its 86th year this Saturday June 25 with a special fundraising anniversary event featuring multi-Grammy award winning artist Michael McDonald. This year marks the third year of the theater’s stewardship by Red House Entertainment, who brought the venue back to life after it took a brief hiatus in 2012.

    The evening starts at 8 p.m. with the Hudson Valley’s own Marc Von Em of the Rob Thomas Band. As a regular at clubs throughout NYC and the northeast, Von Em’s dynamic performance on both vocals and acoustic guitar round out a complete sound for a one-man show. Following Von Em’s set Michael McDonald’s son Dylan McDonald takes the stage with his band Dylan McDonald and the Avians for a set.

    The evening’s headliner has made a name for himself apart from the bands he has worked with – Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers – along with many other musicians he has collaborated with after his time with those two bands. His work has won five Grammy Awards throughout his career. At the Paramount, McDonald will bring a collection of songs from his years with Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers along with his solo hits.

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    The 86th anniversary fundraising celebration at the Paramount will include giveaways and merchandise auctions. The theater asks for support “to assure [they] provide world-class entertainment to the Hudson Valley all year-round.”

    Show: 8 p.m.
    Tickets: $70/$90/$105/$130 available online or by calling the Paramount box office at 914-739-0039

  • Catfish and the Bottlemen Light Up Buffalo’s Town Ballroom

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

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

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

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

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

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  • Joywave Returns To Rochester With Some Familiar Faces Saturday Night

    Joywave, Rochester own indie-rock darlings, will make a stop in their hometown of Rochester at Anthology on Saturday night. The band is continuing on their rise to stardom with a lengthy headlining tour before a mostly quiet summer ahead, save for a smattering of festival dates. Their infectious and creative dance-happy music has graced the stages of Coachella, Lollapaloozas both domestic and abroad, X Games, Summerstage in Central Park, Jimmy Kimmel and the list goes on.

    Joywave will be bringing three bands with strong Rochester ties with them. KOPPS, an electro-dance group from the Flour City, has been working together with Joywave since their inception, sharing members and guesting on each other’s albums, shows and even in their merchandising. Maybird, psychedelic rockers fronted by Josh Netsky, are currently working out of Brooklyn, but originally, and until recently, hail from Rochester. And lastly, Transviolet, a fresh pop band making waves out in Los Angeles (and beyond), features three members from Rochester.

    It’s an incredible four-part Rochester-centric bill, featuring bands that are all on their way up. While it isn’t quite sold out, it certainly will, so it’s best to get tickets in advance. Doors will open at 7 p.m. Saturday night with the music getting going around 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance ($25 day of show) and are available at the Anthology website or in person at House of Guitars, Aaron’s Alley and Record Archive.

  • Hinder Brings its Stripped-Down Acoustic Show to Binghamton

    Hinder, best known for their hits “Get Stoned,” “Lips of an Angel,” “Better than Me,” “How Long,” “I Don’t Wanna Know,” and many others brought their acoustic set to Magic City Music Hall in Binghamton, NY, on June 7 in support of their new six-song acoustic EP titled Stripped. Stripped was released on May 13 via the End Records and includes the songs “Not An Addict,” “Intoxicated,” “Wasted Life,” Hit The Ground,” “If Only For Tonight” and “Get Stoned.” This is the band’s first strictly acoustic project to be released and is their second EP; the first being their 2003 debut Far From Close.

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    In March, the band announced the album would be titled Stripped and would be released on May 13. At the time the band also announced that they would be touring June through July with the New Zealand-based rock band Like a Storm in support of the new EP.

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    After a stellar didgeridoo-infused, 45-minute acoustic performance by Like a Storm, who played several numbers including “Becoming The Enemy,” “Amazing Grace/Southern Skies,” “Love the Way You Hate Me” and a cool rendition of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise,” Hinder took the stage and began their set with “Intoxicated,” “I Don’t Wanna Know” and “What Ya Gonna Do” that had lead singer Marshal Dutton and the band joking with the crowd about mixing up the brands when your usual whiskey “ain’t workin’ no more.”

    Despite a smaller than expected crowd, longtime band members Mark King, Joe “Blower” Garvey, Mike Rodden, Cody Hansen and lead vocalist and guitarist Marshal Dutton put on a fun-filled, entertaining and interactive show with an intimate audience and performed each song exceptionally well with great vocals and musicianship that they are known for. At times throughout the evening, various members swapped instruments with each other, showcasing how musically talented they are as individuals as well as a band. Hinder played a 12-song set with fun interactive breaks at times between songs and swapping instruments.

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    Hinder and Like a Storm continue their acoustic tour throughout the summer. If you’re out there and looking for a great show this summer, be sure to check out Hinder and Like a Storm.

    Hinder Set List 6/7/16:
    Intoxicated, I Don’t Wanna Know, What ya Gonna Do, Shoulda Known Better, Hit the Ground, Last Kiss Goodbye, Not an Addict, Red Tail Lights, Better Than Me, Get Stoned, Pussy Control, No Excuses

  • Good Vibrations: Brian Wilson Breezes Into Syracuse This Summer

    This summer, the famed Beach Boys leader, Brian Wilson, breezes into Syracuse for a good vibrations performance at the Great New York State Fair. The legendary songwriter’s tour stop in Central New York is part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the group’s iconic 1966 album, Pet Sounds, in which Wilson will perform in its entirety at Chevy Court on Aug. 29.

    Good Vibrations Brian Wilson A follow-up to 1965’s The Beach Boys Today! Wilson’s Pet Sounds became his masterpiece, and at the time, it was one of the most expensive albums produced, at a cost of more than $70,000. Although the album was not as commercially successful in the United States as it was in the United Kingdom, it is now considered to be one of the most influential, and first experimental, concept albums. The 36-minute psychedelic surf rock record — inspired by the Beatles’ Rubber Soul — moved the group from on-the-surface lyrics of girls, cars and California living to a more introspective side. On revisiting the album, Wilson, 73, told the Nottingham Post, “It was a happy time in my life. I was young and creative, and it brings back a lot of good memories for me.”

    On June 10, Capitol Records released a 50th anniversary collector’s edition of Pet Sounds that features a four CD/Blu-ray audio versions in a hardbound book and 180-gram vinyl editions in both mono and stereo, plus session outtakes, alternate mixes and unreleased live recordings. Touring in support of it, Wilson will be joined by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin to recreate the Beach Boys’ 11th studio album that features popular songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “God Only Knows,” “Sloop John B” and “Caroline, No.” (Listen to the full album here.) Tour dates during this anniversary run also include stops at the Ottawa Jazz Festival on July 3, Toronto on July 4, Burlington, VT, on July 6, New York City’s Beacon Theater on Sept. 24 and at the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts on Sept. 28. The Chevy Court concert is set for Mon., Aug. 29 at 8 p.m.; the show is free with admission to the fair.

    According to Syracuse.com, Troy Waffner, acting fair director, dubbed the concert as a “once-in-a-lifetime event,” adding that, “this will be a magical night for fans of that band and album, but also a great night for others to discover some of the most important music of its time.”