Category: Rock

Geoff Tate Brings Operation: Mindcrime To The Westcott Theater

After exiting Queensryche in 2012, vocalist Geoff Tate has kept busy by continuing to make new music and touring. On Thursday, March 3rd, Geoff brought his band Operation: Mindcrime to the Westcott Theater in Syracuse for a headlining performance.

As the only act of the night, Geoff and Operation: Mindcrime took the stage at the Westcott shortly after 8PM. The band kicked off the night with “Neue Regel”, a Queensryche song off of the Rage For Order album from 1986. With Rage For Order being out for 30 years now, it was appropriate for Geoff to play “Screaming In Digital” as the second song of the night. These two songs got the crowd right up out of their seats and up to the barrier in front of the stage. Geoff’s band seemed to get in the groove of things as the crowd showed their love for the music.

Geoff Tate

Just after the two song intro, Geoff took time to address the crowd and express his gratitude. After the short break, the band got back into things with songs such as “I Am I” and “I Don’t Believe In Love”. The band’s choice of songs for the evening stretched over the entire Queensryche catalog it seemed. The die-hard fans knew all the material, while the casual fans knew all the words to songs like “I Don’t Believe In Love” and other hits but not songs from the lesser known albums such as Hear In The Now Frontier and American Soldier.

For the next portion of the show, Geoff and his band performed a few songs acoustically. The acoustic set consisted of songs, “Jet City Woman”, “Take Hold Of The Flame”, “Silent Lucidity” and “The Weight Of The World”. While hearing those songs in a different form was new and fresh for some people in the audience, others hoped to hear Geoff blast out the powerful notes of “Take Hold Of The Flame”. Unfortunately, Geoff seems to know his vocal limitations nowadays and simply does what he can. Changing the songs wasn’t necessarily a bad thing because the audience still sung along and seemed to really enjoy the show. The rest of the guys in Operation: Mindcrime stayed true to most of the Queensryche material by only making some minimal changes here and there.

Operation: Mindcrime Acoustic

Last year, Operation: Mindcrime released their first of a series of three albums. The first album is titled, The Key, and the band jammed through four songs off of it. The songs Geoff and the band chose to perform from The Key were excellent. The four of them consisted of, “Re-Inventing The Future”, “The Stranger”, “Burn”, and “The Fall”. It’s apparent that Geoff was going back to his roots on The Key with the progressive metal sound. For instance, “The Fall”, is a track that sounds like it could be right off of a Dream Theater album and the fans definitely enjoyed hearing this song live.

The evening ended with a bunch more Queensryche classics such as “Walk In The Shadows”, “Eyes Of A Stranger”, and “Empire”. Fans were left wanting more after the surprising “evening with” performance by Operation: Mindcrime. Overall, the band sounded great and Geoff’s interpretation on his old Queensryche tunes produced a great show that everyone in the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

Since the band has two more albums scheduled within the next year or so, fans of Geoff Tate can look forward to him coming back to the area in the near future. To keep track of Geoff’s schedule and album progress, fans can check his official Facebook Page and the official Operation: Mindcrime Facebook Page.

Setlist: Neue Regel, Screaming In Digital, I Am I, One More Time Around, I Don’t Believe In Love, SpOOL, At 30,000 Ft, Jet City Woman, Take Hold Of The Flame, Silent Lucidity, The Weight Of The World, Re-Inventing The Future, The Stranger, Burn, The Fall, Damaged, Walk In The Shadows, Eyes Of A Stranger, Breaking The Silence, Empire

[FinalTilesGallery id=’658′]

March 7, 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
Anders Osborne Beams at The Westcott Theater

On a night capping off a daylong deluge in Upstate New York, it was all rays of sunshine inside the Westcott Theater when Anders Osborne and Tom Hamilton’s American Babies took the stage. The two guitarists are both at the top of their game and were showing why to the well-packed and exuberant crowd.

American Babies got things started with their unique blend of Americana and electronica, showcasing Tom Hamilton’s history, present and future together in one jam-happy presentation. Classics like “Tangled Up in Blue” started in the Jerry Garcia Band style before evolving slowly into an electronica-based section. While the first single off their forthcoming album, “Synth Driver,” exhibited the electronica influence early before mellowing into a spacey improv.

After a solid hour-long set, the band thanked the audience and exited the stage while the house music took over. Seconds later, with no prompting from the crowd, the band came back out, “They said we can play some more.” And that they did! Another 30 minutes brought unexpected highlights like a lengthy “Old Time Religion” > “Joeline” combo, and a “What Does it Mean To Be” that blasted toward the finish line with a rocking jam. It was 50% more American Babies! What a deal.

With set-opening “Five Bullets,” Anders Osborne and his band were “coming in hot!” as a member of the crowd aptly called out. Osborne smiled and pointed, repeating, “We’re coming in hot!” In previous years he might have started high and kept the energy high all night. With his current band, featuring his long-time bass player Carl Dufrene, Brady Blade on drums, Eric McFadden on guitar and mandolin, and Danny Eisenberg on keys, he was able to put together quite a dynamic set.

Surrounding himself with such incredible players, Osborne wasn’t required to stand front and center every song playing blistering solo after solo. And because the band was so good, that was actually not a bad thing.

[FinalTilesGallery id=’636′]

Things were immediately taken down a notch with “47,” where Osborne’s recent forays with Phil Lesh’s band came to the fore in a beautiful reserved Jerry Garcia-esque jam. More Dead-influence was showcased in “Dyin’ Days” that featured some excellent work by McFadden playing off Osborne. The song wound its way up to ferociously before erupting into a quick “Down By the River” finish that left the crowd wondering if the set was already peaking three songs in.

With the bouncy blues of “Lafayette” and slow-building “Pontchartrain” from Osborne’s forthcoming album, it was clear this band still left room for surprises. Each song brought it’s own unique flavor, steeped in Louisiana’s musical cuisine.

Tom Hamilton and his backing rhythm guitarist Raina Mullen joined just Osborne and a mandolin-wielding McFadden for a mostly acoustic take on “Friend of the Devil.” Then McFadden and Osborne continued acoustically to play “Coming Down” as a duo. with Osborne scatting along with his guitar and McFadden trading licks on the mandolin.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGRXfgaQNw8[/embedyt]

The slinky reggae groover “Sarah Anne,” took a turn when Dufrene stepped to the front and blasted the groove into a dark space. A full-band improv ensued that could best be described as a beautifully controlled madness. It set your arm hair at attention. Osborne clearly felt it too. As soon as the song ended, he raised his arms in victory, looking excitedly around at his band. After a couple mid-set hugs, he stepped to the mic with a huge grin, “What is this place? Why haven’t we played here before? This is my favorite gig of the whole tour!”

The joy continued when they came back out for the encore. Osborne expressed his appreciation for the crowd, telling of his battles with addiction and how he’s built himself back up over the past seven years. This show, and the crowd’s enthusiasm, were vindication for all his hard work. He was truly excited about the amazing reception he was getting. On this rainy Syracuse evening. it truly was all sunshine on the inside.

Setlist: Five Bullets, 47, Dyin’ Days, Lafayette, Pontchartrain, Lean On Me/Believe In You, Friend of the Devil*, Coming Down, Move Back To Mississippi, Sarah Anne, Windows, Send Me A Friend
Encore: Call On Me

*with Tom Hamilton on guitar and Raina Mullen on vocals

[FinalTilesGallery id=’630′]

[FinalTilesGallery id=’631′]

March 5, 2016
Def Leppard Announce Extensive 2016 North American Summer Tour

Def Leppard will embark on a 55-city 2016 North American tour, which will include three New York dates, starting with the Moonstone Festival in Orlando, Florida, on May 1. The tour will extend all the way to the beginning of the fall season, ending at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 10.

Joining the boys from England for the extensive tour will be REO Speedwagon and Tesla. STYX will appear on select dates near the beginning of the tour, replacing REO Speedwagon on some dates.

Def Leppard will make three stops in New York. The first will take place on June 27 at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, then on July 11 they’ll play Nikon at Jones Beach in Wantagh and Darien Lake Aug. 31.

Def Leppard was formed in 1977. The band’s third studio album, Pyromania, and their fourth studio album, Hysteria, are both certified Diamond with more than 10 million copies sold. With smash hits like “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Love Bites,” the title track “Hysteria,” “Animal,” “Rocket” and “Armageddon It,” it’s not wonder that the Hysteria album alone has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide.

Def Leppard has released 11 studio albums and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Def Leppard also holds the honor of being one of five rock bands to have two studio albums released in the United States to reach diamond certification.

Def Leppard, Reo Speedwagon, Tesla tour dates:

05-01 – Moonstone Festival – Orlando, FL
05-04 – Cajundome – Lafayette, LA*
05-05 – American Bank Center – Corpus Christi, TX*
05-07 – State Farms Arena – Hidalgo, TX*
05-10 – Century Link Center – Bossier City, LA
05-11 – Verizon Arena – Little Rock, AR
05-13 – Greensboro Coliseum – Greensboro, NC
05-15 – Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
05-17 – PPL Center – Allentown, PA
05-18 – Big Sandy Arena – Huntington, WV
05-20 – Amway Center – Orlando, FL**
06-22 – Xfinity Center – Boston, MA
06-24 – Darling’s Waterfront -Bangor, ME
06-25 – Videotron Centre – Quebec City, QC
06-27 – Lakeview Amphitheater- Syracuse, NY
06-29 – Hershey Park Stadium – Hershey, PA
07-01 – Klipsch Music Center – Indianapolis, IN
07-02 – Hollywood Casino – Chicago, IL
07-05 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
07-06 – Summerfest – Milwaukee, WI
07-08 – First Niagara Pavillion – Pittsburgh, PA
07-09 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI
07-11 – Nikon at Jones Beach – Wantagh, NY
07-13 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
07-15 – DTE Music Theatre -Detroit, MI
07-16 – Molson Canadian Amphitheater -Toronto, ON
08-06 – Alliant Energy Center -Madison, WI
08-08 – Ford Center – Evansville, IN
08-10 – Jiffy Lube Center – Bristow, VA
08-12 – Aaron’s Amphitheater – Atlanta, GA
08-13 – Walnut Creek Amphitheater -Raleigh, NC
08-17 – Oak Mountain Amphitheater -Birmingham, AL
08-19 – Austin 360 – Austin, TX
08-22 – Cynthia Woods Pavilion -Houston, TX
08-24 – Gexa Energy Pavilion – Dallas, TX
08-26 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO
08-27 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – St. Louis, MO
08-29 – Blossom Music Center – Cleveland, OH
08-31 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center – Darien Center, NY
09-14 – Metra Park – Billings, MT
09-16 – USANA Amphitheater – Salt Lake City, UT
09-17 – Pepsi Center -Denver, CO
09-19 – Isleta Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
09-20 – Ak-Chin Pavilion -Phoenix, AZ
09-22 – Irvine Meadows Amphitheater – Irvine, CA
09-24 – Toyota Amphitheater – Sacramento, CA***
09-25 – Shoreline Amphitheater – Mountain View, CA
09-28 – Taco Bell Arena – Boise, ID
09-30 – Matthew Knight Arena – Eugene, OR
10-01 – Tacoma Dome – Tacoma, WA
10-04 – CenturyLink Center – Omaha, NE
10-05 – Xcel Energy Center – Minneapolis, MN
10-07 – La Crosse Center Arena – La Crosse, WI
10-08 – Huntington Center – Toledo, OH
10-10 – U.S. Cellular Center – Cedar Rapids, IA

*STYX to appear / No REO Speedwagon
**No REO Speedwagon
***No Tesla

March 4, 2016
The Lightkeepers Serve a Hot Dish to a Hungry Shifty’s

Aside from their famous hot wings, Shifty’s in Syracuse is known for hosting some incredible musicians including local quintet The Lightkeepers. The 2016 SAMMY awards nominated group settled in last friday night and cooked up a heater to a packed house, hungry for more than just chicken. Nestled into one corner of the tavern, no bigger than a port-o-potty, is where the five-piece rock band stationed themselves allowing the most room possible for their fans to dance comfortably.

As folks trickled in, the band eagerly took the stage and kicked off the first set with the very groovy tune “Miracle,” from their recent self-titled album. Jes Sheldon led the band on this swinging song with her sassy, powerhouse vocals that rival the likes of Aretha Franklin and Amy Winehouse. Swaying and twisting her slender frame from song-to-song, provoked the crowd to boogie without hesitation. Aaron Fried escorted the parade on Bob Dylans’ “Serve Somebody” and their original, “Empty” with some distinct bass-influenced rhythms. Participation from the audience began to pick up as they helped sing a soulful rendition of “Come Together” by the Beatles. Having never played at Shifty’s as The Lightkeepers until now, the group collectively played their cards right, mixing up a balanced list of originals and covers.

After a short break, the troop of entertainers hit the stage once again and brought the fire with a funky original, titled “Bruteforce.” Following closely was an attractive trio of segued covers “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” “The Weight,” and “Hard to Handle.” P.J. Will governed the rhythm guitar on “Rock Steady” with funky-fast guitar wahs while Mike Vincitore tore up the proverbial rug with his untamed six-string guitar. Tucked neatly along the photo-blanketed back-wall, sat Jim Dunham on the drums, vigorously driving the Lightkeepers with his cognizant flow and time-keeping.

A slow psychedelic rendition of “Whole Lotta Love” featuring a heap of sensual vocals and swelling guitar licks brought the energy of the room to a lull only for brief moment before the band jumped into the riff-heavy, “Cryin’ Shame.” Before closing out the second set, the ensamble knocked down the Doors with “Light My Fire” and a new unreleased rock song titled “Damaged.” Nearly consumed by the supportive crowd, the band finished up the evening with a spot-on “Soulshine” segueing into “Sugaree” for one last heightening sing-a-long. Check out the full set list below and be sure to catch another show coming up where you can purchase their full length album and some cool swag.

Listen to “Mr. Coltrane” (written by P.J. Will) and “Snowflake” (written by Aaron Fried) performed at Shifty’s and recorded by sound engineer Patrick Allen.

Set I: Miracle, Birdie, Just Dropped In, Gypsy Lights, Serve Somebody, Empty, Come Together, Mr. Coltrane, Snowflake, The Thrill is Gone, Mae, Love the One You’re With, River of Atonement, Tried & True, Water Needs Wine, Gimme Shelter

Set II: Bruteforce, Boogie On Reggae Woman > The Weight > Hard to Handle, Rock Steady > Mr. Charlie, Mexican Plane, Save Me > Stormy Monday, Whole Lotta Love > Cryin’ Shame, Astronaut, Valerie, Light My Fire, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Damaged

Encore: Soulshine, Sugaree

Video by Lori Newcomb

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7XenJILrDg[/embedyt]

[FinalTilesGallery id=’642′]

March 4, 2016
Jimkata Goes Panda in New Music Video

Ithaca-based band Jimkata got the Nerdist nod this week. The band used the website to release its first music video, for the single “Wild Ride,” from their latest album In Motion. The video features the members of Jimkata dressed in panda costumes, riding on scooters, and partaking in an animal dance party.

The video is currently exclusively only available through the Nerdist wesbite.

After a brief hiatus this past fall, the three piece of Evan Friedell, Aaron Gorsch and Packy Lunn returned with the release of their second fan-funded album. The band is currently touring in support of the record.

Jimkata returns to the Aura Music Festival this weekend before jumping back on the road. Their current tour is making several stops in New York state including Buffalo, Rochester, New York City and the band’s hometown of Ithaca.

JIMKATA TOUR DATES

Mar 03 — Live Oak, FL — Aura Music Festival
Mar 05 — Savannah, GA — Barrelhouse South
Mar 17 — Washington, DC — Gypsy Sallys
Mar 18 — Asbury Park, NJ — The Saint
Mar 19 — Hamden, CT — The Outer Space
Mar 24 — Pittsburgh, PA — Club Cafe
Mar 25 — Harrisburg, PA — Abbey Bar
Mar 26 — Buffalo, NY — Iron Works
Apr 01 — Rochester, NY — Flour City Station
Apr 02 — Oneonta, NY — Oneonta Theatre
Apr 07 — Boston, MA — Middle East Upstairs
Apr 08 — Ithaca, NY — The Haunt
Apr 09 — Brooklyn, NY — Rough Trade
Apr 13 — Cleveland, OH — Beachland Tavern
Apr 14 — Columbus, OH — Woodlands Tavern
Apr 15 — Kalamazoo, MI — Shakespeare’s
Apr 16 — Chicago, IL — Tonic Room
Apr 21 — Fort Collins, CO — Hodi’s Half Note
Apr 22 — Denver, CO — Larimer Lounge
Apr 23 — Boulder, CO — The Lazy Dog
Apr 25 — Lawrence, KS — The Bottleneck
Apr 27 — Iowa City, IA — Yacht Club
Apr 28 — Grand Rapids, MI — Founders
Apr 29 — Lansing, MI — The Loft
Apr 30 — Erie, PA — Kings Rook Club

March 3, 2016
Sunday Night Legends: Dave Mason and Leon Russell at The Egg

Watch the Oscar’s or go see live music? Leo and Chris Rock or Leon Russell and Dave Mason? It wasn’t a close call when The Egg announced the pairing of two legendary musicians from the 60s who have continued to create and perform music to crowds for nearly half a century.

Dave Mason (no relation) got the night started with songs spanning his career, featuring solo work and songs written during his time with Traffic. A darker “Dear Mr. Fantasy” came early in the set and was hauntingly bluesy, a theme reprised throughout the set. An extended blues jam was patient and went beyond with Johnne Sambataro (guitar) and Anthony Patler (keys) taking requisite solos; they synced up well and carried the song through its motions without a need to rush. “Good 2 U” came from a certain era of 70s rock that is smooth, accessible and engaging without being too jazzy or improv reliant. The set closed with “Feelin’ Alright,” rearranged slightly for a darker vibe, as well as the encore of “All Along the Watchtower.”

The only subpar aspect of Mason’s set was the backdrop for the band. What amounted to a computer screen broadcasting behind the band was basically a billboard for albums and dated promo for the artist as though he was just getting around to branding himself in 1995 and never updated his ad set. There were some albums, cover art and his music catalog along with some old photos, but it felt as though Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam could have used a much more psychedelic feel to their stage presence, beyond the music.

After a short change over, Leon Russell took to his white grand piano to perform Elvis’ version of “I Got a Woman” and didn’t hesitate to keep playing the hits. “Rolling in my Sweet Baby’s Arms” and “Let the Good Times Roll” fit the label of not soft rock yet not hard rock. It was Goldilocks rock: just right. Russell told stories about playing The Concert for Bangledesh at George Harrison’s behest and performing in Woodstock for Bob Dylan, including on “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall.”

A classic country version of “Wild Horses” was highlighted by the pedal steel of Beau Charron who was versatile on the keys and mandolin over the course of the night. “I’ve Just Seen his Face” by The Beatles had a Widespread Panic sound to it which was followed shortly after by a remark about the All-Star Mad Dogs and the Englishmen set that he performed at Lockn’ Festival this past September. “Delta Lady” and “The Ballad of Mad Dogs and Englishmen” both reminded me of that powerhouse set with Tedeschi Trucks Band, Chris Robinson and the singers from the original album, all of which Russell spoke highly of in reminiscing. “Roll Over Beethoven” served as the final song of the night, and while a dual encore of Dave Mason and Leon Russell would have been great, there were no complaints to be had from a night of classic rock at The Egg.

March 3, 2016
Hearing Aide: ‘Vinyl: Music From the HBO Original Series — Volume 1’

Atlantic Records and Warner Brothers Records have teamed up to release the official soundtrack of the new HBO series Vinyl. The first volume was released on February 12, two days before the series premiere on Valentine’s Day. The second volume is expected to be released on April 15, two days before the season finale. Both volumes are expected to be released on vinyl (how fitting).

Vinyl director Martin Scorsese is easily one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. It’s not just his ability to craft and tell a story, or his unique vision, or his fearlessness to never stray from anything dark and controversial, Scorsese really rises above the rest by incorporating music into his projects flawlessly. Whether it’s introducing a character, a love scene, or a couple of wise guys getting whacked, Scorsese always manages to find the perfect sounds that clutch to our emotions. Scorsese is no stranger to the ever evolving music industry, especially with legendary rockumentaries attached to his name like The Last Waltz, Shine A Light, No Direction Home: Bob Dylan and George Harrison: Living in the Material World; it is clear he has a finger on the pulse of some prolific music.

Martin has never been shy about projecting his love for the Rolling Stones and he frequently dips into their catalog. Whether it was “Jumping Jack Flash” in Mean Streets when Johnny Boy (DeNiro) is first introduced, as he walks into a bar with two women on each arm in the peculiar dark red lighting, or the opening scene of The Departed when “Gimme Shelter” opens the film, painting the picture of pure evil with the lyrics “rape, murder, it’s just a shot away.” “Gimme Shelter” also makes appearances in Casino and Goodfellas as well because why wouldn’t it?

Scorsese’s most recent project finds himself side by side with his idol Mick Jagger as co-creator of the new HBO series Vinyl (along with Terence Winter). The series takes place in New York City in the early 1970s, the epicenter for sex, drugs and rock and roll. The story follows a record executive, Richie Finestra, as he tries to adapt to the changing tides of the music scene, especially with punk and hip-hop on the horizon. Finestra is head strong on finding new talent to save his tanking record label and he has a laundry list of problems, including a cocaine habit that makes Scarface look like he had his shit together.

Scorsese uses music as good as he ever has in this series. The first volume includes takes from The Meters, Otis Redding, Edgar Winter, and even the fictional band from the series, the Nasty Bits (fronted by Mick Jagger’s son, James Jagger). With the series currently underway there’s a lot that can still happen, but after three weeks it seems like the series is setting itself up for a twist. Vinyl airs on Sunday nights on HBO and HBO streaming services.

Key Tracks: The World Is Yours, Sugar Daddy, Rotten Apple

March 3, 2016
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds Returning to Brooklyn Bowl

Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon the real deal. Like eight vibrant, youthful individuals arrayed across the stage who would be your friends if they only knew your name, but in lieu of that, simply pour their hearts out musically just to see you smile. Almost a year to the day since their last appearance at Brooklyn Bowl, vocalist Arleigh Kincheloe and crew will once again be giving New Yorkers something to shake their tail feathers to on Saturday, March 4. Following recent appearances around Colorado, this Brooklyn gig lies just after the start of a 9-date East Coast tour running through the month of March.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJcFr4Vygeo

The Dirty Birds are a soul-blues-gospel-rock band supporting a singer-songwriter vocal powerhouse whose songs ride the line between inwardly self-aware and personal and outwardly party oriented. The band’s current LP, The Weather Below, released last year, was recorded at the famous Bear Creek Studio near Seattle with producer Ryan Hadlock (Brandi Carlile, The Lumineers), who brought Kincheloe’s latest material to life with the greatest feeling of directness and transparency thus far achieved on any Dirty Birds recording. Several of the songs on this album are autobiographical in terms of Kincheloe and her band and have been staples of their live sets in recent years.

Attendees of this show can expect to see ebullient original horn arrangements and soloing, the electronically processed harmonica virtuosity of Jackson Kincheloe, potential covers of Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin or the like and a whole lot of original rock music in a range of styles and moods generally catered to the dance floor.

Albany-based power trio Wild Adriatic and one-man gritty blues band The Suitcase Junket will open the show. Doors open at 6 pm and the music starts at 8 pm.

February 29, 2016
American Babies Raise the Dead in Albany

On Thursday, February 25, those willing to boogie down on a school night took to the Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany to see Tom Hamilton’s American Babies. Considered to be “the hardest working man in show business,” Hamilton proved once again that this hard work pays off. The crowd, while somewhat sparse considering the talent on stage, was thoroughly impressed as evident by cheers, dancing and plenty of “Hamilton’s the man” exclamations.

The evening began with opening act Bump, a three piece ensemble with Americana sounds similar to that of their headliner. American Babies rhythm guitarist Justin Mazer joined the trio for a rendition of “Angels from Montgomery,” which was as rocking as it was sweet.

American Babies played “What Does it Mean to Be” early in their set, a song from their new and still unreleased album, An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark, which kept the crowd as equally intrigued as it was satisfied. The song is about not feeling your age or what society tells us we should feel like at a certain age; the album is set to release on March 18.

The rest of the set was cover heavy and was surely influenced by Hamilton’s experiences in his other projects. “State Police” and “Let’s Start a Gang,” both Brother’s Past songs, provided opportunities for spacey yet upbeat jams. Directly following this was several Grateful Dead covers including “Big River” and “Cumberland Blues,” in which Mazer delivered the solo of the night.

“Buckle in, we’re just getting started,” Hamilton tells the crowd as he took off his pin-decorated jacket to reveal a black t-shirt with the text “9:30” in large white letters, likely from the famed club in Washington D. C. Drummer Al Smith also changed out a cymbal in preparation for what was to come.

They picked up with another Grateful Dead song, “The Wheel” which led into the American Babies’ version of “Jolene” and then back into “The Wheel,” adding depth to the familiar sound and inches to my perma-grin.

The Babies then did another cover, this time Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” but again adding something to it all their own.

Throughout the set, Hamilton seemed to have chemistry with every member of the band. Smith and Bassist Mark Sosnoskie looked to him as a leader, awaiting cues for their next move while he and Mazer bounced back and forth taking turns as the star. His professional chemistry was only amplified by that of the romantic sort with guitarist Raina Mullen. They harmonize well on stage and off it as well as a couple.

The night ended with even more Dead, “Deal,” and I’m just left thinking how much Hamilton really sounds like Jerry Garcia at this point. Clearly, his work with Billy and the Kids and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has become ingrained in his repertoire. If for any reason John Mayer stops playing with Dead and Company, Tom Hamilton is the obvious choice to step in.

[FinalTilesGallery id=’633′]

February 29, 2016