NYS Music 20​16

Category: Festival News

  • Utica Music and Arts Festival Not Returning this Fall

    Utica Music and Arts Festival will not return fall, as reported initially by Utica Observer Dispatch. The city-wide weekend long event each September featured dozens of bands from across the country playing at venues throughout the city.

    The two-day festival grew over the last 8 years, and made the event affordable to attendees – $10 granted you entrance to participating bars and other venues, including art galleries. Local business owners shared their thoughts on the lack of UMAF returning this fall.

    “It’s a lot of work,” festival founder Joe Sweet said. “I just feel so beat up by the end – so physically and emotionally tired that I just need a rest. … It’s grown bigger than me. So before I get too buried, I just want to let it breathe and see what grows out of it instead of just keep pushing and pushing.”

    “I would love to partner up with someone who could fill that space that the festival needs as it grows,” Sweet said, noting his 7- and 8-year-old children and his business also have kept him busy. “We know we can keep packing bars and that’s awesome, but I want to grow it more than that.”

    “I think it was something that people began to expect each year,” Schram said. “Hopefully, someone else will step up and bring it back next year. While there are plenty of music options in town, this event brought everyone together and introduced the city to a lot of bands and artists from outside the area, which is rare to see outside of the The DEV.”Tim Schram, owner of The DEV.

  • Chenango Blues Festival 24th Annual set for August 19-20 in Norwich

    On January 29, Chenango Blues Festival organizers were presented with the “Keeping the Blues Alive” Award during this year’s International Blues Challenge. The award is in recognition of their twenty-four years of all-volunteer festivals presented “by blues fans, for blues fans.” They have consistently presented both fan favorites and the very best new talent they can find in a relaxed setting, with many fans stating that this is their favorite blues festival every year. A look at this year’s 24th annual Preferred Mutual Chenango Blues Festival lineup reveals another astounding collection of musical talent.

    Frontier Communications – Free Friday night show, August 19th
    6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Funky Blu Roots  The Chenango Blues Festival kicks off with a Central New York based band with a diverse catalog of styles. Veteran blues fans will recognize singer, harmonica player, and all-around blues ambassador Tom Townsley contributing his talents.

    7:15 – 8:30 p.m. – Englishman Laurence Jones, just 24 years old, has already had 3 record releases on the prestigious Ruf Records label. His newest, Take Me High, was released on July 22. He has led his eponymous power trio since the age of 17 and does so while living with Crohn’s disease, requiring a daily regimen of diet and medication and monthly two-hour treatments. While studying at Birmingham University, he was faced with a decision – stay and take his final exams or go on tour with Johnny Winter and Walter Trout. There are some things that simply can’t be learned in the classroom.

    9:00 – 10:30 p.m. – “For blues fans, by blues fans” is the Chenango Blues Festival’s guiding principle. They respond to fans by routinely bringing back crowd favorites. Davina and the Vagabonds were a huge hit on the main stage in 2012, and return to headline Friday’s free show at the Chenango County Fairgrounds. Their sound encompasses the New Orleans style reminiscent of Professor Longhair, gospel, soul, Tin Pan Alley songs and beyond.  Davina Sowers is an entrancing presence backed by a rhythm section featuring a stand-up bass and the deft drumming of Conrad McRae Hammergen while rounded out with a trumpet and trombone. DATV released their latest recording, the live album Nicollet and Tenth in March of this year.

    Saturday, August 20th

    The Saturday schedule lists over ten hours of music, alternating between the Sheffield Bio-Science Infield Stage and the Nelson & Flanagan/Grouse Ridge Kennel Tent Stage

    Infield Stage
    12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Noah Wotherspoon Last year, Wotherspoon and his band mates placed second in the finals at the International Blues Challenge with Wotherspoon receiving the Best Guitarist Award. Those achievements have had him in demand at festivals and venues from coast to coast. Earlier this year, the band saw its debut release entitled Mystic Mud.

    1:45 – 3:00 p.m.- Southern Avenue In a town renowned for premier musical talent, Memphis-based Southern Avenue is generating a lot of buzz for its live performances. Israeli born Ori Naftaly on guitar, Daniel McKee on bass, and sisters Tierinii Jackson on vocals and drummer Tikyra Jackson make up this dynamic band that is sure to catch fans’ ears and turn their heads.

    4:00 – 5:15 p.m. –  Curtis Salgado  One of the world’s very best blues and soul vocalists, Portland, Oregon’s Curtis Salgado, makes an infrequent swing to the East Coast and fans will come from near and far to hear him. In 2013, Salgado was the Blues Music Award Winner for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year and also won Soul Blues Album of the Year. An extraordinary harmonica player as well, Salgado’s latest Alligator Records recording, The Beautiful Lowdown, was released in April of this year.

    6:15 – 7:30 p.m.- Canned Heat The legendary blues band still features the rhythm section of Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra on drums and bassist Larry “The Mole” Taylor. The group took its name from a Tommy Johnson tune referring to the habit of straining inexpensive Sterno through cloth and drinking the alcohol. Best known for their hits “On The Road Again,” “Let’s Work Together” and the unofficial theme song to the movie Woodstock, “Going Up The Country,” they also were credited with rediscovering numerous blues men and reviving their recording and performing careers.

    8:45 until ?? Anders Osborne A triple threat as a vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Osborne’s relentless touring has won him thousands of dedicated fans throughout the world. He has written hit songs for pop, blues, and country artists and performed with reggae, blues, funk, swamp rock, jazz, and jam bands. His brand new recording, Flower Box, was released July 22.

    Tent Stage

    1:00 – 1:45 p.m. – Vanessa Collier Band Led by the Berklee School of Music trained vocalist, saxophonist, and songwriter Collier, this group looks to be yet another in a long list of outstanding emerging artists identified and brought to Norwich by Chenango Blues Festival organizers.

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons At the 2016 IBC Awards, Hunter and Seamons won first place in the solo/duo category. A unique approach has the pair focusing primarily on pre-World War II music including jazz, Appalachian folk music, field hollers and work songs, and jug band favorites. Respectful musical historians as well as first class musicians, Hunter and Seamons are an opportunity to hear songs and sounds not always presented at festivals.

    5:15 – 6:15 p.m. – Duke Robillard No less an expert than Jerry Portnoy, who once held the harmonica slot in Muddy Waters’ band, has said of Robillard, “Believe me, I’ve played with all of them, and Duke is the man.” He played the main stage in 2012 with his full electrified band and returns this year for an acoustic set, highlighting his 2016 Blues Music Award winning album, The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard, on Stony Plain records.

    7:30 – 8:45 p.m. – Carolyn Wonderland With a raspy edge and a powerful delivery, Carolyn Wonderland’s voice surrounds the listener, grabs hold and doesn’t let go. Add to that her impressive attacking style of playing guitar without a pick and you have an artist that easily attracts fans throughout the U.S. and Europe. Her appreciation of those fans was never more evident than following a recent incident in which her tour money and personal belongings, including cell phone, wallet and passport, were stolen while she was on stage in the Canary Islands. Fearing she might have to end her European tour, fans rallied behind a gofundme effort and raised a significant amount of funds in ten hours. The U.S. Embassy in Madrid was able to provide her with a replacement passport and, following the conclusion of her European tour, she will return to the U.S. and blow the roof off the tent stage. Do not miss this blues woman!

    Ticket Prices: Friday night show is free! Tickets for Saturday – $25.00 in advance; $35.00 on the day of the show. See the festival website for more info.

  • Eastbound Throwdown Music Festival Coming to Salem, NY in September

    Eastbound Jesus has announced the 2016 Eastbound Throwdown music festival in Salem, NY. Featuring a lineup of Americana, Bluegrass and Northern Rock bands from around the state, the first year of this festival looks to be a hollerin’ good time.

    Eastbound Jesus, complete with shredding banjo, sweet vocal harmonies, ballads and fast paced rocking tunes, comes home grown from the small town of Greenwich, NY. The EBJ sound is well known to the Upstate region with their distinctive “Northern Rock” sound.

    Alt-country rockers the Mallett Brothers Band, Saranac Lake’s Blind Owl Band, folk rockers Driftwood, the North & South Dakotas and the Spectacular Average Boys round out the two day event held just during a gorgeous close to the summer.

    Tickets can be purchased online at Eventbrite and at Thruway Beverage and the Argyle Brewing Company in Greenwich, NY. Visit the official Eastbound Throwdown Facebook page for complete details on the festival lineup and ticket information.

  • 15th Annual Albany Jazz Fest Announces Lineup

    The City of Albany has announced the lineup for the 15th Annual Jazz Festival, to be held on Saturday, September 10. The day-long free event will be held at the Washington Park Parade Grounds, due to construction at Jennings Landing.

    The Ellis Marsalis Quintet headlines Jazz Fest, a legend of modern premier jazz piano. The father of Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo and Jason, all legends in their own right, the patriarch of one of the world’s most famous musical families will perform with a quintet of musicians for a memorable headlining performance.

    Lucky Chops, a brass band who made their name in the NYC subway system, calling on their roots at LaGuardia Arts High School. Having toured Demark and France, as well as clubs all over New York, they were featured on MTV’s “Girl Code Live” and carry a wide fanbase that grows with each performance.

    KJ Denhert blends urban folk & jazz that can move you to laugh, dance and cry.  She steps out of the box for her latest recording, Album No. 9, exploring genres that have influenced her throughout her career. Praised for her pathos, originality and impeccable musicianship, KJ is a one-of-a-kind songwriter, guitarist and performer, not to be missed.

    Jazz Caravan, based out of Albany, is a trio blending west-coast modern and Latin jazz stylings. Roger Noyes (guitar), Tony Berman (bass) and Jim Ketterer (drums) make up this unique trio, drawing on mid-century swing to bop and post-bop, as well as Ellison-inspired music, mashups of Monk and Brubeck-based figures; an odd-meter remake of a traditional hymn, a swingin’ rendition of folk melodies inspired by Leo Tolstoy, a hard-backbeat take on baroque and klezmer music, and even a Latin-groove reconstruction of Led Zeppelin.

    Cliff Brucker & Full Circle is led by multi-instrumentalist and composer/producer Brucker, well known in the Capital Region for his 40 years of performance in the region. Full Circle includes Leo Russo, a local jazz legend, as well as pianist Larry Ham, trumpeter Dylan Canterbury, guitarist Mike Novakowski and bassist Otto Gardner, all masterful players who have performed with some of the most important names in jazz.

    Schedule of performances during the 15th annual City of Albany Jazz Festival:

    Cliff Brucker & Full Circle 1-2pm

    Jazz Caravan 2:30-3:30pm

    KJ Denhert 4-5pm

    Lucky Chops 5:30-6:30pm

    The Ellis Marsalis Quintet 7-8:30pm

    Since its debut in 2002, the City of Albany Jazz Festival has featured an eclectic array of all-time musical greats, critically acclaimed up-and-coming artists and local favorites at Albany’s most spectacular outdoor venues. Great food, beverages and vendors make the Jazz Festival an event for all ages – and admission is still free! No glass, animals or recording of performances. All City of Albany parks are now curb-to-curb tobacco-free.

  • Tumbledown: An Unforgettable Series of Musical Experiences

    Tumbledown was an incredible weekend of music, delivering countless excellent and unexpected moments. Upon arrival, the buzz of energy and anticipation in the air was strong. Sunshine, happy faces and eager ears covered the expanse of the Burlington waterfront.

    tumbledownThe first day started out with a few solo songs with Mihali, followed by an incredible set by Annie in the Water, which was a total surprise. The Kitchen Dwellers were originally in place to kick it off, but had a delayed flight, so Annie In The Water filled in on the spot. This ended up being a blessing in disguise, as the Kitchen Dwellers played at Higher Ground later in the evening, before Cabinet – we got the best of both worlds! Annie in the Water really started it off right with a mellow, jam/rock, reggae vibe. Up next came Turkuaz, a funky super-group that really lay it all out, featuring tunes from their most recent album Digitonium (2015). They drew a large crowd, which they amped up with their high-energy performance – a perfect opening for Twiddle’s first set of the evening.

    Twiddle tore up the stage for the first night of their event, leaving their fans wondering how it could get any better. They played some of their older tunes starting with “Blueberry Tumble,” “Brown Chicken Brown Cow” and “Amydst the Myst.” They finished off the first set with a few excellent tunes from their 2011 album, Somewhere On The Mountain, “Wescotton Candy,” “Beehop” and “Honeyburste.” The second set opened up with several of their newest songs which are heavy jams, “Fire on High,” “Blunderbuss” and the classic “Tiberius” followed by another new lyrical favorite, “Every Soul.”

    tumbledownTwiddle then played “Beethoven & Greene,” which led to a super connected interaction with the crowd, where, what seemed like the entire crowd echoed back the chorus: “Somewhere on the mountain they say that there’s a potion, that makes you truly happy and infinite in wisdom. It makes you shine as bright as the sun do shine, Keep your life doing right and your mind being kind, If your heart is true and your heart is pure, then this won’t undo the potion will endure in you.” They finished the second set off with a few more older tunes, and a classic cover, “Carter Candlestick,” “The Catapillar,” and an extra special version of “Funkytown,” joined by members of Turkuaz who belted out, “Won’t you take me to, Tumble Down?”

    Topping off the day of amazing music, was the after-shows which included Pigeons Playing Ping Pong with a sit in by Mihali at Nectar’s, and the ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ at Higher Ground. The Kitchen Cabinet show turned out to be an incredible surprise. First the Kitchen Dwellers played a set, followed by Cabinet. Then the two bands came together for their first ever collaboration. The chemistry between the two bands was undeniable, and they had everyone in the crowd stomping and dancing. This was the perfect way to end the first night of Tumble Down.

    Besides the array of musical experiences offered, Tumbledown also featured some other treats, such as the ‘Wompahoofus,’ a disc golf tournament held by the White Light Foundation, which donates proceeds to charity. There were games scattered throughout the waterfront such as corn-hole, frisbee, and even a squirt-gun powered boat race station. There were many excellent vendors, and even an art show hosted by PhanArt which was held at Club Metronome throughout the day. This was a good way for fans of the music to showcase their artwork, and make connections – the turnout was great, and the line at the door when they opened up it continued to grow.

    Day two began with a yoga class in the beautiful sunshine. Cabinet started off the music, bringing their deep bluegrass, Americana roots sound. The vibe they created was just right for Nahko & Medicine for the People to follow. MFTP’s set was another super high-energy show, featuring songs off of their most recent album Hoka (2016).  A request to the crowd for the cultivation of presence together, and grounding into the space in silence was made and Nahko then led the band into the songs “Directions,” “Make A Change,” “Love Letters to God”and “We Are on Time.”

    Nahko truly left an imprint on the crowd with the message he brought through the music during this set. Observing the onlookers, it was easy to notice that even the security guards were listening with a little deeper curiosity. Towards the end, Nahko invited Mihali on stage to play guitar alongside him during “Wash Away.” There was also a guest vocal appearance by singer/songwriter Madison Pruitt. These two bands really got the crowd riled up for Twiddle’s upcoming show.

    Twiddle shocked the crowd even more this set, with the biggest surprise of the weekend. They played mostly classic songs off of their first two albums, throwing a few new ones in here and there. They started off with “Subconscious Prelude,” doing what they do best – shifting from one jam into the next, into “Earth Mama” > “Brick of Barley” > “Daydream Farmer” > “Indigo Trigger” and back into “Subconscious Prelude” to finish it off.  The first set finished with their rendition of “Best Feeling” by Keller Williams, with a little tease of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.”

    Holly Bowling took over for the setbreak, doing another ‘Tweener’ set, and then was invited to stay on stage for the beginning of the next. That’s when the big surprise came. The crowd could never have seen it coming. They started the second set with “Hatti’s Jam” – at this time I was over by the waterfront enjoying the tail end of the sunset, and I heard them shift into “When It Rains It Poors.” At that moment, I started feeling drawn to the stage, as that song typically does to most Twiddle fans. As I approached, I saw that Page McConnell from Phish had joined Dempsey on keys for “WIRIP.” Unexpected, unannounced to the crowd – the keys of Phish came onstage to sit in with Twiddle. The crowd was a sea of smiles, and all I could think was what an incredible and completely shocking moment. Truly a triumph for Twiddle, being life-long fans and deeply inspired by their music. After this, the vibe was electric. They ripped through a few songs I’ve heard them play many times, but with a new luster: “Dr. Remidi’s Melodium” and “Grandpa Fox,” into a new crowd favorite “Lost In The Cold” and finishing with “Wasabi Eruption” and “The Box.”

    And again for the second night, it didn’t end there. Finishing off the weekend full of amazing musical acts, was ‘Mihali & Frends’ at Higher Ground. This was a super cohesive collaboration, with Nahko Bear on keys and vocals, Justin Chittams on drums and Mihali on acoustic and vocals. After a few songs, they were joined by Tim Snider on the fiddle who really tore up the stage with his presence. As the night went along, Mihali invited musicians from the previous day’s acts to join him on stage.  Zdenek joined on the bass, then from the Kitchen Dwellers, Shawn Swain on mandolin and Torrin on banjo and vocals, and eventually Joe joined in swapping out with Zdenek.

    Brook Jordan and Ryan Dempsey also switched out with Justin and Nahko, coming full circle throughout several others coming and going from the stage also including Lowell Wurster from Lucid on vocals, harmonica and the washboard. At one point, Mihali re-joined the stage -after giving a guitar solo to the man who builds his guitars-and picked up the mic to MC and freestyle, shifting into a song that he created on the spot about Tumbledown. It was an incredible late-night show of revolving musicians. The best part, is that it was not rehearsed at all and it seemed as if they had all been playing together for years. To be able to pull off a show like that, is much more than a feat. It was an incredible array of talent joining forces, all put together by Mihali himself.

    The fact that this was Twiddle’s first big event, must have played a role in how well they played, because in the past eight years that I have experienced the pleasure of watching them grow as a band, this was by far the best I have witnessed yet. They were really interactive with the crowd, and it felt interconnected on a level that allowed for the vibe to rise and expand throughout the entire atmosphere over the span of both days. Stay tuned for a larger photo gallery coming soon, featuring coverage from the entire two days.

  • Peach Music Fest Returns to Montage Mountain, Gregg Allman Cancels

    In just one week, The Peach Music Festival will return to Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA for their fifth annual four-day celebration. The festival is slated for August 11 – 14. Jamband fans from all over the country will head up the mountain for headliners Trey Anastasio Band and The String Cheese Incident. Due to illness, Gregg Allman canceled his tour including his headlining performances at Peach Fest. Allman was scheduled to play his own set  as well as one with SCI known as “The Gregg Allman Incident. At this time it is unclear what the festival plans to do for a replacement.

    Originally an Allman Brother’s Band festival, the spirit of ABB  will live on with Warren Haynes’ appearance in Gov’t Mule as well as “Wake Up with Warren Haynes.” In addition, Les Brers is scheduled to perform at Peach Festival, created by Butch Trucks, founding member of the ABB.

    Festival goers can take advantage of the mountain for camping as well as the on-site waterpark to cool off. The site features three stages including The Pavillion at Montage Mountain, a unique and beautiful venue.

    In addition to the headlining acts, other anticipated performances include The Claypool Lennon Delirium, two sets of moe., Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Railroad Earth, two sets of Dark Star Orchestra, Anders Osborne and more.

    Late night sets will sprawl across three stages including a special Pink Floyd set from moe. and a two-hour set with Umphrey’s McGee. The Floozies, Cabinet, Flux Capacitor and a Pink Floyd set by Electron will all tear up the after midnight scene.

    New this year, and in line what Front Gate Tickets did for Camp Bisco hosted at Montage Mountain in July, ticket holders were sent chipped wrist bands over the traditional cloth bracelets.

    Tickets for the Peach Music Festival are available at www.thepeachmusicfestival.com

  • Camp Bisco’s Color War XI Inspires Massive Expansion

    “Color War XI: The Aquatic Ape,” went over quite swimmingly during Camp Bisco‘s triumphant return to Montage Mountain this past month. Sporting a cornucopia of new water themed events, Color War gained an interest from passers-by unmatched in previous years.  Unlike most organized sporting events, participants were allowed to walk on and off the field more or less at will; providing for a wonderfully laid back environment that everyone enjoyed.  The Pink Hydra Squad took home the gold, with Purple Reign and the Green Mutant Ninja Turtles in a stalemate for second, and last but certainly not least came New World Orange.  An absolute favorite of the roster was Wook Fishing next to the lazy river.

    Hey little baby just let it slide…right under the pole!

    Events began at noon, with the Montage Highwire Marathon, You & I Arm Wrestling, Shave the Hot Air Balloon, and a rather high stakes game of Spacebird Volleyball.  It’s pure synchronicity that all of those Disco Biscuits song titles fit so cleverly, I’ll tell ya that.

    aquatic apeScheduled to begin at 1pm on that lovely Friday was the Aceetobee Spelling Bee, some good old fashioned Disco Biscuits trivia, as well as Little Shimmy in a Limbo Line.

    Wrapping the day up at 2 o’clock was my favorite event, Barfly Best Drink, followed by the Bernstein & Bacon-Off bacon frying competition.  The Confrontation Tug-o-War was a necessary act, and the I Want to be Barber look-alike contest was certainly a welcome edition to the Color War repertoire.

    aquatic ape
    Teamwork makes the dream work.

    In fact, Color War caused such a big wave this year that even Lorin (more popularly known by his stage alias “Bassnectar”) took notice.  Promising his own version of Color War during his new festival, “Bass Center”, which took place the weekend after Camp Bisco.  When asked if he thought his Color War was better than Bisco’s, Lorin declined to comment.

    aquatic ape
    Hopefully that ball doesn’t deflate on a whim!

    This got original Color War guru Amanda Rivera thinking; what if there was a Color War at every major festival?  What if good, wholesome, physical fun wasn’t the only goal of Color War, but working as a team toward a broader common goal?  These are some of the subjects we discussed in a telephone conversation earlier this week, and she seems to think it possible.  “If everyone were to make a small donation as requirement for entry, whether towards a team specific charity or one of their choice, it would add an entirely new aspect to Color War.  The amount of money donated may even determine the weekend’s winner in the future.”  Amanda said during the conversation.  One thing’s for sure, the aquatic ape is out of the barrel, and Color War may just be coming to a lot near you!

  • Night Lights Music Festival to Hold Battle of the Bands 2016

    Night Lights Music Festival will hold a Battle of the Bands to give two bands an opportunity to perform at the sixth annual event on August, 25, 26 and 27, 2016. NYSMusic is proud to sponsor this year’s contest.

    Interested bands are asked to submit a current Electronic Press Kit including a Hi-Res live video performance, a current band photo and social media details to nightlightsfestbands@gmail.com.  All submissions must be received no later than 11:59 P.M. on Aug., 3, 2016.  Finalists will be announced on Aug., 4th. Voting will run Aug., 5th through 12th. NYSMusic.com voters will have the final word, with the band with the highest number of votes will open up the festival’s Friday Main Stage. A second artist or band will receive the Judge’s Choice Award and a slot in the festival’s line-up.

    night_lights

    The Night Lights Music Festival is a magical three-day event in Sherman, NY that combines the power of sound and light to give festival-goers a unique sensory experience. At the top of the bill are the renowned fusion/electronica powerhouse Beats Antique, two-time Grammy Award winning guitarist Eric Krasno, Moon Hooch, the London Souls, Ithaca’s Jimkata, Holly Bowling, and Buffalo’s groove-rock quartet, Aqueous.

    This year’s festival will feature expanded and enhanced lighting trails and installations, and new daytime activities, such as a Kan Jam tournament, poetry readings from Just Buffalo Literary  Center, yoga, Hoop-a-Thon from UltraHoops, swimming, biking/ hiking and much more.

    For full lineup and more information on Night Lights Music Festival, visit their website.

  • In Focus: Grace Potter at Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest

    Day one of the Xerox International Jazz Fest and Grace Potter gave an energized performance.  Grace rocked the blues as the headlining act in the beautiful venue of Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

    The packed venue of seated fans were told by Grace in between songs, her performance will feed from their energy.  She elaborated sharing that if people felt like like they wanted to stand, dance sway, tap their foot to feel comfortable with enjoying as they wished.  The crowd loosened up as she continued through her set and took up her offer to get up close to the stage if they wanted to.  Fans faces were lit up with smiles as they enjoyed her close interaction by reaching out to them from stage.  The air filled with the excitement while she was on stage.  A piece of that night stays with each person of the energy that was created by the performance, music and people.

    Grace and each member of the band played the whole set with meaning and directed it to those there to see them.  It was an incredible treat to have attended to see Grace in action whipping her hair as she moved to the music playing.  Every song was given the attention, emotion, energy and soul as if it was the first time they played it, no mechanical movement or sound could be noticed.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty7J5tJRZIQ[

    Setting on her piano had a large crystal on one side and an alien figurine on the other, a sign she is filled with wonder, depth, love and channeling energy.    It was unforgettable night because of Grace Potter coming to Jazz Fest.  The tone had been set for the remaining 9 days of the festival after that show.  The Jazz Fest had the positive vibe of people coming to enjoy music to dance, smile and have a good time with one another each day.  Check out these moments caught from the night brought to you by NYS Music.

  • Frendly Gathering 2016: Jack Mitrani Shares The Evolution

    The Frendly Gathering 2016 was an incredible 3 day adventure, that always delivers more love, compassion and new ‘frendships’ than one can imagine. Jack Mitrani & Danny Davis founders/owners of The Frendly Gathering festival, and the rest of the ‘Frends Crew‘ have had quite the journey throughout their growth with the Frendly community – fans, musicians, artists & ‘frends’.

    One thing that makes Frendly stand out far beyond any festival I have yet to attend, is the essence that remains year after year – no matter how big the festival gets, it maintains the inclusivity that it was founded upon. I got a chance to speak with Jack about his personal experience with this.

    jack mitraniChelsea Erin Wright: The Frendly Gathering 2016 has been incredible for me so far. Experiencing the evolution of Frendly since the very first one in Vermont, has been ahhh-mazing!

    Jack Mitrani: Ah yes, you’re a lucky one!

    CW: Yeah certainly, blessed. I’d love to hear a bit about how your journey manifesting your dreams to create Frendly, has transformed your life?

    JM: My life, wow…yeah. Great question. I think that over the years Frendly has just evolved and the way that it has evolved, is by so many amazing people being behind this to make it happen. It’s taught me so much…it’s taught me so much in business, in relationships, in health…the yoga, the musicians. It’s really been such a crazy lesson, and I take the lessons from what I’ve created with Frendly into my everyday life; a host in action sports, a boyfriend, and every other thing that I am outside of this, ya know? I just feel like I’m so lucky, because I never in a million years would’ve known if you asked me before I started this, if I would be an event planner or festival owner, or any of that…some of that kinda just popped up out of the ground, and has really shaped my life today.

    CW: Yeah that’s pretty incredible…it’s affected you on every level of your being.

    JM: Mhmm, literally. There’s so much you can learn from, like I was saying – the yoga, the community that this festival brings is so health conscious, Earth frendly conscious…you just get so much from it that I would never have gotten. In the action sports, snowboard world that I come from it’s definitely there, but this is like the core of real human beings.

    CW: Yeah, it is way more interconnected than any other festival I’ve attended.

    JM: Yeah exactly, on a spiritual level.

    CW: Definitely, and that’s one of the defining elements. It’s not about the typical kind of ‘party’ that you see at bigger festivals. The all inclusive vibe of Frendly is undeniable, which is one of many reasons why I have returned every year – what has been your favorite part of watching the Frendly community grow?

    JM: I can think about this and come up with one billion answers because there are so many things, but the first thing that popped in my head was year after year, it grows, it doubles in size, and no matter how many more new people come, everybody ripples with the Frendly inclusive energy. Like watching Twiddle play at the campfire, and everyone respects the band…no one trampled them for an autograph right after…it’s just great that no matter how big it’s grown, it’s still remained to the core of what it stands for.

    CW: You’ve been able to maintain the Frendly essence and it’s quite a beautiful, special energy. I’ll definitely say that where I come from there’s not a great sense of community, and this experience each year has opened my eyes up in a lot of ways.

    JM: That’s the best part about this weekend…for the Frendly crew that prepares the site beforehand, it’s like we’re building, and it’s stressful and crazy, and we’re like what are we doing?! And then all of the sudden everyone shows up, and we remember that’s why we do it – everyone’s so nice, everyone’s hugging you…we want to just embrace every single second around all of these people. I have a broken leg right now, for those of you who can’t see me, and people just come up to me and heal me…people ask if I’m okay, and what’s happened…it’s so nice, like you said, to just be surrounded by kindness everywhere you turn. I wish that the entire world was like that.

    CW: If only we could expand this to cover the Earth!

    JM: Yes if only…Vermont, I would say is very peaceful in this way. If you go to NYC and walk around on the streets you feel alone.

    CW: There has to be a pretty incredible shift, which needs to happen.

    JM: I agree, 100%…if we could bottle this up & turn this into a nuclear bomb of peace and blast it out everywhere…I was a huge John Lennon fan growing up, which is where a lot of this vision comes from, it’s is ingrained in me. I’ve always wondered why there needs to be borders and why everyone can’t be peaceful…this is like our version of it, our small little nugget of it that we get to live.

    CW: It’s a wonderful little world that you’ve created!

    JM: Thank you! That we’ve created…the team, and you for being here throughout the years…it’s all of us.

    CW: Yes! And speaking of Vermont being peaceful, this mountain is the perfect place for Frendly…what led you to Timber Ridge?

    JM: Well, we used to come to Timber Ridge when we were in highschool…a family friend owned it, so we would come here for prom and graduation parties…this was the spot, ya know? If Chris Waker was throwing a party at Timber Ridge, it was known that everyone was going to be there. So the first two Frendly gatherings we threw in California, and then we realized we should throw it in Vermont. So we called up Chris, he asked his dad and they were super excited…from that day on, it’s been the most solid connection and the ridge couldn’t be more perfect for this kind of event.

    CW: That’s wild that you’ve been coming here since you were in highschool…makes it even that much more special for you!

    JM: Yeah I know, if you only knew the memories I have from inside of this lodge from when we were kids! And I see a lot of people here from high-school, it’s kind of like a reunion. There are a lot of stories and history at Timber Ridge.

    CW: The stories that continue to be created are what make the space! Each year’s line-up has been pretty special…what inspired this years?

    JM: Every year the lineup comes from the same inspiration, which is a combination of myself and my partner Danny Davis’ vision…we’re huge music fans, so we spend the entire year looking for music. And then we have all of the facebook fans…we’ll throw out a post asking the fans who they think should headline and play the upcoming Frendly and we’ll get hundreds of comments. We go through each one and see who got the most recommendations, and we really spend time filtering through. We also have Higher Ground, a venue in Burlington that has talent booking, which suggests up and coming artists as well. It’s a year long process of making sure we’ve searched every band in the world!

    CW: It’s pretty incredible that you guys reach out to the fans & take their opinions into consideration. I’m not aware of any other festival that does that.

    JM: Yeah, of course – those are the people who are coming, and they have so many good suggestions…it’s a collaborative decision on the lineup. Our lineups are always very eclectic, and ultimately this is really about bringing people together for a good time, to shut off from technology and connect with each other, and the music is the catalyst for that experience. So we want bands from every genre, to hit every Frend. The whole point of this is because we want all of our frends to come here, to get them all in the same place…so in order to do that you have to cater to all of the frends!

    CW: It’s more about connection, which is most important! That’s just another aspect of what makes Frendly so special. What has been your favorite musical experience so far this weekend?

    JM: The Twiddle campfire set for sure…Thursday night Twiddle played around the campfire, and that was my favorite for sure. I talked to Mihali the lead singer and guitar player, and we were asking each other if it was possible…we talked about it for months. So then when it actually happened, and everyone was singing along, the feeling that we pulled it off. I think that’s the most special part about Frendly, is the unique performances that we get to put together and experience here.

    CW: There are definitely some unique ones! Like the pond sets, where people can be swimming & have the stage right there. I saw some very young kids right up in the front at the fire and was thinking wow, if I were one of those kids seeing Twiddle for the first time, at Frendly around a campfire…how incredible. And to look around, and see almost everyone singing along word for word. It was excellent!

    JM: Yes, yes! It’s so awesome! And the fact that the people respect it. Imagine if people didn’t respect that, ya know?…or like caused a riot…campfires can cause people to get wild!

    CW: A riot over Twiddle at the fire, imagine that…

    JM: Literally it could happen, our headlining band playing around a campfire…

    CW: Yeah it’s pretty incredible that we could have them there and they don’t have to be fenced in, they could be totally exposed and immerse in the experience. I’ve been seeing Twiddle since 2008, lucky for me I grew up about a half hour from where they formed in Vermont. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunities to see them play the much smaller and intimate shows around the area, including many of Mihali’s solo shows. Watching them transform over the past eight years has been so beautiful. But being able to see them play, without a fence…without a crowd pressing to be as close as possible – what a feat you pulled off! It says a lot about the energy created here, and the people that come.

    JM: Exactly! We don’t have to put a fence up, we don’t have security standing everywhere. We do have security in front of the big stage…and sometimes I just want to tell them to go home, like what are ya doing here?…ya look cool standing there with your arms crossed, but everyone’s respectful here.

    CW: Yeah exactly, it’s quite thing to know that you don’t truly need that barrier. What do you envision for the future of Frendly?

    JM: I’ve always envisioned multiple events…bottling up the same experience we have here, and trying to send it around the world to places that need it, places that need a sense of community. That would be the dream come true…doing what we do here around the world.

    CW: That would be awesome, and with how I’ve seen you manifest this into the beautiful creation that it is, I have no doubt that you’ll make that happen! Thank you for sharing your time with me, and for providing such a beautiful experience for so many people! I look forward to many more Frendly’s.

    JM: Thank you Chelsea! It was a pleasure.

    To read NYS’ review of the festival follow link: Frendly Gathering 2016: A Most Fulfilling Weekend in Vermont

    Stay tuned for several other photo galleries to come, of the bands from each day.