NYS Music 20​16

Category: Upcoming Shows

  • Boy and Bear to Make a Pit Stop in Albany

    Australian five-piece indie-folk band Boy and Bear will make a pit stop at the Hollow in downtown Albany on Wed., June 8. Venturing from Toronto to Albany and then to Buffalo and New York City, the group will give the Capital District a rare treat to see a band currently on the rise and promoting their third release, Limit of Love.

    The band formed in 2009 in Sydney by singer-songwriter Dave Hosking, who quickly teamed up with Killian Gavin (vocals, guitar), Timothy Hart (drums, vocals), Jonathan Hart (vocals, mandolin, keyboards) and David Symes (bass) to release their debut album Moonfire in 2011. The critically acclaimed Moonfire, which was recorded in Nashville, won numerous Australian Recording Industry Association music awards, while Limit of Love was formed at Peter Gabriel‘s Real World Studio in England. Limit of Love remains the band’s greatest attempt at honesty and good old-fashioned recording with zero automation and minimal takes, which is frequently matched and backed up in their live performances.

    Sandwiched in between Moonfire and Limit of Love was the band’s grandest release, Harlequin Dream, featuring the hit song “Southern Sun” that prominently featured slide guitar and was noted to be an homage to Australian artist and guitarist Richard Clapton. It was also the tenth most played track on the triple-A radio format in the United States in 2014. Smooth singing Hosking cuts through his lyrics like room temperature butter, making each song seem more heartfelt and emotional. While Limit of Love differs quite a bit from Harlequin Dream, both offer a shining glimpse into the guts and heads that make up Boy and Bear.

    WEQX welcomes Boy and Bear to the Hollow in Albany on June 8;  doors open at 8 p.m.

  • Fridays in June at Funk n Waffles Downtown, Presented by NYS Music

    NYS Music is once again proud to host Friday nights at Funk n Waffles in June. A stellar lineup of music is on tap all month long, with local and regional bands highlighting the month.

    June 3 – Formula 5 with Michael Mwenso & The Shakes

    June Funk n Waffles Whether you enjoy jam, jazz, funk, reggae, or electro beats… the Capital District’s Formula 5 will satisfy your musical needs. Inspired by their jam band idols, the band creates original funk-filled tunes with stimulating and expressive lyrics, soaring melodies and an emphasis on solid instrumentation and improvisation. The group’s fan base continues to grow as they’ve opened for such headliners as Twiddle, Dopapod, Spiritual Rez, and the Heavy Pets; and took over stages at Catskill Chill, Disc Jam, The Big Up, Strange Creek, and Buffalove.

    Michael Mwenso and the Shakes present an improvisational execution of a powerful, soulful eclectic mix of soul/jazz/blues derived from  jazz legends such as Miles Davis and Lionel Hampton. The Harlem “mood” captivates audiences and reinforces the classic, historic feel one could relate to the late night NYC jazz scene. Soulfully driven vocals are backed up by the funky ensemble of horn-powered, bass-layered body of the Shakes.

    June 10 – Candid with Castle Creek

    The acclaimed hometown rockers, Candid, bring the people of Syracuse a familiar spark their growing, loyal fan base appreciates them for. The heavy-hitting rock band Candid has been on the scene since late 1998, playing alongside international renowned bands such as Fountains of Wayne, Tonic, Vertical Horizon, Andrew W.K. and Strangefolk.

    Local barnyard burners Kim Monroe and Chris Eves are a powerful duo out of Syracuse. Using lyrically powerful ballads and a blues/jam influenced musicianship to captivate audiences throughout upstate New York all while maintaining their roots of familiar classic rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, and Pink Floyd. Castle Creek  leaves their own lasting mark on fans at each venue they perform.

    June 17 – William Thompson Funk Experiment with Binger and Ampevene

    Uplifting, interactive , and talented, the William Thompson Funk Experiment is sure to leave crowds jubilant and moving through the late night hours. Hailing from Worcester, Massachusetts, the William Thompson Funk Experiment can be compared to the party of Dopapod, Mister F, and Formula 5, and are sure to provide a powerful performance.

    Based out of Burlington, Vermont, Binger creates a unique sound, using the diverse musical soundscape of their collective influences. Elusively shedding any genre they manage to employ (often within the same song), Binger combines elements of progressive psychedelia, deep grooves of hip-hop, and improvisational jazz to create a style that gracefully skirts the line between delightful and perplexing; inventing a sound that reels you in and keeps you there with a cohesive, yet eclectic energy. 

    Ampevene delivers a highly energetic, atmospheric environment, tearing the borders between every genre at their disposal. Ampevene continues to set the bar high for progressive rock throughout New York, keeping spectators on their heels from their improvisational clash of metal and jazz.

    June 24- The New Daze with Space Bacon

    Since 2011, the atmospheric jam quartet, The New Daze, have been using their improvisational prowess to transcend jam rock as we know it, displaying an inter-dimensional  clash of musicianship . The New Daze are no strangers to Funk n Waffles, having graced the downtown stage many times. They are also scheduled to perform at historic venues such as Nectar’s in Burlington, Vermont and Garcia’s in Port Chester. With all four of it’s members contributing vocals as well as wielding their instruments, each member has a crucial role in the direction of a performance. The New Daze, playing a unique set each night, creates its own sound of “electric boogified-rage-reggae-funk-crunch-goop”.

    If you like the concept of space, and a delicious side of breakfast meat, there is really no going wrong with Space Bacon. This jamtronica quartet based out of Brooklyn is sure to leave audiences dancing and uplifted as it creates an intense, immersive fusion of electronica and funk. Space Bacon is soon to play Disc Jam in Stephantown (June 9-12), along with artists such as Dopapod, Electron, Tauk, and many others. The quartet’s love for intergalactic pork and space-seasoned fresh cuts of funky-electronic trance is a spectacle one should not miss.

  • Dark Star Orchestra Returning To Buffalo At The Town Ballroom May 24

    Dark Star Orchestra (DSO), the Grateful Dead tribute band hailing out of Chicago Illinois, will return to the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. Since forming, DSO has played 2,200-plus shows, recreating Grateful Dead concerts in their entirety.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomTo any Dead Heads that need their fix, this show is not to be missed. It’s been more than 20 years since Jerry Garcia has passed, but the Grateful Dead’s music lives on with the passion and extensive touring DSO has displayed over the years.

    dark star orchestra town ballroomDark Star Orchestera has had a slightly changing line up throughout its existence; the current band members include Rob Barraco (keys/vocals), Rob Eaton (guitar/vocals), Dino English (drums/percussion), Rob Koritz (drums/percussion), Lisa Mackey (vocals), Jeff Mattson (guitar/vocals) and Skip Vangelas (bass/vocals), and look forward to their return to Town Ballroom.

    Tickets for the May 24 show are still available and can be purchased from Ticket Fly or through the Town Ballroom box office; door open at 7 p.m.

  • Experience ‘The Last Waltz Live’ with Rev Tour Band and Friends in Oneonta

    The Oneonta Theatre is fortunate to be the next stop on the Rev Tour Band’s northeast tour performing “The Last Waltz Live,” a re-creation of The Band’s concert film. On May 21, join fellow fans of The Band for an evening that has lived on in our memories for so long, and — thanks to bands like Rev Tour Band — will continue to do so for decades to come.

    The Rev Tour Band, founded by frontman Tor Krautter in 1996, has been extensively touring the East Coast since its inception, but more recently, they have come to focus on delivering audiences a live rendition of The Band’s The Last Waltz, a movie that recorded a special moment in rock history, as the iconic group’s final concert. During the concert, which was filmed by Martin Scorsese at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, numerous special guests joined The Band on stage, including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Eric Clapton, to name just a few. On Rev Tour Band’s “The Last Waltz Live” tour, the roles of these special musical guests are performed by musicians from the local scene, making each show a unique experience as the band travels from city to city. During Rev Tour’s stop in our neck of the woods this weekend, guest performers will include none other than the legendary Darcy Gibson, Ned Brower, Steve Dillon, Randy Miratello and John Scarpulla, among many other equally as legendary local characters.

    On top of the magical night of music you will surely be treated to, you will at the same time be supporting a good cause: the St. James Food Pantry. This worthy organization, through its “The Lord’s Table” program, offers a free hot meal every weeknight for those in need. All concert attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation of any size (specific needs at the moment include peanut butter, juice, crackers and rice).

    For those looking to reminisce and re-live an incredible moment in rock history, come on out to the Oneonta Theatre this Saturday night. The show will start at 8 p.m., but doors will open at 7 p.m., so be sure to get there early to grab yourself a drink and settle into a good spot for what’s sure to be a fun musical adventure.

  • Catskill Rock: A New Bash at Bearsville Theater

    Catskill Rock! Have you heard of it yet? If not, get ready! A hot new music event has been announced to take place at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on June 17.

    The popular theater has teamed up with the “mad geniuses” at the White Dove Rockotel to present the first-ever evening of art and entertainment titled Catskill Rock. Sponsored by the Chatham Brewery, this event will not be without cold, tasty refreshments and will feature plenty of arts and music from local bands Burnell Pines and the Grape and the Grain.

    The show is set to kick off at 8 p.m. and tickets are currently only $10.

    Catskill Rock 2016 - Web Flyer - Bearsville Theater

    Burnell Pines is a bearded young artist with an old soul and guitar strapped to his back. Found meandering back roads of the Catskill mountains and creating music while visiting friends and other musicians alike. His latest album, Til the Day I Die, features the help of many great musicians like acclaimed keyboardist Marco Benevento, Rachael Yamagata, and drummers Joe Magistro (The Black Crowes) and Robert Burke (Toshi Reagon).

    The Grape and the Grain is a four-piece rock group from Kingston. A reformation of itself from 2015 which includes three other original members, the band is setting forth a new beginning and already making strides. Their latest EP release is a collection of alternate versions of some of the original songs, titled At Home.

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

  • Marco Benevento Bringing Fred Short to Upstate New York

    Marco Benevento, touring in support of his recently released half-concept/half dance-inflicted rock anthems album The Story of Fred Short, will make a run through upstate New York this week. Of the new album, the LA Times says, Marco “continues a rewarding effort to straighten his twisted sound into the guise of an indie-rock singer-songwriter, harnessing his inventive sonic palette into rewardingly bite-size pop songs that touch on disco and soul” while Boulder Weekly calls it “a swirling pastiche of deep grooves, buoyant pop filigrees and grinding old-school psychedelic reveries.”

    fred shortBenevento has been keeping busy with sporadic dates in Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, playing with The Arcs and The Barr Brothers, and gearing up for the long-awaited reunion of the Duo. But his main focus has been his solo band, which features fellow JRAD-ian Dave Dreiwitz on bass and Andy Borger on drums. Seeing Benevento’s solo performances is to catch him in his element.

    Starting on Thursday at the Montage Music Hall in Rochester, the band will continue to Hector at the Stonecat on Friday the 13th (watch out!) before hitting the Tralf Music Hall in Buffalo on Saturday night. Rochester’s own Mikaela Davis will open the shows with her gorgeous and unique harp-lead indie folk rock. And who knows, maybe she’ll even sit in with Benevento for a song or two, like she did recently in Brooklyn.

  • Catching up with Holly Bowling, Returning to The Massry Center on May 12

    Time has flown. It’s been half a year since we last spoke with Holly Bowling, who has been traversing the country performing the music of Phish, The Grateful Dead and more through her classical transcriptions of music from the two, and stops at the Massry Center on May 12.

    Since October, Bowling has found herself at two major festivals – Jamcruise, AURA, and performances in New Orleans during Jazz Fest, and is now amid a tour of the Northeast, with stops in Burlington (a birthday show at Higher Ground, May 11), New York City (a midnight set at Blue Note Jazz Club, May 13), and Syracuse (Westcott Theater, May 14).

    holly bowling massryHolly’s live show has evolved and developed quite a bit over the past six months as she has incorporated more Grateful Dead songs into her shows. Bowling says she “loves how the two catalogs can meld together and allow for an expanded range of musical styles and emotions.”

    Beginning last fall, when a show at the the Winery in Pittsburgh, PA, sold out, she quickly added a second show, but wanted something unique for the second night, and decided upon a show not strictly of Phish but also of Grateful Dead songs. Bowling says this is part of what she has found gives her “freedom to improvise into uncharted territory, take risks and see where it leads to, bringing the music to new areas and provide room to grow in the spirit of both of the two bands improvisational histories.”

    As a result of this catalog expansion, later this year, Holly will release an album of Grateful Dead songs arranged for classical piano, in a manner similar to her 2015 debut album Distillation of a Dream. Fresh out of the studio weeks ago before last weeks’ New Orleans Jazz Fest and her Northeast Spring Tour, the album’s music is slated to be quite different with a larger focus on improvisation, allowing more space for Holly’s own style of improv to come through, as opposed to Distillation where the songs were much more tightly arranged, closer to the original compositions. “There is a really interesting parallel between the two albums and the mix of the bands and freedom of the songs. It will be interesting to see how that develops in live shows as well as the album,” said Bowling.

    2016 began with Jamcruise 14, a first for Bowling both as a fan and performer. “The thing that really blew me away how it’s a multi-day music festival where each band who plays is still there for multiple days; it is unparalleled and special, on the water and in the tropics, it’s all pretty magical. The opportunity for connection and community when everyone is there really sets it apart.”

    Bowling recently performed at New Orleans Jazz Fest, having attended as a fan and now for the first time as a performer. A performance at The Little Gem Saloon, was ideal for Bowling: an emerging artists showcase for bands from New Orleans and other areas around the country who shared the bill together. With pianos upstairs and down, Bowling remarked that Little Gem “you have my heart.” Her show at Howling Wolf in the Den, a small room off to the side, was performed in between sets of Turkuaz (covering The Band) and Jazz is Phish (which followed ‘Thankful for Amy,’ a tribute to Amy Winehouse fronted by Elise Testone) “This was a super fun gig to play because the energy was super high. I came on at 2 am and the town and energy were electric and had the best energy going. Turkuaz was a tough act to follow, but I find it easy to get fired up by others and playing music is always a nice segue. I was already in that happy musical head space when I went out for my set.”

    Now in the Northeast, Bowling will offer a different show at The Massry Center than last October, factoring in Phish, The Grateful Dead and and “more improvisation, as the show concept has developed and as she’s gotten more comfortable with the music.” The Massry Center, frequently a venue for jazz and classical music, is a premier performance space and with Bowling in the room, the show can push the envelope in terms of the music people are typically seeing. “Bringing in different music to venues that is counter to what type of music typically appears there creates a hybrid of the two musical worlds that I love seeing music in.”

    Expect a unique and memorable show on May 12. Tickets are $20 or $10 for students.

  • Del the Funky Homosapien ‘Iller Than Most’ Tour Stops in Brooklyn

    Del the Funky Homosapien inhabits a world of his own. It’s a world in which George Clinton occupies a role like that of a creator-god and Del with the rest of the Hieroglyphics crew are on a mission to ensure that the forces of funk win over the forces of non-funk in a never-ending cosmic saga.

    Del the Funky HomosapienLuckily for the race of Homosapiens on Earth, Del’s world is accessible to us through his records and live shows. Three years after rebooting the futurist hip-hop group Deltron 3030, Del continues to perform occasionally with that group as well as on his own, performing original music stretching back to 25 years of underground emceeing.

    Del’s music is compellingly original. The rapper-producer has admitted in interviews that he listens to very little new music and spends his time working on his own. The result: an unheard of lyrical flow tightly woven over self-produced tracks; it’s a veritable rhythmic tour de force. To be in the presence of such a funky person is humbling. Del fans are dedicated and hang on every cadence that issues forth from the stage at his shows. The opportunity to be among them should not be considered lightly.

    Del the Funky Homosapien will manifest his far-out rhyming for one night only at the Brooklyn Bowl on May 7. DJ Shiftee and Sean Anonymous will kick off the show at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available online through the venue’s website.

  • Buckethead Has Returned: Westcott Theater Performance Coming May 3

    After four long years of waiting, fans of Buckethead finally have the chance to see him live once again. The man who sports the white mask and bucket on his head is coming to the Westcott Theater this Tuesday, May 3. Tickets are on sale for $25 and are available at the door.

    bucketheadFor those who may not know who Buckethead is, he’s a guitarist who can practically play anything. Buckethead is a guitar virtuoso who covers many different genres including metal, funk, classical and more. Starting in the late ’80s and learning from the great Paul Gilbert, Buckethead has been attached to his guitar ever since. Bucket’s first solo album, Bucketheadland, came out in 1992, and that’s where the journey began.

    Since 1992, Buckethead has released 264 studio albums. The lineup of musicians that Bucket has worked with is extensive as well. That list includes Bootsy Collins, Iggy Pop, Les Claypool, Serj Tankian of System of a Down, Mike Patton and many more. Buckethead was also the lead guitar player for Guns N’ Roses from 2000 to 2004. The long-awaited Guns N’ Roses album Chinese Democracy features Buckethead on all but two tracks.

    Not only does Buckethead play guitar, but he is also a fantastic bass player, a talent which he displays at his live shows as well. Watching Buckethead play live will certainly leave everyone in the audience in a daze. For those who think watching a guy play guitar for over an hour straight may be boring, Buckethead will certainly prove them wrong. Complete with dance moves, nunchucks and toy giveaways, Tuesday’s show is sure to be one to remember from Buckethead.

    Although his official website hasn’t been updated, Buckethead has an entire tour planned for the next few months. For those interested in seeing Bucket’s show, the Westcott Theater is the only place to see him in New York except for his show at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill on May 7. The rest of the dates can be found at this link.

    To purchase tickets to the show this Tuesday, visit the Westcott Theater website.

  • Falling Stars Fest at Boathouse Beer Garden

    Boathouse Beer Garden will host the Falling Stars Fest on Thursday, June 30.

    fallingstarsfest

    The Boathouse Beer Garden in Romulus is hosting the Falling Stars Fest, which features New Riders of the Purple Sage, Terrapin Flyer and Evil City String Band.

    New Riders of the Purple Sage formed in the ’60s with Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead and Spencer Dryden of Jefferson Airplane as part of the band. They are seen as one of the pioneers of the country rock sound that took hold in the late ’60s with bands and artists like Bob Dylan, the Band and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Having retired in 1997, they reunited briefly in 2001 and were honored with a lifetime achievement award from High Times magazine. The band reunited with original members Buddy Cage and Dave Nelson in 2005 and have released two studio albums and a live album since the reunion.

    Terrapin Flyer consists of Melvin Seals, a longtime member of the Jerry Garcia Band; Tom Constanten, former keyboardist for the Grateful Dead from 1968-70; and Mark Karan, a longtime member of Ratdog and guitarist for the Other Ones on their 1998 and 2000 tours.

    The Evil City String Band is an old-time Appalachian string band from Ithaca.

    Falling Star Fest starts at 6:30 p.m. June 30. Tickets are on sale now at an early bird rate of $25 through June 1, when they increase to $30. Tickets bought at the door will be $35.

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