NYS Music 20​16

Category: Albany

  • Albany Palace Theatre Announces $65 Million Upgrade

    Announced at a news conference this morning, the Palace Theatre in Albany has put plans in motion to expand and renovate the historic venue. The approximate cost of the project is $65 million.

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    This is one of numerous other projects to upgrade and reinvigorate downtown Albany, alongside improvements to the Times Union Center and the Albany Capital Center convention building (set to open March, 2017).

    According to the Times Union, the planned changes to the Palace Theatre include an addition of a second smaller theater on North Pearl Street and an expansion of the lobby. Changes to the lobby will include more concessions, an elevator, and expanded paths for wheelchair access. The most noteworthy change is the development of a post production facility for digital production companies to mix sound and video.

    The Palace originally opened doors in October 1931, presenting vaudeville acts and films. It underwent previous renovations in 2002 and 2003, and now houses diverse events. According to the Times Union, in the past four years the Palace has increased its number of shows by 53 percent.

    Upcoming events can be found here.

  • Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival: More than Music

    Beyond the incredible lineup promised for its four-day length, Grey Fox Bluegrass festival is guaranteed to host a unique music experience for every concert-goer this summer. Its ongoing activities and performances are sure to fill your whole weekend with activities, with plenty of opportunity to relax and enjoy the music as well. No matter what kind of concert-goer you are, we have a recommended event for you.

    If you have kids

    Unlike many other concerts that have booted out younger audiences with emerging festival culture, there is still a happy, safe place for families at Grey Fox. The Family Stage is live all weekend, featuring a variety of activities like tie dying and making instruments. There is also the well-known Bluegrass Academy for Kids, or BGA, which serves as a festival-long mock summer camp. Kids can learn to play and sing traditional bluegrass songs, featuring several performance opportunities.

    If you have time, swing by the Creekside Stage to learn about the business of bluegrass and opportunities to study music from the International Bluegrass Music Association and Berklee College of Music. Oh, and no need to worry about loud noise at night with the specially marked quiet areas for families that could use some sleep after a long day of music.

    If you’re a musician

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    Starting the minute you move in on Wednesday, musicians roam from all over Grey Fox to partake in their annual Open Mic. On a first come, first serve basis, you and your band (sadly, no solo acts) can play among with musical peers to add your voice to the vast space of Walsh Farm. With continuous jamming throughout the weekend, you can repair your own instrument or buy a new one with the various music vendors throughout the festival. Make sure you drop your name in the raffle as well for your chance to win a Deering banjo or a Beard Resonator guitar.

    If you’re a foodie

    If you plan on camping for four days, you should plan on buying some meals and snacks along the way. Luckily, Grey Fox offers more variety than your average festival cheeseburger. There is a variety of breakfast food, smoothies, pastries, pizzas, picnic foods, Greek specialties, Thai cuisine, Mexica10464343_10154174334272454_4697731366359745459_nn food, and various vegetarian wraps and entrees.

    The festival also features handcrafted beer from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., New York State wines, coffee varieties, and other beverages to pair with your meals. For those with a sweet tooth, make sure to indulge in gourmet ice cream, chocolates, and crepes for that extra sugar rush, with vendors lining the festival common areas.

    In addition to loving great music, most Grey Fox attendees fall under some or all of these umbrellas, and with endless kid’s activities, yoga and mediation, musical training, artisan shops and products, and endless food and drink choices, there is bound to be something for everyone, and we can’t wait to see what this year will have in store for us. The countdown is 14 days.

    Never been to Grey Fox? Check out some of last year’s photos.

    Otherwise, join in and buy your tickets here.

  • Fitz & The Tantrums Dance the Night Away

    American neo-soul and indie-pop band, Fitz & The Tantrums strutted into Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park on June 23 to a large crowd of 18 and under kids accompanied by parents who for the most part stayed near the back of the venue.

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    The Los Angeles band, fresh off the Firefly Festival in Dover the weekend before, dominated the stage from the start in support of their third and self-titled album, Fitz & the Tantrums featuring “HandClap.”

    Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs delighted the energetic crowd during their 19-song set, which included the band’s classics “Out Of My League,” “Money Grabber,” “Walker” and “6 AM.” Although the band’s style has progressively changed over the past few years, there’s no denying their stage presence and dedicated fan base.

    Opening the night were fellow Californians, Finish Ticket. Signed back in 2014, the band performed a surprisingly hypnotic set which even included a cover of the Killers’, “When You Were Young.”

    Fitz & The Tantrums Set List:

    Get Right Back
    Spark
    Don’t Gotta Work It Out
    Out Of My League
    Run It
    Breaking The Walls
    Breakin’ The Chains of Love
    Walking Target
    Complicated
    Fools Gold
    Roll Up
    Do What You Want
    Money Grabber
    Tricky
    Burn It Down
    L.O.V.
    HandClap
    6AM
    Walker

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  • Hearing Aide: Darling Valley “Crooked Orchards”

    As the latest album from the newly re-imagined folk quartet, Darling Valley, falls into our laps, there is quite a bit of substance undetermined. With this double wife-husband duo, we get all the warm feelings of family and hospitality, even in the freezing climates of Upstate New York, where the four band mates first originated. From their distant years under the name Accents, this group has numerously reshaped their genre, band members and multi-instrumental capabilities to land them where they are now —releasing Crooked Orchards on June 24 through Sounds and Tones Records. The real question is, where, in their transition from Accents to Darling Valley, was their musical peak as an ensemble? To some, it may not be in this new release.

    Featuring a plethora of emotional roller coasters, instruments and vocal timbres, this 11-track record was the first step in pulling together what is now Darling Valley. They made their first appearance online competing in the NPR Tiny Desk Competition, where they performed “Widows and Revolutionaries,” which eventually made its way to this album. Their other hit singles are featured on this album as well, including the adorable “Graces” and the uplifting ode to growing pains, “You’ll Go Far, Kid.”

    Multi-instrumentalists TJ Foster, Ashleigh Whitfield, Lauren Foster and Jordan Stewart are testaments to a premier ensemble. Their songs are uplifting, while featuring an array of instruments, from mandolin to trumpet. They have the most warming videos, including their newest video release of “You’ll Go Far, Kid,” which was directed by an 8 year old and features the bandmates dressed as animals.

    With the stories they portray through songs like “Widows and Revolutionaries,” there is no doubt that the 1,186 likes they have on Facebook are truly devoted fans. However, there is still something missing from Crooked Orchards. One theory would be its overall lack of contrast, featuring nothing new enough to bring to the table of 2016’s top charts. That being said, there is a market for folk-pop lovers on the Internet, and there is no doubt that they will eventually find Darling Valley, and that will be all the fans they need. Listening to Darling Valley will also provide three things you didn’t know you needed: tight vocal harmony, a variety of instruments and an overwhelming mix of heartbreak, encouragement and joy. And for that, we are grateful for Crooked Orchards. 

    Top Tracks: Graces, Widows and Revolutionaries, You’ll Go Far, Kid

  • Disc Jam 2016 Outdoes Itself

    Now in its sixth year and second at the current location in Stephentown, NY, Disc Jam Festival has established itself in every sense of the phrase. The bands are top caliber, the stage setups are the real deal, and the attendees make it feel like home away from home. Disc Jam 2016 has set the bar high for an overall festival experience in the Northeast.

    Thursday night of the festival was spent by many setting up their home for the weekend. Those in VIP were granted access to prime real estate next to the creek, adjacent to the pond. Other campers with cars took up residency in the spacious fields surrounding the main stage area. The great thing about Disc Jam is that no matter where you camp, you’re no more than a two-minute walk to the main stage. That also means that you can hear the music throughout the venue – a nice perk of small festivals.

    The sounds of Strange Machines filled Gardner’s Farm, setting the tone for the festival – heavy on the jams – though their set ended with a playful “Shake Your Body” cover by Michael Jackson. Next was everyone’s favorite cover smash up, Pink Talking Fish, taking the main stage until midnight. Weaving in and out of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish brought them to a surprise lap dance for the soon-to-be-wed keyboardist Richard James. Set to Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” Hayley Jane of Hayley Jane and the Primates, and her pack of back-up dancers, playfully teased the bashful bachelor only to have their spot taken over by Boston promoter and tutu sporting Benny Tucker aka “Woodies and Cream.” Hayley Jane led the vocals through “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” and “Suzy Greenberg to wrap up the evening on the main stage.

    Thursday night – and really the whole festival – was unseasonably cold. With temperatures in the mid to low 40s with high winds, festival patrons were disappointed there was no community bonfire as promised. The bonfire did blaze on the next few nights which was a welcomed relief.

    Friday was easily the best day weather wise. Although breezes still made for a slight chill, the sun was warm and skies were crystal clear. Chicago based rock group, Litz, kicked things off in the morning followed by Teddy Midnight who really picked up the pace. The Brooklyn natives added jam scene veteran Wiley Griffin as their guitarist last August. Since then the group has been gaining fans and notoriety with steady momentum. The blues guitar riffs and synthesized key strokes along with a fantastically funky bass line made for the get-out-of-bed energy disc jammers needed.

    Hayley Jane and the Primates, along with original drummer Jesse Hayes, took the early afternoon main stage with a full David Bowie tribute set. As usual, Hayley Jane is theatrical in her stage presence. Although her voice is truly impeccable, the set was reminiscent of a high-level karaoke production.

    Set in the Innova Tent Stage at 5 p.m., Tom Hamilton’s American Babies overlapped Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band and part of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Guest bassist Jim Hamilton, Tom’s brother, filled in for the set. Having grown up playing music together, this was something truly special for die hard fans and even those new to the Babies. The set included several songs off their new album, An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark, including “Fever Dreams” and “What Does it Mean.” Covers included the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” and The Band’s “Atlantic City.”

    As the sun began to set Kung Fu powered through an incredible set welcoming Shira Elias of Turkuaz on vocals and Lowell Wurster of Lucid on percussion. The following 30 minutes was a complete change of pace. Cappadonna of the Wu Tang Clan and his posse pumped up the crowd with Craig Brodhead and the Turkuaz Horns as support. Free style rapper Honeycomb laid down a solid flow, even tossing shade to Jay-Z.

    After a short break, headliners Electron took to the stage for a set many people attended the festival to see. Flow artists bordered the stage adding to the entertainment of it all, a psychedelic circus if you will, starting with “Plan B,” “42,” -> “Rock Candy” and later back to “42” after a solid rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2.”  The set ended with fan favorite “Shelby Rose,” and the crowd singing in unison, “every night is heaven sent!”

    Friday night wasn’t over yet as Dopapod packed the Innova Tent Stage with Disc Jammers. Opening with “Nuggy Jawson,” a “Nerds” tease ultimately served as hint to one of Saturday night’s picks during their second set with the Dopapod Orchestra. Ed Mann hopped on the vibraphone for “Dracula’s Monk” and Frank Zappa’s “Peaches en Regalia.” Turkuaz’s Craig Brodhead joined Dopapod for a heart pounding “8 Years Ended,” before concluding with “Vol. 3 #86.”

    Saturday was a wet one, raining from 11 a.m. to nearly 1 p.m. which kept many campers from attending the daily set of Bearly Dead, as well as Elm, Funky Dawgz and Mister F. Congo Sanchez was the first dry set on the main stage which absolutely blew the crowd away. The trio features Thievery Corporation’s drummer with a down-tempo, reggae, hip-hop mix. This will be a band not to miss in the future. Consider the Source did a full Radiohead set, that while was impressive in so far as pure skill, simply did not have the attraction a regular COS set has.

    The Nth Power, a world, funk, jazz group featuring Nikki Glaspie on the drums, flexed their creative muscle during their Saturday afternoon set. With the sun shining and drying things out, fans got down with the funky yet sultry tunes. The Turkuaz Horns and Shira Elias played a few brand new songs to the delight of the smiling faces in front of them. Directly proceeding the Nth Power, prog rockers TAUK took the stage sounding better than ever. Craig Brodhead also jumps on for a nasty cover of Hendrix’ “Voodoo Child.”

    The highlight of the entire festival was without a doubt the Dopapod Orchestra. Clouded in mystery for months since it was announced, fans gathered to the stage as the grounds became engulfed in a low, warm fog. Beginning with a straight forward “Turning Knobs,” the Blend Horns of West End Blend were welcomed on stage laying down a new element to favorites like “Nerds,” “Super Bowl,” and a seriously sinister “Psycho Nature.” Kung Fu drummer Adrian Tramontano hopped on the drums next to Scotty Zwang for a lengthy “FABA.” The Turkuaz horns  then took a turn with a stunning “Ophelia” by The Band. Turkuaz drummer Michaelangeo Carubba also sat in for “Roid Rage,” a song he helped write as he is Dopapod’s original drummer. The Orchestra ended with Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” before returning to the stage for the  encore of “Picture in Picture” in which Rob Compa’s guitar student Greg King took over for the later half of the song. Compa hopped on bass for a few minutes as well so the two could jam. This was truly incredible to witness and a set not easily forgotten.

    The Turkuaz Horns and Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle joined lespecial for some late night action. This is another band that seems to get better each time they play. Their stage setup was incredibly psychedelic. Unfortunately these guys rocked so hard a fuse was blown momentarily, but certainly did not take away from the overall set. A cover of Radiohead’s “National Anthem” was absolutely incredible and the horns only added to the depth.

    Sunday was a struggle for many Disc Jammers as the temperatures once again dropped and high winds made wearing a jacket completely necessary. Despite the cold, Formula 5 rocked out to a pretty substantial crowd. They welcomed Ryan Dempsey to the stage as he and Matt Richards played on keys together for Warren Zevon’s “Nighttime in the Switching Yard.”

    After sitting in all weekend with various bands, the Blend Horns finally joined their full band, West End Blend, for an incredibly funky set, helping to warm up those shivering in front of them. Front woman and lead vocalist Erica Bryan got fans off their feet with her tambourine skills. The band welcomed The Turkuaz Horns, Shira Elias and Craig Brodhead on stage. With 15 people on stage, the Sunday-funday party had officially started.

    Local bluegrass band Eastbound Jesus welcomed Lowell Wurster for some twangy fun before Aqueous hopped on stage for their harder rocking set. Soule Monde showed off their talents making it easy to see why the drum and organ duo has such an impressive résume including being members of Trey Anastasio’s touring band.

    Disc Jam 2016 came to an incredible close with Gubbulidis, or Mihali Savoulidis and Zdenek Gubb of Twiddle. By now, it should be clear from the events of the weekend that they’d be joined by guests including their own Ryan Dempsey who took a moment to crawl across the stage for a lick on Mihali’s leg. The set was packed full of jams including Twiddle favorites “Lost in the Cold” and “Syncopated Healing, as well as Sublime’s “What I Got,” Blues Traveler’s “Run Around” and Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower.” The amount of pure energy on stage was exactly what the frigid crown needed and the perfect period to the end of an incredible weekend.

  • Boy and Bear Sell Out The Hollow

    Hard-working Aussies, Boy and Bear worked a sold-out crowd at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen on June 8. The five-piece indie/folk band barely fit onto The Hollow’s stage, but that didn’t seem to matter to the crowd, which appeared to be filled with a mix of 20-year-old girls and a handful of limb-flailing hippies. Pants cuffed, Boy and Bear ripped through an 18-song set with ease, and although there was little movement from the band, lead singer, David Hosking, mesmerized the crowd with his passion and digit-flaring moves. Throughout the evening, Hosking kept his eyes focused on the abyss, while periodically addressing the attendees with little tidbits about the songs. A few standouts from the Boy and Bear set include “Showdown,” “Back To Black” (Amy Winehouse cover) and “Part Time Believer.” All three songs played in succession, leading up to the grand finale of “Harlequin Dream,” “Southern Sun” and “Walk The Wire.” Hosking was nice enough to inform the crowd that there would not be an encore, and seeing that the band played 18 straight songs, nobody seemed to mind; it’s a trend that many bands seem to be embracing.

    Perhaps just as impressive as Boy and Bear was the Capital Region’s own Bear Grass. By chance, the foursome had a similar name, but couldn’t have been more different. Lead singer Katie Hammon drove an absolutely intoxicating 10-song set, which quickly won over The Hollow audience. The performance even seemed to win over Boy and Bear drummer, Timothy Hart, who more or less stood and watched the entire set. Even Hosking himself exited the tour bus to check out a few numbers. Hosking was quick to praise and thank Bear Grass as the night concluded, even though the two were sharing the stage for just one night. It’s easy to see why Hammon and Bear Grass are a local band that stand out as on the rise; she’s reminiscent of a Nina Gordon of Veruca Salt fame.

  • Béla Fleck and the Original Flecktones’ Reunion Tour Hits Albany

    The house lights dimmed and the Hart Theater at The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany grew dark. The house was packed; every seat was filled with a body consumed with anticipation. Four years had passed since most of these fans had seen the act that was about to take the stage, and for anyone else it had either been longer or not at all. Slowly, music started to escape from the speakers. The first sounds heard were from a jaw harp played by the instrumentally diverse Howard Levy as he walked out on stage. Next, Futureman came out with his Synthaxe Drumitar, laying down percussion in the most unique way with an instrument of his own design. Then came Victor Wooten and Béla Fleck, at the same time, filling the sound out with their respective bass and banjo. The June 8 reunion tour show of Béla Fleck and the Original Flecktones was underway.

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    The Nashville-based progressive bluegrass, jazz fusion quartet started their unsupported two-set show off with one of their oldest tunes, “Frontiers.” There was a thorough introduction to everyone’s capabilities right off the bat. Howard demonstrating his note-bending harmonica technique, Victor proving to be as solid as ever, helping to keep the rhythm in fine form, Béla plucking away at his banjo in the most expert of ways, and Futureman’s fluent ability to fill the rest of the sound with the perfect percussion.

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    The band played a few more songs before the crowd was addressed. Béla spoke first, talking about how long it had been since they’ve toured and how they are on a two-week run, slowly moving their way west to Colorado to play the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. He talked about being back in Albany for the first time in four years and how he’s “always thrilled to be back at The Egg.” He then turned the crowd’s attention to his right and introduced Howard, who made mention of being a New York native, specifically from Brooklyn. Howard then introduced Victor who then introduced his older brother, Futureman.

    The drummer extraordinaire gave some insight into the formation of The Flecktones. He mentioned that Béla called him one day and started talking to him about a project. Futureman urged Béla not to pigeonhole himself in bluegrass and told him how playing jazz on a banjo isn’t just a possibility—it’s already been done, but had fallen out of style. He talked about how back in the 1920s Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five, a New Orleans jazz band, had a banjo as a main instrument. Futureman elaborated further after the show saying that Béla playing banjo in a jazz band would be like bringing that instrument full circle in a genre from which it had escaped years ago, likely due to the instillation of the guitar.

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    The show was not only loaded with truly fulfilling music, but it was clear that these four longtime bandmates were having some fun performing on the road again. Howard was using every bit of every instrument to make the sound he wanted the audience to hear, like reaching into the open top of the grand piano and strumming on the high octave strings. Victor played his nearly patented slap-and-tap, which always gets the crowd cheering. Béla continued to tear up the banjo with precision and Futureman was taking drum solos while not even sitting at a drum set. They finished up the first set with “Kayto,” during which they crowded together so all four could help play the bass and banjo slung over Victor and Béla’s shoulders.

    The Flecktones came back from set break and ignited the second set with “Zenergy,” in which Victor played a monster bass solo. He told a fan after the show that a vast majority of any show he plays is him playing bass lines and not playing with more complicated technique; the band benefits much more from a solid bass line than constant soloing. (Either way, when people think of Victor Wooten, they think of one of the best bassists in the history of music and hearing him perform one of his solos is almost worth the price of admission by itself.)

    The second set was going as could be expected—everyone dancing in their seat and giving little shout outs, cheering on these four gentlemen. One fan pointed it out the best, noting that it was simply amazing that what everyone was watching is a group of four guys who are all very talented musicians, quite unique in their own fashion, yet still manage to play symbiotically, as though they were one musical organism.

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    Toward the end of the second set, Béla gave the crowd some instructions, which included some “ooos” and “aaahs.” What came next was the crowd favorite, “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo.” The set was capped off with another hit, “Stomping Grounds,” and then this incredibly unique band exited the stage, only to return moments later for their encore. Béla and his fellow minstrels finished the show with sincere thanks for everyone attending and then they broke into an electrifying “Sinister Minister.”

    As the house lights came on, the audience started to file out toward the venue’s exit. However, some fans remained and started to congregate near the stage. These people knew something those who were already departing didn’t know; Béla, Victor, Howard and Futureman would be back out to do an unannounced meet-and-greet. They proved to be incredibly gracious and humble people who were more than happy to take pictures with fans and sign autographs, even for one gentleman who had the better part of a dozen CDs to sign. The evening left Flecktones’ fans fully satisfied, knowing that it was worth the four-year wait. The only hope was that the amount of time between this show and the next will be much shorter.

    Check out the photo gallery below taken by NYS Music photographer, Frankie Cavone.

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  • Eagles of Death Metal Fly High at Upstate Concert Hall

    There’s nothing quite like a good, old fashioned rock and roll show on a Tuesday night, am I right? Concert goers of all ages turned out on a summer-y weeknight at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park to see Palm Desert natives Eagles of Death Metal slay with their own brand of blues-rock.

    Don’t let their name fool you, folks. They are NOT a death metal band. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) They are a rock and roll band. Unapologetic for their riff-heavy, get ya dancin’, tight jeans and leather jacket brand of rock- they even entered with panache. Frontman, Jesse “Boots Electric” Hughes came out on stage to E.L.O’s “It’s Magic,” proudly waving an American flag for all to see.

    Eagles of Death MetalHughes has not been a stranger to the headlines lately, being an avid Trump supporter, and a self proclaimed “gun-totin’ American.” The band themselves gained worldwide notoriety after the terrorist attacks at Bataclan in Paris this past November, where at a sold out show of 1500 people, 89 concert goers were tragically gunned down. Eagles of Death Metal made their return to Paris onstage with U2, giving a powerful performance of Patti Smith’s “People Have The Power.”

    Fast forward to now, on their American Tour, their past tragedy not quite behind them, the band has created a new fan base of listeners. Their latest release, “Zipper Down” is filled with catchy, strut-worthy pieces, and they hit on all the best at Upstate Concert Hall.

    The band opened with “I Only Want You” from their 2004 release, Peace, Love and Death Metal. The crowd immediately roared with delight, dancing, jumping, and sweating with Hughes. Keeping the momentum, they continued on to “Secret Plans” from 2008’s Heart On. Hughes co-founder and Queens of the Stone Age frontman, Josh Homme was not part of the night’s lineup, though it seemed he was there in spirit. At one point a fan screamed out “BETTER THAN HOMME” to his tour drummer. This delighted Hughes, who said he couldn’t wait to “call him up and tell him that. He’s gonna love that.” EODM then started playing their new material off of Zipper Down, starting with their single, “Complexity.” It was great to see the crowd chanting in unison, “My socks and underwear, I like to keep them clean. It’s so easy without complexity!” After that, the band performed “Skin Tight Boogie Baby,” a personal favorite off of their new album, for the very first time in front of a live crowd. “That means we’re going to f*ck it up,” boasted Hughes, though no mistakes were heard during the performance.

    I’d be remiss to not mention the amazing sounds of Nashville female rockers, Thelma and the Sleaze, who are supporting Eagles of Death Metal on this leg of their tour. They really know how captivate an audience. Lead singer and guitarist, LG, looking like Janis Joplin, but sounding like Stevie Nicks mixed with a fire banshee, was all business, with no frills. It was so refreshing to see 4 women rock so hard. I’m sure they are used to taking people by storm, and Tuesday night was no exception.

    The entire night was filled with pure, unadulterated rock and roll. The kind of rock and roll that flows through your veins and gets you excited about music again, and makes you feel something. Raw, visceral, sweaty, and fun. It was a fantastic evening, and I’m sure anyone who was there will say the same.

  • 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.

  • A Matured Jimkata Blows the Roof off the Hollow

    One of the greatest things about seeing a band numerous times is the ability to witness the progression they make over the years. And if you see the band frequently, it will feel gradual and natural, but if it’s been a while since you’ve seen them, the improvement can be striking. Case in point: Jimkata’s performance at the Hollow on May 20.

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    The Ithaca-based electro-rock band tours nationally and is a festival frequenter. For years, Albany has had the pleasure of watching them grow. But for some of us who hadn’t seen them in awhile, their show at the Hollow Bar and Kitchen on May 20 was like seeing a long-lost childhood friend all grown up. The resemblance is there, but they’ve metamorphosed into an adult.

    The “party-funk” duo the Hornitz kicked things off at what would be a night of exceeded expectations. These two, known as “Friendship” and “Stoo,” use loops to create the sound of a full band. The tenor sax and bass trombone made for a funky throw down. Fans were more than willing to sing along to “Overnight Success” (Dance with Anyone) as well as a playful rendition of Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend.”

    When the three men comprising Jimkata took the stage, it was clear from the first note that this is not the young band we once remembered. The vocal strength of frontman Evan Friedell has matured, and the sincerity in his demeanor and relatable lyrics are enough to create goosebumps. While in general Jimkata is not known for lengthy jams, Aaron Gorsch was given several opportunities to really let lose. And although the group certainly does not need to rely on the jams (and doesn’t), Gorsch shows that they’re more than an electronic, pop-infused rock band—there is talent on both the song and the ability to improvise. The analog synthesized tones recalled the sounds of the ’80s (without the corniness); the bass was heavy and the lights pulsating, and drummer Packy Lunn beat fire, adding to the intensity—the experience was thrilling.

    They played favorites from years ago off of their 2012 fan-funded album, Die Digital, including “Nightshade,” “Chain Store” and “Electronic Stone,” all of which left old fans with a rush of emotion; some with their eyes closed, but still grooving to the music. Having just released their latest album, In Motion, the band played several tracks from it like “Innocence” and “Wild Ride,” (see the official music video above) a song that gives goosebumps and might make you put your arm around your best friend and say, “I love you, man,” as seen firsthand during this Albany show. After the crowd begged Jimkata to return to the stage with the syllable-pointed chant of “Jim-Ka-Ta, Jim-Ka-Ta,” they returned for a three-song encore that featured “I Won’t Let You Down” off of the new album, “ Electronic Stone” that got serious crowd engagement and “Roll with the Punches.”

    Having gone from four members to three has not hindered their performance. What was once a “pretty good” electronic rock band has grown into a beautifully powerful, multi-layered core of matured musicians. If you haven’t seen these guys in awhile, make a point to do so in the near future. You’ll be proud.