On April 8, multi-instrumentalist and one-man jam band Keller Williams, hosted a night of tasteful jams and brought along a fancy new group of amazing musicians to the Westcott Theater in Syracuse. Adding Gibb Droll on acoustic guitar, Rodney Holmes on Drums, and Danton Boller on the upright bass, Keller dubbed the group The KW KWahtro (fun for quatro, meaning four). For anyone who’s seen Keller play live, whether solo or with any of his collaborations, knew the evening would be filled with danceable rhythms and charming lyrics.
With no opening performers, the show kicked off shortly after 9 p.m. allowing the group time to dig in and get comfortable. As the house music faded and lights dimmed, the subtle sound of a muted acoustic guitar began to get louder and louder. Soon enough, a silhouette appeared at the back of the stage and Keller then slowly danced his way forward with the rest of the band following behind him. The audience cheered with excitement as Keller strummed his way into a funky instrumental before the rest of KWahtro joined in with a groove.
Before the crowd knew it, the piece unfolded into the popular hip-shaking “Freaker By the Speaker,” followed with a jam that led into an upbeat version of Jerry Garcia‘s “Bird Song.” Keeping the rhythm flowing, Keller slightly changed direction and began singing “Birds of a Feather” by Phish, which rocketed the energy of the room. Towards the end of the set, came an incredible jazzy drum solo from Rodney Holmes, known for his jazz influenced style. The ensemble re-emerged from the dark, strapped on their instruments and began into “Up From the Skies.”
The second set followed suit with Keller entering the stage in the same fashion. This time around, the whole band collectively began jamming into the hit song “Best Feeling,” from the album Breathe, made popular by Williams’ collaboration with The String Cheese Incident. Included in the second half was a delightful “Scarlet Begonias” featuring a “China Cat” intro, “Victory Song,” and two new singles “Mantra” and “The Drop” from Keller’s most recent release, Vape. KWahtro re-emerged from the shadows of the backstage and asked the boisterous crowd, “Would you like to hear a rockin’ cover or a rockin’ original?” With sincere acceptance for both options, the group graciously jammed out the original tune “High,” seguing into Joe Walsh‘s “Life’s Been Good” to end the evening.
Overall, these four amazingly talented musicians can surely entertain any audience in any venue simply because they know how to hold a tight groove. Judging by the response from the crowd, KWahtro is welcome in Syracuse anytime and hopefully they make their way back again in the near future.
Set One: Instrumental Intro > Freaker by the Speaker > Pets > Freaker > Bird Song > Birds of a Feather, Baby Mama, Ripped Six Pack > Cheaper by the Bale, Kiwi & Apricot, Hate, Greed, Love > Moving Sidewalk > Rodney Holmes Solo, Up From the Skies, Fuel for the Road
Set Two: Best Feeling > Open-Close > The Sun & Moon’s Vagenda, China Cat Intro > Scarlet Begonias, Mantra, Apparition > Victory Song > Buena > Off Time Chorus Line > Breathe > The Drop > Breathe.
Encore: High > Life’s Been Good
On any given afternoon in Syracuse, it is highly probable 
With no time to spare, the house lights dropped as the sound system started thumping, synchronizing with blue pulsating stage lights. Dustin Lynch and his band invaded the stage for their brief set and kicked off the night with “To the Sky,” from his latest release 
After an extended intermission, the house lights dropped one final time and the audience erupted as green 
Little Big Town Set:
The show kicked off with a brief 
This group has become outstandingly popular; having been to several of their shows, they never seem to disappoint. Since their formation in 2013, they have created a beautiful fan base and evoke a sphere of jam and funky madness. On this night, they pumped the smoky carnival air with tunes such as “Regal Krad”, “Moon Boots”, “Uh Oh I Slipped My Disco”, “Rango”, “Mister Sam”, “Plibt”, and “Entree The Giant”. It is pleasing to witness how they have progressed over the years and it is an honor to watch them continue to grow into galactic flowers.
Space Carnival meshes funk, progressive rock, and high-energy disco all while melting brains and hearts. They have a unique rhythm and spatial sound which all keep their fellow dancers afloat and on their toes. They performed covers throughout the night along with their fresh jams to keep the spacey flow going. Stay tuned as they are currently recording their debut album Drawn In By The Sun.
Following Space Carnival, Jimkata settled the night in the most perfect way, allowing the audience to cool down and sooth to the smooth moves of soft soundwaves. This night was about the promotion and celebration of their newest album In Motion. This band is much more than what they seem; their anthemic-synth-washed rock n’ roll and pop take you through the night and underground on a happy rollercoaster with sweet melodies and charming hooks. One can feel the emotional energy that emanates from their gentle tunes. It has an adventurous, continuous flow of undulating waves.
On this night of the tour, Evan Friedell (guitar/vocals), Aaron Gorsch (synth/guitar), and Packy Lunn (drums) collectively embraced their listeners with a fresh perspective of feeling. Their music lures you with emotion and hits your body with the beat. The crowd cheered to some of their hits such as, “Wild Ride”, “Innocence”, “Won’t Let You Down”, “Jumping Out of Airplanes”, and “Ride The Wave”, all from their most recent album.
Having been the first time seeing 
The fans handled every sound the band threw at them; the rhythms made each soul move and each body shake that night, bringing a sense of euphoria and enlightenment. Throughout the show, Big Mean rocked the stage with even more hits from their newest album, some of which included “In the Name of What,” “Contraband,” “Sweet Tooth” and “Wolfpack.” They also threw in “Marauders,” a classic from 2012, that brought a different sense of style and flair to the set. 
Opening the evening for the musical legend was the amazing 
By the time the lights came back up and Barry Manilow took the stage, this crowd was pumped. It was refreshing to see this packed venue up out of their seats waving their arms and glow sticks in the air as he belted out his opening number, ‘It’s A Miracle’. Thanking all those in attendance at the Turning Stone Event Center for his One Last Time tour , he told the sold out show goers that he’s so lucky to have had such an amazing career. Pulling one lucky lady up on stage for a slow dance to “Could It Be Magic” he serenaded her and asked how long she had been a fan. Claiming to be a fan for numerous years since the early 2000’s, he joked that it’s okay because “..for those of you who may not know, I was the Justin Bieber of the 70’s. Just ask your moms.” And it was true. No matter what you were listening to back then, a jingle on tv about Band-Aids or the famous State Farm ‘like a good neighbor’ ad, music that accompanied films and television, music produced for such artists as Bette Midler, Donna Summer, and/or Dionne Warwick, hosting his own television specials, or tuning in every Saturday morning to American Bandstand as he sang the opening number for Dick Clark’s entrance, Barry Manilow was the Beiber of the 70’s. I’m one mom that will attest to that statement. Everything he touched turned to gold and went to number one. With a trifecta of awards from the Grammy’s, Emmy’s, and Tony’s, he was and still is one of the ultimate musical performers, song writers, composers of our generation.
Let’s talk about that voice. That beautiful voice was just as clear and strong as it was in the beginning, as he belted out hit after hit after hit Friday night hitting every single note spot on. Manilow’s personality shone too through as he spoke with the audience. Growing up in Brooklyn and attending one of the country’s most dangerous high schools, he claimed he had two choices, gangs or music. He thanked the orchestra teachers for offering him the choice of music, because “…can you imagine me in a gang?” His wit, his charm, and his humanitarianism shone through. Sharing information on how the audience can help out others like Manilow, he described 
The absence of an opening act was evident as it took several songs before the crowd matched the energy level of the music being pumped out of the Marshall stacks. Though, with the 25-song setlist clocking in at 3 hours with a 20 minute intermission, it is debatable if an opening act was even feasible.
Then of course there was Buddy Guy, who was doing his thing before Jimi was doing Jimi’s thing. And at 79 years old, Buddy continues to do it. Buddy delivered gritty, witty lyrics in “Louisiana Blues”, and backed them up with shredding solos that reinvigorated the crowd that had started to look at their watches (not out of boredom, but disbelief and exhaustion). There is something about watching an elder statesman ripping through scales with the speed and feel that most guitarists will never know, it gives folks the energy to cheer just a little louder, a little longer.
Leaving the venue, I noted that instead of hearing conversations that started with “I wish they had played…”, what I heard mostly was “I can’t believe they played…” as the crowd was clearly pleased with how deep they dug into Jimi’s catalog. Much like a congregation after mass, those leaving the Landmark Theater appeared to be uplifted, fulfilled, and spiritually satiated, thanks to the service at The Electric Church.