Category: Central NY

Syracuse Jazz Fest Day One Begins and Ends with A Bang

Day one of the Syracuse Jazz Fest couldn’t have dialed up better weather, a better lineup, or better setting as the crowds filled in to the Onondaga Community College campus like a wave coming into shore. With music in the wind, literally, this spectacular day went down in the record books as a huge success.

Kicking off the day with locals Scottie Madonia, Sam Smith, Dunhan Hall, David Millen, Rick Bostick, and Nick DeMaria who make up NOTEified, they welcomed special guest Julia Goodwin to entertain early arrivers with hits from Stevie Wonder, Peggy Lee, Herbie Hancock, some Snarky Puppy, and Annie Lennox.

However it was Julia’s cover of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” that blew away the audience and would make Billy Joel himself sit up and take notice. Her voice is full of passion, yet strong and effortless, and with the accompaniment of some amazing musicians, this young group rocked the stage opening what would become the 34th epic weekend of music for the Syracuse Jazz Fest.

Next up was a band of amazing local artists from the Central NY region who paid homage to the late Mark Murphy. Mark was instrumental in the Syracuse musical scene as well as making his mark on the world with his innovative song writing and acting abilities. Discovered in the 50’s by Sammy Davis Jr. at the Ebony Jazz Club, Murphy was considered by his peers to be one of the greatest jazz vocalist ever, touching their lives and influencing their sounds. With six Grammy nominations and more than 40 releases over his 40 year career, the stage was full of top notch musicians this past weekend ready to celebrate his life and accomplishments.

Randy Brecker 2016 Artist in Residence, Joe Carello, Jay & Marty Ashby, Ronnie Leigh, Nancy Kelly, and Darmon Meader, took to the stage together with Peter Eldridge, Lauren Kinhan, and Kim Nazarian also known as the New York Voices. Their set celebrated some of his greatest songs and memories they each shared with him over the years. Known as a whistler it was fitting that during this set, a wind blew up and blew his sheet music all over the crowd reaching those in a way so fitting for the legend.

As the sun began to set, it was time for the The Mavericks to heat up the stage and the party to begin. Those not familiar with this vivacious group were in for a real treat. Best known as country musicians, their eclectic mix of sounds can best be described as a Bakersfield sound. You’re familiar with it…it’s a recipe with a Tex Mex flavor, a bit of rockabilly, a tad of Latin, some rock and roll, and traditional country to make a unique country mix that is the perfect recipe. These spicy entertainers are not only outstanding musicians, they have one of the best stage presence I’ve ever seen.

It didn’t matter that this music wasn’t traditional Jazz per se, because with a voice like a purr and a smile that melted all the girls hearts, Raul Malo mesmerized that audience from the get go, making his mark on this event. Joined by band members Paul Deakon on drums who laid down the beat and percussion for the evening, he set the stage for Eddie Perez’s rocking solos. With flying rock star hair and the best rhinestoned pants that would make any vaquero proud, Eddie’s rifts brought the house to their feet. Rounding out this dynamic group was the one only oh so very colorful Jerry Dale McFadden on keyboards. This charismatic musician won the crowd over the minute he took the stage in his dapper green suit. This band stood out as a cohesive group. No one member outshone the other, instead they each complimented and played off of each other and the crowd throughout the whole set. With an elite ensemble of brass rounding out the group, these gentlemen had that crowd on their feet dancing in no time flat.

Singing a setlist of some of the most versatile songs this evening, they had this journalist’s attention as they played a personal favorite “Harvest Moon”, a Neil Young cover that Malo made his very own. Getting into a patriotic mood for the 4th of July weekend, his rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “That’s America to Me”, demonstrated the varied influences other musicians have had on the band. As the smiles grew wider on the audience’s faces, the toes began tapping moreso, it was no time flat that the audience was eating out their hands and becoming part of the show. Feeding off this energy, and throwing in their rendition of Guantanamera by Pete Seeger and Twist and Shout made famous by the Isley Brothers, Mr. McFadden danced his way across the stage from one end to the other, inciting the crowd in a happied frenzy. Yes, it was crystal clear they were going to be a very tough act to follow on this gorgeous July evening.

As the sun set, and the fire began to fade in the sky, the mood also changed on stage as it was time for the headliner Michael McDonald to take the stage. Sharing a personal message, this humanitarian personally spoke about the state of this country, perfectly segwaying into “Freedom Highway” and “Sweet Freedom”. It was a joy to sit back and listen to this melodic voice once again.

Seeming timeless, Michael McDonald surrounded himself with an amazing ensemble with Bernie Chiaravalle on guitar/vocals, Dan Needham on drums/percussion, Mark Outhit on sax/keyboards, Pat Coil on keyboards, Jacob Lowery on bass/vocals, and Drea Rhenee’ rounding out the group on back up vocals and percussion. Whether real or Memorex, McDonald’s voice is spot on and the emotions are heartfelt as he closes his eyes and belts out his music.

As the night ended, fitting it was to have the evening end with a bang, with the fireworks display for all those who gathered on this holiday weekend to enjoy friends, community, and music at it’s best.

The Mavericks Setlist: Back In Your Arms, All Night Long/Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In, Stories, All That Heaven Will Allow, There Goes My Heart, Dance the Night Away, Harvest Moon (Neil Young cover), Only Question Is, Loving Tonight, Acoustic, The House I Live In, That’s America To Me (Frank Sinatra cover), Ride With Me, Fall Apart, Every Little Thing About You, Dance In the Moonlight, Summertime, Come Unto Me, Bring Me Down, and Guantanamera/Twist and Shout (Pete Seeger cover/the Isley Brothers cover)

Michael McDonald Setlist: Freedom Highway, Sweet Freedom, It Keeps You Runnin’ (The Doobie Brothers song), I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near), I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Marvin Gaye cover), Hurt Me, Obsession Blues, You Don’t Know Me (Eddy Arnold cover), Here to Love You (The Doobie Brothers song), Ain’t No Love, Minute by Minute (The Doobie Brothers song), This Is It (Kenny Loggins cover), What a Fool Believes (Kenny Loggins cover). Encore: On My Own (Patti LaBelle cover), Yah Mo B There (James Ingram cover), Takin’ It to the Streets (The Doobie Brothers song)

July 10, 2016
Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin to Play Lakeview Amphitheater

Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin will kick off their co-headlining summer tour at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, NY, on July 9. The tour will include stops in more than 20 cities across North America. Alter Bridge and Saint Asonia will join as special guests.

Disturbed, who recently kicked off their first tour following a four-year hiatus, is enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to their cover of the Simon and Garfunkel song “The Sound of Silence” off their 2015 album Immortalized. “The Sound of Silence” is the band’s second single to go platinum. “Down with the Sickness” was the band’s first from their four-time platinum debut album The Sickness.

Co-headliner Breaking Benjamin also released a new album in 2015, Dark Before Dawn. The album reached number one on both the Billboard 200 and the alternative and rock charts. The album proves that the newly formed Breaking Benjamin lineup is still strong and can produce hit singles with “Failure” and “Angels Fall.”

Fans in New York City were treated to a preview of the tour at a Breaking Benjamin acoustic performance in February where Disturbed frontman David Draiman jumped onstage to perform the Queen and David Bowie cover of “Under Pressure.” If this is any indication of what to expect on this tour, you won’t want to miss it.

July 8, 2016
Show Preview : Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People to Play Funk N Waffles

Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People will be making a stop at the Downtown Syracuse Funk N Waffles on July 16. Ponder, a Rochester native, offers a transcendent mix of powerful groove and soul music with gospel roots.

Ponder and the Tomorrow People was named one of the “Top Ten Bands to Watch” by CityPaper and was the winner of the 2015 Roc Awards, “Best Local Band.” Ponder and her band are currently on tour in support of their 2016 EP release Blow Out the Sun.

Ponderhas been described as having a “riveting and honest” stage presence. Ponder describes her live shows as an interactive experience, “When I get on stage I want the audience to be just as important as the musicians. I want to hear them, feel them and see them dancing and moving.” The Funk N Waffles show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are still available here.

July 6, 2016
NYS Music Presents Saturday Nights in July at Funk ‘N Waffles Downtown

Beginning this Saturday, July 2, NYS Music will present a diverse lineup of artists at Funk ‘N Waffles in Downtown Syracuse. Cory Henry, the Blind Spots, Calliope Musical and the Zen Rites kick off the new summer series this weekend.

The Grammy award-winning Cory Henry is a one-of-a-kind, multi-instrumental musician and producer. He dabbles in a variety of genres with artists such as Yolanda Adams, Sara Bareilles, P. Diddy, Kirk Franklin, Kenny Garrett, Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge, Shaun Kingston, Donald Lawrence and Michael McDonald. Yet, it’s his upbeat, jazzy tunes and captivating R&B performances that have caught the eyes of fans, while playing as a member of Snarky Puppy. Don’t miss a chance to hear his new hits from The Revival in person.

The Blind Spots are sure to get your hands in the air and your feet moving along to a pop-indie beat. This female-fronted, Ithaca-based band offers solid rhythm, an array of eclectic keyboard sounds and inventive electric guitar stylings.

If there has ever been a folk band that made you feel like you were at a psychedelic party, Calliope Musical is the one. This group’s high-energy performance engages the crowd to create a beautiful interaction between the dance floor and the stage.

The Zen Rites are an alternative folk duo from Ithaca who perform in hopes to spread positivity and consciousness. This couple began making music in 2015, with plans of releasing their first EP of lyrically driven songs full of passion and depth in the near future.

7/9 Hippie Ball II w/Pearly Baker’s Best, Solar Garlic, Two Hour Delay @ 8 p.m.

The authentic Grateful Dead tribute band, Pearly Baker’s Best, never plays the same show twice. Covering songs that span more than 50 years of timeless lyrics and jams, any fan would enjoy their performance.

Solar Garlic — another tribute band, but this time it’s Phish, coming right out of Syracuse. Driven by the improvisational thrills that make Phish jams such an epic live performance, these four members pay proper tribute to their favorite band.

Syracuse natives, Two Hour Delay, are an Americana rock jam band that has opened for Rusted Root, Donna the Buffalo, Floodwood, New Riders of the Purple Sage and Enter the Haggis. Influenced by rock and roll, blues, folk, country and bluegrass, they play a mix of tasteful original songs and covers.

7/16 Funknut, Danille Ponder and The Tomorrow People @ 10 p.m.

Funknut plays as a rotating cast of funk, soul and rock and roll. Funknut and its members have opened for and played with the Temptations, Bernie Worrell of Parliament Funkadelic and Talking Heads, Robert Randolph, John Medeski, the Four Tops, Soulive, KRS-One, Particle, Alan Evans and Break Science.

Titled one of the “Top Ten Bands to Watch” by CityPaper, Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People transcends musical genres with a blast of deep, powerful groove and soul. Danielle’s style and charismatic vocals has landed them with powerhouses such as George Clinton, Ledisi and the Roots. The Rochester native states, “Soul music is something you feel,” she says. “It gives you goosebumps.” In combination with her groovy band, their performance is both enchanting and seductive — this honest stage presence is sure to make you melt.

7/23 Rabbit in the Rye w/special guest Savannah and the Kings, Jackson Cavalier and The Fevertones @ 9 p.m.

Joseph Mettler on guitar and harmonica, Alexander Lavon on bass and Brendan O’Connor on percussion and mandolin make up a progressive folk rock trio from Hamilton, NY. Rabbit in the Rye’s fables and unique way of storytelling combined with a bittersweet, poetic sound reminds listeners of a forgotten American image with fantastic realism.

At a young age, Savannah began telling stories through lyrics exploding with imagery and passion that was well beyond her years. Her deep, expressive songs have caught the attention of artists such as Emmylou Harris, 10,000 Maniacs, Harpeth Rising, Field Report and award-winning Canadian country music singer-songwriter Ryan Cook and landed her opportunities to play with Buffalos Philharmonic Orchestra. After two brilliant solo tours, she extended her success as a harmony vocalist and rhythm guitarist with 10,000 Maniancs. In April, she recorded her latest album Bold and Unsteady with her new band, Savannah and the Kings, and is ready to share her passions with new and old fans alike.

Jackson Cavalier and the Fevertones has been voted Rochester’s Best Busker(s) for the past two years and holds the title of house band at The Daily Refresher. Starting up as street performers, they experimented with horns, strings, percussion and harmony and have now played over one hundred gigs since their formation in 2013. Their consistency has paid off as they now have two studio albums and a high demand trailing after their Indie Folk sound.

7/30 Castle Creek w/special guest SimpleLife @ 9 p.m.

Local barnyard burners Kim Monroe and Chris Eves of Castle Creek 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.

Starting as a trio of acoustic artists in 2001, this group has evolved from three part harmonies into a critically acclaimed band. You can catch them performing in different numbers, but they will always leave you wanting more. Two of the original members, Mike Frisina and Ben Lucas, have opened up 2 Bros. Studios where they write and record music consistently. Simple Life’s third album will be released this summer.

July 1, 2016
Brewery Ommegang to Host the String Cheese Incident and Twiddle

Cooperstown, NY, is setting up to be a hot spot this summer for concert-goers as Brewery Ommegang and Dan Smalls Presents will host their short but sweet annual Summer Concert Series. The concert season kicked off in May with Lake Street Dive and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. The next show coming up on July 8, is Colorado-based folk-jam band the String Cheese Incident and Vermont’s Twiddle.

Known for their diverse catalog of bluegrass-rock music with energized jams, the String Cheese Incident thrive on live performances and the fans that push them to rock harder every night. Kings of the festival scene, SCI have been touring for more than 20 years with countless studio and live recordings available as well as DVD’s of recent shows courtesy of Tour Gigs. In May 2015, while building their new studio in Colorado, the group chiseled a week out of their schedules to rent a house in Arizona and construct some new material, while bonding like a good band should. Appearing on their website is a free download of a few songs from that recording, titled SCI Sound Lab Volume 1.

Twiddle, the four-piece groove machine that many people are warming up to, recently just sold-out the stunning Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY, and are in full work mode with an intriguing list of tour dates this summer, including appearances at North Coast Music Festival, the Peach Fest and Lockn’ Music Festival.

While on the road at this very moment, you can catch the String Cheese Incident at some of the major festivals and venues across the states which include Red Rocks, The Peach Fest and Big Sky Brewing Company before returning to New York to pump up the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.

July 1, 2016
Dave Matthews Band Gets Sexy With Sold Out Lakeview Amphitheater

Dave Matthews Band brought an eclectic mix of its unique catalog of songs and covers to an enthusiastic crowd of 17,500 at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse on Wednesday June 22. The show marks the first sold out show at the newly opened amphitheater.

Fans were a bit apprehensive about the traffic, the no tailgating policy and the venue’s ability to handle the large crowd, but the venue seemed to do a good job managing traffic. Shuttles were running constantly to and from alternate parking locations as far away as downtown Syracuse. The no tailgating policy was generously overlooked. People were having a good time enjoying a few drinks but it didn’t appear that anyone was out of control. However, a no pop-up tent and no grill policy was strictly enforced. Some lighting could be added to improve visibility toward the exits and in the parking lots and they definitely need to add some additional porta-potties. The sound quality and the views are the best I’ve experienced compared to other amphitheaters in the northeast.

Dave Matthews Band took the stage around 8:30 and opened with their classic tune “Warehouse,” followed by “When the World Ends” and mega hit “Crash Into Me.” It seemed as if every single person in the audience knew every song as they belted out the words with every breath. The audience continued singing and dancing through “Don’t Drink the Water.” The band slowed things down with “Stay or Leave” and immediately got the crowd revved up again with fan favorite “#41,” where Boyd Tinsley had the audience cheering as he showcased his awe inspiring violin skills.

As the band is currently on tour celebrating their 25th anniversary before they go on a hiatus in 2017, they had no problem celebrating as fans jumped up and down, pumped their fists and occasionally took the lead singing parts of songs. At one point the fans lead a chant of “Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself,” to which Matthews took a step back and treated the audience to his trademark impish grin and eyebrow raise.

Between songs, Matthews was relatively quiet, thanking the audience and remarking about the beauty of the venue. He did leave fans hopeful by stating, “I hope we can come back here and play for y’all again sometime.” The celebration continued as the band paced through a nineteen song set. Stefan Lessard rocked a beautiful six string bass for the occasion. Carter Beauford, smiling as always, pounded the drums so fast at some points it looked like his hands were vibrating. Guitarist Tim Reynolds zipped up and down the fret board, producing intricate and unique sounds while making it look completely effortless.

Jeff Coffin (saxophone) and Rashawn Ross (trumpet) were joined by saxophonist and old friend, Sam Kininger. Kininger has played with Ross in Lettuce and Soulive’s Shady Horns Section. The horn section showed they are more than just an accompaniment as they blared in perfect harmony through “What Would You Say” and “Jimi Thing.”

Matthews showed his silly side as he borrowed a party hat from an audience member and wore it through the band’s almost hilarious version of Prince cover “Sexy Mother F*cker” to end the main part of the set. You would think that after almost two and a half hours that the fans would start to fade, but instead they roared, cheered and many chanted their “wish list” song hoping the band would oblige and play it during the encore. Shouts of “Two Step,” “Halloween,” and “Watchtower” rang out over the deafening cheers of the crowd. It is this intense level of excitement and anticipation that proves why Dave Matthews Band is a summer ritual for so many fans.

The band took a short break and ended the evening with a two song encore that included “The Song That Jane Likes” and fan favorite “Tripping Billies.” Carter Beauford tossed out buckets of drum sticks as fans roared and begged for more.

Set list:

Warehouse, When the World Ends, Crash Into Me, Sugar Will, Don’t Drink the Water, Stay or Leave, #41, Samurai Cop, Grey Street, Satellite, Break Free, Lie in Our Graves, Shake Me Like a Monkey, Typical Situation, What Would You Say (with Sam Kininger), Jimi Thing (with Sam Kininger), Sexy M.F. (Prince cover) (with Sam Kininger)

Encore:

The Song that Jane Likes, Tripping Billies

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June 29, 2016
Exclusive: Space Carnival Debuts “Moon Boots” Video

Space Carnival, who are releasing their debut album Drawn In By The Sun later this year, have released the video for “Moon Boots,” a highly groovy upbeat number that was filmed at The Haunt in Ithaca, NY during their opening slot for Twiddle in April.

Drawn In By The Sun has 8 tracks that cover the melting pot of the genres that influence this young group, which will shine on the studio album for a band that has until now been best appreciated live for their improvisation. The album is the result of a successful IndieGoGo campaign this past fall.

The video was shot by Shane Sullivan, who has also been a featured vocalist on live covers since the band’s inception. Space Carnival is Cameron Fitch (keyboards/vocals), Jeremy Kraus (guitar/vocals), Chris Meier (bass/vocals), and Nick Tassinari (drums).

June 29, 2016
Grace Potter Proudly Returns to Saranac Brewery

Grace Potter brought an eclectic mix of pop, dance and soul music to an enthusiastic crowd at the Saranac Brewery on Friday, June 17. Potter, who parted ways with her band the Nocturnals, has been forging ahead as a solo artist this past year with her album Midnight. Potter and the band’s set covered several songs from Midnight, but also included hits from the Grace Potter and the Nocturnals catalog and covers of upbeat tunes like “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart and “When Doves Cry” by Prince.

Photo by Chris Besaw

Potter opened with “Hot to Touch,” followed by “Turntable” and “Empty Heart,” causing the totality of the audience to dance and sing-along. Fans continued singing and dancing through “Apologies” off the Grace Potter and the Nocturnals album This is Somewhere.

Potter was energetic throughout; she danced and engaged the audience the entire show. She often describes her shows as “a dance party” and invites the crowd to move up front to really get the party started. Potter showcased her vocal talents and range in the songs “Delirious” and “Stars.”

Between songs, Potter joked about her days at St. Lawrence University in nearby Canton. “Some of the best nights of my life happened right here in Utica,” she laughed. Potter ended the evening with a four-song encore that included “When Doves Cry” (Prince cover), “Stars” and the fan-favorite “Paris (Ooh La La).”

Set list: Hot to Touch, Turntable, Empty Heart, Your Girl, Apologies, Nothing But the Water, Alive Tonight, Do Ya Think I’m Sexy (Rod Stewart cover), Delirious

Encore: When Doves Cry (Prince Cover), Stars, Instigators, Paris (Ooh La La)

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June 25, 2016
Shiffley Premieres New Single “Systems”

A lot of great bands form in college. The Pixies, for example, formed after guitarists Black Francis and Joey Santiago shared a suite together at U-Mass. By fortunate accident, the two spent hours at a time collectively reveling in the glory of late ’70s punk and David Bowie. Similarly, after actualizing their musical ambitions at Harvard, the members of Galaxie 500 swiftly began practicing with a drum set Damon Krukowski borrowed from classmate Conan O’Brien. Queen’s Brian May and Tim Staffell, too, discovered each other on a noticeboard on the grounds of Imperial College.

Starting a band in college, is by no means, uncommon or unnatural. Being a campus band, however, is a staggering decision, one more impertinent than being a band that merely makes music at college together. Being a campus band entails adhering to the collegiate lifestyle, pandering to the Thursday night red solo cup agenda, often by playing Beyoncé and Zedd covers to a house-full fraternity party. Being a campus band is not akin to writing songs with striking relevance to the collegiate lifestyle (see: “U-Mass,” “Tugboat“). It is not akin to playing a basement house show, wherein indie kids gather around the makeshift stage, acknowledging the band as the main event.

Shiffley

But Shiffley is different. They are, by no means, your average campus band, subsumed under the forgetfulness that follows a night of cheap and hard drinking. Not only did this Long Island band make the best of their Craigslist success story, but they also broke the long pattern of campus bands that came before them. Shiffley, instead, drew from their red solo cup collegiate starpower, collaborating with students that have all sorts of different skills from arts to business. They built their core team from friends at Syracuse University, finding a manager in co-founding member of A Cappella group Otto Tunes, Cormac Dennehy.

“I was a fan that wanted to help out in any way I could. It started out with them hitting me up for help promoting shows and just turned into me helping out with all corners of their camp. One day we just decided to put it in writing,” explained Dennehy, who currently works at talent agency ICM, which tends to clients like Bonnaroo, Coachella, Lollapalooza, SXSW, Lilith Fair, Sasquatch and Summerfest. “Every day I interact with new people in the entertainment industry — and if I can turn them into a viable contact, or at the very least a fan, then you bet your fanny I will do so. It’s also helpful to see how other people operate in a similar space. I have the opportunity to watch seasoned industry pros do what they do, and occasionally, I am able to apply that to my work with Shiffley.”

Shiffley indeed got their footing on campus, playing house show after house show until the concert board took notice and billed them as openers for 21 Pilots. In January 2014, Shiffley was handpicked by Fall Out Boy, Emeli Sande and Austin Mahone as a finalist in CBS’ nationwide Grammy Gig of a Lifetime competition, placing fourth out of 40 finalists. They were also semi-finalists in VH1’s Make A Band Famous competition. After releasing their EP Atomic Robot Man (mixed by Tony Gallis, the man behind several Steely Dan records), Shiffley is back this year with a new single, “Systems,” and an album slated for a July release.

“‘Systems’ is the second part of a two-song story off of the album about a robot that learns how to feel and then instantly regrets the decision,” the band shared over a warm email exchange, after revealing that they got their name from singer Alex Ganes’ illustration of a sleazy salesman. “As a band, we can relate to the idea of being sleazy salesmen of music.” It’s not long before they casually mention that they got their song mixed at Freshly Baked Studios, in exchange for a shout out. Their flagrant audacity is marveling, and it’s brazen barters like this that truly define Shiffley. Shiffley, as a band, lies on the other side of DIY, on the side that is transparently earnest in its outreach for commercial success. And this, in itself, makes the band that much more endearing, and that much more likely to succeed.

The idea behind “Systems” stemmed from spending their Syracuse weekends chasing down parties until the winter dipped into the negatives, thereby surpassing their threshold for the cold: “[Systems] is about the regret. The robot casts off his/her emotions in an effort return to max efficiency. The main hook, ‘Systems are down, it’s getting cold, I’m going home’ is about crossing that threshold and returning to logic at the expense of the fun times.”

Stream “Systems,” the first single off their TBD album slated for a release later this year, below, and follow Shiffley on Facebook and Twitter, videos on YouTube and music on SoundCloud and Spotify.

Shiffley July 2016 Tour Dates:
7/21 – Studio at Webster – NY, NY
7/23 – SUSIEPALOOZA – Deer Park, NY
7/25 – Chapala Blue Beetle Rock Bar – Burtonsville, MD
7/26 – Jammin Java – Vienna, VA

June 23, 2016
Hinder Brings its Stripped-Down Acoustic Show to Binghamton

Hinder, best known for their hits “Get Stoned,” “Lips of an Angel,” “Better than Me,” “How Long,” “I Don’t Wanna Know,” and many others brought their acoustic set to Magic City Music Hall in Binghamton, NY, on June 7 in support of their new six-song acoustic EP titled Stripped. Stripped was released on May 13 via the End Records and includes the songs “Not An Addict,” “Intoxicated,” “Wasted Life,” Hit The Ground,” “If Only For Tonight” and “Get Stoned.” This is the band’s first strictly acoustic project to be released and is their second EP; the first being their 2003 debut Far From Close.

In March, the band announced the album would be titled Stripped and would be released on May 13. At the time the band also announced that they would be touring June through July with the New Zealand-based rock band Like a Storm in support of the new EP.

After a stellar didgeridoo-infused, 45-minute acoustic performance by Like a Storm, who played several numbers including “Becoming The Enemy,” “Amazing Grace/Southern Skies,” “Love the Way You Hate Me” and a cool rendition of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise,” Hinder took the stage and began their set with “Intoxicated,” “I Don’t Wanna Know” and “What Ya Gonna Do” that had lead singer Marshal Dutton and the band joking with the crowd about mixing up the brands when your usual whiskey “ain’t workin’ no more.”

Despite a smaller than expected crowd, longtime band members Mark King, Joe “Blower” Garvey, Mike Rodden, Cody Hansen and lead vocalist and guitarist Marshal Dutton put on a fun-filled, entertaining and interactive show with an intimate audience and performed each song exceptionally well with great vocals and musicianship that they are known for. At times throughout the evening, various members swapped instruments with each other, showcasing how musically talented they are as individuals as well as a band. Hinder played a 12-song set with fun interactive breaks at times between songs and swapping instruments.

Hinder and Like a Storm continue their acoustic tour throughout the summer. If you’re out there and looking for a great show this summer, be sure to check out Hinder and Like a Storm.

Hinder Set List 6/7/16:
Intoxicated, I Don’t Wanna Know, What ya Gonna Do, Shoulda Known Better, Hit the Ground, Last Kiss Goodbye, Not an Addict, Red Tail Lights, Better Than Me, Get Stoned, Pussy Control, No Excuses

June 15, 2016