Category: Syracuse

Avett Brothers Light Up ‘Salina’ Street in Syracuse

Majesty, introspect and foot-stomping good times. All were on display as the Avett Brothers performed before a Landmark Theatre packed to its gilded ceiling on July 7 in Syracuse.

For two solid hours, the brothers Avett from Mount Pleasant, NC, and their fellow bandmates, exhibited a true appreciation for their audience and exceptional musicianship. A special award should be given to the Avett Brothers‘ road crew for the sheer athleticism required in all the instrument changes throughout the show.

The Avetts’ Appalachian roots are always on display, as evidenced by Scott Avett’s ever-present banjo. However, the band’s sound has evolved since its early millennium beginnings to include elements of punk, rock, soul and pop. This is a band of extreme musical talent, able to jump among genres without losing its core appeal; this is a band finally getting deserved recognition.

The recently released True Sadness, the Avetts’ ninth studio album, topped the Billboard charts in four separate categories last week (Americana/Folk Albums, Top Rock Albums, Alternative Albums and Top Album Sales). The near sold-out crowd assembled at the Landmark that Thursday evening had obviously done its homework, singing along to the new songs as if they were old friends.

Throughout the night, fans sang and danced and remained respectfully quiet at the appropriate times — and the respect was mutual. Several times Scott Avett expressed his thanks for being allowed to perform.

The crowd rose to its feet early during a raucous version of the band’s latest single “Ain’t No Man” and stayed that way until the final note of the night. Seth Avett brought down the house with a stirring solo take on “Souls Like the Wheels.”

While the brothers stood front and center directing the ensemble, it was impossible to miss the whirling dervishes located stage left. Tania Elizabeth and Joe Kwon won the night, proving highly entertaining while shredding their bows on violin and cello respectively.

The Avett Brothers have traveled a long way from their debut as an unknown Appalachian folk band to one selling out theaters and sheds across the country. The growth within the band has coincided with the growth in its sound; yet it is a sound that is still unmistakably the Avetts.

The band has made its way west on this tour, but will return to New York on Aug. 13 for a date at the Amphitheater at Coney Island.

Setlist: The D Bag Rag, Down With The Shine, Talk On Indolence, Ain’t No Man, Through My Prayers, Distraction #74, Salina, Victims Of Life, Will You Return?, February Seven, Smithsonian, Swept Away, True Sadness, The Perfect Space, I Killed Sally’s Lover, Murder in the City, Souls Like The Wheels, Die Die Die, Shame, Live And Die, Laundry Room, Satan Pulls the Strings, No Hard Feelings

Encore: You Are Mine, Stay a Little Longer, Head Full Of Doubt / Road Full Of Promise

July 14, 2016
Hometown Hero Stocks Onondaga Lake With Rare Phish

The venues on a Phish summer tour have become somewhat predictable. They’ve nailed down their favorite outdoor spot in nearly every region of the country, but not in Central/Western New York. They’ve bounced between Darien Lake, CMAC and Watkins Glen, never visiting the same place in consecutive years. This year, the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse opened up, and Phish decided to give the shed a whirl in it’s inaugural season. Will it become a regular or rare stop on Phish summer tours? Only time will tell, but they sure seemed to enjoy their first run of the place.

The venue sits on Onondaga Lake, once the most polluted lake in the country. After decades of remediation it is just now re-emerging as a viable natural resource for the city. The opening of the amphitheater is just one of the signs of the lake’s renaissance.

The band’s first set song selection was even more unpredictable than their New York venue choices. A rare take on their jazzy instrumental “Landlady” got things moving as the sun began it’s descent over Onondaga Lake in the background, but it would “Blaze On” for a little longer.

As if anyone in the audience weren’t already fully aware, guitarist Trey Anastasio introduced drummer Jon Fishman as a native of Syracuse, leading to a rare performance of his song “Ha Ha Ha.” That began 3-song run of Fishman-penned tunes, with his brand new rocker “Friends,” and the fan-favorite funk out “Tube” following.

The band continued to highlight its hometown hero throughout the show. Fishman was kicked out of band at Jamesville-DeWitt High School because he couldn’t keep the beat, so the story goes. One couldn’t help but wonder if he felt the need for a bit of retribution in his biggest show to date in his childhood home.

With enough imagination, every song seemed to have a connection to his Syracuse roots: past, present and future. Lyrics like “A statement from his former life,” “I’m going to be a genius anyway,” “He buried all his memories of home” and “Gonna give you one last chance to see, gonna shrug demands off of me” spoke directly to his mentality. Other songs like the beautifully rendered “Winterqueen,” just referenced the city known for it’s brutal winters. The bust-out of “Destiny Unbound,” played on this night with a punchy exuberance, could be in reference to Destiny USA, the mall that sat just a couple of miles down the lake shore. Or maybe, and perhaps more likely, there was no rhyme or reason to the song selection at all. We should just ask the Axis, he knows everything.

After a set stocked full with rare songs, including the second-ever “Timber,” off of their Halloween performance of Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House (wrapped cleverly around their long-time cover “Timber (Jerry)”) and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “The Ballad of Curtis Loew,” the band wanted to give Fishman one more chance to shine before the break. They were set to close with Edgar Winter’s drum-heavy prog-rock anthem “Frankenstein,” though keyboardist Page McConnell had some issues with his keytar, so they instead pulled one more rare treat out of the bag, closing with Jimi Hendrix’s “Bold As Love.”

The second set featured songs about water and waste and worms and monsters, perfect for a venue sitting on a quasi-toxic lakefront. But more importantly, it featured a non-stop, near-70 minute ride through their repertoire, The set-opening take on the Who’s “Drowned” plumbed multiple themes in a short period of time, dredging up anthemic rock, spaced-out funk and melodic noodling. With that exploration complete, they parsed their discoveries song by song. The normally adventurous “Twist” was contained as a straight ahead rocker, the oft-amorphous “Piper” was kept tight and punchy, and “Simple” swam around beautifully before slowly dissolving.

Diving back into their Chilling Thrilling material, a late-set “Martian Monster” featured some instrument-swapping by the band. Anastasio played on Fishman’s Marimba Lumina, bassist Mike Gordon picked up the guitar and McConnell grabbed the bass, in what became a rhythmic and jaunty jam. The members have pulled this stunt a few times over the summer tour already, making it perhaps the least surprising element of this full-of-surprises show, though still quintessentially quirky and exciting. Determined to get Fishman his big drum solo moment, the band did push through “Frankenstein” to close the second set, even without the signature keytar lead, with more excited exhortations from Anastasio about the drummer’s high school and hometown.

The blistering rocker “Character Zero” encore, in keeping with the thematic choice of songs, even if completely imagined, was clearly a tribute to long-time Syracuse news anchor Matt Mulcahy.

“Hometown hero stocks Onondaga Lake with rare Phish. News at 11.”

Setlist by Phish.net:

Soundcheck: Funky Bitch

Set 1: The Landlady, Blaze On, Ha Ha Ha, Friends, Tube, Destiny Unbound > My Friend, My Friend^[1]> The Mango Song, Timber -> Timber (Jerry) > Timber, The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan > Mound, Winterqueen, Bold As Love

Set 2: Drowned > Twist > Waste > Piper > Simple > Breath and Burning, Rocky Top > Martian Monster^[2] > Golgi Apparatus > Frankenstein

Encore: Character Zero

[1] No “Myfe” ending.
[2] Trey on Marimba Lumina; Mike on guitar; Page on bass.

Notes: My Friend did not contain the “Myfe” ending. Simple contained a Magilla tease from Page. Martian Monster featured Trey on Marimba Lumina, Mike on guitar, and Page on bass.

July 12, 2016
Summer Nights: Rascal Flatts, Kelsea Ballerini and Chris Lane Heat Up Syracuse

The music of Rascal Flatts brings memories of summer cookouts, hanging by a bonfire with beers and friends and cruising down a lake in a pontoon boat, while the sounds of country music, the water lapping the hull of the boat and the motor fill the air. And the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, NY, was the perfect venue for the June 24 Rascal Flatts’ concert. The venue sits with its back to Onondaga Lake and the concert’s starting time of 7:30 p.m. made it coincide perfectly with the sunset, which gave the horizon an almost picturesque rose-colored tint.

Dressed in a tight, white T-shirt and wearing rounded vintage sunglasses, Chris Lane opened the show and brought many ladies to their feet with his laid-back weekend party jam, “Saturday Night.” Keeping the crowd pumped up by asking “Syracuse, are y’all ready to celebrate the weekend or what?! Let’s do it!,” he continued his set with his pop-driven love ballads, “Her Own Kind of Beautiful”and “Who’s it Gonna Be.” Lane showed his musical range and that he knew how to play to his target audience, by including covers of classic boyband anthems such as the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” and ‘N Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye.” Lane finished his set with his latest single, from the album of the same title, “Fix.”

After a short break, new-comer Kelsea Ballerini continued the show. Ballerini released her first album in 2014 and has been touted by many industry experts as the next Taylor Swift. The fact that Ballerini is a tall, beautiful blonde with a smile bright enough to almost make this photographer have to lower the brightness settings on his camera, certainly helps her comparison to Country superstars Swift and Carrie Underwood. Ballerini is also one of only five women to score number-one hits on the Billboard Country Airplay Charts with their first two charted singles. Ballerini’s talent was further recognized when in 2016, she won the Academy of Country Music award for “Female Vocalist Of The Year.” Watching her vocal range, great energy and enthusiasm as she belted out “Yeah Boy,” “Dibs” and “Looking at Stars,” one could see that the hype surrounding her career was definitely warranted. Ballerini kept the crowd engaged between songs by encouraging us to sing-along with her, telling us about her first heartbreak, holding hands and even taking selfies with the crowd. Unsurprisingly, the crowd seemed to especially respond to Ballerini’s two hits, the upbeat “Love Me Like You Mean It” and “Peter Pan.” Great things are to be expected from Ms. Ballerini in the coming years.

Following a short period, which allowed the stage crew set up for the next act behind a large black curtain, Rascal Flatts took the stage to the cheers of the crowd. They kicked off their set with the same song that had been in my head since I arrived at the Lakeview Amphitheater earlier that day, “Summer Nights.” Lead singer Gary LeVox’s ability to hit the highest notes did not fail to impress. The concert was filled with shout outs to Syracuse, high fives/hand holding with the members of the audience, and on several occasions, Levox would take one of the many phones being held up by the fans in the front rows, turn around and take a selfie with the crowd in the background, before handing the phone back to the lucky fan. The group even ventured into new musical territory and in honor of the late, great Prince, played “Purple Rain.” The group wound down their set with the hit designed to honor their hordes of fans over the years, “Here’s To You,” before leaving the stage for a short time and returning for an encore with one of their biggest hits, “Me and My Gang.” Chris Lane and Kelsea Ballerini joined them on stage at this point creating a memorable grand finale.

Rascal Flatts Setlist: Summer Nights, I Like the Sound of That, Banjo, Come Wake Me Up/I Melt/I Won’t Let Go, Life Is a Highway, Why Wait, Stand, Bless the Broken Road/Open Arms (Journey cover), Rewind, Fast Cars and Freedom, Purple Rain (Prince cover), Love You Out Loud, My Wish, Take Me There, What Hurts the Most, Here’s To You

Encore : Me and My Gang

July 11, 2016
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
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
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
Good Vibrations: Brian Wilson Breezes Into Syracuse This Summer

This summer, the famed Beach Boys leader, Brian Wilson, breezes into Syracuse for a good vibrations performance at the Great New York State Fair. The legendary songwriter’s tour stop in Central New York is part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the group’s iconic 1966 album, Pet Sounds, in which Wilson will perform in its entirety at Chevy Court on Aug. 29.

A follow-up to 1965’s The Beach Boys Today! Wilson’s Pet Sounds became his masterpiece, and at the time, it was one of the most expensive albums produced, at a cost of more than $70,000. Although the album was not as commercially successful in the United States as it was in the United Kingdom, it is now considered to be one of the most influential, and first experimental, concept albums. The 36-minute psychedelic surf rock record — inspired by the Beatles’ Rubber Soul — moved the group from on-the-surface lyrics of girls, cars and California living to a more introspective side. On revisiting the album, Wilson, 73, told the Nottingham Post, “It was a happy time in my life. I was young and creative, and it brings back a lot of good memories for me.”

On June 10, Capitol Records released a 50th anniversary collector’s edition of Pet Sounds that features a four CD/Blu-ray audio versions in a hardbound book and 180-gram vinyl editions in both mono and stereo, plus session outtakes, alternate mixes and unreleased live recordings. Touring in support of it, Wilson will be joined by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin to recreate the Beach Boys’ 11th studio album that features popular songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “God Only Knows,” “Sloop John B” and “Caroline, No.” (Listen to the full album here.) Tour dates during this anniversary run also include stops at the Ottawa Jazz Festival on July 3, Toronto on July 4, Burlington, VT, on July 6, New York City’s Beacon Theater on Sept. 24 and at the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts on Sept. 28. The Chevy Court concert is set for Mon., Aug. 29 at 8 p.m.; the show is free with admission to the fair.

According to Syracuse.com, Troy Waffner, acting fair director, dubbed the concert as a “once-in-a-lifetime event,” adding that, “this will be a magical night for fans of that band and album, but also a great night for others to discover some of the most important music of its time.”

June 14, 2016