NYS Music 20​16

Category: Utica

  • Hobbled moe. Peps Energetic Saranac Crowd

    It’s a Central New York institution put on by New York’s jam band. For the second consecutive evening, moe., complete with an injured bassist, shook the Saranac Brewery to its hoppy core on Saturday with two sets filled with guitar-driven improvisation, fun set lists and even a few unconventional covers.

    Bassist Rob Derhak was in a seat for the entire show, laid up with a leg injury, which did not limit him in any way, as he was as animated as ever in the band’s annual residency in Utica. If Friday’s show was more laid back, then Saturday’s was a lesson in in-your-face rock and roll.
    Jim Houle Photography - moe. - Saranac Brewery - Saturday - NYSMusic Files-5

    And warming up the rowdy crowd was funk band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. PPPP laid down a straightforward set filled with danceable and rhythmic numbers. Out of the gate, “Seat Of My Pants” featured a big solo each from guitarists Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey, which were catapulted by the backing beats of drummer Vinnie Amico.  “Big World”>”Ricky Marten”>”Spine Of A Dog”>”Not Coming Down”>”Wormwood”>”Okayalright” took up the next hour or so. While there wasn’t a section of the groove that stands out as supreme, the songs flowed together, allowing moe. to display the tight musicianship they’re loved for. “McBain” featured a short outro jam that crescendo-ed the crowd into happy oblivion just before setbreak.

    In 2015, Saranac released a moe.-themed beer, aptly titled Hoppy Hour Hero, a strong IPA that was the featured beverage of the night. (Amico discussed this and a range of other topics with NYSMusic back in May). Without hesitation, moe. began playing “Happy Hour Hero,” which exulted a huge road from the attendees.

    “Bearsong” began and amidst the noodling emerged an unusual treat: House of Pain’s iconic hit “Jump Around.” It’s expected for moe. to throw in covers here and there, but I was among many who didn’t see this coming. The crowd sang every word of the anthemic chorus, before the band veered into “Tailspin.”

    Jim Houle Photography - moe. - Saranac Brewery - Saturday - NYSMusic Files-36

    “Opium” then bled into “lylelovit.” With the curfew approaching, and the guitars dueling, Schnier began “Downward Facng Dog,” eliciting a huge applause, and closed out the energetic and overall very good set with “32 Things.”

    “Buster” brought the 2016 Saranac run to a close and gave the moe.ron famoe.ly nothing but smiles and happiness. The band thanked the crowd and exited, and everyone in my area began hugging and embracing.

    Now that the band has found a legitimate home in CNY, it begs the question: Is moe. ever bringing moe.down back? Amico has said it will be back, so now we just have to wait. But two nights at Saranac every summer is a pretty great consolation.

    07/30/2016 • Saranac Brewery • Utica, NY
    Summer Tour 2016

    Set 1: Seat Of My Pants>,Big World > Ricky Marten > Spine Of A Dog > Not Coming Down > Wormwood > Okayalright McBain

    Set 2: Happy Hour Hero, Bearsong > Jump Around > Tailspin >, Opium > lylelovit.>, Downward Facing Dog >, 32 Things

    Encore: Buster

  • moe. Brings More Than Tasty Brews to Saranac On Friday July 30, 2016

    Some families, if they’re lucky, have reunions every year or so. If you’re a moe.ron, its whenever moe. the band is able to park it and throw down for a couple of days. Last weekend, the boys dropped into their old stomping grounds of Utica for two nights of their annual stint at the Saranac Brewery, over July 30-31, 2016; bringing a wave of openers and late night shows, along with their own bust-outs and full throttle psychedelic rock to 830 Varick St.

    With Ryan Montbleau opening the first night, fans were treated to a full band which, in typical Montbleau fashion, kicked off the weekend with sulky vibes mixed with high intensity big band sounds encapsulated within a small ensemble.

    People who know what a Montbleau Band show is capable of were buzzing over his electricity and for those who only thought they knew, were served a healthy dose of wild female vocals, buttery trombone, crazy fingered keys, and the smooth charm of the talented singer-songwriter.

    With gray skies, high heat and humidity hovering, a crowd with a propensity for partying gave moe. full-bellied cheers as the first set began with the classic ,”Timmy Tucker,” a sign that things were off to a great start. “Timmy” sneakily segued into the bouncy “Threw It All Away” followed by another segue back into “Timmy.”

    A quick hello and welcome to Utica from bassist Rob Derhak led into the cautionary, in-your-face monster, “Don’t Fuck With Flo” followed by “CIA.” Fans were then treated to two covers, “Fame” by the late David Bowie, and Steely Dan’s “Bodhisattava,” with Ryan Montbleau, accompanied by his female vocalists, sitting in on the performance. The two covers showcased guitarist Chuck Garvey’s vocal abilities and classic rock chops to help close out a stellar first set.

    The second set began with a bang, as drummer Vinnie Amico rolled off the opening beats to “Water,” followed by the instrumental ditty “Hector’s Pillow;”  the first two songs of a six-song segue. The beloved “Bring You Down” began patiently, but the jam soon grew to heights the song is known to reach. Yet each time the beauty of it is expanded upon as guitarist Al Schnier soloed his way into the songs closing lines, “be with me, be with me,” all while checking off stats as the first time played in the city as well as at the brewery.

    The last half of the segues included the epic “Silver Sun”. The Pink Floyd inspired tune quickly turned into a beast as it transitioned into the Grateful Dead’s “The Other One,” using the same quadraphonic sound implemented earlier in the summer by the bands front-of-house engineer, Steve Young. Heads were spinning as sound echoed from the towering brewery back onto the fully loaded crowd and segued back into “Silver Sun.”

    The night was completed with “Mar De Ma,” an Amico-penned instrumental honoring his wife and daughters, “Y.O.Y,”, and “Plane Crash.”

    Much to many fan’s pleasure, the band strayed from the setlist and chose “Sensory Deprivation Bank” for the encore. Attendees were then unleashed into the streets to take part in the late night acts offered throughout Varick Street.

    moe – Saranac Brewery, Utica, NY – July 30, 2016

    Set I: Timmy Tucker > Threw It All Away > Timmy Tucker, Don’t Fuck With Flo > CalifornIA > (n.h.) Fame, Bodhisattava

    Set II: Water > Hector’s Pillow > Bring You Down, Silver Sun > The Other One > Silver Sun, Mar-DeMa (n.h.) Y.O.Y., Plane Crash

    Enc: Sensory Deprivation Bank

  • Foreigner Turns Heads at Turning Stone

    No Lou, no Mick … No Foreigner? NO WAY! Despite the fact that original Foreigner founding member and guitarist Mick Jones was not on stage last Tuesday, July 26, at the Turning Stone Event Center was not indicative of Foreigner’s inability to turn heads, wow the audience and put on a huge rock show at its sold out shows wherever it is on tour.

    The band performs all the classic and top Foreigner hits flawlessly, never missing a beat, a lick or even a second of doubt. The seasoned band, most who have been with this current version of Foreigner for the greater part of the last decade play the music as it was most likely heard in 1983. Close your eyes and you would swear this is the original Foreigner. For all intents and purposes, it really is Foreigner with Jones still performing when he is able. Jones, who has been hit or miss as of late due to speculated health issues was surely missed at the Turning Stone show, however the band which he cherry picked to become the new generation of Foreigner, picks up in his absence in superb form. Especially Bruce Watson, who is handling Jones amazing and timeless guitar work on all the Foreigner classics from “Hot Blooded” to “Feel’s Like the First Time,” “Dirty White Boy” and more.

    Foreigner, one of the world’s best selling bands of all time with worldwide sales exceeding 80 million records, formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran English musician Mick Jones and American vocalist Lou Gramm. The band’s debut album, Foreigner was released in 1977 and featured the mega-hits “Cold as Ice,” “Feel’s Like the First Time” and “Long, Long Way From Home.” This year marks the 40th anniversary of Foreigner and the band has currently been promoting the iconic success of the band with Foreigner40 merchandise from t-shirts to guitar picks and highlighting the milestone at every show. Jones has recently discussed, in a 2016 interview, a possible 40th anniversary reunion tour, featuring the Head Games era lineup. If a 40th Anniversary reunion tour becomes a reality and, “… hopefully feasible and possible to pull it off next year,” as Jones relates, It may include a line-up of original members including Lou Gramm, Ian McDonald, Al Greenwood, Dennis Elliot and Rick Wills.

    At just a little after 8:00 p.m. with the Turning Stone Casino Event Center totally blacked out, the pre-show recorded music stopped and gave way to Foreigner’s dramatic opening score as drummer Chris Frazier entered stage left and greeted the exuberant crowd with a wave of his sticks before sitting on his drum throne. At the same time, entering from stage right was Foreigner’s multi-talented keyboardist Michael Bluestein who also gave the crowd a well received greeting gesture before settling down behind his rig. As the opening score continued to build, the other members of Foreigner walked on stage including Jeff Pilson, Bruce Watson and Thom Gimbel. Then in an instant the house lights went up illuminating the band as lead singer Kelly Hansen ran out on stage and the band immediately broke into their first number, “Double Vision”. The large crowd at Turning Stone was now on their feet screaming and singing along and did not have time to catch their breath before Foreigner went right into their second song, “Head Games”. At 55 years of age, Hansen shows know signs of getting too old to rock as he has the stage energy and moves that keeps the fans engaged and entertained at the same time. Hansen performs and sings all the classic Foreigner songs effortlessly, all while running, jumping, leg kicks and mike stand twirling like a twenty something year old warped tour rocker. He shows know signs of letting up and seems to perform each show like it was his first.

    Foreigner continued throughout the night with Hansen engaging in the crowd to interact and engaged with the band and each other. Next on the set the multi-talented Thom Gimbel, who plays guitar, sax, flute, and backing vocals, moved in place behind a diamond plated piano case as Hanson reminded the crowd of this next song being heard “Maybe in their late twenties” and chuckled as he introduced one of the top hits of the 1977 album, “Cold As Ice.” As expected, as soon as Gimbel hit those unmistakable first notes of the hit song, the crowd at Turning Stone went absolutely wild. There was no letting up from the hit parade as Hansen talked briefly to the crowd telling them to grab their partner, lover or just find someone in the crowd to hold on to as he announced Foreigner’s 1981 mega-hit power ballad “Waiting for a Girl Like You” featuring the talented Bluestein on keys. Despite this being the digital cell phone era, there were actually a few old school lighters in the air for this one.

    Foreigner had the audience highly engaged and up on their feet for the entire set. Kelly Hansen urged the crowd to move up to the front of the stage where there was no barricade. It was elbow to elbow in front of the stage and Hansen, the energetic crowd pleaser made the fans feel a part of the show by high fiving them, running out into the crowd during “Head Games” interacting with fans as he circled the floor before jumping back up on stage. In fact, all band members were certainly into the performance and not lacking for energy. One highlight of the show was an acoustic version of “Say You Will”. Hansen shared this was the idea of bassist Jeff Pilson who arranged the song acoustically which ultimately led to their successful unplugged album Acoustique: The Classics Unplugged. Again, with much reverence for the Foreigner classics, Hansen announced the next song in their set, the mega 1977 hit that launched Foreigner into the big-time “Feels Like the First Time”. And again, as expected the crowd was enthralled in the moment, with most of them bodies deep in front of the stage waving and extending their hands in the air hoping to grab a high five or catch a guitar pick from one of the band members.

    The hits kept coming all night including “Urgent” from the 1981 number one album Foreigner 4, Then Bluestein and Frazier got the already pumped crowd even more riled up with an amazing keyboard/synth solo followed by a killer Chris Frazier drum solo. At times Frazier would take a drink from his bottled water then dump the rest on his floor tom and thrash it while the water lit by an underneath spot illuminated the splashing liquid. “Juke Box Hero” and “Long, Long Way from Home” followed.

    The kids backstage could probably barely contain their excitement and anticipation to join Foreigner onstage next to perform their number one and biggest hit to date, “I Want to Know What Love Is” from 1984’s Agent Provocateur album. One by one the students from the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School Choir made its way to the riser between keyboardist, Bluestein and drummer, Frazier as the intro to the number one song began. Foreigner has been inviting local high school and singing groups onstage to accompany them with this song for the last several years and it never gets old. This gesture continues to remain a very noble and gracious act on the band’s part. It is humbling to witness and very entertaining.

    Foreigner completed its summer 2016 tour at the end of July. The band then departs for a European tour the first two weeks of August before returning to the states to finish up its regular show. A much anticipated acoustic tour begins in the fall of 2016 beginning in October running through the end of November 2016. Whether you’re an old fan or a newcomer to Foreigner, the band is timeless and the current line-up features hand picked top notch musicians that perform all the Foreigner hits with flawless sound, energy, and passion check out the upcoming tour dates, news and more at their website.

    Foreigner’s Current Line-up:
    Mick Jones – Founding Member, Guitarist
    Kelly Hansen – Lead Vocals
    Bruce Watson – Guitar
    Thom Gimbel – Guitar, Sax, Flute, Keys
    Jeff Pilson – Bass Guitar
    Michael Bluestein – Keys
    Chris Frazier – Drums

    Set List:
    1. Double Vision
    2. Head Games
    3. Cold As Ice
    4. Waiting for a Girl Like You
    5. Dirty White Boy
    6. Say You Will
    7. Feels Like The First Time
    8. Urgent
    9. Keyboard Solo
    10. Drum Solo
    11. Juke Box Hero
    12. Long Long Way From Home
    13. I Want to Know What Love Is (w/VVS School Choir)
    14. Hot Blooded

  • Slightly Stoopid Returns to Saranac With Red Eyes

    Nothing beats a hot summer day like great live music, friends, a beautiful city, and beer. Cold, fresh-brewed beer at that.  Utica, NY was certainly hoppin’ as Saranac Brewery hosted Slightly Stoopid, SOJA, and Zion I, The Grouch, & Eligh on July 22 in the outdoor courtyard.

    Nicole Carey- SOJA- Saranac Brewery- 7.22.16

    Zion I, The Grouch and Eligh kicked off the summer evening in the brewery district with their bright harmonies, feel-good rhythms, and conscious hip-hop lyrics. Zion I is swiftly attracting fans on this tour promoting his new LP due out in September, titled The Labyrinth.

    Humid air from the blistering sun didn’t seem to phase anyone in the audience as the cool, crisp ales flowed from the kegs and moistened the lips of the awaiting patrons. Following a brief refreshment break, SOJA danced onto the stage with instruments in hand and crushed a 45 minute set of their smile-inspiring original reggae-rock music, which included some dread swinging and tasty drum-line solos.

    Front man Jacob Hemphill continuously gave props to Utica for their unmatched energy, in between songs from the Virginia-based groups’ most recent Grammy-nominated album, Amid the Noise and Haste. Before exiting the stage, Hemphill again gave praise to the tour headliners for their generosity as well as the crowd and Saranac Brewery, wishing everyone to “Thanks and Have a great … everything!”

    Before Slightly Stoopid‘s set, Saranac’s own Fred Matt embraced the stage and took to the microphone to give a slurred thanks to all in attendance and took a traditional selfie, while holding up a fresh brew, stacked with a couple thousand excited fans behind him.

    Moments later, a rumbling Star Wars Imperial March pumped from the PA speakers grabbing the crowds attention, making way for another Return of the Red Eye Tour performance. The group kicked into gear with “Champion of the Charles,” as Miles Doughty yelled out “It feels good to be back, Utica!” while fist-pumping his chest. After a few songs, Doughty and Kyle McDonald switched up instruments allowing McDonald to sing a few tunes including “Officer” and “Just Thinking” with special guests The Grouch and Eligh, before beautifully singing “The Prophet.”

    Nicole Carey- Slightly Stoopid- Saranac Brewery- 7.22.16

    Taking turns singing and switching guitars seemed to be of second nature to McDonald and Doughty as they each continuously electrified the audience with energy and inspiration. “Too Little Too Late” provided some fast-paced dancing for fans with it’s up-beat Ska rhythms and horn-play. Doughty playfully asked “Where’s all the good Utica chronic” before hammering out “Rolling Stone” and “Ain’t Got a Lot of Money.” Hard work and extensive touring was surely paying off for the west-coast group as the audience cheered and sang along through a set ending “Anywhere I Go.”

    Returning for a solid 4-song encore, the group emerged amongst a dimly-lit stage to “Cantina Song,” further augmenting their semi Star Wars themed tour. While having much appreciation for the Grateful Dead, yet not being a “jam band,” Slightly Stoopid played a rather enjoyable take on “Franklin’s Tower,” sprinkled with some light piano work by Paul Wolstencroft. The group ended the night by staffing every inch of the stage with the help from SOJA on the Dennis Brown tune, “If This World Were Mine.”

    Set: Imperial March (Star Wars), Champion of the Charles, Til it Gets Wet, Somebody, Up On a Plane, Hold It Down, Officer, Just Thinking (w/s/g Grouch & Eligh), The Prophet, This Version, Prayer For You, No One Stops Us Now, Collie Man, Too Little Too Late, Del Roy → 2 AM, Serious Man, Closer To the Sun, Stones 1, Bandoz, Ain’t Got A Lot Of Money, Don’t Stop, Don’t Care, Anywhere I Go

    Encore: Cantina Song (Stare Wars), Franklin’s Tower, Train, Express Yourself, If This World (w/s/g SOJA)

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  • A Jammin’ Dark Star and an IPA, Please

    They high-stepped into the Saranac Brewery and bid us all a fond goodnight, but in the middle, Dark Star Orchestra took the near capacity crowd on a mind bending, psychedelic journey through the middle 1970s.

    dark starOne of the most fun aspects of attending a DSO is trying to figure out what Grateful Dead setlist they are recreating. Opening the show with a fast “Bertha” made it immediately feel like a 1970s show to me, but because the band has played it for their entire career, it didn’t help much in determining a year. “Me and My Uncle,” “Loser” and “Black Throated Wind” confirmed that it was a show somewhere between 1970 and 1979, which, again, doesn’t do much in helping me decide.

    It was the following, stand alone “Scarlet Begonias,” complete with a harmonious and ferocious solo by Jeff Mattson, that gave away the show either being an original Dark Star Orchestra setlist, or coming from a show prior to March 18, 1977, when the first ever “Scarlet Begonias”>”Fire on the Mountain” was performed at the Winterland Arena.

    A song mainly performed by Jerry Garcia Band, “It Must Have Been the Roses” preceded “Jack Straw,” “Tennessee Jed” and “Mexicali Blues.” “Deal” then featured fun interplay between keyboardist Rob Barraco and Mattson, and really gave the show a 1973/74 feel. Rhythm guitarist Rob Eaton was visibly impressed with how the band was performing, smiling often and seeming more animated than usual.

    “Big River” and “Brown Eyed Women” were short and succinct, before the highlight of the show, “Playin’ in the Band” kicked into another realm. During the lengthy jam, I mentioned how I was confident this was a 1974 show, when an older gentleman informed me that DSO was recreating a Dead show from May 14, 1974 in Montana.

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    “US Blues,” “El Paso” and “Row Jimmy” were executed impeccably to open the second frame. “Weather Report Suite” then bled seamlessly into “Let it Grow,” before the opening lines to the 1960s psychedelic masterpiece “Dark Star” were played. Being the band’s namesake, DSO brought us on a journey from 1967 up until 1974, with elements of the grungy, late 1960s Dead feel, up to the mid-1970s, more mild tempo style and everything in between. It was the highlight of the entire show.

    Garcia ballad “China Doll” gave the crowd a breather before “Promised Land,” “Not Fade Away” and “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad” literally rocked the set to a close. If there was a single person not dancing like a maniac, I surely did not witness that, and the set concluded with the utmost energy.

    Already prepared for the “One More Saturday Night” encore, I snagged one last $5 Saranac Legacy IPA (seriously, though, where else can you get a beer that delicious at a concert these days for $5? Most Bud Lights at other places cost more than $10 …) and took my space back for one final boogie.

    DSO, almost 20 years into a pretty successful career, is showing no signs of slowing down whatsoever. In a recent interview with NYSMusic, Barraco said the band plans to cut back on the number of shows per year to focus on new family members, and put the emphasis on bigger events. A stop at the Saranac Brewery seems to be an annual thing for the band, and I can’t think of a better place to spend a summer night grooving to my favorite music ever made.

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  • Let the Hoppy Hour Hero Flow with moe. at Saranac Brewery

    This weekend, moe. returns to Utica, NY for another glorious two-night stay at Saranac Brewery and prepare to bring Hoppy Hour Hero to the masses. The Utica staple will welcome Ryan Montbleau supporting on Friday, July 29 and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong opening on Saturday, July 30.

    hoppy hour heroAs fans already know, Saranac will be serving up some of their moe.st special brew, Hoppy Hour Hero, for the double event along with many other summer favorites.  Fans can also stay tuned for a special taping of “Vinnie’s Kitchen” featuring a recipe that includes the band’s namesake beer, which will be taped at the Brewery with some lucky contest winners.  Gates open at 5 p.m. both days.

    The Buffalo-based jammers have been taking a short break to prep for this weekend as well as select Summer appearances and their Fall tour which includes a Red Rocks performance paired with Gov’t Mule,  a Pink Floyd theme late-night set at The Peach Fest, and another 2-night run at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo.

  • Frogfest 28 Gets Checkered Flag At Utica/Rome Speedway

    Frogfest 28, one of Central New York’s longest running festivals, has once again gone down in the books as a huge success.

    Held at the Utica/Rome Speedway this year in Vernon, NY, the fun filled lineup welcomed local Beadle Brothers, together with national artists Lindsay Ell, Eric Paslay, and Montgomery Gentry who brought the party and did not disappoint the packed crowd.  With blue skies and sunshine, Frogfest 28 was one epic day with a rodeo, a habitat for humanity build, good eats, and of course, great music.  Check out NYS Music’s highlight gallery of the days events, and mark your calendars for next years.

    Montgomery Gentry - K. Stockbridge - Untitled_Panorama1

    Eric Paslay - Frogfest K. Stockbridge 20160723_150123

    Setlist Montgomery Gentry – All Night Long, Lonely and Gone, Hell Yeah, Couldn’t Change Me, Ever Stop Loving Me, Back When I Knew It All, Lucky Man, Something To be Proud Of, Roll With Me, Daddy Won’t Sell the Farm, Hillbilly Shoes, Speed, Some People Change, She Don’t Tell Me To, Where I Come From, One In Every Crowd. Encore: My Town, Gone/Hillbilly Reprise

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  • DSO and Rob Barraco are Ready for Summer Tour

    Next year will mark 20 years since a group of guys got together, under a shared love of the Grateful Dead, and started what would grow to be the country’s most well-known Dead tribute act. Rob Barraco looks upon his time in our interview with the legendary keyboardist.

    rob barraco
    Dark Star Orchestra

    From humble beginnings in 1997 to packing a baseball stadium in 2015, Dark Star Orchestra has more than put in the work to earn such praise. Not only does the band recreate specific setlists from the Dead’s more than 2,300-show cannon, but the members are all very well versed in the era each show took place. Now, they do not play note-for-note renditions, but they do alter their improvisational style to portray a mood similar to the original.

    “We get a show book (of GD shows) before each tour,” Rob Barraco, DSO keyboardist of 11 years, said in a phone interview. “Sometimes it’s the ’70s, sometimes it’s the ’80s or ’90s, and then I think ‘oh no’ then we start the show and it just does not matter. We are all locked in and that’s when the best improv happens. We play the songs, but it’s anyone’s guess what happens when we go off.”

    And that is the spirit of what Jerry Garcia left behind. Any given night, once the words were over and he started his unique flurries of notes, anything could — and did — happen. DSO brings that same mindset across the country upward of 120 times each year, and this Sunday at the Saranac Brewery in Utica, you can see the magic that occurs. On Friday and Saturday, the band is playing Stateside Ampitheater at Jay Peak Resort in Jay. Vt., to lead up to the Saranac show.

    A few days later, on July 26, DSO returns to Frontier Field in Rochester, site of the largest non-festival crowd the band has ever performed in front of. Last summer at the minor league baseball stadium, the band hit a grand slam, packing about 10,000 fans and delivering what can only be described as a no-hitter complete with an offensive explosion.

    “It’s the biggest turnout we’ve ever had as the headliner,” Rob Barraco said. “We loved it, and the energy was palpable. We went and fed off of that, and the crowd gave us back so much love. It was so great that we’re going back.”

    For DSO, the show marked a step up in terms of audience size. Typically a festival and mid-sized theater band, DSO has been inching toward playing larger venues over the last three years. Maybe coincidentally, that’s when bassist Skip Vangelas took over for Kevin Rosen, who retired in 2013. Rob Eaton, an original member, plays rhythm guitar; Jeff Mattson plays lead; Dino English and Rob Koritz handle the rhythm section and Lisa Mackey is a backup singer/dancer extraordinaire.

    Barraco doesn’t hide his roots. He first saw the Dead in 1972, and continued to attend shows as often as possible up until around 1980, not long after graduation from a college in New Paltz. He recalls the Wall of Sound and the band’s universally renowned 1977 Spring Tour, where he said he was lucky enough to catch a large portion of the Northeast shows.

    It was, however, when he got the chance to play with Phil Lesh in 2000 when his music performing dreams came true. He was a member of the timeless Quintet (featuring Warren Haynes and Jimmy Herring) and also toured with The Dead in 2002-03. He regularly played with Lesh until around 2012, and is very vocal about the lessons he learned from the legendary bassist.

    “From the very first note I played with Phil, it was just complete improv,” he said. “Phil didn’t ask us to play like the Grateful Dead. He wanted us to be who we are, and it was magical every single night. We took the music and we did some crazy shit, man. With The Dead, they decided they wanted to be a bit more traditional, and that took a little adjusting. And Phil used to tell me, ‘it’s like playing in one band is a Ferrari and the other is a freight train.’ My heart will always be with Phil.”

    In the summer of 2006, Phil and Friends did a co-headlining tour with GRAB (Mike Gordon, Joe Russo, Trey Anastasio and Marco Benevento), and they made a stop at Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center. Anastasio sat in with Phil almost every night, but the Bethel show was special for many reasons, not the least of which was because it took place on the same grounds that hosted the original Woodstock.

    “We were playing (with Trey) and then we all started to realize something, that we were playing the same setlist the Dead played at Woodstock,” Barraco said with a laugh. “That’s Phil — he gave us the setlist, but just didn’t mention that we were doing that.”

    Of all the lessons he took from Lesh, the main one was this: “In DSO, I can never get above myself. None of us do, and that really makes it so great.”

    Rob Barraco attended Fare Thee Well last summer, and gave a fun anecdote of an encounter he had.

    “Trey did a phenomenal job (at GD50.) On the last night, I ran into him backstage and he looked at me and said, ‘Do you realize that if it wasn’t for these guys we wouldn’t have a job?’ Phish never would have done what they’ve done. The Grateful Dead are the architects of the jam band scene. The Allman Brothers Band wouldn’t have started the jam band thing we have. And when Trey said that to me, I said, ‘no shit, dude,’ and that’s the truth.”

    The band recently discussed the state of DSO, and they all agreed they would like to keep this thing going forever. Barraco said the only change, due to band members having children and wanting more family time, is that they’d like to cut the number of shows down to around 100 per year.

    “We are all looking forward to this tour,” he concluded. “We are giddy for the baseball stadiums and I think we are really going to knock some doors down.”

  • 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.

    grace 5
    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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  • Gang of Thieves Tour Stops in Utica and Troy

    Gang of Thieves will head out on an extensive tour of the Northeast and South with stops at several New York music festivals and shows in Utica and Troy.

    gang of thieves tourBurlington, Vermont-based rockers Gang of Thieves’s spring and summer tour will take them to several stops in New York as well as neighboring states. It brings them back to Lukin’s in Utica on Thursday, May 26. After a tour of North Carolina and South Carolina through the first half of June, they return to the Northeast. They’re back in New York on June 18 to play the River Street Festival in Troy, and they’ll come back to Troy on Aug. 12 for a show on the Captain JP Cruise Line.

    Gang of Thieves has several stops in nearby locations in the Northeast including their tour opener on May 20 at Harlow’s Pub in Peterborough, New Hampshire and the following night, May 21, at the Magic Hat Artifactory in South Burlington, Vermont. Following their tour of the South, they return with a show at the Kingdom Taproom in St. Johnsbury, Vermont on June 11. They play the Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Friday, June 17. A return to Vermont sees them at the Eat More Kale Festival in Montpelier on June 25 before heading to Manchester, Connecticut on July 1 to play the Hungry Tiger. Beer and music lovers will find them at the Stowe Brewers Festival on July 29 in Stowe, Vermont.

    They’re making full rounds of the area festivals including Strangecreek on May 27; Buffalove on July 30; the Organic Smiles Festival in Middletown, Connecticut on Aug. 5; Backwoods Pondfest on Aug. 6; and Mazzstock in Marlboro on Aug. 27.

    Gang of Thieves tour dates:
    May 20 – Harlow’s Pub, Peterborough, NH
    May 21 – Magic Hat Artifactory, South Burlington, VT
    May 26 – Lukin’s, Utica, NY
    May 27 – StrangeCreek Campout, Greenfield, MA
    May 29 – Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC
    May 31 – Independent Public Alehouse, Greenville, SC
    June 1 – Charleston Pour House, Charleston, SC
    June 2 – Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC
    June 3 – The Pour House Music Hall, Raleigh, NC
    June 4 – Bulls Tavern, Winston-Salem, NC
    June 11 – Kingdom Taproom, St. Johnsbury, VT
    June 17 – Middle East, Cambridge, MA
    June 18 – River Street Festival, Troy, NY
    June 25 – Eat More Kale Festival, Montpelier, VT
    July 1 – Hungry Tiger, Manchester, CT
    July 29 – Stowe Brewers Festival, Stowe, VT
    July 30 – Buffalove Music Festival, Westfield, NY
    August 5 – Organic Smiles Festival, Middletown, CT
    August 6 – Backwoods Pondfest, Peru, NY
    August 12 – Captain JP Cruise Line, Troy NY
    August 27 – Mazzstock, Marlboro, NY

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCn1NfcMBK8[/embedyt]