NYS Music 20​16

Category: Manhattan

  • Cannibal Corpse Thrashes Through North America, Vinyl Reissue

    This week death metal legends Cannibal Corpse kicked off a quick run through the United States, including stops in New York City and their hometown of Buffalo, before they’ll head off to Europe in April.

    Joining the group as supporting acts this tour will be fellow Floridians Obituary, as well as Cryptopsy and Abysmal Dawn.

    Cannibal Corpse is still touring in support of 2014’s A Skeletal Domain; however, in conjunction with the tour, the classic releases Butchered At Birth, Eaten Back To Life, The Bleeding, Vile and Tomb Of The Mutilated are to be commemorated on vinyl. Limited quantities are available as part of the Metal Blade Classics series. Each LP includes an exclusive poster.

    Tampa death metal vets Obituary will join the headliners throughout the full United States tour. The band’s last release was 2014’s Inked in Blood, which in his review for NYS Music, Jay Saint G noted that, “overall, fantastic album that really takes the listener back into the nasty swamps of Tampa and showcases what true death metal is all about.” Most recently, 3 Floyds Brewing co-created a session pilsner with the band called Hopped in Half. (3 Floyds crafted Amber Smashed Face with Cannibal Corpse last year.) Crytopsy, an extreme metal band from Montreal, released a series of EPs entitled The Book of Suffering October 2015, and Los Angeles-based black metal group Abysmal Dawn debuted their fourth studio album Obsolescence in 2014.

    Presented by the Noise, the 33-date tour got started last night in Atlanta and will cap off at Revolution Live in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on March 20. The five-piece band originally from Buffalo makes two stops in New York State, including a hometown gig at the Town Ballroom on Feb. 19 after performing at New York City’s Irving Plaza on Feb. 16. Tickets for the Cannibal Corpse 2016 U.S. spring tour can be purchased through the band’s website.

    2016 Tour Cannibal Corpse w/Obituary, Cryptopsy, Abysmal Dawn:
    2/13 The Sea – Wilmington, NC
    2/14 Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
    2/15 Theatre Of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
    2/16 Irving Plaza – New York, NY
    2/18 Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
    2/19 Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
    2/20 Opera House – Toronto, ON
    2/21 St. Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
    2/23 Turner Hall Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI
    2/24 The Ready Room – St. Louis, MO
    2/25 The Granada Theater – Lawrence, KS
    2/26 Cabooze – Minneapolis, MN
    2/27 Metro – Chicago, IL
    2/29 The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
    3/1 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
    3/2 Revolution Center – Boise, ID
    3/3 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR
    3/4 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, BC
    3/5 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
    3/7 The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
    3/8 Avalon Hollywood – Los Angeles, CA
    3/9 The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA
    3/10 House Of Blues – San Diego, CA
    3/11 Club Red – Phoenix, AZ
    3/12 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
    3/14 The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX
    3/15 Gas Monkey Live! – Dallas, TX
    3/16 House Of Blues – Houston, TX
    3/17 Varsity Theatre – Baton Rouge, LA
    3/18 The Side Bar Theatre – Tallahassee, FL
    3/19 The Ritz Ybor – Tampa, FL *no Obituary
    3/20 Revolution Live – Ft. Lauderdale, FL

  • Wild Adriatic Hits the Road for Eurotrip

    Capital Region rockers Wild Adriatic recently rolled out dates for a Eurotrip and U.S. tour as well. The three-piece group will head out on the road beginning Feb. 11 in Boston and wrapping up May 15 in Spain.

    Fresh off the heels of their debut voyage on the Rock Boat, where they played an all-Zeppelin set and jammed onstage with Sister Hazel, Michael Franti and Gavin Degraw, WA’s upcoming tour includes Northeast-heavy dates with home state stops in Corning, Saratoga Springs, Rochester, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Buffalo and Jamestown before returning to Europe for a four-week headlining run.

    The blues-rock band consists of Travis Gray (vocals, guitar), Rich Derbyshire (bass) and Mateo Vosganian (drums); supporting groups that will share the bill with WA during this winter/spring tour will be the Mallett Brothers Band, Let’s Be Leonard, Turkuaz, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, the Suitcase Junket and Animal Years.

    This January, WA released their first full-length live album from their two-night performance in Albany last October and will record the upcoming Feb. 20 show at Putnam Den for a possible future album. The band’s self-titled EP dropped in 2011, and their most recent collection debuted May 2015 as the five-song Never Enough. Although, according to the press release, WA has a new record in the works:

    We’ll be back in the studio making our second full length record in Fall 2016. Hoping to release Early 2017 and we have never been more excited to get in the studio and create! So much inspiration over the last few months, I know we have a few more tunes in us to get out before we hit the studio but we are very excited with how the material has come together so far!” 

    Tickets for all 2016 show dates are on sale through Wild Adriatic’s official website.

    Wild Adriatic 2016 Tour Dates:

    2/11 – Boston, MA – Lansdowne Pub^
    2/12 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s^
    2/13 – Sugarloaf, ME – Sugarloaf Mountain^
    2/18 – Corning, NY – Corning Museum of Glass 2300 Series
    2/19 – Portsmouth, NH – Birdseye^
    2/20 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Den*
    2/25 – Rochester, NY – Flour City Station
    2/26 – Syracuse, NY – Funk N Waffles Downtown*
    2/27 – Stratton, VT – Grizzly’s%
    3/3 – Worcester, MA – Electric Haze
    3/4 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl#
    3/10 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theater
    3/11 – Mifflinburg, PA – Rusty Rail
    3/12 – Asbury Park, NJ – Wonder Bar
    3/16 – Washington, DC – Black Cat~
    3/17 – Mercersburg, PA – Mansion House~
    3/18 – Philadelphia, PA – Milkboy~
    3/24 – Hartford, CT – Arch Street Tavern
    3/25 – Manchester, VT – The Perfect Wife
    3/26 – Stratton, VT – Grizzly’s*
    3/31 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Cafe
    4/1 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works
    4/2 – Jamestown, NY – Shawbucks

    ^ – w/ The Mallett Brothers Band
    * – w/ Let’s Be Leonard
    % – w/ Turkuaz
    # – w/ Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds & The Suitcase Junket
    ~ – w/ Animal Years

    4/14 – Oostende, Belgium – Bada Bing
    4/15 – Kortrijk, Belgium – Den Trap
    4/16 – Krefeld, Germany – Kulturrampe
    4/17 – Turnhout, Belgium – Dax Cafe
    4/19 – Norderstedt, Germany – Music Star
    4/20 – Malmo, Sweden – St Gertrund
    4/21 – Hamburg, Germany – Sound Yard
    4/22 – Bordesholm, Germany – Albatros
    4/23 – Singwitz, Germany – Kesselhaus
    4/26 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Muzeum Obchodu
    4/27 – Kufstein, Austria – Eggers
    4/28 – Besancon, France – Passengers Du Zinc
    4/29 – Alencon, France – La Luciole
    4/30 – Rouen, France – Hipster Cafe
    5/2 – St Etienne, France – Thunderbird Lounge
    5/4 – Bilbao, Spain – Antzokia
    5/5 – Ourense, Spain – Cafe Auriense
    5/6 – Cangas, Spain – Salason
    5/7 – Aviles, Spain – Centro Niemeyer
    5/8 – Leon, Spain – Gran Cafe
    5/11 – Estepona, Spain – Louie Louie
    5/12 – Murcia, Spain – Garaje Beat Club
    5/13 – Castellon, Spain – Veneno Stereo
    5/14 – Valencia, Spain – Pabersematao
    5/15 – Torredembara, Spain – La Traviesa

  • Catey Shaw Coming to Knitting Factory Brooklyn

    Rising pop star Catey Shaw will headline a triple bill this Saturday, Feb. 13 at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. The lineup will feature three locally based performers dishing out plenty of synth-driven music to dance to, plus a healthy dose of indie rock.

    Shaw is still fairly new to the pop world, but her distinctive voice is showcased on two EPs and several singles, the earliest of which, “Family,” earned her a performing spot on The Queen Latifah Show back in 2013. Having started out playing in New York City subway stations, Shaw is now touring the country. The creative instrumentals produced by Jay Levine for Shaw’s studio recordings are brought to life by the live band she is touring with. Fans will see Shaw alternately strumming a ukulele and howling over the slap-bass and gritty synths backing her catchy hooks. Catey Shaw has been recording since 2012 and is currently seeing new success with singles “Tell Everyone” and “The Ransom.”

    Supporting Shaw this Saturday night will be Memoryy, the moniker used by Shaun Hettinger for his self-released electro/synthpop musical output. When not writing film scores and music for television commercials, Hettinger pours his love of ’80s synth giants Depeche Mode and New Order and more recent inspirations like Cut Copy into his own brand of pop that accomplishes everything from ruminating on falling in love to setting the tone for summer pool parties. Memoryy will warm up the Knitting Factory stage, perhaps giving attendees a taste of his slick new take on Blue Öyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” just released last month.

    Brooklyn-based indie-rock five-piece Gillian will open the show. The bright and upbeat riff-driven pop tunes on their most recent EP Colorize make this band a natural fit for the evening’s lineup. Vocalist Kym Hawkins’ strong, rich voice is a rival to that of Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino. Check out Gillian’s music on Bandcamp.

    Doors at the Knitting Factory open at 8 p.m. this Saturday, and the show starts at 9 p.m.

  • Vampire Weekend Looks Ahead with New Album in the Works and Lineup Change

    Vampire Weekend has become a staple in most indie rockers’ playlists, finding a lot of success with their second and third studio albums (their latest, 2013’s Modern Vampires of the City, won the band a Grammy for Best Alternative Album in 2014). The band was again in the spotlight recently performing “This Land Is Your Land” at a Bernie Sanders rally in Iowa.

    Vampire Weekend headlining Governors Ball 2014
    Vampire Weekend headlining Governors Ball 2014

    A few days before that rally, some mixed news bubbled through Twitter and Instagram regarding the band’s future. Rostam Batmanglij, a driving force behind the band’s songwriting, announced on his personal Twitter that he is no longer a member of the band:

    I wanted to let [people] know I’m no longer a member of VW but that Ezra and I will continue to collaborate on future projects + future VW songs. My identity as a songwriter + producer, I realized, needs to stand on its own.

    The same day, Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig took to Instagram with the following note:

    A couple years ago, Rostam and I sat down at his house & talked abt whether our collaboration was dependent on being members of the same band. We both firmly agreed that nope, it was not. In fact, we agreed that our collaboration was more important. I’m psyched about the work we’ve already begun for LP4 and I’m psyched to hear anything else Rostam is a part of. Also very excited to continue playing music with CT and Baio but there will be plenty of time to talk about that later in the year. For now in the Vampire Weekend universe, it’s all about recording the next album. There will be a lot of familiar faces in the studio but also some fresh, new ones. Working title is “Mitsubishi Macchiato”…for obvious reasons.

    Shout-out to the fans who have been waiting for new music – it’s coming. ?????? Also tomorrow, we gotta talk abt Iowa.

    While the departure of Rostam and lineup change for Vampire Weekend came as an unexpected shock to fans, it should reassure them to hear that he plans to still contribute to the band’s work and that Vampire Weekend has a new album in the works. No details beyond what Koenig’s mentioned regarding Mitsubishi Macchiato are available.

    In the meantime, check out a solo track recently released by Rotsam, featuring an ambient minimalist rock sound.

  • MSG Execs Caught in Ticket Scalping Scandal

    Several MSG employees have been terminated following an investigation that revealed scalping – taking tickets to events and reselling them for profit.

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    According to the New York Post, about a half dozen sales executives were caught reselling tickets to Knicks games on the after-market ticket site StubHub. The internal investigation uncovered a scheme where the employees would buy the lowest priced tickets, often those the teams would reserve for group sales, and sell them at a higher price online. The purchase of tickets by MSG employees is restricted by company policy. Employees must have written permission to purchase tickets. However, because the sales team has direct access to the tickets, their process is different.

    This is not the first time MSG employees have been caught in a ticket scalping scam. In 1996, then-CEO Checketts terminated five ticket office employees for reselling tickets following a six-month investigation.

    PIX11 also reported that the New York Attorney General’s office has accused MSG sales executives and a senior executive of illegally assisting ticket brokers with acquiring tickets for popular events to sell at huge profits. The Attorney General has said that oftentimes the tickets are given to the online ticket brokers before they’re even made available for public purchase.

    This comes around the time the Attorney General released a report from a three-year investigation into the concert ticketing industry, as we previously reported.

    Thankfully, websites like cashortrade.org are building a community of people who are only willing to buy and sell tickets at face value, bucking the trend of screwing fans out of money to see their favorite musicians perform.

  • The Southern Belles Launch Cross-Country Tour

    Lock’n festival alum The Southern Belles are starting out the year with a new drummer, and a slew of touring dates that span the Northeast. Their new pick for drummer is Aaron Zarrow of Philadelphia’s The Royal Noise.

    “I think this is going to be the beginning of an exciting musical journey,” Zarrow said in a press release. “I’m really stoked to be given an opportunity like this, to play in a band whose music I already enjoy listening to. Now I get to contribute to a band’s sound that I feel is unique and powerful enough to go very far. I’m also walking into what seems to be such a tight knit, family-like fan base and support system, and that’s huge.”

    The Richmond, Virginia-based quartet will head up north to Rockwood Music Hall in New York City Feb. 19, and you can catch them at the Putnam Den in Saratoga on Feb. 25. They will wrap up their tour with dates in Montana and Colorado.

    Full tour dates: 

    2/9- Blue Water, Jacksonville, FL
    2/10- Guanabana’s, Jupiter, FL
    2/11- Little Econ Love Fest, Jupiter, FL
    2/12- Dunedin Brewery, Dunedin, FL
    2/13- The Jam, Gainesville, FL #
    2/19- Rockwood Music Hall, New York, NY
    2/21- Stella Blues, New Haven, CT
    2/24- Nectar’s, Burlington, VT
    2/25- Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs, NY
    2/26- Thunder Road, Somerville, MA %
    2/27- Stone Church, Newmarket, NH %
    3/4- The Camel, Richmond, VA **
    3/5- Preservation Pun, Knoxville, TN
    3/8- Gabe’s, Iowa City, IA
    3/9- The Bridge, Columbia, MO
    3/11- Bohemian Biergarten, Boulder, CO
    3/12- The Whisk(e)y, Fort Collins, CO
    3/13- Lola, Denver, CO
    3/14- Sancho’s, Denver, CO
    3/15- Little Nell, Aspen, CO
    3/16- Little Nell, Aspen, CO
    3/17- Black Nugget, Carbondale, CO
    3/18- Bonfire Brewing, Eagle, CO
    3/19- Zio Romolo’s, Denver, CO

    *w/ Lord Nelson and Kendall Street Company
    ^w/ Soul Mechanic
    #w/ Loccochino
    %w/ The Jauntee
    **w/ Groove Fetish

  • Celtic Women Make Their Way Through New York on Destiny Tour

    It is not often that artists can say that their albums debut at number one, but it’s no surprise to learn that Celtic Women’s Destiny did just this; it was the ninth album to do so.

    Celtic Women 2015FallPublicityPhoto

    As the Destiny tour begins this March in Nashville, Máiréad Nesbitt, Mairéad Carlin, Susan McFadden and Éabha McMahon, also known as the women of Celtic Women, will grace the stage at more than 79 cities as they make their way across the United States.

    The multi-platinum, all female ensemble made its debut on PBS in 2005 and has achieved massive success encompassing 10 chart-topping albums, nine PBS specials, more than 8 million albums sold, and platinum sales in nine countries.

    Celtic Woman 2015_creditDavidConger

    They sing like angels and float like the wind across stage, as they bring to you a bit of Celtic history in their musical stories. Destiny will feature a fresh fusion of traditional Irish music and modern songcraft, including the Waterboys’ classic “The Whole of the Moon,” Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire” from The Hobbit film, and Mutt Lange’s “Walk Beside Me.” Traditional Irish highlights include “Bean Pháidín,” “Siúil A Run” and “Óró sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,” an anthem closely connected with the 1916 uprising that led to Ireland’s independence.

    DestinyLogoLockupTHE DESTINY TOUR – 2016 ITINERARY

    3/4-5 Nashville, TN Tennessee Performing Arts Center
    3/6 Memphis, TN Orpheum
    3/8 Owensboro, KY RiverPark Center
    3/9 Louisville, KY The Palace
    3/11 Paducah, KY Carson Center
    3/12 Peoria, IL Peoria Civic Center Theater
    3/13 Rockford, IL Cornado PAC
    3/15 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
    3/17 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre
    3/18 Fort Wayne, IN Embassy Theatre
    3/19 Wabash, IN Honeywell Center (2 shows)
    3/20 South Bend, IN Morris Performing Arts Center
    3/22 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
    3/23 Bowling Green, KY Sky PAC
    3/24 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center
    3/25 Dayton, OH Schuster Performing Arts Center
    3/26 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre
    3/29 Cleveland, OH PlayhouseSquare
    3/31 Williamsport, PA Community Arts Center
    4/1, 2, 3, Lancaster, PA American Music Theater
    4/5 Richmond, VA Altria Theater
    4/6 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall at SevenVenues
    4/8 Wheeling, WV Capitol Theatre
    4/9 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre
    4/10 Salem, VA Salem Civic Center
    4/12 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
    4/14 Spartanburg, SC Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
    4/15 Winston-Salem, NC LJVM Coliseum Complex
    4/16 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
    4/17 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium
    4/19 Columbia, SC Koger Center for the Arts
    4/21 Athens, GA The Classic Center
    4/23 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
    4/24 Gainesville, FL Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
    4/27 Daytona Beach, FL Peabody Auditorium
    4/28 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Broward Center for the Performing Arts
    4/29 St. Petersburg, FL The Mahaffey Theater
    4/30 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
    5/1 Niceville, FL Mattie Kelly Arts Center

    photo credit: Jason Clark (L-R) Susan McFadden, Lynn Hilary, Mairead Carlin (back right), Mairead Nesbitt
    photo credit: Jason Clark
    (L-R) Susan McFadden, Lynn Hilary, Mairead Carlin (back right), Mairead Nesbitt

    5/3 Mobile, AL CC Theatre
    5/5 Birmingham, AL BJCC
    5/6 Jackson, MS Thalia Mara Hall
    5/7 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre
    5/8 Houston, TX Revention Music Center
    5/10 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
    5/11 Grand Prairie, TX Verizon Theatre
    5/13 El Paso, TX The Plaza Theatre
    5/14 Tucson, AZ Tucson Music Hall
    5/15 Tempe, AZ ASU Gammage Auditorium
    5/17 Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena
    5/20 Eugene, OR Hult Center for the Performing Arts
    5/21 Yakima, WA Yakima Valley SunDome
    5/22 Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
    5/24 Boise, ID Morrison Center
    5/25 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center
    5/26 Casper, WY Casper Events Center
    5/27 Greeley, CO Monfort Concert Hall
    5/28 Colorado Springs, CO Pikes Peak Center
    5/31-6/1Denver, CO Buell Theatre at Denver Performing Arts Complex
    6/3 Rapid City, SD Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
    6/4 Bismarck, ND Bismarck Event Center
    6/5 Grand Forks, ND Chester Fritz Auditorium
    6/7 Bemidji, MN Sanford Center
    6/9 La Crosse, WI La Crosse Center
    6/10 Prior Lake MN Mystic Lake Casino
    6/12 Grand Rapids, MI DeVos Performance Hall
    6/14 Kalamazoo, MI Miller Auditorium
    6/16 Warren, OH W.D. Packard Music Hall
    6/17 University Park, PA Eisenhower Auditorium
    6/19 Schenectady, NY Proctors
    6/21 Rochester, NY Auditorium Theatre
    6/22 Brooklyn, NY Kings Theatre
    6/24-6/25Orillia, Ontario Casino Rama
    6/26 Erie, PA Warner Theatre
    6/28 Lowell, MA Lowell Memorial Auditorium
    6/29 Providence, RI Providence Performing Arts Center
    6/30 Newark, NJ NJPAC
    7/1 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre
    7/2 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre

  • Greensky Bluegrass plays Horseshoes and Hand Grenades in NYC

    Bluegrass music may not be what’s on the radio, but the attendance at this past Saturday’s Greensky Bluegrass and Horseshoes and Hand Grenades show in New York City showed a healthy dose of support for one of the roots of what we’ve come to know as Americana music. With both bands visiting the East Coast from Michigan and Wisconsin, there was no local draw but definitely a packed house. Neither one had graced the stage of the Irving Plaza theater, but there was no sign of discomfort or unease from the opener or headliner.

    Horseshoes and Hand GrenadesAlthough most of the crowd were there for Greensky Bluegrass, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades were welcomed with a positive turnout early on. The five-piece acoustic outfit ran through their unique blend of bluegrass and country that brought bands like Trampled By Turtles and Old Crow Medicine Show to mind. One thing that sets this group aside from anyone else is their utilization of the harmonica and accordion in their arrangements. The fiddle blends well with the handheld instrument to deliver a strong high-end sound. Personal highlights came with covers of Pink Floyd’s “Time,” and Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright,” where they successfully turned two classics into their own sound.

    Horseshoes and Hand GrenadesKalamazoo’s Greensky Bluegrass took to the stage for two sets of well thought out and executed mayhem, running through early staples, showing off new work, and paying homage to their inspiration by taking on songs like Billy Joel’s “Big Shot,” Bruce Hornsby’s “King Of The Hill,” and the Allman Brothers’ “One Way Out.” Known for their playful covers and heartfelt originals, this band can go from dead serious to bouncing off the walls in a matter of one jam in between two songs.

    The smooth and familiar vocals of mandolinist Paul Hoffman layered with the crisp southern sound from guitarist Dave Bruzza are even more powerful when blended. Fan favorites like “Dustbowl Overtures,” “Just To Lie,” and “Don’t Lie” came in the first set, with the latter two taking off with instrumental exploration. Set two followed up with unique heavy hitters like “No Idea,” “Georgia Mail,” “Old Barns,” before closing out the second half of the show with “Leap Year.” Their encore of the Greensky original “Forget Everything” was followed with the Allman Brothers cover, just a few blocks away from where the old Fillmore East used to be.
    Despite Horseshoes and Hand Grenades being new to the area, it’s safe to say that they made a few fans at Irving Plaza thanks to the guys in Greensky Bluegrass. As the jam-grass brigade from Michigan continues to increase in venue size, it begs the question of what’s next, and where the green sky ends and the bluegrass begins.

  • The Ether Project Brings Audience-Led Improv to Brooklyn Bowl on February 5

    The Ether Project, a new jam band experience that brings the audience into the creation of the music, will bring special guest Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band) with them to Brooklyn Bowl on Friday, February 5.

    The Ether ProjectThe process of engaging the audience starts with a lucky guest who gets to choose a new key and genre for the jam from a selection of white laminated placards. The genres range from “Phunky Furry Thug” to “Hipster Polka” to “Light Metal” and builds a back-and-forth of audience participation leading to a unique musical performance.

    Guitarist Vic Cornette spoke with NYS Music to share what their live performance entails and what fans can expect from their special performance this weekend at Brooklyn Bowl.

    Pete Mason: Ether Project is a unique live experience. For the uninitiated, what sets Ether Project shows apart from other improvisational performances?

    Victor Cornette: I think what sets us apart from other improv performances is that the audience initiates what we do next by choosing key and Genre before each Jam or song.  It ultimately breaks down the barrier between audience and musician.

    PM: How does Ether Project differ from Everyone Orchestra?

    VC: It’s funny that you bring up Everyone Orchestra because Matt Butler is the inspiration for this project. I had great pleasure in working with them intimately for some runs through Colorado and the East Coast. The difference between us is the audience decides musician to start jam, the key and the genre not the conductor. I feel Ether takes on the daunting task of letting the listener be apart of the improv process and to understand how magical it is when it all works out or when it doesn’t.
    PM: What influences does the band draw upon in creating each live show?

    VC: As far as influences for each live show it’s completely based on what the audience wants, who I have sit in and what’s on the mind of my bandmates.  It’s all from The Ether.

    PM: In what way does the audience play a part in The Ether Project?

    VC: This took some time to work out but I came to solution with the help of my amazing band. A table is placed in front of the stage which have cards of genres and keys.  Audience members ,first come first serve , will decide what we do next. Our Jam liaison helps orchestrate this and puts it into play when we are ready for the next Jam.

  • Break Science Live Band Barrels Over Brooklyn Bowl

    Borahm Lee and Adam Deitch are two of Brooklyn’s busiest producer/musicians. Just days before embarking on a western U.S. tour as drummer for funk band Lettuce, Deitch and his collaborator Lee, known collectively as Break Science, nailed a pair of back-to-back hometown gigs at Brooklyn Bowl. While night one featured a rare performance by “Manic Science,” a.k.a. Break Science joined by Chicago-based producer Manic Focus, the second night was all Break Science. The Break Science Live Band, to be precise, with members of Lettuce in tow.

    IMG_8724
    The music of Break Science is a fusion of much of what you might see and hear over  time if you frequent shows at Brooklyn Bowl. It’s the sonic vision of two producer-musicians whose passion is to mash up elements culled from the broad array of musical projects they have respectively participated in, deeply rooted in hip-hop and spanning the worlds of EDM to funk and dub. Different musical eras and styles are combined in such a way that the only possible reaction for a fan on the floor at a Break Science show is to dance and give up hope of trying to explain the experience. Words were not necessary as the crowd packing the Bowl buzzed and bounced on Friday night, awash in the vibrance of the rich colors and raging music emanating from the stage.

    Hot on the heels of sizzling DJ sets from Marvel Years and Dreamer’s Delight, Break Science broke through the intervening chatter and hum appearing in classic fashion: Deitch on the kit and Lee at the keys, holding it down unaccompanied for the first few songs. While Lee and Deitch are more than capable of rocking crowds for a whole night as an electronica duo, the Live Band situates them in the center of  a cross between an EDM performance and a futuristic funk-rock band.

    After getting their set off to a smoking start, the duo introduced renowned beatboxer Rahzel, who gripped the audience’s attention with an impeccable exposé of technical precision and endurance, keeping the party rocking for a good 15 minutes using only his lungs, mouth and a microphone while Break Science took a short break. Deitch returned to back Rahzel on drums before welcoming back the full band and giving Rahzel a chance to rap.

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    From then on the crowd roiled ecstatically as samples and vocal tracks were interwoven seamlessly with analog instrumentation and live vocalists with a finesse indicative of years of experience both in front of and behind mixing boards on the part of the core duo. The brilliance of the live horns contributed greatly to the immediacy of the band’s vibe and the organic, human warmth that made fans feel immersed in the pulsating anthems rumbling the room. A big highlight came towards the end of the set with an intense unleashing of the spiritually uplifting “Force of Nature,” a single released back in October.

    The Break Science Live Band demonstrated itself to be capable of birthing a vibe and morphing it through various forms. There is nothing like a good drummer laying down an arousing hip-hop beat, and it was Deitch’s role to do just that as the rhythmic center of the band, around which the other musical elements mixed and reacted in mystic alchemical fashion. His kinetically impactful drumming was instrumental in maintaining the sense of infectious excitement that lasted throughout the show. In the midst of the ever-shifting musical tapestry, guitarist Smirnoff would at times strum a groovy rhythm while Lee sent synth melodies snaking through the sonic ether. The Shady Horns would periodically punctuate instrumental passages with fiery harmonized jabs and contribute solos throughout the set. Other times the band would fall in behind Rahzel, CX or Bajah on the mic, or even back a vocal track with such delicacy that it would feel like the singer on the recording was present onstage. Coomes and Smirnoff of Lettuce brought their neo-funk musicality to the bass and guitar parts so that tunes envisioned and composed electronically became the living, breathing reality of the band killing it on the Brooklyn Bowl stage. Lee, the other half of the core duo, occupied center stage somewhat in the manner of an orchestra conductor, except that instead of waving a baton, he led the band by masterfully manipulating his rig of keyboards and electronics to dish out the hooks, harmonies and samples that are the heart and soul of Break Science’s music.

    The cultural cornucopia that is Break Science should prompt a bit of reflection on what it is to be a part of or to bear witness to New York City’s musical traditions. It is truly awe-inspiring to see two guys who have been around the circuit so extensively bring together such a committed and well attuned cast of characters and utterly tear the roof off the sucker. But that’s just what Break Science does.