NYS Music 20​16

Category: Regions

  • Initial Lineup for Pre and After Parties for Phish NYE Run Announced

    CEG Music has announced a string of pre- and after-parties for the four-night New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

    phish

    On the first night of the run, you can catch a late-night set by Thankful for Amy at the Cutting Room on 44 E 32nd St. Thankful for Amy is a nine-piece all-star tribute to Amy Winehouse, featuring talented singer/songwriter Elise Testone, also known for being an American Idol finalist, joined by members of Trey Anastasio Band, Snarky Puppy and more. 

    Thursday, Dead Sessions performs at the American Beauty Bar, located on on 251 W 30th St., before and after the Phish show. Dead Sessions is a 16 year long project known for its authentic and unique renditions of Grateful Dead classics that features a rotating cast of musicians. In the past, members have included artists from big names like TAB, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and Assembly of Dust.

    On Friday Dec. 30, The Marcus King Band will do an after-party at the Cutting room. Marcus King is a young phenomenon with dazzling music ability and style that he describes as “soul-influenced psychedelic southern rock.” This is only improved by members of his band, as they “[broaden] his sound, touching upon everything from funky R&B to Southern soul and Americana in the process.”

    Finally, on New Year’s Eve, catch Holly Bowling at the Cutting Room, for a pre-party prior to the Garden party. Bowling is a talented pianist rapidly growing in popularity due to her impressive renditions of beloved songs by Phish and the Dead, which she transforms into solo piano interpretations. Snarky Puppy will be playing at the Irving Plaza, for an after-party that is not to be missed. Celebrate the new year with this talented ensemble of an array of musicians, as they take you on a journey of an eclectic, unclassifiable jazz/funk/global collective. Snarky Puppy is a 2014 Grammy Award winner for “Best R&B Performance,” and was nominated in 2016 for the “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.”

    More shows are to be announced. NYS Music will bring you updates as the announcements come.

    For more information, visit the official Phish After-Parties website.

  • Hearing Aide: Dave Keller “Right Back Atcha”

    Northeastern blues can be heard echoing from the mountains of Vermont in Dave Keller’s new album Right Back Atcha. The September 23 release date came just a day after the start of fall and his lyrics are symbolically vibrant with a colorful spirit and a life-changing attitude.

    dave kellerRecorded in the Green Mountain State, Keller recruited a 3-piece horn section, two backup vocalists and a small string ensemble to collaborate with his usual members of The Dave Keller Band. The diverse talent was used right off the bat in “It’s Time You Made Up Your Mind,” which serves as the opening track and the lone cover on the album. Willie Clayton originally brought the song to the studio during the peak of his funk-soul era in 1974 and much like Keller, Clayton didn’t see much in the way of commercial success or critic recognition until he was ripe into his 40s. Keller tips his hat to the roots he knows best while adding his own modern blues sound to this underplayed gem.

    Title track, “Right Back Atcha” has a very seductive brass and bass combination highlighted by Jessica Friedman’s baritone sax. Although the lyrical structure is very inventive, I found the song somewhat off putting, as I know that Keller is around the same age as my father and singing about his sexy time with a woman.   The album artwork on the back of his LP lets us know Keller is still getting freaky and his not-so-subtle innuendos complete the picture. Putting my personal issues with the song’s story behind, Keller nails his silky guitar solo and gets some help from the backup vocalists to bring this sonic, sweaty bang to a finish.

    After the most provocative track on the album, Keller hits us with his first love ballad entitled, “Deeper Than The Eye Can See.” Original band member, Ira Friedman, warms the tune up with a soft piano introduction before Keller gently harmonizes with the female backup singers. This lyrically and vocally soulful composition is reminiscent of Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey” and will leave you feeling all the feels the same way Van the Man does.

    “Circles” clocks in as the longest track of Right Back Atcha, which allows time for the Hammond B3 organ to really drive home the profound message. If “Deeper Than The Eye Can See” is Keller’s way of expressing the beauty of being in love, “Circles” tells the tale of how shitty life can be during the confusing parts. He lets his guitar solo do the crying as Friendman’s B3 steals the show during this deep-rooted blues piece.

    Vermont may one of the least populated states in the country, but that doesn’t prohibit their bands from getting funky. While Keller’s subject matter may be geared towards an older crowd in terms of the over-the-hump, post mid-life crisis topics presented in the lyrics, I can still get down with the eclectic musical arrangements he brought to the studio. This isn’t the type of album that someone in their twenties would throw on during a party, but give me twenty more years of experience and Right Back Atcha may be found on my iPhone 17 shuffle.

    Key Tracks: Right Back Atcha, Circles, You Make It Easy

  • Slick Rick’s Coming Home Tour

    London born and newly naturalized U.S. citizen hip-hop legend Slick Rick will begin his “Coming Home Tour” in the United Kingdom on Friday, November 25, 2016, at Mantra in Manchester. The tour will continue the next night at 02 Forum in London, followed by stops at 02 Academy, Bristol on Sunday the 27th, Birmingham’s 02 Institute on Monday the 28th, and The Sugar Club in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday the 29th, before concluding in Brighton at the Concorde 2 on Wednesday, November 30. Not only is this a homecoming for the rapper from Mitcham, Surrey, it’s his first ever UK tour. For tickets and tour information, visit Rick’s website.

    slick rick tourSlick Rick is known the world over for his glamorous accessorizing, which has often included capes, robes, crowns, extensive jewelery, and his celebrated eyepatch, but truly it’s the lasting cool of his landmark raps that affirms his status as pop pioneer and hip-hop icon. Timeless ballads “La Di Da Di” and “The Show,” have been sampled over 700 times combined, influencing musicians from every generation since their release, including the likes of Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, Kanye West, Nas, TLC, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, and the Beastie Boys.

    DJ Kaos and the Rickettes will accompany Rick the Ruler on the Coming Home Tour, which comes in wake of a 23-year battle with the United States Immigration Bureau that kept him from traveling abroad. For more on that story, click here.

    Slick Rick is on Instagram @therulernyc, Twitter @therulernyc, and Facebook SlickRick.

    Tour Dates:
    Nov. 25 – Mantra – Manchester
    Nov. 26 – 02 Forum – London
    Nov. 27 – 02 Academy – Bristol
    Nov. 28 – 02 Institute – Birmingham
    Nov. 29 – The Sugar Club – Dublin, Ireland
    Nov. 30 – Concorde 2 – Brighton

  • Catskill Chill Closes out Summer at New Minglewood

    Catskill Chill rounded out the New York summer festival season September 24-26 with a stacked line-up and a new location.   Moving just a few miles from its former location in Hancock, NY, the Catskill Chill found a new home this year in Lakewood, Pa. Previously held at Camp Minglewood, this year the Chill found its new home at New Minglewood and included an extra day of camping and more music.

    The festival’s inaugural Thursday night pre-party was a great addition to the weekend. Twiddle highlighted the evening with two sets including a sit-in with Scott Hannay of Mister F.  Although the turn out for the night’s first two bands, Aqueous and Jimkata, was light, the packed house for Twiddle verified that many festival goers had taken advantage of the Thursday night ticket.

    Arriving early had more benefits than just the music.  Many festival attendees enjoyed the ability to set up camp and explore the grounds before the barrage of attendees arrived on Friday.  “The best part of the Thursday ticket was being able to get the choice camping spots.” Jennifer Bliss of Saratoga Springs, NY told NYS Music. “It was also nice to have our camp ready to go, so that we could really enjoy the music on Friday.”

    Mike Gordon drew the largest crowd of Friday Night to the main stage. Among the songs performed, the Phish bassist debuted “Let’s Go,” a tune generally reserved for a Phish set list. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic also enjoyed a great turn out, many of whom had never seen the master of funk live.  “I had only heard the name George Clinton, but didn’t really know what he was about.  Thinking about it, that set might have been my favorite of the weekend.  I liked that Chill has artists like that on their line-up,” noted Brian Thomas of Cleveland, Ohio.

    Catskill Chill

    Other much talked about sets on Friday night included Pink Talking Fish and Pink Talking Fu. The Pink Talking Fish set included a variety of Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd with a sit-in from Kung Fu’s Tim Palmeri on “Great Gig in the Sky” and “Crosseyed and Painless.” The B Stage was turned into a dance party during Pink Talking Fu (Pink Talking Fish and Kung Fu.)  The two bands highlighted the music of David Bowie and Prince in a tribute set that featured both top 40 hits and beloved deep tracks. Shira Elias of Turkuaz and Hayley Jane both sat in for vocal performances throughout the set.

    Friday’s sleeper sets included music by Funky Dawgz Brass Band, Mister F and Goldfish.  All three bands are well worth seeing and turned out amazing performances.

    Saturday’s main stage was highlighted with an assortment of musical styles that kept the variety going throughout the day. Ryan Montebleau, Cabinet and Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass added an element of relaxation and chill while Lettuce and Particle were funky and dance worthy.

    The B-Stage popped off thanks to sets from Turkuaz and Tauk. Formula 5, Big Something and the Magic Beans all generated note-worthy buzz at their various sets on Saturday as well.

    Saturday was the day of tribute sets, providing a plethora of familiar music performed by some of the festivals most beloved artists.  Fikus and Shwizz came together to perform as Shwikus Plays the Beatles, while the Heavy Pets played the 80’s and Lespecial paid tribute to Primus.

    “I just loved all of the tribute sets at Chill,” mentioned Nick Augustine of Silver Springs, MD. “Every one that I saw was executed perfectly!”

    The most intriguing set of the night went to Turbine, whose RadioDead set was at times mind twisting and enigmatic. The concept –  Radiohead songs played in the style of the Grateful Dead and Grateful Dead songs played in the style of Radiohead.  Turbine did a stellar job of translating the songs into the respective styles, so much so that many attendees couldn’t quite wrap their heads around what they were hearing.  “Wait, is this Radiohead or the Dead?” was overheard often during the set.

    For the second year in a row, members of Dopapod and Turkuaz brought the house down during their tribute set, this year with a tribute set to the preppie-loved classic soft rock of the 80s known as Yacht Rock.  The set was fun, campy and executed with perfection. It’s a nod to both groups of Berklee trained musicians, as they take such care with music that could otherwise be dismissed.  Somehow they find a way to celebrate not only the music, but the production quality that feels like you are square in the middle of a musical time capsule.

    Josh Schwartz (Turkuaz) receives MVP nods for his spot on vocal tribute to soulful baritone Michael McDonald. However, Rob Compa who tackled vocals on the Eagles classic “Hotel California” as well as the entire Dopakuaz crew wins honorable mention during a production perfect version of the song. The set also included the most “had to be there” moment as Dopapod bassist Chuck Jones took to the Chill Fam seas with a stage dive and crowd surfing adventure.

    The Chill Fam All-Stars tribute to Michael Jackson was another highlight of the night, however, many festival attendees were turned away as the Late Night Hall was packed to capacity before the music even started.  However, despite not everyone being able to attend, the set was highlighted by the vocals of Elise Testone, whuch were a milky and smooth compliment to the original. The Chill Fam All- Stars included Eric Gould (Pink Talking Fish); Adrian Tramontano and Robert Somerville (Kung Fu); Shira Elias, Chris Brouwers and Michelangelo Carubba (Turkuaz); Danny Mayer (Eric Krasno Band); Steve Molitz (Particle) and Robert Volo on trombone (Deep Banana Blackout).

    Sunday’s Main Stage was highlighted by performances from Dopapod, Greensky Bluegrass and Electron.  Although the festival grounds and attendance at sets appeared to begin to thin out by Sunday afternoon, festival goers that stuck it out were also treated to great performances by Perpetual Groove, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, The Werks and Broccoli Samurai.

    Sunday’s most noteworthy performance went to Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.  They made the most of their two sets, including a two-hour cover set late night at Club Chill. The set was one of the most sit-in heavy of the weekend including performances by Tom Hamilton, Shira Elisa (Turkuaz), Steve Molitz (Particle), Elise Testone, and Rob Somerville (Kung Fu).

    The New Minglewood grounds felt like home for many Catskill Chill veterans. The added facilities of more “play areas” including the basketball courts by the B-Stage created a fun vibe that more people plan on taking advantage of next year.  Wins for the new location included closer parking to the camping grounds, more common areas and the B-Stage, whom many felt housed the best music and sound of the weekend.

    However, despite the great sound at both the main stage and the B-stage, many festival attendees found themselves hanging outside both Club Chill and the Late Night Hall due to the facilities acoustics.   “It was really loud in both the indoor venues,” noted Mike Dustin of Allentown, PA, “For the most part, we chose to just sit outside and listen there.  It just literally sounded like we were watching music in a high school gym.  So much of the sound quality was lost.”

    Most of this year’s attendees agreed that the cabins, vendors and security were in sync with previous years.  However, it was noted by several folks that this year the port-a-potties in the camping areas could have used much more attention, as the usual daily cleanings of the facilities seemed to have been missed in at least one location.

    As the weekend’s attendees packed up and returned home, most were happy with the new location and the line-up. But beyond that, it was the Chill Fam vibe that most were pleased to be a part of.  “Chill is my favorite festival – hands down,” said Kelly Kepler of Portland, Maine. “I was scared that this year would be different, that changing the location would mean all the things we loved about Chill would be different. Honesty, I think it was better.  It was a great way to bond with new people because everyone was on even ground. It only made our little Chill family stronger.  I can’t wait for next year!”

  • One Night in Buffalo with Quilt and Mutual Benefit

    Two underappreciated indie-rock bands made a stop at Mohawk Place in Buffalo on Saturday night. Mutual Benefit opened the evening with the ambient instrumental “Madrugada,” also the lead track off of their latest release, Skip a Sinking Stone. Members switched between guitars, keys, flute and melodica to create the soundscape that served as the perfect introduction to their set, a pleasant drift into the dream state.

    As it dissolved into “Skipping Stones” (as it does on the album), the opening lyrics, “You are the first thing I see / When I open my eyes when I wake from a dream” reinforced the dream-like quality of the music that would envelope the room for the next 40 minutes. It was two guitars, bass and drums. Nothing too unusual, save some flute here and banjo there and a drum kit composed mostly of hand drums, but together they formed a blanket of sound, soothing, mellow and beautiful. It was the soundtrack of your most pleasant and colorful dreams. The songs drifted in and out of nothing, and like your subconscious thoughts, once the next began the last became a distant nearly forgotten memory. Each song existed wholly in the moment. img_20160924_204736651

    “What’s today, is it Thursday?” asked lead man Jordan Lee. It was Saturday. “For us, every day is Thursday, it’s a blessing and a curse.” The set closed with their most energetic number, “Golden Wake,” again with the all too appropriate line, “We woke for golden morning hours / Just to soak in all the power.”

    With our minds sufficiently relaxed and pliable, Boston’s Quilt emerged to knead and massage our mental state into the trippiness of 60’s psychedelia. There is a sound that resides in the musical real estate between “Taxman” and “Crimson and Clover.” They find plenty of room to explore the landscape therein though, showing their influences but sounding fresh and original all the same.img_20160924_220327590

    The quartet that started as a trio had grown to a quintet, with keyboardist June West joining guitarist Shane Butler, guitarist Anna Fox Rochinski, drummer John Andrews and bassist Keven Lareau. They opened with the enchanting “Passersby” off of their early 2016 release Plaza. Throughout the set, composed fairly democratically between their three albums, it was apparent that what set them apart was the incredible songwriting and unique and various vocals. They have a knack for “discovering” new music that seems to have existed forever. Familiar, yet exciting and new. Rochinski, Andrews and Butler all shared vocal duties, harmonizing in pairs and altogether, both syncopated and out-of-sync, injecting a variety of different elements and surprises through their voices alone.

    During extended improvisations, notably the early set “Saturday Bride” and late set “Secondary Swan,” like oil in a lava lamp, the music oozed slowly up and around themes, collapsing into itself and reforming into something different but similar. The environs did nothing to aid in this mental transportation, a dive bar with limited lighting, dark and overpowering backdrop, and disappointing crowd threatened to cut off the escape. But the music powered through.

    “Is it Sunday?” Rochinski inquired. “No? Well it feels like Sunday.” It was in fact, most definitely still Saturday. It must be tough to keep track though, whether touring in a dream state or a time warp. No matter, that night was the right time to partake in a little bit of both, via Quilt and Mutual Benefit.

    Setlists

    Mutual Benefit: Madrugada > Skipping Stones > Closer Still, Let’s Play / Statue of a Man, Lost Dreamers, ?, Strong Swimmer, ?, Advanced Falconry, Golden Wake

    Quilt: Passersby, Young Gold, Saturday Bride, Eliot St., Roller, Searching For, Arctic Shark, Hissing My Plea, Penobska Oakwalk, Secondary Swan, Talking Trains

  • Gwar Declares the Next President

    The night was beautiful, so beautiful in fact that the only thing that could make it better was blood covered concert goers. That is what was going to happen in downtown Buffalo and Town Ballroom in the heart of the theatre district.  People were wrapped around the building waiting to get in. You know who the veterans are in regards to going to Gwar concerts; they are the ones dressed in white or any lighter color they didn’t mind trashing.

    Hardcore metal band Mutoid Man was first to hit the stage, and that they did with vulgar sexual references; everything from penis to boob jokes. Guitarist Steve Brodsky and bassist Nick Cageao poured huge, unrelenting riffs out of their amplifiers, while Ben Koller drove songs with his innovative style of drumming. The thing that stood out most about Mutoid Man was they were having fun playing on stage and you saw it in each of them based solely off expression.

    GWARCrowbar is a sludge metal band from New Orleans known as “some dudes” and have been in the music scene for nearly 30 years now. Windstein interacted brilliantly with the crowd and kept everyone engaged in between songs as Crowbar tuned their instruments. Spitting like a cowboy who thinks he’s still in the saloon, Windstein rumbles and roars into pit-starter “Conquering,” and so the riffs start falling. Frontman Kirk Windstein, metal legend that he is, still sets up his own gear from scratch, tunes guitars himself, and distributes set lists to the band. This shows the humbleness he has a reputation for.

    Then as the lights lowered and the elaborate stage was set up by a crew of about 10 workers, people got as close as they could to the front of the stage. This is where my previous statement about being a beautiful night for concert goers comes into play. What`s the indication of Gwar coming on stage? When the music stops you know that’s when things are about to get messy.

    GWARThe screen they bring on stage lit up and showed an unflattering picture of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. First to the stage was ring announcer Sleazy P. Martini, who talked about what was going to unfold this evening – 3 separate wrestling matches and one of them would be Trump vs. Hillary. The fight between the two led to Hillary as the triumphant winner. She ripped his face off then took out his intestines and pointed his blood splattering chest towards the crowd, soaking several rows of patrons. As Hillary was celebrating her win, Blothar came up and ripped off her breasts and spewed even more blood onto the crowd ranging almost to the back of the venue in distance.

    Viciously some aliens from another planet came in and fought Blother and Bone Snapper, stealing the title! Musically this group of guys are very talented in their respected instruments; Brent Purgason (Pustulus Maximus) shreds a mean guitar, and Gwar front-man Blothar has appeared on Ted Talks and is quite intelligent. The cult following they have is undeniable. Dave Brockie (Oderus Urungus) was the front man prior and that’s what most people knew Gwar as, granted it will never be the same but Blothar is a great replacement.

    Back to the wrestling match, the intruder aliens came back to fight the final fight and this time Bone Snapper and Blothar were victorious! They won the title and Blothar announced to the crows that he was best suited to be the president of the United States. Fans cheered like they were at a rally and with the election candidates we have now, I think our best bet for a better future is Blothar for president!

    GWAR

  • Fetty Wap Leaves SU’s Juice Jam Hanging

    The beginning of the fall semester is the best time for students at Syracuse University. September is the last month where students can enjoy being outside before the arctic tundra plagues the campus. This is the time when University Union showcases their first major concert: Juice Jam.

    Juice Jam, with its alliterative citrus allure, is a small festival-like experience for SU/ESF students. Typically held on a Sunday afternoon, Juice Jam is an all-afternoon event that features artists on their main stage and on their indie stage. (Note: The stages are side by side which makes it easy for the crowd to shift for different acts.)  Unlike a major festival, navigating to food trucks, water stations, bathrooms, and auxiliary activities is quite manageable on the Skytop Field.img_7341

    The 2016 edition of Juice Jam was this past weekend on Sunday, September 25, and tickets were sold out prior to the show.  The lineup featured Tove Lo, marshmello, D.R.A.M., Stephen, and LOLO. The headliner for the event was supposed to Fetty Wap with Monty. Sadly… there’s no coverage of Fetty Wap from the event. Why? Because Fetty Wap didn’t show up. The rapper was supposedly making his way to Syracuse, but due to “travel delays,” he didn’t make his set. He was supposed to take the stage at 5pm, and an announcement cancelling the event (or at least the rest of it) was made shortly after 5:30pm.  According to The Daily Orange, SU’s campus newspaper, University Union will not be issuing refunds to those at the event.  The decision makes sense because there’s no way to track who went to the event once tickets were collected at the gates, but it’s no surprise many students are a bit heated as a result.  There was a mass exodus for the buses/exit gates post announcement as many were majorly disappointed.

    Besides the tragic ending, the day progressed quite smoothly.  The weather was ideal, and the event was extremely organized and well-staffed. Tove Lo did well closing the show, though that was unbeknownst to anyone at the time that she would be last.  Better luck next time!  Looks like Fetty won’t be getting a lot of University love in the near future.

  • Joy Formidable interview on Recess with Spinelli

    Alexander Spinelli of the new music radio program, Recess with Spinelli spoke with Rhydian, the bassist of the Welsh band the Joy Formidable. Rhydian discuses motivation, recording process, tour life, Welsh culture, music & language and their new album, Hitch.

    Listen to the abridged feature/interview

    You can listen to the full feature/interview on the live radio broadcast

    While on-stage, the Joy Formidable are a well pieced band who look like they are having the best time of their lives. But don’t take our word for it; look at the photos below.

    joy formidableRecess with Spinelli can be heard every Wednesday 8pm-10pm EDT on WSPN in Saratoga Springs, NY on 91.1FM and on Hoxton FM in London, England every Wednesday 11pm-1am GMT 6pm-8pm EDT

    Follow Recess with Spinelli: Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube Soundcloud  Mixcloud Tumblr and online at longbowmedia.us

  • Rock Allegiance Stands Strong Among Competition

    For the second straight year, Chester, PA was home to Rock Allegiance. The Rock Allegiance festival, which is one of the many Danny Wimmer Presents events, returned to Talen Energy Stadium (formerly PPL Park) on Saturday and Sunday September 17 and 18.

    Unlike last year’s festival, Rock Allegiance 2016 was set for 2 full days that included some of the biggest bands today, such as Avenged Sevenfold, Alice In Chains, The Offspring and Slayer. To accompany two full days of music, this year added even more of the festival’s signature Gourmet Man Food and other experiences for fans to check out. Some of this year’s experiences included The Music Experience, The Jack Daniel’s Experience, FYE Experience and Zippo Encore. As always, proud sponsor, Monster, was on site giving away free products and hooking fans up with chances to meet their favorite bands.

    Saturday’s festival lineup featured quite a mix of bands. There were heavy metal bands, cover bands, comedy bands, grunge bands and more. Some of Saturday’s stand-out performances were Skindred, Avatar, and Motionless In White. Each one of these bands brings something unique to the table that not an everyday band does. Skindred had the most unique sound of the day. The Welsh rockers mix heavy metal with reggae and create some insane grooves. Lead singer Benji Webbe certainly knew how to lead his band and give the crowd a set to remember past the weekend.

    Certainly no one was disappointed with headliners Alice In Chains, Breaking Benjamin and The Offspring. Each one of those bands has earned their keep and each had their own die-hard fans in attendance. Alice In Chains was joined by Billy Duffy of The Cult for their song “Rooster.” One band that failed to bring out the special guests that everyone was hoping for was Taylor Hawkins’, Chevy Metal.  Chevy Metal, which is Hawkins’ cover band that rips through classic rock songs with ease, is known for bringing out big names at their shows. Unfortunately, when the band closed out the Liberty Stage, no guests came out to join the band.

    Fans of Sepultura got to hear the legendary album, Roots, in its entirety during Max & Igor Cavalera’s Return To Roots set. This was one of the most bad-ass sets of the day. Seeing the two brothers back on stage doing Sepultura songs was absolutely incredible and the crowd went wild. One band that seemed to sneak its way into a huge main-stage slot was Baroness. These guys have been growing and growing non-stop and have been receiving incredible support from some of the biggest musicians on the planet. The love and support of Baroness landed them a late evening slot and definitely gave the band a chance to reach an audience of plenty of Baroness virgins.

    It’s impossible to not mention Trivium when it comes to kicking ass. The guys in Trivium seem to live on the road and never show any signs of slowing down. Although their last album Silence In The Snow, wasn’t as “heavy” as some old fans would have liked, this monster of an album has been a commercial hit and the tracks are solid. Gone are the signature screams of singer Matt Heafy, but the record showcases Heafy’s ability to actually sing. Together with long time band members Corey Beaulieu and Paolo Gregoletto and new drummer Paul Wandtke, Trivium continues to give festival crowds around the world a brutal, fast and a seemingly too short set.

    Saturday’s top performance didn’t come from any headliner or by any band that played on either stage inside the stadium. The top band of the day took the Liberty Stage at 4:15. That band was letlive. For people who skipped letlive., saying they missed out is a complete understatement. Often times, writers will say a band had “high energy” and all these other generic compliments about a band they thought was pretty good. On Saturday, letlive. could be described to someone who missed them simply as, f*&King insane. Singer Jason Aalon Butler gave Rock Allegiance everything he could, without getting in too much trouble. Butler ended up hanging upside down at the soundboard tent and running throughout the crowd while his team of roadies tried to keep the audience from becoming strangled with this microphone cord. If there’s one thing fans at Rock Allegiance aren’t ever going to forget, it is letlive’s set.

    Out of the 2 day festival, Sunday was definitely the day with the stacked lineup. The day started off with what would be one of the best sets of the day from Death Angel. Singer Mark Osegueda is by far one of the best vocalists in heavy metal. This guy can hit any note imaginable. If there was one bad thing to say about Sunday, it would be Death Angel’s set was too damn short. Next time, Death Angel deserves a mid-day main stage slot to show the crowd what they bring to the table.

    After Death Angel, bands like Devour The Day, Twelve Foot Ninja, Crobot and Kyng were all back to back one after the other. Although none of these bands have hit it big yet, they’re all in the process of knocking down that door. This year was Devour The Day’s second year in a row playing Rock Allegiance and the crowd was definitely excited to see them again. The singer of Kyng wasn’t too happy with them and Crobot playing at almost the same exact time. He went on to say that whoever booked that should be fired.

    From 2:30 onward, many fans may not have even left the two main stages inside Talen Energy Stadium. Unfortunately for bands like Neck Deep, Amity Affliction and Pierce The Veil, the main stages where were the party was at. Although, even though the inside floor was packed in, these bands attracted their own die-hard fans and fans who may have been curious to check out someone new. Pierce The Veil certainly could have played inside due to the crowd and the stage setup they had. The guys in Pierce The Veil are an absolute blast to watch on stage and their spaceship on stage isn’t something every band brings out on the road.

    Sevendust had a huge crowd over at the Bridge Stage for their set. One of those fans at the Bridge Stage was Anthrax singer, Joey Belladonna, who joined Lajon Witherspoon to sing “Face to Face.” Sevendust was another victim of the dreaded short festival set. Only having time for a handful of songs, Sevendust wasted no time between songs and gave fans as much as they could. The band closed out their set with their Grammy nominated track “Thank You.”

    Some other highlights of the day were Hellyeah and Killswitch Engage. Both of these bands are entertaining to watch from start to finish. Hellyeah singer, Chad Gray is one of the most explosive front-men in metal. Hellyeah’s setlist only featured songs off their 2 latest albums Blood for Blood and Unden!able. During the track “Sangre por Sangre,” bassist Kyle Sanders spit fake blood all over Chad’s face. Chad would sport this blood for the rest of the set and it was clear this band meant business. Hellyeah have certainly been working their asses off creating new music and trying to win over the haters of their group.

    Killswitch Engage, on the other hand, doesn’t have to do anything fancy on stage to win over fans. The guys in KSE are purely bad-ass and get the crowd going regardless if they’re fans of their band or not. Certainly one of the rowdiest crowds of the day, Killswitch gave them all the reason to be. Guitarist, Adam Dutkiewicz, did what he does best and got the people of Rock Allegiance in the KSE mood. Dutkiewicz and singer Jesse Leach lead the charge and helped give Killswitch Engage one of Sunday’s best performances.

    The rest of the evening after KSE was great as anyone would have guessed. Chevelle, Anthrax, Volbeat and Slayer were all fantastic. Each band had a giant fan base in each section of the floor. Slayer fans waited all day along the rail of the Bridge Stage to be in front of Kerry King and Tom Araya. Having half of the big “four” on one stage was an easy choice for thrash metal fans on where to set up camp. Getting that front row spot for both Anthrax and Slayer would put any thrash metal fan in heaven, or in this case, hell.

    As expected, Anthrax stuck with their casual festival setlist. This setlist is fine for any casual fan of Anthrax, but the die-hard fans who traveled to see them definitely wanted something a little different. Tracks like, “Got The Time” and “Antisocial” could definitely be replaced by songs off their latest two albums, which were both outstanding. Both Chevelle and Volbeat, on the other hand, picked their setlists well offering a nice balance between new and old material. Slayer was also another band that seemed to surprise the crowd with their setlist choice. Instead of playing mainly tracks of their latest album Repentless, they only chose to play the title track. The rejuvenated Slayer lineup dug into deep cuts as well as playing the fan-favorite classics like “Raining Blood” and “Angel of Death.”

    The two top performances on Sunday belonged to two bands that toured together not too long ago. Those two bands are Ghost and headliner Avenged Sevenfold. Ghost, who just kicked off their Popestar Tour days before, opened their set with their new EP single “Square Hammer.” For fans who hadn’t caught on to Ghost already, were probably walking out of the stadium that night with a shirt or CD from the FYE tent. Ghost definitely had one of the biggest fan bases over the entire weekend. Ghost shirts were seen by the minute on both days of the festival. The stage show wasn’t what fans will see at headlining shows due to time restrictions, but fans weren’t complaining. The Ghouls, complete with their new female bassist, ripped through 6 more songs after “Square Hammer.” Together with Papa Emeritus III, the band flawlessly performed songs such as “From the Pinnacle to the Pit,” “Cirice,” “Year Zero”, and more. Unlike headlining shows where the band closes with “Monstrance Clock,” Ghost changed things up and said their goodbyes with “Mummy Dust.”

    The chance of Avenged Sevenfold disappointing the fans at Rock Allegiance this year was practically 0%. It’s been a while since Avenged Sevenfold has toured and fans were ready for something that was new and fresh. The band went on stage and opened with “Nightmare.” Fans could quickly point out that Avenged no longer had the extensive stage setup like they did on their Mayhem Festival run a few years back. This time, Avenged kept things simple with an empty stage and a giant LED screen. People who thought that was all they brought were definitely mistaken. It didn’t take long for the onslaught of flames to come from the back of the stage song after song. The new tour not only meant a new stage but also a refreshed setlist. This time around, Avenged played tracks like “Planets,” “Acid Rain,” “To End the Rapture,” and “Second Heartbeat.” The weekend ended with “Unholy Confessions,” instead of the typical encore of “A Little Piece of Heaven.”

    At the end of the weekend, it would be hard to say fans were left disappointed. The lineup for both days of the festival was solid and seemed to have something for everyone. It may have been noticed by people at Rock Allegiance that it wasn’t close to a sold-out capacity crowd, but that doesn’t affect the experience negatively. With two other festivals going on over the same weekend, both within reasonable driving distance, Rock Allegiance held its ground and drew a decent size crowd for what it was up against. Hopefully next year, Chester, PA. can once again be the host of Rock Allegiance for the 3rd straight year.

  • Simple Magic at Burning Man 2016, Black Rock City, NV (NSFW)

    It was one of those hidden treasure moments, like when you open an old shoe box and discovered that your deceased father kept every Father’s Day card you ever mailed him. Or perhaps, as when, you stumble through a dry creek bed and find, wedged between two tree limbs, a small pock-marked, granite stone that over time was water-sculpted perfectly into a shape of a heart. It was one of those deceptively simple moments that showcases what’s best about the Burning Man Festival, I recently returned from that is held annually in the northern Nevada desert.

    Burning Man
    It was so simple of a moment; it began much in the same way an old joke begins. A drummer walks into a bar and sits next to Jesus and Santa Claus, and exclaims, “Hey! I know you!”

    Burning Man Black Rock City

    Only it wasn’t a joke. It was just another late afternoon under the carport canopy of Camp Gallavant’s pirate-themed rum bar. Michael Gray, the drummer of the talented honky-tonk trio The Screaming Js out of Asheville North Carolina, sauntered into dust-covered confines of Burning Man’s venerable AAAARRGH Bar and sat down next to me, a 15-year member of Gallavant. To Burners I am called Jesus, due to my former existence as a Southern Baptist preacher and my frequent Jesus-like attire. To many musicians like Gray and their festival/concert followers, I am known as Dirty Santa due to my just-as- frequent use of a red sequin Santa suit while photographing live music.

    Burning Man Black Rock City

    “Hey I know you!” exclaimed the bedraggled-looking drummer on the final afternoon of the festival as he sat down at the bar. The Screaming Js had just finished a week-long residency whipping boogie-woogie frenzies at a near-by theme camp. After Gray realized that I was celebrating my one-year wedding anniversary that happened at Burning Man last year, he jumped from his bar stool with an offer to relocate the band and equipment, including an upright piano, stand-up bass, and drum kit that already been packed away in the band’s weathered, aqua blue school bus, for one final throw down at Camp Gallavant as a wedding present.

    And what a gift it was.

    Burning Man Black Rock City

    The conditions for playing live music at Burning Man are always difficult at best. And the last night in the desert was shaping up as one of the coldest of week. Nighttime temps dropped into the low 40s, and Gallavant members had dismantled their bar structures by nightfall. The Screaming Js would be playing under an open sky with only a ground tarp cover in front of lounge furniture, and a LED-lit pirate ship mounted on a bread truck. Despite the difficult conditions, Gray, along with Jake Hollifield on piano, and Jonathan Paul Hess on the bass lit a melodic fuse. Rick Metz on saxophone, and Scott Quigley on percussion joined the jamboree. And two and half hours later, the band had delivered a blistering improvisational jam of honky-tonk tunes and scattered Grateful Dead covers that transformed a typically somber night into a joyous hoedown.

    Burning Man Black Rock City

    Burning Man is rife with “shoebox magic” moments, even if they can be overlooked amid the spectacle of large EDM sound camps and towering art structures. This year’s edition offered plenty spectacle. The wild week of art shows, fire performances, costumed crazies, and roaming art cars were scoured by dust storm broom whisks. Stand out art structures included the Black Rock Light House with three tilted towers that shot fire, the 36,000-pound Space Whale, made with over 4,000 hand-cut pieces of stained glass, and a massive, metal wort hog, dubbed “Lord Snort” that participants could climb on and spin.

    Burning Man can still be a place of beauty, creativity, and community-building. Like the serpentine trails of an improvised melody spooling from an upright piano into the twinkling quietude of a clear desert sky, there is hope that we can rise into the cool, thin air as a sweet reflection of our better selves. Like the magic of a simple moment, even a pock-marked stone can be sculpted into the shape of a heart.