Category: Regions

Charley Orlando Unveils Summer Tour Dates
Charley Orlando, the folk-rock singer-songwriter from Glenville, will perform across Central New York this summer.

The artist released the dates of his upcoming shows this week. He will perform solo at Funk n’ Waffles in downtown Syracuse at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 12. Tim Herron will also play that night.

The following weekend, Orlando is scheduled to perform at Cortland Beer Company in Cortland and Art on the Porches in Syracuse on Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18, respectively. In the Friday show, the singer will be joined, as he often is, by the musicians of his band RUHA.

One of Orlando’s other projects — Pearly Baker’s Best, a Syracuse-based Grateful Dead tribute band — will play twice this summer. The group will be at Funk n’ Waffles on Saturday, July 9, as part of Hippie Ball II before appearing at Ray Brother’s BBQ in Bouckville for the Jerry Garcia Celebration on Friday, Aug. 5.

Orlando has released 13 albums, most recently StarSeed in 2014. On his website, Orlando refers to the album as “an unconventional recording style creating rhythmic patterns and atmospheric layers in Ableton Live first, before adding guitar, harmonica, and finally vocals to each track.”

Charley Orlando summer 2016 tour dates:
- June 3 — Taste of Syracuse, Syracuse, NY — 5:45 p.m. (RUHA)
- June 4 — Maxwells, Syracuse, NY — 7 p.m. (solo)
- June 10 — Old City Hall, Oswego, NY — 7 p.m. (solo)
- June 12 — Funk n’ Waffles, Syracuse, NY — 8 p.m. (solo)
- June 17 — Cortland Beer Company, Cortland, NY — 8 p.m. (RUHA)
- June 18 — Art on the Porches, Syracuse, NY — 11 a.m. (solo)
- July 9 — Hippie Ball II, Funk n’ Waffles, Syracuse, NY — 8 p.m. (Pearly Baker’s Best)
- July 31 — KMASE & Cones, The Ice Cream Stand, North Syracuse, NY — 12 p.m. (solo)
- August 5 — Jerry Garcia Celebration, Ray Brother’s BBQ, Bouckville, NY — 8 p.m. (Pearly Baker’s Best)
- August 13 — SeedStock VIII, Cortland, NY — 12 p.m. (RUHA)
https://youtu.be/dUGkf-meigY
June 4, 2016
Mountain Jam 2016: Day 2

On June 3, festival-goers awoke in their tents, RVs, and hotel rooms to a beautiful day ahead. The temperature was in the low 60s, there was some light comfortable wind blowing through the mesh of tents, and some clouds in the sky, which kept the sun from waking people up hot and sweaty. Most importantly, there was the first full day of Mountain Jam 2016 ahead.

The day of music got underway on the Valley Stage with The Suitcase Junket, a one-man-band out of Amherst, MA. Matt Lorenz entertained the crowd with his adaptation of a music man, crooning out sweet lyrics, while smoothly playing a combination of a variety of instruments to accentuate those heartfelt vocals.

The next couple of acts to hit the Valley Stage were Marcus King Band and Love Canon. Marcus King and his band proved to be a crowd favorite and was invited to play a small acoustic set live on Radio Woodstock, which is broadcasting on-site all weekend. NYS Music captured a moment of that radio set on Instagram. Love Canon, a fast-paced bluegrass band with a keen ability to cover Top 100 songs got the late-afternoon crowd fired up for the evening to come. Their covers of J. Geils Band’s “Centerfold” and Africa’s “Toto” ensured that as few butts were on the grass or in chairs as possible.

The Mountain Stage had its first act early in the afternoon, with And The Kids, a band based in Northampton, MA, who labels themselves as not just indie rock, but as an existential and accessible form of music. After this unique and subtle yet powerful trio was a band who has worked hard to be thought provoking with the depth to assist generations with escaping the ease of apathy. That band with such an intense charge is Nahko and Medicine for the People. NYS Music was fortunate enough to catch a few minutes with Nahko, an artist with a great heart and his mind truly in an enlightened state.

“A lot of the music that I eventually opened up to that fueled my own style of writing came from [the Sixties]. The old story-telling of a time when there was a very strong movement, as far as a social movement goes, to become aware of yourself and to be involved in your political structure and to be involved in making democracy work for the people.” He goes on to explain that he doesn’t see his music having a political drive. Instead he prefers to label it as having political content and some non-fictional history lessons, which is ultimately positioned to open fans’ minds in order to do their part in shaping a better world.

The Santa Monica, CA based band was here playing their first Mountain Jam and were excited to say the least. The only disappointment was that they had to leave almost directly after their set. However, the reason was nothing short of incredible: they are performing at a Bernie Sanders rally in San Diego, CA.

The Mountain Stage then welcomed Courtney Barnett, the Melbourne, Australia-based singer, song writer, guitarist and all-around bad-ass performer. Courtney brought her attitude-filled full-bodied sound to the Catskill Mountains, introducing many to her music and galvanizing the crowd when she played The Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” for her first time ever in front of an audience. NYS Music posted a clip of that excellent cover on Instagram as it happened.

Immediately after the Australian indie-rocker finished her set, Brooklyn’s own Turkuaz got things started on the Valley Stage. Anyone who has seen this power funk ensemble knows that the impending set they stand anxiously waiting to see will fill everyone’s ears with a ground shaking orchestration. Turkuaz shows everyone why this relatively young band has started to gain the momentum that is likely to carry them to very high places in the national music scene and possibly beyond.

As the evening led into night, Mountain Jam 2016 was captivated by the music of Jason Isbell and Chris Robinson Brotherhood, who was making their return after having been on the Mountain Jam X billing in 2014. By the time CRB was wrapping up their ever-soul-filled set, dusk had settled in nicely and the previously anticipated rain had decided to issue a stay of aquatic festival execution.

The soon to be chilly night was then taken over by an incredible pair of Mountain Stage acts. Wilco was tasked with firing up the crowd for the historical host of Mountain Jam, Warren Haynes. The veteran band completed their assignment with mastery, giving a massive crowd of long-time Wilco fans and first-timers alike the 90’s alternative rock fix they’d been seeking, whether they knew it or not.

After Wilco, there was a 30 minute lull. That gave people enough time to run and prepare for the host to present his musical bounty. Gov’t Mule took the stage just before 11:00 pm to a crowd itching to hear the drawl of that Southern rock. It’s not easy to forget how breathtaking of a show the Mule gives its fans, but if someone in that crowd had forgotten, they were immediately reminded when the band opened up with the Black Sabbath cover “Sweet Leaf.” They proceeded to give the audience some of their favorites, including “Thorazine Shuffle” and “Funny Little Tragedy,” which finished with a “Thorazine” reprise, Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “Mule,” in which the festival was teased with riffs of “Shakedown Street,” and then finished with a “Soulshine” encore.

When Warren and his crew of troubadours left the Mountain Stage the crowd was split in two. Those who filed toward Healey Hall for The New Mastersounds and those who sought the comfort of their camp sites, RVs and hotels after a long first full day of Mountain Jam 2016. For the latter, rest was needed to ensure the best experience of the Saturday of music and events to come, while the former knew that it would take a powerful force to stop their momentum.

Today, the third day of the 12th annual Mountain Jam, the festival-goers are in store for a day filled with amazing music and other incredible events. Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Beck and Thievery Corporation have Mountain Stage duties. Son Little, Lettuce and Houndmouth will be playing their sets on the Valley Stage. All the while there will be workshops, documentaries and Q&As from the likes of Jay Blakesberg and Lettuce. Late night will be covered by the sounds of Con Brio and then Lettuce. Whether you haven’t yet streamed Mountain Jam 2016 or if you have all along, be sure to visit Tourpedo to stream all of these great artists. In the meantime, check out these galleries from yesterday by our staff photographer, Steve Malinski.

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June 4, 2016
Songs at Mirror Lake Music Lineup Features Anders Osborn, Elephant Revival

Songs at Mirror Lake returns this summer to Mid’s Park in Lake Placid for its 11th season of free music, featuring a lineup of national acts like Anders Osborn and Elephant Revival.

Songs at Mirror Lakeis sponsored by The Pines Inn and presented by Adirondack “By Owner.” The free music series has been bringing nationally known acts to Lake Placid for 11 years to Mid’s Park on Main Street, right on the shore of Mirror Lake. As in the past, each of the seven nights of music have a different theme. The concerts are held at the new band shell rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket and enjoy the music in the park.

The Pines Inn is a local historic hotel within walking distance of all Main Street in Lake Placid has to offer. Adirondack “By Owner” is a website featuring over 1,000 listings of vacation rentals, properties for sale and timeshares available all by owner.

Songs at Mirror Lake runs for seven consecutive Tuesdays June 28 through August 9. All concerts start at 7 p.m.

Songs at Mirror Lake Summer 2016 Lineup

June 28: Blues Night with Popa Chubby
July 5: The Band Night with The Weight
July 12: Local Jam Night with Annie in the Water
July 19: Americana Night with Elephant Revival
July 26: Reggae Night with Junior Marvin’s Wailers
August 2: New Orleans Boogie Night with Marcia Ball
August 9: Rock Night with Anders Osborne

June 3, 2016
Mountain Jam 2016: Day 1

On the first day of the 2016 Mountain Jam at Hunter Mountain, there was a much expected buzz throughout the festival grounds. Thursdays of a four-day festival can be one of the greatest days; it’s the kick-off to the annual celebration of music and arts. Attendees, staff and volunteers are just gaining their bearings for the weekend to come, but most notably, Thursdays tend to be a bit more exclusive. Not everyone has a schedule that allows for them to arrive so early, making attendance on the first day much lighter than the rest. This was the case in Hunter on June 2.

Mountain Jam 2016 kicked off on the Valley Stage with a quartet of consecutive acts who were not only the musical welcoming committee as the first wave of fans poured in, but they were the catalyst for a day and evening of incredible music. Jane Lee Hooker, a New York City-based blues quintet, were first to play. The all-female blues band brought fervor and soul to the stage, which proved their respect to the blues craft and their namesake, John Lee Hooker. Next up was the Capital Region’s own Wild Adriatic; they lived up to expectation and performed an amazing set, which only substantiated the next act, Cabinet, a Pennsylvania bluegrass band that always makes the crowd shake and stomp.

The fourth band of the initial quartet was Donna the Buffalo, a Central New York-based band riddled with Americana influence from old-time Appalachian music to modern rock and country; this was the group’s first Mountain Jam billing. NYS Music sat down with Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear, who founded the band in 1989. When asked how they came to be, Jeb said, “We’re both old-time fiddle players, and in that form of music, a lot of people jam with each other. All you have is acoustic instruments, so you can just meet easily.” He added that Tara was the first person he’d met that wrote songs like the ones heard on the radio. A smile instantly hit her face when he paid her that compliment.

Over the course of time, Donna the Buffalo, comprised of these old-time players Tara and Jeb, met back in the ’80s and evolved from acoustic fiddle and banjo music to a more modernized, electric bluegrass. “The music [Appalachian music] kind of predates bluegrass; the kind that bluegrass grew out of,” Tara added. “I started writing songs that were more pop-oriented and then Jeb started writing songs. Then we [started to] transfer to electric instruments, and thus, was the formation of Donna the Buffalo.” Although they evolved into a more modern sound, they still stick close to their roots, continuing to play bluegrass festivals around the country, including their own called the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance in their hometown of Trumansburg.

As the evening progressed, the heavy hitters started to come out. The first Mountain Stage act was Train Play Led Zeppelin II. Festival-goers throughout the grounds were hypothesizing how the performance would go. Only those who had heard Train play Zeppelin tunes on Howard Stern’s Sirius/XM radio show knew just how amazing it was going to be. The band’s frontman, Pat Monahan, was a true embodiment of a young Robert Plant. The band masterfully moved through the entirety of Led Zeppelin II and finished off their set with a crowd-pleasing reprise of “Stairway to Heaven.”

After Train finished their jaw-dropping performance, an amazing duel between Marco Benevento and Superhuman Happiness on the Valley Stage and Umphrey’s McGee on the Mountain Stage commenced. Marco and his collaboration of astounding musicians and singers paid homage to the late David Bowie by covering a vast amount of his catalog, including legendary hits like “Oh You Pretty Things,” “Let’s Dance” and “Life on Mars.” Chills were brought to many spines in the audience as this well-orchestrated performance not only gave everyone a live listen of Bowie tunes, but paid breathtaking amounts of respect to Ziggy Stardust—a face, voice and mind that the music world and its fans miss very much.

The echos of Bowie off of Hunter Mountain were responded to by a true fan favorite, Umphrey’s McGee. Although the Thursday crowd was light, it seemed every soul in Hunter was on the concert field. The boys from Chicago started their set off with “Similar Skin,” after which Brendan Bayliss delivered the message that instead of everyone pacing themselves for the weekend to come, a full-on party should take place since they were only around for the one night. After that public service announcement, Umphrey’s kicked into “Rocker (Part II),” and it didn’t slow down much from there. As is often a staple at Mountain Jam, Warren Haynes came out to jam during the first set, helping to breakup “Higgins” with a mid-song jam of southern rock and blues.

Another guest hit the Mountain Stage to make an appearance. Dressed in his eye-grabbing garb for the Bowie tribute set, Marco Benevento sat with Joel Cummins during the adapted and absolute monster cover of Pink Floyd’s “Breath.” After the first set was over, the crowd was filled with electricity. Marco played his second set of Bowie music, which made way for the second set of Umphrey’s; this second set seemed to step-up from the groundwork laid out in the first. Starting off with “40’s Theme,” the band moved through their second set making head-banging and fist-throwing and, of course, the Ryan Stasik-patented style of rock horns, explode throughout the crowd.

The boys finished their set with a line of “Educated Guess, “Conduit” and “Relax, Have a Thunderkiss.” Surprisingly, the crowd didn’t chant out the so-often-heard “We want the Umph!” chant, but they came back onstage with a certain vengeance, encoring with “Hajimemeshite” into “Bridgeless” to end the night; the perfect bookend to a perfect first night of Mountain Jam 2016.

Today’s lineup has some much anticipated acts throughout the day. Jay Blakesberg is personally looking forward to Courtney Barnett and Jason Isbell, both hitting the Mountain Stage in the late afternoon. Also playing today are favorites Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Wilco and Warren Haynes’ own Gov’t Mule. Be sure to log into the live stream, so you don’t miss any part of the Mountain Jam 2016 weekend.

June 3, 2016
Boy and Bear to Make a Pit Stop in Albany

Australian five-piece indie-folk band Boy and Bear will make a pit stop at the Hollow in downtown Albany on Wed., June 8. Venturing from Toronto to Albany and then to Buffalo and New York City, the group will give the Capital District a rare treat to see a band currently on the rise and promoting their third release, Limit of Love.

The band formed in 2009 in Sydney by singer-songwriter Dave Hosking, who quickly teamed up with Killian Gavin (vocals, guitar), Timothy Hart (drums, vocals), Jonathan Hart (vocals, mandolin, keyboards) and David Symes (bass) to release their debut album Moonfire in 2011. The critically acclaimed Moonfire, which was recorded in Nashville, won numerous Australian Recording Industry Association music awards, while Limit of Love was formed at Peter Gabriel‘s Real World Studio in England. Limit of Love remains the band’s greatest attempt at honesty and good old-fashioned recording with zero automation and minimal takes, which is frequently matched and backed up in their live performances.

Sandwiched in between Moonfire and Limit of Love was the band’s grandest release, Harlequin Dream, featuring the hit song “Southern Sun” that prominently featured slide guitar and was noted to be an homage to Australian artist and guitarist Richard Clapton. It was also the tenth most played track on the triple-A radio format in the United States in 2014. Smooth singing Hosking cuts through his lyrics like room temperature butter, making each song seem more heartfelt and emotional. While Limit of Love differs quite a bit from Harlequin Dream, both offer a shining glimpse into the guts and heads that make up Boy and Bear.

WEQX welcomes Boy and Bear to the Hollow in Albany on June 8; doors open at 8 p.m.

June 3, 2016
Hearing Aide: The Broadcast ‘From the Horizon’

Within a flashy realm of brass interludes, conventional chord structures and foot-tapping rhythmic changes, the Broadcast will soon release their third studio album, entitled From the Horizon.

As every grassroots band from Asheville, North Carolina, faces in their early stages, the eagerness to record, sell and play often sidetracks the artist from the bigger picture: the feeling of security in their sound. And after three initial releases of Days Like Dreams (2010), Live (2012) and Dodge the Arrow (2013), the Broadcast’s upcoming record From the Horizon is a sonic gearshift from classic funk-rock to Americana roots-rock that offers listeners a soulful soundscape of influences. As the band’s sound continues to mature, so does their self-confidence, and it is here that we learn what defines the Broadcast musically, at least for now.

From the Horizon is declarative in its intentions, and has enough variety to please all ears. Frequent festival-goers who prefer a more summer-in-your-backyard tune will most likely gravitate toward “Double Down” and “Eyes of A Woman,” embodying illustrious riffs from guitarist Aaron Austin and a Grace Potter-like writing style delivered by powerhouse vocalist Caitlin Krisko. For others who thrive in the stomping and hollering kind of rush, jump right to “Every Step” and “Bring It On Home” with the on-target rhythm section featuring bassist E’Lon Jordan-Dunlap and percussionists Jaze Uries and Tyler Housholder. The most contrasting part of the album sits on the slide of Austin’s guitar in the bluesy twang of “Battle Cry,” which boasts an equally rebellious lyrical message to match.

There’s no doubt that the Broadcast has finally found their sound in From the Horizon, being that they were able to land Grammy Award-winning producer Jim Scott (Wilco, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Sting) in their control room and have already secured several festival dates sure to draw in new crowds this summer. With a variety of folk-timbred instrumentation, aux percussion and soulful growls, this is a band that has potential for great success in the live music sphere. However, their musical vision quest is hardly over, and they’ll need a little more development before taking on the world of recorded rock and Americana, but we’re happy to follow along.

From the Horizon officially drops on June 17, but a selection of the album’s tracks can be sampled on soundcloud. Keep up-to-date with the Broadcast on their website and Facebook page.

Key Tracks: Every Step, Bring It On Home, Battle Cry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3tqkBoQ35c&feature=youtu.be

June 3, 2016
Hollywood Vampires Kick off Historic Night of Rock & Roll

Ever since their debut concert at The Roxy last September in LA, and their subsequent follow up performance at the 2015 Grammy Awards, fans have been impatiently awaiting the return of the star studded Hollywood Vampires.

The Hollywood Vampires kicked off their 2016 world wide tour with opening night being held at the Turning Stone Event Center in Verona, New York. The event sold out in record time, bringing fans across the country just to be part of this night of history in the making. For those just waking up from their Rip VanWinkle nap, this star studded group is lead by Alice Cooper, aka Hollywood Vampires Lair President, and together with the legendary Joe Perry on guitar, Johnny Depp on guitar, Matt Sorum on drums, Robert DeLeo on bass, Tommy Henrickson on guitar, and Bruce Witkin on keyboards and guitar, these superstars and virtual list of who’s who in the rock world took to the stage and raised the crowd to their feet and blew the roof off it’s frame. Okay, perhaps I exaggerate a wee bit. The audience sat down occasionally.

Starting out the evening with a glimpse of who inspired them musically, it was a foreshadowing to an evening of honoring some of their favorite musical inspirations throughout the years, with some new music sprinkled within. Finding their footing on stage with the crowd, they began to meld together seamlessly after a song or two. It was apparent as they played on with each song, they began to relax and feel the music and feed off the crowd.

No matter what song Alice Cooper was singing, he owned it. His cover of the Beatles, “Come Together”, was epic, while Joe Perry’s bluesy rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s, “Stop Messin Around”, showcased every skill set on that stage from Cooper’s harmonica, to Witkin’s keyboard solo, to Perry’s growling vocals. On Bowie’s Rebel Rebel cover, it was Sorum’s drum solo that dominated this tune, while DeLeo and Henrickson’s bass and guitar were the heartbeat of every song throughout the night. Cooper who has dominated his shock rock genre since day one, spoke to the audience about the background of “My Dead Drunk Friends”. Always an inspiration to others in the business, Cooper’s new song, co-written together with Depp, paid tribute to ‘lair mates’ who didn’t quite make it out of Rainbow Bar in the standing position. Despite his attempts to blend into the background, Depp couldn’t if he tried. Depp’s creative side shines through no matter what he attempts. In the past Depp hesitated to share his musical side to the public, claiming he didn’t want his fame as an actor to outshine the music itself. But when music is your first passion and the talent is there, it just reinforces to the audience that you are one talented artist, no matter what venue you are in.

As the night came to a close, and the final encore of “School’s Out” finished it’s last note, and the Vampires took their last bow, those present felt as though they had just witnessed history on stage. As excited as the audience was, those on stage were just as excited and pumped for the night they won’t soon forget either.

Setlist: Raise the Dead, Got a Line, 20th Century Boy, Pinball Wizard, My Generation, Manic Depression, Cold Turkey, Come Together, 7&7, Whole Lot of Love, 5 to 1/Break On Through, Rebel Rebel, Suffragette City, Bad As I Am, Stop Messin’ Round, Dead Drunk Friends, Ace of Spade, 18 , Sweet Emotion Encore: Train Kept Rollin, School’s Out

June 2, 2016
Fridays in June at Funk n Waffles Downtown, Presented by NYS Music

NYS Music is once again proud to host Friday nights at Funk n Waffles in June. A stellar lineup of music is on tap all month long, with local and regional bands highlighting the month.

June 3 – Formula 5 with Michael Mwenso & The Shakes

Whether you enjoy jam, jazz, funk, reggae, or electro beats… the Capital District’s Formula 5 will satisfy your musical needs. Inspired by their jam band idols, the band creates original funk-filled tunes with stimulating and expressive lyrics, soaring melodies and an emphasis on solid instrumentation and improvisation. The group’s fan base continues to grow as they’ve opened for such headliners as Twiddle, Dopapod, Spiritual Rez, and the Heavy Pets; and took over stages at Catskill Chill, Disc Jam, The Big Up, Strange Creek, and Buffalove.

Michael Mwenso and the Shakes present an improvisational execution of a powerful, soulful eclectic mix of soul/jazz/blues derived from jazz legends such as Miles Davis and Lionel Hampton. The Harlem “mood” captivates audiences and reinforces the classic, historic feel one could relate to the late night NYC jazz scene. Soulfully driven vocals are backed up by the funky ensemble of horn-powered, bass-layered body of the Shakes.

June 10 – Candid with Castle Creek

The acclaimed hometown rockers, Candid, bring the people of Syracuse a familiar spark their growing, loyal fan base appreciates them for. The heavy-hitting rock band Candid has been on the scene since late 1998, playing alongside international renowned bands such as Fountains of Wayne, Tonic, Vertical Horizon, Andrew W.K. and Strangefolk.

Local barnyard burners Kim Monroe and Chris Eves are a powerful duo out of Syracuse. Using lyrically powerful ballads and a blues/jam influenced musicianship to captivate audiences throughout upstate New York all while maintaining their roots of familiar classic rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, and Pink Floyd. Castle Creek leaves their own lasting mark on fans at each venue they perform.

June 17 – William Thompson Funk Experiment with Binger and Ampevene

Uplifting, interactive , and talented, the William Thompson Funk Experiment is sure to leave crowds jubilant and moving through the late night hours. Hailing from Worcester, Massachusetts, the William Thompson Funk Experiment can be compared to the party of Dopapod, Mister F, and Formula 5, and are sure to provide a powerful performance.

Based out of Burlington, Vermont, Binger creates a unique sound, using the diverse musical soundscape of their collective influences. Elusively shedding any genre they manage to employ (often within the same song), Binger combines elements of progressive psychedelia, deep grooves of hip-hop, and improvisational jazz to create a style that gracefully skirts the line between delightful and perplexing; inventing a sound that reels you in and keeps you there with a cohesive, yet eclectic energy.

Ampevene delivers a highly energetic, atmospheric environment, tearing the borders between every genre at their disposal. Ampevene continues to set the bar high for progressive rock throughout New York, keeping spectators on their heels from their improvisational clash of metal and jazz.

June 24- The New Daze with Space Bacon

Since 2011, the atmospheric jam quartet, The New Daze, have been using their improvisational prowess to transcend jam rock as we know it, displaying an inter-dimensional clash of musicianship . The New Daze are no strangers to Funk n Waffles, having graced the downtown stage many times. They are also scheduled to perform at historic venues such as Nectar’s in Burlington, Vermont and Garcia’s in Port Chester. With all four of it’s members contributing vocals as well as wielding their instruments, each member has a crucial role in the direction of a performance. The New Daze, playing a unique set each night, creates its own sound of “electric boogified-rage-reggae-funk-crunch-goop”.

If you like the concept of space, and a delicious side of breakfast meat, there is really no going wrong with Space Bacon. This jamtronica quartet based out of Brooklyn is sure to leave audiences dancing and uplifted as it creates an intense, immersive fusion of electronica and funk. Space Bacon is soon to play Disc Jam in Stephantown (June 9-12), along with artists such as Dopapod, Electron, Tauk, and many others. The quartet’s love for intergalactic pork and space-seasoned fresh cuts of funky-electronic trance is a spectacle one should not miss.

June 2, 2016
Lessons from Tom Hamilton

With any luck, you’ve been internalizing phrases like “be yourself” and “be honest” since the day you could understand language. These ideas are applicable to our everyday lives in a general sense, but they can also be the guiding force and underlying theme in the way we express ourselves through music and art.

If you’re reading this, chances are you already know Tom Hamilton is an exceptional guitarist of many projects, including Brothers Past, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Billy and the Kids, Electron and, of course, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies. He is rising as one of the most talked about musicians in the scene, yet he continues to stay humble.

I initially wanted to chat with him about his upcoming scheduled appearances at Disc Jam June 9 through 12 in Stephentown, NY. On Friday, he will play a set with the Babies as well another set with headliner Electron. What we got out of the conversation was much more insightful. His tell-it-like-it-is candor about his own life and passionate ideas come with underlying morals applicable to humanity.

With that I present to you is, “Lessons from Tom Hamilton.”

Talk about it.

The new American Babies album, An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark, was influenced by Tom’s experience with his own depression as well as that of past significant others. One of whom was hospitalized for her mental illness. One of whom left without saying a word. In addition, a member of his family had committed suicide, something he had not fully come to terms with. It was when Robin Williams took his own life that he really felt compelled to write music about these struggles. “We all have our shit, our human faults; why is no one talking about it?” he said. The process of creating the album has provided the closure to his family member’s death that he had been seeking.

Be confident.

When Tom was just four years old, his love for the Grateful Dead began. He remembers his father watching nervously as he put his little hands allover his music collection, so he gave him his first tape—Grateful Dead at Red Rocks 7/8/78.

“Back then there were two kinds of Grateful Dead fans—the hippies and the bikers. My dad and his friends were definitely the later, but they were the nicest guys,” he said. “Bunch of mean looking guys standing around listening to ‘Ripple.’ They loved music. They lived for it.”

He learned to play all the instruments of the Grateful Dead, playing their respective parts at a very young age.

In 2014, a friend of Tom’s recommended him as a fill-in for a severely food poisoned Anders Osborne at Phil Lesh’s 74th Birthday Bash at Terrapin Crossroads in California. Tom recalls an irritated and anxious Lesh who, hoping for the best, asked this complete stranger if he wanted to go over the songs. Tom told him, “I can play 95 percent of the catalog without sheet music, I’m good to go!” With that, Phil seemed to instantly relax.

“I’ve been playing with Phil my entire life, he just didn’t know it,” he said.

Be yourself.

Tom said he feels that too many bands these days are looking around at what other people are doing or looking to the past to what they did. With the American Babies he feels he is doing his own thing without worrying about what’s trending. It is why out of all the bands he plays in that he considers the Babies to be his heart.

One of the things Tom said he feels is wrong with the jamband scene is an overemphasis on the jam. He feels the song itself becomes lost. In fact, he said the only jamband he listens to is the Grateful Dead.

“It’s like piling hummus onto a cracker. You aren’t even eating the cracker anymore, it just becomes the vehicle in which you shove hummus into your mouth,” he said.

To Tom, the music of his American Babies is what good songwriting sounds like. The lyrics have meaning and there are clear segments of the song. While they often become grouped in with jam bands and there are certainly some shreds between Tom and guitarist Justin Mazer, they are doing their own thing, creating their own kind of sound. And it’s working.

Make new friends, but keep the old.

Having played with super group Electron since 2001, Tom said he is looking forward to getting down with Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner of the Disco Biscuits and Mike Greenfield of Lotus at Disc Jam. Their set from 2015 was one of the most memorable of that weekend, featuring an exceptional cover of the Grateful Dead’s “I know You Rider.” Playing with old friends is something Tom said he really enjoys. But while they are known to cover Tom’s beloved GD tunes and even did a full Pink Floyd set at last year’s Gathering of the Vibes, the majority of songs are Marc Brownstein’s.

“But those are Marc’s songs,” he said. “And let’s face it when it comes to songwriting, he’s no John Lennon.”

What he is looking most forward to is being onstage with girlfriend and bandmate, Raina Mullen, Justin Mazer, Al Smith and Mark Sosnoskie—The American Babies. He is looking forward to playing his own songs with the people he calls “family.”

Electron

Be honest.

At one point in our conversation, Tom asked me if I had ever written a “bad review.” I had to think about that. I’ve definitely been to shows I wasn’t a fan of, or nights where the band was off. I certainly have listened to albums that I didn’t care for. I told him I had, but that I try not to completely tear the artist a new one, highlighting both the good aspects as well as the bad. His response was not sugarcoated.

“You journalists are so afraid to write a bad review. Why? You end up with this diplomatic shit. If something is a steaming pile of shit, just say it!”

Noted.

June 1, 2016
Hearing Aide: The Honeycutters “On the Ropes”

A follow-up to the chart-topping breakout album Me Oh My (2015), the Honeycutters’ latest release, On the Ropes, brings a breezy soundtrack for Sunday driving down that lonely country mile.

Frontwoman Amanda Anne Platt (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) comes on strong in the record’s opening title track, before lulling listeners along in “Blue Besides.” It’s the third song, “Golden Child,” that demands full attention, with its bluesy vocals, relatable lyrics and soul-bending composition.

Throughout 12 original songs, Platt shares personal stories from the battlefield that cover the spectrum of love, loss and learning, writing “I’ve been a stranger here before, I’ve been a soldier, I’ve been the war, and I’ve done my time on the wrong side of the door, I’ve been peaceful, I’ve been wild, I’ve been a Golden Child.” She’s down-to-earth in her delivery of tell-it-like-it-is advice (“hang up that halo and get by with the rest of us, let those wings go to rust…you’re not taking any chances, you’re looking for that easy answer”) from one strong-headed woman who’s “not hanging up my spurs, I’m just telling you I’ve learned.”

Although not as mountain as Gillian Welch, the Hastings-On-Hudson native and Skidmore College graduate’s sweet, natural vibrato is a refreshing sound coming out of the songstress’ current base of Asheville, NC. And accompanying bandmates, Rick Cooper (upright, electric bass), Josh Milligan (drums, vocals), Matt Smith (pedal steel, electric guitar, dobro) and Tal Taylor (mandolin), are the perfect mixer for a polished concoction of rock and country elements with a sprig of rural Appalachia.

From swingy, borderline pop-twang in “The Handbook” to steady rock in “Back Row,” highlighted by harmonica (played by Platt’s father, Mark) and electric guitar, to the slouchier slide and mandolin in “Useless Memories” to the trimmer distortion in “Ache” that makes the raw emotion feel real, and a jaunty, shimmery cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” it’s all here, before the record is capped off with a dusty picture of gunslingers and barroom girls in “Barmaid’s Blues.”

The Honeycutters have surely made something out of nothing with their fourth studio album, On the Ropes (out now through Organic Records); it’s alternative Americana at its finest, and Platt’s sincere songwriting is the gravy on the biscuits.

Key Tracks: Golden Child, Back Row, Ache, Hallelujah

https://soundcloud.com/user-123099651/sets/on-the-ropes

May 31, 2016