We started with 64 New York bands who have a strong presence and fan base, and are ready to make a name for themselves outside their respective music scenes. These fresh faces are spreading over many genres and all over The Empire State. After 4 rounds of voting 64 has been whittled down to four. For the sake of 2016 March Madness jargon, “The Final Four.”
Throughout this tournament the voting has been the closest that we’ve ever seen. More than a few match-ups ended up at 51% to 49% splits. Many more ended with a margin of less than 10% of the vote. It goes to prove our local music scenes are alive and well, regardless of the city or genre.
Buffalo Iron Works, Funk ‘n Waffles, The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, and The Waterhole each sponsored a regional bracket this year and a winner has been named in each of their brackets.
Match-up 1 will be the Iron Works winner: Sly Fox and the Hustlers (blues funk rock) versus the Funk ‘n Waffles winner: Folkfaces (folk jazz).
Sly Fox and the Hustlers is a high-energy blues/funk band band out of the Capital Region. The band formed in 2010 and has shared the stage with many notable names within their genre, such as Blues Traveler, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robin Trower, and Soulive’s Sam Kininger. Their latest full-length LP American Gypsy was released earlier this year and is available on their website.
Folkfacesmixes of folk, jazz, and blues into an upbeat blend perfect for letting loose. The band calls the Buffalo area home and have recently released their single “Institution Blues” off their album Freedom Fries. The band lists a wide variety of influences, from French guitarist Django Reinhardt to American folk legend Woody Guthrie, and the more contemporary Tedeschi Trucks Band.
The second match-up is The Hollow Bar and Kitchen winner:Sprocket (jam) versus The Waterhole region finals give us: Big Mean Sound Machine (Afrobeat/dance)
Brooklyn’s jam quartet, Sprocket, was conceived in late 2011 and didn’t work their way out of the city scene until 2014. They released their debut album Tropical Bushwick last March and have headlined NYC’s The Knitting Factory, Webster Hall Studio, and the Mercury Lounge.
Big Mean Sound Machine hails from Ithaca and tours with more members than the other three Final Four bands combined, a full stage of 13 touring members. Their unique Afrobeat, dance, funk combination has been together since 2009, but has seemed to be catching fire as of late. They are currently touring the East Coast.
The Final Four voting begins at 12 noon EST on Tuesday, March 22 and closes at midnight on Thursday, March 24. The Final Round voting begins at 12 noon on Friday, March 25 and we close Sunday, March 27, at midnight. Vote now for your favorites!
Breakout hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar may have created a culture shift at Kennedy Center. When it was announced last year that Lamar would perform at the storied national landmark, tickets sold swiftly. And while Lamar wasn’t the first hip hop artist to perform at Kennedy, he was the one who kickstarted a movement to push for more hip hop on the center’s Washington, D.C. marquee.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s birth, Kennedy Center has named Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming and St. Albans, Queens native Q-Tip (née, Kamaal Ibn John Fareed) as artistic advisors for the 2016-2017 season.
The naming of its first-ever hip hop curator marks a milestone in Kennedy Center’s storied history. Q-Tip will curate the inaugural Hip Hop Culture series this season, recognizing the genre’s contributions to society. In a press release, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts quotes Q-Tip:
With Hip Hop constantly changing and evolving, it is easy to forget the history and legacy that precede it. I want to begin at the beginning of the Culture to help people see its roots, better understand its present, and responsibly create its future.
Q-Tip rose to prominence as one of the founding members of Queens hip hop collective, A Tribe Called Quest, a main force in what was to become the Native Tongues Posse, which also included Long Island trio De La Soul. Tribe was revolutionary in its sampling techniques and incorporating jazz elements into its music.
A Tribe Called Quest recently re-released a 25th anniversary edition of its highly influential debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, in November.
Metal Church was born at a time when the hair was long, the denim was tight and the music was loud. In 1984 the band dropped their eponymous debut album and coming up on March 25th they will be releasing their 11th studio album, “XI” with the iconic Mike Howe. That’s right, folks! He’s back! Howe decided to come out of his 20 year retirement, after guitarist and mastermind, Kurdt Vanderhoof reached out to him last year to rejoin the band.
Howe was nice enough to take some time to talk with me before they headed out on the road; we dove into why he retired, the tour, the new album and much, much more. Don’t forget New Yorkers, Metal Church is at BB Kings next week, March 28!
Cie Martin (CM): Hi Mike, great to speak with you again. Let’s jump right in, shall we? You left Metal Church over 20 years ago and haven’t been heard from since, I even read that you had passed away of a heart attack in 2013, so I think probably one of the biggest questions everyone has been wondering is where have you been and what have you been doing for the last 20 years?
Mike Howe (MH): Yeah, I know some French magazine came up with that somehow. Obviously, that was totally false. I don’t know where that came from. (Laughs)
So, I dropped off the radar because the record business really disappointed me, things were changing, grunge was coming up and we were getting ignored. We were not businessmen, we were musicians and like a lot of [other] bands we just wanted to write songs and play metal. You really have to be business minded or you’ll just get tramped on and left behind, I think that was our major problem. One small example, the cover of “Hanging In The Balance” was just a huge embarrassment to me and I hated it, it was forced on [us] and that was kind of the last straw. So I took a clean break and stepped away in 1994, with a proud feeling of what we had done so far, something I could keep in my back pocket for the rest of my life, and I wanted to step away before it got ugly. So, I got married, had children and lived the American Dream, we were just doing what everybody else was doing. I had my own little business, and had a couple boys, you may have seen I brought my older boy with me on the [Monsters of Rock] cruise, which was a great time for me, not only playing the cruise, but having my son with me was very important. So, now that they are older, I don’t have to dedicate every second of my day in raising them. I have a little bit more free time and then Kurt called me and proposed coming back.
CM: The Monsters of Rock Cruise, was that the first time your son has seen you perform since you rejoined Metal Church?
MH: Yes, it’s the first time he’s seen me perform ever in my lifetime other than on the Internet.
CM: That’s amazing! What was that like for you?
MH: It was amazing; there are no words to describe it! There’s your son that you’ve raised and loved your whole life and you’re getting to share something from when you were young. I just don’t know how to describe it. It was a beautiful thing for me.
CM: Did you ever think Metal Church would be playing a rock and roll cruise to the Bahamas?
MH: No, never! Bassist, Steve Unger said in an interview, if Metal Church could, we ‘d buy our own ship, cruise to every port and play off the boat! That would be awesome.
CM: Needless to say, you had a great time on the cruise?
MH: Aw man, when Kurdt first proposed the idea and because of my younger days and my experiences with fans, I had my doubts about doing it. I love the fans and I love interacting with the fans, but when I was younger I was a little more stressed about it. I consider myself grateful and when I meet fans I want to give all I can to them, it’s hard to walk away from them and take care of yourself. I would be the one that would stand there for hours and then it would drain me. So I thought, we’re going to be on a boat with all the fans, all day long, [for four days] that might be hard for me. It turned out to be the exact opposite, it was so great for me and they [the fans] were so gracious and didn’t want to bother me. I was like, “You’re not bothering me, this is awesome, you’re giving me love and I’m here, give it to me!” It turned into something that was healing and spiritual for me and I really loved it.
CM: Explain to me your process on re-joining, especially based on everything you just said about how you were disillusioned and let down by the music industry. I know you exchanged some demos over the Internet but I’d love to hear about the process.
MH: It was many conversations with Kurdt. We were Drop-boxing and sharing music, so I had to really step up my game technologically speaking. I built myself a little soundroom in the garage so I could have a workspace [to create] and send things back to Kurdt. A lot of the conversations were about not getting together for the nostalgia of it, because I’m not a person that looks back, I like to look forward. We are very proud of what we have and the catalog that we have, we really needed to see what kind of songs we could write and what kind of album we could come up with and whether or not my voice was still there. So these were all considerations we had. Kurdt was inspired by the possibility of me coming back, so he could write in the vein thinking about Mike Howe’s voice and the way we used to write. So, he sent me songs and at the first listen, I was blown away. I was like, “Kurdt Vanderhoof is still the master of heavy metal riffs that are original.” It was a great start.
We went back and forth, heading in the right direction and after we got a bunch together, we decided it was time to get together in Kurdt’s studio in Aberdeen and it was awesome. It was like we never stopped talking to each other, our old friendship was still the same, it was like we were 20 years old again, getting together, having fun and writing music. We [also] talked about the state of the record company and about how we now can have full control of everything we do, the way we write and the way we want to be heard. We have a great record company now, Rat Pak Records, they are in full support of us. We can call Joe [O’Brien], the president, if we have concerns, we can talk directly to him, which in the past we just got lost in big record labels where you couldn’t even speak to someone who was in actual control of your career. So to reiterate, the biggest thing for us was being able to write, record and present an album of material that represented us and who we are today from beginning to end without any external pressures, timelines or anything like that and that’s exactly what we did. We are very happy about this and it’s allowed us to relax, be big kids again and enjoy the process.
CM: And make magic again…
MH: For us it was magical because we were just enjoying what we were doing and that helped our creativity.
CM: I read that Kurdt was sort of ‘done’ with Metal Church and you coming back was a gamechanger for him?
MH: Well, that’s how he presented it to me, “Now that Ronny [Munroe] is gone, I can’t fathom looking for a 4th singer, it’s not gonna happen, so if you’re not going to do this with me then I’m hanging up Metal Church forever.” I feel really grateful to Kurdt, he helped me discover Metal Church. He produced the band I was in, “Heretic” and he’s the one that said, “Mike, I think you’d be a good fit for Metal Church, what do you think?” He brought me in, gave me a chance and then we became writing partners. I feel very grateful to him.
CM: If I can comment, I think your voice is better now than it was then.
MH: I understand that and I kind of agree. It’s a maturity, a relaxation, the power is still there, but it’s a little more controlled and I have control of my emotions and I know what I want and that does lend to a difference to my voice.
CM: How is it different being back onstage now as opposed to years ago?
MH: Well, it’s a whole new band, so I have to get used to all the new members. These are great players I’m with and I feel very honored to be playing with them. The other aspect is Kurdt and I have never actually been in a band together, we’ve just been songwriting partners, so this is a great thing for he and I to be onstage together! And the third aspect is ‘maturity with age’ thing. You go onstage, you’re not as frantic, you’re not as stressed or anxiety ridden as you were when you were 20 something, so you can relax and enjoy the ride, so that’s a big thing for me.
CM: Let’s talk about the album, first of all, the video “No Tomorrow” is amazing and that location is amazing!
MH: Well we lucked out. I’m just chalking this up to the gods of metal. Our record company said they knew a guy in Seattle, he was young but he wanted to do it, we had a low budget so. We found this location 20 minutes from Kurt’s house, an old nuclear facility that they rent for movie shoots and things like that. So, we went in, did the best we could and it turned out great.
CM: Tell me about putting the new album together and if there are any particular tracks that are your favorite.
MH: Well, “No Tomorrow” is the first out because that was the one I felt was most complex, his [Vanderhoof] riffs are amazing, he’s a monster riff writer and I think he’s one of the most underrated songwriters out there. He stringed together riffs in a song format, sent them to me, then I just sang out melodies that came from me, then some lyrics came out, some worked, some didn’t. Then a theme came out like “No Tomorrow”. It was all very natural, we didn’t want to think too much, we wanted to be spontaneous and organic (Laughs)… you know, organic, man!
Kurdt writes different styles of metal, it’s complex and you can hear different things, but still in that heavy metal vein. “It Waits” is a song I really like a lot, it starts out slow and builds up
, I love songs like that. “Reset” the first track is very important to me it’s a straight forward, slam your face song with a hook and it’s the story of our lives. Resetturn the page in our own age, now we hit the button to reset. That kind of tells you where we are at right now.
CM: A fun question; what was your first concert?
MH: Wow, my first concert my brother took me to see was J. Geils. Have you ever heard of J. Geils?
CM: Yes, like the J. Geils Band, “Centerfold”?
MH: Well, “Centerfold” was their downfall. (Laughs) They were a rock band before they became this pop weird thing. I knew them when they were a full house band; a 10 piece blues rock band that rocked the house. And then he took me to see Nazareth and Foreigner and bands like that. Finally, the one that changed my life was Judas Priest, the Screaming for Vengeance Tour, that’s when I started playing metal. I had a rock band when I was 15 years old in Detroit. We would do all the Judas Priest songs, AC/DC, a little bit of Saxon and Def Leppard; the early Def Leppard. I wanted to be Rob Halford mixed with Bon Scott, the power of Halford and the attitude of Scott, so I emulated both of those guys.
CM: I’m sure you’ve met Rob Halford?
MH: Well, a life long dream of mine came true when I toured with Judas Priest, Motorhead and Alice Cooper on the Operation Rock and Roll Tour. One of my favorite stories of my career was touring with Rob [Halford], we went back to Detroit and played a shed there called Pine Knob, which is where I saw J. Geils. Anyway, my whole family came down to see the show; my Mom, my Dad, sisters, cousins. My Mom knew Rob Halford was a hero of mine and asked me if she could get a picture with him. I said, “I don’t see why not, I’m sure he would.” So after our show, I went back to the Meet and Greet area, I see Rob Halford across the tent talking to some reporters, I went over and said, “Can you do me a favor, my Mom asked if she could have a picture with you because she knows how much I idolized you?” He said, in his British accent, “You know Mike, your Mum is just like me Mum, she saw me and she came right over here and asked for a picture.” As I’m asking him, I look over at my Mom across the way, she looked like a little girl who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She’s just so sweet.
CM: That’s such a great story, I love it. So, who would you like to tour with now?
MH: Wherever Kurdt Vanderhoof is touring that’s where I’d like to be! (Laughs) We’ve got ourselves pretty booked right now with the East coast and then festivals in Europe, so we are booked through the summer. After that, we will just take it as it comes, live in the moment and just see what offers come in.
Don’t forget Metal Church will be at BB Kings in NYC on Monday, March 28th. You don’t want to miss the return of Mike Howe and the riff master, Kurdt Vanderhoof! Get tickets here! The Church will also hit Rochester’s Montage Music Hall April 9.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will kick off three sold-out nights at The Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday, March 24 for Freaks Ball XVI. This constitutes the band’s fourth run of shows at the venue where the world first heard former Furthur drummer Russo lead a new cast of characters through two raging sets of Dead tunes back in January 2013. Tom Hamilton (American Babies), Marco Benevento (The Benevento/Russo Duo), Scott Metzger (WOLF!) and Dave Dreiwitz (Ween) complete the quintet.
JRAD is a band that is as unpredictable as it is unforgettable. The band’s Facebook profile contains the deceptively simple proclamation, “We’re a Grateful Dead cover band.” Anyone who has seen them or even heard a recording knows that their true nature is that of a daring group of close collaborators who project their musical friendship onto the Grateful Dead songbook in a way that no other band has. Their carefully crafted setlists defy expectations about how the songs can be interpreted and linked. As the frequency of their appearances in the live music world has increased over the past two years, JRAD has consistently delivered fresh, stellar performances of this music that means so much to so many people.
These Brooklyn gigs are sure to be precious as JRAD performances become somewhat more rare going forward in 2016. All five band members are incredibly busy with diverse projects, and as Russo has revealed in a recent interview, he will be taking extra time off mid-year when his first child arrives. Those with tickets will be privileged to see Joe Russo’s Almost Dead lay it down at The Brooklyn Bowl this weekend.
Town’s Mountain’s soon to be released album Southern Crescent can be characterized as straight up bluegrass, with a classic rock twist and a dash of zydeco mixed in for good measure. The fact that this band is based out of Asheville, North Carolina – a particularly nurturing place for musicians – really comes through in Town Mountain’s music, as they seem as if they are totally comfortable in their skin. Town Mountain is comprised of Robert Greer on vocals and guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, and Nick DiSebastian on bass. These guys are no joke: in 2013, Town Mountain was the recipient of two International Bluegrass Music Awards Momentum Awards, including Band of the Year and Vocalist of the Year for lead singer Robert Greer. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see these guys at an upcoming bluegrass festival like Grey Fox or Delfest, as they have got something special.
Recorded in old-time music great Dirk Powell’s Cypress House Studio in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana, in the heart of the bayou, the swampy, twangy, old-timey sound truly comes through on Town Mountain’s fifth album. Huddled around microphones recording their unplugged instruments, with minimal editing, gave this album an almost live quality, giving the listener the feeling of almost being there at one of Town Mountain’s concerts.
Let’s face it: on any given album, there is typically one song you might think is a bit of a dud, but it is not a lie to say that all the songs on this album are winners. Southern Crescent kicks things off with “St. Augustine,” a one-minute instrumental traditional bluegrass ditty, setting the tone for what’s to come, which is something magical. Although many of the songs sound familiar, like they could be a traditional bluegrass cover, band members Jesse Langlais and Phil Barker, in collaboration with the other band members of course, write the majority of the band’s songs. Many of the lyrics deal with common country/bluegrass themes, such as traveling, hard living, love lost, and gambling, but Town Mountain puts their own twist on things, often adding witty words or chord changes to throw things a bit off what the listener is expecting.
It becomes evident that these guys are truly dedicated musicians who must spend hours practicing together on a regular basis, especially on songs such as “Ain’t Gonna Worry Me,” which features both flawless falsetto vocals by lead vocalist Greer, and excellent harmonies by Langlais, Barker, and DiSebastian, as well tricky time signature changes, which the band made seem easy. “Comin’ Back to You” introduces a more classic rock side of the band, featuring a nice surprising piano solo, while “Leroy’s Reel” takes the listener on a more international journey, sounding alternately Irish, French, and Russian. Throughout the entire album, though, the band stays true to their bluegrass roots, giving equal opportunities for each band member to step forward and take a solo on each and every tune.
Due out on April 1, Southern Crescent is a must-have for any bluegrass aficionado, although with its inclusion of classic rock and zydeco influences, the appeal of this album goes well beyond just bluegrass fans. The live quality of the recording, added to the danceability of the tunes, will most likely entice you to want to see them perform live, so be sure to check out their website for numerous upcoming tour dates, including a stop in Manhattan at the Hill Country BBQ on April 8. Be sure to check them out if you’re in town, and while you’re at it, pick up a copy of Southern Crescent! You won’t be anything short of amazed.
Key Tracks: Comin’ Back to You, Wildbird, Tick on a Dog
Twiztid, the hip hop horrorcore duo, from Detroit, MI is composed of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child, the alter egos of Jamie Spaniolo and Paul Methric. These two have been touring and recording nonstop for over twenty years and show no signs of slowing down. The weekend of April 22 will be no exception as these two bring their Juggalo Invasion 420 Weekend Tour to Binghamton’s Magic City Music Hall.
NYS Music had the opportunity to chat with Jamie Madrox about the upcoming show. We discussed the band’s current and upcoming endeavors and what fans can expect from this tour. Jamie is always a fun and interesting person to chat with. He is passionate about horror movies and collecting horror related items and memorabilia, making for a great interview with writer Chris Besaw
Strange Machines are embarking on their biggest tour to date this spring, traveling to lots of new places and sharing the stage with great bands such as Dopapod, Consider the Source, Broccoli Samurai, Formula 5 and more!
The guys are fresh off a successful winter tour which included headlining at some of the Northeast’s premiere venues and a show opening for Twiddle in New Haven, Connecticut. This band has been upping the ante with each and every performance and show no signs of slowing down. Check the dates below and come see what all the hype is about.
March 20 Brooklyn, NY | Brooklyn Bowl *~
March 24 Syracuse, NY | Funk ‘n Waffles *
March 25 Buffalo, NY | Buffalo Iron Works *
April 15 Northampton, MA | Bishop’s Lounge
April 16 Bridgeport, CT | The Acoustic #
April 23 Plymouth, NH | PSU Earth Jam
April 28 Albany, NY | Parish Public House +
April 29 Ithaca, NY | The Haunt *^
April 30 Boston, MA | The Sinclair %
May 6 Newmarket, NH | The Stone Church $
May 7 Burlington, VT | Nectar’s +
May 18 Washington, D.C. | Gypsy Sally’s ^
May 19 Virginia Beach, VA | Doc Taylor’s
May 20 TBA
May 21 Bedford, PA | Domefest
May 28 Great Barrington, MA | MASSGathering (2 sets)
June 9 Stephentown, NY | Disc Jam Music Festival
July 30 Croydon, NH | Wild Woods Music Festival
% w/ Dopapod
# w/ Consider the Source
* w/ Broccoli Samurai
^ w/ Mister F
~ w/ Flux Capacitor
+ w/ Hayley Jane & The Primates
$ w/ Formula 5
“Alright you bunch of fuckin’ hippies, here we go,” growls Andrew Wilson (guitarist/vocalist) of Plattsburgh punk group Comrade Nixon. His feisty remark is embedded in the track “Rex Ingram,” included on their first full length album, Wine and Circuses. Released through Rat Pâté Records, the album was recorded at Don Fury Studio in Troy, NY.
Wilson’s lazy muffled vocals might call to mind Joey’s impression of Chandler in this Friends clip. Collaborating with drummer Antwon Levee, the duo have put together a high strung album with blurred vocals entangled in scribbly guitar and crashing drums. They combine high speed instrumentation that makes you want to weaponize a floor lamp and repeatedly ram it through a wall screaming “eat shit!” as Wilson does midway through “Micromégas.”
The band recalls elements of Nirvana’s 1992 album Incesticide with Kurt Kobain offering his own disheveled vocals especially on “Beeswax” and “Mexican Seafood.” Several of the tracks on Wine and Circuses take off with suspenseful lead-ins that keep the listener engaged and waiting to hear where the song will go. Ultimately, the songs level out with a monotony that doesn’t set the album apart from other punk offerings. As with any punk, they’re a genre meant to be seen live. Luckily, Comrade Nixon will embark on their first northeast tour this Spring in support of the album, cassette tapes in tow. For now download it digitally here.
Key tracks: Constant Scrape, Micromégas, Rex Ingram
Last weekend, Funk ‘n Waffles up on the hill showcased two great bands: progressive rock band Ampevene and funky reggae and rock band Barroom Philosophers.
The show kicked off with Barroom Philosophers from Seneca Knolls. The group lists David Koegel (vocals), Joshua Way (guitar), Ty Hancock (bass and keys) and Brenden Boshart (drums) as their core members, but for this show, they had another member playing some guitar and some beats on conga. The added layers of texture made for a nice and fuller sound. They added a vintage touch to the visual aspect of the show with a lit sign of their band name on the keyboard stand. David Koegel really seemed to give it his all singing and they really brought the funk to the funky venue.
Ampevene took the stage, but a few folks were thrown off by the brief soundcheck thinking that was the beginning of the show. This group featured Gabe Stallman on guitar, Mack Hogan on bass, Ava Smith on keys, and Bob Morris on drums. They were all very talented musicians that really didn’t visibly vibe off of one another, but rather they aurally honed in on what the others were doing. The synth player was so focused; she kept her head glued to the keys and would ditch her seat entirely during intense bits of the show. It was cool to see them transition between instruments taking over for a solo or short feature. The synth added a unique flair with some awesome intergalactic timbre. Vocal interjections were few and far between, but they matched the established instrumental prowess. Their set was all business. There was no dialogue about the band or their tracks in between numbers and they moved seamlessly from song to song. It was refreshing not to hear, “Hi we’re [insert band name], please like us on [insert social media].” They truly were engaged with their sound and didn’t distract from that.
The biggest bummer of the night was the lacking crowd because students at Syracuse University were off on spring break and couldn’t come out to the show. However, it was a successful show for both bands in terms of talent and execution.
We are into the fourth round of NYS Music’s March Madness 2016 and our field has been whittled down to just 8 bands from across New York State! This friendly tournament style competition runs through the month of March. Our goal is to bring new bands that you might not know about, but should, to your attention.
The last round was the closest ever with the widest spread being only 43% to 56% and a few races were separated by only 1 or 2%. Let’s hope this round proves to be equally as exciting.
We hit every corner of New York State from Long Island to Buffalo, The Catskills to the North Country and all points in between. NYS Music March Madness is a great way to discover a new and upcoming band and also to show your support and love for bands you see often. Established bands who have gained a larger audience are not included in this year’s March Madness. Instead, the bands who are on the cusp of greatness are the stars of this year’s tournament. There was only room for 64 but we made the tough choices and put in a wide variety for fans to choose from, there truly is something for everyone.
The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Buffalo Iron Works, Funk n Waffles and The Waterhole each sponsored a regional bracket this year. And this round those brackets will each have their winner as we enter into the Final Four next week. These venues represent the best of what New York State has to offer and they celebrate music by allowing local and touring bands to perform for growing scenes across the state.
Round 4, or the Elite Eight, voting begins at 12 noon EST on Friday, March 18 and closes at midnight on Sunday, March 20. Final Four voting begins at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 18 for the regional champions. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!
CM: Explain to me your process on re-joining, especially based on everything you just said about how you were disillusioned and let down by the music industry. I know you exchanged some demos over the Internet but I’d love to hear about the process.
CM: That’s such a great story, I love it. So, who would you like to tour with now?
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will kick off three sold-out nights at The Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday, March 24 for 
NYS Music had the opportunity to chat with Jamie Madrox about the upcoming show. We discussed the band’s current and upcoming endeavors and what fans can expect from this tour. Jamie is always a fun and interesting person to chat with. He is passionate about horror movies and collecting horror related items and memorabilia, making for a great interview with writer Chris Besaw
Last weekend, F