Category: Buffalo

Buffalo’s Intrepid Travelers Hold Inaugural IT Fest

If you haven’t heard of the Buffalo-based quartet Intrepid Travelers yet, expect that to change. Forming in Buffalo in 2013, after two years the band seems to be hitting their stride with IT Fest. Intrepid Travelers consists of David Neimanis (bass/vocals), Brian Calisto (guitar/vocals), Donny Frauenhofer (keys/vocals) and Jon Fohl (drums/vocals).

They held their first festival event on Sat., June 11. The event took place on the property of Josh Skowronski in Alden, NY. IT Fest offered camping, a variety of vendors and three long sets of Intrepid Travelers throughout the day—all on private property with nature trails and a nearby creek.

The first two sets were a mixture of original songs with a few covers thrown in the mix. The last set they covered MGMT’s album Oracular Spectacular from start to finish. They put their own twist on the album, showing fans a side of the band that they might not be aware of.

David Neimanis had this to say about IT Fest:

We want to thank all those that attended this first-time event. We look forward to doing many more of these, and allowing this festival to organically grow with all of us. Josh really went above and beyond to put this together, and we couldn’t have asked for a better host. We are also incredibly grateful that mother nature had our backs and proved all the forecasters wrong by giving us a beautiful day. None of this would have been possible without all the help from sound engineers Ryan Bress and Tyler Dieckman, our volunteers and all the good people who came out and respected the land. It feels great to connect people together through music, and we are thrilled by the positive we received from everyone. We really can’t wait to have more Intrepid Travelers’ Family Reunions.”

The band is headlining an event at Neitzsche’s in Bufflalo on June 25, and will be heading out on a month-long tour starting July 8 in Ithaca, NY, and a July 9 hometown show at the Lockhouse. The tour will take them across the country and back, before closing out with a performance in East Aurora, NY, on Aug. 19.

The music scene in Buffalo is alive and thriving. Intrepid Travelers are a fine example of this, and they have the pieces in place to make some noise in the music world.

6/11/16 Setlist

Set 1: Cities^ Maddy and Anna, Dark Disease > Funnel > Shake Your Body#
^ Talking Heads
# Jackson 5

Set 2: On the Grass, All About It, Conquistadors, Randoh’s Island > Lochs of Dread*# Jungle Boogie^
* Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
# featuring Phil Driesin on guitar
^ Kool and the Gang

Set 3: Time to Pretend* Weekend Wars* > The Youth* Electric Feel* > Kids* > 4th Dimensional Transition* > Pieces of What* Of Moons, Birds and Monsters* > The Handshake* Future Reflections* Kung Fu Fighting % Woolify, Photo Booth, Youth, Stayin’ Alive^ Mountain Man
* MGMT
% Carl Douglas
^ Bee Gees

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June 13, 2016
Hearing Aide: Devon Allman ‘Ragged and Dirty’

Life on the road, the sights in the rearview mirror and the hard lessons learned along the way, Devon Allman and his latest album Ragged and Dirty is the perfect soundtrack to crank on the speakers over a nice long summer road trip, perhaps one marked with a few stops at some biker bars and dives.

Devon Allman’s latest album “Ragged & Dirty” debuted at #4 on the Billboard Blues Charts upon its release on Ruf Recording last October.

Raised in Texas by his mother, Shelley, he did not meet his famous father, Gregg Allman, until he was 16 years old. Now 43, he’s been touring nationally and has released eight albums with bands including Honeytribe and Royal Southern Band.

Ragged and Dirty, Allman’s third solo work, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Blues Charts upon its release on Ruf Records last October. It’s produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge, who also co-wrote three songs on the album. Allman shakes the dust off his father’s signature style of guitar-driven blues and rock and infuses it with his own modern, hard-hitting licks and powerful lyrics in this latest incarnation.

You can almost feel the grit in your teeth throughout this professional, polished album, which runs the gamut of styles from country roots in track one, “Half the Truth,” to blues and rock n’ roll with a slight edge of funkiness in the album’s title track 11, “Ragged and Dirty.” Get lost in the soulful, sultry steam guitar-laden sixth track, “Midnight Lake Michigan,” and then find yourself in the honky-tonk stylings of track 10, “Times Have Changed.”

A highlight for me was track number three, “Leavin’,” which reminds me of a mix of Joe Cocker and the Allman Brothers Band in a song about running away from the same old problems and falling into old routines. A solid rock n’ roll journey with heartfelt lyrics, it’s a great song for a road trip without a destination.

The seventh tune, “Ten Million Slaves,” a song about the journey and trials faced by millions of slaves as they were ripped from their homeland and brought to America to be sold, came as a timely surprise as the original A&E mini-series “Roots” recently aired on television.

Track 10, “Times Have Changed,” is a good reminder to stay relevant and not get caught up in looking back on the past and making up your mind to change things. As the lyrics note, “I’d do anything you say, and now there ain’t no way/ That was yesterday, and times have changed/You’ve got to pick and choose, and I was bound to lose, but I’ve got some news for you, times have changed.”

Track 12, “Leave the City,” is the perfect way to wrap up this album, with Allman’s soothingly familiar voice gently commingled with sounds of a resonator guitar seeping through to wash you clean, as you leave the dirty city for land of riversides and mountain tops.

It’s clear this an album inspired by life on the road. To steal a line from the fifth song, “a road runner baby, Citadel platinum frequent flier,” Allman brings his tour to New York with a June 15 show at Iron Works in Buffalo, at the Wescott Theater in Syracuse on June 16 and Albany’s Empire State Plaza on June 29. Catch him before he travels on.

Key Tracks: Times Have Changed, Midnight Lake Michigan, Leave the City

June 11, 2016
Houndmouth’s Neon Still Burning Bright and Pink

Nashville’s Los Colognes, opening the show at the Town Ballroom on the first night of a tour with Houndmouth, impressed the filling venue with a 45 minute taste of their laid back rock. They started things off with “Baby, You Can’t Have Both,” a party rocker with a “Not Fade Away” rhythm. The Grateful Dead influence didn’t end there, with many songs in their set sounding somewhat familiar but different. Like a Go To Heaven-era cover band, but playing all originals. Jay Rutherford’s SG even had hints of Garcia’s tone embedded, but played in a style that made the sound all his own.

Later, with rhythm guitarist Wojtek Krupka picking up a slide and bassist Gordon Persha bounding around in the pocket on a driving blues number, another classic rock band’s influence came to the fore, The Allman Brothers. It was classic rock with a modern aesthetic tightening it up and applying a shine.

While not scoping out a completely original sound, they kept it simple and tight, pulling off a diverse and exciting set with a few surprising left turns. Rutherford’s guitar work, whether within the melody or breaking through with a roaring solo, was truly a highlight.

Houndmouth was recently reduced to a trio when keyboardist/vocalist Katie Toupin left the band earlier this year. It was their first ever time playing in Buffalo, but that didn’t mean the packed crowd wasn’t intensely familiar with them. Calls for Katie rang out as the band entered the stage and once the music started, their shouts turned to the lyrics as they sang most every song right along with the band.

With one member down the band took on a different look both in sound and appearance. The three remaining, Matt Myers on guitar, Shane Cody on drums and Zak Appleby on bass, ironically without the feminine influence anymore, shed their usual ragged look. They were clean shaven (including Cody’s head), wearing nice suits and had some subtle glam makeup/face paint. Musically the trio added two saxophones, Graeme Gardiner and Drew Miller, to round out and punctuate their sound. They may have sounded a bit different than they have in the past, but the key was that they’ve got a great slate of songs that can be resilient and overcome the change. That’s what great songs do!

Houndmouth was excited to be back on the road and were rewarded with a ravenous Friday night crowd. Band and audience fed off each other throughout the evening bringing the energy to a fever pitch. “Let’s get weird, it’s Friday night,” Cody exclaimed before launching into “Coming Around Again.” Myers changed the lyrics to “Had a Couple of Drinks in Buffalo” riling the crowd while Cody hopped up and down in his seat waving his sticks at the crowd and mouthing expletives egging them on even further.

The energy didn’t cool down until the encore. Myers opened with a beautiful solo guitar performance of “For No One.” The full band returned for a scorching take on “Motion Pictures,” a deep cut off of Neil Young’s fantastic yet underrated On the Beach album, that featured some great work form the horn section. A show closing rollicking sing-along of “My Cousin Greg” finished the show back up on a high energy note.

Setlist: Black Gold, 15 Years, Halfway to Hardinsburg, Darlin’, Say It, Honey Slider, Hey Rose, Palmyra, Coming Around Again, Penitentiary, New Song, Sedona
Encore: For No One, Motion Pictures, My Cousin Greg

June 8, 2016
Aqueous Announces New Drummer

Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous announced they have ended their search for a drummer. After months of video submissions and touring auditions, the band announced via their Facebook page that Cincinnati native Rob Houk will solidify the quartet’s lineup.

The official statement hit just as the band looks to hit the road with a strong summer festival touring schedule.

ANNOUNCEMENT- We’d like to take a minute today and officially welcome the truly amazing Rob Houk to the Aqueous family as a full time member/drummer! We searched high and low to find the right fit, and not only is Rob an incredible musician that we all connected with immediately, but he’s also THE RADDEST dude- As many of you already know from having caught recent AQ sets with him behind the kit, this guy is the real deal, and we’re all feeling super inspired by what he’s brought to the table- get ready friends, big things coming. Welcome Rob!

On the other side of the coin, we’d like to sincerely thank ALL of the wonderful drummers who put in time and effort submitting great applications and specifically thank those who helped fill the spot temporarily and keep AQ going while we figured it all out, we deeply appreciate how much work everyone put in and means so much- THANK YOU! Onward.

Aqueous announced in December 2015 that they were looking for a new drummer. The band made the decision to not only make the search public, but to also extend the search nationally. Houk told NYS Music that he learned of the band’s search quickly via Facebook. “The day they announced it, that was all I saw on my news feed. There’s a ton of AQ [Aqueous] fans in Cincinnati, so all of my friends were posting about it.”

A few weeks after a video audition, the band met with Houk. After that audition proved to be a success, the band gave Houk the opportunity to play with them at the Original Mother’s in Chicago on March 24. That led to Houk sitting in with the band as they hit the road in Colorado and the Midwest at the beginning of April.

Aqueous and Houk made their way back to Buffalo on April 9, where Houk got to experience playing with the band in their hometown, an experience Houk said he enjoyed.

The energy of that room was something I had never felt before honestly. The amount of love the city of Buffalo has for AQ is something really special. In was truly an honor to play for a crowd of people that care so much about the band. I immediately felt at home.

Houk has a variety of musical experience behind the kit, spending time in bands spanning a variety of genres including punk and hip-hop. He is also the resident studio drummer Colemine Records, a funk and soul label based out of Loveland, Ohio. He recently played with the Cincinnati based livetronica band Ethosine.

Among his favorite bands of all time, Houk notes a list of artists, some of which Aqueous has shared the stage with. “Some of my favorite bands of all time are Umphrey’s McGee, Dopapod, Papadosio, Ween… There’s a long list. I try to find influence in everything I listen to.”

Houk will play his first show as the band’s official drummer in Buffalo this Wednesday when hometown fans of Aqueous can catch the band play a free show at Buffalo’s Larkin Square. The band has already kicked off the summer with festival spots at Summer Camp, Domefest and the Paradise Music Festival. You can check out Aqueous with Houk behind the kit this summer at Electric Forest, Peach Fest and Disc Jam as well as Western New York-area festivals including Buffalove and Night Lights Festival.

June 7, 2016
Dark Star Orchestra Treats Buffalo Crowd to Three Sets

Back in 1972 the cost of a gallon of gas was 55 cents. Richard Nixon was our nation’s president, soon to experience a fall from grace. The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. “American Pie” by Don McLean was #1 on the music charts. March 25, 1972 was the date in Grateful Dead history that Dark Star Orchestra helped us relive in Buffalo. That original show took place at the Academy of Music in New York City.

DSO took the stage at the sold out Town Ballroom in Buffalo NY right after 8:00 p.m. They started the night off with the classic “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).” They would close the first set with “Bertha.” Throughout the night they teased the crowd saying they might play three sets.

By the start of the second set, DSO seemed to be feeding off the enormous amount of energy that the crowd was providing. “Mr. Charlie” got things started with set two. They would close this energetic second set with the sing a long classic “Casey Jones.”

The third set did not directly correlate with this date in Grateful Dead history. It was a filler set but you couldn’t ask for a better way to close out four hours of beautiful music. Songs like “Black Throated Wind” and “Tangled Up In Blue” really seemed to hit the sweet spot with the crowd. All in all it was a beautiful night of music. The crowd consisted of old school and new school Dead Heads. No matter what their age, every last one of them left the Town Ballroom with a huge smile on their face.

Set One: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), Are You Lonely For Me Baby, Next Time You See Me, Brown Eyed Women, Smokestack Lightnin’, Sitting On Top Of The World, Sugaree, Looks Like Rain, Bertha

Set Two: Mr Charlie, Black Throated Wind, Deal, Playing In The Band, Turn On Your Lovelight, Casey Jones

Set Three (Filler): Chinatown Shuffle, Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues, Black-Throated Wind, Positively 4th Street, Tangled Up In Blue

June 6, 2016
Legendary Bassist Stu Hamm to Stop in Schenectady

Fans of guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani will recognize the name, as will any learned bassist. Stu Hamm rose to fame performing with Satriani’s band for a decade, and on June 3, Hamm brings his solo act to the Van Dyck in Schenectady.

Hamm’s tour is a true solo run in support of his latest album, The Book of Lies. In addition to the Schenectady stop, Hamm’s brief stint also includes shows in New York City and Buffalo.

Hamm met Steve Vai while both were students at Berklee in Boston; he met Satriani as a result of his relationship with Vai and rose to fame as a member of his band. Hamm played on Vai’s first solo album, Flex-Able, in 1984 and went on to record with Satriani on his seminal ’80s albums Dreaming #11 and Flying in a Blue Dream.

Throughout his career, Hamm has recorded with such guitar luminaries as Eric Johnson, Michael Schenker, Frank Gambale, Alan Holdsworth and Robert Fripp. Another claim to fame is being named both best rock bassist and jazz bassist in the same year by Guitar Player magazine.

Expect a mix of bass virtuosity and humorous storytelling when Hamm hits the stage. In a statement, Hamm said, “I promise an entertaining evening of music and stories from my 43 years of playing bass with some of our generation’s greatest musicians!”

Check him out a venue near you this month.

Songs and Stories Tour 2016:

6/2 – New Hope, PA – Havana
6/3 – Schenectady, NY – The Van Dyck
6/4 – New York, NY – Spectrum (Masterclass at 2 p.m.)
6/5 – New York, NY – Spectrum (6 p.m. and 8 p.m.)
6/6 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Saint
6/7 – Dunellen, NJ – Roxy and Dukes (Presented by NJ ProgHouse)
6/8 – Buffalo, NY – Sportsmens Tavern
6/9 – Ottawa, ON – Brass Monkey
6/10 – London, ON – London Music Club
6/12 – Detroit, MI – The Token Lounge
6/13 – Newport, KY – The Southgate House Revival
6/14 – Cleveland, OH – Nighttown
6/16 – Charleston, WV – The Empty Glass
6/17 – Pittsburgh, PA – PGH Winery

https://youtu.be/VAkYhNUOWMY

May 28, 2016
Heartless Bastards and Old 97’s Bring Texas Rock to Buffalo

An unadulterated evening of Texas-style and Texas-sized rock and roll with Heartless Bastards got started with a little North Carolina folk music. American Aquarium’s BJ Barham played a set of his new songs, commanding the audience at the Tralf in Buffalo, with just his voice and sparse acoustic guitar. The material was inspired by the attacks in Paris last year, during which Barham happened to be about an hour outside the city.

But then the rock came. And later the roll.

Austin’s Heartless Bastards blasted out of the gates with “Gates of Dawn” off of their latest release, Restless Ones. Their music is like a silly putty replica of classic rock. They’ve mashed the putty down, lifted up the image of rock as it was, and pull at it, distorting it into a creation that is all their own. They stretch it out until it slows almost to a standstill, bringing out the beauty of every nuance.

Drummer Dave Colvin controlled the putty, shaping and forming the rhythm with master strokes and splashes of cymbals and brilliant fills. Bassist Jesse Ebaugh accentuated the drawn out pace, while still managing to enter in some full-on lead bass lines into the mix. Mark Nathan’s guitar crunched out some good old anthemic rock lines slowly building into epic soars as Colvin and Ebaugh drive the beat forward. Kyleen King filled in the empty spaces when and where they existed, playing guitar, percussion, keys and backing vocals. Above it all, and lending as much to their signature sound as anything, was rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Erika Wennerstrom. In a different era, Wennerstrom’s voice would be on every radio in America, a one-of-a-kind marvel of a sound that perfectly melds with the oozing power of the Heartless Bastards.

Heartless Bastards hit upon all eras of the band, and peaked throughout the mid-set trio of “Hold Your Head High,” (from 2009’s The Mountain) “The Fool” (off Restless Ones) and “Down in the Canyon” the epic closer of 2012’s Arrow.

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

Rhett Miller (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Ken Bethea (lead guitar), Murry Hammond (bass) and Philip Peeples (drums) have been touring together as the Old 97’s for 23 years. After 10 studio albums and countless shows, it’s been the same guys sticking together through it all, a rare feat to say the least. But in fact, on the road, the lineup changes on a nightly basis. The crowd is undoubtedly the fifth member of the band. The audience was singing every word to every song, hitting all the right emphases, stomping, clapping, hooting and hollering the whole way through. They added an energy and excitement to the proceedings that wouldn’t be the same with just the same four guys onstage.

With song titles like “Stoned,” “Wasted,” “Smokers,” “Let’s Get Drunk and Get It On” and an opening number that dropped more than a few none-too-subtle F-bombs, you might expect a stage full of brutish hard partiers. They appeared, however, to be a group of pretty easygoing guys that life has been pretty kind to. When Hammond took a swig of his bottled water he joked it was filled with straight liquor. But there was no alcohol to be had on this stage. Just earnest songs with a rockabilly bent and a lot of twang, staying true to their alt-country roots, much to the delight of their fans.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sACWvgFQ5t8[/embedyt]

Miller sang, “I’m gonna play my guitar ’til my fingers fall off; sing till my voice is gone.” Through a 22-song career-spanning set amidst a lengthy spring tour, truer words may never have been sung. Or perhaps maybe they had hours earlier, when Wennerstrom belted, “I know whenever you are feeling down, you gotta have, gotta have, you gotta have rock and roll!” Those Texans seem to know a thing or two.

Setlists:

Heartless Bastards
Gates of Dawn, Got To Have Rock And Roll, Black Cloud, Into the Light, Blue Day, Hold Your Head High, The Fool, Down in the Canyon, Only For You, Parted Ways, Nothing Seems the Same

Old 97’s
Nashville, Rollerskate Skinny, Melt Show, Stoned, Wasted, Crash on the Barrelhead, Dance With Me, Big Brown Eyes, Won’t Be Home, Longer Than You’ve Been Alive, Wish the Worst, Valentine, Barrier Reef, Victoria, Give It Time, Smokers, Nineteen, Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You), Most Messed Up
E: Question, Let’s Get Drunk and Get It On, Timebomb

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May 24, 2016
Dark Star Orchestra Returning To Buffalo At The Town Ballroom May 24

Dark Star Orchestra (DSO), the Grateful Dead tribute band hailing out of Chicago Illinois, will return to the Town Ballroom in Buffalo. Since forming, DSO has played 2,200-plus shows, recreating Grateful Dead concerts in their entirety.

To any Dead Heads that need their fix, this show is not to be missed. It’s been more than 20 years since Jerry Garcia has passed, but the Grateful Dead’s music lives on with the passion and extensive touring DSO has displayed over the years.

Dark Star Orchestera has had a slightly changing line up throughout its existence; the current band members include Rob Barraco (keys/vocals), Rob Eaton (guitar/vocals), Dino English (drums/percussion), Rob Koritz (drums/percussion), Lisa Mackey (vocals), Jeff Mattson (guitar/vocals) and Skip Vangelas (bass/vocals), and look forward to their return to Town Ballroom.

Tickets for the May 24 show are still available and can be purchased from Ticket Fly or through the Town Ballroom box office; door open at 7 p.m.

May 23, 2016
Sick Puppies Rock the Iron Works

Buffalo Iron Works was introduced to a night full of in your face rock with promising young bands rocking the house. Hudson, all the way from Los Angeles, kicked things off Thursday night with a high energy, on-point performance, despite the lack of crowd participation and lackluster reaction.

Stitched up Heart set up their gear and by their looks I wasn’t sure what to expect. Their outfits were great but hinted at a feeling of metal and screaming, which did not fit the rest of the bill. Front woman Alecia “Mixi” Demner ran onto the stage and had such a crisp, clear voice with a power that reminds one of Lzzy Hale from Halestorm. The band had magnificent harmony and the hair flips and guitar riffs were impressive. I am definitely a fan and cannot wait to listen to their newest tunes.

Red Sun Rising (RSR) is a band I’ve seen before when they were in town opening for Seether and Mark Tremonti at Rapids Theatre last year. RSR’s fan base has grown tenfold and they have a more confident stage presence since I last saw them. Mike Protich’s vocals have mammoth power and clarity to them. He has a towering stage presence that captivates and engages the audience. Dave McGarry replaced original guitarist Tyler Valendza and he is an exceptional replacement. McGarry’s uses his long hair to his advantage, whipping it around while playing his catchy riffs. I expect to see this band headlining their own shows within the next five years.

Sick Puppies returned to Buffalo after a lengthy hiatus, and first time since their antecedent lead singer, Shimon Moore left the band. Many fan favorites were played as well as a couple of new songs. They kicked off their set with “War” that immediately brought the audience off their feet.

Buffalo gave a warm welcome to new front man Bryan Scott as he stood his ground. Bassist Emma Anzai, made her presence felt with her typical top notch performance. Stand out songs from the Aussies’ set list included “Riptide,” “Should’ve Known Better” and “Pitiful.” The band also performed their latest single, “Stick to Your Guns” from their upcoming release Fury. The crowd loved the appearance of another taste of the new record during a short version of “Black & Blue.” Bryan Scott has stepped into some big shoes and came off as a solid replacement. The direction the band is now taking is impressive and the crowd at the Iron Works seemed to agree.

May 19, 2016
Supporting Local Music From The First Note

Have you ever thought about where your favorite famous musician started before they played in arenas around the world? Probably not. Chances are, at one point, every artist you can think of was playing a show to a handful of people rather than a sold-out crowd.

It’s easy to forget that once upon a time, one of the only ways to discover musical artists was by going to the local music venue. There are some amazing talents hidden away in small and big towns alike with dwindling options for places to play their music for other people.

The local music scene has been near and dear to my heart for quite a few years now. One word to sum up the scene is, family. I have experienced different music scenes from all over and this seems to be a common theme. Here in Buffalo, we are blessed to have such a tight knit music community.

I am a professional music photographer and work with many of the bands here in Buffalo and sometimes in the Rochester area. Local music is very important to me and is one thing in life that keeps me going. I love capturing the truest of emotions on stage. That is something that cannot be recreated. I’m in it for the long haul, to make a career of this.

Music is a powerful means of connecting people. It bridges linguistic and cultural divides, and is a vehicle for identity and expression like no other. Music has the power to do this, no matter where you come from or your background. Music, is one thing that brings all walks of life under one roof.

I also love that no matter which genre of music I’m covering, we all treat each other with a sense of community. I see many musicians from different bands on their off night come support their brothers and sisters as they play locally. I’ve seen just about every vantage point in the music scene. I’ve been the band girlfriend; witnessing the countless hours and money artists spend writing and recording, trying to make a name for themselves. I’ve seen the local promoter putting in their own money, working to find artists who fit the same bill; taking chances on bands that nobody knows exist, hoping to possibly just break even.

Buffalo is one of many communities that suffers when a local venue closes. Venues are struggling financially and are on the fence about whether or not to continue providing live music. We take this for granted. To keep local music alive, it’s as simple as supporting the artists and the venues by buying a ticket to see the show or buying something from the venue; a beer, coffee or dinner. Sometimes venues will also dedicate a portion of the night’s bar revenue to the bands, making this a win-win situation.

Musicians are a healthy part of local economies. When we support them, we are supporting a number of business owners and employees, including the local bars and venues, screen printing companies, record labels, record stores, even the food trucks on the street outside the venues.

If the music is something that tickles your fancy, consider purchasing the artist’s CD or a t-shirt. Musicians are often not getting paid their worth from venues and many end up losing rather than making enough money to cover expenses. Many artists have the burden of working tirelessly to expose their music, most on penny-pinching budgets. Wearing a band’s t-shirt, listening to their music or even mentioning the music to friends is a simple way to continue your support long after the live music has ended.

Live music has a power that can last long after a single performance. Lyrics and tones pull feelings from you that you have never experienced. The energy of a live show needs to be felt. Bands and artists pour their hearts and emotions into their live performances, and while the crowd is feeding off that energy, the band is feeding off the crowd.

Checking out a local show is a much more intimate experience, and there’s no corporate music nonsense involved, meaning you’re truly hearing what the artists want you to hear. These guys and girls on stage have day jobs just like the rest of us. They can be the girl from the coffee shop serving you your daily medium coffee, two cream and a muffin or the plumber who helped fixed your busted pipes on an emergency night call. Some of us are doing this for fun and some are striving for stardom. Regardless of what each individual`s motive is, support is what keeps it going.

We must also extend our hands to local bands that took that leap of faith and decided to take their music on a weekend or a month-long tour to play with bands local to those cities in hopes of spreading their name.

I`m happy to see fellow music lovers offer the courtesy of their homes to those traveling bands so they don’t have to spend money that can be used elsewhere on hotels or forced to sleep in their vans in the frigid or scorching weather.

The bottom line is, don’t stop enjoying internationally known bands, just make some time to go to a local music venue and support the ones who are starting from the ground up, where their lyrics are true and haven’t been touched by 30 hands. Who knows, you may even be watching the birth of the next great star!

May 13, 2016