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Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2016 Douglas Park Chicago Day 3
Day 3 of Riot Fest 2016 has arrived and it is the day I have been waiting for since I was twelve years old. The original Misfits lineup will be taking the stage and performing together for the first time since 1983.

Santa Cruz punk band the Swinging Utters kicked off the third day of Riotfest. Led by frontman Johnny “Peebucks” Bonnel, the band led off with their classic hit “The Librarians are Hiding Something.” The crowd took over the singing duties during “No Eager Men” as Johnny jumped wildly around the stage. After a very spirited and entertaining set the band expressed their thanks and bid the crowd farewell.

Of course I have to mention the frontman for Twisted Sister, Dee Snider. Snider is currently touring in support of his solo album, We Are the Ones, scheduled to be released in October. Snider has acknowledged that the album is a new direction for him and he hopes fans like it and will continue to show their support. Snider gave the crowd a little taste of what he meant by “new direction” when he performed his version of the Nine Inch Nails hit “Head Like a Hole.” He performed a nice mix of his new music and of course Twisted Sister classics like “I Wanna Rock” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” It was truly a memorable performance by the rock legend. I was very fortunate to have been able to sit down with Dee Snider later that day and chat about his new music project.

There were so many memorable performances that it is tough to sum it all up. Bad Religion was amazing. Punk band Leftover Crack really got the audience revved up. Tiger Army brought their blend of punk and rockabilly to the festival, not to mention they were the best dressed band of the weekend. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes performed their unique versions of cover songs such as “Jolene” and my personal favorite “Over the Rainbow.” Earlier that day, I had the privilege of sitting down with Me First and the Gimme Gimme’s lead singer, Spike, to chat about Riotfest and the bands that he was looking forward to checking out.

The day kept getting better and better. The master of modern horror heavy metal, Rob Zombie, took the stage and performed the White Zombie classic album Astrocreep 2000 in its’ entirety. I have seen Rob Zombie live multiple times and had only heard him perform select tracks such as “More Human Than Human.” But getting to hear the entire album was awesome! Zombie’s current band consisting of John 5, Piggy D (Matt Montgomery) and Ginger Fish brought the album to a new level of intensity and depth.

Now, after 2 days and too many bands to count , it leads me to the one musical moment I have waited for since I was 12 years old… the Original Misfits were about to take the stage to close out Riot Fest 2016 in Chicago!

Looking around all you can see is an ocean of people jam packed into Douglas Park waiting to witness the music history that was about to unfold. The stage lights go down and the smoke rolls out over the stage and you could feel the anticipation building. Suddenly the curtain drops revealing two enormous pumpkins (from the Halloween 7” cover) on each end of the stage complete with eerie glowing eyes, and a wall of crimson ghost amps in the background. The crowd gets revved and then explodes into a massive mosh pit as Glenn, Jerry and Doyle lead right off with “Death Comes Ripping” the perfect song to set the tone for their set. They didn’t waste any time belting out classics like “20 Eyes,” “I Turned Into A Martian” and “Where Eagles Dare.” Backing up the original trio was the incredible and heavy hitting Dave Lombardo (formerly of Slayer) on drums and Acey Slade (Dope) on guitar. Both were excellent choices! Glenn took time between songs to tell stories about how he and Jerry formed the band back in 78. At one point Glenn paused and asked the audience if they liked pumpkins. Glenn and company played a lengthy set list of 26 songs from the bands 38 year history. They even played the first song Glenn and Jerry ever wrote and performed together “She” during their encore.

For me, this was the band that I had listened to since I was a kid. I collect their records, posters and memorabilia. I never thought I would witness an original lineup reunion in my lifetime and I have to say that I was completely floored by their performance. It was everything I expected and more, not-stop, high energy punk, massive mosh pits and bodies crowd surfing everywhere. My dreams come true!

Set list:
1. Death Comes Ripping
2. 20 Eyes
3. I Turned Into a Martian
4. Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?
5. Vampira
6. All Hell Breaks Loose
7. Hybrid Moments
8. Teenagers From Mars
9. London Dungeon
10. Earth A.D.
11. Green Hell
12. Devilock
13. Horror Business
14. We Are 138
15. Hollywood Babylon
16. Who Killed Marilyn
17. Halloween
18. Die, Die My Darling
19. Astro Zombies
20. Skulls
21. Last Caress
Encore:
1. Bullet
2. Night of the Living Dead
3. She
4. Attitude
As the final notes rang out and the crowd starting to clear this first trip to Riot fest and to Chicago will definitely be one I won’t forget!

Please enjoy the photos and interviews below from a killer final day at Riot Fest 2016!
October 9, 2016
The Struts bring their Dirty Sexy Summer to Upstate Concert Hall

If you took Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury and Steven Tyler and threw them in a blender you would get Luke Spiller, lead singer of The Struts, on their Dirty Sexy Summer tour. Spiller along with guitarist Adam Slack, Bassist Jed Elliot and drummer Gethin Davis made their way to the Capital Region for the first time ever on Thursday night and they brought their unique style and throwback rock ‘n’ roll sound with them to the delight of a crowd that sang along to every song over their 90-minute set.

Spiller is a true Rock ‘n’ Roll front man, writhing and dancing around the stage capturing every member of the audience in the palm of his hand. When he told the crowd to sing they sang and when he told them to jump they jumped. The Struts are the definition of a down and dirty rock band.

The band tore through a set that included all but one song off of their debut album “Everybody Wants”. The biggest response came from their single “Kiss This” and their upcoming single “Put Your Money On Me”. While their album is strong and solid, The Struts are a live band. You cannot get the raw and dirty feel off of the album that you do seeing them live.

The show was opened by the band Dorothy. Lead singer Dorothy Martin, drummer Zac Morris, bassist Gregg Cash and guitarist DJ Black got the crowd pumped up with cuts off of their debut album ROCKISDEAD. Dorothy have a heavy bluesy sound and singer Dorothy Martin could be the reincarnation of Janis Joplin. She has a raw sound to her voice that oozes whiskey and sex. Martin had every eye in the place on her as she danced and sang across the stage. One the closing number “BANG BANG BANG” it was like she made love to the entire place.

Dorothy Setlist: Kiss It, Dark Nights, Gun in My Hand, Wicked Ones, After Midnight, Woman, Raise Hell, Bang Bang Bang

The Struts Setlist: I Just Know/Roll Up, These Times Are Changing, Could Have Been Me, The Ol’ Switcheroo, Kiss This, Mary Go Round, Dirty Sexy Money, Let’s Make This Happen Tonight, Young Stars, Put Your Money On Me, Only Just a Call Away

Encore: Black Swan, Where Did She Go

October 8, 2016
Photo Gallery: Adirondack Independence Music Festival 2016

Lake George hosted the Adirondack Independence Music Festival on September 30th, and October 1st. With the lineup this year, you would never guess that this is only the 2nd year for this event. This years festival featured sets from headlining acts; Robert Randolph and the Family band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and the Spin Doctors, as well as some local favorites Rich Ortiz, and Formula 5. Were excited to see this festival grow in the upcoming years! Check out the full 2016 lineup below, and re-live some photos from Saturday!

October 8, 2016
Hearing Aide: Phish’s “Big Boat”

Ever think Phish would start off a studio album with a sort of Brit-pop-punk sounding song?

Me either, but that’s exactly what the band did by kicking off Big Boat with the Jon Fishman song “Friends,” which is the perfect lead-in to an album by a band that has built its fanbase by throwing it curveballs. Phish’s 13th studio recording is the most genre bending album they have released.

Teaming back up with Fuego producer Bob Ezrin, Phish has created an at-times overproduced record that probably will not be universally loved by fans and aside from a few tracks, won’t get much play from me. But, the beauty of Phish is that this is perfectly fine because each of these songs will be defined by what they do on stage.

“Blaze On” and “No Man in No Man’s Land” both debuted live in 2015 and become almost immediate jam vehicles. The album versions of these songs are very strong and have the same feel of the live performances.

The apocalyptic “Breath and Burning” gives way to the first Page McConnell song, “Home,” which features a very Phishy little synth-driven jam. “Things People Do” is very Mike Gordon-like, but is written by McConnell. “Waking Up Dead,” written by Gordon, is among the few songs that sound Phishy.

The Anastasio ballads “Running Out of Time” and “Miss You” are poignant, with the latter being one of the more emotive songs the guitarist has written in a while. “I Always Wanted it That Way” goes back toward the synth-pop sound, before straightforward rocker “More” sits as the last barrier until the orchestral composition “Petrichor” closes the album with a complicated, at times intricate but often wandering song that Anastasio initially wrote to be performed with an orchestra.

Big Boat is not their best album, but honestly, who cares? Let’s see what happens on Fall Tour and during the New Year’s Run.

Key Tracks: More, Waking Up Dead, Petrichor

October 7, 2016
Arc Iris Transforms Abilene

Abilene Bar and Lounge is a modest neighborhood bar built into an old house on an out of the way street in downtown Rochester. Generally it plays host to roots Americana acts, honest tunes sung and strummed on good old fashion acoustic stringed instruments. But Tuesday night, Arc Iris descended onto the stage and transformed the joint into their own little Moon Saloon.

A complete DIY stage set, composed of multiple gelled floor can lights and strings of LED lights, including one hanging off the back wall writing their name, helped to set the scene. Lead singer Jocie Adams came dressed in a skin-tight shiny gold one piece, with a quasi-cape neckpiece and white tasseled ankles. She would add wings to the ensemble midway through the show, with a dramatic entrance and full on display during “Kaleidoscope,” like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. However, a small stuffed doll Max Rebo sitting on Zach Tenorio-Miller’s keyboard may have been the most appropriate prop of them all.

Arc Iris was like a spaceship: Adams as the captain, Tenorio-Miller at the controls and drummer Ray Belli providing the driving power behind the ship as the engine. With the opening notes of “Saturation Brain,” off of their spectacular 2016 release Moon Saloon, the audience was pulled from the Earth’s gravity, floating along attached to lifelines. Each song was a journey, traveling from point to point. They could lull you into a beautiful dreamscape before jolting with sudden acceleration in a surprising new direction, such as on “Paint With the Sun.” Arc Iris defies convention at every turn.

Adams commanded attention with her incredible vocal range, navigating complex narrative song structures. Singing through two mics, run through different effects pedals and loops, one voice could be many, human voice could be alien. Tenorio-Miller kept busy, constantly pounding out bass lines with his left hand while maintaining much of the melodies that were represented by horns, strings and more on the album. He provided extra boosts to the ships rockets with some downright brilliant keys work, reminiscent of greats like George Duke and Herbie Hancock. Loops, samples, backing vocals and percussion just added to his arsenal.

Last month the band played a special set in Burlington. VT where they recreated Joni Mitchell’s Blue in it’s entirety. Mixed in with the set heavy on Moon Saloon material, they treated Rochester to a trio of their Blue re-workings, playing through their versions of “Last Time I Saw Richard,” “River” and “Blue,” each flown out to outer space and back, jumbled and reconfigured. sounding in the end almost like new Arc Iris originals. One foot in the past, one foot firmly planted in the future.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TCcJ5DpNdQ[/embedyt]

It’s not often a band can completely consume and redefine the stage on which they play. With some simple stage design, but mostly through their transformative music, Arc Iris successfully took Abilene on a short but memorable journey up and away from what had just been a regular old Tuesday in Rochester, NY.

October 7, 2016
Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2016 Douglas Park Chicago Day 2

Punk veterans, The Vandals, kicked off day two of Riot Fest 2016 with some good old fashioned fast paced punk rock tunes. They whipped the audience into a beer throwing, pogo jumping frenzy. This was my first time seeing The Vandals and I am hoping I get the opportunity to catch them again at some point.

Other notables included the UK band The Hives, who despite a late start to their set, belted out hit after crowd pleasing hit. Alternative punk pop band Motion City Soundtrack took the stage to perform their second to last show. In March of 2016 the band announced that they were calling it quits for now and didn’t know what the future had in store for them. They invited their fans to come out to a show and sing along with them one last time.

It would be criminal not mention another icon who played an intense and incredible set, former Husker Du guitarist, Bob Mould! I was blown away by the passion and ferocity of his performance! At 55 he can easily shred and tear up the stage with the best of them! I was humbled to finally get the chance to see him perform.

Day two of Riot Fest 2016 ended with some of my personal favorites. What can top the Descendents and Social Distortion playing live? I have been fortunate enough to see both bands in the past and just like before, the Descendents were absolutely incredible live. Milo and the gang came out swinging hard and didn’t let up for the entire hour that they played. They tore through classic favorites like “Everything Sux,” “Rotting Out,” and “I Like Food” as well as some new songs. After an unforgettable 29 song set, the massive crowd was screaming for more.

I love Social Distortion and my favorite Social D album is White Light, White Heat, White Trash so you can imagine how thrilled I was when I found out that they would be performing the album in its’ entirety at Riotfest to celebrate its’ 20^th anniversary. Normally, I don’t get star struck when I am shooting bands but being in the photo pit when Mike Ness and the band took the stage and started playing “Dear Lover” left me awestruck with my jaw on the floor. It was definitely surreal. They ended their set with Johnny Cash’s immortal classic “Ring of Fire” which had the audience screaming so loudly it drowned out Morrissey who was playing on the other stage at the time. Thank you Social Distortion for performing my favorite album.

Earlier in the day I sat down with singer, songwriter Donna Missal. Even though I had missed her performance that morning, we had fun chatting about music and riot fest.

Day 2 was amazing. Please enjoy the photos and interviews below.

October 7, 2016
Rolling Stones to Release ‘Blue & Lonesome’

The Rolling Stones are set to release their first studio album in over a decade, titled Blue & Lonesome.

The Rolling Stones announced their first studio album since 2005’s A Bigger Bang will be released on Friday, Dec. 2. Blue & Lonesome is an album of covers of classic Chicago blues songs. The 12-track album was recorded last December over a three day period. It was produced by Don Was, the producer behind many of their more recent albums, including Bridges to Babylon and Voodoo Lounge. The Stones were joined by longtime touring partners Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell (keyboards) and Matt Clifford (keyboards), as well as Eric Clapton on two tracks and percussionist Jim Keltner on one.

The album will be available on CD, digital download, double heavyweight vinyl that includes a download card or a deluxe edition that includes the album on CD, a 75 page mini-book about the making of the album and band photo postcards. The album is currently available for pre-sale.

Rolling Stones Blue & Lonesome Track Listing
1. Just Your Fool
2. Commit a Crime
3. Blue and Lonesome
4. All of Your Love
5. I Gotta Go
6. Everybody Knows About My Good Thing
7. Ride ‘Em On Down
8. Hate to See You Go
9. Hoo Doo Blues
10. Little Rain
11. Just Like I Treat You
12. I Can’t Quit You Baby

October 6, 2016
Hearing Aide: Teddy Midnight “Velvet Blue”

On September 7 New York City’s own Teddy Midnight released their first LP Velvet Blue. An eight song release captivating their blend of genres from funk, rock, and jamtronica, to so much more. Recorded at Telefunken Elektroakustik by Alan Venitosh, produced by Sean Silva (synthesizers/bass), and co-produced by drummer Adam Magnan. Velvet Blue was written and recorded entirely by the members of Teddy Midnight with the addition of Amy Grace adding her powerful vocals to “Blue Dream,” the final track. An excellent debut album by a group of musicians that have earned a respectable spot as an up and coming band. Teddy Midnight is hard working, both in and out of the studio.

Each member patiently brings a noticeable flavor to Teddy Midnight‘s unique sound and brings an individual ingredient that gives their fans that taste they are looking for when looking for the right band to go see. Velvet Blue captures the essence of their raw, high energy jams and electronic influence. A terrific soundtrack to getting down or just listening to good tunes.

The album opens up with “Velvet Mist” with each member layering in and immediately getting the dance party started. Continuing this theme throughout the entire album with each track holding it’s own. With tasteful blends of sounds from keyboardist Sean McAuley using full bodied tones complimenting guitarist Wiley Griffin’s seasoned tones and style. Whether the two are syncing notes or complimenting each other, bassist Sean Silva and drummer Adam Magnan lay down a solid foundation for tracks to soar such as “Popo Jijo.” Subtle uses of an arpeggiator backing track gives this album a hint of what STS9 does when composing music and adding organic energy. Be sure to check out Velvet Blue.

Key Tracks: Velvet Mist, Turkish Silva, Popo Jijo

October 6, 2016
Daft Punk Tour Rumors Pick Up Steam

The never-ending Daft Punk may be on tour again rumor has resurfaced; this time with a bit more fuel.

A mysterious website has appeared with nothing more than a black background and the word “ALIVE” in white. As Dancing Astronaut reports, further examination reveals a countdown timer within the “I” in “ALIVE” with an end date of Oct. 27, 2016.

Rumors began to surface last month on Reddit when fans discovered a link for the band on the Lollapalooza website, leading to speculation the reclusive French duo would be headlining Lollapalooza Chile.

Daft Punk hasn’t toured in 10 years. The previous tour in 2007 resulted in a live album, simply titled Alive. The first tour was in 1997 so it isn’t illogical to assume that 2017 could be the year for another tour.

The sleuths have been busy picking apart this new website. One Reddit user has broken down the source code of the website, determining that the numbers within it represent coordinates of major cities around the world.

The chatter in Daft Punk subreddits is trending towards a hoax in regards to the site but fans are holding out hope for another “Alive” tour for the coming year.

The duo has largely kept quiet in the three years since winning multiple Grammy awards in 2013 for the Random Access Memories album.

They most recently collaborated with the Wknd for the single “Starboy.”

October 6, 2016
Skillet rocks the Q lounge at Lucky Strike

Skillet stopped by the Lucky Strike Social Club on Tuesday on a promotional stop for their upcoming album Unleashed that will be released on August 5. The show was put on by Q103 and was an invite only performance and this writer was lucky enough to get an invite.

The acoustic show opened with the band, singer John Cooper rhythm guitarist and Cooper’s wife Korey playing percussion on a wooden box, drummer Jen Ledger also playing percussion on a wooden box and lead guitarist Seth Morrison, taking the stage and performing their hit “Monster”. The show continued with local DJ Candace from Q103 doing an interview with the band and taking a couple of questions from the audience.

The band discussed many topics including their music being used by the WWE and their love of professional wrestling. Another topic of discussion was the band being considered a “Christian Rock” band and if that label has hurt them and their success. Singer John Cooper stated that he was proud of his faith and that the band has many fans that reach beyond religion. There was also discussion of the meaning behind some of their deeper cut recordings.

The band closed their 3 song set with their newest single “Feel Invincible”. The small but rowdy crowd seemed to love the intimate setting that was provided and the up close feel between them and one of their favorite bands.

October 6, 2016