NYS Music 20​16

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  • American Babies Raise the Dead in Albany

    On Thursday, February 25, those willing to boogie down on a school night took to the Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany to see Tom Hamilton’s American Babies. Considered to be “the hardest working man in show business,” Hamilton proved once again that this hard work pays off. The crowd, while somewhat sparse considering the talent on stage, was thoroughly impressed as evident by cheers, dancing and plenty of “Hamilton’s the man” exclamations.

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    The evening began with opening act Bump, a three piece ensemble with Americana sounds similar to that of their headliner. American Babies rhythm guitarist Justin Mazer joined the trio for a rendition of “Angels from Montgomery,” which was as rocking as it was sweet.

    American Babies played “What Does it Mean to Be” early in their set, a song from their new and still unreleased album, An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark, which kept the crowd as equally intrigued as it was satisfied. The song is about not feeling your age or what society tells us we should feel like at a certain age; the album is set to release on March 18.

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    The rest of the set was cover heavy and was surely influenced by Hamilton’s experiences in his other projects. “State Police” and “Let’s Start a Gang,” both Brother’s Past songs, provided opportunities for spacey yet upbeat jams. Directly following this was several Grateful Dead covers including “Big River” and “Cumberland Blues,” in which Mazer delivered the solo of the night.

    ER.COKER-AMERICAN.BABIES_05“Buckle in, we’re just getting started,” Hamilton tells the crowd as he took off his pin-decorated jacket to reveal a black t-shirt with the text “9:30” in large white letters, likely from the famed club in Washington D. C.  Drummer Al Smith also changed out a cymbal in preparation for what was to come.

    They picked up with another Grateful Dead song, “The Wheel” which led into the American Babies’ version of “Jolene” and then back into “The Wheel,” adding depth to the familiar sound and inches to my perma-grin.

    The Babies then did another cover, this time Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” but again adding something to it all their own.

    Throughout the set, Hamilton seemed to have chemistry with every member of the band. Smith and Bassist Mark Sosnoskie looked to him as a leader, awaiting cues for their next move while he and Mazer bounced back and forth taking turns as the star. His professional chemistry was only amplified by that of the romantic sort with guitarist Raina Mullen. They harmonize well on stage and off it as well as a couple.

    The night ended with even more Dead, “Deal,” and I’m just left thinking how much Hamilton really sounds like Jerry Garcia at this point. Clearly, his work with Billy and the Kids and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has become ingrained in his repertoire. If for any reason John Mayer stops playing with Dead and Company, Tom Hamilton is the obvious choice to step in.

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  • Twiddle Announces Show at Capitol Theatre

    Vermont quartet Twiddle announced they will headline Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre on May 7. The announcement happened in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday night at the Irving Plaza in New York City.

    NYC’s instrumental rock-fusion band Tauk will open the Cap show.

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    Although the band has played larger venues in support of other artists, headlining the historic Capitol Theater is just another indication that the band’s rising popularity is backed by growing crowds and bookings into larger venues. Saturday night’s Twiddle show at Irving Plaza sold out days before the event. All indicators point to the show at the Capitol Theater to do the same.

    Twiddle celebrated the big news by debuting a fan-inspired song called “Collective Pulse.” Guitarist Mihali Savoulidis posted an acoustic debut of the song via his Facebook page on Feb. 13. Fans that missed the announcement and the song’s full band debut can check out this fan-shot video that highlights both:

    Twiddle continues to announces big shows and festivals that have the band touring late into the summer including a slot at the Lockn’ Music Festival and opening for the Disco Biscuits at Red Rocks on June 4. The band has also announced that they will host Tumble Down July 29- 30, a two-day music event in Burlington, VT.

    Twiddle heads to Florida for the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival on March 4-6 before finishing up the last leg of their Plumperdump Winter Tour.

  • Weird Al’s Mandatory World Tour Continues With Newly Announced NY Shows

    Last year, “Weird Al” Yankovic toured extensively in support of his latest album, Mandatory Fun. Recently he announced that he will be back at it again — this time with 78 shows between June and September.

    Mandatory World TourReleased in July 2014, Mandatory Fun marked Weird Al’s first number one album. He also took home a Grammy Award in the Best Comedy Album category for it. The album was well received by critics, and the virality of its music videos helped place it atop the Billboard Top 200 shortly after it was released. As NYS Music’s Michael Hallisey said, “Mandatory Fun is Al’s 14th release, and by far his masterpiece.  Like Warner Brothers through Looney Tunes, Yankovic is able to tie in current events with references to the past, allowing listeners from multiple generations to enjoy.” Mandatory Fun is likely Yankovic’s last normal length album as he shifts to releasing songs through EPs and singles over the internet.

    S Harris - Weird Al - Capitol Theatre-1

    Most of the 78 shows are now on sale to the general public, including his three New York stops:

    Sept. 4  The Budweiser Summer Stage at TAG’s, Big Flats, NY
    Sept. 17 Proctors Theater, Schenectady NY
    Sept. 24 Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY

    For a full list of Weird Al’s tour stops, check out his website. Weird Al’s tour begins June 3 and wraps up Sept. 24.

  • Frost Ridge returns! WNY campground can host concerts again

    After nearly two years, Frost Ridge, a popular outdoor venue in Le Roy has been cleared to host concerts again.

    Nestled deep within the farmlands and orchards of Western New York, Frost Ridge Campground lends to an intimate, outdoor venue for live music while also being accessible to the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, each about 40 miles away.

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    The Le Roy Zoning Board of Appeals reached a decision Wednesday, Feb. 17,  that will end years of disputes over the Frost Ridge Campground’s use of hosting outdoor concerts with amplified music.

    “We appreciate the diligent efforts of everyone involved to work through the obstacles presented during this process,” David and Greg Luetticke-Archbell, the campground’s owners, posted on their Facebook page last week, “and [we] are thankful to have this resolved so our lives may return to normal. Frost Ridge will continue to operate within the boundaries of the law, while bringing fun for the whole family to Our Little Slice Of Heaven at Exit 47.”

    maxresdefault2This week, the Luetticke-Archbells are entertaining a shortlist of potential acts: Charlie Daniels Band, Kenny Rogers, Oak Ridge Boys or Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
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    The drama has been earnestly reported by The Batavian, an online news source for the local community. Through its investigation, the crux of the matter seems to lie on how the land was being used in 1967.

    Ownership of the grounds has changed hands a few times over the years. David and Greg Luetticke-Archbell bought the grounds in 2008. At the time, there was no confusion over how the land could be used; as the land was being sold nearly 20 years ago, its owner asked the zoning board to clarify how it was zoned. The ZBA supposedly responded in 1998 that the land was “pre-existing, non-conforming,” as the campground and existing land uses were established before the town devised its master plan in 1967.

    Starting in 2012, the Luetticke-Archbell have been throwing a robust summer music festival called Jam at the Ridge, luring music talents from across the country. According to the campground’s website, music has been played there since the days when it was known primarily as a ski lodge. The campgrounds, according to the two brothers, were established in 1963.

    In 2013, the ZBA had approved live music at the grounds, addressing complaints from local residents. The complaints, however, escalated through the threat of litigation. The town subsequently challenged its own ZBA’s ruling.

    The town, citing from their records, see only the ski lodge as being grandfathered into their zoning plans. Everything else, after 1967, would require a use variance, which would go through the ZBA.

    In summer 2014, the grounds’ owners were ultimately ordered to cease outdoor music by a New York State Supreme Court judge as both town and residents pursued litigation. More than a year later, the Daily News out of Batavia reported that another supreme court judge ordered the ZBA to host a public hearing on the topic.

    At the December 2015 public hearing, Town Attorney Reid Whiting said the town would not challenge the ZBA’s decision.

    The board’s decision appears to hinge on the campground owners’ argument that any issue residents have with outdoor concerts should be addressed through the town’s sound ordinance, and not land use. David Roach, the grounds’ attorney, argued this point in the December public hearing.

    Western New York is no stranger to disputes over sound ordinance. In neighboring Newstead, residents successfully shut down an outdoor venue in 2014 by means of the town’s sound ordinance.

  • Peaking Upstate: Twiddle Plumps Sold-Out Crowd

    It was fitting to see a sold out Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park on Friday night for many reasons. Mainly, it signified maturity and growth for Formula 5 and headliner Twiddle, a jam-rock group out of Burlington.

    Formula 5 has been working very hard lately, just wrapping up their first full tour. Led by Joe Davis on guitar, James Woods on bass, Matt Richards on keys and Greg Marek on drums, Formula 5 has quickly carved out its spot in the Northeast jam scene. It’s impossible not to draw the parallels between the four-piece and Phish, especially because the group formed while waiting in line to get tickets to a Phish show in 2009. Davis has studied Trey Anastasio and it shows in  his precise, swirling, soaring guitar work

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    “Earthbound Tim” led way to “Pedro” which bled into “Excalibur.” Somewhere in the mix were “Down With Disease” and “Harry Hood” teases. “Floating,” “Epiphany” and a reprisal of “Earthbound Tim” closed out the show, leaving the hometown band exiting the stage with grins of approval.

    Following a short break, Twiddle took the stage, backed by the Frendly Horns, which added a layer to the band not seen very much. Touring in support of their latest release Plump, Mihali Savoulidis performed using a new guitar at the show, which looked like a custom mix of a Stratocaster and a classic Guild and it sounded wonderful. It was the third show of the band’s Plumperdump winter tour.

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    “Gatsby the Great,” “Honeyburste,” and “Brick of Beauty”, which featured a “Shakedown Street” jam, started the two-hour set and it featured periods of extended jamming. The horns allowed Savoulidis and keyboardist Ryan Dempsey a layer of rhythmic space and both used it wisely, trading licks and staccatos before weaving their way into “Polluted Beauty” where bassist Zdenek Gubb  took the lead this time and pushed the band, with the help of drummer Brook Jordan, through a funk excursion.

    “Classical Gas,” “Be There,” “Complacent Race” and “Frankenfoote” closed out the set, with the audience singing along with seemingly every word.

    For the encore, Twiddle had one final treat in store. Lowell Wurster, of Lucid notoriety, joined the stage to play the washboard on a version of “Did You Ever Look So Nice.”

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    This is the second year in a row Twiddle has sold out Upstate Concert Hall which has a capacity of nearly 1,300. Last year they did it with the support of Kung Fu. Formula 5 displayed it has the chops and dedication to continue to rise while Twiddle showed just how far they have come. It was apparent by the joyous mood outside the venue post-show that both these bands are just getting started and it’s been nice to watch them grow in the past two years.

    Stream or download Ed Guidry’s recording of Twiddle’s set

    Formula 5 Setlist: Earthbound Tim->Pedro->Excalibur, Floatin, Epiphany->Earthbound Tim

    Twiddle Setlist: Gatsby The Great, Honeyburste, Brick Of Barley[1], Polluted Beauty, Classical Gas[2], Be There, Complacent Race, Frankenfoote

    Encore: Did You Ever Look So Nice?[3]

    Show Notes: This show was a part of the “Plumperdump” 2016 Winter Tour. The Frendly Horns were featured for the entire show. This was a sold-out show. Formula 5 opend the show.
    [1] “Brick Of Barley” contained a “Shakedown Street” (Grateful Dead) tease.
    [2] “Classical Gas” contained an “X-Files Theme” tease.
    [3] “Did You Ever Look So Nice?” featured Lowell Wurster (Lucid) on washboard.

  • Is The Gig at Exit 33 The People’s Favorite Venue?

    Only a week away, the Syracuse Area Music Awards are gearing up to be another amazing celebration honoring those musicians from the Central New York area.Sammy's 2016

    Each year recipients in several categories are recognized for outstanding achievements in their genre and honored by a special category; The People’s Choice Awards. In addition to the Hall of Fame, Music Educator, and Lifetime Achievement Awards, people are allowed to vote for their favorite band, festival, and venue. Dwindled down to two choices in the final weeks, these finalists are put up for vote and announced at The SAMMY Awards.

    This years People’s Favorite Venue includes a local that NYS Music covers frequently; the Turning Stone’s The Gig. The Gig is located at The Turning Stone’s Exit 33 venue, a venue that showcases all the local and region talent from right here in our very own backyard.  This venue is the perfect choice for the people choice awards as they reaffirm the concept of celebrating local music.

    Bands that play at The Gig are treated to state of the art equipment, while patrons are treated to affordable drink specials, craft beers, and pub snacks including their very own New York pizzas.  Decorated in an urban rock style from the moment they enter, The Gig is a visual paradise for those both on and off the stage.

    The Gig at Exit 33 is an affordable venue is the perfect choice for a night out with family friends or loved ones while celebrating rocking music.  Voting ends Sunday, so don’t hesitate to go to the SAMMY’S Peoples Choice Page and cast your vote for favorite venue, festival, and band.

    For more information on the induction ceremony and live awards show, please visit http://www.syracuseareamusic.com.

  • Rochester Got a ‘New View’ of Eleanor Friedberger

    Eight years ago Eleanor Friedberger played to a raucous sold out crowd at the Bug Jar with her previous band, The Fiery Furnaces. A lot has changed in eight years.

    The Fiery Furnaces have taken an extended and possibly permanent break. Friedberger has released three increasingly excellent solo albums in that time. Her post-Furnaces sound has developed over the three albums, emerging in the latest, New View, out earlier this year, as her most accessible and personal yet. But for any number of reasons, the crowd from eight years prior didn’t return. Friedberger and her backing band, Ice Water, who also played a short opening set, performed to a paltry couple dozen souls who saw fit to venture out on a Sunday night in Rochester.

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    Midway through the set Friedberger slipped up on the lyrics to “My Mistakes,” (apropos!) one of two songs she played off of her first solo album, Last Summer. After finishing the song, she admitted she lost her train of thought as she had been thinking about advice she had been given about how to play in front of 1000 people or in front of 10. She assured her audience, “If anyone is concerned, don’t be, I feel the exact opposite. Happy to be here.” Perhaps she was just excited to play under the Bug Jar’s whacky ceiling. Earlier she proclaimed it to be the “best ceiling in the world… except maybe that other famous one.”

    Her band, drummer Neil Hecht, guitarist Malcolm Perkins, bassist Jonathan Rosen, and his brother Michael Rosen on Wurlitzer piano and keyboards, were also the backing band for the album. They laid down tight slinky grooves with just the right touches and punch to bring Friedberger’s songs to life on stage. Often times the opening band sounds great until the headliner comes along and sounds even better. Such was the case on this night, except the opening band consisted of the same musicians as the headliner, more or less. Ice Water’s qualities were enhanced, refined and magnified under the scope of Friedberger.

    They ran through the entire new album in order, with just a few diversions sprinkled in from her previous two albums. The style in the older songs, with a more conversational cadence, stood in contrast to the newer material, which reached stronger melodic hooks.

    The set finished strong with the psychedelic “All Known Things” and proggish “Does Turquoise Work?” with an extended mid-section build. That left only one New View song unplayed. For the encore performance of “A Long Walk” Friedberger played solo on the stage alone, before the full band walked back up and kicked into full gear for a strong and jarring instrumental finish. They closed the night with the lone representative from 2013’s Personal Record, the fun and upbeat “Stare at the Sun,” with it’s appropriate lyric, “If that was good-bye then I must be high, you know I’ll be seeing you soon.” Those who elected to stay home missed a treat, one that might come around only every eight years or so, lyrics aside.

    Setlist: He Didn’t Mention His Mother, Open Season > Sweetest Girl, Roosevelt Island, Your Word, Because I Asked You, Never Is a Long Time, My Mistakes, Cathy With the Curly Hair > Two Versions of Tomorrow, All Known Things, Does Turquoise Work? Encore: A Long Walk, Stare at the Sun

  • Cannibal Corpse Returns Home to Buffalo

    DSC_1941-2The winter in Buffalo has been awfully nice to us this year. For those who know we are known for some of the worst snow conditions. This past Friday was quite the exception. We had a beautiful 45 degree day to welcome Buffalo native legends Cannibal Corpse back to the stage. Hundreds of death metal fans descended upon Town Ballroom, you could tell without a doubt just about everyone was there to see CB. From Denim Jackets with huge patches sown, to zip up hoodies with their name. Cannibal Corpse is currently on tour promoting their latest album from 2014 A Skeletal Domain and joining them on tour are death metal veterans, Cryptopsy, Abysmal Dawn and Obituary, also a heavy hitter in the death metal genre.

    The show opened with Abysmal Dawn.  They provided a high energy 40 minute set that brought a buzz to the already lively crowd. After a short 15 minute break, the road crew had the stage set for Crytopsy. The Canadian veterans brought the crowd to another level of excitement as singer, Matt McGachy, effortlessly took command of the stage and encouraged the rowdiness of the audience.  Midway through their set, a mosh pit formed in the middle of the crowd. Elbows and bodies met as those participating appeared to have a great time as they released a weeks worth of aggression in the pit.

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    Obituary quickly set up and the guys played a instrumental number before singer John Tardy ran onto stage got the crowd roaring. It would be easy and obvious to say turned the crowd into a giant circle pit. The sound was brilliant.  Loud but not too loud, and it was crisp so you could hear every note. Solos were incredible. Every pick, every bend, was clearly audible and in perfect unison.

    When the lights dimmed in anticipation of Cannibal Corpse taking the stage, the venue erupted in cheers and screams. After all some of these guys are Buffalo Natives. For a brief second, vocalist George Fisher could have been mistaken for the mass axe murderer in a horror movie. The  set began with “Evisceration Plague.” After the first song, they dug deep into their catalog, playing some of their best tracks from as far back as Tomb of the Mutilated. It wasn’t until the midpoint of the set that they played a few songs from their 2014 release, A Skeletal Domain, including “Kill or Become,” “Icepick Lobotomy,” and “Sadistic Embodiment.” Throughout their set, the crowd was worked into a hysteria state. This was the type of show that leaves you sweaty and exhausted, in a good way. The show was loud, brutal and electrifying. Cannibal Corpse did not disappoint with their flawless musicianship

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  • Hearing Aide: David Gans ‘It’s a Hand-Me-Down’

    David Gans It's a Hand-Me-DownDavid Gans is a man with many talents. After launching a music career in 1970, Gans became a noted and award-winning journalist born, writing for Rolling Stone, Relix and BAM, while also serving as editor at a few different publications.

    In the 1980s, he became a biographer of sorts for the Grateful Dead, writing Playing in the Band: An Oral and Visual Portrait of the Grateful Dead, with Peter Simon in 1985. Soon after, he created a nationally syndicated radio show called The Grateful Dead Hour and hosts a similar show today on SiriusXM.

    Soon after Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995, Gans got the itch to start playing music again. He played a string of shows in 1997 and 1998 with Phil Lesh in a band called the Broken Angels. Throughout the last 17 years, he has played in several bands who all paid tribute to his favorite band.

    Last year, David Gans released an album of Dead covers, titled It’s a Hand Me Down. The record is bare-bones minimalistic, with Gans giving his takes on such songs as “Loser,” “Deal,” “Terrapin Station,” “Stella Blue” and “Brokedown Palace,” among eight more.

    What sticks out most is how Gans strips down some of the Dead’s most cherished songs and serves them up the way he sees them. For a guy with a Ph.D in the Grateful Dead, he’s as qualified as anyone to give an inside perspective at what the Dead’s music means to him.

    The soft and serene tracks are perfect background music for a dinner party or solo reading time. Gans’ voice is unique, but similar enough to Garcia’s that you feel that comfortable peace that came with every word the man sang.

    Key Tracks: Stagger Lee, Wharf Rat, Looks Like Rain

    Here’s Gans performing “Brokedown Palace” in 2011 on Jam Cruise.

  • Gramatik Electrifies Sold Out PlayStation Theater

    Gramatik kicked off his Epigram Tour at PlayStation Theater this past Saturday, Feb. 20th, 2016. Those lucky enough to snag a ticket to the sold out performance were gifted an amazing live show and the chance to experience the new album, Epigram, in full.  Gramatik knows his New York crowd and he delivered thusly.

    Alexander Lewis and Sweater Beats provided some serious bass fodder for their opening performances and warmed up the fans for the main attraction.  Once Gramatik and his guitarist, Andrew Block, took the stage the crowd lit up. Gramatik got into a groove immediately and invited Queens rapper, Adrian Lau, out for a few tracks which got everyone super hyped.

    It’s safe to say that Epigram is going to be an amazing album as the music everyone was raging to touched upon numerous genres; 70s funk and soul meshed effortlessly with crunching French electro-esque beats with tons of hip hop influences for good measure. Throughout the night some Grizmatik tracks made a cameo, heavy, hard, bassy remixes of 90s hip-hop appeared, a tease of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” went down and my favorite moment of the night was an absolute beast of a remix of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” which had people getting out of their seats and swiftly dance-walking to the crowd to get in the groove. Familiar tracks like “Just Jammin’” were also segued into the set to the crowd’s delight.

    A highlight of the night was when Orlando Napier came out and performed his vocals on “Native Son,” the first single off Epigram. It was a wonderful moment to experience the song live as that dude has some serious pipes and charisma.

    I’ll jump at the opportunity to see Gramatik perform again as his skill in creating funk-infused, crystalline soundscapes is unmatched. The Epigram Tour continues through the US this Spring. Check out Gramatik at Mysterland in Bethel Woods, NY this June as I’m sure he’s going to throw down some heat. Be on the lookout for Epigram’s release this Spring and be sure to download Gramatik’s entire discography for free here.