NYS Music 20​16

Blog

  • Lotus Rocks Terminal 5

    On Saturday, February 6, Lotus played Terminal 5 in NYC and brought some serious funk and covers for this stop on their Winter tour.

    TMcKenna_Lotus_T511

    Arriving at the venue, the line stretched almost the entire length to the West Side Highway. Faces of eager fans contorted and cringed at the thought of waiting in the cold to see Lotus bring the heat. Once inside, the familiar funk of “Greet the Mind” warmed things up a bit; it’s a great opener in terms of getting everyone grooving and in terms of title. Lotus continued the funk with “Philly Hit” and then laid into some heavy jamtronica grooves with “Neon Tubes.” We were only three songs in and it seemed as though the crowd were bobbing their heads and weaving their shoulders in unison. They closed out their first set with “Age of Inexperience” which had guitarist Mike Rempel laying down some fiery licks.

    Second set opened with “Eats the Light,” a newly released single which is a Lotus track in every way, shape and layer. Keeping the flow with “Kodiak,” “Spaghetti,” and “Nematode,” Lotus jumped into an excellent vocoder-laden cover of Tame Impala’s “Elephant.” For their encore, Lotus played “Behind Midwest Storefronts” and then busted out an amazing rendition of Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime.”

    Set 1: Greet The Mind> Philly Hit> Neon Tubes, Molluskunk, Travel> Greet The Mind, Marisol, Age Of Inexperience
    Set 2: Eats the Light, Kodiak, Spaghetti> Nematode, Elephant*, In An Outline, 128
    Encore: Behind Midwest Storefronts, Once in a Lifetime**
    * – Tame Impala Cover
    ** – Talking Heads Cover

  • Bryan Adams Romances Central New York on Valentine’s Night

    Negative temperatures in Central New York couldn’t keep Bryan Adams from heating up the Event Center at Turning Stone on Valentine’s night.

    A nearly sold-out crowd in the town of Verona, NY warmed up quickly as the band took stage shortly after 8pm and the Get Up! tour got underway.  Thrusting into a lofty single set, the band consistently churned up the big hits from the past three decades like “Run To You,” “Summer of ’69,” “Somebody,” and made sure the audience was dancing and singing along to “Cuts Like A Knife.”  The first encore of the evening was a three-song mix of new tracks “Brand New Day” and “That’s Rock and Roll,” sprinkled with a cover, titled “C’mon Everybody” by Eddie Cochran.  The second and last encore was a romantic send-off, featuring 2 solo-acoustic love ballads by Adams and a full band power end with “All For Love.”

    Set: Do What Ya Gotta Do, Can’t Stop This Thing We Started, She’s Only Happy When She’s Dancin’, Run To You, Go Down Rockin’, Heaven, Kids Wanna Rock, It’s Only Love, This Time, You Belong To Me, Summer Of ’69, When You’re Gone (Acoustic), (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, If Ya Wanna Be Bad Ya Gotta Be Good, Here I Am, Somebody, I’ll Always Be Right There, Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?, Cuts Like A Knife, 18 Til I Die, The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You

    Encore: Brand New Day, That’s Rock and Roll, C’mon Everybody (Eddie Cochran cover)

    Encore 2: She Knows Me (Solo Acoustic), Straight From The Heart (Solo Acoustic), All For Love (Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting cover)

  • Madison House, AEG Live Nears Approval for Big Music Festival

    This summer a brand-new music event could be hitting the festival circuit — although New Yorkers will have to travel west to Colorado. Madison House Presents and AEG Live announced plans for a four-day event with the possibility to host 20,000 people on a ranch near Buena Vista, Colorado. The expected run for the weekend event is Aug. 4 through 7.

    1888813_10153094030156477_8512654805369552930_o

    According to the Denver Post, commissioners in Chaffee County, Colorado, seem likely to approve the proposal for the annual festival at a meeting in early March. “I don’t see having challenges we could not overcome. I have faith in Madison House that is well earned that they can do what needs to be done,” said Chaffee County Commissioner Dave Potts, as reported Tuesday in the Denver Post.

    10509775_10152598883586477_1025744333178333219_n
    Photo from Facebook

    Last August, the Boulder-based Madison House Presents organized a two-day Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road festival in neighboring Salida, Colorado; other artists included the Flaming Lips, Dawes, Jenny Lewis and Blake Mills. Madison House is known for putting on such music festivals as Electric Forest Festival and Rothbury Festival and managing bands like the String Cheese Incident and JJ Grey and MOFRO, while AEG Live produces the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, among others, and Goldenvoice, a Southern California-based regional division of the company, organizes Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival.

    For this new event, the organizers hope to schedule performances until 1 a.m. on Thursday and Sunday, and 2:30 a.m. on the other two days. The festival’s headliners and lineup will not be released until early spring, but Madison House Presents and AEG Live promise a diverse group of acts to attract a wide range of ages. Stay tuned for updates as this story further develops.

    H/T Jambase

  • Funk Yes: Lettuce Set to Groove University of Rochester

    Although you won’t find it listed on their current roster of dates, Lettuce will make a third appearance in New York state during this spring/summer tour. According to the University of Rochester’s event ticketing website, the funk-fueled jazz band is booked for a Feb. 26 show on the River Campus. The New York City group will also return to their home state for performances at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on April 8 and Hunter Mountain Jam Festival this June.

    12715243_10154028095119925_4536376056070324775_n

    Known for soulful super jams, Lettuce debuted their fourth studio album, Crush, last year. Jeremiah Shea said in his NYS Music review that this album “is the convergence of road tested and polished material, musical exploration, deep pockets of groove, and a band that is simply on top of their game.” Brian Ferguson was on hand to catch the two-night Crush release party at the Playstation Theater last November, where Marco Benevento opened the show and Lettuce encored with a new tune titled “Phyllis” (hear the song below).

    Lettuce.PlaystationTheater.12
    Eric Krasno

    The band, featuring Adam Deitch (drummer), Adam Smirnoff and Eric Krasno (guitarists), Erick “Jesus” Coomes (bassist), Neal Evans (keyboardist), Ryan Zoidis (saxophonist) and Eric Bloom (trumpet player), last played in Rochester June 2015 for the city’s Party in the Park (after Taj Mahal cancelled) and made a stop at Water Street Music Hall October 2014.

    Doors will open at 8:30 p.m. with show time of 9 p.m. Tickets are available online through the University, or at the Common Market in Wilson Commons. The concert is open to the public; special ticket pricing applies for students and faculty. If you’re nearby the Finger Lakes area next Friday, pencil in this performance as it’s guaranteed to be one energetic soul shakedown party.

  • Hearing Aide: tai free ‘Journals’ EP

    tai freeIf you’re on a searching for some smooth and soulful hip hop music, you might consider listening to tai free’s new EP Journals. Each track has a calm, relaxed feel that puts listeners at ease and provides the opportunity to assess the musicality.  The selections aren’t aggressive or fueled by overwhelming rage like some hip hop tracks. This EP wouldn’t be what most would consider dance music, but rather music you can vibe along to.

    The Brooklyn artist has been making music for a while, but only started getting serious about two years ago. tai free writes and performs his own songs, and the EP is appropriately titled as it provides snapshot of his thoughts and experiences. He describes the collection as “a sketchbook of colors, moods, and self-actualizations.”

    In “I’m Not Here,” it’s clear he’s talking to someone close to him saying that he doesn’t want to be lied to any longer and that he is “not here for games.” Whoever he’s addressing was making him wait and reveals that he’s not going to wait around because he’s too focused on bettering his personal situation to be involved.  At the end of “Bite Your Tongue,” he repeats the lines “Baby don’t bite your tongue, baby don’t lie…” seemingly trying to reinforce the idea that he desires honesty. Rap artists frequently draw on personal experiences for lyrical substance and he does so too by subtly depicting his thoughts and goals.

    The syncopated percussion part in “Complications” is slightly unpredictable and bolsters the title and uncertainty of the situation with the girl expressed throughout. “Drive” incorporates female vocals by Francesca in the beginning which lay down the poignant foundation for the track.

    tai free seems to have a lot of raw talent and knows how to write lyrics that can easily fit into a song structure. The dynamic range of his vocal delivery however, could be broader throughout to show more expression and emotion behind the words. The mixes of each track are relatively simple, and more production elements could be added to his music to enhance the texture.  As a newer artist, more consideration for creative direction and collaboration with other songwriters can only benefit his music moving forward. Overall, tai free has taken the right steps and could have a reputable future in music.

    Key Tracks: I’m Not Here, Drive, Bite Your Tongue

  • Twiddle Hits New York with Four Nights of Plumperdump

    Vermont based quartet Twiddle kick off their Plumperdump Tour this Thursday with a sold out show at the Port City Music Hall in Portland Maine. Twiddle fans in New York State will be able to catch the band in a number of cities during the month long tour.

    Twiddle

    Twiddle will be hitting the Empire State first on Saturday Feb 20 in Syracuse at the Westcott Theater. The band will then kick off a three day New York State run starting at the Town Ballroom on Thursday Feb 25 in Buffalo before heading to the Upstate Music Mall on Feb 26 and Irving Plaza in New York City on Feb 27.

    As Twiddle continues to lock down slots on large festivals and sell out venues around the country, the Plumperdump tour may be one of the last chances fans have to see the band in smaller more intimate venues. And fans wanting to see the band on this tour, shouldn’t wait until the day of the show to buy tickets.

    Twiddle’s December tour included sold out shows at the Brooklyn Bowl and the Paradise Rock Club in Boston as well as a sold out three day New Year’s Eve run in their hometown of Burlington. With several Plumperdump dates close to selling out, fans in New York state may want to act sooner rather than later by locking down tickets in advance.

    Twiddle’s brand of hi-def shredding is a fusion mix of rock, jazz, reggae and funk is gaining a rapidly growing fan base across the country. But fans in the northeast are a large part of the band’s continued success.

    Many Twiddle fans are finding themselves following the band on smaller runs throughout the country. According to Chris Hollywood of Slingerlands, NY, who will be hitting every stop on the Plumperdump tour, it’s a combination of the music and the fans that make the Twiddle live experience what it is. “The music is better than ever! People are realizing how great the fan base is, and even if the music was terrible, it would be worth the experience.”

    Jennifer Graves from New Haven, CT has been listening to the band since 2011. “I’ve seen them play 100 person rooms and I’ve seen them pack the Vibes main field at 11am on a Friday,” she noted. “I see their fan base grow exponentially every year, and some of the people I met at my very first Twiddle show are my best frends today.”

    Graves also noted that even longtime fans are blown away by the bands growth, “Watching how the last year has panned out, I can only imagine where their journey will bring them in the future. Sky’s the limit for these boys.”

    Tickets for all four New York shows are still available.

    Twiddle Pumperdump Winter Tour 2016

    Feb. 18 – Portland, Maine (Port City Music Hall) SOLD OUT

    Feb. 19 – Providence, Rhode Island (Fete Music Mall)

    Feb. 20 – Syracuse, New York (The Wescott Theatre)

    Feb. 25 – Buffalo, New York (Town Ballroom)

    Feb. 26 – Clifton Park, New York (Upstate Music Hall)

    Feb. 27 – New York, New York (Irving Plaza)

    March 10 – Washington, DC (9:30 Club)

    March 11 – Philadelphia, PA (Theatre of Living Arts)

    March 12 – New Haven, CT (Toad’s Place)

    March 13 – New Haven, CT (Toad’s Place)

  • Update: Twiddle Finalizes ‘TumbleDown’ Lineup

    In a video posted to their Facebook page, Twiddle announced the lineup for their Tumble Down taking place July 29 and 30 at Burlington, Vermont’s Waterfront Park.

    In addition to Twiddle’s four sets over the weekend, they’ll be joined by New York funk favorites Turkuaz, Montana-based bluegrass act the Kitchen Dwellers, and special guest Holly Bowling on July 29. July 30 will see them joined by Cabinet and Nahko and Medicine for the People, along with Holly Bowling.

    Tickets are on sale now. Both single-day and two-day passes are available.

    Original Post:

    Vermont-based quartet Twiddle and Higher Ground have announced two nights of Twiddle at Burlington’s Waterfront Park this summer. The weekend will be known as Tumble Down and will be held July 29 and 30.

    twid

    The weekend will continue as part of a tradition started last year at the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival that included alternating sets with moe. This year, Twiddle will headline the event with two full sets each night. Several supporting acts will be announced.

    In addition to live music, the weekend will include various activities including a charity disc golf tournament supporting Twiddle’s fan-founded charity, The White Light Foundation. Late night sets will also be announced around Burlington featuring members of Twiddle.

    A limited number of early bird passes will be available at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19 for $54 through Ticketfly.

    The announcement of Tumble Down adds a punch to Twiddle’s already packed summer including dates at Red Rocks and multiple festival appearances including the Frendly Gathering, Lockn’ Festival and the Werk Out.

    Twiddle hits the road in support of their latest release, Plump – Chapter One, on Thursday for a sold-out show at the Port City Music Hall in Portland, Maine.

  • RAQ Stuffs the Hollow on Reunion Run

    RAQ is baq. Let’s hope they continue this upward trajectory.

    The four-piece band has not played much in recent years due to members being tied up in a cavalcade of other projects. A somewhat perfect storm recently paved way for the band to start playing shows again, and let’s just say the group’s performance in Albany, N.Y. at the Hollow proved these guys are quite well-oiled.

    Guitarist Chris Michetti and keyboardist Todd Stoops seem to have a connection that goes beyond what might happen between confident and talented band mates, as displayed by the opening pairing of “Premium”> “Hannah,” which saw virtuous playing from both. Drummer Neal Evans and bassist Jay Burwick held down the rhythm section, which settled nicely into the background.

    “Push the Lil Daises”>”Late Night”>”Will Run” kept the show at a sprinter’s pace, before “Momamoth”>”Dance Hall Days”>”Momamoth”>”Wax” did nothing to put anyone to sleep. Michetti is a guitar player who can shift from trance to metal to jazz to chunky rhythm and back around again without missing a measure. I don’t know how else to describe him.

    “Transcontinental,” “Shirley,” “Donkey Show” and a “Late Night” reprise closed out the rocking set. The encore consisted of “Tequila All Day”, “Nationwide”, and the ever elusive “Sweet Cream Butter”. The packed crowd exited the Hollow content, from what I could tell.

    Let’s hope that RAQ decides to keep this train rolling so that everyone who wasn’t there last week can experience this group for years to come.

  • Florida Georgia Line to Play Dick’s Sporting Goods Open

    Florida Georgia Line will play at the 2016 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open at the En-Joie Golf Course in Endicott.

    The Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, held July 6 to 10, has become a staple in the area, attracting business to Endicott and the surrounding towns. In celebration of their 10th anniversary, Florida Georgia Line will perform at the Friday Night Concert on July 8. The concert takes place greenside once the golfers have finished swinging their woods and pulled their balls from the hole.

    Florida Georgia Line, the duo of Brian Kelly from Florida and Tyler Hubbard from Georgia, are one of the most successful country acts of the current decade, having won several music awards including Favorite Country Duo and Favorite Country Album, for their album Anything Goes, at the 2015 American Music Awards.

    They are gearing up for their Dig Your Roots 2016 tour, which begins next month in Australia and goes through mid-October in Atlanta. The tour brings them back to New York on July 17 at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, along with a handful of other stops in the Northeast.

    Visions Federal Credit Union is partnering with Dick’s Sporting Goods as a sponsor of the golf tournament. In celebration of their 50th year, all credit union members will have special priority pre-sale access to tickets to the open. Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. The $60 ticket provides access to the First Round of Champions Tour Gold and to the Friday Night Concert on the McIntosh Soundstage.

  • March Fourth! & Diego’s Umbrella Blaze Boulder’s Fox Theatre

    Last year about this time, March Fourth! played a show so raucous that the capacity crowd started chanting, “Holy Shit!” for several minutes. Moments before their return to the Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO last week, another capacity crowd greeted M4 band members with the same chant. It’s all that the band needed to deliver another explosive carnie steamfunk performance that included stilt walkers, acrobatics, and some of the brawniest, live music ever in the state.

    March Fourth Boulder

    Before March Fourth! took the stage, one of their percussionists lit the audience as a member of a gypsy punk band called Diego’s Umbrella. Their lively, “ants-in-their-pants” style lit up the cold, Colorado crowd with bonfire intensity. Their performance was just a precursor of things to come.

    March Fourth Boulder

    In part, the March Fourth! act has always been part vaudeville/burlesque stage show. To their benefit, however, this time around, when the band took the stage, they focused more on blistering melodies and percussive jams that launched the crowd into a booty-shaking frenzy. During the encore, members of M4 could barely contain themselves, and the entire band jumped and body surfed their way into the crowd. The Fox show marked their first stop in their winter tour, and they performed with unbridled passion and energy. In the words of one concert-goer, “That was one hellava spicy meatball of a show!”