Blog

Radiohead Returns With 2016 Summer Dates

Radiohead won’t leave some fans high and dry summer 2016.

The English alt-rock band has officially booked headlining slots for three European festivals — OpenAir S. Gallen (Switzerland), Primavera Sound Music Festival (Spain) and NOS Alive Festival (Portugal) — and is rumored to be playing three North American festivals, including Lollapalooza (Chicago), Outside Lands (San Francisco) and Osheaga Music Festival (Montreal), according to Consequence of Sound. More dates are speculated to be released after the band debuts their much-anticipated ninth studio album.

In October, the band quietly established the company Dawn Chorus LLP, fueling rumors that a new LP was on its way, as it’s been typical Radiohead fashion in the past to uniquely distribute their work. Let’s not forget when the band let the public pay what they wanted for 2007’s In Rainbows and incorporated Xurbia Xendless Limited beforehand, or when they set up Ticker Tape Limited before releasing The King of Limbs in 2011.

Most recently, Radiohead recorded a song for the latest James Bond film, Spectre; however, the band noted on their website that “it didn’t work out” and instead shared it as a free download on Soundcloud (hear below) because the tune “became something of our own, which we love very much.”

Radiohead, consisting of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway, has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide since coming onto the scene with their debut single “Creep” in 1992 and is always ranked high by Rolling Stone and others as one of the greatest artists of all time.

This marks the band’s first live performances since 2012, when the five-man group toured in support of The King of Limbs. Radiohead will share the bill with other headlining acts Mumford and Sons, the Chemical Brothers, the Pixies, Tame Impala and LCD Soundsystem, while abroad this June and July. Most of the festival tickets are available for purchase now; stay tuned for more updates on Radiohead’s next album drop date.

January 21, 2016
Mos Def Retires from Music and Entertainment

Rapper Mos Def, now known as Yasiin Bey, announced he is retiring from the music industry and Hollywood, effective immediately.

A message from Yasiin Bey was posted to Kanye West’s website (transcript here) in which he announces that he is retiring from the entertainment industry and will release a final album later this year. The message starts out as a rap, based off West’s “No More Parties in L.A.,” discussing the immigration troubles he is having in South Africa. Bey was arrested for overstaying his travel visa and trying to use a false document. He was detained while trying to use a “world passport” to leave the country. In the rap, he claims the passport is legitimate: “Anyone can do the research about the world passport; it’s not a fictitious document.”

Regarding his retirement, he says:

The state of South Africa has interfered with my ability to move or to even fulfill my professional obligations unnecessarily. … And I know it’s been a lot of chatter about what’s going on, you know, people are running to the press, because that’s just…you know, a money making machine. So, it’s another exploitative measure to turn this into some soap opera, some tele-novella, and I have no interest in it. Furthermore, related but not directly related to this: I’m retiring from the music recording industry as it is currently assembled today, and also from Hollywood, effective immediately. I am releasing my final album this year. Um…and that’s that

Brooklyn’s Mos Def has performed on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul, and he formed the group Black Star with his friend Talib Kweli. He received six Grammy Award nominations between 2005 and 2011. He also has a Hollywood career that includes roles in Bamboozled, Monster’s Ball, The Italian Job and 2005’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, along with a cameo in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. He is best known for being a powerful force behind the 1990s underground hip hop scene and an outspoken advocate against police brutality and for human rights.

January 21, 2016
Chase Rice Brings the JD and Jesus Tour to the Nearly Sold Out Fillmore

On January 8, 2016, Chase Rice brought his Jack Daniels and Jesus Tour to the nearly sold out Fillmore in Philadelphia, PA. The Cadillac Three and young, up-and-coming artist, Tucker Beathard joined him on the road to help get the crowd ready for what promised to be an incredible night. Each of the three acts brought their own unique flare to the stage, captivating the audience from beginning to end.

Tucker Beathard, one of Big Machine Label Group’s youngest artists, and son of heralded songwriter Casey Beathard took the stage first. The 20-year-old, like his father, has shown a penchant for songwriting, and blends country elements with a rock influenced sound. In addition, Beatard was recognized as a hot new country artist when he was recently named one of CMT’s Listen Up artists for 2016. After seeing him perform, it is no wonder that he has already captured the attention and recognition of the country music world. While it seems that he is still finding himself as an onstage performer, his passion for music and love for his craft comes across very clearly to fans and makes his set memorable. From the beginning, Beathard did a good job of connecting with the audience with songs like “Better Than Me” and the very catchy, radio-ready “Rock On”. Big things are coming for Beathard with his rebellious lyrics and growing stage presence.

Next up was another artist off of the Big Machine Label Group roster, The Cadillac Three. By the time the group consisting of Jaren Johnston, Kelby Ray and Neil Mason, took the stage the crowd had grown considerably larger and more energetic thanks to Beatard’s exciting opening performance. The country trio with a serious southern-rock flare captivated the crowd with their unique sound, stage presence and eclectic style. Johnston, Ray, and Mason, are skilled writers, having penned hits both for themselves and for other country stars, including Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Jake Owen and Dallas Smith. They performed a variety fan favorites including, “The South,” “Party Like You” and “Girls on Fire,” but their most recent hit “White Lightning” drew the strongest reaction from the crowd. Also included in their set was “Days of Gold,” a top 20 hit for Jake Owen written by Johnston and Mason. The group’s spirited rendition of the song had the entire crowd singing along emphatically.

The last time Chase Rice was in Philadelphia he sold out The Theater of the Living Arts (TLA) with ease. So while it was a natural progression to step up to a bigger venue, it was astonishing that he came as close as he did to selling out the 2,500 capacity Fillmore. This feat truly shows how much he as progressed as an artist and performer since this time last year. Rice opened his set with the funky rock tinged “How She Rolls,” from his 2014 album Ignite The Night.

Rice turned the heat up during his set with performances of the “50 Shades of Crazy,” and the sensual “Ride.” During the latter, which has fast become one of Rice’s signature songs despite not being a single, the North Carolina born singer brought a swooning fan onstage to the delight of the crowd to sing the somewhat explicit lyrics to her up close and personal.

Rice also performed numerous notable covers spanning multiple genres including Puddle of Mudd’s “She Fucking Hates Me,” Blink 182’s “What’s My Age Again!?’ and Garth Brook’s Friends in Low Places,” in addition to a collection of tracks inspired by his college partying days: “Smoke A Little Smoke,” “Living On a Prayer,” “Free Falling,” “Dust on the Bottle,” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” Some of Rice’s own party songs, such as “Do It Like This,” and “We Goin Out,” had the crowd dancing early and often. Slower, more intimate tracks like “Carolina Can,” inspired by his father, and “Jack Daniels and Jesus,” a track highlighting Rice’s inner battle and struggle to be a better person, as well as faith that has helped him keep pushing forward, showcased his writing ability and more serious side. The hypnotic top 10 hit “Gonna Wanna Tonight” had fans singing along emphatically, even carrying the chorus on their own.

Towards the end of the show, The Cadillac Three and Tucker Beathard rejoined Rice on stage for a joint performance of Florida Georgia Line’s smash #1 hit “Cruise,” one of the most popular country songs in recent memory. Rice co-wrote the song with the the duo, Joey Moi and Jesse Rice. The collaborative performance was one of the most memorable parts of the show, and it had the crowd reacting thunderously to one of their favorite tracks. Rice closed the show with his own top 5, certified platinum hit, the hard driving and edgy “Ready Set Roll,” an incredibly catchy song that brought fans to their feet and had them singing along.

Each of the performers at The Fillmore left a lasting impression on the audience, and left them eager for more. The Cadillac Three and Beathard both illustrated why they’re making a splash in the country music, while Rice displayed the charisma and ever growing star power that has him shooting up the ranks as a performer and and artist. There is no doubt that the best is still yet to come for each of these three talented acts.

January 21, 2016
Hearing Aide: Sly Fox and The Hustlers “American Gypsy”

Sly Fox and The Hustlers released their new, full-length CD, American Gypsy at The Hollow in Albany on January 9th. Well known in the Capital District and beyond, they’ve found a place opening for touring Nationals around the region and doing incendiary shows, large and small, since 2010. The band consists of Sly Fox: guitar/vocals, Dylan Storm: bass/vocals and Sean Ireland on drums. Collectively they’re a three-piece blues-rock outfit, individually, they’re highly accomplished at their craft, sharing a passion for live performance. This is the domain of blues-rock, its strength lies in presence along with the music, the more difficult part is translating that to recording.

The opener and title source, “American Gypsy” skips the formality of introduction and goes straight to the point. It has a defiant, swampy feel of movement and searching that echoes Steppenwolf with its drive and instrumentation. It’s a tribute to the hit tv show “Sons of Anarchy” and the video illustrates it well. “Home By Morning” speaks to the blues leanings Sly obviously lives by. The guitar is down and dirty, the harp accentuates and the organ fills are well-placed. Then there’s the rhythm section, make no mistake, a soloist is a soloist, but blues-rock lives on the drive underneath and these cats are tight. It reminds me a bit of Foghat when they jam and just about any other 70s era outfit from their cut, like J. Geils.

“Forever Young” is a tribute to the memory of a friend shortly before his passing. It’s soulful and spiritual with a reading that moves from Hendrix to Martha Davis in its gut-wrenching emotion. It’s blues with a spiritual longing, raved-up into expression. Followed by “Smooth”, contrasting the prior with a cock-sure upbeat rock tune. The mandatory clap and response section is a pitfall of trying to studio record a live action. “Angels Can Fly” strikes on another aspect of Sly’s musical personality and voicing. It’s softer, emotive and wanting, the guitar solo is crisp and clean, the string-feel adds that heavenly lift to the lyric.

“Revolutions 2012” is a straight-up rocker spitting against the overwhelming injustices and practices of our times. It’s a rallying cry to the masses for revolution, it’s heavy on all counts and may well hold the best guitar work of this release. Sly flips another switch and turns on a Texas-Blues feel on “Let Me Down Easy”, his influences flying freely from Hendrix to S.R.V., a twist of Morrison in the vocal and the simplicity of ZZ Top in the roll. This is another road song, there are many here, but this one excels, highly.

Photo by Bryan Lasky

“My Name Is Jimmy” tries to reach into the punk attitude jar, but gets its hands slapped with over-zealous imagery. It has its moments, but is disconnected and over-stated. “Jessica’s Song” is an acoustic guitar song, strumming out a Page-like melody. It’s just slightly dissonant, short and bittersweet, leading back to his and their strength with the closer, “Heart & Soul”. It’s got all of the pieces shining brightly, the organ holds such importance and is easily under-mixed, but not here. Sly meters out his thoughts, rips a few licks and rides on the driving rhythm, reaching into his basket of tricks for the soul aspect. “Got ta, got ta, feel it!”

Sly has put together a solid release, exhibiting the many facets of his musical personality and life-experiences. It’s well done with maximum energies applied, at moments forced, but it’s damn hard to translate this style to the studio. Get out and catch these cats live, there’s plenty of evidence here that they’ll rip it up. Check them out on their website and on Facebook for news and upcoming tour dates.

Key tracks: American Gypsy, Home By Morning, Smooth

January 21, 2016
Assembly of Strange Wine Unites Three Classic Bands

There’s something to be said about bands that continue to perform to throngs of devoted fans who turn out no matter the venue or date. When Assembly of Dust, Strangefolk and God Street Wine perform individually, their well-honed crowds come out in support, even though some shows are less frequent these days. But bringing together these three bands that defined the ’90s jam scene is no small feat, yet a two-night run in Portchester, NY, at the Capitol Theatre and in Boston, MA, at the Paradise Rock Club, led to packed houses, marathon jams and plenty of dancing each night with Assembly of Strange Wine.

At the Cap, Assembly of Dust started the night with a short set that featured Scott Metzger on guitar, filling in for Adam Terrell who was on assignment in Mexico. The first big jam of the night opened up in “Revelry,” giving Metzger a chance to flex his ax for the crowd. “Whistle Clock” and “All in Time” brought out Jon, Luke and Erik from Strangefolk to join Assembly of Dust for the first of many superjams this weekend, while “Filter” swapped in God Street Wine for the members of Strangefolk and continued the loosely planned, well-executed jam session.

Assembly of Dust setlist: Bootlegger’s Advice, Man with a Plan, Revelry, Honest Hour, Whistle Clock$, All in Time$, Filter^, Head on Straight*
$with Strangefolk ^with God Street Wine *Reid solo

The bands were warmed up and the audience dialed in for Strangefolk, the second act to take to the stage. Opening with “Rather go Fishin,” I felt a light nod to those who opted to head to Mexico for Riviera Maya, but there was no other place I’d rather be than seeing Strangefolk perform this evening. Jason Crosby shone on “In Deep” and added just the right touch of fiddle on “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad.” All of God Street Wine joined Strangefolk for “Sometimes” and “Westerley,” two songs patiently shared among the nine musicians. From the audience it seemed that taking the stage with friends you’ve played music with for nearly a quarter-century amid a focused and receptive audience has to be nearly utopian in terms of live performance.

Strangefolk setlist: Rather go Fishin’, Udderly Addled, Furnace, In Deep, Goin Down the Road Feelin’ Bad*, Roads*, Sometimes^, Westerley^, Songbeard*
*with Assembly of Dust ^with God Street Wine (entire set with Jason Crosby on keys/fiddle)

God Street Wine took the stage last and made their presence known with “Life on Mars?” in tribute to the late David Bowie. A clean segue into “Molly” kept the energy high and the crowd danced well into the set. An extended “Goodnight Gretchen” > “Goodbye Oklahoma” were just getting things started, but it was during “Borderline” when the line between stage and audience blurred, as the energy spilled over with raucous approval (see video below). There was a chemistry onstage during GSW’s set that built off the sit-ins during the previous sets. Whether the bands had practiced together or planned anything in advance was unimportant; onstage everything meshed together well with only the few hiccups that come with having nine musicians onstage at the same time. A “Golden Years” encore paid tribute to Bowie once again (this was a recurring theme of the weekend to come). Night one was in the books and the bar was raised even higher for the sold-out show at Paradise.

God Street Wine setlist: Life on Mars? > Molly, Bring Back the News > Goodnight Gretchen > Goodbye Oklahoma, Hellfire > Wall, Borderline*, A Good Dream, Sweet Little Angel, Cheap Utah Blues > Ballroom > 6:15
Encore: Oh Wonderful One, Golden Years
*with Strangefolk

The Paradise Rock Club in Boston is, in stark comparison to the Capitol Theatre, a small music club that holds about half as many people. As the crowd filed into the small room, there was an air of excitement that could be felt from each attendee for the second of what would be two very special nights of music. The room hadn’t quite filled up by the time Assembly of Dust took the stage only 15 minutes after the ticket time. They immediately got the crowd moving when they opened with “Paul Henry.” The lineup featured the noteworthy additions of Scott Metzger on guitar and Jason Crosby on keyboards and organ. As they pushed through the set, they showed that this would not be a simple three-band show; it was truly an Assembly of Strange Wine. As AoD finished their set with “Harrower” and with eight musicians onstage, the audience knew the night was just beginning.

Assembly of Dust setlist: Paul Henry, All That I Am Now, Cluttered, Lost & Amazed, Whatever, Ophelia, Telling Sue, Harrower

After a brief set break, God Street Wine took the stage with “Epilog.” After moving through a few of their tunes, Crosby came back onstage and joined them on fiddle for “Chop.” Reid Genauer and Jon Trafton then came out for a handful of songs, including the newly penned “Oh Wonderful One” and Genauer on vocals for “Get on the Train,” into which he infused Strangefolk’s “Rachel” in the middle. GSW moved through the remainder of their set, which included crowd-pleaser “Imogene” and ended with “Into the Sea.” As they left the stage, the now completely packed room was waiting with bated breath for the third act.

God Street Wine setlist: Epilog, Light My Candles > Stranger > Chop#, Oh Wonderful One*, Driving West*, Get On The Train* -> Rachel* -> Get On The Train*, Lighthouse > Imogene, Waiting For The Tide, Into The Sea
#with Jason on fiddle * with Reid and Jon (entire set with Dave Diamond on percussion and Jason on keys except Chop and Lighthouse)

Another short breather allowed the audience to cool down and relax before Strangefolks’s night-ending set. Opening with “Valhalla,” they sent a message that they meant business. They saw a rotating cast of musicians throughout their set, and for “Mama,” there were 10 musicians onstage, including four percussionists, to which Genauer commented, “There will be a lot of notes.” Their energetic set ended with “Burned Down.” As they came back out for the encore, those in the crowd who had heard the GSW cover of “Life on Mars?” from the previous night wondered if there would be another tribute to David Bowie. Sure enough, the notes for “Space Oddity” were played, and as the band moved from that to Strangefolk’s “Speculator,” the entire crowd was repeating “Can you hear me, Major Tom?” along with the band. The encore came to a finale with more repeating of those lyrics at the end. Walking back out to the cold streets of Boston was quite welcome after leaving the heat from the small room and the incredible music.

Strangefolk setlist: Valhalla, Poland, So Well, Diary, Stout Hearted Man, Mama, Take it Easy > Memory of a Free Festival, Burned Down

Encore: Space Oddity > Speculator > Space Oddity

January 20, 2016
Snapcase Announces Show in Buffalo to Celebrate 25 Years

For those who grew up within hardcore, punk and related circles throughout the ’90s, it’s time to dive head-first into nostalgia once again. This week, Snapcase announced a 25-year-anniversary show in their hometown of Buffalo. The preeminent hardcore punk masters are back just like that and their social media has been spun into a worldwide frenzy.

With posting nothing more than a link to buy tickets, Snapcase made the announcement on Tuesday, Jan. 19, and the hype took off from there. In less than 24 hours, the post has been liked more than 1,000 times, shared more than 200 times, and is nearing 100 comments. Not bad for a band who is technically retired. For anyone that follows the band, though, their ’04-05 breakup wasn’t the end, with reunion shows happening here and there, most recently last summer in Philadelphia at the 10th annual This Is Hardcore Festival.

While the band never really blew up in the same way some of their peers did, their influence carries a wide breadth and they’re even mentioned by the likes of bands as big as the Deftones. If you were lucky enough to catch them in their heyday, you would understand why their name and music got around. Snapcase relentlessly toured with bands from all different styles of music and never shied away from jumping on a bill or tour with a band doing something different from their own sound. They inspired punks, hardcore kids, and even some metal fans who couldn’t ignore their crushing melodic riffs, inspiring lyrics, and raucous live shows.

The announced reunion takes place at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom and will be held on Friday, Feb. 26. Judging by the social media hype that already surrounds this one-off appearance, there will be fans from near and far as road trips are already being discussed. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, Jan. 22. The show will feature two other great hardcore acts of yesteryear in Louisville, Kentucky’s Endpoint and Burlington, Ontario’s Grade as openers. Don’t wait to get your tickets, as there is never a promise of another return and this will most certainly sell out!

Here’s their full set from last summer’s This Is Hardcore Festival:

January 20, 2016
SPAC Jazz Fest Announces Lineup, Tickets On Sale

As of 10 a.m. today, tickets for the 39th annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival are on sale to the public. The two-day weekend event is scheduled for June 25 and 26 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).

The festival’s 2016 lineup will feature Motown miracle Smokey Robinson and jazz fusion pioneer Chick Corea headlining the SPAC mainstage on Sunday, while Saturday’s headliner is still to be announced.

Several acts performing this year will make their SPAC and jazz festival debut, including drummer and vocalist Jamison Ross, blues guitarist Eric Lindell, 12-year-old Indonesian jazz pianist Joey Alexander Trio, New Orleans funk ensemble, Jon Cleary and The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, and jazz-soul vocalist Alicia Olatuja, who performed at the 2013 presidential inauguration. Last year’s showcase included Sheila E., Erykah Badu and Snarky Puppy, among others, and since the festival was founded in 1978, jazz greats like Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, B.B. King and Ray Charles have headlined the event.

Celebrating 50 years, the 25,000-capacity venue sits in the historic Saratoga Spa State Park. Camping is not permitted on the grounds (free parking opens two hours before the event), but the town of Saratoga offers many options for nearby lodging. The typical concert rules apply for SPAC — no drugs, open water bottles, guns or pets — but for the jazz festival, the venue does allow food, alcohol, coolers and the use of small personal cameras.

Festival goers can also shop fine arts and crafts on premise, bring home autographed CDs and fill up on Southern-style barbecue, plus other amenities. Stay tuned for jazz fest to announce the June 25 headliner.

January 19, 2016
Glenn Frey, Founding Member of Eagles, Dies at 67

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our comrade, Eagles founder, Glenn Frey, in New York City on Monday, January 18, 2016.” A simple statement from a complex band; the announcement was made on the Eagles’ website late Monday. Frey was 67.

In recent weeks, Frey had been battling rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia, conditions that also led to the postponement of a tribute at Kennedy Center last month. His family included a message to fans in the message on the band’s website:

The Frey family would like to thank everyone who joined Glenn to fight this fight and hoped and prayed for his recovery.

Words can neither describe our sorrow, nor our love and respect for all that he has given to us, his family, the music community & millions of fans worldwide.

Frey was born in Detroit in 1948. By age 19, he was under the tutelage of Bob Seger and contributed backing vocals and acoustic guitar to Seger’s hit, “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” in 1969.

Upon moving to Los Angeles, Frey crossed paths with future collaborators J.D. Souther, Don Henley, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon, with the latter three going on to become members of Linda Ronstadt’s 1971 backing band.

Following the Ronstadt tour, the four went on to form the Eagles and the rest is history. The Eagles went on to become one of the biggest selling artists of all time behind such Frey-penned hits as “Take it Easy,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “Heartache Tonight” and “Already Gone.” Frey and Henley shared much of the songwriting and vocal duties on their biggest hits.

The Eagles broke up in 1980 after Don Felder and Frey nearly came to blows following a concert in Long Beach. Many members went on to successful solo careers with Frey scoring two number one hits in the 80s with “The Heat is On” from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack and “You Belong to the City” from the television show, Miami Vice. Frey also took a turn at acting during this period. Among his most prominent roles was in Miami Vice in an episode based upon his song “Smuggler’s Blues.”

A fourteen year band hiatus ended when it embarked upon its Hell Freezes Over album and tour in 1994. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. An album entitled The Long Road Out of Eden was released in 2007 and the band toured through the millennium.

Despite periods of animosity between them, Don Henley considered Frey a brother. Henley issued the following heartfelt statement regarding the death of his long-time friend:

“He was like a brother to me; we were family, and like most families, there was some dysfunction. But, the bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved. We were two young men who made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles with the same dream: to make our mark in the music industry — and with perseverance, a deep love of music, our alliance with other great musicians and our manager, Irving Azoff, we built something that has lasted longer than anyone could have dreamed. But, Glenn was the one who started it all. He was the spark plug, the man with the plan. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and a work ethic that wouldn’t quit. He was funny, bullheaded, mercurial, generous, deeply talented and driven. He loved is wife and kids more than anything. We are all in a state of shock, disbelief and profound sorrow. We brought our two-year ‘History of the Eagles Tour’ to a triumphant close at the end of July and now he is gone. I’m not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet. It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it. But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life. Rest in peace, my brother. You did what you set out to do, and then some.”

http://youtu.be/aRMlHRo7eAE

January 19, 2016
Trivium Destroys A Sold Out Lost Horizon

On Saturday, January 16th, Trivium finally returned to Syracuse for the first time in what seemed like ages. Touring behind their latest album Silence In The Snow, Trivium are showing no signs of slowing down after releasing their 7th album. Even though Trivium decided to release Silence In The Snow without any of their trademark screaming, the album is still doing incredibly well. With the increase in radio play and demands, it’s no wonder why the guys in Trivium sold out The Lost Horizon in advance.

Prior to Trivium kicking off their winter tour, they went through yet another drummer change. With the announcement of Paul Wandtke taking over as the new drummer, Trivium fans were left asking questions about the new guy. When looking to replace the previous drummer due to creative differences, bassist Paolo Gregoletto and singer Matt Heafy looked to none other than John Petrucci of Dream Theater. Petrucci then brought Dream Theater’s drummer Mike Mangini into the conversation to get some ideas. Mangini recommended Paul who actually studied under him at Berklee. Making his debut at Knotfest in Mexico in early December, Wandtke quickly meshed with the band and has made quite the impact.

Trivium took the stage at the Lost Horizon after two local bands got the crowd warmed up and ready to go. The night opened up with “Silence In The Snow”, the title track of their latest album. Right off the bat, vocalist/guitar player Matt Heafy experienced issues with his microphone which was echoing every word he sung. After a quick look over to his tech and a laugh the issue was quickly fixed and the night was perfect from that point on. The best thing about seeing a Trivium headlining set is that they’re going deep into their 7 album catalog. The set included 3 songs off their album Ascendancy which were “Like Light to the Flies”, “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” and “Rain”. Fans responded to Trivium’s choice of songs with nothing but pure energy and madness. Fans who were looking to enjoy the show casually weren’t found on the lower floor because it was a whirlpool of bodies crashing into each other. Those who were trying to stand off to the side were even seeing the side effects of the mosh pits brought upon by songs like “Rain,, “Insurrection” and “Becoming the Dragon.”

Throughout the night Matt Heafy addressed the crowd, demanding them to be loud and rude. Heafy didn’t want any silence in the venue, even while he was speaking himself. Paolo Gregoletto was busy throughout the evening keeping the bass riffs going, singing backup vocals and getting up close and person with the crowd. With the barrier only a mere foot away, Paolo, Matt and lead guitar player Corey Beaulieu all took turns leaning into the crowd. Being so close to the crowd helped the band absorb the energy from the fans easily, especially those in the first few rows who could reach out and touch them. The new drummer Paul Wandtke was an absolute animal behind the drum kit. For being the new face in the band, Paul seems to fit in perfectly. The 14 song set seemed easy for Paul who nailed all the parts he needed to while adding his own personal touch in just the right places. Hopefully for Trivium and their fans, this is the last drummer that Trivium will ever need.

After ending the show with “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” and “In Waves”, Trivium left their fans wanting even more. Hopefully with the response that Trivium got on Saturday night, they realized that they need to come play in Syracuse more often. For fans looking to catch Trivium a few more times this year, they can hit up almost any of the major festivals in May such as Carolina Rebellion and New York’s very own Rock N’ Derby. For all Trivium news including tour dates and music, visit their website at here.

Setlist: Silence in the Snow, Into the Mouth of Hell We Match, Strife, Rain, Tread the Floods, Built to Fall, Like Light to the Flies, Insurrection, Dead and Gone, Becoming the Dragon, Down from the Sky, Until the World Goes Cold, Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr, In Waves

January 19, 2016
Hearing Aide: My Plastic Sun “jumping karma trains”

You know 2016 is starting out fine when word of a new My Plastic Sun EP emerges. jumping karma trains includes five songs, one re-do, a former single and three new songs, it’s their third EP. If you’re unfamiliar with My Plastic Sun, the Rochester duo consists of Johnny Cummings – lead vocals, piano, various keyboards, bass guitar, electric and acoustic guitars, and Roy Stein – drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals and studio engineering. This project spends most of its time in the studio, they excel there, each with deep writing, musicianship and live performance creds. They work under the radar, but their products continue to be way above expectations, which are extraordinarily high.

The timing of the news from My Plastic Sun couldn’t have happened at a better time, the morning of January 11th, the morning the music world was shaken by the loss of David Bowie. There are few things that could’ve brightened that day, but there it was, an e-mail from Roy Stein, sent the night before. I could see the excitement in his eyes and hear the enthusiasm in his voice, “It was great to press the send button and get it out to you.” Stein continued, “We wanted to make a gentler EP with a bit of a spiritual journey kinda undercurrent to it. Not sure how that will play out but we made the record we wanted.” Ultimately, it’s what they always do, make the record they want, it’s been a solid benchmark for them for years.

“Wheels Turn Slow” is an introspective opener. It begins the story with a longing refrain, a look back, a look forward, reflecting on the progress of change and enlightenment. Brilliantly built-up from a acoustic track, the Sam Snyder floating electric guitar feels wanting, the soft march speaks to determination, the vocal toward mistake, deceit and re-invention, the difficulties of momentum.

“Falling Awake” will be familiar to long-time fans. Stein said, “We redid “Falling Awake” in a new way we felt captured the essence of the song better.” “Falling Awake,” the source of the EP’s title, has it’s origins founded in Sgt. Pepper’s with Lauren Becker’s subtle french horn, but this remake is all Pet Sounds. The light orchestration from the keys and choral backing harmonies ring true to the concept of “gentler EP” and the singer/songwriter basis shines through clearly. “In The Moment” has a bit of Philly Soul like Hall and Oates, but Cummings’ play with words keeps hinting at something more spiritual. Something bigger, more true, just slightly out of reach, from hand and heart. It’s hymnal, it’s beautiful. It’s love.

Cummings voice has a distinct feel of Chris Martin and the production plays right into it on “Somethings Coming Over Me.” It reveals itself as he goes to falsetto and retains the strength of his full voice. The hoped-for undercurrent is on full display here, the piano, the choral backing vocals, the broad mix, the “Tears For Fears” opening and rhythm. A tall standard to accomplish indeed. John Viviani’s guitar track is perfectly placed and Bree Draper’s vocal speaks to spirituality, strongly.

“Couldn’t Love You More” wasn’t on any EP and we thought it fit well on this so it was in.”, Stein says. “Couldn’t Love You More” is as sweet as pop can be, Johnny’s light vocal reading and ukulele lilting with the emotions expressed then enhanced with the acoustic bass by Kyle Vock. This is well visualized by Stein’s multi-talented wife, April Laragy Stein and John Runkel in the video previously released with the single. (see below) This song is Revolver quality, the addition of accordion (April Laragy Stein), acoustic guitar and reversed electric are deftly applied with Snyder’s assistance.

jumping karma trains was produced by My Plastic Sun, recorded and mixed by Roy Stein and mastered by Brad Blackwood. EP artwork by April Laragy Stein. While this band has seen a few bright lights, they haven’t been nearly as bright as they deserve. They consistently deliver music that is way above their current recognition and if someone in the know actually listened, there is so much more ground for them to cover. My Plastic Sun continues to be among the clearest voices expressing true pop art music anywhere. Get on the train and learn more about the band on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify and Youtube.

Key Tracks: Couldn’t Love You More, Falling Awake, In The Moment, Somethings Coming Over Me, Wheels Turn Slow

January 19, 2016