NYS Music 20​16

Tag: Ampevene

  • Hearing Aide: Ampevene ‘Rometheu’

    12 minutes and 30 seconds. That’s how long it takes to listen to Ampevene’s new EP, Rometheu. But that’s not the total sum of each of the songs; it’s just one extended track!

    Ampevene RometheuAmpevene is a band that stemmed from Gabe Stallman’s solo project as a guitarist.  Now the full band consists of Gabe Stallman on guitar and vocals, Mack Hogan on bass, Bob Morris on drums, and Ava Smith on keys, and Jeff Nania on saxophone.  The progressive rock group is based in Albany, so it wasn’t too far to the studio, The Recording Company, in Esperance, NY.

    It’s not clear by the song why it’s called “Rometheu,” but it is the word “Prometheus” without the first and last letter… Perhaps the song was inspired by Greek mythology?

    Rometheu starts out with a rock blues that’s very guitar and bass ostinato heavy. The beginning is not in standard 4/4 time, but rather it’s written with a 6/8 feel – where the first and fourth beat are emphasized in each measure. This helps give the track a flowing groove. At around 2:47, the mode shifts into a fast 4/4, really driving the piece forward.

    The lyrics are posted to accompany the track on Bandcamp, which is immensely helpful. The lines don’t seem to relate directly to one another in a story; the emphasis and poetry are behind each individual line. There are only vocals in the first quarter and very end of the song; it’s clear the music drives this track.

    The crazy guitar riffs and multi-instrument improvisation are awesome and the instruments sound flawless showcasing their melodic riffs.  There’s a point where there is a lack of a clear tonal center, and the band just creates a powerful wall of sound.  At around 6:07, a slower groove is established without saxophone at first to allow the audience to breathe after the more intense section.  It is here where the piano is high in the mix complementing the haunting guitar melodies. The experimentation with the guitar distortion, some organ sounds, and smooth saxophone is quite soothing and fun to listen to.

    The coolest part of this track is the juxtaposition between musical ideas/styles. It makes the piece dynamic and engaging throughout.  The slow section is immediately followed by a short, quicker ending featuring a quick line of lyrics. Rometheu is very impressive from a compositional standpoint as well as a musicianship standpoint.  It’s a track you can’t help but jam along to.

    Listen to it on bandcamp here.

  • Fridays in June at Funk n Waffles Downtown, Presented by NYS Music

    NYS Music is once again proud to host Friday nights at Funk n Waffles in June. A stellar lineup of music is on tap all month long, with local and regional bands highlighting the month.

    June 3 – Formula 5 with Michael Mwenso & The Shakes

    June Funk n Waffles Whether you enjoy jam, jazz, funk, reggae, or electro beats… the Capital District’s Formula 5 will satisfy your musical needs. Inspired by their jam band idols, the band creates original funk-filled tunes with stimulating and expressive lyrics, soaring melodies and an emphasis on solid instrumentation and improvisation. The group’s fan base continues to grow as they’ve opened for such headliners as Twiddle, Dopapod, Spiritual Rez, and the Heavy Pets; and took over stages at Catskill Chill, Disc Jam, The Big Up, Strange Creek, and Buffalove.

    Michael Mwenso and the Shakes present an improvisational execution of a powerful, soulful eclectic mix of soul/jazz/blues derived from  jazz legends such as Miles Davis and Lionel Hampton. The Harlem “mood” captivates audiences and reinforces the classic, historic feel one could relate to the late night NYC jazz scene. Soulfully driven vocals are backed up by the funky ensemble of horn-powered, bass-layered body of the Shakes.

    June 10 – Candid with Castle Creek

    The acclaimed hometown rockers, Candid, bring the people of Syracuse a familiar spark their growing, loyal fan base appreciates them for. The heavy-hitting rock band Candid has been on the scene since late 1998, playing alongside international renowned bands such as Fountains of Wayne, Tonic, Vertical Horizon, Andrew W.K. and Strangefolk.

    Local barnyard burners Kim Monroe and Chris Eves are a powerful duo out of Syracuse. Using lyrically powerful ballads and a blues/jam influenced musicianship to captivate audiences throughout upstate New York all while maintaining their roots of familiar classic rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, and Pink Floyd. Castle Creek  leaves their own lasting mark on fans at each venue they perform.

    June 17 – William Thompson Funk Experiment with Binger and Ampevene

    Uplifting, interactive , and talented, the William Thompson Funk Experiment is sure to leave crowds jubilant and moving through the late night hours. Hailing from Worcester, Massachusetts, the William Thompson Funk Experiment can be compared to the party of Dopapod, Mister F, and Formula 5, and are sure to provide a powerful performance.

    Based out of Burlington, Vermont, Binger creates a unique sound, using the diverse musical soundscape of their collective influences. Elusively shedding any genre they manage to employ (often within the same song), Binger combines elements of progressive psychedelia, deep grooves of hip-hop, and improvisational jazz to create a style that gracefully skirts the line between delightful and perplexing; inventing a sound that reels you in and keeps you there with a cohesive, yet eclectic energy. 

    Ampevene delivers a highly energetic, atmospheric environment, tearing the borders between every genre at their disposal. Ampevene continues to set the bar high for progressive rock throughout New York, keeping spectators on their heels from their improvisational clash of metal and jazz.

    June 24- The New Daze with Space Bacon

    Since 2011, the atmospheric jam quartet, The New Daze, have been using their improvisational prowess to transcend jam rock as we know it, displaying an inter-dimensional  clash of musicianship . The New Daze are no strangers to Funk n Waffles, having graced the downtown stage many times. They are also scheduled to perform at historic venues such as Nectar’s in Burlington, Vermont and Garcia’s in Port Chester. With all four of it’s members contributing vocals as well as wielding their instruments, each member has a crucial role in the direction of a performance. The New Daze, playing a unique set each night, creates its own sound of “electric boogified-rage-reggae-funk-crunch-goop”.

    If you like the concept of space, and a delicious side of breakfast meat, there is really no going wrong with Space Bacon. This jamtronica quartet based out of Brooklyn is sure to leave audiences dancing and uplifted as it creates an intense, immersive fusion of electronica and funk. Space Bacon is soon to play Disc Jam in Stephantown (June 9-12), along with artists such as Dopapod, Electron, Tauk, and many others. The quartet’s love for intergalactic pork and space-seasoned fresh cuts of funky-electronic trance is a spectacle one should not miss.

  • UpHill Funk You Up: Ampevene at Funk n’ Waffles, March 12

    Funk 4Last weekend, Funk ‘n Waffles up on the hill showcased two great bands: progressive rock band Ampevene and funky reggae and rock band Barroom Philosophers.

    The show kicked off with Barroom Philosophers from Seneca Knolls.  The group lists David Koegel (vocals), Joshua Way (guitar), Ty Hancock (bass and keys) and Brenden Boshart (drums) as their core members, but for this show, they had another member playing some guitar and some beats on conga.  The added layers of texture made for a nice and fuller sound. They added a vintage touch to the visual aspect of the show with a lit sign of their band name on the keyboard stand.  David Koegel really seemed to give it his all singing and they really brought the funk to the funky venue.

    Ampevene took the stage, but a few folks were thrown off by the brief soundcheck thinking that was the beginning of the show.  This group featured Gabe Stallman on guitar, Mack Hogan on bass, Ava Smith on keys, and Bob Morris on drums.  They were all very talented musicians that really didn’t visibly vibe off of one another, but rather they aurally honed in on what the others were doing.  The synth player was so focused; she kept her head glued to the keys and would ditch her seat entirely during intense bits of the show. It was cool to see them transition between instruments taking over for a solo or short feature.  The synth added a unique flair with some awesome intergalactic timbre.  Vocal interjections were few and far between, but they matched the established instrumental prowess.  Their set was all business. There was no dialogue about the band or their tracks in between numbers and they moved seamlessly from song to song.  It was refreshing not to hear, “Hi we’re [insert band name], please like us on [insert social media].”  They truly were engaged with their sound and didn’t distract from that.

    The biggest bummer of the night was the lacking crowd because students at Syracuse University were off on spring break and couldn’t come out to the show.  However, it was a successful show for both bands in terms of talent and execution.