After a muggy day in the Capital Region, two regional bands – Pink Talking Fish and Aqueous – took to the stage at the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs and saturated an already soggy crowd with funk and fun, sprinkled with some purple.
Buffalo favorites Aqueous started the show around 9:30 p.m., leaping right into “Aldehyde,” which saw snazzy work on the wah pedal from guitarist Mike Gantzer. Slowly bleeding into “Origami,” Aqueous had a few stop and starts led by interim drummer Rob Houk, who is in the running to take over as full-time drummer.
“Complex Pt. I,” “Peaches” > “Warren in the Window” and “Numbers and Facts” rounded out the well executed setlist. During “Warren,” Gantzer and fellow guitarist Dave Loss heavily teased Phish’s “Meatstick” that was greeted with an uproarious cheer from the half-full crowd. “Peaches,” a cover of a song by the Presidents of the USA, was the crowd favorite of the set, with everyone belting, in unison, the catchy chorus.
Following a short break, Pink Talking Fish emerged, with guitarist Dave Brunyak playing a few melodies over the house music. Wasting no space or time, the band kicked off two sets with “In the Flesh”>”Tube”>”Life During Wartime,” and a final reprisal of “Tube,” with Brunyak nailing the bluesy ending that Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio wrote into the diddy.
“Have A Cigar”>”Wild Wild Life”>”Simple”>”Pigs” brought a mellow, then rocking mood to the set. Bassist Eric Gould led the segment, bopping the band through some of Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd’s most iconic songs.
“This Must Be The Place”>”Fearless”>”Esther Interlude”>”Run Like An Antelope” completed the set, giving a sweaty crowd a much needed breather. The second set featured “Ghost,” with an irregular breakdown in the middle, and “Money,” complete with the opening and closing cash register noise from the original.
“The Lizards”>”Crosseyed and Painless”>”One of these Days”>”Lizards” was easily the highlight. The band doesn’t seem to miss even a single note, making this group of musicians maybe the only capable people to get up and perform the music of three of rock’s most beloved groups.
In fitting fashion, the band covered Prince’s “Purple Rain” (a song Phish has been performing for years) as a tribute to the passing of the Purple One. “Loving Cup” sent the crowd home happy and satiated.
Aqueous
Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs
Set 1: Aldehyde > Origami, Complex Pt. I, Peaches > Warren in the Window, Numbers and Facts
Notes: Meatstick [Phish] and Linus and Lucy [Vince Guaraldi] teases in Warren
Pink Talking Fish
Set 1:
In The Flesh>
Tube>
Life During Wartime>
Tube
Have A Cigar>
Wild Wild Life>
Simple>
Pigs (3 Different Ones)>
This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
Fearless*>
Esther Interlude>
Run Like An Antelope
Set 2:
Moon Rocks>
Ghost>
Money>
Making Flippy Floppy**>
Timber Ho>
Young Lust
The Lizards>
Crosseyed And Painless
One Of These Days***>
The Lizards
Cities
Seamus>
Birds Of A Feather
E:
Purple Rain%
Loving Cup
*w/ Prince Caspian tease
**w/ Rift tease
***w/ “Still Waiting” vocals
%solo piano performance by Richard James
If there’s anything the fervent fans of Buffalo’s Aqueous have had to complain about the past few years it’s the lack of released live material. This all changed recently with a slew of high quality recordings including last years fantastic “Wizard of Oz” themed, Dark Side of the Moon infused Halloween show, the recent Boulder, Colorado release, and a bunch of new recordings on archive.org.
On the heels of this flurry of activity the band has put forth the latest multi-track live set – From the ArQives: 2015-04-11 King’s Rook Club, Erie PA. This two set monster of a show features some of the bands most intense jamming and “type II” level improvisation within a slew of their top notch original material and some debut covers.
Set one kicks off with “Complex Pt. I” and focuses on a mix of material including bust-outs of old school Aqueous tracks “Marty” and “They’re Calling for You” which made their first set-list appearances in close to a year. Also included is a super jammed out cover of Steely Dan’s “Josie.” Aqueous has covered many Dan songs throughout the years (Including a November 2015 cover of “Peg” featuring a Joel Cummins sit-in). Guitarist Mike Gantzer spoke about the Dan’s influence:
“I always dig pulling out the occasional Steely Dan tune; they’ve personally been a huge influence on my writing and playing style. and often times their tunes are great catalysts for improvisation.”
Set two continues the jam fest with notable versions of orginal tunes “Underlyer,” “Eon Don,” an “Aldehyde” sandwich with the meat being a cover of The Police’s “Canary in a Coalmine,” and a rare full version of the epic fifteen minute Cycles track “Staring into the Sun.” The audio was recorded and mastered by the bands sound and light engineer Ben Wayt and is available on SoundCloud and archive.org.
Check out Aqueous in New York Saturday April 16 at Letchworth Pines in Portageville for a rare intimate two set show, and next Friday at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs with Pink Talking Fish.
April 11th, 2015 King’s Rook Club, Erie, PA
SET 1:
Complex Pt. I > They’re Calling for You, Triangle, Marty, Josie¹ > Don’t Do It
SET 2:
Underlyer > Gordon’s Mule > Eon Don > Aldehyde > Canary in a Coal Mine² > Aldehyde, Staring into the Sun, What’s the Connection?
ENCORE:
Mosquito Valley Pt. 1 > Flagpole Sitta³
Notes:
¹ Steely Dan cover, AQ debut
² Police cover, AQ debut
³ Harvey Danger cover, AQ debut
Complex had a Josie tease by Steely Dan
TCFY had a “Waves” tease by Phish and a “Wheels” tease by Cake.
Eon Don contained a “devils pie” intro by D’angelo, and Master of Puppets by Metallica and Machine Gun by Hendrix teases.
Staring into the Sun had a long improvised section.
What’s the Connection had a “We Want the Funk” tease that was audience started.
MV one had a “Chicken Grease” intro also by D’angelo.
TCFY was last played on 2014-08-14
Marty was last played on 2014-06-17
David Bowie is arguably one of the most influential artists of multiple generations. He infused his music with fantasy and fashion to create a style all his own—and that style was always changing. His legacy was felt years before his passing, and his influence spans genres, generations and location, including several artists deep-rooted in New York State.
David Bowie performs during a concert celebrating his 50th birthday, on Jan. 9, 1997, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
NYS Music takes a moment to not only honor the iconic musician, but to also revisit artists who have paid tribute to David Bowie with these covers.
Umphrey’s McGee with STS9 – “Let’s Dance”
During their encore from Northerly Island in Chicago on Aug. 17, 2013, Umphrey’s McGee invited STS9 on stage for this knock out rendition of Bowie’s most successful hit to date:
Beck – “Sound and Vision”
With a little help from his father, legendary arranger David Campbell, folk artist Beck went big on this 1977 Bowie tune. The evening was sponsored by Lincoln Motor Company and was part of their “Hello, Again” campaign, which used Beck’s version of “Sound and Vision” for its campaign theme song:
Starset – “Space Oddity”
Alternative rockers Starset showed up big in December 2014 at WQLZ’s aQustic Christmas Jam. The Columbus, OH, natives turned out a stunning rendition of Bowie’s “Space Oddity”:
moe. – “Ziggy Stardust”
What could be better than Halloween and Star Wars? Halloween, Star Wars and Bowie! Jam rockers moe. treated the crowd at their 2015 Halloween show to a little Bowie. Makes you wonder what a Bowie song sung by C-3PO would really sound like:
Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous cover highly produced, multi-layered tracks with amazing accuracy. In this rendition of “Fame” at the 2014 Gathering at Chaffee’s, they surprise the crowd as they flow into the classic Bowie tune. They hit the mark at about three minutes, but enjoy the jam before they get there. You won’t be disappointed:
The Cure – “Young Americans”
The Cure carry their own legacy in the world of rock, but the Bowie influence is deep with these fellow Brits. They contributed their version of Bowie’s song “Young Americans” for a 1993 compilation for London’s 104.9XFM. The song later reappeared on their 2004 release Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978-2001:
Placebo – “Five Years”
Slightly known fact: David Bowie was a big fan of alternative rock band Placebo; he even performed with them on several occasions. In this clip, Brian Molko of Placebo quickens the pace on this acoustic version of “Five Years” to create a slightly altered but beautiful version of the Bowie tune from The Fall and Rise of Ziggy Stardust and the Spider from Mars:
Def Leppard – “Ziggy Stardust”
Def Leppard turned up for an acoustic set in a Sheffield England pub back in 1996. They encored with an incredible version of “Ziggy Stardust”:
Dr. Dre – “Fame”
Bowie’s influence isn’t limited to genres: famed producer and headphone guru Dr. Dre put his own twist on a Bowie tune. This version was featured on the 1996 album Dr. Dre Presents: The Aftermath and features Jheryl Lockhart, King Tee and RC along with Dr. Dre and Chris “The Glove” Taylor. Youtuber Mychael Helmz edited some fashion video footage and credited a piece good enough to have been the song’s official video:
Natalie Merchant – “Space Oddity”
The former lead singer for the 10,000 Maniacs enjoyed a solo career she probably never dreamed of growing up in the small town of Jamestown, NY. Her unique vocal style adds drama to this haunting rendition of Bowie’s “Space Oddity” during a performance on June 12, 1999:
Lucero -“Modern Love”
Hailing from Memphis, TN, Lucero is a five-piece band that mixes punk rock and country, creating a sound that is distinctly all their own. They showed up to the AV Club and banged out their own version of this Bowie pop classic with the addition of a saxophone solo:
James – “China Girl”
A lot of artists show up to their BBC Sessions with covers in hand. Manchester, England, natives James were no different; they rocked out their version of one of the three top 10 singles from Bowie’s 1983 album Let’s Dance:
Nirvana – “The Man that Sold the World”
Nirvana brought new life to this song during their 1993 performance on MTV Unplugged. They also exposed Bowie’s music to a host of new listeners. The song would garner major market radio play, as well as be featured on both the released album and video of the performance:
Foo Fighters – “Under Pressure”
When the Foo Fighters showed up in Mendig, Germany, during June 2015 to play the “Rock am Ring,” they played a set list infused with music they felt was the most influential to their journey as musicians. On the list was this David Bowie/Queen collaboration:
Smashing Pumpkins “Space Oddity”
Smashing Pumpkin’s frontman Billy Corgan says in this video for San Diego’s ROCK 105.3 that he appreciates the song more as an artist covering it, than he ever did as a fan listening to it. The Pumpkins put their own brand of alt-rock styling on this version recorded on June 19, 2012:
Fall Out Boy – “Life on Mars?”
FOB guitarist and singer Patrick Stump cites Bowie as his favorite musician of all time. In April 2013, he sat down to record an acoustic session for BBC One. He shows off his vocal range and passion for his idol in this lovely version of “Life on Mars?”:
Warpaint – “Ashes to Ashes”
Los Angeles-based indie-rock band Warpaint has been known for their dream-pop sound since they formed in 2004. The all-female quartet set a mellow groove at the BBC Music Tepee in 2014 with their ethereal version of this Bowie classic:
German metal band Atrocity brings a whole different level to Bowie’s No. 1 hit, and the song was featured as part of the Hard Rock Covers album series:
Duran Duran – “Fame”
British ’80s pop icons Duran Duran followed Bowie’s model of fashion, reinvention and style better than almost anyone. Bassist John Taylor has even cited Ziggy Stardust as the “perfect album.” Their version of “Fame” was a beloved B-side before landing on their 2003 box set Singles 1981-1985:
Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts – “The Jean Genie”
Scott Weiland was never quiet about his fanboy obsession with Bowie. Shortly before Weiland’s death, he and the Wildabouts stopped at the Strombo Show where they did an acoustic performance of “The Jean Genie”:
Second Child – “Young Americans”
The future folk band based out of NYC and Philly, Second Child does a mixture of electric and acoustic jams. This version of “Young Americans” is so groovy that even some neighborhood kids get in on the dancing action:
Commander Chris Hadfield – “Space Oddity”
In May of 2013, Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield made musical history when he made this video on the International Space Station, making it the first video ever created in space. The video is nearing 30 million views on YouTube:
The Get Up Kids – “Suffragette City”
The Get Up Kids were major players in the ’90s emo-rock scene. They paid tribute to Bowie with a fairly non-emo version of Bowie’s “Suffragette City”:
Phish – “Life on Mars?”
Shortly after debuting their version of “Life on Mars?” in 1995, Phish would later play the song at the Clifford Ball. The seven-disc box set celebrating the festival was more than a decade old in March of 2009:
Seu Jorge – “Rebel Rebel”
Brazilian musician Seu Jorge’s Bowie covers came to prominence when they were featured on the soundtrack to Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Jorge translated the Bowie tunes into Portuguese. His version of “Rebel Rebel” from Diamond Dogs sounds romantic and whimsical in Jorge’s hands:
Aqueous fans that missed out on the band’s sold-out Halloween show this past October won’t be in the dark for much longer. Thanks to Sonic Farm Studios, Aqueous has released Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz.
The live recording of Aqueous’ Halloween show at Buffalo Iron Works not only includes some of Aqueous’ best original material, but also the band’s stellar performance of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
In celebration of the mystic connection between the cinematic classic Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd’s classic album, Aqueous dressed as the Wizard of Oz cast during the evening’s performance. Less than two months later, staffers at NYS Music named the performance as Best Show in Western New York for 2015.
The first seven tracks are loaded with brilliant examples of what Aqueous does right; “Eon Don,” “King for a Day” and a non-stop “Complex Pt. 1” into “Wandering” into “Complex Pt. 2” that took the crowd on a nearly 30-minute groove-rock ride. The first set also features Aqueous’ tribute to the night’s opening band with an edged-out version of Funktional Flow ‘s song “Mulligans.”
The first set also features a mash-up style version of the “MGM Theme” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” before fusing into “Kitty Chaser (Explosions in the Sky).” Although the track is one of Aqueous’ more well-known and often-played songs, this version lends itself to a more mellow feel and deeper groove.
In more Oz whimsy, the album also includes Aqueous featuring Matt Harris (saxophone) on a jazzy instrumental version of the film’s classic “If I Only Had a Brain.” The first set of Halloween 2015 closes out with an evocative and beautiful version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Gears shift to Dark Side of the Moon at the album’s halfway point. Beyond the sheer technical skill and flawless timing, Aqueous executes pure confidence, while accomplishing a feat that many musicians simply couldn’t execute. The talent and precision it takes to perform Dark Side in its entirety in real time didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated by anyone in attendance—and it comes through even stronger via the recorded tracks than it did onstage.
The task also highlights that the band shows brilliance in production. A guest appearance from vocalist Sara Jane, who often performs with Pink Talking Phish, delivered both a haunting and flawless performance in “Great Gig in the Sky.” In addition, Harris and Funktional Flow’s Joey Lewis (guitar) returned throughout the second set for various appearances on Dark Side.
What’s most impressive about the Dark Side portion of this release is the band’s attention to detail during the live performance. It’s the small things that add up. The tiny ways they managed to build the layers in a live setting to simulate the studio recordings are so on point that at times you forget that this recording isn’t hours of multiple layer tracking or looping.
Dan Brace from Sonic Farm Studios recorded, produced and engineered the release. As he told NYS Music, getting the stars to align for a releasable recording isn’t an easy task. “With live material we only have one shot at getting a good take,” he said. “We have to be certain every mic and every channel is functioning.”
And in listening to the release (although there is obvious crowd noise and a slight airiness to the vocals) those tend to be the only indication that this is a live recording—a testament to both Brace, who has spent almost two decades mastering this type of audio skill, as well as to the band. Aqueous is so tuned into playing by instinct that they seem to never play live without crystal-clear direction. And although this makes Brace’s job much easier, he mixes the album with studio-quality flare.
In the time since Aqueous released “Cycles” in October 2014, the band has continued to mature and grow as musicians. On the vocal front, lead guitarist and main vocalist Mike Ganzter has gained a smooth, milky richness to his vocal quality; it’s partially vocal maturity but also a nod to vocal exploration and practice. In “Mulligans,” Gantzer handles the vocals as if the song were his own. On guitar, Gantzer continues to be one of the most talked about musicians among his peers. He creates a sound all of his own, as if his guitar is simply weeping with joy.
David Loss not only handles guitar and vocal duties but also keys and synth. In listening to this release, it’s his nuances that bring out the best of the Dark Side recording but also the best of Aqueous’s original material. He seems to always know where he is in regards to complementing his fellow musicians. It’s a mind-numbing skill to have as a musician to be able to understand that sometimes less is more, or that layers are built on levels, but that in order to build a deep sound, the levels can’t all be the same.
Bassist Evan McPhaden works bass lines with an incredibly funky yet steady pace. At the band’s quieter moments, it’s McPhaden’s impish style that often sneaks in sending the music back to an edgier path. A good bass line lays down the grooves that get a crowd moving. Even the most hi-def shred guitar works need solid driving bass behind it to truly make it magical. And in that layer creation, McPhaden always finds a way to keep the music driving forward.
When you talk about Aqueous’ technical skill, it goes beyond musicianship. And their ability to “produce” their music in real-time is most impressive. Even in mid jam, they work out musical nuances that truly reflect the ebb and flow of their moniker. It is in their live show that this technical skill truly shines.
Fans of the band already know that this album is a must-have addition to any music collection. To the casual listener, Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz is a perfect introduction to the band. Sonic Farm Presents: Aqueous Halloween 2015 – Dark Side of Oz is available for unlimited listener streaming through the Bandcamp app.
Key Tracks: “King for a Day,” “Great Gig in the Sky,” “Mulligans,” “Money”
Some Kind of Jam 11, which will be taking place April 22-24 in Schuykill Haven, Pennsylvania, has announced its initial lineup.
The three-day event takes place just 20 miles northwest of Reading and will feature four stages and 31 musical acts. Since 2005, Jibberjazz festivals has been hosting the event. Headliners the New Mastersounds will offer their unique blend of funk/soul/jazz fusion, while the recently reunited RAQ brings an added element of excitement to the bill. Buffalo groove rock masters Aqueous were also announced.
The weekend will include a variety of music including jam, funk, bluegrass, folk, blues, rock, reggae and jazz. In addition to live music, festival-goers will have many activities to choose from including various workshops, light shows, fire performances and yoga. The family friendly event will also include a kids’ area and activities.
The weekend event is located on a 60-acre fairground that includes indoor and outdoor stages, camping, permanent restrooms and showers as well as nature trails, trout fishing and electricity access for RVs. Additional information about the festival, venue and tickets is available through Jibberjazz.
Complete Some Kind of Jam 11 Line-Up
THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS
RAQ
JASON RICCI & THE BAD KIND
MIKE DILLON BAND
BANDITOS
AQUEOUS
THE BIG DIRTY
SHOKAZOBA
GANG OF THIEVES
BLACK MASALA
CAPTAIN GREEN
ON THE SPOT TRIO
YOSEMIGHT
DESMOND JONES
THE PLATE SCRAPERS
THE JAKOB’S FERRY STRAGGLERS
STRANGE MECHANICS
THE HAWK OWLS
LOVANOVA
HEXBELT
THIS WAY TO THE EGRESS
APPALACHIAN GYPSY TRIBE
BONZO TERKS
UNCLE JAKE & THE 18 WHEEL GANG
KATE VARGAS & THE RECKLESS DAUGHTERS
COSMIC COWBOY SOWING CIRCLE
HEZEKIAH JONES
MATEO MONK
GILLIAN GROGAN
OLDS SLEEPER
KNITEBITCH
When Borg Party converged on Buffalo Iron Works to a packed house, no one really knew what to expect. If you expected the obvious, a simple fusion of the super group’s respective sounds, you would have been slightly disappointed. When Rob Compa (Dopapod), Mike Gantzer (Aqueous), Mickey Carrubba (Turkuaz), James Searl (Giant Guerilla Panda Dub Squad) and Wiley O’Riley (The Niche) took the stage, surprisingly, they offered something very different. Borg Party was a masterclass in improvisational jazz subtly infused with a soulful yet intensive rock union.
The night was about five incredibly talented musicians playing some of their favorite tunes. The evening’s set list included rare, odd and surprising covers and a chance for these musicians to play the music that inspires them . “I was planning on coming home for the week of Christmas to visit my parents,” Compa told NYS Music. “So I figured I would call up some people whose playing I really love, who are from western New York and put together a couple shows just to have some fun and blow off some steam. That is really pretty much the whole point.”
The evening began with “Rise of the Borg”, an original composition written by O’Riley for the evening. Aqueous guitarist Dave Loss sat in during a playful version of Grant Green’s “Flood in Lincoln Park”. Borg Party also opted to play musical tributes to John Scofield, Buddy Miles and The Beatles.
Champagne Brown (The Swooners, The Niche), who has been singing with O’Riley since her teens, joined the band on stage during a rousing cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You”. Her stunning yet strong vocals were the perfect complement to the band’s solid and dialed in musical focus. She also lent vocals on the night’s encore of James Brown’s “Sex Machine”.
Despite running a set list of mostly covers, Borg Party never lent itself to sound unrehearsed or unsure – a true testament to their talent as studied musicians. The five members of the super group all prepared on their own. “We’ve had a big e-mail chain of cover ideas,” Compa told NYSMusic before the show, ”We’re all just learning stuff on our own and we’re gonna see how it goes.”
Watching Borg Party play was a fascinating musical classroom. With the five members having only pre-show rehearsal time together, they were more reliant on the purity of improvisational cues showing that improvisational music really is as much about instinct as it is preparation.
The set list and tone of the night was much more mellow than anticipated. The song selection was a history lesson with a majority of the evening’s covers having been originally released before 1980. The deep track set list also reflected that the five members of Borg Party are more than just studied musicians, but also music fans.
Compa and Gantzer, who have previously played together on several occasions including this summer’s Aquapod set at Buffalove, have an incredible on-stage chemistry. It is clear that these two have a deep respect for each other’s talent.
Borg Party was a two night only engagement at Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo and Flour City Station in Rochester. According to Compa, the group doesn’t have plans for future dates. When asked if Borg Party could surface again, Compa simply stated, “I guess we’ll see how it goes and then take it from there. For now, though, just those two.”
Buffalo Setlist: Rise of the Borg (Willy O’Riley), Them Changes (Buddy Miles), Chank (John Scofield), Since I’ve Been Loving You* (Led Zeppelin), Flood in Franklin Park^ (Grant Green cover), Hey Bulldog (Beatles), Back at the Chicken Shack (Jimmy Smith), Offspring (John Scofield), Circles (Incubus)
E: Sex Machine* (James Brown)
*w/ Champagne Brown on vocals, ^w/ Dave Loss from Aqueous on guitar
The live recording of Aqueous’ 
David Loss not only handles guitar and vocal duties but also keys and synth. In listening to this release, it’s his nuances that bring out the best of the Dark Side recording but also the best of Aqueous’s original material. He seems to always know where he is in regards to complementing his fellow musicians. It’s a mind-numbing skill to have as a musician to be able to understand that sometimes less is more, or that layers are built on levels, but that in order to build a deep sound, the levels can’t all be the same.