NYS Music 20​16

Tag: buffalo

  • The Goo Goo Dolls Return Home to Buffalo

    Darien Lake was the loudest it had been all year. Our boys returned home as the Goo Goo Dolls originated in Buffalo over 20 years ago. Chatting with local Buffalonians you hear stories from how “we partied together back in the day” to “I remember when they first started out.” I have roots tied back to them from when my uncle used to work with Robby and Rzeznik at local bars back when they first started. Among their pre-set mix was Rose Royce’s “Car Wash,” a warped reference to their 1993 release “Superstar Carwash.”

    Rzeznik continued to thank Buffalo. Saying “you believed in us when nobody gave a shit.” The set was a vigorous with a blend of old and newer material, opening with “Over and Over.”  You could see pure happiness on Robby`s face as he bounced around on all over overlooking “This is perfect,” Rzeznik would say during the show, “This is exactly what summer is supposed to be like. It’s all good.”
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    Collective Soul turned up the heat; they were the best direct support Goo`s could have asked for. Ed Roland, frontman of CS had a lot to say that evening; and it was about mid-set that lead him to say what might’ve been on the minds of many. “We started in the ’90s; we are NOT of the ’90s. We still fucking rock.” The band played their newest single “See What You Started by Continuing,” the third ever performance of the song. The band dedicated their closer, “The World I Know,” to The Tragically Hip, a touching gesture and moment in the flawless set.

    Tribe Society stick out a bit on a lineup with Collective Soul and The Goo Goo Dolls. However, they quickly got the audience on their side by playing “1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins. The crowd also enjoys the flute player running around the stage is a cool unique feature of this band. Vocalist Gavin took a minute to thank us photographers and how hard we work. That was highly appreciated and not a common gesture by any means.

  • Buffalove Music Festival 2016: Photo Gallery

    Buffalove Music Festival, held in Westfield, NY July 29-31, 2016 was another huge success, with incredible performances all around. The new location for the fourth year festival had the benefit of shaded camping, perfect for a late summer festival.

    buffalove music festivalBoss Tweed and the Carpetbaggers (Mike Gantzer, Evan McPhaden, and Nick Sonricker) wearing Mexican wrestling masks, cut off jeans, and no shirts, with Evan destroying a watermelon on stage, much to the delight of the fans. David Loss later joined this now-original Aqueous lineup, but not before being encouraged to shed his shirt and shred with them.

    buffalove music festivalAquaFlow (Aqueous and Funktional Flow members) combined for another memorable set, while Broccoli Samurai, Consider the Source, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, EOTO, Formula 5 and Mister F performed their usual firebrand sets for the 716 crowd, while Jimkata had an exceptional amount of smiles in the crowd during their set.

    For another year of Buffalove, a small fest for the thriving Western New York jamband fans, the great weather added to the weekend’s vibe, as did meeting up with old friends and new, including plenty of AQuaintances who packed the stage for every Aqueous set throughout the weekend.

    This photo gallery is dedicated to Keith Rahaim. May he rest in peace.

  • Disturbed Turns up the Heat at Darien Lake

    It was a hot humid day this past Sunday at Darien Lake. In turn made some people harbor inside with the AC not to be seen until the temperature cools down and we can breathe easy again.  That didn’t stop rock fans from coming out and enjoying the top notch lineup that was about to implode the venue.

    Saint Asonia is a new name to the music scene, but the musicians in it are rather seasoned. Staind‘s Mike Mushok, Dark New Day‘s Corey Lowery and former Finger Eleven drummer Rich Beddoe help make up the group. With only one album out people had an idea of what to expect, though they threw a Three Days Grace song in the mix. I was highly impressed by this band and how tight they were. The stage presence was good but could use some work. Please don’t become a one trick pony. There is too much talent and years left for that. Though with the heat wave of 89 degrees we had, let’s dismiss this performance for lack of movement from some members.

    Alter Bridge, was formed from the ashes of Creed in 2004. Alter bridge came at you with tons of emotion from the moment they hit the stage. Myles Kennedy, whose voice, sounds radiantly clear despite moving continuously around from stage left to stage right. Adrenaline was running high at this point, and there was more to come. Mark Tremonti really knows how to schmooze the crowd with his killer smile and flawless guitar riffs. The rest of the set-list was a compilation of songs from of all their previous productions, but it was arranged in a manner that kept it agile and very engaging.

    Breaking Ben has been a heavy hitter in the scene for years. They have had their fair share of problems recently and have made somewhat of a comeback but seem to be slightly struggling. Not quite sure if the heat was getting to the bands that night but Breaking Ben vocally was not on their game. He didn’t quite hit the notes he typically does but we all have our off days. That didn’t stop the fans from loving every moment of the show. They sat and had a collection of their best songs ranging from all the catalogs. Fans sang along to ever y last one of them despite his diminished vocal ability.

    This band brings it each and every time they come to town, Disturbed has been dominating the rock scene for just short of 25 years; 22 years to be exact, only 20 of those years contained David. Disturbed brought extra heat with them that night with a pyrotechnics that could be felt from the back rows of the venue. David brought his deep heavy hitting vocals and was on point the entire night. He ranged from his older favorite tunes and even played a new song for the engaged crowd. He also did his rendition of “Sound of Silence” who was originally written by Simon and Garfunkel.  This seems to be his newest bit and people either love it or hate it; there is no in between. Regardless, his entire performance was one for the books and Buffalonians will always welcome him with open arms anytime he wants to come to Buffalo.

  • Kerfuffle Sells Out 3 Years In A Row

    This past Saturday was one of the most scorching days of the year. It also happened to fall on Kerfuffle’s third birthday. Kerfuffle is the creation of Alternative Buffalo 107.7 FM. This has sold out every year so far, they bring a selection of popular alternative bands from different sub genres. They have nailed it every year thus far.

    LA, rockers, The Moth and the Flame kicked things off this year. What makes TMTH such a distinct and fun band to listen to is their fearlessness and originality. They are not afraid to do what they want to do. They aren’t a cookie cutter pop band. There is the grittiness of Robbins’ vocals which glisten on the band’s recordings but give their performance life and depth.

    Coleman Hell was certainly not what I expected when he first appeared onstage. The only song I knew by him was his radio hit “Two Heads”. That was the black sheep of his song list. Everything else was very much different and percussion-heavy synth-pop. He appeared on stage in a paisley 70`s bright colored suit, that look straight out of the 70`s. He was a very spiritual individual and talked about the energy being overwhelmingly positive at the event.

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    Pvris (Pronouned as Paris) is a band that shows no signs of stopping. They have continuously been moving up the ranks and stealing the spotlight left and right. Today was an exception, they definitely brought their game but not their A, maybe B-.The vocals were great but she didn’t hit the high notes that she typically does, which gave it a less sensation to the song.

    Madisen Ward and the Momma bear were a breath of fresh air. Hailing from Kansas City, the duo performed lively, soulful acoustic folk tunes side-by-side for Madisen takes the lead on most of the verses, but his mother certainly held her own.

    New Politics come to Buffalo what seems like several times a year. They sell out each and every time. The band is based out of Brooklyn, NY. The love the audience had for this band is undeniable; it is clear as to why. Front man David Boyd gets the crowd to its feet and is quite the hype man. He has full faith in his fans and lets them carry him away into the crowd as far as they’ll take him. Dave`s famous acrobatic moves our ones you find in a hip hop studio; he does head spins and somersaults with the greatest of ease! Grant it some of their stuff is something you will find at every show they do, but if its not broke why fix it? These guys stole the show as they do every time.

    The Strumbellas are a six piece Canadian based band that played for the first time in Buffalo. They are alternative country rock but didn’t seem to woo the audience; they were rather uninterested in the bands performance. It’s hard to follow heavier hitter the New Politics.

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    Bloc Party are all the way from England, they had some technical difficulties after the first song. Even the first song you could tell there was trouble but they pushed through it. Lead singer Kele apologized a couple times saying “Buffalo doesn’t deserve this”. Buffalonians do what they do best and screamed from the crowd saying its ok and that they’ll wait, not in the sarcastic tone either; in the true we support you because this kind of stuff happens tone. After what seemed like the longest seven minutes of Bloc Party`s life they got their sound system working again. Once they did you could still sense the aggravation in the way they looked but they came back with what they could pull from the wreckage, which was restless punk ska music that had hints of old school wrapped up neatly into it.

    The Violent Femmes are a flash back from the past for some people. I think most of us know the song “Blister in the Sun”. That dates back all the way to 1983. The guys are well seasoned and casual dressers for the most part. They haven’t changed a bit vocally from when they first began according the people who have known them from day 1. They had the crowd to singing a good handful of their songs and the main audience was roughly between the ages 16-30.

    Awolnation, where do we begin? Let’s start by saying the entrance was one to catch attention. Lights were turned down low with a blueish hint haze. A woman dressed in a vintage looking space helmet, wearing a long black robe carrying a lantern appeared on stage. You can find her on their “Beautiful Things” music video as well. No words were spoken just haunting music. Then as quickly as she came she disappeared. As soon as that happened the audience knew it was time to get this party started; not that it hadn’t already. Front man and brain child Aaron Bruno took to the stage with the rest of his mates and when the bass dropped to start the chorus, the crowd erupted to pandemonium that would not cease until the night’s end. It was also refreshing to see a group of musicians who were so musically bound. There were moments of improvisation and jam band style expansions of songs. “Sail” stands out as an example of a song that sounds much stronger live than on the album.  The song set was nothing short of impressive; their performance guaranteed more sellout crowds on return trips through Buffalo.

    Kerfuffle was a success this year, the staff managed to keep their composure while aiding in keeping everyone cool hydrated and happy. The fans soaked up just about every performance that night and the headliner did not disappoint. Hopefully they can keep selling out and keep bringing heavy hitting bands that are relevant like they are doing now. Great job Alternative Buffalo, Kerfuffle is one to compete with.

  • Hearing Aide: Tasha Taylor “Honey For the Biscuit”

     

    Tasha Taylor’s third album Honey for the Biscuit

    Tasha Taylor is bearing her heart and her love of soul and blues in her third album Honey for the Biscuit. Daughter of American vocalist Johnnie Taylor, Tasha released her third album in February 2016. The 13-track disc infused with soul and blues, funk and pop, is the perfect vehicle for Tasha’s powerful yet measured vocals and instrumentation.

    “It’s soulful blues and good storytelling, but it also has something you can shake your butt to here and there,” said Tasha.  

    Honey For The Biscuit features a star-studded line-up. Tasha is joined by Keb Mo on Track 03 “Family Tree,” Robert Randolph contributes to Track 06 “Little Miss Susie” and Tommy Castro lends his vocals for Track 13 “Same Old Thing.”

    “I think being on tour and doing so much live music with these blues artists inspired me on Honey for the Biscuit to find my own blues,” she said. “Most of the songs I wrote on my guitar. I felt inspired by these guys. If I heard something I thought they’d be perfect for, I’d call them up and ask them if they had time.”

    Track 10 “Leave That Dog Alone,”  features a sultry and salty duet with Samantha Fish about kicking a man to the curb.

    “Had a Sweet Talking Man. Had to let him go. He wouldn’t leave other women alone. He wouldn’t stop, messing round on me. I had to throw his stuff out on the street. Better leave, better leave, cause his back, his back, his back ain’t got no bone.”

    The Blues Caravan, featuring Ruf recording artists Ina Forsman, Layla Zoe and Tasha Taylor, rolls into Rochester at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at Abilene’s Bar in Rochester.
    The Blues Caravan, featuring Ruf recording artists Ina Forsman, Layla Zoe and Tasha Taylor, rolls into Rochester at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at Abilene’s Bar in Rochester.

    Nathan Watts, best known as Stevie Wonder’s bassist for 30 years, helped produce the album, pulling together a band for the studio recording including Tasha’s brother John Taylor on guitar. Tasha also collaborated with Richard Flemming and Grammy award-winning Buffalo native rock, country and blues artist Tom Hambridge on the songs “Weatherman,”  “How Long” and “Leave that Dog Alone” during a traditional Nashville songwriting session.

    A fireball of energy, actor/musician, Tasha is fresh off a European tour promoting her album and from starring in “The Heart of Soul…The Stax Musical,” about the record label with which her father recorded with Booker T. & the MG’s.

    Tasha rolls into Rochester with the Blues Caravan at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at Abilene’s Bar in Rochester along with fellow Ruf label artists Ina Forsman and Layla Zoe. Click here for information and advance tickets.

    Key Tracks: Little Miss Susie, Leave That Dog Alone, Family Tree, That Man

  • Miranda Lambert Brings the Sass to Darien Lake

    Keeper of the Flame is Miranda Lambert’s 2016 tour, and she brought some friends with her to Darien Lake on June 23. Brothers Osborne kicked things off, but didn’t kick things off right. They did not get the crowd engaged, and more so, their commentary was rather off-putting. Regardless, some of the crowd loved it and that’s what matters, making your fans happy.

    Kip Moore doesn’t quite fit into the country genre per say. He’s got the looks and charisma a country star might have but the raspy pipes of rocker. Regardless, he fit in and blew the opener away. He’s still in his infancy only being signed four years ago by MCA Nashville. Moore already has quite following and had some diehard fans singing along to almost every song. He belted some well-known songs like his very first single “Something ‘Bout a Truck” and his most played on the radio “Running for You.” Give him a few years and he’ll be ready to be the headliner of the shows.

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    As the lights went down the crowd began to scream, and a video that flaunted girl power featuring history icons from the decades sprawled across the screen, while Beyonce’s “Run the World” song played over the speakers. As the old saying goes, if you got it, flaunt it — and Lambert did just dazzling with a set that included each of the hits that have kept her name high atop the charts for the past decade, along with some new never heard before songs. Given that she writes much of her own music, Lambert let her songs do the talking from the stage and treated fans with tales of hard living, lost love, hope and happiness that made for an alluring evening of music.

  • Frank Turner Gets Buffalo’s Canalside to its Feet

    Fans couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day in Buffalo on June 16. Canalside hosts free concerts every Thursday evening, and they bring some big-name acts to town. And this night was no exception, as event-goers had the honor of seeing Frank Turner and July Talk on the same bill at Canalside.

    Uncle Ben’s Remedy was the chosen show opener; this group has been making a name for themselves around town, whether it’s winning voting-based competitions or playing for fundraisers. UBR got the crowd engaged and started a good ole fashioned hoedown. While most of their lyrics may be slightly shallow and not have much depth to them, the enthusiasm the band gives off is contagious.

    July Talk has built their band on contrasts. Case in point: their sound blends the raspy, alpha-male roar of Peter Dreimanis’ vocals that graze the honeyed sounds of Leah Fay. During the show, Fay appeared onstage with a plastic red tray that was full of cannolis; she was gracious enough to hand some to the photographers, then proceeded to throw a few into the crowd. Any hesitation that may have been felt about July Talk’s live show appeared halfway through the set. Their radio hits “Guns + Ammunition” and “Summer Dress” was played with much intensity, but then they seemed to lose their enthusiasm when it came to the lesser-known songs like “Blood and Honey.”

    Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls are quite the crowd pleasers. There was no pause, no downbeat, no breather in any moment of the show. A 22-song setlist blew by like the steamy yet refreshing breeze that precedes a train, as it rushes toward the station — in all the right ways, in this case. The audience was fully engaged, and almost everyone in the room knew the words to every song. Turner’s banter was expeditious and friendly. He demands your attention and demands that everyone be nice to each other and treat each other with respect; he stressed it even more given the recent tragic events in Orlando. The vast majority of the floor had hands high, clapping or first-pumping, and bodies moving the entire time.

  • Catfish and the Bottlemen Light Up Buffalo’s Town Ballroom

    With the recent release of their sophomore album, The Ride, Catfish and the Bottlemen are rising to stardom quite quickly. On June 2, fans eagerly waited up and down the pavement for the Town Ballroom’s doors to open, where Catfish and the Bottlemen would be playing for a sold-out crowd.

    They have the uncanny ability to make every song feel like an encore. From the first note played to the very last, Catfish and the Bottlemen created a vibe in the Town Ballroom that is unprecedented in the music scene. At their colorful best, they were indie without indie dowdiness. The group’s latest singles “Soundcheck” and “7” ignited two of the loudest sing-alongs of the night. The energy and enthusiasm of the band did not falter, as the audience lapped up every moment.

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    Formed in Llandudno, Wales, almost nine years ago, Catfish and the Bottlemen have been working their way steadily through the ranks. Describing their new album as “stadium rock,” it is in their live performances that Catfish and the Bottlemen prove their worth. At times, frontman Van McCann didn’t even need to bother singing, stepping away from the microphone and listening to his lyrics — mainly about relationships, booze and hangovers — being chanted back at him. As rock stars, they’re unapologetically traditional, and they’re breathing new life into the genre. There is a reason why they are currently one of the most in-demand rock bands at the moment.

    The Naturalists had been added to the bill only shortly before the doors opened. These guys lit the crowd up, and were a perfect opener. The garage-alt Buffalo natives finally had a moment to shine in front of a sold-out crowd of new fans and continued supporters.

    Catfish and the Bottlemen will roll through the Empire State again this fall with an Oct. 18 show at New York City’s Terminal 5.

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  • Buffalo’s Intrepid Travelers Hold Inaugural IT Fest

    13256114_10208273322704495_5022688047362925033_nIf you haven’t heard of the Buffalo-based quartet Intrepid Travelers yet, expect that to change. Forming in Buffalo in 2013, after two years the band seems to be hitting their stride with IT Fest. Intrepid Travelers consists of David Neimanis (bass/vocals), Brian Calisto (guitar/vocals), Donny Frauenhofer (keys/vocals) and Jon Fohl (drums/vocals).

    They held their first festival event on Sat., June 11. The event took place on the property of Josh Skowronski in Alden, NY. IT Fest offered camping, a variety of vendors and three long sets of Intrepid Travelers throughout the day—all on private property with nature trails and a nearby creek.

    The first two sets were a mixture of original songs with a few covers thrown in the mix. The last set they covered MGMT’s album Oracular Spectacular from start to finish. They put their own twist on the album, showing fans a side of the band that they might not be aware of.

    David Neimanis had this to say about IT Fest:

    We want to thank all those that attended this first-time event. We look forward to doing many more of these, and allowing this festival to organically grow with all of us. Josh really went above and beyond to put this together, and we couldn’t have asked for a better host. We are also incredibly grateful that mother nature had our backs and proved all the forecasters wrong by giving us a beautiful day. None of this would have been possible without all the help from sound engineers Ryan Bress and Tyler Dieckman, our volunteers and all the good people who came out and respected the land. It feels great to connect people together through music, and we are thrilled by the positive we received from everyone. We really can’t wait to have more Intrepid Travelers’ Family Reunions.”

    The band is headlining an event at Neitzsche’s in Bufflalo on June 25, and will be heading out on a month-long tour starting July 8 in Ithaca, NY, and a July 9 hometown show at the Lockhouse. The tour will take them across the country and back, before closing out with a performance in East Aurora, NY, on Aug. 19.

    intrepid travelers summer tour

    The music scene in Buffalo is alive and thriving. Intrepid Travelers are a fine example of this, and they have the pieces in place to make some noise in the music world.

    6/11/16 Setlist

    Set 1: Cities^ Maddy and Anna, Dark Disease > Funnel > Shake Your Body#
    ^ Talking Heads
    # Jackson 5

    Set 2: On the Grass, All About It, Conquistadors, Randoh’s Island > Lochs of Dread*# Jungle Boogie^
    * Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
    # featuring Phil Driesin on guitar
    ^ Kool and the Gang

    Set 3: Time to Pretend* Weekend Wars* > The Youth* Electric Feel* > Kids* > 4th Dimensional Transition* > Pieces of What* Of Moons, Birds and Monsters* > The Handshake* Future Reflections* Kung Fu Fighting % Woolify, Photo Booth, Youth, Stayin’ Alive^ Mountain Man
    * MGMT
    % Carl Douglas
    ^ Bee Gees

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  • Hearing Aide: Devon Allman ‘Ragged and Dirty’

    Life on the road, the sights in the rearview mirror and the hard lessons learned along the way, Devon Allman and his latest album Ragged and Dirty is the perfect soundtrack to crank on the speakers over a nice long summer road trip, perhaps one marked with a few stops at some biker bars and dives.

    Devon Allman’s latest album “Ragged & Dirty” debuted at #4 on the Billboard Blues Charts upon its release on Ruf Recording last October.

    Raised in Texas by his mother, Shelley, he did not meet his famous father, Gregg Allman, until he was 16 years old. Now 43, he’s been touring nationally and has released eight albums with bands including Honeytribe and Royal Southern Band.

    Ragged and Dirty, Allman’s third solo work, debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Blues Charts upon its release on Ruf Records last October. It’s produced by Grammy winner Tom Hambridge, who also co-wrote three songs on the album. Allman shakes the dust off his father’s signature style of guitar-driven blues and rock and infuses it with his own modern, hard-hitting licks and powerful lyrics in this latest incarnation.

    You can almost feel the grit in your teeth throughout this professional, polished album, which runs the gamut of styles from country roots in track one, “Half the Truth,” to blues and rock n’ roll with a slight edge of funkiness in the album’s title track 11, “Ragged and Dirty.” Get lost in the soulful, sultry steam guitar-laden sixth track, “Midnight Lake Michigan,” and then find yourself in the honky-tonk stylings of track 10, “Times Have Changed.”

    A highlight for me was track number three, “Leavin’,” which reminds me of a mix of Joe Cocker and the Allman Brothers Band in a song about running away from the same old problems and falling into old routines. A solid rock n’ roll journey with heartfelt lyrics, it’s a great song for a road trip without a destination.

    The seventh tune, “Ten Million Slaves,” a song about the journey and trials faced by millions of slaves as they were ripped from their homeland and brought to America to be sold, came as a timely surprise as the original A&E mini-series “Roots” recently aired on television.

    Track 10, “Times Have Changed,” is a good reminder to stay relevant and not get caught up in looking back on the past and making up your mind to change things. As the lyrics note, “I’d do anything you say, and now there ain’t no way/ That was yesterday, and times have changed/You’ve got to pick and choose, and I was bound to lose, but I’ve got some news for you, times have changed.”

    Track 12, “Leave the City,” is the perfect way to wrap up this album, with Allman’s soothingly familiar voice gently commingled with sounds of a resonator guitar seeping through to wash you clean, as you leave the dirty city for land of riversides and mountain tops.

    It’s clear this an album inspired by life on the road. To steal a line from the fifth song, “a road runner baby, Citadel platinum frequent flier,” Allman brings his tour to New York with a June 15 show at Iron Works in Buffalo, at the Wescott Theater in Syracuse on June 16 and Albany’s Empire State Plaza on June 29. Catch him before he travels on.

    Key Tracks: Times Have Changed, Midnight Lake Michigan, Leave the City