Tag: show review

Jerry Douglas: A Man, a Microphone, and a Dobro

Last Friday, December 2 was an absolute treat for everyone that went to The Warehouse in Fairfield, Connecticut. The night was even a pleasant surprise for renowned dobro player Jerry Douglas, saying he was “shocked people wanted to sit through an hour and a half of dobro music.” His hour and a half spread over two hours after the crowd begged for more and gave him a standing ovation at the end of his performance. No more than 100 people were in attendance which made for a very intimate show, intimate enough that he came out after his set and met almost everyone that showed up.

He played some of his own highly improvised original songs, told hysterical stories, talked with the audience mid-show, joking about how there’s some parts of his songs that he wish he never wrote, and completely opened up to everyone there about his personal life. He shared stories from how his late and most beloved dog inspired him to not walk off stage if he thinks there will be an encore, to how he wrote a song in spite of Maurice Sendak, because his famous book Where the Wild Things Are scared his children when he read it as a goodnight story. “I’m going to write a song about it, get rich and get back at Maurice Sendak at the same time. Neither of those things happened.” And that’s how his song “Wild Rumpus” came to be.

To get a sense of why this was a huge surprise to see such a small turn out, one must do some homework and will appreciate the amount of time and dedication Douglas has clocked in since his start in the 1970’s. He’s worked with a plethora of world renowned artists from Ray Charles to Eric Clapton, Paul Simon to Dolly Parton and countless more, while still writing his own music and performing alongside Alison Krauss and Union Station. He has won numerous Grammy’s, many of which were awarded to his work with Union Station and some for his original recordings. He’s a Country Music Hall of Fame member, won three CMA Musician of the Year awards and a copious amount of International Bluegrass Music Association awards over the past three decades. Simply put, he’s damned good, and so was his performance last Friday.

He played for two hours and had every soul in the house engaged for every minute he was on stage, partly because of his raw talent, but mostly because almost every song had a story behind it. He started with a short introduction and immediately everyone felt a connection with him. He opened with “A New Day,” a soft and sultry song with a perfect balance of country twang, moving to a cover of “Foggy Mountain Rock,” a recording Douglas said was made in order to compete with Elvis who had at the time was the center of attention in the music world and was, “ruining it for everybody.” This time, his fingers started flying across the frets and still managed to keep a steady melody. It blew the audience away.

He continued on through the night performing his original song “Peaceful Return” which was unsurprisingly peaceful, simple and serene, and onto a cover of “Hey Joe” by Hendrix and many more covers from musicians he’s worked with and ones he hasn’t. Each one was special because of the attachment Douglas had to it and knowing the backstory of each song he played made it so much more meaningful to the audience, encapturing them in a way that was never thought to be possible.

He played about 12 songs total, and every one had a unique sound, which is an incredible feat using just one instrument. An assortment of loop and effects pedals contributed to that accomplishment, but an untrained eye would pay no mind to it and would be simply blown away by his talent and charm.

It’s fair to assume Douglas does not have a lot of down time, so it’s undetermined when he will be touring again, but he is definitely someone to keep an eye on. His plethora of recordings are available on Spotify as well as iTunes and is worth investing some time into.

December 7, 2016
Saranac 2016 Concert Series ‘Going Out in Style’ with Dropkick Murphys

Saranac Brewery in Utica closed out its 2016 summer concert series with a bang Wednesday night. Dropkick Murphys’ 20th anniversary tour rolled into Varick Street, leaving a mass of sweaty and delirious flat-capped and kilted fans in its wake. The band last visited Utica in this very location on Sept. 20, 2012, and as Fred Matt mentioned when introducing the band, were the first to grace the Saranac stage in 2007.

The Celtic punk band has made a steady climb into mass consciousness since its formation in Quincy, MA in 1996. In 2004 the band re-imagined the song, “Tessie,” a song that helped push the Boston Red Sox to the first ever World Series title in 1903. The Dropkick Murphys’ version of the song is now one of three that is played at Fenway Park following each Red Sox victory.

The Murphys wear their love of hometown and the working man/woman proudly on their collective sleeves. This was made ever more present on this night when, prior to performing “Bastards on Parade” midway through the set, the band was presented with the first and only ever “You Give a Shit” Award by members of the local IBEW/CWA unit for their support of the union during the recent Verizon strike.

The show began with a rousing sing-along of the traditional Irish ballad “The Foggy Dew” and quickly escalated from there. “Out of Our Heads,” with the chant of “Here we go!” revving up the crowd, set the pace for the next hour and a half.

The Murphys faithful were given a bit of a scare early on during “Famous for Nothing,” when vocalist Al Barr took one step too many at the front of the stage and almost took a header into the pit. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and those not paying attention to the stage probably didn’t even notice the brief misstep.The band employs dual lead singers. Al Barr provides the gravelly yet melodic Oi! style vocals while band founder Ken Casey lends his slightly gentler voice to the trad-Irish and rousing pub rockers when taking leads. In addition to the boisterous front men, the band also employs some top notch musicians in drummer Matt Kelly, guitarist James Lynch and multi-instrumentalists Tim Brennan and Jeff DaRosa. Brennan is imposing and animated. Whether he’s ripping chords on lead guitar or squeezing out notes on the accordion, his tall frame looms large onstage.

It isn’t often a mosh pit forms at Saranac, but when Dropkick Murphys are in town, you can be sure one does. The pit formed early and was active throughout the night, especially when the band broke into the first song they ever recorded, “Barroom Hero.”Throughout the show, the band recognized the dedication of its fans. Casey invited one enthusiastic audience member to the stage to take his job for a song of his choice. The fan traveled from Raleigh, NC to see the band and Casey recognized him as one of their most die hard fans as he allowed him to take the lead on “Devil’s Brigade.” Following the performance, Casey said of the aspiring vocalist, “What he lacks in melody, he makes up for in enthusiasm.” A big hug between them sealed the arrangement and the fan headed back to the crowd.

The Murphys’ affinity for boxing is not a secret. Their 2005 album The Warrior’s Code was dedicated to Lowell, MA light welterweight fighter “Irish” Mickey Ward. Ward is most famous for his three epic battles versus Arturo Gatti in the early 2000s, fights that are still discussed in boxing circles today. Casey has even formed his own boxing promotion company, Murphys Boxing, promoting Danny O’Connor and Spike O’Sullivan.

The International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, a quick drive up I-90 from Utica. Barr recognized the museum’s Executive Director Ed Brophy, who was one of the night’s attendees, as the band broke into the titular song from their Mickey Ward-inspired album to a roar from the crowd.

The biggest surprise of the night was when the opening notes of the Cars’ “Just What I Needed” began. Some with puzzled faces looked around for recognition of the song, while others of older vintage immediately recognized the Boston new wavers’ song. This one wasn’t too well-received by those in attendance, at least not those who were the most vocal the majority of the night, but it was a nice surprise to hear it mixed into the setlist.

The set ended with the high energy songs the band has made its trademark beginning with “Rose Tattoo,” a Murphys original that could easily be mistaken for a trad-Irish song. Originally released on the band’s 2013 Signed and Sealed in Blood album, the band re-recorded it with Bruce Springsteen for the For Boston Charity EP to benefit the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013. A ripping version of “Going Out in Style,” a song that will be played at many a Murphys fans’ funeral in future years, followed.Starting with the most famous banjo notes to open a song, the unmistakable “The State of Massachusetts” whipped up the crowd and the mosh pit and merged into the traditional “The Irish Rover” to close the set.

While encores are a given these days, the crowd still found it advantageous to encourage the band to return to the stage with the “Let’s go Murphys!” chant heard at each show. The band returned after a brief rest to Brennan’s accordion intro of the Woody Guthrie penned “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” a song made famous for its inclusion in Martin Scorsese’s Irish mob movie The Departed and a song that has become synonymous with Boston itself.

Continuing the fan-love, Casey invited all the ladies in the house to join the boys onstage for their last call classic, “Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced.” Suddenly the Saranac stage was packed with fans bouncing and singing along to Casey’s ode to the beer goggles.

Casey then chose one lucky female fan to sing the parts of the modern day Murphys’ version of the Pogues classic “Fairytale of New York.” While the guest vocalist required some assistance with the lyrics from Casey, the fan held her own surprisingly well, much to the delight of those in attendance.

The night, and Saranac’s summer concert series, ended with a cover of the Sam Cooke soul classic “Having a Party” and a party it was, and there was no better way to finish off the summer. The crowd was left wanting more, exactly what Dropkick Murphys were striving for.

Dropkick Murphys Setlist: Out of Our Heads, The Boys Are Back, Famous for Nothing, The Gang’s All Here, Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya, Sunshine Highway, Sunday Hardcore Matinee, Bastards on Parade, Worker’s Song, As One, Cruel, Barroom Hero, Devil’s Brigade, You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Johnny Thunders cover), Memories Remain, The Warrior’s Code, The Gauntlet, Just What I Needed (the Cars cover), Rose Tattoo, Going Out in Style, The State of Massachusetts, The Irish Rover (traditional)
Encore: I’m Shipping Up to Boston, Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced, The Dirty Glass, Having a Party (Sam Cooke cover)

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September 23, 2016
KISS Brings the Freedom to Rock Tour to Rochester

It’s not often Rochester gets a massive arena rock show. On Monday August 29, the Blue Cross Arena welcomed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members, KISS on their Freedom to Rock tour. Monday night’s show marked the first time KISS had stopped in Rochester in over 15 years, the last tour being the Psycho Circus tour.

Before KISS stepped on stage to mark their return to Rochester, The Dead Daisies warmed up the crowd. To those who aren’t familiar with The Dead Daisies, they’re a pure Rock n’ Roll band that’s featured a who’s who of musicians over the years. The current lineup features singer John Corabi, lead guitarist Doug Aldrich, bassist Marco Mendoza, drummer Brian Tichy, and rhythm guitarist David Lowy. For those unfamiliar with some of the members, John Corabi was a member of Motley Crue. Doug Aldrich played guitar in Whitesnake and Dio. Marco Mendoza worked with Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy as their bass players. Finally, Brian Tichy spent some time handing drum duties for Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Idol.

The Dead Daisies played a 10 song set which featured songs from a few different albums, including their newest, Make Some Noise. Songs like “Make Some Noise,” and “Long Way to Go” were both tracks that came from last year’s album. The band also threw in some cover tracks such as “Fortunate Son,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Fans who were there early seemed to really enjoy the set. The band themselves seemed to have a great time on stage together. There were guitar picks getting thrown all around the stage and out into the crowd. To cap off their set, the band invited fans to come meet them at their merchandise booth afterwards.

Before the black curtain dropped, fans heard “Alright Rochester! You wanted the best! You got the best! The hottest band in the world, KISS!” The curtain then dropped and fireworks and smoke filled the stage while Gene, Paul and Tommy were being lifted down from their center stage platform. KISS wasted absolutely no time and opened with one of the biggest rock anthems ever, “Detroit Rock City”. Complete with pyrotechnics and fireworks, KISS brought Rochester the show it’s been waiting for.

Singer and guitarist Paul Stanley told the crowd they were getting a real rock show, without dancers humping each other, no musicians playing backstage and no backing tracks. It was incredible to see a band that started in the 70’s bring such a production and sound so good.

Before playing “God of Thunder,” Gene Simmons did his bass solo. Complete with dim lights, fog and undertaker-like music in the background, Gene’s platform in the middle of the stage rose to the top of the area. Once he was lowered back down is when the audience got to see the blood spitting and famous Simmons tongue action.

Paul did most of the talking between songs throughout the night. He told the crowd that it started to feel like a circus and welcomed everyone to the show. From that point, everyone knew that the band was about to play “Psycho Circus.” The song started out with the vintage KISS logo flashing on the giant LED screens in the background. At the end, there was another burst of fireworks like many of the previous songs.

After “Psycho Circus,” guitarist Tommy Thayer took over vocals for the song “Shock Me”. During the song, since Paul Stanley didn’t have vocals to worry about, he decided to show off his guitar skills. With all sorts of tricks up his sleeves, Stanley started playing the guitar between his legs with ease. At the end of “Shock Me,” Thayer did a guitar solo that ended with rockets being shot from the headstock of his guitar. He shot one to one side of the stage and then walked to the other side and shot a second rocket in the opposite direction. Thayer then finished off the solo in the center of the stage and shot a rocket directly up in the air.

A few songs later, Paul Stanley asked the audience, “How many of you people like to lick something?” After loud cheers back, Stanley said, “Rochester you are one dirty audience,” and the band went started “Lick It Up”. This track features more “pyro” from behind the band and lasers that shot around the venue. To add to the visual masterpiece KISS creates, drummer Eric Singer’s drum kit lifted up high in the air. Following along, the rest of the band got a lift up on their own platform in from of Singer.

When the band played “War Machine,” the LED screens had a war battle animation on them which was nicely done. The video showed a dragon that blew fire and the animation was perfectly timed with the pyrotechnics that went off on stage. KISS definitely has a great production team that helps them continue to put on one of the best live shows in the world. The end of the stage went dark with red spotlights circling around the arena. When the smoke filled the stage, Gene Simmons emerged with his lit torch and spit fire. This is something that Simmons has done for many years but never gets old and seems to always get better.

The next song of the night for Rochester was “Love Gun.” Before the song started, Paul Stanley once again took to the microphone and asked how everyone was doing so far. He went on to say how the band started in NYC and how Rochester was pretty close to home. Then Stanley said, “For all the times we’ve been here, tonight I wanna be down there with you. But you have to invite me.” After that is when Stanley got on his zipline and flew to a platform at the back of the floor next to the soundboard.

With singer and guitarist Paul Stanley still at his platform in the back of the arena, he performed a chilling guitar solo with the disco ball reflecting purple lights. This then led into the song “Black Diamond.” The song kicked off as Stanley landed back on the main stage. Simultaneously, fireworks exploded and the band did their thing. Once again, Eric Singer’s platform rose in the air and two panthers were on the LED screen to each side of Singer.

The encore kicked off slowly with the KISS classic, “Beth.” The song was sung by drummer Eric Singer who came down from his drum kit and stood front and center on the stage. Behind Singer was the rest of the band who performed the song with their acoustic instruments.

After “Beth,” the band brought out local military and gave them a salute. KISS had the crowd sing the Pledge of Allegiance before continuing to talk about their goals on the Freedom to Rock Tour. With the “KISS One Nation” on the LED screen, Stanley told the crowd that they were donating $150,o00 to the heroes. Stanley went to state that “patriotism is cool” and said “God bless America, thank you.” While the crowd roared in cheers of support, KISS started to perform the Star-Spangled Banner. Again, the center of the stage rose up with the band on board and the LED screen showed the Flag of the United States on it as more fireworks went off to help celebrate.

The evening ended in KISS fashion with “Rock and Roll All Nite.” The song was paired with endless confetti being shot from multiple areas. This was the perfect way to end the show. For those who may have missed KISS, do yourself a favor and check out their upcoming tour dates. They have plenty of shows scheduled in the New England region including shows in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

KISS Setlist: Detroit Rock City, Deuce, Shout It Out Loud, Do You Love Me, I Love It Loud, Flaming Youth, Bass Solo, God of Thunder, Psycho Circus, Shock Me, Guitar Solo (Tommy Thayer), Gold Gin, Lick It Up, War Machine, Love Gun, Guitar Solo (Paul Stanley), Black Diamond, Beth, The Star-Spangled Banner, Rock and Roll All Nite

September 2, 2016
AWOLNATION ‘Sails’ Through Upstate Concert Hall

AWOLNATION ‘sailed’ into Upstate Concert Hall on Wednesday, July 13, energizing the audience despite the imposing heat.

Kicking off the evening were L.A. natives Irontom. With flamboyant gestures and high energy, the band quickly engaged the audience and became the highlight of the three sets of the evening. Irontom consists of guitarist Zach Irons, singer Harry Hayes, bassist Dane Sandborg, drummer Dylan Williams, and Daniel Saslow on keys. Lead singer Hayes was fascinating to watch as he gestured and mimed his way through the band’s set, almost reminiscent of Cage the Elephant’s Matt Shultz.

Unfortunately for the audience, Irontom’s set was over too soon, as time constraints forced them to end before their last song. Irontom has released a compilation album of their 2012-2014 recordings. Check out their upcoming tour dates.

Following Irontom was San Francisco’s Finish Ticket, who just recently opened for Fitz and The Tantrums at UCH on June 23. While less energetic than Irontom (lead singer Brendan Hoye frequently cited the heat), Finish Ticket is reminiscent of Walk the Moon. The highlight of their set was a cover of the Killer’s “When You Were Young,” sounding perhaps better than the original.

Finally, AWOLNATION took the stage around 10pm. Consisting of front man Aaron Bruno, Kenny Carkeet on keyboards and guitar, Isaac Carpenter on drums, and bassist Marc Walloch, AWOLNATION combines electronica and rock to create a unique sound. Their second album, Run, was released in March 2015.

Opening with “Run,” the band covered the majority of the tracks from their sophomore album, while also throwing in highlights from their debut. The crowd covered all of the floor at UCH, with little room left to spare. As the night went on, the temperature rose as condensation dripped from the ceiling.

AWOLNATION didn’t let the heat slow them down, powering through “Hollow Moon,” “Not Your Fault” and “Jail Break,” joined by Irontom’s guitarist Zach Irons (replacing AWOLNATION’s Drew Stewart who left the band in September 2015), and with Irontom’s drummer Dylan Williams on one song.

The band was thankful to be there and appreciative of their audience, frequently checking in with the crowd, telling people to look out for each other, and often remarking that their music “is for everyone.”

Highlights of their set include a drum solo, the appearance of inflatable shark pool toys in the audience (which one crowd surfer climbed atop), and “Dreamers” during the encore.

The band closed the evening with a medley of “Now I Can See You” and crowd favorite “Sail.”

Setlist: Run, Hollow Moon, People, Not Your Fault, Jailbreak, Soul Wars, Windows, Kill Your Heroes, Woman Woman, All I Need, Like People, Like Plastic, Drum Solo / Burn It Down, I’m on Fire, I Am, Dreamers, Sail

Tune in below for an interview with AWOLNATION’s Aaron Bruno and Keller of WEQX, prior to their UCH appearance

August 11, 2016
Journey Review: When The Lights Go Down at SPAC, You Want to be The-e-er-ere

Leather-vested and sweat-covered, Neal Schon unearthed a solo that — even amid the political hatefest and madness of 2016 — could unite America. The SPAC lighting backdrop transformed into a slideshow montage of soldiers, flags and the like as the Journey founding member serenaded the crowd with an improvisation-heavy guitar rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Though the concert was the Fifth of July — not the Fourth — Schon’s tight fretwork and re-defining of the term “rock anthem” could be appreciated at anytime. Nearly 50 years into his musical career, he had not lost much in strum speed, not any in his tonal quality.

The masses hooted and hollered, as you might expect an upstate New York crowd to do for an homage to the troops, but the three-minute solo, just half an hour into Journey’s set, was far from the show’s sole highlight.

Without an unfair comparison to the voice of Steve Perry, lead singer Arnel Pineda’s vocals were rich, rangeless and did justice to the classics. The Filipino, now in his ninth year heading the band, was running and hopping around the stage like a man half his age for many of the upbeat songs — “Any Way You Want It” and “Wheel in the Sky”. In the slower, ballad-like hits — “Faithfully”, “Lights”, “Don’t Stop Believing” — he focused more on the notes, avoiding any pitch wavers a jump or leg-kick might cause to a sentimental song.

Drummer Steve Smith was an unsung hero of the Journey set. Smith, who backed the band from 1978 until 1985, through much of its heyday, rejoined the band this year after Deen Castronovo left in the fallout of a domestic violence arrest.

Smith’s rolls were precise and military-like and his cymbal work seemed effortless during his solo, about two-thirds through the band’s performance. The drummer, using a traditional grip for increased roll speed, may have delivered the best drum solo at the venue since 2013, the last time Neil Peart and Rush were in town; Smith’s work on the kit was simply incredible.

Journey was the third band in the night’s lineup, immediately preceded by fellow Bay Area group — and also fellow notable Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame snub — The Doobie Brothers.

A fan’s first observation of The Doobie Brothers taking the stage is likely the band’s size. With four men on guitars and basses across the front, two kit drummers in the back, and a saxophone and keyboard player too, the group’s look is imposing, and the sound was too.

The Doobie Brothers were not as sing-along as Journey was (do not be mistaken, there were more than a couple patrons joining in on “Black Water”), but instead were jamming more. Whereas Journey’s song interludes isolated individuals soloing on their instruments, The Doobie Brothers had more collective instrumental sections.

The first performance of the concert came from singer Dave Mason, originally of Traffic. Mason performed three of his own songs, including “We Just Disagree”, as well as three from Traffic.

Mason’s guitar playing showed little wear from the years, as he demonstrated ample ability. The singer closed his set with “All Along the Watch Tower”, originally by Bob Dylan and made famous by Jimi Hendrix.

July 12, 2016
The Local Rochester Train Turns Express: Joywave Steams Through Anthology

Let’s travel back a bit to a small distinctive rock club, a mainstay on the scene hosting some of the most vibrant sounds of its time and place. CBGB’s in the ’70s? No, not quite that far back, and to the north and west. We’re talking about the Bug Jar in Rochester circa 2010. Bands like Joywave, KOPPS, Maybird and Makyo Star were playing its stage regularly, drawing larger and larger crowds. These bands cut their teeth inside the club’s wavy walls, and still can be seen there from time to time. But they’re each breaking through in their own way, and Joywave showed how and why in a big local gone express show at Anthology on June 18.

The show opened with Maybird — the brainchild of longtime Rochester music scene mainstay Josh Netsky. The band made the move down to Brooklyn last year, after which they signed with Danger Mouse’s 30th Century Records and caught the ears of NPR music guru and tastemaker Bob Boilen. Their first EP on the new label, Turning Into Water, was released earlier this year, and they’re hard at work on a full length. Their psychedelic-tinged set featured the unique overhand guitar approach of Sam Snyder and the multi-talented Kurt Johnson on pedal steel, sitar and guitar. In a set featuring powerful performances of “Turning Into Water,” “Call You Mine” and “Maybird,” the real hero was the songwriting prowess of Netsky.

Next up was KOPPS. The quartet out of Rochester has moved on from their electronic keyboard-heavy beginnings into a power-rock trio with wheels. Frontwoman Patricia Patron (the double PP of KOPPS) got this train moving with a full head of steam, and urged the crowd to get aboard. At this point, Anthology was feeling like a Bikram yoga studio. It was hot outside and much hotter inside, but KOPPS didn’t let that interfere with their plans to get it even hotter — heat is their currency. Continually coordinated dance moves by bassist Kyle O’Hara (the KO of KOPPS) and guitarist Travis Johansen flanked Patron’s energetic gyrations. You wanted to move to the music, but you couldn’t take your eyes off of the movements on the stage. They blasted through a few new tunes like “Baby, I’m Dead Inside,” “Get Juicy” and “Lose Control” with promises of new recordings on the way. With the ear and favor already of Howard Stern, and an infectious groove that can move the masses, what’s next could launch this group skyward.

Transviolet is not exactly a Rochester band, and this was in fact their first gig in the Flour City, but they’re not not a local band either. Three of the four members hail from Rochester, and two of them played together in the aforementioned Makyo Star. They’re currently based in Los Angeles, signed to Columbia, and quickly on the rise. Lead singer Sarah McTaggart has one of those made-to-be-a-pop-star voices that pull you in as soon as the sound hits. It was ’80s pop renewed and refreshed without being rehashed. Their first single, “New Bohemia,” added ethereal and catchy nuances that lifted it above the fray; it was an angelic oasis of sound in the overheated club.

Closing out the big night, Joywave, the band who asks, “Why Be Credible When You Can Be INCREDIBLE?,” finally took the stage to huge roars from the crowd. The lights, which had stagnated into a bluish purple for the evening, fired up to orange, the volume turned up, the bass thumped and the band bounced on stage. “Bug Jar, my how you’ve grown, this… is Joywave!” announced frontman Daniel Armbuster.

Combining the songwriting of Maybird, the infectious energy of KOPPS and the pop finesse of Transviolet, Joywave is the full package. Even though they’ve exploded past the confinement of their hometown music scene, they haven’t left their roots behind — rather they’ve held on tight and seem determined to pull up as much as they can with them. This is evidenced not only in inviting their friends to the big stage with them here, but in sponsoring a local Little League team (complete with game updates on their Facebook page), creating a special coffee blend available for their favorite local cafe and any other number of connections they’ve sustained with their hometown.

Their set relied mostly on their latest How Do You Feel Now? with hits like “Something New,” “Tongues” and a “Nice House” that had the whole crowd screaming along. They worked in a new song, and promised that a trip to the studio was in the works for later this year, which also means it was one of their last live gigs for 2016. After 187 days on the road in 2014, and 200 days on the road in 2015 (to places like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Europe), it will be a well-deserved break. Rochester will be happy to have them back for a little while.

Flash forward now to a not-all-that-distant future; Joywave, Transviolet, KOPPS and Maybird are again on the same stage together. This time at the Rochester Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony where all four groups are being honored for their highly successful and influential careers that harken back to their humble beginnings at the Bug Jar — and that show at Anthology, just before they all “made it.”

June 23, 2016
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.

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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June 20, 2016
Final Night at Rock ‘N Derby Closes With Shinedown, Sixx A.M. and Sevendust

Rock ‘N Derby closed out its inaugural weekend at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds on Sunday, May 22. The first two days of the festival were really, really good, and Sunday’s lineup may have been the best of the weekend with the likes of Sevendust, Ghost, Sixx: A.M., Trivium, Megadeth, Collective Soul, Coheed and Cambria and, the headliners of the day, Brent Smith and Shinedown. The only disappointment was Like A Storm not being able to make the show due to its tour bus breaking down.

Shinedown closed out the first ever Rock ‘N Derby on the Derby Stage. In usual Shinedown fashion after the first couple of songs into the bands set, frontman Brent Smith united the crowd with each other and with the band. As drummer Barry Kerch provided the beat, Smith asked the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, New York, where you at? If this is your very first time seeing Shinedown, then raise your hands please.” Smith then told the people of the crowd to look to their left, then to their right, and said, “You see, there is a reason for this, you see that person standing next to you, you may have never met before tonight’s event. We’re gonna change that, everyone turn to your neighbor right now, I wanna see you shaking each others’ hands, giving each other high fives and tell them how nice it is to see them at the show.”

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Before the band got into the song “If You Only Knew,” Smith told the fans that he knows it’s been a long weekend, and told the crowd to give a big round of applause for all the other performers who played during the festival, and that he is honored that he gets to share the stage with them. Smith then said “With that being said, we’re not in those bands. We’re in Shinedown. And this is 100% between us, and all of you here tonight. So, did you bring your singing voices tonight? This next song is for all the ladies, where you at? This is dedicated to all the lovers and the ladies.”

Smith gave an extensive speech before the song “Enemies,” that created a moment that has to be witnessed live. He had everyone at Rock ‘N Derby jumping and going insane when the song kicked off.

As the rest of the members of Shinedown jammed on stage, Smith started his speech on stage, and then ended up in the middle of the crowd. He started off by saying “Let’s make 100 percent sure, that all of you here tonight are getting exactly what you want. Cause here’s the thing. You see, we only have one boss. It just happens to be everyone in the audience. So, if you’re not happy, no one’s happy, and you ultimately decide who stays and who goes.”

Smith then had the crowd split in the middle. Once the fans did. Smith left the stage and continued his speech to the fans. Smith then stated “Now listen up, this next song, we guarantee your gonna know the song. What I’m gonna do is this, I’m gonna go back up on stage, I’m gonna count to three. Then I’m gonna say the word go. When I say go, I want every single person that is able, I want you jumping up and down. I wanna see all this dust up in the air. I wanna see every single person in the state of New York bouncing simultaneously up and down. That’s gonna lets us know that we’re at a real rock show.” Smith then returned to the stage and said, “This is all on you. You not at the library, and this ain’t no funeral. Your at a rock & roll revival people.”

Shinedown was to play “State Of My Head,” but before the song, Smith asked for all the lights to be turned off at the fairgrounds. Smith then asked all the fans to light up their cell phones and lighters. In a beautiful sight, Smith said “It’s good to see the stars of New York State.”

Smith would be the last artist to acknowledged the 5-year old girl spending her birthday weekend at the festival. After asking her name Smith then said sincerely “Here’s the thing. I have to give her a lot of credit. ‘Cause 5-years old, and she’s been at a Shinedown show on top of the barricade all weekend. Her mother just mouthed it to me, that she’s been here not just for this show, she’s been here the whole weekend. So I think the least we can do is sing “Happy Birthday.” Smith then led the crowd in to sing “Happy Birthday” one more time.

After the last song in the set “Sound Of Madness,” Smith did his usual concert send off by saying “Our new record is called Threat To Survival. It’s available everywhere. Be good, be good to each other, God bless you all. It’s never goodbye, it’s just ’til next time.” Smith told drummer Barry Kerch to lock it down. Kerch pounded the drums a few times and closed out the set.

Sevendust showed how it’s done on the Derby Stage. The band walked onto the stage while the intro to the song “Thank You” played. Frontman Lajon Witherspoon took the stage and asked the crowd “Do you know who we are? We are Sevendust. Let me see your hands in the air. Y’all better make some fucking noise.”

After the song, Witherspoon again asked the crowd if they knew who they were. He then said to the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen in the pit, you guys kick ass. I love it when I see the gentlemen invite the ladies in, and it ain’t nothing but a bunch of fun out there.” He went on and asked “Are you guys happy to see us this evening? Thank you for being here so early. We love you guys, God Bless. Are you ready for some more Sevendust music? I wanna see you dance. Are you with us out there? If you can’t be in the pit, I wanna see you bouncing.” Witherspoon the turned his attention to the fans in the back “How you all doing back there in the VIP, whats up?”

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After the band performed “Decay,” Witherspoon may have spilled the beans on a future tour. He asked the crowd if the were ready for headliners Shinedown. He then asked what the people in Schaghticoke knew about the band Ghost. Witherspoon then asked the crowd what they thought of a possible Ghost and Sevendust Tour. Fans cheered.

Witherspoon took the time before the song ‘Praise” to tell fans how close they make him and the band feel to the crowd. Witherspoon first asked fans if they were enjoying themselves. He then said “Can I say something to you? Thank you for making all of our dreams come true. Let me tell you why. And I say this, and I know I fucking say this before anyone else says this. If it wasn’t for each and every one of you guys, none of us would have a fucking job. So thank you very much. If you don’t know who we are, we are Sevendust. We do not have concerts. We have family fucking reunions. Let me see your hands in the air. Let me see what you all got.”

As Witherspoon was talking about the next song “Pieces,” He noticed a sign in the crowd that said split the crowd. Baffled by the request he said “Split the crowd? I never had anyone tell me to do that. I don’t know what that means. You guys wanna split the fucking crowd. Let me see you split right here in the middle. I never done this before. You had a fucking sign (points to fan in the crowd), just spread out right here in the middle. You know what I’d like to fucking do. Since he requested a split, let me see you guys walk around in a circle right in the middle of that split.” Sevendust dropped the track, and in a pretty cool site, fans moved in the pit so hard you could see a dirt cloud slowly rise up and get thicker where you could hardly see the band if you hung out in the back to watch the band perform.

Sixx: A.M. battled a slight rain storm for about 10 minutes, but that didn’t stop them from being one of the day’s, if not one of the weekend’s top performers. They are the total package. The have the look, they have the sound, they have the stage presence and they have the songs. They also sport two female backup singers on stage. Sixx: A.M. started off with “This Is Gonna Hurt,” and “Rise.”

Frontman James Michael took a break to chat with the crowd after the song “This Is Gonna Hurt,” and said, “What’s up Rock ‘N Derby? How you motherfuckers doing today? Let me ask you something. Who is seeing Sixx: A.M. for the very first time right here, right now?” After about everyone in the packed lawn area watching their set cheered because they seem to never tour in this area, Michael continued “Very good. Keep your hands up in the air, everybody put your fucking hands in the air and make a fist like I’m doing, and every time you hear us say the word rise, I wanna see you throw your motherfucking fists up in the air. Will you do that for me? Are you ready to Rise?

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After the song “Rise,” the crowd was so hot during the song, Michael yelled to the crowd “Ah Fuck yeah Rock ‘N Derby. He then introduced the next song in set “Everything Went To Hell” by saying “This one goes out to the bitch that ripped my fucking heart out of my chest. You know what I’m fucking talking about, don’t you.

Once the last song in the set “Life Is Beautiful,” concluded, Michael introduced the band. Nikki Sixx, the band’s bassist (also the bassist of Mötley Crüe) then took the mic and introduced Michael. Amazing live show left everyone wanting more.

Trivium hit the Derby Stage hard. After two songs in the opening of their set, singer Matt Heafy stopped to talked to the crowd. He asked “How the fuck we doing today? We are Trivium. Is this anyone’s first time seeing Trivium today?” After the first timers responded, Heafy said “Pleasure to meet y’all” and then asked “Is this anyone’s second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth or 10th time seeing Trivium? Alright my friends one very simple rule for a Trivium show my friends. Whatever the fuck we’re doing up here, we need you all to be doing down there. That’s headbanging, singing, screaming, moving your asses, sweating and all that good fucking shit.”

He then gave a rundown on what crowd on the festival circuit was the best so far. Heafy said the crowd “If you want be the motherfucking best my friends, we all got to step it the fuck up.” Trivium followed Heafy’s speech with the band’s current single “Dead and Gone.”

Next song in the setlist Heafy told the crowd that they were gonna go back to the fourth album, but needed the fans’ help before they play “Down From The Sky.” He went on to say that on the next song, “Lets make some noise together. I’ll do it with you, but y’all gotta do it with me too.”

Heafy introduced “Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr.” He introduced the song by saying “This next song is an old motherfucker. This song goes real well with a nice circle pit or two or three or whatever you feel like doing but we need that shit.”

Heafy then explained how the pit works, “You run and you turn left, if they fall down, pick them the fuck back up. If you ain’t in that circle, you’re banging your head, you’re shaking your ass or you’re fucking moving your bodies.”

Queensbury native Frank Palangi opened the final day Sunday at Rock ‘N Derby, on the Upstate Concert Hall Arena Stage. Palangi played a good mix of original tunes and cover tunes. Palangi and his band came right out to get noticed, and they did. By the end of his set, most of the fans that were sitting over on the bleachers, made their way to the general standing area to rock out closer to him.

After his first song, Palangi asked the crowd, “You guys ready to make some noise today?” After the fans’ minimal response, Palangi then asked the crowd louder, “I said, are you ready to make some noise today?” He then went on to explain what the next song in his set is about. Palangi said the next song is about being lied to. he then asked the fans “Who’s ever been lied to?” After a couple shouts from the crowd he replied, “Just a couple of people? I don’t find that true. It’s a song about basically somebody taking your words and twisting them around.”

Before Palangi performed the song “Driving These Lines,” he gave a quick run-down about the song being about the ups and downs in life and the music industry. He said “You run into stuff that bothers you, but then its like, I can’t do anything about it. But that’s life.” After the song, he thanked one of the sponsors at Rock’N Derby, entertainment retailer f.y.e.. He then thanked the local f.y.e.’s for supporting local artists by selling their music in their stores. He said “f.y.e.’s here in New York support local artist and they are awesome.”

Drummer Josh Opitz and Palangi showed off some of their skills before they performed their new single “Break These Chains.” Optiz started off teasing a drum solo with Palangi shredding a rift on his guitar.

Palangi then played a cover by the band Full Devil Jacket. Palangi talked about how the band was a big influence on him since Woodstock 1999 and showed respect to singer Josh Brown. He talked about how he gave Brown his CD and he listened to it. Brown then gave it to his producer and said this is how it all got started for him and he hasn’t stopped since. Palangi then told fans that he met the members of his band on Craigslist, and that they are blessed to do music here the last couple of years. Palangi then played the song “Now You Know.”

Palangi paid tribute to friend and bandmate TR Remsen who passed away recently from cancer. He said he was right there with them, as he pointed to the empty spot next to him. The band closed with the song “I Am Ready.”

May 29, 2016
ADTR, Halestorm, Anthrax and Others Rock Day Two at Rock’N Derby

Rock’N Derby continued Saturday at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds, and saw a comfortable but cloudy day, with a small 10-minute rain shower during Halestorm’s set. The music started at 1:30 p.m. at the Upstate Concert Hall Arena Stage with New York City area band Streetlight Circus.

Saturday’s lineup was jam-packed with bands, and boasted the biggest lineup out of the three days. The turnout of fans looked, considerably larger than Friday’s crowd. Fans who packed the fairgrounds saw the likes of Anthrax, Halestorm, Hollywood Undead, Sebastian Bach, Beartooth, Chevy Metal, All That Remains, Avatar, Cilver and A Day To Remember, who were the headliners for Saturday.

A Day To Remember had the longest set time of any band in the three-day festival, with an hour and a half of playing time. ADTR headlined the Derby Stage, and their set had the most crowd surfing fans of the weekend to that point.

After giving props to the security team for catching fans surfing over the rail all day, frontman and lead vocalist Jeremy McKinnon then asked the crowd if they had ever surfed a crowd surfer. He said to fans, “So during this next song, I’m gonna start this off by saying, you don’t have to participate in this shit cause its wild. We were playing in Wisconsin or some shit, on the Warped Tour one time, and these two guys did something that I will literally never forget. And I dubbed it ‘crowd surfing on top of a crowd surfer.’ Now let me explain this shit to you, somebody crowd surfs on top of the crowd as normal, and then your friend stands on top of you, like your a fucking surf board, and surfs all the way up to the front to the [security]. Please guys don’t do this, but have a fucking good time New York.” The band then played “Better Off This Way.”

As the intro played for “Have Faith In Me,” McKinnon asked where the ladies were in the crowd. After many screams from the ladies in the lawn, the singer then said “Wow, that’s a lot of you.” He then dedicated the next song to them.

In a hilarious moment, ADTR was next to notice the birthday girl in the front before the song “Sometimes You’re the Hammer, Sometimes You’re the Nail” and told the crowd they only had 3 songs left.

McKinnon and lead guitarist Kevin Skaff had fun with the crowd and randomly started playing “Faith,” by George Michael. After two lines of the song, Skaff then joked “That was one song out of three.” The crowd laughed and McKinnon replied, “That’s one song down. What else we got Skaff?”

Skaff started singing “Happy Birthday” to even more laughter. This prompted McKinnon to ask the crowd if anybody had a birthday. As the two’s eyes combed through the crowd, Skaff noticed a fan that said they turned sixteen today. He said back “You just turned sixteen and you already have a beer? That’s weird.” The crowd erupted again with laughter.

McKinnon then noticed the 5-year old girl and asked if she wanted to come up on stage. The frontman then said to the crowd “Everybody out there tonight, this is this girls first show and she turns five years old today.” After cheers from the crowd, he asked the girl her name, then the band and the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to the girl. After they sang to the girl, McKinnon said, “That should work for a first concert.” Skaff then interjected “That’s some good footage, put it in the archives. I was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for my fifth birthday.” That made McKinnon and the crowd laugh. The band got down to business and asked the crowd how many of them checked out their latest album Common Courtesy.

A lot of bands could take note when being a headliner from ADTR when it comes to how many songs a band puts in their set. McKinnon recalled a story that happened from the beginning of their current tour. McKinnon stated, “I gotta to tell you a true story. We started this tour, and we were playing fifteen songs … and this girl got on Twitter and she was like, ‘Yo, I waited eight years to see your band, and you only played fifteen songs?’ And I got to tell you, she was not wrong, and I felt guilty. So we’re gonna play some extra songs for you tonight. Is that cool?” The fans at Rock ‘N Derby went crazy. McKinnon finished by saying, “So if this song right here meant anything at all to you in your life. If this song is your shit…you owe that girl.” ADTR then played “It’s Complicated.”

ADTR closed out with “The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle.” McKinnon introduced the last song by saying “We are A Day to Remember from Central, Florida, and you’ve been fucking amazing tonight. Thank you for sticking around. This is going to be our last song for the night, and this is what I need from you. I wanna see everybody out there jumping up and down with us on this next song. That means everybody across the back, everybody on the fucking sides and especially all my people down fucking front. New York are you with me? I wanna feel the earth fucking shake.” What a way to close out the second night. ADTR’s set was really fun and energetic and wild. Multicolored streamers shot through the sky during the last song in the set. Set Time 9:30-11 p.m.

Anthrax headlined the Rock’N Stage on Saturday night. Huge turnout of fans to take in their set. Joey Belladonna, an upstate New York native and the band’s lead singer, shouted out to the crowd after a couple songs saying, “Oh yeah, how we doing out there? Everybody good? I know we got a lot of people from New York here tonight. Good evening to you. It’s nice to be here. This is the first time I’ve seen this show out this way. It’s nice to see everybody here. You all having a good time? Fuck yeah, lets get this going, alright?” Anthrax then played “Madhouse.”

After a couple more tracks, guitarist Scott Ian had the crowd laughing as he took the time to talk with the crowd about how the name of the town is hard to say and to give Belladonna a small break from singing. Ian stated “Upstate New York, how the fuck are you Rock’N Derby? Someone told me how to pronounce the name and where we are and I all heard was Shitty Coke!” The crowd erupted with laughter and started a “Shitty Coke” chant. Ian then apologized saying “Excuse me if I’m saying it wrong.” He then yelled “Shitty Coke, New York! We have a new album called For All Kings. I got a question, my friends. Do you love thrash metal? You’re welcome. This is ‘Evil Twin’.”

During the intro to “War Dance” drummer Charlie Benante stopped the song making Scott Ian state “Why did you stop? I have to watch Game Of Thrones. You wanna know why he stopped. Cause Charlie is very concerned that some of you aren’t having as much fun as you should be having. Now check it out, don’t take this the wrong way. We love those dudes in Extreme. They were up here earlier. But this ain’t “More Than Words” now. This is some demolition derby shit. Let’s see you fuckers move one more time tonight. Let’s try the ‘War Dance’ again.” Set Time 9-10 p.m.

This was the part of the night where the crowd segregated from one another. Everyone over 35 was there to watch Anthrax, while everyone under was watching A Day To Remember.

Halestorm got the many fans taking in their set right into it by kicking things off with the song “Apocalyptic”. Frontwoman Lzzy Hale yelled to the crowd, ‘Rock ‘N Derby, are you ready?” After cheers from fans, Lzzy pointed to her brother on drums and replied “Arejay, give it to them.” Arejay let out a big “yeah,” then started the intro to “Love Bites.”

After the band finished “Love Bites,” Lzzy took a minute to get acquainted with the crowd, she said “Rock’N Derby.” Then Lzzy shouted the name of the town Schaghticoke, correctly. She asked if she pronounced it right then went on to say “So how many of you are actually from Schaghticoke?” After almost silence from the fans Lzzy said “That’s like ten people.” After some laughs, Lzzy then got serious and introduced who they were and what they are about. She stated “Thank you so much for allowing us to be here tonight. We are Halestorm. My name is Lzzy Hale, and for the next 70 minutes or so I’m gonna be bossing you around alright. So, we got two rules, number one, we are all here to have a fucking fantastic time tonight. And number two Schaghticoke, when I say scream, you fucking scream, alright? Ready?” Halestorm then performed “Scream.”

Lzzy then talked about how she is a a freaky chick. She said there’s some stuff up here that just ain’t right, pointing to her head, then told the crowd to ask any of her ex-boyfriends. She then said to the crowd “I feel like I’m not alone tonight, Schaghticoke, I’m not alone. Sing this one if you know it.” Halestorm then went into “Mz. Hyde.”

If you know the lyrics, Lzzy picked the perfect time to perform the song, “Rock Show.” She noticed the birthday girl and said “Happy fifth birthday darling.” Lzzy then said to the crowd “This is what its all about right here. We have a future leader of rock and roll, right front and center. Young lady’s fifth birthday, first rock concert. I’m gonna be looking for you for lyrics alright.” The frontwoman the went on to sing freestyle asking the fans in attendance if they wanted her, if they loved her, cause she loves them too. Lzzy then asked the crowd “Schaghticoke, are we in church? Schaghticoke, are we in a classroom right now? Hell no. Schaghticoke, are we at a boring dead end job right now? Schaghticoke, give me one more, are we at a fucking rock show tonight?”

After the song, Lzzy asked the crowd if anyone watched the demolition derby that went on earlier in the day. In a funny moment, she then shared her experience with the crowd “So something pretty cool, I was watching the derby over there. Fucking demolition derby. I was watching through the fence and I was like, what does it say on the side of number 33, it said fucking Halestorm, that’s what it said. So I’m rooting for this truck, I’m rooting for it the whole time, I’m like kill him, finish him. And then what do you know? Number 33 Halestorm won the friggin derby today. So this one goes out to all the drivers, this is called “I Like It Heavy.”

After Arejay’s drum solo, Lzzy asked the fans if they could do something for her because she has never been to Schaghticoke. She the said “We decided that there’s only about 10 people actually live here. So I kinda wanna know something. I need to know what you can do. I need to know how crazy you motherfuckers are. I need to know, I need to know what kind of freaks showed up at a rock show in Schaghticoke, New York tonight. Are you ready?” Halestorm played “Freak Like Me.” Set Time 7:45-9 p.m.

Avatar, a Swedish rock group, performed on the Rock’N Stage and put on one hell of a live show. Their costumes and frontman Johannes Michael Gustaf Eckerström’s gestures and mannerisms are silly but fun to watch. He had the whole crowd rocking and laughing at the same time. It’s really a feel-good time watching this band. It’s like a show inside of a show.

As the intro for the band’s song “Hail The Apocalypse,” Eckerström asked the crowd to raise their horns in the sky and join us as we burn the house down. The band had a really good fan turnout ready to take in Avatar’s set. Set Time 3:30-4:10 p.m.

All That Remains followed Avatar on the Rock’N Stage. Singer Philip Labonte stopped after a couple songs to ask the crowd, “You guys got some energy out there, huh?” Not liking the fans’ response, Labonte yelled to the crowd, “C’mon, I know you can do better than that, make some noise. In case you’re not familiar with All That Remains, we’re one of those bands who like to do some heavy stuff and some not-so-heavy stuff. The two songs we just played, they fall under not-so-heavy. And I think you gentlemen out there on the floor, out there in the pit. You guys ready for something heavy? Again not feeling the response from the crowd he wanted, Labonte yelled ‘Bullshit,’ then screamed “Are you ready for something heavy?” ATR then played “No Knock.”

Labonte wanted to bring things back down for a bit. After asking fans if they were having a good time, he sat on the stage and said to the fans, “We don’t have a lot of time left so we’re gonna do a few more, and like I said earlier, we’re one of those bands that likes to play some heavy stuff, and some not-so-heavy stuff. A couple records back we wrote a song, that’s really not heavy at all, and if its cool with you guys, were gonna do it for you, alright? Here’s the deal, now’s the time to cuddle up next to your girlfriend or boyfriend if you expect to get laid tonight. Well you should expect to get laid, you’re at a fucking show, and everyone is drinking and shit. If you know the words, c’mon and sing along. This ones called “What If I Was Nothing?” Set Time 4:30-5:10 p.m.

Hollywood Undead, an L.A. rap and rock group, had fans over at the Derby Stage bouncing and jumping through their whole set. Hollywood Undead has a unique stage show. If every member wearing their own individual masks on stage wasn’t enough, every member of the band plays an instrument and has vocal duties throughout their sets. Band members even rotate singers and musicians during their songs.

Jordan “Charlie Scene” Terrell called up the little girl who was celebrating her fifth birthday at Rock ‘N Derby on stage to introduce the band’s next song. After asking her name, Terrell then asked the girl what her favorite song was. She replied “Let It Go” from the Disney movie Frozen. Terrell replied to the girl “Holy shit, we definitely don’t know that one. How about you introduce this song. Check this out. Let’s have you help me introduce this song. I’m gonna tell you what to say.” Terrell held the mic in front of her and whispered in the girls ear as he held another mic with his back turned. Terrell then said in a little squeaky voice, “This song is called ‘Comin’ in Hot’ motherfucker.”

George “Johnny 3 Tears” Ragan stopped to talk to the crowd before the song “Day Of The Dead.” He made fun of the name of the town by pronouncing it Schnananananacoke.” Terrell replied “Did somebody say coke?” Ragan finished his speech by saying “You guys are fucking awesome. Thanks for having us, thanks for coming and support. It’s our pleasure to be here and do this Derby. We love it so fucking much. We had a record come out last year. We will play a song from it. This song is called ‘Day Of The Dead.’” Set Time 6:30-7:15 p.m.

Former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach, rocked the Rock ‘N Stage. After the first song in the set “Slave To The Grind,” Bach said to the crowd, “I see you in the back, what the fuck’s going on New York? Lets go back to the first album. What do you say? Bach then played “Big Guns.” Bach played many Skid Row classics, ending the set with “Youth Gone Wild.” Bach really exceeded my expectations of him. It was going around that he was not feeling well, and his meet and greet with RND Vip’s was cancelled. Bach performed pretty good on stage vocally and showed a ton of energy. Set Time 6:35-7:20 p.m.

Beartooth rocked out the Upstate Concert Hall Stage. I was kind of let down here, but it may not have been all their fault. They had bad sound quality, and I actually think they may have been too loud for the building they were in. There seemed to be an echo at times during their set depending on where you stood in the venue.

Singer Caleb Shomo asked the crowd, when he says “1, 2” he wants them to say back, “1, 2, 3 ,4,” before the song “Dead.” He said to fans “We’re gonna do this one more time. When you say one, this whole room, barn, thing, is gonna be one giant mosh pit. Everybody moves. I need mass organized chaos. This ones called ‘Dead.’”

Before the band played their new single “Aggressive,” Shomo said to the crowd “We kind of feel like we’ve been playing the same old shit for a little bit too long. We’re gonna change that one. We have a new record. Were gonna play a new one for you now, is that O.K.? This is the title track of our new album. This song is called “Aggressive,” Let’s go.” Set Time 8:45-9:30 p.m.

May 28, 2016
Big Mean Sound Machine Shakes B-Side Ballroom

On March 11, Big Mean Sound Machine blew multiple minds away on a groovy Friday night at B-Side Ballroom in Oneonta, NY. A collection of nine talented souls graced the little nook of a stage that night, and gave it their all. It was evident that this group loves what they do, and are extremely cheerful about it. Throughout the night, they brought funkadelic afro-dance madness, with hints of worldly, succulent, jammy beats full of jazz and wonder. It can really get the best of someone in the best possible way, and I know it got the best of me.

Having been the first time seeing Big Mean perform, my breath journeyed its way up through my esophagus and exited only to create electrical gasps. Smiles filled the air as each musical build up was brought to the attention of the B-Side audience; it was impossible to look away. It channeled energies and was not only mesmerizing, but jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring.

To put the night into perspective, envision a tiny stage within a restaurant/bar, packed with assorted instruments and intense skill. Everyone was hanging out at first, but the next thing you know, the floor was filled with dedicated dancers who yearned to experience the largest and meanest sounds that this machine created. ‘Twas a machine indeed, and it lit up the floor and crowd, as if fanciful fireworks were exploding into thin air.

The show commenced, and the performers wooed the audience with a song called “Whoa Gosh,” one of many various fresh tracks from Big Mean’s most recent album, Contraband (2014). The Ithaca, NY, band has the power to gather the vibes that instruments generate and transform sound waves into jiggy, psychedelic beauty. With their unique sense of musical style, Big Mean raises the bar with their originality and feel-good atmosphere.

Angelo Peters rocked out on the bass, whileto his right Bobby Spellman owned the trumpet. Andrew Klein beat the drums to death, as Lucas Ashby brought the congas to life. Dan Barker and Ray McNamara created rhythm and movement with every jam from their guitars. Rob Tate hit up the audience with some electric rhythms, as Tyler Burchfield soothed souls with his baritone saxophone and Alicia Aubin danced the night away with her trombone.

The fans handled every sound the band threw at them; the rhythms made each soul move and each body shake that night, bringing a sense of euphoria and enlightenment. Throughout the show, Big Mean rocked the stage with even more hits from their newest album, some of which included “In the Name of What,” “Contraband,” “Sweet Tooth” and “Wolfpack.” They also threw in “Marauders,” a classic from 2012, that brought a different sense of style and flair to the set.

Big Mean Sound Machine is more than just a group; they are a beautiful arrangement and outstanding collective that brings life to every stage they perform on. Their jiggy style makes you want to move all night and it will resonate with you, as it is quite contagious my friends.

March 29, 2016