NYS Music 20​16

Tag: Show Reviews

  • The Second String at The Waiting Room

    On a night where Buffalo got its first real snowfall of the season, The Waiting Room performance venue was plenty heated by its main stage. An up and coming pop-punk band, The Second String, celebrated the release of their EP, Six Ways to Sunday, with a show that served more as a celebration for themselves and a sign of things to come.

    The Second String, made up of lead singer Tom Frisicaro, guitarists Roger Pleasant and Ryan Gelder, bassist Marc Del Priore and drummer Robby Marshall, make very traditional pop-punk – a weird statement to make, taking into account how long the genre has been around and how it’s been relegated from most. Their songs are short, sweet and to the point, each one lasting between 2 to 3 minutes. The lyrics were typical.

    The fast nature of their music allowed for plenty of erratic movement on the stage, including some panels that occasionally lit up when one of the members stepped on them. Frisicaro sings very much like the singers of bands like Blink-182, Jimmy Eat World and Bowling for Soup. He has the same “trying to sound clean nasally” whine those bands have and if he was trying to directly emulate them, he was doing a good job.

    After performing 5 original songs, including material from the just-released EP, Frisicaro played an initially acoustic All-Time Low cover, with the first two verses and chorus by himself before the rest of the band joined to finish out the song. The following song was a Paramore cover where a girl, Maddie Radwan, sang in place of Frisicaro, to the enjoyment of her friends in attendance.

    At various points in the night, Frisicaro made constant mention of the band’s merch table along with sharing that his girlfriend was expecting. He also announced that the band was taking a break from performing live to focus on recording more material for a full-length album. Hopefully, with that bit of time on their side, The Second String can create something to get us excited about.

  • 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.

  • Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb of God, Clutch and Pop Evil Kick Off Inaugural Night at Rock ‘N Derby

    Last weekend, upstate New York hosted the first-ever Rock ‘N Derby, which kicked off May 20 at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds. The Capital Region has been buzzing for months with anticipation for the Rock on the Range style three-day festival. Along with thousands of local diehard rock enthusiasts, fans from across the northeast and Canada made the hike on a beautiful early spring evening.

    Day one of the inaugural affair saw the likes of Lamb of God, Clutch, Parkway Drive, Wolfmother, Pop Evil, Scott Stapp, Corrosion of Conformity, Red Sun Rising, Wild Throne and the first band to ever headline a Rock ‘N Derby festival, Fiver Finger Death Punch. Friday night also saw Tool cover band Schism play on the Upstate Concert Hall Arena Stage, during the after party for fans who wanted to rock on into the late night hours.

    From Grand Rapids, MI, Pop Evil, had the honor to be the first group to not only play the Derby main stage, but the first band ever to perform at Rock ‘N Derby period. To everyone’s amazement, Pop Evil is now sporting a blond female drummer behind the kit. It’s been news that current drummer, Josh “ChaChi” Marunde, was departing the band for new opportunities that would keep him closer to home. At show time, no one was sure who she was, or if she will end up being a permanent replacement for Marunde, all I can say is that the girl is a total badass behind the kit. However, it has now been reported that the band has welcomed Hayley Cramer as their new drummer.

    Pop Evil came out and set the mood for the day. Fans went wild once the band started the first song in the set “Deal With The Devil.” Before playing the band’s current single “Take It All,” frontman Leigh Kakaty shouted out to local rock radio station Q103 for playing the new single. Kakaty went on to say to the crowd, “For everybody who just wanted a little, but now you want the whole damn thing. This song is called ‘Take It All’.”

    Kakaty then picked up a guitar and asked if there was any old-school Pop Evil fans out there tonight. After cheers from the crowd, Kakaty said, “Well here’s one off our first record for you guys then.” He started off the song “100 in a 55.” After completing the first verse, Kakaty asked the crowd, “If you still believe in rock-and-roll bands, make some noise,” which made the crowd roar with cheers.

    Kakaty gave a small heartfelt speech before moving into the next song, “Trenches.” He said, “I just wanna say, what an honor it is to be amongst real people who come to rock shows early. All these little kids I see, I wanna thank you parents for not raising them on any of that Justin Bieber bullshit. I didn’t know it was so fucking complicated. We are a rock band, we play rock music for brothers and sisters like you.” He went on to say that the band is currently on tour with two of the greatest icons, Rob Zombie and Disturbed. He then relayed a message on behalf of them, telling fans Zombie and Disturbed said to “fucking rock and roll tonight.” Kakaty’s speech went on to thank another band who was playing that night: ” There is one more band on this bill that I have to give a special shout out to, cause back in the day, they were one of the first bands to take a chance on us. You guys know them as Ivan and Zoltan and everybody at Five Finger Death Punch.”

    Fans sang along with the frontman during the last song in the set, “Footsteps.” Kakaty was so impressed it prompted him to sincerely say to the crowd, “Are you fucking kidding me? Wow, there’s no greater feeling on this planet than when your fans, excuse me, your friends, sing your songs back to you, God bless you. God bless you, New York, we love you.” Pop Evil showed a lot of fire and Kakaty was pretty good on vocals. Set Time 5:50–6:30 p.m.

    Neil, Jean-Paul, Dan and Tim, better known as Clutch also rocked the Derby Main Stage. Going into this show, I knew about the band, but never really followed them until recently. I was really impressed by how good this band performed. These guys are talented live musicians that anybody could go and see and enjoy themselves.

    Early in their set, singer Neil Fallon lightly slipped walking onstage. This made Fallon say, “I will tell you right now, at some point in the next 45 minutes, I will fall on my ass on this stage. It’s gonna be legendary. Did you spray this thing with WD-40 before we got up here? Set Time 6:50–7:45 p.m.

    Red Sun Rising performed over on the Rock ‘N Stage. Before the band played “My Muse,” frontman Mike Protich, who was not sure how to pronounce Schaghticoke, asked the crowd, “So what should I call you cause I can’t pronounce the city I’m in right now….. Albany?” (This became an eventual theme for all of the bands on the bill throughout the weekend.) As Protich looked to the crowd for answers he said, “I love all these New Yorkers. People here just shouting shit. We’re red Sun Rising from Akron, Ohio. It’s a pleasure to be here with you today.” Set Time 6:55–7:35 p.m.

    Lamb of God performed while the sun went down on the Derby Stage, and brought fans into the night. Frontman Randy Blythe was super pumped up during Lamb of God’s set, as he was constantly jumping around and moving. I swear, Monster Energy drink has to run through his veins.

    Blythe was next in line to ask the crowd how to pronounce the village Schaghticoke. Blythe said, “What the fuck is up upstate New York? Look at all you motherfuckers out there. Let me get a big Ric Flair Wooooooo.” The crowd “wooooooooed” back at Blythe, which made him say, “Fuck Yeah. Holy Shit. For those of you who do not know, and for those of you who drank too fucking much before you got here and don’t know where the fuck you are….We are Lamb of God. We come from Richmond motherfucking Virginia. I know we are in upstate New York, but I’m not going to attempt to pronounce the name of this fucking town. I fucked it up like 50 times.” Blythe then went on and tried to say the name of the town, even calling it Shaggy 2 Dope ( from Insane Clown Posse), which made the crowd laugh. He then asked the audience to pronounce the name the town on the count of three. The crowd shouted “Schaghticoke” in unison.

    About midway through the band’s set, Blythe acknowledged what would become another theme over the weekend.  There was a five-year-old girl celebrating her birthday during the three-day festival down in the front row. After asking the crowd if they were having a good time, Blythe said to the crowd, “Somebody down there has a fifth birthday.” He pointed at the girl and said,  “Don’t get squished sweetheart.”

    The frontman then turned his attention to the next song in the set list. He dedicated the next song to the little girl in the crowd and all the armed forces in the United States. He stated, “This song goes out to some people who don’t get the recognition I feel they deserve most of the time. These people do a hard, fucked-up job. They do it from a long ways from home. Most of the time they don’t even get a fucking thank you for this. I speak of the men and women in the United States armed services. This next song is for them.” The band then played “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For.” The crowd was insane for Lamb of God. Set Time 8:15–9:15 p.m.

    Parkway Drive was one of, if not the best, performers of the night. Parkway Drive headlined the Rock ‘N Stage Friday. Singer Winston McCall was going so insane onstage, I thought he was going to give himself a heart attack. He was jumping, bouncing and waving his arms so much, it was like he was teaching an aerobics class, while putting on a kick-ass rock show.

    Winston asked fans if they picked up the band’s new album, Ire. He then told the crowd that they are going to play a song off that album. Winston then said to the crowd, “You guys are doing great. One thing, one thing only. Just keep that vibe up here [raises hand above head]. Don’t let that energy drop. Keep it coming, keep it coming. If you haven’t crowd surfed yet today, you’re obliged to on the rest of this set. This one’s called ‘Vice Grip;’ step it up another notch.”

    Before the next song in the set, Winston screamed to the crowd, “That’s it. Keep it up here [motioning his hand above his head], keep your energy up here. Bring it in, sing with me. This one’s called ‘Idols and Anchors.’”

    Impressed with the fans’ reactions toward the band, Winston had to ask the crowd something before he continued: “Has anyone seen us before?” After minimal cheers, he replied, “A couple. Hi again.” He then asked for the first-timers to many cheers. Winston then welcomed everyone and said that he was just checking out the stats of the crowd, then thanked everyone for their time. Winston said, time is a precious thing, and that he appreciated fans spending some of it on them tonight.

    The frontman asked the crowd if they still had enough energy left in them, because he knows they must be fucked after Lamb of God’s set. He then asked if they had a little bit of energy left, because they were going to play another heavy track. Winston then said, “If you can hear my voice, get your hands up. Here’s the deal. If you have the energy to get your hand in the air, when this one drops, I need to see you get your feet up as well. That includes you guys in the stands.” The band then played “Bottom Feeder.” Parkway Drive will head back to the their native country of Australia for a tour after their RotR performance on Saturday. Set Time 9–9:45 p.m.

    Five Finger Death Punch was ready to close out the inaugural first night on the Derby Stage. FFDP got fans pumped with the first song in the setlist, “Lift Me Up.” After the second song in the set, “Hard to See,” Ivan Moody said, “Holy shit,” and called the crowd “motherfucking crazy.” Moody then asked the crowd to do him an honest favor and protect all the kids that were there enjoying the show. On that note, Moody then said to the crowd, “Front to back, side to side. When I jump up, you jump up. Now you know what to do.” FFDP then played “Burn it Down.”

    After bassist Chris Kael took over the vocal duties for the song “Got Your Six,” next on the setlist was the band’s cover of “Bad Company.” Moody asked the crowd, how many men and women have served, or are still serving for the United States military, and asked them to put their hands up. He then said to the fans with their hands down, “You guys see those fucking hands… you shake them, you thank them and you buy them a beer for our fucking freedoms. Thank you so much.” This of course prompted a big U.S.A chant from fans. Moody then brought the song in by saying, “I don’t know if you guys heard, but there were a couple of, um, I’ll call them corporations, that were talking shit about us online. What they didn’t understand is that we’ve got Bad Company [points to the crowd].”

    FFDP did their usual routine and brought up various kids onstage to join them for the song “Burn MF.” Moody pointed to the kids and told the crowd to make some noise for the next generation of heavy metal. Moody went on to say, “You guys wanna show them how the big kids do this? Then give me the biggest circle you’ve got right now. If you don’t wanna get hurt, now is the perfect time to get the fuck out of the way.”

    Guitarist Jason Hook and Moody did an acoustic medley of “Wrong Side of Heaven” and “Battle Born.” Moody then stated to the crowd that there are strict curfew rules here and that the band could only play one more song. Five Finger Death Punch then closed out the night with “The Bleeding.”

    I felt a small letdown here, and expected way more from these guys. If this was your first time ever seeing the band, you may have a slightly different opinion of the band’s set. It seemed the boys were a little off the mark onstage, and frontman Moody sang out of key and didn’t have his usual intensity. The thing that was most noticeable was the band’s set list. Fan-favorite track “Burn it Down” seems to always b one the band’s setlists, but it was missing along with the two current singles off their current studio album. Overall, everything seemed repetitive and overly rehearsed. Set Time 9:45–11 p.m.

  • Sick Puppies Rock the Iron Works

    Buffalo Iron Works was introduced to a night full of in your face rock with promising young bands rocking the house. Hudson, all the way from Los Angeles, kicked things off Thursday night with a high energy, on-point performance, despite the lack of crowd participation and lackluster reaction.

    Stitched up Heart set up their gear and by their looks I wasn’t sure what to expect. Their outfits were great but hinted at a feeling of metal and screaming, which did not fit the rest of the bill. Front woman Alecia “Mixi” Demner ran onto the stage and had such a crisp, clear voice with a power that reminds one of Lzzy Hale from Halestorm. The band had magnificent harmony and the hair flips and guitar riffs were impressive. I am definitely a fan and cannot wait to listen to their newest tunes.

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    Red Sun Rising (RSR) is a band I’ve seen before when they were in town opening for Seether and Mark Tremonti at Rapids Theatre last year. RSR’s fan base has grown tenfold and they have a more confident stage presence since I last saw them. Mike Protich’s vocals have mammoth power and clarity to them.  He has a towering stage presence that captivates and engages the audience. Dave McGarry replaced original guitarist Tyler Valendza and he is an exceptional replacement. McGarry’s uses his long hair to his advantage, whipping it around while playing his catchy riffs. I expect to see this band headlining their own shows within the next five years.

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    Sick Puppies returned to Buffalo after a lengthy hiatus, and first time since their antecedent lead singer, Shimon Moore left the band. Many fan favorites were played as well as a couple of new songs. They kicked off their set with “War” that immediately brought the audience off their feet.

    Buffalo gave a warm welcome to new front man Bryan Scott as he stood his ground. Bassist Emma Anzai, made her presence felt with her typical top notch performance. Stand out songs from the Aussies’ set list included “Riptide,” “Should’ve Known Better” and “Pitiful.”  The band also performed their latest single, “Stick to Your Guns” from their upcoming release Fury.  The crowd loved the appearance of another taste of the new record during a short version of “Black & Blue.”  Bryan Scott has stepped into some big shoes and came off as a solid replacement. The direction the band is now taking is impressive and the crowd at the Iron Works seemed to agree.

  • Road Trip: Bunny Wailer and Highway 50 at the Ogden in Denver

    They say this is a bad year for music legends. They say all the good ones are gone. Shhhhh! Don’t tell that to Bunny Wailer, the last original member of the legendary Wailers. Because, not only is he alive, but skipping and skittering across stage while belting out tropical sun-drenched roots reggae songs with sinewy finesse. The three-time Grammy winner recently assembled a robust band along with a buzz-cut sharp horn second called the Solomonic Reggaestra. Wailers assemble sparked the Ogden Theatre last week in Denver, Colorado with jaunty renditions of classic Wailer favorites like “Trenchtown Rock.” Local ska/reggae favorites, Highway 50, led by former Samples keyboardist, Al Laughin, started the evening with lemon bright set of melodies punctuated by the brass jags of The Horns of Destruction. The bloggers may not have it quite right. Maybe it hasn’t all been bad this year for music legends. And they aren’t all dead. Not by a back roads Jamaica mile.

  • Spring Fling Tour Invades Rochester’s Armory

    When you work up a sweat at a show, you know you’ve had a good time. The Easter eve stop of the Spring Fling tour at Rochester’s Main Street Armory made sure the 6500 in attendance did just that. The package tour, headlined by Bowling Green, KY natives, Cage the Elephant along with Silversun Pickups, Foals and Bear Hands, may become one of those hallmark tours mentioned years from now. This show puts together four perfectly complementing artists, all proving the state of rock and roll is alive and quite well, thank you.

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    Headliners Cage the Elephant had the sold out crowd eating out of their hands from the opening notes of “Cry Baby.” Lead singer Matt Schultz’s stage presence evokes the spirit of peak Iggy Pop or Mick Jagger. Shortly into the set, his red sport coat and shirt were shed and audience members were surfing the crowd. This is the band the young crowd was here to see and a band sure to make waves in the mainstream if its current live show is any indication.

    Like many great bands, Cage the Elephant is best heard in a live setting. Shultz commands your attention and the band is top notch. Particularly impressive was the interaction the audience had with the band during its performance. For an “indie” band, Cage the Elephant surely engages the masses. This was particularly exhibited during Cage’s “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” from their 2008 debut. Fans held their hands high in the air while singing along while others made attempts to surf the crowd.

    Spring Fling TourCage had tough acts to follow on this night. The earlier bands on the bill all delivered solid performances. Veteran Los Angelinos, Silversun Pickups could very well have been the headliners on this tour. The Pickups have been indie rock stalwarts since their debut Carnavas in 2006. Lead singer Brian Aubert and bassist Nikki Monninger have an onstage chemistry akin to an older brother and younger sister. Aubert introduced the new song “Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)” as Monninger’s first foray into lead vocals. She responded as being nervous putting herself out there but performed the song beautifully, winning over the audience. The Pickups set ended with a raucous version of their first charting song, “Lazy Eye.” Aubert’s vocal were hardly necessary as the crowd sang along word for word. It was a solid ending to a solid performance by one of indie rock’s most versatile bands.

    Foals performed early, and while still working to win over the American public, they made it known that they wouldn’t be an opening act for long in the states. These Brits performed a set reminiscent of Joy Division meets the Clash. Lead vocalist Yannis Philippakis has a manic stage presence that makes you take notice. Foals will be making their presence known to the American mainstream in short order.

    Brooklyn-based band Bear Hands opened the night. Out of the four bands on the bill, Bear Hands were the most indie of the bunch. Several times throughout the brief yet energetic set, one could imagine Interpol or the Smiths onstage. But Bear Hands absolutely proved their worth on this bill of indie heavyweights. We’ll be hearing more from this band in the future.

    The Spring Fling tour has wrapped but Cage the Elephant is continuing to tour. Upcoming in New York is a date with Portugal, the Man and Broncho at the Times Union Center in Albany on May 11. You can also catch them at Summerstge in Central Park on May 16 and 17.

  • Rihanna Brings an Aesthetically Pleasing Performance to First Niagara Center

    Rihanna has always compensated for shortcomings in technical vocal ability with showmanship and arresting charisma. The international star delivered on levels with fashion, choreography, impressive stage aesthetics, dancers, and the band this past week as she played to a pack stadium at the First Niagara Center.

    Promoting her Anti album, Rihanna will be playing 75 shows in 18 countries this time around. She stopped in Buffalo at First Niagara Center this past Wednesday, and the energy in the arena was explosive and contagious as fans danced, yelled, jumped, cheered, took pictures, and recited the lyrics to their favorite Rihanna tracks. Fans were in full force with a multi-generational diverse crowd displaying their best Rihanna inspired fashion trends, hair and make-up.

    She opened the evening with the ballad “Stay,” emerging on a high platform in the rear of the arena wearing a boxer’s robe.  She was then whisked away by  a floating platform to meet with the rest of her band, who arose from beneath the stage like a magic trick.

    rihanna first niagara centerDuring her set, she had the audacity to call Buffalo “ratchety.” Some of the crowd booed and most were insulted. She then proceeded to back pedal, gushing about how she loves the  fans there etc. Sorry sister, you already insulted us Buffalonians. We have some serious pride in our town, and we have put a lot of work into our town to make it beautiful. Buffalo is far from “ratchety.”

    Vocally, she was what she has always been. Stunning at her ballads, but not pleasing to the ear when it comes to her other music. It was partially a mumbled mess, especially during the song “Work”.  She sang to a backing track most of the night.

    The clothing options of the night left a lot to be desired. Her band and backup singers looked like they were civilians in the Star Wars movies.  Regardless of poor costume choices, Rihanna’s several costume changes seemed to flow seamlessly between songs. While some were sexy; she wore her signature over-sized men’s suit, some were risqué and quite questionable.

    Despite a lengthy set list of her biggest hits, the entire show was only about 90 minutes. The singer appeared to be having fun throughout the night, it appeared that she had her foot on the gas, speeding from one song to another in what felt like a race to the finish. “This is the sad part of the show, when you know it’s almost over,” she said shortly before closing out with “Kiss It Better.” Regardless of the disappointments of the evening, true Rihanna fans were not disappointed and definitely got their money`s worth in theatrics and sex appeal.

  • Twiddle Brings Plumperdump to Packed Syracuse Crowd

    Twiddle rolled into Syracuse this past Saturday to a sold out crowd at the Westcott Theater.  The third stop on the band’s Plumperdump Tour was also the third sold out show of the short winter run.  An indication that the band’s stock is rising, backed by a continuously growing fan base.

    The house wasn’t packed with just Twiddle fans from central New York.  Before the band took the stage, the room was energized by swarms of fans from all over the Northeast. Some chatted about the half day drive or relived the tour’s first two shows in Maine and Rhode Island and many new fans simply waited in anticipation of their first Twiddle show.The evening’s set list showcased songs from the band’s latest release, PLUMP- Chapter One, as well as a playful blend of covers and Twiddle fan favorites.  The music showcased a growth in exploration of self-education. Twiddle has found ways to weave together its new momentum and classic jams; a seemingly tricky task of bridging a new polished studio sound while exploring the space between the choruses.

    Beyond the much hyped message of the band’s music, is a less discussed musical workmanship that sometimes get lost within the hype of “frends” and “pe^king”.  What fans of the band are witnessing so far on the Plumperdump Tour, is the harmonious blend of the band’s musical journey; a tasty mix of hooky lyrics and feel good singalongs with whimsical improvisational composition while still creating an effective and intriguing blend.

    Twiddle is on a journey, that if continued, will shine best during the summer festival season, where Twiddle is poised to play a mix of regional festivals and high profile events, such as this summer’s Lockn’ Music Festival.

    The high profile growth seems to be giving the band a new approach to its performance. On this tour, Twiddle plays with an overwhelming sense of  love for the journey.

    In the show opener “Syncopated Healing” as well as in the evening’s extended version of the PLUMP single “Every Soul”, the band presented with a cleaner  and brighter quality to their sound.

    In “Carter Candlestick” and “Doinkinbonk”, Twiddle continued to showcase an onstage brotherhood by creating stand out moments for bassist Zdenek Gubb, who has eagerly driven the band toward a more dark, funky, but yet playful groove.

    What makes Twiddle endearing is that, as highlighted in the evening’s version of the disco classic “Funkytown”, they explore a more playful space.  Among their own original material, the song “Dr. Remidi’s Melodium” treated fans to the signature Twiddle reggae/funk/rock fusion that kept the crowd in a rhythmic bliss of engaging lyrics and danceable grooves.

    Twiddle also seems to be finding new ways to take risks within its sets.  The first set ended with not only a rousing rendition of the Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon”, but also a  seldom heard vocal jam.  And although they may not be the first jam band to explore this technique, they are doing it their own way.  The Twiddle vocal jam is a captivating blend of beat-boxing and vocal rhythms that mimics the best video game soundtracks and electronic grooves – a group of twenty something musicians playfully distorting and manipulating the sounds of its generation into a unique musical moment.

    The only downfall of the evening was that the energy of the crowd felt too big for the venue.  The Westcott Theater staff found themselves turning fans away at the door.  And while continued sellouts are great to encourage the band to book larger venues, it’s that larger space that the band’s sounds is looking to fill.  For a band like Twiddle that is clearly looking to attract a mix of fans while blending a variety of musical textural sounds, the band will only continue to grow if the size of the spaces they play grows as well.

    Twiddle continues the Plumperdump tour Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo before heading to the Upstate Music Hall in Clifton Park on Friday, Feb. 26 with Formula 5 and Irving Plaza in New York City on Feb. 27.

    Setlist: Syncopated Healing, Every Soul, Carter Candlestick, Five, Dr. Remidi’s Melodium, Dusk ‘Til Dawn, Doinkinbonk!!! > Funky Town > Doinkinbonk!!!, Rocky Raccoon

    Encore: Hattibagen McRat

  • Lotus Rocks Terminal 5

    On Saturday, February 6, Lotus played Terminal 5 in NYC and brought some serious funk and covers for this stop on their Winter tour.

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    Arriving at the venue, the line stretched almost the entire length to the West Side Highway. Faces of eager fans contorted and cringed at the thought of waiting in the cold to see Lotus bring the heat. Once inside, the familiar funk of “Greet the Mind” warmed things up a bit; it’s a great opener in terms of getting everyone grooving and in terms of title. Lotus continued the funk with “Philly Hit” and then laid into some heavy jamtronica grooves with “Neon Tubes.” We were only three songs in and it seemed as though the crowd were bobbing their heads and weaving their shoulders in unison. They closed out their first set with “Age of Inexperience” which had guitarist Mike Rempel laying down some fiery licks.

    Second set opened with “Eats the Light,” a newly released single which is a Lotus track in every way, shape and layer. Keeping the flow with “Kodiak,” “Spaghetti,” and “Nematode,” Lotus jumped into an excellent vocoder-laden cover of Tame Impala’s “Elephant.” For their encore, Lotus played “Behind Midwest Storefronts” and then busted out an amazing rendition of Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime.”

    Set 1: Greet The Mind> Philly Hit> Neon Tubes, Molluskunk, Travel> Greet The Mind, Marisol, Age Of Inexperience
    Set 2: Eats the Light, Kodiak, Spaghetti> Nematode, Elephant*, In An Outline, 128
    Encore: Behind Midwest Storefronts, Once in a Lifetime**
    * – Tame Impala Cover
    ** – Talking Heads Cover

  • moe. Reprises Star Wars Theme for New Year’s Day

    File this under: moe.wars – A New Hope. moe. promised its fans a heavy dose of Star Wars for New Year’s Day and didn’t disappoint.

    Opening with the “Star Wars Overture” while images of Imperial Walkers, X-Wing Fighters, Darth Vader and Stormtroopers flashed across the video screen, those in attendance who regretted not hitting up the Philadelphia Halloween show were given a treat.

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    A nice, relaxing version of “Recreational Chemistry” followed. The accompanying light show enhanced the cool vibe of the song, inducing shouts of approval from the crowd, many donning Star Wars apparel. The 30-ish minute jam was enhanced by the stellar light show, provided by Preston Hoffman and Justin Casey of Pulse Lighting. Guitarist Al Schnier shone throughout this version of “Rec Chem,” shredding only as Schnier does.

    The brilliance in moe.’s work is the diverse styles it employs. In any given song, the band can meander among spacey jams, reggae themes and straight-up riff rock. The fact that each band member writes and sings invites the diversity as they incorporate their own likes into the repertoire.

    A true example of this diversity was exhibited as the spacey funk of “Recreational Chemistry” began to fade out and the Calexico-styled Chuck Garvey song “Shoot First” began. Each song is well-loved in the moe. canon yet they could not be more different. However, each still contains a distinct moe. vibe. Speaking of vibes, Jim Loughlin’s mallets add a terrific vibe to this Garvey classic.

    moe star warsA quick return to Star Wars brought the lively “Cantina Theme” Garvey employed some dexterous finger-picking, while Derkak employed some effects pedals to mimic the familiar theme from Star Wars – A New Hope. Loughlin’s malletkat added to the feel of the song, giving the feel of being in the cantina itself.

    The percussive “Spine of a Dog” segued into that song about a pig, “Buster,” keeping feet moving in the aisles and stage front. Schnier broke out his double-neck for the first set closer, “Buster” and abused it justly.

    A quick look at the early New Year’s Day setlist showed a high prevalence towards tracks from the “Smash Hits” release from a few years ago, not that anyone was complaining. But first, a quick step back into the Imperial realm.

    Long used as introduction music to the most badass of sports teams, “The Imperial March” from Star Wars is one of those themes known to almost all. moe. introduced the second set, stepping over to the dark side with a version of the march that would have made the Dark Lord himself proud. Again, the laser show and video images encapsulated the night’s theme to a tee and Loughlin’s mallets proved to be the game winner in this take.

    A calm run through of “Captain America” followed, with Garvey lighting up the Palace with his fretwork skills on his solo yet again. The man was on point the entire run.

    moe star warsSchnier’s coming-of-age song, “Mexico” came next. The teases into it from “Captain America” had the crowd warming up its vocal chords, ready to join in at the first word. This one turned into a chill-inducing, whole-crowd sing along. Garvey’s solo take during this song had Rob Derhak sitting back smiling with pride in his bandmates. While “Mexico” isn’t one of the big jam vehicles die-hards yearn for, as witnessed Friday night at the Palace, it is certainly a crowd-pleaser, and one that deserves a spot among the great narrative songs.

    “So Long” slowed things down with a tribal, almost “The End” meets “Three Days” feel to great effect. The entire run had been so high-energy that the slowed down vibe here was a welcome relief for the audience to just sit back and sway.

    The bass influenced What Happened to the LA LAs track, “Paper Dragon,” picked up the pace again with wah-wah pedals wailing and Derhak, Garvey and Schnier riffing away.

    Another smooth take on Garvey’s “Bullet” (familiarly known to moe.rons as “Assfinger”) moved smoothly into a solid Derhak bass solo, that thundered along for nearly five minutes before segueing into a particularly ferocious finale of the unfinished “Meat” from the previous night.

    The final set of the first show of moe.’s 26th year came to an end with a rousing disco version of the Meco classic entitled “Disco Wars.” Schnier took a spot on his keyboard for this one, teasing a little bit of Van Halen’s “Jump” before going full disco. Check out the video below:

    A round of Al.nouncements was followed by an encore of “Letter Home” and “Okayalright,” both tributes to their roots in this area and fitting for the place the band has called home for the past two New Years.

    moe. has done something rare in the music industry. It has survived over 25 years with much of the original lineup in tact and continuing to push boundaries. This New Year’s run and the entire year have shown that this is a band that isn’t resting on past successes and is willing to push to the next level. This run of shows is sure to be one talked about by fans for years to come and for good reason.

    Setlist:

    Set 1: Star Wars Overture> Recreational Chemistry, Shoot First, Cantina Band, Spine Of A Dog> Buster
    Set 2: The Imperial March, Captain America> Mexico, So Long, Paper Dragon, Bullet> Meat*, Disco Wars
    Encore: Letter Home, Okayalright
    *finished from 12/31 moe star wars