NYS Music is celebrating the end of 2016 by posting staff and reader picks on 10 various categories, and today we are highlighting the winners of the Best Show by Region and the Best Venue in New York State.
We polled the staff and asked our readers for their input in eight other categories: Best Albums by NYS Artists, Best Albums Overall, Biggest Musical Loss, Best Live Cover or Tribute Performances, Best NYS Festivals, Best Out-of-State Festivals, Best Music Town, and Bands on the Rise.
Best venue in New York State:
The number one venue, according to our staff pick, is the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).
SPAC is a focal point for music for areas like upstate New York, the Hudson Valley, Vermont, the Berkshires, and Connecticut. Originally instated in the late 1960’s, the concert venue has held some of the greatest acts of our age, including an iconic performance by the Doors in 1968, and others such as, Santana, Guns N’ Roses, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, KISS, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Phish, Dire Straits and The Grateful Dead, to name just a few. Dave Matthews Band holds the title of the most sold-out performance at the venue.
This summer, SPAC had a full schedule of not-to-be-missed performances, in celebration of their 50th anniversary summer. NYS Music staff writer, Mike Kohli, wrote a preview to highlight the eventful 2016, that you can read here.
“…highlights of this season include a three-night run from Phish July 1 to 3 and a double bill of Dave Matthews Band July 15 and 16. Dead and Company pay a visit to SPAC June 21 with John Mayer laying down Jerry’s licks, and Mumford and Sons bring their electric brand of folk to a sold-out show on June 15.”
We are looking forward to seeing what summer 2017 at the SPAC will bring!
Our readers picked differently, however, and the winner this year for the Best Venue in NYS was the Brooklyn Bowl. The Brooklyn Bowl was opened in 2009 and has since become one of the more prominent venues in New York State.
Following closely behind it were The Capitol Theatre, SPAC, The Hollow and The Town Ballroom which all tied for second place.
Best Show by Region:
The staff pick for the Best Show by Region was Dead & Co. at the SPAC on June 21.
Pete Mason wrote the following in his review of the evening:
“With Dead and Company having started their fall tour in Albany this past October, Capitaland got the first taste of John Mayer in a Jerry Garcia role, one that brought criticism and concern from those who weren’t familiar with Mayer’s guitar prowess but experts in tabloid fodder. But to those in the know, musicians and real fans alike, convivial awe and heightened expectations were the emotions directed toward Mayer, and when the October show ended with “Touch of Grey,” any musical concerns were laid to rest.
And they were laid to rest over and over, as the tour wrapped around the country, culminating with New Year’s Eve in Inglewood, CA, and now a summer tour that began this month, including a stop at Bonnaroo. Four shows deep and the expectations for the performance at SPAC on June 21 were as high as ever, partially because three members of the original Grateful Dead were back in Saratoga for the first time in more than 20 years, and partially thanks to no repeats in the setlist during the previous four nights.”
To see a full recap and photo gallery by Jim Gilbert, go here.
The readers’ picks for the best show were Twiddle, TAUK, Holly Bowling and Matisyahu at Capitol Theater on May 7.
To read the full review of the event, go here:
“Take the fastest rising jamband in recent years, add in a hot prog-rock band boiling over with talent, a classically trained pianist performing the music of Phish and The Grateful Dead, and a cross-genre reggae singer and you have the fixings for one of the best nights of live music The Capitol Theatre has seen this year, and that’s saying a lot.”
NYS Music had a chance to talk to Ryan Dempsey of Twiddle before the show, see the interview below:
The co-headlined Disturbed/Breaking Benjamin tour, not only saw four of todays best frontman, fans were also treated to some of the top musicians in the business. When you break down the lineup as individuals, you realize how good some of these musicians really are. Fans had the privilege to see the likes of guitarist Mike Mushok (Staind), guitarist Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge), and Dan Donegan (guitar) and Mike Wengren (drums) from Disturbed, to name a few, perform right in front of their eyes.
Alter Bridge took the stage in the second spot on the card. Alter Bridge started things off with “Addicted To Pain.” Singer Myles Kennedy was amazing on every track. I just wish his mic was turned up a little louder. Kennedy’s guitar skills are pretty good. The crowd had Kennedy smiling from ear to ear throughout the bands set, as fans sang each song with him. Now talking about skilled guitarist, Mark Tremonti is a down right beast guitar. Watching him play live is almost mesmerizing. His guitar solos are on point and totally flawless. Tremonti was feeling really feeling it, as he would make facial expressions to the sound of his guitar. You can feel Tremonti’s passion as he plays. At one point, Tremonti was jamming so hard he accidently unplugged his guitar. Alter Bridge had the whole crowd going crazy during the song “Metalingus.” Kennedy gave props to a fan playing air guitar in the upper balcony. Kennedy told the fan that he loves seeing that shit. The band ended their set with “Rise Today.”
First headliner of the night was Breaking Benjamin. The band has been touring relentlessly over the last two years ever since frontman Benjamin Burnley pieced together a new lineup and studio album. Their stage set consisted of C.O.2 blasters, that would shoot off at various times during the bands set. The cool air from the blasters helped cool off the fans down front in the pit. The band started things off with “So Cold.” Being the Star Wars fan that frontman Benjamin Burnley is, the band played the “Imperial March Theme,” from the movie. Ben pledged his allegiance to the darkside of the force giving a shoutout to Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, and The First Order, as he wielded a red lightsaber.
Burnley told the crowd on many occasions, that they were singing along beautiful and to keep it going. Burnley gave a speech and paid tribute to the men and women in our Armed Forces. Breaking Benjamin ended their night with “The Diary Of Jane.”
Setlist(s) courtesy of phish.net
Sunday, 07/03/2016
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.
And they were laid to rest over and over, as the tour wrapped around the country, culminating with New Year’s Eve in Inglewood, CA, and now a summer tour that began this month, including a stop at Bonnaroo. Four shows deep and the expectations for the performance at SPAC on June 21 were as high as ever, partially because three members of the original Grateful Dead were back in Saratoga for the first time in more than 20 years, and partially thanks to no repeats in the setlist during the previous four nights.