Jason Bean, a singer-songwriter originally from Phoenix, NY, and now based in Syracuse, is a worthy local musician to be on the look-out for. Black Then Blue Then Gray sounds very professionally recorded and produced, which is quite notable, being that Bean recorded this, his fifth album, in his home studio, Black Match Studios. Mellow was the first word that came to mind as a very first impression, featuring a simple mix of guitar (played by Bean), vocals (predominantly from Bean himself, but joined by the lovely Kate Crawford on a few of the tunes), drums (masterfully played by Jason’s brother Christopher Bean), and the occasional bass and keys (performed by friend and previous producer Doug Moncrief).
This album can actually be enjoyed on two very different levels. On the surface, if you happen to just be listening in passing, this album can be appreciated for its simplicity and repetitiveness in both the instrumental and lyrical aspects of the music. Full disclosure: I admittedly was not overly impressed by this album when giving it a first listen, in part due to the fact that there aren’t any complicated jams or epic solos, but upon truly listening to the lyrics – which is something you evidently must do to be able to fully appreciate this album – it becomes clear just how impressive this album is. The heartfelt lyrics take you on a journey through something most of us have been through or are presently in: a relationship.
Black Then Blue Then Gray features more traditional love songs such as “Real,” about new love in its purest sense, on which the “guy” is begging his love interest to let him show her “this is something real,” and “Safe,” about feeling truly comfortable and safe with someone, the type of song you wouldn’t mind someone singing to you! But this album also delves into much deeper and more difficult aspects of the relationship. “Let Her Run” puts a clever twist on the cliché “if you love her, let her go,” while “Our Fears” offers the listener an ironic “non-love” song, repeating the lyrics “Don’t tell me that you love me, it’s all downhill from here.”
The album then moves on to the break-up stage of the relationship, from the bitter feelings and trying to justify the break-up on “Smokescreen,” to feeling the burn of being replaced by someone else on (the appropriately named) “Someone Else,” to the acceptance of and finding comfort in being alone on “Windows.” The last song on the album, “You,” brings everything full circle, with Kate Crawford joining in again on this nostalgic song of loving memories and regret about the love they have lost.
Black Then Blue Then Grey presents the listener with a complete story put to music. One could venture to say, even, that the music plays a back seat to the story, while, at the same time, the understated nature of the instrumental components of the album seem to serve as the perfect backdrop to the story: a very symbiotic relationship. This album certainly leaves the listener curious about the four previous albums put out by Jason Bean, as well as those yet to be released.
Key Tracks: Our Fears, Safe, Smokescreen
With no opening performers, the show kicked off shortly after 9 p.m. allowing the group time to dig in and get comfortable. As the house music faded and lights dimmed, the subtle sound of a muted acoustic guitar began to get louder and louder. Soon enough, a silhouette appeared at the back of the stage and Keller then slowly danced his way forward with the rest of the band following behind him. The audience cheered with excitement as Keller strummed his way into a funky instrumental before the rest of KWahtro joined in with a groove.
The second set followed suit with Keller entering the stage in the same fashion. This time around, the whole band collectively began jamming into the hit song “Best Feeling,” from the album 
Set One: Instrumental Intro > Freaker by the Speaker > Pets > Freaker > Bird Song > Birds of a Feather, Baby Mama, Ripped Six Pack > Cheaper by the Bale, Kiwi & Apricot, Hate, Greed, Love > Moving Sidewalk > Rodney Holmes Solo, Up From the Skies, Fuel for the Road
With no time to spare, the house lights dropped as the sound system started thumping, synchronizing with blue pulsating stage lights. Dustin Lynch and his band invaded the stage for their brief set and kicked off the night with “To the Sky,” from his latest release 
After an extended intermission, the house lights dropped one final time and the audience erupted as green 
Little Big Town Set:
The absence of an opening act was evident as it took several songs before the crowd matched the energy level of the music being pumped out of the Marshall stacks. Though, with the 25-song setlist clocking in at 3 hours with a 20 minute intermission, it is debatable if an opening act was even feasible.
Then of course there was Buddy Guy, who was doing his thing before Jimi was doing Jimi’s thing. And at 79 years old, Buddy continues to do it. Buddy delivered gritty, witty lyrics in “Louisiana Blues”, and backed them up with shredding solos that reinvigorated the crowd that had started to look at their watches (not out of boredom, but disbelief and exhaustion). There is something about watching an elder statesman ripping through scales with the speed and feel that most guitarists will never know, it gives folks the energy to cheer just a little louder, a little longer.
Leaving the venue, I noted that instead of hearing conversations that started with “I wish they had played…”, what I heard mostly was “I can’t believe they played…” as the crowd was clearly pleased with how deep they dug into Jimi’s catalog. Much like a congregation after mass, those leaving the Landmark Theater appeared to be uplifted, fulfilled, and spiritually satiated, thanks to the service at The Electric Church.
Last weekend, F
Scheller and Nicolai Gorodiskii
Aside from their famous 