NYS Music 20​16

Tag: syracuse

  • ‘In The Mood’ Swings Into Syracuse

    In celebration of 22 years on tour, the live musical revue of In The Mood is coming to Syracuse this March.

    in the moodWith a cast of 19 and a 13-piece big band orchestra (the String of Pearls), the fully staged show features more than 50 popular 1940s numbers, including “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “Well Get It,” “Sing, Sing Sing,” “On The Sunny Side of the Street,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Tuxedo Junction” and “Moonlight Serenade.”

    Fans of American big band music will appreciate the show’s brassy singing and dancing in tribute to Swing Era icons like Glenn Miller, the Andrews Sisters, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Harry James, Erskine Hawkins, Benny Goodman and Frank Sinatra and many others.

    According to the official press release, In The Mood “pays homage to America’s greatest generation who fought WWII. It was a time when Americans listened and boogie woogied to up-tempo Big Band rhythms and danced cheek-to-cheek to intimate ballads. Experience the swing, the rhythm and the jazzy, sentimental and patriotic music of this pivotal time in America’s history.”

    Created by Bud Forrest, the ever-evolving production was selected by the National Archives in Washington, D.C., as part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of WWII; the cast was also chosen to perform at the 53rd Presidential Inauguration Ball.

    In The Mood – A 1940s Big Band Music Revue returns to the Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater March 30 for performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The touring musical will make an additional stop in New York State on March 31 at Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo. Tickets are on sale now.

    2016 In The Mood Tour:

    3/30 – The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater, Syracuse, NY
    3/31 – Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY
    4/12 – Coronado Performing Arts Center, Rockford, IL
    4/14 – Victory Theatre, Evansville, IN
    4/17 – Lexington Opera House, Lexington, KY
    5/3-8 – Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA

  • Blind Owl Band Roars Through The ‘Cuse

    The Blind Owl Band rode their roaring four-stringed freight train right through the Westcott Theater in Syracuse on Feb. 6, and with a full house of faithful fans, they surely got the dance floor heated. The bearded band responsible for breaking in your dancing shoes consists of Arthur Buezo (guitar, vocals), Christian Cardiello, (double bass, fretless bass), James Ford, (banjo, vocals) and Eric Munley (mandolin, vocals).

    The band strummed their instruments so effortlessly, there were times I wondered if their swift fingers even touched the strings. They most definitely live up to their name the “Blind” Owl Band, if they were blindfolded I have no doubt their manic, musical mastery would be no different, as the dance floor was moving all night.

    If you missed this furious fleet of string masters, you can catch them in their hometown of Saranac Lake at the Waterhole on Feb. 13, the Hanger in Troy, NY, on Feb. 18 and at Nectar’s in Burlington, VT, on Feb. 19 with Bella’s Bartok.

  • Annie in the Water returning to Funk ‘n Waffles with St. Lenox

    On Friday, February 5 Annie in the Water will be returning to Funk ‘n Waffles with St. Lenox  who are sure to bring a unique mix to downtown Syracuse.

    Annie in the Water whose roots remain in Watertown NY, will be making their second stop on their 2016 Tour here in Syracuse NY, bringing their positive vibes to numerous venues throughout Vermont, Maine, Potsdam NY, Troy NY, Wilmington NY and their homestead Watertown. Founding members Brad Hester (vocals/percussion/guitar/looper) and Michael Lashomb (guitar/vocals) and featured member Dillon Goodfriend (keys) are sure warm the atmosphere with a mixture of high energy reggae/rock and uplifting lyricism.

    Andrew Choi is the incredibly talented singer/songwriter behind St. Lenox, with Chris Hills / Nick Fed (guitar), Jorge Vega/Brandon Vitruls and Todd Celmar (drums), Chris Bolognese (bass) and Fritz Chrysler (mp3 Player). St. Lenox is a smooth mixture of jazz, classical music and electronica. Andrew Choi’s will surely bring some depth to the stage with some powerful lyrics from his debut album Ten Songs About Memory and Hope released on January 20, 2015. Andrew hopes to release their newest album titled Ten songs from my American Gothic in the Spring of 2016.

    Doors open at 8:00 pm, show starts at 9:00 pm. Get tickets here.

  • Barroom Philosophers Release Debut EP, Announce Shows

    The Barroom Philosophers formed in the summer of 2014, and since then the self-described “funky reggae with a side of rock” band has played countless gigs throughout Central New York. Most recently, the Syracuse-based group released their debut EP titled, Thoughts That Count, and are still in the running for a SAMMYs People’s Choice Award for favorite local band.

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    Mastered by Langston Masingale (StudioDOG Pro), the three-track EP features the producer’s signature analog style (using his self-invented Zulu device) and has found airplay on Syracuse-area radio stations, including Dave Frisina’s “Soundcheck” on Rebel 105.9. The release, including songs “Role Models,” “Zillion Pound Babies” and “Animal is Caged,” dishes up 15 minutes of original funk jams. Frontman David Koegel’s soulful chops set the groove on TTC, backed by surfy blues-rock riffs, cool horns, mellow bass lines and steady beats. Think Sublime meets the Black Crowes.

    The four-piece former cover band, consisting of Brenden Boshart (drums), Ty Hancock (bass), Koegel (vocals) and Joshua Way (guitar), have nearly 20 shows scheduled at hometown spots like Funk ‘N Waffles and the Westcott Theater, plus they are booked to perform at RocCity Brewfest in Rochester and Wild Weed Acres Music Festival in Ovid this summer.

    A complete list of dates for the Barroom Philosophers is available below. Thoughts That Count can be streamed digitally through the band’s website.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b6Y_5IvtQE

    Barroom Philosophers 2016 Dates (New York):

    1/29 – The Ferris Wheel – Oswego
    1/30 – Mac’s Bad Art Bar – Mattydale
    2/6 – Mohegan Manor – Baldwinsville
    2/12 – Funk N Waffles (University) – Syracuse
    2/20 – RocCity Brewfest – Rochester
    2/26 – The Ferris Wheel – Oswego
    2/28 – Westcott Theater – Syracuse
    3/5 – Mohegan Manor – Baldwinsville
    3/11 – The Ferris Wheel – Oswego
    3/18 – Old City Hall – Oswego
    3/26 – Kitty Hoynes – Syracuse
    4/1 – Limp Lizard – Liverpool
    4/8 – The Ferris Wheel – Oswego
    4/16 – Old City Hall – Oswego
    4/23 – Bridge Street Tavern – Solvay
    5/13 – Kitty Hoynes – Syracuse
    5/20 – Old City Hall – Oswego
    5/28 – The Ferris Wheel – Oswego
    6/30 – Wild Weed Acres Music Festival – Ovid

  • Trivium Destroys A Sold Out Lost Horizon

    On Saturday, January 16th, Trivium finally returned to Syracuse for the first time in what seemed like ages. Touring behind their latest album Silence In The Snow, Trivium are showing no signs of slowing down after releasing their 7th album. Even though Trivium decided to release Silence In The Snow without any of their trademark screaming, the album is still doing incredibly well. With the increase in radio play and demands, it’s no wonder why the guys in Trivium sold out The Lost Horizon in advance.

    Prior to Trivium kicking off their winter tour, they went through yet another drummer change. With the announcement of Paul Wandtke taking over as the new drummer, Trivium fans were left asking questions about the new guy. When looking to replace the previous drummer due to creative differences, bassist Paolo Gregoletto and singer Matt Heafy looked to none other than John Petrucci of Dream Theater. Petrucci then brought Dream Theater’s drummer Mike Mangini into the conversation to get some ideas. Mangini recommended Paul who actually studied under him at Berklee. Making his debut at Knotfest in Mexico in early December, Wandtke quickly meshed with the band and has made quite the impact.

    Trivium took the stage at the Lost Horizon after two local bands got the crowd warmed up and ready to go. The night opened up with “Silence In The Snow”, the title track of their latest album. Right off the bat, vocalist/guitar player Matt Heafy experienced issues with his microphone which was echoing every word he sung. After a quick look over to his tech and a laugh the issue was quickly fixed and the night was perfect from that point on. The best thing about seeing a Trivium headlining set is that they’re going deep into their 7 album catalog. The set included 3 songs off their album Ascendancy which were “Like Light to the Flies”, “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” and “Rain”. Fans responded to Trivium’s choice of songs with nothing but pure energy and madness. Fans who were looking to enjoy the show casually weren’t found on the lower floor because it was a whirlpool of bodies crashing into each other. Those who were trying to stand off to the side were even seeing the side effects of the mosh pits brought upon by songs like “Rain,, “Insurrection” and “Becoming the Dragon.”

    Throughout the night Matt Heafy addressed the crowd, demanding them to be loud and rude. Heafy didn’t want any silence in the venue, even while he was speaking himself. Paolo Gregoletto was busy throughout the evening keeping the bass riffs going, singing backup vocals and getting up close and person with the crowd. With the barrier only a mere foot away, Paolo, Matt and lead guitar player Corey Beaulieu all took turns leaning into the crowd. Being so close to the crowd helped the band absorb the energy from the fans easily, especially those in the first few rows who could reach out and touch them. The new drummer Paul Wandtke was an absolute animal behind the drum kit. For being the new face in the band, Paul seems to fit in perfectly. The 14 song set seemed easy for Paul who nailed all the parts he needed to while adding his own personal touch in just the right places. Hopefully for Trivium and their fans, this is the last drummer that Trivium will ever need.

    After ending the show with “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” and “In Waves”, Trivium left their fans wanting even more. Hopefully with the response that Trivium got on Saturday night, they realized that they need to come play in Syracuse more often. For fans looking to catch Trivium a few more times this year, they can hit up almost any of the major festivals in May such as Carolina Rebellion and New York’s very own Rock N’ Derby. For all Trivium news including tour dates and music, visit their website at here.

    Setlist: Silence in the Snow, Into the Mouth of Hell We Match, Strife, Rain, Tread the Floods, Built to Fall, Like Light to the Flies, Insurrection, Dead and Gone, Becoming the Dragon, Down from the Sky, Until the World Goes Cold, Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr, In Waves

  • Syracuse ‘Fund the Bern’ Concert Raises $16,000

    On Jan. 8, more than 700 people packed the Palace Theatre in Syracuse to “Fund the Bern.” Local music venue Funk ‘N Waffles hosted the benefit concert to support presidential candidate Bernie Sanders—and it made more than $16,000 in one night.

    IMG_3946
    Photo by Carol Thoryk O’Leary

    Syracuse musicians Joe Driscoll and Charley Orlando organized the grassroots event to raise awareness about Sanders’ platform and registering to vote

    The Friday night show featured guest speakers and musicians from the Syracuse and Central New York community like Colleen Kattau, Jane Zell, Irv Lyons Jr., Grupo Pagan, Dave Risen, Root SHOCK, the Fat Peace, Subsoil, Castle Creek, Mage IX, Chris Merkley and Sophistafunk. Popular Syracuse food trucks PB&J’s Lunch Box, LLC and The Chicken Bandit were on hand to provide food.

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    On the event’s Facebook page, Driscoll shared a lengthy thank you letter, recounting the evening’s success:

    “There are win-win situations, and then there’s whatever last night was—win-win times twelve, such good vibes, so many great performances, great food and tons of new volunteers recruited for the [Bernie] Sanders’ campaign… We raised awareness, we raised massive funds, we raised the roof and we raised some spirits. Most importantly, the sense of community in the room was so strong; it blew me away. And I haven’t danced and smiled that much in a while.”

    Driscoll also reported that the volunteer group is planning to hold another concert at the historic Palace on James Street in Syracuse in April to continue raising funds for Sanders’ campaign, and he encouraged interested people to stay tuned via Facebook.

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    Photo by Dave Frisina

    Bern Bern Bern Bern Bern Bern Bern Bern Bern Bern

  • State Fair Grandstand to Be Imploded Saturday

    The concert era of he New York State Fair Grandstand may have gone out with a whimper this summer, but Saturday it will go out with a bang. Literally. The New York State Fair Twitter feed posted the following Thursday:

    The 38-year-old grandstand at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes, just outside of Syracuse, is scheduled to be imploded Saturday as the first stage of upcoming renovations to the fairgrounds. The final act will be the sound of dynamite, provided by Tonawanda-based firm Total Wrecking & Environmental.

    The public is invited to witness the demolition, scheduled for 1:20 p.m. Saturday, from the brown parking lot, located across State Fair Boulevard. The lot will open at 9:30 a.m. with an area cordoned off for best viewing of the grandstand.

    According to the Auburn Citizen, the demolition of the grandstand will make way for, “A new 110,000-square-foot expo center, an equestrian facility, 400-space RV park and Chevy Court improvements.” The RV park will replace the grandstand and all future fair concerts will be moved to the Lakeview Amphitheater, which was christened in September by country star Miranda Lambert.

    Since opening in 1978, the grandstand has hosted such musical legends as Frank Sinatra, B.B. King, Tina Turner, Rush, Aerosmith, Frank Zappa, the Allman Brothers Band and the Beach Boys.