Tag: twiddle

Best of NYS Music 2016: Staff and Reader Picks for Best Shows by Region and Best Venue in NYS

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:

December 21, 2016
Twiddle Served Double Dose of Awesome to The Capitol Theatre

Over the weekend, renowned Port Chester, NY venue The Capitol Theatre featured a double dose of Twiddle with supporting acts both nights. RAQ warmed up the audience as the opener on Friday. Funky, fast beats filled the air as the group busted into their grooves. Keyboardist Todd Stoops laid out thick jams while guitarist Chris Michetti was locked in and drove out crisp notes throughout. Psychedelic undertones meandered around the melodies of their set. RAQ kept things interesting as they took off right out of the gate with a solid, energetic jam before cooling things off with playfully gentle tunes, ensuring that fans coming in from the cold were warmed up properly.

After a brief break, Twiddle took to the stage, opening with “Daydream Farmer,” a tune that was stacked with jammy goodness. Adrian Tramontano of Kung Fu sat in on percussion for the entire evening. Their first set included everything from quick paced tunes, down and out funky vibes and jazzy melodies. Twiddle had a little something for everyone, keeping the crowd energized by the fluidity of music being thrown at them.

Second set was nothing but magical. Surprises peaked in and out, with Ryan Dempsey’s lone piano kicking things off as they flowed into “Indigo Trigger.” “Classical Gas” morphed seamlessly into an unexpected “Carol of the Bells” Christmas song. Stoops came out to join on keys during “The FRENDS Theme” which was sandwiched between “Tiberius.”

The evening closed out with an encore that audiences at any show always jokingly request yet never hear. “Freebird” brought out the lighters in the air around the venue. Todd Stoops, Chris Michetti and Scotty Zwang of RAQ joined the band on stage for this killer finale on night one. Night two was sure to bring out even more musical treats.

Encore video courtesy of William Corcoran:

Saturday night’s show brought Burlington, Vermont based band Madaila to the stage, opening the evening with “Nature.” Their bright white outfits, lined randomly with pink, gold and black striping, wowed the audience when they stepped on stage. This synth-heavy psych pop band that touched upon an 80’s style era sound, and reminiscent of harmony work that hinted of the Bee Gee’s, spilled out energy from the minute they stepped on stage. Guitarist Mark Daly busted into an intense jam that brought the house down during “Secret,” while keyboardist Eric Maier added the spicy musical flavor throughout the entire set. If you’ve never seen this band live, make sure to catch them as they will not disappoint. They are a band to watch in the coming year.

After a quick break, Twiddle took to the stage and busted into “Subconscious Prelude,” taking the tune into a trippy jam mid-song while teasing Papadosio’s “Find Your Cloud.” The group took the crowd on a ride around the tones filled with Dempsey’s heavy keys and Mihali Savoulidis’ intense guitar. A solid backline of in the pocket drums were provided by Brook Jordan, with Tramontano once again supporting on percussion throughout the night.

A stretched out “Doinkinbonk!!!” sandwiched “Too Many Puppies” before easing right back into “Doinkinbonk!!!.” Dempsey kicked into high gear, providing a trippy key session during the fast paced tune, rolling the melody right along.The venue roared with cheers from the crowd as driving guitar notes brought the energy to soaring heights. Tasty jams with dancing grooves settled in for the long haul during first set. The crowd was pumped as funky beats flowed in and out during “Latin Tang.” Meanwhile, colorful images splashed around the walls and ceiling of the Capitol, offering visual stimulation that heightened the musical journey during the evening.

The stage cleared as the drum and percussion section eased into a steamy solo, while Dempsey and bassist Zdenek Grubb literally laid out on the floor, gently adding in bass as the jam progressed. The performance was smoking hot. Guitarist Wiley Griffin, of Teddy Midnight, accompanied the band during a smashing “Complacent Race,” helping to bring set one to a close.

Second set opened with “Cabbage Face.” Dreamy bass bombs burst mid-song during “Mamunes the Faun,” keeping the audience on their feet. The double dose of Twiddle encored with “Beethoven and Greene,” ensuring fans danced off every last bit of energy in their core. Simply put, Twiddle gave the audience everything they had during the two-night run and the fans walked away on a high note with most leaving the venue plastered with beaming smiles from ear to ear.

For more information on Twiddle, please visit their official website.

Video courtesy of William Corcoran:

Twiddle 12/16/16,The Capitol Theatre

Set 1: Daydream Farmer, Beehop>Dr. Remidi’s Melodium#>Beehop, Jamflowman, Moments, Honeyburste

Set 2: Indigo Trigger, Classical Gas@, Tiberius > The FRENDS Theme^ > Tiberius

Encore: Freebird$

# Teased Primus’ “Southbound Pacaderme”

@ Included “Carol of the Bells” jam

^ Featured Todd Stoops on keys (RAQ)

$ Featured Chris Michetti on guitar (RAQ), Todd Stoops on keys (RAQ), and Scotty Zwang on drums (RAQ)

Twiddle 12/17/16, The Capitol Theatre

Set 1: Subconscious Prelude*, Doinkinbonk!!!>Too Many Puppies>Doinkinbonk!!!, Latin Tang, White Light, Complacent Race%

Set 2: Cabbage Face, Gatsby The Great, Mamunes The Faun, Every Soul

Encore: Beethoven and Greene

* Teased Papadosio’s “Find Your Cloud

% Featured Wiley Griffin on guitar (Teddy Midnight)

December 20, 2016
Best of NYS Music 2016: Biggest Musical Loss and Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance

As we give thanks for the awe inspiring musical talent living among us, we must also honor those who have left incredible music legacies behind. 2016 was particularly rough, having lost several pioneers and visionaries whose music has influenced not only other musicians, but has affected so many of us far outside the realm of making music. Their songs are the songs we queue in epic DJ mixes at dance parties, belt the lyrics alone in our rooms when we’re feeling melodramatic, and reflect on their lyrical wisdom in challenging times.

1). David Bowie

January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016

2). Prince

June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016

3). Leonard Cohen

September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016

Staff and readers unanimously agreed David Bowie, Prince and Leonard Cohen were our three most cherished losses in the music community this year. All three were producing up until their heartbreaking deaths with Bowie’s Blackstar (2016), Prince’s HITnRUN Phase One and HITnRUN Phase Two (2015) and Cohen’s You Want it Darker (2016).

Other notable losses in 2016 include Leon Russel, Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, John Berry of Beastie Boys and Merle Haggard.

Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance

It seems fitting to follow up Biggest Musical Losses with Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance as a way of honoring the work of past musical greats. In this year’s poll, we received so many noteworthy performances. Our staff voted on Dopakuaz’s Yacht Rock, Lotus’ Space Disco set at the Town Ballroom, Mirk’s Michael Jackson medley, Phish’s Ziggy Stardust tribute, Start Making Sense, James Brown Dance Party, Salt City Waltz and Twiddle’s cover of ALO’s “BBQ”

Readers chose Aqueous covering “Band on the Run,” JRAD’s performance at Lockn’, Phish’s Suffragette City cover, Pink Talking Fish’s Nov. 17 show in Denver, Twenty One Pilots covering “Cancer” and White Denim’s Prince Medley. Recap Monday’s staff and reader picks for Albums of the Year, and stay tuned as the series continues throughout the week.

https://youtu.be/hF_0E31d7dQ?t=29m54s

December 14, 2016
Best of NYS Music 2016: Staff and Reader Picks for Albums of the Year

In NYS Music tradition, as we count down the final days of 2016, we reminisce about the hours we’ve spent obsessing over music. Whether planning wild road trips to chase bands whose music feeds our souls, frequenting our favorite venues and exploring new ones, head banging to heavy jams and accidentally spilling drinks, dancing with strangers and making new friends, music is a common thread that unites us. Now it’s time to reflect on the soundtrack of 2016 and recognize the music that carried us through another revolution around the sun.

We polled the staff and asked our readers for their input in ten categories: Best Albums by NYS Artists, Best Albums Overall, Best Shows by Region, Best Venues in NYS, 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. Throughout the week we will present two categories a day highlighting the top picks. We’ll kick things off with Best Albums by NYS Artists and Best Album, Overall. Here we go!

Best Albums by NYS Artists

Receiving the most votes, Aqueous’ EP Best in Show was voted in as the top album of 2016. The Buffalo rock quartet released the record in October and it stands as “a four song reflection not only of the band’s time without a permanent drummer, but also a glimpse into the band’s future as drummer Rob Houk melts into the Aqueous groove with fluid rhythm that feels as if he’s always been here.”

NYS Music writer Kat Horton’s review offers this commentary:

“The four songs are highlighted by tiny nuggets of rightness; lyrically, musically and in its production Best in Show turns a pointed spotlight on how much Aqueous has grown in the two years since their last studio release. But more importantly, Best in Show is Aqueous’ resolve from the challenges they have faced and proves their tenacity to move forward while solidifying their line-up.”

This year our readers were in agreement with which NY artist released the best album, nominating Aqueous as their top choice. Queens-based hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service and Brooklyn’s psychedelic funk band Chromatropic and their recent release, Abundance were also favored.

A handful of NYS albums deserving honorable mention in the staff vote include: Funktional Flow’s Time Will Tell, TAUK’s Sir Nebula, A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service, Seymour’s Seymour, and Vaporeyes’ Golden Baron.

Best Albums Overall

Though Phish’s live albums are what usually garner attention, this year their release of Big Boat left an impression on fans and the “13th studio recording is the most genre bending album they have released.”

NYS Music’s Neil Benjamin Jr. offered this review, commenting:

“Ever think Phish would start off a studio album with a sort of Brit-pop-punk sounding song? Me either, but that’s exactly what the band did by kicking off Big Boat with the Jon Fishman song “Friends,” which is the perfect lead-in to an album by a band that has built its fanbase by throwing it curveballs.”

A Tribe Called Quest’s album We Got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service also received recognition in this year’s poll. Smart lyrics and slick beats produced by this socially conscious group offers a dialogue that resonates with many listeners and “once again, the group has created something one of a kind a revolutionary, that listeners can only hope will inspire other artists to follow in Tribe’s footsteps.”

In a review of the album, NYS Music’s Dave Ostroff remarks,

“The production value of this album is immaculate. It feels like listening to a remastered, never released album, because Tribe led the public to believe their fifth album was their last breaking up in 1998. And even without all of the original members, their sound is still effortless and always moving.”

Bon Iver’s 22, A Million melts his hauntingly sweet voice into a pool of shockingly experimental effects that stings the ears with intrigue. “While experimenting with the auto-tune and synthetics, Bon Iver explores the world beyond the conventional three-minute song while staying true to himself.”

NYS Music writer Sammy Steiner reviewed the album, offering:

“The controversial album that is 22, A Million was successful in reinventing Bon Iver to the extent that he is compared to the works of Kayne West and Frank Ocean. With this album, Bon Iver reaffirms his ability to remain of interest to our scattered millennial generation and the contemporary world.”

According to our readers, Aqueous also took the top slot for Best Album, while Metallica’s Hardwired… To Self Destruct and Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool were also popular choices.

Other notable contenders that have earned honorable mention for Best Albums chosen by our staff include: Jimkata’s In Motion, Childish Gambino’s Awaken, My Love!, Kiefer Sutherland’s Down in a Hole, TAUK’s Sir Nebula, Twiddle’s Plump: Chapter One, and Lotus’ Eat the Light.

Of course we wish we could highlight even more albums and celebrate all of the amazing music released this year, but stay tuned throughout the week for the remaining Best of NYS Music results to be released!

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

December 12, 2016
Catskill Chill Closes out Summer at New Minglewood

Catskill Chill rounded out the New York summer festival season September 24-26 with a stacked line-up and a new location. Moving just a few miles from its former location in Hancock, NY, the Catskill Chill found a new home this year in Lakewood, Pa. Previously held at Camp Minglewood, this year the Chill found its new home at New Minglewood and included an extra day of camping and more music.

The festival’s inaugural Thursday night pre-party was a great addition to the weekend. Twiddle highlighted the evening with two sets including a sit-in with Scott Hannay of Mister F. Although the turn out for the night’s first two bands, Aqueous and Jimkata, was light, the packed house for Twiddle verified that many festival goers had taken advantage of the Thursday night ticket.

Arriving early had more benefits than just the music. Many festival attendees enjoyed the ability to set up camp and explore the grounds before the barrage of attendees arrived on Friday. “The best part of the Thursday ticket was being able to get the choice camping spots.” Jennifer Bliss of Saratoga Springs, NY told NYS Music. “It was also nice to have our camp ready to go, so that we could really enjoy the music on Friday.”

Mike Gordon drew the largest crowd of Friday Night to the main stage. Among the songs performed, the Phish bassist debuted “Let’s Go,” a tune generally reserved for a Phish set list. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic also enjoyed a great turn out, many of whom had never seen the master of funk live. “I had only heard the name George Clinton, but didn’t really know what he was about. Thinking about it, that set might have been my favorite of the weekend. I liked that Chill has artists like that on their line-up,” noted Brian Thomas of Cleveland, Ohio.

Other much talked about sets on Friday night included Pink Talking Fish and Pink Talking Fu. The Pink Talking Fish set included a variety of Phish, Talking Heads and Pink Floyd with a sit-in from Kung Fu’s Tim Palmeri on “Great Gig in the Sky” and “Crosseyed and Painless.” The B Stage was turned into a dance party during Pink Talking Fu (Pink Talking Fish and Kung Fu.) The two bands highlighted the music of David Bowie and Prince in a tribute set that featured both top 40 hits and beloved deep tracks. Shira Elias of Turkuaz and Hayley Jane both sat in for vocal performances throughout the set.

Friday’s sleeper sets included music by Funky Dawgz Brass Band, Mister F and Goldfish. All three bands are well worth seeing and turned out amazing performances.

Saturday’s main stage was highlighted with an assortment of musical styles that kept the variety going throughout the day. Ryan Montebleau, Cabinet and Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass added an element of relaxation and chill while Lettuce and Particle were funky and dance worthy.

The B-Stage popped off thanks to sets from Turkuaz and Tauk. Formula 5, Big Something and the Magic Beans all generated note-worthy buzz at their various sets on Saturday as well.

Saturday was the day of tribute sets, providing a plethora of familiar music performed by some of the festivals most beloved artists. Fikus and Shwizz came together to perform as Shwikus Plays the Beatles, while the Heavy Pets played the 80’s and Lespecial paid tribute to Primus.

“I just loved all of the tribute sets at Chill,” mentioned Nick Augustine of Silver Springs, MD. “Every one that I saw was executed perfectly!”

The most intriguing set of the night went to Turbine, whose RadioDead set was at times mind twisting and enigmatic. The concept – Radiohead songs played in the style of the Grateful Dead and Grateful Dead songs played in the style of Radiohead. Turbine did a stellar job of translating the songs into the respective styles, so much so that many attendees couldn’t quite wrap their heads around what they were hearing. “Wait, is this Radiohead or the Dead?” was overheard often during the set.

For the second year in a row, members of Dopapod and Turkuaz brought the house down during their tribute set, this year with a tribute set to the preppie-loved classic soft rock of the 80s known as Yacht Rock. The set was fun, campy and executed with perfection. It’s a nod to both groups of Berklee trained musicians, as they take such care with music that could otherwise be dismissed. Somehow they find a way to celebrate not only the music, but the production quality that feels like you are square in the middle of a musical time capsule.

Josh Schwartz (Turkuaz) receives MVP nods for his spot on vocal tribute to soulful baritone Michael McDonald. However, Rob Compa who tackled vocals on the Eagles classic “Hotel California” as well as the entire Dopakuaz crew wins honorable mention during a production perfect version of the song. The set also included the most “had to be there” moment as Dopapod bassist Chuck Jones took to the Chill Fam seas with a stage dive and crowd surfing adventure.

The Chill Fam All-Stars tribute to Michael Jackson was another highlight of the night, however, many festival attendees were turned away as the Late Night Hall was packed to capacity before the music even started. However, despite not everyone being able to attend, the set was highlighted by the vocals of Elise Testone, whuch were a milky and smooth compliment to the original. The Chill Fam All- Stars included Eric Gould (Pink Talking Fish); Adrian Tramontano and Robert Somerville (Kung Fu); Shira Elias, Chris Brouwers and Michelangelo Carubba (Turkuaz); Danny Mayer (Eric Krasno Band); Steve Molitz (Particle) and Robert Volo on trombone (Deep Banana Blackout).

Sunday’s Main Stage was highlighted by performances from Dopapod, Greensky Bluegrass and Electron. Although the festival grounds and attendance at sets appeared to begin to thin out by Sunday afternoon, festival goers that stuck it out were also treated to great performances by Perpetual Groove, Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, The Werks and Broccoli Samurai.

Sunday’s most noteworthy performance went to Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. They made the most of their two sets, including a two-hour cover set late night at Club Chill. The set was one of the most sit-in heavy of the weekend including performances by Tom Hamilton, Shira Elisa (Turkuaz), Steve Molitz (Particle), Elise Testone, and Rob Somerville (Kung Fu).

The New Minglewood grounds felt like home for many Catskill Chill veterans. The added facilities of more “play areas” including the basketball courts by the B-Stage created a fun vibe that more people plan on taking advantage of next year. Wins for the new location included closer parking to the camping grounds, more common areas and the B-Stage, whom many felt housed the best music and sound of the weekend.

However, despite the great sound at both the main stage and the B-stage, many festival attendees found themselves hanging outside both Club Chill and the Late Night Hall due to the facilities acoustics. “It was really loud in both the indoor venues,” noted Mike Dustin of Allentown, PA, “For the most part, we chose to just sit outside and listen there. It just literally sounded like we were watching music in a high school gym. So much of the sound quality was lost.”

Most of this year’s attendees agreed that the cabins, vendors and security were in sync with previous years. However, it was noted by several folks that this year the port-a-potties in the camping areas could have used much more attention, as the usual daily cleanings of the facilities seemed to have been missed in at least one location.

As the weekend’s attendees packed up and returned home, most were happy with the new location and the line-up. But beyond that, it was the Chill Fam vibe that most were pleased to be a part of. “Chill is my favorite festival – hands down,” said Kelly Kepler of Portland, Maine. “I was scared that this year would be different, that changing the location would mean all the things we loved about Chill would be different. Honesty, I think it was better. It was a great way to bond with new people because everyone was on even ground. It only made our little Chill family stronger. I can’t wait for next year!”

September 29, 2016
Catskill Chill Offers Fierce Line-Up at New Location

If you’re not quite ready for the summer to end, the Catskill Chill offers many music lovers one last chance to spend a weekend immersed in sights and sounds at the festival’s new location. Just a mere ten miles southwest from its former location, 2016 ushers in a new era for the festival at the New Minglewood. This year’s basic festival ticket includes three days of music and camping starting September 24-26.

Catskill Chill kicks off this year with a Thursday pre-party, a new addition for the festival. At the mere cost of $45, the pre-party offers a powerhouse line-up of northeast festival favorites. The inaugural evening features Buffalo grove rockers Aqueous, jamtronica favorites Jimkata, two sets from Vermont’s Twiddle and superduo Trakstar featuring Todd Stoops (RAQ) and Rob Chafin (The Werks). The evening will be filled with high energy music that looks to set the bar high for future pre-party festivities.

Martie Locke who will be traveling from King of Prussia, PA, said that the Thursday pre-party is actually what sold him on the weekend. “It’s amazing. Aqueous, Jimkata and Twiddle offer some of the best musical vibes,” he told NYS Music. “I think Thursday night could be some of the best fun of the weekend. Well worth the price of the entire ticket.”

For folks not making the Thursday festivities, the entire weekend is packed with creative collaborations, solid headliners, as well as up and coming artists from all over the country.

Friday offers a mixture of relaxed vibes and funk. Zack Deputy kicks off Friday’s Main Stage music. Kung Fu offers the day’s first look at Main Stage funk takeover while funk masters George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic and Phish bassist Mike Gordon headline the Main Stage on Friday evening. Pink Talking Fish are sandwiched in between the two powerhouses, with their performance on the B Stage, creating a solid five hours of music.

Ryan Montebleau sets the mood for the Saturday Main Stage, with Cabinet and Keller Williams offering up a Saturday afternoon filled with Bluegrass vibes. Lettuce closes out the Saturday Main Stage Music.

Sunday’s Main Stage is a variety of musical genres. Roosevelt Collier’s NY Get Down will feature Dopapod’s Rob Compa and Eli Winderman as well as Michelangelo Carubba and Taylor Shell of Turkuaz. Bluegrass favorites Greensky Bluegrass and electronic rock masters Dopapod fill out Sunday afternoon. Electron will conclude the activity on Sunday’s Main Stage

This year’s Catskill Chill is filled with a variety of beloved music performed by some of the festivals most respected veteran artists as this year’s Chill is jam packed with tribute performances. Friday night will feature Pink Talking Fu paying tribute to this year’s passing legends David Bowie and Prince.

Saturday hosts the majority of these performances. Shwikus, featuring members of Shwizz and Fikus, will pay tribute to the music of the Beatles. The Heavy Pets bring their highly praised Tribute to the 80’s, while fans of Primus will want to check out Lespecial’s Primus set in Club Chill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN246u0Q7J8

Dopakuaz, featuring members of Dopapod and Turkuaz, returns after a memorable performance of the music of Studio 54 at last year’s Catskill Chill. This year, the two bands have collaborated to showcase the best of classic 80’s preppie soft rock, also known as Yacht Rock. Saturday night’s tributes will conclude with the Chillfam All-stars Tribute to Michael Jackson. Fans of Led Zepplin should catch Elise Testone’s tribute set on Sunday. Bitches Bloom will perform the music of American Jazz legend Miles Davis on Sunday as well.

The Catskill Chill is also offering a few unique choices on their 2016 line-up. Primate Fiasco’s unique blend of Americana, street band and off humor lyrics are a refreshing change of pace for almost any festival line-up. Meanwhile, Reed Mathis (Tea Leaf Green) and Electric Beethoven featuring Jay Lane (Primus, Ratdog),Todd Stoops, Cochrane McMillian (Tea Leaf Green) and Clay Welch will perform a set of “classical dance music” with a reimagining of Beethoven classics.

This year’s line-up is also highlighted by a laundry list of this summer’s most buzz worthy bands. Hailing out of New York State, Mister F, Formula 5 and TAUK continue to make noise on festival line-up’s all over the Northeast. Hayley Jane and the Primates are Chill vets, but their rising stock makes the Vermont based group one of the weekend’s acts to see.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Tom Hamilton’s American Babies are other noteworthy artists for the four-day weekend. North Carolina’s based Big Something and Boston’s progressive eletrofunk outfit Strange Machines have also been gaining steam all summer long.

“Strange Machines is just so epic and progressive as they make you want to dance harder,” said Nick Augustine of Maryland, “They blow me away again and again every time.”

The Werks, Turkuaz and Indobox are also solid, ‘can’t go wrong’ choices amongst this year’s jam packed line-up.

First time attendees will find themselves on even ground with experienced Chill attendees, as everyone will be learning the festival’s new lay-out. However, festival organizers look to make the transition a bit easier by keeping stage names and key amenities the same.

However, beyond the music, the hope of most attendees is that despite venue changes, the “Chill Fam” will maintain the vibe that has, in part, kept the festival growing.

Rachael Dube from Vermont, a four-year Chill attendee isn’t worried about the venue change. In fact, she says she is excited for the new location. “There is just something pretty righteous about moving it from the original spot you know? Change is beautiful and inevitable, nothing should stay the same forever. Being able to take the great base that we have created at the Chill, and move it wherever we like, seems pretty cool to me. It’s something special that’s for sure.”

And it’s not just the festival goers that are excited for the vibe that the festival offers. Scott Hannay of the band Mister F was a three-year Chill attendee before his band played the festival in 2014. He told NYS Music, that it’s the “the ubiquitous Chillfam” that makes the festival special. “The vibe, the staff, all that music and unique combinations of musicians, it all melds together in a way that other festivals do not. Chill is exactly that, Chill.”

Tickets for general admission as well as VIP packages are still available.

September 15, 2016
The LOCKN’ Report: Day 3

The Jam ‘Lympics brought out the best in bands on day 3 at LOCKN’. ‘A’ games ruled the day.

In the early going, Moon Taxi? quickly became Moon Taxi! as the Nashville band quickly won over the early afternoon crowd with their Southern rock inflected jams, with highlights being an “All Along the Watchtower” cover and set-closing “All Day All Night” and it’s soaring guitars big rock finish.

Vermont jammers Twiddle spun around the stage next, opening with a lengthy take on “Polluted Beauty” that brought out influences from many jam band mavens before them. Keller Williams came out to lend a hand on “Best Feeling” which ended with a jam on Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”. The set ended as it began, with a drawn out version of “Jamflowman” which opened groovily but ended in a flurry of explosive guitar rock (which would continue to be a theme on this day).

Stanton Moore picked up nicely on the departing sounds and brought in Galactic with a flourish of drums before the rest of the band joined in. New Orleans native Erica Falls joined the band throughout the set to pick up the vocal duties on songs like “Hey Na Na” and “There’s Something Wrong With This Picture.” The real highlights of the set came when harmonica giant, Lee Oskar, of War fame, came out to add a little more funk muscle for takes on “Slipping Into Darkness,” “Like a Rolling Stone” and nearly half the set overall.

Hard Working Americans brought their rough and tumble barroom rock attitude next. They weren’t going to win on style points, but were trying to crushing it on raw rock power alone. Dave Schools and Duane Trucks provided the engine while Neal Casal’s guitar and Jesse Aycock’s lap steel twist around each other. Lead man Todd Snider lead them through incredible versions of “Stomp and Holler,” “Dope is Dope,” and “Something Else.” With Phil Lesh’s set delayed the band extended their set, Todd Snider taking over with some spoken word ramblings while the band rocked out behind him, building yet another rocking finish. “The answer my friend is blowing in the wind. Well I listened to the wind and it didn’t tell me a fucking thing, so much for folk music,” Snider quipped, like a true rockstar.

The rotating stage and interlocking sets concept didn’t quite work so well for most of the day, including a break of over 30 minutes while Phil Lesh got his friends ready to go. It certainly was a lot of musicians to coordinate. But Phil Lesh is the ultimate coach, and what seemed to be a bizarre collection of players, Lesh knew it would work. With Page McConnell, Jon Fishman, Joe Russo, Anders Osborne and the Infamous Stringdusters it was essentially a LOCKN’ All-Stars. The set took advantage of the players, mixing some bluegrassy tunes like “Dire Wolf” and “Rosalee McFall,” with more stretched out versions of “Uncle John’s Band” and “Scarlet Begonias.” Russo kept the gangly band tight together while McConnell provided an enormous and impressive groundwork for the others to launch from. Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi joined the group for takes on “Mr. Charlie” and “Sugaree,” which saw Trucks and Jeremy Garret weave solos together that was brilliantly unexpected. Leave it to a coaching genius like Lesh to see the potential of the the fiddle and slide guitar to sound so good in that spot.

The Tedeschi Trucks Band left it all on the field for LOCKN’ with a stellar performance. The 12-strong band beat out even Lesh’s assemblance in total manpower. The set ranged from straight blues, classic rock, New Orleans jazz, fusion and soul, and they stuck the landing from every angle. Trucks assumed control of the band throughout the night, taking solo after relentless solo, showcasing his talent in all its magnificent glory. The set consisted almost entirely of covers, including “Within You Without You” (Beatles), “Keep On Growing” (Derek and the Dominos), “Had to Cry Today” (Blind Faith), and “Bitches Brew” (Miles Davis). But the highlight of the set was when all the diverse influences came together for their closing rendition of their own “Let Me Get By,” yet another big rock finish.

Many fans dread a band’s “festival set” due to their generally truncated nature and their tendency to lean heavily on the hits. My Morning Jacket operates in exactly the opposite direction. Their festival sets are something to seek out and look forward to, and their first LOCKN’ appearance was no exception.

My Morning Jacket declared victory with their set opening “Victory Dance.” The bar had been set high by what had come before them. But they set the bar higher, and then vaulted over it with relative ease. An early set “Off The Record” set the scene properly. There had been a lot of rocking on the stage during the day, but none quite as coordinated and ferocious as that. Throughout the set the band would take songs further and deeper than usual, and focused on the songs that could do so. “Steam Engine” got dragged out into a powerful sax lead jam, while “Phone Went West” found a melodic run and built it into a blistering rocker. Every single song in the set seemed to end with the aforementioned big rock finish, the energy reached a point that just could not be topped so they just kept pushing it back to the top. They played tribute to Bob Marley (“Could You Be Loved”), Prince (“Purple Rain”), David Bowie (“Rebel Rebel”) and the world on the whole with a surprisingly fun and rocking “What the World Needs Now.” When “One Big Holiday” reared it’s head, it became clear the energy couldn’t be sustained any longer, and the set came to a close after over 2 hours of relentless rock genius.

Sunday’s artists will need to watch out for splinters after that stage shredding that took place on the penultimate day of LOCKN’.

August 28, 2016
Festivalgoers Let Their Soul Shine During Second Half of The Peach

Saturday and Sunday at The Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA was more of the same weather wise with scorching heat, humidity and powerful storms that would delay several sets in the evening. Despite the elements, festivalgoers all across Montage Mountain appeared to be in better spirits for the later half, perhaps due to an acceptance and understanding of these factors, but more likely due to the outstanding music delivered to their eyes and ears. Headliners like Trey Anastasio Band and Umphrey’s McGee delivered top notch sets on Friday and Gov’t Mule and new supergroup “RB&B” brought the festival to a truly satisfying close on Sunday.

New York’s own Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds swooped onto the main stage early in the afternoon. Arleigh Kincheloe and brother Jackson, along with the rest of the birds energized the mountain with their soulful yet funky performance fans have come to love.

The afternoon also welcomed back Tom Hamilton to the Grove Stage with his band American Babies. Hamilton is a talented songwriter and although his presence in Thursday night’s Pink Floyd Electron set was nothing short of jaw dropping, the change of pace with the lively Americana feel to his afternoon set is exhilarating as well. Also during this time, metal rockers Brown Sabbath slayed over on the Mushroom Stage. Their frontman is as comical as he is talented, addressing the crowd as “motherfuckers” in between sets. As the name suggests, the Austin based band covers the catalog of Black Sabbath, but they do so with horns and Latin-style percussion for a unique experience both metal heads and hippies can appreciate.

The darlings of the festival scene, Twiddle, brought a massive crowd to the Mushroom Stage mid-afternoon on Saturday. This would likely have been a massive pool party like that of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong the day before, but the wave pool was closed. No matter though as fans packed the area to witness the rising stars welcome Russ Lawton on drums and Ray Paczkowski on keys, both from Soule Monde and TAB, join the band for “White Light.” Bassist Zdenek Gubb proved himself to be MVP of the set with powerful and funky bass playing that could be felt at the very top of Montage Mountain.

The highlight of Friday afternoon was Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Because the Grateful Dead means so much to so many people in the community, it’s no wonder their set drew such a massive crowd to the main stage. Joe Russo and friends bring a thrilling and welcomed update to the classics so many of us have come to cherish. Their set included greats like “Eyes of the World,” “The Wheel” and a full and powerful “Terrapin Station.”

As was the trend each evening at Peach, Mother Nature made her presence known with continuous flashes of lightening that would come with strong winds, rain and thunderstorms forcing The Lennon Claypool Delirium to prematurely end their predictably spacey yet original set. Fans took cover under the Pavilion as the first part of the storm passed overhead flooding the floors under their feet. Once passed it was finally time for the great Trey Anastasio Band to hit the stage. The pavilion, now packed with fans, housed tunes like “Cayman Review,” “Magilla,” “Gotta Jibboo” and “Money Love and Change.” As soon as “Sand” started to pick up, Anastasio was forced to tell fans to once again seek cover due to more severe weather. Once given the all clear, TAB returned to the stage to pick up “Sand” where they left off. Later in the set, Trey shared the story of how former TAB trombonist Jeff Cressman left the band to play with Santana. When Trey asked him who might replace him, Cressman suggested his daughter Natalie. Jeff was then welcomed to the stage and the father-daughter team thrilled the crowd together during “Push on Til’ the Day” to close one of the best sets of the entire Peach weekend.

Umphrey’s McGee gave the best musical nightcap of the weekend with their latenight set on the main stage Saturday night. The lightshow in the Pavilion was spectacular and the music was on point. The progressive rockers from Chicago played older songs from their catalog such as “Wappy Sprayberry” as well as a cover of Prince’s “Controversy,” a song they first covered in Minneapolis the day after the legendary singer’s death. “Puppet String” included Hall and Oates’ “I Can’t Go for That” and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” teases. Fans beat on the back of the seats within the Pavilion; the sound dragging the band out for a thrilling encore of “In the Kitchen” into “Glory” and ending with a reprise of “Puppet String.”

Sunday was the return to struggle city for many campers packing up their belongings to hike off the mountain and return home. Lines seemed to move faster and despite it being the fourth day of the festival, people were in good spirits.

Sunday began with a special ‘Wake up With Warren Haynes’ acoustic set that featured Gov’t Mule numbers “Beautifully Broken,” “Raven Black Night,” and “In My Life.” The set would not have been complete without the delivery of some Allman Brothers Band tunes to commemorate the festival’s beginning. Haynes played “Old Friend” and “End of the Line,” two ABB songs he contributed to. Warren returned for a two-song encore beginning with Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and Gov’t Mule favorite “Soulshine” to the delight of thousands.

Not more than a year since the Black Crowes called it quits, founding member Rich Robinson is taking his solo career to new heights. The Rich Robinson Band performed Sunday at The Peach. In addition, Robinson was welcomed to the stage to join Blackberry Smoke and later on with Gov’t Mule.

Blackberry Smoke is a southern rock group with bluesy guitar riffs and country music undertones not unlike that of the Allman Brothers Band. The set featured originals as well as a down home version of Led Zeppelin’s “Your Time is Gonna Come.” Robinson joined the quintet for The Black Crowes’ “Wiser Time,” in which he delivered a thrilling guitar solo.

With Gregg Allman canceling a week prior to The Peach due to illness, a supergroup was formed to fill in the time slot he was scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The group consisted of Joe Russo, Marco Benevento and Oteil Burbridge. The trio delivered a unique set that was largely a jazz-fusion jam in which the talents played off one another with ease, a nice segue to the headlining guest packed performance by Gov’t Mule. After a few Gov’t Mule tunes including “Mule” and “Game Face” with a “Mountain Jam” tease, Rich Robinson was once again welcomed back to the stage for a Crowe’s signature song “Sometimes Salvation.” The encore included “Come and Go Blues” with Charlie Starr, Brit Turner and Brandon Still of Blackberry Smoke before Oteil Burbridge joined the stage once more to aid in Allman Brothers’ classic “Dreams,” before ending the festival with a triumphant “Whipping Post.”

The fifth annual Peach Music Festival was legendary in its own right with world class musical acts, a stunning yet difficult venue, and memories fans would take with them for the rest of their lives. The spirit of the Allman Brothers Band was alive and well and we are happy to hear Gregg Allman is on the mend.

August 22, 2016
The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival Exceeds Expectations

The 7^th annual Werk Out Music and Arts Festival at Legend Valley Music Venue and Campground was stacked for success with a powerhouse line-up.

Taking place in Thornville, Ohio, August 4-6, it was more than just the music that fueled the success of this year’s festival. Anchored by moving tributes in honor of former Werks’ keyboardist Norman Dimitrouleas, as well a plethora of artist sit-ins and breakout performances, this year’s festival was marked with emotion and surprises.

The Werk Out’s biggest surprise literally fell on STS9 drummer Zach Velmer, when a female fan managed to bypass festival security. Once onstage, the fan made Werk Out history by attempting a trust fall onto Velmer and his kit. STS9 left the stage to regroup and returned for a high energy second set that closed out the Main Stage on Friday Night.

Friday afternoon was highlighted by the Big Damn Jam’s performance of the Beatles’ classic album Abbey Road. The performance was dedicated to Dimitrouleas, who passed earlier this year. As a member of Big Damn Jam, Dimitrouleas always wanted to perform the album. After his passing, BDJ decided to honor him posthumously with the performance at this year’s Werk Out Music Festival.

The Abbey Road set included a rotating cast of musicians most notably Dino Dimitrouleas (The Werks), Todd Stoop, Alex Delk (Octopus’ Garden), Marcus Cornwell (The Vibe) and Justin Robb (Litz) as well almost a dozen other musicians throughout the afternoon set. Most of the musicians participating had played with Dimitrouleas in various projects over the year. During the set, fabric flowers fashioned from Dimitrouleas’ old shirts were passed out in his honor. Fans and musicians wore them on hats, backpacks and various pieces of clothing throughout the rest of the weekend.

The tributes to Dimitrouleas continued throughout the weekend including The Werks’ Saturday night encore with a dedicated performance of “Carry Me Back Home.”

“I’ve never been so emotionally touched by a musical performance as I was during the Werks encore tribute to Norman on Saturday night,” said Zachary Burns of Grand Rapids, MI. “Everything from the crowd chanting ‘DINO! DINO! DINO!’, to Dino’s speech before the song starting, to seemingly every member and a good portion of the crowd crying during ‘Carry Me Back Home.’ That was the definition of being happy and sad at the same time.”

The Werk Out’s most talked about performance came in the form of the Twerkapod “Tribute to the 90s.” Featuring members of Twiddle, The Werks, and Dopapod, the Friday night late night set was packed with a mix of obvious choices (Green Day, Blink 182, Sublime, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine) and stunning surprises (Britney Spears, Hanson and TLC). Highlighted performances from the set included “Gangsta’s Paradise” which featured a perfect reproduction of the song’s ending choral arrangement and Twerkapod’s word perfect performance of TLC’s “Waterfalls.”

Fans of The Werks weren’t in agreement on which of the weekends multiple sets were the band’s best. Most found that each of the weekend’s set contributed a different experience for the weekend.

“I really enjoyed the first Werks set on Thursday,” noted Tyler Raymond of Michigan. “I’ve seen the Werks more than any other band and the sound and production was top notch from them. The way the light show was coordinated with the band was seriously next level. You could really tell that they were putting the shows on for us and that the guys really love us.”

Dino Dimitrouleas, currently on a hiatus from bass duties with The Werks, joined his band mates on several occasions for sit-ins throughout the weekend starting Friday night. “When Dino came on stage in the tent everyone was so happy” Raymond told NYS Music, “Definitely a moment to always remember.”

Vermont based quartet Twiddle continued to create a buzz about their unique brand of jam. Raymond also noted that the band’s Saturday night sunset performance on the Side Stage was among his favorite non-Werks set of the weekend. “They are moving up the list of my favorite bands quickly because what they bring to the take is so fresh and different than anyone else out there right now.”

The weekend also featured several breakout performances. New York’s Mister F and Teddy Midnight created a buzz in the Big Tent Stage. North Carolina’s Big Something capitalized on their first Werk Out appearance on the Side Stage with a high energy afternoon performance on Saturday afternoon, while Maryland based band Litz turned heads during their Big Tent Stage set, which featured a sit-in from Twiddle keyboardist Ryan Dempsey.

In fact, the weekend was full of sit-ins including Twiddle’s Mihali Savoulidis and The Werks’ Chris Houser performing with Greensky Bluegrass and Dopapod’s Rob Compa shredding during Twiddle’s “Apples.” And according to Derrick Webber of Ypsilanti, MI, these sit-ins add a new element of musicianship for some of his favorite musicians. “It blows me away to hear such clean performances from guys that don’t typically play together, and the passion they still have is inspiring.

The weekend’s ultimate sit-in featured members of the Werks, Twiddle, Greensky Bluegrass and Big Something in Matt Butler’s Everyone Orchestra. Butler finds a way to coordinate a variety of musical sounds, while leading his EO members to create unique and one time only jams. Twiddle bassist Zdenek Gubb stepped on stage to lead the EO to the highest energy, grooved out dance party of the set. However, Houser received the set’s MVP award for showcasing a variety of styles, genres and face-melting solos throughout the performance.

Beyond the music, the Werk Out featured a large number of vendors, giving attendee’s a variety of food, beverages, merchandise and crafts to choose from over the weekend. Vendors for the weekend all were competitively priced, creating a fairly priced and active marketplace throughout the weekend.

Nick Augustine, a first time Werk Out attendee from Maryland, noted that his favorite non-musical part of the weekend was the fire spinners and propane dance floor set up near the late night stage. “What a cool addition to the atmosphere!”

The Werk Out looks to return to the Legend Valley Music Venue and Campground for its eighth installment next August. The venue has plenty of space for the festival to grow without the inconvenience of having to move locations to accommodate its growing popularity. What the Werk Out does right is that it cultivates an environment of friendship and community while packing its line-up with musicians and artists that clearly have solid working relationships and mutual respect for their fellow musicians.

Augustine, who told NYS Music that he will be making the Werk Out an annual addition to his summer festival plans, said it was the overwhelming sense of community that made the festival a stand-out event. “The staff, the crew and the people were all adding to making this festival fun, beautiful, exciting and safe. From the decorations to the sound and lights to the amount of good vibes and vending, this festival was one of the best I’ve attended!”

August 19, 2016
Pre/Post-Phish Shows at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas

Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas has a series of shows from the Disco Biscuits, Greensky Bluegrass and Twiddle lined up around Phish’s four-night Halloween run at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The Disco Biscuits play three nights Oct. 27 to 29. They’ll be joined by the New Deal on Oct. 27. Doors for the Oct. 27 show open at 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 8:30 p.m. The shows on Oct. 28 and 29 are late night with doors opening at 11 p.m. with the show starting at 12:30 a.m. Tickets for all three nights are on sale now for $39.50. Three-night passes are also available for $118.50 for general admission or $180 for club level admission. Those interested in the club level must purchase a three-day pass.

Greensky Bluegrass will play a late night show on Oct. 30 with doors opening at 11 p.m. with the show starting at 12:30 a.m. They will also play a special matinee show on Halloween to benefit the Waterwheel Foundation. Doors for that show open at noon with the show starting at 2 p.m. Tickets for both shows are on sale now. Tickets for the Oct. 30 show are $27.50 while tickets for the Waterwheel Foundation benefit are $22.50. Two-day passes are also available for $50.

For those looking to continue the party following Phish’s Halloween show, Twiddle will play a late night. Doors for their show open at 11 p.m. with the show starting at 12:30 a.m. Tickets are on sale now for $20.

August 16, 2016