NYS Music 20​17

Author: Ben Boivin

  • Foolin’ Around with moe. at The Paramount

    On Saturday, April 1, at The Paramount, Buffalo-based moe. took April Fools’ Day to the next level by sonically messing with the minds of everyone in attendance.  The die-hard moe.rons in the crowd knew that an inevitable prank was coming in some form, but the anticipation led to an even more exciting Saturday night show.  Opening with “Defrost” the boys did not wait to get the venue dancing.  The historically rare instrumental was the third appearance of “Defrost” in 2017 and it was frequently played in 2016, leading fans to assume that this oldie-but-goodie is not just getting a dusting, but being taken off the shelf permanently.

    Moe. brought out the heavy hitters early with a transition into an epic “Brent Black” in just the second slot.  Al Schnier and Rob Derhak chiseled the signature song into form while Chuck Garvey used his guitar pick to work on the intricacies.  Garvey celebrated his birthday on Thursday night in New Jersey, and on stage he has been having his cake and eating it too during the entire 3-show run.  “Lost Along The Way” gave the already sweaty crowd a much needed breather which was followed by “Blue Jeans Pizza” off the decade old album, The Conch.  One of the more lovey-dovey moe. originals, “Pizza” found Schnier switching from guitar to minimoog allowing Garvey to take full leadership of the solo to the delight of the crowd.  The only annoying aspect of this part of the set was the crowd chatter being at an all-time high.  While I felt that the energy from “Brent Black” never went away throughout the entire set, there are times to talk and times to STFU.

    Jim Loughlin lead the tribal transition into “Bring It Back Home” as Schnier jumped back onto his guitar for some added flare.  Loughlin remained in the spotlight while Derhak and Vinnie Amico tag teamed the next tune, “Billy Goat” off the most recent release studio release, No Guts, No Glory.  The surfer-rock jam found on the Smash Hits release, “Tailspin,” got the crowd spinning around again.  The very impressive first set was praised throughout the break as moe. spanned their entire career in just seven songs.

    moe at the paramountThe April Fools’ prank ensued as soon as the 5-piece reentered the stage for the second set.  Over the 28-year career of moe., many different rumors have been spread describing the origin of the band’s name.  One rumor was that moe. is a simple acronym for “monkeys on ecstasy” and on April 1, 2017, the monkey was brought to life in one of the stranger moe.ments I have seen a long time.   As members began tuning up for the start of the second half of the evening a person dressed in a monkey costume with giant headphones appeared next to Amico’s drum kit, fist-pumping to what sounded like a mashup of “Plane Crash” and Beastie Boys’ “Brass Monkey.”  The odd display transformed the rock venue into an electronic dance club and judging by the smile on Derhak’s face, even the band got a kick out of the gag.  The prankster monkey seemed to fall into his own trap as he slipped and fell while trying to get off the stage.  They covered it up nicely as the “too f**kin’ high” primate took off the giant headphones and put them on Derhak’s head before exiting the stage.  Was the slip a set up or did the gag lead to an injury?  The world may never know.

    moe at the paramountAfter the shenanigans ensued, “Rainshine> Understand” got the show back on track.   As the light two-song combo fizzled out, a reggae-influenced intro to “Time Ed” got the room swaying back and forth.  The band had a few laughs during the line, “Born a monkey from the sky (monkey, monkey)” before Loughlin returned to business as usual during his flying trapeze percussion section.  Throughout the song, he switched back and forth from bongos to MalletKat to xylophone in harmonious fashion.  The final segue of the set occurred during a strung-out “Haze” into one of their more euphoric songs off Dither, “So Long.”  Every jam band has their own repertoire of songs that cuts to the core of their loyal fan base and mellows out the room.  “So Long” is a chameleon of sorts because while it can act as the fluffy cloud to space out the heavier songs, it can also get pretty intense on its own, which is exactly what happened on Saturday night.

    Schnier came out as he usually does before the encore to read some fan shout-outs.  On certain nights he has no problem deciphering what the writers are trying to say, but in Huntington after a night of debauchery, he seemed to struggle through the chicken scratch handwriting.  There was some light banter from Loughlin as he announced the next song was one that he wrote.  The dark lyrics and southern-rocking Widespread Panic-esque sound of “Don’t Wanna Be” is not really my cup of tea and with little head nodding in the crowd, I felt like there had to be one more crowd-pleaser to end the incredible weekend of moe. in the Northeast.  Sure enough, “New York City” was served as the entrée of the encore and considering many fans came to The Paramount on a train from the Big Apple, the famoe.us tune was well received.

    The boys will play four sold-out shows at The Sinclair before departing for the South to cover some ground in warmer territories.  The recently added set entitled “phil.moe.” at Lock’n was the latest news from the band, and from now until the special dead-inspired set, they will headline Summer Camp and the return of Moe.Down.  The bright future and booked calendar gives the moe.rons hope that while the band may be up for a good time and a few pranks, they are in no way ready to cool it down.

    moe. – 4.1.17 – The Paramount – Long Island, NY

    Set 1: Defrost > Brent Black, Lost Along The Way > Blue Jeans Pizza > Bring It Back Home, Billy Goat > Tailspin

    Set 2: Rainshine > Understand, Time Ed, She, > Sensory Deprivation Bank, George, Haze > So Long

    Encore: Don’t Wanna Be, New York City

    moe at the paramount

  • moe. Gets Meaty in Connecticut

    On a rainy Friday night in New Haven, Connecticut on March 31, fans gathered at the College Street Music Hall to see the jam titans moe.  The 5-piece appropriately opened the show with “Water” to a soaking wet crowd.  The cleverly placed tune off the 2001 album, Dither, served as a welcoming “hello” as suggest in the lyrics.  A gentle transition into “Hector’s Pillow” flowed like a river and soared with Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier exchanging guitar riffs to the delight of a rowdy crowd.

    If the line to get inside the venue wasn’t long enough, there was always the beer line to eat up more of your first set enjoyment.  Looking on the bright side, I was able to meet a middle-aged crew celebrating a 40th birthday and wearing matching hats that read “40 moe. years.”  Embracing the famoe.ly atmosphere, the birthday crew pointed out that drummer Vinnie Amico was also sporting the same hat during the show.  The “glass half full” attitude in the beer line worked well with the lyrics of “Okayalright,” the third song of the evening.  The classic tune off 2003’s Wormwood serves as a favorite for moe.rons of all ages and on Friday night, bassist Rob Derhak had the damp crowd singing along.

    The one-two punch of Skrunk> Lazarus generated high-energy power normally reserved for the second set.  Schnier was on fire while Garvey provided the gasoline to keep the flame glowing.  While Lazarus has been played for two decades, it wasn’t until the 2012 release, What Happened to the LA LAs that the band took the song to the studio.   Unlike the recorded version, which taps out under 4-minutes, moe. added a lift-kit to the monster truck of a jam in New Haven.  Serving up even more kickassery to close out the first set, “McBain” gave each member a moment in the spotlight and featured the peaks and valleys that die-hard followers of the band have come to expect over the years.

    The venue was treated to the sounds (and smells) of a good old fashioned Allman Brothers Band concert when moe. came back out for an epic cover of “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.”  Known as one of the most iconic classic rock instrumentals of all time, this early second set masterpiece saw Jim Laughlin go to town on his signature vibraphone during the peak of the jam.  After a crowd-pleasing “Buster,” my vote for second-set MVP took the vibraphone on another adventure during an extra-long “Chromatic Nightmare.”  This dizzying percussion piece seemed to be heavily Zappa influenced as the band attempted to recreate an acid trip at a carnival, and the crowd ate it up.

    The more straight-forward “Blond Hair and Blue Eyes” brought the venue back to a safe space before getting even deeper with “Faker.”  While “Chromatic Nightmare” is an example of the more psychedelic side of the quartet, “Faker” displays their talent for introspective lyrics and melodic compositions.  Those in attendance looking for the more heavy-metal moe. were treated to a killer “meat.” to close out the set.  “Elizabeth Reed” may have been the highlight of the early half of the set, but “meat.” took the group to an entirely different dimension.  It is rare to see a mosh pit form at a jam band show, but if it were to happen, it feels like “meat.” is the most moshable of them all.  Fans that prefer to cling to Al-side of the theater were treated to an up-close and personal look at the guitarist and he brought his shredding as close to the fans as possible.

    Perhaps as a nod to April Fool’s the following day, “Waiting For The Punchline” was delivered as the sole encore of the evening. The delightful bluegrass section of this number got feet stomping and hands clapping, and if I’m not mistaken, I believe I caught a few “yee-haws” before the end of the tune.  While it appeared that some of the moe.rons in the room would be making the trek across the Long Island Sound to see them again the following night in Huntington, those staying in Connecticut left the venue grateful for the well-crafted start to their weekend.

    Set I: Water > Hector’s Pillow > Okayalright, Skrunk > Lazarus, Little Miss Cup Half Empty, McBain

    Set II: In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, Jazz Wank > Buster >Chromatic Nightmare, Blond Hair And Blue Eyes, Faker > meat.

    Encore: Waiting For The Punchline

  • Moe. Tour Springs Up in the Northeast

    One of New York’s most popular homegrown jam bands will embark on their 2017 Spring Tour with a brief Northeastern run this week.  moe. hits the road on Thursday, March 30th at The Wellmont Theatre in New Jersey for the first time since 2012.  The 5-piece will close out the month on Friday the 31st at the College Street Music Hall in New Haven, CT before celebrating April Fool’s Day at The Paramount in Huntington, NY on Saturday.

    All three of these venues are easily drivable or trainable from NYC, where fans have been clustered since the band’s origin over 20 years ago.  Speaking of cities where moe.ron’s like to dance, the short and sweet Northeast run will end with a four-night residency at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA. The max capacity at this Harvard Square establishment is only 525 people making it a space normally reserved for up-and-coming bands, not veteran acts capable of packing much larger venues. If you were lucky enough to score tickets to one of these four sold-out shows from April 5th-April 8th, you are in for a real treat!

    Moe. will head south in April for a handful of shows before they kick off their annual festival season with headlining performances at Summer Camp in May and the return of Moe.Down at the end of June.  Another well-known jam band from the Northeast will host a “Baker’s Dozen” run in July at Madison Square Garden and Moe. already has extra special plans for a late-night celebration on the opening night.  They are “coming home again” to New York City on July 21st for an after party at the PlayStation Theater that is not to be missed.

    “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s Party!’” -Robin Williams

  • How Sweet It Is: Melvin Seals at The Westcott Theater

    On Wednesday, March 8, Syracuse celebrated the spirit of Jerry Garcia in spectacular fashion with help from Melvin Seals & JGB at the Westcott Theater.  The intimate evening began with the Upstate NY native band, Los New Yorkers.  The four-piece consisted of three middle aged men and one woman that hopped from one instrument to the next.  The feel-good and upbeat originals reminded me of something that might get chosen as the theme song for a 90’s sitcom on TGIF.  Members not only switched back and forth from guitars, washboard, drums, keys and bass but each member also brought their own original song to the table.  While most lyrics consisted of life-changing events, their love for New York State and generic happy moments, Los New Yorkers did not ignite that Jerry spark that many Deadheads in the crowd were seeking.  If I ever hear this band again, it will probably be while I am buying cotton candy at the New York State Fair because that is exactly how it made me feel.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterWord has spread up and down I-81 about a Scranton-based bluegrass group known as The Dishonest Fiddlers, and the quartet did not disappoint.  This collection of traveling ramblers were chosen by Dave Brown, founder of the band, who swaps artists for every show, making the “About Page” on their Facebook profile dishonest.  The unique idea of taking musicians from different parts of the country allows Brown the freedom to mix it up at the drop of the hat and the pluck of a string. One downfall of never having the same band twice is that practice time is limited, therefore they are often forced to fight for space backstage.

    At The Westcott Theater, the foursome found themselves practicing in front of the men’s bathroom line, which welcomed them with clinched legs and open arms.  The first song of their actual set was dedicated to the “new friends in the bathroom line” as they channeled the folkie side of Garcia with a beautiful, “Rosa Lee McFall.”  The remainder of the seven-song set consisted of all originals and the crowd seem to genuinely enjoy every minute of it.  As the room began to fill up for Seals and JGB, Brown was hoping to elicit some crowd participation during “There Ain’t Enough Water in the Water” which was minimally responded to, at best!  As couples locked arms and rowdily stomped their feet, The Dishonest Fiddlers’ time was up and Brown thanked the Central NY crowd for their support during the band’s first ever visit to Syracuse.  For the sake of bluegrass music, I hope they return to the Empire State very soon.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterNow past 11:00pm, fans were finally ready to embrace Melvin Seals & JGB and it was well worth the wait!  Aware of the time, the crowd let it all hang out as the group opened with a funky jam sequence leading into “After Midnight.”  While the famous Eric Clapton version of the classic fast-paced hit clocks in under three minutes, Seals kept this monster jamming for over 15 minutes!  While on the topic of iconic rock-n-roll, The Beatles were gently sandwiched in the middle of the Jerry-influenced “Midnight” jam as “Eleanor Rigby” made its appearance as it regularly did in the late-70’s and early-80’s.  The “Fab Four” from England were also covered during the next song of the evening, “I Want to Tell You,” which once again featured Zach Nugent filling in for Jerry on vocals.

    After the smoking hot start to the show, “When I Paint My Masterpeice” peacefully calmed the audience down and was highlighted by Nugent paying tribute to Garcia with his delicate and passionate playing.  “Neighbor, Neighbor” featured strong backing vocals from Cheryl Rucker and Shirley Starks, and on the night of International Woman’s Day 2017, the crowd was thoroughly glad to have these lovely ladies in their lives.  In the heart of the set list, the Garcia/ Hunter gem, “Mission In The Rain,” somberly described a lost soul searching for redemption and where Nugent’s vocal abilities fell below Garcia standards, his guitar solo was sorrowful and spot on.  The playful and gospel-influenced “Evangeline” lifted everyone’s spirits after the emotional “Mission” before the bluesy “Think” featured yet another powerful vocal collaboration.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterBassist, John-Paul McLean, exchanged smiles and notes with Seals during the classic R&B cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and to the delight of Deadheads in the room, Starks and Rucker pointed to the audience while they sang the chorus.  Love had captivated the audience throughout the entire show, but especially at the end of the evening when they transitioned from “Somebody to Love” to “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You.”  Seals introduced the band and gave one more stellar B-3 organ solo during the extra sweet version.  Although the show ended past 1:00AM on Thursday morning, the band was not ready to say goodbye to their loyal fan base as Seals & JGB hung out by the merchandise table to chit chat with ticket holders.

    Seals has spent over 30 years in the spotlight mesmerizing audiences with his swirling keyboard-synth magic, but he is still the humble, welcoming, and sincere man he was when he first met Garcia.  As a child of the 90’s I have never gotten to see Garcia play live. Although I have listened to thousands of hours of recorded material, read numerous books and stared at videos on Youtube until my eyes were blood shot, I never had the opportunity to be a part of the touring community that was cherished by millions.  Thanks to bands like Melvin Seals and JGB, fans like myself and long-time fans alike can come together and share love, smiles and gratitude with their sisters and their brothers.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterThe Dishonest Fiddlers Setlist: Rosa Lee McFall, My Brand New Jalopy, There Ain’t Enough Water in the Water, Steve, Sam’s Cigar, The TV Store, Steamtown Blues

    Melvin Seals and JGB Setlist: Jam, After Midnight*, I Want to Tell You, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Neighbor, Neighbor, Mission In the Rain, Evangeline, Think, Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You

    *w/ Eleanor Rigby jam

  • Melvin Seals & JGB Return to Central NY

    This Wednesday, March 8, Melvin Seals & JGB will return to The Westcott Theater in Syracuse.  The “Keepers of the Flame” are no strangers to Central New York, having played the same venue less than six months prior and every year since 2012.

    The folky Dishonest Fiddlers as well as Upstate’s own Los New Yorkers are opening for Seals and his band, so fans can expect a little bit of everything on this upcoming hump day.   The Syracuse show is the third stop in the Empire State this tour, following their Friday night performance with special guests Ron Holloway and John Kadlecik at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester and the Tuesday night gig at the Buffalo Iron Works with Pink Talking Fish.

    Melvin Seals and JGB continue to show their love for New York as they return to the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs on Saturday, March 11 and the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock on Sunday, March 12.  The different bills feature eclectic opening acts from all over the Northeast, so prepare for something unique and special to happen at every show.

    Tickets for Wednesday night’s show at the Westcott Theater are still available and the remainder of the tour dates can be found here.

  • Hearing Aide: The Bowling Alley Sound ‘The Bowling Alley Sound EP’

    On Friday, February 24, New Jersey’s own The Bowling Alley Sound will release their self-titled EP on their label 46 West. Their sophomore release brings musical and physical growth, as the original 4-piece has now transformed into a quintet with the addition of bassist and album cover artist, Andrew Capuano.

    The post-rock follow up to their 2014 debut, Metaphysical You, begins with the most energetic release of the four-track list, “Henry and Clark.” Well-known bands in the post-rock genre such as Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai can be heard echoed in their opening song as EP producer and guitarist, Mike Basil, kicks it off with a soft and subtle rift. Nick Looney’s drum playing anchors the song in place until the final section finds Issac Rubins’ violin eerily bringing the song to an end.

    “Night Flight” recreated the rich and repetitive textures heard in the first track, but much like the song title, the listener is reminded of dreams about flying. While the song will not make you want to get up and dance, or get up at all really, it would fit well at a yoga studio, meditation session, or music score of a Planet Earth episode.

    During the final two tracks, they inject muffled crowd noise to bring the listening audience together as one with the band. The group attempts vocals for the first time during the closing track, “The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words,” a title almost as long as the EP itself. The post-rock vocal approach is very different from the typical verse-chorus structure found in many other rock genres, and The Bowling Alley Sound stay true to form using soft, spoken words to poetically describe a 2017 New Year’s resolution. While I would have liked to hear more trumpet textures from Danny Molloy, the final track sends the listener off in a tranquil and serene mood.

    The digital-only release of The Bowling Alley Sound will be available on all major platforms and can be pre-ordered now for only $1 (US currency).

    Key Tracks: Henry and Clark, The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words

  • Singin’ To Strangers: The Wood Brothers at Webster Hall

    On Friday, February 10 at Webster Hall in Manhattan, The Wood Brothers brought their unique blend of soul, folk and rock to a packed house. In a venue known for DJs and dance parties, the rare bill featured an Oakland based indie-Americana band known as The T Sisters. A short opening set from the ladies warmed the room up for the main family act of the evening and created a comfortable space for everyone in the room.

    As the stage darkened and The Wood Brothers appeared in the shadows, the heartbeat of “Stop That Train” began pulsating on stage. The song, popularized by Bob Marley and The Wailers, created a fantastic segue for “Two Places” off their newest studio album Paradise. The topics of lost love and the urge to embark on a new adventure are etched into the lyrics of both songs. “All my life, I’ve been a lonely man,” paralleled with “I’m livin’ a beautiful dream while I’m chasing another” made this opening combo one of the most delicately crafted surprises of the show, and we had only just begun.

    Couples began embracing each other during the always-beautiful “Keep Me Around” as Jano Rix gave the song something extra with his self-made instrument, the Shuitar. Friday night partiers at the venue bar slammed rounds of shots after Oliver Wood announced that the song, “Loaded” was on their newest live album, Live at the Barn. Much like the recorded rendition, Oliver asked for assistance from the rowdy audience and we were happy to belt out the playful lyrics along with them.

    The trio always does an outstanding job of cleverly crafting their set lists and digging deep into the twelve-year-old catalog. Friday night was no exception. “Tried and Tempted,” which found its way into the sixth spot of the set list, can be heard on their debut record, Ways Not To Lose. In only a half dozen tunes, they had played a new cover and songs from each and every one of their five studio releases. Chris Wood showed off his moves during “Snakes Eyes” and got the crowd shaking along with him during this crisp and rocking version. Oliver unleashed a new song with a bluesy reggae feel and since they have been working on some new material in their hometown of Nashville, TN, one can only hope that a new studio album is on the horizon. The year 2016 sucked for so many reasons, and the lack of a Wood Brothers original release didn’t help.

    Speaking of 2016, “American Heartache” was next up and lead into an uplifting “Atlas” which was one of the first songs the Wood Brothers ever played onstage nearly a dozen years ago in the same city. The somber “Blue and Green” mellowed Webster Hall out before “One More Day” brought the fire to a roar and allowed Oliver to show off some unusually bluesy chops at the end the tune.

    To the crowd’s enthusiastic approval, the band brought out Big Mike (an old -timey stand-up microphone) and quietly played one of their loveliest pieces, “The Muse” off the 2013 album with the same name. Along with Big Mike, the brothers also welcomed their opening act, The T Sisters, to join them for another song off The Muse, “Sing About It.” After hearing the live NYC debut of this song at the Bowery Ballroom a few years prior, I knew there was something special about it, but Friday night’s version took it to a whole new level with the addition of female vocalists. In pop culture, three brothers and three sisters sharing the stage may remind you of rainbows, sunshine and dancing all through the night, but unlike the Brady Bunch, the six members on stage Friday night sang about the power of music in its most spiritual and rawest form.

    As The T Sisters exited the stage, “Postcards From Hell” kept the relaxed and thought-provoking vibe present in the room. To finish the set, they executed two more songs from their southern rock influenced catalog with “Singin’ To Strangers” and “Honey Jar.” A new version of their old hit “Luckiest Man” brought smiles to faces throughout the room as part one of a two-song encore. The Band’s “Ophelia” closed out the show and gave the audience one more chance to sing along with the trio.  In a recent interview, Oliver mentioned how much of an influence Levon Helm has been for the band’s development, and they certainly paid tribute during the well-received finale.  The show started and ended with classic covers and gave long-time fans and strangers alike one more fantastic Wood Brothers show for the books.

    Setlist: Stop That Train> Two Places, Keep Me Around, Loaded, Smoke Ring Halo, Tried and Tempted, Snake Eyes, (New Song), American Heartache, Atlas, Blue And Green, One More Day, Muse*, Sing About It*^, Postcards From Hell, Singin’ To Strangers, Honey Jar

    Encore: Luckiest Man, Ophelia

    *Big Mike ^w/ The T Sisters

  • Hearing Aide: Thievery Corporation ‘The Temple of I & I’

    Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, better known as the electronic duo, Thievery Corporation, have been genre-blending their way from upbeat dance halls to groovy lounges for over two decades. Their new album, The Temple of I & I, which drops on February 10, presents two middle-aged music-heads redefining their sound once again. While their last album, Saudade, took the group to Brazil to gather ideas from their bossa nova upbringing, Temple drops them off on the beautiful beaches of Jamaica in search of inspiration from a higher power.

    The roots rock reggae feel can be found immediately as “Thief Rockers” treats listeners to their first hit and much like featured artist Zee’s lyrics indicate, the sound has also “got the magic ganja gonna make your head spin.” The delicate mix of ambient-dub with Jamaican vocals sets the vibe for the remainder of the hour-long Caribbean vacation.

    Thievery Corporation is known for eliciting talent from hip-hop to trance backgrounds, and in their new album, they discovered Kingston’s own singer and MC, Racquel Jones. “Letter to the Editor” is the first of two tracks she appears on and her fast paced flow glides well with the disco-dub beat. Long-time collaborator, Mr. Lif, uses his lyrics to tackle worldwide socioeconomic conditions in “Ghetto Matrix.” After a highly political 2016, this protest-tronic piece fits into early 2017 with unfortunate ease. “It’s a complex plan that keeps us confined,” can be easily said about political interest in Jamaica as well as here in the states and around the world.

    Our nation’s capitol is where Thievery Corporation calls home and in tracks like “Weapons of Distraction,” “Road Blocks,” and Mr. Lif’s second appearance, and“Fight to Survive,” there are signs of revolt and reaction to injustices from the duo and the supporting artists. While The Temple of I & I could serve as a good sit-down and smoke a joint album, it also works as a stand up and raise a fist mix.

    “Strike the Root,” showcases a Thievery Corporation regular, Notch Howell, singing over a dub beat with a horn section that sounds reminiscent to the Star Wars “Force Theme.” “Let The Chalice Blaze” is a timeless track from these electronic kingpins that would fit nicely on to any one of their eight studio albums. The Temple of I & I may be one of their wordiest releases to date, but this instrumental track brings new and old Corp. fans to a safe space.

    In reference to the record’s title, Hilton explains, “It is a place of worship that exists only in our imagination.” While the album sounds uniquely different from previous releases, there is the central theme of consciousness and self-reflection that melodically finds its way into most of their work. The eclectic arrangement of varying themes and sonic journeys give each listener a chance to enter one’s own temple.

    Key Tracks: Thief Rockers, The Temple of I & I, Let The Chalice Blaze

  • Digging Up the Roots: An Interview with Oliver Wood

    NYS Music had the chance to sit down and interview with Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers just days before they embarked on their 2017 Winter Tour, which is currently under way. Due to their familial connection, the Woods come from the same musical roots, but their talents grew in all different directions over the years prior to forming the soulful folk band that now has a worldwide following. Some dates on this tour are already sold out, so if the spirit of their music moves you, purchase your tickets today!

    Ben Boivin: Let’s start from the very beginning…The Wood Brothers connection with the state of New York.  Your first ever show was at Tonic in NYC and two of the first five shows were at Savannah’s in Albany. How did the Capital District wind up as your first stomping grounds?

    Oliver Wood: Well, part of it was a matter of convenience because my brother [Chris Wood] used to live in Saugerties and in the early days of The Wood Brothers we were trying to find little gigs and do things that were realistic and convenient. I was living in Atlanta at the time so I would just go up there and hang out for a few days and work on music and then get a few gigs in the area. We played gigs nearby Atlanta for the same reason. My brother would come down and that just made the most sense. Sort of how we cut out teeth and started to figure out what The Wood Brothers was all about.

    BB: What do you feel is different about playing in New York State compared to other parts of the country?

    OW: Every region has its own unique vibe and certainly New York State has that. The first thing that comes to mind for me is obviously New York City. That’s where we got our record deal and where our management company is located and where we played our first gig. There’s a sentimental connection to it. Also, we played several times at Levon’s [Helm] barn, his rambles, while he was still alive. Besides Chris living in that part of the country, it certainly has some sentimental value to me as well. There is such a rich tradition there.

    BB: Is there one band member that chooses the set lists or is it a group effort?

    OW: We definitely tweak it as a group, but I would say Chris is the master set writer. He is the guy that masterminds it and really thinks it through. I don’t know why, it is just something he started doing and was really good at. I guess he is a better decision maker than me? We certainly consult each other and as a group make a list of songs, but Chris is really good at putting them all together.

    BB: Do you ever consider cutting songs based on the crowd?

    OW: Oh, absolutely. If the crowd is rowdy, we add some rowdier songs. Sometimes we try to tone it down for people and they might be rowdy, but what they don’t know is that they actually want to shut up for a minute and really be in the moment and that’s cool too because it brings them in.  It gives them something they didn’t expect.

    BB: I read something you said about touring with the Zac Brown Band in front of 20,000 people and how that is a much different level than the normal tours you do as a trio. What makes that different from the theaters and bars where you primarily play?

    OW: In a large venue, it is more consistent, there is this one gear. But, I like the variety of small and medium places because they are all unique and you can play them in different ways. It is very satisfying to not just do the same thing every night.

    BB: How does playing music with your brother help or hurt what it is you are trying to do?

    OW: It is definitely a different dynamic. I mean when you play in a band for years and years with people they become brothers. It’s like a family. It’s like a marriage even. There are those kind of brothers and then something different and deeper with a real brother because you’re family and because you have a more shared experience. Your childhood and your growing up and your parents are all formidable things that you both have. I think also, there is that innate, intangible, yet genetic thing that Chris and I noticed right away. After years apart, being able to comfortably play together and have this telepathy that usually takes years to develop, we were kind of like,“Wow, we have it built in!”

    BB: In recent tours you guys have been taking different versions of the same songs on the road.  Does Jano Rix help you dissect and resurrect new versions of the same song?

    OW: It’s very much a group effort. Part of that is for us. By rethinking a song it is keeping it fresh for us. If we have been playing a song for a couple of years, we may think people love this song but maybe we are getting kind of tired of it. Let’s do something different with it. There is a big rocking number, like the song “Shoefly Pie,” that’s a full electric one, but we made it more porch-y the next time around. We made it all acoustic and Jano was on percussion instead of drum kit, and that’s an example of how we can deconstruct a tune and put it back together in a completely different way. It keeps it fresh for us and for the audience too. We have had a lot of comments where people appreciate and enjoy that.

    BB: I have seen you guys a lot and must have heard “Luckiest Man” about 100 times.

    OW: Yeah me too, tell me about it.

    BB: In the Winter 2016 tour, Jano came out and did a long piano intro before a very jazzy version of “Luckiest Man” and it was really special to hear a familiar song played differently for the first time.

    OW: I think people like to get surprised and challenged a little bit and there’s nothing wrong with that on either side.

    BB: Going back to the topic of New York, your most recent release, Live from the Barn, was recorded right in the heart of the Catskill music scene in Woodstock, NY.  Why did you choose that spot and why is it so special to you?

    OW: It’s a very sentimental place for us and Levon is a serious influence and indirectly like a mentor to us. We hadn’t been there in years. Since he passed away we have done stuff with Amy, his daughter, and felt that family connection with their family. When we made the plan to go back there to play, it felt like a special occasion and we wanted to record it all. You never know how it will turn out. Maybe that was okay or that was horrible, but as it turned out, if felt like a real special night. We were really happy and excited that we captured it. We were sort of tripping on being there. It was magical and brought back all these memories. I mean, we were there watching Levon play and standing two feet from his drum set. By the end of the night, we were singing songs with him and sitting around in his kitchen after the show. There are spirits there that you just don’t get anywhere else.

    BB: What is the best piece of advice Levon gave you?

    OW: He never really gave us any specific advice. I think we just learned by example. I will tell you the thing I get from him is to just be yourself. Just be real and be yourself. That’s what he was and sometimes it is hard to do that and remember that in this business. Sometimes you think, what can we do to survive and to sell more tickets? It’s not about that. If you can be yourself, that’s going to be the best art you can make.

    BB: I am sure you are aware that “Big Pink,” the house that The Band rented to create their debut album, is located about 10 minutes outside of Woodstock.  Do you, Chris and Jano have your own “Big Pink”?  Is there a place that makes writing and creating music easier for you as a group?

    OW: Not necessarily. We’ve had several spots, but it has been a challenge since Chris and I lived in different parts of the country for the first six or seven years of The Wood Brothers. I would go up to him and we would write and then he would come down to my place. We would write on the road, backstage, in dressing rooms and at sound checks. He would send me e-mails and we would go back and forth. I will say, since we all moved to Nashville a few years ago, it has been awesomeness because we have been able to hole up in someone’s basement or living room or even rehearsal space. Nashville has been a good place to gel in that regard and relax with our writing. It makes it fun.

    BB: What was it about Nashville that drove you guys there?

    OW: It was a combination of things. For one, it was somewhat in between New York and Atlanta. We wanted to stay on the east side of the country and I was in the South so long and I like the South, a lot! Part of it too is that we had a lot of great experiences before we lived here. Really cool times where we came to town and recorded with people and collaborated with people and had some shows we really enjoyed. At random, we got to know some good friends and we had kids in school and Nashville is a nice place to raise a family. The music industry here has a stigma that it is just a country music town but there is all sorts of stuff happening with great writers and great music. It is really inspiring just to be here. You can sit in your house and think, “Maybe my neighbors are writing great songs and making great music.” I love that part too.

    BB: You will be returning to the Empire State this summer, hitting SPAC in Saratoga and the Highland Bowl in Rochester as well as over a dozen other cities with the Tedeschi Trucks Band & Hot Tuna for the 2017 “Wheels Of Soul” Tour. What’s it like touring with other well-known bands compared to being on the road as a trio?

    OW: It’s real special because usually when you’re on the road alone you are crossing like ships in the night and you don’t get to hang out with your contemporaries and they’re all playing at the same time as you are in some other city or state.  It is a real treat even at summer festivals to get to cross paths with some of our friends and to get to hang out for a few minutes if we’re lucky. To do a tour with Tedeschi Trucks and be with them every day for a month or two is a real privilege because not only do we get to hear them play every night, but we also get to play with them, eat meals with them and be close.

    BB: Well, we are definitely looking forward to that tour.

    OW: Yeah, me too!

  • Engaging in Wintercourse: Friday Night @ the Knitting Factory

    On Friday night in Brooklyn, the sixth annual “Wintercourse” took place at the Knitting Factory.  All four bands on the bill had shared practice space and admiration for one another over the years which created a love filled environment on the gloomy Inauguration Day.  Fans young and old packed the small venue before the first band entered the stage, proving that time placement had nothing to do with crowd preference or popularity.

    Teddy Midnight performed first and instead of simply warming the crowd up, they hot boxed the room!  Glow sticks began lighting their way into the crowd during the first song of the evening, “Veni Veni Veni,” off their 2016 release, Velvet Blue.  In fact, the set list was heavily layered with songs off the same album, which happens to be their meatiest and most recent release.  The four members sonically tasered their fans during the nucleus of the set list when the “Primordial> Velvet Show Jam>Velvet Mist> Tree-O-Tree” combination was played for the first time.  Adam Magnan on drums teamed up with Sean McAuley on keys to recreate my childhood in what I can only describe as the theme music from Crusin’ USA for Nintendo 64.  Sean Silva added some fuzzy textures by means of the bass and synth throughout the notable jam that lasted for the better half of the set.   Guitarist Wiley Griffin announced their final song to the dismay of the audience as “Air BND” followed them off the stage.

    The “Ukulele progressive rock band,” Cousin Earth, was the group that I was most excited to see on the bill solely based on the genre description posted on the website.  The five-piece consists of Joey Calfa on ukulele, Nate Searing on drums, Corey J. Feldman on Ubass, Tara Lawton on melodica and keys and Terry Brennan on percussion.  All of the members handled vocals during the gender blending set that consisted of originals and well-known covers.  “Point of No Return” off the 2015 self-titled EP started the set and acted as the padding for the first cover of the night, “Yellow Submarine” by an English band called The Beatles.  The spacey “Alive” was up next followed by the reggae-influenced “Train Luck> Inspector Gadget Theme.”  Only a handful of songs had been executed and I could already tell that their eclectic sound mixed with the funny, yet thought-provoking lyrics had abducted the room for the duration of their time on stage.  My favorite part of the set was the appropriately placed “Another Brick In The Immigration Wall” which mashed up iconic Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin songs into a sing-a-long for the entire venue.  Earlier in the day, an unmasked Darth Vader was sworn into the Oval Office, leaving me with a pit in my stomach that only comedy and good music could remedy. Thanks to Cousin Earth, I was able to leave our solar system for a while.  As a first time Earthling follower, the group reminded me of a new creation from Taco Bell… it may not have been what I was expecting, but I ate it up and would absolutely order it again.

    Voted the “Top 10 Best” AND “Top 10 Worst Names for a Band” in 2016 by CMJ, the jamtronica quartet, Space Bacon, hit the ground running with an almost 20-minute “Wolves” and even with minor technical difficulties, I was shocked to learn that this was their first time performing this beast live.  In fact, three of the four songs in their Wintercourse performance were Space Bacon virgins, which made the performance an instant classic set for the up-and-coming funky-electronica group.  They transitioned into the commonly played “Jupiter” as Sam Crespo on drums sped up the tempo and created a rave inside the tiny Factory.   “Ice Planet” contained elements of trance and hard rock as the band seamlessly segued from one genre to the other. Kevin LeGall’s bass joined paths with Chris Gironda’s keys to knit together a labyrinth of danceable delight.  Guitarist Jack Willard asked, “Do you guys want to hear new shit or old shit?”  The crowd began calling out for different fan favorites before Willard pronounced, “F*ck you guys, we are doing new shit,”  as they launched into “Prologue.” By far the wordiest tune they played on Friday, this new track was welcomed by the cult-like Baconators and at times had a complex Phishy vibe to it.  Don’t let the short and sweet set list fool you on paper; this thing had fangs, horns and some kick-ass moves.

    Chromatropic finished off the festivities with a unique jazz-fusion jam session spanning their career and highlighting their newest release, Abundance.  The frequently played “Bloom” was tackled early on after transitioning out of a crowd-pleasing intro jam.  One day when they release a Greatest Hits album, this track will make the cut due to its smooth sailing peaks and valleys.  “Habanero” was the first song from the new album and one of my favorites considering I’m all about that bass that Moses Margel is slapping.  Each member gets his time to shine during this spicy instrumental capped off by a Danny Caridi keyboard solo that will leave you in search of water.  Just as it seemed the band couldn’t get any hotter, they segued into the second half of “The Abundance of Elements” where Andrew Carton showed off his impressive and intricate guitar skills.  Mark Potter on midi and drums peppered in samples during the third one off Abundance entitled “Glove.”  The soulful and funky jazz piece is part-Vulpeck, part-Thievery Corporation and part The Chainsmokers?  You read that correctly.  While a high school cheerleader may call “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, “so 2016,” Chromatropic was able to incorporate the cover right into their music and it fit like a glove.

    The Brooklyn jam band scene is currently growing at an alarmingly satisfying rate and Friday night in the funkiest of boroughs, I was reminded that America continues to get greater every day.  While these four bands may be fighting for the same cause, to make people dance, they are in no way clones of each other.  Through their diversity and gender bending identities, they were able to come together and turn a surreal day into a sublime night.

    Teddy Midnight Setlist: Veni Veni Veni, Turkish Silva, Trap Haus, Primordial > Velvet Slow Jam > Velvet Mist > Tree-O-Tree*, Air DNB

    *Primordial through Tree-0-Tree first time played segue

    Cousin Earth Setlist: Point of No Return>Yellow Submarine@>Point of No Return, Alive, Train Luck>Inspector Gadget, When the Dinosaurs Come Back from Outer-space!, Super Fun Laser Beams, I Got This, Another Brick in the Immigrant Wall$, Capricorn on the Cob

    @ Beatles cover, ! BELT original, $ Led Zeppelin & Pink Floyd mash-up

    Space Bacon Setlist: Wolves*^> Jupiter (end), Ice Planet*, Prologue*

    *First time played, ^ bass malfunction, audible’d trio jam

    Chromatropic Setlist: Intro> Bloom, Habanero > The Abundance of Elements@>Gaia, Glove> Closer*> Glove

    @ Second half only, * The Chainsmokers cover