NYS Music 20​17

Category: Photo Gallery

  • Photo Gallery: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead at Red Rocks

    At the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Thursday, August 31, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead performed to a sold out crowd for their first ever show. The performance was an exclamation point on the talent and meteoric growth and appreciation for the super group’s knowledge of the Grateful Dead’s catalog.

    Joe Russo's Red Rocks

    The setlist below speaks for itself: JRAD took every twist and turn in the first set, weaving “New Speedway Boogie” throughout the set, a roaring “Dancin in the Streets” and emotional “Box of Rain” sung by guest bassist Oteil Burbridge.

    Joe Russo's Red Rocks

    The crowd exploded with joy at every twist and turn of the night, hanging on each note as they battled on and off rain all night.

    Joe Russo's Red Rocks

    The second set featured a jam on “Harry Hood,” the debut of Donovan “There is a Mountain,” and an explosive “I Know You Rider.” JRAD will perform next at Brooklyn Bowl October 5-7 and 12-14.

    • Joe Russo's Red Rocks
    • Joe Russo's Red Rocks
    • Joe Russo's Red Rocks
    • Joe Russo's Red Rocks
    • Joe Russo's Red Rocks
    • Joe Russo's Red Rocks

  • Gary Clark Jr. Rides into the Stone Pony

    Gary Clark Jr., aka “The Chosen One”, brought his high energy fusion of blues, rock and soul to the Jersey Shore’s iconic Stone Pony on Saturday August 26th. The Austin, Texas native was accompanied by London, England’s Michael Kiwanuka, and New York City’s Tangiers Blues Band. The Tangiers feature photography legend and New Jersey home town hero Danny Clinch on harmonica. It was a perfectly curated trio of blues bands on a cool late summer evening in front of a capacity crowd. With the sunset behind the stage and the ocean across the street, fans flooded the open air venue for a memorable night with a powerhouse guitarist at the helm.

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  • In Their Own Words: Byron Cage of The Joe Louis Walker Band

    On the evening of August 16, 2017, Blues Hall of Famer Joe Louis Walker graced the Photo City Improv stage in Rochester, NY. Joe Louis Walker has been playing the blues since the 1960’s and is still rocking both classic and contemporary styles. Earlier this year, Joe Louis Walker’s new album, “Everybody Wants A Piece” received a nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 59th annual Grammy’s. Before their show at Photo City Improv, NYS Music had the humbling opportunity to sit down with Joe Louis Walker’s drummer, a Syracuse NY native, Byron Cage. Here are some bite size nuggets of knowledge, quoted directly from Cage:

    On Working With Joe Louis Walker:

    I’ve been playing with Joe Louis Walker almost four years. It’s been a wonderful four years. I am learning and growing as a musician, and as a young man. Joe is my mentor. He’s a complete mentor. He’s a great guy onstage and off stage.

    Joe has taught me to be proud of who you are and be proud of what you do. To be able to share the blues with the world is privilege. It’s a cultural experience, and you want to represent yourself well.

    We try to keep our music authentic and stay true to the roots of the blues. There is nothing wrong with new age experimenting or adding new things… A lot of spontaneous things happen every night. But, when traditional blues is called for, that’s what we play. When it’s time for electric or rockin’ blues, we can do that too. It’s fun to exercise all these different music muscles in one night. We work together as a team; we are a real band. Our chemistry off stage shows on stage. We all genuinely care for each other as people and musicians.  This is represented in our live performance, and everything else we do.

    On Live Music:

    When you play music, the sky is the limit. You don’t level out unless you want to. You can keep growing and growing as long as you push for it. There’s always something new to learn. There is always something new to experience and explore musically. That’s what we want to do. Keep it fresh.

    Music is a universal language. No matter where we go, from Australia, to Asia, to Europe, to Brazil, we connect through the feeling of the music. We vibe together. I believe that is what life’s about.

    At the end of the day, the goal is to share something positive. There is so much crazy stuff happening in our world. People are dying senselessly. We are experiencing a whole new wave of hate. What better way to fight against that hate than to pull everybody together to enjoy some music- to smile and laugh with one another. Then, we shake hands at the end of the night, and create good memories. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m happy to be a part of it.

  • Luke Bryan and Friends Sell Out the Lakeview Amphitheater

    It’s no surprise that Luke Bryan and Friends Huntin’, Fishin’, And Lovin’ Every Day Tour sold out the Lakeview Amphitheater this past Saturday, August 12.  After all, the star studded tour featured some of today’s best country music with both Craig Campbell and Brett Eldredge along on the ride.

    Luke Bryan and Friends darien lakeUp first was Craig Campbell who did an amazing job starting the crowd with his smooth country melodies and high energy boot stomping numbers.  With hits like “Outskirts of Heaven” and “Keep Those Kisses Coming” his true country sound was the first to jump start this happy crowd.

    Luke Bryan and Friends darien lakeUp next was crowd favorite, Brett Eldridge.  Hailing from the small town of Paris, Illinois this young man is from my neck of the woods in Southern Illinois.  It’s been fun watching his career explode with his first hit, “Raymond” in 2010, and his CMA’s New Artist of the Year award in 2014.  Since then, it’s been pedal to the medal with hit after hit for this young man with no end near as his momentum just accelerates with each new album.  With a full catalog of music to choose from already for the show, Brett entertained this crowd with his boy next door charm and charisma for days the moment he hit the stage.

    With a quick set stage change, in no time flat the crowd was able to see the man of the hour, Luke Bryan.  Rising to the center of the stage with flames blazing, Luke came out with his number one hit “Move” and the crowd went wild and the rest is history.  There is no doubt why Luke Bryan continuously wins Entertainer of the Year from several sources.  His personality and charm made the show not only entraining, but down right fun.

    Luke Bryan and Friends darien lakeStarting off the show by bringing a young boy named Nicholas on stage right from the start, his kindness and way with kids showed through immediately, and with that cute little smile and moves for days, the girls were melting into their seats the moment he looked their way. But don’t get me wrong, Luke Bryan is a man’s man too.  With talk of hunting, and fishing, and having a good ole time with his friends and family, he is down right likable to everyone. Where else can someone sing “Sweet Caroline” in a sea of NY Yankee fans and still be shown the love!  The show offered concert goers their money’s worth with a long setlist of hit after hit.  If you haven’t seen him live yet, I highly suggest you see his show.

    If you weren’t at Saturday’s show, don’t fret as he’ll be joining New Yorkers once again on August 24 at CMAC in Canandaigua, August 25 at Darien Center, August 26 at SPAC in Saratoga, and August 27 at Jones Beach in Wantaugh!

    Setlist Brett Eldredge: Superhero, Don’t Ya, Somethin’ I’m Good At, Wanna Be That Song, Beat of the Music / Drops of Jupiter, Love Someone, Drunk On Your Love, Long Way Around, Mean To Me, and Lose My Mind

    Setlist Luke Bryan and Friends: Move, That’s My Kind of Night, Kick the Dust Up, Rain Is a Good Thing, This Is How We Roll (Florida Georgia Line cover, orig. ft. Bryan), Crash My Party, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, I See You, Fast, Drunk on You, Roller Coaster, All My Friends Say, Country Man, Play It Again, Mountain Music (Alabama cover), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond cover), Fishin’ in the Dark (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band cover), Strip It Down, Drink a Beer, Huntin’, Fishin’ And Lovin’ Every Day, I Don’t Want This Night to End, Country Girl (Shake It for Me), Paradise City (Guns N’ Roses cover)

  • ARISE Has Risen

    ARISE Music Festival was held at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, Colorado, on a jovial weekend August 4-6, surrounded by rock formations, pleasant lakes, and mysterious meadows. This land was indeed filled with love, so its name holds true to its essence. It was a glorious gathering of all walks of life – an open, family friendly, health conscious like-minded atmosphere where one can simply be whoever they please. Acceptance was a big feature of the time that was had and the energies that flooded the air proved this to be true. People united and rejoiced in ways the whole world could learn from.

    ARISEThe weekend consisted of countless extraordinary artists including performances by Atmosphere, Tipper, Lettuce, Beats Antique, Ani DiFranco, SunSquabi, Rising Appalachia, Brother Ali, Break Science, The Brothers Comatose, Desert Dwellers, and Dopapod, just to name a few. The vibe of these acts included a wide range of eclectic music including electronic, hip-hop, funk, jazz, world fusion, folk, soul, and progressive rock.

    Despite the waves of torrential downpour fluctuating all weekend, flooding and destroying the temporary homes of many, everyone at ARISE seemed to shine through the rain and it only made people dance even harder to the grooves of mother earth, especially when a calm, strong, and bright double rainbow appeared at the end of a fierce shower on the third day. This experience was an evolution of mankind, uniting positivity and kindness throughout each moment.

    Food vendors provided healthy and nutritional options for all types of eaters, as well as the festival’s own farmer’s market. As you entered from the main camping ground through giant neon totem poles, there was eye candy everywhere; each white tent displayed an extensive collection of interesting goods to be sold, not to mention countless painters, sculptors, and artists of all kinds.

    Temptations with zero expectations. Hammocks galore! There were yoga workshops and practices, domes to climb, beaded huts, teepees, and much, much more. This interactive experience gave one the liberty to wander to different areas such as the “Wisdom Village,” “Children’s Village,” and “Solutions Village”, which all co-created a friendly habitat for the weekend in its own worldly bubble. As a good-vibe-only festival, people could be found at any of the stages, including Big Sunrise Dome, StarWater, Scene Magazine, Green Tree, and main headliners at the Eagle stage.

    Sound mimicked the rhythm of body movements and the full moon and clear night on the final evening of the journey fabricated unparalleled liveliness. For anyone interested in participating in a relaxing care-free time with no service whatsoever, ARISE should be on the top of your list, where you can freely admire the sun and moon rise and set over this magical land while opening your mind to stellar soundwaves.

  • Photo Gallery: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Celebrate 40 Years at Air Canada Centre in Toronto

    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers made a stop on their 40th anniversary tour at the Air Canada Center on July 15. The veteran rockers played to a sold-out crowd of over 19,000.

    The band played mostly hits, but dropped in an occasional B-side or rare track. They kicked off their set by going way back to the first song off their very first album, Rockin’ Around (With You). Petty and the Heartbreakers took us on a ride through time which Petty described as “We’re going to pretend like this is a record spinning around up here playing our entire catalog and every now and then we are going to drop the needle.”

    Petty took fans through a history of his solo and the Heartbreakers catalog, including “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” “You Don’t Know How it Feels,” softer hits like “Wildflowers” and “Crawling Back to You.”  They ended the evening with fan favorite, “American Girl.” Check out the photo gallery below.

  • The Werks Phish After Party at American Beauty NYC

    The Werks kicked off the first night of Bakers Dozen after parties at American Beauty on Friday July 21. The band teased “In the End” by Linkin Park as a tribute to the late Chester Bennington.

    Setlist provided by guitarist Chris Houser via The Werkers Union.

    Set I: Chillin Groove, Duck Farm, Into The Moss[1], OG[2], Waiting Room[3]> Life During Wartime> Waiting Room

    Set II: Fire Eater, Fall[4], The Answer, Moonset

    [1] Blister in the Sun tease
    [2] “In The End” (Linkin Park) vocals
    [3] A Capella intro
    [4] Plain White Toast tease

    the werks american beauty

  • Unusual And Sexy: Lauper and Stewart Take Saratoga By Storm

    Rod Stewart is still sexy, if you were wondering. And he likes his job. A lot.

    He performed a high energy set to a sea of fans at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Saturday, July 22 surrounded by fantastic musicians, including a show stopping tenor performance by Jimmy “Saxman” Roberts.

    Cyndi Lauper opened for the legendary Stewart with “Funnel of Love,” and even some of her biggest fans were confused. Behind the beat and somewhat flat, Lauper’s entrance was disappointing. Her talking with the audience was scattered, and until she played “Money Changes Everything,” she failed to connect to the music she was playing energetically.

    That all changed with “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” though. With a slide show of women’s rights posters from the Women’s March in January, Lauper empowered her audience members to demand their rights. At one point, she even stopped her band and coached the audience to sing “more convincingly,” noting if they ever wanted to get what they really wanted, they needed to ask for it.

    “True Colors” followed and reminded anyone who may have forgotten that Lauper has been an energetic activist for LGBTQ rights. From writing and producing “Kinky Boots” to using her music to encourage kindness, Lauper’s 30-year career has been inspiring. Audience members forgave the initial flat notes, and this writer even questioned if perhaps she was sick, as she had a slight cough.  The last few songs of her set absolved all of the concerns about her earlier performance, even forgiving the cover of country hit “End of the World” and silly story about her time in Nashville.

    Lauper left the stage reminding the audience to have a good summer and “be good to each other,” and when the lights came up audience members were visibly moved by her gentle words.

    Rod Stewart’s stage was covered by a black and white checkered curtain, and his entrance was built up dramatically with classical music. His band members entered first, covered in gold glittering costumes, and he joined them crooning “Infatuation.” Stewart moved quickly through a high energy set, singing “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” “This Old Heart of Mine,” and “Tonight’s the Night” with full audience participation.

    Stewart was all smiles and spread his contagious joy singing “Forever Young.” Mid-song he left for a costume change, and three percussionists entertained the crowd with a mesmerizing and heart pounding trio.  Stewart gladly promoted the drummers, fiddlers, harpsichordist, and saxophonist on stage with him, frequently offering opportunities for solos.

    During a grouping of love songs, Stewart floated pictures of his wife and kids on the screens behind him. He smiled and admitted he had a great job as he sang a bluesy cover from Muddy Waters. With a nod to jazz blues, Stewart disclosed he owes a lot of those who inspired him.

    Possibly the best moment of the night, however, came as he brought the crowd to their feet with “Downtown Train.” At its close, the tenor sax’s sweet round notes juxtaposed with high pitched screams demonstrated Jimmy Roberts’ smooth jazz talent and breath support.

    From that moment to the night’s end, Rod Stewart and his fellow musicians only got more animated. “Proud Mary” gave Stewart time to again change costume, followed by faster and faster-paced songs. He kicked his characteristic soccer balls into the audience, reminding everyone he was a pro soccer player and danced at a high pace. The crescendo peaked when Stewart asked, “Do You Think I’m Sexy.”

    Clearly, the crowd does think Stewart is still sexy. At age 72, Stewart doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.  He still fills hearts with gladness and brings audacious musicians along for the ride.

  • Phish in Pittsburgh

    Phish played the intimate Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh on Thursday. The small indoor arena on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus was a nice respite from the scorching heat outside. Fresh off the band’s opening run in Chicago and a one off show the night before at a similar style arena in Dayton, Ohio, the band offered up a unique show featuring some bustouts, new songs and jam or two in unexpected places.

    The crowd was locked in and was giving back the energy, which was first very apparent during one of the better versions of “The Divided Sky” in quite some time, with the crowd completely losing it during the pause. The first set ended with “Prince Caspian”. It seemed like it would be a standard set closer but the band decided to give the Magnaball Caspian a run for its money and they took it deep. The jam first sounded like it could have came straight out of Maganaball’s Drive-In jam, before picking up speed into a Pink Floyd-like groove before it escalated into some soaring solos from Trey.

    After getting things started back up again with a “Punch You In The Eye,” the band played the Trey Anastasio Band song “Mr. Completely” for only the second time. This was the jam of the night as the band played patient and loose while drummer Jon Fishman was the backbone, keeping it driving forward with momentum. This kind of relaxed jamming from the band usually doesn’t happen until the middle or end of the tour so it was very promising to see. Next up was a pairing of the rarely played but often loved “Mercury” into a new song called “Come Together.” They then went into a more song based portion to end the show, with solid versions of “Contact”, “Steam” and “Backwards Down the Numberline” being the highlights.

    Phish heads nest to New York City for their 13-show residency at Madison Square Garden.

    07/19/2017 • Peterson Events Center • Pittsburgh, PA
    Tour: 2017 Summer Tour
    Set 1: My Soul, NICU, Halley’s Comet, Undermind, The Divided Sky, Marissa, Home,Prince Caspian
    Set 2: Punch You in the Eye, Mr. Completely, Mercury> Come Together, Contact, Axilla,Steam, Backwards Down The Number Line
    Encore: Things People Do, Bug, Rocky Top

  • Showmanship and Vocals: How to Spend a Summer Night in Saratoga

    If you were smiling in Saratoga on Wednesday night, you were probably at the Performing Arts Center singing along to Post Modern Jukebox and Straight No Chaser.

    PMJ took the stage to “All About That Bass,” performing the familiar tune in a jazzy 1940s style. Complete with costume, dancers, and instrumentation, PMJ didn’t disappoint fans of the well-loved YouTube sensation.  While the songs were from today’s radio, anyone listening could’ve sworn we were transported back in time to radio days of our grandparents.

    Group member Ariana brought the laughs, and sultry energy, as she sang, danced and introduced each song. The group brought out Demi to tap while Casey crooned to “Umbrella,” complete with a costume of yellow raincoat and umbrella. Demi then gave as close to a burlesque show as possible as she sang to “It Wasn’t Me,” and brought the laughs with self-deprecating jokes.

    The big moments of the night, though, were stolen by Kenton, a small Asian man who pulled off Nine Inch Nails “Closer” with unexpected energy. Joined on stage by Ariana and Dani, Kenton jumped, gyrated and sang a shockingly charged version of the well-known song.

    Casey’s rendition of “Creep” was the only thing that could follow such a performance. He crooned and laughed at himself initially, only to later bring the crowd to its feet with his vocals. Barely needing a microphone, Casey belted out “Creep” with possibly the most talented vocals of the show.

    Straight No Chaser followed the zany PMJ with more traditional energy and vocals. Noticeably more focused on harmonizing while wearing their matching summer suits, the group opened with “Sweet Dreams” with a nod to “Make Your Hands Clap” mid-song.

    Band members graciously demonstrated the different vocal parts of an a cappella group, for those who were unfamiliar, joked with audience members and learned the history of the group’s college origins. The singers played around with musical lyrics, performing “Straight No Chaser: The Musical” to the amicable crowd.

    Straight No Chaser demonstrated professional cohesion and musicianship, and also a joyfulness to quality music that comes from sharing best-known songs from across all genres. From pop music to country, the group offered something familiar for everyone to sing and dance to.

    All and all, it was a fun night out for fans of the non-traditional cover groups.