New York City-based rock band Upright Man got down at the Bowery Electric on Wednesday night, August 23rd. In support of their self-titled album which was released earlier this month, bandmates Aidan Dolan (guitar/vocals), Nick Katz (bass/vocals) and Max Yassky (drums/percussion/background vocals) brought some timeless, old school charm to their set. With singles like the haunting “Checked Out” or the glittery Beatles-esque “Three Easy Pieces”, this trio possesses some great songwriting skills and creates some wonderful arrangements that are soothing to the ear.
In support of Upright Man was San Francisco based, Royal Jelly Jive. With an already huge following on the West coast, RJJ dazzled the audience at Bowery Electric on Wednesday night. Their style of gypsy jazz is light, contagious and makes you want to get up and dance. Vocalist, Lauren Bjelde’s tantalizing, soulful pipes and infectious smile just lights up the stage. We look forward to seeing more of them on this coast.
Have you had a taste of what Josh Casano can cook?
Standing in front of an audience, the man loops an elaborate arrangement of ingredients, all with the use of his voice, his guitar and a delay unit at his feet.
The chef-turned-musician ran a few kitchens in his time before the life changing events of meeting his wife, Sarah, and the eventual discussion of starting a family. Suddenly, aspirations of becoming the next Ric Orlando reduced over the flame of wanting to be a family man.
On his Facebook page, the music man’s vita reads: Husband, Father, Brother, Friend, Musician. Like a recipe, he starts with the base of the dish, and along the way, adds the spice. What’s first is vital: Being the husband, the father. And, what’s added next is the flourish that makes Casano’s life unique. His own. What’s missing from the list is his former life as a chef, and a clearer definition of his present day job as a high school music teacher. All those details are found further down his page.
“I know a lot of people who are head chefs, executive chefs, especially those who have started their own businesses. When you do it in the very beginning, it is really hard to be away from the business,” said Casano. “So, I went back to school to teach.”
The 39-year-old Casano got a late start to his current career path, which involves folding musical compositions into the minds of young students by day, splashed with stealing hours away to earn his master’s degree at the University at Albany, and a sprinkle of a few live gigs throughout the Capital District. Casano can still cook up a good meal at home, but he said he walked away from the culinary arts because — would you believe it? — the hours would be more demanding on him. The prospect of trying to start up a restaurant included hours of investing in the kitchen, taking him away from a family life he and his wife had only discussed. Today, the Casano start-up has flourished into a marriage with two kids and a home in Latham.
Casano enrolled into the College of Saint Rose’s prestigious music program. There, he quickly earned his bachelor’s degree to teach. Last year was his first, full year as a music teacher at Schenectady Public Schools. Though he’s just getting started with a career in music, music has been with him since his parents pushed the piano on him in elementary school. When he protested and asked to play drums instead, they bought him a trumpet.
“[Drums] were too loud,” said Casano. “They were aware of practice pads. My father thought to play drums I had to have a kit.” So, the trumpet stayed with Casano throughout his high school career. Once he started learning music on his own, “I started kicking myself for not paying attention to those piano lessons.”
Though Casano is often playing covers at his live shows, he is trained and practiced as a classical guitar player and songwriter, writing both the music and lyrics. Pay attention, and you may recognize a few of his songs as they have played on both 102.7 WEQX and 97.7 WEXT. The pressure of playing solo acts in front of an audience is akin to running a kitchen, said Casano. In both cases, he said, you’re “in the weeds” and focused on your task besides the commotion surrounding him.
“It’s nerve-wracking,” said Casano, about looping at live shows. “It was awful [starting out]. I’d practice a whole movement, get confident, and get up on stage to play it, ‘Oh, man. Please don’t screw this up.’ … You just learn to go with it. I’ve done theatre. I’ve performed in orchestra and band. You make a mistake, you just keep going. You just play it off like you meant it and keep going, and no one’s the wiser.”
You can find Casano playing Friday, Aug. 25 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, at 5 p.m. and at the Dana Park Concert Series in Albany, on Monday, Aug 28, at 5:30 p.m.
This article was originally published by The Spot 518 and is the property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.
A gentle breeze wafted across the festival grounds to keep festival goers cool on Saturday for the third day of LOCKN’ 2017. Nashville group Los Colognes helped start off the day at the Relix stage a bit before noon, with a few enthusiastic dancers already in the mood to move. One older gentleman with a silver ponytail beneath a weathered safari hat and donning a brown kilt pranced around the gravel pit directly in front of the stage.
Not to be outdone, a toddler sporting a billowing batman cape and brandishing a brightly colored parasol flitted about observing the black fabric flap wildly behind him. Los Colognes conducting their own dance on stage, showcased their instrumental finesse in the way they would carefully build up the momentum in their sound, which kept the crowd engaged in their performance.
A very enthusiastic crowd flocked to the field to see Pigeons Playing Ping Pong fly away with some energetic funky grooves that got the entire pit jumping to the beat. Ping pong balls were flung through the air in every direction, just as some toss glow sticks during their favorite jams. Lead singer Greg Ormont adores his flock, as Pigeon fans are fittingly named, as evidenced by the warm gratitude he expressed to the crowd throughout the set.
Attendees raged to their animated cover of “Psycho Killer,” and solicited loud cheers when Ormont, Jeremy Schon (guitar) and Ben Carrey (bass) all spun in unison with their instruments, clearly having as much fun on stage as the crowd was below. At one point Ormont proudly decreed, “I think it’s officially FLOCKN’!” Their performance of “Couldn’t We All” immediately brought Charlottesville back to people’s hearts as the band repeated the line “couldn’t we all just get along” before Ormont, arms outstretched, paused briefly and smiled widely before diving back into their spritely brand of jam.
Virginia native Keller Williams took up residence on the main stage with a guitar and some pedals to loop in his own effects. He put forth a low key, but upbeat set as people mulled about, many lounging happily in the dusty grass. A woman tapping on a hand drum offered it to the curious toddler gazing in her direction, mesmerized by the toy, but unsure what to do with it. The scene painted a heartwarming snapshot of the countless friendly interactions igniting across the festival grounds as complete strangers crossed paths and became friends.
The energy shifted drastically as Greensky Bluegrass emerged, standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder armed with their instrument of choice, emitting their powerful barrage of mountain music. Some audience members displayed their sense of humor carrying poles with an assortment of figures mounted atop. One of the most recognizable was none other than the beloved character Wilson, the white volleyball marked with a blood red handprint from the movie Castaway. It’s owner freely passed Wilson on a stick to anyone desiring to dance with it.
Lead vocalist Dave Bruzza took a moment to appreciate playing the festival and commented, “This is awesome. I watched this from my couch last year.” The crowd laughed and cheered in response, recognizing Bruzza’s supremely upgraded festival experience from last year. Greensky closed out their set with “Atlantic City” to loud cheers of the crowd, beautifully timed with the sunset as their last views of the crowd were awash in glimmering golden hues.
Once again the main stage rotated to unveil John Butler Trio, who opened their set with “Cold Wind.” Butler then addressed the crowd stating, “Before we go any further, we’d like to pay our respects to the Native American people whose land we’re on today,” referring to the lands of Nelson County that the Monocan tribe originally called home. Butler is well-known for tying social, environmental and political issues into his songs, and his audience enthusiastically responded. He dedicated his next song “I’d Do Anything (Soldier’s Lament),” expressing, “To all the soldiers, may they call come home.”
Following that he lightheartedly explained, “The intro to this next song is called ‘My Little Pony on Crystal Meth.’ I want to see that image at least once in my life. I dunno why I want to see that, but I just do.” He then quickly transitioned to “Better Than,” followed by “I Used to Get High.” Again Butler addressed to crowd to say, “On the day we arrived in your country we witnessed a whole bunch of bigotry… So we dropped this new song and it’s very fitting. It’s called “Bully.” The tune embarked with an electric guitar distortion that sounded like an emergency siren before engaging in a heavy hard rock sound.
Next Butler brought out his acoustic for his meditative solo of “Ocean,” a full hand of long fingernails picking furiously as the crowd swayed. Butler continued to tie political awareness into his performance, at one point stating, “This is a great time to be playing music,” in reference to the power of creativity to fuel positive change within the community.
Classic rock legend, John Fogerty, singer and songwriter of Creedance Clearwater Revival, pulled out all the hits in an explosive set opening with “Green River,” “Born on the Bayou” “Suzie Q” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain.” A jovial gentleman then trotted across the stage for an accordion solo as the crowd cheered him on. The band followed with “Lookin’ out My Back Door,” and Fogerty continued to wow the crowd with his non-stop energy, building momentum and at some points mixing rapid elements of punk rock into his performance.
Widespread took to the stage for a jam that pushed into “Fishwater” which included Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” “Who Do You Belong To?” and the ending of “Fishwater” to start the night off. Other highlights of their energetic headlining set included Dylan’s “A Hard Rains Gonna Fall” and a monster verison of “You Should be Glad” to end it.
When Joe Russo’s Almost Dead took the stage, Bob Weir joined shortly after “Althea” for “Black Throated Wind” and a “Jack Straw” that pushed Bobby’s limits as he was sweating and gave a look of relief when the build up finally paid off and he could simmer things down into to end “Straw.” A stellar version of “The Wheel” included a ‘Benevento/Russo Duo-esque’ jam for the ages and Weir joined the band for the finale of the expected “One More Saturday Night.”
As the Friday morning migration of early risers dispersed to acquire their first fix of caffeine at Lockn’ 2017, the fairly priced $3 cups were a welcome relief from the $9 beers that drained wallets the night before. Local rock group Sun-Dried Opossum, aided by the climbing heat of the mid-morning sun, beckoned attendees out of their tents and campers toward the Relix stage.
Marcus King Band followed, upping the rock and roll intensity even more, to a noticeably larger crowd. The Relix field’s undulating topography provides varying levels that aid people further back in viewing the stage, but also offers some rather slanted footing that can make it trickier to find a comfortable place to stand. But patrons weren’t letting that stop them from gathering to soak in the sultry southern rock led by Marcus King. His rough around the edges vocals accompanied by trumpet, sax and organ blended to form a rich and mature sound. The heavy rock made a fitting soundtrack for the crowds dragging footsteps, weighed down with the increasing heat.
New York band TAUK brought a level of sophistication with their polished sound, releasing beautifully executed instrumentation with a slightly spacey, ethereal tone. Accompanied by some much appreciated cloud cover, they provided the perfect soundtrack for the web of frisbee throwers flinging their tiny UFO’s through the air on the main stage field.
The tribal soul vibes of Sinkane mellowed out the atmosphere with a lighthearted sound as people mingled, sprawled out in hammocks between whatever trees they could claim, and made the whole show field feel like one giant living room shared by all.
The main stage welcomed Blackberry Smoke as it’s first performer of the day. They put out a satisfying performance of savory southern rock before Jim James completely switched up the energy with a solo acoustic performance. Despite his softer sound, he had a way of focusing the crowd’s attention with thought-provoking sentiments.
He opened his set with an acoustic rendition of “Young at Heart” before paraphrasing the Nelson Mandela quote: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” He explained it’s a quote he’d been thinking about a lot recently. He poignantly followed it with a tune about people making the same mistakes over and over again.
Brandi Carlile took to the stage next and exploded through the speakers with a full band and really tight, controlled sound that laid a strong foundation for her unbelievable vocal ability. There was a lot of love for Carlile at the start of her set, but as she bounced around on stage, exuding positivity and grace, she quickly won over a lot more hearts too. The crowd was in awe to the point that she took notice and expressed to the crowd, “This is some of the best energy I’ve felt on stage.” The mutual love and respect between Carlile and the adoring crowd continued to grow throughout her set.
After each song she wistfully tossed her guitar pick into the crowd, to the cheers and delight of many. One of her set highlights was an acoustic rendition of “The Eye.” She sung in a three-part harmony with two of her bandmates whom she has been performing with for fifteen years. They happen to be twin brothers, and she humbly introduced the tune exclaiming, “They are amazing singers and they could be standing at this center mic any day of the week and we’re about to show you why.”
Next the band picked things up with “Hard Way Home,” followed by an energetic rendition of “Folsom Prison Blues,” which she sang in an effortless flutter between sweet and smooth to gruff and rusty vocals. Carlile remarked right after, “Momma’s getting’ to old for that shit,” and the crowd hollered in laughter at her sincerity, and ability to level with the crowd. Her conversational style between songs allowed her to genuinely connect with the audience. She played “The Mother,” a song off her new album about the impact of having a daughter. Jim James came back out to duet with her and their mutual respect for each other provided the glue for great stage chemistry. Next she dedicated “The Story” to Charlottesville before ending her set by covering “Going to California,” which she sang effortlessly because she is the queen of country rock.
Phil Lesh and The Terrapin Family Band came out next to the utter joy of the very Grateful Dead-centric crowd. Their mellow rock sound was punctuated by a sea of cheers as fans recognized their favorite songs and proudly brandished their vibrant tye dyes. Gov’t Mule followed with more heavy rock, aided by the sharp vocals of Heart’s Ann Wilson during a one-two punch cover of “Immigrant Song” aptly followed by “Black Dog.”
Wilson took a moment to express, “We judge each other by what we have or how successful we are, but that’s complete and utter bullshit. So let’s take it all back.” Wilson and Gov’t Mule then went into a deep bluesy, “I Don’t Care What You’re Wearing,” as a man donning a glitter-laden jellyfish hat paraded through the crowd at just the right moment.
Bluesy hard rock is alive and well. Right in our very backyard in Glens Falls resides Joe Mansman And The Midnight Revival Band. Their latest album Bastard dropped on July 14. If you’re a fan of the New Orleans blues rock or LA-style rock and roll, this album is sure to please your ear drums.
Bastard is an easy listen, not too short, not too long and perfect for the commute to work. I highly recommend the slower tracks such as “Den Of Thieves” and “Nobody’s Sun” simply for the bluesy style. The piano/keyboards add more depth to the album, however, the other upbeat rocky tracks are well done, very comparable to Theory Of A Deadman or Wolfmother. Very much worth a listen and keep an eye out for this Joe Mansman And The Midnight Revival Band.
Key Tracks: Den Of Thieves, Nobody’s Sun, Cut Out My Tongue
As the sun lowered behind the Blue Ridge Mountains, bathing the show field and it’s patrons in an opulent cloak of sun-kissed finery, the Mount Zion First African Baptist Choir paraded onto the main stage to welcome patrons to the 2017 LOCKN’ Music Festival. A sense of contentment swirled with eager anticipation permeated the crowd as the National Anthem and “Amazing Grace” drifted through the air.
A moment of silence in honor of recent events in Charlottesville unified the respectfully silent crowd before local group Kendall Street Company took to the stage to get into the festival groove with some homegrown, incredibly danceable tunes. Their tight instrumentation and seasoned rock sound defied their youthful visage boldly displayed on the larger screens bordering both sides of the stage. Lead vocalist Louis Smith uttered the lyrics, “We are here now, so come along,” an inviting sentiment as patrons continued to accumulate near the stage. At one point Smith exclaimed, “I need to get things that fit tighter on my head. I’ve lost my glasses, I’ve lost my hat.” It was a fair representation of his energetic performance.
Luckily LOCKN’ provides a general store on the grounds with a variety of essentialsfor anyone, musicians and attendees alike, if they find themselves lacking something they can’t do without. Umphrey’s McGee did not seem to forget anything behind, producing an incredibly lively follow-up to Kendall Street Company. As night fell, the show field continued to populate with head banging humans, approving with jovial cheers and applause as Umphrey’s flooded the audience with dazzling lights and heart pumping jams.
As Umphrey’s first set concluded, the stage gracefully spun 180 degrees as The String Cheese Incident flawlessly picked up where Umphrey’s left off, with no time wasted. Lead vocalist/guitarist Keith Moseley donned a flat brim with a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses, as if trying to remain incognito while playing their unique brand of bluegrass rock to thousands of spectators. During their set, some crowd members couldn’t resist the urge to release handfuls of vibrant glow sticks through the inky air despite being banned on festival grounds. They are a time-honored tradition that will die hard despite known environmental and personal health hazards. During their performance of “Texas,” the rhythm provided an almost salsa-like feel that even reflected in the bouncy footwork of the more enthusiastic dancers in the crowd.
Umphrey’s and String Cheese each produced one more set seamlessly sharing the stage as festival goers danced, mingled, sampled the vast assortment of food and brews provided by local restaurants and breweries. At the conclusion of String Cheese set two, another seamless transition to the Relix stage took place as The Disco Biscuits took up residence to carry on the heavy and never-ending musical stimulation that LOCKN’ executes so well.
Three festival weekends each summer, Sterling Stage Kampitheater (‘The Pines’) returns to Sterling, NY for four days and nights of music, dancing and art. This year’s Sterling Stage Folkfest and Sterling Stage Ameribeat have passed us by, however, Sterling Stage Last Daze of Summer 2017 is just around the corner.
Take a glance below and click the play button. You’ll find a Rochester Groovecast podcast episode. This episode is a preview of the upcoming Sterling Stage Last Daze of Summer Festival. During the episode, you’ll listen to The Werks, The Blind Owl Band, Root Shock, The Honey Smugglers, Creamery Station, Los Blancos, Electric Mud, Personal Blend, Boogie Low, Subsoil, and Chris James & Mama G. All of these bands will be at this year’s Sterling Stage Last Daze of Summer. If you scroll even farther down, you’ll find a detailed episode timestamp. Get your tickets here!
Episode Timestamp:
00:00: The Werks- Into The Moss
03:41: Episode Introduction
07:21: The Werks– Magic
13:24: The Blind Owl Band- Map With Roads
18:03: The Blind Owl Band- Sailor Song
23:44: Root Shock- Freedom
27:55: Root Shock- Sage
33:55: The Honey Smugglers- Nasty Old Man
37:49: The Honey Smugglers- Should Have Been A Farmer
45:49: Creamery Station- Back To You
49:03: Creamery Station- Wash Away
53:56: Los Blancos- Backbeat Rhythm
59:26: Los Blancos-Get Along
1:04:45: Electric Mud- Cover of Eddies Gospel Groove By Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters
1:10:55: Electric Mud- Cover of T-Bone Boogie By T-Bone Walker
1:14:31: Personal Blend- Judgement
1:18:10: Personal Blend- Wiseman
1:23:15: Boogie Low- Mckenna
1:28:38: Boogie Low- Miss Bliss
1:34:00: Subsoil- Joe Rogan
1:37:39: Subsoil- On The Bus
1:41:49: Closing Comments
1:43:48: Chris James & Mama G- Thank You For The Diamonds
1:48:22: Chris James & Mama G- Further
The 2017 NYS Fair opened its gates Wednesday, August 23, and aside from the food, music, especially local, is arguably the biggest attraction at the New York State Fair. The main stage acts at Lakeview Amphitheater and Chevy Court draw the most attention, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find a plethora of acts across the fairgrounds. From the various pavilions to the bars that set up camp at the fair, there is music of all types to be found.
The Empire Experience Stage features live performances three times a day, free with fair admission. The complete 13 day schedule can be found here.
Among the acts performing at the Empire Experience Stage are several tribute bands (Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffet, Rush, David Bowie, AC/DC, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd and Sublime); Latin music featuring Edgar Pagan’s Grupo Pagan, Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra, Orquesta La Muralla, Afrikan2 and BombaRoc along with local polka legends, Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame honorees and SAMMY Hall of Fame inductees, Fritz’s Polka Band.
Aug. 28-31 features several original local acts presented by local rock station 95X. Oneonta’s Baked Potatoes kicks off the series Aug. 28 at 4 p.m., followed by Utica-area act Our Common Roots at 6:30 p.m. The Black River closes out the stage at 8:30 p.m.
Other artists included in the local showcase at the Empire Experience Stage include Oswego’s Ethernauts (Aug. 29 at 4 p.m.) along with Syracuse’s Professional Victims (Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m.), Spring Street Family Band (Aug. 29 at 8:30 p.m.), Ahnest! (Aug. 30 at 4 p.m.), Townhouse Warrior (Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m.), Toronto’s Bleeker (Aug. 30 at 8:30 p.m.), Mattydale Music Collective (Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m.), Stacy White Suite (Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m.) and Barroom Philosophers (Aug. 31 at 8:30 p.m.). Barroom Philosophers will also be performing at the West End Bar & Grille at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 3. SAMMY Award recipients, Americana band the Ripcords will also be performing the Empire Experience Stage (Sept. 1 at 4 p.m.).
In addition to the Empire Experience, there are several other stages to take in live music. The Pan-African Village is a cooperative effort between the NAACP and the New York State Fair. The village highlights New York’s African-American heritage and features vendors and performers with African and Caribbean roots. Performances are held several times per day throughout the fair’s run. Featured performers at the Pan-African stage include SAMMY Award Winner Bobby Green (Aug. 25 at 8 p.m), Matte Mase (Aug. 26 at 3:30 p.m.), Tanksley with two performances (Aug. 26 at 5:30 p.m. and Aug. 28 at 8 p.m.), Modern Mudd (Aug. 26 at 8 p.m.), Five to Life (Aug. 27 at 2 p.m.), Steve Wolf performing twice (Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 31 at 6 p.m.), Colleen Kattau & Dos XX (Sept. 1 at 4 p.m.), Soft Spoken (Sept. 1 at 8 p.m.), Hev’n Ayn and Friends (Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.), Afrikan2 (Sept. 3 at 2 p.m.), and the Brownskin Band (Sept. 4. at 6 p.m.).
Some CNY favorites will take to the Dairyland Stage, appropriately located in the Dairy Building. Artists performing at this mini-stage-in-the-round include Just Joe on Aug. 31 (11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.). Joe will also be performing at the Courtside Grill Aug. 23-27 for two sets each day (12-1:30 p.m and 3:30-5 p.m.) Castle Creek for three half-hour sets on Sept. 2 (11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m.) and Max Scialdone on Sept. 4 (11 a.m., 2 p.m and 5 p.m.).
Several bars take up residency during the fair and many also offer live music. The West End Bar & Grille is a NYS Fair institution. The bar is located just inside of gate six on the west side of the fairgrounds and offers live music every night of the fair. Solvay’s own Rhythm Method brings its blend of metal and classic rock to the West Side twice during the fair (Aug. 24 and Sept. 2, both shows begin at 7:30 p.m.). They will also perform at Bosco’s on Restaurant Row Aug. 28 and 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Syracuse R&B and soul group the Horndogs bring their horn-driven funk to the West Side on Aug. 25 and alt-country musician Steve Cali performs a Sunday set on Aug. 27. Other bands performing the West End include 3 Inch Fury, Brass, Inc., the PEP Band and Kat Tale. All shows at the West End begin at 7:30 p.m.
The Empire Room, one of the fair’s air conditioned venues, will host live music twice per day over the course of the fair’s thirteen day run. Utica-based harmonica player, Matt Lomeo will perform three days with a different partner joining him each day. On Aug. 24, Lomeo will be joined by guitarist Brian Mulkerne. On Aug. 27 Syracuse-based guitarist and leader of Morris and the Hepcats, Morris Tarbell joins Lomeo. Finally, on Aug. 29, Lomeo is accompanied by celebrated jazz saxophonist and pianist, Monk Rowe. All of Lomeo’s appearances at the Empire Room are 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Chris Eves will make two appearances at the Empire Room, one as a solo act on Aug. 25 at 3 p.m. and the other with his band, the New Normal for a Party on the Patio Aug. 27, also at 3 p.m.
Verona-based Opus Black String Quartet brings its unique take on classical meets contemporary to the Empire Room Patio Aug. 30 from 3-7 p.m.
Syracuse legend and SAMMY Hall of Fame inductee, Joe Whiting brings his exciting act to the Empire Room twice. On Aug. 31, Whiting will be joined by guitarist Loren Barrigar at 3 p.m. and hosts a Party on the Patio Sept. 2 at 3 p.m.
The Suds Factory Courtside Grille is yet another spot to catch some hot local talent throughout the fair’s run. Just Joe makes several appearances Aug. 25-27. Utica-area southern rock band the Swamp Drivers, renowned for their arsenal of homemade instruments, perform at the Grille Aug. 25-26. High energy Syracuse hard rock and metal aficionados, Scars n’ Stripes hit the Grille for two sets on Aug. 24 (6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.).
Boonville native Shawn “Big Sexy” Smith, a 2013 contestant on NBC’s The Voice brings his talents to the Grille for two sets Aug. 28 (3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.). Syracuse-area classic rock and blues band The Barndogs perform Aug. 28, 29 and Sept. 3 from 6-11 p.m. and Brian McArdell and Mark Westers perform acoustic classic rock Aug. 30 (12:30 and 3:30 p.m.).
Prior to and following Brett Michaels’ free show at Chevy Court, attendees can take in LaFayette country rockers Country Swagg. The band performs Aug. 30 from 6:30-8 p.m. and again following Michaels’ set. Syracuse funksters Skunk City close out the fair at the Grille Sept. 4 with two sets (4:30 and 9 p.m.). A regular at Funk n’ Waffles Downtown, this eclectic collective is sure to end the 2017 NYS Fair with a groove. For Courtside Grille set times for all of the above musicians and many others click here.
Finally, Bosco’s at the Fair and Shamrock’s host Syracuse-area country workhorses the TJ Sacco Band with both solo and full band performances. Sacco performs solo sets at Shamrock’s Aug. 24, 28, 29 and 30. He’ll be joined at Shamrock’s by the full band on Aug. 26, 27 and Sept. 2 and 3. All performances at Shamrock’s are at 5 p.m. Bosco’s will host the band Aug. 25 (7 p.m.) and Sacco solo Aug. 31 (7 p.m.). Solvay’s eight-piece funk outfit In Too Deep drops the beats at Bosco’s Sept. 2 at 6 p.m.
Bottom line: One can attend the NYS Fair each of its 13 days and spend the entire day taking in nothing but spectacular live local music. Check a few of them out and let them know you appreciate their efforts. They’ll remember it and when they hit the big stage you can brag that you saw them when. Remember, every band was local once.
I love it when two super giants in the metal underground come together to create something new and refreshing. Especially if is something sludge, blacken, and even synth driven! Who would have thought Jenks Miller of Horseback and Neil Jameson from Kreig would give birth to something that touches new boundaries when it comes to the creative process. The two titans created an amazing group and EP known by the same name of Poison Blood (released via Relapse Records) Ah, yes this review needs to happen as I have been up all night enjoying this material. Hope you are ready for this mystic kind of journey with this review!
Of course the influences on the band’s bandcamp does state they have an appreciation for Beherit’s Drawning Down the Moon LP. The many influences they bring from good old dirty sludge riffs melded with black metal tremolo picking, and sludge hammer like drumming just make this EP stand out among the other contenders in 2017. With Neil Jameson on vocals and the main lyrical writer and Jenks Miller on basically everything else (guitar, bass, drums, keys, synth), this duo has found a great way to come together on this piece of material. The opening song, “The Scourge And The Gestalt,” is rich in that crusty yet groovy type of guitar playing and you will find yourself lost in its splendor. The lo-fi quality of the track and album brings back the raw power of distortion, which I feel is where metal still dominates being the best genre for this type of approach when it comes to production style.
If you want more of a mellow based tune, try out the track “Circles of Salt.” The haunting synths and high pitch guitars will set the scene of a very rockabilly type of mixture. Let me tell you, when I first heard this track, I was stunned. Kinda felt as if Fields of Nephilm combined with some great heavy riffage. With the harpy like vocals throughout this song, you can imagine your soul is being ripped apart in a dark void. Overwhelming sensation from the ambiance alone will make this song a great fix when you need some time alone to unwind from the workday. Goes well with a dark brew if you ask me!
This EP is indeed short, not so sweet, and gets in the spirit of both creators behind its dark magic. If you are a big fan of black metal, groove, and sludge well, look no further! This album was made this year especially for you guys! I will give Poison Blood 4.5 out of 5 pentagrams! Go check out the band’s bandcamp to get yourself a copy of the album!
Key Track: The Scourge And The Gestalt, Circles Of Salt, Myths From The Desert
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.
In support of Upright Man was San Francisco based, Royal Jelly Jive. With an already huge following on the West coast, RJJ dazzled the audience at Bowery Electric on Wednesday night. Their style of gypsy jazz is light, contagious and makes you want to get up and dance. Vocalist, Lauren Bjelde’s tantalizing, soulful pipes and infectious smile just lights up the stage. We look forward to seeing more of them on this coast.
The chef-turned-musician ran a few kitchens in his time before the life changing events of meeting his wife, Sarah, and the eventual discussion of starting a family. Suddenly, aspirations of becoming the next Ric Orlando reduced over the flame of wanting to be a family man.
Bastard is an easy listen, not too short, not too long and perfect for the commute to work. I highly recommend the slower tracks such as “Den Of Thieves” and “Nobody’s Sun” simply for the bluesy style. The piano/keyboards add more depth to the album, however, the other upbeat rocky tracks are well done, very comparable to Theory Of A Deadman or Wolfmother. Very much worth a listen and keep an eye out for this Joe Mansman And The Midnight Revival Band.
Of course the influences on the band’s bandcamp does state they have an appreciation for Beherit’s Drawning Down the Moon LP. The many influences they bring from good old dirty sludge riffs melded with black metal tremolo picking, and sludge hammer like drumming just make this EP stand out among the other contenders in 2017. With Neil Jameson on vocals and the main lyrical writer and Jenks Miller on basically everything else (guitar, bass, drums, keys, synth), this duo has found a great way to come together on this piece of material. The opening song, “The Scourge And The Gestalt,” is rich in that crusty yet groovy type of guitar playing and you will find yourself lost in its splendor. The lo-fi quality of the track and album brings back the raw power of distortion, which I feel is where metal still dominates being the best genre for this type of approach when it comes to production style.