NYS Music 20​17

Category: Features

  • The Record Company Rocks the Westcott

    “We’re the Record Company, and we play rock and roll.” This is how the Record Company’s lead vocalist/guitarist/harpist Chris Vos often introduces his band at the start of a performance. While said in an understated fashion, it is no understatement.

    Throughout the nearly hour and a half performance at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater May 20, The Record Company proved time and again that they do indeed play rock and roll. Steeped in a blues tradition but still maintaining a contemporary rock sound, the Record Company is out to prove that rock is not dead.

    Before The Record Company hit the stage, opening act, Nashville-based duo Smooth Hound Smith, won over the crowd early with some self-deprecating humor and foot stomping blues. The husband and wife duo, Zack and Caitlin Smith had a great stage presence and could easily have passed as the headliner on this night.

    Zack Smith plays guitar, harmonica and foot drum as well as handling the majority of the vocals, a virtual one-man band. He has a country-blues feel with a touch of rockabilly. Caitlin Smith adds percussion and lush vocals with a bit of a Nashville touch and the occasional Janis Joplin wail to round out the Smooth Hound Smith sound.

    The Record Company, Vos, Alex Stiff on bass/vocals and Elmira native Marc Cazorla on drums/keys are as cohesive a unit as you’ll find in music today. The rhythm section is tight and Vos is a multi-instrumental maestro. Vos’s bluesy vocal style was perfectly complemented by Stiff and Carzola’s harmonies all night.

    One can derive many influences in the music of The Record Company – Delta and Chicago blues, gospel, mid-70s stadium rock and even hip hop. The latter was exhibited in a spirited, bluesy cover of the Beastie Boys “So What’cha Want” that had the near capacity crowd happily bouncing along.

    Vos leans heavily on his weathered Fender lap steel at shows and for good reason, he made that thing sing, especially on the greasy blues dirge “Rita Mae Young.” His harmonica style, especially in the band’s single “Hard Day Comin’ Down” beckons Bob Dylan.

    Speaking of Dylan, midway through the show, the band worked in a three-song acoustic mini-set, anchored by a scorching version of “Subterranean Homesick Blues.”

    The set closed with Vos lying his acoustic guitar across his lap for lesson in the slide. Stiff and Cazorla kept the back beat while Vos furiously worked the guitar and later the harmonica on the appropriately titled, “The Burner.” Cazorla was often pulling double duty on his bass, sometimes playing it as a lead instrument as well as using a slide.

    The show closed with a one-song encore, a new one from the band’s latest album. “In the Mood” is a blues, via Mod era Who, romp that ended the night on a high note, including crowd participation on the chorus. The band took a collective bow with appreciative smiles, the audience reciprocated, another audience won over. This is a band that is on to bigger things, dragging honest rock and roll along with it.

    The Record Company Setlist: On the Move, Baby I’m Broken, Hard Day Coming Down, Night Games, Rita Mae Young, Feels So Good, Crooked City (acoustic), I’m Changing (acoustic), Subterranean Homesick Blues (acoustic) (Bob Dylan cover), Don’t Let Me Get Lonely, So What’cha Want (Beastie Boys cover), Turn Me Loose, Off the Ground, The Burner
    E: In the Mood

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  • Biters and Frankie + The Studs Rock Rochester on their Unleashed on the East Coast Tour

    Fans of the glam rock resurgence were in their glory on Friday, May 26 in Rochester as Frankie and The Studs and Biters came through on their Unleashed on the East Tour. Biters have toured extensively across North America and Europe over the past seven years, but this was their first time in Rochester. For Frankie and The Studs, this was one stop of their first tour ever. The Historic German House in the South Wedge was thumping with the heavy beats and killer riffs.

    The Finger Lakes’ own Major Crush  started off the night. The Ende brothers, Tommy and Kenny, are on vocals and guitar respectively. Frankie Wheeler on bass and Brandon Young on drums round out the band. I caught an acoustic set a couple years ago, but this was my first time seeing them all together. They have a fantastic stage presence and encouraged audience interaction, which helped to get the crowd warmed up for the main acts. They play pop rock, remarkable for the stellar guitarwork and spot-on harmonies. The setlist was comprised of songs from Trophy Kids, the full-length album they released last year, including the anthemic sing-along “Turn Up the Radio” and the more edgy “You Ain’t A Saint.” On this night, they also played a new song they’ve been working on called “Summer Time.”

    Frankie and the Studs are an up-and-coming act out of Hollywood. Frankie Clarke represents the new wave of glam rock with her fringed leather catsuit, dip-dyed hair and glitter makeup. Frankie Clarke met The Studs just after recording a cover of “Hot Child in the City.”  Together, their sound and style makes me nostalgic for the days when the boy next door blared “I Love Rock and Roll” from his boom box. Their 2016 EP, High on Yourself, was produced by Clarke’s father, Gilby Clarke, who played guitar for Guns N Roses during the Use Your Illusion era.

    Frankie and the Studs were rife with punk attitude as they played a set which included their originals “High on Yourself,” “Sick of You,” and “She’s Insane.” They also threw in the cover of “Hot Child in the City” and a new ballad, yet to be recorded, called “Dance with You.” The spin light above the stage caught the silver studs and glittered platform boots as Frankie danced around with her stars and stripes guitar. The Studs complimented her perfectly with backup vocals, a strong beat, and fantastic fretwork.

    While this is their first time on tour, it’s not their first time playing in New York. Frankie and the Studs played a show in New York City last year during Fashion Week. With the allure of the New York punk scene, I expect we’ll be seeing this band come through again and again.

    Biters put on a high octane performance, a reminder that hard rock is not to be relegated to the graveyard of classic radio station rotation. Smoke filled the stage and silhouetted their cowboy-boot and denim-clad figures. Their music, like their logo, has razor-sharp teeth that cut to the core. They serve their songs straight up with no frills. With two LP’s and four EP’s under their belt, they had a vast array of songs to choose from for their setlist. Standouts included their hits “Low Lives in High Definition,” “Gypsy Rose,” “Hallucination Generation,” and “1975.” They also threw in a fun medley of a few bars from famous rock songs that they don’t cover. To make up for it, they included Tom Petty’s “American Girl” in their encore.

    Catch the final New York State show of the Unleashed on the East Tour at St. Vitus in Brooklyn on May 31.

    Remaining tour dates:

    May 31 – St. Vitus – Brooklyn, NY

    June 1 – The Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD

    June 2 – Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing – Harrisburg, PA

    June 3 – Voltage Lounge – Philadelphia, PA

    Photos by Alyssa Smith

  • Interview: Olivia Grace Discusses her Upcoming Releases and Next Steps in Brooklyn

    Indie pop artist Olivia Grace is originally from Maryland but ready to take the New York music scene by storm. She’s focusing her energy and creative juices into launching a musical career while completing her senior year of college. Her latest single “Blackbird” was released on September 30 enticing listeners with her unique style. NYS Music had the chance to find out more about Olivia Grace’s unreleased music including “Shoestrings” to be released early June.

    Sammy Steiner: As a singer-songwriter, where did your inspiration for “Shoestrings” come from?

    Olivia Grace: Ultimately, the song is about feeling out of place. It’s somewhat unapologetic, but it’s also about trying to make sense of everything when you’re not quite sure how you fit in. The story isn’t completely about me, as I do love creating fictional characters in my songs. However, when I wrote this song I had just moved to New York, and it was completely different from what I had been used to. I lived in Chicago beforehand, but New York just doesn’t compare. I think that feeling of navigating a new city and finding my place inspired a bit of the song.

    SS: Can you take us through your journey and involvement in the creation of this track? What was your favorite part of the record-making process?

    OG: The song took over a year to write. When I first started it, it sounded more like a folk song. It was slower with completely different rhythms. It didn’t really feel like THE song. I came back to it when I was flipping through old song ideas, trying to write something new. I picked it back up and it just flowed out. My favorite part recording was the “oh’s” that you hear in the beginning and after the chorus. They were actually added last minute. The song didn’t feel complete when my producer Matt and I had finished. He told me to just go crazy improvising over my piano/instrumental part, and eventually I started singing the “oh” melody. We both knew when we heard it that, that was it!

    SS: Do you have any upcoming plans or prospective venues where you hope to perform in the New York State area?

    OG: I do! I’m currently setting up some shows for July in New York, so I’ll probably be posting about it in June!

    SS: Can you name your top three favorite artists to cover at your shows and why?

    OG: Truthfully, I don’t cover that many artists at shows! I mostly perform my original songs. The one song I always try to fit in my set is Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games.” It’s just so beautiful and after years of performing it, I still love it.

    SS: What are your plans going forward? Are you going to focus on future musical projects or touring?

    OG: I have a lot of unreleased recordings right now, and I’m still going in the studio and recording more. I’m writing quite often as well. Both those things are my main focus right now. I don’t see myself doing a full on tour *right now* but I am traveling a lot this upcoming year, so I probably will be doing a few shows here and there.

    SS: What is one thing you’ve learned from your glimpse into life as an artist thus far?

    OG: Be patient. Everything takes time, hard work, and persistence. You can’t rush success.

  • Driftwood Takes The Stage At FTC StageOne

    Groups Driftwood and Seth Walker hit FTC StageOne in Fairfield, Connecticut Friday, May 19, and left with quite the bang. Both acts were polished, and the energy that each group brought was high and captivating. The venue in which the show was held was small and quaint, with a smaller stage and crowd the night of the performance. The acoustics were phenomenal, and the size made the performances personal and intimate.

    driftwood FTC StageOne

    Seth Walker, the opening act, set the tone for the night with positive energy and dedication to his performance. Despite the small venue, front man Seth Walker and his band commanded the stage with loud presence and loud sound, their melodies washing over the entire crowd. The crowd seemed heavily interested and entertained by the music this group brought to the table. Walker referred to the crowd as “small, but mighty” between songs.

    Walker was in tune with the instrumentalists he played along with, watching them solo and announcing their names and instruments after they finished. The stage presence of this group was sharp, and it kept the crowd interested. The group as a whole was highly interactive, able to talk and feed off of one another’s melodies and vibes during their set. Bassist Myles Weeks harmonized with Seth Walker on multiple songs, adding depth and flavor to the sound. Seth Walker’s set as a whole held a good amount of variety, ranging from bluesy, jazz bangers to soft, folk songs with country twang. The instrumental aspect of music is held on a high appreciation in both the Seth Walker Band and Driftwood. Walker, though a primarily jazz musician, has his fair share of folk music. The blend of tunes he chose to showcase was complimentary to Driftwood, making Walker a successful and suitable opening act.

    After Walker cleared the stage, only a short period of time passed before Driftwood took the stage, sound checking their instruments and setting up their equipment. They were quick and efficient in the process, and soon enough, they were introducing themselves and performing their first song. Bassist Joey Arcuri was unable to make it that evening, and due to the sudden setback, the group was forced to change their set around. It consisted mostly of their slower tunes, but the set still featured sound variety. It was clean, polished, and performed as if there was never a set back to be had.

    Violinist and vocalist Claire Byrne revealed to the crowd that the group was once a trio after addressing the absence of the groups bassist, and interacted with the crowd often throughout the night, encouraging their participation with the music being played. Byrne  encouraged clapping and snapping on a number of songs, and was featured as a soloist on many numbers. Driftwood was personable, courteous to the crowd, and spoke amongst themselves naturally. The stage chemistry between the band was phenomenal, as well as the chemistry between the band and crowd.

    Their music was well-rehearsed, and the intonation and dynamics of this group were amazing. Their harmonies were crisp and well-balanced with the instrumentals. Dan Forsyth and Joe Kollar were attentive to Claire’s solo sections, and even had solos of their own. The group left the crowd smiling and singing along, even requesting an encore. Driftwood ended the evening on a high note, and those who traveled to see them play did not leave disappointed.

  • Hearing Aide: Let’s Be Leonard ‘Live at Gugs’

    After planting their musical seed in Saratoga Springs, Let’s Be Leonard sprouted rather quickly into a jam-jazz fusion powerhouse with all intentions of climbing the jam community ladder. Just a few short years after their formation and quitting their jobs, they’ve become a prized outfit in the Capital Region and beyond. Following the debut of their 2015 debut Cow., LBL put forth four live recordings on Bandcamp, this time, releasing the fifth, Live at Gugs in Glens Falls.

    The 5-piece, led by Karl Bertrand (vocals and rhythm guitar), Matt Griffin (guitar), Connor Dunn (saxophone), Chris Cronin (bass) and Paul Guay,
    (drums) took on their Thursday night gig at Gugs on March, 23.      The 14-track live recording displays the group’s organic and majestic improvisations, whether they’re taking it slow and steady with poppy lyrics and sing-a-long choruses or bringing back the blues with suave, seductive saxophone solos.

    The gathering at Gugs was treated to a debut opener of “Spit it Out,” a fresh track with buttery-smooth jazz from start to finish and soft vocals to match. “Kindergarten Blues” follows as a well-known LBL track off of Cow. If you’re a previous fan, you’ve probably heard the blues-referenced track, as well as “Frisbee,” the third execution of the night, on radio stations like WEQX. The back-to-back hits ended with attention honed in on Dunne’s tickling of the saxophone, a busted drum pedal and verbal rant by Mike Rios. “Jump Ship” comes next with a switch-up in musical approach. Vocals take precedence in this easily accepted track with a story to tell, while the band acts as support on this Bertrand-led venture.

    In relation to their debut album, Bertrand described them as “generated by feelings you have at the best time in your life: childhood.” It’s safe to say that the material played at Gugs drew from that same care-free mentality. Other highlights of the night include a blues-heavy “Young Sprite,” which bears a slight, yet pleasant sounding comparison to the Dead’s “Sugaree” at moments, as well as unmistakable insight to the groups comfort with one another and stage banter, regardless of the time span they’ve officially been Let’s Be Leonard. If all that wasn’t enough to be wrapped around their fingers, the sensationally executed guitar solos mark a personal favorite milestone in the set.

    A surprise “Brad Paisley” cover ended the night with unconventional onstage vocal motif between the guys, extremely comparable to Phish’s “David Bowie.” All members repeatedly sing and spew out the country star’s name over and over in a mimicked care-free manner as the jam icons. The light-hearted song acted as an engaging way to close out a set that was so obviously and mutually enjoyed by band members and the crowd alike.

    While Saratoga Springs is no stranger to celebrity strolls down in its perfect weekend-visit city with SPAC just round the corner, it’s hard for residents not to get excited when Brad Paisley is spotted in a local coffee shop. In town for his summer show at SPAC, a local mentioned the group’s own “Brad Paisley.” I wonder if he ever found his way to track of his namesake.

    Bertrand and company recently snagged a headlining spot for Glenn’s Falls 2nd annual GEM Festival held on July 29 and sits among local artists on the newly announced trio of Sunday afternoon concerts on SPAC’s gazebo stage. From their youngest hours as a group, they’ve gained fast and hard earned notoriety. With signing on as one of the founding bands on NYS Music 87/90, it’s safe to say things will keep moving with the same onward energy and hunger to get their next gig booked and festival played.

    Key tracks: Spit it Out, Young Sprite, Brad Paisley

    Live at Gug’s Set list:

    Spit It Out,  Kindergarten Blues,  Frisbee, Jump Ship, “Salvation”, Balloons, Most Days > How Do You Fall In Love?, Open Your Eyes,  Channel 2, Young Sprite, Comet > High n Dry, Birdsong > Rocky Road, Sad Town
    E: Brad Paisley

  • Brad Paisely Opens Saratoga Performing Art Center’s Summer Concert Series

    Brad Paisely kicked off Saratoga Performing Art Center’s (SPAC) summer concert series with a bang, bringing an all-star line up of guests. Paisley played his array of songs to a crowd of over 10,000. He brought his incredible guitar capabilities that left the crowd on their toes.

    brad paisley SPACCountry stars such as Dustin Lynch, Chase Bryant and Lindsay Ell supported Paisely on the tour giving the fans a bang for their buck. After Lindsay Ell ended her set, a huge storm made its way to the venue  which then forced them to shut down all equipment and bring everyone on the lawn inside for shelter. After an hour delay, Chase Bryant quickly came on to get the crowd back on their feet.

    brad paisley SPACBrad Paisely came on at SPAC shortly after 10 pm, playing his hit songs such as “Crushin’ It” and “Old Alabama.” Paisely then welcomed Dustin Lynch on stage to sing a duet for the song “I’m Still A Guy.” During that song, a fan was brought on stage to propose to his girlfriend and she said yes. Paisely was very happy with the first show of the tour telling the crowd, “I can’t tell you how much it means to be playing in a place where my favorite jam bands played for a bunch of stoners.”

    brad paisley SPACbrad paisley SPAC

  • Big Head Todd And The Monsters: Road Tested

    Boulder Colorado-based Big Head Todd and the Monsters played to the band’s faithful fans at the Hart theater located at The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany, NY on Friday May 19. BHTM is comprised of Todd Park Mohr on guitar and vocals, Brian Nevin on drums, percussion, and vocals, Jeremy Lawton on keyboards, slide guitar and vocals, and Rob Squires on bass guitar and vocals. This is the first time that the band has played the Capital District since it’s last appearance at the Troy Music Hall back in November of 2016 touring in support of their blues passion project Big Head Blues Club which featured the songs of blues great Willie Dixon.

    BHTM is currently in the middle of a very busy tour schedule that features a mix of their classic material as well as recently composed offerings which will be included on a new rock-based LP scheduled to be released later in 2017. Unfortunately due to a death in the family, bassist Rob Squires was unable to attend the performance. Thankfully, and much to the band’s credit, instead of simply canceling the show due to this family emergency, the band had keyboardist/slide guitarist Jeremy Lawton fill in on bass for Squires while the band performed to prerecorded keyboard tracks throughout the performance in order to make up for the short handed lineup.

    Baltimore, Maryland’s own Chris Jacobs opened the show with a generous selection of soulful electric and acoustic blues that predominately featured offerings from his latest album Dust To Gold. Although the crowd was initially sparse and patrons were constantly shuffling to their seats while the house lights were up, lead vocalist and guitarist Jacobs along with his bandmates, bassist Todd Harrington and drummer/percussionist Dusty Ray Simmons. played as if it was a packed house. Highlights of their offerings included the introduction of a handmade cigar-box guitar that Jacobs played expertly on the track “Kind Woman.”

    Once Jacobs finished a bluesy down and dirty version of “Bonedigger,” it was apparent that he and his band had won over the the enthusiastic and attentive audience. Jacobs was so pleased with the positive feedback the Albany crowd at the Egg provided, he invited the audience to the band’s next performance in New Jersey. Jacobs and company finished their maiden performance at the Egg’s Hart theater with a catchy and raucous version of “Jack The Whistle And The Hammer” which was reminiscent of an old 1970s Steve Miller Band song. The audience responded to Jacobs and his band’s final effort by giving them a rousing standing ovation which set the tone for the rest of the evening.

    After a short intermission, the house lights fell and Big Head Todd and the Monsters took the stage and belted out their first song of the night “Resignation Superman,” which was featured on their 1997 LP Beautiful World. Guitarist and front-man Todd Park Mohr was on point with vocals and expert guitar playing and along with ample support from Nevin and Lawton,  they provided the audience a blueprint of what was to unfold for the remaining performance: a night of great alt electric rock.

    Next up in BHTM’s set was the slower groovier “Crazy Mary” which was also off the Beautiful World LP. This track showcased Mohr’s proficiency at playing captivating guitar solos. The intimate crowd showed it’s approval with appreciative applause after each one of Mohr’s generous guitar solos.  BHTM followed up with fan favorite “Broken Hearted Savior,” a popular selection off of 1993’s Sister Sweetly. This track was also featured on the band’s latest live album Live at Red Rocks 2015. Throughout the night BHTM introduced an eager audience to newly completed unpublished tracks such as “Trip” and “The Bandaged One” which will be featured on their upcoming LP which is slated to be released later in the year.

    It was apparent that members of the audience were devoted fans of the band since throughout the show while Mohr was in the process of changing guitars and tuning for the next selection, the crowd began calling out different song titles from the bands extensive catalog in the hopes that the band might play them. It was during one of those interludes that BHTM member Jeremy Lawton reminisced about being blown away after seeing the group for the first time at a local bar when he was only 20 years old way back in 1992. Lawton went on to say what a privilege it has been for him to have been able to play with such a talented group of musicians and bandmates for the last 13 years.

    BHTM went on to take the cue from the crowd and provided additional material from early on in the band’s career such as the title track of BHTM’s second LP Midnight Radio which was released in 1990 on the bands own label “Big Records.” Mohr, who wrote the song, stated that the lyrics were inspired by the Tiananmen Square Massacre which occurred in Beijing China back in 1989. The band finished the evening with strong renditions of 1993’s radio friendly “Bittersweet,” the down and dirty blues number “New World Arising” and lastly “Cashbox” which featured a BHTM mash up of Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline” and Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love.” Mohr and the band triumphantly left the stage only to quickly return while the audience was still on their feet applauding. They capped off the night’s performance with an energetic encore of “Rock Steady” and the ever-popular alt rock anthem “Circle.”

    Big Head Todd and the Monsters will continue their tour of the East Coast throughout the month of May and will be performing on their home turf at the Red Rocks Amphitheater located in Morrison, Colorado on June 10, 2017 co-billing with Collective Soul. For more information about the band and tour dates,  check out their website.

    Setlist: Cris Jacobs- Shine Your Weary Light, Devil or Jesse James, Kind Woman, Bone Digger, Be My Stars, Jack The Whistle and the Hammer

    BHTM – Resignation Superman, Crazy Mary, Broken Hearted Savior, Trip, Imaginary Ships, Moose Song, Please Don’t Tell Her, Josephina, Mind, Midnight Radio, Wipeout Turn, It’s Alright, Turn The Light Out, The Damaged One, Bittersweet, New World Arisin, Cashbox

    Encore: Rocksteady, Circle

  • Leif Vollebekk Honestly Good at German House

    Honest Folk, a little over a year in existence, promotes occasional pop-up folksy shows in the Rochester area. For their latest booking, they brought Montreal’s Leif Vollebekk to the Historic German House. Rather than plop Vollebekk and band, drummer Evan Tighe and bassist Michael Felder, up on the venue’s tall stage, they set up on a short riser in front for a more appropriately intimate appearance. ‘Honest’ wasn’t just in the name, it was the driving force behind the evening. Honest to the earth: it was announced it was a zero waste event, with everything either being recycled or composted. Honest to the community: proceeds from the event would be donated to the Center for Youth, a local non-profit working with homeless children.

    And honest to the ears and soul: Vollebekk’s music, both reflective and relatable, was conceived, delivered and received without any air of contrivance. Opening with a short meditation mixing some ethereal Moog swirls with Wurlitzer grooving, he eased into “Into the Ether,” off his 2017 release Twin Solitude, which he played heavily from throughout the two-set show.

    Vollebekk played like a man possessed, it seemed it was two people playing the part. The singer delivered every lyric like he was just realizing the weight of the words for the first time right then and there. His face stretched, contorted and squeezed into inhuman shapes as he sang, whether words or just utterances. His hands worked almost independently, banging out complementary sounds on the electric pianos or picking along on one of his three guitars. At times the playing and the singing happened in succession, as though one was answering the other.

    Vollebekk was more emotive seated at the keys, but his guitar work was equally impressive. Both sets closed with him strapping on the electric, in the first on “Telluride” and the second with “East of Eden.” Both songs slowly built to a relatively energetic finish, with a fantastic flurry of finger-picking elegance.

    The two sets were a rarity for this band. As Vollebekk explained it, LP’s have two sides, but he was from the CD generation. It felt like the audience got two separate show closers out of the deal. So it was only appropriate that we would get two encores. Vollebekk said they couldn’t decide between two covers, so they would play both. The evening would end with their takes from two folk legends. A full band reading of Bob Dylan’s “Jokerman” followed by a solo guitar interpretation of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.” Honest through and through.

    Setlist:
    Into the Ether, Vancouver Time, ?, Michigan, Elegy > Off the Main Drag, Photographer Friend, Telluride

    From the Forth, Cairo Blues, ?, All Night Sedans, ? > Elegy, East of Eden

    E: Jokerman, A Case of You

  • Breaking Biscuits in the Bowl

    Brooklyn Bowl, the iconic music haven in the heart of Williamsburg, served up some delicious sounds last weekend, courtesy of a mashup of two giants in the jamtronica world.  Breaking Biscuits is the name of this super group which is comprised of Aron Magner (keys) and Marc Brownstein (bass) of Disco Biscuits fame alongside renowned drummer Adam Deitch and Borahm Lee (keys) who together form Break Science, an emerging force all their own.  As a sparse crowd of people took their hacks on the bowling lines on the other side of the room, the dance floor was full of attentive listeners and dancers enjoying everything this uber talented side project had to offer.

    Breaking Biscuits in the BowlThe show featured two opening acts in Upright Man, a relatively new act formed in the halls of NYU’s music school, and Space Bacon.  The latter of which was an ideal choice for an opener as the Disco Biscuits influence was palpable in some impressive jamming that saw virtual hat tips to Bisco staples like “Morph Dusseldorf” and “Basis for a Day” with a noticeable “Funkytown” tease thrown in for good measure at some point.  But the main course was served via two sets of precise and enthralling electronica orchestrated by some of the best in the business.

    With Deitch and Brownstein setting much of the rhythmic foundation, Lee and Magner seemed to go back and forth, trading incendiary leads and emptying out all the tricks their respective keyboard rigs carried.  While it didn’t quite have the raging intensity of a Bisco show, both sets featured constant downtempo grooves that were more than easy to move along to as well as selective covers of some of the genre’s finest like Air’s “La Femme D’Argent” and RJD2’s “The Horror.”  This was only the second night of a short three show tour, after playing only once before that, but it seems as if these artists have formed a collective that yields a unique sound that also pays respect to its forefathers in the electronica scene.

  • Cornell ’77 Revisited: Holy Grail of Grateful Dead Shows Makes Debut at The Cap; Larry Reichman Discusses New Photo Book

    5/8/77 – Grateful Dead’s most talked about and traded show from Barton Hall at Cornell University,  has been mastered from the Betty Board tapes and commercially released along with other May 1977 Dead shows. The hype, excitement, and anticipation over this release since its announcement earlier this year has been turned over into just as much appreciation for the release in its various formats.

    Monday, May 8, 2017 marked the 40th anniversary of the legendary Cornell Barton Hall show and in Tompkins County it was declared as “Grateful Dead Day” by way of proclamation. It was a particularly special day for the Big Red Deadheads out there with a special tribute concert by the Cornell Chimes, performing a handful of arrangements of Dead tunes. Rhino Entertainment, the Grateful Dead’s record label, hosted two special events with one at the State Theatre featuring Terrapin Flyer and a second at the Capitol Theatre where the newly released 5/8/77 show debuted in full concert sound for a rather fun listening party.

    grateful dead cornellThe Grateful Dead’s Barton Hall show gained notoriety in part from the fairly quick circulation of the soundboard recording of the show among traders, which itself is of good quality with some minor flaws. In comparison, the new official release is immaculate and among the best of quality mastered commercial Grateful Dead releases. Although there was no band on stage at the Capitol Theatre, hearing the freshly realesed 5/8/77 show through the Cap’s PA system in full concert sound captured the essence of being at a live show – so much so that folks were dancing around the floor.

    While revisiting 5/8/77 at the Cap reminiscers were treated to a montage of photos from the show itself, many unseen before, projected on the theatre walls. Those photos were taken by then Cornell freshman Larry Reichman who is working on releasing a complete book featuring many more images from Barton Hall that day from setup through the concert. He was there at the Cap to promote it (the black and white photos shown within the photos in this article are by Reichman). He is currently running a Kickstarter campaign which ends on May 24 and can be found here. NYS Music caught up with Reichman at the Cap to chat about the book and his Barton Hall experience in an interview that was also broadcast on WVBR-FM in Ithaca.

    Steve Malinski: Can you tell us about your background in photography?

    Larry Reichman: I got into black and white photography when I was a high school student down in New York and learned to develop negatives and prints the old fashioned way and when I got to Cornell, I started working for a newspaper and started taking photos of events on campus – most of the concerts they had on campus that year – and jumping ahead to this show I had gotten a pass from the Cornell Concert Commission to be in [Barton Hall] the whole day. So, I took photos of the setup and the whole show.

    SM: What prompted you to shoot the Barton Hall show?

    LR: Well, I was a big Dead fan so there was no way that I would not go to the show. I had a press pass for most of the shows that year and I could have done that, but a friend of mine was a volunteer for the Cornell Concert commission and suggested I talk to someone there. While I had no special arrangement with the Concert Commission, I gave them a few photos of the show which are also now part of the Cornell University Archives.

    SM: Can you take us through the course of your day at the Barton Hall show, and interesting things that you saw?

    LR: I didn’t really know what to expect. So I was just in the Hall and as you know, it’s a big empty hall. Not a barn, but a big open space. They had to literally build the stage and lighting. There were these super trooper spotlights going in. As things were loaded in I was just wandering around taking photos. Probably the most memorable moment was (since I had a lot of time to kill earlier in the day) while I was wandering around behind the stage I looked up and the band was about four feet above me on stage. Because I was kind of shy I didn’t say hi to the band but nodded to Jerry and was on my way. The show of course was memorable. I got to claim a spot right in front of the stage and shoot from there.

    SM: And you were only a freshman at Cornell doing all this?

    LR: I was, 18 years old. I had seen them a few times before that and it was awesome to hear that they were coming to Cornell and I didn’t have to go far to see them.

    SM: You’re working on a new photo book with many never before seen photos of the Barton Hall show, which you are raising funds for through Kickstarter. Can you tell us about the book?

    LR: Again, I was there the whole day for setup, soundcheck and the whole show. So what I’m putting together is a really good quality book, about 80-pages long. My goal is to have something special, a really good quality coffee table kind of book printed in the US. There will be three chapters. First chapter is the setup, and in fact the announcer of that show, Bob, is here tonight and I happen to have a photo of him in the book. Then the next chapters will be First Set and Second Set. First set, for the photo buffs out there, I shot with a 50mm lens, so it’s a bit more of a wide angle. For the second set I had a telephoto lens which allowed me to zoom in a bit more. Because of slower shutter speeds and other technical parameters it allowed me to capture some movement on stage. The book will have a variety of shots and won’t just be picture after picture. It will be an artistic layout.

    SM: And you’re running a Kickstarter to get this going?

    LR: Yes, the book is laid out and ready to go but I need help to print it. So I’m running a Kickstarter to raise the money for the printing. People can pledge to support it with various rewards, including a pre-order of the book and individual photos from the show.

    Editors note: as of the publication of this article, the Kickstarter campaign has been fully funded.

    SM: You mentioned that you were also involved with WVBR back around that time as well?

    LR: Yeah, I signed up to volunteer there my first week at Cornell back in 1976. I was just really interested in all things music. I learned how to splice tape and make commercials. I had a show on the AM band which was literally broadcast through the AC electric system on the West Campus of Cornell. I’d go there on Saturday nights and spin records, played a lot of Dead. Then the next year I did a bit of engineering, particularly for the news shows. Also, the newspaper I was working for was downstairs in the building. I don’t recall the name but it was a weekly startup. I think that’s how I learned about the paper from going to WVBR and saw the paper downstairs. I decided to check it out and that’s where I developed all of these photos. It was all off-campus in Collegetown.

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