NYS Music 20​17

Category: Features

  • Hearing Aide: Life Of Agony ‘A Place Where There’s No More Pain’

    This year has been a great year for heavy metal releases, and Life Of Agony‘s newest album A Place Where There’s No More Pain released by Napalm Records has had some hype leading up to it since it has been 12 years since the previous album Broken Valley.  But now things are different for LOA.  For starters, Mina Caputo coming out as transgender, new record label, the band spent a few years apart with various bands and projects, so now was the perfect time for the band to be active again, reintroduce themselves to the music industry, and be a force to be reckoned with.

    This album is by far LOA’s darkest album.  As soon as you start it, opening track ‘”Meet My Maker” has a dark catchy rift pelted out from Joey Z’s heavy guitar, then you hear the vocals with the lyrics “Clinging on to what was then when what is now decides….” and you’re just like “fuck yeah. LOA is fucking back.”  Yes, once again, for the 5th time, the vocal style is completely different from the other albums, but you know it’s LOA.  But it works. Mina’s vocals fit all the songs perfectly.  The lyrics scratch deep.  The music is hard.  But what makes this album standout among the other albums is the dark gloomy, impending doomy atmosphere.

    There is an element in this album that has to be brought up.  And that is producer Matt Brown.  The mixing and producing that he did this for album is brilliant and masterful.  I’m not sure of what other projects Brown has produced, but he is one of the guitarists and songwriters for LOA drummer Sal Abruscato’s other band, A Pale Horse Named Death.

    Those who have heard A Pale Horse Named Death’s two amazing albums, are familiar with dark, doomy, gloomy, Type O style music.  So it should come as no surprise that Matt Brown and Sal Abruscato’s style had a strong influence on this album.  The best produced song on the album is “Dead Speak Kindly.”   It has all the elements that I just mentioned.  But the song that stands out to me the most is the next track which is “A New Low.”  That song is heavy and sludgy as hell and really strikes a nerve and speaks to the soul.  Then “World Gone Mad” goes fast and hard to get the mind rushing again.  Perfect workout music.

    When you get to the end of the album,  it ends strangely but appropriately with “Little Spots Of You” which was a soft piano lead track with Mina’s vocals going in a more gentle direction.  It’s a great way to end a doomy album.  Overall, A Place Where There’s No More Pain is damn near perfect for where the band is right now.  I would rank this easily the best LOA album since 1995’s “Ugly.”  Easily this is another contender for the best metal album of the year, and that’s saying a lot considering all the great metal albums being dished out this year.  A lot of these songs need to be played live.  They can be live staples for this band for sure.

    Key Tracks: Meet My Maker, A New Low, World Gone Mad

  • Book Review: Peter Conners’ ‘Cornell ’77’

    May 8 will mark 40 years since the Grateful Dead descended upon Ithaca and performed a concert that would go down as the most talked about show in the band’s 30-year history.

    Many people say it’s the greatest performance in the Dead’s storied history, and it’s easily the most documented show the band ever performed. In the new book, “Cornell ’77,” author Peter Conners dissects the famous and infamous concert at Barton Hall on the Cornell campus in a variety of ways, from culling excerpts of local media at the time, to finding and interviewing attendees of the show, to emailing with the living band members.

    The history of the Grateful Dead has been documented endlessly in print form, with full band documentaries, autobiographies, fan accounts and everything in between. But Conners’ book is the first time a single show has been viewed on such an in-depth level, and with good reason: May 8. 1977, is the most downloaded Grateful Dead concert ever, and has been streamed live more times than any other.

    Conners clearly spent his time in piecing together information for the book. He rounded up newspaper clippings from the time, both previewing and reviewing the show, located a few people who attended the concert and spoke on record, and even got some of the band members to give their input.

    The first chunk of the book gives a history lesson of sorts into the Dead up until that time, including a great deal about the famed Wall of Sound, and more importantly a lot of insight about the near breakup, which turned into a hiatus, in 1974.

    The most interesting parts are in the chapter titled “Cold Rain and Snow,” where Conners depicts a few fans’ experiences of the entire day, from traveling to the area, to getting in the show and how the fans viewed the music at the time. Fan Robert Wagner, who traveled from North Carolina to upstate New York, gives anecdotes about experiencing snow in the spring that catapult the reader back to 1977. This chapter easily is the book’s selling point.

    Something that has been documented ad-nauseam is listener reviews of the show. Conners did not attend the show — he was a Deadhead in his youth, however — but did give some of the better breakdowns of the songs performed that night that I have ever read. At times, Conners’ comparisons were a bit odd: he compared “U.S. Blues’” line about skinning a goat to a cat, which left me wondering what he meant; later, he compared “quaaludes running through the bloodstream” to the jam in “Supplication,” and I was, admittedly, a bit lost. But in the end, Conners ended up giving readers a completely unique review of the show, breaking each song down, while providing a little history and context for each one.

    While the premise of the book is initially intriguing, “Cornell ’77” does have its shortcomings. At times, the book appears to have not been edited very well, as it has a few glaring grammar problems.

    But my main issue with it, is that Connors seems to have pulled most of his information from other sources, while seemingly being unable get much information directly from the four living members of the band. Drummer Mickey Hart pours his heart out, as always, but outside of Planet Drum, the rest of the band is nearly absent outside of Conners taking quotes from past interviews conducted by others. That makes the book not feel fully authentic.

    If you’re a seasoned Deadhead, this book won’t provide you with much new information.

    But if you’re new to the Grateful Dead, this is a book I highly recommend checking out, as your eyes will be opened to an era of the Dead many think is the unquestioned leader in the handful of iterations of a rock and roll band beloved by its followers.

  • We’re hEAR For You, NYS Music, HEAROS and Nimbleslick Entertainment Join Forces for Hearing Protection Campaign

    An often overlooked aspect of seeing live music is hearing protection – we want to hear it loud and don’t want to let anything come between us and hearing our favorite band’s unfettered sound. And rightly so! Live music fans are ardent supporters of bands and artists and want to see them every chance they can! But your ears aren’t invincible and can be harmed if you listen to music too loud for too long a time.

    NYS Music is proud to announce a partnership with We’re hEAR For You, HEAROS Ear Plugs and Nimbleslick Entertainment to bring ear protection direct to fans across the country. The campaign kicks off with 10 artists: Cousin Earth, Earphorik, Mister F, Electric Love Machine, McLovins, Eminence Ensemble, Gowanus, Greener Grounds, Let’s Be Leonard and Space Carnival who will have HEAROS earplugs available for free at their shows at the merch table in a bin with the campaign’s logo on it.

    hearing protectionOur goal is to have earplugs available to fans at all shows across the country, promoting hearing protection and bringing to light an overlooked issue in the enjoyment of live music, ensuring years of future listeners. This is just the start of a campaign that will grow and expand over the next few months and years.

    In the near future, artists will be featured in a video detailing reasons why wearing ear protection at concerts is important to them and should be a priority for their fans.

    Hearing protection is something that should concern all live music fans – if you can’t hear properly, you can’t enjoy music to its fullest! Check out We’re hEAR For You, a 501(c)(3) charity and support their efforts to bring earplugs to shows nationwide! If you want to support this campaign through a donation, visit this link and help get earplugs in the hands (and ears) of live music fans across the country!

  • Photo Gallery: The Slocan Ramblers Slide Into Glens Falls

    Canadian based bluegrass band, The Slocan Ramblers filled the Folklife Center at Crandall Library in Glens Falls, NY on April 27 to a packed basement soundstage. The four-piece staple, a 2015 Edmonton Folk Fest Emerging Artist Award recipient, quickly won over the North Country crowd with a sharp 21-song set list which consisted of 7 originals in support of their two releases, Coffee Creek and Shaking Down the Acorns. 

  • Brit Floyd Wows Syracuse Crowd

    Classic Dark Side of the Moon prism tee shirts were abundant in Syracuse as Brit Floyd performed its Immersion World Tour 2017 at the OnCenter’s Crouse-Hinds Theater April 18 to a near capacity crowd of both young and the bit more seasoned.

    Brit Floyd speaks fluent Floydian.  The tribute act has toured the world since 2011 and has mastered the art of Pink Floyd’s catalog while still managing to put its own stamp on the music.

    brit floyd syracuseA highlight of this particular show was the homecoming of Brit Floyd bassist and Chapman stick player, Ian Cattell. Cattell grew up in the Syracuse area and performed in many Syracuse area bands prior to joining the Australian Pink Floyd Show in 2005. He is equally adept at channeling Roger Waters and David Gilmour. One unique instrument he employed during the later era Floyd songs is the Chapman stick. It is a long 10 or 12 stringed guitar used to play bass and melody lines.  Cattell’s gig with the Australian Pink Floyd Show led to his current one in 2011. You can read more about Catell in the NYS Music preview interview here.

    Brit Floyd dipped its toes into every era of Pink Floyd’s history, from the psychedelic era “Astronomy Domine” off the band’s 1967 debut album to the opening numbers, the instrumental “Cluster One” and “What Do You Want From Me” from 1994’s The Division Bell.

    What you get with Brit Floyd is attention to detail. The band is respectful of the source material, yet still manages to put a Brit Floyd twist on it.  The lighting and visual effects (the circular video screen used is the same one Pink Floyd used on the Division Bell tour) are top notch. The sound circled the theater, creating the intended immersion effect. It was a full on immersion into Floyd.

    brit floyd syracuseThe graphics used introduced the year of each song played and mixed public domain videos and images along with original animation synchronized to the music and lights.

    Cattell and musical director/guitarist Damian Darlington took on the vocal roles of Roger Waters and David Gilmour with daft precision. Cattell’s inner Waters proved a highlight throughout the night. Cattell also took turns on Gilmour-sung songs such as on the A Momentary Lapse of Reason track, “One Slip.” Cattell claims his natural voice is more similar to that of Gilmour’s. This was proven on the latter era Floyd songs he captained.

    Lead guitarist Edo Scordo manages what few who cover Floyd can. He has the Gilmour feel. While Gilmour may not be the most technical guitarist in rock, what he brings to the table is an emotion that translates through his fingers to the fretboard. Scordo has that knack. Throughout the night, he nailed the solos, smiling at the adoring audience as he did so.

    brit floyd syracuseThe band is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Animals album on this tour. Following the second set opener “Astronomy,” the band broke into the familiar keyboard intro and pig noises that open “Pigs on the Wing, Part 1” from that album. The crowd immediately responded in favor. Not stopping there, Brit Floyd seamlessly worked its way through the remainder of the “first side” of the criminally overlooked album.

    They jumped forward to 1987 for the following two songs, “A New Machine (Part 1)” and “Terminal Frost” before the alarms and bells broke out for a trip to the Dark Side, of the Moon, that is. “Time” and “Breathe (Reprise)” are what this audience came to hear. Darlington broke into the lead lines of “Time” sounding every bit like Richard Wright.

    The true highlight of the night, however, was still to come. Vocalist Angela Cervantes wowed the crowd with her hair-raising performance of “The Great Gig in the Sky.” Those in the know, realize this song, originally performed by Clare Torry on Dark Side, utilizes lyric-less female vocals as another instrument over Wright’s piano. On this night, Cervantes, accompanied by Ryan Saranich on keys, nailed it, lifting the audience out of its seats for the first standing ovation of the night.

    brit floyd syracuseFollowing the Dark Side tracks, the spirit of Syd Barrett paid a visit to Crouse-Hinds in the form of “Wish You Were Here” and “Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-VII).” The video screen flashed video of early Floyd performances and glimpses of Barrett to the applause of the crowd. During “Wish You Were Here” Scordo and Darlington traded acoustic riffs as Darlington sang accompanied by those in attendance.

    The second set ended with Cattell showing off his acting chops. A chair, television and lamp, props mimicking those used in the film version of The Wall, were carted on stage as Cattell emerged dressed in a lab coat and carrying a clipboard. Cattell’s played the role of the menacing doctor to a tee and Darlington’s solo was spot-on.

    The band returned after “Numb” for a two-song encore. The first was a surprising pull. Darlington broke into the angst-ridden Waters-penned track “Not Now John” from Pink Floyd’s final album with Waters, The Final Cut. The song is one of Floyd’s heavier numbers and this brought raised fists and head bobbing from the audience.

    Brit Floyd closed their near-perfect Syracuse evening with a pulsing “Run Like Hell” from The Wall accompanied by a tremendous light and laser show. If there were anybody left disappointed by this show, they were simply not Pink Floyd fans. Brit Floyd is likely the closest we’ll come to a true Pink Floyd experience these days. Fans of the music would be wise to catch this band on tour.

    Set One: Cluster One,  What Do You Want from Me, Welcome to the Machine, Coming Back to Life, Another Brick in the Wall Part 2, One Slip, One of These Days, Us and Them, Any Colour You Like, Brain Damage, Eclipse

    Set Two: Astronomy Domine, Pigs on the Wing, Part 1, Dogs, A New Machine (Part 1), Terminal Frost, Time, Breathe (Reprise), The Great Gig in the Sky (featuring Angela Cervantes), Money, Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-VII), Comfortably Numb

    Encore: Not Now John, Run Like Hell

  • Photo Gallery: Sunsquabi Rolls Through Boston

    Late Night Radio and Maddy O’Neal opened a long night of music at Wonder Bar in Allston, MA on Sunday, April 30 for Sunsquabi. Saxophone extraordinaire, Tommy Weeks (Sophistafunk, Funky Dawgs) came up and belted out a few rounds during Maddy O’Neal, and even impressed Sunsquabi enough that he was asked to come back up for a tasty jam with them towards the end of the night. The Squab-Train drove straight through til the wee hours of the morning, delivering that funky Colorado sound we’ve been waiting so long for.

  • Back in the New York Groove: Three Nights of The Disco Biscuits at The Capitol Theatre

    Philly jamtronica legends The Disco Biscuits took their act to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York for three nights of pulsating grooves that were accentuated by a breathtaking light show. This run featured some intensive freeform jams, the band’s customary creative song structuring and even a sit in from an old friend.

    disco biscuits new yorkThursday, April 27

    Thursday night’s festivities kicked off with a fairly straightforward run through of “Story of the World” that quickly picked up steam and soon transitioned seamlessly into a “Shem-Rah Boo” that was left unfinished. Instead, the jam took a dark, techno-y turn into “Gangster,” replete with vocoder sounds supplied by keyboardist Aron Magner, before steering back to the conclusion of “Story of the World.”  A somewhat rare standalone “Strobelights and Martinis” followed and the uptempo instrumental number featured an incredible array of laser lights strewn throughout the theater, a constant theme throughout the entire run. “On Time,” a song from the band’s 2010 release Planet Anthem, brought a most enjoyable first set to a close.

    Stellar musical improv and long, deep jams were the story of the second set, highlighted by a spellbinding “7-11” opener that was stretched out to max capacity. In the midst of one of the slower portions of the jam, a figure emerged from the side of the stage. None other than Matisyahu, who has sat in with the band on two other occasions, soon began displaying his freestyle prowess as The Disco Biscuits temporarily went from headliner to support act, laying down grooves and giving the well known Jewish rapper a musical template from which to work, so to speak. After leaving the stage, the Biscuits then reverted back to the headliners they are and dropped a monster “Floes” that served as one of the true musical peaks all weekend. Yet another silky smooth transition followed with the delivery of “Pilin’ It High” before an impeccable “House Dog Party Favor” brought a rousing and magical set of music to a close. With little time for an encore, “Kitchen Mitts” was the play and one of the rare “sing along” songs the Biscuits feature regularly had everyone doing just that.  One incredible night of music was now in the books with two more chapters to follow.

    disco biscuits new yorkSet 1: Story Of The World> Shem-Rah Boo^> Gangster> Story Of The World, Strobelights and Martinis, On Time
    Set 2: 7-111> Jam*> Floes^> Pilin’ It High, House Dog Party Favor
    Encore: Kitchen Mitts
    ^unfinished
    *with Matisyahu

    Friday, April 28

    Building off the energy from Thursday, the line to get inside stretched around the block leading to a packed house with an aire of excitement weaving its way through the crowd. Fans were treated to a laugh when Marc Brownstein stepped to the mic before the band jammed into “Air Song,” making a joking reference to Ja Rule’s Fyre Fest which was in disarray in The Bahamas. “The Champions,” which emerged from “Air Song,” is staking itself out to be one of the best new songs written by the Biscuits in some time. “Spacebirdmatingcall” slowly crept from “The Champions” and was driven into high gear by Brownstein, leading to the culmination of Thursday’s “Shem-Rah Boo” and took a quick turn into a raging “Down to the Bottom,” which led to an eruption of joy from the crowd, and into the ending of “Spacebirdmatingcall” to cap the set.

    disco biscuits new yorkA palindrome of 5 songs covered most of the second set, sandwiching inverted middle sections of “Jigsaw Earth” and “Pimp Blue Rikkis” inside “Save The Robots” for a high energy/no let up hour with some “Basis for a Day” teases mixed in. “Highwire” found the crowd tapping into reserves of energy that was needed as they wrapped up “Down to the Bottom” and threw in a “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” encore for good measure. Night 2 had a lot of heat and boded well for the finale of the run to come on Saturday

    Set 1: Jam> Air Song*> The Champions> Spacebirdmatingcall> Shem-Rah Boo^> Down To The Bottom> Spacebirdmatingcall
    Set 2: Save The Robots> Jigsaw Earth&#> Pimp Blue Rikkis> Jigsaw Earth&> Save The Robots, Highwire*> Down To The Bottom
    Encore: M.E.M.P.H.I.S.
    * unfinished
    ^ ending only/completes 4/27
    & inverted version
    # middle

    That segue back into SpacebirdMatingcall… pure ?? #discobiscuits #lasers

    A post shared by NYS Music (@nystatemusic) on

    Saturday, April 29

    Piggy-backing off 2 unforgettable nights in Port Chester, Saturday night was the sensational ending to the Disco Biscuits at the Cap trilogy. The four took to the stage with Barber ready to jam, dressed head to toe in a red jumpsuit and shades. In no time, set one launched and opened with “Papercut,” a popular choice as of late; having been played 25 times total since 2007, the Brownie track segued into the first Uncivilized Era track of the night, “Aceetobee,” inciting a multi-story fan sing-along. Flawless transitions between songs and into “Tempest” kept the night moving seamlessly and even found fans trapped in banter, unable to guess which tracks would come up next before coming full circle to “Aceetobee.” With only a brief pause after the three song execution, “Confrontation” hit the crowd hard. Having been just recently played during February’s Philly run and acting as a popular choice since 2010, “Confrontation” may be slowly dwindling but still manages to sneak its way into consistent and relevant setlists. “Rock Candy” came next as the fluff between the “Confrontation” sandwich and capping off set one with a 3 minute standing ovation as the PA natives looked up at the crowd and soaked it all in.

    disco biscuits new yorkAlthough night three appealed to a ravier side of the Biscuits, the setlist was crafted down to a science, treating fans to an equal split of classic jams and electronic tuneage. Keeping the party raging, a captivating “I-Man” opened up set two while leading into “Munchkin Invasion,” or so it seemed. After a decent amount of playtime, everyone on foot at the Cap was duped with a hard fake out, leaving Munchkin unfinished and instead taking on an electric “Cyclone” with abstract and mind-bending visuals climbing up the Capitol Theatre walls and across the dome ceiling to match. “Little Betty Boop” came to fans in an astray, inverted package and while the transition guessing game continued, “Loose Change” followed. While it seemed many weren’t familiarized with the bust-out On Time EP track, it was played so flawlessly that it certainly made an indelible mark for those hearing it for the first time. “Munchkin Invasion” was revisited as senses were heightened waiting for the resolution that never came. Faked out yet again, “Loose Change” also came with “Svengali” teases. Revisiting “I-man” as bookend tracks for set two, both halves added up to nearly a half hour of full on crowd engagement and an “And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night” tease as “I-Man out on the loose!” rang throughout the famed Port Chester venue.

    Before capping off the three night run, the quartet came back on stage for a massive “Digital Buddha” encore, complete with Magner’s hands flying across the keys, technicolor lights and a projected image of buddha sitting on the regal venue walls. The pins for “Digital Buddha” may sell for a pretty penny but witnessing the encore full force was priceless.

    Set 1: Papercut-> Aceetobee-> Tempest-> Aceetobee, Confrontation-> Rock Candy-> Confrontation
    Set 2: I-Man*-> Cyclone-> Little Betty Boop*^-> Loose Change**-> I-Man***
    Encore: Digital Buddha

    *W/ Munchkin Invasion Fakeout
    ^ inverted
    ** w/ Munchkin invasion Fakeout and Svengali teases
    *** w/ and the ladies were the rest of the night tease

  • An Interview with MAYfest founder Dave Marzollo

    This Memorial Day weekend, MAYfest returns to Surprise Lake Camp in Cold Spring, NY, about an hour north of the NYC metro area. Highlighted by Music, Arts and Yoga, MAYfest brings together dozens of all-star yoga instructors including Elena Brower, Sadie Nardini and Amy Pearce-Hayden​ during the day alongside headliners Rusted Root​, Ozomatli​, Dar Williams​ and DJ Drez​, as well as combination yoga/live music sessions that are part of a memorable festival weekend.

    dave marzolloMAYfesters can come for the weekend of just for a single day and create their own schedule online for any of the 140 sessions of yoga that vary in type and skill level. In between sessions, Vendor Village is open to attendees where they can shop for local and hand crafted goods and receive holistic services from healers in the Wellness Center. At night, the main stage is alight with national and regional touring acts. MAYfest and Catskill Chill founder Dave Marzollo spoke to NYS Music about the upcoming festival and how the yoga and music focus of MAYfest sets it apart from other festivals.

    Pete Mason: Where did the idea to start a music and yoga-based festival first start?

    Dave Marzollo: My wife has been a yoga studio owner for over ten years, For the last five years, and she currently hosts a ton of different styles of yoga, pilates, meditation and kids programs at SkyBaby Studio. Meanwhile, I had spent five years founding and developing The Catskill Chill Music Festival. When a yoga class at The Chill in 2014 hosted over 300 people, we had a vision. We felt that we could combine our skills to create a new and different kind of event: one where people could workshop or relax all day, and then hold a big rock ‘n roll concert at night.

    dave marzollo mayfestPM: MAYfest highlights Music, Art and Yoga. What sets MAYfest apart from other music festivals?

    DM: People go take classes and workshops to further themselves. They work to develop their minds, their bodies and their creative and loving spirits. We want to be able to gather like-minded people together in the interest of cultivating an environment where people can experience this growth together. On the flip side, people go to concerts to reveal and celebrate in a different spirit, through dancing and singing. Again the community is gathered, but after the hard work of a day’s pursuit or self-betterment, it just feels nice to see everyone be able to let loose again. Celebration always feels better after accomplishment!

    PM: Over the last two years of MAYfest, you have attracted a wide audience. For fans considering attending, what kind of festival-goer does MAYfest invite?

    DM: That is the perfect follow up question! This festival’s aim is to give people a place to pursue their personal development by day, and then give them a place to party and celebrate life by night! We are seeking to attract are the type that love both pursuits!

    PM: The lineup is tailored a little differently than other fests, including Catskill Chill, with what feels like more roots based music. How did the lineup for this year come together?

    DM: When we pick the bands for this event, we are looking for music that lifts the human spirit. If you look at our bands from this year and in years past you will see soulful, spiritual, uplifting and conscientious. In these turbulent times we like to feature bands who are both fun to dance to, while also delivering powerful messages of growth and harmony.

    PM: You have more than 4 dozen yoga instructors on tap for the weekend. What variety of yoga is possible with so many yogis on hand?

    DM: My wonderful wife Melia is the curator of the yoga program, but I can speak for both of us when I say that one thing we both love about yoga is how many different interpretations of yoga there are. Sometimes yogis or yoga studios can be to narrow focused on one specific kind of yoga, but we think it is best to offer as many varieties as possible. There is a lot to choose from, and you can never take every class, but there is something for everyone.

    Get tickets to MAYFest now!

  • Josh Carter Explains the Maturation of Phantogram’s Sound

    Josh Carter has been traveling the world so much that he dreams of being on the road. “My girlfriend said to me the other day that I was sleep talking, and I was saying something about being in Singapore,” said Carter. “I’ve never been to Singapore.”

    Give Carter and Sarah Barthel — better known as fast-rising alternative electronic pop group Phantogram — enough time and they may yet reach Singapore.

    The duo from Greenwich recently wrapped up five months of constant touring in support of its new album, “Three,” with a series of East Coast club shows, including a sold-out show Saturday, January 14 at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park.

    “I used to go to Hatebreed shows at Northern Lights (what Upstate Concert Hall used to be called,)” said Carter in a phone interview from Los Angeles, where he now lives. “I was really into hardcore back then.”

    There is a harder edge to Phantogram’s songs than when Carter and Barthel started out as Charlie Everywhere in 2007. The breathy vocals and electronic soundscapes featured in early songs such as “Mouthful of Diamonds” and “When I’m Small” have been replaced with big beats and in-your-face vocals, as found in more recent hits as “Black Out Days,” “Fall in Love” and “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore.”

    Carter said the change to a more aggressive sound was fueled in part by audience reaction to the band’s shows early in their career.

    “I can’t cite a specific moment, but I remember people saying to us, ‘I love the music, but I can’t understand any of your lyrics because they were so buried in the mix,’” said Carter. “So, I think it’s a combination of playing live shows and gaining confidence.”

    Carter also said collaborating with other artists helped Phantogram grow. A guest appearance on Big Boi’s 2012 solo album Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors led to a full-blown side project with the Outkast rapper called Big Grams that led to an EP in 2015. Phantogram also appeared on The Flaming Lips’ tribute album to The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band — 2014’s With a Little Help from My Fwends — where Carter and Barthel tackled “She’s Leaving Home.”

    “It’s been so much fun. It’s also been a learning experience,” said Carter. “Collaborating and playing music with others is always a good thing because you learn so much.”

    Having the chance to work with Big Boi on Big Grams has been a dream for Phantogram, said Carter. “We were heavily influenced by Outkast. In fact, Sarah and I call ourselves Aquemini (a title of a 1998 Outkast album) because Sarah is an Aquarius, and I am a Gemini,” said Carter. “We loved Outkast because it seemed like the sky was the limit for them. They could do something like a gangsta rap on one song, and then they’d have this cheerlead-y pop song like ‘Hey Ya.’”

    Phantogram’s own discography maps out the direction the band has been heading. Eyelid Movies in 2010 — their first release for indie label Barsuk Records — was an expansion of its self-released EP from the previous year, which included “Mouthful of Diamonds.” In 2011, they released the EP Nightlife, which saw the beginning of the band’s transition from shoegazing electronic music to more sample-heavy hooks, as found on “Don’t Move.”

    A couple of years later, Phantogram moved to Republic Records — a division of Universal Music Group that features artists such as Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj and Drake, among others. The group’s first album for Republic, 2014’s Voices, brought their music to a more mainstream audience around the world. They started making regular appearances on such shows as “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

    Three marked another transition for Phantogram. The band exclusively worked with an outside producer for the first time, as Ricky Reed took the controls on the album. Outside songwriters including the-Dream and Tricky Stewart also collaborated on the album.

    Reviewers had mixed feelings about Three, but Carter said the album is part of Phantogram’s continued growth.

    “We’re not David Bowie. We’re not as brilliant as he,” said Carter. “But if we can have that one moment like David Bowie had with ‘The Thin White Duke’ and ‘Ziggy Stardust,’ that would be awesome.”

    And as it edges closer to mainstream success, Phantogram is proving that a Capital District band can have an international following.

    “I’m proud and happy to represent our home area,” said Carter. “It’s a testament that you don’t have to be from New York City or Los Angeles or Austin or San Francisco to be successful.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is 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.

  • Carolyn Wonderland Heats Up the Dinosaur

    Carolyn Wonderland returned to Central New York April 14, performing a benefit for the NYS Blues Fest in a night of raucous blues at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse. The Austin-based performer showcased her powerful voice and mastery of the lap steel and Telecaster to the faithful gathered upstairs at the famed Willow Street venue.

    carolyn wonderlandWhether belting out blues standards like Blind Willie Johnson’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” or her own soulful original, “Only God Knows When,” Wonderland proved that she is one of the genre’s most dynamic acts. Her Joplin-esque rasp held the crowd’s attention while her six-string prowess had jaws on the floor.

    Wonderland (Her real name is Carolyn Bradford.) and her band, Kevin Lance (drums), Bobby Perkins (bass) and special guest Shelley King (guitars/vocals) turned in a 15 song set mixed with classics and originals. The rhythm section kept the time with an understated tone while Wonderland and King stood front and center, beautifully harmonizing and joking with each other throughout the set.

    To say the crowd was appreciative would be an understatement. Throughout the set, fans jockeyed for position to get a glimpse of Wonderland’s furious fretwork. Wonderland has garnered a loyal Upstate New York following since she opened an impromptu Midnight Ramble at Levon Helm’s studio in Woodstock in 2009. She has since performed in that hallowed room at least a dozen times. Performances at Rochester’s Lilac Festival in 2010, the 2012 NYS Blues Fest in Syracuse and the 2016 Chenango Blues Festival in Norwich have provided strong word of mouth recommendations most artists can only dream of.

    Watching Wonderland perform, it is obvious that the stage is her place. She becomes the music, whether it’s her song or somebody else’s. This was especially obvious during her solo in the King-penned “Welcome Home.” The sound coming from her Telecaster was a mix of emotion and intensity. At one point, as she reared her auburn mane back, her eyes rolled back in her head, lost in the song. Wonderland never goes through the motions. When she’s strapped in, the audience better as well because she’s taking you on a trip from South Texas through the Delta, straight up to Chicago.

    The show opened with an acoustic set from Syracuse’s Colin Aberdeen. He has been working the Central New York music scene for more than 25 years and has become somewhat of a godfather to Syracuse musicians. Aberdeen is well steeped in everything from the blues to all forms of Americana.  Joining Aberdeen for several songs was young harmonica player Max Eyle. He and Aberdeen goaded the crowd into some call and response and the crowd eagerly responded. Aberdeen, a member of Los Blancos, the Barking Loungers and the Westcott Jugsuckers, is one of Central New York’s hardest working musicians and was a perfect fit to open this show.

    Following Wonderland’s show, the party continued on the main floor of the juke joint as the Carolyn Kelly Blues Band took the baton on Carolyn night. Kelly’s soul, especially in the Roosevelt Dean song, “Somebody Told Me,” brought tears not only to her eyes but to many of those in attendance as well.  Todd Fitzsimmons’ stellar guitar work kept the blues going well into the night, capping off yet another terrific night of music in the Salt City.

    The 2017 NYS Blues Festival lineup was announced at this show. You can find more information about this free downtown festival, taking place July 7-8 here.