Town Ballroom was bursting at the seams with a whole new culture Thursday January 19 with Datsik in town and with a sold out venue. EDM music is becoming more and more popular and I can see why. In line you could find someone in a Pikachu onesie, or another in a unicorn and some girls who seemed to just have on their bra and panties.
Virtual Riot was playing by the time everyone walked in. EDM music is not door at 8 and music starts at 8:30-9pm, it is doors are at 8 and the music is already bumping. The beats were lively and it created an atmosphere that was all its own. Virtual was a perfect opener, he got the continuously lingering crowd hyped up for the night and put them in a party mindset.
Christopher Lee Marshall better known as Crizzly hailing from Austin, Texas was an entertainment all his own. He brought a hype man with him who did just that, hype the crowd. He jumped all around the stage and even at one point jumped in the crowd and moshed with the audience.
Datsik, what is there to say about him? His visual effects were captivating; he had screens set up that took up the entire stage, his new stage setup was by Shogun stage production. He ditched the vortex this tour. The beats he created released the crowd into an animalistic behavior. The crowd was a bit out of control. Sitting on the platform you could see everything going on.
Not long into his set there was a girl who passed out and as soon as that happened the bodyguard guarding the pit entrance attention turned to that; then two girls who looked to be on something ran into the pit and began to “erotic dance.” As soon as another guard saw what the girls were doing, they were swooped up like rag dolls and thrown out. People were taking off their clothes and it became a free for all. Datsik did his job and entranced the Town Ballroom crowd and left everyone feeling new and free.
Almost 40 years ago, the world was inspired by the lyric “Break on through to the other side” and the future of music was about to explode. A generation was about to change, they were ready to fight the establishment and now they had the soundtrack to do so. It was a time when music reflected more art, improvisation, and poetry. Forty years later that same musical work ethic is being applied in upstate New York.
Experimental three-piece project Further Unsound has made its way at warp speed, gaining recognition locally and performing live all over the East Coast.
“I mean, this is how my brain is wired man,” said guitarist and vocalist Matt Malone. “We all have our own way to interpret our feelings to the world and playing live happens to be how I like to do it.”
Which is exactly how this group took it to another level when writing and recording its latest release. Along For The Ride was a culmination of songs written by Malone, Cole Riddering and the band’s founding member, Sean Cranston.
“I’m a firm believer that playing live is where it counts most,” said Cranston.
Riddering, the band’s bassist, was the last piece in the puzzle. Prior to bringing Riddering into the project, Malone and Cranston sold everything they had, packed the car and headed to the West Coast.
With no time restraints, the three booked shows and jammed at random open mics and house gigs along the way, with just the desire to just play where ever they could in their travels.
“The live recording of Along For The Ride was a good experience, it showed me how much of a conduit I was between my bandmates and pushed me to become exactly that,” said Riddering. “The great thing about writing new music is that we have become a band in the last year and a half, we understand what we’re trying to do with our individual styles and are understanding how to put our talents together. The last album was awesome but I’m excited to be a part of the entire process this time around.”
Non-stop hard work has brought The Further Unsound into territory none of the bandmembers expected. Since the album’s release, The Further Unsound has played live with Creed Bratton (of The Office), the Launch Music Conference in Lancaster, Penn., the Willimantic Connecticut Street Festival and the recent Drink Albany Fest.
“Touring the world would be ideal for the future,” said Cranston. “We have started writing our next batch of tunes and, from what we’ve started, I’ve got a feeling that our next effort will be more unique than its two predecessors.”
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.
On Friday night in Brooklyn, the sixth annual “Wintercourse” took place at the Knitting Factory. All four bands on the bill had shared practice space and admiration for one another over the years which created a love filled environment on the gloomy Inauguration Day. Fans young and old packed the small venue before the first band entered the stage, proving that time placement had nothing to do with crowd preference or popularity.
Teddy Midnight performed first and instead of simply warming the crowd up, they hot boxed the room! Glow sticks began lighting their way into the crowd during the first song of the evening, “Veni Veni Veni,” off their 2016 release, Velvet Blue. In fact, the set list was heavily layered with songs off the same album, which happens to be their meatiest and most recent release. The four members sonically tasered their fans during the nucleus of the set list when the “Primordial> Velvet Show Jam>Velvet Mist> Tree-O-Tree” combination was played for the first time. Adam Magnan on drums teamed up with Sean McAuley on keys to recreate my childhood in what I can only describe as the theme music from Crusin’ USA for Nintendo 64. Sean Silva added some fuzzy textures by means of the bass and synth throughout the notable jam that lasted for the better half of the set. Guitarist Wiley Griffin announced their final song to the dismay of the audience as “Air BND” followed them off the stage.
The “Ukulele progressive rock band,” Cousin Earth, was the group that I was most excited to see on the bill solely based on the genre description posted on the website. The five-piece consists of Joey Calfa on ukulele, Nate Searing on drums, Corey J. Feldman on Ubass, Tara Lawton on melodica and keys and Terry Brennan on percussion. All of the members handled vocals during the gender blending set that consisted of originals and well-known covers. “Point of No Return” off the 2015 self-titled EP started the set and acted as the padding for the first cover of the night, “Yellow Submarine” by an English band called The Beatles. The spacey “Alive” was up next followed by the reggae-influenced “Train Luck> Inspector Gadget Theme.” Only a handful of songs had been executed and I could already tell that their eclectic sound mixed with the funny, yet thought-provoking lyrics had abducted the room for the duration of their time on stage. My favorite part of the set was the appropriately placed “Another Brick In The Immigration Wall” which mashed up iconic Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin songs into a sing-a-long for the entire venue. Earlier in the day, an unmasked Darth Vader was sworn into the Oval Office, leaving me with a pit in my stomach that only comedy and good music could remedy. Thanks to Cousin Earth, I was able to leave our solar system for a while. As a first time Earthling follower, the group reminded me of a new creation from Taco Bell… it may not have been what I was expecting, but I ate it up and would absolutely order it again.
Voted the “Top 10 Best” AND “Top 10 Worst Names for a Band” in 2016 by CMJ, the jamtronica quartet, Space Bacon, hit the ground running with an almost 20-minute “Wolves” and even with minor technical difficulties, I was shocked to learn that this was their first time performing this beast live. In fact, three of the four songs in their Wintercourse performance were Space Bacon virgins, which made the performance an instant classic set for the up-and-coming funky-electronica group. They transitioned into the commonly played “Jupiter” as Sam Crespo on drums sped up the tempo and created a rave inside the tiny Factory. “Ice Planet” contained elements of trance and hard rock as the band seamlessly segued from one genre to the other. Kevin LeGall’s bass joined paths with Chris Gironda’s keys to knit together a labyrinth of danceable delight. Guitarist Jack Willard asked, “Do you guys want to hear new shit or old shit?” The crowd began calling out for different fan favorites before Willard pronounced, “F*ck you guys, we are doing new shit,” as they launched into “Prologue.” By far the wordiest tune they played on Friday, this new track was welcomed by the cult-like Baconators and at times had a complex Phishy vibe to it. Don’t let the short and sweet set list fool you on paper; this thing had fangs, horns and some kick-ass moves.
Chromatropic finished off the festivities with a unique jazz-fusion jam session spanning their career and highlighting their newest release, Abundance. The frequently played “Bloom” was tackled early on after transitioning out of a crowd-pleasing intro jam. One day when they release a Greatest Hits album, this track will make the cut due to its smooth sailing peaks and valleys. “Habanero” was the first song from the new album and one of my favorites considering I’m all about that bass that Moses Margel is slapping. Each member gets his time to shine during this spicy instrumental capped off by a Danny Caridi keyboard solo that will leave you in search of water. Just as it seemed the band couldn’t get any hotter, they segued into the second half of “The Abundance of Elements” where Andrew Carton showed off his impressive and intricate guitar skills. Mark Potter on midi and drums peppered in samples during the third one off Abundance entitled “Glove.” The soulful and funky jazz piece is part-Vulpeck, part-Thievery Corporation and part The Chainsmokers? You read that correctly. While a high school cheerleader may call “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, “so 2016,” Chromatropic was able to incorporate the cover right into their music and it fit like a glove.
The Brooklyn jam band scene is currently growing at an alarmingly satisfying rate and Friday night in the funkiest of boroughs, I was reminded that America continues to get greater every day. While these four bands may be fighting for the same cause, to make people dance, they are in no way clones of each other. Through their diversity and gender bending identities, they were able to come together and turn a surreal day into a sublime night.
Teddy Midnight Setlist: Veni Veni Veni, Turkish Silva, Trap Haus, Primordial > Velvet Slow Jam > Velvet Mist > Tree-O-Tree*, Air DNB
*Primordial through Tree-0-Tree first time played segue
Cousin Earth Setlist: Point of No Return>Yellow Submarine@>Point of No Return, Alive, Train Luck>Inspector Gadget, When the Dinosaurs Come Back from Outer-space!, Super Fun Laser Beams, I Got This, Another Brick in the Immigrant Wall$, Capricorn on the Cob
@ Beatles cover, ! BELT original, $ Led Zeppelin & Pink Floyd mash-up
Space Bacon Setlist: Wolves*^> Jupiter (end), Ice Planet*, Prologue*
*First time played, ^ bass malfunction, audible’d trio jam
Chromatropic Setlist: Intro> Bloom, Habanero > The Abundance of Elements@>Gaia, Glove> Closer*> Glove
It’s one thing if a band from your immediate area becomes a sensation in any regard. But if any band from a major regional city, like Toronto, start off their latest American tour in a city right across the border, you better imagine fans will come in droves to see them. That’s why on January 19, Toronto indie darlings Tokyo Police Club played in front of a nearly-full crowd at Buffalo’s Waiting Room. And the crowd came from near and far to see the Canadian lads.
Tokyo Police Club, made up of David Monks (bass/lead vocals), Josh Hook (guitar), Graham Wright (keyboards/guitar), and Greg Alsop (drums) have been big names in the U.S./Canadian border indie scene for a while now. In the past 10 years, they’ve performed at festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, and Bonnaroo. They’ve toured with the likes of Weezer, and Foster the People and released four LP’s and three (or four if you’re picky) EP’s. Buffalo was the first stop on their tour promoting their new EP, with stops in Washington DC, Cambridge, MA, Montreal, and Peterborough, Ontario coming up.
Monks had immediate control over getting the crowd, wearing a black button-down shirt that gave off a look oddly reminding me of Billy Corgan. Maybe it was intentional, since their lastest, two-part EP is called Mellon Collie and the Infinite Radness. Either way, the crowd at the front reached their hands inches from Monks’ face as he reached the edge of the stage with his bass. Wright, doing double duty on backing guitar and keyboards, was by far the most enthusiastic performer of the act, bobbing around as he churned out various synth riffs and was by far the more energetic guitar player, even if his riffs mostly came in when Hook had a solo.
The audience was more than willing to clap along when Monks urged them too, or on their own. There were also instances of a pineapple being passed around and held up by audience members, along with one attempt at crowd surfing that didn’t get too far. Musically, people recognized each song that started playing, like the distinct opening synth riffs of “Bambi” and “PCH.” They chanted along with the chorus lines of “Favorite Color” and “My House.” They waved their arms side-to-side during the slow intro of “Breakneck Speed.” And they managed to keep up with the multi-part “Argentina.”
The band closed out their initial set by playing their first EP, A Lesson in Crime, in it’s entirely to celebrate its 10th anniversary. With each song hardly breaking the two and a half minute mark, they were notably more unrefined, more raw. The opening track, “Cheer It On,” harkens back to the time bands like The Strokes and Interpol were the toast of the indie community. “Shoulders & Arms” has a streak of noise-like guitar they would hardly come back to, while “Citizens of Tomorrow,” even with it’s hints of dance-punk, would harken to what the band would eventually turn into.
By the time the band finished playing “La Ferrassie,” the final song from A Lesson in Crime, and bid their audience goodnight before coming out for an encore, the place had been completely enamored by whatever plans the band had up their sleeve. If the crowds at their upcoming shows are anything as responsive as the one in Buffalo, then Tokyo Police Club should expect a good time up ahead.
Sean Rowe is no stranger to walking a different path, but he needed help with his latest venture — walking away from his record label and seeking a crowdfunding campaign to produce his next record.
You can call Sean Rowe a “madman” for his recent, unorthodox approach to his music career, but he is a man with a plan.
The popular blues singer opted not to resign with his record label, chose to crowdfund his latest project, and got the guts to do it by doing something a little off the wall.
“This all started when there was a giant fork in the road for me in terms of where I was going to go career-wise,” said Rowe. “I had fulfilled my contract with Anti Records… And, I had to figure out where I was going to go next.”
For the better part of the last decade, Rowe has made a living off his music. It’s the path he’s chosen to walk since he discovered Otis Redding when he was 17. Not your typical Troy teenager coming of age in the early ‘90s. Instead of Bell Biv Devoe, Guns ‘n’ Roses or Pearl Jam, he spent his money on John Lee Hooker and music out of the Mississippi Delta. Obscure stuff you wouldn’t find playing on FLY 92. He speaks of his love for Laura Lee, a gospel R&B artist out of the ‘60s whose sound he describes by comparing her to the icons of Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin. “That’s all I wanted to listen to,” said Rowe. “I was pretty strict. I emulated all these people that I love. It taught me how to play guitar. It taught me how to sing.” And, for the 10 years that followed high school, Rowe spent his nights cutting his teeth at the local bars and venues that allowed him to strum his guitar and bellow out that signature baritone singing voice.
Rowe has five albums to his name, the last three under Anti Records, the same label under which Merle Haggard and Tom Waits are signed under. The terms of Rowe’s contract were met after the 2014 release of Madman. Though he describes the experience with the Los Angeles-based label as “great,” Rowe said he needed to push out into the unknown. So, he decided not to resign, and opted instead to go “rogue.”
“A part of this was realizing that if I wanted to do the best record I could do — I’ve already been comfortable with the last record. I already did that stuff — I want to do something that’s going to throw me out into the abyss,” said Rowe. “Something that is going to challenge me. So, that’s why I did all this.”
Last July, Rowe launched a crowdfunding campaign with Kickstarter to collect enough money that would allow him to produce his next album. The concept is not necessarily new. In fact, the trend of artists seeking financial help from fans prompted a 2013 Louie Herr article at digitaltrends.com, suggesting bands target modest amounts instead of the $1.2 million raised by musician Amanda Palmer in 2012. Rowe’s $43,000 target would fall under Herr’s modest range. Nonetheless, Rowe said he felt like that was a lot to ask. “We launched this thing, fully realizing that it was a lot to ask.” said Rowe. “We needed to raise $43,000 in one month. And, we were asking our fans to do that.”
Rowe’s plan kicked into motion around the 2014 release of Madman, the third and final record under the terms of his contract with Anti Records. Rowe started a side project; a nationwide tour that involved the musician playing to many of his fans from inside their own living rooms.
“Just to try something different, you know?” said Rowe. “And, quite honestly, I also had to make money between tours. It was a combination of needing to work and wanting to do something different that led me to this house show idea, where I started playing in people’s living rooms — fans of mine, who wanted me to come to their house and play.”
The tour built momentum and became a success in more ways than one. Rowe was able to support himself financially, but the intimacy of playing to his fans from within their homes created a dynamic that felt “very natural” to him. He described the typical show as being no larger than a handful of people, sitting on sofas. But, something about the shared experience drew an epiphany. He could walk away from the conventional path of producing albums through record labels.
“From that audience, so many other things came, including this idea, said Rowe. “That was a big factor in starting this whole Kickstarter thing. I don’t think it is something we could have done before we did the house show thing.”
In two weeks, contributors from as far out as Dublin, Ireland contributed enough to match the $43,000 goal. And, by month’s end, the funding effort reached $53,000.
“That was very, very telling to me, that I’m on the right path,” said Rowe.
Plotted on that path was the plan to record tracks at Sam Phillips Studio, the same studio built by famed Sun Records producer Sam Phillips, in Memphis, Tenn. Phillips is credited with discovering Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, many consider Phillips to be the Father of Rock and Roll. While building up Sun Records, it’s said Phillips was building his dream studios around the corner. For the kid fascinated by the sound of recording artists before his time, the environment could not be more perfect.
“It’s like walking into 1960,” said Rowe. “Nothing has changed in terms of the aesthetic of that room. I had all these dreams around this recording that I really wanted to accomplish.” Another part of that dream included working with Grammy Award-winning engineer, Matt Ross-Spang, too. And, the end product provides a thousand vinyl records and another thousand CDs. The record is planned for release by the end of March.
For Rowe, 2016 has been a humbling experience; from seeing fans help support his upcoming album, to hearing an older track of his play along with the closing scenes of Ben Affleck’s feature film The Accountant. There’s a sense of affirmation that the “madman” isn’t so crazy, after all.
“It’s a lot to ask of people, and it is validation,” said Rowe. “When you see the people willing to pay quite a large sum of money into something they really believe in, it’s not like telling somebody after a show, ‘hey, that was a great show.’ … When someone is willing to pay $1,000 just for the idea of this album, that’s not even made yet, [who] believes in you that much… . For that to happen, that’s a tattoo. That’s a lifelong commitment that someone makes for you.”
Sean Rowe on “To Leave Something Behind,” featured in Ben Affleck’s The Accountant.
“I wrote that about six years ago, and where I wrote it was in London, actually. I was walking through a park out there while in the middle of a tour. And, when you’re overseas and you’re touring out there, and you have family back home in the states, the proximity effect is very palpable. Your communication is off. You can’t just connect, like you can. Over there, it’s always been a challenge to maintain that connection with family.
It came to me at that time. I was already having feelings of disconnectedness — the not-knowing of how it was going to be with my son being born, because he was still in the womb at the time. I was having all these feelings and emotions popping up. You know, how I wanted to be as a father and what it was going to be like to bring a child up in these times. And, that was six years ago. It’s even more relevant to me now then it was back then.
Speaking from a father’s perspective, but also from a holistic perspective, how to fit into this world view that seems to be opposed to a lot of the things I hold to be sacred. And, trying to find a place in there, where you can have balance. That was just an ongoing theme for a lot of my songs, really.”
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.
A vast history of protest music has been written in response to events in our American history. Songs well known (“This Land is Your Land,” “Masters of War,” “Fortunate Son”) and lesser known (“Waist Deep in the Big Muddy,” “Ashes of War,” “Hardsome Johnny“) have been written and popularized thanks to the American right to peacefully assemble and speak freely, without fear of persecution. Artists of all genres and popularity take part in this American tradition, one that we at NYS Music hold dear. We begin this week with our new series, This Week in Protest Music. This is not a time for silence by the media, nor is it a time to ignore the voices of the people whose voices strive to be heard, in particular those who are amplified by musicians. Dissent is patriotic.
We will share the most current and relevant protest music that is written in light of the events surrounding the new administration’s ascent to power. Neil Young took four weeks to write “Ohio” in the wake of the Kent State shooting in 1970. Thanks to technology and the immediacy of news, songs in response to unpopular actions will be more frequent and plentiful in number.
Music is universal. Music speaks for us all. Music takes a stand.
We share that music with you.
This week in protest music:
Audioslave reunited at a Prophets of Rage show at Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles. The event also featured Vic Mensa, Jackson Browne, Jack Black and the Los Angeles Freedom Choir.
Arcade Fire were joined by Mavis Staples for “I Give You Power.”
Dumpstaphunk debuted the video for “Justice,” featuring Trombone Shorty. Regarding the song’s message, Ivan Neville told Relix, “The human part is that major common thread that some other humans have the ability to ignore.” He added, “This song is to remind people that we are all in this together no matter what your beliefs, race, or any other perceived differences. When you look at how far we’ve come and think about all the progress we’ve made and then think about how far we still have to go. That’s when you need justice in all its form.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp_tdt61EVA
The National headlined a Planned Parenthood benefit and debuted “Turtleneck.”
In honor of the Women’s March this weekend, Fiona Apple debuted “Tiny Hands.”
Albany’s very own Lord Electro is a jamtronica power trio bringing a new sound to the Upstate region. Since forming in 2015, Lord Electro has been making large strides to show the music scene they mean business. With a stream of festival slots, shows with bands such as The New Deal and a library of recordings further proves that these guys are playing their cards correctly and have a drive to succeed. From the start of their show to completion Lord Electro likes to keep the dance party alive, with Dan Gerken (synth) Steve Mink (bass/synth) and Jordan LeFleur (drums).
NYS Music interviewed Lord Electro and learned more about them as a band and individually. Knowing them from previous bands and performing with them in the past meant a lot to me in regards to learning their approach and what’s driving them to do what they are doing. Keep your radar on for Lord Electro, they are a personal favorite and keep your eyes open for what’s to come this year, including their album Business, due out in March.
Jared Raphel: How did LE come to be?
Steve Mink: After Dan’s group, Timbre Coup and my group, Digital Dharma, split, Dan and Steve spoke about putting together a trio highly influenced by The New Deal. We needed a drummer to round off the trio.
Jordan LeFleur: For me, it all started when Dan would come over and hang at my apartment. He knew I played drums but didn’t really know what kind of a drummer I was. I played some jam music in the past and dance beats always felt very natural to me. So, Dan would come over and jam on my Micro Korg and I would just play over his riffs. After that Dan and I decided to take things into full swing and he mentioned that he had been jamming with a bass player. And that’s when I met Steve.
Dan Gerken: We always had Steve sit in with Timbre Coup and he knows his tones well so he’d be a perfect fit for a project. Jordan and I came together through a random Groovestick show and started jamming. Soon after, all three of us were together for a jam session and the rest was history.
JR: Is there a symbolic meaning behind LE’s name, who came up with it and what were some other choices?
SM: I wanted the name to play off our genres in some way. Because we play Electronic music, “Electro” seemed fitting. For some reason, I always thought “NORD” when hearing electro. Nord is a very popular award winning keyboard. So then I thought about it, and “Lord” popped in. With the DJ scene huge these days, Lord sounds like one person. So when someone hears the name, they think maybe we’re a DJ. But then come to find out that Lord Electro is actually three guys playing instruments, LIVE, as ONE, Lord Electro.
JR: You have a system of non verbal communications, utilizing hand signals. Explain this to me and how did you come about this procedure?
DG: I brought in some signals we had used for Timbre Coup and a couple other groups in improv sections that we were building. Each signal has it’s own key or structural meaning and Steve has been known to throw a couple sometimes too. At times I’ll point to a member and they’ll know to start a phrase where we all drop out and they hold it down/build another riff. It’s a great way to insure some semblance of layering and order with also limitless possibilities in an off the cuff setting, which we love.
JR: What is your goal while playing in a band?
SM: I want to be successful playing music, it would be a dream to be able to perform doing what I love and support a family while living that dream. At the same time, I want to make bodies dance, and see smiles from ear to ear. I want to feel a connection with the crowd. And that is just as fulfilling.
DG: This is a great question. There are many things this band satisfies for me. I get to improv, I get to form a sound with these guys that I feel is unique and different. I will always play music for enjoyment and i feel I’ve found a special group of guys to write with and share our music!
JL: I’ve always wanted to tour the country seeing new cities and meeting new people. For me music is an escape and a stress reliever. When I perform live nothing else matters. Especially when I see people getting down to LE, it completely enhances my performance. I would love nothing more than to see this band take off and become nationally known in the jamtronica scene.
JR: LE follows the theme of electronic/jamtronica, though you guys magically create it all with organic performance. Has the idea of implementing automated technology been discussed, thoughts?
SM: There has been some light talk of using some loops. But at the moment we’re not focused on it. We’re trying to keep the group as organic as possible.
JL: Eventually the time will come where we use some samples in our music but at the moment it’s 100% organic.
DG: You know its interesting you bring that up because we just played with our friends Teddy Midnight and I mentioned to Jordan getting into some of the Abelton programming they were doing. It created such well produced layers I was impressed. At the moment we are all mechanical and there’s a certain pride in that. But I wouldn’t be opposed to expanding into the automated world eventually!
JR: How has/does performing in a band effect your personal life?
SM: We all work full-time jobs aside from music. So we keep busy juggling. But we do make time for family. I’m lucky enough to have a girlfriend who actively supports our music, from promoting, to attending all the shows, and making custom clothing. She’s amazing and I’m happy I found someone who digs the music I create and the music we both enjoy.
JL: It can sometimes be tough juggling jobs, girlfriends, and a music schedule all at once, but we make it work.
DG: I have a wonderful five year old son and that’s a big part of my life. Each of us work. Music is a part of life and everything must be balanced. We are running a business and don’t want to burn out, rather we want to provide a good mixture of shows, recording, hanging together that lends itself to being a part of life not all of it. And in the end our girlfriends and families don’t hate us as much for being never present and the dynamic between band mates is always top notch because we share in those goals together.
JR: So what’s in store for Lord Electro this year?
SM: We’re starting off the year with a bunch of shows this winter including three nights with The G-Nome Project in MA,WNY and NYC. We’re releasing our full length studio album “Business” in march. we’re really stoked on how it’s turning out and we’re looking forward to releasing that to everyone including YOU at NYS Music! Our CD release party will be at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany along with Normal Instruments and the return of SOLARiS. We’re hoping for a great festival season this year. There’s so many great festivals we would love to play for.
Funktional Flow has released the video for the original “Trouble,” off their latest album Time Will Tell. The video was filmed at King’s Rook in Erie, PA and was edited by Nick Sonricker. Read the NYS Music review of Time Will Tell. Funktional Flow performs next at The Armor Inn Tap Room in Hamburg, NY on March 18.
Mike Powell rolled into Downtown Syracuse Saturday night at Funk n Waffles with his new band, the Black River (John Hanus – guitar, Joe Bell – bass, Dom Scicchitano – drums, Shane Kelsen – keyboards). The packed crowd was treated to a night of originals from Powell’s solo releases, including his latest, Tied to the Rail, as well as songs from the forthcoming Black River debut, due in March.
The evening was originally billed as Powell opening the show with his solo material followed by the full band. Instead, the band took the stage straight away, ramping up with a slow bluesy groove punctuated by soulful breaks from guitarist Hanus. This flowed into the first performance of a Powell solo piece with the whole band.
Powell’s songs tell stories and sometimes these stories need an introduction. The song, “Moonlight, Sunshine and Rain” is the result of an encounter Powell had at a farmer’s market. He prefaced the song describing a near perfect zucchini he found. He asked the farmer how he is able to cultivate such beauty. The farmer simply replied, “Moonlight, sunshine and rain.” The band, particularly Shane Kelsen’s keys, compliments Powell’s blue-eyed soul perfectly on this piece.
Continuing with the stories, Powell introduced the next song, “Tell Me Why,” as one about witnessing a friend spiral into the depths of addiction. His first-person account of an old college friend captivated those in the front of the house. Unfortunately, crowd chatter from the back of the room took away from some of the intimacy the song commands.
Hanus and Powell drew the audience in with a new song, “Alchemy” featuring a Hanus solo reminiscent of Warren Haynes. Powell had his well-worn Gretsch and effects pedal creating haunting sounds as the crowd began to take notice of the talent on stage.
While this band is relatively new, it’s clear that they are all seasoned. They’ve been holed up in the Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica, putting the finishing touches on their debut album. It is clear that a true chemistry has developed among the members and they are truly a band, not Mike Powell and Friends.
That said, Powell was front and center all night. As the band exited, one of the audience members asked jokingly, “Were they that bad?” eliciting a smile from the front man. Powell’s short solo set was next. All throughout, he demonstrated his versatility as a vocalist and instrumentalist, vacillating among the doo-wop sounds of “Go Back” to the heartfelt, soulful delivery of his Jeff Buckley-styled cover of the late Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
A Mike Powell performance is an exhibit in honest talent. He’s humble to a fault, often admitting in interviews that he’s uncomfortable hearing his own voice, yet he’s unafraid to put that to the test in front of an audience. This came to light in Powell’s final song of his solo set, “21 Rounds.” This song was his contribution to the Acoustic Guitar Project. According to the website, the project is a global one with a mission of inspiring creativity. Several cities are chosen and one guitar is passed among five musicians in that city. They have one week to come up with an original song using that guitar and record it live. Each musician signs the guitar and takes a picture with it to upload to the site. Once all five musicians in the given city complete their project, a concert is held. Powell came up with this heart-wrenching song about fallen soldiers on the final night of his turn in the Acoustic Guitar Project.
Hanus and Kelsen rejoined Powell onstage for a roll through of “Empire Line,” a song about taking the train from Syracuse to New York City and were joined by the rhythm section of Bell and Scicchitano to finish up the night. “Gone Too Far” was the finale of the set. Beginning with a jazzy piano intro from Kelsen, the song slowly gained steam with Powell and Bell harmonizing on the chorus and Hanus providing understated yet solid leads. Kelsen’s keys are the highlight on this one.
As Powell gave his salutations, several in the crowd chanted for an encore. Unfortunately, another band was due to perform later in the night, preventing that from happening. Those wishing to catch more of the Black River, can do so at a hometown gig in Watertown on Feb. 10 at the Savory Downtown. Tickets for that all-ages show are $12 and available through Ticketfly.
Powell has been working his way through the bar and art center scene since making the decision to concentrate on music after a highly successful lacrosse career at Syracuse University. His balance of honest and raw songwriting have helped him to gain a strong following among the Central New York faithful and the addition of this powerful and talented band will only serve to catapult all of them to the next level. See them in the small venues while you can. They won’t be playing them much longer.
Upstate New York rock band Iüdica just got out of the studio after recording their first album entitled Brain Carvings and debuted it in proper fashion. Earlier this month, the band held an album release party at Gug’s in Glens Falls, NY with Paradox Saints, Chestnut Grove, Dustin Sawyer and Germy Cats supporting them. NYS Music spoke to frontman Brian Alvarado, drummer Nate Fidd and bassist Chris Walker about their recent rise in the scene.
Frank Cavone: First of all, I would like to congratulate you guys on the new EP Brain Carvings. What was the process like writing the album all the way to mixing?
Brian Alvarado: Recording and mixing this EP with Jason Brown at Starling Studios was a great experience. I had the worst feeling in my stomach the days leading up to the recording session. The band had practiced every week several times a week for months leading up to the recording session though, and we all managed to talk ourselves into a point of calm collected mindsets.
After about an hour of setup, we recorded these songs in one take. Everything, the vocals, drums, guitars at once – but through separate tracks of course. It was amazingly easy, and after all that worry – we proved to ourselves we were indeed ready to rock. After a couple of touch ups here and there, we are now left with our Brain Carvings EP.
FC: So the name Iüdica is a cool name that you guys chose as a band. Where did the name originate from?
Nate Fidd: Brian actually had the name from a prior band. It was the name of a song first.
BA:Iüdica is a Latin word that means to judge yourself. Especially from past actions that you make and transgression with the same conviction as god himself.
FC: What were your influences prior to forming the band?
Chris Walker: I like to keep an open mind but I would definitely say that classic rock and grunge are my favorite genres of music.
FC: What are your favorite local bands that you have played with?
NF: There are a lot of great bands in the area but I would have to say playing with Formula 5 at a benefit concert was pretty cool and the Paradox Saints.
FC: Over the past year, the music scene in Glens Falls has expanded. For those outside the area, what is your scene like?
BA: My favorite venue to play is and always will be Gug’s. I see a lot of potential in places like the 190 grille. The scene is developing and I think that we are in the middle of a boom. There is going to be even more live and local music and that is what the area needs more of.
To check out the Iüdica’s new album check out their Bandcamp and stay up to date with the band on their Facebook page.
Datsik, what is there to say about him? His visual effects were captivating; he had screens set up that took up the entire stage, his new stage setup was by Shogun stage production. He ditched the vortex this tour. The beats he created released the crowd into an animalistic behavior. The crowd was a bit out of control. Sitting on the platform you could see everything going on.
Experimental three-piece project Further Unsound has made its way at warp speed, gaining recognition locally and performing live all over the East Coast.
Jared Raphel: How did LE come to be?
JR: LE follows the theme of electronic/jamtronica, though you guys magically create it all with organic performance. Has the idea of implementing automated technology been discussed, thoughts?
Frank Cavone: First of all, I would like to congratulate you guys on the new EP Brain Carvings. What was the process like writing the album all the way to mixing?