The Summit, a first time concert series presented by Wild Adriatic and Mean Max Brew Works made it’s way into The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls, N.Y. for a two night engagement on Friday, September 29 and 30.
Night one featured, Sun Satellites, Sad, The Lateshift, Girl Blue, Madaila, event hosts and organizers, Wild Adriatic and headliner, Aqueous. Night two brought on a full evening of music with Last Daze, Chestnut Grove, Paradox Saints, Ramblers Home, Angels On The Fourth, Let’s Be Leonard and Wild Adriatic to close out the event.
As the Young Dubliners made their way through New York on their East Coast Tour, they certainly liven up Hump Day for those brave enough to venture out to The Westcott this past week.
Those in attendance for this mid-week concert were there to dance and have a good time as they had an inside track to what they were in store for. Immediately apologizing for not keeping his word to play on a Friday night, you wouldn’t know it wasn’t a Friday as they brought the party with them for their captivated audience.
Opening for the band were New York locals Waydown Wailers. Although a great band in their own right, I don’t think those in attendance were able to appreciate their unique sound. More of a southern rock band, these talented locals from Canton played to a group of Celtic loving souls, and left them scratching their heads and feeling a bit quizzical in what they just heard. With more than enough local Celtic performers to choose from as openers, I believe when booking opening bands for shows, the Westcott needs to start pairing bands together that play to the same crowd. Not only will it appease the crowds, those bands that are opening, will begin to reach more of the audience they wish to reach.
As the L.A. lads took the stage, they jumped feet first into a fully charged setlist that included many favorites from their large catalog of music. With Keith Roberts on lead vocals and guitar, he quickly engaged the crowd with his edgy vocals and charismatic personality, not to mention the stage full of talent that accompanied Keith with David Ingraham on percussion, Brendan Holmes on bass, Bob Boulding on lead guitar, and Chas Waltz on fiddle, mandolin, and harmonica. Each musician was as impressive as the next as they melodically mesmerized their audience leaving them wanting more.
For those that made their way to the Westcott to see the talented Young Dubliners, they were treated to an awesome performance and enough energy to last them till the next time they can make their way back east.
Setlist: Paddy’s, Adhainn Mor, Fall, Say Anything, Brown Dog, Howaya Girls, Come Back Home, Bodhran, Apart, Liverpool, Seeds of Sorrow, Tell Me Ma, Foggy Dew, Ashley Falls, Waxies, Pari of Brown Eyes, Chas Solo, We The Mighty, Carlow, Fall from Grace, Rosie, and Rocky Road
The Worcester Palladium will play host to a huge array of incredible musical acts in the coming years. September 28 was a night of livetronic legends at Worcester Palladium with STS9 and Denver-based Sunsquabi who opened the night with deep bass lines and a lot of heavy guitar shredding. The trio only played for a half hour, but the room was electrified quickly. Opiou had an incredible set, with Kevin Donohue from Sunsquabi sitting in on a couple tracks.
The “Enceladus tour” brought Sound Tribe Sector 9 to a packed and jam-hungry crowd. The quintet played two incredible sets that never seemed to slow down. With favorites like “Metameme” and “Shock Doctrine,” the fans were given a night of true Tribe greatness.
Set 1: Common Descent > Enceladus, Frequency > Out Of This World > Kamuy, Ad Explorata > Shock Doctrine, Surreality > EB
Set 2: Abcees 1, Rise Above Get Loud > Metameme > Aimlessly, F-Word > Modular, Click Land Echo > Inspire
Encore: You Don’t Say
Their tour continues south before they end in St. Augustine, FL. After Dominican Holidaze they have a three-night New Years Eve run at The Warfield in San Francisco, CA. Check out photos from this past Thursday night, courtesy of Zatchmo Lives Media.
Starbird was joined by Joe Davis of Formula 5 on vocals and guitar, Scott Hannay of Mister F on keys, and Connor Dunn of Let’s Be Leonard on tenor saxophone. Check out this funky rendition of the 1973 tune.
The atmosphere of the Cayuga Sound Festival perfectly summed up the Ithaca experience. The day-long festival kicked off Saturday, the 23rd, beginning hopefully a new annual tradition. The festival was scheduled during one of the most musical weeks in Ithaca, as locals were gearing up for Porch Fest the following day. The festival kicked off around noon, with the Imperials taking the smaller of the two stages. Unlike most music festivals, the two stages were located side by side. This allowed both venues the classic Stewart Park Lake view beloved by all, and allowed for continuous music to a static audience. The Imperials set the mood of the festival. This local band is categorized as post-rock, and their eclectic musical quality lent itself to the ambient environment of the afternoon. The theme of the festival seemed to be hometown heroes, with the entire thing put together by the X Ambassadors, an indie-band that got its start in Ithaca. Each band that came on played into the atmosphere, calling out the beautiful scenery and talking to the crowd.
Photo by Graham Fielder
After Imperials, Stone Cold Miracle took the Main Stage. Another locally based band, their soul-infused style played perfectly off the energy created by Imperials. The crowd for the first few concerts was primarily locals, with lots of families running around the grounds. Stations were set up for face painting while the lake side of the stages were lined with local favorite food trucks like Silo’s. The day crowd stayed small enough that wait times were short. The longest line was for the ice cream, as the crowd tried to beat the heat. Still, a consistent group of enthusiastic fans stuck by the stage. The group was hemmed by couples and families in lawn chairs and on blankets. The rest of the concertgoers spent their downtime sprawled out by the lake, which was filled with boats as people flooded to get as close to the music as possible. Although Ithaca is frequently dominated by the two large colleges in town, the festival was marketed to all ages, which allowed the true relaxed and friendly spirit of Ithaca shine through.
Following on the Lake Stage was Izzy True, an indie-rock band. Their mood was less joyful than that put out by Stone Cold Miracle, however, their lead singer had instant charisma with the crowd, who were found nodding along. A few even broke into dance as the pace picked up. Jukebox the Ghost continued this energy. Although still within the aesthetic of the festival, they were the most pop-oriented group of the day. The younger audience was really engaged through their energetic performance style, and their songs were a mix of their older acoustic-based music and more recent indie-pop songs.
Photo by Graham Fielder
Sammus completely changed the mood as the young rapper took the stage. The artist is known for her evocative lyrics paired with heavy beats, and although she gave an incredible and resonating performance, it was a sudden derailment from the relaxed family-friendly vibe set by the earlier groups. The crowd thinned out to mostly young adults and college students, with Sammus being a clear favorite for many concert goers. She fit the theme of powerful women set forth by Izzy True that would be repeated again in K.Flay and Tei Shi’s performances.
Crush Club’s funk mix brought back the earlier vibe, along with grabbing the attention of some surprised older concert goers who were drawn to the band’s sound. Their set was fun and light-hearted without losing the attention of the younger group that Sammus had drawn.
The largest issue that arose during the festival seemed to be around scheduling, as The Knocks ended up canceling the day of the concert. Although times were shifted to accommodate this, many later performers didn’t seem to get the memo. This was unfortunate as it created musical gaps in the well-planned schedule. It also gave concertgoers a chance to relax along Cayuga Lake, indulge in the delicious food, or just hang out with a beer. During these breaks, the atmosphere was relaxed instead of stressed. People hula-hooped, played Frisbee, and even napped.
The music got progressively heavier as the sun set. This was fitting, as the crowd shifted from families to college students and young adults. K. Flay’s music picked up the energy, with her making several shout-outs to being in Ithaca. Savior Adore’s pop-infused music kept the crowd dancing as more and more people began to trickle in for the night’s main event. By the time Tei Shi took the stage, the crowd had easily doubled from the daytime group. Gone were the lawn chairs, replaced by a crowd ready to dance, jump, and jam with the three headliners.
By the time X Ambassadors took the stage, the crowd was going wild. This marked a homecoming for the band, and their excitement to be back was palpable. Their set was one of the most memorable of the night, as they mixed popular and newer songs together to create a show that suit both avid fans and more passive listeners. Finally, The Roots made it to the main stage. Their performance included their beloved music, reaching back into the ‘90s for some crowd favorites. By now the crowd was huge, spilling over the area in front of the stage so people were dancing in the field and even down on the shore of the lake. The Roots were perfectly suited to this festival, as their sound appealed to all ages of audience. Many families had left by the time The Roots stepped out on the main stage, however the audience as still a great mix of local Ithacans and college students. The fireworks following the concert tied together a beautiful day, hopefully one that will be repeated in years to come!
Funk and jazz improvisation was served up at the Big Kahuna in Huntington, Long Island, when members of the Rich Bomzer Project took the stage to close the night with an electrifying performance!
The lineup on the night’s gig consisted of Rich Bomzer on tenor sax, Eric Frost and Christian Crawford (trumpet), Annie Mclean (vocals), Tj Adorno (guitar/rap), Colin Dooman (bass), Evan Sundquist (keyboard, vocals, computerized sound effects), Angel Lau (percussion) and Alex Aitken (drums).
The group truly showed their skills as both instrumentalists and vocalists. Some members demonstrated extreme versatility by switching from lead guitar and keyboard on one chart, to lead vocals and rapping in another. They touched on all corners of great classic genres from Motown to rock followed by jazz ballads and R&B. All songs were infused with heavy horn hits and ferocious tenor sax improvising.
The set list included hits from Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, and Rolling Stones. Amongst those hits were original compositions written by Rich Bomzer himself. Some songs by Bomzer performed that night were filled with such expression and memorable phrasing, namely: “Everything Is Gunna Be Alright,” “Never Felt Like This Before,” “The Dank” and “Feel You.”
While watching the band’s performance, their strong stage presence and synchronization could all be felt. This major attribute is rooted in their tight sound and mutual melodic style. Rich Bomzer Project is full of energy and expression; they do what they love with ease. The band’s unique sound and flair emulates their musical influences.
For music by the Rich Bomzer Project, listen to their recently released EP titled Last Night that can be found on apple music, iTunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud.
While weeknight shows are sometimes a little bit more difficult to make it to, they are just as worth a show on the weekend. On Sept. 12, Bastille made their second Upstate NY appearance along with some help from FRENSHIP at the Palace Theatre in Albany for a nice chip out of a midweek routine.
California-based FRENSHIP opened the night with an upbeat electropop set that seemed to impress new ears as well as fans of the band. While the band only released their debut EP last year, they were dynamic on stage, on par with the fact that they’ve been playing together for a few years prior to their EP release.
When Bastille took the stage silhouetted by the brightly backlit stage, the eagerness of the crowd in the standing area near the stage was like a flock of salmon jumping up a waterfall. The Palace remained tightly attentive to the music from start to finish.
Frontman and lyricist Dan Smith writes lyrics that are typically rooted in not the brightest of themes (though not always, as in “Glory”) which are paired with upbeat musical moods. Without being aware of the lyrics it is easy to place Bastille in a happy-going dance pop category. It is this conflict between lyric and song that work symbiotically on the subconscious ear.
It was this balance which kept the balcony and orchestra levels dancing throughout the show and carefully tuned in to the quieter songs such as the hauntingly melodic guitar and vocal duet between Smith and Will Farquarson on “Two Evils.” Bastille also showed off their knack for intelligently mashing two songs together – “No Angels” as a mix of TLC’s “No Scrubs” and the xx’s “Angels” and “Of the Night” as a mix of the two 90’s dance hits “Rhythm of the Night” and “Rhythm is a Dancer.”
Just as it would seem abnormal for a band like Lynyrd Skynyrd to not end their show with “Freebird,” Bastille rightfully closed their show with their biggest success, “Pompeii,” which got the band in a much brighter spotlight outside of the UK. FRENSHIP came out to jam for the last song, having just as much fun on stage as fans in the audience were having.
Bastille Setlist: Send Them Off!, Laura Palmer, Overjoyed, Warmth, Flaws, Lethargy, Snakes, No Angels, The Draw, The Currents, Glory, Bad Blood, Oblivion, Blame, Icarus, Of the Night, Fake It, Good Grief
Encore:
Two Evils, Things We Lost in the Fire, Pompeii
Most people might not know this, but The Pixies got their hometown start at UMass Amherst back in 1986, when two of the founding members were neighbors. Over 30 years later, they still play like the 90’s never ended. On September 20, their alt-punk-rock filled the John M. Greene Hall in Northampton, MA. With no set list, the band came out to a packed crowd and played hit after hit. After each song, the lights would dim while Black Francis would choose where the band would go next, feeding off the energy of the crowd. They have a few more shows in the northeast and Canada before moving westward. Do not miss these guys. Check out photos below from Zatchmo Lives Media.
People from all walks of life gathered together in Buffalo at the intimate Tralf Music Hall Sunday, September 17 to experience the long-awaited return of the Boston-based funk machine that is Lettuce. While it was a typical, dreary September Buffalo night outside, the crowd and aura of the dancefloor gave the feeling that you were at a late Saturday night festival show.
The show began with a high energy DJ set by the up and coming electronic artist Maddy O’Neal. The 45-minute set showcased a great combination of bone shaking bass drops, obscure drum beats, and well-placed sound effects as she sampled songs that were both familiar and unfamiliar to the crowd. O’Neal’s energetic movements blurred the lines between the crowd and the performer as red, blue and yellow lights swirled around the stage and inspired the mostly timid crowd to get up and dance. By the end of her set nearly the entire dancefloor was filled and grooving, and the crowd was warmed up and ready for the meat- or vegetable- of the show.
The audience was ecstatic when Lettuce took the stage, with a few extra cheers and whistles directed towards keyboard player Nigel Hall who emerged from behind the curtain in a Bill’s hat and old-school O.J. Simpson jersey. The band took no time getting going as they opened with an electrifying “Requiem,” a song that wove jazz and funk influences as drummer Adam Deitch and bass player Erick “Jesus” Coomes held down a steady funk groove while trumpet player Eric Bloom and saxophonist Ryan Zoidis skillfully whirled through a Middle-Eastern melody.
The tight stage and small venue created a college-basement feeling as the crowd was now shoulder to shoulder, bobbing and spinning just feet from the almost comically over-packed, tiny stage of musicians. The next two songs kept the energy high as they blasted through “Get Greasy” and “Chief,” two fat funk instrumentals which gave the band multiple opportunities to showcase their ability to control the energy in the room and build to a peak out of almost thin air. The crowd clearly appreciated the heavy funk to start the show because by the end of the third song multiple heads of lettuce could be seen flying around the audience.
The band slowed things down a bit with “Dump,” the first song featuring vocals, which sounded like a cross between James Brown and Stevie Wonder. Hall did a magnificent job handling the vocals with his delicate yet dominating voice, as the band played softly around him.
The next few numbers highlighted the band’s ability to create ambience while at the same time holding on tight to their funk roots. The intro to “Ready to Live” gave the feeling that you were being ominously watched as you went scuba-diving through an abandoned shipwreck at the bottom of the ocean, eventually being pulled up to the surface by the funky breakdown.
High energy jazz solos by guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff was a clear highlight to the diverse crowd before the band took a quick break leaving Deitch alone on stage to hammer out an intense, Bonham-like drum solo. When the band returned to the stage, they might as well have come back with George Clinton with them because they brought the funk. The crowd exploded with the band, and there was not a single person whose neck wouldn’t be sore in the morning from the trance-like grooving.
The band ended their set with two songs containing more vocals than they had utilized the entire night. During “Shmink Dabby” Hall taunted the audience in a James Brown-like fashion yelling “Buffalo, Hit Me!” while Zoidis let out a powerful saxophone solo. They ended their set with “Sounds Like a Party,” a fun song that does in fact sound like a party. During the breakdown, each band member took a small solo before coming together as one entity to leave the crowd on a high note.
The band did not leave the stage for long before the crowd began a “One More Song!” chant, forcing the musicians back out almost immediately. The band thanked the audience and gave them a little more of what they wanted with a bustling rendition of “The Flu.” Hugs, high fives, and smiles were exchanged as the crowd left the venue, with every soul feeling just a bit richer thanks to the night of funk they had just experienced together.
Setlist: Requiem > Get Greasy > Chief > Dump > Ready to Live > Purple Cabbage > Kron Dutch > Blaze > Phyllis > Lettsanity > Shmink Dabby > Sounds Like A Party
Canadian indie-rock collective Broken Social Scene opened their US tour, their first in six years, at the State Theater in Ithaca on Saturday, September 16. They’re touring behind Hug of Thunder, their first album in seven years. With the exception of some one-off festival shows here and there (mostly there), the band has essentially ceased to exist.
As soon as the lights went down, the much-less-than-sellout crowd left their assigned seats en masse, as if it were planned, tightly packing the theater halfway. What they lacked in size, they made up for in energy and excitement. Ring leader Kevin Drew took notice and set the tenor for the evening. He said the tour manager warned of a light crowd, but they didn’t care, they were going to throw a “private party” in Ithaca. And gracious hosts they were. Indeed they broke out quite a social scene. Drew, always a showman, was especially high-spirited and chatty on this evening.
They may not have played as a regular unit in a while, but this wasn’t a mere reunion show featuring just a couple of the original members. They brought the core band that has been together since the early days of the band, Drew, Brendan Canning, Charles Spearin, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Amy Milan, Sam Goldberg along with some horns and percussion and Ariel Engle, the relative newcomer on vocals. Members came and went and switched instruments at will for a constantly fluctuating lineup that maxed out at 11 people. The guitarist became the bassist became the keyboardist became the trumpeter became the drummer, and so it went.
The band, or at least some of them, kicked into the opening notes of “7/4 Shoreline” shortly after arriving to the stage. Drew stopped them, saying they weren’t playing that yet. They recollected themselves and reached further back in their catalog for the opening “Cause=Time,” which was immediately followed by the aforementioned “7/4 Shoreline.” The band was loose in spirit and playing, but still incredibly tight, like they’d been playing hundreds of shows a year.
Drew’s strict adherence to their predetermined setlist was eventually abandoned. Midway through the set he started openly taking requests from the audience. It was a “private party” after all. “We’re for you, not us, don’t forget that,” explained Drew. “Almost Crimes” opened up the request faucet. “Texico Bitches” also came by request, though as the band started into it, Drew said, “Oh we’re really doing this?” The leader became the follower, reluctantly. They wouldn’t oblige all requests though, “Swimmers” was too deep to be dredged up. Nonetheless, that the somewhat out-of-practice band of 11 was willing and able to take random requests was most impressive. That’s not an easy ship to steer.
Someone, perhaps angry their request wasn’t granted, threw their cup on stage, nearly hitting Drew. Security quickly apprehended the guilty party and dragged them out of the venue. Drew, watching the action unfold, responded, “Aww, I liked that guy!” But he wouldn’t be invited back to the party.
Right before “Sweetest Kill,” Drew took a video of the crowd wishing his friends congratulations on their wedding, which he was sad to be missing due to this show. A message from one “private party” to another. “And now we’re going to sing a song about divorce,” he kidded.
“Ibi Dreams of Pavement” closed the set, but the word ‘closed’ is used loosely. It was announced as the closer, and the band started leaving as it finished up, but before the entire band left Drew managed to wrangle a few to stay as he said, “That was the last song, but I gotta do this for this guy.” Another request which, as the host of the party, he couldn’t let pass. So the crowd was treated to “Major Label Debut,” and as more and more band members got back on stage, it eventually finished with the full band. One more song with more from the ladies, so they played their early infectious hit, “Anthem for a Seventeen Year Old Girl,” which mirroring the start of the show, featured a false start and a do over. But they still weren’t finished, and would grant one last request, this one from the back of the stage, as drummer Justin Peroff asked to play another early one, “KC Accidental.” After a rocking romp through that classic, the band waved their goodbyes and stood together off to the side of the stage for one last look at their party guests. Egged on by a lingering guitar swirl from Whiteman, a few members grabbed an instrument and kept the jam going. A couple more minutes of incredible instrumental Broken Social Scene were squeezed into the end of the show, it was the kind of party no one wanted to leave.
One last pearl of wisdom from Drew as they finally left the stage, “We’re relying on you, so help someone out, it’s the best feeling in the world.” Earlier in the evening, he wondered aloud if he was talking too much. He was looking forward to reading the review of the show that complained about his excessive banter. This isn’t that review.
Setlist: Cause=Time, 7/4 Shoreline, Halfway Home, World Sick, Victim Lover, Protest Song, Superconnected, Fire Eye’d Boy, Almost Crimes, Gonna Get Better, Sweetest Kill, Stay Happy, Hug of Thunder, Texico Bitches, Stars and Sons, Ibi Dreams of Pavement, Major Label Debut, Anthem for a Seventeen Year Old Girl, KC Accidental
The “
The lineup on the night’s gig consisted of Rich Bomzer on tenor sax, Eric Frost and Christian Crawford (trumpet), Annie Mclean (vocals), Tj Adorno (guitar/rap), Colin Dooman (bass), Evan Sundquist (keyboard, vocals, computerized sound effects), Angel Lau (percussion) and Alex Aitken (drums).
The show began with a high energy DJ set by the up and coming electronic artist 
