Anders Beck had a moment before Greensky Bluegrass’ performance at The Egg on January 31. He shared with the audience that, for dinner, he was served chicken inside an egg. And that was just one of the many egg yolks cracked by the dobro player this evening, who had high praise for the venue in saying, “It’s unique, it’s different, it’s The Egg.” An apt description.
Fruition opened the night with a crisp and refreshing Northwest bluegrass sound that is at times mellow and folky then at times rockabilly. They emanate an energy that kicked up in unexpected spots, never spending too long in one genre for more than a song.
A symphony of sound greeted a sold out audience inside The Hart Theater for Greensky Bluegrass this evening, and they opened with “A Letter to Seymour” and a dark “In Control.” The Band’s “Shape I’m In” got deep and stretched out nicely in a patient jam before a trio of new songs off Shouted, Written Down & Quoted followed — “More of Me” (with extra egg humor), “Fixin to Ruin,” and the very upbeat and extended “Living Over.”
The second set began with crowd pleaser “Take Cover” and a hypnotic beat developed two songs later during “Lose my Way,” fitting to its name. The psychedelic light show paired perfectly with the progressive jamgrass and fell neatly into Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.” An animated Paul Hoffman took off on mandolin during “Pig in a Pen,” then swapped to guitar to jam out the final two songs, “While Waiting” and “Don’t Lie.” The latter of which was built layer upon layer and led to a deep culminating jam to close the set.
For the encore, Greensky brought out opener Fruition and stepped in front of the mics to the front of the stage as the audience gathered near for purely acoustic versions of “Demons” and “Meet me on the Mountain.” The camaraderie the two bands exhibited as they collaborated in the finale was representative of the communal nature of their mutual bluegrass roots. That communal sense stretched to the crowd, who found themselves inspired to leap to their feet at numerous junctures throughout the show and dance with a passion aroused. As a friend said in passing prior to show time, “This is bluegrass for the rock n’ roll fan and rock n’ roll for bluegrass fans.”
Set 1: A Letter to Seymour, In Control, Last Winter in the Copper Country, Ghost of Richard Manual > Shape I’m In, More of Me, Fixin’ To Ruin, Living Over
Set 2: Take Cover, Burn Them, Lose My Way, You Can Call Me Al, Room Without a Roof, Pig in a Pen, While Waiting, Don’t Lie
Syracuse was treated to a double dose of bluegrass Wednesday night as Greensky Bluegrass and Fruition rolled into The Westcott Theater. The Kalamazoo crew returned to the Westcott stage nearly a year to the day from their last visit, this time in support of the new album, Shouted, Written Down & Quoted, released in September.
Earlier in the day, news of founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, Butch Trucks’ death cast a sadness upon the music world and the jam scene specifically. A tribute to Trucks would surely be on the agenda for Greensky, one of the premier progressive bluegrass bands on the scene today.
Greensky eased the capacity crowd into things, kicking off the set with a midtempo “The Four” that segued into a rollicking “Eat My Dust” featuring some stellar dobro work from Anders Beck. The first set remained heavy on the bluegrass the band was founded upon before slowing things down for a heartfelt rendition of “Nine Days” with Michael Arlen Bont’s banjo and Beck’s dobro again featured prominently. A lengthy run through of the Greensky staple and jam vehicle, “Broke Mountain Breakdown,” brought the highlight moment of the night, if not one of the most anticipated. Fruition’s Jay Cobb Anderson was welcomed on stage, harmonica in tow, for a ripping tribute to Trucks in the form of the Allman Brothers Band’s “One Way Out.”
“Hold On,” from the band’s latest release, kicked off the second set, segueing into a cover of the Traveling Wilburys’ “Handle With Care” and into “Blood Sucking F(r)iends.” The segue-filled second set finished up with a “Casual Wednesday” for this casual Wednesday, segueing into the new “Run or Die,” an explosive way to finish the night.
Frution, from Portland, OR, gained the respect of the early arriving attendees, ripping through twelve songs in their opening set. While also heavily based in bluegrass, Fruition blends soulful vocals and a funk downbeat to deliver a unique sound that complemented the headliners perfectly. This is a band that will be headlining stages at theaters in short order.
If you missed Greensky and Fruition at The Westcott Theater you can still catch them at The Egg in Albany on Jan. 31, the Union Transfer in Philadelphia PA on Feb. 1, and a three night run at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C.
You can also check out Greensky Bluegrass and Fruition’s upcoming tour dates here.
Set 1: The Four> E.M.D. (Eat My Dust), Into the Rafters, Room Without a Roof, White Freight Liner Blues, Demons, Nine Days, Broke Mountain Breakdown> One Way Out*
Set 2: Hold On> Handle With Care> Blood Sucking F(r)iends, Tied Down, Last Winter in the Copper Country> A Letter to Seymour> New Rize Hill, Casual Wednesday> Run or Die
Platinum recording artist, Luke Bryan announces his new tour with his plans to pack up his hunting gear and hit the road this summer with a unique video of him playing the classic Nintendo Entertainment Systemand the game Duck Hunt, in his living room while wearing hunting gear. Bryan shot at ducks, with country artist faces on them. The “That’s My Kind Of Night” singer missed, and hit several artist. The artist that happened to get shot down, will hit the road, and round out one mega country lineup for Bryan’s “Huntin’, Fishin’, & Lovin’ Every Day Tour.”
Six opening artist were shot by Bryan with his NES Zapper. Those artist include Brett Eldredge, Lauren Alaina, Granger Smith, Seth Ennis, Craig Campbell and Adam Craig.
Spurs will start to spin on May 5, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN, and come to a close on Oct. 28, at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernadino, CA, rounding out thirty-nine different cities, and 40 shows with a two night stay at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Atlanta, GA.
New York state will be well covered with five different stops throughout the state including, July 13, at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, Aug. 12, at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, Aug. 25, at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Corfu, Aug. 26, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, and Aug. 27, at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh.
The singer has won various awards in country music including an Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Solo Vocalist and Top New Artist in 2010. Bryan won nine American Country Awards in 2012 ranging from Artist of the Year, to Album of the Year. He has also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Country Artist (2014 & 2016) and Top Country Song(2014) for “Crash My Party.”
Four of his five studio albums have reached platinum certification by the RIAA. His third and forth studio albums Tailgates & Tanlines (2011), and Crash My Party (2013), have achieved a certification of twice platinum by the RIAA. Bryan has sold over seven million albums and over 27 million copies of his 22 singles, many have reached number one on the country music charts.
Bryan the philanthropist, has supported numerous charities throughout his career. Causes he supports include children’s disaster relief, cancer, AIDS and HIV, health and human rights through the Red Cross and City Of Hope.
Bryan’s tour will be part of Live Nation’s Country Mega Ticket. Ticket info will soon be available.
Luke Bryan’s HFETour Dates:
May 5 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
May 12 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA
May 13 – Xfinity Theatre – Hartford, CT
May 18 – iWireless Center – Moline, IL
June 1 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
June 3 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO
June 9 – Verizon Arena – Little Rock, AK
June 10 – BOK Center – Tulsa, OK
June 16-17 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Atlanta, GA
June 23 – Hershey Park Stadium Hershey, PA
June 24 – Xfinity Center – Mansfield, MA
June 25 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD July 13 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, NY
July 15 – Progressive Field – Cleveland, OH
July 16 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
July 21 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO Aug. 12 – Lakeview Amphitheater – Syracuse, NY
Aug. 17 – Veteran’s United Home Loans Arena Amphitheater – Virginia Beach, VA
Aug. 18 – PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC
Aug. 19 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC Aug. 25 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center – Darien Lake, NY Aug. 26 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY Aug. 27 – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY
Sept. 6 – Pavilion at Montage Mountain – Scranton, PA
Sept. 8 – Citizen’s Bank Park – Philadelphia, PA
Sept. 9 – KeyBank Pavilion – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept. 15 – Klipsch Music Center – Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 16 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – Chicago, IL
Sept. 21 – Austin360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX
Sept. 22 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX
Sept. 23 – Gexa Energy Pavilion – Dallas, TX
Oct. 12 – Concord Pavilion – Concord, CA
Oct. 13 – Toyota Amphitheatre – Wheatland, CA
Oct. 14 – Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
Oct. 19 – Isleta Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
Oct. 21 – USANA Amphitheater – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct. 26 – AK-Chin Pavilion – Phoenix, AZ
Oct. 27 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre – San Diego, CA
Oct. 28 – San Manuel Amphitheater – San Bernadino, CA
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
Greensky Bluegrass is making their way north this week, heading for The Westcott Theater in Syracuse on Wednesday the 25. They then make stops at Playstation Theater in NYC on January 28 and The Egg in Albany on January 31. This marks the first time playing each of these venues for Greensky, whose progressive bluegrass style has created an impressive following across the country. Joining Greensky are the Portland, Oregon bluegrass sensation Fruition, a rootsy and eclectic troupe that will easily win over fans on the east coast.
Since forming 17 years ago, Greensky Bluegrass has created their own version of bluegrass music, mixing the acoustic stomp of a string band with the rule-breaking spirit of rock & roll. The band, comprised of Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike Devol (upright bass) and Paul Hoffman (mandolin) released Shouted, Written Down & Quotedthis past fall, garnering praise in our review:
Greensky Bluegrass has taken the core idea of the typical bluegrass style and spiced it up with a twist of tones that bridge the gap between Americana and a rock flavor to create a perfectly balanced jam grass album.
The 120th annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival will take place this year on Feb. 3-12. NYS Music is proud to present the 10 day line-up for The Waterhole Upstairs Music Lounge, which will feature 16 acts of both local artists and national touring acts.
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is the longest-running event of its kind in the eastern U.S. Originally established in 1897, the event has since grown into the 10-day celebration that it is today.
The Primate Fiasco uses instruments that are loud without electricity, giving them the opportunity to attack at any moment, in any location, with or without permission. No one is safe, not even an elevator or city bus. If the Primate Fiasco sees a dull moment somewhere, they will pop out of the nearest sewer drain or trash can to lead an irresistible dance party.
On stage, the sound is different. This band has pioneered what is possible with mind-bending accordion, funky pockets of a hyperactive Sousaphone player, and banjo that thinks it’s a Fender Strat. Add lyrics that grab hold of even the most inattentive audience and beats that channel surf like a remote that’s been sat upon. The music is always high energy and extremely imaginative. Most importantly, this is fun. People smile from the first beat to the last smoldering ash of what was previously a dance floor.
Annie in the Water’s music is a groovy combination of reggae, funk, rock, blues and jam, written with a conscious dose of positive vibes, unique melodies and intelligent lyrics. With the ability to fill an entire night with original music and also render well-known covers into a signature style, fans share extraordinary experiences that can’t be seen anywhere else.
After nine years performing more than 600 shows in over 13 states, the original duo of founding members Brad Hester and Michael Lashomb also lead a full band that will shock your soul into euphoria. The full band line-up includes featured members Joshua West (formerly of Lucid) on drums/percussion, Dillon Goodfriend (Fox Richardson) on keys/backing and Anthony Leombruno (Capital Zen) on Bass. Occasionally the lineup may feature percussionist Bill Bentz (Exit 30) and various woodwind or brass members.
Lucid decided to take a hiatus from touring in early 2016, after 13 years on the road. The band’s culminating performance in April captivated a sold out crowd at the newly renovated Strand Theater, in their hometown of Plattsburgh NY. Lucid’s only other appearance last year was at their home festival Backwoods Pondfest in Peru, NY. One of the reasons the band wanted to take a break from touring was so they could slow down and be more deliberate in their choice of venues and events. When asked about playing Winter Carnival in Saranac Lake, Lowell Wurster said “All the guys were really excited at the idea. We have been playing the Waterhole for many years, and we love Saranac Lake and the people who live there. We always have a blast up in the mountains; it truly is our second home.” In addition to a genuine love for the Adirondacks, the Waterhole has special meaning to Lucid because of its proprietors, Eric & Kiki. “They have done a stellar job keeping the music alive up there. The bands they are bringing in have raised the bar in the North Country music scene, and we are so excited to be a part of what they are creating. We want to help them keep the momentum building, ”
Eastbound Jesus draws on a mix of diverse influences from the worlds of bluegrass, country and rock and roll to develop their own sound that is at the same time distinctly familiar and completely original, one that they have dubbed “Northern Rock,” These six friends from the rural upstate New York town of Greenwich have released four studio albums and a live album over the past five years, all while packing venues across the northeast with an infectious energy that gets people smiling, dancing, and hollerin’!
Donna the Buffalo just celebrated their 25th year as a band and have proven to be a consistent purveyor of American music. What’s the recipe? To be sure, it’s infused with more spices than you’ll find at a Cajun cookout by way of a southern-fried, rockin’ country old-time jamboree. “For the dizzying array of styles and genres with which they work, Donna The Buffalo maintain a surprising level of consistency. The New York-based band has played around with folk, zydeco, and many other musical ideas over the course of their 25-year career, but they retain a sharp focus that has helped them create some truly lasting music,” writes Elmore Magazine.
If any band is a poster child for turning the power of positive thoughts and intention into reality, it’s the explosive horn-and-percussion trio Moon Hooch. In just a few short years, the group—Wilbur, fellow horn player Wenzl McGowen, and drummer James Muschler—has gone from playing on New York City subway platforms to touring with the likes of Beats Antique, They Might Be Giants, and Lotus, as well as selling out their own headline shows in major venues around the country. On Red Sky, their third and most adventurous album to date, the band uses everything they’ve learned from their whirlwind journey to push their sound to new heights, bringing together the raw, transcendent energy of their live performances and the sleek sophistication of their studio work into a singular, intoxicating brew that blends elements of virtuoso jazz, groovy funk, and pulse-pounding electronic dance music.
Currently based out of Massachusetts, the vocal cord conductor known as Honeycomb has quickly risen to the top of the food chain of northeast beatboxers, placing 13th in the 2015 American Beatbox Championships. With a unique approach as an equally versed music producer, and a frequent collaborator in both the live and studio settings, Honeycomb has built a sound fan base for himself through original productions and ear popping performances.
Jiggawaltz is a six piece band hailing from Burlington, VT and Upstate NY focused on performance, engaging their audience with tightly woven compositions and elegant sections of improvisation. Fusing together many influences including classic rock, funk, electronic dance music, Latin jazz, soul, disco, and metal to create a unique pallet of sounds sure to entertain audiences from all walks of life. With original songs that uniquely decorate time with melody and harmony and a large repertoire of covers, Jiggawaltz often blends songs together to create a rich collage of sound.
Spirit Family Reunion is a touring band based out of New York that aims to deliver raw, high-energy honest music. They have self-produced and self-released two full-length albums (No Separation in 2012 and Hands Together in 2015) as well as multiple songbooks and other collections of recordings.
Folkfaces is a group out of Buffalo, NY that plays a rowdy blend of rootsy folk, jazz, and blues, fusing classic forms with contemporary feelings and irresistibly danceable energy. Their inspiration comes from the mountains of Appalachia to the deltas of Mississippi, the swamps of Louisiana to the concrete jungle of the Rustbelt. Specializing in merriment and sticking it to the system, Folkfaces make the crowd dance and the hierarchy shatter.
Swampcandy is an internationally touring, primitive blues influenced Americana duo. Ruben Dobbs’ aggressive finger-picking and rhythmic style (which often adds up to sounding like more than one guitar) combined with Joey Mitchell’s bass playing, pounding kick drum and percussive bass throttling (representing the presence of a full drum kit) easily fill up the sonic space normally created by a trio or even a four-piece. Dobbs’ soulful, passionate vocals are the glue that holds it all together and makes the band tick.
Since their conception, ten piece funk/soul band West End Blend has been playing their version of funk and soul in venues all over the Northeast. Fronted by vocalist Erica Bryan, the band pays homage to classic throwback sounds while adding their own distinct vibe and flair. Behind her, the Blend packs a four-piece horn section, two guitars, bass, keyboards and drums onto stages every night. From humble beginnings in an epic sweaty funky basement dance party, the Blend’s goal has always been to bring that same atmosphere to every show.
To understand Bella’s Bartok, imagine what you would get if Salvador Dali and Toulouse Lautrec were fronting the Moulin Rouge’s house band, and you have the exuberant spectacle that is Bella’s Bartok. Described as “about as much fun as you can have with your pants on” (Dan Wolovick, Two Way Monologues), this six-piece powerhouse melds Bohemian Klezmer punk with pop sensibilities into an eminently danceable party. The diversity of musicians that make up Bella’s Bartok, combined with their boundless energy on stage, has been known to break a dance floor, or two (or three, but who’s counting?). Their sound moves way beyond labels, pushing the envelope towards the darker side of Eastern European music, referencing Vaudeville and 20th century eclecticism.
February 12– Folkfaces
Folkfaces is a group out of Buffalo, NY that plays a rowdy blend of rootsy Folk, Jazz, and Blues – fusing classic forms with contemporary feelings and irresistibly danceable energy. Their inspiration comes from the mountains of Appalachia to the deltas of Mississippi, the swamps of Louisiana to the Concrete Jungle of the Rustbelt. Specializing in merriment and sticking it to the system, Folkfaces make the crowd dance and the hierarchy shatter.
Musicians have joined forces to livestream a concert, Streamstock, during Inauguration Day on Friday, Jan. 20, to protest the Inauguration of the 45th president of the U.S.Streamstock 2017, an online music and arts festival that describes itself as, “by the people and for the people,” will begin at the same time as the Inaugural Address to raise awareness for various progressive causes.
The festival reached out to the public asking for musicians, spoken word artists and poets to submit videos of their work to be a part of the performance. Besides the performance, Streamstock’s main goal is looking to promote progressive causes supported by themselves and the bands on the lineup.
The grassroots project hopes the event will help bring awareness to groups like the NAACP, ACLA, GLAAD, Women’s Rights and Environmental Organizations, Standing Rock and more, which they feel will need additional support under the Trump presidency.
In order to view the event, viewers must have the Facebook Messenger app. Visit the Streamstock 2017 Facebook page to download their app. The event launches at 10 a.m.
Valerie June‘s critically acclaimed 2013 recording, Pushin’ Against a Stone, drew wide attention to the Tennessee native’s eclectic mix of blues, folk, bluegrass influences, world music rhythms, and her singer/songwriter abilities. She refers to it as “organic moonshine roots music.”
The title of her latest work, The Order of Time, reflects June’s philosophy of recognizing and respecting the time it takes for things to happen in life, and for her songs to reach fruition. June recorded the album in Guilford, Vermont with producer Matt Marinelli, known for his work with Bad Brains, Beck, and Norah Jones. Jones contributes piano accompaniment on three of the twelve original songs on the record.
photo by Brian Cornish
June is renowned for her picking skills on guitar and banjo and says,“People shouldn’t necessarily think of bluegrass when they see the banjo. It was originally an African instrument, and people in America used to play all kinds of banjo. For some reason people like to limit it and say it just has to be in folk and bluegrass, but to me it can be in anything, and I really wanted to set the banjo free on this record.”
June also contributed a version of “Astral Plane” from the new record to Bedstock, a music fest in which artists play songs from their beds for sick children who are stuck in their own. Fans contribute to the charity and help music be the medicine.
Many Central New York music fans will recall June’s captivating performance at the 2013 Chenango Blues Festival in Norwich, New York.
The Order of Time can be pre-ordered through June’s website, iTunes, or Amazon, and will be released on Concord Records Jan. 27.
Connecticut isn’t known to pump out world renowned musicians like New York, Seattle and California do, so it’s refreshing to see a group of guys emerge from the backwoods of the state with some true talent and passion for the art. Over the past three years, Creamery Station has been cooking up a collection that’s surprisingly good.
Creamery says they’re a combination of the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, The Band, Little Feat, Railroad Earth, David Grisman, Doc Watson, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and their first album is a fantastic representation of all these legendary groups. They manage to sound unique while giving glimpses of the defining characteristics of their inspiration rather than a copy of them. Some songs sound more familiar than others, but this is their first compilation and it’s thoroughly impressive.
They started from humble beginnings as a small band playing for a few house parties and slowly grew to a full seven-man group that brings a classic and a universally enjoyable country/ jam sound to the stage. They are based in CT but are making their way to New York City for the very first time and are definitely worth checking out.
A lot of the inspiration came from the adventures some members endured, as well as a love for playing and performing music. All of the tracks were written and contributed to by every member of the band, which makes the connection between the musicians something truly exceptional, says singer and mandolin player Dylan Kader. “The energy between us when we play is something special and the crowd can feel that and they respond to it,” said Kader.
This album is a bit all over the place, and that’s meant in the best way possible. Every song has a tie to country music with most of the tracks being based in that genre. But then some can, arguably, even have a reggae feel to it which is a combination that works surprisingly well.
Things start off with “Ramblers Delight” and it’s about as country as it gets. It has a pretty straightforward chord progression with spices of mandolin a violin/ fiddle and relatable lyrical content. The feel of the song changes a bit when a very bluesy and fairly distorted guitar solo rings over the group that reminds listeners that a lot more is in store for the rest of the album. Country sounds are the basis of their musical content but that’s just the ground floor, and it’s a sturdy and simple one to build upon, giving Creamery free range to experiment with all sorts of genres.
“Kansas City Blues” is appropriately named and placed at a slower pace and even more like the typical melancholy country song. It’s the same sound as “Ramblers Delight” in terms of country sounding instruments, but the pace and chord progressions and lyrics make it a little more somber with just a few hints of uplifting major chords.
“Walking for miles just to get a drink, then resting when we could find the shade, it’s hard to find the time for this poor boy to think, when he only eats if he sings and plays.” It’s still a well done song but this isn’t something that changes the minds of people who don’t like country.
“Railroad Blues” is another very well-performed and professional sounding track. It’s comparably more upbeat and will definitely hit home with anyone willing to give Creamery Station a shot. There are light hints of country style instruments and it is based on a 12 bar blues chord progression which makes this one feel more rock and roll than anything else.
Now “Sam the Clam” is where things get interesting. Harmonica player Don DeStefano dreamt up this song years ago in a separate band of his own while rehearsing backstage of a blues club called “Sam the Clam’s.” John Coltrane and Miles Davis were a big part of the inspiration behind this track as well as renowned harmonica virtuosos like Toots Thielmans and Little Walter. The combination makes for a jazzy, bluesy and damned smooth recording. It’s all instrumental to give keyboardist Jon Truelson, guitarist Jim Kader and DeStefano a chance to strut their stuff. The guitar is set to a perfectly smooth and warm tone, Truelson nails his time in the limelight and DeStefano absolutely kills his solo. It’s definitely the most fascinating song on the album and should be the go-to for first time listeners and those not soon keen on getting into the country scene.
And just like that, “You Did Me Wrong” jumps on and the listener is thrown back into the world of country. Unfortunately, like the first three songs, it blends into the rest of the old-school country scene, but they still absolutely nail the style.
“Out of Reach” is one of the most interesting songs on the album being that a country group created a pretty in-depth reggae sounding song. Everything about it is quintessentially reggae; a down beat, loads of percussion and funky guitar but a little hint of blues with a flavor of harmonica that sets this track apart from other songs of the same style. The best part of this song has to be the guitar solo. It’s a little dissonant and very similar to the styling of Carlos Santana. It’s a phenomenal track considering the roots of the band
The album ends on a bit of a bittersweet note with “Sleep Late,” a very lazy country sound that leaves a little bit of an odd taste in the mouth of the listener, but again, as far as EP’s go, this one was really, really well done.
Again, Creamery Station is coming to New York for the very first time and is going to blow the socks off of anyone that attends. This is a band that will be appreciated most in a live setting, so see them on Friday, January 20th at American Beauty in Manhattan, find their free first album online, and keep an eye out for their soon to be released full length album, Pastures of Plenty.
Key Tracks: Sam the Clam, Out of My Reach, Railroad Blues, Rambler’s Delight
A symphony of sound greeted a sold out audience inside The Hart Theater for Greensky Bluegrass this evening, and they opened with “A Letter to Seymour” and a dark “In Control.” The Band’s “Shape I’m In” got deep and stretched out nicely in a patient jam before a trio of new songs off Shouted, Written Down & Quoted followed — “More of Me” (with extra egg humor), “Fixin to Ruin,” and the very upbeat and extended “Living Over.”
Six opening artist were shot by Bryan with his NES Zapper. Those artist include Brett Eldredge, Lauren Alaina, Granger Smith, Seth Ennis, Craig Campbell and Adam Craig.
The 120th annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival will take place this year on Feb. 3-12. NYS Music is proud to present the 10 day line-up for 
Currently based out of Massachusetts, the vocal cord conductor known as 
Spirit Family Reunion
Since their conception, ten piece funk/soul band 
To understand 
