NYS Music 20​17

Category: Jam/Progressive

  • moe. Speaks at Penn’s Peak

    Nestled in the hills of eastern Pennsylvania sits a popular music venue that welcomes all genres of artists and is accompanied with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.  Penn’s Peak has hosted a vast array of talent from country stars to rock legends of sorts.  On Thursday, Feb 2 they welcomed the beloved moe. for the first time in their career.

    There was an abundance of energy as the venue staff and fans were excited to see them at the peak.   Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the inside of the building appeared as if you were walking around the inside of Noah’s ARC, constructed with large wooden beams and beautifully polished wooden floors.  These features were significantly enhanced with beautiful lighting by Pulse Lighting’s own lighting designer, Justin Casey.

    moe. took to the stage with some pep in their step and busted out of the gate with an energetic “Spine Of A Dog” that seamlessly segued into “Spaz Medicine.” After Al finished a ripping solo, the mood was reduced enough to flow into Tori Amos’ “Cornflake Girl.”   The remainder of the first set was a monstrous segue that started with “Timmy Tucker” and featured the fairly new instrumental, “Montego.”  Highlights of the second set include a long awaited “Stranger Than Fiction” followed by a juicy “Rebubula” sandwich that included “Jazz Wank” and “Buster.”  As the guys took a short encore break, they re-emerged after the Al.nouncements and capped off the night with “Downward Facing Dog” and David Bowie’s “Fame.”

    Set 1:  Spine of a Dog > Spaz Medicine > Cornflake girl, Timmy Tucker > Hector’s Pillow > Montego > Mar Dema > Okay Alright

    Set 2: Do or Die, ZOZ > Moth, Stranger than Fiction, Rebubula > Jazz Wank > Buster > Rebubula

    Encore: Downward Facing Dog, Fame

  • Spafford at Buffalo Iron Works

    It’s the beginning of February in beautiful, not so sunny Buffalo. The cold weather was no match for the barn burner that took place at Buffalo Iron Works on the first of the month with Aqueous and Spafford. As the crowd trickled in, The Emporium (Dave and Mike from Aqueous) took the stage to the hometown crowd’s delight. The set of mainly covers set the tone for the evening. Aqueous drummer Rob Houk joined in towards the end of the set and took the vocal lead on the Stone Temple Pilots cover “Plush.”

    If you don’t know about Spafford , it’s about time to change that. These guys are good and poised to take the scene by storm. Hailing from Prescott, Arizona, the band formed in 2012. Brian Moss is the lumberjack behind the axe.  Jordan Fairless is the man with the plan holding down the bass line and Red Johnson on keys. Last, and certainly not least, is Nick Tkachyk on drums.  Their sound is extremely tight. The segues were seamless. It was a beautiful night of music.

    Spafford continues on with their East Coast portion of their Winter Tour with upcoming dates supporting Umphrey’s McGee. Be sure to check these guys out.

    Setlist: Dream Jam , Windmill , BDF, Reds Jam, Weasel, Pallisaids, Weasel, Slip N Squander , LLO

    Encore: Tods Tots

  • Hearing Aide: Marco Benevento ‘Woodstock Sessions’

    Marco Benevento is the latest artist to record his Woodstock Sessions at Applehead Recording in Woodstock. The live album, recorded in a single take in front of a sold out studio audience with his band consisting of Karina Rykman on bass and Andy Borger on drums, features tracks spanning his career – from “Bus Ride” off his debut album Invisible Baby through the entire title suite from The Story of Fred Short.

    The album kicks off with Marco giving the audience his permission to dance as he jumps into “Dropkick” off The Story of Fred Short, setting the tone for this often bouncy and highly danceable set of music. While the pièce de résistance is the entire “The Story of Fred Short” suite, the 22 minute opus spanning styles, the instrumental tracks “Bus Ride,” “Coyote Hearing,” and “Greenpoint” all show off the band’s musical talent. He returns to the bouncy dance music with “At the Show” to close out the album.

    While the band is tight and musically talented, Benevento’s vocals are a bit lacking and almost a distraction. However, they aren’t enough of a distraction to prevent this from being a fun collection of tunes. Any Marco fan is sure to enjoy the album, and new listeners can hear a great career-spanning collection of his music. Woodstock Sessions will be released on Feb. 17.

    Marco Benevento is currently on tour. He plays New York City’s Brooklyn Bowl tonight followed by The Hollow in Albany tomorrow night. He’ll also be at Higher Ground in nearby South Burlington, Vermont on Saturday. After a few more shows in the Northeast this month, he heads west starting in late-March.

    Key Tracks: Dropkick, The Story of Fred Short, Bus Ride, Coyote Hearing

  • Interview: Marco Benevento Kicks Off Northeast Tour, talks Duo, Fred Short and his new Instrument

    Marco Benevento kicked off tour last night in Syracuse and performs tonight at Buffalo Iron Works. The Woodstock resident took time to talk with NYS Music about his recording studio in Woodstock, performances with JRAD and The Duo, as well as his forthcoming album Woodstock Sessions, due out this Friday, February 17. Catch him at The Rongo in Ithaca on February 1, Brooklyn Bowl on February 2 and at The Hollow in Albany with Maybird and Band of Ghosts on February 3. Marco Benevento sat down for an interview with NYS Music ahead of these shows.

    marco benevento interviewBen Landsman: You just played the first Duo shows with Joe Russo in years. What was it like reviving the Duo sound?

    Marco Benevento: It was so much fun. It was bit of work because we hadn’t done the music in a while and had to have a couple of rehearsals. I hadn’t done foot basslines on the Hammond in a while, but it was really well received.

    BL: Has performing in Joe Russo’s Almost Dead change your chemistry at all?

    MB: It did in a way. We play the part when we do the Grateful Dead stuff and go into character, even through we’re doing our own twist on it. We’re doing a very improvisational take on it. Maybe we’ve spent a lot of time playing together and the classic rock stuff, maybe it carries over from the complex nature of the Duo music. We’re good at reading each other’s minds, knowing when to move onto the next section. We have as pretty dialed in musical relationship.

    BL: You started singing within the last few years. How has that changed your sound, given that your piano lines/melodies can sound like lead vocals.

    MB: Singing is a new instrument for me, and now when I sit down I write lyrics before melodies at times. Coming up with lyrics on the spot and intuitively singing right from the start as far as the song-writing process goes, quite honestly im hooked. I love the new instrument, the new process that I have. I still don’t like the sound of my own voice, but after we do shows I get a lot of positive feedback from the audience, which I need because I’m still a beginner at it. I do love the process of lyric writing and the act of just singing with people live. It’s more of a connection with the audience than ever before. I’m currently working on my seventh record and have about 15 songs and they all have words and vocal melodies, so I can’t stop now.

    BL: You are the founder and recording engineer of the Upstate NY recording studio. Fred Short. What artists have recorded there and how has the studio changed you as a musician?

    MB: I have a lot more time to create. My studio is right next to my house, so then the kids and wife go to bed, I can get pretty busy out there pretty quickly. It’s all wired up so 1 or 2 on switches and we’re rolling. I’ve been super busy, I can’t believe I’ve been without it for so long. It’s so great to have a recording space that I know so well. I’ve had my friends come and record, a bunch of stuff for other people. A.C. Newman, the keyboardist for The New Pornographers did all the keyboard stuff for his album in my studio. I’ve done some stuff with Mike Gordon from Phish, he came up and we had a nice session with his band there. I did some new stuff with my friend who does the music for Bob’s Burgers and did some music for some of those episodes. Mainly I’ve been working on my own stuff and had Kalmia Traver from Rubblebucket come up to record “Limbs of a Pine” off my album TigerFace. A friend of mine calls it ‘Inspiration Station,’ a small room with tons of keyboards, some drums, bass amp and guitar amp.

    BL: Are you still using circuit bent electronics/toys/instruments? If so, which ones?

    MB: I’m not using it as much as I used to. For a while I went through a phase where I could use a toy help me write a song. There’s something about those toys – I call them ear candy – that sort of give me fun sounds to get started. Over the last couple years I haven’t been using them a lot, and did it so much. They’re battery operated pieces of plastic and sometimes they break on the road, which is part of why I don’t use them anymore. Casio drum machines I will use here and there and random Japanese kids toys too. I love them to death but haven’t been using them lately.

    BL: What have you been listening to lately?

    MB: Tons of vinyl, I have a pretty serious vinyl addiction. I’ve been listening to a lot of stuff off this record label Light in the Attic; they put out a Native American compilation that’s pretty dope. This band called Relatively Clean Rivers. I’m a big fan of the keyboardist from The Arcs, Leon Michels, he has some pretty cool stuff out there. I subbed for him this past May and really got a chance to hang out with those guys and check out some real vinyl and got pretty inspired by them. We made a record with Richard Swift from The Arcs, so whatever Richard, Dan or Leon does, I really dig.

    BL: What other musical ventures do you have planned this year?

    MB: We have Northeast tour right now, then off to the West coast via Colorado, then we have a 3 week West coast tour coming up at the end of March into April from Washington State down to L.A., promoting the new live album we have coming out called Woodstock Sessions, and touring around that for the next few months to promote the new live record.

    Full tour dates can be found here.

  • Firefly Music Festival Lineup Announced, Passes Now Available

    Firefly, the first ever fan curated music festival, has announced the lineup for this year’s weekend of live music and camping. The sixth annual event takes place on June 15-18 at The Woodlands in Dover, Delaware. With the lineup announcement, rumors were laid to rest and the Swedish House Mafia will not be part of the lineup, and they won’t be missed with the stacked lineup Firefly has produced for 2017.

    Headliners for the biggest east coast music and camping festival will include the Weeknd, Muse, Twenty One Pilots, Chance the Rapper and Bob Dylan and his band. The festival will also feature Thirty Seconds to Mars, Alan Walker, Weezer, Dillon Francis, T-Pain, Busta Rhymes, Galantis, Benny Benassi, DJ Jazzy Jeff, AFI, Flume, Phantogram, K. Flay, Kesha, O.A.R., Franz Ferdinand, Daya, Capital Cities and OK GO.

    Being the first ever fan curated festival, Firefly festival lovers had the chance to pick the lineup, choose what merchandise was sold and what designs would look like, activities, food and even the entertainment for Wednesday night’s pre-party as NYS Music reported earlier this year.

    Since its inception in 2012, Firefly has produced a great mix of musical talent across several genres. Some of the best in the music industry have graced the festival stages throughout the years. Past performers include Paul McCartney, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, John Legend, Bassnectar, the Killers, Lupe Fiasco, Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding, Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons, the Chainsmokers, Blink-182 and Deadmau5.

    General admission passes for the four day weekend are now available and start at $289. Camping packages are also available at the FireflyFestival website.

  • The Disco Biscuits Coming Home Again for 3 Night Run at the Fillmore Philadelphia

    The City of Brotherly Love has seen more Disco Biscuits shows than any other, and the tradition will continue on February 2, 3, and 4 with the band’s second 3 night run, home again at the Fillmore Philadelphia.  Almost a year ago to the day after their last visit to Philly, the Biscuits and locals alike are unanimous in their eagerness to get things started.  Having seen every show the band played last year, the fact that a slew of people consider last year’s Fillmore run to be one of the best in recent years in wholly unsurprising to me.  It’s the same concept of Home Team Advantage to make a seasonally appropriate football analogy; we’re all a little more comfortable closer to our roots.

    disco biscuits home againWe’ll be covering Friday night, right in the heat of it, giving first hand account of this writer’s 50th show.  Coming off a long, busy year of following the Disco Biscuits has honed my critical edge of their sound to a new level, and it’s safe to say that 2016 was one of their best within the last 3, 4, possibly 5 years.  The New Year’s Run at the famous Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA, was the band’s first outside region of their home town and the North East, and had some engaging highs and frankly embarrassing lows; will their return be triumphant?  Below you’ll find a video of the 3rd set’s beginning from New Year’s Eve leading into the countdown, a Trans-Siberian Orchestra cover entitled Wizards in Winter, with the most recent previous performance having been at the Rothbury Festival on July 3rd, 2008.

  • Umph Gets Extra Oomph with Joshua Redman in Rochester

    On a quiet and cold late January Sunday night, one beacon of activity in Rochester was drawing in warm bodies from all over Western New York. The line wrapped from Anthology’s doors, down the tour bus-filled alley and around the corner as showtime quickly approached. Bundled-up ticket seekers marched with their fingers out in hopes of scoring an opportunity into the sold out show. Progressive rockers Umphrey’s McGee were set to take the stage in moments, in what would prove to be one of the biggest shows the young East Ave. music hall would host to date.

    Anthology is a smaller venue than the band is used to playing at their current popularity. For the intimacy, the crowd was trading in the opportunity to catch the buzz-worthy jam act Spafford. The stage couldn’t accommodate them for their scheduled opening slot. Likewise, the low ceilings couldn’t accommodate Umphrey McGee’s massive lighting rig. Additionally, guitarist Jake Cinninger was sitting the show out with a sickness, doctor’s orders.

    No opener. No lights. No Jake. No problem. The quintet née sextet was up to the task.

    The dual guitar assault combined with the vibrant and chaotic lighting assault can make an Umphrey’s McGee show an overwhelming overload of the senses. This was a chance to take a step back and enjoy the more subtle nuance of their music and appreciate the musicians’ efforts on a more individual level. From the opening “Domino Theory” and on through the whole night, the rhythms laid down by drummer Kris Myers and percussionist Andy Farag really shone through and became front and center moreso than usual.

    Wisely and fortunately, guitarist Brendan Bayliss didn’t attempt to make up for his partner’s absence by redoubling his efforts. He took a more laid back stance, allowing the music to breathe. It certainly helped that their special guest for the evening was none other than saxophonist Joshua Redman.

    Redman, no stranger to playing with the band and finishing up a four-night run with them, was no ordinary guest. “Thanks for saving our ass,” Bayliss quipped. During his stint, which spanned the final three songs of the first set and the first five songs of the second set, he all but controlled the action. Entering first on “The Linear,” he immediately locked horns with Bayliss as they jammed in unison. Later on “Example 1,” he intertwined with some intense drum leads from Myers.

    The highlight of the night came as Redman took over in the mellower run through “Upward” and the rare “1000 Places to See Before You Die,” which slowly built to an intense and fiery jam highlighting Myers once again. Myers and Redman continued to punctuate the action in “Similar Skin” and when the dust settled it became apparent that Umphrey’s McGee had played almost an hour without any notable guitar solos.

    One young fan spent the entire night on their father’s shoulders just a few rows back from the stage. Bayliss noted him early on, sending him a rock salute. But the real treat came later in the evening when he dedicated Bob Marley’s “Lively Up Yourself” to the lucky kid. He sure had a good story for show and tell the next morning. Fans both young and old got a rise out of the set-closing fist-pumping singalong “Front Porch” which contained a rare romp through “Muff II” for good measure. As the last notes hung in the air, the sated crowd filed out and the quiet and cold returned to Sunday as the page flipped to Monday.

    Setlist (via umphreesmcgee.com)

    Set 1: Domino Theory, Loose Ends > Turn & Dub > Yoga Pants > The Linear[1], Example 1[1], Make It Right[1]

    Set 2: The Triple Wide[2] > Upward[1] > 1000 Places to See Before You Die[1] > Similar Skin[1], Lively Up Yourself[1], Robot World > Front Porch > Muff II: The Revenge > Front Porch

    Encore: Orfeo[3], Waiting Room

    [1] with Joshua Redman on saxophone
    [2] with Joshua Redman on saxophone; with Cocaine Blues (Escort) teases
    [3] just Joel on piano
    Notes:
    entire show without Jake
    last Muff II: The Revenge 12.30.2013 (311 shows)
    [FinalTilesGallery id=’965′]

  • Phish Announces 13-Night Summer Run at MSG

    Rumors of Phish breaking with summer tour tradition and taking an extended stay at Madison Square Garden have been circulating all winter, and today the band announced that they will indeed be taking up residence at MSG for a 13-night run.Phish 13-Night MSG

    The famed New York City venue has played host to Phish 39 times since their sold-out debut there in 1994, while the Baker’s Dozen shows will bring them up to 52 performances at the Garden by summer’s end.

    The run will start on Friday, July 21 and conclude on Sunday, August 6, with scheduled days off on the Mondays and Thursdays between. Tickets will be sold as the whole Baker’s Dozen package (13 shows for the price of 12) or as individual shows. Travel packages are available and pre-sale tickets are available now through Sunday, February 17 at Phish’s website. All floor tickets will be general admission.

    Phish 13-Night MSGAlong with the Baker’s Dozen announcement, came news that Phish will not be touring this fall, so it’s MSG or bust, Phans!

    Phish – The Baker’s Dozen, a 13-night run at MSG

    Friday, July 21
    Saturday, July 22
    Sunday, July 23
    Tuesday, July 25
    Wednesday, July 26
    Friday, July 28
    Saturday, July 29
    Sunday, July 30
    Tuesday, August 1
    Wednesday, August 2
    Friday, August 4
    Saturday, August 5
    Sunday, August 6

    Watch the announcement video below.

  • Umphrey’s McGee Exceeds Expectations in Albany

    Sometimes a band finds the perfect song to capture the feeling of their audience. With lyrics that sting out of raw truth and careful and passionate instrumentals, you can feel the connection between the band and its faithful fans. As Umphrey’s McGee opened their January 28 show at the Palace Theater in Albany with “Divisions,” a collective energy was felt by all in the room. “All my thoughts divided, oh. All my friends divided so. And our whole world’s divided, oh.” The timing of these words never more appropriate. “Soul embrace. We’re all the same.” The meaning never more important.

    Just days before the scheduled show in New York’s capital, the band announced their lead guitarist, Jake Cinninger, would not be performing for this and several other shows due to the flu. Renowned saxophonist Joshua Redman, was already scheduled to perform. The brass added an unfamiliar yet celebrated  element to the typical Umphrey’s sound. Yet, without Jake, this was not typical Umphrey’s to begin with. A sound noticeably different, but surprisingly not at all disappointing.

    “Weight Around” was a masterpiece we’ve come to expect from this band, who are celebrating their 19th year together. Redman took the stage for “Gone for Good,” although he was overpowered by Brendan Bayliss’ guitar and Ryan Statsik’s thundering bass. It was unclear if this was a technical issue or due to the fact he wasn’t standing anywhere near his mic. The problem was corrected for the next song, “Higgins,” and right into “Ocean Billy” to close the first set. Although not a substitute for the lead guitar, Redman serves as a unique alternative to be showcased.

    Second set was a helluva grinder to say the least. Nestled between an 18-minute “1348” and then a 3-minute finish to the song, “Intentions Clear” was the perfect song for Redman, fitting seamlessly into the groove. “Walletsworth” offered the fire and grit to bring the crowd to a roar, signaling their clear approval. Joel Cummins shone on the keys and Andy Farag delighted on percussion.

    Most surprising was the “40’s Theme” accomplished without Cinninger. Bayliss eagerly took on the lyrics. Once again, although different, the song was fun and satisfying. After a brief “Kitchen,” Bayliss addresses the crowd and acknowledged the elephant in the room – Cinninger’s absence – while expressing his gratitude for his colleague’s role in the band. After an impressive drum solo by Kris Myers, a mood lifting rendition of Simple Mind’s “Don’t You Forget About Me” clearly demonstrated the band had Cinninger in their thoughts as they closed the second set.

    Returning to the stage for “Resolution,” the lyrics again provided hope – “I see the road leading towards the solution we need.” Bayliss took charge on this with raw power and grace before they circled back to “In the Kitchen” to conclude the evening.

    As Bayliss addressed the crowd, thanking them for helping them out, it was the fans who got all the help they needed, even if just for a few hours.

    Set 1 Divisions, Prowler > 2nd Self, Weight Around, Gone for Good*, Higgins*, Ocean Billy*

    Set 2 1348* > Jimmy Stewart > Intentions Clear* > 1348*, Walletsworth* > 40s Theme, In the Kitchen > Don’t You Forget About Me^

    Encore Resolution> In the Kitchen

    * with Josh Redman on saxophone
    ^ Simple Minds cover

  • Trey Anastasio Acoustic Solo Shows coming to Troy, Northampton, Portsmouth

    Trey Anastasio has announced three solo acoustic evenings in the Northeast, his first solo acoustic performances since 2015.

    An Acoustic Evening with Trey Anastasio will bring the Phish front man to Academy of Music Theater in Northampton, MA on March 8, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy, NY on March 10 and The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH on March 11. A real-time presale begins Wednesday, January 25 at 10am ET, and ends Thursday, January 26 at 5pm ET.

    Trey last performed at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in 2001 with the Vermont Youth Orchestra. Solo performances are rarities for Trey. He last performed acoustic in New York City in 2015, Atlantic City in 2012, Newport Folk Fest in 2008 and opened solo shows in 2011 and 1999 with acoustic songs. This marks the first time Trey has performed a string of solo acoustic shows.