Let’s Be Leonard have released Live at Nectar’s, from their June 16, 2017 performance at the fabled Burlington venue. Tune in below and check out Let’s Be Leonard on their Fall Tour!
Category: Jam/Progressive
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Music, Craft Beer, Food: A “Finger Lakin’ Good” Time
Who is ready for a “Finger Lakin’ Good” Time full of music and craft beer? If you answered yes, maybe, or even “huh?”, NYS Music encourages you to come down to the Inaugural Lincoln Hills “Finger Lakin’ Good” Fall Fest in Canandaigua, NY, on Saturday, October 14.
For the humble ticket price of $15, you’ll gain access to more than seven live bands, craft beer, food vendors and a beautiful autumn breeze. The lineup will include The Eric Krasno Band, Floodwood, Dirty Blanket, Pearly Baker’s Best, Aaron Lipp & Yarms, Workingman’s Dead, Badfeet and more to be announced! Music will run from 12am until 8pm. Get your tickets .
The Eric Krasno Band will headline the event. Eric Krasno is the guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of the world famous bands Soulive and Lettuce. He is also respected as a producer and songwriter, working with everyone from Norah Jones, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Talib Kweli, 50 Cent, Pretty Lights, Aaron Neville, Allen Stone and beyond. In promotion of his latest solo album, Blood From a Stone, Eric Krasno is touring extensively this fall with his hand selected band. The Lincoln Hills “Finger Lakin’ Good” Fall Fest will be a prime opportunity for locals to catch a live performance of Eric Krasno’s self titled band.
Take a glance below and click the play button. You’ll find a Rochester Groovecast podcast episode. This episode is a preview of the Inaugural “Finger Lakin’ Good” Music Festival. During the episode, you’ll listen to The Eric Krasno Band, Floodwood, Dirty Blanket, and Aaron Lipp & The Slacktones (Lipp and Yarms). All of these bands will be at The “Finger Lakin’ Good” Fall Fest. If you scroll even further down, you’ll find a detailed episode timestamp. Find directions to the event here.
Timestamp:
00:00: Eric Krasno Band- Waiting On Your Love
03:32: Introduction
07:25: Eric Krasno Band- Blood From A Stone
10:54: Floodwood- North Country Winds
14:57: Floodwood- Whiskey After Breakfast
18:39: Dirty Blanket- My Getaway
24:42: Dirty Blanket- Dead Or Alive
30:53: Aaron Lipp and the Slacktones- Catching That Train (ft. Oliver Wood)
35:20: Aaron Lipp and the Slacktones- Weary Bones
39:26: Conclusion
41:22: Eric Krasno Band- Jezebel
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Cohoes Music Hall to Host Ominous Seapods Reunion this Weekend
The Ominous Seapods’ Tom Pirozzi revealed in September that the band’s reunion show at Cohoes Music Hall on Saturday, January 13 would become a two-night run, plus an addition show on Sunday, January 14 at Brooklyn Bowl, followed by the Zen Tricksters.
I want to thank everyone who bought Ominous Seapod tickets for January 13th. The show sold out in just 5 days! The band is overwhelmed by the support. Due to that fact, and the fact that Dana Monteith is coming all the way from Australia for the show, we’ve decided to expand the event to a weekend run. We will be adding Friday night, January 12th at the Cohoes Music Hall and an encore performance at the Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday Jan. 14th. The Brooklyn Bowl show will be one 90 minute set at 7:30pm followed by a set by the Zen Tricksters. The next day is a holiday so we can all rest on Monday. More details coming soon!!!
When we last saw the Ominous Seapods, they were bidding a fond farewell to co-founder Dana Monteith as he and his wife Deb prepared for a life down under in Perth, Australia. The farewell was Dec. 17, 2011 at Valentine’s in Albany. That show saw a tight version of the band throwing down with guest appearances from moe. drummer Vinnie Amico, Josh Himmelsbach on mandolin and promoter Greg Bell on vocals. Tickets for both Cohoes shows are sold out
The original lineup of the band (Monteith on guitar and vocals, Tom Pirozzi on bass, Ted Marotta on drums, Max Verna on guitar and Brian Mangini on keys) will be on hand for the reunion.
Known for their psychedelic jams and onstage humor, the Ominious Seapods came of age during the “New Renaissance of Jambands” in the early to mid-’90s and achieved a moderate level success over the course of four albums. The band broke up in 2001 and have played a handful of reunion shows since.
Listen to The Seapods discography on Spotify:
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Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad Links Kingston to Buffalo
With the bustling, vibrant music scene which Buffalo has remarkably fostered, there are often many places a music lover can find solace on an active Saturday night. Despite the many options, it seems many WNY music lovers knew the place to be on Saturday, September 30 was in Buffalo at The Tralf Music Hall to catch a nearly sold out performance by Rochester’s own reggae powerhouse Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (GPGDS).
Attendants were in great spirits as they frolicked through the doors and found a place to put their recently located jackets and sweatshirts on Buffalo’s first truly chilly Autumn night. The festivities began right on time with Hip-Hop Duo Level 7 Experience acting as the night’s MC and performing on the floor in front of the stage to better engage with the audience while the bands set up.
The crowd was loose and ready to dance once Level 7 Experience finished their first set and the opening band, Thunder Body, took the stage. The multi-instrumental, Rochester-local Dub group took no time to get started as they performed a bouncing set, spanning multiple genres. Jumping from reggae to ska to outward psychedelia, the well-rehearsed band did an excellent job using their horn section, percussionists, and theremin to create a very distinct sound of their own. It seemed as though they could play all night and everyone would have been okay with it, but unfortunately time was not on their side and they had to leave room for the main course.
After a well-earned standing ovation, Level 7 Experience took to the floor once again to entertain the crowd while the stage was set for GPGDS. Now that people were a bit more liquored up and frisky, the duo played to the room and performed more call and response songs than their first set. By the time they finished their last number and thanked the crowd, GPGDS took the stage leaving almost no time between performances.
As the band took the stage, the screen behind them featured a homage to the city by displaying the Bill’s logo with the buffalo replaced by a panda. It quickly became clear that this was a reoccurring symbol as many people in the crowd wore shirts with the logo, indicating how invested and committed the reggae band’s fanbase was in the area.
A long, slow drum segment started out the set, leading to an explosion of funk and reggae with bass player James Searl and drummer Chris O’Brian holding down the low end while guitarist Dylan Savage played a scratchy rhythm to get the crowd grooving. After the long intro, O’Brian mixed things up by playing a Latino-inspired beat prompting Searl to holler a Marley-inspired rap with quick, impressive alliteration. Following a breakdown and nailed composed ending, the band slowed things down and segued perfectly into a slower reggae number.
The light, minimalist reggae tune transformed the Tralf from a dark, oddly shaped room to a refreshing summer day just relaxing by the pond. Reggae fans experienced exactly what they came for as keyboardist Tony Gallicchio sprinkled light-hearted fills throughout the tune while the rest of the band kept things easy. From there they shifted the tempo once again to a faster reggae number which allowed guitarist Dan Keller to showcase his musical expertise by taking the quick reggae tune to space, infusing his love of reggae with that of psychedelia.
One of the most impressive aspects of GPGDS is their ability to jump from song to song without any stopping and constructing their setlist to feel seamless. They controlled the energy in the room throughout the night with few breaks in the music and making the show feel like a sound wave; going up and down as they played songs with varying tempos one after another.
Each member of the band was proficient at what they played and took turns on lead vocals. Throughout the night the band excelled at giving the crowd a genuine reggae performance while at the same time incorporating different genres to establish a sound of their own. By welcoming guest spots from the previous acts, there was never a dull moment throughout the show as you could not predict what was coming next.
Had you told me I would be walking out of this show and entering the humid streets of Kingston, I might have believed you after that performance. It is clear why GPGDS has such a strong following among reggae fans, and they can truly do justice to a genre of music that so many bands tend to butcher.
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The North Country Welcomes The Summit
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.
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Dive Into Fall: A Fall Down Music Festival Preview
Don’t let the weather deceive you, believe it or not, autumn began on September 22. Festival season in New York is nearing it’s close and festival goers are itching for a few last hurrahs. Next weekend, locals will be traveling to The Fall Down Music Festival at The “G” Lodge in Hannibal, NY. Presented by local booking and promotion company Hey Dude After Hours, The Fall Down is an intimate Central NY based music festival specializing in string music, jam bands, and singer-songwriters. Progressive string band Floodwood will be the headliner. Floodwood is lead by national talents of Vinnie Amico (moe) and Tony Markellis (Trey Anastasio Band). The Fall Down will take place next week at The “G” Lodge (81 Keller Rd, Hannibal, NY) on October 6th and 7th. Get your weekend passes for $50 here!
Take a glance below and click the play button. You’ll find a Rochester Groovecast podcast episode. This episode is a preview of the upcoming 2nd annual The Fall Down Music Festival. During the episode, you’ll listen to The Crooked North, Floodwood, Haewa, The Dwayne Johnsons, Folkfaces, Dirty Blanket, Timothy Braley, and Jungle Steve & The Gysophelias. All of these bands will be at this year’s The Fall Down Music Festival. If you scroll even further down, you’ll find a detailed episode timestamp.
Timestamp:
00:00: The Crooked North- Hop High My Lulu Gal
03:24: Introduction
06:19: The Crooked North- You Don’t Fit In
10:02: Floodwood- Waiting For The Punchline (Moe Cover)
18:58: Floodwood- Caught
24:22: Haewa- Chem De-Vision
28:04: Haewa- Swampin
33:37: The Dwayne Jonhsons- About That
37:17: The Dwayne Johnsons- Cold Pizza
41:24: Folkfaces- Angels And Demons
44:31: Folkfaces- Freedom Fries
48:24: Dirty Blanket- My Getaway
54:28: Dirty Blanket- Getting In The Way
57:58: Timothy Braley- Graceland (Paul Simon Cover)
1:02:15: Conclusion
1:03:55: Jungle Steve- Safe & Sound -
Lettuce Brings the Funk to Buffalo
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
Encore: The Flu
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An Interview with YES Keyboardist Geoff Downes
YES is best known for their influence on rock history and classic songs including “Roundabout,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” and countless others. On their recent YESTIVAL tour, YES featured a setlist of greatest hits from the band’s studio work, performing at least one song from each of the first 10 albums, starting with YES (1969) through Drama (1980). Matt Richards, keyboardist for Formula 5 spoke with YES keyboardist Geoff Downes about his gear, YES’ best compositions and the rock legacy of YES as they near the half century mark.
Matt Richards: How has the YESTIVAL tour stuck out to you compared to your previous tours with YES?
Geoff Downes: It has been very different so far because we have been doing the chronological tracks from each of the first ten albums. That has seemed to be something the fans really like because they get to hear tracks that are not in the normal YES repertoire and haven’t been played for quite some years. I think being on the bill with Todd Rundgren and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy has been a nice mixture to be able to have a whole feast of music rather than just the standard YES classics. In the past we have been doing albums in their entirety and it has been nice to move away from that and look at a much more historical view of the band’s catalogue.
MR: How is touring in The United States different from touring in The UK?
GD: A lot of the venues in The US are better designed for concerts in the modern age. The backstage areas and load-in areas are much more accessible. The British venues are not designed for big stage trucks to come through and some of the theaters in the UK are very old. There is a bit of a logistical problem in that regard but audience-wise, we’ve got a following in the UK as well as the United States that is very receptive to the music of YES
MR: Is there one song you find the most representative of the music of YES?
GD: I think there are certainly a few but I find “And You And I” from the Close To The Edge album is the most representative of YES’s music in terms of the changes in the sections, the dynamics, and the great uplifting finale. In a lot of ways, dynamics is what YES’s music is all about. It has the same application that classical music does where the orchestra is not going full torque all the way and it features certain instruments at certain times. That’s what makes YES’s music very interesting and appeal to a wide range of generations. It is always uplifting to play that one live and I look forward to it coming up in the setlist because it is such a great piece of music.
MR: As a keyboardist do you find there is any particular keyboard that is the most representative of YES’ sound?
GD: The music has been very focused since the early days with Tony Kay on the acoustic piano and Hammond organ rolls. That was extended more by Rick Wakeman when he started to introduce Melotrons and the Minimoog. I think those elements have always been key to YES’ music and progressive rock music in general. When I joined the band in 1980 that is when the real explosion of synths and digital keyboards was just beginning. I think I injected that into the Drama album. I tried to take it a step further and bring the technology in line with what was happening in music in general.
MR: Is there any keyboard that you are currently touring with that is your favorite to use in your performance?
GD: I use Mac laptops for recreating a lot of those old sounds because the software now is so sophisticated that we are capable of doing that. I have always been very interested in not only the musical side, but the technological side of keyboard playing. It is sort of a dream to be able to create these wonderful sounds with virtual synths.
MR: What program do you find is best to recreate the classic synth sounds?
GD: I use Apple’s Mainstage which is a development from Logic. Logic Pro X is the main program and it is great because you can create all these virtual layers of keyboards. It is a very powerful piece of design.
MR: With such an emphasis on composition in YES’ music, what role does improvisation have in the live performance?
GD: Generally, we try to remain fairly close to the original recording in terms of core parts of the pieces because that’s what people mostly have as their highlights of our music. There are occasions where solos have more flexibility and some of the arrangements will be chopped around while still recreating the songs accordingly.
MR: What role does YES play in the world of music?
GD: It is a very unique volume of music in the history of rock music. There is a very positive and uplifting experience that drew many listeners to the band from the beginning. The name of the band and the positivity emanating from that is carried on into the music. I think people find that not only something nice to listen to but also a spiritual experience. I think YES is quite unique in that respect that they can actually convey that feeling to people, making them feel good and want to say “Yes!” as they listen.
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Phish’s ‘A Live One’ Gets a Vinyl Box Set Treatment
The recent vinyl revival has brought the re-release of Phish’s first live album, A Live One, available Oct. 27 via preorder.
The track selection, famously, wasn’t from just a single show but was a collection of some of Phish’s best work throughout their 1994 summer, fall and holiday tours. Phans can choose between four different pre-order options, all of which yield a pretty big bang for their buck.
The options range from just the four vinyl box set for a modest $94.00 to $135.00 for the Stash Bundle which includes: A Live One 4-LP Vinyl Box, a 3X Fishman tee shirt on Heathered Stone and A Live One Lithograph Print and a full color lithograph featuring the original photograph from the cover of A Live One by photographer Danny Clinch (Measures apprx 12”x24”.) The Phish website says, “Each LP is pressed onto 180g split red/blue vinyl and includes a full color extensive photo booklet and a free MP3 download of the box set, transferred from vinyl.”
It’s unclear if these sets are in limited supply but it is safe to assume that they will sell fast. Boxes are available now for preorder with a $3.99 shipping fee.
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Space Carnival to Headline Brooklyn Bowl in October
One of our own 87/90 bands Space Carnival is headlining Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, October 24!
Catch Space Carnival in their first time headlining at Brooklyn Bowl! Also performing that night are Goose and The Southern Belles. Doors open at 6pm, and music kicks off at 8pm. Tickets just went on sale this afternoon, so be sure to grab them quickly here!Space Carnival blends high-energy disco, funk, and progressive rock into an interplanetary performance. Formed in Spring 2013, Space Carnival consists of Jeremy Kraus on Guitar, Cameron Fitch on Keys and Vocals, Chris Meier on Bass, and Nick Tassinari on drums. The quartet began honing their live sound when they launched into the Oneonta music scene in Fall of 2013. Space Carnival keeps a consistent, fun, and fresh energy by rotating set lists, adding covers and confidently debuting original material. This four piece is sure to have you dancing with their form of loose funk and relentless slippery disco.
Find out more about the event here.