NYS Music 20​17

Category: Genres

  • Searching for Sonic Spaces: An Interview with Morgan Bolender and Scott Ferreter

    “Do you remember who you were before they told you who to be?” Morgan Bolender asks the world during her demo track “Mary Oliver.”  She is a self-taught musician from the Empire State that has traveled the globe and currently calls Oakland, CA home.

    During her travels, she found her sacred path as an artist and after hundreds of thousands of Youtube views, she realized that her compassionate lyrics and beautiful voice was echoing throughout the world. Her debut album, Recordings From My Living Room, has gained popularity among her open minded and globally conscious followers and while the music may be too emotional for some, others find refuge in its soulful tranquility.

    Self-proclaimed “freak folk” artist Scott Ferreter calls his music “Deep Pools.”  Ferreter spends his time in the spotlight attempting to engage the members of the audience mentally and emotionally.  He uses his music to tell stories of his life and experiences.  Musical influences such as Radiohead, Neil Young, and The Band can be heard in his stirring tales of death, birth, peace and seasons.  After decades of practice, Ferreter has formed a bond with his guitar, allowing him the confidence and comfort to explore many different sounds and genres.  His most recent LP, See You In The Morning Light, has been described as “an ecosystem of emotion” by Sacramento News and Review.  It was no coincidence that Bolender and Ferreter found each other and formed a musical communion that has been strengthened through love, respect and admiration for one another.

    After their first sonic pilgrimage through the country called the Come As You Are Tour, Bolender posted on her Instagram, “Tour’s over. 10,512 miles. 34 cities. 70 days.  I have so many feelings.”  These feelings were planted inside of Ferreter and Bolender in the beginning of the Fall of 2016, and much like a tulip bulb, they are finally ready to bloom this Spring.  They will embark on yet another house concert tour entitled The Feelings Parade.  After the spiritual, emotional, creative and musical success of their 2016 travels, they have decided to do it all over again on an even bigger and more ambitious trail.  Their live shows feature the two playing together as well as solo before an audience of all different backgrounds and interests.  In reference to last year’s adventure, Ferreter writes, “We played over 35 shows, saw parts of the country we had never seen, and made deep-feeling community in places where we used to be strangers.  We miss you already.”

    The truly dynamic duo is currently calling on their friends new and old to host house concerts for their upcoming gigs.  No town is too big or small.  No mansion is too sparkly and no barn is too dirty.  No swamp lands are too filled with alligators and no desert is to dry.  Based on their Instagram feed from last year, they are willing to do basically all the work except building the venue itself.  If you or someone you know is interested in helping with the tour efforts, send an email to the performers and express interest.  I caught up with Bolender and Ferreter after their last tour to hear more about what they learned, what they liked, and what the future holds for them.

    Ben Boivin: What covers did you play most frequently?

    Morgan Bolender: “Hallelujah” by MaMuse, and “Old Before Your Time” by Ray LaMontagne. When playing MaMuse’s “Hallelujah,” I invited the crowd to sing along, which was almost always an overwhelmingly beautiful experience. There’s nothing quite like singing my heart out with a room full of people. My favorite times were when the crowd started out singing with quiet trepidation and finished with wholehearted gusto. Due to my own trepidation, I didn’t sing at all (not even in the shower!) until about 5 years ago, so it’s one of my missions to create a safe place for people to open up the channel that has enriched my life so much.

    Scott Ferreter:  I hardly played any covers this tour, because I have so many new songs I’m excited about. It was hard enough to decide which originals to play. One cover-playing memory that really sticks out is playing “Traveling Song” by Bright Eyes in Omaha, Nebraska, because that’s where Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes) is from. He’s one of my favorite songwriters, and it was quite the experience playing it on my first visit to his hometown and having several people in the crowd passionately singing along.

    BB: Did you switch up the sets or add more to a set based on where you were and the experiences you had during your travels before the shows?

    MB: Our sets varied from let-it-all-hang out, no-holds-barred-wild-fun, to playing for a garage full of conservative Christian corn and soy farming seniors on a farm in South Dakota who all brought their own lawn chairs. Part of the beauty of the intimate house concert setting is having the opportunity to really feel and connect with the audience – to experience them as a living body and try to tap into what would be most nourishing for that body.

    SF: The set changed almost every night, based on the feeling of the place and the feeling of the crowd. Also, a lot of my songs are very vulnerable and they often push at different social norms that I find myself bumping up against in my struggle to be my full self. For that reason, some of them were entirely inappropriate for certain shows and certain crowds. I have no interest in shoving anything in anyone’s face–my intention is to stretch boundaries, not break trust. For that reason, I found myself changing the set quite a bit.

    BB:  What was your worst show of the tour?

    MB:  New Orleans. For sure.

    SF:  Absolutely, New Orleans. Heiress to a fortune.  Old school classism and elitism.  Small turnout plus pretension equals a terrible show. I’m amazed that we played over 35 shows and only had one that I wouldn’t want to do again!

    BB: What was one of the best shows of the tour?

    MB:  That’s a really tough one, as I’m still processing the experience. My heart feels warm when I think about Kim’s living room in Blue Springs, Missouri, who Jodi filled with a lively, funny, loving crowd. Then I think of Jen’s show in West Bend, Wisconsin, which happened on gorgeous, magical land where, if there are fairies, fairies lived.  That show was so sweet and tender, the people so open and ready to receive what we came to share. And the, Paonia!  In a castle, and then a community house! And San Diego! Then the Dakota’s – a beautiful yard along the Missouri River, a sweet farm with Alice’s epic flower garden! Nicole’s overflowing yard in Nunica, Michigan! Playing for family and friends in NY, many of who’d never seen me play. Flagstaff, AZ, where they created an ornate backyard festival for us! There was a tea tent! I didn’t answer this question very well, but truly – there were so many magical shows. Oh! The squawking baby eagles that accompanied our show on Whidbey Island! The Heartson’s in Vermont, where we not only got to play a great show, but got to teach a songwriting workshop! Like I said – magic, magic, magic.

    SF:  There were so many great ones, and they were all great for different reasons. I had a particularly connected-feeling set in Paonia, Colorado. It was one of the few places where I felt no need to bring people into the right headspace for the music. It felt like we were all there together from the beginning, and it was so sweet to be able to just drop into the music and feelings.  Wisconsin was a very meaningful set for me because I showed up incredibly sad, and decided to be vulnerable and play the set I needed (instead of the set I imagined the crowd wanting). As it turned out, sadness must’ve been in the air, because it seemed like the perfect set for the people there, too. I left that show feeling very held.

    BB:  If you had to spend two weeks at one venue you played, where would it be?

    MB:  Hmmm. Possibly New Orleans. That place feels like an entirely different universe, and I feel like in order to really drop in and explore it, I need some time. Or Portland, because there are so many people there I love and want to hang out and make music with.

    SF:  Great fucking question! I feel like Ashville, North Carolina and I have some catching up to do. I’d never been before, and yet I’ve had many great friends live there over the years. I felt deeply connected to the land there, and could easily see myself putting in some weeks barefoot in Asheville.

    BB:  What did you learn during your travels and would you do it all over again?

    MB:  If you’re going to buy high quality, American made, ethically sourced and produced merchandise, be sure to let people know, because ethical and conscious consumption is really important for our people and planet, and I want more people to consider where their things come from.  Also, ethically sourced and produced merchandise is more expensive.

    Humans are extremely capable of adapting. For the first 2 weeks of tour, I was a wreck. My body was falling apart, my emotions raw, and my nerves fried. The pace of tour, the emotional expenditure, and the sheer amount of work was breaking me down. Once we got into a rhythm and once I made a strict “I need 8 hours of sleep per night” rule, things changed dramatically. I was amazed and inspired by how much my limits could be extended.

    It’s okay to need people. Okay, fine, I’m still learning that one, but tour helped a lot. I was very stubborn about my independence, and was sure to let Scott know, many times, that I could have done this on my own. But the truth is, I couldn’t have. Not this exact tour. I could have done some version, sure, but not what we did. Doing it together made so much more possible. And just because I can do something by myself doesn’t mean that I have to. I learned so much about how to trust and work as a team.

    I can set out to do something huge, and make it happen. Even if I don’t really, really know what I’m doing, I can learn as I go.  [There are] so many more things that I don’t know yet.  I would absolutely do this again, and intend to. I realized after a few weeks of the Come As You Are Tour that, though we were already reaping harvest, much of our work was seed planting. Meeting new people who became part of our community. Refining our model for producing house concerts. Creating systems. Walking first-time hosts through how to put on a concert. The tour was enough, just as it was, and, it’d be a shame to not put all we learned to use!

    SF:  I learned that I’m supposed to be touring and sharing my music! I learned that you don’t eat passionfruit by biting it directly in half. I learned that it’s better to play the songs I want than play the songs I think the crowd wants. I learned that just because the east-coasters don’t show their love as freely doesn’t mean they aren’t loving it. I learned that nobody wants to buy totes. I learned that there are fewer medium-sized people listening to our music than there are small and large people listening to our music. I learned that I’ve still got a lot to learn from Morgan. I learned that Morgan has still got a lot to learn from me. I learned that I’m making music on behalf of all of the people who are nourished by it, not just for myself.  I would do it again tomorrow!

    In a dark world, Bolendar and Ferreter use their music as the guiding light.  Their compassion for the human race is powerful and their creative approach to going on tour is refreshing.  The Feelings Parade of 2017 is sure to see these couch-surfing companions on an entirely new wave of energy and bliss.  Two old souls living their own version of the American Dream with a trunk full of instruments and heads full of sound will hopefully inspire a new generation to get in their cars and cruise the land of the brave and free.

  • Ivan Moody Clarifies His Comments About Leaving Five Finger Death Punch

    Several metal and hard rock fans, and various music industry insiders, have always had a lot to say when it comes to Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody. Over the last few of years, fans, music journalists and everyone else that has an opinion on this subject has always felt when it comes to Moody and his constant “meltdowns,” and “alcohol/substance abuse” problems, many are surprised that Moody has not been kicked out of the band.

    Moody was even replaced by All That Remains frontman Philip Labonte, to end the band’s 2016 run with Shinedown and Sixx: A.M., after Moody fell “ill,” and could not finish the remaining dates. As reported by NYS Music, many feel that Labonte’s time filling in for Moody was actually an audition and a possible glimpse into the future. So, at first, when several music news sites started reporting that Moody was departing Five Finger Death Punch after his 2017 commitments to the band started to circulate, not many were surprised that some kind of split between the band had finally happened.

    Hours later, Moody released a new statement saying that he’s not going anywhere.

    Moody’s KBPI statement read:

    I had a meltdown. I was like Kanye West without the money. To be completely honest with you, Death Punch and I have kind of come to a crossroads. We’re very proud of what we’ve done – years and years and years of work… It’s time for us to take our way and go do something else, so after this year… my new band, Villain… I’m so excited.

    After several hours, and no response for anyone in Five Finger Death Punch, Moody released a statement on the band’s Facebook page stating that Moody “sets the record straight,” with a link to the band’s website post of Moody’s statement about his comments to KBPI:

    It’s no secret that this has been a tough year for me and for my bandmates in Five Finger Death Punch. When you put everything you have into making music, both on and off the stage, it can be very frustrating when the music you work so hard to create is not allowed to see the light of day. I know we share this frustration with our fans too, who have come to expect new music from us – fans who mean everything to us. It is true that Five Finger Death Punch has come to a crossroads – and that crossroads is we’re all at a place where we will never again let someone or something hold us back from making music for our fans.
    The lawsuit by Prospect Park holding our new album hostage has taken a toll on me. I was in a rehabilitation facility when Prospect Park decided to sue the band last year, and that was very difficult for me to handle all at once.
    Yesterday I made a statement that was taken out of context by the media – a media always looking to create headlines that will make people click them. The truth is, I want to start a side-project like Corey Taylor has with Stone Sour or Maynard has with A Perfect Circle and I want to do it when Five Finger Death Punch’s deal with Prospect Park is over and we are out of this lawsuit.
    THIS DOES NOT MEAN I PLAN ON LEAVING FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH!
    The great thing about being a musician today is that you can explore your creativity in multiple ways without compromising your primary focus.  I learned this watching people like Corey and Maynard and I think their fans are glad they’ve put more music out into the world. I hope my fans are, too.
    All that said, Five Finger Death Punch fans can expect our next album via Prospect Park and we are geared up to tour all throughout 2017.  We are about to leave for South America and Europe and we have other dates TBD.
    All of us in the band have worked incredibly hard over the last 10 years to build this band and none of us are going to let that go just because our record company is trying to sabotage us.  I am sorry if the media took my statement as a resignation, but I assure you it wasn’t.” IVAN MOODY – vocalist Five Finger Death Punch

    Moody’s side project Villain will consist of members from Gemini Syndrome and Coal Chamber.

  • Infinite Spectrum To Hit The Road With Fates Warning

    NYC progressive metal drama rockers, Infinite Spectrum, will hit the road and support Fates Warning’s North American “Theories of Flight” summer tour. The tour will see several NY dates throughout the sixteen stops in the U.S. and Canada. Theories of Flight will take off on June 11, at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY, and return to the hangar on July 1, at the Brighton Music Hall in Allston, MA. Infinite Spectrum will end their run at the progressive themed Progpocalypse Now!, on July 15, at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn.

    Other NY stops on the Theories of Flight tour are July 13 at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, July 14 at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh, July 16 at the Gramercy Theater in NYC and on July 20 at the Iron Works in Buffalo.

    Infinite Spectrum’s second album release, Haunter Of The Dark, is a full length concept album based on the horror fiction writings of author H.P. Lovecraft. Haunter Of The Dark was released in June 2016 and marks the band’s debut album on Sensory Records. The album songs tell the stories of Lovecraft’s writing’s in the way the band has interpreted them through their progressive metal meets theater style of music.

    Infinite Spectrum is Will Severin (vocals), Alex Raykin (guitars), Alex Repetti (bass), Greg Schwab (drums), and Katie Pachnos (keyboards/harp).

    Theories of Flight North American Tour 2017:
    06-11 – The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY
    06-13 – Upstate Concert Hall – Clifton Park, NY
    06-14 – Mulcahy’s – Wantagh, NY
    06-15 – Ram’s Head On Stage – Annapolis, MD
    06-16 – Gramercy Theater – New York, NY
    06-18 – Mexicali Live – Teaneck, NJ
    06-20 – Ironworks – Buffalo, NY
    06-21 – Mod Club – Toronto, ON
    06-22 – Agora Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
    06-23 – Token Lounge – Detroit, MI
    06-24 – The Forge – Joliet, IL
    06-25 – Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI
    06-27 – The Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA
    06-28 – Sellersville Theater – Sellersville, PA
    06-30 – Webster Theater – Hartford, CT
    07-01 – Brighton Music Hall – Allston, MA
    07-15 – Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY @ Progpocalypse Now! (no Fates Warning)

  • Hearing Aide: Talking Under Water ‘Talking Under Water’

    Talking Under Water takes us on a journey that some of us know too well: the winding path to recovering a broken heart. At times achingly candid, the overall tone of the album is triumphant, featuring big choruses and soulful vocals that stir the intricate songwriting. Talking Under Water is a five-piece outfit hailing from Rochester. Their namesake debut LP is a great premise for what we can expect from this promising group.

    After Dave Chisholm received his Doctorate of Musical Arts from Eastman School of Music for jazz trumpet in 2013, he found himself returning to his roots of singer-songwriter. The project began to take on life when he decided to put together a band. He elicited help from fellow former Eastman students Elise Hughey (cello), Alex Patrick (guitar) and Joe Parker (drums).

    “I really think cello lends itself well to the type of songs I tend to write–these reflective, melancholy, lyrical things–so I asked Elise to play,” Chisholm told NYS Music. “She has both her Bachelors and Master’s Degrees from Eastman, as well. In any project she’s a part of, Elise really puts everything she has into it.”

    While Parker and Patrick’s contributions live on with this LP, Talking Under Water now features Colin Gordon (piano), Matt Bevan-Perkins (drums) and Samantha Thomas (vocals). According to Chisholm, there are plans in stow to record this summer with the current line-up.

    The group recorded in December of 2015 at Temperamental Studios in Geneseo, NY. A large portion of the LP was recorded live; and Grammy Award winner Stephen Roessner produced and mixed the record. Violinists Marja Alanen and Molly Werts McDonald, and violinist Ben Magruder joined them in the recording studio, along with jazz trombonist Brendan Lanighan and Matthew Sieber-Ford on tenor saxophone.

    One of the driving forces of this record is to give people a guiding path in times of trouble. “I just think about the hard times I’ve had, the struggles I’ve faced with regards to my own mental health–it seems like sad songs really serve such a strong purpose for those times in our lives,” Chisholm wrote. “So often the overwhelming feeling during dark times is one of isolation, and sad songs tell me that I’m not alone. The message is ultimately one of empathy. I hope listeners find this music cathartic when times are hard, and point the way for a more hopeful tomorrow, even on just a personal level.”

    The album begins with an alluring piano tune, and Chisholm’s voice quickly follows in the first track, “Lost,” which has the first big chorus that could be seen as the band’s signature sound. The interplay of instruments and artistic melody exhibits the diligence the band poured forth while producing the record. The second track, “We Used to Dream,” blends the horn section seamlessly into their sound. “Days Like Today” shows Beatles inspiration, while the piano certainly adds a wonderful element to the building melody. Finally, the track “Gravity” is an acoustic melody, eventually backed by Hughey with stirring cello, where Chisholm once again displays his wide vocal range.

    The album will be released on Friday, April 28, 2017. To pre-order your copy today, visit here. Talking Under Water will hold an album release show on April 29 at The Little Theater in Rochester. For more information, go here.

    Key Tracks: Lost, Days Like Today, If My Body Freezes

  • Formula 5 Gets By with a Little Help From Their Friends During ‘All Points North’ Album Release Party

    Capital Region jammers Formula 5 pulled out all the stops for their final All Points North album release party in Saratoga Springs in front of a full crowd of familiar faces and an exponentially growing fan base. After premiering the album in its entirety in New Haven with Relative Souls, the foursome decided to team up with the New Paltz-rooted The Other Brothers to serve up slices of true NY funk and soul on a Saturday night with a dirty laundry list of reasons to celebrate.

    From 8pm-10pm, fans rolled through the Putnam Den doors to enjoy the likes of a free keg with The Other Brothers set slated to rock at 9 pm. With a 15-song set, the six-piece of Chris Owens (vocals), Brandon Bera (drums), Gabe Marquez (keys), John Morrison (Guitar), Jared Nelson (Percussion) and Jordan Mendelson (Bass) kicked off the night with their rock and roll origins, soulful captivation and soaring vocals. Having convened in 2012 at SUNY New Paltz, the group is in the midst of preparing their first studio album, Jones. Having played shows for a few years and acting as seasoned veterans on the Rock and Roll Resort lineup, it’s a bit surprising that they’re only releasing their first album. At the same time, it allows you to get in on the ground level and perhaps grow with a band you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing or listening to before.

    From first impression, you could tell The Other Brothers’ sound and Owens’ powerhouse vocals provided a pleasing contrast to Formula 5 and what was to follow. As their set unraveled, each song found the front man, dressed in pale pink, rocking his hips back, forth and around town and further exploring his vault of dance moves. During a fun reggae-fusion tune, “These Cycles,” Owens’ charisma and onstage conversation demanded your attention–all that was left to do was listen and sway along with him. He often took the audience through anecdotes of how song titles came to be and strange one-off experiences that helped shape their musical contributions. It was hard not to keep your eyes locked on Nelson as his hands transitioned through tapping the congas and tossing a shaker, tambourine and rain stick for high points of the set, which also included Mendelson, sporting a Iron Maiden hockey jersey, impressively hitting quick tempo switches and odd time signatures on “Your Machine.” “Hit You Up” brought out the first guest of the night, Wavy Cunningham, to ease smooth tunes and a bit of rap into the set while the ending track of the night, “Levee for Free” had all fans on foot and Formula 5’s Joe Davis (also sporting pink) delivering tasty licks on guitar.

    The eclectic group of six will open up for Vulfpeck’s Theo Katzman on April 19 at the famed Capitol Theatre in Portchester, NY.  Looks like all is pointing North not only for Formula 5 but for these New Paltz natives as well.

    The Other Brothers Set List:

    Sleep Yo, Good Thing, The Man, Don’t Mean A Thing, Love Recedes, These Cycles, K2 in the Bathroom, New Friends, Can I Get It?, Why You Are, Hit You Up*, Game Show Radio, Your Machine, Bound, Levee for Free*

    * Wavy Cunningham

    $ Joe Davis from Formula 5 on guitar

    After a short introduction from a sincerely grateful and proud band manager, Pete Mason, Formula 5 immediately launched into their double header with transcending energy and multicolored lights boasting “F” and  “5” from the top corners of the stage.

    set the tone for their Saturday night gig with kinetic energy that only kept building. While fans may have heard the newer tunes from recent gigs and even more recent album release teases, it was the first time listening to the entire album in a live setting, lending their ears to Formula 5’s natural creativity and improvisation. Bassist James Woods sported a slight smirk all night, which could be attributed to a number of things, but we’ll just pin it on the electric energy and a “load-off” feeling of finally offering the band’s new studio album to the world. The merch table was freshly stocked with musical material both new and old, freshly crafted Trout Waters pins and newly designed T-shirts available for longtime fans and those just discovering their music.

    Having transformed a Kickstarter goal into reality, Joe, Matt, and James long awaited the night’s celebrations after pouring endless amounts of effort into their third studio album which follows their self titled debut album, April 2014’s Edging on Catastrophe and one live album, Live Five Vol. 1. The quartet implemented some classic strategies as well as newfound ways to draw a dancing crowd to their Putnam Den gig. Joe and Matt dedicated a few hours of their day to Albany’s own Madison Avenue Ben and Jerry’s shop on free cone day to dish out tasty frozen treats to Albany locals, hand out fliers for the album release show and spin their newest record to listening ears and the hungry humans attached to them–talk about a marketing triple threat. 

    Set one presented All Points North front to back, with friends Phil Chow on trumpet and Bryan Brundige of The Chronicles on trombone during “It Goes” paired with a loud exclamation of “I love horn-ula 5!” from the depths of the crowd. Not only did Brundige lend a helping horn on stage, he handles audio engineering at OverIt Media and aided the guys through their All Points North journey in the studio. A long set break brought set two, chock full of covers, a “Tweezer” tease and a loaded surprise sit in. Following a jam and “Booher’s Pass,” moe.’s own Vinnie Amico took to the drum kit during “Pedro” to sit in for the group’s drummer. The two seamlessly transitioned on and off stage while the drummer tried to use his surroundings to aid the beat to try and smoothly dip back behind the moe. veteran. Amico’s presence was unplanned, making the surprise sit in all the more sweet. The seasoned drummer happened to be hanging in the Saratoga venue before wandering into the back room and admitting  he was a Formula 5 fan and excited to see their set. From there, an organic sit in blossomed to cap off an already exceptional night.

    Next up was a double header of covers with Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry” and Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen,” band and fan favorites alike. Appropriately closing out a night of well deserved festivities and completing a pretty solid song cover trifecta, the night was wrapped up into a funky package with a Phish phavorite, “Run Like An Antelope.” Keeping the momentum rolling the next day, the guys announced their participation at The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival alongside Dopapod, Emancipator, BIG Something, Spafford and more. They’ll keep the grooves going with a continued Spring 2017 tour as summertime bliss will bring Formula 5 tunes not only to the festival circuit but directly to phans during the Madison Square Garden Baker’s Dozen run.

    Formula 5 Set List:

    Set I: (“All Points North”)

    Come Along, Sad Bed*, Trout Waters, Pt. I & II, It Goes…^, Excalibur, The Birch Tree^, Q&A, Do Tell^, Figure Out A Feeling^

    Set II:

    Jam -> Booher’s Pass, Pedro$, Dirty Laundry$, Hey Nineteen!

    E: Run Like An Antelope~

    *Unfinished

    ^ Phil Chow on trumpet, Bryan Brundige on Trombone

    $ Unfinished, Vinnie Amico of Moe. on drums

    $Don Henley cover

    ! Steely Dan cover

    ~ Phish cover

  • John Mayer Launches his Search For Everything World Tour

    The musically acclaimed John Mayer kicked off his latest tour at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY on March 31, 2017. This tour is in support of his recently released studio album entitled The Search For Everything.

    Search For EverythingThe format of his concert included five chapters to help guide the audience through the show, which featured songs from his entire repertoire of music. The sets consisted of a digital backdrop that projected different scenes for each song. Mayer began by playing a set with his full band stretching as far back as his 2006 Continuum era to open the show with “Belief” and later playing “I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You).” During this first chapter, in addition to live debuting “Helpless,” Mayer stepped away from his sidekick guitar with a microphone in hand to engage with his audience during “Moving On and Getting Over.” He decided to play the hook back multiple times varying the speed and melody while breaking out unusual dance moves rarely seen in his live performances.

    Not only is John Mayer a brilliant lyricist with a distinguishable voice, but he is also an incredibly talented guitarist. The second chapter of his show was composed of three well-known songs and referred to as the ‘acoustic’ set, allowing him to display his mesmerizing guitar skills. In this chapter specifically, the crowd could be caught singing along to every word of “Daughters” and his infamous cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” where he was accompanied by band-mate and fellow guitarist David Ryan Harris.

    Search For EverythingEvery concert on this tour also features songs from John Mayer Trio (JM3) during which Mayer excitedly invites the legendary bass player Pino Paladino and drummer Steve Jordan to perform alongside him. The trio reunited on stage to play both original JM3 songs and covers from the greats such as Chuck Berry and Jimi Hendrix. Each show on this tour features well-known, new and obscure tracks from Mayer’s vast musical library.

    Some highlight performances from the fourth chapter were songs from his earlier record “Why Georgia.” Mayer also reminisced on the making of Paradise Valley before playing the light-hearted “Dear Marie.” After leaving the stage and returning for his full band encore, playing songs like the anticipated “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room,” Mayer exited the stage for what the audience thought was the last time, only to return a few minutes later to booming applause from the audience.

    Search For EverythingFor this final chapter, the entire stage set was transformed into a blank white page except for the word ‘Epilogue’ which flashed on the screen. Mayer appeared alone on stage sitting at a white piano which he used to accompany himself for the final song, “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me.” At the conclusion of the song, he walked through a stage door in the middle of the white screen that was not visible to the audience, leaving one to wonder if his passage through this door is meant to symbolize his continual Search for Everything.

    Excitement amongst long-time fans started buzzing from the moment Mayer announced his tour. His opening show exceeded my expectations as the emphasis was placed upon the music with a tasteful amount of production elements. I personally can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve for future shows and encourage all who have the opportunity to see him on this tour.

    Setlist: (Full Band): Belief, Helpless, I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You), Love on the Weekend, Moving On and Getting Over (Acoustic): Daughters, In Your Atmosphere, Free Fallin’ (Trio): Who Did You Think I Was, Promised Land, Wait Until Tomorrow (Full Band Reprise): Blues Run the Game, Queen of California, Edge of Desire, Dear Marie, Why Georgia, In Repair

    Encore: Stitched Up, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room (Epilogue): You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me

  • Hearing Aide: Woods ‘Love is Love’

    Some protest music speaks to specific events. Sometimes it commands specific actions. Other times it is a non-specified reaction. Woods’ Love is Love is a reaction to the unexpected turn of events that flipped the United States on it’s head last November.

    Recorded in the immediate months that followed, it is not overly negative, angry or sad. As the title clearly states, it is steeped in feelings of love. If you made a word cloud of the compiled lyrics of this six-song EP, ‘LOVE‘ would stand central, big and bold, eclipsing all others by a large margin. This is a record borne in protest, but one that exists to lift up and comfort. If the ‘Love Trumps Hate’ slogan needs a soundtrack, this is it.

    Woods fans will find immediate comfort in the familiar psychedelic rock sounds with it’s signature mix of Ethiopian jazz influences as the band had built into their last standout record, City Sun Eater in the River of Light. Horns, psychedelic guitar, groovy bass and in-the-pocket rhythms wrap around each other to form a bond not easily broken throughout this tight 30+ minute set.

    The record kicks off with positivity and warmth on the title track. It’s a song that instantaneously gets added to the Woods canon like it was there all along. “Bleeding Blue” sounds like the soundtrack to a Rocky montage, had Rocky been training in the streets of London while being chased by a throng of young screaming women. “Lost in a Crowd” brilliantly adds a sunny splash from the Caribbean to the already thick mix. Beginning with a din of digital crickets, “Spring is in the Air” builds to colorful and blooming horn blasts, but never quite explodes through to summer. Instead it falls quietly into “Hit That Drum.” The EP isn’t just oozing positivity, doubt and struggle do rear their ugly heads. But lead man Jeremy Earl more or less explains the main drive for the album in “Hit That Drum,” singing “Feeling dark / feeling down / I hit that drum / It takes me away.”

    They end it with a return to the title track, and a question, “How can we love with this kind of hate?” And comes the answer: “Say that love is love.”

    Key tracks: Bleeding Blue, Lost in a Crowd, Spring is in the Air

  • Big Mean Sound Machine Bring The Funk To The Root Cellar

    The 9-Piece powerhouse brought their album-release tour to The Root Cellar in Greenfield, MA on Saturday, April 15. Big Mean Sound Machine played their hearts out for two incredible sets for a crowd of locals ready to dance. They’re taking their groove back for a hometown throw-down in Ithaca, NY this Friday before taking a short trip down the east coast in early May.

  • Hearing Aide: Arthur Moon ‘Our Head’

    Arthur Moon, the transcendental Brooklyn-based project, has released its expanded debut EP entitled Our Head. The band’s founder and song-smith Lora-Faye Ashuvud was born in Sweden and raised in Brooklyn. She studied contemporary art at Smith College in Northampton and later relocated back to NYC to pursue music. The remaining members of the six-piece band consists of Rachel Brotman (keyboard and banjo), Nick Lerman (guitar), Marty Fowler (bass), Dave Palazola (drum) and Aviva Jaye (back-up vocals).

    arthur moon our head
    Lora-Faye Ashuvud lead singer of Arthur Moon

    Ashuvud has a unique way of creating the lyrics for her songs. She cuts out words from magazines and randomly combines them, thereby creating a contemplative and creative texture to her raw and hypnotic vocals. The first track and latest video from Our Head entitled “Room” showcases this unique process, with the addition of Lerman’s reverberating guitar and Brotman’s stark banjo creating a puzzling menagerie that the listener will relish deciphering.

    The politically minded track “Wind Up,” also recently released by the band as a video directed by film maker Sam Jones, interlaces spoken phrases from a robotic male voice that comments on today’s daily hypocrisies combined with Ashuvud’s haunting vocals. The track’s repetitive chorus, “Oh but the mind is narrow, love little wind up bird” is illustrative of a multi-layered critique of today’s social and political landscape.

    Tracks like “Bold Affair” and “Boxing” both use generous amounts of Palazola’s percussion which showcases various rhythms and time signatures that keep the listener actively engaged with the music. These tunes forces the audience to pay attention to the band’s musical details, a definite contrast from most contemporary popular music artists who do not exact that kind of scrutiny from their listeners.

    Arthur Moon’s fifth and final track on their EP Our Head is simply named “The Beatles Cover.” The song is the band’s modernistic homage to The Beatles’ White Album classic, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Ashuvud and company took many liberties with their take on this Beatles gem, one of which was the omission of the title phrase “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” from the chorus of their rendition entirely. “The Beatles Cover” also has a surprising lack of guitar on a track that historically relies heavily on the instrument for it’s renowned lengthy solos. The band fills this void with multiple synthesizer overlays and Ashuvud’s vocals creating an original version that is almost as creative and unique as the band Arthur Moon itself.

  • Bringing the Boy Back Home: Brit Floyd Bassist and Syracuse Son, Ian Cattell Discusses Playing a Hometown Show

    The spectacular Pink Floyd experience known as Brit Floyd visits the Crouse Hinds Theater at the OnCenter in Syracuse Tues. April 18. The band has been proclaimed, “The World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Show.” The spectacle and grandeur of each Brit Floyd show leaves few to argue that point. The Immersion World Tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s 1977 album Animals. Tickets for the show are still available through Ticketmaster and the OnCenter box office.

    Recently, NYS Music sat down with Brit Floyd bassist Ian Cattell, who grew up in the Syracuse area, to discuss the current tour; the pressure to perform Floyd material and playing in his hometown.

    brit floydBrit Floyd has been touring the world performing the music of Pink Floyd since 2011 but has its genesis in the Australian Pink Show back in 2005. Cattell has performed with both units in addition to playing in several prog-oriented outfits as an up-and-comer in the Central New York Scene.

    Cattell moved to Syracuse at the age of 10 and lived there throughout high school. He played with several local outfits that gathered some large followings during his time in Syracuse: Crazy Diamond and Childhood’s End, both Pink Floyd tribute projects; the United Booty Foundation, a popular funk-disco band and Seconds Out, a Genesis cover band. It was through these endeavors that Cattell honed his prog-rock chops, leading to his current gig with Brit Floyd.

    When you’re performing the music of such an iconic band in rock history, there is already a built-in fan base looking for note-for-note replication of that band’s work. When asked if he ever feels that pressure or if he places any pressure on himself, Cattell responded,

    Oh, definitely. If we were out doing original music, you can kind of do it however you like. It’s yours. Whereas, there are so many Floyd fans that listen to the albums over and over again and they’re so familiar with every last detail. We try to put a little bit of our own flavor into it for our own fun, but it’s only to a point, because people are expecting to hear how it is on the album.

    Cattell performs both David Gilmour and Roger Waters songs but finds his natural singing voice closer to that of Gilmour’s. He first “tried his Roger Waters vocals on with Childhood’s End” around 2001. He does admit to his voice being “in character” while singing Waters’ vocals. See below for Cattell in character during “The Trial” section from The Wall. Cattell goes full-on Waters. First timers may be fooled into thinking the Floyd bassist is making a guest appearance onstage.

    When attending a Brit Floyd show, expect to spend the night. Each show is approximately three hours long, with songs spanning Pink Floyd’s career. This tour focuses on not only the 40th anniversary of Animals but also the 1994 release The Division Bell, with other eras being represented as well.

    When asked what makes playing in his adopted hometown different from other venues, Cattell states, “Each time we play in Syracuse, it’s quite amazing. I feel like I know at least half the audience. If not from having done gigs or going to see gigs or through Facebook…I get a vibe off the Syracuse crowd like no other because I know so many people there. I do so many gigs where I don’t know anybody…but Syracuse is unique where it’s that the people I know are everywhere I look.”

    If you miss Tuesday’s show in Syracuse, Brit Floyd will be performing in Schenectady at Proctor’s Theater Wed., April 19.

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