On the eve of a massive blizzard in the Northeast, on Monday, March 6, and after the dreaded “spring ahead” of Daylight Saving Time, Phil Lesh and The Terrapin Family Band took to the stage of Brooklyn Bowl to fall back into time, specifically, to recreate a June 7, 1977 at the Winterland Arena in San Fransisco, California.
Honestly, I’m not positive when it was announced that the TFB would be recreating this iconic show in its entirety, but the fact that it coincided with the aforementioned weather and skip in space-time continuum was, if nothing else, extremely amusing to a few of us in attendance. Joined by Eric Krasno of Soulive, the Terrapin Family Band sounded fresh and eager, breathing new life into a set of Winterland ’77 that is nearly 40 years old.
Without hesitation, I will attest to having heard this show many times. I own the box set and collected the bootlegs. But for a few hours last night, I hung on every note with anticipation of what was to come next. And that is the large part of the appeal, to what is, the expansive catalog of the Grateful Dead. Even after all these years and incarnations and cover bands and the like, there just might be something new around the corner when you least expect it.
Grateful Dead Live at Winterland Arena on June 7, ’77
Set 1: Bertha, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Looks Like Rain, Peggy-O, Funiculi Funicula, El Paso, Friend Of The Devil, The Music Never Stopped
Set 2: Scarlet Begonias, Fire On The Mountain, Good Lovin’, Candyman, Estimated Prophet, He’s Gone, Drums, Samson And Delilah, Terrapin Station, Morning Dew, Around And Around
St. Phillip’s Escalator released the video for “Sleepy Silver Train Haze.” This rollicking tune is the opening track on their upcoming album, The Derelict Sound.
This Rochester trio is known for its profoundly dynamic sound, which is deeply influenced by the traditions of the delta blues and psychedelic rock. The video was shot live on the stage at The Little Theatre, the nation’s oldest continuously-running independent film theater. It was produced with the help of JR Kraus, Chris Hogan-Roy, and Eric Maira, and the audio was recorded by Alex Patrick and Schuyler Skuse.
St. Phillip’s Escalator is: Ryan Moore (guitar/vocals), Noel Wilfeard (bass guitar) and Zachary Koch (drums). The Derelict Sound, follows their 2006 debut LP Endless Trip and 2015 EP Elevation. It is set to be released on Record Store Day, April 22, and will be available in multiple formats, including vinyl. The song “New Age” from the upcoming LP is already available digitally for streaming and purchase. Follow St. Phillips’s Escalator for updates and news on upcoming shows.
Syracuse-based groove rockers Boogie Low have a hometown party planned for the release of their new eponymous album at the Westcott Theater Saturday March 18.
Photo Credit: Nicole Carey Photography
Opening for Boogie Low Saturday night are fellow Syracuse-area natives, Barroom Philosophers, who are also promoting a new release. Tickets for the show are $10 and can be purchased at Sound Garden in Armory Square or online through the Westcott Theater’s website.
The quartet first formed as the Boogie Low Trio in 2011. Founding members Tommy Dennis (bass), Loudon Smith (guitar/vocals) and Brandon Caza (drums) used a reggae-tinged sound reminiscent of Sublime and other Long Beach, CA bands of the early ’90s as a base. The band ditched the “Trio” from its name when it brought on guitarist Matthew West in 2012. The band parted ways with Caza in 2013 and was replaced by Brandon Au, completing the band’s current lineup. Other contributors to the new album include Ray Wiggins on drums, Ty Hancock on keys and Josh Alaniz, also on keys.
The new album, simply titled Boogie Low, has influences ranging from the aforementioned Sublime to Santana, moe., Umphrey’s McGee, 311 and Calexico. This range of influences allows Boogie Low to create its own distinct sound that encapsulates all of them.
Smith’s vocals are rhythmic, soulful and smoky, while West’s western-style guitar solos wouldn’t be out of place on a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack. This is especially prominent on the tracks “Mexico,” “Eldin” and the band’s signature jam vehicle “Shadows,” which closes the album. Wiggins’ drumming and Au’s percussion work is what keeps this train moving. Their beats are at the forefront of Boogie Low’s sound. The accents Wiggins and Au provide help to propel the rest of the band to the next level. One can easily feel the jamming possibilities in a live setting being propelled by the percussion.
The CD was produced at SubCat Music Studios in Syracuse by Jeremy Johnston and mastered by Patrick MacDougal. The band credits Johnston as being the captain of the ship from start to finish. Physical copies of the album will be available at the Westcott Saturday night or directly through the band’s website. Following the show, the album will be available through iTunes, Spotify and on Pandora.
Track list:
1. Mexico
2. Eldin
3. Back to Nothing
4. Better Way
5. Colas in the Sky
6. Annie
7. Miss Bliss
8. Tommy’s Song
9. Walk On
10. Mckenna
11. Shadows
Key Tracks: “Mexico,” “Colas in the Sky,” “Shadows”
I’ll openly admit I don’t know that much about bluegrass music, other than the fact there’s more emphasis on the banjo than other kinds of folk music. And my experience hearing the genre is limited to going to places trying to replicate an authentic Americana theme. So given the chance to review a bluegrass album, especially from someone considered one of the modern masters, Ned Luberecki is as close as a superstar the bluegrass scene currently has right now.
Along with playing for an extensive number of bands, like Becky Buller Band, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, the Rarely Herd, Paul Adkins and the Borderline Band, and the duo Nedski & Mojo, he also hosts two shows on the SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction channel, Derailed and More Banjo Sunday. But if there’s anything I got out of listening to his newest album Take Five, it’s that bluegrass isn’t limited to just songs about living in Appalachia and you can actually have a sense of humor playing it.
Even the album art itself leads me to believe Luberecki is in on whatever joke he’s playing. It’s very much the same 50’s modern style Dave Brubeck’s Time Out album cover is based on, but with an upright bass and banjo painted in the image. Not something you’d expect to see when preparing to listen to folk music, but I suppose trying to invigorate something new into a genre is good.
The first half of the album contains all the bluegrass you’d expect, and about topics people with a limited knowledge of the genre like myself can predict would appear. “Higher Ground,” (not the Stevie Wonder song) featuring Dale Ann Bradley on vocals, is about living in Kentucky, finding what your heart really wants, and proclaiming, “My mountain stands alone.” “We’ll Put out the Fire,” featuring Amanda Smith, is about finding the perfect man and “Fiddlin’ Dan,” is about a fiddle player who has the skills to charm even the fiercest of woodland creatures. Along with the other instrumentals placed in there, most notably “Adams County Breakdown,” “Night Rider,” and “B-Flat Medley,” Ned Luberecki has plenty of room to show off his quick plucking and interplay with the violin in the background, creating a proper atmosphere for some country revue action.
In the middle of the album, we get around to the part that separates this from typical bluegrass music, jazz covers! There’s the Dave Brubeck class for which this album is named after, the bossa nova standard, “The Girl from Ipanema,” and the Thelonious Monk song, “Blue Monk.” Luberecki’s banjo is still front and center here, but the background is completely different from the standard bluegrass on the rest of the album. There are jazz drums, blues guitar, upright bass, and organ bleeps happening, while the banjo playing is slowed down considerably to draw out every little musical line. Especially on “Blue Monk,” which features prominent blues guitar, Luberecki is certainly confident in his genre blending, with bluegrass, jazz, and easy listening all coming together.
The next two songs, more rather medleys, return to the standard bluegrass of so much of the album. “The Kitchen Squirrel medley”, and a medley of two Buck Owens songs, “Before You Go” and “Let the World Keep Turning.” It’s on the Buck Owens medley we finally get to hear male vocals befitting of the Buck Owens country tradition.
To top the album off, and going back to his humorous nature, Luberecki plays a cover version of the original Star Trek theme song, complete with the opening “Space, the final frontier,” monologue in a southern drawl, with a hint of William Shatner in there. And so, the album ends with as much as what preceded it. With forceful interplay between banjo and violin. Bluegrass, on it’s own, is a fun genre of folk music to get into, but with the humor and other genre infusions Ned Luberecki brings here, it wouldn’t surprise at all if he made a few more fans along the way.
Key Tracks: Higher Ground, Adams County Breakdown, Take Five
One of the hottest and fastest growing acts in the rock genre and live music scene, From Ashes To New, have announced that they have parted ways with vocalist Chris Musser, and drummer Tim D’ Onofrio. On stage, this group seemed to have great chemistry together, and put on amazing live shows. In a recent social media post about the situation, some band members hint at a possible rift in the band, as some play it cool.
From Ashes to New now consists of Matt Brandyberry (vocals), Lance Dowdle (guitar), Branden “Boo” Kreider (guitar) and new drummer Mat Madiro, who was recently was let go by Trivium, and filled in on drums for From Ashes to New after D’Onofrio married and went on his honeymoon.
In a chat with Brandyberry after a show in fall of 2016, he stated that the band was days away from announcing a headlining tour, and that they would bring Letters From the Fire, Stitched Up Heart and Palisades as support. Weeks went by with no announcement and the band suddenly took themselves off of the annual rock cruise, Shiprocked, which they were scheduled to take part of.
Matt Brandyberry posted the following statement on his personal, and From Ashes to New’s Facebook page:
As I’m sure most of you have heard, there are some changes happening with From Ashes to New. Unfortunately Tim and Chris decided this wasn’t for them anymore and have ultimately stepped away from the band. That being said, we are more excited now than ever before with the new music we are writing! To us (Lance, Branden, myself) change brings opportunity. I’d like to personally thank Mat Madiro for stepping in on drums, as he is a force to reckon with behind the kit! Keep an eye out for updates and awesome news moving forward. I cannot thank everyone enough for all of the amazing support you have showed and continue to show. I love all of you…here’s to the future!!!
Guitarist Lance Dowdle tried to lighten the mood with his Facebook post:
As most of you already know by now, From Ashes to New is continuing on without Chris and Tim. I’ve been locked in a room with Matt for a month now, and let me tell ya…. it’s starting to smell in here. But that’s ok cause this next record is off to an amazing start! I promise you guys it’s gonna be fire. These songs are HUGE! So while we finish up writing, we will keep all the fans involved with every move we make as you are our number one priority ALWAYS! We look forward to taking the next step with you guys, and sharing an incredible future together. And for the record… Matt just farted.
Former drummer Tim D’Onofrio posted this insightful statement on Facebook:
As I’m sure many of you have already heard, Chris Musser and I have decided to go our separate ways with From Ashes to New.
When I decided to devote my life to music I did so based on the fact that playing drums makes me happy. Over time, there were too many toxic and negative elements that came with FATN that I could no longer overlook. Ultimately, the aforementioned aspects outweighed the happiness that playing drums brings me which led to my decision to remove myself from the equation. I hope everyone can understand that when the joy of playing drums for From Ashes to New no longer existed, I would be doing myself, the band and all the fans a disservice by continuing to move forward. I appreciate every single person that has helped and supported me on my journey all the way from my YouTube covers to my time with FATN and for that I am eternally grateful.
I have put everything I had to give into my time with FATN. I am incredibly proud and grateful for all of the accomplishments, experiences and opportunity I have helped the band and myself achieve along the way. I’ve learned more in my 3 years in the band than could be gained in a lifetime. Though my outlook on a career in music has changed over the years, I still have a passion for music and drumming so this isn’t the end of my journey. This is the beginning of what I hope to be a very exciting next step and I can’t wait to share it with all of you who choose to follow it with me.
Suck out the poison. F**k the negativity. Follow your heart. Be happy. Love all of you for the support. Peace!
Fultonville, NY native and winner of NBC’s Season 8 of “The Voice,” young Sawyer Fredericks will be joining the stage with fellow local musicians The Sea the Sea, Girl Blue, Sandy McKnight and John Davidson for the 518 Songfest at The Egg in Albany, NY on April 1. interview
Sawyer Fredericks live on Recess with Spinelli at WSPN
Back in November, Mr. Fredericks stopped by the WSPN radio studio on the Skidmore College campus for an interview and to perform several live songs and discuss life on the family farm, musical inspiration, experience on “The Voice” and much more.
You can listen to the full radio broadcast here:
Sawyer Fredericks live on Recess with Spinelli at WSPN
Recess with Spinelli can be heard every Wednesday 8pm-10pm EDT on WSPN in Saratoga Springs, NY on 91.1FM and on Hoxton FM in London, England every Wednesday 11pm-1am GMT 6pm-8pm EDT
In a vast sea of pop punk bands, Lighters emerges as a stand-out from the crowd. On their latest EP, Fear of Missing Out, they pay homage to the nostalgic aspects of the genre, while at the same time redefining the boundaries.
Photo: Corinne Cummings
To learn more about what went into the making of Fear of Missing Out, I met up with the members of Lighters: Matthias Galley (lead vocals/guitar) Will Westveer (lead guitar), Jake McDermott (drums), and Alan Pelton (bass) at New Roots Coffeehouse in their hometown of Rochester. We talked about recording at home versus the studio, the stories behind the songs, and the best places to go in Rochester for a garbage plate.
Paula Cummings: So why Lighters?
Will Westveer: Plural nouns were the thing two years ago. Every band was a one word name with an “s” at the end and without the “The,” and we thought Lighters would be good. Part of the reason we changed our name (from Cult Classic) was because there was already a band called Cult Classic. But now there’s another band called Lighters. So it’s really unavoidable.
PC: How would you describe your sound?
WW: It’s very old school. There’s a lot of old school pop punk, old school emo.
Matthias Galley: Early 2000’s – The Get Up Kids, Blink
Jake McDermott: My girlfriend said last night, “You guys sound like newfound glory.”
Alan Pelton: We’ve also got that newer emo going. Modern Baseball is a huge influence.
MG: We’re not a straight up punk band, but that’s definitely where a lot of my roots came from – just like that pure aggression and energy and maybe not being technically the best but having heart behind it. I think that’s a lot of our philosophy.
JM: But we also want to get out of that and be more modern, like alternative emo.
MG: It’s really hard to put your music in a genre because you just have so many influences and you put them in the box and you don’t know what’s going to come out.
PC: The new EP, Fear of Missing Out, where did you record and who helped you put that together?
JM: First we tried recording at my house.
WW: It didn’t sound too bad, but it was too much work.
JM: My parents were out of town for Halloween weekend last year. We set up my drums in the living room. We put pillows next to the fireplace so no one would hear outside. And we just recorded drums for the entire day. Then we recorded their vocals and stuff for the next two days. We finally were almost done and we were on the last song when someone rang the doorbell. I forgot it was Halloween. So my dog starts barking, and we’re like “Okay, we’re just going to get someone to do it.”
WW: It was the last straw.
PC: Yeah, DIY is great, but it takes a lot of work.
WW: We recorded it with one of our friends in a band called REPS. They’re a hardcore band, they’re really good. They have a rehearsal space over off Park Ave and they’re turning it into a studio too. We’re one of the first bands that used it. The guitar player Jordan Foehner helped us. We were really happy with it. HQ Audio – they were deciding the name as we recorded.
MG: It’s cool to be at the beginning of something like that.
PC: And then the album art – that’s a throwback.
MG: That’s my roommate Billy Lyons. He’s a local artist. He had a show at the Bug Jar a while back and he just had a show at Ugly Duck Coffee. I was like, “Hey can you draw something that looks like 1990’s cartoons, like Rocko’s Modern Life style?” We had him base it off our friend Bobby Heath, who is the guy on the album artwork for the other EP. Bobby comes to a lot of our shows. We’ve known him forever.
AP: We kind of made him look like he’s not really fitting in, like everyone’s having a good time and he’s hanging around.
PC: And that fits the title of the album, Fear of Missing Out. So let’s talk about the tracks. Tell me about “It’s Cold, I’m Sorry.”
MG: That song I wrote after my 21st birthday. I went to a show at the Bug Jar. And it was my 21st birthday, so I left the bar and I forgot my coat inside. And my girlfriend was like, “What are you doing, you have to go in and get it.” So she went and got it for me. It was such an insignificant thing, but I thought it was kind of cute.
PC: The cold seems to be a theme, because there’s mention of the cold in the next song.
MG: You have to write about what you know, right?
AP: It’s something that happens in Rochester.
WW: It’s a reoccurring theme – you can’t get away from it.
PC: But then your EP came out right at the beginning of a heat wave, which was ironic. Tell me about the second song, “Cult Classic.”
WW: That’s one of my favorite songs, I think. That’s a song that we wrote in our old band Cult Classic. That’s why we named it. Back then it was only a verse and a chorus, like verse-chorus-verse-chorus. We only played it once or twice, but I always thought that the chorus was super catchy. We had this other song that we wanted to put on the EP, but we were on the fence about it. And I was like, “Let’s go back to that, let’s revamp it, let’s add a few more parts.” I think it turned out really good. That song’s about Rochester.
PC: But then there’s “Cranberry Lake,” which does not sound like a Rochester reference.
MG: Cranberry Lake is a campground up in the Adirondacks. It’s more of a return to a natural setting. We talk about Rochester, then we shift settings.
PC: I think punk pop bands have like three prerequisite songs, and one of them is always about getting out of town.
MG: We try to avoid those tropes because it’s really tough being a punk pop band.
WW: But you can’t really avoid the pop punk clichés.
JM: We love pizza and buffalo chicken.
PC: And then “Mary Jo,” that one’s a little different than the other ones.
AP: The title is my grandma’s name. One of the first times we played was at the Vineyard Community Space. She came and a ton of my family came and they took up half the room. She had like a folding chair – she got a chair from somewhere, I don’t know where – and she put it right in the front, like right in front of our mics. She put some ear plugs in and she just sat there for the whole thing. That song didn’t have a name, so we just slapped her name on it and it stuck. I kinda like it.
MG: I really like that venue. It’s cool. It’s all ages, which is amazing around here. You know it’s tough. I don’t know how you can encourage people to keep moving into the scene if you have venues that you can only go in if you’re 21. I just wish there were more all-ages venues around.
PC: The last song is “No Pictures Please.”
MG: The song itself I wrote two summers ago. Cold is kind of a theme for the whole album, but this swings to the opposite end of the spectrum. This is about summertime. We had put out our first EP and we were trying to write new songs, to generate new material and come together as a band. At the same time this was in between classes and I was living at home, because you can’t live on campus during the summer break. And you feel anxious and you just want to move on to the next phase. And I think that’s what the song is about – trying to advance as a band and a person.
Photo: Corinne Cummings
PC: How was the experience recording this one different than your first EP?
WW: The EP we did at RIT at WITR studio. We recorded the whole thing live so we played it all live in this tiny room. We did vocals afterwards. This time we had a lot more control. It took way longer. Last time took only a day. This time took a few weeks and we tracked everything separately, so we got to mess around with some tones. We did a little editing. It was a lot more professional this time around, and a lot more fun, really.
MG: Yeah, it was cool. We really did enjoy recording at HQ Audio. It was a really nice, relaxed environment. I didn’t mind coming in multiple sittings because it’s enjoyable recording with them and doing what we do.
AP: Jordan knows what he’s doing. In “No Pictures Please,” at the end, he jumped in too and that was super fun.
WW: Yeah, it was me and Alan and he’s got a booth with all of his board. Me and Alan were standing outside the booth with headphones and a microphone. And he’d hit go and run out with headphones on.
MG: He was really involved.
JM: It was fun doing vocals with Jordan.
WW: He helped out a lot too. A lot of harmonies and input.
AP: He pushed you to make it sound better – “No, you can do better than that” and “do it again, do it again.”
MG: Yeah, it definitely would have sounded different if we went with someone else. He had a lot of good constructive criticism.
PC: In your band interests you mention garbage plates. What’s your favorite place to go for garbage plates in Rochester?
JM: I like Steve T’s the best – on Lyell. It used to be Nick Tahoes. It looks really trashy, but it’s good.
WW: I love a greasy spoon.
AP: But I like Henrietta Hots, they’re consistent. They’re open late, too.
PC: Anything else you’d like to add?
MG: We had a lot of outside help, between Jordan and Billy who did the album artwork. And Bobby, too. He comes to shows whenever he can. And Tim Avery. He’s the reason we play shows. The majority of shows come through him and he’s the one who gave me my first shows when I was 16 or 17 years old. The way he goes about his business is very commendable and I really appreciate what he does for the scene.
On Wednesday, March 8, Syracuse celebrated the spirit of Jerry Garcia in spectacular fashion with help from Melvin Seals & JGB at the Westcott Theater. The intimate evening began with the Upstate NY native band, Los New Yorkers. The four-piece consisted of three middle aged men and one woman that hopped from one instrument to the next. The feel-good and upbeat originals reminded me of something that might get chosen as the theme song for a 90’s sitcom on TGIF. Members not only switched back and forth from guitars, washboard, drums, keys and bass but each member also brought their own original song to the table. While most lyrics consisted of life-changing events, their love for New York State and generic happy moments, Los New Yorkers did not ignite that Jerry spark that many Deadheads in the crowd were seeking. If I ever hear this band again, it will probably be while I am buying cotton candy at the New York State Fair because that is exactly how it made me feel.
Word has spread up and down I-81 about a Scranton-based bluegrass group known as The Dishonest Fiddlers, and the quartet did not disappoint. This collection of traveling ramblers were chosen by Dave Brown, founder of the band, who swaps artists for every show, making the “About Page” on their Facebook profile dishonest. The unique idea of taking musicians from different parts of the country allows Brown the freedom to mix it up at the drop of the hat and the pluck of a string. One downfall of never having the same band twice is that practice time is limited, therefore they are often forced to fight for space backstage.
At The Westcott Theater, the foursome found themselves practicing in front of the men’s bathroom line, which welcomed them with clinched legs and open arms. The first song of their actual set was dedicated to the “new friends in the bathroom line” as they channeled the folkie side of Garcia with a beautiful, “Rosa Lee McFall.” The remainder of the seven-song set consisted of all originals and the crowd seem to genuinely enjoy every minute of it. As the room began to fill up for Seals and JGB, Brown was hoping to elicit some crowd participation during “There Ain’t Enough Water in the Water” which was minimally responded to, at best! As couples locked arms and rowdily stomped their feet, The Dishonest Fiddlers’ time was up and Brown thanked the Central NY crowd for their support during the band’s first ever visit to Syracuse. For the sake of bluegrass music, I hope they return to the Empire State very soon.
Now past 11:00pm, fans were finally ready to embrace Melvin Seals & JGB and it was well worth the wait! Aware of the time, the crowd let it all hang out as the group opened with a funky jam sequence leading into “After Midnight.” While the famous Eric Clapton version of the classic fast-paced hit clocks in under three minutes, Seals kept this monster jamming for over 15 minutes! While on the topic of iconic rock-n-roll, The Beatles were gently sandwiched in the middle of the Jerry-influenced “Midnight” jam as “Eleanor Rigby” made its appearance as it regularly did in the late-70’s and early-80’s. The “Fab Four” from England were also covered during the next song of the evening, “I Want to Tell You,” which once again featured Zach Nugent filling in for Jerry on vocals.
After the smoking hot start to the show, “When I Paint My Masterpeice” peacefully calmed the audience down and was highlighted by Nugent paying tribute to Garcia with his delicate and passionate playing. “Neighbor, Neighbor” featured strong backing vocals from Cheryl Rucker and Shirley Starks, and on the night of International Woman’s Day 2017, the crowd was thoroughly glad to have these lovely ladies in their lives. In the heart of the set list, the Garcia/ Hunter gem, “Mission In The Rain,” somberly described a lost soul searching for redemption and where Nugent’s vocal abilities fell below Garcia standards, his guitar solo was sorrowful and spot on. The playful and gospel-influenced “Evangeline” lifted everyone’s spirits after the emotional “Mission” before the bluesy “Think” featured yet another powerful vocal collaboration.
Bassist, John-Paul McLean, exchanged smiles and notes with Seals during the classic R&B cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and to the delight of Deadheads in the room, Starks and Rucker pointed to the audience while they sang the chorus. Love had captivated the audience throughout the entire show, but especially at the end of the evening when they transitioned from “Somebody to Love” to “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You.” Seals introduced the band and gave one more stellar B-3 organ solo during the extra sweet version. Although the show ended past 1:00AM on Thursday morning, the band was not ready to say goodbye to their loyal fan base as Seals & JGB hung out by the merchandise table to chit chat with ticket holders.
Seals has spent over 30 years in the spotlight mesmerizing audiences with his swirling keyboard-synth magic, but he is still the humble, welcoming, and sincere man he was when he first met Garcia. As a child of the 90’s I have never gotten to see Garcia play live. Although I have listened to thousands of hours of recorded material, read numerous books and stared at videos on Youtube until my eyes were blood shot, I never had the opportunity to be a part of the touring community that was cherished by millions. Thanks to bands like Melvin Seals and JGB, fans like myself and long-time fans alike can come together and share love, smiles and gratitude with their sisters and their brothers.
The Dishonest Fiddlers Setlist: Rosa Lee McFall, My Brand New Jalopy, There Ain’t Enough Water in the Water, Steve, Sam’s Cigar, The TV Store, Steamtown Blues
Melvin Seals and JGB Setlist: Jam, After Midnight*, I Want to Tell You, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Neighbor, Neighbor, Mission In the Rain, Evangeline, Think, Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You
Frigid cold temperatures never hinder the die hard in Syracuse when it comes to their Irish traditions. Pushing through the cold and bitter day, warm smiles lined the streets March 11, welcoming the parade marchers and cheering them on with warm hearts and perhaps, just perhaps, libations to keep the edge off. Although only one third of the normal turn out attended the parade, it’s final destination at the end of the day was a fully packed ballroom at the beautifully restored Marriott Downtown where they welcomed The High Kings.
With a few more days remaining on the U.S. leg of their Grace and Glory Tour, the High Kings ramped up an already festive crowd with traditional Irish tunes. Playing all of the crowd favorites together with some new tunes from their latest Grace and Glory album, it didn’t take long to incite the crowd to clapping, singing, and dancing along. Their interactions with the crowd extended to the dance floor from which they invited a local musician who happened to bring his fiddle to join in on ‘Whiskey In The Jar.’
These multi talented musicians (Darren Holden, Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, and Martin Furey) have racked up an extensive resume on their own, but it’s the harmony of the four together that makes these gentlemen magical. Their traditional folk sound depicts stories of their culture and emotions of generations that have persevered. Their harmonies blend beautifully to transport you to the lands they sing of.
With two stops in New York still on the schedule, the folks in New York City know how special these gentlemen are and have sold out that show, so don’t miss your chance and get your tickets to their final NY performance at The Egg this week in Albany. You will not be disappointed as you celebrate your St. Patrick’s Day festivities kicking off the week with The High Kings.
Remaining U.S. Tour Dates: March 12 – City Winery – New York, NY United States SOLD OUT March 14 – The Egg – Albany, NY
March 15 – Live at the Kate – Old Saybrook, CT SOLD OUT
March 16 – Municipal Auditorium – Morganton, NC
March 17 – Music Box Supper Club – Cleveland, OH SOLD OUT
March 18 – Kirtland Center for Performing Arts – Roscommon, MI
March 19 – City Winery – Chicago, IL SOLD OUT
It’s March and it’s time for the 2017 NYS Music March Madness, Round 1! We bring together 64 up and coming bands from across New York State for a friendly tournament style competition throughout the month of March for readers to discover new artists who call New York home.
These are 64 bands you might not know about, but should. Recommended for inclusion in our field of 64 by NYS Music staff, contributors and readers, we hit every corner of New York State, from Long Island to Buffalo, The Catskills to the North Country and all points in between. NYS Music March Madness is a great way to discover a new and upcoming band in your area and show your support and love for bands you see often. We focus once again this year on the bands who are on the cusp of greatness. There was only room for 64 but we made some great choices and picked a wide array of genres to bring to you this year.
We’d like to thank our regional sponsors The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Nietzsche’s Buffalo, The Downtown Barn and Castle Studio. These small businesses represent the best of what New York State has to offer and celebrate music while inviting local and touring bands to perform for growing local scenes across the state.
First Round voting begins at 10AM EST on Monday, March 11, and closes at midnight on Wednesday, March 13. Second Round begins at 10AM EST on Thursday, March 14 with the remaining 32 teams. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!
Without hesitation, I will attest to having heard this show many times. I own the box set and collected the bootlegs. But for a few hours last night, I hung on every note with anticipation of what was to come next. And that is the large part of the appeal, to what is, the expansive catalog of the Grateful Dead. Even after all these years and incarnations and cover bands and the like, there just might be something new around the corner when you least expect it.
Along with playing for an extensive number of bands, like Becky Buller Band, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, the Rarely Herd, Paul Adkins and the Borderline Band, and the duo Nedski & Mojo, he also hosts two shows on the SiriusXM Bluegrass Junction channel, Derailed and More Banjo Sunday. But if there’s anything I got out of listening to his newest album Take Five, it’s that bluegrass isn’t limited to just songs about living in Appalachia and you can actually have a sense of humor playing it.
Word has spread up and down I-81 about a Scranton-based bluegrass group known as 
Now past 11:00pm, fans were finally ready to embrace Melvin Seals & JGB and it was well worth the wait! Aware of the time, the crowd let it all hang out as the group opened with a funky jam sequence leading into “After Midnight.” While the famous Eric Clapton version of the classic fast-paced hit clocks in under three minutes, Seals kept this monster jamming for over 15 minutes! While on the topic of iconic rock-n-roll, The Beatles were gently sandwiched in the middle of the Jerry-influenced “Midnight” jam as “Eleanor Rigby” made its appearance as it regularly did in the late-70’s and early-80’s. The “Fab Four” from England were also covered during the next song of the evening, “I Want to Tell You,” which once again featured Zach Nugent filling in for Jerry on vocals.
Bassist, John-Paul McLean, exchanged smiles and notes with Seals during the classic R&B cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and to the delight of Deadheads in the room, Starks and Rucker pointed to the audience while they sang the chorus. Love had captivated the audience throughout the entire show, but especially at the end of the evening when they transitioned from “Somebody to Love” to “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You.” Seals introduced the band and gave one more stellar B-3 organ solo during the extra sweet version. Although the show ended past 1:00AM on Thursday morning, the band was not ready to say goodbye to their loyal fan base as Seals & JGB hung out by the merchandise table to chit chat with ticket holders.
The Dishonest Fiddlers Setlist: Rosa Lee McFall, My Brand New Jalopy, There Ain’t Enough Water in the Water, Steve, Sam’s Cigar, The TV Store, Steamtown Blues
With a few more days remaining on the U.S. leg of their 
