NYS Music 20​17

Category: Pop

  • State Champs Sell Out Hometown Show

    Albany natives State Champs truly came around the world and back after selling out their hometown venue in Clifton Park, N.Y. With a full house, State Champs performed to the best of their ability for their friends and loved ones on Saturday.

    On May 13, State Champs alongside Against The Current, With Confidence and Don Broco sold out Upstate Concert Hall on their second to last night of their headlining tour.

    The night kicked off with Young Culture, another band from Albany, N.Y. Even from the start, they got everyone’s attention by performing their song, “Bedroom Floor” which features Derek DiScanio of State Champs. The support from fans of Young Culture led into the next band on the lineup, Don Broco.

    The England-based rock group kicked off the night with their fantastic stage presence, and unique sound. Frontman Rob Damiani made sure to jump into the audience for their hit single, “You Wanna Know,” which took the audience by storm.

    Don Broco, which sound like a heavier version of The 1975 as a comparison, had a perfect vibe to bring to this tour. With their outstanding energy and audience engagement, Don Broco left an impression on fans with their catchy pop-sounding choruses with rock undertones. With their unique vibe and style, had it been any other night of the tour, Don Broco have the ability to be the band to steal the show.

    Intense pop-punk group With Confidence picked the pace back up with their engaging and impressive vocals and energy. Opening their set with their hit song, “Voldemort,” the crowd immediately reacted accordingly to their performance. Fans were jumping and screaming the words to the song, and trying to get as close to the stage as they could. Due to the importance of this date of the tour, With Confidence dedicated their performance of “London Lights” to State Champs. “This goes out to anyone who knows someone who’s stepped on their fucking heart,” said vocalist Jayden Seeley as they led into their performance.

    With the crowd starting to get sweaty from all of the activity, the night shifted to pop group Against The Current to steal the stage. Frontman Chrissy Costanza immediately jumped on stage grabbing everyone’s attention. Despite being on the road for over a month, you would not have been able to tell from Costanza’s performance. Her vocals were great for a live performance with the amount of jumping and running around she does with her time on stage.

    Although some of her high notes could have used a bigger breathe for a cleaner note, this can be forgiven from her non-stop intensive energy song-after-song. The band also worked to get the crowd ready for State Champs by having screaming contests with fans. Perhaps their strongest performance of the night was their song “Runaway.”

    When the time came for State Champs to take the stage, the energy inside the venue shifted. There is something absolutely incredible when you feel the energy and excitement of the friends and family of the members of State Champs cheering along in support.

    “It was truly special for us to play in our hometown at Upstate Concert Hall,” said guitarist Tyler Szalkowski. “We grew up going to shows there when we were teenagers so to now come back as a headliner and sell it out was astounding,” he said.

    State Champs opened their set with a popular older hit of theirs, “Remedy.” Fans immediately made their way to the front of the venue in droves crowd surfing on top of each other to make contact with State Champs.

    With their first performance at Upstate Concert Hall this year, the feeling of love and support from seeing friends and family in the audience made the vibe for this hometown State Champs show indescribable.

    “The night was made even more special by all of our friends and family being there alongside us,” said Szalkowski.

    With the new release of the deluxe edition of Around The World And Back, State Champs were able to use their tour to debut performing their new song, “Slow Burn” which was received well by the audience.

    Along with performing their newer material, you could tell there was support from longtime fans at the show due to the amount of activity from performing an older State Champs song during the show. Their performance of “Deadly Conversation” led to not a single person still inside the venue. Uncommon for State Champs, on this tour they performed one of their earlier acoustic hits, “Stick Around,” followed by a single from their new album, “Around The World And Back.” Their performance of the ballad featured Costanza from Against The Current, and had every fan in the audience singing along. “We used to sneak into this venue when we were too young to get in,” said frontman DiScanio.

    If you have the chance to see a band perform in their hometown venue, you have to take that opportunity. With the nature of State Champs intense energetic performances, this style is only magnified while performing for their friends and family back home.

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  • Music Community Responds to Allegations of Abuse by Member of PWR BTTM

    Multiple accusations of sexual abuse and harassment have been levied against Ben Hopkins, a member of the pop duo PWR BTTM, coming into the public spotlight via social media on the eve of the launch of their sophomore album, Pageant.

    The music industry and community are resoundingly sympathizing with survivors and witnesses of abuse. As a result, PWR BTTM’s album release show in New York scheduled for Friday was cancelled. Their managers and labels have dropped them. Supporting acts have withdrawn from upcoming shows. At least one festival has dropped them from the lineup so far.

    In a statement on PWR BTTM’s Facebook page on Thursday, the band offered to participate in mediation with those who are reporting abuse online. In part, the statement reads:

    Our primary goal here is to ensure that a survivor of abuse has a voice, that their story should be heard and that people who cross the line should be held accountable. What this means for the band, our album, our fans and our upcoming tours is, as of yet, unclear. Music is everything to us, but we feel strongly that this matter needs to be addressed first.”

    A touring member of the band who also helped with the arrangements on the album Pageant immediately resigned from the band. Cameron West had this to say on Twitter:

    Today, like many PWR BTTM fans, I was shocked to discover that sexual assault allegations were levied against Ben Hopkins. From my understanding, these accusations were in fact levied via e-mail months ago, but were left unshared with other members of the band, including myself. In order to provide the highest possible respect to everyone who has come forward, I am hereby ending my tenure with the band as an arranger and touring musician.”

    The band’s album release show which was scheduled for Friday night in New York City was cancelled.

    Also on Friday, the band’s management agency, Salty Artist Management dropped the band. A portion of their Facebook statement reads:

    In light of the allegations involving members of PWR BTTM, Salty Artist Management will no longer be working with the band. We do not take these kind of allegations lightly and our thoughts are with victims and survivors of abuse who have been affected by this.”

    By Saturday, PWR BTTM was dropped from their current and former labels. Polyvinyl is offering refunds on any purchases of PWR BTTM music or merchandise made through their company. Those who made purchases can send a request via mailorder@polyvinylrecords.com. Polyvinyl is also making donations to RAINN, and AVP, organizations which assist survivors of sexual assault and violence. The label Father/Daughter Records, who released PWR BTTM’s debut album, Ugly Cherries, have also followed suit, pulling PWR BTTM music and merchandise, and donating to the same charities.

    Over the past few days, supporting acts have withdrawn from billing on PWR BTTM shows. Nnamdi Ogbonnaya, iji,  Ratboys, and Tancred have distanced themselves from the band in light of the allegations in public statements on social media.  T-Rextacy acknowledged hearing about the allegations prior to them being made public. “We made a mistake supporting this band,” they stated. “We put our career above the safety of fans who have trusted us and supported us and there’s no way for us to remedy that.”

    Furthermore, the band has been removed from the lineup of this fall’s Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. “It is the primary goal of the festival organizers to ensure that everyone feels safe and free to express themselves.”

    Friends and fellow members of the Brooklyn music scene Diet Cig summed up the feelings of many fans and supporters in a Tweet on Sunday:

    we’re so heartbroken about these allegations and have been trying to sort through our feelings the last few days. one thing we know for certain is we believe and stand with the survivors, we take this very seriously. it’s scary thinking your friends could hurt someone like this but friendship doesn’t excuse these actions, or make them any less real.

    Support and compassion goes out to all survivors and witnesses of abuse. The resources below are available 24/7 via online chat or phone to anyone impacted directly or indirectly by violence.

    National Sexual Assault Hotline – (800) 656-4673
    The Trevor Project – (866) 488-7386
    LGBT National Help Center – (888) 843-4564
    Anti-Violence Project – (212) 714-1141

  • Rochester Music Hall of Fame Honors 2017 Inductees

    Last week Rochester honored six people who contributed to the local music legacy. In a ceremony held at the iconic Eastman Theatre, The Rochester Music Hall of Fame 2017 inducted blues man Joe Beard, classical composer Samuel Adler, pop star Gary Lewis, jazz trumpeter Lewis Soloff, radio DJ Roger McCall, and Penny Arcade owner Greg Sullivan. Highlights of the evening included spectacular performances by honorees and distinguished guests David Clayton-Thomas and Paul Shaffer.

    The first inductee was the legendary Joe Beard, born in the 1930’s to sharecroppers in Mississippi, he grew up immersed in the musical heritage of the delta blues. He migrated north and settled in Rochester, where he married and raised four children. In his lifetime, he has played with the likes of Muddy Waters, BB King, and Son House. On this occasion, he performed with his sons, Chris and Duane. They played a trio of songs from his extensive catalog of music, including “Don’t Know Why.” Joe stood center stage, his cherry red guitar a stark contrast to his dark suit, while his sons stood behind. At one point, they took turns soloing on their guitars, playing with as much comfort and ease as a friendly conversation.

    Next up for an award was Samuel Adler, a distinguished composer and teacher, with more than 400 published works to his name. Adler taught at the Eastman School of Music for three decades before relocating to New York City to teach at Julliard. His “Piano Quintet for Piano and String Quartet” was performed by Upton String Quartet with Yi-Yang Chen on Piano. The piece starts slow and lamenting, bursts into discordant notes, then finds triumphant harmony. It is a shining example of Adler’s adept skill as a composer, and why he is highly sought after for commissions.

    Gary Lewis took the stage, sidestepping his way to the mic. His natural ability at showmanship comes from growing up in the entertainment industry, taking the stage at an early age with his father, Jerry Lewis. Gary made a name for himself in the 60’s with his band, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, with rapid-fire hits that bumped bands like The Beatles down on the charts. Gary Lewis met his wife at the Eastman Theatre twenty years ago, and has lived here since. They still tour actively around the world. Tonight, they performed rousing renditions of their greatest hits, including “This Diamond Ring,” which had audience members dancing in their seats.

    The intermission was also a to-do, with performers and local music legends like Lou Gramm meeting with attendees in the hallways to chat, sign autographs, and share a “Kodak moment” with their fans. The second half of the night was more somber, with posthumous awards given to members of the local music community who we have lost.

    Lew Soloff, most notably known for his work with the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, spent part of his career teaching at the Eastman School of Music. His daughters accepted the award on his behalf. Paul Shaffer and David Clayton-Thomas also made the trip to Rochester to help honor their longtime friend. Paul carried out Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing” on piano, then took to the organ to accompany as David Clayton-Thomas played a trio of Blood, Sweat & Tears songs, starting with “Spinning Wheel.” He also sang “God Bless the Child,” a song originally done by Billie Holiday, which he said Lew had encouraged him to tackle. He ended with “You Make Me So Very Happy.”

    Roger McCall, the beloved radio DJ known by the alias “Unkle Rog,” worked for over 30 years at WCMF, making him the longest-running DJ at a single station. He worked the graveyard shift, and featured local artists, helping to cultivate the local music scene. Unkle Rog was taken from us in 2003 in a tragic act of violence. His wife and his son accepted the award. A tribute song “All Night DJ” was composed by John Akers. The jazzy number was performed by Akers on vocals and piano, Paul Akers on Bass, Erik Welsh on drums, Andy Calabrese on Keyboards, and James Richmond on Saxophone.

    The final inductee was Greg Sullivan, owner of local venue The Penny Arcade. The nightclub featured live music, bringing in major rock stars like Iggy Pop, Greg Allman, and Huey Lewis & The News. Sullivan also mentored local musicians, providing a place for them to hone their craft and grow a following. The club has been closed for seven years now, and Sullivan passed away in 2014. Sullivan’s wife accepted the award. A tribute song “We’re Rockin’ at the Penny Arcade,” was composed by James Richmond, Mike Gladstone, and Rob Smith. The rocking number was played by Smith and Phil Naro on vocals, David Cohen on drums, Ron France on Bass, Gladstone and Donnie Mancuso on guitars, Will O’Riley on keyboard, and Richmond on saxophone.

    The finale of the night was a tribute song “You Shine,” written by Jeff Cosco in memory of Greg Sullivan and Unkle Rog, and played in homage to the legends by Cosco on vocals, Mancuso, Gladstone, and Joe Chiappone on guitars, Bobby Bond on drums, France on bass, and Andy Calabrese on keyboards.

    All of the performances of the night were supported by the Hall of Fame’s house band, Prime Time Funk. The Rochester Music Hall of Fame is a non-profit agency, and this program was made possible by a host of local patrons and advertisers. For more information about the Rochester Music Hall of Fame and past inductees, visit www.rochestermusic.org.

    Photos by Battista Photography

  • 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

  • REVIEW: Making up with Adam Levine

    Watching Adam Levine perform with Maroon 5 was a dream come true for me and likely for many of the fans who came to the Times Union Center on Tuesday, March 7. The band had previously cancelled its appearance last September due to the birth of Levine’s first child with wife, Behati Prinsloo.

    Opening the evening was the U.S. Virgin Island group, “R-City” (also known as “Rock City), featuring brothers Theron and Timothy Thomas with a half-hour set of Jamaican based hip-hop, rap, and pop hits from its debut album, “What Dreams Are Made Of.” Upon performing the hit, “Make Up,” the brothers continued to make the show kid-friendly by teaching fans some Virgin Island slang. The crowd went crazy for a medley of songs R-City recorded for other performers —“Replay” (Iyaz), “We Can’t Stop” (Miley Cyrus), “I Don’t Mind” (Usher) and “Pour It Up” (Rihanna). R-City closed out the evening with “Locked Away,” a track that features Levine, of which he would reprise later in the evening.

    A rousing, electrifying drum solo welcomed the crowd to Tinashe and her group of female dancers, as they opened to “Ride Of Your Life,” from her sophomore album, “Nightlife.” In her half hour set, Tinashe also performed hits from Justin Bieber (“Let Me Love You”) and a remix reminiscent of 5th Harmony’s “Work.” before leading on into her own “Company”  and “All Hands on Deck.” The dance choreography from Tinashe and her dancers was great to watch. At one point, they were all in formation dancing to an Beyoncé-inspired rendition of “Single Ladies.”

    By the time the lights dimmed and the music began to blare, the audience was on their feet in anticipation of Maroon 5. Levine and company opened with “Moves Like Jagger.” Levine (guitar/ lead vocals) and his band, featuring Jesse Carmichael (guitar/piano), James Valentine (lead guitar), P.J. Morton (piano), Matt Flynn (drums) and Mickey Madden (bass), wasted no time in getting the audience to sing, video tape, and dance along to a majority of the band’s hits from “Songs About Jane,” “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,” “Hands All Over,” “Overexposed” and “V.”

    Watching Maroon 5 perform to an almost sold out crowd was an evening I will never forget. Levine’s famous falsetto range was on point for every single song he performed. If you’ve thought watching the band perform with Levine on The Voice was awesome, watching their live performance in person at a live venue is amazing. One of the highlights of the band’s first set was a high-energy performance of “Let’s Dance,” a tribute to the late David Bowie. While another was when Levine gathered the band to center stage for an acapella chorus of “Payphone.”

    The encore featured nothing but an electronic drum kit and a piano. Levine and Valentine opened with an intimate look at the timeless hit, “She Will Be Loved.” Valentine took the lead, performing on acoustic guitar as Levine sang. He dedicated the song to all of the beautiful ladies who came to watch the show. Morton and Flynn joined Levine and Valentine to perform, “Don’t Wanna Know.” After a few more songs, the band closed the evening with yet another tribute —an electrifying homage to Prince. Purple lights flashed and illuminated the stage as each of the members poured their hearts out to perform “Let’s Go Crazy.” Levine stepped up to the challenge, performing Prince’s blistering guitar solo at the end to the crowd’s delight.

    Amy Modesti is a visual artist, photographer and musician who’s dedicated to sharing what’s surrounding her with the rest of the Capital District and beyond. She’s one of the photographers for TheSpot518.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.

  • Interview: Super American Serves Up Retro Upbeat Sound with a Side of Pineapple

    Buffalo’s best kept secret is about to break out. Super American has been wowing the local music scene with its youthful energy and optimism. With two music videos out now and a debut album hitting the market on April 7, these boys are poised to top the indie pop scene.

    Photo by Andy DeLuca

    The core of Super American is Matt Cox and Pat Feeley, with friends helping to fill out on drums and guitar. NYS Music interviewed Cox to learn more about Super American’s peppy tunes, clever phrases and… pineapples?

    Paula Cummings: Let’s start with the one burning question that’s on everyone’s mind: what’s up with the Year of the Pineapple?

    Matt Cox: Before we started taking all the photos of our friends at shows, we all referred to the Year of the Pineapple as this sense of optimism for the upcoming year. When the year started, we didn’t have much of a choice, because we laid the foundation that this is the year of the pineapple. It’s a fun way to start the year.

    PC: So people are bringing pineapples to the shows. What are you doing with all of them?

    MC: When people do bring them to the shows, I’m not sure what they do with it. I typically leave it or I’ll pass it along. The last time we brought one out someone asked for it, so they take it and it makes its way to the bar or wherever it’s going.

    PC: Tell me a little about how Super American started.

    MC: We were working on songs about this time last year. We’ve been friends, Pat had in bands separately from myself and vice versa. It was something we talked about working on music together. We got together about this time last year and we haven’t looked back.

    PC: So you guys were in separate projects, but ran in the same circles in Buffalo.

    MC: Yeah, it’s a tight-knit community. We recorded our album through the spring of last year, we wrote it over the winter. We played a few shows in the summer. That’s when we gained the attention of Joe from the label, and put things on hold til the end of the year. And now we are going to release the album on April 7.

    PC: I’m looking forward to it. Going back to the community, you’ve been working with Andy DeLuca. What was it like working with him for the music videos and promotional photos?

    MC: Working with Andy, I personally grew up with Andy around the corner. He was a friend, and he was someone who inspired me at a young age. So I got to learn how to make music from Andy and learned how to be creative from Andy. Some of my best jokes were stolen from Andy, and at one point we were roommates. He just moved to the city, but seeing what he’s been able to do in a short period of time is awesome. When you have an opportunity to work with someone like that you let it happen, and you don’t take any second for granted, because he could obviously be spending his time elsewhere at this point. So we’re lucky to have him as part of our team.

    PC: I think he’s captured your aesthetic – that retro feel-good throw-back to an earlier, simpler time.

    MC: Definitely. When we made the video [for “Sloppy Jazz“] we didn’t have too much of a plan ahead of time. We just had an idea. We just went at it. And you just get out of the way of someone that talented who has a vision. He did an awesome job. The video he did was amazing.

    PC: Did he also direct the video for “Congratulations?”

    MC: He did. That was actually Pat’s idea. The stand still lyric video, which was cool. And Andy said where to sit and things like that, and he did the lyrics. We actually recorded those videos on the same day.

    PC: On your band profile, you identify your genre as “Poolhouse Rock.”

    MC: We were spending a lot of time this past winter in a suburb of Buffalo, in East Aurora. We’d go there every weekend just to get out of the city. There was a lot going on in the city. Sometimes it’s a bit repetitive and there are a lot of distractions. So we would go to East Aurora to get inspired, and not even just to write music. Our friend had a pool house that was potentially available to rent. So Poolhouse Rock is something Pat came up with. It’s about defining music, and removing yourself (from the label of a genre) to hear it objectively. So Poolhouse Rock works for Super American.

    PC: How would you describe your music?

    MC: We made a lot of effort to capture that same energy that we had in past bands that were a bit louder and more aggressive in an audible sense. So the energy, but a little easier to listen to. We made an effort to try and step up as musicians in this batch of songs we recorded, and I really hope we accomplished that.

    PC: What I like about the album is that it’s pop and it’s fun, but it’s got a message to it.

    MC: I’d say it’s a very friendly record. We wrote the songs all together. Our good friend Fred Cimato, who played in a band called Cute is What We Aim For for a number of years, really helped us when we were writing songs and arrangement and recording the album. Fred is intelligent when it comes to songwriting and producing. And Rob Grabowski, our drummer at the time, had a part in it. So it was a lot of heads put together for all the songs on the record. Our friends Fred and Rob recorded with us and were on the videos. Rob has moved to NYC and Fred is always down to help if needed. Now it’s Pat, myself, Steve Gardner, and Elliot Douglas.

    PC: Where did you record the album?

    MC: We were actually very fortunate in that aspect. We have a studio called CGR Studio that’s owned and operated by Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls. It’s been around many years. Rob’s done a good job renovating the studio. He’s had people like James Taylor come here to record parts of his album and people such as Lil Wayne. That’s the reputation CRG has. We’re very lucky to have a place to make something like that. We recorded with Jay Zubricky, who’s a producer here in Buffalo. He engineered it, mixed it and produced it.

    PC: What led to the signing with Take This To Heart Records?

    MC: We were looking at putting it out with a label. We were looking for a team approach.  Joe (the owner of Take This To Heart Records) was very nice to us. We have the same goals. He’s been getting us exposure on playlists. Working with Joe has been great so far.

    PC: What are your band goals for the year of the pineapple?

    MC: To live up to the standard of the year of the pineapple. And continue to grow as a band and as artists and grow as people. And if we’re able to do that then I think that those things our band looks forward to like touring and playing shows will take care of themselves.

    PC: Anything else you’d like to add?

    MC: I would suggest that people listen to the Del Paxton record. I highly recommend it.

    Photo by Andy DeLuca

    Disposable and pineapple-themed Super American t-shirts are available to preorder on Take This to Heart Records.

    Upcoming Shows:

    4/8 – Buffalo, NY @ Waiting Room
    4/14 – New York, NY @ TBA
    5/24 – Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium
    5/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Alternative Underground
    5/26 – Washington, DC @ Electric Maid

  • This Week in Protest Music: Snoop Dogg, Juliana Hatfield, Sex Pistols and Stefan Lessard

    Snoop Dogg released “Lavender” (Nightfall Remix) featuring a clown named Ronald Klump, who wants to deport all doggs, and later Snoop fires a fake pistol at Klump, who later in the video is in chains. Watch the roller coaster video and judge for yourself:

    Boston-based soul/rock band Dan & the Wildfire released their new single, “Nothing But Love” on February 22nd and will donate all proceeds to the ACLU.

    Juliana Hatfield will release a Pussycat, a politically themed album, on April 28. Hatfield said of the release, “I wasn’t planning on making a record … All of these songs just started pouring out of me. And I felt an urgency to record them, to get them down, and get them out there.”

    Tom Maxwell profiles The Hutchinson Family Singers, who were abolitionists with an anti-slavery anthem.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyoC-JccYcc

    Katy Perry released “Chained to the Rhythm”, a ‘purposeful pop’ protest song, which was then skewered by the NY Post.

    Protest music towards Trump has taken off globally, and through dance music, as detailed by The National, based in United Arab Emirates.

    Connecticut based saxophonist Noah Preminger released Meditations on Freedom, on Inauguration Day and Mike Hamad at The Hartford Courant breaks down the albums political themes.

    Canadians are getting in on protest music too! Hollerado from Ontario wrote “Grief Money” prior to Trump’s election but it was “It was an unhappy coincidence” the song had a secondary meaning. Blood, Sweat and Tears former singer David Clayton-Thomas wrote “Ode to the Donald” and Wintersleep wrote “Amerika,” tunes that show the interconnectedness of American policy and our Canadian neighbors.

    Jon Lydon of the Sex Pistols, who rebelled against the system with punk in the 70s and 80s sees the bright side in Trump, in a new interview with Vulture.

    Stefan Lessard of Dave Matthews Band spoke out on the inclusion of political themes in the group’s music as a rebuttal to some fans disagreeing with combining politics with music.

    The Colorado Springs Independent takes a look at The Politics of Protest Music.

    Matthew O’Neill released “Louisiana” with all proceeds benefiting Earth Guardians.

    Portland, Oregon’s Jeffery Martin released “What We’re Marching Toward,” and the Worcester Telegram breaks down the song’s message.

  • 2017 Syracuse Area Music Awards Weekend Concludes with Sold Out Ceremony

    The Syracuse Area Music Awards, affectionately known as the SAMMYS, wrapped up its 25th edition Friday, March 3, 2017 at the Palace Theater in Syracuse with a brief performance from freshly inducted Hall of Famers moe.

    Ahead of Saturday night’s show at the F Shed, moe. closed out the two-night affair with a three song set of “Tailspin,” “Spine of a Dog” and “Buster.” Friday night’s awards ceremony, hosted by veteran Syracuse DJ and staunch supporter of the local scene, Dave Frisina, featured awards in 18 categories, including three People’s Choice categories, and performances by four Syracuse area bands, reflecting the broad range of styles and talent found in and around the Salt City.

    The SAMMYS is the brainchild of Frank Malfitano and now under the care of Liz Nowak. In 1993 Malfitano created the celebration of area music for an event at the Landmark Theatre. The event changed venues several times over the years before finally settling on the grand old Palace Theater on James Street in the Eastwood district.

    The festivities began with the Hall of Fame dinner Thursday night, upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. The Dinosaur has been one of Syracuse’s premier music venues since opening on Willow Street in 1990 and was a fitting venue for the honors and stories that filled the room.

    This year’s inductees were Mohawk Valley via Buffalo jamband moe., pioneering new wave singer/guitarist Meegan Voss, 70s blues rock artists Jukin’ Bone and singer-songwriter Paul Case. Also being honored were Anthony and Patricia DeAngelis for Music Educators of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Vincent Falcone. It was a night that had the feel of a class reunion. Hugs and excited shouts from people who haven’t seen each other in years mingled with stories of years’ past in venues no longer around.

    The inductions and awards ceremonies were hosted by Dave Frisina, a 1994 SAMMYS Hall of Fame inductee, long-time Syracuse radio personality, champion of local music and self-professed band dad. His son, Mike is a member of Syracuse-based band Simplelife. Most, if not all, of those in the room have dealt with him in some way throughout their career. A man like Frisina is what every music town needs. He is local music’s strongest advocate and has the platform for it at his current station 105.9 The Rebel.

    Induction and acceptance speeches were filled with anecdotes and inside jokes. Though, most in attendance, were on the inside of those jokes. Memories of broken down vans, vanished venues and bad decisions peppered the speeches. It was the talk of well-worn musicians who have dedicated their craft not to become famous, but simply to play. To the outsider, it was a look at a scarcely seen side of the working musician.

    The first honor of the night was for Educators of the Year. Husband and wife, Anthony and Patricia DeAngelis, two area music teachers were honored for their decades of influence on local musicians at Syracuse University, Colgate University, LeMoyne College, the Lyncourt School and Onondaga Community College. They were inducted by their well-spoken and surprisingly laid-back granddaughter Olivia.

    Voss was inducted by her husband and band-mate in the Verbs, drummer Steve Jordan. In her acceptance speech, she pleaded to “Save the clubs.” Case, visibly touched at the recognition for his long career avoided revealing too much of past days on the road, “My kids are in the room.” He lavished praise on fellow musicians in the room, including Jukin’ Bone member Joe Whiting as well as the master of ceremonies.

    Case, sporting a black tux and pronounced the Best Dressed in the Room by Frisina, closed his acceptance speech saying, “You get up. You drive to the gig. You set up. You play your ass off.  You tear down.  You drive a million miles home, week after week, month after month, decade after decade. You do it for the music.” He then dedicated his award to the late Bob Fleming of the Mossback Mule Band, who passed away in September.

    Accepting for Jukin’ Bone was Whiting, Mark Doyle and John DeMaso. Discussing the problems of being a young band, Whiting offered a piece of advice, “I would recommend not signing contracts under the influence of anything distilled or brewed, made in a laboratory or passed around and smoked,” eliciting loud laughter from the audience.

    The final inductee of the night was moe. Al Schnier spoke first in accepting the honor, speaking of all the Syracuse area venues spent taking in shows as a fledgling musician. Schnier lauded promoters such as Chuck Chao of Creative Concerts, who inducted the band, thanking them for shaping who they became as musicians:

    We came here as kids to see concerts Chuck (Chao) was promoting. They made us fans. Whether it was Driving Sideways or the Todd Hobin Band or the New York Flyers or 805; these were the bands we looked up to as kids. They could have been the Allman Brothers or the Grateful Dead; they were the same to us. You guys were rock stars.

    Drummer Vinnie Amico attributed the band’s style to its Upstate New York roots, “We all wear our hearts on our sleeves. We all kind of have this style, this thing we do, because of where we’re from. We’re blue collar, baby. We work hard, we play our music that way. There’s an edge to our music and that’s a testament to Upstate New York.”

    “The Oddities of the World” – the SAMMYS Hall of Fame Class of 2017

    On Friday, 54 artists were nominated among 13 Syracuse Area Music Awards categories. Sprinkled in among the awards were performances by several of the Syracuse area’s finest musicians, representing genres ranging from blues rock to country, rap, alt-rock and jam. There is definitely a varied and vibrant scene in Central New York.

    Emcee Dave Frisina kept the event lively and loose, often interacting with presenters and winners as they approached the microphone. Best Jam Band winner, Joe Driscoll, affectionately referred to the host as a jedi to laughter from the crowd.

    The performances throughout the night revealed the depth of talent in the area. The Ripcords opened the night accompanied by the Boneyard Horns. They ripped through three bluesy/tex-mex style songs, kicking off the night in a celebratory fashion. Unfortunately, just as they seemed to be letting loose, their set was over. You can get a taste of what the Ripcords have to offer at their ReverbNation page here.

    Best R&B recipient Alani Skye had several family members in attendance and received perhaps the most vocal and joyous reception to a win. Her win for Don’t Forget About Me was never in question for the vocalist as she accepted the award.

    A performance by rap artist Curtis “Tall Bucks” McDowell and the Brownskin Band followed. The rhythm section of the Brownskin band mixed equal parts jazz and funk behind McDowell’s rhymes. A guest appearance by Syracuse rapper Real Tall for the song “Solar Radiation” had elements of early ’90s era Leaders of the New School collective.

    The reality of life as a working musician came to light when Lauren Mettler was awarded the SAMMY for Best Folk. After an awkward pause waiting for the recipient to make her way to the stage, her brother made his way up to accept. In his speech, he stated how he had just texted her and she was still on her way to the theater. So, as any good brother would do, he stalled for time as she made her way down the aisle, peeling her coat off as she ran towards the stage.

    Mettler mentioned how she had just gotten out of work and was trying to get to the theater as quickly as possible, even though she never thought she’d win. Such is life for those looking to make a go of it in the music industry. Everyday jobs sometimes throw hurdles at you along the way. Mettler was genuinely surprised and pleased with her award.

    One of the night’s cutest moments came when the award for Best Hip Hop/Rap was awarded to World Be Free for the album Nigg@$ to Gods. He was on the West Coast touring and couldn’t attend the ceremony. As his family accepted the award on his behalf, his young son took a turn on the microphone as his dad’s public relations manager, exclaiming, “My dad has CDs for ten dollars!”

    Country artists Chris Taylor of the Custom Taylor Band plead with the audience to get up and dance along to their performance. A funky “Keep Me in Mind” slowly drew the audience to its feet and a rousing rendition of the Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” easily won over the crowd.

    The Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist was awarded to Funk ‘n Waffles regulars, reggae-soul band Root Shock. This presentation seemed to be the biggest crowd pleaser of the night as fellow musicians and fans alike rose to cheer their win.

    Previous Bourke Award winner, the Spring Street Family Band took over the Palace with their high energy alt-rock performance that even had a band member’s dad jumping up on stage to take video with his phone. Their performance brought the audience to the stage, turning what was a somber awards ceremony into a full-fledged rawk show with a funk-metal-alt sound reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine or Faith No More.

    The ceremonies concluded with the awarding of the People’s Choice SAMMYS. Over 110,000 online votes were tallied in categories of Best Band, Best Live Venue and Best Festival or Music Series. The New York State Fair wrapped up the venue and festival categories with their representative thanking all of the venues in the area for supporting the live music that becomes a part of the fair each year.

    The award for Best Band went to Cortland-area country band, Small Town Shade, who also won the SAMMY for Best Country Performance for the EP Ring it Up. 

    moe. wrapped the SAMMYS with a lively three-song set that included “Tailspin,” “Spine of a Dog” > “Buster.” Schnier commented about the lack of curfew at the venue and suggested they keep playing until they are thrown off the stage. To the disappointment of many, Schnier apparently as well, the lights came on at the end of “Buster,” bringing a close to the two-day celebration of Syracuse area music for another year.

    Best Jazz: Second Line Syracuse, Second Line Syracuse
    Best Other Category: Syracuse Society for New Music, Music Here & Now
    Best Folk: Lauren Mettler, Patchwork
    Best Jam Band: Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate, Monistic Theory
    Best R & B: Alani Skye, Don’t Forget About Me
    Best Pop: The Jess Novak Band, Inches From The Sun
    Best Americana: Driftwood, City Lights
    Best Blues: Tas Cru, Simmered and Stewed
    Best Hard Rock: Breaking Solace – Shatter the Silence
    Best Alternative: Bell & Sgroi, Bell & Sgroi
    Best Rock: King Chro and the Talismen, King Chro and the Talismen
    Best Hip-Hop/Rap: World Be Free, Nigg@$ To Gods
    Best Singer/Songwriter: Alanna Boudreau, Champion
    Best Country: Small Town Shade, Ring It Up EP

    Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist: Root Shock

    People’s Choice Awards were conducted in an online poll for three categories. Over 110,000 votes were tallied. The winners were:

    Favorite Band: Small Town Shade
    Favorite venue to see live music: Chevy Court at the New York State Fair
    Favorite festival or music series: The Great New York State Fair

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  • Hearing Aide: Telehope ‘Chasing Dreams’

    The Cincinnati, OH based band Telehope released their debut and self-produced album Chasing Dreams on January 1 of this year. Lengthwise, the group’s eight-track album fits in between some people’s description of an EP and a full-length album. With that being said, Telehope most certainly does not lack content as each song showcases the best of what this up and coming band has to offer our thriving music scene.

    This quintet, consisting of Mark Brad, Adolph Goetz, Ben Malson, Nate Trammel and Brett Sackenheim, combines each of their individual talents to create the sound that is Telehope. In most of today’s music, musical interludes seem to be less prevalent than they used to be. Telehope has thankfully not fallen into this trap and utilizes the emotional power of instrumental outros in songs such as “Joy” and “Have My Heart”.

    They have also effectively matched a song’s musical mood with a title’s intended meaning as seen in “Insomnia,” the third track on their album. “Ghost” is another interestingly arranged song as it begins stripped down with merely vocals and ukulele. Near the end, just as you think the song is beginning to wind down, the volume of all the instruments and vocals drastically increases for a split second catching the listener (certainly myself) off-guard. Though at first I questioned this creative choice, I came to the conclusion that it added an element of surprise ‘coincidentally’ reflecting the purpose of the song’s title.

    Pulling from influences that are visible in their music such as Walk the Moon and The 1975, this indie/pop band hopes to shine positivity through their music and succeeds in doing just that with their first album.

    Key Tracks: Joy, Have My Heart, Ghost, Chasing Dreams

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-LHDgwukA8

  • Buffalo’s Humble Braggers to Tour in Support of Debut Album

    Synth-pop trio Humble Braggers are heading out on a run of shows across the state. The tour coincides with the release of their debut full-length album, I Know Better, I’m No Better. It all starts with a hometown show at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo on March 10. From there, they travel across the state and circle back to Fredonia on March 22.  Tickets are on sale now.

    Tour Dates:

    March 10 – Neitzches – Buffalo

    March 14 – Bug Jar – Rochester

    March 15 – The Range – Ithaca

    March 16 – Silvana – Harlem

    March 17 – Ralph’s Diner – Worcester, MA

    March 18 – Pianos – Manhattan

    March 22 – BJ’s – Fredonia

    I Know Better, I’m No Better is out on Admirable Traits Records on March 10. The single “Weight” can be streamed now on Soundcloud.

    https://soundcloud.com/admirabletraitsrecords/humble-braggers-weight