NYS Music 20​17

Category: Rock

  • Interview: Trevor Lewington of Enter the Haggis Prepares to enter Putnam Den

    Canada’s finest Celtic music export, Enter the Haggis, will return to the Putnam Den this Saturday, December 9, with Albany’s Black Mountain Symphony kicking the night off. Haggis Heads will unite for an energetic night of Celtic rock as part of the group’s “Broken Arms” Tour.  Trevor Lewington (guitar, mandolin, keyboard, vocals for Enter the Haggis) spoke with NYS Music this week to discuss their New York fans, the Irish connection found at shows around the state, and how their studio work remains fresh after more than 20 years.

    enter the haggis interview

    Pete Mason: Given New York’s large Irish community spread out around the state, do you find the crowds to be different when you play in New York, or are Haggis Heads a universal fanbase?

    Trevor Lewington: There’s a strong connection between the US and Ireland so just about anywhere you go in this country you’ll find people with Irish roots. That said, obviously New York has one of the largest expat Irish populations so when you play in a band with pipes and fiddle, there’s big support. Our music also blurs the lines between a number of styles and many Haggis Heads across the country have little or no connection to Ireland, which is cool too. There really is something about Irish and Celtic music in general that draws the listener in and tends to get people dancing and having a good time.

    PM: How was your recent show at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse? And you’ve got shows in February in Buffalo and Rochester coming up?

    TL: We’ve definitely been busy recently! Besides the Upstate shows, the last couple months have taken us to California, Texas and Ireland. The Westcott show was awesome as usual – we play a wide range of venues from seated theaters to standing rock clubs and the Westcott (and Putnam Den) are two of the most rockin’.

    PM: How do you feel your music has evolved over the past few years?

    TL: We started as very much a Celtic/Irish Rock band and over about 10 albums have gone in all sorts of directions. Leading up to our last couple of releases we were getting further from the Celtic sound and then had a furious swing right back to our roots as a band. I think we needed a little time away from it to get excited about Celtic Rock again. We’ve also come to realize that for whatever reason this band plays Celtic Rock music in a very natural and authentic way – it helps having a Scottish piper and a fiddle player who grew up competing on the Canadian fiddle circuit.

    PM: Given that 2012’s The Modest Revolution was written based on stories found in a 2012 edition of Toronto’s The Globe and Mail, and another album was written based on letters from fans, how does giving your albums themes keep the studio experience fresh?

    TL: Not only did it keep things fresh but it was a great way to engage listeners. Plus, it’s usually our songs that are based on specific stories that seem to connect with our fans. That said, we’re embarking on a new record and this time I mostly just pulled lyrics from the depths of my heart and brain… and my liver… this is starting to sound a bit like haggis.

  • Cait Devin Returns to Funk n Waffles

    Cait Devin will once again grace the stage of Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown on Friday, Dec. 8 from 6-8 p.m. The 16-year-old singer/songwriter from Westmoreland got her start at open mikes, like the one at Funk ‘n Waffles. Now she’s playing shows throughout the Central New York region, performing a mix of indie pop originals and classic rock covers. You can also catch Cait solo on Dec. 9 at the Villa Verona Vineyard and Bistro in Verona and with her band Triple Threat at Copper City Brewing Company in Rome on Dec. 28.

    She is currently working on her first EP of original material, recording at Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica. Follow Cait on Facebook for updates.

  • Aqueous Announces Gorillaz NYE Theme

    Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous will be making their Town Ballroom headlining debut this New Year’s Eve.  In anticipation of the evening, the Buffalo based quartet has announced that in addition to their own catalog, they will be dedicating a set of music to the English virtual band, Gorillaz.

    aqueous gorillaz“AQ draws from many different bands’ catalogs for inspiration, and the Gorillaz catalog is one that all four of us are HUGE fans of,” noted Aqueous frontman and guitarist Mike Ganzter via press release.  “Their catalog integrates four styles of music that we all love: hip-hop, rock, punk and electronic, and once the idea got thrown out there to do a Gorillaz themed set, it was clear that that was the vibe we wanted to really set our NYE party over the top!”

    This past March, Aqueous made their performance debut at the Town Ballroom opening in support of Vermont’s genre fusing jam band, Twiddle.  As AQ steps into the headlining position to close out 2017, Ganzter reveals the evening’s importance to the band. “This city has so much love for us and has supported us on a really profound level at every turn,” he said. “We’re coming into this gig with true gratitude and a mission to deliver in a big way at a venue that we all grew up seeing our favorite bands perform at.”

    Buffalo post-rock art band Lazlo Hollyfeld has been added in support.

    On Thanksgiving eve, Ganzter stopped by the Lazlo Hollyfeld annual Thanksgiving Eve show for an unannounced sit-in.  Besides their own unique brand of musical stylings, Lazlo Hollyfeld is also known for their perfected tribute sets, including performances of the Talking Heads, Radiohead and most recently, Arcade Fire.

    Aqueous is currently finishing up a nearly three month tour of the greater United States before retuning home to celebrate the New Year with their hometown fans. AQ will kick off 2018 with performances on Jam Cruise as well as tour in support of Papadosio for recently announced dates in February and March.

    Tickets for Aqueous’ NYE Gorillaz bash at Hometown Ballroom are $20 in advance and are still.

    Aqueous Upcoming Tour Dates

    Dec. 6 – Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge
    Dec. 8 – Fort Collins, CO – Hodi’s Half Note
    Dec. 9 – Frisco, CO – The Barkley Ballroom
    Dec. 12 – Davenport, IA – Redstone Room
    Dec. 13 – St. Louis, MO – The Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy
    Dec. 14 – Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s
    Dec. 15 – Columbus, OH – Woodlands Tavern
    Dec. 16 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Rex Theater
    Dec. 29 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium *
    Dec. 31 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
    Jan. 17 – 22 – Miami, FL – Jam Cruise

    * w/ Umphrey’s McGee

  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Play Packed Paradise

    Friday, December 1st, the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA hosted a sold out Pigeons Playing Ping Pong show. “One of the fastest sellouts we’ve ever had,” exclaimed Greg Ormont, rhythm guitarist and front man of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The crowd was surging for both sets in the packed club, the band feeding off their energy. You could see it in their eyes as they belted out heavy jams.

    pigeons playing paradiseTheir cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours” was met with a very positive scream from funk-hungry fans. Their set list was a “flocker’s” wet dream, keeping them in motion for the whole night. Even during the set break, it seemed like the dance floor was still in rhythm. After two incredible sets, the quartet ended with a long, dark and heavy “Live It Up” encore.

    Pigeons is closing their “Pizazz” tour this weekend in Philly at the TLA and Pittsburgh at Mr. Smalls Theater on December 8 and 9. They close the year on a high note with two shows in Cleveland at Beachland Ballroom December 29 and 30, and end with a bang at Madison Theater in Covington, Kentucky on New Year’s Eve.

  • Hard Soul returns with new EP featuring new Single “See Me”

    It’s been almost three years since Troy’s emotive rockers Hard Soul have performed in the Capital District, but the wait is over. The group has announced the release of their new EP This Will Hurt, due out on Friday, December 8. The band has released an official video of the audio for “See Me,” the first single of the EP on Youtube and the track on Bandcamp.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNSggmmIyWo

    Lead singer Johnny Salka shared his thoughts on the new EP and return. “Hard Soul has always been about creating simple, singable songs that can connect with listeners of all musical backgrounds. The new EP is a renewed approach to that songwriting ethos which represents the last three years and next step in the musical evolution of Hard Soul. We’re absolutely stoked to share the new songs with our fans and the rest of the world.”

    The EP features five tracks, including three brand-new songs and two new arrangements of previously-released acoustic tracks “Fairer ShorTes” and “Have To Be A Miracle,” which originally appeared on the band’s 2015 EP Fairer Shores.

    Salka’s hometown of Troy gets some love in the new single. “The main riff of ‘See Me’ is forever linked to South Troy, a proud neighborhood in my home city where I wrote the song, with the chords and melody materializing early one morning. There was an immediate acknowledgement that there was something special about it. The song slowly evolved into a powerful display of riffs and vibrant vocal harmonies; however, the simple arrangement retains the song’s energy even while being performed on a simple acoustic guitar.”

    The group partnered with longtime collaborator & producer Steven “SolidGold” Goldman on their latest musical effort. Returning for the new EP is Nick Kossor (guitar), Steve Thompson (guitar, backing vocals), Mark Podbielski (drums), along with new addition Sean Murphy (bass guitar). The record also features Mike Perri (The Racer) who performed “I Am The Hurricane” and “This Will Hurt,” delivering a thundering performance on drums.

  • 5 Shows to See in Rochester in December

    How’d you do with our November picks Rochester? We were able to catch a few of our recommendations and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one. We’re back with five more choice live music options to fill up your Rochester in December calendar so you can end the year strong. Check them out and let us know what you see.

    Wednesday, December 6
    lespecial @ Funk n Waffles Music Hall

    First stop is Funk n Waffles for lespecial, a young electronic-infused trio carving out a name for themselves on the jam band circuit. Childhood friends, these guys have many years worth of connection to each other behind some otherworldly onstage communication. The music flips around furiously and often, keeping surprises around every corner. Is it rock? Or is it world? Is it punk? Or is it jazz? Is it funk? Or is it hip hop? The answer is yes.

    Tuesday, December 12
    The Black Lillies @ Abilene Bar and Lounge

    The joint will be jumping when The Black Lillies return to Abilene. With a full-blooded country and blues rock sound, the old house will be struggling to contain it all. They’re a bit of a rotating cast behind frontman and multi-instrumentalist Cruz Contreras. The current lineup includes bassist and vocalist Sam Quinn, drummer Bowman Townsend, and guitarist/vocalist Dustin Schaefer. This might be the last chance you have to see them before Abilene needs to upgrade these guys to one of their “On the Road” destinations.

    Friday, December 29
    Hinkley @ Three Heads Brewing

    Rochester’s own Hinkley will start the New Year weekend off at Three Heads. Nearing the 20 year mark as a band, they will have plenty of material to draw from, but will likely be favoring their fantastic brand new album, Peak of Light. Their sound hovers amongst the Wilcos and Death Cabs of the world; hints of Americana sand-blasted with more modern and experimental rock sounds.

    Friday, December 29
    Rubblebucket, Cuddle Magic @ Anthology

    Rubblebucket has made Rochester a stop along their New Year’s tour for the past few years at least. There’s not a better time to see them than when you’re in the mood to celebrate. The afro-beat-based horn-infused dance happy music is perfect for a party and this year the party will be at Anthology. Even though it won’t quite be New Year’s Eve, they won’t skimp on the balloons, confetti and wild antics. No stranger to Rochester either, Cuddle Magic will open with their unusual instrumentation and fantastically lush baroque rock sounds.

    Sunday, December 31
    Easy Star All Stars, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad @ Anthology

    Speaking of parties at Anthology, the next two nights they’ll be throwing the Forever Party to end 2017 on a dub note. It all starts on the 30th with John Brown’s Body, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and Thunderbody. JBB and GPGDS are both members of the reggae label, Easy Star Records. The label’s signature band, Easy Star All Stars, are known for recreating famous albums in their own image. On New Year’s Eve they’ll be presenting their spin on a Pink Floyd classic, playing through their Dub Side of the Moon album. That will be followed by another set by GPGDS. Should be a fun time!

  • Welcoming Home Moriah Formica: Gritty Vocalist Wows Local Fans

    Don’t underestimate Moriah Formica. Yes, she’s only 17. Yes, she’s small in stature. And yes, she can rock and roll just like Joan Jett.

    Formica’s concerts at Jupiter Hall on November 24 and 26th followed her successful time on The Voice and she was clearly welcomed home by local fans. Hailing from Latham, NY, Formica became nationally known for her powerhouse performances on the reality television show earlier this fall.  She returned to a sold out show Friday, November 24, and played to a well attended, eclectic audience on the 26th with her old band.

    Formica’s microphone wasn’t on during the first part of her initial song, leaving her characteristically clear and strong voice out of the music for a few minutes. When the technology was fixed, though, her vocals grounded the group as they pushed through covers and even some original music, including “Save Me” and “Lovestruck”. It looked like all hard work and no play until the artist began chatting with the audience, sharing perspectives on love and her desire to not always be perceived as aggressive.

    The acoustic set in the middle of the concert revealed a more vulnerable side. She sang “No Regrets,” a song about losing love, and “The Voice,” and also shared life experiences about being in love in 10th grade with “Here’s My Heart.” Her breath control was solid as she held clear and pitch-perfect notes, continuing through “Stone Cold” with pianist Dustin Deluke.

    After the acoustic set, the band rejoined her for some grittier and heavier rock songs. Ending with a cover of “Barracuda,” Formica had heads nodding and bodies jumping.

    Formica performed for 65 minutes with very few breaks for conversation. Rapid fire, intense and demonstrating undeniable clarity and pitch, Formica’s performance was a wonderful reminder not to underestimate her. Yes, she’s a local kid. Yes, The Voice didn’t maintain her on the show.  And yes, she’s got a lot further to go with her career as a female rocker who can powerfully move an audience with both vocals and guitar. But it’s unlikely she’ll stay home for long.

  • Hearing Aide: The Nice Ones “The Nice Ones”

    “If there’s one thing that can be said about the album, it is that it is brimming with emotion,” said guitarist Sam McGarrity. Boy, he wasn’t kidding. This emotional direction is a new concept for this group, but that doesn’t mean they still haven’t lost sight of their style. I only say this because as good as their first track sounds, it is very misleading in terms of the direction of the album. As for the rest of their work, it’s well orchestrated, produced perfectly and gives each member a chance to shine.  One of their most notable traits is their ability to build upon ideas while keeping things linear. With rock based bands, things can get a little repetitive. But The Nice Ones never get comfortable and can keep things interesting throughout the entirety of a track.

    “Siren Song” is a surprising first start for the group. They’ve released two albums prior to this one and none of them are styled in the way “Siren Song” is, but loyal fans can rest assured that they haven’t lost their roots. With delicate instrumentation and Patrick Surdam’s fragile voice, the song acts as prelude which attests to McGarrity’s claim of the collection being full of sentimentality.  

    “Know Better”  jumps right into their rock and roll style with the only similarity being Surdam’s voice. It’s a straightforward and completely contradictory song to the the prior track. It has a great instrumental hook in the chorus and, again, the group has done a stupendous job of building an arc worth waiting for. There’s plenty of highs and lows to keep thing interesting in an otherwise very rudimentary song.

    “Good Kids” is dance worthy, glowing with positive energy and is a track that would be a tremendous hit in a live setting. The guitar hook is an ear worm, in a good way.  And once again, they create an arc in their song that builds in a direction that a new listener would never expect. This is undoubtedly one of their key tracks.

    Don’t be fooled,  “Surfer Girl” is not what it seems. The tone switches back and forth several times and ends in a way that’s completely different than the intro in terms of instrumental and lyrical content. Surdam first speaks of a girl that he “thought of kissing” and ends the song talking about how he should have killed this girl when he had the chance. This one will be listed as another key track because of its contradictory style and, once again, the incredible rise and fall of emotion.

    What I’m loving most about the album is how their songs never finish the same way they start. The only similarity is the key, and even that’s arguable. “John Honre Burns!” is one of the most dynamic tracks on the album and has an incredibly misleading intro.  The only other time we hear the sultry riff of the intro is half way through the track when it repeats and that’s it. After the second verse, the feeling of rage grows exponentially until the end of the song when it comes crashing down.

    Lastly is “Burn it Down,” the most anxious and chaotic track on the album. It leaves a bit of a bitter taste in the listener’s mouth considering what the tone was at the start of the album. It’s fast, rambunctious, but oddly good. McGarrity said this was an emotional track and anger is the emotion that this album was missing. Well, listeners will sure get their fill of anger with this one. It just isn’t a track most groups would place at the end of an album. Looking past that, it’s well orchestrated and a fun listen. 

    Although the album is “brimming with emotion,” it is a little sporadic. This isn’t an album that people will listen to from beginning to end; it’s too all over the place. I encourage people to riffle through the album to find something they like because there really is something for everyone.

    Key Tracks: Siren Song, Good Kids, Burn it Down

  • Proctors Announces Capital Records Live

    Capital Records Live, to be held on March 23 at the GE Theatre at Proctors, is a new model for local music entertainment. Presented in association with WAIX, “Albany’s Independent Experience,” the series’ debut performance will feature six of the region’s most popular bands playing classic songs of The Beatles.

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    The first act in the inaugural show will find the Bryan Brundige Collective, Clear Mind, Eastbound Jesus, Girl Blue, Let’s Be Leonard and Wild Adriatic offering self-chosen selections from 1968’s The Beatles, better known as The White Album.

    The second act will challenge the same groups, with Proctors and WAIX 106.1 determining which songs the band will perform, all from 1967’s groundbreaking, multiple Grammy Award-winning album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

    Whether you’re a fan of local artists, wanting to support local music or a Beatles buff who can’t miss these iconic albums performed in a whole new way, Capital Records Live will be the place to be.

    Capital Records Live is a planned annual concert featuring a variety of local and regional artists performing a classic album live in concert. Its mission is to promote the local music scene by introducing artists to new audiences, fostering new musical relationships and offering a performance opportunity in a world class environment. Audiences, in turn, are treated to a local “All Star” night of music featuring timeless favorites.

    Tickets for Capital Records Live, $25, are available at the Box Office at Proctors, 432 State Street, Schenectady; by phone at (518) 346-6204; and online at proctors.org.

    This article, originally published by The Spot 518, is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y, and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage of the local music scene in the Capital District and New York State, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Ron Gallo and Naked Giants Blow the Doors Off the Bug Jar

    “I don’t know why there’s anyone here but it’s fucking awesome,” said Ron Gallo a few songs into his blistering rock and roll set at the Bug Jar in Rochester. “I thought the rule was, the first time you play a place only three people show up…”

    But this show, from top to bottom, was in complete defiance of all rules. As that’s the very definition of punk, it was very fitting that the show ended with both Ron Gallo’s trio and their tour mates, Seattle trio Naked Giants, all on stage, mostly shirtless, romping through The Stooges’ “TV Eye,” screaming and thrashing about the stage like a group of maniacs.

    Rules likely also dictate that the opening band will be some half-baked group of local musicians defiling gems from The Stones or trying to work up yet another rendition of “Crazy.” But on this night, the crowd was treated to 40 minutes of excellent original songs from Rochester’s Dangerbyrd. Mixing blues, country and early 60’s psychedelia, they settle comfortably near the sounds of The Band and Credence Clearwater Revival, keeping it simple while nailing it in the process.

    Next up were the aforementioned Naked Giants, a trio of Gianni Aiello on bass, Grant Mullen on guitar and Henry LaVallee on drums. They played with a frenetic energy, going after every single note with reckless abandon, completely untethered. The set began with a noisy, effects-laden jam, swimming in cymbal crashes. Aiello danced about the stage, somehow still keeping total control of his bass sound which, at times, he seemed to be changing with every other pluck of the strings. They weren’t a band to follow the rules either. The bass was as much a lead as the guitar was and traditional song structure took a back seat to rhythm and pure enjoyment. No one was having more fun than the three on stage.

    The small stage couldn’t contain LaVallee’s excitement when, just a few songs into the set, he kicked the back door open and ran outside mid-song, the first of many times that door would swing open that night. Mullen shredded impressively throughout their set which included songs like “Slow Dance 2,” “Pyramids,” “Twist” and the closing White Stripes-esque “YaYa.” The energy was infectious and the mostly unfamiliar crowd was smitten by set’s end.

    By the time guitarist Ron Gallo and his trio (bassist Joe Bisirri and drummer Dylan Sevey) took the stage, the crowd was at a fever pitch. Gallo played off of this by stepping to the mic, monotonously and stiffly reading from a piece of paper: “My name is Ron Gallo. That is also the name of our band. We are excited to be at the Bug Jar in Rochester New York, one four six oh seven. Thank you and enjoy yourself.” It was the calm before the storm, immediately followed by fuzzed out bass blasts and a heavy guitar jam. Usual rock show protocol would dictate that the guitar player wouldn’t jump into the crowd until late in the show, but Gallo was jamming from within the crowd before the first song even started.

    The entry jam lead into an opening combo of “Put the Kids to Bed” and “Kill the Medicine Man” off his stellar new album, Heavy Meta. They mixed tracks from the album together with new songs (“Man Keep Your Hands on Your Pants”), older songs (“Really Nice Guys”) and covers (Des’ree’s “You Gotta Be”). When “All the Punks Are Domesticated” got called out from the crowd, Gallo responded,”…is the name of the next song we’re going to play” and launched into it without missing a beat. During the slow dripping, heavy blues of “Black Market Eyes,” Gallo followed LaVallee’s earlier lead and left the stage out the back door. 30 seconds later he returned running through the back of the crowd and back on stage to rejoin the band for a another heavy rock jam.

    The racing train car of a rock show finally went off the rails during his solo on “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me.” He once again went out the back door, this time mid-solo, and with his guitar, continued to play outside on Monroe Avenue. He eventually reentered the room, bringing along the boys from Naked Giants as well as a couple of other new fans off the street. The two bands shared the stage as a double-trio for raucous versions of “Sorry Not Everybody is You” and “Age of Information” from a split EP they released together earlier this month. They followed that up with a through-the-roof cover of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” which was a meta (heavy meta?) description of exactly what was happening. Playing the denouement to that climax, the six were prompted to play one more song, which brings us back to the shirtless and thrashing “TV Eye.”

    Ron Gallo Setlist:
    Intro > Put the Kids to Bed > Kill the Medicine Man, Man Keep Your Hands On Your Pants, Really Nice Guys, Please Yourself, Black Market Eyes, All the Punks Are Domesticated, You Gotta Be (Des’ree), It’s All Gonna Be OK, Temporary Slave, Young Lady You’re Scaring Me, Sorry Not Everybody is You*, Age of Information*, Helter Skelter (Beatles)*
    E: TV Eye*
    *with Naked Giants