NYS Music 20​17

Category: Rock

  • A New York City St. Patrick’s Day with Larry Kirwan and Friends

    Every St. Patrick’s Day, the New York City streets and subways flood with green from onlookers of the 5th Avenue parade and thirsty pub-goers. With many options for a good St. Pat’s show or party from uptown to down and across to Brooklyn, one might almost need to throw a dart at a subway map to plan their night. But near Times Square a staple of the New York Irish scene returned to BB King’s to put on the perfect show for the occasion. For a second St. Patrick’s Day in a row, Larry Kirwan brought his songwriting and music from the retired Black 47 to the midtown blues club along with entertainment from some friends.

    The evening started right on time with the dinner crowd being treated to a set from the Lia Fail Pipes and Drums from Mercer County, NJ performing traditional Irish and Scottish tunes including the 1916 Easter Uprising inspired “Foggy Dew.” Singer-songwriter Pat McGuire, a native New Yorker who calls Galway home, was greeted with admiration from the crowd starting to gather near the stage. As a pleasant surprise to many in the room, former Black 47 member Geoff Blythe joined McGuire for most of the set on soprano/tenor sax. The two complimented each other very well, especially on McGuire’s new songs. His set included a nod to his hometown, “A Song for New York,” in tribute to the Hurricane Sandy victims and storm cleanup efforts.

    Returning to the BB King’s stage following McGuire’s set was Rory K, an independent hip-hop artist from the city, with a short set from a genre that was certainly the odd one out from the other acts yet fit in well. This year Rory drew more folks into his self-written lyrics with a high-energy and charismatic stage presence, debuting within the set a brand new song, “Talkin’ that Talk.”

    With just the blink of an eye between sets, we arrived at the main act of the evening, Larry Kirwan & Friends. With the retirement of Black 47 two and a half years prior on the same stage, Kirwan’s band for the night returned from the previous St. Patrick’s Day show –  Coty Cockrell (keys), Deni Bonet (violin), Rene Hart (double bass) and former Black 47 bandmate Thomas Hamlin (drums). The band had a tighter sound this time around giving a different take on the arrangements of the Black 47 songs in the set.

    The band’s instrumentation was that of a typical rock setup but with upright bass, keys, and violin – a bit of a contrast to Black 47’s horn and uilleann pipe section, so the feel of the performance was inherently different from what longtime fans of the band had been used to. But that’s not to say anything about the quality of the show. The tunes in their different arrangement stood in their own right for a perfect show, with Cockrell’s keyboard lines and the pretty sounds of Bonet’s violin complimenting the original songrwriting well.

    Concurrent with giving a performance with plenty of dancing to be had, Kirwan brought one of his former band’s recognizable elements to the show – politics in the form of song. A number of songs in the set came from Kirwan’s fervor for the history and stories of his home country of Ireland. Just like in the Black 47 days, these songs engaged a passionate audience, particularly the anthem to the Irish labor activist James Connolly. In more current affairs, Kirwan debuted a new single, “Second Coming Blues,” fueled by the recent election season and inspired by William Butler Yeats’ 1919 poem similarly titled “The Second Coming.”

    The show also featured a few surprises mixed throughout. The first was an appearance received with much applause by Cait O’Riordan (from The Pogues), who Kirwan introduced with a fun little story about when he attended that band’s first gig in NYC. Right after a rendition of The Pogues’ “I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Everyday,” the band paid tribute to David Bowie with a cover of “Heroes” to which Kirwan had penned an extra verse about Belfast. Rory K stepped back out on stage for a father-son moment during a section of “Fire of Freedom,” and perhaps one of the most exciting moments for long-time fans was the reunion of Kirwan and Black 47 co-founder Chris Byrne for “Walk All The Days.”

    Before the night was over, the Kirwan treated BB King’s to one of Black 47’s MTV hits “Funky Ceili,” a song that for some intangible reason does not seem to get worn out with time, and the night closed with a large sing-along on the choruses of Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.”

    The evening was by no means low key but was rather a fun-filled, laid back way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and a show well worth checking out next time it rolls around on the calendar. Until then, Kirwan has some solo gigs/talks popping up which can be found between Facebook and the Black 47 website.

    Setlist: Livin’ In America, Bas In Eirann, Five Points, Camptown Races/Hard Times, Big Fellah, I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Everyday (w/ Cait O’Riordan), Heroes (David Bowie), Fanatic Heart, Sean MacDiarmada, Redemption Song -> Fire of Freedom, Second Coming Blues, Walk All The Days (w/ Chris Byrne), James Connolly, Funky Ceili

    Encore: Like A Rolling Stone

  • Premiere: Wild Adriatic’s Music Video for ‘Come Back Baby’

    Wild Adriatic premieres today their video for ‘Come Back Baby,’ off their latest album Feel. Drummer Mateo Vosganian shares a little on the making of the video:

    “For this video we had the idea of involving the local community a bit more and put out a call for local young theater students to cast in this video. We ended up working with kids from Ballston Spa and had such a great time shooting with them. They were, of course, way more professional than we were on set and committed a whole weekend of their lives to making a fun video with us. Everything related to the video stems from our home community. Our friend Josh Casano is a band director at Oneida Middle School and connected us with the school principal who agreed to let us shoot there. Our friends Chromoscope Pictures are based in the Troy area and directed, produced, and edited this project. All in all it ended up being a super fun concept and we loved being able to sneak nods to some of our heroes into it.“

    Tour Dates
    Wild A Tour Dates
    3/31 – Nectar’s – Burlington, VT
    4/01 – Port City Music Hall – Portland, ME w/ The Maine Youth Rock Symphony
    4/07 – Parlor Newport – Newport, RI
    Come Back Baby
    Wild Adriatic & Leopold & His Fiction Tour
    4/11 – Baby’s All Right – Brooklyn, NY
    4/12 – Coda – Philadelphia, PA
    4/13 – Daryl’s House – Pawling, NY
    4/14 – The Haunt – Ithaca, NY
    4/15 – Dogfish Head Brewing – Rehoboth Beach, DE
    4/16 – Rams Head Baltimore – Baltimore, MD
    4/18 – Broadberry – Richmond, VA
    4/19 – MotorCo – Durham, NC
    4/20 – The Evening Muse – Charlotte, NC
    4/21 – Ashley Street Tavern – Augusta, GA
    4/22 – Sweetwater 420 Festival (Just Wild Adriatic)
    4/25 – Empire Control Room – Austin, TX
    4/26 – Gas Monkey – Dallas, TX
    4/27 – House of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX
    4/29 – Limelight – San Antonio, TX
    5/02 – Atomic Cowboy @ The Bootleg – St. Louis, MO
    5/05 – Schubas – Chicago, IL
    Wild Adriatic Summer Tour
    5/26-5/28 – Summercamp – Chillicothe, IL
    6/1-6/04 – Hazelnut Hang – Isle of Palms, SC
    6/30-7/02 – moe. Down – Turin, NY

  • Moe. Tour Springs Up in the Northeast

    One of New York’s most popular homegrown jam bands will embark on their 2017 Spring Tour with a brief Northeastern run this week.  moe. hits the road on Thursday, March 30th at The Wellmont Theatre in New Jersey for the first time since 2012.  The 5-piece will close out the month on Friday the 31st at the College Street Music Hall in New Haven, CT before celebrating April Fool’s Day at The Paramount in Huntington, NY on Saturday.

    All three of these venues are easily drivable or trainable from NYC, where fans have been clustered since the band’s origin over 20 years ago.  Speaking of cities where moe.ron’s like to dance, the short and sweet Northeast run will end with a four-night residency at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA. The max capacity at this Harvard Square establishment is only 525 people making it a space normally reserved for up-and-coming bands, not veteran acts capable of packing much larger venues. If you were lucky enough to score tickets to one of these four sold-out shows from April 5th-April 8th, you are in for a real treat!

    Moe. will head south in April for a handful of shows before they kick off their annual festival season with headlining performances at Summer Camp in May and the return of Moe.Down at the end of June.  Another well-known jam band from the Northeast will host a “Baker’s Dozen” run in July at Madison Square Garden and Moe. already has extra special plans for a late-night celebration on the opening night.  They are “coming home again” to New York City on July 21st for an after party at the PlayStation Theater that is not to be missed.

    “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s Party!’” -Robin Williams

  • Dopapod Wraps 3-Night Run at Brooklyn Bowl Leaving Fans Happily Ever After

    Capping off back-to-back explosive nights at Brooklyn Bowl, Saturday, March 25, brought the third and final Dopapod show of the run, closing one chapter and marking the beginning stages of their 26-date Spring 2017 tour.

    The last gig of the trifecta came in hot, feeding off of the energy from their two previous performances which broke out Chuck Berry tribute covers, birthday celebrations and fresh, unheard material from the prog-jam quartet, who recently reunited with their original drummer, Neal “Fro” Evans. As if an original lineup, a newly mapped out tour and debuting fresh grooves to their fans wasn’t enough of a natural high, a smiley Rob Compa, guitarist of Dopapod, dropped the news that he got engaged that very same day—giving a tight-knit Brooklyn Bowl crowd a handful of reasons to celebrate.

    Paris_monster opened up the show for Dopapod faithfuls and while they seemed to be an alternative indie group to the naked eye, it became apparent the Brooklyn-based duo thrives in the midst of synth-pop, garage genres.

    From the second the music began, all eyes were drawn to the pig-tailed singer who exemplified an arsenal of talents by singing, playing the keys with one hand and impressively, the drums with the other. The two took the stage and while the bassist seemed mainly focused on the tunes, the singer’s vocals took command of the entire room, assumingly well-trained and practiced. The vocals shaped up to be that of a hypnotic and spiritual performance with a voice to be heard, climbing to the loudest crescendos and back down to minute whispers.

    Their sound in its entirety had the capability of transforming and layering the noises of two men, into what sounded like a room of beaming musicians. Their experimental ties definitely drew to the Dopafans through their naturally unique tastes, although remaining incomparable to the headliner—something the crowd was more than willing to embrace. Once you get past the initial shock value of their arena-like sound and switchboard of genres, you come to realize the extreme talent and precision it must take to juggle vocals and keys while playing the drum with one hand, all while doing so with a picture of ease. Even if the music isn’t your style, you can appreciate the theatrical, confident and encapsulating performance the duo let loose.

    Setlist: The Unclean, Hot Canyon Air, Moles, The Cause of it All, Ape, Important, Malcolm Hart, Had Damon Caught His Sloane, I Wanna Know If It’s Good To You, Baby*, A Vision Complete, Grandma, Water to the Well

    *Funkadelic cover

    Ready to close out a glorified 3-night run at Brooklyn Bowl, Eli, Rob, Chuck and Neal walked to their respective instruments and while most were taken by the lingering moment ahead of hearing their favorite tunes, my eyes couldn’t be peeled away from analyzing and chuckling over Chuck’s Led Zeppelin t-shirt, which most certainly was adorned with the members of KISS—a solid wardrobe choice with a clear indication the Boston-born group was ready to rock. The first set rolled out with fan-favorite hits like 2014’s Never Odd or Even tracks,“Picture in a Picture” and “Hey Zues! (Que Tal?)” with an abundance of covers and teases peppered throughout the introductory set. The first tease came upon Rob’s elated engagement announcement. While some heard the news via Facebook, others were delighted with the announcement from the beginning notes of “Here Comes the Bride.”

    Shortly after sharing the joyous milestone, the group delivered treat number two, which came in the form of a brand new song titled “Mucho.” Bringing their rock roots to the forefront of the famed Brooklyn venue, the group launched into a gratifying cover of Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard” with help from Paris_monster’s vocalist Josh and Jackson from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds on harmonica before closing set 1 with “Blast.” High energy was maintained throughout, as both the band and audience were able to feed off of one another’s positive energy and uncontrollable excitement. Compa specifically had an extra spring in his step, demonstrating impressive vocals throughout the night and absolutely manhandling his guitar. Who can say if it can be attributed to his engagement, raw talent or both- but Compa’s performance easily soared high over a Brooklyn audience.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BSFrTzcjxpj/?taken-by=nystatemusic

    The second set welcomed an enticing Chuck and Fro jam session and although some may be torn about the decision to replace Scotty Zwang with their original drummer,  it was evident his skill on the drum kit was appreciated by most. Next came “Weird Charlie,” taking things back a few years to their Redivider days with “Bubblebrain,” complete with FABA teases, and “Vol. 3 #86” paired with top-notch technicolor lighting and teases of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” and Nirvana anthem “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (which it most certainly did, with appropriately described, stagnant air in a venue that offers live music, bowling, plentiful food and drinks).

    Dopapod’s lighting designer Luke Stratton never fails to disappoint—even when Fro manages leaves his haze fluid in Colorado. Eli grabbed the reigns during “Vol. 3 #86, ” as abundantly enthusiastic and rhythmic head nods ensued from his seat as his hands flew back and forth across the keys. “Indian Grits” unwrapped gifts like a “Watermelon Man” tease and “Stand By Me” jam—one that was unexpected. The 3-night stint came to a close with a “Psycho Nature” encore which left all in attendance chanting “eat, drink, breathe, sleep,” four essentials every fan must remember when left in amazement from Dopapod performances.

    The quartet will continue to embark on their 2017 tour just ahead of the anticipated festival season. Compa and company will be riding the wave of excitement this year will continue to bring them—engagements, new music and touring, oh my!

    Set 1: Plaese Halp!, Picture in Picture, November &, Here Come the Bride Engagement Announcement*, Hey Zeus! (Que Tal?), Mucho^ , The Wizard #, Blast

    Set 2: Chuck and Fro jam, Weird Charlie > Bubble Brain •, Indian Grits %, Vol. 3 #86 +, Bahbi, Super Bowl

    Encore: Psycho Nature

    & Spottieoppiedopalicuous tease
    * announcement of Rob and Becky’s engagement!
    ^ new song; debut
    # Black Sabbath cover; w/ Josh from Paris Monster on vocal and Jackson from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds on harmonica
    • FABA teases
    % Watermelon man teases; Stand By Me jam
    + 7 nation army jam, smells like teen spirit teases

  • JRAD Tears Up Brooklyn Bowl Board by Board in March RADness Finale

    It’s not every weekend that a Grateful Dead cover band sells out a three-night run at the Brooklyn Bowl. Two weekends in a row?  Unheard of.  Fantastical as it may seem, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) achieved this feat within mere seconds of ticket release; not to mention the opening night, March 9, was only their 100th show.  It all began with a “Beat It On Down the Line” that featured a 100 beat introduction to celebrate the occasion; and that’s exactly what Russo and the boys did that night and the next five.  Slapped it silly.  Beat it (forgive the pun) like a drum, all the way up and down those bowling lanes.  There was true magic in the air, that connective energy that comes once in a great while when everyone in the room is whisked away to somewhere undefinable.  The first five nights showcased some of the band’s favorites, including “Help on the Way,” “Music Never Stopped,” “Terrapin Station,” “Dark Star,” “St. Stephen,” “Playing in the Band,” and the list goes on.  Their first original, “Keeping it Simple,” was also debuted on the opening night, dispelling any such notion that JRAD is just a cover band.  Staying true to crescendo, the pinnacle of these almost equally spectacular evenings was the last night of the run, Saturday, March 18.  But hey, enough of my yakkin’.  Whaddayasay?  Let’s boogie!

    The 18th began with the same vim and vigor as any other night of the run, blasting straight into an impromptu “Promised Land” in salute to the late great Chuck Berry, who passed earlier that day.  California clearly on their minds, “Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion” joined the party to begin the segment that would play right out to the end of the set.  “Hell In a Bucket” took us on an enjoyable ride, with a dripping, melting psychedelic jam; quite uncharacteristic for the tune, but it seemed exactly in its place.  Guitarist/vocalist Tom Hamilton belted out an immaculate “Here Comes Sunshine,” which transitioned seamlessly into a downright dirty version of the Allman Brothers’ “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.”  A gut busting solo from none other than Joe “Bombs” Russo brought us in for the landing of “Here Comes Sunshine,” as saxophonist Stuart Bogie rejoined the boys for a quick jam into “Ruben & Cherise.”  The horn added quite a nice depth to the ballad, and stayed on through a tricky segue into “Viola Lee Blues,” which flirted back and forth with a “China Cat Sunflower” fakeout that slammed right back into “Viola.”  It isn’t a sad song, by any means; but the peak sound that only JRAD can achieve brought more than a few tears to this grown man’s eye.

    The second set began with a spaciously comfortable jam that ran out into a smokin’ “Casey Jones” that melted more than a few dome glaciers, followed swiftly by a sultry bass solo from one Oteil Burbridge.  You may recognize the name from last summer’s Dead & Company lineup, but make no mistakes; this was no haphazard supergroup cameo.  Oteil didn’t only hold his own throughout the weekend, he stood out as a uniquely exuberant personality in the RAD’s stage presence.  His vocals offered a fresh flavor, and I for one was near jealousy of that old school wood grain Gibson SG bass as he plucked and caressed it with expertise unmatched.

    Guitarist/vocalist Scott Metzger and keyboardist (and the mind behind the Marcorita) Marco Benevento soloed off of each other in some engaging call and response that transitioned into a rigid “Jack A Roe.”  Stuart came back out for a nearly 20-minute “Dancin’ In the Streets,” in a rendition of the classic that left listeners slackjawed in a stupefied awe.  The music began to deliver that tangible feeling mentioned earlier during this point, that glow in the pit of your stomach that only rears its head when something extraordinary is around the corner.  The segment concluded with an absolutely inspiring “Franklin’s Tower,” as shouts of ‘Hey brother, woah brother!’ were greeted with hugs and big-eyed smiles all around.  One of the standout stand alones of the run began with a tease of Led Zeppelin’s “That’s the Way,” with an almost malicious turn into “Let It Grow.”  Scott Metzger’s vocals offered an eerily perfect replication of old Bob’s ballad, with boilin’ hot licks to match.  Several Talking Heads teases sneaked their way into the jam, including but not limited to “Psycho Killer” and “Girlfriend is Better” before “Let it Grow” drew to a close.

    “I Know You Rider” is one of the most frequented Dead covers, but this rendition was anything but cliche.  It was the culmination of the entire weekend, one last pinnacle of raw rock and roll.  Before the last chords were strummed T Hammy let loose on one of those signature squealing bends and the whole place just went ballistic; a sound reminiscent of the shrieks later heard from the mouths of teen-aged babes that he so competently slays post show.  After a few warm words from Pete Shapiro wishing one of his longtime managers at the Bowl farewell, the boys returned for the final encore of the weekend.  Closing in on 1AM, a breathtaking “Brokedown Palace” had the entire place feeling beyond sentimental, as wishes of fare you well lofted above quiet, attentive listeners.  The a cappella “We Bid You Goodnight” had the place even quieter; the least crowd volume I’ve ever heard in a venue by far, never mind on a Saturday night.  Having played it last in October of 2015, it was an unimaginably beautiful moment for those who stayed the entire run.

    JRAD seems to have this stigma attached to them throughout most of the jam scene; too fast technical for the old heads, too much Dead for a lot of youngsters.  This weekend seemed a little different, a bit more like a “typical Dead show.”  Fans by the dozens hopelessly searching for sold out tickets as you walk in, folks from all ages and walks of life inside instead of a specific demographic, drunk old dudes hitting on our uncomfortable girlfriends..it really had the whole 9, as it were, and dare I say the whole 10!  Regardless of what you may have heard, just remember that this group of musicians is doing what they do live better than any other group on the current “jam” circuit.  Period.

  • Interview: St. Phillips Escalator Gives Us the Lowdown on Upcoming Album ‘The Derelict Sound’

    St. Phillips Escalator is on the verge of releasing their long-anticipated sophomore album, The Derelict Sound. What’s more – it’s coming out on vinyl on Record Store Day. NYS Music met up with members of the Rochester-based rock band at Record Archive. It was easy to spot guitarist/vocalist Ryan Moore, with his signature newsboy cap and long sideburns, chatting with drummer Zachary Koch in the Archive’s Backroom Lounge. Friends since childhood, Moore, Koch, and bassist Noel Wilfeard were just out of their teens when they recorded their debut album Endless Trip with the help of members of garage rock revivalists The Chesterfield Kings. The 2015 EP Elevation was highly praised, with the one criticism that it was too short and left a reviewer wanting more. Now they’re just about ready to deliver.

    St. Phillips Escalator
    Photo: John Myers

    Paula Cummings: Tell me about your single “New Age.” Why did you choose this as your first release off the new album?

    Ryan Moore: We have a heavier psychedelic sound to the other songs and this one was a little catchy. It’s one of my favorite songs on the album, I think.

    Zachary Koch: We wrote it starting with the beat – it was an early Doors’ first record kind of beat – and based it around that with minor chords. It just came together. But the style definitely references them (The Doors).

    PC: The single comes from the sessions for The Derelict Sound. How did you choose the album title?

    ZK: We just sat down and had a talk one day when we were making some plans. We were really trying to think of what would represent the record. We’ve been together for years now and we reference music from different eras – modern and vintage – but it’s not understood by many people when they first hear it. It’s a derelict sound, an unused kind of overlooked sound… dusted.

    PC: What was the writing process like compared to your previous works, the first album a decade ago and the EP two years ago?

    ZK: As far as the way we write the songs, I don’t think it’s changed much since the beginning. Maybe somebody has a fully baked song or if it’s just a riff then we’ll work it out at practice.

    RM: We usually know if a song works for our sound right away. We only just give it a couple tries with some because it’s like beating a dead horse with some. We’re like, “That would have been great but we know it wouldn’t work.”

    ZK: We build on it together. It’s a collaborative process. Sometimes a single idea comes to the group and we know it works right away. We’ll get inspired with a song first and then play with it. We always had the power trio and blues thing happening, and on this we tried to bring it more into the psych genre.

    RM: I would say this is a little bit darker.

    ZK: The songs fit together well. We had 13 songs, but we cut it down to ten because some of them just didn’t fit that vision. They’re still good songs but just didn’t fit the feel we wanted for this one.

    PC: How has your music matured over the years?

    ZK: We have more life experience, so the content is different from our first record. We were just coming out of our teens. And now there’s more life experience. I have some political lyric writing. Ryan’s lived in New York and so has Noel, so we all have different life experience that go into the writing. I think the music process has been the same, but maybe back then it was a little unhinged, like “Let’s write and play” without having an idea first. It was fun. It’s always fun, but there’s more goal-setting. But the writing process, that’s the same. It’s always just fun at the heart of it all.

    PC: You have this energy that comes across well in live shows. How did you try to capture that in the studio?

    RM: The guy we collaborated with suggested we record it live. So what we did was we went to this place in Geneseo, Tempermental Recording. It’s this big old church and it’s really awesome. All of the tracks for the whole thing we recorded together. There wasn’t anybody separate.

    ZK: That was the key. It was not just a live record, but the bass, drums, and guitar the core of it we played together because it’s the only way we could draw that energy. We tried before to record separately.

    RM: It’s just not the same.

    ZK: And allowing the big space… We need to play louder, so we don’t feel like we’re holding back. That space allowed us to be loud.

    RM: Yeah, that was amazing. I think it was just one of the best experiences that we’ve had.

    PC: That was my next question, how did the space enhance the acoustics?

    RM: The guy who owns the church, he’s an insane collector, so it’s just full of guitars, and organs and pianos and drums and all those things are in the room, vibrating and making a sound as we’re recording, too. It’s really cool.

    ZK: Even recording into the night that helped set the tone because it got dark in there.

    PC: And in a space like that, you’re going to have a big, cavernous sound.

    ZK:  We used that to our advantage.

    RM: And he had tons of cool gear that we were able to use. Echo on the vocals and vintage amps. But mostly we used our own stuff.

    PC: Who did you work with, and how did they influence what you produced?

    RM: Alex Patrick did the recording and the mixing. And when we were out of that studio Mike Brown (owner of Tempermental Recordings) hung out and gave us feedback.

    ZK: He’s like-minded.

    RM: We never met him before. We were renting the space from him, and he was just hanging out and interjecting. He came up with cool ideas.

    ZK: Yeah, he’s really talented. He’s a guitarist and writer, so it was nice to get his perspective on things. It helped.

    RM: Then Brian Moore mastered our tracks out at Red Booth Studios in Rochester.

    ZK: Really helpful people, gifted. They have that patience I would never have to be able to engineer and mix. I just like playing.

    RM: I just appreciate it so much.

    PC: Which tracks are you most proud of and why?

    RM: I really love “New Age.” I think that came out awesome.

    ZK: I really like this track five. It’s called “Find My Way.” It closes out the first half of what will be the vinyl. And I think that it’s a different direction for us. It still fits, but in my mind it’s more of a modern song. It has a type of beat that’s different than what we’ve done. It’s this driving type of beat – you’ll see – but that’s one of my favorites from the record. Generally, a lot of our songs in the past have been four minutes. We get to solo a lot in this one.

    RM: That song and the last song are kind of long, dark psychedelic songs. And I think the first song is one of my favorites, too, “Sleepy Silver Train Haze.” That’s just kind of a dark brooding psychedelic tune that feels a little sad.

    PC: Is this your first vinyl? How does this fit the aesthetic of what you do and what you’re about?

    RM: It fits perfectly.

    ZK: It’s everything. We’ve collected, we were raised on it.

    RM: We’re just huge record fans and I think it’s pained us to not have anything on vinyl yet. That’s one of the reasons why it took so long to come out. We were looking to find the right partner and in the end we did everything ourselves. We were going to wait as long as it took to make sure it was released on vinyl.

    ZK: Vinyl gives the opportunity for the album artwork to shine. Ryan is an incredibly gifted graphic designer. He has a wonderful friend, a very generous friend, John Myers, who shot the cover for us and Ryan put it all together. That’s something that’s missing with a digital outlet. You can’t hold it and you can’t see the art that goes into it as well. But yeah, I play records every single day and to finally have one of our own is what we’ve always been going for. For our last EP Ryan and Noel were in NYC so we didn’t have as much time to get it all in line for vinyl.

    PC: What are you listening to on vinyl?

    ZK: We still listen to all formats. We just appreciate it the most and it sounds the best. But some of our favorite vinyl?

    RM: My collection? I have some of my favorite old blues records like Mississippi Fred McDowell and the Blues Bakers. Cool rare blues records are some of my favorites. Then on top of that 13th Floor Elevators, The Seeds and some of the stuff that influences our band. It all sort of comes together.

    ZK: And when I’m really sitting down and listening I really love to put on either Neil Young or The Byrds. I like listening to folk records on vinyl. I think it’s really befitting.

    RM: We also started collecting some newer, modern psych bands on vinyl too. Morgan Delt, Black Angels. Anything that’s good sounds better on vinyl.

    PC: Tell me about the album cover.

    RM: We really had this idea that I really wanted this to be an out of focus picture of us, like a really blurry, just weird picture. I didn’t want just another portrait of the band. People either know us or they don’t, and I don’t care to have our mugs pegged on it.

    ZK: And the photographer was able to do that without any special effects.

    RM: We were just playing around. It was fun to go through a whole set of photos. We went picked the blurriest one that had a cool vibe. It’s got a cool grain and strange colors to it as well. And then I put just a small psychedelic treatment to it, kind of small off to the corner, kind of nondescript.

    ZK: We never really had a set logo, and that little badge in the corner is kind-of new.

    PC: You guys have been together half of your lives. What are some of the challenges you’ve had to overcome to do this?

    RM: I think it’s because we were friends first. I think we became friends in junior high.

    ZK: I think it’s been an advantage.

    RM: I think that us looking out for each other and keeping each other in mind…

    ZK: Feeling comfortable enough to share what turns out to be a really terrible song or a great song, but not being afraid of what you’re bringing to the table.

    RM: Respect for one another.

    ZK: When we play, we’re just hanging out. So we get to hang out with each other as friends but also as a band. It’s beneficial.

    RM: Sometimes it gets tough though when you have to get work done, and you just want to have a beer and catch up.

    PC: So you mentioned that Ryan and Noel lived out in New York City for a bit and you had to make that work long-distance.

    RM: Yeah, that was tough. We weren’t as active during that period. But it also opened up some different opportunities because I met a lot of people in New York and we were playing a lot of gigs in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

    ZK: And then we could just stay at Ryan’s.

    RM: Yeah, it was easier then than it is now because we had a home base.

    ZK: And then we rented an hour studio to practice in New York.

    RM: We were still playing shows actively, but I think creation was the harder thing to do.

    ZK: We would send things online, but we couldn’t really test them out.

    RM: That was obviously the hardest part…

    ZK: The productivity in the studio.

    RM: But something about us being together for so long, we could book a show in New York or Rochester, practice once – or not – and play the show and it still sounds good.

    Follow St. Phillip’s Escalator for news about upcoming show dates, news, and links to purchase the album.

  • Hearing Aide: Morricone Youth ‘Mad Max’

    Morricone Youth is an odd music collective no matter which way you look at them. Formed in Brooklyn and having been performing together since 1999, the group focuses mainly on writing soundtracks for already existing silent and midnight movies. A total of 15 have been done so far, includeing Eraserhead, The Battleship Potemkin, Enter the Dragon, Foxy Brown, the original Nosferatu, Fantastic Planet, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, Night of the Living Dead, and the work I’ll be reviewing here, the original 1979 Mad Max.

    How Morricone Youth’s shows usually work is the movie the soundtrack’s for will play, without sound of course, as the band plays their music over it instead. The only image I could find of the band playing live, one in granulated black and white, had the members in the frame wearing Michael Myers type masks. Now, aside from playing live, Morricone Youth is recording all the soundtracks they’ve composed so far, with Mad Max being their latest release.

    The first thing you need to get out of your mind, and I reiterate, is no, this is not a direct recreation of the original Mad Max score. This is their own interpretation based on their varying styles. I myself have only seen this film once, so my knowledge of events the music is supposed to correspond to is limited.

    The opening number, “Halls of Justice,” begins with a somber violin with electronic bleeps and blorps, along with distorted vocals where the only lines I could make out for sure had to do with the Interceptor, Max’s car. So when it flows into “Mad Goose,” after another synth buildup, the chase from the beginning of the movie is in full swing, complimented with surf guitar and clanking keyboards. You certainly feel like you’ve been taken along for a ride.

    Much like a soundtrack should do, it weaves in and out with your emotions. “Clunes Town,” “Jessie,” and “Johnny the Boy” are supposed to the down points, where the audience is meant to catch their breath and catch up with the side characters, like Max’s wife and child. There are also bits of cheesy saxophone and trumpet in there to make this feel authentically from the late 70’s, early 80’s (though not as cheesy as in “Beyond Thunderdome”). Meanwhile, tracks like “Revenge of the MFP,” “Nightrider,” and “Toecutter,” are downright villain songs. Which makes sense since they’re named after the various villains in the movie, with loud blaring instruments and melodies filled with tragedy, mayhem, and the urge to fight the nearest person to you.

    When the last song, “Bad Max (End Credits)” finally comes around, with a general melancholy sound from all the instruments, you feel as worn out as Max at this point, where he finally gets his revenge and leaves civilization behind for the outback. You feel just as worn out as Max at this point, longing for peace. If this album taught me anything, it’s that I should really re-watch the Mad Max movies. I remember enjoying all of them and I haven’t gone back to them since I saw Fury Road in theaters. Then I can determine for myself if this music actually does fit the parts they’re supposed to.

    Key Tracks: Mad Goose, Nightrider, Bad Max (End Credits)

  • Eric Clapton Keeps the Blues Alive at Madison Square Garden

    With the spirit of Chuck Berry present, church was assembled on Sunday, March 19 at Madison Square Garden, with the legendary Eric Clapton presiding. Over three and a half hours, Clapton performed songs from across his 50 year catalog, particularly the covers he popularized that brought him fame over his career which served as a tribute to legends he has admired, called a friend or, in many cases, both.

    Opening the show was Jimmy Vaughn, brother of Stevie Ray, who performed a 30 minute set that began with Wilson Pickett’s “Midnight Hour” and was capped off by “Tra La La.” Gary Clark, Jr. followed, and shortly after “Travis County” he noted, “That last one would not have been possible without the influence of Chuck Berry,” the founder of rock n roll who passed away a day earlier. Highlights included “Our Love” off Clark Jr.’s The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, which had a painful yearning that only the blues can alleviate, and his signature “Bright Lights Big City.”

    Gary Clark Jr @thegarden. Next up Eric Clapton! #slowhand #msg #nysmusic #legends

    A post shared by pete mason (@phanart) on

    As Eric Clapton arrived to the stage, the room illuminated with projections behind him. “Key to the Highway” and “Badge” kicked off the night with Sharon White and Michelle John on backing vocals. Clapton wore a blue shirt and black vest as he led the band through nearly two hours of surefire rock n’ roll, including “I Shot the Sheriff,” his cover that skyrocketed Bob Marley to fame in 1974.

    eric clapton madison square gardenClapton took a seat for a handful of acoustic songs, including “Driftin’ Blues,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” “Tears in Heaven” and “Layla,” all the while exhibiting that pained look singing the blues requires you to have. After each song, Clapton gave that short, quick “Thank You” to the audience, a truncated comment that has almost never changed in cadence or elocution and was the extent of his banter with the audience this evening.

    A beautiful “Wonderful Tonight” preceded “Crossroads” and “Queen of Spades,” both tunes by Robert Johnson, the eldest of blues legends, the latter of which found Clapton the most dialed in of the night. Longtime friend and guitarist JJ Cale’s “Cocaine” closed the set with Chris Stainton going to town on the piano. The two song encore featured “Sunshine of Your Love,” the lone Cream song of the night which was as powerful as ever, and “Before You Accuse Me,” with Vaughn and Clark, Jr. each taking solos and rousing the sell out crowd once again.

    Be thankful that bluesmen live long lives, for we have a combined century of living legends in Eric Clapton and Jimmy Vaughn and many more years of Gary Clark, Jr. keeping the tradition of the blues alive.

    Setlist: Key to the Highway, Badge, I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, I Shot the Sheriff, Driftin’ Blues*, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out*, Tears in Heaven*, Layla*, Somebody’s Knocking, Wonderful Tonight, Crossroads, Little Queen of Spades, Cocaine
    Encore: Sunshine of Your Love, Before You Accuse Me^
    * acoustic
    ^with Gary Clark, Jr. and Jimmy Vaughn

  • Taking Back Sunday to Tour with Every Time I Die

    Taking Back Sunday announced a summer tour with Every Time I Die that will be book ended by dates in New York, opening in New York City and closing out in Utica and Buffalo.

    taking back sundayLong Island’s Taking Back Sunday will head out on tour this summer with Buffalo metalcore act Every Time I Die. The 28 night tour takes them across the country and back, kicking off at New York City’s Webster Hall on July 14 and closing out on Aug. 19 with a hometown show for Every Time I Die at the Waiting Room Summer Stage in Buffalo. They make one other New York stop on Aug. 18 at the Saranac Brewery in Utica. The only other Northeast dates are July 16 at the House of Blues in Boston and Aug. 16 at Stage AE in Pittsburgh.

    Joining Taking Back Sunday and Every Time I Die are New Jersey’s Modern Chemistry for the first half of the tour and South Carolina’s All Get Out for the second half. Every Time I Die will be absent from the shows on July 20 and 22 in Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida, respectively.

    Prior to the start of the tour with Every Time I Die, Taking Back Sunday will perform at the Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue. New Found Glory, 311 and Saves the Day also play the festival.

    As part of the summer tour, the band is offering VIP passes that give fans early entrance into the shows, a VIP laminate and lanyard, an embossed journal and bookmark and access to an acoustic set. The VIP tickets are on sale now through the band’s website. General tickets for the summer tour go on sale Friday, March 24 at 10 a.m.

    Taking Back Sunday Summer Tour Dates
    July 14 – Webster Hall – New York, NY *
    July 16 – House of Blues – Boston, MA *
    July 19 – Masquerade – Heaven Stage – Atlanta, GA *
    July 20 – House of Blues – Orlando * #
    July 21 – Jannus Live – St. Petersburg, FL *
    July 22 – Mavericks – Jacksonville, FL * #
    July 24 – Gas Monkey Live! – Dallas, TX *
    July 25 – Tricky Falls – El Paso, TX *
    July 26 – Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ *
    July 27 – Hard Rock at the Pool – Las Vegas, NV *
    July 28 – Obervatory North Park – San Diego, CA *
    July 29 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA *
    July 31 – The Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA *
    Aug. 1 – Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA *
    Aug. 3 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR ^
    Aug. 4 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA ^
    Aug. 6 – Knitting Factory – Boise, ID ^
    Aug. 7 – The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT ^
    Aug. 8 – Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO ^
    Aug. 9 – Bourbon Theatre – Lincoln, NE ^
    Aug. 10 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN ^
    Aug. 12 – The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI ^
    Aug. 13 – Crofoot Ballroom – Pontiac, MI ^
    Aug. 14 – Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH ^
    Aug. 15 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH ^
    Aug. 16 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA ^
    Aug. 18 – Saranac Brewery – Utica, NY ^
    Aug. 19 – Waiting Room Summer Stage – Buffalo, NY ^

    * with Modern Chemistry
    # without Every Time I Die
    ^ with All Get Out

  • Hearing Aide: BIG Something ‘Tumbleweed’

    When BIG Something arrived on the scene back in 2009, their name made it apparent they knew what the future had in store for them. Fast forward eight years later and the funky, electronic, alternative rockers have gone nowhere but up, managing to keep climbing the ladder of fame. Continuously bringing the high-energy jams to east coast music festivals, the group crafted their own annual fest in Mebane, North Carolina: The Big What. After three studio albums, the six-piece hailing from NC decided 2017 was the year to put forth their newest endeavor titled Tumbleweed, the namesake of their December 2016 teaser single. If Tumbleweed is any accurate indication, 2017 is already shaping up to be huge for them.

    In anticipation of their then-impending album, the group decided to launch “Tumbleweed,” paired with a quite jarring narrative, giving fans a spoonful of what was to come in the following weeks. The name “Tumbleweed” references the main character of the track who finds himself endlessly wandering through the depths of a post-apocalyptic desert. If that’s not enough of a concept, he’s hallucinating on peyote, too–quite a trip. The album’s narrative is centered on his lonesome and dark destination and his will to survive and keep movin’ on.

    Released on February 24, 2017 and recorded at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC, the album blew into the speakers of many, proving to be an apt addition to their album lineup: 2010’s Stories From the Middle of Nowhere, 2013’s self titled venture and their penultimate release in 2014, Truth Serum, in addition to a number of live releases. The 8-track album covers a lot of ground, taking a step away from the group’s more lighthearted, carefree and fun tone, bringing it down to a darker realm of sonic trips through barren desserts. Of course, some tracks held true to an upbeat feel but for this runaround, the group decided they’d convey a heavier temperament while flying through a variety of genres.

    The title track, acting as the first glimpse of the album produced by Grammy-nominated John Custer, leaves listeners feeling as if they’re the ones left deserted on the cracked earth beneath a heavily beating sun. The opening notes alone spark an instant curiosity and yearning to hear more. The lyrics, “Cactus tripping/eclipse the sun/mind or mirage/are you having fun?”and synthy keys conjure up psychedelic inspiration and provoke deep thought with airy guitar solos to match.

    This is quickly juxtaposed by “Song for Us,” the second track on the album. Desolate emotions are exchanged for happier, reggae tunes solidifying the fact that the listener is on their own unique journey through Tumbleweed, one they must come out of in their own way, as they bounce between lighter and darker moods. Allowing an ending guitar solo to smoothly transition into “Passenger,” the track begins to grab at bluegrassy (think String Cheese Incident), western influences and spirals further into the theme of wandering in darkness.

    “Blue Dream” follows, introducing a jammier, space rock sound to the album that has yet to be seen. Regardless of being instrumental in its entirety, the track demands your attention. Contributing to the southern rock theme and tying in psychedelia, this track mirrors the album artwork nicely, which displays major sci-fi nods with images of UFOs and alien life. “UFOs are Real” brings a bit of kitschy lyrical fun with groovy bass lines, an added horn section and a quick ability to force you on your feet to dance. The penultimate track, ironically titled “In the Middle,” brings some Californian vibes with surfer rock mentality through its vocals. Wrapping up the 2017 release, “Waves” proves to be a fitting closing track, offering a powerhouse of a crescendo that softens into reminiscent tunes from the album’s opening track. Listeners are seemingly looped and dropped off at the beginning of their own desert trip, left to reflect on the highs and lows the last eight songs challenged them with.

    Tumbleweed is a gripping, innovative release chock-full of imagery, creative instrumentation and solid production, which gave Nick MacDaniels (vocals, guitar), Doug Marshall (bass), Josh Kagel(keys, trumpet), Casey Cranford (saxophone, EWI), Jesse Hensle (lead guitar), and Ben Vinograd (drums) the opportunity to shine in their respective areas and display their utmost dynamism, both in the studio and on stage. Although unmistakably dark, the album grounds the listener and helps them come to terms with the fact that we are all just tiny ants on this humongous globe in space, dragging ourselves through the scorched earth beneath our feet. It’s up to us to keep going.

    Key tracks: Tumbleweed, Blue Dream, Waves