WEQX, The Real Alternative, has three big shows in Albany this weekend! Thursday March 2: Slothrust at The Hollow
This Brooklyn-based trio of graduates from Sarah Lawrence College bring their Indie-grunge rock with influences of jazz and blues to The Hollow on March 2nd. They recently performed at Upstate Concert Hall this past November. Check out their latest album Everyone Else.
This pop duo from California hits The Hollow the following night, and will be performing at SXSW Festival later this month. Fun fact: singer Asa Taccone (brother of Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone) helped Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer produce “Dick in a Box,” among other Lonely Island numbers.
Self proclaimed ‘Dairy Rock‘, this San Francisco garage pop rock comes to The Low Beat on Sunday night. Their latest EP, We’re Set, has found them joining the stage with the likes of Hinds, Night Beats, Adult Books, SWMRS, The Aquadolls and many more.
This past Saturday, February 25, Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band brought their original sound to Retro Live, a new concert venue in Plattsburgh, NY. Between original guitar solos from Alex Mansman and the leadership of front man Joe Mansman, each member perfectly complemented each other.
The band brought a fully stacked set list with them and most being originals. I found myself head banging to new riffs that felt right. To sum up Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band, the only words that I can use to describe them is rock and roll. Joe Mansman brought a stage act that to me has been missing with a lot of newer bands. With songs like “Below or Above” and “Dead as it Gets,” I really felt that I was at a rock show in the late 1970’s but with fresh with new rock music. About half way through the set, the front man and keyboardist Chris Becker played a couple duets to give the show a smooth transition to a heavy ending.
Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band is a group that gives people an option to let loose and bang your head. They ended the show with “Live Free or Die,” and were not afraid to bring the show off the stage. With front man Joe Mansman jumping onto a pool table and guitarist Alex Mansman hopping down to the venue floor to play heavy riffs, the group brought a show that had something for everyone.
Setlist: Dead as it Gets, Below or Above, Born to be Wild (Steppenwolf cover), Reap and Sow, Cold Virginia Nights, Blaze of Glory (Bon Jovi cover), Hell or High Water, All Along, Den of Thieves, Mother (Danzig cover), She’s Mine, Long Rope, You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive (Darrell Scott cover), Rock and Roll ain’t Noise Pollution(AC/DC cover), Nobody’s Sun, Boundless Grace, Too far gone, Cut out my tongue, Crowbar hotel, House of Wolves, Live Free or Die
It’s hard to be so humble and mature when talent comes so naturally to someone, but Bobby Paltauf proved in an interview it’s possible, as he is undoubtedly one of the most professional and grounded young musicians out there.
He’s coming to the Fairfield Theater Company‘s secondary venue, Stage One, on Saturday, March 11 and NYS Music revealed some information about the show and how he got started. Paltauf also talks about a pre-show fundraiser with organizations like Horns For Kids, along side Rock Cottage Studio as well as how a portion of the ticket sales going to Zach Staden, a man who requires stem cell therapy for a spinal chord injury.
Dave Ostroff: What age did you pick up the guitar?
Bobby Paltauf: Around 7, I’ve been playing for about 10 years now. Started right on a Strat too, it’s a huge guitar. My dad used to play a lot and he had an acoustic and Strat and I dove right into those.
DO: Did your dad tempt you to play?
BP: It was always more of my doing. My dad always played great music. When I was a kid we would just rock out to Led Zeppelin. He played one Zeppelin song and it just intrigued me. I picked up his guitar one day and I tried to learn it.
DO: Did you ever get stumped and need that extra push to keep learning?
BP: Definitely. It was hard especially when you have those baby fingers. There were songs that I wanted to learn, a lot of Led Zeppelin stuff. It was about a year, year and a half where I was kind of getting it… and then it just clicked.
DO: When did you get together with the people you put the album out with?
BP: 2013. I started going to BRYAC. They had a funk night and there, someone told me about this bass player and drummer and we met in their basement and we just clicked right away. We added a keyboard player that we knew and then we put together that record.
DO: You guys sound fantastic. One of my favorites is Atmosphere. Talk us through the creative process of that song.
BP: When I first met with the drummer Kaitlyn, and the bass player Miles, we jammed on a funk tune and directly after, Miles started playing some diminished line, and we wrote the tune right there on the spot. It was the first or second time we met. We molded it out every night that we were on tour and it just came to be the song.
DO: What would you define the album is in terms of genre?
BP: A lot of it is instrumental, it’s funky with a little bit of jazz influence, so I would just call it a funk rock album.
DO: A lot of the music, as you said is instrumental, but in some songs you sing. Did you want to stay more instrumental because that’s your strong suit?
BP: At the time we put out the record I was only 14 and at the point your voice is changing every couple of months. At that point my voice wasn’t my strong suit and I was more engulfed in the guitar, so I just wanted to make that album based around instrumental stuff. I wanted to let my voice develop more. That’s actually what I’ve been doing for the past year/ two years now is writing lyrical based music. The next record is going to be a complete twist, all lyrical stuff.
DO: Led Zeppelin was your muse for your guitar work. Do you pull any inspiration from famous vocalists?
BP: Back then I was focused on guitarists. But in the past couple years I’ve been getting into folk singers like Bob Dylan. I like his less technical approach, just singing from your soul. I’ve been working on my own, which will be on the new album.
DO: Is there an expected date for the album drop?
BP: Mostly likely early May.
DO: Compared to Lost and Found, are we going to see a similar genre? Striving for something new?
BP: I’m definitely going to go for more of a rock and roll feel, going back to the music I really fell in love with years ago. It’ll definitely be more rock based, there will be tracks that go off a little bit and jam with a little bit of funk thrown in. Also some more lyrically developed idea.
DO: You’re show at the FTC is coming up in March, are we going to see anything from the new album?
BP: We’re actually going to play the entire new album. We might throw in some stuff from lost and found, but it’ll almost all be new stuff.
DO: You got to sit in with Buddy Guy among other famous musicians. How did you get that gig and what was it like?
BP: I played with him at the Ridgefield playhouse and my aunt who works there set me up with him. I didn’t really know who he was. I was more into the rock stuff, but I started to check him out and thought, “I need to see this guy he’s a legend!” She ended up getting me to meet him before the show, he had me play a little bit in front of him, he said, “Stand over here by the side stage and I’ll call you up for a song. It was just so incredible and surreal.
DO: Was that the most memorable sit in with an artist?
BP: Buddy Guy was probably the big one. The other one at Catskill Chill when I sat in for The Meters with Paige from Phish. That one was incredible. I was around 14 for that one. I happened to be a in a Meters phase too. It was incredible to play with George and Leo.
DO: Did any of these big names say or do anything that will stick with you for the years to come?
BP: I’ve seen Buddy Guy so many times after that. You see he brings so much energy to the shows. It shows that it’s all about the music, but you need to keep people engaged, especially nowadays. The Meters show was a fun jam for jam lovers, but the Buddy Guy one stuck with me. You need to keep the crowd engaged. He walks around the stage, into the crowd and up into the balcony. He has a lot of fun with it.
DO: You’re playing with Grayson Hughs at the FTC, have you talked to him? Know him at all?
BP: I’m actually in his band too. He called me up a few years ago, I had no idea who he was. He got my number from a girl in my school who was family friends with him. He’s this legendary soul singer from the 80’s who fell out but is making a come back with a few albums. He happens to be from Danbury and he tried to put together a band, he found me, a drummer and bass player and we’ve been rehearsing for about a year and a half. We thought about the idea of merging the two bands at a bigger venue- Stage One in Fairfield.
DO: So your group is going to open first, and then you’ll combine together for the second set?
BP: We’ll do a little over an hour and then change over and he’ll do about 90 minutes with us.
DO: Do you guys plan on heading over to NYC anytime soon?
BP: We plan on doing a bigger run when the album drops. We loved playing New York City, and hopefully try to get a nice run together for the early summer.
DO: Any other info regarding your upcoming FTC show?
BP: Before the show we are going to have a bunch of local organizations and causes setup in the art gallery at FTC StageOne to promote what they do and to raise donations. There will be a table for Zach Standen setup where they will be collecting donations for medical funds, stem cell therapy, and more (as well as a portion of the ticket proceeds will be also going to him). Rock Cottage Studio will have a setup to spread Horns For Kids, which gives instruments to underprivileged kids who can’t afford them. There will be many other things set up at doors before the show and we will also have merch and cd’s.
Pierce The Veil fans are running in circles from the excitement of the Rest In Space tour.
Pierce The Veil, alongside direct support Falling In Reverse and Crown The Empire, are scheduled to play at Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park, N.Y. on Sunday, March 5.
On May 13, the band released their fourth full-length album, Misadventures. Fans are welcoming back the band to perform their new material at the Clifton Park venue for the first time since their nearly sold-out show in 2013 with Memphis May Fire, Letlive and Issues.
Their third U.S. headlining tour promoting the album, the Rest In Space Tour will be hitting North America until March 10. Since the release of Misadventures, Pierce The Veil have released music videos for fan favorites, “Circles,” “Dive In” and “Floral & Fading.”
Direct support Falling In Reverse are scheduled to release their new album, Coming Home, on April 7 via Epitaph Records. Their fourth full-length release, Coming Home features hit singles, “Loser” and “Coming Home.”
Following the departure of vocalist Dave Escamilla, in July of last year Crown The Empire released their third full-length album, Retrograde. Their Retrograde Tour promoting the album hit the Clifton Park venue in late November.
Doors open for the Rest in Space tour at 6 pm on Sunday, and the show kicks off at 7 pm.
Imagine this scenario if you may: you are about to enter an epic battle of man vs the world. You have your leather wrist bands and your battle vest prepared for combat. The boots are all laced and ready to kick up the mud. Deep inside you know something is missing. What could it be? Suddenly the answer came from the metal gods, a wicked and powerful soundtrack to capture the energy of a true warrior. The battle hymn of choice goes by the name, Bringer of Pain from Finland’s own Battle Beast! Today we shall fight for the metal.
No strangers to the way of steel, Bringer of Pain, is the fourth installment to be added to the band’s ever growing discography. This follow up from their 2015 release Unholy Savior (via Nuclear Blast) and my personal favorite Battle Beast (2013 via Nuclear Blast), they once again present their own unique brand of heavy and power metal to the metal masses. The vocal approach by Noora Louhimo will capture the hearts of the male fans and inspired many females lurking in the genre to take up the horns. With such powerful tracks like “We Will Fight” and “God of War,” they will ignite a flame inside the listener that will burn brighter than any other star in the sky. The guitar work of Juuso Soinio and the drumming of Pyry Vikki will remind you of Odin’s eight hooved horse galloping to crush the enemies of metal. You will find yourself doing your battle cry as you raise your sword or roll a d20 while playing DND, as each soaring guitar solo with the help of bone crushing war drum makes the opposition tremble before you. Critical hit; victory is yours.
When it comes to power metal, you know there will be some songs that hit you hard straight into your soul. The track on the album that puts the emphasis of emotion is the very passionate song “Far From Heaven.” The vocals mixed with the guitar skills of Vikki and Björkroth created a masterpiece of melody and melancholy resonance. I am a big scary looking guy and let me tell you, this track makes me feel like a hopeful teenage boy again; simply beautiful. I do admit this is my personal favorite from the new release. Another track that has a wonderful executed dread-filled painted landscape is “Lost in Wars” which features Tomi Joutsen (Amphoris). His deep sorrowful vocals mold a dark picture where a world lost all hope and light because of man’s own doing. It will send chills down your spine with the bass playing of Sipilä giving the song as if it was a funeral dirge. I do see this song becoming the most popular one on the album in the coming weeks as well as help the band grow their devoted fan base.
If I could give this album a rating, it would be a solid 5 out of 5. You may order it from the band’s page and your local record store. Buy it and together we will fight with Odin!
Key Tracks: Bringer of Pain, Lost in Wars, We Will Fight
If success is playing over 700 shows and releasing three wildly successful studio albums, then Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds have it. Their presence on stage is infectious, contributing to a vast and ever-growing festival scene. The Brooklyn-based Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds just released their newest addition to the catalogue, a two-disc live album titled Fowl Play, that provides enough horsepower and sheer grit to get you in the mood to roll down the windows and hit the road.
The album starts hard and heavy with “Freight Train,” complete with wailing horns and a voice that could bring just about anyone to their knees. It’s no surprise that lead vocalist Arleigh Kincheloe can use her voice to soar over the rest of her seven-piece band. “Freight Train” is how you start a live album. If you’re new to the band, then that’s the song that will keep you listening.
“My House” slows it down, with that 50’s soul feel almost comparable to a Sam Cooke ballad. The song is bookended with Kincheloe’s sultry voice, but the meat of the song is the guitar solo in the middle. You’ll definitely want to go back and listen again to get the full effect. For a band who prides themselves on hard-hitting, gritty rock, the ballad is where you really see the definition and talent. Ballads can be tough for a large band, but their ability to settle down and hit you with the feels is undeniable.
Disc two opens with “Dirt,” which is a prime example of why you should set the computer down and go see them live. The attitude and low-end growl is what makes Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds so popular among a vast fan base. The harmonica and sax solo battle is one for the ages, grabbing your attention from every angle. Arleigh’s brother Jackson Kincheloe on harmonica and Brian Graham on saxophone somehow fit more notes into a solo than what should be possible. But nevertheless, it builds to a full-band roar, like a battle cry after winning the war.
Fans crave live albums, and this one does not disappoint. It appeals to just about every genre, and provides funky, gritty jams that can get just about anyone moving. Get your copy on their Bandcamp where you can also preview the album. They don’t currently have any tour dates announced, but keep a close eye on their website for upcoming tour and festival announcements. Do yourself a favor and hop on the Dirty Birds train, because wherever it’s going, you’re in for one wild ride.
On Friday, Feb 17, local rock artist from Upstate NY, Frank Palangi, and his band, had the sold out crowd at Jupiter Hall inside the Lucky Strike Social located at the Crossgates Mall in Albany, on their feet. Opening for Red Sun Rising and Badflower, Palangi performed all his fan favorite tracks, and threw a cover in by Full Devil Jacket. The boys more than did their job, and after their set, they had the sold out venue more than ready for a rock show.
New York state is filled with a tremendous amount of musical talent on the rise. Whether you’re a local writer, photographer, or both, NYS Music is one of the leaders when it comes to promoting local talent chasing down their dreams in the music industry, while we hone our crafts by covering these artists.
Palangi got right down to business, and rocked out track after track, which is expected, since he was slated in the crucial spot of opening the show to warm the crowd up. In the end, he and his band rocked the faces off everyone inside Jupiter Hall. It was obvious by the crowds reaction, and those who have not ever seen Palangi perform, and wrote him off as just a local talent not worthy, had their minds changed in a heartbeat making a perfect example why fans should show up early to events, and take in all the artist on the bill.
This group of musicians have a good chemistry on stage. They come off as well polished veterans in the business with their stage presence, playing style, and personality which are traits you look for in a band. All three seemed to be genuinely having a blast on stage.
Palangi is really coming together as an artist, and owned the crowd with his deep husky vocals and catchy rock tunes. His confidence and professionalism on stage grows with each performance. The Queensbury native opened the show with the track “Break These Chains,” which he recorded with Daughtry guitarist Brian Craddock, at Craddock’s recording studio in Virginia. Before the band played the single “I’m Waiting,” drummer Josh Opitz held down the beat, as Palangi tossed out free merchandise to the crowd. New guitarist Dillon Swertner, is very charismatic in showing off his guitar skills throughout the bands set.
Palangi is no stranger when it comes to opening up shows for national artist. He has opened up shows and festivals that have included several major rock artists including Shinedown, Megadeth, Alice in Chains, Ghost, Janes Addiction, Buckcherry, 3 Doors Down, Trapt, Lacey Sturm, Powerman 5000 and Aaron Lewis to name a few.
Electric is not his only forte, Palangi holds many acoustic shows across the region. He has upcoming shows on March 25, at Mean Max Brew Works in Glens Falls, and April 21 at Dinosaur BBQ in Troy. Frank Palangi consists of himself on vocals and guitar, Josh Opitz (drums), and Dillon Swertner (guitar).
Setlist: Break These Chains – I Am Ready – Now You Know (Full Devil Jacket Cover) – Thank You – Jam – I’m Waiting – Turn It All Around
On Friday, February 24, New Jersey’s own The Bowling Alley Sound will release their self-titled EP on their label 46 West. Their sophomore release brings musical and physical growth, as the original 4-piece has now transformed into a quintet with the addition of bassist and album cover artist, Andrew Capuano.
The post-rock follow up to their 2014 debut, Metaphysical You, begins with the most energetic release of the four-track list, “Henry and Clark.” Well-known bands in the post-rock genre such as Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai can be heard echoed in their opening song as EP producer and guitarist, Mike Basil, kicks it off with a soft and subtle rift. Nick Looney’s drum playing anchors the song in place until the final section finds Issac Rubins’ violin eerily bringing the song to an end.
“Night Flight” recreated the rich and repetitive textures heard in the first track, but much like the song title, the listener is reminded of dreams about flying. While the song will not make you want to get up and dance, or get up at all really, it would fit well at a yoga studio, meditation session, or music score of a Planet Earth episode.
During the final two tracks, they inject muffled crowd noise to bring the listening audience together as one with the band. The group attempts vocals for the first time during the closing track, “The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words,” a title almost as long as the EP itself. The post-rock vocal approach is very different from the typical verse-chorus structure found in many other rock genres, and The Bowling Alley Sound stay true to form using soft, spoken words to poetically describe a 2017 New Year’s resolution. While I would have liked to hear more trumpet textures from Danny Molloy, the final track sends the listener off in a tranquil and serene mood.
The digital-only release of The Bowling Alley Sound will be available on all major platforms and can be pre-ordered now for only $1 (US currency).
Key Tracks: Henry and Clark, The Conversation Of The Street Lights Will Pass As Quickly As Our Words
Roger Waters will bring Pink Floyd’s historic album The Wall to Albany’s Times Union Center on September 23, 2017, part of the US + THEM tour.
Waters has toured on Pink Floyd’s The Wall in recent years, and will be performing songs from Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here and more. The Wall tour came through Upstate in June of 2012, and has even been suggested to be performed on the U.S/Mexico border.
Tickets for the show go on sale on Monday, February 27 at 10 am through Ticketmaster.
In a recent Blabbermouth report, former Queensryche frontman, Geoff Tate, discussed with the “Noize In The Attic” radio show, whether he thinks a reconciliation could happen in the future, and reunite with original Queensryche lineup someday down the road.
Tate’s response when asked if a possible Queensryche reunion possibly happening:
I suppose so. I suppose that if everybody got in a room…The only reason to get together is for the money. That’s the only reason. So, if everybody really needed money and wanted to get together and bury the hatchet, so to speak, and sit in one room and say [mocking tears] ‘Gosh, I’m really sorry I treated you that way.’ You know, maybe then we could work toward some sort of resolution, but I haven’t seen any attempt by anybody to do that. So I’m holding out…holding my breath. [But] I’d never say never. I might get to a point where I really need the money. It’s nice to have that little back-up plan.
In a past interview with The Metal Gods Meltdown, Tate described his time with the band as a business more than a brother hood. He stated:
We weren’t really friends, you know – we were business associates. We had a wonderful entity that we shared called Queensryche, but it wasn’t an equal sort of partnership as far as involvement goes. You know, so there wasn’t a real camaraderie amongst everybody in the band… From my perspective and my involvement, it wasn’t an emotional sort of brotherhood kind of thing that some people might think existed. That wasn’t my reality with them.
Tate tried suing the band over the rights to the Queensryche name in 2012. A settlement was reached between both parties in 2014, giving original band members Michael Wilton (guitar), Scott Rockenfield (drums), and Eddie Jackson (bass), the rights to the Queensryche name, while giving Tate the rights to perform live, the albums, “Operation Mindcrime,” and Operation Mindcrime II.”
The band brought a fully stacked set list with them and most being originals. I found myself head banging to new riffs that felt right. To sum up 
Joe Mansman and t
No strangers to the way of steel, Bringer of Pain, is the fourth installment to be added to the band’s ever growing discography. This follow up from their 2015 release Unholy Savior (via Nuclear Blast) and my personal favorite Battle Beast (2013 via Nuclear Blast), they once again present their own unique brand of heavy and power metal to the metal masses. The vocal approach by Noora Louhimo will capture the hearts of the male fans and inspired many females lurking in the genre to take up the horns. With such powerful tracks like “We Will Fight” and “God of War,” they will ignite a flame inside the listener that will burn brighter than any other star in the sky. The guitar work of Juuso Soinio and the drumming of Pyry Vikki will remind you of Odin’s eight hooved horse galloping to crush the enemies of metal. You will find yourself doing your battle cry as you raise your sword or roll a d20 while playing DND, as each soaring guitar solo with the help of bone crushing war drum makes the opposition tremble before you. Critical hit; victory is yours.
