NYS Music 20​17

Category: News Desk

  • Update: Chillfam All-Stars Pay Tribute to Michael Jackson at Phish After-Party

    The Chillfam All-Stars will play a tribute to Michael Jackson on Aug. 5 at the Gramercy Theatre for an afterparty during the Phish Baker’s Dozen run. The band is a supergroup of familiar faces and includes Elise Testone, Jen Hartswick and Natalie Cressman of the Trey Anastasio Band, Alex Petropulos of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Danny Mayer of the Eric Krasno Band, Eric Gould and Richard James of Pink Talking Fish, Adrian Tramontano of Kung Fu, Matt Wayne of the Bobby Deitch Band and Rob Volo of Deep Banana Blackout. Tickets go on sale this Friday at noon.

    Update 5/23/2017:

    Turkuaz is the latest act to announce a Phish afterparty during the Baker’s Dozen run. They play Irving plaza on Tuesday, July 25. Tickets for their show go on sale this Thursday, May 25, at noon.

    Update 5/4/2017:

    Matisyahu, Atlas Road Crew and Strange Machines will all play afterparties following Phish’s Baker’s Dozen shows.

    Strange Machines plays Wednesday, July 26 at Drom. Eggy opens the show. Atlas Road Crew hits up American Beauty on Friday, Aug. 4. Tickets for both shows are on sale now.

    The Cutting Room sees Matisyahu on Wednesday, Aug. 2. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, May 5 at noon.

    Update 4/26/2017:

    Pink Talking Fish, Holly Bowling and the Motet will all play shows around Phish’s Baker’s Dozen run at Madison Square Garden. Following Phish on Tuesday, Aug. 1, Pink Talking Fish plays as Pink Talking Fish Are Dead at the Cutting Room. They also play an after-party on Friday, Aug. 4 at the Gramercy Theatre. They board The Jewel for a pre-party booze cruise the next day, Saturday, Aug. 5. The cruise is at 2 p.m.

    Holly Bowling brings her solo piano renditions of Phish and Grateful Dead songs to the Cutting Room on Saturday and Sunday, July 22 and 23 and Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5 and 6. All her shows start at 4 p.m.

    The Motet plays an afterparty on the first night of the run, Friday, July 21 at B.B. Kings.

    Original Post:

    When Phish comes to New York City, the party tends to start well before the shows and it always ends long after they leave the stage. As with every Phish run at Madison Square Garden, a slew of pre-parties and afterparties are planned for their 13 night Baker’s Dozen run at the storied arena.

    Phish is set to play their historic 13 night run at Madison Square Garden beginning July 21 and ending on Aug. 6. CEG Presents has pre-parties and afterparties planned for just about every night of the Baker’s Dozen. Their run of shows kicks off a day early on Thursday, July 20 with Twiddle and Madaila. Twiddle finishes out a three-night run with a pair of Phish afterparties on Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22. All three shows are at Irving Plaza. Particle also plays an afterparty on July 21 at the Cutting Room. The DeadPhish Orchestra plays a 2 p.m. concert cruise on July 22 before the show.

    John Kadlecik brings Jay Lane of Ratdog to join his band for a pair of afterparties on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 25 and 26. Both shows are at American Beauty.

    The second weekend of the run has Dopapod playing two nights at the Gramercy Theatre on Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29. Also on July 29 are Bonerama at Iridium and Torus and the Mushroom Cloud at Drom.

    The final stretch of Phish shows see fewer afterparties. Zach Deputy hits up American Beauty after Phish on Wednesday, Aug. 2. Saturday, Aug. 5 has a pair of shows with Formula 5 at Lucille’s at B.B. King’s and Particle back at the Cutting Room for their “Director’s Cut.”

    Tickets for all of these shows, except Dopapod, are on sale now. The Dopapod shows go on sale on Friday, April 14 at noon.

  • Jon Fishman Runs for Local Government

    Jon Fishman, drummer for Phish and Syracuse native, recently announced that he is running for the Board of Selectman in the local government of his new hometown of Lincolnville, Maine.

    jon fishman

    Fishman is no stranger to politics. As an outspoken supporter of Bernie Sanders during the 2016 presidential campaign, he made the spotlight in New England and beyond, reaching out to fans of Phish to drum up support for the Democratic socialist candidate in his run for the nomination. It comes as no surprise that Fishman now credits Sanders as his inspiration for running for local office in Lincolnville. Sander’s message to his followers suggesting more people run for local office resonated with Fishman whose wife, Briar, currently sits on the local school board.

    Fishman is ready to jump in feet first. He has been attending Selectmen meetings and learning about the local government. He is quoted in The Free Press, “I really want to go into this with both feet. If I’m going to do it, I want to do a good job. I’m going to be engaged, and I have no interest in doing it half-assed.”

    Fishman is one of three candidates who filed paperwork indicating they are running for the two positions on the Board. The two incumbents, who are expected to file, have yet to do so.

  • Buffalo EDM Artist, Grabbitz Releases Video From Upcoming Album

    Buffalo singer, songwriter and producer Grabbitz, has released his music video for the single “Don’t Let Me Go,” which is off the artist’s debut album, Things Change, due May 19 on Grabbitz’s own record label, West Blood Records. The label is named after the street Grabbitz grew up on in Buffalo. Things Change is available for pre order.

    buffalo grabbitzGrabbitz has made a name for himself in his young EDM career. His remix of the Deadmau5 track “Silent Picture,” eventually led to the pair collaborating on the Deadmau5’s hit single, “Let Go,” where you can hear Grabbitz on vocals. The single peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic charts, and has over 10 million views on YouTube.

    He entered the television entertainment industry, when he was called upon to provide compositions for the T.V show CSI: Cyber. His debut EP Friends, was a top 10 dance album on iTunes. His track “Here With You Now,” has over 4 million views on YouTube, and topped the Beatport Dubstep charts in 2014. Grabbitz’s follow up, Better With Time, climbed to #4 on the iTunes Dance chart. His Spotify song catalog currently has over 20 million streams combined.

    Born Nick Chiari, look for Grabbitz to show his stuff off as a live performer, as he plans to perform live shows this summer.

    Things Change Track Listing:
    1. Follow Me
    2. Don’t Let Me Go
    3. I Think That I Might Be Going Crazy
    4. Play This Game
    5. Break Me Down
    6. Pretty Little Melody
    7. Love Like That (Let You Down)
    8. Hold Steady (Better Days)
    9. Things Change
    10. I Shouldn’t Have
    11. A Tragic Interlude
    12. What I’m Going Thru

  • J. Geils, Guitarist and Founder of J. Geils Band, Dead at 71

    J. Geils, founding member of the popular blues-rock band that bore his name, was found dead in his Groton, MA home Tuesday after Groton police responded to a welfare check. The guitarist was 71 years old. Initial police reports indicate that Geils died of natural causes.

    J GeilsBorn and raised in the greater New York City area, John Warren Geils, Jr. formed the band in 1967, then known as the J. Geils Blues Band, while a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Along with vocalist Peter Wolf, harmonica player Richard “Magic Dick” Salwitz, drummer Stephen Bladd, keyboardist Seth Justman and bassist Danny Klein, the band gigged around the Boston area for several years before landing a record deal with Atlantic in 1970. J. Geils Band rose to prominence once it transitioned from a strictly blues-based band to a rock band with a blues foundation, behind such hits as “Love Stinks,” “Musta Got Lost,” “Freeze Frame” and “Centerfold.”

    In a quote from the New York Times obituary, Geils spoke of the band’s rise to fame, “I founded the band as a Chicago-style blues band, and it evolved into a bluesy rock band. I don’t care what any recording artist says; they all want a No. 1 gold single, and we have two.” The 1981 breakthrough album Freeze Frame is what put the band at the top of the charts.

    The fame brought by the Freeze Frame album seemed to be the band’s ticket to stardom. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Wolf left the band prior to the follow-up album, You’re Gettin’ Even While I’m Gettin’ Odd.” The resulting disharmony eventually led to the band breaking up in 1985. They did reunite several times since, most notably at the opening of the Boston House of Blues in 2009 and as Aerosmith’s opening act at Fenway Park in 2010.

    J GeilsGeils was born February 20, 1946 in New York and grew up in Morris Plains, NJ. He cut his musical teeth listening to his father’s jazz records and the blues of Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. A renaissance man, Geils dipped his toes in many waters. He played trumpet in the marching band while attending Northeastern University and studied mechanical engineering at Worcester. Following the breakup of the band, he focused on auto restoration and music production.

    Peter Wolf offered his condolences via Facebook page Tuesday.

    Bear witness to this full perfomance at Winterland in 1977 and question why the J. Geils Band is not yet in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

  • Lamb of God Taking Hiatus

    Metal Injection reports on a recent interview with Sixx Sense that Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe has stated the band will go on a hiatus following the bands summer tour. Blythe, in an recent interview, talked about needing rest from a busy last couple of years. In that time, he has dealt with being jailed in the Czech Republic for accidentally injuring a fan, leading to the fan’s death and a grueling touring cycle, in search of money after bills stemming from legal issues started to mount up.

    Lamb Of God is on tour all summer, starting in South America on June 6, at Groove in Palermo, Argentina, with Carcass and Heaven Shall Burn. July and August finishes Lamb of God’s summer run in North America, before heading on hiatus following the Aug. 20 at the Comerica Theatre, in Phoenix, AZ with Slayer and Behemoth. The tour will bring Lamb of God to Madison Square Garden on July 27 for New Yorkers wanting one more chance to see the band before the hiatus kicks in.

    Blythe stated:

    I got out of prison and immediately went on tour, because I had five lawyers and they were just hemorrhaging money like crazy. I went from jail to home to, ten days later, being at Knotfest to home for a month or two, then out on tour with Lamb of God, then back to the Czech Republic to go to trial, found not guilty, then come home, then finish up the rest of our tour and finally end in South Africa. And then we took a little time off, but there were some changes in the organization and they started writing another record and we need to make money, so it was back in the studio. And it was back on tour again for this last record, and that cycle is not gonna end until August or September of this year, I guess. So it’s just been, like, grinding, grinding, grinding. And when I’m not on the road, I’m working on writing and photography.

    [These are] things that make me happy. But it’s at a point now where it’s like, at the end of this tour cycle, it’s gonna be like, boom, it’s time to take a break for real and concentrate more on writing and being at home with the family. It’s time for me now, at the end of this… ‘Cause we got off, after I got done with the whole prison thing and then finishing that tour, we got off the road and then we started writing a new record, and then we recorded that record. And we didn’t tell anyone that we were recording — nobody knew. They thought we were just chilling at home, and then we go on tour before the record even comes out.

  • Legendary DJ to Perform On Top Of Mt Everest

    EDM Sauce reports that legendary electronic dance music DJ and producer Paul Oakenfold will add another first to his list of places that no other EDM artist, or any artist for that matter, has ever performed. Oakenfold’s next stop, on April 11, will see the British-born DJ take the long and dangerous 17,000 foot hike up Mt. Everest and perform at the highest party in the world at the mountain’s Base Camp to celebrate the 3o year anniversary of the Second Summer of Love, which was the name given to the period in the late 80’s when acid house music and rave parties were on the rise.

    When it comes to performing in unique places, Oakenfold is no stranger. Oakenfold has been the first EDM artist to ever perform at the Great Wall of China, The Hollywood Bowl, Coachella’s main stage and Madison Square Garden.

    The venture will be part of Oakenfold’s “Generations World Tour,” which will cover six continents with new visuals, music and extended sets, playing tracks from a career that has lasted over three decades. Oakenfold will perform on two turntables and two Denon SC5000’s. For fans who can’t make the trip and climb the mountain, don’t worry, Oakenfold will live stream the Mt. Everest event through EXTREME.

    Oakenfold was voted DJ Magazine’s #1 Dj in 1998 and 1999. He has produced over 100 remixes for over 100 artists throughout his career including Madonna, Britney Spears, U2, Elvis Presley, Hans Zimmer, Dirty Vegas, P.O.D., Justin Timberlake, The Cure, Natasha Bedingfield, Moby, Massive Attack, The Rolling Stones, Crystal Method, Jennifer Lopez and The Doors. Oakenfold founded the EDM record label Perfecto, in 1989, which is still going strong.

  • Nameless Ghoul Speaks Out on Ghost Lawsuit

    Metal Injection reports that former Ghost guitarist, Simon Soderberg, posted an lengthy post on Facebook about his pending lawsuit with former Ghost band members. Soderberg and three other ‘nameless ghoul’ former members of Ghost have launched a lawsuit against Ghost frontman Papa Emeritus, real name Tobias Forge, for cheating them out of royalties from music and live tours.

    nameless ghoul simon soderbergThe lawsuit does not include former member Martin Persner, who many believe started the band. It’s said that the band may have gone through more than 10 members. With each band member’s identity being under a mask and known only as a Nameless Ghoul, there is no way to really tell how many former members Ghost really has. The four members in the lawsuit want Forge to disclose all financial income and expense statements, or be forced by the courts to pay a penalty in the $20,000 range.

    Ghost, with new band members will perform at The Palace Theatre in Albany on June 6.

    Soderberg’s Facebook post stated:

    https://www.facebook.com/simon.soderberg.52/posts/10154419061836127

    As of yesterday we, four signatories from the band Ghost, have filed a lawsuit with the Linköping District Court. We are suing Tobias Forge (”Papa Emeritus”) – the band’s lead singer who has also been responsible for the finances of the band since its founding.
    As of the filing of this lawsuit we are requesting that the court, under penalty, oblige Tobias Forge to declare the incomes as well as expenses of the band concerning the years between 2011 and 2016.

    Throughout all the years we have been on tour with Ghost (between 2011-2016 some of us have performed something like 500 shows with the band) and throughout the band’s album recordings, we have neither been allowed to share in the profits of the band, nor have we seen any of the incomes accounted for. The only thing we have received have been minimal advance payments to allow the band to keep going. This despite the fact that we had an agreement that any profits should be shared fairly between the members of the band.

    When we have attempted to raise the issue of the band’s finances with Tobias Forge, his sole response has been that there are so far no profits to be share, but that everyone will be generously compensated once the band turns a profit.

    The reason that this lawsuit is now being filed is a contract dispute that has escalated during the previous year (2016). Over the last year we have received multiple proposed contracts from Tobias Forge in which he seeks to redefine his role in the band.

    Since the conception of Ghost, our common understanding and agreement has been that we are a band on equal terms, but that Tobias will act as band leader and manage the band’s finances through his own companies.

    Through contracts received from Tobias and his lawyers during 2016, Tobias has attempted to make us sign an agreement that implies we are merely consultants working for his company, an agreement also stating that we would receive less that a minimal wage for our contributions to the band. According to this proposal, furthermore we would renounce any and all rights to music royalties.

    All above despite the fact that some of us have been members of the band since its foundation, investing all of our time in the band during the past five years, with as much right to the recordings and trademark of the band Ghost as that of Tobias Forge.

    Our vocalist and former friend is now attempting to, in a underhanded and shameless way, transform Ghost from a band into a solo project with hired musicians. Naturally this is not something we can accept.

    When, in connection with the 2016 United States tour, approached a lawyer in order to sort out the situation of the contracts, we were informed that Tobias Forge no longer wanted us to participate in upcoming tours. Thus, Tobias Forge is now going ahead with the tour, which started March 24 2017 and is set to end in the UK on August 12, on his own together with rented musicians who have replaced all other band members. Tobias Forge has chosen this path of action without any permission from us to carry out the tour on his own. This under the name Ghost, which we regard as our commonly owned trademark.

    The actions of Tobias Forge amount to nothing less than unabashed dishonesty, greed, and darkness. Not the darkness of which Ghost sings, but a darkness that pushes a person to betray his best friends when fame and fortune appear within reach.

    We are terribly sorry that this afflicts the fans of the band as well, and that they too should suffer because of this betrayal and greed.

    We who are suing Tobias Forge are:
    Simon Söderberg (Alpha) – member of Ghost since 2010.
    Mauro Rubino (Air) – member of Ghost since 2011.
    Henrik Palm (Eather) – member of Ghost since 2015
    Martin Hjertstedt (Earth) – member of Ghost since 2014
    The Nameless Ghouls

  • Syracuse University’s Bandier Program Moves to Newhouse School

    Syracuse University has announced the relocation of the prestigious Martin Bandier Program for the Music Business and Entertainment Industries from the College of Visual and Performing Arts to the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications, as reported by Billboard. The move houses the Bandier program alongside nationally ranked programs in broadcast journalism, television, radio and film, and newspaper and online journalism.

    bandier Joining the Newhouse School ensures that non-performance students interested in pursuing careers in the music industry have a variety of options to conduct interdisciplinary studies at Syracuse.

    “Over the years, graduates of the Bandier Program have gone on to achieve very successful careers in all sectors of the music industry,” said Martin Bandier (class of ’62)  in a statement. “I wanted to ensure that the program will continue to groom our future innovators — students that will lead the trends and growth across all entertainment industries. The Program is honored to join the Newhouse School, where it will continue to provide curricula that will prepare students for the ever transforming and growing music and entertainment industries.”

    martin bandierThe Bandier Program was founded by Mr. Bandier in 2006 and Billboard has ranked it among the top music business schools in the U.S.  Students study all aspects of the industry and have the opportunity to take part in internships at leading music companies in New York, Los Angeles and London. They earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in recording and allied entertainment studies.

  • Formula 5 Releases Studio Video of Upcoming Album ‘All Points North’

    NYS Music stopped by Over It Studios in Albany this January and February to catch Formula 5 in the studio recording All Points North, which will be released on April 14 on F5Jams.com. F.Cavone Productions filmed and edited this look at Albany’s rapidly rising jam band.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqS9sBhJhlg

    Themes of death, rebirth, and moving on make All Points North a more introspective album than the band’s previous studio efforts. It also marks a new direction for the band’s sound. Guitarist Joe Davis reflects on the final product, “I think “Q&A” and “Excalibur” are on ode to the old band, having been written by myself and (former keyboardist) Mike McDonald. It’s like a final farewell to the old, mixed in with new styles, such as with “The Birch Tree,” “Do Tell,” “Figure Out a Feeling,” “Trout Waters Pt I & II” and “It Goes…;” that old jammy style is still in us but it’s more mature and reigned in.”

    formula 5 all points northAll Points North was produced, recorded and mixed by Bryan Brundige at Overit Studios in Albany, NY and Mastered by Michael Schoonmaker at Gigantic Mastering. All Points North will be released by Formula 5 on all platforms on April 14 and be available for streaming on F5Jams.com and JEMP Radio.

    Formula 5’s Spring Tour brings them throughout the Northeast, bookending the tour with performances at music festivals Rock n Roll Resort and Disc Jam. In between the band hits familiar Northeast markets with artists including Dead Phish Orchestra, Mister F, Litz, Space Carnival, The Other Brothers, Relative Souls and more. Formula 5 will have a pair of album release shows on April 14 at Pacific Standard Tavern in New Haven, CT and on April 15 at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY.

  • Albany Tulip Festival Brings Minus the Bear and the Delfonics

    The Albany Tulip Festival, now in its 69th year, is the city’s signature spring event featuring a variety of activities for all ages. The music lineup features headliners Minus the Bear and the Delfonics along with several local acts, including Wild Adriatic.

    minus the bearHeld at Albany’s Washington Park, the Tulip Festival showcases local artisans and businesses, available on hand selling their crafts and food. The music is the main attraction with two stages featuring both national and local acts. The main stage headliners are Minus the Bear on Saturday and the Delfonics on Sunday.

    The Mother’s Day Weekend festival kicks off on Saturday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m. with the Tulip Queen coronation ceremony. The Mendelssohn Club of Albany performs during the procession and coronation on the Washington Park Lakehouse Stage. Music on the main stage begins at 1:30 p.m. with local act Wild Adriatic.

    The festival features other musical attractions, including the KidZone stage featuring entertainment for children of all ages. The Albany School of Rock has a tent at the festival where attendees can check out the future of music performing throughout the day.

    69th Annual Tulip Festival Schedule of Events
    Saturday, May 13
    Tulip Queen Coronation Ceremony
    Washington Park Lakehouse Stage
    11:30 a.m. – The Mendelssohn Club of Albany
    11:45 a.m. – Tulip Queen Procession (Begins at formal Tulip Beds by Moses Statue)
    12:00 p.m. – Tulip Queen Coronation (Lakehouse Stage)

    Main Stage
    Washington Park Parade Grounds
    4:30 p.m. – Minus The Bear
    3:00 p.m. – The Palms
    1:30 p.m. – Wild Adriatic

    Local 518 Stage
    Washington Park Lakehouse Stage
    4:45 p.m. – Dryer
    3:30 p.m. – Cannon the Brave
    2:15 p.m. – Jasper
    1:00 p.m. – Maurizio

    Sunday, May 14
    Main Stage
    4:30 p.m. – The Delfonics
    3:00 p.m. – Erin Harkes
    1:30 p.m. – Holly and Evan

    Local 518 Stage
    4:45 p.m. – Ramblin’ Jug Stompers
    3:30 p.m. – Dyer Switch Band
    2:15 p.m. – Sydney Worthley
    1:00 p.m. – Andrew Wheeler & Donna Marie Tritico
    12:00 p.m. – 19th Annual Mother of the Year Award