Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle rocked a capacity crowd at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany, NY on May 17.
This was his 2nd stop from the recent six-show solo tour where he shared some Twiddle classics, material off the new album Plump: Chapter 2, and some crowd pleasing covers that had everyone singing along. Adam Brockway of Eastbound Jesus started the night off, and set the tone for an epic night full of positive vibes. Check out the photos below!
Alive at 5 is heading into its 28th season, starting off on June 8 with performances by Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Let’s Be Leonard. The summer series takes place at Jennings Landing from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays (with the exception of July 4). A partial lineup for other dates has been announced, including performances by Average White Band, The Funky Meters, Marian Hill, and King Yellowman & the Sagittarius Band. Regional support for these headliners comes from Victory Soul Orchestra, Wurliday, and Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe is a funk soul band from California. Frontman Denson also plays saxophone for The Rolling Stones, and just wrapped up a tour with them. Primed to release a new album this year, KDTU will be performing some of their new songs at Alive at 5.
Saratoga’s jazz fusion phenoms Let’s Be Leonard will open the show. Renowned for their improvisational style, the band just released Live at Gug’s, a session recorded in Glenn’s Falls earlier this year. Read the NYS Music review.
2017 Alive at 5 Dates (Full Schedule Will Be Announced Soon):
June 8 – Karl Denison’s Tiny Universe / Let’s Be Leonard
June 15 – Average White Band / Victory Soul Orchestra
June 22 – TBA
June 29 – TBA
July 13 – The Funky Meters / Wurliday
July 20 – TBA
July 27 – Marian Hill / TBA
August 3 – King Yellowman & the Sagittarius Band / Dr. Jah and the Love Prophets
For more information and updates, visit www.albanyevents.org.
The Albany Symphony plans to conclude David Alan Miller’s 25th anniversary season with an “ambitious” arrangement for this year’s American Music Festival.
The American Music Festival includes more than 15 concerts and events between Wednesday, May 31 and Sunday, June 4.
The 2017 American Music Festival will be the our most ambitious and exciting festival yet,” said Albany Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director David Alan Miller. “It will celebrate the uniqueness of our Capital Region as the gateway to the Erie Canal, as we prepare to kick off the Erie Canal Bicentennial with our magnificent orchestral barge trip from Albany to Buffalo during the first week of July. Even more, it will celebrate the magnificent diversity and richness of living American composers and their music through a myriad of extraordinary and diverse concerts and related activities. We hope our friends and music lovers everywhere will join us for lots of the events to experience the incredible breadth of contemporary musical art being created today. It’s so much fun to just hang out with us and with all our amazing featured creative artists all weekend long.
This year’s festival, “Water Music,” will include more than 40 new works, including compositions by 2016 Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty, Christopher Theofanidis, Reena Esmail, Viet Cuong, Saad Haddad, and winners of the “Composer to Center Stage Reading Session” call-for-scores competition.
Many of the works amplify the festival’s theme, which celebrates the waters that surround us, and advance the ASO’s mission of giving voice to innovative new works, with a particular emphasis on young and emerging composers. Viet Cuong’s newly commissioned work, which will be premiered by the ASO’s new music ensemble, Dogs of Desire, is a programmatic concerto for the percussion quartet inspired by the limitless power of wind, water, and sun, and the technologies that are transforming the way communities generate sustainable energy. Cuong’s premiere is part of the ASO’s continuing partnership with GE Renewable Energy to explore the ways in which the arts, business, and technology can intersect and influence each other.
In addition to the Dogs of Desire performance on Friday, June 2 and the full orchestra’s signature festival concert on Saturday, June 3, Festival highlights include 16 world premiere performances, “This Land Sings,” a song-cycle by Michael Daugherty inspired by the life and times of Woody Guthrie, a recital by Sandbox Percussion, and the Argus Quartet, performing works by Christopher Theofanidis and Sleeping Giant’s Rob Honstein and Chris Cerrone. T
The festival will also feature a special preview concert of seven newly commissioned works for “Water Music NY,” the orchestra’s seven-day barge tour and cross-cultural celebration of the bicentennial of New York’s Erie Canal to take place from July 2 to July 8 across New York state. Community events beyond the concert hall include a guided River Walk with the Rensselaer County Historical Society, and a curated poetry reading at Troy Kitchen.
For information, including how to purchase tickets and festival passes to the American Music Festival, visit albanysymphony.com or call the Albany Symphony Box Office at (518) 694-3300.
This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.
Brad Paisely kicked off Saratoga Performing Art Center’s (SPAC) summer concert series with a bang, bringing an all-star line up of guests. Paisley played his array of songs to a crowd of over 10,000. He brought his incredible guitar capabilities that left the crowd on their toes.
Country stars such as Dustin Lynch, Chase Bryant and Lindsay Ell supported Paisely on the tour giving the fans a bang for their buck. After Lindsay Ell ended her set, a huge storm made its way to the venue which then forced them to shut down all equipment and bring everyone on the lawn inside for shelter. After an hour delay, Chase Bryant quickly came on to get the crowd back on their feet.
Brad Paisely came on at SPAC shortly after 10 pm, playing his hit songs such as “Crushin’ It” and “Old Alabama.” Paisely then welcomed Dustin Lynch on stage to sing a duet for the song “I’m Still A Guy.” During that song, a fan was brought on stage to propose to his girlfriend and she said yes. Paisely was very happy with the first show of the tour telling the crowd, “I can’t tell you how much it means to be playing in a place where my favorite jam bands played for a bunch of stoners.”
Boulder Colorado-based Big Head Todd and the Monsters played to the band’s faithful fans at the Hart theater located at The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany, NY on Friday May 19. BHTM is comprised of Todd Park Mohr on guitar and vocals, Brian Nevin on drums, percussion, and vocals, Jeremy Lawton on keyboards, slide guitar and vocals, and Rob Squires on bass guitar and vocals. This is the first time that the band has played the Capital District since it’s last appearance at the Troy Music Hall back in November of 2016 touring in support of their blues passion project Big Head Blues Club which featured the songs of blues great Willie Dixon.
BHTM is currently in the middle of a very busy tour schedule that features a mix of their classic material as well as recently composed offerings which will be included on a new rock-based LP scheduled to be released later in 2017. Unfortunately due to a death in the family, bassist Rob Squires was unable to attend the performance. Thankfully, and much to the band’s credit, instead of simply canceling the show due to this family emergency, the band had keyboardist/slide guitarist Jeremy Lawton fill in on bass for Squires while the band performed to prerecorded keyboard tracks throughout the performance in order to make up for the short handed lineup.
Baltimore, Maryland’s own Chris Jacobs opened the show with a generous selection of soulful electric and acoustic blues that predominately featured offerings from his latest album Dust To Gold. Although the crowd was initially sparse and patrons were constantly shuffling to their seats while the house lights were up, lead vocalist and guitarist Jacobs along with his bandmates, bassist Todd Harrington and drummer/percussionist Dusty Ray Simmons. played as if it was a packed house. Highlights of their offerings included the introduction of a handmade cigar-box guitar that Jacobs played expertly on the track “Kind Woman.”
Once Jacobs finished a bluesy down and dirty version of “Bonedigger,” it was apparent that he and his band had won over the the enthusiastic and attentive audience. Jacobs was so pleased with the positive feedback the Albany crowd at the Egg provided, he invited the audience to the band’s next performance in New Jersey. Jacobs and company finished their maiden performance at the Egg’s Hart theater with a catchy and raucous version of “Jack The Whistle And The Hammer” which was reminiscent of an old 1970s Steve Miller Band song. The audience responded to Jacobs and his band’s final effort by giving them a rousing standing ovation which set the tone for the rest of the evening.
After a short intermission, the house lights fell and Big Head Todd and the Monsters took the stage and belted out their first song of the night “Resignation Superman,” which was featured on their 1997 LP Beautiful World. Guitarist and front-man Todd Park Mohr was on point with vocals and expert guitar playing and along with ample support from Nevin and Lawton, they provided the audience a blueprint of what was to unfold for the remaining performance: a night of great alt electric rock.
Next up in BHTM’s set was the slower groovier “Crazy Mary” which was also off the Beautiful World LP. This track showcased Mohr’s proficiency at playing captivating guitar solos. The intimate crowd showed it’s approval with appreciative applause after each one of Mohr’s generous guitar solos. BHTM followed up with fan favorite “Broken Hearted Savior,” a popular selection off of 1993’s Sister Sweetly. This track was also featured on the band’s latest live album Live at Red Rocks 2015. Throughout the night BHTM introduced an eager audience to newly completed unpublished tracks such as “Trip” and “The Bandaged One” which will be featured on their upcoming LP which is slated to be released later in the year.
It was apparent that members of the audience were devoted fans of the band since throughout the show while Mohr was in the process of changing guitars and tuning for the next selection, the crowd began calling out different song titles from the bands extensive catalog in the hopes that the band might play them. It was during one of those interludes that BHTM member Jeremy Lawton reminisced about being blown away after seeing the group for the first time at a local bar when he was only 20 years old way back in 1992. Lawton went on to say what a privilege it has been for him to have been able to play with such a talented group of musicians and bandmates for the last 13 years.
BHTM went on to take the cue from the crowd and provided additional material from early on in the band’s career such as the title track of BHTM’s second LP Midnight Radio which was released in 1990 on the bands own label “Big Records.” Mohr, who wrote the song, stated that the lyrics were inspired by the Tiananmen Square Massacre which occurred in Beijing China back in 1989. The band finished the evening with strong renditions of 1993’s radio friendly “Bittersweet,” the down and dirty blues number “New World Arising” and lastly “Cashbox” which featured a BHTM mash up of Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline” and Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love.” Mohr and the band triumphantly left the stage only to quickly return while the audience was still on their feet applauding. They capped off the night’s performance with an energetic encore of “Rock Steady” and the ever-popular alt rock anthem “Circle.”
Big Head Todd and the Monsters will continue their tour of the East Coast throughout the month of May and will be performing on their home turf at the Red Rocks Amphitheater located in Morrison, Colorado on June 10, 2017 co-billing with Collective Soul. For more information about the band and tour dates, check out their website.
Setlist: Cris Jacobs- Shine Your Weary Light, Devil or Jesse James, Kind Woman, Bone Digger, Be My Stars, Jack The Whistle and the Hammer
BHTM – Resignation Superman, Crazy Mary, Broken Hearted Savior, Trip, Imaginary Ships, Moose Song, Please Don’t Tell Her, Josephina, Mind, Midnight Radio, Wipeout Turn, It’s Alright, Turn The Light Out, The Damaged One, Bittersweet, New World Arisin, Cashbox
Encore: Rocksteady, Circle
Albany jam band legends Ominous Seapods now have their entire discography on Spotify. The five piece group had a sizeable following in the 1990s, performed at the first moe.down and held great influence over a generation of jambands to follow. The band last performed at Valentine’s in Albany on December 27, 2011, before founding member Dana Monteith moved to Australia.
Author Charles Bukowski focused his writing on the plight of ordinary people, drudging through work, alcohol and relationships. In the end, he wrote, “What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.”
Some may think Bukowski is referring to the plight of getting through life’s drama. Some may live on the dark side, and see it as a warning to not get burned by the flames. But, what happens when you step Within the Fire? It opens doors to a whole new world. Pushing the envelope, testing the boundaries and expanding the horizons.
The local metal band Within the Fire pushes that envelope from the inside, leaving the past behind and perfecting years of musical journey into a volcano of sound.
The band was started by guitarist, RJ Pipino (former Cutthroat guitarist) in 2010.
“He is a big fan of classic metal from the ‘80s,” said bassist Joe Paciolla, of Pipino, “ranging from Dokken to Exodus. [And, he] was inspired to start a band with his younger brother, Kyle.”
Already an impressive resume of musicians, the brothers wrote several songs and recruited help from friend, drummer Tim Parent (Section 8). When ready They reached out to vocalist, Scott Featherstone (Attica Enertia), who ended up coming into the studio on the day when vocals for this project were scheduled to be recorded with another singer.
Paciolla adds “The session turned out better than everyone expected and Scott ended up joining the band full time. Our influences range all over the rock spectrum, but a few that were a big influence to the style of Within The Fire are Dokken, Metallica and Exodus.” The band has released a full length cd Still Burning and was recorded at The Recording Company in Esperance, in the summer-fall of 2015. It was completed in the spring of 2016.
“Tim Lynch is an absolute professional and we were all very happy with his dedication and work on this album,” said Paciolla. “RJ was really involved in making sure the songs sounded exactly like he envisioned them and was at the studio every minute of the recording and the mixing.”
This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.
Albany natives State Champs truly came around the world and back after selling out their hometown venue in Clifton Park, N.Y. With a full house, State Champs performed to the best of their ability for their friends and loved ones on Saturday.
On May 13, State Champs alongside Against The Current, With Confidence and Don Broco sold out Upstate Concert Hall on their second to last night of their headlining tour.
The night kicked off with Young Culture, another band from Albany, N.Y. Even from the start, they got everyone’s attention by performing their song, “Bedroom Floor” which features Derek DiScanio of State Champs. The support from fans of Young Culture led into the next band on the lineup, Don Broco.
The England-based rock group kicked off the night with their fantastic stage presence, and unique sound. Frontman Rob Damiani made sure to jump into the audience for their hit single, “You Wanna Know,” which took the audience by storm.
Don Broco, which sound like a heavier version of The 1975 as a comparison, had a perfect vibe to bring to this tour. With their outstanding energy and audience engagement, Don Broco left an impression on fans with their catchy pop-sounding choruses with rock undertones. With their unique vibe and style, had it been any other night of the tour, Don Broco have the ability to be the band to steal the show.
Intense pop-punk group With Confidence picked the pace back up with their engaging and impressive vocals and energy. Opening their set with their hit song, “Voldemort,” the crowd immediately reacted accordingly to their performance. Fans were jumping and screaming the words to the song, and trying to get as close to the stage as they could. Due to the importance of this date of the tour, With Confidence dedicated their performance of “London Lights” to State Champs. “This goes out to anyone who knows someone who’s stepped on their fucking heart,” said vocalist Jayden Seeley as they led into their performance.
With the crowd starting to get sweaty from all of the activity, the night shifted to pop group Against The Current to steal the stage. Frontman Chrissy Costanza immediately jumped on stage grabbing everyone’s attention. Despite being on the road for over a month, you would not have been able to tell from Costanza’s performance. Her vocals were great for a live performance with the amount of jumping and running around she does with her time on stage.
Although some of her high notes could have used a bigger breathe for a cleaner note, this can be forgiven from her non-stop intensive energy song-after-song. The band also worked to get the crowd ready for State Champs by having screaming contests with fans. Perhaps their strongest performance of the night was their song “Runaway.”
When the time came for State Champs to take the stage, the energy inside the venue shifted. There is something absolutely incredible when you feel the energy and excitement of the friends and family of the members of State Champs cheering along in support.
“It was truly special for us to play in our hometown at Upstate Concert Hall,” said guitarist Tyler Szalkowski. “We grew up going to shows there when we were teenagers so to now come back as a headliner and sell it out was astounding,” he said.
State Champs opened their set with a popular older hit of theirs, “Remedy.” Fans immediately made their way to the front of the venue in droves crowd surfing on top of each other to make contact with State Champs.
With their first performance at Upstate Concert Hall this year, the feeling of love and support from seeing friends and family in the audience made the vibe for this hometown State Champs show indescribable.
“The night was made even more special by all of our friends and family being there alongside us,” said Szalkowski.
With the new release of the deluxe edition of Around The World And Back, State Champs were able to use their tour to debut performing their new song, “Slow Burn” which was received well by the audience.
Along with performing their newer material, you could tell there was support from longtime fans at the show due to the amount of activity from performing an older State Champs song during the show. Their performance of “Deadly Conversation” led to not a single person still inside the venue. Uncommon for State Champs, on this tour they performed one of their earlier acoustic hits, “Stick Around,” followed by a single from their new album, “Around The World And Back.” Their performance of the ballad featured Costanza from Against The Current, and had every fan in the audience singing along. “We used to sneak into this venue when we were too young to get in,” said frontman DiScanio.
If you have the chance to see a band perform in their hometown venue, you have to take that opportunity. With the nature of State Champs intense energetic performances, this style is only magnified while performing for their friends and family back home.
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Albany has a new funk band in town and Hartley’s Encore is a can’t miss show. Twice this spring I have been floored by the high energy funk originals and covers that have kept bar stools empty and the club floor full. A lineup of veteran musicians from around the Capital District, Hartley’s Encore is led by Luke Malamood on keys and vocals, backed by what he accurately refers to as ‘Albany’y Best Rhythm Section’ in Andrae Surgick on drums (and occasionally Mike Gilet) and Josh Gordon on bass. Co-founder Chris Oliver on guitar opposite Jeff Nania on saxaphone (and on some nights like this evening at Parish Public House, joined by Phil Chow on trumpet) completes the five/six man group, a welcome addition to Albany’s stellar music scene. Go see this band!
Every band was a local band once. Today, we launch NYS Music 87/90, reflecting the highways artists travel upon to reach markets across The Empire State. 87/90 brings together 8 New York State born and raised bands that have strong potential to make it big. We will bring news and coverage of these bands to you on a regular basis, highlighting what we see as the next wave of bands to come out of New York State. These are just the first wave of bands that we will be bringing to your attention – there are plenty more artists in every corner of the state from all genres. As we discover them, we’ll bring them to you and beyond.
The 8 artists we launch with include: Space Carnival, Cousin Earth, Formula 5, Folkfaces, Boogie Low, Intrepid Travelers, Let’s Be Leonard and Gowanus. These artists were selected for potential, work ethic and appeal to a wider audience. They include jam bands, bluegrass/folk, psychedelic rock, electronic and a mix of everything. We will expand in the future with bands that we see strong potential in – this is a select group we launch with and we will keep it reserved only for bands that pass muster.
The bands we are reaching out to as founding artists are bands that we have highlighted on our pages in recent years, see a strong future in and have shown that they are committed to making a name for themselves well outside of New York State. This is not an open invite – the initial roster includes only bands that are on the rise and have developed a following through their music.
Every band was once local.