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
An eager, tight-knit crowd impatiently awaited a double header of CT-rooted funk-fusion Friday, February 24 at Putnam Den, straight from the talents of lespecial and Kung Fu.
Fresh off the heels of a sold-out double header at Vermont’s own Nectar’s and Bishop’s in Northampton, livetronica act and festy favorite, lespecial, is riding their wave of growing fame. Last year at Disc Jam they offered an unforgettable late night set to their fans in Stephentown, NY, just 40 minutes out from the Den’s home. Kung Fu made a return to the Saratoga Springs venue in less than a year, after their last run around performance with Particle to a 330-person crowd. Acting as their first show of 2017, the five-some will soon after embark on tour before hitting the summer festival circuit, incorporating one original set and one Steely Dan set each night of The Fez Tour.
lespecialhopped on stage with an impressive amount of gear to warm things up for a Saratoga crowd. As the aggressive, death-funk dance trio exploded into the first set of the night, gentle improv ensued but not for long. Completely unforeseen, the genre-spanning musicians swiftly ditched light and airy tunes and kicked into high-gear heavy metal paired with matching facial expressions. The intensity was written all over drummer Rory Dolan’s face as the grit grew stronger, so did the jam face.
Dipping into afro-latin fusion with “Harambe Zombie” and funky, self-explanatory acid jazz improv, they took the crowd by storm with Star Wars’ delights as the opening notes of “Imperial March” had all ears perked up. Jonathan Grusauskas and Luke Bemand swapped their guitar and bass to face each other on synths and samplers for the Darth Vader theme. Another treat of the night came wrapped up with a Beau Sasser sit in. The Kung Fu keyboardist aided the trio with a Beatles cover, bringing the naturally slow and emotional “Because” into an unforgettable reggae jam with sprints of polka sprinkled in between. Cowbells were broken out during “Jackwise” ahead of a “Feel it in the Air” cover that segued in and out of what sounded comparable to R.L. Grime/DipLo and Friends mix samples.
Their hard-hitting and glitch-hop tunes have a way of capturing you inside of a real-life video game as each level-up introduces you to yet another genre or sample. Conventional isn’t their game– and that’s why they’re so captivating. Their ability to span multiple genres in one song and effortlessly transition between them makes you wonder why these guys haven’t gotten the blown up recognition they so rightfully deserve. Yet at the same time, you cherish the fact that they’re still loved in a small, niche group and not popularized to the masses for your own selfish reasons.
An already amped crowd moved forward and tightly packed together for Kung Fu’s introductory show of 2017, which quickly and almost instantly incited an electro-fusion 70’s dance party. In addition to recent waves of global warming, Kung Fu brought the heat, making Den dwellers feel as if they stepped into a groovy time machine.
Beau Sasser, Todd Stoops’ keyboard replacement, Adrian Tramontano and Chris DeAngelis of Fu have all been recently found in the Albany/Capital Region area playing with side projects and supergroups at local pubs and restaurants, offering smooth tunes at Speakeasy 518 or getting funky at the City Beer Hall for what used to be Funk Night Wednesday’s. Although this Putnam Den stop wasn’t scheduled as part of the Fez Tour, fans certainly got a treat of what was to come with two Steely Dan songs, “Black Cow” and “Peg” sandwiched throughout the night’s tunes of “Scorpion>Gungho” and “Bopcorn,” before closing out with an encore of “Getdown.”
Imaginations were left to roam wild and wonder what Steely Dan bust outs will make their way to the national, 28-date Fez tour.
If Friday night was anything close to what fans can expect from both groups on tour and on festival bills, summer 2017 is one to be cherished. lespecial will continue their current tour with four more NY dates in Ithaca, Buffalo, Rochester and NYC while Kung Fu embarks on their inaugural tour of 2017, making their Putnam Den stop feel like an ultimate launch party.
lespecial Set List: Improv> Pentachronic, Harambe Zombie, Pressed for Time, Acid Jazz Improv, New Fish, Imperial March>Force>Lamp, Because*,Sound We Do, Jackwise, Bugg’n>Air>Bugg’n
*the Beatles
Kung Fu Set List: Hammer>Paragon, Black Cow*, Scorpion> Gung Ho, Bopcorn, Peg*, Do The Right Thing, Saul Good, Samurai
Encore: Getdown
*Steely Dan
The latest release from Live Phish features the band’s June 26, 1995 performance at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC).
This show would be the last time Phish performed at SPAC until June of 2004. The show highlights include a rare cover of “Don’t You Want to Go?,” an extended “Down with Disease” > “Free” (see video below), and a monster “You Enjoy Myself.”
Soundcheck: Time Loves A Hero > Dog Log/Time Loves A Hero mashup, Nellie Kane, Santana Instrumental, Rocky Mountain Way
Set 1: My Friend, My Friend, Don’t You Want To Go?, Bathtub Gin, NICU > The Sloth, My Mind’s Got a Mind of its Own, It’s Ice > Dog Faced Boy > Tela > Possum
Set 2: Down with Disease [1] -> Free > Poor Heart > You Enjoy Myself , Strange Design > Run Like an Antelope
Encore: Sleeping Monkey > Rocky Top
[1] Unfinished.
My Friend started with a Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 tease from Trey. Trey teased and quoted Long Tall Glasses in Bathtub Gin. Possum contained a Heartbreaker tease and YEM contained Immigrant Song teases from Trey. Down with Disease was unfinished. This show is available as an archival release on LivePhish.com.
Read our detailed breakdown of this 1995 live Phish performance at SPAC here.
The Nashville-based Country/Pop duo LOCASH performed along with a full band on February 16 at Vapor Nightclub in Saratoga Springs, to a packed house. The show was hosted by 100.9 The Cat.
Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, whose powers’ combined make up LOCASH, were in especially good spirits after receiving their first major Country Music Industry award nomination earlier in the day for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Lucas and Brust, along with their band, were riding high throughout the show, taking the opportunity to celebrate this milestone in their careers with their fans who showed up for them in droves and packed the club out.
The ACM Awards will air live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 2nd.
Grounded with combined elements of soft grooves, grit, guitar heavy tunes, seventies rock and Motown soul, Wild Adriatic will bring a stacked show to Putnam Den on Saturday, Feb. 4, just one day after their latest album, Feel, drops. Having only released 3 EPs prior, the power trio consisting of Travis Gray, Rich Derbyshire and Mateo Vosganian will celebrate their fresh release for a Saratoga Springs home crowd, the very place in which the group first convened.
Wild Adriatic have already notched three EPs and one live album — leaving 2017’s Feel highly anticipated by fans and band members alike. During the growth process of Feel, the trio decided to focus on their raw, live performance as opposed to the craftiness that can be conjured up in the studio through samples, digital instruments and the like. This time around, the goal was to emphasize organic talents in Gray’s powerful, soul-grabbing vocals and lead guitar riffs, Derbyshire’s bass slaps and Vosganian’s heavy-hitting drums, bringing their natural creativity and emotions to the forefront of the music.
Promotion of the sophomore full-length release has not seen a lull. The group has shown triumphant efforts to push the album recorded in Austin, Texas with Grammy-nominated producer Frenchie Smith. Fans have been delighted with various album teasers, acoustic video sessions and snippets of mock reality show footage featuring members of the band in Ghost Hunters, Dancing with the Stars and Naked and Afraid. Sure, playing the bass in a band is rewarding but check out Rich as he takes on new moves for Dancing with the Stars. You can also check out Mateo’s fearless ghost hunting video and Travis’ video on Facebook, where he took on a different area of exploration–he is most certainly naked, but is he afraid?
2017’s Feel reaches new depths with 11 tracks of emotion, dipping into realms of politics, modern relationships, friendships and soul crushing break ups, adding nods to new genres into their personal melting pot of sound.
Don’t miss a wild album release party at Putnam Den on Feb. 4 with openers Let’s Be Leonard and Bathrobe Robots–available to those 18+, with a surcharge of $5 for those under 21. Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 the day of the show but WA fans can also get their hands on a few combo deals, like an advance ticket and CD for $20, advance ticket and tee shirt for $25 and all three in a bundle for $35! Doors open at 8 with the show to follow at 9.
Q&A with Mateo Vosganian of Wild Adriatic:
Alyssa Ladzinski: It’s obvious that the message of Feel is to be in touch with your emotions. Can you elaborate on the occurrences that made each one of you come to terms with accepting your own feelings and using them as inspiration for your second full length release?
Mateo Vosganian: This record was written and recorded during a pretty tumultuous few years in our personal lives. A lot of the songs are about a specific old relationship of Travis’ that was the source of a lot of stress and craziness in his life. Writing more specifically and personally to our lives seemed to be a natural progression for us with this record. We go into each new recording process with hopes to open some more doors and explore our abilities a bit. I turned 30 in 2016 and we’ve all grown up together a lot in the last five years we’ve been doing this band. Personally, I feel like a big part of growing up is getting in touch with your feelings and who you are as a person. Finding what makes us tick and being honest about it. This record is another step down that path.
AL: Favorite track off of the new album and why?
MV: I think my favorite track is “Chasing A Ghost.” It’s the song that took on the most influence from our surroundings and producer down in Austin and we were sort of able to get in touch with our more cosmic & space-y yet still soulful sides.
AL: I know you guys wanted to focus on your raw talents other than the effects that can be placed on music in the studio. Are there any new avenues you explored on this album in lieu of recording studio magic and finishing touches?
MV: We recorded the basic tracks for the album live in a room together and I think that really added more of our vibe to the recording than we’ve been able to capture in the past. We’ve self-produced all of our old records and this time we worked with a very talented and inspiring dude named Chris “Frenchie” Smith down in Austin. He helped us tap into some very expressive areas in our playing and inspired searches for new sounds and lots of risk taking in the studio.
AL: You and Travis were once involved in a pop punk group called Horse in A Box. Can you recall some of your favorite memories playing in this band and how it lead you to where you are today?
MV: Travis and I have been making records and playing shows together since we were teenagers. My favorite memories of that band came from absolutely ridiculous road trips in my mothers mini van to go play shows all over NY state. We were 4 of the weirdest, dumbest kids you could find and it was an absolute blast. We took it pretty seriously even as kids so we were on the road most weekends. I think that led to interesting school lives where we weren’t really around a lot on the weekends and the band was our family. We learned a lot about performing live, recording and the business side of making music at a young age. That has helped so much now, along with a hell of a lot of growing up.
AL: What are your favorite current pop punk acts– favorite while you were in Horse in A Box?
MV: Honestly I haven’t been paying too much attention to pop punk these days but the one record I heard last year that i really loved was State Champs’ album. They’re a band from Albany who has slowly but surely been taking over the world and it’s been a delight to see and hear.
AL: You guys originated in Saratoga Springs and attended school extremely close to the area in Queensbury. What are some of your favorite Saratoga Springs businesses/restaurants?
MV: My absolute favorite restaurant in Saratoga is the Park Side Eatery on Phila St. It’s got a super diverse and delicious menu, wonderful staff and just an overall great vibe similar to places we’ve run into on the road. Oh and the baked goods. OH the baked goods. Homemade donuts, cinnamon buns, the works. It’s ridiculous. And we have to mention Esperanto because doughboys are a way of life when we play in town.
AL:How does it feel to have an album release show in a place you can refer to as home?
MV: Well the tour starts on 2/1 in Virginia so it’s kinda nice to play a few shows (in VA, NYC and Pennsylvania) before we come home and celebrate with our amazing home area. It’s about to be a big year on the road and we’re grateful to be able to do a show at home before taking off for a few months!
AL: Does this pose extreme levels of comfort and/or pressure to do something huge?
MV: At this point we feel very comfortable in our lives as working musicians and these kinds of shows and tours end up being so rewarding if we can stay present and keep a good mindset. It helps to remember how little control we have over anything but ourselves and just go out there and be with the audience.
AL: So on FaceBook, it says you enjoy voodoo. Are you putting hexes on those who don’t feel your music?
MV: I’m amazed you read that. Sometimes, me from three years ago writes shit on Facebook that even I don’t understand anymore.
AL: You’re playing this show with fellow Saratogians Let’s Be Leonard– what do you want fans who’ve never listened to them to know?
MV: They’re one of our favorite bands; they write great songs and perform them with tons of heart and open minds live. No two shows are the same from Leonard and that’s one of my favorite parts about seeing them. Also, they have a new record coming out this year at some point!
AL:Your TV parody commercials were brilliant. Where did you get the idea to place yourselves in the midst of reality TV in order to promote your latest album? Are you actually hardcore fans of each show you “participated” in?
MV: Honestly, Travis was telling us about some really super ridiculous episode of Naked and Afraid that he had seen where the guy wouldn’t stop talking about how a Sasquatch laid on him one time. No joke, this happened on TV. We thought it was so funny and I had been toying around with ideas for ways to help promote that weren’t your traditional live videos and studio videos and such. It just sort of happened that we needed three solid concepts and we knew to start with Naked and Afraid. Rich is actually a great dancer so we knew that would be fun too. It all worked out really well and, with our ideas, that’s not always the case haha. We really love comedy, love being ridiculous and have some extremely talented friends in Jamie, Nick and Zach at Chromoscope Pictures. They spent a whole day running around with us to shoot those 3 commercials and then edited them beautifully. We’re psyched people think they’re as fun as we do!
AL:You start touring Feel in the beginning of February. Any locations or venues on the bill that you’re looking forward to hitting the most? Why?
MV: Oh man, pretty much all of the venues are favorites we’ve hit before. We’re doing some new spots in the southeast with our good friends Welshly Arms before we join up with the Rock Boat down in Tampa, FL. That’s going to be an absolutely insane week at sea, we’ll be sailing with around 30 bands and 2200 music fans, and we’ve got a late night 70s themed set prepared that has been SO much fun to work on. The Rock Boat is definitely one of the most exciting things in our lives and we love being a part of that family.
AL: After spending massive amounts of time on the road and gearing up to do it again, have you come into any “road habits,” games or activities to help pass long hours on monotonous drives?
MV: We listen to a ton of new music and lots of podcasts. We love good comedy podcasts like You Made It Weird and The Boogie Monster. My Dad has a pretty vast knowledge of music and is always showing me new bands to dig into, so that’s been fun to just have so much time to listen to entire records and really get into bands.
AL: Which groups are you hoping to hear more from in 2017?
MV: Always White Denim. Northern Faces. Welshly Arms. Marcus King Band. Eric Krasno Band. West End Blend. Swear and Shake.
Since Ginuwine came out with his would-be classic “Pony” in 1996, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who couldn’t at least sing the chorus back to you. His career continued strong through the early 2000’s with songs like “Differences,” “In Those Jeans,” and collaborations with people like P.Diddy, Missy Elliot, Nas, and more.
Flash forward to 2017 and he is still beloved by his fans and actively proving to his critics that he has had the staying power over his more than 20 year career, to sell out shows and set the crowds ablaze. He is the real MVP; Most Valuable ‘Pony’, and a King of R&B.
While covering his sold out January 26 show at Vapor Nightclub in Saratoga Springs, one major thing struck me; the energy. Ginuwine’s live show was not the watered down nostalgia that you tend to expect from an artist in the 3rd decade of their career. It was electric, upbeat, relevant and above all, entertaining.
Playing about 90 minutes with a 7 piece live band, who were fantastic in their own right, Ginuwine was warm and giving to his fans. He frequently hopped into the crowd, grabbing hands, giving hugs, and dancing. Vocally, Ginuwine is still rich with strength and tone, a true feat after so many years in the business. The buzz in the crowd was that he thoroughly impressed everyone in attendance including those who showed up not expecting much.
After watching him own the sold out crowd from the beginning to the end of his performance, I don’t doubt that he will continue to sell out shows as his come back progresses. It was a surefire reminder that the real OG’s are never to be counted out. Upstate NY made it clear, they still love Ginuwine.
Platinum recording artist, Luke Bryan announces his new tour with his plans to pack up his hunting gear and hit the road this summer with a unique video of him playing the classic Nintendo Entertainment Systemand the game Duck Hunt, in his living room while wearing hunting gear. Bryan shot at ducks, with country artist faces on them. The “That’s My Kind Of Night” singer missed, and hit several artist. The artist that happened to get shot down, will hit the road, and round out one mega country lineup for Bryan’s “Huntin’, Fishin’, & Lovin’ Every Day Tour.”
Six opening artist were shot by Bryan with his NES Zapper. Those artist include Brett Eldredge, Lauren Alaina, Granger Smith, Seth Ennis, Craig Campbell and Adam Craig.
Spurs will start to spin on May 5, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN, and come to a close on Oct. 28, at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernadino, CA, rounding out thirty-nine different cities, and 40 shows with a two night stay at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Atlanta, GA.
New York state will be well covered with five different stops throughout the state including, July 13, at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, Aug. 12, at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, Aug. 25, at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center in Corfu, Aug. 26, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, and Aug. 27, at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh.
The singer has won various awards in country music including an Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Solo Vocalist and Top New Artist in 2010. Bryan won nine American Country Awards in 2012 ranging from Artist of the Year, to Album of the Year. He has also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Country Artist (2014 & 2016) and Top Country Song(2014) for “Crash My Party.”
Four of his five studio albums have reached platinum certification by the RIAA. His third and forth studio albums Tailgates & Tanlines (2011), and Crash My Party (2013), have achieved a certification of twice platinum by the RIAA. Bryan has sold over seven million albums and over 27 million copies of his 22 singles, many have reached number one on the country music charts.
Bryan the philanthropist, has supported numerous charities throughout his career. Causes he supports include children’s disaster relief, cancer, AIDS and HIV, health and human rights through the Red Cross and City Of Hope.
Bryan’s tour will be part of Live Nation’s Country Mega Ticket. Ticket info will soon be available.
Luke Bryan’s HFETour Dates:
May 5 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
May 12 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA
May 13 – Xfinity Theatre – Hartford, CT
May 18 – iWireless Center – Moline, IL
June 1 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
June 3 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO
June 9 – Verizon Arena – Little Rock, AK
June 10 – BOK Center – Tulsa, OK
June 16-17 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Atlanta, GA
June 23 – Hershey Park Stadium Hershey, PA
June 24 – Xfinity Center – Mansfield, MA
June 25 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD July 13 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, NY
July 15 – Progressive Field – Cleveland, OH
July 16 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
July 21 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO Aug. 12 – Lakeview Amphitheater – Syracuse, NY
Aug. 17 – Veteran’s United Home Loans Arena Amphitheater – Virginia Beach, VA
Aug. 18 – PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC
Aug. 19 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC Aug. 25 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center – Darien Lake, NY Aug. 26 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY Aug. 27 – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY
Sept. 6 – Pavilion at Montage Mountain – Scranton, PA
Sept. 8 – Citizen’s Bank Park – Philadelphia, PA
Sept. 9 – KeyBank Pavilion – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept. 15 – Klipsch Music Center – Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 16 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – Chicago, IL
Sept. 21 – Austin360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX
Sept. 22 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX
Sept. 23 – Gexa Energy Pavilion – Dallas, TX
Oct. 12 – Concord Pavilion – Concord, CA
Oct. 13 – Toyota Amphitheatre – Wheatland, CA
Oct. 14 – Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
Oct. 19 – Isleta Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
Oct. 21 – USANA Amphitheater – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct. 26 – AK-Chin Pavilion – Phoenix, AZ
Oct. 27 – Sleep Train Amphitheatre – San Diego, CA
Oct. 28 – San Manuel Amphitheater – San Bernadino, CA
Upstate New York rock band Iüdica just got out of the studio after recording their first album entitled Brain Carvings and debuted it in proper fashion. Earlier this month, the band held an album release party at Gug’s in Glens Falls, NY with Paradox Saints, Chestnut Grove, Dustin Sawyer and Germy Cats supporting them. NYS Music spoke to frontman Brian Alvarado, drummer Nate Fidd and bassist Chris Walker about their recent rise in the scene.
Frank Cavone: First of all, I would like to congratulate you guys on the new EP Brain Carvings. What was the process like writing the album all the way to mixing?
Brian Alvarado: Recording and mixing this EP with Jason Brown at Starling Studios was a great experience. I had the worst feeling in my stomach the days leading up to the recording session. The band had practiced every week several times a week for months leading up to the recording session though, and we all managed to talk ourselves into a point of calm collected mindsets.
After about an hour of setup, we recorded these songs in one take. Everything, the vocals, drums, guitars at once – but through separate tracks of course. It was amazingly easy, and after all that worry – we proved to ourselves we were indeed ready to rock. After a couple of touch ups here and there, we are now left with our Brain Carvings EP.
FC: So the name Iüdica is a cool name that you guys chose as a band. Where did the name originate from?
Nate Fidd: Brian actually had the name from a prior band. It was the name of a song first.
BA:Iüdica is a Latin word that means to judge yourself. Especially from past actions that you make and transgression with the same conviction as god himself.
FC: What were your influences prior to forming the band?
Chris Walker: I like to keep an open mind but I would definitely say that classic rock and grunge are my favorite genres of music.
FC: What are your favorite local bands that you have played with?
NF: There are a lot of great bands in the area but I would have to say playing with Formula 5 at a benefit concert was pretty cool and the Paradox Saints.
FC: Over the past year, the music scene in Glens Falls has expanded. For those outside the area, what is your scene like?
BA: My favorite venue to play is and always will be Gug’s. I see a lot of potential in places like the 190 grille. The scene is developing and I think that we are in the middle of a boom. There is going to be even more live and local music and that is what the area needs more of.
To check out the Iüdica’s new album check out their Bandcamp and stay up to date with the band on their Facebook page.
High energy 10-piece funk band West End Blend embarks on an extensive tour that stretches across the Northeast with 7 stops throughout New York State in Syracuse, Canton, Saratoga Springs, Saranac Lake (during Winter Carnival), Brooklyn, Rochester and Buffalo. The funk/soul machine recently released a new music video for “Smile,” and vocalist Erica Bryan sat down with NYS Music to discuss the band’s influences, songwriting and expectations for fans over the next 3 months.
Pete Mason: A distinct 70s funk and soul sound can be heard in “Say Hey”. What influences do you collectively draw upon to form your ‘blend’?
Erica Bryan: Every member of the band has their own set of influences, from Led Zeppelin to Earth, Wind, and Fire to Erykah Badu, that comes together through the funk and soul we all adore. How do we put it all together for one cohesive album? Great question. Each album gets us closer to figuring that out.
PM: As a 10 piece, how does songwriting come together between so many players? Are there 1 or 2 who take the lead for the collective?
EB: Initially, the band was focused on covers, and essentially delivering a crazy funk/hip-hop party to our audiences. Gradually, a few of us, myself included, started to bring in originals, some fully-arranged, others arranged with the group. Now just about everyone is bringing in tunes, or pieces of tunes that just need the West End Blend touch. As we’ve grown together, our collective writing and arranging has become more refined; we’re learning about one another through the music we write.
PM: When did West End Blend first form and what have been the most notable shows for the group thus far?
EB: In late 2012, our drummer, Sam Horan, and one of our guitar players, Jesse Combs, conceptualized the collective that was essentially meant to be an all-inclusive, funk-driven, party. Our first show was a basement party in the house that would later be our musical home in the West End, then we went on to a weekly residency at a hot dog joint in Hartford, CT. I could never have imagined we’d go on to play shows like Funksgiving at Toad’s Place in New Haven with Deep Banana Blackout, or a summer spot at Catskill Chill opening for artists like George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, and of course New Year’s Eve with our good friends in Turkuaz and Kung Fu at Fete Music Hall, three of my personal favorite gigs recently. Those and so many others were essentially masterclasses for us, experiencing such talent in front of us.
PM: WEB’s winter tour blankets the Northeast – what can fans expect at shows over the next few months?
EB: Our winter tour schedule is blowing me away. We’ll be with artists we’ve worked with before, and some we haven’t. No matter what, fans can look forward to some fresh tracks, fresh style, and a damn good time.
PM: With the recent release of WEB’s Say Hey EP, is the band planning to return to the studio for a full length album in the near future?
EB: That’s always the plan, and we’ve been working. We have so much to share, including the recent release of our music video “Smile,” a collaboration with the incredible Spencer Pond and the dancers of his The Now Unboxing Project.
Check out more info at West End Blend’s website and Facebook.
Winter Tour Dates
1/19 – Syracuse, NY – Funk n Waffles
1/20 – Canton, NY – Java Barn
1/21 – Stratton, VT – Grizzly’s
2/2 – Somerville, MA – Thunder Road Music Club
2/3 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s
2/4 – Bromley, VT – Bromley Ski Resort
2/9 – Nashua, NH – The Riverwalk
2/10 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Den w/ Gang of Thieves
2/11 – Saranac Lake, NY – The Waterhole w/ Bella’s Bartok
2/15 – Philadelphia, PA – Silk City
2/16 – Washington DC – Gypsy Sally’s w/ Big Mean Sound Machine
2/17 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – River Street Jazz Cafe
2/23 – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10 w/ John Ginty Band
2/24 – Brooklyn, NY – The Hall w/ Vinegar Mother
2/25 – Stratton, VT – Grizzly’s
3/3 – Greenfield, MA – The Root Cellar
3/4 – New Market, NH – The Stone Church w/ Broca’s Area
3/10 – New Haven, CT – Pacific Standard Tavern w/ Root Shock
3/16 – Rochester, NY – Flour City Station w/ Upward Groove
3/17 – Buffalo, NY – Nietzsche’s
3/18 – Pittsburgh, PA – James Street Ballroom
3/24 – Harrisburg, PA – River City Blues Club
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.
Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, whose powers’ combined make up LOCASH, were in especially good spirits after receiving their first major Country Music Industry award nomination earlier in the day for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Lucas and Brust, along with their band, were riding high throughout the show, taking the opportunity to celebrate this milestone in their careers with their fans who showed up for them in droves and packed the club out.
While covering his sold out January 26 show at 
Six opening artist were shot by Bryan with his NES Zapper. Those artist include Brett Eldredge, Lauren Alaina, Granger Smith, Seth Ennis, Craig Campbell and Adam Craig.
Frank Cavone: First of all, I would like to congratulate you guys on the new EP Brain Carvings. What was the process like writing the album all the way to mixing?