NYS Music 20​17

Category: Syracuse

  • 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.

  • The Winner of NYS Music 2017 March Madness is….

    Root SHOCK takes the crown as the winner of NYS Music’s 2017 March Madness. Over 6 rounds, Root SHOCK brought their fanbase together to propel them to the top, holding off Buffalo’s Intrepid Travelers in the finals.

    Catch Root Shock on April 14 at Funk n Waffles in Syracuse with Danielle Ponder and The Tomorrow People, as well as all across New York State this May and June.

    march madness root shockNYS Music talked to bassist Bill Eppel this weekend about winning March Madness:

    Pete Mason: Congrats on winning NYS Music’s 2017 March Madness! How does it feel to win?

    Bill Eppel: It’s a total blast! March Madness has been a great experience all along the way. Checking out all the bands represented underlines the diversity of music in the region. It’s definitely opened our eyes to some bands we weren’t aware of. The support we’ve received from our fans (what we think of as our family) along the way has reinforced that we’re on the right track and connecting with people in a positive way with our music and our lyrics. We’re blown away by the outpouring of votes and positive vibes from everyone, it’s humbling for us.

    root shock march madnessPM: For those who aren’t familiar with the reggae sounds of Root Shock, what influences do you draw on and what can fans expect from your live performances?

    BE: We always refer to ourselves as ‘high energy reggae soul.’ While we have great respect and draw musical and spiritual inspiration from the wide range of reggae styles (roots, dub, dancehall and more), we color that with the classic soul, modern neo-soul, funk, American rock and roots that we grew up with. All that aside, the first thing most first time listeners notice is the powerful vocals, presence and will of our lead singer, Jessica Brown. She’s an overwhelming force of nature on stage and the embodiment of the positive uplifting lyrics that she and guitarist/singer Phil Grajko pen. Hopefully the listener can feel the sincerity of what we do, and walks away with our message of empowerment, equality, respect and love.

    PM: How has growing up and performing in CNY impacted the group’s growth?

    BE: This band probably couldn’t have happened somewhere else. When we came together about 5 years ago, we’d all been involved in the wider CNY music scene and connected with the modern reggae scene in some way previously. Seeing regional bands (John Brown’s Body, Thunderbody, and many others) that had been creating reggae related music but weren’t copying classic Jamaican and world reggae; synthesizing something new with it felt like there was positive artistic and spiritual motion that was furthering the genre. But more importantly the greater CNY area was so obviously supportive and accepting of stretching the genre that we felt comfortable putting ourselves out there stylistically even if we weren’t doing the traditional thing. We don’t write songs to ‘fit in’ to a specific niche, we write them to express ourselves, we’ve thrown lots of stuff at the audience and are consistently surprised with the reaction. It’s given us a freedom to explore. It turns out that the listeners, bands, clubs, pretty much everyone, has been really receptive and supportive. Luckily we also live in an area with a vibrant music scene these days, so we’ve been able to play such a cool and wide variety of places. It’s funny, living in a place that’s so cold and hostile environmentally for so much of the year is obviously difficult…but it’s balanced by the warmth of the people here and how really enthusiastic music fans are once you get them in front of a stage.

    Stream Root Shock’s self titled album and read the NYS Music review of the breakout release.

  • The Finals of NYS Music’s March Madness 2017

    We have made it to the finals of NYS Music’s March Madness! From our Final Four, two bands, Intrepid Travelers from Buffalo and Root SHOCK from Syracuse have reached the finals in our month long friendly competition between bands.

    A brief intro to each of our finalists:

    Intrepid Travelers specialize in creating sprawling improvisational soundscapes, infusing elements of  jazz, rock, funk, and bluegrass. Most of what the group plays are original compositions, and their covers get a groovy IT makeover.

    The group holds their annual IT Fest each year, and last year NYS Music had this to say about their performance: “The first two sets were a mixture of original songs with a few covers thrown in the mix. The last set they covered MGMT’s album Oracular Spectacular from start to finish. They put their own twist on the album, showing fans a side of the band that they might not be aware of.”

    Root SHOCK was formed in Winter of 2012 with veteran musicians whose love of reggae music flows deep. Last  fall we reviewed Root SHOCK’s self-titled release and said “Their self titled debut is an authentic embodiment of the magnetizing performances that have continued to draw in larger crowds wherever they go” amid an interview with Phil Grajko.

    In September 2015, we reviewed the group’s Funk n Waffles show and editor Ally Dean said “The high-energy atmosphere fostered a connectedness and comfort level allowing several liberated spectators to remove their shoes, showing off some fancy footwork, toes unrestricted.” The band just last week released their latest video “Sunlight.”

    Check back Monday for the 2017 winner!

    Voting begins at Noon on Thursday, March 30 and ends at midnight on Saturday, April 1 and we’ll announce the winner on Monday, April 3!

    We’d like to thank our regional sponsors The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Nietzsche’s Buffalo, The Downtown Barn and Castle Studio. These small businesses represent the best of what New York State has to offer and celebrate music while inviting local and touring bands to perform for growing local scenes across the state.

  • Metal Couch Cast Returns With Season 2, Talk The Rods Returning, Feuds, and Review Obituary’s New Album

    Metal Couch Cast, the metal talk show on YouTube based in Syracuse returns after a brief hiatus, now featuring two of NYS Music’s writers Jay Saint G and Black Metal Steve

    Along with voice actor Matthew “Moshpit” Fardo, with Steve Losurdo Productions handling all of the show production go into a frenzy of metal topics including Tool’s recent tour announcement, along with The Rods new album and label with much, much more.

    Check out the video below and be sure to subscribe.

  • Riff Raff’s Rap got the Crowd Roaring at The Lost Horizon

    Riff Raff gave Syracuse “4 million” reasons why they should have been at The Lost Horizon This past Thursday, March 2, performing his signature brand of crunk braggadocio to a packed house of CNY’s trillest. Draped in a gold chain to match his shiny rings and belt buckle, the Houston-based rapper dazzled the audience with thumping beats and catchy refrains about his lavish lifestyle. The crescendo of his set was the aforementioned banger “4 million,” which had the crowd singing in unison about Riff Raff’s purported income from the 2016 fiscal year.

    riff raffAll in all, it was a high-energy performance and unforgettable party for everyone in attendance. The opening acts were Sig Roy, Dom x Vince Cioci, followed by Cuse Williams featuring DJ Lionheart. Yola Cerew replaced Atrilla for one last crowd exciter before Riff Raff hit the stage. The first song in Cuse Williams’ set “Left for Dead” was definitely a highlight of the evening. The track began with clips from a news report about a shooting in Syracuse, and was followed by heartfelt lyrics against gun violence.

  • Boogie Low Holds Album Release Party at the Westcott Theater

    On March 18, Boogie Low took the stage at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY for the release of their highly anticipated, self-titled debut album. With Matthew West (lead guitar/vocals), Loudon Smith (rhythm guitar/vocals), Tommy Dennis (bass guitar), and Brandon Au (drums/percussion). The energy was electric as you walked through the doors with Syracuse natives Barroom Philosophers, who kicked the night off with a set filled with groove heavy funk/rock tunes.

    boogie lowIf one observation from the night was made, it was that the crowd came to dance. Boogie Low opened their set with “Eldin,” a fan favorite, and cheers rang out as they began jamming through their reggae influenced brand of jam rock. Each song was met with enthusiastic cheers from their loyal fan base, and it was clear why so many people braved the cold for this event.

    Vocalist Loudon Smith emphatically thanked the fans for the continued support they’ve showed and was genuinely grateful to experience such a positive response from the crowd. Boogie Low jammed for nearly two hours, playing favorites like “Mckenna” and “Walk On,” and also introduced live for the first time ever “Dirt Nap” from their new album. They also invited David Koegel of Barroom Philosophers on stage to add his exceptional vocals to “Shadows” which sent the crowd into a dancing frenzy, and the night came to an end with an encore of Grateful Dead’s “Love Light,” leaving the audience longing for more.

    This was an event that won’t be forgotten, and the positive vibes and energy radiated off the crowd as they emptied into the cold Syracuse night. If you are a fan of reggae and rock acid fusion I strongly suggest making it to one of Boogie Low’s upcoming shows, where you can purchase their new album “Boogie Low.” It will also soon be available on Spotify and iTunes. You can catch Boogie Low at JP’s Tavern in Baldwinsville NY on March 25 and Funk ‘n Waffles in downtown Syracuse on April 21. Get your tickets for their show on April 21 with Mosaic Foundation here.

    Setlist: Eldin Back 2 Nothing Amie Mckenna Dirt Nap Roots, Walk On, Tommy’s, Better Way, Miss Bliss, Better Days, Land Ho, Trust Ourselves, Colas in the Sky, Mystic River, Shadows, Mexico

    Encore: Turn on Your Love Light

  • Root Shock Releases First Official Music Video

    In the wake of some chilling Syracuse winter weather, local reggae renegades Root Shock provided some relief with the soul warming release of their first official music video for “Sunlight” on March 21. The tune is off their debut self-titled album released earlier this year.

    The video, dropped the day after lead singer Jessica Brown’s birthday, showcases all seven musicians in their element, participating in their personal daily rituals before coming together to make music. Just shy of four minutes, Bill Eppel (bass) Cix Nyne (drums/vocals), Phil Grajko (guitar/vocals), Nick Kaczmar (keyboards), Jason “Jocko” Randall (percussion/electronics/vocals) and Dan Valvassori (guitar) are all seen juggling a range of human experiences and emotions. The video captures elements of each musicians’ personality and gives the viewer a sense of what energy they bring to the band.

    Brown commented: “The concept for the video was to show some real life situations, keeping it relatable and personal, where each band member has some obstacle to overcome- day to day stuff. And just being able to let go, move forward & let the music uplift you. Our good friend Kyle Corea directed, shot and edited the video. He came up with the ideas and themes in the video. He has done many films and music videos in the past so we had full trust in his vision. Our hope is that the video will make you smile, possibly laugh, dance, cry and have hope that even in dark places the sun always comes back out to shine.”

  • ‘Salt City Limits’ Series Kicks Off this Friday at the Palace

    Austin City Limits began its run on PBS in 1976 as a way to showcase Texas artists. Its pilot episode featured Willie Nelson performing. Forty one years later, the show has become a television institution and the inspiration for the music festival by the same name. It is a destination gig for performers of any genre.

    In order to promote Central New York artists on a more wide-ranging scale, Syracuse area promoters Liz Nowak and Jordan Davies created Salt City Limits in the same vein as its Austin namesake to be initiated at the venerable Palace Theater on James Street. The series will be ongoing the last Thursday of every month at Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown. Each will be recorded and filmed by SubCat Studios and will be available on YouTube and the Salt City Limits website.

    The inaugural show takes place this Friday, March 24 at the Palace Theater in Syracuse and features eight local artists from various genres. Tickets are $20 and may be purchased in advance at the Sound Garden in Armory Square or online through the Palace Theater’s website.

    According to Syracuse.com, Nowak, who is also the executive director of the recently concluded SAMMY Awards, noticed many artists mingling and exchanging contact information throughout the event. The creation of Salt City Limits became an extension of that camaraderie. The SAMMYS celebrates the variety of music and talent available at the local level and Salt City Limits will allow this on a year-long basis.

    Artists participating in Friday’s kick-off include 2017 SAMMY Award winner for Best Country Artist as well as the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Band, Cortland’s Small Town Shade; Syracuse-based modern rockers Simplelife; Syracuse via Lawrence, Kansas singer-songwriter, Stephen Douglas Wolfe; alt-rockers the Stacy White Suite from Syracuse; Syracuse-based bluegrass band, the Easy Ramblers; SAMMYS Hall of Fame inductee Donna Colton with Sam Patterelli; soul-jazz-jamband and winner of the 2016 Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, the Lightkeepers and latin-jazz band Edgar Pagan’s GPL.

    The showcase continues downtown at Funk ‘n Waffles April 27 when Mike Powell, Just Joe and Castle Creek take the stage. Tickets for each successive show in the series will be $10.

  • Boogie Low Celebrating New Release in Syracuse Saturday

    Syracuse-based groove rockers Boogie Low have a hometown party planned for the release of their new eponymous album at the Westcott Theater Saturday March 18.

    Photo Credit: Nicole Carey Photography

    Opening for Boogie Low Saturday night are fellow Syracuse-area natives, Barroom Philosophers, who are also promoting a new release.  Tickets for the show are $10 and can be purchased at Sound Garden in Armory Square or online through the Westcott Theater’s website.

    The quartet first formed as the Boogie Low Trio in 2011. Founding members Tommy Dennis (bass), Loudon Smith (guitar/vocals) and Brandon Caza (drums) used a reggae-tinged sound reminiscent of Sublime and other Long Beach, CA bands of the early ’90s as a base. The band ditched the “Trio” from its name when it brought on guitarist Matthew West in 2012. The band parted ways with Caza in 2013 and was replaced by Brandon Au, completing the band’s current lineup. Other contributors to the new album include Ray Wiggins on drums, Ty Hancock on keys and Josh Alaniz, also on keys.

    The new album, simply titled Boogie Low, has influences ranging from the aforementioned Sublime to Santana, moe., Umphrey’s McGee, 311 and Calexico. This range of influences allows Boogie Low to create its own distinct sound that encapsulates all of them.

    Smith’s vocals are rhythmic, soulful and smoky, while West’s western-style guitar solos wouldn’t be out of place on a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack. This is especially prominent on the tracks “Mexico,” “Eldin” and the band’s signature jam vehicle “Shadows,” which closes the album.  Wiggins’ drumming and Au’s percussion work is what keeps this train moving. Their beats are at the forefront of Boogie Low’s sound. The accents Wiggins and Au provide help to propel the rest of the band to the next level. One can easily feel the jamming possibilities in a live setting being propelled by the percussion.

    The CD was produced at SubCat Music Studios in Syracuse by Jeremy Johnston and mastered by Patrick MacDougal. The band credits Johnston as being the captain of the ship from start to finish. Physical copies of the album will be available at the Westcott Saturday night or directly through the band’s website. Following the show, the album will be available through iTunes, Spotify and on Pandora.

    Track list:
    1. Mexico
    2. Eldin
    3. Back to Nothing
    4. Better Way
    5. Colas in the Sky
    6. Annie
    7. Miss Bliss
    8. Tommy’s Song
    9. Walk On
    10. Mckenna
    11. Shadows

    Key Tracks: “Mexico,” “Colas in the Sky,” “Shadows”

  • How Sweet It Is: Melvin Seals at The Westcott Theater

    On Wednesday, March 8, Syracuse celebrated the spirit of Jerry Garcia in spectacular fashion with help from Melvin Seals & JGB at the Westcott Theater.  The intimate evening began with the Upstate NY native band, Los New Yorkers.  The four-piece consisted of three middle aged men and one woman that hopped from one instrument to the next.  The feel-good and upbeat originals reminded me of something that might get chosen as the theme song for a 90’s sitcom on TGIF.  Members not only switched back and forth from guitars, washboard, drums, keys and bass but each member also brought their own original song to the table.  While most lyrics consisted of life-changing events, their love for New York State and generic happy moments, Los New Yorkers did not ignite that Jerry spark that many Deadheads in the crowd were seeking.  If I ever hear this band again, it will probably be while I am buying cotton candy at the New York State Fair because that is exactly how it made me feel.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterWord has spread up and down I-81 about a Scranton-based bluegrass group known as The Dishonest Fiddlers, and the quartet did not disappoint.  This collection of traveling ramblers were chosen by Dave Brown, founder of the band, who swaps artists for every show, making the “About Page” on their Facebook profile dishonest.  The unique idea of taking musicians from different parts of the country allows Brown the freedom to mix it up at the drop of the hat and the pluck of a string. One downfall of never having the same band twice is that practice time is limited, therefore they are often forced to fight for space backstage.

    At The Westcott Theater, the foursome found themselves practicing in front of the men’s bathroom line, which welcomed them with clinched legs and open arms.  The first song of their actual set was dedicated to the “new friends in the bathroom line” as they channeled the folkie side of Garcia with a beautiful, “Rosa Lee McFall.”  The remainder of the seven-song set consisted of all originals and the crowd seem to genuinely enjoy every minute of it.  As the room began to fill up for Seals and JGB, Brown was hoping to elicit some crowd participation during “There Ain’t Enough Water in the Water” which was minimally responded to, at best!  As couples locked arms and rowdily stomped their feet, The Dishonest Fiddlers’ time was up and Brown thanked the Central NY crowd for their support during the band’s first ever visit to Syracuse.  For the sake of bluegrass music, I hope they return to the Empire State very soon.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterNow past 11:00pm, fans were finally ready to embrace Melvin Seals & JGB and it was well worth the wait!  Aware of the time, the crowd let it all hang out as the group opened with a funky jam sequence leading into “After Midnight.”  While the famous Eric Clapton version of the classic fast-paced hit clocks in under three minutes, Seals kept this monster jamming for over 15 minutes!  While on the topic of iconic rock-n-roll, The Beatles were gently sandwiched in the middle of the Jerry-influenced “Midnight” jam as “Eleanor Rigby” made its appearance as it regularly did in the late-70’s and early-80’s.  The “Fab Four” from England were also covered during the next song of the evening, “I Want to Tell You,” which once again featured Zach Nugent filling in for Jerry on vocals.

    After the smoking hot start to the show, “When I Paint My Masterpeice” peacefully calmed the audience down and was highlighted by Nugent paying tribute to Garcia with his delicate and passionate playing.  “Neighbor, Neighbor” featured strong backing vocals from Cheryl Rucker and Shirley Starks, and on the night of International Woman’s Day 2017, the crowd was thoroughly glad to have these lovely ladies in their lives.  In the heart of the set list, the Garcia/ Hunter gem, “Mission In The Rain,” somberly described a lost soul searching for redemption and where Nugent’s vocal abilities fell below Garcia standards, his guitar solo was sorrowful and spot on.  The playful and gospel-influenced “Evangeline” lifted everyone’s spirits after the emotional “Mission” before the bluesy “Think” featured yet another powerful vocal collaboration.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterBassist, John-Paul McLean, exchanged smiles and notes with Seals during the classic R&B cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” and to the delight of Deadheads in the room, Starks and Rucker pointed to the audience while they sang the chorus.  Love had captivated the audience throughout the entire show, but especially at the end of the evening when they transitioned from “Somebody to Love” to “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You.”  Seals introduced the band and gave one more stellar B-3 organ solo during the extra sweet version.  Although the show ended past 1:00AM on Thursday morning, the band was not ready to say goodbye to their loyal fan base as Seals & JGB hung out by the merchandise table to chit chat with ticket holders.

    Seals has spent over 30 years in the spotlight mesmerizing audiences with his swirling keyboard-synth magic, but he is still the humble, welcoming, and sincere man he was when he first met Garcia.  As a child of the 90’s I have never gotten to see Garcia play live. Although I have listened to thousands of hours of recorded material, read numerous books and stared at videos on Youtube until my eyes were blood shot, I never had the opportunity to be a part of the touring community that was cherished by millions.  Thanks to bands like Melvin Seals and JGB, fans like myself and long-time fans alike can come together and share love, smiles and gratitude with their sisters and their brothers.

    Melvin Seals Westcott TheaterThe Dishonest Fiddlers Setlist: Rosa Lee McFall, My Brand New Jalopy, There Ain’t Enough Water in the Water, Steve, Sam’s Cigar, The TV Store, Steamtown Blues

    Melvin Seals and JGB Setlist: Jam, After Midnight*, I Want to Tell You, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Neighbor, Neighbor, Mission In the Rain, Evangeline, Think, Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You

    *w/ Eleanor Rigby jam