NYS Music 20​17

Category: Manhattan

  • Hearing Aide: Powerflo ‘Powerflo’

    There seems to be a growing trend in metal music of rap-metal making a comeback since Prophets Of Rage emerged last year.  You could argue that bands like Body Count have been around for a long time, but now the genre seems to be in the spotlight again. And with any sub-genre of metal, you get the flash in the pan bands or the goofy sounding bands that don’t last, however, Powerflo has landed and makes a statement.

    Consisting of powerhouse members of Biohazard, Fear Factory, Downset, and fronted by Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog, their self titled debut album makes you stop and say, “Hey, we got something here.”  You always get a feeling with super groups that they could not work or blend well or just seem to be an odd fit.  This is not the case.  Powerflo is tight, has chemistry and contains killer hooks and a hard sound that grabs you by the collar and makes you listen.

    The opening track “My M.O.” opens with a crushing guitar riff and dope rhymes straight from Sen Dog with a fantastic rhythm and beat from bassist Christen Olde Wolbers and drummer Fernando Schaefer. Its perfect to get you hyped up or that necessary kick you need to listen to while you’re at the gym.  The next track “Resistance” is heavily vocal, driven with sick drums.  But the song that stands out most is “Less Than a Human” because of how motivating it is.  The track that highlights the band the best is the single “Victim of Circumstance.”  If you want to get someone hooked on this band, show them this track.  It’s a perfect sports anthem.  I would expect to hear this band at sporting and fight events.  Book it.

    Some of the Biohazard fans may be let down because they’re expecting to hear the kick ass break downs and guitar solos from a band that made them so iconic.  Poweflo isn’t driven by break downs and solos, it’s driven by catchy hooks.  The hooks punch HARD.  And Sen Dog really shines because he’s front and center.   This is a band with a bold move by guitarist Billy Graziadei, because everyone is used to him being front and center anchoring for Biohazard, but he has a different role in Powerflo. But it works.  This album is a must have for any hip hop, hardcore or metal fan.  Keep an eye out for Powerflo.  It’s easily the best debut metal album of this year.

    Key Tracks: “My M.O.”, “Less Than A Human”, “Victim Of Circumstance”

  • Empire State Building and Dead & Company Teaming Up for Citi Field Synchronized Light Show

    Saturday’s Dead & Company show at Citi Field will have a special sit-in for the encore. Empire State Reality Trust, owners of the iconic Empire State Building, has teamed up with Dead & Company and New York’s classic rock station Q104.3 to provide a synchronized LED light show to illuminate the famed tower as the band performs its encore at Citi Field.

    The Empire State Building’s light show will be designed by Marc Brickman and begins at approximately 11:00 p.m. Those not at Citi Field can still enjoy the music through the iHeartRadio app or over the air on New York’s classic rock station Q104.3.

    Once the show is over, it will be available for viewing on the Empire State Building’s Facebook and YouTube channels as well as the Dead & Company YouTube channel.

    Dead & Company recently performed at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. You can read the NYS Music review of that show here and video from SPAC below.

  • Folkfaces Announce Extensive 2017 Summer Tour

    Buffalo’s Folkfaces are gearing up for 2017 and their biggest summer tour yet. The extensive tour focus primarily on New York, giving those in the state plenty of opportunities to check them out.

    Buffalo-based Americana quintet Folkfaces has had a busy 2017 and the year is only half over. They released their debut album How Long? back in April while also completing two spring tours. The band consists of Tyler Westcott (guitar, vocals), Dan Borodzik (slide guitar, vocals), Ellen Pieroni (saxophones), Patrick Jackson (upright bass) and Dan Schwach (drums, washboard).

    Folkfaces’ summer tour features over 30 dates throughout New York with stops in five other states and Toronto. The tour kicks off this Wednesday, June 21 at Al’s Wine & Whiskey in Syracuse and closes out at the Night Lights Music Festival in Sherman. The tour primarily brings the band throughout New York with a heavy focus on the western portion of the state for their hometown fans.

    In addition to their own shows, they’ll be sharing the stage with a handful of other bands. They play with Dustbowl Revival on June 28 at Babeville in Buffalo. They’ll join The Tenants on July 14 for a house show in Akron, Ohio on July 14. On July 22, they play the Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs with The North and South Dakotas. The Fredtown Stompers and the Buffalo Brass Machine join them on Aug. 2 at the Tralf in Buffalo. As part of the Buffalo Infringement Festival, they play alongside Swimmer, Minor Racket, Dark Matter Trio and The Funk Theory Extravaganza on Aug. 4 at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo. Nietzsche’s sees them again on Aug. 23 along with Minor Moon and Pine Fever.

    Folkfaces is one of NYS Music’s 87/90 up and coming featured artists.

    Folkfaces Summer Tour Dates
    June 21 – Al’s Wine & Whiskey, Syracuse, NY
    June 23 – 42 North, East Aurora, NY
    June 28 – Babeville, Buffalo, NY *
    July 6 – The Waterhole, Saranac Lake, NY
    July 7 – The Monopole, Plattsburgh, NY
    July 8 – Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington, VT
    July 9 – The Pizza Stone, Chester, VT
    July 12 – Temple Bar and Grille, Rochester, NY
    July 13 – The Crittenden Tavern, Coudersport, PA
    July 14 – House Show, Akron, OH **
    July 15 – Cobblestone Festival, Buffalo, NY
    July 16 – 10th Ave. Burrito Co., Belmar, NJ
    July 17 – Shrine World Music Venue, New York, NY
    July 17 – Silvana, New York, NY
    July 18 – Arlene’s Grocery, Brooklyn, NY
    July 19 – Salt Gastropub, Stanhope, NJ
    July 20 – Cabaret at Germano’s, Baltimore, MD
    July 21 – TBA
    July 22 – Putnam Den, Saratoga Springs, NY #
    July 28 – Fiddler’s Picnic, Marion, NY
    July 31 – Buffalo Infringement Festival, Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY
    Aug. 2 – The Tralf, Buffalo, NY ##
    Aug. 3 – Funk ‘n Waffles, Rochester, NY
    Aug. 4 – 189 Public House, East Aurora, NY
    Aug. 4 – Buffalo Infringement Festival, Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY ^
    Aug. 5 – The Riverboat Bar, Alexandria Bay, NY
    Aug. 6 – Junction City Music Hall, Toronto, ON
    Aug. 11 – Slyfest, Sherman, NY
    Aug. 20 – Nights of Fire Festival, Franklinville, NY
    Aug. 23 – Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY ^^
    Aug. 25 – Night Lights Music Festival, Sherman, NY

    * w/ Dustbowl Revival
    ** w/ The Tenants
    # w/ The North and South Dakotas
    ## w/ The Fredtown Stompers, Buffalo Brass Machine
    ^ w/ Swimmer, Minor Racket, Dark Matter Trio, The Funk Theory Extravaganza
    ^^ w/ Minor Moon, Pine Fever

  • Top 5 Reasons to Attend Electric Zoo

    Festival season for 2017 has begun and is in full swing! There are more and more festivals popping up every year, but a solid returning fest worth mentioning is taking place over Labor Day weekend in NYC. Electric Zoo is in its ninth year and takes place on Randall’s Island in the East River. It’s NYC’s largest electronic music festival and that’s saying something!

    electric zooThis iconic music and arts festival is known for it’s zoo theme and for bringing in the heaviest hitters in the EDM scene. There are countless reasons why this festival is one to check out so we’ve compiled the top five reasons for attending this year.

    NYC’s Own Festival

    This event is perfect for New Yorkers because it takes place right in your backyard. Being able to sleep in your own bed at the end of a long day of dancing is something every festival goer dreams of. Located in the heart of New York City, the views from EZoo are what makes it so unique.

    There are many different ways to get to the event: bus, train, subway, ferry ride, or walk over one of the bridges connecting Randall’s Island to Manhattan. The idea of a festival placed in a park in the middle of a major city is so unique that there are very few venues who can achieve this perfect storm of a location.

    Epic Lineup

    EZoo always manages to draw in big names and a diverse lineup, so there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a bass-head, or more into melodies, every genre of EDM is represented at this festival. The headliners for Friday are DJ Snake, the Trap legend, and Galantis the House gods.

    On Saturday the House vibes will be coming in hot with Above & Beyond and Zedd. Finally, Sunday will close out the fest bringing the GOAT Deadmau5 back and better than ever. This return will bring out a crowd because he hasn’t been performing recently. He will be going back-to-back with Eric Prydz and then Armin Van Buuren to close.

    Cashless Payment System

    The anxiety of carrying around cash all weekend while trying to unplug and let loose is eliminated by this cashless system. Many festivals have shifted from using cash and cards to make the payment process more enjoyable for festival goers. The wristband is activated before you enter the grounds so that you can purchase any event merch, epic rave glasses, food & beverages, and other products with the flick of the wrist.

    Diverse Crowd

    NYC is considered the melting pot of the world, and couple that with a diverse lineup of artists, and you’ll be sure to encounter people from all over the world! Much like a normal zoo has a variety of animals on display, so will Electric Zoo. Don’t forget to bring your candies to speak the universal language of PLUR.

    On-Call Medical Care

    They say anything is fine as long as it’s in moderation, but some people get a little carried away. For anyone in danger of hurting themselves or others, there are medical tents placed throughout the fest. They are fully staffed with experienced New York medical personnel who can offer you anything from a bottle of water or band-aid to pump you full of an iv to rehydrate your body. Since the event is in September, it can get pretty hot out there so the medical staff tries to help everyone who walks, stumbles, or gets carried in.

    Final Thoughts 

    Re-entry is not allowed so once you finally leave the zoo, be sure you don’t leave anything but footprints behind. This festival is unlike anything you’ve ever seen and so purchase your tickets before they sell out! You can buy single day tickets, or splurge a little and go for the whole weekend!

  • Coheed & Cambria Energize the Crowd at Terminal 5

    There are not too many rock bands anymore that pursue the art of the concept album. There are even fewer that have a concept across several albums. Enter the world of Coheed & Cambria – a science fiction prog rock band originally hailing from Nyack, New York. The band, getting its start in the early 2000’s put out some of it’s best records based on lead singer Claudio Sanchez’s Amory Wars comic book series. Coheed and Cambria’s tour through the US during April and May celebrated their third album Good Apollo: I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. The record is a fan favorite, spawning some of the band’s most memorable songs such as “Welcome Home,” “Ten Speed (of God’s Blood & Burial)” and “The Suffering.”

    Coheed & CambriaWith Coheed and Cambria being a band originally from New York, the home crowd truly turned out with some of the most diehard fans I’ve ever seen for any kind of band ever. Coheed made it’s first NY stop of it’s tour on May 5, 2017 at Terminal 5 in Manhattan, NY. Terminal 5 has a very open lay out with most of the venue being general admission standing, and three levels above the main floor with a “mezzanine” type layout where people can spectate from above. The general admission floor and all of the mezzanine levels were packed to capacity with fans anxiously awaiting Coheed and Cambria to grace the stage. Opening for the main event was The Dear Hunter, a prog rock band from Providence, Rhode Island. Coheed fans showed much love to the prog rock stylings of The Dear Hunter performing a tight, groovin’ set with a good deal of energy.

    Coheed & CambriaWhile I’ve been to a couple of Coheed and Cambria shows I have not been to one that was quite as crazy as this show. I made the mistake of purchasing a beer and finding a good spot closer to the front of the venue. I will explain my “mistake” in a moment. The show began with the intro from Good Apollo: I’m Burning Star IV Vol 1 which is a violin lead overture. Claudio Sanchez then stepped on the stage and the crowd immediately went wild for him – he started with the acoustic performance of “Always and Never” (track 2 on the album) as the rest of the band got on the stage. Here’s where my mistake occurred – Coheed and Cambria really kicked off the show with the in-your-face fan favorite “Welcome Home” while I had a full beer in my hand. The crowd immediately went nuts to the intro riff and there was a sudden rush from the back of the crowd pushing everyone to the front. Most of my beer wound up all over myself and probably everyone within a four-foot radius of me. “Welcome Home” shows off Coheed and Cambria’s metal side with it’s prog rock elements so it makes sense the crowd went crazy.

    Coheed & CambriaConsequently, after Coheed played their next song “Ten Speed,” I found myself near the stage looking up at Claudio Sanchez going nuts on his guitar. As he delivered his signature high pitched, charismatic and unique vocals over a punk rock-ish chorus, his famous long puffy hair was flying in all sorts of directions. As Coheed and Cambria played through the album, there wasn’t a song fans couldn’t recite. About halfway through the set, while guitarist Travis Stever was swapping guitars, Claudio took a back seat to his band’s ever impressive rhythm section of Josh Eppard on drums and Zach Cooper on bass. The jam broke down first into one of the dopest bass solos I’ve heard in a while – in fact, how often do you hear a bass solo? Then, Josh Eppard got into a super tight, high energy drum solo for which the crowd made a ton of noise. Playing the style of music that they do, each band member holds their own as an extraordinary musician.

    The night of excellent music was closed out by an encore of three of my favorite Coheed songs – the first being “Island” off their 2015 release The Color Before the Sun. When the album was coming out it was announced that this would be the band’s first album not connected to Claudio Sanchez’s Amory Wars comic book series but would instead reflect on the band’s personal lives. Claudio tied this in by giving some back story to the song and his family that was in the audience who the song related to. He also stated that the band has been performing while having the flu and required some assistance from the crowd. Who would have known anyone in the band was sick with all of the energy they put out? The night ended with “Delirium Trigger” and “Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3” which is the title track of the album preceding Good Apollo I’m Burning IV Vol 1 (and my personal favorite album from Coheed and Cambria). In the universe of the Amory Wars, “Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3” tells the epic tale of one of the protagonists leading a resistance against a formidable space armada/army, with the battle cry “Man your battle stations!” being a big part of the chorus. It was insanely cool to hear a group of people chant something that epic as though we really were going into battle. Claudio Sanchez barely had to do much singing as the crowd really took charge of the lyrics on the final song of the night – you could even see a smile from Sanchez as though he was truly humbled by the fact that his art really resided in the hearts of a room full of people.

    Coheed & CambriaOverall, while I left the show soaked in probably everyone else’s sweat and I’m pretty sure someone’s shoe flew across the room and hit me, it was the most fun I’ve had at a rock concert in a long time. Coheed and Cambria has the blessing of having some of the most loyal fans in the world, especially in New York City. I left the show with more energy than I walked in the door with and Coheed played probably one of the tightest sets they could ever have played. They later returned to Terminal 5 on May 22, 2017, playing a similar setlist.

    Setlist: Keeping the Blade, Always and Never, Welcome Home, Ten Speed, Crossing the Frame, Apollo 1: The Writing Writer, Once Upon Your Dead Body, Wake Up, The Suffering, The Lying Lies & Dirty Secrets of Miss Erica Court, Mother May I, The Willing Well I: Fuel for the Feeding End, The Willing Well II: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, The Willing Well III: Apollo II: The Telling Truth, The Willing Well IV: The Final Cut, Island Delirium Trigger, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3

  • Stephanie Quayle Takes ‘The Flock’ on the Road for the 2017 Winnebago Tour

    Standing out in a crowd of thousands is what each country music artist hopes for as they head to Nashville to pursue their dreams.  Keeping a pulse on the music scene, Rolling Stone magazine often features the newest up and coming country artists making waves in music city.  These artists stand out in the crowd of thousands and it’s generally a uniqueness in their sounds and character that catches the eyes of the media world. Stephanie Quayle is one of May’s featured artists that shines like a star among the night time honky tonks and pubs on music row.

    With the release of “Drinking With Dolly” last year, it was no surprise this tried and true country gal would soon achieve her dreams and the country music world would take notice.

    Raised in Montana on her family’s bison farm, Stephanie shares how she often listened to country music’s legends on the AM radio in the barn while doing chores.  At the age four she began piano lessons, and at fifteen bought her first guitar. It was immediately after that she took to performing and knew  this was what she was meant to do.

    Splitting her time these days with her husband between her homes and farms in Montana, North Carolina, and Nashville. Stephanie finds time to do it all.  A huge philanthropist, she advocates for St. Jude’s Children Hospital, Operation Smile and the local food bank raising funds and awareness for those in need. Recently signed as the ambassador for Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply, you can see that she is country through and through.

    Her recent release of “Winnebago,” a fun loving tune, takes the listener across the nation both through the lyrics as well as this summer as she hits the road on the 2017 Winnebago Tour with KOA Campgrounds.

    Making two stops along the way in New York, you can catch her perform in New York City at the Rockwood Music Hall, as well as at the Staller Center for the Arts at SUNY Stony Brook.  Don’t miss your chance to meet this multi talented young lady as she becomes a household name and her music hits the airwaves this summer.

  • The Brooklyn Bowl and Brewery in Contract for $37.4 Million

    The Atlas Capital Group is looking to ‘strike’ a deal with the Williamsburg Building owners which houses the Brooklyn Bowl and Brewery. According to The Real Deal, ACG’s intentions are not entirely clear, but they are likely to,  “eventually reposition it.”

    Brooklyn Brewery
    Tea Leaf Green at the Brooklyn Bowl

    The real estate group will not make a move until at least 2021- that is when the lease for the Brooklyn Bowl expires and the brewery adjacent to it is set until 2025. It is unclear as of now, but ACG will likely want both parts of the property and will not take action until the latter date. More information is still to come.

    Jam Base spoke with co-owner Peter Shapiro who said, “In terms of the story nothing changes for us. We hope to be 61 Wythe Avenue [the current location] for a long time.”

    The Bowl has been a hot spot for fans and bands of all sizes since 2009. It’s held acts such as Guns N’ Roses, Elvis Costello, the Roots to just recently, the auction of Jerry Garcia’s famed guitar, ‘Wolf’.

  • Lord Electro Means Business

    Albany’s funktronica act, Lord Electro, will get down to business this summer as they continue their tour in support of their debut studio album, Business. The band will also release its first live album recorded at the legendary Nectar’s in Burlington, Vermont.

    Lord Electro continues its “Business” Tour in support of its debut album of the same name, which was released in March. The tour brings them around the state, starting on June 8 at the Disc Jam Festival in Stephentown, where CEG Presents named them one of the top five acts to see on the main stage.

    They make a few festival appearances over the summer. They hit up the Woodhenge Festival in Adams, where they are scheduled for two sets, on June 23. They play a late-night set on July 8 at Kenny’s Cosmic Campout in Barryville. They finish up their festival appearances on July 29 at the GEM Festival in Glens Falls. In addition to the festival appearances, they’re playing a number of shows in the Northeast, including the Monopole in Plattsburgh on June 24, Lukins in Utica on June 29 and Silvana in New York City on Aug. 5.

    Lord Electro will also release their first live album at the end of the week on June 2. Live at Nectar’s was recorded on May 10 at Burlington, Vermont’s legendary Nectar’s Lounge. The live album showcases the band’s improvisation. It will be available digitally on iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify and Soundcloud.

    Lord Electro Summer Dates:

    June 8­ – Disc Jam, Stephentown, NY
    June 23 -­ Woodhenge Festival, Adams, NY
    June 24 – ­ Monopole, Plattsburgh, NY
    June 29 -­ Lukins, Utica, NY
    July 8 – ­Kenny Cosmic Campout­, Barryville, NY
    July 29 – GEM Festival, Glens Falls, NY
    Aug. 5 – Silvana, New York, NY

  • Interview: Olivia Grace Discusses her Upcoming Releases and Next Steps in Brooklyn

    Indie pop artist Olivia Grace is originally from Maryland but ready to take the New York music scene by storm. She’s focusing her energy and creative juices into launching a musical career while completing her senior year of college. Her latest single “Blackbird” was released on September 30 enticing listeners with her unique style. NYS Music had the chance to find out more about Olivia Grace’s unreleased music including “Shoestrings” to be released early June.

    Sammy Steiner: As a singer-songwriter, where did your inspiration for “Shoestrings” come from?

    Olivia Grace: Ultimately, the song is about feeling out of place. It’s somewhat unapologetic, but it’s also about trying to make sense of everything when you’re not quite sure how you fit in. The story isn’t completely about me, as I do love creating fictional characters in my songs. However, when I wrote this song I had just moved to New York, and it was completely different from what I had been used to. I lived in Chicago beforehand, but New York just doesn’t compare. I think that feeling of navigating a new city and finding my place inspired a bit of the song.

    SS: Can you take us through your journey and involvement in the creation of this track? What was your favorite part of the record-making process?

    OG: The song took over a year to write. When I first started it, it sounded more like a folk song. It was slower with completely different rhythms. It didn’t really feel like THE song. I came back to it when I was flipping through old song ideas, trying to write something new. I picked it back up and it just flowed out. My favorite part recording was the “oh’s” that you hear in the beginning and after the chorus. They were actually added last minute. The song didn’t feel complete when my producer Matt and I had finished. He told me to just go crazy improvising over my piano/instrumental part, and eventually I started singing the “oh” melody. We both knew when we heard it that, that was it!

    SS: Do you have any upcoming plans or prospective venues where you hope to perform in the New York State area?

    OG: I do! I’m currently setting up some shows for July in New York, so I’ll probably be posting about it in June!

    SS: Can you name your top three favorite artists to cover at your shows and why?

    OG: Truthfully, I don’t cover that many artists at shows! I mostly perform my original songs. The one song I always try to fit in my set is Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games.” It’s just so beautiful and after years of performing it, I still love it.

    SS: What are your plans going forward? Are you going to focus on future musical projects or touring?

    OG: I have a lot of unreleased recordings right now, and I’m still going in the studio and recording more. I’m writing quite often as well. Both those things are my main focus right now. I don’t see myself doing a full on tour *right now* but I am traveling a lot this upcoming year, so I probably will be doing a few shows here and there.

    SS: What is one thing you’ve learned from your glimpse into life as an artist thus far?

    OG: Be patient. Everything takes time, hard work, and persistence. You can’t rush success.

  • Phish Celebrates 20 Years of WaterWheel

    This year marks the 20 year anniversary of the WaterWheel Foundation, the organization that oversees Phish’s charitable activities. To celebrate this milestone, two special pre-show celebrations are planned prior to two of the band’s Baker’s Dozen shows at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

    Two pre-show celebrations benefitting the WaterWheel Foundation will take place prior to the July 22 and Aug. 5 Phish shows during their Baker’s Dozen run of 13 shows at Madison Square Garden. The celebrations will benefit five different non-profit organizations. The proceeds from the July 22 event will go to four organizations, to be individually selected by each of the band’s four members. Proceeds from the Aug. 5 event will benefit the Mockingbird Foundation, supporting music education.

    Tickets to the event include access to a two-hour celebration with complimentary cocktails and a light dinner. Attendees will receive a WaterWheel event poster designed by Jim Pollock, a specialty chocolate bar created and donated by Asher’s Chocolates, access to a raffle and/or auction for Phish memorabilia from the Phish Archives, early access to the concert venue and access to a private lounge at set-break.

    Tickets for the celebrations are available now for $200. The 21 and over event is open only to ticket-holders for the concert on the evening of the pre-show celebration.