During an absolute barrage of topnotch shows and tours coming up this fall, one revelation proves to be the most stirring. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead have carved more than a niche for themselves in the current jam rock landscape, and it’s reflected in their unbelievable ticket sales and current momentum. Joe and the boys gained some real notoriety over the summer, playing and arranging the Dead’s music in a genuinely awe inspiring style at several festival dates including Peach Festival and two nights of Lockn, as well as a sold out two-night run at the Capitol Theater. Beginning in October, the RADness will continue with six sold out dates at the Brooklyn Bowl, with the first run being Oct. 5-7 and the second weekend being the 12-14. Following later that month will be a pre-party for Hulaween Festival down at Suwannee in Florida. After a brief west coast sabbatical, JRAD will be back in late November for several more sold out bangers in Philadelphia and Boston. See below for full schedule.
Having already seen over 10 JRAD shows this year, nothing excites me more than a proper tour just over the horizon. Call ’em a cover band all you want; they’re playing the Dead’s music better than any touring band in the scene is playing their own music currently. The quartet is beyond a force to be reckoned with.
Tour Dates:
At the Brooklyn Bowl – October 5*, 6*, 7*, 12*, 13*, 14*
At Suwannee Halloween – October 26
At the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, CA – November 9*, 10*
At the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA – November 11*
At the Fillmore Philadelphia – November 24, 25*
At Dominican Holidaze in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – December 1
At the House of Blues in Boston, MA – December 8*, 9*
The Ann Arbor, Michigan born quartet Vulfpeck took the Brooklyn Steel stage Friday, September 8, as well as the following weekend, before departing for their upcoming tour in Europe. The venue holds a max capacity of 1800, as well as multiple bar areas and a mezzanine. The Brooklyn Steel is a popular new theatre in Brooklyn, and was the perfect setting for Vulfpeck to perform a great show. The show was entirely sold out, but the crowd was very laid back before the show started, something not common in a crowded setting like this.
Multi-instrumentalist Joey Dosik was the opening act for the night, but he was not alone, accompanied by Vulfpeck’s Theo Katzman. Katzman played both bass and drums for this portion of the evening. Dosik elicited large amounts of excitement from the crowd, who seemed to be starstruck by his acapella rendition of “Stories” by Bill Withers. His tone and dynamic control were something to behold, and he seemed to be humbled by the praise he received. When his set ended, he then joined Vulfpeck on the stage and played along side them for the rest of the night, this time equipped with a saxophone. The vibe of the show was incredible.
While Vulfpeck performed, everyone in the venue became a unit. There was a magnetic pull that draped over the crowd like a blanket, and it seemed that not one person was standing still. With high energy, dancing, and lots of hollering, the people of the crowd could be seen having the time of their lives, living in the moment and through the songs the band banged out with expertise. Vulfpeck’s setlist for the evening contained some of their most iconic songs, such as “Daddy’s Got A Tesla,” “Game Winner,” and “Back Pocket.” However, not one song was played live in the same style as the studio version. Improvisation was a driving force at this show in the best way possible. They fed off of each other musically, trading ideas and including the crowd whenever possible.
The crowd harmonized as a group a number of times, the harmonies led by Theo Katzman. Not only that, but Vulfpeck spoke to the crowd like they would to a friend. The atmosphere was comfortable, and Vulfpeck made it easy to relax and enjoy a quality night of music. The acoustics of the venue were crisp, making each sound travel smooth and clear. Vulfpeck is a force to be reckoned with, being arguably one of the most diverse and unique music groups in the scene as of right now.
Shouthouse, a 16-piece chamber orchestra from New York City has released their latest has released their single “ANTS” through NYS Music. Combining elements of jazz, hip-hop, and classical music, Shouthouse brings together talented artists from various backgrounds to achieve a new form of expression through powerful music while telling stories through notes, structures and words.
ShoutHouse began in 2012 as members of the afrobeat/hip-hop band Yes Noyes collaborated with orchestral musicians and composers. Over the past five years, the group has grown into a small orchestra and a large community of performing artists. Altogether, the project includes more than fifty musicians, dancers, visual artists, poets, and rappers. In 2016, Shouthouse worked with hophop and classical dancers, to develop choreographed performances, first presented at The DiMenna Center as part of their CrossCurrents series.
“ANTS” is part of a series of pieces that reflect on New York City, imagined through different time periods. Shouthouse’s upcoming album has pieces that are about the distant past, 1940’s New York, and the distant, dystopian future. For “ANTS”, pianist Will Healy shares “We were thinking about what modern life is like in an urban hive – a combination of massive, overwhelming concrete and exhilarating, fast-paced life. The track is constantly active with notes and fast changes, and the lyrics are full of stories, metaphors and references that all circle back to the concept of being a part of modern day life as specks in the big city.”
“ANTS” features Bush Tea and Nuri Hazzard, with music by Will Healy. The song was produced by Harrison Keithline and Tyler Wood and mixed and engineered by Jack Frerer, with additional editing from Mikkel Christensen and Skei’n Studios. Shouthouse’s orchestra includes Megan Atchley (violin), Allison Mase (violin), Drew Forde (viola), Olivia Harris (cello), Luiz Bacchi (bass), Jack Gulielmetti (electric guitar), David Valbuena (clarinet), Kelley Barnett (flute) Jesse Greenberg (vibraphone/glockenspiel), Aaron Ewing (drumset), Will Healy (piano) and conducted by Alex Burtzos.
Stay tuned next week for the premiere of Shouthouse’s video for “Ants,” exclusively from NYS Music. Follow Shouthouse on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud and YouTube.
It seems that our society is finding comfort in nostalgia more and more every day- “It” and “Star Wars” reboots are in theaters, Dave Chappelle is back on stage and vinyl records are back on store shelves. Some say they like the sound quality and others just like the idea of having a tangible collection. Whatever the reason may be, artists are taking notice and it has sparked the imagination of great producers and musicians like musical prodigy Alan Evans of Soulive. The popularity of vinyl and today’s recording styles have pushed him to create something truly unique.
Evans said he is “… taking it back to the basics,” with his creation of the Vintage League Music (VLM). The idea behind this project is to allow musicians to create a “‘Singles’ way of releasing music worldwide both digitally and physically on vinyl records.” In a press release, Evans said that when music was printed on vinyl records, most recordings were released days after the master track was finished, keeping the music fresh and the listeners engaged. Evans intends to recreate this process and will release 7” and 12” vinyl, digital singles and full length albums from all groups that work with VLM.
NYS Music spoke with Evans to get a deeper understanding of how and why he created this project.
The focus of Vintage League Music is to release 7″ singles both vinyl and digitally. This gives us and the artists a lot of freedom in terms of release schedules but also in terms of creating the music. I just want to create a very relaxed environment for artists to create something new. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played or seen shows during Jazz Fest, on Jam Cruise or any number of festivals where some magic happens on stage with people you have never played with before. I want Vintage League Music to be the place where this all can happen (one single or a triple album).
So far, five groups have started working with VLM, most of which Evans has had a hand in, and have all released a single available for streaming on the VLM site. As of now, Evans said the vinyl is going to be released very soon and thanks to Fat Beats, they will be available wherever people are buying records now. Those who are interested in this project can go to the VLM site and find samples from each band.
Recently released projects include:
Crowd Company – “ Saw You Yesterday” – “An 8-piece modern take on vintage soul funk. Brimming with energy and a raw edge, catchy hooks, and tight grooves. The band combines a retro Hammond organ-based sound with a virtuoso horn section, soulful lead, and harmony vocals.”
This is the only group currently affiliated with VLM that has a predicted full album release date. Their single “Saw You Yesterday” is available for download on Amazon, iTunes and Spotify but a full length, 13-track album will be released digitally Oct. 20.
Matador! Soul Sounds – “Get Ready” – “Matador Soul Sounds was born from the vision of Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds) and Alan Evans (Soulive). Combining the dynamism of each band leader, the music they have created is brand new, hard hitting and drenched with their shared musical passions – jazz, funk & soul.”
This will be the first group to release a 7” single during their first official performance at the Brooklyn Bowl, Sept. 23 during Brooklyn Comes Alive. Alan says the full length album will be released at the beginning of 2018.
Agent 3 – “Mission Received” – On stage, Agent 3 is a band that tours the world playing music for adoring fans. Off stage, Agent 3 operating under Management, is a band of spies that surgically eliminates secret governments, terrorist groups, corrupt politicians and evil spy organizations.
Agent 3 will release a full length album serving as the story’s soundtrack to a comic book that is planed to be released.
4 Brothers – “No. 2” – Spiritual-Soul-Rock-Jazz. This is a concept record – put a pair of successful “brother” musicians together with another pair of successful brothers and see what happens. This one has a buzz before a single note is released.
Alan says they are planning on releasing 4 Brother as digital 7″ versions (two songs at a time) towards the end of this year and on vinyl early 2018.
Rolland Blackrock – “Buffalo” – Black Rock from the blackest rocker on the scene – Roland Blackrock. Soulive’s Alan Evans goes (sort of) undercover to create a Lenny-Kravitz-meets-Sly-Stone style Masterpiece.
The Roland Blackrock album is planned to be released digitally as volumes 1, 2 & 3 spring of 2018 along with a 12″ vinyl version.
Without the breath of big record labels steaming down musicians’ backs, Evans says there is more opportunity for spontaneity. He said some of his best work came from fiddling around on his guitar and believes up and coming groups can create some incredible work through the same process. He believes that great ideas have gone to waste because nowadays, bands see time in the studio as just a time to record, not experiment, and Evans intends to change that idea.
This project is still in it’s early stages but is definitely worth keeping tabs on. VLM can be found on multiple social sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and has kept a steady flow of information coming since its start.
The lineup for this year’s KettleFest includes Anastazja, Some Ska Band, Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers and String Chickens. The one day celebration of sustainable farming takes place in on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Kettle Ridge Farm in Victor, NY. In addition to music, there will be workshops, children’s events, crafts from local artisans, and a wide selection of food and beverages.
Admission is $6, and children under 13 are free. Kettleridge Farm is located at 515 Log Cabin Road in Victor, NY. For more information, visit the Kettlefest website.
Music Schedule:
Main Stage:
– 10:15 a.m. – Anastazja
– 12:15 p.m. – Some Ska Band
– 2:15 p.m. – Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers
The Werks arrived in Bearsville, NY fresh off a performance at Last Daze of Summer Music Festival in Sterling, NY. They capped off Labor Day weekend with their first ever show at Bearsville Theater, with an opening performance by Dharma Bums.
Photos by Jim Rice
Setlist: Fire Eater, Fly Like an Eagle, Slab, Waiting Room>Lights Out, Drop, Duck Farm
Little Feat played to a sold out crowd at The Egg on Sunday, September 10 in Albany, NY. Wasting no time, the group opened up with “Spanish Moon” and throughout their two hour set, Little Feat gave the fans what they wanted with tunes such as “Oh Atlanta” and “Time Loves A Hero.” For more information on Little Feat’s upcoming tour dates, visit littlefeat.net
When we hear the name Berklee College of Music, it’s natural to think of the great musicians who attended this institution such as John Mayer, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) and Annie Clark (St. Vincent) to name a few. This impressive school has fostered the talent of a countless number of artists and bands and continues to do so with the members of the up-and-coming New England band, The Penthouse with their new album Overnight.
This indie rock group consists of Eric Derwall on the drums, Kyle Raney on the bass, Jacob Arias on guitar and Patrick James as the front man. Although their band is based in Boston, they are making a name for themselves through live music performances in major cities such as New York and Boston.
The band’s latest releases “City Lights” and “Another Day” perfectly embody what it means to be ‘indie rock.’ Every track makes you both want to move but also listen closely to the story being told through the lyrics. “Best Friend” for example is a relatable track about falling in love with your best friend that also makes you want to dance to its fast-paced and foot-tapping beat.
The band member’s varying musical backgrounds make the instrumental portions of their music even richer in songs like “Everytime” and “Clear As Day (feat. Noah Jackson)” as each instrumental solo is just as strong as the next. This new rising band welcomes you to The Penthouse as stated on their SoundCloud page so don’t miss a chance to listen to their new music!
The Demos, a mainstay of the Rochester music community, are prepping for their set at KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival. They play on Saturday, September 16 at 6:30pm at Parcel 5 on Main Street. The 75-minute long set will span the power pop band’s fifteen-year career, which they’ve spent continually writing, recording and gigging. With a couple EPs and a full-length album already under their belt, they’re in the studio again working on a new project.
Over the years, The Demos have been through a few lineup changes. Singer/guitarist Jay Milton and bass guitarist Cal Saunders have remained the core of the group, with the addition of Caela Moore on keys, Jeremiah O’Reilly on guitar and the newest addition, RJ Papaleo on drums. They took time away from rehearsing for the big show to talk with NYS Music about Rochester Fringe, The Demos’ body of work, and identifying their spirit animals.
Paula Cummings: I’ve seen the promos you’ve been posting to promote your set at Fringe Festival. How excited are you for this year’s event?
Jay Milton: It’s really exciting to play in such a huge space in the heart of the city that most of us grew up in.
CS: And that we call home.
JM: This is our home and it’s awesome. A very unique venue, and a free show. I always feel it’s great to play a free show. I love doing free stuff.
Jeremiah O’Reilly: I think what appeals to me most is that I think sometimes when you play at specific venues around town, you run into the situation where you’re often playing for the same people. Playing at an outdoor free concert during a festival allows you to play to a different variety of people in the community. It’s nice to be able to share and express ourselves to those people as well as the ones who come to our Bug Jar shows.
PC: You’re recording songs for the next album. Will some of those songs be on the set list?
CS: For sure.
JM: It’s going to be a very eclectic set from us. It’s a lot longer than we usually play. Most of our sets are 45 minutes or so. So this is a double set almost. So we’re digging deep into our catalog. Me and Cal have been together in this band for 15 years. So we’re going back and playing songs from every era of our time as a band, from our first EP’s in the mid-2000’s. We’ll be playing songs off Lovely which is our full length from 2012.
CS: The notes on that are that it was the one that went #1 on FMQB.
PC: That was the one that was big in Japan, right?
CS: We’re very proud of that.
JM: It was big in Japan. That was the one that got us the Tokyo billboard. And obviously, we’ll play songs from our latest EP, Paramount Clouds, which came out last year. And then a whole bunch of new songs, and a few covers for good measure. Obscure though. We can’t be playing songs that everyone knows. Because then they’ll know how bad we play them.
(Laughter)
CS: We kind of make them our own.
PC: Although the Andy Kaufman cover was awesome. It might be the wrong crowd for that one.
CS: But I think though at Fringe, it’s weird enough that if you did it people would laugh, which is the point.
JM: Andy Kaufman is my hero in life.
CS: He’s your spirit animal.
JM: He’s definitely my spirit animal. I have been obsessed with him most of my adult life. And the thing I love about him is the more I learn about him the less I understand him. Which is what I love about it. Every time you think you’re getting deeper into what it was about, it seems you’re just opening millions of other things which go nowhere. Which to me is… Life as performance art, perhaps.
CS: The whole world’s a stage.
JM: I actually own Andy Kaufman’s childhood record player. And his smoking jacket as well.
Jay with Andy Kaufman memorabilia, Photo: Jeremiah O’Reilly
PC: So we’ve got your spirit animal. What would you say yours is, Cal?
CS: Billy Martin, a friend of ours, once told me that he thinks Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes is my spirit animal.
JM: I’d believe it.
CS: But it’s not that easy. My struggle is endless. I seem to go around, which makes me think serpentine, like a snake. I’m year of the dragon, too.
JO: I think I’m an earth dragon.
JM: What’s the difference between a dragon and an earth dragon?
JO: So there’s different parts, like your animal that’s part of the Chinese zodiac, and then an element that goes along with it.
CS: Like earth, water, fire.
JM: I thought maybe an earth dragon was one that couldn’t fly, or something.
JO: I’m like the black sheep of dragons. I guess that’s my spirit animal.
PC: Is it too soon to divulge any details about the next album?
JM: We don’t know when it will be ready. I would say by this time next year, there will be something.
PC: Jeremiah, this is your first time recording with these guys?
JO: Yeah, I’ve known these guys for a while. I actually went to one of their shows back in 2005. When I was a wee little lad. One of my best friends Alex Northrup was one of the founding members of The Demos. And I’ve been playing music with him.
CS: He’s the Syd Barrett of The Demos.
JM: That’s actually very accurate.
JO: I was 16 back in 2005, so I’ve known you guys for a while. But I’ve only been playing with them for 8 months. It’s been a blast.
PC: And now you’re no longer the newest member of the band.
JO: I am not the newest member.
CS: We’re like a restaurant. We change staff as much as we change clientele sometimes.
The Demos: Jeremiah O’Reilly, RJ Papaleo, Cal Saunders, Jay Milton, Caela Moore
JM: Honestly, I think we’re just intense workers when it comes to music. We just pour everything into it.
JO: It frightens some people.
CS: Or people have lives.
JO: Aren’t you glad you found me – I have no life!
JM: That’s the worst thing about being a musician in a place that has such a great local scene is that it’s hard to work on music and do things. Tart Vandelay is playing tonight and I’d love to go do that, but we’re doing this and then we’re going into rehearsing right after. And if we’re not in the studio, then we’re rehearsing, or we’re writing. It’s hard to do cool things, like watching other people play music, when you’re so focused on doing it yourself. That’s my least favorite part. We’re very dedicated.
CS: We’re dedicated, honest, and hard working.
JM: Every moment that we’re not working on music, we wish that we were.
JO: Me and Jay text each other at work saying, “I wish we were in the studio.”
(RJ Papaleo arrives)
PC: Hey, we’re just wrapping up. What is your spirit animal?
RJP: I feel like it would be a bird of some kind.
JM: Maybe like a pterodactyl.
PC: And what is Caela’s spirit animal?
JM: A fox.
Catch the Demos live at what is sure to be a memorable performance Saturday, September 16 at 6:30 at Parcel 5 on at 285 East Main Street in Rochester. Get ready by listening to their catalog of music on Bandcamp. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates on this and other shows.
These are values that Teenage Halloween embraces, as they deliver upbeat numbers about self-acceptance and empowerment served youthful exuberance and a twist of whimsical irony. Just this week they announced a new release, entitled Eternal Roast.
In Rochester, Teenage Halloween will be sharing the stage at Vineyard Community Space with their tour mates from New Jersey, Secret Mountain, and local bands Full Body (celebrating their new release), as well as Taking Meds and California Cousins (on the final night of their East Coast tour). Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show ends by 10 p.m. The suggested minimum donation is $7.
In Albany, Teenage Halloween and Secret Mountain will be joined by local bands Jouska, Hate Club, and i feel okay. The show runs from 8 p.m. to midnight. Entry is $5.
Members of Teenage Halloween hail from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The entire octet was in the studio to record the latest release: Luke Henderiks on vocals and guitar, Brandon Hakim on Saxophone, Kevin Sabik on trumpet, Lynn Tuimil on bass, Brian DeSeno on drums, Danni Ciminnisi on keyboards & vocals, Eli Frank on lead guitar & Connor Egan on trombone.
Eternal Roast is the follow-up to Teenage Halloween’s 2015 EP It Was Weird But It Worked, and will be available on Oct. 20 in a variety of formats (including vinyl). The limited-edition cassette is now available for pre-order on ‘Get Better Records.’
The crowd harmonized as a group a number of times, the harmonies led by Theo Katzman. Not only that, but Vulfpeck spoke to the crowd like they would to a friend. The atmosphere was comfortable, and Vulfpeck made it easy to relax and enjoy a quality night of music. The acoustics of the venue were crisp, making each sound travel smooth and clear. Vulfpeck is a force to be reckoned with, being arguably one of the most diverse and unique music groups in the scene as of right now.
Admission is $6, and children under 13 are free. Kettleridge Farm is located at 515 Log Cabin Road in Victor, NY. For more information, visit the Kettlefest 
When we hear the name 
These are values that Teenage Halloween embraces, as they deliver upbeat numbers about self-acceptance and empowerment served youthful exuberance and a twist of whimsical irony. Just this week they announced a new release, entitled Eternal Roast.