NYS Music 20​17

Category: Regions

  • Freedom Park Concert Series Underway, Features Free Shows All Summer Long

    There’s something for everyone at Freedom Park’s summer concert series in Scotia. Upcoming shows include performances by Celtic band Screaming Orphans on June 28,  Bluz House Rockers on June 30, and world music by Maria Z & Alegria on July 2. The fun continues all summer with a wide array of artists to satisfy every musical palate. Concerts take place across from Collins Park, and start at 7 p.m. (with the exception of Bluz House Rockers, which starts at 8pm). For more information, visit the Freedom Parks website or Facebook page.

    freedom park summer2017 Scotia Freedom Park Summer Concert Series:

    June 28 -Screaming Orphans – Celtic rock
    June 30 – Bluz House Rockers – 8 PM
    July 2 – Maria Z & Alegria – flamenco/world music
    July 5 – Scotia-Glenville Pipe Band
    July 8 – Diva & the Dirty Boys – 60’s rock & blues
    July 9 – Music Company Orchestra
    July 12 – The AudioStars
    July 15 – Jeanne O’Connor & the New Standard
    July – 16 – Hot Club of Saratoga – gypsy jazz/swing
    July 19 – The Refrigerators
    July 22 – Rattail Jimmy – rock
    July 23 – Brian Patneaude Jazz Quintet
    July 26 – The Joey Thomas Big Band
    July 29 – Betsy & the ByeGons – 60’s music
    July 30 – The Route Fifty 5 – brass quintet
    Aug. 2 – Big Easy Playboys – Zydeco music
    Aug. 5 – Skeeter Creek – country music
    Aug. 6 – The Wister Quartet
    Aug. 9 – SIRSY – alt rock
    Aug. 12 – Funk Evolution – party R&B
    Aug. 13 – The Lustre Kings – rockabilly
    Aug. 16 – Grand Central Station – party rock
    Aug. 19 – Grit N Whiskey – country music
    Aug. 20 – Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company
    Aug. 23 – American Runaways – punk/indie rock
    Aug. 26 – Dylan Perrillo Orchestra – jazz/swing

  • Celtic Woman Voices of Angels Tour Lifts Central New York To a New High

    Voices of Angels was a fitting title for the Celtic Woman tour that recently stopped in Syracuse at the Oncenter on June 21.

    The three angelic vocalists on the tour were Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, and Eabha McMahon, and together with the multi talented newcomer Tara McNeill on violin and harp, they melodically painted a picture of their homeland. This production once again outdid themselves putting together a show that highlighted the amazing harmonies of Celtic Woman and the phenomenal musicianship of the band and choir.  Playing many crowd favorites, their mix of traditional and popular music brought the crowd to their feet.

    They now are winding down and heading home from their North American tour which included 90 cities and 94 performances.  I would like to leave you with one of my favorite numbers from the show, a sean dos song, “Sadhbh ní Bhruinneallaigh.”  Eabha McMahon’s performance of the this traditional tune brings you to the musical experience of the Irish culture in its truest form, the trad session.

    Setlist: Mo Ghile Mear, My Heart Will Go On, Dúlman, Isle of Hope, Amazing Grace, Across the World, As She Moved Through the Fair, The Kesh Inn, Danny Boy, Nil Sén La, Téir Abhaile Riú, Orinoco Flow, For the Love of a Princess, Ave Maria, Walk Beside Me, Óro Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile, Percussion Solo, The Voice, Sean Nos Song, Westering Home, Time to Say Goodbye, You Raise me Up and Parting Glass

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  • Erie Canal Bicentennial Inspires Statewide Music Celebration

    Upstate NY music lovers can catch a unique experience while celebrating a part of history. The Albany Symphony, along with the New York State Canal Corporation, will present Water Music New York, a celebration to commemorate the bicentennial year of the Erie Canal. Organizers of the week long event ask music lovers to “follow the barge.”

    Erie Canal BicentennialMusical history buffs across the state will have the chance to experience live music canalside at several different locations across the state, as the Albany Symphony‘s week long barge adventure on the Erie Canal will run from July 2-8, making stops in Albany, Schenectady, Amsterdam, Little Falls, Baldwinsville, Brockport, and Lockport. All shows are free.

    The celebration will kick off on July 2 at Jennings Landing in Albany, and also make stops on July 3 at the Mabee Farm in Schenectady, July 4 at the Riverlink Park in Amsterdam and July 5 at the Rotary Park in Little Falls.

    During the week-long Erie Canal Bicentennial journey, the Albany Symphony will collaborate with local art groups and debut seven world premieres by up and coming composers. The composers found their inspiration in the culture, history and stories of each canal community while composing their works of art that celebrate New York and the Erie Canal.

    Erie Canal BicentennialCommunities taking part in the event will present a full day of block parties and activities that are centered around the communities’ historic character and cultural highlights. Grammy award winning conductor, David Alan Miller, will head up the conducting duties during the week long event. Miller and the Symphony will also perform selections from Handel’s Water Music, and American favorites including the “Superman March,” “Stars and Stripes Forever,” “Raiders Of The Lost Ark,” “March, and Hoedown from Rodeo. The events will also feature Daniel Schlosberg in his composition, “Work Song,” and collaborating artist such as the ESYO Youth Jazz Ensemble, and the Skidmore Storytellers Institute.

    More information on this historic tour can be found at the Albany Symphony Orchestra’s website.

  • Clearwater Festival Returns After a One-Year Hiatus

    Returning to Croton Point Park after taking last year off, the Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival (Clearwater Festival), the country’s oldest music and environmental festival started by none other than folk legend Pete Seeger, came back full force in 2017. Taking place during its usual Father’s Day Weekend, Clearwater continued its tradition of being one of the most family-friendly festivals out there, making it the ideal location to take dad on his special day.

    From the kid-oriented Story Grove and Family Stage, providing entertainment and education to people of all ages, to the Dance Stage and Circle of Song, giving folks the opportunity to actively participate in the music, to the “new this year” Workshop Stage, giving audience members the chance to see artists in a more intimate setting and learn more about their backgrounds and how they got into music, not to mention the main Rainbow and Hudson Stages, featuring some of this event’s biggest named artists to date, Clearwater has something for everyone.

    Saturday’s line-up featured Clearwater favorites Toshi Reagon, Holly Near and The Kennedys to ring in this year’s festival, helping to bring everyone back into the spirit of this folk­ gathering. Day One also included Woodstock locals Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, a Hudson Valley Song Swap, indie/folk singer Josh Ritter, NYC’s dance brass band Lucky Chops, the soulful and sultry Joan Osborne and bluegrass-influenced Lake Street Dive. And this is all on top of the lovely and varied crafts, jewelry, and clothing to be found in Handcrafters’ Village, the Artisanal Food & Farm Market, where everything from tempeh reubens and kombucha to shiitake mushroom starter kits could be purchased and, perhaps most excitingly, the sending off of the Sloop Clearwater on a historic sail to Washington, D.C. to demonstrate to our country’s officials that clean water is a right for all.

    Sunday, the hotter but drier day of the two, saw its own share of big names mixed with festival faves like David Amram and Jay Ungar & Molly Mason (based out of Ashokan, from right here in our backyard). A day of commemorations unfolded, including Story Songs of Harry Chapin, featuring Harry’s equally talented brother Tom Chapin, Songs of Leonard Cohen, which climaxed with an emotional sing-along of “Hallelujah” and a 50th anniversary celebration of the Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band  given a New Orleans twist by Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution.  Acts on the main Rainbow Stage included the Dolly Parton-meets-Beyonce, Valerie June, ‘60s British folk rocker Richard Thompson and folk trio Cry Cry Cry, consisting of folk legends Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Shindell, performing together for the first time in 18 years. To top it all off, with a beautiful sunset as the backdrop on the Hudson River Stage, jamband The Barr Brothers flawlessly meshed guitar, bass, percussion and harp in a bluesy-folky blend. And perhaps the most fitting way to end the festival on the Rainbow Stage was Arlo Guthrie with his signature political folk stylings.

    Clearwater provides a plethora of musical entertainment, tasty food choices and unique shopping options, and plenty of opportunities to learn more about environmental issues and ways to help make this world a better place. You can feel good about buying your ticket to this festival as all proceeds go directly to support Clearwater’s environmental research, education and advocacy efforts to help protect the Hudson River. For those who haven’t been able to make it to a Clearwater Festival yet, this is definitely one you’ll want to be sure to add to your calendars for next year’s Father’s Day Weekend.

  • Blackberry Smoke Unite Eclectic Crowd at F.M. Kirby Center

     On Friday, June 23, 2017 the American chart topping Southern rock/Country rock group Blackberry Smoke rolled into Wilkes-Barre, PA to perform in front of a stoked up crowd at the F.M. Kirby Center in the heart of downtown Wilkes-Barre. Having toured extensively most of last summer on tour with Gov’t Mule, they released their fifth studio album Like an Arrow on October 14, 2016.

    With five studio albums under their belt, including Bad Luck Ain’t No Crime (2004), Little Piece of Dixie (2009), The Whippoorwill (2012), Holding All the Roses (2015) and most current Like an Arrow, Blackberry Smoke has an enormous catalog of songs to choose from. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, these Southern boys are no stranger to the road, touring and performing throughout the United States. Formed in 2001, Blackberry Smoke have headlined as well as opened for major artists such as Zac Brown Band, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church and more. For the past sixteen years they continue to tear up the charts and road with mega hits and touring, playing on average, 250 shows a year. They have developed quite the eclectic fan base as well ranging from the classic Southern rock, country, rock and roll, grassroots and jam band fans. They have been know to frequently break into long jams, throwing covers into the mix of their music and play all night long.

    Guitarist and lead singer Charlie Starr shares, “There’s so many elements to what people call rock. There’s gospel and country and swing and blues. We’re just trying to write songs that include all those different types of elements. It keeps it interesting for musicians and songwriters.” And what great musicians and songwriters these guys are. If most of the sold out crowd at the Kirby Center didn’t appreciate the classic and vintage gear these guys used live which lended to their unmistakable sound, they certainly appreciated and knew the music as they sung along, clapped and foot stomped from the beginning to the end of their epic twenty-song set. Some songs on the set were definitely epic jams such as “Sleeping Dogs” which featured a very cool rendition of the Beatles “Come Together” tossed in the mix.

    You can view a clip from the show here:

    Blackberry Smoke’s original lineup of Charlie Starr (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), and Brandon Still (keyboards) have been together since the beginning and are as tight knit and in the groove as any band could be. Yet they don’t stand still and settle in the pocket, musically that is. They always seem to be pushing the boundaries and digging into new territory with their music. Their diversity and growth can definitely be heard throughout their albums and setlist. Their set at the Kirby Center had a multitude and mix of great songs from their recordings.

    At 8 p.m. Brooklyn, NY based Indie/Alt-country blues band The National Reserve got things started with a forty-minute set that surely set the tone for the headliners. The National Reserve were a fun, musically diverse quintet. A fun and talented bunch of guys who could be your friend, hanging out, drinking whiskey in any local pub or starting up an impromptu jam in your mom’s living room. A great group of talented musicians led by guitarist/frontman Sean Walsh.

    Blackberry Smoke hit the stage at 9:15 pm and played a twenty-song set which lasted til after 11 p.m. The crowd was on their feet for the entire two hours, some even waiting for the after show VIP meet and greet. Blackberry Smoke started off the set with “Let Me Help You (Find The Door)” from 2015 Holding All the Roses, followed by “Testify” from their 2003 album Bad Luck Ain’t No Crime, and “Six Ways To Sunday” from the 2012 release The Whippoorwill. Blackberry Smoke continued throughout the night playing many hits, foot stomping tunes, acoustic tunes, jam tunes, along with a few covers including “Hey, Hey, What Can I Do” by Led Zeppelin as their first of three encores. Blackberry Smoke hit Wilkes-Barre, PA like “a freight train runnin’” and had their fans captivated “starin’ at them like a deer in the headlights” like they didn’t see this one coming. They put on a hell of a show for their fans and I am certain they made many more fans that night as well that just went along for the ride and left amazed.

    Blackberry Smoke Setlist: Let Me Help You (Find The Door), Testify, Six Ways To Sunday, Good One Comin’ On, Wish In One Hand, Waiting For The Thunder, Rock And Roll Again, Let It Burn, Sleeping Dogs/Come Together, Shakin’ Hands With The, Holy Ghost, Whippoorwill, Up In Smoke, Lay It All On Me, Ain’t Got The Blues, Running Through Time, One Horse Town, Like An Arrow

    Encore: Hey, Hey, What Can I do, Who Invented The Wheel, Ain’t Much Left Of Me

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  • Albany’s The Egg Presents Made In The Shade Outdoor Concert Series

    Albany’s Made in the Shade series makes a comeback this year with performances every Wednesday at noon under The Egg.

    Dance troupes Aikun Ballet Theatre and Ellen Sinopli Dance Company make their return to the stage, interspersed with an array of musical performances, including Hudson Valley R&B act the Big Takeover, Boston folk-rockers Adam Ezra Group and San Francisco blues aficionado Joe Louis Walker. Shows are free, and parking is available in the Empire State Plaza Visitor’s Parking Lot for $5.

    Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company

    2017 Made in the Shade Series:

    June 28 – the Big Takeover
    July 5 – Adam Ezra Group
    July 12 – Beg, Steal or Borrow
    July 19 – Joe Louis Walker
    July 26 – Ajkun Ballet Theatre
    Aug. 2 – Incendio
    Aug. 9 – the Soul Rebels
    Aug. 16 – Roosevelt Dime
    Aug. 23 – the Sweetback Sisters
    Aug. 30 – Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company

    For more information, visit The Egg’s website.

  • Clifton Park Free Summer Performing Arts Series Makes its Debut July 2

    July 2 marks the beginning of the Performing Arts at the Common & Performing Arts Family Series at the outdoor Clifton Common Stage. The series will offer free shows geared towards adults on Sunday nights with kids shows being featured on Wednesday nights.

    Some of the performers on Wednesday nights include: Let’s Get Cookin’, “a fun-filled performance that utilizes drama, music, complex rhythms, and acrobatics,” The Puppet People featuring their performance, The Last Dragon, comedian Sylvia Fletcher as The Magic Trunk and many others. The Town of Clifton welcomes the entire family to these shows but invites an older audience to their free Sunday shows. Some acts include: The Accents, soulful indie pop group Sirsy, Fiddler on The Roof performed by The Not So Common Players and a plethora of other works.

    Clifton Park, located just north of Albany is a fitting location for a series like this. The stage they will be using for both of the series is a smaller one but has an ample amount of lawn seating to fit hundreds of people. It’s an ideal place to enjoy a late summer’s night show by honest and hardworking performers set at the best price – absolutely free.

    More information about all these events are found on the Town of Clifton’s website. Most shows start after 7 and, as previously mentioned, there is no charge for any of these events.

  • 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”

  • The Beatles vs Stones? The British are Coming to Peekskill’s Paramount Theater

    The British Invasion swiftly swept over the United States in the 1960s, bringing the world pioneer rock musicians that still have the world buzzing in nostalgia over their music decades later. With the Beatles and the Rolling Stones leading the pack, two tribute acts will storm into Peekskill’s Paramount Hudson Valley Theater for a musical play-off of the ages. On Thursday, June 29, tribute acts Abbey Road and Satisfaction– The International Rolling Stones Show, will go head to head during “Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown” as each group swaps time on stage performing a total of three power sets each, with interwoven outfit changes. 

    For many, a show down was only a Sunday afternoon daydream while spinning Rubber Soul and Out of Our Heads with a friend in their bedroom. 

    Some argue the Beatles reign over the rest with Revolver notching the title of Greatest Pop Record of All Time while others credit the Stones with their ongoing ability to create. Nevertheless, both unarguably left an indelible footprint on the music world we currently live in.

    Following reminiscent tunes like “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” Twist and Shout,” “Paint it Black” and “Honky Tonk Woman” as well as an experimental mash-up finale, the end of the night will bring a real-time, rock-and-roll the vote session as the audience determines who rocked the hardest.

    Tickets are range from $30 to $60 and may be purchased online at the Parmount Theatre’s website, by phone at (914) 739-0039 or at the Theatre Box Office.

  • Hearing Aide: A Fitting Revenge ‘Tempus Fugit’

    Ever since my first local show experience in my hometown of Syracuse, N.Y, I was addicted to finding local bands. The one thing us New Yorkers know best is how to make our own brand of metal. Look around in the Central New York area and you will find some of the most talented bands you can find from Ire Clad, which has some of the best mixture of Black Sabbath’s doom approach mix with some of the hard rock vibrations of Soundgarden, and Vile Tyrant who continues to liberate the black metal underground with their melodic approach to the genre. New York bleeds metal! To present my case, I give you this album review of A Fitting Revenge’s album, Tempus Fugit. I now have the floor!

    a fitting revengeA Fitting Revenge is based out of Rochester, N.Y. We have Ledwing Hernandez on both guitars and vocals to bring the battlecry, Chris Xu on guitar to help bring the groove back to the mosh floor, Chandler Moran on bass to make your skin vibrate with excitement, and Aaron Smith on drums fueling the fire with his sonic attack behind the kit! Tempus Fugit is a deadly cocktail of groove and melody. The track “Cured of Faith” has some of the best groove induced execution I have seen in recent years. The band’s influences really show here. From the vocal approach much in the style of Randy Blythe, from Lamb of God, to the very catchy riff playing similar to Dimebag Darrell, the band still gives this track some NY style flavor. Hernandez’s vocals are just murderous and carries very well with the intricate drumming of Smith; by far my favorite track from the group. Moran’s bass playing will make you pick up your feet as Smith’s sounds the battle drums! Prepare for a moshpit for this one!

    Even with the intense amount of aggression, you can still find some of the best melodic material from A Fitting Revenge. The track for me that screams out to in this manner is the beautifully constructed ‘Quiverfull’. The guitars harmonize very well on this song. Xu and Hernandez really have that chemistry to make this song hit hard. It is like taking a punch from Tyaon; yes including the ear biting! The fingering and precision is remarkable. Not even once when I was this demon did they lose my attention on this track; superb. Extremely catchy and melodic, it will have you begging for more as Hernandez’s guitar soars and compounds the solos with no struggle. The bass playing of Moran is spot on as it helps propel the emphasis of the bottom end of the song with the help of Smith’s very technical playing to keep that neck of yours breaking!

    These musicians are extremely talented in what they do. With the aggressive tracks, like “Cured of Faith” and “Quiverfull,” and the melodic tracks, like the instrumental “Neuromancer” and “Wintermute,” the band no doubt has mastered their craft. In my opinion you should check out this band if you need a groove fix for your collection. I give this album 5 out of 5 horns. Go to the band’s links below to show your support!

    Key Tracks: Cured of Faith, Quiverfull, The Noose

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