NYS Music 20​17

Category: Regions

  • Mountain of Youth: The 5th Annual Susquehanna Breakdown Recap

    “And they’re off!” On Friday, May 19 the gates lifted in Scranton, Pennsylvania and campers raced to grab the flattest and grassiest space on the The Pavilion Lawn at Montage Mountain.  They were not there for the 142nd Preakness Stakes, which traditionally takes place in Maryland every third Saturday in May, but instead were celebrating a new bluegrass tradition, the 5th annual Susquehanna Breakdown. Some attendees dressed in jockey-like colors and patterns with ridiculous hats and clothing combinations.  Others wore graphic t-shirts splattered with band names like Cabinet, Umphrey’s Mcgee, Greensky Bluegrass and Phish.  By the beginning of the first set at 6:30pm, one thing was clear… everyone was there to place their bets on a winning weekend.

    The Dishonest Fiddlers, orchestrated by founder Dave Brown, are a Scranton local bluegrass act that switches up the bill every time they perform.  The lightweight and easy listening bluegrass invited campers to put down their tent poles and join in the music at the smaller “Breakdown Stage.”  Breakdowners were delighted to discover that Cabinet’s own fiddle player, Todd Kopec, was sitting in during the festival’s opening act.  The Dishonest Fiddler’s performance marked the first of many expected Cabinet sit-ins over the weekend, but that comes as no surprise as the festival is named after one of their songs!  Next up on the bill was the American-festival veteran Keller Williams.  It is hard to think of the word “bluegrass” or just “grass” in general and not think of the pumpkin pie hair-cutted freak bouncing around stage barefoot from instrument to instrument.  Once you have seen one Keller show, you have seen them all, but that doesn’t stop anyone from attending.  Keller Williams got his start in parking lots playing to the energetic crowds that gathered before the main attraction, The Grateful Dead.  For over 20 years, he has been marching to the beat of his own drum, guitar, synth and whatever else he decides to bring on stage.  The completely improvised sets travel through space and time reminiscent of a spun-out music junky that can’t decide which radio station to listen to as they station hop.  Keller closed his roots-filled funky set with a cover of Marian Hill’s “Down,” which lyrically is the most genius song to kick off a festival.  If you hate on modern pop music, give this one a listen.

    As the sun finally disappeared on Day 1 of the festival, the audience was treated to more Keller Williams for the first semi-official Cabinet set of the weekend entitled “Keller & Cabinet.”  Launching into the bluegrass traditional tune, “My Grass Is Blue,” got the fans boppin’ and air pickin’ before a cover of “Float On” by Modest Mouse.  As more and more non-camping 2-day-pass holders made their way into the venue, the atmosphere began to feel less like a backyard BBQ and more like a full-fledged festival.  The communal body heat kept everyone warm as “Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow” served as a reminder that Montage Mountain was home for the next 36 hours.  It wouldn’t be Night 1 of a festival without some minor technical difficulties.  After three minutes of tinkering, the stage was back on track and Cabinet allowed Keller to take the wheel for his originals, “Alligator Alley” and “Sing for My Dinner.”  Before the final track of the collaborative set, Keller commented that he wanted to do a reggae version of the upcoming tune but Cabinet insisted on playing it fast.  Much like Ricky Bobby in Talledega Nights, they wanted to go fast, and fast they went through Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.”  Ironically enough, ambulance lights flickered through the crowd during the Winehouse cover as the first festival attendee maybe had too much too fast. Members of the crowd looked on in hopes that this would be the one and only emergency rescue of the weekend.

    On a brighter note, Cabinet came out swinging for their first major set of the weekend, tackling their catalog of reggae, bluegrass, roots and rock.  “The Smile” breezed into the first slot as the symbolic greeting tune of the evening.  “Hey Baby” gave Mickey Coviello’s guitar and Pappy Biondo’s banjo some focus in the spotlight and afterward they modestly commented it was “groovy as all hell.”  Pappy was once again the center of attention during their rendition of “Diamond Joe.” Building the song up with some fantastic peaks and valleys via JP Biondo’s mandolin and Todd Kopec’s fiddle, the 6-piece band transformed the poetic country tune into a jam-grass meltdown.  The “Diamond Joe” lyrics feature horses, betrayal and payback which are central themes in many old-timey tunes and Cabinet made this timeless piece their own to showcase their talent during this set.  The band mentioned that the crowd size was much larger compared to years past and I took it as a sign of festival growth, strength and some perfect weather.  The friendly fireside vibe of the Cabinet set was not complete without a singalong and “Pine Billy” served as a fitting choice.  The “way up on a mountain” lyrics got extra howls as families and friends belted out “Pine Billy” during the second half the short set.  “Sunday 60 Breakdown” finished off the set and the crowd significantly thinned as their beloved Cabinet went to get some rest before a big Day 2.

    The evening was not over yet as late night funk trio Organ Freeman treated the mountain to an ass shaking dance party.  Drummer Rob Humphreys, organist Trevor Steer and Erik Carlson on guitar answered the age-old question “Won’t you take me to Funkytown?”    For those in attendance looking for poppy instrumental jazz or experimental and danceable funk, they found it right off the bat with “We’re On Our Way.”  The band tested out several new songs during their set and considering most in the audience didn’t know the names to their originals anyway, it was all new and exciting to us.  The first cover came in the form of Stanton Moore Trio’s “Pie Eyed Manc.”  It was clear that Moore’s sound has a strong influence on Organ Freeman as they worked their layered grooves into every jam they went into.  My one critique is that at 1:30 in the morning, instrumental jazz begins to all sound the same.  As many non-campers such as myself began exiting the venue, it was incredible to clearly hear the echoes of funk during the entire walk back to the parking area thanks to mountain’s valley walls, which acted as natural amplifiers.  The successful first night of music was complete and the main attraction was only hours away.  The Breakdowners were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of mandolins played in their heads.

    CABINET FRIDAY NIGHT SETLIST:

    A Smile, Treat Me So Bad, Hey Baby, Diamond Joe, Mysterio, Eleanor, The Dove %, Pine Billy, Sunday 60 Breakdown

    % Brief Power Failure occurred twice during The Dove

    KELLER WILLIAMS SETLIST:

    My Grass is Blue, Float On*, Ripped 6 Pack, Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow, AGWT Reprise (post Power Failure), Alligator Alley, The Tower, Sing For My Dinner, Rehab **
    * Modest Mouse Cover ** Amy Winehouse Cover  (Setlist credit: Rich Stoler)

    ORGAN FREEMAN SETLIST:
    We’re On Our Way, (New Track 1), Only If You Mean It, Putin And I Get Along Fantastic, Life’s A Bench, Reptile Moonshine, Pie Eyed Manc*, Change For A Nickel, The Green Green Grapes, You Said You Quit Drinkin’, (New Track 2), Verve, Byrd vs Fish, (New Track 3), Go By Richard, Not By Dick  ENCORE: Hit The Ground Running, Come out Swinging
    *- Stanton Moore Trio

  • Mayfest 2017: “One. Two. Three… Ascend!”

    This past Memorial Day weekend, I returned to Surprise Lake Camp in Cold Spring, NY for the annual music, art, and yoga festival known (for now) as MAYfest 2017. This intimate, family friendly, wellness focused event has been a welcome addition to the arguably crowded, and monotonous festival scene here in the Northeast. Similarly setup to its cousin festival Catskill Chill, MAYfest offers attendees a picturesque, NY state campground littered with cabins, vendors, friendly faces, and a lake. However, unlike Chill or other primarily music-based festivals, this event is driven by founders Melia and Dave’s passion for yoga, and pursuit of positive energy.

    Mayfest 2017The schedule and setup (stage, yoga, and art space) was fairly identical to last year (see here), with one exception being the camping area, which was moved closer to the main building. Similarly, a few of the art activities that were across the lake found a new home in the main building and surrounding area. Now to be honest, this place is not that big, but it definitely cut down on a significant amount of walking (at least I’m out-of-shape), saving some energy to devote to taking on more classes, or relaxing between activities, which there was no shortage of. At any given moment during daylight hours, there were between five and ten activities happening, leaving little chance anyone should find themselves bored.

    The main stage was anchored each night by artists I have never seen, each offering vastly different musical stylings; singer-songwriter Dar Williams on Friday, Ozomatli on Saturday, and Rusted Root on Sunday. To be honest, I am not Dar Williams’ target demographic by any stretch of the imagination, so I have little commentary to offer beyond she has a lovely voice and a pretty damn sweet jacket (see below). But I am reliably informed if you attended Vassar in the 90’s, this was your JAM. Ozomatli on the other hand is my new jam. These guys have a ton a energy, and the fusion of Latin, rock, and hip-hop was perfect to get everyone moving their feet. I’m almost ashamed I was not enlightened to these guys earlier, but better late than never. Rusted Root kept the energy going on Sunday, starting off with a sit-in performance at the final yoga class in the gymnasium, and closing out the main stage with their classic hit, “Send me on my way,’ which was the encore for the weekend.

    Mayfest 2017Other musical highlights included DJ Taz Rashid, DJ Drez, Breakneck Boys, Hayley Jane & the Primates, and the Garcia Project, all who had crossover sets / sit-ins with yoga classes (except for HJ&tP). Overall, I’m going to say the line-up was well balanced. I arrived fearing it would not be able to compete with last year’s combination of Pink Talking Fish, the Sensory Collective, and Turkuaz, but the variety mixed well, and my opinion changed by Monday morning. What also had changed by Monday morning was the name of the festival, which will be known as Ascend moving forward.

    With merchandise already being sold for next year’s event, there seems little doubt that we will be back. Same place. Same time. Same good vibes. Till then, take a look at a few of the sights from the festival now formally known as MAYfest.

    Namaste

  • Pink Talking Fish Jazz Up Sold Out Boston Show with Giant Country Horns

    Fusion tribute band, Pink Talking Fish, offered a special treat for fans during their sold out Boston performance at The Paradise Rock Club on May 6. As the group took to the stage they were joined by sax player Matt Wayne, and the Giant Country Horns, who famously backed Phish during their 1991 summer tour.

    Wayne skillfully composed all the horn compositions for the night’s set list. In addition, he traded in his usual horn for the baritone sax, as Dave Grippo’s instrument of choice is the alto sax. The Giant Country Horns consist of Grippo, Russell Remington on tenor sax, and Carl Gerhard on trumpet. This solid horn section stood on risers behind the members of Pink Talking Fish, which consist of Eric Gould on bass, Dave Brunyak on guitar, Richard James on keys, and Zack Burwick on drums.

    The group charged right into a jazzed up version of Phish’s “Landlady,” complete with dancing steps by Gould and Brunyak. Heavy horns got the crowd in an engaging mood from the get go. The steamy energy in the room continued as they flowed into the Talking Heads “Nothing But Flowers.” Burwick added an island touch on drums as the melody melted into an extended jam. Brunyak took his guitar on an easy ride through the tune, ensuring fans were given a hefty dose of improvisation early on.

    Burwick led the entrance into the next song as a drum-heavy intro for Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine” took over. Massive horns kicked in, rounding out the heady flavor to the melody. The entourage of musicians then blasted full steam ahead into a double whammy that featured a sandwiching of “Lizards” with “Girlfriend is Better” stuffed in the middle. Hints of “Gumbo” teased the audience but the party kept going as Floyd’s “Money” blasted out in all its glory. Most of the horn section left the stage for the majority of the song, with the exception of Remington on sax. As the song rolled along to the backend, the complete horn section rejoined the band on stage, as “As She Was” absolutely begged for a brass-filled jam.

    A clean finishing “Gumbo,” followed by Grippo showcasing his talent on sax during “Have A Cigar,” had the audience fully primed and charged up. A jazzed up first set closed out with a double decker duo of awesome featuring “Slippery People” and “Suzy Greenberg.”

    After a much needed break, second set blasted wide open with “Burning Down The House,” stacked with horns blaring and fans jumping up and down. Phish’s “Tweezer” was cranked out, stuffed thick with keys pounded out by James, and a plethora of slick brass rounding out the spaces in the melody. Grippo let loose on sax and blazed a lay of the land with a quick walk around the stage as fierce notes flew out from his instrument.

    Taking the intensity down a notch, Brunyak and James flowed into darker tones by easing into Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” The mood in the room tensed up as mysterious vibes shared by the keys and guitar danced around each other. With Brunyak’s locks on full flow mode, and a slight hesitation before the tune picked up, touches of James’ keys gently chimed in, swaying the song towards an energetic pace. The horns behind added extra punch, as if the brass tones should naturally have always been there to begin with. Wayne busted out his chops on sax briefly before Remington took over and ran with the song on tenor.

    Brunyak took lead on vocals during a playful “Found A Job.” Screaming horns filled in the spaces throughout, before a chilled out “Wolfman’s Brother” took hold. “Run Like Hell” ran like hell with excessive energy throughout the walls of the venue. The powerful horns continued to bring magic to an already mystical flow throughout the set. Without skipping a beat, the music melded into “Making Flippy Floppy,” with James taking lead on vocals. Midway through, the vocals flipped over to Gould, making sure the song stayed true to its flip flop roots. Brunyak broke a string and, without skipping a beat, switched out guitars while the audience barely took notice. The tune was spiced up with a touch of salsa before coming to completion.

    The epitome of a brass, bass, and guitar heavy tune sneaked onto the set as “Frankenstein” reared its head, demanding attention by fans in the venue. The jam did not disappoint as heavy crunches of guitar and clean chops from the brass section blew the roof off the venue. Cheers and hollers coming from the crowd almost drowned out the band. The extended jam, complete with in-your-face drums, horns that wouldn’t quit, and an extra serving of spice delivered by James on keys, held all the ingredients for an epic end to second set. Encore brought out the big guns, as “Golgi Apparatus,” “Cavern,” and “Tweezer Reprise” neatly brought the fired up show to a magnificently splendid close. With the Giant Country Horns filling in the spaces, and adding the perfect blend to Pink Talking Fish’s performance, we can only hope this brass trio make more appearances with the band down the road.

    Set 1: The Landlady , Nothing But Flowers> Astronomy Domini> The Lizards> Girlfriend Is Better> The Lizards, Money> And She Was, Gumbo, Have A Cigar> Slippery People> Suzy Greenberg
    Set 2: Burning Down The House#, Tweezer@> Shine On You Crazy Diamond> Found A Job, Wolfman’s Brother> Run Like Hell> Making Flippy Floppy%> Frankenstein
    Encore: Golgi Apparatus> Cavern > Tweezer Reprise

    # w/ Possum tease
    @ w/ Lullaby of Birdland tease
    % w/ Rift and Caravan tease

    Click here for the audio of the event!

  • Plentiful Pineapples, Disc Golf and Late Night Sets: Disc Jam 2017 Is Upon Us

    Next week, all walks of festival life will be welcomed into the pineapple ridden, lush meadows of Stephentown, NY–the stomping grounds for Disc Jam 2017, just as it has been for the last two years.

    For the last seven years, jam, electronic and funk fans have flocked to the Northeast to enjoy a smaller-scale celebration of music, and this year it’s from June 8-11 at Gardner’s Farm. That’s not to say it’s small when it comes to heart. Disc Jam has gathered exponentially growing festival goers each year in operation, whether it took place in its starting location of Massachusetts or where it sits now, just 40 minutes from New York’s state capital.

    Nestled in an cozy location just over the border of Massachusetts and its original festival grounds, Disc Jam is easily accessible and hours away from larger cities like Albany, NYC, Hartford, Providence and Boston. The Northeast can effortlessly swarm to a flat, perfectly sized area to catch their favorite musicians across four stages, all while staying in close quarters to camp sites, vendors, artists and the side-by-side main stages. Remaining a tight-knit event with around 4,000 attendees last year, the festival still brings a larger-than-life mentality to the forefront of its stages. Along with booking popular acts in the scene, he crafts unique daily lineups with late night sets, silent discos and mesmerizing moves provided the talented flow tribe, helping you get into a groove of your own.

    This year, be on the lookout for a number of New York groups coming from all corners of the Empire State. By now, we all know not to miss the heavy hitters like Brooklynites Turkuaz, NYC trio Consider the Source and Oyster Bay’s TAUK. Be sure to lend your time to catching Giant Guerilla Dub Squad, Aqueous, Teddy Midnight, The Other Brothers, Chromatropic and Sophistafunk as well as the Capital Region’s own Mister F, Lord Electro, Wild Adriatic and Formula 5, who now comfortably hold their own in the middle of the jam pack. Before you know it, these are the names that could one day headline Disc Jam and your other favorite summer fests–jump in on the early stages of their careers and enjoy the journey from day one.

    Last year’s highlights included a Radiohead set by Consider the Source and fans can expect big talent from the enlightening, NYC based trio again with two sets– one being a two hour acoustic set from 2:00am-4:00am.  SO if you happened to be passed out in your tent, hooping fearlessly into the night or checking out the cows on site, you have a chance to redeem yourself and see the magic that is Consider the Source after hours.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qjdeniyk2U

    Remaining a faithful headliner, Dopapod has topped the bill each year since the fest’s birth. Fans only have one complaint: they’re not playing two sets. Although it’s something they’ve done on past bills, the Boston-born quartet will instead jet over to Colorado for a gig the very next day, which can only lead one to imagine what stops they’ll pull out for Dopafans in Stephentown.

    On the bill for the second time, Pink Talking Fish brings their tantalizing Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish covers to the Disc Jam stage. The multi-talented group has gained such expedient notoriety over the years; they rank among the best cover bands in the scene. In 2016, an impromptu “bachelor party” for keyboardist Richard James broke out with Hayley Jane leading a band of ladies on stage, appropriately dancing to “White Wedding” and circling him with dance moves and leopard print garments. Both James and Hayley Jane, who recently signed on to be managed by PTF’s Eric Gould, will be back this year with their respective bands, ready to surprise audiences with hidden tricks up their sleeves.

    If it’s your first fest of the year, you may want to take this week to dig out and wash your cooler that I can only bet smells like last summer’s festivities. Round up the troops and pre-game with the Spotify playlist below.  Disc Jam starts in one week!

    Check out daily schedules, vendors, parking information and more here.

  • Hearing Aide: The Mountain Carol EP

    There’s not much information to be found about The Mountain Carol aside from their origin and what their intentions are. They’re from Saranac, NY and make “infinite music for infinite people.” They say their creations are the result of “countless musical and non-musical influences [formed] into a sound described by some spiritually-minded fans as ‘too powerful.’” It’s an ambiguous statement but the mysteriousness of the group does make the tracks more intriguing.   

    the mountain carol

    This EP has just three recordings but sheds enough light on the band to give everyone an idea of what they’re after. Their tracks can be a tad repetitive due to the drum track, but a relentless, chopping beat gives the laid back melody some direction and energy. The guitar gives every track a hopeful and pleasant drifting-through-space experience as well as a subtle synth that contributes to the same feeling. The percussion is distant, lacking of bass tone and the vocals are a little unintelligible as a result of loads of echo, but it creates the open and spacey effect they’re going for.

    “Mountain Carol” is up first and has a synthesized, persistent drum beat that contrasts with a clean and reverb-filled guitar. Under the breathy vocals is drone tone from a synth that helps fill out the song and gives it more life. It would have been nice to see a change of scenery in the percussion section because the track does clock in at 6:11 and the same beat over and over again does get a little monotonous. At the very least, a break in the drum track would be extremely impactful. Although the song does blend very well from  section to section, it can be easy to get distracted, making it hard to appreciate each part.

    “All Is Lost” has a less organic feel to it, containing a funkier guitar and a very 80’s drum fill that jumps out from time to time. This song does take a rest from the relentless drum beat which makes more of an effect than the group might think. The point of the song style is to put listeners in a trance, which it does well, but a quick pause from the perpetual drums is a quick and simple way to draw the listener’s ears back in. One would hope they would continue to do this trick in future tracks because the ears tend to wander as they delve into a song that’s over six minutes long.

    “Adventure Safari” is a change of pace, moving back to more natural sounds with the most prominent tone coming from an acoustic piano which sounds a bit dated but holds a beautiful character. The track would not have sounded the same with an electric piano and it was an excellent choice to use an acoustic one. The transition from bridge to what could be defined as a chorus is a little rocky, but the track is still unique and true to their ideologies. Listeners get the sense that they’re being carried along through a variety of environments, all of which are pleasant places to be with bright lights awaiting them at the end of their trips. This track is the most captivating of the the three because there’s less obvious instrumentation and more alluring sounds, like that off wisps of wind and drops of rain, all of which are synthetically created.

    It’s a special collection and a valiant effort from the group. A bigger sound would be a good step forward – maybe more instruments and less obvious ones that could definitely make this sound more immersive than it already is. The EP is available on BandCamp.com with an option to purchase all the tracks.

    Key Tracks: Adventure Safari, Mountain Carol, All Is Lost

  • Listen to the Exclusive Premiere of Wurliday’s Debut EP ‘Bedtime Blazer’

    NYS Music is proud to present the exclusive premiere of Wurliday’s new EP Bedtime Blazer! Co-written by frontman Justin Henricks (Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan, The Chronicles) and Arielle O’Keefe (Girl Blue), the EP was recorded and produced at Alan Evans’ (Soulive) Iron Wax Studios in Millers Falls, MA.

    Bedtime Blazer is the first look into this group’s sound, giving audiences a chance to listen before the band officially kicks things off this summer. The EP offers a fresh and modern take on funk and soul, and you can hear soulful vocals and harmonies by Arielle O’Keefe, Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), and Tyrone Hartzog. The EP features some great synth/organ overlays throughout with a consistently funky guitar. With just four tracks, you’re left wanting more! The clean recordings are pleasing to the ear, and the individual musicianship sounds effortless. Click here for an interview with bandleader Justin Henricks.

    Be sure to catch Wurliday live at The Hollow for their EP release party on June 30th! The party kicks off at 8 pm and the band will be joined by special guests The Rechorduroys and Olivia Quillio. Wurliday will also be part of Albany’s Alive at Five on July 13 when they open up for New Orleans legends The Funky Meters.

  • Hearing Aide: St. Phillip’s Escalator ‘The Derelict Sound’

    Come on out to the garage, it’s hot in here. Rochester’s St. Phillip’s Escalator released its latest batch of psych-garage-blues rock on Record Store Day. The Derelict Sound, the band’s second full-length, is just that, an amalgam of the influences this power trio has cited since first forming as teenagers back in the early aughts.The band, guitarist/vocalist Ryan Moore, drummer Zachary Koch and bassist Noel Wilfeard, have been best friends since childhood and have been playing together as a unit just as long.

    The Derelict Sound is heavily rooted in the psychedelic sounds of the late ’60s garage bands. Many of the tracks wouldn’t be out of place on Lenny Kaye’s Nuggets compilation. Yet while there’s that trace of the past in the band’s sound, there’s a sense of looking forward as well. “New Age,” the lead single from Derelict signals just that in the band’s sound. It’s a swirling, not-quite-a-pop song that takes a step back from the band’s more frequent references of the Stooges, the Sonics and Blue Cheer.

    The album was recorded live at Temperamental Recording in Geneseo near Rochester. In an interview with NYS Music in March, Koch spoke about why they chose to record live, “It was not just a live record, but the bass, drums, and guitar, the core of it we played together because it’s the only way we could draw that energy. We tried before to record separately.” This is a band that thrives in a live environment. That is apparent when listening. The production feels live and gives the listener a great indication of what to expect in person.

    While the production value isn’t exactly what one would call “clean,” it is, after all, a garage rock album and it hits all the right spots. “Turn On, Get Out” opens with uptempo snare drumming reminiscent of Mudhoney. Koch’s beat drives this one and is one of the high points of the album. A Ron Asheton-style guitar solo kicks the frenzy up a notch before settling back in to Koch’s pocket.

    Influences are a-plenty throughout. Aside from the Stones, Stooges and Sonics references, there are times one can pick up shades of the Dickies’ “You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)” at the open of “Outside Mind.” The Escalator then brings you back down to Fun House-era Stooges dirge before kicking you over the rail into Dickies territory again. Koch is the driving force on this album. It is obvious that he is informed by such icons as Ginger Baker and Keith Moon.

    Ultimately, The Derelict Sound is a highly satisfying record that implores repeated listening. The band had a limited edition run of 300 copies printed in vinyl format. It is also available for download/streaming and on CD.

    Key Tracks: Turn On, Get Out, New Age, Outside Mind

    The Derelict Sound Tracklist:

    1. Sleepy Silver Train Haze
    2. Turn On, Get Out
    3. New Age
    4. Outside Mind
    5. Find My Way
    6. She’s Gone
    7. Turn the Blame
    8. Whiskey Woman Blues
    9. Undone
    10. All is Lost

  • The Record Company Rocks the Westcott

    “We’re the Record Company, and we play rock and roll.” This is how the Record Company’s lead vocalist/guitarist/harpist Chris Vos often introduces his band at the start of a performance. While said in an understated fashion, it is no understatement.

    Throughout the nearly hour and a half performance at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater May 20, The Record Company proved time and again that they do indeed play rock and roll. Steeped in a blues tradition but still maintaining a contemporary rock sound, the Record Company is out to prove that rock is not dead.

    Before The Record Company hit the stage, opening act, Nashville-based duo Smooth Hound Smith, won over the crowd early with some self-deprecating humor and foot stomping blues. The husband and wife duo, Zack and Caitlin Smith had a great stage presence and could easily have passed as the headliner on this night.

    Zack Smith plays guitar, harmonica and foot drum as well as handling the majority of the vocals, a virtual one-man band. He has a country-blues feel with a touch of rockabilly. Caitlin Smith adds percussion and lush vocals with a bit of a Nashville touch and the occasional Janis Joplin wail to round out the Smooth Hound Smith sound.

    The Record Company, Vos, Alex Stiff on bass/vocals and Elmira native Marc Cazorla on drums/keys are as cohesive a unit as you’ll find in music today. The rhythm section is tight and Vos is a multi-instrumental maestro. Vos’s bluesy vocal style was perfectly complemented by Stiff and Carzola’s harmonies all night.

    One can derive many influences in the music of The Record Company – Delta and Chicago blues, gospel, mid-70s stadium rock and even hip hop. The latter was exhibited in a spirited, bluesy cover of the Beastie Boys “So What’cha Want” that had the near capacity crowd happily bouncing along.

    Vos leans heavily on his weathered Fender lap steel at shows and for good reason, he made that thing sing, especially on the greasy blues dirge “Rita Mae Young.” His harmonica style, especially in the band’s single “Hard Day Comin’ Down” beckons Bob Dylan.

    Speaking of Dylan, midway through the show, the band worked in a three-song acoustic mini-set, anchored by a scorching version of “Subterranean Homesick Blues.”

    The set closed with Vos lying his acoustic guitar across his lap for lesson in the slide. Stiff and Cazorla kept the back beat while Vos furiously worked the guitar and later the harmonica on the appropriately titled, “The Burner.” Cazorla was often pulling double duty on his bass, sometimes playing it as a lead instrument as well as using a slide.

    The show closed with a one-song encore, a new one from the band’s latest album. “In the Mood” is a blues, via Mod era Who, romp that ended the night on a high note, including crowd participation on the chorus. The band took a collective bow with appreciative smiles, the audience reciprocated, another audience won over. This is a band that is on to bigger things, dragging honest rock and roll along with it.

    The Record Company Setlist: On the Move, Baby I’m Broken, Hard Day Coming Down, Night Games, Rita Mae Young, Feels So Good, Crooked City (acoustic), I’m Changing (acoustic), Subterranean Homesick Blues (acoustic) (Bob Dylan cover), Don’t Let Me Get Lonely, So What’cha Want (Beastie Boys cover), Turn Me Loose, Off the Ground, The Burner
    E: In the Mood

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  • Biters and Frankie + The Studs Rock Rochester on their Unleashed on the East Coast Tour

    Fans of the glam rock resurgence were in their glory on Friday, May 26 in Rochester as Frankie and The Studs and Biters came through on their Unleashed on the East Tour. Biters have toured extensively across North America and Europe over the past seven years, but this was their first time in Rochester. For Frankie and The Studs, this was one stop of their first tour ever. The Historic German House in the South Wedge was thumping with the heavy beats and killer riffs.

    The Finger Lakes’ own Major Crush  started off the night. The Ende brothers, Tommy and Kenny, are on vocals and guitar respectively. Frankie Wheeler on bass and Brandon Young on drums round out the band. I caught an acoustic set a couple years ago, but this was my first time seeing them all together. They have a fantastic stage presence and encouraged audience interaction, which helped to get the crowd warmed up for the main acts. They play pop rock, remarkable for the stellar guitarwork and spot-on harmonies. The setlist was comprised of songs from Trophy Kids, the full-length album they released last year, including the anthemic sing-along “Turn Up the Radio” and the more edgy “You Ain’t A Saint.” On this night, they also played a new song they’ve been working on called “Summer Time.”

    Frankie and the Studs are an up-and-coming act out of Hollywood. Frankie Clarke represents the new wave of glam rock with her fringed leather catsuit, dip-dyed hair and glitter makeup. Frankie Clarke met The Studs just after recording a cover of “Hot Child in the City.”  Together, their sound and style makes me nostalgic for the days when the boy next door blared “I Love Rock and Roll” from his boom box. Their 2016 EP, High on Yourself, was produced by Clarke’s father, Gilby Clarke, who played guitar for Guns N Roses during the Use Your Illusion era.

    Frankie and the Studs were rife with punk attitude as they played a set which included their originals “High on Yourself,” “Sick of You,” and “She’s Insane.” They also threw in the cover of “Hot Child in the City” and a new ballad, yet to be recorded, called “Dance with You.” The spin light above the stage caught the silver studs and glittered platform boots as Frankie danced around with her stars and stripes guitar. The Studs complimented her perfectly with backup vocals, a strong beat, and fantastic fretwork.

    While this is their first time on tour, it’s not their first time playing in New York. Frankie and the Studs played a show in New York City last year during Fashion Week. With the allure of the New York punk scene, I expect we’ll be seeing this band come through again and again.

    Biters put on a high octane performance, a reminder that hard rock is not to be relegated to the graveyard of classic radio station rotation. Smoke filled the stage and silhouetted their cowboy-boot and denim-clad figures. Their music, like their logo, has razor-sharp teeth that cut to the core. They serve their songs straight up with no frills. With two LP’s and four EP’s under their belt, they had a vast array of songs to choose from for their setlist. Standouts included their hits “Low Lives in High Definition,” “Gypsy Rose,” “Hallucination Generation,” and “1975.” They also threw in a fun medley of a few bars from famous rock songs that they don’t cover. To make up for it, they included Tom Petty’s “American Girl” in their encore.

    Catch the final New York State show of the Unleashed on the East Tour at St. Vitus in Brooklyn on May 31.

    Remaining tour dates:

    May 31 – St. Vitus – Brooklyn, NY

    June 1 – The Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD

    June 2 – Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing – Harrisburg, PA

    June 3 – Voltage Lounge – Philadelphia, PA

    Photos by Alyssa Smith

  • Photo Gallery: Mihali Savoulidis at the Hollow

    Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle rocked a capacity crowd at The Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany, NY on May 17.

    Mihali Savoulidis hollowThis was his 2nd stop from the recent six-show solo tour where he shared some Twiddle classics, material off the new album Plump: Chapter 2, and some crowd pleasing covers that had everyone singing along.  Adam Brockway of Eastbound Jesus started the night off, and set the tone for an epic night full of positive vibes. Check out the photos below!

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