NYS Music 20​17

Category: Regions

  • Q&A: Adam Weston from Birds Of Tokyo Talks About New LP ‘Brace’

    Rock music across the pond in Australia is starting to have quite the following here state side with bands such as Karnivool, Dead Letter Circus and 12 Foot Ninja. But one band that seems to be looked in the rock genre is Birds Of Tokyo. Birds Of Tokyo have been pigeon holed into the pop genre with singles from their self titled and March Fires albums. But this time around Birds embrace their heavier roots on their latest album Brace, which was released on November 4, 2016.

    Brace has a dark, heavy and sometimes retro tone throughout the entire album, yet it is enlightening lyrically. Birds pushed the envelope and delivered a much needed album reflecting current political events happening all over the world. Digging deep, Birds transcended by taking their fans to a new level of music greatness with Brace.

    Fresh off of their Australia tour, Birds Of Tokyo’s drummer Adam Weston graciously took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for NYS Music!

    Rebecca Clark: What was the hardest track to record on Brace and why?
    Adam Weston: “Empire.” In demo form it had its strengths but lacked an identity that the other album tracks solidified during pre-production, so once we actually started drum recording it really was against the ropes. Some songs really tell you what direction they want to go in and others you sometimes end up putting through the ringer. After all tracking had been done we had a breakthrough with the song, flew our producer David Bottrill back out from Canada, set everything back up again and nailed it.

    RC: If you could go in a time machine and could tell your past self anything what would it be?
    AW: Other than a decade’s worth of NBA winners I’m not sure I would have anything pivotal to say. No regrets!

    RC: What did you guys do to celebrate on release day of Brace?
    AW: Our bass player Berney and his wife are great cooks, so it was food, plenty of drinks and arguments over album track listing at his pad. We shunned the tradition of cigars which is probably a good thing.

    RC: How was it working with Hayley on “Discoloured?” How did teaming up with her come into play on the record?
    AW:     Haley’s a gem and really gave “Discoloured” an extra edge. We’ve run into The Jezabels often when billed on the same festivals or just out at pubs in Sydney, so Hayley was our first choice and the first time Birds have collaborated with another vocalist on record.

    RC: Your lyrics have always been amazing and dig deep on a personal level. Was it nerve wracking stepping into writing about the more political and heavier events going on in our world? With the US presidential election at fever pitch while writing, I personally love what you have done with the lyrics.
    AW:     Lyrically, Birds often had a ‘you and I’ connection in their early storytelling, then with March Fires it became more of a ‘we’ perspective and Brace is more of a current ‘state of things’ extension of that.

    While we knew we were aiming towards a harder edged record, some content naturally found its way in purely from what was and of course still is going on in our daily lives. Current Australian government policies, environmental issues and other worldly concerns were an alarming fit to the dystopian-tinged tales and end of days vibes we were feeling.

    RC: What is the story behind the art concept on the cover of Brace?
    AW:     We came across some amazing art done by the wonderful Sean Mundy and that acted as a visual starting point. Mood boards followed that encompassed a lot of sci-fi and dystopian content but we didn’t really want to blatantly take that path. So many facets of the album process were about making new and bold decisions, so the final cover art I personally feel is certainly bold while suggesting despair from oppression. Based on a lot of feedback it really is open to interpretation.

    RC: What is the one thing you hope your fans take away from the songs by crossing the “political line” in your songs?
    AW:     Awareness. I think all members have been passionate about particular causes since our teenage years, but as a group of friends continuing to grow and write together I feel we’re just more aware than ever about issues that concern everyone around us. Of course this isn’t literal amongst the material, but there’s a sense of shining a light on the things that trouble us.

    RC: Is Glenn jealous that there isn’t another Glenn in the band? I know Kenny goes by his last name, do any of the Adams have nick names so you don’t get confused?
    AW:     Ha, well there’s Kenny, Sparky, Westy, Berney and Glenn is Diffy.

    RC: Is it hard sharing Kenny with Karnivool? How does he compartmentalize being in two successful bands?
    AW: That all just comes down to time management/effective planning. Naturally not everything lines up exactly but we all make it work.

    RC: Do any of the other band members have other projects they work on as well as BOT?
    AW: Berney and Diffy have recently begun a Sydney based band Kiko Smokes – check em out.

    RC: Who has pulled the most epic prank and what was it and on who?
    AW:     A friend of ours and a studio colleague of a couple of members recently reported a break-in where a whole heap of valuable gear and irreplaceable hard drives full of work were stolen. The break-in was real, but fortunately the stolen gear was not. I’m not sure how long the members were left stewing, but I know my stomach sank when I heard the first half of the story!

    RC: What is your theme song when you walk into a room? (like in the movies)
    AW: Spanish Flea

    RC: Do you have anything else to add?
    AW: In the space of two weeks this month I get to see (again) two of my favourite acts, Every Time I Die and PJ Harvey, while other weekends include Birds shows, then in February it’ll be a guilty pleasure as Glenn are off to Gn’R! Not a bad start to 2017…

    Thank you so much for your time Adam!

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMAWvSpnqdE[/embedyt]

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  • ‘Get Folked’ House Party With Adam Ezra

    If you have never been to a house concert, you definitely must go at least one time.  This past weekend, Syracuse Fleet Feet owners Ed and Ellen Griffin opened their home to folk rock artist Adam Ezra as he makes his trek across the country on his “Get Folked” tour.  The concept for this tour began last year as a way to raise money to give his band a month off from their extremely busy schedules.  It was well received as fans graciously opened their homes to Adam and locals flocked in to these sell out shows.

    The concept for a house show is not one that’s new at all.  In fact, as Adam pointed out, this was how artists first began to play for audiences centuries ago.  The acoustic show is up close and personal, like a family gathering of sorts.  Sharing stories behind the music, Adam narrates how these concepts for the songs came about, giving audience members even more substance to the already thought provoking music and an insight to his personal life.

    Adam’s songwriting ability is phenomenal. His story telling abilities are of the highest caliber.  As I sat there listening to his music, it reminded me of the feeling I get when listening to Jackson Brown’s music, one of my all time favorite song writers. Although similar, it’s unique.  It inflicts his wit, his insight and his soul into tunes that are diverse and not repetitive in the least, bringing awareness to relevant topics and situations.  His talents have been recognized by those in the industry as well.  He recently took a trek to Nashville to collaborate with Grammy Award winning artist John Oates on a series of songs for movies.  Singing some of those tunes as well as many from his extensive catalog of music, attendees were treated to songs they requests and a few new ones as well that have yet to be recorded.

    Adam’s philosophy of music is refreshing.  He believes that music is created to be shared.  Found on the merch table along with his latest CDs and t-shirts, is an “I Love You” box .  He encourages all to help themselves to his music and if they wish they can throw some love into the box.  Whether it’s $20, $10, or a million, he won’t price his work as he writes it to share with others.  In fact, Adam and his band currently have a Pledgemusic campaign underway to produce and share an album with and by his fans.  This campaign is unique as the packages created are to help create a fan produced album to give away to all. Listing all possible tracks, fans will choose all songs to be included. Take a peek as Adam explains more about the campaign below.

    [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyvgmqsg-OA[/embedyt]

    The “Get Folked” tour is well under way so take a peek at the schedule on Adam’s page to see if they will be coming to a town close by, and don’t hesitate to see if tickets are still available as many are already sold out.

    Setlist: Basement Song, Chelsea You’re Alright, You Speak Girl, Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper cover), I Believe, The Toast, Steal Your Daughter, All I Am, Chasin, Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen cover), Cover Man, Hippie Girl, Sprig, Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover), The Devil Came Up to Boston, Let It Be (Beatles cover)

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  • My First Phish Show

    Picture a sold out show at Madison Square Garden on the night before New Year’s Eve. For Phish concert-goers, this was an average Friday night in New York City! For me, it was my first Phish show.

    my first phish showI watched the show alongside dedicated Phish fans who have traveled all over the US to see the band 100+ times. Sharing that it was my first show almost felt silly in comparison, but I was excited to join the community.  I didn’t know a lot before going to the show; I wanted to approach the experience with an open mind. Clearly, this band has something extraordinarily special that brings loyal and new fans alike to their shows.  So by virtue of it being my first show, I can’t say that I’m too well-versed, but certainly a real fan in the making.

    This was the third show of a four-night run from December 28 to the 31st.  We walked in right as the show was starting, and the fans were cheering in unison.  If you’ve never been to a Phish show, it’s one of the best crowds you’ll ever be part of. Everyone was grooving and swaying along to every song; not a single person could be found standing still nor having a bad time.  I felt like I was instantly welcomed into the community as people were exchanging comments about the music and checking in to see how I was enjoying everything. I was thrilled when a glowstick landed in front of my seat so, that when the music kicked up, I could join the glow stick tossing and launch it into the crowd. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of smoke around me, but that’s the only complaint I had. All part of the experience!

    The band opened with “Carolina,” which I learned they hadn’t done since 2003 – 378 shows ago. It was a treat to be serenaded by an acapella rendition of the song.  The vocals were authentic and raw, which was quite refreshing. The band members resumed their spots on stage, and I finally saw the unique Fishman dress with the red donuts that are found on Phish-inspired merch.  They then jumped into “Blaze On” which was a cool way to kick off the set – a slower-paced jam.  “The Moma Dance” was cool and funky; I loved the keyboard timbre and the wah-wah pedal on the guitar.  I’m told the second set was a great series of selections with “Tweezer,” into “Sparks,” into “Ghost.” The crowd went absolutely wild and I loved the transitions.  It seemed like everyone knew each song from the first couple notes and they cheered at the start of each one!  I can’t pick a favorite song just yet, but I have to say that the improvisation all around was amazing. I would get blissfully lost in each chasm of music.

    With this band, visual effects bring them to another level of excellence.  I was a big fan of Anastasio (guitar) and Gordon (bass) on the mini trampolines bouncing in unison. Apparently, it’s not a new bit, but I thought it was great. Outside of the band’s movements, the accompanying lights were spectacular!  There were numerous colored light beams illuminating the stage.  It reminded me of lights at a Trans-Siberian Orchestra show, but I think the lights at Phish were more tasteful.

    Overall, I really enjoyed the show. The musical experience and all of the Phish lovers in the Garden really sold me. I’d love to see more of Phish in the future.

    Set 1: Carolina, Blaze On, The Moma Dance > Gumbo > Cities, The Old Home Place, Bathtub Gin, Things People Do, My Friend, My Friend, Wilson, Sugar Shack, You Enjoy Myself

    Set 2: Tweezer > Sparks > Ghost > Light -> Party Time Jam, Wading in the Velvet Sea > Rocky Top

    Encore: Rock and Roll, Tweezer Reprise

  • Higher Society Lifts Spirits in Denver for New Year’s Eve

    Fuck, 2016! That was the prevailing feeling for many people in our country as we lurched toward year’s end. So many beloved musicians died. There were bombings, searing police confrontations and there was the near apocalyptic collapse of democracies around the world. Many pundits included our country in that post-mortem.

    But, I had personal reasons to feel disheartened to reflect on the year that was. My father’s memorial service was on my birthday. He died of brain cancer while my sister struggled with the awful pain and physical indignities of chemotherapy due to her diagnosis of cancer. Fuck 2016, indeed, I thought.

    But sometimes better angels descend on us to reflect the better parts of our nature, bringing hope, laughter, and perhaps a little magic. And that is precisely what happened on New Year’s Eve in Denver, Colorado in a tucked away corner of the downtown business district. Sensi Mag, SOCO Nightlife and The Fantastic Hosts organization presented a dream-like reverie of music, dance, art, and joy at the year-end event, dubbed Higher Society at the City Hall venue.

    The evening, intended as an ode to the medicinal quality of marijuana, community and creativity, quickly lifted spirits with an opening speaking/meet and greet with visionary artists Alex and Allyson Grey.  Self-reflection quickly turned to celebration with a jolt of tribal rock rhythms and searing guitar jams from the Tierro Lee Band. The lilting melodies of Elephant Revival fiddler, Bridget Law gave an ethereal quality to the percussive jams. That joyful set alone quickly dispensed any lingering bittersweet feeling or antipathy regarding the passing year. Still the evening was only beginning.

    Following on the main stage was the expansive beauty of Quixotic an impressive group that combines an astounding mix of aerialist/ fire/ music performances. Throughout the venue numerous other visual artists, and DJs performed, including  Stööki Sound, Androcell,  and Johnathan Singer. 

    The Grey duo led the New Year countdown as Random Rab began his crowd-pleasing bass-thumping set. Without the spectacle of confetti, balloons or champagne salutes, a group of musicians, performers, and artists offered a night to recall that even in the most troubled of moments there is always reason for hope. And there is always beauty, even in dimly-lit corners of reality.

  • Joe Louis Walker Serves Up a Savory Taste of Blues at Funk ‘n Waffles

    Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown is one of the few Central New York venues that offers live music seven days a week. The unique location on Clinton Street in Syracuse hosts everything from open mics to national touring acts of all genres in addition to serving up some fantastic waffles. Thursday featured the blues stylings of Grammy-nominated guitarist Joe Louis Walker and his band.

    The intimacy of the room was felt even before walking in the door. The headliner himself was standing outside the front door on this snowy evening, making time to speak with patrons and thanking them for coming out. Members of his band (Syracuse natives Byron Cage – drums and Will Gorman – keyboard and bassist Lenny Bradford) mingled about the crowd pre-show as a Chicago blues soundtrack provided the atmosphere over the PA.

    Walker and his solid backing band set the tone early with a funky Walker original “I’m Not Messin’ Around” from his 1998 album Preacher and the President. Walker’s soloing quickly heated up the room, displaying the skills he’s honed since the age of eight.

    Taking in a Walker show is experiencing a lesson in the history of American blues. The Blues Hall of Famer has performed with Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King – name a late 20th century blues legend, Walker has played with them.  All of these influences are revealed in his style of play and singing yet he is able to channel the sounds of the Chicago style, Delta blues and Texas blues to make his own sound. The man is an encyclopedia of musical knowledge who turns that knowledge into the sounds he creates on stage.

    One of several highlights of the night came when Walker began plucking the opening notes to the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Those in the crowd who were passively paying attention quickly turned their eyes to the stage for an emotional and powerful rendition of the classic. Walker’s solo mid-song proved that this was no mere runthrough of an oft-played cover. He made this song his – a combination of force and finesse that had the near sellout crowd eating out of his hand.

    As the night wore on, the windows began to fog up and the smell of waffles mingled with the tight sounds coming from the band. Each member was featured prominently in the new song “Black and Blue,” one from Walker’s latest, Everybody Wants a Piece, a Grammy nominee for Best Contemporary Blues Album this year. The song began with a tribal beat led by native son Cage and carried along by Bradford. Over the course of the song, Walker and band straddled genres with ease. His soulful vocals mixed with great backing vocals from his bandmates, creating a sound that can be classified as contemporary soul.

    Walker is a story teller and at each show he makes sure to pay tribute to those who came before him who may have not gotten recognition for their talents. On this night, he chose to regale the crowd with a tale of Earl Zebedee Hooker, “a guitar player’s guitar player,” as Walker put it. Hooker, a highly respected disciple of the Chicago style, was a contemporary of Muddy Waters and Junior Wells. He recorded an instrumental for London Records titled “Blue Guitar” that quickly became a favorite among the bluesmen on the Chicago circuit. Chess Records acquired the song to use for Muddy Waters’ 1962 album, using Willie Dixon penned lyrics and Waters’ overdubbed vocals for a song that would become “You Shook Me,” a song that was made even more famous by Led Zeppelin later on.

    Following a humorous introduction by Walker, proper tribute was paid with his rendition of “Blue Guitar,” making full use of the slide techniques often employed by Hooker.

    Each band member took turns soloing, a particularly blistering solo by another Syracuse native, Gorman, had the audience singing his praises during a funky and stomping take on “Hornets Nest” from the 2014 album of the same name. Walker also took this opportunity to switch guitars, retiring his gorgeous Zemaitis for the blue hollow-bodied D’Angelico. Walker teased the Ohio Players’ “Rollercoaster of Love” during this one, perking up some of the Red Hot Chili Peppers fans in the crowd.

    After nearly two straight hours, the band wrapped up its set with the Hellfire track “Too Drunk to Drive Drunk.” This gritty number had a bit of a Double Trouble vibe to it and many teases from Walker, including “All Day and All of the Night” and “You Really Got Me” from the Kinks and the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”

    A brief break preceded the encore, a straight-forward cover of Chuck Berry’s “Reelin’ and Rockin’” followed by the Walker original “Aint That Cold.”

    It was a night well worth the drive through lake effect snow. Syracuse is blessed with a knowledgeable blues fan base and they were treated to a world-class performance in an intimate venue on this night.

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  • Hearing Aide: Moon Hooch ‘Joshua Tree’

    Joshua Tree will be the fourth album from Moon Hooch, the jazz-fusion-dance group born out of the subway systems of New York City. Their sound is unique but it’s been heard before, especially to anyone that has lived in or spent time in a city.

    Unfortunately, their newest album won’t be something listeners will be fighting to get their hands on. On their website, Moon Hooch  themselves admitted that they could not think of what they wanted the album to sound like, so they just improvised and “somehow the process created 8 songs.” Their original intent was to seclude themselves for a few days in the Mojave Desert, just outside of the Joshua Tree National Park. They rented a house and turned it into a studio but no inspiration came to them, so they played whatever came to their minds. The idea sounds like a lot of fun for any musician and his or her friends, but as a third party it’s a bit hard to find enjoyment in it.

    Although it is good to see such talented street musicians make their way to the studio, their voice isn’t necessarily studio appropriate and sounds better in the echoing subway system of the big apple. They sound much more epic in a vast open area while in the studio, their sound is too empty and spacious. There is the opportunity to fill in those gaps, though. Granted, the three of them are astounding musicians that have a near mastery of their instruments, but there just isn’t enough of them to make a big enough sound. The drummer can be heard trying to compensate for that lack of power which can be overbearing in itself, never mind the fairly frequent squeals coming from the saxophones as well as other sounds that no one ever expected to come out of a reed instrument.

    Hearing this collection is shocking considering their prior studio works are pretty well done and  well known, such as “Number Nine,” a track off the Billboard Jazz Album Chart that allegedly peaked at the number nine spot, according to Wikipedia. The musicians are highly trained but they’re starting to get a little avant-garde and highly improvised. But when a group is limited to only three instruments, players will tend to stretch that voice out as much as possible, and the voices of the baritone, alto sax and drums have been maxed out and it’s time to move onto bigger things.

    The attractive part of a street band was that literally almost anyone could enjoy it. New York City, obviously, has one of the most diverse populations in the world and that means street performers need to appeal to a larger, more general crowd. Right now they’re only appealing to a small majority of the entire U.S. population. But bands need to experiment before they become widely recognized and this album will undoubtedly yield some interesting results, both positive and negative.

    Now, most people can enjoy a decent amount of wild improvisation, even though it gets a little unintelligible, but this is a new level. The track titled “Improv” really opens a door into what was on their mind when creating this. Before the song starts, there is an intro with one of the members describing how he wanted the rest of the band to go about creating the song “Improv.” He says, “Hit it as hard as possible…everything we do is intentional…literally no mistakes…mean every f*****g thing we do… zero hesitation.”

    It seems this technique is applied to almost every song and can be a little overbearing at times. It’s usually evened out by melodic tones and organized songwriting, but all of that can be very easily overpowered by improvisation and a very odd sounding baritone sax.

    If listeners can look past the odd parts of the album they will find some enjoyment in it. “Sandstorm” comes first and it starts out on a promising tone, but is quickly overshadowed by the baritone sax. “Jiggle” is pretty refreshing- still a little out there, but it’s comparably more upbeat and tight. It’s definitely a fun a get-up-and-go groove with loads of technical percussion and catchy sax licks. It’s one of the less complex tracks but definitely one of the most fun, which is the goal of street music.

    But just as quickly as it came, it’s gone when “Criminals” comes on and one begins to wonder if they’re just screwing around behind those microphones. They’re trying to accomplish this incredibly heavy tone that just doesn’t work. “Mountain Lion” is a more successful attempt at creating a heavy sound. It’s more organized but still has a sense of improvisation.

    It would be great to see these guys expand into a group with more people. They have the confidence and talent to be great band leaders and create something spectacular, they need to move past what they were raised to do but keep some of the attributes that make street bands so great. They’ve reached the limits of what they can do with the three of them and it most likely explains why they drew a blank out in the desert. The have put out an album almost every year so hopefully next year will bring something truly amazing from these very talented New York natives.

    The album is up for free download on their website.

    Key Tracks: Sandstorm, Jiggle, Mountain Lion, Outer Urge

  • Photo Gallery: Musical Veterans Rusted Root w/ Boogie Low warm up Syracuse

    Legendary band Rusted Root found their way back to Syracuse, NY to finish off the year at The Westcott Theater with local band Boogie Low. The band is an emerging Central NY band that brought an organic mix of reggae, rock, and jam to the stage awakening music fans from their winter hibernation. Ironically they certainly caused “high amounts of boogie” on the dance floor, leading up to Rusted Roots arrival.

    Catch Rusted Root at their upcoming shows in February in Eastern, NY. Get your tickets here.

    You can also see Boogie Low open up for Max Creek in Syracuse, NY on February 17! Get your tickets here.

    Boogie Low will also be releasing their debut album in February.

  • Hearing Aide: Theo Katzman ‘Heartbreak Hits’

    Funk mastermind Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck has released his second LP today titled Heartbreak Hits, following the 2011 release of Romance without Finance. This latest work oozes heartache, with Katzman‘s youthful vocals lamenting the loss of a lover. The songs evoke the agony of painful breakups, and might even open old wounds for some listeners, but they’re delivered with such gripping soul, that most won’t even think to press pause.

    The album kicks off in rock ballad fashion, akin to the likes of 70’s icons The Eagles. Katzman confirmed on his crowdfunding album campaign that the band did in fact lend inspiration. Wailing guitar on album opener “Hard Work” shocks the eardrums to life before Katzman’s breathy pop vocals attempt to make sense of a failed relationship. People will go the extra mile for someone they love, and with pragmatically comical lines like “I held your hair back when you had too much to drink/ I used my bare hands to unclog that bathroom sink” and “When you got depressed and your mind was on the brink/ I peeled you off the floor and drove you to a shrink” it’s easy to see how a guy thinks he’s earned his keep.

    “Breakup Together” is sweet on the ears, but the melodic sing-songy quality carries Katzman’s tenderly brooding words as he laments “We used to make love together, now we break up together.” Trilling backup vocals follow this somber sentiment. The silver-tongued harmonies call to mind that flock of helpful songbirds chirping away in Snow White, but instead of helping the fair maiden do laundry, they perch on Katzman’s shoulders and chime in as he mopes (understandably) in a corner.

    “Crappy Love Song” supplies some of the most gut-tickling harmonies on the album before “My Heart is Dead” goes nineties angst as Katzman pouts, “My heart is dead girl/ It doesn’t beat no more.” “Good to be Alone” presents a sobering, understated country folk charm replete with slide guitar. A more earnest tone on this number replaces Katzman’s raspy pop attitude found throughout much of the album. Lyrics seeking the silver lining of reclaimed independence in the wake of a breakup, he attempts to convince himself, “No one to scratch you down your back/ No one to cut you any slack/ You got to scratch it on your own/ It’s good to be alone.”

    “Lost and Found” staccato style drums, guitar and vocals add a bouncy feel, revisiting the lively pop realm before “My 1-Bedroom” finds Katzman dreamily fantasizing about the prospect of sharing his small dwelling with a significant other, nearly whispering the lyrics with stripped down instrumental accompaniment. Already the album has led the listener on a roller coaster ride, each song undulating along the spectrum of sadness and resentment, lyrics spiced with cynicism. “As the Romans Do” injects some steam into the track list with powerhouse pop vocals and pounding drums. This song in particular demonstrates the skillful subtleties in Katzman’s singing ability, especially through the lines “I bid a fond farewell to my bestest friends/ I packed my possessions in a Uhaul then/ I sailed like a sailor to the promised land.”

    “Love is a Beautiful Thing” mellows the track list again with soft jazz guitar, muted drums and light piano laced with Katzman’s delicate falsetto. The words convey a familiar scenario in breakups: the pain of seeing an ex-lover involved with someone else when you’re still hurting. He sings, “Love is a beautiful thing/ Hugging, kissing, laughing, holding hands/ Love is a beautiful thing/ Unless it’s you loving another man.” After this song the listener almost surely feels as if Katzman has beaten them over the head with such relentless harping on the same themes of loss, yet by sticking so loyally to this theme, he has created a very real portrayal of the cyclical thought patterns many experience in a breakup. “Plain Jane Heroin” rounds out the ten-track album on a somber note, ending the album on a bit of a cliche, comparing the allure of a woman to the addictive nature of heroin.

    Katzman has crafted a string of songs that thoroughly display the breadth of his vocal ability. The rawness of the lyrics suggest Katzman might have actually had his heart recently ripped from his chest by whichever woman called it splitsville. While profit from fresh heartbreak is a form of sweet songwriting revenge, it doesn’t appear that a recent tragic breakup is the essence of inspiration. Katzman stated in his album campaign, “I started writing songs, and found myself exploring different angles of letdown/loss of expectation/heartbreak: My own personal experiences, as well as the extrapolation of those experiences into my imagination.” Nevertheless, nearly anyone can empathize with Heartbreak Hits’ sentiments, and dance, rage or cry to the album at their discretion.

    The album was recorded by Tyler Duncan at The Barber House, mixed by Duncan and mastered by Devin Kerr. Cover photo by Claire Marie Vogel and album artwork by Robert Lester. Musicians contributing to the album include: Joe Dart (Fender bass), Woody Goss (piano, Wurlitzer electric piano on “Break Up Together”), Laura Mace and Mike G: (omni backing vocals), Lee Pardini: (Wurlitzer electric piano), Drew Howard: (pedal steel guitar) and Brett Farkas: (additional electric guitar on “As the Romans Do”).

    Currently Katzman has one scheduled performance on January 26 at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles, California. The album is available for purchase here.

    Key Tracks: Hard Work, Breakup Together, As the Romans Do

  • Marco Benevento Kickstarts the New Year with Album and Show Announcements

    Marco Benevento is set to blastoff in 2017 with a new album and tour on tap. The multi-instrumentalist dubbed the Mad Hatter will start the year spinning forty-fives for an intimate hometown get down at the Catskill Mountain Pizza Company in Woodstock, NY on January 7. Teaming up with music journalist Brian Turk, the event is called Brian Turk and Mr. D present “I’m a DJ Too,” and will feature tasty pizza and beer from the Catskill Brewery, not to mention a set of fresh cuts straight from Marco’s head to the floor. But only 75 tickets will be available. Click here to get yours.

    Later in the month, Benevento will launch a tour in support of the Feb. 17 release of The Woodstock Sessions, a new live album recorded last September at Applehead Studios. The first show will take place on Jan. 30 at Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown in Syracuse. Local Grateful Dead tribute act, Pearly Baker’s Best, will open. Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 in advance. Tickets are available through Ticketfly for the Syracuse show.

    Other New York stops for the Woodstock resident include Buffalo, at The Iron Works on Jan. 31, Ithaca, at The Rongo on Feb. 1, The Brooklyn Bowl on Feb. 2, and at The Hollow in Albany on Feb. 3. See below for full tour information.

    With a full schedule ahead of him, Marco Benevento has gone ahead with a Pledge Music campaign that will put fans at the forefront of his new album and musical adventures throughout his 2017 tour stops. Packages include a chance to pre-order The Woodstock Sessions, opportunities to receive show tickets, signed setlists, a bookshelf made from Marco’s grand piano, a band lesson, or even the chance to record with Marco at Fred Short Studios in Woodstock, NY; plus, Marco is making himself available to spin vinyl or play a solo piano concert at a lucky fan’s private party. More information is available here.

    Tour Dates:

    Jan. 30 – Syracuse, NY – Funk ‘N Waffles
    Jan.31 – Buffalo, NY – Iron Works ^
    Feb. 1 – Ithaca, NY – The Rongo
    Feb. 2 – Brooklyn NY – Brooklyn Bowl  *
    Feb. 3 – Albany NY – The Hollow  ^^
    Feb. 4 – Burlington VT – Higher Ground
    Feb. 6 – Portland, ME – One Longfellow Square
    Feb. 7 – Hamden, CT – The Ballroom at The Outer Space  ***
    Feb. 8 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway Arts
    Feb. 9 – Boston MA – The Sinclair  *
    Feb. 10 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall  *
    Feb. 11 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head Live  **
    March 25-26 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Festival
    March 31 – Denver, CO – Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
    April 1 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
    April 2 – Avon, CO – Agave
    April 4 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
    April 5 – Bozeman, MT – The Filling Station
    April 6 – Spokane, WA – The Bartlett
    April 7 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
    April 8 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
    April 9 – Eugene, OR – Hi Fi Music Hall
    April 11 – Bend, OR – The Capitol
    April 12 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s
    April 13 – Petaluma, CA – The Mystic Theatre
    April 14 – San Francisco, CA – Independent
    April 15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Bootleg

    * w/WOLF!
    ** w/Psycho Killers
    *** w/Superhuman Happiness
    ^ w/Mayabird
    ^^ w/Mayabird + Band of Ghosts

  • The Machine New Year’s Eve show in Niagara Falls

    Judging how well a tribute band does is a weird task to ask someone to do. For one thing, they’re not playing any original music. And the audience is there only to hear someone else’s music, mainly of a band or artist long since dead or disbanded. Sometimes you get an act that should be better off playing in a hotel bar. But others, you could swear you genuinely got the original. On New Year’s Eve at the Rapids Theatre, the people of Niagara Falls got their fill of one such band, Pink Floyd, in the form of The Machine.

    The Machine bills itself as America’s longest-existing Pink Floyd tribute band. Made up of Joe Pascarell on guitar, Ryan Ball on bass, Scott Chasolen on keyboards, and Tahrah Cohen on drums, they’ve been performing the Floyd’s music since 1988 and are regarded as one of the first and best tribute bands. It’s hard to come across a cover band with live DVD’s of shows in Amsterdam and performing with a symphony orchestra, but such is the demand for Pink Floyd music that sizable droves will show up like it’s one of the band member’s solo tours.

    The Machine started off right away with the first five songs from The Wall. From the first riffs of “In The Flesh” through the audience chanting along with “Another Brick in the Wall,” the audience got immediately hooked, living for every recognizable music line or lyrics, even coming from a ballad off the Atom Heart Mother album. The band certainly appeared to be having the time of their lives with songs you could tell were their favorites. Chasolen was living for every different keyboard effect used on “Welcome to the Machine,” along with the saxophone solo on “Money” played on keyboards too.

    There was a break between sets for the audience to refill their drinks and to watch the ball drop on two screens beside the stage. The second set, fittingly enough, began with “Time,” the clocks chiming at the beginning drawing immediate applause, while later on, the vocal interplay between Pascarell and Ball sounded just like it came from the Dark Side of the Moon album.

    The Machine wasn’t afraid to shy away from the longer Floyd songs either. They ended the first set with “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” from the Animals album, which Pascarell certainly got very involved in once the talkbox solo came in. They also performed the first half of “Shine On you Crazy Diamond,” complete with the long synth and guitar intro with visuals of a child playing and laser lights.

    I’m sure if I saw Pink Floyd back in their heyday, or one of the Roger Waters or David Gilmour solo tours, this would be quite similar to what I’d get from those. Certainly the kind where the long instrumental passages and medleys are best enjoyed with the assistance of some substance in your system. And considering this is as close to hearing a genuine Pink Floyd show I’ll ever come to, I was pleased with the authenticity. There were no flying pigs, but I can take that.

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