NYS Music 20​17

Category: Niagara Falls

  • Mickie James, Josh Halverson and More Honored at Native American Music Awards Held In Niagara Falls

    The 17th Annual Native American Music Awards were held on Saturday, Oct. 14 at the Events Center at Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino. The night was filled with performances, from traditional drums to dub step music. Among the honorees were country musician Mickie James and The Voice finalist Josh Halverson.

    Mickie James

    Mickie James was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame. The recording artist and WWE Superstar also took the award for Song of the Year with “Shooting Blanks.”

    Josh Halverson was named Artist of the Year. The singer/songwriter from Texas recently released a new album, Year of the Thunderbird, which took the award for Best Folk Recording.

    Josh Halverson

    Plans are underway to rebroadcast the performance. Visit the Native American Music Awards for updates, or join their mailing list to be alerted to the latest news.

    NYS Music congratulates all the winners and nominees for the 17th annual Native American Music Awards.

    2017 WINNERS

    Artist of the Year
    Josh Halverson
    “Year of the Thunderbird”

    Debut Artist of the Year
    Lucas Ciliberti
    “Rainmaker”

    Debut Group of the Year
    Black Bear Brothers
    “Songs from Cheyenne Creek”

    Best Female Artist
    Kelly Derrickson
    “I Am”

    Flutist of the Year
    Randy McGinnis
    “The Journey – hi a vi si i”

    Group of the Year
    The Cody Blackbird Band
    “Live From Chicago”

    Best Male Artist
    Conrad Benally
    “Always And Forever”

    Record of the Year
    “Hoka”
    Nahko and Medicine For The People

    Song of the Year
    “Shooting Blanks”
    Mickie James

    Best Music Video
    “Indomitable”
    DJ Shub & Northern Cree Singers

    Best Music Video For A Performance
    “Ascension”
    Jan Michael Looking Wolf Band

    Best Music Video For A Narrative
    “Never Give Up”
    Artson, Supaman & Quese Imc

    Native Heart
    Bearheart Kokopelli
    Bernhard Mikuskovics (3rd from left)
    “Native Heart”

    Best Country Recording
    “You’ve Got to Go Back the Way That You Came”
    Danielle Egnew

    Best Folk Recording
    “Year of the Thunderbird”
    Josh Halverson

    Best Gospel/Inspirational
    “Awake, Arise and Shine”
    Callie Bennett

    Best Instrumental Recording
    “Songs of the Earth”
    Vince Redhouse

    Best Native American Church Recording
    “Simplicity”
    Cheevers Toppah

    Best Pop Recording
    “Celebration”
    Cherokee National Youth Choir

    Best Pow Wow Recording
    “It’s A Cree Thing”
    Northern Cree

    Best Rap/Hip Hop/R&B Recording
    “The 7th Generation Prophecy”
    Sten Joddi

    Best Rock / Best Blues Recording
    “Take Me Back”
    Levi Platero

    Best Traditional Recording
    “Before America”
    James Edmund Greeley

    Best Waila Recording
    “Creed and Culture”
    Native Creed

    Lifetime Achievement Award
    Gary Farmer

    Honorary Award of Excellence
    Arthur Redcloud

    Hall of Fame
    Mickie James

  • Southern Avenue brings Memphis Blues to Plattsburgh and Buffalo

    Southern Avenue, Memphis’ hottest blues group will be heading to New York this weekend for two can’t miss shows. They’ll perform at the Plattsburgh Mayor’s Cup on Friday, July 7 and Buffalo Niagara Blues Fest on Saturday, July 8. The Concord/Stax recording artists just released their self-titled debut album in February and bring together soul, funk and rock that when combined with blues moves your feet and stirs your soul.

    https://soundcloud.com/concordmusicgroup/dont-give-up-southern-avenue

    Talking with Southern Avenue’s Ori Naftaly, an Israeli-born blues guitarist who came to Memphis in 2013 for the International Blues Challenge, his blues sound started with the electrified Chicago blues before he turned to earlier blues legends and connected with the soul side of Memphis. Southern Avenue brings in a Mavis Staples angle of blues, with more gospel-based tunes and greater arrangements for vocals from Tierinii Jackson and Tikyra Jackson. Two songs in particular, “Don’t Give Up” and “80 Miles From Memphis,” have the Staples Singers sound, but Naftaly admits, each has a different vibe to it. “We have so many different things to write and find inspiration in, so every song has a different vibe in it and a whole different world we can dive into.” Executive producer John Burke from Concord Music Group helped to trim down the album from 18 songs to those that showcased their broad sound.

    One track in particular, “Peace will Come,” was written about his childhood growing up in Israel during the Gulf War. It beckons a question asked often in the Middle East, ‘When will peace come?,’ but this question refers to peace between people and the environment, not necessarily countries. The song has power to it with the weight of the goal of peace weighted down in the lyrics, alongside a Staples Singers vibe.

     And while Naftaly is an Israeli burn blues guitarist, he is not the first. Guy King moved to Chicago a generation before Ori ventured to Memphis. While both are blues musicians and have found a comfortable place in the roots of their genre, Ori looks to bring the blues to the table with Southern Avenue. But soul, funk and jazz will surely find their way into the Southern Avenue performances this weekend in Plattsburgh and Buffalo.

  • Get Ready for Second Annual IT Fest with Intrepid Travelers!

    Founded on friendship, fun and a sense of freedom. Intrepid Travelers are a quartet based in Buffalo that defines itself through boundless improvisation and eclectic evolution. 2017 has been a huge year for the band. Touring relentlessly around the United States from coast to coast, the fellas in IT have been redefining the limitations of improvisational music, and have their own fest. Be sure to check them out at Summer Camp if you are there this weekend.

    A little bit about IT:   Two days and two nights including Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10. Entrance to the festival will cost you just $20. The festival is held on the beautiful private property of Josh Skowronski in Alden, NY. Enter at the green gate on South Blossom Lea Drive. This is an all weather event. Parking and camping are included upon entry. The Land itself is 14 gorgeous acres with hiking trails and the beautiful Cayuga Creek. There will be an array of food and drink vendors on site. Intrepid Travelers will play three sets over the two days. One on Friday and two on Saturday. Saturday night’s set will feature live painting from various Buffalo artists. Music ends at 10pm each night.

    IT Fest’s mission is to showcase local talent across Western New York. This year will feature fire performer Asha Ashwell on Friday and Saturday night. Saturday morning will feature a yoga class with Ashley Strazzella. Saturday afternoon will also feature a Kan Jam tournament, a hoop class, a workshop on mysticism, spirituality, public health and tarot card readings! Their goal for the weekend is to create a temporary community in which the arts are brought to the forefront in unison with nature. After the music ends each night there will be a massive campfire. Bring your instruments for the campfire jams. More information here.

    I’ll leave you with a message from Josh & Intrepid Travelers:

    “The band and I look forward to having you share in the special event with us. See you at the Land.”

    * Please no fireworks, illegal substances or unauthorized vending*

  • Six Places in NY Ranked Among ‘Best Cities for Music Fans’

    Ever wonder where your city measures up when it comes to the music scene? Value Penguin, a company which compiles information for consumers, compared 200 US cities using more than a dozen variables from reputable sources to create a list of best places for music lovers. Six cities in New York State are in the top 30%: Albany, Rochester, Binghamton, New York, Buffalo, and Syracuse.

    Best Cities for Music Fans

    The top 10 cities in the nation are: Nashville, Honolulu, Seattle, Madison WI, Austin TX, Albany, Tuscon, Rochester, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. Binghamton came in at No. 20, New York City at No. 26, Buffalo/Niagara Falls at No. 43, and Syracuse at No. 56.

    Cities were rated in three categories: Bands, Crowds, and Intangibles. For bands, factors included the number of musicians and bands per capita, the number of recording studios and labels, and the average hourly wage. The crowd category included information about venues, music-related stores, and number of radio stations. The intangible category was a catch-all for miscellaneous info on weather, public transportation, music schools, and closing time for bars, all of which may impact the quality of the music-going experience. Data was pulled from government sources such as the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Department of Commerce. Additional information came from sites such as Music School Central, USA Today, Songwriter Universe, and Fodors. The information spanned the years 2014-2016.

    The Albany area took a high position, thanks in part to venues like Palace Theater, Cohoes Music Hall, The Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Madison Theater, Troy Music Hall, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Proctors Theater, The Massry Center for the Arts, Times Union Center, EMPAC and many more.

    Rochester was not far behind, known by music lovers for the Eastman School of Music, Eastman Theater, Blue Cross Arena, The Bug Jar, The International Jazz Festival, The Record Archive and The House of Guitars, to name a few.

    You can see the complete list and view the data sources at Value Penguin.

  • Alter Bridge Rocks Rapids Theatre In Niagara Falls

    Even though they were part of rock’s biggest tours last year with Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin, that is no way to enjoy an Alter Bridge show.  During that run, which did travel through various cities across New York State, Alter Bridge only played a small handful of songs during their opening slot.  If you really want a display of heaviness and fun and REALLY get your money’s worth of Alter Bridge, then seeing them headline is the best route to go. Those who were lucky enough to catch them on The Last Hero Tour with Nonpoint and Weapons Of Anew at Niagara Falls’ Rapids Theatre were blessed with a kick ass night of music.

    Unfortunately for me, I was unable to catch Weapons Of Anew due to the travel conditions, but I came in just as Nonpoint was performing “What A Day,”one of their trademark songs.  Nonpoint must have been a part of the tour because Mark Tremonti is a fan, and I believe they were an appropriate choice.  The urban flavor they bring to metal and hard rock makes them a standout, not to mention that this is their 20th anniversary tour (which is hard to believe at this point).  They had a very loud and energetic set; the crowd was really into it.  Some of the stand outs were their new songs such as “Divide and Conquer” as well as their cover of Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight.” They ended their set with their anthem, “Bullet With a Name.”  It’s great to see that the band is twenty years strong and still bring a lot of energy into a show.

    Alter Bridge graced the stage by opening with “Writing On The Wall” which is off their newest album The Last Hero.  Alter Bridge is a very rare and unique talent.  Not since Judas Priest has a band had two lead guitarists/soloists that share the stage, alternate solos and really feed off each other.  Vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy and guitarist/vocalist Mark Tremonti are the perfect complement to each other and are a powerhouse force on stage with the most wicked one-two punch that most metal and hard rock bands are lacking.  Alter Bridge made a wise decision by playing not only a hefty amount of songs off of The Last Hero, but also from their previous album Fortress which came out in 2013.  But they didn’t really tour behind it much because Myles was busy with Slash’s band and Mark had his hands full with his band Tremonti.  So it was awesome to hear songs like “Cry Of Achilles” and “Addicted To Pain,” but the real stand out was “Water Rising,” which gave Mark Tremonti to display his lead vocal.

    If there is any complaint about the show, you could say the bass was too loud.  Now that isn’t a fault of bassist Brian Marshall, it’s on the venue’s sound crew.  It just sounded muffled.  But luckily, Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti’s guitar playing is so clean and they shred so much that the muffled bass sound coming off the venue’s sound didn’t interfere with the guitars or drums for that matter.

    The best part of the show was hearing the bands best song, “Blackbird.”  It’s their masterpiece.  It’s their “Free Bird” (no pun intended) and afterwards they closed their set by finally playing material off their debut album One Day Remains with “Metalingus” and “Open Your Eyes.”  I was surprised they didn’t play much from that album, however, material from the last two albums had to be heard, not to mention that with five albums in, you only can play so many songs.  Those who stayed for the encore were in for a treat as they came out and played “Show Me A Leader” which was the lead single off The Last Hero.  Afterwards, the crowd was treated to a guitar battle between Kennedy and Tremonti, which was a great way to really see their talents on display and was fun to see.  This is something I wish bands did more.  Finally, the band left the crowd wanting more in closing with Blackbird’s “Rise Today” which is band’s trademark closing song.  Overall, it was a great set from Alter Bridge who definitely deserve more recognition in the music industry and need to headline more shows. I would recommend this band to almost anyone.  And I will definitely catch more shows at Rapids Theatre.

     

  • 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.