It is officially time to prepare for this year’s Nights Of Fire: A Conscious Evolution festival. Hosted by Spun Out Productions, the annual music festival kicks off on Thursday, August 17, and runs through the morning of Monday, August 21. Located at The Woods at Bear Creek, a “glamping”–glamorous camping–ground in Franklinville, NY, Nights of Fire will offer it’s patrons an educational exploration through fire dancing, art, live music, and workshops.
As eloquently described on the Nights Of Fire Event Page: “Nights Of Fire is a FIRE, Art, Music, & EDUCATIONAL RETREAT. We invite all likeminded individuals and those who seek to learn and do more to improve themselves and the world around US. NIGHTS OF FIRE is an educational retreat where YOU can come study many different forms of FIRE SPINNING, FLOW, DANCE, DRUMMING, PAINTING and much more. Evolve with us at night as we will teach you how to celebrate life and simply being alive through song and dance with live music.”
Pre-sales for the festival are no longer online, however, you can pick up a $75 ticket thru a ticket rep, or grab one for $100 at the gate! The ticket includes camping and parking.
If you peek even farther below, you’ll find an episode timestamp, and Nights Of Fire’s daily schedule.
Enjoy!
— Timestamp: 00:00: Roots Of Creation- Different 04:12: Episode Introduction 09:56: Roots Of Creation- Row Jimmy 15:23: Freekbass– Put It In A Letter 18:42: Freekbass- Milkhunt 23:25: The Mantras- Here We Go 29:27: The Mantras- Dirt Nap 35:26: Madam Bliss Remix- Notorious BIG “Dead Wrong” 39:15: Madam Bliss Remix- Erykah Badu “On And On” 44:10: Dixon’s Violin- Ignition (Correction! Jade Dragon is the album name)! 46:31: Dixon’s Violin- Night Spirit 50:56: Stereo Nest- Gradient Peak 55:03: Stereo Nest- Elder Ladder 59:39: Subsoil- Joe Rogan 1:03:24: Subsoil- Great Unknown 1:07:34: Space Junk- Ascension 1:14:31: Haewa- Chem De-Vision 1:18:15: Haewa- Swampin’ 1:23:35: Episode Closing Comments 1:26:46: Flux Capacitor- Big Bad 1:36:29: Flux Capacitor- Unit
When you scan your ticket at the gate for admittance to the Chautauqua Amphitheater you don’t immediately enter a concert venue. You first gain admittance to the Chautauqua Institution, a self-contained gated community unlike any other. There is a surreal quality to the surroundings, only amplified on this cool, rain-drenched August evening. A group was gathered in the Chabad House to welcome the Sabbath a few steps from Palestine Street and just around the corner from the Ecumenical Society. Quiet, tree-lined and nearly carless streets led down to a town square where a group of kids were taking advantage of the extended summer evening with a pre-dusk soccer game. It felt like we were extras on a movie set, wandering through a story beyond our immediate grasp. Just past the square, the faint sounds of acoustic guitar emerged from a sunken wooden amphitheater. It was newly rebuilt and restored this past year, a unique space with stunning sound and excellent sight lines. People were gathered inside for the evening’s entertainment, being provided by American Acoustic. The location and entertainment overlapped in some sort of mystical is-this-real-life place, a dense mash of thick color in the middle of a complex Venn diagram.
American Acoustic is a dream-come-true tour for bluegrass and Americana fans. The all-male super-group-in-reverse Punch Brothers (featuring Chris Thile on mandolin, Paul Kowert on bass, Gabe Witcher on fiddle, Noam Pikelny on banjo and Chris Eldridge on guitar), joined forces with the all-female super group I’m With Her (featuring Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan) and rogue guitar phenom Julian Lage for an all-out string feast.
Like a scene from The Wizard of Oz, two large wooden doors automatically opened to the side of the stage, and musicians would emerge from the darkness beyond. They ebbed and flowed from the lineup throughout the evening, displaying multitudes of unique combinations, providing moments upon moments of sheer brilliance.
Each was a verse in the poetic epic that comprised the entire show: In a duo with Chris Eldridge on “Things in Life,” off their recent release, Julian Lage snuck masterfully melodic picking in, around and under Eldridge’s vocals / Kowert accompanied the otherwise a capella I’m With Her for their set-closing take on Adele’s “Send My Love,” each of their beautiful voices weaved around each other in a magnificent groove / A perfectly placed dog bark rang out during the Punch Brothers’ performance of Claude Debussy’s “Passepied,” further knotting the connection between the place and performance, much to the delight of the crowd and band alike / In a cover of Josh Ritter’s sea-faring tale “Another New World” the closing improvisation section appropriately contained monster waves of sound, swelling with energy / Jarosz joined the band for an oozing and sparse rendition of Radiohead’s “The Tourist” / The entire ensemble combined for a hair-on-end words-can’t-describe it cover of the Beatles “Julia” / A show closing take on the traditional “Father Adieu” was a true vocal workout, each verse being sung by a different combination of voices, with the last round between the collective male and female voices, simply stunning.
Those extra special moments were wrapped tightly amongst more folk-induced warmth and heat. Julian Lage and Noam Pikelny showcased their individual eye-popping talents with interspersed solo pieces. I’m With Her beefed up their minimal-but-growing catalog of originals like “Overland” and “Little Lies” with covers of Jim Croce’s “Walkin’ Back to Georgia” and John Hiatt’s “Crossing Muddy Waters.” The Punch Brothers took over after a short break, with a set spanning their catalog, hitting on “New York City,” “Julep,” “Familiarity” and the clever pairing of “Hops of Guldenberg” with “Rye Whiskey.” During the closing portion with everyone on stage, Thile presented a new song, ripped from the headlines, titled “Comey’s Waltz,” with lyrics like, “Now someone else has to come and stick it to ya, hallelujah” and “Sir, I’m already gone.”
With a fun romp through Randy Newman’s “Mama Told Me Not to Come” featuring everyone, as their encore, they sent the crowd back on their way. Exiting the gates of the community, like emerging from the corn fields in the “Field of Dreams,” we were mortal again. The real world beckoned, but we’ll always have that magical night with American Acoustic in Chautauqua.
Rap metal heavyweights, Hollywood Undead and metalcore band Butcher Babies recently announced their North America 2017 tour. Anthology in Rochester will be one of their stops on Friday Nov. 17.
Both bands have new unreleased albums but only Hollywood Undead have officially released details on their new album titled Five (stylized as V), while Butcher Babies have only stated on social media that they have finished recording a third full length album only referred to as BB3, presumably Butcher Babies 3. Tickets go on sale Friday July 28 at 10:00 a.m., with prices ranging from $25 to $30. This show will be 16 and up.
The McLovins dropped some initial tour dates for fall 2017, including three stops in New York this month including a stop at New York City’s Mercury Lounge for a Phish Baker’s Dozen after party.
Hailing from Hartford, Connecticut, the McLovins have been making waves since their start in 2009 playing alongside big names in music like the Gin Blossoms, Buddy Guy and George Porter, Jr. They’re currently working on two EPs as a followup to their 2015 self-titled album McLovins, which should be released this fall.
The McLovins fall tour starts tomorrow for a Phish Baker’s Dozen after party at the Mercury Lounge in New York City. The tour takes them up and down the eastern seaboard with several dates in Georgia and Alabama, closing out at Milkboy in Philadelphia on Nov. 22. In addition to tomorrow’s show, they play two other shows in New York. They hit up the Photo City Improv in Rochester on Aug. 17 and play the Big “G” Jam in Hannibal on Aug. 19. They also make a stop in nearby Erie, Pennsylvania on Aug. 12 at the Kings Rook Club.
McLovins Fall Tour 2017 Dates Aug. 5 – Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
Aug. 12 – Kings Rook Club, Erie, PA Aug. 17 – Photo City Improv, Rochester, NY Aug. 19 – Big “G” Jam, Hannibal, NY
Sept. 1 – Port City Music Hall, Portland, ME
Sept. 14 – Doc Taylor’s, Virginia Beach, VA
Sept. 16 – The Whiskey, Wilmington, NC
Sept. 21 – Dingus Magees, Statesboro, GA
Sept. 22 – Nowhere Bar, Athens, GA
Sept. 23 – The Thirsty Turtle, Macon GA
Sept. 28 – Green Bar, Tuscaloosa, AL
Sept. 29 – Zydeco, Birmingham, AL
Sept. 30 – Bourbon Street, Auburn, AL
Oct. 6 – Harvest Ball, Starks, ME
Nov. 2 – The State Theatre, State College, PA
Nov. 22 – Milkboy, Philadelphia, PA
Tart Vandelay is as fun and feisty as their name. With bopping beats and catchy choruses, they’ve been winning the hearts of music lovers in Western NY and beyond with their live shows over the past year. Next month, they’ll be playing two sets during Rochester Fringe Festival.
Charismatic couple Katie Halligan and Martin LoFaso started the project while studying at Berklee College of Music, and have since added band members Pete Zamniak on bass and Christopher Dubuc-Penne on drums. Last fall’s EP Frontier Pioneer is a zesty little delight. Blending art with inspiration, the collection of songs are the acoustic equivalent of a novella which celebrates the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.
NYS Music met up with Halligan and LoFaso at Village Gate, an eclectic multi-use community in the heart of Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts. We talked about the joy of making music, and they created a playlist of some of their indie faves.
Paula Cummings: The name Tart Vandelay, does everyone get that it’s a Seinfeld reference, or are there people who don’t?
Martin LoFaso: They either do or they don’t. If people are too young or their parents didn’t watch Seinfeld, they don’t get it. But they still appreciate it, it’s still kinda goofy for them, so they still like it. But I was raised on Seinfeld, and I always loved the name Art Vandelay. George is my favorite character. He’s the despicable person who stands out in a group of despicable people. Even compared to other despicable people, he’s bad. It’s just funny to watch and I was always into that name. Luckily, Kate suggested Tart Vandelay.
Katie Halligan: I thought that adding a letter in front of it, and changing it slightly would just make it a fun play on words.
PC: What instruments do you play?
KH: I sing. I also have a looping station that I use, and I play ukulele and auxiliary percussion – different types of shakers.
PC: When you use the word “sing” you also mean vocalizations, not just words.
KH: I loop vocal percussion, and then I add harmonies on top of myself to fill out the sound and make it sound like there’s a chorus.
ML: You also play bass and keys and sax, but not for the band yet.
KH: I play a lot of other instruments. The next one I will be incorporating into the live performances is keys, the piano.
ML: In the band, I just play guitar and do backing vocals. I can play other instruments – bass and keys and the drums. She likes being a multi-instrumentalist, and I really like guitars. Any of the writing I do is on guitar. It’s just the instrument that speaks to me the most.
PC: I’ve seen you on stage, and it looks like you’re having so much fun.
ML: I’m glad that comes across. What’s interesting about the live show is trying to communicate that feeling. That’s what bands are selling. The good ones are selling a specific feeling at a live show, and it changes based on the band. Have you seen our full band?
PC: Not yet. That is one of my questions, the difference between playing as a duo and as a full band.
ML: There’s a lot more energy as a full band, but we still try to retain the cheery disposition. Just having fun. But I think a lot of our songs, especially as a duo, become very meditative. I think we still try to retain that with the full band because that’s the feeling that we’re selling, this sort of transcendence. As opposed to if there was a band that was heavier and wanted to sell more of like an angsty feeling, an aggression feeling. There’s nothing wrong – there’s no wrong feeling to feel. It’s just different bands sell you different feelings. And maybe that’s the feeling that we’re trying to get across.
KH: Definitely transcendence, with all our music. Being honest about the human experience. We’re trying to translate that on stage. Hopefully people in the audience not only enjoy it, but explore a lot of different feelings.
ML: I think making people cry is the best. Especially if you’re going out to a live show. A lot of people have built up defenses about being that vulnerable in public in front of people. I can totally understand that – a room full of strangers watching you bawl your eyes out. But really, we’ve been able to get through to people like that before just with a song, the message cuts so deep for them. That’s the thing, it’s just such a deep connection – it’s the deepest I think – to create that vulnerability, get people to feel the most raw that they can feel.
KH: But not always in a sad way.
PC: You have a song “Alien” that speaks to a lot of people about feeling out of place in the world.
KH: You’re taught from when you’re young that the nail that sticks out gets hammered. But we really try to embrace that because what else do we have but our differences? It’s a beautiful thing. I definitely wrote that pretty autobiographical. I’m glad that it speaks to other people. How could somebody not feel the same way at some point in their life and somehow relate to it? And I like the groove, too. That was one of the songs that wrote itself.
ML: It was the first one you finished.
KH: Yeah, that was the first. The first Tart Vandelay song.
PC: So were you in the dorm room at Berklee when you wrote that?
ML: We had an apartment along the subway line. Yeah, I wrote the guitar part.
KH: It started as a project he was doing.
ML: That’s usually our writing process – I’ll get the skeleton as far as the guitar line and bass of the song. Then it goes to her to write lyrics and rearrange.
KH: If I feel it needs a bridge or something, I send it back to him.
ML: Like Katie said, that one was autobiographical. I think they all are in a way. I think we’ve made a concerted effort as far as the writing itself. If we’re really after something that’s universal to the human condition and at the root of something that everyone is able to go through, then it should resonate even if it comes from an individual standpoint. The universal timeless things we all go through, existential questions and stuff like that. We don’t have to write for other people. We write for other people by writing for ourselves. It’s just a matter of getting people to surrender, to go to the feelings that deep.
PC: You have some creative pursuits outside of music as well?
KH: Right now, I’m a professional henna artist. Also, in my spare time I enjoy drawing and painting.
PC: What do you like to listen to?
ML: This year in September will be the 20th anniversary of my favorite album. It’s called Dots and Loops by the band Stereolab. I can appreciate their music, but I really only listen to that album. Some of our other favorite bands are Wilco…
KH: My Morning Jacket-
ML: Grizzly Bear, St. Vincent-
KH: White Denim, Dirty Projectors. We’ve been compared to Dirty Projectors.
ML: Tune-Yards.
PC: How do you like to listen to music?
KH: Usually in the car, because we’re always on our way to someplace else.
ML: I’ve been using Spotify. I have mixed emotions about Spotify. As a consumer, it’s just so easy.
PC: And easy to curate playlists.
ML: Which is mostly what I do, make a bunch of playlists.
KH: It’s mostly through Spotify that we listen to stuff. Sometimes we still use CD’s and mix tapes that we’ve made.
ML: Sometimes radio. Rochester has amazing radio stations. Both WRUR and WITR are great. 95.1 WAYO is great. WBER is an institution. Both of our jazz stations. We listen to local radio in Rochester, but if there’s nothing on at the moment that I like, I’ll go back to Spotify.
PC: If you made a playlist right now, which songs would you include?
ML: I would grab maybe the song “Diagonals” from Stereolab.
KH: I would grab “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream, Part 2” by My Morning Jacket.
ML: That one’s great. I’ve been really digging Wilco’s album they put out last year. It’s called Schmilco. It’s pretty low key and acoustic. I would probably put “If I Ever Was a Child” on that.
KH: My next song would be “Huey Newton” by St. Vincent.
ML: “Unto Ceasar” by Dirty Projectors.
KH: I just thought of one. We didn’t mention the band earlier, but the song, I love it so much. “Great Curve” by Talking Heads. I love Talking Heads.
PC: What would you name this playlist?
ML: We might call it something like “Summer Slummer.” We usually aim for cheesy puns when naming things. More fun that way.
PC: Let’s talk about Fringe Fest. You will be playing at Java’s. Have you played there before?
KH: No, this will be our first time playing there. We love going there, so it will be nice to play there. I think our music always translates well in a coffee shop setting. Especially because Java’s is artsy and perfect for Fringe Fest.
Tart Vandelay will perform as a duo at Java’s Cafe in Rochester on Sunday, September 17 at 5 pm and Thursday, September 21 at 9 pm as part of Rochester Fringe Festival. Both shows are free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early for seating/standing room.
From Beethoven to the Beatles, Haydn to Harry Potter, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s coming season will delight classical and contemporary music lovers alike. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s 95th season starts with a special performance by violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman in September and ends in June with The Classical Mystery Tour (tribute to The Beatles) and a performance of Schumann’s Fourth.
We have an incredible season planned, with drama, romance, passion, and power as central themes, presented in many different forms throughout the year,” says RPO Music Director Ward Stare. “As always, audiences will experience music they know and love while hearing many new sounds along the way. There truly is something for everyone in our dynamic season ahead.”
Highlights of the season include breathtaking feats by PUSH Physical Theatre and illusionist Michael Grandinetti. Magic fans will also enjoy hearing the scores of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and E.T. The Extraterrestrial played live while watching the movies. The Planets: An HD Oddysey will pair space-themed music with NASA footage. The tunes of video games will come to life at RePlay: Symphony of Heroes – with arrangements from Halo, Kingdom Harts, BioShock, Final Fantasy, and more.
Michael Christie
This season also includes tributes to some of the greatest musicians of the past century. A cELLAbration: The Music of Ella & More showcases the powerful vocals of Carmen Bradford. Homage will be paid to the Beatles in celebration of the anniversary of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The White Album at the two nights of The Classical Mystery Tour. The Night of Symphonic Rockwill feature classic rock favorites including songs by Foreigner, Aerosmith, Queen, and Led Zepplin.
World-renown vocalists will accompany the orchestra. Award-winning superstar Audra McDonald will return for one night only to sing hits from Broadway, as well as some of her personal favorites. Ashley Brown makes her RPO debut with a selection of show tunes and Disney classics. Irish American folk singer Cathie Ryan is engaged for a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. In a celebration of Spanish music, Ravel’s Bolero will be sung by Isabel Leonard and folk songs will be sung by Enrique Granados and Manuel de Falla.
Classical music abounds with several nights dedicated to the music of composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Haydn, Vivaldi, Mahler, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Schumann. An annual tradition, The Nutcracker ballet returns to Rochester on Thanksgiving weekend. The RPO partners with the Rochester City Ballet again on February 8 and 10, performing Slavonic Dances by Dvorak. OrKIDstra returns, introducing children to the joy of classical music. The series includes Peter and the Wolf and Beethoven Lives Upstairs.
Tickets for individual shows are on sale Friday, July 28. Tickets for series have been on sale since February. The Itzhak Perlman performance on September 12 is nearly sold out. Through August 2, a “Buy One, Get One at 50% Off” special is being offered for Grieg’s Piano Concerto & Cinderella and A cELLAbration: The music of Ella and more. The offer is good on seats in zones 1 and 2 with promo code “RPOBOGO50.”
RPO 2017-2018 Season:
Sept. 12 – Itzhak Perlman – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Itzhak Perlman, violin.
Sept. 15 & 16 – A cELLAbration: The Music of Ella & More – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Jeff Tyzik, conductor; Carmen Bradford, vocals; Herb Smith, trumpet; Joe Locke, vibes; Brian Scanlon, saxophone.
Sept. 21 & 23 – Season Opener: Grieg’s Piano Concerto+ Cinderella – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Inon Barnatan, piano.
Oct. 5 & 7 – Ravel’s Bolero – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano.
Oct. 8, 2017 – Iolanthe: Opera for Kids 2 – Hochstein Performance Hall – Michael Butterman, conductor; Eastman School of Music vocal and opera students.
Oct. 19 & 21 – Seaman Conducts Mozare & Sibelius – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Christopher Seaman, Conductor Laureate; Joyce Yang, piano.
Oct. 26 – rePLAY: Symphony of Heroes – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Amy Andersson, guest conductor.
Oct. 29 – RPO Section Spotlight: Dvorak & More – Hochstein Performance Hall – Ward Stare, conductor.
Nov. 3 & 4 – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (TM) – In Concert – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
Nov. 5 – A Tour of World Flutes with Orchestra – Hochstein Performance Hall – Matthew Kraemer, guest conductor; Tereasa Payne, flute.
Nov. 9 & 11 – Olga Kern Plays Beethoven’s “Emperor” – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Olga Kern, piano.
Nov. 16 & 18 – Beethoven’s Ninth – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Eastman-Rochester Chorus.
Nov. 19 – Mendelssohn’s “Reformation” – Hochstein Performance Hall – Michael Butterman, conductor; Nazareth College Chamber Singers & Concert Choir.
Nov. 22, 24-26 – The Nutcracker – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Michael Butterman, conductor; Rochester City Ballet; Bach Children’s Chorus.
Dec. 10 – OrKIDstra Holiday Special: The Snowman and The Bear – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Dec. 14 & 16 – Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Michael Christie, guest conductor; Juliana Athayde, violin.
Dec. 21-23 – Gala Holiday Pops – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Jeff Tyzik, conductor; Festival High School Chorale.
Jan. 12 & 13 – E.T. the Extra Terrestrial in Concert – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
Jan. 14 – Bach & Brahms – Hochstein Performance Hall – Matthew Kraemer, guest conductor.
Jan. 18 & 20 – Night on Bald Mountain – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Marcelo Lehninger, guest conductor; Andrei Ionita, cello.
Jan. 25 – Audra McDonald – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Jan. 28 – Peter and the Wolf – Hochstein Performance Hall – Nazareth College Dance Ensemble.
Feb. 2 & 3 – Broadway’s Ashley Brown – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Jeff Tyzik, conductor; Ashley Brown, vocals.
Feb. 8 & 10 – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Rochester City Ballet; David Halen, violin.
Feb. 23 & 24 – Latin Heat with the Mambo Kings – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Jeff Tyzik, conductor; The Mambo Kings; Camille Zamora, vocals.
March 1 & 3 – Bernstein Centennial Celebration – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Misha Dichter, piano.
March 8 & 10 – Mahler 4 – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Emily Birsan, soprano.
March 16 & 17 – Celtic Celebration with Cathie Ryan – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Cathie Ryan, vocals.
March 22 & 24 – Tchaikovsky 5 + World Premiere – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Erik Behr, oboe.
April 13 & 14 – Breaking Boundaries with PUSH Physical Theatre – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Jeff Tyzik, conductor; PUSH Physical Theatre.
April 15 – Anderson & Roe Play Mozart – Hochstein Performance Hall – Michael Butterman, conductor & pianist; Anderson & Roe, pianists
April 19 & 21 – The Planets: An HD Odyssey – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Hans Graf, guest conductor.
April 28 – A Night of Symphonic Rock – Kodak Center for the Performing Arts
May 10 & 12 – Brahms 2 + World Premiere -Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor; Yolanda Kondonassis, harp.
May 11 – Michael Grandinetti – Illusionist – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
May 20 – Classical Kids: Beethoven Lives Upstairs – Hochstein Performance Hall
May 24 & 26 – Carmen in Concert – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Ward Stare, conductor.
June 1 & 2 – Classical Mystery Tour: 50th Anniversary of Sgt. Pepper and The White Album – Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre – Jeff Tyzik, conductor; Classical Mystery Tour.
June 3 – Schumann’s Fourth – Hochstein Performance Hall – Michael Butterman, conductor; Juliana Athayde, violin; W. Peter Kurau, horn.
We all know there are bands that ladies just dig, and groups with lyrics that can get the booty shaking while keeping it gritty enough for the guys to be able to pump their fists to as well are even better. You know there is a band that many of us can enjoy when we want a party type of sound. There is one band from Rochester, NY who can supply such great tunage. Who is this group that promises nothing but good grooves and chaos? Diluted of course my dear friends! With their EP, Never Fit In, you will find yourself dancing and shaking more than the time you tried to reenact the bar dancing scene from Coyote Ugly! Let us get this album review in full swing boys and girls!
The first track off this album “Better Living Through Hennessy” goes from 0-60 in less than 2 seconds into the album. The guitar styles of Helmer and Coffey will take you by storm. Their funky yet hardcore approach for this track is nothing but full of life! You will have yourself singing along with the lyrics while moving those two left feet of yours. Let me tell ya, nothing beats a good old fashioned song you can find yourself singing to in the car. This song is one of those jams I can see the whole venue singing along to with a couple drinks in hand!
If you like groups like Faith No More, who has a nice little mix of rap flow blended with some great punk related attitude, the track “Hipster Helmets & Harpsichords” will make those feet of yours go manic! I really enjoy this track from the get go! Like seriously digging it with my whiskey right now! The vocal approach by Mulligan and Coffey reminds me of the glory days of my youth with such bands like Neurosonic and Skindred. Excellent destructive vocal execution fused with modern hip-hop type of lyrical construction made this song stand out the most to me personally. The most fascinating part of this track is the communication between West (drums) and Kimak (bass), which really lays down the foundation for the energy of this sweet tune! The beat is never lost and you can really swing your body to it all the way through! This will be the jam the ladies will be losing their minds to. Look out fellas, we have some bonafide lady killers on our hands!
Now this album has some great party songs on it, but it also contains great heavy tunes like “Sledge Hovercraft.” Much like the other tracks on the EP, it has a great flow with both the lyrics and musicianship. You can tell the boy’s formula is spot on with this gem! The screeching sound of the vocals on the track will make you bang your head! If you want some Red Hot Chili Peppers type funky style with your hardcore music, but want to be mad as hell at the same time, well this track is for you. This song is made for the guys hands down. If you get drunk enough and want to start a bar brawl, this will be your theme song for the ring.
Over all there are so many other great tracks on this album from Diluted. I wouldn’t think I would find myself enjoying a band like this, but I am hooked and I cannot stop blasting this. My fingers are starting to bleed from pressing the repeat button so many times! Go out and buy this sick product of jams! 4 stars out of 5 for sure! Go check out their page. You will not regret it, I promise you!
Key Tracks: Better living Through Hennessy, Sledge Hovercraft, Hipster Helmets & Harpsichords
There’s only one way to cool yourself down on these thermal, mid-summer nights and that’s to let loose and do some swimmin’. Vermont outfit, Swimmer, resides just a stone’s throw away from New York in the jam-centered, musical hub that is Burlington, VT. As a well-known Burlington band having held an impressive residency slot at Nectar’s and previously opening up for the likes of Dopapod, the quintet made it a point to splash into unexplored territories, cities and states in order to further their rising presence in the jam community.
Welcoming the conception of their first-ever U.S. tour, the guys already completed stint one with stops across the Northeast. They hit NY specifically, with a July 2 show at Silvana in Harlem and a July 7 gig at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC before they dipped their toes into WV, NC, VA and DC. Their second voyage will see more NY dates, beginning with back-to-back stops at Plattsburgh’s Retro Live on Aug. 3 and Buffalo’s Neitzsche’s on Aug. 4 while gearing up to make their first appearance out West in Muncie, IN, Boulder and Denver, CO. They’ll return to MA and ultimately their Burlington swim hole for an appropriate tour closer at Nectar’s and a festival stop at Beaver Fest from Aug. 25-26.
Heavily influenced by artists such as Phish, Frank Zappa and The Disco Biscuits, Joe Agnello (guitar/vocals), Matt Dolliver (keys/saxophone), Cotter Ellis (drums/vocals), Paul Klein (guitar) and Jack Vignone (bass), encompass an encyclopedia of jam, progressive and experimental rock styles, blending them together to create a waterfall of elements all their own. Troy Rosenberg was recently introduced to the Swim team to manage stellar light shows to supplement Swimmer’s engaging and improvisational live performances.
Summer tour has given Swimmer the platform to promote their latest album, No Shape. The release compiles tunes they’ve been delighting fans with for quite some time, such as “Undercover Junkie,” while introducing fresh tunes for fans to float in, like fan-favorite “Godmeat” and “Schwack,” featuring Nate Reit on trumpet. No Shape gives any new swim-fan an in-depth look as to what the group is all about. As any jam band fan would explain, the full experience resides within the magical atmosphere of their live shows. The band’s ability to roll out extensive jams within any given song makes for a unique gig each night, always keeping the crowd fully engaged with a toss up of treats. For more of Swimmer’s live shows and to listen to their studio work, be sure to visit their Bandcamp.
If you don’t know these guys, catch them on the second leg of their summer tour. Get acquainted, get aquatic and check out their tour dates below!
Lakeshore Record Exchange announced that it will be closing the doors of its retail shop this summer. This cornerstone of the Rochester music community specialized in alternative music, especially rare and imported items. Starting next week on Monday, they will begin liquidating their inventory. The store will close once it’s empty. A farewell event is scheduled for September 20, with a live performance from Australia’s Severed Heads.
Time, technology and the ways in which people consume music have have changed, and in doing so have brought the Lakeshore Record Exchange’s purpose for being to its natural conclusion. – Andrew Chinnici, President
While the store at 307 Park Avenue is closing, the ancillary activities will continue. AlternativeMusic.com will continue to deliver alternative music online and through streaming apps. The Alternative Music Film Society will also live on with monthly screenings at the Memorial Art Gallery, located at 500 University Avenue. This month’s offering, Garbage One Mile High Live, will take place on Thursday, July 20 at 6:45 p.m. Admission is free.
The farewell show will also take place at the Memorial Art Gallery. This is one of a handful of U.S. shows Severed Heads will be playing this fall. The event starts at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 20. Tickets are on sale for $20 in advance at Lakeshore Record Exchange or Memorial Art Gallery, or online with a small delivery fee. Tickets will be $25 on the day of the event.
Follow Lakeshore Record Exchange on Facebook for more information and updates.
American Acoustic is a dream-come-true tour for bluegrass and Americana fans. The all-male super-group-in-reverse 
Both bands have new unreleased albums but only Hollywood Undead have officially released details on their new album titled Five (stylized as V), while Butcher Babies have only stated on social media that they have finished recording a third full length album only referred to as BB3, presumably Butcher Babies 3. Tickets go on sale Friday July 28 at 10:00 a.m., with prices ranging from $25 to $30. This show will be 16 and up.
Paula Cummings: The name Tart Vandelay, does everyone get that it’s a Seinfeld reference, or are there people who don’t?
PC: I’ve seen you on stage, and it looks like you’re having so much fun.
PC: What do you like to listen to?
The first track off this album “Better Living Through Hennessy” goes from 0-60 in less than 2 seconds into the album. The guitar styles of Helmer and Coffey will take you by storm. Their funky yet hardcore approach for this track is nothing but full of life! You will have yourself singing along with the lyrics while moving those two left feet of yours. Let me tell ya, nothing beats a good old fashioned song you can find yourself singing to in the car. This song is one of those jams I can see the whole venue singing along to with a couple drinks in hand!