NYS Music 20​17

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  • Space Carnival to Headline Brooklyn Bowl in October

    One of our own 87/90 bands Space Carnival is headlining Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, October 24!

    Space Carnival brooklynCatch Space Carnival in their first time headlining at Brooklyn Bowl! Also performing that night are Goose and The Southern Belles. Doors open at 6pm, and music kicks off at 8pm. Tickets just went on sale this afternoon, so be sure to grab them quickly here!

    Space Carnival blends high-energy disco, funk, and progressive rock into an interplanetary performance. Formed in Spring 2013, Space Carnival consists of Jeremy Kraus on Guitar, Cameron Fitch on Keys and Vocals, Chris Meier on Bass, and Nick Tassinari on drums. The quartet began honing their live sound when they launched into the Oneonta music scene in Fall of 2013. Space Carnival keeps a consistent, fun, and fresh energy by rotating set lists, adding covers and confidently debuting original material. This four piece is sure to have you dancing with their form of loose funk and relentless slippery disco.

    Find out more about the event here.

  • Hearing Aide: Ocular Panther ‘Insistences’

    Ocular Panther, a prog rock band hailing from Rochester, NY, recently released their new album Insistences. With interesting chord progressions and guitar riffs, each song has a new, fresh sound that is easily distinct from the rest. Each track has an extremely full sound through the harmonies of each instrument, giving way to one large, almost orchestral sound. The band consists of members Jason Gilly (bass), Michael Pantano (guitar/programming), Collin Jones (guitar), and Tristan Greene (Drums).

    The largest thing that sticks out is the repetition of the beginning riffs. Everything starts out simple and gradually builds almost to the point of being out of  control but is as chaotic as can be while remaining clean. In “Protactinium” the basis of the whole song stems from the beginning guitar riff, which is gradually added on to with accents from other instruments, leading up to a finale ripping guitar solo and finally ending with a sudden halt amidst all the disarray while avoiding a sloppy finish.

    The final track “Ellipses” is easily the most avant garde of the whole album. Filled with white noise and other sounds indicative of outer space, the title of the track is a message that there is a lot more to come from this band.  So, prog rock fans get ready, because Ocular Panther isn’t finished yet!

    Key Tracks: Protactinium, Marking Houses, Ellipses

  • JRAD Announces Extensive Fall Tour, Including 10+ East Coast Dates

    During an absolute barrage of topnotch shows and tours coming up this fall, one revelation proves to be the most stirring.  Joe Russo’s Almost Dead have carved more than a niche for themselves in the current jam rock landscape, and it’s reflected in their unbelievable ticket sales and current momentum.  Joe and the boys gained some real notoriety over the summer, playing and arranging the Dead’s music in a genuinely awe inspiring style at several festival dates including Peach Festival and two nights of Lockn, as well as a sold out two-night run at the Capitol Theater.  Beginning in October, the RADness will continue with six sold out dates at the Brooklyn Bowl, with the first run being Oct. 5-7 and the second weekend being the 12-14.  Following later that month will be a pre-party for Hulaween Festival down at Suwannee in Florida.  After a brief west coast sabbatical, JRAD will be back in late November for several more sold out bangers in Philadelphia and Boston. See below for full schedule.

    Having already seen over 10 JRAD shows this year, nothing excites me more than a proper tour just over the horizon.  Call ’em a cover band all you want; they’re playing the Dead’s music better than any touring band in the scene is playing their own music currently.  The quartet is beyond a force to be reckoned with.

    Tour Dates:

    At the Brooklyn Bowl – October 5*, 6*, 7*, 12*, 13*, 14*

    At Suwannee Halloween – October 26

    At the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, CA – November 9*, 10*

    At the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA – November 11*

    At the Fillmore Philadelphia – November 24, 25*

    At Dominican Holidaze in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – December 1

    At the House of Blues in Boston, MA – December 8*, 9*

    *= SOLD OUT

  • Vulfpeck Rocks Brooklyn Steel With Sold Out Show

    The Ann Arbor, Michigan born quartet Vulfpeck took the Brooklyn Steel stage Friday, September 8, as well as the following weekend, before departing for their upcoming tour in Europe. The venue holds a max capacity of 1800, as well as multiple bar areas and a mezzanine. The Brooklyn Steel is a popular new theatre in Brooklyn, and was the perfect setting for Vulfpeck to perform a great show. The show was entirely sold out, but the crowd was very laid back before the show started, something not common in a crowded setting like this.

    Multi-instrumentalist Joey Dosik was the opening act for the night, but he was not alone, accompanied by Vulfpeck’s Theo Katzman. Katzman played both bass and drums for this portion of the evening. Dosik elicited large amounts of excitement from the crowd, who seemed to be starstruck by his acapella rendition of “Stories” by Bill Withers. His tone and dynamic control were something to behold, and he seemed to be humbled by the praise he received. When his set ended, he then joined Vulfpeck on the stage and played along side them for the rest of the night, this time equipped with a saxophone. The vibe of the show was incredible.

    While Vulfpeck performed, everyone in the venue became a unit. There was a magnetic pull that draped over the crowd like a blanket, and it seemed that not one person was standing still. With high energy, dancing, and lots of hollering, the people of the crowd could be seen having the time of their lives, living in the moment and through the songs the band banged out with expertise. Vulfpeck’s setlist for the evening contained some of their most iconic songs, such as “Daddy’s Got A Tesla,” “Game Winner,” and “Back Pocket.” However, not one song was played live in the same style as the studio version. Improvisation was a driving force at this show in the best way possible. They fed off of each other musically, trading ideas and including the crowd whenever possible.

    vulfpeck brooklyn steelThe crowd harmonized as a group a number of times, the harmonies led by Theo Katzman. Not only that, but Vulfpeck spoke to the crowd like they would to a friend. The atmosphere was comfortable, and Vulfpeck made it easy to relax and enjoy a quality night of music. The acoustics of the venue were crisp, making each sound travel smooth and clear. Vulfpeck is a force to be reckoned with, being arguably one of the most diverse and unique music groups in the scene as of right now.

  • Exclusive Premiere of ‘ANTS’ by NYC Ensemble Shouthouse

    Shouthouse, a 16-piece chamber orchestra from New York City has released their latest has released their single “ANTS” through NYS Music. Combining elements of jazz, hip-hop, and classical music, Shouthouse brings together talented artists from various backgrounds to achieve a new form of expression through powerful music while telling stories through notes, structures and words.

    ShoutHouse began in 2012 as members of the afrobeat/hip-hop band Yes Noyes collaborated with orchestral musicians and composers. Over the past five years, the group has grown into a small orchestra and a large community of performing artists. Altogether, the project includes more than fifty musicians, dancers, visual artists, poets, and rappers. In 2016, Shouthouse worked with hophop and classical dancers, to develop choreographed performances, first presented at The DiMenna Center as part of their CrossCurrents series.

    “ANTS” is part of a series of pieces that reflect on New York City, imagined through different time periods. Shouthouse’s upcoming album has pieces that are about the distant past, 1940’s New York, and the distant, dystopian future. For “ANTS”, pianist Will Healy shares “We were thinking about what modern life is like in an urban hive – a combination of massive, overwhelming concrete and exhilarating, fast-paced life. The track is constantly active with notes and fast changes, and the lyrics are full of stories, metaphors and references that all circle back to the concept of being a part of modern day life as specks in the big city.”

    “ANTS” features Bush Tea and Nuri Hazzard, with music by Will Healy. The song was produced by Harrison Keithline and Tyler Wood and mixed and engineered by Jack Frerer, with additional editing from Mikkel Christensen and Skei’n Studios. Shouthouse’s orchestra includes Megan Atchley (violin), Allison Mase (violin), Drew Forde (viola), Olivia Harris (cello), Luiz Bacchi (bass), Jack Gulielmetti (electric guitar), David Valbuena (clarinet), Kelley Barnett (flute) Jesse Greenberg (vibraphone/glockenspiel), Aaron Ewing (drumset), Will Healy (piano) and conducted by Alex Burtzos.

    Stay tuned next week for the premiere of Shouthouse’s video for “Ants,” exclusively from NYS Music. Follow Shouthouse on Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud and YouTube.

  • Kettlefest to Feature Homegrown Music

    The lineup for this year’s KettleFest includes Anastazja, Some Ska Band, Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers and String Chickens. The one day celebration of sustainable farming takes place in on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Kettle Ridge Farm in Victor, NY. In addition to music, there will be workshops, children’s events, crafts from local artisans, and a wide selection of food and beverages.

    kettlefestAdmission is $6, and children under 13 are free. Kettleridge Farm is located at 515 Log Cabin Road in Victor, NY. For more information, visit the Kettlefest website.

    Music Schedule:

    Main Stage:
    – 10:15 a.m. – Anastazja
    – 12:15 p.m. – Some Ska Band
    – 2:15 p.m. – Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers

    Porch Stage:
    – 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – String Chickens

    kettlefest

  • Vintage League Music – Rekindling True Musical Production

    It seems that our society is finding comfort in nostalgia more and more every day- “It” and “Star Wars” reboots are in theaters, Dave Chappelle is back on stage and vinyl records are back on store shelves. Some say they like the sound quality and others just like the idea of having a tangible collection. Whatever the reason may be, artists are taking notice and it has sparked the imagination of great producers and musicians like musical prodigy Alan Evans of Soulive. The popularity of vinyl and today’s recording styles have pushed him to create something truly unique.

    Evans said he is “… taking it back to the basics,” with his creation of the Vintage League Music (VLM). The idea behind this project is to allow musicians to create a “‘Singles’ way of releasing music worldwide both digitally and physically on vinyl records.” In a press release, Evans said that when music was printed on vinyl records, most recordings were released days after the master track was finished, keeping the music fresh and the listeners engaged. Evans intends to recreate this process and will release 7” and 12” vinyl, digital singles and full length albums from all groups that work with VLM.

    NYS Music spoke with Evans to get a deeper understanding of how and why he created this project.

    The focus of Vintage League Music is to release 7″ singles both vinyl and digitally. This gives us and the artists a lot of freedom in terms of release schedules but also in terms of creating the music. I just want to create a very relaxed environment for artists to create something new. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played or seen shows during Jazz Fest, on Jam Cruise or any number of festivals where some magic happens on stage with people you have never played with before. I want Vintage League Music to be the place where this all can happen (one single or a triple album).

    So far, five groups have started working with VLM, most of which Evans has had a hand in, and have all released a single available for streaming on the VLM site. As of now, Evans said the vinyl is going to be released very soon and thanks to Fat Beats, they will be available wherever people are buying records now. Those who are interested in this project can go to the VLM site and find samples from each band.

    Recently released projects include:

    Crowd Company – “ Saw You Yesterday” – “An 8-piece modern take on vintage soul funk. Brimming with energy and a raw edge, catchy hooks, and tight grooves. The band combines a retro Hammond organ-based sound with a virtuoso horn section, soulful lead, and harmony vocals.”

    This is the only group currently affiliated with VLM that has a predicted full album release date. Their single “Saw You Yesterday” is available for download on Amazon, iTunes and Spotify but a full length, 13-track album will be released digitally Oct. 20.

    Matador! Soul Sounds – “Get Ready” – “Matador Soul Sounds was born from the vision of Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds) and Alan Evans (Soulive). Combining the dynamism of each band leader, the music they have created is brand new, hard hitting and drenched with their shared musical passions – jazz, funk & soul.”

    This will be the first group to release a 7” single during their first official performance at the Brooklyn Bowl, Sept. 23 during Brooklyn Comes Alive. Alan says the full length album will be released at the beginning of 2018.

    Agent 3 – “Mission Received” – On stage, Agent 3 is a band that tours the world playing music for adoring fans. Off stage, Agent 3 operating under Management, is a band of spies that surgically eliminates secret governments, terrorist groups, corrupt politicians and evil spy organizations.

    Agent 3 will release a full length album serving as the story’s soundtrack to a comic book that is planed to be released.

    4 Brothers – “No. 2” – Spiritual-Soul-Rock-Jazz. This is a concept record – put a pair of successful “brother” musicians together with another pair of successful brothers and see what happens. This one has a buzz before a single note is released.

    Alan says they are planning on releasing 4 Brother as digital 7″ versions (two songs at a time) towards the end of this year and on vinyl early 2018.

    Rolland Blackrock – “Buffalo” – Black Rock from the blackest rocker on the scene – Roland Blackrock. Soulive’s Alan Evans goes (sort of) undercover to create a Lenny-Kravitz-meets-Sly-Stone style Masterpiece.

    The Roland Blackrock album is planned to be released digitally as volumes 1, 2 & 3 spring of 2018 along with a 12″ vinyl version.

    Without the breath of big record labels steaming down musicians’ backs, Evans says there is more opportunity for spontaneity. He said some of his best work came from fiddling around on his guitar and believes up and coming groups can create some incredible work through the same process. He believes that great ideas have gone to waste because nowadays, bands see time in the studio as just a time to record, not experiment, and Evans intends to change that idea.

    This project is still in it’s early stages but is definitely worth keeping tabs on. VLM can be found on multiple social sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and has kept a steady flow of information coming since its start.

  • Hüsker Dü’s Grant Hart Dead at 56

    Grant Hart, drummer and one third of the highly influential St. Paul, MN band Hüsker Dü has succumbed to cancer at the age of 56, according to Variety. The announcement was made through an uncaptioned photo of Hart on Hüsker Dü’s Facebook page posted around 2 a.m. Thursday.

    https://www.facebook.com/huskerduofficial/posts/2065361240366226:0

    Hart met singer/guitarist Bob Mould and bassist Greg Norton in 1978 at the Cheapo Records where Hart worked. As Hart remarked in a July 2000 interview with The Onion, it wasn’t so much what the three had in common that brought Hüsker Dü together as a band, but their differences. Hart was a champion of the local scene while Mould was a fan of the punk being made on the East Coast and largely unavailable in the midwest.

    The band’s hardcore sound evolved into a more melodic style, earning them airplay on college radio stations around the country. Hüsker Dü’s first release, the single “Statues” was released in 1981 on the band’s own label Reflex Records. Hart’s songwriting contributions were a stark contrast to Mould’s more bitter lyrical style, offering ranging subjects in songs like “Diane” and “It’s Not Funny Anymore,” his contributions to the band’s EP Metal Circus.

    Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist Mike Watt offered his condolences in a Facebook post early Thursday:

    https://www.facebook.com/wattfrompedro/posts/10155654920454666

    Hüsker Dü’s breakthrough came on the seminal double album Zen Arcade, released in 1984. That same year Watt’s Minutemen also released their high watermark Double Nickels on the Dime, both on Greg Ginn’s SST label. The two bands toured together often in the early years and formed a bond in the process.

    Hart was the subject of the 2013 documentary Every Everything: The Music, Life and Times of Grant Hart. The film gives a unique inside view of Hart the man and Hart the musician from his youth up to the recording of his final studio album The Argument, a concept album based on John Milton’s Paradise Lost.

    Hüsker Dü proved to be a huge influence on what would become the alternative scene of the early 1990s with bands such as the Pixies and Nirvana citing them as an influence. Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic once said,”What Nirvana did was nothing new; Hüsker Dü did it before us.” Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters has cited Hart as a huge early influence on his style of play.

    The band was one of the first of the early ’80s punk/hardcore scene to score a major label record deal, signing with Warner Brothers for 1986’s Candy Apple Grey. However, it wasn’t long before tensions between Mould and Hart would lead to the dissolution of the band on the tour for its final album together, the 1987 double album Warehouse: Songs and Stories.

    The acrimony continued until just recently when the two performed on stage together at a July show in Minneapolis that also included fellow Minnesotans Babes in Toyland and Soul Asylum. At the end of a set that saw Hart perform several both solo and Hüsker Dü works, Hart signed off simply, “We’ll see you a bit further down the trail.”

    Mould paid tribute to his bandmate in a Facebook post early Thursday, saying:

    We stopped working together in January 1988. We went on to solo careers, fronting our own bands, finding different ways to tell our individual stories. We stayed in contact over the next 29 years — sometimes peaceful, sometimes difficult, sometimes through go-betweens. For better or worse, that’s how it was, and occasionally that’s what it is when two people care deeply about everything they built together.

    The tragic news of Grant’s passing was not unexpected to me. My deepest condolences and thoughts to Grant’s family, friends, and fans around the world.

    Grant Hart was a gifted visual artist, a wonderful story teller, and a frighteningly talented musician. Everyone touched by his spirit will always remember.

    Godspeed, Grant. I miss you. Be with the angels.

    Just last week, it was announced that a new Hüsker Dü box set entitled Savage Young Dü will be released in November. The three-disc box includes 69 tracks recorded during the band’s pre-SST days from 1979-1983 including all of their 7″ singles, a remastered version of their second album Everything Falls Apart and an alternate recording of the debut, Land Speed Record. Also included in the set is a booklet chronicling the band’s early years.

    In a 2009 interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Hart offered the following on his legacy:

    A long time ago, I started looking at my permanent record — the history of me after I’m gone. Even to speak of it reeks of egotism run wild. But I think when all is said and done, the work that I produced in this lifetime will more than repay the world for any inconvenience I’ve caused it.

    Hart is survived his wife Bridget and a son.

  • Photo Gallery: The Werks at Bearsville Theater

    The Werks arrived in Bearsville, NY fresh off a performance at Last Daze of Summer Music Festival in Sterling, NY. They capped off Labor Day weekend with their first ever show at Bearsville Theater, with an opening performance by Dharma Bums.

    Photos by Jim Rice

    Setlist: Fire Eater, Fly Like an Eagle, Slab, Waiting Room>Lights Out, Drop, Duck Farm

    Encore: Into the Moss

    the werks bearsville

  • Wild Woods Festival: An Intimate Affair

    Driving up the long dirt road to Page Farm, you start to realize just how far away from civilization you are. The trees get thicker, the houses scarcer. This comes as very good news because things get a little crazy once the sun sets on Wild Woods Festival.

    This small festival comes from the minds of Greenvibe Entertainment and founder Ryan Dubois. In its fourth year, Wild Woods had its best year yet, unfolding August 11-13. There’s something amazing about this place that you just can’t seem to put your finger on. It has an almost familiar feel to it.

    The campgrounds are tucked away in the forest, trails winding through with lights hanging overhead for when the day gets dark. As you walk out from your site, you pass a vendor village with treasures and trinkets of all kinds. A little further, you pass through a towering gate into an open field. Surrounded by trees on every side, you can’t help but feel at home. Every inch of the grounds feels like the woods you played in as a child. Except here, there was a wonderful lineup of music to be played.

    Strange Machines kicked off Friday with a bang. I said it last year and I’ll say it again this year: these guys had the best dance party of the weekend. Not to say it was the biggest, but the crowd was definitely dancing the hardest. Kung Fu gave us a huge dose of funk before the sun set on Page Farm and things took a very different turn. Supersyllius was joined by Lespecial for his “Lifeband” set. The main stage closed with a long intimate set from Papadosio. The crowd was really feeling it. The stage may have been small but The Reliquarium display that surrounded the stage was lit with mapped visuals. The night ended with sets from Lespecial, Esseks and Jade Cicada, rolling everyone into the early morning.

    Saturday was really quite a surprise. The threat of rain was constant and lightning in the distance was alarming at times but never came too close. Honestly, it made the whole night that much more memorable. The slight drizzle that came with it danced off of the lights and lasers. Local favorites, Harsh Armadillo, really brought the crowd to life that evening. It’s really hard not to dance to their high energy funk. The same could be said though for Hayley Jane and the Primates and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, both giving the crowd incredible shows. Hayley Jane was accompanied by her good friends in The What Collective. Their choreographed dancing was a really cool touch for the Primates’ set.

    New Hampshire’s own Roots of Creation played a very unique “dubtronica” set for the crowd. This is something the band is pretty used to playing. They love to put their own spin on the dub/reggae sound so it was a real treat to be able to get a lot more out of this set. Greenvibe was really proud to have Papadosio join the Wild Woods lineup this year, and the crowd was more than thankful. Their incredibly beautiful and deep tracks filled the field with violin and heavy bass sounds. The whole festival was in attendance for this set. The night finished with a huge set from Mr. Bill and Govinda played us deep into the morning with his mesmerizing tracks. Music bounced off the tents and tarps until the sun rose.

    The weekend was full of fun and laughter. The Wild Woods fam is a real thing, a real feeling you get after a weekend with these characters. Hopefully Wild Woods will return next year. If so, we can be sure that it will continue to live up to its name.

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