Tedeschi Trucks Band‘s Wheels of Soul tour rolled into Saratoga Springs on July 3 with rock legends of new and old, The Wood Brothers and Hot Tuna. Hot Tuna performed with their electric trio, featuring Justin Guip of Levon Helm Band on drums and two energized 70+ year old rock legends, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, strutting through classics and bouncing around the stage. The Wood Brothers brought a stripped down sound that was full of gusto, including spirited renditions of “Luckiest Man” and a set closing “Ophelia.”
Tedeschi Trucks Band stole the show and brought the audience to their feet numerous times throughout the show, sparking the crowd on this 4th of July weekend as though they had bought tickets for spiritual renewal. In many ways, that is what the night provided. TTB opened the night with a cover of Derek and the Dominoes’ “Anyday” with Mike Mattison providing ample vocal support to Susan Tedeschi. (Coincidentally, on June 16, Bobby Whitlock of Derek and the Dominoes opened his show at The Egg with the same track off Layla and Assorted Love Songs.)
“Don’t Know What It Means” was one of the numerous times Susan showed off her powerful vocals, as well as Kebbi Williams’ jazz chops, during a breakdown at the end with drummers Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson. Susan didn’t let up by then belting out “Anyhow,” supercharging the venue with three big band numbers to kick the set off. Carey Frank, filling in for the recovering Kofi Burbridge, made his presence known on “Let Me Get By” and “Save Me,” adding to the big band sound as the show wound down. Rock goddess Susan and husband Derek put on a clinic of blues guitar, pounding out powerful chords and engaging the audience, eliciting cheers as peaks were reached, only to then be taken higher and higher. The final songs of the set bookended a monster rock ‘n’ roll show that had hardly a mellow moment.
For the encore, a perfect tribute to the late Gregg Allman in “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” preceded Susan’s calm rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?,” one that made it feel like we were at a revival and ready to head out and preach her good word. To close the night, “Made Up Mind” allowed all vocalists, including Mattison, Mark Rivers and Alecia Chakour, to show off their vocal chops. Susan then asked the audience to offer birthday wishes to a member of the TTB crew, Bobby, by singing “Happy Birthday” to him, an exclamation point on a night of pure rock ‘n’ roll.
Welcome back campers! The Disco Biscuits are bringing Camp Bisco XV back to Montage Mountain again this year for the third time on July 13, 14 and 15. The line-up is shared by both jambands and EDM acts along with a few other genres thrown in.
The headliners feature some usual suspects and past Camp Bisco alumni. The beats will be thumping to start things up on Thursday with Griz and Gramatik along with the Disco Biscuits playing a set to give everyone a taste of that thing they call Bisco. On the more ethereal side, Emancipator and Nightmares on Wax are not to be missed.
Things get a little more jammy on Saturday with two more sets of Biscuits, Lotus, Twiddle and Sphongle live. If you are at Camp to wait for the next drop, you can get your fill at Bassnectar. For more sexy beats, make sure to check out Classixx. The Disco Biscuits end things off on Saturday with 3 sets, the last of which will almost certainly feature a Basis. Pretty Lights live band and Action Bronson round out the headliners for the final night. Want to party like you’re at Studio 54? Check out Escort! For that Union Station feel, check out Too Many Zoos.
If you want to keep the party going into the night than the Renegade stage is for you. Located in the RV lot, this stage will start up after midnight, featuring a takeover by a different label each night. On Thursday will be Sermon, Friday Mr. Bugsly, and Saturday Good Looks.
Then of course, there is the ultimate Camp event, Color War! Returning for year 12, Color War features friendly yet competitive team events (this year it’s Biscuits fans vs Bassnectar fans for the ultimate bragging rights) including Capture the Rage Stick, SpacebirdVolleyball, Disco Biscuits Trivia and so much more! Read our profile on Color War from last year’s Camp and sign up on Friday to join the teams for one of the best Camp traditions going 12 years strong!
Tickets for Camp Bisco are on sale on here. There you can find 3 Day, Camping, Saturday, Box Seat and VIP passes. See you on the mountain!
Sterling Stage Ameribeat will send off on Thursday, July 13 and patrons will return home the morning of Monday, July 18. For anyone with their calendars out, Sterling Stage Last Daze 2017 will take place August 31 through September 3.
Take a peek below and click the play button. You’ll find a Rochester Groovecast podcast episode. This episode is a preview of the upcoming Sterling Stage Ameribeat Festival. During the episode, you’ll listen to Baked Potatoes, Barroom Philosophers, Boogie Low, Chris James and Mama G, GPGDS, New Daze, Personal Blend, Sophistafunk, Space Carnival, Subsoil and The Medicinals. All of these bands will (of course) be at this year’s Sterling Stage Ameribeat. Get your tickets here!
If you peek even farther below, you’ll find an episode timestamp, full artist lineup, and full schedule. Enjoy!
Friday July 14
2pm – Baked Potatoes – Main Stage
3:10pm – Johnny Richards – Sinatra Lounge
4pm – Space Carnival – Main Stage
5:10pm – Missing Keys – Sinatra Lounge
6pm – Funknut – Main Stage
7:10pm – Subsoil – Sinatra Lounge
8pm – Kung Fu – Main Stage
9:10pm – Subsoil – Sinatra Lounge
10pm – Kung Fu – Main Stage
11:30pm – Campfire Session w/Annie In The Water – Sinatra Lounge
Saturday July 15
12pm – Jack & The Jukebox – Main Stage
1:10pm – Boogie Low – Sinatra Lounge
2pm – Barroom Philosophers – Main Stage
3:10pm – Boogie Low – Sinatra Lounge
4pm – The Buddhahood – Main Stage
5:10pm – Personal Blend – Sinatra Lounge
6pm – Sophistafunk – Main Stage
7:10pm – Personal Blend – Sinatra Lounge
8pm – Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad – Main Stage
9:10pm – Ameribeat Parade w/ The Buddhahood – Infield
10pm – Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad – Main Stage
11:30pm – Campfire Session w/Sophistafunk – Sinatra Lounge
Sunday July 16
12pm – Wheelwright – Main Stage
1:10pm – Paul LeClair – Sinatra Lounge
2pm – Old Deer Ensemble – Main Stage
3:10pm – Chris Eves – Sinatra Lounge
4pm – Natty Meds – Main Stage
5:10pm – Chris Eves – Sinatra Lounge
6pm – The Medicinals – Main Stage
7:10pm – The New Daze – Sinatra Lounge
8pm – Skunk City Collective – Main Stage
9:10pm – The New Daze – Sinatra Lounge
10pm – Skunk City Collective – Main Stage
11:30pm – Campfire Session w/ Chris James & Mama G – Sinatra Lounge
Sitting down to drink a beer with a band is an experience for which every journalist yearns. I had the pleasant opportunity to sit down with Guitar/Vocalist Jeffery Kueber and Keyboard/Saxophone/Vocalist Mathew Lester of Buffalo’s Funktional Flow for an interview
The meet-up took place at Three Heads Brewery in Rochester, NY. Over a heady Three Heads Brewery beer, we discussed Flowfest, Night Lights Music Festival, The Great Blue Heron Music Festival and Cobblestone live. We also discussed the birth of the band, their long-term growth and a few of their influences. In reality, we just sat down and chatted. It was a ton of fun!
The conversation was recorded in full and used as a “Rochester Groovecast” podcast episode. The episode also contains two Funktional Flow tracks, “Back Door” and “Time Will Tell.”
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.
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.
Lopez, 22 years old from West Virginia, was named best new artist by Rolling Stone Magazine at Americana Fest in 2015 and was a finalist on American Idol in 2013.
Christian Lopez Band shows are legendary because of high energy and a range of music which includes a mix of music from his debut album Onward, material from a forthcoming new album and covers of fun material. The band performs an amazing cover of the Bill Withers tune “Use Me Up,” The Beatles song “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” and Levon Helm’s “Hurricane” which he performed with Levon’s daughter Amy Helm on the 2017 Cayamo Cruise.
Because the Boilermaker Road Race is on Sunday morning, the show starts early at 5 PM.
Tickets are just $20 and include food and beverages. This is an all-ages show.
TreadWater is an integral part of Rochester’s thriving underground music scene. As well as their own musical contribution, a member of the band is actively involved in fostering the growth of the DIY community by arranging shows for local and traveling up-and-coming indie artists.
NYS Music met up with TreadWater members Steve Haramis, Caleb Barefoot, and Adam Kramer at Vineyard Community Space. This foursquare house owned by Monroe Park Vineyard Church sits beside a former church converted into an arcade. Like the place where they practice and perform, TreadWater is a study in contrast – their music is hardcore at heart, but full of surprising elements such as classic rock beats, crisp guitar riffs, tempo changes, and melodic segments.
Photo by Corinne Cummings
Paula Cummings: Tell me about the formation of the band. You guys got together last year, right?
Steve Haramas: We were all in bands previously together. Adam and Caleb were in Rhema most recently, and before that Adam and I were in a band called Endangered Youth. I said “We should be in a hardcore band.” So that was it. It was that easy. I think when you’ve been friends for years, you don’t have to talk about it, you just do it. We practiced for a couple months, tried to find what kind of sound we wanted.
Adam Kramer: I feel like things came together pretty quickly because we have a chemistry because we’ve all played together.
Caleb Barefoot: My band before played with Endangered Youth quite a few times, so we knew each other from playing shows together since 2013.
PC: How did you decide on a band name?
AK: It was a long process.
SH: It’s never been that hard to name a band. Every other band I’ve been in was it was like “That’s the band name, there it is.” (snaps fingers)
CB: You usually have an idea of what the band’s going to sound like and you pick a name to fit the style. That’s easy. But with this, we talk about influences and what we’re good at playing. We went into it not knowing what to expect or what would come of it. We had been writing a lot. We had the EP written before we came up with a name. Once you have so much written it’s hard to come up with what the band means. It’s like working backwards, I guess. Trying to get the name to fit the band rather than the band fitting into the name.
SH: I think that’s good because when you try to follow the footsteps of the name or a certain sound you’re restricted to that thing. We just let it go where it went and named it based on that.
CB: We had a couple stand-in names, but then one practice Steve said, “I have a name, how about Treading Water.” And I said, “What about TreadWater, because Zao, a band we like, has an album called Treadwater. It fits our style.
PC: You guys have a really interesting sound. Who are some of the bands who have influenced you?
CB: Other than Rhianna?
SH: Some are unconscious. You start playing, then you go back and you hear things. But nothing is consciously in my head like, “I want this to sound like that.” The influence is unconscious.
CB: We listen to a lot of the same bands: Solid State, Tooth and Nail Records, mid-2000’s.
AK: Early metalcore.
CB: Early hardcore crossover into metalcore.
SH: Zao, obviously.
CB: Norma Jean, Chariot.
AK: Early Underoath.
SH: I listen to a lot of 90’s screamo, too.
PC: So how do you get your sound? What gear are you using?
CB: You push it as loud as it can go.
SH: You can make something sound clean and distort it at the same time. I want something that still has some character to it. It’s dirty and has some grunge to it, but it’s not indiscernible. You can still pick apart the different tones in there. It’s the reason why I use a Stratacaster to play is because I feel it’s a guitar not used for metal, so it’s interesting to try to use it to make that sound. It still has a lot of character to it.
CB: I guess Nirvana and The Melvins are a couple more influences, my big influences as far as drums. My mindset in recording was more classic rock. I use a vintage 1970’s drum set.
AK: I’ve been playing though a Thunderbird bass. I’m not much of a gear-head, but the Thunderbird sounds great.
CB: Just loud and open is what our band tries to achieve.
SH: It’s loud and you can feel it when you listen to it. You let it break apart and lose it’s intricacy when you play live, but it’s more about the feel of the set. You push the volume and feeling.
Photo by Corinne Cummings
PC: You recently put out your first release, Arrows In The Sun. Tell me about the songs on it.
AK: As far as the lyrics for the songs, the lyrics were put together at the last minute. We didn’t intend on Steve and I being the main vocalists. We had other people who had come to practice, but it didn’t work out.
SH: A few weeks before our first show, we still didn’t have anyone, so we sat here in this room and wrote the lyrics and rehearsed it quick.
AK: That’s why this first stuff is minimalist as far as lyrics. It’s more about the music. We were going for catchiness.
SH: It’s not about how much you say. You can say a couple lines and you can make it punchy and have an impact.
CB: I think the band in general is continuing that with the new songs to be more minimalist with vocals and lyrics, and focusing more on making decent songs musically.
SH: I wrote three songs and Caleb wrote two. “Burning Bark” is about family, distance from family, and the process of going through that. “Backwards” is about frustrations with your own limitations and behavior. Hence, “Backwards,” not wanting to regress and wanting to move forward. “Speak” is about life and death and what’s important, which is love.
CB: I wrote “Shattered” and “Pretender.” Well, “Pretender” Steve and I co-wrote the lyrics. They’re more about frustration with hypocrisy and the judgmental.
SH: It’s funny because when we were in Endangered Youth, generally we were angsty about something all the time. And now it was like, “I don’t know what to write about.” I had to actually think about what I wanted to write about that means something. We’re not as angsty as we used to be.
CB: I think that’s a good thing. It’s about love and death.
SH: And “Signals” is just a transition track. It was one of the original names of the band that we threw out. So we threw it on there as a recognition of that name.
Photo by Corinne Cummings
PC: We’re here at Vineyard Community Space, where you rehearse and play sometimes. Who are some of the bands you’ve met through being here?
AK: Mostly it’s people we’ve known since before being in this band. This next weekend we’re going to do two shows with this band called Condition Oakland from Pennsylvania. And Tyler, the main songwriter in that band, he and I have been friends since we were 17. And we’ve always played different music genre-wise. When he plays solo it’s folk punk, and sometimes he plays with a full band and it’s hot water music, that style of punk rock. And we are what we are. But they’re some of our best friends.
SH: And California Cousins.
AK: We play with them at The Bug Jar. I appreciate those guys so much. They are the backbone of the DIY scene in Rochester. Almost every show that happens in this space, there’s a member of California Cousins here. So it’s been cool to get to know those guys and work together with them. And the guys from Druse, they’ve been really cool as well.
SH: Tim Avery is always part of the shows, too.
CB: We played with a band called Mother Moon from Baltimore. It was one of the only bands we’ve played with so far that we’ve sounded similar to. We didn’t feel like the odd band out on the show.
PC: Does having such an eclectic sound make you more versatile and able to jump onto shows with different sounds?
SH: The bands we’re playing with tonight, I imagine it would be hard for them to jump on certain shows because it’s straight death metal. It wouldn’t work. But if you’re more punk rock you can slip onto other shows. Our set has a lot of diversity, too. We have different songs – new and the EP. Tonight, we’ll play more of the heavy stuff but next week, we’ll play more of the melodic stuff. We tailor to the show we’re playing and morph a bit.
AK: Steve and I come from a scene that’s really small in central Pennsylvania. The first shows I played, I was in this really crappy emo band. We were playing shows with death metal bands. That’s what I grew up around, this diverse scene, because there’s not enough people in each individual subgenre. It’s part of where I come from, so I like to continue that in the booking and the shows we play.
SH: And those people who come will stay throughout the shows from across genres. They don’t just see one thing and leave. They participate in anything.
CB: We haven’t played with any hip hop bands yet. I wish we would. That would be awesome.
PC: So Adam, you book some of the shows here.
AK: Myself and Tim Avery book the shows here.
PC: Do you have a philosophy behind who you look for?
AK: If a band asks me for help – I get a lot of messages just because of the network of DIY booking and touring – I try to help them out. If it’s a young band, even if I don’t think they’re that good, but they’re touring and putting themselves out there, I want this to be a place where we’re supportive of young artists.
SH: It’s not about the musicality, it’s about the attitude. You have to be supportive, open-minded and laid back.
AK: Generally, good attitudes. Most people play in bad bands before they play in bands that are less bad. So hopefully this can be that for locals and for bands coming through on their first tours. That’s it – just foster a community, more than just a spot to put on shows.
The City of Rome’s annual summer concert series at Griffo Green at Rome City Hall kicks off its season of free Monday concerts July 10. All shows are held from 6-8 p.m. each Monday night throughout July and August. Beverages will be available for purchase and food trucks will be on hand on selected nights. There will also be a food truck rally July 24.
Kicking off this year’s series on July 10 is SAMMYS Hall of Fame inductee Fritz’s Polka Band. Fritz’s Polka Band was formed in 1978 and has been active ever since. While the word “polka” is in the band’s name, it is not solely a polka band. Fritz’s Polka Band performs everything from classic rock to blues to country. Check out FPB’s version of “All Along the Watchtower” below.
Vinyl 45, a five piece performing hits from the ’60s and ’70s, takes the stage July 17 followed by acoustic duo, the Boxed Set on July 24. The latter is also the date of the Food Truck Rally. Local food trucks will be lined up along North Washington Street for concert goers’ culinary concerns.
The Pine Ridge Mountain Band visits Griffo Green on July 31. This four piece specializes in southern rock. You’ll hear classics from the Allman Brothers Band and Lynryd Skynyrd as well as contemporary hits from Blackberry Smoke and Tom Petty.
Their version of the James Gang’s “Funk 49” can be seen below.
Caut!on makes an appearance Aug. 7. This local favorite dips into the catalogs of the Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, the Band and other Americana and jamband staples along with its own original compositions.
Red Hush has been performing around Central New York for upward of 20 years. Their hard rock style has earned them a loyal following throughout the area. Griffo Green will be rocking when these guys take the stage Aug. 14.
The series wraps Aug. 21 with a performance of classics and contemporary rock and country by Dubonnet. Dubonnet is another veteran Central New York act with a strong following.
The Rome Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Davidson Auto Group and the City of Rome Department of Parks & Recreation. Admission to all events is free.
Rochester’s Concerts By the Shore series returns this season with free shows on Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. at Ontario Beach Park. The park features access to the beach and pier, a playground, and a vintage carousel. Performances take place at the gazebo, and include the return of local favorites: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Skycoasters, Brass Taxi, Ruby Shooz, and more.
Concerts By the Shore Schedule
July 5 – Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (Classical)
July 12 – The Invictas (Rock & Roll)
July 19 – The Skycoasters (Party Band)
July 26 – Krazy Firemen (German & Big Band)
Aug. 2 – Brass Taxi (Pop & Dance)
Aug. 9 – Atlas (Party Band)
Aug. 16 – Greece Jazz Band
Aug. 23 – Allegro (Jazz, 60’s to 90’s)
Aug. 30 – Ruby Shooz (50’s & 60’s Rock & Roll)
Refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, call the Ontario Beach Park Information Line (585) 865-3320 or visit the Ontario Beach website here.
Dead and Company’s third tour made its way to Citi Field on June 24 while the Mets were away in San Fransisco, defeating the Giants by a score of 5 – 2. The summer evening weather made for a spectacular night of music with a packed stadium.
The long-standing game of guessing the show opener was on the tongues of many before the 7:30 downbeat and, regardless of incorrect guesses, “Dancing In The Streets” (which debuted earlier this tour) got the Queens crowd moving to the pace of the night. The relaxed but fun set continued on with the likes of “Jack Straw,” Tennesse Jed” and “Cold Rain and Snow” among others. Dead and Company jumped the gun by capping off the set with the party-rousing “One More Saturday Night,” more often seen in the second set of a Dead show.
As the second set rolled onward from the beautiful “Scarlet Begonias” opener, they let Oteil sing, as some t-shirts have said. Burbridge has been making more of a vocal appearance on this tour and took the lead on singing “Comes a Time,” making for a spectacular performance of the song coupled with Mayer’s atmospheric noodling on Dead and Company’s debut of that song. Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman put on a unique rhythmic soundscape for the drums/space break which was integrative of acoustic and electronic sounds and instruments including Hart’s multi-string, one-note Beam.
The encore was truly something special for the New York crowd. The familiar opening riff of “Touch of Grey” rang through the crowd noise as the projection faded to the b-roll live footage of the synchronized light show atop the Empire State Building across the East River in Manhattan. Without much of a skip the happy feels were capped off in a rock-and-roll fashion with “Johnny B. Goode.”
Dead and Company’s two night run at Citi Field last June was a good showcase of the chops of a Grateful Dead family lineup who had only been on tour for about one and a half years at that point. In this year’s single show at Citi Field, Dead and Company showed an ever-flourishing presence of musicianship on stage miles ahead of the band’s debut shows in Albany and NYC in the fall of 2015, which even then were noteworthy.
Setlist:
Set 1: Dancing In The Streets > Jack Straw, Here Comes Sunshine, Tennessee Jed, Cold Rain and Snow, Bird Song > One More Saturday Night
Set 2: Scarlet Begonias > Viola Lee Blues, Estimated Prophet > Comes A Time > Eyes Of The World > Drums/Space > The Other One > Morning Dew
Tedeschi Trucks Band stole the show and brought the audience to their feet numerous times throughout the show, sparking the crowd on this 4th of July weekend as though they had bought tickets for spiritual renewal. In many ways, that is what the night provided. TTB opened the night with a cover of Derek and the Dominoes’ “Anyday” with Mike Mattison providing ample vocal support to Susan Tedeschi. (Coincidentally, on June 16, Bobby Whitlock of Derek and the Dominoes opened his show at The Egg with the same track off Layla and Assorted Love Songs.)
“Don’t Know What It Means” was one of the numerous times Susan showed off her powerful vocals, as well as Kebbi Williams’ jazz chops, during a breakdown at the end with drummers Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson. Susan didn’t let up by then belting out “Anyhow,” supercharging the venue with three big band numbers to kick the set off. Carey Frank, filling in for the recovering Kofi Burbridge, made his presence known on “Let Me Get By” and “Save Me,” adding to the big band sound as the show wound down. Rock goddess Susan and husband Derek put on a clinic of blues guitar, pounding out powerful chords and engaging the audience, eliciting cheers as peaks were reached, only to then be taken higher and higher. The final songs of the set bookended a monster rock ‘n’ roll show that had hardly a mellow moment.
