NYS Music 20​17

Blog

  • Donna the Buffalo Poised to Stampede into Rochester

    Groove-heavy americana quintet Donna The Buffalo of Trumansburg, is returning to Rochester this weekend to distribute an eclectic mash of folk, roots, country, reggae, jam and zydeco, to a devoted local crowd. Accompanied by Rochester’s own, Aaron Lipp and the Slacktones, the foot-stomping, hug-sharing, and partner-twirling will take place on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 PM at Anthology. Advanced tickets are $22.50 and the gate price is $25.

    “I love playing music. I love playing the fiddle…I love to sing. I never thought too much about it. I never wondered why I play music. I’ve just always done it. There was never anything else I was gonna do instead. There has never been a question. I was drawn to music. I love listening to it. I love playing it. Music fills me up. It’s one of my languages.” -Tara Nevins of Donna the Buffalo

    Nearly thirty years since their humble beginnings, Donna the Buffalo is warming into an extensive winter tour, traveling from New York, to Florida, to Texas, with many show stops in between. There is good reason Donna the Buffalo has toured extensively for the better part of thirty years. The group provides a dynamic high-energy performance that is at one moment completely fun-loving and carefree, then in the next, undoubtably heartfelt and deeply insightful. At every show, the audience experiences poetic stories about life, family, and the human condition. To top off the enthusiasm brought by their live performance, Donna The Buffalo brings improvisation and spontaneity to the table. The band doesn’t work off a set list, rather, co-leaders Jeb Puryea and Tara Nevins take turns choosing the next song in real time.

    When I asked Nevins if she had any advice for a young musician with aspirations to pursue the music industry, she retorted, “Do it because you love it don’t do it because you think you’ll be famous. And enjoy the journey..” I think it is crystal clear that Tara Nevins and all of the Donna the Buffalo family do indeed play music that they love, and do indeed enjoy the journey.

    If you’re in the Rochester area, check out Donna the Buffalo on Saturday, Dec. 9, and everyone, stay tuned, Donna the Buffalo is recording a new record in February.

  • Exclusive Premiere: Hard Soul’s EP “This Will Hurt”

    Hard Soul returns this week with their new EP This Will Hurt. NYS Music presents an exclusive premiere of the 5 track EP, due out tomorrow and available on the group’s Bandcamp. The first single “See Me” was released this past week.

    The EP features five tracks, including three brand-new songs and two new arrangements of previously-released acoustic tracks “Fairer ShorTes” and “Have To Be A Miracle,” which originally appeared on the band’s 2015 EP Fairer Shores.

    Lead singer Johnny Salka says of the latest release, “The new EP is a renewed approach to that songwriting ethos which represents the last three years and next step in the musical evolution of Hard Soul. We’re absolutely stoked to share the new songs with our fans and the rest of the world.”

    https://soundcloud.com/thehardsoul/sets/this-will-hurt-ep/

  • Interview: Trevor Lewington of Enter the Haggis Prepares to enter Putnam Den

    Canada’s finest Celtic music export, Enter the Haggis, will return to the Putnam Den this Saturday, December 9, with Albany’s Black Mountain Symphony kicking the night off. Haggis Heads will unite for an energetic night of Celtic rock as part of the group’s “Broken Arms” Tour.  Trevor Lewington (guitar, mandolin, keyboard, vocals for Enter the Haggis) spoke with NYS Music this week to discuss their New York fans, the Irish connection found at shows around the state, and how their studio work remains fresh after more than 20 years.

    enter the haggis interview

    Pete Mason: Given New York’s large Irish community spread out around the state, do you find the crowds to be different when you play in New York, or are Haggis Heads a universal fanbase?

    Trevor Lewington: There’s a strong connection between the US and Ireland so just about anywhere you go in this country you’ll find people with Irish roots. That said, obviously New York has one of the largest expat Irish populations so when you play in a band with pipes and fiddle, there’s big support. Our music also blurs the lines between a number of styles and many Haggis Heads across the country have little or no connection to Ireland, which is cool too. There really is something about Irish and Celtic music in general that draws the listener in and tends to get people dancing and having a good time.

    PM: How was your recent show at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse? And you’ve got shows in February in Buffalo and Rochester coming up?

    TL: We’ve definitely been busy recently! Besides the Upstate shows, the last couple months have taken us to California, Texas and Ireland. The Westcott show was awesome as usual – we play a wide range of venues from seated theaters to standing rock clubs and the Westcott (and Putnam Den) are two of the most rockin’.

    PM: How do you feel your music has evolved over the past few years?

    TL: We started as very much a Celtic/Irish Rock band and over about 10 albums have gone in all sorts of directions. Leading up to our last couple of releases we were getting further from the Celtic sound and then had a furious swing right back to our roots as a band. I think we needed a little time away from it to get excited about Celtic Rock again. We’ve also come to realize that for whatever reason this band plays Celtic Rock music in a very natural and authentic way – it helps having a Scottish piper and a fiddle player who grew up competing on the Canadian fiddle circuit.

    PM: Given that 2012’s The Modest Revolution was written based on stories found in a 2012 edition of Toronto’s The Globe and Mail, and another album was written based on letters from fans, how does giving your albums themes keep the studio experience fresh?

    TL: Not only did it keep things fresh but it was a great way to engage listeners. Plus, it’s usually our songs that are based on specific stories that seem to connect with our fans. That said, we’re embarking on a new record and this time I mostly just pulled lyrics from the depths of my heart and brain… and my liver… this is starting to sound a bit like haggis.

  • Cait Devin Returns to Funk n Waffles

    Cait Devin will once again grace the stage of Funk ‘n Waffles Downtown on Friday, Dec. 8 from 6-8 p.m. The 16-year-old singer/songwriter from Westmoreland got her start at open mikes, like the one at Funk ‘n Waffles. Now she’s playing shows throughout the Central New York region, performing a mix of indie pop originals and classic rock covers. You can also catch Cait solo on Dec. 9 at the Villa Verona Vineyard and Bistro in Verona and with her band Triple Threat at Copper City Brewing Company in Rome on Dec. 28.

    She is currently working on her first EP of original material, recording at Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica. Follow Cait on Facebook for updates.

  • Dana Fuchs Perseveres Because Love Lives On

    Dana Fuchs has built a loyal following in central New York, based on her energetic performances at the New York State Blues Festival and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que over the past half decade. That made her a popular choice for a NYS Blues Festival fundraiser appearance Friday, December 1 at Funk N Waffles in downtown Syracuse.

    Her most loyal fans are familiar with Fuchs’ songbook and a few of their requests were granted during the evening. This included a rarely played tune as a tribute to an unnamed member of the Syracuse music community unable to attend due to serious illness. The notion of overcoming hardship or loss is a common theme in Fuchs’ songs as well as in the title of her upcoming release, Love Lives On. Throughout the set, she revealed details about herself and her family’s lives. While doing so in the club setting, it felt as though she was connecting to both old and new fans in a manner that other performers don’t often achieve. During one intro, she spoke of her own astonishing personal loss of both parents and three siblings over a short span, and how that loss was a basis for the captivating “Calling Angels.” This song featured Craig Dreyer on saxophone, in addition to his usual keyboard duties, and was one of the highlights of a memorable night of music.

    Brian Cornish - Dana Fuchs 07

    While Fuchs displayed elements of many different styles, from blues to soul to gospel and even R&B at times, she is most decidedly known for her powerful voice and commanding stage presence during dynamic rock songs. Still, perhaps her best moments this particular evening were during the somewhat quieter pieces, including a poignant duet with her longtime songwriting collaborator Jon Diamond on guitar, “Keep On Rollin,” and the heartfelt “Faithful Sinner.” She and Diamond also displayed resilience in working around some technical difficulties in order to deliver the country blues tune “Nothing On My Mind.” Fuchs will return to touring next year in support of her pending 2018 release, Love Lives On, which can be pre-ordered here.

    Fuchs mentioned that the drummer, Santo Rizzolo, was playing his very first show with the band and that the bass player, Brian Gearty, was fairly new to the ensemble as well. She made a point to thank them for stepping in and stepping up in order to help keep things rolling for her and the rest of the band. And roll they did, as Fuchs closed the show with some thunderous vocals on her own “Keep On Walking” and a blistering version of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter,” much to the appreciation of an attentive and enthusiastic crowd.

    Fuchs will return to Syracuse next summer when she and her band perform at the New York State Blues Festival, held in Syracuse’s Clinton Square July 12-14, 2018. You’d be wise to make plans to see Dana Fuchs and her band, whether it be again or for the very first time.

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  • Front Country swing through NY for 3 shows this week

    Front Country, a Roots Pop band out of the San Francisco Bay Area heads into New York this week for three shows in NYC, Albany and Nelson. NPR has recently said of these musicians “In the bluegrass world, musicians tend to define themselves by their tradition and discipline. But Front Country is defined by its no-rules approach.”

    With acoustic string instruments, the group finds a way to combined acoustic sound with pop songwriting, the byproduct being both complicated yet infectious. Their most recent release Other Love Songs has emotional songs throughout, with lead singer Melody Walker penning 8 of the 12 tracks

    “These songs follow the lessons that everyone learns in their own personal evolution toward emotional maturity and vulnerability,” says Melody Walker, “in which all of us learn to break down toxic romantic fairy tales and write our own Other Love Songs that work for real people in the real world.”

    Catch Front Country this week across New York. Thursday the 7th they’ll be at American Beauty in NYC, Friday they are at The Egg in Albany supporting Darlingside, and Saturday they play The Nelson Odeon in Nelson, NY.

  • Refusing the Rules of the Game, Grace VanderWaal Steals the Show

    Refusing the Rules of the Game, VanderWaal Steals the Show: How a 13-year old’s authentic sound reminds us to be ourselves

    Tucked in between artists still struggling to find their voices, Grace VanderWaal let her light shine brightly at the Palace Theatre Tuesday night hosted by local radio station FLY 92. Skipping on the stage wearing a feline headband, worn jeans, a modest knit top and raspberry socks tucked in loafers, 13-year-old VanderWaal charmed the audience immediately with her authentic smile and honest voice.

    Strumming her ukulele and stretching her ethereal voice with “Moonlight” and “Florets,” VanderWaal smiled, jumped, danced, and even sang with her hands at times betraying some nervousness normal for 8th graders. This New York State kid from Suffern’s talent is far beyond normal though; she writes her own songs, and her performances offer a fresh and vulnerable persona rarely seen in pop music these days.

    She was incredibly earnest when she asked the audience to sing along to “I Don’t Know My Name,” perhaps her most widely recognizable hit from TV show America’s Got Talent. She added that it makes her happy to hear people sing her words, and the audience eagerly obliged.

    Songs like “So Much More Than This” and “Scars To Your Beautiful” speak with authority about being young and not wanting to fit in, and accepting imperfections with pure joy rather than compromise. Who better to peddle hope to teenagers that a thirteen-year-old who titled her first short release “Perfectly Imperfect?” VanderWaal offers hope from a place of reality: she isn’t just writing about being awkward and inexperienced, but from living and embracing being awkward and fresh on the scene. In fact, she’s holding on tightly to who she really is, and is reminding us that we should, too. Her promise was that by being oneself, one can actually be happy.

    VanderWaal covered “Home,” and the intensity of her plucky, hopeful spirit couldn’t be contained. Accompanied by a keyboard, guitar, and drummer, VanderWaals’s contagious smile and energy helped to forgive some pitches she reached for a just slightly fell flat. Because of her joyfulness, the message of authentic courage, and marching dance style across the stage, it was easy to forgive the few notes that didn’t quite meet their mark. She hopped like a small finch across the stage, singing her lyrics and owning the Palace.

    By the end of the short set, she had inspired singing, dancing, and even crowd participation with cell phone lights. VanderWaal certainly doesn’t play by the rules, as she wrote in her song. She left us with goosebumps and this startling realization: we were in the presence of a real musician, an authentic teenager, and a genuine hope monger for her generation.

    Keep your eyes and ears open for Grace VanderWaal. Her joy won’t, and shouldn’t, be contained. If you get the chance, go catch some of it. You will leave uplifted and be believing not just in music, but even a bit in your imperfect self again, courtesy of VanderWaal’s youthful wisdom.

  • Floodwood Celebrates Release of Third Album With Two Shows at Kirkland Art Center

    Progressive string band, Floodwood, will celebrate the release of its third album at Central New York’s Kirkland Art Center with a pair of shows. The two day celebration, to be held Friday and Saturday Dec. 8 and 9 will feature four sets from the headliners along with guest appearances from Nigel Felony on Friday and the Old Main on Saturday. Tickets are $25 each night or $40 for both nights. Members of the Kirkland Art Center can purchase tickets for $23 each night or $36 for both nights. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

    floodwood showsFloodwood is Jason Barady and Nick Piccininni of Woodenspoon, Vinnie Amico of moe., Tony Markellis of the Trey Anastasio Band and Chris Eves of Chris Eves and the New Normal, Castle Creek and Skunk City. Combined, they bring a menagerie of influences to their unique brand of bluegrass.

    The band’s third album (second studio album),‘Til I Die was released on Dec. 1. It was recorded over the past year at RDRAUDIO Studios in Amsterdam and was produced and mixed by the band’s engineer Mark Cochi with additional recording by Casey Latter. The new album is available digitally on Amazon, CD Baby, iTunes and Bandcamp and physical copies will be available at all shows.

    floodwood showsFloodwood’s lineage reads like a history of Upstate New York music. From their bio:

    Vinnie Amico has been playing drums professionally for nearly 30 years, 20 with jamband mainstays moe. Vinnie has been with Floodwood since it’s inception 5 years ago. Vinnie is influenced by many musical styles including rock, jazz, bluegrass, reggae, country, and world music. Those influences shine bright in Floodwood…

    Tony Markellis is a bassist and record producer from Helena, Montana, now residing in Saratoga Springs, NY. His career spans over forty years, playing blues, folk, jazz, rock and country music with musicians such as Trey Anastasio, Paul Butterfield, The Mamas & the Papas, Johnny Shines, David Bromberg and many, many more. Markellis was a founding member of the groundbreaking Vermont-based jazz fusion group Kilimanjaro, as well as the Unknown Blues Band featuring Big Joe Burrell.

    Jason Barady spent over 10 years recording & touring with the Bluegrass group Wooden Spoon from Taos, until returning to his hometown in central, NY. An influential part of his local music scene, Jason plays with an unyielding energy and creativity on both local and national stages. Fans have been known to refer to him as “the Hendrix of Mandolin”. 

    Nick Piccininni is a self taught banjoist/fiddler who learned his bluegrass chops the old fashioned way – in picking circles at his favorite bluegrass festivals. He has been involved in many projects including touring for two years with CMA recording artists, The Abrams Brothers. Nick arguably smiles the most of anyone in the band.

    Chris Eves, from the band Castle Creek, is an accomplished guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He has shared the stage with The Zac Brown Band, Jon Fishman of Phish, Johnny Lang, John Popper and many others. He also played guitar for American Idol and is featured in the film Star Trek Nemesis.

    The Kirkland Art Center is a regional multi-arts center located in an old church in the heart of historic Clinton, New York facing the Village Green. The center has been integral in maintaining cultural endeavors in Central New York for over 50 years.

    Floodwood always puts on an engaging show, filled with humor and brotherly competition. Check out some fan shot video of Floodwood’s newest member, Eves, kickin’ it at Funk ‘n Waffles in Syracuse last year below.

  • Get Brainwashed with ShwizZ’s Quirky video for “Listen To It”

    This past week, ShwiZz released their video for “Listen To It,” a satirical song with an equally odd video that bounces around similar to the jams ShwiZz performs. Watch below.

    “Listen To It” was conceptualized and written by Ryan Liatsis and brought to life in 2017 with the band ShwizZ. The self-referential tune encourages the listener to indeed “listen to it,” over and over again. Guitarist Ryan Liatsis shared some background on the video. “The original idea was to write more of a pop song to take the band in a different direction, but of course our love for Zappa shone through and we wound up adding quite a bit of humor and satire. The song is merely a mockery of the power mainstream media has over so many minds, “telling” them all what should be listened to, whether you like it or not! We are undoubtedly not the first people or group to shed light on this matter, but our hope is that people who view this video will consider giving a listen to small time bands, music you’ve perhaps never heard and non commercial radio and media. Or perhaps we just want to brainwash everyone as well.”

    shwizz at garcia's Shwizz Listen to it“Listen To It” was directed and produced by Paul Liatsis and Bridgeside Productions out of Bay Ridge in Brooklyn, NY, and was filmed at Bridgeside Productions Studio in Nyack, NY.

    Catch ShwiZz on December 9 at B.R.Y.A.C in Bridgeport, CT, December 15 at Casa Del Sol in Nyack, NY and on January 11 at 10pm they’ll be part of a live TV performance “Raw Music Sessions,” available for viewing on Channel 79 Time Warner Cable and Fios Staten Island

  • Aqueous Announces Gorillaz NYE Theme

    Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous will be making their Town Ballroom headlining debut this New Year’s Eve.  In anticipation of the evening, the Buffalo based quartet has announced that in addition to their own catalog, they will be dedicating a set of music to the English virtual band, Gorillaz.

    aqueous gorillaz“AQ draws from many different bands’ catalogs for inspiration, and the Gorillaz catalog is one that all four of us are HUGE fans of,” noted Aqueous frontman and guitarist Mike Ganzter via press release.  “Their catalog integrates four styles of music that we all love: hip-hop, rock, punk and electronic, and once the idea got thrown out there to do a Gorillaz themed set, it was clear that that was the vibe we wanted to really set our NYE party over the top!”

    This past March, Aqueous made their performance debut at the Town Ballroom opening in support of Vermont’s genre fusing jam band, Twiddle.  As AQ steps into the headlining position to close out 2017, Ganzter reveals the evening’s importance to the band. “This city has so much love for us and has supported us on a really profound level at every turn,” he said. “We’re coming into this gig with true gratitude and a mission to deliver in a big way at a venue that we all grew up seeing our favorite bands perform at.”

    Buffalo post-rock art band Lazlo Hollyfeld has been added in support.

    On Thanksgiving eve, Ganzter stopped by the Lazlo Hollyfeld annual Thanksgiving Eve show for an unannounced sit-in.  Besides their own unique brand of musical stylings, Lazlo Hollyfeld is also known for their perfected tribute sets, including performances of the Talking Heads, Radiohead and most recently, Arcade Fire.

    Aqueous is currently finishing up a nearly three month tour of the greater United States before retuning home to celebrate the New Year with their hometown fans. AQ will kick off 2018 with performances on Jam Cruise as well as tour in support of Papadosio for recently announced dates in February and March.

    Tickets for Aqueous’ NYE Gorillaz bash at Hometown Ballroom are $20 in advance and are still.

    Aqueous Upcoming Tour Dates

    Dec. 6 – Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge
    Dec. 8 – Fort Collins, CO – Hodi’s Half Note
    Dec. 9 – Frisco, CO – The Barkley Ballroom
    Dec. 12 – Davenport, IA – Redstone Room
    Dec. 13 – St. Louis, MO – The Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy
    Dec. 14 – Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s
    Dec. 15 – Columbus, OH – Woodlands Tavern
    Dec. 16 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Rex Theater
    Dec. 29 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium *
    Dec. 31 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
    Jan. 17 – 22 – Miami, FL – Jam Cruise

    * w/ Umphrey’s McGee