NYS Music 20​17

Tag: all points north

  • Formula 5 Gets By with a Little Help From Their Friends During ‘All Points North’ Album Release Party

    Capital Region jammers Formula 5 pulled out all the stops for their final All Points North album release party in Saratoga Springs in front of a full crowd of familiar faces and an exponentially growing fan base. After premiering the album in its entirety in New Haven with Relative Souls, the foursome decided to team up with the New Paltz-rooted The Other Brothers to serve up slices of true NY funk and soul on a Saturday night with a dirty laundry list of reasons to celebrate.

    From 8pm-10pm, fans rolled through the Putnam Den doors to enjoy the likes of a free keg with The Other Brothers set slated to rock at 9 pm. With a 15-song set, the six-piece of Chris Owens (vocals), Brandon Bera (drums), Gabe Marquez (keys), John Morrison (Guitar), Jared Nelson (Percussion) and Jordan Mendelson (Bass) kicked off the night with their rock and roll origins, soulful captivation and soaring vocals. Having convened in 2012 at SUNY New Paltz, the group is in the midst of preparing their first studio album, Jones. Having played shows for a few years and acting as seasoned veterans on the Rock and Roll Resort lineup, it’s a bit surprising that they’re only releasing their first album. At the same time, it allows you to get in on the ground level and perhaps grow with a band you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing or listening to before.

    From first impression, you could tell The Other Brothers’ sound and Owens’ powerhouse vocals provided a pleasing contrast to Formula 5 and what was to follow. As their set unraveled, each song found the front man, dressed in pale pink, rocking his hips back, forth and around town and further exploring his vault of dance moves. During a fun reggae-fusion tune, “These Cycles,” Owens’ charisma and onstage conversation demanded your attention–all that was left to do was listen and sway along with him. He often took the audience through anecdotes of how song titles came to be and strange one-off experiences that helped shape their musical contributions. It was hard not to keep your eyes locked on Nelson as his hands transitioned through tapping the congas and tossing a shaker, tambourine and rain stick for high points of the set, which also included Mendelson, sporting a Iron Maiden hockey jersey, impressively hitting quick tempo switches and odd time signatures on “Your Machine.” “Hit You Up” brought out the first guest of the night, Wavy Cunningham, to ease smooth tunes and a bit of rap into the set while the ending track of the night, “Levee for Free” had all fans on foot and Formula 5’s Joe Davis (also sporting pink) delivering tasty licks on guitar.

    The eclectic group of six will open up for Vulfpeck’s Theo Katzman on April 19 at the famed Capitol Theatre in Portchester, NY.  Looks like all is pointing North not only for Formula 5 but for these New Paltz natives as well.

    The Other Brothers Set List:

    Sleep Yo, Good Thing, The Man, Don’t Mean A Thing, Love Recedes, These Cycles, K2 in the Bathroom, New Friends, Can I Get It?, Why You Are, Hit You Up*, Game Show Radio, Your Machine, Bound, Levee for Free*

    * Wavy Cunningham

    $ Joe Davis from Formula 5 on guitar

    After a short introduction from a sincerely grateful and proud band manager, Pete Mason, Formula 5 immediately launched into their double header with transcending energy and multicolored lights boasting “F” and  “5” from the top corners of the stage.

    set the tone for their Saturday night gig with kinetic energy that only kept building. While fans may have heard the newer tunes from recent gigs and even more recent album release teases, it was the first time listening to the entire album in a live setting, lending their ears to Formula 5’s natural creativity and improvisation. Bassist James Woods sported a slight smirk all night, which could be attributed to a number of things, but we’ll just pin it on the electric energy and a “load-off” feeling of finally offering the band’s new studio album to the world. The merch table was freshly stocked with musical material both new and old, freshly crafted Trout Waters pins and newly designed T-shirts available for longtime fans and those just discovering their music.

    Having transformed a Kickstarter goal into reality, Joe, Matt, and James long awaited the night’s celebrations after pouring endless amounts of effort into their third studio album which follows their self titled debut album, April 2014’s Edging on Catastrophe and one live album, Live Five Vol. 1. The quartet implemented some classic strategies as well as newfound ways to draw a dancing crowd to their Putnam Den gig. Joe and Matt dedicated a few hours of their day to Albany’s own Madison Avenue Ben and Jerry’s shop on free cone day to dish out tasty frozen treats to Albany locals, hand out fliers for the album release show and spin their newest record to listening ears and the hungry humans attached to them–talk about a marketing triple threat. 

    Set one presented All Points North front to back, with friends Phil Chow on trumpet and Bryan Brundige of The Chronicles on trombone during “It Goes” paired with a loud exclamation of “I love horn-ula 5!” from the depths of the crowd. Not only did Brundige lend a helping horn on stage, he handles audio engineering at OverIt Media and aided the guys through their All Points North journey in the studio. A long set break brought set two, chock full of covers, a “Tweezer” tease and a loaded surprise sit in. Following a jam and “Booher’s Pass,” moe.’s own Vinnie Amico took to the drum kit during “Pedro” to sit in for the group’s drummer. The two seamlessly transitioned on and off stage while the drummer tried to use his surroundings to aid the beat to try and smoothly dip back behind the moe. veteran. Amico’s presence was unplanned, making the surprise sit in all the more sweet. The seasoned drummer happened to be hanging in the Saratoga venue before wandering into the back room and admitting  he was a Formula 5 fan and excited to see their set. From there, an organic sit in blossomed to cap off an already exceptional night.

    Next up was a double header of covers with Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry” and Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen,” band and fan favorites alike. Appropriately closing out a night of well deserved festivities and completing a pretty solid song cover trifecta, the night was wrapped up into a funky package with a Phish phavorite, “Run Like An Antelope.” Keeping the momentum rolling the next day, the guys announced their participation at The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival alongside Dopapod, Emancipator, BIG Something, Spafford and more. They’ll keep the grooves going with a continued Spring 2017 tour as summertime bliss will bring Formula 5 tunes not only to the festival circuit but directly to phans during the Madison Square Garden Baker’s Dozen run.

    Formula 5 Set List:

    Set I: (“All Points North”)

    Come Along, Sad Bed*, Trout Waters, Pt. I & II, It Goes…^, Excalibur, The Birch Tree^, Q&A, Do Tell^, Figure Out A Feeling^

    Set II:

    Jam -> Booher’s Pass, Pedro$, Dirty Laundry$, Hey Nineteen!

    E: Run Like An Antelope~

    *Unfinished

    ^ Phil Chow on trumpet, Bryan Brundige on Trombone

    $ Unfinished, Vinnie Amico of Moe. on drums

    $Don Henley cover

    ! Steely Dan cover

    ~ Phish cover

  • Hearing Aide: Formula 5 ‘All Points North’

    On All Points North, the new album from Albany jam-rockers Formula 5, ‘North’ is not a physical direction, but a mental state. North is up, and up is good.

    And so we begin with a happy-go-lucky blast of B3 on album-opener “Come Along.” Even a dark turn toward a minor key on the following “Sad Bed” quickly escapes to a frenetic organ and guitar groove that mostly bobs and floats above the surface.

    There are plenty of extended instrumental moments to satisfy fans of the band’s penchant for live improvisation. “Trout Waters Pt I & II” is a two-part instrumental that begins rocking in a Widespread Panic sort of way, climaxes midway with some surprisingly nifty guitar howls, then finishes off with a funk that attempts to match the Headhunters in it’s depth and length but perhaps wanders on too long. “Excalibur” twists and turns in almost disorienting fashion, but always settles back to North. The highlight of the instrumental gymnastics comes in “Q & A,” a near twelve minute multi-section workout that hits all the sweet spots. Early moments borrow elements from Frank Zappa and the Grateful Dead, piano and guitar intermingle in a light and airy mid-section before it all builds to a triumphant finish.

    Though, the best moments on All Points North, Formula 5’s third studio recording, come in the shorter, song-centric tracks. In the jam band world, this is remarkable and refreshing. A sign of maturation and of great things to come for this young band. There’s the feel-good blues of “It Goes…” and the Southern-rock-meets-soul anthem “The Birch Tree.” Strongest of all is the slinky groover, “Do Tell.” Vocals, guitar, keys, horns and cymbal-washed rhythms softly smudge together eliciting the moment where an early morning Sesame Street montage and a late night smokey jazz lounge meet halfway at a time that is either too late or too early. The set finishes strongly with “Figure Out a Feeling,” which finds a happy medium between the band’s songwriting and desire to stretch the limits.

    Key tracks: Do Tell, Q & A, Sad Bed

  • Formula 5 Releases Studio Video of Upcoming Album ‘All Points North’

    NYS Music stopped by Over It Studios in Albany this January and February to catch Formula 5 in the studio recording All Points North, which will be released on April 14 on F5Jams.com. F.Cavone Productions filmed and edited this look at Albany’s rapidly rising jam band.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqS9sBhJhlg

    Themes of death, rebirth, and moving on make All Points North a more introspective album than the band’s previous studio efforts. It also marks a new direction for the band’s sound. Guitarist Joe Davis reflects on the final product, “I think “Q&A” and “Excalibur” are on ode to the old band, having been written by myself and (former keyboardist) Mike McDonald. It’s like a final farewell to the old, mixed in with new styles, such as with “The Birch Tree,” “Do Tell,” “Figure Out a Feeling,” “Trout Waters Pt I & II” and “It Goes…;” that old jammy style is still in us but it’s more mature and reigned in.”

    formula 5 all points northAll Points North was produced, recorded and mixed by Bryan Brundige at Overit Studios in Albany, NY and Mastered by Michael Schoonmaker at Gigantic Mastering. All Points North will be released by Formula 5 on all platforms on April 14 and be available for streaming on F5Jams.com and JEMP Radio.

    Formula 5’s Spring Tour brings them throughout the Northeast, bookending the tour with performances at music festivals Rock n Roll Resort and Disc Jam. In between the band hits familiar Northeast markets with artists including Dead Phish Orchestra, Mister F, Litz, Space Carnival, The Other Brothers, Relative Souls and more. Formula 5 will have a pair of album release shows on April 14 at Pacific Standard Tavern in New Haven, CT and on April 15 at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, NY.

  • A Grown-Up Formula 5 Heads Out on Tour

    When Formula 5 set its sights on 2016, the band was about to head out on its first full tour, had a brand new keyboardist at the helm and was planning a trek into the studio.

    With all of that in the rear view, the road tested band from Albany has even bigger plans for 2017, with a 25-date tour starting February 1 coming on the heels of a successful Kickstarter campaign for a new album, titled All Points North.

    Making stops in Albany (Feb. 4, The Hollow Bar and Kitchen), Brooklyn (Feb. 7, Brooklym Bowl), Hudson Falls (Feb. 18, Hudson Music Hall), Rochester (Feb. 23, Heads Brewing), Buffalo (Feb. 24, Nietzsche’s, Buffalo) and Lake Placid (Feb. 25, Smoke Signals), the four-piece rock group is saturating its local market in hopes of gaining more solid footing in areas they hit last year.

    “Our goal is really to solidify our fan base with this tour,” Matt Richards, keyboardist, said last week while sitting inside Overit Studios in Albany, adding some more work to the new album. “We wanna make sure we’re known not just to our friends, but to everyone in the scene. We’re also trying to get more people involved, active.”

    The last part of Richards’ quote was referring to the band’s desire to put together a street team, spreading word-of-mouth info about the band, and also using social media platforms to help promote Formula 5. “The best bands have such dedicated fan bases,” Richards added. “The common goal is to spread the music and get the community out there and seeing shows.”

    On Feb. 4, Formula 5 rolls into a hometown venue — The Hollow Bar and Kitchen — that Richards said is one of the band’s favorites. They play there a handful of times a year, and it serves as a reunion venue of sorts for the band’s family and friends. Ampevene is opening the show.

    Richards said that while the band has a hectic schedule and cannot always personally greet those who come to see them play, they get to communicate in other ways.

    “So many friends come out,” he said. “We end up knowing everyone in the crowd, but I don’t get to go around and see them all. Can’t really talk too much when we’re getting ready, but we still have dialogue with them — head nods, smiles and stuff like that. We communicate without talking.”

    Richards added that the show on Feb. 18 is special because it’s guitarist Joe Davis’ birthday. The Hudson Music Hall in Hudson Falls has a capacity of around 100, and Richards said the band’s goal is to sell out the venue without an opening act. He said it would be the first time they’ve accomplished that feat.

    Six shows of the tour are co-headlining dates with Mister F, a progressive jam group from the area. Formula 5 is also heading back to many of the same venues the band played in Colorado last year. Richards said the goal is to build on the “traction” they gained in the state last year.

    Being the new guy in the band doesn’t show in the enthusiasm Richards — whose wide-range of influences include Steely Dan, Phish, Umphrey’s McGee, YES, former Albany jam group Ominous Seapods, Queen, Pink Floyd Dave Brubeck, Stevie Wonder, Vince Guaraldi and McCoy Tyner — has for the band, the writing process and his outspokenness. In recording All Points North, for which Richards wrote four songs and contributed to another, the band put in 55 hours in over the first week. They basically had to live at the studio. Richards and Davis live a short drive from the studio, while bassist James Woods and drummer Greg Marek are a bit farther out.

    Because of that, Richards and Davis have been in the studio tirelessly in recent days putting the finishing touch on the tracks. While Richards said none of the songs are yet a finished product, they’re getting to that point.

    “Each track gets to a certain spot, then we bring all the other tracks there, too,” he said. “Right now I’d say we’re at 98 percent on each one, so there’s not a ton left to do.”

    As for the feel of the album, Richards said the foursome have suffered and matured a lot in the last year, contributing to the more “grown up” sound.

    “It’s a makeup of less feeling good, more feeling uncertainty, loss, a darker feeling,” he said. “We have had loss in the band, van difficulties on the road, personal relationship issues. There’s still that Formula 5 that’s pure feel good, but there’s also a departure from that.”

    “We tried to stay away from jams in the studio. There are some great individual solos, but we focused more on the songs here.”

    While no official release date has been set, Richards said fans won’t have to wait too long to hear the finished product.

    If you’re interested in assisting Formula 5’s street team, head on over to the band’s Facebook page and get in touch.