This week’s Alive at 5 brought rock legends The Outlaws to the stage. The southern rock band famous for their song “Green Grass and High Tides” shocked the crowd with their guitar duels all night. PYX 106 brought their morning show hosts Quinn and Cantera to host the show and entertain Albany like they do every single morning.
The Outlaws
The opening act, The Steppin Stones, also brought high energy rock and roll. They wowed the crowd with an amazing rendition of Neil Young’s “Ohio.” Guitarist Hannah Wicklund blew the crowd away with her ripping solos. She is only 20 years old and is already on her way to being the next prodigy.
Alive at 5 takes a week off for the 4th of July and then comes back the following week by bringing in The Funky Meters with Wurliday on July 13th.
This week’s featured artist at Alive at 5 was the Grammy award winning hip-hop group Naughty By Nature. The weather was perfect on Thursday, June 22, and the energy was a max. The group got the crowd on their feet right from the start with one of their hit’s “O.P.P.” Naughty By Nature performed for about an hour. This also marked the first hip-hop group of this year’s concert series. The group from New Jersey is celebrating 20 years of creating music.
Next week’s Alive at 5 Concert brings rock and roll band The Outlaws along with The Steppin Stones. Be sure to get down to Jenning’s Landing right at 5pm to catch both acts!
Indie pop artist Olivia Grace is originally from Maryland but ready to take the New York music scene by storm. She’s focusing her energy and creative juices into launching a musical career while completing her senior year of college. Her latest single “Blackbird” was released on September 30 enticing listeners with her unique style. NYS Music had the chance to find out more about Olivia Grace’s unreleased music including “Shoestrings” to be released early June.
Sammy Steiner: As a singer-songwriter, where did your inspiration for “Shoestrings” come from?
Olivia Grace: Ultimately, the song is about feeling out of place. It’s somewhat unapologetic, but it’s also about trying to make sense of everything when you’re not quite sure how you fit in. The story isn’t completely about me, as I do love creating fictional characters in my songs. However, when I wrote this song I had just moved to New York, and it was completely different from what I had been used to. I lived in Chicago beforehand, but New York just doesn’t compare. I think that feeling of navigating a new city and finding my place inspired a bit of the song.
SS: Can you take us through your journey and involvement in the creation of this track? What was your favorite part of the record-making process?
OG: The song took over a year to write. When I first started it, it sounded more like a folk song. It was slower with completely different rhythms. It didn’t really feel like THE song. I came back to it when I was flipping through old song ideas, trying to write something new. I picked it back up and it just flowed out. My favorite part recording was the “oh’s” that you hear in the beginning and after the chorus. They were actually added last minute. The song didn’t feel complete when my producer Matt and I had finished. He told me to just go crazy improvising over my piano/instrumental part, and eventually I started singing the “oh” melody. We both knew when we heard it that, that was it!
SS: Do you have any upcoming plans or prospective venues where you hope to perform in the New York State area?
OG: I do! I’m currently setting up some shows for July in New York, so I’ll probably be posting about it in June!
SS: Can you name your top three favorite artists to cover at your shows and why?
OG: Truthfully, I don’t cover that many artists at shows! I mostly perform my original songs. The one song I always try to fit in my set is Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games.” It’s just so beautiful and after years of performing it, I still love it.
SS: What are your plans going forward? Are you going to focus on future musical projects or touring?
OG: I have a lot of unreleased recordings right now, and I’m still going in the studio and recording more. I’m writing quite often as well. Both those things are my main focus right now. I don’t see myself doing a full on tour *right now* but I am traveling a lot this upcoming year, so I probably will be doing a few shows here and there.
SS: What is one thing you’ve learned from your glimpse into life as an artist thus far?
OG: Be patient. Everything takes time, hard work, and persistence. You can’t rush success.
Silly Girl is The Big Takeover’s fourth full-length release since their last album three years ago. Neenee Rushie, a Jamaican-born songwriter and powerhouse singer leads this six-membered band in their musical endeavours. A tight-knit ensemble, made up of two horns including the trombone and saxophone, backs her up. A bass, guitar and drums accompany this unique horn section to create a sonically distinctive sound for the group.
From New Paltz, NY The Big Takeover’s infectious twelve-track Jamaican R&B sound has got everyone grooving along starting with the first song, “Rubber Biscuit.” This opening track doesn’t waste a beat as they begin with a quick drum section by band member Hector Becerra and go immediately into the horns played by Andy Vogt and Chas Montrose. The singing takes a backseat in this song unlike in the track “Things You Do” in which the vocals are definitely noteworthy.
The string instruments, with Kerry Shaw on the guitar and Rob Kissner on bass, play a major role in establishing the head-bobbing rhythm of songs like “Love Understands” and the namesake song, “Silly Girl.” A personal favorite is “Come Before Five” and was released off the record prior to the album release date itself. Its catchy tune just can’t seem to leave my head – but that’s a good thing in music!
With hints of soul and Motown also peaking through in their songs, The Big Takeover successfully join the popular music movement while still paying homage to their influences in reggae and ska music.
Key Tracks: Silly Girl, Love Understands, Come Before Five, Rubber Biscuit
This past Saturday, February 25, Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band brought their original sound to Retro Live, a new concert venue in Plattsburgh, NY. Between original guitar solos from Alex Mansman and the leadership of front man Joe Mansman, each member perfectly complemented each other.
The band brought a fully stacked set list with them and most being originals. I found myself head banging to new riffs that felt right. To sum up Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band, the only words that I can use to describe them is rock and roll. Joe Mansman brought a stage act that to me has been missing with a lot of newer bands. With songs like “Below or Above” and “Dead as it Gets,” I really felt that I was at a rock show in the late 1970’s but with fresh with new rock music. About half way through the set, the front man and keyboardist Chris Becker played a couple duets to give the show a smooth transition to a heavy ending.
Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band is a group that gives people an option to let loose and bang your head. They ended the show with “Live Free or Die,” and were not afraid to bring the show off the stage. With front man Joe Mansman jumping onto a pool table and guitarist Alex Mansman hopping down to the venue floor to play heavy riffs, the group brought a show that had something for everyone.
Setlist: Dead as it Gets, Below or Above, Born to be Wild (Steppenwolf cover), Reap and Sow, Cold Virginia Nights, Blaze of Glory (Bon Jovi cover), Hell or High Water, All Along, Den of Thieves, Mother (Danzig cover), She’s Mine, Long Rope, You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive (Darrell Scott cover), Rock and Roll ain’t Noise Pollution(AC/DC cover), Nobody’s Sun, Boundless Grace, Too far gone, Cut out my tongue, Crowbar hotel, House of Wolves, Live Free or Die
NYS Music had the chance to sit down and interview with Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers just days before they embarked on their 2017 Winter Tour, which is currently under way. Due to their familial connection, the Woods come from the same musical roots, but their talents grew in all different directions over the years prior to forming the soulful folk band that now has a worldwide following. Some dates on this tour are already sold out, so if the spirit of their music moves you, purchase your tickets today!
Ben Boivin: Let’s start from the very beginning…The Wood Brothers connection with the state of New York. Your first ever show was at Tonic in NYC and two of the first five shows were at Savannah’s in Albany. How did the Capital District wind up as your first stomping grounds?
Oliver Wood: Well, part of it was a matter of convenience because my brother [Chris Wood] used to live in Saugerties and in the early days of The Wood Brothers we were trying to find little gigs and do things that were realistic and convenient. I was living in Atlanta at the time so I would just go up there and hang out for a few days and work on music and then get a few gigs in the area. We played gigs nearby Atlanta for the same reason. My brother would come down and that just made the most sense. Sort of how we cut out teeth and started to figure out what The Wood Brothers was all about.
BB: What do you feel is different about playing in New York State compared to other parts of the country?
OW: Every region has its own unique vibe and certainly New York State has that. The first thing that comes to mind for me is obviously New York City. That’s where we got our record deal and where our management company is located and where we played our first gig. There’s a sentimental connection to it. Also, we played several times at Levon’s [Helm] barn, his rambles, while he was still alive. Besides Chris living in that part of the country, it certainly has some sentimental value to me as well. There is such a rich tradition there.
BB: Is there one band member that chooses the set lists or is it a group effort?
OW: We definitely tweak it as a group, but I would say Chris is the master set writer. He is the guy that masterminds it and really thinks it through. I don’t know why, it is just something he started doing and was really good at. I guess he is a better decision maker than me? We certainly consult each other and as a group make a list of songs, but Chris is really good at putting them all together.
BB: Do you ever consider cutting songs based on the crowd?
OW: Oh, absolutely. If the crowd is rowdy, we add some rowdier songs. Sometimes we try to tone it down for people and they might be rowdy, but what they don’t know is that they actually want to shut up for a minute and really be in the moment and that’s cool too because it brings them in. It gives them something they didn’t expect.
BB: I read something you said about touring with the Zac Brown Band in front of 20,000 people and how that is a much different level than the normal tours you do as a trio. What makes that different from the theaters and bars where you primarily play?
OW: In a large venue, it is more consistent, there is this one gear. But, I like the variety of small and medium places because they are all unique and you can play them in different ways. It is very satisfying to not just do the same thing every night.
BB: How does playing music with your brother help or hurt what it is you are trying to do?
OW: It is definitely a different dynamic. I mean when you play in a band for years and years with people they become brothers. It’s like a family. It’s like a marriage even. There are those kind of brothers and then something different and deeper with a real brother because you’re family and because you have a more shared experience. Your childhood and your growing up and your parents are all formidable things that you both have. I think also, there is that innate, intangible, yet genetic thing that Chris and I noticed right away. After years apart, being able to comfortably play together and have this telepathy that usually takes years to develop, we were kind of like,“Wow, we have it built in!”
BB: In recent tours you guys have been taking different versions of the same songs on the road. Does Jano Rix help you dissect and resurrect new versions of the same song?
OW: It’s very much a group effort. Part of that is for us. By rethinking a song it is keeping it fresh for us. If we have been playing a song for a couple of years, we may think people love this song but maybe we are getting kind of tired of it. Let’s do something different with it. There is a big rocking number, like the song “Shoefly Pie,” that’s a full electric one, but we made it more porch-y the next time around. We made it all acoustic and Jano was on percussion instead of drum kit, and that’s an example of how we can deconstruct a tune and put it back together in a completely different way. It keeps it fresh for us and for the audience too. We have had a lot of comments where people appreciate and enjoy that.
BB: I have seen you guys a lot and must have heard “Luckiest Man” about 100 times.
OW: Yeah me too, tell me about it.
BB: In the Winter 2016 tour, Jano came out and did a long piano intro before a very jazzy version of “Luckiest Man” and it was really special to hear a familiar song played differently for the first time.
OW: I think people like to get surprised and challenged a little bit and there’s nothing wrong with that on either side.
BB: Going back to the topic of New York, your most recent release, Live from the Barn, was recorded right in the heart of the Catskill music scene in Woodstock, NY. Why did you choose that spot and why is it so special to you?
OW: It’s a very sentimental place for us and Levon is a serious influence and indirectly like a mentor to us. We hadn’t been there in years. Since he passed away we have done stuff with Amy, his daughter, and felt that family connection with their family. When we made the plan to go back there to play, it felt like a special occasion and we wanted to record it all. You never know how it will turn out. Maybe that was okay or that was horrible, but as it turned out, if felt like a real special night. We were really happy and excited that we captured it. We were sort of tripping on being there. It was magical and brought back all these memories. I mean, we were there watching Levon play and standing two feet from his drum set. By the end of the night, we were singing songs with him and sitting around in his kitchen after the show. There are spirits there that you just don’t get anywhere else.
BB: What is the best piece of advice Levon gave you?
OW: He never really gave us any specific advice. I think we just learned by example. I will tell you the thing I get from him is to just be yourself. Just be real and be yourself. That’s what he was and sometimes it is hard to do that and remember that in this business. Sometimes you think, what can we do to survive and to sell more tickets? It’s not about that. If you can be yourself, that’s going to be the best art you can make.
BB: I am sure you are aware that “Big Pink,” the house that The Band rented to create their debut album, is located about 10 minutes outside of Woodstock. Do you, Chris and Jano have your own “Big Pink”? Is there a place that makes writing and creating music easier for you as a group?
OW: Not necessarily. We’ve had several spots, but it has been a challenge since Chris and I lived in different parts of the country for the first six or seven years of The Wood Brothers. I would go up to him and we would write and then he would come down to my place. We would write on the road, backstage, in dressing rooms and at sound checks. He would send me e-mails and we would go back and forth. I will say, since we all moved to Nashville a few years ago, it has been awesomeness because we have been able to hole up in someone’s basement or living room or even rehearsal space. Nashville has been a good place to gel in that regard and relax with our writing. It makes it fun.
BB: What was it about Nashville that drove you guys there?
OW: It was a combination of things. For one, it was somewhat in between New York and Atlanta. We wanted to stay on the east side of the country and I was in the South so long and I like the South, a lot! Part of it too is that we had a lot of great experiences before we lived here. Really cool times where we came to town and recorded with people and collaborated with people and had some shows we really enjoyed. At random, we got to know some good friends and we had kids in school and Nashville is a nice place to raise a family. The music industry here has a stigma that it is just a country music town but there is all sorts of stuff happening with great writers and great music. It is really inspiring just to be here. You can sit in your house and think, “Maybe my neighbors are writing great songs and making great music.” I love that part too.
BB: You will be returning to the Empire State this summer, hitting SPAC in Saratoga and the Highland Bowl in Rochester as well as over a dozen other cities with the Tedeschi Trucks Band & Hot Tuna for the 2017 “Wheels Of Soul” Tour. What’s it like touring with other well-known bands compared to being on the road as a trio?
OW: It’s real special because usually when you’re on the road alone you are crossing like ships in the night and you don’t get to hang out with your contemporaries and they’re all playing at the same time as you are in some other city or state. It is a real treat even at summer festivals to get to cross paths with some of our friends and to get to hang out for a few minutes if we’re lucky. To do a tour with Tedeschi Trucks and be with them every day for a month or two is a real privilege because not only do we get to hear them play every night, but we also get to play with them, eat meals with them and be close.
BB: Well, we are definitely looking forward to that tour.
Since Ginuwine came out with his would-be classic “Pony” in 1996, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who couldn’t at least sing the chorus back to you. His career continued strong through the early 2000’s with songs like “Differences,” “In Those Jeans,” and collaborations with people like P.Diddy, Missy Elliot, Nas, and more.
Flash forward to 2017 and he is still beloved by his fans and actively proving to his critics that he has had the staying power over his more than 20 year career, to sell out shows and set the crowds ablaze. He is the real MVP; Most Valuable ‘Pony’, and a King of R&B.
While covering his sold out January 26 show at Vapor Nightclub in Saratoga Springs, one major thing struck me; the energy. Ginuwine’s live show was not the watered down nostalgia that you tend to expect from an artist in the 3rd decade of their career. It was electric, upbeat, relevant and above all, entertaining.
Playing about 90 minutes with a 7 piece live band, who were fantastic in their own right, Ginuwine was warm and giving to his fans. He frequently hopped into the crowd, grabbing hands, giving hugs, and dancing. Vocally, Ginuwine is still rich with strength and tone, a true feat after so many years in the business. The buzz in the crowd was that he thoroughly impressed everyone in attendance including those who showed up not expecting much.
After watching him own the sold out crowd from the beginning to the end of his performance, I don’t doubt that he will continue to sell out shows as his come back progresses. It was a surefire reminder that the real OG’s are never to be counted out. Upstate NY made it clear, they still love Ginuwine.
Syracuse was treated to a double dose of bluegrass Wednesday night as Greensky Bluegrass and Fruition rolled into The Westcott Theater. The Kalamazoo crew returned to the Westcott stage nearly a year to the day from their last visit, this time in support of the new album, Shouted, Written Down & Quoted, released in September.
Earlier in the day, news of founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, Butch Trucks’ death cast a sadness upon the music world and the jam scene specifically. A tribute to Trucks would surely be on the agenda for Greensky, one of the premier progressive bluegrass bands on the scene today.
Greensky eased the capacity crowd into things, kicking off the set with a midtempo “The Four” that segued into a rollicking “Eat My Dust” featuring some stellar dobro work from Anders Beck. The first set remained heavy on the bluegrass the band was founded upon before slowing things down for a heartfelt rendition of “Nine Days” with Michael Arlen Bont’s banjo and Beck’s dobro again featured prominently. A lengthy run through of the Greensky staple and jam vehicle, “Broke Mountain Breakdown,” brought the highlight moment of the night, if not one of the most anticipated. Fruition’s Jay Cobb Anderson was welcomed on stage, harmonica in tow, for a ripping tribute to Trucks in the form of the Allman Brothers Band’s “One Way Out.”
“Hold On,” from the band’s latest release, kicked off the second set, segueing into a cover of the Traveling Wilburys’ “Handle With Care” and into “Blood Sucking F(r)iends.” The segue-filled second set finished up with a “Casual Wednesday” for this casual Wednesday, segueing into the new “Run or Die,” an explosive way to finish the night.
Frution, from Portland, OR, gained the respect of the early arriving attendees, ripping through twelve songs in their opening set. While also heavily based in bluegrass, Fruition blends soulful vocals and a funk downbeat to deliver a unique sound that complemented the headliners perfectly. This is a band that will be headlining stages at theaters in short order.
If you missed Greensky and Fruition at The Westcott Theater you can still catch them at The Egg in Albany on Jan. 31, the Union Transfer in Philadelphia PA on Feb. 1, and a three night run at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C.
You can also check out Greensky Bluegrass and Fruition’s upcoming tour dates here.
Set 1: The Four> E.M.D. (Eat My Dust), Into the Rafters, Room Without a Roof, White Freight Liner Blues, Demons, Nine Days, Broke Mountain Breakdown> One Way Out*
Set 2: Hold On> Handle With Care> Blood Sucking F(r)iends, Tied Down, Last Winter in the Copper Country> A Letter to Seymour> New Rize Hill, Casual Wednesday> Run or Die
Alive at 5 takes a week off for the 4th of July and then comes back the following week by bringing in The Funky Meters with Wurliday on July 13th.
Next week’s Alive at 5 Concert brings rock and roll band 
The band brought a fully stacked set list with them and most being originals. I found myself head banging to new riffs that felt right. To sum up 
Joe Mansman and t
While covering his sold out January 26 show at 