NYS Music 20​17

Tag: NYS Music

  • Hearing Aide: Dopapod ‘Megagem’

    What’s in a name? Well, in terms of the latest Dopapod album, everything. We know the phrase “never use a word in its own definition” but for right now, we’re scrapping that. Dopapod’s Megagem is just that–an 8-track album, its title and definition all in one.

    megagemWhile fans were relishing in the excitement of fresh material and the show planning that comes along with it, all came to a halt when a Facebook post from Rob Compa, Eli Winderman, Chuck Jones and Neal “Fro” Evans, stated that the ever-growing powerhouse would take a break from the road for the entirety of 2018. Megagem, while acting as the band’s mic drop before a sabbatical, can teach us all a lesson while exploring its larger thematics: cater to your needs as they need to be met–time doesn’t stop for anyone.

    Kicking things off in typical fashion with wailing guitars, stellar harmonies and entrancing tempo changes, the album launches into a powerful opener of “Plaese Haalp.” While many have already heard the tune live over the course of the last few months, this time, listeners are introduced to triumphant strings, violins and cellos, helping to create a larger than life sound. Lyricism plays a key role, detailing inner emotions and exploring parallels between time, creating music and giving attention to other avenues in life. Eventually tempo slows down as Winderman’s roaring and impressive vocals take the reigns of explaining their reasoning behind the 2018 hiatus.

    Fro leads us into “Piazole” for a few bars on the drum kit, before the rest of the band jumps in to create an eccentric tune, capturing the essence of what could double as a soundtrack from our favorite N64 video games. Coming as the first instrumental track on the album, “Piazole” tells a story all its own through incredible song structure and varying instrumental spotlight. This track feels like home as its zippiness, appropriately placed guitar solos and eerie bass line are representative of everything Dopapod does so well. “Zonk” comes next as a zany, momentary interlude, stringing together “Piazole” with the other known Megagem track, “Mucho.” As a fun addition on the release, it leaves tons of room for interpretation and live jamming, should it be played before the 2017 gigs are up. Pro tip: be extra cautious while listening for the first time in any vehicle. Abrupt horns sound off twice and can cause immediate confusion.

    “Mucho” brings a diverse flavor to Megagem with airy vocals, a light-hearted message and a chorus sung entirely in Spanish. The album’s themes of fulfilling different facets of life and prioritizing fleeting time are stitched throughout the track and in the chorus that immediately follows three prominent, crowd engaging claps. For those who were wondering, the chorus translates:

    “The purpose of life is simple. Have a good time until the day you die. Live life in the present moment. Just go out and have a good time, silly.”

    “Confabuation” comes next with Compa and Winderman pleasantly and traditionally harmonizing vocals. As the song progresses with contextual lyrics to their current situation, inventive guitar licks slide into the spotlight before Fro masters odd time signatures and high cymbal taps to abruptly close out the track. A mysterious intro leads us into “Turn by Turn” and based on the title alone, let’s hope to see a Turn by Turn > Turning Knobs before the guys wrap up the year for good. This song instantly places you in a convertible driving along the coastline with your hair blowing in the breeze as Dopapod offers jazzy drum fills and lyrics based on colors and “stretching your minds eye,” alluding to the cerebral album art. “Turn by Turn” has fun exploring various arrangements all within one song, with creative drums that your ear just can’t stray from. The song’s lyrics end, but the tune carries on as a crescendo of sound builds stronger alongside ambient  effects before a blunt ending.

    Holding down the blues on Megagem, “Buster Brown” acts as the final instrumental track. Slowed down, filled with soul and heavy on guitar, Dopapod lets the instruments smoothly speak for themselves. Compa and his guitar unmistakably shine over the course of the song but its Jones’ intricate bass-work that lays down the foundation for the jam. “Starfish” comes as the final piece to the Megagem puzzle- a spacey, intuitive ending track ready to sing you to sleep for a 365-day lullaby. It’s dreamy tone guides listeners into a utopic, upside-down world were Dopapod never goes on hiatus–a prelude to a dream acting as a perfect ending to reflect on the album as a whole. Winderman is given another opportunity for an ending psychedelic, soliloquy. Strings come into play once again to wrap “Starfish” at high volume as we come full circle to where the album’s journey all begin.

    With their most themed release to date, its apparent the quartet knew exactly where they wanted to go, as they take their listeners on a dream pop journey to the center of self fulfillment. The 5th studio album comes a a bittersweet symphony, the last creative piece relinquished by the jam rockers before the looming hiatus. While its bittersweet to know you wont witness the live, raw talent of a band so deserving of its praises for an entire year, at the very least, we’re left to see how the entire album translates on stage and if any of those strings just so happen to surface during fall tour.

    The next NY show dates take place on October 27 at Irving Plaza with The Motet and Halloween trickery at Putnam Den with Burlington VT’s Swimmer.  Catch ya in 2019, Dopapod! We’ll be waiting.

    Key Tracks: Piazole, Confabuation, Turn By Turn

  • The Local Limelight: Rob The Guitar Guy

    Patchogue Village, The setting of incredible nightlife teeming with live entertainment! Walk down Mainstreet Friday and Saturday nights and you’ll find yourself immersed by one of Long Island‘s greatest music scenes.
    Rob The Guitar GuySurrounded by avid clubs and music venues dawning bright lights, all host such enthusiastic musicians and performers. One in particular performs to achieve one simple objective: Give em’ what they want! This is the essence of the solo act that is Rob (the guitar guy) Baione.
    Step into Patchogue’s neighborhood restaurant and bar The Tap Room located at 114 W Mains St, and you’ll immediately feel a warm environment and feel-good vibes creating the mood for the place where Rob entertains his local audience.
     
    When becoming a solo act, songs began to take on a new life when stripped down to an acoustic guitar and a vocal. Selections range from classical to country, rock to rap, folk to metal, etc. There’s a song for everybody. Audiences are always entertained by his charisma and ability to include them in the show! 
     
    One way Rob the Guitar Guy does this, is by allowing the audience to choose the songs. “It’s like having your own personal jukebox. No one wants to leave when they hear ‘their song’ played.” 
     
    Each show is unique and you never know what to expect! But one thing is for sure, you’ll always leave feeling good, and that was definitely the case last week at The Tap Room. 
     
    You can find Rob performing there the 3rd Friday of every month, with a musical repertoire growing larger and larger each return!

  • X Ambassadors Release ‘Ahead Of Myself’ Music Video in Advance of Hometown Festival

    Ithaca natives, X Ambassadors, have released their new music video for the single “Ahead Of Myself,” which was released this past July. In what’s sure to be another hit for the band, the video was filmed near Rochester.  Frontman Sam Harris put in an amazing vocal performance, singing the song live for the shoot instead of the usual lip syncing as he and the band walked the streets of Monroe.

    Harris recently talked with Billboard about the new music video. He stated:

    We’ve done the narrative film structure of the music video. We’ve done full-on big performance video with lights and stuff and we wanted to do something that felt really intimate and real, authentic, so we shot this video in upstate New York, in Rochester. We’re from Ithaca, New York, upstate. My grandfather used to work at the Kodak building in Rochester.

    Syracuse.com also reports, according to Billboard, Harris wanted to do the live vocal take to feel more intimate, real, vulnerable, and in the moment. The singer avoided alcohol and fried foods for a week in preparation for the vocal video performance. X Ambassadors left an Easter egg in the new music video, as Harris is seen walking into the Monroe movie theater at TMAAC, the marquee above says the word “Joyful,” the band’s next single.

    X Ambassadors will co-headline, along with the Roots, the inaugural Cayuga Sound Festival at Stewart Park in Ithaca on Sept 23. The band hit number one on the Billboard Top 40 in 2015 with the hit “Renegades,” which also became a commercial tie-in for Jeep Renegade. The alternative rock group was formed by Harris, his brother Casey, and childhood friend Noah FeldShuh. The trio went on to college in New York City where they met drummer Adam Levin while attending the New School in 2006. XA blew up all over the N.Y. music scene, and were eventually signed by Interscope Records after Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds heard an acoustic version of their song “Unconsolable,” on the radio while in the hospital. Reynolds told Interscope to sign the band right away.

    The band’s inaugural festival, Cayuga Sound takes place this weekend in the band’s hometown. The official pre-festival parties Friday night at The Haunt and The Dock will feature live music from Jukebox the Ghost, Mail the Horse, the Blind Spots, Namahrah, the Miserable Genius, No Comply, Tender Cruncher and Beau Mahadev.

    Saturday night will be co-headlined by X Ambassadors and the Roots. There will be two stages at Stewart Park, with artists rotating throughout the day. General admission tickets are still available through Ticketfly. Special VIP packages are sold out. For more information about Cayuga Sound, visit the festival’s website here. See the new video from the band below.

  • Emmit Fenn Provides Sountrack to Solar Eclipse

    For those still intrigued by the recent solar eclipse, there’s another way to take in the once-in-a-lifetime event. A custom music soundtrack, synced to the eclipse itself by Emmit Fenn. Inaugural TH3RD BRAIN Accelerator class graduate, Fenn, released a soundtrack centered around the recent solar eclipse event that took place on Aug. 21, titled ECLIPSE EP. Fenn’s Prologue EP, is also available.

    TH3RD BRAIN is a company that collaborates with artists, to refine their strategy, helping promote the unique vision that each artist has. Some of their clients include Krewella, Gallant, New Yorker and America’s Got Talent season 11 winner Grace VanderWaal, Pegboard Nerds, and Lauren Duski. EDM artist Deadmau5, co-signed the EP’s lead single “Drive,” after the track was recently synced to the Netflix show Sense8.

    Emmit Fenn , along with award-winning short film producer Patrick Jean, who inspired the hit movie Pixels with one of his works, collaborated on the venture. Fenn commented on his reasons for doing the EP/video, stating:

    This is the first time in 99 years that the solar eclipse has passed directly over the U.S., so it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. There’s this beautiful mystery and awe around [the eclipse] that is super unique, and it really inspired me to create something different.

    Marketing and design agency Active Theory, help create the experimental audio/visual experience for each song. Other clients Active Theory have under their umbrella include Google, Spotify, and Hennessy. Active Theory has won multiple awards for its design work from FWA, CSSDesignAwards, and Awwwards.

  • Aaron Lewis Says Staind May Never Tour Again

    Blabbermouth reports on a recent Aaron Lewis  interview by Chris Mathews from the South Carolina classic rock radio station 104.9 The Surf. In the interview, Lewis was asked if he’s ready to return to the road with his old band Staind, which last toured together in 2011, but seems content on where he is  in his solo country music career for the time being.

    Lewis was asked about the “touring machine” that is Staind: He replied:

    The touring machine, as you call it, of Staind will never be again. Not like that, no. Never. Never. I could never go back to playing six shows [a week] eight weeks in a row. I can’t do that. I have grown in my age and become very accustomed to playing Thursday, Friday and Saturday and being able to go home for a few days and unwind and try to kind of have a life aside from doing this. I worked really, really, really hard to get to this point where I can play three days a week and still do just fine.

    In another recent interview conducted by Planet Weekly, Lewis once again talked about the future of Staind. He stated:

    I definitely see it staying on hold for a while. I’ve got to stay focused on this [country career]. I’ve got to take this to where it needs to get to before I can start risking things with the good ole boy network reception and throwing in a handful of Staind shows in the summertime along with all of my country shows. But that’s down the road. I can’t even think about that right now.

    Without reading too much into this, Lewis recently reunited with his old bandmates at his Aaron Lewis and Friends charity benefit concert on Aug. 4, at the Pines Theater in Northhampton, MA. The band played an encore, three-song acoustic set, that included the songs “Outside,” “Something To Remind You,” and “It’s been A While.”

    Lewis released seven studio albums with Staind, and two solo efforts, The Road (2012), and Sinner (2016).

  • Jacoby Shaddix Undergoes Vocal Surgery

    Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix, once again had to go under the knife to fix his vocal cords, prompting the band to scrap the rest of its summer tour dates. No stranger to vocal cord surgery, Shaddix had a similar operation in 2012 to remove a nodule on his vocal cords which Shaddix stated in a past interview with Rolling Stone was like having a callus you would get on your hands, but on your vocal cords instead.

    Canceled dates due to the surgery include Aug. 11 at the Douglas County Fair in Roseburg, OR; Aug. 19, at Moonstock 2017 in Carterville, IL and Aug. 25 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, AK. Fans who hold tickets for those events are instructed to contact their local ticketing company. Papa Roach hopes to return for their overseas run, and continue to tour in support of the band’s ninth studio album, Crooked Teeth, on Sept. 9, at The Circus, in Helsinki, Finland.

    Papa Roach posted the following statement on social media:

    It is with a heavy heart that we are forced to cancel our upcoming shows in the Oregon, Illinois and Alaska this month due to the need for Jacoby Shaddix to have immediate vocal cord surgery and rest.

    This week, Jacoby was advised by his doctors and vocal specialists to have surgery on his vocal cord and to give his vocal muscles enough time to heal before Papa Roach resumes their current touring schedule in September. Jacoby had a similar surgery about five years ago.

    Fortunately, the diagnosis was made early and full recovery should be soon. The vocal cords are a muscle and like any athlete, muscles can get injured in the course of their profession and we appreciate your understanding this diagnosis.

    We wish to thank all of our fans in advance for your prayers and good wishes. We know some of you had travel plans and we will return next year to perform for you.

    Please contact your local ticketing company for more information on the following shows.

    Thanks again,
    Jacoby, Tobin, Jerry, Tony, & Team Papa Roach

  • Clint Lowery Talks New Sevendust Album, Not Wanting to Record Full Length Albums

    Sevendust guitarist Clint Lowery, who is currently on tour as second guitarist with Seether, recently sat down with Scott Bowling, from the website “Good Company.” In the interview, Lowery opens up about Sevendust’s plans to follow up their tenth studio album, Kill The Flaw and his lack of desire to make full length albums in today’s music industry. Lowery will also appear on Seether’s upcoming new music video.

    Bowling asked Lowery about performing as a singer with his side project Call Me No One, with Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose:

    It made me understand and respect what Lajon [Witherspoon] goes through or any other singer you know. When you have to cover an entire record, you know, how you make your voice not get redundant, how do you make it interesting, and not use the same melodies, it’s just different. I write for singers a lot, but singing them myself, and really developing myself as a singer, it was a learning experience man.

    When asked if he and Morgan toured the album:

    We did like a three week run with Nonpoint. That was humbling man. I’m not a huge live singer, I love going to the studio, and I can write melodies and all that stuff, but its a lot of pressure, and a certain confidence that singers have to have man, so I learned a lot about that too, and it made me understand and respect what Lajon does on that side, delivering these songs live.

    Lowery on if there is new Sevendust in the works:

    We’re gonna do another record in November man. We just started writing for it. It’s a different era, man. It’s, like, I’m touring with Seether, so there’s that; I’m really focused on that. But we’ve been demoing some stuff out, the same kind of creative team, and we’re gonna see what happens. We’re excited about it. We have a new label, Rise, and they’ve got some great bands, a great, creative team over there. So this will be our first real label that the band’s ever had.

    With the multiple ways music is released these days, Lowery was asked if he would consider releasing music through a streaming service like Spotify. He commented:

    I don’t wanna do full-length records anymore. I mean, I’m old school — I love vinyl and I love the whole presentation of a full record — but I do wanna be open to new ways to release music. I don’t feel like going in and taking a full year and this huge production and doing a full record. I mean, I believe in doing those, but I also believe that between these record cycles, just throw in a couple of sprinklings of new songs. I’m never gonna be one of those guys that will say, ‘Oh, don’t try it. Let’s just stick to the old thing until it’s completely ran into the ground.’ I’m open for new guys, a new energy and a new release strategies.

  • Hearing Aide: SkyDaddy ‘Wide Eyes’

    Two years succeeding their debut, self-titled EP as a funky musical quartet, SkyDaddy makes a comeback with their latest EP Wide Eyes, due out on all digital platforms come August 1.

    Dave Heinz (bass/vox), Joe North (saxophone/EWI), Tom Claney (guitar/vox) and Pat Agresta (drums) fit together as a jazzy-funk ensemble with nods of soul and rock fusion from downstate New York. However, its their solo skills that come together to create all that SkyDaddy stands for. Riding the wave of the ever-growing music scene in the Northeast, the foursome have lent their jam talents to venues across NYC and the tri-state area in support of The Nth Power, Pink Talking Fish, Amy Helm, Spiritual Rez, Sophistafunk and Zach Deputy, all within the last year.

    Their self-titled effort brought fourth a five-track EP, including “Tell Me I’m Crazy” and “Just Enough Wine.” Dipping their toes into varying genres, Heinz, North, Clancey and Agresta use their talents to deliver spacey, progressive-like jams while capturing soul through their meaningful lyrics and memorable hooks.

    Wide Eyes comes in the form of three tracks, all of which have the ability to get you on your feet and dancing or at least swaying side to side in your work chair. “Effortlessly Elegant” introduces the EP with a fitting title as the opening notes of the track and buttery-smooth saxophone make the listener’s need to move around and dance grow stronger by the second. “By the Fire Tonight” follows next, letting Agresta and the drum kit lead into the second track which appeals largely to the funkier soundscapes of their music. “Perspective” emphasizes on Heinz’ hearty vocals as he sings of relationships, wide eyed girls and the burning question of how they found their soul. Over the course of one year, the EP was recorded in REM Studios in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, collectively and accurately encompassing their sound as a unit thus far.

    You can catch SkyDaddy on their Wide Eyes Tour during their slew of upcoming NY show dates, including a live WRRV Session at Newburgh Brewing Company, a September 19 Garcia’s gig with The Magic Beans in Port Chester and quick stops through VT and CT.

    Check out more of their music on Soundcloud!

    Key Track: By the Fire Tonight

  • Swimmer Dives into Second Pool of Summer Tour Dates

    There’s only one way to cool yourself down on these thermal, mid-summer nights and that’s to let loose and do some swimmin’. Vermont outfit, Swimmer, resides just a stone’s throw away from New York in the jam-centered, musical hub that is Burlington, VT. As a well-known Burlington band having held an impressive residency slot at Nectar’s and previously opening up for the likes of Dopapod, the quintet made it a point to splash into unexplored territories, cities and states in order to further their rising presence in the jam community.

    Welcoming the conception of their first-ever U.S. tour, the guys already completed stint one with stops across the Northeast. They hit NY specifically, with a July 2 show at Silvana in Harlem and a July 7 gig at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC before they dipped their toes into WV, NC, VA and DC. Their second voyage will see more NY dates, beginning with back-to-back stops at Plattsburgh’s Retro Live on Aug. 3 and Buffalo’s Neitzsche’s on Aug. 4 while gearing up to make their first appearance out West in Muncie, IN, Boulder and Denver, CO. They’ll return to MA and ultimately their Burlington swim hole for an appropriate tour closer at Nectar’s and a festival stop at Beaver Fest from Aug. 25-26.

    Heavily influenced by artists such as Phish, Frank Zappa and The Disco Biscuits, Joe Agnello (guitar/vocals), Matt Dolliver (keys/saxophone), Cotter Ellis (drums/vocals), Paul Klein (guitar) and Jack Vignone (bass), encompass an encyclopedia of jam, progressive and experimental rock styles, blending them together to create a waterfall of elements all their own. Troy Rosenberg was recently introduced to the Swim team to manage stellar light shows to supplement Swimmer’s engaging and improvisational live performances.

    Summer tour has given Swimmer the platform to promote their latest album, No Shape. The release compiles tunes they’ve been delighting fans with for quite some time, such as “Undercover Junkie,” while introducing fresh tunes for fans to float in, like fan-favorite “Godmeat” and “Schwack,” featuring Nate Reit on trumpet. No Shape gives any new swim-fan an in-depth look as to what the group is all about. As any jam band fan would explain, the full experience resides within the magical atmosphere of their live shows. The band’s ability to roll out extensive jams within any given song makes for a unique gig each night, always keeping the crowd fully engaged with a toss up of treats. For more of Swimmer’s live shows and to listen to their studio work, be sure to visit their Bandcamp.

    If you don’t know these guys, catch them on the second leg of their summer tour. Get acquainted, get aquatic and check out their tour dates below!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN_zXtHSbAI&feature=youtu.be

    Summer 2017 tour dates part 2:

    Aug. 3 – Retro Live – Plattsburgh, NY

    Aug. 4 – Nietzsche’s – Buffalo, NY

    Aug. 5 – Be Here Now – Muncie, IN

    Aug. 10 – The Lazy Dog – Boulder, CO

    Aug. 12 – Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom – Denver, CO

    Aug. 17 – Thunder Road Music Club – Somerville, MA

    Aug. 18 – Nectar’s – Burlington, VT

    Aug. 25 – Beaver Fest @ Historic Memorial Hall- Wilmington, VT

  • Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington Commits Suicide At 41

    Music fans have lost another amazing artist that helped reshape the rock genre since coming on the scene in 1996. The music world is in shock with the news of Linkin Park frontman, Chester Bennington, committing suicide by hanging at his private home in the Palos Verdes Estates in California. He was only 41 years old.

    chester benningtonBennington had struggled with drugs and alcohol for years and had stated at one time that he once considered suicide because of abuse that occurred when he was a child by an older male.

    Coincidentally, Linkin Park released their new music video “Talking To Myself,” around 9 a.m., just minutes after Bennington’s body was found according to TMZ. It is also reported that Bennington committed suicide on what would have been Chris Cornell‘s 53rd birthday. Bennington wrote an open letter to Cornell after his passing from suicide by hanging in May. In that letter, Bennington stated that he couldn’t imagine the world without Cornell in it.

    Blabbermouth has compiled early tweets by shocked artist and TV personalities, including bandmate Mike Shinoda.

    Mike Shinoda tweeted: “Shocked and heartbroken, but it’s true. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one.” 

    TV host Jimmy Kimmel tweeted: “Bennington was one of the kindest people he has ever had on his show.”

    Lacuna Coil frontwoman Christina Scabbia posted: “Lost for words. Why why why.”

    Skillet’s John Cooper posted: “Absolutely no words. Speechless and so sad. I am such a fan.”

    Slipknot/Stone Sour singer Corey Taylor stated: “Jesus no.”

    Also in the report, the article touched on some past interviews Bennington has had. Bennington stated to The Guardian in 2011 about the abuse he went through as a child:

    When I was young, getting beaten up and pretty much raped was no fun. No one wants that to happen to you and honestly, I don’t remember when it started. I remember that stuff happening to me at that stage and even thinking about it now makes me want to cry. My God, no wonder I became a drug addict. No wonder I just went completely insane for a little while.

    Then in an interview with Metal Hammer last year, Bennington talk about his substance abuse problems. He stated:

    I was on 11 hits of acid a day. I dropped so much acid I’m surprised I can still speak! I’d smoke a bunch of crack, do a bit of meth and just sit there and freak out. Then I’d smoke opium to come down. I weighed 110 pounds. My mom said I looked like I stepped out of Auschwitz. So I used pot to get off drugs. 

    In 2006… I did some counseling with the guys and they really opened up and told me how they felt. I had no idea that I had been such a nightmare. I knew that I had a drinking problem, a drug problem and that parts of my personal life were crazy but I didn’t realize how much that was affecting the people around me until I got a good dose of ‘Here’s-what-you’re-really-like.’ It was a shock. They said that I was two people — Chester and then that fucking guy. I didn’t want to be that guy.

    In an interview with The Pulse of Radio he said:

    I lived on alcohol. It was either beer, or Jack and Coke, or Jack Daniel’s in a pint glass with ice. And then it got to the point where my wife said to me about seven months after we got together, she goes, ‘I don’t think there’s been a day since I’ve known you that you haven’t drank.’ And I was like, ‘What are you talking about? That’s crazy’ — as I’m drinking a Jack and Coke. That was where my life went.

    Besides Linkin Park, Chester Bennington has also fronted the bands Dead By Sunrise and Stone Temple Pilots. He also appeared in a few motion pictures including Crank, Crank (High Voltage), Saw 3D, and Artifact. He and his bandmates in Linkin Park have released seven studio albums and won two Grammy Awards. They have sold over 70 million albums worldwide.

    Bennington leaves behind his wife, Talinda Bentley, and six children, three with Bentley and three from a previous marriage.

    Please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at (800) 273- 8255 if you feel you need help and someone to talk to.