When Doyle Bramhall II comes to town, you make a point to attend the show. Bramhall, who has collaborated with such prominent musicians as Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Roger Waters, put on a scorching show at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse on Wednesday. For someone of such prominence in the music world, it’s a shame the house wasn’t full. Those who were in attendance, however, were appreciative of what they were about to witness. Many of those present represented a who’s-who of the Central New York music scene.
Doyle Bramhall II is touring in support of his 2016 Concord Records release, Rich Man, his first solo album in 15 years, along with his superb band (Anthony Cole on drums and sax, Adam Minkoff on keys and guitar and Ted Pecchio on bass.). Bramhall’s style takes its influence from the blues and jazz as well as world music.
The opening number, a cover of the Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier title track from the 1969 film Les Chemins de Katmandou, set the tone of the evening early. The chattiness of the crowd was self-policed, putting the focus entirely on the magic that was happening on stage.
Doyle is a left-handed guitarist who plays with right-handed stringing on a guitar flipped upside-down. This unique style of play makes for some interesting sounds.
While Bramhall let his influences fly with some select covers, including George Harrison’s “Let Me Down,” Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “I Get a Feeling” and the Isaac Hayes instrumental “Hung Up on My Baby,” his unique style and interaction with his band mates showed that this is a band in a groove and ready for bigger things.
Bramhall’s originals framed the set. “My People,” from his latest, revealed Bramhall’s Middle Eastern influences and served as a great transition from “Les Chemines de Katmandou.” After the intro, the song moved into a more typical blues style, reminiscent of Bramhall’s friend Joe Bonnamassa.
Speaking of Bonnamassa, rumors circulated throughout the night that the blues legend may be in the house, as he and his band were performing in nearby Ithaca the following night. While Smokin’ Joe didn’t appear at the Westcott on this evening, his band was in attendance to take in the show.
Bramhall and his band worked the crowd musically and sarcastically. When enthusiastic fans began shouting out requests, particularly songs from his tenure with Arc Angels, a band that included Charlie Sexton and the members of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble. Bramhall responded with a spectacularly sarcastic, “That’s right, just shout out anything. We’ll play it,” only to tease a few notes of one particular blues song until abruptly stopping, saying, “Sorry, we don’t really know that one.”
As the night wore on, Bramhall worked in more originals from his latest, revealing his guitar prowess as well as the expertise of his band. While most blues based electric guitarists can claim Jimi Hendrix as an influence, Bramhall revealed that Hendrix is not only an influence but a kindred spirit. Bramhall’s left-handed style emulated Hendrix and at times, he used feedback as a voice in his songs. This was explicitly realized in his set closer “The Samanas.”
The band closed out the night with a joyful , psychedelic rendition of the Beatles’ “She Said, She Said” that had the crowd singing and dancing along to it.
Bramhall is a musician with superior skills and a lineage to be envied. His solo work is on par with the best in the game and deserves to be more widely heard. It is highly recommended to check him and his superior band out in a live setting.
Opening act, Althea Grace, an artist produced by Bramhall and part of the Concord Records stable of musicians, performed a solid acoustic set inspired by artists as varied as Led Zeppelin and Brandi Carlisle.
Check out Bramhall’s fan-shot set closer, “The Samanas” below:
Doyle Bramhall II Setlist:
Les Chemins De Katmandou (Jean-Claude Vannier & Serge Gainsbourg cover), My People, The Veil, Keep You Dreamin’, Hands Up, I Get a Feeling (Johnny “Guitar” Watson cover), Mama Can’t Help You, Let It Down (George Harrison cover), Rich Man, Hung Up on My Baby (Isaac Hayes cover), New Faith, The Samanas
The Jeremy Wallace Trio (Wallace – guitar and vocals, Matt Gruenberg – bass and Tom Costagliola – drums) calls New Jersey home but their songs tell stories that can be applied anyplace. Wallace has a voice that, at times, resembles a young Bruce Springsteen and at others, Tom Waits at his surliest. His music is American roots music, blending gritty blues, country, and folk. On this night, Wallace also broke out an acoustic guitar to test out some new songs on the audience.
An unassuming man sporting a fedora and a National Resonator guitar took to the Kirkland Art Center stage sipping on a local brew, armed with self-deprecating humor and a notebook full of stories to tell an intimate crowd on Saturday, October 28.
The two-set show, presented by the Mohawk Valley Blues Society, included songs from the trio’s three albums and a couple of new songs Wallace has been working on. Several covers dotted the show as well, including “St. James Infirmary” and Willie Dixon’s “Back Door Man.”
Wallace was tutored by the “Mayor of MacDougal Street,” Dave Van Ronk, as a young musician and the influence the folk legend had on him is strong. Van Ronk was influenced by Leadbelly, Scott Joplin, Jellyroll Morton and Duke Ellington and rolled all of these influences into a unique folk style that Wallace has carried with him into the 21st century.
The intimate setting of the Kirkland Art Center, a converted church in the heart of Downtown Clinton, is ideal for a performer such as Wallace. The 100 or so people in attendance hung on every word spoken between songs and the sound, aside from a little buzz from Wallace’s amp that interrupted “St. James Infirmary,” was clear throughout the room. Wallace engaged in some back-and-forth between audience members, who treated him like a close family friend.
The Jeremy Wallace Trio opened with a subdued “Sporting Life Blues,” a song widely credited as a Brownie McGhee original. Van Ronk learned this one as a young man and taught it to Wallace. The song immediately drew the crowd in as Wallace and crew set the tone.
The original song “Missing You This Morning” evoked a country charm, leading into the bluesy “Lickin’ My Lips,” an audience favorite and one that was referenced more than a few times throughout the night.
One of the highlights of the night was Wallace’s original, “Johnny.” It tells the story of lost love in a way only Wallace can tell it. The story within his lyrics can evoke tears in the most stoic of listeners. The song recounts the tale of a woman leaving her lover for her first love, writing him a “Dear John” letter as he sleeps. The picture Wallace paints with this stanza is heart-wrenching:
She writes a letter to her lover
still asleep beneath the covers
and a leaf outside a window
in the wind just kind of hovered
for a moment, then it started blowing,
and like that leaf, she was set on going.
And while Wallace can paint a sad picture, the man isn’t above self-deprecating humor either. Following “Johnny” and rousing applause from the audience, Wallace introduced his song “House Painting in America.” He mentioned the house painting business he has at home. He’s just doing the music thing until that takes off, he said. He lamented that he would love to be able to be one of those people who works from home, but the brushes aren’t long enough. A rim shot from drummer Costagliola punctuated the story.
Wallace’s setlist vacillated between blues stomps and heartfelt country-style ballads over the course of the two sets. It was obvious that the trio has a fan base in Central New York and one that was eager to hear new material.
Wallace began the second set seated with an acoustic guitar. He introduced the first of several new songs, “Full Irish Breakfast,” that spoke more of the woman in the song than an actual meal. Following a quick open of four acoustic songs, Wallace broke out the fan favorites that included “Death Letter Blues,” “Gotta Get Back” and “”Stephanie’s Kitchen.”
Another heartbreaker followed in “Cold October.” He closed the set with a “song he wrote for a girl named Monique” called “Virginia.” This song, from his most recent album, Suicide Suitcase, is perhaps Wallace’s best-known song and one that his fans had been calling for throughout the night. Fans sang along and gave a standing ovation as the song finished.
After being “coaxed” back onstage for an encore, the trio busted out the swampy blues rocker “Goin’ Down” from the album She Used to Call Me Honey. This song brought several in the audience to their feet to boogie down to the beat laid down by Constagliola and Gruenberg.
Following the show, the Jeremy Wallace Trio freely interacted with audience members to catch up on one another’s lives since the last time the trio performed in the area. Humble and gracious in the congratulations being passed around, this trio is one that takes it’s relationships with its fans seriously.
The Kirkland Art Center regularly hosts acoustic musicians. Local product Darryl Rahn will perform next on Nov. 25 followed by the popular newgrass band Floodwood on Dec. 8 and 9. General admission tickets for all three shows are available through Eventbrite.
NYS Music continues its review of the history of moe.down, one of the most established and successful summer festivals the state has to offer. We looked at the first 5 moe.downs last week, and here’s a look back at some of the more memorable moments in years 6 through 10, as moe.down set roots down in Turin, NY and became a Labor Day Weekend tradition.
moe.down VI
After five increasingly successful years in Turin, moe.down had established itself as one of the premier summer festivals in the Northeast. It was now not only a “must go” destination for moe.rons but for music fans alike thanks to increasingly diverse lineups that featured more and more nationally prominent acts. The sixth rendition featured Keller Williams, who was everywhere at that time, The Violent Femmes, Matisyahu and Medeski, Martin & Wood as the lineups continued to be made with a blend of popular acts and those that were favorites of the band.
Night one of the festival only calls for one moe. set, and while this year would be no different, it was definitely cover heavy with versions of “Stairway to Heaven,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “All Along the Watchtower,” the latter of which featured Keller Williams sitting in. Setlists courtesy of Phantasy Tour.
9/2/05 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Jazz Wank> Rebubula*> Cornflake Girl> Recreational Chemistry, Wind it up, Salt Creek, Stairway To Heaven Jam^> All along the Watchtower^, Faker> Moth> The Pit> Brent Black> Moth
Encore: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
* unfinished ^ with Keller Williams
The following day’s opening sat saw guitarist Al Schnier’s children get involved and ended appropriately enough with a rousing rendition of “Kids.” Other highlights included a “Timmy Tucker” that was stretched across two sets and a full on instrument switch with Japanese band Big Frog. The band switch continued a recent tradition of sorts as the same thing had been done in years past with other headliners like The Disco Biscuits and Galactic, showing just how gracious the festival hosts are in sharing the spotlight at their festival.
9/3/05 • Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Spine Of A Dog> Buster, Shanna Robe*, Ayla Schnier solo^, She, Crab Eyes, Hi and Lo> Timmy Tucker&> Kids
Set 2: New York City, Head> Timmy Tucker&+, Happy Hour Hero%> Rise> Karma Police> Head
Set 3: Not Coming Down> Wormwood> St. Augustine> 32 Things$, The Road> Kyle’s Song, Akimbo
Encore: Time, Sensory Deprivation Bank
* with Ben Schnier
^ Ayla Schnier solo on piano
& unfinished
&+ finished
% with complete band switch with Big Frog
$ with members of Dread Clampett
moe.down VI was closed out in style with a show that featured the band’s first ever take on The Grateful Dead classic “Terrapin Station” before steering back into a “Rebubula” that was left unfinished from the day before. As if that weren’t enough, the encore ended with a superb version of “Meat” that gave way to a brilliant fireworks display that left everyone gazing at the sky as the band completed another stellar chapter in the book of moe.down.
9/4/2005 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY Set 1: The Ghost Of Ralph’s Mom, She Sends Me, Tailspin> Californ IA> Bullet> Big World
Set 2: Y.O.Y.> Down Boy, McBain, Four> Dr. Graffenberg> Terrapin Station*> Rebubula^ Encore: Tijuana Donkey Show, Meat&
* first time played ^ completed from friday night & with fireworks
Here’s a clip of the aforementioned “Meat” which closed things out.
moe.down VII
The seventh rendition of moe.down had a Phish-y vibe to it with three of the four members appearing on the bill. Bassist Mike Gordon played with his side project Ramble Dove while Page McConnell and Jon Fishman also lent their talents on keys and drums, respectively, to the festivities. Naturally, rumors of guitarist Trey Anastasio appearing as well swirled about as 2006 was right in the middle of the band’s near five year hiatus – an event that undoubtedly fostered some of the festival and band’s growth. This year also featured a band skyrocketing in national popularity in Umphrey’s McGee, an up and coming act in Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Ziggy Marley and Yolk, a legendary NY band with roots in Binghamton.
moe. opened up their portion of the weekend with a ripping cover of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla” and later brought out McConnell to assist on two of the band’s more classic numbers in “Buster” and “Mexico” as well as “Blue Jeans Pizza,” a fairly new one at the time.
9/1/06 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Godzilla> Spine Of A Dog> Plane Crash> Buster*, Mexico*, Blue Jeans Pizza*, Good Trip> Wind it up
Encore: Meat
* with Page McConnell
The hosts enlisted some more help the following day with two separate Umphrey’s McGee sit ins. First, Jake Cinninger (guitar) and Kris Meyers (drums) came out and assisted on “Faker” which cooled things down after a monster 2nd set “George” that was accentuated by some brilliant disco ball lighting effects. Later in the set, guitarist Brendan Bayliss came out for the staple “Rebubula,” just as he had done a few summers earlier at the first Bonnaroo during moe.’s epic late night set – an event that, arguably, entrenched both of these bands on the national stage.
9/2/06 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Not Coming Down> Wormwood> The Ghost Of Ralph’s Mom, Akimbo, Lazarus*, 32 Things, Tailspin> Timmy Tucker
Set 2: Head> George, Faker^> Water> Rebubula&
Set 3: Crab Eyes, Bullet> Big World, The Road> Don’t Fuck With Flo$> The Pit> Godzilla
Encore: Karma Police> Head
* with Stephen Perkins
^ with Jake Cinninger, Steven Perkins, and Kris Meyers
& with Brendan Bayliss
$ with Andrew Bellivia and Willie Waldman
Sunday saw two more moe. classics get the special guest treatment as pedal steel guitar virtuoso Gordon Stone joined in for “New York City” and “Waiting for the Punchline” in a first set that was a highlighted by a “Moth” that nearly bookended the whole thing.
The Rolling Stones classic “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” served as a more than tasty treat in the 2nd set and the weekend was capped off with a rip roaring “Recreational Chemistry” that closed the book on the 7th moe.down.
9/3/06 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Moth> New York City*, Down Boy, Waiting For The Punchline*, Y.O.Y.> Moth> Brent Black
Set 2: Jazz Wank> Dr. Graffenberg^> Can’t You Hear Me Knocking> Plane Crash, Brittle End, Seat Of My Pants
Encore: Recreational Chemistry
* with Gordon Stone
^ with Willie Waldman
Check out this 2006 promo for moe.down. It gives a great view as to the surroundings and communal vibe that this festival cultivates so well. And if that’s not enough, it also contains a baby faced Al Schnier and a tasty outro jam from a live version of “The Road.”
moe.down VIII
By 2007, the festival had become a well oiled machine and was not only producing a string of memorable Labor Day Weekends one after the other, but also showing the ability to adapt on the fly. Ryan Adams was scheduled to be one of the headliners at moe.down 8 but had to cancel. Instead of replacing him with a local or unknown artist, the festival was able to score Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction fame and his side project Satellite Party. This continued the precedent set last year when Stephen Perkins, drummer for Jane’s Addiction, appeared with his band Banyan in addition to sitting in with moe. on a take of “Lazarus.”
This year showcased a really impressive array of musical selections. There was the classic hip-hop/R&B stylings of The Roots, 90s jam band Strangefolk, alternative legends The Meat Puppets, a young electronica influenced band called Lotus and Medeski Martin Scofield & Wood all on the same bill. As moe.down continued to grow in popularity, it seemed to produce festival lineups with more and more depth each year.
Set 1: Stranger Than Fiction, Bearsong, Bullet> Tailspin, Kyle’s Song, Opium> lyleloveit., She> 32 Things
Encore: Don’t Do It*, She Sends Me
* First time played.
Saturday’s sets at moe.down 8 exemplified everything the festival had become, beginning with a “Buster” opener that saw a parade of kids marching on and around the stage. Just as it had grown in popularity and musical talent, each year there seemed to be more designated areas and activities scheduled for children, showing that the festival could also cater to families as well. And in keeping with other moe.down traditions, Saturday also had a full band switch with the Meat Puppets in the middle of “Big World” and a captivating sit in from Perry Farrell on a cover of the Jane’s Addiction tune “Ocean Size.”
9/1/07 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Buster*, The Road, Shoot First^, Down Boy, The Ghost Of Ralph’s Mom, So Long&, Mexico%
Set 2: Lazarus> Skrunk, Ocean Size$, Okayalright> Wind it up, Plane Crash
Set 3: Big World> Meat Puppets Jam#> Big World, McBain> George, Faker> Timmy Tucker
Encore: Spine Of A Dog@> Spaz Medicine
* with The Kid Zone Buster parade lining the front of the stage.
^ with Rob on upright bass, Al on acoustic guitar
& with Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun (Pink Floyd), Al on acoustic guitar.
% with Curt Kirkwood (Meat Puppets) on guitar
$ First time played. w/ Perry Farrell on vocals
# moe. / meat puppets band switch
@ with Al solo intro
Closing out the festival this year featured more of the same with a beautiful ending to the opening set with a cover of “The Weight” that saw various members of Uncle Earl and The Brakes give this classic number an acoustic feel. Later in the evening, another band member switch of sorts took place as moe.’s crew members each took over an instrument on a cover of “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” before yet another spectacular fireworks display set from atop the hill sent everybody home.
9/2/07 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Crab Eyes, Hi and Lo> Kids, The Pit> Meat, The Weight*
Set 2: Blue Jeans Pizza> Recreational Chemistry^, Not Coming Down> Wormwood> St. Augustine> Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere%$> Rebubula
Encore: Akimbo, Letter Home#
* with KC Groves, Kristin Andreassen, Abigail Washburn, Bryn Davies of Uncle Earl on backing vocals, Rayna Gellert of Uncle Earl on fiddle, and Zach Djanikian of The Brakes on vocals.
^ with Chuck on bass guitar and Rob on guitar for part
% with Jeff Waful on Chuck’s guitar and vocals, Frank Robbins on Al’s guitar, Hector Jimenez on bass and vocals, Steve Young on keyboards, Cass Libbers on drums, and Ken “Skip” Richman on percussion
$ first time played (Neil Young & Crazy Horse)
# Fireworks followed “Letter Home” with Rainboe. singing “The Star Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America”
moe.down IX
With moe.down now firmly entrenched as a summer festival staple, the 2008 version offered a lineup chock full of easy listening with acts like The Levon Helm Band that, naturally, did a bunch of popular The Band covers, The Sparrow Quartet featuring Abigail Washburn (back from last year) and Bela Fleck, Cornmeal and Yonder Mountain String Band. For the non-acoustic fans, groups like U-Melt, American Babies and The Benevento Russo Duo offered their various takes on improvisational rock. And Presidents of the United States of America seemed to fit the early 90s/alternative band slot this year and wowed the crowd with a fun Sunday afternoon set under a blazing hot sun.
8/29/08 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Spaz Medicine, Blue Jeans Pizza, Funky Reuben*, Letter Home> Okayalright, Darkness> Shoot First^> The Road> Rebubula
Encore: Sensory Deprivation Bank
* Last time played 02/15/92 (1552 shows)
^ with Bela Fleck
The guest appearances this weekend fell right in line with the country feel to this year’s bill with Bela Fleck lending his talents to “Shoot First” and Jeff Austin from YMSB fitting in perfectly on “Bring You Down.” One of the weekend’s other memorable sets was delivered by Cornmeal who played an engaging set of bluegrass and uptempo folk tunes with Allie Kral, now of YMSB, on fiddle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ9I5-_s7gI
8/30/08 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Bring It Back Home, Bearsong, All Roads Lead to Home*, Captain America^> Waiting For The Punchline, Brent Black#
Set 2: Defrost@> Crab Eyes, Sticks and Stones*, Deep This Time*, The Pit, Bullet> Bring You Down$
Set 3: Buster> Second Cousins&> Runaway Overlude> She*%, Voodoo Child> Seat Of My Pants
Encore: Spine Of A Dog> Yankee Doodle+
* with Nadine LaFond on vocals
^ with Kids tent parade coming on stage
# with Marco Benevento on keyboards and Joe Russo on drums
@ last time played 01/22/97 (1228 shows)
$ with Jeff Austin on mandolin
& First time played and on stage setlist as “ShitLy”
% band segue with Fishbone
+ last time played 03/18/99 (947 shows)
For the hardcore moe. fans, there were bust outs galore at moe.down 9. Songs like “Funky Reuben” and “Defrost” that hadn’t been played since the 90s made appearances. It seemed as if the entire moe.playbook was an option this weekend. While plenty of songs from the recently released Sticks and Stones album also got some play, standout versions of old school hits like “Sensory Deprivation Bank,” “Recreational Chemistry” and a rollicking third set opener of “Buster” from Saturday night really made their mark this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeHrYNV1PwI
Sunday was not lacking in special moe.ments either as Cornmeal made another appearance and helped close out the first set set with their version of ‘jamgrass’ on a blistering “32 Things” that closed out the first set. And the second set saw Shannon and Terry Lynch of Conehead Buddha lend some brass support on “Happy Hour Hero.” Not to be outdone by the previous days’ offerings of bustouts, the second set also contained a “Roll >Armageddon Jig>Strychnine Waltz” sequence that hadn’t been seen in more than 7 years. But, by far, the most unexpected performance of the weekend may have been the last one as the entire band played around one mic and sent moe.down 9 attendees away for another year with their heads up thanks to the Monty Python sing-a-long classic, “Always Look on the Bright of Life,” replete with responsive whistling from another year’s worth of tired yet satiated fans.
8/31/08 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Tailspin> Timmy Tucker> Understand, Queen of Everything, Down Boy, Macintyre Range*^> 32 Things^
Set 2: George> Happy Hour Hero$> Recreational Chemistry, New York City> George> Roll#> Armageddon Jig#> Strychnine Waltz#> Plane Crash
Encore: Wind it up, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life@&
* without Rob
^ with members of Cornmeal
$ with Shannon Lynch on saxophone and Terry Lynch on trumpet
# last time played 4/22/01 (710 shows)
@ first time played (Monty Python). Chuck on guitar and Jim on tambourine. Entire band around one mic, Rob singing lead.
& second encore (after fireworks)
moe.down X
As a testament to the tireless work put in by moe.’s management team and the bond created with Snow Ridge over the years, 2009 marked the 10th year of the festival, all at the same location. And perhaps no previous lineup offered such a diverse selection of musical artists. Not too many other festivals could promote a bill that had acts like Ani DiFranco alongside ones like Method Man and Redman. And in a rare treat for any East Coast show, the festival was able to lure out California-based rock outfit CAKE who delighted the Saturday night crowd with a set of classic hits. Fledgling bands at the time like The Heavy Pets and The New Mastersounds both increased their exposure thanks to sets at the smaller stage on site. And like any other moe.down, the hosts were everywhere and playing with everyone.
moe. brought out something of a new trick this year as well. Each day, their performances began with one member on stage beginning a song before slowly being joined by everyone else one by one. Vinnie Amico got things started on night one with an opening drum solo before being joined by the rest of the band in a set that delivered such staples as “New York City,” “Hi and Lo” and “Four.”
9/4/09 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Buster*> New York City, Big World> Hi and Lo> Tubing The River Styx> The Pit, The Seed^, Spine Of A Dog$> Waiting For The Punchline$, Four$> Buster$
Encore: McBain
* Vinny drum solo > Jim > Rob > Al > Chuck to start Buster
^ first time played (new moe. song)
$ with Kirk Juhaus
MVP honors for the weekend could have easily been given to Sam Bush who not only played an afternoon set with his band, but lent his violin prowess and infectious energy on sit ins with moe. on songs like “Tambourine” and a rocking “Meat” that closed out Saturday’s second set. Perhaps no song befits moe.down’s rapid ascension into the top tier of the summer music festival hierarchy better than “Where Does the Time Go?” from the final set of night two.
9/5/09 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Mexico*, Crab Eyes, Tambourine^, 32 Things%, Deep This Time> Brent Black
Set 2: Zed Nought Z&> Skrunk> Akimbo, Queen of Everything, Lazarus> George, Meat#
Set 3: Dr. Graffenberg, Understand> Okayalright, Where Does the Time Go?> Plane Crash, Captain America> Recreational Chemistry@
Encore: Wind it up
* Al solo > Chuck > Vinny > Jim > Rob > jam (kids parade) prior to the start
^ with Sam Bush on vilolin w/ bow
% with Sam Bush on minature gutiar
& Jim malletkat solo > Vinny > Rob > Chuck > Al prior to the start
# with Sam Bush on violin
@ with Suke Cerulo
As the sun set on yet another year of magic in Turin, NY, expectations were that the festival would continue to motor along on its current pace and continue the tradition it had firmly established at Snow Ridge Ski Resort. As we’ll see in the upcoming part 3 of NYS Music’s moe.down review, this would not necessarily be the case. However, even though the venue may change, it’s clear that the spirit and the elements that make this festival special never will.
9/6/09 Snow Ridge Ski Area, Turin, NY
Set 1: Shoot First*> Bearsong, Borderline^, Bullet> Hector’s Pillow> Ricky Marten> Second Cousins> Runaway Overlude, She$
Set 2: Timmy Tucker, Seat Of My Pants> Sensory Deprivation Bank@, Happy Hour Hero@, Not Coming Down@> Wormwood@> St. Augustine@, The Road@
Encore: Rebubula@
*Chuck solo > Vinny > Jim > Rob > Al prior to the start
Groups Driftwood and Seth Walker hit FTC StageOne in Fairfield, Connecticut Friday, May 19, and left with quite the bang. Both acts were polished, and the energy that each group brought was high and captivating. The venue in which the show was held was small and quaint, with a smaller stage and crowd the night of the performance. The acoustics were phenomenal, and the size made the performances personal and intimate.
Seth Walker, the opening act, set the tone for the night with positive energy and dedication to his performance. Despite the small venue, front man Seth Walker and his band commanded the stage with loud presence and loud sound, their melodies washing over the entire crowd. The crowd seemed heavily interested and entertained by the music this group brought to the table. Walker referred to the crowd as “small, but mighty” between songs.
Walker was in tune with the instrumentalists he played along with, watching them solo and announcing their names and instruments after they finished. The stage presence of this group was sharp, and it kept the crowd interested. The group as a whole was highly interactive, able to talk and feed off of one another’s melodies and vibes during their set. Bassist Myles Weeks harmonized with Seth Walker on multiple songs, adding depth and flavor to the sound. Seth Walker’s set as a whole held a good amount of variety, ranging from bluesy, jazz bangers to soft, folk songs with country twang. The instrumental aspect of music is held on a high appreciation in both the Seth Walker Band and Driftwood. Walker, though a primarily jazz musician, has his fair share of folk music. The blend of tunes he chose to showcase was complimentary to Driftwood, making Walker a successful and suitable opening act.
After Walker cleared the stage, only a short period of time passed before Driftwood took the stage, sound checking their instruments and setting up their equipment. They were quick and efficient in the process, and soon enough, they were introducing themselves and performing their first song. Bassist Joey Arcuri was unable to make it that evening, and due to the sudden setback, the group was forced to change their set around. It consisted mostly of their slower tunes, but the set still featured sound variety. It was clean, polished, and performed as if there was never a set back to be had.
Violinist and vocalist Claire Byrne revealed to the crowd that the group was once a trio after addressing the absence of the groups bassist, and interacted with the crowd often throughout the night, encouraging their participation with the music being played. Byrne encouraged clapping and snapping on a number of songs, and was featured as a soloist on many numbers. Driftwood was personable, courteous to the crowd, and spoke amongst themselves naturally. The stage chemistry between the band was phenomenal, as well as the chemistry between the band and crowd.
Their music was well-rehearsed, and the intonation and dynamics of this group were amazing. Their harmonies were crisp and well-balanced with the instrumentals. Dan Forsyth and Joe Kollar were attentive to Claire’s solo sections, and even had solos of their own. The group left the crowd smiling and singing along, even requesting an encore. Driftwood ended the evening on a high note, and those who traveled to see them play did not leave disappointed.
Friday, March 3: the first Sunday of Lent. In Buffalo, that normally means every restaurant has their take on fish fries out and people are trying to better themselves through personal sacrifice. However, those attending The Waiting Room that evening found themselves in a very party-friendly environment. One that resulted in a lot of spilled beer on the floor. But given that the band was from Australia, a country known for their heavy drinking, it seemed only fitting. And it also seemed fitting that the band, The Griswolds, named for the Vacation film series family often driven to their limits, was the main event.
The Griswolds hail from Sydney, Australia and were on tour behind their new album, High Times for Low Lives. The lineup, made of Christopher Whitehall on lead vocals and guitar, Daniel Duque-Perez on keyboards and guitar, Tim John on bass and Lachlan West on drums, claim to be inspired by the likes of 2000’s indie bands Vampire Weekend, MGMT, and Of Montreal along with Kanye West and the Beach Boys.
Whitehall definitely gives off the impression of an Australian man, with a scruffy head of long hair along with a somewhat trimmed beard. His thick accent when he spoke to the crowd was the common kind of slurred speech people often expect to hear from Australians. That sort of made his open attempts of getting the audience to party all the more amusing. His guitar sported the phrase “Love Trumps Hate” in a slightly more pleasant looking matter than if Tom Morello would’ve done it.
The music itself does bear the influences of the band on its sleeves. The walk-on music for the band was the same “In High Places” sample by Mike Oldfield, used in Kanye West’s “Dark Fantasy” before going into “Role Models.” The various tricks performed were often found in prominent 2000’s acts, like the weird synth vocals in “16 Years,” the psychedelic sounding keyboards of “Right on Track” and high-pitched chorus line of “Be Impressive.”
At one point, Whitehall asked if anyone in the audience had a birthday, and a few did raise their hands. He then told the crowd it was the drummer’s birthday and replied, “This is the best birthday ever” in a similarly thick accent. After a round of “Happy Birthday,” the band delved into their own song titled “Birthday,” one that played much slower and less joyous, but went in deeper. Compared to the much more upbeat, “If You Wanna Stay,” which probably got the most party-like reception the band wanted, The Griswolds really run a gauntlet of various tastes.
After ending with “Down and Out,” complete with Whitehall doing a guitar solo with the guitar strapped to his back, and a plainly obvious attempt at an encore, they played the very Vampire Weekend-esque “Beware the Dog,” another song where the drummer got into the hard rhythms. In a rather surprising move, Whitehall, after asking the audience if they wanted one more, invited one of the opening acts, Dreamers, onto the stage. The now 8-person band on stage, in one last bit of fun-giving, played the ever-classic “Hey Ya!” Whitehall and Dreamers singer Nick Wold traded verses and lines in the chorus, trying to channel whatever parts of Andre 3000 they could muster.
The Griswold’s music was plenty entertaining enough, with their odd mix of new wave, electronics, and funk rhythms. But at the same time, they didn’t make too much of an impression of me beyond that. I was interested in seeing this band because of the question, what would a band named The Griswolds sound like? And now that I have, I can say I’ve heard plenty of other bands trying the same thing. It’s not anything original, but it’s not anything to completely discount either.
The Nashville-based Country/Pop duo LOCASH performed along with a full band on February 16 at Vapor Nightclub in Saratoga Springs, to a packed house. The show was hosted by 100.9 The Cat.
Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, whose powers’ combined make up LOCASH, were in especially good spirits after receiving their first major Country Music Industry award nomination earlier in the day for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Lucas and Brust, along with their band, were riding high throughout the show, taking the opportunity to celebrate this milestone in their careers with their fans who showed up for them in droves and packed the club out.
The ACM Awards will air live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 2nd.
Mike Powell rolled into Downtown Syracuse Saturday night at Funk n Waffles with his new band, the Black River (John Hanus – guitar, Joe Bell – bass, Dom Scicchitano – drums, Shane Kelsen – keyboards). The packed crowd was treated to a night of originals from Powell’s solo releases, including his latest, Tied to the Rail, as well as songs from the forthcoming Black River debut, due in March.
The evening was originally billed as Powell opening the show with his solo material followed by the full band. Instead, the band took the stage straight away, ramping up with a slow bluesy groove punctuated by soulful breaks from guitarist Hanus. This flowed into the first performance of a Powell solo piece with the whole band.
Powell’s songs tell stories and sometimes these stories need an introduction. The song, “Moonlight, Sunshine and Rain” is the result of an encounter Powell had at a farmer’s market. He prefaced the song describing a near perfect zucchini he found. He asked the farmer how he is able to cultivate such beauty. The farmer simply replied, “Moonlight, sunshine and rain.” The band, particularly Shane Kelsen’s keys, compliments Powell’s blue-eyed soul perfectly on this piece.
Continuing with the stories, Powell introduced the next song, “Tell Me Why,” as one about witnessing a friend spiral into the depths of addiction. His first-person account of an old college friend captivated those in the front of the house. Unfortunately, crowd chatter from the back of the room took away from some of the intimacy the song commands.
Hanus and Powell drew the audience in with a new song, “Alchemy” featuring a Hanus solo reminiscent of Warren Haynes. Powell had his well-worn Gretsch and effects pedal creating haunting sounds as the crowd began to take notice of the talent on stage.
While this band is relatively new, it’s clear that they are all seasoned. They’ve been holed up in the Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica, putting the finishing touches on their debut album. It is clear that a true chemistry has developed among the members and they are truly a band, not Mike Powell and Friends.
That said, Powell was front and center all night. As the band exited, one of the audience members asked jokingly, “Were they that bad?” eliciting a smile from the front man. Powell’s short solo set was next. All throughout, he demonstrated his versatility as a vocalist and instrumentalist, vacillating among the doo-wop sounds of “Go Back” to the heartfelt, soulful delivery of his Jeff Buckley-styled cover of the late Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
A Mike Powell performance is an exhibit in honest talent. He’s humble to a fault, often admitting in interviews that he’s uncomfortable hearing his own voice, yet he’s unafraid to put that to the test in front of an audience. This came to light in Powell’s final song of his solo set, “21 Rounds.” This song was his contribution to the Acoustic Guitar Project. According to the website, the project is a global one with a mission of inspiring creativity. Several cities are chosen and one guitar is passed among five musicians in that city. They have one week to come up with an original song using that guitar and record it live. Each musician signs the guitar and takes a picture with it to upload to the site. Once all five musicians in the given city complete their project, a concert is held. Powell came up with this heart-wrenching song about fallen soldiers on the final night of his turn in the Acoustic Guitar Project.
Hanus and Kelsen rejoined Powell onstage for a roll through of “Empire Line,” a song about taking the train from Syracuse to New York City and were joined by the rhythm section of Bell and Scicchitano to finish up the night. “Gone Too Far” was the finale of the set. Beginning with a jazzy piano intro from Kelsen, the song slowly gained steam with Powell and Bell harmonizing on the chorus and Hanus providing understated yet solid leads. Kelsen’s keys are the highlight on this one.
As Powell gave his salutations, several in the crowd chanted for an encore. Unfortunately, another band was due to perform later in the night, preventing that from happening. Those wishing to catch more of the Black River, can do so at a hometown gig in Watertown on Feb. 10 at the Savory Downtown. Tickets for that all-ages show are $12 and available through Ticketfly.
Powell has been working his way through the bar and art center scene since making the decision to concentrate on music after a highly successful lacrosse career at Syracuse University. His balance of honest and raw songwriting have helped him to gain a strong following among the Central New York faithful and the addition of this powerful and talented band will only serve to catapult all of them to the next level. See them in the small venues while you can. They won’t be playing them much longer.
Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, whose powers’ combined make up LOCASH, were in especially good spirits after receiving their first major Country Music Industry award nomination earlier in the day for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Lucas and Brust, along with their band, were riding high throughout the show, taking the opportunity to celebrate this milestone in their careers with their fans who showed up for them in droves and packed the club out.