NYS Music 20​17

Tag: The Monopole

  • West End Blend to Celebrate 120th Birthday of The Monopole on Nov. 30

    The Monopole in Plattsburgh will celebrate a milestone 120 year birthday, and to get the party going, West End Blend. Last week, NYS Music spoke to Corey Rosoff, owner of the Monopole, about the legacy of the bar’s live music and history in the North Country. Sam Horan, drummer for West End Blend, spoke to NYS Music about Thursday’s show, gave a musician’s view of the venue, and talked about their latest video for “Attitude.”

    monopole birthday
    Pete Mason: Bands seem to pass through The Monopole as a rite of passage. How have your experiences playing The Monopole changed over the years?

    Sam Horan: Our first show at Monopole was back in September and from the moment we stepped into the club it was clear that this place had some serious history behind it. So many great bands have come through their doors and it was great to have the opportunity to do the same. That show was a really great first welcome to Plattsburgh. This will be our second time playing Monopole and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate their 120th anniversary with them!

    PM: What makes The Monopole such a great music venue?

    SH: I think what really makes Monople such a great venue is it’s people. Everyone from the staff to the clientele. The people of Plattsburgh that go out and support shows there. That’s what sold it for us.

    PM: With the release of “Attitude” this past October, what makes this studio release the best representation of West End Blend?

    SH: Every time we make a new record we strive to create something that best represents the band and where we are at in terms of song-writing, line-up and direction. With Attitude, I think we really found a way to capture the band in a way that is very accurate to what you would see live at a current West End Blend show. In comparison to our previous albums, Attitude really shows an edgier and more raw side of the band that you might find with us live. The song writing process has been very natural and shows how we have evolved from our first album. We are very excited about this one and we can’t wait to share it at Monopole!

    PM: Your current tour is one of your most extensive yet. What spots have you hit on the East coast that stand out, and what is coming up the rest of the year for you guys?

    SH: This tour is definitely our most aggressive tour to date and it really marks itself as a big step in this bands touring career. We’re all super excited to be out on the road right now and we look forward to even bigger tours in the very near future. In terms of East Coast stand outs, I think my favorite show so far was our hometown CD release show at Arch Street Tavern in Hartford CT. We are in the middle of a south-eastern tour taking us through Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina right now so its hard to choose favorites until we’ve hit all of these spots! I have a good feeling this 120th anniversary show will be a band favorite…

    PM: Tell us about the experience shooting your video for “Attitude” at ‘Funkhaus’ and how the video captures West End Blend’s energetic live performances.

    SH: That video was a lot of fun to shoot! We basically decided to renovated an old garage next to the Funkhaus and turn it into a large recording space for the shoot. For those who don’t know, the Funkhaus is the house that acts as WEB headquarters. It’s where we record, rehearse and write. This was an ambitious project and we were on a very tight time schedule to finish renovations. I remember at one point, everyone in the band came over the Funkhaus with hammers, screwguns, hack saws and paintbrushes in-hand, and just scrambled to get the space finished before the shoot. It was a crazy amount of work getting the space ready, but when it was finally finished, all of that work was worth it. The space (dubbed Funkhaus Jr.) looks great and we have since used it to recorded some brand new WEB material.

  • The Monopole in Plattsburgh Celebrates 120 years

    The Monopole, Plattsburgh‘s historic bar known for its live music will celebrate 120 years later this month. First opened in 1897, the bar has withstood prohibition, bitter winters and thousands of customers over the years, with live music a staple of the ‘single stick’ for the past 30.  On November 30, West End Blend will be part of a night long celebration of The Monopole reaching the ripe old age of 120, with many years of live music and revelry yet to come.

    To discuss the legacy of The Monopole, NYS Music talked to owner Corey Rosoff about the notable history of the venue, live music memories and how they’re celebrating 120. Photos courtesy of The Monopole.

    the monopole

    Pete Mason: The Monopole has a history spanning over a century that few institutions reach. What do you credit this longevity to?

    Corey Rosoff: I think a big part of the longevity has a lot to do with staff and how no matter who you are, we make you feel welcome. The Monopole has always been a melting pot of diverse clientele including doctors, lawyers, contractors, locals, college and also visitors to the area that all are made to feel comfortable here. We also have been very aware of the history and have worked hard to keep as many original features of the building and the bar. We still have the original woodwork and stained glass and mirrors.

    PM: Among the decades found in the walls of The Monopole, what is your favorite anecdote about the bar’s history?

    CR: I think one of the best story is how Theodore Roosevelt would be here every time he visited the barracks in Plattsburgh. I am still amazed of the amount of couples that come in or email about how they met their husband or wife at the Monopole.

    the monopolePM: How has the role of music changed in the history of The Monopole? What was the earliest music performed here?

    CR: I started working here in the late 70’s when I came to college up here and the Monopole was the first place to install high end stereo equipment. In fact the speakers were such high end they still are in use today. We started doing live music upstairs in the early 80’s with mostly acoustic acts and then evolved into what we have today.

    PM: Who are some of the most notable bands to gain their start playing The Monopole?

    CR: Some of the more notable bands that got their start here would be the Ominous Seapods (one of their songs is titled “Leaving The Monopole”) the South Catherine Street Jug Band and Christine Santelli (Grammy nominee for Songwriting & NYC Blues Hall of Fame ) who got her start in music hosting Open Mic with Matt Mousseau (NYC Blues Hall of Fame here in the early start of Open Mics at The Monopole which is still running every Wednesday night. Also Dave Grippo who is a saxophone player on some of Phish’s albums was a regular performer here back in the early 80’s.

    PM: Why is West End Blend a good choice for a 120th birthday party?

    CR: We chose to do this with West End Blend because after their initial performances in Plattsburgh (once for a city festival & then here in the early fall) everyone who saw them were impressed with their talent so we had been trying to fit a date where they could come back to the venue. We wanted to do this event with a band that we don’t get in the area much to create some extra hype for the special occasion.

    Stay tuned for our interview with West End Blend next week and see what’s in store for November 30th. And if you’re looking for a New Year’s Eve show in Plattsburgh, don’t miss Groovestick with the venue staying open until 8:00am for a New Years party.

  • Formula 5 Announces Album Release Date and Supporting Spring Tour

    Up and coming Albany based jamband, Formula 5 has announced its new album, the band’s third, along with a supporting spring tour. The new album, All Points North, was funded through a Kickstarter campaign last fall and is set for release April 14.

    The album was produced, recorded and mixed by Bryan Brundige at Overit Studios in Albany and Mastered by Michael Schoonmaker at Gigantic Mastering and will be available on streaming platforms on April 14 as well as at the band’s website and JEMP Radio.

    The new album marks a new stage in the band’s progression, bringing a more mature sound. Guitarist Joe Davis reflected on the old version of the band:

    “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.

    The new sound has a more introspective feel while still maintaining roots in the band’s signature improvisational style. It’s an album that will appeal to old fans and garner new as the band looks to expand its reach beyond the Capital District.

    Formula 5 kicks off its Northeast spring tour at the Rock ‘n Roll Resort in Kerhonksen, N.Y. on March 31 and hits several New York venues along the way, including the legendary Monopole in Plattsburgh, the Waterhole in Saranac Lake, Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, American Beauty in New York City, Buffalo Iron Works, Three Heads Brewing in Rochester, Nanola in Malta, the Dinosaur in Troy and wrapping up at Disc Jam Festival in Stephentown June 8 through 11.

    All Points North Tracklist:

    1. Come Along
    2. Sad Bed
    3. Trout Waters, Pt. I & II
    4. It Goes…
    5. Excalibur
    6. The Birch Tree
    7. Q&A
    8. Do Tell
    9. Figure out a Feeling

    Formula 5 Spring 2017 Tour:

    March 31 – Rock n Roll Resort – Kerhonksen, NY
    April 1 – Nectar’s – Burlington, VT *
    April 7 – The Monopole – Plattsburgh, NY
    April 8 – The Waterhole – Saranac Lake, NY
    April 13 – Bourbon and Branch – Philadelphia, PA ^
    April 14 – Pacific Standard Tavern – New Haven, CT +
    April 15 – Putnam Den – Saratoga Springs, NY &
    April 26 – Wonder Bar – Asbury Park, NJ
    April 27 – American Beauty – NYC %
    May 3 – The 8×10 – Baltimore, MD $
    May 5 – B.R.Y.A.C. – Bridgeport, CT
    May 12 – Stone Church – Newmarket, NH !
    May 13 – Bishop’s Lounge – Northampton, MA
    May 18 – Fete Music Hall – Providence, RI +
    May 24 – James Street – Pittsburgh, PA
    May 25 – Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY @
    May 26 – Three Heads Brewing – Rochester, NY
    May 27 – Nanola – Malta, NY
    June 2 – Dinosaur Bar-B-Que – Troy, NY
    June 8 – Arch St Tavern – Hartford, CT #
    June 8-11 – Disc Jam Music Festival – Stephentown, NY

    * with Mister F and Phantom Airwave
    ^ with Space Carnival
    + with Relative Souls
    & with The Other Brothers
    % supporting Dead Phish Orchestra
    $ with Litz
    ! with Revibe
    + with Electro Politics
    @ with Space Junk
    # with Airlooms