NYS Music 20​17

Tag: the spot 518

  • The Addy Opens at Proctors Theatre

    “You should know that as of five o’clock last night there were still lights and speakers still being hung,” said Proctors CEO Philip Morris at a Wednesday morning press conference to announce the opening of the Adeline Graham Theatrical Training and Innovation Center on Nov. 29 (The Addy for short) “In fact, you might even smell the dust burning off of the LEDs.”

    Named after the philanthropist and longtime supporter of Proctors Theatre, the third floor space of the complex now houses a 100-seat theatre, multi-use classrooms, a media lab, a dance studio and a variety of amenities Proctors expects will serve more than 500 students and 10,000 patrons annually.

    Proctors CEO Philip Morris speaks with visitors during the unveiling of The Addy on November 29

    “There is nothing for us as exciting as opening The Addy,” said Morris. “This is as laser focused as our mission gets — bringing together education, entertainment and economic development in one ‘wow’ package. We are beyond proud.”

    The Addy is already in use by the Empire State Youth Orchestra’s CHIME program, serving 60 musicians from local elementary and middle schools. But, in January, The School of the Performing Arts at Proctors will host more than 200 students in weekly classes, including the middle school-based Acting Academy and the high school-oriented TheatreTECH.

    Built as part of a larger capital campaign, the $2.2 million project was supported by grants from Empire State Development and the Capital Region Economic Development Council, Schenectady County, Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority and the Wright Family Foundation.

    “Philanthropy was such an important part of Adeline’s life,” said her niece, Heather Ward, now chair of The Wright Family Foundation, Inc. “She shared this passion with so many organizations, and she dedicated so much of her time and energy to Proctors because she really understood the importance of education, training and community education through the arts.”

    With the Workforce Development Institute and TheatreTECH, The Addy will provide participants apprenticeship programs, training and certification that will allow them to work in a variety of performing arts careers. The performance space will also add another distinct venue to Proctors—serving as art house cinema, concert hall and theatrical stage.

    A classroom currently used by the Empire State Youth Orchestra’s CHIME program at The Addy.

    “Any time you are willing to affect youth, you have an opportunity to change the world,” said Arnold Will, deputy regional director of Empire State Development. “In this case here, it’s really what we’re doing. We’re glad to be a part of taking a vacant facility, renovating it, being a part of the revitalization of downtown Schenectady, and we wish our continued support for Philip and continued success of this project.”

    Ray Gillen, chair of Metroplex, said the new creativity hub should only help Schenectady as a whole, as it adds another venue to attract visitors to the city.

    “This new venue completes the renovation of the cherished Carl Company, one of the last undeveloped spaces on State Street,” he said. “The third floor now features performing and exhibit space, including a versatile 100-seat theatre that will draw more people to downtown Schenectady.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518 and is the property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • ‘Pint-Sized Powerhouse’ Moriah Formica is Still Just a Shaker Student

    THE VOICE — Season:13 — Pictured: Moriah Formica — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)

    While her talent was called “unfair” by Blake Shelton and she’s currently being mentored by Miley Cyrus on NBC’s “The Voice,” her fifth grade music teacher, Camille Wing remembers Moriah Formica before she became the rock star she is today.

    “She was very quiet,” Wing said.

    Her talents on guitar were a secret until the chorus was preparing for a concert. Some of Formica’s friends mentioned to Wing that Formica could play “Eye of the Tiger,” a song they were rehearsing, on the guitar.

    “I asked her if she would be willing to bring her guitar in and play it for us,” Wing said. “Her dad brought it in before school and she played it perfectly. She definitely knew what she was doing.”

    Wing asked Formica to lend her ability at many points after that. Formica accompanied her sixth grade chorus in “Stray Cat Strut,” and then sang a “beautiful” rendition of Alicia Keys’ “Fallin’.” Formica was even asked to sing a solo at her eighth grade graduation.

    “I haven’t asked many people to [sing solos],” Wing said.

    Fast forward to now, and Formica is a strong contender on season 13 of “The Voice.” Her blind audition performance of “Crazy on You” by Heart got the attention of all four judges, ultimately earning her a coveted spot on Team Miley Cyrus.

    “I chose to play Heart because it is classic rock,” Formica said. “One of the reasons why I decided to go on to ‘The Voice’ is because of the lack of true rock singers. Ann Wilson is one of my favorite vocalists.”

    Formica has powered through each week of “The Voice” so far, impressing the judges with her range and vocal control. Despite the success, she’s still at Shaker High School, taking classes and moving on with her education.

    “I’m truly enjoying all of this, but it’s so much work,” she said. “I have school all day, but then I come home and there are so many opportunities that I have to address. I don’t like ignoring anyone.”

    Her father and manager, Josh Formica, agrees with her.

    “Sometimes it’s hard for her. She gets home from school and I have to ask the typical dad questions—‘how was your day,’ ‘did you learn anything,’” he said. “But then I have to follow up with things like ‘you have 120 really nice comments that you should probably check out,’ or ‘we have received an opportunity from here, what would you like to do?’ I then have to transition back into dad mode and make sure she’s getting her homework done and keeping up with school stuff.”

    Luckily, Formica said that the school has been supportive of this journey since the beginning. They have helped the tutors get whatever material they needed and made sure that Formica’s education stays as steady as possible.

    “School definitely gets in the way sometimes, but I could not be more grateful for the support of Shaker and what they’ve done for me since the beginning,” she said.

    North Colonie Central School District Superintendent Joseph Corr said Formica’s work ethic is indicative of what the district hopes to instill in its students.

    “While Moriah has such tremendous natural talent, I don’t think people realize the amount of time and work that goes on behind the scenes. She works so hard and we are very proud of her,” Corr said. “We watch ‘The Voice’ every week and root her on. She’s our hometown hero. Watching her perform with such power at only 16-years-old is so inspiring.”

    Shaker High School Principal Richard Murphy said Shaker has felt the craze around Formica’s newfound fame.

    “Moriah has always been known for her voice, so it wasn’t a surprise to see this happen,” Murphy said. “She is a humble, polite young lady and it’s nice to see her get attention. It’s created a buzz in our school and it’s wonderful.”

    Formica said her musical influences include Aerosmith, Evanescence, Halestorm and In This Moment. She has met Lzzy Hale from Halestorm, who Formica said was supportive. While she’s met a few members of Evanescence, she has yet to meet lead singer Amy Lee. She hopes to meet Steven Tyler someday.

    “Aerosmith was my first true love,” she said. “My room is called Aeroville because of how many posters I have around.”

    Although she won’t know the results of “The Voice” until the rest of the world does in November, Formica said that a loss will not deter her from making music.

    “I will continue doing what I’m doing; I want to make music, perform, release albums,” she said. “‘The Voice’ has given me the exposure that I need to keep going.”

    And the proudest people of all? The ones who have coached her along the way.

    “Moriah comes alive when she performs,” Wing said. “She has that special something that I believe will carry her far and make her dreams come true.  I am thoroughly enjoying seeing it happen.”

    Her father agrees.

    “She’s been performing, and I’ve been managing her, since she was 12,” he said. “Seeing her have this huge stage is incredibly validating and rewarding.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Sydney Worthley Drops Debut Album to Positive Reviews, Earns Respect in Local Scene

    Sydney Worthley is walking down the hall before she is stopped by a friend who confesses, “I’ve had that song stuck in my head the entire day.”

    That song is “One Two Three,” an earworm off of Worthley’s own 14-track CD Strong which dropped last month through Ambassador Music Group.

    The Voorheesville teenager is aggressively pushing out into the local music scene. She’s performed several gigs throughout the Capital District in the past several months, highlighted by a show at Albany’s Tulip Festival in May and a headlining act at Jupiter Hall to celebrate the release of Strong.

    Since it’s release in September, the title track has received play on local alternative and Americana stations, including 88.3 WVCR-FM, where Worthley has already earned respect from its prominent on-air personality.

    “Her charm and poise were evident,” said Vito Ciccarelli, WVCR radio personality. Ciccarelli interviewed Sydney Worthley for his show and he said he was impressed within two minutes. “You don’t generally see that in performers that young. When she performed live, I said to myself — this is the real deal. Reminded me of Moriah Formica… just in the way she didn’t stumble, and let her knowledge and charm take over the interview.”

    In a NYS Music album review, writer Julia Wolfe describes Worthley’s writing technique as similar to Taylor Swift, another artist whose music career started in earnest at the age of 14. Like Swift, the topics in which Worthley touches upon transcend into more mature interpretations of self-awareness, love and death.

    A dedication to Worthley’s grandmothers is scribed on the front of the CD’s lyrics booklet; “two women who exemplified what it means to be strong.” Dorothy Contreras and Sherry Worthley both died of cancer within four months. The young artist took to writing.

    “After that, I had started writing about things I had experienced,” said Sydney, “and that’s what this entire album is about.”

    Shauna Worthley, Sydney’s mother, said her daughter has been determined to strike out onto the world since performing in front of her first crowd at 9.

    “Any parent thinks that their daughter is extremely gifted,” said Shauna. She and her husband decided to gift Sydney with a guitar for her 9th birthday after showing an interest in playing music. Three months of lessons were followed by a performance in front of more than 100 people at her school’s talent show. “And, [she] came off the stage bawling. She was just so happy. Throughout all of this, she just wanted more.”

    Last Thanksgiving, Sydney sat before the piano and started writing.

    In 20 minutes, she had the words down for “Better Than You.”

    “It’s No. 8, which is my favorite number,” said Sydney. The track that contains biting lyrics from a jilted lover is also her favorite. Which, perhaps, draws another comparison to Swift. “I don’t think they know it’s about them. It’s about certain people in particular. Not the entire song is about them. Sometimes little bits and pieces are about that person, and then I go off and make the song bigger.”

    In addition to the 14 songs debuted on Strong, Sydney has 18 more written down. A lyrical chain of subjects that all began with her first song “Wrong Way.” It’s a song Sydney said was initially difficult to perform in front of audiences. The last track on her CD covers the topic of bullying. She admits to once feeling like the “odd person out.” Struggling through the fear of sharing her songs to strangers helped her realize that others could relate to her words.

    “This is what I want my career to be,” said Sydney. “I want it to go as big as it can.” Writing down places to play such as the Times Union Center, “because that’s a big dream of mine. World tours and most of what other musicians want to do.”

    She already has someone in radio convinced.

    “Sydney is the whole package,” said Ciccarelli. “Amazing talent, wonderful songwriter, and an engaging young lady. Having worked with many young acts over the years, I see her achieving great things in the future.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.

  • Collar City Faves Blue Machine Rock the Dino

    If you were in the mood to rock out to Classic Rock and British Invasion tunes from The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Troy was the place to be this past Friday, Sept. 22 as Blue Machine made their return back to the venue.

    Blue MachineThis was the first public appearance for the band since last December. The band’s return not only brought in a packed house, the performance was also entertaining, fun and it was a great night for their fans as they rock and rolled in the City of Troy.

    Blue Machine, featuring Kenny Hohman (guitar/vocals), Joe Daley (drums), and Lori Friday (bass/vocals) and front man Tommy Love (vocals/harmonica), have been bringing their own take on many popular Classic Rock and British Invasion tunes for over 10 years throughout the Capital District and New England. For over 21 years, Hohman, Daley and Friday perform as an international and local power trio called Super 400. Love, who at times can sing and sound like various performers such as Robert Plant, Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison, is also a lead vocalist in another local group, Blue Hand Luke.

    Blue Machine performed hit songs throughout the evening, starting with “Come Together” (The Beatles), followed by “Heart Full of Soul” (The Yardbirds), “Set Me Free” (The Kinks), “Badge” (Cream), “Tell Her No” (The Zombies), “Jumping Jack Flash” (The Rolling Stones), “Strange Brew” (Cream), “Born Under A Bad Sign” (Cream), “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” (The Rolling Stones) and “Happy” (The Rolling Stones), among other tunes.

    “We’re going to give you some trippy music,” Love called out to the fans after the band had finished performing “Happy.” Love was making a reference to their next song, “Riders of the Storm” (The Doors) as Hohman began to play the memorable chords of the tune on the guitar. The Doors’ other hit, “Roadhouse Blues,” followed suit. From The Doors came The Allman Brothers Band. The band dedicated “One Way Out” and “Whipping Post” to the late Gregg Allman.

    Watching the band sing and jam out to these two tunes from The Allman Brothers was captivating, magical and entertaining. As Love sang his verses to these songs, the instrumental jam session began in full force. One moment, Hohman would play a soaring guitar solo, Daley would begin soloing on the drums, then Friday would begin her solo routine to Daley’s toned down drum taps for a given moment. As her solo ended, Hohman and Love reunited with the group to continue to perform their song(s) until it ended. The band, being as connected and passionate to these songs as they are, helped make these classic songs come to life.

    Closing out the first set, and then with a following encore performance, was the anticipated Led Zeppelin tribute. The tribute started out with a cover of “What Is and What Should Never Be” (Led Zeppelin II) followed by “Black Dog” (Mothership), “I Can’t Quit You Baby” (Led Zeppelin) and “Thank You” (Led Zeppelin II). Closing out their encore performance with Love on lead harmonica and vocals, Love belted out the lyrics to “Bring It on Home” (Led Zeppelin II). The end of the encore left Blue Machine fans happy and satisfied to know that rock and roll is here to stay in the Capital District.

    Like Blue Machine on Facebook to stay updated on where the band will perform next. Also, check out Dinosaur BBQ’s website to stay informed on the local acts that will be performing in the area.

    Setlist: “Come Together” (The Beatles), “Heart Full Of Soul” (The Yardbirds), “Set Me Free” (The Kinks), “Badge” (Cream), “Tell Her No” (The Zombies), “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (The Rolling Stones), “All My Loving” (The Beatles), “Strange Brew” (Cream), “Born Under A Bad Sign” (Cream), “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” (The Rolling Stones), “Happy” (The Rolling Stones), “Riders of the Storm” (The Doors), “Roadhouse Blues” (The Doors), “One Way Out” (The Allman Brothers), “Whipping Post” (The Allman Brothers), “What Is And What Should Never Be” (Led Zeppelin), “Black Dog” (Led Zeppelin), “I Can’t Quit You Baby” (Led Zeppelin), “Whole Lotta Love” (Led Zeppelin), “Thank You” (Led Zeppelin),
    Encore: “Bring It On Home” (Led Zeppelin)

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.

  • Kyle Albano goes Unconventional to get his Name out to the World

    “There’s a tremendous difference in what social media has done for me in {the past} couple of years,” said Kyle Albano, who has taken a different approach to promoting his music since dropping his second album Kings with Queens in June.

    Albano is a student of the internet as much as he is a graduate of The College of Saint Rose’s prestigious music program, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. By day, he’s a music teacher at Albany High School, teaching sound production and music composition. At night, he’s working on his own music from his one-bedroom apartment in Guilderland.

    Kings with Queens dropped in June. To promote it, Albano hit the keyboard. His computer keyboard. Like most musicians, he’s a one-man show composing music with one hand and shooting out emails to people throughout the music industry with the other. However, the level of his multitasking is not that simple. He is consciously taking steps promoting a brand — #kylealbano — and doing so through multiple channels outside the norm.

    “I don’t really gig out too much anymore, because it wasn’t doing me well,” said Albano. For his 2012 release Poor Love, Albano released a video on YouTube and hit the stage several times a week. Despite his efforts, he said he wasn’t getting the results. The video received 800 hits. When sometimes looking at playing a local venue on a Wednesday evening, promising the potential for small turnouts, he said, “It wasn’t worth my time.”

    Time is a concept Albano is conscious of, but not beholden to, while he works on his music. He gets to work whenever the inspiration hits him. For one track on Kings with Queens, Albano was struck with an epiphany and went to work at the personal studio he converted from his apartment’s dining room. The sound from his Yamaha HS-7 speakers reverberated throughout the apartment complex. “Sometimes I turned them up too high and they rumble,” he said. It was 10 p.m.

    “So, I got a nasty [complaint],” said Albano. He answered a knock on the door to find his neighbor, in his pajamas, with a copy of the lease in his hand, reminding the musician he was breaking the rules. “And, then, I kept doing it,” he said. “Now that the album is done, we’re in a better part. But, yes. I’ve gotten some complaints.”

    Outside from his neighbors, the pop-punk sounds of Kings with Queens has been well received. He’s not getting on stage just yet. (Though, he said, there are plans for a show in October.) Nonetheless, Albano’s pop-punk sound is played across local radio on WEQX and WEXT.

    “Someone once told me that every song [on Kings with Queens] is different, but inclusive,” said Albano, who is receptive to people interpreting his music for themselves. “Whenever I write a song, it’s however I feel. Any artist is going to write like that. What they’re feeling that day. Hopefully, I try to shed light within the songs. You do your dark times and high times. But, if someone just listens to the song and interprets it in their way, and it helps them… When I listen to a song, I [may] not know what they’re talking about, but I know what that song means to me. Sometimes, it gets me through certain days. … I want somebody to listen. And, if someone listens to that, and it helps them in any fashion, I did my job.”

    In the five years between albums, Albano said he plotted out a plan to increase exposure. The end result is a layered strategy that includes hooking up with Made in Truth Clothing. As he models the Albany-based company’s clothing line he shares its brand on social media. On Albano’s home computer, he has a word document with several of his most effective hashtags for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In August, just two months after dropping Kings with Queens, Albano doubled the amount of hits on his promotional video, compared to that from “Poor Love.” He’s also started making connections with people from larger record companies.

    “There’s a tremendous difference in what social media has done for me in [the past] couple of years,” said Albano.

    The students Albano teaches even catch him on the internet and ask him how they can follow in his footsteps. He tells them to keep on working. Build a fanbase. Read. Watch interviews of artists on YouTube and see how they did it. Just learn as much as you can, and apply it. But how it all will end, the teacher has no answers.

    “Right now, this social media thing has kept me up above and on the flow,” he said. “I think I’m just doing it the right way this time.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518 and is the property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Josh Casano traded away life in the kitchen for time with family and music

    Have you had a taste of what Josh Casano can cook?

    Standing in front of an audience, the man loops an elaborate arrangement of ingredients, all with the use of his voice, his guitar and a delay unit at his feet.

    josh casanoThe chef-turned-musician ran a few kitchens in his time before the life changing events of meeting his wife, Sarah, and the eventual discussion of starting a family. Suddenly, aspirations of becoming the next Ric Orlando reduced over the flame of wanting to be a family man.

    On his Facebook page, the music man’s vita reads: Husband, Father, Brother, Friend, Musician. Like a recipe, he starts with the base of the dish, and along the way, adds the spice. What’s first is vital: Being the husband, the father. And, what’s added next is the flourish that makes Casano’s life unique. His own. What’s missing from the list is his former life as a chef, and a clearer definition of his present day job as a high school music teacher. All those details are found further down his page.

    “I know a lot of people who are head chefs, executive chefs, especially those who have started their own businesses. When you do it in the very beginning, it is really hard to be away from the business,” said Casano. “So, I went back to school to teach.”

    The 39-year-old Casano got a late start to his current career path, which involves folding musical compositions into the minds of young students by day, splashed with stealing hours away to earn his master’s degree at the University at Albany, and a sprinkle of a few live gigs throughout the Capital District. Casano can still cook up a good meal at home, but he said he walked away from the culinary arts because — would you believe it? — the hours would be more demanding on him. The prospect of trying to start up a restaurant included hours of investing in the kitchen, taking him away from a family life he and his wife had only discussed. Today, the Casano start-up has flourished into a marriage with two kids and a home in Latham.

    Casano enrolled into the College of Saint Rose’s prestigious music program. There, he quickly earned his bachelor’s degree to teach. Last year was his first, full year as a music teacher at Schenectady Public Schools. Though he’s just getting started with a career in music, music has been with him since his parents pushed the piano on him in elementary school. When he protested and asked to play drums instead, they bought him a trumpet.

    “[Drums] were too loud,” said Casano. “They were aware of practice pads. My father thought to play drums I had to have a kit.” So, the trumpet stayed with Casano throughout his high school career. Once he started learning music on his own, “I started kicking myself for not paying attention to those piano lessons.”

    Though Casano is often playing covers at his live shows, he is trained and practiced as a classical guitar player and songwriter, writing both the music and lyrics. Pay attention, and you may recognize a few of his songs as they have played on both 102.7 WEQX and 97.7 WEXT. The pressure of playing solo acts in front of an audience is akin to running a kitchen, said Casano. In both cases, he said, you’re “in the weeds” and focused on your task besides the commotion surrounding him.

    “It’s nerve-wracking,” said Casano, about looping at live shows. “It was awful [starting out]. I’d practice a whole movement, get confident, and get up on stage to play it, ‘Oh, man. Please don’t screw this up.’ … You just learn to go with it. I’ve done theatre. I’ve performed in orchestra and band. You make a mistake, you just keep going. You just play it off like you meant it and keep going, and no one’s the wiser.”

    You can find Casano playing Friday, Aug. 25 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, at 5 p.m. and at the Dana Park Concert Series in Albany, on Monday, Aug 28, at 5:30 p.m.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518 and is the property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Songsmith C.K. Flach Talks about His Songwriting and What Inspires Him

    Curtis “C.K.” Flach — pronounced flack — has a look and sound to him that clashes with today’s world. But, when he opens his mouth, people listen.c.k. flach

    The 25-year-old Coeymans Hollow native often takes to the stage dressed one necktie away from a job interview, with a clean white shirt and sports jacket, topped with a whimsical head of hair reminiscent of a flamboyant Jerry Lee Lewis.

    But, flamboyant, he is not. Though people may want to mispronounce his name as flash, there is little flashy about Flach, but the self-described “quiet kid” commands the stage like a master craftsman at work in the backwoods, strumming his guitar and sharing stories of struggle through a voice others have compared with the late Lou Reed.

    The association with Reed is no mistake. As Flach started listening to music as a musician, he came across Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,” and thought he could learn how to develop his vocal range through the late artist. “I felt I could learn a lot about what to do vocally by listening to him,” he said. “Then I found that I really, really like his writing style, how bold it was, and just went from there.”

    Reed’s music was often described as avant garde. Credited as one of the pioneers to the punk rock genre that started in the late ‘60s. A rebel renowned by music lovers of today, but woefully underappreciated by critics of today. Upon his death in 2013, Rolling Stone magazine apologetically held vigil by tweeting and reporting about his every last moment. But, in the past, the magazine was one of his harshest critics. So goes Reed’s style and polarizing persona. For the deadpan singer sharing stories about drug addicts and social misfits, there was no middle ground. People either loved him or hated him.

    “He’s a tough guy rebel. He’s the godfather of punk rock. You listen to him talk, he’s got that New York accent. He’s got a toothpick in his mouth while he’s playing on stage. Yeah. A real rebel. I don’t see myself like that at all. I’m quiet, to be honest with you. I don’t really stand out like that. I’m a pretty nice guy, I think. And, really shy at times as a kid. It’s amazing that I get up on stage and sing in front of people.

    Flach was born and raised on a steady diet of classic rock. He started drumming when he was ten. He only learned to play a few chords on the guitar when he was a teenager. By 2012, he was out of high school and in a band he started with his brother, called “The Kindness.” Then he started to songsmith.

    As a songwriter, Flach said he draws inspiration from what is around him: the landscape, lifestyle and people here in the Hudson Valley. Flach started singing and writing for “The Kindness,” which released an EP in 2015. That immediately took Flach to a solo project that produced “Empty Mansions” in 2016.

    Flach prefers to describe himself as a songsmith, because he sees himself more as a craftsman that is considering all aspects of music and not only the lyrics. Standing front and center on stage, he is wrapped in layers of song structure, lyrics, tone, and delivery. The placement of the bridge. Where to start the chorus. How does it relate to the previous song.

    “It’s important to think all of those things through,” said Flach. “I think the difference between writers and craftsman is that [a songsmith] thinks of all the angles, and tries to approach it as a total project and not just song. … I like that term “smith” because it makes me feel like a craftsman. That’s important to me.

    Flach began writing songs that spoke of social strife — politics, racism, division and corruption — and stories of love, loss, heartache and salvation. He said he was heavily inspired by Reed’s critically acclaimed album “Berlin,” which does the same. Stories, he said, that come through the “eyes of empathy.”

    “It’s an interesting world we live in,” said Flach, who said he doesn’t feel today’s pop music speaks to today’s problems — drug addiction, financial struggles and Washington politics. Though, he said, music is often an escape for some people, “but I also know there’s a place for songs to be realistic,” he said. “Sometimes things happen that we prefer didn’t. I think having a song or two about it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. It might be comforting at times to have that relatable song that we can go to that helps us square up with reality and be aware of what’s going on around us. Another part of it comes through the eyes of empathy. Because, there are people out there who are struggling, and go through different things than we do. They may not have a use for a poppy song. It doesn’t really reflect their life at the moment, and I hope that anything that happens to someone, that’s not quite ideal, is temporary. Maybe in that moment, they could use a song or two that speaks from where they are coming from. … That place of empathy is where I’m coming from.”

    Flach said opportunities have presented themselves to him since the release of “Empty Mansions.” Aside from opening this year’s MOVE Music Festival with a sold out show at Cohoes Music Hall, people have approached him about collaborating. Though he is currently writing for another release, no timetable is set for a second album just yet. He plays next at the Dana Park free concert series on Monday, Aug. 7, with Let Go Daylight and Two Guys in Albany.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.

  • Eddie Angel Comes back Home, and brings The E Street Band’s Garry Tallent for a Show in Troy

    Rensselaer native Eddie Angel is coming back home, and he’s bringing along a guest.

    eddie angelThe former Star Spangled Washboard Band guitarist has not been a stranger to the Capital District since he moved down to Nashville in 1984. When he’s not performing with his band, the Los Straitjackets, he still gets together with Johnny Rabb to tour regularly as members of The Neanderthals. But, Angel’s recent plans don’t involve getting pre-historic on a local audience. He will, however, be tipped a hand to his familiar rockabilly roots during a May 9 performance at The Hanger in Troy.

    Angel is currently touring with Garry Tallent, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and the only founding member of The E Street Band (sans Bruce Springsteen) still performing. It’s Tallent’s first solo tour since he started playing along with those kids from Asbury Park 46 years ago. And, he does so in support of the release of his Break Time LP.

    “Fans always wonder what it is I do between E Street Band tours: This is my answer,” Tallent told Backstreets Magazine, a quarterly periodical exclusive to news on Springsteen. The E Street Band has long been associated with Springsteen since the 1973 release of Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

    Break Time is the E Street bassist’s first solo album, on the label he co-owns, D’Ville Record Group. Initially available only on vinyl and digital download, a CD edition is to be released later this month. The 12-track release serves as an anthology of American rock and roll in several different forms: from Cajun to honky-tonk, rockabilly, and rhythm and blues.

    “They’re my songs,” said Tallent, “and I chose the ones that fit the mold of the album that I was trying to do, which is my tribute to the ‘50s. That’s always been my favorite era of music.

    “It’s not a Bruce Springsteen record.”

    Angel co-produced the album at Tallent’s Moon Dog Studios in Nashville. They are joined on the album by Johnny Cash’s bassist Davie Roe, and the versatile Fats Kaplin on fiddle, mandolin, and banjo. Also appearing on the album is Jimmy Lester on drums, Dave Roe on standup bass, Randy Leago on accordion and Kevin Mckendree on piano. It should be noted that E Street band mate Nils Lofgren sings harmonies on one of the tracks, too.

    Tallent has spent nearly half a century playing alongside Springsteen. In those years, there have been a handful of E Street Band members who have stepped out on their own to make a name for themselves. Before his death in 2011, Clarence Clemons released several solo albums, and was featured with Aretha Franklin, the Grateful Dead, and Jackson Browne, with whom he charted a hit single “You’re a Friend of Mine” in 1985. Most recently Steve Van Zandt appeared prominently as an actor in the hit cable series “Sopranos.” Despite his band mate’s successes, Tallent has only now struck out on his own.

    And, Angel is right along with him.

    At first glance, one can’t see how a Jersey boy and a Rensselaer kid managed to cross paths. But, it’s a friendship that goes back more than 20 years. Angel said it’s based upon a mutual love for good ol’ rock and roll.

    “We’re both fans of ‘50s rock and roll,” said Angel, who can recall his first love for music involving The Beatles and its 1964 release of “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” “But, this is the first time we’ve done something like this. It’s the first time Garry’s ever done a solo tour. When he called me up a few years ago… he asked me if I could help him produce and play on it, I was really thrilled. I was very flattered that he would think of me. Because, he could ask anyone, you know?”

    Break Time is Tallent’s interpretation of rock and roll’s roots. It’s not Top 40, and not alternative. Tallent and his band play a sound that is steeped in rock’s primordial soup that produced Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Lee Dorsey. Despite it not fitting into your typical radio format of today, it’s still very popular.

    “It’s like asking why blues is still popular today,” said Angel. “There’s no time limit on it. When I hear on the radio, Chuck Berry or Jerry Lee Lewis, that never sounds dated. When I hear a Madonna song, it sounds dated. Something from the ‘90s? It sounds dated. So, I think there’s something classic in that music. A timelessness.”

    Just a few days prior to the launch of the tour, Angel said he was looking forward to coming back home to the Capital District. Though Nashville was where he struck out to pursue his music career more than 30 years ago, he said he still won’t see it in the same way he does Rensselaer.

    “It’s a great city but it’ll never be home,” said Angel. “My dream is when we become empty nesters, we’ll come visit in the summer. We won’t ever move back. We can’t afford New York state taxes.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Hollis Brown in the Kitchen

    Hollis Brown markets itself as an American rock band which, lately, is the best way to describe groups that lean towards the origins of rock and roll — a little bit of blues, a little bit of soul and a splash of funk.

    Listen to Hollis Brown’s latest single, “Run Right To You,” off its October release Velvet Elk, and you’ll hear nothing that resembles the fabricated sound of Top 40 radio, or anything that would remind you of their home. The band takes its name from Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of Hollis Brown,” which opens with “He lived on the outside of town.” Vocalist Mike Montali said the homage pays respect to what he perceives to be the song’s message of redemption and rebirth. He and band co-founder Jonathan Bonilla call Queens home. Along with drummer Andrew Zehnal, from Cleveland, keyboardist Adam Bock, from St. Louis, and bass player Brian Courage, from Long Island, they play a sound that’s more in place at a roadhouse in rural America than your coffeehouse in neighboring Brooklyn.

    “We somehow fit in though,” said Montali, who admits the roots-edge sound of Hollis Brown clashes against any dance scene perceived to come out of Manhattan or Long Island. “New York, historically, has had a lot of great bands come out from all different styles and great songwriting. So eclectic, that it’s hard to really define.’

    “In particular with the New York scene, and the press, we’re outsiders for sure, in a way,” he said. The perception, however, is only reality to those expecting a band with “a couple of iPads and some synth.”

    “We do really well in New York,” said Montali. “It’s home, and it’s been good to us.”

    Since forming in 2009, Hollis Brown has attached its name to Lou Reed, Bo Diddley and the Counting Crows. Its 2013 debut album Ride On The Train, garnered song and video premieres from Rolling Stone, Paste and American Songwriter, along with placement in several movie trailers and an online ad campaign for Abercrombie & Fitch. Following a Reed tribute concert in New York City, Alive Naturalsound asked the band to record a tribute to the Velvet Underground’s Loaded as a limited-edition vinyl release for Record Store Day 2014. Hollis Brown Gets Loaded took on a life of its own, with airplay on influential radio stations, resulting in a full CD and digital release.

    Locals who didn’t catch Hollis Brown’s music through the above likely caught on when the band tagged along with Counting Crows and Citizen Cope when the three played the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in the summer of 2015. Still relative no-names, the band that sounds nothing like New Amsterdam garnered the admiration of Crows’ frontman Adam Duritz. Duritz, who updates Twitter more often than President Trump, constantly expressed praise towards Montali and his crew.

    “I think that’s pretty rare for a guy with his level of success,” said Montali of Duritz. “He’s a fan first. He always has been, more than a musician, himself. He loves music and he loves the process of seeing bands starting out in their hometowns to become national acts. … We’re fortunate that we got on his radar and made good friends with him.”

    Flash forward to 2017, Hollis Brown will tour across the country with stops at Mountain Jam, Karoondinha Festival and more. “Steady Ground” is a featured-exclusive on Amazon’s playlist Amazon Acoustics. The band’s vinyl EP, Cluster of Pearls, was chosen as one of the 300 select releases throughout the world for Record Store Day last year. “Cluster of Pearls” followed the 2015 release 3 Shots, which featured Diddley’s collaboration “Rain Dance,” and the duet “Highway 1” with acclaimed alt-country songstress Nikki Lane.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • REVIEW: Making up with Adam Levine

    Watching Adam Levine perform with Maroon 5 was a dream come true for me and likely for many of the fans who came to the Times Union Center on Tuesday, March 7. The band had previously cancelled its appearance last September due to the birth of Levine’s first child with wife, Behati Prinsloo.

    Opening the evening was the U.S. Virgin Island group, “R-City” (also known as “Rock City), featuring brothers Theron and Timothy Thomas with a half-hour set of Jamaican based hip-hop, rap, and pop hits from its debut album, “What Dreams Are Made Of.” Upon performing the hit, “Make Up,” the brothers continued to make the show kid-friendly by teaching fans some Virgin Island slang. The crowd went crazy for a medley of songs R-City recorded for other performers —“Replay” (Iyaz), “We Can’t Stop” (Miley Cyrus), “I Don’t Mind” (Usher) and “Pour It Up” (Rihanna). R-City closed out the evening with “Locked Away,” a track that features Levine, of which he would reprise later in the evening.

    A rousing, electrifying drum solo welcomed the crowd to Tinashe and her group of female dancers, as they opened to “Ride Of Your Life,” from her sophomore album, “Nightlife.” In her half hour set, Tinashe also performed hits from Justin Bieber (“Let Me Love You”) and a remix reminiscent of 5th Harmony’s “Work.” before leading on into her own “Company”  and “All Hands on Deck.” The dance choreography from Tinashe and her dancers was great to watch. At one point, they were all in formation dancing to an Beyoncé-inspired rendition of “Single Ladies.”

    By the time the lights dimmed and the music began to blare, the audience was on their feet in anticipation of Maroon 5. Levine and company opened with “Moves Like Jagger.” Levine (guitar/ lead vocals) and his band, featuring Jesse Carmichael (guitar/piano), James Valentine (lead guitar), P.J. Morton (piano), Matt Flynn (drums) and Mickey Madden (bass), wasted no time in getting the audience to sing, video tape, and dance along to a majority of the band’s hits from “Songs About Jane,” “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,” “Hands All Over,” “Overexposed” and “V.”

    Watching Maroon 5 perform to an almost sold out crowd was an evening I will never forget. Levine’s famous falsetto range was on point for every single song he performed. If you’ve thought watching the band perform with Levine on The Voice was awesome, watching their live performance in person at a live venue is amazing. One of the highlights of the band’s first set was a high-energy performance of “Let’s Dance,” a tribute to the late David Bowie. While another was when Levine gathered the band to center stage for an acapella chorus of “Payphone.”

    The encore featured nothing but an electronic drum kit and a piano. Levine and Valentine opened with an intimate look at the timeless hit, “She Will Be Loved.” Valentine took the lead, performing on acoustic guitar as Levine sang. He dedicated the song to all of the beautiful ladies who came to watch the show. Morton and Flynn joined Levine and Valentine to perform, “Don’t Wanna Know.” After a few more songs, the band closed the evening with yet another tribute —an electrifying homage to Prince. Purple lights flashed and illuminated the stage as each of the members poured their hearts out to perform “Let’s Go Crazy.” Levine stepped up to the challenge, performing Prince’s blistering guitar solo at the end to the crowd’s delight.

    Amy Modesti is a visual artist, photographer and musician who’s dedicated to sharing what’s surrounding her with the rest of the Capital District and beyond. She’s one of the photographers for TheSpot518.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.