Three of Central New York’s most talented singer/songwriters are teaming up for a mini-tour in April. This first ever mini-tour, presented by KMase Productions out of Syracuse, includes Mike Powell, Chris Merkley and Charley Orlando.
Orlando is the talent buyer for Funk n’ Waffles. He helped create a regular Saturday/Sunday Storytellers session at the Downtown Syracuse Funk and has now integrated it into the Rochester Funk’s calendar as well. He is also a talented singer/songwriter, with 16 albums to his credit across his 26 year career.
Powell has been working the CNY scene as a solo artist and duo act with John Hanus as well as a member of his new band, the Black River. The Black River’s debut album, Classic Universe, was released earlier this year to great acclaim.
Merkley is a blues/Americana/rock artist and founder of Old Boy Records. He performs throughout the state as a solo act, a duo (Merkley & Morgan), in an acoustic rock band (The Crooners) and a swampy blues rock trio (Digger Jones). Merkley has also composed and produced music for TV and independent films. He also created several original compositions for the HBO series Generation Kill.
KMase’s Storytellers Mini-Tour:
April 12 – The Loving Cup – Rochester, NY
April 13 – The Nelson Odeon – Nelson, NY
April 14 – The Borodino Grange – Borodino, NY
April 15 – Bru 64 – Cortland, NY
The ’90s was a decade of maelstrom in the music industry. The decade that saw the death of hair metal also saw the rise of alt-rock, the second wave of ska and the swing revival, among many other genres. It was arguably the most eccentric of all decades in the history of American popular music. One of the bands that hit the big time in this era was Squirrel Nut Zippers, a Chapel Hill, NC band that straddled the line of swing music and New Orleans jazz. Their hit single “Hell” was ubiquitous on alternative radio in 1996.
Sunday night, the revamped version of Squirrel Nut Zippers rolled into the Center for the Arts of Homer, once the Homer Baptist Church, to hold a Palm Sunday service of their own, rapt with swing music, New Orleans style brass, Klezmer and old school crooning.
Riding the release of their first album in 18 years, Beasts of Burgundy, the new version of the Zippers provided the near sellout crowd with Vaudeville style entertainment and world class musicianship.
The band has been revamped after relocating to New Orleans and showcases some of the genre’s best musicians, including Dr. Sick, the spirited fiddler/multi-instrumentalist who stole the show with his outgoing and somewhat suggestive performance. Sick had a local connection to the show, Cortland musician Chris Merkley opened the show in the Community Space at the Center for the Arts of Homer. He documented his connection with Dr. Sick and the Squirrel Nut Zippers in a Facebook post on Friday:
The Zippers kicked off the show with a rousing rendition of a new song, “Karnival Joe From Kokomo,” a song that would fit right in with the 1996 Zippers’ catalog. The remainder of the night was a mix of old and new songs mixed with many jokes. When attending a Zippers show, you’re not just going to dance, you’re going to laugh your ass off. Between songs, band leader Jimbo Mathus and Dr. Sick riffed off each other with a string of cringe-worthy Dad jokes and bad bird puns that had the audience simultaneously laughing and wincing.
The highlight of the night was when Mathus introduced the “dancing portion” of the night. Permission was asked for audience members, who had largely been seat-ridden most of the show, to get up and dance for the upcoming section of the show. Mathus often referred to the early Zippers’ catalog as “songs from the past century.” These songs comprised the “dancing portion” of the night and the crowd complied. The band ripped into “Bad Businessman,” “Hell” and the rousing Klezmer-style song “Ghost of Stephen Foster” to finish out their outstanding set.
The encore consisted of “Axman Jazz,” “Prince Nez,” “Plenty More” and another new song, “Hey Shango!,” a Cuban-style romp from their latest album that led to a Second Line exit for the band. The Second Line wound its way through the audience and made its way to the Community Space, where the band continued playing before settling in for pictures and autographs with fans.
The Center for the Arts of Homer proved to be a tremendous host for a show like this and the Squirrel Nut Zippers were very grateful for those who attended. And the Zippers proved that original American music is not dead.
Any good St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes music. Music and the Irish are inseparable. According to the latest U.S. Census, nearly 12 percent of the U.S. population claim some Irish ancestry, a total of 35 million people. A very high percentage of this population is centered in the Northeast U.S., particularly right here in New York State. So, it is only fitting that the day to celebrate the Irish would be rife with music across the state. Naturally, a state with such deep Irish roots celebrates the day with parades following the parade activities, much live music can be found around New York. NYS Music provides you with a listing of some St. Patrick’s Day festivities from the North Country to Long Island, Albany to Buffalo. Whether you crave traditional Irish music, reggae, punk, reggae, rock or blues, we have you covered.
Saratoga singer-songwriter Katie Louise will perform a set at Main Street in Saugerties beginning at 9:30.
Plattsburgh’s seminal venue, the Monopole hosts Burlington’s Jiggawaltz for the funkster’s first appearance at in quite some time at the venue.
Capital District
If you’re in Albany for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, start your day off with a brunch at the Savoy Taproom on Lark. From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. you can enjoy traditional Irish music from Toss the Feathers while enjoying traditional Irish food.
All day long, the Pearl Street Pub offers live music with DJs at night. Larry Ross gets things rolling followed by an appearance from the City of Albany Pipe Band.
Following the parade, head on down to Paulys Hotel on Central for an after-party with the sometimes punk, sometimes ska, sometimes rap act Smittix with special guest Feral Meryl from 2-6 p.m.
Celtic Hall, located on New Karner Road, hosts its own post-parade party beginning at 5 p.m. The City of Albany Pipe Band continues its busy day with an appearance at Celtic Hall, along with the An Clar Irish Dancers and the popular Celtic-rock band Hair of the Dog. Hair of the Dog has been performing since 1993 and is a regular act at Irish festivals throughout the northeast.
Also in Saratoga, a special night celebrating female voices in Irish music featuring the Grady Girls and Kara Doyle is going down at the legendary Caffe Lena. The kid-friendly event begins at 8 p.m.
Central NY
Funk ‘n Waffles in Syracuse gives St. Patrick’s Day a little zydeco flair with the soulful, funky, blues of hometown boys, Los Blancos, starting at 3:00. Dubbed “The Hardest Working Band in Syracuse,” Los Blancos has a proven track record of packing venues and laying down the funk.
Syracuse’s symphony, Symphoria, will perform a pops concert celebrating the Music of the Emerald Isle at the Onondaga County Civic Center beginning at 7:30. Tickets for this special event, which features violinist Maria Kaneko Millar a performer with Riverdance productions on Broadway as well as the touring version, are still available through the Symphoria website. Prices range from free for 18 and under to $38.
Maria Kaneko Millar
EDM jamband, Phasers Engage puts an interesting twist on the day’s festivities, throwing a house party on Tennyson Ave. with free beer for anyone 21 and over. They’ll perform from 1-3 p.m.
If you’re looking for more traditional Irish fare along the lines of the Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem or the Dubliners, head out to Jake Hafner’s Restaurant & Tavern in North Syracuse for Quigsy and the Bird from 5-9 p.m.
The Syracuse Polish Home hosts its annual parade day corned beef and cabbage dinner with entertainment from 4-9 p.m. Jo Duz provides Irish and folk music from 4-6 p.m. followed by Just Joe from 6-9 p.m.
If you’re out Utica way, Nick Piccininni and Jay Barady of Floodwood are performing at the recently re-vamped John Devereux’s Tavern from noon until 4 p.m.
Piggy Pat’s Smoke and Ale House in Washington Mills, just outside of Utica, is now under new ownership, but that hasn’t changed the music offerings they’ve presented over the years. The Blarney Rebel Band will take the floor from 1-4 p.m. This veteran Celtic band from Utica performs traditional Irish music from pub tunes to sea shanties to moving ballads and rousing rebel songs.
Woodland Farm Brewery in Marcy, just north of Utica, gets the day off to an early start. The local farm brewery opens at 8 a.m. for liquid breakfast and keeps the party going all day, highlighted by bluegrass from Remsen Social Club starting at 1 p.m.
The Continental Kit Band will perform at the 16 Stone Brewpub in Holland Patent. Doors open at noon with Irish stew, Reubens and an almost Irish Red ready for sampling.
If you’re in Rome, Copper City Brewing Company is offering traditional Irish music by Mighty Craic from 1-3 p.m. Mighty Craic is a trio with deep roots in the Central New York Irish scene. This farm brewery will also have a taco truck on hand as well as two Irish beers freshly tapped for the day.
Western NY
Out west, Rochester, as always, has several musical offerings for St. Patrick’s Day. The Crooked North brings its brand of Rust Belt bluegrass to the Little Theatre on East Ave. from 8-10 p.m.
Three Heads Brewing hosts the reggae vibe of Personal Blend from 8-11 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge for one of Rochester’s favorite reggae bands.
The Montage Music Hall has a ’90s night on tap for St. Patrick’s Day. The 8 p.m. show features Pearl Jam tribute act, Given to Fly, R.E.M. tribute act, Dead Letter Office and Flannel Millennium, who covers music from such ’90s alt-rock staples as Stone Temple Pilots, Weezer, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alice in Chains. Tickets for the show are $20 in advance and available at the Montage website.
Cathie Ryan, the original lead of Irish-American sensation, Cherish the Ladies, joins the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre for a Celtic Celebration both Friday March 16 and Saturday March 17. The shows begin at 8 p.m. The combination of Ryan’s beautiful voice and sarcastic wit, accompanied by the RPO, promises to be a unique night of music in the Flower City.
The Buffalo Iron Works welcomes Vancouver Celtic rockers, The Town Pants and Whitesboro native Tim Britt with his Tim Britt Band. Syracuse native and Pale Green Stars drummer, Jeff Tripoli, plays drums for the Pants, who also perform at the Smith Opera House in Geneva on March 16. The 9 p.m. Buffalo Iron Works show has a ticket price of $17-22.
NYS Music 87/90 artists, the Intrepid Travelers, return to their home base, the Sportsmens Tavern on Amherst for St. Paddy’s Day for a psychedelic jam session. Doors for the two set show open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Downstate
Larry Kirwan of Black 47 brings his St. Patrick’s Day show to YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore. Aside from fronting the politically reactive New York-based band Black 47, Irish expatriate Kirwan hosts the show Celtic Crush for Sirius XM. He’ll be joined by Deni Bonet (violin), Coty Cockrell (keyboards), Thomas Hamlin (drums), Rene Hart (double bass), Andrew Sharp (Uilleann pipes). The band will be releasing a new single for the occasion, a remake David Bowie’s “Heroes” from a Belfast perspective. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $47.
Legendary Queens punks, Murphy’s Law will perform at the Brooklyn Bazzar with Drunken Rampage, Moral Panic and Runny. The 7 p.m. show costs $17 and tickets are available through Ticketweb.
Needless to say, there is no shortage of live music available to music fans across the Empire State on St. Patrick’s Day no matter what your taste. This is but a snapshot of all that is happening across the state on one day. If your area wasn’t covered by this piece, leave us a message, comment or tweet us @NYStateMusic. NYS Music’s mission is to expose ALL of New York’s musicians, venues and scenes and with your help, we can do just that. Now take this list and get out and enjoy some music!
Speculation has become fact. Phish is returning to Watkins Glen International for its 11th festival Aug. 17-19. Ticket sale begins March 2 at noon.
Phish last performed at “The Glen” for Magnaball in 2015. You can read NYS Music’s coverage of that sold-out festival here, here and here. Pete Mason re-lived the legendary Drive-In set from Magnaball here.
Ticketing packages include a general admission weekend pass for $250 plus fees. These tickets allow weekend access to the festival grounds and GA campground. Those bringing a vehicle must also purchase a vehicle camping pass.
There is also a Glen Close package, which includes one Glen Close vehicle camping pass (choose car or RV) and two Glen Close weekend passes with the option to purchase an additional Glen Close weekend pass during the purchase process. Pricing for this option begins at $910 plus fees. For more information, visit the festival page.
Phish’s first festival was the groundbreaking Clifford Ball in 1996. Curveball marks the third festival the band has held at Watkins Glen International, following Magnaball and 2011’s Super Ball IX. The rolling hills and central location of this Finger Lakes venue allows for easy travel from many major cities in the northeast.
Tickets are available beginning at noon on Friday, March 2.
The Black River will headline a March 9 benefit for Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare at the Palace Theater on James Street. The event features a who’s who of the burgeoning Syracuse music scene while raising funds for SBH programming for substance abuse recovery and mental health care.
The unique showcase will feature performances from some of the best talent in the Syracuse rock scene. In addition to the Black River, performers include Atkins Riot, Late Earth, Molina and Climbing Stars. The show will be also have an infusion of stories of recovery from the effects of substance abuse, mental illness and other health issues. On-air personality, Scott Dixon (DXN) of 95X will be the event’s emcee.
The March 9 show begins at 7 p.m. Advanced sale tickets can be purchased for $10 through the SBH website. Tickets at the door will cost $15. All proceeds from the event will go towards promoting SBH programming for recovery from the effects of substance use and mental health disorders through healthcare programs at every stage of the recovery process.
The Black River, one of the hottest bands in the Syracuse scene, recently released its debut album Classic Universe and is currently playing shows throughout Upstate. Their album is available on all streaming services. A live video of the Black River’s “Roomful of Flies” can be seen below.
Alt-rockers Atkins Riot features veteran members of the Syracuse music scene. Their riff-heavy eponymous debut is picking up steam around the Syracuse scene and can be purchased at their shows. You can check out a couple of their songs via SoundCloud below.
Late Earth has been nominated for a Syracuse Area Music Award for their album The Prevail. This young band’s album is an original sounding, genre-spanning work with influences ranging from ’90s alt-rock to blues to ska to reggae. Check out some tracks and purchase the SAMMY nominated album through their BandCamp page.
Binghamton-area alt-rockers, Molina released their debut EP, Swing Devotion in 2015. Their single for “Wasted Years” boasts a heavy influence from The National and Interpol. Take a listen in their official video below.
Climbing Stars recently recorded a “Live @ SubCat” session for 105.9 The Rebel’s weekly show, “Soundcheck.” The band’s bio states that they “pick up where grunge left off.” They are currently in the studio recording their debut album. In the meantime, you can hear the single “Angel From Afar” on their BandCamp page.
Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare (SBH) promotes recovery from the effects of substance use and mental health disorders through healthcare programs at every stage of the recovery process through inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation as well as residential rehabilitation. In the past year, SBH programs have helped 6871 people in the Central New York area. For more information on Rock for Recovery and the services SBH provides, visit their website here.
The latest addition to the Live Phish series is Phish’s show from Central New York’s harness racing mecca, Vernon Downs, on Aug. 12, 1998.
The only show Phish has ever performed at this venue worked perfectly into Phish’s wordplay throughout the night. The “Makisupa Policeman” lyric, “Woke up this morning, burning down,” was met with rapturous applause due to its resemblance to the venue’s name. Later in the show, the band performed a cover of the Talking Heads classic “Burning Down the House,” which took on a new persona as Trey Anastasio sang, “Vernon Down the house,” much to the delight of those in attendance.
The show was also somewhat of a hometown show for drummer Jon Fishman, a graduate of nearby Jamesville-DeWitt High School. Anastasio refers to him as “Bob Weaver” during the show. He also continuously busted Fishman’s chops throughout the show, referring to his old high school band, Frodo, on several occasions.
As far as Phish shows go, this one has to be one that would convert many first-timers. Covers of ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads and the Rolling Stones, along with several popular Phish standards, definitely converted many in attendance for the first time.
Set One: La Grange, Makisupa Policeman, Funky Bitch, Possum, Roggae, Character Zero, Ramble On, Slave to the Traffic Light
Set Two: Mike’s Song> Simple> Rift, Loving Cup, Sleeping Monkey > Weekapaug Groove, The Squirming Coil
The Syracuse Area Music Awards held a press conference Tuesday morning to announce this year’s Hall of Fame class and nominees in 14 categories for the 25th anniversary of the awards. Recipients of the Educator of the Year Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award were also announced at the presser at Eastwood’s Palace Theater.
The 2018 SAMMYS honor albums from Central New York musicians released in 2017. This year’s ceremony takes place March 2 at the Palace Theater of Syracuse. Advance sale tickets for the awards show are $20 and can be purchased through the Syracuse Area Music website.
This year’s SAMMYS Hall of Fame class includes a mix of musicians and music industry professionals. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place March 1 upstairs at the Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse. Tickets for this are $25 and also available through the Syracuse Area Music website. Honorees this year are Stacy Waterman, a production manager responsible for many of the biggest concerts in Central New York over the past 20 years. She has had a hand in handling shows such as moe.down, the Saranac Concert Series, Taste of Syracuse, K-Rockathon as well as her most proud accomplishment, the Salt City Waltz, a celebration and tribute to the music of The Band and their farewell concert, The Last Waltz.
Also honored this year is Maryjo Spillane. Spillane is a tour and production manager who has risen through the ranks of a primarily male dominated industry to become one of the most respected in the injury. Her clients have included Kelly Osbourne, Slayer, Dolly Parton and Heaven & Hell (the latter day Ronnie James Dio-fronted version of Black Sabbath). She has been thrice nominated as a Pollstar “Road Warrior” and made the publications “People to Watch” list, the first woman to ever receive both honors.
Guitarist John Cadley is the third member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Cadley learned to play guitar at the age of 13, playing along with Kingston Trio records. He formed his first band, the Rum Runners, at boarding school and continued to play with various bluegrass bands throughout his college years. He was a member of the Long Island folk group the Glencoves, who score at top 40 hit in 1963 with the song “Hootenanny.” Cadley continued his career into graduate school, where he connected with Tony Trischka and Tom Hosner to form the Down City Ramblers.
https://youtu.be/hIrb9f7MdjY
The final 2018 inductee is the band DOVE. DOVE was a five-piece outfit influenced by the early ’70s glam movement. Setlists of the time often included covers of David Bowie and Jethro Tull, along with DOVE originals “Kidd” and “I Know.” From 1971-1973 Howie Bartolo (vocals, sax, flute), Rick Cua (bass, vocals), Dave Hanlon (drums, percussion), Larry Serafini (guitar, vocals) and Larry Arlotta (keyboards) packed venues across Upstate New York.
DOVE
The 2018 Educator of the Year Award recipient is the Director of the Fillius Jazz Archive at Hamilton College, Monk Rowe. Rowe has an extensive resume of performing, educating and presenting throughout the Mohawk Valley and beyond. Since beginning his teaching career at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School in 1974, Rowe has taught in various schools right up to the present day. As Director of the Fillius Jazz Archive, he has conducted oral histories of over 330 jazz personalities throughout the United States.
PHOTO: NANCY L. FORD
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to 105.9 The Rebel DJ and Program Director, Dave Frisina. Already a member of the SAMMYS Hall of Fame, Frisina has been a champion of local music since beginning his local music spotlight show “Soundcheck” in 1979, which airs at 9 p.m. on Sunday nights. Frisina has also incorporated a weekday “Local Lunch” into his regular 2-6 p.m. slot on The Rebel. Throughout his 40 years in Syracuse radio, Frisina has been the rock behind the local music scene, not only through his Sunday night programming but at local venues. If there’s a show happening in the Syracuse area, chances are Frisina is in attendance.
Dave Frisina
All Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at a ceremony Upstairs at the Dino on Franklin Street in Syracuse on Friday March 1. Awards for the 25th Annual SAMMYS will be presented on March 2. Musicians performing at the awards show include a reunited DOVE, the Merry Pranksters, Elephant Mountain, Professional Victims and Count Blastula.
The People’s Choice Awards, selected through online voting that is ongoing leading up to the ceremony will be awarded in the categories of Best Artist, Best Venue and Best Festival or Music Series. Voting can be done at the Syracuse Area Music website.
The Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist will also be presented that night. The award is voted on by industry professionals and music journalists. The winner of Best New Artist will receive six hours of recording time at SubCat Music Studios.
The full list of nominees is below. Of particular note is the presence of multiple nominees, Chris Eves (Floodwood, Skunk City and Chris Eves & the New Normal) and Billy Harrison (All Poets & Heroes, Jess Novak Band).
Best Pop
All Poets & Heroes – Where We Lived and What We Lived For
Nate – Summer is the Cure
Sera Bullis – The Road to Marcellus
Ben Mauro – Good Day
BEA – Old Habits
Best Jazz
Peter Allen Alt Jazz – It Was Just About That Time
Tim Herron – Thinquisition
Robert Holz – Visions: Coast to Coast Connection
E.S.P. – Zero Gravity
Best Hip Hop or Rap
Sophistafunk – Real Vibration
Seth Dollar – Vanity
Wigs – No Turning Back
Steve Cook – M.I.D. Twenties
Suppa Satty – Who You Thought It Was?
Best Americana
Mark Wahl – Circadia
Austin MacRae – Keeper
Jane Zell – Almost Real
Harmonic Dirt – Anthracite
Ruddy Well & The Region Legion – Common Ground
Best Alternative
The Action! – 5
Goodnight Forever – Dim Lit Motivation
Mattydale Music Collective – Dreamwyld
Phantom Chemistry – Everything’s Great
Against The Giants – Harden Your Heart
Best Rock
Flashcubes – Forever
The Alpha Fire – Embers
Tommy Gunn – Talk of the Town
Jess Novak Band – Fireworks
The Penetrators – Legacy
Best Hard Rock
Ecliptic Vision – Omphalos of the Void
Sampere – World of Illusion EP
Jeremiah’s Razor – Jeremiah’s Razor
Breaking Solace – The Stand
Between Hope and Fear – With the Water
Best Other Style
Answer the Muse – Now
Leo Crandall – The Art of Swimming
A Cast of Thousands – The Fifth
John Harris – Wake the Dead
Harriet Tubman Freedom Music Festival – Music for Freedom: Harriet Tubman Freedom Music Festival Live! Vol 2
Best Jam Band
Late Earth – The Prevail
Barroom Philosophers – Barroom Philosophers
John McConnell – By Design
Chris Eves & the New Normal – Find Your Way
Old Deer Ensemble – Festival
Best Singer/Songwriter
Amanda Rogers – Heavy Blue
Alex Gideon – Know Different Than Before
Cam Caruso – On the Other Side
Sydey Irving – Hello Stranger
J. Schnitt – How to Be Happy About the End of the World
Best Blues
Bad Mama’s Blues Band – There Goes the Rent
Matthew Black and the Blues Dragons – Matthew Black and the Blues Dragons
Moon Dog Howlers – One Track Mind
Best R&B
Skunk City – Sparked
Kings of the Fall – The Ascension
Diana Jacobs Band – Good Metticine
Best Country
Floodwood – Till I Die
Matt Dunn Band – I Am this Road
Best Electronica
Leper Pony – White Savior
Mazedude – American Pixels
Man Woman Machine – Ultra-Xenosonic
Syracuse’s The Black River, led by singer-songwriter Mike Powell, has released its first album, entitled Classic Universe. The soulful quintet, who take their name from the North Country river that passes by Powell’s childhood home, came together just over one year ago and have been quickly making their name known throughout New York.
The album was produced by Jeff Aderman at Utica’s Big Blue North Studio and exhibits The Black River putting an impressive foot forward in its debut. In the year since the band debuted, they have opened for such artists as The Sadies, Shooter Jennings, The Trews, Mondo Cozmo and Eric Tessmer. A powerful afternoon set at last year’s moe.down also won the band new fans.
“One of the things we always talk about when we are sculpting these songs is to be sure to listen to one another. That may sound like a very simple concept but when you’re creating a collective sound it’s important that no player be on a sonic island. We aim to be one connected land mass of sound,” Powell said when asked about the goal of his new band. “I have surrounded myself and my songs with monster players that could easily step out and flex their muscles at anytime but all of us understand the importance of doing what is best for the song first.”
Powell’s assessment of this band is certainly true. All come from different musical backgrounds to forge a sound that isn’t easy to categorize. Longtime Powell collaborator, guitarist John Hanus’ metal chops and experimental solos add an unexpected yet welcome edge to Powell’s personal songwriting and the soulful force created by keyboardist Shane Kelsen and the rhythm section of Joe Bell and Dom Scicchitano. The band’s frequent live performances have helped hone its unique sound over the past year and the band is gelling as a unit at the perfect time.
To celebrate the release of the new album, the Black River recently performed the inaugural live session for Syracuse radio show Soundcheck at SubCat Studios. You can view that peformance below. The show, hosted by long time Syracuse radio personality and SAMMYS Hall of Famer, Dave Frisina, has been on the air since 1979. It showcases local and regional musicians each Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. on 105.9 The Rebel.
Frisina’s new series is called Live @ SubCat Studios and will feature a different local act performing live in front of a studio audience each month.
The Black River’s Classic Universe is available now on all streaming platforms. Recent performances have included stops at the del Lago Resort and Casino in Waterloo and Three Heads Brewing Company in Rochester. They’re also scheduled to perform at Al’s Wine and Whiskey Lounge in Syracuse in March and Funk ‘N Waffles Syracuse in April. Follow The Black River on Facebook or at their website for information on upcoming performances.
Strangefolk’s Reid Genauer has announced a new album via a Kickstarter campaign. The album, entitled Conspire to Smile, will contain cover songs, a new Assembly of Dust song, “Amplified Messiah,” and the first recording from the original members of Strangefolk since 1998’s A Great Long While, called “Conspire to Smile.”
Kevin Bedford & Reid Genauer
The new album is credited to Reid Genauer & Folks and includes appearances from a who’s who of the jamband scene, including Aaron Maxwell, Adam Terrell, Andy Herrick, Dave Diamond, Elliot Peck, Erik Glockler, Jason Crosby, John Leccese, Jon Trafton LEBO, Luke Smith, Marc Friedman, Nate Wilson, Ryan Montbleau, Scott Law, Scott Metzger and others to be announced.
The official Kickstarter campaign to fund the album begins Feb. 1. In the meantime, you can catch Strangefolk in a series of performances this weekend. Friday Jan. 19, the band performs at the Waterville Opera House in Waterville, ME. Saturday Jan. 20 they perform at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston and Sunday, Jan. 21 at the Warehouse at FTC in Fairfield, CT.
Genauer describes the project as follows:
It’s a celebration of the power that each of us has in the telling of our shared story, a reminder that we all have way more in common than not. Our little community is geographically distributed throughout the country and amounts to some 30,000 people or so. If each of us were to gain five minutes a week of peace of mind from this project we would create approximately 150,000 minutes or2,500 hours/week of personal energy that can be used towards addressing our challenges rather than wallowing in them. I think about it as a social version of the Doppler effect. Like the ripple from a single drop of water if each of us touches even two people and they too Conspire To Smile, the impact and outcome will be profound. My hope is that that each of us can use this project, the songs and the broad intent, as a way of being that drop of water. Let’s take care of ourselves so we can in turn take care of others.
A working version of the Strangefolk track, “Conspire to Smile” was posted on Genauer’s Facebook page. You can view that below. The preliminary track list for the new album is as follows:
1. “Conspire To Smile”
2. “Amplified Messiah”
3. “Let Love Rule”
4. “All You Need Is Love”
5. “People Get Ready…”
Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer of the iconic Irish alternative band the Cranberries, died suddenly in London on Monday. She was 46.
Her death was confirmed in an emailed statement from her publicist, Lindsey Holmes. The brief announcement stated, “Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. She was 46 years old. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries was in London for a short recording session.”
O’Riordan’s cause of death was not specified. Her publicist did state that her family is devastated by the news and has requested privacy. She is survived by her ex-husband, Don Burton, and her three children, Taylor Baxter, Molly Leigh and Dakota Rain.
Born in County Limerick, Ireland on Sept. 6, 1971 to Terence and Eileen O’Riordan, she was the youngest of seven children. Her powerfully unique, lilting voice and thick Irish accent combined to form an instrument that propelled her band, the Cranberries to international fame following the release of their debut 1993 album, Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? The album featured the hit singles “Linger” and “Dreams.” Their 1994 follow-up, No Need to Argue produced the band’s most iconic hit, “Zombie.”
The Cranberries released an acoustic album last year entitled Something Else. The ensuing tour of Europe and North America was postponed due to health problems O’Riordan was encountering. Prior to Christmas, she posted an update to the band’s Facebook page.
Tributes to the gifted vocalist were plentiful, including from Irish President Michael D. Higgins, who wrote, “[She and the Cranberies were an] immense influence on rock and pop music in Ireland and internationally. I recall with fondness the late Limerick TD Jim Kemmy’s introduction of her and the Cranberries to me, and the pride he and so many others took in their successes. To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts her death will be a big loss.”
Dave Davies of the Kinks offered the following from his Twitter account:
I’m really shocked that #DoloresORiordan has passed so suddenly – I was talking to her a couple weeks before Christmas she seemed happy and well – we even spoke about maybe writing some songs together – unbelievable god bless her pic.twitter.com/Pk2QyAaaBw
“The Queen of Limerick” was raised a devout Catholic and revered Pope John Paul II. After meeting the pontiff at the Vatican, she recalled in a 2007 interview with The Guardian, “(He) was lovely, very saintly. I was mad about him. I thought he really cared for the poor and he loved to meet the people. I saw him when he came to Limerick, when I was a kid. So it was pretty mind blowing to take my mum out to meet him.”
She performed at the annual Vatican Christmas concerts in 2001 and 2002 at the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI and returned to perform for Pope Francis in 2013.
O’Riordan’s preoccupation with death was not a secret. She was at her father’s bedside, holding his hand when he died in 2011. She claimed to have felt his spirituality enter her as he died. She also spent time visiting graveyards during her teen years, as she told the Soul Sisters podcast last year:
You kind of wonder what is all about here. We’re only here for a while, and you can’t find complete happiness here. There is always sadness and there is always problems and troubles. Then you wonder when it will be your time, your calling, your time to die. What happens? That is something that my mind has always been preoccupied with.
The Cranberriesworld blog has a brief clip of what is possibly O’Riordan’s last public performance, at the Billboard Christmas party in New York City this past December. You can view that here.
The band broke up in 2002, but reunited with a tour in 2010. The album Roses followed in 2012. Below is their Tiny Desk Concert performance at NPR from that year.
Phish last performed at “The Glen” for Magnaball in 2015. You can read NYS Music’s coverage of that sold-out festival 
The album was produced by Jeff Aderman at Utica’s 
Her death was confirmed in an emailed statement from her publicist, Lindsey Holmes. The brief announcement stated, “Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. She was 46 years old. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries was in London for a short recording session.”