NYS Music is proud to launch Empire State Music Podcast bringing our audience the best of bands from across New York State. With host Andy Hogan, the podcast can be found on Soundcloud and will bring the best up and coming musicians from around the state, established acts and the local voices that tie together the various music scenes from around the state. Hogan, a Buffalo resident, will host the podcast, his second after What Was I Saying? and one that Hogan sees great potential for.
“If nothing else, I hope this podcast contributes to the never ending effort of continuing to unify the music scene throughout NYS. There are so many incredible local acts throughout the state that are made up of some really cool cats who, in my opinion, deserve a platform to be able to really express themselves; what makes them tick, and where their creativity comes from. In order to do so, I want to get to the roots of these bands and musicians; not only how they get to where they are, but how they fit in to the grand design of music history in America, and where they are headed down the line.”
While a student at SUNY Geneseo, Andy hosted a weekly radio show which eventually became What Was I Saying?, which he co-hosted with Paris Peters. The podcast took a back seat while Andy joined Ponder (formerly Ponder the Giraffe), but has since been reborn with a new focus on the bands and artists from across New York State, as Empire State Music Podcast. Listen to episode 1 with Tough Old Bird, a folk band out of Western New York.
Brazilian ska-punk band Abraskadabra recently released their newest album Welcome and are coming (back) to America to celebrate. Over 15 dates, the group will tour from Boston to Denver with a stop at Brooklyn’s El Cortez on April 1, bringing one of the most interesting punk bands in Brazil to the States.
Guitarist/vocalist Buga looked back on the band’s last time touring America and noted, “We had a great time there four years ago and met one of the greatest ska icons, Brent Friedmann. He’s setting us up with awesome gigs and bands from all over the country and has become a very good friend of ours. We’re very excited to be coming back for the second time.”
Abraskadabra and their latest album, Welcome, delivers the band’s own vision of the ska-punk essence, and according to guitarist/vocalist Du, “It’s an album that sums up what this band is pretty well. Fast punk rock songs with horns, melodic vocals and backing vocals. We wanted to give no chill to the listener because we believe this is what punk rock/hardcore/ska music is all about.”
Tour Dates:
4/13 – Boston, MA @ O’Briens 4/14 – Brooklyn, NY @ El Cortez
4/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
4/17 – Hamtramck, MI @ New Dodge Lounge
4/18 – Chicago, IL @ Liars Club
4/20 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Blue Note
4/21 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links Deep Ellum (Ska By SkaWest Festival)
4/22 – Austin, TX @ Kick Butt Cafe
4/24 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Garth
4/25 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Trunk Space
4/26 – San Diego, CA @ Tower Bar
4/27 – Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman
4/28 – Fullerton, CA @ Slidebar
4/30 – Portland, OR @ Twilight Cafe
5/01 – Seattle, WA @ The Kraken Bar
5/02 – Boise, ID @ WavePOP
5/04 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
5/05 – Denver, CO @ Seventh Circle Music Collective
John Craigie combines the guitar of Bob Dylan with the idealism of Seeger, the wit of Mitch Hedberg with the longing sound of John Prine. Take all that in, and you’ll get an enjoyable, relaxing, humorous album in Opening for Steinbeck.
The title itself refers to Craigie’s noting that musicians are one of the only professions to have opening acts, as if you would have to read a short story by another author before getting to a work by Steinbeck. Casual wit like this that flickers like a fuse before popping on the punchline is something you might find in Carlin, or Todd Snider, and Craigie makes his own mark as a troubadour, a social satirist and a singer/songwriter with an engaging live show.
Lightly touching on religion (the hypocrite take down of “Leviticus”) and politics (“Presidential Silver Lining”), John Craigie treats the audience like adults with college humor and observations on life that get far out at times but swing back in with a laugh. Sharing anecdotes about how his father grew up with Michael Collins, he sings on the song of the same name about the astronaut who went to the moon, but never left the spacecraft. “Westbound BART” is a missed connections Craigslist ad that is touchy and easy to identify with. “28” may be the most poignant of all, asking that he make it to 28 and not befall the same fate that Hendrix, Joplin, Cobain, Morrison and so many others found. Craigie takes the dark and makes it light, and does so in a superb album.
Fresh off their first ever SXSW performances, Toronto indie group Common Deer have debuted the video for “Mistakes,” and have announced additional April dates in the Northeast of the U.S., including April 17 at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.
Common Deer formed while in college, centered around the harmonies of Graham McLaughlin (guitar, violin) and Sheila Hart-Owens (keyboards), with Sheila’s brother Adam Hart-Owens (guitar, cello, synths) and brothers Liam Farrell (drums) Connor Farrell (bass). The group developed their sound and eventually worked with producer Laurence Currie (Wintersleep, Hey Rosetta!) to release EP I, released in January, followed by II released in September and produced by Gus Van Go (Arkells, The Stills).
Guitarist/violinist Graham McLaughlin shared his thoughts on “Mistakes,” stating “Performing “Mistakes” live is always cathartic. It’s a very personal track about mental illness, specifically depression and anxiety in our current climate, and we hope that others can find the same release listening as we do playing it.”
Tour Dates
March 24 – Vancouver, BC – Biltmore (JUNOfest)
March 27 – Edmonton, AB – Starlite Temple
March 29 – Calgary, AB – Palomino Smokehouse
March 30 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos Cantina
March 31 – Winnipeg, MB – Good Will Social Club
April 2 – St. Paul, MN – The Amsterdam
April 3 – Madison, WI – The Frequency
April 5 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Music Joint
April 6 – Pontiac, MI – Pike Room
April 7 – Columbus, OH – Rumba Room
April 8 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern
April 12 – Hamilton, ON – The Casbah April 17 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall
April 18 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live
April 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Smiling Moose
Based out of Albany, this progressive folk group blends genres and in a live setting the band turns their focus towards the audience having a great time. In an interview with Charlie Burgess (guitar, vocals), the various rounds of March Madness were a testament to the hard work the band has put in to connect with fans across the state. “Whether out in the Finger Lakes or Woodstock where fans have been especially kind, up to the North Country in Plattsburgh, Keeseville and other spots, getting back to home in Albany, it’s great to see fans coming out in your hometown after returning back from shows, that’s meant a lot to us.”
With a new album due out in June, Black Mountain Symphony mixes up their upbeat bluegrass and adjust their set for a full energy show each time. “As we write new songs and new covers to plug in, we fill gaps in our set where the momentum could be going even longer, so we write new songs that fill that gap. What we’ve found that fans who are getting into the dancin’ stuff they also dig the slow stuff,” Burgess shared with NYS Music.
Ponder, one of the many rising bands from Buffalo, has five shows lined up this spring with their revamped lineup and sound. Featuring Gabriel Birkby (guitar, vocals), Andy Hogan (bass, vocals), Trevor Jennings (drums) and Paul Sottnik (keys), this jamtronica band that got its start at SUNY Geneseo is making waves out in WNY and recently released audio of “Masks” from their supporting spot with BIG Something on February 13.
Andy Hogan shares the excitement behind the revamped Ponder:
“We’re gearing up to get back to our favorite spots in WNY and looking forward to branching out even further throughout the state — each gig is going to be a bit different in terms of both the sound and the line-up. We’re super fortunate to have an army of musicians who are down to hop on stage with us while we continue to finalize a line-up after revamping the band in February 2018. This spring through the summer is packed with shows so far, and with the addition of our manager, Chelsea O’Donnell, we now have more time than ever to focus on writing and recording as we hope to have a new record out real soon.”
Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has teamed up with emerging music discovery platform Audiomack to remake three of his smash hits with a professional orchestra for the Trap Symphony video series. The latest installment of the series is a rework of chart topper “Drowning,” joining orchestral versions of A Boogie hits “Say A” and “No Promises.”
Joined by a nine-piece orchestra, A Boogie takes center stage as he dives into a classical rendition of his most popular single to date. Playing off the single’s opening piano chords, the Trap Symphony rendition of “Drowning” captures the emotive composition that brings new life to the track through composer John Clearly, who added a additional layers giving the song a richer depth. This particular Trap Symphony emphasizes A Boogie’s artistic versatility as he adapts to a more subdued performance style versus rambunctious performances fans have become accustomed to.
David Ponte, AudiomackCo-Founder and Trap Symphony co-creator said of the series “…the purpose of Trap Symphony is to showcase a vocalist’s talent and emphasize their unique skill set over an unexpected musical backdrop. With the Trap Symphony series, artists prove that they can go toe-to-toe with classically trained musicians and create something that is sonically beautiful and unique.”
Starting in 2015, the Trap Symphony series kicked off with mega-star trio Migos who reimagined their hits “Hannah Montana,” “One Time,” and “Handsome & Wealthy.” Fans of Trap Symphony can view each edition of the project, as well as additional content, via Audiomack’s recently launched platform audiomack.world, which highlights content, artists, and cultural tastemakers.
We started with 64, now we’re here. Two artists remain in NYS Music’s 2018 March Madness! Two weeks ago, we started with 64 up and coming artists from across the Empire State, and now there are two vying to take it all in our friendly tournament-style competition.
Black Mountain Symphony winner of the Putnam Place division, showcases an eclectic range of influences, blended together to create their own special sound. From baroque classical violin and haunting folk-tinged ballads to funk-rock drums and hard-hitting dance numbers, the six-piece band sprinkles their live sets with hints of everything from classical music to bits of Motown, blues and jazz. Black Mountain Symphony performs both intimate acoustic shows as well as intense, full-band rock shows. Upcoming shows include April 6 The Colony in Woodstock, and on May 18 Flyday Music Festival in East Durham, NY.
Finals voting begins at 12 noon EST on Thursday, March 22 and end at midnight on Saturday, March 24. The winner will be announced on Monday, March 26. Vote now for your favorite and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!
With the first weekend of the Big Dance in the books (and Syracuse busting brackets left and right), we are now at the Final Four of NYS Music’s 2018 March Madness! Two weeks ago, we started with 64 up and coming artists from across the Empire State, and now there are four vying to take it all in our friendly tournament-style competition.
These artists who hail from the Empire State are a sampling of the next generation of artists and come from all corners of the state, from Buffalo to Binghamton, Plattsburgh to Patchogue and all points in between. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!
Winner of the Putnam Place division, Black Mountain Symphony showcases an eclectic range of influences, blended together to create their own special sound. From baroque classical violin and haunting folk-tinged ballads to funk-rock drums and hard-hitting dance numbers, the six-piece band sprinkles their live sets with hints of everything from classical music to bits of Motown, blues and jazz. Black Mountain Symphony performs both intimate acoustic shows as well as intense, full-band rock shows. Upcoming shows include April 6 The Colony in Woodstock, and on May 18 Flyday Music Festival in East Durham, NY.
Candy Ambulance is the winner of the Anthology division. Formed in the summer of 2014, grunge-influenced Candy Ambulance of Upstate NY are Caitlin Barker, Jesse Bolduc & Jon Cantiello. Lifelong friends and musical mates Bolduc & Cantiello rescued Barker from a wealthy engagement prospect and whisked her away to the land of DIY punk. Poppy melodies, dynamic vocal changes and half-naked live shows have solidified this rock trio as always entertaining, unabashed fun. Boasting a healthy and frequent tour schedule the band has played with notable acts such as Screaming Females, Speedy Ortiz, Daddy Issues, and Dorothy. Their next show is on March 30 during Troy Night Out at River Street Pub with The Death Vacation and Sun Natives.
CEG Presents’ division winner is ShwizZ, a unique cast of characters reigning from downstate New York. Best described as a melting pot of funk and progressive rock, this giant original sound will be sure to put a smile on your face. The band’s variety and depth allows for lovely twists of improvisation and spontaneity spiked with technical prowess and musical complexity. Over the years the group has shared bills with many notables including Jeff Beck, Primus, Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Kung Fu, Dopapod, Consider The Source and more. ShwizZ can be found gigging all over the northeast and you won’t be surprised to find them playing at your favorite festival or club for years to come. Their next show is on April 11 with The Mushroom Cloud & Stubbs at Wonder Bar in Allston, MA.
Final Four voting begins at 10AM EST on Monday, March 19, and closes at midnight on Wednesday, March 21. The Championship round begins at 10AM EST on Thursday, March 22. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!
Space Bacon