Formed in Chicago over eighteen years ago, the DJ collective known as Orchard Lounge is made up of Ben Silver, Spencer Lokken and Bethany Lokken. Looking back over an almost two-decade career we start to see some festivals and events that pop up on the radar more often than not. We caught up with Orchard Lounge’s Bethany Lokken to see if we could expect more shows in the coming months, like we’ve seen throughout the year. Well it doesn’t sound like we’ll see a full-fledged tour, it looks like there’s certainly more to come on the horizon, especially after their VIP set at Camp Bisco.
When asked if Orchard Lounge will start to tour again, in the traditional sense, Bethany Lokken had this to say: “It’s just been great to get back out there as a trio over the past year or so. We’ve had spurts of touring and periods of downtime, just like any other project that’s been at it as long as we have. We’re getting back out there, but we’re not forcing anything. We’re not pushing tours because we’re at a point in our careers where we want to focus on quality over quality – 100% of the time. We’ve just been focusing on the rooms that make sense. The sound systems that make sense. And we promise we’ll bring you the music that makes sense. We’re looking forward to the future, and we’re staying focusing on what’s right in front of us to bring you all the best shows possible.”
Orchard Lounge is no stranger to Camp Bisco, and this year marked their tenth performance at The Disco Biscuits annual summer music festival – again returning to Montage Mountain in Moosic, Pennsylvania. A quick review of their 2018 touring schedule and we see two visits to Cervantes’ Masterpiece in Denver. The room is known for cultivating unique lineups and “supergroups” in the jam-rock and electronic music scenes.
Allen Aucoin from The Disco Biscuits makes appearances on both OL bills from this year with Denver’s Tiger Party and again with DJ legend LTJ Bukem. Both times Aucoin joined the trio during their set for live drumming accompaniment. Little did we know these shows were actually giving us a sneak-peak of what went down at Camp Bisco for the late night VIP set, as well as a glimpse at variation of a new project – SilverFameus – that is debuting at Satellite Ranch Music & Arts Festival this coming weekend in Pennsylvania.
The Orchard Lounge VIP set at Camp Bisco was prefaced by some of the most intense downpouring we’ve seen since last year – notably around the same time at Camp Bisco. It’s become sort of tradition there. After thirty to sixty minutes of huddling in the Main Stage tent with five thousand of your closest friends, the fans emerge and diligently trickle back out into the festival grounds to see what remaining music they still can before the night is done.
The window of non-precipitation lasted for about an hour, with Orchard Lounge taking the stage as a trio for the initial third of the set. Moving downtempo tracks textured with high-energy, transient deep house define the mood, Disco Biscuits drummer Aucoin took the stage about half way in, with Ian McGuire joining on the keys shortly after. Aucoin and McGuire are more than familiar with each other’s style – both play in livetronica improv trio CIA, which also includes Particle bassist Clay Parnell. The two click seamlessly with each of the different members of Orchard Lounge, check it out here for yourself:
You can catch Orchard Lounge in their natural state (the trio) next Friday, Sept. 7 in New York City. Their last play in New York was an exclusive show at the Museum of Sex that people are still buzzing about. When they return to play Brooklyn’s Elsewhere next week they’ll be joined by the infamous Doc Martin, who has been DJing since he started in San Francisco back in 1986, as well as Risky Disco’s Greg D.
That new project SilverFameus, featuring Ben Silver and Allen Aucoin, will hit its first sets of ears this Sunday, Sept. 1 at the Satellite Ranch Music and Arts Festival. Attendees will also see Eliot Lipp, Joe Nice, Tweed, Horizon Wireless, Space Bacon, Newpy Hundo, and Bad Leather along with forty other artists total between Saturday’s and Sunday’s performances.
“Just like anything new or old, it’s going to evolve. The music hits on the deeper side of house and techno… we’ll spare you that bio cliché that pitches our music as ‘undefinable, mind-bending crossover of genres X, Y and Z’. The music is growing. It’s electronic and it’s organic – much like people. We’re not putting a label on it. Ben and I have been cultivating this for a while now, and we’re looking forward to the test drive this weekend.”
Orchard Lounge, Ben Silver’s solo project, DrFameus, SilverFameus and CIA share a common thread as part of the artist family at Full Circle Music Productions – stay tuned to their calendar for announcements and upcoming events.
“My friends and family and fans didn’t seem to know how to talk to each other anymore without calling each other awful names.” This all too relatable comment from Mick Fury speaks volumes and is a statement that spans the country. So Mick, a Nashville singer/songwriter originally from Syracuse, set out to do find out how deep these divisions truly are.
Mick Fury‘s “Front Porch of America” debuts today with all four episodes available on YouTube and soon on the All Guitar Network on Roku, and features interviews with Americans across the country, with conversations on their front porches, with the goal to answer the question, “Is America really as divided as it seems?”
To that end, after traveling 8,500 miles across the country over 14 days, Fury has a mixed answer to that question. “If I answer that I would be spoiling the whole show, so I’m cheating when I say yes and no. The divisions are there and often there are those who are unreasonably angry about issues they don’t always fully understand. I don’t blame people for that but the places people are getting their news from are not helping them in this. I read New York Times, BBC, while others listen to AM radio and get polarized by those who try to skew their views in a certain direction. You see an anger and fervor to get their opinion out, but after 10 minutes, you see that people have the same goals in life and you’ll see both parts of that in these episodes, and see people being divisive and also very reasonable.”
Each episode will detail the crew’s struggles to drive extreme distances on a limited budget, feature multiple interviews of Americans from their own front porches, and follow Mick’s musical journey along the way. “It started as way to integrate some new songs from my upcoming album into an issue that was really rubbing me the wrong way on social media.”
“I thought a cool element of the project was that a front porch was a place growing up where we’d sit around, shoot the shit, and solve the world’s problems over cheap beers or coffee. I knew that as we drove around America, everyone’s idea of a ‘front porch’ would vary based on where they lived. In DC, it was a picnic bench that a guy liked to hang out on in his complex. In NYC it was a Spanish Harlem rooftop. In Oregon it was a deck overlooking a pot farm. Everyone’s view (and thus their “view”) from their Front Porches was different, and I thought that was a critical part of our American story.
The drive found Fury, videographer Terry Little, friend Adam James plus their gear, heading from Nashville to Washington D.C., New York City, to Syracuse, Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, Standing Rock, SD, Kirby, OR, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Oklahoma City and back to Nashville. You can watch all the entire series of “Front Porch of America” on YouTube.
My birthday parties typically consist of pizza and ice-cream cake. For Hudson Valley resident Lee Mazzola’s birthday, there were more than twenty bands for Mazzstock with hundreds of celebrators dancing and socializing in addition, of course, to pizza and ice cream.
The (family) friendly atmosphere at Mazzstock.
The party, dubbed Mazzstock, took place from August 24-26 on a back road in Marlboro, NY. While my wife Lauren and I could only attend Saturday’s festivities, everything we overhead confirmed our own time was representative of the overall experience: an intimate hangout among friends and neighbors, where overbearing security and a daunting list of rules were unnecessary; a small patch in the Hudson Valley hills with nonstop music and carefree families.
AB/CD rocker
Before I arrived at the music, here’s an anecdote that aptly encapsulates the Mazzstock milieu: I took a brief shuttle ride from parking to the festival, driven by an apparently crotchety, ponytailed and mustachioed middle-aged man named Steve, who could’ve easily passed for a farmer, trucker, original-Woodstock-survivor, or all the above. After jolting the van to a stop at the music drop-off point, Steve overheard another older gentleman, a curious neighbor who didn’t realize paid tickets were necessary. The gentleman asked Steve to drive him back to his car, disappointed, since he couldn’t pay for the ticket. Steve replied, “Hell no, brother. You take one of my tickets. I bought a bunch because the guy running this shindig is a helluva guy and one has your name on it. You’re staying all weekend, my friend.”
Hours later, I saw the older gentleman enjoying himself plenty and hoped that Steve was somewhere nearby partying, too.
Chris Owens of The Other Brothers
When I did finally arrive at the music area, a soccer field-sized clearing with a smattering of people around two smallish stages set up on the woods line, New Paltz’s The Other Brothers were playing. Led by flamboyant frontman Chris Owens, the nearby natives entertained for forty-five minutes. His backing band churned out funk led by steady percussion while Owens pumped his legs and wrung his hands, belting out soulful vocals. Owens’ voice was pleasant and his presence was vibrant and I was nicely surprised with The Other Brothers.
The weather was unimpeachable—sunny and seventy, the humidity had finally dissipated—and Lauren and I wandered around the festival grounds before the Alpha Male Gorillas took the stage. Kids (and grownups) were running around, dancing and hooping, everyone in high spirits. A communal bonfire smoldered in the middle of the grounds and revelers played cornhole and beer pong as music wafted from the background.
The Alpha Male Gorillas bluesy beginning.
Back at the stage, the Alpha Male Gorillas began their long set with a few bluesy ballads. The vocals were gravelly and the riffs were plucky, a nice changeup from the preceding bands’ jams. To the chagrin of the crowd, they threw a curveball and welcomed a couple rappers to the stage for freestyling midway through the set. Covering a large gambit, they played everything from Nate G to Bob Marley. Festival namesake Lee Mazzola jumped on stage during the set to announce they were the only band who’s played every Mazzstock and the growing crowd vehemently approved.
While the Alpha Male Gorillas wound down, everyone scooted to the second stage for what turned out to be the highlight of the night. As the sun set, funk powerhouse Kung Fu took the stage and, from first note to last, catalyzed a phrenetic dance eruption. Early in their set, I overheard someone tell his friend, “There’ve been some good sets this weekend, but these guys are next level professionals.” I couldn’t have agreed more.
Kung Fu rocked Mazzstockers as each bandmate took his turn soloing and harmonizing, a tightknit unit firing on all cylinders. At the end of lengthy jams, a uniquely Kung Fu riff snapped the crowd back to the chorus, before they cast off into another crescendo.
Kung Fu lit up the night.
An extensive drum solo from Adrian Tramontano highlighted the set while guitarist Tim Palmieri and tenor saxophonist Robert Somerville were constantly in sync, shifting between lead and rhythm roles. As with every able funk outfit, bassist Chris DeAngelis thwapped away tirelessly on the bass and keyboardist Beau Sasser rounded out the lineup with an upbeat performance on the keys.
Two hours after they took the stage, Kung Fu left and a feeling of dazzled awe settled in the air. Late at night and with a long ride ahead of us, Lauren and I called it a night and walked back to the shuttle, bragging about the day we had just experienced.
I was a little disappointed that Steve was still on duty as he dropped us off to the car. But, he said, he would be raging tomorrow.
Funk Night becomes Phunk Night on October 16 when Wurliday and NYS Music host a Phish After-Party at Parish Public House in Albany, just one block away from the Times Union Center and right after Phish wraps up Night 1 of their Fall Tour.
Phunk Night features Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy), Beau Sasser (Kung Fu), Adrian Tramontano (Kung Fu), Chris DeAngelis (Kung Fu), Justin Henricks (Wurliday), and Ilana Morris (Wurliday). Tickets are on sale now and this event will sell out. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show. More info and tickets can be found here.
VHS Collection is a band formed in New York City by three longtime friends – Nils Vanderlip (keys), Conor Cook (guitar), and James Bohannon (vocals). They boast a big, modern electronic rock sound with an occasional retro synth aesthetic in the mix.
Closing out their spring 2018 tour, VHS Collection played an early afternoon set for the second day of Governors Ball on June 2. Their set was a classic example of the phrase “never miss an early festival set.” A loyal crowd gathered for their show with a great deal of energy in tow, a sign of their growing success as an independent band. The band has released a self-titled EP and a handful of singles but is due to release their debut full-length album this year.
VHS Collection joined NYS Music for a few minutes after their set to chat about their experience at Governors Ball and talk about their independently-driven success and songwriting on their upcoming album.
Steve Malinski: What is the experience like for you guys playing in your hometown, at one of the biggest summer music festivals in the northeast?
Nils Vanderlip: It’s pretty special…
James Bohannon: It’s awesome. We cut our chops playing in the local rock and roll venues and halls throughout the lower east side and Brooklyn and the fact that we get to play a large festival here outside is pretty awesome.
NV: Yeah, New York is a big theme in a lot of our songs and lyrics so it’s really cool to see New Yorkers sing those lyrics back to us.
SM: You guys have been playing music together for a while, so how did you get from being a small neighborhood band to where you are now?
JB: We started as kids, we all grew up in different areas of the city and jammed on acoustics as young bucks and formed some bands in high school. It all came together nicely, it was a good mix of timing and skill after school in New York. We all had this hunger to play some music and eventually went out to play some live shows. The reception from the early days was pretty high. And in fact, Mercury Lounge, one of our original stomping grounds, is where we’ll be playing after the festival tonight.
SM: One thing I’ve noticed is that you’ve maintained independence through this whole process – you aren’t signed to a label. How have you gotten to your level of success without the backing of a label?
Conor Cook: Well, at first it was slowly. We were playing for a year before we got together to pull some money together to make recordings. Spotify has helped us a lot in terms of reaching new fans by putting us in their playlists. That’s probably been our biggest network. But, we’ve put some singles out, made and saved money from that to put into the next batch of recordings. We’ve had enough money just to invest in each next step and not necessarily do the same thing that major label artists would do, like spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on videos and radio ads. Thankfully, fans have continued to stick with us and the shows are slowly building. Every dollar we make from streaming generally goes into the project.
SM: Speaking of next projects, you have a new album coming out this year. What can you tell us about that?
JB: It’s been a great process for us. I think it represents the next evolution of our songwriting capabilities, our chance to work with some top industry writers, producers and engineers, and mixers who have worked with acts that we love. So its definitely a step up and the sound is crisp and new.
CC: We’ve continued to hone in on our sound and I feel there’s a wide variety of songs. Some are really heavy kind of like rock tunes. Some are more electro-pop/synth-oriented songs. They’re all, I’d say, pretty traditional songwriting-esque songs at the core, but dressed up in a lot of different ways. We’ve been doing it in spurts, maybe three weeks of recording and then the next two/three week recording session will be four or five months later. So it’s kind of a reflection of the evolution of our sound over about a year or year and a half almost. I don’t know if anyone else would pick up on that [detail] but I feel like I pick up on it being so close to [the music].
SM: Yeah, for me only starting to listen to you guys recently, I’ll admit that’s something that might be tough to pick up on.
CC: Well, you’ll definitely pick up on the variety of songs. And having seen us live, that will all make sense. I feel like all the songs we have on the album translate well to good live shows – we hope to do a lot more touring in the next year.
SM: They definitely translate well; It made for one of my favorite GovBall sets so far.
All: Thank you.
SM: You guys are heading out on a tour, so what’s in store for that?
NV: This is actually the last date of our tour but we’re back out in the fall.
CC: We’ve got a couple shows here and there but we’re looking to do a longer tour in the fall for about a month or six weeks. So, we’re going to go to a lot of new markets. Hopefully we’ll go to Europe – that’s been a dream for us. This last tour was kind of a warm up. We’ve played some of our biggest markets and it’s been a big improvement over the previous year. It’s nice seeing people responding to not just our biggest songs but some of the ones we released a few years ago and new ones we just released.
JB: We put a single out a month ago and people were singing it in the front row, “One,” and “Sign” which came out a bit before that.
VHS Collection’s music can be found on Soundcloud and Spotify, and be sure to check out their live show when they’re in town.
Held the final weekend each and every year, the Great American Irish Festival (GAIF) is one of Central New York’s favorite July events. Mixing it up this year by reducing the numbers of days of the festival to two may have welcomed a few grumbles, but for the most part was a highly successful decision as crowds were full and constant at all of the activities underway. Adding a few choice events this year like Sean Finnerty and Colum Tyrrell, two very funny Irish Comedians from NYC, and a Sip and Paint gave festival goers additional options for fun and frolicking.
You find at this festival there are two types of attendees: the ones that pick a stage and watch from beginning to end and the stage jumpers, such as myself, who try to capture every moment of every artist on all stages. This can become a bit daunting at times, trying to be in two places at once. However, if you were hopping back and forth between stages throughout the weekend you were pleasantly pleased to see that you were able to catch a major portion of each set without missing any of your favorites. The scheduling was meticulously organized so that everyone could enjoy every band. Well done GAIF band schedulers, well done.
Over on the Contemporary Stage Friday night (and Saturday as well), The American Rogues solidified themselves as festival favorites as their high energy ensemble of percussionists ramped up the crowd and laid down the beat that catapulted the weekend into one of the most successful yet. This ever-changing group has more than 17 members that alternate shows throughout the year, hailing from all across the US and Canada. These musicians come together to give fans an electrically charged set of Celtic music at its finest. Meandering around the festival grounds throughout the weekend, there was constant chatter about their new favorites at the festival, The American Rouges.
Under the Traditional Stage’s pavilion, Diana Ladio and Alison Lynn of the Moxie Strings got the party started. These two electrify every crowd they play for with their unique sound of electric cello and fiddle. Their blend of Celtic and classical sounds, blend beautifully to entrance all those that hear them. Joined this evening by special guest David Howley of the band We Banjo 3, and Kian Byrne on Saturday, they set the tone for all those looking forward to a traditional Celtic experience.
Following the Moxie Strings were a trio of sisters, Greta, Willow, and Solana Gothard. The Gothard Sisters have perfected their harmonious style of Celtic renditions over the years growing up in a musical environment together. With oldest sister Greta on guitar, violin, octave mandolin, and vocals; middle sister Willow on violin, mandolin, octave mandolin, bodhran, and vocals; and youngest Solana on violin, bodhran, djembe, whistle, percussion and vocals too, these talented sisters each add their own secret ingredient into the blend that make them a winning recipe. Add in a dash of Irish dancing and these sisters clearly have found the magic to captivate their audience with their melodic playing and angelic tunes.
Arise and Go has become another festival favorite with their upbeat original compositions of traditional Irish music with touches of the Scottish and Canadian influences they’ve acquired through their years of training. Hailing from Ithaca, these three musicians, Ellie Goud, Michael Roddy, and Tim Ball, have blended their unique sounds to create their own sound of Celtic music and beguiled those who had the privilege of catching their set Friday night.
Searson has been a festival favorite for years. Sisters Erin and Colleen Searson were joined by Frazier Gauthier on bass and Dave MacDougall on percussion, and together they brought their Ottawa Valley Celtic traditions to Central New York. Playing on both the Traditional and Contemporary Stages throughout the weekend, it’s not surprising their fans followed them wherever they were as their fiddle playing and step dancing lures you in and gets you moving. Searson has become part of the GAIF family and their live show is one to not miss
As the night progressed back over on the Contemporary Stage, Central New Yorkers welcomed back Enter the Haggis. In past years, Enter the Haggis would typically play a Saranac Thursday then only play the opening night at the GAIF. However, this year would see that tradition end. Focusing their full attention on GAIF this year, festival goers were pleased to welcome them for the entire weekend. Their musical ability to tell a story in the most melodic manner has won over their fans, lovingly referred to as Haggis Heads, time and time again. Their high energy performance ramps up every crowd I’ve ever seen them play for. Singing along to each and every song, this band could step away from the mics if they wanted as the crowd knows each and every word and happily participated throughout the entire weekend. If you haven’t seen Enter the Haggis live, check them out this November as they return to The Wescott Theater for their annual fall show.
This year, festival goers were extremely excited for newcomers We Banjo 3. Making their first appearance at the festival ever, we were honored to welcome them and celebrate the release of their new album Haven the very same night.
I had a chance to speak to the lads before their set about the new album, recording, their history, and although Fergal was jokingly a little put out with his question, fans truly wanted to know the history of the red pants Fergal, I promise. The lads were friendly, silly, and their personalities on camera match their charismatic personalities on stage and they immediately won over the crowd and left them wanting more than just the one evening they were here for. This is one band that festival goers want more from so stay tuned for upcoming shows in the area. You will be happily surprised as dates are announced.
Completing the Friday night lineup,The Elders took the stage. The weather advisory for a massive downpour wouldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, because their favorite musicians from Kansas City were in town. This group has become family to GAIF over the 11 years of playing here in Central NY and they poured out their souls to those who could stuff underneath the massive circus tent of the Contemporary Stage as the rain poured down outside. Joined by friends from Searson,The Moxie Strings, We Banjo 3,and Enter the Haggis throughout the night on stage, it was like a family reunion of sorts. The love and respect they have for one another together with the love from the fans out front of the stage made for a magical evening of music.
Saturdays’ activities began bright and early for the annual 5K Ranger Run and Highland Games. As gates opened, crowds poured in and tents and stages filled up quickly with those vying for the best seats in the house for their favorite bands.
On the schedule for Saturday was local favorites, Blarney Rebel Band, Rochester’s 1916, a return from the American Rogues, festival favorites Barleyjuice, Enter the Haggis, and capping off the night was the final performance of The Elders on the Contemporary Stage. Over to the Traditional Stage, attendees welcomed back locals Craobh Dugan, Triskele, Stoutmen, Donal O’Shaughnessy, House of Hamill, Moxie Strings, The Gothard Sisters, Hair of the Dog, and last but certainly not least, Searson.
House of Hamill, featuring Brian Buchanan from Enter the Haggis and his wife Rose Baldino, formerly from Burning Bridget Cleary, made their first appearance at the festival together. These two have a magical musical chemistry on stage. Between the two of them, they have more than 25 years of writing and performing under their belt and their collaborations on stage clearly reflect this. As they lovingly bantered and played around on stage, they clearly won over their audience and left them wanting more.
1916 has performed at GAIF before, but this year’s performance may be the first time several concert goers were able to take in their set (such as myself). As I was walking in to the festival I met up with Jon Kane, one of the band members, and I asked him to describe their sound. He described them to a “T” for me. He said it’s a mix of ‘Celtic rock meets Johnny Cash’. Spot on, Jon. It was exactly that and I loved them. In the middle of the afternoon their jumping around and thumping on stage got everyone up out of their seats, making this afternoon performance one of the most energized sets all weekend. If you haven’t had the chance to check them out, do so. They hail from Rochester, NY and central New Yorkers can get a peek as they play all over the state. You can thank me later.
Barleyjuice has become another of the Great American Irish Festival’s regular performers. Each year, attendees clamor to get up front for their “in your face” and gritty renditions of Celtic rock music. This band never ceases to please a crowd and once again left it all on stage for those who had the chance to see their set.
One traditional that never changes at the Great American Irish Festival is the Mass Pipe Band March on Saturday evening. Competing all weekend, the participating bands group and march throughout the festival to the field in which winners in each category are announced. Once there, they play and perform together brining chills to all that witness – another “must see” event.
As the night wore on, the time came that everyone had dreaded, the final performance of their favorite band, The Elders. How could it be that the band that won their hearts would no longer be coming back? For many, it’s why they came to the festival each and every year. Last year’s void was felt and this year’s goodbye was bittersweet for both band members and festival attendees.
Tears were had by many as songs they knew they would never hear again, were sung one final time. As the night wore on, friends from other bands joined them for one final collaboration. It was an energetic, wistfully sad night. They won the hearts of all many years ago, and left their hearts on stage with their fans. As they end touring, they took the time to share their final thoughts with those here in Central New York. Take a peek below at a message they sent to each and every one of you.
As Sunday morning came, and breaking with the tradition, mass was held in Utica at St. Patrick’s/St. Joseph’s Church. Across from the newly built Irish Cultural Center, the congregation was serenaded with traditional bagpipes and music. In time, as the Center is completed, mass will be held within for all to enjoy.
Change is never easy. Whether it’s change in the number of days of a the festival, the addition of new things or the elimination of favorite things, it never gets easier. But change can be good. Change should be embraced as with change comes new opportunities. The Great American Irish Festival is an amazing event. It’s run entirely on volunteerism. Volunteers are what makes this festival great, and what makes it run smoothly. There have been changes throughout the years, some good, some not so good. But I urge each of you to embrace these changes and give this festival your support. Like any great team, it’s a winning formula that makes it click. Fans of sports teams don’t jump ship when they loose, they stand with them until they get the right mix. So I urge all that may have stopped going, or no longer volunteer, or stopped being a part of this event to give it another chance. Take a peek at the Great American Irish Festival site and give some feedback to how you think it can improve. The team wants to make things perfect for all that attend and your feedback is critical to making the right changes. For all those who have never given up, thank you. Thank you for believing in the Great American Irish Festival, because after talking to so many from all over the world, it truly is considered by those who perform and attend to be The Great American Irish Festival.
Western New York alternative punk band Carpool has released their debut single “Idaho.” The track is from the band’s upcoming EP I Think Everyone’s A Cop, which is scheduled for release on Sept. 13. Drawing influence from elements of shoegaze and emo, Carpool crafts songs characterized by catchy hooks, insightful lyrics, mathy guitar riffs, and a plethora of pedal effects. Singer/guitarist Chris Colasanto has the following to say about this song:
‘Idaho’ is a song about a place I’ve never been. This past year has really been a turning point in my life and has made me realize how slow moving and pathetic I was… Everyone around me was steadily growing up and moving on. It made me really wish I could just get up and go to somewhere unknown. But like everything else in life the grass is never greener on the other side.
It’s about issues with your self image and self worth. It’s about wanting so badly to relapse into your old toxic self, but knowing that if you let it happen it’ll ruin you and possibly kill you. It’s about giving up on yourself and being who you need to be.
Digital copies of I Think Everyone’s A Cop will be available Sept. 13. Physical copies will be available in October via Syracuse label Nothing Feels Good Records.
I Think Everyone’s A Cop Track Listing:
1. Cigarette Cough
2. Another Song About Rachel
3. Beauty School Dropout
4. Local Joke
5. Idaho
6. Close Encounters
7. I Think Me And Drake Would B Friends
Where does one find all the old school rockers who are just reaching ages where they are getting married and having kids? At a Godsmack and Shinedown show of course. Possibly the one at Darien Lake Amphiteater on July 24. You didn’t find too many young kids at this show, if you saw them chances are they were with their parents.
Like a storm hit the stage and did they live up to their name. Frontman Chris Brooks got the crowd engaged and on their feet. Even if you didn’t know their songs you couldn’t help but bang your head to it. The band was energetic, and they certainly fit in with the genre for the evening.
A classic staple in the poppy version of rock came to the stage. Shinedown, from previous shows you`d expect nothing less than perfectionism, and that’s exactly what they brought. Brent Smith and the guys gave us some classics such as “Sound of Madness” and “I`ll Follow You.” They treated us to the new stuff off their latest album ATTENTION ATTENTION such as “Black Soul.” These guys have their stage performance down to a science. Brent took the time to shake the photographer’s hands and also reached out to nearby audiences. He and Zach Meyers have a inseparable chemistry on stage and you almost get excited anytime they are near each other because you can expect some little eye-catching movements or stunts. The stunt they pulled that evening was popping up on a platform towards the lawn section of the audience. Zach and Brent did an acoustic version of “Simple Man.” While not their own song it seems to be a favorite.
Godsmack, oh what to say about these guys. While being heavy hitters in the older rock scene they can still bring it. Though, I have seen better from them. The sound, under no control of their own, was muddy and what seemed to be sometimes muffled. Sully while having great pipes does not bring an appealing stage performance. Get the man a chair he’s not moving from his mic stand anytime soon. They played some staples such as “Keep Away” and “I Stand Alone.” The audience was pleased with their performance and people left on a high happy note, the real rock stars of the night were Shinedown.
It’s been just over a week since Curveball was cancelled. Rarely does a festival get cancelled so close to showtime, and this one came down to the wire, with the plug pulled just as Phish was about to start Soundcheck at 4:00 pm on August 16. Thousands were already on site, and tens of thousands en route to the southern tip of Seneca Lake for Phish’s semi-annual music festival, held for the third, and perhaps the final time, at Watkins Glen International. Sadly, due to circumstances beyond the band’s control, Curveball was cancelled. Despite the shock, sadness & disappointment that flooded the festival grounds, what came next was a very humbling and incredible experience.
The pre-show excitement that built while preparing for a Phish festival has the joy of feeling like a kid at Christmastime, with surprises in store for all. Ahead of Curveball, fans counted down the days, dreamt up setlists, and stayed on top of the tour leading up to the climatic festival, hoping to get something on their wishlist, if not everything.
When the news broke, fans stood around just stunned. Those who made it into the venue wandered back to their campsites, a point at which the comradery that is felt among Phish fans came into focus. Deciding to make the best of the circumstances, Curveball’s temporary inhabitants banded together and sought out group therapy as they dove into the Kübler-Ross stages of grief, or postponed them, if not for a single night. New friends were made as they always are, Phish memories were discussed and fans commiserated about “what could have been.”
Fans still wanted to boogie and Kenneth Horgan, Production Manager for The Loop Tent, onsite working for Phish Inc. and JEMP records, made that possible. Horgan used his equipment to set up a live stream of the Joe Russo’s Almost Dead show from Red Rocks, where JRAD paid homage to Phish by weaving teases of “Wilson” into “Slipknot” during the second set. While JRAD was streaming from The Loop Tent, next door, The Skinny Pancake turned into a hotspot for hangouts. A mini wiffle ball game took shape, impromptu acoustic music was played, and there was an invasion of dancing mimes.
Curveball’s cancellation impacted many people, but the 14 surrounding counties that had been ravaged by heavy rains and flooding for almost a week leading up to the event left many people displaced from their homes and in need of supplies. Many vendors were onsite ready to supply food and drink to 60,000 people over the course of the weekend, and Silo Food Truck, Copper Horse Coffee and the Finger Lakes Cider House banded together to feed as many people as they could with their unused inventory, donating 50% of proceeds to the Lodi Flood Relief fund. With the added kick of Schuyler country losing millions in tax revenue, donation stations were set up in the surrounding counties and many Phish fans donated their unused food and supplies to help the flood victims in the area. Phish has announced that they will be selling Curveball merchandise online, including the Curveball Nalgene bottle that was intended for the WaterWheel/Reverb water program. Ticket holders get first dibs, and all proceeds for Curveball merchandise will go directly into relief funds.
Curveball will go down in music history as the Phish festival that never was, but memories were made despite the unfortunate circumstances. The weekend was a check for fans, who by and large made the best of their weekends and spent time with friends, creating lasting memories, even if the soundtrack was not close to expectations.
Fans can now look forward to the stream of Phish this weekend, with the code on the back of the Curveball wristband redeemable for the webcast of all three shows at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO beginning August 31, 2018. Couch Tour ticket time is 9:30pm EST.
Known for their enthralling fusion of soulful harmonies, gripping guitar and unpredictable drum patterns, The Nth Power played at Funk ‘n Waffles Rochester on Thursday, August 23 to a cold room devoid of the passionate crowd they deserved. The tiny crowd could have been a blessing in disguise since the uncomfortable volume may have been a discouragement to first time listeners seeking the band out in the future.
Despite a harsh beginning to the show, moments of clarity during some of their jams showed the room what they can do. Their stage presence added to the spectacle, with Nick Cassarino (vocals/guitar), Nikki Glaspie (drums/vocals) and Nate Edgar (bass) all equally emotive with instruments in hand. Edgar is probably the most amusing to watch, balancing on one foot and bobbling his head, creating almost a bass player caricature.
Cassarino took a moment during their performance to plug a charity the band wholeheartedly supports. The Harold Robinson Foundation helps the underprivileged youth in South LA connect with nature by sending them to a three-day outdoor camp. The foundation is highly rated for remaining transparent about their operations and is definitely worth checking out.
The Nth Power soldiered on, displaying a fierce mashup of Earth Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star” and “Mighty Mighty” that lit up the room before delving into one of their most beloved tunes “Only Love” off their 2016 album Abundance. Overall it was a show worth seeing but hopefully the sound will be more on point next time to do justice to their playing.
One traditional that never changes at the Great American Irish Festival is the Mass Pipe Band March on Saturday evening. Competing all weekend, the participating bands group and march throughout the festival to the field in which winners in each category are announced. Once there, they play and perform together brining chills to all that witness – another “must see” event.
