It’s eerie, dystopic, and a little unsettling – it’s fantastic. Paranormal, a.k.a Emmanuel Fernandez, takes a refreshing step away from what is considered popular and successful rap. The beats are intense and hard hitting, just like Fernandez’s voice and lyrics consisting of his view on a corrupt and crumbling world that is sure to resonate well with a mass audience. The attitude of the whole album The Project For Global Madness is an anthem for the public that believes reform is necessary for the world to continue on.
The instrumentals on “The Writing is in the Sky” are a slightly tweaked cover of Radiohead’s “Climbing Up the Walls.” Although it’s already an eerie feel, fitting for the album, some more personality could have been used. Fernandez and producer Nea use all original instrumentation on the remaining tracks.
Regardless of the instrumentals, the message behind this track is powerful. “Fear are the gears to the propaganda machine/ Media terror etc, do you believe what you see?/ Divide and divert, diverge on the word, squirm with your fellow serpents/ Blessed are those who believe without sight…”
“Blood Streaks of Stars and Stripes” is another key track due to it’s well produced beats and intense lyricism. We’re hit with more thought provoking lines like, “We tend to duck when the truth spits/ Gun clicks in consonance with the concept of time…tick, tick/ My environment devised by lying men…” It’s short and to the point, allowing listeners to soak everything in and analyze the track
As the tracks play on, we start to hear Fernandez’s influences. He pulls inspiration from so many different genres: post punk, hip hop, rap, etc and creates a sound synonymous to Deltron 3030 but much darker.
‘Shine Eternal’ focuses on something more specific – media and entertainment. This one stands out for it’s futuristic sounds rather than dystopian ones found on other tracks. That, coupled with a quicker tempo is a refreshing change of pace after six tracks of sludgy and eerie beats.
The focus on the media and the spread of misinformation is the first time on the album Fernandez hones in on a specific issue: a practice that would prove successful on future work. It helps set the song apart from the others and perpetuates interpretation, leaving a good taste in the mouth.
There is endless room for interpretation on this collection. Each line is worth picking apart which is great, but listeners will find themselves getting caught up in each line rather than soaking up the track as a whole. Fernandez has fantastic ideas and is inspired without a doubt. Not only that, this style of music is much needed in an era of rap reaching a ceiling of mumbling and trap beats. And if Fernandez can hone in on one idea within each track, (i.e. media, politics, money in war, corrupt businesses, famine) in future recordings, he’ll continue to inspire thousands of people who want political and social reform.
Key Tracks:The Writing is in the Sky, Blood Streaks of Stars and Stripes, Shine Eternal
New York Only. That’s right – this all access pass explores the thriving music sub-cultures of New York State. We are submerged in, arguably, the most musically-rich and booming areas. It would only be appropriate to cap the Best Of series with a full fledged anthem – waving our NYS-Flag, with immense pride. These highlights hardly encompass our staff’s passion for all things music, because like our readers, we too are musicians and music-junkies, through and through. Strap-in for this wild Trip-acid-visor tour of our states thriving music towns and venues – along with the bands who invigorate them with sound.
Keep rocking out, exploring music and loving one-another this holiday season. Make sure to catch up with all of the Best Of series – and from our family to yours, thank you for supporting New York State Music.
From Eminem’s “Without Me,” (two Buffalo gals go round the outside) to the longest-serving music venue, Nietzsche’s. Buffalo is home to a plethora of venues including hot-spots; Sportsmen’s Tavern, Town Ballroom, Colored Musicians Club, various boutique concert-series and Buffalo Musicians Hall Of Fame. The city is packed with music – from classical to jazz and, of course, our free-wheeling mashup jam-bands featured on this series. Buffalo is thriving.
In 2018, Buffalo has seen anyone from John Medeski’s Mad Skillet, Tauk and Turkuaz to Everyone Orchestra and Funktional Flow. Buffalo hosts the boutique Cobblestone Live Festival isolated to bars and venues neighbouring Illinois and Columbia street, which was seen on our Best Of Festivals edition, yesterday.
Buffalo Iron Works
One vote shy from winning the best of crown for New York State’s favorite music venue, Buffalo Iron Works is a must visit. If you stumble upon it for a quite lunch or attack the stage for a weekend of live music, you will not be disappointed. The venue was voted ‘Best in Buffalo’ last year by Buffalo Spree Awards. Iron Works is closing out the year with future dates featuring Canada’s After Funk – for a hyped James Brown Tribute, Buffalo Afrobeat Orchestra, Kung Fu and Doyle (ex-Misfits guitarist). The Venue is walking distance from the Key Bank Center, Lockhouse Distillery, Canalside and the metro station.
Albany packs a powerful punch. The state’s capitol is blooming with rich culture, which means, a vibrant music community. Music is the power to manipulate and supersede time, but with greater feeling. As one of the original thirteen colonies there is no telling the vast musical exchange throughout the centuries. Each moment is captured by sound and song, which our contemporary world must pay homage to. Just look at all of the great bands pouring out of Albany. The Low Beat, Jupiter Hall, The Hallow Bar + Kitchen and The Egg are just some of the spectacular venues that twine music throughout the city.
The Palace Theatre
The Palace Theatre was voted Best Music Venue in all of New York State for 2018 by NYS staff. As the name implies, the Palace meets and exceeds all of your expectations. The 1930’s built venue was originally a movie theatre and is now run by the city as a non-profit for music, plays, educational events and more. It is the beating heart. Plus, you can’t help but drool when you see your favorite band up in lights, spread across the breathtaking marquee. From Umphrey’s McGee to The Disco Biscuits, the Palace Theatre transforms the concert phenomenon. It blends popular music with the vast architecture and warm arms of the city.
Despite Port Chester having few votes for best music town, it’s evident the ones whom cast, placed their ballots for one reason: Capitol Theatre. Wedged between the southern tip of New York, Long Island, Connecticut and Northern Jersey, it is a jam-band magnet. The thriving seaport transforms when doors open and dead-heads roll into Garcia’s for a pre-celebratory drink. Shall we go? The Capitol Theatre is your gateway.
If you live within an hour of The Cap, consider yourself spoiled. Built in 1926, the Capitol Theatre began hosting Vaudeville shows and movies – long preceding its reputation as one of the best music venues. Since, music’s biggest names have paved way for the Capitol’s concrete-esteem: Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, BB King, The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd and Phil Lesh, among others. True legends – exceeding expectations and musicianship.
There was no common-weight for Best Shows Across The State – lets be honest, you’re lying if you have only one best show. It’s impossible. The list had only one thing in common, New York State. The year has surpassed our expectations, but at least we now know where to find them in 2019. Buffalo, Buffalo Iron Works, Albany, Palace Theatre and the Capitol Theatre are at the backbone of the best music around.
Individually Rebecca Loebe, Grace Pettis and BettySoo are established singer/songwriter/performers, each with a Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition winner title in their pockets. In 2017, Rebecca suggested a joint tour by the three “just to share the road, share our audiences and have a bit of fun.” That one-off idea was followed by a homemade promo video, a songwriting session, a record deal, and the birth of Nobody’s Girl.
NYS Music spoke with all three members by phone in late November after a scheduled return to the Towne Crier in Beacon, N.Y. was “snow-poned” due to a heavy dumping of white stuff, canceling the evening’s show and taking our pre-show interview with it.
After “announcing” ourselves on the line, we were ready roll.
Mickey Deneher: I think of this as the evolution of Nobody’s Girl. You guys started out as friends. When did you first meet?
Grace Pettis: We first meet around 10 years ago at the Kerville Folk Festival.
MD: Each one of you is an award winner (at Kerville.)
GP: We did all win the (New Folk) competition in different years. (But) that was the first year we all were there and hanging out and just became pals.
MD: You go to Kerville, do song circles, a one-off tour, a writing session, and then a record deal from the session. Was this just a flash or the progression you where looking for?
Rebecca Loebe: You pretty much nailed it, the progression of it. Basically it just happened organically and very quickly. That as soon as we got together and started singing together we had this great sort of harmony and chemistry together and just sort of opportunities kept presenting themselves really quickly.
You know our first co-write was pretty magical. We wrote 3 songs in basically 18 hours that we really liked. When we played them for the folks who owned the recording studio where we had gone to write, they offered us a record deal. At that point we had not even played a gig together. We didn’t have any plans of touring or plans of becoming a band. I think that made it all develop really naturally, the fact that it wasn’t something that any of us where all gunning for. We didn’t have, you know, aspirations to make this the coolest band project ever. We just thought it was fun when we sang together.
Rebecca Loebe
MD: Let’s talk about the writing for the EP. All three of you are credited (for the originals). Is that because it is the writing process or do you all have to get in pieces?
Grace Pettis: We are an equal collaboration at the writing table. Which is such a new and cool experience. I have written with a lot of people. I love co-writing. But I have never been in a band, where all three members are professional songwriters and get so much joy out of that process and can kind of meet each other at the same level as co-writers. That’s just been really fun. All of the songs are true, true collaborations. Like honestly, nobody really takes the lead. Maybe somebody will have an idea, somebody will take it and run with it, and then somebody else will chime in with a different direction and we write them from scratch. Together. Equally.
MD: You went in for a writing session. You didn’t go in as a band, but you came out as a band.
BettySoo: We were writing for the three of us to sing together. We definitely had that in mind. I don’t think we were writing like we would scrap a song if it was good and it didn’t feel like it was going to suit the trio that well. But definitely, that was definitely sitting in our minds as we were writing. Whether it was subconscious or whatever, that this was a song for the three of us.
Grace Pettis: Definitely.
BettySoo: I’m sure that shaped the process some, whether we were that conscious of it or not.
MD: So you had the “voices” in your head that you were writing for.
BettySoo: Absolutely.
We turned our conversation to the band’s recently released debut recording “Waterline,” which contains 4 original compositions, two covers, and a bonus acoustic rendition of the title track. It was recorded at Studios at Fischer with assistance from some of Austin’s top session players. The EP was released on the Lucky Hound label.
MD: I’ve enjoyed the EP. The writing, the harmonies, there are different voices in there. I’ve grouped them as I hear the different voices. Tell me about “Waterline” and “Riding out the Storm.” Metaphoric songs? Deep things happening to you guys? Am I thinking correctly?
BettySoo: “Waterline” is an interesting example of a song that started with one idea and ended up in a completely different place. It started with, I remember really clearly, a chorus idea that I had on Christmas morning last year. I would sing it for you but you would not recognize it. It did not end up in the finished song. I brought the chorus to the group and we thought oh yeah that’s a good starting place, we’ll start with that. We wrote some verses and then we liked the verses that we wrote so much more than that chorus that we had to write a better chorus to match the song.
I think there is a metaphor in that song about how things change slowly and you can use the waterline as a reference. Gauge how things have changed over time.
BettySoo
MD: “Bluebonnets” (a Raina Rose composition) is an opening up of what I want to become? I haven’t been there? This is what I’m going to be?
Grace Pettis: That’s an interesting take. I think at the time, we were left kind of writing toward a theme in terms of let’s write five songs that all fit into a theme. We just were all writing from out experiences in life and some themes just came naturally out of that. When we decided to play “Bluebonnets,” it was mostly just because we all loved the song and we loved the songwriter Raina Rose. Rebecca suggested that one. I tried it on, cause it kind of fell to me. It was time for another song where Grace is singing lead. I was sort of tooling around with it. As I was playing it, I had always liked that song and I had know of it for maybe a decade, as I was playing it, I fell more in love with it as I was singing it because it just sounds like this classic Texas country song. To me it sounds like a Willie Nelson song or Townes Van Zandt song or something like that. It just sounds like classic and there is so much heart in it. So I feel like it sings itself almost.
MD: “Call Me,” (Blondie cover) fun song, great song. What brought that to the EP?
Rebecca Loebe: I think it came out of a conversation on what kind of songs we wanted to cover. We were talking about writers who inspire us; women who inspire us. We sort of all stumbled into our admiration of Debbie Harry, who is the driving force behind Blondie and an absolute badass, and Grace mentioned that she had been rehearsing “Call Me” and thinking of covering it. We pulled it up and listened to it and it really clicked with all of us. We sat, spent an hour working on an arrangement, and it was just so much fun using all our voices and BettySoo’s incredible electric guitar to come up with a version of that song that really feels like us.
Grace Pettis
MD: Let’s talk about the band name. Who came up with that? (All three start laughing.)
BettySoo: That may have been the most full on equal part labor.
Grace Pettis: Yeah.
BettySoo: That thing (band name) that we wrote, even more than the five (songs.) Because we didn’t intend to be a band at first, we just thought we’re three pals going out on a kind of co-bill tour; that was nothing that we spent a lot of time working on. We were writing songs thinking it would be a special moment in a show. All of a sudden we find ourselves with this record deal, and realized we were a band and like, oh shoot, if we are going to put out a record, we have to have a band name.
None of us were quite satisfied with the first name that we had, Sirens of South Austin, because we really just thought of that as a tour name. And, oh my god, we went through dozens and dozens and dozens of band name ideas. I think if we all didn’t love each other so much we would have killed each other (laughs.) What a way to come up with a band name. That was the most angst-ridden discussion we probably had as a band. Maybe that’s fitting, because your name is really such an identity marker. It’s how people will judge you before they meet you, trying to make that impression about having a name you are proud of. That you feel conveys all of your personalities but also who you are as a new entity. It was really hard to land on one thing. We also started listing a bunch of songs and albums and different titles of books and all kinds of things that were references for us. I think Grace at one point had mentioned the Bonnie Raitt song “Nobody’s Girl” and surprisingly it was something all of us could agree on. As time goes by, I think we have all gotten even fonder of it.
Rebecca Loebe: It definitely says something. It says something quickly. It speaks to all of our character and the roots were building as a band.
Grace Pettis: I liked it because it was versatile. It sounds fun. Sounds like it could be a pop band. But then it also has a bit of a bite to it.
MD: It’s a statement.
Rebecca Loebe: Definitely.
MD: What’s on tap for 2019?
RL: We’re doing a few international trips in 2019, including a tour in Europe (that) we are really excited about. We are going to be touring The Netherlands, Germany & Ireland. We’ve gotten some sweet requests to play shows. We will be in Texas in March and touring in the summer.
Nobody’s Girl’s “Waterline” is available on the band’s website, ITunes, and at their shows. As for that canceled show at the Towne Crier, they’ll be back (but I think there is an no-snow rider in the contract).
“Petty Grass is bluegrass versions of Tom Petty hits. Sing-alongs that some people didn’t even know they knew. Tom Petty songs are like that and Petty Grass celebrates this.” ~ Keller Williams
Keller Williams and the Hillbenders performed Keller’s latest project, Petty Grass, at a new venue in Jersey City, NJ, White Eagle Hall. The recently renovated and restored historic theater has been “outfitted with the latest sound technology” and has two hand-crafted stained glass skylights.
Williams began the concept in 2015, for a local S.P.C.A benefit. After Petty’s recent death, Williams decided to take the concept on the road and add a band. The Hillbender’s couldn’t be a more perfect choice to fill this role.
The Hillbenders, a talented bluegrass band from Springfield, MO, are experienced with translating rock and roll into bluegrass and are the perfect compliment to Williams. They released a bluegrass version of The Who’s Tommy called Tommy: A Bluegrass Opryin 2015.
The show was indeed a big audience sing-a-long, with the crowd participation increasing during each song. Tom Petty had many fun loving hits. William’s sing-a-long version, combined with the Hillbender’s picking intensity, successfully showcases this. The band often came together as a group on stage, demonstrating their exemplary skills as a bluegrass band.
Notable songs included “Refugee,” the extended jam combined elements of William’s Grateful Dead roots with the Hillbender’s penchant for picking. “Even the Losers” had a great texture from the mandolin by Nolan Lawrence. “Last Dance With Mary Jane” was meant to be a bluegrass sing-a-long. “Running Down a Dream” has a harmonious melody from Gary Rea on guitar and Chad Graves on dobro.
Blue: the color of emotion. Savage: a primitive ferocity. Put together, “Blue Savage” is an apt title for a song that juxtaposes emotive vocal styling with heavy, driving riffs. While the four-piece indie rock project Old Fame is brand new, the players are seasoned veterans of the regional music scene: Ben Armes (vocals / guitar), Evan Clark (guitar), Jay Asarese (bass), and Doug Kelley (drums).
“Blue Savage” will be featured on Old Fame’s debut self-titled EP due out January 7. The songs for Old Fame were engineered and mixed by Josh Pettinger, and mastered by Greg Thompson at Wicked Squid Studios.
Festivals hold a special place in our hearts. Whether we are in New York State or half-way across the country these short stints become our musical oasis. Waking up to the picture-esque backdrops of New York State’s foliage and mountaintops are breathtaking. Birds, nature or pure silence sooth, as the night’s jam-rooms pushed the limits of dawn. When night falls, we are oversaturated with the Best Bands Of NYS. It’s as if the landscape acts as a stimuli for the improvisation and energy with each performance. For newbies, just go – sometimes the smallest of festivals have the most to offer. Like yesterday’s Best Albums Of NYS, it opens a world of discovery.
Kung Fu at Music Festival
New York’s best voted festival of 2018 – by a landslide. In its eighth year, the festival drew 5,000 fans into the hidden farm-land in Stephentown, NY made its mark as one of the most versatile, yet secluded, festival experiences New York State has to offer, said NYS Staff in our full 2018 recap.
This year Brooklyn’s Cousin Earth performed tracks off their 2018 release Human Music – whom made an appearance in the Best Of votes. Top-dogs Aqueous swept the mainstage (side b) as well as other Best Of mentioned artist, including Space Bacon, Escaper, and Turkuaz. With such a diverse bill there is simply no room for disappointment. The quaint size of Disc Jam is just right – big enough to get lost, small enough to seeing familiar faces and musicians alike.
It is in close proximity to major cities like Boston, Providence, Hartford, NYC and Albany and is an excellent choice to get a full fledged festival experience, but on an intimate scale. When you’re not surfing stage to stage there are two disc golf tournaments as well as other art, food, yoga. The jaw-dropping 700 acre farm is the perfect place to echo all the best artist we’ve come to love. With live-stock visible from the festival site, it is a pure outdoors music getaway.
From Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with special guest Marty Stuart to Steve Miller Band with Peter Frampton, what more could you ask for. The Hunter Mountain festival is the perfect size and proximity for your first festival experience, but one thing is for sure – it definitely won’t be the last. The 13th annual festival continually proves itself as a festival veteran with show-stopping talent tucked discretely in the midst for the Catskills.
While Brooklyn Comes Alive boast an incredible lineup and close proximity of three venues within six-blocks, it felt impossible to peel yourself away from the magic on-stage. The fourth annual festival was a near sold out success, featuring the booming and vibrant artist twined throughout the city. It is a place veterans will return and newcomers merge in their proving grounds. In the end, it is – and always was – about the music. Who knows what 2019 will bring, but beware: the streets of Brooklyn are alive.
Peach festival in Scranton, PA was a hands down win for our staff pick – again. The Allman Brothers Band founded-festival compounds with each passing year, since its inception in 2012. The daunting lineup of Gov’t Mule, Phil Lesh, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Umphrey’s McGee, Moe. and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is pure bliss for jam-band junkies. The peaks and valleys of Montage Mountain Ski Resort funnels all walks of life to Peach Festival for the four day event. With the passing of Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks still fresh in Peach-goer’s hearts, the thriving community has become even more heartfelt. Allman Brothers co-founder Dickey Betts tugged on our heartstrings, while Marcus King tipped his hat with “Dreams” during this years event.
With seven months to go, we are even more anxious with names like Phil Lesh & Friends, Warren Haynes, John Scofield, Joe Russo, Trey Anastasio, Marcus King Band and moe. already secured on the 2019 lineup. They keep coming back – and so do we. See you July 25-28.
Moreover, productions of this caliber set precedent for festival culture. Water filling stations, health and sustainability events and a potent outray of positivity are norm. A force is so strong – it is felt. Even the lone-traveler gets sucked into a world that instantly becomes home.
Discovery: Fests Are The Best
Hulaween – Live Oak, FL – Since 2013 – Attendance 20-25,000 capacity
Rule number one – turn off your shuffle. In today’s society we are overstimulated and the idea of an album, top to bottom, is fleeting. As we break into day two, the soundscapes of song become more vibrant when articulated within the peaks and valleys of an album. These highs and lows shape the story – Let the tellings of New York’s finest and booming bands be heard.
Put on your headphones (seriously, isolation is key). Listen, close your eyes and don’t open them until there is complete silence, when the final chords have fleeted. Let your mind reel as you discover the best albums of 2018.
HINT: Be on the lookout for ‘Discovery’ sections featuring other NYS staff votes for Best Of. There are so many great bands we simply can’t pick them all!
Best Album By A New York Artist
Aqueous – Color Wheel
Not only was Aqueous’ Color Wheel voted Best Album By A New York Artist, but was inches away from claiming the title of Best Album Overall. They have been banned from yesterday’s series of Best Under Rated as they owned that title two years running. The Buffalo based craze captured NYS fans and staff, without question.
There’s a certain continuity to this entire album, and it unfolds in a way that makes the track order important for the experience – there’s an underlying narrative happening throughout the lyrics and themes, and the overarching theme of the story is a strong sense of optimism through the struggle of the realities of life – Guitarist Mike Gantzer
So try that thing with your headphones. We will let the art speak for itself – and check out “Weight Of The World” featuring Turkuaz’s horn section.
More vibrant than a rainbow, each track is crowded with intensity and expressionism. Life In The City paints the aura of a mundane, overstimulated world and bespatters the canvas with electro-funk graffiti. It’s infectious, luring ghost-walkers in from the darkest alleys. Once the nine-piece powerhouse entraps your mind, life as you know it, will cease to exist.
The title track, “Life In The City,” is familiar like walking. Weighted four-on-the-floor kick drum echoes the mass of worn shoes. Every step brings a new impetus. The overtones and decay of the drums juxtapose reality as they ring out through a suspended chorus. “Life In The City portrays a dark and dystopian future, or current city environment, full of over stimulus,” said guitar/vocalist Dave Brandwein. “It gets harder and harder to appreciate life. Blind in the spotlight and caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city. We want it to feel that way in our songs.”
Collectively the album is a constant echo of life. From a willingness to try and “just letting it come out”, themes arose, like the reoccurring ‘city noises’ throughout the record.
Discovery: Albums On Repeat
Catch up with the BEST BANDS OF 2018 because you’re already behind. It’s only day two and an earful of music is stuck on replay! Witty Tarbox, voted one of the most under rated bands along with, Escaper, Intent To Sell and Groovestick, all had votes for best album by a New York Artist.
The glimmer of Gold has caught our eyes. The overanxious wait for another Dirty Bird release had us on edge. In the past three years we have been deprived of the nitty-gritty funk powerhouse and soulful horn section that is Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds. While Gold is everything we want, with that iconic bird edge, this record is a spotlight on the undeniable front-woman Arleigh Kincheloe, a.k.a Sister Sparrow.
“As an artist, we have to evolve. If we stay the same, then we’re going backwards,” said Kincheloe in an interview with NYS. This razors edge has captivated fans – a blend between modern-pop shimmer, electronic accents and that Dirty Bird flare. “I always wanted to try too marry modern sounds, hip hops elements, soul and funk stuff that I love. I have a whole Spotify playlist that was my soundscape for this: The Staples, Aretha Franklin, The Pointer Sisters, Bill Withers, Paul Simon, Joe Cocker – a very ’70s vibe. But I tried to add the modern techniques and drum sounds,” Said Kincheloe. Stop reading. Go Listen.
Its that time of the year again. We have been blessed with so much great music throughout 2018 and it will be impossible to cover it all. Stay tuned throughout the next few days as we delve into some of the best bands, albums, festivals and towns in New York State – and beyond. These picks have been curated from our wonderful staff to expose you the vast talent of musicians that pass you on the streets and dwell in your neighbouring towns. Each day will introduce new music for you to listen to, but for now – the good stuff – THE BANDS.
Best Under the Radar band from New York
Witty Tarbox
The Buffalo=bred indie-surf ensemble will celebrate their two year anniversary on New Year’s Day. Their first EP The Adventures Of Schmitty: Issue #1 V. Rare puts an edgy twist on Upstate’s jam-band culture. Listening to “Schmitty & Bags” will open up an electrified rabbit hole, riddled with screaming guitar, thunderous toms and over-the-bar groves. Witty Tarbox is multifaceted, dumping all your musical inspiration into a blender where none of the flavors get lost. Instead, they have their own layered place in the mix, complemented by unorthodox instrumentation. Crack one open and find out for yourself.
Escaper
After discovering Brooklyn’s Escaper, you will be gridlocked centerstage wondering: What the hell just happened? Escaper released their second studio-album this year, Edge Detection, that detonates musical genres and resonates through the shrapnel. They are the explosion – a mess of sounds that shouldn’t fit together, but they do. It’s exhilarating. Ironically, there’s no escaping. From smooth jazz-saxophone to a vortex of organ, arena-rock guitar and metal-esque drum fills, Escaper delivers. Edge Detection captures their free-form performances and jam roots that make you almost-obligated to the live experience. Escaper has only been around for a few years, but have shared the stage with John Fishman (Phish), Galactic and Aqueous and are taking New York State by storm.
Best Under The Radar Bands: Discovery
Cold Lazarus: Reggae-infused intellifunk jam rock – Jamestown, NY – Est. 2017
The Goodnight Darlings: Indie-pop rock – New York, NY
Dirty Blanket: Dirty string-slingin’ bluegrass – Finger Lakes Region
Space Bacon: Jamtronica rock quartet – Brooklyn, NY
Wuriliday: Soul-funk goodness – Albany, NY – Est. 2017
Best Band EVERYONE Should Be Listening To
Phish
Like them, or not, Phish remains a staple in the world of jam-band music. It is expected that they swept the competition for Best Of. It’s the simple fact that: they have done it before. From books, boxsets and fanclubs, the sea of Phish is endless. Start swimming.
For you newbies, swing on over to your local Ben & Jerry’s and pick up a pint of “Phish Food,” and indulge. Again: it’s been done before (hint hint). Go to LivePhish.com and listen to every live performance with a click. Your marshmallow-fudge covered lips will grin when you realize who that cutting-edge band got the idea from or when you recognize that solo-lick, jamming in your parents basement.
“The intention that this band is so great at, is to stop thinking,” said Mike Gordon. It is the reason Phish was, and still is, the example in jam-band culture. They remain at the top because they are captivating and, in-truth, one could argue that it is you, the Phans, who are propelling their motion. “When we feel a surge, we surge, it happens all the time. Thunder will happen or lightning and I’ll hear the crowd go Wahhhh. Then we just ramp up,” said Trey Anastasio.
Phish is set out to do another New Year’s Eve run at Madison Square Garden starting on December 28. Phish made their debut at Madison Square Garden in 1994. The four-day run sold out, expectedly so, and will mark 60 Phish performances at The Garden as we break into 2019. Catch more details on Today’s (Monday) SiriusXM ‘Ask Trey’ on Phish Radio, Channel 29.
Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance
Pink Talking Fish
Founder and bassist, Eric Gould came up with the idea of a fusion tribute to three of his most beloved bands: Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads and Phish. The intent is to “heighten people’s passion for music by creating something fresh.” Collectively, the musicians of Pink Talking Fish are equally inspired by these crossroads, as are their fans.
“If you enjoy the adventure of music, this is its epitome” said Gould. Pink Talking Fish embarks on a musical journey filled with rhythms you already know and love.
In their rendition of Phish’s “Makisupa Policeman,” PTF incorporates Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” without straying from Phish’s Reggae feel. The band is further driven by the concept of setlists. Gould has always been intrigued by the construction of sets and how they influence the audience. Setlists are “musical candy to read on paper. And people are salivating over it.”
Setlist: Speak To Me, Breathe, Down With Disease, On The Run, Thank You For Sending Me An Angel, Time, Mike’s Song, *Great Gig In The Sky, Weekapaug Grove, ^Money, ^*Take Me To The River, ^*Us & Them, ^*Any Colour You Like, Ghost, Down With Disease Reprise, Once In A Lifetime, Brain Damage, Eclipse
Encore: 18 ^*Julius * w/ Elise Testone on Vocals, ^ w/ Matt Wayne on Sax
The Ballroom Thieves returned to the Arbor Loft in Rochester for another show put on by Honest Folk. They stopped by last winter, Valentines Day to be exact, and were back for another frigid Rochester night. The folksy trio was back to let Rochester warm its souls next to their rich musical fire while the cold and snow settled in for the long haul outside.
They’ve been busy during their ten-month absence and brought with them two new EPs, one of originals and one of covers. The set borrowed heavily from the new material so the show varied greatly from their previous visit and they continued to showcase their evolution as a band.
On their very first visit to Rochester, back at Abilene, cellist Calin Peters had only recently joined the band. She was a bit shy and hesitant to take control musically. But if Tuesday night was your first time seeing the band, you might determine that the band was built around her specifically. Her beautiful voice led a seeming majority of the tunes and commanded attention unlike any other time we’ve seen them.
Drummer Devin Mauch and guitarist Martin Earley were both recovering from colds while Peters was limping and in a brace from a minor tour van incident. They jokingly were running at a collective 230%, though you wouldn’t know it from their output. On newer material like the raucous and meandering “Can’t Cheat Death,” the deep fuzzed out blues “Fistfight,” and the bubbling, bouncing and building “Almost Love” they were as energized and active as ever.
They threw some great new covers in the mix as well. Earley took the stage alone mid-set for a solo take on Tom Petty’s “Time to Move On” while Peters lead the band on Bahama’s spectacular “Lost in the Light,” which is featured on their just out EP, Covers.
The show ended with a “fake” encore of “Bury Me Smiling,” but there was nothing fake about this show. Honest through and through, including some highly detailed band introductions, including individual Q and A sessions, including such deep dive topics as pets, eating habits and high school accomplishments.
A short opening set by Odetta Hartman married electronics with acoustic folk. Drummer/percussionist Jack Inslee laid down landscapes of sound ranging from seaside and train noises to banjo melodies to backing choruses, while Hartman’s angelic voice and banjo, guitar or fiddle floated above. Inspired by the wedding-esque surroundings, they eschewed their usual spooky setlist for a more love-based repertoire.
Ballroom Thieves, Arbor Loft – Rochester
Setlist: Anybody Else, Can’t Cheat Death, Saint Monica, Only Lonely, Time to Move On (Tom Petty), Bartering, Trouble, Fistfight, Lost in the Light (Bahamas), Do Something, Almost Love, Bury Me Smiling
Mihali Savoulidis, the lead singer and guitarist from Vermont jam-band Twiddle made a stop on his solo tour at Putnam Place earlier this month. Playing to a sold out crowd, the energy in the room was abuzz with excitement and positivity. Playing a combination of covers, solo originals and Twiddle songs, Mihali shared his usual charisma with the audience and this spirit and animation carried over into our conversation after the show. We discussed collaboration, inspiration and gratitude.
Emily VanderWiel: A new song with Nahko and Trevor Hall just released, “Fading State.” Can you tell me about what the creative process is like when working with them?
Mihali: I wrote the tune and I had them in mind, so when I recorded I literally left those places blank and hoped that they would say yes, they are both some of my very good friends. I met Nahko first, feels like many years ago, probably 6 or 7 years ago and I met Trevor a few summers ago and it was one of those things where both times we jammed, hung out and played. We are all born in 86, we are kind of cut from the same cloth. A blessing for me, truly though mainly because I was a huge fan of their music before I met both. I knew their catalogue and their writing style, and I felt connected before I knew them, and it just flowed from there.
EV: You are a role model for so many of your fans, both musically and personally. How do you feel about the idea of role models, and do you have someone that you look up to?
MS: I don’t think so, I’ve realized that all the people I have looked up to over the years, and just in general human beings are flawed, sensitive people and no one is really, truly a role model. Nobody is perfect, no one is the end all, be all the best person there is.
EV: How about musically?
MS: Well, both questions go hand in hand because I have to say when I met Trey at LOCK’n two summers ago or something, I walked up to him and said, “Hey I’m Mihali from Twiddle, and thank you for showing me that recovery is possible and that music after recovery is possible.” Trey is just always busy, trying new things, making music and I love that about him.
MS: You know, the least favorite question I ever get asked is “what’s this song about.” It’s never what its “supposed to be about.” It could be totally different than what the singer wrote it about but if it means something to that fan in their world, I’m not going to bust their bubble and tell them that’s not what the song is about. It’s all totally subjective. My question is to the fan, what do you think it’s about? Then I agree.
EV: I have a fan question for you. What was the inspiration for the song Juggernaut when you wrote it and how do you feel about the fan reaction to it?
MS: At this time in age, and where we are right now I know the political climate is gnarly and we (Twiddle) have always stepped away from that because nobody wants to get involved with politics in music. But when I think about my wife and my daughter and all the females in my life and the people around me that I love, and respect aren’t getting their dues, and they are not getting respected then it feels like I have to say something. For the first time ever, well, I have always been the one in the band that’s been like No, no, no, let’s not get involved in politics. So, I wrote it as a joke. In the studio I said “Let’s do a grunge song, Nirvana or something. I’ll just write some chords and we will go record it.” And Kyle, our guitar tech, he had told me a story about when he was in third grade, some kid came up while they were playing king of the kill on a sandcastle and kicked him in the face and said, “You’ll never be king of the hill!” It was a big deal to him in third grade, and so when I was recording that first vocal “You want to kick me in the face cuz I’m different, yeah you think you’re king of the hill.” I had recorded that verse as a joke, and we sat home for months with the demos for the album and as the political climate started changing and we started seeing what was going on, I thought that hey now that really fits. The verses then came after that. What can I talk about that is going on in the world? What is bothering me, so that’s where that song came from.
Mihali’s solo tour has been very successful and is wrapping up Dec 15 at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke, MA. Also just announced, Mihali will be joining Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Saturday January 26 at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY.
It’s eerie, dystopic, and a little unsettling – it’s fantastic. Paranormal, a.k.a Emmanuel Fernandez, takes a refreshing step away from what is considered popular and successful rap. The beats are intense and hard hitting, just like Fernandez’s voice and lyrics consisting of his view on a corrupt and crumbling world that is sure to resonate well with a mass audience. The attitude of the whole album The Project For Global Madness is an anthem for the public that believes reform is necessary for the world to continue on.
From Eminem’s “Without Me,” (two Buffalo gals go round the outside) to the longest-serving music venue, Nietzsche’s. Buffalo is home to a plethora of venues including hot-spots; Sportsmen’s Tavern, Town Ballroom, Colored Musicians Club, various boutique concert-series and Buffalo Musicians Hall Of Fame. The city is packed with music – from classical to jazz and, of course, our free-wheeling mashup jam-bands featured on this series. Buffalo is thriving.
Despite Port Chester having few votes for best music town, it’s evident the ones whom cast, placed their ballots for one reason: Capitol Theatre. Wedged between the southern tip of New York, Long Island, Connecticut and Northern Jersey, it is a jam-band magnet. The thriving seaport transforms when doors open and dead-heads roll into Garcia’s for a pre-celebratory drink. Shall we go? The Capitol Theatre is your gateway.
MD: What’s on tap for 2019?
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