NYS Music 20​18

Category: Features

  • Interview: A Raw Take with Three West End Blend Founders

    NYS Music jumped at the punch to sit down with vocalist Erica Bryan, drummer Sam Horan, and bassist Tom Sullivan of West End Blend for an interview and live podcast. West End Blend of Hartford, Connecticut has quickly made noise as one of the top funk/soul acts of the region. They are on the up-and-up and in this raw podcast, WEB’s growth is just one topic of casual conversation. Hit the play button below to listen to the 48th episode of the Rochester Groovecast Podcast.  Also find a timestamp at the bottom of the page.

    Timestamp:
    00:00: Smile by West End Blend
    04:25: Episode Introduction
    06:45: Conversation with Erica, Sam, and Tom of West End Blend.
    41:20: Episode Conclusion
    43:00: Attitude by West End Blend

  • Photo Gallery: Blues for Breakfast Makes a Splash at Troy’s Rockin’ on the River

    Burlington’s Blues for Breakfast performed for Deadheads dancing in the rain at Troy’s Rockin’ on the River on June 27. Over the course of three hours, the Seth Yacavone led Dead tribute band performed a wide array of Grateful Americana and a mix of classic rock, reggae, Motown, and originals. Check out Blues for Breakfast in August in Plattsburgh at North Country River Jam.

  • Let’s Be Leonard share first official music video “Most Days” off upcoming album “Static”

    Let’s Be Leonard have shared the first glimpse of their crowd-funded album Static in the form of “Most Days,” the band’s first ever official music video ever. The full movie of Static will premiere on July 27 at Park Theater in Glens Falls, NY, followed by two sets of Let’s Be Leonard. More info can be found here.

  • Episode 7 of Empire State Music Podcast features Kat Horton of Night Lights Music Festival

    Join host Andy Hogan for Episode 7 of Empire State Music Podcast, with special guest Kat Horton of Night Lights Music Festival and 1039 Presents. Listen on Simplecast or Soundcloud below.

  • An Evening with JAZZ IS PHSH at The Egg

    Jazz musicians play The Egg fairly often, so the venue couldn’t have been more perfect when JAZZ IS PHSH came to Albany on June 27. With jazz musicians Domi Degalle (keys) and Felix Pastorius (bass) joining jam scene musicians Alicia Aubin (trombone, Big Mean Sound Machine), Dave “The Truth” Grippo (saxophone, Grippo Funk Band) and Rob Compa (guitar, Dopapod), JAZZ IS PHSH founder and drummer Adam Chase welcomed the audience to a unique performance of Phish’s music. A few dozen fans danced throughout the show in the upper rows of the intimate Swyer Theater, while others sat and enjoyed what could pass for engaging lounge music passively enjoyed while sipping a glass of wine at a neighborhood bistro.

    Jazz is Phsh egg

    A jazzed out version of “46 Days” began a night-long version of ‘Name that Tune,’ but for Phish songs; it took a moment or two for even the most fervent fan to figure out where each jazz odyssey was about to venture. “Dog Log” featured solos from Grippo and Aubin, followed by Domi’s first moment in the spotlight of the evening, with a re-entry to the final segment of the song done in textbook fashion. A Wayne Shorter/Q-Tip mashup came next in the form of “Ya Mar/ManWomanBoogie,” with a funk form of the calypso beat underlying the musicians, allowing the audience to get lost in the jazz groove while picking out the elements of the Phish cover and Q-Tip original.

    Jazz is Phsh egg

    “Bathtub Gin” had Felix sitting statuesque on his stool and took a solo that had all but Chase standing and watching, while Domi was steady and academic on “Gin,” one of the most popular tunes of the night, and easiest to identify. After, Chase informed the crowd that they would be playing a song that half the band had never heard, but fans would know off the iconic drumbeat, and with that, “The Wedge (Variations)” began, and the free flowing jam grew from Chase’s drumbeat. You have to think Trey Anastasio, let alone the rest of Phish, would love this band, watching their jazz-influenced compositions get reconstructed by jam and jazz musicians.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BkjEXz_FRsB/?taken-by=phishiznit

    “Peaches en Regalia” was as tight as a jazz band could be playing Zappa, with Grippo performing double duty on clarinet and saxophone. Compa shined on “The Moma Dance,” a funky “Cars Trucks Buses” and “Stash,” which wrapped up the set with the audience clapping along to and introducing another element of Phish to the jazz musicians tonight – the fans are part of the show too. A “Camel Walk” encore, called out by Felix, was straight forward with jazz and funk and left the audience buzzing about a return performance down the road.

    Setlist: 46 Days, Dog Log, Ya Mar/ManWomanBoogie, Bathtub Gin, The Wedge (variations), Peaches En Regalia, The Moma Dance, Cars Trucks Buses, Stash
    Encore: Camel Walk^
    ^Manteca teases

  • Foreigner Leaves SPAC Crowd ‘Hot Blooded’

    On a beautiful ‘Hot Blooded’ Saturday night for outdoor live music in Upstate NY, Foreigner, Whitesnake and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening took over the Capital Region’s favorite outdoor venue, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, with their Juke Box Heroes Tour.

    Fans packed the venue to hear a wide variety of rock & roll classics that will stand the test of time. Dubbed the Juke Box Heros tour, it felt like the quarters were popping with hit after hit from each band’s set list. Some fans in attendance called it a live version of local classic rock radio station PYX 106. Each band kept the talking to a minimum as it was all about the music.

    Jason Bonham, son of late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, got the fans in attendance and those still trying to find their seats warmed up. On a packed night, his Led Zeppelin Evening prepared the SPAC crowd for a classic hard rock night.

    The band played Zeppelin favorites like Good Times, Bad Times, Whole Lotta Love. Bonham once played drums for Foreigner from 2004-2008. They closed with the Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven

    Setlist: Immigrant Song, Good Times Bad Times, The Ocean, Whole Lotta Love, Stairway to Heaven

    The venue was almost full by the time Whitesnake hit the stage. Frontman David Coverdale kicked things off with “Bad Boys.” Whitesnake rocked the house with all members getting a chance to show off their skills with solos. Guitarist Joe Hoekstra is a beast on the ax and fun to watch on stage. Each band member’s resume is pretty impressive before joining Whitesnake. Coverdale showed off his charisma strutting around on stage while constantly swinging his mic stand in the air.

    The SPAC crowd was singing word for word with Coverdale by the time fan favorites “Is This Love?’” and “Here I Go Again” were performed. They closed their set with “Still of the Night” and  “We Wish You Well.”

    Setlist: Bad Boys, Give Me All Your Love, Love Ain’t No Stranger, Slow an’ Easy, Crying in the Rain, Is This Love?, Slide It In, Here I Go Again, Still of The Night, We Wish You Well

    The now packed house at SPAC was amped up and rabid for Foreigner to take the stage. Foreigner started off with “Long, Long Way from Home” followed by “Double Vision.” The third song in the set, “Head Games,” marked the point of no return as fans were locked in and consumed by the band’s energy, sound and style hit song after hit song.

    Midway through the band’s set, frontman since 2005, Kelly Hansen took a moment to give thanks and applauded the only original member and co-founder left in Foreigner, lead guitarist Mick Jones for his longevity and contributions to the music business.

    Hansen stood on a rising platform at the beginning of “Juke Box Hero” to close out the band’s set. They would shortly return for a two-song encore set. Hansen brought out music students from Hudson Falls on stage to help sing on the first encore song, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Hansen paused several times during the chorus to let the fans sing it instead. Foreigner closed their encore set with “Hot Blooded.”

    Setlist: Long, Long Way From Home, Double Vision, Head Games, Cold As Ice, Waiting for a Girl Like You, Dirty White Boy, Feels Like the First Time, Urgent, Starrider, Juke Box Hero Encore: I Want to Know What Love Is, Hot Blooded

  • Fangeist and NYS Music announce Live Stream Partnership

    Looking for live streams of music across New York, the country and the world? NYS Music and Fangeist have you covered! Today, we are proud to announce a partnership with Fangeist, an online global live music platform that lets users hear a curated list of live streaming music daily, discover new music releases and local shows.

    fangeist

    Fangeist was built upon the theorem that live music can reach far beyond the stage where it’s being played. While there is no substitute for being there in person, witnessing a real-time live streaming concert from an artist you love is an engaging, disruptive, unique and very powerful viewing and sonic experience. This is why NYS Music has partnered with them – their mission is to bring more live music into your life by connecting you to thousands of shows streaming live and in real time from around the world from your favorite artists.

    Fans can build profiles based on concerts attended and communicate with like-minded people via news feeds. Sign up for the Fangeist Newsletter and get streams in your inbox daily

    Check out daily live feeds at NYSMusic.com/Fangeist

  • Photo Gallery: Alive at Five Welcomes Matisyahu and Mirk

    On the first day of summer, June 21, Albany’s Alive at Five summer concert series was fortunate to have Matisyahu perform to a packed crowd at Jennings Landing. Matisyahu had just wrapped up his 16-stop Strength to Strength Tour with Stephen Marley, and if you weren’t able to see him this past Thursday, he has a full schedule of shows through September, including 6 stops across New York State in July and August. Matisyahu was joined by Upstate NY natives Mirk, a 6-piece powerhouse band that got the party started with originals and familiar covers.

  • Bad Religion release new single/video for ‘The Kids are Alt-Right’

    Bad Religion have released “The Kids Are Alt-Right,” a sharp takedown of the alt-right movement delivered with their signature brand of socially conscious and sardonic punk.

    With a nod to The Who’s 1965 anthem, “The Kids Are Alt-Right” is poignant in a tense political climate, with lyrics that cut right to the core – “Humanity is a nowhere scene/When everybody has an AR-15.” A lyric video offers an onslaught of unnerving images, including girls taking selfies in KKK hoods and chalk body outlines as constellations. Southern California punk is awake and alive with Bad Religion and their powerful yet melodic Southern California hardcore sound.

  • Photo Gallery: Wurliday and Super Doppler at Troy’s Rockin’ on the River

    Rockin’ on the River in Troy hosted Albany’s Wurliday on June 20 for some lively funk and soul, with guest vocals by Tyrone Hartzog and Ilana Morris, and led by Justin Henricks on guitar. Super Doppler followed with their brand of country rock and roll from Norfolk, VA, who perform later this year at The Sloss Music Festival in Birmingham, AL.

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