NYS Music 20​18

Category: Features

  • Bonnaroo 2018: Waking Up in the Present

    Bonnaroo days bleed together and it was hard to resist the sun making a full circle upon The Farm, as birds chirped at 5:30am – music still thumping from The Ville and Kalliope. With Eminem, Anderson.Paak, and two sets of Bon Iver today, it seemed hard for them to compare to the rising wave of 16-year-old Billie Eilish. She was the talk of Roo – before, during, and after her set.

    Read Part 1 of NYS Music’s Bonnaroo coverage HERE.

    Earlier on, she spoke to press about her quick rise to stardom, losing those ‘friends’ close to her and fighting a fake internet-driven world. She was unfiltered and spoke like any 16-year-old would, but something so intriguing and real laid beneath the surface.

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    It wasn’t until she took the Which Stage that teens flocked and the rest not much older. Whispers and smiles filled the crowd about her age and attitude. That discomfort Eilish felt off-stage suddenly disappeared as the barriers blended into all of Centeroo. Her music is seamless in hope and heartache as intimate feeling slowly cuts.

    “Put your hand up if there’s somebody you fucking hate out there,” screamed Eilish – finger pointed up. It was unanimous. She is human and her music speaks to us. Eilish continued in choreographed dance with her brother and stage partner, Finneas O’Connell. They played “Lovely” for the third time ever at her debut-Roo performance as well as the catchy dance groove of “my boy” that’s refreshing, moving Bonnaroovian’s parallel to Eilish.

    As Eilish concludes, “Those of you who fuck with me, thank you … And those of you who don’t fuck with me [pause]. Thank you too.” The crowd willing drops to the hay-filled grass with little effort for Eilish during the bridge of her final song. Bodies drive up with hard crashing drums bordering your favorite rock-dub breakdown.

    Captivating music and artists like Eilish continued to pour in including rapper, drummer and producer Anderson .Paak, First Aid Kit and Old Crow Medicine Show. Rebelution took That Tent by storm along to Bon Iver’s first set on Which Stage. The Rebel-horns were fiery, screaming out with improv every chance they could. Glowing totems danced with the packed crowd and swayed with lighters on mellow tracks like “Fade Away.”

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    A white curtain was draped from What Stage as a Godzilla-spoof Eminem appears on screen. The crowd goes nuts and the curtain falls to Slim Shady himself spitting the tongue-twisting Dr. Dre cover “Medicine Man”. It was just like a scene out of 8 Mile – hands swaying back and forth with “Kill You,” “Rap God” and “Like Toy Soldiers.” Fireworks blast into the night sky during “White America.” The set caused immediate controversy about alleged ‘gun shot’ sound effects during the performance.

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    Bon Iver’s second appearance on Which Stage was poetic. It was hard to categorize it in purely musical terms. It was moving. Opening with a heartfelt acapella chorus of “Heavenly Father.” Likewise, TU Dance accompanied the ensemble with white t-shirts stamped “PEOPLE,” reminding us we are all human. It was as if Bon Iver didn’t exist, there was just music and pure emotion. Iver featured a five-piece trombone section and countless guest including Francis and the Lights, Sylvan Esso, Moses Sumney and Naeem Juwan. It was captivating and the crowd agreed, swaying slowly or too mesmerized to move their eyes away from the stage.

    It was unbelievable to think, most haven’t experienced this many bands in a lifetime let alone in three days. Sunday morning crept upon us and frankly it was hard to digest all the music we loved, wanted to see and the ones we didn’t, but had got sucked into the live performance anyway.

    For the fourth and final day at Bonnaroo, it hardly felt like the end. Canada’s Broken Social Scene played That Tent with a massive 10-piece band. They could have gone wherever they wanted and still griped the crowd’s attention. “Texico Bitches” and “Shampoo Suicide” moved Bonnaroovian’s equally. The band was drum-driven with dynamic and transparent intent. “I don’t have much to say, we’re just gonna keep playing….On the count of three, let everything out and scream as loud as you can.” The music had taken over. “One more time.” The crowd yelled beyond belief.

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    By this point Bonnaroo fever had caught up with us – trapped between the heavenly vocals of St. Paul & The Broken Bones or Moon Taxi’s third return to Bonnaroo. St. Paul was unruly, biting the cord and letting the gold microphone dangle from his mouth as the band slows in a mountain-sized retard. The band fades away.

    In route to Moon Taxi, you were halted by the experimental trio that is Daniel Caesar. The drums would not let up – what seemed to be a 12 minute constant solo. The keys and bass kept pushing and pulling during “Streetcar,” while Caesar expresses his love of felines. “Do y’all like cats? [crowd cheers] Do y’all know my cats name? I try to facetime my cat every day…dead ass [seriously].”

    By the end of Moon Taxi you could feel the world during “Two High.” It was real – invading your brain. We were floating like beach balls as big as the moon. Three of them surfed the crowd during screaming keyboard-synth solos on “Make Your Mind Up”. Seriously, where did they come from?

    The band also paid it forward with a rock mashup of “Lose Yourself” [Eminem], “All These Things That I’ve Done” [The Killers] and MUSE’s “Uprising” as the amber-sun came down on Tennessee. When there are just too many bands to see, take the ‘moon taxi’ whistling the melody to “Good As Gold.”

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    Finally, the end was upon us although it didn’t sink in until you woke up singing “Mr. Brightside” at 6:30 Monday Morning. The Killers were fantastic, bring a Las Vegas strip show to Bonnaroo. Brandon Flowers dressed in an all red suit with gold pleats mirroring a modern day Elvis.The Killers played a Tom Petty tribute of “American Girl” with the intro of “Free Fallin.” It was wild. Fireworks filled the sky. Stage lights were beaming through the night on The Killers first Bonnaroo gig.

    Ambient keyboards began. Two notes and Roo instantly goes wild, screaming at the top of their lungs. Flowers licks his lips and grins back at them – then turns slowly to the band. “I don’t think they’re ready. Did you get that one in the back,” he looks out. Bonnarovians are going wild and the keys lean into the same two notes as before. But this time, a little harder and longer…

    “Read My Mind” was only the beginning of the end. A near 15 minute wait cued an encore of “The Calling” and “When You Were Young” featuring a collective Bonnaroo choir: I got soul, but I’m not a soldier.

    So as you can see this whirlwind we call Bonnaroo is unlike no other. It is ever expanding. The festival takes eight or more months to prepare 24/7 – nearly twice as long as any other festival. With dates booked for June 13-16, 2019. We can only wait to see what will top a fantastic 2018 Roo.

    Bonnaroo Day 3 Gallery

    Day 4 Gallery

  • The Bowling Alley Sound release new single “The Highway State”

    Post-rock band The Bowling Alley Sound have released “The Highway State,” their latest single off their label 46 West. The nine and a half minute track draws inspiration from the suburban New Jersey roots of the band and the sometimes overwhelming experience of driving on the highway in New Jersey.

    On the growing highways of the Garden State, The band says “The cars are going fast, the lanes are tight, and many highways cross over each other. There is grit, and when you exit into a suburban town there is more space, verdant greenery, and places to reflect. That’s what life can be like in America: craziness and hustling around on a chaotic highway, then reflecting and relaxing after exiting that highway. This is what the band wanted to convey with this song, structurally and emotionally.”

    The Bowling Alley Sound is a five piece instrumental band consisting of guitar (Mike Basil), drums (Nick Looney), bass (Andrew Capuano), violin (Isaac Rubins), and trumpet (Danny Molloy). The band was originally formed in order to bring Mike Basil’s songwriting to life in their debut record and has since been active in the northern New Jersey music scene. The Bowling Alley Sound was named a “Fresh Find” by Spotify for 2017.

  • Interview: Marc Broussard Talks Music and Philanthropy

    Marc Broussard, a master of bayou soul, is currently on his 2018 tour which will feature tracks from his new album, Easy to Love. And even though he was 3,000 miles away in Switzerland in the middle of sound check, Broussard was able to carve out a few minutes to talk about his current tour, albums as well as his current and future philanthropic endeavors.

    Dave Ostroff: Your father is a renowned guitarist – did he have an influence on you musically?

    Marc Broussard: He introduced me to some of my favorite singers in the world; playing records in the house like Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding. My father was and continues to still be one of my biggest influences.

    DO: What influences did you take way from him in terms of music?

    MB: He’s a lead guitar player – I don’t think I’ll ever be a lead guitar player. I just don’t have the discipline to practice as much as you have to practice to be good at that instrument. But I did get a wealth of knowledge in regards to his theory. He just showed me a ton of different chords that a lot of my friends, that are great guitar players, don’t know how to play. I think, he gave me what I needed to start writing songs.

    DO: What can both fans and newcomers expect to see at your FTC show?

    MB: We’re a four man wrecking crew. We put on a dynamic show that has a nice ebb and flow to it. And by the end of it, we’ll hopefully bring our audience into a frenzy state. We’re looking to have a good time. I think that’s what our job is, [to give] people a couple hours of time away from the daily grind of life to hang out, drink, and dance a little bit.

    DO: Your music is definitely perfect for that. The new album, what sets it apart from your prior work?

    MB: This actually wasn’t supposed to be a record project. We were going in to write for a film and TV placement. But after the writing session, we decided to go ahead and make a record out of it, but we only had 6 original songs. So we had to start culling through my back catalogs  to find some quality tunes to knock the record out quickly. My goal as a creator is to proliferate as much as I can, to put out as many albums as I possibly can to feed the demand of my audience. I don’t think that I can outpace my fans desire. My fans generally receive new music quite well and within 2 weeks they’re asking me when the next record is coming. So that’s why we went in and knocked this record with a combination of original material and covers. This was the first original indie album of mine. I’ve put out two records prior but one was a cover album and the other was a Christmas album. This was my first, original indie album and I want people to know that I’m definitely back in the driver’s seat. I think that the final product showcases something very authentic.

    DO: Half the proceeds from your album, S.O.S. 2, benefited the City of Refuge project. Do you have plans to do anything else of that philanthropic nature?

    MB: We have have S.O.S. 3 coming out this year, a lullaby album that is going to benefit the St. Jude Affiliate Hospital in Baton Rouge. It should be coming out the fourth quarter of the year. I wrote a children’s book that goes along with it.

    DO: You mentioned that you’re definitely a philanthropist and that you gravitate towards the problem of homelessness and general poverty. Was there someone in your life that makes you think this way?

    MB: I encounter homeless people all the time. We generally try and get a hotel close to the venue so we can walk around in major cities. So I encounter a large number of homeless people across the U.S. and the world. After sitting down with some folks that work closely in that area (homlessnes and general poverty charities) it became evident that something needed be done. Lack of housing is the real cause but there are loads of other problems that homeless people encounter in life. It’s difficult to land a job if you don’t have an address. If the boss says, “where do I send the paycheck,” and you don’t have an address to send it to, it can be a big deterrent for an employer because it signifies to the employer that you don’t know how to manage your life. And that most certainly is not always the case. So my goal is to do everything I can to help give those folks another chance. I’m doing a very small thing in reality. I’m donating proceeds from the sale of the record, but there’s folks out there doing the actual ground level work, day in and day out, and those are the folks that I’m trying to support.

    DO: Tell me about the S.O.S. foundation.

    MB: I started the S.O.S. Foundation. The S.O.S. projects are all going to be single projects that will be associated with a single organization. S.O.S. 2 is affiliated with homelessness, S.O.S. 3 will be for children that are terminally ill and moving forward, we may try to work with ALS on S.O.S. 4 with the Team Gleasons Foundation. I’ll do these records to go after all of my philanthropic passions. And hopefully in the process feed a wealth of money into a  wide variety of organizations. Hopefully, each record will be attached to a single organization and vision.

    Broussard will come back stateside for a show at FTC in Fairfield on June 19, jump back over seas and finally make his way back home to hit the Brooklyn Bowl on December 15.  

  • Haewa joins Empire State Music Podcast for Episode 6

    Join host Andy Hogan and special guest Haewa for Episode 6 of Empire State Music Podcast, now available on Simplecast or Soundcloud.

  • This Crazy Dream Called Bonnaroo

    “I want you to take one moment to be present enough [in this dark world] to realize that you’re surrounded by people that you may never see again, but for some reason we all came here today. And we get to be present. And we get to be right here with each other. So no matter what you are going through, I know this doesn’t make it go away. But for one second, just be present, enjoy music, and lets just fucking do this!”

    Hayley Williams, Paramore.

    Williams speech, as she sat cross-legged at the edge of What Stage, embodied the spirit of Bonnaroo for artists and fans alike. We were truly one – over 60,000 pieces woven together for the 17th annual gathering on The Farm. With 150 performances, art & culture, community building and sustainability efforts, it was effortless to make Bonnaroo your personal oasis out of the masses. But, we hardly had time for the music – chasing back to back sets which quickly wore holes through our shoes, top and bottom. Artist big and small, including Paramore, made their debut-Roo appearances and revealed unheard material. It’s only to be expected when you hear the word Bonnaroo. It swallows and consumes. It sucks you up and spits you out four days later of non-stop musical bliss. Welcome Bonnorovians.

    Bonnaroo Part One: Thursday and Friday

    There is no void in the wake of DREAMERS, a powerhouse rock trio with heavy New York roots. Lead guitarist and vocalist, Nick Wold’s feet tuck into his chest and plummet to the Who Stage, kicking off their first Bonnaroo performance at 5pm. They’re abrupt – snapping you into consciousness. The band drifts from punk, alternative and electronic music in its bare form.

    “A triangle is the strongest shape in music,” said Wold, as he form his hands accordingly. Debuting their new single “Screws,” the band shows off an eclectic mix of grunge guitar, electronic drums and bass that moves. “It’s about composition and playing tight together to communicate exactly what we wrote,” added Wold. “We are excited to express this thing we have been feeling and working on.” The driving chorus of “Wolves” picked the crowd off their feet while the breakdown in “Painkiller” sent everyone into oblivion.

    “Bonnaroo is one of those holy grail festivals. So it is a cool thing for us to be here,” said Wold. The band is excited to soak in the music vibe and become one with the audience to see all the new acts throughout this lineup.

    Iowa’s Lissie, continued at That Tent with the title track of their forthcoming album Castles, featuring an all female front with bassist Megan Mahoney and guitarist Toni Lindgren. Swelling peaks and valleys made the set dynamic, heard in “Love Blows” and “Feels Good.” Lissie sang with heart and makes a vivid connection to the lyrics in real time with “Best Days.” The soulful singer was in control, engaging the crowd. The performance strayed away from the electronic record with Luke Anderson on acoustic drums.

    Stripped down at On Tap Lounge, R&B singer Jalen N’Gonda revealed “Medicinal Fix” for the first time live. Accompanied only by a Cajon, N’Gonda’s set was jazzy and syncopated, stretching each chord higher than the last. Songs like “Honey” (If Only Honey Was As Sweet As You) were soothing, displaying N’Gonda’s pun personality. “I hope you think it’s sweet.” A solo guitar take on “Hollar” was proof Jalen is just as strong with or without his full band.

    As night fell, New Jersey bred Jasha Tull, known as Space Jesus, gave Bonnaroo new life. “You can have all the psychedelics you want, just don’t get paranoid out there. Drink lots of water and hug your friends all day!” The love was real and bass roared across Centaroo from The Other Stage. Massive screens surrounded the DJ with psychedelic visuals sucking you into the wormhole. Festival-goers, two females in particular, were stretched over the barricades head-banging with each drop. As the rave settled, Tull called a friend up on stage, who proposed to his fiancé for their first Bonnaroo. YES!

    If you haven’t hear the name, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, it is exactly what it sounds like – an overwhelmingly energetic jam-funk band bouncing from one groove to the next. Fans gathered in That Tent for an epic hour and thirty minute set, like a flock of pigeons taking the name way too literally. Getting lost in “Horizon” while actual ping pong balls soared across the stage covering the floor post-set. Lead vocalist Greg Ormont’s eyes nearly popped out of his head singing neverending songs like “F.U.,” while the band swung in unison with their flock.

    “We’re all staying for the rest of the weekend to hang out with you guys,” said Ormont, and the crowd went nuts. The band featured trumpet and sax players of The Revivalists, Michael Girardot and Rob Ingraham for many tunes. It was only Thursday and us Bonnaroovians couldn’t get enough. “Welcome to the flock. This one goes out to you!”

    As Thursday rolled into Friday morning in Manchester, the party was still going with various DJs across the campgrounds and a secret set from Cage The Elephant at Plaza 9. The main stage lineup was impressive; featuring Paramore, Manchester Orchestra, The Revivalists, Sturgill Simpson, Muse and Bassnectar.

    With the sun high, dripping sweat, our 15-hour trek around Centroo began. There were just too many good artists to pass up. In route to Which Stage, the second largest at the venue, edgy post-glam Pop lured you into the intimate On Tap Lounge.

    Nude mannequins stood on either side of the drums – headless, wearing ball caps. “Undies! Undies!,” lead singer, Julia Lauren Bullock screams. She pressed her lips to them and launches them back at the packed tent. “Yeah, that’s a big fucking pair of underwear.” The ambient keypads lingered in the Tennessee heat. Bullock, stretches the mic cable through her dirty blonde hair, back facing the crowd, dancing with it.

    Meet The Foxies. Bare syncopated drums kick off “Our Blood Is Fire,” from their 2016 EP Oblivion. The band sets off, inviting ‘our friends’ up onto stage. The trio screamed the hook, ‘fire – fire – fire’ pressed up against guitarist Jake Ohlbaum’s cheek. It was a party-gone-wrong and Bullock was the antagonist. The Nashville based band continued with their latest 2018 single of “Be Afraid Boy,” in your face and full of attitude.

    Early on, New Orleans iconic brass band sound blew north with Trombone Shorty & New Orleans Ave. Troy Anders, a.k.a Trombone Shorty conducted the band with conviction, cueing each syncopated hit and crescendo. The rhythm section with dirty-growling horns moved in the breeze, left to right in unison – making the set as visually funky as it was sound. The Alto Sax player was breakdancing and dragging staff from backstage into the groove. Screaming arena-rock guitar solos contrast the driving second-line style, making mashups of The Jackson 5 and RHCP’s “Give It Away” riveting. These guys are truly masters of their craft – constantly moving on stage and switching instruments seamlessly.

    Trombone Shorty walked back from behind the drums dripping in sweat, as if he had just emerged from a Louisiana Swamp. “One more time,” Shorty calls out and the horns scream with the crowd – Ba-Da-Da-Daaaaa. Five minutes later the energy cuts abruptly, with an outro only possible at Bonnaroo. His arms spread to the ceiling of This Tent, folded across his chest and burst back out in the air slowing the band. “We love you Roo, see you next time.”

    Vivid clouds and clear skies paint a soundscape for the love that is Bonnaroo. One can’t help, but to be submerged in the culture and essence of each band, being, and walk of art that roams The Farm. Manchester Orchestra appears on Which Stage blowing your thoughts to the back of Centroo and filling your mind with sound. Now, you’re just hanging on for the ride.

    “I’ve Got Friends,” is energetic with landscape overtones pouring from the band. “Cope” amplifies intensity with raging distorting leads. The band disappears into their backdrop and the music becomes faint. Hairs rise on your skin as Manchester Orchestra drives up in melodic progression. Rock-cinema pours out of the lower 108 speakers spread in front of the stage. Ending with bassist Andy Prince, dangling his instrument from its headstock, over his shoulder to the floor – ringing in discord.

    No introduction is needed for Paramore. It was only 6:15 and we had been lost in musical paradise. “It doesn’t seem like life just, suddenly got better once we sang about it, but I will say that singing about it and dancing about – it sure makes the time go by a lot more fun, I guess,” Hayley rambles on.

    Williams was frisky and vibrant. In between her intimate prose with all of Roo, she jolted up for Paramore classics including “That’s What You Get,” “Ain’t It Fun” and “Ignorance.” Williams’ Bowie inspired makeup, megaphone, and high-kicks made the set anything but, hard times, a-play-on she kept throughout the show, even After Laughter.

    What made Bonnaroo’s stages so exciting is that the bands always spiced up their music. Paramore, in particular, gave “a little Roo treat” featuring their drummers band, HalfNoise. Zac Farro go out from behind the kit to sing “French Class” alongside Williams, while excerpts from the music video played on screen.

    With nearly 90 degree heat, we needed a wakeup call. “Y’all ready to Rock n’ Roll?” David Shaw of The Revivalists screamed across Which Stage. Saxophonist Rob Ingraham, was strapped into a 4-point harness, twirling his sax and jumping across stage.The guitar stacks followed suit. As the band took on “Wish I Knew You” and “It Was A Sin” the wood began to bow beneath their feet like a trampoline. Michael Girardot bounced his feet in the air crashing into his keyboards, as the whole rig tipped back into one of the two dueling drum-sets. Everything was ready to come down. But it didn’t.

    Shaw, dressed in overalls, was ‘The Farmer’ rounding up his roo-cattle engaging them at every chance he could, pointing the mic out into the fields. “I don’t know if Shaw is late for the Hoot-N-Nanny or early for the Okie Dokie (a later band playing the Who Stage),” said Ingraham. The energy was real. Shaw jumped on and off stage relentlessly, eventually charging the gates around the pit screaming out, lost in the crowd.

    Red as David’s beanie, an apple rockets on-stage inches above the monitor. Shaw reaches down and snatches it up. Crunch – It sinks into his teeth. He then throws it out to the herd for feeding. Shaw had made it home – all two tons.

    The chaos continued with Country artist Sturgill Simpson performing on the What Stage on his birthday. His footsteps onstage cued the ovation of “Happy Birthday.”

    British Rock trio MUSE was overwhelming, shoving their discography down your throat with little breath in between. Opening with “Thought Contagion,” “Hysteria”, and “Interlude” to name a few. Despite their fame, it was MUSE’s first appearance at Bonnaroo. Eleven screens backed the drummer featuring live video onstage an kaleidoscope effects. The band carried on with precision, playing their hi-tech carbon-neck instruments and touch sensitive picking. Before their six-song encore, the band tributed Rage Against the Machine’s “Guerrilla Radio” into “Back In Black,” by AC/DC.

    For “Madness” lead Matt Bellamy wore 3-D style glasses revealing the lyrics in real time to the slow electrified trance. Giant balloons soared during “Starlight,” as hands clapped in uniform with the snare. When they burst the sky was filled thousands of tiny silhouettes falling like snow, cannons and confetti tying everyone together.

    The night would not come to and end without the infamous Tom Petty Superjam at This Tent. Heavy attendance was required to fill the shoes of Petty. Cage The Elephant’s Matt Shultz, David Shaw, My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan, Sheryl Crow, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

  • Interview: A Conversation With Drum Extraordinaire Nikki Glaspie

    NYS Music was blessed to sit down for a candid conversation with Nikki Glaspie, spokesperson and drummer for The Nth Power. Nikki first gained national attention drumming for Beyonce for five years. She has since worked with New Orleans powerhouse Ivan Neville in Dumpstaphunk and now has her own project, The Nth Power.

    All this and more is discussed in the 47th episode of the Rochester Groovecast Podcast. Check out the link below for your listening pleasure!

    Timestamp:
    0:00: “Right Now” by The Nth Power
    3:55: Introduction
    5:45: Conversation with Nikki Glaspie
    39:40: Conclusion
    40:55: “Truth” by The Nth Power

  • Great White Kicks Off 2018 Alive at 5 Concert Series

    It was a scorching hot evening to rock and roll as the 2018 Alive at Five Concert Series kicked off a great evening of music inside Jennings Landing on June 7 in Albany. Headlining the event was none other than 1970’s American hard rock band, Great White. The band, featuring members, Mark Kendall (lead guitar/vocals), Audie Desbrow (drums), Michael Lardie (lead guitar/keyboard), Scott Snyder (bass), and Terry Ilous (vocals) are still keeping rock alive on the Alive at Five stage in support of their brand new album, “Full Circle.”

    Many Great White fans, even a girl waving around a vinyl record of the group from their earlier days, were in full attendance dancing and singing along to many of the band’s current singles from “Full Circle” as well as their greatest hits including “Save Your Love,” “Rock Me,” “Once Bitten Twice Shy,” among other tunes that the band had sung to their fans. Ilous, animated within his stage presence throughout the evening, even dedicated “Save Your Love” to a married couple that was celebrating over thirty five years of marriage that were watching the band perform from the front row.

    For my first time watching Great White perform, I was certainly rocking out to their tunes throughout their set, even though I wasn’t too familiar with their material, only having heard “Rock Me” and “Once Bitten Twice Shy” on the radio. Still, the band had put on a great performance to kick off Alive at Five and will be continuing to still keep rock alive after all these years of performing in front of audiences around the United States and beyond.

  • Imagine Dragons leaves Syracuse fans feeling ‘On Top of the World’

    First things first, Imagine Dragons live performance at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, NY on June 11 will be a hard act for any artist to follow there this summer.  The band’s energy was clear right from the beginning, starting with “Radioactive.” They were elevated into the middle of the stage playing various percussion instruments, building up the energy for the show.

    imagine dragons syracuse

    Second things second, it is so rare to see huge acts spend up close and personal time with their fans. Lead singer Dan Reynolds owns his stage presence and isn’t afraid to hop off stage and walk through the entire venue as he sings. Reynolds even jumped over the fence to give fans in the lawn section some love.

    About a third of the way into the show, the band dialed the energy down a bit and followed Reynolds into the crowd to perform acoustic versions of “Amsterdam,” “I Bet My Life” and a stripped down, stringed version of “Bleeding Out” with violin and cello.imagine dragons syracuse

    Third things third, Reynolds told the crowd that he hoped their show would be a great escape from their fans’ troubles for a few hours. With confetti flying four times throughout the show and balloons dropping on the crowd at the show’s end, Imagine Dragons know how to add that extra flare of fun to their shows. Fans at the amphitheater enjoyed every minute and could hardly contain their excitement by jumping up and down singing along to every song.

    imagine dragons syracuse

    Last things last, If you come to a show as a fair weather fan, Imagine Dragons will make you a believer once you’ve seen them perform live. Their love for their fans, talent and energy in their live performance is so authentic for a band as big as they have become.

    Setlist: Radioactive, It’s Time, Whatever It Takes, Shots, Yesterday, Walking the Wire, Next to Me, I’ll Make It Up to You, Start Over, The River, Gold, I Don’t Know Why, Mouth of the River, Amsterdam, Bleeding Out, I Bet My Life, Demons, Thunder, On Top of the World, Believer

  • Mayer and Company Offer Their Weirs to a Packed SPAC

    Saratoga Performing Arts Center hosted Dead & Company with John Mayer on Monday, June 11, bringing in over 17,000 head nodding, barefoot dancing, arms-in-the-air, grooving fans to SPAC.

    Mayer SPAC

    True confession: this was my first experience with a Dead & Company show. And I wasn’t sure what all the fuss would be about. I’d listened to the Dead plenty of times, and while I liked the music, it wasn’t life altering to listen to alone in my room or the car.

    The experience of the jam music, however, surrounded by thousands of joyful, if not chemically altered, adults was entirely different than anything listening to tapes could prepare you for. The band opened up with “Jack Straw,” a well-loved favorite. The band felt slower than usual, and like they were struggling to get their feet under them. But the audience didn’t mind, grooving along and smiling. There was a long guitar introduction and what felt a bit like an extended warm-up; fans were tolerant and were overjoyed by the band’s very presence.

    Mayer SPAC

    John Mayer improved the energy, taking the lead on “Easy Wind” and then “Friend of the Devil.”  There was an ease to Mayer’s voice and playing that fit the folk feeling perfectly.  John Mayer’s ease stepping in Jerry Garcia’s role enhanced the music with a fresh voice and picking soul, refreshing old folk music with a new vibe.

    And the music didn’t stop, it simply picked up the pace in the second set. Varying from jam music to bluegrass to soul, the band played for 90 minutes for their first set, with only a short intermission before returning with a roaring cover of “The Weight.” They played furiously to the end of the set, hitting on old favorites like “Uncle John’s Band” and closing with “Touch of Grey.”

    Mayer SPAC

    While there were some shockers for this writer, including how absolutely stereotypical the drug use and over drinking was among the crowd, the true surprise of the evening was how intensely relaxing and fun the music could be when played live. The mellow groove that shifted into familiar songs as the night wore on made for a really fun community experience with music. Parents with young children, adults who were old enough to know better (but still drank too much), and young people alike danced together, sang together and remembered their common humanity together.

    It is worth a visit to a live Dead & Company concert, if only for the social experiences and energy from the band that changes the sound from what you might hear on the radio to a magical community experience.

    Setlist: Dead & Company | Saratoga Performing Arts Center | Saratoga Springs, New York | 6/11/18

    I: Jack Straw, Easy Wind > Friend of the Devil, Minglewood Blues, Ship of Fools, Corrina, Cassidy

    II: The Weight, Other One Jam > Truckin’ > He’s Gone > New Speedway Boogie > Uncle John’s Band > Supplication Jam > Drums/Space > Uncle John’s Band, Black Peter > Good Lovin’

    E: Touch of Grey

  • Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats and The Head and the Heart Kicked It Up in Cooperstown

    Ommegang knows how to host a party. At what has become one of the hottest concert venues in Central New York, the Cooperstown brewery’s second show of the summer brought the co-headlining show of The Head and the Heart and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats.

    Nathaniel Rateliff cooperstown

    Acoustic singer-songwriter Brent Cowles opened the show, winning over the crowd early in his set. He was followed by the first of the co-headlining bands, The Head and the Heart. It’s safe to say that there were just as many in the crowd there to see the indie folksters as were there to see Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. Many up front were decked in Head and the Heart gear and singing along with the majority of the songs during the band’s hour plus long set, especially the set closer, “Rivers & Roads.”

    Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats came out to a packed house, opening with “Shoe Boot,” a slow burner that brings to mind The Band’s “Don’t Do It.” The Night Sweats horn section was on point all night, especially during a raucous rendition of the band’s hit, “I Need Never Get Old.”

    Rateliff is a front man with aplomb. His gruff soulful voice and talent to shimmy demand the audience’s attention despite the fact that the rest of the Night Sweats are world class entertainers themselves.

    The night ended with all of the evening’s musicians joining together on stage for a rousing performance of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City.” The energy on stage carried over into the crowd during the finale as the traditional fireworks show led the nearly sold-out crowd into the Otsego County night.

    The Head and the Heart Setlist: Sounds Like Hallelujah, Rhythm and Blues, Ghosts, City of Angels, Another Story, Let’s Be Still, Lost in My Mind, Heaven Go Easy on Me, Shake, Down in the Valley, Backwards Poker, Living Mirage, All We Ever Knew, Rivers and Roads

    Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats Setlist: Shoe Boot, Be There, Look It Here, A Little Honey, Coolin’ Out, Out on the Weekend, You Worry Me
    Wasting Time, You Should’ve Seen the Other Guy,  Babe I Know, Intro -> I Need Never Get Old, Hey Mama, S.O.B., Trying So Hard Not to Know

    Encore: Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen Cover)

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