NYS Music 20​18

Category: Features

  • Upstate Punk Band Surmiser Announces Upcoming EP ‘Hold The Static’

    Surmiser’s latest EP, Hold The Static, will be available on June 8. The grungy garage punk band will celebrate the release with a show on June 9 at The People’s Cauldron in Rosendale. The band issued a music video for “Trains,” from the upcoming release, which debuted at New Noise Magazine.

    ‘Trains’ is about dead-end life in a small city and an analogy to the way that people in this place, and indeed these types of places, allow themselves to be derailed by anger, addiction and the patterns created of the previous generations mistakes.

    The video was shot by shot by Mike Parish of 424recording.com. Jay Andersen at Bohemesphere in Saugerties recorded and mixed Hold The Static. It was mastered by Oliver Ackermann at Death By Audio, Brooklyn, NY.

    Follow Surmiser for the latest news and show listings.

  • Hearing Aide: Cold Lazarus ‘Cold Lazarus’

    The eclectic and spacey quartet Cold Lazarus celebrated their first anniversary by releasing a self titled LP comprised solely of original material that showcases the band’s musical originality and diversity. The band, which is based out of Jamestown, NY, is comprised of  Adam Gould (vocals, guitar), Gavin Paterniti (bass), Marc Scapelitte (drums), and Drew Minton (keyboards).  This band of talented musicians creates a hypnotic jam vibe that incorporates a multitude of varying musical genres that the band members refer to as Reggae-infused intellifunk jam rock.

    cold lazarus

    Selections off of the LP like “Pieces,” that clock in at over 10 minutes, illustrate what Cold Lazarus is musically capable of.  This track covers the musical spectrum of reggae, prog rock, and funk taking the listener along for a uniquely enjoyable cosmic ride.

    “Butterflies,” another tune off of Cold Lazarus, is a more traditional reggae song with Gould’s guitar and Minton’s keyboards working in concert to create a sound reminiscent of Slightly Stoopid or Sublime.  The number also features a pleasing saxophone solo by Minton, that provides a sense of warmth and depth while adding a nice bit of contrast to the piece.

    Scapelitte’s skills as a percussionist and Paterniti’s skill on bass are excellently showcased on the intro of the LP’s fourth track “Shit’s Lit Farm”. Vocalist Gould lyrically depicts the trials and tribulations of dating and developing personal relationships in the digital information age.  The number transitions into a fast tempo bridge that features Gould’s craftsmanship on the guitar and Minton’s heavy use of trippy synth, which eventually organically evolves back to the tune’s original refrain.

    Cold Lazarus will kick off their CD Release Tour at Shawbucks in their home town of Jamestown on April 28. They will continue to tour in support of their new LP into the summer of 2018.

    Key Tracks: Maybe, Freaky Little Girl, Sun Song

  • An Evening with Bella Anastasio: An Inside Look at Phish and Her Life

    I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Bella Anastasio, one of Trey and Sue Anastasio’s two children. She was kind enough to answer some of my questions and genuine beyond measure; our meeting turned into six hours of hanging out and a new friendship. For a band with a following as large and rabid as Phish, who have been together for 30+ years, they have managed to stay fairly off the public radar. As a collective whole, they have also managed to allow their children to live normal, peaceful lives out of the public eye. I wanted to get a glimpse of life behind the scenes.

    Bella Anastasio

    Michelle Leigh: Do you personally play any instruments?

    Bella Anastasio: I play around on instruments often, but I don’t really play any specifically or very well.

    ML: I have seen some of your artwork, and it is really good. What are you hoping to do with your love of art? I know that you designed some shirts to help Tortola after the hurricane.

    BA: I could teach art or art history, but my dream job would be to become a museum curator. I would love that! It is a very hard job to get, but I am hopeful. I have never sold any of my pieces because I feel as if I don’t ever finish them. However, the shirts I designed and sold have raised about $1,300 for the One Love BVI. It is a charity helping all the British Virgin Islands with building materials to get housing and important establishments back up and running.

    ML: Why Tortola?

    BA: My family has been going to Tortola since before I was born. We used to spend weeks there every year until Eliza [sister] and I got older and couldn’t miss school. In my head, it’s a magical place where we created many family memories nearest and dearest to my heart. The people are so kind and welcoming, and many became family friends. None of us wanted to just sit around and let the people there suffer. We needed to at least try to help in some way, especially after everything they had done for us over the years. Tortola has brought so much light into our lives, and it hurts to think of the wonderful people who live there hurting.

    Bella Anastasio

    ML: What is on your phone that you walk around listening to?

    BA: I really enjoy podcasts and Broadway music. I listen to them often while I am walking to class or around town.

    ML: When you were growing up, did you and your sister travel with the band?

    BA: During the summers we would, but during the year we were at home with our mom and in school. The younger kids of the band certainly have a lot more fun stuff to do now than my sister and I did. They get bounce houses! It’s very different than it used to be.

    ML: What do you think about people bringing their kids to shows?

    BA: I think it depends on the venue, but at the right place I think it’s great! Some shows and venues I just do not think were meant for young kids. But at the right venue it’s wonderful.

    ML: When you and your sister were little, what did you get in trouble for?

    BA: We were actually pretty good kids and didn’t get in trouble much, but if we were doing something they didn’t like, they would always say, “It isn’t cute! Knock it off!”

    ML: What is the strangest thing you think Phish fans do?

    BA: So many fans feel like they know everyone and everything about the band. It’s odd.

    ML: Do you have any funny band stories you’d like to share?

    BA: A fan made a list ranking their songs 1-300. They [the band] decided they didn’t want to know #1 or #300; they only wanted to know #150 (which was “Ocelot”). Knowing #1 or #300, or even #2 or #299, would probably mess with you.

    ML: What about funny dad stories?

    BA: When my dad was asked to participate in the Grateful Dead’s ‘Fare Thee Well’ tour [replacing Jerry Garcia in the reunion shows], he was ecstatic! He was on a group text with the other members in the band. He looked like a little kid, he was so happy. He used to follow the Dead, so that was a huge deal for him.

    ML: What is your favorite Phish song?

    BA: Currently, I am really into “Character Zero.” It had never really been on my radar before, but now I am currently really loving it.

    ML: What is your least favorite?

    BA: I don’t know that I have a least favorite but probably the older, rarer stuff from the earlier albums. I prefer the more upbeat, funky songs.

    ML: What other bands do you enjoy listening to?

    BA: The Dead; Ween; Vulfpeck; The Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s; Sinatra; Bob Marley; and Aretha Franklin to name a few. I like a wide variety of music.

    ML: What is your guilty music pleasure?

    BA: One Direction. I had a roommate that was obsessed with them; she listened to them constantly!

    ML: What do you think people would be surprised to know about your family?

    BA: Probably that we really enjoy going to musicals together, and we are a very close family. Also, that both of my parents are completely sober and have been for awhile. My mom first and then my dad. My parents live a fairly quiet life and enjoy it that way.

    ML: What about your dad?

    BA: He is very healthy, meditates, and would go home after The Bakers Dozen [13-night residency at Madison Square Garden] and eat kale chips to unwind. When he’s not on tour, he’s in bed by, like, 8 p.m. and up at 5 a.m.

    ML: What is your favorite show as a fan?

    BA: Probably December 30, 2017. I was expecting it to be a low-key mellow night, and it was anything but! I assumed they would be saving up for New Year’s, but that whole show was incredible. (Leigh: As a fan, I must agree that it was a fantastic show!)

    ML: What do Phish fans do that you hate most?

    BA: It is difficult when people talk about not liking certain songs. For me, some of those songs have deep meaning; they are about my family. I also do not like when people say, “Oh, that’s dad music.” Well, they are in their 50s and they are dads! They aren’t 20 years old anymore, eating acid and running around on stage. Also, I really can’t stand the entitlement, fans claiming “their space” (to read more of my thoughts on that issue) and just not behaving the way the scene is supposed to. Fairly recently and on a few occasions some of the family members have tried to come into the General Admission area either as part of a gag during a show or just to be near their family, sadly some of the fans were awful. It was “their space.” (Leigh: remember fans, next time you are at a show, you truly do not know who you are sharing the groove with. We are all in this together!)

    ML: What do you love most about the scene?

    BA: The people. Although it is a primarily male crowd, the women I meet are fierce! Most of them are just incredible and full of love. I have become very good friends with some amazing women I met in the Phish scene.

    During my time with Bella, she took me to Nectars and told me the story of her parents meeting there … how her dad asked out her mom while they were both young and in college and the love story that followed. Bella beams with joy when she speaks of her family, and you can feel the love and admiration she holds for them. She told me she didn’t think it would matter what she or her sister grew up to do for a living because her parents would still fully support them and want to hear every last detail of their lives. Bella is charismatic and has a wonderfully down-to-earth nature. To know her is to love her, and Trey and Sue should be very proud.

    Although Bella didn’t become a true “Phan” until somewhat recently (in Phish tour years) she tours just like you and I believe it or not. She works on the budget and logistics months in advance, picks and chooses which shows she is able to attend while working around her life responsibilities. I would think she “could” tour differently but she chooses not to and seems to love it just the way it is. That is part of what makes Bella who she is. There is no entitlement, no expectations, no claiming of “space” (although I am sure she could). For a child that has grown up surrounded by one of the most fanatic fan bases she understands what this scene is supposed to be about. It is very refreshing to meet a 3.0 generation tour kid who is at heart and soul a 1.0 on the scene.

    If you would like to purchase one of Bella’s unique shirts, visit her shop, with all proceeds benefitting One Love BVI.

    This article originally appeared on Gratefulmommabear.com

  • Hearing Aide: tHrOnE “tHrOnE”

    tHrOnEAfter 10 years, Connecticut rockers Throne return with their self-titled full length album. Brothers Casey and Derek Trafton, have revived Throne after disbanding in 2009 when their cousin Justin Trafton left the band.

    In many ways, the Trafton brothers strive to create a sound that is modern while still longing for the sounds of their days touring with bands like Blink-182 and Good Charlotte.

    Few bands have succeeded at this sound in recent, but with the commercial success of Twenty-One Pilots and the return of Blink-182, Throne seems to attempt this.

    What comes through is a very different sound that can be described as a sort of Nu Metal, punk rock. In their nearly ten-year hiatus, the Trafton brothers worked with electronic music, which is clearly an influence in songs such as “That’s Just Me.”

    Throne’s self-title is a far departure from their debut album Balladry. In this latest, the band strives for more pop, catchy choruses, while creating a deeper and darker sound. Throne has become more related to bands like Royal Blood as to their pop-punk days.

    The second half of the album is much stronger with the final three songs on the album, “Make it Move,” “Breathing Room,” and “Stranger Things” all seeming unique to the rest of the album.

    Ten years later Throne has developed into a more mature sounding band, with a much darker sense about themselves and their music.

    Key Tracks: Make it Move, Breathing Room, Stranger Things

  • Watch: Scott Hannay Plays Video Games perform “Chemical Plant Zone” from Sonic 2

    Scott Hannay Plays Video Games (Multiplayer Edition) opened up for Pink Talking Fish on Saturday, April 21 at Putnam Place, and have released the video for “Chemical Plant Zone” from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Scott shares some insight on the set below.

    “This particular multiplayer edition was significant to me, as I had Pat (Nolan) and Rye (Wylie), a rhythm section I’d played with locally in a number of different projects for years as I was growing as a musician, and also Colin (Shore), who enjoys the best games to win real money, and who I’d just spent more than a year out there in the trenches on tour with. Everyone came together without a rehearsal aside from a short bit of testing questionable sections at soundcheck, as is the way all of these sets have been. I have charts and notation put together to help separate parts for everyone, and keep communication clear so we can all have a super-enjoyable time playing the music of our childhood that a lot of us at the time never realized was so listenable and memorable…and then jam it out proper.”

    Scott Hannay Plays Video Games (Multiplayer Edition) will next perform on Friday, May 25 at JP Bruno’s in Glens Falls, NY as part of the official 102.7 WEQX Primus Afterparty. The lineup includes Scott Hannay – keys (Mister F), Matt Pickering – drums (Mister F), Lowell Wurster – percussion (Lucid), Matt Richards – keys (Formula 5), Bill Comstock – bass (Brickdrop) and Matt Dempsey – guitar (Cosmic Dust Bunnies) More info can be found here. Read our January interview Scott and get a behind the scenes look at from where his unique project developed.

    For comparison, here’s a gameplay video of the Chemical Plant Zone on Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

  • Photo Gallery: The Disco Biscuits at The Fillmore Philadelphia

    The Disco Biscuits played night two of a three-night run at The Fillmore in Philadelphia last weekend on April 20.

    The show featured two seamless sets of Biscuits who dusted off both “Commercial Amen” and “Boom Shanker,” both of which hadn’t been played since 2010. The Disco Biscuits next head to Asheville and Colorado at the end of May, along with hosting their annual Camp Bisco in July.

    April 20, 2018 Setlist
    Set 1: Helicopters > Little Betty Boop > Commercial Amen > Helicopters, Save The Robots
    Set 2: Spraypaint > Boom Shanker > Mulberry’s Dream* > Tempest > Tricycle > Spraypaint
    Encore: After Midnight > Spacebirdmatingcall
    *inverted version

  • Hartley’s Encore discusses the Albany scene, working with Alan Evans and Titanic connections

    I first caught Hartley’s Encore late last year when they performed at Guthrie Bell’s 25th anniversary show at The Hollow. Funk is on the rise in Albany, and Hartley’s Encore honed in on the reason why – the influence of funk forefathers Soulive whose albums are influencing the next generation of funk musicians. Their self-titled debut album is an alive EP, all killer, no filler.

    The core of Hartley’s Encore – Luke Malamood, Jeff Nania and Chris Oliver – graduated from Guilderland High School in 2003, but their playing together goes back to the early 90’s when they were in first grade and Luke learned to play piano at Jeff’s while Jeff was learning trumpet. The core of Hartley’s Encore, Luke Malamood (keys/vocals), Jeff Nania (saxophone) and Chris Oliver (guitar) sat down with NYS Music to get behind the band name, talk about their early introductions to funk and their love of Soulive.

    hartley's encore

    Pete Mason: Where does the band’s name originate from?

    Luke Malamood: It comes from the time Chris and I were working on this project in fall 2016 and Titanic was on TV and my daughter was watching it and as the ship is sinking, the band keeps playing even as they know they are going to their certain death, but it provided relief for those who were trying to survive. The band leader, Wallace Hartley, is the one who says ‘it’s been an honor and a privilege’ and it was easy to find some info about him. In a loose way, this is right around the time we’re gearing up for the craziest presidential election ever, and people were saying the world is coming to an end, so Hartley’s Encore is a loose tribute to the band and bandleader and we think it’s important that we do what we do.

    Chris Oliver: For me, the encore thing, when we decided on it, it was real in an historical sense, but Luke and I have played together for years, and he and I reuniting was its own encore. So it made sense to have the name Hartley’s Encore.

    PM: What was the experience like working with Alan Evans (Soulive) at Iron Wax Studios?

    Jeff Nania: We did the second Chronicles album with Alan and one thing I like about this approach is that he doesn’t make you try to sound a particular way, he has the mics and know-how to make you sound the best. Before having heard us, because we didn’t have any recordings yet, he asked for three records we really liked that he could use to get a vibe for our sound.

    CO: Tower of Power Tower of Power, The Meters Rejuvenation and Dr. John Desitively Bonnaroo were the three we shared, and it’s pretty clear to some extent that we wear our influences on our sleeve. When we got there, he said ‘give me a year’ to reference, and I said “Whatever year ‘Hey Pocky Way’ came out.” (1988) Alan was pretty hands off and wanted to make us sound as good as he could. I was pretty intimidated from a musical standard but I went in there and he lets you go in there and do you. He prioritizes the artist remaining true to who they are, and as a guitar player and songwriter we were allowed to go in there and just be us.

    LM: There was an intimidation factor working with Alan that grew out of the first time I saw Soulive in October of 2003.  We had just graduated from high school and a bunch of our friends had gone to Bonnaroo and everyone was all about Soulive. When we went to see him, it was incredible seeing any of them. Neal Evans is my hero, he has to be one of the funkiest dudes on the planet. His left hand I would put up against any bassist in the business. When Neal was active in Lettuce, even with Jesus Coomes who’s a monster bassist, Neal was also hold down the bass parts. Even though I’d met Neal and Alan, it felt like hallowed ground just being there with Neal’s brother. It was like hip hop beats with jazz and funk. He was probably the biggest question mark having met Neal and (Eric) Krasno in the past, but Alan I didn’t know too well. He was the coolest guy and I couldn’t have asked for this experience to be any better and professional. I got to play on one of Neal’s organs and he was the coolest, sweetest dude. Justin Henricks had a great experience working on the Wurliday record so it was a no brainer for us to work with him. He met and exceeded our expectations. Both Wurliday and Hartley’s Encore had the album mastered by Brad Smalling at EverGroove Recording Studio, so two funk bands from the Albany area got the same treatment done on their first albums.

    hartley's encore

    PM: What were the early funk experiences that tipped you towards making genre of music?

    CO: I was probably the last person to get on the funk train. When I moved back to Albany a few years ago, Luke sent me a Meters album and “People Say” was the one that hooked me.

    LM: I have been obsessed with Soulive since I first saw them play at Rev. Hall in the fall of 2003.  Are they a “funk” band per se…I mean, I hate labels in music to begin with. Plus, I’ve yet to read a definition of the word “funk” anywhere that I can wholeheartedly endorse. To me, with funk, it’s like, I know it when I hear it. Soulive is jazz, soul, hip-hop, and of course, funk.  More importantly, I look at Soulive, and their cousins Lettuce (really the whole “Royal Family”), plus probably Dumpstaphunk and Galactic, as the godfathers of the growing modern funk/soul scene, as it currently exists. I was in college from 2003-2007, at Villanova, right outside of Philly. Between being at home and being away at school, with all of the incredible Philly venues at my fingertips, I got to see all of these modern funk/soul godfathers when I was relatively young, and I listened to them a lot (Jamiroquai too). Those guys never shied away from celebrating their influences, so through them, I got really turned-on to a lot of the funk/soul OGs: James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder, The Meters, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, and Average White Band, to name a few.  Of course I had heard “Cold Sweat,” “Superstition,” “September” and even “Cissy Strut” before, but these modern godfathers really wet my appetite to go back and dig in some more.

    Then, (though I’d spent one boozy night in NOLA with some buddies during my senior year in college), my first real trip to New Orleans was in March 2009, a that trip changed my life (in more ways than one). Among other things, I made my first trip to the Louisiana Music Factory, a legendary record store in New Orleans, and got my hands on my first Meters record, which I believe was Rejuvenation.  As one of my favorite singer/songwriter/pianist/keyboardists, Jon Cleary, has said, “Funk is the ethnic folk music of New Orleans,” and once I got my first real taste of that, being down there, I was hooked. Ever since then, with multiple trips back to New Orleans, countless nights at Brooklyn Bowl (especially for Bowlive!), and really me just digging deep into the genre, I’ve connected the dots between the modern funk/soul godfathers of today’s scene and the OGs.  I am now way down the funk/soul Rabbit Hole, have been for years!  It feels real good in here, and there’s a lot of love to go around, so I’ve got no plans of coming out any time soon!

    JN: I think I discovered Soulive in my sophomore year of high school. When I was younger my dad was a jazz head and I was constantly listening to jazz in high school, especially Blue Note records which was legendary label, with Wayne Shorter and Coltrane’s most famous albums. I was dating a singer/songwriter who she worked at Coconuts in Stuyvesant Plaza and she gave me a handful of CDs. There were two that popped out – Medeski Martin and Wood’s Shack-Man and The Dropper. Soulive Turn it Out was the first record I had heard of theirs. I dug it at the time because Blue Note was putting out some new jazz and I was coming at it from a new angle.

    PM: What has the Albany reception been like, having only started out a little more than a year and a half ago?

    LM: I’d give credit to Justin (Henricks) who started the Funk Night at City Beer Hall (ed note: now held at Parish Public House) that started to be a time when I could get out to see live music again after having two kids. Much like funk night, the reception has been pretty consistent and incredible as we’ve had max capacity shows and shows with like seven people there. In the funk and soul genre, we’ve only had a jam band thing in Albany and that overlaps to the funk scene, as well as an Indie scene. I think there is a healthy scene here in Albany and we can do it with the best in terms of being a small city. There are a lot of things that go into the reality of venues on given nights. Early on, we leaned heavily on friends and family to turn out. But gradually, slowly, we started to organically make some fans, the kind who keep coming to shows and we know by name. We were lucky enough to have Greg Bell add us to some big shows, including his 25th anniversary show. Slowly but surely, we started to see some people organically catching onto this, and that’s really what I think our goal would be – play once or twice a month and get people out to the show and have a celebration.

    CO: Both Luke and I will admit we are better songwriters than musicians. When we put our heads down and kept getting big on our own, Jeff took us under his wing, and given his playing in the region for the past seven or so years, we started to meet musicians and people who were in the scene and it kind of allowed us to get to where we are now and it helped us tremendously. I got out to see Justin Henricks and people who were doing it in Albany and that connection came from Jeff.

    LM: this is a snapshot of who we are now, and we can attribute it to people like Greg Bell putting us on shows and NYS Music giving us some love and helpful in getting us to be able to be welcomed in this community.

    Hartley’s Encore released their self-titled debut album on April 20 and will have to album release shows in coming weeks. Catch them at The Hollow on Friday, April 27 with Victory Soul Orchestra and at Bowery Electric on May 18 with Sauce on the Side. At both shows, Luke, Jeff and Chris will be joined by a rotating rhythm section of Josh Gordon and Brad Monkell (bass), Mike Gilet and Erik Pravel (drums), Phil Chow (trumpet), and Alex Gonzalez (percussion). Hartley’s Encore is now available on Spotify and Apple Music.

  • Watch: 14 Trapdoors Music Video for ‘Holy Water’

    Buffalo rap group 14 trapdoors – Short Moscato, Bendyface and Wza – have partnered with Mass Appeal to premiere the video for “Holy Water,” a vividly mind-altering experience. The self-produced single unveils clever rhymes traded bar-for-bar atop a minimalistic track highlighted with an echoing bass, ticking snares and haunting operatic rock backing ad-libs.

    Directed by S’likedat, the psychedelic rollercoaster reflects on their hometown life in Buffalo, New York and symbolizes their cleansing relationship with music. 14 trapdoors explains, “Holy Water supposed to cleanse the soul. We use music to cleanse our soul. The music is our holy water,” with Short Moscato calling the song “a collage of our lives.”

    With the focus on the Queen City, Wza says, “We wanted to show the world how we get down here in Buffalo. The video is a tripped-out glimpse into how we’re living and the friends and fellow artists we surround ourselves with for motivation and inspiration.” And that trippy video by S’likedat? Bendyface considers it “either the cure or cause of epilepsy.” They’ll perform at Mohawk Place on Tuesday, April 24.

    ‪14 trapdoors have self-made a sub genre of hip hop, coined New Trap Boom Bap, and draw on a wide range of influences that span Aesop Rock, Big L, El-P, Jay Z and fellow Buffalo artists Westside Gunn and Conway, as well as Pink Floyd, Prince and Led Zeppelin. “People who gravitate toward the golden age of ‘90s boom bap will fuck with it because we focus on lyricism and new age youngins will fuck with it because we have songs with a more ‘trappy’ vibe,” Bendyface says.

    14 Trapdoors

    ‪The rappers met on the Buffalo hip hop scene and decided to pool their assets during the summer of 2016 when they all happened to release projects at the same time. They are all solo artists and Bendyface is also a member of the duo Chronic Collective. WZA mixed and mastered their recordings, resulting in them spending a lot of time together at his studio.

    The name 14 trapdoors pays homage to their hometown. The 14 represents the summation of the digits in their 716 area code and trapdoors is a reference to the city’s DIY scene. “Everybody you know is trapping something out their house, whether it deals with music, art or drugs, and when you are a rapper, you need all three of those things,” WZA says. “So you find yourself walking through many trapdoors.”

    ‪They attribute their sound to Buffalo, a city where one of hip hop’s most respected eras still gets its props. “Our whole stance on music is that It’s all about truly being yourself and being honest with yourself,” WZA says.

  • Coalescence IV: An Evening of Belly Dance Returns to Glens Falls

    A growing community of belly dancers from the Northeast and beyond will come together on May 12 at the Charles R. Wood Theater in Glens Falls, NY for Coalescence IV, an evening of entertainment for the entire family. The fourth annual belly dance fundraiser donates 100% of proceeds to support Randy’s Patient Assistance Fund at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center, Glens Falls Hospital. Coalescence IV

    Randy’s Patient Assistance Fund supports patients in need by covering co-pays, gas cards for transportation to treatment, lodging assistance for those undergoing daily treatments, prepaid minutes for cell phones and prescription co-payments. The fund was set up in memory of Randall Favreau who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011. He could have used all these services, but there were no resources available for him at that time. Upon his passing, his wife used some of his insurance monies to help start this much needed fund. Since then, through the generosity of the community, Glens Falls Hospital has been able to keep this fund open and help many patients.

    The lobby will open at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 12 for concessions and a basket raffle, with all prizes awarded immediately following intermission. Tickets are on sale now at the Wood Theater Box Office. More event info can be found here.

  • Hearing Aide: Big Something ‘The Otherside’

    While April 20 tends to be a day known for celebrating greener lifestyles and festivities, for Big Something, it will notch the release and celebration of their latest studio album, The Otherside.

    big something the othersideTucking away their fifth studio effort, the North Carolina 6-piece offers Big Something fanatics a piggy-back off of last year’s Tumbleweed. Thumbing listeners through an encyclopedia of genres, the 2018 release continues the haunting narrative of wandering through the depths of a post-apocalyptic desert while undergoing some serious soul searching, hoping to come out of the clutches of a bad peyote trip. Unable to place the album’s pulse on one particular sound, the sonic exploration allows focus to be placed on the group’s unfolding concept instead.

    The first few notes of “Sundown Nomad” welcome Big Something fans to their familiar, glitchy EWI sounds before diving into a land of spoken word trip-hop. As the eight-track album continues, “Wildfire” follows as a feel-good tune paired with less than hopeful lyrics, repeatedly exclaiming “woe is me.” The tight-knit ensemble of Nick MacDaniels (guitar, vocals), Doug Marshall (bass), Josh Kagel (keys, trumpet), Casey Cranford (sax, EWI), Jesse Hensley (lead guitar), and Ben Vinograd (drums) play with poetic juxtaposition on this track, while the uplifting riffs seem blissful, the lyrics divergently describe one thousand acres burning to the ground and the world going up in a wildfire.

    “We wanted to pay homage to the original concept of ‘an album’ with this release where sitting down and listening to the whole thing is an experience – 20 minutes per side with a break between. Side A complements Side B. This is the first time we’ve setup an album to fit perfectly on a vinyl record like that,” vocalist Nick MacDaniels shared.

    “The Cave” offers a more emotional outlet through Daniels’ heart-rendering vocals and slower time signatures while the album’s title track, “The Otherside,” takes shape of a fleeting 1:47 ambient break in the midst of the album. “Smoke Signal,” a track specifically written for the album and yet to receive the live debut treatment, holds it’s own as a silky smooth jazz track, with a combination of velvety vocals and saxophone. Most tracks are given a new life through Big Something live performances. It’s a wonder what they’ll do with “Smoke Signal” for its first time in front of a live audience.

    Cranford’s EWI majesty helps “Cosmic Dust” tap into 80s synth- Stranger Things theme song elements before the last two tracks showcase the groups funk and hard rock in its finest form. With the help of groovy trumpets and top-notch shredding on guitar, the album finds its fastest and strongest notes at a pinnacle of high-energy upon its conclusion.

    The powerhouse rockers found their voices through storytelling and fusing unique elements together to wrap up the story they’ve been telling since their 2017 predecessor album. Creating another layer of emotion folded into the album, it’s dedicated to the memory of Paul Interdonato, the band’s late lyricist and friend who tragically passed away on December 3, 2017 – the same exact day the band was gearing up to record in studio.

    The Otherside takes on thematics of musical journeys in more ways than one– the story of the album’s troubled, vagabond protagonist as well as a touching tribute of inspiration from a lifelong friend.

    Key Tracks: Smoke Signal, Cosmic Dust, Hole

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