NYS Music 20​18

Category: Features

  • Gary Numan Brings ‘The Savage North American Tour’ to Brooklyn Steel

    A relatively mild December evening and a quick walk from the L train brought us to another excellent show as part of Brooklyn Steel’s inaugural year. Gary Numan, who first gained notoriety in the late 70’s as a member of the band Tubeway Army, was welcomed to the stage by an opening set from NYC’s own Me Not You.

    Numan’s tour brought the live debut of songs from his 21st and latest studio album, Savage (Songs From A Broken World) released September 2017. The album dons a rather tasty industrial synth sound. When performed live at Brooklyn Steel, many more nuances were uncovered in the songs through Numan and his band’s theatrical performance.

    Though Numan has so far had a long career, his performance had a freshness untinged by the years. During his set, Numan tapped albums from throughout his career including a track he performed in the 1970’s prior to going solo with the band Tubeway Army. Along with his band, Numan locked in a steady power between his older songs and those off of Savage.

    After seeing Numan’s performance – the energy, enthusiasm (from the whole band, too), and creativity in the new music from Savage – he shows that there is still a drive at this point in his career to continue being a creative force in electronic music.

    Setlist:

    Ghost Nation, Metal, Everything Comes Down To This, Films, Bed of Thorns, Down in the Park, Pray for the Pain You Serve, Here in the Black, Mercy, Love Hurt Bleed, My Name is Ruin, Cars, When the World Comes Apart, A Prayer for the Unborn

    Encores: M.E., Are ‘Friends’ Electric?, I Die: You Die

  • Sleepy Creek SpringDig Announces 2018 Lineup

    Sleepy Creek Presents announced their 2018 SpringDig festival, at the family-friendly Sleepy Creek venue in Berkeley, West Virginia. The lineup so far includes Keller Williams, both solo and with More Than a Little, Jeff Austin Band, Dead Winter Carpenters, Black Masala, Brokedown Hustlers, Cousin Earth, The Jakobs Ferry Stragglers, The Judy Chops, Mountain Ride, The Dirty Grass Players, The Kind Thieves, Serene Green, Herb & Hanson, Mateo Monk, and Sleepy Creek Jam Family.

    Sleepy Creek SpringDigSleepy Creek SpringDig returns May 4-6, 2018 for its 5th Year to the region’s favorite family-friendly venue, Sleepy Creek on the Potomac in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Centrally located to residents of the 4-State Region, and easily accessible off I-68 & I-70, the annual camp-out festival offers a stellar line-up of local roots music and national superstars. Other attractions include playgrounds, parades, face-painting, food, arts & crafts, late night bonfires, and open jam circles. All Sleepy Creek Events outshine the rest in their devotion to fun for all ages, and create memories that last a lifetime. Kids 15 & Under are always free!

    ​Tickets can be purchased in person at the venue, or on the web.

    This article was originally published by DCMusic News and Review and appears as a special to NYS Music as part of the Regional Music Alliance. The Regional Music Alliance was founded in 2018 as a partnership between regional websites to provide readers with in-depth coverage of the music scenes on the East Coast. 

  • Lookin Back on Lockn’ 2017

    For “veteran” festival attendees we still feel the magic around festival season. The weeks leading up; the excitement, the planning. It doesn’t get old you just learn a little more each year and hopefully pass that wisdom on to those coming up behind you. For Lockn’ 2017 I decided to bring my six year old, Ryder. It was by no means his first show but it was his real first festival and his first time camping.

    For music lovers taking their children to their first festival is the equivalent of people taking their child to Disney World for the first time. You see the magic and feel the excitement all over again with a new level of enthusiasm and a level of innocence you had forgotten. To watch the enjoyment and wonder through my sons eyes was incredible. He couldn’t get enough, he loved every moment and wasn’t fazed by any of the bumps along the way. We drove from Florida to Virginia and setup camp in the family camping area. He immediately met our neighbors and played safely under the eyes of multiple parents while I finished getting settled in. For the next four days he was dirty, stinky, covered in orange clay and he couldn’t have been happier.

    Ryder was able to experience music in a way that I believe bypasses most adults. He felt it. He instantly became part of the community and that is where the real magic happens. To him, no one was a stranger and he wanted to hear their stories about where they had come from and what bands did they really want to see. He met the owners of Morning Dew tie dye and spent so much time admiring their work and falling in love with every piece, they were so wonderful to him, answering his questions and embracing his curiosity. Once we left Morning Dew we headed over to the Handlebar Café to see if by chance they could fix a tire on his wagon. They could not have been kinder and did everything in their power to not only fix Ryder’s wagon but to let him help and teach him the process of what they were doing. They spent almost two hours on his wagon – for free. He told them they had to go to Garcia’s Forest and that it was the coolest place he had seen there.

    While all of this was an incredible experience to watch play out for my child it was heightened on a very emotional level for me as well. You see, Ryder has special needs. He has global apraxia, a motor planning disorder that makes it difficult children struggle to speak. But yet, everyone took the time to meet him and understand him. Another major obstacle is that Ryder has (SPD) sensory processing disorder. I was internally terrified of how he would respond to the crowd, the music, the lights, the smells, the food, everything! It is a lot for adults, to be honest I wasn’t sure how it would go. He really wanted a smoothie before we headed to the mainstage for the night, it was hot out and had already been a long day. I stopped by The Loving Cup and they were more than happy to accommodate his dietary restrictions even though they were slammed. In true festival magic it turns out they are from our hometown, Jacksonville Beach, Florida. I strongly believe in the energy that live music produces, there is undercurrent that binds the community together. Sure, some will never feel it and they float by. But others have experiences like Ryder’s where you feel at home.

    As we walked to the main stage Ryder asked me, “can we come back next weekend?” I had to explain that next week this would turn to a large empty field. So he asked, “well, where do we find this?” I simply replied, “tour baby.” Once we settled in for that nights shows I was tapped on the shoulder and a man said, “Will you give this to Ryder?” It was a beautiful stone shaped like a pyramid. He said, “I want him to have it.” It was one of the owners from Morning Dew tie dyes. Ryder loves rocks, gems, stones and all of the Earths wonders. He was over the moon with delight, it still sits safely on his dresser.

    Some people believe children do not belong at shows or that it is pointless to bring them because they won’t remember it. Personally, I believe even if they do not remember the “ins and outs” it helps shape them. My child who struggles every day to do basic tasks has never felt more loved and included. Complete strangers stopping to give him high-fives, dance with him, other children playing hopscotch with glow sticks in the dark, running freely with new friends while digging in the dirt and playing with bubbles. He traded a light up balloon for a flashing lantern so the children could continue to play once the sun was down.

    I had a friend question me about taking him out of school since it had just started to attend a music festival. I explained that to me, he is in school. This is the school of life and love and a fundamental part of growth and development. Ryder’s music teacher happens to play in JJ Grey and Mofro and gave us passes to be able to watch from backstage on Sunday. He was so excited to Mr. Eric at his “real job” as he calls it. When they finished Ryder went down and had his picture taken with Mr. Eric and Craig the drummer who was sweet enough to give Ryder his drum sticks.

    Although I am certain Ryder will not understand what he was a part of at Lockn’ for quite a while, Bob and Phil playing Terrapin Station for the 40th anniversary, being backstage, drum sticks from Craig which by pure coincidence Mofro was Ryders first show when he was an infant. What he does understand is being given a gem by a woman as she told him it was filled with positive energy for him to now go share with the world, a golf cart taxi driver giving him a geode intact that he had dug up in Indiana but he wanted Ryder to have it. All of these events may seem insignificant to cynical adults but to Ryder it was pure magic. He is already excited for Lockn’ 2018 and asks all of the time, “how much longer?”

    In a world filled with so much tension and negativity it feels like gift to be able to share with him a community that I believe in and love. I hope that he continues to feel the music and the undercurrent of energy and spreads the positive energy just like he was asked to. Cheers to you Lockn’ for putting on one hell of a festival for kids of ages all ages to love and embrace.

  • Hearing Aide: Greg Jacquin, ‘Hudson River EP’

    In case the album title didn’t give it away, Greg Jacquin is a native of the Hudson Valley region, and his music and persona possess very apparent undertones of a small town songwriter. Jacquin will release his newest EP, Hudson River on February 9th, but we were able to get a sneak preview of the album first.

    Greg JacquinAlthough acoustic guitar certainly drives each song on the album, Jacquin dices in some interesting instrumentation, including a string and brass section woven in between songs. His album features six songs with two additional bonus song versions. His single for the album “The Station” is featured in two versions on this album, bringing two separate ideas to the table. He has simultaneously released a video for the single, which is slowly rising in views. The video paints his melancholy demeanor, and features shots the daily commuter would consider second nature. But this video is about Jacquin in his nature, with shots of nature in his surrounding area. His album has downs like these, with several ups as well, including the cheerful tune “On the Moorings.” Greg Jacquin is in good company on this album, and each recording is well balanced and intentioned.

    Jacquin will release his album on February 9th, but pre-orders are available now on his website.

    Key Tracks: The Station, On the Moorings

  • Birocratic Releases Latest Single “Extra Fresh”

    Brooklyn-based beatmaker and hip-hop instrumentalist Birocratic has released his latest single “Extra Fresh” along with a tongue-in-cheek infomercial music video.

    Birocratic, real name Brandon Rowan, initially rose to fame as a student at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute, where his dorm room beat-tape releases Beets and Leftovers became YouTube sensations, and most recently has made official remixes for GRiZ. On “Extra Fresh,” Birocratic pays homage to 80s and 90s house, funk, and hip hop, with familiar synth melodies and deep bass lines.

    Birocratic will tour this summer throughout North America.

  • Kyle Hollingsworth Band Bringing New Jams to Funk ‘N Waffles

    Music fans are in for a treat this weekend if they are heading out to see the Kyle Hollingsworth Band.

    “As of right now, I’m excited about this little run in the Northeast,” said Kyle Hollingsworth. “I’m excited about hitting the road a little bit and playing some of these tunes I’ve been working on the last year or so — testing out live performance of the songs. And raging the best we can.”

    The keyboardist for String Cheese Incident brings his solo project to New York for a show on Friday in Rochester and another in Syracuse on Saturday, both at Funk ‘N Waffles.

    “We have a new lineup of musicians and it’s more jam-oriented than I’ve ever made it,” he said.

    Hollingsworth’s tour coincides with the release of his new solo album 50 — coming out March 2.

    NEW SONGS

    Fans attending the shows on this tour will be the first ones to hear the new songs played live from the album.

    “There will be some debuts,” he said.

    While he has played about half of the album live already, he said it’s fun playing songs for the first time because people don’t know them and he does more experimentation and jamming.

    “If we screw up the song, people won’t know because they haven’t heard it before,” he said.

    NEW ALBUM, BIRTHDAY

    The album 50 comes out a day before Hollingsworth’s birthday, when he turns 50. Reflecting on that milestone, Hollingsworth is not slowing down at all.

    “I still feel super creative and very active,” he said. “I feel very young still.”

    Regarding the title he laughed and said: “What the hell was I thinking? Why’d I call it 50. I’m gonna call it 25 Again.”

    Hollingsworth describes the album as exploratory and epic. “The album starts out as if you walked into the club and the band is already raging,” he said.

    He said it starts that way in the beginning with the song “Onset” and keeps the theme throughout while the last song is titled “Offset.”

    BREWING BEER

    If it doesn’t seem like Hollingsworth has enough on his plate, he also has a new brew to wash things down. Ground Score IPA came from a collaboration between Hollingsworth, Relix magazine and Sweetwater Brewing Company. The launch party for the 7.1 percent ABV brew coincides with the first date of the tour on and will be served at the first venue they play at, Brooklyn Bowl in New York City.

    “I’ve made about 30 beers with people all around the country,” he said. “And this is one of my more favorite ones,” he said. “It is more unique in their (Sweetwater) style of beer.”

    Hollingsworth picked up homebrewing as a hobby from his brother.

    “I always did anything my brother did,” he said. “He started watching the Grateful Dead, so I started. He started smoking pot, I started smoking pot, and he started brewing beer, so I started.”

    Hollingsworth compares brewing to making music because it gives him the same creative outlet.

    “Once you get it on your fingers, whether it is playing piano or brewing beer, it is fun to improvise and drift from the process, and some of that is where the magic happens,” he said.

    He appreciates the experimentation aspect of both hobbies.

    “It could be a great beer, or it could be a terrible solo,” he said. “Sometimes you win sometimes you lose. Sometimes you have a great beer; sometimes you have a terrible solo.”

    VISIT TO NEW YORK

    Hollingsworth said the beer he made with Relix and Sweetwater was inspired by some of the great Northeastern breweries. He can’t wait to try more local New York brews.

    “I’m excited. I don’t know much about the area,” he said.

    He also invites people to share their creations or favorite local beers with him.

    “People are always welcome to bring me tasty beers,” he said. “Either their home brews or local microbrews — I’ll try them.”

    He also plans to ski in some of his free time on tour. He said he has never heard of a garbage plate, but he would definitely try one.

    STRING CHEESE INCIDENT

    Hollingsworth said String Cheese Incident is in the studio working on a new album.

    “When I’m not running around making beer or touring, I’m in the studio full time with String Cheese,” he said.

    He cannot wait to let loose and get creative in their studio known as SCI Lab.

    Since he keeps himself busy with many projects, he doesn’t get much time to see many shows, but he said at festivals he enjoys drifting to the smaller stages and finding inspiration in what he hears. He mentioned he enjoyed seeing a DJ by the name of Elohim and My Morning Jacket, and he is always finding something new.

    “When I see music, for me, it is just wandering Electric Forest or Hulaween to smaller stages,” he said. “I try to find what inspires me. When I hear something magical, it draws me to the stage.”

    FRIDAY, FEB. 9

    WHAT: Kyle Hollingsworth Band; Sophistafunk opener

    WHERE: Funk ‘N Waffles 204 N. Water St., Rochester, NY

    WHEN: Doors 8 p.m.; Show 9 p.m.

    TICKETS: www.funknwaffles.com

    SATURDAY, FEB. 10

    WHAT: Kyle Hollingsworth Band; Sophistafunk opener

    WHERE: Funk ‘N Waffles 307 Clinton St., Syracuse, NY

    WHEN: Doors 8 p.m.; Show 9 p.m.

    TICKETS: www.funknwaffles.com

    Kyle Hollingsworth Band’s new album “50”

    1. Onset
    2. Wyatt Earp’s Tale
    3. Let me in
    4. All Falls Apart
    5. Finding Our Way
    6. Prime
    7. Stuff
    8. Tumbling
    9. Come On
    10. So Fine
    11. Take the Ride
    12. Offset

  • moe. Returns With a Vengeance for Sold Out Capitol Theatre Run

    After a 7-month break due to bass player Rob Derhak’s battle with cancer, Buffalo rockers moe returned to the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York to deliver two sold out shows on February 2nd and 3rd. Their first shows with the full lineup since July featured a variety of fan favorites as well as four brand new songs from four of the five band members. The first night featured an opening act, with the high-energy funk outfit Kung Fu properly warming up the crowd for the main event.

    After a brief word of thanks from a very emotional Rob, the band wasted little time diving into the flagship “Rebubula,” Rob’s anthemic ode to his wife, Rebecca. They quickly transitioned into the funky “Akimbo” which featured a slap-happy bass interlude that made the hungry crowd explode. This was followed by the twangy, energetic “32 Things” and then a brand new song titled “What Can I Say,” written by guitarist Al Schnier. “What Can I Say” was originally debuted earlier in the week during the band’s pre-show webcast, though this was the first time the song had been played in a live setting. Fans then belted out the opening lines to the fan-favorite “Spine of a Dog” which was followed immediately by “Plane Crash,” which felt particularly deserved, with Rob screaming the words “I don’t wanna die” at the end of the final chorus at the top of his lungs.

    Set 2 started off with a bang with the Pink Floyd-inspired “Silver Sun” and then Rob was able to showcase his brand new tune, “LL3” which he wrote in transit to his chemotherapy treatments. “LL3” already shows great potential as a jam vehicle, and will probably appear on the new album that the band is cooking up. The rest of Set 2 was a continuous battery of rock and roll as they interweaved “Moth,” “Captain America,” the instrumental “Hector’s Pillow,” the legendary “meat.” and finally closed with the end of “Moth,” completing a sandwich that took up the majority of the second half of the show. Guitarist Chuck Garvey then led the band in an encore rendition of “Wind it Up,” that had the entire audience collectively singing the lines “Be on my side, I’ll be on your side” with the band.

    A veritable army of excitable moe.rons showed back up to the scenic Capitol Theatre for Round 2 on Saturday, for a performance that was somehow even better than the previous night, this time with no supporting act. It was a night of pure moe. and once again the crowd was deafening when a happy and healthy looking Rob Derhak took the stage.

    The band opened with the crowd-pleasing “Okayalright,” which segued smoothly into “Not Coming Down,” once again showcasing Rob’s bass skills. This was followed by the entrancing instrumental “Wormwood,” which then seemlessly transitioned into the slide guitar-heavy intro to “St. Augustine.” Next, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist debuted his new song, the dark and moody “I Can Never Remember,” which he sang with his signature rasp. This was followed by the short and pleasant Chuck Garvey tune “All Roads Lead to Home.” After “All Roads” came “Opium,” and Rob showed how well his voice has healed, demonstrating his impressive vocal range. The first set closed out with a monstrous version of the jam beast, “Recreational Chemistry” before they took a short set break.

    Set 2 started with a powerful rendition of “Brent Black” which featured not one or two, but three bass solos from a smiling, enthusiastic Rob as well as a fearsome drum-off between Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico. Afterwards, Al Schnier led the band in a spirited version of “Mexico,” telling the story of his tumultuous 21st birthday. This was followed by “Timmy Tucker,” once again proving that Rob still has his vocal chops. Chuck Garvey then debuted his newest song, “New Hope for the New Year,” which definitely shows great promise for future shows and the new album in the works. The rest of the set was vintage, heavy, dark, creepy, spacey moe. as they played “Yodelittle” into the high energy protest song “George,” back into “Yodelittle” and then into the sing-a-long “Buster,” every moe.ron’s favorite song about a flying pig. They encored with “Nebraska,” complete with a ripping talk-box solo from Garvey, and finally the hard-hitting “Annihilation Blues” to cap off the back-to-back performances. 

    moe. proved this past weekend that they are far from done, and after Rob’s recent cancer scare and recovery, he is clearly eager to please his fans and write new music. The historic Capitol Theatre projected a series of images of Rob from different stages of his career throughout the shows, and moe. brought an anxious crowd to their knees. Once again, it’s so good to have you back Rob. We hope for many, many more years of music and laughter from you.

    February 2 Setlist

    Set 1: Rebubula > Akimbo, 32 Things, What Can I Say (FTP), Spine of a Dog > Plane Crash.

    Set 2: Silver Sun, LL3 (FTP), Moth > Captain America > Hector’s Pillow > Moth > meat. > Moth

    Encore: Wind it Up

    February 3 Setlist

    Set 1: Okayalright > Not Coming Down > Wormwood > St. Augustine, I Can Never Remember (FTP), All Roads Lead To Home, Opium, Recreational Chemistry

    Set 2: Brent Black, Mexico, Timmy Tucker, New Hope for the New Year (FTP), Yodelittle > George > Yodelittle > Buster

    Encore: Nebraska, Annihilation Blues

  • Syracuse Native Rhiannon Payne Taking Music Career to Next Level

    Rhiannon Payne knew she wanted to be a music superstar since the very beginning of her life.

    “I was 3 years old when someone told me ‘Hey kid you can sing,’” said the Syracuse native. “So that was kind of it for me.”

    She’s ready to take her career to the next level with a new album and tour planned this summer. The album, which she hasn’t titled yet, will include 10 tracks, and she hopes to have it released by early June with a two-month tour to coincide.

    Payne will share her talents at Funk ‘N Waffles on Clinton Street in Syracuse at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9.

    EARLY EXPERIENCE

    Payne explored her musical talent often growing up and she worked hard pursuing her career. She took music classes and participated in chorus, but it was a band that guided her.

    “I was in a band for three years, and that really helped me realize what I wanted to do,” she said.

    From age 13-16 Payne sang for the pop-punk/alternative band Nextake. She familiarized herself with the stage through singing and playing local venues.

    “I love performing in front of people,” she said.

    Nextake performed at local venues around Syracuse, and one big feat Payne was proud of was opening for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus at the Westcott Theater in April 2012.

    “That was an amazing experience,” she said.

    In high school she started buckling down to prepare for the journey ahead.

    “I took every opportunity I could to put myself here,” she said. “It was kind of like my accumulation of taking all of the tools and people I had to help me out — I took advantage of everything I had.”

    “I met wonderful people there who really knew how to tie and relate what I learned in school to my actual career.”

    Payne didn’t want to go to college because she thought it wouldn’t help her career. But she found classes she could apply to singing and help her voice for the long-term. So she pursued a degree from Onondaga Community College and graduated with an associate’s degree in applied science.

    NEXT STEPS

    Now that Payne honed in on her talents, she is focused on her album and the next steps for her path of success. She hired a manager at the end of last year, she has a producer working on her album, and she also hired a promoter as well.

    “My music was beginning to falter because I couldn’t spend time to practice or write,” she said. “It got super overwhelming. I understand why musicians need large teams of people to do what they do.”

    She said she wrapped up recording for mostly everything on the album and is going back and forth with the editing process. Shane Patterson is working as the producer out of Hobin Studios in Phoenix, NY.

    The album includes eight new songs and two she has already released. “Bedtime Stories” was published in October with a music video. “Through Me” was a song she had produced and released in May 2015.

    Payne is shooting for early June to release her album. She is planning to have a huge party and then have a two-month tour lined up around New York and New York City.

    She said her ultimate goal is to move to Nashville, to continue developing as an artist.

    “I want to get experience writing and collaborating with more musicians,” she said. “I want to learn as much as I can from a large music capital.”

    PLAYING STYLE

    When it comes to her music, Payne said she likes to play all types of genres.

    “No one can really ‘genre-tize’ my music,” she said. “One song will sound jazzy, one will sound like Irish folk.”

    While she can play many different instruments, she is often seen with a guitar. At her shows, fans can expect to hear her original songs with some covers added to the setlist.

    Since she likes to play all genres, she said she covers anything — giving classic rock, Ariana Grande and Paramore as examples of the variety she includes.

    The show at Funk ‘N Waffles will include a set by former Nextake bandmember Dylan Aird. Payne said she is excited for the show and they will perform together for a song during each other’s set.

    One last thing about Payne’s name in case it sounded familiar: She was named after the Fleetwood Mac song. And Stevie Nicks did inspire Payne at a young age.

    “I saw her rocking on stage and I would say ‘Yup, that’s gonna be me.’”

    SEE RHIANNON PAYNE LIVE

    WHAT: Rhiannon Payne with Dylan Aird

    WHERE: Funk ‘N Waffles 307 Clinton St., Syracuse, NY 13202

    WHEN: Friday, Feb. 9

    MORE INFO: Funk ‘N Waffles Website

    Rhiannon Payne Facebook

    Twitter: @RhiannonPayne7

    Instagram: @RhiannonPayne7

    Interview with #thePostshow from KROCK

    Rhiannon Payne’s music is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and iHeartRadio.

  • Turkuaz Brings a High Energy Wednesday Show to Cohoes

    The nine-piece funk group Turkuaz played the Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes, NY Wednesday January 31. This was the group’s first time playing in Cohoes and managed to leave a great impression. No matter if it was your first or tenth time seeing Turkuaz, there was a song for everyone. Just a couple songs into their set, the group played “Mountain,” one of their signatures songs with a long dramatic pause keeping the crowd on their toes.

    turkuaz cohoesThroughout the whole show the energy stayed consistantly high. Turkuaz ended the set with “Monkey Fingers.” Lead guitarist Craig Brodhead and Sax player Josh Schwartz traded off solos pushing the song to its limits.

    turkuaz cohoesSetlist: Typa-Lika, Mountain, M’Lady, Nightswimming, Snap, Crypto, Fall Asleep, Famous, Holy Ghost, On the Run, 20 Dollar, Slippery People, Habitat, noise, Percy, The Rules, Coast, Don’t Do It, Monkey Fingers

    Encore:  Back To Normal

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  • Rocking For Rosie’s Love: Local Bands Support Kids Suffering from Cancer

    It was a great night of local music on Saturday, January 27 as The Crimson Tips, The Hard Luck Souls, and Iüdica took over the Low Beat in Albany for a very special benefit to help kids diagnosed with cancer. Admission to the event was free and the participating bands only asked that attendees donate a small toy or provide a financial contribution to the not for profit Rosie’s Love Foundation. 

    Rosie’s Love Foundation was formed after the death of it’s namesake, two-year-old Rosemary Frances Johnson, who passed away after a valiant battle with neuroblastoma.  Her family wanted to give something back for all the love Rosie received while being treated for her illness at Albany Medical Center.  The foundation provides fun activities and toys for children receiving in-patient cancer treatment and offers various types of assistance to those children’s family members. 

    First up in the line up was Lake George based Iüdica. The roster of the band includes Brian Michael Rhythm on guitar/vocals, Chris Walker on bass/vocal, Nate Fidd on percussion, and Thom Grover on lead guitar. The group came out strong with a rendition of “Arty” a hard rock in your face number that set the tone of the show.  The highlight of the set was the band’s rendition of “Circuits,” which is featured on their 2017 EP Brain Carvings.  Iüdica went on to play their new release “Lipstick, Black Dress” which is slated to be released later this year.  Lead singer and guitarist Brian Michael lost his guitar strap during the song and while trying to keep the number rolling, wound up whipping off his glasses, which landed on the stage.  He was able to keep the pace and when asked about the incident after the show he stated “well that’s rock and roll.”

    The Hard Luck Souls were next up on the bill and they came out swinging with “I Never” the second track off of their 2017 release Closer To The Flame.  The Souls are a tight unit with front-man Chris Itani commanding the stage like a seasoned veteran.  The song’s lyrics describe the end to a messy relationship and paired with the excellent guitar work of Brian Gentile, perfectly represents the hard rock vibe of the four man group.  The highlight of the Soul’s set was “Get Back,” a fast paced number reminiscent of The Stone Temple Pilots.  The crunchy tune showcased the prowess of the band’s rhythm section which features Dave Smassanow on bass and Mark Schmidt on drums. Deep into their set the Souls treated the audience by performing the band’s newly minted single “Keep On Running.”  The number has only been played out live by the boys a few times and was received enthusiastically by the crowd.  The Hard Luck Souls finished their portion of the evening strong with high energy renditions of 90’s classics “Nice Shot” by Filter and Soundgarden’s “Outshined.”

    The Rock and Roll fund raiser was capped off when the event’s organizers, The Crimson Tips, took the stage.  The hard rock outfit is a family affair with Lance Valderrama on guitar/vocal, his son Kyle Valderrama on bass/vocal, and Lance’s cousin John Nicotina on drums/vocals.  Lance started the show by thanking everyone for coming out and supporting Rosie’s Love and dedicated the show to his good friend Walter, who is currently battling with fourth stage cancer.   He said that the band wanted to do more for shows for charities in the Capital Region in order to give back to their community.  The Tips then went into  their first number “Please Help Me” off of their 2016 LP Sludge Train.  The tune got off to a rocky start due to sound problems which cut off the vocals of drummer John Nicotina.  The problem was quickly resolved and the band kept playing through the difficulties.  The boys produce tremendous sound for a trio and with pieces like “Let Her Bark” and “Same Shit Different Day,” The Crimson Tips gritty sound hearkens back to the late 80’s NYC punk scene.  The Crimson Tips ended their performance with a blistering performance of  “I Just Caught You Looking,” a song that is about when someone can’t let go of a failed relationship and becomes a stalker.

    Overall the fundraiser at the Low Beat was a success.  It was a great lineup of local talent and the bands were able to collect a sizable amount of donations in toys and some much needed money for Rosie’s Love. These tokens of goodwill will hopefully bring a little joy into the lives of some kids who are going through a really tough time.

    Setlists:

    Iüdica:  Arty, Ghosts, Watching, Circuits, Brain Carvings, Lipstick Black Dress, B side Love, Chocolate And Parsley

    Hard Luck Souls: I Never, Hold On, Can’t Be True, Izzy’s Thunder, Feels Like Forever, Let My People Go, Way Down Low, In My Head, Fly Away, Get Back, Nice Shot, Better Keep Running, Outshined

    Crimson Tips: Please Help Me, Better For You, Let Her Bark, Liar, Sunday Morning, Bleed Me, She Moves, Just A Girl, Freedom, I Won’t Be There, Goodbye, So Low, Hold On, Same Shit Different Day, I  Just Caught You Looking

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