NYS Music 20​18

Category: Reviews

  • The First Hurrah: Phish Begins Four Night Run at The Garden

    Phish returned to the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden for the 57th time in their career on Friday, opening the first of four nights with a high energy, well-rounded show featuring songs which spanned their entire career.

    Many fans were wondering whether or not they would see the return of any of Halloween 18’s Kasvot Vaxt songs, and those questions were answered immediately with a show opening, grooved out “We Are Come to Outlive Our Brains.” The crowd erupted as the band took no time stretching their jam muscles with a creeping psychedelic build before returning to the final refrain. The short but sweet “Martian Monster” that followed got the crowd going with some fast-paced space funk that propelled the entire crowd into another dimension for a brief moment as the illuminated arena swirled with color from every direction.

    phish the garden

    The band kept the energy up in the stratosphere with standard, but rocking versions of “Axilla,” “Free” and “The Wedge,” which had everyone in the crowd feeling the feeling they forgot. The less frequented crowd favorite “Meat” followed and included a patient, extended jam which allowed the groove to breathe as the band dropped the tempo and showcased just how well they are able to bounce ideas off one another. “Ghost” followed, and though it was a relatively short version, the band took no time getting to an intense peak before segueing beautifully into the Phishgrass classic “Sparkle.” Next came a beautiful “If I Could,” the first ever played at MSG, and the second version in three shows despite how rare the song normally is.

    “Maze” came next and was arguably the highlight of the set with knife-cutting tension and locked-in interplay between Trey and Page, as each played their respective solos with a little more gusto than typically seen. The set ended on an extremely high note with a rocking “Walls of the Cave” which featured multiple peaks from Trey as they sent the elated crowd to set break.

    phish the garden

    Set two didn’t have the greatest flow of the second sets this year, however what the set lacked in sequence they made up for with putting a little extra on every song they played. “Set Your Soul Free” opened the set, and featured the longest extended jamming of the night. The rocking TAB-turned-Phish tune oozed with psychedelia as it went through multiple movements and featured each band member strutting their stuff. CK5 put a little extra into the light show as the inside of the garden became an enormous kaleidoscope and brought the feeling of ecstasy to the next level. As the jam came down they transitioned seamlessly into the Billy Breathes combo of rarities “Swept Away” and “Steep” that featured delicate playing all around.

    “The Final Hurrah,” the second Kasvot Vaxt song of the night came next, to the crowd’s delight, and featured a bit more mustard than the debut version as the combination of lights and thrashing sound squeezed the arena. The band took a bit of time deciding what to play next when they finally landed on “Fuego.” This “Fuego” was anything but ordinary and felt like the gift that kept on giving as the band peaked the song multiple times. Every time it felt like it was going to end, Trey turned it up a notch and ripped through another glorious solo. “Shade” came next for a much needed cool down before an always welcome and crunchy “Bathtub Gin” picked the energy back up. The set ended on a classic, tension-filled “Possum” which featured peak after peak to end the set on a very high note.

    Thankfully, the end wasn’t the road, however, as the band came out with a two-song classic throwback encore. A standard “Bouncing Around the Room” led to a patient, building “Slave to the Traffic Light” which saw some fiery playing from Trey and left everyone going home wanting more. Phish will return to the Madison Square Garden for the second night of the run tonight, and it’s anyone’s guess as to what tricks they have up their sleeves.

    Phish, Madison Square Garden, December 28, 2018

    Set 1: We Are Come to Outlive Our Brains, Martian Monster, Axilla > Free, The Wedge, Meat, Ghost > Sparkle, If I Could, Maze, Walls of the Cave

    Set 2: Set Your Soul Free > Swept Away > Steep, The Final Hurrah, Fuego > Shade > Bathtub Gin > Possum

    Encore: Bouncing Around the Room, Slave to the Traffic Light

    Trey teased The Little Drummer Boy in Bathtub Gin. Possum included a Long Tall Glasses tease from Page.

    phish the gardenphish the garden

    phish the garden

  • Hearing Aide: Monte Vayo “Count Me Out”

    I, for one, am delighted at the resurgence of new wave music. Growing up in the 80’s, synth music was everywhere – top 40 radio, movie soundtracks, and record shops. I’ve spent years as a faithful listener of WBER’s New Wave Wednesday show, waiting for the new generation to bring it back. The resurgence of the genre means having new tracks to listen to, with fresh modern takes.

    Monte Vayo’s new EP Count Me Out is a brilliant little gem, clocking in at under ten minutes. The three-song collection leads with the title track “Count Me Out.” Monte Vayo paints a light and airy soundscape with minimal lyrics, which is a theme that carries throughout the entire EP. It is clear the artist is paying homage to the classics of the heyday of new wave, while at the same time adding contemporary elements for a more ambient sound. It’s the kind of thing I like to hear at an upscale coffee shop or have spun by the DJ at my favorite art gallery.

    While the song’s overall tone is breezy, it also showcase’s Monte Vayo’s innate sense of rhythm. It’s hard to sit still while listening to the undulating beats accompanying the melody. So dedicated was Monte Vayo to creating an authentic sound that he purchased some decades-old drum machines in order to compose and record these songs.

    As “Count Me Out” gives way to “Why” and the final song “Find A Way,” it becomes obvious that Monte Vayo is someone who shouldn’t be counted out. His work would fit in just as easily on a mix tape with Pet Shop Boys, Joy Division, and OMD as it would on a Spotify playlist with modern synthwave acts like Electric Youth, Home, and Humble Braggers.

    Key Track: Count Me Out

  • Walkin’ in the WinterWonderGrass

    A weekend of walkin in the finest jamgrass around was made possible by the debut appearance in Vermont over December 14-16 at Stratton Mountain. WinterWonderGrass, now in its 7th year, has held events in Colorado and California since 2012, with founder Scott Stoughton and his team creating a musical village with a welcoming vibe at all turns.

    Stratton was as idyllic a setting out east as WinterWonderGrass could have asked for. Located in south-central Vermont, the mountain is tucked away and has sprawling condos and chalets, a village that practically transports you to the Alps and world class skiing. This weekend added in 8 hours of bluegrass daily, with artists from across the country making the inaugural WinterWonderGrass at Stratton a rousing success.

    walkin in the winterwondergrass
    Photo by John-Ryan Lockman © WinterWonderGrass Festival All Rights Rerserved 2018

    Scott spoke to Jambase earlier this month about the inception of the WinterWonderGrass: “The original idea for WinterWonderGrass came together because I saw a lot of different music festivals happening,” Stoughton explained. “I saw the beer culture expanding. I was also living in a mountain town at the time, and I saw corporatization of mountain communities, influx of people, everything was branded, and it wasn’t feeling right. It wasn’t authentic.”

    The result of Scott’s strive for authenticity is a music village that could be found at any ski mountain – after a run down the slopes, take off your skis and head over to the sound of banjos, mandolins and dobros and take a break with a cold one (or some hot coffee, cocoa or yerba mate). Walking into the venue each day, you feel like a member of a larger family, one that is smiling, laughing and dancing, and most of all, welcoming and friendly to all.

    walkin in the winterwondergrass
    Photo by John-Ryan Lockman © WinterWonderGrass Festival All Rights Rerserved 2018

    Friday kicked off with multiple sets from Pappy & Friends, Beg, Steal or Borrow, Fruition, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Pickin’ on the Dead and Vermont’s own Saints & Liars. With the three tent stages all close to each other, catching all three was as simple as strolling 50 feet away for a taste of something new. Headliners Jeff Austin Band and The Infamous Stringdusters had the crowd looking forward to the next two days, with powerhouse sets from both. Jeff Austin led a Yonder-style band with a set of speedy jammed out bluegrass originals and covers, capping the set with crowd favorite “Sideshow Blues,” while Stringdusters took spins on Phish’s “Possum” and “Bathtub Gin,” and invited up artist-at-large Bridget Law for Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.” Late night sets featured more from Saints & Liars and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, as well as John Stickley Trio and Beg, Borrow or Steal.

  • Rubblebucket Brings Albany To Its Knees… Literally

    On December 6, Rubblebucket brought their tour through Lucky Strike in Albany in support of their new album, Sun Machine. The duo in Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth are keeping the Rubblebucket name alive after a long, tough road. Sun Machine is an album that literally follows their own struggles as an on and off couple and keeping their personal issues aside as they continue to work together. The songs are incredibly powerful and make for what is being considered quite the theatrical performance.

    And The Kids from Northampton, MA opened the show. They’ve been on tour together a few times now as Kalmia and Alex have become close with the members, even having the “Kids” come out on stage with them for a couple songs. Rubblebucket backs themselves with an incredible touring band that changes from time to time but generally stays the same. Mixing their old classics like “Came Out of a Lady” and new ones like “Party Like Your Heart Hurts,” the band puts on an incredible production with shadow screens and, at one point, literally bringing the crowd to its knees and crowd surfing over them while playing their horns.

    Rubblebucket just announced their spring tour, coming back through New York in late January and mid-March before heading west.

      

     

  • Hearing Aide: Paranormal ‘The Project For Global Madness’

    It’s eerie, dystopic, and a little unsettling – it’s fantastic. Paranormal, a.k.a Emmanuel Fernandez, takes a refreshing step away from what is considered popular and successful rap. The beats are intense and hard hitting, just like Fernandez’s voice and lyrics consisting of his view on a corrupt and crumbling world that is sure to resonate well with a mass audience. The attitude of the whole album The Project For Global Madness is an anthem for the public that believes reform is necessary for the world to continue on.

    The instrumentals on “The Writing is in the Sky” are a slightly tweaked cover of Radiohead’s “Climbing Up the Walls.” Although it’s already an eerie feel, fitting for the album, some more personality could have been used. Fernandez and producer Nea use all original instrumentation on the remaining tracks.

    Regardless of the instrumentals, the message behind this track is powerful. “Fear are the gears to the propaganda machine/ Media terror etc, do you believe what you see?/ Divide and divert, diverge on the word, squirm with your fellow serpents/ Blessed are those who believe without sight…” 

    “Blood Streaks of Stars and Stripes” is another key track due to it’s well produced beats and intense lyricism. We’re hit with more thought provoking lines like,  “We tend to duck when the truth spits/ Gun clicks in consonance with the concept of time…tick, tick/ My environment devised by lying men…” It’s short and to the point, allowing listeners to soak everything in and analyze the track

    As the tracks play on, we start to hear Fernandez’s influences. He pulls inspiration from so many different genres: post punk, hip hop, rap, etc and creates a sound synonymous to Deltron 3030 but much darker. 

    ‘Shine Eternal’ focuses on something more specific – media and entertainment. This one stands out for it’s futuristic sounds rather than dystopian ones found on other tracks. That, coupled with a quicker tempo is a refreshing change of pace after six tracks of sludgy and eerie beats. 

    The focus on the media and the spread of misinformation is the first time on the album Fernandez hones in on a specific issue: a practice that would prove successful on future work. It helps set the song apart from the others and perpetuates interpretation, leaving a good taste in the mouth.

    There is endless room for interpretation on this collection. Each line is worth picking apart which is great, but listeners will find themselves getting caught up in each line rather than soaking up the track as a whole. Fernandez has fantastic ideas and is inspired without a doubt. Not only that, this style of music is much needed in an era of rap reaching a ceiling of mumbling and trap beats. And if Fernandez can hone in on one idea within each track, (i.e. media, politics, money in war, corrupt businesses, famine) in future recordings, he’ll continue to inspire thousands of people who want political and social reform.

    Key Tracks: The Writing is in the Sky, Blood Streaks of Stars and Stripes, Shine Eternal

  • The Ballroom Thieves Warm the Rochester Winter Once Again

    The Ballroom Thieves returned to the Arbor Loft in Rochester for another show put on by Honest Folk. They stopped by last winter, Valentines Day to be exact, and were back for another frigid Rochester night. The folksy trio was back to let Rochester warm its souls next to their rich musical fire while the cold and snow settled in for the long haul outside.

    They’ve been busy during their ten-month absence and brought with them two new EPs, one of originals and one of covers. The set borrowed heavily from the new material so the show varied greatly from their previous visit and they continued to showcase their evolution as a band.

    On their very first visit to Rochester, back at Abilene, cellist Calin Peters had only recently joined the band. She was a bit shy and hesitant to take control musically. But if Tuesday night was your first time seeing the band, you might determine that the band was built around her specifically. Her beautiful voice led a seeming majority of the tunes and commanded attention unlike any other time we’ve seen them.

    Drummer Devin Mauch and guitarist Martin Earley were both recovering from colds while Peters was limping and in a brace from a minor tour van incident. They jokingly were running at a collective 230%, though you wouldn’t know it from their output. On newer material like the raucous and meandering “Can’t Cheat Death,” the deep fuzzed out blues “Fistfight,” and the bubbling, bouncing and building “Almost Love” they were as energized and active as ever.

    They threw some great new covers in the mix as well. Earley took the stage alone mid-set for a solo take on Tom Petty’s “Time to Move On” while Peters lead the band on Bahama’s spectacular “Lost in the Light,” which is featured on their just out EP, Covers.

    The show ended with a “fake” encore of “Bury Me Smiling,” but there was nothing fake about this show. Honest through and through, including some highly detailed band introductions, including individual Q and A sessions, including such deep dive topics as pets, eating habits and high school accomplishments.

    A short opening set by Odetta Hartman married electronics with acoustic folk. Drummer/percussionist Jack Inslee laid down landscapes of sound ranging from seaside and train noises to banjo melodies to backing choruses, while Hartman’s angelic voice and banjo, guitar or fiddle floated above. Inspired by the wedding-esque surroundings, they eschewed their usual spooky setlist for a more love-based repertoire.

    Ballroom Thieves, Arbor Loft – Rochester

    Setlist: Anybody Else, Can’t Cheat Death, Saint Monica, Only Lonely, Time to Move On (Tom Petty), Bartering, Trouble, Fistfight, Lost in the Light (Bahamas), Do Something, Almost Love, Bury Me Smiling

  • Hearing Aide: West End Blend ‘Live at the Waterhole’

    West End Blend Waterhole

    Say hey to the first live album from Connecticut funk group West End Blend, whose eight-track recording includes a blend of songs from their three previous albums, invigorated with the energy captured during their two-night run at The Waterhole in Saranac Lake.

    Captured on a studio-style soundboard engineered by the GRAMMY award winning Brendan Morawski, the recording is bright and full, bringing fans closer to the band without even setting foot in the venue.

    Overall the live tracks match the recorded versions in quality, but play out a littler longer and showcase the band’s live flair. Purposeful guitar on “Get By” leaves space for a more intense build, intensifying the plea in the song’s lyrics to make a relationship right. The track is cleverly bookended with emotive guitar instead of the layered vocals and sound effects they used on the studio version, adding weight to the song.

    Most of the songs they chose for this album deal with the uncertainties of love (“Day Dreamer” and “The Scene”) and determination and finding inner power (“All You Got” and “I’m Time”). The lyrical content relays compelling and relatable themes backed by powerful dance grooves that emphasize the message.

    There are a couple of dates to catch West End Blend before the end of the year including December 21 at Anthology, and December 22 at The Haunt. Check out their Facebook page for event details.

    Key Tracks: Get By, Day Dreamer, The Scene

  • Dave Matthews Mixes Favorites and Covers in Albany

    Dave Matthews Band has been on an extensive fall tour this year, making stops all across the United States, sounding tighter than ever and brought an incredible show to the Times Union Center in Albany, NY on December 5.

    Usually, the band makes their way to the Albany area in the summer for their legendary SPAC runs in Saratoga Springs. The group opened up with “You Never Know” into “One Sweet World,” followed by “Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin).” Next, Dave Matthews and his band played crowd favorite “Everyday” followed by a cover of Aerosmiths’ “Sweet Emotion.”

    dave matthews albanyThe night was filled with crowd pleasers and hits like “Where Are You Going,” “Don’t Drink The Water” and of course “What Would You Say.” The Dave Matthews Band ended the night with a two-song encore featuring “Granny” and the Bob Dylan cover “All Along the Watchtower.” The group continues their tour through December 28 when they close in Miami, FL. Check out photos from their Albany performance below provided by Vinny Otto:

    Setlist: You Never Know, One Sweet World, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Everyday, Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith cover), Minarets, Where Are You Going, Burning Down the House (Talking Heads cover), Crush, Kill the King, What Would You Say, Here on Out, Don’t Drink The Water, Dancing Nancies, Come On Come On, Grey Street, She, You Might Die Trying

    Encore: Granny, All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan cover)

  • Hearing Aide: Jackson Cavalier ‘Spellbound’

    Jackson Cavalier is well-known in his hometown of Rochester as a solo act. As a one-man band he has won the city’s Best Busker contest year after year. With guitar in hand and harmonica at the ready, he keeps time with his toes tapping at the tambourine and a rustic suitcase bass drum. His first solo LP entitled Full Moon sounds a lot like his live act, but with a few extra touches. Now, within a span of less than a year, Cavalier has released his second full-length solo album, Spellbound.

    Like the black and white labyrinthine album art, the music at first seems deceptively simple. It soon becomes apparent to the listener that the songs are comprised of multiple layers of acoustic texture and lyrical meaning. Spellbound comes out of the gate at a full gallop with the title track, an acoustic song heavy on guitar and harmonica. The Southwest-inspired finger-picked tune sets the tone for a bewitching tale about trying to avoid a spell, but finding it’s too late. The shanty sets the tone for the entire 12-track album, which shares the common theme of being enchanted – whether by love, death, or even time itself.  

    Cavalier uses the medium of Indie Folk Rock to take listeners on a journey through an anthology of timeless tales. “Mt. Hope Blues” is set in the hills of Rochester’s Victorian cemetery, and told from the perspective of a ghost watching his beloved pick wildflowers for his grave. The boot-stomping song “Sister Prim” tells a story of revenge by a woman scorned. “Razor Wire Death Song,” the one single pre-released before the album, is perhaps the most poetic: “I see the reaper grim and tall / scythe and cloak and horse and all. / He’s not a specter on a hill to be feared, / he’s standing right in front of me beside this mirror.” Later in the album Cavalier reels it way back for the sparse and sentimental ballad “Ribbons.”

    Whereas Cavalier’s earlier original songs with his full band The Fevertones had a more traditional Americana folk styling, with accompaniment by violin and upright bass, his sound has evolved into a distinctive style of folk rock with country flair. The songs on Spellbound have a rich, full quality, in part from the addition of Thomas Draper on bass guitar and Joey Small on drum kit & auxiliary percussion. The tunes are accentuated by a subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) sprinkling of melodica and Glockenspiel.

    The harmonious pairing of the music and storytelling has a mesmerizing effect. The result of Cavalier’s adept musicianship is a work that has come by its name honestly, as it truly leaves the listener spellbound.

    Spellbound is available for purchase on Bandcamp or streaming on Spotify. Follow Jackson Cavalier Music on Facebook for the latest news and events.

  • Dave Matthews Band Opens NYC Run With Rarities and Special Guest

    Dave Matthews Band returned to the world’s most famous arena for back-to-back sold-out shows as part of their 10-city fall tour on Nov. 29 and 30.

    Having the opportunity of a summer tour to spotlight songs from the band’s 2018 release Come Tomorrow, DMB shied away from making that the focus with one four songs from the album in their set. Instead, they took the opportunity to mix the show up a bit with some rarities and older songs not often seen in their touring set lists.

    Highlighting the latter part of the nearly three-hour single set was a special appearance by the talented Eric Krasno, a NYC native and founding member of Soulive (alongside Alan and Neal Evans) and Lettuce. Krasno joined the band for a fiery solo on “Lie In Our Graves.” (DMB’s second night featured Warren Haynes as a special guest).

    With the early 2018 departure of the band’s long-time violinist Boyd Tinsley, whose parts were a defining part of their live sound, the band found keyboardist Buddy Strong to fill the spot. Strong is a talent behind the keys, touring or performing with majors acts like Usher, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and others. He brought a different dynamic to the performance than we are used to, adding a bit of funk and soul to the overall sound and crafting a new feel to some of the improvised moments of the show such as his solo on “Funny The Way It Is.”

    A few familiar songs anchored the setlist to keep the less-seasoned DMB fans engaged such as “#41” and “Satellite,” though night two’s set was a little bit more mainstream in the tunes. Closing the encore was one of DMB’s more commercially popular songs, “Ants Marching,” featuring some extended jamming and Beauford riffing around an a drum intro that slowly teased the song.

    Setlist (Night 1):

    Seek Up, That Girl Is You, Why I Am, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Kill the King, #41, Satellite, Again and Again, Sweet Emotion, Minarets, Can’t Stop, Lover Lay Down, Lie in Our Graves (w/Krasno), Sleep to Dream Her, Typical Situation, Funny the Way It Is, You & Me, You Might Die Trying

    Encore: What You Are, Ants Marching

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