NYS Music 20​18

Category: Reviews

  • Mike Gordon Band at the Egg: So Glad We Made It

    Albany gave Mike Gordon Band a warm welcome for their fourth performance at The Egg this past Sunday. With it’s odd shape designed specifically to create incredible acoustics, it is no wonder that a musical genius/eccentric like Gordon has openly expressed his affinity for this venue. The band even featured their first show here in 2011 as a specially released live recording. Since their last visit in 2016, the band has released their fifth studio album, OGOGO. This album was created with the current touring members, featuring Scott Murawski on guitar, John Kimmock on drums, Robert Walter on keys, and Craig Myers on percussion.

    Mike Gordon Band at the EggThe band opened the show this Sunday with a clean start, playing OGOGO’s ninth track, “Stealing Jamaica,” showing us that the band has had plenty of time over this past tour to get properly dialed in. With these “psychotropically transform(ative)” sounds reverberating throughout the room, we are instantly reminded of just how incredible the acoustics in this room truly are. This song featured a tight jam that included “Waking Up Dead” teases before coming to a slow and steady halt, leading us into the haunting intro to this familiar tune. Written by Gordon and Murawski, this was the only Gordon original to land a spot on Phish’s latest studio album, Big Boat, released in 2016. This featured a dark and funky jam that led the band into the Leo Kottke original “Noon to Noon,” which Mike Gordon Band debuted at the tour opener in Seattle. Kottke has collaborated with Gordon in the past on the two studio albums Clone and Sixty-Six Steps, and Gordon has recently revealed that a third album is in the works. This tune kicked into high gear and could be considered the heavy hitter of the first set, causing the room to heat up and make Gordon shed his scarf.

    After a brief acknowledgment of the crowd, the band played the Max Creek original “Cruel World,” which has been a part of the bands repertoire since 2003. This included “Steps” teases coming from Gordon before a seamless transition into this tune, which was the first single released off OGOGO.  A definite crowd pleaser, it is no wonder why the band repeated this song for the third time in the past three consecutive shows this weekend. The song featured a heavy organ jam from Walter, during which Murawski switched guitars to match Gordon’s luminescent Moire bass.

    Mike Gordon Band at the EggGordon gave a shout out to local friends and family, expressing gratitude for being so close to home this past run. The band then closed the set with a cover of Tower of Power’s “You Strike My Main Nerve” off the album Bump City, a track which has stayed in rotation since the band started touring in January.

    Set two Gordon came out scarf-less with guns blazing, opening with the West African influenced song “Angatta,” featuring Myers on the Ngoni. With it’s upbeat, exotic tempo, the crowd is given a natural boost of energy and reminds us that Gordon has a world of influences outside of the jam world. Next, they played OGOGO’s seventh track, “Up and Down,” which featured an upbeat jam that kept the energy in the room lively. The band stopped before playing “Pendulum,” also off OGOGO. Consistent with the theme of the album, these two tracks are a reflection of of the ebb and flow of life, our ability to see the light and do our best while also inevitably having darker moments, and tonight’s jam within this song was a perfect interpretation of that concept. With a catchy, bouncy swing, the band brings us to a point where it feels like the Egg itself is a spaceship getting ready for take off, before landing gracefully back into familiar, lighthearted territory. Gordon’s words couldn’t seem more authentic while singing the lyrics, “thankful that I have reentered this room with all this vibrating gear.”

    “Peel” came next, the Overstep original that has been in rotation since it’s release in 2014. This led into a jam layered with ominous sound effects, leading us from another dark and haunting jam into an irresistibly danceable beat. This was followed by a cover of Tame Impala’s “Mind Mischief,” a song which has been a reoccurring favorite for MGB since the debut of their own version in 2017. This transitioned back into the familiar territory of “Crazy Sometimes,” which is one of two OGOGO tunes that Phish has borrowed in 2017, (the other being “Marissa,” played once in Pittsburgh this past summer). This heavy jam featured teases from The Guess Who’s original “American Woman,” before transitioning into another Overstep original, “Say Something” to close the second set.

    The band came back for an encore, playing Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin’,” which left everyone in the crowd singing along with a final burst of energy, reminding us that we are “so glad we made it.” From the quality of this show, it is safe to say that Gordon will be planning another visit here in the near future.

    Mike Gordon Band at The Egg, March 11, 2018

    Setlist via Phish.net

    Set 1: Stealing Jamaica, Waking Up Dead, Noon to Noon, Cruel World > Steps, You Strike My Main Nerve

    Set 2: Angatta, Up And Down, The Pendulum, Peel, Mind Mischief > Crazy Sometimes > Say Something

    Encore: Gimme Some Lovin’

  • David Byrne Continues American Utopia Tour In Kingston, NY

    David Byrne brought his American Utopia Tour to Kingston at the Ulster Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 10. This was the 6th show on his new tour, which he claimed would be “the most ambitious show I’ve done since the shows that were filmed for Stop Making Sense.” David hired 11 other musicians to create this performance which would “allow everyone to be mobile on an empty stage”. The lack of wires (and lack of shoes) enabled David to create a performance unlike anything he has attempted before.

    Audience members entered the venue to see a single table on stage with a model of the human brain atop it. The borders of the stage area were lined with a lightweight, semi-opaque chain which allowed the performers to move through it with ease while also perfectly casting shadows onto it. While not yet apparent, the stage design and lack of wires would allow the performers to move freely about the stage in a way not seen in traditional concerts.

    The show started with “Here,” the final track on David’s new album, American Utopia. This was followed by the 2002 track “Lazy,” which he co-wrote with the English House duo X-Press 2. This upbeat change from the first song got the crowd excited as he went into his first Talking Heads cover of the night. The audience all stood at once as the opening beats of “I Zimbra” began to take hold. All six of the percussionists picked by Byrne brought this song to life as they moved back and forth on stage with the tempo and dazzled the crowd with their syncopated melody.

    The Talking Heads songs continued as David led the band into “Slippery People,” which features an interesting vocal breakdown towards the end of the song. The covers continued with “I Should Watch TV,” a song featured on the collaboration between David and St Vincent from 2012. As the lights turned red and the performers got into a single line on stage, “Dogs Mind” changed the mood of the show. Three of the drummers moved their instruments up and down to the tempo as the performers slowly moved closer to the stage during this moving piece.

    Continuing with tracks from his new release, David took his performers into “Everybody’s Coming to My House” before bringing the crowd to their feet with “This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody).” He continued to delight the audience with his classic gyrations as he brought the band into “Once In A Lifetime”. David kept one drummer on stage to perform with him during “Doing The Right Thing.” While performing this new track, the other percussionists were almost hidden behind the edges of the stage, as their instruments were the only thing visible to the crowd.

    Before continuing, David told the crowd that they were going to play a song by a “man who goes by the name of Fatboy Slim, who made a wonderful video for this song.” The crowd was delighted as he went into “Toe Jam” before introducing the band to everyone. The Talking Heads classics continued with “Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On).” This upbeat gem ended with the stage lights turning off, and when they turned on, each member of the band was lying on stage except for the keyboardist. David stood up as the song began and the rest of the band slowly followed him one-by-one. The highlight of this track was the band dancing silently before the final chorus ended the song.

    “Bullet” was one of the most intriguing tracks of the evening. A single lamp containing a naked bulb was brought on stage. This prop contained the only wire to grace the stage all evening and David used this single light source to play with the shadows forming on the back of the stage. The band walked in a clockwise circle around Byrne as he described a bullet slowly entering a body in detail. By the end of the song, he was the only remaining person on stage as the band had been slowly exiting. The circular theme continued with “Everyday is a Miracle” as the band stood in a circle. David faced the audience as the band faced inward until halfway through the song when he moved into the circle, starting a mini conga-line on stage. This silly but upbeat track ended with a patiently executed trust fall before going into the 2001 crowd favorite “Like Humans Do”.

    David continued to play with the lights during the hit song “Blind.” This song featured a single light at the front of the stage which cast an enormous shadow of David. The band proceeded to move around in such a way as to exaggerate their shadows on the backdrop and this continued until an incredibly funky drum solo ended the song. The set concluded with the Talking Heads highest-charting single “Burning Down The House.” The energy of the entire show culminated in this performance and the applause was deafening as the band left the stage.

    Another Fatboy Slim collaboration started the first encore as David Byrne came out to “Dancing Together” from their musical Here Lies Love. The Talking Heads classic “The Great Curve” finished up the encore with a scorching guitar solo from Angie Swan at the end. To everyone’s surprise, David and the band came out without their grey suit jackets to perform Janelle Monoe’s “Hell You Talmbout.” David and company put all of their might into this rousing encore and there was an apparent sense of satisfaction in performing this for the Kingston audience. David ended the show in his usual fashion by saying, “thank you” in a way that only he can.

  • JRAD at Brooklyn Bowl: Night 3

    Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) brought their three-night run at Brooklyn Bowl to an end on March 10. JRAD filled the Williamsburg venue with deep jams and surprises from start to finish, from opening with a JRAD debut cover of The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time,” to finishing the second set with a “Throwing Stones” that went into two other debut covers, Led Zepplin’s “Good Times Bad Times” and The Band’s “Chest Fever,” before coming to an end.

    They mixed in some fun teases of songs like Radiohead’s “Myxomatosis,” WOLF!’s “Fastso’s Last Stand” and there may have been a few “Terrapin Station” riffs tossed around at points as well. Topping the whole Brooklyn run off was a “One More Saturday Night” encore that left a capacity crowd calling for more. It’s official, Brooklyn Bowl no longer has a roof. Marco Benevento, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger, Dave Dreiwitz and Joe Russo have blown it clean off. Again.

    Set List
    Set 1: The Last Time> Shakedown Street> The Other One> Mission in the Rain> Crazy Fingers> Truckin’
    Set 2: Slipknot!> Foolish Heart> Help on the Way> Slipknot!> I Need A Miracle> Franklin’s Tower> Throwing Stones> Good Times, Bad Times> Throwing Stones> Chest Fever> Throwing Stones Reprise
    Encore: One More Saturday Night

  • The Disco Biscuits Brought the Heat in Chilly Portland, Maine

    The Disco Biscuits rolled through Portland, Maine on Friday for the first show of their two- night run at the State Theater, a hidden gem of a venue hiding in the streets of the Port City. Fans of the Biscuits toughed some wintery weather left over from Thursday night’s Nor’easter to get to the show, but the State’s cozy vibe quickly got everyone in the mood for some live music.

    New England-based band Strange Machines kicked off the night with one of their newer songs “Wook in a Onesie” and continued grooving out with some of their funkier songs during the set. They employed their patience while jamming and really built up the energy for an impressive opening set, which ended with the fan favorite “Klepto.”

    Disco Biscuits PortlandThe Disco Biscuits came out swinging, throwing down in Portland with a 65-minute M.E.M.P.H.I.S. > Voices Insane > Spaga > Pygmy Twylyte > Spaga, with M.E.M.P.H.I.S. and the first section of Spaga being the highlights of the opening segment. “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” got the crowd warmed up quickly as the band blew through the chorus and got straight into some weird, deep space jamming that featured Magner heavily using some of the weirder sides of his many synthesizers. Barber made a switch from his Gibson ES-135 to his Parker Fly, and the band started picking up the pace of the jam, lifting it into a sort of mini-peak before they started building on a theme that Barber was creating. After a bit more spacious jamming, they brought the jam into “Voices Insane”,  while still maintaining the groove from the “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” jam going rather than playing the normal tempo of the song.

    “Voices Insane” was a pretty standard version, and after a killer solo from Barber, the band transitioned into “Spaga,” starting off with a piano solo from Magner. “Spaga” transported the whole crowd into a medieval wonderland with its lyrics and jazzy instrumental sections, and the band quickly dove into a dark jam. Brownie and Allen kept the groove tight, and Barber created another motif that the band followed into the first big peak of the night, which transitioned back into the fantasy sound that “Spaga” introduced. After another verse, the band segued into their fan-favorite cover of Frank Zappa’s “Pygmy Twylyte” which was met by an eruption of cheers from everyone in the theater. The whole crowd sang along and grooved out until the jam started to get spacey. Magner took an extended synth solo and led everyone back into “Spaga” which peaked yet again after all the energy they built up in “Pygmy”. They ended the segment with one last high energy chorus of “Spaga” and then played “Wet” to close out the set, which featured a tight mini bass and drum jam from Brownie & Allen, and ended with another great solo from Barber.

    The second set featured two inverted songs, and was a nonstop 102-minute segment of “Story of the World > 42 (inverted) > Lunar Pursuit > Naeba (inverted) > Tricycle > Story of the World.” The upbeat “Story of the World” kicked the set off, with the jam starting off with one of the funkier sections of the night, initiated by Magner getting into some Clav playing. The jam was driven heavily by the duo of Brownie and Allen and was transformed into a dark trance jam once Allen started using his electronic drum pad to create the beat. You could tell that the band was feeling it, as they teased the audience with what seemed like it was the peak before dropping back into the jam, only to actually bring it to a peak minutes later. They used the high energy from the SOTW peak to transition into the end of “42”, signaling that the song was inverted, which was met with another eruption of cheers from the crowd. Brownstein took the lead on vocals for the first time of the night and worked through the many verses and choruses of the song before getting back into the jam that started the song off.

    Disco Biscuits PortlandAfter grooving along for a bit, Magner played a siren sound that brought the segment into “Lunar Pursuit” which brought with it the first instances of Allen triggering laser beam noises from his drum pad. After a quick peak and a spacey reggae section, they moved into an inverted version of “Naeba” > “Tricycle.” “Naeba” was a nice laid back break from the intensity of “42 ” > “Lunar Pursuit,” and after they’d played through to the beginning of “Naeba”, which was an almost heavenly arpeggiated guitar progression from Barber, they transitioned into the dance party that is “Tricycle.” They kept “Tricycle” nice and spacey while Allen kept the electronic dance beat going. The band built the energy up for one last big peak before segueing back into the set opener “Story of the World” for another verse and chorus to close the set out.

    They encored with “On Time,” which sounded like it could be the theme to an 80’s action film. The whole band was having fun being the head of the dance party, especially Magner, who was going off with a vocoder effect from one of his synths. They did one more little spacey jam before Brownie brought the whole band into the last chorus and ended the song.

    As a first Disco Biscuits experience, this show was incredible. The audience was feeling it, and you could tell that the band was locked in with each other during some of the bigger jams like “Spaga” and “Story of the World.”

    The Disco Biscuits, State Theatre, Portland, Maine – March 9, 2018

    Set 1: M.E.M.P.H.I.S. > Voices Insane > Spaga > Pygmy Twylyte > Spaga, Wet
    Set 2: Story of the World > 42 (inverted) > Lunar Pursuit > Naeba (inverted) > Tricycle > Story of the World
    Encore: On Time

  • JRAD at Brooklyn Bowl: Night 2

    Joe Russo’s Almost Dead hit Brooklyn Bowl March 9 for the second of a three-night run. The sold-out crowd was treated to three JRAD debuts: The Grateful Dead’s “Peggy-O,” Junior Parker’s “The Next Time You See Me,” and The Rolling Stone’s “It’s All Over Now.” The show was full of teases as well. JRAD found ways to slip in “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel, “Borderline” by Madonna, and  “Becky” by The Benevento Russo Duo just to name a few. The band has one more night in Brooklyn before heading upstate to play two more sold-out shows in Syracuse and Albany.

    Setlist

    Set 1: Eyes of the World, Dancin’ in the Streets, The Music Never Stopped, Tennessee Jed, Next Time You See Me

    Set 2: Iko Iko, Black-Throated Wind, Bertha, Feel Like a Stranger, Peggy-O, Playing in the Band

    Encore: It’s All Over Now

  • Joe Russo’s Almost Dead at Brooklyn Bowl: Night 1

    On March 8 Brooklyn Bowl’s begotten sons returned to the venue of their conception for the first night of three. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead had fans lined up around the block and packed in on the floor. The couches on the bowling allies were pushed back to make room for the freaks in the vip section. With the room ready to burst at the seems, Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger, and Joe Russo took to the stage. With them, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead brought their approach to the music of the Grateful Dead.

    Setlist:

    Set 1: Alligator, St. Stephen, Dupree’s Dimond, King Solomon’s Marbles, Touch of Grey

    Set 2: The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion), Jack Straw, Hell In A Bucket, Scarlet Begonias, I know you Rider, Stella Blue

    Encore: Man Smart Woman Smarter, Not Fade Away

  • Andrew Bird Monday Performance Soars Above The Egg

    With ten years in the rear view mirror since his last visit, Andrew Bird finally returned to The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany for a nearly sold out, intimate performance for an all-ages crowd. Making a comeback to the acoustically enchanting venue, the violin-wielder set up a cozy shop on stage for an uninterrupted show, complete with ample finger plucking and whimsical whistling for an evening of nature-inspired bliss.

    A dapper Bird took the stage solo to unleash an eclectic mix of live music and cinematic visuals to “River” and “Canyon” from his 2015 and 2017 albums, Echolocations. Combining the delicate sounds of nature, alluring violin compositions and “visuals generated from USGS Topographic Imagery of Los Angeles River and Coyote Gulch, Utah,” the ethereal musician was able to bring the great outdoors to a chillingly quiet audience, ready to absorb the emotion ahead. With previously captured video of Bird strumming along to the rhythmic flowing of canyon water while barefoot, the audience felt like they too were ankle-deep in the same stream Bird splashed around in.

    Showcasing his talent and vulnerability as a solo artist, the Chicago native proved that one instrument and a few foot pedals can provide endless looping and musical possibilities. With a main backdrop and two smaller screens off to the side of stage left and right, visuals of vast canyons of wonder and trickling rivers worked in tandem with Bird’s musically replicated sounds of nature, creating a sensory highway for the masses. The film footage, captured by Tyler Manson, allowed Bird to duet with himself for a harmonious delivery and even seemed stunted to the larger scope of the musician playing on screen behind him.

    As the visuals subsided, the tranquil music was paused for three bandmates, a drummer, bassist/guitarist and pianist/guitarist/bassist to hop on stage. While the fans remained glued to their chairs with wide eyes, Bird didn’t refrain from rocking out in front of an illuminated, color-changing backdrop. The whistling wizard and his band began with a mini throwback off the 2005 album Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs (fitting for the venue), “A Nervous Tic Motion Of the Head to the Left,” which brought exuberant energy to the spherical theater. While maintaining the up-beat tempo the band supplemented on stage, Bird partook in some witty banter with the crowd admitting he was “… shredding so hard” as he ripped loose hairs off his shedding bow.

    After “working out some frustrations” to the song “Are You Serious,” he and the band scaled back to play acoustic tunes with all four musicians circled around one booming mic. The 44-year-old musician collected a group of fantastic artists to play alongside him, as they were able to swap instruments to perfectly compliment each song’s energy. Among xylophone solos and a spinning double horn speaker, a fan-favorite treat of the night came in a flawless cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest” during a three-song encore.

    With acoustics bouncing off the wall and striking internal emotional chords, Monday night’s story was illustrated through a perfect amount of sensory creativity and topographical genius for the audience to talk about for the foreseeable future.

    Andrew Bird was set to wrap the tour on March 7 at Kingston NY’s Ulster Performing Arts Center, but due to an impending storm, it’s been rescheduled for Friday, June 22.

    Setlist: Intro, Down Under the Hyperion Bridge, Gypsy Moth, Sweep the Field, Nervous Tick Motion of the Head to the, Left, Capsized, Bloodless, Why?, Truth Lies Low, Are You Serious, Roma Fade, My Sisters Tiny hands (Handsome Family Cover), Orpheo Looks Back, Give it Away, By any Means, Three White Horses, Archipelago, Pulaski at Night, Danse Caribe

    Encore: Harvest (Neil Young cover), Sisyphus, Weather Systems

  • Hearing Aide: Toubab Krewe ‘Stylo’

    Earlier this month, Toubab Krewe released their third studio album, Stylo, (pronounced Stee-lo), and have since hit the road for a tour following a two-year hiatus. Their last album, TK2, was released in 2010 so fans have been anxiously awaiting this new one that is simply chock full of energy, positive vibes and soul filling goodness. With Stylo, they continue their combination of musical twists and turns that ebb and flow from Appalachian and West African tones to funk, jazz and jams galore.

    The album eases listeners in with “That Damn Squash.” Stocked with an endless supply of percussion on the back beat, the tune rolls along, begging listeners to get up and sway their hips. Clean guitar tones carry the song making it impossible not to bob your head to the beat. “Night Shade” hints at Middle Eastern styling, with an edgier guitar flowing along the edges of the song, creating a musical ride of ethnic rhythms that have no barrier.

    As “Stylo” touches upon layers of Spanish flair, the melody brings out visions of beaches, cold umbrella drinks and toe tapping sways of dancing under the starry sky. An easy track that puts the listener into a carefree mood, it’s hard not to smile when this tune rolls along at a relaxed pace. Be prepared to suddenly want to take a vacation in the Caribbean and enjoy a cold one at the swim up bar with this track.

    The Caribbean infused, African timbre shines through once again on “Saba Meniya,” picking up the beat with whimsically magical chords that tiptoe around the track, creating a beautifully mixed ensemble of musical genres. “Salut” is stacked with crisp guitar, tight drums and percussion, releasing a breath of fresh air with this uniquely laid track before heading into a quick paced jam towards the backend.

    “Lafia” wastes no time taking off with an upbeat melody. A slight taste of funk and deeper rocking tones break through ever so slightly, though maintains the energetic vibe that drips throughout the entire album. Brisk notes ramble along this jam, though holds a heavier feel before emerging into a calmer “Miriama.” This melody features vocal notes and foreign lyrics, forging an air of spiritual soul that embodies this innovative song. Wrapping up the album is “Southern Tracks,” a calm track that blends mystical rhythm with psychedelic accents, bringing the entirety of the album to a clean finish.

    Overall, Stylo presents a unique blend of sounds, tones and styles into a tightly wound package of creative musical melodies. If you are seeking something different and outside the box creative, this is the album to grab. It’s different, will keep you moving and a plaster a constant smile on your face.

    Key Tracks: Stylo, Salut, Lafia

  • That 1 Guy Makes Buffalo Weird Again

    With thousands of artists releasing new music daily thanks to technological advances which allow musicians to record a song and share it with the world in the matter of minutes, performers must be more creative than ever to break through the clutter and establish a name for themselves. Some tour relentlessly to get their name out, a few incorporate jokes or magic into their act to entertain audiences on multiple levels, and others go out and slap a “Magic Pipe” until their fingers bleed. Mike Silverman, or That 1 Guy, happens to do all three, as well as much more. On Thursday, February 28, the one-man traveling circus graced the stage in Buffalo at Mohawk Place for an unforgettable night of music, laughs and wizardry.

    that 1 guyLike most nights with live music at Mohawk Place, the crowd was split between people who had marked their calendars the day the performance was announced and causal music lovers seeking their Thursday night fix. Things were a bit different that night, however, as those who arrived with the intention of winding down after a long day of work to some relaxing tunes were exposed to far more than they bargained for. The imminent weirdness presented itself as soon you made your way to the stage and observed the large, Festivus-esqe, pole standing atop a raised grate in front of three jumbo screens. The large pole Silverman dubs the “Magic Pipe,” is a homemade, electronically rigged pair of machined aluminum pipes connected by adjustable phosphorus bronze joints, with each pipe hosting an orchestral bass string.

    Waiting for the absolute last possible second to go on before the crowd exploded in anticipation, Silverman hopped on stage, pulled out a double-bass bow, and began playing a hauntingly beautiful melody on the smaller pipe. The instrument’s unique tone sounded like a combination of Vivaldi and Pink Floyd, as the screens behind displayed psychedelic images that morphed in unison with each note played. As he hit lower notes, the room trembled with the heavy bass, and audience members could feel spiritually cleansing vibrations run through their chests. The orchestral vibes would not last long, however, as Silverman’s bolstering creativity wouldn’t allow him to stick with one genre at any point in the night. The world-class street performer quickly shifted gears to an African tribal rhythm as he played around with his numerous foot pedals, combining the infectious rhythm with a top layer of EDM beats and deep, bluesy vocals.

    Two songs and the audience had already time traveled around the world and back. The performance oozed with surrealism as Silverman continued his set featuring a duck sock-puppet on one song, a cowboy boot rigged to play like Congo drums on the next, and a whimsical song about a great whale race that took place just before our very eyes to complete the trio.  In between each song the incredibly talented entertainer told jokes, performed magic tricks, and spoke to the crowd as if they were friends in his living room.

    Those who had seen That 1 Guy before added another dimension to the performance as they called for specific songs and yelled out phrases that were obvious inside jokes between Silverman and his audience. Aside from his own kooky songs and singing quotes from passive-aggressive Airbnb reviews he received, the renaissance man performer mixed in popular songs from Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” to jazz standards, and kept the crowd on their toes with whatever classic rock riffs came to his mind.  That1Guy is the kind of virtuoso musician you’d imagine would be playing the Lincoln Center today if the hippies won (or even fought) the war.

    To cap off a wildly entertaining performance, Silverman finished the night with some jazz. He told the audience he saved the jazz songs for the end as an attempt to influence a younger generation to listen to the genre. Once he had everyone buttered up with EDM and rock and roll, he played jazz standards to subconsciously influence a generation of music listeners to seek out a genre that has mostly disappeared from popular music today. When it was all said and done, the set was nearly two hours long, despite it only feeling like a few minutes. From stunning visuals to bizarre compositions you cannot hear anywhere else on the planet, That1Guy is a show all music lovers should seek out immediately. Thankfully, that should not be too difficult as the one-man circus averages an astonishing 150-200 performances a year around North America in an effort to spread joy and weirdness around the continent.

  • Hearing Aide: Marquee Grand ‘Another Toke’

    Nothing beats that rush of nostalgia when listening to classic 90’s anthems from artists such as Third Eye Blind, Weezer, Spin Doctors, and the men who Fight Foo. It’s a shame there aren’t any modern day bands emulating this sound through their original music…or are there? If you’re looking for songs that’ll bring you back to a simpler time, look no further than the entire catalog from Marquee Grand.

    Marquee GrandMarquee Grand is an alternative rock band from Buffalo, NY with deep-seated roots in 90’s alt rock. Recently, the four-piece released a single titled “Another Toke,” the first among a series of singles the band plans on releasing over the next few months.

    If you don’t like catchy guitar riffs or powerful sing-along choruses, you should probably stay as far away as possible from this track. Otherwise, throw on some over-ear headphones, and bring yourself back to the days of smoking doobies on the couch in your mom’s basement.

    If you’re in the Buffalo area, be sure to catch Marquee Grand in concert!

    3/23/18: Spring Kickoff at Mr. Goodbar on Elmwood @ 11PM
    4/20/18: with Ponder at Milkie’s on Elmwood @ 9PM
    4/28/18: Daemen SpringFest at Daemen College
    5/25/18: Countdown to Summer at Mr. Goodbar Elmwood @ 11PM

    ‘Another Toke’ was released on February 6, 2018. Marquee Grand consists of band members John Richter (Guitar/Vocals), Josh Owczarzak (Guitar), Sean Szymanski (Bass/Vocals), and Matt Lawniczak (Drums). Keep up with Marquee Grand on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Built in Breakdance