NYS Music 20​18

Category: Reviews

  • moe. Continues Tour in Portland for Rob Derhak at Hometown Show

    On February 16 and 17, moe returned to bassist Rob Derhak in his hometown of Portland, Maine for a blistering double-header. After selling out the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester two weeks prior, moe. fans were treated to two nights of music at the gorgeous State Theatre, with fan favorites, reworked songs, well-executed covers and some deep, exploratory jams.

    moe. opened with the aptly-chosen “Bring it Back Home,” which transitioned smoothly into the intense drum intro to “Water,” featuring teases of both “meat.” and “The Pit.” Both drummer Vinnie Amico and percussionist Jim Loughlin were seemingly possessed by some ferocious energy during both shows, adding all kinds of fills and teases to familiar songs, while inventing new patterns and improvisations. After “Water,” the band immediately dropped into “Bullet,” with guitarist Chuck Garvey belting out the lyrics, before the premier of his new song “Who You Calling Scared?” They then invited a friend of the band’s, Bill Waldron to the stage to play pedal-steel on a highly-charged rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers.” Waldron had recently lent the use of his practice space for moe. to prepare for the Capitol Theatre run. The latin-inspired instrumental “Mar De-Ma” followed, with the newly reworked “Lazarus” in tow. They then closed the first set with a soaring version of “The Road” before taking a short break.

    Set 2 began with a one-two punch: “Big World,” which dropped into the funky and danceable “Ricky Marten.” The two are often paired, but following them with “Time Ed” was a rare treat for the moe. fans in attendance. “Time Ed” slowly and patiently built towards its intense climax, and then no huddled into “Puebla.” They followed this with one of the best versions of “Four” ever played, featuring an extended bass jam in the middle that featured strong teases of “In a Gadda da Vida” and a much subtler, blink and you’ll miss it “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” tease. “Four” clocked in at a staggering 30 minutes long and featured an incredible, progressive segueway into the punky intro to “head,” which served as the set closer. After a short encore break, the boys returned to the stage for their rendition of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla,” which featured an exploratory jam and some vocal shenanigans from Rob. Hardcore moe.rons would recognize the references to the raunchy moe. rarity “Tijuana Donkey Show” that were inserted into the “Godzilla” vocal jam.  Listen to the show here.

    Saturday night, an even bigger crowd made its way to the State for the second performance, which somehow managed to top the already phenomenal first night. They took the stage, and Rob wasted no time dropping into the bassline of “Billy Goat,” a song he penned for his late father. After a well-performed “Billy Goat,” they transitioned into Jim’s new song “Don’t Wanna Be,” that might be on the next album and features his gruff vocals and dark, pensive lyrics. The transition featured heavy “Tailspin” teases and was followed with the technical “Crab Eyes” and then “ATL,” which debuted in 2012 at Summer Camp, only to be shelved for several years before finally being resuscitated last year. “ATL” was followed by the first repeat of the tour, Rob’s new song “LL3,” which describes his harrowing victory against cancer. They transitioned into “Bearsong,” which went into a long, spacey, ambient jam reminiscent of 2001-era moe. Jim led them into “Tubing the River Styx,” the intro to the Satanic “The Pit,” and then back into “Bearsong,” to complete the sandwich. It is most certainly worthy to note that Rob was in a bear costume for the second half of “Bearsong.”

    Set 2 began with Rob’s relatively new jam vehicle, “Prestige Worldwide,” which debuted at the holiday show in 2016, followed by the erratic and playful fan favorite, “Seat of my Pants,” and the hyperactive “Sensory Deprivation Bank.” This was followed by the second repeat of the tour, Chuck’s immaculately composed “New Hope for the New Year,” an intricate tune with tons of potential for future improvisation. This and “LL3” were both played for the first time in Port Chester, at their first performances since the end of their hiatus. After, they dove into an uplifting “Bring You Down,” which featured one of the most patient, smooth, and entrancing segueways of the weekend, into “Kyle’s Song,” which flowed into its sister song “Kids” to close the second set. moe. then encored with the sing-a-long “Spine of a Dog” before bidding the crowd farewell. Both nights featured heavy improv from the rhythm section and alterations on classics, as well as deep psychedelic jams and segues that left the crowd guessing. moe. is back, and they are hungry. Listen to night 2 here.

    Friday, Feb. 16

    Set 1: Bring it Back Home > Water (nh)> Bullet, Who You Calling Scared? (FTP), Dead Flowers, Mar De-Ma (nh)> Lazazarus, The Road

    Set 2: Big World > Ricky Marten > Time Ed (nh)> Puebla, Four > head.

    Encore: Godzilla

    Saturday, Feb. 17

    Set 1: Billy Goat > Don’t Wanna Be, Crab Eyes, ATL, LL3 > Bearsong > Tubing the River Styx > The Pit > Bearsong

    Set 2: Prestige Worldwide > Seat of my Pants > Sensory Deprivation Bank, New Hope for the New Year, Bring You Down > Kyle’s Song > Kids

    Encore: Spine of a Dog

    photos by Sarah Bourque

  • Video: Funk Night in Albany from Parish Public House

    Members of Dopapod, Kung Fu and Wurliday joined forces on Thursday, February 15 for the latest installment of Funk Night in Albany. Held at Parish Public House, the night featured funk tunes, Zappa and Nirvana covers, plus special guests Rob Sommerville of Kung Fu on saxophone and Philippe Chow of Albany on trumpet. Watch video footage from the show, plus a gallery from the night’s performance below.

    Set 1: Hot Dog, Miss Riverside, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), Stink Foot, All Apologies, Shake Everything You Got, Cold Sweat

    Set 2: Ain’t it funky now, Peg, Bodhisattva, Catfish John, Flood in Franklin Park, Windjammer

  • O What a Night! Moho Collective & Overhand Sam (& AnamOn & PenthOrse) at Funk n Waffles Music Hall

    The Friday after Valentine’s Day at Funk n Waffles Music Hall homemade hearts hung from the ceiling and decorated the stage. It was a night built for the love of the local music scene. The Moho Collective set the stage and Overhand Sam would close it down, but not before inviting a bunch of friends to help with the celebrating.

    With a name like The Moho Collective, you might believe this band would bring a stageful of members. But as just a trio, the “collective” in their name might better describe their influence-rich sound. The trio, Kurt Johnson on guitar and pedal steel, Justin Rister on bass, and Ryan Barclay on drums and percussion, “collect” musical styles from across the globe, combining them in new and mystifying ways. Their hour-long set travelled to Australia, with Barclay laying down a low drone on the didgeridoo on “Bamal,” Mexico/Latin America with the fiery Satana-esque guitar shredder “Wenindee,” the Far East with the pedal steel plinking groove of “Chikyu Hakken,” before finishing up in Canada with their stirring instrumental rendition of Neil Young’s “Cowgirl in the Sand.”

    Through it all they explored heavy rock, soulful funk, jazzy blues and tripped-out effects-laden spaciness. If you like music that shakes your hips, pumps your fist and makes your head spin, The Moho Collective is for you. They’re promising two new albums this year and probably already have more shows on the calendar than they played in all of 2017 so there should be ample opportunity to enjoy their worldly and otherworldly grooves this year.

    Johnson’s guitar mate from Maybird, Sam Snyder, aka Overhand Sam, is even more enigmatic to first-time listeners. As is implied in the name, he plays guitar “overhand.” It looks odd at first and is met with many quizzical looks from first timers. Playing for friends, family and longtime fans, there weren’t any surprised faces Friday night. Snyder lends his hand to many bands in the Rochester area, gives lessons and records/produces local music. He used his set as a bit of a showcase for some of these projects.

    Backed by bassist Benton Sillick and drummer Aaron Mika from Anamon, Snyder ran through tracks off his 2017 release Longer Legs. Songs ran the gamut from melodic punk to new wave to twang rock, with the trio format giving Snyder’s unique guitar stylings plenty of room to shine.

    Midway through their set, Anamon front-woman Ana Emily Monaco was invited up to play a pair of new songs she’s been recording with Snyder’s help, who also plays in her band. Johnson joined on the pedal steel to lend a rich backwash of country twang to her lilting mid-tempo rock.

    Next, Snyder invited his guitar student Matt Treadwell and drummer Joe Parker to premier a couple songs of their own, in a project tentatively named Penthorse. In a bit of a 180 from Anamon, these songs had a spastic herky-jerky energy, afro-beat inflected sound and near-spoken word vocals.

    The set finished up back with the original trio playing more from Longer Legs, with a lively cover of the Kinks’ “Everbody’s Gonna Be Happy” thrown in for good measure. Yet more friends helped close out the night, with the McCarthy brothers from new-to-town August West joining on vocals, and Johnson back up to play some Omnichord. The band laid down yet another premier, ripping through the infectiously catchy “Lalalazy” to close out what was a lovely night showcasing the talent of Rochester.

  • The Ballroom Thieves Spend Valentine’s Day in Rochester

    Valentine’s Day. The perfect occasion to spend an intimate evening alone with your loved one, or as was the case Wednesday night in Rochester, the perfect occasion to spend an evening with a few hundred live music lovers for an intimate show with The Ballroom Thieves. It was apparently an easy choice for many, as the show at the Arbor Loft, a beautiful event space above Hart’s Grocers in the East End, was sold out in advance.

    The trio from Boston, returned for their third Rochester show, and first in over two years. They played two near-hour long sets, both with their own unique overlying flavor. Guitarist Martin Earley strapped on his electric guitars throughout the opening set, while Calin Peters picked up her electric bass for a good portion. In the second set, Earley went almost entirely acoustic, while Peters spent the majority on her cello. The energy ramped up throughout the first half, up until a blood-pumping fervor in the set-closing “Wolf.” The second set was more subdued on the whole, eventually winding all the way down to a show-closing encore performance of Paul Simon’s “American Tune,” completely unmiked.

    Electric, acoustic, no matter. This trio is greater than the sum of it’s parts. Their unique mix of instruments and variety of playing styles kept their sound fresh and invigorating throughout the two-hour show. Devin Mauch is more percussionist than drummer. He serves as not only the beat-keeper, but a third melodic instrument. Utilizing multiple mallets, wire brushes, and traditional sticks, he coaxed a smorgasbord of sound from his minimalist kit, which included an unusual hand-powered bass drum. Peters’ could hold down the low end with the bass during unexpectedly rocking moments, pluck out a more gentle bass on the cello, play foil to Earley’s leads or carry the load with lush bowed flourishes. Earley’s guitar sounds ran the gamut; electric, acoustic, finger style, flat picked.

    The band had a full toolkit, but also knew when and where to use it. There might be no drums, no cello, or just Earley solo; almost every song had a unique mix. Their gorgeous three-part harmonies were nearly ubiquitous though. And with good reason, it’s what elevates this trio to the next level and makes The Ballroom Thieves sound like The Ballroom Thieves. Even a cover of The Heartless Bastards’ “Low Low Low” turned into a song of their own (Earley jokingly wanted to claim that it was), as Mauch sang with just a hint of Erika Wennerstrom’s distinct vocal delivery.

    Nothing fills the heart quite like an intimate evening of genuine and earnest music, even if the messages conveyed weren’t always all that romantic. As they wrapped up the evening with the aforementioned bare bones “American Tune,” there wasn’t a person in attendance who didn’t believe that The Ballroom Thieves was the right choice for Valentine’s Day, love songs or no.

    Setlist
    Set 1: Peregrine, For Mercy, Lantern, Pocket of Gold, Oars to the Sea, Here I Stand, Trouble, Saint Monica, Do Something, Wolf
    Set 2: Blood Run Red, Wild Woman, Coward’s Son, Bury Me Smiling, Archers, Bees, Only Lonely, Low Low Low (Heartless Bastards), Sea Legs, Anybody Else
    Encore: American Tune (Paul Simon)

  • An All-Star Lineup Celebrates David Bowie at The Egg

    With members of his touring bands on stage at The Egg, the catalog of David Bowie was celebrated in earnest, featuring a mix of classics, rarities and fan favorites that sprang an audience from their seats throughout the night. Having lost Bowie just over two years ago, the stars sounded very different tonight thanks to the voices of Bernard Fowler (The Rolling Stones), Gaby Moreno, Joe Sumner and Corey Glover (Living Colour) bringing life to Starman’s songs once again.

    david bowie egg

    Celebrating David Bowie featured an incredible lineup fronted by Queens native Mike Garson, who performed with Bowie at his first and last U.S. concerts, and noted early on that he was blessed to play 1000 concerts and 20 albums with Bowie and was proud to continue bringing his music to you. Joining Garson were guitarists Earl Slick and Gerry Leonard, Carmine Rojas on bass and Lee John Madeloni (Slick’s son) on drums. Over the course of two and and a half hours of more than 20 songs, between 5 and 10 musicians were on stage at a time, echoing Garson’s remark, “It takes a village to get Bowie’s music across.”

    With all this talent and the music of David Bowie, it raises the question, “Is there such a thing as too many hits to play?” The answer, by the end of the marathon performance, was a definitive no. Rojas noted after the show that with all the tunes to choose from, it is hard to pick what to play, but they intend to mix it up night after night this tour. Bowie indeed had too many hits to count, plus a bevy of under-appreciated albums, many of which found themselves in the limelight this evening, performed by the musicians who knew the music better than anyone other than Bowie himself.

    Starting the night with “Bring Me the Disco King,” an extended cut from 2003’s Reality album, Fowler took the lead on vocals from the get-go, following with “Rebel Rebel,” “Moonage Daydream” and ‘Fame” which saw the crowd rose with encouragement from Fowler. Living Colour’s Corey Glover, who sang backup for Fowler on many songs tonight, took to the mic for the first time singing “Changes,” followed by “Space Oddity,” the first song vocalist Gaby Moreno, a 2017 Grammy nominee for Best Latin Pop album for Ilúsion, sang amid a starry backdrop. Joe Sumner, Sting’s son, sang and played acoustic guitar for “Quicksand” off Hunky Dory, followed by Glover back on vocals for “Young Americans.”

    An immense highlight of the show followed in the form of “5 Years,” performed elegantly by Moreno. The gritty, dark rock of “Station to Station” brought Earl Slick into the limelight to perform the title track of the album to which he contributed. During the outro to “Alladin Sane,” a piano medley by Garson included Bowie, Beatles, and old timey piano tunes mixed in. Moreno and Fowler performed a duet on “Wild is the Wind” while Sumner sang “Ziggy Stardust” better than anyone alive, with Slick shredding throughout.

    During “Suffragette City,” Glover ventured into the crowd for the latter part of the song, and admiring the amphitheater in front of him, he took a seat in the top row to take in the set closing “All the Young Dudes,” where Sumner had everyone waving hands in the air.

    For the encore, Gerry Leonard came out for a solo guitar rendition of rarity “Loving the Alien,” followed by Sumner stepping out to sing “Life on Mars?,” an emotional rendition of one of Bowie’s best songs. For the grand finale, “Heroes” closed the show, bringing all 10 musicians to the stage for an all-star ending to an emotional tribute for one of the greatest rock n’ roll legends ever.

    Setlist: Bring Me the Disco King, Rebel Rebel, Moonage Daydream, Fame, Changes, Space Oddity, Quicksand, Stay, Conversation Piece, Can You Hear Me, Young Americans, 5 Years, Station to Station, Time, Lady Grinning Soul, Alladin Sane, Wild Is the Wind, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, All the Young Dudes

    Encore: Loving the Alien, Life on Mars?, Heroes

    Celebrating David Bowie next perform this Friday, February 16 in Boston, MA at Chevalier Theatre, Saturday, February 17 in Montreal, QC at M Telus and Sunday, February 18 in Toronto, ON at Danforth Music Hall.

  • Cousin Earth’s Energy, Ampevene’s Album Release Highlight the Hollow

    The Hollow Bar and Kitchen was in a New York state of mind on Friday night. Albany progressive rock quartet Ampevene, celebrating the release of its new album Ephemagoria and Brooklyn-bred Cousin Earth threw down the perfect blend of Led Zeppelin-esque energy and a quirkiness in the Frank Zappa vein at Albany’s leading rock club.

    Kicking things off with “Rometheu,” Ampevene put on display its prowess for technical proficiency, led by guitarist Gabe Stallman and bassist Mack Hogan trading runs. Hogan’s thumping rhythm was a constant throughout the group’s set. “Tracalysis” was followed up with an all out rock ‘n roll drum solo from Brian Fahey.

    Pulling from one of their main influences, Ampevene launched into the chunky opening chords of the Nirvana mega hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Stallman added a unique spin to his short solo, making the song take a psychedelic spin. “Goliath” preceded “Tumultous,” the latter of which morphed into a crowd pleasing segment featuring Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused.” The jam saw the crowd grow a little rowdy and the band responded with the highlight of their set. “New Song” and “Valencia” closed out the set to a roaring applause from the band’s friends and family in attendance.

    Up next was Cousin Earth, playing their first headlining show at the venue. The five-piece group melds together a wide array of musical variety, proved right out of the gate with a searing take on the “Zelda” theme song. Joey Calfa, on his trusted electric ukulele, showed his prowess on the unconventional rock instrument by transforming each note into a blend of guitar and ukulele.

    “Zelda Sarias Song” > “Think of all the Things” > “Tale Spin Theme Song” was next, as Calfa and bassist Corey Feldman, who plays on a Kala U Bass the size of a ukulele, continued to feed of each other’s energy. Tara Lawton, who also plays the melodica, and Terry Brennan held down the vocals with the confidence of a seasoned opera singer, giving the band a sometimes Vaudeville-like feel.

    (Side note: I first saw Cousin Earth a little more than three years ago, just as they were transitioning into their new name from Ukulelian. They opened up a small festival and the crowd was sparse to say the least. I was unsure what this band was going to be like given the irreverent instrumental selections, but the band blew me away that afternoon. Since then, Cousin Earth has been on a steady upward climb, and their headlining slot at the Hollow was proof of their professional work ethic.)

    “Dancing Fool,” “Keep it Greasy,” “Super Fun Laser Beams” and “Alive” allowed each member to stand out at times, while also showcasing their incredible improvisational skills. Drummer Nate Searing held it all together throughout the night, while at the same time providing a loose and fun atmosphere.

    The funniest part of the night is when they burst into a cover of actress Natalie Portman’s rap from Saturday Night Live. Attendees sang along and the band had some trouble containing laughter on stage.

    The closing segment of “Blisters,” “Keep On”>”Scuttle Buttin’”>”Little Wing”>”Capricorn on the Cob” saw Calfa switch between his ukulele and his cherry red Fender Stratocaster to do his best Jimi Hendrix impression.

    All told, this show was great in every aspect. As both Ampevene and Cousin Earth continue to ascend and grow, both groups still put all of their effort into a pleasing live experience.

    Ampevene setlist

    Rometheu, Tracalysis, Drum jam, Smells like Teen Spirit, Goliath, Tumultuous*, New Song, Valencia
    *with Dazed and Confused jam

    Cousin Earth setlist

    Zelda Main Theme> Zelda Sarias song > Think of all the things > Tale Spin Theme, Dancing Fool > Keep it Greasy, Super Fun Laser Beams, Alive, Womp > Natalie Portman Rap (SNL) > Womp > Space Worms (future folk) > Tarantella Napolitana, Spiritual Spun, Blisters, Keep On ( show me the numbers, Ian), Scuttle Buttin’ > Little Wing > Capricorn on the Cob

    Encore: Son of a Bitch

  • Trey Anastasio Brings Intimate Solo Tour to Ithaca

    Phish frontman Trey Anastasio brought his solo acoustic tour through Ithaca this past Friday night. Trey combined story telling with many of the songs, including stories about Phish shows in Ithaca in the late 80s and early 90s. Download the show here.

    Setlist via Phish.net:

    SET 1: Prince Caspian [1], NICU[1], Theme From the Bottom[1], Rise/Come Together[2], Ghost[1], The Wedge[1], AC/DC Bag[1], Light[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[1], Dog Faced Boy[1], Sleep[1], Ocelot[2], Summer of ’89[1], Twist[1], Sand[2], Fuego[2]

    ENCORE: Carini[1], Wilson[1]

    [1] Trey solo acoustic. [2] Trey solo acoustic debut.

  • Samantha Fish Throws Curveballs to Westcott Audience

    In baseball, one of the most effective tools in a pitcher’s arsenal is to throw a pitch the batter isn’t expecting. Kansas City resident and unabashed Royals baseball fan Samantha Fish was equally effective in keeping a Syracuse audience guessing what was coming next by throwing a variety of aural curveballs at them during her performance on February 9 at the Westcott Theater.

    samantha fishA blustery winter evening saw over two hundred music fans turn out at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, New York for a double bill of Judge Gazza and headliner Samantha Fish. Both of these artists held surprises for anyone expecting straight ahead blues music. Gazza is a ubiquitous presence at Central New York live music events, supporting his fellow artists and promoting future shows. A burly, barrel-chested man with some prominent chin whiskers, he opened the show accompanied by Joel Reissig on drums. Gazza played slide and finger-picking style on a colorful folk art style cigar box guitar decorated with his name on the fretboard. His vocals were a gruff, gravel-throated sound that took some getting used to, but fit well with a number of the more aggressive tunes in a spectrum that drew from from Mississippi hill country blues to punk rock. Overall, his set was reminiscent of everything from Social Distortion and the White Stripes to Sleepy John Estes and R. L. Burnside, whose “Poor Black Mattie” was covered by Gazza.

    samantha fish

    Samantha Fish has built a reputation as a popular festival act touring for nearly a decade as a blues trio, with a large slice of cigar-box slide guitar playing of her own. Her latest album and her latest touring band are a decided sonic shift from many of her previous recordings and performances, more roots rock than blues. That may have been unexpected for some attendees anticipating only her older repertoire. Fortunately, Fish’s guitar skills, vocals, and the dense layers of sound that her five piece backing band added were enthusiastically received by the vast majority. Her songs had elements of soul, gospel, country, and Americana, and she was sure to show off her guitar chops on the more blues-tinged numbers, as well as on a roaring cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Heartbreaker.” The variety of styles and sounds kept Fish’s guitar tech busy, frequently changing between an offset Telecaster, Fender Jaguar, Gibson SG, Taylor acoustic, and a gorgeous custom Delaney guitar, before making her way to a cigar box guitar for a second encore.

    Among the highlights were the beautiful, plaintive “Need You More,” and the infectious “Somebody’s Always Trying,” accented by the punch of Alex Massa on trumpet, Chris Spies on saxophone and the driving beat of Scott Graves on drums that had dozens of folks up and dancing. Rounding out the band were Chris Alexander on bass guitar and Phil Breen on keyboards.

    Fish’s set consisted primarily of songs from her two most recent recordings, Chills and Fever, and her latest, Belle of the West, both on Ruf Records. Each of these 2017 releases have received prominent critical acclaim. The former was named in NY Times music critic Jon Caramanica’s Best of 2017 list. Regarding the latter, Rolling Stone, despite calling Fish a country artist, said, “it sounds like the intersection of coffee-shop folk and juke-joint blues, performed in a sophisticated jazz club.” A broad but apt description, as Fish would likely appeal to fans of artists as diverse as the retro sounds of Duffy or Amy Winehouse, the alt-country of Maria McKee and Lone Justice, to the blues and soul of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Perhaps most remarkably, Fish now has five studio albums to her name, thousands of performances, international acclaim, and is not yet thirty years old. The future is bright for the Kansas City-based artist, and you should be part of it the next time she’s playing nearby.

    Judge Gazza Setlist: Nobody’s Fault But Mine, Going to Brownsville, Jelly Roll, Black Mattie, Bunny Foo Foo, Up Da Punx, Amen, Black Betty, Rollin’ & Tumblin’, Dirty Get Down, You Gotta Move> Nobody’s Fault But Mine

    Samantha Fish Setlist: Hello Stranger, American Dream, Blood in the Water, You Can’t Go, Chills and Fever, Little Baby, Don’t Say You Love Me, Need You More, No Angels, Somebody’s Always Trying, Belle of the West, Gone for Good, Nearer to You, Cowtown, Daughters> Heartbreaker

    Encore: Go Home, Unidentified (cigar box guitar)

  • YACHT Docks at The Great Scott in Boston

    On January 15, dace-pop trio YACHT took the stage in front of an uncharacteristically enthusiastic crowd of Monday-nighters at The Great Scott in Boston, MA. The show began with an ominous tome from a synthesizer and a short recorded monologue before lead singer Claire L. Evans shot across the stage and smashed any early expectations of a quiet evening to pieces.

    However, before YACHT got down with everybody, local R&B man Ed Balloon and his band got the small bar up to speed with a buoyant and athletic performance. Before his final number, Ed taught the audience some crowd harmonies, “she’ll be poppin’ it, poppin’ it,” that got most everyone moving and singing along.

    YACHT’s opening number of the evening, “Night Crawler,” was a distinctive and undulating track that seemed to also be a crowd favorite. The track had danceability, but it had clear punk roots, especially sung in Claire’s sassy and dramatic vocals. With the second track, “Trap Karaoke,” Claire took a step down from the stage to join the crowd on their level and even offered the microphone to some of the hardcore fans who were singing along with every word.

    The rest of YACHT’s performance bounded up and down with strong synth leads, consistent four to the floor beats and a powerful vocal performance from Claire. Jona Becholt, the groups founder, spent most of his time behind the synthesizer and trigger pads with Rob Kieswetter, but he made the occasional dive to the front with a microphone in hand to back up Claire. At times the songs blended together, but overall, there was a a consistent ebb and flow to the performance.

    What the music lacked in variability, Claire made up for with her wild performance, theatrics with the band, and her powerful comments including calls of, “Femininity is a a prison and we all know it!” and “The apocalypse is coming, it’s not a question of if at this point, it’s only a question of when!” to which the crowd shouted back their approval. The show proved to be a point of true levity for the fans to begin their weeks with.

  • Hearing Aide: Justin Trawick and The Common Good “The Riverwash EP”

    Justin Trawick and The Common Good are a budding new name to keep on your radar. The “Americana” band, fronted by Justin Trawick (lead vocals, guitar), Josh Himmelsbach (mandolin, resonator, vocals), and Jean Finstad (upright bass, vocals), combines the comforting notes of folk with elements of bluegrass, and even hip-hop to produce an upbeat, happy-go-lucky debut EP. The Riverwash EP, comprised of five original songs, takes on a myriad of tones, lending to a diverse, yet cohesive storytelling experience.

    Inspired by Bob Schneider, David Gray, The Tallest Man on Earth, among others, fans of The Avett Brothers and even Jack Johnson will also immediately be enamored with Trawick’s optimistic, yet realistic lyrics and tunes that set the tone of this album early on. In fact, optimism appears to be a theme of the album, indicating that no matter the losses, or longings we face, we have the capability of resilience that will keep us going.

    Justin Trawick and The Common Good

    Swinging right into the heat of things, “This is Love” kicks off the EP, played in by light percussion, and bouncing right into the prominent notes of the mandolin. The rhythmic airy tune is offset by quick paced lyrics calling out to a lover. This first track sets the tone for the album, foreshadowing the elements and themes to come.

    Taking it down a half notch, both in tone and beat, the harmonies and the lingering notes of “Ten Long Years” in the chorus remind me of indie band The Head and the Heart. The simple rhymes indicate that, played live, this song would be an audience favorite, for picking up and singing along to the lyrics would be a quick process. Piano makes its sole appearance on this track, fostering somewhat melancholy undertones, contrasting to the uncontestedly positive leading track. However, despite these nostalgic lyrics that are tinged by a slight sadness, that hint of optimism is still there, illustrating that there’s hope in moving forward, and moving on.

    “All That I Lack” is my personal favorite on the album, as the thoughtfully crafted lyrics and myriad of instruments create a comforting and beautiful track. I’m always a sucker for violin, so with the stringed instrument weaving throughout lyrics such as “All that I need/Is still all that I lack/Just the love from a friend/Who won’t love me back,” I couldn’t help but feel sad as I reflected on my own past friendships and relationships. But that’s the power of good music: to make you feel and think.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na1dMGnSu88

    The final two original songs on the album “The Bright Side” and “All the Places That I’ve Been” couldn’t be more different. While the former is a bouncy and catchy ear-worm, “All the Places That I’ve Been” is a thought-provoking track inspired by Trawick’s 98-year-old grandma. The lyrics on this song provide the most thorough and descriptive story-telling experience of the album, with Trawick taking us through the events that occurred during a full, and well-lived life. It’s a stunning song that provides a sense of closure for the album.

    But just when you think the album is finished, the band launches into their own take on Oasis’s “Wonderwall.” The way Trawick chops up well-known the lines, as well as the incorporation of the mandolin creates a fresh new take on the original track. It’s a timeless tune with a folksy interpretation, officially closing off this debut album with a sense of peaceful finality.

    My favorite parts of this album are when Trawick really lets himself go and unleashes his vocals. They’re strong to start, of course, but during the loud lingering notes, you can really feel his passion for his work. You can hear a smile in Trawick’s voice throughout, and can’t help but to have fun with him. Although the band has been playing together for over ten years, it wasn’t until this debut EP that they created the sound they’re rocking now.

    The Riverwash EP had a widespread release on CD, iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify on January 22. The group performs at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3 in NYC on February 27.

    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. 

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