NYS Music 20​18

Category: Reviews

  • Adirondack Independence Music Festival Closes Out Summer in Lake George

    Just in time to close out the summer, Adirondack Independence Music Festival snuck in a final taste of carefree living and beaming sunshine with a two-day jam in Lake George. Tucked away in upstate New York, the cozy site with two alternating stages backdropped the Labor Day Weekend everybody needed with familiar faces and top-notch talent across the early September lineup.

    Ready to launch festival goers into two straight days of live music, The Melting Nomads took the stage as the opening act. Featuring members from Annie In the Water’s last lineup, the fresh-on-the-scene artists played about an hour set. Next up was Jen Durkin & the Business on the Improv Stage. Steal your Peach band entertained in classic fashion with covers of The Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers over two sets. Keller Williams brought a real blue grass, jazz vibe to the entire grounds while Twiddle’s Mihali brought out his guitar to jam alongside Keller. Following Keller Williams was the renowned Sublime cover band Badfish. Twiddle closed out the night for the second year in a row, with an outstanding performance that had everyone on their feet. The band brought out special guests such as Joshua West of The Melting Nomads and Lowell Wurster. Attendance was nearly double of what the festival brought in the year prior, reaching nearly 3,5000 attendees.

    Ready to follow the kinetic atmosphere of day one with high energy, Let’s Be Leonard jump started Sunday funday and got the crowd moving in the early afternoon. Their laid back personalities and welcoming sound are the first to reel you in but their individual talents bring an extra flair to their live performance as a whole. The quintet played a few tunes from their sophomore release, Static, among the zany crowd favorite, “Brad Paisley.”

    Back to School Special followed punctually on the adjoining stage of the 25-acre Charles R. Wood Park. The first-time super group crafted by Turkuaz drummer Mikey Carubba, laid down the funk as they offered up impressively tight playing and fun splashes of covers throughout the hour set. With a highly skilled lineup consisting of Carubba, Beau Sasser (Kung Fu keys), Craig Brodhead (Turkuaz guitarist) and Sam Kininger (former Lettuce Sax), the experienced quartet instantly blended together to create quality tunes and a professional sound you’d think they’ve been crafting for years.The first double set at AIM Fest was taken on by Lucid, who draws a familiar and devoted crowd from Plattsburgh NY.

    Bringing Woods Rock to the forefront of the ADK stage, the North country musicians tapped into an eclectic selection of genres including harmonica solos throughout their two-hour gig. Previously introduced to Lucid or brand new to their sound, their catalogue and live performance is equipped with something for everyone. Right in the middle of a Lucid sandwich, Swift Technique came as a fresh pop of flavor delivering Philly funk with charisma, booming voices and a horns section demanding to be heard. Stellar crowd engagement from all band members and light-hearted messages to take care of one other truly reaffirmed what the upstate festival setting was all about. The entertaining outfit ended their set with Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and passed the mic back to Lucid for their final set, which found a performance of “Backwoods,” featuring Lowell Wurster’s father and Scott Hannay (Mister F, Wild Adriatic).

    Stepping on stage as if they were walking in the front door of their childhood homes, Pink Talking Fish comfortably let loose and connected with the vibrance of their musical predecessors. Momentum kept rolling through a seemingly sped up version of Phish’s “Cities,” giving phans who missed out on Curveball a reason to groove and shake about. A dive into Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” surely found bodies swaying in unison, with the song’s lyrics acting as a reminder to cherish the final moments of festival season. The Allman Brother’s Band “Whipping Post” made a surprise set-list appearance, acting as a bookend to a drum heavy “What’s the Use?” with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong drummer Alex Petropulos dropping by for a tasty breakdown.

    Lespecial hit the stage at dusk, taking the setting sun as an opportunity to bring the hard hitting funk metal and entrancing beats. The multi-talented trio has a way of mesmerizing festival goers with their gritty, unique sound. They loop their live performances and indulge in genres from electronica and house to progressive rock and dark metal. Known for their musical parallels and tendency to cover Primus, Lespecial took on “Jerry Was A Racecar Driver” to begin closing out their set in style with drummer Rory Dolan nailing the Les Claypool vocals.If there was any comfortable space around you, it was instantly absorbed by the time 8 o’clock rolled around. Bodies quickly assembled and flocked towards the front of the stage as Saturday night headliners Pigeons Playing Ping Pong closed out the fest with high spirits and optimal animation. With two sets of straight funk, the unstoppable touring machines pulled out all the stops, including a “Funk E. Zekiel” opener, a number of hits from their latest album, Pizazz, and two sit-ins from the Swift Technique horns on “F.U.N.K.” and Pink Talking Fish keyboardist Richard James on “Cliffs”> “Once In A Lifetime”> “Cliffs.” Always at the top of their craft with wacky facial expressions, in sync jamming and polished dance moves, the quartet have perfected their stage presence. With a tune self explanatory of the entire weekend, PPPP appropriately shut down AIM Fest with fan-favorite, “Fun in Funk.”

    Mirroring a similar feel that the tight-knit Disc Jam community gives off and what has been missing since Catskill Chill shut down, AIM Fest continues to emerge on the scene at the right place and time. It’s fourth year in operation proved to be the best yet and a fitting, colorful sunset to a noteworthy summer of live music.

  • Hearing Aide: Cory Wong ‘The Optimist’

    Cory Wong "The Optimist"
    Cory Wong “The Optimist”

    Cory Wong is rebranding what it means to play rhythm guitar. Though it’s often regarded as less expressive than lead guitar, Wong has evolved his own unique style illuminating the magic beyond the melody. He’s recently released his first full length solo project, The Optimist, after his 2016 EP MSP, Part 1. He took some time to chat with NYS Music about the new album, the adorable meaning behind “Juke on Jelly,” and why he continues to confuse (but also impress) people at his shows:

    Ally Dean: Have people been responding well to tunes off the new album during this tour?

    Cory Wong: It’s been great! I’m surprised- oddly enough I did not bring enough records. I’ve sold three times as many albums as I expected as far as physical merch. It’s a great metric- people are receiving it even better than expected.

    AD: That’s so exciting! Speaking of people digging your music, some have referred to you as a “rock god.” Does that do anything for you or do you kind of just shrug it off?

    CW: Yeah, I mean we all have an ego and people stroking your ego and saying insanely complimentary things is very flattering, but it’s also really funny. People know me as “rhythm guitar god” which is a rare thing. When people see a guitar show they expect to see shredding solos and insane scales. So what’s challenging for me is figuring out how to uphold that title but not be “shredder guy,” but playing in a very groove and feel-based way.

    I’ll do all my guitar fireworks but they’re very different. They’re clean, direct and rhythmic guitar. So people will come up to me say that [guitar god] phrase, but with a confused look on their face.

    AD: You’ve collaborated with a lot of different people. Does the dynamic usually involve a sense of shared learning or are there a lot of musicians out there that feel more their way is the right way and they aren’t as open to learning and improving from their peers?

    CW: In general the vibe I try to set up is one in which people feel they can contribute. For me it’s all about the artistic endeavor of it, regardless of whether it’s a business venture. It’s about the art and the craft. Of course I have a radio sensibility because I’ve played in a bunch of bands that have been on the radio so I have a good sense of what is radio friendly and that influences what I do but that’s not the goal.

    So when I collaborate with someone like Robbie [Wulfsohn] from Ripe or Antwaun [Stanley] I say “we’re going for this energy.” Antwaun and I are so close almost like brothers at this point from touring together with Vulfpeck for the past few years. When we get together to write there’s a lot more of a relationship there, it’s not about writing something to pay the bills. Most of the people I collaborate with are guys that have a mutual respect for me. I surround myself with people I enjoy being with. That’s part of the recording process too. Everybody is making themselves very vulnerable with what they’re doing, so you have to have that mutual respect.

    AD: And speaking of Robbie, I was excited to see you collab with him on “Light as Anything” because Ripe is one of my favorite bands right now. I saw them play in Rochester last year and loved them so much I saw them in Syracuse the next weekend. I think the structure of that song compliments his vocals really nicely. How did you choose him for the vocals?

    CW: While I was producing their record, I realized in the process Robbie is legit! And the whole time I was producing their record I had this little selfish wishbone in my rib cage goin’ “you need this guy for your record.” So we had to come up with the right tune because we both wanted to feel good about it. For them, they have such an insane live energy, as you know. The thing about producing that band was how to get that live energy in the studio. What they’re going for is a somewhat more straightforward, radio friendly thing. Robbie and I were talking a lot in that realm and about lyrical concepts for his record, and he had this one idea that didn’t quite make sense for Ripe, so we decided to put it on my record. So it was a lot of fun. And our writing process was a lot of back and forth through voice memos, sharing lyrics and melodies. It was when I was on tour with Vulfpeck and he was on tour with Ripe and then we met up in L.A. to actually record it.

    AD: I love when musicians I adore collaborate on projects. It makes my heart so happy.

    CW: That’s awesome and that’s part of the community thing too. We find time during touring to make it happen. It’s been fun to kind of be one of those community connectors. It does come full circle and the community is not as big as people may think. It is huge but there’s so much interconnectedness.

    AD: I was wondering about another song on the album. The “Juke On Jelly” tune is quite fun. And KATIS [pronounced kaytis] repeats this line really quickly and I can’t quite figure out what she’s saying…

    CW: It’s “Oh my little jelly, get up on the telly.” There are kind of two stories to it. It’s the story of a person trying to audition for a TV thing that didn’t feel the confidence to do so and it’s an encouragement to them. I have a friend whose name is Jellybean and he plays a Telecaster. Jellybean is the drummer from Morris Day and The Time. He’s also a Minneapolis legend and shreds on the guitar. I used to pay guitar with Dr. Mambos Combo, it’s like a house band at a club in Minneapolis. Jellybean would come up and play guitar and it was a Tele. So the song is also kind of asking him to come up and play, but it’s mostly about a person who wants to audition and they’re afraid but they know it’s what they’re meant to do.

    AD: That’s absolutely adorable. So who would you still love to collab with whether they’re alive or dead?

    CW: There’s a handful. I’d love to play with George Benson, a legend guitar player. Always wanted to play with the guys from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Seeing them in high school split the door wide open for me to say, “Wow, this kind of music can be done and people will like it. You can have stuff that is both complicated and simple at the same time.” Seeing them was transformative as a musician. Chris Thile is one of the greatest musicians to ever live. He’s a mandolin player. Brad Mehldau is a jazz piano player I love.

    A lot of people I really wanted to collaborate with I’ve already worked with. I wanted to work with Nate Smith for a while and then we did the Fearless Flyers record and now we have a band together. It’s amazing.

    I went to school for science. It was a real leap of faith to choose music as my profession. I knew it’s what I was supposed to be doing with my life. My friends all knew it. Without being too Christian about it, but that’s my background, but I really felt like that’s what God was telling me to do and I still really believe that.

    And now I’m in a band with Nate Smith, the most insane drummer of our time. It’s an amazing reminder that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing but also a serious reminder to keep doing it well and treat it with valor. Now that stuff is happening for me, I can’t get lazy, and have to work harder.

    Review: The Optimist is a fitting title to describe both the overall attitude of the album and Wong’s buoyant demeanor. Every song’s distinctive character still brightly demonstrates how Cory Wong is redefining the “guitar god” persona. “Jax” animates the album to life with a sharp infectious rhythm that stimulates the brain, buzzing like the most welcome alarm clock signaling dance time.

    “Jax” is felt more in the brain, but “Light As Anything” is felt more in the heart. Robbie Wulfsohn’s vocals mixed with elegant and thoughtfully placed guitar synthesize so well. “91′ Maxima” grants listeners some of that quirky sensibility that may be familiar to Vulfpeck fans with some viscous, drool worthy guitar work. “Jumbotron Hype Song” opens with thirst quenching bass from fellow Minneapolis musician Sonny T along with surprisingly poppy vocals from longtime collaborator Antwaun Stanley, combining to create a really interesting spread of highs and lows.

    It’s impossible not to smile during “Sitcom” which employs a comically contrived laugh track throughout an already very cheerful tune with happy horns and a ton of momentum. British singer KATIS and German musician Marti Fischer on the clavinet (which is famously and very prominently used in Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”) come together for “Juke On Jelly” which is an incredibly feel good anthem of encouragement. The title track “The Optimist” is a classy instrumental that rings truest to Wong’s style without being too whimsical. He geniously used the studio recording as a platform requesting famed sax player Dave Koz to make a cameo on the video and IT WORKED (see link above). The album ends with “Massive Action” which brings that heavy bass back with mischievous horns and heavier more lethargic approach that’s just plain cool. The Optimist is available for purchase all over the Internet. Get your copy now!

    Key Tracks: Light As Anything, Sitcom, The Optimist

  • Hearing Aide: Ariana Grande ‘Sweetener’

    When a terrorist bombed the Manchester Arena in England after Ariana Grande’s concert there in May 2017 which killed 22 and injured 500, this overt attack on music caused many to wonder what the singer’s next move would be, or if she would consider leaving the industry altogether. But she bravely returned for a $23 million-raising benefit concert called One Love Manchester on June 4, and was an apt appetizer to her next album, Sweetener.

    This theme of healing and inner peace would tightly inform this album, which first welcomed worldwide listeners on Aug. 17. An overt contrast from her last album, 2016’s Dangerous Woman which was darker and sexual in nature, Sweetener is lighter and calmer.

    “It’s kind of about like bringing light to a situation, or to someone’s life, or somebody else who brings light to your life, or sweetening the situation,” Grande said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last May.

    Given the album’s tragic background concerning the fateful concert, it was assumed that Sweetener would have a melancholic and depressed sound overall, which lead single “No Tears Left to Cry” briefly teased when it premiered back in late April. But after 20 seconds, the song jumps from its expected slow tune into a bopping uptempo dance-pop number, with Grande dancing animatedly on her feet. Its lyrics related to that transition, in that Grande has to move on and be resilient professionally and personally.

    Sweetener actually begins with a 38-second a cappella introduction, “Raindrops (An Angel Cried)” which hauntingly soothes the listener with her bare vocals. The second song, “Blazed,” features acclaimed singer and producer Pharrell Williams whose signature happy-go-lucky sound is very evident, as listeners start getting warmed up with this delicate dancing number.

    The third entry, “The Light is Coming,” features rapper Nicki Minaj, who actually released her own album, “Queen” a week earlier on Aug. 10. This disappointing collaboration failed to measure up to high expectations like “Side to Side” (another Grande-Minaj duet in 2016) and only peaked at number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100.

    Euphoria and positivity mostly permeates through this album though. A highlight is “Breathin” which addresses the singer’s anxiety, its lyrics confessing that people have told her to use drugs to feel better. Its universal message of self-help, hope and mental health can easily connect with listeners, especially within the music realm as fellow musician Demi Lovato survived an overdose in late July. It is a clear example that exposing one’s vulnerabilities can ironically showcase their strengths.

    The four last tracks—“Better Off,” “Goodnight N Go,” “Pete Davidson” (her fiance’s name) and “Get Well Soon”—particularly continue Grande’s mission to spread tenderness and optimism. These are slower and quieter, and her almost-whispery diction make the quartet the perfect soundtrack to one’s slumber.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6QwoGTCJsk

    Sweetener slightly recalls her earlier albums, back where she was not too concerned with landing chart toppers and focusing more on delivering joyful, grin-inducing pop and R&B songs.

    Still unafraid to use art and visuals for getting her point across, the marketing for the album, including its lead single, “No Tears Left to Cry,” and the album cover itself, often displayed Grande and words as being literally upside down. This was a subtle commentary on how Grande’s personal life and career spiraled aimlessly for a while, in the aftermath of the May 2017 concert bombing.

    But with Grande’s determination to not be swayed away by negativity and danger, she bravely set out a new course for herself, making this light-sounding album sound less like a scared murmur for pity but more like a stance of defiance.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.

  • Night Lights Music Festival Welcomes Attendees Home

    This past weekend, the eighth annual Night Lights Music Festival was held at The Heron in Sherman, NY. Nestled in western New York’s Amish country, The Heron’s grounds bring attendees back to simpler times, reminiscent of the summer camps some of us were sent to as younglings. For the most part, the weather was stellar besides a heavy rainstorm rolling in during Octave Cat’s late night set on Saturday night.

    night lights

    One super special thing about Night Lights’ community is the festival’s focus on the physical and mental health of everyone attending. The security onsite is more focused on the well-being of each audience member than busting people for illicit activities, and on the grounds was an area called the “Sanctuary,” which was designated for those who needed to calm down or ease themselves if they were feeling particularly hairy.

    The weekend started on Thursday night, with bands alternating on the smaller two of the three stages, the Cafe Stage and Drum Circle Stage. Intrepid Travelers took the Cafe Stage by storm with their jazzy improvisations, filling their set with musical segues and a few choice covers, including “Musicology” by the late funk legend Prince. The Buffalo-native group also featured one of their groovier tracks, the synth-heavy “Woolify,” towards the end of their set.

    Fellow Buffalo-based group Space Junk were next and and brought their jamtronica stylings to the Drum Circle Stage. The band kept this set all original, as they were getting ready to perform a Disco Biscuits tribute set on Saturday. This first set featured the fan favorite “Das Bootie” into “Ascension,” as well as “Hammurabi’s Code,” all of which were delivered with Space Junk’s usual jam treatment, although Night Light’s environment seemed to breed something special in the group’s music, a theme that became common throughout the weekend.

    Closing out the night on the Drum Circle Stage was a seemingly mysterious band known as Boss Tweed & The Carpetbaggers. Despite the mayhem they caused last year, the group was invited back to play again this year. Among the many profane songs they performed, “I Killed It With My Dick,” “I Fucked Your Wife,” and the eloquently named “Boners” seemed to get the crowd riled up the most. The band also shaved multiple audience members’ heads, pied several others in the face, and asked the audience for a dollar on numerous occasions.

    Friday kicked off with Pappy Biondo of Cabinet’s side project Gatos Blancos on the Main Stage. Gatos Blancos featured a similar rocking bluegrass sound to Cabinet, while still remaining its own group.There are a few other well known artists in the group, namely drummer John Kimock of Mike Gordon Band and guitarist Justin Mazer of Ryan Montbleau Band, who showed off his impressive guitar skills throughout the set. Pappy immediately moved from the Main Stage to the Cafe Stage to sit in with the upbeat Buffalo bluegrass group Folkfaces.

    Folkfaces performed numerous originals, all oozing with positivity and optimistic worldviews, which brought an overwhelming sense of joy to the audience. They’ve been making a name for themselves recently, touring extensively throughout the country, all the way from Buffalo to New Orleans. Funktional Flow performed on the Drum Circle Stage later that night, bringing their reggae-infused jams to The Heron’s grounds. Wild Adriatic brought their Led Zeppelin tribute set to the Cafe Stage, and after performing one of their original tunes, broke into numerous Zeppelin classics, including “Dazed and Confused,” “Communication Breakdown,” and “Good Times Bad TImes.” Lead vocalist Travis Gray’s voice suited the music perfectly, borrowing from Robert Plant’s soulful vocals at times while still maintaining his own soulfulness.

    As the night crept on, Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous took to the Main Stage for their first set of the weekend. The group is a mainstay at Night Lights, and a big reason a lot of people return. For this first set, they broke out into the heavy rocker “Gordon’s Mule,” and then jammed out “The Median,” two fan favorites that really got the crowd going. After a stellar version of “Complex pt. 2,” they debuted their cover of Supertramp’s classic “Goodbye Stranger,” and brought it into the upbeat, yet spooky “Don’t Do It,” which featured a sit in from moe.’s Chuck Garvey on guitar. To close out the set, the group played keyboardist/guitarist Dave Loss’ magnum opus “Staring Into The Sun,” which they’ve performed at Night Lights every year they’ve played it.

    Following Aqueous on the main stage were the funk outfit The Motet, the Denver-based 7 piece that always fill their shows with positivity and funky grooves. The group was on fire on Friday night, which happened to be saxophonist Drew Sayers’ birthday, a fact that vocalist Lyle Divinsky delighted in sharing with the audience multiple times throughout the set. The last major set of the night came from Fearless (A Pink Floyd Tribute), featuring Chuck Garvey of moe., Eli WInderman of Dopapod, Mike Gantzer and Evan McPhaden of Dopapod, and Matt Kellen of Mungion. The supergroup worked through many Floyd classics, including “Breathe,” “Time,” “Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Brain Damage/Eclipse,” and of course, “Fearless.” The highlights of the set included jammed out versions of “Have a Cigar,” “Run Like Hell,” “Comfortably Numb,” and “Young Lust,” which the group did not shy away from putting their own spin on. The entire crowd sang along to every song, and thoroughly enjoyed the group’s renditions of these Pink Floyd classics.

    Upstate, formerly known as Upstate Rubdown, were the talk of the town on Saturday, taking to the Cafe Stage for an enthusiastic set of music. The three always wonderful female lead vocalists brought their harmonies to the forefront of the music, filling the audience with a feeling of joy. After some technical difficulties, the group decided to bring the show to the crowd, and performed a couple songs acoustically amidst the attendees. Tropidelic performed on the Main Stage next, bringing their funk-infused reggae music to life with a very active hour and a half long set. Throughout the set, the group did some synchronized dance moves, which really got the crowd going amidst the drizzling of rain that occurred. Following Tropidelic, lespecial performed on the Cafe Stage, and they were on fire, despite having driven all the way there from Connecticut in a rental van. The group brought out percussionist Chuck Morris of Lotus for a few songs, namely “Jackwise,” a popular track from their most recent album Cheen. The group also performed a newer song with Chuck, titled “Machine Elf Production Co,” as well as the fan favorite “Fruit Wolf Dance.”

    Aqueous took to the Main Stage for the second time of the weekend after lespecial, breaking into their super popular “Kitty Chaser (Explosions),” to kick off the set. Following “Kitty,” the group performed a new song called “Say It Again,” (debuted in Buffalo last month at Cobblestone Live), before breaking into the oldie but goodie “Dave’s Song,” which was brought into the mysterious “Mosquito Valley pt. 2.” After a stellar rendition of “Mosquito,” the band debuted their version of Prince’s classic “Kiss,” with lead guitarist Mike Gantzer singing in a falsetto Prince-esque voice to really nail the song. Towards the middle of the jam, Dopapod and Octave Cat keyboardist Eli Winderman came onstage for a killer Moog synthesizer solo, before the group brought the jam into “Warren in the Window.” To close out the set, the Buffalo groove rockers performed the somewhat rare original “20/20,” which featured a strong electronic jam section towards the end, getting the crowd ready for Lotus’ set.

    Lotus started their set off with the fan favorite “Wax,” a tense tune that features one of Mike Rempel’s best guitar melodies. The group kept the groove going throughout the set, bringing their well known jamtronica sound to the woods of Sherman, NY. Rounding out the night, Octave Cat took to the Cafe Stage for a late night set, and their music seemed to bring down some heavy rain. The group performed lots of original music, including “Intl Klein,” “Spar,” and their new single “Precarious,” which had the whole crowd dancing the night away. As the set crawled on and on the sky seemed to open up more and more, leading to the crowd removing all of their cares and dancing harder. The group seamlessly integrated their improvisations into the songs, barely even letting the crowd know that they were improvising in the first place. The group provided the perfect set to close out the weekend, and created many new fans at Night Lights.

    The eighth annual Night Lights was a major success, featuring a lineup of incredible bands and homegrown (literally) food vendors. The festival will return in 2019, and NYS Music hopes to see some familiar faces there. Check out the photo gallery below for a taste of what the weekend was like.

    Photography by Matt Shotwell at Strawberry Island Dweller

  • Mazzstock 2018: A Birthday Bash & Family Affair

    My birthday parties typically consist of pizza and ice-cream cake. For Hudson Valley resident Lee Mazzola’s birthday, there were more than twenty bands for Mazzstock with hundreds of celebrators dancing and socializing in addition, of course, to pizza and ice cream.

    The (family) friendly atmosphere at Mazzstock.

    The party, dubbed Mazzstock, took place from August 24-26 on a back road in Marlboro, NY. While my wife Lauren and I could only attend Saturday’s festivities, everything we overhead confirmed our own time was representative of the overall experience: an intimate hangout among friends and neighbors, where overbearing security and a daunting list of rules were unnecessary; a small patch in the Hudson Valley hills with nonstop music and carefree families.

    AB/CD rocker

    Before I arrived at the music, here’s an anecdote that aptly encapsulates the Mazzstock milieu: I took a brief shuttle ride from parking to the festival, driven by an apparently crotchety, ponytailed and mustachioed middle-aged man named Steve, who could’ve easily passed for a farmer, trucker, original-Woodstock-survivor, or all the above. After jolting the van to a stop at the music drop-off point, Steve overheard another older gentleman, a curious neighbor who didn’t realize paid tickets were necessary. The gentleman asked Steve to drive him back to his car, disappointed, since he couldn’t pay for the ticket. Steve replied, “Hell no, brother. You take one of my tickets. I bought a bunch because the guy running this shindig is a helluva guy and one has your name on it. You’re staying all weekend, my friend.”

    Hours later, I saw the older gentleman enjoying himself plenty and hoped that Steve was somewhere nearby partying, too.

    Chris Owens of The Other Brothers

    When I did finally arrive at the music area, a soccer field-sized clearing with a smattering of people around two smallish stages set up on the woods line, New Paltz’s The Other Brothers were playing. Led by flamboyant frontman Chris Owens, the nearby natives entertained for forty-five minutes. His backing band churned out funk led by steady percussion while Owens pumped his legs and wrung his hands, belting out soulful vocals. Owens’ voice was pleasant and his presence was vibrant and I was nicely surprised with The Other Brothers.

    The weather was unimpeachable—sunny and seventy, the humidity had finally dissipated—and Lauren and I wandered around the festival grounds before the Alpha Male Gorillas took the stage. Kids (and grownups) were running around, dancing and hooping, everyone in high spirits. A communal bonfire smoldered in the middle of the grounds and revelers played cornhole and beer pong as music wafted from the background.

    The Alpha Male Gorillas bluesy beginning.

    Back at the stage, the Alpha Male Gorillas began their long set with a few bluesy ballads. The vocals were gravelly and the riffs were plucky, a nice changeup from the preceding bands’ jams. To the chagrin of the crowd, they threw a curveball and welcomed a couple rappers to the stage for freestyling midway through the set. Covering a large gambit, they played everything from Nate G to Bob Marley. Festival namesake Lee Mazzola jumped on stage during the set to announce they were the only band who’s played every Mazzstock and the growing crowd vehemently approved.

    While the Alpha Male Gorillas wound down, everyone scooted to the second stage for what turned out to be the highlight of the night. As the sun set, funk powerhouse Kung Fu took the stage and, from first note to last, catalyzed a phrenetic dance eruption. Early in their set, I overheard someone tell his friend, “There’ve been some good sets this weekend, but these guys are next level professionals.” I couldn’t have agreed more.

    Kung Fu rocked Mazzstockers as each bandmate took his turn soloing and harmonizing, a tightknit unit firing on all cylinders. At the end of lengthy jams, a uniquely Kung Fu riff snapped the crowd back to the chorus, before they cast off into another crescendo.

    Kung Fu lit up the night.

    An extensive drum solo from Adrian Tramontano highlighted the set while guitarist Tim Palmieri and tenor saxophonist Robert Somerville were constantly in sync, shifting between lead and rhythm roles. As with every able funk outfit, bassist Chris DeAngelis thwapped away tirelessly on the bass and keyboardist Beau Sasser rounded out the lineup with an upbeat performance on the keys.

    Two hours after they took the stage, Kung Fu left and a feeling of dazzled awe settled in the air. Late at night and with a long ride ahead of us, Lauren and I called it a night and walked back to the shuttle, bragging about the day we had just experienced.

    I was a little disappointed that Steve was still on duty as he dropped us off to the car. But, he said, he would be raging tomorrow.

  • Shinedown Lights Up Darien Lake

    Where does one find all the old school rockers who are just reaching ages where they are getting married and having kids? At a Godsmack and Shinedown show of course. Possibly the one at Darien Lake Amphiteater on July 24. You didn’t find too many young kids at this show, if you saw them chances are they were with their parents.

    Like a storm hit the stage and did they live up to their name. Frontman Chris Brooks got the crowd engaged and on their feet. Even if you didn’t know their songs you couldn’t help but bang your head to it. The band was energetic, and they certainly fit in with the genre for the evening.

    A classic staple in the poppy version of rock came to the stage. Shinedown, from previous shows you`d expect nothing less than perfectionism, and that’s exactly what they brought. Brent Smith and the guys gave us some classics such as “Sound of Madness” and “I`ll Follow You.” They treated us to the new stuff off their latest album ATTENTION ATTENTION such as “Black Soul.” These guys have their stage performance down to a science. Brent took the time to shake the photographer’s hands and also reached out to nearby audiences. He and Zach Meyers have a inseparable chemistry on stage and you almost get excited anytime they are near each other because you can expect some little eye-catching movements or stunts. The stunt they pulled that evening was popping up on a platform towards the lawn section of the audience. Zach and Brent did an acoustic version of “Simple Man.” While not their own song it seems to be a favorite.

    Godsmack, oh what to say about these guys. While being heavy hitters in the older rock scene they can still bring it. Though, I have seen better from them. The sound, under no control of their own, was muddy and what seemed to be sometimes muffled. Sully while having great pipes does not bring an appealing stage performance. Get the man a chair he’s not moving from his mic stand anytime soon. They played some staples such as “Keep Away” and “I Stand Alone.” The audience was pleased with their performance and people left on a high happy note, the real rock stars of the night were Shinedown.

  • The Nth Power Prevails

    Known for their enthralling fusion of soulful harmonies, gripping guitar and unpredictable drum patterns, The Nth Power played at Funk ‘n Waffles Rochester on Thursday, August 23 to a cold room devoid of the passionate crowd they deserved. The tiny crowd could have been a blessing in disguise since the uncomfortable volume may have been a discouragement to first time listeners seeking the band out in the future.

    Despite a harsh beginning to the show, moments of clarity during some of their jams showed the room what they can do. Their stage presence added to the spectacle, with Nick Cassarino (vocals/guitar), Nikki Glaspie (drums/vocals) and Nate Edgar (bass) all equally emotive with instruments in hand. Edgar is probably the most amusing to watch, balancing on one foot and bobbling his head, creating almost a bass player caricature.

    Cassarino took a moment during their performance to plug a charity the band wholeheartedly supports. The Harold Robinson Foundation helps the underprivileged youth in South LA connect with nature by sending them to a three-day outdoor camp. The foundation is highly rated for remaining transparent about their operations and is definitely worth checking out.

    The Nth Power soldiered on, displaying a fierce mashup of Earth Wind & Fire’s “Shining Star” and “Mighty Mighty” that lit up the room before delving into one of their most beloved tunes “Only Love” off their 2016 album Abundance. Overall it was a show worth seeing but hopefully the sound will be more on point next time to do justice to their playing.

  • Albany Latin Fest Celebrates Cultural Diversity in Upstate NY

    There’s nothing better in the world than good music, food, and dancing to make an event successful. The 23rd annual Albany Latin Fest had no problem delivering on those three markers and much more. The event was proudly presented by the Albany Latin Fest Association (ALFA) at Washington Park in Albany, NY. The event was a cultural mashup celebrating the best of the best of the Latin culture and influence in the world around us. Thousands of attendees from all backgrounds banded together to destroy barriers and appreciate the contributions made by Hispanics in an international scale. With live performances from Bachata Heightz, Don Sonero, Cuboricua, and local acts, the event was one of the largest turnouts the organization’s history.

  • Tedeschi Trucks Band and Chevy Court Crowd Agree: “I Want More”

    A crowd estimated at more than 16,000 people gathered at the New York State Fair’s Chevy Court in Syracuse on a beautiful moonlit evening to hear the unique sound of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Susan Tedeschi’s powerful, emotion-soaked vocals are at the front of most of their songs. What makes the band unique is the addition of her husband, world class guitarist Derek Trucks, and a cast of fellow band mates that would be the envy of any guitar/vocal combo. Including the punch of double drums, the wallop of a horn section and extraordinarily gifted backup singers, and the sublime Kofi Burbridge contributing accents on flute and huge swaths of sweeping organ melodies, there is a multi-layered density to their music that simply doesn’t sound much like other bands.

    At times, there are elements of funk, soul, roots rock, blues, jazz, free-form jams, and a kind of comfortable pulse or groove to all of it that propels the music further. While Tedeschi and Trucks have their names on the marquees, they allow plenty of latitude for every member of the band to shine and contribute. It’s the type of music that finds people that might be unfamiliar with the songs still smiling, tapping their feet, shuffling and swaying back and forth, and feeling their spirits uplifted as the music builds and soars.

    A couple of the evening’s highlights occurred back to back, in the form of Tedeschi’s breathtaking vocals on the gospel-like “Bound for Glory,” followed by Mike Mattison (who shares many songwriting credits in the band) taking the lead to sing a gritty, growling cover of Bob Dylan’s “Crash on the Levee (Down in the Flood)”. Those weren’t the end of the highlights, as a couple of tunes later, the band invited Central New York native Al Schnier from the band moe. to join them in a cover of “Tell the Truth.” This was a guitar fan’s dream, as Trucks, Schnier and Tedeschi stood side by side at center stage and traded riffs for nearly ten minutes. In an interesting twist, the first ever live performance and first ever recording of that song by Derek and the Dominoes included Dave Mason (of Traffic), who had played earlier in the afternoon on the same Chevy Court stage.

    The band finished their main set with a song that seemed to perfectly express the sentiments of the crowd, “I Want More.” After a brief exit, the band returned for encores. Derek Trucks and saxophonist Kebbi Williams teamed for an instrumental “Swamp Raga” intro to “Midnight in Harlem.” The band closed the show with an exuberant take of Joe Cocker’s “Space Captain.”

    Tedeschi Trucks Band Chevy Court Setlist: Don’t Let Me Slide, Laugh About It, High & Mighty, Get What You Deserve, Lord Protect My Child @, Bound For Glory, Made Up Mind, Crash On The Levee (Down In The Flood) @, Part Of Me, Tell The Truth #, More And More, How Blue Can You Get %, I Want More, Encores: Midnight In Harlem (Swamp Raga intro), Space Captain $

    @ – Bob Dylan cover, # – Derek and the Dominoes cover, % – BB King arrangement cover of Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers song, $ – Joe Cocker cover

  • Weezer a Crowd Pleaser at Syracuse Show

    Weezer and Pixies‘ co-headlining tour brought a seamless blend of 90s rock nostalgia to the St. Joseph’s Amphitheatre in Syracuse, NY on July 15.

    Pixies ripped right into their set with their raw punk rock hits. Their set was much more rigid and simplified in comparison to Weezer’s. It was also so jam-packed that they left no time to interact with their fans. They undeniably showed the audience why they have been the influence to many of their other favorite artists.

    Once Weezer took the stage, they wasted no time busting out their mega hits. They kicked off their set with their most notable song “Buddy Holly.” Fans had a nostalgia overload because the band re-created the “Buddy Holly” Arnold’s Drive In video set and each band member was dressed in clothing to match while performing the song.

    Weezer was the complete opposite of Pixies and had numerous interactions with the crowd. The band’s front man, Rivers Cuomo even visited the cheap seats on a small stage in the back of the amphitheater and performed a few hits including “Island in the Sun” and “Feels Like Summer”. He traveled to this other stage via the S.S. Weezer which was a small boat with wheels that security operated in the absence of water.

    The crowd could be heard singing along with every song with Rivers all the way to the parking lot. You could tell Rivers and the rest of Weezer were genuinely enjoying themselves and putting on the best show they knew how.

    Weezer setlist: Happy Days Intro, Buddy Holly, Beverly Hills, Pork and Beans, Undone – The Sweater Song, Hash Pipe, Perfect Situation, My Name Is Jonas, El Scorcho, In the Garage, Susanne, Happy Together, (The Turtles cover) (with a snippet of Longview by Green Day), Keep Fishin’ (Brian Bell vocals), B-Stage, Island in the Sun – (Rivers solo), Take On Me – (a‐ha cover) (Rivers solo), Burndt Jamb, (Smells Like Teen Spirit lyrics, without Rivers), (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To, Feels Like Summer, Africa – (Toto cover)

    Encore: The Good Life, Play Video, Say It Ain’t So (with Black Sabbath “Paranoid” outro)

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