Fifty years after they began, Yes celebrated their half-century anniversary with a sold out show at Paramount Hudson Valley on July 17.
Some band politics within Yes had led to two touring bands (and two bands currently touring to mark the legacy’s 50th anniversary): There’s Yes, and then there’s Yes featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, and Rick Wakeman. The Yes which we saw at the Paramount was charioted by the virtuosity of original guitarist Steve Howe, long time drummer Alan White, and Chris Squire’s heir, nominated by the late bassist himself before losing a battle with cancer in 2015.
The younger of the bunch, Jon Davison, has taken on the role of lead vocals alongside Howe and sang in a strikingly similar fashion to that of Jon Anderson (original singer), which could be explained by his time in a now disbanded Yes tribute band, Roundabout. Toward the end of the first set and for the encore, Yes’ original drummer Alan White and original keyboard player Tony Kaye made an appearance.
Despite being a 50th anniversary concert, Yes mostly chose to not sample their entire career but rather focus on their earlier work from 1969 through 1980, with one song from the mid-80s and one from 2004. The longer multi-movement songs such as “Close to the Edge” and “Starship Trooper” were the best treats of the night, each bringing out an ebb and flow of mood and style.
Set 1: Close to the Edge, Nine Voices (Longwalker), Parallels, Mood for a Day, Leaves of Green, Fly From Here (Part I: We Can Fly), Sweet Dreams, Heart of the Sunrise
Set 2: Perpetual Change, Does It Really Happen?, Soon, Awaken (with Alan White)
Encore: Yours Is No Disgrace Roundabout, Starship Trooper (encore with Tony Kaye and Alan White)
Two of the biggest names in celtic punk/rock, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys recently stopped by Forest Hills Stadium in Queens.
Flogging Molly gave Forest Hills several mainstays from their library but also played two new songs, “The Hand of John L. Sullivan” and “Crushed” from their recent album Life is Good, both welcomed by the fans. Aside from a few easier moments in the set to let the rowdy dancers rest their feet, Flogging Molly kept a fast pace throughout. Frontman Dave King made several Guinness toast between songs, rallying the crowd who was quick to start up a small circle pit.
Dropkick Murphys took to the stage with building anticipation while Sinead O’Connor and The Chieftans’ recording of “The Foggy Dew” played out on the PA. Without hesitation they got right into “Captain Kelly’s Kitchen” and “The Boys Are Back” making their way up close to the rail-riders. A couple of new Dropkick songs made their way into the set including “Blood” and “Rebels With A Cause” and just as with Flogging Molly’s debut of new music was greeted well. Keeping with the spirit of getting close with the crowd, Dropkick Murphys invited a bevy of their punk rocker fans on stage for the encore with an important message on the screen behind them: “only jackasses take selfies on stage” (a friendly reminder about enjoying the moment of a show rather than getting absorbed in taking 15-second videos).
Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys shows are always reliable for hitting the mark of a fun night of their flavor of Celtic rock. With both bands having a bit of a fanbase in the New York community of first responders, a running joke of the night was about the FDNY and NYPD getting along. But joke aside, the show brought out the friendliest in everyone there – a big piece of what makes for the jollity of seeing Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly, especially on the same bill.
Flogging Molly setlist:
(No More) Paddy’s Lament, The Hand of John L. Sullivan, Drunken Lullabies, The Likes of You Again, Swagger, The Days We’ve Yet to Meet, Requiem for a Dying Song, Float, The Spoken Wheel, Black Friday, Rule, Devil’s Dance Floor, Crushed (Hostile Nations) / We Will Rock You, If I Ever Leave This World Alive, What’s Left of the Flag, The Seven Deadly Sins, Salty Dog
Dropkick Murphys Setlist:
Captain Kelly’s Kitchen, The Boys Are Back, Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya, Sandlot, Famous For Nothing, Blood, Barroom Hero, Caught in a Jar, Buried Alive, The State of Massachusetts, Rebels With a Cause, Paying My Way, Rocky Road to Dublin, Rose Tattoo, Out of Our Heads, Going Out in Style,
Encore: The Body of an American (The Pogues cover), I’m Shipping Up to Boston, Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced, Skinhead on the MBTA, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
This summer’s concerts have been heating up for sure. Friday July 27 was no different when four time Grammy winner, Pat Benatar and her long time husband/guitarist Neil Giraldo co-headlined the Vine at Del Lago along with another 80’s icon, Rick Springfield.
Pat and Neil have been performing together since 1979 and have been an unstoppable husband and wife team since 1983. Together they have written and produced many gold and platinum and multi-platinum hits including “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, “Love is a Battlefield”, “We Belong”, and “Invincible”.
At just about 9 p.m., the seasoned musical veteran performers hit the stage with their band and kicked right off into “All Fired Up”, “We Live For Love”, and “Invincible”. The dynamic duo of Pat and Neil had the sold out audience at Del Lago fired up for sure, as no one was quite sure who would be performing first on the bill, Rick or Pat and Neil.
Their sound was like pure vinyl. If you closed your eyes, it was as good as a recording. Flawless. Pat’s vocals were simply powerfully amazing as she hit all the high notes effortlessly, especially on “We Live For Love. Neil’s guitar work is just plain brilliant. His technique and playing style that has defined the Benatar sound for nearly 40 years remains perfect never missing a lick, bend or nuance.
Their set included a stripped down, acoustic side as well when they performed powerful “Shine” intimately for the audience. “Shine”, released in 2017, was written in support of the women’s rights movement, and the record reflects the Shine Together Movement, which is her voice to hopefully affect positive change in the world and government. This was a beautifully performed acoustic number.
Finishing out the twelve song set, was a very cool rendition of “Heartbreaker” with a few twists thrown in including a medley of Cash’s “Ring of Fire”, Hendrix’s “Purple Haze”, The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army”, and a cool little “Godfather Theme” instrumental.
After nearly forty years of making hit after hit, Pat and Neil have pretty much proved that they are in fact invincible.
Setlist: All Fired Up, We Live for Love, Invincible, Promises in the Dark, We Belong, Disconnected, Hell is for Children, You Better Run, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Love is a Battlefield (Encore: Shine, Heartbreaker
Prior to being Magnified and well before it Curved, it was Super. Phish’s third major festival in New York State, formally known as Superball IX, took place in July of 2011 at the esteemed Watkins Glen International located in Schuyler County. The move to “The Glen” served as a departure from the band’s previous festival locations at abandoned Air Force Bases which hosted the likes of The Clifford Ball and The Great Went and exchanged it for a world class motor speedway that may be most remembered for an event held almost 40 years beforehand.
The Grateful Dead, The Band and The Allman Brothers Band all combined forces in 1973 for an event that drew over 600,000 people to the racetrack for a concert known as Summer Jam, creating traffic and a scene that dwarfed Woodstock in size. That would be the last major concert at Watkins Glen until Phish was able to secure permission to hold Superball IX there and reopen the racetrack grounds for music. Let’s take a look back at some of the things that made Phish’s ninth festival so special. And make sure to also check out our retrospectives on the prior two that also called New York home, The Clifford Ball and Camp Oswego,
To say there was a (beautiful) buzz about Phish in the summer of 2011 is an understatement. Any and all rust in terms of the band’s cohesiveness and ability to communicate instrumentally had been wiped away since their return to the stage in 2009 after a near five-year “break up.” And while 2010’s Festival 8 at Coachella’s home in Indio, CA would technically be their first festival since the reunion, this was their first East Coast festival since coming back, where all the others had been. The buzz only grew louder after the summer tour was kickstarted with 4 notable shows at another legendary New York venue for music in New York – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, which happens to reside on the grounds of that aforementioned Woodstock festival.
By the beginning of July, with another 15 shows under their belt since Bethel, Phish was ready to end the first leg of their summer tour in style. The village of Watkins Glen rolled out the red carpet for phans and then some with signs welcoming them and deals catered to the Phish crowd as the locals seemed to embrace what was sure to be a brief but powerful economic boon.
Cars and RVs slowly began to line up and soon fill up the festival grounds early Thursday morning in preparation for a full weekend of music. And it was clear Phish management had done their homework and learned from festivals of the past as the entry process was devoid of any of the nightmare-ish traffic jam tales associated with IT (2003) and Coventry (2004). With more vehicle entrances that allowed for a better traffic setup, getting in was a breeze for many. Having great weather all week and a venue that’s capable holding 100,000 NASCAR fans certainly helped as well.
Those that were set up early enough got to hear a pre-festival soundcheck, either within earshot from the stage or via broadcast on The Bunny, Phish’s traditional festival radio station that usually takes over a local FM radio transmission for the weekend. A light, whimsical sound check featuring songs like “Sleep Again” and “Ginseng Sullivan” displayed the band’s looseness and featured of plenty of improvisation to help whet the collective appetite for the weekend.
DAY 1
By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, everyone had gotten a good chance to stroll about the festival grounds and see all the art exhibits and other general weirdness displayed everywhere. Various sculptures and small buildings greeted patrons as they made their way closer to the stage and the plethora of food and beer vendors lined up aside it.
The first set of the weekend was fairly straightforward albeit with a powerful “Possum” that began the festivities, followed by a unique “Peaches en Regalia” > “Moma Dance” combination. Towards the end of the set, “Wolfman’s Brother” delivered a slow but funky groove that steadily grew in intensity and served as the first signs of heavy jamming. But the highlight of the set, for many, was the unexpected bustout of “Life on Mars?,” a David Bowie cover that hadn’t been played since 2003, or 175 shows to be exact. Lots of fans were finally able to take this one off of their respective “unseen” lists as the band played it before a gorgeous New York summer sunset.
7/1/11 Set 1: Possum, Peaches en Regalia > Moma Dance, Torn and Frayed > NICU > Bathtub Gin, Life on Mars?, My Friend,My Friend, Wolfman’s Brother, Roses are Free > Funky Bitch, Quinn the Eskimo
Friday’s second set opener was a harbinger of things to come as the band opened up with a dark, foreboding ambient second jam for several minutes before bursting into the Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless” which later gave way to the anthemic “Chalkdust Torture.” Later on, another precursor of future events unfolded in the form of an extended spacey jam emanating from “Simple” that oozed eerie and ominous tones.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here’s pro shot footage of Superball’s “Simple” and the ensuing “Bug” that features a powerful jam on the back end.
https://vimeo.com/25908783
7/1/11 Set 2: Jam > Crosseyed and Painless > Chalkdust Torture, Sand > The Wedge, Mike’s Song > Simple > Bug > The Horse > Silent in the Morning > Weekapaug Groove, Joy > Character Zero
Encore: Show of Life
DAY 2
Saturday brought with it three sets of music and and a sweltering heat to deal with for the opening one in the afternoon. Water and shade were at a premium as the sun beat down on a crowd estimated to be close to 30,000 – a far cry from the population of Summer Jam. This also meant Superball IX would be one of the lighter attended Phish festivals when compared to ones from the past that drew 60,000 or more. But all this did was make for a pleasant experience all weekend as lines for vendors were more than manageable and everyone was able to move around (and dance) freely.
Those that did get up to get down that Saturday afternoon did so under a scorching sun and to another first set with some unique song selections. The show officially started with a rip roaring “Tube” that immediately prompted an all out beach ball frenzy in the crowd. Seemingly thousands of beach balls of various colors and sizes bounced around happily while Phish while began the day’s festivities and gazed at a sea of super balls.
Here’s some great fan shot footage of the opener and the ensuing “Kill Devil Falls” that puts you right in the middle of the maddness.
The rest of the first set was business as usual with staples like “Lawn Boy ” and “Divided Sky” being delivered in addition to “Cities,” another commonly played Talking Heads cover. But this set strayed off the beaten path a little in the form of two songs the band had never played before. The first of which was “Susskind Hotel” which came on the heels of the reverb ending of “46 Days.” Devoted fans recognized this as a song concocted and played by bassist Mike Gordon with his side project, but this was a debut for Phish. Then, after what appeared to be the fairly standard “Suzy Greenberg” set closer replete with a finishing flurry on piano from Page McConnell, the band stayed on stage for one last song, a completely unexpected cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Monkey Man,” as seen on the album Sticky Fingers and immortalized by the move Goodfellas.
7/2/11 Set 1: Tube, Kill Devil Falls > Ocelot, Lawn Boy, Divided Sky, Boogie On Reggae Woman > Camel Walk, Cities > Poor Heart > 46 Days > Susskind Hotel , When the Circus Comes, Timber Ho! > Back on the Train > Suzy Greenberg, Monkey Man
Those looking for an added challenge in the hazy, humid Saturday heat had their chance to do so courtesy of the second ever Runaway Jim 5K Road Race that took place right on the race track. It was quite a scene to behold as small groups of quasi-serious runners bobbed and weaved around others decked out in costumes and clearly there just for the experience. Fittingly, the second set of the day opened with “Runaway Jim” and the band took the opportunity to bring the winners of the race up on stage for a brief trophy presentation. Immediately after that, it was back to business and the band finished up the song and plowed through another set of fan favorites that included numbers like “Axilla,” “Stash” and “The Mango Song.” One of the more poignant moments of the set was the performance of “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” still a fairly new song at that time and only played once before since the band’s reunification in 2009. An emotionally charged jam lifted the crowd up before another appropriately titled song “Run Like an Antelope” closed out the set.
7//2/11 Set 2: Runaway Jim > McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters, Axilla > Birds of a Feather, Stash, Sample in a Jar, Heavy Things > Horn > It’s Ice > The Mango Song > Rift > Scents and Subtle Sounds, Run Like an Antelope
art by John Warner
Phish had one more (announced) set scheduled for the evening and rolled out a doozy. With another cover to open, this time TV on the Radio’s “Golden Age,” it soon began a chain of progression that delivered both classic originals and other covers that the band has made their own over time. And it didn’t stop until the set was completed. From traditional behemoths like “Piper” and “Tweezer” that showcased Trey Anastasio’s inspiring guitar work to a rousing cover of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” to close it, this set offered up a little bit of everything as each song flowed effortlessly into the next.
7/2/11 Set 3: Golden Age > Prince Caspian > Piper > Tweezer > Julius > Backwards Down the Number Line > Twist > Also Sprach Zarathurstra > Harry Hood > Cavern > Golgi Apparatus > A Day in the Life
Encore: Loving Cup > Tweezer Reprise
Afterwards, most folks headed back to their respective campsites both with the glow of having experiences three great sets of music and wonderment as to whether there would be another “secret” set like in previous East Coast festivals. Harkening back to the unannounced performance on a flatbed truck rolling through The Clifford Ball grounds, Phish has typically pulled out some sort of surprise during the course of a festival. One of the defining moments of IT in 2003 was an unannounced “Tower Jam” that saw the band play at the top of an abandoned control tower in the control room while lights and acrobatic dancers graced the outside of the tower.
That performance was solely advertised by word of mouth and rumors that began to slowly spread and there was a large portion of the festival that never heard about it until the next day, sadly.. This was also 2003, well before the power of social media could be harnessed in a mobile setting like it is today. 2011 offered more help in this aspect as Twitter and other social media platforms spread hearsay much more efficiently. And by the end of night most people were sure Phish was going to do something, just not what it was.
The Vermont foursome did not disappoint as randomly, around 1 in the morning, strange sounds started to emanate from one of the buildings that had been erected in the “square” area to resemble a self-storage facility, near all the other art installations. As weird tones and noises grew in frequency, it quickly became evident that everyone’s suspiciions were being confirmed and this was the “secret set.” What followed for the next hour or so was a giant, spacey jam that most people jenjoyed either sitting or laying on the ground. Opaque windows and heavy backlighting meant you could only see the sillhouettes of each band member, adding to the mystique. Heavy theremin playing from McConnell and strange ambient collective jamming soon gave way to the oddest “Sleeping Monkey” ever performed by the group and just like that another Phish legend had been created – The Storage Jam.
DAY 3
By Sunday, even though it was only the third performance day of the festival, Superballers had been treated to essentially three shows already with 6 sets of music in the last two days. But with everyone off for the 4th of July the following day, the party vibe was still strong as everyone geared up for the last two sets of the weekend. This general;mood was affirmed with a show opening “Soul Shakedown Party,” a classic Bob Marley song. There was also another longtime fan favorite brought back from the abyss with “The Curtain” and its first performance since September of 2000.
A “Col. Forbin’s Ascent” > “Fly Famous Mockingbird” satisfied the Gamehendge crowd and referenced yesterday’s late night audio exploration. Shockingly, one of the true highlights of the set and that day’s music overall was a song that usually doesn’t generate such shockwaves. But a truly unique performance of the song “Mound” blew the doors off of all its previous versions thanks to a ferocious Anastasio guitar solo towards the end of song that had never appeared in that spot before, and hasn’t been seen again since.
Arguably, the greatest “Mound” ever:
7/3/12 Set 1: Soul Shakedown Party > AC/DC Bag > The Curtain > Colonel Forbin’s Ascent > Fly Famous Mockingbird > Destiny Unbound > Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Wilson > Mound, A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing, Time Loves a Hero, Reba > David Bowie
With one last set to play with, Phish let it all hang out with yet another set featuring some memorable cover selections. In a nod to the name of the festival, the last set of the weekend started with a rendition of AC/DC’s “Big Balls,” another first timer in the now expansive Phish catalog of songs. The quirky cover quickly gave way to much more customary second set jam vehicles, the first of which was “Down with Disease” which produced a soaring, rhythmic jam spearheaded by tenacious work on the drums by Jon Fishman and corresponding bass from Gordon. As the jam began to slow in intensity and increase in ambience, familiar notes played on the electric piano signaled another fantastic cover choice – the second ever performance of Led Zepellin’s “No Quarter.”
More traditional second set jam vehicles followed in the likes of “Ghost” and an impressively extended “Light.” And perhaps no sequence summed up the weekend better than a driving and powerful “Waves” jam that soared high before dissolving into spaciness and turning into the instrumental “What’s the Use?” At the end of the final set of the weekend, Phish paid tribute to America with an a capella rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner. The band collectively expressed their sincere thanks to all those who helped produce and set up Superball IX before a “First Tube” encore laden with fireworks put a bow on everything.
7/3/12 Set 2: Big Balls > Down with Disease > No Quarter > Party Time, Ghost > Gotta Jibboo > Light, Waves > What’s the Use? > Meatstick > Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan, The Star Spangled Banner
Encore: First Tube
We hope you enjoyed this look back at some of the pictures, videos and moments that made Superball so special. Stay tuned to NYSMusic.com for more NY Phish festival retrospectives as we tackle Magnaball next, the sequel to Superball that was held at the same venue four years later. This is all in preparation for Curveball, the upcoming third Phish festival, also being held at Watkins Glen International, taking place August 17-19,
And here’s one last video, taken and posted by contributing photographer Jacob Silco, that shows a little bit of everything from the fun that was Superball IX.
Phish is back and headed east for the second half of their summer tour, which found them kicking things off in Stateline, NV on July 17 and 18. Over the course of nine West Coast shows and a show in Austin, TX on Tuesday night, Phish has dusted off some rust, debuted a few tunes and delved deeper on jams as the tour has progressed, more or less how the past few tours have gotten started.
There have been some high water marks: “I Always Wanted it This Way” from Stateline, “Simple,” “Wombat,” “Crosseyed and Painless” and “Chalkdust Torture” from The Gorge, “A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing” > “Mercury” > “Carini” and “Set Your Soul Free” from Bill Graham in San Francisco, “Kill Devil Falls,” “Gotta Jibboo,” “Fuego,” and “Soul Planet” from The Forum in Los Angeles, and “Everything’s Right” > “Down with Disease” from Austin360 Amphitheater. Debuts of “Set Your Soul Free,” “Infinite” and “Keepin’ it Real” have been welcomed by the fans, and teases from the band have been subtle but wide ranging, more so than previous tours. “Little Drummer Boy” and “Theme from S.W.A.T.” have shown up on multiple occasions, as well as “There is a Mountain” (Donovan), “Celluloid Heroes” (The Kinks), “Heartbreaker” (Led Zeppelin), and “Time Loves a Hero” (Little Feat) all making appearances ever so subtly throughout the shows.
There have been some head-scratchers too. The entire first set of Austin sounds like it looks on paper – a directionless smattering of usual first set options, but then second set they charge out with 36 combined minutes of “Everything’s Right” and “Down with Disease.” After a fiery “Tweezer” > “Golden Age” at The Gorge, and with the band dialed in, Trey dropped in a “Farmhouse;” the ripcord could be heard down the Columbia River valley for miles. Maybe they are throwing fans curveballs throughout the shows to keep fans on their feet, keeping things uneven, a stark contrast to 2017 when the band felt dialed in after just a few shows and went on to a historic Baker’s Dozen run of shows at Madison Square Garden. Perhaps they’re just getting warmed up and starting to catch fire the closer they get back to the usual stomping grounds of the East Coast. Or maybe they just play whatever they want, and at times hit a sweet spot of jamming that reaffirms their place on the Mt. Rushmore of Jam.
So what can we expect from Phish for the next 8 shows before they return to Watkins Glen for their 11th festival, Curveball? For one thing, a variety in the setlists – few songs have been repeated more than twice, and those are jam vehicles such as “Down with Disease,” an effect of the no-repeat Baker’s Dozen where the band played 237 different songs over 13 shows. They went five and a half shows without a repeat to start the tour, and the selection has been the most variation seen this far into tour, ever.
10 shows into 2018, #phish has played unique 141 songs – the most in the band’s history this many shows into a year. This tops the previous high of 139 (set back in 2012). The most frequent songs: DWD, Everything’s Right, Moma Dance, and The Wedge (all played 3 times) #tourstats
And what about at Curveball? With the music and art installations at Phish festivals always well-guarded secrets, fans have begun to speculate that Phish play 9 sets, or 9 innings of music, with a possible ‘Casey at the Bat’ tie-in. Phish always packs a little something extra for their festivals, and Easter Eggs among the art on the grounds and hints in the song selection could give fans an idea of what to expect. Still, a Phish festival is a Christmas present wrapped in a ball of mystery, and that surprise is always worth the wait.
Phish next hits Alpharetta, GA, at a fan favorite venue located in the northern Atlanta suburbs and also one of the smallest venues of the tour with capacity of only 12,000. Then it’s off to Camden, NJ for two nights at BB&T Pavilion on August 7-8, then they head down to Raleigh on Friday, August 10 before heading north to wrap up the pre-fest end of tour at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD August 11-12. Curveball gates open on Thursday, August 16 and the music kicks off on Friday.
Stay tuned for more coverage from NYS Music of past Phish festivals and upcoming shows, as well as daily reviews and photos from Watkins Glen. Setlists and teases courtesy of Phish.net. Donate to the Mockingbird Foundation and support music education throughout the country.
Music festivals are great places to get a sample of a ton of different music in a short period of time. Get a taste of this band, then that, and on and on without much rhyme or reason. At the Newport Folk Festival, each set felt less like a singular unrelated moment and more like a continuum of a story that was unraveling in real time. Over three days, on a small parcel of land jutting into Narragansett Bay, each artist added their piece to the story, culminating in a grand climax during the final act of the weekend. It was choose-your-own-adventure style, to be read however one wanted.
Across four different stages and multiple pop-up opportunities, there were plenty of twists and turns to take, but never a wrong way or false ending. There were no bad choices, just hard ones. To stay at the Fort Stage and continue listening to Brandi Carlile turn to page 59. To walk to the Harbor Stage to hear what Langhorn Slim is playing flip to page 18.
It played out chronologically, but the memories are a blur of highlights that transcend space and time.
Champion of the festival, member of the inaugural 1959 lineup and subject of a now yearly programming tribute, Pete Seeger is an important figure for the festival. He inscribed his banjo with: “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.” These words emerged as a theme over the weekend, as they have in other tumultuous times. As Bob Dylan famously did way back when, and many other since, artists more often than not, opted for the strength of electricity in their “machines” at this year’s festival.
Sturgill Simpson abandoned any semblance of country and played a full-throttle set of heavy rocking jams with his four piece that was more Zeppelin and Hendrix than Jennings or Nelson. Twain, played an electrified acoustic guitar, which helped push his soft speaking voice into an exuberant howl, bursting with emotion when used in song. He and his trio played meandering songs that were mellow but moving, groovy and captivating. Moses Sumney, with just his voice and guitar, used layers of loops and effects to create vast sound tapestries that blanketed the crowd at the Harbor Stage.
Don’t fret (pun intended), others took the more traditional route, using just voice and acoustic instruments to convey their messages. Charlie Parr played acoustic guitars, along with a percussionist, on songs, both autobiographical and otherwise, that felt both fresh and timeless. Supergroup Bermuda Triangle, Brittany Howard, Becca Mancari and Jesse Lafser, had a bit of a song circle vibe, passing each others songs around, playing guitars, banjos and an upright bass. They also worked in some new group originals, including a self-titled theme song that centered on their stunning three-part harmonies.
Some took unexpected turns toward stripped down acoustic music. Nels Cline, known best as the off-kilter guitarist of Wilco and for his avant-garde jazz outings, performed classic country, blues and even a raga-esque instrumental on a resonator guitar with Brandon Seabrook joining on mandolin and guitar. St. Vincent, dressed in a stunning red dress, and joined only by Thomas Barton on piano, managed an even bigger left turn. Her rhythmic electro-pop songs like “Prince Johnny” and “Masseduction” were stripped down to their bare bones and performed as jazzy lounge vocal workouts. The songs showed their inner strength, holding up to their massive reinterpretations.
Others found strength in numbers. Hiss Golden Messenger boasted three guitars for a big energy set that begged the crowd to boogie along. The nine members of Tank and the Bangas held an on-stage party, pushing the envelope of the festival’s history with a mix of rap, funk, metal-style shredding. Twerking and Outkast weren’t off-limits for this “folk” set. Low Cut Connie matched the Bangas energy in a set of high-octane bar boogie that had lead singer Adam Weiner jumping atop his piano every chance he could get. Nicole Atkins “had the best afternoon of her life,” leading a ten-piece through her soulful catalog and beyond, including a wonderful cover of Carole King’s “Road to Nowhere.” Hamilton Leithauser and Rostamg led a ten piece that included a string quartet, on songs from both their collaborations and their solo careers. This is the Kit also played with a string quartet to close their set, topping off lead woman Kate Stables’ quintet. They split the difference between folk jazz and rock with intricate and multilayered compositions like “Bulletproof” and “Moonshine Freeze.” Glorietta, a band formed by festival alums, yo-yo’d from up to nine members down to two, playing sounds ranging from country ballads to raging party rockers.
Guest artists are the norm at Newport, whether they were already playing at the festival or not. Nels Cline invited up Warren Haynes for takes on “Walking Blues,” “The Last Thing On My Mind,” and lastly, with apologies to Jeff Tweedy, Cline took the mic for Wilco’s “White Light.” Margo Price called up John Prine for a duet of “In Spite of Ourselves” and then Brandi Carlile to help her rip through Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” a song deemed “very important to the times.” The incredible talent at the festival was used by artists like a toolkit. Female voices were especially in high demand. Carlile, Lucius, Maggie Rogers and the Watson Twins showed up more times than we can count. Eric D. Johnson led a special set entitled Beneath the Sacred Mountain that was built with special guests in mind. The Shin’s James Mercer came out to sing a few including “Helpless” with the Watson Twins, Laura Veirs and Matthew White joined together on “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and Johnson led the house band on “Deal.”
Perhaps the biggest surprise guest appeared late on Friday when Jason Isbell invited David Crosby to the stage for powerful renditions of “Wooden Ships” and “Ohio.” According to Isbell, “these are the songs we need to be listening to right now.” Becca Mancari echoed that sentiment in her set at the intimate Museum Stage with Jesse Lafser. They played a more bare version of “Ohio,” but the words carried the same weight. “It’s so important at this time to have hope,” she said, and Neil Young’s words, though specific to a time and place, resonate strongly still.
Surprises weren’t limited to special guests. Unplanned stripped-down sets occurred throughout the weekend at the Kids Tent with everyone from Spirit Family Reunion to Hiss Golden Messenger to This is the Kit. Passenger followed up his Fort Stage set with a up-from-nowhere set on a small stage thrown together in the back of the Quad inside the fort walls where he graced a gathering crowd with Springsteen’s “Dancer in the Dark” and a first-time performance of an original still in the works. One artist remained completely unannounced on the schedule. Saturday’s final act remained a mystery up until the very moment they took the stage. The crowd gathered in anticipation for waiting for the reveal. Excitement erupted when Mumford and Sons finally took the stage, immediately joined by guests Jerry Douglas, Brandi Carlile and Maggie Rogers for “Awake My Soul.” The guests would continue throughout, with Phoebe Bridgers singing on a cover of Radiohead’s “All I Need,” Douglas and Carlile returned for SImon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer,” and Mavis Staples came out to finish with “The Weight.”
Despite being held around the walls of a fort, the festival eliminated borders. The themes were universal and the lineup international. All were welcome to join in on the story being told. Khruangbin imported Thai-inspired funk for a slinky soul-soothing set that wordlessly dissolved borders. Sidi Toure brought their ngoni-led Malian fare for more East meets West infectious grooves. Sweden’s Daniel Norgren wowed with slow-burn folk rockers featuring crunchy guitar wails. Courtney Barnett slashed and burned with her grungy guitar style in both her own set and as a member of fellow Melbournian Jen Cloher’s band, who played her first-ever American festival. Toots and the Maytals brought Jamaican’s folk traditions and Glen Hansard a heavy dose of Ireland’s.
Shakey Graves concentrated on his just-released material, songs of reassurance in troubling times. He spoke of the bubble that is created at Newport. It’s a bubble of inclusion and love that exemplifies the idea that all who play and attend are a part of the folk family. Many others echoed this sentiment throughout the weekend, Lucius expressing “Newport enables a sharing of love, and we need to help it spread.”
There was also plenty of actual family love spread throughout the festival. Amanda Shires invited husband Jason Isbell for a few tunes and also joined him for his entire set. Margo Price had her husband, Jeremy Ivey, playing guitar and harmonica in her band, including a moving duet on “All American Made.” Valerie June, playing her “irridescent, sparkly” music dedicated a song to her mom who was in the audience. Husband and wife band War and Treaty urged the audience to hug each other amidst an uplifting gospel revue that celebrated “the greatest race ever… the human race.” Brandi Carlile brought her four-year-old Evangeline onto the stage for the song she inspired, “A Mother”. “There’s not just one kind of family, this is about Evangeline but really it’s about everyone’s Evangeline,” Carlile explained. Langhorne Slim brought his mother on stage to sing along on her first favorite song of his, “Diamonds and Gold.”
All chapters of the story, regardless of how the pages turned, told the same tale. And they all concluded at the Fort Stage early Sunday evening for a set listed as “A Change is Gonna Come.” Jon Batiste, backed by the Dap Kings, hosted a superstar blowout finale centered on the great American songbook. Patriotic songs, protest songs and gospels. A solo piano Star Spangled Banner contrasted immediately with the Dap Kings interpretation of “This Land Is Your Land.” Leon Bridges and Gary Clarke Jr. came up for yet another take on “Ohio,” this one slow and oozing, searingly powerful. Valerie June and Ben Jaffe joined for “Ain’t Nobody Gonna Turn Me Around.” The remainder of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band entered the stage with Chis Thile and Leon Bridges for “I’ll Fly Away.” Thile remained on the stage for a duet with Batiste on the Punch Brothers’ “My Oh My,” that meandered around classical and jazz themes in a delicately intricate dance of sound. Brandi Carlile and Maggie Rogers got up for “Times They Are A Changin’”, Rachel Price on “A Change is Gonna Come,” and finally Mavis Staples returned once again for “Jesus on the Mainline.” Any musician still on the grounds got on stage for a huge playing of “Freedom’s Highway” that no one ever wanted to end.
The magical weekend was coming to an end, but the change will only come if everyone keeps the spirit alive beyond the Fort. Artists continually included the crowd with sing-alongs, clap-alongs, dance-offs, scream-offs and more. More than any rally or march, the Newport Folk Festival provided a platform to inspire a path forward from the darkness. The festival welcomed at its entrance with another Seeger quote, “We’re stronger when we sing together.” Though it might just be this story’s moral to walk away with.
Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling shared the headline at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Saturday, July 28th, cutting through the humid and steamy night with ethereal vocals and punchy, athletic dancing.
Juxtaposed with the ballet at SPAC the previous week, and the Philadelphia Orchestra which is scheduled to open Wednesday at the venue, both Amy Lee and Lindsey Stirling hosted local musicians on stage to fill a full orchestra. Complete with graceful professional dancers, a LED screen with coordinating visuals, and well-timed light shows, both artists offered thoroughly enjoyable and unique performances.
Amy Lee took the stage promptly at 8, and Evanescence opened with “Overture,” which served both to check and tune the instruments as much as to tune the audience into the heavier orchestrated sound. Lee’s vocals were on pitch as she moved between piano and the microphone on “Never Go Back” and “Lacrymosa.”
Singing some incredibly sad songs, Lee spoke optimistically to her fans. She voiced gratitude to the musicians on stage with her, and would later remind audience members to be present and “enjoy the music tonight.” Her just be here now message brought a roar of approval from fans, many of whom have followed Lee for 20 years.
A highlight of the evening was Evanescence’s cover of the Beatles tune “Across the Universe.” Lee was backlit with images from nature as she sweetly sang the lyrics “Nothings gonna change my world.” While better known for heavier sounds contrasted with her voice, Lee’s vocals on this cover shifted the mood during her longer set of seventeen older tunes. “Hi-Lo” followed, with Stirling dancing on stage at the end with her fiddle.
Lee’s rendition of their famous song “My Immortal,” while still beautifully performed, lacked the usual punch from the bass and orchestration typically associated with the piece. There were a number of moments that the balance seemed a bit off, perhaps due to having different musicians each night in the orchestra, or simply a sound issue? Either way, Evanescence’s performance was still a treat.
Evanescence ended the set, bowing with bringing their children on stage to wave at fans and enjoy the applause. There was a moment of recognition that Evanescence has traveled a long way as a group, not just this summer, but over the past 20 years, to bring this experience to us. Their coordination with local musicians on songs, old and newer, and ease of performance reflect their experience and wealth of confidence.
After a brief stage change, Lindsey Stirling’s set began with a video of her quoting Teddy Roosevelt’s famous words from “The Man in the Arena.” She seemed set immediately to disprove judges from America’s Got Talent, who previously reflected Stirling’s talent, while interesting, wasn’t “enough” for her to hold an audience and fill a show. She entered in costume, kicking and dancing with her fiddle on her arm, as she performed her piece “The Arena.”
Stirling is a dancer and a performer, and each song demonstrated that while her violin playing might not be up to par for a classically trained orchestra, her fiddling while dancing can entrance young and old alike. Her costume changes, use of set, and even role-playing as she danced with the other performers told stories and held the audience’s attention in her unique presentation. She battled ghosts using her feet and bow in dance, she “flew” above the crowd on a rising platform, and she danced with wood nymphs as she rescued them from magic.
Stirling took a few long breaks to talk to the crowd, including one during which she showed her fifteen-year-old self-dancing with her high school friends to an Evanescence song. She expressed high regard for Amy Lee and spoke to young fans about being willing to chase dreams. “I was not good enough at anything,” Stirling said, “but I was willing to work enough.”
And she worked the crowd beautifully, inspiring the young faces who looked upon her graceful and playful dancing with dreamy eyes and pursed lips, perhaps imagining their own dreams coming to life.
Amy Lee joined Stirling, singing vocals on “Shatter Me.” Stirling kept the energy and imagination moving through her set of fourteen pieces, ending with a dramatic “Phantom of the Opera” encore for her fans.
Stirling offered a unique performance, one you couldn’t get from listening to her CD. She captivated the crowd with motion, and while her fiddling was only mediocre, her spirit soared with her feet as she chased her dream around the stage.
Not quite the ballet, and not quite the orchestra, both Evanescence and Stirling demonstrated similar components (orchestra, dance) used to entertain Saratoga Springs. And while not classically executed, both performances were unique in offering their authentic voices to the mix of what SPAC brings each summer and, like their classical counterparts, brought great joy to their fans.
The Arctic Monkeys returned to Upstate NY for the second time in their touring history fresh off of their four year hiatus, making a rare appearance at CMAC on July 25, 2018.
Fans from all over NY gathered for this special occasion, weathering heavy downpours of rain. Some stating that they’d never thought they would have the opportunity to see them in their area.
The band’s near 90 minute set had fans young and old cheering and dancing in their seats, reveling in the fact that their favorite band had finally came back to perform for them. It was clear to see that the Arctic Monkeys did their job and left the masses satisfied.
Arctic Monkeys – CMAC Performing Arts Center – Canandaigua, NY – Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Setlist: Four Out of Five, Brianstorm, Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair, Crying Lightning, Teddy Picker, 505, The Ultracheese, Do Me a Favour, Cornerstone, Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?, Knee Socks, Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, One Point Perspective, Do I Wanna Know?, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, Pretty Visitors, Arabella
Encore: Star Treatment, The View From the Afternoon, R U Mine?
When the doors to The Riverboat Bar in Alexandria Bay opened up a little over an hour before Aqueous was to take the stage on Friday July 20, there was a feeling of anticipation for what was about to transpire. Most certainly the smallest and most intimate room the band still plays in New York State, The Riverboat was about to host the band for the 6th consecutive summer as a part of their Summer 2018 Live Music Series. As Aqueous fans began to filter into the venue, many of whom had put in hours of driving to see the show, there was a collective feeling that we were about to witness something special. The small stage set up and intimate layout of the room may have come as a shock to those who were now used to seeing the band play in larger music halls and festivals.
When the band, consisting of Mike Gantzer on guitar/vocals, Dave Loss on guitar/keys/vocals, Evan McPhaden on bass and Rob Houk on drums, made their way through the crowd to take the stage, high fiving their fans on the way, the energy in the room was apparent and everyone was eager for the band to begin their groove rock assault. With increasing airplay on Sirius XM’s JamOn station as well as high profile sets at large music festivals all summer, the band has continued to build a rabid fan base. Their fans, or AQuaintances, pack their shows and stream all of their past shows on nugs.net and the fans in attendance were ready to hear if their favorite AQ jam was going to be the opening song of the evening.
When the band broke into “20/20” from their 2014 album Cycles to open the first set, loud cheers could be heard from the crowd directly in front of the band, on the balcony above the stage and from those still waiting to get in the door or watching through the windows outside of the venue. From there the packed crowd was treated to renditions of “Complex Pt. II,” also from Cycles and old favorite “Marty” from 2011’s Giant Something before the band unleashed their breakthrough song “Origami” from 2012’s Willy is 40. At this point there was no mistaking that this was going to be a special and memorable evening. Following “Origami” the band continued on with “Dig It Good” and Steely Dan’s “Josie” before seamlessly transitioning back into “20/20” to close out the first set.
The second set was pure fire kicking off with “Strange Times” from Willy is 40 and concluded with a powerful version of “Kitty Chaser (Explosions)” from Cycles with nearly everyone in attendance singing along to the chorus of “Explosions in the sky, reflected in their eyes, another way to get to know the tiny street you live on.” After thanking The Riverboat for all of their support over the years, guitarist and vocalist Mike Gantzer delivered a heartfelt thank you to all of their fans for coming out to the show, supporting their original music and setting the vibe for a great show. A rocking cover of “Lithium” by Nirvana served as the encore to end a three and a half hour, 2-set show and left those near the front of the stage searching for setlists, posters and autographs to commemorate a great night of live music.
With the band’s profile and fan base increasing by the day, it remains to be seen if Aqueous will return to The Riverboat in Alex Bay next summer for a 7th annual AQ in ABAY performance. But one thing is for sure: everyone in attendance on this night is hoping for another one of these unique and intimate shows with their favorite band and keeping the tradition alive.
The Riverboat Bar Summer 2018 Live Music series continues this weekend with a FREE show by Albany, NY featuring jam rock favorites Formula 5 on Friday July 27 and Cleveland, OH jamtronica funk band Broccoli Samurai on Saturday July 28. The series continues through the month of August.
Aqueous Riverboat Bar, Alexandria Bay, NY
Set 1: 20/20 > Complex Pt. II, Marty > Origami, Dig It Good, Josie (Steely Dan cover) > 20/20
Upcoming Summer 2018 Live Music Series dates at The Riverboat are listed below:
July 27 Formula 5 July 28 Broccoli Samurai August 4 The Old Main August 5 Adapter. with special guests The Northmen August 10 Nina’s Brew August 11 Quantum Cosmic featuring members of Annie in the Water, Lord Eelctro, Knot Dead and Raisin Head August 17 Gang of Thieves August 18 Barroom Philosophers August 24 Blind Owl Band Uncle Sam’s boat tour party August 24 Folkfaces Blind Owl Band after party August 25 TBA
Photos courtesy of Emily VanderWiel and Andy Gilbert. Words by Andy Cavallario.
Charlie Puth brought his tour “Voice Notes” to Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Sunday, July 22nd, much to the delight of thousands of teen girls. After a longer set of familiar pop songs by Hailee Steinfeld, his opener, Puth took the stage dramatically behind a white curtain. Fans swooned and screamed as Puth’s silhouette was first seen on stage, and went wild as the curtain dropped as he crooned “The Way I Am.”
Puth energetically met the crowd, bouncing and singing in his sugary tenor voice to familiar tunes “Slow it Down” and “How Long.” He impressively controls pitch, demonstrating exceptional vocal talent. He also talked the crowd up a bit, reading their signs and conversing easily with fans about his love of all things Japan. He endorsed that he is lyrically open before singing “LA Girls,” admitting he made some mistakes in love. Melodic and perfect for the radio, Puth’s songs were easy to remember and predict.
The crowd was overjoyed by him. Even though the setlist was short (only 16 songs), fans knew almost every song and screamed along with Puth. During “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” Puth held the microphone out for the audience to join in, which they did with zeal. For many teens, this was clearly a first concert and a delight.
Charlie Puth checked all the boxes for a teen heartthrob on tour. He sang familiar love songs, almost all of which had him as the hero. He played keyboard, and also sang and danced. Throughout the night, he unbuttoned his bright green shirt, and by song ten had the shirt completely off. He chatted with the teens like the boy next door, sharing just enough to seem believably ordinary and safe. He wore familiar chinos and sneakers and leaned into the crowd with good eye contact. And of course, there is that voice, that amazingly sweet tenor that was consistently on pitch in its vertical climbs.
But there was something missing. Perhaps it was authenticity that was lost in Puth’s personality when he checked off all the boxes, and inadvertently put himself in one? Or perhaps he is simply shy, which is what his promoters have reported in the past. Either way, Charlie Puth’s performance, while still a gift to SPAC, is limiting. And somewhat disappointing.
Because a voice of that talent shouldn’t be checking off boxes, or put in a box, but allowed to sing its true song.
Let’s hope Puth unleashes his true voice before he gets stuck in that teen heartthrob box forever. Because it’s gorgeous and worth risking some vulnerability to keep him in the music scene beyond a few hits. Puth’s writing and skills could go the distance if he’s brave enough to go.
Set List: “The Way I Am;” “Slow It Down;” “How Long;” “Empty Cups;” “LA Girls;” “Marvin Gaye;” “Patient;” “Change;” “We Don’t Talk Anymore;” “Somebody Told Me;” “Done For Me;” “Suffer;” “One Call Away;” “Attention;” “BOY” and “See You Again”
Cars and RVs slowly began to line up and soon fill up the festival grounds early Thursday morning in preparation for a full weekend of music. And it was clear Phish management had done their homework and learned from festivals of the past as the entry process was devoid of any of the nightmare-ish traffic jam tales associated with IT (2003) and Coventry (2004). With more vehicle entrances that allowed for a better traffic setup, getting in was a breeze for many. Having great weather all week and a venue that’s capable holding 100,000 NASCAR fans certainly helped as well.
Those that did get up to get down that Saturday afternoon did so under a scorching sun and to another first set with some unique song selections. The show officially started with a rip roaring “Tube” that immediately prompted an all out beach ball frenzy in the crowd. Seemingly thousands of beach balls of various colors and sizes bounced around happily while Phish while began the day’s festivities and gazed at a sea of super balls.
Those looking for an added challenge in the hazy, humid Saturday heat had their chance to do so courtesy of the second ever Runaway Jim 5K Road Race that took place right on the race track. It was quite a scene to behold as small groups of quasi-serious runners bobbed and weaved around others decked out in costumes and clearly there just for the experience. Fittingly, the second set of the day opened with “Runaway Jim” and the band took the opportunity to bring the winners of the race up on stage for a brief trophy presentation. Immediately after that, it was back to business and the band finished up the song and plowed through another set of fan favorites that included numbers like “Axilla,” “Stash” and “The Mango Song.” One of the more poignant moments of the set was the performance of “Scents and Subtle Sounds,” still a fairly new song at that time and only played once before since the band’s reunification in 2009. An emotionally charged jam lifted the crowd up before another appropriately titled song “Run Like an Antelope” closed out the set.
That performance was solely advertised by word of mouth and rumors that began to slowly spread and there was a large portion of the festival that never heard about it until the next day, sadly.. This was also 2003, well before the power of social media could be harnessed in a mobile setting like it is today. 2011 offered more help in this aspect as Twitter and other social media platforms spread hearsay much more efficiently. And by the end of night most people were sure Phish was going to do something, just not what it was.
