Luke Cornwell’s Wallop Dollop catches your attention from the get-go. When you’re honing your songs in café’s like Cornwell has been doing, you have to find a way to be noticed above the din of cappuccino machines and the drone of conversation. This debut EP showcases Cornwell’s flair for theatrics, pairing playful storytelling with inventive acoustic arrangements.
Wallop Dollop begins with the spunky ditty “Good Morning Sunshine.” It’s an invitation to spend the day on a rollicking romp: taking a spin on the mall carousel, hanging at the park, and eating breakfast foods all day long. It’s a little earworm that I catch myself humming when I’m making coffee. I could almost imagine it in a film or television show, like when Bowling for Soup did the theme song for Disney’s Phineas and Ferb. It would even hold up next to a Moldy Peaches song on the soundtrack to the movie Juno.
Cornwell combines upbeat guitar melodies with punchy percussion from Noah Boss to create a sound that is a cross between art rock and punk folk. The lyrics are refreshingly whimsical, but also contain subtle tongue-in-cheek commentaries. Cornwell could have used almost any object to finish the line “Where is my…” A Google search I conducted suggested finishing the sentence with the words tax refund, mind, phone, or super suit. Instead, Cornwell chose the words oxygen mask, making the song a story about anxiety and a frantic, panicked search for his breathing apparatus. The anti-love ballad “Paint Thinner” recounts a laundry list of things Cornwell would rather do than be with the subject of the song.
Overall, Wallop Dollop is a study in contrasts. It’s punk and it’s folk. It’s sincere and it’s ironic. But one thing is for sure, it’s never boring!
Wallop Dollop was recorded in Rochester by Alexander Eschbach at Light 40 Studios. It features Cornwell on vocals and guitar, Noah Boss on drums and background vocals, and Amanda Kuzar on kazoo. Kuzar is also the one throwing blue goo at Cornwell on the album cover, which was photographed by Jason Ackerman. It’s available to stream on Spotify and purchase on Bandcamp. True to the DIY art aesthetic, a limited run of hand painted CD’s are also on sale via Bandcamp. Visit Luke Cornwell’s website for more information and updates.
Key Tracks: Good Morning Sunshine, Oxygen Mask, Paint Thinner
Jack White is building enthusiasm for his 2018 tour by releasing a track from his upcoming third solo album Boarding House Reach, which comes out in March.
“Corporation” will be available for fans to download digitally worldwide on Friday, Jan. 26 at midnight. Tour tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.
White is giving away a physical CD copy of the new album with every ticket purchased online for the North American shows. Fans will have the option to upgrade the CD to the standard black vinyl LP.
Jack White’s Facebook page released a 25 second preview of the track, check it out below.
Boarding House Reach is the first all-new album in nearly four years, according to a press release. The album will be released Friday, March 23. Fans can pre-order the standard vinyl LP, CD and digital format beginning Friday, Jan. 26. Fans who purchase the digital album pre-order will also receive downloads of three songs – “Corporation,” “Connected by Love” and “Respect Commander.”
White’s tour travels across North America and Europe for 42 shows from April 19 to Aug. 23.
The tour includes several music festivals that Jack White will headline. North American festivals include: Atlanta’s Shaky Knees; Boston Calling 2018; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival; and The Governors Ball in New York City. Jack White will also headline some festivals in Europe: Rock Werchter in Belgium; Mad Cool Festival in Spain; NOS Alive in Portugal; and the Ilosaarirock Festival in Finland.
White released the third single “Corporation” from Boarding House Reach via YouTube Friday morning. You can view that here.
Check out Jack White’s website for more information.
Jack White 2018 Tour
April 19 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI
April 20 – Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI
April 21 – 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI
April 23 – Baxter Arena – Omaha, NE
April 24 – Providence Medical Center Amphitheater – Bonner Springs, KS
April 25 – Chaifetz Arena – St. Louis, MO
April 27 – Bomb Factory – Dallas, TX
April 29 – Bomb Factory – Dallas, TX
April 30 – Revention Music Center – Houston, TX
May 1 – Revention Music Center – Houston, TX
May 2 – Austin360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX
May 4 – 6 – Shaky Knees Music Festival – Atlanta, GA *
May 6 – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – New Orleans, LA *
May 26 – Boston Calling Music Festival – Boston, MA * May 27 – Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, NY
May 29 – The Anthem – Washington, DC June 1 – Governors Ball Music Festival – New York, NY *
June 4 – Express Live! Outdoor Amphitheater – Columbus, OH
June 6 – Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica – Cleveland, OH June 7 – Dome Arena – Rochester, NY June 8 – Artpark Mainstage Theater – Lewiston, NY
June 9 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
June 27 – Hammersmith Apollo – London, UK
June 28 – Hammersmith Apollo – London, UK
July 2 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands
July 3 – L’Olympia – Paris, France
July 4 – L’Olympia – Paris, France
July 7 – Rock Werchter – Werchter, Belgium *
July 12 – 13 – Mad Cool – Madrid, Spain *
July 14 – NOS Alive – Lisbon, Portugal *
July 15 – Ilosaaririock Festival – Joensuu, Finland *
Aug. 6 – The Armory – Minneapolis, MN
Aug. 8 – 1st Bank Center – Broomfield, CO
Aug. 9 – SaltAir – Salt Lake City, UT
Aug. 11 – Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Portland, OR
Aug. 12 – Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC
Aug. 13 – WAMU Theatre – Seattle, WA
Aug. 15 – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA
Aug. 19 – Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
Aug. 21 – Viejas Arena – San Diego, CA
Aug. 22 – Comerica Theatre – Phoenix, AZ
Aug. 23 – The Chelsea @ The Cosmopolitan – Las Vegas, NV
So, what do you do when your actively touring band goes on a hiatus? If you’re Scott Hannay (Mister F), you play video games, or at least video game music… or both. Scott Hannay Plays Video Games – Multiplayer Edition, is a unique twist on the 8-Bit music that so many gamers hold dear. Hannay is bringing five of his favorite musicians as part of his new project to The Jewel in Manchester, NH this Saturday, and The Monopole in Plattsburgh on February 23.Scott Hannay Plays Video Games Multiplayer Edition features a rotating cast of video game loving, musically inclined masters all trying to level up. Hannay handles keys duties and will will be joined by fellow Mister F band mate Matt Pickering on drums, guitarists Matt Dempsey (Cosmic Dust Bunnies) and Andrew Carton (Chromatropic), percussionist Josh West (Annie in the Water/Lucid) and bassist Billy Comstock (Annie in the Water, Twiddle).
Over the summer Mister F performed what became known as the “Game Genie” set at the Night Lights Music Festival. While working on that project, Hannay began to perform a series of solo shows, showcasing his 8-bit prowess. With Mister F on hiatus, Hannay wanted to expand the idea to include a full band that would change players with each new city or performance.
“I put a post out on Facebook to sort of see if the idea would grow legs, and it did,” Hannay told NYS Music. “I had a number of people reach out immediately about wanting to be involved.
The Multiplayer Edition was debuted on Jan 19 at Toads Place in New Haven, CT. The set featured Comstock, Dempsey and Cosmic Dust Bunnies drummer Eric Hyland.
As a young boy, Hannay cut his teeth on his family’s piano by gingerly plunking out notes to his favorite video game tunes. By his teen years, he was obsessed with MIDI files, bought some cheap software and began transcribing video game soundtracks like Mega Man 1, 2, 3, Contra, Mario 1, and Zelda 1 . Transcription gave way to recording and recording ultimately led Hannay to learn guitar, bass and keys. All of which gave way to Hannay becoming a working a musician.
Hannay’s skills behind the keys has led to sit-ins with a laundry list of artists including Umphrey’s McGee, Twiddle, Dopapod, Turkuaz, Pink Talking Fish, Aqueous, The Werks, Mihali and Frends, Particle, and Kung Fu.
And while Hannay’s history of video games and 8-bit artistry indicates the Scott Hannay Plays Video Games project is a literal dream come true, Hannay noted in a Solitaire Cash review that he’s excited by the reaction of his fellow SHPVG players.
“One of my favorite things about this, that I discovered last week at Toad’s Place, is how much fun the others are having, ” Hannay said, ” I know how much I love playing this stuff, and how much video game music has meant to my musical growth since I was young. It also breaks off a piece of childhood and brings it right to the forefront – with a full band, that part of the experience is made quite obvious.”
Scott Hannay Plays Video Games – Solo Edition is also slated to stop in Plattsburgh, NY on February 23 at Monopole. Tickets for this Saturday’s show at Jewel Music Venue will be available at the door for $10. Show starts at 8pm and is 21+.
The Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight returns this month for its fifth season. The exciting lineup of talented independent musicians slated to appear include The Honey Smugglers, Hanna PK, Juicy Connotation, and Jimmy Highsmith, Jr. The season makes debut on Jan. 27 with a performance by jazz pianist Laura Dubin.
Laura Dubin
On Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight, producer/host Dan Gross conducts interviews with musical guests, then invites them to perform. All shows are filmed at Bop Shop Records at 1460 Monroe Avenue, and are free and open to the public.
The lineup through the end of March has been announced, with April updates to be unveiled soon. Follow Dan Gross: Music & Journalism on Facebook to view dozens of episodes from seasons one through four and get updates on season five. Check out the NYS Music profile on Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight for more about the series.
Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight Schedule of Upcoming Events:
Saturday, January 27th – Laura Dubin
– Laura Dubin is an excellent jazz pianist and superb composer, and she recently released a two-disc album from her performance at the 2016 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. She will be joined by her husband on drums, Antonio H. Guerrero.Friday, February 2nd – Small Signals
– Stephen Roessner is an incredibly talented and well-respected musician and recording engineer in the Rochester area. He’s doing this solo project releasing music that set to the words of “Missed Connections” post on Craigslist.Wednesday, February 7th – Juicy Connotation
– Juicy Connotation is a smart, fun, fusion band that’s on the rise in the growing contemporary instrumental scene in Rochester. They’re gigging a lot, but you’ll never see them in this intimate setting again!Sunday, February 18th – The Honey Smugglers
– We’re already counting down the days to this one. The Honey Smugglers are beloved, respected, and one the best bands – folk or otherwise – around. Come celebrate this with us with beer tastings from Three Heads Brewing!
Wednesday, February 28th – Hanna PK
– Hanna PK is a growing part of Rochester’s blues scene. Her authenticity and personality shine through in every song. She is often joined by a number of great #blues musicians. Come watch our first #blues episode ever!
Friday, March 9th – Vanishing Sun
– Vanishing Sun is one of grooviest and most polished #contemporarysoul bands in Rochester right now. Perfectly balanced, exceptionally exciting. Led by Zahyia Rolle with an all-star cast, this is one you can’t miss.
Saturday, March 20th – Grand Canyon Rescue Episode
– GRCE is a mainstay in the folk rock WNY echelon. With a sound that’s equally at home at ROC’s many festivals, or tasteful enough for a small record store, you’ll dance your socks off for these cats.
Albany two-piece Ignis released their first full-length album The Face of Mars on January 9, premiering their blend of folk, rock, and Americana. The album evokes a feeling of timelessness, seeming to borrow from many iterations and generations of rock music, from a Bowie-esque 70’s quality to a post-punk 90’s Seattle sound. The singing is memorable, somewhat reminiscent of Mark Sandman of Morphine and Ian Curtis of Joy Division, with an impressive vocal range and a very moody quality. Ignis manages to shift deftly between slow build-ups and high-energy releases.
The album opens with a slow ballad titled “AS,” that showcases the emotional side of their songwriting, and then follows it with the faster paced, grungy “Not Yet.” The third song out, “Don’t Go” starts with atmospheric guitar and then allows the drums to slowly build up to a satisfying crescendo.
“Chloe Dancer” features singing that reminds the listener of singers like Morrissey, while allowing the pianist to show his talents. “Paper” presents a change of pace, with the guitarist adopting a different, sultry style as the song takes on a jazzy feel. Each song of this album is short and to the point, with a definitive style and tone that encompasses much of the record.
“273” is a huge departure from the general tone of the album, beginning with a danceable funk riff then dropping back into a Smiths-inspired vocal melody and some sludgy guitar work. The following song, “Sink,” takes a mellower approach, while still boasting their signature guitar tone.
“Tunnel Vision” features a memorable riff set to sad lyrics, while “Could it Be” ventures into power ballad territory. The album then closes out with “Follower,” which hearkens back to the 80’s. Ignis presents a promising first effort, successfully melding a variety of styles into an atmospheric, original record. Available on Bandcamp, Itunes and Spotify.
Following a recent announcement that he would be going on his first solo tour since 2009, former Talking Heads front man David Byrne has announced that he will be expanding his travels this year and embarking on a massive world tour. The tour will be supporting his new solo album American Utopia, his first solo album since 2004’s Grown Backwards, and working its way through North and South America, as well as Europe. Byrne’s sole New York state stop on the tour will be at Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua.
The tour will be based around new songs, as well as songs that many listeners are already familiar with. Byrne is excited as it will be, “The most ambitious show I’ve done since the shows that were filmed for ‘Stop Making Sense,’ so fingers crossed.”
He also tweeted, “The show concept is simple, much like the concept for Stop Making Sense. There, it was ‘bit by bit show what goes into making a show, and then activate it.’ Here, it is ‘allow everyone to be mobile on an empty stage’ and imagine what that allows.”
According to his website, every headline show ticket purchased for a U.S. show online will include a CD of the new album, which is set to be released March 9. Tickets will go on sale Jan. 19, and can be purchased directly from his website. You can check out the full list of dates below:
David Byrne 2018 World Tour:
March 16 – Santiago, Chile – Lollapalooza Chile
March 18 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Lollapalooza Argentina
March 19 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Teatro Gran Rex
March 20 – Montevideo, Uruguay – Teatro de Verano
March 24 – Sao Paulo, Brazil – Lollapalooza
April 3 – Mexico City, Mexico – Metropolitan Theater
April 5 – Monterrey, Mexico – Auditorio Pabellón
April 7 – Guadalajara, Mexico – Corona Capital Guadalajara
April 14 – Indio, CA – Coachella
April 15 – Tucson, AZ – Centennial Hall
April 17 – San Diego, CA – San Diego Civic Theater
April 18 – Las Vegas, NV – Smith Center for the Arts
April 19 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Arts Center-Ikeda Theater
April 21 – Indio, CA – Coachella
April 24 – Dallas, TX – Winspear Opera House
April 25 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion
April 27 – San Antonio, TX – Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
April 28 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall Outside Lawn
May 4-6 – Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees
May 6 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
May 8 – Asheville, NC – Thomas Wolfe Civic Auditorium
May 9 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
May 10 – Durham, NC- Durham PAC
May 12 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
May 13 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center for the Arts
May 15 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theater
May 16 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theater
May 17 – Minneapolis, MN – Orpheum Theater
May 19 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – TCU Place
May 20 – Edmonton, Alberta – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
May 21 – Calgary, Alberta – Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
May 23 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Queen Elizabeth Theater
May 24 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theater
May 27 Portland, OR – Keller Audiorium
May 28 Eugene, OR – Hult Center
May 30 – Salt Lake City, UT – Capitol Theatre
June 2 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theater
June 5 – Des Moines, IA – Des Moines Civic Center
June 7 – Kansas City, MO – Kauffman Center for the Arts
June 8 – St. Louis, MO – Peabody Opera House
June 9 – Indianapolis, IN – Farmers Bureau Lawn Amphitheater
June 14 – Oxford, England – New Theatre
June 15 – Glasgow, Scotland – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
June 17 – Birmingham, England – Birmingham Symphony Hall
June 18 – Manchester, England – Manchester Apollo
June 19 – London, England Eventim Apollo
June 22 – Prague, Czech Republic – Metronome Festival
June 23 – Prague, Czech Republic – Metronome Festival
June 25 – Zagreb, Croatia – IN music Festival
June 26 – Wien, Austria – Museumsquartier
June 30 – Ewijk, Netherlands – Down The Rabbit Hole
July 31 – Ewijk, Netherlands – Down The Rabbit Hole
July 1 – Ewijk, Netherlands – Down The Rabbit Hole
July 5-8 – Werchter, Belgium – Rock Werchter
July 6 – Roskilde, Denmark – Roskilde Festival
July 5 – Gdynia, Poland – Open’er Festival
July 11 – Oeiras, Portugal – Cool Jazz Festival
July 13 – Bilbao, Spain Bilbao – BBK Live Festival
July 13 – Barcelona, Spain – Cruilla Barcelona
July 14 – Barcelona, Spain – Cruilla Barcelona
July 17 – Zürich, Switzerland – Theater 11
July 19 – Ravenna, Italy – Ravenna Festival
July 20 – Perugia, Italy – Umbria Jazz Festival
July 21 – Trieste, Italy – Piazza UNita
July 27 – Camden, NJ – XPoNential Music Festival
July 31 – Boston, MA – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
Aug. 1 – Shelburne, VT Shelburne Museum – The Green
Aug. 3 – Toronto, ONT – Sony Center for the Performing Arts Aug. 5 – Canandaigua, NY – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
Aug. 8 – Grand Rapids, MI – Devos Performance Hall
Aug. 10 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theater
Aug. 11 – Huber Heightes, OH – Rose Music Center
Aug. 12 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend
Aug. 16 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
Aug. 18 – San Jose, CA – City National Civic Auditorium
Aug. 21 – Sacramento CA – Community Theater
Aug. 24 – Santa Barbara, CA -Santa Barbara Bowl
Aug. 28 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheater
Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer of the iconic Irish alternative band the Cranberries, died suddenly in London on Monday. She was 46.
Her death was confirmed in an emailed statement from her publicist, Lindsey Holmes. The brief announcement stated, “Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. She was 46 years old. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries was in London for a short recording session.”
O’Riordan’s cause of death was not specified. Her publicist did state that her family is devastated by the news and has requested privacy. She is survived by her ex-husband, Don Burton, and her three children, Taylor Baxter, Molly Leigh and Dakota Rain.
Born in County Limerick, Ireland on Sept. 6, 1971 to Terence and Eileen O’Riordan, she was the youngest of seven children. Her powerfully unique, lilting voice and thick Irish accent combined to form an instrument that propelled her band, the Cranberries to international fame following the release of their debut 1993 album, Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? The album featured the hit singles “Linger” and “Dreams.” Their 1994 follow-up, No Need to Argue produced the band’s most iconic hit, “Zombie.”
The Cranberries released an acoustic album last year entitled Something Else. The ensuing tour of Europe and North America was postponed due to health problems O’Riordan was encountering. Prior to Christmas, she posted an update to the band’s Facebook page.
Tributes to the gifted vocalist were plentiful, including from Irish President Michael D. Higgins, who wrote, “[She and the Cranberies were an] immense influence on rock and pop music in Ireland and internationally. I recall with fondness the late Limerick TD Jim Kemmy’s introduction of her and the Cranberries to me, and the pride he and so many others took in their successes. To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts her death will be a big loss.”
Dave Davies of the Kinks offered the following from his Twitter account:
I’m really shocked that #DoloresORiordan has passed so suddenly – I was talking to her a couple weeks before Christmas she seemed happy and well – we even spoke about maybe writing some songs together – unbelievable god bless her pic.twitter.com/Pk2QyAaaBw
“The Queen of Limerick” was raised a devout Catholic and revered Pope John Paul II. After meeting the pontiff at the Vatican, she recalled in a 2007 interview with The Guardian, “(He) was lovely, very saintly. I was mad about him. I thought he really cared for the poor and he loved to meet the people. I saw him when he came to Limerick, when I was a kid. So it was pretty mind blowing to take my mum out to meet him.”
She performed at the annual Vatican Christmas concerts in 2001 and 2002 at the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI and returned to perform for Pope Francis in 2013.
O’Riordan’s preoccupation with death was not a secret. She was at her father’s bedside, holding his hand when he died in 2011. She claimed to have felt his spirituality enter her as he died. She also spent time visiting graveyards during her teen years, as she told the Soul Sisters podcast last year:
You kind of wonder what is all about here. We’re only here for a while, and you can’t find complete happiness here. There is always sadness and there is always problems and troubles. Then you wonder when it will be your time, your calling, your time to die. What happens? That is something that my mind has always been preoccupied with.
The Cranberriesworld blog has a brief clip of what is possibly O’Riordan’s last public performance, at the Billboard Christmas party in New York City this past December. You can view that here.
The band broke up in 2002, but reunited with a tour in 2010. The album Roses followed in 2012. Below is their Tiny Desk Concert performance at NPR from that year.
Imagine a cross between the shows Off Camera with Sam Jones and NPR’s Tiny Desk. Picture the best musicians in the local scene performing and being interviewed at neighborhood venues. And then envision yourself being part of a live audience. For music lovers in Rochester, this is a reality. Music journalist Dan Gross has devoted the past year and a half to bringing this vision to life.Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight highlights the best of the rich and diverse music scene in Rochester, which was recently voted best music town by staff in the Best of NYS Music poll.
With an exciting lineup of guests and the support of sponsors, Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight’s “Season5” promises to be exciting. “We want to make this the biggest season yet,” Gross told NYS Music. During the off season, he lined up a slew of talented performers. To support the expansion of the program to sixteen episodes, new and returning sponsors are pledging support. One of the new partnerships has led to the creation of a spin-off series. To top it all off, a fundraising campaign this month may make it possible to to air the series on television, in addition to the web.
Rochester’s Premiere Music Interview and Performance Series
“Season 5” will showcase sixteen musical acts representing a variety of genres. Among the guests slated to appear are Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist Jimmie Highsmith Jr., beloved folk band The Honey Smugglers, blues singer/pianist Hanna PK, and comedic songs by Small Signals from their Missed Connections album. This season concludes with the series’ landmark fiftieth episode.
The majority of episodes are filmed at Bop Shop Records, an independent record shop that carries a wide array of music and specializes in fine condition vinyl. Serving the community since 1982, the shop was originally in Village Gate and is now located at 1460 Monroe Ave. It was the first sponsor of the Spotlight, a partner since the second season in mid-2016. Gross is grateful for the the shop’s owner, Tom Kohn, as the use of venue space allowed the show to expand from a straight interview program to a mixed interview and concert format.
“To say that Bop Shop Records is the reason this show is happening is an exceptional understatement,” Gross said. “This place – a space dedicated to kindness, building a community and helping people, and great music and records regardless of genre – are the same values that the Spotlight lives by.”
“We really enjoyed being able to perform at Bop Shop,” said Marty LoFaso of Tart Vandelay. “The show is a great, one-of-a-kind aspect of our music scene.”
Filling a Niche
The longevity of Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight can be credited to both the quality of programming and the high standards established by Gross. After graduating college with a double major in Broadcasting and Music, he has found many outlets for his talents. He has bylines as a writer for the Democrat and Chronicle and Eastman School of Music. He’s on the crew of the local web show My Hometown. You can also find Gross hosting and producing the music interview podcast “Extended Harmony” for jazz record label Outside In Music and hosting a show on Jazz 90.1 on Mondays from 6-8pm.
Gross started Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight because he wanted to find a way to combine his broadcast journalism skills with his deep appreciation for the Rochester music scene.
“The philosophy of the show has always been to try to come at it with a journalistic approach,” said Gross. “I believe one of the reasons the show is successful is that it’s not gimmicky… The show doesn’t substitute a gimmick for meaningful material.”
The overarching goal is to become a benchmark for musicians, providing them with not only exposure to a wider audience and a shareable video, but to be able to become a stepping stone in their career. “I want my show to get to the point where if you’ve come on, that’s a stepping point for you,” Gross said. “I want to give people that ‘Spotlight boost.’”
“If you’re not doing it to help someone out, what’s the point?” Gross went on to explain. “That’s the difference between content and something that’s meaningful, is that it’s about people. Content is about views. But I’m trying to help people. There are people who live here who don’t understand how much live music is here, or how important Rochester is as an arts community.”
Growing The Local Scene
The show has grown from humble DIY beginnings with Gross conducting interviews and friend Stacey Baran on camera. Gross has operated the program on a shoestring budget, learning how to do a multitude of technical tasks himself, including audio mixing and color correcting video. He still tries to do as much as he can to contain costs. He’s deeply thankful to everyone who has helped the program to grow. From videographers Jason Thibault (producer of My Hometown) and Dallas Greene to a growing number of musicians, viewers, and sponsors.
“This show is not possible without other people,” said Gross. In addition to connecting musicians with an audience, the show promotes local independent businesses and venues which promote the local music scene.Bernunzio Uptown Music, a shop renowned for its quality vintage instruments, has hosted some of the Spotlight shows. Rowe Photo, Video and Audio, a place where Gross has bought some of the equipment he uses to record the sessions, was also an early supporter of the Spotlight.
Gross has been announcing new sponsors who will also be backing the program this year, including restaurant and roastery Joe Bean Coffee Roasters which features live jazz weekly and instrument sales/rental/repair shop Sound Source. There’s also a new partnership with Three Heads Brewing which launched a monthly series The Rochester Residency. The “Spotlight Spinoff” videos will highlight featured artist of the month.
The first installment of the “Spotlight Spinoff” with this month’s resident Fran Broderick was released last week. In the debut episode, Gross and Broderick chat at the brewery about Fran’s musical background. Broderick also gives viewers insight into the plans for his sets every Thursday in January: a week doing an acoustic set, another week with his band Friday in America, the third week playing Warren Zevron’s Excitable Boy with a handful of musical guests, and releasing his new album on the final week. The interview is book-ended with some clips of Broderick playing his original songs on acoustic guitar.
In addition to local business owners, viewers can also become patrons of the show. Donors to the Spotlight’s first crowd sourcing campaign are entitled to a variety of perks at various levels, including t-shirts, coupons or swag bags from sponsors, and being recognized in show credits.
If the indiegogo fundraiser reaches its target of $3,500, it will enable Rochester Indie Musician Spotlight to make the leap to television. Airing on television as well as being posted to the internet will help the show reach a wider audience. “If everyone who has ever “liked” the Facebook page gave $5, we’d reach our goal,” said Gross.
During the countdown leading up the highly anticipated “Season5,” Gross is replaying some of the episodes from the first four seasons. You can find them on Facebook at Dan Gross: Music & Journalism . Hit the follow button to get the scoop on upcoming events and new episodes.
Boston Calling has released the names of performers for the 2018 music festival, including headliners Eminem, The Killers, and Jack White. The three-day-long event takes place across three stages at Harvard Athletic Complex, and includes performances by 54 musicians, bands, and comedians. Early tickets are on sale now at the Boston Calling Music Festival website.
Photo: Ty Johnson
The list of performers was chosen by Aaron Dessner of The National, a co-founder of Boston Calling Music Festival. While the festival draws iconic acts and rising stars from all over, there is a lot of local and regional flavor. Boston alt rockers Belly will play. Also slated to perform are indie rock trio Weakened Friends and and hip-hop duo STL GLD, who each took prizes at the 2017 Boston Music Awards. Harvard alum and award-winning actress and director Natalie Portman will be curating a special series (more information will be announced at a later date).
2018 Music Lineup:
Eminem, The Killers, Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, The National, Paramore, Tyler, The Creator,
Khalid, Bryson Tiller, Portugal The Man, Fleet Foxes, St. Vincent, The Decemberists, Brockhampton,
Maggie Rogers, Royal Blood, Manchester Orchestra, Daniel Caesar, Dirty Projectors, Stormzy, Thundercat, Belly, Pussy Riot, Julien Baker, Alvvays, The Menzingers, Thee Oh Sees, Perfume Genius, Noname, (Sandy) Alex G, Big Thief, Mount Kimbie, Citizen, Pond, Zola Jesus, Taylor Bennett, Westside Gunn & Conway, Charly Bliss, Leikeli47, Field Report, Lillie Mae, Tauk, This Is The Kit, Weakened Friends, Stl Gld
2018 Comedy & Entertainment Lineup:
Natalie Portman, Pod Save America, Lovett or Leave It, Jenny Slate, Bridget Everett, Cameron Esposito, Tony Hinchcliffe, Jo Firestone, Max Silvestri,Martin Urbano
Early bird tickets for Boston Calling 2018 went on sale Thursday, Jan. 4. Three-day general admission passes cost $279. There is a VIP package and a Platinum VIP package available as well at a cost of $599 and $1049 respectively. More information can be found at the Boston Calling website.
We met Kalmia Traver, lead vocalist and sax player of Rubblebucket, a Brooklyn-based funk dance troop, standing in the green room on a carpet already littered with small squares of white confetti paper- a playful hint to where the night would lead.
Her slender frame and fair skin animated by a vibrant orange and yellow poncho, paired with sparkling gold baggy shorts over black leggings. What could easily have been mistaken for her stage outfit was actually just her driving PJ’s. She would later sport a petticoat upon her shoulders, normally worn underneath a skirt to exaggerate it’s volume. She greeted us with an unassuming and innocent smile before we made our way to a couch along the back wall. The small room was cluttered with other musicians chatting, snacking and sipping on kombucha, a favorite drink of Traver and other Rubblebucket members.
Traver’s first order of business that morning before departing Brooklyn for the Flower City? Acquiring the leaf blower they use as their confetti cannon, obviously. Then they loaded the van, hit the road and after a tumultuous interaction with the GPS, made it to Anthology an hour late but ready to start the party.
After taking her spot on the couch to chat with us, Traver parted a grocery bag at her feet to unearth a quart of soup from a local noodle bar which she proceeded to drink straight from the container. No frills here.
Traver’s free spirited nature made it easy to relax into playful conversation before switching gears to discuss their current projects. Since the release of their EP If U C My Enemies in early 2017, Rubblebucket has been working to complete a full length album, with the first month and a half of 2018 set aside to finish it up. Traver and Alex Toth (sax/vox) had been heavily experimenting with their solo projects, leaving less time for Rubblebucket recordings until more recently. Traver’s project Kalbells explores a softer side with whispery vocals, but a familiar quirkiness, with bells, synths and other curious sounds decorating her tunes. Toth chose to put down the trumpet and pick up a less familiar instrument for his self-titled guitar venture Tōth.
As projects develop and evolve, musicians are constantly refining their image and identity. Rubblebucket once called themselves Rubblebucket Orchestra. As Traver was discussing the decision to condense their name, some tall guy slid into the conversation to invite the band to breakfast the next morning. The rest of her explanation spun down the drain before we could catch it as the conversation stayed on food.
Back in November she posted an Instagram photo adoringly posing with a few Brussels sprout stalks. Both Traver and Toth share their concern for sustainable farming and other environmental issues, which they both studied in college. Now they bleed these topics into their performances, hearts set on using their music for more than just giving people a good time. Their Dec. 29 performance at Anthology also included an information table on renewable power so fans could get learnt on how to reduce their carbon footprint.
When it comes to protecting their creative environment, we asked Traver about any pre-show rituals. Traver’s only anchor is selecting an outfit that will accentuate her dance moves to add visual interest on stage and put her in the right mindset for the performance. She gets her “dancespiration” from the world at large and from frequent dance excursions in her room with the help of a mirror. As any good dancer knows, a mirror is the key to methodically evolving dance skills, using the constant visual feedback to refine or exaggerate movements.
Oh and if you were wondering why a dusting of confetti flecked the green room carpet before the show even began, Rubblebucket came equipped with an arsenal of confetti balloons for the performance. One of the big balloons unexpectedly popped in a “sad happy accident” as Traver called it, providing the sprinkle of playful floor decor for our pre-show hangout.
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The tour will be based around new songs, as well as songs that many listeners are already familiar with. Byrne is excited as it will be, “The most ambitious show I’ve done since the shows that were filmed for ‘Stop Making Sense,’ so fingers crossed.”
Her death was confirmed in an emailed statement from her publicist, Lindsey Holmes. The brief announcement stated, “Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. She was 46 years old. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries was in London for a short recording session.”
