NYS Music 20​18

Category: Jam/Progressive

  • Rochester Fringe Continues: A Recap of Saturday Afternoon at Parcel 5

    It was a muggy 80 degrees in Rochester with nary a breeze to be found, but that didn’t stop people young and old from gathering at Parcel 5 for some live music on Saturday afternoon. Four days into the 11-day-long KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival, and the party is still going strong. The lineup at the main stage included Chris Eves and the New Normal and Shane Scarazzini & EightFingers, leading up to an encore performance by the UK’s Massaoke.

    Chris Eves and The New Normal kicked things off. The Syracuse-based band jam band has shared a bill with the likes of Zac Brown Band, Jon Fishman of Phish, Turkuaz, Gov’t Mule, Cheap Trick, and Gregg Allman. Today, they opened up the main stage on the first weekend afternoon at New York State’s largest multi-media festival.

    With a smooth blend of roots rock, funk, and blues, Chris Eves and The New Normal have been making a name for themselves in the region. The band laid down some groovy tunes that got people from ages 8 to 80 up and dancing. The set included their original songs, featured on their SAMMY-nominated debut album Find Your Way, as well as their latest single “In Between.”

    Following this act was Shane Scarazzini & EightFingers. A Hudson Valley native, Scarazzini relocated to Nashville a few years ago. Luckily for us, he still spends a lot of time gigging in New York. EightFingers is his latest endeavor, a trio that includes Don Holocher on drums and Lucas Carillo on bass.

    They started their set strong with a searing hot cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” People around me were singing along, even though the official mass karaoke party wouldn’t start for a couple hours. The band was comfortable playing everything from rock standards to country. Their set also included their latest original song, “Camilla.”

    Check out our opening weekend preview and coverage of Friday night’s Massaoke headlining set. Stay tuned to NYS Music for more coverage of the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival, which runs daily through Saturday, September 22.

    For information about upcoming events, go to RochesterFringe.com, where you can filter the 500+ events by type, venue, and date.

  • Cohoes Music Hall hosts Holly Bowling on Sunday September 16

    Holly Bowling returns to the Capital District on Sunday, September 16 at Cohoes Music Hall, bringing her classical interpretations from the catalogs of the Grateful Dead and Phish with her. Bowling has twice performed in Albany at the Massry Center for the Arts, as well as at The Whisper Dome in Schenectady, most recently last October. With Phish just one month away in the state capital, Bowling will find a familiar audience once again in one of the oldest venues in the state. Check out what we said of her performance at The Whisper Dome in March of 2017 and get your tickets to this special night of music.

    After studying piano performance at SF State University, Bowling has turned her agile mind and interpretive prowess to the works of Phish on 2015’s Distillation Of A Dream album and the Grateful Dead focused Better Left Unsung (2016, The Royal Potato Family). Her compelling playing and unerring ability to successfully collaborate with other musicians in an impressive array of styles has brought her to the attention of Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes, and other luminaries who’ve asked Bowling to perform with them. Already a rising star on the festival circuit, Bowling currently tours as a member of Ghost Light with Tom Hamilton, Steve Lyons, Raina Mullen and Scotty Zwang. Texture, nuance, and a gift for dexterous high-wire improvisation are the hallmarks of San Francisco-based classically trained pianist Holly Bowling.

  • moe. Fills Second Night of Saranac Run With Heavy Hitters

    After a warm, beer-scented night one at the Saranac Matt Brewery, moe. prepared to warm up the crowd on a rather chilly night two of their Utica run. It was bassist Rob Derhak’s turn to write the setlist, and he had some surprises in store for the eagerly awaiting moe.rons.
    moe saranac run    To start off the first set, moe. dropped into their classic “Spine of a Dog,” singing the opening acapella lyrics for a few lines before letting the audience take over. Following a standard composed section, the group jammed on the song’s chord structure for the entirety of the jam, leading it into an up tempo peak before dropping into “Plane Crash,” sans Al Schnier’s usual tremolo-laden intro. Arguably Derhak’s most well-known song, “Plane Crash” had the whole audience singing along with its catchy chorus. The jam again stayed within the structure of the song itself, but led to its usual Schnier-led peak before ending with one last chorus. After a little bit of banter about how playing at Saranac in Utica feels like home to Derhak, the group played the short but sweet Chuck Garvey-penned “Who You Callin’ Scared?.” “Lazarus” followed soon after, a somber sounding tune seemingly referencing the biblical figure Lazarus, the man who Jesus supposedly rose from the dead 4 days after his death. Garvey took many jaw-dropping solos throughout the song’s many music interludes, leading the group through the jam section and into the final choruses before ending the song.

    To close out the set, the group whipped out the segment of “SIlver Sun > Puebla > Moth,” beginning with the Pink Floyd-esque Schnier tune “Silver Sun” to keep the slower vibe of “Lazarus” going. The intro was jammed out for a good eight and a half minutes before Schnier and Garvey broke into the song’s mysterious lyrics.

    Following the lyrical portion, the song was brought into a dark ambient jam led by Garvey, and driven by the strong rhythm section of Jim Loughlin on percussion, Vinnie Amico on drums, and Derhak on bass. As the jam picked up, Schnier and Garvey dropped into the song’s beautiful guitar harmonies before bringing the tune into “Puebla,” retaining the somber vibe of “Lazarus” and “Silver Sun.” “Puebla” wasted no time getting into the jam, kicking it off a mere two and a half minutes into the song, and jamming on the song’s main structure for more than six minutes before bringing the tune into uncharted territory. The group experimented a bit before ultimately bringing the song up into “Moth,” another Schnier led number that brought the mood up after the somber previous few songs. After working through a few verses and choruses, the group let Derhak take the spotlight for his first big bass solo of the night. The rest of the band decided to back up a motif Derhak was creating in his bass solo, and added textures around it to bring the musical idea to life. After about five minutes, the group brought the jam back into “Moth” territory and Schnier led the band to the best peak of the set with a fiery solo, singing out one last chorus before exiting the stage.

    After a toast to Nick Matt, the CEO of Saranac Matt Brewing Company, moe. came onstage and dropped into “New Hope For The New Year,” Garvey’s contribution to the new songs performed at the band’s return to the stage at the Capitol Theatre this past February. It seems to be Garvey’s way of putting everything into perspective and appreciating life after Derhak’s cancer scare, a very optimistic message for a somewhat downbeat song. The jam didn’t get too crazy, mainly switching between the typical A/B sections and allowing Garvey an area to stretch his legs solo-wise. After the hook, the group performed the main melody one last time before transitioning into “Kyle’s Song” through a “no huddle” segue. “Kyle’s Song” is a fan favorite across the board, coming from the band’s most loved album, Wormwood, a studio masterpiece released in 2003. The “Kyle’s” jam kicked off like it always does, with a killer solo from Garvey himself that usually makes up a good portion of the song.

    After a near six minute solo, the group dropped back into the chorus, before suddenly dropping into an unusual jam on the song’s main melody, but at half time. Loughlin saw this as an opportunity for a Marimba solo, and took a quick one before the band started to pick up the pace and bring the song into the legendary “Bearsong,” one of the heaviest songs in moe.’s catalog. Big inflatable Saranac branded bears were released into the audience as the intro of the song played out, and Schnier drove the group into the main section of the song. The jam stayed in the song structure and acted more as a solo base for the dueling duo as Derhak slapped away at his bass. The audience raged in full force with the group as Schnier brought it into one last chorus and the ending riffs of the song.

    As a break between the heavy jamming, Schnier led the group in his tune “What Can I Say,” a ballad with heartfelt lyrics backed by soulful blues music. The only way the band could follow that up was of course, “Rebubula > Yodelittle > Rebubula,” the jam segment of the night. Garvey kicked off “Rebubula” with an extended Leslie filled intro, before the rest of the band joined in and started to tease what song was about to start. After nearly seven minutes of open ended improv, the guitar duo broke into the opening notes of the song, and Derhak quickly fell in line behind them with Amico and Loughlin backing the groove up. The song is centered around Derhak, slapping and singing his heart out during the main verses of the song, and this time he was driving the bus a bit faster than usual. The group went through the typical composed riffs before Loughlin melted “Rebubula” into “Yodelittle,” with the help of Schnier and Garvey. Schnier assumed his role as the leader for the song, dropping into the song’s catchy chorus with Garvey harmonizing his vocals as usual. “Yodelittle” featured the longest jam of the night, clocking in at 23 minutes, and went the most out there of any song the group played over the weekend. Derhak took another of his famed fuzzy bass solos while the rest of the group layered textures behind him, before Loughlin took the reigns from him for a quick vibes solo. Schnier and Garvey dropped back into the opening riff of “Yodelittle” as they brought the song back into “Rebubula,” finishing out what they had started.

    Garvey took the helm and soloed his way into the peak of the jam before Derhak broke into the final verse of the song. The group repeated the chorus a few times before ending the song, leaving the stage for a quick encore break and Al.nouncements. The encore opened with “Don’t Wanna Be,” Loughlin’s first vocal effort of the night, which started the end of the show off on a dark note. He showed off his unique, yet spectacular voice as well as his vibraphone skills before the group took a quick break and dropped into “Okayalright.” A highly upbeat Derhak-penned tune about a time before moe. was even a band. The song didn’t contain any jamming, the group seemingly wanting to spread the positivity of the chorus of the song. After a quick thank you from Derhak, the group left the stage for the final time of the weekend.

    moe. performed two fantastic shows this past weekend in Utica, playing to their hometown crowd at a venue they love. The audience was spreading the love, and sharing in the incredible experience unfolding around them. Check below for a taste of the night through the photo gallery from Dave DeCrescente.

  • Aqueous Discuss Tour, New Album and More at Cobblestone Live Music Festival

    On day two of the second annual Cobblestone Live music festival, three-fourths of Buffalo’s own groove-rock powerhouse, Aqueous, joined me amidst the celebration of music and art. Dave Loss (guitar/vox), Evan McPhaden (Bass), and Rob Houk (Drums) sat down to discuss their incredibly busy summer thus far, coming home to Buffalo, their new studio album, Color Wheel, and their upcoming, and most extensive fall tour yet.

    aqueous cobblestone

    Andy Hogan: Cobblestone Live is obviously a homecoming for you guys, but you’ve had quite the summer away from Buffalo, so far. Between Summer Camp, Mountain Music Festival, Disc Jam, Electric Forest and Peach, what have been some major takeaways from the tour?

    DL: One of the bigger highlights I think was being able to sell out The Bluebird Theater.

    RH: That was a huge highlight of the summer. I think a good rule of thumb is never expect to sell out, and when you’re not in a hometown scenario, you never know what’s going to happen.

    AH: But in Denver, that’s kind of just the scene, right? People just get out and go to see music.

    RH: I feel like it’s become a second home to us. The response to music out there is just something you don’t see…like, every night there is just a banging show.

    AH: And you see those weird kind of pockets even locally, right? Ithaca, for example, has tons of people getting out to see music on a Friday or Saturday night. Where else do you guys see that?

    DL: Burlington, VT for sure.

    RH: Omaha!

    DL: Yeah! Omaha, Nebraska we’ve had three really good experiences. Once with Papadosio, and twice at the Reverb Lounge.

    RH: People go nuts in Omaha…they throw down.

    AH: Coming back to Buffalo for Cobblestone must be a special occasion. Particularly for you, Dave and Evan, having grown up here. To see this area transform, could you have imagined this would be happening even a few years ago?

    DL: No. Even the whole city in general from ten years ago has seen such growth in a positive way. Like you said, this whole area was not a thing, the whole Canalside area was not a thing, so it’s really nice to see all of this happening.

    aqueous cobblestone

    AH: From what I read online, your first time ever playing down here was not too long after Iron Works opened in 2014…is it safe to say Iron Works is your favorite spot around town?

    DL: It was definitely a huge place for us to continue to grow in the city. Josh [Holtzman] obviously runs it, and he’s our homie so it’s been really nice. Even more than that, it’s helped bring a lot of great music into the city…a lot of other acts that hadn’t really been coming to Buffalo prior to it being open.

    RH: It’s a good spot for a mid-level band…they treat you like a king. It’s not just a great spot to play, they also understand what it’s like to be on the road. At the end of the day, when you treat your musicians well, they’re going to play better, your patrons are going to be happier…it works all around.

    EM: It’s definitely a music venue for musicians. Josh actually used to manage us and would come on the road with us. So he’s seen all the venues we’ve been to and knows exactly what he wants for Iron Works.

    AH: Now, there’s something new in your live set that I noticed last night. I saw that both you (Dave) and Mike [Gantzer] are now using PRS (Paul Reed Smith) guitars. How does this affect you sonically?

    DL: Haha, he’s finally seen the light! I love those guitars. What’s cool about his, and mine does it too, but you can coil tap. So there are two humbuckers on the outside that can go between single and humbucker, then there is a single coil in the middle. Plus it’s a bolt on neck, all that adds that like Fender Stratocaster snap that you can get. So he can still get that single coil, fatty-strat kind of sound with that guitar, but he can still get the rippin’ leads with the humbuckers.

    Shortly after this interview, Aqueous announced both Mike and Dave are now officially endorsed by PRS guitars.

    aqueous cobblestone

    AH: Evan, while we’re on the topic of gear, what can you tell me about your bass?

    EM: It’s made by a Polish company called Mayones. Our friend Ryan has one, and I got to play it for a weekend and I fell in love with it. It’s deep, but still bright at the same time. I run it through a TC Electronic Blacksmith…I think it’s 1600 watts, which is, a lot. I also have a 6×10 Ampeg Cabinet.

    AH: Rob, I don’t know anything about drums, but I am curious what kind of kit you play; what are your preferences?

    RH: My kit is a Gretsch Renown Maple with a Pork Pie Lil’ Squealer Snare, which is also kind of weird because I play a 12” snare as my primary. Cymbals, I break them so often that I just try to find something that sounds good, usually used.

    AH: It’s funny, most drummers will tell you they prefer used cymbals. Like in the Phish documentary, Bittersweet Motel, Jon Fishman has a room just filled with old, somewhat beat up cymbals.

    DL: I randomly watched that clip the other day for some odd reason!

    RH: Yeah, some of that stuff really builds character. Like having dirt, and just the grit and oil that gets on them. Some drummers like to clean them until their just shiny all the time…I don’t know, I think that might do them a disservice — that metal is there to develop, it’s part of your sound, part of your tone

    AH: Now the new album [Color Wheel] will be your first studio album since the Best in Show EP. You guys recorded at GCR again, right?

    DL: Yep, with Justin Rose.

    AH: When I had Mike on the podcast, he had said that you guys studied a lot of musicians and artists, not only their music, but also the way they actually recorded. Who were some of those artists?

    DL: Steely Dan was always a huge influence.

    RH: I think we were also looking at some late 90s hard rock albums…some Incubus type stuff.

    EM: Even pop material, as well. I feel like in albums in the past, the way we mixed background vocals were kind of loud. I feel like on this one we had more of a lead singer kind of sound. The Beatles, for example, do a lot of very full harmonies that are always upfront.

    DL: Yes! I always love listening to The Beatles before we go into recording…there’s so many interesting mix choices, tones, ect.

    AH: Well in addition to the new album, your fall tour is coming in quick. Is this the biggest headlining tour to date?

    DL: Yes — we’re really excited. We have a lot of great support on it too; Mungion, Heavy Pets, Goose, and Elm.

    AH: Super exciting. I saw that September 7th you guys will be back at the Utica Brewery with moe. What an honor to play with them, and all these bands you get to play with.

    DL: Yeah doin’ another one with them and getting to play with Umphrey’s again in October.

    EM: I think the last couple of years, we’ve been very lucky to be put where we have been…and we’re very grateful.

    Aqueous kicks off their fall tour Friday, September 7th in Utica, NY with moe. at the Saranac Brewery. For tickets, all of Aqueous’ fall dates, and to pre-order their new upcoming studio album, Color Wheel, visit aqueousband.com.

  • 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.

  • The 2018 Borderland Music & Arts Festival lineup announced

    The 2018 Borderland Music & Arts Festival released an electrifying lineup this week in anticipation of its inaugural festival at Knox Farm State Park. Scheduled for Sept. 22 and 23, the event is known particularly for its appreciation of rich artisan history within the Buffalo-Niagara region and will be accompanied by sounds from a wide spectrum of bands.

    The headliners for the festival are just as incredible as the food, drinks, and services offered. Saturday’s lineup features major names such as the Revivalists, the Sam Roberts Band, Dr. Dog, Sam Bush Band, and Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds.  Additionally one of Buffalo’s favorite Canadian groups, the Barr Brothers will be crossing the border to share their high energy folk tracks. Sunday features blue-eyed Philly soul legend John Oates & the Good Road Band, Oteil & Friends, Margo Price, and the Infamous Stringdusters.

    Tickets are available now and vary in packages from two-day VIP to General Admission. The two-day VIP ticket is priced at $359 and includes VIP parking, prime viewing for both stages, a private bar with local fare, and a private Friday Night reception at the Knox Mansion. In addition, the festival is family friendly with free admission for children 10 and under when accompanied by a paying adult. Even the location of the event is breathtaking as it is fully surrounded by the Great White North and Great Lakes. For anyone looking to enjoy a fantastic weekend filled with delicious food, talented music, and excellent drinks, the 2018 Borderland Music & Arts festival is a fest to surely consider this fall.

    Check out the video for the Revivalists’ hit song, “Wish I Knew You” below:

  • Space Carnival Announces Final Show at the Black Oak on October 6

    In a sincere and heartfelt announcement, Space Carnival took to Facebook Tuesday to address their decision to disband and hold their final show after five exciting years. The quartet originally launched in the Oneonta music scene and earned loyal listeners all across the country. They went on to humbly dedicate their amazing memories to musicians they have shared the stage with, awesome fans, and that this experience has exceeded their wildest dreams.

    On a more personal note they mentioned that they have respectively been focused on individual paths for the past two years and despite every effort, they believe it is within the group’s best interests to go separate ways. Lead guitarist Jeremy Kraus stated that he will be following a dream and moving to Colorado in the following month to pursue a concert production career. The aspirations of other members remains to be seen but they explained: “We are still best friends and have zero hard feelings towards each other.”

    As they conclude their interplanetary disco career, the group also decided to perform an additional show at The Black Oak in Oneonta on Oct. 6. This venue in particular has been a welcoming home for the band as it is where they played their first show and several others during their maturity over the years. Pursuing music is undoubtedly a demanding but rewarding dedication for any individual or group. What Space Carnival has offered to their fans in their time is an inclusive community that can be enjoyed for what it truly is. Genuine and talented production that serves to “make people dance and go to outer space.” They would faithfully debut original content and allow their sound to resonate for people’s enjoyment. Nothing else. That rarity is something to be cherished in a world where we often fail to recognize the passion devoted musicians instill in their work.

    NYS Music would like to thank Space Carnival for the gift of music it has released throughout the course of its existence and encourage any support their incredible fans have to offer as the band wishes their final heartfelt goodbyes.

    See dates below:
    9/14: Private Festival Ithaca, NY
    9/15: Wormtown Festival Greenfield, MA
    10/5: The Range Ithaca, NY
    10/6: The Black Oak Oneonta, NY

  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Flock To Buffalo

    The last Friday of August saw jam-funk favorites Pigeons Playing Ping Pong stop in Buffalo. After previously selling out venues in town such as Nietzsche’s and Iron Works and now graduating to the larger Town Ballroom, the excitement was tangible with the sold out crowd and the band’s high-energy funk quickly turned the proceedings into an all out dance party. A lengthy fall tour will be taking the band coast to coast, however, this is the last NY show scheduled until January 26 when they play the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

    Photography by Matt Shotwell / Strawberry Island Dweller

  • 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

  • Syracuse’s Westcott Theater Announces Fall Performances From Turkuaz, Snails, and More

    In the coming months, the Westcott Theater in Syracuse will be hosting several exciting events with appearances from Turkuaz, Snails, Dubloadz, and the Ghost of Paul Revere and Charlie Parr. These are all ages shows, allowing for anyone to come and enjoy a great musical experience from any of these talented and entertaining performers.

    Turkuaz is a colorful Brooklyn based group that blends male and female harmonies into a unique sound that touches on funk, alternative, and R&B. Their show at the Westcott Theater is one of many on their new promotional tour for their album Life in the City available Sept. 28. They will be accompanied by Butcher Brown.

    DJ and producer SNAILS, who has earned tremendous praise from major dubstep stars such as Skrillex, Diplo, Datsik, and Excision, will also be taking over Syracuse for a night. With viral tracks under his belt like “Dirty Raxxx,” “KRMT” and “RUBBR,” the Montreal artist has built a wild bass-loving collection of fans who are always eager for more hardcore beats.

    Dave Nardolilli, otherwise known as Dubloadz, is yet another rising dubstep talent who dedicates himself to shocking crowds with his “Savage Wonk” musical style. 2014 was his breakout year as he toured around the globe at high demand shows and demonstrated the love he has for his craft. Ambitious and recognized in the industry, Dubloadz went on to say that: “I can only hopeto inspire people. I love what I do and I want people to realize they can make their dreams happen as well.”

    Finally, the Ghost of Paul Revere and Charlie Parr will be performing a beautifully chilling and harmonic set of classic folk music that has earned them a powerful reputation in the genre. With a multitude of influences from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and Radiohead, their melodies take listeners on a harmonic journey through deeply rooted emotion and the simplicity of letting instruments speak for themselves.

    For more information on these and other dates at the Wescott, visit their website here.

    Westcott Theater Show Dates:

    Turkuaz – Oct. 4

    Dubloadz – Oct. 20

    The Ghost of Paul Revere and Charlie Parr – Nov. 11

    SNAILS – Nov. 20

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