NYS Music 20​18

Category: Genres

  • The Disco Biscuits Heat Up New York City

    The Disco Biscuits returned once again to New York City to end out the year, playing their New Year’s Eve run at Playstation Theater. They’ve had a month off since their last run at Holidaze, but they sounded like a band that has been on the road for weeks. After a solid run opener on Thursday, the band was warmed up and primed to throw down a classic on the 29th.

    Disco Biscuits New York CityPhilly’s Greg D got the show started with an R&B heavy set as the rest of the crowd filtered in from the Phish show at Madison Square Garden. The Disco Biscuits started the night off with two songs that normally end the night, with the pairing of “Hope” and “Kitchen Mitts”. They then went into a monster “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” which was the meat of the set clocking in at almost 30 mins, which then dropped into “Gangster”. “42” was next, and it was one of the best jams of the run. Marc Brownstein set up the pace for a nice dance funk style jam which would be something they would return to a few more times in the night. The jam bled into “Spraypaint Victory” to end the set.

    Disco Biscuits New York CityThe second set was pretty much one highlight reel, as it was up there with one of their best sets of the year. Things started back up with a “Crickets > Papercut > Crickets” sandwich, with the jams into “Papercut” and then back into “Crickets” being the highlights of the segment. Next was “Story Of The World”, which went into “Spacebirdmatingcall”, which featured some of my favorite type of Biscuits;  blissful and bouncy. Barber started tearing up the guitar which then led into “Tricycle”, which had another happy biscuits jam before going back into ‘Story Of The World” to end the set. A “Once The Fiddler Paid” encore was the perfect way to warm up everyone’s hearts before venturing back out into the bitter New York City cold.

    Disco Biscuits Playstation Theater, New York City

    Set 1: Hope, Kitchen Mitts, M.E.M.P.H.I.S.> Gangster> 421> Spraypaint2
    Set 2: Crickets> Papercut> Crickets, Story Of The World> Spacebirdmatingcall1> Tricycle>Story Of The World
    Encore: Once The Fiddler Paid
    1. unfinished
    2. ending only

  • JRAD sells out three nights at The Capitol Theatre

    Joe Russo’s Almost Dead started off 2018 with a string of sold out shows at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY this past weekend. The band debuted six new songs during the run and teased countless more throughout the weekend.

    Friday’s show kicked things off with an intro Jam that made its way into “Brown Eyed Woman” and an extended “Jack Straw.” “Shakedown Street” with a “Here Comes Sunshine” Jam to close the first set is a must-hear if you weren’t at the show. The second set opened with “Rosa Lee McFall,” a Charlie Monroe cover that the Grateful Dead played 18 times throughout their career and last on 10/27/80. This set also featured JRAD’s first “Atlantic City” since 4/28/17.

    The boys came out swinging on Saturday with a debut each time they came on stage. “Pride of Cucamonga” was well-received in between “They Love Each Other” and “Playing In The Band” in the first set and Led Zeppelin’s “Your Time Is Going To Come” flowed from a fantastic “I Need A Miracle.” They saved the best for last with an encore starting with a Marco Benevento solo into Chuck Berry’s “The Festival.” Marco took the lead on this song about a music festival featuring The Band, The Who, CCR, The Beatles, Hendrix, Joplin and of course, The Grateful Dead.

    Sunday closed the weekend with two more debuts and the return of Stuart Bogie for a number of songs. He last joined up with the band during their October Brooklyn Bowl run and he especially shined during the debuts of “Chinatown Shuffle” and Dr. Feelgood’s “She Does It Right” during the encore. However, the highlight of the night was the “Dancing In The Streets” that ended the second set. It was spacey 27 minutes of bliss as the band teased Dire Straits as well as others to end the last full set of the weekend.

    Joe Russo’s Almost Dead returns to New York on March 15 in Syracuse and March 16 in Albany.

    Tune into the shows on Relisten Friday 1/12/18, Saturday 1/13/18 and Sunday 1/14/18

  • David Byrne Announces Massive 2018 World Tour

    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.

    david byrne world tour american utopiaThe 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

  • Photo Gallery: Lettuce with Bobby Dietch at Brooklyn Bowl

    On December 30, Lettuce welcomed special guests John Scofield and Pharoahe Monch to Brooklyn Bowl for night 2 of their 3 night New Years run. Opening up were Deitch Band, featuring Lettuce drummer Adam Deitch’s mom, Denis and his dad, Bobby.

  • Dolores O’Riordan, Cranberries Singer, Dead at 46

    Dolores O’Riordan, lead singer of the iconic Irish alternative band the Cranberries, died suddenly in London on Monday. She was 46.

    dolores o'riordanHer 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:

    “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.

  • Photo City to Host Folk City: A Three Day Benefit for R.E.A.C.H

    Event booking and promotions company Hey Dude After Hours has just announced the lineup to their three day folk festival, “Folk City” at Photo City Comedy and Improv in Rochester. The event will run on Friday Feb. 16, Saturday Feb. 17, and Sunday Feb. 18.  Folk City festival will be raising money for REACH (Rochester Engaging in Action for the Chronically Homeless). As the acronym implies, REACH collaborates to create safe, financially sustainable, housing options to meet the needs of chronically homeless individuals by ensuring services needed and encouraging mutual care.

    The three day event includes many of the region’s favorite folk acts, including headlining performances by Floodwood, Folkfaces, Milkweed, and the Neighbors (Members of Driftwood,) alongside Twenty Thousand Strongmen, PA Line, String Theory, Aaron Lipp, and Seth Faergolzia, with many more musicians ready to tickle your ears.

    One-day passes will cost $15 pre-sale or $20 at the door. Two-day passes come at a pre-sale price of $25, and a full three-day pass is marked at $40 pre-sale and includes a free drink. Tickets can be purchased through cnytix.com.

    The full event schedule is listed below.

    Key:  Front Room Back Room
    Friday, Feb. 16
    6 – 6:45 p.m.  – Jungle Steve
    6:45 – 7:45 p.m. –  The Flood (duo)
    7:45 – 8:30 p.m. – Tyler Westcott
    8:30 – 9:15 p.m. – Twenty Thousand Strongmen
    9:15 – 10 p.m. – Anson Stiles
    10 – 11 p.m. – Folkfaces
    11 – 11:45 p.m. – Collin Jones
    11:45 – ? – Floodwood

    Saturday, Feb.17
    6 – 6:45 p.m. – Tim Braley
    6:45 – 7:45 p.m. – Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers
    7:45 – 8:30 p.m. – Jon Itkin & Rita Proctor (of The Crooked North)
    8:30 – 9:15 p.m. – Jungle Steve & the Gypsophelias
    9:15 – 10:15 p.m. – Mike Brown
    10:15 – 11 p.m. – PA Line
    11 – 12:15 p.m. – TBA
    12:15 – ? – Electric Tie Dye

    Sunday, Feb. 18
    4 – 4:45 p.m. – Damdog (solo)
    4:45 – 5:45 p.m. – Mighty High & Dry (trio)
    5:45 – 6:30 p.m. – Nate Coffey
    6:30 – 7:15 p.m. – String Theory
    7:15 – 8 p.m. – Seth Faergolzia (homecoming)
    8 – 8:45 p.m. – Milkweed
    8:45 – 9:30 p.m. – Aaron Lipp
    9:30 – ? – The Neighbors (w/ two members of Driftwood)

  • Hearing Aide: The Creptter Children ‘Asleep With Your Devil’

    The Creptter Children’s EP Asleep With Your Devil is without a doubt packed with tons of variety while keeping a common gothic sound throughout the EP but that’s either its greatest strength or greatest weakness.

    The first two tracks “Watching You” and “Crazy” have a unique mix of industrial and symphonic metal that play in the background of the gothic vocals, which is rather unfortunate since the blending of industrial and symphonic is the highlight of the tracks.

    “Asleep With Your Devil” opens with loud rapid drumming that are in your face but then the vocals are introduced and the song felt like it was confused as to what kind of attitude the song should have. There’s just too much variety in the vocals, at first there’s regular vocals but quickly move to clean then seconds later there’s choir like vocals. Light gutturals follow, which were in the song for what felt like the equivalent of a pointless celebrity cameo in a generic big budget movie, all the while there’s random injections of what sounds like some kind of ancient prayer or spell in an indistinguishable language. The song is at its best when the guitars are given focus while the drum machines fill in the back and there’s no vocals.

    “It’s A Game” starts with the beating of a drum accompanied with quiet cheerful onomatopoeias of the drums that gives the feeling of marching and slides into gothic vocals full of eerie lyrics that compliment the constant beat of the drums while having clean symphonic vocals thrown into sections that give a nice variety.

    “Killer” is the fastest paced song in the EP and the best track to head bang to the simpler lyrics that are chanted. This is a song that is probably best experienced live rather than through a recording due to how much energy the band clearly put into it.

    Over all Asleep With Your Devil is an EP that feels like a cross between a variety pack and a set of experiments but either way fans of heavy music that has a melodic or symphonic twist won’t have trouble finding at least one song that they can enjoy.

    Asleep With Your Devil was released January 12, 2018. Head on over to the official website to order now.

    Key Tracks: It’s A Game, Killer

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=4l62_1BEP8s

  • Known to the World as “Mr. Misunderstood,” McKinley James is Playing the Guitar and Making a Name for Himself

    McKinley James, the 16-year-old, self-proclaimed “rock and roller,” was featured in Eric Church’s 2014 release Mr. Misunderstood of which he also appeared on the cover and the corresponding video.

    James has since been making himself more understood by those listening to him play the blues and good, old-fashioned rock and roll with his guitar. He just recently dropped a live EP, McKinley James Live in Nashville, and is currently on tour. He’ll come rolling into town this week to play at The Ale House in Troy on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 8 p.m. For tickets and information, go to brownpapertickets.com.

    We were able to exchange a few emails back and forth to find out what’s going in James’ life, and what people ought to know about Mr. Understood.

    Michael Hallisey: You’re a teenager in Nashville. You as a music lover, that’s got to be a wonderful place to live.

    McKinley James: Moving to Nashville was a really exciting move, there is great live music happening everywhere. Also moving here has inspired me to practice much more, everywhere you turn is an amazing guitar player.

    MH: You’re originally from Webster, NY — when did you move to Tennessee? What was that like for you?

    MJ: We moved about a year and a half ago, it was exciting. We had visited Nashville many times before we moved so my parents could figure things out like where we should live, so when we were there my dad would take me out to clubs so I could see as much live music as I could.

    MH: Your taste in music is not “normal,” and you are aware of how far-reaching your curiosity and tastes lead you. How did your appreciation in the blues develop?

    MJ: I grew up with listening to all my dad’s (Jason Smay of The Los Straitjackets) records and he’s a big fan of blues music, plus he played in lots of blues bands so I was always around it.

    MH: How much did your father play a role in your love for music?

    MJ: A lot! My younger brothers know a lot about music, too, because it’s always on at the house.

    MH: Blues music is more than just a genre — can you share with me how you feel while you listen and when you play?

    MJ: Well, that’s a tricky question. Blues music to me is the base for all the styles of music I love and play. I consider myself more of a rock and roller. I try to play what feels good, not necessarily a certain genre. In my live shows we play rock ’n’ roll and soul music, too.

    MH: Please break down for me how you wound up associated with Eric Church for “Mr. Misunderstood”?

    MJ: That’s a really long story! But, short version is, we were visiting Nashville staying with Mr. John Peets who is Mr. Church’s manager. How we got to stay there is another story, but Mr. Peets met my brothers and me while we were there, and I guess he noticed me wandering around all day in the house, outside playing my guitar, and that I was a greaser and only 13. Fast forward a few months and Mr. Church delivered his new record to Mr. Peets, and the title track “Mr. Misunderstood.” Mr. Peets said it hit him that I was that kid! Didn’t care about anything but what I was into, which is music, and for me going the opposite direction than the crowd never bothered me.

    MH: How was that experience for you, and what did you learn?

    MJ: The experience was awesome. Mr. Peet’s is one of the coolest guys I’ve met. His love for music is awesome, and he treated my family and me like we were his family. Getting to meet Mr. Church was great. He is a super nice guy, too. As is his awesome band. I’ve actually become good friends with Jeff Cease, lead guitar player in Mr. Church’s band. I learned that in the music business opportunity can happen anywhere and at anytime.

    MH: You are in the midst of a tour, do you have a record release in the works?

    MJ: We are starting to put demos together for a session later this spring.

    MH: With the old stereotype of blues being something for older men and women, what kind of reception do you get on stage?

    MJ: I think that with all music if you are true to what’s in your heart and enjoy performing, people can connect young or old. it’s the feeling that gets people, not necessarily the genre. I love some Dr. Dre songs and get as excited as when I hear Bobby Blue Bland.

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518

  • Hearing Aide: Bobby Paltauf “Why”

    Connecticut based Bobby Paltauf featuring The Package released their debut studio album Why, on Jan. 10 on Spotify and iTunes. The albums holds, “songs that will challenge the status quo, posing questions about how we live life, how we engage and communicate with each other, society, religion and politics.” The majority of the album is lyrically driven and on the lighter, easy listening side of the spectrum, which is a bit of a change from Paltauf’s prior work which was heavily influenced by rock and blues.

    What’s most impressive is that no one in this group cracks the age of 30. Lee Falco (drums) Will Bryant (keys) Bobby Paltauf (guitar/vocals) and Brandon Morrison (bass) work effortlessly together to create unique, expertly produced tracks filled with bluesy, smooth and sometimes funky sounds.

    Their opening track, “Put It Down” speaks about society’s addiction to technology, mainly our phones. Instrumentally, the track is smooth and light, a theme which transcends the majority of the album. Other songs like “Why,” “Now” and “It’s Own Way” are laid back but could use some more energy in spots. The songs are full of emotion and climaxes, but could use more power. 

    Paltauf hasn’t lost sight of what made his first studio tracks so attractive, though.  Songs like “A Day Late” and “Wasted Grooves” are undoubtedly the key tracks off the album. They’re lyrically impactful and their catchy funk tones separate them from the rest of the tracks.  They’re beaming with energy and are exactly what we’d like to hear from a young and talented group of musicians.

    Find the album on iTunes and Spotify and keep an eye out for any upcoming shows on Bobby’s Facebook page.

    Key Tracks: Day Late, Wasted Grooves, Searchin

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3tHb0rpDwQ

  • Space Carnival release video for “Queen of Cups”

    Space Carnival has released the video for “Queen of Cups,” the result of the band’s 2017 songwriting that means new material in 2018. With pop aspects and a progressive vibe, “Queen of Cups” is the result of the band’s growth and focus and an infectious tune, and was recorded at SubCat Studios in Syracuse.

    Catch Space Carnival this winter throughout New York

    Queen of Cups space carnivalJanuary 20th: 7th Annual Wintercourse, The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn (with Cousin Earth, Bella’s Bartok and Space Carnival)
    February 2nd: Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh (with Formula 5)
    February 3rd: The Range, Ithaca (with Formula 5)
    February 10th: The Spinning Room, Tannersville
    February 15th: Garcia’s at The Cap, Port Chester
    February 23rd: The Hollow, Albany (moe. afterparty with Floodwood)
    April 14th: The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse (with Infected Mushroom)