NYS Music 20​18

Category: Rock

  • The Weight Band Announces Release Date for ‘World Gone Mad’

    The Weight Band, an assemblage of veteran musicians with connections to Woodstock, Levon Helm, and The Band, have announced the release date of their debut recording, World Gone Mad.

    Throughout the storied history of the Midnight Ramble performances at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York, there have been multiple configurations of some of the same musicians for different host bands at “the barn.” The Levon Helm Band had morphed into the Midnight Ramble Band, followed by the Dirt Farmer Band, and most recently The Weight Band. Each of these ensembles has relied on a strong belief in the collaboration of all band members. The entire bands were the focus, rather than any individual being featured above the others. That spirit of collaboration is evident in the writing and recording of The Weight Band’s first full-length album, World Gone Mad, scheduled for CD and digital release on February 23.

    The Weight Band World Gone Mad

    Inclusion of two previously unreleased songs co-written by Levon Helm, “You’re Never Too Old (To Rock N Roll)” and “Common Man,” along with guest appearances by Jackie Greene and Randy Ciarlante, and a cover of the Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter song, “Deal” give some added flavors to the half dozen original songs by The Weight Band.

    Central New York music fans may recall a previous incarnation of the The Weight Band, with Byron Isaacs on bass and Ciarlante on drums from their appearance at The Camden Music Festival in 2014. Eventually, Albert Rogers and Michael Bram found their way into those respective slots, joining Jim Weider (guitar), Brian Mitchell (keys/accordion), and Marty Grebbs (keys/saxophone). All five members of the band contribute vocals to their sound.

    The title song was a phrase Jim Weider has said he had kicking around in his head for about a year, until a bit of a melody came along to join it, and he collaborated with the renowned Canadian singer-songwriter Colin Linden to complete the tune. Weider and Linden had previously joined forces on several songs. These include “Remedy,” a version of which is included on World Gone Mad.

    https://youtu.be/aouEP5OjB-0

    The Weight Band will tour in support of their pending release, including four New York State appearances.

    TOUR DATES:
    Feb. 9 – Bergen Performing Arts Center – Englewood NJ
    Feb. 10 – The Warehouse at FTC – Fairfield CT
    Feb. 16 – Infinity Music Hall – Hartford CT *Album pre-release concert
    Feb. 17 – Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock NY *CD release ramble
    March 9 – Sportsmen’s Tavern – Buffalo, NY
    March 10 – Anthology – Rochester, NY
    March 11 – Center for the Arts of Homer – Homer, NY
    March 30 – Beacon Theatre – Hopewell, VA
    March 31 – McGlohen Theater at Spirit Square – Charlotte, NC
    April 1 – City Winery – Atlanta, GA
    April 4 – Crest Theatre – Delray Beach, FL
    April 5 – King Center for the Performing Arts – Melbourne, FL
    April 6 – Capitol Theatre – Clearwater, FL
    April 7 – Center for Performing Arts – Bonita Springs, FL
    April 19 – Narrows Center – Fall River, MA
    April 27 – Fox Tucson Theatre – Tucson, AZ
    April 29 – Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach, CA
    June 24 – Rocks, Ribs & Ridges Festival – Augusta, NJ
    Aug. 20 – Camp Cripple Creek at Full Moon Resort – Big Indian, NY

  • alt-J North American Tour Includes New York Dates in June

    alt-J will be criss-crossing the globe all year, hitting the U.S. in April and June. The first leg of the North American Tour takes place in April on the West Coast and includes Coachella.

    They come back to hit up the East Coast in June, playing Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on June 15 and headlining Mountain Jam, which takes place that same weekend. Of note, Forest Hills will be the largest US venue alt-J has headlined, and will be piped out through an immersive sound system which envelops the audience in the audio experience. Tickets are on sale now for some shows on the North American Tour, including Mountain Jam and Forest Hills Stadium.

    alt-J are Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton and Thom Green. With three successful albums to date, alt-J’s current project involves collaborating with other artists to reprise and re-imagine 2017’s Relaxer. No word yet on what the concept entails or when it will be available. Follow alt-J for updates.

    TOUR DATES:
    April 7 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
    April 10 – Magna, UT – The Great Saltair
    April 12 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
    April 14 – Indio, CA – Coachella
    April 16 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
    April 18 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
    April 20 – Las Vegas, NV – The Chelsea Theatre – The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas
    April 21 – Indio, CA – Coachella
    April 23 – Davis, CA  – UC Davis – Pavilion at ARC
    April 24 – Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater
    April 25 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
    June 6 – St. Louis, MO – Peabody Opera House
    June 7  – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
    June 8 – Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater
    June 7-10 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo
    June 11 – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
    June 12 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
    June 14 – Dover, DE – Firefly
    June 15 – Hunter, NY – Mountain Jam
    June 15-17 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
    June 18 – Portland, ME – Thompson’s Point
    June 20 – Toronto, ON – Echo Beach
    June 24 – Monterrey, MEX – Teatro Banamex
    June 26 – Mexico City, MEX – Pepsi Center

  • Lookin Back on Lockn’ 2017

    For “veteran” festival attendees we still feel the magic around festival season. The weeks leading up; the excitement, the planning. It doesn’t get old you just learn a little more each year and hopefully pass that wisdom on to those coming up behind you. For Lockn’ 2017 I decided to bring my six year old, Ryder. It was by no means his first show but it was his real first festival and his first time camping.

    For music lovers taking their children to their first festival is the equivalent of people taking their child to Disney World for the first time. You see the magic and feel the excitement all over again with a new level of enthusiasm and a level of innocence you had forgotten. To watch the enjoyment and wonder through my sons eyes was incredible. He couldn’t get enough, he loved every moment and wasn’t fazed by any of the bumps along the way. We drove from Florida to Virginia and setup camp in the family camping area. He immediately met our neighbors and played safely under the eyes of multiple parents while I finished getting settled in. For the next four days he was dirty, stinky, covered in orange clay and he couldn’t have been happier.

    Ryder was able to experience music in a way that I believe bypasses most adults. He felt it. He instantly became part of the community and that is where the real magic happens. To him, no one was a stranger and he wanted to hear their stories about where they had come from and what bands did they really want to see. He met the owners of Morning Dew tie dye and spent so much time admiring their work and falling in love with every piece, they were so wonderful to him, answering his questions and embracing his curiosity. Once we left Morning Dew we headed over to the Handlebar Café to see if by chance they could fix a tire on his wagon. They could not have been kinder and did everything in their power to not only fix Ryder’s wagon but to let him help and teach him the process of what they were doing. They spent almost two hours on his wagon – for free. He told them they had to go to Garcia’s Forest and that it was the coolest place he had seen there.

    While all of this was an incredible experience to watch play out for my child it was heightened on a very emotional level for me as well. You see, Ryder has special needs. He has global apraxia, a motor planning disorder that makes it difficult children struggle to speak. But yet, everyone took the time to meet him and understand him. Another major obstacle is that Ryder has (SPD) sensory processing disorder. I was internally terrified of how he would respond to the crowd, the music, the lights, the smells, the food, everything! It is a lot for adults, to be honest I wasn’t sure how it would go. He really wanted a smoothie before we headed to the mainstage for the night, it was hot out and had already been a long day. I stopped by The Loving Cup and they were more than happy to accommodate his dietary restrictions even though they were slammed. In true festival magic it turns out they are from our hometown, Jacksonville Beach, Florida. I strongly believe in the energy that live music produces, there is undercurrent that binds the community together. Sure, some will never feel it and they float by. But others have experiences like Ryder’s where you feel at home.

    As we walked to the main stage Ryder asked me, “can we come back next weekend?” I had to explain that next week this would turn to a large empty field. So he asked, “well, where do we find this?” I simply replied, “tour baby.” Once we settled in for that nights shows I was tapped on the shoulder and a man said, “Will you give this to Ryder?” It was a beautiful stone shaped like a pyramid. He said, “I want him to have it.” It was one of the owners from Morning Dew tie dyes. Ryder loves rocks, gems, stones and all of the Earths wonders. He was over the moon with delight, it still sits safely on his dresser.

    Some people believe children do not belong at shows or that it is pointless to bring them because they won’t remember it. Personally, I believe even if they do not remember the “ins and outs” it helps shape them. My child who struggles every day to do basic tasks has never felt more loved and included. Complete strangers stopping to give him high-fives, dance with him, other children playing hopscotch with glow sticks in the dark, running freely with new friends while digging in the dirt and playing with bubbles. He traded a light up balloon for a flashing lantern so the children could continue to play once the sun was down.

    I had a friend question me about taking him out of school since it had just started to attend a music festival. I explained that to me, he is in school. This is the school of life and love and a fundamental part of growth and development. Ryder’s music teacher happens to play in JJ Grey and Mofro and gave us passes to be able to watch from backstage on Sunday. He was so excited to Mr. Eric at his “real job” as he calls it. When they finished Ryder went down and had his picture taken with Mr. Eric and Craig the drummer who was sweet enough to give Ryder his drum sticks.

    Although I am certain Ryder will not understand what he was a part of at Lockn’ for quite a while, Bob and Phil playing Terrapin Station for the 40th anniversary, being backstage, drum sticks from Craig which by pure coincidence Mofro was Ryders first show when he was an infant. What he does understand is being given a gem by a woman as she told him it was filled with positive energy for him to now go share with the world, a golf cart taxi driver giving him a geode intact that he had dug up in Indiana but he wanted Ryder to have it. All of these events may seem insignificant to cynical adults but to Ryder it was pure magic. He is already excited for Lockn’ 2018 and asks all of the time, “how much longer?”

    In a world filled with so much tension and negativity it feels like gift to be able to share with him a community that I believe in and love. I hope that he continues to feel the music and the undercurrent of energy and spreads the positive energy just like he was asked to. Cheers to you Lockn’ for putting on one hell of a festival for kids of ages all ages to love and embrace.

  • The Black River Release Debut Album, ‘Classic Universe’

    Syracuse’s The Black River, led by singer-songwriter Mike Powell, has released its first album, entitled Classic Universe. The soulful quintet, who take their name from the North Country river that passes by Powell’s childhood home, came together just over one year ago and have been quickly making their name known throughout New York.

    black river Classic UniverseThe album was produced by Jeff Aderman at Utica’s Big Blue North Studio and exhibits The Black River putting an impressive foot forward in its debut. In the year since the band debuted, they have opened for such artists as The Sadies, Shooter Jennings, The Trews, Mondo Cozmo and Eric Tessmer. A powerful afternoon set at last year’s moe.down also won the band new fans.

    “One of the things we always talk about when we are sculpting these songs is to be sure to listen to one another. That may sound like a very simple concept but when you’re creating a collective sound it’s important that no player be on a sonic island. We aim to be one connected land mass of sound,” Powell said when asked about the goal of his new band. “I have surrounded myself and my songs with monster players that could easily step out and flex their muscles at anytime but all of us understand the importance of doing what is best for the song first.”

    Powell’s assessment of this band is certainly true. All come from different musical backgrounds to forge a sound that isn’t easy to categorize. Longtime Powell collaborator, guitarist John Hanus’ metal chops and experimental solos add an unexpected yet welcome edge to Powell’s personal songwriting and the soulful force created by keyboardist Shane Kelsen and the rhythm section of Joe Bell and Dom Scicchitano. The band’s frequent live performances have helped hone its unique sound over the past year and the band is gelling as a unit at the perfect time.

    black river Classic Universe

    To celebrate the release of the new album, the Black River recently performed the inaugural live session for Syracuse radio show Soundcheck at SubCat Studios. You can view that peformance below. The show, hosted by long time Syracuse radio personality and SAMMYS Hall of Famer, Dave Frisina, has been on the air since 1979. It showcases local and regional musicians each Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. on 105.9 The Rebel.

    Frisina’s new series is called Live @ SubCat Studios and will feature a different local act performing live in front of a studio audience each month.

    The Black River’s Classic Universe is available now on all streaming platforms. Recent performances have included stops at the del Lago Resort and Casino in Waterloo and Three Heads Brewing Company in Rochester. They’re also scheduled to perform at Al’s Wine and Whiskey Lounge in Syracuse in March and Funk ‘N Waffles Syracuse in April. Follow The Black River on Facebook or at their website for information on upcoming performances.

  • moe. Returns With a Vengeance for Sold Out Capitol Theatre Run

    After a 7-month break due to bass player Rob Derhak’s battle with cancer, Buffalo rockers moe returned to the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York to deliver two sold out shows on February 2nd and 3rd. Their first shows with the full lineup since July featured a variety of fan favorites as well as four brand new songs from four of the five band members. The first night featured an opening act, with the high-energy funk outfit Kung Fu properly warming up the crowd for the main event.

    After a brief word of thanks from a very emotional Rob, the band wasted little time diving into the flagship “Rebubula,” Rob’s anthemic ode to his wife, Rebecca. They quickly transitioned into the funky “Akimbo” which featured a slap-happy bass interlude that made the hungry crowd explode. This was followed by the twangy, energetic “32 Things” and then a brand new song titled “What Can I Say,” written by guitarist Al Schnier. “What Can I Say” was originally debuted earlier in the week during the band’s pre-show webcast, though this was the first time the song had been played in a live setting. Fans then belted out the opening lines to the fan-favorite “Spine of a Dog” which was followed immediately by “Plane Crash,” which felt particularly deserved, with Rob screaming the words “I don’t wanna die” at the end of the final chorus at the top of his lungs.

    Set 2 started off with a bang with the Pink Floyd-inspired “Silver Sun” and then Rob was able to showcase his brand new tune, “LL3” which he wrote in transit to his chemotherapy treatments. “LL3” already shows great potential as a jam vehicle, and will probably appear on the new album that the band is cooking up. The rest of Set 2 was a continuous battery of rock and roll as they interweaved “Moth,” “Captain America,” the instrumental “Hector’s Pillow,” the legendary “meat.” and finally closed with the end of “Moth,” completing a sandwich that took up the majority of the second half of the show. Guitarist Chuck Garvey then led the band in an encore rendition of “Wind it Up,” that had the entire audience collectively singing the lines “Be on my side, I’ll be on your side” with the band.

    A veritable army of excitable moe.rons showed back up to the scenic Capitol Theatre for Round 2 on Saturday, for a performance that was somehow even better than the previous night, this time with no supporting act. It was a night of pure moe. and once again the crowd was deafening when a happy and healthy looking Rob Derhak took the stage.

    The band opened with the crowd-pleasing “Okayalright,” which segued smoothly into “Not Coming Down,” once again showcasing Rob’s bass skills. This was followed by the entrancing instrumental “Wormwood,” which then seemlessly transitioned into the slide guitar-heavy intro to “St. Augustine.” Next, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist debuted his new song, the dark and moody “I Can Never Remember,” which he sang with his signature rasp. This was followed by the short and pleasant Chuck Garvey tune “All Roads Lead to Home.” After “All Roads” came “Opium,” and Rob showed how well his voice has healed, demonstrating his impressive vocal range. The first set closed out with a monstrous version of the jam beast, “Recreational Chemistry” before they took a short set break.

    Set 2 started with a powerful rendition of “Brent Black” which featured not one or two, but three bass solos from a smiling, enthusiastic Rob as well as a fearsome drum-off between Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico. Afterwards, Al Schnier led the band in a spirited version of “Mexico,” telling the story of his tumultuous 21st birthday. This was followed by “Timmy Tucker,” once again proving that Rob still has his vocal chops. Chuck Garvey then debuted his newest song, “New Hope for the New Year,” which definitely shows great promise for future shows and the new album in the works. The rest of the set was vintage, heavy, dark, creepy, spacey moe. as they played “Yodelittle” into the high energy protest song “George,” back into “Yodelittle” and then into the sing-a-long “Buster,” every moe.ron’s favorite song about a flying pig. They encored with “Nebraska,” complete with a ripping talk-box solo from Garvey, and finally the hard-hitting “Annihilation Blues” to cap off the back-to-back performances. 

    moe. proved this past weekend that they are far from done, and after Rob’s recent cancer scare and recovery, he is clearly eager to please his fans and write new music. The historic Capitol Theatre projected a series of images of Rob from different stages of his career throughout the shows, and moe. brought an anxious crowd to their knees. Once again, it’s so good to have you back Rob. We hope for many, many more years of music and laughter from you.

    February 2 Setlist

    Set 1: Rebubula > Akimbo, 32 Things, What Can I Say (FTP), Spine of a Dog > Plane Crash.

    Set 2: Silver Sun, LL3 (FTP), Moth > Captain America > Hector’s Pillow > Moth > meat. > Moth

    Encore: Wind it Up

    February 3 Setlist

    Set 1: Okayalright > Not Coming Down > Wormwood > St. Augustine, I Can Never Remember (FTP), All Roads Lead To Home, Opium, Recreational Chemistry

    Set 2: Brent Black, Mexico, Timmy Tucker, New Hope for the New Year (FTP), Yodelittle > George > Yodelittle > Buster

    Encore: Nebraska, Annihilation Blues

  • Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa Release ‘Black Coffee’ Cover Album

    New Hartford native, Joe Bonamassa, teams up once again with multi-talented blues rocker Beth Hart, on their newly released album Black Coffee, which covers some classic recordings from legendary soul artist.

    Black Coffee will see the duo perform ten, time-honored soul tracks by artist like Ike & Tina Turner/Steve Marriot, Edgar Winter, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Lil’ Green, LaVern Baker, Howlin’ Wolf, Lucinda Williams, and Waldeck. The Grammy nominated duo turned to a familiar face in producer Kevin ‘Caveman’ Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Rush, and Bonamassa himself) who helped produce the duo’s Seesaw album in 2013.

    Bonamassa and crew sought out some of the best musicians in the music industry to help collaborate on Black Coffee including Anton Fig (Drums/Percussion), Ron Dziubla (Saxophone), and Lee Thornburg (Horn Arrangements/Trumpet/Trombone) and welcomed in Reese Wynans (Keyboards), Michael Rhodes (Bass), Rob McNelley (Rhythm Guitar), Paulie Cerra (Saxophone), Mahalia Barnes (Backing Vocals), Jade Macrae (Backing Vocals) and Juanita Tippins (Backing Vocals). The album was recorded at the Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas in five days.

    Producer Kevin Shirley talked about past sessions behind Black Coffee, and what they were tying to achieve on the album. He stated, “We’re trying not to dig into a playbook that’s been done many times which is the old soul classics. We try and find a different spin on it, originally it was about trying to find some songs that people didn’t know at all and bring them back to people’s attention.” Bonamassa added, “For me I’m able to explore the kind of music I have always admired from afar, but you don’t want to hear me singing Ella Fitzgerald…” Hart chimed in saying, “I would never do Ella Fitzgerald without being with Joe, the things I get to do with you are things I think I grew up always wanting to do, but never believed I could.” Bonamassa went on to explain, “It’s really predicated on the vocals. We can’t cut these tunes without Beth singing and once she starts singing, it’s the glue that inspires us to get the extra 10% out of the playing. If we just cut them and sang later, the magic wouldn’t be there.” Hart agreed adding,”That’s something the two of us stopped doing many, many years ago. There was all this layering and layering and then it’s time for you to sing and it’s like you’re not even making music any more. There’s nothing like being able to sit there live and see Joe, seeing the drums, seeing the bass, being able to see Kevin. I can feel the vibrations, it changes the whole thing.”

    Bonamassa became intrigued by Hart after seeing her perform on television, and even more impressed after seeing her perform a show in Switzerland. He would cross paths with her several times during separate runs of Europe. Wanting to try something new, Bonamassa was inspired to pair himself with a female musician with Hart being his first choice.

    Black Coffee Tracklist:

    Give It Everything You Got
    Damn Your Eyes
    Black Coffee
    Lullaby Of The Leaves
    Why Don’t You Do Right
    Saved
    Sitting On Top Of The World
    Joy
    Soul On Fire
    Addicted
    Baby, I Love You * Bonus Track

  • I Set My Friends On Fire Heading Out on 10th Anniversary Tour

    I Set My Friends On Fire launch their You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter 10th anniversary tour in a couple weeks. The set will comprise of the entire debut album played from beginning to end. This coast to coast U.S. tour starts in Pittsburgh on Feb. 15, and hits Kingsland in Brooklyn on Feb. 22 and Mohawk Place in Buffalo on Feb. 25. Support for the tour comes from Long Island metal band Kissing Candice and Australian rockers Awaken I Am. Tickets are on sale now.

    “It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since this crazy journey started,” says guitarist Nate Blasdell, a resident of Rochester, NY. “Although the band has gone through so many changes from being two high school students from Miami making music after school on a laptop to five best friends from all around the U.S. touring the world, this album is the footprint that got it at all started. We are so excited to bring this throwback to the fans that have stuck with us for so long.”

    You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter 10 Year Anniversary Tour Dates:

    Feb. 15 – Pittsburgh PA – The Funhouse @ Mr. Smalls Theater
    Feb. 16 – Fayetteville NC – Drunk Horse Pub
    Feb. 17 – Savannah GA – Aura Fest @ S.O.T.S. Maritime Museum
    Feb. 18 – Richmond VA – The Camel
    Feb. 20 – Stanhope NJ – The Stanhope House
    Feb. 21 – Baltimore MD – The Ottobar
    Feb. 22 – Brooklyn NY – Kingsland
    Feb. 23 – Philadelphia PA – The Voltage Lounge
    Feb. 24 – Providence RI – Fete Music Hall
    Feb. 25 – Buffalo NY – Mohawk Place
    Feb. 27 – Pontiac MI – The Pike Room @ The Crofoot
    Feb. 28 – Chicago IL – The Beat Kitchen
    March 1 – St. Louis MO – Fubar
    March 2 – Merriam KS – Aftershock
    March 3 – Wichita KS – Rock Island Live
    March 4 – Denver CO – The Marquis Theater
    March 6 – Seattle WA – Studio Seven
    March 7 – Portland OR – The Analog Theater
    March 9 – Sacramento CA – The Holy Diver
    March 10 – San Diego CA – Soma Side Stage
    March 11 – Los Angeles CA – 1720
    March 13 – Scottsdale AZ – Pub Rock
    March 14 – Albequerque NM – The Launchpad
    March 16 – Oklahoma City OK – 89th Street Collective

  • moe. Return to the Capitol Theatre after Hiatus

    Buffalo jam legends moe. return to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York for two sold-out shows after a 7-month hiatus. The band took a break from touring starting early last summer in light of bassist Rob Derhak’s cancer diagnosis, but has recently announced their triumphant return to the stage. With Rob out of commission for several months with oropharyngeal cancer, the other members pursued various side projects including performances with Mike Dillon and Everyone Orchestra, but will finally reunite to perform two nights at the historic Cap. He is now cancer-free and ready to return for a 6-show tour, Summer Camp Music Festival, and Peach Fest.


    moe.’s last show at the Capitol Theatre was a special holiday performance in December of 2016, and they managed to fill the room despite only giving fans a little over a month’s notice. This show featured several cuts from their Christmas album, as well as a Kinks cover, and a whopping three debuts of new moe. songs. They also sold out a smaller acoustic performance, in the attached bar, Garcia’s. In previous years, they have performed at the Cap with Nate Wilson on keys, and played a moe. and Friends show in honor of the anniversary of the Wetlands closing. moe. has historically delivered powerhouse performances at the Capitol, and a very eager fan-base has been waiting months for Rob’s return to health, and of course, moe.’s return to the spotlight. Listen to the December 2016 show on Archive.

    Fans should also be sure to check out renowned photographer Jay Blakesberg’s work at Garcia’s, where he will be exhibiting and selling his merch. Night One will also feature opening act Kung Fu, one of the world’s premier touring funk bands, which will hopefully lead to some sit-in action with moe. and a high-energy dance party, and perhaps the lucky moe.rons in attendance will get to hear some brand new moe. material. Welcome back, Rob. You have been sorely missed.

  • Photo Gallery: The Seventh Annual Wintercourse

    The 7th Annual Wintercourse was held at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Saturday, January 20, 2018 on a warm and wonderful winter night filled with smiles, hugs, and good music.

    wintercourse 2018Space Carnival brought the heat early, showcasing their dance laden jams as well as their heavier prog side, ending on a high note of their newly released single “Queen of Cups.” Six year Wintercourse veterans Cousin Earth played a set stacked full of high energy originals and unique covers including a throwback to Saturday Night Live’s “Natalie Portman Rap” and the Disney after school classic, “Tale Spin.” Headliner Bella’s Bartok puts on a show like no other, with a high energy dance party of klesmer and punk that was absolutely magnificent.

    Teddy Midnight took the stage as the final act of Wintercourse 2018, delivering a set filled with surprises. The group brought up Tara Lawton and Joey Calfa of Cousin Earth, with Tara singing on “American Boy” by Estelle (complete with rapped verses by band members) and Calfa to ripping up the Teddy classic “Turkish Silva.” Bringing their trademark live house vibes, they covered Daft Punk’s “Face to Face” as well as a heavily improvised New Deal/Daft Punk Medley to round out the night.

  • Spafford Tears Apart Buffalo Iron Works

    For the past couple of years, the Arizona native rock/jam band Spafford has been the talk of the town. With a seizure inducing light show, dual-set mind altering jams, and a cast of imaginative, highly-skilled musicians, it is no wonder why an old factory-converted music hall down by the canal was packed nearly to capacity on a chilly Thursday winter night at Buffalo Iron Works.

    The up and coming funk-folk band Goose set the stage as they performed an opening set which undoubtedly expanded their fan base. The venue was slowly filling up as Goose started up, and they welcomed attendants with a light reggae groove which transformed the northern ice chest into a breezy paradise. Heads were bobbing, hips were swinging, and by the third song the venue was so packed there wasn’t enough space to wave down your friend at the bar.

    spafford iron worksGoose’s set ranged from reggae dance numbers to upbeat funk to intense, guitar-driven peaks. Their well-crafted songs and impressive vocals bode well for their future in this competitive jam scene. By the end of their set, the crowd was so enthralled they nearly forgot they were there to see Spafford. It was like having a delicious shrimp appetizer that filled you up and left you smiling, completely forgetting about the filet mignon you ordered. Thankfully once the meat comes out you always find room for more and savor every bite until there is nothing left, and that is exactly the way Spafford delivered.

    By the time Spafford went on there was hardly any room to stand on the dance floor. Electricity surged through the air as newcomers awaited their first experience of the highly-anticipated musical experience, and veterans stood eager to re-enter their happy place. There is no doubt this small venue is not going to be large enough to hold them the next time they come back to Buffalo, especially if they come on a weekend night.

    The crowd exploded as the band picked up their instruments and created an airy soundscape as guitar player Brian Moss weaved delicate jazz licks over the building sound. Drummer/percussionist Cameron Laforest began to speed things up as the band followed and pushed their way to an intense bliss peak. Just the first song in and it was obvious they were here to make a statement as the song “The Postman” transformed again into an alien-funk abduction. Keyboard player Andrew “Red” Johnson pushed the jam further and further as they built a detached groove with all members contributing, careful not to step on each other’s toes. Endlessly rising, the high energy jam reached a sensational zenith and on the turn of a dime, was brought back to the instrumental verse accompanied by a roar from the crowd.

    “Backdoor Funk” followed the impressive opening number with a dirty, shadow-like aura as bass player Jordan Fairless took first swing at the vocals. The dark funk number saw Johnson layering vibrant chords while Moss bent his strings like he was breaking a chicken’s neck. The lights, controlled by lighting director Ben Factor, spun with the out of control jam and strapped the audience onto an out of control merry-go-round whirling through multiple dimensions. Eventually the ride stopped, and thankfully there were no casualties (though one girl did have to be taken out for an unrelated matter…), as the band fell back into the final verse.

    A bubbly rendition of “The Remedy” came next and gave the crowd a chance to catch their breath as they floated down the smooth river of sound the band conceived. The frothy raft ride didn’t last long however, as the band brought the jam into pure chaos to finish the number. A familiar rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “Feel Like a Stranger” came next and featured the crowd singing along with the chorus. However, with Spafford nothing is truly without their own personal touch as though the solo was kept within the realm of song, the band created a distinct jungle of madness that would have made even Garcia nod his head with approval.

    The rock-infused ska number “Diana” brought out the rowdiness of the crowd once again before the band went into their last number of the set, “People.” They took their time building the jam in “People” as all four members communicated well with each other. They built the jam to reach the sky, and within a matter of seconds dropped it to a pit of nothingness. One of the major strengths of the band is their control of tempo and dynamics, and they demonstrated that impeccably. As they worked their way down, every member of the band left the stage leaving Johnson alone to deliver an eloquent outro solo, thus leaving “People” unfinished at set break.

    When the band came back for the second set, the crowd was even more unruly than before. They picked up right where they left off and began the second set at the solo of “People.” If there’s a better way to start a set then the middle of an intense bliss peak I’d like to hear it. “Plans” came next and displayed their diverse influences with a Latin-inspired groove. That did not last long, however, as “Plans” saw some of the most impressive jamming of the night. It jumped from high-speed guitar solo, with Moss’s fingers moving so fast it was as if he would have imploded had he stopped, to a slow, spacey crowd-teasing vamp, and eventually made its way to a tribal drum inspired, high tempo space freak-out which left everyone in their room both amused and disoriented.

    The band played around with tempo once again as they continuously shifted the speed of the funky “Virtual Bean Dip.” The groove shifted from an passionate peak to a quiet lullaby, back up the roller coaster to a boiling hallucinogenic realm as multi-colored prison spotlights bounced around the stage. Out of the delirium came the chipper “Galisted Way,” which gave the crowd another chance to gain their bearings. They kept the positive vibes going with “Crazy,” a song that is reminiscent of being at a waterfall on a summer day. Light-hearted as it may be, the solo by Moss lead to a confetti-cannon explosion of sound before they ended the final verse on another high note.

    The last song of the set, and second cover of the night, Tears for Fear’s “Mad World” featured some of the most exciting moments of the night. The song proper was a time capsule back to the eighties, complete with sweaty men with bad dance moves, until the fat bass line hooked up with the increasing robot noises spewing out of the guitar and worked their way into a more futuristic boogie. As the rattling guitar pulled away from the ‘80s dance number the band once again connected to build tension. The more they built it up the more it felt like they were filling a balloon, and everyone held their breath until it popped. After overfilling two times over, the band finally released, and the crowd was ecstatic. The set was over, but no one was quite ready to leave.

    As the crowd cheered for more, the band left the stage for only a couple of seconds before ending the night on the high-energy, short singalong “Salamander Song.” The band thanked the crowd, but the yells and cheers made it obvious who was truly thankful after that performance.

    Setlist: 

    I: The Postman, Backdoor Funk, The Remedy, Feel Like a Stranger[1], Diana, People[2]

    II: People[3], Plans, Virtual Bean Dip > Galisteo Way, Crazy, Mad World[4]

    E: Salamander Song

    Notes:
    [1] Grateful Dead cover
    [2]Unfinished – Red Outro
    [3] Ending Only
    [4] Tears for Fears Cover