The Egg recently announced five great musical acts visiting the Capital Region for shows this coming spring. The first is Americana, rock, and improvisational group Railroad Earth. The group self identifies with rock-and-roll, but their distinct bluegrass influence is undeniable. Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds? You can see this incredible fusion of musical genres yourself Feb. 14.
Railroad Earth
Next in the line up is local talent who hail from Albany, the folk group Dannybrook Fair. The three original members recently celebrated a successful summer tour. You can catch the trio during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 14.
March’s offerings continue at the performing arts venue as Pat Metheny’s recent jazz project Side Eye makes an appearance on March 30. Universally recognized as one of the best guitarists in jazz history, Metheny is joined by pianist James Francies and drummer Nate Smith for this musical experiment. You will not want to miss a performance from the unmatched Pat Mentheny.
Last, but not least, Candlebox comes to Capital region audiences on Thursday, April 25. The Seattle rock group, who rose to fame in the ’90s grunge scene will be showcasing songs from their sixth album Disappearing in Airports.
Mike Gordon and his band released plans for Spring appearances around the east coast. The rapid-fire March tour will bring Phish bassist Mike Gordon and company to several venues in up and down the east coast, beginning in Atlanta and finishing up with a four night run in Cambridge, MA. General Admission tickets went on sale on Friday.
New York fans of the rock group will be excited to see that Mike Gordon will be performing in Buffalo at the Town Ballroom during the March Tour. For more info regarding the tour and ticket purchases visit Mike Gordon’s website. Current tour dates are below.
Mike Gordon Tour Dates:
March 8 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
March 9 – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
March 10 – The Basement East – Nashville, TN
March 12 – Charleston Music Hall – Charleston, SC
March 13 – Harvester Performance Center – Rocky Mount, VA
March 15 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
March 16 – Asbury Lanes – Asbury Park, NJ
March 17 – White Eagle Hall – Jersey City, NJ March 19 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
March 21-24 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA
Music is one of the most inclusive interests humans are able to appreciate and share. Genres expand to any identity or personality you could think of and easy accessibility make it available for any to enjoy. But what if you couldn’t hear? How do the deaf listen to music? Unfortunately some would say they simply don’t. However, this September those barriers were broken and deaf fans got to experience music on a level like never before. A collaboration between music group Palaye Royale and Music: Not Impossible Technology led to a test launch at their Las Vegas show.
The four year long technological advancement has been described as a five-piece device consisting of a vibro harness, two wristbands and two ankle bands. The device syncs with the live performance accordingly and each of the five areas vibrate along with it. The vibes have several settings which can be adjusted from low, medium or strong vibes and immerses the listener in a “surround body” sensation. In addition, a sign language interpreter was also involved on stage for the convenience of other hearing impaired attendees.
Check out a video below from Music: Not Impossible that exhibits the technology during its first real-world use.
Dubbed “The hottest band of 2018” by the English music press, Palaye Royale is entertainment at full volume. A combination of musical and artistic expression with immense popularity on all different streaming platforms. They have amassed over 30 million views on smash songs like “Higher,” “Don’t Quite Feel Right,” and “Ma Cherie.” This stands among the achievements of their albums titled Boom Boom Room (Side A) and this year’s highly anticipated follow-up Boom Boom Room (Side B). The Canadian fashion rock-trio is currently on an expansive tour all throughout the states and several parts of Canada. Tickets, both general and VIP, are on sale now.
The brothers will visit the Lost Horizon in Syracuse this Friday. See below for announced dates.
Palaye Royale Tour Dates:
Nov. 15 – Le Ministere – Montréal, QC Nov. 16 – The Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY
Nov. 17 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
Nov. 18 – Metro – Chicago, IL
Nov. 19 – Loving Touch – Detroit, MI
Nov. 20 – Rave – Milwaukee, WI
Nov. 21 – Skyway – Minneapolis, MN
Nov. 23 – The Rec Room – Edmonton, AB
Nov. 24 – The Legion – Calgary, AB
Nov. 26 – Rickshaw – Vancouver, BC
Nov. 27 – El Corazon – Seattle, WA
Nov. 28 – Bossanova Ballroom – Portland, OR
Nov. 30 – Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
Dec. 1 – Holy Diver – Sacramento, CA
Dec. 2 – Glasshouse – Pomona, CA
A favorite feature of the Colorado version of the winter music celebration, WinterWonderGrass Stratton has finally introduced its own iteration of the Grass After Dark Series with one month until the event kicks off.
Bluegrass fans new to the festival should be aware that festival tickets are not required for the Grass After Dark series. All of the late night shows are 21+ and are a separate purchase from the WWG day festival tickets. Grass After Dark tickets are limited and expected to sell out quickly. You can secure your spot at the event by purchasing your tickets at the WWG website.
The night series opens on the eve of WWG Stratton day festivities, with An Evening with the Infamous Stringdusters on Dec. 13 at Grizzly’s. The GAD series is hosted between two intimate mountainous locations for four nights of bluegrass in the village. Dec.r 15 is the only night attendees will have to choose between Grizzly’s and the Green Mountain Room in Black Bear Lodge at the Stratton Mountain Resort. The full GAD late night show schedule is down below:
GRIZZLY’S:
Thursday, Dec. 13 – An Evening with the Infamous Stringdusters
Saturday, Dec. 15 – Keller Williams and Fruition
Sunday, Dec. 16 – Billy Strings and Lindsay Lou
BLACK BEAR LODGE:
Friday, Dec. 14 – Horseshoes & Hand Grenades and Saints & Liars
Saturday, Dec. 15 – The Kitchen Dwellers and Rumpke Mountain Boys
Tickets are still available for those interested in the full WinterWonderGrass community experience. Single day prices are currently $59 for Friday, $79 for Saturday, and $59 for Sunday. For the complete festival schedule and all ticket packages, visit the WinterWondergrass website for more information.
Rap culture has been blessed with many genius artists and movements that have allowed it to evolve into one of the most popular genres in the world. Those pioneers are celebrated in lyrics/shoutouts by many current stars and respective hometowns take much pride in the influence they invested in the artist.
Friday marked another one of those celebrations and for none other than the infamous Wu-Tang Clan. Staten Island has officially named November 9th as Wu-Tang Clan day to pay tribute to the 25th anniversary of their legendary debut album: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
Their impact has transcended music and represented how their upbringing converted them into artists in their craft. Record label, Certified Classics, has displayed their appreciation for the timeless rap group in a new short film entitled: “For the Children: 25 Years of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).” It explores the background struggles and rise of the group in a world where they felt that music was their only voice. It even takes fans on a journey through production of signature songs and analysis of lyrical content.
For more modern fans of rap, the film also features interviews and appearances from new school artists including ASAP Rocky, ASAP, Ferg, Joey Bada$$ and other contemporary MCs known for their lyrical skill. They delve into their own influences from the Wu-Tang sound and how it molded their image to be a combination between classic and state of the art. Even 25 years later in a new era of music, their pages on streaming platforms boast millions of listens and impressive monthly listener statistics.
Watch the short film “For the Children: 25 Years of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” below. The Clan also performed live on “Good Morning America” Friday morning. You can also view that performance here.
Iron Maiden makes its return to North America next summer with the Legacy of the Beast Tour. The band, known for elaborate stage shows, is calling this tour its biggest production yet.
The tour will kick off July 18 in Sunrise, FL and visit arenas and amphitheaters throughout the U.S. and Canada next summer. The itinerary includes a July 26 stop at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and an Aug. 13 visit to Buffalo’s KeyBank Center.
Bassist Steve Harris said of the tour:
We gave a lot of thought to the set list for this Tour as the songs needed to follow the narrative of the changing worlds of the stage show. We feel we ended up with a very strong and well balanced set mixing songs we haven’t played in many years like ‘Flight of Icarus,’ ‘Sign of The Cross’and ‘The Clansman’with songs we know the fans want to hear like ‘The Trooper,’ ‘2 Minutes to Midnight,’ ‘The Number of The Beast,’ ‘Fear of The Dark,’ ‘Run to The Hills,’ ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’and others, reflecting the journey through the different themes of the show.
Tickets for most shows go on sale Nov. 16 at 10:00 a.m. local time. British band The Raven Age, which includes Harris’s son, George on guitar, will be the opener with Fozzy opening the Los Angeles show.
The North American leg is continuing the tour that sold out venues across Europe last year and included props such as a full-scale WWII-era Spitfire plane flying above the stage during the Powerslave track, “Aces High.”
The production is based around the Legacy of the Beast mobile game that takes the band’s mascot Eddie through various adventures though Iron Maiden’s history.
The band created a video to thank fans following the European tour. Check it out below.
Iron Maiden 2019 North American Tour Dates:
July 18 – BB&T Center – Sunrise, FL
July 20 – Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood – Atlanta, GA
July 22 – PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC
July 24 – Jiffy Lube Live – Washington DC July 26 – Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
July 30 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
Aug. 1 – Xfinity Center – Boston, MA
Aug. 3 – Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theatre
Aug. 5 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC
Aug. 7 – Videotron Centre – Quebec, QC
Aug. 9 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
Aug. 10 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON Aug. 13 – KeyBank Center – Buffalo, NY
Aug. 15 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
Aug. 17 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA
Aug. 19 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Aug. 22 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL
Aug. 24 – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Indianapolis, IL
Aug. 26 – Xcel Energy Center – St Paul, MN
Aug. 28 – Bell MTS Place – Winnipeg, MB
Aug. 30 – Rogers Place – Edmonton, AB
Aug. 31 – Scotiabank Saddledome – Calgary, AB
Sept. 3 – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC
Sept. 5 – Tacoma Dome – Tacoma, WA
Sept. 6 – Moda Center – Portland, OR
Sept. 9 – Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA
Sept. 10 – Oracle Arena – Oakland, CA
Sept. 13 – MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
Sept. 14 – Banc of California Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 17 – Talking Stick Resort Arena – Phoenix, AZ
Sept. 19 – Isleta Amphiteater – Albuquerque, NM
Sept. 21 – Dos Equis Pavilion – Dallas, TX
Sept. 22 – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX
Sept. 25 – AT&T Center – San Antonio, TX
Twiddle frontman Mihali recently released politically charged single “Fading State” for his upcoming album. The album is yet to be titled and fans are eagerly anticipating a release date. The new single features vocals from Nahko (Nahko and Medicine for the People) and Trevor Hall who support Mihali in this advocacy-driven single. Produced by Johnny Cosmic of Stick Figure, Mihali’s reggae single focuses on protecting the environment and putting aside political agendas for the greater good.
The issue is continuously met with opposition motivated by greed. It’s up to all of us as individuals to do what we can…to do our part to make a positive change in the world. With our current political climate, I think now is the perfect time for this single to be released.
Mihali refers to “Fading State” as the spark that influenced most of his newest musical creations. While the debut album is yet to be announced, glimpses of the anticipated album will show up throughout the course of Mihali’s solo December tour of the Northeast. There are four New York shows lined up in the rapid fire schedule below.
Mihali Tour Schedule:
Dec. 5 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY
Dec. 6 – Spcae Ballroom – Hamden, CT Dec. 7 – Putnam Place – Saratoga Springs, NY Dec. 8 – Funk ‘n Waffles – Syracuse, NY
Dec. 9 – Portland House of Music – Portland, ME
Dec. 11 – Wonder Bar – Asbury Park, NJ
Dec. 12 – 8 x 10 – Baltimore, MD Dec. 13 – BSP-3 – Kingston, NY
Dec. 14 – Jewel – Manchester, NH
Dec. 15 – Gateway City Arts – Holyoke, MA
Watch Mihali’s “Fading State” music video down below and get a feel for what to expect on his premier solo album.
Editor’s Note: This article was edited to correct the title of the song.
Funk Night returns to Parish Public House, this time, boasting a musical selection of the late Aretha Franklin tunes on Nov. 15. Beau Sasser (Kung Fu) is no stranger to hosting Funk Night in downtown Albany, as he’s done many times prior with Albany’s own Justin Henricks, as well as members of Kung Fu, Turkuaz, Wurliday, Dopapod and more.
For Funk Night’s latest installment at the downtown Albany brick accented bar and music venue, a changing lineup of Beau Sasser (Hammond Organ), Bill Carbone (Drums) and Justin Henricks (Guitar) of Beau Sasser’s Escape plan will serve up a tasty tribute to the sorely missed Queen of Soul.
Get your tickets in advance and hold your place in line to boogie. “Ain’t no way” you’re missing this one!
Funk ‘n Waffles owner Adam Gold announced that he is closing the Rochester location of his unique night spot. The final day of operation will be Sunday, Nov. 11.
Gold jumped on the opportunity to purchase the former warehouse and site of Water Street Music Hall when it became available last year. As a musician and member of Sophistafunk, Gold fell in love with the location and couldn’t pass on making it Funk ‘n Waffles, version three.
The unique restaurant and performance space features a menu based around, what else, waffles and live music seven nights a week.
Gold hopes to re-open in the Rochester area in the near future to a smaller location with better foot traffic. He told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, “We love Rochester. We did well. It just wasn’t enough for that space.”
The venue will serve out its final week with a full menu and a full music schedule, including performances from Hayley Jane and the Primates and Todd Snider plus a final brunch on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. See the week’s schedule below. For further information, visit Funk ‘n Waffles’s website here.
The closure leaves just one Funk ‘n Waffles location, at 313 South Clinton Street in the Armory Square district of Syracuse. The original location, on the Syracuse University hill, closed in February of 2017 due to the building being razed for a redevelopment project in the Marshall Street area of Syracuse.
Nov. 6 – Siena Facciolo, Dream Float and Ava Sauer – 8:00 p.m.
Nov. 7 – Orgone with The English Project – at 8:00 p.m.
Nov. 8 – Closed
Nov. 9 – Hayley Jane and The Primates – 10:00 p.m.
Nov. 10 – Todd Snider with Kevin Gordon – 8:00 p.m.
Lettuce launches the far-reaching and fast-paced Vibe Up 2019 tour in Rochester on Jan.10. The funk group will return to New York later for performances at the Upstate Concert Hall in Clifton Park on Jan. 12 and at Brooklyn Steel on Jan. 19.
The band’s legendary career spans two decades. Their sound has matured and “stewed” to perfection over time as evidenced on their latest album Witches Stew. The new album is contemporary jazz fusion inspired by and in tribute to Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew. It would be an oversight to ignore that music like Davis’ was what influenced and initially drew the group together at Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1992.
Out-of-state, the tour will bring Lettuce to major cities like Boston, Nashville, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Cleveland, and more over the course of one month. Tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit the Lettuce website here.
[Witches Stew] “…groundbreaking release, the effort allows Lettuce to do justice to their influences, while still retaining their own collective persona.” – All About Jazz
Affectionately referred to as “Everybody’s favorite funk band” by Red Bull Music, Lettuce only has one performance left for 2018. Currently touring Witches Stew now, the last opportunity to see Lettuce live in 2018 is a special one-night only show with the Colorado Symphony in Denver on Nov. 10. See below for the full January 2019 Vibe Up Tour schedule.
Lettuce January Dates:
Jan. 10 – Anthology Live – Rochester, NY*
Jan. 11 – House of Blues – Boston, MA* Jan. 12 – Upstate Concert Hall – Clifton Park, NY*
Jan. 13 – Higher Ground Ballroom – South Burlington, VT*
Jan. 15 – The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN*
Jan. 16 – St. Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI*
Jan. 17 – Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA*
Jan. 18 – Infinity Music Hall & Bistro – Hartford, CT* Jan. 19 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY
Jan. 22 – Whitaker Center – Harrisburg, PA
Jan. 23 – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH
Jan. 24 – Madison Theater -Covington, KY
Jan. 25 – Marathon Music Works – Nashville, TN
Jan. 26 – Center Stage – Atlanta, GA
The tour will kick off July 18 in Sunrise, FL and visit arenas and amphitheaters throughout the U.S. and Canada next summer. The itinerary includes a July 26 stop at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and an Aug. 13 visit to Buffalo’s 
