NYS Music 20​18

Category: Beyond NYS

  • Bonnaroo 2018 Daily Lineup Revealed

    Superfly and A.C. Entertainment have officially released the daily lineup for Bonnaroo 2018. The full schedule can be found on Bonnaroo’s website, or it can also be viewed as an image.

    Bonnaroo 2018 Daily Lineup

    This year’s lineup has over 150 acts, including several artists with New York State connections:

    • Nile Rogers & Chic – New York City
    • Gryffin – New York City
    • Ikebe Shakedown – New York City
    • Westside Gunn + Conway – Buffalo
    • Dreamers – New York City
    • Michael Blume – New York City
    • Victory Boyd – New York City
    • John Splithoff – New York City

    Headliners for the 2018 festival include Eminem, the Killers and Muse. Other big name acts appearing throughout the weekend are Sturgill Simpson, Future, Bassnectar, Anderson .Paak, Alt-J and Mavis Staples.

    Bonnaroo takes place annually at Great Stage Park, a giant 700-acre farmland in Manchester, TN. This year, Bonnaroo will be held between June 7th-10th. Tickets are still available on the official Bonnaroo website.

    Stay up to date on everything Bonnaroo related through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

  • Amy Helm Shines on the First Night of the Woodshed Residency Tour

    This past weekend, Amy Helm kicked off her second annual Woodshed Residency Tour, a revolving run of shows that is split between three venues across New York State and Massachusetts. Night one was held at Albany NY’s The Hollow Bar, a return venue for Helm, and the ebullient and groovy kickoff show set the bar for the whole trip at a lofty height.

    Each stop on the Woodshed Tour will feature guests that Helm has procured from her ever expanding roster of musical friends and colleagues. Rocking night one at The Hollow Bar was The London Souls guitarist Tash Neal, Chris Robinson Brotherhood bassist Jeff Hill, Woodstock-based guitarist and keyboardist Connor Kennedy, and Brooklyn-based Yuval Lion on drums. Just like the late Levon, her old man, Amy Helm seems to have an affinity for not only surrounding herself with incredible artists, but for getting the most out of them on stage. Together, the four-piece made for a seriously airtight jam session that on the one side played Helm’s originals very professionally, but on the other hand had a lot of daring and creative fun with a slew of cover tunes.

    But Helm first dove into the former, offering confident and well received versions of songs from her first and latest album, Didn’t It Rain. “Odetta” and “Didn’t it Rain” opened the evening with a grand, almost spiritual feel. Later on, “Rescue Me” from this same album hit off with The Hollow crowd as much if not more than any other tune of the evening.

    The show also included a whole mess of other covers, which as Helm has described is another element naturally built into the essence of the Woodshed Tour—Helm’s background has given her an affinity for tributing the rich and expansive americana songbook that makes up her musical universe. Every cover at the Hollow was appreciated in full, as Helm and her jam session put a shine on all of them. One of the first was a Mary Goshen cover upon which the band flexed out a breezy little jam, that eventually cascaded into an “I Know You Rider.” The apex of the evening clearly revealed itself after this in the uptempo version of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” for which Helm and crew gathered around one microphone. It imbued a stripped-down feel to the buzz of the night until Neal put a cool, Dick-Dale-style guitar solo on it.

    One of the strongest delivered covers was a rousing take on “Michigan” by The Milk Carton Kids—a terrific songwriting duo of brothers out of California. The end of this one featured a frenetic and trilling guitar solo from Kennedy. Other gems included a Ronnie Hawkins tune, sung by, in Helm’s words, “one of the greatest singers of all time” (Richard Manuel), and a bubbly take on The Pointer Sister’s “Yes We Can Can,” which Helm clearly was  hip-hop style verses.

    For sure, Helm has implied challenges of stage fright throughout her past, but today it seems that on stage any supposed nervousness washes away pretty quickly. Every single time the music revved back up, almost uncontrollably Helm was persuaded by the energy of the band and the responsive crowd, and repeatedly took command of it all. She became the center of her little musical melting pot, and shined as a lead singer, as a troubadour, as a stage performer.

    Helm and her bandmates hung out afterwards around The Hollow’s bar, trading stories with fans and taking photos. It encompassed the spirit that seems to be at the center of this Woodshed Tour, and The Hollow seems to be a no-brainer, choice spot for a tour of this musically rare nature.

    The tour continues this Sunday night with another set at The Hollow, among dates at other venues such as Marlboro’s The Falcon, Northampton’s Parlor Room, and NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall.

  • The Motet Sell Out Paradise Rock Club

    On April 7 Denver based powerhouse, The Motet, brought some serious funk out to Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA. With Front man Lyle Divinsky, and Guitarist Ryan Jalbert both being from New England, and with Boston’s own Strange Machines opening the night, this show had a hometown feel to it.

    The sold out crowd was packing in fast as Strange Machines was getting into their set. The band fed off the crowd and played what seemed like a continuous set. The quartet rocked a seamless cover of Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” and then into a Golden Rule > Remote Dream > Golden Rule. Remote Dream was a  nice throw back to their 2014 album, Turn the Tide, while blending with Golden Rule, of their new album, Voice of Color.

    The Motet came out to a sea of crazy Bostonians who only got wilder when Lyle opened his jacket to reveal his Celtics’ Larry Bird shirt. The band was high energy from the beginning and never seemed to slow down. Fan favorites “Keep on Don’t Stoppin” and “Closed Mouth Don’t Get Fed” were met with an uproar. The crowd was also happy to hear a couple new tracks from the group, along with recently released singles, “Get It Right” and “Supernova”. The guys played a long set, ending with a beautiful rendition of George Clinton’s “Knee Deep”.

    The show in Boston was the Motet’s last of their Spring tour, and the band as of now has only one show between now and their Red Rocks headliner on June 2, which is the Sweetwater 420 Fest in Atlanta, Georgia. Check out pictures of both bands below via Zatchmo Lives Media.

  • Exclusive Premiere: Listen to Founding Fathers Sophomore album “Mating Rites”

    Cincinnati-based synth-pop troupe, Founding Fathers, today release their sophomore full-length album “Mating Rites.” With influences of Beck, Ween and LCD Soundsystem, Founding Fathers blends new wave, synth-rock and dance to deliver a high-energy performance of infectious music guaranteed to get you moving.

    Founding Fathers Mating Rites

    Eric Johnson (guitar, vocals) handled much of the recording, mixing, and mastering process, with production and mixing assistance from Associate Engineer Greg Yock (Bottom Line). Johnson states that Founding Fathers’ “…goal is to infect as many people as possible with our music.” The group’s debut album, Filthy Animals, was released in October 2016.

    Catch Founding Fathers in Buffalo on Sunday, May 20 at Mohawk Place.

  • Hearing Aide: Ripe ‘Joy in the Wild Unknown’


    Boston’s seven-piece phenom Ripe attacks funk-infused rock, groove, jazz, R&B and even ska, with passion,     precision and purpose, leaving a wake on the dance floor with their debut offering Joy In The Wild Unknown. The album, due out April 6th, is a reflection the highs and lows of life and the musical connectivity in between. With uplifting tracks like Little Lighter, playful songs like Stanky, and songs about love like Downward, Joy leaves an indelible mark.

    Joy in the Wild UnknownRipe’s unbelievably tight jams , genre-bending originality and rapidly growing fan base have helped them rack up over one million Spotify streams with their fan-favorite Goon Squad, over 15,000 followers on Facebook, and landed them on the bill at venues like the House of the Blues, the Roxy Theater, and Levitate Music Festival in July in the coming months.

    Lead vocalist Robbie Wulfsohn’s distinctive and likeable chops allow him to stand on his own amidst the outstanding musicianship of Tory Geismar (guitar), Jon Becker (guitar), Sampson Hellerman (drums), Josh Shpak (trumpet), Calvin Barthel (trombone) and Nadav Shapira (bass). All seven members graduates of Berklee College of Music, this dynamic and well-oiled music machine can easily appeal to the masses and fit into any scene, from festivals to clubs and beyond!

    With two EP’s, Hey Hello and Produce the Juice, under their belts, Ripe launches straight into a musical holiday from the first track of their first full-length album. Simmering bass lines set the stage to usher in Wulfsohn’s powerful opening lines, while funkified guitar licks and a three-piece horn section glue it all together for a polished finish in “Little Lighter.”

    Joy in the Wild Unknown“Downward,” the fourth-track on the album, produced by Cory Wong of Vulfpeck, mixed by five-time GRAMMY-Winner Joe Visciano and mastered by Randy Merrill, reflects the duality of love with its catchy chorus:

    This love keeps pulling me downward

    Pulling me downward

    And I don’t mind the fall

    The fifth track, “Stanky,” swaggers onto the scene with the instruments a funky game of cat and mouse between the bass and horns, with help from the guitar to create a unique syncopation that packs a powerful musical punch.

    Ripe’s debut offering, Joy In The Wild Unknown, may be a studio recording, but it’s basically propaganda to get you out to one of their live shows. The good news is they’re about to hit the road for an extensive US tour to promote their latest album and there’s a good chance they’ll be coming to a city near you! Be sure to bring a toy to donate to the band’s efforts to collect toys for the local Boys & Girls Clubs of America (link) and give their new listen before you hit the show! 

    Key Tracks: Little Lighter, Downward and Stanky

  • Hearing Aide: Bumpin Uglies ‘Beast from the East’

    As spring arrives, so does the release of Bumpin Uglies latest studio release Beast from the East.  The twelve track collection drops Friday, April 6 just as most of the country begins to wake from it’s winter slumber.  And Beast from the East is the perfect soundtrack to that ready awakening.  Packed full of reggae beats, ska energy and punk attitude, Bumpin Uglies unveil the type of album that’s perfect for telling winter to buzz off.

    Beast from the EastBeast from the East marks the band’s fourth full length studio album.  But more importantly, it also marks the band’s first release with keyboardist Chad Wright, whose arrival took the  band from trio to quartet when he joined in December of 2016.  While the album still showcases guitarist and vocalist Brandon Hardesty’s trademark catchy songwriting and clever lyrical poeticism, the addition of Wright rounds out the Bumpin Uglies sound. And that is this releases major win.  Beast from the East showcases not only the band’s growth but also the band’s potential. And despite how Hardesty may lament that he doesn’t “write songs for the radio” in the aptly titled track “Radio”, Beast from the East is full of tunes that reveal otherwise.

    The albums lead track “Could’ve Been Great” switches between edgy guitar riffs and punctuated drums to whimsical reggae cadences with lively keys.  In contrast, Beast from the East closes with the acoustic soul-searching tune “Optimism in F#”. And sandwiched in between these two songs are ten tracks that prove Bumpin Uglies is more than just a white boy reggae outfit.  Beast from the East reveals there are many vastly different sides to this band; all locked, loaded and ready to delight the band’s Uglies Nation fanbase while poised to hook new fans along the way.

    Prior to the release of Beast from the East, Bumpin Uglies treated their fans to a smattering of sneak peeks including “All in Stride”, “Hard Liquor”, “Budtender” and “Crazy”.  While “All in Stride” showcases Hardesty’s ability to write mantra style lyrics that hook you into singing along because you feel like you have been in his shoes, “Hard Liquor” flips you into party mode.  It’s still a song you want to sing along to, but it’s also the kind of song you want to play while hitting the McDonald’s drive-thru at 3am after a night of debauchery.

    “City by the Bay” pays homage to the band’s Chesapeake Bay roots.  The song is subtle, with the punchy horns and mellow timing that takes the listener on a starry-eyed musical journey as Hardesty remembers his past.  In contrast “Crazy” rides the upbeat drive of 3rd wave ska tradition while lyrically the song examines the drama and uncertainty of a dynamic romantic relationship.

    While much of Hardesty’s lyrical content can be described as introspective self-realizations, in tracks like “Apathy” or “Officer O’Herlihy”, he doesn’t shy away from writing lyrics intend to incite questioning of authorities or provoke inciteful thought. We are reminded that “freedom’s like a muscle, when not exercised it’s lost” as Hardesty encourages the listener to challenge what we are told, educate ourselves, and “read between the lines.”

    Beyond the A+ plus lyrical content, Beast from the East also showcases wonderful song structure, thoughtful musicianship and tasteful songwriting.  Bumpin Uglies beautifully melds key elements of reggae, funk, rock, punk, ska and pop while paying homage to the original inspiration.  Anchored by the impeccaible rhythm section of drummer TJ Haslett and bassist Dave Wolf, the duo lays a solid foundation on which Hardesty and Wright blend a cascade of genres.

    Wisely placed vocal harmonies only enhance Hardesty’s vocal chops, which sit on top of the band’s music like milk and honey.  In a time when the world’s music charts seem to be engulfed in autotune, mumble and a general lack of diction, Hardesty’s rich tone makes you listen.  He has a point of view and he wants you to hear it.

    Beast from the East was recorded at the Annapolis Audio labs in Annapolis, Maryland.  The album was produced by Howi Spangler, vocalist and guitarist for the alternative alt-rock outfit Ballyhoo. The album is available for pre-order on iTunes and Spotify.

    Check out Bumpin Uglies tour this spring where they will share the stage with Sublime tribute band, Badfish.

    Key Tracks: All in Stride, Hard Liquor, Radio

  • Toronto’s Common Deer premiere “Mistakes” Video, Announce Northeast shows

    Fresh off their first ever SXSW performances, Toronto indie group Common Deer have debuted the video for “Mistakes,” and have announced additional April dates in the Northeast of the U.S., including April 17 at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.

    Common Deer formed while in college, centered around the harmonies of Graham McLaughlin (guitar, violin) and Sheila Hart-Owens (keyboards), with Sheila’s brother Adam Hart-Owens (guitar, cello, synths) and brothers Liam Farrell (drums) Connor Farrell (bass).  The group developed their sound and eventually worked with producer Laurence Currie (Wintersleep, Hey Rosetta!) to release EP I, released in January, followed by II released in September and produced by Gus Van Go (Arkells, The Stills).

    Guitarist/violinist Graham McLaughlin shared his thoughts on “Mistakes,” stating “Performing “Mistakes” live is always cathartic. It’s a very personal track about mental illness, specifically depression and anxiety in our current climate, and we hope that others can find the same release listening as we do playing it.”

    Common Deer

    Tour Dates
    March 24 – Vancouver, BC – Biltmore (JUNOfest)
    March 27 – Edmonton, AB – Starlite Temple
    March 29 – Calgary, AB – Palomino Smokehouse
    March 30 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos Cantina
    March 31 – Winnipeg, MB – Good Will Social Club
    April 2 – St. Paul, MN – The Amsterdam
    April 3 – Madison, WI – The Frequency
    April 5 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Music Joint
    April 6 – Pontiac, MI – Pike Room
    April 7  – Columbus, OH – Rumba Room
    April 8 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern
    April 12 – Hamilton, ON – The Casbah
    April 17 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall
    April 18 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live
    April 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Smiling Moose

  • Cousin Earth Does St. Patty’s at Scottish Dave’s Pub

    Cousin Earth had everybody shaking their shamrocks last Saturday night at Scottish Dave’s Pub in Clinton, Connecticut. With their signature arsenal of whimsical instruments, the Brooklyn-based band took to the stage in full force… and full green!

    Scottish Dave's PubDrummer Nate Searing set the pace all night with unwavering energy. Corey Feldman plucked his pint-sized Kala U Bass while Joey Calfa served up roaring solos on his electric uke, proving that great things do come in small packages. Tara Lawton and Terry Brennan’s vocals are larger than life, adding catchy and clever lyrics to the band’s memorable melodies. Add to the mix a melodica, slide whistle, vibraslap (a quirky little instrument that brings me straight back to my middle school band days), train whistle, megaphone, and banana shaker, and you have the marvelous musical machine that is Cousin Earth.

    Amidst their original songs, the band enjoyed breathing new life into old favorites, starting off with a nostalgic rendition of “Zelda”, then later resurrecting Natalie Portman’s hilariously raunchy SNL rap, and eventually getting the whole bar clapping and bouncing to Nathanial Rateliff’s “S.O.B.”. Even the bagpipers were getting their jig on.

    The crowd also had first dibs on the band’s new album, Human Music. It’s not set to release online until next month, however the band had the first physical copies on sale at the show. Be on the lookout for the official release on 4/27, and if you’re in NYC, they are throwing an album release party that night at the Bowery Electric.

  • UK Trio Girl Ray Arrive in New York City this March

    If you’re in New York City this week, you should consider checking out one of the upcoming shows from Girl Ray. The London-based group features Poppy Hanking on guitar/vocals, Iris McConnell on drums, and Sophie Moss on bass. They started the group two years ago as teenagers going to school in North London and now they’re on their first tour in the U.S.

    Poppy’s songwriting is influenced by pop artists like ABBA and The Beatles and indie artists like Neutral Milk Hotel. Their newest album, which cleverly rhymes with their band name, is called Earl Grey. The vinyl version album is sold out on Bandcamp, but listeners may still enjoy online or on Spotify. They recorded the album at Ramsgate’s Big Jelly Studios and they claimed they little crazy during the process giving it their all. The organ sounds throughout give it a full texture coupled with the distorted guitar. The vocal harmonies are fragile and exciting to listen to.

    The girls are still teenagers, and their sound reflects the uncertainty young adults feel as they move through life and have to make important decisions. They’re just what young listeners need to hear in terms of heartbreak and losing friendships. Their music videos are a bit quirky and show their individual personalities.

    After a stop in Washington DC, you can catch them at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 23rd in Brooklyn, The Bowery Ballroom on the 24th in Manhattan, and back again in Brooklyn on the 25th at Union Pool.

  • Pittsburgh electro pop band, little good bad (+ -), premieres video for “Black + White”

    little good bad (+ -), a hybrid-pop band from Pittsburgh, premieres the video for “Black + White,” an energetic EDM-tinged pop song. The trio innovate a new style of pop music adding in punk, neo-soul and EDM, creating a hybrid style of music that translates into a unique live show experience. 

    Rachel B (vocals, keytar + songwriter) shares insight behind the song, saying “Black + White is about proving people and your own negative thoughts wrong. There’s not one way and Black + White is an electronic rock song defying any notion that the world is just black and white or wrong and right. We usually find the answer somewhere in the middle…”
    little good bad (+ -) formed when Rachel B and Billy Castle (drums, multi-instrumentalist) met at a party in Boston before dropping out of college. They reconnected a year later in Los Angeles and moved to Pittsburgh where they started writing and performing together. Dinn Winnwood (DJ), an electronic producer from Philadelphia made the group a trio and gave their songs new life by bridging Rachel and Billy’s sounds.

    Together, they represent the duality that lives within ourselves and our relationships.The group creates music with unique sounds and visuals that break down society’s confines of originality, sexuality, and complacency. Rachel B says of the trio, “Life is a series of random events, both beautiful and sometimes tragic. The more we come together to create unity in chaos, the better the show.” Listen to more on their Soundcloud and check out their show at The Stage at Karma on March 24 in Pittsburgh with Red Room Effect and Xavier Wells.

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