For the penultimate Alive at Five at Jennings Landing in Albany, Colorado’s Yonder Mountain String Band brought out their jamgrass sound for the second time in four years at the free summer concert series. It was a hot Albany day, and as the sun set over the city, the crowd moved forward into the shade and closer to the rail for Yonder. Highlights from the set included the set opener “Lord Only Known (Part One)” and the segue into “I’m Lost,” the newer “Chasing My Tail” which featured an impressive jam that worked its way into “Frankenstein,” an audacious cover that perked up many in the audience. Closing out with “Sidewalk Stars” for another extended jam, Yonder Mountain came back for a fast-paced “Sharecropper’s Son” and bid Albany farewell until next time. Blind Crow, a local band from Albany, opened the night and performed an array of bluegrass, folk, and Dawg tunes.
Alive at Five concludes it’s 2018 Summer season on Thursday, August 2 at the rain location at the Corning Preserve Boat Launch with Sir Sly and The Late Shift.
Setlist: Lord Only Knows (Part One)> I’m Lost, High on a Hilltop, I’ve Got A Name, Landfall, Chasing My Tail> Jam> Frankenstein, Around You, Damn Your Eyes, Sidewalk Stars Encore: Sharecropper’s Son
Third World is one of the longest-lived reggae bands and one of Jamaica’s most popular crossover acts, mixing R&B, funk, pop, and rock creating a style of reggae fusion. Thursday, July 19 they brought their talents to Riverfront Park in Albany for Alive at Five. Third World has 10 Grammy nominations with hits that include, “Now That We Found Love,” “96 Degrees in the Shade,” and “Try Jah Love.”
Opening band Mixed Roots, from Ghana, now reside in Albany, NY. Their music is exotic grooves mixed with danceable beats. The band consists of Charles on keyboards, Arya on guitar, TT on percussion, Jared on bass and a horn section with Dave and Catherine.
The Devon Allman Project begins a swing through New York Tuesday, July 24, with a stop at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. This is followed by dates in Rochester, Albany, Baldwinsville, and Pawling. The man with the legendary Allman Brothers bloodline has teamed up with another Allmans progeny, Duane Betts on a tour that has both men joining forces to display their own projects as well as pay tribute to their fathers’ legacies. NYS Music recently sat down with Allman to discuss the tour, being a father and the state of music today.
Mike Kohli: So is the band starting to gel yet?
Devon Allman: Oh yeah, we rehearsed really hard six months prior. We were doing three to five days a week rehearsal for six months. I wanted us to come out already primed.
MK: You’re working with Duane as well on this tour.
DA: Yeah, he’s got a new EP out. He was in his dad’s band for years and a band called Dawes for maybe a year or two. So this is like the first time he’s come out and done his own stuff, fronted his own band. It’s exciting. He’s great.
MK: You’re sharing a rhythm section?
DA: Yeah, it’s an eight-piece band at the end of it. It’s a brilliant thing.
MK: Doing the tour with Duane Betts, a guy you kind of grew up with. This is something you guys, in a way, dreamed of doing, correct?
DA: We were hanging out with our dads. Their band was experiencing a pretty big renaissance. But that’s where we made our first bond just from being on that tour. I don’t think when we were kids we really had dreams of playing together, but as we grew into adults and started touring and making records, we talked about it. We knew it would be special. And that’s really what it’s all about. We don’t want to go out there and be a tribute band. There’s only one Allman Brothers. But we can certainly do our part to help keep some of their music alive.
MK: What was the trigger that made you guys decide, “We need to do this together?”
DA: It was just timing. I lost both parents inside of five months. I took a year off. I didn’t have the heart to go and perform. So I kind of rallied around my family. I spent a lot of time around my siblings and my son. Duane was wrapping up with Dawes. I knew I was going back out there. And I wanted to go back out there in a bigger fashion. So it made sense to team up. Timing is everything.
MK: So you’re going to be in Syracuse soon. You make your home in St. Louis, right? That’s a big BBQ town. (Laughs). Are you a partaker of the BBQ?
DA: So they say (laughs) I mean, I go back and forth with being a carnivore and not being a carnivore. St. Louis is really a big baseball town and a good blues town. And we have our own pizza. A lot of people don’t realize there is a St. Louis-style pizza and it’s amazing.
MK: Well, if you’re in a carnivorous stage while you’re up here, be sure to check out some of our BBQ.
DA: Is that where Dinosaur is? Oh yeah, I’ve partaken.
MK: Did you always feel that pull to become a musician? You were obviously exposed to music at a young age. Did you want to become a musician right off the bat?
DA: I fell in love with music when I was four years old. My mom used to spin a lot of vinyl. I was infatuated from then on. I saw my first concert at nine. I saw Cheap Trick. When Rick Neilsen pulled out that five-neck guitar, I mean that was it. The epitome of cool. I have to get in on this immediately. I started playing guitar at 13. I had dreams of it but I really never thought I’d get to do what I do. I just thought it was an untouchable magic act to tour and make records. I got lucky and I got to do it. And I put a lot of work into it too.
MK: You’re producing too, right? Also started your own record label?
DA: Yeah, it’s gonna launch this fall. I’m excited about it. I want to give some younger artists a chance to develop a following, become bonafide recording artists. I haven’t put a record out since Ride or Die. That one came out in, I think, late ’16. I’m definitely due. I’m going in the studio this fall so I’ll have a new record out in probably January.
MK: Is that going to come out on your label or are you going to shop it around?
DA: I’ll shop it around. We’ll see.
MK: I have a son the same age as yours. Does he have any interest in music? Are you persuading, dissuading him in regards to music?
DA: I’m really letting him feel his way. He played piano for years and years and he played some guitar. I don’t know. He starts college in the fall and he may end up playing music, he may not. I’m not really sure. But I would never persuade him and I would never try to steer him away from it either. I think his love affair, his passion, his career, that’s gonna be up to him.
MK: Absolutely. This is a bit of a scary time for me. This is my first kid going to college. You just hope you did things right along the way, ya know?
DA: I mean, I’ve spent 45 years either being somebody’s son or being a father to a son. That’s all over, it’s scary new territory. It’s exciting, but it’s also sad. I’m gonna miss having my kiddo around every night.
MK: What do you listen to?
DA: I spin vinyl at home, keeping my mom’s tradition alive. I probably have 500 records. It’s everything, man. There’s Nigerian jazz to thrash metal to Miles and Coltrane. I like to listen to jazz when I’m cooking. I cook a lot. Man, there’s everything.
MK: Any new artists that have been catching your ear lately?
DA: Yeah, man, Caroline Rose. She’s a badass. She really is. She’s a gifted songwriter and storyteller and singer. She’s great. I love the new Lucero record. Always loved Lucero. They’re from Memphis, friends of mine. I love just about everything from Jason Isbell lately. I love his records. He’s a friend. There’s good new music out there. You just have to dig for it.
MK: Do you recognize a renaissance of outlaw country happening, in artists like Isbell and Sturgill?
DA: I think it’s more a renaissance of organic music in general. Doesn’t matter the flavor. I think people that really get into music are looking for something that is real. There’s so much crap out there.
MK: Do you think a lot of it has to do with the environment the country is in now?
DA: No, I think it has to do with the fact that somewhere along the way, it might have started with MTV, ya know, as soon as you could become a TV star by way of music video, I think people started wanting to get into music to become a star, not to make good music. And that’s where it really started getting shitty. If somebody grabs a guitar and wants to tell you a deep story about something they’ve been through, that’s gonna hit you a lot harder than someone who grabs a guitar because they want to be on TV. I guess, since time immemorial in music we’ve had that. There was bubblegum music in the ’50s and ’60s. So it is what it is.
MK: So you have a good stretch of Upstate NY shows coming up, hitting up Woodstock’s Bearsville Theater. Have you been to Levon Helm Studio?
DA: No, I haven’t.
MK: Well, if you ever get the chance, that’s like a church.
DA: Yeah, I know. I’m a huge freak of The Band. I just got their whole vinyl collection, every album. Amazing.
MK: Speaking of Woodstock and taking in sites, do you ever get a chance to take in the towns that you’re touring through or is it more a load in, play your show, head on to the next?
DA: I’m able to a little bit more now because we finally graduated up to a tour bus so we’re arriving to the towns, waking up around 10:00 – 11:00 on the bus, ya know have the whole day until you get called for soundcheck. I went and did a little guitar shopping in New Orleans, vinyl shopping, got to take my men out for sushi in NYC, try to make the most of it.
MK: It’s good to finally have a bit of that luxury, if you will.
MK: We’ll see you on your upcoming Upstate dates. Thanks for your time.
DA: Thanks for your time today, I appreciate you. We’ll see you up north soon.
The Devon Allman Project is currently on tour with Duane Betts. New Yorkers have several opportunities to catch this unique show. Betts opens the show, performing music from his recent EP using Allman’s rhythm section. Allman follows with a set of his own material and for the encore, all the musicians take the stage to pay tribute to the Allman Brothers.
The tour hits Baldwinsville’s Bud Light Amphitheater at Paper Mill Island on Saturday, July 28. Tickets are still available for the show through Ticketfly.
Devon Allman Project/Duane Betts Tour Dates:
July 24 – Bearsville Theater – Woodstock, NY July 26 – Party in the Park – Rochester, NY July 28 – Bud Light Amphitheater – Baldwinsville, NY July 29 – Darryl’s House – Pawling, NY
Aug. 3 – Flood City Music Fest – Johnstown, PA
Aug. 4 – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille – Warrendale, PA
Aug. 5 – Music by the Bay – Ajax, ON, Canada
Aug. 7 – Music by the Bay – Ajax, ON, Canada
Aug. 8 – Kent Stage – Kent, OH
Aug. 9 – Arcada Theater – Saint Anne Woods, IL
Aug. 11 – Riverside Park – Rushville, IN
Aug. 12 – Prairie Magic Music Festival – Valparaiso, IN
A native of New Orleans, John “Papa” Gros has spent more than a quarter-century championing the music of the Big Easy, and is best know for his band Papa Grows Funk. With a bevy of genres at his disposal – New Orleans funk, rock n roll, jazz, blues, Americana, pop and rock, Gros will combine these styles into a genre-bending gumbo while paying tribute to his influences and pushing ahead into new territory. Much like his New Orleans forefathers Allen Toussaint and Dr. John, Gros is a proud local who carries on the tradition of New Orleans music, honoring its past and helping to shape its future.
Swatkins, a joyful prophet of positivity, joins with The Positive Agenda for feel-good funk made by and for real human beings. Steve Swatkins makes raw, fresh soulful music without relying on computers or backing tracks and is a master of the talkbox, the old-school analog effect using his larynx to shape the sound of his keyboard synthesizer sent through a vinyl tube. Think about “California Love” for a moment and combine that with a throwback dance party with a killer live band playing the deepest grooves imaginable – now you’ve got a taste of what The Positive Agenda is all about.
John Gros Band will take the stage at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16 with Swatkins and the Positive Agenda following around 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door. More event info can be found here.
Aqueous just announced their most extensive headlining tour to date. The tour starts this September, ends in December, and will hit 27 cities.
Photo courtesy of Aqueous’s press release.
Aqueous is a Buffalo-based groove-rock quartet and has three studio albums under their belt. They have a reputation for their improvisational skills and are considered one of the most promising improvisational rock acts in the country.
During their tour Aqueous will be receiving support from the likes of Mungion, ELM, The Heavy Pets, EGI and Goose. They will be stopping in five New York cities: Buffalo, Sherman, Utica, Albany, and Brooklyn. The Buffalo, Sherman, and Utica stops are technically before the tour starts but are part of Aqueous’ already existing shows.
The band is made up of guitarist Mike Gantzer, guitarist/keyboardist David Loss, bassist Evan McPhaden, and drummer Rob Houk. Tickets are on sale this coming Friday, July 20th at 10 AM ET.
To purchase tickets or for more information on specific dates, please head to the band’s website.
Tour date listed bellow:
July 21 – The Peach Music Festival – Scranton, PA July 27 & 28 – Cobblestone Live – Buffalo, NY Aug. 23 – Night Lights Music Festival – Sherman, NY Sept. 7 – Saranac Brewery – Utica, NY **
Sept. 20 – Resonance Music and Arts Festival – Thornville, OH
Sept. 21 – Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA *
Oct. 24 – Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT ^
Oct. 25 – Higher Ground Showcase Lounge – South Burlington, VT ^
Oct. 26 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA ^ Oct. 27 – The Hollow – Albany, NY ^ Oct. 31 – Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY ^
Nov. 1 – Wionder Bar – Asbury Park, NJ ^
Nov. 2 – Union Stage – Washington D.C.^
Nov. 3 – The Foundry at the Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA ^
Nov. 4 – The Broadberry – Richmond, VA #
Nov. 6 – The Pour House Music Hall – Raleigh, NC #
Nov. 7 – Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC #
Nov. 8 – The Social – Orlando, FL #
Nov. 9 – Jack Rabbits – Jacksonville, FL #
Nov. 10 – The Crowbar – Tampa, FL #
Nov. 14 – Zydeco – Birmingham, AL #
Nov. 15 – Aisle 5 – Atlanta, GA #
Nov. 16 – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC #
Nov. 17 – Exit In – Nashville, TN #
Nov. 28 – Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI +
Nov. 29 – Chop Shop – Chicago, IL
Nov. 30 – The Miramar Theatre – Milwaukee, WI +
Dec. 5 – Hodi’s Halfnote – Ft. Collins, CO ^
Dec. 7 – Old Town Pub – Steamboat Springs, CO ^
Dec. 8 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO ^
Dec. 11 – The Waiting Room – Omaha, NE $
Dec. 12 – The Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy – St. Louis, MO $
Dec. 13 – The Hi-Fi – Indianapolis, IN $
** w/ moe.
* w/ ELM
^ w/ Mungion
# w/ The Heavy Pets
+ w/ EGI
$ w/ Goose
Thursday, June 28 was the perfect evening for the blues underneath the Albany Corning Preserve Boat Launch. The passing of a thunderstorm didn’t stop blues fans from across the Capital Region and beyond, from as far as Chicago, Illinois, from coming to Albany to attend the 4th concert of the 2018 Alive at 5 Concert Series, featuring Tito Jackson of The Jackson 5 and former members of the B.B. King Blues Band, with special guests, The Age.
Infusing their own blend of funk and soul into their original tunes, The Age set the bar high as they brought out their funk and their soothing souls into Downtown Albany. Their short set was led on by The Age’s sister, who was providing the lead vocals throughout the evening. The Age, who happened to have a cold, wasn’t able to provide the vocals to his tunes. He was only able to provide some minimal backing vocals with his sister. Despite his lack of vocals, The Age was able to entice the audience with some sizzling guitar work on his lead solos on stage. Still, their set was just as fun and entertaining and set the mood for a great evening of blues.
The blues remained alive and strong in Greater Albany as blues night continued inside Corning Preserve. The audience, even patrons holding up The Jackson 5 signage along the front barrier of the main stage, was anticipating the wait of the B.B. King Blues Band and their featured guitarist and vocalist, Tito Jackson. Many music fans may remember Tito Jackson from another famous musical family, the Jackson 5. Paying homage to blues great, B.B. King and the Jackson 5, this band was electrifying and certainly brought on the heat to continue to ignite a spark in the love of blues through their music and through the energy of their fans, and new fans alike.
The B.B. King Blues Band, featuring band members Tito Jackson (lead guitar/vocals), Walter King (saxophone, B.B. King’s nephew), Darrell Lavigne (piano), Raymond Harris (trombone), James Bolden (vocals, with over 35 years as an original member of B.B. King’s Band), Russell Jackson (bass/upright bass/vocals), Herman Jackson (drums), Eric Demmer (saxophone), Lamar Boulet (trumpet), and Wilbert Crosby (lead guitar/vocals), were impressive and amazing to watch, paying homage to the late B.B. King as well as the Jackson 5 through a medley of tunes.
Ranging from B.B. King’s “Every Day I Have the Blues,” “Guess Who” and “The Thrill Is Gone” to standard blues songs such as “Big Boss Man,” “Rock Me Baby,” “A Dog Is Still a Dog” (Tito dedicated the tune to his late father Joe Jackson and brother Michael), and even the classic Jackson 5 hit tunes “I Want You Back,” “The Love You Save” and “A.B.C.” among others, the entire ensemble was on fire! The chemistry and the back to back interplay amongst the performers like Herman Jackson (drums) and Lavigne and Eric Demmer, to the guitar interplay by Wilbert Crosby, Russell Jackson (who was tip toeing towards the front of the stage playing the bass guitar as if it was a standard guitar, moving fast along the fret board), and Tito Jackson was captivating to watch! The emotion was certainly felt between the performers through their effortless performances within their song choices.
“I love the blues!,” shouted out bassist Russell Jackson after playing one of the songs during the start of their set! The crowd was certainly giving the band and Tito Jackson some love to their blues playing all evening, waving their arms in the air and swinging album art of the Jackson 5 towards the group for them to sign at a later time.
Upon entering the stage to perform a series of guitar solos during the middle of the B.B. King tune “Every Day I Have The Blues,” Tito Jackson took the time to thank the fans for their kind words and thoughts concerning the recent passing of his father and founder of the Jackson 5, Joe Jackson, who had passed away just two days shy of the 9 year anniversary of his son Michael’s death (June 25). Jackson had contemplated on whether or not he was going to cancel his Albany performance but had decided that the show must go on and performed in honor of both his father and brother. Jackson would also later dedicate “I Want You Back,” “The Love You Save” and “A.B.C.” to his loved ones and his fans. Concluding the evening with B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone,” Tito Jackson stood upon the large speakers and moved along the row to shake hands with his fans and sign autographs on their signage and other memorabilia while the band concluded the song to signal the end of an evening. Although the fans shouted out for an encore song from Jackson, there was no encore performance.
To be a part of watching two established performers such as the B.B. King Blues Band and Tito Jackson on the Alive at 5 Concert Stage was truly an honor and a privilege to be a part of this special evening underneath the Albany Corning Preserve Boat Launch. Great blues from these living and non-living legends continues to remain strong as shown through the eyes of these great performers that continue to keep their band members and family members’ legacies alive through the power of blues.
There’s nothing like a great concert to brighten summer days even more. Here to make it all the more easy for you, NYS Music is bringing you our run down of all the can’t-miss action throughout New York State’s music scene throughout July.
Rochester – Funk ‘N Waffles
July 6th – You will not want to miss Andy Frasco’s “party blues with a touch of barefoot boogie,” style as him and his band bring feel good music to Funk ‘N Waffles with The UN. Click the link for more event and ticket details. Event link.
July 7th – The night following their Syracuse show, Victor Wainwright and The Train will be bringing another show sure to make you smile to Rochester. Event link.
July 10th – Syracuse native, Funk ‘N Waffles house band, Pearly Baker’s Best, will be moving over to Rochester for the night to perform their tribute to the Grateful Dead with David Gans. Event link.
July 12 – Adam Ezra Group, a personal favorite of mine, will be bringing their roots rock to Rochester and it is sure to be a show you do not want to miss! Event link.
July 13th – The Gerry Jarcia String Band will be making a stop on their summer Powerwagon Tour and is bringing along some “post nuclear music” courtesy of the dynamic group, Electric Kif. Event link.
July 18th – Reggae artist Alika will be playing at the Music Hall with M.A.K.U Soundsystem to celebrate of self discovery through music and, as always, bring the party with their punk, funk and rock sound. Event link.
July 19th – Indie rock and R&B infused band, Little Bird, will be stopping by on their summer tour with the funk fusion quartet, The Phryg. Event link.
July 21st – It’s Cosmic Brownie’s 1 year anniversary and they want Rochester to join in on the celebration! To commemorate the occasion, the alternative hip-hop duo will be playing with electronic drummer and producer, Hybrid Beats, as well as Level 7. Event link.
July 25th – Calliope Musicals will be making the long and treacherous trek from space (or Austin, Texas) with special guests Stationary Escape Pod for an energetic and alluring night of music. Event link.
July 31st – Amoramora guarantees that every show is sure to, “blast you off into a cosmic dance party,” so don’t miss this golden opportunity to witness their rock ‘n’ roll with special guest Walrus Junction. Event link.
Syracuse – Funk ‘N Waffles
July 6th – The award-winning blues, soul and rock songwriter, Victor Wainwright, will be stopping in Syracuse on the album release tour of his band Victor Wainwright and The Train accompanied by Doug Woolverton on Trumpet. Event link.
July 9th – Dead Nights are the best nights, especially when they are brought to you by Pearly Baker’s Best. Event link.
July 11th – Before the always-traveling group hits Rochester, Adam Ezra Group will be performing with New York native group, The Sea the Sea. This powerhouse pairing is sure to make for an incredible night of music you can’t miss. Event link.
July 14th – Upstate New York has the privilege of being graced with another stop on Gerry Jarcia’s Powerwagon Tour. Once again, the string band will be joined by Electric Kif. Event link.
July 18th – The night before their Rochester show, Little Bird will be playing Funk ‘N Waffles with lively afro-beat and reggae group Akuma Roots. Event link.
July 19th – Chris Eves and the New Normal, rock, funk, blues and jam band, will be performing with special guest, The Melting Nomads, who will be supplying dirty funky fusion. Event link.
July 21st – It’s sure to be a jam-packed night full of electrifying performances as the Barroom Philosophers, Ponder, General B and The Wiz take on Funk ‘N Waffles for the night. Event link.
July 26th – For all alternative music fans, Calliope Musicals with Philadelphia-native band, Pet Cheetah, is sure to be a show to remember. Event link.
July 27th – Andy Frasco & The UN will be kicking off a vibrant month of music at Funk ‘N Waffles in Rochester and will be closing it out at Syracuse. Make sure to come out for the good vibes and great music. Event link.
Lake George
July 13th – A lot of exciting things are happening with one of our favorite Upstate New York-local bands, Formula 5, and included on this list is the fact that they will be hosting the second annual Rock the Dock Festival in Lake George. The festival will be held on the dock of the Lake George Steamboat Company and will host a multitude of other great acts including Soule Monde, Strange Machines and Let’s Be Leonard. On your way to the event, make sure you grab a Formula 5 flavored shake at Ben & Jerry’s! Event link.
Saranac Lake – The Waterhole
The historic Waterhole in Saranac Lake welcomes West End Blend for ‘The Blender’ – a two night affair with Bella’s Bartok as special guest on Friday, July 13, and a tribute to Prince with WEB on Saturday, July 14. Two day passes cost $24, or $15 each day at the door. On Saturday afternoon enjoy a FREE show with “Blender on the Patio” will go from 5pm to 10pm featuring Jiggawaltz, Adrian Aardvark and Arthur Buezo.
Buffalo – Nietzsche’s
The Jazz Happy Hour that got you through every Monday in June is continuing on through July at Nietzche’s in Buffalo with another incredible lineup of artists.
July 2nd – Frontstreet Men will be bringing a high energy set full of covers of some classics as well as their own bluesy, funky originals. Event link.
July 9th – No strangers to jazz at Nietzche’s, Jared Tinkham Trio will be taking over happy hour on the 9th. Event link.
July 16th – Buffalo-based and renowned jazz improvisation artist, Donny Frauenhofer, will be performing on the 16th. Event link.
July 23rd – Head out on the 23rd to enjoy some smooth sounds from the Brendan Lonighan Octet. Event link.
July 30th – To close out yet another month of the happiest hours in Upstate New York, Buffalo Infringement Festival Presents Curtis Lovell. Event link.
Jazz musicians play The Egg fairly often, so the venue couldn’t have been more perfect when JAZZ IS PHSH came to Albany on June 27. With jazz musicians Domi Degalle (keys) and Felix Pastorius (bass) joining jam scene musicians Alicia Aubin (trombone, Big Mean Sound Machine), Dave “The Truth” Grippo (saxophone, Grippo Funk Band) and Rob Compa (guitar, Dopapod), JAZZ IS PHSH founder and drummer Adam Chase welcomed the audience to a unique performance of Phish’s music. A few dozen fans danced throughout the show in the upper rows of the intimate Swyer Theater, while others sat and enjoyed what could pass for engaging lounge music passively enjoyed while sipping a glass of wine at a neighborhood bistro.
A jazzed out version of “46 Days” began a night-long version of ‘Name that Tune,’ but for Phish songs; it took a moment or two for even the most fervent fan to figure out where each jazz odyssey was about to venture. “Dog Log” featured solos from Grippo and Aubin, followed by Domi’s first moment in the spotlight of the evening, with a re-entry to the final segment of the song done in textbook fashion. A Wayne Shorter/Q-Tip mashup came next in the form of “Ya Mar/ManWomanBoogie,” with a funk form of the calypso beat underlying the musicians, allowing the audience to get lost in the jazz groove while picking out the elements of the Phish cover and Q-Tip original.
“Bathtub Gin” had Felix sitting statuesque on his stool and took a solo that had all but Chase standing and watching, while Domi was steady and academic on “Gin,” one of the most popular tunes of the night, and easiest to identify. After, Chase informed the crowd that they would be playing a song that half the band had never heard, but fans would know off the iconic drumbeat, and with that, “The Wedge (Variations)” began, and the free flowing jam grew from Chase’s drumbeat. You have to think Trey Anastasio, let alone the rest of Phish, would love this band, watching their jazz-influenced compositions get reconstructed by jam and jazz musicians.
“Peaches en Regalia” was as tight as a jazz band could be playing Zappa, with Grippo performing double duty on clarinet and saxophone. Compa shined on “The Moma Dance,” a funky “Cars Trucks Buses” and “Stash,” which wrapped up the set with the audience clapping along to and introducing another element of Phish to the jazz musicians tonight – the fans are part of the show too. A “Camel Walk” encore, called out by Felix, was straight forward with jazz and funk and left the audience buzzing about a return performance down the road.
Setlist: 46 Days, Dog Log, Ya Mar/ManWomanBoogie, Bathtub Gin, The Wedge (variations), Peaches En Regalia, The Moma Dance, Cars Trucks Buses, Stash Encore: Camel Walk^
^Manteca teases
Things you can buy with ten dollars: one beer in NYC, a chipotle burrito, almost a full priced movie ticket, OR you could save three dollars and buy a FULL priced ticket to Rock the Dock Music Festival.
Ready to toot their own foghorn for the fest’s second gathering, bringing their familiar Upstate, NY jams back to the steel pier of the Lake George Steamboat Company on July 13, 2018.
Driving a tough bargain, the improvisational powerhouse is offering advanced ticket sales for just $7 a pop to enjoy a fun-for-all-ages summer day, filled with live music, vendors, beer, food and crafts. Boasting a handpicked lineup of Soule Monde (Featuring Ray Paczkowski & Russ Lawton of Trey Anastasio Band), Strange Machines and Let’s Be Leonard, the entertainment can be appreciated from any of the three historic Lake George vessels that appropriately dock around the stage, acting as musical grandstands and welcoming wandering folk to explore free of charge.
“Rock the Dock was started as a way to celebrate the Lake George Steamboat Company‘s 200th anniversary by doing something that the company has never done in its history, hold a concert on the pier. The free concert was a way of giving back to all the loyal patrons as well as showcase the talents of local artists and food trucks. This year’s festival will also be focused on giving back, with 25% of all ticket proceeds benefiting the FUND for Lake George, to help with their efforts to keep the lake clean and pristine for years to come,” Luke Dow, event manager for Rock the Dock, shared about bringing the event to the docks on Lake George.
Saratoga Springs’ Let’s Be Leonard kick things off at 4 pm for an hour long set of rock n’ roll jazz explosion before passing the baton to New England-based Strange Machines at 5:15 pm for a melting pot of funky rock and livetronica fusion. At 6:45 pm, Soule Monde will take the stage, featuring Russ Lawton and fellow Trey Anastasio band member, Ray Paczkowski. An ideal union of swagger and raw talent, the duo is colorful, bold and highly responsive to one another’s artistry. Lake George’s own Formula 5 will once again take shape as this year’s headliner at 8:15 pm.
“It’s pretty cool growing a band from such a little town. We play all over the Eastern watershed and to have so many people gather in a place that molded who I am, it’s pretty special,” said drummer Greg Marek. “This place is pretty special. I’m just happy I can share the beauty of the lake along with our music to such wonderful people.”
If the music and cheap ticket price isn’t enough to reel you in, food trucks like The Plaid Pancake, Wood Shack Pizza and Sunshine Catering will keep your bellies full while a beer truck and bars on all three ships will keep your thirst quenched. Vendors will include Buffalo Bannon Designs and Adirondack Aromatherapy as well as other unique craftspeople selling soaps, oils, jewelry, festival gear and more.
Day-of ticket prices for this year’s festival are $10 for ages 12 and up, and is free for everyone under 11. Advance tickets are for sale for only $7 at rockthedocklakegeorge.com. 25% of the ticket proceeds will be donated to Mayor Blais’s FUND for Lake George to help in it’s efforts to keep Lake George clean, pristine, and free of invasive species.
Visit Lake George on July 13, support local causes, vendors and artists, and get ready to Rock the Dock!
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the movie “Alice’s Restaurant,” based on the song by Arlo Guthrie and to commemorate the occasion, Guthrie is arranging an extensive tour which will stretch from the fall of 2018 through 2020. The majority of shows just announced for this fall will take place in New York and surrounding states. They include a hometown show in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on Nov, 17 and a return to Carnegie Hall on Nov. 24. See the full list of dates below.
Guthrie wrote a folk song about a series of incredulous events that began on Thanksgiving in 1965. “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” struck a chord with the anti-war counterculture. By 1967 Guthrie had gone from playing small clubs to playing festivals and stadiums.
“Arthur Penn (who had just finished filming Bonnie & Clyde) heard the record when it came out in 1967,” recalled Guthrie in an interview with NYS Music. “He also happened to live in Stockbridge, where the events took place. He thought it would be a great idea to make it into a movie. And he did.”
For this tour, Guthrie will be joined on stage by longtime collaborators Terry “A La Berry” Hall (drums), Steve Ide (guitar, vocals), and Carol Ide (vocals, percussion). His daughter, singer/songwriter Sarah Lee Guthrie, will be opening each performance.
“I didn’t think I was gonna live long enough to have to learn ‘Alice’s Restaurant’ again,” Arlo Guthrie says with a smile. “It was a quirky kinda thing to begin with. Nobody writes an 18-minute monologue expecting fame and fortune. The initial success of the song really took me by surprise more than anyone else… I’m surely looking forward to it again being a centerpiece of my live repertoire.”
Arlo Guthrie Presents The Alice’s Restaurant – Back By Popular Demand Tour
Oct. 4 – Count Basie Theatre – Red Bank, NJ
Oct. 6 – Gordon Center for the Performing Arts – Owings Mills, MD
Oct. 7 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA
Oct. 10 – Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center – Stowe, VT
Oct. 12 – Palace Theatre – Manchester, NH
Oct. 13 – Durgin Hall – Lowell, MA
Oct. 14 – Memorial Hall – Plymouth, MA Oct. 19 – NYCB Theatre – Westbury, NY
Oct. 20 – College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT Oct. 21 – Paramount Center – Peekskill, NY
Oct. 24 – The Greenwich Odeum – East Greenwich, RI Oct. 26 – The EGG – Albany, NY Oct. 27 – State Theatre – Ithaca, NY
Nov. 1 – EJ Thomas Hall – Akron, OH
Nov. 2 – State Theatre – Kalamazoo, MI
Nov. 7 – Ron Robinson Theater – Little Rock, AR
Nov. 9 – Wildey Theatre – Edwardsville, IL
Nov. 10 – Wildey Theatre – Edwardsville, IL
Nov. 11 – Buskirk-Chumley Theater – Bloomington, IN
Nov. 16 – Infinity Hall – Hartford, CT
Nov. 17 – Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center – Gt. Barrington, MA Nov. 24 – Carnegie Hall – New York, NY
More dates will be announced. Stay up to date on ArloGuthrie.com.
Mike Kohli: So is the band starting to gel yet?
July 6th – You will not want to miss Andy Frasco’s “party blues with a touch of barefoot boogie,” style as him and his band bring feel good music to Funk ‘N Waffles with The UN. Click the link for more event and ticket details. 
Guthrie wrote a folk song about a series of incredulous events that began on Thanksgiving in 1965. “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” struck a chord with the anti-war counterculture. By 1967 Guthrie had gone from playing small clubs to playing festivals and stadiums.