This early August, world-renowned musician Bob Dylan announced the continuation of his “Never Ending Tour” taking place in the U.S. this fall. With destinations such as North Carolina, West Virginia, Florida, and many other southern states, it came as a surprise when the Stanley Theatre in Utica announced they would also be hosting a Bob Dylan performance. This one night special act will take place Thursday, November 15th at 8 p.m. He will also perform in Rochester the night before at the Auditorium Theater.
Since this tour was originally devised in 1988, Bob Dylan and his group have played all over the world and even hit the tremendous milestone of 2,000 performances all the way back in 2007 at a show in Dayton, Ohio. Dylan is currently completing his last set of shows in Australia before beginning the U.S. portion of his quite literal never ending tour with the first being in Phoenix, Arizona on Oct. 4 at the Coamerica Theater.
Fall 2018 Never Ending Tour dates
Oct. 4 – Coamerica Theatre – Phoenix, Arizona
Oct. 5 – Tuscon Music Hall – Tucson, Arizona
Oct. 7 – Kiva Auditorium – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Oct. 9 – Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center – Midland, Texas
Oct. 10 – The Pavilion at the Toyota Music Factory – Irving, Texas
Oct. 12 – River Spirit Casino Resort – Tulsa, Oklahoma
Oct. 13 – WinStar World Casino and Resort – Thackerville, Oklahoma
Oct.14 – Smart Financial Centre – Sugar Land, Texas
Oct. 16 – Heymann Center – Lafayette, Los Angeles
Oct. 17 – Mobile Saenger Theatre – Mobile, Alabama
Oct. 19 – St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, Florida
Oct. 20 – Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, Florida
Oct. 21 – Van Wezel Performing Art Hall – Sarasota, Florida
Oct. 23 – Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall – Fort Myers, Florida
October 24: Broward Center for the Performing Arts – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
October 26: Walt Disney Theater/ Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – Orlando, Florida
October 27: Macon City Auditorium – Macon, Georgia
October 28: Tivoli Theatre – Chattanooga, Tennessee
October 30: Mark C. Smith Concert Hall – Von Braun Center – Huntsville, Alabama
October 31: Tennessee Theatre – Knoxville, Tennessee
November 2: Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – Asheville, North Carolina
November 3: Durham Performing Arts Center – Durham, North Carolina
November 4: North Charleston Performing Arts Center – North Charleston, South Carolina
November 6: Johnny Mercer Theatre – Savannah, Georgia
November 7: The Bell Auditorium – Augustus, Georgia
November 9: Ovens Auditorium – Charlotte, North Carolina
November 10: Berglund Performing Arts Theatre – Roanoke, Virginia
November 11: EKU Center for the Arts – Richmond, Kentucky
November 13: Covelli Theatre – Youngstown, Ohio November 14: Auditorium Theatre – Rochester, New York November 15: Stanley Center for the Arts – Utica, New York
November 17: Hard Rock Hotel – Atlantic City, New Jersey
November 18: Symphony Hall – Springfield, Massachusetts
November 20: Palace Theatre – Waterbury, Connecticut
On The Cinder hits the road again this fall with stops as far as Canada. The run starts off Sept. 5 in Buffalo, where the trio formed the band in 2012. They head west to Detroit on Sept. 6, then have a run of five shows north of the border, including Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal before circling back to the states for a Sept.13.
The fun-loving crew recently released a music video for their song “Soap Box,” in which drummer Tyler Rzemek gets fed up with being in the background and kidnaps bandmates Jason Wright and Mike Jacobs. Hilarity ensues as the antics and props grow more and more incredulous.
On The Cinder Great Lakes, Eh? Tour
Sept. 5 – Hotel Dalmatia – Buffalo, NY
Sept. 6 – The Sanctuary – Detroit, MI
Sept. 7 – Probably House – London, ON
Sept. 9 – Doors Pub – Hamilton, ON
Sept. 10 – Bovine Sex Club – Toronto, ON
Sept. 11 – Black Squirrel Books – Ottawa, ON
Sept. 12 – L’Esco – Montreal, QC Sept. 13 – The Town Shop – Syracuse, NY
News of a Slayer farewell tour hit many in the metal community hard, but in a year of farewell tours, it’s not surprising that this Huntington Park, CA band, created in 1981, would call it a day.
Joining Slayer on this final trek across North America were fellow thrash metal veterans Anthrax and Testament, current thrash flag-bearers Lamb of God, and British grindcore pioneers Napalm Death.
Mark ‘Barney’ Greenway of Napalm Death
It would be easy to say that this lineup of veteran thrash legends is a cash grab nostalgia tour, but nothing could be further from the truth. All five bands are touring on current releases. Critics have proclaimed the latest Anthrax and Testament releases among the best of their respective careers. This was a lineup of bands still fresh, despite several decades of headbanging that left fans of each band wanting more.
New York-based Anthrax had an especially strong contingent of fans in attendance, as lead vocalist Joey Belladonna is a native of Oswego, a short drive from the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater. Anthrax, always the historians, opened and closed their set with a tribute to the recently deceased Pantera drummer, Vinnie Paul. The band opened with the riff from the Pantera classic, “Cowboys From Hell” and closed with the same, sending those in attendance into a headbanging frenzy. Anthrax, particularly bassist Frankie Bello, is one fun band to watch perform.
While most of the show was an exercise in headbanging for the largely 40-something crowd, Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe added some acrobatics to his band’s set, invariably leaping from the riser at the front of the stage.
Napalm Death performed a career-spanning set, including a slightly extended version of their song, “You Suffer.” This track, from Napalm Death’s debut album Scum, has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Shortest Recorded Song at 1.316 seconds long. Make some time to hear that below:
Slayer bid a fond farewell to a standing ovation following a raucous “Angel of Death” from the band’s classic Reign in Blood album. Their setlist was dotted with songs covering their entire career, including the opener, the title song from their latest album, Repentless.
Setlists
Slayer: Repentless, Blood Red, Disciple, Mandatory Suicide, Hate Worldwide, War Ensemble, Jihad, When the Stillness Comes, Postmortem, Black Magic, Payback, Seasons in the Abyss, Dittohead, Dead Skin Mask, Hell Awaits, South of Heaven, Raining Blood, Chemical Warfare, Angel of Death
Lamb of God: Omerta, Ruin, Walk With Me in Hell, Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, 512, Engage the Fear Machine, Blacken the Cursed Sun, Laid to Rest, Redneck
Anthrax: Cowboys From Hell (Pantera cover) (Jam), Caught in a Mosh, Got the Time (Joe Jackson cover), Madhouse, Be All, End All, Evil Twin, Antisocial (Trust cover), Indians
Testament: Brotherhood of the Snake, Rise Up, Dog Faced Gods, The Preacher, Practice What You Preach, The New Order, Into the Pit, Over the Wall
Napalm Death: Multinational Corporations, Instinct of Survival, When All Is Said and Done, Smash a Single Digit, Standardization, Suffer the Children, Silence Is Deafening, How the Years Condemn, Scum, You Suffer, Dead, Nazi Punks Fuck Off (Dead Kennedys cover)
Syracuse’s Palace Theater is presenting a day of summer jazz at the storied Eastwood playhouse Aug. 19. The CNY Young Lions of Jazz will feature the William Gorman 4tet with guest vocalist Gabrielle Gorman.
Tickets for the all ages show are $12 and available at the Palace Commons Cafe, Sound Garden and Ish Guitars in Syracuse. They can also be purchased online through Brown Paper Ticket.
Three acts will open the show. The Lawless Jazz Collective, feature trombonist Jake Lawless, guitarist David Millen, drummer P.K. White, bassist Sean Peters, and tenor saxophonist Jacob Penner.
The Nick Fields Trio, led by Fields on jazz trumpet and vocals also features Dave Solazzo on piano and Josh Dekaney on drums.
Drew Serafini & Friends rounds off the lineup. Guitarist Serafini will be joined by Dunham Hall on saxophone, Sean Peters, pulling double duty on bass, and drummer Keenan LeBlanc. Vocalist Aaron Ruiz will join the band for two songs during their set.
William Gorman is a Syracuse native an a senior at William Paterson University pursuing a degree in Jazz Piano under the tutelage of pianists Bill Charlap and Harold Mabern. He’s an active member of the New York City jazz and blues scenes and has an impressive array of credits to his name.
Gorman was recently in blues legend Joe Louis Walker’s touring band, where he performed throughout the United States and abroad, including a performance at Syracuse’s Funk ‘n Waffles in January 2017.
Gabrielle Gorman is also a Syracuse native, now living in New York City. She possesses a unique voice and can manuever among several genres with ease. She has a B.S. in Musical Theater and a M.S. ABT in Theater and Performance Studies from the University of Buffalo.
Joining the Gormans in the 4tet are saxophonist Sarah Hanahan. Hailing from Hartford, CT via Marlborough, MA, she has performed with Dave Pietro and Tom Palance and recently appeared at the Caramoor Jazz Festival.
Drummer Eric Dupont was born and raised in New Hampshire and has studied under Winard Harper, Horacee Arnold, Bill Goodwin, and Billy Hart.
Bassist Vincent Dupont recently enrolled in the Jazz Studies program at William Paterson University. He was a participant in Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center in Washington as well as the Ravinia Steans Music Institute in Chicago.
This summer’s concerts have been heating up for sure. Friday July 27 was no different when four time Grammy winner, Pat Benatar and her long time husband/guitarist Neil Giraldo co-headlined the Vine at Del Lago along with another 80’s icon, Rick Springfield.
Pat and Neil have been performing together since 1979 and have been an unstoppable husband and wife team since 1983. Together they have written and produced many gold and platinum and multi-platinum hits including “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, “Love is a Battlefield”, “We Belong”, and “Invincible”.
At just about 9 p.m., the seasoned musical veteran performers hit the stage with their band and kicked right off into “All Fired Up”, “We Live For Love”, and “Invincible”. The dynamic duo of Pat and Neil had the sold out audience at Del Lago fired up for sure, as no one was quite sure who would be performing first on the bill, Rick or Pat and Neil.
Their sound was like pure vinyl. If you closed your eyes, it was as good as a recording. Flawless. Pat’s vocals were simply powerfully amazing as she hit all the high notes effortlessly, especially on “We Live For Love. Neil’s guitar work is just plain brilliant. His technique and playing style that has defined the Benatar sound for nearly 40 years remains perfect never missing a lick, bend or nuance.
Their set included a stripped down, acoustic side as well when they performed powerful “Shine” intimately for the audience. “Shine”, released in 2017, was written in support of the women’s rights movement, and the record reflects the Shine Together Movement, which is her voice to hopefully affect positive change in the world and government. This was a beautifully performed acoustic number.
Finishing out the twelve song set, was a very cool rendition of “Heartbreaker” with a few twists thrown in including a medley of Cash’s “Ring of Fire”, Hendrix’s “Purple Haze”, The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army”, and a cool little “Godfather Theme” instrumental.
After nearly forty years of making hit after hit, Pat and Neil have pretty much proved that they are in fact invincible.
Setlist: All Fired Up, We Live for Love, Invincible, Promises in the Dark, We Belong, Disconnected, Hell is for Children, You Better Run, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Love is a Battlefield (Encore: Shine, Heartbreaker
As with every year, the beautiful summer months have flown by so far and here at New York State Music, we are determined to make sure you make the most out of the sunshine left. If you are looking to pack the whole month of August with unforgettable live music performance at great venues throughout New York, look no further than this cheat-sheet of all the upcoming action.
Buffalo – Nietzche’s
Nietzche’s has been beating those Monday blues all summer long by making Happy Hour a lot more jazzy for Buffalo. If you have not made your way to Jazz Happy Hour this summer, be sure to get there before August is over.
August 6th – Well-rounded vocalist Kristen Smigielski will be treating the crowd at the first Happy Hour of the month to her true forte: jazz. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see one of Buffalo’s best. Event link.
August 13th – No strangers to the New York State jazz scene, Dejesus and Warne Trio will be bringing their bluesy jazz style on the second Monday of the month. Event link.
August 20th – Buffalo-based songwriter and musician, Adam Bronstein, will be making his way back to Nietzche’s and taking over Jazz Happy Hour on the 20th. Event link.
August 27th – To end a summer full of the happiest of Mondays ,The Duo+ will be providing food for the soul in the form of their powerful performances of classics and new takes on old jazz standards. Event link.
Syracuse – Funk ‘N Waffles
August 2nd – All the way from Portland, Oregon, do not miss your opportunity to spend the night listening to the rock and roll stylings of singer/songwriter, Jerry Joseph, as he performs with special guest Charley Orlando. Event link.
August 3rd – Brooklyn-based Americana and alternative country band, Yarn, has brought crowds from far and wide to their shows and will be treating Syracuse to experience their music with special guest Old Dear Ensemble. Event link.
August 8th – For a night full of smiles and good vibes, Kendall Street Company will be stopping by on their Summer Tour at Funk ‘N Waffles along with Vintage Pretty. For fans of psychedelic, alternative and jam rock music and beyond, this show is sure to be a can’t miss event. Event link.
August 9th – Handmade Moments will be bringing their rich, musical flavor of alternative folk music, paired with the diversely beautiful, “no rules,” sounds of the up and coming duo, Dizzy Heart. Event link.
August 10th – There is nothing quite like a good night full of good ole Americana music, especially when it is delivered from Upstate New York favorite group, The Old Main. Did we mention it’s free? Event link.
August 11th – Brutal By Design presents a night full of hot hip hop featuring Diabolic, Reef The Lost Gauze, as well as Syracuse-based musician, Timothy J. Event link.
August 14th – The New Daze is reuniting for one night and one night only to revive their “organic psychedelic rage,’ for all those who have missed it so much. Make sure to make it out for this electrified performance as they are joined by Kansas Wine. Event link.
August 16th – Delivering the sounds of the South right to your friendly neighborhood Upstate New York venue is just what The Prestage Brothers Band will be doing on the 16th of August. Event link.
August 23rd – It is bound to be a packed night of out of this world music as alternative blues group, Late Earth, performs accompanied by the experimental sounds of The U.S. Americans, as well as Cosmonaut Radio.Event link.
August 25th – Brownskin Band and Joe Driscoll will be taking over Syracuse’s Funk ‘N Waffles for a night that honors American folk in the funkiest way possible. Event link.
August 29th – Mungo’s List covers it all and is sure to have a sound that will please fans of every genre from jam, to jazz, to soul, to maybe more niche interests such as “spacey,” music as well as, “spooky,” music. 6-piece funk band, Butter, will also be coming along to ensure that the funk is spread as much as possible to attendees of this sure to be memorable show. Event link.
August 30th – Pop-driven, but diversely inspired group Major Player will be returning to their roots in Syracuse to perform in the place where their stellar sounds were born. Event link.
August 31st – To end out an incredible month at Funk ‘N Waffles, Danielle Ponder & The Tomorrow People will be performing music that is sure to make you think, feel, and most importantly, dance. They will be joined by Candian funk, rock and soul group, After Funk. End your month with a bang and come enjoy the sounds of these two powerhouse groups! Event link.
Rochester – Funk ‘N Waffles
August 1st – Starting off month of August at Rochester’s Funk ‘N Waffles on a funky note will be groups Stig and Fakaui on the 1st. Event link.
August 2nd – If you just cannot wait until Yarn and Old Deer Ensemble play Syracuse’s Funk ‘N Waffles on the 3rd or, better yet, just want to see them twice, come on out for their performance in Rochester the night before! Event link.
August 3rd – Sonic Garden, Buffalo’s own authentic Grateful Dead tribute band, will be playing the DSO After Party. Come out to celebrate the music of an incredible band as this talented group of musicians revive all your favorites. Event link.
August 8th – Kris Lager Band will be bringing revivalist rock and heavy soul to Rochester with special guest and Rochester-native group Stationary Escape Pod, who will be performing their blend of Americana, progressive rock, blues and more. Event link.
August 9th – After the Kendall Street Company shows off their psychedelic funk with special guest Vintage Pretty in Syracuse, the next stop of their tour will be Rochester on the 9th. Don’t miss out on another opportunity to catch these two incredible acts! Event link.
August 11th – Rochester Black Pride is proud to be bringing you Summer Nights: Starring Trina at the Music Hall. Trina is one of the most consistent and praised female rappers and will be performing her music that not only has been enjoyed by so many, but has done so much to change the world of hip hop. Don’t miss this opportunity to see her live! Event link.
August 23rd – Nth Power will be bringing a spiritual, powerful, soulful and goose bump worthy performance with Quintuple and it is sure to be an uplifting experience you do not want to miss. Event link.
August 14th – She is Detroit’s Queen of the Blues and she is coming to Rochester to show Upstate New York just why. Make sure to come experience Thornetta Davis live for an unforgettable and funky performance. Event link.
August 18th – It is never a bad time for a Chicago Blues kind of night, and that is just what Frank Bang and The Cook County Kings will be providing on the 18th. Event link.
August 22nd – Joe Marcinek All Star Super Jam is every last bit of fun that it sounds like it will be. As every one of their performances features different artists, this Rochester show will include Alan Evans of Soulive, Steve Molitz of Particle and members Freekbass. Event link.
August 28th – To bring a healthy dose of reggae and blues for the month, Aaron Kamm and the One Drops will be performing with special guest Delilah Jones. Event link.
August 29th – Continuing the reggae into the following night with a mix of R&B will be Mutlu, who will be coming through on his The Almost Famous Tour, with special guest and pop artist, Wes Williams. Event link.
August 31st – The grand finale to such a grand month full of great performances will be brought to you by Kevin Kinsella. Come out for the last night of August and enjoy his acoustic soul and reggae sounds. Event link.
The first Woods Fest Music Festival is happening at the Woods Valley Ski Area in Westernville, just north of Rome, on Aug. 18.
This festival features not only legendary acts but also up-and-coming bands from throughout Central New York. It strives to bridge the Utica-Rome and Syracuse music scenes for one day of family-friendly fun. It will be spread across two stages, the outdoor stage provided by the City of Rome and the inside stage at Tap Room 46 in the chalet.
The initial lineup of artists scheduled to perform includes: Los Blancos, The Old Main, Les Brers, Mike Powell and John Hanus from the Black River, Nick Piccininni and Jason Barady from Floodwood, the Ron Spencer Band, the Live and Breathe, Remsen Social Club, Follow the Muse, Pocket Change and Work Related.
The Old Main
In addition to these musical acts there will also be yoga from Alanna Bone of Just Breathe Yoga Studio, inflatables from Varano Super Jump and several area food trucks. The festival was created by Woods Valley Ski Area and Copper City Brewing Company, in association with Oneida County Tourism, the Heart of New York Beverage Trail and NYS Music.
The Heart of New York Craft Beverage Trail will also be present at the Woods Fest serving drinks from 16 Stone Brew Pub from Holland Patent, Woodland Farm Brewery from Marcy, Copper City Brewing Company from Rome, Villa Verona Winery from Verona and Prospect Falls Winery from Prospect Falls.
The festivities start at 11:00 a.m. with the gates open at 10:00 a.m. and the music will run until approximately midnight. Tickets for the first Woods Fest Music Festival are now available online through the Woods Valley Ski Area website . Advance sale tickets are $20. Day of the show tickets are $25. Children 12 and under are free with accompanying adult(s). Tickets may also be purchased at Copper City Brewing Company and the Snubbing Post in Rome.
Los Blancos (Photo: Brian Cornish)
For more information on the Woods Fest Music Festival , please visit the Woods Valley website or Copper City Brewing Company’s website.
Kung Fu recently announced their 2018 fall tour that will kick off on Aug. 3 in Candia, NH and comes to a close in November in Denver, CO.
Photo courtesy of Kung Fu’s website.
The band is known for their ’70s funk-fusion meets a modern dance party sound and have existed since 2012. They get some of their influences from early Headhunters and Weather Report, and merge those ideas with contemporary EDM.
The 2018 fall tour includes not only a series of co-headlining concerts with Perpetual Groove but also a handful of Steely Dan tributes. The band will make two stops in NY, the first being in Utica as the official after party for moe. on Sept. 8 and the second in Rochester on Sept. 20.
Their west coast shows will reprise last year’s “Fez Tour” as “Fez West,” where the band mixes the music of Steely Dan with original Kung Fu music.
The band is made up of Tim Palmieri on guitar & vocals, Robert Somerville on tenor sax & vocals, Beau Sasser on keyboards & vocals, Chris DeAngelis on bass guitar & vocals, and Adrian Tramontano on drums/percussion.
People from all over the world rolled into a small town called Trumansburg in upstate NY on Thursday, July 19 for the 28th annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance. The festival works to nurture local artists while reaching around the globe to bring a world’s worth of music, introducing it to new audiences. The festival tries to do all of this while creating an environment to inspire creativity and foster community building. Some people even arrived four days early to attend the festival Culture Camp, four days of workshops on musical instruments, dance and art. The festival is known for not being like most other festivals and is joked about by locals as, “Such an ‘Ithacan’ thing,” because of its close proximity to the city of Ithaca.
Grandstand of Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance.
The festival started off sunny at the stroke of noon with onsite campers rushing in to get their preferred spots with distant recorded music in the background playing greatest hits reggae until the live music started at 1:30. Like most years at Grassroots, I spent the first couple hours setting up my tentsite, right outside one of the four stages, and in the only shady area of the festival. With it being common to hit 100+ degree days, campers want all the shade they can get!
Thursday’s biggest highlight was roots reggae sensation and headliner, Toots and the Maytals, performing at the Infield stage. They put on a show no one is going to forget, starting off with their classic hit, “Pressure Drop” and by the end of their set, the large crowd was all smiles and cheers. The other big highlight of the night was The Ithaca Bottom Boys, a local favorite who transcend falling into a certain genre with their folky twang, hinting at the background of all their songs, but with this overlaying groove that one can’t help but dance to. Their song “Some Are Beavers” had the crowd going wild as most of them either knew the words or caught on very quickly and were singing their hearts out to it.
On Friday, the morning started with yoga and the instrument contest like it does every year. The Grassroots festival schedule has an air of familiar repetition to long time attendees, but one thing attendees can always count on is the array of different genres introducing artists they haven’t heard of before, but won’t soon forget. Artists like Dakha Brakha, a Ukrainian folk quartet that left the crowd speechless. Or Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People, rooted in classic groove and soul, but expanding into so much more. During her performance on Friday, she parted the crowd from the stage, jumped off stage, and ran up and down the created aisle, pulling people from the crowd to dance with her. It was an intimate experience you usually don’t get with a festival the size of Grassroots, which has an attendance reaching around 15,000 people. It’s not every day you get a musician like Danielle Ponder dancing just a few feet from you, tripping slightly on a backpack, losing her footing, and you get to reach out and help keep her on her feet, like I got to.
Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People
At this festival you not only get intimate shows, you get to see the band members walking around enjoying the festival, like members of festival fan favorite, Uma Galera, who performed on Friday night to a huge crowd. With their Latin-infused sound, high energy, and mid-performance dance moves, they were definitely one of the most anticipated and enjoyed acts at the festival. This being their third year returning, not only were people excited to see them, but knew words to their songs. They couldn’t leave the stage without at least three encores on their Friday night and their Saturday night performances. Other big names who killed it Friday night were folk music singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, and Valerie June’s unique mixture of folk, blues, gospel, soul, country, Appalachian and bluegrass, both of which brought in big crowds and devoted fans to their respective shows.
Saturday started with yoga once again and the band contest, a popular competition with a first prize being a slot at next year’s festival. The day then progressed through Grassroots classics consisting of many festival favorites like Keith Frank and The Soileau Zydeco Family Band, Sim Redmond Band, Donna the Buffalo, Uma Galera, and many more. And this is when the rain started. Now for Grassroots a little rain isn’t a problem, in fact it’s expected. Locals joke that the rain knows when the festival is happening and makes a point to make an appearance which, having attended it for over a decade, I can attest to being true. But the rain didn’t stop people from going out and dancing their socks, shoes and other possessions off late into the night with Keith Frank and The Soileau Zydeco Family Band playing until almost four in the morning.
Sunday came early and soggy to most people, with the rain not letting up, but that didn’t seem to phase many festival goers as they still got up bright and early for their yoga. As someone who has been attending this festival for over a decade, it’s hard for me to put into words how this festival is different than others I’ve attended. Luckily for me, I had a friend attend with me this year who had never gone before and he was able to pinpoint what is so different about it a little bit better than me. He said, “I was amazed at the variety of music Grassroots brought to the table, seamlessly blending reggae, rock, soul, dance and many other genres into a festival experience everyone can enjoy. Even going into the festival not knowing any of the lineup, I found that there was more than enough variety to always keep me entertained and excited for more.”
Apart from music, the festival also has the annual Happiness Parade, a variety of workshops with musicians and artist in the Workshop Tent, massages, acupuncture and meditation at the Healing Arts Tent, a kid’s area with crafts and games, and volunteers worked at the Kids Tent, the Art Barn, the Congo Square Market, and the Sustainability fair throughout the weekend. There were also lots of vendors both for food and arts, clothing, drums, etc. and even a changing station for cell phones run by solar panels.
The music was above par, the people attending are polite and generally good spirited, the food is good (even though it’s a little expensive), and the general atmosphere was just pleasant. The thing about Grassroots is, there really is something for everyone, and that can be seen by the different types of people that attend it. From seniors to children, frat boys to punks, parents to singles ready to mingle, American flag-wearing to hippy-loving non-showering-folk, the festival really had something for everyone. The festival was a great experience as it always is and I will definitely be back again next year.
Uma GaleraValerie JuneValerie June. Photo by Isabella Romeo-Hall.Grandstand view. Photo by Isabella Romeo-Hall.Onsite tent camping. Photo by Isabella Romeo-Hall.
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
August 2nd – All the way from Portland, Oregon, do not miss your opportunity to spend the night listening to the rock and roll stylings of singer/songwriter, Jerry Joseph, as he performs with special guest Charley Orlando. 
Mike Kohli: So is the band starting to gel yet?