NYS Music 20​18

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  • Tom Morello Gets Close and Personal with his Music

    There are some musicians that when you hear they are playing in your area, you’re almost obligated to find a way into the show. The list is beginning to dwindle as time drags on, however some names are so engrained into the fabric of music that hordes of fans will be seeing them until the day they die, regardless of the project they are working on. Tom Morello fits into that (seemingly) waning list. On Monday, October 1st, Morello pleased a limited number of fans with his Atlas Underground CD release party to promote his new solo album in New York’s (le) poisson rouge.

    It was the first time a US audience had heard the album in its entirety, but before Morello gave New York a glimpse of the goods, he sat down with a moderator for a compelling Q+A. Spanning nearly an hour and a half, the discussion began with stories from the start of Morello’s extensive career, and included pictures of him as a child and Morello playing in his first band. The discussion progressed as the timeline of his life moved forward, and through it all he gave a serious look at who he was as a musician, how he became who he is, and what/who influenced him through the years.

    In between each major milestone, Morello picked up his guitar and jammed out on the style he was interested in at each point during his career. This gave the audience a glimpse of why he played what he did, the thought process of his change, and how he ended up with a certain tone/style. As he told fascinating stories from playing with his first band, to recording music videos with Rage Against the Machine, to getting on stage with Bruce Springsteen for the first time, and jammed his way through his career, the small audience was able to paint a full picture of who Morello was as a musician, and how he got to where he is now.

    tom morello

    The Q+A ended the first part of the evening, and once everyone in the room understood how Morello progressed as a musician, he played his new album, Atlas Underground, in its entirety for the entranced group. The album, he declared, was influenced by hearing the group Knife Party, and deciding to create an EDM based album with a slew of popular musicians. The album features groups such as Knife Party, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Portugal the Man, and Gary Clark Jr, and each song features a taste of the contributing artist’s sound layered with Morello’s signature style. Although he didn’t play along with the album, before each song began he discussed why the song was written, what it was about, and how it came to be.

    tom morello

    The audience was incredibly receptive to Morello’s new work, and once the album ended he picked up his guitar and began to do what everyone was waiting all night for; playing his signature songs. To the excitement of the audience he jumped into Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Jones,” among other tunes, before ramping into full gear with a thrilling version of “Killing in the Name.” As the audience began to get their fill of live Morello tunes, he discussed how later in life he began to realize that in many cases folk songs were just as heavy as heavy metal songs, and that it was important to him that they were played accordingly.

    To end the show, Tom Morello invited the entire audience on stage with him for a sing-a-long rendition of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land,” leaving every face, on stage and off, in smiles.

  • One Night Only: Warren Haynes, John Medeski, George Porter Jr. & Joe Russo, Benefitting Debra of America

    A virtuoso stacked super jam featuring Warren Haynes, John Medeski, George Porter Jr. & Joe Russo was held at The Capitol Theatre to benefit the worst disease you’ve never heard of. The venue was packed with support for both the music and the cause of Debra of America.

    Spirits were high and the boys were excited to deliver an impressive performance. Classics such as “It Aint No Use”, “Hey Joe”, and “Soulshine” were weaved into two impressive sets filled with masterful improvisation.

  • ‘Dr. Demento Covered in Punk’ gives a Radio Icon a Punk Makeover

    Wind up your radio dementites and dementoids. Dr. Demento, the world-renowned radio DJ who has championed novelty songs through his Dr. Demento Show is the star of the music video for “Fish Heads,” as reimagined by punk-pop Osaka Popstar. The most requested song on Demento’s show, “Fish Heads” was originally written by Barnes and Barnes and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The cover is featured on the #1 Billboard charting punk-rock/comedy hybrid Dr. Demento Covered in Punk.

    The new animated video is ripe with pop culture references and influences ranging from sugar-coated breakfast cereals, the Twilight Zone, Queen, and Captain Beefheart’s “Trout Mask Replica” to name a few. The video also includes appearances from Dr. Demento, Barnes and Barnes, and an homage to actor Bill Paxton (“Aliens,” “Weird Science”) who starred in, and directed, the original “Fish Heads” live-action music video which debuted in 1980.Dr. Demento

    The album features an eclectic roster of classic and contemporary punk/indie/alt-rock artists, plus special guest stars from film, TV and more. A modern-day homage to radio icon is a 64-track collection that features newly recorded ‘punk’ makeovers of the bizarre novelty songs famously heard on the airwaves of the Doctor’s infamous radio show, as well as some ‘demented’ renderings of punk-rock classics.

    Art Barnes (aka Bill Mumy of the TV sci-fi classic “Lost in Space”) had this to say of the demented-punk rendition: “Osaka Popstar’s new animated video and rockin’ version of ‘Fish Heads’ is Bitchin’, Boss, Bodacious and Bold! I dig it Bigly. I can’t think of anyone who could’ve done as great a job! Uhh… well… maybe one band! Heh… YEAH!!”

    According to Wikipedia, Dr. Dimento (Barry Hansen) has a degree in ethnomusicology and has written magazine articles and liner notes on recording artists outside of the novelty genre. He is credited with introducing new generations of listeners to artists of the early and middle 20th century whom they might not have otherwise discovered, such as Harry McClintock, Spike Jones, Benny Bell, Yogi Yorgesson, Stan Freberg, and Tom Lehrer. He helped bring “Weird Al” Yankovic to national attention.

  • Some CREAM with your Rock ‘N Roll?

    In the late 60’s, the band Cream had the music scene abuzz with it’s melding of jazz, blues & improvisation. After 3 years, 4 albums, and being crowned the first “super group,” the band called it a day in November of 1968. Flash-forward 50 years to today, when Malcolm Bruce (son of Jack Bruce), Kofi Baker (son of Ginger Baker), and Will Johns (nephew of Eric Clapton) pick up where the patriarchs of the power trio left off with a 50th anniversary world tour celebrating the music of Cream.

    NYS Music spoke with the band backstage at the Ridgefield Playhouse, in Ridgefield, CT. The tour has just started. As we sat down for our interview, the band and crew discussed gravity, the speed of light, black holes, mass and Star Trek. The stage was set for our conversation.

    cream

    Mickey Deneher: The tour has started and you’ve done a few dates already. How is it feeling on stage?

    Malcolm Bruce: It’s feeling good, we’re still finding it. We are still finding the magic, but there are magic moments.

    Kofi Baker: We’re still looking for the one.

    MB: There are magic moments (they) appear on stage and yeah it’s exciting. I think we are all kind of quite excited to see where this goes, you know. Especially when you’ve got such an intense run of almost 40 shows. You know there’s going to be a trajectory, there’s going to be a progression.

    MD: Absolutely. As it progresses, it’s going to change a little.

    MB: That’s true.

    MD: It’s going to evolve.

    MB: And with this kind of music, as anyone that knows about Cream’s music, it’s always changing. Every night.

    Will Johns: You know that is one thing is constant though is change.

    MB: CHANGE. Change is the constant.

    MD: As compared to the mass?

    MB: Yeah, what

    ever (laughs).

    cream

    MD: Talk about the Genesis of the tour. Where did it come from and where are we going?

    MB: This current project started last year in Australia and New Zealand. So we did seven shows there and the promoter at the time felt we needed, what they call “ringers.” “Ringers.”

    KB: Ringers, like the phone.

    MB: Because they didn’t quite know what the entity was in terms of us three. So they brought in a couple of “names”.

    KB: They brought in.

    MB: So Glen Hughes (bass player) and Robin Ford the guitarist came over and they sort of guested and came on and did a few songs. We sort of shaped the set around them doing it. They’re both amazing at what they do, you know. But, at the end of that we all, the three of us, realized this isn’t going to work. We, its number one, it’s trio music. Cream has to be the trio. You can’t have a tambourine guy.

    KB: You can have a triangle.

    MB: Or a Bolivian nose flute guy.

    KB: A Bolivian nose flute. Wow.

    MB: Or four base players, or sixty-four snare drums.cream

    MD: You are representing a Super Group.

    MB: “The” Super Group.

    MD: Agreed.

    KB: I don’t think we are representing a super group, what we are doing is we are having the essence of that super group and keeping it alive.

    MB: We are taking it forward in a way, in our own way.

    KB: It’s our thing that we have to do. Like a glass blower, a professional glass blower. He hands that on to his son and his son takes that to the next level and takes that thing. We are doing the same thing. We are taking our father’s stuff and just bringing it into the new generation.

    MD: I think of the responsibility, I think of what people are expecting when they come to the show.

    MB: But you know, especially when Cream started coming to the states. Something changed with the band didn’t it. It was when people were starting, I don’t know whether that happened initially on the west coast, when the audiences were kind of shouting out “just play man.” So rather than kind of keeping to the song format they just opened out. I think that’s what we’re interested in. We’re playing a lot of songs in a 2 ½ hour set, but we are interested in where these jams, where this improvisation will take us and I think that’s where it’s born anew. For us I think that’s the kind of most exciting thing.

    cream

    MD: Talking about jamming, you’re able to take it out every night? Go find something?

    MB: We are the kids of those people. But despite all that, I think all three of us have just spent, you know, many many years playing music and our interests in all different kinds of music. But when we play Cream, we can really assert that aspect of it. I think that’s a really powerful message for now because everything is so radio format. Corporations telling bands; you can’t, this is how you have to be in order to be successful and actually just playing.

    KB: If you noticed the dance thing, the visual thing has gotten bigger and bigger. It’s all about the dance, it’s all about the show, it’s all about the visual rather than the sound. Cream was all about the sound. So I want to bring that sound back thing in. That’s the whole reason I started doing the Cream thing. Then with Malcolm, he’s basically Jack Bruce; that’s why I’m Ginger Baker (band laughs).

    cream

    MD: You have two jazz cats and this blues dude (referring to Will Johns).

    KB: Which is exactly what Cream was.

    MB: Very similar.

    KB: Same age group, age difference is going to be the same as well.

    MD: Do you ever try to mess Will up a little?

    WJ: Do they ever (laughs).

    KB: We don’t have to try (laughs).

    MD: Talking about the essence of Cream, did you do anything special like amps or guitars to this to insure the sound?

    WJ: I was really, really lucky to have a friend of mine make some calls and Gibson Custom Shop were really happy to give me a Gibson ES335 to use on the tour. To basically celebrate the anniversary and of course, that was the guitar that Eric used at the farewell concert almost 50 years ago next month.

    MD: How did you put the setlist together? What was the thought process?

    MB: Well one of the things is you’ve got Kofi’s big drum solo in Toad, which is a big feature. You kind of look at where that’s going to come in the set and how you build to a first half and a second half.

    KB: Everything’s built around me.

    MB: It’s all about Kofi (laughs).

    WJ: Well that’s because he’s sitting down.

    MB: We were trying to pack in all the what’s expected of Cream’s repertoire. All the well know songs like: “Sunshine of Your Love,” “White Room,” “Cross Roads.”

    WJ: And there certain songs that really, really work, and a couple of songs that we tried and we worked on and stuff and perhaps were not lending themselves to a live performance. They were more studio songs.

    MB: These guys seemed to have ruled them out. But I haven’t complete ruled them out, yet.

    WJ: So Malcolm will be doing an a cappella, opening up the set (band laughs).

    MD: ’66 – ’68 were radical times in the states. 2018 is getting pretty radical out there.

    KB: Pots going to be legalized pretty soon everywhere.

    MD: That’s the least of the radical nature. If you look at what’s going on here. Are you guys feeling some relationship to that?

    MB: I don’t think it’s just the US.

    WJ: It’s all over the world.

    MB: When you get outside of the US you realize there’s a global aspect to everything that’s going on.

    KB: It’s like things come round, full circle.

    MB: There’s positive & negatives.

    WJ: I think we’ve all got a huge responsibility now to start cleaning up the planet, especially with these plastics. It’s gone completely out of control. We are harming ourselves; we’re harming the plant, animals, fish, especially our oceans.

    MB: Change has to happen in consciousness. Once people take responsibility, take responsibility for their own lives. There’s so much social conditioning in the world, so people just switch off. People have to be responsible for what they put out into the world.

    As our conversation goes deeper, Simon the tour manger signals that the band has a show to do and our time is up. Throughout the evening’s performance, I listened and watched as the band explored the music of Cream with the audience and themselves. Not an unsatisfied customer in the house.

    The “Music of Cream” world tour rolls into: The Paramount Huntington, Huntington, NY, Oct. 17th; The Vine at Del Lago Resort and Casino, Waterloo, NY, Oct, 19th ; The Egg, Albany NY, Oct. 21st. For more tour dates go to www.musicofcream.com.

  • Brooklyn’s Phony Ppl share funky new tune ‘Something About Your Love’

    Brooklyn-based quintet Phony Ppl have shared their funky new song, “Something About Your Love”, off their forthcoming album, mō’zā-ik, due out Oct. 19. Phony Ppl blend soul, funk, and R&B and are not limited to just one genre, as evidenced by this track mixed by Grammy Award winner Qmillion. Complex premiered the song, who said “Although this track details the experience of heartache and pondering the right time to leave a toxic situation, the band creates a balance with the instrumentation that mirrors the good moments we tend to focus on when ignoring all the red flags.”

    Explaining the track, frontman Elbee Thrie noted, “It’s a song about staying in a relationship you know is poisonous. We recorded it at a Universal Audio session in Santa Cruz, CA then finished back in NYC at ‘The Cabin’ at The Manhattan Center” Phony Ppl also earned cosigns from heavyweights Childish Gambino and Tyler The Creator, who named “End of the Night” one of his favorite tracks that year.

    Phony Ppl have performed with Erykah Badu and The Roots, along with opening for 2017 breakout star Kali Uchis on her nationwide tour, and individual members have shared their talents on projects from Snake Hips, Princess Nokia, Mac Miller and Odd Future.

    All five members of Phony Ppl come from a long line of musical families which helped cultivate their own love for the artform. Each member attended music classes and schools across the country, including Juilliard and the School of Rock, before finding each other in 2009. Those early after-school jam sessions evolved into the band’s current lineup, featuring Elbee Thrie on vocals, Elijah Rawk on lead guitar, Matt “Maffyuu” Byas on drums, Aja Grant on keys and Bari Bass on bass guitar.

    Upcoming Tour Dates:
    Nov. 8 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
    Nov. 9 – The Catalyst – Santa Cruz, CA
    Nov. 11 – The Pressroom – Phoenix, AZ //
    Nov. 13 – Summit – Denver, CO
    Nov. 15 – Wooly’s – Des Moines, IA
    Nov. 16 – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
    Nov. 18 – Vogue – Indianapolis, IN
    Nov. 19 – House of Blues Cleveland – Cleveland, OH
    Nov. 20 – The Danforth BIA – Toronto, ON
    Nov. 21 – The Fillmore Silver Spring – Silver Spring, MD
    Nov. 23 – The Fillmore -Philadelphia, PA
    Nov. 24 – The National – Richmond, VA
    Nov. 25 – Irving Plaza – New York, NY
    Nov. 26 – Irving Plaza – New York, NY

  • Interview: Getting to Know Carpool

    This summer, NYS Music premiered the song “Idaho” from Carpool’s debut album. I Think Everyone’s A Cop came out on September 13. The Western NY alternative rock band’s songs contain catchy hooks, emotionally-charged lyrics, mathy riffs, and plenty of guitar pedal effects.

    Carpool weaves together elements from various alt rock sub-genres, which gives them broad appeal. Over the past few years, they’ve opened for a diverse array of national touring acts like Microwave (alternative rock), Tiny Moving Parts (math rock), Roswell Kid (pop punk), and Fossil Youth (Midwest emo).

    Carpool is made of Rochester natives Chris Colasanto (lead vocals/guitar), Blake Weissinger (bass/vocals), Tommy Eckerson (guitar/vocals), and Juan Ortiz (drums). NYS Music sat down with Colasanto to talk about gear, the album, and the Buffalo scene.

    Paula Cummings: Why the name Carpool?

    Chris Colasanto: We originally started as Eyes Wide Shut. It sounded pretentious. So we changed the name to Carpool. It’s about hanging out and sharing good times with your buddies. We actually released an EP, Absolute Loss, under Eyes Wide Shut. It was more straight shoegaze. Carpool is more punky-emo. It’s cutesy – punk, but fun.

    PC: Was this your first time in the studio?

    CC: This was the first time going into a legit studio. We banged it out in four days, 12-hour long days. It’s different from what we used to do. Sometimes we were recording in a bathroom on someone’s computer using Audacity or GarageBand.

    PC: Why did you go with the studio you chose?

    CC: We went with RJ DeMarco at Skyway Studios. Our friends in Ghostpool dropped an EP and we absolutely loved it. We messaged them, and they said to go to RJ. We weren’t pressured, but it felt like everyone was lighting a fire under our asses do our best. We fell in love with Buffalo. It’s why we decided to move here. We visited before, but this was different. We now live in the house we stayed at while we were recording. Everything fell into place nicely.

    PC: What’s the Buffalo scene like?

    CC: Everyone in Buffalo comes out to shows – they go hardcore and support the scene. The demographic is all over. Our last show was at Milkie’s and there were kids, parents, grandparents.

    PC: Tell me about the album.

    CC: We started writing a year ago. The whole thing is about complacency, substance abuse and relationships – like you’re stuck in a stagnant state of molasses.

    PC: I like that, “a stagnant state of molasses.” Your lyrics have interesting ways of turning a phrase.

    CC: We were very conscious of the lyrics this time. We wanted to write songs that everyone likes, that everyone can dance to, but the undertone has more to it. Some of the lyrics are very tongue-in-cheek and quirky. I feel it’s relatable because of those quirks. It’s honest, maybe a little too honest at times.

    PC: Tell me about the gear you used in the studio to create your sound.

    CC: Me and Tommy used my Roland JC120 amp from 1983. It’s awesome, it’s my baby. We used my pedal set-up, primarily Adventure Audio pedals (they’re from Rochester), and Electro-Harmonix and EarthQuaker Devices. Sometimes I get pretty obnoxious with the pedal effects, but it’s fun. Tommy added a BigSky Reverb that added layers and depth – a lot of wet noise. Blake used his Jazz Bass, and he used my Adventure Audio Pedals. It ripped. And we have Juan Ortiz on drums – he’s the man, amazing as always.

    PC: Final question… What would you each sing if you were on Carpool Karaoke?

    CC: Me and Blake would do a duet of “Picture” by Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock. Tommy would do trap rap – “Gucci Gang.” And Juan would do a full 21 Pilots album.

    Purchase I Think Everyone’s A Cop digitally on Bandcamp. Physical copies will be available soon through Syracuse indie label Nothing Feels Good Records. Catch Carpool at Mohawk Place on October 13 with Culture Abuse, Gouge Away, Worse Things, and GOA, or on November 8 with Taking Meds, Teenage Halloween, and Movershaker. Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for upcoming shows and news.

  • Funktional Flow Launches Search for Drummer

    Funk/Rock/Reggae/Jam outfit Funktional Flow is launching a nationwide search for a drummer.

    The search begins a month after the departure of Ryan James Acanfora behind the kit.  Former Aqueous drummer Ryan Nogle has been covering duties for Funktional Flow while the band searches for the right fit.

    Exclusive to NYS Music, Flow noted that they are looking for something more than just a great musician. “Obviously being a great musician is important, but we here at Flow truly consider ourselves a family.  We function on the values of hard work, creativity and mutual respect and are looking for someone who reflects these qualities.”

    Hailing from Buffalo, Funktional Flow is known as a versatile five piece that fuses elements of rock, funk and reggae.  Featured in Relix magazine’s “On The Rise” and with a host of regional accolades, Funktional Flow has become one of Western New York’s most prominent original bands. Recent local awards for the band include Best Original Alternative Band (Buffalo Night Life) in 2016 & 2017 and the Album of the Year Award from Artvoice Magazine for their 2016 release Time Will Tell.

    Funktional Flow has become a staple of the Western New York jam scene, including their own festival Flowfest, now coming into its fourth year. Flow has opened in support of major touring artists including The Wailers, Warren Haynes, Rusted Root, Railroad Earth, Sublime with Rome, Twiddle, Papadosio, Aqueous, Dopapod, Eric Krasno Band, Snarky Puppy and Turkuaz.

    The band has also enjoyed festival appearances at Disc Jam Music Festival, Catskill Chill Music Festival, Night Lights Music Festival, The Great Blue Heron, and Cobblestone Live among others.

    Interested musicians should inquire via e-mail to funktionalflow@yahoo.com.  The band requests inquiries include a brief musical bio and either video or audio samples.

    Funktional Flow features Jeffrey Kuebler (Guitar & Vocals), Ben Whelan (Bass), Joey Lewis (Guitar & Vocals), and Matthew Lester (Keys, Sax & Vocals).

  • Phallbany: Get Phishy in Albany as Fall Tour Kicks Off!

    A 48-hour, tie dye wave will splash over downtown Albany just in time for Phish’s back-to-back opening Fall Tour gigs. The famed jam quartet’s October 16 and 17 shows will appropriately notch their 16th and 17th shows ever played in the state capital of ‘Phallbany’ and the buzzing city is chock-full of opportunities to celebrate the mid-week shakedown while quickly exploring historic and artistic surroundings. NYS Music is here to give you the rundown on all things Phish, including helpful navigation tips and how to make your mid-week visit to Albany as smooth as possible.

    No strangers to the Times Union Center, some notable moments have come out of their many meetings with the 28-year old Albany venue. Over the years, Phish entertained crowds in some cozier quarters just around the corner at the Palace Theatre.

    With Albany’s extensive history of Phish, we went to IHOZ – the International House of ZZYZX and looked up some stats from all past shows in NY’s capital, aside from Pauly’s Hotel in 1989 where there is no known setlist.

    October 16th marks the first ever Tuesday show. In the last five shows there have been four debuts: Windora Bug and Mellow Mood (2000) and Golden Age and Tomorrow’s Song (2009). Given the frequency of songs below, “You Enjoy Myself” is quite a safe bet, as are “Bouncing Around the Room” and “Guyute,” and while “Jam” isn’t a song, that much is guaranteed over the two nights.

    Phish has yet to play “Divided Sky” in Albany, and we have yet to have a proper “Mike’s” -> “I Am Hydrogen” > “Weekapaug Groove,” with the H2 never showing up in the Capital District.

    Most commonly played since 1992, “You Enjoy Myself” holds the heavyweight title with a total of seven plays, while “Bouncing Around the Room,” “Guyute” and “Jam” come in second at five plays. “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” “Chalk Dust Torture,” “Ghost,” “Good Times Bad Times,” “Harry Hood,” “Maze,” “NICU,” “Possum,” “Prince Caspian,” “Sparkle,” and “Stash” tie at four performances each.

    Tuesday, October 16:

    Pre Shows: If you’re looking to get the party started early, join The Deadbeats around the corner from the venue at town-favorite gastropub, City Beer Hall. They’ll get you bouncin’ round the room from 5PM-8PM before Phish takes over.

    10/16 Afterparty:  Dynamic Albany outfit Wurliday will host a Phunk Night at Parish Public House, just one block away from the show! The Phish after party will be hosted by Albany’s own Wurliday, featuring Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band), Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy),Beau Sasser (Kung Fu), Adrian Tramontano (Kung Fu), Chris DeAngelis (Kung Fu), Justin Henricks (Wurliday) and Ilana J. Morris (Wurliday).

    Wednesday October 17:

    Phish Pre-Show Yoga Jam: Phans are generally all about the love and light, which means many of them crossover as yogis. Two of Albany’s newest ventures, Lark Street Yoga and Lark Hall are teaming up with Heartspace Yoga and Healing Arts for a for two hour, donation based yoga event. “Sharin’ in the Groove” proceeds will benefit the Waterwheel Foundation and the phun vinyasa class will be set to live phish tunes and taught by John Smrtic, E-YRT, JD from Heartspace. When sacred movement, jammin’ music, elevated intention, and connection to the spirit through breath comes together in ceremony and celebration, the potential exists to step into the groove. Book your spot from 12:30AM-1:30PM for $25 and check out Albany’s latest phan-friendly yoga studio and music hall.

    Peakin’ at the Knick:  Acting as the mullet of Wednesday’s activities, PEAK Builders Network will keep business in the front of the mind and partying safely tucked in the back. The conference filled with networking and mutual love of music will take place at the Hampton Inn, five guest speakers will share stories of their personal business and career empires and what goals they’re working towards next. The interactive conference encourages attendees to join the conversation and bounce YOUR ideas around the room with like-minded business professionals. Goodie bags, light snacks and a free drink await your 1PM arrival.

    Pre Show: Starting at 5pm, the Left Ear trio keeps the second day momentum rolling for a jazzy pre-show get down at City Beer Hall.

    Post show: Funky Albany ensemble Hartley’s Encore will bring it on back to City Beer Hall for a night sponsored by Fiddlehead Brewing Company while Pearl Street Pub hosts Tweed, Desolation Angels and McZwang for $10.

    Phish Food: Albany is buzzing with local restaurants at your disposal, spanning all types of cuisine, diets and cravings. For a morning wake up call and your AM fix of coffee and donuts, stumble over to Cider Belly Doughnuts for some of the most delicious and creative flavors imaginable.

    If you believe Herbivores ate well cause their food didn’t ever run, then you might want to check out Berben and Wolff’s and Healthy on Lark, both serving up tasty vegan meals to the public on Lark Street. For the carnivores ready for a meatstick and a beer to help wash it down after, look no further than Albany Pump Station, a brewery that boasts hearty meals and tasty craft beers. The Hollow and Ama Cocina each have a wide array of American and Mexican fare respectively, adding to the downtown Albany hustle and bustle with their energetic atmospheres and love for live music.

    Honorable mentions go to Steuben Street Cafe, with grab-n-go, delicious smoothies and sandwiches just down the road from the venue. For classic late-night, greasy grub, Pizzeria Sapienza usually stays open for a quick slice while crowds are flooding out of the arena.

    Parking tips: Don’t be a slave to the traffic light and be sure to consider your parking game plan beforehand. Aside from fighting for competitive street parking, garages are sprinkled throughout downtown Albany with fluctuating event pricing. If you’re lucky enough to snag a spot, there’s a parking garage attached to TUCenter with entrances on both Market Street and Beaver Street for a price. Throughout the downtown blocks you’ll stumble across Riverfront Garage, Green-Hudson Garage and Osborne Street Garage that are all reasonable parking options for the weekend. And of course, Albany has Uber and Lyft for access to downtown from your hotel.

    In its most natural habitat, Albany is thriving in its own glimmer of a golden age with up and coming professionals, passing artists and growing businesses. Add phans funneling down Pearl Street into the TUC like quicksand and we’ve got quite the mid-week renaissance to look forward to in six short days. The countdown continues…

  • Hearing Aide: Doug Berns Band ‘Outlier’

    Doug Berns Band release debut albumBrooklyn trio, the Doug Berns Band, are quietly meshing together key elements of rock to create a sound that is both accessible and flashy. The group is fronted by bassist, singer and songwriter Doug Berns (EMEFE, The YeahTones), and features Sean Salant (AwakenTheShadow, Nova Lantern) on guitar and Coleman Bartels on drums. The group is releasing their debut album, Outlier, on October 18th, the same night as their release party at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC. In light of the upcoming release, NYS Music had the pleasure of checking the album out early. At the bottom of this review, the group is premiering their newest music video for their single, “Outlier”, the title track of the album. The nine track album is high octane from start to finish. It meshes the stylings of heavier groups like Metallica, lighter grunge like Alice in Chains, and an element of prog rock with soaring vocals and ripping guitar solos. The group demonstrates their technical ability in a slew of tight performances that highlight each member’s grasp on their intended sound.

    While the Doug Berns Band describes themselves as impressionistic rockers, it is tough to label them in this way. The album doesn’t take too many risks in terms of mood and timbre, but rather leans on catchy instrumental hooks and sticky vocal lines laid over heavy, well-executed instrumentals. Berns’ vocals float over top of thick distorted guitars in a way similar to how LaBrie’s (Dream Theater) vocals are the cherry on top of his band’s instrumental as opposed to being the main focal point. In the second track, “It Gets To You”, Berns shows off his falsetto, and establishes his presence in the mix without standing out too much. The melody is written well, and does a good job of leaving room for the guitar to fill space between phrases. This is especially potent in the fifth song “Mainline”, where the lyrics drive the narrative a bit more and the guitar provides great support to the song as a whole instead of pushing to stand out.

    The bass’ presence in the album deserves a big shout out, as Berns keeps a solid foundation when needed and doubles up with the guitar to add weight to certain lines. The guitar often runs off on its own to great success. The blazing and technically proficient solos are a big stand out. While Salant’s guitar is coated in dirt more often than not, there are a few points (namely in “Hell”) where the clean tones stand out just as much as the gritty lead tones- a nod to Salant’s ability to navigate modes within a key and color the solos so they stand out melodically from the rest of the backing instrumentals. The eighth song, “Ready Player One” features a specifically heavy solo, and covers a ton of harmonic ground. The drums remain pretty true to the genre and breathe an air of familiarity into each song. This might entail keeping the pulse while the guitar plays more complex rhythmic, palm muted riffs (like in the second track “It Gets To You”) or just holding the line on the odd-time parts of songs (like in “Meet Me”). This isn’t to take away the energy Bartels adds with his lightning fills. He shows flashes of his chops, but tends more frequently towards servicing the song as a whole which adds to the flow of the entire work.

    This album offers a good look at a band who is taking pieces from their predecessors and melding them to create a unique amalgamation of elements. In a way, this is impressionistic in itself without having to reach too far into the avant-garde. While the instrumentations are more traditional, the compositions and well-crafted structures allow the band to show their experimental side and give the listener some music theory fodder. Outlier is an accessible and exciting listen, a nice treat to hear for fans of heavier rock.

    Key Tracks: Outlier, Mainline, Ready Player One

  • Turkuaz Put Putnam In Its Place

    It’s always going to be a fun night when a band sells out a show. It’s going to be even better when that band is Brooklyn’s own, Turkuaz as the funk power house came to Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs on Saturday, October 6. Butcher Brown opened the show with a very groovy set with lots of peaks and valleys. They’ll be starting off each night of Turkuaz’s tour this month. Make sure to get there early and check them out.

    This show was truly one for the fans. With a rare “Gremlins” opener, the band played a slew of incredible classics from their beginnings to start their extra long single set. The energy was peaking for what seemed like the entire show, and with a back to back “Everyone’s a Winner” and “Life in the City,” you could only hope the night would never end. The balance of all the instruments, all the harmonies, all the raw power came together to finish the night with an energetic “Monkey Fingers.”

    You can catch the band around the country for the next couple months. They are down south this week before coming back up to Northampton MA, Providence RI, and a finishing their northeast run with a huge show at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. They will also be sharing the stage with tons of amazing talent, such as Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles, Lettuce, and Rubblebucket.

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