Post Malone’s coast-to-coast, sold out tour made its only upstate NY appearance at Darien Lake on the last Saturday of May.
All the signs aligned for for an memorable night for fans of the Syracuse native: postcard perfect weather, free entry to the adjacent theme park, first show of the season at Darien and a bevy of up-and-coming hip-hop acts on the bill. Check, check, check and check. From the reaction of the throngs of teenagers and twenty somethings, Posty did not disappoint.
A recent study shows that learning an instrument is an effective way of improving one’s working memory. Working memory is often thought as something that can be improved by doing interactive tasks, like simple games for children that involve memory ability, or improving quickness with vocabulary and mathematics. But becoming a musician might be a better choice.
Working memory, according to Scientific American, is theorized as being basically the “limited number of ‘items’ or ‘chunks’ of information your brain can hold on to at a singular time. This includes the memorization of digits, letters, words, or other units. And maybe one of the most interesting things about working memory is that it is subject to the bias of our subconscious, just like most other things in life. This means, according to research, for some people remembering the flavors of ice cream offered in order will be harder that remembering the first ten digits of pi, just because of the type of information it is they are trying to remember.
A study examining this difference was published this month in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. The 41 Canadian participants were between the ages of 19 and 35 and were either musicians who only spoke English; non-musicians who only spoke English; or English speakers who were fluent in a second language but did not play a instrument. They were divided into these three groups and asked to listen to, then categorize, a series of sounds while their brain activity was being scanned. They were supposed to separate the different sounds they were hearing into three groups: human-caused (such as a sneeze), environmental (like wind rustling trees), or a note from a musical instrument.
What was discovered was that musicians excelled at categorizing sounds and at pinpointing their locations compared to the bilinguals and the non-musicians. This showed that musicians have an aptitude in tasks that strain their working memory. For the musicians to be considered in the study, they had to have at least seven years of training and be currently active in performing music. After looking at the brain scans, researchers commented that musicians’ brains “showed distinct task-specific patterns of activation” in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is in the frontal part of the brain and is associated with processing, learning and memory.
This research could help individuals whose cognitive abilities are suffering because of aging since working memory usually declines with old age, because of degradation of the prefrontal cortex in the brain. Learning to play an instrument could help counteract degradation of working memory from aging. It is also possible it may counteract it in mental illnesses that have a negative effect on working memory, like individuals who suffer from depression and schizophrenia.
The reason this could help individuals who suffer from depression and schizophrenia is because these conditions, according to Scientific American, “are associated with decreased functioning of prefrontal cortex, which can be revealed via neuroimaging.” Because of this, depression and schizophrenia are also associated with having a decreased working memory ability. Playing a musical instrument helped improve working memory, and could potentially help improve the working memories of individuals suffering from depression and schizophrenia.
June 21 will bring out Hayley Jane and Friends for Funk Night in Albany at Parish Public House! Hayley brings along her friends Michelangelo Carubba (Turkuaz), Beau Sasser (Kung Fu), Justin Henricks (Wurliday, The Chronicles) and Daniel Lawson. Tickets are only $10 at the door with the show getting underway at 9pm, shortly after Alive at Five with Matisyahu wraps up at Jennings Landing, just two blocks north of Parish Public House! Get tickets and more info here.
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, so they say. But what about an album? In the case of the self-titled album from The Tins, a trio out of Buffalo, you’d do okay making judgment without listening to a note. But you definitely should… listen that is.
At passing glance the cover is just a painting of the band’s members, keyboard player and vocalist Mike Santillo, drummer and vocalist Dave Muntner, and guitarist and vocalist Adam Stanley. But to any readers of Rolling Stone magazine in the ’90s, the style will feel quite familiar. That’s because it’s the work of Philip Burke, whose art donned the magazine’s covers for nearly a decade. Burke is also from Buffalo, as is the album’s producer, the Goo Goo Dolls’ Robby Takac. So The Tins have the backing of some historical talent in their hometown.
Burke’s cover, familiar as it is, is sprinkled with bold surprises. Bright and unnatural color combinations jump out of the frame, figures that seemed normal at first glance ooze with distortion on further examination, and hidden shapes emerge from nowhere the longer you stare.
Likewise, the music inside the package, familiar at first, is packed with surprising twists and turns and exciting splashes of color that push it past the ordinary. The rock trio lays out interesting enough rock tunes at their base, with bits of psychedelia, new wave and folk mixed in, and just the right amount of melody and hook to reel the listener in closer. That’s when the colors and shapes start to pop, turning the interesting into the exciting.
Santillo’s keys carry the first pair of songs. Immediately, a bubbling and floating organ joins Muntner’s driving beat on “Hear Me Out,” then returns with an 8-bit sounding flurry near the song’s end. His sound gets crunchier and a bit reminiscent of Genesis next in “Oh My God.” Stanley’s guitar picks up the next two, with a catchy Death Cab for Cutie-esque head bobber in “Sundried Mind” and the ’80s-style rocker “Jigsaw Queen” that bursts with colorful zigs and zags throughout. Bruce Springsteen’s classic “State Trooper” gets updated with a dark underbelly of keyboard swirls and an exhilarating post-scream rock out. “A Minute of Your Time” seems standard at first, but slows to reveal a watery guitar jam, and later again opening up to a suspenseful building finish. “Mountain Song” is what it says, a mountain of a song, a straight up power rocker with loud crunching guitars, pounding drums and big three-part harmonies. But it, too, is not without surprises, as it repeatedly dips into atmospheric interludes.
What does it all mean?! According to Stanley, the songs stand as a singular unit, “about feeling stuck, the need for freedom and escape.” But more importantly, it’s about making people dance. “What good is this if you can’t groove to it, you know?” The Tins‘ eight tracks clock in at a bit over 30 minutes. Perfectly situated to throw it on repeat, surely cracking with new discoveries on each listen.
The album drops this Friday, June 1 when the band will celebrate with a release show at the Lockhouse in Buffalo, followed by a summer tour that will bring them all over the northeast. See the full dates below.
Key Tracks: Jigsaw Queen, Sundried Mind, State Trooper
Intrepid Travelers kept their month long residency at Nietzsche’s going with a skillful tribute to the movies with a theme by the name of John Williams. Opening up with a Star Wars Suite, which included “Main Theme,” “Force Theme,” “Emperor Theme,” “Imperial March,” “Rebel Strike,” and “Cantina Band” all seamlessly linked together for an opening segment you have to see. Throughout the rest of the night, the band performed original IT arrangements of John Williams compositions from Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, along with originals mixed it.
https://www.facebook.com/intrepidtravelersfamily/videos/1952134884819376/
Setlist: Star Wars Suite, Maddy & Anna, Jurassic Park Theme > Randoh’s Island, On the Grass > Indiana Jones Theme > On the Grass, Boomerang, Groove’s On You > Hedwig’s Theme > Groove’s On You
Stay tuned for this week’s show, the final of the residency, joined by Mosswalk with a theme of Freedom. More info here.
Albany-area jamband, Formula 5 has lent its name to a new shake in Capital District Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops. The band is also set to host its Rock the Dock Music Festival in Lake George on July 13.
The Formula 5 Flavor Shake combines the iconic Cherry Garcia, Totally Baked and Phish Food ice creams with mini M&Ms and milk. It is available throughout the summer at scoop shops in Saratoga Springs, Albany and Lake George. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the shakes will benefit the FUND for Lake George and Friends of Five Rivers.
Albany scoop shop co-owner Mike Sperduto said of the shake
“Bringing Ben & Jerry’s and Formula 5 together to mix up a shake just made sense. From The Grateful Dead and Phish to Willie Nelson, we keep our eyes on the smile, music and ice cream, so taking this to a local level made sense, and especially with the commitment of a band who embraces our values really solidified it for us.”
Watch the Formula 5 commercial advertising the new shake below:
The band is also set to host its second annual Rock the Dock Festival on the dock of the Lake George Steamboat Company in Lake George on July 13. In addition to the host band, other artists performing at Rock the Dock include, Soule Monde (Featuring Ray Paczkowski & Russ Lawton of Trey Anastasio Band), Strange Machines and Let’s Be Leonard.
Luke Dow, event manager for Rock the Dock, shared background on bringing the event to the docks on Lake George:
“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.”
Tickets for this year’s festival are $7 and available at the Rock the Dock website.
Formula 5 recently covered the Rush classic, “La Villa Strangiato” at the Hollow Bar and Kitchen in Albany. This performance marks the first time the band has covered Rush in a live setting.
518 Songfest at The Egg proved to be an intimate experience between songwriters, performers and fans throughout the night on Friday, May 18. Some of the best stories, however, happened prior to the show.
Below, we’ve captured the evening through vignettes under each artist.
Michael Worthley looks with a smile on his face as Rose Gabriel puts the finishing touches upon the merchandise table. It’s two hours before 518 Songfest at The Egg, and everyone is getting ready. She just placed battery-operated tea light candles in each of several miniature lanterns.
“It’s looking good,” he said, with the sound of appreciation in his voice.
She looks up with a smile on her face and shares how someone already asked how much the lanterns were going for.
“Priceless,” she said.
Rose and her husband Andrew Gabriel make it their jobs to make his daughter, Sydney, look good. The owners of Ambassador Music Group have been doing just that since Sydney dropped her debut album last September.
Michael shakes his head when asked how things are going. He and his wife, Shauna, are sports parents. They’re accustomed to corralling the kids and traveling long hours on the road for their son’s hockey games in Buffalo or in Plattsburgh. Sydney’s burgeoning music career has added another wrinkle to that lifestyle. The two parents helped convince their son to put a hold on hockey. He’s since transitioned to soccer. The family just recently returned from Ohio, where the Gabriels hoped to persuade one of the largest radio stations in the Midwest for more airplay by offering facetime and an interview. Michael shows off a few pictures from when the family stole away a few hours to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
The local music scene has looked at Sydney and asked two common questions; The first is, “Who is this?,” once asked in a disconcerting tone. Here was this local girl with a 14-track CD with a high-polish shine. It made no sense until you popped it into a player and listened. Then, the following question,“Where’d she come from?” would follow with surprise.
“We thought Tulip Fest was big,” said Michael, at which Sydney played only last May. Next month she’ll be at Mountain Jam. She’ll play at one of the largest festivals in the Northeast, on the same playbill as Grammy Award-winning artists Sturgill Simpson, The War on Drugs and Portugal. The Man.
Nonetheless, Michael said, she hasn’t developed an ego. Her softball teammates have nicknamed her “Famous.” But, he said, there’s still plenty of her classmates who don’t know who she is.
Julie Gold
Julie Gold listens attentively while seated in the auditorium with her companion as Super 400 conducts its sound check on stage. Despite attending the show as the night’s special guest, the Grammy Award-winning artist sits unassuming while attendees prepare the theater.
Gold is from Pennsylvania and lives in New York City. In this one-day festival focused on showcasing music from the 518 area code, the commonality she shares with the region is her proximity to the Hudson River.
“I love this piano,” she exclaimed during her own sound check. “I could play it forever, but The Egg would kick me out.”
The river served as inspiration for her song, “Love Is Love Is Love.” Later in the evening, while introducing the song to the Songfest crowd, she shared her fascination with the river.
Each morning, at 9 a.m., Gold would call and speak with her mother while walking along the banks of the Hudson River in New York. Gold’s mother immigrated to America and processed at Liberty Island in 1930. She was a part of what she called the “great generation” of people who left their homeland for a better life for their children. As she watched the river roll past, Gold said she imagined that some of that same water helped bring her mother to America.
Gold fell in love with music while watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show when she was 8 years old. Her first piece of music was a 45 of Petula Clark’s “Downtown.” Within its dust cover was the mystery behind finding who “T. Hatch” was. Gold approached her mother, only to learn that there was such a thing as a songwriter. “Before that moment, I thought songs were always there,” she said. Tony Hatch, the songwriter behind the words to “Downtown,” was “one of the lucky ones” to create them.
When it looked like music would be in Gold’s life, her mother didn’t stand in the way. She was open to all sorts of music. In their home, rock and roll was not the “Devil’s Music,” she said. When Gold introduced friends to her mother, with music ever-present in her life, she would always ask what instrument they played. On those morning phone calls — despite her clockwork-like frequency — Gold’s mother would answer, “Oh, Jules! I was hoping it was you.” Last year, on the last day of summer, Gold’s mother died. She said it was the most appropriate time for who she called the “most beautiful of people.”
“Everyday, for all those years, I had her in my life. Until just recently.”
Super 400
After more than 20 years of establishing a reputation as a hard-rocking trio, Super 400 prepared itself for a rare acoustic set.
Guitarist Kenny Hohman said he didn’t like playing acoustic guitar, and stayed away from it all together until he and his wife, the band’s bassist Lori Friday, started the Troy Music Academy nearly seven years ago. The school was created out of necessity. Friday sustained serious injuries to her neck, back and kidney after a car accident. Hohman said he learned to appreciate playing acoustically while teaching people the guitar.
Hohman, Friday and the band’s drummer Joe Daley sat inside the auditorium to talk about catching a quick dinner before the show when Julie Gold interrupted.
Gold was listening in on the sound check and wanted to compliment each of them on their musicianship. Before long, a genuine moment of musicians bonding over their craft ensued. Hohman immediately complimented Gold on her “radiating positivity” and the two hugged.
Musicians have a natural curiosity to learn how another started in music.
Check out a full gallery courtesy of The Spot 518.
This article was originally published by The Spot 518. is property of Spotlight Newspapers in Albany, N.Y., and appears as a special to NYS Music. TheSpot518 and NYS Music work in partnership to provide readers with in-depth coverage on the local music scene in the Capital District and New York state, respectively. For more, visit TheSpot518.com.
Journey performed at the Times Union Center in Albany on May 23 to a packed house, opening for Def Leppard.
Setlist (courtesy of Setlist.fm): Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), Be Good to Yourself, Ask the Lonely, Neal Schon Guitar Solo #1, Stone in Love, Any Way You Want It, Lights, Jonathan Cain Piano Solo, Open Arms, Who’s Crying Now, La Do Da, Steve Smith Drum Solo, Neal Schon Guitar Solo #2, Wheel in the Sky, Faithfully, Don’t Stop Believin’
Encore: Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’
The Kitchen announced they will be hosting the New York Premier for the film, “Tour Without End (Twenty-One Portraits and a Protest)”, on June 11 at 8 p.m.. The film was created by Lauren Parnes and is a Trump–era commentary on contemporary culture and politics told through the casting of real-life musicians, artists and actors as bands on tour. At the screening there will also be live musicians accompanying, including BB TAY VEE, Macy Rodman and JD Samson’s New Band.
The film was shot between 2014-2018 and involves over 15 DIY music spaces created around New York City. The film tries to act as an urgent time capsule to show how rapidly gentrification is affecting the city. It managed this by shooting in real environments and situations. Most of the scenes were semi scripted for the core group of characters but a lot of it ended up being improvised. The press release revealed that, “Because many of these performers are legends themselves in the New York City downtown scene, they are archetypes playing archetypes. The work revels in the sometimes hilarious— but always complex —band dynamics the characters endure in touring, collaborating, and aging in a youth-driven music industry. As the players move in and out of fictionalized characters and real life, the film moves in and out of non-linear narrative and historical document.”
The Kitchen is one of New York City’s most forward-looking nonprofit spaces and is known for showing innovative work by emerging and established artists across all disciplines. Their programs range from dance, music, performance, and theater to video, film, and art, in addition to literary events, artists’ talks, and lecture series. The Kitchen was created in 1971 and has been a powerful force in shaping the cultural landscape of this country ever since.
Show Information:
Tour Without End
June 11 – The Kitchen -New York City
Tickets $15 General / $10 Members.
With any questions about the screening, please contact the box office at boxoffice@thekitchen.org or by phone at 212.255.5793 x11.
For more information on Tour Without End visit the website
A group of fresh faces by the name of FLOTUS are taking over the Syracuse, NY music scene. FLOTUS, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Eric Thompson, keyboardist Ryan McKeown, bassist Blake Trexler and drummer Sean Ferguson, took home the glory at an annual Battle of the Bands competition held by Orange Music Group (OMGSyracuse) at Syracuse University.
This landed the group 6 hours of free recording time at SubCat Studios in downtown Syracuse. With this prize, the group has launched their first EP, Sundance, which is available for listening on Spotify and iTunes. FLOTUS has also just dropped their first ever music video, “Swim To Me,” which is linked below. This video is fun for the summer and features bright, bold visuals, with vocalist Eric Thompson shot singing along to the tune.
Brianna Skelly: Hi, guys!! How are we doing here?
FLOTUS: Hey, it’s going good!! It’s great to be talking to you.
BS: Great, it’s wonderful to become acquatinted with you all. Now, I’ve heard that the name “FLOTUS” was inspired by Michelle Obama’s Twitter handle. Would you mind telling me more about that?
Blake Trexler: Yeah, of course. Well, the guys and I were messing around at practice one day, just tossing names back and forth and FLOTUS was thrown into the mix. We liked it. It’s actually become a running joke between the band. We like to switch up the acronym at our shows. Keeps things interesting.
BS: That’s so unique! So, how did the four of you meet?
Sean Thompson: Well, we’re all music majors at Syracuse University, so we all happened to meet by chance in a class, but Ryan and I went to the same high school.
BS: That’s amazing. What are your majors underneath music? Are you all majoring in performance or something different?
Ryan McKeown: Eric and I are sound recording technology majors. Blake and Sean are both majoring in music industry.
BS: Wonderful. Both great areas take up as a music major. Being students, do you find it hard to balance school work, shows, and band practices?
Eric Thompson: Time management is always tight, but we try our hardest to make it work and practice as much as we possibly can, even if we have to get together at night after classes. I think what helps us the most is that we became friends before the band formed. We met in class our first semester, and after that things came together. I think it’s important to have a personal connection with people you’re spending so much time with. There has to be a balance. Like, we’ll have practices where we need to buckle down and focus and then practices where we’re just hanging out while we play. Having fun with it.
BS: I think that’s important, too. A balance between work and play, if you will. You can’t have one without the other. Now, getting more into the music. Are there any venues or local cafés that your band frequents?
ET: Yes. We played our first gig as a band at Funk n’ Waffles. It was a good atmosphere. Super rough performance, but we made the most of it. We were opening for a friend and I went out on stage and I had to improvise for a long time. I just remember looking backstage and the guys couldn’t come out because this dude was telling us to move our car in this alleyway. It was definitely a gig the band won’t ever forget, but it was a good time in spite of everything.
BS: Wow, that’s rough. I’m glad it worked out in the end, though. Do you guys have a permanent vehicle?
SF: No. We’re trying our hardest to save for a van. We’re lucky that we have loved ones in our lives that care for us, but there have been times where we’ve had to load equipment into taxis. I even remember a number of times where we’ve had to walk with heavy amplifiers and drum sets to shows because we didn’t have the transportation available that we need.
BS: Now, that is some serious dedication to your music. I’ve never heard anything like that. Keep up with that ambition and it will take you extremely far.
BT: Thank you so much.
BS: Of course. So, your EP Sundance came out this February. What inspired your EP, if anything?
ET: Well, the opportunity came along because our group won a Battle of the Bands competition at our university. The prize was 6 hours of recording time for free. We couldn’t afford any extra time in the studio, so we buckled down and actually got the entire EP recorded within that 6 hour time frame. We didn’t have any time for many editing technicalities, either, so we ran the songs and the recording quality came out sounding very homemade. It’s extremely similar to what you’ll get from a live performance of ours. Also, where we go to school, it’s incredibly cold. I remember once we played a house show in an attic, and it was so cold that you could see your breath throughout the entire performance. It was memorable, though, not just because of the cold, but because of the atmosphere. I think that’s what is most important to our band and the main idea of this EP, as well. We like making light of things and remembering the sunshine when times are hard. We want everyone to find a place in our music and to find the sun beyond the clouds. That was the main inspiration behind it.
BS: That’s an incredible message to express to your listeners. Also, incredible time management skills. Getting an EP done in 6 hours is impressive. You’re an ambitious group of guys. You mentioned wanting everyone to find a place in your music. Is there a specific musical influence driving your band?
RM: I think we all have personal influences musically, but that’s what makes it work. Each of us brings our own individual style to the group.
SF: Right. We also try to make music that is accessible for everyone, whether you like jazz or rock or funk. We want to make stuff that real musicians can appreciate and we try to be versatile. We’ll cover any song. We want to have a place for everything and everyone inside of our music.
BS: I like the inclusive mindset. Being versatile is a smart move. Can your listeners expect an album on the horizon anytime soon?
ET: Our listeners can expect new songs. We plan on writing and touring lots over the summer. Our goal is to be touring all around the country. An album is definitely in our thoughts, but its a long-term goal.
FLOTUS is a great live group with terrific energy onstage and a terrific stage presence, as well. Linked below is a video of FLOTUS where you can find the group performing, as well as talking new music with CitrusTV. FLOTUS has plans of touring throughout the summer, and they are a great new group to give some attention in the coming months.