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  • moe. Returns to Bass Player Rob Derhak’s Home State for 2-Night Run

    moe. are set to return to the State Theater in Portland Maine for their first Maine shows since 2016, and their first shows at the State since their New Year’s run in 2012. After a brief, but harrowing battle with oropharyngeal cancer, moe bass player Rob Derhak is eager to play a two-night run in his home state of Maine. If their inaugural shows back after the hiatus at Capitol Theatre were any indicator, these shows should be a dream come true for an energetic and deprived fan base. In the beginning of February, moe. returned to the stage for an absolutely blistering pair of shows, and are slated to play two more nights in Portland followed by two nights in Albany.
    moe bass player
    Bassist and vocalist Rob Derhak proved at the start of this tour that he is happy and healthy, his voice is still very much intact, and his fingers and hungry for some bass. Their last visit to his hometown featured three shows at the two venues, an intimate concert experience at Port City Music Hall, followed by two shows at the scenic Thompson’s Point, overlooking the ocean. Prior to that, they hadn’t seen any action in Maine since a one-night stand in 2014. Before that, moe. delivered a phenomenal New Year’s run in 2012 that spanned two venues across two states.

    After the uncertainty of the hiatus, and Rob’s cancer victory, moe. has announced an extensive tour that only seems to be growing, as well as several festival appearances and their triumphant return to Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, Illinois. After the smashing success that was their sold-out Capitol run, the moe. fan community, with the proud moniker “moe.rons” are eagerly awaiting Rob’s return to his beautiful home state. These shows are not to be missed for any fans of Buffalo jam monsters moe.

    Listen to past moe performances from Portland:

    State Theater 12/30/2012 and 12/31/2012

    Port City Music Hall 6/16/2016

    Thompson’s Point 6/17/2016

    Thompson’s Point 6/18/2016

  • Ghost Light, featuring Tom Hamilton and Holly Bowling, Announce U.S. Tour

    Ghost Light, combining the musical talents of Holly Bowling, Tom Hamilton, Steve Lyons, Raina Mullen and Scotty Zwang, will tour across the country this summer, with a stop at Brooklyn Bowl on April 11. 

    ghost light tom hamilton

    Ghost Light, a true musical collaboration, combines five personalities, five perspectives, and five unique approaches towards one common sound. The group initially got together in a recording studio in Philadelphia, developing songs and musical communication without pre-conceived notions of their sound. Scotty Zwang explains, “It’s a unique and interesting approach we get to take…we are being patient with each other and figuring out what the song needs.”

    Tom Hamilton says of the band’s formation, “Having played with everyone involved in a live setting before, I had a pretty firm grasp of what we all brought to the table and it was exciting. There is a wonderful freedom that comes with knowing that you don’t have to carry the entire load over the finish line. So when Raina and I were workshopping ideas to bring to this new band, we felt super comfortable going in any direction, knowing that with our new bandmates, the songs will get to where they needs to go. And in the live setting, that confidence is just as strong.”

    The first half of 2018 will see the band playing major venues in major markets coast to coast, followed by  stops at festivals including Peach Fest and Lockn’ Festival, with more to be announced. A debut studio release will be released later this year, followed by a supporting tour. 

    Ghost Light Tour Dates
    March 20 – Winstons – San Diego, CA
    March 21 – The Mint – Los Angeles, CA
    March 23 – 24 – Terrapin Crossroads – San Rafael, CA
    March 27 – Humboldt Brews – Arcata, CA
    March 28 – HiFi Lounge – Eugene, OR
    March 29 – Volcanic Theater Pub – Bend, OR
    March 30 – Mission Theater – Portland, OR
    March 31 – Lofi – Seattle, WA
    April 11 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
    April 12 – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
    April 13 – The Acoustic – Bridgeport, CT
    April 14 – Thunder Road – Boston, MA
    April 17 – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC
    April 18 – Lincoln Theater – Raleigh, NC
    April 19 – 5 Points Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA
    April 20 – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
    May 10 – Aggie Theatre – Fort Collins, CO
    May 11 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
    May 12 – Globe Hall – Denver, CO
    May 16 – City Winery – Chicago, IL
    May 17 – Founders Brewery – Grand Rapids, MI
    May 18 – Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI
    May 19 – Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH
    July 19 – 22 – Peach Music Festival – Scranton, PA
    August 24 – Lockn’ Festival – Arrington, VA

  • Somebody Call The Doctor: Vicious Jimmy and Morris Code Cure the Funky Blues at Albany’s Parish Public House

    It has been a cold and miserable winter here in Capital Land.  Many people in the area are suffering from an acute lack of funkiness which is not only extremely toxic, but is also a very communicable disease.  If you feel that you are suffering from this awful malady, then do I have the cure for you: a night of deep fried funk featuring the masters of the funky beat, Vicious Jimmy with special guest Morris Code.

    This locally based band will be performing at the Parish Public House in Albany on Saturday, February 17 with special guest Morris Code. This will be Vicious Jimmy’s triumphant return since starting an extended hiatus back in 2015.  They will be performing numerous of their original funky classics, including “Liquor,” “Dr. Selkirkian” and “Stiff Arm” which are all featured on their 2012 LP Relatively Dangerous. Vicious Jimmy will be debuting a new lineup with the addition of guitarist and vocalist Jason “JY” Young, formerly of the Smokehouse Prophets.  It is a show definitely not to be missed and there is no prescription required.

  • Percy Hill to Celebrate 20th Anniversary of ‘Color in Bloom’

    Percy Hill will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 1998 album Color in Bloom on Saturday, May 12 at Gramercy Theater in NYC. The jamband classic will be played in its entirety, along with other Percy Hill favorites. Peter Prince and Moon Boot Lover will open the night.

    percy hill color in bloom

    Percy Hill has performed sporadically over the past few years, and are excited to bring Color in Bloom to life on May 12. “Even at live shows and within the Color In Bloom tracks that we play on stage, we’ll go places we wouldn’t normally go musically and wouldn’t be heard on the record,” says John Leccese. Formed in New England in the 1990s by Joe Farrell and Nate Wilson, the group gained a core following and praise in The Village Voice and Entertainment Weekly.

    Tickets are $25 or $45 with VIP seating and are on sale now through CEG Presents.

  • Behind the Gear: Mike Candela

    Mike Candela is the lead guitarist of the D.C.-based band Of Tomorrow and was previously the lead guitarist of Mister F. Mike brings ripping leads to any show he may be playing, as well as extremely skillful looping abilities as showcased in his cover of Girlfriend is Better by the Talking Heads. Catch Of Tomorrow at their official Funk vs. Bluegrass Umphrey’s McGee After Party in D.C. on Feb. 15th! 

    Guitars & Amp

    2007 Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody II & 2017 Music Man Cutlass Strat

    Supro Royal Reverb 60W 2×10 Combo

    Mike CandelaKeyboards

    Akai Advance 49 & Novation Circuit

    Mike CandelaPedalboard

    Signal Chain-

    EHX Pitchfork > TCE Polytune 2 > Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone > EHX Micro Synth > Noisekick Almond Blossom > Teese RMC3 Wah > Noisekick Oriole Fuzz > JHS Double Barrel > EHX Small Stone > Xotic EP Booster > Strymon Timeline > Mr. Black Eterna> A/B Box > TCE Hall of Fame > MXR Talkbox > TC-Helicon VoiceTone H1

    Mike Candela
    Behind the Gear: How did you develop your solo show? You have a pretty extensive set up for a one man band.

    Mike Candela: So my one man band set up is actually everything pictured plus a Boss RC 300, and I was heavily inspired by Zach Deputy’s early setups. Basically I needed drums which I get from the Novation Circuit, and keys which I get from the Akai Advance 49. Also the TC Helicon Voicetone gives me some cool harmony effects that correspond to what I’m playing on guitar.

    BTG: How has your new Music Man been treating you?

    MC: This thing is the Strat of my dreams man, haha, the 10″ radius and stainless steel frets make it feel very similar to my PRS, which was refretted with SS by Philtone Guitars in Baltimore MD.

    mike candela
    Photo credit to Matt Way of Moon Daze Photography.

    BTG: What are three pedals on your board that you couldn’t live without?

    MC: The Double Barrel is a really nice sounding 808 clone and a killer Bluesbreaker clone in one box, it’s definitely the foundation of my tone. The EP booster is a great clean boost that’s adds a slight amount of tonal color, but it’s a really great color, I am always using this pedal for solos. The TimeLine allowed me to go from having 3 delay pedals on my board to just 1. The functionality and sound quality is off the charts, and it’s really easy to use live; switching between the different preset banks is a breeze.

    BTG: What kind of synth/keys sounds are you running from the laptop?

    MC: I run a Novation Bass Station plugin to my talkbox and I use the included Akai plugins and VIP software, which groups your VSTs together in a central program that you can control from the keyboard itself.

    BTG: How do you like your Supro Royal Reverb? 

    MC: It’s an amazing clean pedal platform amp. It has a great midrange character that is essentially always there due to the lack of a mid knob, and it’s also got trem and reverb. It also switches between 35, 45, and 60 watts for getting cranked amp sounds at lower volumes, I always run it on 60 watts though since I get all my dirt sounds from the pedals.

  • Cousin Earth’s Energy, Ampevene’s Album Release Highlight the Hollow

    The Hollow Bar and Kitchen was in a New York state of mind on Friday night. Albany progressive rock quartet Ampevene, celebrating the release of its new album Ephemagoria and Brooklyn-bred Cousin Earth threw down the perfect blend of Led Zeppelin-esque energy and a quirkiness in the Frank Zappa vein at Albany’s leading rock club.

    Kicking things off with “Rometheu,” Ampevene put on display its prowess for technical proficiency, led by guitarist Gabe Stallman and bassist Mack Hogan trading runs. Hogan’s thumping rhythm was a constant throughout the group’s set. “Tracalysis” was followed up with an all out rock ‘n roll drum solo from Brian Fahey.

    Pulling from one of their main influences, Ampevene launched into the chunky opening chords of the Nirvana mega hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Stallman added a unique spin to his short solo, making the song take a psychedelic spin. “Goliath” preceded “Tumultous,” the latter of which morphed into a crowd pleasing segment featuring Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused.” The jam saw the crowd grow a little rowdy and the band responded with the highlight of their set. “New Song” and “Valencia” closed out the set to a roaring applause from the band’s friends and family in attendance.

    Up next was Cousin Earth, playing their first headlining show at the venue. The five-piece group melds together a wide array of musical variety, proved right out of the gate with a searing take on the “Zelda” theme song. Joey Calfa, on his trusted electric ukulele, showed his prowess on the unconventional rock instrument by transforming each note into a blend of guitar and ukulele.

    “Zelda Sarias Song” > “Think of all the Things” > “Tale Spin Theme Song” was next, as Calfa and bassist Corey Feldman, who plays on a Kala U Bass the size of a ukulele, continued to feed of each other’s energy. Tara Lawton, who also plays the melodica, and Terry Brennan held down the vocals with the confidence of a seasoned opera singer, giving the band a sometimes Vaudeville-like feel.

    (Side note: I first saw Cousin Earth a little more than three years ago, just as they were transitioning into their new name from Ukulelian. They opened up a small festival and the crowd was sparse to say the least. I was unsure what this band was going to be like given the irreverent instrumental selections, but the band blew me away that afternoon. Since then, Cousin Earth has been on a steady upward climb, and their headlining slot at the Hollow was proof of their professional work ethic.)

    “Dancing Fool,” “Keep it Greasy,” “Super Fun Laser Beams” and “Alive” allowed each member to stand out at times, while also showcasing their incredible improvisational skills. Drummer Nate Searing held it all together throughout the night, while at the same time providing a loose and fun atmosphere.

    The funniest part of the night is when they burst into a cover of actress Natalie Portman’s rap from Saturday Night Live. Attendees sang along and the band had some trouble containing laughter on stage.

    The closing segment of “Blisters,” “Keep On”>”Scuttle Buttin’”>”Little Wing”>”Capricorn on the Cob” saw Calfa switch between his ukulele and his cherry red Fender Stratocaster to do his best Jimi Hendrix impression.

    All told, this show was great in every aspect. As both Ampevene and Cousin Earth continue to ascend and grow, both groups still put all of their effort into a pleasing live experience.

    Ampevene setlist

    Rometheu, Tracalysis, Drum jam, Smells like Teen Spirit, Goliath, Tumultuous*, New Song, Valencia
    *with Dazed and Confused jam

    Cousin Earth setlist

    Zelda Main Theme> Zelda Sarias song > Think of all the things > Tale Spin Theme, Dancing Fool > Keep it Greasy, Super Fun Laser Beams, Alive, Womp > Natalie Portman Rap (SNL) > Womp > Space Worms (future folk) > Tarantella Napolitana, Spiritual Spun, Blisters, Keep On ( show me the numbers, Ian), Scuttle Buttin’ > Little Wing > Capricorn on the Cob

    Encore: Son of a Bitch

  • Camp Bisco 16 Announces Lineup

    Camp Bisco returns for year 16.

    The music festival hosted by the Disco Biscuits takes place once again on Montage Mountain on Thursday, July 12 to Saturday, July 14, in Scranton, Pa.

    Marc Brownstein, Biscuits bassist posted on Facebook: “Back to the mountain with an amazing lineup!!”

    It will be the festival’s fourth consecutive year at Montage Mountain — which includes a waterpark and camping grounds for festivalgoers.

    The Disco Biscuits headline the three-day event, and the festival continues to book the biggest names in EDM and jamtronica.

    Headbangers and bassheads can rejoice there will be no shortage of bass at this year’s event.

    Bisco staples such as Bassnectar, Tipper, Lotus and STS9 return to headline once again. Excision and Illenium will also headline along with Bonobo, which will include a live band.

    More bands included are: 12th Planet; Anna Lunde; Big Wild; Boogie T; Buku; Desert Dwellers; DJ Jazzy Jeff; The Floozies (ft. the Terminus Horns); The Funk Hunters; G Jones; Ghostface Killah; Jai Wolf; Lettuce; Liquid Stranger; Mija (back to back) Billy Kenny; Oliver Tree; Papadosio; Quinn XCII; Space Jesus X2 (including a special downtempo set); Snails; Sunsquabi; Tauk; Zion I x Lespecial.

    Also making the trip to Montage Mountain will be: Agent Zero; Bass Physics; Bluetech; Cofresi; Ducky; Flamingosis; Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad; The Hip Abduction; Horizon Wireless; Kidswaste; Kung Fu; Let’s Danza!; Magic Beans; Naughty Professor; Orchard Lounge; Probcause; Space Bacon; Squinto; Yheti and Zeke Beats.

    For more information and tickets for Camp Bisco 16, visit campbisco.com

  • NYC Hip-Hop fusion group QNA drop frantic new single “Karoshi”

    QNA, a fusion of hip-hop and jazz born from New York City has released the second single, “Karoshi.” off their upcoming debut EP XII. The title of the song means ‘death from overwork’ in Japanese, combining an up-tempo jazz melody with flow from MC Supe.

    Formed from jam sessions under the name People Zoo, QNA is comprised of high school friends, lead by MC Supe, and a cast of players including Marina Espinet (vocals), Benjamin Chin (saxophone), TJ Adorno (keys), Dylan Kaminkow (bassist), and Marco Gill (drummer). The band also features a wealth of vocalists and rappers including Bush Tea and more.

    Hip-hop at heart, QNA is jazz through and through, with chords and long solos that aren’t afraid to get out there. The seven minute jam of “Karoshi” rises swiftly and is full of rhymes and a message to let go of the grind and enjoy the wonders that nurture the soul. XII was recorded at The Breeding Room and is due out February 23. Listen to “Karoshi” below.

  • Latest Live Phish Release Features 1998 Vernon Downs Show

    The latest addition to the Live Phish series is Phish’s show from Central New York’s harness racing mecca, Vernon Downs, on Aug. 12, 1998.

    The only show Phish has ever performed at this venue worked perfectly into Phish’s wordplay throughout the night. The “Makisupa Policeman” lyric, “Woke up this morning, burning down,” was met with rapturous applause due to its resemblance to the venue’s name. Later in the show, the band performed a cover of the Talking Heads classic “Burning Down the House,” which took on a new persona as Trey Anastasio sang, “Vernon Down the house,” much to the delight of those in attendance.

    The show was also somewhat of a hometown show for drummer Jon Fishman, a graduate of nearby Jamesville-DeWitt High School. Anastasio refers to him as “Bob Weaver” during the show. He also continuously busted Fishman’s chops throughout the show, referring to his old high school band, Frodo, on several occasions.

    As far as Phish shows go, this one has to be one that would convert many first-timers. Covers of ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads and the Rolling Stones, along with several popular Phish standards, definitely converted many in attendance for the first time.

    Set One: La Grange, Makisupa Policeman, Funky Bitch, Possum, Roggae, Character Zero, Ramble On, Slave to the Traffic Light

    Set Two: Mike’s Song> Simple> Rift, Loving Cup, Sleeping Monkey > Weekapaug Groove, The Squirming Coil

    Encore: Burning Down the House, You Enjoy Myself

  • Trey Anastasio Brings Intimate Solo Tour to Ithaca

    Phish frontman Trey Anastasio brought his solo acoustic tour through Ithaca this past Friday night. Trey combined story telling with many of the songs, including stories about Phish shows in Ithaca in the late 80s and early 90s. Download the show here.

    Setlist via Phish.net:

    SET 1: Prince Caspian [1], NICU[1], Theme From the Bottom[1], Rise/Come Together[2], Ghost[1], The Wedge[1], AC/DC Bag[1], Light[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[1], Dog Faced Boy[1], Sleep[1], Ocelot[2], Summer of ’89[1], Twist[1], Sand[2], Fuego[2]

    ENCORE: Carini[1], Wilson[1]

    [1] Trey solo acoustic. [2] Trey solo acoustic debut.

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