NYS Music 20​18

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  • Birocratic Releases Latest Single “Extra Fresh”

    Brooklyn-based beatmaker and hip-hop instrumentalist Birocratic has released his latest single “Extra Fresh” along with a tongue-in-cheek infomercial music video.

    Birocratic, real name Brandon Rowan, initially rose to fame as a student at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute, where his dorm room beat-tape releases Beets and Leftovers became YouTube sensations, and most recently has made official remixes for GRiZ. On “Extra Fresh,” Birocratic pays homage to 80s and 90s house, funk, and hip hop, with familiar synth melodies and deep bass lines.

    Birocratic will tour this summer throughout North America.

  • The Black River Release Debut Album, ‘Classic Universe’

    Syracuse’s The Black River, led by singer-songwriter Mike Powell, has released its first album, entitled Classic Universe. The soulful quintet, who take their name from the North Country river that passes by Powell’s childhood home, came together just over one year ago and have been quickly making their name known throughout New York.

    black river Classic UniverseThe album was produced by Jeff Aderman at Utica’s Big Blue North Studio and exhibits The Black River putting an impressive foot forward in its debut. In the year since the band debuted, they have opened for such artists as The Sadies, Shooter Jennings, The Trews, Mondo Cozmo and Eric Tessmer. A powerful afternoon set at last year’s moe.down also won the band new fans.

    “One of the things we always talk about when we are sculpting these songs is to be sure to listen to one another. That may sound like a very simple concept but when you’re creating a collective sound it’s important that no player be on a sonic island. We aim to be one connected land mass of sound,” Powell said when asked about the goal of his new band. “I have surrounded myself and my songs with monster players that could easily step out and flex their muscles at anytime but all of us understand the importance of doing what is best for the song first.”

    Powell’s assessment of this band is certainly true. All come from different musical backgrounds to forge a sound that isn’t easy to categorize. Longtime Powell collaborator, guitarist John Hanus’ metal chops and experimental solos add an unexpected yet welcome edge to Powell’s personal songwriting and the soulful force created by keyboardist Shane Kelsen and the rhythm section of Joe Bell and Dom Scicchitano. The band’s frequent live performances have helped hone its unique sound over the past year and the band is gelling as a unit at the perfect time.

    black river Classic Universe

    To celebrate the release of the new album, the Black River recently performed the inaugural live session for Syracuse radio show Soundcheck at SubCat Studios. You can view that peformance below. The show, hosted by long time Syracuse radio personality and SAMMYS Hall of Famer, Dave Frisina, has been on the air since 1979. It showcases local and regional musicians each Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. on 105.9 The Rebel.

    Frisina’s new series is called Live @ SubCat Studios and will feature a different local act performing live in front of a studio audience each month.

    The Black River’s Classic Universe is available now on all streaming platforms. Recent performances have included stops at the del Lago Resort and Casino in Waterloo and Three Heads Brewing Company in Rochester. They’re also scheduled to perform at Al’s Wine and Whiskey Lounge in Syracuse in March and Funk ‘N Waffles Syracuse in April. Follow The Black River on Facebook or at their website for information on upcoming performances.

  • Kyle Hollingsworth Band Bringing New Jams to Funk ‘N Waffles

    Music fans are in for a treat this weekend if they are heading out to see the Kyle Hollingsworth Band.

    “As of right now, I’m excited about this little run in the Northeast,” said Kyle Hollingsworth. “I’m excited about hitting the road a little bit and playing some of these tunes I’ve been working on the last year or so — testing out live performance of the songs. And raging the best we can.”

    The keyboardist for String Cheese Incident brings his solo project to New York for a show on Friday in Rochester and another in Syracuse on Saturday, both at Funk ‘N Waffles.

    “We have a new lineup of musicians and it’s more jam-oriented than I’ve ever made it,” he said.

    Hollingsworth’s tour coincides with the release of his new solo album 50 — coming out March 2.

    NEW SONGS

    Fans attending the shows on this tour will be the first ones to hear the new songs played live from the album.

    “There will be some debuts,” he said.

    While he has played about half of the album live already, he said it’s fun playing songs for the first time because people don’t know them and he does more experimentation and jamming.

    “If we screw up the song, people won’t know because they haven’t heard it before,” he said.

    NEW ALBUM, BIRTHDAY

    The album 50 comes out a day before Hollingsworth’s birthday, when he turns 50. Reflecting on that milestone, Hollingsworth is not slowing down at all.

    “I still feel super creative and very active,” he said. “I feel very young still.”

    Regarding the title he laughed and said: “What the hell was I thinking? Why’d I call it 50. I’m gonna call it 25 Again.”

    Hollingsworth describes the album as exploratory and epic. “The album starts out as if you walked into the club and the band is already raging,” he said.

    He said it starts that way in the beginning with the song “Onset” and keeps the theme throughout while the last song is titled “Offset.”

    BREWING BEER

    If it doesn’t seem like Hollingsworth has enough on his plate, he also has a new brew to wash things down. Ground Score IPA came from a collaboration between Hollingsworth, Relix magazine and Sweetwater Brewing Company. The launch party for the 7.1 percent ABV brew coincides with the first date of the tour on and will be served at the first venue they play at, Brooklyn Bowl in New York City.

    “I’ve made about 30 beers with people all around the country,” he said. “And this is one of my more favorite ones,” he said. “It is more unique in their (Sweetwater) style of beer.”

    Hollingsworth picked up homebrewing as a hobby from his brother.

    “I always did anything my brother did,” he said. “He started watching the Grateful Dead, so I started. He started smoking pot, I started smoking pot, and he started brewing beer, so I started.”

    Hollingsworth compares brewing to making music because it gives him the same creative outlet.

    “Once you get it on your fingers, whether it is playing piano or brewing beer, it is fun to improvise and drift from the process, and some of that is where the magic happens,” he said.

    He appreciates the experimentation aspect of both hobbies.

    “It could be a great beer, or it could be a terrible solo,” he said. “Sometimes you win sometimes you lose. Sometimes you have a great beer; sometimes you have a terrible solo.”

    VISIT TO NEW YORK

    Hollingsworth said the beer he made with Relix and Sweetwater was inspired by some of the great Northeastern breweries. He can’t wait to try more local New York brews.

    “I’m excited. I don’t know much about the area,” he said.

    He also invites people to share their creations or favorite local beers with him.

    “People are always welcome to bring me tasty beers,” he said. “Either their home brews or local microbrews — I’ll try them.”

    He also plans to ski in some of his free time on tour. He said he has never heard of a garbage plate, but he would definitely try one.

    STRING CHEESE INCIDENT

    Hollingsworth said String Cheese Incident is in the studio working on a new album.

    “When I’m not running around making beer or touring, I’m in the studio full time with String Cheese,” he said.

    He cannot wait to let loose and get creative in their studio known as SCI Lab.

    Since he keeps himself busy with many projects, he doesn’t get much time to see many shows, but he said at festivals he enjoys drifting to the smaller stages and finding inspiration in what he hears. He mentioned he enjoyed seeing a DJ by the name of Elohim and My Morning Jacket, and he is always finding something new.

    “When I see music, for me, it is just wandering Electric Forest or Hulaween to smaller stages,” he said. “I try to find what inspires me. When I hear something magical, it draws me to the stage.”

    FRIDAY, FEB. 9

    WHAT: Kyle Hollingsworth Band; Sophistafunk opener

    WHERE: Funk ‘N Waffles 204 N. Water St., Rochester, NY

    WHEN: Doors 8 p.m.; Show 9 p.m.

    TICKETS: www.funknwaffles.com

    SATURDAY, FEB. 10

    WHAT: Kyle Hollingsworth Band; Sophistafunk opener

    WHERE: Funk ‘N Waffles 307 Clinton St., Syracuse, NY

    WHEN: Doors 8 p.m.; Show 9 p.m.

    TICKETS: www.funknwaffles.com

    Kyle Hollingsworth Band’s new album “50”

    1. Onset
    2. Wyatt Earp’s Tale
    3. Let me in
    4. All Falls Apart
    5. Finding Our Way
    6. Prime
    7. Stuff
    8. Tumbling
    9. Come On
    10. So Fine
    11. Take the Ride
    12. Offset

  • Syracuse Native Rhiannon Payne Taking Music Career to Next Level

    Rhiannon Payne knew she wanted to be a music superstar since the very beginning of her life.

    “I was 3 years old when someone told me ‘Hey kid you can sing,’” said the Syracuse native. “So that was kind of it for me.”

    She’s ready to take her career to the next level with a new album and tour planned this summer. The album, which she hasn’t titled yet, will include 10 tracks, and she hopes to have it released by early June with a two-month tour to coincide.

    Payne will share her talents at Funk ‘N Waffles on Clinton Street in Syracuse at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9.

    EARLY EXPERIENCE

    Payne explored her musical talent often growing up and she worked hard pursuing her career. She took music classes and participated in chorus, but it was a band that guided her.

    “I was in a band for three years, and that really helped me realize what I wanted to do,” she said.

    From age 13-16 Payne sang for the pop-punk/alternative band Nextake. She familiarized herself with the stage through singing and playing local venues.

    “I love performing in front of people,” she said.

    Nextake performed at local venues around Syracuse, and one big feat Payne was proud of was opening for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus at the Westcott Theater in April 2012.

    “That was an amazing experience,” she said.

    In high school she started buckling down to prepare for the journey ahead.

    “I took every opportunity I could to put myself here,” she said. “It was kind of like my accumulation of taking all of the tools and people I had to help me out — I took advantage of everything I had.”

    “I met wonderful people there who really knew how to tie and relate what I learned in school to my actual career.”

    Payne didn’t want to go to college because she thought it wouldn’t help her career. But she found classes she could apply to singing and help her voice for the long-term. So she pursued a degree from Onondaga Community College and graduated with an associate’s degree in applied science.

    NEXT STEPS

    Now that Payne honed in on her talents, she is focused on her album and the next steps for her path of success. She hired a manager at the end of last year, she has a producer working on her album, and she also hired a promoter as well.

    “My music was beginning to falter because I couldn’t spend time to practice or write,” she said. “It got super overwhelming. I understand why musicians need large teams of people to do what they do.”

    She said she wrapped up recording for mostly everything on the album and is going back and forth with the editing process. Shane Patterson is working as the producer out of Hobin Studios in Phoenix, NY.

    The album includes eight new songs and two she has already released. “Bedtime Stories” was published in October with a music video. “Through Me” was a song she had produced and released in May 2015.

    Payne is shooting for early June to release her album. She is planning to have a huge party and then have a two-month tour lined up around New York and New York City.

    She said her ultimate goal is to move to Nashville, to continue developing as an artist.

    “I want to get experience writing and collaborating with more musicians,” she said. “I want to learn as much as I can from a large music capital.”

    PLAYING STYLE

    When it comes to her music, Payne said she likes to play all types of genres.

    “No one can really ‘genre-tize’ my music,” she said. “One song will sound jazzy, one will sound like Irish folk.”

    While she can play many different instruments, she is often seen with a guitar. At her shows, fans can expect to hear her original songs with some covers added to the setlist.

    Since she likes to play all genres, she said she covers anything — giving classic rock, Ariana Grande and Paramore as examples of the variety she includes.

    The show at Funk ‘N Waffles will include a set by former Nextake bandmember Dylan Aird. Payne said she is excited for the show and they will perform together for a song during each other’s set.

    One last thing about Payne’s name in case it sounded familiar: She was named after the Fleetwood Mac song. And Stevie Nicks did inspire Payne at a young age.

    “I saw her rocking on stage and I would say ‘Yup, that’s gonna be me.’”

    SEE RHIANNON PAYNE LIVE

    WHAT: Rhiannon Payne with Dylan Aird

    WHERE: Funk ‘N Waffles 307 Clinton St., Syracuse, NY 13202

    WHEN: Friday, Feb. 9

    MORE INFO: Funk ‘N Waffles Website

    Rhiannon Payne Facebook

    Twitter: @RhiannonPayne7

    Instagram: @RhiannonPayne7

    Interview with #thePostshow from KROCK

    Rhiannon Payne’s music is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and iHeartRadio.

  • Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa Release ‘Black Coffee’ Cover Album

    New Hartford native, Joe Bonamassa, teams up once again with multi-talented blues rocker Beth Hart, on their newly released album Black Coffee, which covers some classic recordings from legendary soul artist.

    Black Coffee will see the duo perform ten, time-honored soul tracks by artist like Ike & Tina Turner/Steve Marriot, Edgar Winter, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Lil’ Green, LaVern Baker, Howlin’ Wolf, Lucinda Williams, and Waldeck. The Grammy nominated duo turned to a familiar face in producer Kevin ‘Caveman’ Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Rush, and Bonamassa himself) who helped produce the duo’s Seesaw album in 2013.

    Bonamassa and crew sought out some of the best musicians in the music industry to help collaborate on Black Coffee including Anton Fig (Drums/Percussion), Ron Dziubla (Saxophone), and Lee Thornburg (Horn Arrangements/Trumpet/Trombone) and welcomed in Reese Wynans (Keyboards), Michael Rhodes (Bass), Rob McNelley (Rhythm Guitar), Paulie Cerra (Saxophone), Mahalia Barnes (Backing Vocals), Jade Macrae (Backing Vocals) and Juanita Tippins (Backing Vocals). The album was recorded at the Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas in five days.

    Producer Kevin Shirley talked about past sessions behind Black Coffee, and what they were tying to achieve on the album. He stated, “We’re trying not to dig into a playbook that’s been done many times which is the old soul classics. We try and find a different spin on it, originally it was about trying to find some songs that people didn’t know at all and bring them back to people’s attention.” Bonamassa added, “For me I’m able to explore the kind of music I have always admired from afar, but you don’t want to hear me singing Ella Fitzgerald…” Hart chimed in saying, “I would never do Ella Fitzgerald without being with Joe, the things I get to do with you are things I think I grew up always wanting to do, but never believed I could.” Bonamassa went on to explain, “It’s really predicated on the vocals. We can’t cut these tunes without Beth singing and once she starts singing, it’s the glue that inspires us to get the extra 10% out of the playing. If we just cut them and sang later, the magic wouldn’t be there.” Hart agreed adding,”That’s something the two of us stopped doing many, many years ago. There was all this layering and layering and then it’s time for you to sing and it’s like you’re not even making music any more. There’s nothing like being able to sit there live and see Joe, seeing the drums, seeing the bass, being able to see Kevin. I can feel the vibrations, it changes the whole thing.”

    Bonamassa became intrigued by Hart after seeing her perform on television, and even more impressed after seeing her perform a show in Switzerland. He would cross paths with her several times during separate runs of Europe. Wanting to try something new, Bonamassa was inspired to pair himself with a female musician with Hart being his first choice.

    Black Coffee Tracklist:

    Give It Everything You Got
    Damn Your Eyes
    Black Coffee
    Lullaby Of The Leaves
    Why Don’t You Do Right
    Saved
    Sitting On Top Of The World
    Joy
    Soul On Fire
    Addicted
    Baby, I Love You * Bonus Track

  • moe. Returns With a Vengeance for Sold Out Capitol Theatre Run

    After a 7-month break due to bass player Rob Derhak’s battle with cancer, Buffalo rockers moe returned to the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York to deliver two sold out shows on February 2nd and 3rd. Their first shows with the full lineup since July featured a variety of fan favorites as well as four brand new songs from four of the five band members. The first night featured an opening act, with the high-energy funk outfit Kung Fu properly warming up the crowd for the main event.

    After a brief word of thanks from a very emotional Rob, the band wasted little time diving into the flagship “Rebubula,” Rob’s anthemic ode to his wife, Rebecca. They quickly transitioned into the funky “Akimbo” which featured a slap-happy bass interlude that made the hungry crowd explode. This was followed by the twangy, energetic “32 Things” and then a brand new song titled “What Can I Say,” written by guitarist Al Schnier. “What Can I Say” was originally debuted earlier in the week during the band’s pre-show webcast, though this was the first time the song had been played in a live setting. Fans then belted out the opening lines to the fan-favorite “Spine of a Dog” which was followed immediately by “Plane Crash,” which felt particularly deserved, with Rob screaming the words “I don’t wanna die” at the end of the final chorus at the top of his lungs.

    Set 2 started off with a bang with the Pink Floyd-inspired “Silver Sun” and then Rob was able to showcase his brand new tune, “LL3” which he wrote in transit to his chemotherapy treatments. “LL3” already shows great potential as a jam vehicle, and will probably appear on the new album that the band is cooking up. The rest of Set 2 was a continuous battery of rock and roll as they interweaved “Moth,” “Captain America,” the instrumental “Hector’s Pillow,” the legendary “meat.” and finally closed with the end of “Moth,” completing a sandwich that took up the majority of the second half of the show. Guitarist Chuck Garvey then led the band in an encore rendition of “Wind it Up,” that had the entire audience collectively singing the lines “Be on my side, I’ll be on your side” with the band.

    A veritable army of excitable moe.rons showed back up to the scenic Capitol Theatre for Round 2 on Saturday, for a performance that was somehow even better than the previous night, this time with no supporting act. It was a night of pure moe. and once again the crowd was deafening when a happy and healthy looking Rob Derhak took the stage.

    The band opened with the crowd-pleasing “Okayalright,” which segued smoothly into “Not Coming Down,” once again showcasing Rob’s bass skills. This was followed by the entrancing instrumental “Wormwood,” which then seemlessly transitioned into the slide guitar-heavy intro to “St. Augustine.” Next, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist debuted his new song, the dark and moody “I Can Never Remember,” which he sang with his signature rasp. This was followed by the short and pleasant Chuck Garvey tune “All Roads Lead to Home.” After “All Roads” came “Opium,” and Rob showed how well his voice has healed, demonstrating his impressive vocal range. The first set closed out with a monstrous version of the jam beast, “Recreational Chemistry” before they took a short set break.

    Set 2 started with a powerful rendition of “Brent Black” which featured not one or two, but three bass solos from a smiling, enthusiastic Rob as well as a fearsome drum-off between Jim Loughlin and drummer Vinnie Amico. Afterwards, Al Schnier led the band in a spirited version of “Mexico,” telling the story of his tumultuous 21st birthday. This was followed by “Timmy Tucker,” once again proving that Rob still has his vocal chops. Chuck Garvey then debuted his newest song, “New Hope for the New Year,” which definitely shows great promise for future shows and the new album in the works. The rest of the set was vintage, heavy, dark, creepy, spacey moe. as they played “Yodelittle” into the high energy protest song “George,” back into “Yodelittle” and then into the sing-a-long “Buster,” every moe.ron’s favorite song about a flying pig. They encored with “Nebraska,” complete with a ripping talk-box solo from Garvey, and finally the hard-hitting “Annihilation Blues” to cap off the back-to-back performances. 

    moe. proved this past weekend that they are far from done, and after Rob’s recent cancer scare and recovery, he is clearly eager to please his fans and write new music. The historic Capitol Theatre projected a series of images of Rob from different stages of his career throughout the shows, and moe. brought an anxious crowd to their knees. Once again, it’s so good to have you back Rob. We hope for many, many more years of music and laughter from you.

    February 2 Setlist

    Set 1: Rebubula > Akimbo, 32 Things, What Can I Say (FTP), Spine of a Dog > Plane Crash.

    Set 2: Silver Sun, LL3 (FTP), Moth > Captain America > Hector’s Pillow > Moth > meat. > Moth

    Encore: Wind it Up

    February 3 Setlist

    Set 1: Okayalright > Not Coming Down > Wormwood > St. Augustine, I Can Never Remember (FTP), All Roads Lead To Home, Opium, Recreational Chemistry

    Set 2: Brent Black, Mexico, Timmy Tucker, New Hope for the New Year (FTP), Yodelittle > George > Yodelittle > Buster

    Encore: Nebraska, Annihilation Blues

  • Turkuaz Brings a High Energy Wednesday Show to Cohoes

    The nine-piece funk group Turkuaz played the Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes, NY Wednesday January 31. This was the group’s first time playing in Cohoes and managed to leave a great impression. No matter if it was your first or tenth time seeing Turkuaz, there was a song for everyone. Just a couple songs into their set, the group played “Mountain,” one of their signatures songs with a long dramatic pause keeping the crowd on their toes.

    turkuaz cohoesThroughout the whole show the energy stayed consistantly high. Turkuaz ended the set with “Monkey Fingers.” Lead guitarist Craig Brodhead and Sax player Josh Schwartz traded off solos pushing the song to its limits.

    turkuaz cohoesSetlist: Typa-Lika, Mountain, M’Lady, Nightswimming, Snap, Crypto, Fall Asleep, Famous, Holy Ghost, On the Run, 20 Dollar, Slippery People, Habitat, noise, Percy, The Rules, Coast, Don’t Do It, Monkey Fingers

    Encore:  Back To Normal

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  • With a revamped lineup, Ponder set for big things in Buffalo

    Ponder, a three piece Indie band that started out at SUNY Geneseo, will perform on Saturday, February 3 at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo with The Good Neighbors and Max Muscato & Outer Harbor. This is the first show for Ponder since changing their name (from Ponder the Giraffe) and restructuring their lineup.

    ponder buffaloAfter winning a battle of the bands in 2015,  Ponder the Giraffe  earned the opportunity to open for New Politics in April 2016.  When the band graduated in May 2017, Gabriel Birkby (guitar, vocals), Andy Hogan (bass, vocals) and Aaron Murphy (drums) relocated to Buffalo to continue writing, recording, and performing.

    While the freedom of college allowed the band to focus almost solely on music, the band came to an understanding that perhaps it was time to move on from the college mentality, and entertained the notion that a re-structuring and re-vamping of the current sound and platform could be advantageous to pursuit of a life of music. Thus, “Ponder” was born. While the band has lost its giraffe, with Aaron Murphy seeking to pursue higher education and moving on as a full-time member, Gabe and Andy plan to soldier on.

    The trio performed at Rochester Fringe, with four sets over the last two years at Java’s Cafe, a cozy and eclectic coffee house tucked away on Gibbs Street off of East Avenue, right in the heart of Fringe. Ponder also performed alongside Buffalo’s Aqueous, as well as Jimkata and Space Carnival. The group recorded a four track EP, From The Porch to The Curb and a full length studio album (recorded at Quiet Country Audio), These Words, both of which are available on Spotify and iTunes.

    Ponder will be bringing new sounds, instrumentation, and members to the group, including a new (and yet to be officially determined) drummer to the mix, along with friend Paul Sottnik from Buffalo’s “The Everythingness,” on keys. More featured sit-ins from local musicians are planned for shows in the future, and ponder will always be looking for more musicians to share the stage with. Big things are on the way for the newly re-formed Ponder, with show and festival announcements soon to follow.

    On Sunday, February 11 at Mohawk Place in Buffalo, Ponder will open up for the eclectic rockers from North Carolina, BIG Something.

  • Lera Lynn has fun showing fans she’s not as gloomy as you think she is

    Fans of HBO’s “True Detective” know Lera Lynn. Kinda.

    Fans will discover just how much they really do know about Lynn when she performs at the Massry Center for the Arts on Friday, Feb. 2.

    Lynn played the sulking singer in the dive bar frequented by Colin Farrell’s and Vince Vaughn’s characters. Her music, such as the single “The Only Thing Worth Fighting For,” set the tone of a gut-wrenchingly somber television experience.She earned the opportunity to write and appear on the show after producer T Bone Burnett heard her cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” To separate herself from legions of musicians who preceded her, she said she tweaked the tune by playing it with a melancholic minor key. It was just the sound Burnett wanted to capture for the show’s second season.

    Nearly four years later, people aware of her acting career, and less so of her musical career, still see her as the brooding bar singer from the show.

    “Following the show, a lot of people expected that the girl — that character — I was playing was me,” said Lynn. “It’s interesting to try to bridge the gap between a character who people perceive to be as me, and me.”

    Lynn’s Americana sound is defined by her sultry voice and a succinct narrative. Lynn’s 2016 release, “Resistor” drew comparisons to Gillian Welch, Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple, Margo Timmins and Norah Jones. It was an album she started writing while on set. To offset the gloom from the show, she said she poured a glass of wine and popped in a Pink Floyd CD. The result was the upbeat track “Shape Shifter.”

    “‘Resistor’ was a challenge,” said Lynn. “Because, I am a happy person, and I like to have fun! I like to dance, and I like to headbang, and I like to play a really loud electric guitar! I want those things to come through in my music, too.”

    “Resistor” was that bridge for Lynn and the fans who found her through the television series. There was a touch of the melancholy with a splash of the whimsy, such as the surf-noir track “Drive.” The play of her fuzzy guitar helps draw some fun from the surf rock genre local fans would recognize by Troy natives, and now Nashville residents, The Los Straitjackets.

    Lynn has already caught a big wave in 2018. She was named guest judge for the ongoing American Songwriter’s 2018 Lyric Contest alongside Charlie Worsham and Peter Bradley Adams.

    Two years removed from “Resistor,” Lynn said she has two albums worth of song material. A few of them she plans to play before audiences. Currently, she’s on a brief tour that will take her into New York City followed by Northampton, Mass; Albany and Vienna, Va. She hopes to have a new album out by this summer.

    Lynn’s writing process has changed over the years. Despite her gift for prose, she hates the process. Whereas her younger-self would sit down, write and be happy; she said she continuously works on each draft to strengthen her weaknesses. It’s a “squirmy” act she said she enjoys once it is done.

    “As you progress in songwriting… you learn to revise,” said Lynn, “and revise, and revise. Try to strengthen and outdo yourself. Learn to identify the weaknesses… I’m trying to hone, always.” Later this winter she will headline a show at Celtic Connections and perform overseas in a television tribute to one her favorites, Tom Petty. Petty, too, is said to have struggled through the writing of his songs. But, the finished work, Lynn said, “no one did that better.”

    “I think my whole life I’ve been searching for a way to write something that is succinct and poetic,” said Lynn. “Something that is commercial and artful. Something that people can understand on the first listen, but also has layers beneath for people to dig into.”

    This article was originally published by The Spot 518.

  • David Wax Museum Offered an Alternative to the State of the Union at Good Luck

    For Honest Folk’s first show of 2018, and their 10th show ever, they brought David Wax Museum, who themselves are celebrating their 10th year as a band. As they’ve made their way around the country, carting along their two kids, eating their kale and kimchi salads in parks or Wendy’s/Gas Station hybrids, they’ve made friendships at show stops along the way, with years separating meaningful contacts. On their drive to Rochester, with the cold and snow blustering in, they wondered if it was such a good idea to visit in January. But they remembered, people need the sense of community and warmth an intimate concert would bring, now more than ever. Right they were.

    On a different stage. in a different place, the President was celebrating his first year in office with his State of the Union. David Wax and his wife Suz Slezak, traveling as just a duo for this tour, presented their audience with a different vision of reality. While one was promising walls and deportations, this couple were breaking down barriers and blending cultures. Inspired by an early introduction to Buena Vista Social Club and collaborations with a musically-gifted Paraguayan exchange student, Wax travelled to Mexico where he learned their music and absorbed their culture. He developed a unique sound blending traditional Mexican and American folk music.

    Wax and Slezak blended the sounds of guitar, ukulele, fiddle, accordion with traditional Mexican percussion by way of a donkey’s jawbone and a tarima, a small wooden stage to stomp on. The diversity of the instrumentation provided plenty of different flavors throughout the show. On the gentle and moving “Wondrous Love,” Slezak plucked out an echoey melody on her fiddle reminiscent of Andrew Bird. They sang into a single mic on “Turn This Love Around,” which built up, finishing with a gorgeous mesh of guitar, fiddle, vocals and stomping.

    In the studio, the band would warm up by playing traditional Mexican folk songs. They shared a couple of them during the evening, including “El Toro Zacamandu,” a song Wax first heard in an ice cream parlor in Missouri of all places. They plan to record another album this year, and also introduced a pair of the new songs that will probably make it, “Line of Light” and “Be Patient.” With those as a sampling, it appears the future of their union continues to be bright.

    In a Democracy, citizens are offered the opportunity to participate in the process. The same was true during this concert. During “Yes, Maria, Yes,”  the audience was split into two sides down the middle. One side stood and sang, “Yes, Maria, Yes,” while the other stood and sang, “No, Maria, No” in quick succession, up and down and back and forth like a good congressional debate. In a more immersive bit of participation, the crowd was asked to close their eyes during “Every Time Katie” to experience a ‘concert in the blind’. Wax and Slezak walked through the room, playing guitar and bells, providing an intimate surround-sound moment of calm and beauty. A rare feat in this day and age.

    Why did the band drive to Rochester in the dead of winter? Because they trusted in the integrity and vitality of the Honest Folk music series, of which they were happy to be a part. A full house of attentive music lovers certainly made it worth their while. And they promised to be back, hoping to bring their full band back to Monty’s Krown, the first place they ever played in town way back when.

    As with all Honest Folk shows, there were also tangible answers to the state of our union. On the environmental front, Impact Earth was on hand to help make it a zero-waste event. And 10% of the concert’s proceeds were donated to The Center for Youth, whose Executive Director, Elaine Spaull, spoke about the center’s mission to provide a safe space for LGBTQ youth.

    Setlist:
    Set 1: Singing to Me, Don’t Lose Heart, El Ahualulco, Line of Light, Wondrous Love, Harder Before It Get’s Easier, At Least I Tried, Yes Maria Yes

    Set 2: The Least I Can Do, ?, Turn This Love Around, Be Patient, El Toro Zacamandu, Every Time Katie, Unfruitful, Guesthouse

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