NYS Music 20​18

Tag: Chris Eves and the New Normal

  • Rochester Fringe Continues: A Recap of Saturday Afternoon at Parcel 5

    It was a muggy 80 degrees in Rochester with nary a breeze to be found, but that didn’t stop people young and old from gathering at Parcel 5 for some live music on Saturday afternoon. Four days into the 11-day-long KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival, and the party is still going strong. The lineup at the main stage included Chris Eves and the New Normal and Shane Scarazzini & EightFingers, leading up to an encore performance by the UK’s Massaoke.

    Chris Eves and The New Normal kicked things off. The Syracuse-based band jam band has shared a bill with the likes of Zac Brown Band, Jon Fishman of Phish, Turkuaz, Gov’t Mule, Cheap Trick, and Gregg Allman. Today, they opened up the main stage on the first weekend afternoon at New York State’s largest multi-media festival.

    With a smooth blend of roots rock, funk, and blues, Chris Eves and The New Normal have been making a name for themselves in the region. The band laid down some groovy tunes that got people from ages 8 to 80 up and dancing. The set included their original songs, featured on their SAMMY-nominated debut album Find Your Way, as well as their latest single “In Between.”

    Following this act was Shane Scarazzini & EightFingers. A Hudson Valley native, Scarazzini relocated to Nashville a few years ago. Luckily for us, he still spends a lot of time gigging in New York. EightFingers is his latest endeavor, a trio that includes Don Holocher on drums and Lucas Carillo on bass.

    They started their set strong with a searing hot cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” People around me were singing along, even though the official mass karaoke party wouldn’t start for a couple hours. The band was comfortable playing everything from rock standards to country. Their set also included their latest original song, “Camilla.”

    Check out our opening weekend preview and coverage of Friday night’s Massaoke headlining set. Stay tuned to NYS Music for more coverage of the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival, which runs daily through Saturday, September 22.

    For information about upcoming events, go to RochesterFringe.com, where you can filter the 500+ events by type, venue, and date.

  • Taste of Syracuse 2018 Kicks Off Friday

    The Salt City’s annual rite of summer, Taste of Syracuse, kicks off Friday June 1 and runs through June 2, 2018. The annual free festival pairs the region’s foods and music in Downtown’s Clinton Square. This year’s headliner is ’90s alt-pop icons, Smash Mouth.

    The fest’s claim to fame is the $1 food samples from the various eateries set up in the square. You can find the full dollar menu here.

    Other than the food, Taste of Syracuse also provides a great free look at the wealth of musical talent from Syracuse and surrounding areas. With three stages, there is no shortage of music to be found. Things get going at noon Friday with Just Joe on the Clinton Square Stage, Peg Newell and Robyn Stockdale on the Erie Boulevard Stage and Max Scialdone on the Main Stage.

    https://youtu.be/1X0BB-61s6Q

    Music continues throughout the day with soul being the theme on the Clinton Square Stage. Tanksley performs at 6:30 p.m. followed by Israel Hagen’s Stroke at 7:45 p.m. Prime Time closes out the night at 9:30 p.m.

    The Erie Boulevard Stage gets funky Friday night with a double shot of Root Shock and Sophistafunk. The two Syracuse bands recently paired for a mini-tour together called the Salt City Shakedown that also included Syracuse’s Skunk City. Root Shock won the 2017 SAMMY award for Best New Artist and also captured the NYS Music March Madness title that year.  Country Swagg and Hard Promises close out the Main Stage Friday night.

    Saturday gets started at noon with Lori Ann singing the oldies on the Clinton Square stage. Syracuse’s master of the slide guitar, Colin Aberdeen will get funky on the Erie Boulevard Stage at the same time.

    Colin Aberdeen performing at the Dinosaur BBQ in April 2017

    The Main Stage on Saturday will feature Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at at 1:30, followed by the folk rock stylings of Poor Tim, featuring Shawn “Big Sexy” Smith, a former contestant on NBC’s The Voice and Justin Smithson, who has performed at Carnegie Hall.

    Chris Eves and the New Normal follow Poor Tim. The New Normal’s single “Green and Blue” was recently included on Relix magazine’s June Digital Sampler. You can listen on Spotify below:

    Country act, Grit and Grace and the latest “Vinyl Albums Live” set, “The ’90s Mix Tape” follow. Closing out the main stage and the festival is ’90s pop group, Smash Mouth.

    Other acts performing on Saturday include Grateful Dead tribute act Dark Hollow, hip hop from Joe Driscoll and the Brownskin Band, Americana from the Old Main, and funk from Skunk City on the Erie Boulevard Stage.

    The Clinton Street stage features the soulful alt-rock of the Black River, Tim Herron and Great Blue, Soul Risin’ and the Barndogs DELUXE.

    Attendance to the two-day festival is free. For the complete schedule, see below.

  • 2018 Saranac Thursday Lineup Announced

    The F.X. Matt Brewery in Utica announced the lineup for its 20th anniversary Saranac Thursday series for 2018. The annual event showcases many local and regional acts with the occasional national act as well. This year’s series kicks off May 24 with the Rome-based classic rock outfit, Work Related.

    In addition to 20 years of Saranac Thursdays, the brewery is celebrating 85 years of Utica Club, the brewery’s flagship beer, and 130 years of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company.

    Gates to the courtyard open at 5:30 and performances begin at 6:00 p.m. each week. A portion of the proceeds benefits the United Way of the Valley and Greater Utica Area. The events have raised more than $600,000 dollar total to date.

    2018 Saranac Thursday Schedule: 

    May 24 – Work Related
    May 31 – Chris Eves & The New Normal
    June 7 – Big Mean Sound Machine
    June 14 – Eric Tessmer Band
    June 21 – Our Common Roots
    June 28 – Follow the Muse
    July 5 – Gridley Paige
    July 12 – Last Left
    July 19 – LDF
    July 26 – Sir Cadian Rhythm
    Aug. 2 – Showtime
    Aug. 9 – The Old Main
    Aug. 16 – The Crazy Fools
    Aug. 23 – Handsome Young Ladies
    Aug. 30 – The Bomb
    Sept. 6 – Floodwood

  • NYS Music’s 2018 March Madness: Round 2

    It’s time for Round 2 of NYS Music’s 2018 March Madness! We have brought together 64 of New York State’s up and coming bands for a friendly tournament-style competition throughout the month of March, and we are now down to 32.

    These artists who hail from the Empire State are a sampling of the next generation of artists and come from all corners of the state, from Buffalo to Binghamton, from Plattsburgh to Patchogue and all points in between. Discover your new favorite band and vote for your favorites!

    These are 64 bands you might not know about, but should. NYS Music March Madness is a great way to discover a new and upcoming band in your area and show your support and love for bands you see often. We’d like to thank our regional sponsors Putnam Place, Anthology, Funk n Waffles and CEG Presents. These venues and promoters are small businesses and a sample of the backbone of the statewide New York music scene that helps artists grow and reach ever-widening audiences.

    Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!

    Get to know the 8 artists in the Putnam Place region and vote below

    Mikaela Davis (singer/songwriter) vs Haewa (fusion rock)
    The Dirty Pennies (indie rock) vs Sprocket (high power technical jam)
    Eastbound Jesus (Northern rock) vs Black Mountain Symphony (symphonic groove pop)
    Fondude (groove/jam) vs Let’s Be Leonard (jam/jazz fusion)Check out the 8 artists moving on in the Anthology region and vote below

     

    Iudica (alternative/grunge) vs Candy Ambulance (alternative/grunge)
    Sun Parade (grunge power pop) vs Folkfaces (roots folk/jazz)
    Chris Eves and the New Normal (jam rock) vs Moho Collective (creative instrumental)
    Jiggawaltz (funk metal) vs Ballroom Thieves (alternative rock)

    8 artists remain in the CEG Presents region. Check them out and vote below

    ShwizZ (progressive funk rock) vs Wild Adriatic (rock n roll)
    Intrepid Travelers (funk/jazz/rock) vs Escaper (space funk psyche rock)
    Polyvamp (funk and rock) vs Space Carnival (psychedelic groove rock)
    Sophistafunk (funk/hip-hop) vs Cold Lazarus (reggae jam rock)

    Get to know the 8 remaining artists in the Funk n Waffles region and vote below

    Holly and Evan (blues alt-rock) vs The Switch (rock/funk/blues)
    Formula 5 (jam/rock/fusion) vs The Other Brothers (soul/funk/R&B)
    Teddy Midnight (electro dance funk) vs Space Bacon (electronic rock jam)
    Space Junk (progressive jam trance) vs Dark Honey (indie pop rock)

    [colorvote id=”5″ style=”wpcvp-poll”]

    Second Round voting begins at 10AM EST on Thursday, March 8, and closes at midnight on Saturday, March 10. Round of 16 begins at 10AM EST on Monday, March 12. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!

  • NYS Music’s 2018 March Madness: Round 1

    It’s March and that means it’s time for NYS Music’s 2018 March Madness, Round 1! We have brought together 64 of New York State’s up and coming bands for a friendly tournament-style competition throughout the month of March. Some of these bands you may know, some may be unknown – and that’s a good thing! These artists who hail from the Empire State are a sampling of the next generation of artists and come from all corners of the state, from Buffalo to Binghamton, from Plattsburgh to Patchogue and all points in between. Discover your new favorite band and vote for your favorites!

    These are 64 bands you might not know about, but should. NYS Music March Madness is a great way to discover a new and upcoming band in your area and show your support and love for bands you see often. We’d like to thank our regional sponsors Putnam Place, Anthology, Funk n Waffles and CEG Presents. These venues and promoters are small businesses and a sample of the backbone of the statewide New York music scene that helps artists grow and reach ever-widening audiences.

    Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!

    Get to know the 16 artists in the Putnam Place region and vote below

    The Crooked North (Americana/bluegrass) vs Mikaela Davis (singer/songwriter)
    Haewa (fusion rock) vs Cousin Earth (ukulele rock/folk)
    Funktional Flow (jam/rock/funk) vs The Dirty Pennies (indie rock)
    FLOTUS (funky rock hop) vs Sprocket (high power technical jam)
    The Sea The Sea (indie folk pop) vs Eastbound Jesus (Northern rock)
    Black Mountain Symphony (symphonic groove pop) vs King Buffalo (psychedelic rock)
    Hartley’s Encore (funk/dance) vs Fondude (groove/jam)
    Of Clocks and Clouds (psychedelic/electronic rock) vs Let’s Be Leonard (jam/jazz fusion)

    Check out the 16 artists in the Anthology region and vote below

    Tart Vandelay (indie pop) vs Iudica (alternative/grunge)
    Ampevene (experimental prog rock) vs Candy Ambulance (alternative/grunge)
    Sun Parade (grunge power pop) vs Dave DiPrimo Band (alt-folk)
    Lord Electro (electronic/house) vs Folkfaces (roots folk/jazz)
    Witty Tarbox (indie/surf groove) vs Chris Eves and the New Normal (jam rock)
    Moho Collective (creative instrumental) vs Necrostalker (extreme death metal)
    Boogie Low (acid rock reggae fusion) vs Jiggawaltz (funk metal)
    Ballroom Thieves (alternative rock) vs Wavy Cunningham (New wave hip hop)

    Here are the artists in the CEG Presents region. Check them out and vote below

    ShwizZ (progressive funk rock) vs Barroom Philosophers (reggae/rock fusion)
    Dirty Blanket (bluegrass/newgrass) vs Wild Adriatic (rock n roll)
    The Late Shift (rock) vs Intrepid Travelers (funk/jazz/rock)
    Escaper (space funk psyche rock) vs Begging Angels (alt-country)
    Polyvamp (funk and rock) vs Noon Fifteen (progressive soul)
    Bad Mothers (groovy grunge) vs Space Carnival (psychedelic groove rock)
    Sophistafunk (funk/hip-hop) vs Bushicks (rock n roll)
    Cold Lazarus (reggae jam rock) vs Wurliday (soul funk)

    Get to know the 16 artists in the Funk n Waffles region and vote below

    Holly and Evan (blues alt-rock) vs Sydney Worthley (pop/folk/rock)
    The Demos (indie power pop) vs The Switch (rock/funk/blues)
    Ponder (alt rock) vs Formula 5 (jam/rock/fusion)
    Gowanus (jazztronica) vs The Other Brothers (soul/funk/R&B)
    Teddy Midnight (electro dance funk) vs Periodic Table of Elephants (garage/punk)
    Space Bacon (electronic rock jam) vs Backseat Bullets (punk/shoegaze)
    Hudson’s Crew (alt rock) vs Space Junk (progressive jam trance)
    Jess Novak Band (blues/rock/soul) vs Dark Honey (indie pop rock)

    First Round voting begins at 10AM EST on Monday, March 5, and closes at midnight on Wednesday, March 7. Second Round begins at 10AM EST on Thursday, March 8 with the remaining 32 artists. Vote now for your favorites and discover some of the great up and coming music that New York State has to offer!