NYS Music 20​18

Tag: Pink Talking Fish

  • Best Of NYS 2018: New Bands On The Block

    Its that time of the year again. We have been blessed with so much great music throughout 2018 and it will be impossible to cover it all. Stay tuned throughout the next few days as we delve into some of the best bands, albums, festivals and towns in New York State – and beyond. These picks have been curated from our wonderful staff to expose you the vast talent of musicians that pass you on the streets and dwell in your neighbouring towns. Each day will introduce new music for you to listen to, but for now – the good stuff – THE BANDS.

    Best Under the Radar band from New York

    Witty Tarbox

    The Buffalo=bred indie-surf ensemble will celebrate their two year anniversary on New Year’s Day. Their first EP The Adventures Of Schmitty: Issue #1 V. Rare puts an edgy twist on Upstate’s jam-band culture. Listening to “Schmitty & Bags” will open up an electrified rabbit hole, riddled with screaming guitar, thunderous toms and over-the-bar groves. Witty Tarbox is multifaceted, dumping all your musical inspiration into a blender where none of the flavors get lost. Instead, they have their own layered place in the mix, complemented by unorthodox instrumentation. Crack one open and find out for yourself.

    Escaper

    After discovering Brooklyn’s Escaper, you will be gridlocked centerstage wondering: What the hell just happened? Escaper released their second studio-album this year, Edge Detection, that detonates musical genres and resonates through the shrapnel. They are the explosion – a mess of sounds that shouldn’t fit together, but they do. It’s exhilarating. Ironically, there’s no escaping. From smooth jazz-saxophone to a vortex of organ, arena-rock guitar and metal-esque drum fills, Escaper delivers. Edge Detection captures their free-form performances and jam roots that make you almost-obligated to the live experience. Escaper has only been around for a few years, but have shared the stage with John Fishman (Phish), Galactic and Aqueous and are taking New York State by storm.

    Best Under The Radar Bands: Discovery

    Cold Lazarus: Reggae-infused intellifunk jam rock – Jamestown, NY – Est. 2017

    The Goodnight Darlings: Indie-pop rock – New York, NY

    Dirty Blanket: Dirty string-slingin’ bluegrass – Finger Lakes Region

    Groovestick: Powerhouse funk trio – Albany, NY

    Intent To Sell: Hip-Hop/Rock – Buffalo, NY

    Rootbrew: World-beat infused americana – Rosendale, NY

    Mike Powell (& The Black River): Renegade-Folk Songwriter – West Carthage, NY

    Space Bacon: Jamtronica rock quartet – Brooklyn, NY

    Wuriliday: Soul-funk goodness – Albany, NY – Est.  2017

    Best Band EVERYONE Should Be Listening To

    Phish

    Like them, or not, Phish remains a staple in the world of jam-band music. It is expected that they swept the competition for Best Of. It’s the simple fact that: they have done it before. From books, boxsets and fanclubs, the sea of Phish is endless. Start swimming.

    For you newbies, swing on over to your local Ben & Jerry’s and pick up a pint of “Phish Food,” and indulge. Again: it’s been done before (hint hint). Go to LivePhish.com and listen to every live performance with a click. Your marshmallow-fudge covered lips will grin when you realize who that cutting-edge band got the idea from or when you recognize that solo-lick, jamming in your parents basement.

    “The intention that this band is so great at, is to stop thinking,” said Mike Gordon. It is the reason Phish was, and still is, the example in jam-band culture. They remain at the top because they are captivating and, in-truth, one could argue that it is you, the Phans, who are propelling their motion. “When we feel a surge, we surge, it happens all the time. Thunder will happen or lightning and I’ll hear the crowd go Wahhhh. Then we just ramp up,” said Trey Anastasio.

    Phish is set out to do another New Year’s Eve run at Madison Square Garden starting on December 28. Phish made their debut at Madison Square Garden in 1994. The four-day run sold out, expectedly so, and will mark 60 Phish performances at The Garden as we break into 2019.  Catch more details on Today’s (Monday) SiriusXM ‘Ask Trey’ on Phish Radio, Channel 29.

    Best Live Cover or Tribute Performance

    Pink Talking Fish

    Founder and bassist, Eric Gould came up with the idea of a fusion tribute to three of his most beloved bands: Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads and Phish. The intent is to “heighten people’s passion for music by creating something fresh.”  Collectively, the musicians of Pink Talking Fish are equally inspired by these crossroads, as are their fans.

    “If you enjoy the adventure of music, this is its epitome” said Gould. Pink Talking Fish embarks on a musical journey filled with rhythms you already know and love.

    In their rendition of Phish’s “Makisupa Policeman,” PTF incorporates Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” without straying from Phish’s Reggae feel. The band is further driven by the concept of setlists. Gould has always been intrigued by the construction of sets and how they influence the audience. Setlists are “musical candy to read on paper. And people are salivating over it.”


    Setlist: Speak To Me, Breathe, Down With Disease, On The Run, Thank You For Sending Me An Angel, Time, Mike’s Song, *Great Gig In The Sky, Weekapaug Grove, ^Money, ^*Take Me To The River, ^*Us & Them,  ^*Any Colour You Like, Ghost, Down With Disease Reprise, Once In A Lifetime, Brain Damage, Eclipse

    Encore: 18 ^*Julius
    * w/ Elise Testone on Vocals, ^ w/ Matt Wayne on Sax

  • Adirondack Independence Music Festival Closes Out Summer in Lake George

    Just in time to close out the summer, Adirondack Independence Music Festival snuck in a final taste of carefree living and beaming sunshine with a two-day jam in Lake George. Tucked away in upstate New York, the cozy site with two alternating stages backdropped the Labor Day Weekend everybody needed with familiar faces and top-notch talent across the early September lineup.

    Ready to launch festival goers into two straight days of live music, The Melting Nomads took the stage as the opening act. Featuring members from Annie In the Water’s last lineup, the fresh-on-the-scene artists played about an hour set. Next up was Jen Durkin & the Business on the Improv Stage. Steal your Peach band entertained in classic fashion with covers of The Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers over two sets. Keller Williams brought a real blue grass, jazz vibe to the entire grounds while Twiddle’s Mihali brought out his guitar to jam alongside Keller. Following Keller Williams was the renowned Sublime cover band Badfish. Twiddle closed out the night for the second year in a row, with an outstanding performance that had everyone on their feet. The band brought out special guests such as Joshua West of The Melting Nomads and Lowell Wurster. Attendance was nearly double of what the festival brought in the year prior, reaching nearly 3,5000 attendees.

    Ready to follow the kinetic atmosphere of day one with high energy, Let’s Be Leonard jump started Sunday funday and got the crowd moving in the early afternoon. Their laid back personalities and welcoming sound are the first to reel you in but their individual talents bring an extra flair to their live performance as a whole. The quintet played a few tunes from their sophomore release, Static, among the zany crowd favorite, “Brad Paisley.”

    Back to School Special followed punctually on the adjoining stage of the 25-acre Charles R. Wood Park. The first-time super group crafted by Turkuaz drummer Mikey Carubba, laid down the funk as they offered up impressively tight playing and fun splashes of covers throughout the hour set. With a highly skilled lineup consisting of Carubba, Beau Sasser (Kung Fu keys), Craig Brodhead (Turkuaz guitarist) and Sam Kininger (former Lettuce Sax), the experienced quartet instantly blended together to create quality tunes and a professional sound you’d think they’ve been crafting for years.The first double set at AIM Fest was taken on by Lucid, who draws a familiar and devoted crowd from Plattsburgh NY.

    Bringing Woods Rock to the forefront of the ADK stage, the North country musicians tapped into an eclectic selection of genres including harmonica solos throughout their two-hour gig. Previously introduced to Lucid or brand new to their sound, their catalogue and live performance is equipped with something for everyone. Right in the middle of a Lucid sandwich, Swift Technique came as a fresh pop of flavor delivering Philly funk with charisma, booming voices and a horns section demanding to be heard. Stellar crowd engagement from all band members and light-hearted messages to take care of one other truly reaffirmed what the upstate festival setting was all about. The entertaining outfit ended their set with Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and passed the mic back to Lucid for their final set, which found a performance of “Backwoods,” featuring Lowell Wurster’s father and Scott Hannay (Mister F, Wild Adriatic).

    Stepping on stage as if they were walking in the front door of their childhood homes, Pink Talking Fish comfortably let loose and connected with the vibrance of their musical predecessors. Momentum kept rolling through a seemingly sped up version of Phish’s “Cities,” giving phans who missed out on Curveball a reason to groove and shake about. A dive into Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” surely found bodies swaying in unison, with the song’s lyrics acting as a reminder to cherish the final moments of festival season. The Allman Brother’s Band “Whipping Post” made a surprise set-list appearance, acting as a bookend to a drum heavy “What’s the Use?” with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong drummer Alex Petropulos dropping by for a tasty breakdown.

    Lespecial hit the stage at dusk, taking the setting sun as an opportunity to bring the hard hitting funk metal and entrancing beats. The multi-talented trio has a way of mesmerizing festival goers with their gritty, unique sound. They loop their live performances and indulge in genres from electronica and house to progressive rock and dark metal. Known for their musical parallels and tendency to cover Primus, Lespecial took on “Jerry Was A Racecar Driver” to begin closing out their set in style with drummer Rory Dolan nailing the Les Claypool vocals.If there was any comfortable space around you, it was instantly absorbed by the time 8 o’clock rolled around. Bodies quickly assembled and flocked towards the front of the stage as Saturday night headliners Pigeons Playing Ping Pong closed out the fest with high spirits and optimal animation. With two sets of straight funk, the unstoppable touring machines pulled out all the stops, including a “Funk E. Zekiel” opener, a number of hits from their latest album, Pizazz, and two sit-ins from the Swift Technique horns on “F.U.N.K.” and Pink Talking Fish keyboardist Richard James on “Cliffs”> “Once In A Lifetime”> “Cliffs.” Always at the top of their craft with wacky facial expressions, in sync jamming and polished dance moves, the quartet have perfected their stage presence. With a tune self explanatory of the entire weekend, PPPP appropriately shut down AIM Fest with fan-favorite, “Fun in Funk.”

    Mirroring a similar feel that the tight-knit Disc Jam community gives off and what has been missing since Catskill Chill shut down, AIM Fest continues to emerge on the scene at the right place and time. It’s fourth year in operation proved to be the best yet and a fitting, colorful sunset to a noteworthy summer of live music.

  • Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival Returns for its Fifth Year

    Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival Returns for its Fifth Year in Croydon, NH at the Page Farm on Aug. 10 and 11.

    Photo courtesy of press release.

    The Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival aims to create a positive community centered around music, the arts, safety, and sustainability. This includes all things from the visual arts to the food provided along with the main attraction, the music.

    The line up includes Lotus, Emancipator Ensemble, Pink Talking Fish and many others. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the festival’s website.

    For more information on the Wild Woods Music and Arts Festival visit their website.

  • Adirondack Independence Music Fest 2018 Initial Lineup Announced

    The Adirondack Independence Music Fest 2018 is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing festivals in the Northeast. This year’s festival is taking place Sept. 1 and 2 at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George and features two sets from both Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Lucid along with a host of other national and regional acts.

    Additional artists scheduled to perform at the 2018 festival include Keller Williams, Pink
    Talking Fish, Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime, Lespecial, Formula 5, Jen Durkin & the Business,
    Steal Your Peach Band, Gratefully Yours, Swift Technique, Goose, Let’s Be Leonard, Root
    Shock, the Melting Nomads and LDF (Ladies Drink Free), with more bands to be announced
    soon. The festival also plans to announce a big headliner in late July.

    Music runs from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00pm each day on 2 alternating main stages at the festival
    grounds, followed by late night performances each night at local venue, King Neptune’s until
    3:00 a.m.. Goose, LDF (Ladies Drink Free) and Gratefully Yours have currently been announced
    for late night performances at King Neptune’s. Additionally, there will be a free kick-off party
    on Friday, August 31, with performances scheduled for both Shepard Park in downtown Lake
    George and King Neptune’s. So far, The Funky Dawgz Brass Band have tapped for the kick-off
    party, with additional bands still expected to be announced.

    Early bird tickets for Adirondack Music Fest 2018 are on sale now and are priced at $70 for the weekend or $170 for weekend VIP tickets. More information can be found at the festival’s website.
    Meanwhile, check out the Mirth Films promo video for this year’s event below.

  • Consider the Source Announce Coast-to-Coast Spring Tour

    Consider the Source has announced a Spring Tour, spanning the entire country coast to coast over 31 shows across March, April and May.  The first two shows of the tour find the trio opening for Pink Talking Fish at The Capitol Theatre on Feb. 10, and supporting funk/soul legends Soulive at Ardmore Music Hall on March 2. The next night the band then heads into Brooklyn to perform at House of Yes with You Bred Raptors? before taking a few weeks off prior to a cross country tour.

    consider the source coastConsider the Source were recently guests on Adult Swim’s Fishcenter Live. If you missed the episode, stream it here.

    Feb. 10 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY*
    March 2 – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA#
    March 3 – House of Yes – Brooklyn, NY%
    March 30 – Chameleon Club – Lancaster, PA%
    April 4 – Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY
    April 5 – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH
    April 6 – Reggies Music Joint – Chicago, IL
    April 7 – Source Public House – Menasha, WI
    April 8 – The Frequency – Madson, WI
    April 12 – The Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
    April 13 – Lost Lake – Denver, CO
    April 14 – The Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO@
    April 18 – Filling Station – Bozeman, MT
    April 19 – Red Room Lounge – Spokane, WA
    April 20 – High Dive – Seattle, WA
    April 21 – Analog Cafe – Portland, OR
    April 22 – HiFi Music Hall – Eugene, OR
    April 25 – The Dip – Redding, CA
    April 26 – Humboldt Brews – Arcata, CA
    April 27 – Alibi Ale Works – Truckee, CA
    April 28 – Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA
    May 2 – Mohawk – Austin, TX
    May 3 – Gas Monkey – Dallas, TX
    May 4 – The Abbey Underground – Denton, TX
    May 5 – The Shrine – Tulsa, OK
    May 9 – Zydeco – Birmingham, AL
    May 10 – High Rock Outfitters – Lexington, NC
    May 11 – Bright Box – Winchester, VA
    May 18 – King’s Rook Club – Erie, PA
    May 19 – Hookahville – Bellefontaine, OH
    May 26 – StrangeCreek Campout – Greenfield, MA

    *w/ Pink Talking Fish
    #w/ Soulive
    %w/ You Bred Raptors?
    @w/ The Jauntee & Sixty Minute Men

  • BoomBox Helps Reopen the Den as Putnam Place

    Upstate NY has been lucky enough to have a musical haven in the heart of Saratoga Springs, just 30 miles north of Albany and a straight shot up the highway. Always counting on Putnam Den for an eclectic lineup of jam shows, rap artists and electronic music, lovers of live music confidently had a venue to call home. Having witnessed the Den’s transformation over the last few months, Putnam Place is ready to take shape as an updated music hall with an already stacked roster of musical acts listed for the coming months. BoomBox, a disco house/vintage psychedelic outfit will help kick off the re-opening with a gig tonight, Jan. 24.

    With Putnam Place‘s schedule still filling out, dates are already notched for ChowderFest and Super Bowl parties among anticipated gigs like Formula 5 with Strange Machines, Richard James’ Krewe Orleans: A Mardi Gras Experience (featuring members of Pink Talking Fish, Trey Anastasio Band, Turkuaz and more) in February, as well as spring performances by Wyclef Jean, Grammy Award-winning Rebirth Brass Band, Start Making Sense, Enter the Haggis, Perpetual Groove, Pink Talking Fish and more.

    Since first jumping into the scene in 2004, the duo of multi-instrumentalist Zion Rock Godchaux and DJ Harry have been quietly seasoning this simmering recipe to perfection. However, it reaches a boiling point on BoomBox‘s forthcoming album, Western Voodoo and its impending string of east coast Winter tour dates, including tonight’s 9 p.m. party at Putnam Place.

    “I remain open to anything you would hear coming out of a boombox,” Godchaux, son of Grateful Dead’s Donna Jean explains. “There are a lot of different vibes and angles, but it still adheres to a universal rhythm. This new record is the most musical and varied, yet it’s tightly wound in respect to that syncopation. There are only a few rules. It should be heavy groove. It should make you want to move. Overall, I’ve further developed the sound people are used to.”

    Putnam Place’s face lift includes a giant new LED video wall and high-quality sound system, new technicolor lighting advances and a fresh coat of paint paired with interior design remodeling. The bathrooms that were once adorned with every square inch of band stickers are now a pale pink, at least in the ladies room, and come complete with bathroom attendants making the flow of traffic effortless. Events have taken place in the midst of the renovations, including a New Year’s party fully-equipped with an ice luge and soft seating.

    While it may be the new Place to be, for some, it’ll always be the Den.

    Jan. 24 – Putnam Place – Saratoga Springs, NY
    Jan. 25 – Aura – Portland, ME
    Jan. 26 – White Eagle Hall – Jersey City, NJ
    Jan. 27 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
    Jan. 28 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
    Jan. 31 – Rex Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
    Feb. 1 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
    Feb. 2 – Saint Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
    Feb. 3 – 20th Century Theatre – Cincinnati, OH
    March 17 – Pot Of Gold Music Festival – Chandler, AZ

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