NYS Music 20​19

Author: Rebecca Clark

  • Ani DiFranco Interacts with truth in Homer

    Speaking your truth through music is what it is all about and Ani DiFranco does it well, both in her songs and interactions with an audience. DiFranco sold out the Homer Center for the Arts on November 5, 2019. Before Executive Director Ty Marshal introduced Ani, he said that ‘he had the dream of booking her there since he started five years ago.’ It was the fastest a show has ever sold out at the theater.

    Ani’s tour is simply a must see for not only her performance but also for opening act, Gracie and Rachel. Their mellow yet striking sound is unique because of their piano and violin mix. Gracie’s piano and Rachel’s violin compliment each other which felt like a musical conversation as they performed. They joked about their anxiety-driven lyrics, but in reality their music is quite calming and serene. It’s as if they let their listeners know that they aren’t alone in their troubles and let the music soothe them.

    Once Ani DiFranco took the stage she dove right into “Not a Pretty Girl” and the crowd roared in excitement. Ani was all smiles and equally as excited to be playing the very intimate theater as much as the audience was excited to see her.

    Ani’s ability to play guitar is nothing but awe inspiring. She has a fearless fire within her and it pours out with every note. Her unique style of playing goes hand-in-hand with how she holds her own on stage. Her power and inspiration truly touched everyone in the theater that night. Ani is such a strong woman to look up to because of how brave she is. To speak her truth not only in her songs, but in between her songs. And the audience listened with respect.

    It was election day and she had to pause when she found out that a Democrat governor was elected in Kentucky. It was a win close to her heart which she got to share with Homer, NY.

    Ani broke up her performance with a few covers “Why We Build the Wall” by Anaïs Mitchell and “Skinny Love,” by Bon Iver, whom she will be performing with after the end of this tour on November 21 in Eau Claire, WI.

    Setlist: Not a Pretty Girl, Dilate, As Is, Fire Door, Anticipate, Allergic to Water, Genie, Why We Build the Wall (Anaïs Mitchell cover), Woe Be Gone, If He Tries Anything, Reckoning, Skinny Love (Bon Iver cover), Save Me Jesus, Alrighty, Play God, Alla This, E: Which Side Are You On?, Joyful Girl

  • In Focus: Breaking Benjamin Brings Mini Rock Festival to Lakeview Amphitheater

    Five bands on the same bill in one night makes for one long, but rocking evening. With so many bands playing it really felt like Breaking Benjamin brought a mini rock festival to the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, NY on Saturday August 24.

    There was a great mixture of new and well known faces on the stage performing that night. Opening the evening was one rad rocker-chick named Diamante. Her blue hair and Joan Jett inspired style added to her incredible stage presence.

    Breaking Benjamin Lakeview Amphitheater
    Breaking Benjamin Lakeview Amphitheater

    Next up was another amazingly talented rad rocker chick named Dorothy. Dorothy’s fashion and singing style was completely different, but equally as rocktastic as Diamante. It was great seeing two stylish and talented women opening up this tour. Dorothy has an old school rock sound mixed within with her sound. Diamante may have looked like Joan Jett, but Dorothy sounded more like a Joan Jett vibe/sound.

    Breaking Benjamin Lakeview Amphitheater

    Three Days Grace is one of those bands that you don’t realize how many hits they have on the radio until you see them perform live. They have come a long ways with their lead vocalist change up back in 2013, but their new singer knows how to bring the energy and connect with the crowd.

    Breaking Benjamin Lakeview Amphitheater

    Direct support for this tour was Chevelle. Chevelle is a three piece and always has played as a three piece live with no additional guitarist or tracks. They pride themselves on playing truly live and they don’t disappoint. Chevelle is a band that is all about the music and their performance reflects that. Chevelle is much like Three Days Grace where you just don’t realize how many of their songs have been on the radio over the years.

    Breaking Benjamin Lakeview Amphitheater

    Headliners Breaking Benjamin started out strong with “Red Cold River” while lead vocalist Benjamin Burnley walked out giving the crowd a heart sign then began to sing. Breaking Benjamin had a cool stage set up along with pyros.

    Breaking Benjamin are known for their song mash-ups during their sets and they brought it to Syracuse. This time their mash up consisted of “The Imperial March,” “Cowboys From Hell,” “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Enter Sandman,” “Bulls On Parade,” and they finished with a drum solo from Burnley. Burnley turned the mic over to band members guitarist Keith Wallen and bassist Aaron Bruch to sing a few songs.

    Breaking Benjamin:

    Chevelle:

    Three Days Grace:

    Dorothy:

    Diamante:

  • In Focus: Lindsey Stirling ‘Shatters’ Syracuse

    It really takes a special talent to bring a performance to life, like the way Lindsey Stirling does. Her show at the great New York State Fair on Friday, August 23 was inspiring. Lindsey can play the violin flawlessly while dancing choreographed parts of her songs with dancers, and alone. It was a beautiful mix of dance, ballet and music. Lindsey performed many of her hits including “The Upside,” “Crystallize” and “Shatter Me.”

  • In Focus: Five Finger Death Punch and In This Moment Rock Binghamton

    There aren’t many rock shows that roll through Binghamton, so when Five Finger Death Punch and In This Moment filled the near sold-out Broome County Arena on July 24, 2019, things got heated to say the least.

    In This Moment brought their unique stage set and put on such an amazing performance. ITM puts on more than a show, it is truly a mesmerizing performance that leaves you wanting to see more. They ended their set strong with “Whore.” Their dancers came out dressed in Handmades Tale costumes, which was such a great nod to the series and leaves you wondering why thier song hasn’t been used in the series.

    Headlining the show was Five Finger Death Punch. The tour was a mini break from their new album recording. It is amazing seeing how far this band has come. The band has had its ups and downs, but this show they gave everything they had to make it a great experience for Binghamton fans. You can tell singer Ivan Moody has found his happiness again on stage and that he loves connecting with their fans.

    Five Finger Death Punch will be going out on another Headlining tour this Fall starting in November and this was a great warm up mini tour.

  • In Focus: Rob Thomas’ Chip Tooth on Syracuse

    Rob Thomas stopped at the St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview on July 23 on the Chip Tooth Tour. Opening acts were direct support Abby Anderson and Chris Trapper.

    Setlist: I Love It, Real World ’09, Lonely No More, Her Diamonds, If You’re Gone (Matchbox 20), Can’t Help Me Now, The Great Unknown, Street Corner Symphony, One Less Day (Dying Young), Little Wonders, Fire on the Mountain, Let’s Dance (David Bowie), Early in the Morning, 3AM (Matchbox 20), Ever the Same, Someday, I Am an Illusion

    Encore: Something to Be, Unwell (Matchbox 20), Smooth, This is How a Heart Breaks

  • Shinedown Stops in Syracuse

    There is a saying that it takes 15 years to become an overnight success and, with a lot of hustle and hard work, that statement rings true for the band Shinedown.

    Back in February of 2004, Shinedown headlined at a small club in Syracuse with maybe 50 people in attendance. Flash forward to July 6, 2019 and they practically sold out the Syracuse Lakeview Amphitheatre. It was truly a sight to see all of their hard work back then paying off with a fan-filled amphitheatre.

    Shinedown’s band members, lead vocalist Brent Smith, drummer Barry Kerch, guitarist Zach Myers and bassist Eric Bass, pour their energy out into the crowd as soon as they hit the stage. They keep a curtain up to build up anticipation but once that curtain drops, Shinedown hit the ground running.

    Brent Smith took the time to shake hands with photographers in the photo pit.

    Lead vocalist Brent Smith is a tremendous performer and front man because of his magnetic engagement with the audience, his band members and even the photographers down in the pit. Smith loves his band and his fans, which shows in how he interacts with everyone he comes in contact with at Shinedown’s shows. Smith is always very humble and thankful for Shinedown’s fans. No matter how much a fan loves a band and their music, it is always heartfelt and touching to know the band appreciates the fan in return. All relationships are a two-way street and Shinedown helps to pave both sides.

    Halfway through Shinedown’s set the entire band disbursed throughout the huge audience at the amphitheatre, playing stripped down versions of “Amaryllis,” “I Dare You,” “Through The Ghost,” and “Second Chance.” It is a challenging feat to play together so well being so far apart, but they pulled it off and it was a unique way to give audience members stripped down versions of the songs.

    One of the highlights of the night was when they performed one of their latest singles, “Get Up.”  Smith had the crowd light up the amphitheatre with their cell phones. It was a chilling site to see and the song portrays such a positive message that it almost served as a pep talk from the band to keep going no matter what life throws at you.

    Shinedown is one of those bands that simply puts on an amazing show every single time and the Syracuse, NY show was no different. When a band truly loves and appreciates their fans and truly love what they are doing it shines through in their music and performance. It may have taken the music world a little longer than Shinedown’s earlier fans from that night back in 2004 to see their amazing talent, but now the music world is aware and it’s truly apparent with the filled Lakeview Amphitheatre a few weeks ago that Shinedown has touched so many fans  throughout their still growing career!

    Be sure to check out one of Shinedown’s shows when they come back to NY in September. You can see Smith & Myers acoustic on September 12 and the full band with Papa Roach, Asking Alexandria, and Savage After Midnight on September 20 in Albany, NY and September 27 in Buffalo, NY.

    Shinedown’s Setlist:

    Devil, Diamond Eyes, Enemies, Monsters, Black Soul, I’ll Follow You, Unity, 45, Bully, Amaryllis, Through the Ghost, I dare You, Second Chance, Simple Man, Cut the Cord, Get Up, Sound of Madness, Brilliant

  • Bush, Live and Our Lady Peace Leave CMAC Crowd Higher Than Ever

    90’s nostalgia was in the air when Our Lady Peace, Live and Bush made their stop on the Altimate Tour at CMAC in June. This tour brings some of the best bands from the ’90s together and truly made it one of the ultimate tours to see this summer.

    Kicking off the night was Our Lady Peace as they warmed the audience up with their intense yet centered energy. OLP is one of those bands that brings the audience’s energy up and got the nostalgia ball rolling for the evening. Their setlist was packed with so many hits from the ’90s/early 2000s such as “Superman’s Dead” and “Starseed.”

    Next up was co-headliners LIVE. Lead vocalist Ed Kowalczyk started singing from the middle of the amphitheater and slowly descended through the audience until he reached his bandmates on stage. It threw the crowd for an exciting loop as everyone turned their heads to locate Kowalczyk. LIVE really cherry picked their setlist, giving the crowd a fabulous mixture of their hits and throwing in some musical nostalgia of their own with their covers of REM’s “Losing My Religion” and The Rolling Stone’s “Paint it Black.”

    All three bands rocked CMAC, but there is no denying the energy Bush bought to the stage when they closed the night. Bush played a great set with a mixture of their hit songs, including their new single “Bullet Holes.” Lead vocalist Gavin Rossdale bounced around the stage just like he did in 1997. He and guitarist Chris Traynor have an undeniable vibe when they play their guitar chords together. Rossdale jumped off stage during “Everything Zen” and went through the audience, giving the fans in the back some love and appreciation.

    The Altimate Tour is not one to miss. It is a 90’s cocktail of amazing musicians that sparked the youth back then and they continue to feed that fire to their fans 20 years later. Not many bands can bring a tour like this to life, but Bush, LIVE and Our Lady Peace can and did.

    The Altimate Tour just kicked off their last leg of the tour and New Yorkers still have time to catch this amazing tour with stops scheduled for August 29 in Wantagh, NY and on August 30 in Bethel, NY.

    Our Lady Peace Setlist: Drop Me in the Water, Innocent, Superman’s Dead, Somewhere Out There, Clumsy, Stop Making Stupid People Famous, Starseed

    Live Setlist: Dam at Otter Creek, All Over You, Selling the Drama, Losing My Religion, Shit Towne, Iris, The Dolphin’s Cry, Paint it Black, Lakini’s Juice, I Alone, White Discussion, Heaven, Turn My Head, Lighting Crashes

    Bush Setlist: Machinehead, Chemicals, This is War, Sound of Winter, Swallowed, Everything Zen, Disease, Bullet Holes, Little Things, Glycerine, Comedown