On Friday April 5, The Record Company made their debut at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. A cold and rainy evening did not deter fans from a night of foot stomping soulful Rock and Roll, that included covers of the Beastie Boys and Grateful Dead.
Their sound incorporates slide guitar, distorted bass, Mark Cazorla’s Ludwig drum kit, and the enormous vocals of Chris Vos. It was a joy to see fans young and old come out and enjoy and appreciate a hard working rock band starting to make a name for themselves in the music scene.
The Record Company formed in a living room in 2011, playing farmer’s markets parking lots and in front of crowds of three, putting in the time to build this three-piece band to the powerhouse it has become. “Tears have been shed, stress has happened, Fuck it; it keeps you together,” said bass player Alex Stiff. All that time and experience shines through the music of The Record Company, showing why the popularity of this band is growing daily.
In a world full of mumble rap and this week’s newest pop star, it is a relief to see a hardworking band like The Record Company gain traction and success. Their music is refreshing and reassuring that Rock and Roll is here to stay.
The Record Company – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY
Setlist: Baby I’m Broken, On The Move, Rita Mae Young, New Speedway Boogie, Goodbye to the Hard Life, Hard Day Coming Down, The Movie Song, Life to Fix, Off the Ground
On Thursday April 4, 2019, the Atlanta, Georgia southern rock band Blackberry Smoke pulled into the historic State Theatre in the beautiful downtown Ithaca Commons area as a stop on their 2019 “Break It Down” spring acoustic tour.
Blackberry Smoke is currently on tour promoting their newly released EP, The Southern Ground Sessions, during this spring 2019 tour. This is the band’s first ever acoustic run. Blackberry Smoke has been a staple in the rock and southern rock genre since the early 2000s, however, it has been quite difficult to accurately define their sound which has most definitely become their own, combining an eclectic mix of rock, blues, country and folk.
Blackberry Smoke’s line up consists of Charlie Starr (lead vocals, guitar), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Brandon Still (keyboards, piano). Joining the band on stage was first call touring guitarist, session player and producer Benji Shanks.
Benji Shanks and Charlie Starr
With six studio albums under their belt, including Bad Luck Ainât No Crime (2004), Little Piece of Dixie (2009), The Whippoorwill (2012), Holding All the Roses (2015), Like an Arrow (2016) and Find a Light (2018), Blackberry Smoke has two Billboard chart-topping country albums and an enormous catalog of songs to choose from. Hailing from Atlanta, these Southern boys are no stranger to the road, touring and performing throughout the United States. Blackberry Smoke have headlined as well as opened for major artists such as Zac Brown Band, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church and more. For nearly two decades they continue to tear up the charts and the road with mega hits and touring, playing on average, 250 shows a year. They have developed quite the eclectic fan base as well, ranging from the classic Southern rock, country, rock and roll, grassroots and jam band fans. They have been known to frequently break into long jams, throwing covers into the mix of their music and play all night long.
After a mesmerizing opening set from Ida Mae, a talented husband and wife duo from the UK, Blackberry Smoke casually strolled onto the stage around 9 p.m. and played a two hour set, featuring nineteen songs which included three encores. The stage was intimately set with four stools in the front along with the small acoustic drum set stage right and the vintage looking keyboard stand stage left surrounded by table lamps set atop draped curtains and throws most likely covering amps. There were dozens of dimly lit amber electric candles throughout the stage as well making for a relaxing and comforting atmosphere. As lead singer/guitarist Charlie Starr was taking his seat before kicking off the set, he greeted the State Theatre audience by saying “welcome to our living room”
From L-R – Richard Turner, Benji Shanks, Charlie Starr
Blackberry Smoke kicked off their set with the 1927 Thomas Darby and Jimmie Tarlton classic “Columbia Stockade Blues,” followed by “Believe You Me” from their 2016 album Like an Arrow and “Too High” from the 2015 album Holding all the Roses. The band continued to play many of their well known hits as well as some lesser know songs from their immense catalog throughout the two hour performance. Nevertheless, all the songs lended favorably to the acoustic arrangements that these seasoned musicians performed for the exhilarated crowd at the State Theatre. The band kept their performance light and fun, interacting with the crowd and telling some interesting stories behind many of the songs or from their road escapades. At one point Charlie talked about touring the city of Ithaca, from visiting a vintage music store, yet forgoing a purchase during this trip, to visiting Cornell University’s Barton Hall and commenting about the diverse musical history at this famed field house. He commented that he learned that the Grateful Dead’s performance here in 1977 is considered one of the best shows of their career and that they were indeed in good company as fellow Georgian rap artist Ludacris too roamed the Big Red Campus at one point. Charlie and the rest of the band seemed to connect well with the crowd in Ithaca during this stripped down, personal feeling “Break It Down” acoustic show.
Benji Shanks and Charlie Starr
Blackberry Smoke Setlist – State Theatre Ithaca, NY 4/4/2019.
1.Columbia Stockade Blues 2. Believe You Me 3. Too High 4. Sure Was Good 5. Crimson Moon 6. Old Shoes 7. Best Seat In The House 8. Medicate My Mind 9. Lay It All On Me 10. Ain’t Wastin’ Time 11. Run Away 12. Like An Arrow 13. Ain’t Gonna Wait 14. Free On The Wing 15. Ain’t Got The Blues 16. Up The Road . ENCORE: 17. Loser 18. One Horse Town 19. Ain’t Much Left
Blackberry Smoke perform at the State Theatre in Ithaca, NY
The Allman Betts Band took to the Strand Center, for their fourth ever show, in Plattsburgh last Saturday. The newly grouped is fronted by Devon Allman and Duane Betts, the sons of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band.
The night was kicked off by Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root who showed off his impressive vocal range before ending with the Rusted Root classic “Send Me On My Way”.
The Allman Betts Band began their show with “Gonna Fly Now” (the Theme from Rocky) playing, and just as the song hit itsclimax, the band kicked in and transitioned into “All Night,” a song off their upcoming debut album. The talent in the room was never hidden, both Allman and Betts showcased their pure skill that can only be compared to that of their parents throughout the night. The band covered some Allman Brothers Band songs during their set and they also played an astonishing rendition of Prince’s “Purple Rain.”
The influence that Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts had on Devon and Duane was shown the whole night, while they certainly have their own sound (especially with their originals), they were both able to play their guitars as only their fathers could.
Lotus unleashed high energy into the Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night, with two sets of their eclectic, instrumental, dance multi-genre sound. The band members include Mike Rempel (guitar), Jesse Miller (bass/sampler), Mike Greenfield (drums), Luke Miller (guitar/keyboards) and Chuck Morris (percussion). Originally from Goshen College in Indiana, the band is now based out of Philadelphia and Denver.
Jaw Gems opened for Lotus, and successfully warmed up the crowd. They are an electronic band from Maine that is creating beat music in a more organic live setting. Friday’s lineup included bass, drums and synthesizer, and delivered dark grooves that flowed into one another.
Lotus took the stage in front of the packed crowd, and picked up where they left off on Thursday night, which included a rare Talking Heads Deconstructed set with Gabe Otto at the Brooklyn Bowl. The flawless transitions combined with powerful electro-pop beats of “Intro into a Cell” > “E” > “Trip” > “Stranger Danger” had the floor dancing and excited almost instantly. Other notable songs include the hip-hop based “Golden Ghost” > “Intro” and the electronic groove “Anti-Gravity” > “B” > “Comptroller”. Throughout the set, Rempel delivered intense guitar riffs, and had excellent synergy with both Jesse and Luke Miller.
Lotus emerged after the break with “Nematode,” a fan favorite from their Gemination album. The dark “Bellwether,” another classic Lotus tune from their Hammerstrike album, and the newer hip hop tune “Gunk,” from their recent Frames Per Second album, both showcased Greenfield’s drumming versatility and skills. The jam of the night was undoubtedly “Arupa” > “½” > “Bubonic” > “B” > “Flower Sermon” and included elements of Lotus old and new. “Arupa”’s organic feel was great contrast to the edgy “Flower Sermon.” The band closed out the night with the cohesive, funky dance tune “Sift.”
Lotus brought their signature jamming to the sold out Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night, and sent their fans home exhilarated after a night of intense dancing.
Jaw Gems Setlist: Parch, Graymalkin, Ohio, Sap Flow, Young Pulp, Sweet Egg, Liquid Purchase, (INTERLUDE//MPC SWITCH), Rvil, Sleep arena, Peace Pipe, Narrows, Party Slave
Lotus Setlist:
Set 1: Intro into a cell > E > Trip > Stranger Danger, Golden Ghost > Intro, Turquoise, Anti-Gravity > B > Comptroller, 72 Hours
Set 2: Nematode, Invincibility, Bellwether, Gunk, Arupa > ½ > Bubonic > B > Flower Sermon
The second annual Rock for Recovery fundraiser for Helio Health took place on March 29 at The Palace Theatre in Syracuse with Modafferi, Periodic Table of Elephants, Late Earth and The Lightkeepers performing. The event was one of three regional shows to raise awareness of mental health and substance abuse issues. Shows in Binghamton and Rochester preceded this culminating show. The Lightkeepers headlined this year. Late Earth played all three shows as well as last year’s event. Director, Ashley Forshee decided to expand the event to three cities. Helio Health https://www.helio.health/ has services in Syracuse, Utica, Binghamton, and Rochester. It’s where “hope meets healing.”
One in twelve people will be impacted by a substance abuse disorder sometime in their life. Only 10% of those who need treatment will receive it.
On Wednesday April 3 The Brooklyn Bowl played host to a Benefit for Creative Music Studio. An amazing lineup of musicians including Billy Martin, Oteil Burbridge, Joe Russo, Marshall Allen, Dave Harrington, Cyro Baptista, Jonathan Goldberg and many more paid tribute to an amazing cause with two hours of jamming – blending of many different styles of music in true fashion of the foundation. The culmination of the performance came when founder Karl Berger conducted this amazing group of musicians, just as he’s done since he began this foundation.
Karl Berger, Ingrid Sertso and Ornette Coleman founded the Creative Music Studio in 1971. Their Goal was to establish a nonprofit organization focused on improvisation and musical cross-pollination that complemented musician’s academic studies. It’s a place where music as a universal language can be explored and expanded. The organizations main program was a place where over 500 hundred performances were recorded. Hundreds of guiding artists lived, played, and shared musical wisdom with thousands of participants many who went on to become well know musicians.
Experience Hendrix is a collection of famous guitarists covering some of Jimi Hendrix’s most well-known tunes. From classics like “Foxy Lady” and “Purple Haze” to Hendrix influenced versions of Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” and Howling Wolf’s “Killing Floor”.
Featuring Billy Cox (from Jimi Hendrix Experience / Band Of Gypsys), Joe Satriani, Dave Mustaine (from Megadeth), Jonny Lang, Dweezil Zappa, Eric Johnson, Doug “dUg” Pinnick (from King’s X), Chris Layton (from Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble), Mato Nanji (from Indigenous), Kenny Aronoff, The Slide Brothers, Henri Brown, Kevin McCormick, and Taj Mahal.
Setlist with Artists
Set 1: Freedom – Billy Cox, Dweezil Zappa, Chris Layton Foxy Lady – Billy Cox, Chuck Campbell, Mato , Chris Layton Power of Soul – Eric Johnson, Kevin Mccormick , Chris Layton Love or Confusion – Eric Johnson, Dweezil Zappa, Chris Layton Bold As Love – Eric Johnson, Dweezil Zappa, Chris Layton Are You Experienced? – Eric Johnson, Chris Layton The Sky Is Crying – Mayo Nanji, Chuck Campbell, Calvin Cook, Chris Layton All Along the Watchtower – Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Chris Layton The Wind Cries Mary – Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Chris Layton Spanish Castle Magic – Jonny Lang, Mato Nanji , Chris Layton Fire – Jonny Lang, Dave Mustaine, Chris Layton Purple Haze – Jonny Lang, Dave Mustaine , Chris Layton Stone Free – Billy Cox, Dave Mustaine, Mato Nanji , Chris Layton Set 2: Killing Floor – Taj Mahal, Mato Nanji, Chuck Campbell, Slide Brothers, Chris Layton Catfish Blues – Taj Mahal, Mato Nanji, Chuck Campbell, Slide Brothers, Chris Layton Hey Joe – Billy Cox, Taj Mahal, Mato Nanji, Slide Brothers, Chris Layton Red House – Billy Cox, Calvin Cook, Mato Nanji, Slide Brothers, Chris Layton You Got Me Floating – Billy Cox, Jonny Lang, Mato Nanji, Slide Brothers, Chris Layton Crosstown Traffic – Joe Satriani, Doug Pinnick, Kenny Aronoff Voodoo Child – Joe Satriani, Doug Pinnick, Kenny Aronoff If 6 Was 9 – Joe Satriani, Doug Pinnick, Kenny Aronoff 3rd Stone From the Sun – Joe Satriani, Doug Pinnick, Kenny Aronoff Voodoo Child – Joe Satriani, Doug Pinnick, Kenny Aronoff
If you haven’t heard of Cream before, you must live under a bloody rock. Although short-lived, the trio went on to write countless hits from “Sunshine Of Your Love” to “White Room” and perform the renowned blues cover “Crossroads,” originally by Robert Johnson. Moreover, TheCream’s third album, Wheels Of Fire, was the first LP to reach double-platinum status in 1968, shortly before their disband.
Sitting in a white room, backstage of Wall Street Theatre, we waited. Classic blues, the heart to rock n’ roll, turned in the background as if being scratched on an old Victrola. The bare walls left the mind open to get lost, solely in the music and a conversation-to-come. Will Johns, nephew of Eric Clapton, strolled in wearing black hoodie and tie-dye scarf, blending in with typical production-crew-attire. In fact, Will’s father Andy Johns was a seasoned engineer working with The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull and, of course, all three Cream members’ solo releases. Humbling, for someone of such colourful lineage.
“I was practically born in the recording studio,” said Johns. “My earliest memories were of a multitude of little lights, the smell you get, of electricity and musical equipment. It’s a particular smell.” His London accent emphasised the details, little lights and smell, drawing to precise memories or tangible things. Having people around that were creative from day one overstimulated Johns with endless musical possibility. And then you’d have your normal life. After a split-second debate, Johns lands on “Shit or Shinola,” brightly. “You sort of go towards the light,” now smiling ear to ear.
Johns continued to recount his earliest musical memories, a story he would tell to the audience with his immense wit. “I started hitting on the drums, first of all. I used to go to Uncle Eric’s house; he had a studio and a drum kit set up. I used to smash on it,” again his accent broke through. “One morning he was like: hmmm, maybe you should play a different instrument.” May it be Clapton’s musical genius or fate, simply put, guitar was in Will’s DNA.
“People get a kick out of hearing that one note for note, and I know that I get a kick out of playing it, right.”
After his Uncle Eric tangent, Johns told the crowd how he just really wanted to play “Crossroads.” Johns fumbled over each note, learning them in real time, sucking us back when he was six years old. He would lean in and out stretching his thoughts into a literal expression along with the neck of his guitar. As the iconic riff became audible, the crowd roared. Johns energy built with each increasing BPM.
Musical spawn of Cream’s bassist, Malcolm Bruce enters backstage and sits alongside his brother, facing my father. His forefinger was beyond blistered from the furious bass-playing from the night before, kicking off the tour, also marking his birthday. He was as witty as his partner-in-crime, clever, and sophisticated in far more than music. The energy in the room was towering and their sinergy was overwhelming. Mind you, Kofi Baker, son of the infamous drummer, would make is first appearance on stage. The record played on.
Charles DeFilippo: You guys were born into this rich culture of music and…
MB: RICH! (pauses) Or rich, creatively?
Before the chance to complete the sentence, asking about his first sparks of musical inspiration as a child, considering, Will chimes in, digging into the ‘CH’ and chuckling.
WJ: Yeah! We haven’t seen any, RICH, yet ourselves.
Malcolm leads, “I hear a lot of music,” BUT I DON’T SEE NO MONEY, they completed in unison.
Not only is music of a way of communication, but also of self expression. Combine this with a musically supercharged childhood, raised by industry legends and tied with a unbreakable bond of brotherhood. It was baffling to witness firsthand. It was so strong in that moment. The sum of two persons, finishing each other’s sentences, quite literally, on and off stage.
“We weren’t running in the same circles until our late teens, early twenties. Having said that. Will’s dad and my dad were best buddies for quite a long time,” said Malcolm. Will confirmed.
WJ: Malcolm’s dad was actually the best man, at my Mum and Dad’s wedding.
MB: They were dear, dear friends.
“You don’t always think about what you have, do you? Whoever you are. There’s a perception of rockstars and their kids, a fascination with that stuff as a culture, but maybe we see it more of being a musician. That’s where my dad came from, his idea wasn’t to be a rockstar, he was a working class Scottish man who wanted to be a jazz musician, or play in a blues band. So the very early 60’s when he started out was a different thing…where everything flowered and changed.”
In the midst of his breath, “Farewell Daddy Blues” turned in the background.
” I think it is amazing what my dad achieved as a writer and a performer. I am kind-of going my own way. This is just a great way to honour this amazing tradition. We just happen to be apart of that. Will came and jammed with my dad [back in the day], so it is all very natural for us.”
“[The music of Cream was] addressing anything from experimenting with drugs to baby boomer generations, before that, people were expected to live a certain way. There was that little window of opportunity for people to stand as equals with the middle classes, or whatever. We were born into that, but whether we saw ourselves as special or not, I don’t know. It was just what we knew,” Said Bruce.
On stage Malcolm and Will interject notes in between one another, copying syncopation and challenging each others’ melodies. Both of which fell in and far outside the worlds of Cream. Kofi’s whimsical speech about “now it’s time to take a break and go to the bathroom,” before a thunderstorm of a solo, only reeled the audience deeper into the second generation trio. Cream became a byproduct of this beautiful tradition, of musicians simply playing music.
“I wouldn’t say it has been smooth sailing. The original guys, our parents, our uncle, were ya know (snaps) – like that,” said Malcolm. That created an energy about the music. “With my dad and Ginger, they had a lot of history before Cream, had been in bands and thrown knives at each other on stage. In a similar way, without the knives, we have a certain freneticism between us. We are all quite strong personalities.”
“We all have thoughts… and feelings…,” said Will, cutting Malcolm’s words with a blade-sharp precision, as if they were his own.
Will’s counterpart continued. “For this kind of music, improvised rock, it’s a really good energy to have. You don’t want to make it too easy. The willingness to make mistakes. The willingness to put yourself out on the fringes of, beyond safety. That is part of the uniqueness, you get into the moment and see what happens.”
The guitarist weighs in. “It makes the music real, which I hate to say, is so rare these days. The motivation, and the actual, attack of the string, right down to every single note, is, very, important. What we’re doing is the old way,” said Johns. “It’s real music. It’s musicians playing with each other. It’s an equal footing. And like Malcolm says: A willingness to go there. Wherever there ends up. To listen and react, without control.”
After Kofi’s solo, Will was mickey-moucing to the resonance of each drum stroke, re-entering from behind the black curtains. Even on deaf-ears the music was heard in each exuberant motion. Their harmonies belted together as Kofi roared up and down the toms, as his father did in the 2005 live recording at Royal Albert Hall in London.
“We are not a tribute act,” said Malcom. “The overarching feeling is to take the music and play it, adopting it as our own. It is silly to be them. Who would want to be them anyway,” chuckling.
Johns will allude to exact Cream parts such as the “Crossroads,” solo, being hailed as one of the greatest guitar solos of all time. “People get a kick out of hearing that one note for note, and I know that I get a kick out of playing it, right.”
Fifty years from when the original Cream were around until now, nothing has really changed. It is so breathtaking to witness the lineage, not in tribute, but to commemorate the pivotal anchor of rock music and all that it stood for in the 1960’s. The Music Of Cream: 50th Anniversary World Tour is perfect for the non-Cream fan because what’s not to love about real music, and the digging edgy-blues of “Spoonful.”
Malcolm Bruce and Will Johns are deep into their own musical journeys, bioth with upcoming albums on the way. Furthermore, Bruce is half-way-funded to a full on London Opera production. Although it’s hard to beat Cream. Catch the The Music Of Cream as the second-generation trio carries on for the last leg of their tour with repeating dates across Florida and Texas, New Orleans and Nashville. Be sure to stay up to date with Kofi, Malcolm and Will on their solo endeavours.
All photos taken by NYS Photographer, Mickey Dehener Friday, March 29 in New York at Tarrytown Music Hall
Following Phish’s cow-funk laden 1997 Fall Tour, Phish embarked on a 4-night ‘Island Tour‘ with two shows each on Long Island and in Providence, Rhode Island. The result was four historic shows that continued the free flowing jams from 1997 and a new era of exploratory Phish. Unexpected jams arose from “Roses are Free,” “Cavern” and “Weekapaug Groove,” and debuts of “Shafty,” “Twist” and “Birds of a Feather” were peppered throughout the run.
As mentioned by Trey after the debut of “Birds of a Feather,” Phish was about to record Story of the Ghost shortly after the tour, before heading to Europe to test out even more new tunes before heading back for Summer Tour. Watch videos from the two Nassau Coliseum shows and relive the glory of Island Tour as it turns 21.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever seen a jam show in a shopping mall. If anyone could pull it off, it’s Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, who brought the flock to an upstate NY mall filled with buzzing Saturday night consumers. Albany’s Crossgates Mall quickly melted from its usual demographic into a sea of sequins, tie dye and feathers as a sold out crowd poured into Lucky Strike’s concert venue, Jupiter Hall.
A long line trailed past an abyss of arcade games, around the corner and right out of the venue’s front doors while a Denver, CO three-piece, Cycles, instantly grabbed hold of the crowd with demanding stage presence and a larger than life sound, jam packed with fast, frenzied bass slaps and hard hitting notes.
With a fired up stage and audience waiting in the tightly packed hall, Greg, Jeremy, Gator and Ben hopped onstage just as excited to see their devoted fans as each gig prior.
With a warm welcome and a few simple words, Greg admitted that its been “Too Long” since they’ve played in Albany, segueing into the Pizzaz party favorite. Momentum kept moving with “Yo Soy Fiesta” followed by
a blissful and beautifully performed “Poseidon” which brought the biggest jam of the night so far. Energy skyrocketed through the bowling alley music hall you instantly forgot you were inside of as “Pop Off” and “Upfunk” came next. Pigeons bowled a strike by sandwiching Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” between “J Town,” as the classic rock tune had all heads banging, including bassist Ben and his luscious, wavy locks. Winding down the set, P4 served up another tasty sandwich, this time with “Julia” > “Beanstalk” > “Julia.”
Set one ended at a perfect time, allowing for both musicians and fans to breathe, regroup and re-energize for an equally powerful second set. Every song seemed to be the crowd’s favorite, as the Maryland natives cycled through a “Havana” opener and a mesmerizing double whammy of “Melting Lights” and “Whirled.” The show was perfectly composed of party anthems and the deep, groovy jams kept pleasing with “Somethin’ For Ya,” an unfinished “Zydeko,” and “Lightning” with a “Kiwi” sandwich between two slices of “Time to Ride” bread. An encore of “Snake Eyes” and “Dawn a New Day” kissed the Albany audience goodnight to end the unsuspected mall party everybody was confused about, yet didn’t know they needed.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Albany’s Jupiter Hall on 3/30/19
From playing tiny venues like Albany’s Red Square back in 2015, opening for Dopapod in Saratoga Springs in 2016, to selling out Jupiter Hall and various venues on tour to date in 2019, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong keep climbing the rungs to success while showing their fans endless appreciation along the way. Catch them at their very own 10th Annual Domefest from May 16-18 in Masontown, West Virginia.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong March 30, Jupiter Hall Setlist:
Set 1: Too Long, Yo Soy Fiesta, Poseidon, Pop Off, Upfunk, J-Town > Black Dog > J-Town > Julia > Beanstalk > Julia
Set 2: Havana > Melting Lights > Whirled, Somethin’ For Ya > Zydeko^ > Lightning, Time To Ride > Kiwi > Time To Ride
