NYS Music 20​19

Category: Features

  • Yungblud & MISSIO Sell Out The Lost Horizon

    Yungblud and MISSIO recently made a stop on their Twisted Tales Of The Ritalin Club Tour at The Lost Horizon in Syracuse, NY. It was originally scheduled to take place at The Westcott Theater, but due to scheduling conflicts the show had to be rescheduled at The Lost Horizon and almost immediately sold out.

    Fans of all different ages and backgrounds packed into the club like sardines waiting for MISSIO to take the stage. While mostly everyone was talking about Youngblud and how they couldn’t wait to see him, there were several fans in the front row going off on just how good MISSIO is.

    After a brief introduction by 95X’s Scott Dixon, MISSIO took to the stage in complete darkness as the crowd roared in anticipation. Opening with one of their better known songs, “Twisted,” lead singer Matthew Brue danced to the background electronic beat with a fierce and commanding presence. Immediately captivating the audience with his impressive vocal range and soft but deep tone. MISSIO is able to blend heavy EDM beats with a mix of Rap, Rock, and Alt Rock in a unique style that works so well.

    yungbludBetween songs, Matthew Brue continuously connected with the audience on a personal level. Before performing the song “Politics” he spoke to the audience saying, “How many people here like politics? Though I’m not talking about the politics that you’re probably thinking of. I’m talking about the politics with friends. This song is about some friendships that are worse than politics. Like you just suck out my soul, why are you still here?”

    Before performing “I See You” he reached out to the crowd once again. “We want to take our masks off, and what I mean by that is to be who you really are. Whether you’re dealing with addiction, depression, anxiety or any of the bullshit that comes with life struggles, we still see who you are.” Closing out their set with “Middle Fingers,” MISSIO thanked the crowd and left the audience buzzing as they awaited for Yungblud.

    yungbludThe hype waiting for Yungblud was unreal. Hearing every fan chanting “YUNGBLUD” as loud as they can was one of the loudest crowd noises I have heard at The Lost Horizon. The lights went dark and the crowd erupted into a frenzied scream as two figures dressed in body armor carrying dark flags walked onto the stage.

    yungbludAfter a brief intro to “21st Century Liability,” Yungblud sprinted out from the side stage to fans screaming in ecstasy. The energy Yungblud has on stage is rivaled only by Jonny Hawkins of Nothing More, constantly jumping around to the beat of the music and walking out onto the barricade to lean into his fans.

    Yungblud’s set overall was a very high-energy performance that didn’t slow down until he walked off the stage. Performing hits like “I Love You, Will You Marry Me,” “King Charles,” and “Parents” had the audience singing along to every word throughout the night.

    yungbludAnother highlight of the night was “Polygraph Eyes,” a song about the importance of consent. The way he connects with the audience is rare to see with live shows today, and his fans certainly showed their appreciation as much as Yungblud showed his to the fans.

    Yungblud is a whirlwind of energy onstage and lives up to all the hype surrounding him. His performance is definitely worth seeing live, and the very impressive roster of artists that he has been working with is sure to skyrocket his career.

    Setlist: 21st Century Liability, Psychotic Kids, I love you, Will You Marry Me?, King Charles, Anarchist, Polygraph Eyes, Parents, Medication, Loner, Kill Somebody, Live Interlude, I Think I’m OKAY, California, Die for the Hype, Hope for the Underrated Youth, Machine Gun

    Yungblud

    MISSIO

  • Goose releases “Butter Rum” single, kick off Fall Tour in Albany on Friday

    Goose has let loose their third studio single of 2019, “Butter Rum,” ahead of the start of their Fall Tour which kicks off in Albany on Friday, October 18. The track is the band’s third consecutive song mastered by Grammy award winner Emily Lazar (Beck, Vampire Weekend).

    “Butter Rum” is a playful tale of holiday romance heartbreak. The song’s lively tropical momentum will carry you through butterflies, barbeques, and blue Hawaiians as a boy and a girl wander aimlessly hand-in-hand for days. The couple weave through sweat-soaked night clubs and piercing 6 AM sunshine until the vacation ends he’s left with “nothing but the rum.” Grab a drink and prepare to have your heart broken by the sweetheart you were never meant to have.

    As their fall tour kicks off, Goose has four sell out shows and surely more to follow given the buzz they’ve been gaining over the year. A stellar Peach Festival set is just one of the highlights of this Norwalk, CT based indie-groove outfit. At the tour opener in Albany at Parish Public House, Eggy will open the night, with music starting right at 9pm, followed by two sets of Goose.

    The rest of the 20+ date tour carries Goose to NYC on Halloween, Buffalo in mid November then out to with a year end show at Goosemas, the band’s annual holiday extravaganza, held at the Wall Street Theater in Norwalk.

    Goose Pelham May9 EmWalis goose butter rum

    Fall 2019 Tour Dates

    OCT 18 – Albany, NY, Parish Public House Sold Out

    OCT 19 – Cambridge, MA, Sonia Sold Out

    OCT 25 – Wilkes-Barre, PA, River Street Jazz Cafe

    OCT 31 – New York, NY, Mercury Lounge Sold Out

    NOV 02 – New Haven, CT, College Street

    NOV 07 – Harrisburg, PA, Club XL

    NOV 08 – Washington, DC, 9:30 Club

    NOV 10 – Richmond, VA, The Camel

    NOV 14 – Pittsburgh, PA, Roxian Theatre

    NOV 15 – Columbus, OH, The Summit

    NOV 16 – Buffalo, NY, Nietzche’s Sold Out

    DEC 05 – Fort Collins, CO, Aggie Theatre

    DEC 06 – Denver, CO, Cervantes Other Side

    DEC 07 – Steamboat Springs, CO, Old Town Pub

    DEC 08 – Steamboat Springs, CO, Old Town Pub

    DEC 11 – St. Louis, MO, The Bootleg

    DEC 12 – Chicago, IL, Lincoln Hall

    DEC 13 – Cincinnati, OH, Top Cats

    DEC 14 – Indianapolis, IN, The Mousetrap

    DEC 21 – Goosemas VI – South Norwalk, CT, Wall Street Theatre

  • Guest Contributor Exclusive: Mike Powell & Chris Merkley Wrap Up MicroTour at Local 315 in Warners

    Editor’s Note: Mike Powell is a singer-songwriter from Central New York. In addition to his work as a solo artist, he also leads the soulful rock band The Black River. Powell and fellow CNY singer-songwriter Chris Merkley have embarked on a four-show mini-tour of microbreweries across the state searching for the connection between songwriting and brewing. This stop brings us to Local 315 in Warners

    Powell will be returning to the studio soon to record another solo album and his band The Black River is releasing its second full-length album ‘Gypsy Winnebago’ on Nov. 1.

    Merkley is the owner of Old Boy Records and curator of the Seedstock Festival in Cortland each summer. He also performs with The Crooners and Digger Jones and has composed original music for television and film, including the acclaimed HBO series Generation Kill.

    This is the final installment of a four-part NYS Music series documenting the Original Gravity Tour and contributed by Powell. The first installment of Powell’s tour diary can be found here. Day two can be found here. Day three can be found here.

    This past Sunday was the final show of the Original Gravity MicroTour and before I share my final recap I would like to first say thank you to Mike Kohli and NYS Music for allowing me the opportunity to be a guest contributor over the course of the past week. I highly value, respect and appreciate the energy that your team puts into keeping music fans like me up to date on the happenings around this state and beyond. I don’t get to exercise my journalistic side of the brain very often so, needless to say, this experience truly scratched a long burning creative itch. 

    I brewed my first batch of beer roughly ten years ago and have been homebrewing sporadically ever since. As I told Mike Kohli on the phone last night when he was asking about the timing of this final piece, I’ve always lived my life like a starved trout swimming against the stream ready to chase anything shiny that catches my eye.  I guess you could say that I’m very curious by nature and I seemingly find a strong sense of comfort when I’m traveling down an unfamiliar road.  I’ve learned over the years why I choose to live this way.  When I learn a new skill it gives me a deeper understanding and a newfound appreciation for those that do it and those that do it well. 

    I knew that after I went through the process and experienced each step of brewing I would never taste a beer in the same way. After I wrote my very first song as a teenager I started to listen to music differently and on a deeper level. I started making furniture after college and since then I’ve never again sat in a chair without recognizing the craftsmanship and design. So I guess what I’m getting at is, diving headfirst into new things and venturing into new territory gives me a look under the hood on what makes it go. This approach has added color to my life’s wheel and simply fills me with deep admiration.

    Coming from a former professional athlete this may sound a bit odd but I’m not a very competitive person. Well, not in the expected sense anyway. I never set out to become better than anyone else, that’s not what drives me. My drive lives on the inside, its a challenge within myself. For example, I know I will never write songs better than Bob Dylan and I’m one hundred percent aware of that fact, but I know that there’s a song in me somewhere that’s better than my last one. That is what keeps me moving. After exploring and talking with brewmasters over the past several years I think we share a similar mentality.     

    Our last performance saw our biggest crowd of the tour at Local 315 Brewing Company in Warners. I’ve played at this establishment quite a few times and what strikes me most is the cult-like following this brewery has created over its short time in existence. Surrounded by nothing but hop poles, goats and donkeys, this farmstead brewery has put out top quality brews and supported live original music since its inception. The weather on Sunday was absolutely perfect with the sun shining over the cornfields and illuminating the laid back outdoor area that has become this joint’s centerpiece. 

    With dogs chasing frisbees and kids running after one another, this atmosphere feels like you’re at a family reunion in a relative’s back yard. So Chris and I approached it that way and treated the afternoon as loose as we possibly could. Having fun with the crowd and realizing that although everyone was listening to us, we weren’t the center of attention, we were simply just playing our part and fitting into where we should. I’m happy to report that we were able to continue our live poetry on-demand experiment throughout the duration of the tour and people really seemed to get a kick out of it, everyone except Chris and myself. We closed out the Original Gravity MicroTour with our twist on “Got My Mojo Working,” finished our final beers and headed our separate ways. 

    This run has been a short but adventurous ride and as the sun sets on the horizon I would like to reflect back on some memorable moments. 

    1. Chris Merkley is awesome. His performances are so dialed in and tight. What I find amazing is how his musical style seems to fit in just about any scenario. Mine isn’t like that so it really stood out to me. He could play the same set at a festival, a club, a theater or a house concert and it would work and work well. 
    2. Chris Merkley almost killed a kitten with his Prius. While we were loading out our gear at Abandon Brewing we heard some purring coming from the engine.  Which is normal but not when the car is off. Chris popped the hood and found a kitten sitting between the fuse box and the windshield washer fluid. Luckily he coerced it out without some old sheet pizza and carried it to safety.
    3. We saw photographer and good friend Brian Cornish at two of the stops and he told us two separate jokes. Both of which made us laugh and neither of which would be appropriate to publish here.
    4. I didn’t even take my camera out of my truck at Local 315, so the visual content of this post is brought to you courtesy of your very own Mike Kohli. Thank you, dude.
    5. Although there were many highlights and funny moments when it came to the live poetry challenge we were having, my favorite moment was Chris’ lovely work of art titled “Bloody Mary” when the audience gave him the words “Worcestershire” and “butt” to work with.
    6. Seeing familiar faces. We had several people come to every show and have fun touring with us. I think they were more into the beer component. 
    7. And finally tasting the amazing beer. Worth noting that if either of my grandfathers were alive and walked into a bar to find me smelling and swirling a flight of beer they would both kick my ass. But times have changed.  I loved the Woods Valley Witte and Pocket Change IPA from Copper City, the Session and Dunkel at Abandon, 20 East NEIPA at Heritage Hill and Soul Kissed IPA from Local 315.

    You haven’t see the last of Original Gravity MicroTour.  

    Over and Out,

    Mike

  • Trey Tour Kicks Off in Geneva

    Trey Anastasio began his solo acoustic tour last night at the historic Smith Opera House in Geneva, NY with an evening of songs encapsulating not only the entire Phish musical catalog, but its various side projects as well. In addition to acoustic takes on songs that span the prolific songwriter’s career, these smaller, intimate shows gives the Phish front man more of an opportunity to engage the audience with stories and anecdotes that makes the evening feel more like a performance in a friend’s living room.

    After a couple of Phish staples, “Back on the Train” and “Sample in a Jar,” Trey couldn’t help but mention the festival that never was, Curveball, which was to be held just down the road in Watkins Glen. He talked about how there were to be two ways into the concert field, one being a “mime” field you’d have to cross. And don’t be surprised if the next festival is called Momball and your mom is invited.

    Trey Anastasio, Smith Opera House, Geneva, NY, October 15, 2019

    Setlist: Back on the Train, Sample in a Jar, Snowflakes in the Sand, About to Run*, Heavy Things, Turtle in the Clouds, Wolfman’s Brother, Mountains in the Mist, Strange Design, Driver, Sleep, Water in the Sky, Brian and Robert, Theme From the Bottom, Shade, We Are Come to Outlive Our Brains, Sand > The Inlaw Josie Wales, Limb by Limb > Chalk Dust Torture > Harry Hood > Chalk Dust Torture > The Wedge > Bathtub Gin

    Encore: Waste, Lifeboy, Ghosts of the Forest*, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S 

    * – debut acoustic performance

    • Trey Geneva
    • Trey Geneva
    • Trey Geneva
    • Trey Geneva

  • Ripe Rolls Down onto Pearl Street Pub

    Pearl Street Pub in downtown Albany is generally a home to college students, Albany natives, and ‘out of towners’ alike. On Friday, however, the patrons all had something in common. They all shared a love of funk, and they all loved Ripe.

    The night began with a set from the Australian-based group Castlecomer. The quartet got the collective blood flowing just as the packed room began to cut loose. A roar came over the crowd when the headliners later took the stage. Lead singer Robbie Wulfsohn welcomed the band and belted out the beginning to “Pretty Dirty.” “A Little Lighter” followed and the band went into a night-long serenade to the vibrant fans.

    The group is taking their tour south later this month as they head to Hulaween, and then head out to the midwest. They will return to the Northeast with shows in Burlington, VT; Syracuse, NY; Northampton, MA; and Norwalk CT in mid-November.

    Ripe Setlist: Pretty Dirty, Little Lighter, Talk to the Moon, Passerby, Cease Fire, Lola, Ladies Night, Caralee, Pedro, Young Tom Rose, Text You First, Goon Squad, Flipside, Downward.

    Encore: Follow Through

    Check out photos from the night below via Zatchmo Lives Media.

     

  • JINJER, The Browning and Poison The Prophet Slay Montage Music Hall

    Ukrainian metal band JINJER brought their tour to The Montage Music Hall in Rochester for yet another sold out show. With support from The Browning and Rochester natives Poison The Prophet, this was an excellent night of metal music.

    Opening the show, Poison The Prophet launched into an aggressive, in-your-face, heavy set that you would expect on this kind of bill. While they didn’t have much room to move around the stage due to the other band’s kits, they made up for it with a pure metal performance.

    Poison The Prophet moved quickly through their 6-song set and left the crowd wanting more with loud cheers and applause after every song. Featuring two vocalists, Jason Acevedo and Justin Clay, the duo constantly leaned into the crowd with great interaction and stage presence.

    Being a “local” band on a national tour can seem intimidating and often one can tell which bands are the “local” ones of the night. However, Poison The Prophet fit right in, and performed a fantastic set that was the perfect introduction to the show.

    JINJER

    Next up were The Browning, the four-piece electronic metal band from Kansas City. Wasting no time opening with “Beyond Stone”, The Browning had the crowd going nuts with their unique fusion of rap, EDM, and heavy metal.

    Their 10-song set also went rather quickly as the band flowed through their setlist, with highlights being “Carnage,” “Pure Evil” and “Skybreaker.”

    JINJER

    Guitarist Brian Moore was the most notable part of the band’s stage presence as he spun around relentlessly covered in paint while wearing a hoodie that resembled a cross between a zombie and a clown.

    JINJER

    Closing out their set with “Geist,” the crowd responded with loud cheers and thundering applause. The Browning was a solid support act to be touring with JINJER and certainly gave it their all on stage. Finally, it was time for JINJER. The lights went dark and fog machines slowly began to fill the venue as the crowd screamed in anticipation. The moment Tatiana took to the stage, the band jumped right into the heavy number “Teacher, Teacher.”

    JINJER

    When you think of metal bands with female vocals you probably think of In This Moment, Otep, Butcher Babies, or Arch Enemy. JINJER is very quickly making huge waves in the metal world and, in my opinion, Tatiana has the best voice in metal. The way she can transition from her cleans to the guttural screams is incredible to see live.

    JINJER’s set was just pure raw energy. Playing fan favorites such as “Judgement (& Punishment),” “I Speak Astronomy,” “Perennial” and “Outlander,” the band commanded the audience’s attention and left them almost in a trance.

    Closing out the night with the encore performance of “Pisces,” JINJER showed exactly why they’re selling out many of their tour dates. Expect this band to be performing at much larger venues very soon. Being able to see them at a club-type venue is something all of these fans will certainly remember.

    Be sure to check out any of the remaining dates of this tour:

    Oct. 15 – Indianapolis, Ind. @ Black Circle
    Oct. 16 – Angola, Ind. @ The Eclectic Room
    Oct. 18 – Columbus, Ohio @ Al Rosa Villa
    Oct. 19 – Flint, Mich. @ Machine Shop
    Oct. 20 – Grand Rapids, Mich. @ The Stache @ Interection
    Oct. 22 – Chicago, Ill. @ Bottom Lounge
    Oct. 23 – Belvedere, Ill. @ Apollo Theater
    Oct. 24 – Waterloo, Iowa @ Spicoli’s
    Oct. 25 – Iowa City, Iowa @ Wildwood Smokehouse
    Oct. 26 – Racine, Wis. @ Route 20
    Oct. 29 – Calgary, Alberta @ Dickens
    Oct. 30 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Starlite
    Oct. 31 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ The Rickshaw Theater
    Nov. 01 – Seattle, Wash. @ El Corazon
    Nov. 02 – Portland, Ore. @ Hawthorne Theater

    JINJER

    The Browning

    Poison The Prophet

  • Hearing Aide: The Drunken Hearts ‘Wheels of the City’

    I can imagine it is sometimes difficult to be called an Americana band. I’ve heard a number of music fans hear that description and respond, “You mean they sound like Mumford and Sons, or The Avett Brothers?” That response is not only limiting, it’s unfair. Listening to The Drunken Hearts pending release, Wheels of the City, dispels the notion that they are a one dimensional entity. There is country, with pedal steel and banjo, as well as elements of soul, some of the classic Laurel Canyon sound, touches of rock comparable to Drive-By Truckers, and alt-country stylings reminiscent of Son Volt.

    The Drunken Hearts

    The album, recorded at Denver’s Silo Sound Studios, starts out with “Fire in a House,” slowly building an intro, leading to a verse, a piano melody, and continuing with layers of other instrumentation and backing vocals. The tune eventually deconstructs to some degree toward the end, sonically arriving back where it began. “Alive ‘n Free” reflects the overall upbeat feel of Wheels of the City, as evidenced by the lyrics

    “Sometimes in life, you get to where you want to / Sometimes in love, you fall just where you’re meant to / Sometimes this world shows you how to be free / Alive ‘n free.”

    The addition of strings and a female accompanying vocal on “Passchendaele” lend a sense of sad elegance to a song about one of the most prolonged battles of World War I, and a soldier discovering lost love after returning home from war. “In the Middle” is an uptempo tune that can easily have the listener singing along, tapping their toes and swaying to the music.

    “Two Hearts (On a Limb)” perhaps best fits the “Americana” genre, although The Drunken Hearts display a much broader range than any one single style. That range is displayed on “Wheels of the City.” The title tune begins with a country music feel, and as horns come in midway through the song, it morphs a bit into a soul sound. That subtle transition reflects the chameleon-like qualities of the songs, and the band as a whole. By virtue of the way the songs take advantage of multiple band members’ instrumental skills, this may well be a group that hits its stride in live performances more so than in a recording studio. That’s not to say Wheels of the City is lacking in any way, it’s simply that some bands build their chops over the course of hundreds of live gigs, and the band took a decidedly different approach to this release – writing and recording eleven new songs in eleven days, rather than recording familiar pieces that had been road tested.

    The album closes with “The Cave,” which begins with a spoken word intro and leads into an instrumental section which is markedly different than the rest of the album. As noted, the band’s novel approach to this recording was a rather daring roll of the dice, with unknown possibilities.

    Wheels of the City will be released on multiple platforms as well as the band’s website on Friday, October 18. For more about the band, click here.

    Key Tracks: Alive ‘n Free, Two Hearts (On a Limb), Wheels of the City

    The Drunken Hearts current tour will provide opportunities to see them throughout New York State. All five of those shows are in support of Yonder Mountain String Band. The Saturday, October 19 show will be a homecoming of sorts for bassist and vocalist Jon Macartan, a native of nearby Guilderland, New York, in the capital region. The New York State days are listed below.

    Wednesday, October 16, at Buffalo’s Tralf Music Hall Tickets here.

    Thursday, October 17, at Center for the Arts of Homer Tickets here.

    Saturday, October 19, at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs Tickets here.

    Thursday, November 11 at Brooklyn Bowl Tickets here.

    Sunday, November 17 at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock Tickets here.

  • Guest Contributor Exclusive: Mike Powell & Chris Merkley Take it to the Barn in Pompey

    Editor’s Note: Mike Powell is a singer-songwriter from Central New York. In addition to his work as a solo artist, he also leads the soulful rock band The Black River. Powell and fellow CNY singer-songwriter Chris Merkley are embarking on a four-show mini-tour of microbreweries across the state searching for the connection between songwriting and brewing. This feature looks at their stop at the Barn in Pompey

    This is the third of a four-part NYS Music series documenting the Original Gravity Tour and contributed by Powell. The first installment of Powell’s tour diary can be found here. Day two can be found here.

    Music is a traditional art form that’s continually evolving, adapting and building with each generation. No matter how progressive or unique the sound, if you listen close enough you will hear the influence of a predecessor. I really think that’s the beauty of it all, it’s the connection. It was this emotion that led the Original Gravity MicroTour to a third-generation beef and crop farm in the rolling hills of Central New York. Family farms are steeped in rich history and are forced to evolve alongside the ever-changing economic landscape. 

    Brothers Nick and Dan Palladino of Heritage Hill Brewhouse took the wheel of their expansive family farm in 2011 with a rough idea of what they wanted to do with it.  The one thing they knew for certain was that it had to stay in the family and the tradition needed to carry on. The farm has seen many changes over the years and has countless stories to tell. One conversation with co-owner Dan Palladino and you will feel his strong passion for bearing the torch.

    When Chris and I booked this MicroTour we were well aware that we might run into some fall time weather issues. Heritage Hill Brewery, like most microbreweries, highly values live music and has built infrastructure that supports this mission. Besides their large rustic tasting room and restaurant, they built a large outdoor stage complete with seating and fire pits. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t really cooperate and we decided to move the show inside their massive old hay barn. As a kid that grew up on a dairy farm, I was pumped about this idea. This decision turned out to work in our favor and we found the sound to be really magical in this big space. 

    Five minutes before our show was slated to start there were only three people in the barn including Chris, myself and Dan. I was seriously worried that we were about to play a show for absolutely no one. I said to Dan, “Do you think anyone is going to come to this thing?” He laughed and replied, “Oh, they will be here.” And just as he said that he pulled open the big garage door and people started flooding in and by the time Chris hit his first chord there were well over 100 people. That number just grew and grew as the day went along. So I felt much better, filled a glass with their number one seller, 20 East, a hazy New England style IPA and watched Chris kill it as only he can.  

    You could hear the goats calling out in the distance and the birds singing along in the rafters. Just like every craft beer and every song, each stop on the Original Gravity MicroTour has been unique and quite different. This was a magical day and everyone in the barn was smiling and having a great time. To make it even more special, we learned that this particular day marked the one year anniversary of the brewery.

    I would like to thank Len Widdekind, the entertainment director, for allowing us to play. Len is a fellow musician with great taste so we were honored that he fit us into the schedule. After the show, Dan invited us into the tasting room and laid out a spread of delicious farm-raised food that Chris and I devoured while he told us passionate stories of the family’s origin. You could feel his sincerity and pride with each story he told. 

    Many thanks to the Palladino family and all of those involved at Heritage Hill for carrying on a tradition and creating such a wonderful space for the community to enjoy.  The only thing more abundant than the beer were the smiles. Happy anniversary Heritage Hill Brewhouse and here’s to many more years of music, beer, crops & beef.

    Two things that I have come to realize during this short run:

    1. Playing the shows, contributing the written pieces, filming and editing the videos, writing poetry on demand and taking the photographs all while drinking craft beer is exhausting. So when I pulled into the parking lot and saw Brian Cornish with his camera it really helped take the pressure off. Thank you to Brian for capturing these wonderful photos.

    2. I’ve have discovered a common thread throughout this tour. I understand that this is a general statement but from my experience, brewmasters don’t like to be recognized. They like to just do their thing and make their beer. I’ve had a really hard time getting these guys to open up and take credit for the amazing brews they are making but they are too humble. It almost adds more mystic to the art of brewing.

    Below is fan-recorded audio of Powell’s Saturday set courtesy of Chris Fisher.

    The Original Gravity Tour concluded Sunday with an outdoor performance at Local 315 Brewing Company in Warners. Powell’s thoughts on the final day of the tour will publish here on Tuesday.

     


  • In Focus: Marco Benevento at Cohoes Music Hall

    Marco Benevento threw a party in Cohoes and the audience came prepared to get down and dance. As he always does, the Mad Hatter of the jam scene brings a show full of non stop fun to the Capital Region, and for the first time, at historic Cohoes Music Hall. Energy was in no short supply with bassist Karina Rykman jumping for joy and happily bouncing around the stage throughout the groovy, disco-tinted set.

    Opener Mikaela Davis was equally impressive, playing harp with a full band, and driving the songs home collectively. The pairing of Davis and Benevento is wonderful and one we hope to see more in the future.

    Setlist: Say it’s all the Same, Let it Slide, Solid Gold, Dropkick, Greenpoint, Heartbeats, Baby don’t make me Wait, Live a Certain life, Stay in line, I can’t see the Light, You got Away, Coyote Hearing, Story of Fred Short, Tyrone
    Encore: At the Show

    Check out photos from Zatchmo Lives Media.

  • Thievery Corporation Closes Out the Summer Concert Series at NYC’s Pier 17

    World music and electronic act Thievery Corporation closed out the Summer Concert Series at the Pier 17 Rooftop on Friday night to a sold out crowd, despite temperatures in the 50’s and high winds. The show featured a number of talented musicians who rotated in and out during the set, as well as two acoustic songs. They were joined by Brooklyn-based nu-disco band Escourt.

    Nikki B and Escourt

    Escourt opened the evening and got the crowd’s blood flowing with their signature disco dance-hall style beats plus synthesizer-driven harmonies. The band was led by singer Nikki B, sporting a long white tiered train, as well as founders Eugene Cho (synthesizer) and JKriv (guitar). The lineup also included Jim Orso on drums and singers Daniela Bauer and Layla Dionne. Their set had plenty of banter from Nikki B, and closed up with “Cocaine Blues” from their 2011 album Funkytown.

    Thievery Corporation co-founder Rob Garza

    Led by co-founder Rob Garza, Thievery Corporation was up next. They cycled through a number of musicians throughout the night, and delivered their eclectic mix of electronica, dub, hip-hop, Indian, Brazillian and other genres. The core band included Garza (synthesizer, producer), Jeff Franca (drums), Rob Myers (sitar, guitar), Frank Orrall (percussion, drums, vocals), Ashish “Hash” Vyas (bass) and two unknown trumpeters. Additionally, the following musicians were on stage providing vocals for various songs: Racquel Jones, Puma Ptah, Natalia Clavier, Mr. Lif, and Loulou Ghelichkhani.

    Racquel Jones on stage with Thievery Corporation

    The set began at 8:20 p.m. with “Marching the Hate Machines (Into the Sun)” from the 2005 release, Cosmic Games and featured Orrall wearing a contraption of lights radiating from his back and hand. Racquel Jones joined the party for “Letter to the Editor” from the 2017 release The Temple of I & I. Puma Ptah stepped in for the next tune, also from The Temple of I & I, “Babylon Falling.” Natalia Clavier then lended her vocals for the classic downtempo tune “All That We Perceive” from The Richest Man in Babylon. Orrall stepped away from the percussion kit to sing “The Heart’s A Lonely Hunter,” also from Cosmic Games. At one point, Orrall was standing above a speaker, swinging an illuminated poy above his head. Next, Mr. Lif made an appearance in the hip-hop meets downtempo “History,” from their most recent release, Treasures from the Temple. 

    Natalia Clavier

    “The Forgotten People” from Radio Retaliation preceded a delightful acoustic sequence with two songs from Saudade. Loulou Ghelichkhani contributed vocals for “Le Coeur” and Clavier rejoined the band for “Claridad.”

    Loulou Ghelichkhani

    Thievery Corporation returned to their electronic instruments for “Sweet Tides,” also from Radio Retaliation. Puma Ptah was back in the mix, providing vocals for the Cosmic Games classic reggae tune, “Amerimaka.” Ghelichkhani took over vocals for the next song, “Voyage Libre” from Treasures from the Temple. The band next played their classic downtempo tune from The Richest Man in Babylon, “Omid (Hope),” followed by another Cosmic Games tune, “Warning Shots.” Mr. Lif then rejoined the band and announced that the next song is for those in dark places, which caused the crowd to erupt with emotion. He then provided vocals for hip hop based “Fight to Survive” from The Temple of I & I. The show closed out with the Indian music-inspired and rarely played original “Lebanese Blonde” from 2000’s Mirror Conspiracy. 

    Rob Garza and Rob Myers

    Thievery Corporation’s tasty electronic and world mix of original tunes kept the crowd warm on a chilly night in New York City’s Financial District, atop the Rooftop at Pier 17, closing out the Summer Concert Series at the venue. NYC eagerly awaits the return of this talented electronica outfit.

    Pier 17 lights always delight

    Setlist: Marching the Hate Machines (Into the Sun), Letter to the Editor*, Babylon Falling**, All That We Perceive***, The Heart’s A Lonely Hunter, History%, The Forgotten People, Le Coeur****^, Claridad***^, Sweet Tides, Amerimacka**, Voyage Libre****, Omid (Hope), Warning Shots, Fight to Survive%, Lebanese Blonde

    * with Racquel Jones

    ** with Puma Ptah

    *** with Natalia Clavier

    **** with Loulou Ghelichkani

    % with Mr. Lif

    ^ Accoustic

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