NYS Music 20​19

Category: Features

  • In Focus: Nothing Finer Than Phish In Carolina

    Phish fired on all cylinders at North Charleston Coliseum, making their seventh visit to the South Carolina venue deliciously-memorable for the sold-out crowd. Bust-out covers, banter, and barely played original tunes elevated the already enticing jam tapestry that this band is known for.

    Page McConnell, Jon Fishman and Trey Anastasio sing “Carolina”

    The band began the three night run with an acapella “Carolina,” which was last played on 12/30/2016 at Madison Square Garden. “Carolina” was followed by the crowd hyping Phish original, “Party Time.” The bust-outs continued with “Strawberry Letter 23” by Shuggie Otis, marking the fourth time that the band has played this beloved cover. During the second set, the audience was treated to Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter,” last played 12/29/2018 at Madison Square Garden.

    Trey Anastasio was all smiles at North Charleston Coliseum

    “I Been Around,” last played at MGM Grand on 11/1/2018, made an appearance, complete with humorous lead in pun. Trey said: “Hey Page, I’ve been wondering. Where have you been anyways?” Page cleverly replied “I’ve been around,” which lead into the song.

    Two barely played original tunes graced the set list, including “Destiny Unbound,” last played on 2/23/2019. The encore included an even more rare “Bittersweet Motel,” last played on 7/6/2016.

    Phish certainly gave their dedicated fans a reason to travel to the Palmetto State. They are back in action the next two nights at North Charleston Coliseum. Both nights are understandably sold out, however Phish is offering a live webcast of the event. Visit Live Phish to prevent further FOMO on this already legendary run.

    Setlist courtesy of phish.net

    Friday, December 6

    Set One: Carolina, Party Time, Strawberry Letter 23 > Undermind, I Been Around > Divided Sky, The Sloth, Destiny Unbound, We Are Come to Outlive Our Brains > My Friend, My Friend[1] > About to Run, The Horse > Silent in the Morning, David Bowie

    Set Two: Axilla > Scents and Subtle Sounds > No Quarter > Your Pet Cat, Mercury > Saw It Again > Limb By Limb[2] > The Lizards, Suzy Greenberg

    Encore: Bittersweet Motel[3] > Death Don’t Hurt Very Long > Loving Cup

    [1] No “Myfe” ending.
    [2] Unfinished.
    [3] Lyrics changed to “halfway from Charleston to Pittsburgh.”

    Page McConnell got funky at North Charleston Coliseum

    Saturday, December 7

    Set One: Fluffhead > Ocelot, Nellie Kane > The Dogs > Reba, Halfway to the Moon > Train Song > Guyute, Strange Design, Moonage Daydream

    Set Two: The Connection, Mr. Completely > Crosseyed and Painless > Dirt, Cool Amber and Mercury > Split Open and Melt > Crosseyed and Painless > Split Open and Melt, A Life Beyond The Dream > Wilson > The Squirming Coil

    Encore: Grind, Frankenstein

  • Turkuaz Kicks Kuadrochrome Tour into high gear with Sold Out Debut at FTC Warehouse

    Brooklyn-based Turkuaz got their latest Kuadrochrome tour rolling Thursday with a stop in Fairfield, CT. They sold out Fairfield Theatre Company’s Warehouse, and as they are known to do, turned the venue into a funkadelic dance party.

    turkuaz Kuadrochrome Tour
    Turkuaz at FTC Warehouse – Photo by: Chris Sidoruk

    Turkuaz brought a Philadelphia trio by the name of GREAT TIME from to open the evening. GREAT TIME was able to form the crowd early and definitely got them warming up their dance moves for what was to come.

    turkuaz Kuadrochrome Tour
    GREAT TIME at FTC Warehouse – Photo by: Chris Sidoruk

    By the time Turkuaz hit the stage, the room was packed full and buzzing with energy. Everyone eagerly anticipated what was in store with the new tour. From opener to encore, the band delivered. They brought a 2-hour nonstop mix of new and old tunes with a sprinkling of cover material to which the crowd loved every minute. As far as tour openers go, you couldn’t have asked for much better of a night.

    Read more TURKUAZ on NYS Music!

  • Cousin Earth announce lineup for 9th Annual Wintercourse

    Brooklyn group Cousin Earth will hold their 9th annual Wintercourse on Saturday, January 4 at Knitting Factory. Joining the show will be The Breakfast, Of Clocks and Clouds and Medusa’s Disco. Check out last year’s Wintercourse event and NYS’ coverage here, and check out footage below.

    A one-night-only “music and comedy festival,” was created nine years ago by Corey J. Feldman of Cousin Earth. It has since evolved to focus mainly on the music, though comedy is always present. This year’s festivities will be hosted by stand-up comedian and SiriusXM radio personality, Brett Siddell; and feature performances by Medusa’s Disco, Of Clocks And Clouds, The Breakfast (featuring members of Kung Fu,) and of course, Brooklyn’s own Cousin Earth. 

    The evening of music kicks off on Saturday, January 4 at The Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Ave.) Doors are at 7:30pm and the music kicks off at 8pm. The show is 21+ and ID will be required. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door and can be purchased online. 

     “I’m proud that we’ve kept this party going for nine years. It feels like a real tradition,” says Corey J.Feldman, ukulele bassist for Cousin Earth. “It keeps getting better and better every year. The band and I are really looking forward to this one.”

    Over the past nine years, Wintercourse has gravitated towards focusing more on music and has featured performances by acts such as Bella’s Bartok, Funky Dawgz Brass Band, The Reformed Whores, Space Bacon, Chromatropic, Teddy Midnight, The Matty Carl Project, Mercury Landing, Stevie and The Lion and many others.

  • Premiere: Intercity rocker Diamond Jones releases brilliant short film for his latest single ‘Ashes and Diamonds’

    For someone shuffling between cities like Brooklyn and Toronto, the term ‘intercity’ is best to define their mild case of vagabondary. For solo rock n roller Justin “Diamond” Jones, who has been on the inside of the scene for the past 18 years, it aptly describes his constant travel between London, Los Angeles, Toronto and Brooklyn.

    Ashes and Diamonds (Full) from Justin Jones on Vimeo.

    Having just released his debut single, “Ashes and Diamonds,” Jones also is releasing a short film based around the track, as well as a music video. Having played on stage with John “Twink” Alder from Santa Barbara Machine Head, in groups such as Tomorrow, The Pretty Things and The Pink Fairies, and recorded in The Clash’s studio, Jones is a rare remnant of artistic integrity with a story to be told.

    “Ashes and Diamonds” is Diamond Jones’ return to the rock n’ roll and film scene after a period of solitude and devise. Jones solely shines this feat himself: all instruments are played, recorded and produced on his own. Likewise, the film is written, directed, and stars Jones.

    Born in Toronto, Ontario, Justin “Diamond” Jones as a young adult was involved with a group of semi-professional skateboarders during a time that rock n’ roll was seeing a revival, stemming from the skateboarding community. At that time he stumbled upon Bob Dylan’s Bringing It All Back Home and shortly after disappeared off the grid to develop his craft as an artist.

    Years later, Jones found himself in London, and quickly began performing around the city on guitar and piano. Jones has spent the past three years in Canada, isolating himself to refine his skills and prepare for his prolific return to the music & film scene.

  • Caravan of Thieves and P.J. Pacifico Return to FTC Stage One

    Caravan of Thieves recently returned to Fairfield, CT, with singer/songwriter P.J. Pacifico opening the night. The fans, or as the Thieves dub them “the freaks,” were treated to some great displays of musical talent and passion at the intimate FTC Stage One venue.

    Caravan of Thieves
    Caravan of Thieves at FTC Stage One – Photo by: Chris Sidoruk

    P.J. Pacifico kicked things off with his acoustic performance and the Stage One room was the perfect setting. The audience was so attentive to his songs and musicianship, at times you could hear a pin drop. P.J. thoroughly appreciated this and thanked the attendees a few times.

    Caravan of Thieves
    P.J. Pacifico at FTC Stage One – Photo by: Chris Sidoruk

    Caravan of Thieves, fronted by Fuzz and Carrie Sangiovanni, changed up the pace of the evening with their high-energy gypsy rock. They were a unique performance and a pleasure to watch. The band came out swinging and didn’t stop until the closer, in which they came out into the crowd and everyone gathered around. It was a special moment and a fitting send off.

    Caravan of Thieves at FTC Stage One – Photos by: Chris Sidoruk

  • Frendsgiving with Twiddle: Two Nights of Love and Music

    Like a great sandwich of leftovers from Turkey Day, the Vermont-based band Twiddle served up two nights of their homegrown musical jam at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. Dubbed “Frendsgiving” by the band, the weekend show is now becoming an annual event, this being the third time around.

    Frendsgiving
    Twiddle

    With the theme of “Frendsgiving,” a portion of each night’s door sales was donated to the non-profit organization White Light Foundation. The foundation, run completely by volunteers, assists various charitable organizations and community causes. WLF describes itself as “founded on the principles of community, love, generosity, and passion” and is inspired by the music of Twiddle.

    Frendsgiving
    Aqueous

    I caught the second night of this two-night run which had Aqueous, who played both nights, opening the show. They kicked out a blistering 45-minute set, including a cover of Vampire Weekends “Sunshine,” stoking the house’s appetite for the main course. Twiddle took the stage to cheers from the crowd, serving up two sets of nonstop music to the delight of all. The second set opened up with “Latin Tang” which had Mike Gantzer and David Loss of Aqueous joining the band and taking the show to the next level .

    Frendsgiving
    Mike Gantzer and David Loss of Aqueous w/Twiddle

    With this being the beginning of the holiday season, the band gifted the audience with two new songs: “Mistakes,” which closed out the first set, and “Just Gravy” which was featured in the latter part of the second. “Lost in the Cold,” from Plump, took it home as the encore for the night. To make the evening complete, before the band left the stage they had the entire house join them for one big “family” picture to cap off the holiday weekend.

    Aqueous Set List

    On The Edge, Kitty Chaser (Explosions), Come and Go, The Median, Sunflower, Skyway

    Twiddle Set List

    Set I Orlando’s, Jamflowman, Gatsby the Great, Hattigan Mcrat, Orlando’s, BeeHop, Carter Candlestick, Mistakes

    Set II Latin Tang, The Box, Zelda Theme, The Box, Syncopated Healing, Machine FRENDS Theme, Just Gravy, Gatsby the Great (Ending)

    Encore Lost in The Cold

  • Martin Scorsese’s Upcoming Project to Focus on New York City’s 1970’s Music Scene

    The renowned American-Italian filmmaker, actor and director Martin Scorsese is returning to the documentary world, this time focusing on the 1970’s New York City music scene according to Variety. Scorsese is known for many great works such as directing “The Irishman” which was released on Netflix on Nov. 27, “Taxi Driver,” and many more lauded works.

    This isn’t the first time Scorsese has dipped his toes into the cinematic universe regarding music. Scorsese worked with Mick Jagger on the HBO series “Vinyl,” which is a historical period drama focusing on the 1970’s music scene along with all of the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll involved. Scorses also directed the documentary of The Band’s farewell concert at Winterland, “The Last Waltz” as well as the 2005 Bob Dylan documentary “No Direction Home.” With this prior work documenting the New York 1970’s music scene, the anticipation for this documentary by Imagine Entertainment and Scorsese is extreme.

    Imagine Entertainment has almost two-dozen non-scripted films and series coming but this is one of the more exciting ones, especially for any music buff out there. Keep an eye out for more information from Imagine Entertainment on this exciting new project.

  • In Focus: Phish Makes Long Awaited Return to Nassau Coliseum

    Phish’s Fall Tour rolled into Long Island on Sunday with an appearance at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, a building they hadn’t played in almost 17 years. While this Sunday show may not have reached the level of the esteemed February, 28, 2003 show, one of the more venerable shows in Phish history and they last time they played here, it still delivered two robust sets of music filled with old classics, bustout covers, intricate jams and a nod to the past. Check out NYS Music’s photo gallery of all the fun below.

    Phish 12/1/19 Nassau Veterans Memorial Colisuem

    Set 1: Ghost > Rift, The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > Avenu Malkenu > The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday > The Wedge, Martian Monster > Timber (Jerry the Mule) > Cool it Down > Roggae > Poor Heart > Tube > Character Zero

    Set 2: Everything’s Right > Down with Disease -> Cities > Carini > Ruby Waves > Twenty Years Later > Backwards Down the Number Line > Say it to Me S.A.N.T.O.S.

    Encore: Roses are Free > Slave to the Traffic Light

  • Hearing Aide: Ernie Haase & Signature Sound ‘A Jazzy Little Christmas’

    It’s no easy feat to make a Christmas album stand out these days. There’s a lot to choose from and they all tend of blend into each other. Even original songs can have a tough time climbing the charts, except for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” No one will ever understand how that song got so popular. Regardless, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound have put together A Jazzy Little Christmas, a unique collection of Christmas classics with a twist as well as original scores that are sure to turn a few heads.

    What’s more, they follow the holiday spirit by vowing to donate a portion of the proceeds to New York Cares’ Winter Wishes program – a branch of the New York Cares group that is dedicated to providing gifts to low income families.

    A Jazzy Little Christmas

    Ernie Haase & Signature Sound is an Emmy-nominated southern gospel quartet stemming from all over the country. They’ve released a copious amount of albums over the years, but this album is their first Christmas album in a decade and it brings that classic, magical, warm Christmas feel that has transcended time. 

    The album is filled with a variety of classics such as “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Mister Santa.” They’re chock full of rich, bold brass instrumentation, swirling strings and, the cornerstone of the group, the unbelievable chops of Ernie Haase, Devin McGlamery, Dustin Doyle and Paul Harkey. Together, they created some otherworldly harmonies and sounds that are warm and inviting, perfect for this time of year. They also created some original tracks that Haase hopes will become holiday classics. In his online bio, Haase tells a heartwarming tale of how his original, “Christmas in Manhattan” came to be. 

    “New York City is a very special place for me and my wife, Lisa. We’re going on 30 years of marriage, and one of the things we started doing when we first got married was going to New York and doing a Broadway blitz, especially at Christmas time. We would get there and just look at the lights and take in the city, so I wanted to write an original love song about those experiences.” 

    It’s a sweet tale that makes the song more sincere and unique. This authenticity, coupled with their charitable nature, makes this an underrated album. So fire up the yule log on your TV, spike the eggnog and fall into the holiday spirit with this in-depth and unique album. Stream it on Spotify, iTunes, or download it on their site.

    Key Tracks:  Winter Wonderland, Mister Santa, Christmas in Manhattan

  • In Focus: Phish Dunkin’ Donuts Center Gig Kicks off Fall Tour

    Phish geared up for two nights at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, RI to cap the month of November. It was long overdue, nine years since Phish had performed DDC. Even more thrilling than the Phish stage presence at Dunkin’, both dates directly infected the community with musical-euphoria, as were fans Friday and Saturday night. Phish, along with the Mockingbird Foundation have donated a $1,500 in tour grants to New Urban Arts in Providence.

    Friday 11/29/2019

    Set 1: First Tube, The Final Hurrah > NICU, Steam > Scent of a Mule, Bye Bye Foot, No Men In No Man’s Land, Gumbo> My Soul, Maybe[1], Sand > Fire.

    Set 2: 46 Days > Back on the Train > Plasma > Farmhouse, Light -> Plasma Reprise > Birds of a Feather, Joy, Simple -> Set Your Soul Free -> Plasma Reprise, Walk Away.

    Encore: Meatstick > Sleep, Driver, Bug.

    [1] Phish debut.

    Saturday 11/30/2019

    SET 1: Turtle in the Clouds, Punch You in the Eye > Llama, Meat, The Old Home Place, Lawn Boy, I Didn’t Know, Maze, Horn, Gotta Jibboo > Stash -> Plasma Reprise > Golgi Apparatus.

    SET 2: Bathtub Gin > Alaska > What’s the Use? > Piper > Golden Age -> Plasma Reprise > Harry Hood.

    Encore: Big Black Furry Creature from Mars > Kung > Wombat, Possum > Plasma Reprise.

    Setlists via Phish.net