On an otherwise status quo Monday night in New York City, Black Pumas waited patiently in the shadows, ready to unleash their new take on familiar sounds to a curious and anticipatory sold out audience at the Mercury Lounge. Feeding off the energy surrounding their eponymous debut album, the sextet from Austin, Texas brought the heat with them.
Just before doors opened at 6:30 p.m., a line of eager listeners began to form, buzzing with hype. “Have you listened to the album yet?” one woman quipped in excitement. “I’ve heard a lot about this,” spoke another. And when the doors opened, the bar became flooded. By 7:30, halfway through the opening band’s set, the performance room was packed from front to back.
Boston blues band GA-20. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
Initially booked as a solo performance for the headliners, Boston-based blues band GA-20 was tapped at the last minute for an opening set. Also newly formed at just over a year old, GA-20 is heavily influenced by traditional blues, R&B, and rock and roll from the late ’50s to early ’60s. Guitarist Matthew Stubbs spent a decade as the guitarist for blues legend Charlie Musselwhite and was able to connect with fellow guitarist Pat Faherty over their mutual love of influences at the time like Buddy Guy, Earl Hooker, and Otis Rush.
Armed with classic guitars of the era, a Harmony Stratatone and a mid-sixties Silvertone, the trio passionately conveyed their translation of a nostalgic genre. Setting the mood with a cover of the Clifton Chenier classic “My Soul,” Stubbs’ bigsby tremolo work and Faherty’s raw vocals sounded as if they were coming straight off of a 45. Through their 12 song, hour-long set, GA-20 showcased a truly honest, modern interpretation of a sound that’s become scarce with originals like “Dry Run,” “One Night Man,” and “Happy Today.” With a touch of rockabilly, a taste of doo-wop, and a wave of surf rock, each song was short, to the point, and authentic. Be on the lookout for a new album due in October.
Black Pumas. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
As the band broke down and the house music went up, a black puma statue was revealed at the front of the stage. The crowd shuffled in elation, moving closer to the front as still more people made their way in from the bar.
Starting as studio takes and demos from guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada of Grupo Fantasma, Black Pumas has evolved into a full fledged neo-soul project, steadily rising as a must-see over the course of the past year. As the band settled behind their respective instruments and mics, the announcer remarked, “Please put your cell phones in your pockets and let’s stay in the moment together.”
Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
The opening intro and ensuing “Next To You,” one of the few numbers not found on the album but still part of their impressive repertoire, provided for a loose kick-off to set the groove in place. Next was “Colors,” which is creeping up as the band’s most listened to track, just behind the single “Black Moon Rising.”
Singer Eric Burton’s vocals call back to another era. The slow but steady tempo and easy swing feel of most of this music is reminiscent of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Ain’t No Love” while Burton’s fearless falsetto evoke the same emotion heard from the likes of Curtis Mayfield. The name Black Pumas, combined with lyrics about love and emotion (“If you’re in pain babe call the doctor / Don’t be afraid to say I need you” – from Fire) hint at the Civil Rights Era in which Mayfield and Sam Cooke were so vigorously immersed.
Eric Burton of Black Pumas. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
In many ways, Quesada and Burton may be the rightful heirs to the kings of soul. The music itself is captivating, well executed, and certainly was able to bring a small room of fans together in a celebratory fashion. But Burton was majestic in the way he was able to harness the energy, absorb it, and redistribute it back to them. At various points of the show, the crowd swayed back and forth in unison and Burton would pause from his singing and encourage everyone to continue the motion while reaching to the person beside them in acceptance.
“Know You Better” was a stand out. Clearly a love song, in the room and context of the night, it could be interpreted as a heartfelt plea emboldening the listener to love their neighbor and strengthen the bonds of togetherness that were so important during the ’60s and ’70s. Those bonds are equally as important during these divisive times, which is why this music and the band that has created it feels so special.
Black Pumas engage the crowd at Mercury Lounge. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
Clocking in just shy of exactly one hour, Black Pumas gave a performance that felt totally free of time. Other takes from the album like “Stay Gold” and “Oct 33,” a touching and poignant acoustic ballad, filled the middle of the set. Each song provided ample opportunity for the rest of the band, including backup singers, keys, and a straightforward rhythm section, to showcase their locked-in capabilities. With about 5 minutes to spare, they busted out with a hot take on The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” complete with a total funk makeover.
Eric Burton of Black Pumas dances with an audience member on the dance floor at Mercury Lounge. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
Ferociously confident, aggressively soulful, and astoundingly energetic, Black Pumas should be on your radar. They’ll be back in New York City at the Brooklyn Bowl on September 30 as they jaunt around the country in the fall before a European tour in November. Don’t miss it.
NYC- Thanks for coming out last night! Our show at @brooklynbowl in September will be our last NYC show for the year, so make sure to get tickets to see us again soon! https://t.co/JhILId58zk
The life of Afrobeat’s founder, Fela Kuti, was celebrated in the 2009 Broadway musical concert Fela!, and on Monday, July 29, the concert experience celebrating his music came to an enthusiastic, and curious, crowd at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Kuti used the Afrobeat sound to push back against the post-colonial government of Nigeria in the 1970s, a prime example of Kuti’s mantra “music is the weapon of the future.” As it was then and is now, new era protest music and this performance brought Kuti’s music to life for all to draw from.
Photo by Jim Gilbert
With a 10-piece band on stage, including three percussionist and four horns, as well as an ensemble with five members (2 men, 3 women) who sang alongside Duain Richmond (Fela Anikulapo-Kuti), the stage was lit up through dance. One that had fervor and energy not seen at SPAC in ages. This was not dancing for the faint-of-heart, or hips, as Richmond said to the crowd throughout the show: “Everybody say Yeah Yeah.” Audience engagement that is a hallmark of Afrobeat concerts became coupled with some of the best on-stage dancing you’ll find anywhere.
With the start of “Expensive Shit,” Richmond led the band to give the audience an introduction to Afrobeat. Starting with the drums, then guitar, then bass set the groove, and soon the horns came in. If you were not moving, you should check your pulse. The ensemble taught the crowd how to dance by moving their hips to the hours on a clock. “1 & 7,” “3-6-9” and “12 & 6” got the booties shaking and fans out of their seats. Dancing from ensemble members Oneika Phillips, Iris Wilson and Afi Bijou became more furious and fully engaging.
“Zombie” found the crowd being invited into the covered orchestra pit, where each audience member shook what they had. From kids to parents, and grandparents, everyone was getting down to the beat of the band. As the show closed with “Colonial Mentality,” Kuti’s anti-colonial anthem, the crowd was back in the pit dancing with the ensemble, and Richmond, engaging in a form of protest that Kuti would surely look upon with a smile and hope for the future.
Setlist: Everything Scatter, The Clock – Yellow Fever, Ikoyi Blindess, Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am, Expensive Shit, Water No Get Enemy, Zombie, Sorrow Tears and Blood, Opposite People, No Buredi.
The Peach Music Fest returned to Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA for its eighth year over July 24-27, 2019 and from the buzz of the crowd it seems that this year was the best yet. Everywhere you turned there was good people and good music, all thanks to the incredibly stacked lineup the festival runners put together. The weather was nearly perfect, aside from a storm on Sunday night that cut some of the first Phil and Friends set short, but fans raged on and powered through it. All of the main stage sets were livestreamed by nugs.net, all of those streams can be found here.
Thursday was kicked off by Buffalo groove rockers Aqueous, playing the main Peach Stage for their first time and opening up the weekend with their upbeat tune “Random Company,” which set the mood for the rest of the weekend. The group played a set of all originals, omitting their usual cover placed somewhere in the set, and blew the tent off the Peach Stage with stellar versions of “Kitty Chaser (Explosions)” and “Skyway,” as well as some new tunes like “Going Nowhere” and “Be The Same.” Aqueous was followed by Billy Strings, a hot new act on the bluegrass scene that mixes a classic bluegrass sound with psychedelic rock and improvisation. Strings and Co. (Jarrod Walker, Billy Winning, and Royal Masat) kicked off the set with “Dust in a Baggie,” a tale of spending the next years of your life in prison for some dust in a baggie. The group performed extended versions of “All Fall Down” and “Meet Me at the Creek,” showing off a bit of their jamming chops to Peach’s jam friendly crowd, and were met with warm reception, creating a lot of new fans by the end of their set.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong followed with their first set of the night, graduating from one main stage set last year to two sets this year, one of them being of the late night variety. During Pigeons’ first set, the group stuck with mostly old school tunes, aside from the recently debuted “Water,” played for the first time at their festival Domefest. The group brought Billy Strings out for a heated version of “Burning up my Time” and sandwiched an inverted “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads in the middle of another aquatic song, “Poseidon.” Between Pigeons’ two sets, the String Cheese Incident performed their first of the three sets of the weekend. The group performed an impressive set, featuring a 30-minute segment of “Shine” > “Sirens” that had a mini jam on the theme from The Office before transitioning fully into “Sirens,” as well as an extended version of “45th of November,” a song keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth wrote with Grateful Dead collaborator and Jerry Garcia songwriter Robert Hunter. A highlight was Herbie Hancock’s classic “Chameleon” sandwiched in the middle of a tale of mushrooms and mystery, “Miss Brown’s Teahouse.” For Pigeons’ second set, the group mixed old and new with segments such as “Somethin’ For Ya” > “Distant Times” surrounded by “Upfunk” > “Drums” > “Upfunk” and “Horizon.” A dance driven version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” really got the crowd moving and during the set closing “Ocean Blows” the bliss was tangible in the air.
Friday was kicked off by Andy Franco & the U.N. on the Mushroom Stage, a much talked about set of the weekend and for good reason as the man himself was feeling good about his Peach set. Among his usual stage banter, he instructed the crowd to “skullf*ck the wave pool” as a seemingly inspirational message about grabbing hold of life. Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers performed on the Live for Live Music Stage, bringing their upbeat tunes and positive outlook on life to Montage Mountain’s smallest stage. While Cory Wong funked up the water park, Upstate was on the Live for Live Music Stage, sharing their beautiful vocal harmonies and Americana tales with the patrons of Peach. Despite the 90+ degree weather, the three lead singers of the band, Allison Olender, Mary Kenney, and Melanie Glenn, rocked powerful jumpsuits that displayed their badassery both as people and on the mics. The group’s set was a mix of new and old, including “No Slack” off the group’s first record A Remedy.
Blues Traveler performed on the Peach Stage before moe., continuing the show set up of the groups’ co-headlining All Roads Runaround tour that’s happening right now. The group performed their usual hits “Run-Around” and “Hook,” while pulling out an interesting Radiohead cover, “Creep,” followed by “Accelerated Nation” (written about PA’s own I-81) and a version of “But Anyway,” before bringing out Chuck Garvey of moe. for a song. moe. opened their set strong with “Seat of my Pants,” a song that quite literally flies by the seat of its pants in how quickly it jumps from section to section and genre to genre. Following SOMP came “Sensory Deprivation Bank” with a no huddle segue into “Along for the Ride.” “Bearsong” came next, giving the moe.rons in the crowd flashbacks to the Saranac bears flying through the air during this song at past Saranac Brewery runs. “Bearsong” drop segued into “LL3,” a recently penned Rob Derhak tune about the train he’d take to his chemotherapy treatments. Later on in the set, the group performed an emotionally hefty “Kyle’s Song” > “Silver Sun” segment that was the highlight of the set jam-wise. Both songs took time to breathe, especially “Silver Sun” which always lends itself to notable jams.
Over on the Mushroom Stage, Dopapod returned to Peach for their third show since ending their hiatus this past April. The group has played Peach Fest numerous times over the years, including a special Dopapod Orchestra performance in 2017 that featured the Turkuaz horns and Kung Fu’s Adrian Tramontano on percussion. Highlights of their set include a water park-shaking rendition of “Freight Train,” the debut of bassist Chuck Jones’ party anthem “23 Forever,” which had to be restarted due to some sound issues, a segment of “Turnin’ Knobs” > “8 Years Ended” that took the crowd on an interesting journey, and a set ending “FABA” that was the ending note for the group’s sunset performance. BIG Something took the Mushroom Stage next, opening their set with the appropriate “Waves,” and playing a few other water-related tunes throughout the set, including the funky, electronic “Megalodon” and “The Flood.” Following a hefty “Song For Us” > “Tumbleweed,” the group debuted a new tune called “Dangerous” which was a heavy, riff and synth driven ride. Towards the end of the set, the band brought Andy Frasco out to conduct them in a version of their tune “My Volcano” that ended up being the longest jam of the set.
Over on the Peach Stage, the String Cheese Incident performed a full two-set show with the second set being the highlight of the night for most fans. During the group’s first set, they brought out the Infamous Stringdusters’ Andy Hall on dobro for “My One and Only” and “Lonesome Fiddle Blues,” and guitarist Scott Sharrard of the Gregg Allman Band for “Outside and Inside” > “Southbound,” with both sit-ins blowing the crowd out of their seats. The second set didn’t feature any sit-ins, but “Song in my Head” > “Beautiful” and “Let’s Go Outside” > “Land’s End” > “Glory Chords” > “Southbound” were both segments that left fans with their jaws on the floor. Closing out the Peach Stage was Lotus in the late night slot. Lotus got a two hour set and kept the crowd moving in the night with their groovy tunes and dance-focused improv. Highlights of the set included “Wooly Mammoth,” “MacGuffin” featuring Eli Winderman of Dopapod and Octave Cat, “Bellwether” > “Spaghetti” > “Bellwether,” and the set closing “Umbilical Moonrise.” Of all the late night sets, Lotus was one of the most fun and people bounced between the pavilion and the Live for Live Music Stage where the Magic Beans were playing their late night. The Beans threw a real party, playing to a decently sized crowd, most likely gained after their two-set late night party last year. The entire set was pretty good, with the highlights being a cover of Sturgill Simpson’s “Long White Line” and a set closing “Mission” > “Here On Out.”
Star Kitchen kicked off Saturday on the Peach Stage, bringing out guitarist Jeremy Schon of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong to make the set extra funky. This was the group’s first time playing the Peach Music Festival and they were well received by the crowd as their funk stylings got everyone up and moving for the start of the day. Over on the Mushroom Stage, Ghost Light returned to the Peach for their second year, as guitarist Raina Mullen celebrated her 26th birthday. The group opened the set with Mullen’s own anthem “Diamond Eyes,” before masterfully working their way into “Streets of Brooklyn” and “Synth Driver.” The highlight of the set was the closing segment of “Old Fashioned” > Radiohead’s “Black Star” > “Simple Gift Of Man” > the ending of “Best Kept Secret,” in which guitarist Tom Hamilton took the lead and broke into his signature effects-driven guitar scratching. Lettuce took the Peach Stage for a mid afternoon set, opening with the jazzy “Larimar” before jumping into the soulful “Krewe.” The whole pavilion was up and moving for the entire set, as the beats coming from bassist Jesus Coomes and drummer Adam Deitch were too good not to dance to. The set also featured an especially stellar version of “Phyllis,” a hip hop-infused cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule The World,” and a tight rendition of “Purple Cabbage.”
Goose debuted at the festival on the Live for Live Music Stage, having been heavily requested by fans during the festival’s survey after last year. The band had a lot of hype following their name the entire weekend, with many attendees sporting Goose merch and moustaches. Goose opened the set with “Madhuvan” and took it off to the races, before playing two recently released singles “Time to Flee” and a slow version of “All I Need.” The set included the band’s versions of “Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo” by the Grateful Dead and “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby. They closed the set with “Hot Tea” and had the whole L4LM Stage area packed to the brim, which is a rare thing to see at Peach. Greensky Bluegrass performed on the Peach Stage before the big act of the night, Trey Anastasio Band, paying tribute to the Allman Brothers with a cover of “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” as well as some standards including “Living Over,” “Leap Year,” and “Demons.”
Trey Anastasio Band took the stage for a full two sets of music following Greensky, pulling from all aspects of Trey’s musical career as TAB sets usually do. The group opened with “Set Your Soul Free,” part of a suite of songs that have to do with the guitarist’s “Soul Planet” concept. Following SYSF came some Trey classics, “Alive Again,” “Cayman Review” and “Money, Love and Change.” The group also played numerous Phish songs that have been part of the TAB repertoire for a while, including “Gotta Jibboo,” “Sand,” and “First Tube,” which were all jammed out in their usual fashion. Second set highlights include “Mozambique,” “Rise/Come Together,” and “A Life Beyond a Dream.”
During Trey’s second set, Chicago progressive rock band Mungion took the Live for Live Music Stage for their second ever Peach set, gathering a pretty good sized crowd for playing at the same time as Trey. The group opened their set with the always odd “Myrtle,” letting the song breathe and expand as they explored the jam section. Mungion brought a handful of new tunes with them including a new character, “Fludias Wozalenbill,” as well as “Better Half” and “Hideaway,” where they brought out Dopapod guitarist Rob Compa for the tune which led to he and guitarist Justin Reckamp having a prodigious guitar battle. The group closed the set with the anthemic and jazzy “Beneath the Shallows,” a fan-favorite composition from the group’s first record Scary Blankets.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead closed out the night on the Peach Stage, featuring two drummers that weren’t Joe Russo, as the namesake of the band had just had a baby with his wife a few days prior. (Congrats Joe!) In his place were his drum tech, 19 year old Evan Roque, and Ben Porowsky, who is in BOYFRIENDS with Russo. The pair did an impressive job taking on Russo’s difficult role while also paying homage to the Dead’s two drummer setup. The setlist was filled to the brim with Dead classics, opening with the disco-infused “Shakedown Street,” before taking the crowd out west for a rowdy “Me and My Uncle” and “Eyes of the World.” Guitarist Tom Hamilton led the group in an emotional take on “Althea” before breaking into the madness of “Drums” > “The Other One” > “Viola Lee Blues,” which was the highlight of the set. JRAD closed out the show with an “I Know You Rider,” sans “China Cat,” and encored with the classic singalong “Not Fade Away.”
Sunday’s music mainly took place on the Peach Stage, with a lineup of heavy hitters of both veteran and new acts. The inaugural Guitar Pull set was among the many highlights of the day, bringing together some of the jam scene’s favorite guitar players together for a set of mind blowing guitar mashups. From a relaxed version of the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” led by Steve Kimock and joined by Rob Compa, to Umphrey’s McGee’s “Booth Love” led by Jake Cinninger and joined by Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, to Stanley Jordan leading an inspiring cover of Hendrix’s “Red House,” this set satisfied the guitar nerds in the audience with matchups they could never dream of. Marcus King Band followed the Guitar Pull, bringing their new age blues sound fueled by the guitar stylings of the 25 year old prodigy. King’s set was soulful, performing songs straight from his heart including emotional versions of “Goodbye Carolina” and “8 a.m.” off of the group’s recent release Carolina Confessions, as well as songs showcasing the group’s signature gritty blues, including “Fraudulent Waffle,” “Plant Your Corn Early,” and “What’s Right.”
Following King came a duo acoustic set from music legends Warren Haynes and Grace Potter. The set was comprised of mostly covers, aside from a few originals by each artist, including Haynes’ “Is It Me or You” and Gov’t Mule’s “Captured” and Potter’s “Stars” and “Shout it Out,” a new song performed for the first time at this duo set. Surrounding the duo’s original music included Fleetwood Mac’s “Gold Dust Woman,” Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and Joan Baez’s “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You,” all performed with the entirety of each artist’s heart and soul fully invested into the music. Phil Lesh & Friends closed out the main stage with two sets, the roster included Elliot Peck on vocals, Holly Bowling on keys, Warren Haynes, John Scofield, and Grahame Lesh on guitar, and John Molo on drums. The sets featured many classic Grateful Dead songs and a handful of covers led by various members of the band, including a Lesh-led “Broken Arrow,” and “Sunshine of Your Love” and “All Along the Watchtower” led by Haynes. The group performed stellar versions of Dead classics, especially “Bird Song,” “St. Stephen” and “Morning Dew.” The first set got cut slightly short due to inclement weather on the mountain, but the band and crowd powered through it and Grahame Lesh led the group in “Playing in the Band” to open the second set.
Check out the photo gallery below for a look into what the Peach Music Festival was like this year. This weekend was full of great music and rarely ever had a lull in things to do. Spirits were high and the weather was great until the yearly rain on Sunday night. Peach is an event not to miss, so make it a point to go next year! Check back with NYSMusic for future coverage of the Peach.
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
On Thursday July 25, three bands from Denver, Colorado descended on Port Chester, New York for a night of musical magic at Garcia’s, the bar adjacent the famed Capitol Theatre with Cycles, The Jauntee, and Magic Beans who have all had an extremely successful year, riding the waves of headlining sets at festivals throughout the summer, recent album releases, and upcoming releases.
Before the music began, I had the opportunity to sit with Chris Duffy (bass, Magic Beans) and Caton Sollenberger (guitar, The Jauntee) about their feelings playing together, influences, and plans for the future.
Tom Dillon: Being that you’re all from Colorado, can you comment on what it feels like to be playing together out east?
Chris Duffy: It feels really relaxed. Cycles, they’re good friends from Denver. We played Baltimore together last night and will be at Peach Festival tomorrow. Jauntee just moved to Denver last year and we all sort of share a fan base. It’s a good vibe, there’s more conversation in the green room.
Caton Sollenberger: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s cool to be in this “family” setting. All three of us played Beanstalk last year and we’ve all been able to help each other out. We (Jauntee) did five weeks out east in the spring and it feels great to be in this kind of a homecoming. This is our fourth time at Garcia’s so it’s good to be here.
Scott Ferber of The Jauntee
TD: Speaking of Beanstalk, this was the 7th year for the festival, how was that?
CD: Ah man, it was awesome! (Tucker McClung of Cycles chimes in “Favorite Beanstalk so far!) Yeah it was incredible. Each year it feels more dialed in, the crew just gets tighter and tighter.
CS: Unfortunately we missed Beanstalk this year, but just moving to Colorado was a big thing for us. We started going out west a while ago, which always seemed impossible from Boston, so we feel like we have a good home base out there. The scene is really welcoming.
TD: It’s been a great year for the Beans between the 7th year of Beanstalk, opening for the Disco Biscuits, and debuting at Red Rocks. What are your thoughts on the space you’ve carved out for yourselves in the jam band scene?
CD: Well, we are pretty aware of our influences. There is so much good production happening right now in neo-soul and hip-hop – which we listen to a lot of, so we try to show that through the jam band lens. We like to see how the jam band crowd will react to different sounds and influences and we’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much people are grabbing onto the more heartfelt singing and songs. Those are some of our most streamed songs, the ones that are more songwriting heavy.
Scott Haschey of Magic Beans
TD: You seem to take a more rhythm-based approach to improvisation, is that intentional?
CD: We try to interpret our influences and not just copy them. We have a lot of peaking guitar solo jams like a lot of jam bands but that doesn’t really satisfy all our desires creatively. Scott (Haschey, guitar) really values good songwriting and puts a lot of thought into arrangement, lyrics, and digging deep into human emotion as opposed to singing about some fabled jam band monkey in a tree – even though we love that stuff too.
TD: So what’s next and what are you looking forward to?
CS: Jauntee has a live compilation coming out with takes from our last New England run. It’s going to be called Jaunts Of Our Lives. We picked the best stuff that we liked and mixed it all down. There won’t be any print but it’s all high quality and will be out on streaming and on Bandcamp as a pay-what-you-want deal. It should be coming out real soon, like any day. To be honest it might even already be out!
CD: Well, we just released Off Leash and are really happy with the way the album came out. We were able to inject a lot of different styles so there’s something for everyone but we feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface of accessing our inner producers as far as using other sounds – drum machines or samples on stage. We just keep pressing on. We’ve talked about getting together and releasing maybe a hip-hop EP or a remix or dance thing, but you might hear us swing into a more acoustic or Americana sound also.
Cycles
First up was the eclectic trio Cycles, comprised of guitarist/loop-master Patrick Harvey, bassist Tucker McClung, and newcomer drummer Colin O’Brien in his fifth official gig with the band. Cycles are completely unique in their sound and approach, blending genres from rock to soul into a mix of progressive power.
Through their opening hour set, the rhythm section was relentless. Offering a batch of material that can also be found on their recent live release Selections, Vol. 1, the trio covered all their bases. From the opening instrumental “Strife” and the bouncing “Be Yourself” to the more delicate “Everything Must Go,” the mood shifted but the sound was consistently huge. This is in large part due to Harvey’s control over his gear. While his guitar playing is ferocious, his use of a looper is equally as impressive. As he layers swells over chords, he creates massive sonic landscapes that reverberate through every corner of the room. He has mastered the art of painting with sound and it seems to be something he has taken hold of as totally his own.
The Jauntee
After a speedy equipment swap, The Jauntee got straight into some easy-going funk with “When The Love Is.” With tasteful riffs and well-placed transitions from section to section, The Jauntee is one of the few bands on the scene who explores free improvisation to a level where they begin to touch on what a band like Phish was doing or has done.
Adding the first sounds of piano and organ to the night, The Jauntee carried the groove steadily throughout their set. Their uplifting content is explicitly demonstrated in “Way To Grow” as the lyrics reference, “Feel good music to let your spirit free.” The progressive number “Flutterby” is an impressive run through ascending melodies, quickly moving scale patterns, and was executed flawlessly. It’s obvious that this group has been together for a while and the members are comfortable together. The jams are patient and poised. They take the time to really settle in, letting the crowd feel the beat, giving the music room to breathe, allowing it to grow by feeding off the moment. This was most honestly exemplified in the second half of the set during “Dirty Job” as the band slowly raised the energy level from foot-tapping funk, building anticipation through a series of tense syncopations, to a final release of sustained guitar under a canvas of organ.
Magic Beans
It’s easy to see why Magic Beans has steadily, and quickly, built momentum as a band to see. Though they live some 2,000 miles away, fans showed up in force to watch them in Port Chester. One fan even thanked Chris Duffy for putting on such a good show the night before in Baltimore.
The Beans are locked in to their feel-good sound. It’s music that’s meant to not only make you dance, but make you feel good about it. Kicking things off with the party-funk single “Feed The Beast” from their newest album Off Leash, the band exhibited that they came prepared to lay it down. Keyboardist Casey Russell kept a wide smile all throughout the affirmative “Always Cool” off of 2017’s Common Mind. Two songs in and raving with jubilance, guitarist Scott Haschey broke a string and didn’t miss a single note. While he stepped off to re-string, the rest of the band wasn’t going to wait up. After a short filler with Casey on lead vocals and a impassioned organ solo, the rest of the set was indeed magical.
Casey Russell of Magic Beans
With just 6 songs on their setlist, Magic Beans intertwined all styles, incorporating a variety of sounds from their respective toolkits during an hour and fifteen minutes. Lush organ, euphonic synthesizer, filtered bass, drum samples under tight beats, and vibrant, rich guitar tones were all on full display. A touch of each was compiled into the finale “Contraband,” another track from Off Leash, bringing this night of magical music to it’s conclusion.
Off Leash is available on all streaming platforms now and Magic Beans can be seen in the Northeast once again on their soon-to-be announced Fall Tour.
Rob Thomas’ Chip Tooth Tour rolled into Saratoga Springs on Wednesday, July 24, complete with some great opening acts, messages of gratitude and music celebrating both past and present. Although there was a smaller crowd for the venue, fans filled in to hear singer/songwriter Chris Trapper and the thunderously joyful Abby Anderson before Thomas took the stage at 9pm.
Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. Photo by Jim Gilbert.
Rob Thomas is the lead singer of Matchbox Twenty, and he brought the rock star spirit in his dramatic entrance on stage. With lights flashing in time with the drum set, punctuating his presence, Thomas strode on stage, ceasing movement with generous pauses in light, sound and movement. The fierce guitar lick danced with Thomas, who ran backward high kneeing across stage. And in a moment it was clear: he’s a rock star – with or without his famous band.
Thomas welcomed the crowd after his second song, saying hello to Saratoga with a large grin. He added, ‘Here’s the thing. We’ll do this show tomorrow night, and we played it last night. But nothing is more special than this show tonight.’ And so started the message of the evening to be present and enjoy the moment. Thomas would reiterate this both in lyrics and words, chatting with the crowd throughout the evening – celebrating life’s every day moments in song and story.
From “Her Diamonds,” which acknowledges with brutal honesty loving someone with chronic pain, to the more folksy “The Great Unknown,” a song about death, Thomas’ desire to communicate his message resounded with authenticity. He invited Chris Trapp back up to sing Trapp’s original song about death, which was mashed up with Thomas’ “happy little song about death” in a joyful and honest moment on stage.
During “Streetcar Symphony,” Thomas expressed gratitude to his opening acts and fellow musicians on stage with him. He was clear in using his talent and velvety voice to share his wisdom to celebrate life in all its moments. Thomas talked about a time with his dogs on tour when he wrote “Little Wonders” for a movie soundtrack that made him recognize the joy in life through his animals.
Thomas covered David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” getting the crowd dancing in their aisles. After a full set of 17 songs, his fans called him back for an encore performance of “…Something to Be,” followed by loved Matchbox Twenty song “Unwell” and Santana’s “Smooth.” He was visibly having a great time, dancing and moving like the rock star he has become, without the rock star attitude. Instead he demonstrated generous gratitude, sharing the applause and calling his opening acts back to perform with him.
Thomas lives his message. He was present in the moment, and loving every minute of it.
Setlist: I Love It, Real World ’09, Lonely No More, Her Diamonds, If You’re Gone (Matchbox Twenty song), Can’t Help Me Now, The Great Unknown, Streetcorner Symphony, One Less Day (Dying Young), Little Wonders, Fire On the Mountain, Let’s Dance (David Bowie cover), 3 A.M., Ever the Same, Someday, I am an Illusion.
Encore: …Something to Be, Unwell, Smooth (Santana Cover), This is How a Heart Breaks.
On a beautiful sunny day in the rolling hills of Central New York, Toronto based Phish tribute band, The Lizards, played a fun filled set at Good Nature Farm Brewery in Hamilton, on Sunday, July 21. Many families came early to tour the brewery, sample delicious craft beer and snack on the farm’s menu. The Lizards delved deep into their playbook and gave an exciting, fun performance on many of Phish’s greatest hits and deep cuts.
Photo: Allen Landesman
The opening band, Peak, led off the show with a super funky set. Despite not having their bass player, due to a family emergency, they jammed on with funky grooves. Peak riffed off each other and were the perfect opening act to set a great evening up. Johny Young (keys) said, ‘It’s great to get up to the country out of Brooklyn. And we got to test out a few songs from our new album droppin in Spring of 2020!’
Photo: Allen Landesman
With the heat reaching nearly 93F, it was a scorcher. The Lizards played a hot set and the many in attendance left the shade of picnic tables and umbrellas to dance at this wonderful amphitheater. Rich Grossman (guitar) said, ‘We’ve never played here before so we didn’t know what we were getting into. We love this stage, this atmosphere and the venue has treated us so well.’ The crowd seemed very pleased as well, at this family friendly space while dancing and singing along with the beautiful sunset views over Good Nature Farm Brewery.
Every music loving Suffolk resident knows that the Great South Bay Music Festival is our time to shine each summer. We don’t get to host the Governors Ball, the closest Warped Tour ever got was Jones Beach and calling Nassau Coliseum convenient to get to, when you live in Wading River, is pretty much bologna. But if one thing is clear, it’s that our fine state of New York is a divinely fertile nesting ground for music and arts of all sorts. When you live in eastern Suffolk, traveling “up the island” is always a necessary headache in order to reach said fertile nesting ground.
2019 Music Festival Pamphlet
But then there was Jim Faith – who created the heart of the Great South Bay Music Festival nestled down on the bay in Patchogue, NY. And don’t be fooled superstitious concert goers, for this festival now in its 13th year, was absolutely the most dynamic yet – (however please note, there will be “No Frisbee throwing in front of the Main Stage area” says the festival’s website).
Each night hosted a specific genre that allowed the festival to uphold its tradition of eclectic sound. From our hometown heroes Taking Back Sunday, to rock/reggae sweethearts Slightly Stoopid, festival heavy hitters Lotus and certified musical legends America – it is safe to say this diverse festival had something for pretty much everyone.
For those looking to dive into our local music scene, this place was abuzz from the moment the music kicked off. On multiple smaller stages scattered throughout the grounds, all four days had some super compelling lesser known artists that deserve their slot on your Spotify playlist.
Festival goers enjoy the performances at Great South Bay 2019
As opening day got underway, Thursday saw a lazy stream of fest-goers making their way into the venue due to earlier wet conditions. Ultimately though to the joy of the attendees, the sky cleared up for the night other than a few stubborn clouds.
Whatever We Are made their Great South Bay debut performing many great originals and having tremendous chemistry the main stage, performing through strong winds and grey skies. Ex-My Chemical Romance backup guitarist, Frank Iero, performed a great setlist with his band, Future Violents. They set the energy level high and helped the crowd ignore the weather and wind that took out one of the ‘Great South Bay banners’ on the Coors Light Stage. Long time fans were ecstatic to see Glassjaw, local post-hardcore band from Hempstead. Their loyal following did them proud, showing allegiance to songs well over a decade old. Not performing often these days, The Great South Bay Music Festival couldn’t have been happier to host this performance for a crowd that welcomed them back to the stage. Lead singer Daryl Palumbo and crew rocked onlookers for an hour with a hard and heavy performance.
Gabrielle Ross – Whatever We Are
Frank Iero and the Future Violents
Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw
When Long Island favorites Taking Back Sunday came out, they were greeted by a cheer that only your home state could conjure. Over the course of their hour and fifteen-minute slot singer, Adam Lazzara (ham that he is) swung his mic and inserted the band’s personal anecdotes between songs. Essentially their entire performance was a hybrid of mosh-pit and sing-along. It was clear that their fans hadn’t forgotten, even the most obscure lyrics from their beloved album, Tell All Your Friends, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. There’s something really special about local acts playing to the fans who lifted them up to the level of success they enjoy today, and Taking Back Sunday’s performance was no exception.
Taking Back Sunday performs a thunderous setlist and keeps the rain away!
FRIDAY:
As Friday commenced the crowd embraced the beginning of the weekend’s forecasted heat wave, which brought temperatures up into the 90’s. But to the surprise of many, at the gate of the festival each person was offered complementary water courtesy of Long Island Cares. This seemingly small gesture really highlighted the overall neighborhood feel the gathering aims for.
Although the weather was hot, with free water in hand, the crowd entered psyched and ready to celebrate a summer night with insane music. The mood of the crowd went perfectly with the day’s theme which is traditionally reggae/hip-hop fusion. Over at the main stage, local reggae darlings Oogee Wawa were busy captivating an audience that proved they were ready to party. With a tour schedule that boasts playing 200 gigs a year since 2013, these fellas know how to hype a crowd. Their infectious energy was the absolute perfect kickoff to the night.
Oogee Wawa delivers a joyful and amazing performance sharing love for their fans
Meanwhile over at the Clamshell Bandshell, standout independent act and hip-hop artist Dudley Music took the stage. Right away the lyricism was impressive – his thoughts were clear, meaningful and well delivered. Accompanied by a full band including guitar, drums and bass – Dudley’s musicianship blew onlookers away as he switched between multiple instruments, including keyboard and saxophone. His musical arrangements were creative, cohesive and well thought out. The deeper into his set, the larger the crowd got, until there were a couple hundred people grooving and hollering for more. Ending his set, he weaved “This is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan into his own original track and captured the audience by engaging them in a sing-along that left more than a few wanting more. Dudley, without question, won over some new fans and exposed the crowd to a style they may not have experienced before.
Dudley Music plays for their fans at Clamshell band
Once it was time for Sublime with Rome, the steadily increasing crowd began to squeeze up towards the stage. That night old school Sublime fans were out! As the words “she was living in a single room with three other individuals…” played (a classic Sublime soundbite taken from the film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls), the crowd suddenly erupted with cheers. This tune, considered a cornerstone Sublime song by fans, was played along with an impressive set of tracks from back when the band still had original lead singer Bradley Nowell. For the most part they played throwback Sublime songs, only peppering in their newer additions here and there. The crowd showed Eric Wilson, the only original Sublime member left, showed massive amount of love as he was exiting the stage.
By the time Slightly Stoopid’s set was up, a overwhelming crowd had amassed. Their passionate fans went out of their minds as the members wandered to their places, thick clouds of synthetic smoke drifted in the background. Opening with the dynamic instrumental, “Dabbington,” their horn section of trombone and saxophone immediately made waves. Per usual, throughout the performance lead vocals were shared by frontmen Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald, who also crisscrossed back and forth between bass and guitar. While playing some of their super early surf-punk songs in order to let fans “get the wiggles out,” a proud mosh-pit formed in the center of the crowd to the mild chagrin of security. The band fed so well off of everyone’s energy during the entirety of the performance, Slightly Stoopid made it very clear that they appreciated the love New York had to show these Cali natives.
Sublime with Rome
Slightly Stoopid
SATURDAY:
As the years float by, Great South Bay Music Festival has grown and morphed into the success it is today. One of the evolutions being the additional stages that are scattered throughout the grounds. Having these outlets are fantastic as it allows the festival to veer off theme each night, giving even more artists the opportunity to showcase their talents.
This year’s newest addition was the Busker Stage, bringing the festival grand total of four. As fest-goers leisurely strolled the area leafing through the vendor’s offerings, Andrew Fortier and Tricycle began to croon. They had a pragmatic, salt of the earth feel accompanied by a rich three part harmony that was nothing short of angelic. They were the nights best kept secret.
Andrew Fortier and Tricycle
As the sun began to set, Spafford kicked off the jam band lineup over on the main stage. This group of musically talented men captivated the eager crowd and compelled their spirits to let loose, dance and enjoy. Even through the stifling heat – hands waved, feet were moving and by-george you better believe the hula hoops came out. The band’s sound had a lighthearted airiness about it that easily carried you right through their lengthy improvisations. It felt appropriate that a gorgeous breeze off the bay began sweeping over the crowd as their set concluded.
Next up was Dweezil Zappa, opening his set with a heavy and energetic tune. If the jam band night is nothing else, it is certainly relentlessly energetic. Zappa relinquished vocal responsibilities to multiple other band members as he jammed on lead guitar for the majority of the performance. Vocalist Cian Coey stood out as a powerhouse, ending their first number with a resounding high note, like it was straight off a Guns ‘N Roses track. The crowd went wild with appreciation. When Dweezil himself lent his vocal contributions, it was more like a spoken word piece being woven into music. His unique stylized delivery made the lyrics stand out, really giving the entire performance a commanding presence.
Darkness fell over the grounds as headliner, Lotus, made their way into the spotlight. As they began to play, glow sticks were abound with neon colors flying through the sky. The group’s offering were a bit hard to categorize. At first their dance friendly, funky 70’s vibe, created something that sounded like it should have been on the Superbad soundtrack. Blend that up with some kaleidoscopic synthesizer and then sprinkle in a diverse array of sound effects; that probably still wouldn’t fully describe the sound. At times it was difficult to even discern what instrument was creating each sound. It was truly a carnival for the ears – a colorful whirlwind of notes. Throughout this set of progressive jams the band had their dark and brooding moments; but each song ultimately concluded with a positive outburst of that dance friendly, funky sound.
Dweezil Zappa
Spafford
Lotus
SUNDAY:
As the music festival’s last day commenced it seemed somewhat appropriate that it also turned out to be the hottest day yet. As the flock of music fans sizzled on the grass everyone there brought their best spirits to finish out the weekend on a high note.
The Clamshell Bandshell got down to business right away with The End of America, a band from Philadelphia, PA, that brought some tight three-part-harmonies to the joys of a growing crowd. The outfit easily coaxed every passersby into listening, as it just felt natural to wander towards their sound. The vocalists (playing an acoustic and electric guitar and banjo respectively) gave a soulful, meaningful delivery of lyrics. They came across as a band that really had something to say, important messengers during times of trouble.
Over on the main stage Edgar Winter emerged as the sun still blazed in the sky. He began by playing “Free Ride,” which got people immediately invested in the classic tune. He also engaged the crowd by narrating small stories between each song that gave the entire performance a personal touch. One particular song, “Tobacco Road,” ended up turning into a 15-minute long anthem. Several minutes in he broke off into a call and response with his guitarist – Edgar creating the vocals followed by guitar mimicking his notes. This then flowed into an epic interlude of crazy improvised scatting which morphed into several instrumental covers of famous rock melodies such as Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” Towards the end of the set Edgar took a moment to make a heartfelt shoutout to his brother Johnny Winter who passed away back in 2014. The crowd paid homage to his brother’s memory with a barrage of claps and screams.
The music group WAR notably featured sweet soulful harmonica licks from the very first song. Some rich vocal harmonies over a funky beat accompanied by of course (as this became the brass hero of the festival) the saxophone. WAR played the opening notes of popular track “Spill The Wine” to the crowd’s delight. Everyone really came together enjoying the music that was so happy and energetic, it was like a Sunday night family party. Then drummer, Salvador Rodriguez, sang a version of their ballad “So.” Belting notes with the vocal clarity found in pop stars, Rodriguez left the crowd seriously spellbound. Finishing off with the classic “Why Cant We Be Friends,” Lonnie Jordan and his crew delivered a super high energy finale – everyone in attendance could tell the band was having the time of their lives.
Lonnie Jordan, 71, has been last standing original member of WAR for over 20 year.
The very last of the entire four day bonanza was America. They have officially been performing together for 50 years and they certainly took the stage with the poise and showmanship of those who have been in the game. Throughout their performance there were multiple guitar rips that made them worthy of the label “classic rock.” Mid-set they put their own spin on Beatles song (which is always a crowd pleaser) Eleanor Rigby. As their set was winding down, America continued playing as a lightning storm rolled in over the bay. They continued on for as long as they possibly could, but were ultimately forced to cut their last songs short for everyone’s safety. They never got to play Horse With No Name, their extremely popular and arguably most well known song.
Edgar Winter
Lonnie Jordan
America
All in all the feel of this year’s gathering captured exactly what Jim Faith had initially set out to do, bring our local neighborhoods together in peace and music. It felt much like a big block party or backyard barbecue. It was commonplace as a passerby to see people running into friends and exchanging excited hugs. There were giggling kids running around and groups of people hanging back in lawn chairs enjoying cold beers and each other’s company. The festival can be pretty much exactly what you decide to make of it. So whether it’s a relaxed chill session or an energetic experience at the front of the stage, The Great South Bay Music Festival has got you completely covered!
Bowlive VIII’s final night brought a full house of great musicians alongside Soulive for “Family Night.” The special guests included Dan Mayer (guitar), Sam Kininger (saxophone), James Casey (saxophone) and Brian Thomas (trombone). Soulive’s lineup includes Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums) and Neal Evans (organ, bass keys, clavinet).
Eric Krasno
The evening began with the core trio from Soulive who delivered a sweet instrumental version of The Beatle’s “Revolution.” “Bubble” was up next, from 2007’s No Place Like Soul, followed by “Spark.” The vibe then quickly charged as saxophonist and frequent collaborator Sam Kinninger joined the band on stage. He sat in for “Hurry Up… and Wait” (Doin’ Somethin), “Rudy’s Way” (Get Down!) and “Liquid” (Next). The horn section increased by two at the end of the set as James Casey and Brian Thomas joined the party for a deliciously funky “Tuesday Night Squad.”
Neal Evans, James Casey, Sam Kinninger and Brian Thomas
Set two raised the bar as guitarist Dan Mayer, from Star Kitchen, added another strong guitar presence on stage. Krasno announced that Dan Mayer “is one of my favorite guitarists.” The quartet opened with “Curse Lifter,” followed by a stellar instrumental version of Jimi Hendrix’ “Manic Depression,” showcasing the talents of both guitarists. The horn trio then joined the squad once again and delivered a funky “Backwards Jack.” Mayer left the stage and the sextet rolled on with “Up Right,” “Hat Trick,” and “PJ’s”. The set closed out with “Canonball,” another Doin’ Something track. Mayer joined the stage once again for the encore of “Flurries” which included audience confetti. All seven musicians took a bow, and wrapped up another successful Soulive residency at the Brooklyn Bowl.
Dan Mayer and Eric Krasno
Setlist
Set One: Revolution, Bubble, Spark, Hurry Up… and Wait^, Rudy’s Way^, Liquid^, Tuesday Night Squad^%
Set Two: Curse Lifter*, Manic Depression*, Backwards Jack*^%, Up Right^%, Hat Trick^%, PJ’s^%, Cannonball^%
Enc: Flurries*^%
Notes:
^with Sam Kinninger (sax)
*with Danny Mayer (guitar)
%with James Casey (sax) and Brian Thomas (trombone)
Chrome Food and Spirits in Waterford, NY was the site of a recent anniversary party for the Capital Region’s newest online local radio station, RadioRadioX. Founded on July 10, 2018 by local musicians, Art Fredette and Ralph Renna, the fledgling station has marked its “X” on the spot in the Capital Region through its Waterford radio station headquarters along with its monthly magazine, The Xperience Monthly. Its mission since formation has been aimed towards playing great music and supporting the local scene through the arts and the ever-growing music scene that continues to serve the Capital Region.
July 10 was the official one-year anniversary of the station. In celebration of both that and the magazine, the RadioRadioX team held a rocking birthday party held Sunday, July 14 at Chrome Food and Spirits. The party was full of fun shenanigans and great live entertainment all afternoon. It was a fun event for the community to be a part of this summer to celebrate the birth of a local radio station, its local original artists and cover groups, and the local artisans and businesses who make up our great scene.
Art Fredette
Before it became RadioRadioX, the radio station was known as “The X.” Music fans would tune into the station on public radio at 106.1 FM where it would receive airplay for nine months until its untimely demise last year when the radio station that was playing local and regional music not normally heard on popular radio was suddenly taken off the airwaves. Local musicians and fans of the popular station were in an uproar that the station, which was playing their music and supporting the local scene, had disappeared without a trace. Eventually, 106.1 FM became a popular Top 40 radio station and, later, became one of two stations for WEXT.
Rising up from the ashes, members of “The X” jumped into action and decided that the only way to celebrate its demise was to have a funeral party for the station that was held on April 14, 2018 at The Hangar On the Hudson in Troy, properly called, “A Funeral For The X.” A who’s who of the Capital Region’s local scene, like The Ramblin’ Jug Stompers, Soul Sky, The Lawn Sausages, Buggy Jive, C.K. And The Rising Tide, to Acoustic Trauma, all came out to pay their respects to the radio station through live music. With death comes rebirth, and “The X” suddenly became RadioRadioX, much to the delight of the scene who was ready to see their radio station make a comeback with a splash.
Since its rebirth, RadioRadioX has built a name for itself. The radio station was created by local musicians and serves the local scene on a whole new level. Since March 2019, RadioRadioX has held their own monthly concert series at their studio where patrons could check out the studio in person while sitting back and enjoying some live music from local solo acts and bands at their event, “Xperience Live.” An open house was held at the studio featuring music from the ’60s lounge cover group Off The Record, and the “Second Chance Prom,” held at Il Faro Restaurant and Bar, that the band also took part in for this exclusive RadioRadioX feature event. Along with the online station came a monthly magazine, The Xperience Monthly. The magazine features exclusive music interviews, show reviews, short fiction stories, and arts features written exclusively by local musicians and artisans who are dedicated to keeping our local creative scene alive.
Live music for this event was held on two main stages. In between sets, as the larger acts set up their gear and did their sound checks, patrons went inside the bar to have a drink while watching great performances from solo performers like Brittany Robichaud and Will Foley, and a duo performance from Big Frank and The Bargain Bingers members Frank Novko and Johnny Hoffman. From Robichaud’s acoustic take of Alanis Morissette’s “Not the Doctor,” to The Bargain Binger’s unique take on a popular Rolling Stones cover, each act kept their audience entertained with their cover tunes.
The acts that were featured on the main stage included Albany’s Honey Slider, featuring Caity Gallagher (vocals/piano) and Alec Lewis (vocals/lead guitar), Acoustic Trauma, The Lawn Sausages (featuring Luke McNamee on saxophone), Soul Sky, The Chris Busone Band and headlining act, Murali Coryell’s Electric Band.Honey Slider’s originals were soft and sweet through their delicate piano melodies and swift guitar measures. Acoustic Trauma was blazing loud and energetic. Maceli’s swift violin play and the energy he has on stage along with his backline, was amazing. Soul Sky, featuring their three-guitar army of Mark Emanatian, Joe Mele, and Jeremy Walz, raised the roof to a whole new level through their guitar soloing as they fed off each other in their cover of Eric Clapton’s “Why Does Love Have to be So Sad?” Funny as always, The Lawn Sausages continue to entertain with their non-stop jokes in between songs and their funny song lyrics that they played from their new album, Appetite for Dysfunction, even at one point inviting two female dancing friends to join them on stage to be their backup dancers for a song.The blues remain alive and well as the final two bands, Chris Busone Band and Murali Coryell’s Electric Band, played some tasty tunes for the soul. Coryell’s set, although short, was amazing with the assistance of his bassist and drummer. He performed some tunes from his current album, Made in Texas, and left his audience wanting more. The blues is certainly in his blood and it is clear how much passion he has for it through his musical tribute to Muddy Waters and in his original tune, “Eyes Wide Open.” Lastly, the “Superstition” from the Chris Busone Band had the audience on their feet with their eyes agape in awe as they watched them perform solos with both passion and a slight angst.In addition to the music, a group of local businesses and artisans proudly displayed and sold their merchandise. RadioRadioX gave away some tickets to raffle winners who wished to attend the “Divine Vibes” event held at The Beer Diviner in Cherry Plain, NY. The businesses and artisans who took part at the event include Goldie’s Marketplace, ALM Fine Art And Photography (featuring music photography from Amy Modesti), Mary Kay consultant Angela “Diamond” Fowler, The American Red Cross, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention with music CDs for sale from Will Foley, Park Lane, and visual art, jewelry, and writings sold from Carol Bosselman. RadioRadioX not only supports the local music scene, but they support their community and the local businesses who come together to help bridge their creative community together in the Capital Region. This party helped build community among the local businesses, artisans, organizations, and the music scene in one fun afternoon.
Happy Anniversary, RadioRadioX! Congratulations to the entire team for hosting and putting on this fantastic event at Chrome Food and Spirits. And “Cheers” to many more years in local online radio, newsprint, and helping to bridge together local artisans, musicians, and businesses into one great melting pot of creativity and collaboration.
