Joywave dropped the first single off their highly-anticipated third album, Like a Kennedy. In conjunction with the release, they announced “The Possession Sessions,” a handful of show dates including intimate shows in Rochester on June 29 and Brooklyn on July 11. The hometown show in Rochester at The Bug Jar sold out in a few hours, and a second-late night set has just been added. Tickets are on sale here. See the complete list of upcoming shows below.
In a commentary that is available to stream now, Armbruster explains:
“I think a lot of people will probably try to fit this song into some type of political narrative, but that’s really not the point. It’s a song about complete exhaustion and media burnout. It’s an anti-chaos song. Every screen you walk by DEMANDS your attention. Everything is BREAKING NEWS in all caps. It’s a really difficult time to think about the mundane small-scale things that have been the focus of human existence until very recently. I don’t think people should check out, but I think it’s beneficial to at least zoom out and not take the bait every time. It feels like everything is designed to keep us enraged 24 hours a day. We deserve a little sanity.”
– Daniel Armbruster
The Possession Sessions:
June 29 – Rochester, NY – The Bug Jar
JULY 9 – Los Angeles, CA – The Moroccan Lounge
July 11 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere (Zone One)
July 13 – Chicago, IL – Taste of Chicago
July 18 – Fayetteville, AR – Free Summer Concert Series at JBGB *
July 19 – Kansas City, MO – Coors Light Block Party *
August 10 – Redmond, WA – 107.7 The End Presents Summer Camp *
Mountain Jam marked year 15 by migrating to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the site of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival. When the change was announced earlier this year, Mountain Jam co-founder Gary Chetkof shared with the Poughkeepsie Journal: “What could be more amazing than Bethel Woods and the home of the Woodstock festival… It was really just a matter of going to the promised land.”
Driving up on Friday (day two of the four day event) I turned off NY Route 17 onto 17B. Headed down this one-lane road affectionately named “The Woodstock Way,” I started to imagine what it was like in 1969 as people abandoned their cars on the road and started walking the final 10 miles to the festival. The closer I got, I could hear Arlo Guthries’s iconic “THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY’S CLOSED, MAN!” in my head.
Peace flag
Festival organizers took advantage of the great expanse that Bethel Woods had to offer. The box office was located on the southern perimeter of Bethel Woods in a remote field with tall grass and mud. The flashback was suddenly becoming real. After hiking up a hill toward the festival, I found myself looking out over the site of the original Woodstock. Images of 1969 started flashing before me.
I was quickly brought back to 2019 as I strolled past campers and RV’s of various sizes and shapes with glamping professionals nestled in their folding chairs, munching on BBQ, and consuming their favorite beverages. At the entrance pockets were emptied, bags checked, and metal detector wanding was carried out by security.
Phil Lesh & Friends
Mountain Jam, spelt out in 10-foot tall letters with teepee bookends, greeted me. The sound of music was immediate. The first stage I encountered was the Valley stage, a medium sized stage with a Ferris wheel parked next to it. Acts including The Nude Party, Hollis Brown and Tyler Ramsey performed there. The Valley stage also served as the location for late night jam sessions by Andy Frassco & the U.N. and Consider the Source held on Friday and Saturday nights.
Headed farther into the festival you came upon the Mountain Stage (main pavilion amphitheater) which hosted featured performers Gov’t Mule, Willie Nelson, Dispatch, The Avett Brothers, and Phil Lesh & Friends to name a few. Add to that the Terrace stage; a performance space with seats built into a hillside, VIP stage where special acoustic sets were performed by acts who had played bigger stages earlier that day, and an event gallery space. With this cornucopia of musical riches it made it difficult to chose who and where to go to listen to music. On Saturday and Sunday the Hudson Valley based band Yard Sale busked throughout the site, injecting a free form feeling reminiscent of 1969.
The vibe,
the location, the history, the people
Intended to celebrate radio station WDST/Woodstock’s 25th anniversary, Mountain Jam started as a one-day event in 2005 by principle station owner Gary Chetkof and Warren Haynes. After 14 years at Hunter Mountain the decision to move to Bethel Woods was made. A move of 70 miles from its original location at Hunter Mountain, proving to be light years away from the previous home. The vibe from the original three days of Peace and Music festival was palpable. Tie dye, bare feet, singing and dancing was the norm. A “Wish Tree,” part of Yoko Ono’s ongoing Imagine Peace art installation series invited people to make a wish; write it on a piece of paper and attach it to the tree. The on-site security and support staff wore t-shirts with Peace Patrol emblazoned on their backs. Babbling brooks illuminated in multi-colors, open fields and dream catchers situated throughout the site augmented the vibe.
Those in attendance ran the gamut from old to young. Parents were there with their adult children, sitting on the hillside, sharing beers together while new parents introduced their young ones to the experience of live music. Many took advantage of the beautifully maintained grounds of Bethel Woods seaking out remote spots, allowing them to chill out and absorb the spirit that was Woodstock.
Zen moment
The Music
In addition to over 40 bands performing at this years Mountain Jam, rock and roll photographer Jay Blakesberg, know as the photographer of the Grateful Dead, shared a slide show telling presentation of his work to a packed event gallery audience. An easy to use Mountain Jam app was available to help you track of all the performers, their set times, locations, and help you plan your daily daily schedule. It also updates you to special activates happening in real time.
A highlight of the festival was Gov’t Mule’s Saturday night appearance (they played Friday night also) paying tribute to the bands that had performed at the original Woodstock festival. Warren Haynes, backed by percussionist Tato Melgar of Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real, opened the set with Richie Havens’ “Freedom.” The band’s set included The Who’s “Eye Sight to the Blind,” CSNY’s “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” and Sly Stones “I Want To Take You Higher.” Throughout the night Gov’t Mule was joined on stage by special guests including Lukas Nelson, and Arleigh Kincheloe and Jackson Kincheloe from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. They ended the evening’s tribute with a blistering encore of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Sight Return).”
Rain did find its way to the
festival late Saturday night and sporadically on Sunday, but with all stages having
protective covering (the amphitheater has a permanent roof over the seats) the
music never stopped. Being the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, who
wouldn’t have expected it to rain at some point. After a successful four days
and establishing a new location, Mountain Jam has secured the future of Peace
& Music in the Hudson Valley.
Gov’t MuleToots & The MaytalsLukas Nelson and The Promise of The RealThe Avett BrothersAmy HelmThe RevivalistsMountain Jam coupleSister Sparrow & The Dirty BirdsAlison Krauss & Union StationBella’s BartokJoe Russo’s Almost DeadThe Big Takeover
Michael GlabickiBethel Woods securityAllman Betts BandDispatchMichael Franti & SpearheadFather and sonThe Commonheart
Woodstock may be returning to Central New York at Vernon Downs for the 50 year anniversary of the iconic music and arts festival. Scheduled to be held Aug. 16-18, some of the previously announced headliners for the event include Jay-Z, The Raconteurs, The Killers, Miley Cyrus, John Fogerty and Dead & Company.
The festival would still be held on the originally planned weekend of Aug. 16-18, only now possibly at Vernon Downs Casino Hotel in Vernon, a small town located along the New York State Thruway between Syracuse and Rome. There would most likely be no camping and the performances would run from until 11:00 p.m. each day.
After Watkins Glen International Speedway pulled out as host of Woodstock 50 on June 10, organizer Michael Lang vowed the festival would still be happening and that they were in discussions with other venues. It now appears that Vernon Downs was one of those venues.
Michael Lang is no stranger to the Central New York area. Woodstock ’99 was held at the decommissioned Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome. The festival drew upwards of 200,000 people that year and was marred by riots and sexual assaults that brought the festival to a fiery conclusion.
The harness racing track located on site has a past of hosting larger concert events, the latest being Aug. 29, 2012 when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band visited during the Wrecking Ball Tour. Track owners at the time suggested that they could comfortably host 30,000 people for the Boss’s show at their venue, a sharp decline from the 100,000 attendees Lang had originally anticipated for his event at Watkins Glen this year.
The track has also hosted Phish, the HORDE tour, the Other Ones (one of many Grateful Dead offshoots) and several versions of the regional radio festival, K-Rockathon.
Even with a lack of on-site camping, attendees would still have several lodging options in the area. The nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona has several hotels and an RV park. Other local options for lodging include two state parks at Verona Beach and Delta Lake, along with several private campgrounds and hotels in nearby Utica, Rome and Syracuse.
Ticketing information was unavailable at press time but would be contingent upon organizers acquiring final permits from the town. The lack of camping would preclude the need for a mass gathering permit from New York State.
NYS Music will have more information as it becomes available.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited to reflect a different number of attendees at Woodstock ’99.
Brooklyn indie rock duo comprised of twin brothers Tim and Dan have recently launched the EP Two Songs under the name The Reflections. The release features the songs “Union Sq.” and “Beachy Preachy,” a pair of tunes steeped in contemporary NYC indie aesthetic, yet bearing overtones of classic 90’s alternative.
The brothers have been making music together for years, performing under the name Middle Infield. The re-branding occurred in conjunction with dropping the new songs.
“We changed our band name to The Reflections because we wanted a band name that represented ‘us’ more-so,” Tim told NYS Music. “With my twin and I, it’s always been a situation where the sum is greater than the individual parts; where people are more drawn to our collective energy by simply us being together… And when people meet us, they sometimes just see the same person ‘twice’. So our band name highlights this phenomenon, but once you get deeper we’re obviously quite different people.”
“Union Sq.” and “Beachy Peachy” were mixed by Hunter Davidsohn (Frankie Cosmos) and Mike Ditrio respectively, and mastered by Paul Gold (Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, and LCD Soundsystem).
Two Songs is just the beginning. The Reflections plan to record and release more songs this year. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates and events.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Riverboat Bar in Alexandria Bay (A-Bay) will host a summer series of live music running from mid-June through the end of September. In all, more than 30 bands will be gracing the newly renovated stage over the course of the summer.
The series opens this weekend with Pennsylvania funk-reggae band, Kluster Phunk. They’ll be performing on Saturday, June 15 and will be joined by special guest Ben Carrey of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.
The weekend of June 21-22 turns back the clock to the ’90s with Buffalo’s Tiny Music doing a tribute to the Stone Temple Pilots on June 21 and fellow Nickel City alt-rockers Stalking Jenna playing a reunion show on June 22.
June wraps with Toronto party machine After Funk on June 28 and two bands on June 29 when Saratoga’s Let’s Be Leonard will perform with local favorites, Adapter.
Fourth of July weekend is packed with music at the bay. Three shows dot the weekend beginning on Thursday, July 4. Utica psychedelic rockers Trampoline Jetstream make their debut at the Riverboat on Thursday followed by the funktronica of Tweed on Friday the 5th and the resurgent Annie in the Water on Saturday the 6th.
Visit the Riverboat Bar in A-Bay this summer and don’t miss the great music offerings they have in store!
Salutations friends! As June opens its’ door, festival season is officially underway. People can once again begin to embark out on the perpetual quest to satisfy their ears and eyes by indulging in one of the greatest gifts life has to offer-live music. Across the nation, fans now engage in chasing their favorite destination events, bands, songs, and comrades. Among them, next weekend’s (June 13-16, 2019) Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
Bonnaroo has risen to world fame from its’ beginnings as a mostly jam-centric haven to its’ current state, a wonderful melting pot of genre, visual art, and collectiveness from all over the planet. Yes, Bonnaroo is one of the largest festivals in the country, but it’s so much more. It is an explosion of diversity through art, a sponge for culture, and a tradition of expression like none other.
The lineup this year is as staggering as ever, dripping with intrigue at every avenue. Heading up the cavalry is the likes of Phish, Cardi B., Post Malone, The Childish Gambino, The Avett Brothers, Griz, John Prine, Gucci Mane, Odesza, Solange, The Lumineers, Brandi Carlisle, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, The Grand Ole Opry, The National, and so many, many more brilliant acts waiting to unload, including tremendous representation from New York sure to stamp the South. Additionally, Bonnaroo boasts so much extra flavor it differentiates itself from any other event on the circuit. Bonnaroo has, and continues to always stand-alone in greatness and mystique. As I prepare to join the horde down on the farm, let’s look ahead to some of what this year’s installment has to offer.
Bonnaroo stretches four days; each packed to the brim with exciting names, activities, and opportunity. I look forward to rejoining the mass down in Manchester for the first time in many years, and it’s a pleasure to act as the correspondent for NYS Music for the first time! I’ll be rolling along from start to finish as the biggest party of the year pops its’ top, and I’d like to point to a few things which excite me about this event.
The Grand Ole Opry (Thursday evening): This conglomerate of folk and bluegrass takes the headlining slot on Thursday evening. The wagon features Old Crow Medicine Show, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Ricky Skaggs and a collection of other friends that is sure to bring the downhome sounds of the do-si-dos right into the heart of Graceland. The energy at Bonnaroo on Thursday night is something fierce; of course arriving at a festival is always special. Anticipation breathes, evening comes quickly, and for the first time the site really becomes alive. Bonnaroo Thursday is the above but just a little more special simply because of the size and tradition of this place. The sounds of Appalachia is the perfect way to send the first shockwave through the crowds, and I can’t wait to see what this group of bluegrass all stars has to throw down.
Access to new discovery: I can’t stress to our readers and fellow attendees how special this aspect of the festival is. Naturally a few names will jump off the lineup every year, and every individual has their favorites, but Bonnaroo is at its’ roots a mecca of discovery. Stumbling upon a band I’ve never heard of, from a distant region, or perhaps one whose genre is so outside my wheel well is just serene, and Bonnaroo is the place for that. I encourage those on the grounds to get lost at least once, and bask in the sheer size and undertaking of this gathering. Follow your feet to sound, and discover something new.
Sheryl Crow – photo by Nick Karp, Bonnaroo 2018
Phish: The boys from Vermont make their third appearance on the hollowed grounds of the What Stage for what promises to be an epic soul shakedown. Their last appearance at the ‘Roo was in 2012, and the band is in quite a different place today then they were in 2012, when they really had just begun to step back into their stride following their hiatus during the early and mid 2000s. Today, the band has been firing on all cylinders for quite a while, and while Bonnaroo is only at the tip of their summer tour, these shows will be absolutely special. Especially of note is Friday’s performance, which finds the foursome busting loose at 11pm, a start time much later than their usual shows. Always well aware of the stage and moment, expect a high energy, barnburner style punch right out of the gate.
Photo by Brian Ferguson – Magnaball 2015
New York in the house: Good news everyone! Fine company represents New York this year down in Manchester. A group that includes headliner Cardi B, the space funk party sounds of Rubblebucket, the indie quartet Parquet Courts, the dynamic electro dance king Space Jesus, the multi-instrumentalist rockers The Lemon Twigs, the young singer-songwriter and producer whiz King Princess, modern pioneers of the “now” sound AJR, and of course Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. I want to touch explicitly on Russo’s band for a second, or, JRAD, as many known them by their acronym. JRAD, a band born at the New York’s own Brooklyn Bowl in 2013 is a group which reprises the music of The Grateful Dead in a way that is so fresh, so their own that a listener can get completely lost within their compositions. Bonnaroo would not be the same without some iteration of The Dead’s catalogue in its’ midst and JRAD is the perfect selection. Late night? In a tent (That Tent)? Yes please. The group pioneered by kit virtuoso Joe Russo is always good for a surprise as well. Listen carefully for off the wall covers and licks to keep the crowd guessing. This collection of homegrown artists is as diverse as the great state and city from which they hail, and it will be a treat to see how they weave into the mix.
Photo by Nick Karp, Bonnaroo 2018
The site/sights/people: Bonnaroo is absolutely a national treasure of sound, but it’s also delightfully visual. The installations and works of vast creative genius teams stretch far beyond the actual venue (dubbed Center Roo), and engulf in color, light, and wonder that sweeps through the surrounding campgrounds and commonplaces that make up the bulk of the festival’s map. Feast your eyes on tapestry of color created by attendees and visual artists alike. There is not a more diverse group of patrons to be found than at Bonnaroo, and there is something very powerful to be said in that. The beauty in a distinct diversity of ages, races, sexes, nationalities and beyond all transcend themselves on the farm. I have always found it to be a fluid place in so many different ways, I encourage everyone to notice how special this feature is as they traverse through the weekend.
Bonnaroo has a lane, a speed, and a taste for everyone. It continues to reinvent itself. It’s a testament to the industry and people for which it serves. Stages arise out of the woods; themed areas such as The Christmas Club Barn wait to be stumbled upon, roving DJ pop up sets in the plazas of the camps are just the beginning. To invoke the great Paul Simon, these are the days of miracle and wonder, of lasers in the jungle my friends, this is the long distance call. A wave of positive kinetic madness is about break under the hot Tennessee sun. Bonnaroo 2019 is finally here!
For more information on the Bonnaroo Music & Arts
Festival, including tickets, the complete lineup, map, schedule, and much more,
visit www.Bonnaroo.com. Keep your
browsers dialed in right here at NYS Music for all of our coverage as I roam
around the fields with my trusty photographer Rob Roane. Check our coverage out
throughout the festival as we document our happenings via the NYS Music
Instagram page, and after the festival wraps we will be dropping our reviews to
keep you informed, up to date, and enthralled. Until then my friends, I will
see you on the other side.
This past weekend, Randall’s Island played host to the 2019 Governors Ball Music Festival. The festival, in its ninth year, featured many of the hottest musical acts of today with performances by Tyler the Creator, Florence and The Machine, Nas, Lily Allen, Lil Wayne, The 1975 and many more of today’s most popular musical acts. An amazing first two days set the stage for a full final day of music, with the home town favorites The Strokes closing out the 2019 edition of the New York City music festival. But Mother Nature had other plans as impending inclement weather forced a delayed gate opening and, eventually, thunderstorms forced the cancelation of the rest of the day including The Strokes’ headlining set.
A full statement from festival organizers can be found here.
Senior Living (formerly Backseat Bullets) today debut their three track EP 35mm exclusively through NYS Music. The shoegaze/dream pop band has been performing throughout the Capital District and branching out into New England over the past three years, and changed their name as it better represented the music they were writing. Given the crowd response at Pauly’s Hotel and local House shows, Senior Living will continue to gain steam with their melodic, Pixies meets Cocteau Twins EP.
Guitarist/singer Zack Geddies shared thoughts on the experience recording the EP: “As a band, you learn that patience is key. This is the first time we released something we’re all really confident about. Serious thought was put into each decision made and even though its just three songs, this feels like the biggest thing we’ve creatively been a part of. Everything these songs set out to do is up for interpretation but, for us they mainly indicate where the future of our music is heading, sonically. The songs are loud, but so is life and that can get overwhelming; but, then again so can life.”
“The instrumentally expansive nature of these songs in a way reflects the time, distance and dead space that I’ve become so familiar with. Some days seem sweet, sometimes they’re abrasive, and the rest are just hollow. But, there’s always that silver lining to be found. These songs are intended to surround whoever is listening with a heavy cloak of noise and then provide uplifting relief through the shimmering of chorus laden leads and trailing reverb when needed most. The imagery used in the cover art compliments the light-dark, bittersweet nostalgia that these songs carry. We decided to title the EP 35mm because photography has been another form of expression that all of us enjoy aside from music.”
Senior Living will perform in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont in June, then return to Albany on July 12 for their album release show at The Low Beat. For more shows check out their Facebook page.
After you’ve released two albums, how do you do to follow it up? Albany based band, Stellar Young’s, latest EP And Turned To Ash, is as founding member John Glenn (vox/vocals) describes it, “the final of a concept trilogy,” something the band has been working on since late 2014.
Stellar Young – Photo by Ashley Nizolek
The earlier cogs in this wheel, Became a Flame, a straightforward rock and roll EP, and The Spark Caught (the first of three) which goes in multiple directions, have set the musical bar high for the finale . The opening track “Silhouette By Line” bathes you in warm expansive tones, setting the stage for the rest of the EP. Track two, “Wait,” followed by “Old Roots,” pick up where “Silhouette By Line” leaves off. For a moment you get lost, listening to a liquid suite and not just three separate songs, as the feel and flow align. Maybe a trilogy within a trilogy?
“Dance with Static” sits in the middle of the EP. The song takes a right turn from the previous three, cleansing the musical pallet with it’s foot tapping straight away groove, while preparing you for the rest of the meal. “Struck” and title track “And Turned to Ash” round out the EP, sweeping you back into the sonic glow that envelops the EP.
Producers Dan Dekalb and Jimi Woodul (Dark Honey) have captured the band’s aura that radiates throughout this final piece. The music glides ever so smoothly from single instrument and vocal to full on band and back again without upsetting the character of the songs. Well thought out arrangements enhance the quality of the writing and playing, putting Stellar Young And Turned To Ash in the keep pile.
The neon sign outside Montage Music Hall was a beacon in the night, drawing music lovers into the heart of Rochester for the first live performance by Losers Club on Friday, May 31. The project is new, but members are seasoned musicians who have been playing out in bands for years. The downtown venue was packed with their friends, family, and fans.
Losers Club debut performance – Photo by Corrine Cummings
Losers Club took to the stage. Cody Wagner took his place behind the drum kit. Andy Champion picked up his bass. Aidan Snyder and Nate Blasdell strapped on their guitars. Then, Blasdell took a spot center stage, in front of the mic. Blasdell has been in several bands (The Bunny The Bear, I Set My Friends On Fire), but this is his first time as front man. Blasdell thanked everyone for coming before delving into their set.
Bassist, Andy Champion – Photo by Corrine Cummings
Rocking rhythms and pop hooks paved the way for emotional lyrics, oozing with unapologetic honesty. Between songs, Blasdell told the crowd a little about how the band was conceived, during a snow day this past winter. The band members came together after knowing each other for years through the local music scene. He also talked about the origin of the band name, and how Losers Club is about embracing the feeling of not fitting in.
Guitarist, Aidan Snyder. Photo by Corrine Cummings
The set was full of original songs, but they threw in one cover. Mid-set they got the crowd singing along to a rocking rendition of Lil Uzi Vert’s “All My Friends Are Dead.” Losers Club came out of the gate strong for their first show. It’s clear this new band is one to watch.
Opening for Losers Club was indie pop band So Last Year. The five piece powerhouse gave an energetic performance. The set included sing-along faves from their albums In The Light Of Summer and It’s Later Than You Think. They’ve since been writing and recording for their next release, and on this night they played the soon-to-be-released song “Already Gone.”
So Last Year building steam, for an energetic set – Corinne Cummings
