The fourth installment of Thursdays on the Village Green concert series takes place on Aug. 8 on Hamilton’s Village Green. In addition to live music performances, each night includes family-friendly events. The Aug. 8 show features The Lightkeepers, a regional favorite with a bluesy jam sound. Led by Jes Sheldon with her powerful, soulful voice, the band is rooted in funk, rock and jazzy blues.
The Lightkeepers will take the stage at 7 p.m., and the family activity will be Racing Night with Matt Janczuk Racing! Kids can complete in racing-themed activities and sit in a real race car. This activity starts at 5:30 PM. Attendees are encouraged to dine on the Village Green or enjoy the music from the patio of the Colgate Inn. The evening’s concert and activities are free for all to enjoy. Blankets, chairs, and dancing are encouraged. The series will also give locals and visitors alike a chance to enjoy downtown Hamilton’s eateries and boutiques.
The heat this summer came to a peak over the weekend of July 18-20 at Montage Mountain with Camp Bisco, the annual electronic and jam festival which held its 17th installment featuring hosts The Disco Biscuits, Tipper, Bassnectar, Odesza, Rusko, Umphrey’s McGee, Twiddle, Tauk, Spafford and Sunsquabi, among many more.
Hosts The Disco Biscuits played six hot sets over the weekend, including a set with original drummer Sammy Altman and current drummer Allen Aucoin, which was highlighted by “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” -> “Rapture,” the latter an instrumental version of the 1980 Blondie hit. Later that night, they would pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing with a series of songs, as well as pre and post-set music, that referenced the moon and space. Even with the intense weather conditions, Camp Bisco was a successful weekend of electronic and dance music, warming the mountain up for Peach Fest the following weekend.
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.
Brooklyn-based band Of Clocks And Clouds are hitting the road and bringing their heavy-hitting brand of psychedelic rock to Riverboat Bar in Alexandria Bay this Saturday, August 3. Comprised of Joe Salgo (guitar, vocals), Tom Salgo (guitar, vocals), Nick Salgo (drums, vocals), Yuri Soussov (bass) and Zander Ryzinski (keys, synth), the fivesome delivers a sonic adventure that is both emotive and groovy. Of Clocks And Clouds was originally formed in 2014 and some changes have taken place since, making 2019 a transitional year for OCAC. A lineup change occured back in January in which front-man Joe Salgo invited his twin brothers Tom and Nick to join the band, and shortly afterward another change took place and Sussov and Ryzinski became new members. Now with a fresh take on an already solid catalogue, the band has been hard at work writing new material and creating a new, unique sound.
Upcoming Shows:
August 3 – Riverboat Bar – Alexandria Bay, NY
August 24- Night Lights Music Festival – Sherman, NY
The second annual Wood Fest Music Festival features a variety of nine regional and local artists covering genres from jam, Southern rock, indie rock, groove and Americana. The family-owned ski area transforms the slopes into a family-friendly music venue offering craft beers from members of the Heart of New York Craft Beverage Trail, bounce houses from Varano Super Jump, yoga by Just Breathe Yoga Studio, and local food trucks.
Spanning two stages over the course of the day and night, this year’s lineup features Annie in the Water, a Capital-region based band with 11 years under its belt, has recently released its second album Time to Play and has been touring incessantly. Annie in the Water’s sound incorporates a unique, groovy combination of funk, reggae, blues, and rock that gets the audience moving while the band feeds off of that vibe to create a truly interactive experience.
The Old Main is returning to Woods Fest for its second year, with their original brand of Americana. They have performed throughout the Northeast and have gained many followers along the way, including a fervent Woods Valley following. Equally comfortable performing in a small room or the big stage, this is a band on the rise. They have released two albums of original material, 2016’s Arlene and Too Far Gone, released in 2018. The live environment is where this band really shines. Audience interaction is what it’s all about so don’t be alarmed if Nash Robb suddenly shows up behind you in the crowd with his standup bass in tow.
The Black River is quickly becoming a recognized name throughout Central New York and beyond with its blend of classic and roots rock mixed with the soulful storytelling of band leader Mike Powell. The band recently concluded a month-long residency at the King of Clubs in Syracuse’s Armory Square; a stretch that saw the band hone its sound to create a sonic tour-de-force unlike any in the area. You can check out their recent performance at A Lovely Time Festival here.
Central New York’s premier Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Hollow joins the Woods Fest 2 lineup hot on the heels of their Barn Party at Critz Farms in Cazenovia. The band features a wealth of Central New York’s greatest musical talents and has been creating original takes on the Grateful Dead experience since 1996.
Nina’s Brewcomes to Woods Fest from Burlington, VT. They recently performed as part of Twiddle’s Tumble Down Festival and are quickly gaining traction throughout Central New York as a tremendous live act.
Los Blancos are Central New York’s musical godfathers. This band grooves like no other with its own take on the blues, Zydeco, Latin, roots, and funk. They’ve performed alongside such luminaries as Little Feat, moe., Los Lobos, Govt Mule, and Dickey Betts (formerly of the Allman Brothers Band), earning a fervent following of fans not only in Central New York but across the state and beyond.
Les Brers return to Woods Fest after a tremendous set last year. Les Brers are the region’s longest-running and best Allman Brothers Band tribute act. Many of last year’s attendees commented on last year’s set, saying that if you closed your eyes, you’d swear you were at an Allman Brothers Band show.
Late Earth comes to Woods Fest via the Syracuse alt-rock scene. Fresh off a performance at the A Lovely Time Festival at Snow Ridge, the band is spreading its unique sounds at venues and festivals throughout the area. This is another band on the rise and one that will surely grab your attention at Woods Fest. Their self-titled debut album packs an original rock crunch with an alternative bent that incorporates ska, blues, jazz, and punk. You can find it on all the streaming services and for purchase through Bandcamp.
Substanance returns to Woods Valley after making a splash on St. Patrick’s Day. This unique trio is the epitome of a family band. Father Joe Coniguliaro and his sons Quinn and Ben come from Saugerties packing a lunch box full of original material that combines elements of funk and harmonic indie rock that will provide food for your ears.
Advance tickets are available in person at Copper City Brewing Company, 1111 Oneida St. in Rome or online for $25 through the Woods Valley website at this link. Children ages 6-12 are $5, 5 and under are free. Passes include parking, all-day admission to the festival, and use of bounce houses for children.
Gates open at 11:00 am with the music beginning at noon. For more information or questions on Woods Fest Music Festival, visit the festival website.
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.
Just try not to dance when listening to this album and your body might just spontaneously combust. Groovy, tight, spacious, perpetual – all things that describe the Vaporeyes‘ third crack at a full length jam/progressive rock album. The group first joined forces in Syracuse in 2010 and has evolved into a well oiled, dance inducing machine, consisting of Jonas Niccolson on keys and vocals, Shannon Zory on bass, Sean Cadley on drums and Pat Tierney on guitar.
This time around, they’ve brought in a much fuller, spacier sound that is sure to set any dance floor ablaze. Vaporeyes said it themselves ,they are going to, “…breakout onto the jam scene,” according to their press release. Which they have done. They also say they “have put a lot of work and thought into creating an immersive and unique sound and live show.”
Every track on here is exactly what listeners would expect out of a modern jam album. Catchy hooks, floor-on-the-floor drums, spacey guitar and elaborate solos. But the thing that really separates them from other groups is their vocalist, Niccolson. His sultry pipes are a perfect fit for this new direction. It’s something that seems to escape the scope of a jam bands formula. But arguably, vocals are not the cornerstone of what makes a good jam band – hooks, builds and drops do.
Let’s look at “Quip Stash.” It checks all the instrumental boxes. We’re thrown right into it with a quirky hook featuring a very prominent, an obese synth working in junction with stupendous guitar tone, that soon combusts into a wide open space for everyone to toy around with. But we’re left in a trance and feel nothing special until Niccolson sneaks in with some lyrics that wrap through the air, breathing new life into a well executed jam song. It’s very well done but it’s not groundbreaking as the band suggests. We see a lot of similarities in “Phantom Pains” as well. Everything is tasty, groovy and catchy but the groups attitude can easily be lumped into most aspiring jam bands.
“Stay” releases a new variety of tones and genres, mainly consisting of blues and rock, laced with psychedelia. It’s a crisp jam with fun hooks and grooves. Once again, we get another taste of lush lyricism from Niccolson which adds unique flavor to the song, but it drops off again after the groups starts to solo. We don’t see much a build and it doesn’t leave much to the imagination in terms of what they might be like live. But, like most jam bands, they feed off the energy from a live setting which fuels creativity and the ‘in the moment jams’ they speak of in their press release.
It is not easy to be different in a music scene that is so over saturated. If you like the formula, hooks, upbeat riffs and extensive, experimental solos, than you should check out the album and go see them in a live setting. They are seasoned musicians with tons of experience that will make for a great show. Get to know their prior work on their Bandcamp and Spotify page and keep on eye on their Facebook page for upcoming events. So far, fans can catch them and Funk N’ Waffles on July 27, the same day that their new album us released.
New York State is boasting with amazing talent and artists across all genres. Inevitably an overwhelming sea of music has drifted down the shorelines into Branford, CT. This coming Thursday, August 1, Dark Star Orchestra will find themselves split between Stony Creek Brewery and the picturesque Branford River that runs out into Long Island Sound.
What’s better than beer and Music? In tandem with GoodWorks Entertainment, The Cranky Concert Series, named after the breweries iconic IPA, has hosted several groups ripe in NYS Music’s wheelhouse of regularly coverage. And for those heavy IPA drinkers, the Double Cranky is a must try at 9.5% ABV. So kick back, relax and jam on as Dark Star takes you on a trip, that you can sip along to.
The show is 21+ with tickets ranging from $45 to $97 for VIP with open bar on the brewery’s second level, with balcony viewing. GA tickets are standing room and food trucks will be available. Doors at 4:30pm and the show kicks off at 6:00pm, rain or shine. Stony Creek Brewery is located at 5 Indian Neck Ave. in Branford, CT.
We work with a company called GoodWorks who books all the talent, we’ve done a couple concerts with them so far and its been amazing. The fact that we have such an amazing location on the water; and we have gotten so many more people that would not have normally come to the brewery before to see great music.
Ali Turnbull, Event Coordinator – Stony Creek Brewery
Unbox, Dark Star Orchestra; a continuation of spirit, improvisation and the greatest acid-trip, that ever was, the Grateful Dead. In the midst of digging, we teleport back to the sounds we fell in love with in 1965, obsessed over by ‘69, and post ‘96, we’re left, only aching for more. Dark Star (DSO) is NOT a cover band. They give birth to all that is Dead, then reinterpret it in modern day. DSO is a time capsule – like the vivid memories, postcards and totems we buried long ago.
Dark Star Orchestra is the idiom of self-expression. In true honor of the Grateful Dead, DSO has made this genre all-inclusive – pulling from rock, jazz, country, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, psychedelia and blues. For Koritz, the list goes on. A melting-pot would be far too mundane to describe this stew.
Their testimony goes out to Deadheads and non-cult listeners alike. There is a common thread that weaves through our mind and ears. It’s music. “They hear it and say WOW” added Koritz. “Pretty much everybody will find something.” And when you get confused, just listen to the music play.
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!
