NYS Music 20​19

Category: Genres

  • Hearing Aide: The Dirty Pennies ‘EP’

    With 2017’s Kick Out The Rocks, The Dirty Pennies blend blues with other styles of music, feeling out the boundaries of how far they could push the genre. Now with their new EP (aptly entitled EP) they’ve mapped out their niche: grungy rust-belt garage rock, steeped in surf rock and blues.

    EP is short, but sweet, containing only three songs. “I’m Giving Up” whets the appetite. The song starts off slow and surreal, but picks up by the end of the first chorus, effectively changing the song from an end-of-the-workday dirge to a happy-hour anthem. The music video for this song is a lot of fun, too. It features the band members breaking free of the drudgery of banal workaday life. “I’m a sad man, too. I’m your poor man’s blues,” sings Ryan Klem with a slight warble. “But I know, yeah I know it ends somewhere.”

    “Things You Say” is a heavy-hitter. Drummer Lucas Howe pulls no punches as he shows off with his ability to both unleash the beast within and reel it back in. Joe Mungo holds down the rhythm on bass, keeping the song grounded so Klem can let-fly some lofty guitar riffs.

    EP ends with the five-plus-minute ballad “Kingpin.” It’s heavy and heady, with an undulating psychedelic beat. The washy guitar effects and the repetitive lyric “I get up/I get down” leaves the listener entranced. About halfway through, the tempo changes and they’re injecting some good old fashioned rock and roll. The song comes full circle, winding back down. “You can’t stop me. I’m not as easy as they come. Stuck in the same frame, I’m making my way out on my own.”

    The Dirty Pennies have come a long way since Kick Out The Rocks. You can still hear elements the members’ various musical interests (including Americana, hard rock, and alternative), but they’ve blended them in such a way as to make a sound all their own. Not some polished newly minted copper, but a sound that befits their namesake.

    EP was recorded at Rochester’s Wicked Squid Studios, where it was engineered by Josh Pettinger and mixed and mastered by Greg Thompson. Album artwork credit goes to Mike Turzanski.

    Listen to the release in full on Bandcamp. And while you’re there, check out their merch store stocked with copies of EP and Kick Out the Rocks as well as some new t-shirt designs. Copies of EP will also be available at the release party at The Bug Jar in Rochester on Friday April 19.

  • Music journalist and Blotto frontman Greg Haymes dies

    The Albany music scene has lost a legend as musician, Nippertown founder and former Times Union music writer Greg Haymes passed away on Wednesday, April 10.

    Haymes founded Nippertown, focusing on the Capital District music scene that he championed over more than 40 years as a musician, artist and writer.

    Known as Sarge Blotto to his many fans, Greg was the voice behind Blotto’s 1981 hit “I Wanna be a Lifeguard,” the video of which aired on the first day of MTV.

    More than a few writers and photographers at NYS Music got their start through Nippertown and Greg’s impact is a great loss for us and the Capital District music and arts scene.

  • Losers Club Launches with Catchy Debut Song, Music Video

    New pop rock outfit Losers Club have released their first song “Emerald Eyes” this week. The song is a rallying call for those for whom everything seems to be going wrong, but who never lose sight of hope.

    “At the time I wrote this song, I had no idea Losers Club would even exist. It was just another personal demo I wrote to get my feelings out of my head for a while,” says frontman Nate Blasdell. “I’m currently working full time as a middle school teacher, so my schedule had been super busy. There was an unexpected snow day in late February, so I took advantage of it with the intention of writing a song about things I had been feeling recently. I can’t remember the last time I wrote a song in full and recorded it in a single day, but once I got started on this song, it just took off on it’s own. The lyrics came so easy because it was all stuff I had been felt for so long the previous year. I had just gotten off a Europe tour in December that was the most emotionally tolling tour I had ever done and my mental health just hit rock bottom. That particular tour had numerous obstacles on top of so many things going on back home that I wasn’t there to deal with at the same time. This song was really just putting that whole thing into perspective. “

    The Rochester-based band includes Andy Champion on bass, Aidan Snyder on guitar and vocals, Cody Wagner on drums, and Blasdell on lead vocals and guitar. Active in the music industry since the age of 16, Blasdell has been a member of several bands, including The Bunny The Bear and I Set My Friends on Fire. He’s also got songwriting credits for bands like
    MKTO, The Vamps, and Big Time Rush.

    “Losers Club is kind of a collective of every idea I’ve ever wanted to do but wasn’t confident enough to pull the trigger,” Blasdell says about the project. “Even though most of my platform and social media branding had been built in the metal scene, my heart has always been in Pop-Rock. I’ll openly admit, I was afraid to sacrifice giving up what I had, what I had worked for, and the opportunities in front of me, to ‘start over’ in a different scene that I had been out of for so long and there was a lot of self-doubt.”

    Blasdell continues, “To be honest, I’ve lived a pretty great life and it took me a while to realize that I had my mental health was not nearly as strong as I thought it was. I needed an outlet, so I started writing basement demos for myself with the intention of never showing anyone. It was a new perspective and the first time I was ever really able to be fully honest with the state my mental health was in. Soon after writing the songs, I realized it wasn’t about being ‘good enough’ or what other people thought, and I didn’t have to give anything up. Everything was so ‘all or nothing’ in my head. I could still play metal. I could still tour. I could still be a teacher, but I could do everything I was afraid to do as well. Somehow, I managed to find three best friends that I could relate to on a personal basis but were all incredible musicians as well. None of us cared about ‘being good enough’ or ‘fitting in’ to the industry’s stand point. We’re all goofy guys. We’re all weird. And we’re all fucking losers, but we’re embracing it head on and learning to let go of the things that aren’t Important in the process. These are songs that have helped us and we can only hope they help you too.”

    Follow Losers Club on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on this exciting new venture.

  • Albany welcomes Trey Anastasio and his newest project, Ghosts of the Forest, with open arms

    In a 2003 interview, Jon Fishman said “Look, Trey shits music.” He would know, having played with Trey since 1983 and observed his obsessive song-writing habits. Fishman joined Trey for the first time in a side project, the brand new Ghosts of the Forest, which debuted this month in Portland, ME. When Trey spoke during the encore at The Palace Theatre in Albany on Tuesday, April 9, he said he hoped to play music for 50 more years, and given Trey’s workload – writing Kazvot Vaxt and Ghosts of the Forest nearly back to back – and his increasingly positive outlook on life, that task is not out of reach.

    ghosts of the forest albany

    This is Trey who is the unofficial celebrity spokesman for Light (now, with MORE brightness!). He’s been dropping notes of light in songs for a decade now, and with Ghosts of the Forest, we may have hit a new peak with Trey’s profoundly personal and positive lyrics. Trey spoke about Albany as being his second home, and close to those he loves in Burlington and New York City, and how excited he was to bring this new project to the Palace and a sold out ‘hometown’ crowd.

    With a band consisting of Fishman on the kit (sans muumuu, he looks like your neighbor who side-gigs as a session drummer), a healthy Ray Paczkowski behind the keyboards, and Jennifer Hartswick and Celisse Henderson who provided gospel hued vocals that not only backed up Trey, but added a sonic layer to the group’s psychedelic rock. Saratoga Springs’ Tony Markellis took up bass duties, as he has in every side project Trey has had since 8 Foot Fluorescent Tubes debuted in 1998 at Higher Ground. Energy in the room was palpable, as many eschewed listening to the recordings of shows from earlier this month for a first-look experience that is otherwise hard to come by. Even the album won’t be released until April 12, making this a nearly-virgin experience for the majority of fans in attendance.

    The production design by Abigail Holmes, who worked on Stop Making Sense and The Wall among many other shows, created a playground for her to color, using LED screens behind thin tapestries affixed with folded white paper in sweeping patterns. The symphony of light accented the music and was choreographed to each song of the night. During “The Green Truth,” a rainbow LED projection of Trey floated behind the band across the stage, while a stratified nighttime rainforest sky filled the stage during “Mint Siren Dream,” bringing the audience to Pandora for a brief moment.

    ghosts of the forest albany

    Ghosts of the Forest can be translated as deep memories in our mind, and throughout the songs, themes of loss, love and decade-long friendship were present. Trey lost close friend Chris “CCott” Cottrell to cancer recently, and the experience led to a number of the songs performed by Ghosts of the Forest. Trey spoke to Rolling Stone about playing acoustic guitar while CCott was in his final stages, and would play as he went in and out of consciousness. “Drift While You’re Sleeping” draws from that, while having a mid-1970s psychedelic rock feel – think Derek and the Dominoes with space built in for Trey to stretch.

    “Beneath a Sea of Stars Parts 1 & 2” was a fun Beatles-esque rocker, with a third part to close the set. “Stumble into Flight” had direct hints of Phish – “Pigtail” meets “Cool Amber and Mercury” with a dash of Steely Dan mixed in. “Ruby Waves” jumped out as a late 70s Neil Diamond show-stopper on steroids. A highlight among the night was “A Light Beyond the Dream,” with lights cascading as if entering a stained glass window and beaming on the congregation, combined with encouraging lyrics of not giving up hope.

    This is prophetic Trey: upbeat, happy, and encouraging, dad-like at times but not playing dad-rock. Ghosts of the Forest is a culmination of Trey’s last decade of writing. Trey said he wants to play for another 50 years. This is just the beginning.

    Setlist via livemusicblog.com

    Trey Anastasio – Ghosts of the Forest – Palace Theatre, Albany, NY – April 9, 2019

    Setlist: Piano intro, Ghosts of the Forest, Drift While You’re Sleeping, Friend, Sightless Escape, Halfway Home, If Again, In Long Lines, There’s a Path Above, About to Run, The Green Truth, Beneath a Sea of Stars Parts 1 & 2, Mint Siren Dream, Stumble Into Flight, Ruby Waves, Shadows Thrown By Fire, Wider, A Light Beyond The Dream, In This Bubble, Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 3 (blue)

    Encore: Brief Time, Pieces in the Machine

    ghosts of the forest albany
    ghosts of the forest albany
    ghosts of the forest albany
    ghosts of the forest albany
    ghosts of the forest albany

  • The Record Company Sabotage The Capitol Theatre

    On Friday April 5, The Record Company made their debut at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. A cold and rainy evening did not deter fans from a night of foot stomping soulful Rock and Roll, that included covers of the Beastie Boys and Grateful Dead.

    Their sound incorporates slide guitar, distorted bass, Mark Cazorla’s Ludwig drum kit, and the enormous vocals of Chris Vos. It was a joy to see fans young and old come out and enjoy and appreciate a hard working rock band starting to make a name for themselves in the music scene.

    The Record Company formed in a living room in 2011, playing farmer’s markets parking lots and in front of crowds of three, putting in the time to build this three-piece band to the powerhouse it has become. “Tears have been shed, stress has happened, Fuck it; it keeps you together,” said bass player Alex Stiff. All that time and experience shines through the music of The Record Company, showing why the popularity of this band is growing daily.

    In a world full of mumble rap and this week’s newest pop star, it is a relief to see a hardworking band like The Record Company gain traction and success. Their music is refreshing and reassuring that Rock and Roll is here to stay.

    The Record Company – Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY

    Setlist: Baby I’m Broken, On The Move, Rita Mae Young, New Speedway Boogie, Goodbye to the Hard Life, Hard Day Coming Down, The Movie Song, Life to Fix, Off the Ground

    Encore: This Crooked City, Sabotage

  • 29th Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival Lineup Posted

    The 29th annual Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival Of Music & Dance takes place July 18-21 this year. Held in Trumansburg, the event includes more than 70 musical performances. In addition to hosts Donna the Buffalo, headliners include Hayley Jane & The Primates, Driftwood, Railroad Earth, and Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad. The lineup also includes a diverse array of national and regional acts.

    Other offerings include camping, local food and craft vendors, children’s activities, daily yoga, healing arts and instrument workshops, visual arts exhibits, and so much more. A Culture Camp chock full of workshops, food and dance, will be held July 14-17.

    Finger GrassRoots Headliners:Donna the Buffalo – Taj Mahal Quartet – Willie Watson – Railroad Earth – Rising Appalachia – Todd Snider – Ryan Montbleau Band – Hayley Jane & the Primates – Driftwood – Tony Perez Band  BKO – Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band – Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad – Garifuna Collective – Nativos Jammin’ Orchestra – Sammus

    New Finger Lakes GrassRoots Acts: Jose Albizu Jazz Trio – Swamp Kids – Root Shock – Feufollet – The Turbans – The Crucials  Ephniko DJ Evo Evolution – Oliver Bates Craven – Aaron Lipp & the Slack Tones – Dirty Blanket – ¡Viva Mayhem! – Ruth Rosenblatt & George Cooke – PA Line Drank – The Gold Tattat – Folkfaces – Vicious Fishes

    Finger Lakes GrassRoots AllStars: Jim Lauderdale – Preston Frank & His Zydeco Family Band – Richie & Rosie Cortadito – Sim Redmond Band –  Gunpoets – The Campbell Brothers – The Blind Spots – Mosaic Foundation – Keith Secola & His Wild Band – Ithaca Bottom Boys – Sihasin – Fall Creek Brass Band – Jones Benally Family Dance Troupe – The Flying Clouds Of South Carolina – Moontee Sinquah – Walter Mouton & the Scott Playboys –  Kevin Kinsella – Hank Roberts – Tenzin Chopak – Empire Kings Double Tiger – Traonach – Mac Benford & Up South – Mary Lorson – KidBess & the Magic Ring – Bubba George String Band – Nery Arevalo – Plastic Nebraska – The Fly Rods Laila Belle – The Sutras – Ithaca Underground – Move-Along Songs w/John & Diane – GrassRoots Chamber Orchestra

    Tickets are on sale now.

  • Blackberry Smoke Bring Their “Break It Down” Acoustic Show To Ithaca, NY

    On Thursday April 4, 2019, the Atlanta, Georgia southern rock band Blackberry Smoke pulled into the historic State Theatre in the beautiful downtown Ithaca Commons area as a stop on their 2019 “Break It Down” spring acoustic tour.

    Blackberry Smoke is currently on tour promoting their newly released EP, The Southern Ground Sessions, during this spring 2019 tour. This is the band’s first ever acoustic run. Blackberry Smoke has been a staple in the rock and southern rock genre since the early 2000s, however, it has been quite difficult to accurately define their sound which has most definitely become their own, combining an eclectic mix of rock, blues, country and folk.

    Blackberry Smoke’s line up consists of Charlie Starr (lead vocals, guitar), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Brandon Still (keyboards, piano). Joining the band on stage was first call touring guitarist, session player and producer Benji Shanks.

    Benji Shanks and Charlie Starr

    With six studio albums under their belt, including Bad Luck Ain’t No Crime (2004), Little Piece of Dixie (2009), The Whippoorwill (2012), Holding All the Roses (2015), Like an Arrow (2016) and Find a Light (2018), Blackberry Smoke has two Billboard chart-topping country albums and an enormous catalog of songs to choose from. Hailing from Atlanta, these Southern boys are no stranger to the road, touring and performing throughout the United States. Blackberry Smoke have headlined as well as opened for major artists such as Zac Brown Band, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Church and more. For nearly two decades they continue to tear up the charts and the road with mega hits and touring, playing on average, 250 shows a year. They have developed quite the eclectic fan base as well, ranging from the classic Southern rock, country, rock and roll, grassroots and jam band fans. They have been known to frequently break into long jams, throwing covers into the mix of their music and play all night long.

    After a mesmerizing opening set from Ida Mae, a talented husband and wife duo from the UK, Blackberry Smoke casually strolled onto the stage around 9 p.m. and played a two hour set, featuring nineteen songs which included three encores. The stage was intimately set with four stools in the front along with the small acoustic drum set stage right and the vintage looking keyboard stand stage left surrounded by table lamps set atop draped curtains and throws most likely covering amps. There were dozens of dimly lit amber electric candles throughout the stage as well making for a relaxing and comforting atmosphere. As lead singer/guitarist Charlie Starr was taking his seat before kicking off the set, he greeted the State Theatre audience by saying “welcome to our living room”

    From L-R – Richard Turner, Benji Shanks, Charlie Starr

    Blackberry Smoke kicked off their set with the 1927 Thomas Darby and Jimmie Tarlton classic “Columbia Stockade Blues,” followed by “Believe You Me” from their 2016 album Like an Arrow and “Too High” from the 2015 album Holding all the Roses. The band continued to play many of their well known hits as well as some lesser know songs from their immense catalog throughout the two hour performance. Nevertheless, all the songs lended favorably to the acoustic arrangements that these seasoned musicians performed for the exhilarated crowd at the State Theatre. The band kept their performance light and fun, interacting with the crowd and telling some interesting stories behind many of the songs or from their road escapades. At one point Charlie talked about touring the city of Ithaca, from visiting a vintage music store, yet forgoing a purchase during this trip, to visiting Cornell University’s Barton Hall and commenting about the diverse musical history at this famed field house. He commented that he learned that the Grateful Dead’s performance here in 1977 is considered one of the best shows of their career and that they were indeed in good company as fellow Georgian rap artist Ludacris too roamed the Big Red Campus at one point. Charlie and the rest of the band seemed to connect well with the crowd in Ithaca during this stripped down, personal feeling “Break It Down” acoustic show.

    Benji Shanks and Charlie Starr

    Blackberry Smoke Setlist – State Theatre Ithaca, NY 4/4/2019.

    1.Columbia Stockade Blues 2. Believe You Me 3. Too High 4. Sure Was Good 5. Crimson Moon 6. Old Shoes 7. Best Seat In The House 8. Medicate My Mind 9. Lay It All On Me 10. Ain’t Wastin’ Time 11. Run Away 12. Like An Arrow 13. Ain’t Gonna Wait 14. Free On The Wing 15. Ain’t Got The Blues 16. Up The Road . ENCORE: 17. Loser 18. One Horse Town 19. Ain’t Much Left

    Blackberry Smoke perform at the State Theatre in Ithaca, NY

  • Allman Betts at the Strand

    The Allman Betts Band took to the Strand Center, for their fourth ever show, in Plattsburgh last Saturday.  The newly grouped is fronted by Devon Allman and Duane Betts, the sons of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band.

    Allman Betts Strand

    The night was kicked off by Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root who showed off his impressive vocal range before ending with the Rusted Root classic “Send Me On My Way”.

    The Allman Betts Band began their show with “Gonna Fly Now” (the Theme from Rocky) playing, and just as the song hit its climax, the band kicked in and transitioned into “All Night,” a song off their upcoming debut album. The talent in the room was never hidden, both Allman and Betts showcased their pure skill that can only be compared to that of their parents throughout the night. The band covered some Allman Brothers Band songs during their set and they also played an astonishing rendition of Prince’s “Purple Rain.”

    Allman Betts Strand

    The influence that Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts had on Devon and Duane was shown the whole night, while they certainly have their own sound (especially with their originals), they were both able to play their guitars as only their fathers could.

  • Lotus Brings The Electro Dance Party to the Brooklyn Bowl

    Lotus unleashed high energy into the Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night, with two sets of their eclectic, instrumental, dance multi-genre sound. The band members include Mike Rempel (guitar), Jesse Miller (bass/sampler), Mike Greenfield (drums), Luke Miller (guitar/keyboards) and Chuck Morris (percussion). Originally from Goshen College in Indiana, the band is now based out of Philadelphia and Denver.

    Jaw Gems opened for Lotus, and successfully warmed up the crowd. They are an electronic band from Maine that is creating beat music in a more organic live setting. Friday’s lineup included bass, drums and synthesizer, and delivered dark grooves that flowed into one another.

    Lotus took the stage in front of the packed crowd, and picked up where they left off on Thursday night, which included a rare Talking Heads Deconstructed set with Gabe Otto at the Brooklyn Bowl. The flawless transitions combined with powerful electro-pop beats of “Intro into a Cell” > “E” > “Trip” > “Stranger Danger” had the floor dancing and excited almost instantly. Other notable songs include the hip-hop based “Golden Ghost” > “Intro” and the electronic groove “Anti-Gravity” > “B” > “Comptroller”. Throughout the set, Rempel delivered intense guitar riffs, and had excellent synergy with both Jesse and Luke Miller.

    Lotus emerged after the break with “Nematode,” a fan favorite from their Gemination album. The dark “Bellwether,” another classic Lotus tune from their Hammerstrike album, and the newer hip hop tune “Gunk,” from their recent Frames Per Second album, both showcased Greenfield’s drumming versatility and skills. The jam of the night was undoubtedly “Arupa” > “½” > “Bubonic” > “B” > “Flower Sermon” and included elements of Lotus old and new. “Arupa”’s organic feel was great contrast to the edgy “Flower Sermon.” The band closed out the night with the cohesive, funky dance tune “Sift.”

    Lotus brought their signature jamming to the sold out Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night, and sent their fans home exhilarated after a night of intense dancing.

    Jaw Gems Setlist: Parch, Graymalkin, Ohio, Sap Flow, Young Pulp, Sweet Egg, Liquid Purchase, (INTERLUDE//MPC SWITCH), Rvil, Sleep arena, Peace Pipe, Narrows, Party Slave

    Lotus Setlist:

    Set 1: Intro into a cell > E > Trip > Stranger Danger, Golden Ghost > Intro, Turquoise, Anti-Gravity > B > Comptroller, 72 Hours

    Set 2: Nematode, Invincibility, Bellwether, Gunk, Arupa > ½ > Bubonic > B >
    Flower Sermon

    Encore: Sift

  • And the Winner of NYS Music’s March Madness is…

    Talking Heads! The band that inspired dozens of artists from Vampire Weekend to Phish take the crown as the winner of this year’s NYS Music March Madness! The band of RISD graduates who moved to New York City and got their start at CBGB in Manhattan’s East Village have had a profound impact on generations of musicians who have followed.

    march madness winner
    via Rockhall.com

    It does however seem likely that the group will never reunite, and Byrne made it clear to Rolling Stone a year ago that a reunion would overshadow his own personal accomplishments:

    “There’s a lot to that. I see what happens with other people when they do their reunions – and then it turns into a second reunion and a third reunion. With someone like the Pixies, it’s different – they’re getting the audience now that they deserved ages ago. But with a lot of them, it just seems like you don’t have anything new to say, and you go, “OK, this is just some kind of nostalgia exercise.” And I’m not interested in that.”

    Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz defer to Bryne, and seem to be on board with a reunion. As Tina told Rolling Stone in 2013:

    “You’ll have to ask David Byrne about that. We never ended Talking Heads ourselves. That’s entirely in his court. We never had a fight. I don’t see why there shouldn’t be a reunion. On the other hand, I’m not going to hold my breath because life goes on. Life is too short to sit around moaning about what could have been or what was. We are in touch with the band and we all would love to do it, but we can’t do it without David.”

    Frantz referred to the situation as ‘hopeless’ in a 2009 interview with SPIN:

    “The rest of the band would love to do something but our singer doesn’t see it that way. He prefers to play “Burning Down the House” with a Talking Heads cover band while wearing a tutu and then tell us that to go out would make us a parody of ourselves.”

    So there’s that. In the meantime, there’s always Start Making Sense, if you’re looking for an ‘as close as you’ll ever come’ to a Talking Heads experience.

    We would like to thank our sponsors Buffalo Iron Works, Anthology, TIP the Band and Funk n Waffles for being a part of this year’s March Madness. Support your local bands and venues so that they can be a part of New York State’s continued legacy of music for decades to come!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRKvgy39hn0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDfz3oHAlJ8
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