For the last time, Formula 5 took to the stage of Putnam Place and performed two sets full of classics with plenty of jams to go around. The band announced in March that they were taking a break, and this being their last club show, fans came out to pack the venue one last time. Songs stretching across the seven years of the band’s existence were performed, with a slideshow of the band in the background in between sets. Albany’s fast-rising Glass Pony opened the night with a set that included a debut cover of “Lucky Man” by Emerson, Lake and Palmer with Formula 5’s Matt Richards joining on keys.
After Putnam Place, Formula 5 is set to perform at Disc Jam Music Festival, Beanstalk Music Festival and their own Rock the Dock Music Festival on July 12 before taking an extended break.
Set 1: Pedro->Albatross and Wolves, Nu-Gen->Birch Tree->Sad Bed->Nu-Gen
Set 2: Drums->Come Along>In the Sand->Trout Waters Pt 1 & 2, Earthbound Tim->Come Along Reprise, Booher’s Pass, Hot Box
A collaboration no one expected will tour this summer as ‘The New Beetles.’ Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will be joined by Boy George and Elton John, which, according to Starr, will allow “A new generation to be able to say they saw John, Paul, George and me, Ringo.”
The New Beetles will perform classic songs from The original Beatles catalog and Boy George songs, as well as new classics such as “Instant Karma Chameleon,” “Can You Feel the Love Me Do,” “A Day in the Wind,” “Cry Baby Crying Game,” “I’m Still Seeing her Standing There,” “Do You Really Want To Hold My Hand,” and many more.
“I’m most excited to play “Goodbye Yellow Brick Submarine” and “Get Back, Honky Cat,” said Elton John. “I always felt like my songs could use a little influence from the Fab 4, and here we are, rehearsing “The Bitch Is Back In The USSR.” It’s really quite fascinating.”
Two weeks ago, we started with 64 artists from New York State, representing all genres and corners of the state. Now we have reached the Final Four of NYS Music’s March Madness and these four remaining artists represent four different genres – folk, rock, rap and jam – an eclectic mix of what makes New York State a breeding ground for all types of music.
Beastie Boys bested Billy Joel to take the crown in the TIP the Band region, and they will face off against the lone Upstate victor in the Final Four, moe., fittingly, out of the Funk n Waffles region.
Vote below for who you think is the best artist from New York State in the past century! The finals will start this Thursday, April 4. You can also vote on Twitter!
In a surprise announcement from Phish, ReCurveball Festival will be held in Watkins Glen, NY this August 9-11, on the same grounds as Phish’s cancelled 2018 Curveball festival.
“After last summer’s sudden cancellation of Curveball, we immediately made plans to get back to Watkins Glen. We found a guy who said he could take care of the water issue and you know what, we trust him,” said Trey Anastasio. “We owe it to the fans.”
“Water will not be an issue at ReCurveball” – Andy King
With Woodstock 50 being held at Watkins Glen International the following weekend, Phish and Woodstock Ventures teamed up to ensure that both ReCurveball and Woodstock 50 go off without hitches. Operations director C. Wallob said of the plans, “Holding ReCurveball festival the weekend before ensures that we can not only prepared the grounds for the influx of thousands of fans the following weekend, but any issues that come up can be sorted out in advance. We really want to make ReCurveball a success, and hopefully Woodstock 50 can feed off our success at Watkins Glen. We certainly don’t want another Woodstock 99 to happen. If anyone is going to burn Watkins Glen to the ground, it’ll be Phish.
“Plus,” Wallob added, “Phish fans will certainly leave it clean for Woodstock 50 attendees.”
photo via Phish.net
Phish plans to reuse the silver ball for the special late-night set, and unsold merchandise from Curveball will be rebranded with new dates added. More information can be found at ReCurveball.com.
Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is. As the cold winter days wind down and the sun shines a little longer, new life is brought back into the dark places. There is no one who needs that more than the Allman Brothers family right now, after terrible loss almost halted everything. It looked like the end for many fans and this legendary music. That mantle of great live music tradition was left in limbo until The Allman Betts Band made their highly anticipated debut at Brooklyn Bowl.
Devon Allman and Duane Betts have joined forces to create The Allman Betts Band, with Barry Oakley Jr. (Son of Original Allman Brothers Band Bassist), Johnny Stachela, percussionists R. Scott Bryan and John Lum, to feature new music, songs from their solo projects and classic Allman Brothers songs in honor of The Allman Brothers’ 50th anniversary.
Wednesday night was the inaugural show for the band and fans of all ages came out in curiosity to see what this band was going to bring to the table. By the third song, when Duane played the opening notes to his father’s “Blue Sky,” it became very clear that this band would be a force to be reckoned with. Along with amazing renditions of “Dreams” and “In Memory OF Elzabeth Reed,” this band showed that it had more to offer for the Allman legacy. Original songs “All Night” and “Good Ol’ Days,” both are set to be on the bands debut album, that will be released early summer.
Don’t miss this band. They are fantastic; Proof that their music is as thick, and rich, as blood.
Setlist: All Night, Melodies are Memomries, Blue Sky, Left My Heart In Memphis, Taking Time, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, Multi Colored Lady, Seven Turns, Mahalo, Purple Rain, Dreams, Good Ol’ Days,
There are two types of people in this world: those who like country and those who don’t. It can sound hokey, melancholy and just plain sad. There’s no denying that Megg Farrell & Friends have touches of those iconic country groups, but please, give this a listen. It doesn’t fall close to preconceived notions of country.
Now a lot of credit needs to go to the production of the album – it helps legitimize the group. In terms of theory, it’s obvious these guys are experts. They sound like they’ve been performing decades, even though they’ve just started to lift off the ground. Perhaps the most incredible thing about this album is how natural everything sounds, considering how many influences are being implemented here. Jazz, country, bluegrass and pop styles are peppered throughout the album.
It’s an odd combination, but this is good time to be adventurous when it comes to restoring old genres. When groups like Mumford and Sons or The Lumineers first emerged, it was a heavy dose of folk, country, and bluegrass, driven by pop beats that came out of left field. When will it be time for more classical country to shine once again? (Not your bro country) Obviously, this type of music isn’t going to be selling out arenas anytime soon like the above mentioned artists, but it could pave a way for a new style of country. It’s a treacherous frontier, combing jazz, country, bluegrass and pop together but it’s absolutely sublime if done right.
There are some truly traditional country acts on the album like “Feelin’ Single” and “Tulsa Queen,” which are direct Emmylou Harris covers. The only place Farrell & Friends explore a traditional country space is in “New York Love Song.” It’s everything listeners might expect in a country song – typical instrumentation, lovey-dovey lyrics and a beat which begs for a belt-buckle-grippin’ two step dance. A catchy chorus and an outstanding performance from Farrell. Her raspy, but sultry voice was molded in a variety of genres, fitting seamlessly into this group style. They continue into what is arguably more bluegrass than country with tracks like “New Orleans Waltz” and “Ohh Las Vegas.” Again, they’re undeniable masters of their craft. But as tight and well produced as it is, it’s just not everyones cup of tea.
“Love Sick Harmony” is one of the best examples of how they have managed to seamlessly blend all of these genres together. Everything is smooth and listeners get a taste of each influence – a slide guitar lick under verse, a classic “woo” filled chorus and washy, pop drum beat. It’s a real mutt of a song with its bluegrass, country, anti-folk and pop styles. Imagine Regina Spektor, but if she grew up in the deep south. “Blues In The Womb” is without a doubt their showcase. Please find our detailed analysis of the song here.
It’s a confusing collection of songs. They may fall back to their country roots in just about every song but there is unquestionably a LOT of experimentation going on. But it’s a 25 minute album – try something new today and do some experimentation of your own.
This is a group that’s still finding their footing. And as per usual, money is always an issue when trying to get off the ground. Watch their video on how to support the group social and financially. There’s some pretty good incentives to throwing them a few bucks. They will also be flying around NY for the next few months Brooklyn and Manhattan. Find their events on their Facebook page.
Key Tracks: Love Sick Harmony, Blues in the Womb, New York Love Song
Mungion singer and guitarist, Justin Reckamp, joins host Andy Hogan in conversation about the bands origins, life in the Chicago music scene, fall/winter tours, albums Scary Blankets (2016) and Ferris Wheels Day Off (2018). Listen on Simplecast or iTunes.
Bad Luck’s new EP, Drug Phase, is the perfect vessel for launching a comeback. Bad Luck. continues to tick all the right boxes: fast tempos, aggressive guitar work, pop-influenced melodies and clever lyrics. The solo-project-turned-band cranked out a couple promising releases in 2014 and 2015, then went quiet until last year, when they announced signing with Take This To Heart Records. Fortune seems to be favoring Bad Luck. as they enter this new phase of their career.
Bad Luck. leads with “Impressive Depressive,” in which they channel some serious My Chemical Romance vibes with their dark lyrics and edgy riffs. The mood lightens up in the next track, “Mean Dudes.” The uptempo bubblegum-pop serves as a perfect contrast to lyrics, oozing with sarcasm and disdain. The title track “Drug Phrase” has more bite to it. The gritty, grungy song is a brutally honest reflection on a dark time: Used to say I’m okay/ I could try a bit/ Just for the hell of it.
The EP switches gears again with “Sheep Song.” Even though the lyrics are about herd mentality and blindly following along, it’s a challenge not to sing along to the “ba ba ba ba” chorus. This is followed by “Wish We Still Talked.” Abrasive vocals belt out raw emotional lyrics riddled with regret. The layered vocals are reminiscent of Taking Back Sunday. Drug Phase ends with a track called “P.S. Wiffle Ball.” The jangly tune on acoustic guitar is accompanied by whistling and a sing-song melody. The simplicity of this track evokes nostalgia for youthful ignorance and bliss.
The collection creates a story arc that follows the rise, fall and rebirth of the jaded-yet-relatable protagonist. But unlike most concept-based albums, each of the songs can stand on their own and still make sense. There’s no filler or transitional tracks. The music is compactly arranged – tight, well-paced and cohesive.
All music and lyrics were written by vocalist/guitarist Dominick Fox. His brother Joseph Fox plays bass. The band is rounded out with Charlie Caruso on lead guitar and Michael Sichel on drums. Drug Phase was engineered, produced and mixed by Jim Wirt at Crushtone Studios, and mastered by John Naclerio at Nada Studios.
Drug Phase is out now on Take This To Heart Records. Purchase merch and music directly or buy/stream on your favorite major music platforms. Bad Luck. celebrates the release with a four-date Northeast tour that started in Boston last night, and hits Albany today, Brooklyn on March 30 and Philly on March 31. They’re also slated to play BLED FEST in May. Follow them on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter for updates.
Key Tracks: Impressive Depressive, Sheep Song, Wish We Still Talked
For two decades O.A.R. has continuously shown why they are one of the top acts in music. From sold out shows in some of the most famous venues across the country to multiple chart toping hits, and millions of albums sold worldwide. With the release of their ninth album The Mighty O.A.R. the band has embodied what it means to be mighty.
A few days before the albums release date the band invited a small amount of media and fans to Sony Square in New York City for a performance of some of the new material and a short Q&A. The state of the art Sony space worked with the band to set up something that replicated what happened in the studio, lead singer Marc Roberge Said “The reason why we did this was because we wanted you all to see this, this is kinda what we do everyone has their job their world we sit in rooms like this and create something from nothing.” They played two tracks off the new album “Miss You All The Time” and “California” in an acoustic round setting showing the amazing bond twenty years can bring between artists.
The new album is out today, Friday March 29, and brings a whole new approach to making a record than what fans and the band are used to hearing. Up until now O.A.R. has made records the same way just about everyone else makes records, run and gun. You work and record straight through until the album is complete, but for their first album in five years the band wanted to try something new and perfect the craft. O.A.R. changed the way they wrote and adopted the motto “is it aging well” does that song sit well with the band day’s, weeks later. This album is deep and meaningful with inspiring lyrics that just make you feel good.
O.A.R will hit the road this summer in support of this album be sure to check them out, and see for your self the power of The Mighty O.A.R.
We’ve made it to the 4th Round of NYS Music’s March Madness, featuring 8 elite artists who call New York home or got their start in the Empire State, as voted on by our readers. We have 8 incredible artists to consider to determine who is the greatest musician to come out of New York State in the past century.
