Black Suit Youth has played sold-out theaters with bands such as Story of the Year and Alien Ant Farm, and their newest CD was recorded in Atlanta by Peter Catalano, and listeners will immediately hear that “False South” is a terrific, high-energy rock album.
“False South” features blistering lead guitar work from Long Island’s Fed Canelos, heavy bottom end bass from Long Island’s Juan Orellana, hard hitting drums from New York City’s Robert Abrams, and rhythm guitar and lead vocals from Bryan Maher. Black Suit Youth plays an upbeat blend of hard rock, alternative, punk, and indie with an eye for arrangement and hooks.
Black Suit Youth formed in 2004, however this line-up is a rebirth of the band and has been together for about two years.
According to the band, their goal is to spread their music to as many rock fans as possible, whether it’s on stage in front of a thousand people or in smaller venues, one person at a time. You can catch Black Suit Youth live this month January 24th at Amityville Music Hall and January 26th at The Cobra Club in Brooklyn.
Check out their Facebook page and Bandcamp and look for additional Tri-State Area shows this winter as well as an East Coast/Midwest Tour in the spring.
Chicago groove rockers Mungion stopped at Buffalo Iron Works on January 27, their first stop in Buffalo since the release of their latest album Ferris Wheel’s Day Off. They’ll be hitting the road with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong in February and March so be sure to check them out.
Rochester/Brooklyn band Maybird will soon be launching their second release on 30th Century Records. The first song off the recording, “Don’t Keep Me Around,” is indicative of the unique sound the band has crafted over the past six years – an amalgamation of indie and roots rock, filtered through a psychedelic veil. The four-piece band consists of singer/songwriter Josh Netsky, guitarists Kurt Johnson and Sam Snyder (aka Overhand Sam), and drummer Adam Netsky. NYS Music checked in with Maybird’s frontman to get the scoop on the inspirations and collaborations behind the new work.
Photo by Teagan West
Paula Cummings: You have a new song out called “Don’t Keep Me Around.” What is the story behind the song? Why did you choose to lead with this one?
Josh Netsky: We’ve been playing “Don’t Keep Me Around” live for well over a year now, so our fans are familiar with it and it’s just been waiting to be heard for a long time. We haven’t really explored many of the other songs on the record in a live setting yet, so it felt right to set this one free first. I wrote this song very quickly during a spontaneous recording session with producer Sam Cohen. Quickly in comparison to my usual writing process, at least. Quick songs are usually better in my experience… if you don’t have to think too much about it, that’s a good sign.
PC: Your songwriting has always been influenced by your own personal experiences. What people, places, or events lit the spark that led to the creation of your new songs?
JN: Some of the songs go pretty far back – I think the oldest track was written in 2012. So there are a lot of very different answers here from years of experiences and inspirations. But the overall arc of the album deals with a few main themes. Seeking purpose and clinging to memories/trying not to forget are the big ones. Kurt Vonnegut’s novel The Sirens of Titan was a huge inspiration for the album and put these ideas into perspective for me in the first place.
PC: Who did you work with on the album, and how did these industry professionals shape your work?
JN: For “Don’t Keep Me Around,” we worked a lot with Sam Cohen, who’s an amazing producer and our label-mate on 30th Century Records. He also mixed our entire album. Aside from that, we did most of the work ourselves independently. We all have small studio setups of our own, mostly we worked out of a studio that Sam and Kurt had set up in Ontario, NY. A few of our Rochester comrades put down some horn parts and extra instrumentation.
PC: Can you share any details about the new album?
JN: We’re looking at a late spring release, the date will be announced soon I’m sure. But we will be releasing singles up to that point, so there will be a constant flow of music from here forth. Plus we’ve got some videos and other material that we’re psyched to share alongside the tracks.
PC: Maybird’s Spotify playlist contains some great indie music. Which bands or musicians spur you forward by setting a benchmark that you’re striving to reach?
JN: I love having a Spotify playlist and updating it frequently. That’s exactly what it does, keeps inspiration flowing. We call it Maybird Mixtape. The whole thing started with an actual physical mixtape. We used to dub a bunch of tapes and give them to fans at shows to share what we were listening to. Spotify is obviously a lot easier to manage, but we still make the physical tapes every once in a while. I have a very open ear and use Shazam all the time. If I hear something that I would like to examine closer for whatever reason, whether it’s at a restaurant, in a store, on the radio or whatever… always Shazaming. A lot of what ends up on Maybird Mixtape is from that. I found this band Billy & Dolly that way, for example, and their album ended up being one of my favorites of 2018. Excellent songwriting and production. That’s really the only benchmark – to keep pushing forward in the writing and production… Cass Mccombs, Deerhunter, Daniel Ramano, Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala, The Voidz, Danger Mouse, Wilco, Sly & The Family Stone are a few regulars on the mixtape. It’s all over the place, it’s all just really good. I think our sound is all over the place as well, and that’s the way we like it.
Check out Maybird’s new song over on Flaunt magazine. And be sure to follow Maybird on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram to catch their latest music and videos and find out about upcoming shows.
The Flock was not disappointed at a sold-out Capitol Theatre show with Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle, Saturday, January 26. The room was packed and a sense of excitement could be tasted in the air. It was funky. Mihali’s set featured new material, as well as Twiddle classics like “Every Soul” and a sit-in on “River Drift,” from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong basist, Ben Carrey, playing a set of whistles! Mihali’s set was unlike the Pigeons, with deep storytelling-like lyrics. This made a more intimate experience where lots of the audience had their eyes closed, deeply feeling the music.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong opened with “Time To Ride” and the first set highlights included the beloved “Poseidon > Eyes Of The World > Poseidon,” mashup. Pigeons paid tribute to The Capitol when Ormont changed their lyrics to Wake up to find out that you are the size of a squirrel. The crowd went wild. The second set featured “Yo Soy Fiesta,” one of Pigeon’s newer tunes, “Kiwi” and “Upfunk,” where Jeremy Schon was really shredding, going that extra mile. We have not seen this level of excitement and Schon just kept getting better.
The encore included a rendition of Disney’s “Colors of the Wind” during “Schwanthem” and “Doc” with the West End Blend horns sitting in. The Pigeons are building their flock and flying higher than ever.
Arleigh Kincheloe, aka Sister Sparrow, mesmerized a full house at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock Saturday night, with the Dirty Birds backing her, as she held the audience entranced, proving one’s presence can dwarf their stature. The setting, a barn-turned-showroom, was ideal as onlookers surrounded the band and Sister Sparrow’s voice reverberated majestically.
The show, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds’ second at Levon Helm Studios, was long-awaited. SS&TDB were scheduled to make their first appearance in Woodstock since 2012 last December 29. Due to illness, however, the concert was rescheduled for January 26. If good things are worth the wait, the band can be forgiven for the near-seven year hiatus; they were excellent.
When concert-goers arrived in Woodstock, they waited a little longer for the headliner as Melanie Glenn, Mary Kenney and Allison Olender, of the band Upstate, opened with an a capella set. While they typically play with a backing band, the set highlighting the singers was apropos for the intimate Levon Helm Studios.
The sincerity of their voices manifested in calls and responses, gospels mixed with folk, and the three young ladies had evident chemistry. Expressive and at ease on stage, each singer had her own style and personality: Glenn took the limelight at one point with an acoustic guitar and Olender later came to the front with her electric Fender. Kenney anchored the set, standing center throughout. While Sister Sparrow would come out to steal the evening, Upstate’s harmonies set the mood wonderfully.
After a brief intermission, the Dirty Birds took the stage and, with the audience’s enthusiastic encouragement, Sister Sparrow crept up to the spotlight. With a playful look of surprise for the applause (“Who– me?”) and a shake of her long, red hair, she grabbed the mic and it was off to the races.
She’s tiny. She’s huge. The microphone stand rivals her in stature, but Sister Sparrow’s presence is titanic. With her mother watching from the crowd and her brother Jackson supporting on the harmonica, Sister Sparrow banged her bright red tambourine, swung the mic, and belted out invigorating tunes.
While Sister Sparrow’s stage presence is as cool as watermelon on a summer afternoon, the band, a menagerie of supporting musicians, has a full, clean rock ‘n’ roll vibe. With his shoulders curling and head nodding, drummer Dan Boyden played with a nonchalance that imbibed the spirit of Levon Helm. During a cover of Toto’s “Rosanna,” trumpeter Phil Rodriguez and saxophonist Brian Graham turned and nodded to each other as if to say, “Yeah, we’re gettin’ it!”
The sounds ranged from pop to folk, prominently featuring funk and soul. Sister Sparrow’s candid mien was positive and jocular, her voice captivating. The show was intimate yet energetic, and, from the beginning, there was a feel in the air that something special was taking place: refreshing music created by from experienced entertainers.
The Barn at Levon Helm Studios had a church-like feel Saturday night. Rows of worshipers sat in awe as Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds held the pulpit. The music had a soul-cleansing component and the crowd was a lowercase-c catholic cluster of Dirty Bird disciples. While it was my first time attending a Sister Sparrow sermon, I most certainly hope it’s not my last.
Josie Bello has a Country-Rock vocal style, combined with the skillful musicianship evident throughout the CD, have prompted a number of listeners on ReverbNation to ask the question, “Were these recordings done in Nashville?”
The album was, in fact, produced and recorded on Long Island at Melts In Your Ears Studio and mixed at Workshoppe East, both located in Huntington.
Can’t Go Home contains 10 tracks of original music in which Josie covers a wide range of subjects related to the human condition. The title track contemplates the loss of one’s past. Other tracks cover themes such as infidelity (“Dignity”), infatuation (“Crush”), relationships (“Good People,” “Bad Love”), drug addiction (“Mother’s Love”), Long Island living (“Kit House”) and even political partisanship (“Two Trains”), co-written by producer Mike Nugent and the only co-write on the album.
The very active live music scene on Long Island, and the abundance of local talent continues to inspire Josie as a songwriter and performer.
Josie enjoys creating images and telling stories through song and often says, “Hooks are everywhere, you just need to listen”.
She’ll tell you that she’s been singing every day of her life — around the house and everywhere she’s been since childhood. She can remember her mother saying to her, “Please, try to pipe down, just for a little while”.
Luckily for local musicinans, Josie is quite active on the Long Island music scene. She runs several open mics: at Urban Coffee in Greenlawn on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month and at the Park Lounge in Kings Park on 3rd Fridays.
Additionally, once a month she hosts a singer-songwriter night at Urban Coffee. Josie performs with her husband Frank Bello as “Duo Bello” at many festivals throughout the island, including their annual hosting of the Long Island Fall Festival Acoustic Stage. She is honored to participate in the LI-based group OOMPA (Organization of Open Mic Performing Artists) and recognizes all the talent and support their membership provides to open mics and musical charitable events throughout the Island.
Josie’s music is available on most digital distribution platforms such as iTunes and CD Baby. A hard copy of the CD can also be purchased at CD Baby.
Grammy Award winner, John Mayer, announced the dates for his upcoming North American tour Monday. The tour will begin once Mayer finishes his duties with Dead & Company this summer.
Each North American concert will auction off two pairs of front row tickets that will allow fans to experience a meet and greet prior to the start of the show. The proceeds from the tickets will go towards the Back To You fund: an organization that donates money to causes such as healthcare, education, and charities related to talent development.
Tickets to Mayer’s tour will be on sale through Ticketmaster beginning Feb. 1 at noon. Presale tickets are available Jan. 29 at 10 a.m.
Furthermore, American Express card holders may begin purchasing tickets on Jan. 29 through Jan. 31.
Tour Dates:
July 19 – Times Union Center – Albany, NY
July 29 – Dunkin’ Donuts Center – Providence, RI
July 22 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
July 23 – Capital One Arena – Washington D.C. July 25 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY July 26 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
July 28 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA
July 30 – Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON
Aug. 2 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI
Aug. 3 – Schottenstein Center – Columbus, OH
Aug. 5 – Xcel Energy Center – St. Paul, MN
Aug. 6 – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
Aug. 8 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Aug. 9 – Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC
Aug. 11 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA
Aug. 12 – Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN
Aug. 14 – United Center – Chicago, IL
Aug. 31 – Snomass Mountain – Snowmass Village, CO
Sep. 2 – Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO
Sep. 3 – Engterprise Center – St. Louis, MO
Sep. 5 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
Sep. 7 – AT&T Center – San Antonio, TX
Sep. 8 – Toyota Center – Houston, TX
Sep. 10 – Talking Stick Resort Arena – Phoenix, AZ
Sep. 11 – Viejas Arena – San Diego, CA
Sep. 13 – The Forum – Inglewood, CA
Sep. 14 – The Forum – Inglewood, CA
Ska has come a long way since its origins in the Caribbean in the 50’s. The upbeat, syncopated style of music has caught on around the globe, adapting to the cultural nuances in places far and wide. It has spilled Upstate with Some Ska Band and their 9-track debut release, It’s Going Down, which shows off how adaptable ska music can be.
The opening track “Forty Thieves” was inspired by author and sax player, Charles Benoit, who spent time teaching in Kuwait and absorbing all the cultural influences of the city. The instrumental ditty pulls from classic literature for its title and snippets of Middle-Eastern-style riffs.
Everything I know about ska, I learned from Benoit, a ska-aficionado (or ska-ficionado, if you will). Benoit is one of eight members of the Rochester-based band. Mary-Jude Vacca and Shad Froman take on the vocals. Will Browar keeps the beat and hits things. On guitars are Joe Sims (bass), David Keller (lead), and Miles Pierce (rhythm). Joining Benoit in the brass section is Neil Pierce on trumpet. After years of playing originals (and some songs originally by other artists), the eight of them made their way into the studio to lay it down.
All the songs on It’s Going Down are pretty snappy, but a few stand out in particular. “End of The World” is a clever little tongue-in-cheek song, written on January 20, 2017 (if that date doesn’t ring a bell, look it up). The chorus includes the lines “It’s not the end of the world/ But you can see it from here.”
The title track “It’s Going Down” is another little gem, that demonstrates their musical prowess. The deep, heavy rhythm creates a perfect backdrop to showcase Vacca’s rich, sonous voice. The “Obligatory Drinking Song” is a sing-a-long fan favorite at live shows. The album wraps up with an instrumental version “American Skalines,” a song that usually includes a spoken-word script when played live.
Whether you’re a ska-ficionado or a newbie to the genre, you’ll get a kick out of It’s Going Down.
Key Tracks: Forty Thieves, End Of The World, It’s Going Down
The popularity of Vulfpeck, a low-volume funk band is on the rise. Founded in 2011, the group started in venues holding only 3,000 people. Today, Vulfpeck has announced an upgrade to a one-night-only performance at the worlds’ most famous arena, Madison Square Garden.
Vulfpeck will be headlining the New York City show on Saturday, Sept. 28, alongside The Fearless Flyers, a side project featuring bassist, Joe Dart. The debut will be the quartet’s second-ever live performance.
Vulfpeck however, has released four EPs and albums. The band had an admission-free tour in 2014, funded by their album on Spotify called Sleepify. The band’s most recent collection is entitled Hill Climber and was released in December 2018.
Tickets to see Vulfpeck at Madison Square Garden will be available Friday, February 1 at noon through Ticketmaster. They will also be available to purchase on Saturday, Feb. 2 at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and the Beacon Theatre box offices.
Syracuse punk band Bridge Under Fire is doing the unorthodox. They are releasing four new songs from their new EP through four different record labels. NYS Music is premiering the L.R.S. Records single, “Self-Unemployed.” Check it out below.
Bridge Under Fire is a Syracuse-based punk/hardcore band with a discography that includes two full-length albums, two EPs, a split 7″ single and several compilation contributions. The new untitled EP has been released in four parts across four labels and through four different media outlets.
Band leader and L.R.S. Records owner, Mark Turley, described the project this way:
After releasing our last full length in 2017, the band was discussing other options than just writing more songs to be an EP or album. We decided to write singles rather than songs that fit together content-wise onto an album. The results were interesting and different than what weâve done so far. Through L.R.S. we had these relationships with the other labels and thought this would be a different way to release our music.
Mark Turley
To celebrate the release of the new music, Bridge Under Fire will host a show at Spark Contemporary Art Space in Syracuse on Feb. 22. Also on the bill that night is Sympathy Band, Talk Wrong and Dimladia. For more information on this show, visit promoter After Dark Presents’ website. To check out more of Bridge Under Fire’s work, visit their Bandcamp page here.
Turley also hosts a weekly podcast called Long Range Sarcasm (L.R.S.) with Nick Oliver. It is available on iTunes and Google Podcasts. The podcast features news and music from the L.R.S. stable of artists as well as other Central New York musicians.
Bridge Under Fire’s brand new single, “Self-Unemployed” is available below as a NYS Music exclusive release. Check it out.
Beginning on July 19 at the 
