On Friday night, June 14, Albany’s Jupiter Hall closed their stage for the last time; but before the darkness, the venue was alive with flashing lights, fans, great music – and snow!
Another great show by Chaos Collective and Joe Von Schnizel, The Jupiter Hall venue went out with a bang! The feeling at the show was not one of despair, but rather a celebration. Four bands played, but they seemed to have the hearts of all the prior bands within them, and they gave it all to the appreciative fans.
Frank Palangi, an indie rock songwriter, opened the show with his band. His deep, full voice is reminiscent of Dave Gahan, the lead singer of Depeche Mode. His range was amazing, ccompanied by Greg Auffreduo on drums. You can catch some of his upcoming shows at Abrews in Dracut, MA on June 23 or The Schenectady Armory Center, June 29. For a list of other events, see his website.
Setlist: Set Me Free, Live It Up, Intro, It’s All Right, Break These Chains, Metallica Mix, Turn It All Around, Purple Haze.
Chris Itani
Next up were The Hard Luck Souls, an original blues-influenced hard rock band from the Capital District. Chris’ cool bluesy rock voice, led the tight, well-rehearsed group featuring Chris Itani on vocals, Brian Gentile on guitar, Mark Schmidt on drums and Dave Smassanow on bass. The setlist was from their 2017 CD, Closer to the Flame, and included: “You’re Not a Saint,” “In My Head,” “Izzy’s Thunder,” “Believer,” “Fly Away,” “Get Back,” “Better Keep On Running,” and “I’m Not Ashamed.”
You can catch The Hard Luck Souls at the Troy Farmers Market on June 29, 2019, Check their Facebook page for more times and locations. Check their Facebook page and sample the CD here.
Bob Messick, Bassist for Wasteland Junction
The show kept moving along with Wasteland Junction, a hard rock band from Schenectady, NY. The sounds of Wasteland Junction kept fans on their feet. Bob Messick held it down on Bass, R.J. Fowler on drums, Chris Fowler on rhythm guitar and Cy Romleski venturing on lead guitar completed the group. You can see them on August 2, at Chrome in Waterford, NY with Revenge (Kiss tribute band).
Setlist: I Profit, Tooth in Nail, Ride the Lightning, Cold Sweat, Iron Fist, What Your Doin’, Stone Cold Crazy, Kill the King, Priest Medley.
David Smith
The night closed after Revenge, the Kiss Tribute band swept up the stage with a wild performance. The music was loud and rocking. How fitting to have “Rock and Roll All Night” as the last song. The venue has died, but the memories of the music and the bands will rock, and roll all night. Thank you to all the entertainers, the event coordinators, promoters, staff and especially, the fans. Let’s keep local music alive.
Setlist: Detroit Rock City, Psycho Circus, Rise to It, Deuce, Lick it Up, A Million to One, War Machine, Hide Your Heart, Shock me, Love Gun, I was Made for Loving You, Black Diamond, and The last song of the set, the last song of the show, the last song played at Jupiter Hall, was Rock and Roll All Night!
Mountain Jam marked year 15 by migrating to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the site of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival. When the change was announced earlier this year, Mountain Jam co-founder Gary Chetkof shared with the Poughkeepsie Journal: “What could be more amazing than Bethel Woods and the home of the Woodstock festival… It was really just a matter of going to the promised land.”
Driving up on Friday (day two of the four day event) I turned off NY Route 17 onto 17B. Headed down this one-lane road affectionately named “The Woodstock Way,” I started to imagine what it was like in 1969 as people abandoned their cars on the road and started walking the final 10 miles to the festival. The closer I got, I could hear Arlo Guthries’s iconic “THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY’S CLOSED, MAN!” in my head.
Peace flag
Festival organizers took advantage of the great expanse that Bethel Woods had to offer. The box office was located on the southern perimeter of Bethel Woods in a remote field with tall grass and mud. The flashback was suddenly becoming real. After hiking up a hill toward the festival, I found myself looking out over the site of the original Woodstock. Images of 1969 started flashing before me.
I was quickly brought back to 2019 as I strolled past campers and RV’s of various sizes and shapes with glamping professionals nestled in their folding chairs, munching on BBQ, and consuming their favorite beverages. At the entrance pockets were emptied, bags checked, and metal detector wanding was carried out by security.
Phil Lesh & Friends
Mountain Jam, spelt out in 10-foot tall letters with teepee bookends, greeted me. The sound of music was immediate. The first stage I encountered was the Valley stage, a medium sized stage with a Ferris wheel parked next to it. Acts including The Nude Party, Hollis Brown and Tyler Ramsey performed there. The Valley stage also served as the location for late night jam sessions by Andy Frassco & the U.N. and Consider the Source held on Friday and Saturday nights.
Headed farther into the festival you came upon the Mountain Stage (main pavilion amphitheater) which hosted featured performers Gov’t Mule, Willie Nelson, Dispatch, The Avett Brothers, and Phil Lesh & Friends to name a few. Add to that the Terrace stage; a performance space with seats built into a hillside, VIP stage where special acoustic sets were performed by acts who had played bigger stages earlier that day, and an event gallery space. With this cornucopia of musical riches it made it difficult to chose who and where to go to listen to music. On Saturday and Sunday the Hudson Valley based band Yard Sale busked throughout the site, injecting a free form feeling reminiscent of 1969.
The vibe,
the location, the history, the people
Intended to celebrate radio station WDST/Woodstock’s 25th anniversary, Mountain Jam started as a one-day event in 2005 by principle station owner Gary Chetkof and Warren Haynes. After 14 years at Hunter Mountain the decision to move to Bethel Woods was made. A move of 70 miles from its original location at Hunter Mountain, proving to be light years away from the previous home. The vibe from the original three days of Peace and Music festival was palpable. Tie dye, bare feet, singing and dancing was the norm. A “Wish Tree,” part of Yoko Ono’s ongoing Imagine Peace art installation series invited people to make a wish; write it on a piece of paper and attach it to the tree. The on-site security and support staff wore t-shirts with Peace Patrol emblazoned on their backs. Babbling brooks illuminated in multi-colors, open fields and dream catchers situated throughout the site augmented the vibe.
Those in attendance ran the gamut from old to young. Parents were there with their adult children, sitting on the hillside, sharing beers together while new parents introduced their young ones to the experience of live music. Many took advantage of the beautifully maintained grounds of Bethel Woods seaking out remote spots, allowing them to chill out and absorb the spirit that was Woodstock.
Zen moment
The Music
In addition to over 40 bands performing at this years Mountain Jam, rock and roll photographer Jay Blakesberg, know as the photographer of the Grateful Dead, shared a slide show telling presentation of his work to a packed event gallery audience. An easy to use Mountain Jam app was available to help you track of all the performers, their set times, locations, and help you plan your daily daily schedule. It also updates you to special activates happening in real time.
A highlight of the festival was Gov’t Mule’s Saturday night appearance (they played Friday night also) paying tribute to the bands that had performed at the original Woodstock festival. Warren Haynes, backed by percussionist Tato Melgar of Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real, opened the set with Richie Havens’ “Freedom.” The band’s set included The Who’s “Eye Sight to the Blind,” CSNY’s “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” and Sly Stones “I Want To Take You Higher.” Throughout the night Gov’t Mule was joined on stage by special guests including Lukas Nelson, and Arleigh Kincheloe and Jackson Kincheloe from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. They ended the evening’s tribute with a blistering encore of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Sight Return).”
Rain did find its way to the
festival late Saturday night and sporadically on Sunday, but with all stages having
protective covering (the amphitheater has a permanent roof over the seats) the
music never stopped. Being the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, who
wouldn’t have expected it to rain at some point. After a successful four days
and establishing a new location, Mountain Jam has secured the future of Peace
& Music in the Hudson Valley.
Gov’t MuleToots & The MaytalsLukas Nelson and The Promise of The RealThe Avett BrothersAmy HelmThe RevivalistsMountain Jam coupleSister Sparrow & The Dirty BirdsAlison Krauss & Union StationBella’s BartokJoe Russo’s Almost DeadThe Big Takeover
Michael GlabickiBethel Woods securityAllman Betts BandDispatchMichael Franti & SpearheadFather and sonThe Commonheart
Hasty Page and their official release party for Things To Do Before I Die is set for June 21 at The Linda WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio located in Albany NY. Tickets are $12.00 and the show kicks off at 8:00PM. The band will be continuing to support their new album with dates slated through the summer.
It’s been two long years since the Queensbury based alt/indie rock power trio Hasty Page has released new recorded material. Fans will be pleased to know that the wait is over with the release of their second full length LP Things To Do Before I Die, which dropped yesterday, June 20. This 11-track gem is a great follow up to their last release, Distance, and features tasty hooks that give the listener a whole lot. Hasty Page is comprised of Josh Morris (Lead Vocals/Drums), Zane Agnew (Lead Guitar/Vocals), and James Paolano (Bass/Vocals). The band was formed in 2015 and has sound that is reminiscent of such acts as The 1975, Nothing But Thieves and Pearl Jam.
Morris and Zane Agnew began playing acoustic duo shows around New York’s Capital Region, where they honed both their playing skills as well as their songwriting. A few months in, close family friend James Paolano was added to the roster on bass to fill out the trio. Since then, they have been playing regularly out in the Capital Region at The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Jupiter Hall, and even made the trip down to the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.
Things To Do Before I Die starts out in a very unique way with its first track “Sleep.” The tune is a mellow trance inducing intro that perfectly matches its title. The song features heavy synth and overdubbed vocals that paint a warm spacey dreamscape for the listener. The track quickly crescendos into a shockingly climatic vocal command, “GO TO SLEEP!,” after which the number abruptly ends. The second track, “Wake Up,” is a jolt back to reality that relies heavily on guitar, featuring a tasty musical hook. The song is a sort of call to arms, that lyrically challenges listeners to wake up to the problems that surround them in the world. Morris’ vocal chant, “One in ten of us all pretend,” eludes that people need to take a hard look around themselves and shake off the trance that they fall into while living their mundane everyday lives.
“Body Shots” is a guitar driven groove fest that highlights both Agnew’s funky guitar playing and Paolano rock steady bass beat. The song is upbeat and perfect for playing out live. The band is tight on this number and the boys are playing to their strengths, drawing on the experience that only a live performance can provide. It features catchy lyrics that reference drinking and sports, a beat made for getting out on the dance floor and moving your feet. “Body Shots” is one of the strongest pieces on the LP.
Perhaps the most radio friendly track on Things To Do Before I Die is the seventh track “Vices.” The single opens with an orchestrated synth introduction that is reminiscent of The Kings Of Leon and effortlessly transitions into Morris’ infectious vocal. The melody and chorus on this song are so pleasing that it makes perfect sense; Hasty Page would commit their time and energy into creating an expensively produced video for the tune. Although “Vices” features less of Agnew’s signature guitar sound and drifts more into the musical direction of pop, it is a catchy number that is memorable and is destined to be a fan favorite.
While thinking about all the phrases across the American songbook which define moments or places recurring through time, perhaps one which quickly comes to mind is “summer in the city.” The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City” is an ode to their hometown, inspired by New York City. Appearing in 1966’s Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful, the song eventually became synonymous with the excitement and liveliness of a bustling metropolis pulled between blistering days and cool nights of summer.
“Summer In The City” chronicles the range of highs and lows that come with living in New York City during the summer. Using the dogged heat of the day and the cool night breeze as scenes for each verse, John Sebastian shares a vignette of how the city and its people transform as the evenings set in.
During the day the heat is oppressive, reducing walking to a lethargic shuffle, with “people looking half dead.” Sebastian sings about the dense humidity accosting the back of people’s necks, and the sun baking the sidewalk until it can light a matchstick. Everything transforms as the evening rolls in; life becomes about going out, meeting someone and dancing the night away. People who start in the afternoon heat as panting dogs, become “cool cats,” looking for somebody to hang with. Much like the repeating nature of the song’s lyrics and chorus, summer in the city is a cycle, perpetuated by people’s desire to survive the day, only to take the night.
The Lovin’ Spoonful is: lead vocalist John Sebastian, guitarist Zal Yanovsky, bassist Steve Boone and drummer Joe Butler, with pianist Artie Schroek joining on “Summer In The City.” Sebastian and Yanovsky founded the band after years of being a part of the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk scene, crossing paths with the likes of Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty, who would later form The Mamas and the Papas. Many of their first songs played and recorded were representative of Sebastian’s origins in a jug-band folk style. It wasn’t until 1965’s single, “Do You Believe in Magic,” that the band began exploring a more popular, broad sound.
The band’s heyday was from 1965 to 1966, culminating with Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful, which was a deliberate attempt to experiment with various sounds and techniques. The following years were met with personnel changes within the band and the production team. Guitarist Yanovsky left the band largely due to a marijuana bust in the late ’60s as well as creative differences with the songwriting direction. Following a couple of records after 1967, Sebastian began a solo career, effectively causing the end of the band. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, bringing all four original members together before Yanovsky’s death in 2002.
“Summer In The City” climbed to number one on the Billboard chart during a time when folk music filled the still cigarette-stained air of bars and cafes, and traversed a majority of pop airwaves across the country. Though presented as a shorter, popular folk song, the circular and repeating nature of the lyrics positions the song as a jam, or even a mantra. “Summer in the City” is more than a season out of the year, it’s a state of being, represented by surviving the trials of the day in order to let loose at night.
“Summer in the City” lyrics
Hot town, summer in the city Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty Been down, isn’t it a pity? Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city All around, people looking half dead Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head
But at night it’s a different world Go out and find a girl Come on, come on and dance all night Despite the heat, it’ll be all right
And babe, don’t you know it’s a pity That the days can’t be like the nights In the summer, in the city In the summer, in the city
Cool town, evening in the city Dressing so fine and looking so pretty Cool cat, looking for a kitty Gonna look in every corner of the city Till I’m wheezing like a bus stop Running up the stairs, gonna meet you on the rooftop
But at night it’s a different world Go out and find a girl Come on, come on and dance all night Despite the heat, it’ll be all right
And babe, don’t you know it’s a pity That the days can’t be like the nights In the summer, in the city In the summer, in the city
Hot town, summer in the city Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty Been down, isn’t it a pity? Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city All around, people looking half dead Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head
But at night it’s a different world Go out and find a girl Come on, come on and dance all night Despite the heat, it’ll be all right
And babe, don’t you know it’s a pity That the days can’t be like the nights In the summer, in the city In the summer, in the city
Woodstock may be returning to Central New York at Vernon Downs for the 50 year anniversary of the iconic music and arts festival. Scheduled to be held Aug. 16-18, some of the previously announced headliners for the event include Jay-Z, The Raconteurs, The Killers, Miley Cyrus, John Fogerty and Dead & Company.
The festival would still be held on the originally planned weekend of Aug. 16-18, only now possibly at Vernon Downs Casino Hotel in Vernon, a small town located along the New York State Thruway between Syracuse and Rome. There would most likely be no camping and the performances would run from until 11:00 p.m. each day.
After Watkins Glen International Speedway pulled out as host of Woodstock 50 on June 10, organizer Michael Lang vowed the festival would still be happening and that they were in discussions with other venues. It now appears that Vernon Downs was one of those venues.
Michael Lang is no stranger to the Central New York area. Woodstock ’99 was held at the decommissioned Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome. The festival drew upwards of 200,000 people that year and was marred by riots and sexual assaults that brought the festival to a fiery conclusion.
The harness racing track located on site has a past of hosting larger concert events, the latest being Aug. 29, 2012 when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band visited during the Wrecking Ball Tour. Track owners at the time suggested that they could comfortably host 30,000 people for the Boss’s show at their venue, a sharp decline from the 100,000 attendees Lang had originally anticipated for his event at Watkins Glen this year.
The track has also hosted Phish, the HORDE tour, the Other Ones (one of many Grateful Dead offshoots) and several versions of the regional radio festival, K-Rockathon.
Even with a lack of on-site camping, attendees would still have several lodging options in the area. The nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona has several hotels and an RV park. Other local options for lodging include two state parks at Verona Beach and Delta Lake, along with several private campgrounds and hotels in nearby Utica, Rome and Syracuse.
Ticketing information was unavailable at press time but would be contingent upon organizers acquiring final permits from the town. The lack of camping would preclude the need for a mass gathering permit from New York State.
NYS Music will have more information as it becomes available.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited to reflect a different number of attendees at Woodstock ’99.
Eric Clapton gave Albert Lee his guitar from the Cream era, one of more than 40 guitars Albert Lee owns – he’s lost count. They include Don Everly’s Gibson J200 and the guitar Elvis Presley played in “King Creole,” G. I. Blues” and “Loving You.”
Singer/songwriter and guitarist, Albert Lee, left home at 16 in 1960 and never looked back. You may not have heard of him, but at 75 he’s a road warrior whose enormous creativity has touched the muse of artists as diverse as Clapton; Elvis Presley guitarists, James Burton and Scotty Moore; country legends, Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs; Emmylou Harris; Cindy Cashdollar; and scores more. He spent 24 years on the road with The Everly Brothers and 13 with Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones.
NYS Music caught up with him at his home in Malibu, just back from a tour of his home country, England. Between now and July 1, he will perform at 10 venues in the greater New York area including The Iridium in New York City, The Iron Horse in Northampton and The Strand in Hudson Falls. He tours Australia in August and is back home in the U.K. in late September.
“I’m still unpacking here. It’s tough to do. I’m looking out the window now. We just replaced the refrigerator, and there’s a refrigerator in the driveway. Thankfully, the neighbors can’t see it, but I’ve got to organize a pickup to drag it away.”
Lee says he maintains a schedule that could kill a man half his age because he has bills to pay, and two managers. With one manager in the States and another in Europe, both of whom keep him so busy he has little time to breathe. We saw him in January, and he was a human jukebox with breathtaking skills in every style of rock and country, rockabilly and pop ballads. In a seat at the back of the balcony at The Strand his delivery was so strong he projected as if he was playing directly to us.
Ask him about any of the stars he’s played with and he has a story. His “Country Boy” was a top-10 country hit for Ricky Skaggs in 1982. Its use of traditional country guitar on a mainstream country hit changed the way the industry looked at the genre. Skaggs plays on Lee’s version of the song, that appeared on Lee’s first single album Hiding. “That was the second or third time I recorded that song,” Lee explains. “I first did it with Head Hands and Feet in 1970, and then when I got a deal with A&M in the mid-70s, I cut it again. That one wasn’t released. When I re-instigated my deal with A&M and got more money to go back in the studio, and I did it again with our band, and Emmylou Harris and Ricky Skaggs, and that’s the version that’s one that Hidingalbum.
“Ricky Skaggs loved it all, really. I mean he’d come from the bluegrass background and, after playing with Emmylou Harris, he (was up) for playing more electric country, and I think he will probably give me credit for getting him to play the Telecaster for a short while in his band. Same goes for Vince Gill, you know. Vince wasn’t really a Tele player until we got there.
“The version of ‘Country Boy’ by Heads Hands and Feet got played on the radio a lot, so people got to know me here (in the States), and then when I moved to L.A. in ’73,’74, I was playing local bars with Vince Gill. He was quite young then, and I think he will readily admit that I was an influence at that time. Then Ricky and I were in the Hot Band (with Emmylou Harris) for a short while together, and I got to play on a few records of his around that time.”
Guitarist Magazine calls him “the only Brit to be regarded as a bona fide legend of American country music.” His credits include Joe Cocker, Carlene Carter and did three albums with Buddy Holly’s Crickets. He has a new Buddy Holly tribute album for sale on this tour.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Riverboat Bar in Alexandria Bay (A-Bay) will host a summer series of live music running from mid-June through the end of September. In all, more than 30 bands will be gracing the newly renovated stage over the course of the summer.
The series opens this weekend with Pennsylvania funk-reggae band, Kluster Phunk. They’ll be performing on Saturday, June 15 and will be joined by special guest Ben Carrey of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.
The weekend of June 21-22 turns back the clock to the ’90s with Buffalo’s Tiny Music doing a tribute to the Stone Temple Pilots on June 21 and fellow Nickel City alt-rockers Stalking Jenna playing a reunion show on June 22.
June wraps with Toronto party machine After Funk on June 28 and two bands on June 29 when Saratoga’s Let’s Be Leonard will perform with local favorites, Adapter.
Fourth of July weekend is packed with music at the bay. Three shows dot the weekend beginning on Thursday, July 4. Utica psychedelic rockers Trampoline Jetstream make their debut at the Riverboat on Thursday followed by the funktronica of Tweed on Friday the 5th and the resurgent Annie in the Water on Saturday the 6th.
Visit the Riverboat Bar in A-Bay this summer and don’t miss the great music offerings they have in store!
Wolfmother brought their fast-paced hard rock to the famed Irving Plaza on Monday, June 10. Andrew Stockdale lead the Australian outfit through a full set list of the band’s famed hits. His band now includes former member of The Vines, drummer Hamish Rosser, and bassist Brad Heald. Their camaraderie really shows in the flow and style of the band and compliments Stockdale’s heavy, raunchy, psychedelic Gibson SG sound. From hits “Woman” to the encore, “Joker & The Thief,” Wolfmother reminds you how awesome a good rock show can be.
Setlist: Victorious, White Unicorn, Colossal, Woman, New Moon Rising, Apple Tree, Mind’s Eye, Dimension, California Queen, Vagabond, Pyramid, Gypsy Caravan
Salutations friends! As June opens its’ door, festival season is officially underway. People can once again begin to embark out on the perpetual quest to satisfy their ears and eyes by indulging in one of the greatest gifts life has to offer-live music. Across the nation, fans now engage in chasing their favorite destination events, bands, songs, and comrades. Among them, next weekend’s (June 13-16, 2019) Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
Bonnaroo has risen to world fame from its’ beginnings as a mostly jam-centric haven to its’ current state, a wonderful melting pot of genre, visual art, and collectiveness from all over the planet. Yes, Bonnaroo is one of the largest festivals in the country, but it’s so much more. It is an explosion of diversity through art, a sponge for culture, and a tradition of expression like none other.
The lineup this year is as staggering as ever, dripping with intrigue at every avenue. Heading up the cavalry is the likes of Phish, Cardi B., Post Malone, The Childish Gambino, The Avett Brothers, Griz, John Prine, Gucci Mane, Odesza, Solange, The Lumineers, Brandi Carlisle, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, The Grand Ole Opry, The National, and so many, many more brilliant acts waiting to unload, including tremendous representation from New York sure to stamp the South. Additionally, Bonnaroo boasts so much extra flavor it differentiates itself from any other event on the circuit. Bonnaroo has, and continues to always stand-alone in greatness and mystique. As I prepare to join the horde down on the farm, let’s look ahead to some of what this year’s installment has to offer.
Bonnaroo stretches four days; each packed to the brim with exciting names, activities, and opportunity. I look forward to rejoining the mass down in Manchester for the first time in many years, and it’s a pleasure to act as the correspondent for NYS Music for the first time! I’ll be rolling along from start to finish as the biggest party of the year pops its’ top, and I’d like to point to a few things which excite me about this event.
The Grand Ole Opry (Thursday evening): This conglomerate of folk and bluegrass takes the headlining slot on Thursday evening. The wagon features Old Crow Medicine Show, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Ricky Skaggs and a collection of other friends that is sure to bring the downhome sounds of the do-si-dos right into the heart of Graceland. The energy at Bonnaroo on Thursday night is something fierce; of course arriving at a festival is always special. Anticipation breathes, evening comes quickly, and for the first time the site really becomes alive. Bonnaroo Thursday is the above but just a little more special simply because of the size and tradition of this place. The sounds of Appalachia is the perfect way to send the first shockwave through the crowds, and I can’t wait to see what this group of bluegrass all stars has to throw down.
Access to new discovery: I can’t stress to our readers and fellow attendees how special this aspect of the festival is. Naturally a few names will jump off the lineup every year, and every individual has their favorites, but Bonnaroo is at its’ roots a mecca of discovery. Stumbling upon a band I’ve never heard of, from a distant region, or perhaps one whose genre is so outside my wheel well is just serene, and Bonnaroo is the place for that. I encourage those on the grounds to get lost at least once, and bask in the sheer size and undertaking of this gathering. Follow your feet to sound, and discover something new.
Sheryl Crow – photo by Nick Karp, Bonnaroo 2018
Phish: The boys from Vermont make their third appearance on the hollowed grounds of the What Stage for what promises to be an epic soul shakedown. Their last appearance at the ‘Roo was in 2012, and the band is in quite a different place today then they were in 2012, when they really had just begun to step back into their stride following their hiatus during the early and mid 2000s. Today, the band has been firing on all cylinders for quite a while, and while Bonnaroo is only at the tip of their summer tour, these shows will be absolutely special. Especially of note is Friday’s performance, which finds the foursome busting loose at 11pm, a start time much later than their usual shows. Always well aware of the stage and moment, expect a high energy, barnburner style punch right out of the gate.
Photo by Brian Ferguson – Magnaball 2015
New York in the house: Good news everyone! Fine company represents New York this year down in Manchester. A group that includes headliner Cardi B, the space funk party sounds of Rubblebucket, the indie quartet Parquet Courts, the dynamic electro dance king Space Jesus, the multi-instrumentalist rockers The Lemon Twigs, the young singer-songwriter and producer whiz King Princess, modern pioneers of the “now” sound AJR, and of course Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. I want to touch explicitly on Russo’s band for a second, or, JRAD, as many known them by their acronym. JRAD, a band born at the New York’s own Brooklyn Bowl in 2013 is a group which reprises the music of The Grateful Dead in a way that is so fresh, so their own that a listener can get completely lost within their compositions. Bonnaroo would not be the same without some iteration of The Dead’s catalogue in its’ midst and JRAD is the perfect selection. Late night? In a tent (That Tent)? Yes please. The group pioneered by kit virtuoso Joe Russo is always good for a surprise as well. Listen carefully for off the wall covers and licks to keep the crowd guessing. This collection of homegrown artists is as diverse as the great state and city from which they hail, and it will be a treat to see how they weave into the mix.
Photo by Nick Karp, Bonnaroo 2018
The site/sights/people: Bonnaroo is absolutely a national treasure of sound, but it’s also delightfully visual. The installations and works of vast creative genius teams stretch far beyond the actual venue (dubbed Center Roo), and engulf in color, light, and wonder that sweeps through the surrounding campgrounds and commonplaces that make up the bulk of the festival’s map. Feast your eyes on tapestry of color created by attendees and visual artists alike. There is not a more diverse group of patrons to be found than at Bonnaroo, and there is something very powerful to be said in that. The beauty in a distinct diversity of ages, races, sexes, nationalities and beyond all transcend themselves on the farm. I have always found it to be a fluid place in so many different ways, I encourage everyone to notice how special this feature is as they traverse through the weekend.
Bonnaroo has a lane, a speed, and a taste for everyone. It continues to reinvent itself. It’s a testament to the industry and people for which it serves. Stages arise out of the woods; themed areas such as The Christmas Club Barn wait to be stumbled upon, roving DJ pop up sets in the plazas of the camps are just the beginning. To invoke the great Paul Simon, these are the days of miracle and wonder, of lasers in the jungle my friends, this is the long distance call. A wave of positive kinetic madness is about break under the hot Tennessee sun. Bonnaroo 2019 is finally here!
For more information on the Bonnaroo Music & Arts
Festival, including tickets, the complete lineup, map, schedule, and much more,
visit www.Bonnaroo.com. Keep your
browsers dialed in right here at NYS Music for all of our coverage as I roam
around the fields with my trusty photographer Rob Roane. Check our coverage out
throughout the festival as we document our happenings via the NYS Music
Instagram page, and after the festival wraps we will be dropping our reviews to
keep you informed, up to date, and enthralled. Until then my friends, I will
see you on the other side.
Rock lovers of the Hudson Valley rejoice. The Tail Winds Music Festival, located in Wappingers Falls, takes place on June 29. The all day event will feature eight renowned rock performances, food and drink, and family-friendly activities.
Comprised of Chris Robinson (lead vocals, guitar), Neal Casal (guitar), Tony Leone (drums), and Jeff Hill (bass), the folk/psychedelic rock band, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, is headlining the festival. Constantly pushing boundaries with their music, CRB provides an American folk/psychadelic rock sound. Joining them on the lineup is Black Stone Cherry, Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime, King’s X, Sass Jordan, The Jason Gisser Band, Big Guns, and The PlayBack, rounding out a full day of non-stop music.
Tail Winds Music Festival also offers food and drinks from a variety of food trucks and craft breweries, helicopter rides to experience a bird’s eye view of the festival, and family-friendly activities everyone can enjoy. For more information and ticket information for the festival click here.
Check out the Chris Robinson Brotherhood’s performance of “Rare Birds” live from The Shed this past weekend below.
