The City of Rome‘s annual free summer concert series on Griffo Green at City Hall begins its run Monday, July 8 with music from the combined forces of Baddogg and 24/7 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. The long-running downtown series continues each Monday (weather depending) through Aug. 19.
Baddogg is a blues-based power rock quartet with a breadth of experience in the Central New York and national music scene. They cover such classic rock stalwarts as Steely Dan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Eric Clapton as well as a solid catalog of originals. Baddogg contemporaries, 24/7 will be bringing their brand of hard rock with them to the downtown stage as well.
Baddogg
The Swamp Drivers perform on July 15. This is a band with a truly unique approach. All of their instruments are homemade. Sometimes you’ll hear a drum set referred to as the “pots and pans.” Phil Diehl’s drums are made out of trash cans and guitarist Terry Johnson has a guitar made from a Rachael Ray frying pan. This truly unique band plays a Utica-style Southern Rock and has quite a loyal CNY following.
Dubonnet is another Central New York classic and modern rock staple. They visit Griffo Green on July 22 performing hits from Heart, P!nk, Melissa Etheridge, Led Zeppelin, and Aerosmith. It’s suggested that attendees bring a lawn chair, but it probably won’t be needed.
The husband and wife duo of Andy and Tammy Box make up The Boxed Set. They will be performing on July 29. The couple brings with them a set of familiar songs ranging from Billy Joel to Fleetwood Mac and other classic rock and acoustic staples.
The Pine Ridge Mountain Band will bring their Southern Rock flavor to Downtown Rome on Aug. 5. The band features songs from ZZ Top, the Allman Brothers Band, Tom Petty, and modern rockers Blackberry Smoke in their repertoire. Not to be missed is Rome Mayor Jackie Izzo’s very own Chief-of-Staff, Larry Daniello on lead guitar. He’s one of the area’s premier guitarists.
Jazz, funk, and blues are all on the menu when the six-piece Fabulous Mojos take the stage. Lead vocalist Cathie Timian and her band bring their highly entertaining show to the City Hall green on Aug. 12. Attendees may also be asked to participate in the action as Timian tends to bring a collection of instruments and baubles to allow for audience participation in the show. Pack your dancing shoes for this one.
Caut!on closes out this year’s summer series on Aug. 19. The group, led by guitarist/vocalist Chad Plantz and lead guitarist Michael “The Wizard” Bell, are a rootsy rock band that goes deep into the catalogs of some of the best American songwriters. You can expect to hear classics from Warren Zevon, the Grateful Dead, and Bob Dylan. They’ve also been known to have a number of local musicians sit in with them over the years so it won’t be surprising to see a familiar face up there with Chad and The Wiz.
Virginia, there is a Santa Claus; and he has granted all of the good and bad children of the Capital District a very precious present, a Conehead Buddha reunion show! A night filled with frolicking funk and ska that only this classic jam band, formed in the mid-90’s, can provide. Conehead Buddha, once a mainstay of the NYS music scene, will be reuniting for a once in a lifetime spectacle at The Marble Rock House located in Leeds, NY on Saturday July 13 at 9PM. The musical establishment is co-owned by Neil Murphy and long time Conehead Buddha Trumpet player, Terry Lynch, so it will definitely be a hometown performance with their loyal fans in attendance.
Founder of Conehead Buddha and front-man Chris Fisher has traveled back to New York State from his new home base of Brentwood, Tennessee, and along with Lynch they have organized a gathering of Conehead Buddha members, from various iterations of the band’s lineup throughout their 25 year + run. A notable exception to the band’s roster will be the absence of longtime Buddha saxophonist Shannon Lynch whose indelible presence will be missed. Her duties will be expertly filled by Neal Spitzer, who is also a Conehead Buddha alumni.
The night will be a retrospective of Buddha’s extensive catalog mined from their six LP’s of original material released over the years. Tickets are $15.00 and are expected to sell out for the show, so make sure to purchase them prior at the Marble Rock House website.
Ithaca prog soul outfit Noon Fifteen has emerged from the studio, where they just finished recording their sophomore album Finish What You Started. The first single “The Tick” was filmed in 360° video during their recording session in the studio at Cornell University.
“We’d experimented with Vulfpeck-inspired session videos for Volume 1, and I was looking for a way to develop that concept and make it our own,” keyboard player Sam Lupowitz told NYS Music. “The 360 camera let us really show what everyone’s playing on the track in a way that’s interactive, rather than passive entertainment. I loved the idea of really putting the viewer in the studio with us.”
As the into explains, if you’re seeing stationary photos, try using a different browser or device. Toggling around on the video will allow you to view the entire recording studio – from the acoustic ceiling tile to the guitar pedals on the floor and everything in between.
The music video for “The Tick” is just the beginning. Noon Fifteen announced they will drop three new songs, play three free shows, and release three podcasts this month. They’ve nicknamed this month “Julyfecta” in honor of this trio of trios. Follow this linktree to access content (videos, podcasts, and music streaming). And if you’re in the Finger Lakes area this month, save the date for these performances:
For 16 years, the Cortland Main Street Music Series has been bringing local, regional and national music acts to downtown Cortland. This year, a total of 12 musical performances, spanning a variety of genres, will take place over the course of four free concerts every Friday this month at the CFCU Community Credit Union Stage.
The series kicks off on July 5 with the local duo of Lonnie Park and John West. Following them in the evening will be The Fall Creek Brass Band from Freeville, NY, with their funky big band sound. Headlining the evening will be alternative rockers from Connecticut, The Alternate Routes. The following week, July 12 is also SUNY Cortland Alumni weekend. The night will start off with local bands The Beauchesnes and The Cousins. To celebrate alumni weekend, internationally acclaimed Todd Hobin Band from Syracuse will be headlining. Todd Hobin Band has performed on the SUNY Cortland campus more than any other band in the school’s history, and they are returning in collaboration with the Music Legacy group’s unveiling of a commemorative sculpture for this year’s alumni weekend events.
On July 19, Cortland Main Street Music welcomes Enter The Haggis, a high-energy group of Celtic-rockers combining bag pipe and fiddles with a rock rhythm and meaningful lyrics to bring a distinctively electric sound. Opening up the night will be local favorites The Starmer Brothers, and following them will be the foot-stomping folk band The Old Main. The final Friday of July will bring Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, a sixteen-year old guitar prodigy, who got his nickname “Taz” for his ferocious guitar playing. Openers for the July 26 show includes a solo performance from Marc Ryan from Tribal Revival, as well as the soulful Americana of Mike Powell and the Black River.
Next year will see a new Bonnaroo as the festival changes hands from Superfly, who founded the festival back in 2002, to Live Nation. Back in 2015, Live Nation bought a controlling stake in the festival, and Superfly’s influence in the festival has since dwindled. According to Billboard, Live Nation told minority owners in Bonnaroo that it plans to exercise a buyout clause in the 2015 agreement to purchase the rest of the festival, effectively ending Superfly’s role as the festival’s producer.
When the festival started, the lineup mainly consisted of jam bands, but eventually started expanding into a variety of genres. Bonnaroo took place on June 13-16 this year, and headliners of the sold out festival included Phish, Childish Gambino, Post Malone, Odesza, and The Lumineers.
Superfly will continue to be owners and operators of other events like Clusterfest and Outside Lands, both taking place in California. A joint venture with Comedy Central, Clusterfest, brings together music and comedy. With three nights of live comedy acts, live music with ridiculous themed dance parties, recreations of iconic television sets, and hilariously themed food and drink, the festival creates a new way to experience comedy. Outside Lands is a San Fransisco cultural experience featuring an eclectic line up of live music, show cases of the Bay Area’s finest artists, and a unique GastroMagic experience where chefs pair up with musicians and comedians to put on whimsical and unpredictable performances.
Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards is set to host The Wood Brothers and Lake Street Dive with an incredible night of music on July 26 in the rolling hills of Central NY. Lake Street Dive is touring behind their 2018 album Free Yourself Up. The Wood Brothers, fresh off a Grammy nomination for “One Drop Of Truth,” will share the bill. Oliver Wood took time to speak to NYS Music to share the news on two new upcoming Wood Brothers albums, their new studio in Nashville, life on the road, his love for cookies and much more.
Dan Smalls Presents
Sean Nevison: So tell me about the tour with Lake Street Dive?
Oliver Wood: Oh it was awesome, and it’s not completely over. We have a few more shows left and it’s a really good pairing….if I was going to a show I’d love to go to that show!
SN: We are stoked to see you guys up here at Beak And Skiff.
OW: What a beautiful spot, we’ve done that show a couple of times and just love playing there!
SN: Are there future tour plans after these shows with LSD?
OW: We’ve got tour with Colter Wall which is in August. He’s a singer songwriter from Canada who is amazing. We have our first headlining show at Red Rocks, Colorado in September which we are very excited about.
SN: Who else is on the bill for RR?
OW: Two incredible bands are opening, Fruition and Steep Canyon Rangers. We have played RR as a support act several times over the years and we are so excited to headline. Chris and I grew up in Boulder, so that was where I saw my first concerts.
SN: So changing gears, how did you feel about the grammy nomination this year for “One Drop of Truth” as Best Americana Album?
OW: Well it was quite cool, we’ve been doing this for a long time. Sometimes you can get kinda jaded and think that stuff is rigged, which it most likely is. But it is so rewarding because this is the first album that is self produced and on our own label (Honey Jar Records). So I feel like we made the right decision, we wanted to be more independent, creatively and financially, but especially the creative part, to be able to go into your own bubble and not have anyone mess with it.
SN: Where was “One Drop Of Truth” recorded?
OW: It was recorded in two studios in Nashville, and mixed four times by different people. We recorded mostly at Studio Nashville with our buddy Brooks Sutton. We have now actually opened our own studio with Brooks, we liked working with him so much! Now we have our own production facility and it’s awesome, we’re working on a new record right now. Anyhow, it was kinda cool when we were at our most independent state and made all our own choices that we got that recognition, I think it’s a good record and I’m proud of it, I mean I think we’ve made good ones before… but man I’m really proud of that.
SN: So your new space is in Nashville?
OW: Yeah man, it’s run by our buddy Brooks, but as partners we can go in and record, rehearse and write whenever. It’s a huge luxury and it’s making these new sessions so much fun. It’s like we are our own independent artist with a little playground.
SN: This new record will be done in the new space?
OW: Yes, it will be the first one 100% in there and comes out right after the first of the new year. And we’re finishing up a live album that comes out this fall.
SN: That’s the Fillmore album?
OW: Yeah, that’s the Fillmore in San Fransisco.
SN: So you started just with your brother, tell me about your progression as a band?
OW: Well it just started as my brother and I, him on upright bass and me on steel guitar and we toured around in a little mini van. Both of us had been on other projects and this was our chance to play together which we had never done besides jamming as teenagers at our parents house. So we started doing that, made a record, got a deal and we were lucky that Chris was established with Medeski Martin and Wood so we were taken on by his management and booking.
What I brought was the songs I had from all these years of playing in other bands that I took and added some new tunes to and we did that first Wood Brothers album. A few years later, we started playing bigger stages and we said we need a third person to round this out and rock a bit more to get some sonic variety. So we hired Jano on percussion, not knowing what an amazing keys player and singer he was. He could just throw these third harmonies like it was nothing. He can drum, play keys and harmonize all at the same time, it’s like having two musicians with us. He is also just a great dude and has become part of our family.
SN: Can you tell me about your writing process?
OW: Oh man, it’s all over the place. Chris and I both have notebooks. Our favorite way to compile music is to just jam with the three of us, record it, listen to the grooves. We like to play spontaneously with each other and not worry about the song and just play. That’s been a really fruitful way to come up with music. So we cut those recordings up and we can sometimes use them for a master track or to help the writing progress.
SN: Your last live recording (Live At The Barn), I was fortunate to attend, could you talk about playing Levon Helm Studios and playing venues in Upstate NY?
OW: Boy that was amazing. Well when we started The Wood Brothers Chris actually liveed in Saugerties while I lived in Atlanta. In those early days, my brother lived not far from the barn and he got to know Amy Helm and we got very close with those folks and got invited to those rambles. I have very fond memories of playing all over the place up there: Syracuse, Buffalo, Ithaca, Saratoga, Albany, all those places are awesome! I feel like the people of Upstate are just so passionate about their music.
SN: Who do you listen to when you create and who influences you?
OW: Man there are so many of them. We get inspiration from everything like Jimmy Reed, J.B.Lenoir that’s been huge Louisiana blues guy, his record Passionate Blues we always go back to and get cool drumbeat ideas. Then there is Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Sly Stone, The Pointer Sisters and all kinds of things we play and listen to when we set up our gear or get ready to record. A lot of cool old gospel music. Los Lobos, I’m crazy about, we are all crazy about. We run into them at festivals sometimes, but we’re huge fans. They are an American treasure, they are the best American band out there I think.
SN: So you’ve met some of your heroes and some people look up to you. What is the best wisdom you’ve received about balancing life on the road, family and your art?
OW: I’m glad you said balance. Some of these folks live the music life to the extreme and the rest of their life can fall apart. I’m not that guy, I have a family that I take so much inspiration from. So I try to keep it connected, and it is a challenge, being away is a challenge. But the wisdom I’ve garnered the last few years in being a musician, a touring one, is that creating music and performing is about connecting with people and connecting people. It is not about money or fame or accolades, it’s not about that stuff.
It’s a a huge sacrifice to be out on he road and be away from your family and you go out and you’re like what the hell I am doing, its like I’m floating. But then someone will walk up, or send an email or write a letter and say hey your music really got me through some hard times, thank you. Something like that happens and I say man it really is worth it, this really is important.
As far as words of wisdom, when a room full of people are singing together, not for me or my pleasure, but the feeling of everyone singing and being connected. It’s such a moment where we are all one and equal and joyous, that’s what it’s all about. It’s not that other stuff. I mean the other stuff can be fun but traveling loses it’s charm and money only goes so far if you even make any. People applauding you is awesome, but it’s not the ultimate part of this job.
SN: In the end you only have memories you create with people; you connected and connect with, right?
OW: Exactly, you can leave something healthy for them, to warm their hearts or connect them or if it’s a song people listen to when they are down…that is a huge thing!
SN: So just to finish with two fun questions, my friend Aurora who does marketing for Ray Brothers BBQ another Upstate venue…
OW: Oh yeah man, they wrote us the sweetest letter and we hope we can stop by there sometime!
SN: They are great folks. Her question is: what is your favorite road trip snack?
OW: Oh wow. Hmmm. That’s a great question. I’m kind of a sweet tooth guy, so I’d say just an amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie. That’s tough to beat, haha.
SN: Everyone on earth could get on board with that! Final question, do you like puppets and which is your favorite if so?
OW: Oh man, that’s so tough. I love the muppets, my whole family does. I’m actually looking at cookie monster so we will tie it in to the cookie concept and say that. Man I’m not sure why, but there is literally a blue cookie monster looking at me on my kitchen table right now. It’s meant to be!
The Village of Menands, just north of Albany, has announced their summer concert series. The concerts are held on Tuesdays, starting July 9 at Ganser-Smith Memorial Park (Menands Park). Shows go from 6-8:30pm, rain or shine. All are welcome, including families, dogs and those with lawn chairs. Food and beverages available for purchase from the Menands Fire Co.
Menands Summer 2019 concert series lineup: July 9 New York Players July 16 Oldies Show July 23 Hotshot Hillbilly’s July 30 Hair of the Dog August 6 The 317 August 13 The All Paul Show
The 39th annual Old Songs Folk Festival of Traditional Music and Dance will be held June 28-30 at the Altamont Fairgrounds in Altamont, NY. The three-day event celebrates Folk, Celtic, Quebecois, Roots, Americana and World music from countries across the world as well as new music from contemporary songwriters.
Old Songs Folk Festival is an interactive experience for the whole family. Attendees are encouraged to sing, dance, jam, and listen. Old Songs invites audience members to join jam sessions, take part in teaching sessions, sing sacred harp, join in with great dance bands or take a Friday afternoon class.
There are three main stage concerts, each featuring multiple artists on Friday & Saturday from 6:30 -11:00 p.m. and Sunday 3:30 -7:00 p.m. During the day on Saturday and Sunday there are more than 100 performances, dances, interactive workshops, and jams in areas around the grounds. An extensive artisan area and diverse food concessions are also available.
Tickets may be purchased for Old Songs Folks Festival online, by phone at 518-765-2815, or at the festival gate. Full festival details, including a complete performance schedule is available on their website.
Jeff Austin, 45, passed away in Seattle, WA on Monday, June 24. This news comes after an announcement on Saturday that he was canceling his upcoming music sets due to a medical emergency. The cause of his death has not been released.
The news was confirmed on June 25 with an official statement, reading, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved family member, mandolinist, singer, songwriter and founder of The Jeff Austin Band, and Yonder Mountain String Band, Jeff Austin. Austin passed away June 24, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. He was son of Eileen Austin, husband to Devlyn, and father to Lily Rose (12), Penelope (5), and Jude Patrick (2). He was a dear friend whose music touched the lives of so many, and will be sorely missed. If you would like to make a contribution to help his family, please visit Sweetrelief.org.”
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of a beloved family member, mandolinist, singer, songwriter and founder of The Jeff Austin Band, and Yonder Mountain String Band, Jeff Austin. Austin passed away June 24, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Tweet 1 of 2) pic.twitter.com/SN9izRamck
News of his death quickly traveled through the jam and bluegrass scenes, with many taking to social media to express their condolences.
We are deeply saddened that we have lost Jeff Austin. The UM organization mourns his passing, while celebrating the joy & laughter he brought to so many of us. Our thoughts are with his family & the wider community.
Austin co-founded Yonder Mountain String Band in 1998 and was with the band through some of their biggest career moments. Yonder Mountain brought the jamgrass genre to the forefront of the live music circuit. In 2014, Austin left Yonder Mountain to pursue solo projects including The Jeff Austin Band, The Here And Now, and Grateful Grass. In the last few years, the mandolinist had returned his focus to 30db, an acoustic duo with Umphrey’s McGee guitarist Brendan Bayliss. They released One Man Show in 2010, toured in support of the album intermittently and eventually began a tradition of a Chicago holiday concert. In May 2019, Jeff Austin canceled his performances with his band and 30db at the Summer Camp Music Festival, citing a family emergency.
Austin was born in 1974, raised in Illinois and studied musical theater at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He first picked up a mandolin in 1996 with little experience, but quickly became a master at the instrument. Loved and renowned by fellow musicians and fans alike, this a huge loss for the music community.
Austin performed with moe. at the 2008 moe.down in Turin, NY.
https://youtu.be/lQ9I5-_s7gI
Yonder Mountain String Band performs Danny Barnes’ “Death Trip” at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, on 7/15/2011 with special guests Ronnie McCoury and Jason Carter
After the untimely death of lead singer Mark Fletcher, the surviving members of Brooklyn, NY indie rock band Stringer completed a posthumous music video for “Through the Walls.” In a joint statement, Stringer band members said, “Mark Fletcher, our brother and bandmate passed on Feb. 19th, 2019. For six years we made music. We lived our lives together with a bond that can only be forged by the most intense and ecstatic experiences, we spoke in our own language. Mark and filmmaker Chris Elia made this video featuring a collection of strangers and his best friends singing his words. We think this is fitting because Mark made friends so easily and it didn’t take long for a stranger to become a best friend.”
Elia, a longtime friend of the band and frequent collaborator adds, “When Mark was in the Bay Area this past winter, he used his camera phone (as well as his outgoing & charming personality) to start filming the 1st verse in my old neighborhood. We spent literal hours talking on the phone during his trip, part of which involved his vision for a lyric video. He was so ecstatic about the initial rough cut I had sent him, so I can only imagine the happiness it would have brought him to see the completed video full of familiar faces singing his song.”
Members of Stringer, along with family and friends of Mark’s have also banded together to launch The Mark Fletcher Studio, a non-profit that has been set up in his memory. Stringer’s practice room in Bushwick, Brooklyn has been refitted to host analog recorded sessions that are free for artists.
The band adds, “We are running this studio solely on community donations so any help is greatly appreciated! Even $5 or $10 will go a long way. You can donate here.
Produced by Adam Reich (So So Glos, ex-Titus Andronicus), Stringer’s critically-acclaimed album My Bad was released in July on Wiretap Records.
