Kofi Burbridge, multi-instrumentalist of Tedeschi Trucks Band passed away in Atlanta on Friday, February 15 following treatment complications for an ongoing cardiac issue. Kofi was well-known and praised for his mastery of the flute and keyboard, as well as his strong vocal skills.
Kofi and his younger brother, Oteil, displayed musical interest and skill when they were young. Their parents supported these abilities, encouraging the pair to learn the ins and outs of music and performance. The brothers became comfortable with multiple instruments and took part in classical and jazz courses, eventually leading to participation in well-known bands. Kofi found himself in Atlanta in the 80s where he performed with Knee-Deep and became friendly with Col. Bruce Hampton. In 1997, Otiel became a member of the Allman Brothers Band, opening the door for Kofi to impress the world with his talents during several guest performances.
Derek Trucks, also a member of the Allman Brothers, founded the Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2010 with Kofi as a founding member, reuniting him with his brother. Although Oteil left the band in 2012, Kofi remained present throughout his surgery and recovery, accompanying the group for their final shows of 2018.
Following his death, tributes and loving messages displaying admiration for Kofi Burbridge filled social media. Among others, Oteil penned a tribute to his big brother, referring to him as his “first and biggest hero” and highlighting his sweet and humble nature. As wisely stated by Oteil, and openly supported by us all, “fly free, Kofi.”
Pink Talking Fish has teamed up with the Big Apple Circus to create a new concept called Junta Circus, celebrating Phish’s album Junta, and are bringing the circus to the Capitol Theatre on Saturday, February 23. Greg Ormont from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong has been recruited as ringmaster. The show will feature circus acts both on and off stage. Who better to lead the wacky circus than Scrambled Greg?
Pink Talking Fish celebrates the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and Phish all on one stage. They have already played two concept shows at The Capitol Theatre, one for “The Wall” and another for “Stop Making Sense.” The energy, artistry, and improvisation are incredible at these shows, and, undoubtedly, they will pull out all the stops to provide a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. Like other shows, this will be one long marathon set, so you better get ready.
The New Year’s Eve performance from Phish, featuring several suspended aerialists flying around the band, seems like it may have inspired this show even though it was announced before Phish’s New Year’s run. Junta features Phish classics like “You Enjoy Myself,” “Dinner and a Movie,” “Divided Sky,” “David Bowie,” “Fluffhead,” “Sanity,” “Contact,” “Icculus” and more. Some of those feature masterful composition with parts that are difficult to play, so the musicians of “Junta Circus” certainly have their work cut out for them.
Pink Talking Fish team up with Start Making Sense and the ladies of Turkuaz for one of their concept shows at the Capitol Theatre.
Two separate shows were originally slated to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock during the same weekend of Aug. 16-18, one of those events, in Bethel, is now being scaled back.
The Poughkeepsie Journal has reported that INVNT, the branding and live storytelling agency slated to help produce the Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival, celebrating Woodstock’s 50th anniversary, has pulled out of the event with a statement released on Feb. 18, just weeks, if not days away from an artist lineup for the show.
INVNT stated about the departure that it: “will now comprise three separate events over three days and forms part of the venue’s Season of Song & Celebration commemorations, a year-long schedule of exhibits, programs and events.”
INVNT was partnering with Bethel Woods and Live Nation to produce the weekend long festival. The re-imagined celebration will now stretch throughout the 50th anniversary summer instead of concentrating solely on the weekend festival that had been in direct competition with Woodstock 50, the Michael Lang-produced event that same weekend at Watkins Glen International Speedway 90 miles west of Bethel.
The second announced artist appearing at the performing arts center will be Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band with Arlo Guthrie and the Edgar Winter Band. They will join another rock legend in Carlos Santana, who is touring sheds this summer with the Doobie Brothers. Santana announced his appearance last month.
INVNT CEO Scott Cullather, released this statement about the event: “INVNT will not be involved in the new format and we wish Bethel Woods and Live Nation, as well as the organizers of the other 50th anniversary celebrations taking place around the world, the very best.”
Original Woodstock producer and co-founder Michael Lang will hold his own anniversary show the same weekend as the Bethel woods event in Watkins Glen. Lang stated that he has over 40 artist booked for his event, but has yet to announce any artists.
With The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical making its way to Schenectady, NY on Friday February 22 and Saturday the 23, James Hayden Rodriguez took time out of his busy schedule to talk about the performance. Rodriguez was very excited to be touring again as one of the four original cast members from when the show debuted in 2017 Off-Broadway. With a wonderful attitude and a humble down-to-earth personality, the conversation was fluid with a few laughs. To Rodriguez, acting in a show like this or any musical is second nature and something he always knew he was meant to do.
NYS Music was able to speak to James Hayden Rodriguez via phone on February 14 as he was just reaching his next stop of tour in D.C, before the cast and crew make their way to Proctors in Schenectady. Rodriguez plays Luke and Others in The Lightning Thief.
Headshot via jameshaydenrodriguez.com
Shannon Marie Palmo: In the musical you are said to play Luke and others. What are the other characters you play aside from just Luke?
James Hayden Rodriguez: My main two characters that I play are Luke and Ares, who is the god of War, who ends up being one of Percy’s biggest villain in the show.
SMP: I read that you guys used the book as your bible, how do you articulate the books on stage? How does that fuse with who you are as an actor, and the freedom that comes with being an actor?
JHR: With Luke specifically, I really have a lot of freedom to just use a lot of my own personal experience. We are all children of Greek Gods, but we are also still human and we have human qualities so we are able to use our personal experience to create these characters which is pretty cool. We have a lot of freedom.
SMP: What do you think are the disadvantages or advantages? What do you like/dislike about doing the tour verse being at one venue in NYC?
JHR: I don’t think there are disadvantages, I think it’s very exciting for us to be just doing the show again at all and the fact that we are able to bring it to all of our fans who were unable to see it in NYC because our fanbase is really massive and its spread and not just in the United States. We are even surprised by coming to these cities and selling out houses and the kids in the audience have read the books and seen the movies and know these characters. They are just really excited that we are bringing it to them. The great thing about the movie is that it has reached a lot of people, so we have a lot of people who are coming to see the show because they have seen the movie. We have the young book fans, but also the people who are new to theatre. They saw this really awesome film so they want to check out how we put this on the stage.
SMP: What is the balance between stage production between dialogue, there’s fighting scenes and it’s also a musical. So how would you say that balances out because some musicals are non-stop music with very little dialogue.
JHR: There’s definitely a lot of dialogue, and Percy is thrown into this world where he is learning this completely new universe to him. He is also dealing with the fact that his mother was just killed by this monster that he didn’t know existed. But when he gets to these really emotional parts in the story, it turns into these big rock numbers, which is really cool. I think we have a good balance from music to dialogue. There’s definitely a lot of scene work which helps us develop the characters and tell the story.
SMP: What is something that goes through your mind when you’re on stage performing whether it’s an actual performance or rehearsal?
JHR: I try to be as present in the story as I can and actively listening to everything on stage. I can’t concern myself too much with who’s in the audience because then it will throw you out of the world and the more you can focus on what is actually happening on the stage the better the performance will be. I don’t like to know if there’s press, or family, or casting directors in the audience.
SMP: With a show being about Greek Mythology, what’s it like being thrusted into such a world as Percy Jackson trying to portray that world on stage because like you said, you guys don’t have CGI as the movie did.
JHR: Yeah, it definitely allows us to be more creative with how we tell the story and that’s what has always been so exciting about theatre in the fist place, and why I got into theatre. You have to use your imagination to tell stories like this and we have been doing this with puppetry, which is cool this time around. We have a puppet team who has really elevated our storytelling. They are scary when revealed. People in the audience scream when they come out.
Rodriguez in The Lightning Thief. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
SMP: So, what’s it like playing an antagonist like Luke or a character like Luke. When I saw the movie, and who Luke really was, I was completely shocked – without giving too much away.
JHR: (Laughs) Ares is more of the antagonist of this story. I don’t like to think of Luke as the antagonist because he starts out in the show with really good intentions and he’s just really misunderstood. He’s just dealing with his own insecurities and resentment issues because of the relationship with his dad. He’s a teenager as well and coming of age and learning all these new things and starting to have to make choices for himself. And Luke ends up going down a darker path than the rest of the characters. He doesn’t start off this way so you really get to see his journey from being a really good kid to more of a bad kid. I don’t think Luke is an antagonist, I just think he’s trying to make his own path.
SMP: How do you keep up with the physical demands of the show?
JHR: All of us are pretty good at making sure we are going to the gym, doing physical warm ups and stretching so we are not hurting ourselves in the show because the fights are pretty intense.
SMP: Did you guys have to go through fighting boot camp to train?
JHR: Oh yeah, we have a really great fight choreographer who has helped us through our process, and I’m also the fight captain in the show. I take the fights a little more seriously, making sure everyone is safe and doing what they are supposed to do because our choreographer was only here for rehearsals, he doesn’t travel with us.
Save the date. On Friday, April 19, the Dirty Pennies celebrate the release of their new EP with a show at the Bug Jar in Rochester. Special guests include Buffalo’s Handsome Jack and indie rockers The Stedwells. Tickets are on sale Thursday, February 21.
The Dirty Pennies’ much-anticipated sophomore release will be out a couple weeks before the show, on April 2. Entitled ep, the collection will be available over all major music platforms (including Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Bandcamp).
The new work demonstrates The Dirty Pennies’ ability to create a cohesive sound from blues and surf rock influences. The Dirty Pennies turned to Josh Pettinger and Greg Thompson of Wicked Squid Studios to record and engineer their new songs. The pair took on the herculean task of harnessing the raw energy of this dynamic trio and translating it into a recording that remains true to the feel of the Dirty Pennies’ live shows.
What would happen if The Beatles never existed? What would happen if you woke up one day and you’re the only person who knew their songs?
That’s what Yesterday, an upcoming musical comedy film directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), is all about. Written by Richard Curtis (Love Actually), the film follows Jack, a struggling yet ambitious songwriter who awakes after a bike accident to find that he’s the only person who knows The Beatles and their songs.
Jack’s journey seemingly mirrors the drama, fame, romance and fandom that The Beatles must have experienced. Starring Himesh Patel and Lily James along with an enticing supporting cast featuring Kate McKinnon and Ed Sheeran, Yesterday comes to theaters on June 28.
Located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Arrington, Virginia, Infinity Downs and Oak Ridge Farm will once again be the venue for LOCKN‘ in 2019, the four-day camping festival.
Created in 2013 and now an annual event, LOCKN’ is promised to be one of the summer’s most exciting experiences.
Starting on Aug. 22 and finishing up on Aug. 25, several unique headline collaborations are scheduled for the event, beginning with the Trey Anastasio Band featuring Derek Trucks on Aug. 23, Tedeschi Trucks Band featuring Trey Anastasio on Aug. 24, and concluding with Bob Weir & Wolf Bros featuring Susan Tedeschi on Aug. 25.
In addition to daytime performances, the festival has added a more intimate touch this year: a rare performance by Soulive as well as sets by Circles Around The Sun and Galactic in the intimate Garcia’s Forest setting. These performances will be taking place in the evening following early shows by Fruition, The Lil Smokies, and Town Mountain.
Peter Shapiro, co-founder of the festival, hinted at his excitement for the artists yet to be revealed. He said, “By announcing the full lineup now we wanted to give fans a good idea of what to expect, but there’s definitely a surprise or two still coming.”
LOCKN’ is offering a Three-Day Weekend Pass in addition to the traditional Four-Day Festival Pass. This option gives fans with tighter schedules the opportunity to enjoy all the bands performing at the festival for a lower price. Single-Day Passes are also available.
Tickets are available now through the LOCKN’ website.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
Gary Clark Jr.
Khruangbin
Chris Robinson Brotherhood,
Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Jerry Party
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
Trey Anastasio Band Feat. Derek Trucks
The Revivalists
Old Crow Medicine Show
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Melvin Seals & JGB
Moonalice w/The Chambers Brothers
Greg Humphrey’s Electric Trio
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Tedeschi Trucks Band Feat. Trey Anastasio
Vulfpeck
Oteil & Friends feat. Bob Weir, Devon Allman, Duane Betts and more
Twiddle
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
The Allman Betts Band
Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles
Liz Cooper & The Stampede
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25
Bob Weir and Wolf Bros. Feat. Susan Tedeschi
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
moe.
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Steel Pulse
Nahko and Medicine For The People
Soul Rebels Brass Band
Deva Mahal
Keller Williams’ Grateful Gospel
GARCIA’S FOREST: EARLY SHOWS
Fruition
The Lil Smokies
Town Mountain
GARCIA’S FOREST: LATE SHOWS
Circles Around The Sun
Galactic
Soulive
SVIP LOUNGE
Bob Weir & Wolf Bros.
David Shaw (The Revivalists)
Mihali (Twiddle)
moe. played the State Theatre in Portland, ME Friday night, the first of a two-night run there to kick off their quick February jaunt through the northeast. A glance at the Al Schnier-heavy setlist reveals a message for the Commander-in-Chief from moe. Each song title’s first letter makes up an acronym.
“Ass” refers to the original working title for the song “Bullet,” which is referenced as “Assfinger” on setlists. Astute readers may also notice the mention of the word “ass” twice.
moe. performs at the State again on Saturday before heading Concord, NH Thursday, Feb. 21. See the official setlist post from moe.’s Facebook page below.
Also of note is a new Schnier song, “Screaming and Kicking,” which made its debut Friday.
moe. State Theatre, Portland, Maine – February 15, 2019
Set 1: Tailspin > Ricky Marten > Understand, meat., Waiting For The Punchline, It
Set 2: Seat Of My Pants > Akimbo, Little Miss Cup Half Empty > Y.O.Y., I Can Never Remember, New Hope For The New Year, George > Bullet
Encore: Screaming & Kicking#, Spaz Medicine
{# First time played (original al. song) First and second sets acronym – using setlist nomenclature for Bullet
Check out the show as uploaded to the Internet Archive here.
The Reciprocal Boogie, the debut album from Massachusetts four-piece The New Motif, is an impressive survey of the band’s eclectic sound. The roots are rock, but different tracks run jazzier or more psychedelic, funkier or more spacey. Produced by Soulive’s drummer, Alan Evans, the album showcases the band’s rich textures and compositional prowess.
The album’s first track, “Manifest,” is microcosmic of the whole album: it features shifts in style and tempo, is at times led by a funky bass line from Dan Kelly, at other times with a catchy guitar riff from Dennis Christiano, sometimes the organ, sometimes the synthesizer, always high-octane drumming. There are vocals, but the song is undeniably led by the instruments. Checking in at nearly six and a half minutes, it’s a bold opening statement to a freshman album devoid of any filler tracks.
While “Manifest” feels frenetic, The New Motif follows it up with a mellower “City Cituation.” Cory Schechtman swaps out the keyboards for a saxophone, a pleasant surprise as the track commences. Paired with the following song, “Crooooshtown,” the songs are a smooth, jazzy reprieve from the relative tumult of “Manifest.”
In total, there are nine tracks, each between four and eight minutes long. About half are instrumentals and half feature vocals; Schechtman plays the saxophone for half the songs and spends the other half on keyboards. Unsurprisingly of an album produced by Alan Evans, drummer Terrence Kelleher is extremely active throughout.
The heart of the titular track represents the album well. Guitarist Dennis Christiano trades licks with Schechtman on the saxophone while Ball and Kelly, even if not as prominent with the rhythms, are relentless, lending to the full sound.
The sixth track, “Flown,” is the first where the vocals feel like the central component. The song has a reggae tone, unique to the album, and allows Christiano to show off with a high-soaring solo. The ensuing “Yasss!!” is dark and exploratory yet upbeat and features all band members finding their ways into dynamic grooves. At just over eight minutes long, the track is an instrumental odyssey. The following and penultimate song, “Whatever’s Clever,” features the catchiest vocals.
Closing track “Late Cretaceous” once again puts The New Motif’s rich sound on full display; one needs to crank the volume dial to get the full flavor of all the layers. After multiple listens to The Reciprocal Boogie, something different has caught my ear each time: a guitar riff here or a bass line there. Each time after listening, I’ve found myself going back and listening straight through again
The New Motif is currently touring to promote The Reciprocal Boogie and have multiple shows scheduled in New York. The full tour schedule can be found here.
Proctors is thrilled to announce that THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL, an “electrifying” (Newsday) musical adaption of the New York Times best-selling novel written by Rick Riordan, will play Schenectady, 8:00 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22; and 2:00 and 8:00 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23.
As a son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can’t control, monsters on his trail, and is on a quest to find Zeus’ lightning bolt to prevent a war between the Greek gods. Based on the best-selling novel by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL is an action-packed theatrical adventure that has been celebrated by audiences and critics alike.
Tickets, which range from $20–$50, are available at the Box Office at Proctors, 432 State Street, Schenectady; by phone at 518.346.6204; and online at the Proctors website.
Derek Trucks, also a member of the Allman Brothers, founded the Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2010 with Kofi as a founding member, reuniting him with his brother. Although Oteil left the band in 2012, Kofi remained present throughout his surgery and recovery, accompanying the group for their final shows of 2018.
