NYS Music 20​19

Category: Central NY

  • Hearing Aide: Mike Powell & The Black River ‘Gypsy Winnebago’

    Mike Powell and the Black River are set to release their second full-length studio album, Gypsy Winnebago. The album was recorded in the band’s loft, The Family Room, overlooking Armory Square in Syracuse over the course of the summer and features contributions from two new band members.

    Joining Mike Powell (guitar/vocals), John Hanus (guitar), Joe Bell (bass) and Dom Scicchitano (drums) on this outing are Brian Lauri (keyboards) and Jason “Jocko” Randall  (percussion).

    The ten-song album reveals a band coming into its own following its 2018 release Classic Universe. A few years under their belt and a series of weekly residencies at Downtown Syracuse’s King of Clubs has helped this band to really grow as a unit. Powell’s songwriting on this album is some of his best.

    Gypsy Winnebago

    The most apparent difference between this record and their first is the vocal harmonies. “I had a long conversation with the band and emphasized how much I felt these songs needed more voices,” says Powell. “There’s something really powerful about human voices singing one message together. The guys obviously have great ears so they grabbed ahold of the harmonies right away and it really brought these songs to life.”

    Fans who have attended the “Thursday Night Rock Show” residencies at King of Clubs have witnessed the band’s progression from a blue-eyed soul band, as exhibited on the debut Classic Universe to a well-rounded rock band with jamband tendencies. This transition can largely be attributed to the addition of Lauri and Randall.

    Many of the songs included in this collection are not new to the die-hard Black River fan. Bandleader and lead songwriter Mike Powell and his partner John Hanus have been performing songs such as “Gone Too Far” and “Moonlight, Sunshine, and Rain” in front of audiences for several years. These songs have also been incorporated into the full band sets as well yet they still reveal a freshness on this recording.

    Gypsy Winnebago
    John Hanus & Mike Powell

    The production of Gypsy Winnebago showcases the individual members of the band, particularly drummer Dom Scicchitano and relative newcomer (to The Black River at least) Brian Lauri on keyboards.  Lauri is also a member of the Syracuse-based roots-reggae band Root Shock.

    Lauri uses his synthesizer to transport the listener back to the ’80s at times, especially in “When I Was a Fire.” The Cars’ Greg Hawkes and Genesis’ Tony Banks would approve.

    “CAW” is a recent composition that can’t help but be influenced by the band’s frequent opening slots for the Canadian surf/spaghetti western/psychedelic rockers The Sadies. John Hanus’s guitar, paired with Scicchitano’s galloping drums and Powell’s haunting whistling transports the listener to the old west, one of Powell’s frequent lyrical destinations.

    In short, Gypsy Winnebago is an album that exhibits a maturing band that should garner some attention for The Black River from critics and fans alike. The album will be released on Friday through all the major streaming platforms. It can be preordered here.

    Key tracks: CAW, Renegade Rhythm, Finer Things

  • The Bad Plus Activates Infinity at Hangar Theater in Ithaca

    Finishing up their second year with Orrin Evans at the piano (replacing founding member Ethan Iverson), and on the eve of the release of their second album with the new lineup, The Bad Plus made a stop at the Hangar Theater in Ithaca. Previously declaring themselves the band that will Never Stop, they were now ready to Activate Infinity.

    And why not? The music emerging from the trio, even after the change, and after almost two decades as an entity, is as potent and timeless as ever. Their healthy mix of rock, classical, pop, and yes, of course, some jazz as well, has a bit of something for anyone willing to listen. Hearing it performed live in an intimate setting with an appreciative and attentive audience, such as the case on this evening in Ithaca, is truly the ideal environment for such an endeavor.

    The stage was warmed up with an opening set from The Long Now Trio, a local Ithaca band featuring guitarist Ryan Vanderhoof (founding member of the psychedelic rock band Akron/Family), Matthew Saccuccimorano on drums and Brian Dozoretz on bass, playing only their fourth performance together. It sounded more like four years together as they went on an improvisational adventure of their own, tangling cosmic guitar sounds with flourishing drum work in a quick but exciting 30-minute set.

    The main course of The Bad Plus started innocently enough, with some soft and sparse piano. Gentle bursts of bass and brushes dancing along a bevy of cymbals soon joined the fray. The three disparate sounds slowly built in intensity, eventually climaxing in a complex three-part fit of triumphant chaos. The gentle easing into the set was a ruse, indeed the audience had just found itself caught up in an indescribably beautiful ten-minute whirlwind of sound. It was uplifting and exhilarating and worth the journey out on a Thursday night and the price of admission all on its own. It was Reid Anderson’s composition “Seams” and everything else was essentially on the house.

    But the band still had over an hour more of tricks up their sleeves. They followed with Evans’ “Commitment” which ditched the subtle shifts in dynamics, choosing instead sudden shifts and jerks in a very dramatic and theatrical piece that had a bit of Broadway flair, with thematic characters and narratives shining through in the music.

    Next was “Anthem for the Earnest,” a highly melodic energetic rocker that was go-go-go from the start and hardly let up for a breath. These three selections showcased all three members’ songwriting and the range and skills of their musicianship. It seemed they laid all the cards on the table so soon into the show, but each next piece was an adventure all its own.

    The set mostly drew from last year’s Never Stop II record but also featured a few tracks from their new release, Activate Infinity, in the second half. “The Red Door” trended on the jazzier side of things, playing like a hyped up Thelonius Monk tune. On “Undersea Reflection,” each member took the task of rhythm and melody simultaneously and separately.

    In its infancy, The Bad Plus made waves with their unusual cover choices and sprinkled them generously into shows and albums alike. But more recently, and on this night as well, it took until they were coaxed out for an encore, for a presentation of their classic cover of Aphex Twin’s “Flim” that turned into a Dave King drum workout and a the perfect cap to a wonderful night of adventurous instrumental music.

    The Bad Plus don’t sound like anything from the past. They don’t really sound like they’re from the future, or even a representation of the present. There is a timeless quality to the music that just is. Their melodies feel like they will Never Stop being relevant.

    Setlist: Seams (Anderson), Commitment (Evans), Anthem for the Earnest (King), Salvages (Anderson), Safe Passage (Anderson), 1983 Regional All-Star (King), The Red Door (Evans), Boffadem (Evans), Undersea Reflection (Anderson), Dovetail Nicely (King)
    E: Flim (Aphex Twin)

  • The Stanley to host Lettuce with special guest Ghost-Note on November 20

    Premiere psychedelic funk band Lettuce will find their way to Central New York on November 20, with a performance at Utica’s Stanley Theater. No strangers to playing shows across New York State, this marks Lettuce’s first ever performance in Utica.

    For more than two decades, Lettuce have brought a new vitality to classic funk, matching their smooth and soulful grooves with a hip-hop-inspired urgency.

    Comprised of a stellar group of musicians – Drummer Adam Deitch, guitarists Adam Smirnoff, bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes, keyboardist and vocalist Nigel Hall, saxophonist Ryan Zoidis, and trumpet player Eric Bloom—the band consistently displays an applauded mastery of their respective crafts. The group of high caliber musicians blend their talents together in a sound that is distinctly their own.

    From their latest album Elevate, acclaimed single “The Love You Left Behind” is a funky take on the classic tune. Featuring the gritty vocals of blues siren Alecia Chakour, the track was included in NPR’s All Songs Considered and is a crowd favorite at their live shows.

    Formed in 1992, when several band members attended a summer program at Boston’s Berklee College of Music as teenagers, Lettuce was founded on a shared love of legendary funk artists like Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power. After returning to Berklee as undergrads in 1994, Lettuce started playing in local clubs and steadily built up a following that soon extended to cities across the country and then throughout the world.

    Opening the night will be Ghost-Note. Having formed in 2015, the group’s two studio albums – 2018’s Swagism and 2015’s Fortified – have earned critical acclaim and popular success around the globe, with both albums hitting the #1 spot on the iTunes jazz charts. Pushing funk music into the future, Ghost-Note builds on the uplifting, pioneering foundations laid out by the likes of James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone and infuse their fresh take with tastes of afrobeat, hip-hop, psychedelia, world folklore, and more.

    For more information and tickets, visit The Stanley Theater website.

    stanley lettuce

  • In Focus: Aqueous and Lespecial kick off Fall Tour in Syracuse

    Aqueous and Lespecial kicked off their Fall Tour on Thursday, October 24 in Syracuse at the Westcott Theater, playing to a full house with two sets stuffed with prog-rock and jammy goodness.

    Check out a gallery of the night below, and don’t miss the Aqueous and Lespecial when they perform at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs on Saturday.

    Lespecial setlist: Snell’s Fleet, Fruit Wolf Dance, Jackwise, Onlookers, The Vessel, Machine Elf, Tonberry*, T Mobil
    *first time played

    Aqueous setlist:
    Set One: What’s the Connection?1, How High You Fly, Be the Same, Numbers and Facts2, Dammit, Eon Don2 > Timmy’s Blades > Pseudo Suicide3 > Eon Don

    Set Two: Dave’s Song4 > Skyway5, Jealous, Complex Pt. I2 > Wandering2 6 > Complex Pt. II

    Encore: Origami7

    NOTES:
    1 Rebel Rebel (David Bowie) teases
    2 New arrangement
    3 I’ll Be There For You (Rembrandt’s) tease
    4 Let’s Go Buffalo quote
    5 Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix) teases
    6 BUSTOUT: LTP 2018/4/21 (111 shows)
    7 Rastaman Chant (Bob Marley) teases

  • In Focus: Ghost Spooks “Death” In Syracuse

    Sweden’s enigmatic hard rock band, Ghost, and Texas based, Nothing More brought The Ultimate Tour Named Death to The Oncenter War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, NY as part of their North American Tour.

    Nothing More always puts on a fantastic show whether you’ve seen them once or ten times. Every performance is extremely high energy that seems like organized chaos, and this event proved no different. Frontman Jonny Hawkins took to the stage in his hoodie and began scaling up the iconic Scorpion Tale. With deep red stage lighting the remaining band members took to the stage before opening up with the explosive track “Let ’em Burn.”

    While only having a nine-song set, Nothing More played some of their major heavy hitters. “Don’t Stop,” “Go To War” and “This Is The Time” were all performed with an incredible amount of energy alongside more emotive numbers like “Jenny,” which is a song about Hawkins sister and the struggle with addiction. “Fade In/Fade Out,” one of Nothing More’s most powerful songs was performed beautifully, which had many members of the audience tearing up.

    Highlights from their set was a cover of the Skrillex track “Equinox,” mashed up with Queen’s “We Will Rock You” making for a pleasantly surprising and epic performance. Jonny Hawkins went absolutely nuts rocking back and forth on top of the Scorpion Tale drenched in sweat.

    Ending their set with “Burn The Witch,” was the most memorable part of their performance, having all members of the band play an epic drum solo in sync together. Hawkins went absolutely nuts again on the drums, which was the perfect finish for Nothing More’s performance.

    Nothing More set list: Let ’em Burn, Don’t Stop, Go To War, Jenny, Fadein/Fadeout, Ocean Floor, This Is The Time (Ballast), First Of The Year ‘Equinox (Skrillex)<We Will Rock You (Queen),’ Salem (Burn The Witch).

    A Ghost show is kind of like a satanic mass. They started the set with a large black curtain draped in front of the stage while church hymns played. It made you feel like you at a traditional Sunday Mass. That was until the curtain dropped and the bands beautifully designed cathedral set was displayed. White stairs leading up to the drummer and keyboardist were positioned, with a large backdrop of stained glass cathedral style windows with pictures of different era “Papas” displayed.

    As the introduction, “Ashes” began to play the Nameless Ghouls took place on-stage dressed in form fitting black outfits and silver masks as the music transitioned to the beginning of “Rats.” Cardinal Copia made his entrance dressed in his crimson suit.

    Cardinal Copia is one of the most charismatic frontmen in the rock/metal genre, and this was on full display in Syracuse. Six of the 20 songs performed were from the bands latest album, Prequelle, including the singles, “Faith” and “Dance Macabre.” Seven songs were performed from the band’s 2015 album, Meliora. Among those were the hits: “From The Pinnacle To The Pit,” “Cirice,” “Devil Church,” the Grammy winning track “He Is,” and the ‘super heavy, heaviest song we have‘ according to Cardinal Copia, “Mummy Dust.”

    Ghost recently released a two track EP, Seven Inches of Satanic Panic – and performed both tracks “Kiss the Go-Goat” and “Mary on a Cross.”

    From a guest appearance by Papa Nihil on the Saxophone for “Miasma,” to Cardinal Copia riding out a tricycle, the show was filled with dry humor and jokes that flowed so well with the bands performance. Watching Ghost perform is almost like watching a musical.

    Ending the night with “Square Hammer,” Ghost proved once again why they are one of the fastest rising hard rock bands in the world. The stage presence and interactions with the crowd connect on a personal level regardless if they’re playing in a small theater or a massive arena. Ghost is able to combine their stage lighting, fog machines, and the band’s incredible synergy for one fantastic show.

    Ghost Set list: Ashes, Rats, Absolution, Faith, Mary on a Cross, Devil Church, Cirice, Miasma, Ghuleh/Zombie Queen, Helvetesfönster, Spirit, From the Pinnacle to the Pit, Ritual, Satan Prayer, Year Zero, Spöksonat, He Is, Mummy Dust, Kiss the Go-Goat, Dance Macabre, Square Hammer.

    Ghost

    • Ghost
    • Ghost

    Nothing More

  • Aqueous All Set to Kick Off Fall Tour in Syracuse

    Buffalo-based band Aqueous makes the first stop on their extensive fall tour tonight in Syracuse at the Westcott Theater. Comprised of Mike Gantzer (guitar/vocals), Dave Loss (guitar/keys/vocals), Evan McPhaden (bass) and Rob Houk (drums), Aqueous is known for their heavy improvisation and their “near psychic” level of on-stage chemistry. As a band, they are always exploring musically, and there is bound to be some exciting surprises for fans throughout the course of the tour. The band is eager to get back on the road and reconnect with fans after an extremely successful festival season this summer, which included appearances at Peach Music Festival, Summer Camp Music Festival and Cobblestone Live.

    “You can’t beat the intimacy and connection with the crowd during headlining AQ shows at clubs, and we’ve got some big plans for this tour.”

    Mike Gantzer

    Highlights for the upcoming tour include a special “Hero’s Halloween” themed night in Pittsburgh which will also feature a collaboration with Pittsburgh’s own pop/funk horn section, Steeltown Horns. There will be VIP “King For A Day” packages for dates in Chicago and Denver. VIP Packages include early entry to the venue, photo opportunity with the band, a download of the show’s soundboard and limited edition VIP merchandise. Additionally, Aqueous will be making their debut at the famed Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY with their Vermont-based frends Twiddle. The tour will close out with a hometown two-night run at the Town Ballroom for New Year’s Eve with Buffalo based band Witty Tarbox. 

    New York and Connecticut-based trio lespecial will be joining Aqueous for a few dates on the tour. Lespecial seamlessly fuses a myriad of genres, veering from hip-hop to metal, prog to house, pensive indie-rock to apocalyptic dub.

    See the full list of tour dates below, and visit the band’s website for ticket information. 

    10/24 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater *

    10/26 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place *

    10/30 – Harrisburg, PA – XL Live *

    10/31 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater *

    11/1 – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10 *

    11/2 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall *

    11/3 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Bunker *

    11/6 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House *

    11/7 – Atlanta, GA – Aisle 5 *

    11/8 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall *

    11/9 – Nashville, TN – Exit / In *

    11/10 – Louisville, KY – Gravely Brewing Co. *

    11/13 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig *

    11/14 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi

    11/15 – Grand Rapids, MI – Stache @ Intersection

    11/16 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall $

    11/17 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon

    11/19 – Saint Paul, MN – Turf Club

    11/20 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown

    11/22 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre $

    11/23 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Old Town Pub

    12/6 – Covington, KY – Madison Live

    12/7 – Columbus, OH – Woodlands

    12/30 & 12/31 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom

     * w/ Lespecial

    $ notes dates w/ “King For A Day” VIP Experience Option

  • In Focus: Harvestfest, Tribute to Mother Earth Puts the Focus on the Ladies

    Four years ago Matt Strong had an idea — an idea that came to him as he admired a painting a friend of his had done. The idea was to put together a fall festival celebrating Mother Earth and female musicians. As the owner-operator of Rooted Entertainment Solutions, he was finally able to bring that to fruition at Woods Valley Ski Area in Westernville, site of the past two Woods Fest Music Festivals, this past Saturday at Harvestfest: Tribute to Mother Earth.

    Woods Valley owner-operator Tim Woods and Strong put their heads together to create a regional fall festival drawing from bands with strong female musicians. The result was a full day of music, collaboration, vendors, good vibes and hats, lots of hats, that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. The event culminated with a female-heavy superjam that saw the ladies collaborating on stellar versions of Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”

    Headliner Hayley Jane sat in with a number of the acts throughout the day and performed two sets with Rob Compa of Dopapod as well.

    The lineup included Ithaca ska band ¡Viva Mayhem!, Connecticut neo-soul act Erica T. Bryan and the New Mosaic, Utica folk artist Lady Daisy River, Syracuse reggae-roots rockers Root Shock and Syracuse indie-punk-ska outfit Late Earth.

    The running theme throughout the day was community. Attendees of all ages, including families, attended the event, greeting familiar faces and befriending unfamiliar faces. Attendees and musicians alike were seen mingling, talking music and art and just enjoying the beautiful weather.

    Despite the fact that each band came from different backgrounds and different areas, there was a true sense of community felt among the musicians at Woods Valley. Many of them were meeting each other for the first time and became fast friends, with some even making plans to perform together in the future. This may have been an unintended goal in putting together such a festival but one that will surely benefit the Northeast music community for some time to come. The intended goal was surely achieved. This was a day to celebrate the power of women in music. There were several powerful performances throughout the day and one powerful organization that is quickly making its name in the live music scene.

    The non-profit organization Groovesafe was on site during the festival. Groovesafe is a 501(c)(3) organization that brings awareness of the need for consent, to stand against sexual assault and unwanted touching at shows and festivals and to create safe and respectful dance spaces. It is a movement founded by Ashley Driscoll, following an incident at a Phish show in Las Vegas in the fall of 2016. To learn more about the Groovesafe movement and how you can donate or contribute to the cause, visit their website here.

    Plans are already underway for Harvestfest 2.

    Kari Feingold of Tailfeather, Hayley Jane and Ashley Driscoll of Groovesafe
    Evan Bujold and Andrea Canale skanking during Viva Mayhem’s set
    Dwayne Keith from the New Mosaic sits in with Late Earth
    Emily Hoyt, Hayley Jane, Andrea Canale and Erica T. Bryan Superjamming
    Emily Hoyt, Andrea Canale, Hayley Jane, Erica T. Bryan and Jessica Brown (L to R)
    Hayley Jane, Erica T. Bryan and Rob Compa
    Hayley Jane
    Brian Lauri, Jessica Brown/Root Shock
    Matt Strong
    Rob Compa and Hayley Jane
    Root Shock
    Root Shock
    Root Shock
    Viva Mayhem
    Viva Mayhem
    Erica T. Bryan and the New Mosaic
    Andrea Canale/Late Earth
    Brock Kuca/Annie in the Water
    Evan Bujold/Late Earth
    Rob Compa
    Erica T. Bryan
    The New Mosaic
    Late Earth

  • Kip Winger Bringing Intimate Acoustic Show to Rome

    Multi-platinum recording artist Kip Winger has announced a live and unplugged show on Nov. 1 at the Rome Capitol Arts Complex in Rome, NY. The show will be opened by indie-pop singer/songwriter Emma Jude. Hailing from Upstate New York, Jude’s crisp vocals and striking storytelling landed her the 2019 SAMMY award (Syracuse Area Music Award) for Best Pop Album.

    Kip Winger first gained popularity when he contributed bass and vocals to Alice Cooper before forming the band Winger which recorded several successful albums in the late 1980s. The band disbanded in 1995 only to reunite in 2001. They immediately began to win fans back with non-stop touring and in 2014 released their highly anticipated sixth studio album called Better Days Comin.

    Called “one of the best writers of the past three decades” by Classic Rock Magazine, the live and unplugged show in Rome will showcase Kip Winger as a solo artist. During the band’s break, Kip focused on expanding his own talents in a unconstructed way, composing and arranging music that didn’t fit any genre. “It was incredibly freeing to connect to music without any preconceived ideas about what it needed to be or what niche it needed to fill.”  Exploring his talents led to hit compositions like “This Conversation seems like a Dream,” “Songs from the Ocean Floor,” “From the Moon to the Sun” and  “Ghosts,” which featured a string orchestra. piano and harp.

    To keep the concert up close and personal, setting is limited and RESERVED. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.

  • Terrorbyte Brings Ghosts To The Lost Horizon

    Terrorbyte performed an epic Halloween show at The Lost Horizon in Syracuse last night. Performing  most of their catalog, fans were treated to an excellent set with high energy and some chaos.

    They took the stage dressed in their usual masks as a taser got the crowd fired up into a frenzy, chanting “TERRORBYTE” as some of the members began climbing up on the wall. Their stage presence will just draw you in as there is so much going on at once. Whether it’s one of the members tasering another, or someone hanging from the ceiling – there is always something crazy happening at a Terrorbyte show.

    Terrorbyte

    Playing roughly an hour, their set was non-stop, high energy, “in your face” metal. There was little break in between songs as the band flowed so well, only stopping a couple of times to give some insight into their songs. “Gravitational” was dedicated to a late friend of the singer, and he took some time to speak on dealing with issues of depression and suicide.

    Finishing up their set, the crowd demanded another song as everyone in the venue was chanting, “One more song!” Terrorbyte obliged and performed a crushing version of “Shooting Star” which had everyone going nuts.

    Terrorbyte is a “must see” band based out of Syracuse that has made some huge waves in the metal word. During the performance of the show, Terrorbyte mentioned their upcoming album which has been highly anticipated, is currently being worked on, and expected to be released in the near future.

  • Framing Hanley Headlining SMACK Fest In Syracuse Next Week

    Framing Hanley will be headlining SMACK Fest 2019 – Halloween Edition on October 26th at the S.I. Hall at the NYS Fairgrounds.

    Framing Hanley, who shot to fame with their cover of Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” will be joined by some of the best metal bands CNY has to offer.

    The full lineup for SMACK Fest is as follows:

    – Framing Hanley
    – Skinbound
    – Murder In Rue Morgue
    – Less Than Hate
    – Obdura
    – Damon Larus
    – Kilter
    – Level VII
    – The Burned Out Suns
    – Northwoods Wendigo

    Doors open at 3pm – Show starts at 4pm
    All ages show. Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
    $5.00 additional fee at door for Under 21

    Tickets can be purchased HERE. PreSale Tickets are $15.00 ($20 day of show). Costume Contests with prizes will be awarded.

    Framing Hanley

     

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