Category: Central NY

Tony Award-Winning Musical ‘Bandstand’ Takes the Road

The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Bandstand will roll out a coast to coast tour starting October 25 in Oklahoma City, OK. This tour comes after this smash- hit spent 2017 on Broadway. During the residency it was nominated for three Tony Awards and snagged the Tony for Best Choreography.

“THE SHOW DEFIES YOU NOT TO BE MOVED”
Time Out New York

The vibrant musical, Bandstand, shows how one can heal through music and dance, written by Robert Taylor (book and lyrics), Richard Oberacker (music) and directed by three-time Tony winner Andy Blankkenbuelher (Hamilton choreography). The plot features World War II veteran Donny, fresh from the front lines, as he returns home to be a songwriter. When this proves difficult, he forms a group to compete in the NBC bandstand contest. Using a peppy outlook and upbeat music, Bandstand delves into the challenges faced by our service men and women upon returning. This is a story that stretches across many decades.

Photo by Michael Pool

Along the way Bandstand will make stops in various New York cities. Included is The Stanley Theater in Utica, Proctors in Schenectady and the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Greenvale. Tickets are on sale now through the musicals website. Check out the additional tour dates below.

BandStand Tour Dates: 2019-2020

Oct.25-26 – OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater – Oklahoma City, OK

Oct.29-30 – Rudder Auditorium – College Station, TX

Nov.1 – Popejoy Hall – Albuquerque, NM

Nov.2-3 – Civic Center Auditorium – Amarillo, TX

Nov.4 – Bicknell Center for the Arts – Pittsburg, KS
Nov.5 – Chapman Music Hall – Tulsa, OK

Nov.6 – Abilene Convention Center – Abilene, TX

Nov.7 – Cowan Center – Tyler, TX

Nov.8 – Lutcher Theater – Orange, TX

Nov.9 – The Grand 1894 Opera House – Galveston, TX

Nov.11-12 – Washington Pavilion – Sioux Falls, SD

Nov.13 – Civic Center – Bismarck, ND

Nov.16-17 – Hult Center for the Performing Arts – Eugene, OR

Nov.19-20 – Granada Theater – Santa Barbara, CA

Nov.21-24 – Fred Kavli Theatre – Thousand Oaks, CA

Dec.3-4 – Pikes Peak Center – Colorado Springs, CO

Dec.6-8 – Orpheum Theatre – Phoenix, AZ

Dec.11 – Orpheum Theatre – Sioux City, IA

Dec.12 – Juanita K. Hammons Hall – Springfield, MO

Dec.13-14 – Civic Center – Des Moines, IA

Dec.15 – Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center – Cedar Falls, IA

Dec.16 – River Center Adler Theater – Davenport, IA

Dec.17 – Yardley Hall – Overland Park, KS

Jan.3-5 – Von Braun Center Concert Hall – Huntsville, AL

Jan.7 – Paramount Arts Center – Ashland, KY

Jan.8 – Honeywell Center – Wabash, IN

Jan.9-12 – Stranahan Theater – Toledo, OH

Jan.14-16 – Century II Performing Arts Center – Wichita, KS

Jan.17-19- Lied Center for Performing Arts – Lincoln, NE

Jan.21 – Grand Theater – Wausau, WI

Jan.22 – Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts – Bloomington, IL

Jan.23 – Niswonger Performing Arts Center – Van Wert, OH

Jan.24-26 – Morris Performing Arts Center – South Bend, IN

Jan.27 – Emens Auditorium – Muncie, IN

Jan.29 – Givens Performing Arts Center – Pembroke, NC

Jan.30 – Clayton Center for the Arts – Maryville, TN

Jan.31 – Charleston Gaillard Center – Charleston, SC

Feb.1-2 – Oxford Performing Arts Center – Oxford, AL

Feb.4-5 – Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall – Sarasota, FL

Feb.6 – Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts – Avon Park, FL

Feb.7-8 – The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center – The Villages, FL

Feb.9 – Mainstage Theater – Niceville, FL

Feb.10 – Lafon Performing Arts Center – Luling, LA

Feb.17 – King Center – Melbourne, FL

Feb.18-23 – Moran Theater – Jacksonville, FL

Feb.25-26 – Whiting Auditorium – Flint, MI

Feb.28-29 – Hershey Theatre – Hershey, PA
Mar.1 – Palace Theater – Waterbury, CT

Mar.3-8 – National Theatre – Washington, D.C.

Mar.10 – Stanley Theatre – Utica, NY

Mar.12 – State Theatre – Easton, PA

Mar.13-14 – Proctor’s Theatre – Schenectady, NY

Mar.15 – Tilles Center for the Performing Arts – Greenvale, NY

Mar.17-18 – Community Theatre – Morristown, NJ

Mar.19-22 – Hanover Theatre – Worcester, MA

Mar.27-29 – Pioneer Center – Reno, NV

Mar.30-31 – Mary Stuart Rogers Theater – Modesto, CA

Apr.2 – Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium – Idaho Falls, ID

Apr.3-5 – Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts – Boise, ID

Apr.7-12 – Memorial Auditorium – Sacramento, CA

Apr.14 – Civic Center – Cheyenne, WY

Apr.15 – Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center – Hays, KS

Apr.17-19 – Lexington Opera House – Lexington, KY

Apr.20 – Carson Center – Paducah, KY

Apr.21 – Robinson Music Hall – Little Rock, AR

Apr.22 – Community Center Auditorium – Bartlesville, OK

Apr.24-26 – Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex – Birmingham, AL
Apr.27-28 – Grand Opera House – Macon, GA

Apr.29-30 – Koger Center for the Arts – Columbia, SC

May 2 – Wilson Center – Wilmington, NC

May 3 – Morganton Municipal Auditorium – Morganton, NC

May 5-17 – Broward Center for the Performing Arts – Ft. Lauderdale, FL

May 25 – Murphey Performance Hall – San Angelo, TX

May 26-31 – Winspear Opera House – Dallas, TX

Jun.3-4 – Count Basie Theatre – Red Bank, NJ

Jun.5-7 – Shubert Theater – New Haven, CT

October 20, 2019
Syracuse’s Trench Announce Fall Tour

Syracuse shoe-gazers Trench has announced a series of November dates that sees the band hitting up venues throughout the Northeast. The tour kicks off in the band’s hometown at the legendary Lost Horizon on Nov. 9.

Joining Trench at the Lost Horizon show are Rochester’s The Joke’s on Us, Boston’s reprieve., and Syracuse’s Buggin’ Out and The Same Page. Tickets for the 6:30 p.m. show are available now through Ticketweb. Advanced sale tickets are $10. Tickets the day of the show are $12.

Trench formed in 2015 when Chris Reilly (guitar/vocals) and Roberto Becerra (bass) got together. They were soon joined by Ron Ballweber (guitar) and Dan Sanborn (drums) to round out the band. They released their debut EP Sun Soaked on Flesh and Bone Records in 2016 and followed it up touring with Nothing, Thrice, Basement, and Silversun Pickups.

Their second release, 2018’s genre-spanning Ritual Love has the band visiting spaces that include post-rock, shoegaze, post-hardcore and dream pop. Speaking about the album, Reilly states, “The most important thing when writing music is to be honest and genuine, and I think we accomplished that both musically and lyrically on this record.” Ballweber adds, “We never write a song and say that isn’t ‘us.’ When you write honestly and without a conscious influence or direction then everything you create is sincere.”

Trench is part of a growing Syracuse alternative scene that includes artists such as Mattydale Music Collective, Late Earth, Lucky33, Atkins Riot, Major Player, Lily Grave and Outside Voices. Reilly, speaking to Rochester alternative culture magazine Floated recently said of the scene, “I feel like the community is stronger than it’s been in a long time…It doesn’t feel like a competition. Everyone’s moreso contributing in building a community.”

Trench Fall Tour Dates:

Nov. 9 – The Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY

Nov. 12 – Monkey House – Winooski, VT

Nov. 13 – Jewel – Manchester, NH

Nov. 14 – Muchmores – Brooklyn, NY

Nov. 15 – Massapequa VFW – Massapequa, NY

Nov. 16 – Flemington DIY – Flemington, NJ

Nov. 17 – Cult Classic Brewing – Stevensville, MD

October 17, 2019
Yungblud & MISSIO Sell Out The Lost Horizon

Yungblud and MISSIO recently made a stop on their Twisted Tales Of The Ritalin Club Tour at The Lost Horizon in Syracuse, NY. It was originally scheduled to take place at The Westcott Theater, but due to scheduling conflicts the show had to be rescheduled at The Lost Horizon and almost immediately sold out.

Fans of all different ages and backgrounds packed into the club like sardines waiting for MISSIO to take the stage. While mostly everyone was talking about Youngblud and how they couldn’t wait to see him, there were several fans in the front row going off on just how good MISSIO is.

After a brief introduction by 95X’s Scott Dixon, MISSIO took to the stage in complete darkness as the crowd roared in anticipation. Opening with one of their better known songs, “Twisted,” lead singer Matthew Brue danced to the background electronic beat with a fierce and commanding presence. Immediately captivating the audience with his impressive vocal range and soft but deep tone. MISSIO is able to blend heavy EDM beats with a mix of Rap, Rock, and Alt Rock in a unique style that works so well.

Between songs, Matthew Brue continuously connected with the audience on a personal level. Before performing the song “Politics” he spoke to the audience saying, “How many people here like politics? Though I’m not talking about the politics that you’re probably thinking of. I’m talking about the politics with friends. This song is about some friendships that are worse than politics. Like you just suck out my soul, why are you still here?”

Before performing “I See You” he reached out to the crowd once again. “We want to take our masks off, and what I mean by that is to be who you really are. Whether you’re dealing with addiction, depression, anxiety or any of the bullshit that comes with life struggles, we still see who you are.” Closing out their set with “Middle Fingers,” MISSIO thanked the crowd and left the audience buzzing as they awaited for Yungblud.

The hype waiting for Yungblud was unreal. Hearing every fan chanting “YUNGBLUD” as loud as they can was one of the loudest crowd noises I have heard at The Lost Horizon. The lights went dark and the crowd erupted into a frenzied scream as two figures dressed in body armor carrying dark flags walked onto the stage.

After a brief intro to “21^st Century Liability,” Yungblud sprinted out from the side stage to fans screaming in ecstasy. The energy Yungblud has on stage is rivaled only by Jonny Hawkins of Nothing More, constantly jumping around to the beat of the music and walking out onto the barricade to lean into his fans.

Yungblud’s set overall was a very high-energy performance that didn’t slow down until he walked off the stage. Performing hits like “I Love You, Will You Marry Me,” “King Charles,” and “Parents” had the audience singing along to every word throughout the night.

Another highlight of the night was “Polygraph Eyes,” a song about the importance of consent. The way he connects with the audience is rare to see with live shows today, and his fans certainly showed their appreciation as much as Yungblud showed his to the fans.

Yungblud is a whirlwind of energy onstage and lives up to all the hype surrounding him. His performance is definitely worth seeing live, and the very impressive roster of artists that he has been working with is sure to skyrocket his career.

Setlist: 21^st Century Liability, Psychotic Kids, I love you, Will You Marry Me?, King Charles, Anarchist, Polygraph Eyes, Parents, Medication, Loner, Kill Somebody, Live Interlude, I Think I’m OKAY, California, Die for the Hype, Hope for the Underrated Youth, Machine Gun

Yungblud

MISSIO

October 17, 2019
Greensky Bluegrass announce Winter Tour, with stops in Ithaca, NYC and Albany

Greensky Bluegrass has announced an expansive Winter Tour to kick off 2020 with stops in Ithaca, NYC and Albany.

With the first show in St. Louis, MO at The Pageant on January 15, the tour winds through the Midwest and East Coast, and finishing with a two-night stand at The Tabernacle in Atlanta. Ghost Light will joining Greensky as the opener for a majority of the dates, with another act being announced in the near future. General on-sale begins on Friday, October 18.

Ahead for Greensky Bluegrass this fall include appearances at Hulaween & Hangtown festivals, then an epic Midwestern Halloween weekend run kicking off in Chicago at the Chicago Theatre on Halloween, then off to Kansas City and St. Paul. The band will appear at ‘What The Night Brings’ tribute to Jeff Austin on November 4 then a duo of shows in their hometown of Kalamazoo, MI Nov. 29 & 30. Greensky will debut at Denver’s new Mission Ballroom on Dec. 6 & 7 before heading to Mexico for Cloud 9 Adventure’s Strings & Sol. The band will ring in 2020 with a three-night stand at The Riverside in Milwaukee, WI – with support from Horseshoes & Hand Grenades on 12/29 and 12/30, and a three-set Greensky NYE event to close out the year.

The band’s third incarnation of its Camp Greensky Music Festival is the latest confirmed 2020 date, happening June 4 to 6 in Wellston, MI, tickets are available now.

Greensky Bluegrass Winter Tour dates

1/15 – The Pageant, St. Louis, MO

1/16 – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, Louisville, KY

1/17 – Agora Theatre, Cleveland, OH

1/18 – The Met, Philadelphia, PA

1/19 – Roxian Theatre, McKees Rock, PA

1/22 – State Theater, Ithaca, NY*

1/23 – State Theatre, Portland, ME*

1/24 – Beacon Theatre, NYC

1/25 – House of Blues, Boston, MA*

1/28 – Flynn Center, Burlington, VT*

1/29 – The Egg, Albany, NY*

1/30 – Penn’s Peak, Jim Thorpe, PA*

1/31-2/1 – The Anthem, Washington, D.C.*

2/4 – Madison Theater, Covington, KY*

2/5 – Mill and Mine, Knoxville, TN*

2/6 – The Fillmore, Charlotte, NC*

2/7-8 The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA*

October 17, 2019
Guest Contributor Exclusive: Mike Powell & Chris Merkley Wrap Up MicroTour at Local 315 in Warners
Editor’s Note: Mike Powell is a singer-songwriter from Central New York. In addition to his work as a solo artist, he also leads the soulful rock band The Black River. Powell and fellow CNY singer-songwriter Chris Merkley have embarked on a four-show mini-tour of microbreweries across the state searching for the connection between songwriting and brewing. This stop brings us to Local 315 in Warners

Powell will be returning to the studio soon to record another solo album and his band The Black River is releasing its second full-length album ‘Gypsy Winnebago’ on Nov. 1.

Merkley is the owner of Old Boy Records and curator of the Seedstock Festival in Cortland each summer. He also performs with The Crooners and Digger Jones and has composed original music for television and film, including the acclaimed HBO series Generation Kill.

This is the final installment of a four-part NYS Music series documenting the Original Gravity Tour and contributed by Powell. The first installment of Powell’s tour diary can be found here. Day two can be found here. Day three can be found here.

This past Sunday was the final show of the Original Gravity MicroTour and before I share my final recap I would like to first say thank you to Mike Kohli and NYS Music for allowing me the opportunity to be a guest contributor over the course of the past week. I highly value, respect and appreciate the energy that your team puts into keeping music fans like me up to date on the happenings around this state and beyond. I don’t get to exercise my journalistic side of the brain very often so, needless to say, this experience truly scratched a long burning creative itch.

I brewed my first batch of beer roughly ten years ago and have been homebrewing sporadically ever since. As I told Mike Kohli on the phone last night when he was asking about the timing of this final piece, I’ve always lived my life like a starved trout swimming against the stream ready to chase anything shiny that catches my eye. I guess you could say that I’m very curious by nature and I seemingly find a strong sense of comfort when I’m traveling down an unfamiliar road. I’ve learned over the years why I choose to live this way. When I learn a new skill it gives me a deeper understanding and a newfound appreciation for those that do it and those that do it well.

I knew that after I went through the process and experienced each step of brewing I would never taste a beer in the same way. After I wrote my very first song as a teenager I started to listen to music differently and on a deeper level. I started making furniture after college and since then I’ve never again sat in a chair without recognizing the craftsmanship and design. So I guess what I’m getting at is, diving headfirst into new things and venturing into new territory gives me a look under the hood on what makes it go. This approach has added color to my life’s wheel and simply fills me with deep admiration.

Coming from a former professional athlete this may sound a bit odd but I’m not a very competitive person. Well, not in the expected sense anyway. I never set out to become better than anyone else, that’s not what drives me. My drive lives on the inside, its a challenge within myself. For example, I know I will never write songs better than Bob Dylan and I’m one hundred percent aware of that fact, but I know that there’s a song in me somewhere that’s better than my last one. That is what keeps me moving. After exploring and talking with brewmasters over the past several years I think we share a similar mentality.

Our last performance saw our biggest crowd of the tour at Local 315 Brewing Company in Warners. I’ve played at this establishment quite a few times and what strikes me most is the cult-like following this brewery has created over its short time in existence. Surrounded by nothing but hop poles, goats and donkeys, this farmstead brewery has put out top quality brews and supported live original music since its inception. The weather on Sunday was absolutely perfect with the sun shining over the cornfields and illuminating the laid back outdoor area that has become this joint’s centerpiece.

With dogs chasing frisbees and kids running after one another, this atmosphere feels like you’re at a family reunion in a relative’s back yard. So Chris and I approached it that way and treated the afternoon as loose as we possibly could. Having fun with the crowd and realizing that although everyone was listening to us, we weren’t the center of attention, we were simply just playing our part and fitting into where we should. I’m happy to report that we were able to continue our live poetry on-demand experiment throughout the duration of the tour and people really seemed to get a kick out of it, everyone except Chris and myself. We closed out the Original Gravity MicroTour with our twist on “Got My Mojo Working,” finished our final beers and headed our separate ways.

This run has been a short but adventurous ride and as the sun sets on the horizon I would like to reflect back on some memorable moments.
1. Chris Merkley is awesome. His performances are so dialed in and tight. What I find amazing is how his musical style seems to fit in just about any scenario. Mine isn’t like that so it really stood out to me. He could play the same set at a festival, a club, a theater or a house concert and it would work and work well.
2. Chris Merkley almost killed a kitten with his Prius. While we were loading out our gear at Abandon Brewing we heard some purring coming from the engine. Which is normal but not when the car is off. Chris popped the hood and found a kitten sitting between the fuse box and the windshield washer fluid. Luckily he coerced it out without some old sheet pizza and carried it to safety.
3. We saw photographer and good friend Brian Cornish at two of the stops and he told us two separate jokes. Both of which made us laugh and neither of which would be appropriate to publish here.
4. I didn’t even take my camera out of my truck at Local 315, so the visual content of this post is brought to you courtesy of your very own Mike Kohli. Thank you, dude.
5. Although there were many highlights and funny moments when it came to the live poetry challenge we were having, my favorite moment was Chris’ lovely work of art titled “Bloody Mary” when the audience gave him the words “Worcestershire” and “butt” to work with.
6. Seeing familiar faces. We had several people come to every show and have fun touring with us. I think they were more into the beer component.
7. And finally tasting the amazing beer. Worth noting that if either of my grandfathers were alive and walked into a bar to find me smelling and swirling a flight of beer they would both kick my ass. But times have changed. I loved the Woods Valley Witte and Pocket Change IPA from Copper City, the Session and Dunkel at Abandon, 20 East NEIPA at Heritage Hill and Soul Kissed IPA from Local 315.
You haven’t see the last of Original Gravity MicroTour.

Over and Out,

Mike
October 16, 2019
Guest Contributor Exclusive: Mike Powell & Chris Merkley Take it to the Barn in Pompey

Editor’s Note: Mike Powell is a singer-songwriter from Central New York. In addition to his work as a solo artist, he also leads the soulful rock band The Black River. Powell and fellow CNY singer-songwriter Chris Merkley are embarking on a four-show mini-tour of microbreweries across the state searching for the connection between songwriting and brewing. This feature looks at their stop at the Barn in Pompey

This is the third of a four-part NYS Music series documenting the Original Gravity Tour and contributed by Powell. The first installment of Powell’s tour diary can be found here. Day two can be found here.

Music is a traditional art form that’s continually evolving, adapting and building with each generation. No matter how progressive or unique the sound, if you listen close enough you will hear the influence of a predecessor. I really think that’s the beauty of it all, it’s the connection. It was this emotion that led the Original Gravity MicroTour to a third-generation beef and crop farm in the rolling hills of Central New York. Family farms are steeped in rich history and are forced to evolve alongside the ever-changing economic landscape.

Brothers Nick and Dan Palladino of Heritage Hill Brewhouse took the wheel of their expansive family farm in 2011 with a rough idea of what they wanted to do with it.  The one thing they knew for certain was that it had to stay in the family and the tradition needed to carry on. The farm has seen many changes over the years and has countless stories to tell. One conversation with co-owner Dan Palladino and you will feel his strong passion for bearing the torch.

When Chris and I booked this MicroTour we were well aware that we might run into some fall time weather issues. Heritage Hill Brewery, like most microbreweries, highly values live music and has built infrastructure that supports this mission. Besides their large rustic tasting room and restaurant, they built a large outdoor stage complete with seating and fire pits. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t really cooperate and we decided to move the show inside their massive old hay barn. As a kid that grew up on a dairy farm, I was pumped about this idea. This decision turned out to work in our favor and we found the sound to be really magical in this big space.

Five minutes before our show was slated to start there were only three people in the barn including Chris, myself and Dan. I was seriously worried that we were about to play a show for absolutely no one. I said to Dan, “Do you think anyone is going to come to this thing?” He laughed and replied, “Oh, they will be here.” And just as he said that he pulled open the big garage door and people started flooding in and by the time Chris hit his first chord there were well over 100 people. That number just grew and grew as the day went along. So I felt much better, filled a glass with their number one seller, 20 East, a hazy New England style IPA and watched Chris kill it as only he can.

You could hear the goats calling out in the distance and the birds singing along in the rafters. Just like every craft beer and every song, each stop on the Original Gravity MicroTour has been unique and quite different. This was a magical day and everyone in the barn was smiling and having a great time. To make it even more special, we learned that this particular day marked the one year anniversary of the brewery.

I would like to thank Len Widdekind, the entertainment director, for allowing us to play. Len is a fellow musician with great taste so we were honored that he fit us into the schedule. After the show, Dan invited us into the tasting room and laid out a spread of delicious farm-raised food that Chris and I devoured while he told us passionate stories of the family’s origin. You could feel his sincerity and pride with each story he told.

Many thanks to the Palladino family and all of those involved at Heritage Hill for carrying on a tradition and creating such a wonderful space for the community to enjoy.  The only thing more abundant than the beer were the smiles. Happy anniversary Heritage Hill Brewhouse and here’s to many more years of music, beer, crops & beef.

Two things that I have come to realize during this short run:

1. Playing the shows, contributing the written pieces, filming and editing the videos, writing poetry on demand and taking the photographs all while drinking craft beer is exhausting. So when I pulled into the parking lot and saw Brian Cornish with his camera it really helped take the pressure off. Thank you to Brian for capturing these wonderful photos.

2. I’ve have discovered a common thread throughout this tour. I understand that this is a general statement but from my experience, brewmasters don’t like to be recognized. They like to just do their thing and make their beer. I’ve had a really hard time getting these guys to open up and take credit for the amazing brews they are making but they are too humble. It almost adds more mystic to the art of brewing.

Below is fan-recorded audio of Powell’s Saturday set courtesy of Chris Fisher.

The Original Gravity Tour concluded Sunday with an outdoor performance at Local 315 Brewing Company in Warners. Powell’s thoughts on the final day of the tour will publish here on Tuesday.

October 15, 2019
Guest Contributor Exclusive: Mike Powell and Chris Merkley Kick-Off Original Gravity Tour at Copper City Brewing in Rome

Editor’s Note: Mike Powell is a singer-songwriter from Central New York. In addition to his work as a solo artist, he also leads the soulful rock band The Black River. Powell and fellow CNY singer-songwriter Chris Merkley are embarking on a four-show Original Gravity mini-tour of microbreweries across the state searching for the connection between songwriting and brewing.

This is the first of a four-part NYS Music series contributed by Powell. Additional photos contributed by NYS Music staff.

There are few relationships more felicitous than the one that exists between beer and music. My love for songs and storytelling began in the late ’80s when I was just a kid laying on a shag carpet underneath our Formica kitchen table. My father would regularly invite his work buddies over to our house after the whistle blew at the paper mill and they would sit around banging away on old guitars, breathing into harmonicas and drinking cases of Genny Light. I would hide quietly, listen closely and watch as their oil-stained work boots tapped along to the beat of songs like “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”, “Desperados Waiting For A Train” and “On The Road Again”.

At the conclusion of just about every song, one of the men at the table would take the floor and share an often hilarious story with the others. These stories and these songs from hardworking men in greasy blue uniforms in many ways became the backbone of what I’ve spent the past ten years of my life doing. Above the sound of the human voice, the wailing tone of a harp and the thump of a dreadnought I so vividly remember the signature snap of that blue aluminum can popping open – beer was just part of the ceremony.

The genesis of the Original Gravity MicroTour was a simple phone conversation I had in August with my friend and fellow songwriter Chris Merkley. He and I became fast friends last year while doing a run that included stops at some of the best little theaters in Central New York like Nelson Odeon, Borodino Hall, Earlville Opera House and the Auburn Public Theater. His ability as a performer is undeniable but what I find most admirable is his strong sense of community and ability to inject creativity into all that he does. Take a trip out to Cortland for one of his Seedstock Music Festivals and you’ll see exactly what I am talking about.

This particular conversation centered around playing shows together again but we didn’t want it to be standard boilerplate. We both needed to do it differently and find a way to shine a light on other like-minded folks doing amazing things in their own arenas. Our talk quickly spun out of control, per usual, and our minds started collectively racing towards the topic of a small craft brewery tour.

We talked about how craft breweries have created a whole new stage for original musicians like us and how grateful we are that they exist. We started asking each other deep psychological questions like, “Do people that prefer a craft beer experience have something in their make-up that makes them more apt to digest original music?” “Are there similarities between songwriters and brewers?” “Why make your own beer when there’s plenty of great beer being made all around the world?” “Why write songs when there are millions of amazing songs already written?” The aim of the Original Gravity MicroTour is to take a four-night deep-dive exploration into the analogous union between original songwriters and craft brewers.

After I hung up with Chris I immediately put in an excited call to my dear friend Mike Kohli who happens to be one of the biggest music supporters I know, a lover of craft beer and the editor of this here media outlet. I told Mike our plans and I asked if he would perhaps allow me to be a guest content provider during the MicroTour and he graciously agreed. He told me that he has had a very similar idea kicking around in his brain for quite some time and has been waiting for the right moment to tell the story.  And since I had him on the phone already I decided to push the envelope and take it one step further. I said, “How about we kick the thing off on your home turf, Copper City Brewing Company?” And he said, “HELL YEAH…I mean, let me check with the owners Dan and Lori.”

For over 80 years, the city of Rome has lacked the presence of a local microbrewery. Prohibition effectively shut down the last of them in the 1930s and the void remained until the visionary couples Dan and Lori Colasanti Frieden and Eric and Erica Sheible Daniels spoke up in 2015 and announced their ambitious plans to bring brewing back to Rome. After looking all over town for the right property they landed on a renovation project at 1111 Oneida Street on Rome’s east side.

When you push through the doors of CCBC you’ll most certainly be greeted with a big smile from behind the bar as your eyes scan around the modern industrial motif. The fresh grainy smell will hit your senses, your mouth will water and your palette will prepare. As a musician, the first thing I noticed walking in was an elegant nook off to the left with comfortable seating, board games and a guitar on a stand that is welcome to be played by any and all patrons. The room itself is an interesting juxtaposition because although it has several rigid metal touches it somehow gives off a thoughtful warmth. I’ve played shows at Copper City three or four times now and I’ve come to realize that the warmth comes from the people inside it.

Chris and I had an awesome time on night number one.  Perhaps my favorite part of the night was our attempt at doing on-demand poetry. During Chris’ set, he asked the crowd to throw out a couple of words and I would be tasked with writing a poem related to them in real-time and present it by the time I took the stage. Well, the audience gave me “Camel Unicorn” and I thought I wrote a pretty good poem under pressure. But after my reading, I asked for the audience to now give me a couple of words for Chris to work with and I selected “Asbestos Shed”. I thought he was going to struggle. But in true Merkley fashion, he won the night and got the biggest eruption from the crowd with his incredible tale of smashing his face after falling not so gracefully from a shed as a kid.

Big thanks to Copper City for the incredible hospitality, wonderful beer and all that came out to hear us. This train rolls on to Abandon Brewing tonight in Penn Yan where I plan to dethrone Merkley as the top on-demand poet on this tour.

Below is a video documenting the first night of the tour. Featured are Copper City Brewing Company co-owner Dan Frieden and the brewery’s talent buyer and NYS Music Editor-in-Chief Mike Kohli.

Powell and Merkley continue their tour on Friday, Oct. 11 at Abandon Brewing Company overlooking Keuka Lake in Penn Yan. Tickets for the 8:00 p.m. show are available at the door. Additional dates on the tour include Heritage Hill Brewhouse in Pompey on Saturday, Oct. 12 and Local 315 Brewing Company in Warners on Sunday, Oct. 13.

Mike Powell & Chris Merkley perform at Copper City Brewing in Rome

Mike Powell interviews Chris Merkley

Chris Merkley

Chris Merkley

Mike Powell

Mike Powell

October 11, 2019
Injury Postpones Gordon Lightfoot Tour

Gordon Lightfoot has postponed the October and November dates of his “80 Years Strong” due to a leg injury the Canadian balladeer sustained while working out earlier this year.

The 80 year-old Lightfoot was scheduled to perform dates at Binghamton’s Broome County Forum on Oct. 25, Buffalo’s Kleinhans Music Hall on Oct. 28, Rochester’s Kodak Center on Oct. 29 and Utica’s Stanley Theater on Nov. 3.

A statement from Lightfoot’s representatives stated, “Doctors orders have mandated that Gordon will not be sufficiently recovered, due to complications from an injury sustained while working out at his gym, and will be unable to travel in time for his upcoming tour.”

Tickets already purchased may be refunded at the point of sale and all tickets will be honored at the rescheduled dates, which are expected to be some time in June.

October 9, 2019
Keller Williams’ Extensive Fall Tour Will Bring Him to Albany & Syracuse

With his autumnal tour schedule this year, Keller Williams will be making two fall stops in Upstate NY with shows in Albany at Skyloft on October 24 and Syracuse at the Westcott Theater on October 25. Williams is an artist who defies categorization. With his dynamic and unpredictable live performances, he has developed a reputation for his genre-defying work and creativity.

Williams is constantly evolving as an artist, with 24 studio releases and countless eclectic side projects. After just releasing his latest studio album Add on May 31, Williams is set to come out with his 25th studio release SPEED on November 22. SPEED will feature his bluegrass outfit Keller and the Keels, comprised of Keller on vocals along with progressive flatpicker Larry Keel and bassist Jenny Keel. The record will be their reinterpretation of popular songs with their psychedelic, Appalachian bluegrass style, including Fiona Apple’s “Criminal,” Kacey Musgraves’ “Slow Burn,” Weezer‘s “Island In The Sun,” and many more. This will be the group’s third collaboration together, following their 2006 release GRASS and the all-covers album THIEF, released in 2012.

Williams inhabits an equal parts entrancing and perplexing center of a Venn diagram that includes…bluegrass, jamgrass, musical humorism, satire, and instrumental prowess that combines flatpicking sensibility with Phil Keaggy-style ingenuity.
Justin Hiltner – The Bluegrass Situation

Check out fall tour dates below, for more information and tickets, go to Keller William’s website.

Keller Williams 2019 Fall Tour Dates

October 11 – Eureka Springs, AR – Hillberry “The Harvest Moon Festival” *

October 12 – Live Oak, FL – Sewanee Roots Festival *

October 17 – Columbus, OH – Woodlands Tavern

October 24 – Albany, NY – Skyloft

October 25 – Syracuse, NY – Westcott Theater

October 26 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts

November 1 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s *

November 2 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony

November 7 – Edmonds, WA – Edmonds Center for the Arts #

November 8 – Bremerton, WA – Admiral Theatre #

November 9 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom #

November 10 – Bend, OR – Tower Theatre #

November 15 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Ballroom

November 16 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club

November 22 – Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf

November 23 – Denver, CO – The Ogden Theater @

December 5 – Brevard, NC – 185 King Street

December 6 – Carrboro, NC – The Arts Center

December 27 – Savannah, GA – Southbound Brewing

December 28 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West

* with Keller & The Keels

^ with Grateful Grass ft. The Infamous Stringdusters and Oteil Burbridge

# featuring Keller Williams’ Pettygrass

@ with Grateful Grass, Keller & The Keels, Love Canon

October 2, 2019
CNY Songwriters Mike Powell and Chris Merkley to Embark on Mini Brewery Tour

Central New York songwriters Mike Powell and Chris Merkley will celebrate the connection between craft beer and music this October with their first mini-tour of local breweries, fittingly in their home region, which at one time produced 90% of the hops in the U.S.

Since the passing of the Craft New York Act in 2014, more than 400 licensed breweries have opened across the state. Not only did this act create many new places to sample craft-brewed beers, but it also created almost as many new performance spaces for musicians. Powell and Merkley have chosen four of these breweries for their 4-pack micro tour, dubbed Original Gravity.

In brewing terms, original gravity refers to the specific gravity of the wort prior to fermentation, which is the process that produces the beer. The name of this mini-tour fits perfectly within that theme. The two friends are embarking on the first of what they hope will be a continuing series of brewery stops. This tour will measure the original gravity of this type of endeavor.

They’ll be exploring different perspectives on the idea of craftsmanship, taking a closer look at the similarities between songwriters and brewers while documenting their travels as part of a collaboration with NYSMusic. The folk, blues and Americana-inspired songwriters will make stops in Rome, Penn Yan, Warners, and Pompey between October 10 – 13.

Mike Powell and John Hanus of the Black River provided by press contact person for Woods Fest Music Festival.

Singer-songwriters spend countless years honing their craft and exploring the endless possibilities and nuances of pairing lyrics to music. When these songs finally make it to the microphone, they impact listeners with a wide range of thoughts, feelings, and emotions. In similar ways, a craft brewer can enter into the tradition of brewing beer and spend as many countless years refining their recipes and process to create just the right balance of flavors and notes for that first sip.

The first stop of the tour takes Powell and Merkley to Copper City Brewing Company in Rome for a Thursday, Oct. 10 show. Established in 2016, Copper City is Rome’s first brewery since the 1940s. With 11 beers on tap and a selection of hard ciders and wines hand-selected from the region, Copper City has dedicated itself to bringing brewing back to the community and is proud to be the first local microbrewery in over seven decades. Music starts at 7 p.m. and admission is free.

Mike Powell

The second show of Original Gravity takes the songwriters west to Abandon Brewing in Penn Yan on Friday, Oct. 11. Perched atop the Finger Lakes, Abandon Brewing Company is a geothermal-powered craft brewery located in a reused farmhouse overlooking Keuka Lake. Visitors can enjoy tastings in the taproom, a pint in their beer hall or out on the deck overlooking the grapes, apples and hops of Abandon Acres. Music starts at 8 p.m. and tickets to the show are now available through the Facebook event and through Eventbrite.

For the third show of the tour, Merkley and Powell travel to a brand new brewery in Pompey called Heritage Hill Brewhouse. With farm-to-table dining options and an expansive property that features multiple playgrounds and patios, a pumpkin patch, and numerous gardens, Heritage Hill offers views as far as the Carrier Dome and across nine counties on a clear day. Powell and Merkley are scheduled to perform on their outdoor stage at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. In the event of inclement weather, music will move indoors in Heritage Hill’s event barn.

The fourth and final show of the micro tour brings the songwriting duo to Warners for a performance at Local 315 Brewing Company. Growing their own hops at Fawn Crossing Hops Farm, and supplementing other ingredients from as many New York State products as possible, Local 315 Brewing has made it a mission to keep it local in the 315. Music starts at 3 p.m. on the 12th and will take place on the outdoor stage weather permitting.

With a vintage voice and a chest full of hauntingly heartfelt songs, prolific storyteller Mike Powell is the underground messenger of blue-collar soul. Each night the lights go up, this pioneering poet lets his guard down and allows the fervently fearless stories to come to life. His comfort behind a microphone and unique brand of atomic folk creates a vibe that warms the room like a long-ago fire burning hot inside a cabin in the woods.

Armed with a pair of homemade wooden boxes, resonator guitar, and a suitcase full of harmonicas, Chris Merkley has performed over a thousand shows from the streets of Paris to venues throughout Europe and across the United States. He has released nine albums with a variety of groups which include the songwriting duo Merkley & Morgan, his high-octane country/blues belting band of globetrotters called The Crooners, and the swampy blues rock trio Digger Jones. In addition to an extensive career of recording and touring, Merkley has composed and produced catalogs of original music for Cinemax and HBO and has had his songs featured in numerous independent films and television broadcasts.

Throughout the duration of Original Gravity, there will be regular updates at NYSMusic featuring blog-style entries to document tales of their tour. Accounts of the shows as well as perspectives on the unique characteristics of each brewery, and their approach to brewing will be covered along with stories from the road. More information on the music of Powell and Merkley can be found on Facebook or by visiting their websites at MikePowell.co and ChrisMerkley.com.

Follow Mike Powell on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Chris Merkley on Facebook and Instagram.

October 2, 2019

Built in Breakdance