Category: Regions

The Mavericks Chase Away Rain On Day Eight at Great NY State Fair

As the skies opened up on day eight of the Great New York State Fair, it didn’t deter anyone from taking a seat at Chevy Court awaiting the two-o’clock show that would feature one of the areas favorite bands, The Mavericks. People put on their ponchos, opened their umbrellas and patiently awaited the sunshine they knew was on its way from Miami. It had been three years since they last played the Syracuse Jazz Festival, and the impression it had left on the crowd was evident; they could care less that it was pouring rain. In fact, nor did I. With an umbrella in one hand, and my camera tucked neatly underneath protected from the elements, I too awaited this charismatic band to take the stage.

Celebrating 30 years together, the two original members Raul Malo and Paul Deakin, and long time members Jerry Dale McFadden and Eddie Perez were joined on stage by a full ensemble immediately kicking it into gear with favorite, “Back In Your Arms Again.” From the moment they took the stage, their eclectic mix of country, latin and rock and roll produced a signature sound that stops you in your tracks and demands your attention.

You’re locked in a trance. Your feet begin to move, your shoulders sway and your head begins to bob along with the beat Paul is laying down. Before you know it, Raul Malo’s sultry sound has you in his spell and you can’t help but dance along with Jerry as he plays his keyboards, or Eddie as he sways with his guitar. It’s inevitable. You can’t fight it.

Playing favorites such as “All Night Long” and “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down,” The Mavericks mixed up the set with covers of Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” and their newest release of John Anderson’s “Swingin.” Before you knew it, the set was over and all the rain had been chased away by these southern gentlemen. Perhaps it was the mash-up of “All Night Long” and “Let the Sun Shine In” that chased away the clouds. Or perhaps it’s just the sunshine they bring to Syracuse each time they play. Whatever their magic is, Syracuse couldn’t get enough and they once again brightened our day.

Setlist: Back In Your Arms Again, All Night Long / Let the Sun Shine In, Summertime (When I’m With You), Pretend, Easy As It Seems, Dance In The Moonlight, Loving You, Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen), As Long As There’s Loving Tonight.

Encore: Swingin’ (John Anderson), Come Unto Me, All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.

August 31, 2019
In Focus: Five Finger Death Punch and In This Moment Rock Binghamton

There aren’t many rock shows that roll through Binghamton, so when Five Finger Death Punch and In This Moment filled the near sold-out Broome County Arena on July 24, 2019, things got heated to say the least.

In This Moment brought their unique stage set and put on such an amazing performance. ITM puts on more than a show, it is truly a mesmerizing performance that leaves you wanting to see more. They ended their set strong with “Whore.” Their dancers came out dressed in Handmades Tale costumes, which was such a great nod to the series and leaves you wondering why thier song hasn’t been used in the series.

Headlining the show was Five Finger Death Punch. The tour was a mini break from their new album recording. It is amazing seeing how far this band has come. The band has had its ups and downs, but this show they gave everything they had to make it a great experience for Binghamton fans. You can tell singer Ivan Moody has found his happiness again on stage and that he loves connecting with their fans.

Five Finger Death Punch will be going out on another Headlining tour this Fall starting in November and this was a great warm up mini tour.

August 30, 2019
Joywave Releases Cinematic Music Video, Announces Tour with Bastille

Our obsession with Joywave continues. They’ve just released a new music video and announced that they’ll be touring with Bastille this fall. The video, shot entirely on Kodak film, consists of a series of trailers for fictional movies. With their signature wry humor, band members depict themselves as stars or directors of movies from a variety of genres including westerns, horror, action, and drama. The song “Obsession” is the second single from their forthcoming album, set to release in the next year.

The video release comes ahead of their upcoming fall tour. Joywave plays Madison Square Garden on Sept. 24. See the full list of tour dates below. These tour dates are in addition to the final performance of their intimate “Posession Sessions” series in London on Nov. 20.

JOYWAVE

ON TOUR WITH BASTILLE

Sept. 16 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA

Sept. 17 – Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA

Sept. 18 – Place Bell – Montreal, QC

Sept. 20 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON

Sept. 21 – The Anthem – Washington, DC

Sept. 22 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA

Sept. 24 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Sept. 27 – Mohegan Sun Casino – Uncasville, CT

Sept. 28 – Virginia Credit Union LIVE! – Richmond, VA

Sept. 29 – Express Live! – Columbus, OH

Oct. 1 – Masonic Temple Theatre – Detroit, MI

Oct. 2 – Chicago Theatre – Chicago, IL

Oct. 4 – The Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO

Oct. 5 – Salt Air Pavilion – Magna, UT

Oct. 7 – Theatre of the Clouds – Portland, OR

Oct. 8 – Thunderbird Sports Centre – Vancouver, BC

Oct. 9 – WaMu Theater – Seattle, WA

Oct. 11 – The Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley – Berkeley, CA

Oct. 12 – Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA

Oct. 13 – Open Air Theatre – San Diego, CA

Oct. 15 – Comerica Theater – Phoenix, AZ

Oct. 17 – South Side Ballroom – Dallas, TX

Oct. 18 – White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX

Oct. 19 – Austin 360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX

Oct. 21 – BJCC Concert Hall – Birmingham, AL

Oct. 22 – Municipal Auditorium – Nashville, TN

Oct. 23 – Coca-Cola Roxy – Atlanta, GA

Oct. 25 – Red Hat Amphitheater – Raleigh, NC

Oct. 26 – Daily’s Place Amphitheater – Jacksonville, FL

Oct. 27 – Bayfront Park Amphitheatre – Miami, FL

JOYWAVE POSESSION SESSIONS

Nov. 20 – The Lexington – London, UK

August 30, 2019
LOCKN’ 19 Marks Its Place in History
Derek Trucks sits in with Trey Anastasio Band.

Words By: Karina Verlan

Images By: Filip Zalewski (Essence Photography)

For the past seven years, LOCKN’ has been a true musical haven for improvisation, acting as a base for some of the most famous and remarkable collaborations. This year was no exception as some of this music scene’s most influential artists came together to share moments with festival patrons that won’t be forgotten any time soon.

The atmosphere at LOCKN’ this year was unique in that the festival felt smaller in scale compared to some of the past years when the grounds were overflowing with festivalgoers by virtue of acts like Phish, Disco Biscuits, The String Cheese Incident and Widespread Panic. In a way, the experience was more intimate and special as a result, with the performing artists’ music sweeping out into the crowd to bring their audience on a journey that was curated for their experience and their memories only.

It is always interesting to see the year-to-year tweaks that the festival implements to change the mood or improve the experience for patrons. This year, the thing that stood out was the late night shows in Garcia’s Forest, which included Circles Around the Sun, Soulive and Galactic.

Never miss a LOCKN’ sunset. Oteil & Friends

For those of us that have been six-to-seven year patrons of the festival, it is nostalgic to remember back to a widely favored and heralded set at LOCKN’ by the Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2014 in the Garcia Forest. What a trip, so many years later, to experience the powerhouse group headlining the festival, joined by superstar Trey Anastasio as the key acts of the weekend.

R.I.P Neal Casal, pictured at his last performance with Oteil & Friends.

Festivalgoers of this year’s LOCKN’ will forever evoke the memories of Neal Casal’s final performances, before our music community tragically lost him the Monday following the festival. This past weekend, Neal Casal performed late night on Thursday night with his outfit, Circles Around the Sun, which was orginially formed back in 2015 to record the interlude music for The Grateful Dead’s 50th Anniversary Fare Thee Well shows. Joe Russo performed a surprise sit-in with the group Thursday evening, in light of a collaborative EP that is due to release later this fall. Neal was seen again on stage with powerhouse group Oteil Burbridge & Friends, which also included Bob Weir and Duane Betts. Here is a clip of his solo on Thursday night with Circles Around the Sun:

“Interlocking” sets was the theme of the weekend, as always, at LOCKN’. Bob Weir graced a number of sets as a guest, as usual, including Oteil & Friends’ set where he sat in for “Cassidy” and a “Happy Birthday” song to Oteil; he joined Twiddle with Eric Krasno and John Popper for “Eyes of the World;” Old Crow Medicine; and Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians for “Deep Elem Blues.” Bob Weir was also “sitting in” during Joe Russo’s Almost Dead set when the camera spanned to him sitting side stage on a couch listening to JRAD’s set that included cuts like “Ruben and Cherise,” “Peggy-O,” “The Other One,” “Casey Jones” and “Uncle John’s Band,” to name a few.

Other notable moments of the weekend include one of the early sets of the weekend, when Trey played with the Thai-funk improv outfit Khruangbin, adding his legendary guitar licks to songs like, “Lady & Man” and “People Everywhere (Still Alive).” Moon Alice performed with the T Sisters and Lester Chambers and his son Dylan Chambers on Friday on classics such as “Uncle Johns Band” and “Attics Of My Life,” in addition to a few Moon Alice classics. Melvin Seals & JGB played a set together with John Kadlecik and the Pigeons Playing Ping Pong set had a sit-in from the Revivalist horns, to name a few more “Lockn’ Moments.” Honorable mentions should go to Fruition, who brought a sizable crowd to an 11 a.m. Garcia’s Forest set, finishing their performance with a crowd-requested “The Meaning.” Free Union started off the main stage performances on Saturday by inviting members of the Audacity Brass Band to play with them after their set was cancelled due to the storm on Friday.

Bob Weir and John Popper of Blues Traveler sit in with Twiddle.

But the weekend recap wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the extraordinary delicacy of seeing Trey and Derek performing together. Trey and Derek, certainly not strangers to each other’s guitar licks as the first time they played together was 20 years ago, had no trouble showing their respect for each other’s craft by adding the perfect additions to their respective sets. Starting with Friday night, Derek sat in for the entire second set with Trey Anastasio Band for songs like “Set Your Soul Free,” “Ghost,” and “Blaze On” with an additional sit-in from Susan on “A Life Beyond a Dream” and “Rise/Come Together.” On Saturday, Trey sat in with TTB for covers from the Derek and the Dominos’ classic album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs while TTB proper followed with “Keep On Growing,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” and “I Am Yours.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaJ4auxoI0E

Derek Derek Derek Trey Trey Trey

Once again, the spirit at LOCKN’ was alive and well this year, and is rooted deeply now for the tradition to continue next year all over again.
August 30, 2019
In Focus: Night Lights Music Festival 2019

Night Lights Music Festival 2019 once again warmed the souls of music lovers with a diverse lineup on the Heron Farm and Event Center in Sherman, NY. Patrons from Western New York and far beyond descended upon the beautiful grounds for three nights of revelry and artistic expression. Topping the bill this year was Night Lights staples Aqueous along with !!!, Big Something, and mash-up DJ extraordinaire Girl Talk. Check out some of the action at the gallery bellow by strawberry island dweller.

August 29, 2019
Hearing Aide: Chaz Hearne & The Dazzlers ‘Intelligence Is Rising’

To fully appreciate Intelligence Is Rising one must step back from the business (and busyness) of everyday life. As the nature shot on the album cover suggests, the music draws its inspiration from singer/songwriter Chaz Hearne and their getaways to national parks.

In the title track, Chaz Hearne & The Dazzlers encourage the listener to set down their devices and go out seeking enlightenment. This jaunty tune leads us deep into a lush soundscape. Layers of sublime harmonies and a medley of stringed instruments and piano send spirits soaring as high as the treetops on the album cover. No, higher. And the mood continues to lift through the next few tracks, cresting like the lofty mountaintops referenced in the songs “Montana” and “All The Peaks Sing.” The reverb on vocals resounds like echoes in the canyons. And twinkling piano notes spill over in a rambling cascade in “Under The Falls.”

“Now We March” starts like a typical folk song, featuring Hearne’s signature banjo-playing, perhaps signifying the start of a hike with one foot in front of the other. “Match your stride to meet my own / Now we’re two never alone,” Hearne sings. About halfway through the song, the trumpet breaks out in joyous celebration, like that moment when a wooded trail opens to a breathtaking vista.

The collection takes a turn with “Holy Moly.” The heavier musical elements lend an air of gravity to this song about the damage people have inflicted upon the environment.

Well we thought it never ended so
We lived with no consequence didn’t we
And we didn’t want a drastic solution
But it was too late, isn’t it
Isn’t it
Is it?
– lyrics from “Holy Moly”

At times infused with rock and at other times pulling in psychedelic dream-pop elements, Intelligence Is Rising surpasses expectations. You’ll find Hearne’s trademark fingerpicking on the banjo and clear tenor timbre. He also recorded the guitar, piano and organ parts for these songs. For this project, he was joined in the studio by a host of “dazzling” musicians: Susanna Rose on vocals, John Delmonico on cello, Emily Dipaola on trumpet, Willa Finck and Katie Knudsvig on violin, Reilly Solomon Taylor-Cook on bass, and Hannah Weidner on drums. The album cover was photographed and designed by Jacqueline Goodman.

Intelligence Is Rising represents both a celebration of nature and a call to action to protect and preserve the environment. Chaz Hearne & The Dazzlers have created an instant classic you’ll want to add to your playlist for your next back-to-nature road trip, or for anytime you need a breath of fresh air in your life.

August 29, 2019
In Focus: Marco Benevento closes out Alive at Five 2019 in Albany

Summer is slowly coming to a close, and the Capital Region of Albany has had a trove of music this summer. Starting with Tulip Fest in May, to the Music Haven series in Schenectady, an incredible summer calendar at SPAC, to local weekly series that bring communities together and, of course, Albany’s Alive at Five, the quad-cities of New York have some of the most eclectic music offerings around the state. Check out the final performer at Alive at Five, Marco Benevento Trio and get ready for his set at Adirondack Independence Music Festival this weekend in Lake George!

August 29, 2019
Santana Thrills at SPAC

Legendary guitarist Carlos Santana and his band delighted fans at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Friday, August 23 on part of his Supernatural Now Tour.

Coinciding with the anniversary of Santana’s 50th anniversary at Woodstock, the Supernatural Now Tour initially felt like a substitute for the long-promised (and repeatedly canceled) Woodstock concert.

Playing after the Doobie Brothers, who got the crowd on their feet dancing and singing along for a solid hour before the main event, Santana came out at 8:45 pm after showing a montage of Woodstock photos accompanied by some sultry, jazzy guitar, trumpet and keys. The photos started with a hand-painted sign from the 1969 concert stating “War is not healthy for children and other living things.”

Not only did the photos serve as a reminder that the then 19-year-old Santana shocked the world with his talent on the guitar at Woodstock, but that he has spent the last 50 years impressing crowds – and is still impressing them – with his passionate commitment to using music to empower others to do right by the earth. To top it off, the montage was accompanied by the music of one of Santana’s influences, Miles Davis.

Opening with one of Carlos’s earliest compositions, “Soul Sacrifice,” Santana and the band began the night with a heavy emphasis on jazz fusion with elements of rock. Santana’s soulful signature sound came through immediately as he shared the stage with other incredibly inspiring musicians. His wife Cindy Blackman Santana, a creative percussionist and legend in her own right, was captured by overhead cameras demonstrating precision and strength on drums that was inspiring. Ray Green and Andy Vargas were on vocals, Benny Rietveld, perhaps best known for his touring with Miles Davis, was on bass, and David Mathews was demonstrating how keyboards can lend swing to the melody. Rounding out with Karl Perazzo and Paoli Mejias, also on percussion, and Tommy Anthony on guitar, the Supernatural Now Tour appeared unnaturally gifted with musical genius.

While better known for a few of his popular hits in the 1990s, Santana is powerful in his intuitive fusion of rock, Latin and jazz. He’s expanded interest to African music, recently releasing Africa Speaks. The combination of styles was the right formula to get the crowd dancing, and to show off the creative aptitude of the band. Their performance of “Jin-go-bo-la,” accompanied by a video of African men and women dancing in traditional garb, intensified the high energy of the crowd. Smoothing into “Evil Ways” right afterwards, the vocalists shone while demonstrating flexibility in pitch, style and presentation.

The diversity of music styles kept fans guessing about what would happen next. From hosting the Doobie Brothers back on stage for “Some Kind of Wonderful” to instrumentals featuring Carlos Santana’s ever-evolving but still consistent signature sound, the concert was constantly shifting, expanding musical styles and blowing through boundaries.

Of course, the crowd went wild for “Oye Como Va,” a popular favorite. Dancing in their seats, fans were inspired by the powerful drumming and compelling vocal performances.

And then there was Santana on guitar, vital and creative as ever. The 69-year-old was spry as he moved across the stage, still curious about music, still passionate about sound and movement.

The musicians used bongos, whistles, maracas, tambourines, trombones and, of course, their voices, drum sets and guitars to really shake up the sounds. It was more like attending a world music concert than a pop or rock concert, which is just what Santana wants. Honoring Coltrane and Davis, he reflected on his love of jazz but also moved to include some Latin and African roots music too.

Carlos Santana is passionate about peace, children and saving rainforests. He was proud to have his family on stage with him, and his smile and brief words reflected a man who has found his place in the world. He’s passionate about music and expanding boundaries. And from listening to the songs from his new work, Santana’s passion is keeping him as vital and youthful as ever.

August 28, 2019
Slipknot Brings Knotfest to Darien Lake in Epic Fashion

The Knotfest Roadshow came to Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Sunday with one of the heaviest lineups currently touring the United States, starring Slipknot.

This was not just a tour, but the foundation for a yearly “Knotfest Roadshow” package that could continue to add heavy-hitting bands if Slipknot so desires. The traveling museum with the display of the band’s iconic masks and other items gave fans a much more personal touch and is another reason why this tour is so good.

Fans packed into the nearly sold out Darien Lake Performing Arts Center ready for one hell of metal show. Metal isn’t dead, and this show proves just that.

Behemoth took the stage as “Solve” echoed through the amphitheater with a giant backdrop of the United States and an upside-down cross in the middle of it. Fans unfamiliar with Behemoth were shown exactly what they are about with the satanic imagery, black skull masks, and chanting as the band took the stage. Immediately, Behemoth started their heavy and relentless set with “Wolves Ov Siberia”, which included some great pyrotechnics and followed right into “Daimonos”.

The only real break during their set was when Adam “Nergal” Darski went side stage and grabbed two flaming metal spheres and performed what appeared to be a ritual before blasting into “Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer” – the highlight of their set which was accompanied by tons of pyro.

Behemoth commanded the attention of everyone watching, with Nergal being a charismatic frontman. With the amount of pyrotechnics, showmanship, and overall incredible sound, one would expect this to be direct support to Slipknot. The only downside to their set was that it was only seven songs long.

Closing out with “Sabbath Matter”, and lastly “Chant For Eschaton 2000” – Behemoth left a very good impression. With a loud “HAIL SATAN!” yelled by Nergal the band ended their set and had the crowd on their feet wanting more.

Gojira was up next, and the progressive metallers from France would not disappoint. Opening up with “Toxic Garbage Island”, Gojira delivered a heavy eight-song set. Joe Duplantier displayed his impressive fretwork on the guitar, while still doing vocals throughout the night. The sound was flawless as the band played some of their biggest hits, including “Back Bone,” and the fan-favorite, “Flying Whales”.

While not as theatrical as Behemoth’s performance, Gojira had a stripped-down, raw, and heavy feeling that captivates you and draws you right in. Finishing off their set with “The Gift Of Guilt,” Gojira had an intense performance that left the crowd buzzing.

After a quick set change, it was time for Volbeat. Fans seemed to be pretty mixed on their feelings towards this band. Some really enjoyed them, while others were clearly there for the heavier acts of the night. Once frontman Michael Poulson took the stage, the band kept the spirit alive with “Devil’s Bleeding Crown,” an early rock and country influence with a taste of metal.

Volbeat also played some new material, including the song “Leviathan.” Other highlights from their set included the fan-favorite “Warrior’s Call” as well as the Slayer-influenced “Slaytan”. Ending their set with their most well-known song, “Still Counting,” the audience was very enthusiastic in singing along and seemed to pleasantly surprise even the more hardcore metalheads in attendance.

Finally, it was Slipknot time. After almost five hours from the time the show started (there was also a good 45-minute wait between Volbeat and Slipknot) the headliner was ready to take the stage. With a huge black tarp covering the stage with “Slipknot” written across lit up in an eerie orange glow, the hype was real. Fans were already screaming waiting for the curtain to drop, with the thought of Slipknot performing completely reinvigorating the entire venue.

The curtain dropped giving a view of the brand new stage production Slipknot has brought, and it is big. The new three-tiered stage is almost overwhelming when you first lay eyes on it. There’s so much going on you don’t really know where to start looking first. There’s video panel walls, air vent windmills, a treadmill that Sid Wilson marched on, and a couple of epic drum kits.

Each song was also uniquely lit to fit the mood. The heavy opener “People = Shit” was very red-hued, followed by a relaxing blue hue for “(sic),” and lots of pyro for “The Devil in I”.

With the very recent release of We Are Not Your Kind, Slipknot played a few new songs off the album. The crowd went nuts over “Unsainted,” which sounds amazing live. “All Out Life” was another new one that performed very well, and also included some awesome pyro and explosions.
Clown made his way down from up top with a flaming torch that he used to beat on a steel drum hanging from above during the performance of “Duality.” The performance of “Sulfer” seemed to raise the energy even higher than it already was with Corey Taylor going all out.

They ended their set with an encore of “Spit It Out” followed by “Surfacing.” The crowd did not seem tired at all from the amount of chaos they had been enduring. Corey Taylor is an incredible frontman and is absolutely dedicated to his art and performance. The Knotfest Roadshow is an absolute must-see for fans of metal and rock music. All the bands on the bill bring a unique, fun, and lasting experience. Each of these bands could have easily headlined, and the fact that a tour like this can be brought together makes it exciting for what future Knotfest Roadshows could entail.

August 28, 2019
Big Gigantic’s Rowdytown 3D Lights up the Brooklyn Mirage

NYC has waited for a Rowdytown. We finally got one last Friday as Big Gigantic’s Rowdytown New York 3D descended into the Brooklyn Mirage to a sold out crowd. Hippie Sabotage, Shallou, Louis Futon and ilo ilo were the supporting artists at this high-energy EDM event. The industrial views of Manhattan from the venue combined with the onstage sensory odyssey made for a crazy night of music.

Ashe sings with Big Gigantic

Ilo ilo started off the evening. Little is known about this enigmatic duo, though recently they took Louis the Child on a scavenger hunt through New York City to release the track “come thru.” Their eclectic mix of electro-pop and bass distortion really got the crowd going.

ilo ilo

Los Angeles-based Louis Futon brought his exciting mix of electronic hip hop, r&b and soul to the stage next. He was joined by Hailey Niswanger (flute, saxophone), Jawann Blanchey (drums) and Ariel Shrumpet (trumpet), with Blanchey on stage the entire time. His blend of fresh beats, organic instruments and clever visual displays was particularly tasty.

Louis Futon

Shallou, also from Los Angeles, kept the party going with delicious ambient and house melodies. The venue was almost full to capacity at this point, and the crowd was really digging Shallou’s visual production.

Shallou

Big Gigantic took the stage to a roaring crowd wearing 3D glasses. The band members include Dominic Lalli (saxophone/producer) and Jeremy Salken (drums). Behind the band sat a huge LED screen with vibrant 3D imagery that coordinated with the lights on stage and at high points in the venue. Big Gigantic played new hits and old favorites, starting with songs like “Touch the Sky” and “C’mon.” Halfway through the set, singer Ashe joined the band on stage for their recent collaboration, “Friends.”

Big Gigantic’s Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken

Sacramento, California’s Hippie Sabotage provided even more high energy as the late night entertainment after Big Gigantic’s monster set. This indie electro duo isn’t afraid of late nights, as they started at 2:20 a.m. and blazed into the night.

NYC is still reeling from our first Rowdytown 3D party. The outdoor festival feel was well executed, bands were on point, and the venue was perfect for the occasion. NYC looks forward to the next one.

August 28, 2019

Built in Breakdance