Incredibly entertaining performances consumed SummerStage by all bands, each unique in their own sonic essence. Funky grooves, and a little shred, is a good way to describe their sounds. The rain didn’t stop the fans from enjoying this sold out show in Central Park. The weather looked promising as the skies cleared for Kikagaku Moyo, but soon came back half way through Khruangbin’s set.
Category: Regions
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In Focus: Kiss Jupiter Hall Goodbye With Revenge Tribute
The final show at Jupiter Hall, Albany, NY
On Friday night, June 14, Albany’s Jupiter Hall closed their stage for the last time; but before the darkness, the venue was alive with flashing lights, fans, great music – and snow!
Another great show by Chaos Collective and Joe Von Schnizel, The Jupiter Hall venue went out with a bang! The feeling at the show was not one of despair, but rather a celebration. Four bands played, but they seemed to have the hearts of all the prior bands within them, and they gave it all to the appreciative fans.
Revenge, a Kiss tribute band was the headliner, following an energetic lineup featuring: Frank Palangi band, The Hard Luck Souls, and Wasteland Junction.
Frank Palangi Frank Palangi, an indie rock songwriter, opened the show with his band. His deep, full voice is reminiscent of Dave Gahan, the lead singer of Depeche Mode. His range was amazing, ccompanied by Greg Auffreduo on drums. You can catch some of his upcoming shows at Abrews in Dracut, MA on June 23 or The Schenectady Armory Center, June 29. For a list of other events, see his website.
Setlist: Set Me Free, Live It Up, Intro, It’s All Right, Break These Chains, Metallica Mix, Turn It All Around, Purple Haze.
Chris Itani Next up were The Hard Luck Souls, an original blues-influenced hard rock band from the Capital District. Chris’ cool bluesy rock voice, led the tight, well-rehearsed group featuring Chris Itani on vocals, Brian Gentile on guitar, Mark Schmidt on drums and Dave Smassanow on bass. The setlist was from their 2017 CD, Closer to the Flame, and included: “You’re Not a Saint,” “In My Head,” “Izzy’s Thunder,” “Believer,” “Fly Away,” “Get Back,” “Better Keep On Running,” and “I’m Not Ashamed.”
You can catch The Hard Luck Souls at the Troy Farmers Market on June 29, 2019, Check their Facebook page for more times and locations. Check their Facebook page and sample the CD here.
Bob Messick, Bassist for Wasteland Junction The show kept moving along with Wasteland Junction, a hard rock band from Schenectady, NY. The sounds of Wasteland Junction kept fans on their feet. Bob Messick held it down on Bass, R.J. Fowler on drums, Chris Fowler on rhythm guitar and Cy Romleski venturing on lead guitar completed the group. You can see them on August 2, at Chrome in Waterford, NY with Revenge (Kiss tribute band).
Setlist: I Profit, Tooth in Nail, Ride the Lightning, Cold Sweat, Iron Fist, What Your Doin’, Stone Cold Crazy, Kill the King, Priest Medley.
David Smith The night closed after Revenge, the Kiss Tribute band swept up the stage with a wild performance. The music was loud and rocking. How fitting to have “Rock and Roll All Night” as the last song. The venue has died, but the memories of the music and the bands will rock, and roll all night. Thank you to all the entertainers, the event coordinators, promoters, staff and especially, the fans. Let’s keep local music alive.
Setlist: Detroit Rock City, Psycho Circus, Rise to It, Deuce, Lick it Up, A Million to One, War Machine, Hide Your Heart, Shock me, Love Gun, I was Made for Loving You, Black Diamond, and The last song of the set, the last song of the show, the last song played at Jupiter Hall, was Rock and Roll All Night!
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Mountain Jam 15, Deja Woodstock
Mountain Jam marked year 15 by migrating to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the site of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival. When the change was announced earlier this year, Mountain Jam co-founder Gary Chetkof shared with the Poughkeepsie Journal: “What could be more amazing than Bethel Woods and the home of the Woodstock festival… It was really just a matter of going to the promised land.”
Driving up on Friday (day two of the four day event) I turned off NY Route 17 onto 17B. Headed down this one-lane road affectionately named “The Woodstock Way,” I started to imagine what it was like in 1969 as people abandoned their cars on the road and started walking the final 10 miles to the festival. The closer I got, I could hear Arlo Guthries’s iconic “THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY’S CLOSED, MAN!” in my head.
Peace flag Festival organizers took advantage of the great expanse that Bethel Woods had to offer. The box office was located on the southern perimeter of Bethel Woods in a remote field with tall grass and mud. The flashback was suddenly becoming real. After hiking up a hill toward the festival, I found myself looking out over the site of the original Woodstock. Images of 1969 started flashing before me.
I was quickly brought back to 2019 as I strolled past campers and RV’s of various sizes and shapes with glamping professionals nestled in their folding chairs, munching on BBQ, and consuming their favorite beverages. At the entrance pockets were emptied, bags checked, and metal detector wanding was carried out by security.
Phil Lesh & Friends Mountain Jam, spelt out in 10-foot tall letters with teepee bookends, greeted me. The sound of music was immediate. The first stage I encountered was the Valley stage, a medium sized stage with a Ferris wheel parked next to it. Acts including The Nude Party, Hollis Brown and Tyler Ramsey performed there. The Valley stage also served as the location for late night jam sessions by Andy Frassco & the U.N. and Consider the Source held on Friday and Saturday nights.
Headed farther into the festival you came upon the Mountain Stage (main pavilion amphitheater) which hosted featured performers Gov’t Mule, Willie Nelson, Dispatch, The Avett Brothers, and Phil Lesh & Friends to name a few. Add to that the Terrace stage; a performance space with seats built into a hillside, VIP stage where special acoustic sets were performed by acts who had played bigger stages earlier that day, and an event gallery space. With this cornucopia of musical riches it made it difficult to chose who and where to go to listen to music. On Saturday and Sunday the Hudson Valley based band Yard Sale busked throughout the site, injecting a free form feeling reminiscent of 1969.
The vibe, the location, the history, the people
Intended to celebrate radio station WDST/Woodstock’s 25th anniversary, Mountain Jam started as a one-day event in 2005 by principle station owner Gary Chetkof and Warren Haynes. After 14 years at Hunter Mountain the decision to move to Bethel Woods was made. A move of 70 miles from its original location at Hunter Mountain, proving to be light years away from the previous home. The vibe from the original three days of Peace and Music festival was palpable. Tie dye, bare feet, singing and dancing was the norm. A “Wish Tree,” part of Yoko Ono’s ongoing Imagine Peace art installation series invited people to make a wish; write it on a piece of paper and attach it to the tree. The on-site security and support staff wore t-shirts with Peace Patrol emblazoned on their backs. Babbling brooks illuminated in multi-colors, open fields and dream catchers situated throughout the site augmented the vibe.
Those in attendance ran the gamut from old to young. Parents were there with their adult children, sitting on the hillside, sharing beers together while new parents introduced their young ones to the experience of live music. Many took advantage of the beautifully maintained grounds of Bethel Woods seaking out remote spots, allowing them to chill out and absorb the spirit that was Woodstock.
Zen moment The Music
In addition to over 40 bands performing at this years Mountain Jam, rock and roll photographer Jay Blakesberg, know as the photographer of the Grateful Dead, shared a slide show telling presentation of his work to a packed event gallery audience. An easy to use Mountain Jam app was available to help you track of all the performers, their set times, locations, and help you plan your daily daily schedule. It also updates you to special activates happening in real time.
A highlight of the festival was Gov’t Mule’s Saturday night appearance (they played Friday night also) paying tribute to the bands that had performed at the original Woodstock festival. Warren Haynes, backed by percussionist Tato Melgar of Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real, opened the set with Richie Havens’ “Freedom.” The band’s set included The Who’s “Eye Sight to the Blind,” CSNY’s “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” and Sly Stones “I Want To Take You Higher.” Throughout the night Gov’t Mule was joined on stage by special guests including Lukas Nelson, and Arleigh Kincheloe and Jackson Kincheloe from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. They ended the evening’s tribute with a blistering encore of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Sight Return).”
Rain did find its way to the festival late Saturday night and sporadically on Sunday, but with all stages having protective covering (the amphitheater has a permanent roof over the seats) the music never stopped. Being the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, who wouldn’t have expected it to rain at some point. After a successful four days and establishing a new location, Mountain Jam has secured the future of Peace & Music in the Hudson Valley.
Gov’t Mule 
Toots & The Maytals 
Lukas Nelson and The Promise of The Real 
The Avett Brothers 
Amy Helm 
The Revivalists 
Mountain Jam couple 
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds 
Alison Krauss & Union Station 
Bella’s Bartok 
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead 
The Big Takeover 
Michael Glabicki 
Bethel Woods security 
Allman Betts Band 
Dispatch 
Michael Franti & Spearhead 
Father and son 
The Commonheart -
Hearing Aide: Hasty Page ‘Things To Do Before I Die’
Hasty Page and their official release party for Things To Do Before I Die is set for June 21 at The Linda WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio located in Albany NY. Tickets are $12.00 and the show kicks off at 8:00PM. The band will be continuing to support their new album with dates slated through the summer.
It’s been two long years since the Queensbury based alt/indie rock power trio Hasty Page has released new recorded material. Fans will be pleased to know that the wait is over with the release of their second full length LP Things To Do Before I Die, which dropped yesterday, June 20. This 11-track gem is a great follow up to their last release, Distance, and features tasty hooks that give the listener a whole lot. Hasty Page is comprised of Josh Morris (Lead Vocals/Drums), Zane Agnew (Lead Guitar/Vocals), and James Paolano (Bass/Vocals). The band was formed in 2015 and has sound that is reminiscent of such acts as The 1975, Nothing But Thieves and Pearl Jam.
Morris and Zane Agnew began playing acoustic duo shows around New York’s Capital Region, where they honed both their playing skills as well as their songwriting. A few months in, close family friend James Paolano was added to the roster on bass to fill out the trio. Since then, they have been playing regularly out in the Capital Region at The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Jupiter Hall, and even made the trip down to the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.
Things To Do Before I Die starts out in a very unique way with its first track “Sleep.” The tune is a mellow trance inducing intro that perfectly matches its title. The song features heavy synth and overdubbed vocals that paint a warm spacey dreamscape for the listener. The track quickly crescendos into a shockingly climatic vocal command, “GO TO SLEEP!,” after which the number abruptly ends. The second track, “Wake Up,” is a jolt back to reality that relies heavily on guitar, featuring a tasty musical hook. The song is a sort of call to arms, that lyrically challenges listeners to wake up to the problems that surround them in the world. Morris’ vocal chant, “One in ten of us all pretend,” eludes that people need to take a hard look around themselves and shake off the trance that they fall into while living their mundane everyday lives.
“Body Shots” is a guitar driven groove fest that highlights both Agnew’s funky guitar playing and Paolano rock steady bass beat. The song is upbeat and perfect for playing out live. The band is tight on this number and the boys are playing to their strengths, drawing on the experience that only a live performance can provide. It features catchy lyrics that reference drinking and sports, a beat made for getting out on the dance floor and moving your feet. “Body Shots” is one of the strongest pieces on the LP.
Perhaps the most radio friendly track on Things To Do Before I Die is the seventh track “Vices.” The single opens with an orchestrated synth introduction that is reminiscent of The Kings Of Leon and effortlessly transitions into Morris’ infectious vocal. The melody and chorus on this song are so pleasing that it makes perfect sense; Hasty Page would commit their time and energy into creating an expensively produced video for the tune. Although “Vices” features less of Agnew’s signature guitar sound and drifts more into the musical direction of pop, it is a catchy number that is memorable and is destined to be a fan favorite.
Key Tracks: Vices, Body Shots, Wake Up
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Dead and Company Ushers in Summer Season at SPAC: Weir and Mayer Make What’s Old New Again
Dead and Company ushered in the summer concert season at SPAC on Tuesday, June 18 with their bluesy, jazzy jam sessions that lasted late into the warm evening. Check out the setlist and photo gallery below.
Set 1: Feel Like a Stranger>Hell in a Bucket>Alabama Getaway, When I Paint My Masterpiece>It Must Have Been the Roses>Cumberland Blues>Cassidy>US Blues
Set 2: Here Comes Sunshine>Shakedown Street>Wharf Rat>Playing in the Band>Uncle John’s Band>DrumsSpace>Viola Lee Blues>Dear Prudence>Casey Jones
Encore: In the Midnight Hour>Playing in the Band
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New York Series: The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer In The City”
While thinking about all the phrases across the American songbook which define moments or places recurring through time, perhaps one which quickly comes to mind is “summer in the city.” The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In The City” is an ode to their hometown, inspired by New York City. Appearing in 1966’s Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful, the song eventually became synonymous with the excitement and liveliness of a bustling metropolis pulled between blistering days and cool nights of summer.
“Summer In The City” chronicles the range of highs and lows that come with living in New York City during the summer. Using the dogged heat of the day and the cool night breeze as scenes for each verse, John Sebastian shares a vignette of how the city and its people transform as the evenings set in.
During the day the heat is oppressive, reducing walking to a lethargic shuffle, with “people looking half dead.” Sebastian sings about the dense humidity accosting the back of people’s necks, and the sun baking the sidewalk until it can light a matchstick. Everything transforms as the evening rolls in; life becomes about going out, meeting someone and dancing the night away. People who start in the afternoon heat as panting dogs, become “cool cats,” looking for somebody to hang with. Much like the repeating nature of the song’s lyrics and chorus, summer in the city is a cycle, perpetuated by people’s desire to survive the day, only to take the night.
The Lovin’ Spoonful is: lead vocalist John Sebastian, guitarist Zal Yanovsky, bassist Steve Boone and drummer Joe Butler, with pianist Artie Schroek joining on “Summer In The City.” Sebastian and Yanovsky founded the band after years of being a part of the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk scene, crossing paths with the likes of Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty, who would later form The Mamas and the Papas. Many of their first songs played and recorded were representative of Sebastian’s origins in a jug-band folk style. It wasn’t until 1965’s single, “Do You Believe in Magic,” that the band began exploring a more popular, broad sound.
The band’s heyday was from 1965 to 1966, culminating with Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful, which was a deliberate attempt to experiment with various sounds and techniques. The following years were met with personnel changes within the band and the production team. Guitarist Yanovsky left the band largely due to a marijuana bust in the late ’60s as well as creative differences with the songwriting direction. Following a couple of records after 1967, Sebastian began a solo career, effectively causing the end of the band. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, bringing all four original members together before Yanovsky’s death in 2002.
“Summer In The City” climbed to number one on the Billboard chart during a time when folk music filled the still cigarette-stained air of bars and cafes, and traversed a majority of pop airwaves across the country. Though presented as a shorter, popular folk song, the circular and repeating nature of the lyrics positions the song as a jam, or even a mantra. “Summer in the City” is more than a season out of the year, it’s a state of being, represented by surviving the trials of the day in order to let loose at night.
“Summer in the City” lyrics
Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn’t it a pity?
Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city
All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match headBut at night it’s a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come on, come on and dance all night
Despite the heat, it’ll be all rightAnd babe, don’t you know it’s a pity
That the days can’t be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the cityCool town, evening in the city
Dressing so fine and looking so pretty
Cool cat, looking for a kitty
Gonna look in every corner of the city
Till I’m wheezing like a bus stop
Running up the stairs, gonna meet you on the rooftopBut at night it’s a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come on, come on and dance all night
Despite the heat, it’ll be all rightAnd babe, don’t you know it’s a pity
That the days can’t be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the cityHot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn’t it a pity?
Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city
All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match headBut at night it’s a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come on, come on and dance all night
Despite the heat, it’ll be all rightAnd babe, don’t you know it’s a pity
That the days can’t be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city -
Bonnaroo Opens Its Gates: A Melting Pot Embedded in Tennessee
Hello readers, I have finally made it back safely from my trip into the paranormal carnival that lives every year on the farm in Manchester, Tennessee. Yes my friends I am of course referring to the annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, now a larger than life gathering of existence and culture from around the world. I first attended Bonnaroo many moons ago, as a wide-eyed teenager, and it has been an absolute pleasure to return under the NYS Music banner to report back to you on all my findings there. I arrived of course with some foggy memory of what life on the farm was like, but no blurry recollection from years ago could prepare me for my trip through the wormhole and into the fertile cradle of vivacity that is Bonnaroo. Allow me to spin you a yarn of my discoveries as I breathed in all that this country’s largest camping festival had to offer. After all, Bonnaroo is indeed the beautiful mecca of discovery. Come with me as I gaze back at my wonderful weekend.
Photo by Rob Roane In its seventeenth consecutive installment Bonnaroo hosted a wide array of artists across its numerous official stages and instalments, but it hosted so much more than music. I will of course spotlight some of the incredible sound I absorbed from the stages, and I will also describe some of the additional color qualities that really cement this festival in greatness. Firstly, it is important to establish here too that Bonnaroo is a fierce beast of an endurance test. For four days and nights I sought out to hear old favorites, discover new ones, and bask in the glow in the diversity of the festival, and I did just that. Let’s start with my arrival on the farm.
Thursday
Arriving at a festival is always a special feeling. Those familiar with it know that the Thursday night energy can be something fierce. Patrons are fueled by an anticipation that has been building for months. The evening comes quickly, as Thursday is the only real day in which travelers are not encumbered by heat or other tiring forces that set in once the weekend really gets rolling. As I arrived on the farm, I was immediately reminded how different this place was than anywhere else on earth. I cannot state this enough friends: arrival at Bonnaroo is absolutely electric. As soon as my size 12 touched the hallowed grounds, I was infected with the vibe. Electric neon jumped from every avenue. Sound took over. This year’s festival saw 80,000 patrons make land, the most the site has had on it in some time, and the party was indeed completely sold out. Due to traffic, I arrived slightly delayed, but to my delight, Thursday’s Grand Ole’ Opry set was broadcast on the AM radio. I listened to the sound of Nashville as I set up camp, curated by the great Old Crow Medicine Show. While the reception was a little fuzzy, it came through clearly enough to remind me that while Bonnaroo is the true melting pot of the festival circuit, it is embedded in its Tennessee roots, as it should be. I moved quickly at camp, and finally departed for “Centeroo,” the central hub of the festival and venue area. The Nude Party, a twang rock operation from Boone, NC already had the Thursday party in full swing at “That Tent.” This sextet of rockabilly troubadours delivered a sound that I can only describe as very full, and present. They’re a mountain party in a pressure cooker that is just waiting to break out. The packed house crowd ate their energy up and delivered it back to the stage in a to and fro dance. It was good to be back.
I trekked onto “This Tent” to get my first taste of indulgence in new discovery of the weekend. Being from NC myself, I was plenty familiar with The Nude Party, but the next group I saw came under several recommendations preceding the festival. The Comet Is Coming is a progressive jazz psych funk trio all the way from London. This trident of a unit comprised of drums, sax, and keys assured the crowd that the comet was for sure coming. Their party consisted of an ongoing flow of rhythm in continues breaks and time changes that saw each member take lead while the others followed. Their little game of follow the leader always culminated a massive crescendo of interplay, which saw each member bursting at the seams with tempo. The jams always came to a boil, leaving the crowd in frenzy after each and every take. With no real soloist element amongst the trio, this was a true sound build band. Completely unrelenting high energy, my first time with The Comet Is Coming was a microcosm for everything that is great about this festival. I discovered my first new favorite band of the weekend, I was filled with intrigue and inspiration, and I left fulfilled, but certainly still hungry for more. The night was still young. Back across the causeway my eyes darted from one luminescent structure to another. This gathering had a heartbeat, the pulse of which is unmatched. I followed my feet to the Magic City Hippies, a new age digital indie funk operation from the majestic city of Miami.
The Magic City Hippies are a true Bonnaroovian outlet. They lace some familiar samples over breaks and supplement them with catchy guitar riffs all while interacting with the crowd, which continued to grow under the loving cloak of “That Tent.” They’re all fun, all the time, the way a Thursday night at the farm should be. Let me tip my cap to the way this lineup was curated and slotted. Those behind the scheduling at Bonnaroo are absolute masters. As the electro funk party simmered, I got a chance to catch up with the Magic City Hippies and talk about how much it meant to be at Bonnaroo, amongst such great company.
Photo by Rob Roane NYS Music: Can you guys talk a little about what it means to bring your block party vibe from Miami all the way to the big stage here at Bonnaroo?
Magic City Hippies: Ah man, you know, we know we’re here for a reason, to deliver what we love to deliver and that’s music. We come from Miami, a city rich of course with Latino culture so we knew early on that if we were going to make music that it had to make people move. To come here to the big stage, I was cheesing a little bit up there. We used to play sweaty house parties on a Friday night, the ones where it would just be us and twenty people in a room with the fog machine is on way too long and just sweating it out with our friends. The Bonnaroo Beacon called us an alt-pop-party starter band and that’s kind of what we are. We’re blessed to be here.
Thursday night ‘Roo is the party starter, and the Magic City Hippies were right in place. The party was far from over though.
Before Space Jesus descended on the mass to hit the crowd with the first real dose of bass, I stopped in the Snake & Jakes’s Christmas Club Barn to take in the Kasvot Växt dance party. The Christmas Club Barn is exactly what it sounds like- a blinking beacon of Christmas decorations complete with a full service bar and DJ booth. This is what Bonnaroo is about, random themed destination installations in which patrons can simply immerse themselves in surrealism, a theme that would reappear throughout the weekend. Strangely, little to no Kasvot Växt, a fictional Scandinavian rock band created by Phish was actually played during this set. Nevertheless, my eyes still gaped wide with stimulation from this interactive candy cane land.
Photo by Rob Roane Space Jesus, a New York native, took the throne on “The Other,” Bonnaroo’s third largest stage. This stage once was a tent, but the cover has long since been removed to form a fully operational stage used mostly for bass music throughout the weekend. Space Jesus wasted no time getting right down to it, as the thump from the woofers got deeper and deeper. I could see immediately that this type of stuff is what many of the patrons craved and was what they came for. This is a snapshot of how Bonnaroo has changed in the years since I once frequented the farm. Not in a bad way though, the bass hawks are devout fans, will follow an artist like Space Jesus wherever he goes, and help establish the diversity in genre that allows for this festivals long term continuance and success. It was nice to see the mostly college aged crowd head banging in unison to the deep melodic womp of Space Jesus. This man came to get down (he came to get down), and being that there were no seats (nor would they be needed), the kids jumped around.
The clock now lingered past two in the morning as I sauntered back to camp, so filled with excitement and purpose. I had finally come home; after all it was this festival that sparked my real love for live music and the culture that surrounds it. One foot back onto the already beaten path leading into the massive campgrounds and another creature of the surreal approached me. A GIANT VW Beetle-like motorist comes cruising down the road, two stories tall, laden with go-go dancers and sewn in all kinds of light, this mechanized creature of the night is apparently a staple of the roadways at the festival, and made its first pass through the hordes. Conceived in some kind of post apocalyptic Mad Max comic book acid trip, this stuff happens only at Bonnaroo my friends, only at Bonnaroo.
Friday
I awoke Friday morning under what Bonnaroovians know to be very mild conditions. A place known for its unbearable heat, most of the weekend’s temperatures hovered in the mid seventies, a blessing for all those in attendance. While we did have to brave the heat and subsequent dust bowl circumstances would come later in the weekend, Friday proved to be quite pleasant. The first full day of the festival was now underway, I got my first chance to really hone in on what makes Bonnaroo standalone: diversity. In the prior night’s darkness and absolute loony-bin madness it was hard to make out the exact complexions of those sharing the crowd around me. In Friday’s daylight I was able to make a first real glance at this feature. I took in some fantastic acts on Friday, including the first dose of the weekend’s main headliner Phish, but first let me comment on the array of color at the farm in the form of its main attraction: the people.
Photo by Rob Roane On my morning walkabout I was immediately reminded and attracted to the real feature of Bonnaroo 2019. Bonnaroo is a culture sponge, a tapestry of different walks of life all sewn together under like-mindedness in music and community. There were so many different kinds of people at this festival. Bonnaroo really delivers in this regard. The population at the farm is a far more accurate depiction of the real world than an outsider would imagine. People of all races, genders, and ethnicities are strewn about at every nook and cranny of the grounds. It is beautiful. The diversity in the genres of the bands on the stages finally reflects the diversity of the crowd. Bonnaroo has evolved over time from its jam band central roots, to the diverse cultural quilt that it is now. Congrats to you Bonnaroo, and to you Bonnaroovians, for you are the true testament of the magic and greatness that lives at the farm. Now let’s see some music.
Photo by Rob Roane My first parlay at the “Which Stage,” Bonnaroo’s effective second stage, came with Nahko & Medicine for the People. Nahko brings this justice rich, earthy sound that is meant to inspire change and celebrate the planet. Nahko moved through his big poppers “Budding Trees” and “Black as Night” before I moved on to pop through Catfish and The Bottlemen, and a little of Parquet Courts. The former radiated this wild alt 90’s British rock, while the ladder boomed with New York flavor. Paul Vile (Jelloman) slung Jello shots into the crowd as Parquet Courts moved seamlessly through their post-punk catalogue. The New York sound was alive with Parquet Courts.
My first trip to the famed “What Stage,” the granddaddy of the Bonnaroo stages, I came for The Avett Brothers, a personal favorite at the festival, second only to the foursome from Vermont slated later in the evening. The Avetts smoothly laid into their set with “Vanity,” before turning the knobs to eleven with a nicely placed “Satan Pulls the Strings.” They queued up crowd pleasers “Ain’t No Man,” and “I Wish I Was,” before finishing strong on “Kick Drum Heart” and “No Hard Feelings.” It was great to see these North Carolina boys get their due yet again on arguably the biggest stage in the country. The sun began to sink low as the Avetts concluded, and I turned around backwards to face the mass and drink in this magnanimous movement.
Photo by Rob Roane I caught a handful of the GRiZ set before heading back to revamp for the evening, for it was an evening of Phish my friends. GRiZ is simply put: awesome. Not only was this one of the only sets of the weekend which saw a real melding of the ages in the crowd, it was of course full steam from the jump off to the time I departed. GRiZ bridges the gap between today’s jamtronica and yesterday’s mastery of horns and musicianship. The crowd at the “Which Stage” was a complete arsenal for GRiZ, and to this point in the weekend it was the biggest crowd I encountered. This is demonstrative of GRiZ’s appeal, and it’s no accident he was chosen to host the G.O.A.T. Superjam later in the night. More about that shortly, first, let’s talk a little Phish.
Phish returned to Manchester for their third romp on the farm, once again to deliver three sets in total. First, their late slot to face plant the crowd into rock. While many devout Phish fans bemoaned them for returning to ‘Roo to deliver presumably what they refer to as “a festival set,” not standard of a regular Phish show. One that does not involve lots of improv or creativity in the set list. A set that serves a purpose, to expose newer, younger fans to their music, while not going too far out and not getting so weird that the crowd is turned off in the same stroke. Well a big ole poo-poo to those fans, because guess what: Phish came on stage at Bonnaroo and tapped up a complete barnburner from start to finish. This was no average “festival set” people, this was a statement that the boys from Vermont were here, and they were not messing around. Yes, the crowd was notably younger than an average Phish show, but that’s a great thing. That ensures the longevity of the music.
Photo by Rob Roane I took in the set with Twitter’s Lil’ Nug, a young girl who has ascended to Phish fame after trolling the band a few months before, having no idea who they were, or why they were headlining Bonnaroo. A ripping “Carini”-> “Down With Disease” -> “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.” took the opening stanza. The band moved nicely right along through “Everything’s Right” before truly introducing the farm to what space smelled like with “Mercury” -> “Tweezer” -> “2001”-> “Steam.” Welcome to the land of milk and honey my friends, Phish had arrived at Bonnaroo. Lil Nug got down, I got down, and we all got down. Find a complete set list at the bottom of this recap.
Bonnaroo boasts the largest genre web of any festival of its kind. There is nothing more exemplary of this GRiZ’s G.O.A.T.: A Music Legends SuperJam. The jam featured artists from all over the spectrum coming together for one late night exclamation point that pays homage to music legends of the past, without whom events like Bonnaroo with remain only figments of grandiose imagination. This year’s jam featured GRiZ bringing one all star after another, including Nahko, Rubblebucket, Sunsquabi, members of Walk The Moon, members of Trey Anastasio Band, and so many more. This ridiculous collection of talent did justice to those that came before them. Climaxes included “So What’Cha Want” (Beastie Boys), “Right Place Wrong Time” (Dr. John), “Respect” (Aretha Franklin), “1999” (Prince), “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (The Beatles), and a litany of other stellar renditions of fabulous canon classics. Find the complete set list below.
Of the Superjam, GRiZ said:
“The major point of this thing is to play a bunch of rad music and continue to re-tell stories of the great people who played music in the past.” He went on specifically to comment on Dr. John, who had passed on the week before.
“The definition of funk music, which he carved out a large piece of, gave way to re-inventing music however you feel. You don’t need to put things in a bo or follow any rules or worry about what your heart feels about the music- you can just let it go.”
Knees quaking, mind melting, I moseyed through Girl Talk for a second before hiking back into the jungle party that lay outside the walls of Centeroo. I was happy to see Girl Talk playing old mixes, reminiscent of when I discovered the blend DJ years before. Exiting a superb Friday night, I was reminded that like New York, Bonnaroo does not sleep.
Phish setlist: Carini -> Down with Disease -> Say it to Me S.A.N.T.O.S., Everything’s Right -> Mercury -> Tweezer -> Also Sprach Zarathustra -> Steam, Martian Monster, More -> Harry Hood -> Character Zero
E: Possum -> Tweezer Reprise
G.O.A.T.: A Music Legends Super Jam with GRiZ set list:
Miserlou (Dick Dale) (Core Band), So What’Cha Want (Beastie Boys) (GRANT INTRO), Right Place Wrong Time (Dr. John) (Core Band), Could You Be Loved (Bob Marley) (Nahko, Nattali Rize), This Land Is Your Land (Sharon Jones) (Deva Mahal), Piece of My Heart (Janis Joplin) (Jennifer Hartswick), Valarie (Amy Winehouse) (Jennifer Hartswick), Respect (Aretha Franklin) (Chrishira Perrier), 1999 (Prince) (K. Flay, Chrishira Perrier), Mary Jane (Rick James) (Chrishira Perrier), DANG! (Mac Miller) (PROBCAUSE, Chrishira Perrier), Grinding All My Love (Nipsy Hussle) (PROBCAUSE), Lithium (Nirvana) (K. Flay), What I Got (Sublime) (GRiZ, MUZZY BEARR), Blackhole Sun (Soundgarden) (Linsay Ell), While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles) (Linsay Ell), Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash) (HOBO JOHNSON, RKS BASS & DRUMS), Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke) (SAM MELO, Jennifer Hartswick, Linsay Ell), Wake Me Up (Avicii) (NOAH KAHAN, Music City Mystique Drumline), Drumline Interlude (Music City Mystique Drumline), We Will Rock You (Queen) (Walk The Moon, Music City Mystique Drumline), Under Pressure (Queen & David Bowie) (Walk The Moon, Rubblebucket), Let’s Dance (David Bowie) (Rubblebucket, BLACKSTAR BAND), Life On Mars? (David Bowie) (Rubblebucket) (BLACKSTAR BAND), Freedom! ‘90” (George Michael) (Deva Mahal, MUZZY BEARR, Chrishira Perrier).
*Song (Original Artist) (Lead Performer)
Stay tuned for Part 2 of NYS Music’s Bonnaroo coverage!
Peace flag 
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Chenango Blues Association Announces Summer Concert Series and Chenango Blues Festival
Chenango Blues Association has announced a music-filled summer for Norwich with a summer concert series and the Chenango Blues Festival. The free concert series will run every Thursday at East Side Park from July 11 – Aug. 29, and the 27th annual Chenango Blues Festival will take place August 16-17.
The summer concert series features a variety of artists, spanning different genres, including reggae, blues, funky soul and more. Kicking off the series is Keesha Pratt Band, bringing their contemporary blues with a glimpse into the future of blues. The weeks following will bring the likes of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Garcia Project, Pink Talking Fish, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Neville Jacobs and 2019 Grammy award winners for ‘Best Bluegrass Album,’ Travelin’ McCourys. Food trucks from local restaurants will also selling food and beverages, to make the for the perfect Thursday summer night.
Highlights of the Chenango Blues Music Festival lineup include four time winner of the Blues Music Award for Entertainer of the Year, Tab Benoit, and 2019 Contemporary Female Artist of the Year, Danielle Nicole. Benoit plucks on your heartstrings with each strum of his guitar, you can feel the passion he puts into his music. Nicole’s strong and sultry voice with her distinctive bass work feeds your soul. The lineup also features Downchild Blues Band, Johnny Sansone, Joe Louis Walker Trio, and much more. Check out the full lineup below. Tickets are on sale now, check out the festival website for more information.
Chenango Blues Festival Lineup:
Tab Benoit
Downchild Blues Band
Mississippi Heat with special guest Lurrie Bell
Danielle Nicole
Joanna Connor
Pokey Lafarge
Joe Louis Walker Trio
Johnny Sansone
Jontavious Willis
Rick Estrin and the Nightcats
Gabe Stillman Band
Brian Golden Blues Experiment
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Woodstock 50 to Land at Vernon Downs in Central NY?
Woodstock may be returning to Central New York at Vernon Downs for the 50 year anniversary of the iconic music and arts festival. Scheduled to be held Aug. 16-18, some of the previously announced headliners for the event include Jay-Z, The Raconteurs, The Killers, Miley Cyrus, John Fogerty and Dead & Company.
The festival would still be held on the originally planned weekend of Aug. 16-18, only now possibly at Vernon Downs Casino Hotel in Vernon, a small town located along the New York State Thruway between Syracuse and Rome. There would most likely be no camping and the performances would run from until 11:00 p.m. each day.
After Watkins Glen International Speedway pulled out as host of Woodstock 50 on June 10, organizer Michael Lang vowed the festival would still be happening and that they were in discussions with other venues. It now appears that Vernon Downs was one of those venues.
Michael Lang is no stranger to the Central New York area. Woodstock ’99 was held at the decommissioned Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome. The festival drew upwards of 200,000 people that year and was marred by riots and sexual assaults that brought the festival to a fiery conclusion.
The harness racing track located on site has a past of hosting larger concert events, the latest being Aug. 29, 2012 when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band visited during the Wrecking Ball Tour. Track owners at the time suggested that they could comfortably host 30,000 people for the Boss’s show at their venue, a sharp decline from the 100,000 attendees Lang had originally anticipated for his event at Watkins Glen this year.
The track has also hosted Phish, the HORDE tour, the Other Ones (one of many Grateful Dead offshoots) and several versions of the regional radio festival, K-Rockathon.
Even with a lack of on-site camping, attendees would still have several lodging options in the area. The nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona has several hotels and an RV park. Other local options for lodging include two state parks at Verona Beach and Delta Lake, along with several private campgrounds and hotels in nearby Utica, Rome and Syracuse.
Ticketing information was unavailable at press time but would be contingent upon organizers acquiring final permits from the town. The lack of camping would preclude the need for a mass gathering permit from New York State.
NYS Music will have more information as it becomes available.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited to reflect a different number of attendees at Woodstock ’99.
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NYC’s The Reflections drop two songs you’ll want to add to your summer indie rock playlist
Brooklyn indie rock duo comprised of twin brothers Tim and Dan have recently launched the EP Two Songs under the name The Reflections. The release features the songs “Union Sq.” and “Beachy Preachy,” a pair of tunes steeped in contemporary NYC indie aesthetic, yet bearing overtones of classic 90’s alternative.
The brothers have been making music together for years, performing under the name Middle Infield. The re-branding occurred in conjunction with dropping the new songs.
“We changed our band name to The Reflections because we wanted a band name that represented ‘us’ more-so,” Tim told NYS Music. “With my twin and I, it’s always been a situation where the sum is greater than the individual parts; where people are more drawn to our collective energy by simply us being together… And when people meet us, they sometimes just see the same person ‘twice’. So our band name highlights this phenomenon, but once you get deeper we’re obviously quite different people.”
“Union Sq.” and “Beachy Peachy” were mixed by Hunter Davidsohn (Frankie Cosmos) and Mike Ditrio respectively, and mastered by Paul Gold (Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, and LCD Soundsystem).
Two Songs is just the beginning. The Reflections plan to record and release more songs this year. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates and events.
