NYS Music 20​19

Category: Western NY

  • Black Crowes Tour Official – Several NY Sheds on Itinerary for 2020

    The Black Crowes announced tour dates on Monday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut album Shake Your Money Maker. The tour will see the Robinson brothers visiting amphitheaters across the country beginning June 17 in Austin performing their debut album in its entirety along with select hits.

    Chris and Rich Robinson appeared on Monday’s Howard Stern show to make the tour announcement. The extensive tour makes stops at Bethel Woods, Jones Beach, Saratoga and Darien Lake in New York and wraps at the Forum in Los Angeles on Sept. 19.

    The Black Crowes

    While this is being billed as a Black Crowes reunion, the brothers Robinson will not be performing with any of their former bandmates on this tour. Joining the Robinsons in the band are Isiah Mitchell (guitars), Tim LeFebvre (bass), Joel Robinow (keyboards) and Ojha (drums). The band last performed in 2013 with each of the brothers forming their own bands in the meantime.

    Tickets are on sale now. For information, visit the Black Crowes website here.

    June 17 – Austin360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX
    June 19 – Dos Equis Pavilion – Dallas, TX
    June 20 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX
    June 23 – BOK Center Tulsa, OK

    June 24 – Walmart AMP – Rogers, AR
    June 26 – Oak Mountain Amphitheater – Birmingham, AL
    June 27 – Cellairis Amphitheater at Lakewood – Atlanta, GA
    June 30 – Coral Sky Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, FL
    July 1 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
    July 3 – PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte, NC
    July 4 – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC
    July 7 – Ascend Amphitheatre – Nashville, TN
    July 8 – Ascend Amphitheatre – Nashville, TN
    July 10 – Veteran United Home Loans Amphitheater – Virginia Beach, VA
    July 11 – Jiffy Lube Live – Washington, DC
    July 14 – BB&T Pavilion – Camden, NJ
    July 15 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, NY
    July 17 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
    July 18 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY
    July 21 – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
    July 22 – Xfinity Center – Boston, MA
    July 24 – Xfinity Theatre – Hartford, CT
    July 25 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY
    July 28 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
    July 29 – DTE Energy Music Theatre – Detroit, MI
    July 31 – Darien Lake Amphitheatre – Buffalo, NY
    Aug. 1 – KeyBank Pavilion – Pittsburgh, PA
    Aug. 13 – Xcel Energy Center – Minneapolis, MN
    Aug. 15 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL
    Aug. 16 – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center – Indianapolis, IN
    Aug. 18 – Blossom Music Center – Cleveland, OH
    Aug. 20 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
    Aug. 23 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St Louis, MO
    Aug. 26 – Providence Medical Center Amphitheater – Kansas City, MO
    Aug. 28 – CHI Health Center – Omaha, NE
    Aug. 30 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Denver, CO
    Sept, 1 – USANA Amphitheatre Salt Lake City, UT
    Sept. 4 – White River Amphitheatre – Seattle, WA
    Sept. 5 – Sunlight Supply Amphitheater – Portland, OR
    Sept. 8 – Concord Pavilion – Concord, CA
    Sept. 9 – Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA
    Sept. 11 – MGM Grand Garden Arena Las Vegas, NV
    Sept. 12 – Ak-Chin Pavilion Phoenix, AZ
    Sept. 18 – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre – San Diego, CA
    Sept. 19 – The Forum – Los Angeles, CA

  • Hearing Aide: Aqueous ‘Burn it Down’

    Buffalo-based four-piece, Aqueous, explores their indie dance-rock roots with their latest EP ‘Burn it Down.’ Comprised of Mike Gantzer (vocals/guitar), Dave Loss (guitar/keys/vocals), Evan McPhaden (bass), and Rob Houk (drums), Aqueous has been evolving, and this EP embodies that evolution. It consists of four songs, all between 3 to 4 minutes long. Though each song has it’s own Aqueous groove, but you can also hear the heavy influences in each one; going from a rebellious indie-rock jam in the album’s title song to an electro-pop rock dance anthem with “On the Edge.”

    Burn It Down signifies a straight up paradigm shift for Aqueous. We dove headlong into our rock, indie, and dance roots, and put a much sharper focus on concise, badass rock and roll song writing. We really wanted to further explore a certain attitude that has always been a part of all of us but that might’ve been a little underrepresented in our music up until now. 

    Mike Gantzer – Aqueous (guitar/vocals)

    The band is in the first leg of an extensive fall tour, and they have been subtly teasing fans with the EP by covering songs that heavily influenced the music. These include songs from Weezer, Chromeo, Blink-182, Queens of the Stone Age, Tears for Fears and more.

    While the EP is not what fans would normally expect from Aqueous, it is no doubt catchy and exciting. Aqueous has always been well known for their songwriting, and this is highlighted in the EP. Burn it Down sends a powerful message about living your personal truth. It tells a story of a fresh start rising from the ashes.

    This EP is about not being afraid to stand up and make a change that will get you closer to living your truth, whatever that might be. It’s about self honesty, and about questioning unhealthy situations and relationships, and calling bullshit when it needs to be called. It’s meant to say ‘whatever your situation is, it’s never too late to just tear the whole thing down and start over’. 

    Mike Gantzer

    Burn it Down is available on all streaming platforms now.

    Key Tracks: On the Edge, Little Something to Me

  • Jeffrey Martin and The Sea The Sea Sing for Folks in Rochester

    A Saturday night crowd, on a Monday, settled in for a wonderful night of folk songs in the cozy and warm exposed-brick confines of Restaurant Good Luck. Honest Folk Presents brought in two great artists representing both coasts. The crowd was familiar with Portland Oregon’s Jeffrey Martin, making his third stop at the venue. The Sea The Sea, from the much closer Troy, however, were making their first appearance in Rochester and would open the night.

    A male/female duo, featuring Mira and Chuck Costa, The Sea The Sea moved effortlessly between electric and acoustic guitars, a small percussion setup and an even smaller keyboard, mixing different combinations of sounds. Regardless of the instrumentation, their beautiful two-part harmonies were the true highlight throughout the night. It was remarkable how perfect their voices blended together, making a signature sound. They featured them so regularly that it started to become two parts of a single voice. On the rare occasions when only one voice rang out, it was almost as if one of the channels on the stereo was faulty.

    The pair has spent a good deal of the past year on the road, and also recently relocated to Troy, both of which have been providing inspiration for a bevy of fresh new tunes, some of which they shared, like “Foreign Country” and “Stumbling Home.” Most of the set was filled with their more well-worn material, like the palindromic “Love We Are We Love” and the familial “Good For Something.” They rounded those out with two choice covers, the Bob Dylan deep cut “I’ll Keep It With Mine,” and “No Love Today” from the under-appreciated songwriter Chris Smither.

    Jeffrey Martin was last on the Good Luck stage almost exactly two years to the day from this night. It was in fact the Monday after the end of daylight savings, just as it was on his previous visit. Martin’s music doesn’t really evoke blue skies and sunshine, so the fact that it was middle-of-the-night dark throughout the show, which ended at the Monday-friendly hour of 9:45, was very welcome. Perhaps it was both genius and coincidence.

    For an hour Martin held court on the Good Luck stage, telling stories both in song and out. Though sometimes it was hard to tell the difference, as he noodled on his guitar during his between-song bantering and there was just something lyrical about the way he spoke. Some of the stories spanned the songs that interjected, and the songs always related somehow with the stories. Some of the stories inspired the songs, sometimes real life followed the songs, and other times the story and the song were one and the same. Stories, songs, acoustic guitar and a rich singular voice made for about as pure a folk show as you can achieve. Seems so simple, and yet it’s so hard to achieve, but Jeffrey Martin pulled it off with a natural and unfettered brilliance. It’s no wonder Honest Folk has booked him again and again.

    As for the next Honest Folk show, they’ve just announced twin-brother outfit, appropriately named The Brother Brothers, who will be at The Arbor Loft on Wednesday December 11. Tickets are on sale now at early bird pricing for a limited time.

  • Hearing Aide: Full Body ‘Always There’

    Full Body is a Rochester-based rock band that has been making music that fits their name. The band’s deep brand of gangly rock is unique and rounded, tying in elements of shoegaze and post-rock to make something in the realm of noise rock. Their most recent release, Always There, cements their sound in a well produced record. The band is composed of Dylan Vaisey, Jack Chaffer, and Jacob Kotler. Full Body has been navigating the local scene with a sound that stands out, relentless in their writing of melancholy and bittersweet music. 

    The album has just eight songs, but is constantly engaging. Each song has a sweet melodious center, but the band fills out the rest with oblique instrumentals. “Hard Drive” is a great example of this, with its lurid opening slowly building out chorus-washed guitars into a vigorous guitar solo. The vocals carry the tune well, though they never really take the spotlight away from the mood the song is conveying. This is the case throughout the album as each song is more a product of its parts.

    The tunes are short and to the point; there’s no meandering and no ideas that feel unfinished. The third track, “Alias,” is a great look at the band’s ability to mesh together different ideas and grooves to create coherent and viable songs. Though each part compliments the others, it should be pointed out that the drumming on this album is stellar and warrants a close look on its own. The deft navigation of song structure in the rhythm section, including bass, adds a lot of thickness to each tune. “Sonic Boom” is another hard hitting song that shows this. 

    Overall, Always There is certainly worth a listen through. It is short, interesting, and very well written by a band that is making their own sound and owning it. Full Body has found a niche, but they are not afraid to break out of that to take creative risks that ultimately pay off. Be on the lookout for Full Body to come to your town, and make sure to support by streaming their music on services such as Spotify and Bandcamp.

     

  • In Focus: Turkuaz Skates Into Buffalo

    The calendar may have turned to November but the Halloween spirit was strong in Buffalo with Turkuaz dressing up in celebration of our neighbors’ to the north national pastime, ice hockey! Sammi Garett and Shira Elias even dropped their gloves and staged a hockey fight that had to be broken up by referee Chris Brouwers to the delight of the packed crowd at the Town Ballroom.

    Setlist: Nightswimming, Doktor Jazz, Make You Famous, Heat Drop, If I Ever Fall Asleep, E.Y.E., Mister Man, Digitonium, Big Business > Murder Face, Take ‘Em Down, Every1’s A Winner > Superstatic, Better Get Ready > Lookin’ Tough, Feelin’ Good, Gogo Mr. Dodo, The Shape I’m In
    Encore: Monkey Fingers

  • Holographic Roy Orbison & Buddy Holly Come to New York

    The ‘Roy Orbison & Buddy Holly: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Dream Tour’ will be coming to New York in November. This once in a lifetime tour began in September and has made several stops along the way throughout North America. Now fans from New York will have a turn to see this duo in concert. First up will be at  The Egg in Albany on Nov. 15 before moving to Rochester’s Auditorium Theatre on Nov. 17.

    Developed and produced by BASE Hologram, the audience will be treated to a high tech holographic performance with the accompaniment of a live band and back-up singers, all coming together to bring to life many of Orbison and Holly’s best hits. Eric Shaeffer (Million Dollar Quartet) will return as the director. In 2018 Shaeffer led the extremely successful ‘In Dreams: Roy Orbison in Concert’ tour across the world breaking many records.

    “When you look at the architects of the Rock and Roll era, the names that come to mind are Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly,” said Brian Becker, Chairman and CEO of BASE Hologram, the leading content developer, producer and distributor of concerts, theatricals and spectacles that combine holographic cinema and mixed reality with live entertainment. “Both of these men weren’t just gifted musicians, but skillful innovators who helped influence others in game-changing ways.”

    “These men weren’t just one thing – they were artists in every sense of the word,” said BASE Hologram CEO of Production Marty Tudor.  “Like Roy, Buddy has a truly impressive songbook and in many cases, audiences may not have realized he was the one behind so many hits. Part of the beauty of these productions is we get to share the legacy of these performers and remind people of the full range of their talent.”

    Despite several jam and recording sessions, these two rock and roll trailblazers have never toured together. Combined they have earned 16 platinum and 19 gold records, dozens of hits and 10 GRAMMY Awards combined. Being of a different era has not stopped these two from having three million Facebook followers and five million streams monthly on Spotify. To this day their musical capabilities captivate millions.

    Information is available here for the tour that continues throughout the month of November.
     
    North America Tour Dates

    Nov.1 – Au-Rene at Broward Center  – Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Nov.2 – Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts – Melbourne, FL
    Nov.3 – Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL
    Nov.4 – Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall – Sarasota, FL
    Nov.6 – Florida Theatre – Jacksonville, FL
    Nov.8 – Atlanta Symphony Hall – Atlanta, GA
    Nov.9 – Memorial Auditorium – Raleigh, NC
    Nov.10 – Scottish Rite Auditorium – Collingswood, NJ
    Nov.12 – State Theatre – New Brunswick, NJ
    Nov.13 – AMP by Strathmore – North Bethesda, MD
    Nov.15 – The Egg – Albany, NY
    Nov.16 – Boch Center Shubert Theatre – Boston, MA
    Nov.17 – Auditorium Theatre – Rochester, NY
    Nov.19 – FirstOntario Concert Hall – Hamilton, ON
    Nov.20 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON

  • Experimental Rock Ensemble Thank You Scientist Announces National Tour with Bookending NY Gigs

    Earlier this summer, the experimental 7-piece rock ensemble Thank You Scientist released their critically acclaimed third studio effort, Terraformer, which debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Fans of the New Jersey group will have plenty of chances to catch them this fall as they embark on their first full-fledged national headlining tour, with the tour kicking off (Rochester, November 7) and ending (NYC, December 14) in the Empire State. 

    “We are unreasonably excited to announce our first full-fledged US tour for our latest release–the inconveniently long, yet suspiciously charming Terraformer,” shared TYS bandleader and guitarist Tom Monda. “An unexpected byproduct of our years of sloggin’ it out is the incredible network of friends we’ve made across the country, friends whose support make it possible for us to keep creating, even under occasionally dire circumstances, and can’t wait to visit all of you across the country this winter.”

    Thank You Scientist

    “We promise these shows will be an incredible celebration for us and the fellow weirdos we’ve met on this strange journey,” continued Monda. “To make this event even more ‘extra special-er,’ we’re bringing along some of our dearest friends in the biz:  Bent Knee and The Tea Club.” 

    Bent Knee joined Thank You Scientist for their Northeast run earlier this year. As Monda explains, “The Tea Club is a band I have loved and admired for years, so much so that I coerced them to join us on our first ever US tour many years ago! Their lineup has since expanded to include my brother on drums, making this tour figuratively and literally a family event. Don’t sleep on this or you’re grounded.” 

    Since the release of Terraformer, Thank You Scientist has spent the summer touring throughout the United Kingdom and recently recorded a live EP, Live At Backroom Studios, featuring three additional string players and complete video footage of live performances for “Son of a Serpent” and “Anchor.”

    Thank You Scientist Fall Tour Dates

    11/7 – Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall
    11/8 – Akron, OH – Musica
    11/9 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Pyramid Scheme
    11/10 – Chicago, IL – Beat Kitchen
    11/12 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
    11/14 – St. Louis, MO – Firebird
    11/15 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck
    11/16 – Denver, CO – Globe Hall
    11/17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
    11/19 – Seattle, WA – Columbia City Theater
    11/20 – Vancouver, BC – The Rickshaw Theatre
    11/21 – Portland, OR – Dante’s
    11/22 – Sacramento, CA – Holy Diver
    11/23 – San Jose, CA – The Ritz, San Jose
    11/24 – Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater
    11/25 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
    11/27 – Scottsdale, AZ – Pub Rock Live
    11/29 – Austin, TX – Empire Control Room & Garage
    11/30 – Dallas, TX – Three Links
    12/1 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
    12/3 – Atlanta, GA – Purgatory at The Masquerade
    12/4 – Tampa, FL – Crowbar
    12/6 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
    12/7 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club
    12/8 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
    12/10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Music Hall
    12/11 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
    12/12 – Fairfield, CT – StageOne
    12/13 – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
    12/14 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge

  • Futurebirds Take Flight At Three Heads Brewing for Rochester Residency

    In the case of the Futurebirds, it’s a whoa-eliciting moment. Two electric guitars, one acoustic, pedal steel, bass and drums round out this band from Athens, Georgia. They’re so tight, and the sounds intermingle so well. As a listener you don’t pay much attention to who’s playing what, but the full blended sound becomes king.

    In their 10th year, and touring in advance of a new album, the sextet found their way to Rochester for the first time, to participate in Three Heads Brewing‘s Rochester Residency. This month’s resident, bassist Kyle Vock, is putting his own spin on things by booking some of his favorite national acts to play in addition to getting in on the action with his own bands.

    Futurebirds mix country twang, soulful grooves, shoe-gaze swirls and a twinge of psychedelia with a centring Southern-rock pulse. It was all on full display during their 70-minute set that spanned their catalog, including some new tunes from their forthcoming LP.

    “Virginia Slims” off of 2013’s Baba Yaga got things going nicely. They showcased incredible two, and three-part harmonies throughout. Quality vocals certainly came in handy for a mid-set cover, Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry,” which they wonderfully smashed into an pulpy alt-country ballad. The set ramped up to close, with “Rodeo” off 2015’s Hotel Parties preceding a powerful “Ski Chalet” in the “we’re not playing an encore” slot. Some Neil Young-esque guitar shredding foreshadowed a surprise “Powderfinger” cover they managed to squeeze into the “Ski Chalet” closer to send the crowd off into the night with a proper rocking.

    Kyle Vock’s band, The Mighty High and Dry, opened the evening with a short taster set. Alan Murphy on guitar and lead vocals, Alex Cote on drums, and Eric Katerle on lead guitar joined Vock. The band can balloon to nine members or shrink down to a duo, but played at their baseline quartet. Opening with “Day and Night” they showcased their blues-based, soul rock across four of their original tunes, but kept them close to the vest. This is a band that can keep it rocking for three hours strong, stretching out with some fun rock tunes. So don’t miss them next time they play.

    Futurebirds
    Mighty High & Dry
    Futurebirds
    Futurebirds
    Mighty High & Dry
    Futurebirds

  • The Wood Brothers announce new album, drop single “Alabaster”

    Grammy-nominated band, The Wood Brothers, have a new full-length on the way. Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers is putting out the studio album, Kingdom In My Mind, on January 24, 2020. They’ve just debuted the first song, “Alabaster.”

    Kingdom In My Mind is a follow-up to 2018’s One Drop of Truth, which hit #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and garnered the band their first GRAMMY Award-nomination for “Best Americana Album.” The material for the forthcoming album started as they were breaking in their new Nashville studio, as they were tracking instrumental jam sessions to get a feel for the facility.

    “If we had known we were making a record, we probably would have been too self-conscious to play what we played,” reflects Chris. “At the time, we just thought we were jamming to break in our new studio, so we felt free to explore all these different ways of playing together without worrying about form or structure. It was liberating.” Preorders the album here.

    The Wood Brothers are currently finishing out an extensive US tour. They’ll be in NYC on January 30 and 31, Rochester on February 5, and Albany on February 8. Some of the proceeds from ticket sales go to support Thistle Farms, a Nashville-based non-profit organization which helps women to rebuild their lives.

    The Wood Brothers Tour Dates

    11/15 – Madison, WI – Barrymore Theatre ^ (Sold Out)
    11/16 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue ^ (Sold Out)
    11/18 – Old Saybrook, CT – Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center
    12/3 – Baton Rouge, LA – Manship Theatre ^^ (Sold Out)
    12/4 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater ^^
    12/5 – Austin, TX – Paramount Theatre ^^
    12/6 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater ^^ (Sold Out)
    12/7 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom ^^
    12/9 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown ^^
    12/11 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen ^^ (Sold Out)
    12/12 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Strings Music Festival
    12/13 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater ^^
    12/14 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater ^^
    12/15 – Breckenridge, CO – Riverwalk Center ^^
    1/29 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head Live
    1/30 – New York, NY – Webster Hall 
    1/31 – New York, NY – Webster Hall 
    2/1 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
    2/3 – Toronto, Canada – Mod Club Theatre
    2/5 – Rochester, NY – Kodak Center
    2/6 – Burlington, VT – Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
    2/7 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
    2/8 – Albany, NY – Palace Theatre
    2/9 – State College, PA – The State Theatre
    2/11 – McKees Rocks, PA – Roxian Theatre
    2/12 – Richmond, VA – The National
    2/13 – Chattanooga, TN – Walker Theatre
    2/14 – Nashville, TN – The Ryman
    2/27 – 3/1 – Punta Cana, DR – Avett Brothers at the Beach (Sold Out)
    3/4 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
    3/5 – Los Angeles, CA – The Regent
    3/6 – Santa Barbara, CA – Campbell Hall
    3/7 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
    3/8 – Eureka, CA – Arkley Center for the Performing Arts
    3/10 – Eugene, OR – McDonald Theater
    3/11 – Kirkland, WA – Kirkland Performance Center
    3/12 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
    3/13 – Vancouver, BC – Imperial
    4/2 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre
    4/3 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre
    4/4 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
    4/5 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theatre
    4/7 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre
    4/8 – Columbus, OH – Southern Theatre
    4/9 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
    4/10 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
    4/11 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel

    ^ w/ Nicole Atkins
    ^^ w/ Katie Pruitt

  • In Focus: Explosions In The Sky Light up Asbury Hall in Buffalo

    Post-rockers Explosions In The Sky embarked on a nationwide tour which brought them to Asbury Hall in Buffalo for only the second time in their career. After 20 years of making music, the band’s only other appearance in Buffalo was at the Tralf in 2008.

    Setlist: A Song for Our Fathers, The Birth and Death of the Day, The Only Moment We Were Alone, Greet Death, Yasmin the Light, Have You Passed Through This Night?, Disintegration Anxiety, Your Hand in Mine, Magic Hours, Catastrophe and the Cure, Colors in Space.

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