It was an unremarkable day on the calendar and a fairly unremarkable day outside, but inside the doors of Anthology in Rochester big things were happening. Buffalo’s Aqueous, who’ve called Rochester their second home since near their inception, were moving on from their frequent and beloved haunt Flour City Station. Like a hermit crab, they shed that shell and crawled the short distance down East Ave and nestled into the much larger Anthology. Remarkably, the band sold the venue out on their first visit.
Everything about the move was big, The crowd, the stage, the lights, the sound. The crab had long outgrown its shell and was just yearning for this expansion. In other words, Aqueous wasn’t overwhelmed by the shift. On the contrary, it allowed for a huge release long in the making. To celebrate the occasion, the band planned to even make the show bigger, by adding a third set. And not just any set, plopped right in the middle of two regular-sized Aqueous sets was a fully improvised second set.
It was a risky endeavor, but at worst a ho-hum jam set had the safety of being surrounded by two strong Aqueous sets. Ho-hum it wasn’t. The band found theme upon theme upon groove in five to ten minute segments pieced together seamlessly for a full 65 minutes. During that hour all in attendance were equals. No matter if this was someone’s first show or someone’s 100th, no one knew what was to come, band included.
The set had no lulls and little to no meandering. It was defined and refined jamming. It felt familiar, until it didn’t, until it did again, mixing and matching genres along the way. It was EDM, then, “Oh damn!” It got Dead-y, then deadly, Phishy then fizzy, went from metal to meta, Ska to “Gah!” PeAQ Aqueous. When the band revisits the recording of the set they could easily mine a few new songs from it.
The middle set was the highlight of the night, but of course there was plenty to love about sets one and three. “The Median” opener blasted the evening open with a soaring fiery jam. “Origami” got disco funky before a slow building theme peaked and exploded. “Good Enough” contained one of the more beautiful segments of the night, with a progression reminiscent of Jerry Garcia Band’s version of “Dear Prudence.” And “All In” and Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell” were a fun big rock combo to close out the third set in the wee hours of the morning.
Anthology still has that new venue smell and is ripe for the taking. Friday night, Aqueous put a stake in the ground. All that’s left to do is raise the flag. Their new Rochester home is well underway to being claimed.
Setlist: I: The Median, Kitty Chaser (Explosions) > Undone – The Sweater Song (Weezer) > Kitty Chaser (Explosions), Origami > Good Enough > Complex I, Warren in the Window II: Improv III: 20/20 > Aldehyde, Underlyer > Marty, All In > Run Like Hell (Pink Floyd) > All In E: Jam > Triangle
Dead Horses, a duo from Wisconsin, and Honeysuckle, a trio from Boston, met somewhere in the middle Tuesday night – geographically in the middle via Rochester, NY to be exact – as a part of the latest show put on by Honest Folk. The show itself also met in the middle musically, landing squarely within folk traditions both new and old.
Honeysuckle opened the night. Guitar, mandolin, banjo and a kick drum blended into a joyful swirl of acoustic strings and beats. They played some new, as-yet-recorded songs to keep them “on their toes.” Though early in the set, “Catacombs,” off their 2017 release of the same name, kept the audience on their toes as well. An airy and floating psychedelic segment broke into a full-fledged mandolin-led jam before slinking back into the main song.
They weren’t afraid to break free from folk and bluegrass expectations, mixing the two and then splashing in some more modern elements from pop, rock and jazz. Most noticeably, Chris Bloniarz’s mandolin was being fed into a rather large bank of effects pedals. He used them subtly, allowing his playing to shine through and it never overwhelmed the acoustic three-piece sound.
On a new song, “Windstorm,” lead singer and guitarist Holly McGarry explained that it was written as a reaction to someone who once wrote a mean poem about her, saying she dressed like an old woman. She wore it like a badge of honor though; old women are great dressers! Appropriately enough, their music also had a timeless quality to it, but in a youthful and new body.
The band exhibited wonderful three-part harmonies throughout the set, but truly flexed their vocal chords with, as they deemed it mandatory, a cover of Crosby Stills and Nash’s “Helplessly Hoping.” They nailed it, silencing all doubters, if there were any remaining at that point in the set.
Dead Horses, comprised of Sarah Vos on guitar and Daniel Wolff on double bass, played a set of sparse, sometimes dark, folk songs with their Midwestern charm shining through. They met and matched their openers in vocal prowess with Vos carrying the bulk of the load. As lyrically excellent as their songs were, some of the most captivating vocals were ooh’s and mmm’s or the chills-inducing extended and repeated “sweeeet”s during the song “Brothers.” In “Turntable” Vos sang, “If my heart was a turntable, and my belly was the speaker and my soul the needle,” which just about sums up their songwriting as well as one could.
Wolff’s bass carried the heft of the instrumental melodies, plucking out the bottom, bowing higher registers and banging out rhythms off the body, at times all in the same song.
The band has been writing songs and releasing them as singles when they’re ready, not waiting for a full album to emerge. New tunes like “Birds Can Write the Chorus,” “A Mighty Storm,” and the “Family Tapes” show how the band is still developing their sound. On the latter, in a short span, the song moved through at least three distinct sections, stepping away from a more traditional structure.
Generally a taboo question for a band, Dead Horses were forthcoming about the origin of their band name. Named after a friend who died of a heroin overdose, they feel a need to be open about it since it is such a prevalent issue that needs even more exposure than it currently is receiving.
Life has been full of surprises for Sarah Eide. She captures the twists and turns of her journey in “Dreams on Hold,” the title track of her next album. In this song, Eide brandishes her flair for dramatic storytelling. The song ebbs and flows like a soundtrack. It starts off with straightforward acoustic Americana, culminates in a jazzy whirlwind, and ends on a high note full of curly-cue flourishes of trumpet, piano, and fiddle. The biographical story line takes the listener along as Eide holds a conversation with her childhood self, then her own children.
Eide grew up in Rhode Island, where she started playing at age 3. Classically trained during childhood, Eide became exposed to jazz, Americana, and world music at Berklee College of Music. Her dreams of scoring films in LA were waylaid when she took a detour and found herself as a mom in the Midwest.
The song is about the disparity between ambition and priority, with the ultimate resolution being the underlying foundation of unconditional love: “I’m still believing and I’m still scheming/ Good things come to those who wait/ So for now, I’ll put my dreams on hold for you.”
“Dreams on Hold” features Chicago musicians Shane Jonas of Low Down Brass Band, Joe Camarillo of The Waco Brothers, and fiddler Jess MacIntosh. Eide produced this album herself. Dreams on Hold comes out May 6th.
Newly relocated to Rochester, New York, Eide is already making waves in the local scene with her unique spin on Americana. Her next show is on March 14 at Abilene Bar and Lounge, a homey little spot on Liberty Pole Way in the heart of the city.
Save the date. On Friday, April 19, the Dirty Pennies celebrate the release of their new EP with a show at the Bug Jar in Rochester. Special guests include Buffalo’s Handsome Jack and indie rockers The Stedwells. Tickets are on sale Thursday, February 21.
The Dirty Pennies’ much-anticipated sophomore release will be out a couple weeks before the show, on April 2. Entitled ep, the collection will be available over all major music platforms (including Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Bandcamp).
The new work demonstrates The Dirty Pennies’ ability to create a cohesive sound from blues and surf rock influences. The Dirty Pennies turned to Josh Pettinger and Greg Thompson of Wicked Squid Studios to record and engineer their new songs. The pair took on the herculean task of harnessing the raw energy of this dynamic trio and translating it into a recording that remains true to the feel of the Dirty Pennies’ live shows.
The reprieve from polar temperatures has drawn people out to enjoy some of the night life. In the spirit of the mid-winter thaw, Rochester’s Abilene Bar and Lounge threw an event called “Feel The Warmth” on Friday night. The cozy bar was lined with posters from shows’ past. On the bill were a few of the newer bands on the scene: False Pockets, Vacation Daze, and The Low Spirits.
Over the past year, the quartet has released a few self-recorded singles that were mixed and engineered by their bassist Jim DeWitt. Mid-set Egling announced that they had finished recording an album at Wicked Squid Studios. The work is set for a spring release. They played a song from the upcoming album. The tune, called “Measurement,” features drummer Billy Martin on lead vocals. If this groovy jam is any indication, we can look forward to great things from the new album.
The Low Spirits rounded out this night of discovery. The quartet includes two of the three members of the psychedelic/blues band St. Phillip’s Escalator (Ryan Moore and Zachary Koch). Both bands build upon a foundation of rock ‘n roll, but The Low Spirits has more of a 70’s rock vibe. The difference was apparent when there was some riffing on Led Zep during their sound check at Abilene. Moore, a man of many hats, was on guitar, vocals, and sometimes his vintage Farfisa keyboard. The distortion on guitars and rhythms pumped through an antique VOX bass cabinet lent to their authentic retro sound.
Zachary Koch was stationed behind the drums. With his sticks held in a traditional grip, he added fills which evoke a comparison to the drumming style of Ringo Starr. This was only their second show, but they’ve already got a third booked at Photo City Improv on March 9.
This is what happened when I dusted off my lovely Fender Strat, reads the beginning liner notes of Sharon Coates’ latest album, None of the Above.
Coates and her Strat were joined in the studio by Dave Drago on guitars, Jacob Walsh on drums, Alex Northrop on organ and Josh Massicot on piano, with Jeff Beam lending a hand on guitar for a couple tracks.
None of The Above from Sharon Coats is chock full of songs exploring a wide range of sounds and topics about feminism, love, longing, and friendship. From the pop rock sound of the opening track “Radio” to the surf-rock undertones of “Hey Man;” and from the lofty echos of “I Look For You” to the slow smolder of “One of Those Nights,” driving guitar riffs tie everything together. The vocals, lyrics and other instruments are arranged like pieces of glass in a mosaic. Each sound has been thoughtfully placed to create an auditory kaleidoscope of sound with Coates’ beloved strat as the centerpiece. The steady back beat keeps everything grounded, and the moderate use of the Hammond organ adds a colorful touch.
Here’s to hoping the dust never has a chance to settle on this indie rocker’s Fender Strat again.
Key Tracks: Radio, I Look For You, One of Those Nights
Legendary musician Steve Gadd has performed on many Grammy-winning albums, but this year he was awarded the first one for one of his own projects. The Steve Gadd Band’s self-titled album won Best Instrumental Album. The modern jazz band includes Steve Gadd on drums, Walt Fowler on trumpet and flugelhorn, Kevin Hays on keyboard, Jimmy Johnson on bass, and Michael Landau on guitar.
Steve Gadd is hailed as one of the most accomplished and skilled drummers of his generation. Born in the suburbs of Rochester, Gadd took up drums when he was seven years old. When he was 11, he sat in with Dizzy Gillespie, launching a lifetime of work with some of the greatest artists of our time. He has performed in studio and on tour with iconic artists such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Eric Clapton. He continues to make music in conjunction with other artists and with the Steve Gadd Band. He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1984, and the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2018.
Gadd will be touring with Dave Matthews in March and James Taylor later this spring. Steve Gadd Band is on the bill for the Rochester International Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival. They’re also booked for a three-night stand at Iridium in NYC in June.
Cory Wong isn’t strictly vegan in case you were wondering. He’s the type that typically won’t pass up the best of anything. Best BBQ in the city? He’ll gnaw through it. But for this night of the tour, a veggie reset was needed, so we plopped ourselves into a corner table at Red Fern to catch up before his first Rochester gig at Flour City.
Ally Dean: How did Emily Browning become your opener for this tour?
Cory Wong: Emily C. Browning and I (not to be confused with Emily Browning the actress) met at a house concert in LA. She was playing at my friend’s house and I knew the taco truck that was gonna be there. Taco trucks in LA are really good. House concert at my friend’s house plus sick taco truck means I’m there. There were a bunch of musicians there and at the end of the night the guy coordinating wanted to have a jam session and asked me to lead it and she was there too.
AD: That’s sweet. I’ve been to a few low key house concerts in Upstate, NY where the crowd seemed to be mostly older folks, not necessarily musicians. Is there anything different about the house concert culture out in LA?
CW: This show was unique in that it was a well curated show put together by the PickUp community and it was invite only, but I’ve also been to shows in garages so it just depends. I’ve done a few house concerts that my friend hosted in Minneapolis.
Intimate shows like that definitely make me more nervous than playing to thousands of people at Red Rocks. The energy at a big show is unlike anything else, but in a small room like that you can see every person’s visceral reaction. And it can get weird. One person can throw off the energy and sometimes you have to just turn pro mode on. But it can also be way more fun when you can connect to the crowd at a much deeper level and sort of hang out.
(Food arrives, interviewing paused to nibble)
AD: Frank DeBlase interviewed you a few weeks ago for City Newspaper and when he asked “What’s something you always do?” you replied, “I always laugh and smile.” Being the cynical person I am, it made me want to know, what makes you mad?
CW: Plenty of things. When something is supposed to work one way and does all the time and out of nowhere seemingly just doesn’t, like computer problems. Why does this program not open? I woke up and now it’s not working. What happened over night?
And in musical settings, recording in studios requires fighter pilot focus in some cases and so much precision but it’s also a very creative process at the same time so it’s a lot to balance. In studio situations if I lose focus I get really frustrated if I mess up a take for everyone by doing something off script. Or we’ve got it really close, last take was amazing but we could make it tighter. So we go to do the exact same thing again, just better. Except this time maybe the drummer adds a gigantic drum fill that feels really inappropriate and in the wrong spot. So in a group setting someone hijacking the moment through lack of focus, lack of respect for the craft or the goal really frustrates me.
AD: In recording situations have you had particularly awkward experiences where it seems like one musician isn’t quite getting it? How do you navigate that?
CW: If that’s happening it takes more patience from everyone else in the room. In a lot of cases that person is also frustrated with themselves. Some people take negative reinforcement better than they do positive reinforcement, so understanding who you’re working with and how to communicate with everyone is important to get through the situation. Sometimes in the end you just have to wave a white flag and be done and know you’re gonna have to come back to do that part with someone else later, but not let the guy feel so bad about it. But then you feel bad when the album comes out and they see someone else’ name on it.
AD: Is there usually no telling them, they just learn on their own in that situation?
CW: It depends. I’ve had that happen to me before where someone hired me to play guitar on their record and some of it was good but they had a different vision in mind that I wasn’t necessarily seeing. I’m way better at reading what a producer wants from me now, and also a better musician now than I was ten years ago. But I have had that happen before where someone replaced my parts and I found out by reading the liner notes. The first couple times you get replaced it hurts. And the first couple times you have to do it to someone it hurts. You don’t want them to think it was anything personal. Everyone still gets paid even if their stuff doesn’t get used.
AD: What new music are you into right now?
CW: My favorite song of 2018 is “Things” by Louis Cole. He’s in KNOWER. It’s eclectic, fast, hard hitting, electro meets analog. He’s one of the sickest drummers. His solo record has some of that but it also reminds me of the Beach Boys with his singing. I listen to “Things” almost every day.
AD: Seems like it’s getting harder and harder to attain that high from music that you want to play on repeat.
CW: Totally. I can’t remember the last time I had that where it’s like “This is my song!” As far as other new stuff, I’m always seeking out what other guitar players are doing. Also recently been into Kimbra and Emily King.
AD: What have setlists been like on tour? Do you play through the entire album or mix it up?
CW: Definitely been mixing it up. We normally do some songs from each of my releases There are probably four songs we play most nights but we have a lot of material to draw from. Sometimes a live song will really connect with people even though it’s not one of my biggest Spotify songs so we’ll play it live more often. We’re rearranging and adapting. With Vulfpeck Jack likes to build a show which the jam fans aren’t wild about because they want to hear a different setlist every night.
AD: Speaking of connecting with people, I saw one of my favorite Rochester bands a few months ago and I was bummed that they barely interacted with the crowd at all.
CW: People have different comfort levels on stage. I sometimes do a stream of consciousness bit on stage and have fallen flat on my face or surprised myself like “oh that was funny, how did that happen?” But I’m comfortable with that. I’m 90% flaming extrovert. Of course there are still those times where I need to be alone to recharge, but then I’m back. I like people.
Show Review: Despite our two-hour hangout sesh, we didn’t talk much about what happens at Cory’s shows. I expected an awesome musical display, but what happened on stage that night involved more production than just a band playing through a set.
Once Cory emerged with his crew, he got right to business, laying out a few ground rules. He denounced how fans can tarnish the evening when “that tough guy stuff starts coming out.” He asserted, “I want that to go out the window. Whether their skin is lighter, darker, looser or tighter, they are no better than you and you are no better than them.” Immediately leveling fans helped connect everyone right from the start.
Once the show was in full swing, Cory Wong’s stage quirks were as entertaining as his nasty guitar work. His facial expressions made it seem as though he was telepathically carrying out a hilarious conversation with his bandmates as he bounced around stage, toothily grinning.
His brand of humor also translated to the visuals projected on screen. Before “Pleasin,” Cory announced, “We have a special surprise. We went halfsies with Flour City Station on super fast internet since it’s super expensive, but we have a direct line with someone in an isolation booth.” Before the video began, a man in the crowd sheepishly yet hopefully called out “Antwaun…?” He was not the only one pining for a glimpse of the singing legend himself. Moments later the singer appeared on screen while the band played along live. Though not in the flesh, Antwaun’s universally adored spirit permeated the room as fans joyously soaked in his pre-recorded cameo.
Later in the set, the commercial for Cory Wong’s “jam starter pack” was a comedic curveball for which the band came to a dead stop to broadcast mid-set. The fanny pack advertised was emblazoned with his logo, and among other things contained a packet of Smucker’s jam and a fluorite crystal. If anyone knows how to market to the jam community, it’s this guy. But you have to go to a show to get one since they’re not available online.
Aside from the merch commercials (yep there were multiple), their show sprinkled in an amusing array of lo-fi visuals- we’re talkin America Online logos and Tony Hawk Pro Skater demos. They provided an ironic contrast to the technical grooves laid down and created a multimedia experience that left the audience amused and amazed.
Rochester/Brooklyn band Maybird will soon be launching their second release on 30th Century Records. The first song off the recording, “Don’t Keep Me Around,” is indicative of the unique sound the band has crafted over the past six years – an amalgamation of indie and roots rock, filtered through a psychedelic veil. The four-piece band consists of singer/songwriter Josh Netsky, guitarists Kurt Johnson and Sam Snyder (aka Overhand Sam), and drummer Adam Netsky. NYS Music checked in with Maybird’s frontman to get the scoop on the inspirations and collaborations behind the new work.
Photo by Teagan West
Paula Cummings: You have a new song out called “Don’t Keep Me Around.” What is the story behind the song? Why did you choose to lead with this one?
Josh Netsky: We’ve been playing “Don’t Keep Me Around” live for well over a year now, so our fans are familiar with it and it’s just been waiting to be heard for a long time. We haven’t really explored many of the other songs on the record in a live setting yet, so it felt right to set this one free first. I wrote this song very quickly during a spontaneous recording session with producer Sam Cohen. Quickly in comparison to my usual writing process, at least. Quick songs are usually better in my experience… if you don’t have to think too much about it, that’s a good sign.
PC: Your songwriting has always been influenced by your own personal experiences. What people, places, or events lit the spark that led to the creation of your new songs?
JN: Some of the songs go pretty far back – I think the oldest track was written in 2012. So there are a lot of very different answers here from years of experiences and inspirations. But the overall arc of the album deals with a few main themes. Seeking purpose and clinging to memories/trying not to forget are the big ones. Kurt Vonnegut’s novel The Sirens of Titan was a huge inspiration for the album and put these ideas into perspective for me in the first place.
PC: Who did you work with on the album, and how did these industry professionals shape your work?
JN: For “Don’t Keep Me Around,” we worked a lot with Sam Cohen, who’s an amazing producer and our label-mate on 30th Century Records. He also mixed our entire album. Aside from that, we did most of the work ourselves independently. We all have small studio setups of our own, mostly we worked out of a studio that Sam and Kurt had set up in Ontario, NY. A few of our Rochester comrades put down some horn parts and extra instrumentation.
PC: Can you share any details about the new album?
JN: We’re looking at a late spring release, the date will be announced soon I’m sure. But we will be releasing singles up to that point, so there will be a constant flow of music from here forth. Plus we’ve got some videos and other material that we’re psyched to share alongside the tracks.
PC: Maybird’s Spotify playlist contains some great indie music. Which bands or musicians spur you forward by setting a benchmark that you’re striving to reach?
JN: I love having a Spotify playlist and updating it frequently. That’s exactly what it does, keeps inspiration flowing. We call it Maybird Mixtape. The whole thing started with an actual physical mixtape. We used to dub a bunch of tapes and give them to fans at shows to share what we were listening to. Spotify is obviously a lot easier to manage, but we still make the physical tapes every once in a while. I have a very open ear and use Shazam all the time. If I hear something that I would like to examine closer for whatever reason, whether it’s at a restaurant, in a store, on the radio or whatever… always Shazaming. A lot of what ends up on Maybird Mixtape is from that. I found this band Billy & Dolly that way, for example, and their album ended up being one of my favorites of 2018. Excellent songwriting and production. That’s really the only benchmark – to keep pushing forward in the writing and production… Cass Mccombs, Deerhunter, Daniel Ramano, Kendrick Lamar, Tame Impala, The Voidz, Danger Mouse, Wilco, Sly & The Family Stone are a few regulars on the mixtape. It’s all over the place, it’s all just really good. I think our sound is all over the place as well, and that’s the way we like it.
Check out Maybird’s new song over on Flaunt magazine. And be sure to follow Maybird on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram to catch their latest music and videos and find out about upcoming shows.
Ska has come a long way since its origins in the Caribbean in the 50’s. The upbeat, syncopated style of music has caught on around the globe, adapting to the cultural nuances in places far and wide. It has spilled Upstate with Some Ska Band and their 9-track debut release, It’s Going Down, which shows off how adaptable ska music can be.
The opening track “Forty Thieves” was inspired by author and sax player, Charles Benoit, who spent time teaching in Kuwait and absorbing all the cultural influences of the city. The instrumental ditty pulls from classic literature for its title and snippets of Middle-Eastern-style riffs.
Everything I know about ska, I learned from Benoit, a ska-aficionado (or ska-ficionado, if you will). Benoit is one of eight members of the Rochester-based band. Mary-Jude Vacca and Shad Froman take on the vocals. Will Browar keeps the beat and hits things. On guitars are Joe Sims (bass), David Keller (lead), and Miles Pierce (rhythm). Joining Benoit in the brass section is Neil Pierce on trumpet. After years of playing originals (and some songs originally by other artists), the eight of them made their way into the studio to lay it down.
All the songs on It’s Going Down are pretty snappy, but a few stand out in particular. “End of The World” is a clever little tongue-in-cheek song, written on January 20, 2017 (if that date doesn’t ring a bell, look it up). The chorus includes the lines “It’s not the end of the world/ But you can see it from here.”
The title track “It’s Going Down” is another little gem, that demonstrates their musical prowess. The deep, heavy rhythm creates a perfect backdrop to showcase Vacca’s rich, sonous voice. The “Obligatory Drinking Song” is a sing-a-long fan favorite at live shows. The album wraps up with an instrumental version “American Skalines,” a song that usually includes a spoken-word script when played live.
Whether you’re a ska-ficionado or a newbie to the genre, you’ll get a kick out of It’s Going Down.
Key Tracks: Forty Thieves, End Of The World, It’s Going Down
