Completing a stellar two night run at the historic Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey, Bob Weir and Wolf Bros continue to shine, expanding the Grateful Dead’s legacy to new heights. Bob Weir is in top form, and is supported by two amazing musicians; Don Was on bass and Jay Lane on drums, each bringing their own style to the performance. Highlights included “Blackbird,” “Deal” and “Eyes of The World,” but it was the extremely intimate and emotional rendition of “Standing On The Moon,” that didn’t leave a dry eye in the building and rounded out an amazing two nights for the band and deadheads alike.
Set 1: Easy to Slip, Gonesville, Blackbird, K.C. Moan, Odessa, Hell in a Bucket, She Belongs to Me, Corrina, Deal
Set 2: Me and My Uncle, Cassidy, Truckin’, Fever, Ashes and Glass, Don’t Let Go, Eyes of the World, Standing on the Moon, Going Down the Road Feelin’ BadEncore: U.S. Blues
Andy Frasco & the U.N. have been hitting the road in support of their latest album Change of Pace and Sunday, March 10, saw them stop at Buffalo Iron Works. No strangers to Buffalo, they really made a name for themselves in the Queen City at last summer’s Cobblestone Live. Needless to say the place was packed by the time openers Wild Adriatic took the stage and the party did not let up. Beers were chugged, Jameson was passed around and crowd surfing …oh the crowd surfing.
Pink Talking Fish has teamed up with the Big Apple Circus to create a new concept called Junta Circus, celebrating Phish’s album Junta, and are bringing the circus to the Capitol Theatre on Saturday, February 23. Greg Ormont from Pigeons Playing Ping Pong has been recruited as ringmaster. The show will feature circus acts both on and off stage. Who better to lead the wacky circus than Scrambled Greg?
Pink Talking Fish celebrates the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, and Phish all on one stage. They have already played two concept shows at The Capitol Theatre, one for “The Wall” and another for “Stop Making Sense.” The energy, artistry, and improvisation are incredible at these shows, and, undoubtedly, they will pull out all the stops to provide a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. Like other shows, this will be one long marathon set, so you better get ready.
The New Year’s Eve performance from Phish, featuring several suspended aerialists flying around the band, seems like it may have inspired this show even though it was announced before Phish’s New Year’s run. Junta features Phish classics like “You Enjoy Myself,” “Dinner and a Movie,” “Divided Sky,” “David Bowie,” “Fluffhead,” “Sanity,” “Contact,” “Icculus” and more. Some of those feature masterful composition with parts that are difficult to play, so the musicians of “Junta Circus” certainly have their work cut out for them.
Pink Talking Fish team up with Start Making Sense and the ladies of Turkuaz for one of their concept shows at the Capitol Theatre.
Amy Helm and Cindy Cashdollar, two heroines of Woodstock, NY, wowed a hometown crowd on Friday, February 8 at Levon Helm Studios.
The opening act, Freddy & Francine, however, traveled from significantly farther away. An Americana couple from Nashville, they were joined by a big bassist and launched the embarkation of the evening. With only a tambourine, unplugged bass, acoustic guitar and their voices, the trio made significant ripples around the room.
When Freddy, whose real name is Lee Ferris, spoke between songs, he sounded like a regular guy; when he sang, he sounded like a folk sensation. As they put on a moving cover of Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind,” Freddy and Francine (Bianca Caruso) maintained unblinking, unyielding eye contact that was nearly blinding.
Freddy and Francine
The energy between the couple-plus-one was palpable, their harmonies remarkably in sync. This was the first night of their ironically-titled Summer Tour and the soulful Southerners elicited excited applause.
Amy, as she’s simply and lovingly known in Woodstock, took the stage following a break and, drum in tow, went right into a cover of her father’s “Feelin’ Good.” Levon’s voice is irreplaceable and unmistakable, but Amy has clearly inherited his amiable presence and musical aptitude – who else can sing the blues so happily? After playing a clip of Levon singing “Little Birds,” dobro maestro Cindy Cashdollar mused, “If my voice could come through half as clear as his, I’d be happy.”
Amy Helm
History seeps from the rafters of the Barn at Levon Helm Studios and, with Woodstock’s first daughter squarely in the limelight, the crowd was fully spellbound. It was fascinating to hear the folk gospel of the Mississippi sung to the staunch devotees of Levon Helm, many of whom undoubtedly witnessed him 50 years ago at Woodstock ‘69. Most of the evening’s congregation sat straight-backed, unmoving, eyes glued to the revered Ms. Helm. While I felt my limbs unable to resist involuntarily moving to the tunes, I witnessed much of the crowd sitting immobile, so engulfed by the musicians.
The stage was undeniably Amy’s, though Cindy Cashdollar’s genius on the strings was equally unmistakable. Whether it was the lap steel or the dobro she played, her strokes were magical. The twang she inherited from her time in Texas jived with her Northern heritage. She was, at once, technically flawless and emotionally invested.
Cindy Cashdollar (left) and Amy Helm (right)
Between the songs, they sprinkled in the stories: life with Levon and growing up with a legend. Amy and Cindy recalled late night rambles and his infectious affability, how Levon made music look easy and made those around him sound better. While his presence always lives on in Woodstock, his spirit was prominent this night emanating from his daughter and cascading from his disciple.
Galactic brought their deliciously funky Already Ready Already Tour of NOLA Funk to Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, February 9 to promote their new album with the same title. The New Orleans-based group is one of the original jam bands from the mid-nineties. Their style is often described as a fusion of rock, funk, jazz, hip hop, r&b and electronica, and has evolved over time.
They often tour with a talented vocalist, and Erica Falls is no exception. The native New Orleans singer has a style that is rooted in vintage soul, channeling an earlier era. Erica reminders her fans that, “Vintage soul is not about bringing the listener back to a time of authentic music, it’s about reminding them that it never went anywhere.”
In addition to Erica Falls, Galactic brought their funky NOLA friends The Motet to open the show. The Motet released an album last month titled Death or Devotion as well. Singer Lyle Divinsky raised the band’s energy even higher with his exceptional stage presence at Brooklyn Steel, and got the crowd ready for Galactic.
At set break, the High and Mighty Brass Band entertained fans with marching band renditions of TLC favorites like “Waterfalls” and “Creep.” The High and Mighty Brass Band is still currently on tour opening for Galactic.
After the serendipitous first set and set break music, Galactic and Erica Falls took the stage with a bayou-flavored vigor that only Louisiana natives can possess. They played several tunes off of their new album, including “Ready Already,” “Clap Your Hands,” “Going Straight Crazy,” “Touch Get Cut,” and “Everlasting Light.” Ms. Falls lit up the stage with her dynamic and authentic vocals. Galactic showed their incredible improvisational skill with everything from saucy sax solos to funky guitar solos.
The High and Mighty Brass Band joined Galactic on stage again during the encore for “Buckit Like a Horse,” raising the level of funk just one more time.
Setlist
Ready Already* Higher and Higher* Heart Of Steel* Clap Your Hands* Fabuloso Going Straight Crazy* Hey Na Na* You Don’t Know* Doomed>Tiger Roll>Touch Get Cut* Coolin Off Medley Everlasting Light* Right On* Big Whiskers Tuff Love Dolla Diva* Buckit Like A Horse** Never Called You Crazy*
In the midst of a polar vortex, fans of Umphrey’s McGee fought through the frigid cold to see the band take to the historic Palace Theatre stage in Albany. This is the group’s fourth performance at the Palace over the past five years, seemingly solidifying it as a staple tour stop in the northeast. Opening up the night, they had Robert Walter’s 20th Congress, featuring John Kimock and Scott Metzger.
photo by Dave Decrescente
The first set kicked off with the heavy rocker “Domino Theory,” off 2011’s Death by Stereo, setting the mood for the night with its driving metal sound. Following a type 1 jam, the group played “Got Your Milk (Right Here),” another rocking tune that hadn’t been played since the group’s Red Rocks run. Robert Walter joined the group for “Whistle Kids” from Umphrey’s recent 2018 release it’s not us. Walter took over keyboardist Joel Cummins’ Fender Rhodes for the song and led the group through the ensuing jam with Cummins by his side on the Hammond organ, raising the somewhat downtempo feel of the song into a short, but sweet prog jam. “The Linear” followed, continuing that progginess and going into the first real jam of the set, heavily featuring guitarists Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger working with each other to create atmosphere and bring the song into “White Man’s Moccasins,” a jazzy tune that let Cinninger show off his chops a bit.
photo by Dave Decrescente
“Resolution” came next, raising the tempo immensely with its uplifting sound, and leading the group into a full band tease of The Beatles’ classic “Norwegian Wood.” The jam in “Resolution” was very spacey and electronic, creating a similar feel to what they did with “The Linear” earlier in the set but adding in the electronic drum kit from drummer Kris Meyers. Myers and percussionist Andy Farag took a mini drum jam before the group brought “Resolution” into “Upward,” a bluesy ballad by Bayliss that took the energy from “Resolution” and transformed it into the peak of the segment. To close out the set, Bayliss welcomed moe. drummer Vinnie Amico to the stage for a cover of ZZ Top’s “Cheap Sunglasses,” a classic by the Texas hard rock trio.
photo by Dave Decrescente
The second set was the highlight of the night, starting off with the prog metal masterpiece “Miss Tinkle’s Overture,” which really shows how all 6 members are a well oiled machine when they need to get down and technical. “Miss Tinkle’s” led the group into a dub reggae-esque jam once they had played through the composed sections before Cinninger brought the jam back into a metal sound for the “peak” of the jam. “Walletsworth” followed, continuing the heavy sound from “Miss Tinkle’s,” but not featuring any real jam besides Cummins taking a piano solo before the last chorus. “Waiting Room” kept the heaviness going, with its driving bassline and anthemic lyrics really getting the crowd raging for its brief performance.
photo by Dave Decrescente
To kick off the best segment of the set, the band started into the familiar opening chords of “1348,” which is always a welcome sound at an Umphrey’s show. The jam in “1348” was really interesting, the group mixed a dance sound with funky guitar riffing and really kept the groove driving until they suddenly broke into “Eat,” which was just heavy guitar riffage front to back. “Maybe Someday” came next, riding the wave of heaviness from “1348” > “Eat” and launching into a heavy metal jam that wove in and out of the composed sections of the song. Ending out the set was “The Floor” back into “1348,” completing the song from earlier in the set. “The Floor” is an incredible song to see live, it’s very dramatic and Middle Eastern-sounding at points, but also brings forth some of the group’s heaviest breakdowns.
This version of the song didn’t feature any jamming, but was a super tight version of the song and provided the perfect launchpad for dropping back into “1348.” The second half of “1348” was a culmination of all the energy they’d been building up throughout the second set, exploding into one last super heavy runaround of the main riff before ending the set. For the encore, the group sandwiched “Soul Food I” between two halves of “Puppet String.” The group seamlessly dropped out of the composed section of “Puppet String” into “Soul Food I,” performed the song, and then bassist Ryan Stasik dropped back into the “Puppet String” bassline and the rest of the band followed suit.
Umphrey’s McGee performed a heater of a show on Friday night in Albany, check out the photo gallery below for a taste of what the night looked like. Check back with NYS Music for coverage of the Dookie aftershow.
Arleigh Kincheloe, aka Sister Sparrow, mesmerized a full house at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock Saturday night, with the Dirty Birds backing her, as she held the audience entranced, proving one’s presence can dwarf their stature. The setting, a barn-turned-showroom, was ideal as onlookers surrounded the band and Sister Sparrow’s voice reverberated majestically.
The show, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds’ second at Levon Helm Studios, was long-awaited. SS&TDB were scheduled to make their first appearance in Woodstock since 2012 last December 29. Due to illness, however, the concert was rescheduled for January 26. If good things are worth the wait, the band can be forgiven for the near-seven year hiatus; they were excellent.
When concert-goers arrived in Woodstock, they waited a little longer for the headliner as Melanie Glenn, Mary Kenney and Allison Olender, of the band Upstate, opened with an a capella set. While they typically play with a backing band, the set highlighting the singers was apropos for the intimate Levon Helm Studios.
The sincerity of their voices manifested in calls and responses, gospels mixed with folk, and the three young ladies had evident chemistry. Expressive and at ease on stage, each singer had her own style and personality: Glenn took the limelight at one point with an acoustic guitar and Olender later came to the front with her electric Fender. Kenney anchored the set, standing center throughout. While Sister Sparrow would come out to steal the evening, Upstate’s harmonies set the mood wonderfully.
After a brief intermission, the Dirty Birds took the stage and, with the audience’s enthusiastic encouragement, Sister Sparrow crept up to the spotlight. With a playful look of surprise for the applause (“Who– me?”) and a shake of her long, red hair, she grabbed the mic and it was off to the races.
She’s tiny. She’s huge. The microphone stand rivals her in stature, but Sister Sparrow’s presence is titanic. With her mother watching from the crowd and her brother Jackson supporting on the harmonica, Sister Sparrow banged her bright red tambourine, swung the mic, and belted out invigorating tunes.
While Sister Sparrow’s stage presence is as cool as watermelon on a summer afternoon, the band, a menagerie of supporting musicians, has a full, clean rock ‘n’ roll vibe. With his shoulders curling and head nodding, drummer Dan Boyden played with a nonchalance that imbibed the spirit of Levon Helm. During a cover of Toto’s “Rosanna,” trumpeter Phil Rodriguez and saxophonist Brian Graham turned and nodded to each other as if to say, “Yeah, we’re gettin’ it!”
The sounds ranged from pop to folk, prominently featuring funk and soul. Sister Sparrow’s candid mien was positive and jocular, her voice captivating. The show was intimate yet energetic, and, from the beginning, there was a feel in the air that something special was taking place: refreshing music created by from experienced entertainers.
The Barn at Levon Helm Studios had a church-like feel Saturday night. Rows of worshipers sat in awe as Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds held the pulpit. The music had a soul-cleansing component and the crowd was a lowercase-c catholic cluster of Dirty Bird disciples. While it was my first time attending a Sister Sparrow sermon, I most certainly hope it’s not my last.
Wavy Cunningham and DJ Mercy, hip hop artists from Albany teamed up for their second effort, The Art of War, a ten-track album launched on December 28, 2018.
Wavy wrote most of the lyrics in one sitting, matching them to hooks and audio samples he had on deck; DJ Mercy composed the instrumentals and fused the beats together.
Photo: Zach Hitt
The duo raised up a chilled out, yet confident, beach vibe to sit at the core of the album’s sound. They included a lot of work in the percussion department – a welcomed and elemental foundation, since Mercy plays drums by trade. The beats and samples weave together with stitches by Wavy’s urgent vocal style. The opening track, “Ain’t About Me,” claims, no collusion, but the chemistry between the two is too reactive. It can’t be true.
“Lose Control” has modern, robotically tuned vocals, similar to Atlanta artists Future and Migos. At the same time, the title track and “4 The Gang,” follow old school hip-hop traditions, featuring bouncy drums and turntable scratch tricks. “The Right Drugs,” reminisces on a romantic relationship, lost and highlights the album with its atmosphere and narrative.
The Art of War is solid, short, and sweet. It runs experiments on its genre without going overboard. However, the mix and master deserve re-evaluation. Lyrical and instrumental subtleties get lost in limited production. Though the politics of how a project should sound are generally opinion based, one thing is for sure: the core writing and composition is an effort that will leave the listener with a smiling new impression.
Key tracks: Lose Control, The Right Drugs, 4 Tha Gang
The Art of War is available on major streaming platforms.
Throughout the month of January Funktional Flow has been holding down a Wednesday night residency at Buffalo Iron Works, with each week bringing a different theme. After hosting luau and funk nights, January 23, was billed as an unplugged evening.
The amps may not have been turned up to 11, but the energy in the room sure was. Be sure to check out the last night of the run on January 30, when they close with a Flow-and-Friends set, featuring support from Sentinel 6.
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
