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A Shot of Poison – The Perfect Antidote for Boring Music
There was nothing but a good time at Orange County Chopper Cafe in Newburgh, NY on Saturday, July 13. The crowd was on their feet dancing and singing along as if it was 1990. Before Shot of Poison took the stage, The Beacon River Dogs warmed up the crowd with a mix of originals and covers.

The Beacon River Dogs have been howling their songs for the last five years in the Hudson Valley area of New York. The band consists of Robert Stell on vocals and lead rhythm guitar, Fred Czaszar on bass, and Vinnie Quattrocchi on drums. Rob plays many original songs. He is strongly influenced by KISS, but he remembers having a passion about music since he was a young child, stating he used to listen to AM radio and loved hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn, Aerosmith, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Paige, and Randy Rhodes. He started his first band when he was only 14 years old, playing the guitar his grandmother had given him.

Robert Stell – vocals and rhythm guitar

Grandma must have seen something in that kid. He has since opened for many artists, including Lou Reed, John Corobi, Government Mule with Warren Haynes, Rick Derringer, and tribute bands such as SATO Ozzy Band, the Alice Copper tribute band School’s Out, Rolling Stones tribute band Satisfaction, and on this night, for Shot of Poison, a Poison tribute band.

The setlist for The Beacon River Dogs was quite extensive as they were asked to play a little longer by the promoter, Rockin Rob Jagusch. Songs included were “Riding Home,” “Angel Christine,” “Give Me Back My Gun,” “Billy the Kid,” “Little Cryer”, and “Let it Bleed.” Check out their Facebook page for upcoming shows.

Bassist Fred “Z” also mentioned “Rock Out the Dope” The Opioid Prevention and Awareness Music Festival will be held on August 9-11 at the Blackthorne Resort located in East Durham, NY. This family friendly event will feature over 100 acts at 13 stages during the three-day event. Find out more here

The Beacon River Dogs
- Fred Czaszar
- Fred Czaszar
- Rob Stell
- Fred Czaszar
- Rob Stell
- Vinnie Quattrocchi
- Vinnie Quattrocchi
- Rob Stell
- Rob Stell
Shot of Poison then came on stage to a roaring crowd and thrilled them with “Cry Tough”. It was a non-stop party after that. The band consists of Ken Gillman on drums, Adam Boc on Bass, Bruce Bennett on guitar, and vocals by Frank Pupillo.

I asked Ken Gilman, the drummer for the band that originally started ten years ago, “”How did this all start?” Although it was successful, it was short lived, only lasting about a year. But he didn’t give up. He envisioned something bigger, and better. It finally happened in November of 2017, with new band members and more lively artists. When you see how busy they are with the tour, you know how successful it is.

Bruce Bennet, Frank Pupillo and Adam Boc of Shot of Poison

When asked, “Why Poison?” each band member had their own input:
KEN’s answer: To me, Poison is the epitome of ’80s glam metal and Bret Michaels is to glam metal what Elvis Presley was to adult rock in the ’60s and ’70s.
ADAM’s answer: I learned a lot from starting another tribute band five years earlier. I studied statistics and the market landscape, and saw a market gap for a top-quality Poison tribute.
Bruce similarly learned a lot from starting a tribute earlier. He always loved Poison, and he also saw the potential. Frank enjoys the glam style, in general, and saw an opportunity to express his love for entertaining people. And boy, did he entertain.

At first, you close your eyes and you hear Bret Michaels, but unlike some tribute bands, you open your eyes, and you also see “Bret Michaels.” Frank does an amazing job portraying the fun-loving Michaels, and he got the crowd involved throughout the night. From having the crowd sing along, to Bruce and Frank getting into the crowd and performing their rose ceremony, if you were there, you were a part of the show.
They interacted with any willing fan. At one point, upon seeing the camera, they stopped what they were doing and posed. What a fun bunch.

The set-list was non-stop as well and featured songs like “Cry Tough,” “I Want Action,” “I Won’t Forget You,” “Talk Dirty to Me,” “Love on the Rocks,” “Nothin’ But a Good Time,” “Back to the Rocking Horse,” “Tearin’ Down the Walls,” “Look But You Can’t Touch,” “Fallen Angel,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “Unskinny Bop,” “Life Goes On,” “Ride the Wind,” “Something to Believe In,” “What I Like About You,” “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “We’re an American Band.”

Check out the list of upcoming locations and make a plan to experience Shot of Poison first hand, you will be amazed.

Upcoming dates/locations
Fri, AUG 9 – Finnegan’s Irish Rock Club – Scranton, PA
Sat, AUG 10 – Woodlawn Beach & Tiki Bar – Buffalo, NY
Thu, AUG 15 – Maple Tree Place Summer Concert Series – Williston, VT
Fri, AUG 16 – Sharkey’s Summer Stage – Liverpool, NY
Sat, AUG 17 – New London Veterans Motorcycle Run – New London, OH
Fri, AUG 23 – Mc Sober’s Saloon – Coldwater, OH
Sat, AUG 24 – Goodstock Music Festival – Goodland, IN
Sat, SEP 7 – Sterling Fair – Sterling, MA
Fri, SEP 13 – Gusto’s – Barre, VT
Sat, SEP 14 – Mixers Nightclub & Lounge – Sabattus, ME
Sat, SEP 28 – Hairfest 2019 at Indian Ranch Amphitheater – Webster, MA
Sat, OCT 12 – The Phoenix – Stonington, CT
Thu, NOV 21 – Granite State Music Hall (with Mr. Speed) – Laconia, NH
Fri, NOV 22 – Blue Ocean Music Hall (with Mr. Speed KISS tribute) – Salisbury, MA

Bruce Bennett

Frank Pupillo
- Bruce Bennett
- Adam Boc
- Frank Pupillo
- Ken Gillman
- Bruce Bennett
July 31, 2019
Mipso Double Down at Caffè Lena

On Aug. 11, Mipso will be performing two shows at Caffè Lena. Hailing from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the quartet is known for its blend of folk and modern-alt sounds. Rolling Stone recently named them an “Artist You Need to Know,” which is fitting given their ability to create songs that are fragile in narrative but robust in sound. With gentle vocals, Mipso sings about life’s truths, softening the blows of a sometimes harsh reality.

Their most recent album, Edges Run, was released on April 6 and includes notable tracks such as “People Change” and “Moonlight.” Originally pigeon-holed as a bluegrass band, this album marks a break-away from the bluegrass sound with a wide array of styles ranging from ballads to more upbeat pop songs utilizing instruments that aren’t typically associated with a bluegrass band such as the electric guitar.

Mipso will be performing at both 6:00 and at 8:30 pm. For tickets to either show, please go the Caffè Lena website.

July 30, 2019
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe to Play Historic White Eagle

World renowned jazz/funk saxophonist Karl Denson is set to bring his 7-piece Tiny Universe to the historic White Eagle Hall in Jersey City on Wednesday, July 31. Tickets are available here via Eventbrite.

Karl Denson is a founding member of the seminal funk band, The Greyboy Allstars, as well as the touring saxophonist with The Rolling Stones. The spirit and energy of KDTU is hard to contain as it’s stacked with top talent including Greyboy Allstars members Zak Najor on drums, bassist Chris Stillwell, and Crush Effects keyboardist David Veith. Rounding out the touring lineup are also guitarist DJ Williams, trumpeter Chris Littlefield, and lap steel/slide guitarist Seth Freeman.

With unparalleled chops and an eclectic mix of musical influence from Prince to the White Stripes (covers of both can be heard on tour), it’s no wonder Denson has been sought to record with acts such as Lenny Kravitz and Slightly Stoopid.

Touring in support of the recent release Gnomes and Badgers (out now via Seven Spheres Records), KDTU is making their way across the country all the way through the fall. For more ticket information and tour dates, visit Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe.

July 30, 2019
Making A Modern Classic: Tough Old Bird’s ‘The Old Great Lakes’

The Old Great Lakes is a captivating collection, brimming with the beautiful verse and evocative arrangements Tough Old Bird has become known for. However, this work transcends everything they’ve done, pioneering beyond the confines of traditional folk. Tough Old Bird is the moniker taken on by brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan.

Inspiration for The Old Great Lakes came from a lot of sources: the environment, literature and a lifetime of music appreciation. As the name implies, The Old Great Lakes was shaped by an innate love for geography and environment. Matthew and Nathan have toured quite a bit over the last few years, but their music has always been deeply affected by their Western New York roots.

“We grew up in a little one-stoplight town called Fillmore, NY, and that environment definitely found its way into a lot of our music,” said Nathan. “But I think where we grew up probably had less of an influence on this album than on our previous ones. Our music has always felt pretty rural, but this, to me, is more of a city album. I imagine it taking place in more of a rust belt setting – places like Buffalo and Rochester.”

Listening to the album it’s easy to pick out references to a post-industrial backdrop. The percussion in some songs drone on like the trip-hammers of the old mills. And when they sing about a woman in the snow in the alley, one can feel the unyielding cold of New York winters seeping into your bones.

Don’t be mistaken, thinking this is a period piece. The songs have a timeless quality about them, and could just as easily be set a hundred years ago as they could today. This comes in part from being steeped in diverse influences from bands ranging in genre – from rock to country, and from the beginning of recordings to the present.

Our parents had a huge record collection and started us out on bands like The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Squeeze, or John Prine… I remember our dad calling me downstairs once and we sat and listened to The Wall by Pink Floyd straight through.
Matthew Corrigan

“Growing up I felt like a sponge for new music,” he continued. “My teachers showed me Pearl Jam and The National. My friends got me into Iron & Wine and The Avett Brothers. I think I listened to R.E.M. for two years straight in high school.”

These influences shine through on this album. Whereas their previous work has more of a traditional feel; this time they incorporated more diverse sounds and techniques. The songs carry on the traditions of Americana, but there’s more willingness to take chances on this album – a quickening sense of adventure and risk-taking. It veers away from the expected.

“We wanted to create something new,” explained Matthew. “Nathan and I both had a vision for what we wanted for this album that dates back several years. We both knew we had to create a certain environment that these songs inhabited, and that environment was different than what we had created before.”

Nathan added, “We were a lot more open to electric instruments on this album – electric guitars, keyboards, effects – and more ability to use those things than we had the last time around. I think we’ve had a tendency in the past to think of ourselves as a folk band, and with this album I think it was more important to be open to anything, and not worry about what genre it was or whether it sounded like some abstract idea of how we were supposed to sound.”

A cohesive concept achieved through the use of repeated motifs and musical phrases make this more than just a collection of tracks. There are melodies that repeat throughout the album, tying the songs together. And the lyrics contain a narrative arc, a sonic novella complete with setting and a cast of characters.

The Great Lakes themselves are the most pervasive symbol on the album, they appear in every song in some form. They aren’t the direct subject of any given song, but are placed in the background as an unchanging setting for all of these human stories to take place. They have battered shorelines, sunken ships, lighthouses, and hold watchmen and lost sailors, but they steadily churn and rest at the edge of every city and landscape and story. I feel that they passively narrate the emotional arc of the record.
Matthew Corrigan

The musical composition adds to the emotional tug of the album. From the triumphant horns to the maudlin violin, the soundscape mirrors feeling behind the story of each song. They called some friends, old and new, into the studio to execute their vision for the album. Jay Corwin was on upright and electric bass. Charlie Caughlin, of The Brothers Blue, played fiddle on two songs. Sean Ebert from The Fredtown Stompers played trumpet on a couple. And Marty Benzinger played drums. Matthew credits these musicians with bringing the songs to a whole new level.

Matthew and Nathan went with a new producer this time. They met musician/recording engineer Brent Martone through the Buffalo music scene. Last winter, they got together to turn the vision for The Old Great Lakes into a reality.

“He did a great job of getting us to push ourselves, but without ever steering the record in a particular direction,” said Nathan. “He also has a lot more know-how when it comes to effects and electronic stuff, so we would try to describe how we wanted something to sound and he would be like: great, here’s five ways we can do that!”

Matthew added, “I think he understood the songs from the start which created a very freeing environment to work in, no idea wasn’t worth chasing. Brent also challenged us musically and conceptually in ways that we had never been before. Every song on the record benefited from honest critique and deconstruction.”

The resulting album marks a milestone in their progression as musicians. It builds upon everything they’ve done so far.

“Every album we’ve worked on has expanded our knowledge in some way,” said Matthew. “Gambling Days taught us how to work in a studio, Beasts taught us how to flesh out arrangements and put together a batch of songs that was thematically cohesive. All that experience was carried over onto The Old Great Lakes. That being said, there were also several times on this new album that we purposefully rejected things that we had done before.”

“In terms of lyrics, every song is a push to write a better song than the one before,” he continued. “Every song is a lesson in how to use language.”

Listen to The Old Great Lakes, which is out now. You can purchase it on CD or digital download on their website. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Tour dates to be announced soon.

July 30, 2019
The Beans Deliver Magic at Garcia’s with Cycles and The Jauntee
On Thursday July 25, three bands from Denver, Colorado descended on Port Chester, New York for a night of musical magic at Garcia’s, the bar adjacent the famed Capitol Theatre with Cycles, The Jauntee, and Magic Beans who have all had an extremely successful year, riding the waves of headlining sets at festivals throughout the summer, recent album releases, and upcoming releases.

Before the music began, I had the opportunity to sit with Chris Duffy (bass, Magic Beans) and Caton Sollenberger (guitar, The Jauntee) about their feelings playing together, influences, and plans for the future.

Tom Dillon: Being that you’re all from Colorado, can you comment on what it feels like to be playing together out east?

Chris Duffy: It feels really relaxed. Cycles, they’re good friends from Denver. We played Baltimore together last night and will be at Peach Festival tomorrow. Jauntee just moved to Denver last year and we all sort of share a fan base. It’s a good vibe, there’s more conversation in the green room.

Caton Sollenberger: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s cool to be in this “family” setting. All three of us played Beanstalk last year and we’ve all been able to help each other out. We (Jauntee) did five weeks out east in the spring and it feels great to be in this kind of a homecoming. This is our fourth time at Garcia’s so it’s good to be here.

Scott Ferber of The Jauntee

TD: Speaking of Beanstalk, this was the 7^th year for the festival, how was that?

CD: Ah man, it was awesome! (Tucker McClung of Cycles chimes in “Favorite Beanstalk so far!) Yeah it was incredible. Each year it feels more dialed in, the crew just gets tighter and tighter.

CS: Unfortunately we missed Beanstalk this year, but just moving to Colorado was a big thing for us. We started going out west a while ago, which always seemed impossible from Boston, so we feel like we have a good home base out there. The scene is really welcoming.

TD: It’s been a great year for the Beans between the 7^th year of Beanstalk, opening for the Disco Biscuits, and debuting at Red Rocks. What are your thoughts on the space you’ve carved out for yourselves in the jam band scene?

CD: Well, we are pretty aware of our influences. There is so much good production happening right now in neo-soul and hip-hop – which we listen to a lot of, so we try to show that through the jam band lens. We like to see how the jam band crowd will react to different sounds and influences and we’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much people are grabbing onto the more heartfelt singing and songs. Those are some of our most streamed songs, the ones that are more songwriting heavy.

Scott Haschey of Magic Beans

TD: You seem to take a more rhythm-based approach to improvisation, is that intentional?

CD: We try to interpret our influences and not just copy them. We have a lot of peaking guitar solo jams like a lot of jam bands but that doesn’t really satisfy all our desires creatively. Scott (Haschey, guitar) really values good songwriting and puts a lot of thought into arrangement, lyrics, and digging deep into human emotion as opposed to singing about some fabled jam band monkey in a tree – even though we love that stuff too.

TD: So what’s next and what are you looking forward to?

CS: Jauntee has a live compilation coming out with takes from our last New England run. It’s going to be called Jaunts Of Our Lives. We picked the best stuff that we liked and mixed it all down. There won’t be any print but it’s all high quality and will be out on streaming and on Bandcamp as a pay-what-you-want deal. It should be coming out real soon, like any day. To be honest it might even already be out!

CD: Well, we just released Off Leash and are really happy with the way the album came out. We were able to inject a lot of different styles so there’s something for everyone but we feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface of accessing our inner producers as far as using other sounds – drum machines or samples on stage. We just keep pressing on. We’ve talked about getting together and releasing maybe a hip-hop EP or a remix or dance thing, but you might hear us swing into a more acoustic or Americana sound also.

Cycles

First up was the eclectic trio Cycles, comprised of guitarist/loop-master Patrick Harvey, bassist Tucker McClung, and newcomer drummer Colin O’Brien in his fifth official gig with the band. Cycles are completely unique in their sound and approach, blending genres from rock to soul into a mix of progressive power.

Through their opening hour set, the rhythm section was relentless. Offering a batch of material that can also be found on their recent live release Selections, Vol. 1, the trio covered all their bases. From the opening instrumental “Strife” and the bouncing “Be Yourself” to the more delicate “Everything Must Go,” the mood shifted but the sound was consistently huge. This is in large part due to Harvey’s control over his gear. While his guitar playing is ferocious, his use of a looper is equally as impressive. As he layers swells over chords, he creates massive sonic landscapes that reverberate through every corner of the room. He has mastered the art of painting with sound and it seems to be something he has taken hold of as totally his own.

The Jauntee

After a speedy equipment swap, The Jauntee got straight into some easy-going funk with “When The Love Is.” With tasteful riffs and well-placed transitions from section to section, The Jauntee is one of the few bands on the scene who explores free improvisation to a level where they begin to touch on what a band like Phish was doing or has done.

Adding the first sounds of piano and organ to the night, The Jauntee carried the groove steadily throughout their set. Their uplifting content is explicitly demonstrated in “Way To Grow” as the lyrics reference, “Feel good music to let your spirit free.” The progressive number “Flutterby” is an impressive run through ascending melodies, quickly moving scale patterns, and was executed flawlessly. It’s obvious that this group has been together for a while and the members are comfortable together. The jams are patient and poised. They take the time to really settle in, letting the crowd feel the beat, giving the music room to breathe, allowing it to grow by feeding off the moment. This was most honestly exemplified in the second half of the set during “Dirty Job” as the band slowly raised the energy level from foot-tapping funk, building anticipation through a series of tense syncopations, to a final release of sustained guitar under a canvas of organ.

Magic Beans

It’s easy to see why Magic Beans has steadily, and quickly, built momentum as a band to see. Though they live some 2,000 miles away, fans showed up in force to watch them in Port Chester. One fan even thanked Chris Duffy for putting on such a good show the night before in Baltimore.

The Beans are locked in to their feel-good sound. It’s music that’s meant to not only make you dance, but make you feel good about it. Kicking things off with the party-funk single “Feed The Beast” from their newest album Off Leash, the band exhibited that they came prepared to lay it down. Keyboardist Casey Russell kept a wide smile all throughout the affirmative “Always Cool” off of 2017’s Common Mind. Two songs in and raving with jubilance, guitarist Scott Haschey broke a string and didn’t miss a single note. While he stepped off to re-string, the rest of the band wasn’t going to wait up. After a short filler with Casey on lead vocals and a impassioned organ solo, the rest of the set was indeed magical.

Casey Russell of Magic Beans

With just 6 songs on their setlist, Magic Beans intertwined all styles, incorporating a variety of sounds from their respective toolkits during an hour and fifteen minutes. Lush organ, euphonic synthesizer, filtered bass, drum samples under tight beats, and vibrant, rich guitar tones were all on full display. A touch of each was compiled into the finale “Contraband,” another track from Off Leash, bringing this night of magical music to it’s conclusion.

Off Leash is available on all streaming platforms now and Magic Beans can be seen in the Northeast once again on their soon-to-be announced Fall Tour.
July 29, 2019
Fela! The Concert, to Electrify SPAC on July 29

Full of energy in constant motion, Fela! The Concert will bring the award winning Broadway musical to Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Monday, July 29. The sensual, eclectic sounds and powerful lyrics of Fela Kuti, the founding father of Afrobeat, prove why he became one of the world’s most celebrated and rebellious music legends of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Set against a soaring canvas of projected images, Fela! The Concert is driven by the electrifying rhythms from a live Afrobeat band, with singers and dancers who bring to life Fela’s provocative spirit. Fela! The Concert features members of the original Broadway cast from the highly acclaimed Tony Award winning production Fela! This unique concert experience radiates joy and leaves audiences on their feet wanting more.

Prior to Fela! The Concert, at 7 p.m. SPAC will present a high-energy, professionally choreographed final performance by 80 local children who have been participating in The Performance Project: Youth in Motion. Led by the award winning National Dance Institute and presented in partnership with the Capital District and Saratoga Regional YMCA’s, SPAC’s Performance Project is a two-week dance intensive designed to teach children dance skills while instilling in them a belief in their own abilities and capacity to achieve success.

More information on Fela at SPAC can be found here.

July 28, 2019
Hearing Aide: Vaporeyes ‘Self Titled Album’

Just try not to dance when listening to this album and your body might just spontaneously combust. Groovy, tight, spacious, perpetual – all things that describe the Vaporeyes‘ third crack at a full length jam/progressive rock album. The group first joined forces in Syracuse in 2010 and has evolved into a well oiled, dance inducing machine, consisting of Jonas Niccolson on keys and vocals, Shannon Zory on bass, Sean Cadley on drums and Pat Tierney on guitar.

This time around, they’ve brought in a much fuller, spacier sound that is sure to set any dance floor ablaze. Vaporeyes said it themselves ,they are going to, “…breakout onto the jam scene,” according to their press release. Which they have done. They also say they “have put a lot of work and thought into creating an immersive and unique sound and live show.”

Every track on here is exactly what listeners would expect out of a modern jam album. Catchy hooks, floor-on-the-floor drums, spacey guitar and elaborate solos. But the thing that really separates them from other groups is their vocalist, Niccolson. His sultry pipes are a perfect fit for this new direction. It’s something that seems to escape the scope of a jam bands formula. But arguably, vocals are not the cornerstone of what makes a good jam band – hooks, builds and drops do.

Let’s look at “Quip Stash.” It checks all the instrumental boxes. We’re thrown right into it with a quirky hook featuring a very prominent, an obese synth working in junction with stupendous guitar tone, that soon combusts into a wide open space for everyone to toy around with. But we’re left in a trance and feel nothing special until Niccolson sneaks in with some lyrics that wrap through the air, breathing new life into a well executed jam song. It’s very well done but it’s not groundbreaking as the band suggests. We see a lot of similarities in “Phantom Pains” as well. Everything is tasty, groovy and catchy but the groups attitude can easily be lumped into most aspiring jam bands.

“Stay” releases a new variety of tones and genres, mainly consisting of blues and rock, laced with psychedelia. It’s a crisp jam with fun hooks and grooves. Once again, we get another taste of lush lyricism from Niccolson which adds unique flavor to the song, but it drops off again after the groups starts to solo. We don’t see much a build and it doesn’t leave much to the imagination in terms of what they might be like live. But, like most jam bands, they feed off the energy from a live setting which fuels creativity and the ‘in the moment jams’ they speak of in their press release.

It is not easy to be different in a music scene that is so over saturated. If you like the formula, hooks, upbeat riffs and extensive, experimental solos, than you should check out the album and go see them in a live setting. They are seasoned musicians with tons of experience that will make for a great show. Get to know their prior work on their Bandcamp and Spotify page and keep on eye on their Facebook page for upcoming events. So far, fans can catch them and Funk N’ Waffles on July 27, the same day that their new album us released.

Key Tracks: Stay, Quip Stash, Phantom Pains.

July 28, 2019
Dark Star Orchestra to Pair with Stony Creek Brewery August 1

New York State is boasting with amazing talent and artists across all genres. Inevitably an overwhelming sea of music has drifted down the shorelines into Branford, CT. This coming Thursday, August 1, Dark Star Orchestra will find themselves split between Stony Creek Brewery and the picturesque Branford River that runs out into Long Island Sound.

What’s better than beer and Music? In tandem with GoodWorks Entertainment, The Cranky Concert Series, named after the breweries iconic IPA, has hosted several groups ripe in NYS Music’s wheelhouse of regularly coverage. And for those heavy IPA drinkers, the Double Cranky is a must try at 9.5% ABV. So kick back, relax and jam on as Dark Star takes you on a trip, that you can sip along to.

The show is 21+ with tickets ranging from $45 to $97 for VIP with open bar on the brewery’s second level, with balcony viewing. GA tickets are standing room and food trucks will be available. Doors at 4:30pm and the show kicks off at 6:00pm, rain or shine. Stony Creek Brewery is located at 5 Indian Neck Ave. in Branford, CT.

We work with a company called GoodWorks who books all the talent, we’ve done a couple concerts with them so far and its been amazing. The fact that we have such an amazing location on the water; and we have gotten so many more people that would not have normally come to the brewery before to see great music.
Ali Turnbull, Event Coordinator – Stony Creek Brewery

Unbox, Dark Star Orchestra; a continuation of spirit, improvisation and the greatest acid-trip, that ever was, the Grateful Dead. In the midst of digging, we teleport back to the sounds we fell in love with in 1965, obsessed over by ‘69, and post ‘96, we’re left, only aching for more. Dark Star (DSO) is NOT a cover band. They give birth to all that is Dead, then reinterpret it in modern day. DSO is a time capsule – like the vivid memories, postcards and totems we buried long ago.
Chuck DeFilippo
Read more at NYS Music…

Dark Star Orchestra is the idiom of self-expression. In true honor of the Grateful Dead, DSO has made this genre all-inclusive – pulling from rock, jazz, country, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, psychedelia and blues. For Koritz, the list goes on. A melting-pot would be far too mundane to describe this stew.

Their testimony goes out to Deadheads and non-cult listeners alike. There is a common thread that weaves through our mind and ears. It’s music. “They hear it and say WOW” added Koritz. “Pretty much everybody will find something.” And when you get confused, just listen to the music play.

Citizen Cope at SCB with beer, music and good vibes. Photo by: Alessandra DiFortunato

Vermont heavy-hitters, Twiddle, will be keeping the brewery-party alive on August 29 & 30 apart of Stony Creek Brewery’s Cranky Concert Series.

July 28, 2019
Rob Thomas’ Message Warms Cool Night at Saratoga

Rob Thomas’ Chip Tooth Tour rolled into Saratoga Springs on Wednesday, July 24, complete with some great opening acts, messages of gratitude and music celebrating both past and present. Although there was a smaller crowd for the venue, fans filled in to hear singer/songwriter Chris Trapper and the thunderously joyful Abby Anderson before Thomas took the stage at 9pm.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. Photo by Jim Gilbert.

Rob Thomas is the lead singer of Matchbox Twenty, and he brought the rock star spirit in his dramatic entrance on stage. With lights flashing in time with the drum set, punctuating his presence, Thomas strode on stage, ceasing movement with generous pauses in light, sound and movement. The fierce guitar lick danced with Thomas, who ran backward high kneeing across stage. And in a moment it was clear: he’s a rock star – with or without his famous band.

Thomas welcomed the crowd after his second song, saying hello to Saratoga with a large grin. He added, ‘Here’s the thing. We’ll do this show tomorrow night, and we played it last night. But nothing is more special than this show tonight.’ And so started the message of the evening to be present and enjoy the moment. Thomas would reiterate this both in lyrics and words, chatting with the crowd throughout the evening – celebrating life’s every day moments in song and story.

From “Her Diamonds,” which acknowledges with brutal honesty loving someone with chronic pain, to the more folksy “The Great Unknown,” a song about death, Thomas’ desire to communicate his message resounded with authenticity. He invited Chris Trapp back up to sing Trapp’s original song about death, which was mashed up with Thomas’ “happy little song about death” in a joyful and honest moment on stage.

During “Streetcar Symphony,” Thomas expressed gratitude to his opening acts and fellow musicians on stage with him. He was clear in using his talent and velvety voice to share his wisdom to celebrate life in all its moments. Thomas talked about a time with his dogs on tour when he wrote “Little Wonders” for a movie soundtrack that made him recognize the joy in life through his animals.

Thomas covered David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” getting the crowd dancing in their aisles. After a full set of 17 songs, his fans called him back for an encore performance of “…Something to Be,” followed by loved Matchbox Twenty song “Unwell” and Santana’s “Smooth.” He was visibly having a great time, dancing and moving like the rock star he has become, without the rock star attitude. Instead he demonstrated generous gratitude, sharing the applause and calling his opening acts back to perform with him.

Thomas lives his message. He was present in the moment, and loving every minute of it.

Setlist: I Love It, Real World ’09, Lonely No More, Her Diamonds, If You’re Gone (Matchbox Twenty song), Can’t Help Me Now, The Great Unknown, Streetcorner Symphony, One Less Day (Dying Young), Little Wonders, Fire On the Mountain, Let’s Dance (David Bowie cover), 3 A.M., Ever the Same, Someday, I am an Illusion.

Encore: …Something to Be, Unwell, Smooth (Santana Cover), This is How a Heart Breaks.

July 28, 2019
Hearing Aide: Melissa Gardiner ‘Empowered’

Empowered, the new album from trombone player-extraordinaire Melissa Gardiner is a powerful ride of jazz, funk and dreamy atmospheric tracks that captures the listener from start to finish. Gardiner has been on the circuits playing with legendary acts like Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, and Vulfpeck.

On this record she reaches above the male dominated world of jazz with support from fellow musicians Ingrid Jensen and Tia Fuller. The timing of this inspirational record that dropped on June 21, is a statement against women being a placeholder, rather than featured musicians. On the track “Smile,” which features a brief conversation about entertainers being told they need to ‘appear happy’ on stage and, “Mask,” about women feeling like they must hide their emotions, it is clear that these recordings are not only empowering musicians, but all women. A beautiful sentiment set with incredible harmonies, amazingly-fun and catchy back beats, layered with the strong horn lines are only expected from a Juilliard graduate.

Another strong tune from Empowered is “Slowly.” Gardiner says, “It’s about feeling invisible, where people are looking at you, but not really seeing you – They’re only seeing your physical body.” With the message of abuse, sexism and trying to breakthrough into an incredible challenging profession, “Slowly” is a wonderful sight on the idea of taking steps forward and finding your way by pressing on. With lovely falsetto vocals and a soaring trumpet leading the way, this is another winner on an outstanding record.

Engineer and producer, Jeremy Johnston, has worked with Gardiner over the years on various records. He said: “This is such an exciting project. She came to me with her story and I immediately said yes, I want to help you tell it. We had phenomenal musicians and it tuned out to be fun, and I think she made a great one!” Assistant engineer, Alex Lavon, and Johnston recorded in Syracuse at multiple locations, brought in Weedie Braimah on percussion who tracked from New Orleans, and traveled to NYC to work with Ingrid Jensen and Tia Fuller. Naomi Clark added to the post-production of Empowered, with a keen eye on the final touches.

With Gardiner’s career over many years of taking these steps forward, it is inspiring to see a talent like this rising above and truly shine with her own voice and powerful message. Empowered is a must-listen. The production is next level, as is the artistry.

Key Tracks: Slowly, Brass Ceiling, Mask.

July 27, 2019