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Phish Blazes On at Merriweather Post Pavilion 2019

Vermont’s jam loving rock band, Phish, graced the stage of the woodsy meets urban Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, as they blazed on their 2019 summer tour. The June 22, 2019 show included a debut from Trey Anastasio side project, Ghosts of the Forest. Phish consists of Trey Anastasio (guitar), Mike Gordon (bass), Page McConnell (keyboard, organ) and Jon Fishman (drums).

MPP is located in the heart of Symphony Woods, a woodland preservation designed by famous architects, Frank Gehry and N. David O’Malley in 1967. It was originally built as a summer stage for the National Symphony Orchestra. The venue has won over popular music acts because of its natural surroundings and excellent sound.

Set one kicked off with “Undermind,” from the album with that name. Two funky fan favorites followed, “Tube,” with a delicious jam from McConnell, and the Son Seals’ cover, “Funky Bitch.” The fire-and-ice jam vehicle “Steam” was up next, followed by phish classics “My Sweet One” and “NICU.”

Phish slowed the set down with the debut of “Friend,” from Anastasio’s side project Ghosts of the Forest. This band was created to play songs honoring Anastasio’s long time friend, Chris Cottrell, who lost his battle with cancer in 2018. Meaningful lyrics pierce hearts: “why do we have to wait until it’s gone to know what love is?”

The boys pressed the gas pedal for “No Men in No Man’s Land,” off their album Big Boat. Classics “The Horse” > “Silent in the Morning,” from the album Rift, had the crowd with arms in the air. Jam monster “David Bowie” was played next, and for the first time in 2019. The set closed out with “Squirming Coil,” from Lawnboy as the sun set behind the venue.

The second set was full of segues and jamming, starting with “Ghost,” from Story of the Ghost. “Ghost” transitioned to the a jam sandwich with high energy “Axilla,” then into new tune, “Set Your Soul Free.” The Pink Floyd-esque “What’s the Use?” and finally “Billy Breathes” followed suit.

“Death Don’t Hurt Very Long,” from their new album Kazvot Vox, started the second segue sequence. The next layer in the jam triffle was “Backwards Down the Numberline” from the 2009 release, Joy. The perennial Phish favorite “Harry Hood” was up next, and Anastasio’s on point guitar work had the crowd feeling good. The boys transitioned into “Rise/Come Together,” another new song. The final layer was the classic “Golgi Apparatus,” ironically last played almost one year ago at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Phish sent their fans home happy with “Bug” > “Character Zero,” including an electrified closing jam. Phish fans await what night two has in store for them. Tickets are sold out, but can be obtained through CashorTrade.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Undermind, Tube, Funky Bitch, Steam > My Sweet One > NICU, Friend[1], No Men In No Man’s Land > The Horse > Silent in the Morning, David Bowie, The Squirming Coil.

Set 2: Ghost > Axilla > Set Your Soul Free > What’s the Use? > Billy Breathes, Death Don’t Hurt Very Long > Backwards Down the Number Line > Harry Hood > Rise/Come Together > Golgi Apparatus.

Encore: Bug > Character Zero.

1 – debut

June 24, 2019
In Focus: Khruangbin makes Capitol Theatre Debut

Thai-Funk trio, Khruangbin, made their debut at the historic Capitol Theatre on Wednesday June 19, where curious music fans were treated to something special. For the first time the Texas trio played their 2018 album, Con Todo El Mundo, in its entirety, followed with a complete performance of their 2015 debut album, The Universe Smiles Upon You.

Bassist Lara Lee, guitarist Mark Speer, and drummer Donald “Dj” Johnson have come up with this amazing sound that blends many global musical influences working towards never being pigeonholed into one label. As the band played the final note of “Zionsville” to close out the show, an extremely diverse group of music fans erupted in ovation, showing why this is one of the must see acts in music right now, and hopfully cementing many returns to the The Cap.

Setlist – Khruangbin at The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY

Set 1: Como Me Quieres, Lady and Man, Maria Tambien, Aug 10, Comom Te Quiero, Shades of Men, Evan, A Hyman, Rules, Friday.

Set 2: Mr. White, Two Fish, Dern Kala, Little Joe & Mary, White Gloves, People, The Man Who Took My Sunglasses, August 12, Ball and Pins, Zionsville.

June 23, 2019
Brooklyn’s Stringer and Friends Posthumously Complete Fan Favorite Video “Through The Walls”

After the untimely death of lead singer Mark Fletcher, the surviving members of Brooklyn, NY indie rock band Stringer completed a posthumous music video for “Through the Walls.” In a joint statement, Stringer band members said, “Mark Fletcher, our brother and bandmate passed on Feb. 19th, 2019. For six years we made music. We lived our lives together with a bond that can only be forged by the most intense and ecstatic experiences, we spoke in our own language. Mark and filmmaker Chris Elia made this video featuring a collection of strangers and his best friends singing his words. We think this is fitting because Mark made friends so easily and it didn’t take long for a stranger to become a best friend.”

Elia, a longtime friend of the band and frequent collaborator adds, “When Mark was in the Bay Area this past winter, he used his camera phone (as well as his outgoing & charming personality) to start filming the 1st verse in my old neighborhood. We spent literal hours talking on the phone during his trip, part of which involved his vision for a lyric video. He was so ecstatic about the initial rough cut I had sent him, so I can only imagine the happiness it would have brought him to see the completed video full of familiar faces singing his song.”

Members of Stringer, along with family and friends of Mark’s have also banded together to launch The Mark Fletcher Studio, a non-profit that has been set up in his memory. Stringer’s practice room in Bushwick, Brooklyn has been refitted to host analog recorded sessions that are free for artists.

The band adds, “We are running this studio solely on community donations so any help is greatly appreciated! Even $5 or $10 will go a long way. You can donate here.

Produced by Adam Reich (So So Glos, ex-Titus Andronicus), Stringer’s critically-acclaimed album My Bad was released in July on Wiretap Records.

June 23, 2019
Joywave Returns with New Single and Show Announcements

Joywave dropped the first single off their highly-anticipated third album, Like a Kennedy. In conjunction with the release, they announced “The Possession Sessions,” a handful of show dates including intimate shows in Rochester on June 29 and Brooklyn on July 11. The hometown show in Rochester at The Bug Jar sold out in a few hours, and a second-late night set has just been added. Tickets are on sale here. See the complete list of upcoming shows below.

In a commentary that is available to stream now, Armbruster explains:

“I think a lot of people will probably try to fit this song into some type of political narrative, but that’s really not the point. It’s a song about complete exhaustion and media burnout. It’s an anti-chaos song. Every screen you walk by DEMANDS your attention. Everything is BREAKING NEWS in all caps. It’s a really difficult time to think about the mundane small-scale things that have been the focus of human existence until very recently. I don’t think people should check out, but I think it’s beneficial to at least zoom out and not take the bait every time. It feels like everything is designed to keep us enraged 24 hours a day. We deserve a little sanity.”
– Daniel Armbruster

The Possession Sessions:

June 29 – Rochester, NY – The Bug Jar

JULY 9 – Los Angeles, CA – The Moroccan Lounge

July 11 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere (Zone One)

July 13 – Chicago, IL – Taste of Chicago

July 18 – Fayetteville, AR – Free Summer Concert Series at JBGB *

July 19 – Kansas City, MO – Coors Light Block Party *

August 10 – Redmond, WA – 107.7 The End Presents Summer Camp *

November 20 – London, UK – The Lexington

June 23, 2019
Clearwater Music Festival Continues Its Great Tradition

Last weekend the annual Clearwater Music Festival, continued its amazing and rich tradition as a premier event celebrating great music and environmental awareness in our community. With a lineup that included Mavis Staples, The Wailers, Ani DiFranco and Railroad Earth, Clearwater alumni came out despite bad weather predictions to celebrate a great weekend of music and revival in Westchester county.

Day one of the festival brought amazing weather complimenting the beautiful setting of Croton Point Park. Highlights of the afternoon included intimate sets from James Maddock, and The Lone Below, as well as a Deadgrass set that filled the Dance Stage with singing and moving deadheads. Ani DiFranco welcomed in the evening with one of the top sets of the weekend, treating fans to her powerful, poetic performance – the perfect appetizer. The evenings’ main act, legendary Mavis Staples showed her audience why she is a national treasure and one of the great soul singers of our time.

Day two plagued by rain and mud did not deter fans from another fun day of music on the Hudson, and their faith paid off because in the end the weather held out. The Fatherâs Day Sunday included amazing sets from Scott Sherrard, The Del McCoury Band, and Leslie Mendleson. The weekend favorite, Railroad Earth, kept the bluegrass roots alive, treating fans to unique songs from the bands amazing catalog. Closing out the 2019 edition of the Clearwater Music Festival was The Wailers; a relaxed group of fans were treated to all the hits of the famous reggae band, closing out an amazing weekend of music and community.

Inspired by Pete Seegerâs desire to clean up the river over forty years ago, The Great Hudson River Revival initially helped raise the funds to build the sloop Clearwater, which has since become a world-renowned floating classroom and a symbol of effective grassroots action.

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. is a non-profit organization that sails at the forefront of the nationâs environmental challenges. The revenue raised by the festival goes to support Clearwaterâs numerous educational programs and its work toward environmental and social justice.

Today, seeing the success of the Clearwater organization, one cannot imagine these achievements being possible without the Clearwater Festival. The Great Hudson River Revival has helped raise funds and served as a beacon toward raising awareness in support of Americaâs First River. And it all started more than 35 years ago, when it was but the dream of a banjo-picking folksinger.

June 23, 2019
Hearing Aide: Ignis ‘Mirrorless’

Albany based duo, Ignis, released their sophomore LP Mirrorless on June 10. The unique styling of the record, comprised of brothers Colby and Tristan Beach. A background in piano from a very early age led both brothers to take on other instruments, and as a result, formed Ignis back in 2017. The brothers have released two self-recorded EP’s to date: Walking, and Cover. In January 2018 they released their first full length album, The Face of Mars. Even though there are issues with the actual production value and execution of Mirrorless, the band is young, with time and perhaps a deft hand in the studio to assist in the production of new material, they will surely be able to overcome these technical deficiencies.

Unfortunately there are some tracks like “Go With Me” where the guitar is noticeably out of tune. If that was the intention of the duo, it made it an unpleasant experience for the listener. The vocals by lead singer Colby also seem to be inconsistently in tune throughout the LP. Nowhere is this issue more apparent than on both the third song “Fade Away” and the final track “Wombat Master”. There also seems to be some audible timing issues on “Fade Away” as well, which points to potential inexperience at the mixing board.

There are some positive aspects of Mirrorless that are pleasing. The majority of the musical arrangements show intelligent musicianship. They are able to evoke feelings that Ignis wants to convey to its audience. The duo definitely seem to be working with an extensive musical pallet that includes numerous style elements including keys, percussion and a variety of interesting guitar styles.

Additionally Mirrorless shows promise with songwriting by the Beach brothers that includes lyrics and rhythms that are both eccentric, introspective and interesting to listen to. Since this is the band’s sophomore effort, there is no doubt that there is still more in store for the future of this group. If the duo continues to evolve and are attentive to the details required of recording, they will be on track towards developing a bigger following and popularity in the Capital District. This of course takes time and experience. That experience comes from playing live and continued time in the studio. If Ignis performs regularly and commits to improving their knowledge of the mechanics of musical recording, they will be able to develop a more mature sound that will elevate their art to the next level.

Key Tracks: My Way, Red Dress

June 22, 2019
In Focus: Khruangbin, Conan Mockasin, & Kikagaku Moyo Funk Up SummerStage
Incredibly entertaining performances consumed SummerStage by all bands, each unique in their own sonic essence. Funky grooves, and a little shred, is a good way to describe their sounds. The rain didn’t stop the fans from enjoying this sold out show in Central Park. The weather looked promising as the skies cleared for Kikagaku Moyo, but soon came back half way through Khruangbin’s set.
June 22, 2019
In Focus: Kiss Jupiter Hall Goodbye With Revenge Tribute

The final show at Jupiter Hall, Albany, NY

On Friday night, June 14, Albany’s Jupiter Hall closed their stage for the last time; but before the darkness, the venue was alive with flashing lights, fans, great music – and snow!

Another great show by Chaos Collective and Joe Von Schnizel, The Jupiter Hall venue went out with a bang! The feeling at the show was not one of despair, but rather a celebration. Four bands played, but they seemed to have the hearts of all the prior bands within them, and they gave it all to the appreciative fans.

Revenge, a Kiss tribute band was the headliner, following an energetic lineup featuring: Frank Palangi band, The Hard Luck Souls, and Wasteland Junction.

Frank Palangi

Frank Palangi, an indie rock songwriter, opened the show with his band. His deep, full voice is reminiscent of Dave Gahan, the lead singer of Depeche Mode. His range was amazing, ccompanied by Greg Auffreduo on drums. You can catch some of his upcoming shows at Abrews in Dracut, MA on June 23 or The Schenectady Armory Center, June 29. For a list of other events, see his website.

Setlist: Set Me Free, Live It Up, Intro, It’s All Right, Break These Chains, Metallica Mix, Turn It All Around, Purple Haze.

Chris Itani

Next up were The Hard Luck Souls, an original blues-influenced hard rock band from the Capital District. Chris’ cool bluesy rock voice, led the tight, well-rehearsed group featuring Chris Itani on vocals, Brian Gentile on guitar, Mark Schmidt on drums and Dave Smassanow on bass. The setlist was from their 2017 CD, Closer to the Flame, and included: “You’re Not a Saint,” “In My Head,” “Izzy’s Thunder,” “Believer,” “Fly Away,” “Get Back,” “Better Keep On Running,” and “I’m Not Ashamed.”

You can catch The Hard Luck Souls at the Troy Farmers Market on June 29, 2019, Check their Facebook page for more times and locations. Check their Facebook page and sample the CD here.

Bob Messick, Bassist for Wasteland Junction

The show kept moving along with Wasteland Junction, a hard rock band from Schenectady, NY. The sounds of Wasteland Junction kept fans on their feet. Bob Messick held it down on Bass, R.J. Fowler on drums, Chris Fowler on rhythm guitar and Cy Romleski venturing on lead guitar completed the group. You can see them on August 2, at Chrome in Waterford, NY with Revenge (Kiss tribute band).

Setlist: I Profit, Tooth in Nail, Ride the Lightning, Cold Sweat, Iron Fist, What Your Doin’, Stone Cold Crazy, Kill the King, Priest Medley.

David Smith

The night closed after Revenge, the Kiss Tribute band swept up the stage with a wild performance. The music was loud and rocking. How fitting to have “Rock and Roll All Night” as the last song. The venue has died, but the memories of the music and the bands will rock, and roll all night. Thank you to all the entertainers, the event coordinators, promoters, staff and especially, the fans. Let’s keep local music alive.

Setlist: Detroit Rock City, Psycho Circus, Rise to It, Deuce, Lick it Up, A Million to One, War Machine, Hide Your Heart, Shock me, Love Gun, I was Made for Loving You, Black Diamond, and The last song of the set, the last song of the show, the last song played at Jupiter Hall, was Rock and Roll All Night!

June 21, 2019
Mountain Jam 15, Deja Woodstock

Mountain Jam marked year 15 by migrating to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the site of the original 1969 Woodstock Festival. When the change was announced earlier this year, Mountain Jam co-founder Gary Chetkof shared with the Poughkeepsie Journal: “What could be more amazing than Bethel Woods and the home of the Woodstock festival… It was really just a matter of going to the promised land.”

Driving up on Friday (day two of the four day event) I turned off NY Route 17 onto 17B. Headed down this one-lane road affectionately named “The Woodstock Way,” I started to imagine what it was like in 1969 as people abandoned their cars on the road and started walking the final 10 miles to the festival. The closer I got, I could hear Arlo Guthries’s iconic “THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY’S CLOSED, MAN!” in my head.

Peace flag

Festival organizers took advantage of the great expanse that Bethel Woods had to offer. The box office was located on the southern perimeter of Bethel Woods in a remote field with tall grass and mud. The flashback was suddenly becoming real. After hiking up a hill toward the festival, I found myself looking out over the site of the original Woodstock. Images of 1969 started flashing before me.

I was quickly brought back to 2019 as I strolled past campers and RV’s of various sizes and shapes with glamping professionals nestled in their folding chairs, munching on BBQ, and consuming their favorite beverages. At the entrance pockets were emptied, bags checked, and metal detector wanding was carried out by security.

Phil Lesh & Friends

Mountain Jam, spelt out in 10-foot tall letters with teepee bookends, greeted me. The sound of music was immediate. The first stage I encountered was the Valley stage, a medium sized stage with a Ferris wheel parked next to it. Acts including The Nude Party, Hollis Brown and Tyler Ramsey performed there. The Valley stage also served as the location for late night jam sessions by Andy Frassco & the U.N. and Consider the Source held on Friday and Saturday nights.

Headed farther into the festival you came upon the Mountain Stage (main pavilion amphitheater) which hosted featured performers Gov’t Mule, Willie Nelson, Dispatch, The Avett Brothers, and Phil Lesh & Friends to name a few. Add to that the Terrace stage; a performance space with seats built into a hillside, VIP stage where special acoustic sets were performed by acts who had played bigger stages earlier that day, and an event gallery space. With this cornucopia of musical riches it made it difficult to chose who and where to go to listen to music. On Saturday and Sunday the Hudson Valley based band Yard Sale busked throughout the site, injecting a free form feeling reminiscent of 1969.

The vibe, the location, the history, the people

Intended to celebrate radio station WDST/Woodstock’s 25^th anniversary, Mountain Jam started as a one-day event in 2005 by principle station owner Gary Chetkof and Warren Haynes. After 14 years at Hunter Mountain the decision to move to Bethel Woods was made. A move of 70 miles from its original location at Hunter Mountain, proving to be light years away from the previous home. The vibe from the original three days of Peace and Music festival was palpable. Tie dye, bare feet, singing and dancing was the norm. A “Wish Tree,” part of Yoko Ono’s ongoing Imagine Peace art installation series invited people to make a wish; write it on a piece of paper and attach it to the tree. The on-site security and support staff wore t-shirts with Peace Patrol emblazoned on their backs. Babbling brooks illuminated in multi-colors, open fields and dream catchers situated throughout the site augmented the vibe.

Those in attendance ran the gamut from old to young. Parents were there with their adult children, sitting on the hillside, sharing beers together while new parents introduced their young ones to the experience of live music. Many took advantage of the beautifully maintained grounds of Bethel Woods seaking out remote spots, allowing them to chill out and absorb the spirit that was Woodstock.

Zen moment

The Music

In addition to over 40 bands performing at this years Mountain Jam, rock and roll photographer Jay Blakesberg, know as the photographer of the Grateful Dead, shared a slide show telling presentation of his work to a packed event gallery audience. An easy to use Mountain Jam app was available to help you track of all the performers, their set times, locations, and help you plan your daily daily schedule. It also updates you to special activates happening in real time.

A highlight of the festival was Gov’t Mule’s Saturday night appearance (they played Friday night also) paying tribute to the bands that had performed at the original Woodstock festival. Warren Haynes, backed by percussionist Tato Melgar of Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real, opened the set with Richie Havens’ “Freedom.” The band’s set included The Who’s “Eye Sight to the Blind,” CSNY’s “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” and Sly Stones “I Want To Take You Higher.” Throughout the night Gov’t Mule was joined on stage by special guests including Lukas Nelson, and Arleigh Kincheloe and Jackson Kincheloe from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. They ended the evening’s tribute with a blistering encore of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Sight Return).”

Rain did find its way to the festival late Saturday night and sporadically on Sunday, but with all stages having protective covering (the amphitheater has a permanent roof over the seats) the music never stopped. Being the 50^th anniversary of Woodstock, who wouldn’t have expected it to rain at some point. After a successful four days and establishing a new location, Mountain Jam has secured the future of Peace & Music in the Hudson Valley.

Gov’t Mule

Toots & The Maytals

Lukas Nelson and The Promise of The Real

The Avett Brothers

Amy Helm

The Revivalists

Mountain Jam couple

Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds

Alison Krauss & Union Station

Bella’s Bartok

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

The Big Takeover

Michael Glabicki

Bethel Woods security

Allman Betts Band

Dispatch

Michael Franti & Spearhead

Father and son

The Commonheart

June 21, 2019
Hearing Aide: Hasty Page ‘Things To Do Before I Die’

Hasty Page and their official release party for Things To Do Before I Die is set for June 21 at The Linda WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio located in Albany NY. Tickets are $12.00 and the show kicks off at 8:00PM. The band will be continuing to support their new album with dates slated through the summer.

It’s been two long years since the Queensbury based alt/indie rock power trio Hasty Page has released new recorded material. Fans will be pleased to know that the wait is over with the release of their second full length LP Things To Do Before I Die, which dropped yesterday, June 20. This 11-track gem is a great follow up to their last release, Distance, and features tasty hooks that give the listener a whole lot. Hasty Page is comprised of Josh Morris (Lead Vocals/Drums), Zane Agnew (Lead Guitar/Vocals), and James Paolano (Bass/Vocals). The band was formed in 2015 and has sound that is reminiscent of such acts as The 1975, Nothing But Thieves and Pearl Jam.

Morris and Zane Agnew began playing acoustic duo shows around New York’s Capital Region, where they honed both their playing skills as well as their songwriting. A few months in, close family friend James Paolano was added to the roster on bass to fill out the trio. Since then, they have been playing regularly out in the Capital Region at The Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Jupiter Hall, and even made the trip down to the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC.

Things To Do Before I Die starts out in a very unique way with its first track “Sleep.” The tune is a mellow trance inducing intro that perfectly matches its title. The song features heavy synth and overdubbed vocals that paint a warm spacey dreamscape for the listener. The track quickly crescendos into a shockingly climatic vocal command, “GO TO SLEEP!,” after which the number abruptly ends. The second track, “Wake Up,” is a jolt back to reality that relies heavily on guitar, featuring a tasty musical hook. The song is a sort of call to arms, that lyrically challenges listeners to wake up to the problems that surround them in the world. Morris’ vocal chant, “One in ten of us all pretend,” eludes that people need to take a hard look around themselves and shake off the trance that they fall into while living their mundane everyday lives.

“Body Shots” is a guitar driven groove fest that highlights both Agnew’s funky guitar playing and Paolano rock steady bass beat. The song is upbeat and perfect for playing out live. The band is tight on this number and the boys are playing to their strengths, drawing on the experience that only a live performance can provide. It features catchy lyrics that reference drinking and sports, a beat made for getting out on the dance floor and moving your feet. “Body Shots” is one of the strongest pieces on the LP.

Perhaps the most radio friendly track on Things To Do Before I Die is the seventh track “Vices.” The single opens with an orchestrated synth introduction that is reminiscent of The Kings Of Leon and effortlessly transitions into Morris’ infectious vocal. The melody and chorus on this song are so pleasing that it makes perfect sense; Hasty Page would commit their time and energy into creating an expensively produced video for the tune. Although “Vices” features less of Agnew’s signature guitar sound and drifts more into the musical direction of pop, it is a catchy number that is memorable and is destined to be a fan favorite.

Key Tracks: Vices, Body Shots, Wake Up

June 21, 2019