NYS Music 20​19

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  • Keeping The Blues Alive With Samantha Fish

    On Thursday, March 21, blues artist Samantha Fish played to a sold out audience at Sony Hall. The historic vaudeville theatre from the 1930s, recently renovated and reopened as New York City’s newest premier music venue, was at capacity for a night of the blues. Now as Buddy Guy once said, “The Blues will never die, it may go away for awhile but there will always be someone who loves it enough to chase it and make it relevant again.” Samantha Fish is continuing the blues legacy and making fans pay attention again. Her deep soulful voice combined with the fact that she shreds on guitar in four inch heels makes her a must see.

    Setlist: American Dream, Hello Stranger, Don’t Say You Love Me, You Can’t Go, Blame It On The Moon, Lost My Self, Little Baby, Blood In The Water, No Angels, Chills and Fever, Need You More, Somebody’s Always Tryin, Gone For Good, Daughters, ENCORE: Crow Jane

  • Vote in the Sweet 16 of NYS Music March Madness 2019

    We’ve made it to Round 3 of NYS Music’s March Madness, a Sweet 16 of artists who call New York home or got their start in the Empire State. We have 16 incredible artists and some tough matchups coming up.

    There’s B.O.C. vs D.M.C., Jigga vs Aqueous in a battle of Bed-Stuy and Buffalo, Joan Baez (who narrowly beat out KISS by one vote) taking on Beastie Boys, and two of the biggest names to come out of New York, Neil Diamond vs Lou Reed.

    Big thanks to this year’s sponsors, Buffalo Iron Works,Anthology, TIP the Band, and Funk n Waffles.

    Voting for the Sweet 16 is open until midnight on Wednesday, March 27. You can also vote on each bracket on Twitter, and we will combine all votes together ahead of the Elite 8, which starts on Thursday, March 28 at Noon.

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  • Lúnasa Brings Troy Music Hall to their Feet

    As Lúnasa winds up their North American spring tour, it would be remiss not to take an opportunity to sing their folk praises. The sextet had quite the reputation to live up to, even as a first time attendee, after being quoted by New York Post as the “Hottest Irish Acoustic Group on the Planet.” With special guest Natalie Merchant, we would expect nothing less.

    For those of you who have not heard of Lúnasa, they are an award winning Traditional Celtic band from Ireland. Touring extensively over the course of the last 22 years, the band brings the highest level of musicianship.

    With Kevin Crawford on flute/whistles, Trevor Hutchinson on bass, Cillian Vallely on Uilleann Pipes/whistles, Colin Farrell on fiddle, and Ed Boyd on guitar, this group melds together perfectly, bringing  a flawless sound to their audience.

    The setting for the evening was Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Living in Troy a short period of time back in the early 90’s, I don’t recall this charming neighborhood of brownstones, little pubs and shops with such grand architecture all around. It was the perfect setting for a perfect evening of music. The venue itself is a work of art, with the most amazing lighting and acoustics. You couldn’t ask for a better place to see Lúnasa.

    Performing two full sets of music from their extensive library, Crawford would occasionally set up the songs with a personal story about who wrote the number, what inspired it and what the audience would be in store for. He was witty and charming, making the audience feel comfortable from the start. It was a personal insight that would invest you even more into the evening.

    Later they were accompanied by the acclaimed Natalie Merchant, lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs.  Her voice is sultry and smooth, with lyrics that speak to your soul. As she took the stage with the band, she spoke of joining them last year on a tour of Ireland, sharing how they came to work together. While working on a collaborative album, Merchant was looking for some of the world’s leading musicians to join her, she did not hesitate to invite them, and the rest they say is history.

    Ironically, was fun to hear that the first time she ever saw Lúnasa was in this very venue, pointing to the row and seat she sat in. Unbeknownst to the band, she longed to join them on stage that evening. Fast forward a few years later and the chemistry they share on stage is a true synergy.

  • The Archive Ravens to Premiere Songs from ‘Trobaritz’ at Free Concert

    Rochester trio, The Archive Ravens, are holding a free concert at Rochester’s Lyric Theatre on Saturday, March 30. The event runs from 4-6 pm and is open to the public. The concert will include a preview of songs from their forthcoming album Trobairitz, as well as a selection of classical songs that celebrate the coming of spring.

    “Trobairitz is a collection of original pieces, each a separate vignette transporting the listener to somewhere new… Trobairitz seeks to capture the essence of many disparate cultures, in attempts to unearth the threads of humanity shared between us all.” – Ava Sauer, The Archive Ravens

    Follow The Archive Ravens on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

    https://youtu.be/CHdLOM4XL0M

  • In Focus: Widespread Panic Let it Rock at The Capitol Theatre

    Widespread Panic kicked off their sold out 3-night run at The Capitol Theatre with a traditional tribute to the Grateful Dead, playing “Let it Rock,” an occasional feature of setlists, off 1974’s Mars Hotel. From there the band performed a show of originals with a few choice covers thrown in late in the second set.

    Set 1 highlights included “C Brown,” a 10 minute “Shut up and Drive,” “Pleas” > “Henry Parsons Died” and “B of D” > “Conrad” to close the set out. Set 2 opened up with “You Got Yours” that segued very tightly into “Up All Night,” which has been taken out for excellent stretched out jams as of late. Fan favorite “Ribs n Whiskey” was met with huge cheers from the crowd, and Panic tour manager Steve Lopez hopped on percussion with Sunny Ortiz for War’s “Slippin into Darkness,” which paired with J.J. Cale’s “Travelin’ Light” to close the set. An encore of “Pilgrims” and Funkadelic’s “Red Hot Mama” closed out Night 1 of Widespread’s first show at The Capitol Theatre since 1991, and fans are pumped for what Saturday and Sunday night will bring. Stream last nights show courtesy of Panicstream.

    Friday, March 22

    Set 1: Let It Rock > Radio Child, C Brown, Dyin’ Man, Shut Up And Drive > Pleas > Henry Parsons Died, Sundown Betty > B Of D > Conrad The Caterpillar

    Set 2: You Got Yours > Up All Night > Blackout Blues, Party at Your Mama’s House > Ribs And Whiskey, Steven’s Cat > Fishwater > Drum Solo > Drums And Bass > Fishwater > Slippin’ Into Darkness* > Travelin’ Light

    Encore: Pilgrims > Red Hot Mama

    Saturday, March 23

    Set 1: Wondering > Mr Soul, Hope in a Hopeless world > 1×1, Christmas Katie > Good Morning Little Schoolgirl > Who do you belong to?, Though Sausage, Bowlegged Woman > Action Man > Bowlegged Woman

    Set 2: Saint Ex, Hatfield, Ride me High, Stop Breaking Down, Machine > Barstools > You Should be Glad > Contentment Blues > Goin Out West, Chilly Water

    Encore: Puppy Sleeps > Flatfoot Floozy

    Sunday March 24

    Set 1: Holden Oversoul > Makes Sense to Me, Let’s Get Down to Business, Little Lilly, Airplane, Jaded Tourist, Blue Indian, The Last Straw, Life During Wartime

    Set 2: Lawyers, Guns and Money, Little Kin, Love Tractor, I’m Not Alone, North > One Kind Favor, Bust it Big, Mercy > The Other One Jam > I’m So Glad, Postcard, Ain’t Life Grand

    Encore: This Part of Town, Low Spark of High Heeled Boys > Disco > Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature

     

  • Rubblebucket with a Bang in Rochester

    For a band, that by normal band-conventions shouldn’t even exist, Rubblebucket is stronger and as vibrant as ever. Leaders and remaining original members, Kalmia Travers and Alex Toth, have both climbed personal hurdles over the last couple of years, including the end of their romantic relationship. Instead of breaking up the band, they shuffled up the other members and put out a new album, Sun Chaser, last summer. Still in heavy support of their new release, they played through the entire record at their tour opener in Rochester, albeit in a modified order.

    A proper review of Rubblebucket’s show might be a dense word-cloud of adjectives and verbs, all punctuated with exclamation points. The stage was a constant blur of action and color. Their past antics were like a low budget Flaming Lips or Of Montreal, but here it was more reminiscent of the Talking Heads and David Byrne. Less party, more art. White fabric screens were hit with splashes of light, orange and green, red and blue, purple and magenta. Band members turned into psychedelic dancing silhouettes when they went behind the screens.

    The crowd was engaged 110% from note one, moving and grooving with every beat, singing along with every lyric. When prompted to help out with the chorus of “Annihilation Song,” they needed no instruction,  already acting as the collective backing chorus. Crowd and band merged at the inevitable march of the horns, including new trumpet player Sean Smith, down the length of the venue and again at the post-encore acoustic session in the back by the bar. Kal heaped praise on the Rochester audience frequently, even calling out a trio of front row fans with matching rainbows, who gifted her with a rainbow boa.

    The new rhythm section was a crack trio of New York City musicians (Ryan Dugre on guitar, Noga Shefi on bass, Jeremy Gustin on drums) who were more than up for the task, but mostly stayed in the background. As a bit of a palette cleanser after the set, they emerged on stage first for the encore, showing off their wares more overtly with a few minutes banging deep grooves.

    The night began with Alex Toth who mixed his live guitar and trumpet playing with effects pedals and pre-recorded material including beats, cellos, backing vocals in a preview of what is sure to be a very good album out in May.

    Mikaela Davis then showcased her harp-led pop-folk from her superb 2018 album Delivery, adding in a few new songs which mostly featured her playing keys. Her band was joined by Maybird’s Kurt Johnson on pedal steel and guitar throughout the entire hometown set. Davis, who sat in with Bob Weir in Syracuse last November, added a beautiful cover of “Brokedown Palace” to close out her night on stage. Davis will rejoin Rubblebucket midway through their tour, which will wind it’s way back to Upstate New York with a show at the Westcott Theatre on April 25.

     

     

  • NYS Music March Madness 2019: Round 2

    It’s that time of year again – sure there are a few dozen basketball games happening over the next few weeks, but its also time for the 2019 NYS Music’s version of March Madness! In the past, we have looked at up and coming bands from around the state, for a friendly competition that introduces these rising artists to the NYS Music audience.

    This year, we look to the past and present for our field of 64 famous New York musicians and artists from all corners of the Empire State. Frank Sinatra, Jay-Z, Paul Simon, Arlo Guthrie, Cab Calloway, Billy Joel, KISS, Anthrax, Neil Diamond and Lou Reed are all included, as well as more recent artists breaking through such as Sean Rowe and Aqueous.

    Big thanks to this year’s sponsors, Buffalo Iron Works, Anthology, TIP the Band, and Funk n Waffles.

    Voting for Round 2 is open until midnight on Sunday, March 24. You can also vote on each bracket on Twitter, and we will combine all votes together ahead of Round 3, which starts on Monday, March 25 at Noon.

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  • Fourth Eastbound Throwdown scheduled for September 6-7

    The roots rock band Eastbound Jesus and Guthrie/Bell Productions have targeted the weekend after Labor Day for the Fourth Eastbound Throwdown at Irwin Farm in Salem, New York. The festival presents local and regional acts in styles including bluegrass, Americana, roots, and rock. The idyllic setting in the rolling hills of Eastern New York State adds to the relaxed atmosphere of the two-day event. Just thirty minutes east of Saratoga Springs, the venue features a hill forming a natural amphitheater facing the Main Stage.

    Artwork: Luke Anderson

    Performances will be scheduled on both the Main Stage and the Pond Stage, over the course of both days. This year’s lineup is not yet complete, but a limited number of Blind Faith discounted tickets are available at $50. Once those are sold, the price will be $65.

    It is a family friendly event, and all ages are welcome to attend. One ticket price is good for both days and includes camping. Local vendors will offer selected food and beverages, and attendees may bring certain items of their own, as described on the festival website. Additional information and guidelines may also be found there, or by contacting kim@guthriebellproductions with any questions. Tickets are available through both of the links listed above.

  • Song Premiere: Megg Farrell And Friends to Release ‘Blues in the Womb’

    Coming this April, Megg Farrell & Friends will release their first country-influenced album. Farrell is a seasoned jazz musician and is now trying her hand at the country scene with their song “Blues in the Womb.”

    The new direction is a result of years of musical experience, as well as a plethora of genres and influences. Megg Farrell & Friends stems from country roots, but dives deeper where listeners will find there’s so much to pick apart and enjoy. Now, this is arguably not their most exciting track, but it will strike some amount of curiosity into anyone who remotely appreciates jazz, country, bluegrass and pop. Weird combo, eh? Well this track is the quite contrary to weird. It’s buttery, exotic, organic and plain fun.

    There’s so much to unpack here. Warm, jazzy guitar lulls us into the space with Farrell’s complementary airy and chipper vocals, setting a sultry scene. The album’s party trick of including country into its jazz roots pops up once again when quintessential bluegrass brush drumming solidifies the beat as a dobro lazily glides around in the background. At this point, listeners may feel compelled to grab a grass skirt, coconut bra and fruity drink, because this sounds very tropical… But wait. Just like that, a clave beat swings in, one that is used very often in jazz music. In this case, it’s a little more aggressive which helps pick up the pace and energy.

    https://youtu.be/42Nu-ZGaQg8

    Now fully immersed in the space they’ve created, listeners can finally relish in Farrell’s outstanding vocal creativity and range. It resembles something similar to Regina Spektor or Fiona Apple, but more full and clean cut. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have fun though. Her range is phenomenal and the fact she is able to produce such a full sound at such a low register is telling of how talented she is. To the untrained ear it might not be so impressive but rest assured, it’s not something that’s learned overnight. Just as easily as she hits the low notes, she bangs the higher register without hesitation.

    The track finishes with an abstract but palatable solo from an unnamed sax player and a sudden drop off. The track may have felt more tied together if each player had a chance to solo, but they’ll likely have the liberty to flaunt their talents in a live setting. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for upcoming events and news – they’ll be skating around New York for the next few months.

    Again, “Blues in the Womb” is not the ambassador for the remainder of the album. Rather, the song shows how raw talent can pull in vast influences into one track to create something smooth and natural. Although people might shy away when they hear the word “country,” it’s highly encouraged listeners of all types try this one from beginning to end; it’s a near guarantee there’s something that everyone can enjoy. The album drops on April 5 on all major streaming services.

  • Hearing Aide: Driftwood ‘Tree of Shade’

    Driftwood is set to release their fifth studio album Tree of Shade this coming spring. This folk-rock and Americana-influenced band has grown over the years from a duo to a five-piece group. Band members include Dan Forsyth (guitar/vocals), Joe Kollar (banjo/guitar/vocals), Claire Byrne (violin/vocals), Joey Acuri (bass), and Will Sigel (drums). Each additional instrument and added vocalist serve to create the rounded and wholesome feel of Driftwood’s music.

    Reminiscent of the sentiment of their band name, Driftwood continues to evolve with the passage of time. Tree of Shade consists of eleven tracks and represents the group’s sonic evolution as they experiment with slower paced music. Personally, listening to this album puts me back around a campfire on a chilly summer night. The opening track “California” (which also happens to be violin/vocalist Claire Byrne’s favorite track) helps set the tone for the rest of the album as it embodies the previously described ambiance.

    Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of this album is the quality and quantity of the vocals. Songs like “Conquering Man” and “Santa Fe” beautifully portray the strength and conviction in Byrne’s voice while “Stick With Me” demonstrates the bright harmonies the group is capable of delivering. “Stick With Me” is another standout track for guitar/vocalist Dan Forsyth as he loves “how simple and timeless it is.” Other noteworthy elements in their music consist of the raw sounds from the guitar and banjo as well as the ever-present violin as heard in the closing few bars of “Tree of Shade,” the title track of the album.

    The group created this album in the Catskill Mountains and undoubtedly captured the energy of their surrounding environment. They said it was their first time working with a major producer like Simone Felice and he really encouraged them to keep it simple and stick to whatever captures the song.When I first heard songs like “Lay Like You Do” and “What You Do to Me,” I couldn’t help but think of other beloved bands who create similar sentiments in their music. Driftwood, like The Zac Brown Band and Mumford and Sons, succeeds in inciting feelings of togetherness through the power of music. Some groups the band cite as their biggest musical influences span across generations including Paul Simon, Dr. Dog, Brandi Carlile, and Bob Dylan. It is evident by this list that they value “great songwriting and music that comes from the heart” as they told me.

    “The album is emotional, mature and introspective. In some ways it’s really folky but there are also some tracks that we really took chances on.” The group shared that their goal for the upcoming album is “just to touch people’s hearts” as they “want to connect with [their] audience and share the music and this life.”

    Key Tracks: Lay Like You Do, California, What You Do to Me

    April 12 &13: Syracuse, NY – Funk N Waffles

    April 20: Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY

    May 17: Ransom Steele Tavern – Apalachin, NY 

    May 18: Albany, NY – The Hollow