Boston ambassadors of funk, Ripe stopped by Brooklyn Steel on February 8, checking off another sold-out night on their winter 2019 tour. Be sure to check out this seven piece groove-machine as they grow, pushing their music to new heights.
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Photo Gallery: An Evening with Dawes
On a cold and rainy Wednesday night, the Los Angles based band, Dawes brought An Evening With Dawes: Passwords Tour to the The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y. The weather didn’t damper those in attendance, as the band took a full house on a journey through its catalog of songs. The band opened the show with “Living in the Future,” from their most recent release Passwords. Throughout the night Taylor Goldsmith roamed the stage engaging his band mates and the audience. By the end of the night, all were one. The band played two sets, finishing the night with “All Your Favorite Bands” from All Your Favorite Bands.
Set 1: Living in the Future, If I Wanted Someone, Right on Time, Quitter, Never Gonna Say Goodbye, Things Happen, Just Beneath the Surface, Now That It’s Too Late, Maria, Time Spent In Los Angele, Feed the Fire, A Little Bit Of Everything.
Set 2: None of My Business, My Greatest Invention, My Way Back Home, From A Window Seat, Picture Of A Man, Coming Back To A Man, Don’t Send Me Away, Most People, Crack the Case, Roll With The Punches, When My Time Comes, All Your Favorite Bands.
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Hearing Aide: BURLY ‘Self Titled Demon’
Slow down, stay a while and unwind with something like you have never heard before. Troy, NY natives, BURLY, have created a lush, warm and plain relaxing collection sure to help you let go of the days struggles – sinking into your chair for a spell. You won’t find anything else like it, and it just might be your odd cup of tea you never knew you needed.
The album is laced with jazz, folk and indie influences with poetic lyrics layered over the top of each track. They’re literally poems. The “Infinite Broken” lyrics are lifted directly from one of the non-performing member’s own poems. Lyrically, it’s intriguing. But what really sets this group apart is the instrument arrangement: jazz inspired percussion, airy guitar, breathy saxophone, thoughtful bass and mellowing vibraphone. This ensemble is reminiscent of pivotal jazz groups and it’s warming to see a modern revival of this set up. That being said, the group is still in their grassroots stages, so there is a lot of experimentation happening here. We find rockish songs, ones with a western feel and some that are plain melancholy.
We start out with “Branches of Blood” and to be honest, the whole song is perplexing. Highly interpretive lyrics, unique instrumentation and odd time signatures and tempos make the song intriguing, and a bit discomforting. But it’s still very good. It’s obvious that everything is done with intention and diligence. The fact that the group can evoke so many emotions within the songs is incredible. It’s a great way to kick off the album, but as stated before, things keep changing.
Another one of their best is “Happy Birthday 2001,” a song about a “half-remembered birthday party of a high school friend.” Lyrically, it’s pretty comical because we’ve all been to those awkward parties, finding the piano in the basement and “stabbing at the piano keys,” playing video games and “smoking weed out of a corn cob pipe” and “talking to cousins, trying not to seem like a kid”. Beyond that, we find a style that’s high energy and rockish, a much different feel compared to the rest of the album. Yet, it still holds a jazzy feel thanks to the vibraphone and sax. “Happy Birthday 2001” gives an otherwise cringeworthy story, a light hearted and airy feel. It’s just fun to listen to.
“Kent Lame” brings the vibe down. Way down. We’re told a story about, what we can only suspect, is drugs use and the effect it has on people. “I met crystal hazard… two days with two friends of mine confused on acid.” One can only assume. It’s accompanied by a very fitting tone – a soft bed of slow and deliberate instrumentation. This is the vein of the group and they’ve mastered it.
This is one of the most interesting albums I’ve heard in a long time. And although BURLY has done an incredible job creating such a unique atmosphere, I would hope to see more work like “Happy Birthday 2001” in the near future. And whatever you do, don’t get rid of that vibraphone.
Key Tracks: Branches of Blood, Happy Birthday 2001, Kent Lame
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Souly Had and Entreband debut tour with D3v and B. Chaps in March
Soul and hip hop group, Entreband from the Albany area booked their first multi-date tour which starts March 13 at SUNY Oneonta college. They will be joined by hip hop artiasts D3v and B. Chaps at ten dates including shows in Pittsburg, Cambridge, Brooklyn and Albany.
Entreband houses Souly Had with other producers and vocalists. His songs such as “Deja Vu” have collectively received over 1.5 million listens after an unexpected boost from being added to a highly-visited public Spotify playlist. Amongst the ranks are Mac Moon, Deo Worldwide, and MostlyEverything with Tomcbumpz and DJ Siroc handling many of the instrumental beats. The group has also built a following by performing live along side artists such as The Age and Clear Mind.
Openers D3v and B. Chaps also find themselves rising in popularity. D3v just launched a provocative new music video “Mad @ Me,” while B. Chaps has a project out called “Clips” which experiments with a plethora of genres. Delirium Entertainment will run point on the tour and has all information available on social media and internet platforms.
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Upstate Releases City Winery Session Video
Hudson Valley acoustic septet, Upstate, released their sophomore album, Healing on Friday. Ahead of the release, the band performed at New York’s City Winery. Check out video from that performance below.
Upstate evolved out of Upstate Rubdown. They employ a blend of jazz, folk, R&B, gospel and rock with gorgeous three-part harmonies and unorthodox instrumentation to produce a unique sound.
The band is currently on tour with several New York dates lined up. The album is currently available on most streaming services.
Upstate Tour:
Feb. 8 – Higher Ground – South Burlington, VT
Feb. 9 – Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT
Feb. 10 – City Winery – Boston, MA
Feb. 11 – City Winery – New York City, NY
Feb. 13 – Thin Man Brewery – Buffalo, NY
Feb. 14 – The Haunt – Ithaca, NY
Feb. 15 – The Colony – Woodstock, NY
Feb. 16 – Flour City Station – Rochester, NY
Feb. 20 – Magic Rat Live Music – Fort Collins, CO
Feb. 21 – Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom & Cervantes’ Other Side – Denver, CO
Feb. 23 – WinterWonderGrass – CO – Steamboat Springs, CO
Feb. 24 – WinterWonderGrass – CO – Steamboat Springs, CO
Feb. 27 – WTVP – Peoria, IL
Feb. 28 – Martyrs’ – Chicago, IL
March 1 – The Refectory Restaurant and Bistro – Columbus, OH
March 2 – Riverdog Retreat – Wakeman, OH
March 3 – Club Café – Pittsburgh, PA
March 7 – Weinberg Center for the Arts – Frederick, MD
March 8 – Richmond Music Hall – Richmond, VA
March 9 – PURPLE FIDDLE – Thomas, WV
March 10 – The Grove – Fayetteville, WV
March 12 – Eddie’s Attic – Decatur, GA
March 14 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
March 16 – Free Range Brewing – Charlotte, NC
March 29 – WinterWonderGrass – CA -Olympic Valley, CA
April 6 – Chautauqua Auditorium -Boulder, CO
Aug. 2 – Arise Music Festival – Loveland, CO
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School’s in Session for Schenectady with ‘School of Rock’ at Proctors
School of Rock: The Musical takes Schenectady, NY by storm with its five-night performance at Proctors in the heart of downtown. Based on the Paramount film, written by Mike White and starring Jack Black, the musical follows suit. With lyrics by Glenn Slater and new music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, in addition to director Laurence Connor’s vision, this musical takes the movie into a completely different light.
School of Rock follows failed rock star Dewey Finn, played by Merritt David Janes, as he takes a class of straight-A prep school kids and turns them into rock stars. With the pressure of needing to pay rent from his roommate and best friend Ned and Ned’s bossy girlfriend Patty, Dewey finds himself in an unusual predicament. With Ned being a substitute teacher, the principle of Horace Green Prep School calls in need of a fill-in. And thus, the kids at this prestigious prep school go from model students to rock and roll stars, playing in battle of the bands and learning to go outside their comfort zone.
Opening the show was an announcement allowing the audience to know that the children in the musical do play their own instruments. Right in tune with the opening announcements, the musical was treated as a live rock concert and began with a performance in which Dewey was originally in – which was refreshing compared to most musicals.
Throughout the show there was a balance of musical numbers and dialogue that both adults and children were able to enjoy. Keeping up with the humor that fans of the movie came to enjoy, the musical had plenty of laughs for everyone. With jokes referencing Harry Potter and making light of hot topics like, “the man” can also be a woman, it kept the crowd pleased and laughing.
The show also had songs that everyone could relate to and enjoy. One song sung by the students called “If Only You Would Listen,” allowed children in the audience to relate to what the actors were saying. The song featured four of the students and showed us what home life was like with their parents, and the expectations parents had for their children. This song resonates not only with the children watching, but even adults because at some point we have all felt the pressure of our parents. Another song that also was relatable and hilarious was when Dewey was teaching the students to learn to relax. “Stick It to the Man” rang through as more of an anthem for the musical as a whole; the idea behind it was to teach the kids to loosen up – what rock and roll is all about. Throughout School Of Rock the audience watched how these kids went from being shy and rule-bound, to loosening up and having fun. But it’s not just the kids who go through a transformation, Dewey does as well. He goes from being a selfish, fame hungry, failed rocker to someone who realizes what it’s like to be in a band and part of a team. Dewey becomes someone the students can confide in and trust.
The stage set up and lighting was just as impressive as the cast. The backdrops for each scene was easily movable by either sliding up, or to the side and even turning around. For the opening number and the finale of the show, the audience gets thrusted into a rock and roll concert. The kids performing for battle of the bands had their parents in the audience watching in awe, as well as us being a part of the show. With the lighting matching to that of an actual concert, bright and flashing, we were part of the show, cheering on the band of students aptly named School of Rock.
This show was both engaging and fun. With a great cast and song selection to keep the audience both engaged and interested, School of Rock knocked it out of the park. It is both a new and inventive show, fun for all ages. The music was meaningful and there are songs that will resonate with each person. School of Rock: The Musical enhances the movie to a whole new level of interactions. Altogether the show was enjoyable and kept you laughing at every turn.
Performances will take place at Proctors in Schenectady Tuesday through Sunday. Following the Capital Region, the tour will makes its way to Boston.
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Photo Gallery: Spafford Brings the Jams to Buffalo
Arizona rockers Spafford‘s winter tour has them heading east and found them playing to a packed house at Buffalo Iron Works on Wednesday, February 6th. See our photo gallery below.
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Zac Brown Band Announces 2019 Tour Dates With Possible New Album
It seems that the Zac Brown Band won’t be slowing down anytime soon with the announcement of their 2019 The Owl Tour, with 36 dates starting this spring and going through to the fall.
Opening for the band will be Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real with Caroline Jones joining the group for nine dates on the tour. Along with the tour announcement, the band is hinting at a brand new album. Both the tour and album will be inspired by the mythology and mystery surrounded by the great horned owl.
Tickets for most of the dates go on sale Feb. 8, with tickets to the Boston and Dallas shows going on sale Feb. 15.
Zac Brown Band 2019 tour
May 25 — Legends Day – Indianapolis 500 – Indianapolis, Ind.
June 7-8 — Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion *- Gilford, N.H.
June 9 —St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview *- Syracuse, N.Y.
June 14 — Blossom Music Center- Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
June 15 —Darien Lake Performing Arts Center- Darien Center, N.Y.
June 21 — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts + – Bethel, N.Y.
June 22-23 – P.N.C. Bank Arts Center + – Holmdel, N.J.
June 29 — KeyBank Pavilion – Holmdel, N.J.
June 29 — Hollywood Casino Amphitheater- Tinley Park, Ill.
June 30 — Milwaukee Summerfest- Milwaukee, Wisc.
July 12 — Calgary Stampede – Calgary, Alberta, Canada
July 21 — Faster Horses Festival – Brooklyn, Mich.
July 24 — California Mid-State Fair – Paso Robles, Calif
July 25-26 — Five Point Amphitheater- Irvine, Calif.
Aug. 9 —Coors Field * + – Denver, Colo.
Aug. 11 — Iowa State Fairgrounds + – Des Moines, Iowa
Aug. 23 — Nikon at Jones Beach Theater + – Wantagh, N.Y.
Aug. 24 — Nikon at Jones Beach Theater + – Wantagh, N.Y.
Aug. 25 — Jiffy Lube Live + – Bristow, Va.
Aug. 29 — Hershey Park Stadium * – Hershey, Pa.
Aug. 30 — Saratoga Performing Arts Center *- Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Aug. 31 — Fenway Park *- Boston, Mass.
Sept. 6 — BB&T Pavilion *- Camden, N.J.
Sept. 7 —BB&T Pavilion *- Camden, N.J.
Sept. 8 — XFINITY Theatre *- Hartford, Ct.
Sept. 19 — North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre * – Chula Vista, Calif.
Sept. 20 — Shoreline Amphitheater + – Mountain View, Calif.
Oct. 17 — Daily’s Place – Jacksonville, Fla.
Oct. 18 — Coral Sky Amphitheatre * – West Palm Beach, Fla.
Oct. 19 —Coral Sky Amphitheatre *- West Palm Beach, Fla.
Oct. 20 — MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre * – Tampa, Fla.
Oct. 25 — The Walmart Amp. * – Rogers, Ark.
Oct. 26 —The Dos Equis Pavilion * – Dallas, Texas
* with Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real
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Hearing Aide: AJ Lambert ‘Careful You’
AJ Lambert, daughter of Nancy Sinatra and granddaughter of Frank Sinatra, joined the family tradition with the release of Careful You on January 21. Lambert’s innate talent, clearly in her ancestral DNA, has produced a skillfully crafted record, featuring interpretations of songs from artists like Spoon, TV on the Radio, and of course her late, great grandfather.
This album follows Lambert’s extensive experience in the entertainment industry, having augmented a career which spans film music supervision, live performance (Here We Go Magic, The Homosexuals) and radio (“Siriusly Sinatra” on Sirius XM). Produced by Daniel Schlett of The War on Drugs and Boshra AlSaadi, the album includes drummer Parker Kindred (Joan As Policewoman) and bassist Josh Werner (Bill Laswell) as session musicians. The album is both an homage to artists such as Billie Holiday and other legends, and a bold reconstruction of the same musical history, featuring lavish ambient soundscapes in “Ebb Tide,” Lambert’s polished vibrato on “Sleep Warm” and a touch of glam with “You and Your Sister.”
Each track on the album is meticulously sculpted. Every instrument shines through the mix and Lambert’s vocals flow over it all. Songs like Frank Sinatra’s “Sleep Warm” are regarded with holy sanctity as she works to maintain, but slightly revise the original feeling; while songs like “(Glad I’m) Not a Kennedy” are a particular point of fun. The Shona Laing cover supersedes the original with even more flair and modern dance vibes.
The album isn’t perfect — the production is so clean and defined that you’ll find yourself yearning to hear some rambunctiousness. However, Careful You is an insight into how an artist like Lambert can carry on a familial legacy while providing some updated energy at the same time.
Key Tracks: Careful You, I Summon You, (Glad I’m) Not A Kennedy
Read More: Lambert’s “Cleo” Music Video on NYS Music. Find Aj Lambert on Facebook and Instagram. Get the album.
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Mountain Jam Announces Lineup and Venue Change
After 14 years at Hunter Mountain, Mountain Jam announced its lineup Thursday and that it will be relocating to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, site of the original Woodstock festival. Mountain Jam will be held June 13-16.
More than 40 artists were announced as the festival looks to get back to its roots of being more jam-friendly. Headliners for the 15th edition of Mountain Jam include Gov’t Mule, Willie Nelson and Family, and the Avett Brothers. An additional headliner will be announced later in the spring.
The fest will have a decidedly New York flair with the inclusion of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Amy Helm, Marco Benevento, Consider the Source, Wild Adriatic, and the Big Takeover.
Early Bird tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 8 at 10:00 a.m. and are available through Monday, Feb. 11 at 11:59 p.m. for $159 through the Mountain Jam website.
