Pool Cosby, a sample-based electronic band from New York City consisting of producers Jacuzzi Jefferson, Kevin Kuh, and Otto Botté, is kicking off 2020 with the release of their brand new single “Day Breaks,” featuring vocals from Ivy Sole.
“Day Breaks” is the follow up to their most recent single and accompanying video, “I Like You,” featuring vocals from NY’s own indie-pop artist, denitia.
Both tracks can be found on the group’s upcoming full-length album, Day Breaks, slated for release on March 6. The record will feature guest performances from Soren Bryce, Ivy Sole, Denitia, Tiger Darrow, Yoh, Rochee, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Bill $aber, and Kiah Victoria.
By combining their diverse musical and cultural backgrounds, Pool Cosby has consistently pushed the boundaries of their music over their career. The group aims to contextualize the artists they collaborate with as well as challenge the traditional ideas of musical genres.
In his new single “Ready,” Rhys Tivey captures loss and revival of self through the epiphany of love song simplicity and precision. Sober in its depth and playfulness, we taste a life after disappointment, the epiphany of renewal. The song narrates the journey of melting regret and defiance to avail oneself to new possibilities. Its January release references the New Year temperament of resolution and release of past griping.
Rhys Tivey – Photo courtesy of Gramophone Media
The track begins in a nostalgic vibe with Rhys’s sotto voce vocals accompanied by soft piano chords. As a minimal, driving beat drops in to counterbalance distant trumpets and alluring vocal pads, the song builds with hints of hope, before hitting a bridge of soaring yet contained chaos.“Ready” is a triumphant glimpse at his upcoming album Unsteady, where the intimate undertakings of an artist simultaneously reveals past stories and tentatively persists towards the hope of new chapters.
Rhys is definitely on the “ones to watch” list, so plan on catching one of his shows in the future. Rhys performs at prominent venues all around the Northeast and is currently in the works of an epic album release set to premiere in spring 2020.
You can stream “Ready” on all music platforms, and follow his social media: SPOTIFY / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER
Andy Frasco and the UN brought their Royal Rumble tour circus to the Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday night, in the form of a high energy, wrestling themed showdown with co-headliner Big Something. Comedian Kyle Ayers doubled as the opening act and MC for the antics. The sold out crowd enjoyed the ruckus that ensued, as well as the jams.
Kyle Ayers kicked off the festivities with an unusual opening set of comedy directed at jam band fans. Shortly thereafter, Big Something descended upon the stage, delivering jam rock with a Southern and alt-rock flavor, along with extremely high energy. Members of Andy Frasco and the UN joined this party dressed in wrestling masks for a notable cover of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” At one point, Frasco dove onto Ayers, forcing him to wear a neck brace for the rest of the show. Big Something also performed the nineties throwback “Gangster’s Paradise” by Coolio.
After setbreak, Andy Frasco and the UN descended upon the stage once again, this time with even crazier stage antics. Known for stage diving, Frasco went for a ride early on in the set, and sported a bottle of Jameson throughout the night. Frasco was not without support from talented guests, as guitarists Dave Brandwein of Turkuaz and Brandon Niederauer took the stage for an electric cover of “Burning Down the House” by the Talking Heads. They also played their newly released track “Keep On Keepin’ On,” which was well received by the crowd.
The night was not complete without a stage diving race to drive the lane and dunk a basketball into the hoop setup within the crowd. Ayers refereed this challenge, while standing on top of Frasco’s piano. Frasco pulled off the victory while wearing his Wilt Chamberlain Lakers jersey.
The show was highly entertaining, and included some tasty blues, funk and rock-n-roll jams. This circus is back on the road this week in NY State, performing at the Buffalo Iron Works in Buffalo, NY on Tuesday, Feb 18th. Visit their tour page for more details.
Anyone in the mood for ambient, industrial, funk, fuzz and jazz noise? No? Try it; it’s… entertaining. Long time friends, Sal Cataldi (aka Spaghetti Eastern Music) of Hudson Valley and Alaskan playwright, actor and slam poet, Mark Muro, have put together 13 tracks that, for some, redefines what ‘music’ can be, as Vapor Vespers.
Such an eclectic collection of influences and ideas would inevitably create a non-palatable, sonic smorgasbord. But listeners might find that, although it’s a very unique sound, it’s somehow familiar. We have all heard these sounds before: Synthesizers, drums samples, spicy guitar, ethereal drones, deep lyrics – but we don’t always hear them combined in such a balanced way. There are some standalone tracks that are deeply immersive and highly disectable. Others, to be frank, are silly, mindless noise.
Now maybe, as a journalist, it’s an unbiased view because I am here listening to this at a desk, staring at a Google Doc, looking for something deep to uncover about the album. But I cannot seem to fathom a time or a place to listen to this. It’s an underrated part of music and overlooked by musicians. Picking the genre is important, but what is the target audience doing while they’re listening to your music? It’s an important piece to how groups gain popularity. If you’re into experiencing weird things because it’s interesting to gain perspective into creative minds, then go for it. But don’t try to jam out to this on your way to your 9 to 5. Because you’ll likely get a contact high.
As eerie and spacey as everything is, it is melodic and intentional. It’s a sandbox of sound – A confined space with no particular purpose but fun to explore. Credit must be given where credit is due – the musicianship is respectable and impressive. Cataldi and Muro are seasoned musicians with deep and thoughtful ideas, who likely knew exactly what they wanted to produce. As a result, a good portion of these tracks are very good. Plain and simple.
Ambient sounds are the basis of the album. But the quality and which it is made is professional and legitimizes the whole idea. “Timbuktu” gives listeners a taste of what’s to come. We are immersed in what their press release describes as a, “hot trek across the desert in Mali.” The instrumentation is well balanced and comes together to create the sonic illusion of endlessness, despair and waves of heat. The sound is ambient, but it has drive and a groove, making it immersive and mysterious. But what it lacks, is an overall story. We instead get a glimpse, or a picture. One moment in time. Like a painting.
The same thing befalls tracks like “In the Lap of the Drooling Buddah” and “Maisey Hot and Humid“. The music is tasty and enticing but listeners feel trapped in one space. Nothing new is leanred. There is no sense of direction, a feat well executed because we never feel bored or lost, just without a goal. If that’s something you’re after, then the album the rest of the album will be a huge hit for you.
The part that might throw people, is the spoken word aspect of their music. This style is often criticized, confusing or non-digestible to some. The song “Bottomless Seafood Surprise,” for example, tells the strangely erotic story of a woman who works a normal life but in an effort to shake things up, she cooks a fish her neighbor bought her one July instead the Lean Cuisne she normally eats. Then the fish starts to talk and says, “You and me. We are different. We are the same.” ..To some, this might have a deeper meaning, to others, it’s a distracting and comical story.
Side note, if that speaks to you, then take a listen to “The Meat Clever and the Butterfly” – A song where a Bernie Sanders sounding man talks about how amazing his penis. He describes it as, “an amazing creature with little bird wings, a golden crested head, streamlined with dorsal fins, independent suspension, and driver side airbags.”
As radical as these lyrics are, it is appropriate for the genre. Nothing else would fit. It’s just a very unorthodox thing to drink in, which will likely spoil the album for some. Even if you think it might knock it, just give it a try because you’ll at least get a chuckle out of it. The style Cataldi and Muro have created is well executed, but might be more palatable when sprinkled throughout other mainstream styles of music, rather than dousing listeners with avant garde strangeness for the sake of being strange. Those who are interested can find the album on major streaming services like Spotify and Bandcamp.
Key Tracks: Timbuktu, The Meat Clever and the Butterfly, In the Lap of the Drooling Buddah.
The city of New York is used to being serenaded. Entertainers famous and obscure alike have sung the city’s praises – delivering some of their biggest records in doing so. From Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” to Jay – Z and Alecia Keys’ 2009 fall hit “Empire State of Mind,” New York City is used to being romanticized and looked at as a potential nesting ground for out-of-towners. While clearly magnetic in its appeal, the rougher parts of the city are less likely to be spotlighted during anthem songs.
That’s the thing about hip-hop, it has always been about speaking the truth. It has a reputation for delivering an authentic inner-city experience. Harlem native Cam’ron – known for his alliteration and uniquely playful delivery – tried his hand at an ode to hip-hop’s birthplace, on the 7th track from his 2002 album, Come Home with Me.
Featuring Jay – Z, the record signified the unification of two of hip hop’s most dominant rappers: Jay – Z, the accomplished veteran and label head of Roc-A-Fella Records, and Cam’ron, the captain of influential hip hop faction Dipset. The album marked Cam’ron’s first commercial release under the label and a verse from Jay – Z was the ultimate stamp of approval for his latest signee.
Jay – Z begins the record by shouting out a couple of legendary figures (Michael Jordan and Notorious B.I.G.) that have hailed from Brooklyn – his hometown. He then proceeds to paint a picture of his past endeavors in the streets of Brooklyn. While the verse might come off as braggadocios, it’s merely an explanation of why he would put himself in harm’s way by entering such a dangerous occupation. For every couple of bars about his cocaine exploits, it is followed up by the resulting glory that comes from it. Going from delivering the drugs to Baltimore, to being front and center at a Knicks game.
Based on the former’s subject matter, it was pretty safe to predict what Cam’ron’s lyrics would revolve around. He wastes no time attacking the Just Blaze produced record. “Yo, there’s a war going on outside no man is safe from.” Unlike Jay – Z, he doesn’t spend any time discussing monumental figures, nor does he glorify drug dealing. Instead, he chooses to relay the realities that come with the streets, in entertaining Cam’ron fashion of course. He even manages to take a shot at fellow Harlem native Mase, attributing his departure from hip-hop due to his uneasiness with being surrounded by so much violence. Eventually Jay – Z and Cam’ron go back and forth, describing the violent crimes that they come across in their respective neighborhoods.
Overall, the record feels like a moment in time. Just Blaze’s distinctive production (loud drums, guitars and horns) captures the aggressiveness of both emcees, and the two complement each other well. The record also served as the theme song for a popular video game, True Crime: New York City.
Welcome to New York City Lyrics:
Jay – Z
Turn the motherfucking music up [Cam’Ron] Just Blaze, man. You owe me n***a
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Welcome to the Empire State. Home of the World Trade. Birthplace of Michael Jordan. Home of Biggie Smalls. Roc-A-Fella headquarters. Ladies and gentlemen, Killa Cam, Young Hov is definitely in the building Brooklyn, Harlem World (Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City) Stand the f**k up!
I’m a B.K. brawler Marcy projects hallway loiterer Pure coke copper, get your order up I bring ‘em to Baltimore in the Ford Explorer It’s going to cost you more if I gotta get em to Florida Rucka game attender With the bent pole on the sidewalk with the tin plates on the fender I ain’t hard to find you catch me front and center At the Knick game, big chain and all my splendor Next to spike and the pen left to write I own Madison Square, catch me at the fight But damn once again if you pan left at the ice If you the man that write cheques with the hand that don’t write I go off the head when I’m rambling on the mic And I go off the feds when I’m scrambling at night And if its off the set I brought hammers to the fight But we from New York City, right Cam? [Cam: Ya damn right]
It’s the home of 9-11, the place of the lost towers We still banging, we never lost power, tell em Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City Why Y’all f***n with BK’s banger and Harlem’s own gangster Now that’s danger there’s nothing left to shape up Welcome to New York City, welcome to New York City
Cam’ron
Yo, there’s a war going on outside no man is safe from It don’t matter if you three feet or eight-one You’ll get ate from me, nine and straight blown Wig split, melon cracked, all that on day one Carry eight guns, two in the trunk Two in the waist, two in the ankle, two to just spank you You can jam with them jammers, blam with them blammers It’s hot here, ask Mase he ran to Atlanta You think we know what life do, make want to mold the cycle Drinkers they so delightful, blinging with so much ice In front of sparks, body cops Dilano Block away watch by Gotti and Girvano It’s la costra nostra, someone close approach ya They’ll toast ya gopher, bread loaf with shofer Old coke they raise up and snort, blayze up ya fort Jay puff shine, cases was caught Midnight pick fights, they love a victim Watch him fore he watch you, Killa
I’m from 101, west to Hunt 40th, this shit is live Fifth-floor, 56, you know the zip, district five You’re on 22nd, you from two-one That’s on Lennox, 7th ave was news one [Jay-Z] Coverage I synethestry Got rise from defending me Cause New York’ll miss me if I’m locked in the penitentiary The judge said “Is this that thug, from the kit kat club?” But I got enough chips stacked up to make a bitch to back up [Cam’Ron] Killa, I pinch that bud, I grip that snub to hit that thug Lay up in a pitch black tug, You lookin’ at rich black thugs to get that love And we won’t stop ‘til I get back blood Holla at em Hov [Jay-Z] I’m from Flushing, Marcy, Notia, Myrtle and Park N***as’ll drive by in the day, murder you in the dark That’s why the Johnny gun I’m holding Wet n***as up like the johnny-pump is open Homie, I play hard
I’m from 101, west to Hunt 40th, this shit is live Fifth-floor, 56, you know the zip, district five You’re on 22nd, you from two-one That’s on Lennox, 7th ave was news one [Jay-Z] Coverage I synethestry Got rise from defending me Cause New York’ll miss me if I’m locked in the penitentiary The judge said “Is this that thug, from the kit kat club?” But I got enough chips stacked up to make a bitch to back up [Cam’Ron] Killa, I pinch that bud, I grip that snub to hit that thug Lay up in a pitch black tug, You lookin at rich black thugs to get that love And we won’t stop ‘til I get back blood Holla at em Hov [Jay-Z] I’m from Flushing, Marcy, Notia, Myrtle and Park N***gas’ll drive by in the day, murder you in the dark That’s why the Johnny gun I’m holding Wet n***as up like the johnny-pump is open Homie, I play hard
Y’all n***s man, why Y’all can’t f**k around man It’s the ROC b***h, Killa, my n***a Jigga, Sigel, Beans Diplomats man, holla, Dash Get the f*** off our dicks I own this s**t right now man, I ain’t going nowhere
On a January Wednesday, Fred Norris played a sold out show with his band at Arlene’s Grocery in the lower east side of Manhattan. Fred is best known for his role on The Howard Stern Show where he has been a writer, producer and sound effects genius for over 30 years. The new line up of his band includes Fred on lead vocals and guitar, Steve Goulding on drums, Graham Parker on guitar and Mekons on bass. Opening for The Fred Norris Band was Steve Addabbo and Megan Reilly.
Fred and his band sounded great and they didn’t even get to do a proper sound check before their set. They played for over an hour and performed 12 original bluesy rock songs including “Get In Line,” “Sense of Pretending” and “Lost in the Ether.” Fred then welcomed singer/songwriter Erica Smith to join the band for the melodious “How Long.” What was also very much enjoyable was Fred talking about each song and what inspired him to write them. Some of the songs were about his daughter Tess, while others were about current social issues such as greed, corruption and the threat of war. You can see the full setlist below.
Arlene’s Grocery used to be a bodega/grocery store which was turned into a bar in 1995. It is mostly a venue for local punk and hard rock bands. Other notable performances include Arcadia Fire, Jeff Buckley and Lady Gaga.
Setlist: Get in Line, Uptown One, Cool Surface, Sense of Pretending, How Long, Lost in the Ether, The End, There Goes The Show, The War Within, Paradise
When musicians collaborate, you can expect a few things – a merging of styles, unique covers, and the strengths of each to shine even brighter. With Hayley Jane joining up with Annie in the Water to kick off a 10 show Hayley in the Water February tour, there is a stellar degree of mutualism already on display throughout their first three shows in Saranac Lake, Schenectady and Utica over February 5-8.
An acoustic set from Hayley Jane, with Annie in the Water joining for a few songs, kicked off each night, setting the tone for a thorough night of music and a taste of what these artists are capable individually, as well as when they join together. The second set, a full performance of Fleetwood Mac’s seminal 1977 album Rumours, was simply magical. Not only is the album chock full of classic rock gems, to the point where you are taken back by how many great songs are on one album, but Hayley Jane’s vocals and the well rehearsed sound of Annie in the Water truly brought the album to life. Hit after hit, including the underrated opening track “Second Hand News,” found all musicians in lockstep with each other, adding genuine, organic energy to classics including “Dreams,” “Don’t Stop,” “Go Your Own Way,” “The Chain” and “I Don’t Want to Know.” Hayley Jane shone bright on “Gold Dust Woman” and “Songbird,” channeling Stevie Nicks in a way few can. Listen to their performance of “Dreams” from Saranac Lake’s Waterhole.
Annie in the Water continued the night with a set of originals, including the fan favorite “Hey I’m on my Way,” plus “Sativa,” “In the Sand” and “Crispy” (with a dose of 4 Non Blondes “What’s Going On?”), the latter of which brought Hayley Jane back to the stage. Add in Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls on Parade” and Talking Heads “Burnin’ Down the House” (after a fire alarm went off briefly in Utica) and you’ve got an impressive range from a band that not only has the audience enjoying ever minute of it, but the band is clearly having a blast too.
This is a phenomenal series of shows and one with great potential, surely a ‘catch it while you can’ tour. Don’t sleep on Hayley Jane and Annie in the Water performing Rumours – two incredible forces in the Northeast music scene rarely join together to create a memorable performance such as this.
Feb. 12 – Buffalo Iron Works – Buffalo, NY
Feb. 13 – Flour City Station – Rochester, NY
Feb. 15 – Stowe Cider – Stowe, VT
Feb. 19 – Stone Church – Brattleboro, VT
Feb. 20 – Arch Street Tavern – Hartford, CT
Feb. 21 – Electric Haze – Worcester, MA
Feb. 22 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
Annie in the Water Setlists:
Feb. 7 – Frog Alley Brewing – Schenectady, NY
Hey I’m on My Way, Pleasure in Sin, In the Sand/Freestyle, Crispy (w/Hayley Jane), Sativa (w/Hayley Jane), Time to Play—>Bulls on Parade
Feb. 8 – Jewish Community Center – Utica, NY
Change My Mind, Carry the Music, Burning Down the House, River, Crispy (w/Hayley Jane), Fire on the Mountain (w/Bill Foose), Sativa
Chris Meier, Hayley Jane and Bradley Hester
Hayley Jane, Bradley Hester & Michael Lashomb
Ryan Trumbull & Brock Kuca of Annie in the Water
Trampoline Jetstream
Anthony “Zee” Donaldson of The Disruption NetworkR
Arizona’s improvisational jam rock quartet Spafford kicked off a three night run on Friday night at the Brooklyn Bowl. They delivered high energy tunes to the sold out crowd immediately upon taking the stage- and never looked back. The band also brought a high tech light rig that elevated visuals throughout the show. They were supported by, and are currently on tour with, Connecticut’s Eggy.
Known for blending rock, funk, jazz, reggae, ska and electro-pop, Spafford’s members include Brian Moss (guitar), Jordan Fairless (bass), Andrew Johnson (keyboards), and Nick Tkachyk (drums).
Eggy’s line up consists of Michael Goodman (bass), Jake Brownstein (guitar), Dani Battat (keyboards) and Alex Bailey (drums).
Brian Moss
Eggy kicked off the festivities to sizable crowd, as their Connecticut fan base was out in full force. They installed an “Eggy” sign on Battat’s keyboard stand, and dove into their flawless set of jam rock that often reminded this reviewer of Moe. Towards the end, they paid homage to Blind Melon by covering “No Rain,” which was a hit with the crowd. Andrew Johnson from Spafford the keyboard space with Battat for this cover, and the synergy was quite notable. Eggy’s impressive execution felt more like a main course, despite being tonight’s appetizer.
Johnson sits in with Eggy for Blind Melon’s “No Rain”
Spafford quickly made haste by taking the stage and unleashing a monster “Shakedown Street” cover by the band who started the jam rock genre, The Grateful Dead. Their exquisite light rig heightened the already powerful house lights at the Brooklyn Bowl, much to the delight of NYC Metro region crowd. They were so massive, in fact, that they took up a sizable chunk of the stage’s real estate.
The second set included more of Spafford’s signature improvisational rock, funk and electro fusion. Moss’s guitar work was on another level tonight, and was often seen exchanging smiles and jubilant glances with Fairless, Johnson, and Tkachyk. They also dispatched another notable cover of “Peaches”, by 90’s alt-rock band, The Presidents of the United States. The show wrapped up with the high energy “The Reprise” as an encore, sending the crowd home thirsty for more.
Spafford wrapped up their soon to be legendary three night run Sunday night at the Brooklyn Bowl with a special Acoustic only performance. Visit their tour page for details on future performance dates.
Set One: Shakedown Street, Mind’s Unchained, Hollywood > The Remedy, Plans
Set Two: America, Doghouse > Part II > Musette, My Road (My Road), Peaches, Galisteo Way
Back in June 2019, Sam Beam (a.k.a. Iron & Wine) joined forces with folk/Americana group Calexico for the full length LP, Years to Burn. This would mark the second time the two bands collaborated, the first being EP In the Reins from 2005. The bands musical styles perfectly complement one another, resulting in luscious harmonies and arrangements.
John Convertino of Calexico at Webster Hall – Photo: Joseph Buscarello
Before the show started, stage hands marched a seemingly endless amount of instruments on stage. Nine acoustic guitars moved in alone, followed by accordions, upright basses, electric guitars and horns. I have experienced seeing both of these bands individually and this collection of instruments is not surprising. Sam Beam typically brings a dozen or more musicians out for an Iron & Wine show and Calexico has such a full Americana sound with dense horns and strings. None of these attributes were lost in bringing the two bands together.
The set drew heavily from the two collaborative projects, but they also performed covers of each other’s songs and other bands. This first one was a cover of “Glimpse,” a track off Calexico’s 1996 debut Spoke. Sam introduced the song by saying “this song was the first Calexico song I ever heard.” The other Calexico cover was “Flores y Tamales” from 2018s The Thread That Keeps Us. While there were no Iron & Wine covers at Webster Hall, they were playing songs like “Boy With A Coin” and “Naked As We Came” at other stops. Full setlist below.
The show ended with two more collaborative tracks, but with opening band Half Waif joining them on stage to provide additional vocals. Had you not known that this show was a collaboration between two separate groups, you would think this was a band that has been writing and performing together their whole career. Their musical styles are already complementary and there is a clear friendship that adds a ton of energy to the stage.
Setlist: Father Mountain, Prison on Route 41, Follow the Water, In the Reins, Glimpse (Calexico cover), Sixteen Maybe Less, The Bitter Suite, Bring on the Dancing Horses (Echo and the Bunnymen cover), Flores y Tamales (Calexico cover), [Solos], Red Dust, I Lost It (Lucinda Williams cover), Midnight Sun, Burn That Broken Bed, What Heaven’s Left.
“It started out because of the love of Queen, and today it’s still going because of the love of Queen,” is how Randy Gregg characterizes his New York City based tribute band, Almost Queen. Now in their 16th year, Almost Queen is selling out shows across the U.S., including the The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y. where we caught the band performing.
Joseph Russo (as Freddie Mercury)
Paying homage to one of the UK’s most iconic bands are Joseph Russo (as Freddie Mercury), Steve Leonard (as Brian May), John Cappadona (as Roger Taylor), and Randy Gregg (John Deacon). I spoke with Gregg a few days before the Capitol show to gather some insight into a “tribute” based rock and roll band.
“Almost Queen is first and foremost, a proper band,” he proclaims. “I see a lot of tribute bands out there and they do a great job, but I see that they focus, (are) so focused on trying to emanate and trying to do this, that they have lost the sight of your first reason: to be a band and play. We play. If we weren’t doing Queen music and we were doing the Rolling Stones, we’d kill that too because these four guys are first and foremost, a band.”
Almost Queen – The Capitol Theatre
“Back fifteen; sixteen years ago, I don’t even know if there were any Queen tribute bands around.” Randy recounts. “It was like a dare you even try to attempt playing Queen music. We did a lot of rehearsal in that first year. Our goal was to perform the songs you hear on the radio, studio versions is what we wanted to shoot for. ”
Randy Gregg (as John Deacon)
It started out because of the love of Queen, and today it still going because of the love of Queen
Randy Gregg, Almost Queen
Almost Queen – The Capitol Theatre
“We wanted to get as close to Queen as possible,” Gregg shares. “ We knew that we never could be what that band was. But we wanted to get into the ballpark. That’s why we call the band Almost Queen. ‘Cause there is no way we could be Queen and that’s just the end of it. So from day one we had an excuse that if you don’t feel we were that good, it’s called Almost Queen.”
John Cappadona (as Roger Taylor)
With 15 studio, seven EPs, two soundtracks and other recordings to draw from, determining what Queen songs to play on any given night can be a challenge. Gregg incorporates a technique based on where the band is performing. “If it’s the first time going into a venue, here’s the hit’s list. ‘Cause there is an expectation. You don’t want to hit them with anything out of the ordinary right away. Then boom, we did great, we are coming back for that next gig and here are these couple of songs we are going to take out and put these couple of songs in. Give it a different flavor. Third time back, lets put in a couple more, deeper cuts. I have set lists saved on my computer for years. If we’re playing (a) venue for the eighth time, in eight years, I will pull out eight different set lists. I never wanted to have it were we get a revue that says Almost Queen was great, but same set list. It’s always about keeping it fresh.”
Almost Queen – The Capitol Theatre
With 16 years performing as Almost Queen under their belt, I asked about the preparation before a show. “It’s a pretty cool vibe backstage. One or two people could be cranking some tunes in the back. It’s a lively vibe; it’s an exciting vibe. We know what we are going to be doing in a half hour. It’s pretty chill but it’s pretty exciting. We are just doing our normal routine, getting dressed, stretching out, warming up vocals, having a beer, putting on makeup everything that’s involved with a rock and roll show. The excitement builds per minute as that goes on. “
Steve Leonard (as Brian May)
Being a tribute band, what happens as you walk on stage for that first number? Is there a loss of person and a transformation? A transformation into Queen? “It is very close to that,” Gregg reveals. “When the lights go out, the place becomes hysterical as the intro comes on. That moment of walking out on stage when that intro comes on, it’s like a real deal rock show. That is the vibe that you get when you walk out into it. Within that time of the intro, you are absorbing this energy coming from the crowd, this excitement, here it is, you feel it all. Then, at that first start of the note, all of our minds go right to the music.”
Almost Queen – The Capitol Theatre
The energy level at The Capitol Theatre was peaking the dials. The band played for almost two hours, with people singing and dancing throughout the night. Mid show, lead singer Joseph Russo engaged the audience in an impromptu a cappella vocal round, making everyone a member of the band. The love for Queen was in abundance, emanating from the stage and being returned exponentially by those in the house.
Almost Queen – The Capitol Theatre
Taking the night to another level, the proceeds from the Almost Queen merch table are donated (as they are with every show) to The Mercury Phoenix Trust, which was founded by Brian May, Roger Taylor and Jim Beach in memory of Freddie Mercury, who died from HIV/AIDS in 1991. The goal of MPT is to fund the work of global charities fighting aids worldwide. “We are very proud to donate our merch,” Randy noted with a gratifying tone to his voice.
Almost Queen – The Capitol Theatre
What started as love for a band, that has snowballed into sell out shows, and promotes compassion for one’s fellow man to boot, has me thinking that maybe the band should change its name from Almost to Absolutely Queen.
Those were the days of our lives, yeah The bad things in life were so few Those days are all gone now but one thing’s still true When I look and I find, I still love you I still love you
These are the days of our lives Brian May / Freddie Mercury / John Deacon / Roger Taylor
