Category: Media

The Wood Brothers Feel at Home in Rochester

Rochester is a strong music city, based mostly on its flourishing local scene. Touring acts aren’t as kind to this city between cities. But every once in a while a band comes through, latches on, and rides the tide to local hero-dom. The Wood Brothers are such a band.

First opening for the poster-child of Rochester hero bands, Tedeschi Trucks Band. Then breaking through as a club pass band at the Rochester International Jazz Fest. They quickly returned as a main stage headliner, and headlined at the Lilac Festival soon after that. Wednesday night they were back at the Kodak Center for a rare wintertime visit. Tedeschi Trucks, Jazz Fest, Lilac Fest, Kodak… hitting all the Rochester sweet spots, it’s no wonder they’ve found a place in the city’s hearts.

On top of that, they welcomed Rochester-native, Kat Wright, to open their whole tour. Excited to be back in her hometown, she recalled Rochester memories, got shout outs from friends, family and fans in the crowd, and dedicated a song to a friend celebrating her birthday. Her usual eight-strong Indomitable Soul Band was stripped down to her, Bob Wagner on guitar and Josh Weinstein on bass. They rearranged some older tunes for the occasion, threw in a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “Love Me Like a Man,” and introduced a few new ones, like the sultry slow burning “Let Me In” and the bluegrass-infused reggae of “Can’t Explain.”

The Wood Brothers had some new songs in their arsenal as well, coming with a stellar new album in tow. They opened with the first track, “Alabaster,” with “Little Bit Sweet” and the West-African inflected “Don’t Think About My Death” not too far behind. Though for the most part they stuck to the tried and true classics, digging through their songbook generously, presenting the full spectrum of their wares.

The seated crowd was soon on its feet, filling the aisles, dancing and singing along. The best dance moves as always though, belonged to bassist Chris Wood. His fancy footwork only outmatched by his fancy fretwork, both on display during a rumbling bass and drums segment during “Who the Devil.”

Midway through their set, during the old-school format portion of the evening with Jano Rix out front on his ‘shitar,’ the band injected the excellent Rochester local scene into their set. They invited Aaron Lipp on banjo and Wright on vocals for a rollicking rendition of the Wood Brothers oldie “One More Day.” The set peaked at the penultimate “Happiness Jones” with its funky grooving soul on full display.

Oliver Wood made sure to seal the deal on the mutual feelings between band and crowd before calling it a night, “We love Rochester!” One thing seems certain, it won’t be long before the two meet again.

Setlist: Alabaster, American Heartache, Atlas, Little Bit Sweet, Shoofly Pie, Don’t Think About My Death, Luckiest Man, Mary Anna, Little Bit Broken, Postcards from Hell, Pray Enough, Who the Devil, Loaded, One More Day*, I Got Loaded, Happiness Jones, Snake Eyes.

Encore: Chevrolet (Ed & Lonnie Young).

* with Aaron Lipp on Banjo and Kat Wright on vocals.

February 7, 2020
The Lawn Boys Celebrate Phish With Sweet Jams at Sera Phi

The Lawn Boys celebrated Phish at Sera Phi in Greenpoint on Saturday night, and said goodbye to local artist Alex Anastas with a dream set list of Phish songs crafted by Anastas himself. The band consists of Darren Rodney (guitar), Andrew Mega (drums), Bruce Raskin (bass), and David Kaufman (keyboards), and primarily plays Phish covers.

Sera Phi is also known as the Sera Phi Social Club, which lived up to its name as the crowd was exceptionally friendly. The row of couches in the back created a great ambiance and the vibrating floor echoed the crowd’s enjoyment through movement. The walls were filled with projections of partially inverted images of Phish throughout the evening, courtesy of videographer Aylon Ben-Ami.

Alex Anastas

The show began on a high note, with the band announcing the departure of Anastas to Australia, and stating that the proceeds from the event would benefit those impacted by the Australian bush fires. The first set contained many heavy hitters. “Bathtub Gin” included notable jam solos by Rodney, who was firing on all cylinders. Also, “Maze” > “David Bowie” felt like the real thing, as this band effectively channeled Phish. Anastas took the stage and sang during “Dirt” and “Waste.”

After a delicious DJ set that included re-mixes of Pink Floyd, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and the Talking Heads, the boys returned for another monster set. “Down With Disease” was the prevalent theme, as the band jammed into and out of this song several times. During “Glide,” the lyrics were changed to “We’re glad glad glad that Al’s alive.” The encore was equally exciting and well executed, with versions of “Harry Hood” and “Chalkdust Torture” that made the crowd long for the real thing.

Overall, the Lawn Boys’ skills were quite impressive, and paired well with the social crowd at Sera Phi. They are a talented cover band who portrays Phish with vigor and delighted the crowd throughout the night.

Setlist:

Set One: Curtain With > AC / DC Bag, Bathtub Gin -> Ghost* > (funk jam) > Tweezer > Maze , Dirt, Waste^, Bouncing Around the Room, David Bowie > Highway to Hell

Set Two: Down With Disease > Crosseyed and Painless > Down With Disease, Glide, Heavy Things, YEM, Tube > Tweezer Reprise

Encore: Chalkdust Torture, Harry Hood

Notes: *DWD teases; ^Darren acoustic, Al on vocals

February 4, 2020
Greensky Bluegrass Crack Jokes, Cover Paul Simon and The Band at The Egg
A sold out crowd welcomed Greensky Bluegrass back to the Capital District for another round of energetic and psychedelic jamgrass from the standard bearers of the genre at The Egg. Opening the show was Ghost Light, featuring local favorite Holly Bowling on keys, who gave the audience a short yet stellar opening 45-minute set.

Greensky have made Albany an annual winter tour stop, returning to The Egg and a capacity and ever-enthusiastic crowd. Following “Dustbowl Overtures,” with it’s line, “It’s a New York Minute, under a New Mexico sky,” eliciting cheers from the audience, mandolinist Paul Hoffman welcomed the crowd to the show, referring to the venue as the ‘punniest venue in the country.’ With that, dobroist Anders Beck joined in with egg jokes that carried on throughout the night. First set highlights included “I’d Probably Kill You” -> ‘Nellie Kane,” as well as “Broken Highways” and “Courage for the Road,” where Beck was a heavy presence via the dobro and shone as the set came to a close.

With Set 2 came more jokes that continued as soon as the band hit the stage. Beck returned prepared and informed the crowd, “I’ve probably got a dozen, just to lay it out there.” A long “Take Cover” kicked off a set full of surprises, plus lots of banter with the crowd. The back and forth was so natural and the crowd so focused, Hoffman said it felt like “playing on a radio station, but you’re all here.” For “Casual Wednesday,” Beck laid his down dobro and took off into the crowd to greet the audience and hype up the sound and light teams on this casual Wednesday, making a Buddy Guy-style lap around the venue, before returning to the stage.

A cover of The Band’s “Atlantic City” segued perfectly into “Just Listening,” which was followed by “Mother and Child Reunion,” which contained a deep reference to eggs, their debut of the 1972 Paul Simon single. After the song, Hoffman expressed that playing that song at The Egg was a career highlight. “Furious Exuberance” > “Kerosene” would close the set with Pink Floyd-esque spaciness that paired perfectly with the evening’s light show that hovered between early ’70s psychedelia and late ’70s disco.

Ghost Light setlist via Phantasytour

Set 1: Don’t Come Apart Just Yet, My Dear> Bullseye Blues> Cold Blooded* > Don’t Come Apart Just Yet, My Dear

*with Diamond Eyes jam

Greensky Bluegrass at The Egg, setlist via Phantasytour

Set 1: Lose My Way, Dustbowl Overtures, Better Off, Hot Dogs (On Parade), I’d Probably Kill You, Nellie Kane, What You Need, Broken Highways, Courage for the Road

Set 2: Take Cover, Collateral Damage, Do It Alone, A Letter to Seymour, Casual Wednesday, New Rize Hill, Atlantic City> Just Listening, Mother and Child Reunion*, Exuberance> Kerosene

Encore: Drink Up and Go Home

*first time played
February 1, 2020
In Focus: Bella’s Bartok and West End Blend at The Hollow

A packed Hollow Bar & Kitchen welcomed Bella’s Bartok and West End Blend back to the Capital Region for an intense night of dancing and revelry. The two bands, from western Mass and Connecticut, respectively, have built up sizable followings around the state and when converging together in Albany on Friday, a welcoming crowd got down with them from the first note to the last. West End Blend’s funk did more than warm up the crowd, and set the tone for the night with “Smile.” Bella’s Bartok followed shortly after with a set full of klezmer-infused, high energy numbers, with inflated eye balls bouncing around the crowd and a daring band member who crowd surfed to the bar (for a shot) and back to the stage with the support of their fans.

Following these two glorious sets of music to shake the week off, the bands spoke to NYS Music about why New York is such an important part of their careers and how they have grown as a result of touring across the state.

Drummer Sam Horan of West End Blend: “I feel like playing around the New York scene, that’s not New York City, it’s just been really good to us, and we’ve seen a lot of progress and steady progression which keeps us fueled to come back. This show, specifically, was a surprise because our last show was, it was good, but tonight really felt like a turning point for the market. We have a really great audience in Saranac Lake, and we throw our festival ‘The Blender’ in Saranac Lake, and that’s its own thing, but for Albany tonight it really felt like a turning point for us, with an early opening set, and it was a full room. It was a really good, reassuring thing for us to see a full room, starting pretty early, so that’s kind of the thing the New York scene has just been really good to us, and that’s what keeps us coming back.”

Likewise, Asher Putnam, lead singer of Bella’s Bartok shared: “We’ve been playing upstate New York and the Hudson River Valley since 2009-2010 when we were just a street band, and we’ve always enjoyed ourselves. We’re out of western Massachusetts, the Great Barrington area, so it’s a hop, skip, and a jump, and it’s really nice to see people coming up to the show who’ve been seeing us for 7-8 years, singing along to the old songs and hearing the new tunes. From Saranac Lake to Albany, and sometimes to NYC even, the Capital Region and Upstate is where we find our people.”

Catch West End Blend on Saturday February 8 at The Waterhole in Saranac Lake, and Bella’s Bartok the night before at The Waterhole on Friday, February 7. Bella’s then returns to the state on Saturday, March 7 at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, and then again on Thursday, March 19 at Funk ‘n Waffles in Syracuse.

Check out the photo gallery below!

January 27, 2020
Goose Opens Winter Tour; Debuts New Song At Sold Out Bowery Ballroom
Goose began their winter tour in earnest at New York’s Bowery Ballroom on January 24, 2020, their first U.S. show of 2020 since opening for Dead & Company at Playing in the Sand in Mexico earlier this week. Since their Halloween show at the Mercury Lounge this past year, Goose has been on a meteoric rise with no indication of a slowdown, anywhere in sight.

As curious fans flock en masse to check out the buzz, El Goose keep adding to its gaggle — the jamband version of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, luring fans to sold out show after sold out show with their magical pipe. The buzz keeps getting louder. The rooms keep getting bigger. Goose keeps on truckin’, kicking ass and taking names along the way.

Photo by Jamie Huenefeld

Opening with “Drive,” dense crowded room got into an easy groove. Trevor Weeks (bass) getting deep and dirty as Rick Mitaronda (guitar, vocals) let some early solos fly. Though it’s hard to peel your gaze from guitarists Rick and Peter Anspach, the rhythm section of Trevor and Ben Atkind (drums) is what dictates the furious, addictive pace of this Connecticut-based quartet.

The band explored some energetic Type II jams before segueing into a cover of Wes Montgomery’s “Switchin’.” Peter took the mic with a big smile for his first vocals of the night with “Lead the Way” before Rockabilly original “Elizabeth.” The crowd really got rocking with Bill Wither’s “Lovely Day,” a tasty slice of funk and soul that was easily the first set highlight as judged by the movement and sway of the room. Goose really shines brightest at this nexus of funk and jamband space, where Rick’s soaring solos are accentuated by the funk oozing from Peter’s keys and the groovy backbone of Trevor’s 5-string bass. “Honeybee” closed the set, but not before your grateful reviewer amassed 5,958 steps of dancing.

Photo by Jamie Huenefeld

After an exciting intermission fueled by the sounds of phenom DJ Chris Tart, the second set got shot out of cannon with “Into the Myst” > “Flowdown,” a very Phishy tune somewhere at the crossroads of Uncle Pen meets Sparkle, met with the roaring approval of a roomful of Goose’s newest fans.

As step counts never lie (8,219), the slightly more energetic second set was off to the races, a shared sense of community and euphoria pervading the now sweaty room. “Bob O. John,” an original debut met with another of the night’s loudest roars, was sandwiched by “Echo of a Rose.” Considering that every song was new to most people in the sold out hall, that applause really spoke volumes about the quality of this debut song that opened with a reggae beat, before eventually finding its way to a signature Goosian-shred.

“Slow Ready” won over any remaining doubters before “Tumble” took us all on a communal victory lap. “Shama Lama Ding Dong,” the encore cover of fictional band Otis Day & The Knights from National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978), wrapped up the raucous party in frat house style.

Photo by Jamie Huenefeld

While Goose has a sound very much their own, it’s noteworthy to recognize the influence of, not only the different genres, but also their jamband predecessors whose sound is sprinkled within in their playing. It is these tip-of-your tongue moments of recognition that help to make the new feel immediately secure and comfortable, like your best old sweater, but suddenly fresh and updated. Comparisons overheard last night ran the gamut from Grateful Dead and Phish to My Morning Jacket, Wilco, and even STS9.

It’s so much fun to see and hear so many new fans take flight, as most of the room raised their hands and shouted when asked who was seeing their first Goose show. “That’s pretty good,” said Peter. The Pied Piper, indeed, but no magic pipe necessary. Just four dudes with a lot of talent and even more humility making really good music.

The band takes a selfie with the crowd to cap off a great performance
Photo by Jamie Huenefeld

The tour continues Saturday in Brooklyn at the Music Hall of Williamsburg before Goose heads west for an extended winter tour.

Photo by Jamie Huenefeld

Goose, Bowery Ballroom, NYC – January 24, 2020

Set One: Drive > Switchin’ {1}, Lead The Way, Elizabeth, Lovely Day {2}, Honeybee

Set Two: Into The Myst > FloDown > Echo of a Rose > Bob O. John {3} > Echo of a Rose {4}, Slow Ready, Tumble

Encore: Shama Lama Ding Dong {5}

Coach’s Notes: {1} Wes Montgomery. {2} Bill Withers. {3} FTP. – Original tune. {4} OG vocal ending. They sang “Echo of a Rose” for the outro. {5} Otis Day & The Knights. This was a sold out show. Set 1 Start: 9:18pm – Set 1 End: 10:28pm. Set 2 Start: 10:55pm – Set 2 End: 12:21am. Sound Check: Arrow, Lovely Day, Honey Bee. 14,177 steps danced.
January 26, 2020
Temples Deliver Career Spanning Set at Webster Hall

UK psych rockers, Temples, released their third LP, Hot Motion, back in September 2019, and the tour hit Webster Hall this past Tuesday, January 21. This was technically a make-up date from November, since the band previously expanded and reorganized the tour.

Temples at Webster Hall – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

Support came from Canadian based singer Art d’Ecco. The glam-punk rocker commanded the stage with a dominating presence and delivered upbeat, Bowie-tinged punk rock grooves.

Art d’Ecco at Webster Hall – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

Temples’ new LP sees them refining their distinctive indie psych-rock sound, culminating in a very consistent addition to their catalog. This consistency was put on full display with the first three songs of the night: “The Howl” from Hot Motion, followed by hit “Certainty” from 2017’s Volcano, then a deep cut from their debut Sun Structures, “A Question Isn’t Answered.” This career-spanning intro highlighted the band’s ability to stay true to their sound while still making three very distinct songs.

Art d’Ecco at Webster Hall – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

Temples are another one of those bands that attracts a dedicated following. Webster Hall was packed with fans singing and dancing along to every song, and the band was more than happy to feed off that energy. They effortlessly breezed through their songs, ending the main set with fan favorite, and hit “Shelter Song” from Sun Structures.

Art d’Ecco at Webster Hall – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

Temples at Webster Hall – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

Temples continue their tour of North America into February, followed by dates in France and Australia from March to April. Art d’Ecco will continue to open for Temples on the North America trek.

Setlist: The Howl, Certainty, A Question Isn’t Answered, You’re Either On Something, Colours to Life, Holy Horses, The Golden Throne, On the Saviour, Hot Motion, The Beam, Context, Keep in the Dark, Atomise, Shelter Song.

Encore: Sun Structures, Mesmerise.

January 24, 2020
In Focus: Greensky Bluegrass at The State Theatre of Ithaca
Greensky Bluegrass played the first of three shows in the Empire State on their 2020 Winter Tour this week at The State Theatre of Ithaca. Opening with Flatt and Scruggs classic “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down” and closing with their take on Prince’s “Little Red Corvette,” Greensky continues to demonstrate to audiences across the country that they are a rock-and-roll band that plays bluegrass instruments. Catch Greensky Bluegrass on Friday at The Beacon Theatre in NYC and The Egg in Albany on Wednesday, January 30. For full tour dates visit Greenskybluegrass.com

Setlist

Set 1: Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down, Lose My Way, Windshield, Just to Lie> Wings for Wheels, Reverend, Old Home Place, Broke Mountain Breakdown> Walk Away> Broke Mountain Breakdown Reprise

Set 2: Middle Mountain Towns> Freeborn Man, Bone Digger, Cold Feet, Casual Wednesday, New Rize Hill, Less than Supper, Don’t Lie

Encore: Little Red Corvette
January 24, 2020
Video Premiere: Julia Felice and the Whiskey Crisis drop dance-funk cover of “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”

Fresh off their serial project, Rule of Three, Ithaca’s Julia Felice and the Whiskey Crisis have released the video for their indie dance-funk cover of The Smashing Pumpkins’ 90s classic “Bullet with Butterfly Wings.”

The upcoming Rule of Three is a collaborative music and art project, with mini-releases featuring two new songs, including a twisted cover, and a brand new original, that are accompanied by a unique piece of artwork by an independent artist inspired by the music. The original featured in this initial drop is the indie rock original “The Arms Dealer,” which alongside “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” deals with the dark underpinnings of things that seem, at first glance, very attractive.

The band will celebrate the release with a show downtown at The Range on Friday, January 24, with doors at 9pm and the show at 10, with a $5 cover.

The Whiskey Crisis grew out of what was supposed to be a one-time passion project. After dropping their alternative soul debut, Diving for Falls, co-conspirators Julia Felice and Harry Nichols were spurred on to continue working together with bassist, Sam Lupowitz, and guitarist, Joe Massa. Their second album, Devil On Your Back, takes all the catchy darkness of the first album, and transports it to places not altogether expected, alongside drummer Julian Dalton. Throughout 2020, Whiskey Crisis will feature a series of mini-releases, each showcasing their latest originals, re-imagined covers, and a collaborative piece of visual art as part of Rule of Three. All tracks were recorded and mixed by Christopher Ploss at Sunwood Recording, Trumansburg, NY and mastered by Matt Saccuccimorano for Scaramanga Industries, Ithaca NY.

January 24, 2020
In Focus: Umphrey’s Closes out Three Nights in NYC

On Sunday, Umphrey’s McGee closed out a three-night NYC weekend on their winter tour with an intimate show at Brooklyn Bowl. The jam veterans treated loyal fans to two sets filled with covers, rare originals and new music. The Sunday closer was a change of venue, but the intimate atmosphere of Brooklyn Bowl proved to be the key ingredient in a night where the entire band felt comfortable and dialed in to the show and their fans.

The first set began with “Looks” and continued with “The Fussy Dutchman” which included a “YYZ” tease that continued the themed tribute to Rush and the late Neil Peart for the entire weekend run. The first set concluded with a “Miss Tinkle’s Overture” that segued into the band’s original take on LCD Soundsystem’s “Tribulations,” debuted for the first time during the recent New Year’s run, before returning back to “Miss Tinkle’s Overture,” closing out a fantastic first set.

After a short set break, the band came back with the rare opener “Front Porch,” rewarding a die-hard fan who has been chasing that track for a few tours. The 30+ minute opening track was the highlight of the night, showing off the prowess of the veteran rockers. The set continued with fan favorites “40’s Theme,” “Gulf Stream,” and “The Floor.” But it was the debut performance of “Suxity,” a brand-new song, that closed out an amazing show and was proof that 2020 will be a good one for Umphrey’s Mcgee.

Set 1: Looks, The Fussy Dutchman, Maybe Someday > Got Your Milk (Right Here) > Walletsworth, Domino Theory, Miss Tinkle’s Overture -> Tribulations > Miss Tinkle’s Overture

Set 2: Front Porch > Resolution > Front Porch, 40’s Theme, Miami Virtue -> Out Of Order > Gulf Stream, The Floor

Encore: Phil’s Farm > Suxity > Phil’s Farm

January 23, 2020
In Focus: Mike Gordon kicks off Winter Tour at State Theatre of Ithaca
On the cusp of a winter storm, blanketing the Northeast, Ithaca was bustling with energy ahead of the start of Mike Gordon tour at State Theatre on Friday, January 17. Mike took time during the show to reference Phish’s February 1991 show at the State Theatre, recalling the show as “the night we gave the van away,” when the band gave away Fishman’s family minivan to an audience member. Nearly 30 years later, Mike suggested that this time he said he was giving away a Hummer limo. He did not and the show continued.

Throughout the night, Mike weaved Little Feat’s “Sailin’ Shoes” between songs, as well used “I Am Random,” “Pendulum” and “Victim” to sandwich additional songs in between, including a debut cover of Aimee Mann’s “Save Me,” inside “Pendulum.” Two Phish staples stood out as highlights in the second set – a percussion heavy “Cities” and a slow and groovy “Funky Bitch” for an encore. Mike Gordon heads into the Midwest this week as the tour heads to Seattle for the final show on February 1.

Set 1: Victim, Say Something > Victim > Victim 3D, Steps, Borrowing Rain [1], Sailin’ Shoes > Jumping, Sughn Never Sets.

Set 2: Pendulum > Save Me [2] > Pendulum, Acid Man, I Am Random > Sailin’ Shoes > I Am Random, Cities > Crazy Sometimes > Sailin’ Shoes > Crazy Sometimes

Encore: Funky Bitch[1] Debut.
[2] Mike Gordon debut.
January 22, 2020