Category: Alternative/Indie

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
LOCKN’ 2020 Lineup Revealed

The 8^thannual LOCKN’ Festival lineup has been announced. Taking place (as usual) at Infinity Downs & Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, VA. This year’s festivities will be in honor of Grateful Dead bassist, Phil Lesh’s 80^th birthday, where he will perform alongside friends and legends alike, with plenty of special guests to boot.

The three-day event, camping festival, will kick off on June 19. Day one will feature performances from: Phil Lesh Quintet ft. Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Rob Barraco, John Molo, Brandi Carlile, Gov’t Mule, Goose, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, The Chain Gang ft. Devon Allman, Duane Betts, Cody Dickinson, Luther Dickinson, Samantha Fish, John Ginty, & Berry Oakley, Jr. play Fleetwood Mac’s, Rumours, Yola, Boombox ft. BackBeat Brass, and Grateful Shred.

Saturday, June 20, will feature Phil Lesh Quintet ft. Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, Rob Barraco, John Molo with David Crosby, Oteil & Friends, David Crosby, Mike Gordon, Black Pumas, Garcia Peoples, Grateful Shred, and Kendall Street Company. In addition, an new headline act will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Festivities conclude Sunday, June 21, with performances from Phil Lesh with John Mayer and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Leon Bridges, Electric Hot Tuna,Railroad Earth, MEUTE, The War and Treaty, Midnight North, and Keller Williams’ Grateful Gospel.

The first ever three-day LOCKN’ festival doesn’t end there. A special “Steal Your Thursday” add-on will be available for $30, allowing attendees to kick off their festival weekend on Thursday, June 18, while a Wednesday early-entry add-on will also be made available, giving guests a chance to enjoy the farm in preparation for the extravaganza that lies ahead.

Along with all the great entertainment, attendees will get the chance to try-out various local food vendors and their always enticing cuisine, in addition to craft brewery, and other delectables.

Three-day LOCKN’ passes are available for $259, with a payment plan that allows fans to pay a deposit of $19.99 (with fees) and make four payments over four months. There will also be VIP passes that offer fans perks such as, enhanced seating/ambience, intimate view of performances, exclusive merchandise and much more. Accommodations will also include; glamping tents, RVs, tour buses, and more and are available as an add-on to festival passes.

For more information on LOCKN’ 2020 tickets, on-site lodging or special add-ons, click HERE.

January 25, 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
Hearing Aide: The Wood Brothers ‘Kingdom In My Mind’

Late in the summer of 2018, The Wood Brothers were putting the final touches on their new workshop, The Studio Nashville. After it was fully wired for sound, they decided to break in this new space by testing the energy, atmosphere and sound of each room. These initial jam sessions would lay the framework for Kingdom In My Mind when the band listened back to their performances and realized that there was something special to the recordings. It wasn’t until they took these newly recorded improvisations and began to construct verses and choruses that their creative prowess took a new leap.

While this may be a new path for the band, the members are no stranger to experimentation. The Wood Brothers came to be after Oliver Wood sat in with his brother Chris’ band, Medeski, Martin and Wood, in the early 2000’s and Jano Rix may be best known for creating the ‘shuitar’ – an acoustic guitar with a twist of percussion. In the past, the band would write large batches of songs and try to capture them all at once, but their new studio offered them so much more. “We weren’t performing songs,” explains Oliver. “We were just improvising and letting the music dictate everything. Normally when you’re recording, you’re thinking about your parts and your performances, but with these sessions, we were just reacting to each other and having fun in the moment.”

The Wood Brothers’ 7th album starts with “Alabaster,” a gem that could easily be mistaken for a classic MMW song if it weren’t for Oliver’s jazzy vocals over the track. The funky keys and effervescent bass really highlight the energy of their new space . “Little Bit Sweet” has the honor of featuring the first notes recorded in their studio, which was the impetus for Kingdom In My Mind. This track features beautiful harmonies that rise with the bouncy beat that Jano lays down. In “Jitterbug Love,” Chris Wood’s voice is perfect for this little ditty as Oliver slides up and down his acoustic guitar. It’s near impossible to listen to this track without tapping your feet and singing along to the chorus: “I’m crazy for you. I’m crazy for you!”

“Cry Over Nothing” is the only song that was developed and composed outside of the new studio, but it invokes the spirit of The Band, especially as Rix plays his soaring organ while simultaneously keeping beat. The most “rocking” song of the album comes in the form of “Don’t Think About My Death.” This track is a mesmerizing mix of dirty electric guitar and Rix’s ever-present but simplistic percussion. Continuing the jump between genres are “Little Bit Broken,” which combines funky tones with a pure gospel feeling that will undoubtedly speak to everyone who listens, and “The One I Love,” a Zydeco track that is sure to get folks on their feet at any upcoming Wood Brothers performance.

“Little Blue” continues this gem of an album with its funky, bluesy tones while “A Dream’s A Dream” takes things in a filthy direction. And I mean that in the best way possible. This is my favorite track on the album and it’s definitely the one I replayed the most this past week. “Satisfied” is the last full track on the album and Oliver’s vocals paint a tale of optimism and hope while Chris’ harmonica hauntingly floats over Jano’s solid beat. This powerful song really sums up the themes and feelings that are highlighted throughout this beautiful album. No album is complete without a proper reprise and this is no exception as” Little Blue (Reprise)” is a delightful cherry on top of this beautiful cake of an album.

The Wood Brothers will be in NYC on January 30 and 31, Rochester on February 5 and Albany on February 8.

Key Tracks: A Dream’s A Dream, Alabaster, Jitterbug Love

The album can be ordered and more information on tour dates is available at the band’s website.

January 23, 2020
Kyle Stockman Releases Latest Gem with ‘Opal’

Singer-songwriter, Kyle Stockman, has released a two-song package titled Opal. It’s been a few months since we’ve heard from Stockman, whose last project, Hearts, was released in June of 2019. “Since I moved back to the city [for school] I’ve been having a lot of trouble finding like-minded people, I was questioning what was going on in my life,” Stockman says of the new project. “It’s me reaching out and asking these questions.”

The records are “Opal” and “Sundays.” The former, is a ballad in which Stockman croons about his longing for that special someone. “I’m speaking through the lenses of talking to one specific person, but it’s really me speaking to everyone around me,” he elaborates. “If someone wanted to love, how could they do it for me without me having to put in all the work?”

“Sundays” sees Stockman break out a lot more spoken-word, while the record itself relies a lot less on melodies for the verses. He evaluates his current standing in life. Surrounded by peers, he contemplates where exactly he fits in, with the record resembling a self-therapy session. “Sundays talks about what I’m seeing around me, the people around me and what I’m realizing about what going on in my life,” says Stockman. “At the end, I go back questioning ‘do you want to be with me?’ Bringing it back full circle.”

On the heels of this new release, Stockman says he is looking more into performing, dialing back on releasing full-length project and focusing more on growing his brand and his name.

Opal is available on all streaming platforms, with a lyrics video for “Sunday” already on YouTube.

January 16, 2020
Baked Shrimp Announces Winter 2020 Tour

Baked Shrimp hit the road for their 2020 Northeast tour. This will be their longest tour yet in the band’s three-year history as they play 19 shows in the Upstate NY and New England region, including six shows in New York.

The Long Island trio opens the tour on January 16 in Syracuse, NY at Funk ‘n Waffles where they will be joined by Bead N Bone. On January 19, they will perform at The Low Beat in Albany with the “high energy psychedelic groove circus” Glass Pony. Ithaca’s Dapper Dan will perform them in their hometown on January 31 at The Range before Baked Shrimp moves onto New Paltz where they will play on February 1 at Snug’s Harbor with Toaster Basket. They will then hit Oneonta with Some.Of.Us ft/Lace on February 6 at The Black Oak Tavern. The band closes out the tour in Greenlawn at Beau’s Bar on February 22.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. See a full list of tour dates below.

Baked Shrimp Winter Tour 2020:
Jan.16 – Funk ‘n Waffles Syracuse – Syracuse, NY w/ Bead N Bone
Jan.17 – Windsor Station Restaurant & Barroom – Windsor, VT
Jan.18 – Orlando’s Bar And Lounge – Burlington, VT
Jan.19 – The Low Beat – Albany, NY w/ Glass Pony
Jan.21 – Tavern at the End of the World – Boston, MA
Jan.22 – News Cafe – Providence, RI w/ Northeast Traffic
Jan.23 – Bleachers Bar – Bristol, CT w/ Moon Matrix of the Lizard People
Jan.24 – Soundcheck Studios Pembroke – Pembroke, MA w/ MacGuffin
Jan.25 – Jewel Music Venue Manchester NH – Manchester, NH w/ Sophistafunk, DELA and Stead Rock Easy, and Lee Ross
Jan.31 – The Range – Ithaca, NY w/ Dapper Dan
Feb.01 – Snug’s Harbor – New Paltz, NY w/ ToasterBasket
Feb.06 – Black Oak Tavern – Oneonta, NY w/ Some.Of.Us ft. Lace
Feb.07 – Bar None – Uniontown, PA
Feb.13 – Zeno’s Pub – State College, PA w/ West Beaver Arts Collective
Feb.14 – DIVE Bar – Washington D.C.
Feb.15 – Stage on Herr at Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center – Harrisburg, PA
Feb.16 – Sprout Music Collective – West Chester, PA w/ Euphonious
Feb.22 – Beau’s Bar – Greenlawn, NY

January 15, 2020
Don’t Call It A Comeback: Motion City Soundtrack Return to Webster Hall

Motion City Soundtrack have been on indefinite hiatus since 2016, but last summer the Minneapolis band began teasing something for New Years Eve. The surprise came in the form of a NYE show in Chicago at House of Blues followed by a month-long “Don’t Call It A Comeback” tour of the US. New York area shows included Webster Hall in NYC, where we caught the tour, Starland Ballroom in NJ and The Paramount on Long Island.

Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

The newly renovated Webster Hall is still very much a work in progress, but that did not take away from the delight and anticipation of the fans. By the time the opening bands were set to play, the room was already mostly full and buzzing. Support for the night came from Gregory Stovetop followed by The Sidekicks who both played very upbeat pop-rock sets.

The Sidekicks at Webster Hall 1/8/2020 – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

The Sidekicks at Webster Hall 1/8/2020 – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

Motion City Soundtrack put out one of the most iconic mid-2000s anthem in “Everything is Alright,” and the crowd was treated to it early as the second song. The entire room jumped along to the guitar riff, stressing the ancient Webster Hall floor, while shouting the chorus in full-throat. Another fan favorite, and pop-rock hit “The Future Freaks Me Out” served as the final song of the night.

Motion City Soundtrack at Webster Hall 1/8/2020 – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

The band had terrific chemistry throughout the night, Justin’s vocals sounded crisp and the band delivered a tight 20 song, career-spanning set, meant to please. The hiatus is certainly over and MCS are back at it.

Motion City Soundtrack at Webster Hall 1/8/2020 – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

The rest of the tour runs through mid February, with stops coast to coast, concluding with three sold-out home town shows at The Fillmore in Minneapolis. Support for those last shows comes from White Reaper, Why Not, Lydia Lizer and Author.

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

Photo by: Buscar Photo (www.buscarphoto.com)

January 12, 2020
Bonnaroo 2020 Lineup Announced – Tool, Lizzo, Tame Impala Named as Headliners

The 2020 Bonnaroo lineup was revealed Tuesday morning. The June 11-14 festival returns to Manchester, TN for its 19th year with headliners Tool, Lizzo and Tame Impala.

Other acts slated to appear this year include the newly reformed Oysterhead (featuring Trey Anastasio of Phish, Stewart Copeland of the Police and Les Claypool of Primus — which will also be performing), Lana Del Ray, Vampire Weekend, Miley Cyrus, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and Tenacious D.

Brooklyn’s Turkuaz, which released its latest EP Kuadochrome in November of last year, is performing with former Talking Heads members Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew as part of a 40th-anniversary tribute to the Heads’ Remain in Light album. Also Nelly will be performing a 20th-anniversary tribute to his Country Grammar album.

Tickets for Bonnaroo 2020 go on sale Thursday, Jan. 9 at Noon ET at several different price levels. Details can be found here.

Check out Lizzo’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert below.

January 7, 2020