The Great South Bay Music Festival announced their 2020 lineup which will include performances from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Rebelution, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, and many more. The festival will take place from July 16-19 across five stages and will include 75 performances.
The festival will be celebrating its 14th anniversary at Shorefront Park in Patchogue, NY and will consist of classic and contemporary rock, folk, blues, indy, jam-band, pop, prog, Americana, country, reggae, and funk music. The festival also has a new partnership with Blue Point Brewing Co. The new beverage sponsor will be serving up a wide assortment of their most popular brands, as well as some new “Exclusive Festival” brands to watch out for.
Both Friday and Saturday have a loose daily theme. Friday is the rock-reggae-ska day with headliner Rebelution, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (who are returning for their second appearance at Great South Bay), Pepper, Sublime Tribute: Badfish, and Oogee Wawa. And Saturday is the jam band day with headliner one of The Grateful Dead’s most proud and popular tributes: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, moe. and Vulfpeck guitarist, composer and producer: Cory Wong. Great South Bay will close on Sunday with the highly anticipated Tedeschi Trucks Wheels of Soul Tour, featuring the full 13-piece band playing a rocking two hour set. There will also be performances by St. Paul & The Broken Bones, as well as Nashville-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gabe Dixon.
The festival opens on Thursday, July 16 at 3 pm and runs until 10 pm. On Friday, July 17, doors open at 3 pm and music will go until 11 pm. On Saturday, July 18, doors open at 1 pm and close at 11 pm. And the festival will wrap up on Sunday, July 19 with doors opening at 2 pm and finishing up at 10 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets visit The Great South Bay Music Festival’s website.
After touring with rock band Heart for the better part of 2019 for the first time in three years, front woman Ann Wilson has released the dates for the first part of a soul tour, the Ann Wilson of Heart 2020 Tour. The three-week stint is set to have 16 stops, two of which will be in New York. First, on May 4 at The Paramount in Huntington and a show on May 6 at The Egg in Albany.
Fans will get a chance to hear many songs from the extensive Heart catalog along with Wilson’s own solo projects over the years like Hope & Glory (2007) The Ann Wilson Thing (2015) and, most recently, a special covers album, Immortal (2018) .
Ann Wilson on Jimmy Kimmel Live 2017
With Wilson taking lead as singer and lyricist, over the past 40 years Heart has sold 35 million records worldwide. In 2013, she was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
Apr. 30 – Bergen PAC – Englewood, NJ May 1 – Foxwoods Casino – Mashantucket, CN May 3 – Tupelo Music Hall – Derry, NJ May 4 – Paramount Theater – Huntington, NY May 6 – Egg Performing Arts – Albany, N.Y. May 7 – Chevalier Theater – Medford, MA May 9 – Hard Rock – Atlantic City, NJ May 10 – Maryland Hall For Creative Arts – Annapolis, MD May 12 – The Birchmere – Alexandria, VA May 13 – F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts – Wilkes Barre, PA May 15 – Stage AE, Benefit – Pittsburgh, PA May 16 – Caesars – Elizabeth, IN May 18 – Arcadia Theatre – St. Charles, IL May 20 – Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, WI May 21 – MGM Northfield – Northfield, OH July 31 – California Mid-State Fair * – Paso Robles, CA *festival appearance
David Byrne’s American Utopia will return to Broadway for a second engagement, beginning September 18, 2020 and lasting for a 17-week run, ending in January 2021. The most recent run, which was held at Hudson Theatre in Manhattan, saw the curtain close on Sunday, February 16.
Based on Byrne’s 2018 album,American Utopia opened in October 2019, with Byrne joined by an 11-piece ensemble playing songs fromthe album, his solo material and Talking Heads works alike.
“It’s become obvious to us in the band, the crew and the producer team that audiences want, dare I say need, to see this show,” said Byrne. “They’re not ready to have it disappear just yet. We feel the same way, we love doing this show. So, it’s thrilling to us that we can announce that we’ll be back in September.”
The producers of the show shared Byrne’s sentiments. “It has been a joy to bring American Utopia to Broadway. David Byrne is one of our greatest living artists and it’s cause for celebration that he has made his Broadway debut with this brilliant production. We have been blown away by the range of audiences of all ages and backgrounds who have come to see American Utopia.”
For those unable to make the shows later this year, Spike Lee has announced that he will direct a filmed version of American Utopia. And later this month, Byrne is set to appear as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on February 29, alongside host John Mulaney.
As part of Rockwood Music Hall’s 15th year anniversary, New York’s own Anna Rose will be having a show on Tuesday, February 18. She will also be sharing songs from her critically acclaimed album, The Light Between.
While you wait for the show, also make sure to check out her newly released music video with soulful rock-filled lyrics in “Broken Is Beautiful,” which also features two important women in her life.
Anna Rose will be performing at the Rockwood Music Hall on February 19.
“The video for ‘Broken Is Beautiful’ is very special to
me because it features two of the most important women in my life – my mom and
sister,” Rose said in a statement. “To have them be a part of telling
this story and to film it in a place that holds so many memories feels
incredibly cathartic. As women, I think we often fight these silent battles
within ourselves: the magic we inherently possess that drives us towards our
passions versus the societal markers that we are held up against. At any age,
that internal struggle can become a deep well of insecurity and I’m so grateful
to have my family help tell this story. Beyond that, having my dear friend and
collaborator Shruti direct and produce only adds to the magic, as she and I
have so much trust between us after years of working together.”
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.
Hailing from Westchester is a four-piece indie rock group called Back From Nothing. And they are bursting onto the scene with their brand new album Someone Say Something.
The first track, “Rabbit Hole,” kicks off the album with an anticipating guitar and drum build that blossoms into a nostalgic punk-rock sound. Looking to accommodate the rock-driven sound are the raw vocals that tie the whole package together. As the track progresses, it opens up into an electrifying guitar solo that brings the energy to an all time high, ultimately leading to you shredding on your air guitar. The end of “Rabbit Hole” smoothly blends into the beginning of the next track to keep the party going with “Zombie Man,” a lighter song but one that still matches the energy of Someone Say Something.
Digging deeper into the album, you’ll find “New Logic” that is dominated by the drums and is the ultimate head-bobber on this album. This track was written, recorded, and mixed in the band’s home studio. They later went on to make a music video for the track that really showcases how fun and interactive their shows are. It’s a total “in your face” track that takes influence from indie rock bands ranging back to the ’90s.
Someone Say Something is the band’s album that refines their sound as a whole, and pioneers a new sound that combines punk and indie together in an even mix. If you ever went to Vans Warped Tour, this band is the one that would be jumping around on stage and playing a captivating show. Back From Nothing has proven themselves to be a great fit for performances ranging from festivals to packed house shows, and they are thrilled to show the world their new music.
Follow Back From Nothing on their social media pages for new music and updates!
Key Tracks: Rabbit Hole, New Logic, Zombie Man, Good Thing Going
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
Iconic rockers, The Rolling Stones, have announced a North American Tour for 2020. The slate of performances are scheduled this spring, beginning on May 8 in San Diego, California and concluding on July 9, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.
This latest leg is a continuation of their widely popular “No Filter” tour – marking their seventh consecutive decade on the road. With no more than six performances scheduled each month, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners will focus on major arenas. Beginning on the West Coast at the SDCCU stadium, they will perform throughout the Midwest, the Southwest and the Northeast and Canada.
Tickets for the North American Tour will be made available on February 14. Early registration for tickets can be made on their official website.
A list of tour dates can be found below.
May 8 – SDCCU Stadium – San Diego, CA
May 12 – BC Place – Vancouver, BC
May 16 – U.S. Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN
May 20 – Nissan Stadium – Nashville, TN
May 24 – Circuit of the America – Austin, TX
May 29 – Cotton Bowl – Dallas, TX
Jun. 6 – New Era Field – Orchard Park, NY
Jun. 10 – Ford Field – Detroit MI
Jun. 14 – Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium – Louisville, KY
Jun. 19 – FirstEnergy Stadium – Cleveland, OH
Jun. 23 – Heinz Field – Pittsburgh, PA
Jun. 27 – The Dome at America’s Center – St, Louis, MO
“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
Annie in the Water has just completed the most successful year in their career and is now embarking on the most ambitious tour of their career beginning this week. This tour has the band teaming up with Hayley Jane to perform Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album in its entirety and will visit venues across the Northeast throughout the month of February.
Annie in the Water’s second album Time to Play was released last summer. It’s an album comprised of songs the band has been playing live for years but hasn’t received the studio treatment until now. It’s an album that gives a snapshot of a band on the rise and a band ready to take on the live music scene with a vengeance.
While they call the North Country home, Annie in the Water has roots all over the map. Their origin story stems from a chance meeting between singer/guitarists Michael Lashomb and Bradley Hester at Hobart College in Geneva in 2007. The two hit it off immediately and began jamming together. They would reconvene during summers off from college, jamming together and coaching at lacrosse camps. They recorded their first album Destination in 2011 while Hester was a graduate assistant coach at Jacksonville University.
Since forming, the band has undergone several lineup changes, with Hester and Lashomb the only constant over the years. The band is now a six-piece with the addition of former Formula 5 keyboardist Matt Richards last July. Brock Kuca (drums/percussion), Ryan Trumbull (drums) and Chris Meier (bass) complete the unit.
Annie in the Water and Hayley Jane have been rehearsing for this tour for the past several months and are set to kick it all off this Wednesday in Saranac Lake.
NYS Music recently sat down with the band to discuss their history, their influences and the upcoming Spread Rumours Tour with Hayley Jane.
NYS Music: First, I’d like to start by finding out more about each of you individually. Where is each of you from? What path brought you to where you are today?
Bradley Hester: I grew up all over the place, born in Colorado. I also lived in Ohio, Japan, Virginia, and I came to Upstate New York by way of Hobart College. Since college, I’ve been in Upstate doing the Annie in the Water thing but also coaching lacrosse. I will probably always coach lacrosse because it’s one of the ways I am bringing my value to life and I have learned so many things from the game that continue to impact the way I live my life.
Brad Hester (Photo: Brian Cornish)
Michael Lashomb: I was born and raised in Cleveland, OH. My parents were originally from Ogdensburg, New York. We would go visit Upstate and work on my grandfather’s land whenever we had time off from school, so I was able to become familiar with the North Country landscape and inner-city life throughout my childhood.
While I was in Cleveland, I was exposed to a lot of diverse styles of music. There was always new music coming through mainstream radio when I was a kid, also a lot of hip-hop and funk influence in the city. In the North Country, I was exposed to more roots style and country. So I had a good blend that influenced me. When I was about 11 years old, I heard blink-182’s song “Dammit” on the radio and I immediately thought of ways to learn the song. That motivated me and I just started diving into all sorts of musical styles. I specifically started basing my early style of play on John Frusciante’s (Red Hot Chili Peppers) fretboard work.
Throughout my late teens and early 20’s, I was always picking up different jobs to try to make it work. I moved down to Florida at one point and was recruited to be a lacrosse coach and teacher at a prep school in Jacksonville. After that, I went out to L.A. for a short time and worked on the TV show The Amazing Race. In my late 20’s, I decided to go full-time music. No Plan B for me. I couldn’t imagine not pursuing music as my life path.
Michael Lashomb (Photo: Brian Cornish)
Brock Kuca: I was born and raised in a little town called Morristown on the St. Lawrence River (Thousand Islands). I started playing music at the age of 10, the saxophone. That didn’t really work out so well. I discovered the guitar at age 12. That’s when the sparks flew and music became the main priority in my life. Before joining Annie in the Water full-time, I cooked fancy food in a local restaurant. I was also a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and worked production at music festivals. Although I have a deep passion for cooking, it’s hard to really imagine my life without some kind of musical influence in it.
I met Mike and Brad some eight or nine years ago. Wow, that’s hard to believe. They would invite me out to play gigs in Potsdam, Alexandria Bay, Clayton and Watertown. I’ve shared the stage with various, very credible and outstanding musicians since then but the present combination of the six of us is a special thing. We are all writers/composers and are just starting to explore that realm with one another.
Brock Kuca
Chris Meier: I’m originally from Chatham, New York. My path to where I currently am heavily involved my time spent at SUNY Oneonta, where I met my bandmates from my first group, Space Carnival. We were lucky enough to have a great scene that eventually led to where I am now.
Chris Meier
Ryan Trumbull: Well, I grew up in the Adirondacks. I was born in Saranac Lake. All of my family members had some sort of musical talent, especially my uncle who had played drums for a long time.
Ryan Trumbull (Photo: Brian Cornish)
Matt Richards: I was born in Albany and reside just outside of the city in Delmar, NY. My life’s musical journey through multiple bands — my high school and SUNY New Paltz band, The Assortment of Crayons, followed by my three-plus years with Formula 5 immediately after college — is what brought me to Annie in the Water. If I weren’t making music, I’d likely be studying how birds make music.
Matt Richards, Brock Kuca and Michael Lashomb
NYSM: The group has evolved over the years, adding new members as recently as this past summer. Have the six of you started to gel as a unit yet?
BH: I feel we gelled the first time we played with each other in a rehearsal. The first show we played together felt like the right thing. The music and the feelings that go with it all get tighter as we continue to push ourselves into unknown territory. As long as we allow ourselves the freedom to explore at shows, we can uncover parts of our potential that would never have happened if we limited ourselves.
ML: The band finally became a full unit when Matt Richards joined in July of 2019. The first rehearsal we had, I personally felt that he was the glue of the entire unit and the gelling started then. Chris and Rippy (drummer Ryan Trumbull) had already been in the mix for six months and they were really sinking in with the backbeat and Brock has made considerable strides as a percussion player.
Everyone in the band is open to trying new things. They are constructive and they are professional. I am extremely lucky to have such great people in this band. I believe all of our collective experiences and knowledge have come together well. All of our individual skills have made the growth quick.
MR: We certainly have. I find our unity became most evident in what is now known as “The Church Set.” We were supposed to perform outside in Potsdam on Sept. 7 last year but due to poor weather conditions, we performed inside the local Methodist Church. We were effortlessly one cohesive unit this set, and have remained so since.
RT: I think we are just starting to mold our sound.
CM: Most definitely. We’ve really taken off as a unit and it feels like the sky’s the limit.
NYSM: How does the songwriting process work for you guys? Is there one person doing all the writing or is everyone given free rein to submit material?
BH: Songwriting works in a variety of ways. The album Time to Play is a collection of some of the songs Mike and I have been playing and performing for years, but I really enjoy opening up the floor for all ideas while we are creating. I feel like the best ideas can come into something with an open canvas, so even if one of us writes a song, everyone else can add ideas to it and add great elements. Everyone in the group is a creator, so I like to keep open the possibility of anyone bringing a song to the group and for the group to help develop.
ML: AITW music is a collective of material. Everyone in the band writes, which is terrific. Now that we have had some time to develop, we are more focused on writing as a unit. Sometimes a song can be written collectively but also one person may have a vision for a song, and as a group, it’s important for us to all do our best to help facilitate that creation. Songwriting will always be an evolutionary process for this band.
MR: We all have so many songs from our past that we want to work in this group. Perhaps everyone in this band is a terrific songwriter. There is a strong desire to work as one to create music in the future. Additionally, Bradley and I have performed a number of duo shos and write at least one song each time, live, in front of an audience. That is a process that is new to me but I love very much. Songwriting can be improvisation slowed down and improvisation can be songwriting sped up.
CM: This has been the most open format for writing I’ve ever been a part of. Everything is on the table.
Hayley in the Water Rehearsal at The Bank, Frankfort
NYSM: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
BH: When I was young, I grew up on Top 40 hits and was influenced by country music through my parents. Garth Brooks was a go-to of mine when I was in elementary school and, strangely enough, because of my older sister, the Backstreet Boys had an impact on me before I became a teenager. Throughout middle and high school I got into bands like Styx, 311, 30 Seconds to Mars, Finch, Our Lady Peace, blink-182. From the hip hop angle, Eminem is someone I paid a lot of attention to in terms of diction and delivery of language, Kid Cudi for breaking out of norms, B.O.B., Andre 3000, Sammy Adams for their unique approaches. Bob Marley is a huge influence on me as well. Mike introduced me to Phish back in 2008 and I had such an uplifting experience that I knew I was going to achieve similar things with our band with time and patience.
I’m always influenced a little by the other bands in our scene, especially the bands we have the pleasure of playing with. Michael Franti and Spearhead, Andy Frasco, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Swamp Kids, Wild Adriatic, John Brown’s Body, Goose, Turkuaz, Big Something, moe., Twiddle, Nina’s Brew, among others. There are too many to name but I am slightly influenced by everyone I am lucky enough to experience!
ML: When I was eight years old, I was obsessed with the Grateful Dead. Not so much their music, but their artwork. I had t-shirts and patches on my backpack and everything. What is interesting is how their music has been woven into my style almost naturally. But besides them as an overall musical influence, I grew up on folk music — Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. I’m also a big fan of The Band. I love Pink Floyd, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem and Sigur Ros. Those are my ethereal outlets. I also loved punk in high school: Ten Foot Pole, MxPx, Pennywise, blink-182, Less Than Jake, 311, NoFX, but also heavy stuff like GWAR, Korn and Rammstein.
I got into jamband/bluegrass style stuff in high school. Stuff like String Cheese, Bela Fleck, Dispatch, moe., Umphrey’s McGee. Phish was a discovery that changed the whole game. But recently I have been getting more into traditional Celtic music like The Dubliners and different modern composition styles like Bon Iver and Hans Zimmer. Very grateful for all the music I have been exposed to.
MR: Steely Dan, Animal Collective, Ween, Yes, MGMT, Circa Survive, Phish, Vince Guaraldi, McCoy Tyner, The New Deal, RAQ, nature (like actual nature, not a band), Wilco, Dave Brubeck, Talking Heads. Okay, I gotta stop myself somewhere but I know I am missing at least 50 artists and will kick myself for not including them.
RT: Stewart Copeland, Brain (Primus), Anika Nilles, Benny Greb.
CM: Sly Stone, Beck, Motown, Steely Dan.
NYSM: When did you first develop a relationship with Hayley Jane? This tour sounds like it will be a fun collaboration. What was the genesis of the idea to do a Rumours tour together?
Hayley Jane
BH: I first developed a relationship with Hayley Jane back in 2016 when I posted myself doing a vocal exercise for the first time in eight months. She contacted me and was curious about what happened to me because she wanted to offer her experience going through vocal issues. We’ve been friends ever since, sitting in and co-creating whenever possible.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember how fragile our vocal cords can be if they do not get proper attention and strength training, but they are also very resilient and can come back from injury stronger than ever, which is how I feel now. I was able to dissolve the cyst that formed on my right vocal cord by taking many months of pure rest and also learning how to properly warm-up. Staying away from alcohol and drugs and remembering to stay healthy and hydrated is key to my intention to make my vocal cords last as long as I can stay alive.
ML: Brad and I first met Hayley Jane about four years ago in Vermont and that’s when a relationship started. The Vermont music scene has a tendency to bring like-minded people together. The project idea started when we were all at Grassroots in Shakori Hills, NC. Our band had been on a pretty solid Fleetwood Mac kick for a while so when we were in North Carolina, Chris was talking with Hayley about playing a Fleetwood Mac song. I’m not exactly sure how the conversation went because I wasn’t there, but now there’s a tour put together and I’m playing in it.
CM: I’ve been aware of Hayley for a number of years but we formally met last fall at Shakori Hills Grassroots Music Festival. The idea was developed there over the conversations we had in our RV on tour.
MR: I first met Hayley through Formula 5. She would perform with us in Burlington at Nectar’s when we would get up there. I think since we all love Rumours it just felt natural we reach out to Hayley and see if she would be interested in doing this with us. It all fell into place seemingly well.
NYSM: Thanks to all the members of Annie in the Water for your participation. Best of luck with this most ambitious tour.
The upcoming tour will have Hayley Jane opening each show with a set of original material, followed by a complete run-through of Fleetwood Mac’s storied Rumours album featuring Hayley Jane alongside Annie in the Water and concluding with a full Annie in the Water set.
Tickets are available now for all shows on the Spread Rumours Tour. For more information on the tour and where to purchase tickets check out the Annie in the Water website here. Check out the band’s latest album Time to Play below.
