Hawkins has released their debut single, “Lights Off,” having arrived on the local music scene in New Haven, CT in May 2019. Hawkins is known for balancing energetic rock ‘n’ roll mixed with infectious hooky pop sophistication. The band consists of Hawkins French (vocals), Joseph Frank (guitar), Richard Frank (bass), and Joshua Frank (drums).
Their debut single is a pop rock anthem that blends soaring guitars, thunderous drums, and melodic bass lines along with the catchy hooks that you’ll hear in contemporary pop music. The subject matter of this track discusses the current superficial state of relationships and wanting more than just a one-night stand. This song intertwines their ability to create memorable pop hooks, lyrics that compel you to sing along, all balanced under a monumental sound that instantly demands the listener’s attention.
The band has performed on countless major stages across the East Coast. Notable performances include Mohegan Sun Casino, The Bitter End, Foxwoods Casino, and the Pleasantville New York Music Festival. In Pleasantville, the band shared the stage with illustrious acts such as Blues Traveler, Suzanne Vega, and Living Colour. In November they are still planning to headline at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre.
Speaking on “Lights Off” the band explains:
“This track evokes the feeling of when relationships don’t have a clear direction and are solely based upon superficiality. This is our commentary on the common tug of war that can occur in tumultuous relationships that people in their youth experience.”
The show would serve as The Who’s only performance at SPAC, with a then-record attendance of 33,652 (reported as 27,800 by The Who), which shattered the previous record of 22,647 set by Chicago in 1970. Christian rock star and future Gospel Music Hall of Fame singer Mylon served as support for the show.
The crowd was everywhere, in the seats, on the lawn, on the stage, in the aisles and even on the steel girders on the side of the theater. The latter, fortunately, was only temporary until the police ordered the dozen young people down.
They were a noisy, restless audience to say the least, but seemed to lap up everything the four-man group offered. The Who gave them their money’s worth for an hour and a half, and do they work. As to the quality of their music, It was loud. I’ll leave further critique to those who favor this type of rock music. But the fact that they brought nearly 28,000 paying customers to SPAC is not to be denied.
They seemed to sing all the songs the crowd came for, as well as anumber of new ones, and had a difficult time convincing the crowd to go home.
Opening the show for the first have was Mylon, a long haired, grating singer-guitarist backed by five musicians and three girl singers. They did everything from rock to country-western, spirituals and even a standard, “Sixteen Ton.”
The Post-Star review goes on to detail the sound at the show as well as fans camping on the lawn:
The sound throughout the program was loud for those in the theater, and everywhere backstage theater walls and floor were actually vibrating. Out on the lawn, the sound was more moderated. Thanks to the closed circuit TV system used again last night, those on the lawn had a perfect viewing spot. Watching the TV cameramen in the aisles and one on stage on a ladder trying to cover the show for those on the lawn was almost a show initself.
There were the usual several minor cuts and abrasions, as well as several fainting incidents requiring backstage first aid, with some also going to the hospital.
Reportedly several on the lawn camped there from late Sunday night in order to be sure of a good place, so that should give some indication of the popularity of The Who. For anyone so inclined, a close examination of the group’s tons of sound equipment would be a short course in the electronic world of amplification at its fullest.
The intermission was especially long, as management pleaded for the young people to clear the aisles to comply with state fire laws. They never did get the aisles clear, but finally did get most of the kids to sit down so those in seats could see the stage.
A unique feature to evenings at SPAC – a program was distributed to attendees, as seen below.
Program coverProgram back
Among the small print, the program says of The Who:
Unlike so many groups in the fickle world of pop music, The Who have remained together as a band since their start in 1964. The creative sparkplug of the group is Pete Townsend, guitarist, songwriter and composer of Tommy. Bass player John Entwhistle is another fine songwriter. The two other members of the group are drummer Keith Moon and the explosive microphone-twirling singer Roger Daltry.
(Ed. Note: Townshend, Entwistle and Daltrey’s names were misspelled in the program)
Aside from the rock opera concept, The Who have been pioneers in many other areas of pop music. They were the first to refine guitar feedback to a high art, the first to use the previously sacred Union Jack as clothing and the first to wind up their performances by smashing their instruments.
The program goes on to note that The Who had just played two sold out shows at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens. They wrapped up their tour shortly after their Saratoga performance, with final tour stops at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, CT, Cobo Hall in Detroit and Chicago Auditorium.
Setlist: Love Ain’t For Keeping, Pure And Easy, My Wife, I Can’t Explain, Substitute, Bargain, Behind Blue Eyes, Won’t Get Fooled Again, I Don’t Know Myself, Baby Don’t You Do It (Marvin Gaye), Pinball Wizard, See Me Feel Me, Water
If you’re in the Saratoga Springs region this August and September and need a safe activity for the whole family, where everyone can feel like a kid again, you’re in luck. Saratoga Springs’ Universal Preservation Hall has the perfect afternoon activity for you.
“Part of the Machine: Rock and Pinball” is one of the most fun and unique experiences you’ll have this summer in Saratoga Springs. Designed for music lovers of all ages, you’ll find 16 different pinball machines, all inspired by Rock ‘n’ Roll bands including The Rolling Stones, KISS, AC/DC, The Beatles and Alice Cooper, among others.
There is of course one of the greatest pinball machines of all time, the detailed “Tommy” celebrating The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” himself. Alongside each machine, you’ll find artist memorabilia and information on each pinball machine, as curated by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, who brought the exhibit to UPH.
UPH is also taking all precautions during the exhibit. There is a limit of 20 patrons per 90 minute block, during which time a facemask and gloves are required. Upon entry they’ll check your temperature and guide you in a socially distanced way to the exhibit.
Following each block, all machines and surfaces are sanitized and cleaned over 30 minutes, before the next group comes in. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children, giving access to all pinball machines, with no need to dig into your pockets for quarters.
The Saratoga region is fortunate to have such an exhibit open to the public during a time when group activities seem a relic of the past. Given the UPH staff’s propensity for professionalism and creating an environment that is welcoming to all, you’ll find this exhibit welcoming and return for future performances and exhibits. Playing pinball for 90 minutes is a great way to get lost in the music and feel like a kid again, if only for a short time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDPST-FJtAH/
“Part of the Machine: Rock and Pinball,” is now open and runs through September 26. Tickets are available for admission during the following time frames: Sunday â Wednesday: 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Thursday â Saturday: 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. For more about the exhibit, visit UPH’s website.
The guitar Pete Townshend used to write “Pinball Wizard” is an added bonus to the Rock and Pinball exhibit at Universal Preservation Hall.
21 years ago this weekend, the festival calamity known as Woodstock 99 took place at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY. If you know anything about Woodstock 99, you likely know about the festival-ending fires and mild rioting that took place in the concert grounds, built out of a weekend of frustration with festival pricing and lack of an adequate infrastructure.
Over Friday and Saturday, the festival seemed to be your typical late 20th century festival – bands playing mostly on schedule, an amalgam of various groups of music lovers, basic amenities and little in terms of technological infrastructure. This was a time where cell phones were a luxury item and resembled Zack Morris’ brick phone.
via Getty Images
There was the giant plywood wall that surrounded the grounds, which gave you a feeling of being trapped inside, with only two or three entry points where you’d be searched at security’s leisure. Once inside, prices were high, even by today’s standards. Four dollars for a bottle of water, eight dollars for a hamburger, nine dollars for a cheeseburger, ten dollars for a chicken sandwich and twelve bucks for a small personal pizza. If you were lucky, you found a lemonade stand where the drinks cost only two dollars, but if you wanted alcohol, you had to drink it in the beer garden, which was devoid of shade or quality sound, and put you in a direct line of fire from people slinging mud through the chain link fence.
The musical lineup was as solid as it could be for 1999. In alphabetical order, you’d be able to catch Bush, Chemical Brothers, Creed, Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews Band, DMX, Everlast, Guster, Ice Cube, Korn, Jewel, Limp Bizkit, Live, Los Lobos, Megadeth, Metallica, moe., Alanis Morissette, Willie Nelson, The Offspring, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rusted Root, Sugar Ray and The Tragically Hip, among many others
Two stages that were a long, long walk from each other separated the acts. If you wanted to see someone on the West Stage, you’d be sacrificing a great deal at the East Stage, and vice versa. The schedule was staggered, but surely this could have been organized better. At least moe. got a set.
Governor George Pataki is rumored to have said of the Woodstock weekend,
“It seems to me the whole reason Woodstock ’99 failed was because of the kids. Kids from all over came to Rome and had no sense of authority, and did not care about anyone but themselves. The promoters should be held to blame, but also the irresponsible people who attended. It seems a strange contradiction. The week before Woodstock 99, 120,000 people gathered in Oswego, New York to see the rock band Phish. The event was in more cramped quarters, and was just as hot, and to my understanding no major problems were reported. Maybe if people behaved like they did at the Phish event this wouldn’t have happened.”
Pharmer’s Almanac, Volume 6
While Pataki’s remarks are off by around 90,000 ‘Camp Oswego‘ attendees, it does highlight the weekend prior where similar conditions of oppressive heat and humidity did not lead to the same circumstances as they did in Rome from July 22-25. How can two festivals, 80 minutes apart, be so diametrically opposite? You’d have to factor in an audience from mixed walks of life, many of whom may not have been to a multi-day music festival prior to this, and festival promoters who came up short in every single area – from bathrooms to food, safety to water, and layout to operations.
Skip ahead to Sunday, July 25, and on the main East Stage, you’d catch Al Green, Willie Nelson, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Everlast, Elvis Costello, Jewel, Creed, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Genre-wise, in order, you could catch gospel/soul, country, swing, rap, rock, pop, ‘hard’ rock and pure rock ‘n’ roll from the Chili Peppers. Quite a variety to see in one day.
Long lines at the limited vendors that had food to serve coupled with very long lines for water, overflowing portos and litter seemingly everywhere, finally hit a tipping point. Add in the aforementioned oppressive heat and humidity plus a complete lack of shade, and a powder keg was ready to burst. The plywood fence around the venue was already being torn down casually throughout the day by concert-goers taking out their frustrations, which led to more seeking a piece of memorabilia.
During the day, in an odd bit of cosmic irony, anti-gun violence group Pax (now the Center to Prevent Youth Violence), distributed candles to those who stopped by their booth during the day. The original intent was for a candlelight vigil during “Under the Bridge,” but instead some used the candles to start bonfires, and when coupled with the thousands of empty water bottles that littered the East Stage field, there was plenty of fuel to light the grounds on fire from stage to stage.
At some point towards the end of the Chili Peppers set, the audio tower caught fire, and the fire department had to be called in. The festival was over thankfully, and many had left during the day, but for the thousands needing to vacate the grounds while emergency personnel were arriving, the scenario had to be frightening. CBS News reported:
The three-day concert climaxed into a frenzy about a quarter mile from the main stage when several concertgoers set fire to twelve parked tractor-trailers.
Several people pulled cases of soda and merchandise from the trucks and fed the flames with debris. Others toppled light stands and speaker towers, while another group tried to destroy a radio station truck.
As a result of Woodstock 99, it would be a number of years before a festival with pop bands reaching a broad audience would take place. Jam festivals were already on the rise, and while the lineup for Bonnaroo 2019 looks little like that of Bonnaroo 2002, the key to the festival formula was in building a lineup for a defined audience, not gathering an audience towards a known lineup.
And while Woodstock 50 never even got off the ground and Woodstock 99 was a stain on music festival history, the original and even the 1994 edition bear the torch for a name still synonymous with peace, music and love.
The nine-episode podcast Break Stuff: The Story of Woodstock 99 from The Ringer gives a detailed breakdown of the festival. Listen here.
Falling Water have release “When Will We Be Saved,” their first single since 2014. Led by Long Islander Mark Rechler, the rock band wrote and recorded the song from a distance while in quarantine. The lyrics are about navigating chaos, specifically through the current pandemic, and dealing with feelings of anxiety and loneliness.
Clocking in at nearly four and a half minutes, “When Will We Be Saved” is an anthemic power ballad. Despite its conception in quarantine, it sounds engineered for lighter-waving at a physical concert. Its backup singers, busy instrumentation, and dramatic lyrics also evoke a number from a rock opera. While the song has a lot going on, its standout is the piano, which has a solo at the halfway point. The song’s lyrics begin rather pessimistic, but the band ultimately comes to terms with the new circumstances. “Now the angel of death, well she’s having a feast / changes are forced by this ominous beast” becomes “I’m gonna kick back and let it all go” in the outro.
“‘When Will We Be Saved’ is a true quarantine song,” said singer-songwriter and pianist Mark Rechler in a press release. “My whole life is trying to keep up with my to-do list, get stuff done, complete tasks. I have often said out loud, ‘If we could only get a time out for a month to catch up on all these projects, everything would be fine.’ Well, like a bad Twilight Zone, that gift was granted. During the first two months of quarantine, I found myself riddled with anxiety, exhaustion, and much fear […] ‘When Will We Be Saved’ is more about isolation and finding your best self in that quiet, lonely world.”
50% of the song’s profits will go to the PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund. PLUS1 works with nonprofits such as Sweet Relief, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, World Central Kitchen, Partners In Health, and Trans Lifeline to support vulnerable communities. So far, the band has achieved over $8,500 of their $10,000 goal. Other artists who have partnered with PLUS1 include Arcade Fire, The National, St. Vincent, and CHVRCHES.
Falling Water plans to release their next full-length album in 2020. Stream “When Will We Be Saved” here:
If you are in or near Putnam County this weekend and are looking to get rocked, you are in luck. Almost Queen will perform at Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster, ready to bring an authentic Queen experience to Downstate NY.
Fronted by Joe Russo (no, not that one) Almost Queen is the most authentic Queen live show since the days of Queen themselves. A deliberate four piece band, Almost Queen delivers a live performance showcasing signature four part harmonies and intricate musical interludes. Donning genuine costumes, they recaptures the live energy and precision that is the ultimate Queen experience.
Doors open at Tilly Foster Farm at 6pm on Saturday, July 25 for the 8pm show. Please wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines at the venue. Get tickets here.
Brooklyn based Moon Hooch will team up with “brasshouse” Too Many Zooz on Saturday, July 25 for two live streamed shows dubbed ‘Moon Zooz’. The virtual concerts are three hours long and will start at 3 PM ET, running back to back.
This is not the first time that these former subway players have joined ranks to bring their unique sound of jazz, edm and rock to the masses. During the spring of 2019 the two trios successfully co headlined a tour across New England.
Both bands got their start busking in the New York City subway platforms where they gained notoriety for the dance parties that would form. Too Many Zooz consists of saxophonist Leo Pellegrino, trumpeter Matt Muirhead and drummer David Parks. Moon Hooch is saxophonists Wenzl McGowen and Mike Wilbur and drummer James Muschler.
From viral videos in the subway to the studio, both have gone on to deliver new sound that is meant to make you move. Too Many Zooz released their debut album Subway Gawdz in 2016 and most recently released a music video for the track “Car Alarm” that received more thank 2.5 million views. Moon Hooch has respectively dropped a total of four studio albums including this year’s self-released Life on Other Planets, along with numerous EPs.
To RSVP to either the early or late showing click here.
Spoor’s song “City Angels,” promotes a feel good attitude, during a time that many of us are struggling emotionally because of the pandemic.
“The idea I had was that during this time of isolation and separation, I thought we could use more joy,” Spoor said.
Growing up in Denver, the young musician is now based out of Brooklyn. She has played at several famous music venues like, Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook and Rockwood Music Hall.
Spoor completed her first national tour last fall through playing small performances in unique locations with the well known music events start-up, Sofar Sounds.
Spoor’s website describes her as an “old soul,” who possesses similar sounds to Joni Mitchell. That part of her personality comes out in the music video where she created a collage of pictures and video clips sent to her by friends and family. The collage promotes memories and a cheerful outlook on life in the city.
According to her Youtube page, Spoor wrote “City Angels,” after experiencing a lonely day in NYC. Her mood changed after running into a few, “New York characters.”
“All these very human moments made me feel like I might belong after all. So, this video is dedicated to them- the city angels that make us feel like we’re home in this exciting, scary, beautiful place called New York,” Spoor wrote.
Hallie Spoor asked her friends and family to send her nostalgic pictures and video clips.
With large gatherings banned for the foreseeable future, fans of musical theater and full-band live music are on the search for musical fulfillment and interesting story arcs. Enter the concept album- a perfect cross between long-form storytelling and studio recorded music. Albums like The Who’s Pinball Wizardand Green Day’s American Idiot hold their place on the pedestal of great rock operas. Over time, fans of musical theater have seen soundtracks becoming more contemporary. Musicals like Once and Hamilton make for otherwise great studio soundtracks to listen to apart from their visual stories. It’s a tall task for bands and composers to be able to write soundtracks in this long storytelling form. One NYC based band is doing it right here, combining catchy tunes with technically brilliant songwriting and performances.
The Ninth are a dynamic, often changing group of musicians. Ben Halperin (Guitar, Songwriter), Tim Russell (Vocals/Keys), Stephanie Genito (Vocals), Tim Galvin (Drums), and Jeff Ostroski (horns) make up the core of the group. The talented crew of musicians have two stellar studio works in their catalog, The Answer(2018) and Olympic Dream/Nightmare (2019). For the most part both combine elements of funk rock and musical theater. The outcome is wonderfully groovy and incredibly intricate. Catchy hooks unify every song, keeping the listener coming back.
The Answer
To begin with, The Answer isa short and sweet trio of songs clocking in at just over 10 minutes. The group’s propensity to uniquely combine the minutiae of classic rock, funk, and R&B is showcased in this initial release. Funky beats match with masterfully crafted bass lines to drive the songs and provide a delightfully dance-able groove. For instance, huge brass and string parts mesh well with the core-band. This gives each song a sense of grandeur.
Vocalist Tim Russel steals the show with his soaring vocals. Meticulously performed guitar and bouncing bass reinforce the technical expertise that the band possesses. Guitarist Ben Halperin remembers how the songs acted as a jumping off point in the first place. He recalls “We were just getting our bearings and feeling out our sound…we love those songs, but there isn’t anything to them other than that we thought they were good and ready.” Halperin had been working on something special however, before the band had even assembled.
Olympic Dream/Nightmare
The Ninth released their first full album Olympic Dream/Nightmare in October 2019. The album tells the story of the Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding Olympic scandal. Ultimately the story was adapted and written by Halperin. The songs were also written in collaboration with the band over time. Halperin’s wife had recently opened his eyes to Broadway, theater performance, and all the possibilities the medium presented. The album idea came quick.
Having watched the Hardy/Kerrigan debacle unfold as a child, and after watching an “ESPN 30 for 30” special years later, Halperin was inspired to write about the event. He focuses especially on a couple main themes. One being how difficult it is to achieve lofty goals. The other about the damage public judgement can have on a person. Together with each other, these themes are of principal focus in the lyrics. Album in hand, Halperin started to put together his troupe.
Halperin was able to assemble an incredible crew of musicians including the likes of Broadway pit performer Jeff Ostroski, who played trumpet and also arranged the horn parts for the album. Adding in musical theater performers Tim Russel and Stephanie Genito on vocals gave the project’s lineup an extra kick. Consequently, they were outfitted to sound like a Broadway ensemble. The Ninth’s music consistently exudes influence in funk rock and jazz. The band’s consistency in genre lends to their tight-knit sound. With the clear album topic and a great sound in mind, the project could move forward with a common goal.
Putting it All Together
The re-imagination of such a dynamic event allowed the group to leverage emotional complexity to create large compositions that reflect such bittersweet themes. The real life story is about as wild as any Hollywood script. Particularly, The Ninth do a great job of capturing the chaos and beauty of the story. Every track is a roller-coaster, with highs and lows dominated by the intricate composition and wonderfully crafted lyricism.
Halperin remarks that “almost the entire first half of the album comes back some way or another in the second half.” For instance, “the title song introduces themes that recur in Limelight and Oksana, with Limelight also having a Trailer Park reprise.” Everything ties together splendidly, despite the long story arc. No strangers to big studio projects, the band offers up hit after hit.
Halperin mentions specifically how “the emotion and characters translated well to the funk and rock music that I love.”
Full brass and string sections give each song a larger-than-life feeling. This is something that the band strives to deliver. Songs such as “Saving Grace” and “Trailer Park” provide character introduction and juxtaposition between two of the story’s main characters. Namely, the band uses different vocalists for each character. Each vocalist offers a magnificent performance on their tracks and also mesh well together in harmony.
The guitar work shines marvelously throughout the entire work. Halperin matches tone to every small part of the story thus acting as a sort of narrator in the story. He provides a magnificent performance all around. Cory Wong-styled funk lines opposite soaring solos. Generally the guitar foretells the mood of the song. A sleazy funk song like “Crowbar” emulates the Jeff Gillooly character wonderfully.
Successes and Challenges
Although projects of this size don’t come together easy. It was great preparation and a solid cast of musicians that helped Olympic Dream/Nightmare come out so well done. Halperin mentions that it wasn’t so much the undertaking of the music that made the recording a challenge. He says “making music in a great studio with great musicians always has and always will be a complete pleasure.” The band recorded everything Steely Dan-style. Putting painstaking detail put into each instrument’s recording and layering is a point of pride. Indeed, the hard part was the scheduling and financing. This was no rush job, and it shows with the final product. Everything was meticulously planned and executed.
Playing Live and The Pandemic
It’s no surprise that the group has a big live sound too. They have played some of NYC’s iconic venues such as The Bitter End. Their tight grooves keep live renditions of their songs dance-able and exciting. High energy is a big defining characteristic of The Ninth. Together, this unrelenting powerhouse of a group can perform with stellar execution. “Boy do I miss crowds”, Halperin says. Specifically those crowds including musicians who are digging the music.
The off time has been ultimately slow for the band since everything is shut down. For instance, Halperin has kids and a day job. Consequently, with no access to child care right now it’s tough to focus on music. Though he is optimistic about the future. He says “we’re itching to perform once it’s safe.” In the meantime, he says the band has new music to record. Otherwise, he is available to help out with other projects, and is available to write if anyone has an idea and needs music.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to a ever-expanding listening audience. Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm on 102.7 FM, you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. NYS Music will bring you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear music from Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band, Underwater Cartographers, New Saviors, Grape Juice!, Ida Mae Specker and many more! Get a preview of these artists below.
These guys rock, plain and simple. Hailing from Glens Falls and have most recently released Fear In The Valley: Live From The Den, a collection of live acoustic songs recorded during quarantine. Joe Mansman says of the recording process which took place in an old boat garage:
There was at least some comfort sitting in that moldy and dusty room with people you love, because it felt more normal than what was going on outside of it. We took our acoustic guitars, and just hit the record button most nights, letting it take us wherever. That felt normal. To me, this record will forever serve as a time capsule that’ll remind me of how we found a little bit of comfort in a strange and uncertain moment in the world’s history.
Joe Mansman
Underwater Cartographers – “Wave Goodbye and Watch it Go”
Albany’s Joe Pasinella is staying busy as always. Look up Underwater Cartographers on Bandcamp to see what I mean. It’s crazy how many songs this dude cranks out. He sends me new music constantly and it’s always interesting both lyrically and musically, all done for fun recording on Garage Band. Just like you, or maybe not depending on your situation, he works a standard job. I have no idea what that job is but he makes music like it’s his job. This is from the new Album Benign Fascinations.
New Saviors – “Pieces”
Ryan, host of EQXposure, shares insight on the newest from New Saviors.
Zack King’s latest project New Saviors are based out of Southern Vermont and Upstate New York. Zack plays guitar and takes on many other roles within the group. I’ve known him for well over a decade and have always known him to be in a band of some kind, even experimenting with rap as King Daddy Deucey (KDD) for a period of time. He’s a hustler for sure. When KDD merch was for sale you could see the t-shirts all over Bennington before Zack had even released any music under the name. I myself had at least three shirts, a hoodie, and a hat. That’s the thing about Zack. He’s just got the drive, talent, and personality to move any project forward.
Grape Juice! – “Strawberry Pie“
From Saratoga Springs, Grape Juice! is Hunter Fish (lead vocals, guitar, ukulele), Jesse Zuccaro (bass), and Michael Smith (drums, vocals). The three met in a creative writing class at SUNY Adirondack in 2017 and started the band at the beginning of 2018. “Strawberry Pie” was one of the first original songs they ever played and wrote together, and has been a favorite of their’s ever since. They recorded and mixed it all by themselves in their bass player’s basement, and if you listen closely, you can hear that it features his mom walking around upstairs toward the end of the song. They released our debut EPOuter Spvce EP on July 10, and are constantly writing, recording, and practicing. It shouldn’t be long before they have more music and start building their audience in the region.
Ida Mae Specker – Billy In The Heartland
Ida Mae Specker lives in Dorset, Vermont, having growing up in Andover, Vermont, where she began playing fiddle and singing in her family band, The Speckers. In addition to singing and fiddling, she’s also played drums and guitar in folk and indie rock bands. Her new EP Billy in the Heartland was recorded last year at Owl Sounds Recording and was the first time she recorded her original songs. The EP was to be followed up with some shows with the bands Upstate and Saints and Liars but the shows were unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19. Her web designer, photographer, and agent are all local VT women and you can see their work at on her website.
