NYS Music 202​0

Category: The Northeast

  • Discover Local Music With EQXposure Featured Artists Of The Week

    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.

    WEQX eqxposure joe mansman

    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.

    Joe Mansman and the Midnight Revival Band – “Blood on the Scales”

    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 EP Outer 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.

  • It seems Trey Anastasio is at Phish’s Barn Studio

    Today was unlike past pandemic-era Mondays for Phish fans, who were teased with a video of guitarist Trey Anastasio from what appears to be Phish’s Barn Studio in Vermont.

    The video, shared via Jambase, was taken by Trey’s daughter Eliza Anastasio and posted to her Instagram stories.

    Fittingly, Eliza used the original music of “2001” (née “Also Sprach Zarathrusta”) to demonstrate her dad’s new gear on stage.

    Could Phish have something in store of fans in terms of a live stream from The Barn? Given the Dinner and a Movie series each Tuesday night, it’s possible that live performances are on tap, akin to Goose‘s successful Bingo Tour.

  • Jerry Sundays: The Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan Team Up to Play Giants Stadium

    On a steaming hot midsummer night in 1987, two legendary names in the music world combined forces to deliver three sets of music to a ravenous crowd in the swamps of New Jersey, locally known as the Meadowlands. The Grateful Dead’s 1987 Summer Tour included six shows that would see Bob Dylan accompany them for an extra set of music each night. Later immortalized through the live release Dylan & The Dead, these shows featured some Dylan-penned songs that would remain on the Grateful Dead’s live playlist for years to come.

    Dylan and The Dead

    Those who survived this unseasonably warm and muggy day were treated to three sets of music from some of the best in the business. The temperature and conditions were such a concern that concertgoers near the front of the stage were literally hosed down in an effort to cool off both before the show and during sets. So on a day where shade was at a premium, the festivities fittingly kicked off with “Hell in a Bucket,” and the show was off and running.

    The rest of the first set resembled a fairly common one for this era of the band. Classics like “Loser” and “Greatest Story Ever Told” mixed with contemporary tunes like the Brent Mydland-helmed “Tons of Steel,” which would only be played five more times after this. There’s an incredibly jazzy version of everyone’s favorite Dead crowd PSA, “Take a Step Back.” And an atypical placement of “Bertha” in the first set closer’s spot seemed to energize the whole stadium and created a palpable buzz between sets.

    Dylan and The Dead
    Giants Stadium 7/12/87

    The second set picks up right where its predecessor left off with another interesting placement thanks to an opening “Morning Dew” that was preceded by a little “Addam’s Family”-themed tuning. The rest of the set continued to serve as a traditionalist’s dream with an electric “Playin’ in the Band” and a thunderous “The Other One” before the crowd serenaded the band off the stage with the traditional lyrics from Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.”

    But instead of an encore to follow, there was an entire third set to be had first and this one would see Bob Dylan play in front of, arguably, one of the greatest backing bands in rock. While it may not have evoked the same widespread energy levels of the earlier sets, this one would serve as foresight to some degree for the Dead and give a glimpse of what was to come.

    Dylan and The Dead

    While they had been debuted earlier in the tour, this collaborative set of music would only be the third time that the band would attempt live performances of “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” and “Queen Jane Approximately.” Both of these songs would continue to be played for the rest of the Dead’s touring career, with “Queen Jane” even making an appearance at the band’s last show in July of 1995.

    Fans were also treated to Jerry Garcia jumping on the pedal steel and showing off his chops on “Tomorrow Is A Long Time.” Songs were kept mostly straightforward in this set, absent of the long, psychedelic journeys which typically accentuate a Dead show. But it surely must have been a treat to see the band backup the legendary Dylan on numbers like “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” (a song the Dead used to actually cover in the late ’60s) and “All Along the Watchtower.” The encore was a double bill as well as renditions of Touch of Grey, the Dead’s latest “hit” single, and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” sent a packed Giants Stadium crowd back to reality and into the hot summer night.

    Watch the entire third set and encore with Dylan:

    The Grateful Dead with Bob Dylan 7/12/87 Giants Stadium – East Rutherford, NJ

    Set 1: Hell In A Bucket, West L.A. Fadeaway, Greatest Story Ever Told, Loser, Tons Of Steel, Ramble On Rose, When I Paint My Masterpiece, When Push Comes To Shove, Promised Land-> Bertha

    Set 2: Morning Dew, Playin’ In The Band-> Drums-> Jam-> The Other One-> Stella Blue-> Throwing Stones-> Not Fade Away

    Set 3: Slow Train, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Tomorrow Is A Long Time*, Highway 61 Revisited, It’s All Over Now Baby Blue, Ballad Of A Thin Man, John Brown, The Wicked Messenger, Queen Jane Approximately, Chimes Of Freedom, Joey, All Along The Watchtower, Times They Are A Changin’

    E: Touch Of Grey-> Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

    *Jerry Garcia on pedal steel

  • Discover Local Music With EQXposure Featured Artists Of The Week

    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.

    Warden & Company – I Know You Know

    Warden & Company is a three piece band from Saratoga made up of Seth Warden, Doug Moody, and Brian Melick. They have been playing together since 2011, having started off as the backing band for local Irish music legend Kevin McKrell. The trio have also performed together as Seth and the Moody Melix, playing children’s songs written by Warden who is also a teacher. Warden & Company showcases the trio’s more ‘adult’ sound.

    Jay Birdface – Grow Again

    Jay was born and raised in Vermont and currently lives in Burlington. He says he’s been a fan of EQX since he was a teenager. “Grow Again” is his latest single, find him on Facebook and listen to more of his songs on Soundcloud.This is his latest.

  • moe.ron Mondays to feature never before seen 2005 Portland shows

    The next two moe.ron Mondays on Nugs TV will feature a pair of shows from the State Theatre in Portland, Maine, which will also conclude the weekly streaming series.

    These two shows did not allow taping and served as record release shows for The Conch, one of moe.’s best-received albums, receiving 4/5 stars in Rolling Stone. The shows, seen for the first time, will offer a glimpse at a band 15 years into their career. Tune in at Nugs.TV

    moe.ron mondays portland
    moe. Summer 2005 tour poster by Emek

    Setlist, June 10, 2005
    Timmy Tucker, It, Lost Along the Way, Happy Hour Hero, McBain -> George, Tailspin, The Pit, Recreational Chemistry, She, The Road, Brent Black
    Encore: Wind It Up, Blue Jeans Pizza, Crab Eyes

    Poster by Marq Spusta

    Setlist, June 11, 2005
    Captain America, She, Wind It Up, The Road, The Pit, Kyle’s Song, 32 Things, Wake Up, St. Augustine, Head, George, Rebubula
    Encore: Plane Crash

    Watch and enjoy “MacIntyre Range,” featured on The Conch and inspired by the Adirondack Mountain range of the same name.

  • Higher Ground Announces New Drive-In Series

    Higher Ground announced this week that a large stage is being constructed at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, VT. It will be home to a new series called ‘Higher Ground Drive-In Experience.’ All proceeds will go to benefit the Vermont Arts Council providing much needed relief to the arts community across Vermont. 

    The HG Drive-In Experience officially opens this weekend on June 13 with three area High School graduation ceremonies for Champlain Valley Union High School, Essex High School and South Burlington High School. 

    Higher Ground Drive-in

    A few days later on Tuesday June 16, the archival special Phish: Dinner & A Movie will be available to enjoy on the big screen. Gates open at 6 p.m. est with the show starting at 7 p.m. est. Tickets are on sale now for $25.

    In a press release Higher Ground cofounder Alex Crothers confirmed that the drive-in will be used for a variety of events in the future, including “religious worship, charity bingo nights (for which we have a Blackout Bingo promo code for), live streaming of concert events, chamber orchestras, live plays, weddings, political rallies, etc.”

    Keeping with a true drive-in experience, 27-foot LED video walls mounted 40 feet high will be erected next to the stage to boost visibility. Cars must be spaced six feet apart and you will be able to sit outside your vehicles in lawn chairs or on blankets.The experience can accommodate up to 250 vehicles, ticketing will be per vehicle and are available online. Visit highergroundmusic.com for an updated calendar of Higher Ground Drive-In Experience events. 

  • Premiere: Restless World’s soul-filled “Precipice”

    Washington, D.C. based Restless World today premiere the lyric video for their latest single “Precipice.” A globe-spanning journey follows the inspiring lyrics, which blends an R&B/Trap vibe in the verses with a classic pop ballad chorus.

    The ‘trap ballad’ celebrates all creators and those who stay the course towards achieving their dreams, even when the road ahead is uncertain. Lyrics include “I’ve got nothing in my hands, just my dreams struggling to stand” will resonate with anyone fighting to turn their dreams into reality. The song’s inspirational message is supported by powerful vocals from Cadence XYZ, and acoustic piano from Berklee grad Suwon Yim.

    Restless World‘s “Precipice” was named one of the Top 5 songs received by SongwriterUniverse in April and has been announced as a finalist in their May 2020 “Best Song Of The Month” contest.

    CEO of SongwriterUniverse Dale Kawashima says of “Precipice”:

    “I enjoyed listening to this song; I think it’s one of the best songs you’ve submitted for song evaluation. Your demo production is very good; it has a modern pop/soul quality with excellent musicianship. The female vocalist is very good, and she does a good job of conveying the emotion of the song and lyrics. I also like the female vocal harmonies in this demo; it adds to the hook and to the fullness of the arrangement. The melody is well crafted in each section, especially the chorus which has the good harmonies. So the whole song flows pretty nicely…this is good song that has feeling and emotion, and has a demo that is well sung and produced.”- Dale Kawashima (Founder and CEO of SongwriterUniverse, former President of ATV Music and of the publishing division of Giant Records)

  • New Jersey Pop Punk outfit FRND CRCL share new single “Loose Cannon” just in time for summer.

    New Jersey’s FRND CRCL (pronounced Friend Circle) comes in hot just in time for summer with their new single “ Loose Cannon” off their sophomore album Internet Noise.

    Delivering their new single with angsty, punk-driven lyrics and catchy melodies reminiscent of early 2000s pop punk akin to the likes of Sum 41 and Blink 182, the track is essentially about embracing the mentality and spirit of punk rock, with lyrics referencing the choice of not selling out in college and even a comparison to the heartbreaker himself, Ben Stiller. FRND CRCL deliver their youthful hooks over crunchy and distorted guitar passages and twinkling lead melodies. If one thing is clear about this group it is that they certainly don’t cut the “pop” out of pop punk. 

    The track is produced by FRND CRCL and Tyler Skye of Monoplane Recording Studios, this is the second single premiering off of the upcoming sophomore album Internet Noise, which dropped May 1.

    Formed in 2018, Aaron Smith (Drums) and Dom Giacalone (Lead Guitar), along with dual vocalists Zac Johnson (Guitar) and Adam Skirvin (Bass), combine their individual musical backgrounds to create a new approach to the genre. Utilizing 2010 era pop structures and punk rock riffage, FRND CRCL is not afraid to incorporate lyrical wordplay, the occasional pop culture reference, and influences from various genres across the board.

  • Twiddle Teases Virtual Roots Tour 2020

    This year Twiddle will celebrate 15 years as a band. The much loved jamband that started at Castleton State College in Vermont in 2005 have grown into a touring powerhouse, with fans from coast to coast and their own festival held annualy in July in Burlington, Tumbledown.

    A summer tour that included shows with Vampire Weekend looks like it will likely be shuttered as the music industry continues to be affected by the outbreak of COVID-19, but Twiddle has something up their sleeve, as seen from a retrospective and still mysterious video posted to Facebook and Instagram late on Friday night.

    https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_8XF4shfSP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    The trip down memory lane is worth repeated views for faithful Twiddle fans, but no details are given beyond the dates July 9-26 which are found at the bottom of the tour graphic.

    How will the Roots 2020 Virtual Tour unfold? How will it be brought to the faithful Twiddle fans found across the country? We’ll have to stay tuned to find out. Visit Roots 2020 to subscribe for updates in the meantime.

  • Tumbledown cancels 2020 event

    In a statement on Facebook, organizers of the two-day event held within the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival, have announced that the 2020 Tumbledown edition is cancelled, due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

    It comes with great sadness that as a result of COVID-19, Tumble Down 2020 is cancelled. This was our Sweet Number 5 and we were so excited to drop an amazing lineup this year. We promise that we are working on something very special that we will be announcing very soon. There isn’t much that hurts us more than canceling our favorite event of the year, in our home town with all of you, but unfortunately we have no choice.

    Refunds will be issued automatically to everyone at point of purchase. However there may be some delays, so please be patient. Please contact box@highergroundmusic.com if you have questions or concerns.

    We love you, stay safe and healthy and we will get through this together – 
    .

    Tumbledown 2020 has been a staple of Burlington summers since 2016, with Vermont’s own Twiddle headlining both days of the festival. The event grew into the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival in 2017 with shows bookending Tumbledown for a four-day event that drew thousands to the Lake Champlain waterfront from around the Northeast. Check out our coverage from 2019 here.