Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Zan and Dave Strumfeld,In the Valley and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Zan and Dave Strumfeld
Siblings Zan and Dave Strumfeld have joined forced to give us “Christmas in Wyoming,” off their holiday EP, Winter Songs. Zan Strumfeld is also the frontwoman of Zan and the Winter Folk. Their last release, “If I Had Known (Murder Ballad),” is based on a true story from 1850s Troy.
In the Valley
A folk-pop duo from Clifton Park, In the Valley is best known for playing wedding gigs. They released their most recent single, “Christmas Sweater,” on December 17th. The song features a groovy saxophone and a cozy jazz piano, more than living up to its name.
The Bitter Stars
Consisting of Clarke Hingeford and Kyle Pemrick, The Bitter Stars have returned with a new single. An eclectic mix of new wave music and modern trance, “Dance Me to Death” clocks in at six minutes long.
Psychomanteum
Made up of singer Matt Smith, drummer Pete Von Stettina, and guitarist and bassist Brian Slattery, Psychomanteum is a sci-fi metal band based in Albany. Their newest single, “Strange Voltage” debuted on December 10. In the field of parapsychology, a psychomanteum is a chamber in which one can communicate with spirits.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from The William Deuel Band, Dustin Sawyer and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
The WIlliam Deuel Band
The William Deuel Band released their newest LP, Moment in Time, in August 2021. The blues-rock band’s second full-length project, they formed in 2018 in Saratoga Springs and have since made waves worldwide. They’ve found success on Australian radio, as well as in the UK and South Africa. Inspired by a conversation between Deuel and his mother, Moment in Time’s title track is upbeat and energetic with a killer breakdown just before the three-minute mark.
The following song, “Call Me Crazy,” is much more acoustic and scaled-back, at least until the halfway point. Deuel’s vocals gradually become more raw and passionate, culminating in a grand finale.
Dustin Sawyer
One of two new songs from Americana artist Dustin Sawyer, “Take Me Away” premiered in October. In its music video, the Mayfield singer and songwriter wanders through the wilderness as gnomes and other fantastical elements appear. The song is addressed to God, with Sawyer opening it saying “Father, forgive me ‘cause I know what I’d do / Given that opportunity to walk a mile inside your shoes.” It also references the forty days and nights the Israelites wandered to find the Promised Land.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Mike McMann Band, Watch Reggie Run and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Mike McMann Band
Mike McMann has been playing in various bands throughout the Capital Region for 30 years. He also performs as a solo artist, and releases his own music as the Mike McMann Band. His song “Future” begs the question, “What if tomorrow never comes? No life beneath a frozen sun,” while the bluegrass instrumental “Walleye Vision” shows off McMann’s banjo skills.
Watch Reggie Run
Watch Reggie Run is a father-son duo founded in 2017 by Dave and Luke Graham. They started performing as a way to connect with one another, as Luke has autism and his communication skills are limited. Their newest song “When the Snow Flies” arrives just in time for Christmas, conjuring visions of elves and magic reindeer.
Girl Blue
Singer-songwriter Girl Blue has released “Little Virgin,” a single from her upcoming album, Heavy Heart. EQXposure has featured Girl Blue before, previously playing “Strangers” and “Heaven.” Heavy Heart is out December 15, with Girl Blue’s website offering a bundle including the album, a t-shirt, a candle and a letter to the listener.
Rhoseway
Previously a singer-songwriter for Fort Rooster, Rob Fleming has arrived with his debut solo project. As Rhoseway, he’s writing, arranging, and producing by himself. “Ode to Arrows” is Rhoseway’s most recent single, and it sounds positively McCartney-esque at times.
The Central Jersey rock duo known as the dt’s have officially released their third single called “Need You (Forever).” This multi-instrumental two-piece (Dave Cacciatore, Tom Losito) officially formed last year after years of playing together after first meeting at a local bar’s open mic night.
They each play an array of instruments that include guitar, bass, ukelele, drums, and piano and seamlessly shift from rock to blues to power pop while incorporating soaring harmonies.
Dave Cacciatore wrote “Need You (Forever)” while in college by first coming up with the riff, which infuses elements of Oasis and The Beatles, and then adding lyrics afterwards. The song is a concoction of different life experiences, events, and feelings that he was going through at the time. Everything from school, work, and relationships were infused in the lyrics.
The song was recorded at the dt’s home studio while quarantining last year, starting first with just two acoustic guitars before adding layers of electric ones through vintage Fender, Peavey and and Vox amps. A Gibson Les Paul Custom SG and Tom’s dad’s 74’ Fender Strat were also heavily utilized in addition to experimenting with a plethora of vocal harmonies. Frank Letteri of The Paper Jets and Dust Of Days was brought on to record the drums and Joe Pomarico did the mixing and mastering over at Telegraph Hill Records.
The dt’s said one of the things they’re most proud of about their most recent single “are the peaks and valleys throughout the song, eventually crescendoing to a massive peak at the end.” It’s a song rich with vocals, guitars, drums and catchy melodies. Check out the band’s website for more of their music.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists, be sure to tune into WEQX this Sunday night to hear new music from Tori, ShortWave RadioBand and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Tori
Albany singer-songwriter Tori has released her debut album, Half Asleep. It more than lives up to its name, offering chill indie pop perfect for nighttime. Album opener “I Don’t Wanna Talk” functions as the project’s lead single, with a catchy acoustic guitar loop designed for replay value. Another noteworthy track is “Say Hi,” one of Half Asleep’s more energetic moments.
ShortWave RadioBand
Schuylerville trio ShortWave RadioBand have unveiled “Don’t Care,” their debut single. With its proclamation of apathy, it arrives just in time for 2021’s pop-punk revival. While there’s nothing officially announced, the band has plans to follow the song up with an EP.
Syracuse, New York is a comfortable corridor of the state to spend the holidays. Dewitt native Jon Fishman told his satellite radio audience during “The Errant Path”s 63rd episode about featured artist Yma Sumac. Before Yma’s airplay Fishman said “we’re gonna do a couple of her songs back to back through out the show. Like a Rock Block of Yma Sumac music. When I would listen to 95X as a kid they would have these great rock blocks. That’s what your gonna get”
Like Lou Reed who did more than just hear a New York station and play some Rock & Roll… Reed was also a host at a Syracuse University radio station that dropped him because he was “just too weird and cutting edge”. In similar fashion Fishman’s show is also educational. He informed that Yma Sumac could possibly have the widest vocal range of all time. The Peruvian Soprano could span four and a half octaves. Fishman is accurate in picturing her work inside a Quintin Tarantino movie.
The errant path has a buzz. It has an Airheads quality to it. It’s even had interviews with Funkadelic’s Bootsy Collins and Steve Cropper of Stax Records. Fishman also has intuition for the trails different paths under the moon. On his August 18 “Errant Path” episode, Fishman closed the show for all of us on tour sleeping under strange skies with “Moonlight Mile” by the Stones. He then commented ”For me the sound and feel of Charlie Watts will never get old. I just love that guys drumming. It stands up no matter what’s before it or after.” This episode was out in orbit a week prior to Charlie Watts giving up his ghost. After his first tour with The Rolling Stones drummer Steve Jordan told Rolling Stone that “Moonlight Mile” was played a lot during rehearsals and that he is still lobbying to play that live if there are more shows in the future.
Fishman gave a great B side nod to The Band the night before Thanksgiving that holds “The Last Waltz” in mind for all out on the town. From their 1999 Tangled up in Blues album with a young Derek Trucks playing rip snorting slide guitar on Bob Dylan’s “One Too Many Mornings.”
Jon Fishman said that Thanksgiving and Valentines Day are his two favorite holidays. “What two things are better than love and being Grateful?” “Halloween is a good one too because it’s fun. That’s also important”
Fishman’s goal during each Errant path episode is to hopefully provide all three. He paid tribute to his own musical journey on air and live from the great Bob Marley’s words… we come to conquer all of the evil in the world using nothing but music. Fishman said “I think that’s pretty much the best intent that you can have from a musical perspective”
Bob Marley told the Landmark Theater in Syracuse in 1978 “Reggae Music is like the news, it’s the peoples music. Herb is the healing of the nation right?” Fish attended a King Crimson Show at the Landmark during his years in Syracuse. On October 5 2001, Jon Fishman had Merl Saunders and his Funky Friends, Col. Bruce Hampton and the Code Talkers, and Sand Bear play the Landmark as a tribute to his mother, philanthropist and longtime Syracuse artist MimiFishman.
Mimi Fishman Art, Eggplant Diner Syracuse
Jon & Merl treated the crowd to an improvisational jazz jam that launched in to a Latin flavored rendition of “Fire on The Mountain”. Like Woodstock’s Levon, Cuse’s Fish led the whole cast through “The Weight” and “Turn on your Love Light” with Colonel Bruce Hampton. Steely Dan just closed theirAbsolutely Normal Tour at Landmark on Tuesday night. David Byrne brought his American Utopia to Landmark in September 2018. Ringo Starr had his All Star Band to Landmark in 2000. The Rolling Stones spent Thanksgiving in Syracuse in 1981 performing two shows at the Dome over the holidays.
Artists such as Alan Evans from Buffalo, Steve Gadd from Rochester and Jon Fishman from Syracuse are part of a rock block of Upstate New York drummers. They link off that unbroken chain of groove that keeps inspiring the young cats. Fish definitely locked in to the rhythm of the saints on his nine piece kit trailing off Cyro Baptista’s bells and whistles at Radio City on October 3 4 2021. Remember at Dinosaur BBQ when he told the table that his groove on Phish’s Fee was influenced by Sade’s Smooth Operator? Don’t doubt me. Enjoy Phish’s Dinner and a Movie for left over Clifford Ball footage all weekend. Fish & Phish return live to Madison Square Garden December 29 through New Years Day. Fish gets down with New Orleans cats George Porter Jr and legendary percussionist Cyril Neville on some Dead tunes in March 2022 in Maine.
Fresh off the heels of another legendary Halloween performance in Vegas and two iconic shows in Hampton, Phish rolled into Albany for the second to last stop on their legendary Fall 1998 tour. It sees the band at the height of its powers, mixing in new, fresh material to go alongside a bevvy of cover songs that have been unearthed this year. With a rare one-night only appearance in Albany, Phish lets it all hang out in a show that often gets overlooked, but certainly shouldn’t be.
Tonight’s festivities begin with the signature guitar intro to “Punch You In The Eye,” which receives a giant roar of approval from the Pepsi Center. Page McConnell shines early with some stellar runs on both the electric keys and grand piano as the Gamehendge-adjacent number revs up an already rabid arena even further. At its conclusion, another familiar guitar riff emerges. This time it’s the bluesy intro to “My Soul,” a cover song Phish first started injecting into their live shows the year before. McConnell again dazzles with a ferocious piano solo before handing off to Trey Anastasio who returns the favor in kind and then some on guitar. Phish then eases off the gas pedal a bit with another new number, “Roggae,” one of the tracks from The Story Of The Ghost which was released just last month.
The musical setting then shifts back to Gamehendge with “AC/DC Bag.” Anastasio again takes the reigns on a patiently developing jam that gets plenty of noticeable assistance from Mike Gordon on bass and drives the crowd into a certified frenzy by the end. McConnell has a little fun on piano as well, stretching out the ending until Phish changes lanes once more and jumps into the increasingly rare “Lifeboy.”
Afterwards, Jon Fishman’s familiar hi-hat drumming signals the introduction to “David Bowie,” which is stretched out and teased beautifully before being cleared for launch. Phish then absolutely obliterates the song’s composed section, playing at a near manic pace, before embarking on a jam that serves as one of the show’s true highlights. It’s patiently crafted, with Anastasio and McConnell parrying back and forth early and often. As the jam continues to build in intensity, Phish does the same with the ending, stretching it out for all its worth to complete a 19-minute journey that blows the roof off the Albany arena.
Few would complain if the first set ended right there, but instead the band throws out one more change of pace pairing. Trey jumps on acoustic guitar for only the sixth ever “Sleep,” a song first debuted earlier this tour, and “Driver,” both songs that would be included on the band’s forthcoming 2000 release Farmhouse. To cap things off, Phish throws in a cover of Led Zepelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times,” with another incendiary guitar solo from Anastasio escorting the Albany faithful to set break.
After a little spacey ambiance, another familiar Fishman drum beat starts up set two. This time it’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” aka the theme to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Again, Phish takes their time in slowly building up the song’s introduction, going well past five minutes before the first signature guitar lick rings out. The jam that ensues is flavored by some tremendous Mike Gordon bass play before coming to a rousing finish. “Golgi Apparatus” serves as another throwback song to the days of yore and goes off without a hitch before they get into another jam vehicle, this time a cover of The Who’s “Drowned.”
As another whirlwind musical excursion slowly comes to an end, Anastasio quietly starts the beginning of “Prince Caspian” and the rest of the band quickly follows along. After another stout feedback-heavy guitar solo, the music comes to a crawl and then “Piper” emerges, with it’s now “classic” slow build which fits in perfectly with the show tonight. The slow build yields another manic jam, with McConnell furiously pounding away on the baby grand piano. With the Albany crowd once again supercharged, Phish then drops a “You Enjoy Myself” on them in what’s already a full second set of music.
The closing sequence for this show is straight out of 1998 and not one to be duplicated anytime soon. As “YEM” and its customarily eerie vocal jam concludes, instead of taking a bow, Phish bursts into “Been Caught Stealing,” the Jane’s Addiction song that made its debut earlier in year during the “Summer of Covers.” Until a certified bust out at Walnut Creek in 2011, this was the last one played. A rip roaring “Llama” then closes out the second set in fine fashion. For the encore, Phish breaks out yet another cover selection, this time its The Beatles’ “Something,” penned by George Harrison and covered by Phish only on this Fall 1998 tour. To date, it’s the last time it’s ever been performed. “Guyute,” another pick from the recently released Ghost, follows this before an a capella “Free Bird,” as only Phish can do, closes out yet another sterling Albany gig.
Listen to show at PhishTracks or see complete audio recording below.
Phish Pepsi Center – Albany, NY 11/25/98
Set 1: Punch You In The Eye > My Soul, Roggae, AC/DC Bag > Lifeboy, David Bowie, Sleep, Driver, Good Times Bad Times
Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Golgi Apparatus, Drowned->Prince Caspian > Piper, You Enjoy Myself, Been Caught Stealing > Llama
The Grateful Dead’s first ever show in Rochester saw them bring a few friends along for the ride. Members of Jefferson Airplane joined them to cap off a mesmerizing night of music at The Palestra at University of Rochester. The late night gig allowed their fellow Californians, who played earlier that night at the War Memorial, a chance to get in on the fun. Jorma Kaukonen, and later Jack Casady, took full advantage, adding their unique styles to the psychedelic stew that serves as the second set. And the first one is essentially an entire Grateful Dead show crammed into a singular set, featuring more than 20 songs. All of this adds up to a simply unreachable bar for all future Dead shows in Rochester to reach.
The show starts off innocently enough with a leisurely run through of “Cold Rain And Snow” whose ending is unfortunately cut off in the recording. “Me And My Uncle” then picks things up a bit, sung ably as always by guitarist Bob Weir. An attuned Pigpen even adds some inspired fills on the organ as the song progresses. This paves the way for him to take center stage and lead the band through a blues cover of “Next Time You See Me” that has the Palestra now fully engaged. Things then get decidedly more psychedelic, starting with a “China Cat Sunflower” that’s accentuated with an early, effortless guitar solo from Jerry Garcia that hits home. A rapid, near chaotic, jam then transpires before a silky smooth landing into “I Know You Rider” as the Dead show off one of their signature song pairings to the Rochester crowd’s delight.
The Dead follow this up with a smoking take of “Sugar Magnolia,” a still relatively new song in their live repertoire at the time. Another furious Garcia solo and the drumming duo of Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart fuel this one. The pace then slows back down again with the folksy pairing of “Friend Of The Devil” and “Mama Tried,” led by Garcia and Weir on vocals, respectively. An interesting little percussive jam then introduces “Good Lovin’” and the Dead are off and running again. Their cover of The Rascals’ hit song immediately goes deep, as the percussive vibe returns in a big way with a near immediate drum solo that doesn’t let up for several moments. It’s essentially the “Drums” portion of the show thrown right in the middle of “Good Lovin’.” Garcia eventually leads the rest of the band back into the fray and then he takes his turn exploring every aspect of the song in a jam that stretches out well past 20 minutes – a Type II “Good Lovin’” if there ever was one.
The Palestra at University of Rochester
A rowdy “Cumberland Blues” follows this, with the Palestra crowd clapping along joyously before an emotional and well harmonized “Candyman” that settles things back down once more. The first ever performance of “Truckin’” in Upstate New York comes next, as the Dead show off another new tune that will go on to become a classic. Although it doesn’t beget much of an extended jam, there’s some fun musical interplay between Garcia and Pigpen before another manic drum-heavy section that signals the beginning of “The Other One.” However, after an extended opening sequence, it’s a shortened “Other One” as the band quickly shifts gears and jumps into “Saint Stephen” after just one verse. Before “Stephen” is even finished, a noticeable “Not Fade Away”-like drum beat picks up, so it’s no surprise that they launch into that next. This kickstarts a truly vintage “Not Fade Away” > “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad” > “Not Fade Away” sequence that has both the Dead and the Rochester crowd fully engaged.
As if that weren’t enough already, the set goes on afterwards as a bluesy shuffle starts up, clearing the path for Pigpen, with harmonica in tow, to take center stage once more for “King Bee.” The marathon set then finally comes to a close with a rousing “Casey Jones.” The Dead are then able to get their comrades from Jefferson Airplane out for a second set that’s short on songs but long on blues-infused psychedelic improv. It begins with a cover of “All Over Now,” a song popularized by The Rolling Stones. Jorma Kaukonen, who plays the entire set, steps right up and delivers a jaw dropping guitar solo with what sounds like Garcia on the pedal steel guitar and Weir belting out the vocals. A fun, short little “tuning” jam takes place afterwards before they jump into another cover, this time a ripping take Chuck Berry’s “Around & Around.”
Then the band just jams out for a while, with Koukanen and Garcia playfully trading guitar riffs back and forth. The rhythm section is locked in and it makes for one of the more enjoyable portions of this show as the West Coast-based musicians deliver their brand of psychedelic rock to an eager East Coast auditorium. It’s also probably one of the reasons that this sit-in has been dubbed one of the ten best ever with The Grateful Dead, per Rolling Stone.
As the jam progresses, Jack Casady joins in on bass as the music begins to take some structure. The group then goes through two verses of “Darling Corey,” a traditional song that Pete Seeger, among others, have recorded. This is just quick thought though, as the structure quickly devolves and soon dies out completely. After some extended tuning, the ensemble launches into another extended jam, now with dueling basses to go along with three guitars. They bounce and move from one loose melody to another, never stopping for too long. At one point, a jam reminiscent of a souped up “Cumberland Blues” seems to take place. “Uncle John’s Band” then closes out a lengthy night of Grateful Dead in Rochester, highlighted by a monumental sit-in from members of Jefferson Airplane.
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below!
Grateful Dead The Palestra at University of Rochester – Rochester, NY 11/20/70
Set 1: Cold Rain And Snow , Me And My Uncle, Next Time You See Me, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Sugar Magnolia, Friend Of The Devil, Mama Tried, Good Lovin’ > Drums > Good Lovin’, Cumberland Blues, Candyman, Truckin’ > The Other One > Saint Stephen > Not Fade Away > Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade Away > I’m A King Bee, Casey Jones
Set 2: It’s All Over Now, Instrumental > Spring Song Tuning > Around And Around, Jam > Darling Corey > Jam > Tuning > Space Jam, Uncle John’s Band
Brooklyn-based songwriter Sam Rappaport has released his second single, “Journeyman’s Ballet,” A founding member of Brooklyn indie R&B/blues rock band Gooseberry, the solo effort was led by his debut single “Till the Morning Comes”.
The song follows a traveler’s decent into isolation and contemplates that which provides him company. Silky, melancholic vocals in the vein of John Mayer hang delicately above a buoyant groove. Sam worked with Toledo‘s Daniel Alvarez and Jordan Dunn-Pilz to produce the track, showcasing the duo’s talent for warm, layered arrangements.
Sam spent most of his life believing that he was headed for the NBA. When that didn’t work out, he’s been searching for purpose ever since, traveling the country, taking jobs as a case manager at a welfare office, a reporter for local newspapers, a bartender at a Sichuan restaurant, among others. However, he’s never strayed too far from a piano and a healthy stack of yellow legal pads.
As noted by Eclectic Music Lover, “the song has a pleasing jazzy soft-rock vibe reminiscent of late 70s/early 80s Steely Dan. Rappaport’s keys are well complemented by Daniel and Jordan’s lilting guitar notes and gentle percussion that enhance, rather than overpower, allowing his lovely piano to really shine.”
Give a listen to Sam Rappaport and his underrated vocals that fit the melody of “Journeyman’s Ballet” superbly.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Architrave and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
Architrave
Synthpop duo Architrave have released their new album, Future Ruins. On the heels of their 2020 lockdown effort This Perfect Day, it deals with the aftermath of quarantine. Many used last year’s shutdown as a time of introspection, leading to all sorts of epiphanies and life changes. Each song grapples with some aspect of the pandemic’s psychological effects, from the news cycle to social distancing. Made up of husband-wife duo Paul Coleman and Jennifer Maher Coleman, Architrave is based in Ballston Spa.
Future Ruins.
Album opener, “Blissed Out” deals with the phenomenon of doomscrolling—obsessively checking bad news, something of an international pastime throughout the pandemic. The lyrics emphasize how unhealthy this practice is, opting to spend time with a loved one instead.
Future Ruins’ next track, “Crown Shyness,” uses the evolutionary patterns of trees as a metaphor for social distancing. At the album’s halfway point, “Loved and Lost” tells the story of a couple who feel like strangers. Its dreamy instrumental evokes sci-fi films like Blade Runner and Tron.
Penultimate track “Slice of Life” details the monotony and boredom of quarantine, searching for something unique as the days bleed together. With its darkwave influences, it would fit right in on Depeche Mode’s Violator.
