For the second week of the City of Albany’s Alive at 5 concert series, funk was on the lineup and Soule Monde and company delivered. Moving to the rain location at the boat lunch under 787, the night started on time with Victory Soul Orchestra, who have been on the rise over the last year with memorable streams and now, live performances.
Headlining Alive at 5 tonight was Soule Monde, featuring Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski from Trey Anastasio Band. The drums and keys duo sounds more like a full band and got the ample crowd up and moving. Deep funky Afrobeat influenced rhythms framed much of the performance, one that paused for 15 minutes following the song seen below, and then continued until the 8pm curfew.
Alive at 5 returns next week with Amy Helm headlining, and The Sea The Sea opening the night.
Multi-platinum artists Fitz and The Tantrums made a summer tour stop at Artpark in Lewiston on July 6.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Alternative band Colony House kicked off the night in an upbeat fashion. The opening act consisted of Caleb Chapman, Will Chapman, Scott Mills, and Parke Cottrell. Popular singles “Silhouettes” and “You Know It” brought the energy to everyone at Artpark.
Fitz and the Tantrums later took the stage and steamrolled the crowd instantly. Their liveliness and distinct stage presence made everyone get up on their feet. They opened their set with the throwback song “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” from their 2010 album.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The LA-based band is composed of Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick (vocals), Noelle Scaggs (vocals), James King (saxophone, flute), Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards), Joseph Karnes (bass), and John Wicks (drums, percussion). This dynamic group is able to match each other’s intensity on the stage while also keeping the crowd engaged.
The band played songs from their recently released, fourth full length album ALL THE FEELS. This included their well-known hits “123456” and “I Just Wanna Shine.” Additionally, other songs that proved to be crowd favorites were “Out of My League,” and “Fool.” Throughout the night Fitz shared how excited he was to be back singing with a crowd again. Everyone from those on stage, to the crew, to the folks on the lawn, were absorbed in this feeling so many have missed. As Fitz has said, “It’s great to be back!”
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
With a roaring crowd, Fitz and the Tantrums performed their RIAA-certified 2x Platinum single “HandClap” for the encore. After, they finished off the performance with songs “All the Feels” and “The Walker.” Many left the show dancing down the streets as everyone was ready for more.
Artpark has much more in store for the rest of the summer with Lettuce performing on July 14 and a Bright Eyes show on July 27.
On Saturday, June 26, 2021, it was game/set/match with Eggy and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Westville Music Bowl.
Eggy came to play, dressed as tennis players who jogged a lap around the floor of the Bowl. Once onstage, the group ripped off their breakaway pants as seen below. For a band from New Haven, this was a huge show for them, especially since Dani Battat (keys/vocals) was brought to Westville to watch tennis matches as a kid,
Pigeons continued their hot streak of live performances, closing their first set with Springsteenâs “Born to Run” inside of “King Kong.” Guitarist and Connecticut local Tim Palmieri joined the band in the second set for a cover of Hendrix’ “Fire.”
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Setlist
Set 1: Henrietta > Lost In Line, Somethinâ For Ya > Time To Ride, Sorcerer, Poseidon, Sail On, King Kong > Born To Run > King Kong Set 2: In The Bubble, Lowdown, Ocean Flows, Sunny Day, Fire*, Kiwi > Burning Up My Time Encore: Offshoot * w/ Tim Palmieri (Kung Fu , soon to be Lotus) on guitar
June 19 Setlist: Bad For You, Fortress, Porcupine, Penguins > Funkijam > Groove Is In The Heart > Steal The Shade*, Avalanche, Landing > Jam > Zydeko, Move Like That > Weightless > White Night, Doc, Fade Fast, Horizon > Fool In The Rain^ > Horizon
Encore: Water
* Original debut ^ w/ D’yer Mak’er tease 2.5 hr set, played through setbreak
Buffalo continues to make its way back in the music scene while also bringing back the crowds. Local music venue The Cave, held a Funk Night on Thursday, June 10, presented by NYS Music.
Photo: Maddie McCafferty
The show established a nostalgic feeling as people gathered around for the jam band hits. The upbeat performance was held by Donny Frauenhofer on keys/vocals, Matt Fantini on guitar/vocals, Colin Brydalski on bass/vocals, Ellen Pieroni on sax/vocals, and Ryan Nogle on drums.
The group kicked off the night by opening with “Do It Like You Do” by Lettuce. The excitement from the crowd did not go unnoticed as everyone collectively felt a sense of normalcy again. This high energy extended even further when the musicians performed a mashup of The Whispers’ “And the Beat Goes On” and Will Smith’s “Miami.”
Photo: Maddie McCafferty
This month’s Funk Night was really special because although we’d been able to play the last few months, the guidelines didn’t allow for many of the things that make a funk show a funk show – dancing, musician sit-ins, interacting with the crowd, etc. This was the first show back where we could do all of that and we’re really excited to have more special guests and get more people dancing!
Donny Frauenhofer
The group invited guests on stage for a few songs, which included contributions from a singer and another sax player. The band closed the set with “What Is Hip?” by Tower Of Power. However, with the audience’s plea and many still wanting to dance, they performed “Squadlive” by Lettuce for the encore.
Photo: Maddie McCafferty
The set left many feeling energetic and ready for more. Luckily, the jam sessions are far from over. Funk Night will continue every second Thursday of the month. So, make sure to check out the next show on July 8 at The Cave.
Continuing NYS Music’s look at the venues of New York State, we are now more than a year since music venues were forced to shut down, and signs of life are visible everywhere this spring.
While venues await relief from the Small Business Administration (SBA), who administer Shuttered Venue Operators Grant to eligible entities, there are some venues that have returned to live music. Restrictions are lifting, allowing for greater capacity at venues, as well as Drive-In shows and socially distanced concerts continuing well into August.
Once New York State has 70% of the population receiving one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, most remaining restrictions will be lifted, based on a statement from Gov. Cuomo last week.
Our March installment of ‘This Darkness Has Got to Give’ showed venues across New York State that started to come back to life with socially distanced shows. Now in June, we have crowds returning to venues, a summer of live music ahead in various arrays and a brighter 2021 in the making.
Saturday was more string-oriented with The Infamous Stringdusters and The Wood Brothers jamming to the faithful. In addition to the music, artists, art and workshops were plentiful and there was even a giant waterpark to cool off and relax in while soaking up the scenery and listening to music from a nearby stage. To sum it up, Mountain Music Festival was everything a festival should be, can’t wait for next year!
Twiddle headlined 4 nights at Apple Valley in Lafayette, NY over Memorial Day weekend, and welcomed Dopapod and Aqueous for two nights each. It was a rainy run of shows just south of Syracuse, but the weather didn’t damper spirits one bit.
Dopapod and Aqueous each opened two nights, with Dopapod taking the honors on Thursday and Friday, and Rob Compa & Eli Winderman joining Twiddle on night one for “Syncopated Healing.” The next night all members of Dopapod, including Chuck Jones and Neal ‘Fro’ Evans joined for the evening’s closing number, “Latin Tang.”
photo by Dave Decrescente
Aqueous would also join Twiddle on Saturday and Sunday, with Mike Gantzer sitting in for “Slippin in the Kitchen” and “All along the Watchtower.” Similar to their Dopapod counterparts, all of Aqueous joined in for “Shakedown Street” to close out the weekend.
Apple Valley Park has a great lineup this summer, with Get the Led Out, Allman Betts Band, Billy Strings, Umphrey’s McGee, Tedeschi Trucks Band and many more arriving over in the next couple months. Get your tickets here.
Amid the festivities in Lafayette, Long Island’s Baked Shrimp performed two afternoon shows at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, welcoming Ryan and Mihali from Twiddle, and Mike from Aqueous, to join them. Baked Shrimp are poised for a breakout year, especially after building up momentum during this last year and heading to the finals of NYS Music’s March Madness. Check out photos of the early afternoon action from Zak Radick.
Dopapod Setlists May 27: Mucho, Freight Train, Upside of Down, Bats in the Cave, Vol. 3 #86
May 28: Cloudworld >PLSS >Braindead, We Are Not Alone, Trapper Keeper, FABA
Aqueous Setlists May 29: Origami, Little Something to Me, Aldehyde1, Random Company2 1 – Puddle of Mud teases after Aldehyde 2 – Rob playing half time through vocals
May 30: Second Sight > Timmy’s Blades > Second Sight, Weight of the Word, Kitty Chaser (Explosions) > Funky Monks²³⁴ > Kitty Chaser (Explosions), Be the Same 1) Featuring David Loss on tambourine 2) Red Hot Chili Peppers 3) MKDevo (Dave Peck) on vocals 4)FYMFYD full band quote
May 27: Collective Pulse, Carter Candlestick, Second Wind, Hattibagen McRat, Beehop -> Ganja Medley -> Beehop Moments, Zazu’s Flight, Syncopated Healing% % w/Rob Compa & Eli Winderman of Dopapod
May 28: Amydst the Myst, Jamflowman >Frankenfoote, Brown Chicken Brown Cow, White Light >WIRIP * D’yer Mak’er%, Latin Tang # % Led Zeppelin # with all members of Dopapod
May 29: Enter > Orlandos > Apples > Funky town > Apples, Dr Remedies, Tiberius > River Drift> LITC, Honeyburste Encore: Slippin in the kitchen^, All along the watchtower^ ^ w/Mike Gantzer of Aqueous
May 30: Peas and Carrots -> Gatsby the Great -> Harry’s Pond -> Gatsby -> Bronze Fingers, My Truck, Machine, Beethoven and Greene, Milk%, Shakedown Street! % with Mike Gantzer ! with Rob Compa, Mike Gantzer, Rob Houk & Dave Loss
This summer, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) performs monthly at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, CT. With shows from Memorial Day weekend through September 4, there are ample opportunities to see the fantastic reimaging of the extended Grateful Dead catalog, along with a heavy dose of improvisation.
Revisit the shows below with photos by Vince Brazen, video from the band, and the detailed setlists for each night.
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – September 4, 2021 Setlist
Set 1: Don’t Ease Me In*> Cats Down Under the Stars w/ Norwegian Wood and Throwing Stones teases> Tell Me, Momma w/ Jessica tease> Mama Tried, Candyman, Jam w/ The Other One tease> Truckin’ w/ The Other One teases and New Speedway teases
Set 2: Feel Like A Stranger> Help on the Way> Throwing Stones w/ Shakedown teases> Shakedown Street W/ throwing Stones teases> Throwing Stones reprise w/ Land Down Under and Shakedown teases, Comfortably Numb> Morning Dew**
Joe thanks the crowd, tells them we all need live music! Dave Niedbalski from Westville Music Bowl/Lovely Day Presents thanks everyone, said it was the best 9 nights of the summer! Then they unveiled a banner from the upper deck commemorating the 9 show residency.
Encore: One More Saturday Night***>Sugar Magnolia
*First since 3/3/19, 5th time played by JRAD **First time played since 9/13/19 ***First time played since 9/14/19
JRAD continued their no repeat streak in their Westville Bowl residency from July 30-August 1. Amid perfect weather all weekend, a nice change of pace from their two previous runs this summer. The partial capacity crowd (~3,000) at Westville had more seating on the floor this weekend, making it feel a little more crowded, but still short of 50% capacity at the tennis stadium.
Saturday’s show had a jam of Pink Floyd’s “Pigs” during “Birdsong,” bassist Dave Dreiwitz singing “Broken Arrow”, and a monster “Terrapin Station” suite to end the second set. The venue erupted during “Sugar Magnolia,” marking 16 sets of no repeat Grateful Dead covers.
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – July 31, 2021 Setlist
Set 1: Stagger Lee > Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again* > West L.A. Fadeaway^ > Unbroken Chain jam > West L.A. Fadeaway > I Need A Miracle@ > Birdsong > Pink Floyd Pigs (Three Different Ones) jam > Birdsong Set 2: Broken Arrow > Throwing Stones$ > Ship of Fools > Dark Star > Terrapin Station (full suite) Encore: Sugar Magnolia
*w/ Big Boss Man and Eleanor Rigby teases ^ w/ Uncle John’s Band, Let It Grow and “Your Party” (Ween) teases @ w/ vocal jam and Dark Star teases $ w/ 2001 teases and Phishy Duo jam
On Friday, “Jack Straw” > “Wharf Rat” > “King Solomon’s Marbles” closed a strong first set, and they returned with no let up for set two, with a stellar stretch of “Althea” > “Lost Sailor” > “Saint of Circumstance,” and an acoustic “China Doll” as well, featuring Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats taking lead.
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – July 30, 2021 Setlist
Set One: Jam -> Friend Of The Devil -> Jack A Roe, Jam -> Black Throated Wind @ -> Jack Straw > Wharf Rat # -> King Solomon’s Marbles Set Two: MB Solo -> Yazoo St Scandal $ -> Jam % -> Golden Road To Unlimited Devotion, Althea > Lost Sailor ^ > Saint Of Circumstance &, China Doll *+, Box Of Rain * Encore: Never Been To Spain *, When You Love Somebody * @@
@ – With a Jack Straw Jam – With Dark Star Teases (TH) $ – With Tennessee Jed Teases (Band) % – With “Maze” (Phish) Teases (Band) ^ – With Let It Grow & Playing In the Band Teases (JR) & – With Terrapin Station Teases (MB & TH) and a “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” (Four Tops/Holland-Dozier-Holland) Tease (DD) With Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats) on Acoustic Guitar and Vocals Not Played by Almost Dead since 2017-10-13, Brooklyn Bowl Brooklyn, NY, a gap of 101 shows @@ – Fruit Bats Cover, Not Played by Almost Dead since 2019-08-16, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, a gap of 25 shows
Six shows into their run at Westville Music Bowl and JRAD has still not repeated a song. More than 70 songs have been performed since their Memorial Day weekend run, meaning that perhaps, when JRAD returns to Westville July 30-31, they may still continue this streak. To start the night, a 5-piece brass band walked through the crowd towards the stage. Many of them sat in throughout the course of the show, which had four The Band covers, with violinist Katie Jacoby sat in on “Rag Mama Rag.”
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – June 20, 2021 Setlist
Set 1: Iko Iko, China Cat Sunflower, Ophelia, Operator, Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?, Hard to Handle, Casey Jones
Set 2: Alabama Getaway, Feel Like a Stranger, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Good Lovin’, Let it Rock, Road Runner, Rag Mama Rag, Cats Under the Stars, C.C. Rider
Encore: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Highlights from June 19 include JRAD playing the Bob Weir solo tune “Gonesville” as well as working in a few Allman Brothers tunes. “Whipping Post” was teased during “Cumberland Blues” and in Set 2, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” got the full band treatment.
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – June 19, 2021 Setlist
Set 1: Jam ->They Love Each Other ->Gonesville ->Cumberland Blues @, Row Jimmy, Mr. Charlie # ->Viola Lee Blues ->Brown-Eyed Women Set 2: Jam ->Here Comes Sunshine >Uncle Johns Band, Alligator >Man Smart, Woman Smarter $, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed %, Peggy-O Encore: Brother Esau @ – With “Whipping Post” (The Allman Brothers Band) Teases (Band) # – Unfinished $ – With a “Reveille” (Traditional) Tease (SM) % – With Dark Star Teases (TH) & a JR Solo
On June 18, JRAD returned to Westville Music Bowl for their second run of the summer. With five bustouts and covers including “All Along The Watchtower” and “Atlantic City,” a sold out crowd was treated to a rare cover of Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” to close the night.
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – June 18, 2021 Setlist
Set 1: Jam @ ->New Speedway Boogie # ->Let It Grow, Black Muddy River >All Along The Watchtower$ > Greatest Story Ever Told % -> Dear Prudence Jam -> Greatest Story Ever Told Reprise ^ Set 2: Atlantic City & ->Tell Me Mama * ->Big River, Tennessee Jed +, Cryptical Envelopment @@ ->Crazy Fingers -> The Other One > Stella Blue Encore: Werewolves Of London ##
@ – With “Spoonful” (Willie Dixon ) Teases & Truckin’ Teases (TH) # – With a Playing In The Band Jam & Let It Grow Teases (Band) $ – Scott Vox, Not Played by Almost Dead since 2014-12-29, Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, a gap of 212 shows % – With a “Dracula” (MMW) Tease (MB) ^ – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2018-03-17 State Theatre, Portland, ME, a gap of 74 shows & – With “China>Rider Transition” Teases (Band) * – With a “Chuckles” (Wolf) Tease (SM) + – With a Hell In A Bucket Tease (Band) and a bit of a “Becky” (Benevento Russo Duo) reference (MB & JR) @@ – Part One, With a Dark Star Jam, Not Played by Almost Dead since 2019-03-16 Masonic Auditorium, Cleveland, OH, a gap of 34 shows ## – Not Played by Almost Dead since 2019-03-01 Palace Theater, Albany, NY, a gap of 40 shows
Over three rainy nights at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, CT, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (JRAD) brought music back to life and satiated sold-out crowds with their improvisational takes on the music of the Grateful Dead.
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – May 28, 2021 Setlist
Set 1: Not Fade Away@ -> Ruben & Cherise -> New Minglewood Blues, Sugaree#, The Wheel$ ->Touch Of Grey% Set 2: When I Paint My Masterpiece^, Foolish Heart& -> Help On The Way -> Slipknot!* -> Hey Bulldog Jam+ -> Slipknot! Reprise, Hell In A Bucket, Dancing in the Street@@, Ripple## Encore: Fuckin’ Up $$ @ – With a “Serpentine Fire” (Earth Wind & Fire) tease (SM) # – Not played by Almost Dead since 2018-01-13 $ – With a “Cold Rain & Snow” Jam (Band) % – With “Ruben & Cherise” Teases in the intro (TH) ^ – Bob Dylan Cover, second time played. Not played by Almost Dead since 2016-11-12 & – With Slipknot! Teases (TH) * – With a “Tom’s Diner” (Suzanne Vega) Tease (SM & JR) + – With some lyrics. Not played by Almost Dead since 2016-11-12 @@ – Proceeded by a Dark Star Tease, with a Loose Lucy Tease (SM), a DD Solo, an MB Solo, hints of “The Wizard” (Black Sabbath), and a JR Solo ## – Not played by Almost Dead since 2019-01-18 $$ – Neil Young Cover, with Chris Harford on Vocals and Guitar
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – May 29, 2021 Setlist
Set 1: Silvio ->Bertha, Me & My Uncle ->Shakedown Street@, Black Peter# >Music Never Stopped Set 2: Such A Night, Cream Puff War >Truckin$ -> New Speedway Jam% -> Truckin Reprise^ ->St. Stephen& >Tough Mama > I Know You Rider Encore: On The Road Again * @ – With Let It Grow Teases (Band) # – Not played by Almost Dead since 2018-07-19 $ – With a Cryptical Tease (TH) % – Not played by Almost Dead since 2017-08-31 ^ – Not played by Almost Dead since 2018-07-19 & – With Not Fade Away and Good Times Bad Times Teases (JR) and a Caution-esque Jam * – Not played by Almost Dead since 2016-12-29
JRAD at Westville Music Bowl – May 30, 2021 Setist
Set 1: Eyes of the World> Estimated Prophet, Cassidy > Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad > Candyman, The Eleven, Franklin’s Tower Set 2: Scarlet Begonias > Fire on the Mountain, Beat It on Down the Line, He’s Gone >Playing in the Band, Samson and Delilah Encore: Born to Run
Stuart Bogie sat in on saxophone and flute throughout the night
Some Kind of Jam 15 went down in Schuylkill Haven, PA from April 29th until May 2nd, 2021. While patrons started showing up Thursday, the main festivities began on Friday and despite unrelenting winds the festival went off in a well oiled fashion. Headlining Friday was Lespecial, eager to play tracks from their latest album, Ancient Homies, in front of a dance happy crowd. Saturday culminated with Colorado jam stalwarts the Magic Beans taking the main stage also with plenty of new material to play with their latest album, Slice of Life, dropping the day prior.
In between mainstage acts, the indoor stage kept revelers entertained and out of the wind. Lee Ross might have been the busiest man on site with no less than five sets throughout the weekend. Other sets of note were the psychedelic stylings of the Iceman Special and a latenight set by up and coming Neighbor that balanced catchy songs and deep jams to the delight of those in attendance.
While many aspects of the live music and festival landscape are still up in the air for 2021, the smiles and revelry of those in attendance at Some Kind of Jam 15 showed that a return to something close to normal is possible in these uncertain times.
