NYS Music 202​1

Category: Features

  • Dead and Friends Dazzle at the Fillmore: September 20, 1970

    With four multi-night runs at the Fillmore East already in the books for 1970, the Grateful Dead returned to their New York City headquarters for a fifth one in September. And, once again, they would be joined by their friends in New Riders of the Purple Sage for the festivities. This would be their third run of the year here in this “Evening with the Grateful Dead” format that featured music from both bands, with the Dead playing one acoustic and one electric set of music. This show also marks the first time David Grisman played along side Jerry Garcia in a live setting for the first time. September 20 was the final night of this particular run and features, arguably, one of the better acoustic sets known to Deadheads.

    Dead Fillmore

    The opening set is accordingly introduced as “Acoustic Dead” and the band immediately launches into “Uncle John’s Band.” It’s a delightfully casual take on a Dead classic that’s harmonized nicely and sets the tone for the set. They even get some assistance from the Fillmore crowd which is gladly clapping along in time by song’s end. Jerry Garcia continues to man lead vocals on the “Deep Elem Blues” that follows, a song that would follow him around in live settings for the rest of his life. Grisman’s mandolin play blends in perfectly with the acoustic guitars, giving this one a unique feel. And with the added strings and acoustic influence provided by Grisman, a first set “Friend Of The Devil” sounds so crisp that one would think they were playing American Beauty over the PA.

    “Big Railroad Blues” features David Nelson on yet another mandolin in a fun, fast-paced version that’s like no other. It was only the third performance ever of a song the Dead would go on to play for the remainder of their playing career. This is backed up by a splendid “Dark Hollow” with Bob Weir jumping in on lead vocals. There is so much acoustic firepower on stage, Garcia actually jumps on the piano for “To Lay Me Down,” quite a rare occurrence.

    “Rosalie McFall” joins the fray afterwards, a Charlie Monroe cover and another acoustic song that would go on to be a mainstay for future Garcia acoustic performances. The remainder of the opening set has a decidedly classic Dead feel to it, beginning with “Cumberland Blues,” continuing with a riveting “New Speedway Boogie” that has a lovely little acoustic jam tied to it, and ending with the always emotional “Brokedown Palace.”

    The second set then brings along the electricity, both literally and figuratively. “Casey Jones” comes rolling down the tracks to open things before the iconic opening licks of “China Cat Sunflower” ring out loud and true. While not particularly stretched out or extended, a perfectly seamless transition into “I Know You Rider” follows, and with each verse the Grateful Dead delighting the Fillmore crowd even further. It’s cut off a bit on the recording below, but “Candyman” then cools things down a bit, courtesy of the delicate singing and customary harrowing guitar play from Garcia.

    Dead Fillmore

    This Fillmore show also features a few Dead rarities. “Big Boy Pete” is played for the only sixth time ever and the last one ever with Pigpen who finally gets some lead vocal action. It’s a quick. bluesy number that the band would dust off twice more in the future, with random unshelvings in 1978 and 1985. Perhaps inspired by the last number, or just turned up in the mix, Pigpen shines on the “Me And My Uncle” that comes next, supplying some inspired fills. Seizing the momentum, he then takes center stage and belts out one of his signature songs, “Easy Wind,” that also ably serves as one of the more extended jams of the evening.

    A still raw “Sugar Magnolia” follows, but has a fun little vocal breakdown and shows all the signs of being a Grateful Dead staple for years to come. After a quick run through of the Weir-led “Mama Tried,” the Dead go big for this particular Fillmore closing sequence, starting with a massive “Not Fade Away.” This may as well have been the “Drums” portion of the evening as drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart lead the charge on this one, trading percussive punches back and forth that fuel a mesmerizing sequence of improv.

    This sets the table for “Caution (Do Not Step On Tracks)” which, it could be argued, serves as the “Space” portion tonight. It’s the Dead at their finest: frenetic and psychedelic blues, powered by probing bass lines from Phil Lesh, and adorned with Pigpen riffing on vocals while feedback and other audio wizardry abound. The jam eventually devolves to only drums, bass and Pig on harmonica for a spell. Garcia then reemerges on lead guitar and the band begins to tie a bow on the second set the only way they know how – with a six-minute feedback jam. From this, the a capella “We Bid You Goodnight” emerges, serving as the de facto encore and officially closing out another memorable Grateful Dead run at the Fillmore East.

    View this show and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below!

    Grateful Dead Fillmore East – New York City, NY 9/20/70

    Set 1: Uncle John’s Band, Deep Elem Blues, Friend Of The Devil, Big Railroad Blues, Dark Hallow, Ripple, To Lay Me Down, Truckin’, Rosalie McFall, Cumberland Blues, New Speedway Boogie, Brokedown Palace

    Set 2: Casey Jones, China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider, Candyman, Sittin’ On Top Of The World, Big Boy Pete, Me And My Uncle, Easy Wind, Sugar Magnolia, Attics Of My Life, Mama Tried, Not Fade Away > Caution (Do Not Step On The Tracks) > Feedback Jam > And We Bid You Goodnight

  • New York Dolls Guitarist Steve Conte Releases New Singles “Flying” and “Overnight Smash” Off Upcoming Album ‘Bronx Cheer’

    New York City guitarist, singer, and songwriter Steve Conte has released “Flying” and “Overnight Smash,” the next single off his first solo album in five years, the attitude-infused Bronx Cheer, releasing Friday, November 5 on Wicked Cool Records.

    Steve Conte Overnight Smash

    Long known for his memorable guitar work as a member of New York Dolls, as well as former Hanoi Rocks frontman Michael Monroe’s band (with whom he still performs), Steve found international fame in recent years via his collaborations with Japanese composer and artist Yoko Kanno on the soundtracks to several hit anime series, including Cowboy Bebop. Bronx Cheer is brimming with the spirit of New York both past and present.

    A ‘Bronx cheer’ is what we also call a ‘raspberry.’ Sticking out your tongue and blowing air to make a fart sound. The title for this album works on many levels. First is the fact that I moved to The Bronx five years ago – and I’m lovin’ it! But it all came together when I found the photo, which is on the album cover, of a group of high school kids marching down Fifth Avenue protesting the election of Donald Trump. So not only is the lead kid, Theo Fenton, raising his fist in protest, contrasting the word ‘cheer,’ the title also gives Trump a big fat raspberry.

    I remember the danger, dirty streets, the garbage strike, sleazy 42nd Street.When I moved here in the mid-1980s it was not all that different – but it’s very different now. Yet somehow, I still love it – and hate it. To me, that’s what the Blues and Punk Rock have in common – complaining

    Steve Conte

    The album’s 11 new songs, all written by Conte with one co-written by Brynn Arens swing like a citified update on Paul Westerberg or Old 97’s. The first single “Recovery Doll” is fast-paced and traces a descent from fun times to darker spaces. “Wildwood Moon” and “Dog Days Of Summer” are bursting with hot-weather nostalgia and shimmering production. “Liar Like You” is an unabashed Punk rave-up. The core of Bronx Cheer consists of Steve on guitar and vocals with bass by his brother John Conte and the renowned Charley Drayton on drums.

    Tracking for the album began in September 2019 in Brooklyn. Overdubs were completed by February 2020, and the album was mixed during the pandemic by Niko Bolas. Album closer “Gimme Gimme Rockaway” is the one song which had been released prior to 2021, having found success and “Coolest Song In The World” status on Little Steven’s Underground Garage as a 2017 single. For that track, the band consists of Conte with Clem Burke of Blondie on drums and Andy Rourke of The Smiths on bass, with Wicked Cool labelmate Jesse Malin on backing vocals.

    Steve Conte Overnight Smash

    Raised in a musical family – Steve’s mother Rosemary Conte is a noted NY/NJ jazz singer – Steve started spending time in New York City as a kid, his father bringing him to his first Madison Square Garden concert, by none other than Chuck Berry. Some years later, Conte found himself playing an entire show onstage in Berry’s band. His own music first gained notice when his band Company Of Wolves signed to Mercury Records, releasing a self-titled album on the label in 1990. Over the years he’s also worked with Peter Wolf, Eric Burdon of The Animals, Willy DeVille, Billy Squier, Willie Nile, Maceo Parker, and even been Paul Simon’s tour rehearsal vocal stand-in.

  • Long Island’s Pine Barrens Jam Takes Over Blue Point Brewery

    The inaugural Long Island music festival Pine Barrens Jam took over Blue Point Brewery in Patchogue this past Saturday, September 18th. The festival was originally supposed to happen in Center Moriches at the Ringhoff family farm, but due to extenuating circumstances and difficulties maintaining the town’s conditions, the festival had to change venues last minute.

    Thankfully, the Blue Point Brewpub ended up being an excellent back up plan; the venue already has a large indoor stage with the ability to set up vendors and secondary stages outside. With plenty of parking and picture perfect weather, the festival went on without a hitch.

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    Pine Barrens Jam at Blue Point Brewery – 9/18/21. Photo By Buscar Photo

    Debuting this year, Pine Barrens Jam was created to exhibit the best of local Long Island bands, artists, poets and other creative talent. When you arrived at the brewery, you were greeted by a row of vendors selling and showcasing their art as well as reps from radio stations and other causes. Vendors were selling t-shirts, paintings, jewelry and other items along the side of the brewery.

    A small pop-up stage dubbed the “Peanut Butter Poetry & Arts Stage” was offset in the corner and hosted a slew of poets and other spoken word artists throughout the day. Featured speakers included Justin Vegh, Catheryn Berry, Brian Geraghty, Bri Onishea, MC2, Barbara Joy & Justin Poetry, Rosa Todaro, Nox, Allone and Rorie Kelly.

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    Peanut Butter Poetry & Arts Stage at Pine Barrens Jam, 9/18/21 – Photo By Buscar Photo

    Moving along the grounds to the main entrance of the brewery, the “Lantern Sound Recording Rig Stage” greeted festival and brewery goers alike with a quaint set-up right as you arrived at the entrance. While the festival may have been competing with the brewery’s normal operating business, everyone who came out that day was pleasantly surprised to be immersed in the festival.

    Even though it was a one day affair across three small stages, the festival curated a rather large lineup of artists from all over the area. The “Lantern” stage featured bands such as Hank Stone, Bryan Gallo, Leland Sundries, Mick Hargreaves, Frankie Matos, Rorie Kelly, Christine Sweeney, Pete Mancini and a triple performance from The Belle Curves, Anne O-Rourke & Featherheart.

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    Lantern Sound Recording Rig Stage at Pine Barrens Jam, 9/18/21 – Photo By Buscar Photo

    The main space of the brewery is a massive room with several bars throughout. The kitchen was cranking out jumbo pretzels and fresh shucked oysters at a feverish pace as people were coming and going making their way around the festival. At one end of the space, the “Jelly Jam Stage” hosted the featured bands of the day: headliner Drop The 4 as well as Zestrove, Kaido, A Band In Ship, Laurie Anne Creus and Dysfunktone.

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    Jelly Jam Stage at Pine Barrens Jam, 9/18/21 – Photo By Buscar Photo

    Attendees at the festival would have never known the brewery was a last minute venue change. The organizers did an incredible job adapting to the new space, and one might have even thought it was the intent all along. Pine Barrens Jam promises to fight to be able to use the intended farm for next year, but the debut edition of the festival succeeded in highlighting the amazing artistry and musical talent from Long Island. More photos from the day below.

  • PearlPalooza Returns to Albany, Highlighted by Strong Local Lineup and Slothrust

    Looking out on the throngs of fans who flocked to North Pearl Street in downtown Albany for PearlPalooza, WEQX Program Director Jeff Morad remarked “This is a prime example of ‘If you build it, they will come.’” With three local artists and a day of prime weather, the first PearlPalooza since 2019 took place on Saturday, September 18, bringing Albany out in force.

    PearlPalooza
    photo by Pete Mason

    Starting with Yogapalooza at Noon, PearPalooza kicked off with music at 1pm with prog-rockers Timbre Coup, a long-awaited return to the stage for many in the crowd. Glass Pony‘s upbeat pandemic anthem “Something Good” rang through the streets and businesses on Pearl Street.

    pearlpalooza
    photo by Pete Mason

    Jocelyn and Chris were the third hometown band on the lineup for PearlPalooza, giving many an opportunity to see them play live, in person, as opposed to their near-daily live streams that have been a regular way to get to know the duo since mid-2020. Thus, they brought their yellow livestream couch for a brief respite during their set, and performed the unreleased “Runaways.” While Jocelyn opted for a costume change, Chris showed off his guitar chops, leading into “Witness.” The duo emotionally thanked the crowd for the opportunity to play live music once again, closing the set with radio hit “Sugar and Spice.”

    For Slothrust, PearlPalooza marked their ‘first show in forever,’ as frontwoman Leah Wellbaum remarked. After the live debut of “The Next Curse,” they performed a heavy cover of Britney Spears “Hit me Baby One More Time.” The Violent Femmes influence was felt on the Boston group, who commanded the stage, leaving an indelible mark in the annals of PearlPalooza, encoring with “Birthday Cake” and greeting fans side stage after their set.

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  • Dave Matthews Band Returns to SPAC

    Dave Matthews Band arrived at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on September 17, 2021, for the first of two shows at one of their most familiar stomping grounds. Matthews briefly grew up in the Hudson Valley of New York before heading to South Africa, then to Charlottesville, VA to form his eponymous band.

    The first concert Dave ever saw was that of Pete Seeger. “My parents took my brother, my sisters and me. I will never forget it. I was little. Dancing in a field in Upstate New York while the grown-ups sat on the grass.”  Dave was able to share the Saratoga stage with a 94 year-old Pete at the September 2013 Farmaid concert.

    Dave Matthews Band SPAC

    Dave Matthews Band opened their two night run at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on Friday with a nod to Seeger by performing “Rye Whiskey,” the first time the full band has played it since Bethel Woods in 2009. A variation on the traditional Scottish folk song “Way Up on Clinch Mountain”, Seeger’s version includes the lyrics “If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck, I’d swim to the bottom and never come up.”

    Tim Reynolds warmed Saratoga up with a two night acoustic run on his own at Putnam Place back in June. He told NYS Music about playing smaller rooms before his sold out SPAC shows “Oh incredible man, I think this year is wide open.”

    The band extended out “So Damn Lucky” from the 2003’s Some Devil, seguing into Sly and The Family Stone’s “Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf again.” Dave Matthews had reunited with Some Devil bassist Tony Hall for their Labor Day  weekend shows at The Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA, where Hall sat in on low end for bassist Stefan Lessard. Hall told NYS Music about the recording of Some Devil “I had a lot of fun with that record. One of my favorite songs is “So Damn Lucky.”

    A new song debuted by the band this tour, “Walk Around The Moon,” has a psychedelic sound based on a true story of being lost in the woods with unexpected consequences very fitting for Saratoga Spa State park with its forest lining. The band shone a moonlit glow on the crowd for “You Never Know” with it’s fitting lyrics, “Funny when you’re small, The moon follows the car there’s no one but you see Hey, the moon is chasing me”.

    The seven piece took “Jimi Thing” for a walk down multiple SPAC trails mashing up covers by Huey Lewis’ “I Want a New Drug,” Prince’s “Sexy Motherfucker” and The Rolling Stones. Dave took on Mick Jagger’s front man energy while singing the Stones staple “Satisfaction” in honor of Charlie Watts, for whom Dave Matthews Band had opened up for in the past.

    All the lovers in attendance got a “#41,” “Say Goodbye,” and “Lover Lay Down” to keep their flames lit. Tony Hall’s cajun influence is heard during the appropriate “Louisiana Bayou” jam. The band encored an upstate New York anthem “Don’t Drink The Water,” with the poignant “here’s the hitch your horse is leaving” lyric for the Saratoga race track heads.  

    Dave Matthews Band SPAC

    Night two at SPAC and the weather was perfect for more Dave Matthews Band. “Big Eyed Fish” opened the show, as the crowd was treated to “#27,” “The Stone,” and “Sugar Will,” all three being golden tunes to catch a vibe. Up next Buddy Strong kicked that B3 Hammond up for a howling cover of The Zombies “Time of the Season.” “Pantala Naga Pampa ” -> “Rapunzel” musical ride hit hard mid set, with “Granny” reminding the crowd why they were in attendance (Love!!!…Baby!!!)

    The ensemble closed with Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” while midway through the chilling cover, Dave came in with the final verses of “Stairway to Heaven.” The house lights went up and a fresh fall air set on the crowd. The encore jumped seasons with “Christmas Song,” a simple song about the message of love through baby Jesus.

    They finish with “Shake me like a Monkey” to make sure the crowd is on the same page before exiting into our lives: “Do you know what it is to feel the light of love inside you? And all the darkness falls away. If you feel the way I feel then I believe we have the answer. That I’ve been searching for tonight” 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eei2lTAiP6Q

    Dave Matthews Band – September 17, 2021 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs, NY

    Setlist: Rye Whiskey, One Sweet World, That Girl Is You, Pig, So Damn Lucky, Can’t Stop, Walk Around the Moon, You Never Know, Minarets, Jimi Thing, I Want a New Drug, Sexy M.F., Brown Sugar, Bitch, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, #41, Say Goodbye, Kill the Preacher, Why I Am, What You Are, Lover Lay Down, Louisiana Bayou, Stay (Wasting Time),

    Encore: Sister, Don’t Drink the Water

    Dave Matthews Band – September 18, 2021 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), Saratoga Springs, NY

    Setlist: Big Eyed Fish, Bartender, Grace Is Gone, Grey Street, #27, The Stone, So Much to Say, Anyone Seen the Bridge, Too Much, Sugar Will, Crush, Squirm, Lying in the Hands of God, Time of the Season, Pantala Naga Pampa, Rapunzel, Drive In, Drive Out, Granny, Warehouse, All Along the Watchtower

    Encore: Christmas Song, Shake Me Like a Monkey

    Photos by Conor McMahon

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    Dave Matthews Band SPAC
    Dave Matthews Band SPAC

  • Phoebe Bridgers Gets Vulnerable at Artpark

    Indie artist Phoebe Bridgers made a stop in Lewiston for her Reunion Tour. On September 15 the witty lyricist filled Artpark with skeleton suits and serenity.    

    Phoebe Bridgers
    Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    In a surprise turn of events, Phoebe Bridgers’ guitarist ended up opening the show. After two long years, Harrison Whitford finally got to perform live again. His guitar skills and soft vocals captured the crowd’s attention. His sense of ease on stage meshed well with his heart felt lyrics. The performance made the audience even more eager for the following act.

    Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    Fans screamed with excitement as the group dressed in skeleton costumes ran on stage to the iconic Black Eyed Peas song, “I Gotta Feeling.” Phoebe Bridgers immediately grabbed her guitar and opened up the show with the viral single “Motion Sickness.” The Grammy nominated musician has an ethereal presence on stage. Her angelic voice and smooth guitar strums carry the audience through these complicated yet all too relatable human emotions. 

    The new tour has allowed Phoebe to perform her latest releases that haven’t been heard live before. In 2020, she dropped her second solo album Punisher. Fans got to hear a lot of these newer songs like “Kyoto,” “Halloween,” and “Savior Complex.” Phoebe’s dreamy hooks make her ability to capture the different brands of depression that much more hard-hitting. 

    Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty

    The renowned musician described her show in Buffalo as “a rock concert with no rock music.” This is a perfect way to define the rare environment Phoebe creates at her concerts. She can pull at very specific heart strings that entrance her listeners into a seemingly new world. Through struggles with depression, a turbulent relationship with her father, and lack of faith, Phoebe doesn’t shy away from raw honesty. She further opened doors of vulnerability as the night closed with “I Know the End” and the buzzing Bo Burnham song “That Funny Feeling.” A sensation of awe swept over the whole venue that night. 

    Setlist: I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas), Motion Sickness, DVD Menu, Garden Song, Kyoto, Punisher, Halloween, Smoke Signals, Chinese Satellite, Moon Song, Savior Complex, Funeral, ICU, Scott Street, Me & My Dog (boygenius), Graceland Too, I Know the End

    Encore: That Funny Feeling (Bo Burnham)

    All Photos By Maddie McCafferty

  • Gogol Bordello Bring The Immigrant Punk Party to Burlington

    Gogol Bordello, the legendary gypsy-punk collective known for their high-energy shows and genre-bending music, touched down in Vermont on Wednesday, performing at Higher Ground in Burlington, VT. 

    The show replaced a Montreal tour date that was rescheduled due to shifting COVID regulations. But Gogol Bordello has a long history in the Burlington area. Frontman Eugene Hutz moved to the area with his family when they first came to the states, as political refugees from Ukraine in 1992. Already an avid guitarist, Hutz formed popular local punk band The Fags before eventually moving to New York, where he would form Gogol Bordello in 1999. 

    The anticipation among the crowd at Higher Ground matched that long, storied history. Concertgoers of all ages mulled around the venue, often greeting each other with a smile and asking “you ready?” A worthy question– it’s hard to be fully ready for the kind of breakneck, immersive experience that is a Gogol Bordello show. 

    Nu Folk Rebel Alliance, a duo of Gogol Bordello member Pedro Erazo and guitarist Leo Minimum Tek, opened the show. A frequent associate of Gogol Bordello, Nu Folk Rebel Alliance shares their passion for blending global folkloric traditions with a punk rock twist. Pedro Erazo proves a charismatic presence, as arresting on vocals and percussion as in front of a DJ table. An electro-influence cover of “Working Class Hero” cemented the band’s power-to-the-people message, along with original “Fronteras,” an immigration anthem which Erazo addressed to “our brothers and sisters at the border.” Fronteras features a spaghetti-western guitar riff over heavy bass, nimbly blending the old with the new. The song bitingly addresses those who “wash their hands with corruption/ Making our lives miserable/ Miseducating our hoods.” Sung in Spanish and English, “Fronteras” urges immigrants of all nations to rise up in international solidarity and fury. 

    The humming Romani melodies signaling Gogol Bordello’s entrance began echoing before the group even stepped on stage, mesmerizing the crowd. The longer it lasted, the more voices in the audience called for them: “We want you!” A security guard tapped me, warning “you might want to be ready to get out of the way. Just in case there’s crowd surfers.” What exactly was I in for? 

    What I was in for, it turned out, was a rousing, electric and moving performance; a “gypsy punky party,” as Eugene Hutz declared. Once they began performing it proved impossible to look away. Their musical capability is astounding; just drums, violin and an acoustic guitar can give the impression of the center of a thunderstorm. Each song seems to feature a new instrument offering the perfect final tough; bongos, or bells, or an enormous marching bass drum. 

    The band’s unity, creativity and technical skill make thundering tracks like “Wonderlust King” and “Immigraniada” feel stadium-worthy. But the close environment of a club offered Gogol Bordello an opportunity to highlight their other grand talent: engaging an audience. Hopping from platform to platform and teetering at the edge of the stage, the band treats the stage like a playground and encourages the audience to adopt the same mentality. Many times, Hutz spun his hands as the crowd energy grew and grew, literally stirring the pot. 

    What felt most revolutionary about the performance was its embodiment of the Gogol Bordello’s mission: breaking boundaries, emphasizing global solidarity, and rejecting the norm. Even the band itself was somewhat shifted; Gogol Bordello announced on Tuesday members Ashley Tobias and Boris Pelekh had tested positive for COVID-19 and were quarantining. Leo Minimum Tek stood in for Pelekh with the rousing support of Hutz, whose unfettered, wiley joy seems utterly unsinkable. Waltzing across the stage in an open, tasseled bolero jacket, twirling his guitar as casually as the bottle of Brazilian rum he brought onstage, Hutz couldn’t be less bothered. His demeanor of carelessness seemed to say: Hey, the world is fucked, but we can have fun with it, together. The emotion is as intoxicating as their breathless musical pace. 

    Furthermore, crowd participation isn’t optional with Gogol Bordell. Hutz’s gutterall yells and ad-libs always include a microphone to the crowd, and occasionally a tease to get louder. But the chaos of their music never loses you, as the mind-boggling technique kill violinist Sergey Ryabtsev specifically catches you and doesn’t let go. His mesmerizing violin brings to mind a lived-out version of The Devil Went Down To Georgia, the classic tune where a musician plays for his life. Ryabtsev could surely beat the devil at this game, even in his own territory. 

    The band came out for a lengthy, rowdy encore after an hour-long set, performing classics like “Start Wearing Purple,” and new track “Roaring 2020s.” As wild moshing continued in the pit, a couple on the edge of the crowd waltzed together, twirling furiously. No one wanted the party to end. 

    However, all parties must end, and before they headed offstage Gogol Bordello stood together, extending their arms to the crowd. Though they had been the ones to bring their wild breed of freedom, we had all shared in the moment, and they thanked us. Hutz left the audience with a final, affecting message: “Don’t believe the hype, don’t believe the anti-hype. Stay fucking centered.” 

    Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” played as the crowd trickled back out into the night. Whatever had been released in that theater left, in its place, a free and easy feeling; the performance had captured the angst, energy and possibly fleeting joy of this moment in time. When Gogol Bordello say they ‘confront the jaded and the irony-deseased,” they mean it. Their inspiring message of international-mindedness, righteous fury and pure fun is enough to leave the most jaded of souls with hope for the future. That is, a future with lightning rods like Gogol Bordello in it.

  • John Burdick Serves Up Dreamy Art Pop on Debut EP “Birds and Birds”

    The veteran guitarist and songwriter John Burdick is known in the mid-Hudson Valley as the leader of long-running stumble pop quintet, The Sweet Clementines, as well as for his work as an always tasteful sideman for Old 97’s front man Rhett Miller and his All-Stars, indie singer-songwriter Laura Stevenson and others.  The name may also be familiar to music-lovers in NYS from his years as a music critic for outlets like Almanac Weekly (now Hudson Valley One) and Chronogram.

    Birds and Birds is the name of Burdick’s latest, a four-track EP which is actually the first title released under his own name.  It’s a maddening slim selection (at a little over 14-minutes, I wish there was more) of lush down-tempo art pop, the ideal chill-out listening experience for these troubled COVID times.

    John Burdick

    With the intro to “Unison Waltz,” we can hear that Burdick has spent a good deal of time listening to the electric guitar filagree of Richard Thompson. Like all the songs here, there’s a delight swirl of textures stitched by the electric and acoustic guitars, keys and background voices.  Ten bonus points for working the word “gestalt” into the lyrics without having the tune grind to a halt!  The slacker-rock socio-economic critique “Complikate” came out of SubFamily Records’ casual quarantine experiment Seed Project (reviewed here). But it was re-mixed for this collection by the Grammy-winning producer Danny Blume. This features more distinctive organ vibes and some melodic McCartneyisms on the bass.

    The closer, “Birds of Heaven,” is a true standout, a perfect endpiece that reminds me a bit of John Cale’s placement of “Antarctica Starts Here” on his masterwork. Paris 1919. It dawns as the most minimal and poetic offering in the collection, before the thump kicks in two minutes in. Burdick’s ambient guitars, lush keys from Sarah Perrotta, the potent percussion and sound design by this track’s co-producer C.I.T.E and Dean Brown’s trombone solo on the make this another fine example of this artist’s eclectic art pop sensibilities. 

    Key Tracks: Birds of Heaven, Complikate

  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band Celebrates NOLA Heritage at Ridgefield Playhouse

    On September 3, Preservation Hall Jazz Band drew in a packed house at The Ridgefield Playhouse bringing with them the soul of New Orleans jazz and heritage. With merely less than a week since the devastating Hurricane Ida hitting New Orleans, their keep-your-head-up spirit radiated from their voices and music. (Links to NOLA hurricane relief fundraisers are included at the end of the article)

    Preservation Hall Jazz Band

    Preservation Hall is celebrating a big milestone this year. It’s the 60th anniversary since their founding in 1961 after Allan and Sandra Jaffe inherited a hybrid art & music gallery space on St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. Today the band is carries on a family tradition being led by Allan’s son, Ben Jaffe. Much like the nightly concerts put on by members of the Preservation Hall collective at their New Orleans venue, the show took us through various flavors of the New Orleans jazz tradition with the spice of their own touch blending other cultural music styles in their arrangements.

    Preservation Hall Jazz Band

    The second set brought a special surprise for the audience, in a way a blessing introduced by Hurricane Ida. Jaffe walked out on stage with a clarinet to say some introductory words, referencing a musician who, because of the hurricane timing, evacuated New Orleans with the band rather than other possible alternatives. A living legend of the Preservation Hall collective, 89-years-young Charlie Gabriel, was brought out for the entirety of the remainder of the show. Gabriel’s passion for the saxophone, music, and comradery for his bandmates gave him a youthful but refined liveliness as he stood alongside his bandmates on stage.

    Preservation Hall Jazz Band

    That French Quarter street music feel had many toes tapping the whole night and as the heat grew on stage the theater was brought to their feet, seemingly shaking loose the weight of the past year. The band capped the end of the night with two burners, “La Malanga” and their Cuba-inspired composition “Keep Your Head Up.”

    Preservation Hall Jazz Band

    Preservation Hall Jazz Band Setlist:

    Set 1: Tin Roof Blues, One Hundred Fires, Rich Women, Tootie Ma, So It Is, Santiago, That’s It!

    Set 2: Come With Me/Convergence, Dear Lord, I Am, La Malanga, Keep Your Head Up

    In the wake of Hurricane Ida, there are several ways to contribute to help New Orleans musicians and the NOLA community in Hurricane Ida relief:

  • Foo Fighters Fly Full Circle In Return To Syracuse

    The Foo Fighters were scheduled to play the K-Rockathon at the New York State Fairgrounds in the summer of 2000, but cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. They returned to play the Landmark Theater with Queens of the Stone Age later that year with Dave Grohl covering Prince’s “Purple Rain” that night as an apology to the Syracuse audience.

    21 years later, Grohl and the band were about to send a virtual apology to the seated fans at the Lakeview Amphitheater big screen that the show might not go on. The band was stuck at JFK airport waiting on a plane for almost four hours due to fog. Grohl said the band set a deadline: if they weren’t en route to Syracuse by 8:20 p.m., the show wasn’t going to happen. 8:15 rolled around. Then 8:16. 8:17. 8:18. At 8:19 p.m. Grohl got word from the pilot.

    “They said, alright, we’re going to Syracuse,” he said. “We got a fucking rock show.”

    foo fighters
    photo by Joel Semel via Foo Fighters

    This energy carried from the plane’s landing at Syracuse’s Hancock airport to a police escort to Lakeview Amphitheater. The full band got out and immediately took the stage around 9:45pm. County Executive Ryan McMahon helped cater the show past the 11PM curfew, in true rock n roll fashion. “The question that was our call to make is how late do they play,” McMahon said. “The team made the right call: They can play as late as they want and we’ll deal with repercussions later.”

    What occurred musically for the rest of the evening was pure rock n roll magic. The moment the house lights drew on the band, a mutual appreciation quickly developed between them and the crowd. Permission was granted to be able to rock the night away. 

    As Dave Grohl softly sang the opening verse to “Times Like These” it created an in-the-moment fervor felt immediately by 17,000 people. He belted extra loud the nights appropriate lyrics during “Learn to Fly:” “Now, I’m looking to the sky to save me. Make my way back home when I learn to fly high.”

    The heavy drum intro to “My Hero” was another golden original played on the Onondaga Lake Trails. Drummer Taylor Hawkins sported an old band tee of The Police and his bass drum had a  “RIP Charlie” tag to honor the fallen Rolling Stone. Hawkins switched spots with Grohl on drums For lead on Queens “somebody to love”. Freddie Mercury’s spirit was sang by the crowd and band in full bravado.

    “Anybody, anywhere, anybody find me somebody to love love love! Somebody find me, find me love.” The band played off a new concept cover of The Bee Gees “You Should Be Dancing” that sent bodies back to the old discotheque. “All My Life” howled it’s lyrics “Hey, don’t let it go to waste, I love it but I hate the taste”  The two Foo Fighters staples “Best of You” and “Everlong” completely unified the crowd to cloud nine to end the night. “Wait, it took 20 fucking years to play Syracuse? What the fuck, that is bullshit!” Grohl exclaimed.

    Foo Fighters – September 15, 2021 At St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse

    Setlist: Times Like These, The Pretender, Learn to Fly, No Son of Mine,The Sky is a Neighborhood Shame Shame, Breakout, My Hero, These Days, Walk, You Should Be Dancing (Bee Gees cover), Band member solos + Blitzkrieg Bop snippet, Somebody to Love (Queen cover) All My Life, This Is a Call, Best of You, Everlong

    Encore: This Is a Call, Best of You, Everlong

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