A few songs into The Dude of Life Band’s first set at Lark Hall, Steve Pollak (aka, The Dude of Life) announced that after the show, they’ll be streaming the Phish show from San Francisco, which started shortly after 11pm ET on Saturday, October 16. “So we’re opening for Phish a few time zones away,” said Pollak, much to the crowd’s delight. And in a way, the band was opening for Phish, a band with whom Pollak has a decades-long connection.
The Dude of Life Band, a genre-bending group led by the Dude of Life, Steve Pollak, includes Pollak on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Fred Scholl on lead guitar, Charlie de Saint Phalle on bass, Doug Schneider on drums, and Jon Liebowitz of God Street Wine on keyboard and organ.
For several decades, The Dude has been writing songs in an ongoing collaboration with Phish, and first teamed up with Trey Anastasio while the two were in high school. The Dude wrote lyrics for a number of Phish’s most beloved songs, including “Fluffhead,” “Run Like an Antelope” and “Suzy Greenberg,” and has also been a mythical sideshow with the band, making random guest appearances often highlighted by the throwing of uniquely-inscripted rubber chickens into the crowd. The Dude’s debut album, Crimes of the Mind, was recorded with Phish for Elektra Records and released in 1994.
In recent years, The Dude of Life has developed a more refined sound, and a recent burst of creativity has yielded an album’s worth of new material which was recently recorded by acclaimed producer Bryce Goggin.
The Dude of Life Band performed some of these new songs – “Automatic Pilot,” “Dilaudid Nurse” and “In Case You Didn’t Know,” alongside his Phish classics, plus a handful of Grateful Dead covers, “Ruby Tuesday” by The Rolling Stones and “Badge” by Cream. The flow to the show was smooth and the hits kept coming as the evening progressed. Pollak wrapped up the show with an appropriate “Show of Life,” right before turning the mic over to Phish, live from the Chase Center in San Francisco
Setlist: Crazy Too, Althea, Can’t Always Listen, Ain’t No More Caine, Nobody Finer, Mississippi Blues, Automatic Pilot, Franklin’s Tower, Suzy Greenberg, Dilaudid Nurse, Fluffhead, She Belongs to Me, Sugaree, Space -> Lost Moments in Time, In Case You Didn’t Know, Crimes of the Mind, Ruby Tuesday, Badge, Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad -> Show Of Life
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong were joined by Neighbor on October 15, for the second of a two night run at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Dogs In A Pile started the party at Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre.
The atmosphere at “The Cap” felt familiar and comfortable. It was that cool uncle with the cool T-shirts that was very excited about legalization of certain herbs. It was a relaxed vibe that did not take itself too seriously, which helped cultivate pure enjoyment from fans. Most employees resided at the venue since its reopening and seemed to love working there. The rich history of the venue contributed to a feeling of experience and familiarity. For those cautious to attend an indoor concert.
Fans of Pigeons filled with anticipatory excitement for the next cue in their favorite song. The crowd burst with joy every time their part in the collaboration, and were beautifully illuminated for each moment.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong – The Capitol Theatre – Saturday, October 15, 2021
Setlist: Pop Off, Fall in Place, Melting Lights > Poseidon, Paperboy, Porcupine > Ocean Flows, My Own Way, Water, Skinner, Dawn A New Day, Snake Eyes, Living for the City (Stevie Wonder), King Kong, Day in Time, Overrun, Doc
Embarking on their first tour since 2019, Dopapod chose a familiar setting in Saratoga Springs’ Putnam Place to kick things off, which they did in remarkable fashion. A mostly packed house was treated to a first set that began, and ended, with a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Echoes.”
photo by Pete Mason
In fact, that’s all they played for a full hour, finding room to jam and improvise without any let up. After 25-30 minutes of “Echoes,” fans looked around at each other wondering “Is this still Echoes?” and simultaneously realizing “This is all they’re going to play this set.” There were no complaints, and no one second-guessed the band’s choice here, rocking out for the full 63-minute set with teases of The Beatles and Dopapod originals mix in, the crowd reveling in the awesomeness they witnessed during setbreak on the Putnam patio.
Set 2 found far more songs, nine to be exact, with a range of material from across Dopapod’s catalog. The recent debut “Velcro” kicked things off, followed by “Happy Song” off 2009’s Radar and fan favorite “Braindead” from Redivider, Luke Stratton’s lights silhouetting the band throughout.
“Black and White,” a highlight of Dopapod’s 2017 Halloween show at Putnam Place, featured teases of “I Might Be Wrong” by Radiohead and “Funky Duck” by Vulfpeck. The final segment of “Onionhead” > “Grow” > “Present Ghosts” capped the night perfectly, bolstered by room shaking bass from Charles Jones.
For an encore, while the setlist only showed “French Bowling,” an audible was called with AC/DC’s “T.N.T.,” preceded by Eli Winderman fist pumping and engaging the crowd to add in “OY! OY! OY!” before Eli and Rob Compa led the band through the 70s rocker. “Bowling” did indeed then close out a fun night of music afterwards.
Dopapod, who just released their new single “Think” today, arrives at Buffalo Iron Works on Wednesday, October 27 before heading to the Midwest. Get your tickets here.
Dopapod returned to The Dock in Ithaca, a premier music venue on Cayuga Lakes Inlet, for the first time since 2012. Rob Compa gave the crowd an A+ for their vibe, saying, “This is exactly how we want a Dopapod show to be.”
The four piece crushed their first set with a standout “Trapper Keeper” jam that the fall crowd boogied down on. Whether you had a Jansport or an Eastpak to store it in, you probably had your video game cartridges in there as well. Dopapod fired up their old consoles for the “Donkey Kong Country Theme” -> “Something from Zelda.”
Cornell’s infamous Barton Hall that sits in The Dock’s sightline sent a sonic wave to crash in the set. During their original “Sonic,” Dopepod took the Grateful Dead’s classic “Dark Star” on an uptempo disco vibe that sent people dancing in the boat launch.
The band opened the encore on drummer Neal “Fro” Evans who laid down a tight groove of improvisation before launching the band back into the 1990s. Dopapod rocked the dock with Alanis Morissette’s classic “You Oughta Know” to close the night out. Rob Compa noted told NYS Music after the show “I think Taylor Hawkins (current Foo Fighters drummer) is on the original studio drum beat for that.”
Dopapod – The Dock, Ithaca, NY – October 21, 2021
Set 1: Freight Train > Mucho, STADA, Trapper Keeper, Numbers Need Humans, Vol. 3 #86
Set 2: Bats in the Cave, Donkey Kong Country Theme -> Something from Zelda > Trickery, Nerds -> Sonic¹
Encore: You Oughta Know²
¹ Dark Star (Grateful Dead) tease ² Alanis Morissette cover, Nerds tease
Syracuse is a host to a bunch of local venues, one in particular, The Lost Horizon which was established in 1976 was host to The Black Dahlia Murder “Up From The Sewer” tour but they were not alone. The tour was also accompanied by After The Burial, Carnifax, Rivers Of Nihl, and Undeath.
All bands on this tour have been traveling together, so there weren’t any local acts but one band is a familiar sight to many, Undeath is actually a Rochester native. The Lost Horizon may not be a big venue when compared to others but many came out to the show and many circle pits were made. Head over to their site and check out the upcoming shows.
The Fillmore East was called “The Church of Rock and Roll” for good reason; between 1968 and 1971, promoter Bill Graham made music history as he brought the cream of rock royalty to New York audiences in astounding triple-artist bills with ticket prices ranging from $3.50 – $5.50. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Sly and the Family Stone, Santana and The Allman Brothers were just some of the stars that graced the stage, with several recording classic live albums at the Lower East Side venue.
Interestingly, Graham also served as a catalyst for expanding the tastes of impressionable young music lovers in New York and abroad. He accomplished this by using the popular rock headliners to introduce audiences to the more eclectic artists he loved and booked as show openers. These were the cutting-edge names in jazz, soul, R&B and folk music, from Miles Davis, Buddy Rich and Mongo Santamaria to B.B. and Albert King and The Staple Singers. It all ended when rock became a big business, when concerts and Graham himself moved onto larger stages.
New light is now being cast on this institution’s brief run and lasting impact in an in-depth and soulful new book by veteran journalist Frank Mastropolo, Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock History.
Like Legs McNeil’s punk history classic, Please Kill Me, Mastropolo’s new work is an oral history told by 90 of the musicians and crewmembers who lived through the fast times at this pioneering concert hall. Roger McGuinn, Jack Casady, Jorma Kaukonen, Robert Lamm, Dave Davies, John Lodge, Nils Lofgren, Dave Mason and Steve Miller are among the 19 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who contributed to the book, along with Fillmore crew like lightshow pioneer Joshua White and East Village scenesters like media prankster/artist Joey Skaggs. The book also boasts dozens of remarkable performance photos (many taken by the author himself), along with posters, letters, buttons, contracts and memorabilia, many never before published.
Mastropolo begins with backstory and history of the theater that would become The Fillmore East, The Commodore, and its place as a centerpiece of Yiddish Theater and vaudeville beginning in the 1920s. Rock enters the picture in 1967, when it becomes The Village Theater and hosts a handful of rock concerts by Cream, Procol Harum, The Yardbirds and The Grateful Dead. With the success of his San Francisco-based Fillmore West, Graham decides to buy and re-open it as The Fillmore East. The debut show comes on March 8, 1968, with a triple-bill featuring Big Brother and the Holding Company with Janis Joplin, blues great Albert King and folk rocker Tim Buckley.
The heart of Mastropolo’s book are the remarkable first-person reminiscences of the artists who played there and their contrasting memories of the mercurial empresario who ran it.
Janis Joplin: Photo by Frank Mastropolo
Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford recalls a night where the audience demanded a remarkable 17 encores. It was an unprecedented occasion, one that Graham commemorated by gifting each member of the band an inscribed gold watch. Sly and the Family Stone drummer Greg Errico recalls Graham’s initial reticence about booking his band, saying of the Fillmore audience: “My people don’t dance!” Then teenaged Television guitarist Richard Lloyd recalls how easy it was to get past the virtually non-existent security to visit Jimi Hendrix, in his dressing room. Chicago’s keyboardist Robert Lamm is one of many artists in the book who think the Fillmore East’s position as the first-choice venue of rockers was a product of its first-rate sound, lighting and staff.
Jorma Kaukonen credits the birth of his and bass player Jack Casady’s Jefferson Airplane offshoot, the acoustic Delta blues based Hot Tuna, to the Fillmore East. “I think the Hot Tuna as a band that the public saw was certainly born at the Fillmore East,” relates Kaukonen. “Jack and I had been messing around in hotels for years, with him playing his bass through a tiny amp and me playing acoustic guitar. My recollection about this is that Paul (Kanter) just out of the blue said – ‘Why don’t you guys go out and play an acoustic song?’ That’s how we were given the opportunity to play and display it in front of other people for the first time.”
John Lennon and Yoko Ono with Frank Zappa and the Mothers: Photo by Dr. Arlene Q. Allen and Ben Haller
Steve Miller recalls the tumult of one of his performances, when his band followed British novelty act Mungo Jerry of “In the Summertime” fame. The fun-loving show openers made the not-so-wise decision of giving 500 kazoos to the boisterous NYC audience, who then jammed along uninvited during Miller’s set. Also recalled is the May 1969 concert where The Who performed their rock opera Tommy in its entirety. The performance was briefly interrupted when a fire broke out at a neighboring supermarket and Pete Townsend attacked a police officer who was attempting to get on stage to command the audience to exit.
Jimi Hendrix: Photo by Frank Mastropolo
Many of the musicians featured remark on the epic lengths of the shows, ones that would often culminate in jams that would go on until 6 a.m. and beyond. Also remembered were the post-show meals at Ratner’s, the adjacent 24-hour restaurant manned by surly waiters made even more so by the paltry tips given by Fillmore staff and its cash-strapped young audience. Also are the first-person memories of the many live recordings made at the venue. This just begins with classic sets by The Allman Brothers, Jimi Hendrix and his Band of Gypsys, Johnny Winter, Taj Mahal, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds and New York’s own mighty Mountain.
The backstage crew who cut their teeth at the Fillmore East, including managing directors John Morris and Kip Cohen and stage manager Chip Monck, would go on to play important roles at various record labels, radio stations and, especially, with other huge concert tours and festivals including Woodstock.
Graham and the above were at Woodstock. There they witnessed how rock was turning into a very big business, where he couldn’t compete with a 2,700-seat theater.
Pete Townsend of The Who: Photo by Frank Mastropolo
In the book, Mastropolo relates the math. Where an artist could command $75,000 for a single show at Madison Square Garden, Graham could only provide $25,000, for four performances over two days. According to the book, Graham also didn’t care for the new generation of bands like Kiss and Alice Cooper and their cocaine-fueled attitudes and demands and their “stockbroker” greed. He and his staff were also tired of “cleaning up vomit,” something produced by the Fillmore audience’s switch from weed and psychedelics to red wine and downs. There was also sadness that Graham could not replicate the 1968 opening lineup for the June 1971 closing weekend, as both Janis Joplin and Tim Buckley were both gone.
Allman Brothers Band: Photo by Ben Haller
The book concludes with a tour of the afterlife of the Fillmore East site. This included a brief attempt to resurrect the name as NFE (The New Fillmore East) and The Village East. There was also its eight-year stint as the site of the gay disco, The Saint, followed by its life as an Emigrant Bank and, finally, the condo of today.
Frank Mastropolo in Greenwich Village, 1968: Photo by Tony Gulisano
Mastropolo’s book will provide a boatload of memories for those lucky enough to have been there and a motherload of info for those too young to enjoy rock’s most classic temple of sound.
The London-bred experimental rock band Black Midi came through Webster Hall on Tuesday night in support of their excellent 2021 LP Cavalcade. The show was their first stop in the city, one night before playing the smaller, niche performance space Pioneer Works in Brooklyn. The band last played in New York back in July of 2019 with a headlining show at Bowery Ballroom. That show was fresh off the heels of their breakout debut LP Schlagenheim.
Black Midi at Webster Hall, 10/19/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
As the lights went down inside Webster Hall, Black Midi was introduced over the PA as if we were about to witness an old school boxing match. The band took the stage as Sinatra’s always tasteful “New York, New York” played over the speakers. The song would not only be an intro, but the band would recall the chorus of the song several times during the first couple songs of the show.
Black Midi at Webster Hall, 10/19/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
Black Midi have two studio LPs under their belt (via Rough Trade) and both feature free jazz, math rock, punk and indie all blended together in an experimental guise. The records go through various movements with long, psychedelic passages surrounded by ferocious bits of jazzy punk rock. Even though the music is chaotic and noisy on the surface, it all comes together in a cohesive and well performed live show. Songs from both records were seamlessly stitched together with jams and improvs blending one into the other.
Black Midi at Webster Hall, 10/19/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
Black Midi have a lengthy tour schedule ahead. The US shows continue until the end of October, with another US leg happening in March and April 2022. In between, the band tour the UK and Europe throughout November and December. Check out the full list of tour dates HERE and the setlist from the Webster Hall show is below.
Setlist: 953, Speedway, Welcome To Hell, Dethroned, Sugar/Tzu, The Defence, Hogwash and Balderdash, Still, Flamenco, Lumps, Chondro, John L, 27 Questions, Slow
From the same Jersey Boardwalk scene as Bruce Springsteen the legendary Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes sound is currently touring this season.The group traveled from the Jersey shore to Upstate New York’s Homer Center for the Arts on Sunday October 17, 2021. Jon Bon Jovi has acknowledged Southside Johnny as his “reason for singing”.
Out Loud Pictures: Southside Johnny, Tom Seguso, Glenn Alexander, Chris Anderson
Southside Johnny revived the 1950’s Summer vibe last July at a Drive in Concert at Monmouth Race Track. More than a 1,000 vehicles honked their car horns to show appreciation for the Asbury Jukes horns sound in New Jersey’s biggest concert last year. So to have them inside the sold out Center for the Arts Homer on Sunday was truly an intimate performance.
Out Loud Pictures: Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes
The Horn Section is made up of Chris Anderson on Trumpet, John Isley on Saxophone and Neal “The Dude” Pawley on trombone. The trio helped serenade the spirits of the 150 year old church turned music venue on Sunday.
Across on B3 Hammond and piano was the band’s musical director Jeff Kazee. He led the ensemble on vocals for Steve Winwood’s classic “Can’t Find My Way Home”. Glenn Alexander rocked the evening on lead guitar. John Conte’s bass lines bounced off Tom Seguso’s boardwalk beats. Seguo sported a pair of Carter Beauford style white gloves while playing the kit.
Southside Johnny sang to the crowd during the twenty one song set that “I want to hear people laughing and having a good time, I want to know why she told me she had to go, why did she leave me so lonely…it’s time to go but I don’t want to go home”
Out Loud Pictures: Jeff Kazee, John Conte
It should come to no surprise that Bruce Springsteen joined the band when they played in Asbury Park for “The Fever”. The Homer crowd was given the same medicine on Sunday night as they played this classic. Oh he’s got the fever. Left this little boy blue.
Out Loud Pictures: Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes
The eight piece ensemble closed the show with “Shake em Down.” Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes were howling in unison with the crowd… We’re Gonna Rock until the morning We’re gonna ride till we die. I gotta keep movin till I’m satisfied.
In June 2021, Bruce Springsteen was the first to play Broadway at The St. James Theater since its closing last year. He treated the crowd to stories of his Freehold, New Jersey childhood where he grew in to song. Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes brought the same small town magic back to the Center for the Arts during its Fall season. In similar fashion to when Bruce guested with the Jukes they closed the night with a nod to Sam Cook Sundays for his classic “Were having a party” Tell Em one more time, were havin a party, yeah. and everybody’s swinging, oh, were dancin to the music, on the radio, tell you, were havin a party.
Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes Homer Center for the Arts – October 17 2021
Setlist: Passion, Ain’t That Lonely, Angel Eyes->Forever, Lost, Wrong Side, Gin Soaked Boy, Woke up this AM, Good is Gone, Fool, Your My Girl, All I Can Do. Without Love, Fever, Talk to Me, Trapped Again, Shake Em Down Encore: Not that Lonely, Were Having a Party
Indie rock sensation Japanese Breakfast played four sold out shows at Brooklyn Steel last week (October 14-17, 2021), continuing their North American Fall 2021 Tour.
Japanese Breakfast at Brooklyn Steel, photography by David Reichmann
Luna Li opened for Japanese Breakfast the first three nights, her last involvement after having also opened for them throughout the first leg of the tour. Bringing a lot of warmth and enthusiasm, Li performed several of her biggest hits including “Alone But Not Lonely“, “Cherry Pit“, and a few energizing instrumentals from her Jams EP.
Luna Li remarked on how deeply thankful she was for the fans and for the huge opportunity to go on tour. She also mentioned how seeing Japanese Breakfast in concert several years ago had inspired her, stating,
as a Korean . . . seeing Michelle, another Korean, on stage meant so much to me.
Luna Li
Japanese Breakfast started their set with “Paprika,” the opening track from their latest album, Jubilee. Each time Michelle smashed the gong, the crowd screamed and cheered. They went immediately into the second track of the album “Be Sweet,” which lifted the crowd to an even louder chorus of cheers.
Apart from their successful run of performances, Japanese Breakfast front-woman and songwriter, Michelle Zauner, not only released an all-new soundtrack to accompany the video-game,Sable, last month, but had also launched her memoir Crying in H-Mart earlier this year as well.
You can listen to their music and follow the rest of their North American Tour here.
The fall concert series at The Dock in Ithaca is in full “Rocktober” mode. Kevin Black presented the AC/DC tribute band Bonfire on Friday, October 15, with a very fitting “Back In Black” vibe had by the all-ages crowd. What’s more fun than a band dressing up as a musical costume during a month of Halloween celebrations? Bonfire’s ensemble is a full attraction to casinos and festivals that fit nicely on The Dock’s stage.
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
Lead guitarist Donnie “Angus” Bottacio felt at home on the Cayuga Lake inlet venue. He is an audio-video specialist at Cornell University. This would explain the high quality production and sound levels the band put out at the Dock on Friday. Donnie made his way through the crowd while simultaneously shredding the red signature Gibson axe to make sure everyone could hear the Marshall amps like AC/DC did. Bottacio told Kat Walters on the I 100 radio station, “I do the riffs as close as humanly possible to Angus, I can’t be Angus but I try my best to celebrate his music with all the love the crowd has to come out and enjoy it.”
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
The infamous “Hell’s Bells” opened the show in a chilling fashion. They covered all eras of AC/DC’s catalog. The five-piece band crushed 30 songs in full character. The same bagpipes from AC/DC’s studio sound were brought to life on the Dock stage by Mexico, NY’s Kevin Dano. It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
The group’s name is attributed to the variety in AC/DC’s 1997 five CD bag set release “Bonfire”. Lead singer Steve Seniuk helped cover the Bon Scott and Brian Johnson era of AC/DC with the same bravado. Bassist Mike Del Olio and Drummer Tom Reeder were locked in like TNT Dynamite for the set. Guitarist Kenny Romer rocked an inferno-like tempo on the Dock stage for the entire performance. The audience and band came to full speed during the October classic “Highway to Hell.” Goin Down, Party time, my friends are gonna be there too, yeah, hey mama look at me…I’m on my way to the promised land… I’m on a highway to hell!
Photo by Out Loud Pictures
On October 5, 1980 AC/DC came to Central New York’s Onondaga County War Memorial as part of their Back In Black Tour. The same spirit made its way through the Dock on Friday as part of “Rocktober” 2021. Kevin Black presents similar musical costumes the rest of this month with tributes to Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, and naturally, Black Sabbath. For all other upcoming events at The Dock click here.
“Bonfire” AC/DC Tribute – The Dock, Ithaca, NY – October 15 2021 Setlist: Hell’s Bells, Shoot to Thrill, Dog a Bone, Dirty Deeds, Girls got Rhythm, Get it Hot, If You Want Blood, Money Talks, Sin City, Jailbreak, Demon Fire, Pollution, Long Way (with bag pipes), Thunderstruck, Back in Black, Shook Me, Have a Drink, Money Honey, Shake a Leg, TNT, Rosie, Bad Boy Boogie, The Jack, Big Balls, Highway to Hell, For Those About to Rock, Let There be Rock Encore: Night Prowler, Walk All Over You, High Voltage
British punk outfit IDLES made an explosive return to Manhattan’s Terminal 5 this past weekend for two shows in support of their yet to be released fourth LP, Crawler. The band last played the venue two years ago in October as part of an extended touring cycle under their breakthrough record Joy As An Act Of Resistance. On night two of the run, front man Joe Talbot told the audience that playing at Terminal 5 “felt like playing at home” and they could not wait to make their return once the pandemic receded.
IDLES at Terminal 5, 10/16/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
Everything about an IDLES show is all about the fans and the appreciation the band has for them. Talbot explained during the show that the energy they feel from the crowd allows them to truly express themselves on stage, and they return that favor in full. Fans are brought onstage to sing and drum, and constant crowd surfing and singing from the barrier railing make the connection physical. A fan was invited onstage to sing along to “I’m Scum” during night two and “Love Song” was performed with a New York medley comprised of snippets of “Empire State of Mind” and Patti Smith’s “Because The Night.”
IDLES at Terminal 5, 10/16/21. Photo by BuscarPhoto
The setlist from each night contained three new songs, including lead single “The Beachland Ballroom” along with live debut’s of “The Wheel” and “Car Crash.” The new record, Crawler, is out on November 12, 2021 via Partisan Records. You can pre order the new record on the band’s website, and you can also see their full tour itinerary which runs across the US through November with a second UK/European leg from January – March 2022. More photos from night 2 at Terminal 5 below.
