Category: Reviews

Alice Cooper turns the Stanley Theatre Into a Haunted House

The Alice Cooper Show has been going for almost 50 years, starting with horror movie-like antics on stage. The capacity crowd at Utica’s Stanley Theatre couldn’t file into their seats fast enough for opening act Ace Frehley of KISS and headliner Alice Cooper on September 22. The last time Cooper performed in Upstate NY was with Johnny Depp and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, for the super group “The Hollywood Vampires” at Turning Stone Casino Showroom In May 2016, where Cooper even has his own golf locker.

photo courtesy of Stanley Theatre

Ace Frehly felt his NYC roots in Utica and got the crowd involved singing “I’m back, back in the New York groove” off his 1978 solo album, written on a Brooklyn subway. Ace simply said in between all tunes “Utica, you guys rock” as he continuously launched guitar picks like confetti to the crowd.

Alice Cooper took the stage at 8:45 and opened the show with “Feed My Frankenstein,” featured on the big screen in Wayne’s World with Wayne and Garth’s iconic experience seeing Alice live and hanging with him backstage.

Alice recounted “I used to be such a sweet, sweet thing ’til they got a hold of me” before launching into “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” Backing vocalist and lead guitar player Nita Strauss was a complete stage presence to be reckoned with. She frolicked from stage left to right while soloing. It seemed as if she was committing “Frettasault” on that axe. She and Alice traded the infamous “It was alright!” vocals on the Velvet Underground classic “Rock and Roll.” Alice then serenaded the crowd back to their teenage years “I got a baby’s brain and an old man’s heart, took 18 years to get this far” for the anthem “I’m 18.”

Nita Strauss took center stage solo for an improvisational section that went for minutes and could have continued for days. She used an Eddie Van Halen style on the upper guitar neck in a way that was hair raising. Strauss has said in the past, “I do remember being a kid and hearing Van Halen. My dad was always playing Van Halen in the car.”

The first haunted house of fall was the stage set up inside the majestic Stanley Theater with all sorts of cast and sleepy hollow like production throughout. The golden architecture of the Stanley transformed the venue to the old castle in the Johnny Depp movie “Dark Shadows” where naturally Alice is the night’s entertainment.

Alice’s wife Sheryl Goddard was part of the “Thriller”-like Choreography cast that had her dressed like an old spirit haunting the theater stage. Alice was subjected to a straight jacket and even had his head decapitated on site. He returned to full evil carnival ring leader attire before being chained up by a giant “teenage Frankenstein” to carry him off stage.

photo courtesy of Stanley Theatre

The encore was something out of a Phish New Years gag with an onstage celebration of LED light visuals, bubbles, confetti, multi-colored giant balloons and explosions of sound. Alice came out with a spiked cane in hand and head to toe in a white suit orchestrating the celebration. Naturally the crowd and band erupted to the summer’s teenage national anthem “Schools Out.” Alice even referenced the teachers who beg the question, “How can you eat your meat if you don’t have any pudding?” by throwing in a verse from Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall.”

A lot of Alice’s material represents the “Motor City” Detroit sound where he hails from, and he’ll head back home this week to Westland, MI for the dedication of Alice Cooper Court, a stretch of road off Michigan Avenue by the former Eloise Psychiatric Hospital. Hopefully a stolen hellcat car doesn’t drive down into a train like he references in his new song “Go Man Go.”

Setlist: Feed My Frankenstein, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Bed of Nails, Rock & Roll (The Velvet Underground), Fallen in Love, Go Man Go, Under My Wheels, He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask), Social Debris, I’m Eighteen, Poison, Billion Dollar Babies, Roses on White Lace, My Stars, Devil’s Food, Black Widow Jam, Steven, I Love the Dead, Escape, Teenage Frankenstein
Encore: School’s Out

September 24, 2021
Faye Webster Brings Peace and Pedal Steel to Higher Ground

Atlanta singer Faye Webster brought her I Know I’m Dangerous Haha tour to Burlington, VT on Friday, playing Higher Ground’s Showcase Lounge. The Atlanta singer/songwriter released her album I Know I’m Funny Haha in June to critical acclaim.

Accompanying Faye Webster on the tour, and putting meaning to the tour name, are Atlanta rap duo Danger Incorporated. The pair, composed of Boothlord and Louie Duffelbags, got the crowd hyped with heavy-beats hits like “Diamonds.”

Though Danger Incorporated and Faye Webster couldn’t belong to more different genres, their opening set felt fitting. Their mournful, introspective trap proved an apt opener for Webster’s melancholy country. When Boothlord, Webster’s partner, hops on an electric guitar, you can see why they may get along on. And from his DJ table, the perpetually stoic Louie Duffelbags’ reverberating beats made the small venue feel enormous.

“This next one’s an emotional banger, so beware,” Duffelbags warned before one song. But “emotional banger” could describe their entire repertoire: music for the lonely drive home from the club, when the bass still reverberates in your ears but bleakness starts to filter in. Their latest single “Shut the F**k Up :,)” is a slow, thundering anthem with a simple message: leave me alone. Danger Incorporated’s whispered tones match, in their own emo-trapper way, the laidback, woozy delivery that makes Faye Webster’s music so special.

Before Faye Webster took the stage, a resounding chorus of “ha-ha’s” played from the speakers; different voices, different intonations, but the same haunting laugh. Illuminated by bright red circles reading “haha” that also emblazon her latest album’s cover, Webster played a stunning set to an enraptured crowd. From more upbeat anthems like “Cheers” to the breezy bossa-nova of “Kind Of,” the set flowed into one river of emotion and light drums.

The emotional depth and sense of wisdom in Faye Webster’s music makes it easy to forget she’s only 23. Her exceedingly casual onstage persona evokes youth. Interacting with the audience, she alternates between avoiding attention and extending audience conversation for moments. When a fan called out that they love her, she laughed shyly and mumbled, “That’s sick.” But when an audience member called out, “What’s that guy playing?” referring to Matt “Pistol” Stoessel expertly playing a pedal-steel guitar, Webster became noticeably excited by the question. She called for the crowd to make a pathway for the curious viewer.

“Can you see it yet?” Webster called out, as Stoessel and bassist Noor Khan continued to lay down a groove. “It’s a pedal steel. It’s fucking sick.”

This old-soul, young-spirit quality is exactly what makes Webster’s heart-achey alt-country feel so arresting. Her fascination with old-school country instruments, mixed with a taste for the soul-bearing lyricism of R&B, creates something totally new. At what other show could an emo-trap duo open for a band with a pedal-steel, and flow seamlessly together? This is music for a new generation.

As melancholy as the material she works with is, Faye Webster’s performance felt anything but sad. In fact, her singular, wavering voice and that mesmerizing pedal steel felt like a warm embrace. Webster is a friend who may not know you well but knows exactly what you’re going through.

“I’ve been getting really good at taking care of myself these past few years,” Webster said at one point to thundering applause. And that night in Burlington, self-care was the name of the game. From Webster’s constant onstage hydration to the brimming tears in audience members eyes, clutching each other to especially emotional tracks like “A Stranger” or beloved older track “Jonny,” the set was restorative. If Webster’s dazzling latest album came from an effort to care for herself better, her performance offered that care to the crowd.

Faye Webster’s East Coast tour will continue with an upcoming New York set at Governor’s Ball on September 26. Watch her latest music video, for “Overslept” with mei ehara, below:

September 24, 2021
Griz Dazzles “In The Round” At the Brooklyn Mirage
Electro-funk maestro Griz made his way to The Brooklyn Mirage on Wednesday night, September 22, for the first of two shows dubbed “in the round and phone free.” A small stage was set up in the middle of the Mirage’s courtyard, just barely big enough to house Griz’s performance platform and a host of guest singers and musicians throughout the show. The simplified staging gave the fans in attendance a much more intimate experience than is typical in the venue for most layouts.

Griz at The Brooklyn Mirage, 9/22/21. Photo by Buscar Photo

Upon arrival, all attendees were given a Yondr pouch – a magnetically sealed pouch that secures your phone while remaining in your possession. The idea behind them is to force people to disconnect from their phones and outside lives for a few hours while enjoying the show, while at the same time eliminating the view of dozens of video-taking cell phones typically seen above a concert crowd. The pouches are a great concept and they are really effective at promoting a positive concert environment. Aside from no longer having access to the current time, I did not miss access to my phone one bit.

Griz “In The Round” at The Brooklyn Mirage, 9/22/21. Photo by Buscar Photo

The Brooklyn Mirage is one of several venues within the vast Avant Gardner complex. The venue has become one of the premier performance spaces in the city over the last few years, hosting some of the biggest names in electronic music all year long. Shows at The Mirage can feel overwhelming at times; the GA floor is quite expansive and there is an entirely separate space that exists along the walls that surround the courtyard with bars and lounges hidden throughout.

However, the cavernous feeling within the venue was vastly mitigated by the production for this show. A small rectangular area less than 20 feet in length was fenced off in the middle of the floor that housed Griz’s DJ tables and a small stage. Fans along the rail of the stage were no more than ten feet from Griz, and even if you were further away from the center, you still felt immersed in the action given the concentration right in the middle of the floor. This level of intimacy is rarely experienced in The Mirage.

Griz at The Brooklyn Mirage, 9/22/21. Photo by Buscar Photo

Griz blends hard hitting dubstep beats with a live, funky saxophone for a style of music uniquely his own. The electro-funk DJ added to his catalog this past June with the excellent new album Rainbow Brain. Night two of the Brooklyn Mirage shows is tonight, September 23, but due to the strong rain and wind expected, the “in the round” set-up was abandoned for a more protected set-up on the main stage of the venue. The show is still a phone free night, but it is a shame that the crowd for night two will miss out on the incredible intimacy of the night before. After tonight, Griz heads to Ohio for a set at the Lost Lands Music Festival before a b2b performance with Zed’s Dead in Arizona – catch the full run of shows HERE.
September 24, 2021
Patti Smith Greets a Harvest Moon for Hometown Show at SummerStage
Author, poet, songwriter, and Queen of New York Patti Smith graced the stage at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park with her bandfor a free Sunday evening show this past weekend as part of the Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage concert series.

Nearly one month ago Smith was set to perform as part of the mega NYC Homecoming Concert in the Great Lawn, which was cut short by the watery remnants of Hurricane Henri before she had her turn on stage. Confirmed in an interview she did that evening with Anderson Cooper, she we would have performed a duet with Bruce Springsteen on the song they penned together, “Because the Night.” While there was no surprise Bruce appearance, Smith made a full-hearted fancy of the tune in dedication to her late husband Fred Smith.

A NYC-cultivated setlist payed tribute and honor to Smith’s equals who’ve either passed or fortunate to still be contributing to the arts. Early in the show Smith dedicated the reggae-infused “Renando Beach” to the late Jamaican record producer Lee “Scratch” Perry and went on to pay tribute to Charlie Watts with “Beneath the Southern Cross.” In tribute to former Saturday Night Live star Norm Macdonald Smith introduced Stevie Wonder’s “Blame it on the Sun” with a quote from the late comedian. Her band paid homage to Hilly Kristal and his CBGB legacy with a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “I’m Free” with an interlude of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” Lastly, Smith tipped her hat to Bob Dylan with her take on his song “One Too Many Mornings.”

As a poet Smith performed her spoken word poem “Perfect Moon” to welcome in the approaching Harvest Moon leading seamlessly into the lyrics and music of “Dancing Barefoot.”

After a short encore break, Smith’s show ended with a message of strength “People Have the Power.” With fists in the air, many sang along in solidarity with that message.

The Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage concert series continues into early October; for more information check out the schedule here.

Setlist: Grateful, Redondo Beach, Free Money, Ghost Dance, Perfect Moon (poem), Dancing Barefoot, Ain’t It Strange, Beneath the Southern Cross, Blame It on the Sun, I’m Free -> Walk on the Wild Side -> I’m Free, Because the Night, Pissing in a River, One Too Many Mornings, Land / Gloria

Encore: People Have the Power
September 23, 2021
The L In Horseheads hosts August Burns Red “Leveler” Anniversary Tour

It’s been almost two years without any live music and some venues were being forced to close their doors for good. Fortunately, there have been new ones opening up. In Horseheads, NY, located in Chemung County, a new venue has arisen called The L, and its owner, Adam Bunce who is the organizer of iMatter Festival on September 16th, kicked off a show that did just that. It was only fitting to bring August Burns Red Leveler 10 year anniversary tour to be the first act, they were accompanied by Fit For A King, Erra, and Like Moths To Flame.

This new space has the capacity to fit 300, 500, and 1000 attendees in different rooms, and while this show wasn’t a sell out, attendance was definitely high. The show kicked off with Like Moths To Flames, followed by Erra, Fit For A King, then with heavy hitting August Burns Red.

With an owner who is used to running a festival with more bands and way more attendees, everything felt smooth, from the time you parked, till the last band, and even the food from the cafe was reasonably priced.

The night seemed like a huge success and they already have a line of shows announced. Head over and see what they have in store.

LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES

ERRA

FIT FOR A KING

AUGUST BURNS RED

September 22, 2021
Flogging Molly, Violent Femmes, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Thick at SPAC
This here was an eclectic, punky mix of music on a beautifully moonlit Sunday night at SPAC, with Flogging Molly, Violent Femmes, Me First and The Gimme Gimmes, and Thick. The venue had hosted hordes in their thousands for Dave Matthews earlier in the weekend, but this gig wasn’t that kind of shoulder-to-shoulder crowded – the theater was a good two-thirds or so full, with a smattering of people out on the lawn. Not empty by any stretch, but not packed either. Which was just fine for this writer, who is just easing back into live music in the plague-times.

Brooklyn punkers Thick opened the gig before the place had filled up much, with a few hundred people inside the theater and an enthusiastic group down the front. I’m new to this band, but they blasted out an energetic half-hour of raw, catchy punk, and I was left wanting to check out more. Cool band.

The place started to fill up for Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, who took the stage to an Eddie Money intro tape, and swaggered through a 45-minute set which damn near stole the show, kicking off with “Don’t You Worry About a Thing” and straight into Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” and roared through some Elton John (“Rocket Man”), Neil Diamond (“Sweet Caroline”), John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” and Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” preceded by an audience Q&A about weird public sex spots along with a whole bunch of other pop hits, retooled as blazing punk rock. You had to be there.

Swingin Utters’ Spike still leads the show and hits all the notes, but the band for this tour was bulletproof and ironclad: John “The Swami” Reis of Rocket from the Crypt and Jonny “2 Bags” Wickersham of Social Distortion on guitar, Andrew “Pinch” Pinching, sometime drummer for The Damned on the skins, and the guy with the bass, white hair and beard on the right was none other than CJ Ramone himself. CJ Ramone! They were great. All-star, hilarious, fast, heavy and and unstoppable.

Violent Femmes seemed the odd men out on a bill otherwise populated with fast punk rock, but a solid chunk of the crowd was here to see the alt-rock legends, who had a spare stage set, instrumental variety galore and got a great reaction. And if the Femmes touring with Flogging Molly seemed odd, it shouldn’t: the VF toured with The Pogues in the 80s, which should give them all the Celtic punk cred they need, as if they needed any. I’ve never owned a VF record, but openers “Add it Up” and “American Music” are familiar, ubiquitous alternative rock standards. They kept the crowd with them for the 15-song set, with one player from the Horns of Dilemma in the back mixing up the songs with some brass, a fiddle-player for a few songs, and drummer John Sparrow playing not only stand-up snare, but a wooden box and a charcoal grill. Bassist Brain Ritchie switched to xylophone for “Gone Daddy Gone” before “the hit” – “Blister in the Sun” and “Kiss Off” wrapped it up. A great set.

You’d think that the variety between the two headliners would see some of the VF crowd head for the doors on a work night, but not so – the audience hung in for Flogging Molly. The Femmes were by far the most veteran band here, but FM singer Dave King has probably been playing the Albany-Saratoga region longer, having first appeared in this region in the early 80s as a skinny Irish teenager with long red hair, fronting the British metal band Fastway when they opened for Iron Maiden in 1983, and Rush in 1984 at Glens Falls Civic Center just up the road from SPAC. Not that Flogging Molly are newcomers any more – their indie debut live record Alive Behind the Green Door was released way back in 1997, and the recently reissued, roaring debut studio record Swagger has passed the 20-year mark. Dave King’s red hair has given way to spiky white locks and spectacles. Flogging Molly are now veteran rockers. But the Celtic punk sound is still hefty, fast, rowdy Irish drinking music – even if SPAC’s inflated $17-per-can beer prices made it hard to afford to get in the spirit, and a lack of any Guinness on sale didn’t help either.

The Mollys hit the stage hard, with a hammering “Devil’s Dance Floor” from the Swagger debut getting the pit crowd up front bouncing, which continued for the whole hour-ish long gig. A pummeling of “The Hand of John L. Sullivan,” from their most recent record Life is Good was next, but most of the songs played weren’t the recent ones – nine of the 14 songs played were from the first two studio records, including a blazing “Drunken Lullabies,” “The Worst Day Since Yesterday,” which let off the gas a bit, King’s autobiographical “Black Friday Rule,” and an his ode to his dad – “The Likes of You Again.” The lineup has shifted – only four remain from the seven-member lineup that recorded those first two records: King, his wife/fiddler/whistle player Bridget Regan, bassist Nathan Maxwell, and Rochester, NY native Dennis Casey on guitar, who were joined by more recent members Spencer Swain on mandolin/banjo, and drummer Mike Alonso. Where accordion player Matt Hensley was is unknown, but he wasn’t in Saratoga. And there was some new music, the band playing one new jangly and Celtic song, “Croppy Boy,” which joined the hit single “Float” and the wistful “If I Ever Leave This World Alive” as the mellower points of the evening.

Other than that, it was all carousing, headbanging Irish music: instrumental neck-snapper “Swagger,” the pounding “Crushed (Hostile Nations)” and, of course, “Salty Dog,” that speed-demon Celt-punk classic which has not lost a thing in the 21 years since it opened the studio debut. The band finished up with two more full-on blasts of rollicking paddy-punk: “What’s Left of the Flag” and “The Seven Deadly Sins,” even if there were only six Flogging Mollys up there to commit them. A fine Celtic end to a four-pack of cool, varied, alt-punk musical acts.

Setlists:

ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES: Don’t You Worry ’bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder cover), Jolene (Dolly Parton cover), Danny’s Song (Loggins & Messina cover), Straight Up (Paula Abdul cover), Sloop John B (The Beach Boys cover), Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (Paul Simon cover), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond cover), Rocket Man (Elton John cover), Over the Rainbow (Harold Arlen cover), Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver cover), Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) (Barry Mann cover), Summertime (George Gershwin cover), End of the Road (Boyz II Men cover)

VIOLENT FEMMES: Add It Up, American Music, I’m Nothing, Breakin’ Up, Prove My Love, Promise, Country Death Song, Jesus Walking on the Water, Good Feeling, Gimme the Car, I Held Her in My Arms, Color Me Once, Gone Daddy Gone, Blister in the Sun, Kiss Off

FLOGGING MOLLY: Devil’s Dance Floor, The Hand of John L. Sullivan, Drunken Lullabies, The Worst Day Since Yesterday, Black Friday Rule, Croppy Boy, The Likes of You Again, Swagger, Float, Crushed (Hostile Nations), Salty Dog, If I Ever Leave This World Alive, What’s Left of the Flag, The Seven Deadly Sins.

Photos by Conor McMahon
September 21, 2021
Trey Anastasio Band Welcomes New Members at Westville Music Bowl

What a Sunday for a summer review in September. Trey Anastasio Band debuted their new lineup at Yale’s Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, CT. During its brief history, TAB has continued to add members, starting as a trio and evolving into an octet. New bassist Dezron Douglas said, “I’ve been familiar with his work with Phish since high school; I’m from Hartford, CT, so you can’t grow up in New England and not know about Phish.”

photo by Andrew Blackstein

Brooklyn saxophonist Cochemea Gastelum, filling in for James Casey, has worked with Aaron Neville, David Byrne and St Vincent, and collaborated with Soulive drummer Alan Evans. Cochemea is part of Brooklyn’s emerging afrobeat and soul scene and is a great fit with TAB drummer Russ Lawton and keyboardist Ray Paczkowski’s sound. Like Trey this summer with Phish, Soule Monde has been on the road supporting their new album Mimi Digs It, leading up to this East Coast TAB run. Insert Cyro Baptista’s full percussion sections and add Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman on horns and backing vocals and it’s a whole new groove.

A 6:30pm start time at the Westville Music Bowl allowed the whole crowd to be visible from the stage. Trey commented, “This place is pretty cool, I can see all of you.” They kicked it off and suggested to the crowd “to roll with the funk now and turn it around” during “Set Your Soul Free.” “Olivia” stayed Latin-funky, from Trey’s Horseshoe Curve album. Rolling with the funk now, the band then took on Phish’s “Ghost.” That saw Ray P stretching out on the clavinet. More fitting for a new band lineup is new material to debut, including “And Flew Away” and “Never Left Home” from Anastasio’s Lonely Trip record. Jennifer Hartswick’s voice carries across the Long Island Sound like water on the breeze during “Night Speaks to a Woman.”

The second set opened with one of the funkiest recent TAB songs, “In Rounds,” another groove Ray Paczkoswki can dig in on his clavinet. The late Tony Markellis‘ infamous groove to “Sand” kept his spiritual funk present with the new ensemble, one that Russ Lawton told NYS Music was a staple “still in the setlist after 20 odd years.” The afrobeat to “Curlews Call” allowed new saxophonist Cochemea Gastelum to also stretch out on stage. The variety in TAB’s catalog opened up another portal during “Quantegy,” off One Man’s Trash.

Photo by Scott Harris

As a full moon graced the stage, the band gave a nod to the skies and grooving audience that “we got the moon and stars above” in “Drifting.” Fans could hear the freeway calling as Natalie Cressman and Jennifer Hartswick provided amazing backing vocals on “Traveler.” The band closed with their infamous composition of exploration, “Mr. Completely.” Depending on the room, TAB has had made balconies shake since 2002 with this jam. The lyrics “Sunday morning shadows in the shade…” fit perfectly in the encore slot at the old Yale Tennis stadium with “Ether Sunday,” followed by the always welcome “First Tube” finale.

“First Tube” was played acoustically this year as tribute to Tony Markellis in Saratoga Springs, with Oysterhead at the Peach Fest and on Summer 2021 tour with Phish. It was appropriate for him to end the evening with this staple written by the original trio, to the new cast who can take it any direction on any given night.

The freedom in this music is that although it’s composed, there is room for every member to express themselves during the blended improvisational moments. Ray Packzkowski told NYS Music, “Yea it’s actually a beautiful thing,” regarding music in the moment that can’t be recreated: The band closes out this tour at the venerable Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan October 2 and 3.

Trey Anastasio Band – Westville Music Bowl, New Haven, CT – September 19, 2021

Setlist via Phish.net

Soundcheck: Just A Touch, Evolve (this soundcheck may be incomplete)

Set 1: Set Your Soul Free, Olivia, …And Flew Away, Alive Again > Ghost, Liquid Time, I Never Left Home, Night Speaks to a Woman

Set 2: In Rounds, Camel Walk, Sand, Curlew’s Call > Quantegy > Drifting > Traveler > Mr. Completely

Encore: Ether Sunday, First Tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJe0AN32uoc&t=64s

September 21, 2021
Alice Cooper starts fall tour in Atlantic City, plays Utica on Wednesday
Alice Cooper opened his fall tour Friday night in Atlantic City at the Oceanic Casino. The crowd began filing into the arena hours before the set started, with many in attendance wearing Alice Cooper t-shirts and eye make-up. The stage was hidden behind a giant curtain with Alice’s trade-mark eyes, and Alice songs played with the crowd already starting to sing-along. As the entrance music started to swell, the massive curtain fell, revealing the two-story castle set, and the words rang out: “Welcome to Alice Cooper’s Nightmare Castle!” As knights carried the curtain away, a drawbridge opened and Alice walked onstage in a plume of smoke.

From the opening notes of “Feed My Frankenstein,” it was clear Alice is still in great shape, and his band spent considerable time practicing together during the live music lockdown. Their excitement to be back onstage was evident by their smiles and energy displayed throughout the two-hour set. Alice Cooper doesn’t just play a concert, he puts on a SHOW, with the pomp and props of a theater production. A master entertainer, Alice made multiple costume changes throughout the set, referencing different eras of his 50-year career. How effortless his performance seems is a testament to his drive and conditioning, he controlled the band, stage and the crowd as well, eliciting sing-alongs and responses with hand gestures and using his sword and cane like a conductor. He had a microphone holster on his giant leather belt, and handles the mic like a gunslinger. When he was on top of the castle behind a spiked wheel, it evoked an image of a mad captain steering a pirate ship.

With over 50 years of albums to choose from, the setlist was a solid collection of his biggest hits, ranging from the Alice Cooper Band era and his solo career, leading into his last two records, Paranormal and Detroit Stories. There was a clever segue from the new song “Go Man Go,” about cruising around in a stolen Hellcat, with the last verse implying the car could be destroyed in a train wreck (with a similar vibe to KISS’s ‘Detroit Rock City’) leading into his classic “Under My Wheels.” Those songs and their placement were vintage Detroit songwriting and Alice wordplay, complete with an American muscle car and macabre ending. A few more notable songs played were “Fallen in Love” co-written with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, new songs “Rock’N’Roll” and “Social Disease” which showed him still flexing his song-writing muscles during lockdown, and a combination of “My Stars/Devils Food/Black Widow” that led into the intense drum solo from “Black Juju.”

The props and theatrics were non-stop, ranging from a crutch he wielded during “Eighteen” to mock the fact that he’s been singing a song about being a teenager for 50 years, to the giant baby who uses a skull-studded-cannon to shoot money into the crowd during “Billion Dollar Babies.” The baby theme continues with the huge images of evil babies projected on the castle during “Dead Babies,” and the baby-faced doctors who place Alice in a straightjacket and oversee his execution in a guillotine. Alice has multiple encounters with his wife, Sheryl Goddard, including her waving his severed head victoriously to the crowd after he’s decapitated. The show opened with the giant Frankenstein monster that comes onstage during “Feed My Frankenstein” and he closes the show with his arms and chains draped around Alice for “Teenage Frankenstein.”

The band returned for an encore with a sprawling, sing-along version of “School’s Out,” including a breakdown of Pink Floyd’s “We Don’t Need No Education,” that featured confetti, streamers and giant balloons being shot into the crowd as Alice popped any balloons that came back to the stage with his sword. They came back to the stage for multiple bows as the crowd kept cheering.

Alice Cooper and Ace Frehley play in New York this Wednesday, September 22 at the Stanley Theater in Utica. This tour takes Alice (and opening act Frehley) across the Midwest and South, ending in Georgia at the end of October. Full dates for the tour can be found here.
September 21, 2021
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.

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.

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

September 20, 2021
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
September 20, 2021