Multi-platinum artists Fitz and The Tantrums made a summer tour stop at Artpark in Lewiston on July 6.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Alternative band Colony House kicked off the night in an upbeat fashion. The opening act consisted of Caleb Chapman, Will Chapman, Scott Mills, and Parke Cottrell. Popular singles “Silhouettes” and “You Know It” brought the energy to everyone at Artpark.
Fitz and the Tantrums later took the stage and steamrolled the crowd instantly. Their liveliness and distinct stage presence made everyone get up on their feet. They opened their set with the throwback song “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” from their 2010 album.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The LA-based band is composed of Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick (vocals), Noelle Scaggs (vocals), James King (saxophone, flute), Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards), Joseph Karnes (bass), and John Wicks (drums, percussion). This dynamic group is able to match each other’s intensity on the stage while also keeping the crowd engaged.
The band played songs from their recently released, fourth full length album ALL THE FEELS. This included their well-known hits “123456” and “I Just Wanna Shine.” Additionally, other songs that proved to be crowd favorites were “Out of My League,” and “Fool.” Throughout the night Fitz shared how excited he was to be back singing with a crowd again. Everyone from those on stage, to the crew, to the folks on the lawn, were absorbed in this feeling so many have missed. As Fitz has said, “It’s great to be back!”
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
With a roaring crowd, Fitz and the Tantrums performed their RIAA-certified 2x Platinum single “HandClap” for the encore. After, they finished off the performance with songs “All the Feels” and “The Walker.” Many left the show dancing down the streets as everyone was ready for more.
Artpark has much more in store for the rest of the summer with Lettuce performing on July 14 and a Bright Eyes show on July 27.
On Saturday July 6, 1974, Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY held the first ever concert in its history. Eric Clapton and his band would serve as headliners, with The Band serving as a warm up for Slowhand. Tickets for the show were $8.50 each ($46 in 2021 dollars) and caught one of rock’s biggest legends upon the release of his classic 461 Ocean Boulevard.
The show was held one year after opening as the new home of the Buffalo Bills, going 9-5 in their inaugural season. More affectionately known as ‘The Ralph’ in the late 90s, the Buffalo-based multi-national food company Rich Products gave the stadium its original name, signing a 25-year, $1.5 million dollar deal, one of the first sales of naming rights in American sports.
Following a sellout show at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh the night before, the Buffalo show would not be Clapton’s finest hour by any means. July 5 was Robbie Robertson’s 31st birthday, and with The Band guitarist on the road with the hard-partying Eric Clapton, its possible that Clapton indulged too much the night prior, affecting his performance the next day. Clapton reportedly said “It’s Robbie’s birthday today and … there’s gonna be some bovver tonight.”
Not much is known about The Band’s set beyond their final song, which may have been the most pivotal part of the evening. Joining the opening band for a song is not unnatural for a headliner, but rarer still, as the impact of the main act’s arrival is lessened. When Clapton joined The Band on July 6 for an encore of “Chest Fever” in the support slot, the performance was disjointed and led to the drunken Clapton needing to be carried off stage.
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
The Band setlist via Setlist.FM
Hard Times the Slop (Noble “Thin Man” Watts cover), Just Another Whistle Stop, Stage Fright, The Weight, The Shape I’m In, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Across the Great Divide, Endless Highway, Up on Cripple Creek, The Unfaithful Servant, Smoke Signal, The Genetic Method, Chest Fever (with Eric Clapton)
Clapton’s band included George Terry (guitar), Dicks Sims (keyboards), Carl Radle (bass), Jamie Oldaker (drums), and Yvonne Elliman (backing vocals). Also joining the lineup was Freddie King, who was flown in specially for these shows.
Geetarz shares insight on Clapton’s performance, which is widely reported as the worst show of the 1974 tour, and a low point for sure. Eric was reportedly massively, incoherently drunk, and unintelligible at times. As the show begins with Clapton giving an outro to emcee “Legs” Larry Smith, a member of the crowd would shout “Clean Up Yer Act!,” a sign of the times indeed.
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
Drunk and stoned, Clapton would start playing songs without getting the band on the same page, starting the show with a rambling “Last Train to Brownsville”, where he seemed to start engaging with the audience who had apparently been throwing fireworks at the Clapton, saying “To be serious … one more of them, I’ll tell you, and you’re out of here! One more of them silly fucking fireworks and you are out of here! Behavior!”
After “Let it Grow,” Clapton shouted “I am drunk and I am ready for fuckin’ trouble!,” and then brought up Freddie King, but Eric was far from ready and was outshone by King. Clapton even gave a drunken intro for King: “He’s strapping on his guitar, moving to the guest spot, and if you haven’t heard of him, you don’t fucking deserve him! His name is Freddy.”
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
You would think that bringing on stage a blues guitarist he looked up to would keep Clapton on his toes, but he was outshined in Buffalo and reportedly unable to keep up during this performance of “Have You Ever Loved a Woman?” Doubling down, when King sang the line ‘It’s a shame and a sin’, Clapton weighed in unnecessarily: “Don’t believe them! There’s no shame, there’s no sin…” a revealing moment for Clapton who was at the time secretly in love with Patti Boyd, then married to his friend George Harrison.
Capping off the show with “Little Queenie,” Clapton was now more incoherent and ready to end the night. Rambling during the Chuck Berry song, and apparently triggered by the repeat mentions of the Queen, Clapton said “Meanwhile, in Birmingham …. England, that is, not here, in Alabama …. they’re making Persian carpets … at 19,000 quid apiece … there’s only 10 Pakistanis here! They can’t be bad – who am I?”
photo by Watt Casey, Jr.
The next night in Jersey City was reportedly a somewhat better show for Eric Clapton, and likely The Band as well, with a recording available below that offers an idea of what the July 6 show sounded like. Rich Stadium has seen many more shows over the years, with Clapton setting the bar low for all to exceed in the years that followed.
Going To Brownsville*, Smile, Let It Grow, Hideaway**, Have You Ever Loved A Woman**, Tell The Truth, Willie And The Hand Jive, Get Ready, Steam Rollin’ Man, Little Wing, Blues Power, Presence of The Lord, Little Queenie, Crossroads * with Legs Larry Smith ** with Freddie King
Photos below are by Watt Casey Jr., who was working for Showco, this being his first show.
To celebrate the 4th of July in 1989, the Grateful Dead decided to heed the advice of their song “Truckin’” and return to Buffalo. By now, it was near tradition for the band to celebrate our nation’s independence with summer tour shows in the Northeast. Starting with a show at the same venue, Rich Stadium, for a 4th of July gig in 1986, the Dead followed this up with another one in 1987 in Foxboro, MA.
In classic Grateful Dead style, for 1989, they mixed it back up, with a summer run of shows that began at Foxboro two days prior and landed back in Buffalo on the 4th. It’s a well-crafted and enjoyable show that sees the band in fine form, all fully engaged, cohesive, and perhaps most importantly, healthy. In 2005, it was officially released on DVD, with an accompanying CD soundtrack, appropriately titled Truckin’ Up To Buffalo. Although, oddly, the title track never makes an appearance tonight.
For an opener, the Dead bring out an old faithful in “Bertha” that sparks the ignition at Rich Stadium this evening. Jerry Garcia adding a little extra “4th of July” mustard to the lyrics and the band easily toying with the reentry at one point only enliven the crowd further. This is succeeded by “Greatest Story Ever Told,” with fellow guitarist Bob Weir taking over the controls, admirably backed up, as usual, by Brent Mydland both vocally and instrumentally on electric piano. In the pivotal three-spot tonight, the band reverts back to another old standby, their signature take on the folk classic “Cold Rain And Snow.”
Weir then tags back in for another cover tune. This time it’s the band’s take on “Walkin’ Blues,” an old blues standard that was reintroduced to their live shows a few years prior. A lively Hammond organ solo from Mydland that’s supplanted by slick work from Weir on guitar along with his signature vocal stylings highlight this one. Garcia seems to take great delight in playing the “Row Jimmy” that follows, as made evident by the smiles that accompany two poignant guitar solos and a flawless vocal delivery. It’s a beautiful rendition from an era of the band’s history that produced a lot of them.
The Dead then go back to their vaunted bag of “covers,” this time going with a choice version of the Bob Dylan-penned “When I Paint My Masterpiece.”
The Dead go back even further for the next song, “Stagger Lee,” their electricized cover of another folk song that dates back to the early 20th century. To close out the rest of the first, they return to their immense catalog of original material, starting with “Looks Like Rain.” Weir tackles the emotional vocals with ease while Garcia tacks on some more transcendent guitar fills for good measure. A rowdy “Deal,” accentuated by more frenetic work from Garcia on the fret board, then caps off the first set, with the Rich Stadium crowd vociferously making their appreciation known.
To ring in the second set for Buffalo’s 4th of July celebration in 1989, the Grateful Dead rip into an immaculate “Touch Of Grey.” The pulsating bass line deployed by Phil Lesh that doesn’t quit and more nimble guitar play from Garcia gets the communal engine revved backed up again in a big way.
After a quick pause, “Man Smart (Woman Smarter)” keeps the line moving. Brent Mydland steals the show on this one, lending both his signature raspy singing tone and some dazzling work on the organ that flavor the song perfectly. The Dead then go back into the earlier pages of the songbook again and slow things down a touch with “Ship Of Fools.” Some exquisite rhythm guitar play from Weir and fully engaged vocals on Garcia’s end seem to give this “Ship” a little extra edge to it.
But instead of a full stop afterwards, the Dead effortlessly slink into an instrumental section of “Playin’ In The Band” before taking it out for one verse, merely serving as a reprise. Perhaps remembering they opened the previous show with PITB two days ago at the Foxboro show, the proverbial ripcord is deployed and the band effortlessly shifts gear into a different classic, “Terrapin Station.”
Like it’s done so many times before, the percussive heavy outro of “Terrapin” slowly gets consumed by drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart and the “Drums” portion of the evening ensues. They leave no stone unturned, unleashing an impressive arsenal of percussive agents from around the world, including an electronic-sounding steel drum and an African talking drum.
Some heavy duty kaleidoscopic imagery accompanies their playing on the video, as the rest of the band begins to reenter the fray for the “Space” portion. Eventually, a familiar tone breaks through, a quasi-trumpet sound, courtesy of one of Garcia’s many guitar filters. This paves the way for the delicate “I Will Take You Home,” sung passionately as always by Mydland, that’s juxtaposed wonderfully with the scorching take of “All Along The Watchtower” that follows.
The end of the second set wraps with another couple of tried and true Grateful Dead live staples. “Morning Dew” allows Garcia to drop a few more staggering guitar solos, which he does with ease in conjunction with some truly inspired and emotional singing. “Not Fade Away” then gets the rest of the band, and the Buffalo faithful, singing together one last time to close out the set.
The crowd continues to serenade the band through the encore break which ends once “U.S. Blues” emerges, a fitting closure to this 4th of July show, and just like they had done three years ago as well.
Both full audio and video of this vintage Dead show can be found below. Happy birthday, America!
Grateful Dead Rich Stadium – Buffalo, NY July 4th, 1989
Set 1: Bertha > Greatest Story Ever Told, Cold Rain And Snow, Walkin’ Blues, Row Jimmy, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Stagger Lee, Looks Like Rain > Deal
Set 2: Touch Of Grey, Man Smart (Woman Smarter), Ship Of Fools > Playin’ In The Band Reprise > Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > I Will Take You Home > All Along The Watchtower > Morning Dew, Not Fade Away
On Saturday, June 26, 2021, it was game/set/match with Eggy and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Westville Music Bowl.
Eggy came to play, dressed as tennis players who jogged a lap around the floor of the Bowl. Once onstage, the group ripped off their breakaway pants as seen below. For a band from New Haven, this was a huge show for them, especially since Dani Battat (keys/vocals) was brought to Westville to watch tennis matches as a kid,
Pigeons continued their hot streak of live performances, closing their first set with Springsteenâs “Born to Run” inside of “King Kong.” Guitarist and Connecticut local Tim Palmieri joined the band in the second set for a cover of Hendrix’ “Fire.”
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Setlist
Set 1: Henrietta > Lost In Line, Somethinâ For Ya > Time To Ride, Sorcerer, Poseidon, Sail On, King Kong > Born To Run > King Kong Set 2: In The Bubble, Lowdown, Ocean Flows, Sunny Day, Fire*, Kiwi > Burning Up My Time Encore: Offshoot * w/ Tim Palmieri (Kung Fu , soon to be Lotus) on guitar
The 2021 New York State Blues Fest, a free concert at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse over Thursday June 24 till Saturday June 26 in Chevy Court. Downtown Syracuse’s Clinton Square hosted Dumpstaphunk at the last Blues Fest held in June 2019.
Artists included Larkin Poe, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Carolyn Wonderland, Vanessa Collier, Ghost Town Blues Band, Ray Fuller & The Bluesrockers The Gabe Stillman Band, The Ripcords, Miller & The Other Sinners, Diana Jacobs Blues Band Jane Zell & The Zelltones Colin Aberdeen & Max Eyle Hot Dogs & Gin Chris Merkley, Mark Nanni and Ryan Holweger.
County Executive Ryan McMahon helped kick things off on Thursday for one of the Northeast’s largest free festivals. Southern Pennsylvania power trio Gabe Stillman Band and Robert Randolph and the Family Band opened the first sounds at Chevy Court in over a year, with Stillman Band performing a great cover of Bill Withers “Friend of Mine.”
Robert Randolph and The Family Band helped bring the State Fair experience to all in attendance. The family band has Lenesha Randolph on vocals, Ray Ray Holloman on guitar Stevie Ray Ladson On Bass, and Rochester native Levi Bennett on drums.
Stevie Ray Ladson, Lenesha Randolph, Robert Randolph
The group periodically changed instruments during their soul set performance. Lenesha Randolph was quoted “It was great to be out in the land of the living. Such a great time, thank you guys for welcoming us.”
Local Solvay saxophone player Dunham Hall got the call at 5:30 to join Randolph’s set at 7PM. He showed up and laid down saxophone for an extended cover of Sly and The Family’s Stones “Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf) Again”.
Levi Bennett Ray Ray HollomonnRobert Randolph Lenesha Randolph
Robert Randolph spoke with NYS Music at the Jus Sum Jazz lounge following his show:
Matthew Romano: It’s good to have you guys back in New York State performing live. What memories come to mind when you play Upstate?
Robert Randolph: It’s crazy how many iconic shows have happened up here. One of the first shows I played with The Word was at a small club in Syracuse in 2000. The Word is playing at Tipitina’s at Jazz fest in New Orleans this year. It’s a vibe.
MR: This jazz club has a New Orleans vibe to it.
RR: Yea I like it. It’s reminds me of a modern day juke joint.
MR: What shows have you attended in New York State that made an impact?
RR: The first Phish show I saw was at Madison Square Garden. I remember it was a blast but it also humbles you. It’s one of these things where It all becomes special. I go to the Dicks shows in Colorado too.
MR: What shows of your own are on the horizon in New York State In 2021?
RR: I’m playing with The Word at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock. That’s gonna be special, def come check that out.
Robert will be performing at the Gorge Amphitheater with Dumpstaphunk and Dave Matthews Band Labor Day weekend when live music continues at the Fairgrounds.
Vanessa Collier from Dallas took on a James Brown-like stage presence on Friday night at the Fairgrounds. She was out front counting on the one in between playing funky arrangements on lead saxophone.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds from Austin TX helped keep that legendary blues smoke going to close the night. Attendees in the crowd reflected on Stevie Ray Vaughn’s New York State Fair performance in 1986. The Austin, TX guitarist played “The Sky is Crying” while the rain came down upon the old grandstands. Vaughn and Double Trouble walked a tightrope at Miller Court in 1989 as well.
Saturday afternoon’s set by The Ghost Town Blues Band from Memphis was definitely channeling older spirits. Gregg Allman’s chilling composition “Whipping Post” was taken on by the ensemble. Matt Isbel’s whiskey gravel soaked vocals helped resurrect Allman’s sound. Trombonist Suavo Jones traded notes off Cedric Taylor’s howling B3 Hammond to boot.
Perhaps this was a nod to the 50th anniversary of the Allman Brothers Band closing the Fillmore East. Their final performance on June 27, 1971 found the Allmans playing until 8AM. 2016 NYS Blues Fest artist Butch Trucks reflected “I remember Duane (Allman) walking in front of dragging his guitar while i was sitting there completely burned and he said “Damn its just like leaving church”
Suavo Jones
Rebecca and Megan Lovell from Georgia performed as part of Larkin Poe to close the weekends music. They are descendants of tortured artist and genius Edgar Allan Poe. The duo and their band treated the crowd to songs off their 2020 album’s “Self Made Man” and “Kindred Spirits.”
The title tracks lyrics resonated on the blues soaked audience “I was down and out, now I’m up again When I roll the dice, everybody wins Like a cannonball, moving down the track, Baby’s on her way, she ain’t coming back”
New York Blues Fest has made its way back across the land helping ease everybody’s same old blues on a different day.
Motörhead are one of the great metal bands of legend, with a long history of playing multiple gigs throughout the State dating back to their first US tour in 1981: New York City, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo – these cities saw numerous Motörhead gigs in the years the band toured America. Not Albany.
Oddly, this 2000 gig at Northern Lights remains the only headline show Motörhead ever played in the Albany/Saratoga area, EVER, in 40 years of being a band, almost 35 years of touring America. I don’t count Poughkeepsie in that – 1.5 hours south of Albany, a much smaller city, yet they first played there in 1981 on the ‘Ace of Spades’ tour opening for Ozzy, played again in ’83 headlining with Robbo, and played The Chance and Mid-Hudson Civic Center many, many times since.
Lemmy and the boys played lots of times, in little, backwater Poughkeepsie, but they’ve hardly ever played in the much bigger Albany area (the only other times were opening for Ozzy at SPAC in ’92 – Mikkey Dee’s first-ever gig with Motörhead – and more recently at Glens Falls with Megadeth and SPAC with Slayer, both in 2012). Albany was rarely blessed with Motörhead. You almost always had to road-trip.
Anyway, this was a cool bill. Speedealer opened (original name: REO Speedealer, until the classic rock band threatened suit), a band I’ve seen a few times, with Fu Manchu and (several times) The Supersuckers. Good band, noisy and punky, and they were good this night.
The Supersuckers, one of my favorite bands, played next. At the time they were pushing the fantastic ‘Evil Powers of Rock’n’Roll’ album, one of their best. I’d discovered them around the time of their ‘Sacrilicious’ album, but this was the first time (of many) I’d seen them. This was still the ‘classic’ Eddie/Rontrose/Thunder/Dancing Eagle lineup, and they crushed. Played like 15 songs in 40 minutes, one after the other, short, fast, no-nonsense real punk-metal-rock with a few funny stage raps from Eddie.
I don’t know why more metal fans don’t worship this band. It was a well-balanced set, mixing new ‘Evil Powers’ songs (the set-opening title track, “Santa Rita High”, “I Want the Drugs”, “Gone Gamblin”), with some older blazers (“Beat to Shit”, “Doublewide”, “She’s My Bitch”, “Creepy Jackalope Eye”, “Mudhead”), a few covers (WILLIE NELSON’s “Bloody Mary Morning” and “Whiskey River”, and a tease of THIN LIZZY’s “Cowboy Song”) before the concluding Satanic headbanging glory of “Born with a Tail”. Fantastic band, killer opening set.
Nashville Pussy followed. Liked the ‘Double Live Gonzo’-inspired name, fun album titles like ‘Let Them Eat Pussy’ and their fuck-off attitude, but the music never caught me. So, never really a fan of this band, don’t dig the vocals, but I remember they did play AC/DC’s “Kicked In The Teeth”, which is a great cover choice, and everyone who was there remembers clearly inebriated bassist Corey Parks’ boobs repeatedly falling out of her tank top. Other than that: eh.
Motörhead of course then went on and conquered all. My recall is that the place was not anywhere near empty, but not packed to the rafters either. Maybe this is why Motörhead never play headline gigs here.
This was the ‘We Are Motörhead’ tour, a great album. The title track is one of my favorite Motörhead songs and a great opening number. In 2000 they were still playing a fair amount of ‘newer’ (i.e. post-1990) Motörhead songs, whereas by the end in 2015 they’d gone to the majority of the set being Fast Eddie-era stuff, which of course is some of the most classic metal ever, but leaves aside some great stuff. The cool ‘deep album’ track for the show was “Dead Men Tell No Tales”, but they played many post-Eddie songs (a roaring “I’m So Bad (Baby I Don’t Care)”, “Over Your Shoulder”, “Civil War”, “Born to Raise Hell”, “Stay Out of Jail”, “Sacrifice”, “Going to Brazil”), plus a slew of neck-snapping expected classics: “Bomber” and “No Class” early on, “Dead Men” and an all-conquering “Orgasmatron” mid-set, and the face-removing “Iron Fist” and “Killed by Death” to conclude the regular set, with “Ace of Spades” and “Overkill”, as always the usual encore songs. It was LOUD. Lemmy presided over all like the undisputed king of volume and unassailable cool he was. He is missed. All hail the late, great Lem, and the almighty Motörhead.
Setlists
Supersuckers – Evil Powers of Rock’n’Roll, Santa Rita High, Luck, Beat To Shit, I Want The Drugs, Doublewide, Creepy Jackalope Eye, Mudhead, Gone Gamblin’, She’s My Bitch, How To Maximize Your Kill Count, Bloody Mary Morning, Whiskey River, Born With a Tail
Nashville Pussy: Struttin’ Cock, Piece of Ass, Wrong Side of a Gun, 5 Minutes to Live, High as Hell, Shoot First and Run Like Hell, She’s Got the Drugs, Go to Hell, Kicked in the Teeth, I’m the Man, Go Motherfucker Go
Motörhead: We Are Motörhead, Bomber, No Class, I’m So Bad (Baby I Don’t Care), Over Your Shoulder, Civil War, Metropolis, God Save The Queen, Born To Raise Hell, Stay Out Of Jail, Dead Men Tells No Tales, Sacrifice/Drum Solo, Orgasmatron, Going To Brazil, Iron Fist, Killed By Death, Ace of Spades, Overkill
On June 24, members of the American Symphony Orchestra played Opus 40 in Woodstock. Winds Among Trees, a wind instrument sextet brought a new layer to experiencing the sculpture park. Both shared a story of creative survival amidst destruction, which made it the perfect time and place for the convergence to occur.
The sextet blending in the shadows
Senses Alive
Bright light, contrasting stone and stunning landscapes made for the perfect atmosphere. Placing the band strategically on the artwork itself, allowed for an elevated way of experiencing both the art and the music.
A welcomed visual obstruction
Ornate hedges and seemingly innocuous smaller sculptures partially obstructed nearly every view the music and the monolith. Senses were heightened as participants were compelled to be more present, and listening with a more focused ear and eye. As the post-solstice afternoon progressed, the sun started to blare into the eyes of the audience, which made viewers feel like they were part of a progressive performance art piece.
Enjoying the experience
Rare Music, Rare Location
The contrasting stone with all of the afternoon’s light made all the of the artist’s intentions clear. The monolith’s sun dial- like beacon of love was built on an old bluestone quarry after the land had been destroyed by construction.
Beautiful works like this achieved though years of manual labor.
The music played by the sextet was extremely rare in that it is not often played or performed, but also in the idea of it being chosen by the musicians. During shutdown, when all sought-after cultural celebrations of art and music were closed, members of the American Symphony Orchestra were given an interesting assignment. Captains were chosen to enlist a team to learn a collection of rare music.
A beautiful venu
This is not common and the idea to perform these collections in different interesting venues made this even more thoughtful. Being able to have creative control as well as the project and accountability hopefully helped some through the incredibly trying time.
Music stands excited they non longer have to socially distance
Visitors to Opus 40 took away a feeling of gratitude. They felt music in a unique environment during a new beginning for our society.
Setlist: Serenade for 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, and 2 Horns (Matyas Seiber), Sextet No. 1 in Eb (F.H.J. Castil-Blaze), Sextet (Harald Genzmer), Adagio and Rondo (Carl Maria von Weber)
Setlist via americansymphony.org
To see more of what the ASO has done over shutdown, visit their website.
Trey Anastasio headed south from Saratoga Springs for two nights of shows at the Beacon Theatre on Tuesday, June 22. The performances mimicked his Beacon Jams shows of Fall 2020, but now with the addition of a vaccinated crowd.
With a crowd hanging on every note, Anastasio repeated some songs from the Saratoga Shows, as well as played some tunes for the first time on this run, including “AC/DC Bag.” Highlights from SPAC were found with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski joining for “Fluffhead,” “Mercury,” “The Lizards,” “What’s The Use?,” and “Harry Hood,” among other compositions that left few dry eyes in the house.
Anastasio and crew return to the Upper West Side and the Beacon Theatre for one more show on Wednesday, June 23, with the show starting at 8pm.
Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 22, 2021
Set 1: Everything’s Right, AC/DC Bag > Backwards Down the Number Line, Fluffhead*, Brian and Robert*, Stash*, Ghost, Shade#, Mercury*, The Lizards*, Dirt#, Sand#, Wolfman’s Brother*, Blaze On, What’s the Use*, If I Could*, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.*, Pebbles and Marbles*, Harry Hood*
Encore: More, First Tube*
* – with Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski # – with Jeff Tanski
For the final performance of this five show run, Anastasio continued to do what he does best, wow audiences with acoustic renditions of classic Phish and TAB hits, with string arrangements. Check out the setlist and photo gallery below! Setlist via Phish.net
Setlist: Trey Anastasio, Beacon Theatre, NYC – June 23, 2021
Set 1: Theme From the Bottom [1], Sample in a Jar[1], Divided Sky [2], I Never Needed You Like This Before [3], Free[1], The Wedge[3], Water in the Sky[2], The Inlaw Josie Wales[2], Twist[1], Bouncing Around the Room[3], Drift While You’re Sleeping[2], 46 Days[1] > Steam[1], A Life Beyond The Dream[2], Split Open and Melt[3], Joy[2], Farmhouse[1], Chalk Dust Torture[1] -> Back on the Train[1] > Chalk Dust Torture[1], Slave to the Traffic Light[2], You Enjoy Myself[2]
[1] Trey on acoustic guitar. [2] Trey on acoustic guitar; with the Rescue Squad Strings and Jeff Tanski on piano. [3] Trey on acoustic guitar; with Jeff Tanski on piano.
Wine aficionado and music impresario Michael Dorf, has taken a defunct 207-year-old textile mill in Montgomery NY and transformed its 22 acres into a winery, restaurant, and event space: City Winery Hudson Valley. Add to that, tucked away amongst the sprawling grounds, an amphitheater; sculpted by nature and cradled by the Wallkill River. Seizing on the expanse, CWHV has started “Concerts in the Vineyard,” a summer series offering live music in a bucolic setting.
Rhett Miller
NYS Music took in the ambiance afforded by this new series at an afternoon performance by Rhett Miller & The All Stars. Miller, of the Old 97s, was joined by John N. Burdick on lead guitar, Jason Sarubbi on bass and Angela Iahn on drums. The foursome came together during the pandemic, playing in Rhett’s garage during the days of no live shows. Miller disclosed to the crowd that this setup granted him the opportunity to play cover songs after years of feeling he had to do originals constantly.
From the moment each player picked up their instrument, they were smiling from ear to ear. Relishing in the fact that they were playing in front of people! The band’s time together shown brightly as they maneuvered through the set like a long-lived act. Miller and company glided through Old 97s songs (“Designs on You,” “Turn on the TV,” and “19”), solo numbers (“Come Around,” “Total Disaster”), and a few covers (Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” REM’s “Driver Eight”) for good measure.
Rhett Miller & The All Stars
With City Winery Hudson Valley presenting vintage quality acts at Concerts in the Vineyard like Rhett Miller in a pastoral surrounding, the only thing left to say is the hills are alive with the sound of music. Where’s Julie Andrews when you need her?
The last time Phish would ever play the venue known as the Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center took place 27 years ago today. This performance is also the birthplace of one of the more revered pieces of music in the band’s history. A super extended “Tweezer,” affectionately nicknamed as “Fleezer” due to the locale, highlights a three-song second set and still gets rave reviews to this day. The venue now goes by the name of CMAC Performing Arts Center. But the music Phish played their last time at Finger Lakes will, thankfully, last forever.
A raucous Finger Lakes crowd greets the band and only gets louder when the show starts with “Sample In A Jar” as the opener. Trey Anastasio’s guitar solo in its customary spot ramps up the early show energy even further. Phish sticks with material from Hoist, at this point still their most recent studio album, and follows up “Sample” with “Scent Of A Mule.” Anastasio and Page McConnell engage each other on guitar and piano, respectively, almost right away, leading to a quick but aggressive “Mule Duel” section.
Phish then breaks out the new “Ha Ha Ha,” a short number whose only lyrics also serve as the title which had been debuted barely a month ago. The “Divided Sky” that immediately follows is anything but a laughing matter, however. A rapt Canandaigua crowd soaks in every note of this classic song that’s played to perfection and serves as the first set highlight.
Anastasio and McConnell lock up again in another instrumental duet of sorts in a “Guelah Papyrus” that the entire band seems to toy around with at one point or another before “It’s Ice” gets deployed. Bassist Mike Gordon shines on this one, delivering a myriad of various rhythms and fills throughout. It also features a particularly loose and surprisingly extra spacey section in what’s a sign of things to come.
After slowing things down with the ballad “Strange Design,” Phish ends the opening set at Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center on a high note, beginning with an absolutely frenetic, high intensity “Maze.” And instead of ending the set with “Cavern,” an a capella rendition of “Sweet Adeline” is also thrown in for good measure.
All in all, it’s a fine first set, but kept pretty “close to the vest” in terms of free-form improvisation. Aside from snippets of “Mule” and “It’s Ice,” no song veered too far away from its regular structure. That would all change in a big way in the second set, courtesy of a jam for the ages.
The set starts out innocently enough with the new “Theme From The Bottom,” only the eighth one ever played and the first time it opened a second set. It’s a polished version that sees the full band in synch, creating a powerful sequence of music accentuated by another screaming Anastasio guitar solo. Instead of bringing it to a full stop at its conclusion, a feedback-heavy jam begins to develop.
This goes on for several minutes, with even more loops and audio madness being thrown into the proverbial soup. Drummer Jon Fishman gets prominently involved, varying tempos and styles throughout. All of this results in an early second set Grateful Dead-like “Space” section that sounds like it’s on speed. A familiar guitar riff slowly but steadily emerges as the jam pick up steam and, before long, the opening lyrics to “Tweezer” are ringing loud and true.
For the next 40-plus minutes, Phish treats the Finger Lakes Performing Arts Crowd to a version of this classic song that some still regard as one of the best of all time, hence the “Fleezer” label. Before the jam even ensues, Gordon and Fishman rev up the crowd by hamming up some of the lyrics. The band removes the shackles of any standard-sounding “Tweezer” early on and is soon knee deep in Type II improvisation. The jam goes on to visit a variety of styles and tempos, again thanks to the interplay of Fishman and Gordon. It’s got the band singing “My Generation” lyrics over an infectious, rockabilly portion of the jam (foreshadowing their upcoming Halloween cover of The Who’s Quadrophenia), pure ambience that devolves into more harrowing feedback-fueled chaos, Fishman on the vacuum, and “Rift” teases from Gordon. It’s a monumental piece of music that’s certainly worthy of a catchy nickname and a place in Phish lore.
It’s a “Tweezer” so epic that the only natural follow-up would be a “Reprise” of itself. That’s exactly what Phish does this evening, creating a set for the ages for the Finger Lakes crowd that’s short on song titles but long on jaw dropping rock and improv.
For an encore, the band went acoustic, with each member playing an acoustic guitar for “Acoustic Army,” an event strictly related to 1995 Phish. An electric, both literal and figurative, cover of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” then closes out the festivities for the evening, with another chapter of the band’s growing legacy now written.
