Category: Show Reviews

20 Years Later: Oysterhead Plays The Utica Memorial Auditorium

Hey Uticats, Police, Primus, and Phish fans, do you remember when Oysterhead played the Utica Memorial Auditorium on November 9, 2001? It was Stewart Copeland and Les Claypool’s first time in Utica. Trey Anastasio’s first of four musical projects debuted in the Mohawk River city at the base of the Adirondacks.

If you recorded the HBO show Reverb ,you’ll have a VHS tape of Oysterhead’s inaugural tour footage from Los Angeles’s Palladium to New York City’s Roseland Ballroom during its Fall 2001 episode. Their last television performance would be from NBC studios in NYC for on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

Ironic collaboration considering the trios background during the 1980’s. Stewart Copeland went from playing the Fire Barn Club across from Syracuse City Hall with his band “The Police” to selling out the Carrier Dome a year later at Syracuse University & various other arenas across the world during the decade.

Les Claypool was in California during the 1980’s auditioning for Metallica’s vacant bassist slot at the time. He was also brainstorming with drummer Jay Lane and guitarist Larry LaLonde about a new project called Primus.

In 1983, we know that Trey Anastasio just hooked up with Syracuse native drummer Jon Fishman at University of Vermont to form their new group appropriately named Phish.

The only collision was during Fall Tour 1996 when Les Claypool and his band Primus sat in with Phish for “Wildwood Weed Harpua” in Las Vegas. Phish covered “So Lonely”by the Police in November 1998. That’s all we knew. These artists were certainly castaways at sea during the 1980’s while The Police’s “Roxanne” dominated the air waves.

It all started in New Orleans by “Superfly” during Jazz Fest who curate random musicians to play the late night gig. Les was called on by Superfly with the intention “of musicians to get other interesting musicians to play a night club after Jazz Fest” Claypool called up Trey and Stewart from always wanting to work with them. It was that simple. Although Trey told HBO’s Reverb of the trios seed while the pearls were jamming

I get these glimpses of potential and chemistry between the three of us. First time we got together we did a jam in my barn and I thought it was incredible. Then we did the Strand Theater show and I thought it kind of sucked. But then Stewart sent me the good moments of the show and those motivated me…We got to do another album, We got to tour Japan.
Trey Anastasio

Trey told The New Yorker in Fall of 2015 the hilarity of the trio snowshoeing through Vermont to the surprise of locals who recognized the formation. “Could you imagine walking through the snowy woods and seeing me Les and Stewart on the trail?” They didn’t make it to Japan but they made their way to Utica, New York’s Memorial Auditorium for their 14th show of a national 22 tour date support of their only album The Grand Pecking Order.

The Oysterhead trio’s distinct backgrounds came to light in Utica when Les addressed a sign from the GA crowd in bold magic marker titled “Les is Evil.” Claypool told the New York audience during Rubberneck Lions:

I’m looking directly at a bright red sign that says Les is Evil. I don’t know if that’s a fair thing to say. Are you saying in comparison to Mr. Happy Pants Trey Anipasta that I’m the evil one? Is what your saying? Because in the grand scheme of things compared to Marilyn Manson or GG Allin… I’m not very evil. In this situation if were looking at Trey Anastasio as the symbol of good than yes i am a symbol of evil. But not so much evil like ah Satan or Vlad the Impaler. More like Evil Kanevil… If there was a Harley Davidson sportster in this room and four trucks…I would jump those sons of bitches for you all
Les Claypool

Les Claypool & Trey Anastasio traded vocals all evening, with the 2001 anthem “Army’s on Ecstasy” resonating with the fall crowd. The Army’s on ecstasy so they say, I read all about it in USA Today. During “Shadow of Man,” Les appeared from the darkened hockey rink stage with a pair of extended eye balls attached to a LED space helmet portraying psychedelic illuminations toward the performance.

Trey used Jimmy Page like theremin signals from his antler-adorned custom Languedoc guitar, flickering sounds from the edge of his palm to the Upstate crowd. His acoustic Martin was pulled out for the twangy tune “Birthday Boys,” a tun that Claypool referenced in Colorado in February 2020, that the song is about four things. “Vegas, a penis, some cocaine and pair of breasts.” Trey added “it’s also about Kid Rock who was there with Les and I… the birthday boys”

Stewart Copeland emerged from behind his hanging percussion kit adjacent to the drum rig for all the bells and whistles of sound. He even got on vocals asking the clergy to “Wield the Spade.” After funking out on “Mr. Oysterhead” to close the night, the trio paid homage to the most Viking-like rock acts to grace the Americas, as Les Claypool took on Robert Plant’s howling for a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” for the encore.

Oysterhead flew full circle to the Northeast this past July 4 at the Peach Music Festival on Montage Mountain. It marked the bands first headlining festival gig since the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Summer of 2006. They are set to headline the Sweet Water 420 fest in Georgia with Trey Anastasio Band in 2021.

Les Claypool returned to Utica just once in 2019 to the Saranac Brewery as part of The Lennon Claypool Delirium show. Attendees in the Utica crowd that night were fellow bassist Krist Novoselic from Nirvana and Rochester harpist Mikaela Davis. In November 2005 Trey returned to the Aud with Tony Hall on bass as changing cast of the Trey Anastasio Band during the Phish hiatus. The 11/11 nights special guests included Jon Fishman and Mike Gordon with the exception of Page McConnell. On Phish Fall Tour 2010 the Vermont quartet culminated their concert film Guyutica on DVD upon return to the Utica Memorial Auditorium, There is something about those Upstate, NY hockey arena stages that just rock.

God Damn, Playing in this Hockey Arena rink shit is fun
Les Claypool, Utica

Oysterhead, Friday 11/09/2001 Memorial Auditorium: Utica, NY

Set: Oz is Ever Floating, Rubberneck Lions, Little Faces—>Hello Skinny—>Army’s on Ecstasy, Radon Balloon, Pseudo Suicide, Shadow of a Man, Wield the Spade, Birthday Boys*, Mr Oysterhead

Encore: Immigrant Song**

*acoustic
**Led Zeppelin Cover

November 9, 2021
Rick Wakeman Brings Gifts of Keyboard Wizardry and Gab to Bearsville Theater
Prog rockers are not a group known for their sense of humor. But there is one towering prog godhead who is top of the heap as an instrumental virtuoso and teller of ridiculously entertaining tales, ones featured in his surprisingly stupendous memoir, Grumpy Old Rock Star. It’s Rick Wakeman, the keyboard wizard whose riffs can be heard on some of the most memorable works of Yes, The Strawbs, David Bowie, Cat Stevens, T. Rex, Al Stewart and a boatload of his symphonic solo albums.

Wakeman brought his massive chops and incredibly funny tales to Woodstock’s beautifully outfitted Bearsville Theater on November 1. It was the last stop on the first swing of his “Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour.” The evening was equal parts baroque instrumental brilliance and Borsch Belt humor. And it was all the more enjoyable for it.

Dressed in a knee-length black morning jacket, Wakeman manned a duo of Korg Nautilus synths and a Yamaha grand piano to take the audience on a 14-song retrospective of his career as session man, bandmate and solo artist. There was a similar cache of stories, as well as a Q&A session, where the keyboardist reeled off hilarious anecdotes with punchlines as well-oiled as his arpeggios.

After the gorgeous symphonic double synth-driven opener “Seahorses,” Wakeman moved over to the piano. Here he told the story of one of his most memorable dates as a session man on Cat Stevens’ classic “Morning Has Broken.” According to the piano man, it wasn’t really all that much of a song, just 40 seconds or so, when they first ran through it. Stevens’ producer Paul Samuel-Smith asked his to lengthen it with a piano intro, a gorgeous one that is as memorable as Matthew Fisher’s Bachesque organ on “Whiter Shade of Pale.” The producer and Cat liked it so much that they asked him to return to it several times, in the middle of the tune and for a coda, to bring the tune to single length. Wakeman also recalls Stevens sitting in a corner chain smoking, all to muster the proper grit to commit his vocal to tape. He also remembers not getting paid, until 37 years later, the 12 British Pound session fee (about $120 is today’s dollars)!

Wakeman then set up a medley of two tunes from his classic The Six Wives of Henry the VIII album by observing that “the King’s life was prophetic of my own.” Like Henry, Rick had multiple marriages, one reason being “that I really liked cake.” But where Henry “chopped off his wives’ heads,” Wakeman observes he “gave my wives houses.” After the laughs died down, Wakeman gave sharp, articulated performances of “Catherine of Aragon” and “Catherine Howard.”

Rick Wakeman – photo by Neil Segal

Before heading into a medley of Yes, a mashup of “The Meeting,” “And You and I” and “Wonderous Stories,” Rick told an anecdote about a clever putdown he launched at a know-nothing TV interviewer in Los Angeles. When asked where his bandmate Trevor Rabin was when he wrote Yes’ biggest hit “Owner of A Lonely Heart,” Wakeman said he was “did it on the toilet.” And that it “was the first time someone wrote a #1 while doing a #2!” Naturally, the interview ended right there.

In the Q&A that followed, Rick answered 25 fan queries. He shared a host of trivia about his career, his love for his fellow prog keyboard titan, the late Keith Emerson, and that, yes, his long blonde hair was all his. He then returned to the synths for “The Dance of a Thousand Lights” from his 1999 disc, Return to the Centre of the Earth.

The creative and emotional high point of the evening came with Wakeman’s memories and medley of David Bowie, a giant whose last residence was a stone’s throw from Bearsville.

Rick Wakeman – photo by Neil Segal

Rick was the pianist featured on two of Bowie’s greatest works, his career-making “Space Oddity” and “Life on Mars.” Before launching into the tunes, Rick recalled their days of neighbors in the U.K and various chance meetings while on tour. He also credited Bowie and his producer Tony Visconti as sources of knowledge in the area of record production that proved so vital in his career.

Rick Wakeman then told another humorous tale about Emerson and Deep Purple’s Jon Lord, before dedicating the next medley to them, wildly original covers of The Beatles “Help!” and “Eleanor Rigby.” Repeating an exercise he learned during his days at the Royal College of Music, he covered these in the styles of classical composers. The standout was his reinvention of “Eleanor Rigby” in the hyper style of Sergei Prokofiev. It was blur of rapid arpeggios and pianistic filagree which could’ve been complemented by a horde of dancing Cossacks… if Rick could still afford the overkill of his infamous stage productions of the 1970s.

After a standing ovation and thunderous applause from the near sell-out crowd, Wakeman returned for a crowd-pleasing encore of story and sound. First came another scatological tale about a “dodgy vindaloo” and being asked to autograph an album while on the toilet! This was followed by yet another instrumental dazzler, the super syncopated “Merlin the Magician” from 1975 album, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Wakeman’s concert is a model for what classic-era artists can bring to their audiences. It had musicianship that showed he hadn’t lost a step to time and his formerly wild rocker lifestyle. It also had all the tall tales and trivia that die-hard fans have an inexhaustible hunger for.

Photos by Neil Segal
November 7, 2021
Bodysnatcher Bring Metal Thrashing to Rochester
On Thursday, October 28th, Montage Music Hall in Rochester was host to a pretty wild show. If you like most pits, thrashing around, and some heavy metal, this was a show to see. This lineup was stacked all the way from the bottom with the locals and the headliners, Bodysnatcher.

The lineup started with two Rochester locals, Deadbeat, and White Tides, followed by Left to Suffer from Atlanta, Georgia, Mouth Of War from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Boundaries from Hartford, Connecticut, and the main act, Bodysnatcher from Melbourne, Florida. The montage is known for bringing some great shows with many different types of acts, this lineup was for the metalheads and Rochester turned up.

Bodysnatcher is no stranger to this venue as they had played back in 2019 and had a great turn out then as well. One band that really brought the energy was the front man Mouth Of War, it was hard to keep an eye on him as he moved about jumping and thrashing as if he was in the pit himself. It would not be a metal show without mosh pits and throughout there was plenty which unfortunately lead to someone getting hit but it was minor and they carried on. Though this show is done and gone, there are plenty more lined up for the Montage and I would recommend checking out what they have in store!

Deadbeat
White Tides
Mouth Of War
Boundaries
Bodysnatcher
November 6, 2021
Parquet Courts Share Latest Album at Higher Ground

Parquet Courts touched down in Burlington, VT on Wednesday night, bringing their latest album and older favorites to a grateful Higher Ground.

The Brooklyn indie rockers released their seventh studio album, Sympathy for Life, on October 22. The stunning effort leans into their expansive sound while feeling more crowd-worthy than ever. With thought-provoking lyrics and mind-bending instrumentals, the band makes a statement on their identity for the dancing masses.

Samantha York of Public Practice. Photo by Hattie Lindert.

New York City band Public Practice opened for Parquet Courts. Their dreamy, punky disco-rock moves as smoothly as lead singer Samantha York sashaying across the stage. The sparkling frontwoman of the band celebrated her birthday that night; Austin Brown of Parquet Courts brought her a celebratory cupcake onstage. As the crowd sang “Happy Birthday,” he knelt to the ground so she could blow out a birthday candle.

Urging the crowd to dance along, York emphasized: “how good it feels to be together and listen to music and move our f*cking bodies.” Her lilting vocals, perfectly complemented by bassist Drew Citron’s high harmonies, begged to be danced to.

Parquet Courts took the stage in the Ballroom after roughly 45 minutes. The crowd remained patient and was rewarded with an “Application/Apparatus,” an opening jam of wild synths, and a breakneck guitar riff exemplifying Parquet Courts’ unique brand.

Sean Yeaton and A. Savage of Parquet Courts. Photo by Hattie Lindert.

Sympathy for Life’s mesmerizing and unexpected melodies draw you in immediately. Performing live, Parquet Courts take their best tracks to the next level with unique riffs and intuitive breakdowns. The jumpy “Almost Had To Start A Fight/In and Out of Patience” felt stadium-sized as Sean Yeaton and A. Savage screamed into their mics. And on “Plant Life,” A. Savage’s masterful melodica was the cherry atop a woozy breakdown that felt wonderfully endless. As swirling green lights took over the stage, in the shape of leaves, the venue seemed transformed.

A. Savage of Parquet Courts. Photo by Hattie Lindert.

The band had a hold on the Vermont crowd, heavy on college kids. Parquet Courts shouted out notorious Burlington spot Pure Pop Records, “for all the vinyl heads out there.” They knew their crowd, and cheers erupted from the pit.

Austin Brown of Parquet Courts. Photo by Hattie Lindert.

After 11 years of “pure unadulterated hits,” as Brown joked, their catalog is far too lush to fit in one set. But the selection Parquet Courts presented showed them at their finest. Their strange, raw music and emotionally charged lyrics can speak on many different levels, to many different emotions. One of their shows is nothing short of a rollercoaster.

Sean Yeaton of Parquet Courts. Photo by Hattie Lindert.

Yet all night, the crowd stayed right there with them. Moments after one chosen individual crowd-surfed to loser’s anthem “Stoned & Starving,” the entire crowd swayed slowly together to mournful, reflective “Pulcinella.” Though the band did not resurface to calls for an encore, the ballad was the perfect conclusion. My personal favorite song on Sympathy for Life (and it’s closer), the stunning outro evokes a cinematic emotion of nostalgia and change. Savage’s soft hum could be a lullaby; he sounds unrecognizable, yet completely himself. Before I knew it, I was swaying in time with the rest of the crowd.

Parquet Courts. Photo by Hattie Lindert.

Parquet Courts will continue their North American tour into 2022, with two New York dates scheduled for next year. See the full list of shows and venues below:

November 6— Stone Pony *– Asbury Park, NJ

November 17 — White Oak Music Hall- Houston, TX

November 19—Stubbs BBQ- Austin, T.X.

November 21 — Corona Capital 2021 – Mexico, Mexico

February 27, 2022—The Orange Peel- Asheville, N.C.

February 28, 2022— Georgia Theatre– Athens, GA

March 02, 2022– Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA

March 03, 2022— Saturn- Birmingham, AL

March 04, 2022— Cannery Ballroom- Nashville, TN

March 05, 2022— The Pageant – St. Louis, MO

March 07, 2022— Liberty Hall – Lawrence, KS

March 10, 2022— First Avenue, –Minneapolis, MN

March 11, 2022 — Turner Hall Ballroom- Milwaukee, WI

March 12, 2022—Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL

March 13, 2022— Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit – Detroit, MI

March 15, 2022 — Mr. Smalls Cafê – Millvale, PA

March 16, 2022 — Agora Theater & Ballroom – Cleveland, OH

March 17, 2022 — Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Toronto, ON

March 18, 2022 — Théâtre Corona– Montréal, QC

March 31, 2022 — Royale – Boston, MA

April 01, 2022— Brooklyn Steel- Brooklyn, NY

April 02, 2022— Brooklyn Steel– Brooklyn, NY

April 04, 2022 —9:30 Club – Washington, DC

April 05, 2022 — The Fillmore Philadelphia- Philadelphia, PA

April 20, 2022— Ogden Theatre– Denver, CO

April 22, 2022 — The Showbox – Seattle, WA

April 23, 2022 — Imperial Vancouver– Vancouver, BC

Oct. 18 — Coral Sky Amphitheatre * – West Palm Beach, Fla.

April 25, 2022—McMenamins Crystal Ballroom- Portland, OR

April 27, 2022 — Fox Theater – Oakland, CA

April 28, 2022— The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA

April 29, 2022—The Glass House – Pomona, CA

April 30, 2022—The Observatory North Park—San Diego, CA

* with Public Practice

November 6, 2021
The Antlers Return With First Show in Over 2 Years, Play Entire New Album
Live from the legendary Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, critically acclaimed Brooklyn band The Antlers recently emerged from hibernation for their first show in over two years. Playing their latest studio album, Green to Gold, in its entirety followed by a second set of career spanning material, the enthralling, emotional, and dream-like performance on October 22, 2021 was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The road to get there, however, was a long time coming.

Rising to prominence in 2009 with their breakthrough masterpiece Hospice, a semi-autobiographical concept album that tells the story of a hospice worker falling in love with a terminal cancer patient, The Antlers had not released any new music since 2014’s Familiars. It was later revealed in 2017 that primary songwriter and bandleader Peter Silberman had quietly stepped away from the band after being diagnosed with permanent, career threatening tinnitus and vocal lesions. The Antlers would remain silent until October 2020 when seemingly out of the blue, they released a single for “Wheels Roll Home” and officially announced their first album in seven years, Green to Gold would be released in March of 2021 via Anti Records/Transgressive.

While no touring plans were made in support of the album, the band confirmed a special one-time only performance of Green to Gold would soon take place at the most storied barn in the Catskill Mountains. For diehard fans, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more perfect setting than Levon Helm Studios.

For those who didn’t already know, some free advice: arriving late to a show at Levon’s is like being late to church on communion Sunday; there’s simply no way to enter without being disruptive. The ‘last minute Larry’s’ on this particular night found that out the hard way when classically trained jazz minimalist David Moore of Bing & Ruth kicked off the evening with a beautifully subdued piano recital. The acoustics in the room so clear, every footstep and whisper of the late arrivals was heard. Unphased by any of it, Moore’s focused, cinematic set was but a precursor to the splendor yet to come.

After a brief intermission, it was finally time for a performance that was years in the making: The return of The Antlers. A must-see bucket list band for some, one person I spoke with at set break confessed they traveled all the way from Minnesota to Woodstock for this one-time-only, once in a lifetime show. Spoiler: the band did not disappoint.

Bathed in lavender light and taking the stage to a chorus of cheers and smiling faces, the mood gradually turned dead serious as a chorus of cicadas and crickets soon engulfed the room. Just like on the studio album, The Antlers opened with the first track off Green to Gold, a dreamy, ethereal, post-rock styled instrumental called “Strawflower.” Each of the four members adding a new layer of sound and texture while joining in one by one, it wasn’t until “Wheels Roll Home” that we would hear the instrument most vital to The Antlers signature sound, Peter Silberman’s remarkable voice.

Showcasing his impressive vocal range through half-sung/half-whispered melodies that often guide the listener to an astonishing falsetto peak, when you hear Silberman sing in person, you know you are witnessing a special talent. A vulnerable, rare kind of performer who can effortlessly send shivers up your spine or tears down your face on any given song; an artist willing risk it all for the sake of his craft, defying doctors’ orders after being told he may never perform again. Sounding magnificent on this cool autumn night at the barn, hearing Silberman pour his heart out to a live audience felt like nothing short of a blessing.

Describing “Wheels Roll Home” as “a simple song about the hopeful promise of reunion after a long time gone, the experience of waiting out tumultuous times and longing for stability,” Silberman touches on a theme most can relate to, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic. Never a band to shy away from difficult, dark and emotional subject matter, their bread and butter since the beginning, just two songs into the set and you could feel a sense of renewed optimism from The Antlers, something rarely heard on their previous albums.

Up next came a beautiful song called “Solstice”, co-written with long time Antlers drummer Michael Lerner (who opted to play on Levon’s vintage red kit instead of his own), the band describes the tune as a “flashback to the infinite days of peak childhood summer, innocent barefoot hikes, staying outside all afternoon and late into the evening, well past it being too dark to see. But it’s remembered from the vantage of a present day that feels unbearably long rather than joyously endless. It’s an invocation of those simpler times, an attempt to conjure the lightness of youth, before life got so damn complicated.”

Building on the soul-searching mood, the introspective journey continued with “Stubborn Man” before fading out into a sea of ethereal ambience that left the mesmerized crowd in stunned silence. As the emotional weight and integrity of the band’s performance grew with each successive song, up next came one of the biggest standouts of the evening “Just One Sec,” a song that noticeably left several people in tears.

“I’ll free you from the person I was sure I knew
I’ll free you from a reputation you outgrew
I’ll free you from behavior I’d expect to see
And my interpretation of history
‘Cause I boxed you in unconsciously
And I saw you and I thought you ought to be
But by loving you imperfectly
For just one sec, I’ll free you from me”
“Just One Sec”

Segueing perfectly into another song about hindsight came “It Is What It Is.” Also written by Silberman and Lerner, the richly textured song tackles the topic of learning from your mistakes, asking the listener to ponder “what might have changed had you handled things differently back then, and the reluctant acceptance that it’s too late for all that now.” The Antlers then seamlessly worked their way into “Volunteer” before transitioning to the hypnotic title track of their latest album, “Green to Gold,” a song that contemplates the inevitability of life and it’s ever-changing seasons. The gentle soul-searching sway of “Porchlight” lead us to the album closer, bookending the set with another languid, post-rock influenced instrumental called “Equinox.” The relaxing, layered groove would simply dither out and conclude the Green to Gold portion of the show the same way it began, in chorus of crickets and cicadas.

After a short brake, the emotionally elated audience welcomed The Antlers back for round two. There was no mystery during the opening set, but now it was anyone’s guess. Opting to go with the opening track from 2014’s Familiars was the beautifully brilliant song “Palace.” From there we were treated to back-to-back songs from the bands critically acclaimed album Hospice, first was “Atrophy,” then perhaps the most well-known song of the evening, just down the road from Bearville, came “Bear.”

“We’ll play charades up in the Chelsea
Drink champagne although you shouldn’t be
We’ll be blind and dumb until we fall asleep
None of our friends will come
They dodge our calls
And they have for quite a while now
It’s not a shock
You don’t seem to mind and I just can’t see how”
“Bear”

After the stellar rendition of “Bear” was the bittersweet anthem “Parade.” Taking a moment between songs to clear his throat with a large drink of water, you just knew whatever was next, Silberman was going to give it everything he had left. As the richly textured, dream-like melody of “Corsicana” began, a tangible “hairs-on-the-back of your neck, get your cell phone out and record this” feeling swept over the audience. The only song to be played from 2011’s Burst Apart, it was then that Silberman uncorked one of the most unbelievable, heartfelt falsetto croons these ears have ever heard; one that still gives me shivers just thinking about it. Following an extended well-deserved applause, we were treated to one final thought-provoking number, a little-known song written by Silberman, but never released by The Antlers called “Ahimsa.”

“Time is all we have, I hope I have enough
Enough to show you love before my time is up
Before you wake the dead, take a pause
Instead of deafening nonsense, share silence
No violence today
No violence, no violence, no violence today”
“Ahimsa”

With an extraordinary end to an extraordinary evening, the band members then took center stage and hugged it out with each other first before bowing to the standing ovation. Not just a special night for fans who thought they’d never live to see an Antlers performance, but a special night for the band themselves. Coming full circle and finding perspective by letting nature run its course, time has been good to The Antlers. From writing somber songs in a Brooklyn bedroom, to playing Green to Gold in a legendary barn surrounded by friends, family, and some of their biggest fans, those who were lucky enough to be at Levon Helm Studios on this night will never forget it.

As the season for “best of the year” lists rapidly approaches, be skeptical of any that does not include The Antlers and 2021’s Green to Gold. Seven years in the making, this is an album that will stand the test of time.

The Antlers – Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock, NY – 10/22/2021

Set 1: Strawflower, Wheels Roll Home, Solstice, Stubborn Man, Just One Sec, It Is What It Is, Volunteer, Green to Gold, Porchlight, Equinox

Set 2: Palace, Atrophy, Bear, Parade, Corsicana, Ahimsa
November 5, 2021
Samantha Fish Performs A Halloween Blues Spooktacular at The Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett
In support of her seventh studio album Faster (Rounder Records, 2021), Samantha Fish returned to The Stephen Talkhouse on the eastern end of Long Island for her first performance at the iconic venue in more than two years. Having released her first album in 2009, Samantha Fish is a blues and rock singer-songwriter and guitarist originally from Kansas City, Missouri, and current resident of New Orleans, Louisiana.

After briefly chatting with some fans of Ms. Fish who had arrived early and were waiting in line on this chilly autumn evening, the doors to the former boarding house built in 1834 opened and we were warmly greeted by the bar’s staff. Once inside, the prominent backdrop to the stage could not be missed. It was a large black and white tapestry of Stephen Taukus (“Talkhouse”) Pharaoh, a native American who was known for his daily, marathon-distance walks delivering mail from The Hamptons to New York City during the late-1800s. Featuring local artists and internationally-renowned performers since 1987, The Stephen Talkhouse was decorated in the spirit of Halloween, complete with a spooky playlist that eerily emanated from the “house” speakers, who according to one of the bartenders, was curated by Ms. Fish herself.

As 7:00 pm approached, several patrons eager for a great night of live music had already filtered inside, assuming coveted positions along the length of the bar, or at reserved table seating intimately arranged in front of the stage. A frequent touring partner and collaborator of Samantha Fish, Jonathan Long was the first to take the stage. Hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mr. Long is a virtuoso blues artist whose career launched in 1997, when he was named Guitar Center’s “King of the Blues.” Accompanied only by his Martin guitar, Long featured songs from his newest album, Parables of a Southern Man, released on Samantha Fish’s very own Wild Heart Records label in 2021. His electric set of blues compositions concluded with a “roof raising” rendition of Chris Thomas King’s “John Law Burned Down The Liquor Sto.’

After a short intermission, and while the theme music from the 1978 horror movie classic “Halloween” could be heard over the PA system (courtesy of Ms. Fish once again), Sarah Tomek (drums), Matt Wade (keyboardist) and Ron Johnson (bassist) took the stage. Within a few brief moments, Samantha Fish also appeared, clad in her signature look of “fire engine red” skintight pants, a black lace top and stiletto boots.

Samantha Fish’s 16-song set included 11 songs taken from 2021’s Faster, including the show opener “Loud,” which was followed by the guitar-driven “All Ice No Whiskey.” A song about empowerment, and the first single released from her new album, “Twisted Ambition” was up next. When she was not playing her white Gibson SG or another one of her axes from her impressive arsenal, Fish opted for her famed cigar box guitar, which she has been incorporating into her live sets since 2012. After performing “Hypnotic,” featuring Fish’s alluring vocals, the final quintet of songs included a generous mix of offerings from past albums, including those from Black Wind Howlin’ (2013), Wild Heart (2015) and Kill Or Be Kind (2019). Before exiting the stage for her encore, Fish and her band ripped through “Bulletproof,” the fan favorite with an infectious guitar riff, which left everyone in attendance wanting more.

If you have not yet been able to see Samantha Fish perform live, you still have the chance! She will be continuing her North American tour over the next couple of months, until it commences at the Macon City Auditorium in Georgia on New Year’s Eve. After that, Ms. Fish will be heading off to the United Kingdom in early-2022. You can get your tickets here.

Setlist: Loud > All Ice No Whiskey > Twisted Ambition > Chills & Fever > Forever Together > Don’t Say You Love Me > Crowd Control > Better Be Lonely > Kill Or Be Kind > Watch It Die > Hypnotic > Black Wind Howlin’ > Dream Girl > Bulletproof

Encore: I Put A Spell On You (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins cover) > Bitch On The Run
November 4, 2021
Phish Sci-fi Soldiers Through Halloween
Phish let it all hang out in the final night of their four-run night run in Las Vegas, which served as the final stop of their 2021 Fall Tour. The customary three-set performance featured a mix of old fashioned originals blended with a brand new gimmick of assuming a different band’s identity.

The first set opened with “Buried Alive” and only picked up from there. A highlight of the entire show was the mammoth “Ghost” played in the first set which seemed to contain about four to five distinctly different jams within. A first set “Wolfman’s Brother” also had a little extra meat on its bones as well. The first set later closed with an awkward-starting but ferociously-ending “David Bowie.”

For the musical costume set, Phish took the stage as Sci-Fi Soldier, a band “from the year 4680,” a number that had been thrown around by the band all weekend. Adorned in spacesuit-like costumes that each reflected a different color pattern ,the band “teleported” to the stage and proceeded to drop almost two hours of new intergalactic space rock that no one had ever heard before.

With the occasional nod to 2018’s costume of Kasvot Voxt, song titles included “The Ninth Cube” and the opening “Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue’ was accompanied by more in depth choreography from Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon at the front of the stage. Another song called “The Howling” seems ripe to be paired with a “2001” at a show in the near future. Instead of the traditional Phishbill this year, a comic book detailing the four characters and their back story was handed out before the show, which contained all the song names for the set as well.

The band was hard pressed to follow up such a spectacle of a second set but began the third set with a powerful “Carini” that somehow made its way into the mellow, laid back “Lonely Trip.” “Soul Planet” got the MGM Grand Arena up and rocking but the emotional contrasts continued throughout the final set with a fairly mellow “Twist” and a “Drift While You’re Sleeping.” Finally, “Harry Hood” served as the encore, which was more than a proper song for the entire venue to let out some emotion in a big way for the final time in this epic four-night Vegas run.

Setlist via Phish.net

Set 1: Buried Alive, Roses Are Free > Ghost, Wolfman’s Brother, Kill Devil Falls > Free, David Bowie

Set 2: Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue^[1], Get More Down^[1], Egg in a Hole^[1], Thanksgiving^[1], Clear Your Mind^[1] > The 9th Cube^[1], The Inner Reaches of Outer^[1], Don’t Doubt Me^[1], The Unwinding^[1], Something Living Here^[1], The Howling^[1], I Am in Miami^[1]

Set 3: Carini > Lonely Trip, Soul Planet > Death Don’t Hurt Very Long > Twist, Drift While You’re Sleeping

Encore: Harry Hood
[1] Debut

For the second set, the band’s “musical costume” was all debuted originals, performed as the invented band Sci-Fi Soldier (a 14-page comic book distributed upon entry detailed the group’s adventure to save the planet). For that set, the band performed in elaborate costumes (helmets and all), with alternate instruments (Trey on a BCR Mockingbird), each playing within a flashing/glowing shape (two circles and two squares), after descending (in the form of holograms) from the ceiling in cylinders of colored light. Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue included extended choreography by Trey and Mike. During Get More Down, matching upright geometric shapes danced around behind the band, reducing to the two circles overlapped by Egg in a Hole, which featured pyrotechnics. Before Clear Your Mind, Trey introduced the band as from the year 4680 (the total of the October 28, 2021 songs as noted during that night’s encore-ending Grind). During The 9th Cube, there were projections of donuts and turtles on a cube above the band. Fireworks rained down on the stage during The Inner Reaches of Outer. For I Am in Miami, Trey switched to an acoustic guitar and the band stood together at stage front with the four-mic a cappella setup. After the set, the band departed as holograms back up the colored tubes. The start of Harry Hood included alternate lyrics (Holy Blankenstein). Soul Planet contained Knuckle Bone Broth Avenue and Don’t Doubt Me quotes.
November 4, 2021
Gojira brings Fortitude tour to Rochester in epic fashion
Grammy-nominated metal band Gojira brought their fall U.S. headlining tour to the Main Street Armory in Rochester. The tour featuring special guests Alien Weaponry and Knocked Loose is in support of the bands most recent album release Fortitude

Alien Weaponry, the first band of the evening is a three piece “Te Reo” metal band hailing from Waipu, New Zealand and formed in Auckland in 2010 consisting of brothers Henry and Lewis de Jong, as well as Turanga Morgan-Edmonds. With a dark stage and subtle green lighting, the band takes the stage as a steady drum beat blasts through the armory with a giant Alien Weaponry banner draped behind them. The trio waste no time getting into their first song “Titokowaru,” which immediately shows the bands thrash metal roots.

Alien Weaponry performs many of their songs in the Māori language, which helps separate them from the many other bands in the genre. Each song they perform feels like a breath of fresh air, and is foreshadowing of many great things to come for this band. While only having a 6 song set list, Alien Weaponry gave a fantastic opening performance, and fit very well on the bill with Gojira. The only thing that would of made this set better is if they simply had more time, and were not the openers in my opinion.

Knocked Loose, the second act on the bill which is American hardcore punk based out of Kentucky didn’t quite hit the nail like Alien Weaponry did. The band performed 10 songs in total, with each one of them seeming like the entire song was a breakdown. While I respect the band as musicians, it just didn’t seem to fit right with this lineup. Performing songs “Where Light Divides the Holler,” “Oblivion’s Peak,” “Guided by the Moon,” and “Mistakes Like Fractures” certainly had the mosh pit moving.

After Knocked Loose finished their set, a drape covers the stage with symbols from Gojira’s Fortitude album while a blended mix of the song “Fortitude” plays subtle in the background. The anticipation alone with a countdown had the crowd already getting ready to be rocked by one of the best metal bands currently touring.

As the countdown hit 0, the band goes right into “Born For One Thing” and the drape drops sending the crowd into a frenzy. Unlike Gojira’s past US tours where they had little production, this tour set the bar high. With Co2 canisters, lasers, fog, and overhead strobes this was Gojira at their best. Some bands almost need the extra production to kind of help carry them, though with Gojira it’s more like icing on a cake. This was absolutely amazing and beautiful to witness with the pure power of their music, as well as the crowd singing along.

Going from Born for One Thing > Backbone > Stranded > Flying Whales was one of the best possible openings for a Gojira show. Each one of these songs are super popular among fans, and extremely heavy hitting. One highlight from their 16 song set were during “Flying Whales” when fans “release whales back into the wild” by launching inflatable whales into the crowd. Overall Gojia’s setlist was extremely well rounded, with roughly half the song being new material and the other half a good mix from their previous albums.

Closing out their set with L’enfant sauvage, the crowd screaming “Gojira” over and over almost demanding them come back, which they obviously do for an amazing 4 song encore. Starting the encore off with “Amazonia” off their latest album sent the crowd into a roar again. Leading then into “Toxic Garbage Island” followed by “The Chant” before finishing off with fan favorite “Vacuity” was the perfect choice of songs for an encore.

Gojira put on one of the best metal shows I have seen, and they show no signs of slowing down. Overall this tour is incredible and is definitely worth seeing if you have the opportunity to do so.

Setlist: Born for One thing > Backbone > Stranded > Flying Whales > The Cell > Love/Remembrance > Hold On > Grind > Silvera > Sphinx > Another World > L’enfant sauvage

Encore: Amazonia > Toxic Garbage Island > The Chant > Vacuity

Gojira
Alien Weaponry
Knocked Loose
November 3, 2021
Wavves Crashes Into Bowery Ballroom for One Wild Night

Wavves played a killer set for hardcore fans last week (Sunday October 24, 2021) at Bowery Ballroom with support from 95 Bulls and Harmless. A crowded venue moshed, screamed, and raged as each band increased the frenetic energy in the room.

Wavves at Bowery Ballroom, Photographed by David Reichmann

95 Bulls opened up the show with a selection of hard-hitting rock/metal bangers. Having formed during summer 2020 in lockdown, you would never have known the band was so new. The five band members all come from their own bands (Ashjesus, The Mystery Lights, Smock, Bipolar, and Jelly Kelly), so it’s no wonder that they were able to perform with such obvious chemisty. Their debut album is scheduled for release later this year. You can listen to their catalog here.

95 Bulls at Bowery Ballroom, Photographed by David Reichmann

Next up, Harmless brought a more soulful and mellow atmosphere to their performance. Between songs, the lead singer Nacho Cano helped return a few lost phones back to their owners, each time to big applause and laughter. The drummer drenched himself with his water bottle onstage to the pleased cheers of the crowd. Their latest single “Nacho’s” is available on streaming services now.

Harmless at Bowery Ballroom, Photographed by David Reichmann

Wavves took the stage to an already-wild audience, practically chomping at the bit to hear them begin their set. They wasted no time at all playing hit after hit from their catalog, including a few tracks from their newest album, “Hideaway.” In the middle of their set, lead singer Nathan Williams invited the crowd to open the center of the dance floor briefly to allow for a mosh pit. By the end of the night everyone including the band was wearing a thick sheen of sweat and a wide smile. You can listen to Wavves’ latest record here and follow their continuing North American tour here.

November 2, 2021
Jukebox The Ghost Celebrate HalloQueen at Brooklyn Steel
Jukebox The Ghost brought their HalloQueen special to Bushwick’s Brooklyn Steel on Saturday October 30, 2021 for the bands largest headlining show to date. The show featured a Halloween costume competition, musical standup comedy, a full Jukebox The Ghost set, as well as a full set of 14 Queen cover songs. Jukebox has been around since the college indie boom of the mid 2000s, but vocalist Ben Thornewill thanked the crowd multiple times for making it the bands biggest show of their career.

Jukebox The Ghost at Brooklyn Steel, 10/30/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

Opening the show was former SNL cast member Luke Null, who delivered a set of musical stand up comedy dressed as a French Mime, complete with Gene Simmons face paint. Strapped with an acoustic guitar, Null engaged with the crowd while singing and telling mildly inappropriate short stories. He made another appearance after Jukebox’s main set to officiate the costume competition. Members of the band’s crew handed out vouchers to the best dressed fans around the venue, allowing them on stage during the set break. Crowd reaction was the metric for the competition, who settled on the Jurassic Park themed Nedry and dinosaur costume as the winner.

Luke Null, officiating the costume competition. Photo by BuscarPhoto

Jukebox The Ghost took the stage again after the costume competition, all dressed as members of the band Queen. The HalloQueen celebration commenced, and would continue for a 14 song set of Queen cover songs, all performed superbly true to form. Thornewill fully embraced the role of Freddie Mercury, mimicking the body language and posture perfectly, and there was even an handkerchief hanging from the neck of Brian May’s guitar. The crowd fully embraced the moment, belting out a rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” which culminated in an epic balloon drop.

Jukebox The Ghost at Brooklyn Steel, 10/30/2021. Photo by BuscarPhoto

The show at Brooklyn Steel was the last on the tour for Jukebox The Ghost, who have no more dates scheduled at the moment. The band played their latest single “Cheers!” as well as one other new song, so be on the lookout for new music in the future.
November 2, 2021

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