Brooklyn based musician, Dräger, released his new single “Light Years” on March 11 and announced his debut album Goths à la Discothèque comes out May 7.
Dräger Credit: Andrew Segreti
Spencer Draeger founded Dräger as the essence of his modern dystopian era. “Light Years” is an upbeat song with a message about choosing the road less traveled and following the unknown. According to Under the Radar this is the perfect example of his “synthedelic pop” sound. Synthedelic pop is a mixture of modern pop, ‘80s new wave and the underground dance scene. The single explores the excitement of chasing thrills on the journey to the future.
Goths à la Discothèque delves into the many universal themes of modern times including technology, love and society, and makes it his own. His album was inspired by 2020 and the effect it had on the world as it switched to a digital reality and caused people to forge new ideas. He portrays the present-day issues and fuses it with a party sound.
The album consists of 11 songs which were all produced, written, recorded and mixed by Dräger in his home studio. “Light Years” is now available for streaming and the lyric video is on Youtube. The album Goths à la Discothèque drops in May under Trash Casual.
New York State’s Final Four all sit on the free-throw line in dead silence. All eyes are on them. As the bead of sweat rolls down their faces, before the first notes strike, there is pure silence.
A wise man, and musician, once told me about the space between the notes; good music should start and end in silence. When there is silence, there are people listening. One breath before it all begins. I would like to take this time to highlight the spaces in-between, where all of our NYS Music March Madness bands deserve a tip of the hat. And, for the Final Four, the pressure is on. Go Vote. Enjoy the upcoming special Jamcast BOTB between the Final Four.
Since 2015, New York State Music has crafted a March Madness bracket delving into the musical harbors of our great state. As fans and musicians ourselves, we spotlight the great talent across New York in friendly competition and discovery. Its fury never loses sight of the underdog, a headliner’s humble beginnings, new musical discovery and rolling with the punches in our ever-changing industry.
VOTE FOR THE FINAL FOUR BELOW
Final four voting is now closed. Stay tuned for the Finals, starting Friday, March 26!
Stay tuned with Jamcast for a virtual Battle Of The Bands between our March Madness Final Four musicians: Albany’s Glass Pony, Buffalo’s Organ Fairchild, Rochester’s The Dirty Pennies and Long Island’s Baked Shrimp.
JamCast is a streaming platform that provides a unique experience using live, pre-recorded, archived audio & video performances, podcasting, vlogs, blogs, and more. JamCast has been centered around creating a digital network for musicians, promoters, and venues. It was designed to serve as a resource for all facets of the music industry. By offering weekly series, digital events, festivals, podcasts, archives, and more. An online resource and database for all music industry professionals.
Central New York promotersCreative Concerts bring fans together in the final four
Glass Pony – Albany, New York.
Chanda Dewey – drums* – Eddie Hotaling – Guitar* – Jeff Picarazzi – bass* – Greg Pittz – lead guitar* (*vocals)
If you aren’t into long songs, Glass Pony might not be the band for you; about half of their songs hit in the 8-10 minute mark and take their time to get in the groove with long intros and outros. Their second song on the album, “Swing That Maximus,” has a full two-minute instrumental intro.
With tempo changes up the wazoo throwing the listener from dance beats that make you want to get up and boogie, to slow sections you would barely move your body, they are definitely the type of band you can let loose to live or shamelessly-groove-to on your daily commute. Glass Pony brings you out of the mundane with some chaotic, yet systematic rhythms and beats that make Glass Pony one of a kind.
“The gritty song features staple driving guitar riffs that the Pennies are known and loved for. It’s a more aggressive song…fueled by the times in which we are living. The video gives fans an opportunity to follow along to the lyrics. Learn those words, because when live music resumes and The Dirty Pennies can play live, this is an anthem we’ll want to sing along to.” Video Premiere: ‘I’m Your Man’
You’ve been a live band for so long, what was it like when you finally got into the studio?
RK: It’s strange because people think of us as a live band, but we did an EP that took the course of three years. I was up at school, living in the Adirondacks, and I would come back and just play a show every once in a while, not really knowing where all of this was going. But what I will say is Kick Out The Rocks was the first time I’ve felt like going into the studio and hammering something out.
JM: For me it was return-to-my-roots. When I lived in Geneva, my hometown, I was in another band, my friend and I, and we were setting up a studio. It was a very grassroots thing in a basement. I think we played four shows total, so all the time we were playing it was in the studio setting. So it was nice to go back to that. But it was a completely different experience because Blue Brick Recordings is a legitimate studio with different rooms and things set up. It was really fun to have the professional setting.
Jared Cowen – Guitar/Vox – Scott Reill – Bass/Vox – Jager Soss – Drums/Vox
“An impressive musical and technical feat from start to finish. The opening track, “The Vision That I Can See,” is a jaw-dropping epic that really showcases the prowess of this band” – Baked Shrimp ‘Bubble Suit’
“Pig Hearts and Mechanical Parts” was released March 12, and is the single off of Baked Shrimp‘s second studio album Conscious, set for release on March 26th, 2021. The new single features Nick Rufolo on saxophone, trumpet, and keyboards. The track also features Jager Soss on percussion.
March Madness 2021 Lark Hall Region: Albany’s mid-size music venue.
Organ Fairchild – Buffalo, New York.
Joe Bellanti – organ, keys – Corey Kertzie – drums – Dave Ruch – guitar
Organ Fairchild is a musical party that won’t quit. Take your old-school organ trio (organ, guitar and drums), add dance-heavy grooves and adventurous jamming, and shake vigorously. Enjoy all night long.
“Jan. 2021 marks the release of single, “Seepin’,” from long-time Buffalo jam band veterans Organ Fairchild. Members have a history on the jam scene dating back 40 years.”
LISTEN to Organ Fairchild’s debut single below, from the forthcoming May 2021 album release! Mastered by Alan Evans of Soulive.
Don’t forget about our amazing sponsors:
Central New York promoters Creative Concertsbring together fans at venues, stretching from Albany to Rochester and Syracuse to Utica. Lark Hall is the soon to open mid-sized venue in Albany that will host bands of all sizes, events and more. If you need to market your show, event, band or brand, Rochester’s Balbert Marketing has you covered. Need merchandise? Homegrown Eastern New York’s 518 Prints makes quality goods for local, regional and national bands or tours. High Peaks Event Production is a team with years of experience, aiding in all your stage, lighting and sound demands.JamCast proves high quality streams for bands, podcasts and much more. Between these companies, bands will find a great deal of what they need, and support businesses from across New York and the Northeast.
On April 11, Ryan Montbleau will team up with Inclusion Dining & Jams to provide a musical experience that acknowledges people of all abilities. Inclusion Dining provides a sensory-friendly restaurant experience intended to accommodate those with autism and other special needs. In addition to Montbleau’s performance, there will also be sensory-friendly music, yoga-inspired dance, collaborative art, sing-alongs, and much more.
Ryan Montbleau’s empowering messages within his music make him a positive outlet in this time of darkness. He has mastered a balance between rock and roll energy with folk introspection. Montbleau dedicates his work to providing hope for those going through hard times. The artist’s inspiring mantra has particularly helped individuals with disabilities feel included.
Presented by Accessible Festivals, this inclusive event at MusikFest Café has been designed for people of all disabilities. The dining experience includes menu items for special diets, modified picture menus, social stories to support ordering and waiting, table-top activities, and therapists on site. Also, Inclusion Dining & Jams will be following health and safety procedures due to COVID-19. These regulations consist of practicing social distancing, mask requirement, temperature check before entry, and enhanced cleaning procedures.
Tickets are now available for purchase here. For folks outside of Bethlehem, a donation-based livestream will be occurring to join in on the evening. The show and livestream will have accessibility features that include visual, auditory, cognitive, physical, and sensory. Live ASL interpreters, captions, and audio and image descriptions will be available as well.
Each Sunday evening from 7-9pm you’ll find EQXposure on WEQX, featuring two hours of local music from up and coming artists. Tune into WEQX.com this Sunday night to hear new music from Fine Grain, Joe Mansmen and many more!
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
This week’s EQXposure starts with Cameron Clark’s “Martha and her Tin Soldier.” This incredible tune is full of clever twists and glitches. Super creative, it is as if St. Vincent went even deeper and stretched beyond the catchy ear worms to make some true art.
Fine Grain are gearing up for the release of their brand new full length LP, Missing Adult on Thursday, March 25th. Mixed and recorded in Brunswick, NY, Fine Grain’s post-punk brilliance runs deep with exceptional songwriting and performances of every member of the band. Some musicians are simply meant to play together and it’s only that specific combination that makes the sound so pure and authentically them. Fine Grain is that band. “Missing Adult” is as exciting as it is cool.
Joe Mansmen and the Midnight Revival have a new single “Renegade Love” that hits the airwaves one day before the release of their brand new LP Renegadez. Glam rock may have taken a nap, but Joe Mansmen and the Midnight Revival band has unleashed the beast that laid dormant in all the tight paints cut up t-shirts to revive a style that was everyone’s favorite even though the feared admitting the raw visceral attraction to the pleasing distorted guitars and massive beats.
Like many musicians, Jason Pariseau has been writing a lot of music over the past year. And as some artists discover, what they write may not fit with their current group and they branch out from there. For Pariseau, this meant that while some songs fit the mold for his group Periodic Table of Elephants (PToE), some had an alternative/indie rock sound. Thus, The Ribbon Project was born.
Pariseau wrote songs that were inspired by artists like The National, Bear’s Den, Novo Amor, and others, with “Medicine” the first of the new batch. Since the process to record these songs took a while due to the collaborative process, he decided to release these one-by-one, instead of waiting for an all at once EP release.
With a small pile of acoustic folk songs and a great deal of potential for them, Pariseau took the idea to Josh Pettinger at Wicked Squid Studios. They talked about the best way to approach the project, and instead of trying to synthesize everything in the studio, Pettinger encouraged him to lean on the local music scene in Rochester. When Pariseau started reaching out, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
As an indie-acoustic project featuring various musicians from the Rochester area, The Ribbon Project features PToE drummer Sean Scanlon on all tracks. For “Medicine,” Jason and Sean are joined by Joel Boyer (banjo), Arjun Baxter (upright bass), Ian Downey (cello), and Darren DeWispelaere (trumpet).
With the feedback received from the first song, Pariseau is looking to bring The Ribbon Project to a live audience sometime later this summer. Still, the group of musicians have not played together in person just yet.
The way the first song came together far exceeded my expectations. And, what has been an interesting approach is that at no time have all of these musicians been together to play the song. Everything was done digitally by sharing tracks and ideas, then having each person come into the studio one-by-one to record their parts. Once one person was done, I’d send the track to the next person, and they would add on their layers. Each person building on the previous person’s track. It’s been a fantastic project. The next song is about 50% done, and will include a different group of musicians.
While the next evolution of PToE will be a step back from 90s punk, and pay homage to other 90s bands like Hum, Failure and Our Lady Peace, The Ribbon Project will set forth on an indie route, adding to the rich music scene waiting to burst open once again in the Flower City.
Catch Pariseau perform virtually at “Homegrown Presents: Going Green Party” streamed from Lovin’ Cup in Rochester. The stream kicks off at 2pm on Saturday, March 20th.
48 years ago today, The Grateful Dead wrapped up their first ever run at Nassau Coliseum. The venerable Long Island venue was almost completely new at the time, having only opened in February of 1972. In fact, the Dead were only the second band to ever play a concert in the building, surpassed only by their brethren in Chicago the year before. Today would wrap up the final show of their first three-day run here, planting the seeds for another 39 Grateful Dead shows at Nassau for years to come. This introduction ends in remarkable fashion with a show that’s got a little bit of everything: a first set that simply overpowers the second, unique costume wear from the band, and a powerful goodbye to a dear friend.
This show was a double bill of sorts with the Dead’s old friends New Riders of the Purple Sage performing an opening set to get thing started. So the Long Island crowd had already been given a taste of some West Coast psychedelic country and rock styling. Now it was the Dead’s turn. After a quick intro from promoter extraordinaire Bill Graham, they’re off and running with a feverish cover of Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land.”
Things then slow down and take an immediate emotional left turn courtesy of the “He’s Gone” that follows. This would be the song’s first live performance since the passing of the legendary Pigpen, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, just eleven days earlier. Jerry Garcia’s usually delicate vocals here are surpassed only by a supremely poignant guitar solo that simply oozes emotion. The declaration of “nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile” seems to hit a little harder on this one. And Donna Jean and the crowd both lend some audible support as well in a stirring version that’s more than a fitting tribute to the late Pigpen.
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan Sept 8, 1945 – March 8 , 1973
With the musical eulogy out of the way, the rest of the first set proceeds in a more familiar fashion. Bob Weir leads a quick jaunt through “Mexicali Blues.” And Garcia follows in fine fashion in a flawless, uptempo “They Love Each Other.” But the band doesn’t seem ready to say goodbye quite yet. This time Weir takes the helm on vocals and delivers a beautiful and inspired “Looks Like Rain” that’s comes off as one more nod to the somber circumstances of a friend’s recent death.
Deadheads will get a kick out of the first set’s “Wave That Flag,” a precursor to “U.S. Blues” that was played only 14 times and features vastly different lyrics. There’s also a decent bust-out as well. For the first time in almost three years and more than 270 show, “The Race Is On” is dusted off by the Grateful Dead and presented to the Nassau crowd.
No one would complain if tonight’s opening stanza ended with the flawless “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” that later followed. But, no, this set goes to “11.” Perhaps fueled by some of the emotions from earlier, the band just keeps motoring on. One more Berry cover in “Around & Around” makes an appearance. And “Tennessee Jed” keeps the faithful in the new Long Island barn collectively swaying.
Until finally, the first set is capped in grandiose fashion with a mad dash of a “Playin’ In The Band.” All the energy and emotions from earlier seem to get collected here and let loose in a near 16-minute gem that serves as a fitting cap to an exhilarating first set that stretches out past an hour and 40 minutes. The footage of it that follows is reported to be some of the only video of live 1973 Grateful Dead music. Members of the band can be seen in their “Nudie Suits,” bedazzled and sequined suits that were worn a handful of times at shows in late ’72 and early ’73. This psychedelic Country-Western garb is named after the designer Nudie Cohn and were popularized by the Flying Burrito Brothers at the time. This is supposedly the last show at which they were ever worn.
A whirlwind opening set like that would be nearly impossible to top. The second set has nice intentions, but the opening stretch is played somewhat close to the belt. The relatively new-at-the-time “Loose Lucy” kicks things off, with a more pronounced Keith Godchaux on piano coming through in the mix. “Lucy” made its concert debut only earlier last month. Then there’s a a string of “first set”-sounding songs like “Me And My Uncle” and “Big River” that follow. Bill Kreutzmann’s work behind the drum kit really shines on the Johnny Cash cover. And “Mississippi Half-Step” continues this trend of well played live Dead staples that just lack some of the improvisation normally found at this part of the program.
“Jack Straw” picks up the energy considerably in the second set and seems to fuel the band towards the finish line. “Truckin’” follows, paying tribute to New York, a state that’s “got the ways and means.” This yields the first significant jam of the second set, a bluesy little excursion spearheaded by Garcia. It even includes a distinct “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” instrumental nod as the jam begins to progress.
Jerry and Bob in their Nudie Suits, February 1973
A short and sweet “Drums” section then transitions seamlessly into “The Other One,” with Phil Lesh’s thunderous bass notes triggering the opening sequence. Along with Garcia-supplied guitar licks, the two lead an impressively patient and vibrant musical introduction before the first words of the song are even sung.
This and the near 17-minute “Eyes Of The World” that follows really serve as the foundation for this second set. This version of “Eyes” is fairly incredible in that it’s another new-at-the-time, this being only the tenth one ever played. The Dead move effortlessly through the composed section, sounding like they’ve been playing this song for years, before settling into another patient and intricate exploratory jam.
The “Johnny B. Goode” set closer completes the Berry Trifecta for this evening before a “Casey Jones” encore sends the Nassau faithful merrily on their way. Afterwards, the train would be getting on the tracks on heading upstate for two shows at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. It’s a well played set that has a few standout moments but, overall, just doesn’t compare to the emotional powerhouse the opening stanza delivered.
Listen to this great show track by track below, or all at once here.
Grateful Dead – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Uniondale, NY 3/19/73
Set 1: Promised Land, He’s Gone, Mexicali Blues, They Love Each Other, Looks Like Rain, Wave That Flag, Box Of Rain, The Race is On, Row Jimmy, El Paso, China Cat Sunflower-> I Know You Rider, Around & Around, Tennessee Jed, Playin’ In The Band
Set 2: Loose Lucy, Me & My Uncle, Brown Eyed Women, Big River, Mississippi Half Step, Stella Blue, Jack Straw, Truckin’-> The Other One-> Eyes Of The World-> China Doll, Johnny B. Goode
Forward People. It can mean a direction, or it can describe a group of people. With room for interpretation built into the title, Trey Anastasio shared his latest pandemic production, “Forward People,” on March 18. The release coincides with his first pandemic release on March 18, 2020, “Lost in the Pack.”
With a full Ghosts of the Forest vibe, Anastasio utilizes the Rescue Squad Strings, as well as a horn section, creating a full sound that is reminiscent of GOTF’s “Drift While You’re Sleeping.” For more than 14 minutes, horns and strings accent Anastasio’s uplifting and emotional surprise release.
The opening lyrics to the ballad have a positive, uplifting vibe, something that has been Anastasio’s trademark in the past decade – “Light,” “More,” “Everything’s Right,” “The Greater Good,” “A Wave of Hope” – among others.
We are one, you are not alone, all things are connected, and we are reaping what we’ve sown. But even out there on your own, We cannot be divided, You are not alone, You’re never really alone.
“Forward People” lyrics – Trey Anastasio
The song continues to touch on themes of self-reliance, hope and perseverance, Anastasio sings “Sway in the light… an invisible hand is conducting the melody. We think that we are composing, but the music is pointing beyond me now,” a broader universal theme that has been seen in his pandemic recordings.
One of the most restless musicians during the pandemic, Anastasio had recently spoken with WCAX, hinting at Phish’s plans for this year, and if something was in the works. Trey slyly said “I’ve got a secret.” It’s safe to say Anastasio has more than one secret, with a composition like this up his sleeve and the potential for a return to the stage, with audiences, possible as soon as the fall.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong announces a five show summer tour running through both June and July across multiple states. The tour will start on June 18, 2021 in New York and end on July 16, 2021 in New Hampshire.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are a funk band from Baltimore, Maryland that started back in 2009. The lineup is currently made up of Greg Ormont on vocals and guitar, Jeremy Schon on guitar and vocals, Ben Carrey on bass and vocals and Alex Petropulos on drums. They released their first album back in 2010 titled Funk E P. They currently have five studio albums with their most recent album titled Presto was released in 2020.
The tour will start in Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in Lafayette, New York and will host shows on both June 18 and 19. The band will make it’s next stop on June 26 for a show at Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. They will move on with the tour and on July 10th they will stop at Devils Backbone Brewing Company in Roseland, Virginia. The five show tour will wrap up on July 16 in Northlands in Swanzey, New Hampshire.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Livel (L-R): Jeremy Schon (Guitar), Alex Petropulos (Drums) “Scrambled Greg” Ormont (Vocals/Guitar), Ben Carrey (Bass). Photo: Kendall McCargo
All the events will require attendees to be seated in socially distant pods. All shows will adhere to all state and local guidelines regarding masks and social distancing. They will be one of the first few bands to perform at the recently constructed Westville Music Bowl which is the fourth stop on their tour which was formerly home of the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament. Their last stop on the tour at Northlands (Formerly Drive-In Live) in Swanzey was originally a drive-in theatre. The owners transformed the scenic, mountainside location into a thriving, pod-style concert field. Northlands also expanded the operation, promising “food trucks, beer and wine, improved sound and lights, and much more…”.
An artist pre-sale will commence on Wednesday, March 17th at 12 PM ET, followed by a public on sale on Friday, March 19th at 12 PM ET here.
With live music being halted for so long due to COVID-19, the news of live summer tours taking place this summer is exciting and gives hope that soon regular live music can become a reality again. For more information on Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and their upcoming summer tour visit their website.
On March 18, 2019, Fleetwood Mac played the second of two sold out shows at Madison Square Garden supporting their “An Evening With Fleetwood Mac” tour. The lineup consisted of Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.
Originally the tour was referred to as the “Farewell Tour” with plans of having the Rumours lineup including Lindsey Buckingham, but a few weeks prior to the start of the tour, the band had announced their separation with Buckingham.
The reason for the separation was reportedly due to disagreements about the tour. In a Rolling Stone interview, Buckingham later revealed that the real reasons he was fired was that Nicks took issue with the fact that he “smirked” during her thank you speech at the Musicares person of the year event, and also the way that Buckingham reacted to being introduced with Nick’s “Rhiannon.” Vocalist/guitarist Neil Finn and guitarist Mike Campbell joined the band shortly after Buckingham’s departure.
Despite Buckingham not being present, the show was still fantastic. The band opened the show with three huge hits, “The Chain,” “Little Lies” and “Dreams.” Their set also included more hits like “Say You Love Me,” “Rhiannon,” “Gypsy” and “Go Your Own Way.” Each of the new members also had a chance to shine with Neil playing Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and a cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” as images of Tom and Stevie were projected on the screen behind them. Another highlight was when they played “Black Magic Woman” which was written by original member Peter Green before Santana turned it into a huge hit.
In a 2020 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Nicks said she hasn’t spoken to Buckingham since his departure, but she did write him a note after he suffered from a heart attack in February of 2019. On March 27, 2021, there will be an All Star Tribute to Peter Green available on demand that was recorded at the London Palladium on February 25, 2020, just days before the global shut down due to COVID-19. A live album of the concert will also be released on April 30, 2021.
Setlist: The Chain, Little Lies, Dreams, Second Hand News, Say You Love Me, Black Magic Woman, Everywhere, Rhiannon, World Turning, Gypsy, Oh Well, Don’t Dream It’s Over, Landslide, Hold Me, Monday Morning, You Make Loving Fun, Gold Dust Woman, Go Your Own Way
The pandemic has caused an immense amount of hardships that swept over the world. Both individual livelihood and business establishments alike have had to deal with these dilemmas. The Terrace at Delaware Park has had to delve into its own resourcefulness to ride out this past year.
The Terrace at Delaware Park
Located at the historic Marcy Casino building at Delaware Park and Hoyt Lake, The Terrace has experienced various closings and reopening since March 2020. The establishment in Buffalo has altered seating arrangements and event rooms in order to meet COVID-19 regulations.
This March, JazzBuffalo is partnering with The Terrace again to help out during this tough time. Jazz events are set to accompany dinner and brunch. Last week Saranaide and Banjo Juice Trio performed outstandingly at The Terrace. Two more performances are set to take place from Mary Ramsey and Inga Yanoski and Carina & The Six String Preacher.
Sunday, March 21 @ 11:30 am – 3:00 pm at The Terrace at Delaware Park
Come to the Pan-Am Room for a St. Patty’s Day Brunch! JazzBuffalo is partnering with The Terrace to bring “A Celtic Brunch.” This event will feature Mary Ramsey, a lead singer, and violist for the 10,000 Maniacs, as well as violinist Inga Yanoski. Inga has toured with 10,000 Maniacs, is a member of the band The Bards, and performs with the BPO. Music performances will be held from 12 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The cost is $10 per person plus food and beverage purchase.
Friday, March 26 @ 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm at The Terrace at Delaware Park
On this date, The Terrace is conducting dinner jazz at this scenic location. Look to reserve a table for dinner overlooking Hoyt Lake and Delaware Park. Carina & The Six String Preacher blend jazz, Latin, and pop to create their signature sound. The cost is $10 per person plus a dinner bill with a $25 minimum.
Call The Terrace at 716-886-0089 or visit them online to make reservations.
