NYS Music 202​1

Category: Genres

  • This Week’s EQXposure features After the Fall, Postage and many more

    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 After the Fall, Postage and many more!

    after the fall

    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 EQXPosure puts a spotlight on Albany hardcore, featuring the new song by After the Fall, “I Don’t Want to be Around,” off their latest release Resignation.

    The Albany Hardcore scene is vast, with creative people successfully avoiding the bummer life while stabbing songs across the linear music stream with heart, message, and unabashed, pristine, rock and roll. All of the hallmarks of great bands like Fear, The Vandals, The Circle Jerks, and Bob Mould move the music forward, sustaining all the energy, and could really care less that their music is being played on the radio  – the music is about the moment, the spark, and the infinite aggressive passionate shout.

    EQXposure will also feature four songs by Postage. These quintessential punk blasts take some clever harmonic twists, and the performance of the tunes by the band’s playing is excellent. Enough to hook newcomers to a scene they’ve been missing out on. 

  • Watch Grateful Dead Perform “It’s All Over Now” from Orchard Park 1990

    The latest release in the Grateful Dead video series ‘All The Years Live’ features a performance from Orchard Park, home of the Buffalo Bills. From their July 16, 1990 show, the Dead share a rollicking first set cover of Bobby Womack’s “It’s All Over Now.”

    grateful dead Orchard park

    Grateful Dead historian David Lemieux speaks on the performance:

    When It’s All Over Now first appeared in Grateful Dead sets in 1976, it was the perfect addition to the Bob-sung part of first sets. It was quite a bit different than any other Bob song: not an original, not a blues song, not a cowboy song. When The Last Time arrived in 1990, it was the same feeling, another Bob rocker, although The Last Time bounced around the setlist quite a bit, whereas It’s All Over Now was a first set song.

    The video is directed by Len Dell’Amico and co-produced by Len Dell’Amico and GDP. Click here to read a detailed take on the Grateful Dead opening for Bob Dylan in Orchard Park on July 4, 1986 and here for The Who and The Clash at Rich Stadium in 1982.

    Grateful Dead July 16, 1990 – Orchard Park, NY

    Set 1: Hell in a Bucket, Mississippi Half-Step, Blow Away, Mama Tried, Mexicali Blues, Loose Lucy, It’s All Over Now, High Time, Let it Grow, Don’t Ease Me In

    Set 2: Sugar Magnolia, Scarlet Begonias, Man Smart/Woman Smarter
    Ship of Fools, Truckin’, drums -> The Wheel, Gimme Some Lovin’
    Wharf Rat, Around and Around, Sunshine Daydream

    Encore: Brokedown Palace

  • Goose to release 2019 Buffalo show to benefit Nietzsche’s

    Goose has announced the release of their latest live album, 2019.11.16 Buffalo, NY, from the Connecticut group’s show at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo’s longest-serving music venue. The release is a newly remastered soundboard recording that is now available on all streaming platforms.

    goose buffalo

    Buffalo was a sure highlight for us in 2019. Like a lot of our Fall 2019 shows, it was our first time headlining in town and the show sold out way in advance, so the energy was through the roof. One of my favorite things to do on that tour was survey the crowd, and that night we had people from all over the place, it was really humbling to see that people had traveled just to see us at this small bar in Buffalo, and it turned out to be an absolutely magical night. 

    Peter Anspach

    In addition to the streaming release, the band plans to press select tracks to vinyl, with a 2-LP, eight-track package available for sale through Bandcamp. Collectors will have an opportunity to purchase regular (vinyl only), deluxe (signed postcard + poster), or test pressings at varying price points.

    A portion of proceeds will be donated to Nietzsche’s, as the independent venue continues to weather the multitude of challenges presented by the current pandemic. 

    Without spots like Nietzsche’s, we wouldn’t have gotten our feet off the ground. You need small venues and local scenes to get started as a band. Even if you’re not making much money per gig (which you aren’t), playing shows keeps the momentum up, the enthusiasm high, and allows you to grow musically as a band so you’ll know what you’re doing when and if you make it to larger venues. Let’s go Buffalo!

    Peter Anspach

    The heavy improv of Set 1 features a 14-minute cover of The Wood Brothers‘ “Atlas,” followed by a 20-minute “Arcadia” anbd closed with a 30-minute “Drive.” Set 2 kicks off with “Creatures” and includes covers of Otis Day and the Knights’ “ShamaLamma Ding Dong” and a-ha’s “Take On Me.”

    Vinyl is now on sale as of Noon ET, Friday, January 8. For more information, visit goose.es/buffalo-vinyl.

  • Albany Symphony To Stream “Tchaikovsky Serenade” Concert With Female Composers

    The Albany Symphony is gearing up for their first concert of 2021. On Saturday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m., they’ll be live streaming Tchaikovsky Serenade from the Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. In addition to Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, the program includes works by George Walker, Jean Sibelius, and two living female composers: Jessie Montgomery and Caroline Shaw. Season subscribers can arrive early at 7:00 p.m. for a pre-concert talk, and stick around afterwards for a Q&A session with the musicians.

    Tchaikovsky Serenade
    The Albany Symphony, conducted by Maestro Miller.

    Tchaikovsky Serenade will open with Banner, a piece Jessie Montgomery wrote in 2014 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Banner combines the traditional national anthem with world music and protest songs, prompting the New York Times to call it a “musical melting pot.” Montgomery, a recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation, grew up in Manhattan’s Lower East Side with a creative family. Her father, a musician, and her mother, a theater artist and storyteller, brought her to rallies and performances for social movements.

    Tchaikovsky Serenade
    Jessie Montgomery.

    The Albany Symphony will also perform Entr’acte, composed by Caroline Shaw in 2017. The piece, inspired by the minuet of Haydn’s String Quartet in F Major, evokes Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. Shaw is the youngest-ever recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in Music, thanks to her 2013 Partita in 8 Voices, an a capella composition for her vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. “Writing music sometimes feels like gardening. It takes a lot of work and preparation, but with the right attention and care, you end up with something beautiful and nourishing,” said Shaw. Shaw has previously collaborated with Kanye West and the National, and performed with artists such as Sara Bareilles and Ben Folds.

    Tchaikovsky Serenade
    Caroline Shaw.

    I’m elated we will perform Jessie Montgomery’s and Caroline Shaw’s breathtaking pieces, which are very different from one another but will both captivate members of our audience and provide them with a touching experience they will not soon forget.

    David Alan Miller, Albany Symphony Director

    Besides Montgomery and Shaw, the Albany Symphony will also play pieces by George Walker, Jean Sibelius, and of course, Tchaikovsky. Choreographer George Balanchine borrowed Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings for Serenade, his first full-length ballet in America, and excerpts continue to circulate throughout pop culture. Tchaikovsky was no stranger to ballet himself, having composed Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker.

    The 2020-2021 symphony season, known as the Virtual Concert Hall, runs through June when the Albany Symphony will celebrate the American Music Festival. Other programs include Rachmaninoff’s Third on March 13, and Haydn & Schubert on April 24. This is conductor David Alan Miller’s 27th season as the Symphony’s music director: he won a Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2013, and has since racked up four more nominations. The Albany Symphony’s previous performance, The Magic of Christmas 2020, was televised on NewsChannel WNYT 13 last December.

    For more information, visit the Albany Symphony’s website.

  • Bobby Shmurda Possible Prison Release as Early as February

    The long-awaited release of Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda could come much earlier than expected. The incarcerated emcee — born, Ackquille Jean Pollard — was arrested in December 2014, along with his associates, his brother and GS9 label-mate Rowdy Rebel on charges of drug and gun possession, reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit murder.

    Bobby Shmurda Release

     Rowdy Rebel was released on December 15thafter Shmurda took a plea dealthat saw his time extended to lessen his label mate’s. Shmurda was up for parole in September but was denied as a result of disciplinary actions for behavior while in prison. It was then believed that he would serve the full length of his sentence — which was set to end on December,11 2021 The state Department of Correction subsequently restored his credit for good behavior and now the “Hot N****” rapper may be released as early as  February 23, 2021. The conditions of his release are of course contingent on the rapper’s behaviors, with one infraction possibly delaying his release until the end of the year, TMZ reports. 

    Bobby Shmurda Release

    While Shmurda has been incarcerated, he has maintained his strong following — especially on social media — and if theresponseto Rowdy Rebel’s release is any indication, then Shmurda will be coming home to a hero’s welcome. 

    Bobby Shmurda Release

  • Intrepid Travelers Release Double Single

    Intrepid Travelers are starting the New Year off strong with new music. The Buffalo 6-piece have released a double single, pairing “You Gotta Work” and “Up To You” as they look towards a brighter 2021.

    intrepid travelers double single
    Cover art designed Adam Bronstein

    A Buffalo-based improvisational rock band that has been around since 2013, Intrepid Travelers were revitalized in 2020 with some significant lineup changes. 

    Bassist Zak Beutel was the first new addition, joining founding members Donny Frauenhofer (keys), Brian Calisto (guitar), and Jon Fohl (drums). Shortly after, two more travelers joined the group: Ellen Pieroni, formerly of Folkfaces (saxophone), and former Universe Shark frontman Adam Bronstein (guitar). 

    This new incarnation of Intrepid Travelers has been hitting the pavement hard since the summer, as hard as they can mid-pandemic. The band has been live-streaming the first three Tuesdays of each month as well as select holidays, while working on plenty of new material. The band was able to play a few live shows in the late summer/early fall – including a sold out double header on Halloween at Sportsmens Tavern and a socially-distanced IT Fest – but with the recent shutdown, IT decided to shift their focus to recording. 

    The newly released double single features two tracks, “You Gotta Work” (Pieroni/Frauenhofer) and “Up To You” (Calisto/Beutel/Fohl). Both tracks were recorded entirely at home, with mixing and mastering by Donny Frauenhofer. 

    These two tracks are a great representation of where the band is heading, and the amount of fun we’ve been having together.

    Jon Fohl

    The first track, “You Gotta Work,” a driving, Motown-inspired Lettuce-esque funk tune, will make you dance and leave you feeling empowered, and features dazzling guitar licks by Adam, tasty organ playing by Donny, a percussive bassline by Zak, and Ellen on lead vocals.

    “Up To You” is more introspective, but just as catchy as the first track. You’ll be reeled in by Brian’s acoustic guitar playing, but be sure to stick around for him to shred later in the tune, and Jon displays his vocal abilities singing lead. The production value is especially great on “Up To You,” with congas from special guest Ryan Campbell, fun added background vocals over Brian’s guitar solo, catchy horn lines, and various sound and vocal effects. 

    This recording session was among the most rewarding and creatively fulfilling projects I’ve ever been a part of – self producing these tracks has the band energized and excited for more!

    Adam Bronstein

    The double single is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube, and Amazon Music. 

  • Dr. Dre Speaks Out Following Apparent Brain Aneurysm

    Dr. Dre was hospitalized late Monday night at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles following an apparent brain aneurysm. TMZ reported that Dre is stable and lucid, and doctors are continuing to figure out what caused the brain bleed.

    dr dre

    The 55-year-old legendary rapper and producer, whose real name is Andre Romell Young, updated fans on his well-being on social media, speaking out for the first time since his hospitalization. “Thanks to my family, friends, and fans for their interest and well wishes,” said Dre via an Instagram post made late Tuesday night.

    Dr. Dre first climbed the ranks of the West Coast hip hop scene with N.W.A, soon rising to fame in the music industry, arguably becoming one of the top music producers of all time. He co-founded Death Row Records and produced works by Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, among many others.

    Not long after Dre’s initial Instagram post, celebrities took to social media, wishing the music industry mogul well.

    “Send your love and prayers,” Tweeted fellow N.W.A member and West Coast icon, Ice Cube.

    The Brain Aneurysm Foundation notes that ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about half of all cases, and survivors have a 66 percent chance of permanent neurological deficits.


  • Best of 2020: Cover Song, Jam & What We Missed The Most

    As we continue to warm up to the new year, there are a few more musical moments from 2020 that merit special recognition. Here’s the best of what last year had to offer for cover songs and jams and what we missed the most.

    Best Cover Song

    There were a lot of interesting nominations for this category. With bands and artists quarantined at home like the rest of us, that left plenty of time to learn new material and maybe take a stab at some unique covers. The winner this year goes to moe. and their take on “West LA Fadeaway,” from the 1987 Grateful Dead album In The Dark.

    This one went down at Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica, NY. After scheduled shows at Vernon Downs were cancelled, the band scrambled and Plan B was to play the shows where they had been rehearsing. The extra-bouncey effect on Rob Derhak’s bass and Jim Loughlin on percussion give this Dead classic a fun, uplifting vibe that does justice to the original.

    Other nominees for Best Cover Song included Silversun Pickups and their cover of Martika’a 1988 hit “Toy Soldiers,” Vaporeyes and their take on the Gorillaz classic “Clint Eastwood,” and a breathtaking rendition of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes” from Lianne La Havas.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdbHO_KhCig

    Best Jam

    The nominations for Best Jam of 2020 were once again varied and spread across far across the musical spectrum. But, once again, the winner has roots deeply established in New York State. Like many other bands last year, Buffalo’s Aqueous had to resort to Drive-In movie theaters as venues to play for any mass gathering. And their second set on June 21 at the Transit Drive-In Theatre in nearby Lockport goes down as the jam of the year.

    It was comprised of only one song, an extremely stretched out and versatile “Half In, Half Out.” This particular version reached new heights as it goes on for nearly 68 minutes and showcases the band’s full repertoire. This musical assault seems to have about a dozen different sections that mesh together to form something special. One of the earlier ones is an exact replica of the ending sequence of Phish’s “Sample In A Jar.” The rest of jam features notes of funk, reggae, trance and blissful rock, all while never growing stale. Teases from Rush, Pink Floyd and Red Hot Chili Peppers also abound. Throw in a freshly mohawked Mike Gantzer on guitar and that’s more than enough to bestow “Best of” honors for this one.

    Other finalists in this esteemed category were the “Stash” from Trey Anastasio’s Beacon Jams, Vaporeyes’ “Quarantine Jams,” and Yo La Tengo’s annual Hanukkah show.

    What We Missed The Most

    This contest, predictably, yielded a bit more of a clear consensus. It’s evident from the responses that thing people missed the most in 2020 is the personal and social interaction that go hand in hand with live music. Of course the music is nice (it finished a distant second), but it doesn’t seem to matter as much without the friends and the environment that comes with a show.

    If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that human interactions certainly goes a long way. And one response mentions one of these that undoubtedly anyone who has ever been to show can relate to in saying, “I miss being in a large room with strangers who instantly become your best friends just because you share the connection of loving a particular musician or band.” Whether it’s reuniting with old friends or making new ones, let’s hope 2021 gives us a chance to do both. And the live music can come along too.

    Best of 2020

  • Palace Sessions return with Moriah Formica, Sawyer Fredericks & Madison Vandenburg

    The Palace Sessions return with a trio of young talent that have each found a national audience. Moriah Formica, Sawyer Fredericks and Madison Vandenburg will be stream performances from Albany’s Palace Theatre on January 13 at 7pm on the Palace Theatre’s

    Formica, Fredericks and Vandenburg have each found fame through nationally broadcast music competition shows The Voice (Formica and Fredericks) and American Idol (Vandenburg). Through their performances and runs into the finals of their respective shows, they have each amassed a large following, bringing a focus to the Capital Region of New York.

    The Palace Sessions is a monthly live music series featuring some of our favorite regional acts performing in unique spaces within the historic performing arts center. Watch previous episodes of The Palace Sessions below.

    During the stream, donations can be made to benefit the Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc. – the 501(c)3 non-profit organization that owns and operates the historic Palace Theatre. Donations can be made or directly through the Palace Theatre’s Text To Give program, by texting Palace2020 to 44321.

    The Palace has been Albany’s iconic downtown landmark for the past eight decades, bringing  the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region. The history and programming of the  Palace is a unique and often untold story with roots dating back to the period of the Great  Depression. The Palace Theatre, built in 1931, originally presented vaudeville acts, feature films  and became a civic auditorium before closing its doors in 1969. The theatre maintains its original  beauty and design and is a historical landmark in the City of Albany.

    The Palace Performing Arts  Center was established in 1984 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1989, created to  operate the Palace Theatre. The mission of the Palace is to bring world-class arts and  entertainment to New York’s Capital Region, greatly enhancing the area’s cultural and economic  development. Our mission is carried out through core programming and community initiatives  that include performing arts entertainment, free arts education, family-friendly performances,  free summer movies and a classic movie program series. The Palace has a significant economic  footprint with over $3.5 million in ticket sales and 180,000 patrons. 

    Palace Sessions is presented by the Palace Theatre, the City of Albany and Mirth Films.

  • Capital Region Venues Donate Virtual Black Violin Concert to Students

    Three Capital Region performing arts venues banded together to donate a virtual Black Violin concert to students of all grade levels.

    Black Violin
    Hip-hop duo Black Violin. Wil Baptiste (left) Kev Marcus (right).

    Proctors Collaborative, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and Troy Savings Bank Music Hall are the three venues that will provide the virtual concert to classrooms from Feb. 22 to April 2. Between those days, students can experience an explosion of classical and hip-hop music from the duo, Black Violin.

    Teachers have been given the enormous and challenging task of teaching their students in person and, or virtually at the ready. Arts education has suffered during the pandemic. Tens of thousands of students would have visited any one of our venues for educational programming during this school year. Opportunities such Black Violin can straddle the disconnect of social distancing, support wellness and foster creative development and critical thinking.

    Christine Sheehan, Director of Education at Proctors Collaborative

    Black Violin normally consists of Wil Baptiste on viola and Kev Marcus on violin, but for the show DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes will join them. Together, the group describes themselves as a “classical Boom” because of their distinctive sounds of both classical and hip-hop.

    Black violin has held strong for 16 years in the music industry. The pair gained notoriety for their mixture of modern tunes and vocals with old school orchestral music. Since their start, they have sold out headline concerts across the country at various notable venues. Performing around 200 shows, many have been for low-income students in urban communities.

     “The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture. Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together,” said Baptiste. 

    Capital Region teachers are able to register for the virtual event starting Jan. 5 on https://school.proctors.org/blackviolin/. Teachers who do want to participate will be given a study guide, link and access code prior to the show.

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