The Foo Fighters were scheduled to play the K-Rockathon at the New York State Fairgrounds in the summer of 2000, but cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. They returned to play the Landmark Theater with Queens of the Stone Age later that year with Dave Grohl covering Prince’s “Purple Rain” that night as an apology to the Syracuse audience.
21 years later, Grohl and the band were about to send a virtual apology to the seated fans at the Lakeview Amphitheater big screen that the show might not go on. The band was stuck at JFK airport waiting on a plane for almost four hours due to fog. Grohl said the band set a deadline: if they weren’t en route to Syracuse by 8:20 p.m., the show wasn’t going to happen. 8:15 rolled around. Then 8:16. 8:17. 8:18. At 8:19 p.m. Grohl got word from the pilot.
“They said, alright, we’re going to Syracuse,” he said. “We got a fucking rock show.”
This energy carried from the plane’s landing at Syracuse’s Hancock airport to a police escort to Lakeview Amphitheater. The full band got out and immediately took the stage around 9:45pm. County Executive Ryan McMahon helped cater the show past the 11PM curfew, in true rock n roll fashion. “The question that was our call to make is how late do they play,” McMahon said. “The team made the right call: They can play as late as they want and we’ll deal with repercussions later.”
What occurred musically for the rest of the evening was pure rock n roll magic. The moment the house lights drew on the band, a mutual appreciation quickly developed between them and the crowd. Permission was granted to be able to rock the night away.
As Dave Grohl softly sang the opening verse to “Times Like These” it created an in-the-moment fervor felt immediately by 17,000 people. He belted extra loud the nights appropriate lyrics during “Learn to Fly:” “Now, I’m looking to the sky to save me. Make my way back home when I learn to fly high.”
The heavy drum intro to “My Hero” was another golden original played on the Onondaga Lake Trails. Drummer Taylor Hawkins sported an old band tee of The Police and his bass drum had a “RIP Charlie” tag to honor the fallen Rolling Stone. Hawkins switched spots with Grohl on drums For lead on Queens “somebody to love”. Freddie Mercury’s spirit was sang by the crowd and band in full bravado.
“Anybody, anywhere, anybody find me somebody to love love love! Somebody find me, find me love.” The band played off a new concept cover of The Bee Gees “You Should Be Dancing” that sent bodies back to the old discotheque. “All My Life” howled it’s lyrics “Hey, don’t let it go to waste, I love it but I hate the taste” The two Foo Fighters staples “Best of You” and “Everlong” completely unified the crowd to cloud nine to end the night. “Wait, it took 20 fucking years to play Syracuse? What the fuck, that is bullshit!” Grohl exclaimed.
Foo Fighters – September 15, 2021 At St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview, Syracuse
Setlist: Times Like These, The Pretender, Learn to Fly, No Son of Mine,The Sky is a Neighborhood Shame Shame, Breakout, My Hero, These Days, Walk, You Should Be Dancing (Bee Gees cover), Band member solos + Blitzkrieg Bop snippet, Somebody to Love (Queen cover) All My Life, This Is a Call, Best of You, Everlong
Update – September 17, 2021: Elton John is postponing his 2021 European dates on his world tour until 2023 so that he can have an operation on an injured hip. Elton John said of the injury and postponement:
Despite intensive physio and specialist treatment, the pain has continued to get worse and is leading to increasing difficulties moving. I have been advised to have an operation as soon as possible to get me back to full fitness and make sure there are no long-term complications.
With great sadness and a heavy heart that I am forced to reschedule the 2021 dates of my Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Europe and the UK to 2023.
Elton John
Elton has promised fans that “the shows will return to the road next year and I will make sure they are more than worth the wait.”
REcently, Lil Nas X and Elton John have teamed up for “One of Me,” the pair’s first collaboration, appearing Lil Nas X’s debut album, Montero, which released on Friday, September 17.
Original article follows below
The final dates for Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour have been announced. This final tour for Elton John will take him around Europe, America and New Zealand, with dates into 2023.
Elton John released a statement regarding his new tour dates, and the return to his ‘final’ tour:
Hello, all you wonderful fans out there. I’m coming to you today with an announcement I’ve been working towards for, well, all my life: the shows that I announce today will be my final tour dates ever in North America and Europe. I’m going to go out in the biggest possible way, performing at my very best, with the most spectacular production I’ve ever had, playing in places that have meant so much to me throughout my career.
Elton John
photo by JTGPhoto
Elton John made his way through New York in February 2019 with a stop at the Times Union Center. Check out photos and our review of the evening for a taste of what’s in store when The Rocket Man returns to the road.
Elton John ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road” World Tour
2021 (European dates postponed until 2023)
Sept. 01 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes Benz Arena Sept. 03 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes Benz Arena Sept. 04 – Berlin, DE 2 Mercedes Benz Arena Sept. 07 – Cologne, DE – Lanxness Arena Sept. 08 – Cologne, DE – Lanxness Arena Sept. 11 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena Sept. 12 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena Sept. 14 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena Sept. 17 – Stockholm, SE – Tele2 Arena Sept. 18 – Stockholm, SE – Tele2 Arena Sept. 21 – Helsinki, FI – Hartwell Arena Sept. 22 – Helsinki, FI – Hartwell Arena Sept. 25 – Oslo, NO – Telenor Arena Sept. 26 – Oslo, NO – Telenor Arena Sept. 30 – Cologne, DE – Lanxness Arena Oct. 05 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion Oct. 06 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion Oct. 10 – Paris, FR – Accor Hotels Arena Oct. 12 – Paris, FR – Accor Hotels Arena Oct. 13 – Paris, FR – Accor Hotels Arena Oct. 16 – Antwerp, BE – Sportpaleis Oct. 17 – Antwerp, BE – Sportpaleis Oct. 22 – Barcelona, ES – Palau Sant Jordi Oct. 23 – Barcelona, ES – Palau Sant Joride Oct. 30 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Arena Nov. 02 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 03 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 05 – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena Nov. 07 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 09 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 10 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 12 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 14 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 16 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 17 – London, UK – O2 Arena Nov. 19 – Manchester, UK – Arena Nov. 21 – Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena Nov. 23 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena Nov. 24 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena Nov. 27 – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena Nov. 28 – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena Dec. 01 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Arena Dec. 03 – Dublin, UK – 3Arena Dec. 04 – Dublin, UK – 3Arena Dec. 06 – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena Belfast Dec. 09 – Aberdeen, UK – P&J Live Dec. 10 – Aberdeen, UK – P&J Live Dec. 13 – Glasgow, UK – SSE Hydro Dec. 14 – Glasgow, UK – SSE Hydro
2022
Jan. 19 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center Jan. 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center Jan. 22 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center Jan. 25 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center Jan. 26 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center Jan. 29 – N. Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena Jan. 30 – Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena Feb. 01 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center Feb. 04 – Chicago, IL – United Center Feb. 05 – Chicago, IL – United Center Feb. 08 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena Feb. 09 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena Feb. 14 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Feb. 15 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Feb. 18 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre Feb. 19 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre Feb. 22 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden Feb. 23 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden Feb. 25 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center March 01 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center March 02 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center March 05 – Long Island, NY – Nassau Coliseum March 06 – Long Island, NY – Nassau Coliseum March 19 – Fargo, ND – FARGODOME March 22 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center March 23 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center March 26 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Center March 27 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena March 30 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center April 01 – Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse April 02 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum April 05 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena April 08 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena April 09 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena April 12 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center April 13 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center April 16 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center April 19 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum April 20 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena April 23 – Jacksonville, FL – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena April 24 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena April 27 – Orlando, FL – Amway Arena April 28 – Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena May 22 – Frankfurt, DE – Deutsche Bank Park May 29 – Leipzig, DE – Red Bull Arena June 04 – Milan, IT – San Siro Stadium June 07 – Horsens, DK – CASA Arena Horsens June 09 – Arnhem, NL – GelreDome June 11 – Paris, FR – La Defense Arena June 15 – Norwich, UK – Carrow Road June 17 – Liverpool, UK – Anfield June 19 – Sunderland, UK – Stadium of Light June 22 – Bristol, UK – Ashton Gate Stadium June 29 – Swansea, UK – Liberty Stadium July 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Citizens Bank Park July 18 – Detroit, MI – Comerica Park July 23 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium July 28 – Foxboro, MA – Gillette Stadium July 30 – Cleveland, OH – Progressive Field Aug. 5 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field Sept. 7 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre Sept. 10 – Syracuse, NY – Carrier Dome Sept. 16 – Pittsburgh, PA – PNC Park Sept. 18 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium Sept. 22 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sept. 24 – Washington, DC – Nationals Park Sept. 30 – Arlington, TX – Globe Life Field Oct. 2 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium Oct. 21 – Vancouver, BC – BC Place Oct. 29 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome Nov. 4 – Houston, TX – Minute Maid Park Nov. 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Chase Field Nov. 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Dodgers Stadium Nov. 20 – Los Angeles, CA – Dodgers Stadium
Algiers made their way to Saint Vitus Bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on Tuesday for the fourth stop (and first of two nights at the bar) on their renewed 2021 tour. The pandemic forced the band to cancel the 2020 tour in support of their new album at the time There Is No Year. The ongoing threat of COVID is still omnipresent in all of our lives, especially for drummer Matt Tong who elected to sit the tour out to protect his newborn baby. Dante Foley, the drummer from the opening band was filling in behind the kit.
Algiers at Saint Vitus Bar, 9/14/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
Support for the night came from Cleveland’s Mourning [A] BLKstar, an eight-piece band described as “a multi-generational, gender and genre non-conforming amalgam of Black Culture dedicated to servicing the stories and songs of the apocalyptic diaspora.” The stage at Saint Vitus was a tad small for the big group, keeping band leader RA Washington on the floor within the crowd who routinely danced and mingled with the people throughout the set. The performance featured a trio of vocalists backed by soaring horns and driving electronic R&B and funk elements not to be missed.
Mourning [A] BLKstar at Saint Vitus, 9/14/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
Saint Vitus is a very intimate setting; a square room off the back of a classic NYC metal bar with ~200 person capacity. The PA could serve a room 4 times the size and fans get an up close and personal experience. Algiers plugged in for a sound check pre show, to test it out to see how all their samples and distortion would sound in the small room. Once filled with fans and friends, the energy was overwhelming, especially as Franklin James Fisher jumped in and out of the crowd while singing.
Algiers at Saint Vitus Bar, 9/14/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
The members of Mourning [A] BLKstar as well as Algiers both made comments during the show about all being a part of a family. Two vocalists from MAB joined Algiers during “Dispossession,” and as Algiers was finishing off the night with a high energy run through of “Death March,” candles were being lit on a cake to celebrate Fisher’s 40th birthday. Both bands had many friends and family in attendance, and the atmosphere in Saint Vitus was pure celebration.
Algiers at Saint Vitus Bar, 9/14/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
Night two in Brooklyn was Wednesday, September 15th. The tour runs across the US through October, then goes on break until a European leg throughout May 2022. Franklin teased that a new record is written so stay tuned for new music from the group in the near future.
Jason Matu releases his first single “Fare Thee Well” today, September 17th, from his upcoming EP set for release October 15th.
Matu, a songwriter from Brooklyn creates music he describes as simple, immediate songs with a literary bent and expansive soundscapes. When told not to pursue music until he has completed college, Matu went ahead and enrolled into law school.
The indie artist’s new single displays an uplifting tone in a grim year plagued by the pandemic. “Fare Thee Well,” the first single from Jason Matu’s upcoming Same Day EP, is an Americana piece which paints a portrait of an overcoming feeling of perseverance and triumph.
Matu’s upcoming EP was written all in one day’s time and recorded by frequent collaborator and Grammy-nominated producer Justin Craig, responsible for Hedwig and The Angry Inch. Joining him are base and guitarists Jordan and Talor Steinberg of The Moon City Masters.
Eventually, Jason Matu rediscovered his musical purpose after insulating himself as a creative force in a short-lived arena rock band, and shifted priorities. he moved to Brooklyn. With a series of tragic medical emergencies, deaths, and global pandemics in the way, Jason was literally (and figuratively) forced underground. In his isolated apartment Jason found himself writing song after song.
With no one else to sing his compositions, Jason took it upon himself be the vocalist. Somewhere in the cracks between 5,000 discarded lines of song, Jason found his voice. Jason made his debut album Dumb Ecstatic Bliss, which rose to #115 on the college radio charts. Working on his neon Americana follow-up, the Same Day EP, titled cleverly due to the fact that all three songs were written on the same day during the pandemic.
Wantagh hosted “The Metal Tour Of The Year” at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, featuring Megadeth, Lamb of God, Trivium, & Hatebreed. Billed as “The Metal Tour Of The Year” and rightfully so, as each one of these bands could easily headline their own respective tours.
Fans of all ages packed in the beautiful Jones Beach Theater in Long Island in a buzz waiting for the show to begin. Originally scheduled to open the tour was In Flames, but due to COVID the band ultimately decided not to tour. Hatebreed graciously accepted the position and gave a fantastic heavy, fast paced set that really set the bar for the show.
While only performing 8 songs in total, Hatebreed didn’t slow down at all performing favorites such as: “I Will be Heard”, “Smash your Enemies”, an epic Slayer cover of “Ghosts of War”, and “Perseverance”. While their set flew by, they finished with an exclamation point with their hit “Destroy Everything”. Hatebreed was the perfect replacement for In Flames to open this tour, and fans were very welcoming and receptive to their performance.
Following Hatebreed, Trivium is set to take the stage and fans are starting to fill in the theater. Anticipation was certainly high as the crowd chanted the bands name prior to them taking the stage. After a brief instrumental prelude, Trivium roars right into their new hit “In The Court of The Dragon” which sends Jones Beach into a roar. While also only playing an 8 song set, Trivium flowed seamlessly through their performance. Following up right into “Catastrophist” and then “IX” really showcased how tight of a band Trivium is. It is unfortunate they were only allotted 8 songs, though all of them being their top hits which included “What The Dead Men Say”, “Down From The Sky”, “The Heart From your Hate”, “Feast of Fire” and closing with “In Waves”. Triviums stage presence was something to be admired as singer/guitarist Matt Heafy moved around the stage and interacted with the crowd. Overall their set was very well done for the time they had allotted.
Next up was the co-headliner of the tour, and one of the biggest metal bands in the modern era – Lamb of God. Lamb of God is known for their absolutely captivating live shows, with an energy that is just unmatched by singer Randy Blythe. Tonight would be no different, as the crowd chants “Lamb of God, Lamb of God” over and over waiting for their show to start.
Opening with “Momento Mori” the lights are all dimmed down as the intro places and the band one by one takes their places on stage. As the intro progresses Randy Blythe makes his way front and center perfectly times as he opens with a epic scream of “Wake Up” and the band immediately fires on all cylinders. Randy Blythe isn’t just any front man, he is one of the absolute best in the business and commands your attention with his stage presence. From the beginning to the end of their set, Blythe doesn’t stop moving and jumping around the stage, feeding off of the crowds energy. Their set was fast paced, heavy, and in my opinion one of the best live metal shows to see.
Their set included a mix of old and new songs, all of which fit perfectly into their performance. Going right into “Ruin” the crowd doesn’t have any time to relax, as the mosh pit grows in ferocity and crowd surfers are seemingly nonstop. One of the highlights of their set was the third song, “Walk With Me In Hell” which included an enormous amount of pyrotechnics. Randy also played into the pyro of the set, performing a glorious jump off the drum risers as the flames were all rising at once. The rest of their 12 song set included hits “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For”, “512”, “Vigil” “Contractor”, “Laid To Rest”, and ending their performance with the very high energy “Redneck”. Lamb of God is a must see for any fan of metal music whenever they come around.
Lamb of God Setlist: Momento Mori > Ruin > Walk With Me In Hell > Resurrection Man > Now You’ve Got Something To Die For > Set To Fail > New Colossal Hate > 512 > Vigil > Contractor > Laid to Rest > Redneck
It was finally a time for Megadeth to take the stage and fans were pumped after Lamb of Gods performance. While not as heavy of a band, Megadeth are legends and are one of the “Big 4″(Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax being the others) so fans were in for a treat tonight. Vocalist and founder Dave Mustaine recently won a battle with throat cancer, which makes seeing them perform that much more special.
Opening with “Hangar 18” the crowd erupts into applause and screams as Dave takes the stage dressed in a white shirt and jeans. The band sounded great and Mustaine was still performing exceptionally well, especially giving the circumstances he has gone through. The production was top notch with the drums also sitting high up on risers and a giant blue “MEGADETH” sign lit up the background. The band transitioned extremely well between songs, playing “The Threat Is Real” right into “Sweating Bullets.”
Highlights of Megadeths set were during “Dystopia” when Vic Rattlehead appeared with a robot(Vic Rattlehead is the mascot Megadeth and is a skeletal figure wearing a suit who embodies the phrase “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” as well as a symbol of censorship.) and during “Tornado of Souls” when Dace announced that tomorrow is his 60th birthday, which then the crowd sang “Happy Birthday”. Megadeth closed out their set with “Peace Sells” and “Holy Wars.. The Punishment Due” in epic fashion, with everyone in Jones Beach Theater giving applause.
The Metal Tour of The Year is definitely one worth seeing, as all these bands are fantastic and put on such a great performance. It was a great feeling to be back to a packed metal show again, which hopefully is a positive sign of the future for more shows.
Megadeth Setlist: Hangar 18 > The Threat Is Real > Sweating Bullets > She-Wolf > The Conjuring > Trust > Conquer or Die! > Dystopia > Tornado of Souls > Symphony of Destruction > Peace Sells > Holy Wars.. The Punishment Due
William ‘Tragedy’ Yager bought Albany’s Fuze Box. The entrepreneur will be bringing the club back to it’s counter culture heyday.
Time Union reported the sale of the Fuze Box on August 10, 2021 to William ‘Tragedy’ Yager. William ‘Tragedy’ Yager owns an array of businesses in Albany known as the ‘Tragic Empire.’ The empire includes Patsy’s Barber Shop, Modern Body Art, Shocker Tattoo Co., Lucky Cat Laundromat, and now the Fuze Box. The empire dedicates itself to uplifting the community of Albany and aims for inclusive style and design, and supports local charitable causes, including the William Yager Memorial Foundation providing educational stipends and addiction services to young adults and their families.
The Fuze Box cocktail club that offers punk & indie rock shows and has regular DJs sets. It’s a retro-themed space. The building has been around since the early 50’s but became a venue, first called the Q2E Club, back in 1986. Now the Fuze Box will be going back to surviving it’s counter culture and underground scene under its new management. The Fuze Box was listed for sale back in August of 2020 for $244,900.
William ‘Tragedy’ Yager wrote on the Fuze Box’s Facebook wall saying, “I am so excited with all the positive feedback. I am currently giving the place a good bath and decluttering. I look forward to collaborating with everyone to make this a success. My vision is a museum, memorial every changing art installation. I want to preserve the past as well as encourage the future. Love is the answer.” After signing the message attaching his own personal page to the message with a small follow up afterwards reaching out further to the public saying, “Ps. Inbox me with any ideas or anything at all. Super excited.”
It is unclear when the Fuze Box will reopen but under its new management it is sure to be an exciting reopening for the Albany music scene.
The North American Tour for Julien Baker is well underway, with her headlining show at The Beacon Theatre on, Tuesday , September 14 marking a significant milestone in her career. A packed crowd cheered on as she played hits from her catalogue, including several tracks from her latest album, Little Oblivions, which released earlier this year. Thao and Mini Trees opened up the show.
Julien Baker at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David ReichmannJulien Baker at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David Reichmann
Mini Trees opened up the show with songs from their debut album Always In Motion, which you can pre-order here.
Mini Trees at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David Reichmann
Thao fired up the crowd with a lot of energy during their set. Their setlist included the track Marrow from their latest album Temple, which released in 2020.
Julien began her set with the emotional and hard-hitting track Hardline, her latest album’s opening track. She played a wide range of songs, from the quietest and loudest moments in her catalogue. You can see the full setlist here.
JulienBaker at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David Reichmann
Between songs Julien joked about how strange is was to be in a fully vaccinated and (partly) masked audience, thanked her New York audience for making the evening possible, and remarked on how strange this tour was compared to her last.
Julien Baker at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David Reichmann
You can check out Julien Baker’s latest album here and view her remaining Fall Tour dates here.
Julien Baker at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David ReichmannThao at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David ReichmannJulien Baker at Beacon Theatre, Photographed by David Reichmann
“Head Underwater,” the new single from Queens duo The Forms, is the second single released by the band in over a decade. Along with “Southern Ocean,” released earlier this year, the pair precedes the release of The Forms long awaited third album, slated for release in 2022, and recorded by the legendary Steve Albini.
The single, described by frontman Alex as “the most purely joyful song The Forms have ever done”, is an electronic dance-pop tune as envisioned by a couple of reformed math-rockers.
photo by Noah Kalina
The accompanying video directed by Bo Mirhosseni, whose previous work includes Disclosure’s “When a Fire Starts to Burn” and Kaytranda/Anderson Paak’s “Glowed Up“, documents the a day in the life of a shaman in a quasi-post-apocalyptic world. “Head Underwater” serves to ramp up the anticipation of The Forms’ long-awaited upcoming full length release.
These new releases from The Forms follow their Pitchfork lauded debut Icarus and their critically acclaimed, self-titled sophomore album. The last taste of new music from the group prior to ‘Southern Ocean’ and ‘Head Underwater’ was the Derealization EP, which featured The National’s Matt Berninger on vocals, as well as Shudder To Think’s Craig Wedren.
Over the course of these releases, The Forms were invited to share the stage with an incredible collection of artists including St. Vincent, Nick Cave, The National, Dizzee Rascal, The Hold Steady, Kurt Vile, Jose Gonzales, Deerhunter and Bat For Lashes.
On the evening of September 9, 2021, a cacophony of spiked collars, fluorescent shorts, and favorite faded tee assembled under the Webster Hall Marquee holding the words SLEIGH BELLS. Vaccine cards in hand, fans appeared to be patient, but closer investigation revealed fingers tapping, shoulders curling and wide eyes darting.
Why the underlying excitement? Because this night celebrated the 10 year anniversary for Sleigh Bells and the release of their newest album, Texis. The sold-out, fully-vaxxed show had dedicated fans yearning to show appreciation for the band’s providing a depth of meaning far deeper than casual.
The energy reflected that night felt like an expression of survival among diverse fans that were grateful to their two heroes, Alexis Krauss and Derek Edward, for providing escape, protection, and tools for self love in order to go on in this world with a head held high.
The ferocity in the fans was unhinged. The darkness and strobes mixed with the bass and tempo perfectly, showcasing the dynamic range of response. A true reflection of the diversity and adversity many fans have experienced due to who they are and who they love.
Sleigh Bells singer Alexis Krauss recalled recognizing nearly all fans in the crowd. Like the recently released song “True Seekers,” fans did not hesitate to drive from places like Washington D.C. and Georgia for this special night.
Motif of duty seemed to resonate throughout the night. It was the responsibility for fans to let go of all the emotions trapped in the safe space both medically and metaphysically. Acceptance to show up as one’s true self allowed for joy to spark a fire that burned away all distractions from the world that existed outside of this hallowed hall.
The short version is Sleigh Bells is my fav band—it’s hard to describe why they’ve had such a profound impact on my life thru the years, but ever since the release of Treats, I can’t get enough Lol so my husband and I came all the way up from Atlanta to see this show! It was so cathartic in the age of covid…I cried after the show just from pure bliss of remembering concerts past…when you go to a Sleigh Bells show, you’ve got to bring the energy & it give it everything you’ve got! And that’s just what we did.
A True Seeker
To tie the ribbon on this musical gift, Sleigh Bells provided a sensory experience conducive for fans to walk together into the void as their authentic selves. Alexis and Derek played fast, loud and with love. New songs and old, the band paid respects to their past and ended with sights pointed towards the future.
The dragons have been awakened by their fearless leaders. Mobilization for a brighter future awaits. Tour starts now. Go see them if you can.
For more Sleigh Bells, treat yourself to a YouTube Rabbit hole of their incredible music video catalog before purchasing your show ticket.
Merch sold out before the show started so if you missed your chance, visit the online store.
Just in time for the fall, Adirondack lords of bluegrass The Blind Owl Band bring their latest album, Stimulus Package, full of energy to keep you warm as we ease into cooler weather.
Recorded Live at High Peaks Sound in Saratoga Springs, the Saranac Lake band is in their prime and have crafted a fresh album that represents the group as a hidden gem found in the North Country of New York.
The gravely voice of Arthur Buezo sings “Cold Steel Crow,” in a deeper Tom Waits style, with a thumping bass from Chris Cardiello. An Eastern European vibe in the intro to “Mislead Ghost” will perk your ears up and draw you in, keeping you on board for “Hit Em High,” a seven minute highlight of the album that channels Jeff Austin-era YMSB thanks to Eric Munley’s furious mandolin playing.
The sad and longing “Missing My Home” features a shout out to Blind Owl Band’s ‘Northern Rock’ brethren Eastbound Jesus. “Fiddle Don’t” goes from the Adirondacks deep into Appalachia for a Hackensaw Boys sound. A sure fire sing along when performed live, “Everybody’s Gotta Live” features a tasty bass breakdown by Cardiello and twang laid down by banjo player James Ford.
Stimulus Package pairs well with the transition from summer to fall and can be streamed below or purchased via the Blind Owl Band Bandcamp page. Check them out in Alexandria Bay on September 18 at Riverboat Bar.
Key Tracks: Hit em High, Everybody’s Gotta Live, Blue Eyes Dancing
